Nestorius, The Bazaar of Heracleides (1925) pp. 336-380. Book 2 Part 2.
BOOK II. PART II
Concerning what was done in the time of Flavian.
Now after Proclus Flavian became bishop of Constantinople, a man who was used to comport himself with uprightness and with reverence, but had not the ability to speak in public and to expound his discourses. He then who was accusing all the bishops, he who / was left behind alone of the rest of the others who had passed away, that is Eutyches, took heart, and, because he was not a bishop, set himself by means of the authority of [his] Majesty [to behave] otherwise----as bishop of bishops. For he was taking charge of the affairs of the church, making use of Flavian who, by reason of the greatness of his humility knew not the things which were being prepared, as of a minister in [the execution of] the things which were being commanded at Constantinople, while he was driving out of the church as heretics all those who were not holding these views of his; but those who were aiding him he raised up and aided. But apart [from this] he was making use of the authority of the Emperor, a reliable authority, and he was unwilling that two natures should be predicated of Christ even in saying, and was mocking at the Fathers who spoke thus, blaming them as hypocrites who by hypocrisy were dissembling the truth or [who] like heretics expressed these [views] of mine, since the doctrines of those men ought not to be embraced in the judgement of the faith. Thus, while he was confirming and preparing these things by the authority and by the commands of [his] Majesty, all the East was disturbed at these things and there was no place that had not been stirred up, because he had set aside all things as things / that were happening in schema ; and already he was openly constraining them either to say things which they wanted not or to suffer wrong and to receive punishment.
For Flavian had heard that the churches were disturbed |337 anew over these things and the monasteries were divided and the people were rising up in parties, and that already the fire was kindling in all the world owing to those who were going and coming and were preaching various things that were full of impiety. And he sent unto him, as they say, requesting him and beseeching him to spare the churches of God which were much distraught by the disturbances which had taken place aforetime and for which those things sufficed which had been settled while there was peace, and not to stir up against him 'that which was not stirred up against those who were before me, lest it should be supposed that it was not stirred up against them out of fear, whereas [it was so] in my own days because of the greatness of [my] negligence; for I confess that I am a miserable man. But what couldest thou have befall thee more than others? Yet, on account of my humility, even thou directest the episcopate and I have done everything that thou hast commanded without declining.'
But the other on the contrary was saying: 'I aid thee / in the episcopate and thou oughtest to rejoice in the change: that these things, as they were being [done] out of hypocrisy, against them that [were] before thee will take place in thy days without hypocrisy. For now, to be sure, it is supposed that men have been purified from these [heresies] of Nestorius, whereas they have clung to his [views]; and we are supposed to have had a personal enmity towards the man and not [one conceived] on account of his impiety, since we have indeed condemned him but have let his faith flourish. Yet we ought entirely to drive out the things which he has said and confessed; for he was not sent away as confessing two natures distinguished from one another and [that] each of them was by itself Son, but because he confessed two whole natures and one prosôpon of two, which of constraint are called two natures in that the Son is named Son in each of the natures.'
But when Eusebius of Alexandria, who was bishop of Dorylaeum [and] who was regarded as a confessor because of |338 the words which had been said [by him] against me, had come unto Eutyches, he indeed praised the freedom of speech which had been [taken] by him against me in the things which were done against me. He said: 'It would be suitable to thy freedom of speech itself to extirpate those who are encouraged by the impiety of Nestorius, and for this reason God himself has sent thee, not indeed as though thou lackest aught, for everything has been prepared beforehand by the Emperor, but indeed so / that thou shouldcst exult in thy affliction, if this too should come to pass by means of thee. But thus, if thou dost approach the Emperor in blaming those who need to accept two [natures], either therefore, thou sayest, that the things which were taking place at the Council in thy days may not be suppressed. . . .'
