Letter 203: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

[Editorial heading] Petition of Dioscorus the deacon to Pope Hormisdas. [Editorial summary] That he by no means shrinks from pleading your cause with the Scythian monks before the bishop of Constantinople (n. 1). The proceedings conducted with the deacon Victor and with those same Scythians before the aforesaid bishop (n. 2); that all who accept the Council of Chalcedon are branded by them as Nestorians, on which account Dioscorus himself sets forth his own faith (n. 3). Maxentius, who passes himself off as an abbot, cannot even prove himself to be a monk. The depraved conscience of Achilles (n. 4). 1. Through Eulogius, a most dear man, [variant: a most distinguished man] we have received the letters of your beatitude, in which you indicated the intention of the Scythian monks, and how it had seemed good to your apostolic office to delegate the case to the bishop of Constantinople, so that he himself might hear between them and those who are attacked by them. To me indeed it had not been displeasing, since where the conscience, with God's help, is terrified by no dread, it ought to shrink back from no one, but rather to hasten the more, so that through examination what is true may be made manifest to all. 2. You indicated to me that a formal protest was lodged by them, that heretics should not be joined with me. Whom they call heretics I do not know, unless perhaps those who accept the Council of Chalcedon, whom I call catholics. The deacon Victor is named. [Editorial note: that is, by the name of those heretics they mean the deacon Victor.] Certain men, together with him, before we entered Constantinople, raised a contention concerning the One of the Trinity crucified, and concerning Christ as composite, and concerning the other chapters [Editorial note here treats matter of the Nestorian heresy; in the middle it explains in these words: "They are therefore plunged into those shadows, because they do not understand Christ to be one in accordance with the composite God the Word and the human nature assumed by him; but in accordance with the indwelling of the one in the other, as we have taught above, or in accordance with the social union of two persons by grace, they understand Christ to be one person. But while we hear Christ..."] here set down. They brought against him a written charge, both to us and to the bishop of Constantinople. We came together into the bishop's house, that we might examine the contention which was being disputed between them. The aforesaid bishop brought forward the Council of Chalcedon; he read before all things all that are established in that same council, saying: "Besides these let nothing else be said to me; whoever follows these can be among the catholics." The aforesaid Victor replied: "I likewise accept the letters of Pope Leo and the synodal letters of saint Cyril, which are cited in the Council of Chalcedon; and I subscribe with my own hand, and confirm by oaths, that I accept these things and preach nothing else besides these; and if I shall ever be found preaching anything else beyond these, I ask for no mercy concerning myself." The Scythians on the contrary began to say: "Let there also be added 'One of the Trinity.'" We on the contrary said: "What is not defined in the four councils nor in the letters of the blessed pope Leo, we can neither say nor add." This saying was displeasing. Yet Victor, whether he said these things with a sincere mind or a guileful one, who can know, except him who knows hearts? These words we heard; it is God's to judge the mind. Afterward, without us, the magnificent man Vitalian, master of the soldiers, and the bishop of Constantinople summoned the aforesaid Victor between themselves; they spoke with him: what they determined between themselves, we do not know. Afterward neither did Victor come to us, nor was the case pleaded. 3. Yet these Scythians, let your beatitude know, call all who accept the Council of Chalcedon Nestorians, saying: "The synod is not sufficient against Nestorius; the synod must be accepted in the manner in which they themselves have set it forth." What kind of men these are, and what intentions they have, and what they wish to introduce into the catholic faith, has, with God's help, been made manifest to all catholics: nor does the case need my labor, which God in his mercy has brought forth into the light. What I learned from the fathers, what the catholic Church has always kept, I have not kept silent, I have not concealed. There is one God, of whom Moses speaks, saying: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one God"; and in another place he says: "The Lord alone led [Editorial note: 'The Lord alone was their leader,' and so even according to the Hebrew tongue it should be read 'was leading'] them." We believe him to be of one substance, [Editorial note here, on the composite: it must be guarded against that we should understand his one nature as composed of Divinity and humanity: which Facundus, in the defense of the Three Chapters I, 5, rightly teaches must not be allowed. In a few words Justinian, in the edict against the Three Chapters not long after the beginning, explains the matter thus: "saying