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If, then, the union always stands, and the things united always remain unconfused; and the difference of the things united is always preserved, 15Β_184 for which reason the number was adopted according to the Fathers; how is it not necessary, if indeed the union and the things united, and their difference, always stand and remain and are preserved, both to speak piously of two natures for the declaration of the difference of those that came together, and again to confess one incarnate nature of God the Word, for the indication of the hypostatic union, with neither of the expressions, these ones that is, being annulled by the other, as seems to some who make what is unwise a pretense of wisdom; so that neither confusion nor division may be introduced? For by keeping silent about the expression that fittingly declares the difference, we provide an occasion for confusion; but by not speaking again of that which signifies the union, how do we not know to rout the division? but these things are always posited and spoken piously of the same Christ; but not in the same respect, because the things signified are not identical to each other. For difference and union are not the same thing; even if they are about the same one, and of the same one, and are spoken; for one of these, uttered separately from the other, is incomplete, insofar as concerns the declaration of the whole mystery, not bringing along the other as its advocate, and is shown to hold what is suspect; the one of division, because of Nestorius who denied the hypostatic union, and could not bear to confess that the uncircumscribed one was pleased for our sakes to be held by the flesh; the other of confusion, because of Apollinarius and Eutyches, who denied the difference of those that came together after the union; and were ashamed to confess that the invisible one endured to be subject to our sense, on account of the natural property of His holy flesh which is from us.

Therefore, as has been said, those who truly wish to be pious must both confess one incarnate nature of God the Word, so that through this the supreme union may be shown; and again speak of two natures, so that the difference of those that came together, and are preserved unconfusedly after the union, may be declared; and for this and this alone to adopt the number. For the Fathers did not approve of declaring the difference through another expression, as is likely. But if someone, trusting in himself 15Β_186 is, and is able to devise a more suitable expression for its declaration, 0481 let him not begrudge us the benefit, and we will not begrudge him his learning, that I may not say, his audacity.

HOW ONE MUST UNDERSTAND THE RELEVANT SAYING IN THE EPISTLE TO SUCCENSUS ...

How one must understand the relevant saying in the epistle to Succensus of Saint Cyril.

And that the expression, 'in two,' does not conflict with those who say one incarnate nature of the Word; unless it is taken impiously, as Nestorius thought.

But if they were to say, nevertheless the problem of those who say two

natures united indivisibly after the union, conflicts with those who say one incarnate nature of the Word; as Saint Cyril suggests in the second memorandum to Succensus; I declare this to be plainly the work of those who either are ignorant of or pervert the expressions of the Fathers; and of those who resolve that it is more profitable to contend against the truth than to make a treaty with it. For it was necessary for them to know, since we shall render an account even for a bare thought to the just Judge of our affairs, that in encountering the Patristic writings with understanding and the fear of God, they should hasten not to make the words that teach peace and concord a pretext for battle and dissension. For to whom who considers it in any way is it not perfectly clear, that not simply

42

Εἰ τοίνυν ἀεί μέν ἡ ἕνωσις ἕστηκεν, ἀεί δέ καί τά ἑνωθέντα μένει ἀσύγχυτα· ἀεί δέ καί ἡ τῶν ἑνωθέντων σώζεται διαφορά, 15Β_184 δι᾿ ἥν ὁ ἀριθμός παρελήφθη κατά τούς Πατέρας· πῶς οὐκ ἀνάγκη, εἴπερ ἄρα ἀεί ἡ ἕνωσις καί τά ἑνωθέντα, καί ἡ τούτων διαφορά ἕστηκε καί μένει καί σώζεται, καί δύο φύσεις εὐσεβῶς λέγειν ἐπί δηλώσει τῆς τῶν συνελθόντων διαφορᾶς, καί πάλιν μίαν φύσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου σεσαρκωμένην ὁμολογεῖν, πρός ἔνδειξιν τῆς καθ᾿ ὑπόστασιν ἑνώσεως, μηδ᾿ ἑτέρας τῶν φωνῶν, τούτων δηλονότι, διά τῆς ἑτέρας ἀναιρουμένης, ὡς δοκεῖ τισιν ὑπόθεσιν σοφίας ποιουμένης τό ἄσοφον· ἵνα μή σύγχυσις ἤ διαίρεσις παρεισάγηται; Σιωπῶντες γάρ τήν προσφόρως δηλοῦσαν τήν διαφοράν φωνήν, τῇ συγχύσει χώραν ἔχειν παρέχομεν· μή λέγοντες δέ πάλιν τήν τῆς ἑνώσεως σημαντικήν, πῶς τήν διαίρεσιν τροπώσασθαι οὐ γινώσκομεν; ἀλλ᾿ ἐπί τοῦ αὐτοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀεί μέν κειμένων καί λεγομένων εὐσεβῶς· οὐ κατά τό αὐτό δέ, ὅτι μηδέ τά σημαινόμενα ἀλλήλοις ταὐτά. Οὐ γάρ ταὐτόν διαφορά καί ἕνωσις· εἰ καί περί τόν αὐτόν, καί τοῦ αὐτοῦ καί εἰσί καί λέγονται· ἑτέρα γάρ τούτων τῆς ἑτέρας κεχωρισμένως ἐκφωνουμένη, ἀτελής τέ ἐστιν, ὅσον πρός δήλωσιν τοῦ ὅλου μυστηρίου, μή συνεπαγομένη τήν ἄλλην συνήγορον, καί τό ὕποπτον ἔχουσα δείκνυται· ἡ μέν διαιρέσεως, διά Νεστόριον τόν ἀρνούμενον τήν καθ' ὑπόστασιν ἕνωσιν, καί κραττεῖσθαι σαρκί τόν ἀπερίγραφον εὐδοκῆσαι δι᾿ ἡμᾶς ὁμολογεῖν οὐκ ἀνεχόμενον· ἡ δέ συγχύσεως, διά Ἀπολινάριον καί Εὐτυχέα, τούς ἀρνουμένους τήν διαφοράν τῶν συνελθόντων μετά τήν ἕνωσιν· καί τό ἀόρατον αἰσθήσει ὑποπεσεῖν ἡμετέρᾳ, διά τήν φυσικήν ἰδιότητα τῆς ἐξ ἡμῶν ἁγίας αὐτοῦ σαρκός ἀνασχέσθαι ὁμολογεῖν αἰσχυνομένους.

