Letter 180

From: Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus (attributed; possibly to Domnus, Bishop of Antioch) To: [Uncertain; traditionally attributed to Domnus, Bishop of Antioch] Date: 444 AD Context: One of the most notorious letters in all of late antiquity. Written upon the death of Cyril of Alexandria in June 444, it is a savage, darkly comic celebration of his enemy's demise. Its authenticity has been debated, but it captures perfectly the depth of hatred between the Antiochene and Alexandrian theological parties. On the Death of Cyril of Alexandria, At last, and with difficulty, the villain has gone. The good and the gentle pass away all too soon; the wicked prolong their lives for years. The Giver of all good, I believe, removes the former before their time from the troubles of human life. He frees them like victors from their contests and transports them to the better life -- that life which, free from death, sorrow, and care, is the reward of those who strive for virtue. The wicked, on the other hand, He allows to enjoy this present life a little longer, either so that, sated with evil, they may eventually learn virtue's lessons, or so that even in this life they may pay the penalty for their wickedness by being tossed about through many years on life's sad and wicked waves. This wretch, however, has not been dismissed by the Ruler of our souls as other men are, to enjoy the things that seem full of joy for a longer time. Knowing that the man's malice had been growing daily and doing harm to the body of the Church, the Lord has lopped him off like a disease and "taken away the reproach from Israel" [Isaiah 25:8]. His survivors are indeed delighted at his departure. The dead, perhaps, are sorry. There is some cause for alarm that they may be so annoyed by his company that they will send him back to us -- or that he might run away from his escorts, like the tyrant in Lucian's satire. Great care must therefore be taken -- and it is especially your holiness's duty to see to this -- to instruct the guild of undertakers to lay a very large and heavy stone on his grave, in case he should come back again and show his changeable mind once more. Let him take his new doctrines to the shades below and preach to them all day and all night. We are not at all afraid that he will divide them by making public speeches against true religion and by attributing death to an immortal nature. He will be stoned not only by the ghosts versed in divine law, but also by Nimrod, Pharaoh, and Sennacherib, and any other enemies of God. But I am wasting words. The poor fellow is silent now whether he wishes to be or not. "His breath goes forth, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish" [Psalm 146:4]. He is doomed to another kind of silence too: his deeds, now detected, tie his tongue, gag his mouth, curb his passion, strike him dumb, and make him bow to the ground. I am truly sorry for the man. Far be it from me to rejoice over the death of one who has been made in the image of God. But I rejoice on the Church's behalf, for she is delivered from such a plague. I do not exult over the man, for he has gone to his Master, and there he stands or falls [Romans 14:4]. But I am glad for the common good, and I pray that with the root of bitterness removed [Hebrews 12:15], the shoots of heresy that sprang from it may wither and die. But I fear that his successor may tread in his footsteps. As the proverb says, one plague follows another. I beg your holiness to pray that the Shepherd of all may grant the Church of Alexandria a leader who brings not division but peace, and who feeds the flock with the true doctrines of the Gospel.

Letter 180 Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99... Letter of Theodoretus, as some suppose, to Domnus, Bishop of Antioch, written on the Death of Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria. At last and with difficulty the villain has gone. The good and the gentle pass away all too soon; the bad prolong their life for years. The Giver of all good, methinks, removes the former before their time from the troubles of humanity; He frees them like victors from their contests and transports them to the better life, that life which, free from death, sorrow and care, is the prize of them that contend for virtue. They, on the other hand, who love and practise wickedness are allowed a little longer to enjoy this present life, either that sated with evil they may afterwards learn virtue's lessons, or else even in this life may pay the penalty for the wickedness of their own ways by being tossed to and fro through many years of this life's sad and wicked waves. This wretch, however, has not been dismissed by the ruler of our souls like other men, that he may possess for longer time the things which seem to be full of joy. Knowing that the fellow's malice has been daily growing and doing harm to the body of the Church, the Lord has lopped him off like a plague and taken away the reproach from Israel. His survivors are indeed delighted at his departure. The dead, maybe, are sorry. There is some ground of alarm lest they should be so much annoyed at his company as to send him back to us, or that he should run away from his conductors like the tyrant of Cyniscus in Lucian. Great care must then be taken, and it is especially your holiness's business to undertake this duty, to tell the guild of undertakers to lay a very big and heavy stone upon his grave, for fear he should come back again, and show his changeable mind once more. Let him take his new doctrines to the shades below, and preach to them all day and all night. We are not at all afraid of his dividing them by making public addresses against true religion and by investing an immortal nature with death. He will be stoned not only by ghosts learned in divine law, but also by Nimrod, Pharaoh and Sennacherib, or any other of God's enemies. But I am wasting words. The poor fellow is silent whether he will or no, his breath goes forth, he returns to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish. He is doomed too to silence of another kind. His deeds, detected, tie his tongue, gag his mouth, curb his passion, strike him dumb and make him bow down to the ground. I really am sorry for the poor fellow. Truly the news of his death has not caused me unmixed delight, but it is tempered by sadness. On seeing the Church freed from a plague of this kind I am glad and rejoice; but I am sorry and do mourn when I think that the wretch knew no rest from his crimes, but went on attempting greater and more grievous ones till he died. His idea was, so it is said, to throw the imperial city into confusion by attacking true doctrines a second time, and to charge your holiness with supporting them. But God saw and did not overlook it. He put his hook into his nose and his bridle into his lips, and turned him to the earth whence he was taken. Be it then granted to your holiness's prayers that he may obtain mercy and pity and that God's boundless clemency may surpass his wickedness. I beg your holiness to drive away the agitations of my soul. Many different reports are being bruited abroad to my alarm announcing general misfortunes. It is even said by some that your reverence is setting out against your will for the court, but so far I have despised these reports as untrue. But finding every one repeating one and the same story I have thought it right to try and learn the truth from your holiness that I may laugh at these tales if false, or sorrow not without reason if they are true.