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| A Second One from Flavian to Leo.
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Letter
XXVI236
| 236 In reading the Tome
(Lett. XXVIII.) the reader is warned to remember that he must take no
account of this letter, which did not reach Leo until later, and which
is acknowledged in Lett. XXXVI. dated a week after the Tome.
Bright (n. 139). There are two versions of this letter also, the
ancient one and a modern one by Joannes Cotelerius, which latter, as
being a more exact reproduction of the Gk. original, we have taken as
the basis of our English translation. | .
A Second One from Flavian to
Leo.
To the most holy and blessed father and
fellow-minister Leo, Flavian greeting in the Lord.
I.
Eutyches’ heresy restated.
Nothing, as you know, most beloved of God, is more precious to priests than piety and the right
dividing of the word of truth. For all our hope and safety, and
the recompense of promised good depend thereon. For this reason
we must take all pains about the true Faith, and those things which
have been set forth and decreed by the holy Fathers, that always, and
in all circumstances, they may be kept and guarded whole and
uninjured. And so it was necessary on the present occasion for
us, who see the orthodox Faith suffering harm, and the heresy of
Apollinaris and Valentinus being revived by the wicked monk Eutyches,
not to overlook it, but publicly to disclose it for the people’s
safety. For this man: this Eutyches, keeping his diseased
and sickly opinion hid within him, has dared to attack our gentleness,
and unblushingly and shamelessly to instil his own blasphemy into many
minds: saying that before the Incarnation indeed, our Saviour
Jesus Christ had two natures, Godhead and manhood: but that after
the union they became one nature; not knowing237
| 237
Ignarus: it will be remembered that in the Tome (chap. i.)
this is the chief fault which Leo also has to find with Eutyches,
calling him multum imprudens et nimis imperitis, &c. |
what he says, or on what he is speaking so decidedly. For even
the union of the two natures that came together in Christ did not, as
your piety knows, confuse their properties in the process: but
the properties of the two natures remain entire even in the
union. And he added another blasphemy also, saying that the
Lord’s body which sprang from Mary was
not of our substance, nor of human matter: but, though he calls
it human, he refuses to say it was consubstantial with us or with her
who bare him, according to the flesh238
| 238 So in Lett. XXII.,
chap. iii., Domini corpus non esse quidem corpus hominis, humanum
autem corpus esse quod ex Virgine est. | .
II. The means Eutyches has taken to
circumvent the Synod.
And this notwithstanding that the acts of
Ephesus239
| 239 The date of
this Council is 431 b.c. | , in the letter written by the holy and
ecumenical synod to the wicked and deposed Nestorius, contain these
express words: “the natures which came together to form
true unity are indeed different: and yet from them both there is
but one Christ and Son. Not as if the difference between the two
natures was done away with through the union, but rather that these
same natures, His Godhead and His Manhood perfected for us one
Lord Jesus Christ, through an ineffable and
incomprehensible meeting which resulted in unity.” And this
does not escape your holiness, who have no doubt read the record of
what was done at Ephesus. Yet this same Eutyches attaching no
weight to these words, thinks he is not liable to the penalties fixed
by that holy and ecumenical synod. For this reason, finding that
many of the simpler-minded folk were injured in their faith by his
contention, upon his being accused by the devout Bishop Eusebius, and
upon his attending at the holy council, and with his own mouth
declaring what he thought to the members of the synod, we have deposed
him for his estrangement from the true Faith, as your holiness will
learn from the resolutions passed about him: which we have sent
with this our letter. Moreover, it is fair in my opinion that you
should be told this also that this same Eutyches, after suffering just
and canonical deposition, instead of making amends for his earlier by
his later conduct240
| 240 Saltem secundis
curare priora (Gk. κἂν
τοῖς
δευτέροις
ἰάσασθαι τὰ
πρότερα). | , and appeasing
God by careful penitence and many tears, and
by a true repentance, comforting our heart which was greatly saddened
at his fall: not only did not do so, but even made every effort
to throw the most holy church of this place into confusion:
setting up in public placards full of insults and maledictions, and
beyond this addressing his entreaties to our most religious and
Christ-loving Emperor, and these too over-flowing with arrogance and
sauciness, whereby he tried to override the divine canons in
everything.
III. He acknowledges the receipt of
Leo’s letter.
But after all this had occurred, your
holiness’ letter was conveyed to us by the most honourable count
Pansophius: and from it we learnt that the same Eutyches had sent
you a letter full of falsehood and cunning, saying that at the time of
trial he had presented letters of appeal to us, and to the holy synod
of bishops who were then present, and had appealed to your
holiness: this he certainly never did, but in this matter, too,
he has been guilty of deceit, like the father of lies, thinking to gain
your ear. Therefore, most holy father, being stirred by all that
he has ventured, and by what has been done, and is being done against
us and the most holy Church, use your accustomed promptitude as becomes
the priesthood, and in defending the commonweal and peace of the holy
churches, consent by your own letter241
| 241 Cf. Lett. XXVII., n.
7, where the difference between Flavian’s request here and in
Lett. XXII., chap iv., is pointed out. | to endorse the
resolution that has been
canonically passed against him, and to
confirm the faith of our most religious and Christ-loving
Emperor. For the matter only requires your weight and support,
which through your wisdom will at once bring about general peace and
quietness. For thus both the heresy which has arisen, and the
disorder it has excited, will easily be appeased by God’s
assistance through a letter from you: and the rumoured synod will
also be prevented, and so the most holy churches throughout the world
need not be disturbed. I and all that are with me salute all the
brethren that are with you. May you be granted to us safe in the
Lord, and still praying for us, O most
God-Loving and Holy Father.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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