that the one Christ is composed of Deity and humanity, we do not introduce confusion into the union." But since this dispute concerning those chapters began before the legates entered Constantinople, it follows that it preceded the 24th of March, inasmuch as on that day the legates entered that city. Editorial note: that is, those who do not accept it in that sense in which they interpret it. For even by Dioscorus's own admission in epistle 75 n. 3, they professed this openly of their own accord: "We have accepted the Council of Chalcedon."] the Trinity, as I said before, one Deity; three persons, because we neither say that there are several gods, believing that there is one God, that is the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, nor do we deny three persons, lest we should seem to follow the dogma of Sabellius. It is true that the person of the Son, that is of the Word of God, is consubstantial with the Father. [Editorial note: thus Christ is in a certain manner the vicar or minister of God the Word.] And the same was made flesh, the same dwelt in the womb of Mary, the same assumed human nature without sin; the same Son of God, made man, was born of the virgin Mary. On account of which we call and believe her the bearer of God [Mother of God], because the union of Divinity and humanity, which began to be made from the moment when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary, saying: "Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Holy Spirit shall come upon you," and so on, was not divided [Editorial note: namely the union of Divinity and humanity, which existed in the person of Christ] only in the womb, but neither in the birth nor in the nourishment nor in the passion nor in the tomb nor in the resurrection nor in heaven was it separated: because the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, is one, not divided in persons, not separated in natures, nor diverse in power. For he is the same who also sustains the passion, because all men [Editorial note: this passage is corrupt and must be restored thus: "For the same is he who also sustains the passion. Therefore all who divide the man (namely in Christ) ... are cut off from the catholic faith, all workers of iniquity"] -- either dividing as Nestorius does, or denying as Eutyches does, or believing the incarnation less than fully as Apollinaris does, or introducing a phantasm as Manes does -- have been cut off from the catholic faith, men workers of iniquity and enemies of the doctrine of the apostles. These things I have learned, these things I have heard from our elders: and if perhaps I am ignorant of what we ought to follow beyond these, it is necessary for me to follow them when your beatitude sets them forth. 4. Yet Maxentius, as to what he said under the title of abbot, namely that he has a congregation, if he be questioned -- either with what monks he lived, or in what monastery, or under what abbot he was made a monk -- he cannot say. Likewise, if I should wish to speak about Achilles, I do a superfluous thing: for it is enough for this man always to lie hidden on account of his conscience, condemned by all catholics. Given on the Ides of October, in the consulship of Eutharicus. Received on the fifteenth day before the Kalends of December, in the consulship written above [variant: in the consulship of Eutharicus, vir clarissimus].

seu Suggestio Diosoori diaconi ad Hormisdam papam. Ab agenda cum Scythis monachis coram episcopo ConstantinopoUtano causa tua se minime abhorrere (n. 1). Victoris diaconi et eorumdem Scyiharwn coram praedicto episcopo gesta (n. 2); Nestorianos ab eis vocilari omnes, qtd synodm Calchedonensem suscipiunt y quapropter ipse Dioscurut fidem suam exponH («• S). Maxentius se abbatem venditans, ne monachum guidem se esse probare vaiei. Achillis prava conscientia (n. 4). 1. Per Eulogium virum carissimum^) litteras beatitudinis ve- strae suscepimus^ in quibus significastis intentionem monachorom Scytharum/ et quomodo visum fuerit apostolatui vestro, episcopo Constantinopolitano causam delegare^ ut ipse inter eos et qui ab eis impetxmtur audirer^). Mihi quidem non displicuerat^ quia ubi con- scientia cum Dei adjutorio nulla formidine terretur, a nuUo debet declinare, immo magis festinare^ ut per examen quod verum est omnibus manifestetur. 2. Significastis mihi ab illis contestationem datam^ ut non mihi haeretici jungerentur. Quos dicunt haereticos ego ignorO; nisi illos forte, qui synodura Calchedonensem suscipiunt, quos ego cathoUcos dico. Victor diaconus dicitur^). Quidam cum isto, antequam nos Constantinopolim ingrederemur, habuerunt intentionem de uno de Trinitate cruciftxo et de Chrisio composito, et de aliis capitulis^) note 98 ^) Ita G'. At ed. virum sublimem. ') H. e. haereticorum illorum nomine Victorem diaconom intelligunt. Nestorianae haereseos postulat, circa medium explicat his yerbis: In kk tewe- hris ideo devohuntur, quia non juxia compositum Deum Verbtan et ab eo SMsetptan naturam humanam unum intelliguni Christum; sed juxta alterius in mltero MkiteAt- nem, sicui superius docuimus, sive secundum duarum personarmn socialem umtionm per yrntiam, unam personam Christum inicUigunt. Scd dum ChriBtam aadimtB \ EPISTOLAE 97. 98. 