38

they mingled with those with whom they were disputing, bringing forward accusations and making their defenses, to such an extent that, as time went on, those who held the opinions of Arius were called Meletians in Egypt by the many; and yet they differed only for the sake of the leadership of the churches, while the Arians held the same doctrine about God as Arius. 2.21.5 But nevertheless, while privately rejecting each other's views, they endured pretending against their own judgment and agreeing in the fellowship of their enmity, each expecting to easily gain what they wanted. But in time, as was likely, from discussions about these things they acquired a habit for the doctrines of Arius and held the same opinion about God. From this point the affairs concerning Arius returned again to their former confusion, and both laity and clergy were split from communion with one another. 2.21.6 But indeed, in other cities also, and especially among the Bithynians and Hellespontines and in Constantinople, the matters concerning the doctrines of Arius were rekindled. It is said, at any rate, that Eusebius, the bishop of Nicomedia, and Theognius of Nicaea, having persuaded the one entrusted by the emperor to guard the document of the synod of Nicaea, erased their own signatures and openly attempted to teach that one must not 2.21.7 believe the Son to be of the same substance (homoousios) as the Father. And concerning this, it is said that Eusebius, being accused, spoke thus boldly and openly to the emperor, pointing to something he was wearing, "If this garment were to be torn while I am looking at it, I would never say that each part is of the same substance." At these things, the emperor was exceedingly displeased; for thinking that after the synod of Nicaea such disputes had ceased, 2.21.8 he saw them stirred up again contrary to expectation. And not least did it grieve him that Eusebius and Theognius had fellowship with certain Alexandrians, whom the synod had reserved for repentance as not holding orthodox views, but he, as being the cause of the dissension and for this reason having to leave their country, ordered them to be sent away. For this reason there are some who say that the emperor, being angered, condemned Eusebius and Theognius to exile. But concerning this I have written in the preceding parts what I have heard from those who know accurately. 2.22.1 They were the first to cause the subsequent troubles for Athanasius. For having very great freedom of speech and power with the emperor, they were eager to bring Arius back to Alexandria as one of like mind and a friend, but to cast out the bishop of the church as being opposed to them. They slandered him therefore to Constantine as having become the cause of seditions and disturbances to the church, and as barring those who wished to enter the church, when it was possible for all 2.22.2 to be of one mind, if only this one thing were conceded. And many of the bishops and clergy with John believed the slanders against him to be true, constantly approaching the emperor, saying that they were orthodox, and accusing him and the bishops under him of murders and imprisonments and unjust blows and wounds and the burning 2.22.3 of churches. But since Athanasius also made clear to the emperor, accusing those around John of illegal ordinations and of innovating on the decisions of Nicaea and of an unsound faith and of seditions and outrages against those who held orthodox views about God, Constantine no longer 2.22.4 had anyone whom he could trust. As they were making such accusations against each other, and as many accusers from both sides were frequently troubling him, since he was very concerned about the harmony of the people, he writes to Athanasius to bar no one from the church; and if this should be reported later, he would send without delay one who would drive him from the city of the Alexandrians. And if anyone wishes to read the emperor's letter itself, the part concerning this is as follows: 2.22.5 "Having, therefore, the knowledge of my will, grant unhindered entrance to all who wish "7to enter the church. For if "7I learn that you have hindered any of them who are members of the church, or have barred them "7from entrance, I will send

