Epistle of the Synod of Jerusalem in behalf of Athanasius (iii. 22).
Ursacius and Valens to Julius (iii. 23).
Ursacius and Valens to Athanasius (iii. 24).
George of Laodicea to Macedonius, Basilius, Cecropius, and Eugenius (iv. 13); new.
Epistle of Constantius to the church at Antioch (iv. 14); new.
Epistle of the Synod of Ariminum to the Emperor Constantius (iv. 18).
Epistle of Julian to Arsacius, the high-priest of Galatia (v. 16).
Epistle of Julian to the bishops, only a phrase quoted (v. 18); new.
Synod at Antioch, to Jovian (vi. 4).
Eustathius, Silvanus, and Theophilus to Liberius (vi. 11).
Synod of Rome to bishops of Illyricum (vi. 23); first with Sozomen; repeated by Theodoret (H. E. ii. 22).
Innocent to John (viii. 26); also in Palladius' Dial.
Innocent to the presbyters, deacons, all the clergy, and the people of the church of Constantinople (viii. 26); also in Palladius' Dial.
There are five imperial letters, four synodical letters, seven episcopal letters, one presbyterial letter, making seventeen in all. This is not nearly so large a number as is given by Socrates, but we must remember the expressed purpose of Sozomen, that, as a rule, he would give abstracts only, and text when in his judgment fairness made it necessary. Of these documents, there are at least three found in no earlier author. In them all, there is only one symbol transcribed, and that is from Arius and Euzoïus!
b. Documentary acts of Synods which are mentioned by name.
Acts of the Synod of Tyre (ii. 25).
Acts of the Synod of Seleucia, taken down by tachygraphists (iv. 22).
c. Acts of those Synods only, of which an abstract is recorded.
Alexandria............................... i. 15.
Seleucia..................................... iv. 22, 23.
Bithynia................................... i. 15.
Constantinople........................... iv. 24, 25.
Palestine.................................. i. 15.
Alexandria................................. v. 12.
Egyptian.................................. i. 16.
Macedonian Council, s.l............. v. 14.
Nicæa..................................... i. 17-23.
Antioch...................................... vi. 4.
Antioch................................... ii. 19.
Lampsacus................................. vi. 7.
Tyre........................................ ii. 25.
Nicæa........................................ vi. 8.
Jerusalem................................ ii. 27.
Macedonian, s.l.......................... vi. 10, 11.
Constantinople......................... ii. 29, 33.
Sicily.......................................... vi. 12.
Constantinople......................... iii. 3.
Tyana........................................ vi. 12.
Antioch................................... iii. 2.
In Caria..................................... vi. 12.
Antioch................................... iii. 8.
Rome......................................... vi. 23.
Philippopolis............................ iii. 11.
Pazucomen................................ vi. 24.
Sardica.................................... iii. 11, 12.
Rome......................................... vi. 25.
Jerusalem................................ iii. 21, 22.
Antioch (Caria).......................... vii. 2.
Alexandria............................... iv. 1.
Constantinople........................... vii. 7-9.
Sirmium................................... iv. 6.
Sangurum................................... vii. 18.
Antioch................................... iv. 8.
Constantinople........................... viii. 2.
Milan....................................... iv. 9.
Cyprus....................................... viii. 14.
Antioch................................... iv. 12.
Of the Oak at Chalcedon........... viii. 17.
Ancyra.................................... iv. 13.
Constantinople........................... viii. 19.
Ariminum................................. iv. 16-19, 23.
Constantinople........................... viii. 20.
d. Letters of which an abstract is given, or the general object is stated.
Constantine's Letter to Alexander and Arius.............................................................. i. 16.
Imperial Letters about the Nicene Council................................................................ . i. 21, 25.
Constantine to Sapor.................................................................. .............................. ii. 15.
Constantine to the people of Alexandria............................................................. ....... ii. 22.
Constantine to Athanasius............................................................. ............................ ii. 23.
Synod of Tyre to the bishops................................................................ .................... ii. 25.
Antony's letters to the Emperor................................................................ ................. ii. 31.
Constantine's letter to the Alexandrians........................................................... .......... ii. 31.