895 hic positis. Obtulerunt contra ipsum libellum tam nobis quam epi- a. 619. scopo Gonstantinopolitano. Convenimus in domum episcopi, ut inter eos intentionem, quae vertebatur, agnosceremus. Praedictus episco- pus synodum Oalchedonensem protulit; legit ante omnes omnia, quae sunt in eodem concilio constituta, dicens: Praeter isia nihil mihi aliud dicatur; qui sequitur ista, potest inter catholicos esse. Traedictus Victor respondit: Suscipio similiter et epistoias papae Leonis et sancti Cyriili epistolas synodales, quae sunt in Calchedonensi concilio ailegatae; et manu subscribo, et sacramentis confirmo, ista me suscipere et praeter ista nihil aliud praedicare; et si inventus fuero aliquando extra ista aiiud praedicans, nuiiam circa me peto misericordiam. Scythae e contra inchoaverunt dicere: Addatur et „unus de Trinitate^^. Nos e contra diximus: Quod non est in quatuor conciiiis definitum nec in epistoiis beati papae Leonis, nos nec dicere possumus nec addere. Displi- cuit hoc dictum. Victor tamen^) utrum sincero animo haec diceret an doloso, quis nosse potest, nisi qui corda cognoscit? Verba ista nos audivimus; Dei est, animum judicare. Postea sine nobis magni- ficus vir Vitalianus magister militum inter se et episcopum Oonstan- tinopolitanum vocaverunt praedictum Victorem, locuti sunt cum eo: quid definierint inter se , nescimus. Postea nec Victor ad nos venit, nee est causa dicta. 3. Isti tamen Scythae, sciat beatitudo vestra, omnes, qui acci- piunt^) synodum Oalchedonensem, Nestorianos dicunt dicentes : Non sufficit synodus contra Nestorium; sic debere synodum suscipere, quo modo ipsi exposuerint. Qui homines quales sunt, et quales intentio- nes habent, et quid volunt in fide catholica introducere, cum Dei adjutorio manifestatum est omnibus catholicis: nec indiget causa meo labore, quam pro sua misericordia Deus produxit ad lucem. Ego quod a patribus didici, quod semper Ecclesia catholica servavit, non tacui, non abscondi. Unus est Deus, de quo Moyses loquitur, dicens: Audi, Israei, Dominus JDeus tuus Deus unus est; et in alio g^** loco ait: Dominus solus ducebat"') cos. Unius substantiae credimus 32^12. composihtm, cayendum est, ne unam ejus ex Divinilate et humanitate compositam 6886 naiuram iutelligamus : quod non patiendum esse Facundus pro defens. trium capitul. I, 5 merito docet. Paucis Justinianus in edicto adversus tria capitula non longe post initium rem sic explicat: ex Deitate et humanitate unum Christwn campositum dicentes, confusionem nnitioni non introducimus. Quum autem haec de illis capitulis disceptatio ante quam legati Constantinopolim ingrederentur coe- perit, sequitur, ut 24 Martii praecesserit diem, utpote quo legati in illam urbem ingressi sunt. •) H. e., qui non ea ratione accipiunt, qua interpretantur. Ipsi enim Dio- scoro etiam epist. 75 n. 3 fatente, hoc ultro profitebantur: Nos synoditm Calche- donensem suscepimus. a. 519. Trimtatem, quomodo praedixi, unam Deitatem; tre^ personas, quia nec plures deos dicimus, credentes unum Deum esse, id est Patrem et Filium et Spiritum sanctum, nec tres personas negamus, ne Sa- bellii dogma videamur sequi. Verum est, personam Pilii, id est Verbi Dei, consubstantialem Patri^). Et ipsa caro facta est, ipsa in utero Mariae habitavit, ipsa naturam humanam suscepit jsine pec- cato, ipse Filius Dei homo factus natus est de virgine Maria. Pro- pter quod eam Dei genitricem dicimus et credimus, quia unitas Divi- nitatis et humanitatis , quae fieri coepta est, ex quo Mariae angelus J" oQ Gabriel annuntiavit dicens : Ave, Maria, gratia plena, Spiritus sanctus superveniet in te etc., non tantum in utero non est divisa®), sed nec in partu nec in nutrimentis nec in passione nec in sepulcro nec in resurrectione nec in coelo separata est: quia unus est Filius Dei Dominus noster Jesus Christus, non in personis divisus, non in na- turis separatus neque in potentia diversus. Idem est namque^®) et sustinens passionem, quia omnes^^) homines, aut dividens quo- modo Nestorius, aut negans quomodo Eutyches, aut minus incama- tionem credens quomodo Apollinaris, aut phantasiam introducens quomodo Manes, a fide catholica sunt incisi, homines operarii ini- quitatis et hostes doctrinae apostolorum. Ista didici, ista audivi a majoribus nostris : et si forte extra ista quid debeamus sequi ignoro, exponente beatitudine vestra necesse est me sequi. 4. Maxentius tamen, quod sub abbatis vocabulo dixit se congre- gationem habere, si interrogetur, aut cum quibus monachis vixit^ aut in quo monasterio aut sub quo abbate monachus factus est, dicere non potest. . Similiter et si de AchiUe dicere voluero, rem facio supervacuam: cui homini sufficit semper latere propter conscientiain suam ab omnibus catholicis danmatam. Data Idibus Octobris, Eutharico consule. Accepta XV Calendas Decembris, consule suprascripto**). Domimts solus dux ^us fidt, adeoque etiam secundom hebraeam linguam legen- diun sit duccbat, Jam sic vicarius quodanunodo sive minister sit Dei Verhi Christus. ®) Scil. unitas Divinitatis et humanitatiSy quae in Christi persona exstitii ") Hic locus mendosHS it^i cst rcstaurandus: Ideo omnes kominem (scil. w Christo) aut dividcntes ... n f\dc vntholica sunt earisi, omnes oprrarii imqmtatit. *') Ita G'. Ed. fiuxtfco V. c. cousule. EPISTOLAE 98. 99. 897