The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus - Coptic ...

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY: BOOK I 21
the controller of the land of the Thebans. 60 For in these it is possible to
discover how, since he had not received the requisite punishment, the
judgement of God awaited him and encompassed him in captivity, the
most piteous misfortune of all. 61 But since he required greater penalties,
although he was released by the Blemmyes, among whom indeed he had
become a prisoner, 62 after Theodosius had by edicts decided on his
return, 63 while moving from one place to another on the borders of the
[14] land of the Thebans, he laid aside the life here in a way worthy of
his own life, after being dashed upon the ground: a second Arius who
through his overthrow both depicted and ordained what sort of rewards
are ¢xed for blasphemy against Christ. 64 For both blasphemed in
similar fashion against Him, the one calling Him a created being, the
other regarding Him as human. When he makes the criticism that the
records at Ephesus were not properly compiled, but were wickedly
contrived by Cyril with an illegal innovation, I would most gladly say,
why ever then was he banished ^ and that by Theodosius who was sympathetic
to him ^ and after receiving no consideration at all was he
condemned to so many banishments, and why did he terminate his life
60 The Thebaid, the administrative district of upper Egypt, was controlled from Hermopolis,
about 200 miles to the north-east of the Oasis.
61 Nestorius himself builds up the tragedy of his fate in his letter to the governor quoted
below (p. 15:10^13).
62 The Blemmyes lived in the region to the east of the Nile, beyond the southern boundary
of Egypt at Philae. Though in receipt of imperial subsidies, they often ravaged across the
frontier, in company with the neighbouring Nobades, who were supposed to defend the
frontier against them (Procopius, Wars i.19.28^33). Evidence for the region is usefully collected
in Font. Hist. Nubiarum III; see especially 301 (Life of Shenute of Atripe), 314 (petition
of Bishop Appion), 320 (letter of tribune Viventius). The raid which netted Nestorius
will have been similar to the one whose conclusion is recorded in Priscus, fr.27 (c. 453), when
prisoners and cattle were returned and some compensation paid. Nestorian sources record
that Nestorius secured the release of all his fellow captives through the miraculous discovery
of a source of water which saved the parched raiders in the desert (Barhadbeshabba, ch.
30, pp. 584^5; Letter to Cosmas 13); the Monophysite Shenute miraculously paralysed the
hands of Blemmyan soldiers until their king released a recent haul of captives (FHN 301).
63 Presumably to the Oasis (from the Oasis according to Festugie' re 210 n. 23), though a
lack of clarity in the emperor’s instructions might explain the confusing sequence of moves
which were then in£icted on Nestorius.
64 Zachariah (iii.1, p. 42) also makes the comparison with Arius, who had expired in the
latrines behind the Forum of Constantine in Constantinople during an attack of diarrhoea,
a fate which his doctrinal opponents readily exploited: e.g. Socrates i.38.7^9; Sozomen
ii.29^30 (quoting the reaction of Athanasius). Cf. p. 16:23^6 with n. 77 below for a more
graphic version of Nestorius’ end, and unpleasant death as proof of wickedness.