Eusebius to Julius................................................................. ..................................... iii. 7.
Julius, bishop of Rome, to the bishops of the East...................................................... iii. 8.
Synod of Antioch to Julius................................................................. ........................ iii. 8.
Constantius to Philip, prefect of Constantinople......................................................... iii. 9.
Bishops of Egypt in favor of Athanasius............................................................. ........ iii. 10.
Julius to the bishops of Antioch................................................................ ................. iii. 10.
Constans to Constantius............................................................ ................................ iii. 10.
Constans to Constantius............................................................ ................................ iii. 11.
Athanasius to Constans............................................................... .............................. iii. 11.
Paul, bishop of Constantinople......................................................... ......................... iii. 11.
The bishops of Philippopolis to the bishops of the West............................................. iii. 11.
Constans to Constantius............................................................ ................................ iii. 20.
Constantius to Athanasius............................................................. ............................ iii. 20.
Constantius to the Alexandrians........................................................... ...................... iii. 20.
Julius to clergy and people of Alexandria............................................................. ...... iii. 20.
Constantius to the bishops, presbyters, and to the people of the
church of Alexandria............................................................. .............................. iii. 21.
Cyril of Jerusalem to Constantius............................................................ ................... iv. 5.
Constantius to Athanasius............................................................. ............................ iv. 9.
Constantius to Basil of Ancyra................................................................. ................. iv. 16.
Basil of Ancyra to Constantius............................................................ ...................... iv. 16.
Constantius to Basil.................................................................. ................................ iv. 16.
Basil to all the bishops................................................................ ............................... iv. 16.
Athanasius to a friend................................................................. ............................... iv. 17.
Constantius to the Synod of Ariminum............................................................... ........ iv. 19.
Reply of the bishops................................................................ ................................. iv. 19.
Julian to the Alexandrians........................................................... ............................... v. 7.
Titus of Bostra to Julian................................................................. ............................ v. 15.
Julian to Jewish patriarchs, leaders, and people.......................................................... v. 22.
Reply of the Jews................................................................... .................................. v. 22.
Julius to Arsacius, king of Armenia................................................................ ............ vi. 1.
Jovian to the governors of the provinces.............................................................. ...... vi. 3.
Basil of Ancyra, Silvanus of Tarsus, Sophronius of Pompeiopolis
et al., to Jovian................................................................. .................................. vi. 4.
Liberius and the Western bishop to the East.............................................................. vi. 12.
Memorial of grievances presented by eighty ecclesiastics to Valens............................ vi. 13.
Damasus in behalf of Peter of Alexandria............................................................. ...... vi. 39.
Synodical epistles of Rome to Paulinus, bishop of Antioch......................................... vii. 11.
Western bishops and Gratian to the Eastern bishops.................................................. vii. 11.
Irenic letters to the adherents of Flavian from the priests of Egypt and the West.......... viii. 3.
Theophilus of Alexandria, paschal letter................................................................. .... viii. 11.
Theophilus of Alexandria to Epiphanius............................................................. ........ viii. 14.
Epiphanius to the bishops and the bishop of Constantinople against Origenism............ viii. 14.
2. Authors.
(a) Authors from whose works a textual quotation appears.
Apolinarius, the Syrian, on the succession of Athanasius.......................................... ii. 17, new.
Extract from Athanasius' Epistola ad Episcopos Ægypti et Libyæ........................ ii. 30.
Extract from Libanius, the Sophist; in oratione funebri de laudibus Juliani........... vi. 1.
Gregory Nazianzen to Nectarius, on Apolinarius; Ep. ccii....................................... vi. 27.
The first extract alone is known through no other source.
(b) Authors and works directly referred to as used.
The Sibyl.................................................................. ....................................... i. 1, ii. 1.
Josephus............................................................... .......................................... i. 1.
Clemens (Romanus).............................................................. ........................... i. 1.
Hegesippus............................................................. ......................................... i. 1.
Julius Africanus.............................................................. .................................. i. 1.
Eusebius Pamphili, Historia Ecclesiastica....................................................... i. 1.
Vita Constantini............................................................ ................................. i. 3, extract.
