35. This, however, is less admirable than his conduct. What wonder that he, who had already made actual ventures on behalf of the truth, should confess it in writing? Yet this point I will add to what has been said, as it seems to me especially wonderful and cannot with impunity be passed over in a time so fertile in disagreements as this. For his action, if we take note of him, will afford instruction even to the men of this day. For as, in the case of one and the same quantity of water, there is separated from it, not only the residue which is left behind by the hand when drawing it, but also those drops, once contained in the hand, which trickle out through the fingers; so also there is a separation between us and, not only those who hold aloof in their impiety, but also those who are most pious, and that both in regard to such doctrines as are of small consequence (a matter of less moment) and also in regard to expressions intended to bear the same meaning. We use in an orthodox sense the terms one Essence and three Hypostases, the one to denote the nature of the Godhead, the other the properties [3371] of the Three; the Italians [3372] mean the same, but, owing to the scantiness of their vocabulary, and its poverty of terms, they are unable to distinguish between Essence and Hypostases, and therefore introduce the term Persons, to avoid being understood to assert three Essences. The result, were it not piteous, would be laughable. This slight difference of sound was taken to indicate a difference of faith. Then, Sabellianism was suspected in the doctrine of Three Persons, Arianism in that of Three Hypostases, both being the offspring of a contentious spirit. And then, from the gradual but constant growth of irritation (the unfailing result of contentiousness) there was a danger of the whole world being torn asunder in the strife about syllables. Seeing and hearing this, our blessed one, true man of God and great steward of souls as he was, felt it inconsistent with his duty to overlook so absurd and unreasonable a rending of the word, and applied his medicine to the disease. In what manner? He conferred in his gentle and sympathetic way with both parties, and after he had carefully weighed the meaning of their expressions, and found that they had the same sense, and were in nowise different in doctrine, by permitting each party to use its own terms, he bound them [3373] together in unity of action.
36. This in itself was more profitable than the long course of labours and teaching on which all writers enlarge, for in it somewhat of ambition mingled, and consequently, perhaps, somewhat of novelty in expressions. This again was of more value than his many vigils and acts of discipline, [3374] the advantage of which is limited to those who perform them. This was worthy of our hero's famous banishments and flights; for the object, in view of which he chose to endure such sufferings, he still pursued when the sufferings were past. Nor did he cease to cherish the same ardour in others, praising some, gently rebuking others; rousing the sluggishness of these, restraining the passion of those; in some cases eager to prevent a fall, in others devising means of recovery after a fall; simple in disposition, manifold in the arts of government; clever in argument, more clever still in mind; condescending to the more lowly, outsoaring the more lofty; hospitable, [3375] protector of suppliants, averted of evils, really combining in himself alone the whole of the attributes parcelled out by the sons of Greece among their deities. Further he was the patron of the wedded and virgin state alike, both peaceable and a peacemaker, and attendant upon those who are passing from hence. Oh, how many a title does his virtue afford me, if I would detail its many-sided excellence.
37. After such a course, as taught and teacher, that his life and habits form the ideal of an Episcopate, and his teaching the law of orthodoxy, what reward does he win for his piety? It is not indeed right to pass this by. In a good old age he closed his life, [3376] and was gathered to his fathers, the Patriarchs, and Prophets, and Apostles, and Martyrs, who contended for the truth. To be brief in my epitaph, the honours at his departure surpassed even those of his return from exile; the object of many tears, his glory, stored up in the minds of all, outshines all its visible tokens. Yet, O thou dear and holy one, who didst thyself, with all thy fair renown, so especially illustrate the due proportions of speech and of silence, do thou stay here my words, falling short as they do of thy true meed of praise, though they have claimed the full exercise of all my powers. And mayest thou cast upon us from above a propitious glance, and conduct this people in its perfect worship of the perfect Trinity, which, as Father, Son, Holy Ghost, we contemplate and adore. And mayest thou, if my lot be peaceful, possess and aid me in my pastoral charge, or if it pass through struggles, uphold me, or take me to thee, and set me with thyself and those like thee (though I have asked a great thing) in Christ Himself, our Lord, to whom be all glory, honour, and power for evermore. Amen.
[3272] S. Matt. xxii. 32.
[3273] 1 John i. 5.
[3274] S. John i. 23; v. 35.