But the other, supposing that he was neither disturbed nor yet angered at these things, but that he was quite calm, says unto him: 'Be thou silent, and labour not in vain, ye who want impossible things to take place, while neither all the Council which was at Ephesus nor Cyril himself, howbeit he was in agreement with the Easterns, has suppressed them. And afterwards again an agreement was [reached] concerning these very things, and one let be the things which were well [able] to be retained. For it is not possible that there should be taken from the church [the right] that two natures should be predicated of Christ without confusion, [those] of the divinity and of the humanity, consubstantial with his Father in the divinity and consubstantial with us in the humanity. . . .' And Eutyches became perturbed against him and said: 'God confound thee, who [affirmest] that even formerly Nestorius had said naught against God, but that [he was] turbulent and vainglorious! For how [is it] that he who says the [same] things as Nestorius, can rise up against Nestorius? For these |339 words are his whom you have delivered up with much labour.' But Eusebius said / unto him: 'I know not what thou sayest: for I dispute not with him because he has predicated two natures, [n]or has the Council blamed him for this, but because he distinguishes and places [them] in sundry parts, God by himself and man alike by himself who make use of and are spoken of similarly only in honour and in equality alike. And in this way thou sayest [that there are] two natures and that the holy Virgin is not the mother of God, because God made the very birth of his flesh his own.'
And Eutyches says: 'Thou liest concerning it, because you hold his views without being supposed to be clinging unto his [views]. For he was proclaiming ten thousand times: "I say not two sons, I say one; I say not two natures, nor two sons, for the Son of God is twofold in the natures. For this reason she bare not the Son of God, but she bare the humanity which is Son because of the Son united thereto." And again: "Since God is not to be distinguished from him who is visible, how therefore do I distinguish the honour of him who is not to be distinguished?" It was not then because he had said simply two natures nor because he [had] said that the natures were not united, for [he said]: "I confess the twofold [nature], but I adore two in one because of the union", but that even after the union / he says [that there are] two natures and that the Son is twofold in the natures and says that the union resulted in one prosôpon and not in one nature. But you also, acting impiously, say this and nothing more; and all hypocrites ought to be extirpated. For I acknowledge after the union not another ousia in our Lord nor even do I surely conceive that our Lord, who is our Lord and our God, is consubstantial with us; but he is consubstantial with the Father in the divinity.'
And Eusebius says unto him: 'Does Nestorius speak thus, as thou sayest, or not? I am not now for my part concerned to investigate, but this I say: that he who says these things speaks correctly and thou, who confessest not with the |340 orthodox and, speaking of the flesh which is consubstantial with ourselves, either suppressest it or changcst it into the nature of the divinity, [dost not.] For this reason we ought to subject to inquiry those things which thou sayest [are the views] of Nestorius and whereof thou accusest the Council and Cyril of surely lying against him, since they imagine so; and thou confirmest the accusation of that man, that he imagines that the truth is so. Every one anathematizes this opinion as impious, and I shall prove [it] at a convenient time; for, if there is not a [human] nature in our Lord, / neither is he also consubstantial with us; the very ousia of the flesh has thereby been suppressed.' And Eusebius accused him of these things before Flavian and before the Council which was assembled with him at Constantinople and [Eutyches] confessed them and continued making a show of his impiety, confessing that the body of Christ was not consubstantial with us as though [resulting not] in two natures but in one nature.
This had stirred up the Emperor, and he had not wanted him to be thrust out by deposition, but he was not heard. He therefore prepared all things for the deposition of Flavian and for the restoration of Eutyches. He commenced by attaching to him[self] the bishop of Alexandria and the bishop of Rome by written accounts of what was done against Eutyches; and one agreed and one agreed not [with him]. For the bishop of Rome had read the things which were done against Eutyches and had condemned Eutyches for impiety; but, when I found and read this account, I gave thanks unto God that the Church of Rome was confessing correctly and without fault, although they were otherwise [disposed] towards me myself. But he caused also the rest of the bishops to secede from him and made them hasten unto Eutyches, insulting those who [remained] with Flavian, and without having vouchsafed liberty of speech before him[self] and before the chiefs; and they were surely rebuked, yet were they surely not heard / touching that for which they were |341 rebuked; but men were rising up with insult against them and seizing them and constraining them. And he caused the clergy also to secede from him, constraining and persecuting them in what was not given unto them for their sustenance; and the [charges], which he had commanded should not be exacted of the churches when he respected the church and God, in furious anger he commanded should be exacted of them with implacable abuse. And prelates were openly seized and rebuked before the crowds, and every bishop who was not of the party of Eutyches was seized; and he commanded every tax upon the possessions of their churches which had been remitted unto them by him and by the emperors before him, [even] the tax of all these years, to be exacted of them at one time; and of those who were nobles or of the family of noble persons he exacted openly, in return for the honour which was theirs, a quantity of gold----by which very [means] he commanded vengeance to be exacted of Eusebius, the accuser of Eutyches, without mercy. For these two [means] were employed [together] with all the assaults of hunger and of usury and of captivity, things which were innumerable, and he made the Roman nobility fall at his knees and groan.
