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MAX. May it not be! For the existence of nothing, generally speaking, is known or defined from juxtaposition or from comparison; or thus things will be found to be mutually causative. For if because the divine motion is an energy, the human is a passion; then surely because the divine nature is good, the human will be evil. And similarly, by a conversion with antithesis, because the human motion is called a passion, the divine motion is called an energy; and because the human nature is evil, the divine will be good. But away with that! For these things are truly of great stupidity.

PYR. What then? Did the Fathers not name the human motion a passion? MAX. (352) In many ways they named it, clearly in relation to the underlying concepts. PYR. How do you say this? MAX. They called it power, and energy, and difference, and motion,

and property, and quality, and passion, not by way of contrast to the divine; but as unchangeably cohesive, a power; as characteristic and manifesting the unvaryingness in all those of the same species, an energy; as definitive, a difference; as indicative, a motion; as constitutive, and belonging to it alone and not to another, a property; as specific, a quality; as moved, a passion. For all things that are from God and after God suffer by being moved, as not being self-moving or self-empowered; therefore not by way of contrast, as has been said, but because of the principle creatively implanted in them by the cause that constituted the universe. Whence, also pronouncing it together with the divine, they called it an energy. For what else did he do who said, "For each form acts in communion with the other"? or he who said, "For after remaining forty days without food, He later was hungry; for He allowed nature, when He willed, to do what was proper to it"? or those who spoke of His distinct energy? or those who spoke of a double one, or of one and another?

PYR. In truth, the investigation concerning the energies has also shown the one energy, spoken of Christ in any way whatsoever, to be absurd. But I ask pardon both for myself and for those who came before. For it was out of ignorance that we were carried away into these absurd notions and arguments; and I ask you to find a way, so that both this imported absurdity may be abolished, and the memory of those who came before may be preserved.

MAX. There is no other way, than for the persons to be passed over in silence, but for such doctrines to be anathematized.

PYR. But if this should happen, Sergius and the synod that took place under me are found to be cast out along with these.

MAX. It is a wonder to me how you call it a synod, which was not held according to the laws and synodical canons or ecclesiastical statutes; for neither was the encyclical letter made with the consent of the patriarchs; nor was a place or day for the meeting appointed. There was no summons or accuser. Those who gathered did not have letters of commendation, neither the bishops from the metropolitans, nor the metropolitans from the patriarchs. No letters or legates were sent from the other patriarchs. Who, then, partaking of reason, would endure to call it a synod, which filled the whole world with scandals and dissension?

PYR. If there is no other way than this, (353) preferring my own salvation above all things, I am ready to do this with all full assurance; begging one thing only, that I might be deemed worthy; first of the veneration of the apostolic shrines, or rather, of the chief apostles themselves; and then, also of the according to

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ΜΑΞ. Μή γένοιτο· οὐδενός γάρ, καθόλου φάναι, ὕπαρξις ἐκ παραθέσεως, ἤ ἐκ συγκρίσεως γινώσκεται ἤ ὁρίζεται· ἤ οὕτω δ᾿ ἄν ἀλληλαίτια εὑρεθήσονται ὄντα τά πράγματα. Εἰ γάρ διά τό ἐνέργειαν εἶναι τήν θείαν κίνησιν, ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη πάθος ἐστί· πάντως καί διά τό ἀγαθήν εἶναι τήν θείαν φύσιν, πονηρά ἔσται ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη. Ὁμοίως δέ καί κατά τήν σύν ἀντιθέσει ἀντιστροφήν, διά τό πάθος λέγεσθαι τήν ἀνθρωπίνην κίνησιν, ἡ θεία κίνησις ἐνέργεια λέγεται· καί διά τό πονηράν εἶναι τήν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν, ἀγαθή ἔσται ἡ θεία. Ἀλλ᾿ ἄπαγε· πολλῆς γάρ ὄντως ἀβελτηρίας ἐστί ταῦτα.

ΠΥΡ. Τί οὖν; οὐκ ὠνόμασαν πάθος τήν ἀνθρωπίνην κίνησιν οἱ Πατέρες; ΜΑΞ. (352) Πολυτρόπως αὐτήν πρός τάς ὑποκειμένας δηλονότι ἐννοίας, ὠνόμασαν. ΠΥΡ. Πῶς τοῦτο λέγεις; ΜΑΞ. Προσηγόρευσαν αὐτήν καί δύναμιν, καί ἐνέργειαν, καί διαφοράν, καί κίνησιν,

καί ἰδιότητα, καί ποιότητα, καί πάθος, οὐ κατά ἀντιδιαστολήν τῆς θείας· ἀλλ᾿ ὡς μέν συνεκτικήν ἀναλλοίωτον, δύναμιν· ὡς δέ χαρακτηριστικήν καί τήν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁμοειδέσιν ἀπαραλλαξίαν ἐκφαίνουσαν, ἐνέργειαν· ὡς δέ ἀφοριστικήν, διαφοράν· ὡς δέ ἐνδεικτικήν, κίνησιν· ὡς δέ συστατικήν, καί μόνῃ αὐτῇ καί οὐκ ἄλλῃ προσοῦσαν, ἰδιότητα· ὡς δέ εἰδοποιόν, ποιότητα· ὡς δέ κινουμένην, πάθος. Πάντα γάρ τά ἐκ θεοῦ, καί μετά θεόν, πάσχει τῶ κινεῖσθαι, ὡς μή ὄντα αὐτοκίνησις, ἤ αὐτοδύναμις· οὐ κατά ἀντιδιαστολήν οὖν, ὡς εἴρηται, ἀλλά διά τόν δημιουργικῶς αὐτοῖς ἐντεθέντα παρά τῆς τό πᾶν συστησαμένης αἰτίας λόγον. Ὅθεν καί μετά τῆς θείας συνεκφωνοῦντες αὐτήν, ἐνέργειαν προσηγόρευσαν. Ὁ γάρ εἰπών, " Ἐνεργεῖ γάρ ἑκατέρᾳ μορφῇ μετά τῆς θατέρου κοινωνίας," τί ἕτερον πεποίηκεν; ἤ ὁ εἰπών· "Καί γάρ τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας ἀπόσιτος διαμείνας, ὕστερον ἐπείνασεν· ἔδωκε γάρ τῇ φύσει, ὅτε ἠθέλησε, τά ἴδια ἐνεργῆσαι;" ἤ οἱ διάφορον αὐτοῦ φήσαντες ἐνέργειαν; ἤ οἱ διπλῆν, ἤ οἱ ἄλλην καί ἄλλην;

ΠΥΡ. Ἐπ᾿ ἀληθρέας, καί ἡ περί τῶν ἐνεργειῶν ζήτησις ἄτοπον ἔδειξε τήν μίαν ἐνέργειαν, καθ᾿ οἱανδήποτε τρόπον ἐπί Χριστοῦ λεγομένην. Ἀλλά συγγνώμην αἰτῶ καί ὑπέρ ἑμαυτοῦ, καί τῶν προλαβόντων. Ἐξ ἀγνοίας γάρ εἰς τάς ἀτόπους ταύτας ἐξηνέχθημεν ἐννοίας καί ἐπιχειρήσεις· καί παραλκαλῶ εὑρεῖν τρόπον, ἵνα καί ἡ ἐπείσακτος αὕτη ἀτοπία καταργηθῇ, καί ἡ μνήμη τῶν προλαβόντων φυλαχθῇ.

ΜΑΞ. Ἀλλος οὐκ ἔστι τρόπος, ἤ παρασιωπηθῆναι μέν τά πρόσωπα· ἀναθεματισθῆναι δέ τά τοιαῦτα δόγματα.

ΠΥΡ. Ἀλλ᾿ εἰ τοῦτο γένηται, εὑρίσκονται τούτοις συνεκβαλλόμενοι, Σέργιός τε καί ἡ ἐπί ἐμοῦ γενομένη σύνοδος.

ΜΑΞ. Θαυμάζειν ὕπεστί μοι, πῶς σύνοδον ἀποκαλεῖς, τήν μή κατά νόμους καί κανόνας συνοδικούς ἤ θεσμούς γενομένην ἐκκλησιαστικούς· οὔτε γάρ ἡ ἐπιστολή ἐγκύκλιος κατά συναίνεσιν τῶν πατριαρχῶν γέγονεν· οὔτε τόπος ἤ ἡμέρα ὑπαντήσεως ὡρίσθη. Οὐκ εἰσαγώγιμός τις ἤ κατήγορος ἦν. Συστατικάς οἱ συνελθόντες οὐκ εἶχον, οὔτε οἱ ἐπίσκοποι ἀπό τῶν μητροπολιτῶν, οὔτε οἱ μητροπολῖται ἀπό τῶν πατριαρχῶν.Οὐκ ἐπιστολαί ἤ τοποτηρηταί, ἀπό τῶν ἄλλων πατριαρχῶν ἐπέμφθησαν. Τίς οὖν λόγου μεμοιραμένος, σύνοδον καλεῖν ἀνάσχοιτο, τήν σκανδάλων καί διχονοίας ἅπασαν πληρώσασαν τήν οἰκουμένην;

ΠΥΡ. Εἰ οὐκ ἔστιν ἕτερος τρόπος, ἤ οὗτος, (353) πάντων τήν ἑμαυτοῦ προτιμῶν σωτηρίαν, ἑτοίμως ἔχων μετά πάσης τοῦτο ποιῆσαι πληροφορίας· ἕν καί μόνον παρακαλῶν, ὥστε ἀξιωθῆναί με· προηγουμένως μέν τῆς τῶν ἀποστολικῶν σηκῶν· μᾶλλον δέ, αὐτῶν τῶν κορυφαίων ἀποστόλων προσκυνήσεως· λοιπόν δέ, καί τῆς κατά