Philo (Pythagorean).......................................................... ............................... i. 12.
Biographies of Monks.................................................................. .................... i. 14.
Eusebius' Oration................................................................ ............................ i. 19.
Address of Constantine............................................................ ........................ i. 19.
Collection of Nicene Canons................................................................. ........... i. 22.
Syrians' Account of the actions and life of Bishop Milles................................... ii. 14.
Persian, Syrian, Edessan, martyrology of Persians............................................. ii. 14.
Discourse of Eudoxius, extract from................................................................. iv. 26.
Meletius' first discourses at Antioch................................................................ . iv. 28.
Athanasius, on his flight................................................................. ................... v. 12.
(c) Authors and their works mentioned, but not used.
Arius, the Thalia, not read................................................................... ............. i. 21.
Eustathius, bishop of Antioch................................................................ ........... ii. 19.
Marcellus (de Subjectione Filii Dei)............................................................... ii. 33.
Asterius, a treatise on the defense of the Arian doctrine..................................... ii. 33.
Acacius, bishop of Cæsarea, works................................................................. iii. 2.
Eustathius, bishop of Sebaste, an ascetic treatise, also attributed
to Basil the Great.................................................................. ..................... iii. 14.
Eusebius, bishop of Emesa, works.................................................................. . iii. 14.
Titus, bishop of Bostra, works.................................................................. ....... iii. 14.
Serapion, bishop of Ancyra, works.................................................................. iii. 14.
Eudoxius, bishop of Germanicia, works............................................................ iii. 14.
Acacius, bishop of Cæsarea, works................................................................. iii. 14.
Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, works.................................................................. ... iii. 14.
Didymus, works.................................................................. ............................ iii. 15.
Lucifer, bishop of Calaris, works.................................................................. .... iii. 15.
Hilary, bishop of Pictavium, works.................................................................. . iii. 15, v. 13.
Aëtius, works.................................................................. ................................ iii. 15.
Ephraim Syrus, works and translations........................................................... .. iii. 16.
Bardasanes, poems.................................................................. ........................ iii. 16.
Harmonius, poems.................................................................. ......................... iii. 16.
Photinus, a work before Constantius, and many works..................................... iv. 6.
Acacius, literary works.................................................................. .................. iv. 23.
Apolinarius, works, with those against him........................................................ v. 18, vi. 27.
Julian, Misopogon.............................................................. .............................. v. 19.
Eunomius, works, especially Exercises for the Mind,
with those against him.................................................................... ............ vi. 27, vii. 17.
Evagrius, works.................................................................. ............................. vi. 30.
Themistius, oration, outline................................................................ ............... vi. 36.
Ulfilas, translation of Bible into Gothic.............................................................. vi. 37.
Sisinnius, bishop of the Novatians in Constantinople, works.............................. viii. 1.
Diodorus, bishop of Tarsus, works.................................................................. . viii. 2.
Theodore, bishop of Mopsuestia, works.......................................................... viii. 2.
Chrysostom, Ep. to Theodore............................................................... ........... viii. 2.
----on Eutropius.............................................................. .............................. viii. 7.
----Vices of females................................................................ ...................... viii. 16.
----Extempore discourse after his return......................................................... viii. 18.
----About the Silver Statue................................................................. ........... viii. 20.
Origen, works; especially the one from which Bishop Theotimus read............... viii. 14.
An unecclesiastic but ancient Hebrew document............................................... ix. 17.
(d) Hymns of which a line or thought is given.
Refrain of the odes at Antioch................................................................ .......... iii. 20.
At procession of Babylas, Antioch................................................................ ... v. 19.
To Dionysos, by Epiphanius the Sophist........................................................... vi. 25.
Arian hymns.................................................................. .................................. viii. 8.
Unmentioned Authorities.
