Extracts from the Acts.
Session I.
(Labbe and Cossart,
Concilia
, Tom. IV., col.
93.)
Paschasinus, the most reverend bishop and legate of the
Apostolic See, stood up in the midst with his most reverend colleagues
and said: We received directions at the hands of the most blessed
and apostolic bishop of the Roman city, which is the head of all the
churches, which directions say that Dioscorus is not to be allowed a
seat in this assembly, but that if he should attempt to take his seat
he is to be cast out. This instruction we must carry out; if now
your holiness so commands let him be expelled or else we
leave.
278
The most glorious judges and the full senate said:
What special charge do you prefer against the most reverend bishop
Dioscorus?
Paschasinus, the most reverend bishop and legate of the
Apostolic See, said: Since he has come, it is necessary that
objection be made to him.
The most glorious judges and the whole senate
said: In accordance with what has been said, let the charge under
which he lies, be specifically made.
Lucentius, the most reverend bishop having the place of
the Apostolic See, said: Let him give a reason for his
judgment. For he undertook to give sentence against one over whom
he had no jurisdiction. And he dared to hold a synod without the
authority of the Apostolic See, a thing which had never taken place nor
can take place.
279
Paschasinus the most reverend bishop, holding the place
of the Apostolic See, said: We cannot go counter to the decrees
of the most blessed and apostolic bishop [“Pope” for
“bishop” in the Latin], who governs the Apostolic See, nor
against the ecclesiastical canons nor the patristic traditions.
The most glorious judges and the full senate,
said: It is proper that you should set forth specifically in what
he hath gone astray.
Lucentius, the venerable bishop and holding the place of
the Apostolic See, said: We will not suffer so great a wrong to
be done us and you, as that he who is come to be judged should sit down
[as one to give judgment].
The glorious judges and the whole senate said: If
you hold the office of judge, you ought not to defend yourself as if
you were to be judged.
And when Dioscorus the most religious bishop of
Alexandria at the bidding of the most glorious judges and of the sacred
assembly (
τῆς
ἱερᾶς
συγκλήτου
280
) had sat down in the midst, and the most
reverend Roman bishops also had sat down in their proper places, and
kept silence, Eusebius, the most reverend bishop of the city of
Dorylæum, stepping into the midst, said:
[
He then presented a petition, and the Acts of the
Latrocinium were read. Also the Acts of the council of
Constantinople under Flavian against Eutyches
(col. 175).]
And when they were read, the most glorious judges and
immense assembly (
ὑπερφυὴς
σύγκλητος
)
said: What do the most reverend bishops of the present holy synod
say? When he thus expounded the faith did Flavian, of holy
memory, preserve the orthodox and catholic religion, or did he in any
respect err concerning it?
Paschasinus the most reverend bishop, representing the
Apostolic See, said; Flavian of blessed memory hath most holily and
perfectly expounded the faith. His faith and exposition agrees
with the epistle of the most blessed and apostolic man, the bishop of
Rome.
Anatolius the most reverend archbishop of Constantinople
said; The blessed Fla
vian hath
beautifully and orthodoxly set forth the faith of our fathers.
Lucentius, the most reverend bishop, and legate of the
Apostolic See, said; Since the faith of Flavian of blessed memory
agrees with the Apostolic See and the tradition of the fathers it is
just that the sentence by which he was condemned by the heretics should
be turned back upon them by this most holy synod.
Maximus the most reverend bishop of Antioch in Syria,
said: Archbishop Flavian of blessed memory hath set forth the
faith orthodoxly and in accordance with the most beloved-of-God and
most holy Archbishop Leo. And this we all receive with zeal.
Thalassius, the most reverend bishop of Cæsarea in
Cappadocia said; Flavian of blessed memory hath spoken in accordance
with Cyril of blessed memory.
[
And so, one after another, the bishops expressed
their opinions. The reading of the acts of the Council of
Constantinople was then continued
.]
And at this point of the reading, Dioscorus, the most
reverend Archbishop of Alexandria said, I receive “the of
two;” “the two” I do not receive (
τὸ ἐκ δύο
δέχομαι· τὸ
δύο, οὐ
δέχομαι
). I am forced
to be impudent, but the matter is one which touches my soul.
[
After a few remarks the reading was continued and
the rest of the acts of the Latrocinium of Ephesus completed. The
judges then postponed to the morrow the setting forth a decree on the
faith but intimated that Dioscorus and his associates should suffer the
punishment to which they unjustly sentenced Flavian. This met
with the approval of all the bishops except those of Illyrica who
said: “We all have erred, let us all be
pardoned.”
(col. 323.) ]
The most glorious judges and the whole senate said; Let
each one of the most reverend bishops of the present synod, hasten to
set forth how he believes, writing without any fear, but placing the
fear of God before his eyes; knowing that our most divine and pious
lord believes according to the ecthesis of the three hundred and
eighteen holy fathers at Nice, and according to the ecthesis of the one
hundred and fifty after them, and according to the Canonical epistles
and ectheses of the holy fathers Gregory, Basil, Athanasius, Hilary,
Ambrose, and according to the two canonical epistles of Cyril, which
were confirmed and published in the first Council of Ephesus, nor does
he in any point depart from the faith of the same. For the most
reverend archbishop of Old Rome, Leo, appears to have sent a letter to
Flavian of blessed memory, with reference to Eutyches’s
unbelieving doubt which was springing up against the Catholic
Church.
End of the first Actio.
278
This whole
paragraph reads with material differences in the Latin. Moreover
while the Greek text is clear and grammatical, the Latin is most
incorrect and halting. Leo is described as “Pope of the
city of Rome,” instead of “bishop of Rome.”
279
This statement, so
absolutely contrary to fact, has been a sore difficulty to the
commentators. Arendt (
Leo the Great and his Times
, §
270) says that this meant only that “he had, without permission
of the Pope, taken the presidency there, and conducted the proceedings,
for Leo himself had acknowledged the synod by the fact that he allowed
his legates to be present at it.” Almost the same is the
explanation of the Ballerini (Leo M.
Opera
, Tom. ii. 460, n.
15.)
280
The Latin here has
the usual form “amplissimus senatus,” for which the Greek
is
περιφανέστατοι
συγκλητικοὶ
.