[3275] Antony, "the founder of asceticism," the most celebrated of the monks and hermits of the Thebaid desert. His life by S. Athanasius is certainly genuine, and even if, as some suspect, interpolations have been inserted, its substantial integrity is undoubted. (Newman, Ch. of the Fathers, p. 176.)
[3276] Body of Christ, i.e., the Church, His mystical body.
[3277] Gen. xxi. 19.
[3278] 1 Kings xvii. 4.
[3279] Isai. i. 9.
[3280] Gen. xix. 24.
[3281] S. Luke i. 69.
[3282] Isai. xxviii. 16.
[3283] Mal. iii. 2, 3.
[3284] 1 Cor. iii. 13, 15.
[3285] S. Matt. iii. 12.
[3286] The throne, etc., as Patriarch of Alexandria. The date of his consecration is a.d. 326.
[3287] The Sanctuary, or "the Sacraments." Exod. xxvi. 33.
[3288] To offer more sacrifices, i.e., These priests are not only "men which have infirmity," who need to offer for their own sins, as well as for those of the people; but because they are even more sinful than their flocks, they need a greater and more frequent atonement.
[3289] Heb. vii. 27; ix. 7.
[3290] 1 Cor. iv. 21.
[3291] St. Paul. To whom here the Ep. to the Hebrews is assigned.
[3292] Heb. iv. 14.
[3293] Ps. cv. 15.
[3294] Christs. i.e., Ps. cv. 15. "Touch not Mine anointed." (LXX.) and Vulg. "my Christs."
[3295] 1 Tim. iii. 2 et seq.
[3296] Cenobites migades. Cf. Orat. ii. 29; xliii. 62.
[3297] S. John iii. 29.
[3298] Under the yoke, i.e. "Married." Cf. Orat. xlii. 11.
[3299] 2 Cor. iii. 10.
[3300] Acts vi. 2.
[3301] Sextuses. Sextus Empiricus (cent. 3 a.d.) a leader of the later Sceptic school. Pyrrho of Elis (cent. 4 b.c.) was the founder of the earlier.
[3302] Acts xvii. 21.
[3303] Lam. i. 1.
[3304] Frenzy. Cf. Orat. ii. 37; xxxiv. 8.
[3305] A profane spot, lit. "profane places"--plural as contrasted with the en topo hagio, Lev. vi. 16. etc., etc.: in which the priests must eat of the sacrifices. The meaning of the phrase is "Arius died excommunicated"--indeed on the eve of the day on which the Emperor Constantine had ordered him to be restored to communion.
[3306] Like Judas. Cf. Epiph. Hær. 68. 7; Socr. i. 38. Theodoret i. 4.
[3307] Acts i. 18.
[3308] In name, etc., i.e., They used the name Trinity, although it was rendered meaningless by their false doctrine as to the inequality of the Three Blessed Persons.
[3309] To contract, etc. On this whole passage cf. Orat. ii. 36, 37, notes.
[3310] Which refers, etc., or "which consists in personal relations." Cf. on idiotes. Orat. xliii. 30. note.
[3311] Nicæa, a.d. 325. Athanasius was present as theological assistant to Alexander of Alexandria.
[3312] Isai. v. 2 (LXX.); vii. 23, v. l. "in a vineyard."
[3313] S. Luke vi. 16.
[3314] Namesake. Gregory, a Cappadocian, nominated to the see of Alexandria, by the Arian Bishops at Antioch, after the banishment of Athanasius, a.d. 340.
[3315] he cheir 'Abessalom. "The hand of Absalom," prob. a misquotation of 2 Sam. xiv. 19. "The hand of Joab." 2 Sam. xv. 5.
[3316] Corpse, etc. Athanasius was charged with having murdered Arsenius, and his enemies produced a hand which, they said, had belonged to the dead man.
[3317] Monster. George of Cappadocia, Arian intruder into the see of Alexandria, a.d. 356-361.
[3318] Job ix. 24.
[3319] Ib. ix. 23.
[3320] Ps. lxxxii. 8.
[3321] Dan. xii. 9.
[3322] Job ii. 7 et seq.
[3323] Ib. xvi. 2.
[3324] His lot, lit. "the dreadful (thing)" i.e. "reproach him, as having brought his sufferings upon himself"--or "reproach him with impiety"--the cause of his sufferings.