Sozomen has refrained in large measure from indicating directly his chief authorities for political or ecclesiastical affairs; he has indicated, indeed, some minor springs, as we have seen, but the major ones are passed by. He imitated neither Eusebius, nor Socrates, nor Evagrius in this omission. He does abound in phrases indicative of authorities; thus of the forms of lego, legousi, legontai, elegon, elegeto are used somewhat sparingly, while legetai occurs over eighty times, and logos about twenty; of phemi, ephesen and pheme occasionally, while phesi or phasi introduces about thirty statements; eirestho and eiretai also appear in a few cases. One has no assurance of either the method or the validity of the sources from such vague terms, and it is this uncertain and incautious manner that has so often led critics to impeach his general worth, and it must be conceded with some degree of justice; the endless iteration of such words savors of gossip rather than history; this obscurity is not diminished by his persistent oimai and less frequent eikazo.
1. In the discussion of his unmentioned authorities, the first to be considered is Socrates. He is nowhere hinted at, unless under an indefinite "some say," when Sozomen presents a group of opinions.
Socrates preceded Sozomen by a few years, writing his history not long after 439. [1054] Sozomen undoubtedly produced his record later, as we have already seen, and it would be just as likely that Socrates should be in the hands of Sozomen as that Philip of Side's contemporary Christian History should have been open to the criticism of Socrates; indeed, the predecessor's work was quite probably an incentive to the task proposed by Sozomen to himself. The internal evidence makes the use sure. We have only to note how Socrates derived his statements about the Novatians from members connected with that body of believers; these very facts are reproduced by Sozomen as Socrates gives them, with the slightest of differences; there is no refutation of this possible. Socrates, therefore, manifestly preceded, and Sozomen employed the material thus amassed.
There are three views of the connection: (1) that Sozomen, excepting a few and not very valuable additions of his own, plagiarized Socrates; (2) that he used the same authorities as Socrates independently, and the points of identity arose from the language of the original in the hands of both; (3) that Socrates was his guide to the chief writers from whom he drew directly with more or less freedom; and when no other light presented itself or was to be found, he would use his path-finder. There is scarcely a more fascinating and genuine field for analytical criticism than this. It should be remarked at the outset that we cannot justly apply this term plagiarism, in its modern sense, to the use of material current in these earlier days of history. There was no more intention to appropriate the work of another in Sozomen, than there was in Socrates, when he fails to note his authority, and yet very evidently has followed him closely; or when Theodoret has taken his stuff from Sozomen, and says nothing about the original. To assail Sozomen as if he were a deliberate thief, and stigmatize him as a feeble reviser of Socrates, is wholly unfair and unwarranted by the general usage of his day and by the facts of the case. In no way can it be proved that Sozomen was a general plagiarist in the opprobrium and iniquity conveyed by the modern use of that term. That Socrates was the finer mind, that he had larger sympathies, that he was concerned to reproduce documents in an ampler degree, that he follows the development of the Church with a sharper and brighter criticism, no one can doubt; he is conspicuously superior in almost every quality of a historian, and confined himself more nearly to the modern idea of which the science should aim to do; but that does not set aside the distinct and supplemental value of Sozomen and his fullness in lines, however zigzag, which had been neglected by others. The acknowledged precedence of Socrates does not warrant us in assailing the fidelity of the lesser light. Since the notes are designed to indicate the relationship between the two, the passages need not be anticipated here. (2) The second view, that Sozomen made an independent use of the same source which Holzhausen revived, Stäudlin supported, Hefele and Nolte have espoused, seems less tenable than the first. The Novatian material cannot, under any possible conditions, be so explained; the arrangement of the details in eight of the books will not permit view. The very corrections of that arrangement require us to be convinced that Socrates was in the corrector's eye; the close resemblance of language in many places where he might easily have expanded from the originals, but preferred to confine himself to the equally meagre tracings of his predecessor, leave no basis for this solution. (3) The third explanation of the interrelation seems thus far the most accurate. [1055] Sozomen took Socrates for a guide in the main, (a) as to consecution of events, (b) as to sources, much as students would use a Church history to base their own studies upon. Socrates was a director to the authorities; these Sozomen would use freely; when they failed him, he would take the facts given by Socrates, precisely as he did those which Eusebius or Sabinus furnished, because he had nothing better, and in spite probably of his own inquiries; for let us remember how he insists that he has investigated the originals, and that he had been conscientious in his researches. Now it must be said in further modification of this statement: