Letter 97: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Through Eulogius, the honorable man, we received the letters of your blessedness, in which you indicated the intention of the Scythian monks and how it had seemed fitting to your apostolate to delegate the case to the bishop of Constantinople, so that he himself might hear between them and those whom they attack. This was not displeasing to me, because where one's conscience, with God's help, is troubled by no fear, one ought not to shrink from anyone, but rather should hasten, so that through examination what is true may be made manifest to all. You informed me that a protest was given by them, that heretics should not be joined to me. Whom they call heretics, I do not know — unless perhaps those who accept the Council of Chalcedon, whom I call catholics. A certain man is called the deacon Victor: some persons, before we entered Constantinople, had a dispute with him about "one of the Trinity crucified" and about "Christ composed" and about other articles. While we were present here, they submitted a complaint against him, both to us and to the bishop of Constantinople: we assembled at the bishop's house to learn about the dispute that was being conducted between them. The aforesaid bishop brought out the Council of Chalcedon; he read before everyone all the things that were decreed in that council, saying: "Let nothing else be said to me beyond these things: whoever follows these can be among the catholics." The aforesaid Victor responded: "I likewise accept the letters of Pope Leo and the synodal letters of Saint Cyril [patriarch of Alexandria, d. 444], which are cited in the Council of Chalcedon, and I subscribe with my own hand and confirm with oaths that I accept these things and preach nothing else besides them, and if I am ever found preaching anything else beyond these, I ask for no mercy toward me." The Scythians, on the other hand, began to say: "Let 'one of the Trinity' also be added!" We in turn said: "What has not been defined in the four councils and is not in the letters of the blessed Pope Leo, we can neither say nor add." This statement displeased them. Whether Victor said these things with a sincere or a deceitful spirit, who can know except him who knows hearts? We heard these words: it is for God to judge the mind. Afterward, without us, the magnificent Vitalianus, master of soldiers, and the bishop of Constantinople called the aforesaid Victor to meet between themselves; they spoke with him; what they decided among themselves, we do not know. After that, neither did Victor come to us, nor was the case discussed. Nevertheless, let your blessedness know that these Scythians call all who accept the Council of Chalcedon Nestorians, saying: "The synod does not suffice against Nestorius," and that the synod must be accepted in the manner they themselves have expounded it. What kind of men they are, or what intentions they have, and what they wish to introduce into the catholic faith — with God's help [we will be able to explain when we meet].

ITEM SUGGE8TI0 DIOSCORl DIACONI. Per Eulogium u. c. litteras beatitudinis uestrae suscepimus, in quibus significastis intentionem monachorum Scythicomm et 5 quomodo uisum fuerat apostolatui uestro episcopo Constantino- politano causam delegare, ut ipse inter eos et qui ab eis impetuntur audiret. mihi quidem non displicuerat, quia ubi conscientia cum dei adiutorio nulla formidine teiTetur, a nullo debet declinare, immo magis festinare, ut per examen quod 10 uerum est omnibus manifestetur. significastis mihi ab illis 2 contestationem datam, ut non mihi haeretici iungerentur. quos dicunt haereticos, ego ignoro. nisi illos forte, qui synodum Calcedonensem suscipiunt, quos ego catholicos dico. Uictor diaconus dicitur: quidam cum isto, antequam nos Constantino- 3 15 polim ingrederemur, habuenmt intentionem de uno de trinitate crucifixo et de Christo composito et de aliis capitulis. nobis hic positis obtulerunt contra ipsum libellum tam nobis quam episcopo Constantinopolitano: conuenimus in domum episcopi ut, inter eos intentio quae uertebatur, agnosceremus. praedictus ^ 20 episcopus synodum Calcedonensem protulit; legit ante omnes omnia, quae sunt in eodem concilio constituta, dicens 'praeter ista nihil mihi aliud dicatur: qui sequitur ista, potest inter catholicos esse\ praedictus Uictor respondit 'suseipio similiter et epistolas papae Leonis et sancti CjTilli epistolas synodales, 25 quae sunt in Calcedonensi concilio allegatae, et manu mea subscribo et sacramentis confirmo ista me suscipere et praeter ista nihil aliud praedicare, et si inuentus fuero aliquando 686 Suggestio Dioscori ad Hormisdam extra ista aliud praedicans, nuUam circa me peto misericordiam^ Scythae e contra inchoauerunt dicere 'addatur et unus de trinitate!