/ And while Flavian was overwhelmed with all these things, he was keeping the feast of the Passover, during which the Emperor entered into the church. But he looked not upon him as an enemy and he took the holy Gospel to have mercy upon them, while all the bishops and clergy were assembled with him and the [newly] baptized in their attire, while the people were crying [aloud] with him. And he fell upon his face and prostrated himself in the church, beseeching them to accept him making his defence, since he supposed that he respected the Gospel. But the other dismissed him with scorn, menacing him as having acted insultingly in that he did it, while the bishops and clergy besought [the Emperor] with him and the [newly] baptized prostrated themselves upon the ground amid the voices of the people; and they persecuted |342 them as if [they were] acting insultingly towards [the Emperor], and he withheld himself from that time from entering into the church, and he commanded that whatever was due should be exacted with insult and [that] no respite should be granted unto him, so that he was consequently constrained to send [word] unto the Emperor that he had not possessions of his own, because he was poor, and that not even the possessions of the church, if they were sold, would suffice to [pay] the quantity of gold which was being exacted of him. But he had the holy vessels of the church, which he and the emperors his ancestors had placed [therein], and [he said]: 'I must melt them down, because I am driven [to do so] / by force.' But the Emperor then said: 'I want not to know [this], but the gold I do want in any way whatsoever.' And because of this he took out the vessels of the church and they were melted down openly, so that there was weeping and outcry among all who took part for these exactions that were being made, as though [they were being] subjected to persecution.
But after the Emperor heard the things which were taking place, he was angered exceedingly and bitterly and furiously and as though indeed he [had] brought about these things to scorn him. And he commanded that an Oecumenical Council should be assembled against him and that the deposition of Flavian himself should be undertaken. But Flavian, after he had been closely pressed by all sides and had seen that everything that he was doing and saying he was doing to his own blame and to his rebuke, and [because] he had no aid from [his] Majesty----for since, as they say, that came through the choice and zeal of his sister, [and] she was unwilling to show authority in aught in internal affairs, he had been [filled] with suspicion that on her account he was being wronged----he purposed to resign from the episcopate and go unto his monastery and dwell there; and he drew up a document of abdication and |343 gave [it] in. And after the Emperor knew that he had done this, he sent for him to come back unto him, as though he had done it to slander himself and to blaspheme against him; and [he sent word] that, if he should not return unto his church, he would fall into danger, [saying]: 'For I have not / commanded a Council to be held as if to wrong thee, but for [the purpose of] a true examination and the satisfaction of the truth in the things that are required.'
But, when he came back, he immediately suborned accusers to say that the records which had been [drawn up] in Constantinople [of the things done] against Eutyches were false. But the accusers were those that took refuge with Eutyches [and] who were they that had written down the things which were done against him, and they were accusing themselves much more than Flavian, so as to be rather praised and not judged. By means of the liberty [accorded] by the Emperor they were doing all things by force, so that suddenly there came about the decease of Flavian, distressed so that he had no respite in all the accusations against him and was amazed and perished. But because he was capable of resisting, he gave himself up to various absurdities and was doing all things desperately. For he anticipated also the bishops, who were undecided and who ought to have sat on the bench of judges, and he won them over and made them his own, such as the Bishop of Ancyra [and] him of Caesarea in Cappadocia, sending for them and, as though he was vexed at what was done against / Eutyches, interrogating them whether what was done against him was in truth done; and he said that the things which were done by the Council were deficient and that they remained accusers, and [he added]: 'We want to examine them before the governor and before your Pieties,' and he made them take heart thereby, so that they should not accept what was being [done] but should submit all things for arbitration to the wisdom of the Emperor.
