Letter 110: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Copy of the report of Epiphanius, bishop of Constantinople. To the in all things most holy and most blessed lord, brother, and fellow-minister Hormisdas, from Epiphanius. We desire indeed to send letters more frequently to your beatitude and to enjoy the affection of brotherly love; but now, wishing that the things which have come to pass should not be hidden from your holiness, we have made use of the present writing. For when, over no small space of time, many disturbances surrounded Antioch, the greatest city, which is the first in the diocese of the East, on the occasion that Paul [...] held the episcopate of the aforesaid city, beloved of God, and when many of the inhabitants of that very city, as certain persons have said, separated themselves from the catholic church and pressed continual appeals upon our most tranquil and most faithful prince, and besought that a manifest inquiry be made into the matters which were being brought forward as accusations (which appeals indeed took their beginning some time ago, just as it did not escape the notice of the legates beloved of God who were sent by your holiness, since, while they were staying in the royal city, they recognized everything concerning these affairs): the aforementioned Paul, beloved of God, therefore, judging this to be of advantage to himself, chose by his own petitions both the abandonment of the said city and of the episcopate, and showed that he preferred universal peace and a withdrawal from the causes of estrangement. All which things we know to have been made manifest also to our prince, beloved of Christ, [and] to your reverence. But now, more precious to us all than anything, and that good news concerning which especially night and day [we are anxious to hear] -- [the news] concerning those [legates] whom [...] our most loving prince and we ourselves directed to your beatitude, the legates beloved of God, rejoicing, announcing the peace dear to God and proclaiming the unity, comely with every beauty, of the holy churches -- deign to send to us as quickly as possible, so that, as we have often written, there may be a heavenly gain for the present cause to those who in their swiftness are the authors of a good correction, most blessed and most holy brother. All the brotherhood that is in Christ with your beatitude, both we ourselves and those who are with us, greet with [a wish for] many years.

EXEMPLUM RELATIONIS EPIPHANII EPISCOPI CONSTANTINOPOLITANI. PER OMNIA SANCTISSIMO ET BEATISSIMO DOMINO FRATRI ET 20 coiJiiNiSTRATORi HORMiSDAB EPiPHANius. Frequentiores quidem litteras facere ad uestram beatitudinem et frui alfectu fraternae caritatis optamus, nunc autem ea quae euenerunt cupientes uestram sanctimoniam non latere praesentibus usi sumus scriptis. multis enim et non paruo spatio temporis perturba- 2 2 5tionibus Antiochiae maximam ciuitatem, quae est in dioecesi Orientali prima, circumstantibus sub occasione, quia Paulus 6 ueritue Car. 11 creduntur V: acceperunt 5ar.; ego inserui accepisse (suscepisse Thiel, curare Hartel) 14 lacunatn indicaui: ut inseruit Car., quod non sufficit; excidit ut quid factum sit uel simile quid 15 maias con- stantinopolim V, corr. p 16 vvc cons V 242, Dat. ut ep. 9.41. Edd. Car. P 562; CoUect. Concil ; Thiel 984; comtnemorat Bar. ad a. 521 38. 18 exejip V 23 uisi F, corr. 25 diocesi V 742 lustinianus Hormisdae aniabilis deo episcopatiim meraoratae liabiiit chiitatis, et miiltis urbis ipsius habitatorum, sicut dixerunt aliqui, a catliolica ecclesia sese separantibus et assiduas interpellationes tranquillissimo et fidelissimo priocipi nostro ingerentibus et eorura, quae in accusationera ducebantur, inquisitionem 5 supplicantibus fieri raanifestara (quae quidem initium olim sumpserunt, sicut nec directos a uestra sanctitate deo amabiles legatos latuit, cum in regia degerent ciuitate, agnoscentes 3 super his omnia) : memoratus ergo amabilis deo Paulus prod- esse sibi hoc existimans per libellos proprios designatae lo ciuitatis desertionem et episcopatus elegit et uniuersalem quietem et Ca> causis alienationem se praefeiTe monstrauit. quae omnia et araabilera Christo principera nostrurn manifesta 4 reuerentiae uestrae fecisse nouimus. sed nunc omnibus nobis pretiosius et de quo raaxime noctibus et diebus bonum nuntium de his qui f amantissimo principe et a nobis directos ad uestram beatitudinera deo amabiles legatos laetos amicam deo pacem nuntiantes et omni pulchritudine decoram unitatem sanctarum ecclesianim annuntiantes quam cito ad nos destinare dignamini, ut praesentis causae, sicut saepe scripsimus. sit 20 caele^te lucrum his, qui in celeritate sunt bonae con-ectionis 5 auctores, beatissime et sanctissime frater. oninem, quae est cum tua beatitudine in Christo fraternitas, et nos et qui nobiscum sunt multis salutamus annis. 2 mnltis . .habitatorum 8cripsi'. multorum . . habitatorum F. id quod uix recte Thielim trihuit interpreti genetiui dbsoluti Graeci nimis tenaci; multis . . habitatoribus 3 sese o^: esse V 12 a addit Labh, 14 sqq. locus corruptus; omnibus bonis pretiosius . . diebus <solliciti eu- mu8> bonum nuntium detis atque <ab> amantissimo . . dignemini Thiel; omnibus nobis pretiosius est, de quo maxime noctibus et diebus - aiixii sumus, audire/ bonum nuntium de his qui ♦ *. • quare ab> amantissimo Hariel 17 letoa F, del, 0 18 omnia pulchr. decora F, corr. Thiel Epist. CCXXXXII 3 — ccxxxxmi 1. 743