∆εῖ οὖν, ὡς εἴρηται, τούς ἀληθῶς εὐσεβεῖν βουλομένους, καί μίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου φύσιν σασαρκωμένην ὁμολογεῖν, ἵνα διά τούτου ἡ ἄκρα δειχθῇ ἕνωσις· καί δύο πάλιν φύσεις λέγειν, ἵνα ἡ διαφορά τῶν συνελθόντων καί ἀσυγχύτως σωζομένων μετά τήν ἕνωσιν δηλωθῇ· καί πρός τοῦτο καί μόνον τόν ἀριθμόν παραλαμβάνειν. ∆ι᾿ ἄλλης γάρ, ὡς εἰκός, φωνῆς δηλοῦσθαι τήν διαφοράν οἱ Πατέρες οὐκ ἐδοκίμασαν. Εἰ δέ τις ἐφ᾿ ἑαυτῷ πεποιθώς 15Β_186 ᾗ, καί δύναται ἀρμοδιωτέραν πρός τήν ταύτης δήλωσιν ἐπινοῆσαι φωνήν, 0481 μή φθονείτω ἡμῖν τῆς ὠφελείας, καί οὐδ᾿ ἡμεῖς φθονήσομεν αὐτῷ τῆς παιδεύσεως, ἵνα μή λέγω τῆς θρασύτητος.

ΠΩΣ ΧΡΗ ΝΟΕΙΝ ΤΗΝ ΚΕΙΜΕΝΗΝ ΡΗΣΙΝ ΕΙΣ ΤΗΝ ΠΡΟΣ ΣΟΥΚΕΝΣΟΝ ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗΝ ...

Πῶς χρή νοεῖν τήν κειμένην ῥῆσιν εἰς τήν πρός Σούκενσον ἐπιστολήν τοῦ ἁγίου Κυρίλλου.

Καί ὅτι οὐ μάχεται ἡ, Ἐν δύο φωνή, τοῖς λέγουσι μίαν τοῦ Λόγου φύσιν σεσαρκωμένην· εἰ μή κατά Νεστορίῳ δοκοῦν ἀσεβῶς λαμβανομένη.

Εἰ δέ φαῖεν, ἀλλ᾿ οὐδέν ἦττον μάχεσθαι τό πρόβλημα τῶν δύο λεγόντων

φύσεις ἡνωμένας ἀδιαιρέτως μετά τήν ἕνωσιν, τοῖς μίαν λέγουσι τοῦ Λόγου φύσιν σεσαρκωμένην· ὡς ἐν τῷ πρός Σούκενσον δευτέρῳ ὑπομνηστικῷ ὁ ἅγιος ὑποτίθεται Κύριλλος· φανερῶς τοῦτο εἶναι ἤ ἀγνοούντων ἤ κακουργούντων τάς τῶν Πατέρων τίθεμαι φωνάς· καί τό πρός τήν ἀλήθειαν διαμάχεσθαι, τοῦ πρός αὐτήν σπένδεσθαι λισιτελέστερον ψηφιζομένων. Ἔδει γάρ αὐτούς γινώσκοντας, ὡς καί ὑπέρ ψιλῆς ἐννοίας ἀποδώσομεν λόγον τῷ δικαίῳ τῶν ἡμετέρων Κριτῇ, συνετῶς μετά τοῦ φόβου τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῖς Πατρικοῖς ἐντυγχάνοντας συγγράμμασι, σπεύδειν μή ποιεῖσθαι ὑπόθεσιν μάχης καί διαστάσεως, τά τήν εἰρήνην καί τήν ὁμόνοιαν διδάσκοντα ῥήματα. Τίνι γάρ οὐκ ἔστι καταφανές τῷ ὁπωσοῦν ἐπισκήπτοντι, ὡς οὐχ ἁπλῶς