^ nos e contra diximus 'quod non est in quattuor conciliis definitum nec in epistolis beati papae Leonis, nos 5 nec dicere possumus nec addere\ displicuit hoc dictum. 5 Uictor taraen utrum sinceri animo haec diceret an doloso, quis nosse potest, nisi qui corda cognoscit? uerba ista nos 6 audiuimus: dei est animum iudicare. postea sine nobis magnificus uir Uitalianus magister militum inter se et episcopum Constantinopolitanum uocauerunt praedictum Uic- 10 torem ; locuti sunt cum eo : quid definierunt inter se, nescimus. 7 postea nec Uictor ad nos uenit nec est causa dicta. isti tamen Scythae sciat beatitudo uestra quia omnes accipientes synodum Calcedonensem Nestorianos dicunt dicentes *non sufficit synodus contra Nestorium* et sic debere synodum 15 suscipere, quomodo ipsi exposuerint. qui homines quales sunt aut quales intentiones habent et quid uolunt in fide catholica introducere, cum dei adiutorio manifestatum est omnibus catholicis nec indiget causa meo labore, quam deus pro sua 8 misericordia produxit ad lucem. ego, quod a patribus didici, » quod semper ecclesia catholica seruauit, non tacui, non abscondi. unus est deus, de quo Moyses loquitur dicens: audi. Israel, dominus deus tuus deus unus est, et in alio loco ait: dominus solus ducebat eos. unius substantiae credimus trinitatem, quomodo praedixi, unam 26 deitatem, tres personas, quia nec plures deos dicimus credentes unum deum esse, id est patrem et filium et spiritum sanctum, nec tres personas negamus, ne Sabellii dogma uideamur sequi. 9 uerum est personam filii, id est uerbi^^dei, consubstantialem patri: ipsa caro facta est, ipsa in utero Maiiae habitauit, 30 23 Deuteron. 6, 4 24 ibid. 32, 12 Epiat. CCXXrill 5—11. 687 ipsa naturam humanam suscepit sine peccato, unde filius dei homo factus natus est de uirgine Maria. propter quod eam 9 dei genitricem dicimus et credimus, quia unitas diuinitatis et humanitatis, quae fieri coepta est ex quo Mariae angelus Gabrihel annuntiauit dicens: aue Maria gratia plena, spiritus sanctus superueniet in te uel cetera, non tantum in utero non est diuisa sed nec in partu nec in nutrimentis nec in passione nec in sepulchro nec in resurrecti- one nec in caelo separata est, quia unus est filius dei dominus noster lesus Christus, non in personis diuisus, non in naturis separatus neque in potentia diuersus. idem est namque etlO sustinens passionem, quia omnes haereses aut diuidens quomodo Nestorius aut negans quomodo Eutyches aut minus incarnationem credens quomodo Apollinarius aut fantasiam introducens quomodo Manes a fide catholica sunt incisae: homines operarii iniquitatis et hostes doctrinae apostolorum. ista didici, ista audiui a maioribus nostris et, si forte citra ista quid debeamus sequi ignoro, exponente beatitudine uestra necesse est me sequi. Maxentius tamen quod sub abbatis 11 uocabulo dixit se congregationem habere, si interrogetur aut cum quibus monachis uixit aut in quo monasterio aut sub quo abbate monachus factus est, dicere non potest. similiter et si de Achille dicere uoluero, rem facio superuacuam; cui hoc sufBcit: semper latere propter conscientiam suam ab omnibus catholicis damnatam. Data Id. Octobr. Eutharico cons. Accepta XV. Kal. Decembr. cons. ss. 5 Luc. 1, 28 6 Luc. 1, 35 h 1 u& (= unde) V: unus a, ipse Car. 5 gabriel V 12 lies ( = hereses) V: homines o 13 eutiches F 14 Apollinaris o fantasia F, eorr. Car. 15 afide o^: afides afide V ThieUustotum locum 11 sqq. sic puiai interpolandum: idem est namque <et creans mundum> et sustinens passionem. ideo omnes hominem aut diuidentes . . negantes . . creden- tes . . introducentes . . sunt excisi, omnes operarii etc. 17 moioribus nis V citra V: extra a 18 quod V, corr. o 19 quod V: qui o' 24 hoc V: hoe a, unde homini o' 25 idus octb. V XXXV pars S. 44 688 Suggestio Germani etc. ad Hormisdam