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we believe Christ to be co-worshipped and co-numbered, how are we reviled as dividers by those who are fearless and dare to say all things falsely, for the mere utterance of number alone, brought forth by us, as has often been said, for the sole declaration of the difference of the natures preserved after the union? If, therefore, number by absolute necessity makes a division of the quantity of things, let someone show this, and we will accept the slander as true. But if they only vexatiously slander those who proclaim the true faith of the mystery, because of the ambition with which they are sick, they themselves will give an account to God on the day of judgment, says the divine Apostle, for those whom they have swept away into error, having now completed the race of the present life. (576) But as for those who remain, may they have God to change them, and to lead them to the knowledge of the truth, which is now warred against by them. For it is fitting so to speak, because of the commandment that bids us to pray for those who curse us.

I, therefore, have briefly gone through these things for you, servant of God, concerning which you asked, for the sake of your full assurance; not thinking one way in my soul, as some of those who delight in Severus circulate; and speaking another way to those who happen to be present; do not think this, but as I was taught and think and believe, and as I received from the Fathers, so I speak. and to say what is more important, I bring forth my very thought embodied in my words. But if my word is false, may I not attain the blessedness from there; but may I bear away the alienation from the promised good things as the fruit of falsehood. But you, on account of my obedience, deign to repay me with prayers; so that Christ our God, the salvation of those who fear him, may heal the wounds of my soul by the power of the mystery of his life-giving passions on our behalf; who alone with the Father and the Holy Spirit is glorified unto the ages. Amen.

SCHOLIA. 1. In the definition, he says, the commonality of things that are the same in essence is considered. 2. That the properties characterizing the composite hypostasis, he says, are common to its

parts. 3. A precise definition of hypostasis. 4. A definition, or rather a description, of that which is enhypostatic. 5. A general definition of difference. 6. A general definition of sameness. 7. Quantity is called a genus, of which number is indicative. 8. He spoke properly, because the proper definitions do not change into one another. For

of things for which there is not one definition, there is not one principle; and of things for which there is not one principle, the mode of being is different; and of things for which the mode of being is different, the sameness through all things does not exist. Therefore, nature and hypostasis are not the same; because the mode of being and principle and definition of these is not properly one. Therefore, it will be called hypostasis improperly, and in relation to something perchance, but not properly.

16. Of the same, to the same. To me, who am tormented by many scourges of grief over the things that have happened from the slander of those

who do not fear the Lord, to the noble guardian of the virtues, lord (577) George,

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συμπροσκυνούμενον καί συναρυθμούμενον τόν Χριστόν εἶναι πιστεύομεν, πῶς ὡς διαιροῦντες παρά τῶν ἀφόβων, καί πάντα ψευδῶς λέγειν τολμώντων λοιδορούμεθα, διά μόνην τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ ψιλήν τήν φωνήν, ἐπί μόνῃ δηλώσει παρ᾿ ἡμῶν, ὡς πολλάκις εἴρηται, τῆς σωζομένης διαφορᾶς τῶν φύσεων προφερομένην μετά τήν ἕνωσιν; Εἰ μέν οὖν ἐξ ἀνάγκης πάντως ὁ ἀριθμός τοῦ ποσοῦ τῶν πραγμάτων ποιεῖται διαίρεσιν, δειξάτω τις τοῦτο, καί στέργομεν ὡς ἀληθῆ τήν συκοφαντίαν. Εἰ δέ μόνον ἐπηρεάζουσι διαβάλλοντες τούς τήν ἀληθῆ τοῦ μυστηρίου καταγγέλοντας πίστιν, δι᾿ ἥν νοσοῦσι φιλοδοξίαν, αὐτοί δώσουσι τῷ Θεῷ λόγον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως, φησίν ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος, ὑπέρ ὧν εἰς πλάνην συνήρπασαν, οἵγε πεπληρωκότες τοῦ παρόντος βίου τό δόλιχον. (576) Οἱ δέ περιόντες, Θεόν σχοῖεν αὐτούς μεταβάλλοντα, καί πρός τήν ἐπίγνωσιν αὐτούς ἄγοντα τῆς ἀληθείας, τῆς νῦν παρ᾿ αὐτῶν πολεμουμένης. Οὕτω γάρ συμφέρει λέγειν, διά τήν κελεύουσαν ἐντολήν ὑπερεύχεσθαι τῶν καταρωμένων.

Ἐγώ μέν οὖν ταῦτα πρός σέ κατ᾿ ἐπιτομήν περί ὧν ἠρώτησας διεξῆλθον, δοῦλε Θεοῦ, τῆς σῆς χάριν πληροφορίας· οὐκ ἄλλως μέν ἔχων κατά ψυχήν, ὥς τινες τῶν Σευήρῳ χαιρόντων διαθρυλλοῦσιν· ἄλλως δέ λαλῶν τοῖς παρατυγχάνουσι· μή τοῦτο νομίσης, ἀλλ᾿ ὡς ἐδιδάχθην καί φρονῶ καί πιστεύω, καί παρά τῶν Πατέρων παρέλαβον, λαλῶ. καί τό δέ κυριώτερον εἰπεῖν, αὐτήν μου τήν διάνοιαν προφέρω σωματουμένην τοῖς ῥήμασιν. Εἰ δέ ψευδής ὁ λόγος, μή τύχω τῆς ἐκεῖθεν μακαριότητος· ἀλλά τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν τήν ἀλλοτρίωσιν ὡς ψεύδους καρπόν ἀπενέγκωμαι. Σύ δέ τῆς εὐπειθείας ἕνεκεν τῆς ἐμῆς, ἀμείψασθαί με ταῖς εὐχαῖς καταξίωσον· ὅπως Χριστός ὁ Θεός ἡμῶν, ἡ σωτηρία τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτόν, ἰάσηταί μου τά τραύματα τῆς ψυχῆς τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ μ6υστηρίου τῶν ὑπέρ ἡμῶν αὐτοῦ ζωοποιῶν παθημάτων· ὁ μόνος σύν τῷ Πατρί καί τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δεδοξασμένος εῖς τούς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.

ΣΧΟΛΙΑ. α´. Ἐν τῷ ὅρῳ, ἡ τῶν κατ᾿ οὐσίαν ταυτῶν, φησί, θεωρεῖται κοινότης. β´. Ὅτι τά χαρακτηρίζονταα τήν σύνθετον ὑπόστασιν ἰδιώματα, φησί, κοινά τῶν

αὐτῆς ὑπάρχει μερῶν. γ´. Ὅρος ὑποστάσεως ἀκριβής. δ´. Ὅρος ἤγουν ὑπογραφή τοῦ ἐνυποστάτου. ε´. Ὅρος διαφορᾶς γενικός. στ΄. Ὅρος ταυτότητος γενικός. ζ´. Γένος λέγεται τό ποσόν, οὗ δηλωτικός ἐστιν ὁ ἀριθμός. η´. Κυρίως εἶπε, διά τό μή μεταβάλλειν εἰς ἀλλήλους τούς οἰκείους ὁρισμούς. Ὧν

γάρ οὐχ εἷς ὁρισμός, οὐχ εἷς λόγος· ὧν δέ οὐχ εἷς ὁ λόγος, διάφορος ὁ τοῦ εἶναι τρόπος· ὧν δέ διάφορος ὁ τοῦ εἶναι τρόπος ἐστίν, τούτων ἡ διά πάντων ταυτότης οὐκ ἔστιν. Οὐκοῦν οὐκ ἔστι ταυτόν φύσις καί ὑπόστασις· ὅτι μή κυρίως εἷς τούτων ἐστίν ὁ τοῦ εἶναι τρόπος καί λόγος καί ὁρισμός. Καταχρηστικῶς οὖν, καί πρός τι τυχόν, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ κυρίως λεχθήσεται ὑπόστασις.

Ιστ΄. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, πρός τόν αὐτόν. Πολλαῖς με λύπης καταικιζόμενον μάστιξιν ἐπί τοῖς συμβᾶσιν ἐκ συκοφαντίας τῶν

μή φοβουμένων τόν κύριον, τῷ γενναίῳ τῶν ἀρετῶν φύλακι κυρίῳ (577) Γεωργίῳ,