But all these things were being done so that there might be no examination of the faith but [that] Flavian might be |344 deprived as a result of what was prepared outside [the Council] and [that] they might accept the [doctrines] of Eutyches, without examination. If Flavian then had said unto him these things, and that Christ is of two natures, and that the natures subsist after the union as things that have been united without confusion, and [that] he is consubstantial in the divinity with the Father and consubstantial in the humanity with ourselves through [his] mother, these then abbreviated his sayings and changed what the judges ought [to have heard], and condemned him as one that imagined the contrary. He was a man [worthy] of aid on account of his having been surely calumniated. But if they had deprived him as one that said not these things but as one that even then still persisted in these very [views] of his, confessing that he imagined thus and was attached unto the heretics who imagined not thus, wherefore do you abandon the examination concerning him and put into [the minds of] them that are outside [the thought] that there is in them / [cause for] suspicion, because they were brought about by the accusers? For they it was that wrote [against him] and they showed great zeal in what was being examined.
For suppose that something was deficient in the sentence of judgement by these or by those; perhaps even his having been deprived by them was surely deficient. For what reason then have you not examined it in regard to its having been deficient, in [that for] which they have truly deprived him and in what he has not in truth agreed with them? For he who says: 'They have surely failed against me, who have been surely calumniated,' denies that he has said the things on account of which he has been accused and deposed. But if he has confessed that they were not two natures that were united and further [that] the bodily frame of our Lord was not consubstantial with ourselves, and even now is showing that he abides by the same [views], what is its having been defective, as though indeed these things are not sufficient to prove him possessed of a strange opinion? But by any means on the one hand he had denied the things that he said, on the other |345 hand he strengthened himself thereby against his accusers who deprived him. This then was already examined and he [had] also accepted the judgement. What other judgement or examination ought there [to have been] more than that which the bishop of Rome had pronounced? For he, when he had accepted what was done by the two parties, praised indeed the one but condemned the other by divine / inspiration, and had not simply passed sentence on them. And because they felt scruples before the bishop of Rome, they turned back to the bishop of Alexandria as to one who liked to run with them and was an enemy of the bishop of Constantinople.
Concerning what was done in Ephesus against Flavian.
For again indeed they had reached Ephesus, which is appointed and destined for the deposition of the bishops of Constantinople; and further the bishops of Alexandria and of Ephesus consented together and were aiding one another against the bishop of Constantinople. The bishop of Rome was not [there], nor the See of Saint Peter, nor the apostolic honour, nor the primacy dear to the Romans, but he of Alexandria sat in authority and made him of Antioch also to sit with him; and he of Rome----and we mean Julian, who represented the holy bishop of Rome----was asked if he was in agreement with the holy Council and wished to read in this account what was done at Constantinople. He, as / one that had authority, then asked and spoke as though even passing sentence against them. Yet they conceded however unto him their intended purpose, not that he should accept that which they wished nor yet that he should give unto them the primacy, but that, if the bishop of Rome should agree with him, he should accept him as an addition to his party, and otherwise, supposing he were found [to be] against them, he might remove him afar as one that had not authority even in a single [thing], wanting to prove unto every man that they should not look unto the bishop of Rome, since he was not able to aid him of Constantinople. For after Julian had said: 'For this |346 do we wish, that the deed which was committed should be read out, if the letter of our father Leo has first been read,' afterwards indeed Hilary the deacon of the holy bishop of Rome said: 'After these records which you now want to read had been read before him, he! then sent that which he sent. When he had heard these things and there was naught that he ought to say, he passed the opposite sentence concerning them: that 'this indeed was a procedure pleasing [unto him], that the things which were done should be read out and then the writings of the pious bishop of Rome.'