38

ἐπιμίξ τε πρὸς οὓς διελέγοντο τὰ ἐγκλήματα προέφερον καὶ τὰς ἀπολογίας ἐποιοῦντο ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον, ὡς προϊόντος τοῦ χρόνου Μελιτιανοὺς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν ὀνομάζεσθαι τοὺς τὰ ᾿Αρείου φρονοῦντας· καίτοι γε προστασίας μόνης ἕνεκεν ἐκκλησιῶν διεφέροντο, ᾿Αρειανοὶ δὲ ὁμοίως ᾿Αρείῳ περὶ θεοῦ 2.21.5 ἐδόξαζον. ἀλλ' ὅμως ἰδίᾳ τὰ παρ' ἀλλήλων ἀναινόμενοι, ὑποκρίνεσθαι σφᾶς παρὰ γνώμην καὶ συμφωνεῖν ὑπέμενον ἐν τῇ κοινωνίᾳ τῆς ἔχθρας, ἕκαστοι προσδοκῶντες ῥᾳδίως κρατήσειν ὧν ἐβούλοντο. τῷ δὲ χρόνῳ, ὡς εἰκός, ἐκ τῶν περὶ ταῦτα διαλέξεων ἕξιν λαβόντες τῶν ᾿Αρείου δογμάτων ὁμοίως περὶ θεοῦ ἐδόξαζον. ἐντεῦθέν τε πάλιν εἰς τὴν προτέραν ταραχὴν ἐπανῆλθε τὰ κατὰ τὸν ῎Αρειον, καὶ λαοὶ καὶ κλῆροι τῆς πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀπεσχίζοντο κοινωνίας. 2.21.6 Οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἄλλαις πόλεσιν καὶ μάλιστα παρὰ Βιθυνοῖς καὶ ῾Ελλησποντίοις καὶ ἐν τῇ Κωνσταντινουπόλει αὖθις ἀνερριπίζετο τὰ περὶ τῶν ᾿Αρείου δογμάτων. ἀμέλει τοι λέγεται, ὡς Εὐσέβιος ὁ Νικομηδείας ἐπίσκοπος καὶ Θεόγνιος ὁ Νικαίας παραπείσαντες τὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπιτραπέντα φυλάττειν τὴν γραφὴν τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου ἀπήλειψαν τὰς ἑαυτῶν ὑπογραφὰς καὶ εἰς τὸ φανερὸν ἐπεχείρουν διδάσκειν μὴ χρῆναι 2.21.7 ὁμοούσιον εἶναι τῷ πατρὶ τὸν υἱὸν δοξάζειν. περὶ δὲ τούτου ἐγκαλούμενον Εὐσέβιον ὧδε ἄντικρυς πρὸς βασιλέα παρρησιάσασθαι καὶ εἰπεῖν ἐπιδείξαντά τι ὧν ἠμφίεστο, ὡς «εἰ τοῦτο τὸ ἱμάτιον ἐμοῦ θεωμένου διαιρεθείη, οὔποτε ἂν φαίην τῆς αὐτῆς οὐσίας ἑκάτερον». ἐπὶ τούτοις δὲ χαλεπῶς ἄγαν ἔφερεν ὁ βασιλεύς· οἰόμενος γὰρ μετὰ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ σύνοδον πεπαῦσθαι 2.21.8 τὰς τοιαύτας ζητήσεις, παρ' ἐλπίδας αὖθις ἀνακινουμένας ἑώρα. οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ αὐτὸν ἐλύπησεν Εὐσέβιος καὶ Θεόγνιος ᾿Αλεξανδρεῦσί τισι κοινωνήσαντες, οὓς εἰς μεταμέλειαν ἡ σύνοδος τετηρήκει ὡς μὴ ὀρθῶς δοξάζοντας, αὐτὸς δὲ ὡς αἰτίους τῆς διχονοίας καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ τῆς πατρίδος ἐκδημοῦντας ἐκπεμφθῆναι προσέταξεν. ἐκ ταύτης δὲ τῆς αἰτίας εἰσὶν οἳ λέγουσιν ὀργισθέντα τὸν βασιλέα καταδικάσαι φυγὴν Εὐσεβίου καὶ Θεογνίου. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτου ἐν τοῖς πρόσθεν ἔγραψα, ἅπερ παρὰ ἀκριβῶς ἐπισταμένων ἀκήκοα. 2.22.1 ᾿Αθανασίῳ δὲ τῶν ἐπιγενομένων δυσχερῶν πρῶτοι γεγόνασιν αἴτιοι. πλείστην γὰρ ἔχοντες παρὰ βασιλεῖ παρρησίαν καὶ δύναμιν τὸν ῎Αρειον μὲν ὡς ὁμόδοξον καὶ φίλον κατάγειν εἰς τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν ἐσπούδαζον, τὸν δὲ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκβαλεῖν ὡς ἐναντίον αὐτοῖς γινόμενον. διαβάλλουσιν οὖν αὐτὸν πρὸς Κωνσταντῖνον ὡς στάσεων καὶ θορύβων αἴτιον τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ γενόμενον καὶ εἴργοντα τοὺς βουλομένους εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν εἰσιέναι, ἐξὸν πάντας 2.22.2 ὁμονοεῖν, εἰ τοῦτο μόνον συγχωρηθείη. ἐπιστοῦντο δὲ ἀληθεῖς εἶναι τὰς κατ' αὐτοῦ διαβολὰς πολλοὶ τῶν μετὰ ᾿Ιωάννου ἐπισκόπων καὶ κληρικῶν, συνεχῶς βασιλεῖ προσιόντες ὀρθοδόξους τε σφᾶς εἶναι λέγοντες καὶ φόνων δὲ καὶ δεσμῶν καὶ πληγῶν ἀδίκων καὶ τραυμάτων καὶ ἐμπρησμῶν 2.22.3 ἐκκλησιῶν κατηγοροῦντες αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ὑπ' αὐτὸν ἐπισκόπων. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ᾿Αθανάσιος ἐδήλωσε τῷ βασιλεῖ, παρανόμους χειροτονίας ἐγκαλῶν τοῖς ἀμφὶ τὸν ᾿Ιωάννην καὶ νεωτερισμὸν τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ δοξάντων καὶ πίστιν οὐχ ὑγιᾶ καὶ στάσεις καὶ ὕβρεις κατὰ τῶν ὀρθῶς περὶ θεοῦ δοξαζόντων, οὐκ 2.22.4 εἶχε λοιπὸν ὅτῳ πιστεύσειεν ὁ Κωνσταντῖνος. τοιαῦτα δὲ αὐτῶν ἐγκαλούντων ἀλλήλοις καὶ πολλάκις πολλῶν κατηγόρων ἑκατέρωθεν ὀχλούντων, ἐπεὶ σφόδρα αὐτῷ ἔμελε τῆς ὁμονοίας τῶν λαῶν, γράφει ᾿Αθανασίῳ μηδένα τῆς ἐκκλησίας εἴργεσθαι· εἰ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ εἰς ὕστερον μηνυθείη, πέμπειν ἀμελλητὶ τὸν ἐξελάσοντα αὐτὸν τῆς ᾿Αλεξανδρέων πόλεως. εἴ τῳ δὲ φίλον καὶ αὐτῇ τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐντυχεῖν ἐπιστολῇ, ὧδε ἔχει τὸ περὶ τούτου μέρος· 2.22.5 «῎Εχων τοίνυν τῆς ἐμῆς βουλήσεως τὸ γνώρισμα πᾶσι τοῖς βουλομένοις "7εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν εἰσελθεῖν ἀκώλυτον παράσχου τὴν εἴσοδον. ἐὰν γὰρ "7γνῶ, ὡς κεκώλυκας αὐτῶν τινας τῆς ἐκκλησίας μεταποιουμένους ἢ ἀπεῖρξας "7τῆς εἰσόδου, ἀποστελῶ