The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus - Coptic ...

122
EVAGRIUS
Remove violation from the Synod, remove violence from the Synod.
These words to the emperor.’ The monks resisted this and roared:
‘Remove violation from the monasteries.’ 220
When the same things were again bellowed out by the Synod, it was
proposed that the remaining documents should be read out; 221 [90]
these said that the deposition of Dioscorus had occurred improperly,
and that it was essential for him to participate in the Synod since a question
of faith was before them; but if this did not come about, they would
shake out their garments away from the community of the assembled
bishops. After this was said, Aetius the archdeacon read the canons
concerning those who separate themselves o¡. And again, when the
monks demurred at the enquiries of the most holy bishops, and then in
response to a question from the archdeacon Aetius on behalf of the
Council some anathematized Nestorius and Eutyches while others
refused, it was proposed by the o⁄cials that the petitions of Faustus and
the other monks should be read out, which exhorted the emperor that
those monks who were opposed to correct doctrines should not be
permitted to continue any further. 222 At this, a monk Dorotheus called
Eutyches orthodox. In response, various doctrinal matters with regard
to Eutyches were raised by the o⁄cials. 223
And after this, when the ¢fth session was in progress, the o⁄cials
proposed that what had been formulated concerning the faith should be
made clear; and Asclepiades, a deacon of Constantinople, read out a
de¢nition which it was decided should not be incorporated in the transactions.
224 To this there were some dissenters but the majority were in
220 Evagrius has missed the point of this last chant, which was in fact uttered by Faustus
and the most pious archimandrites (ACO II.i.2, p. 117:16^17): Faustus was in agreement
with the bishops, and wanted the violence of the monks removed, not only from the
Council but also from the monasteries.
221 ACO II.i.2, pp. 117:23^118:15.
222 Evagrius has, again, slightly missed the point of the exchanges (ACO II.i.2, pp.
118:16^120:8) by not making clear that Faustus was in favour of the Council: Carosus, Dorotheus
and their supporters were prepared to condemn Nestorius, and, under severe pressure,
Eutyches as well, but with the quali¢cation, ‘if he does not believe as the universal
Church believes’; the petition of Faustus and the most pious archimandrites was intended
to achieve the removal of such malcontents, and he had no trouble in condemning Eutyches.
223 ACO II.i.2, pp. 120:9^121:5.
224 At the ¢fth session on 22 October, Anatolius of Constantinople, with the support of
the bishops, attempted to have rati¢ed a de¢nition of faith that did not depart too far from
Cyrillan terminology; this provoked objections from the imperial commissioners and the