Wherein then is the procedure pleasing indeed that in the first place these things / and then the others should be read and, when they are read, the decision that thou wantest should be passed upon them? For what [reason] hast thou afterwards commanded things to be read when thou leavest no room to read them? Then thou commandest them to be read whose purpose thou wantest to make void! For thou didst know, thou didst know accurately what was sent concerning these things unto the Emperor and unto the Empress and |347 unto Flavian himself, and contrariwise thou wentest by the road which led towards the Emperor and whercunto thou wast subjected, and left that which conducted towards God, and didst concern thyself very little therewith. But I have said too little: that is, [I have omitted to say] that thou didst not reckon it anything at all and didst despise him. And thou didst even sweep aside the adjurations of the bishop of Antioch who adjured thee with frightful adjurations, by the holy mysteries, not to show thyself zealous for the deposition of Flavian nor for his harm. 'It is right to look not to what would be for the consolation of the Emperor but to what will arise therefrom.' For I will examine and I will gratify the Emperor; [it is for us] to be eager not for defeat but for victory, because otherwise we cannot aid him, however much we show ourselves eager, when the Emperor strives with him and is angered [against Flavian]. And he is so altogether angered that he will turn unto chastisement unless we give [him] this room to appease his rage.' Thus by these words / he deceived him and brought him under his control, and so he led him by this word which he had said as though with a bridle. And he accepted him and took part with him in the rest of the other [affairs], and he warred on his side and also [helped him to] deprive him and the others and whoever in whatsoever manner was supposed to think the [same things] as Flavian. And concerning these things it seemed thus unto the Emperor. For I pass over the things, which were being directed against my own person and [that] of Flavian, and all that they were wanting in order to drive out those who wanted not at all to anathematize us. However, they deprived him too by the same [means as me]. But others, who were injured, were deprived without judgement; for they saw not the judgement nor the place of judgement, nor was [the right of] defence nor speech granted unto them. Except him who had been pleasing to the Emperor and to Eutyches, these were depriving and driving them out of their cities. And |348 those who [were followers] of him of Antioch, had much defence [to make] before men concerning him to whom this was not conceded; for he was therefore sore beset without [hope of] aid by the very [means] wherewith he [had] acted against others, suffering for the same things and not on behalf of others. And [conduct] which had not even any reverence, from which there was no escape, that is his injury and the transgression of his adjurations, brought him to all these things. For he made him of Antioch, / who indeed was of such an opinion [as Flavian], an instrument against the bishop of Rome and against the bishop of Constantinople, since it was not quite forgotten by him whether he held such an opinion; for they had written many times to one another concerning these things. Yet he made use however of the holy bishop of Antioch, such as he was, and he made use [of him] until he made him useless and unworthy of the work of the episcopate, and he cast him aside and deprived him, while [his] adjurations were still on his tongue, either [as] one that was useless to him or because he was frightened of him, seeing indeed that he had fallen into the temptation of having transgressed [his] adjurations. For this reason he had deprived him in this very [way] whereby he might be able even otherwise indeed to exact his vengeance. But he was frightened not only of him, in case he had this [same] opinion [as Flavian], but also of the Emperor, and he was doing all things [possible] lest, after carrying out by [means of] him all these things according to his wish, he should afterwards turn round and hate him as untruthful and transgressing [his] adjurations and [as one] who was committing all things unjustly to appease him who was in authority, and then would also work against him and cast him aside.
For it was even like this [that he was behaving] for the sake of him whom he was appeasing [and] whom he was drawing nigh unto him[self], and he was both / aiding him and advancing him in what he wanted. And he was doing all things [possible] and persuading every man to believe that he had undying love for him, and, when he was supposed |349 to love him the more when he was gathering the fruit of whatever he wanted, straightway he cast the man aside and then came to hate him and turned away from him and wronged him; and he delivered him unto his enemies to be insulted as a man that had done very wrong and had sinned against his will, and he insulted [him] and transgressed against his adjurations. And for this reason, since he had known him, he had also wished to tempt him that he might be sinned against [by the very means] whereby he [had] sinned, in such wise that he might thereby become [his] master and slander the man before every one. And a trial of these things was made by this very man; for these things took place no long time before.
Concerning what happened about Cyril when the gold was exacted from him.
For Cyril, who had given many things because of us, when he had gathered the fruit for which he had given [them], because the Emperor knew that he still had money, was indeed pledged in written documents [to pay] two thousand pounds [in] gold, as they say, that what was done against me might be confirmed. But because they had been confirmed / and he who had imposed upon him the condition that he should give [this sum] unto him, that is, John had passed away with insult and in contempt with him who had laboured with him for what was done against me at Ephesus, and because some thing which he had done in his writings [had] come unto him, that he should take also that which was left, and should release the man, what did he do, according to what men say? He wrote unto him a friendly letter, beseeching him to hear him and to come with him as far as Ephesus, because he was under a vow touching himself and touching what was done at Ephesus, to bring [it] and to complete [it] within [the church of] Saint John, |350 for the sake of an [holy] death through his intercession. And [he said]: 'If there is aught that I have not done well because I knew not, I want to be rebuked by thee and I will render unto thee the honour which I owe unto thee,' indicating his flight from Ephesus and what he had done against him; and he wanted him to correct these things because of those who were rejoicing at his flight from Ephesus and who were supposing that he hated him and was striving on behalf of Nestorius. And he required his return [unto Ephesus], so that every man might be convinced and not suspect these things, 'lest they that oppose [thee] should be [buoyed up] by a vain expectation, [and that] we may make them subject unto thee'.