[3325] Envy, i.e., of the devil. Wisdom ii. 24. Cf. § 32 of this Oration.
[3326] Job xxxviii. 1.
[3327] Ps. cxxv. 3.
[3328] Job xl. 3 (LXX.).
[3329] Homes, etc. The monasteries of lower Egypt and the Thebaid. This was a.d. 356.
[3330] 1 Cor. xiv. 28.
[3331] Col. i. 20.
[3332] Ps. cxli. 10 (LXX.).
[3333] Exod. xxxii. 15; xxxiv. 1.
[3334] Eccles. iii. 1.
[3335] Rom. x. 2.
[3336] Unmanly men, the Eunuchs, the chamberlains of Constantius.
[3337] Servant, etc., probably Acacius.
[3338] Gen. xi. 4.
[3339] S. John xi. 47 et seq.
[3340] charaka lit. "a pale"--one of the many which formed the palisade. Perhaps there is play on the word charaktera "a letter" in reference to the insertion of the letter iota in the Nicene formula--which then became Homoiousion, i.e., "Like in substance." This action on the part of the Semi-Arians (who formed the majority of the Council of Seleucia a.d. 359), was the first step to the Homoion of the Acacian party, who prevailed at the council of Constantinople, a.d. 360, and professed great devotion to the use of Scriptural terms.
[3341] Eccles. v. 9.
[3342] Jer. iv. 22.
[3343] Condemnation, i.e., of Aetius, who was banished by Constantius after the Council.
[3344] Deposed. Cyril of Jerusalem, Eustathius of Sebaste, Basil of Ancyra and others.
[3345] To sign, etc. Cf. Orat. xviii. 18.
[3346] The smoke, etc. Cf. Orat. xvi. 6; Ps. xviii. 9; cv. 32.
[3347] Jer. x. 21.
[3348] Ib. ii. 10.
[3349] Isai. i. 9.
[3350] Ib. xxxvii. 31 (LXX.).
[3351] Everyone. This was the time of which S. Jerome wrote "Ingemuit totus orbis, et miratus est se Arianum esse."
[3352] Hagg. ii. 7; Heb. xii. 26.
[3353] Heb. xii. 27.
[3354] In which, etc. This sentence probably alludes to the excessive zeal of the monks of Nazianzus.
[3355] Judges xvi. 19.
[3356] The Supporter, Constantius, who died a.d. 360.
[3357] The hostile shepherd, George.
[3358] Crowning, Clémencet renders "Appointing an evil head over an empire which was not evil," sc. Julian the Apostate.
[3359] Camel. On the death of Constantius, the pagans of Alexandria murdered George, and carried his mangled body through the streets on the back of a camel.
[3360] We ought, etc. S. Gregory seems to imply that the deed had been done by Christians. Historical writers and Julian's letter to the people make it clear that this was not really the case.
[3361] Acts v. 15.
[3362] S. Luke xix. 35.
[3363] S. John ii. 15.
[3364] to boulesthai, lit. "to will"--i.e. be willing to listen to, and understand the interests for which others were contending, in a conciliatory spirit--for the sake of truth, not of victory.
[3365] He...a rebel like himself. Envy, personifying the Evil one. Cf. supra § 18.
[3366] In three struggles. He was thrice banished. a.d. 336 by Constantine, a.d. 356 under Constantius, and a.d. 362 by Julian.
[3367] The offender, Julian.
[3368] Another king--the Emperor Jovian.
[3369] Exod. i. 8.
[3370] A written account. A synodal letter drawn up in council, probably at Alexandria, and conveyed and presented to Jovian at Antioch by S. Athanasius.
[3371] Properties. Cf. Orat. xliii. 30. note.
[3372] The Italians, etc. Cf. Newman's Arians, pp. 376-384. S. Athanasius' Orations against the Arians, Ed. Bright, p. lxxxi. Pelav. de Trin. IV. ii. 5-10 and iv.
[3373] Bound them, etc. At the Council of Alexandria, a.d. 362. Newman's Arians, pp. 364, sqq.
[3374] Acts of discipline. chameunion, "lying on the ground."
[3375] Hospitable, etc., titles given to Zeus, and other Greek gods.
[3376] Closed his life a.d. 373.