But the other, since he knew naught thereof, had zealously / done the work, and he filled ships with all [kinds of] things and presents, as though for the Emperor and for the Imperial family and for the chief persons as much as was sufficient according to their rank and according to their honour. And he had come unto Ephesus and had given his presents and was honoured and caused every man to be amazed, and according to his honour he was in the mouth of every man. He was so honoured with all honour that he sat with the Emperor upon the first throne----and I mean [that] of the Emperor----while the Emperor sat on the second; and this happened also within the palace and in the [imperial] chariot and in public, so that the seat of the Emperor might be sanctified by his sitting [therein]. And for this reason he caused him to enter also into Constantinople, so that the brothers of the Emperor and the household of the Emperor and the city might be sanctified by his coming. But after he had here also satisfied the cupidity of men with presents and consequently had nothing [left over], he then commanded that the gold should be exacted, the two thousand pounds, which he was pledged by written documents [to pay] and which he could not deny without being further deprived of his honour if he were to deny [them] and be convicted. But after he knew and perceived that the suffering which |351 had come upon him [was] a great wrong, he gave pledges for these [two thousand pounds] and sailed across the sea amid storms and in a great disturbance / and fled, lest he should fall in with other wrongs by reason of the accusers who were accusing him. . . .
But again I revert there to the just judgement of Dioscorus, who had received from Cyril the primacy and a hatred for the bishop of Constantinople. For their aim was not this, to attain the truth, but in every way whatsoever to strengthen themselves. For before Flavian had entered into the assembly, as they say, the other * had taken the seat and the place of the bishop of Constantinople and had made the others precede him, so that he sat at the end, as if [treated] with contempt. But he thought indeed nothing like this and sat down; but the other himself, wanting to make a show of his tyranny, in the first place made this stir----and thou didst it that it might cause suffering unto him of Rome, as they say----and he arose and constrained him and made him come and sit upon his own throne. And then the Counts, who had been charged with this, restrained the bishops who were assembled and were wanting to speak for him outside what was asked of them by the bishop of Alexandria, who had the power of authority. / And those that had come from outside to [bear] witness to all the things which happened aforetime and [who] were able, in respect to the conviction of Eutyches of having said these things also before his accusation, to prove that there had been no calumny----and I mean the enclosed [monks] in the monasteries and all those who were supposed to have come on behalf of Flavian----they made to hide themselves and be in alarm because of their coming, as though they had vainly and boldly given themselves up on behalf of him who had been deprived by the Emperor from Constantinople.
But all of those with Eutyches----they were monks----were in [the enjoyment of] great liberty and authority, in such wise that whatever men wished to be [done] by authority |352 was done by means of them, so that also they delivered unto the chiefs themselves and unto the inhabitants of the city all those who were indicated unto them. For every man was made subject unto them, and they were ministering unto them whether they were willing or whether they were unwilling. For what was being done was displeasing unto many of them, but they were constrained and [were] weeping. And by every means they were doing the things which were commanded; and they were carrying off men, [some] of them from the ships and [others] of them from the streets and [others] of them from the houses and [others] of them while praying from the churches, and were pursuing [others] of them / that they fled; and with all zeal they were searching out and digging after those who were hiding in caves and in holes in the earth. And it was [a matter] of great fear and of danger for a man to speak with the adherents of Flavian on account of those who were dwelling in the neighbourhood and keeping watch and were as spies to see who entered in unto Flavian. And on account of this they were going and taking part with the adherents of Eutyches, [some] of them indeed since they feared to bear ill-treatment, and [others] of them since they had been the first to depend upon his own aid, and were speaking and lying much; and all that they were saying unto him against the other was approved and [such things] were said unto him as if for [his] pleasure.