THE BURNING OF BOOKS THAT SAID JESUS WAS CREATED OR A CREATURE BEGAN AT NICEA 325 C.E.
LATIN
TEXT: “...Alia epistola Constani Victor Constantinus,
Maximus, Augustis, episcopos et plebibus. Cum malos et impios
homines imitatus sit Arius, camdem cum illis poenam infamiae meretur
subire. Quemadmodum ergo Porphyrius verae pietatis inimicus,
compositis adversus Christianam religionem nefariis voluminibus,
dignam mercedem retulit, ut et ipse infamis sit apud posteros,
multisque appetitus opprobiis, et impii ejus libri penitus fuerint
aboliti : ita nunc placuit Arium sectatoresque ejus Porphyrianos
vocari, ut cujus imitati sunt mores, ejus etiam vocabulo appellentur.
Praeterea, si quis forte liber ab Ario conscriptus reperiatur,
flammis eum absumi praecipimus : ut non solum prava illius doctrina
funditus aboeatur ; sed ne monumentum quidem ejus ullum posteritati
relinquatur. Illud etiam denuntio, quod si quis librum ab Ario
compositum occultasse deprehensus sit, nec eum statim oblatum igne
combusserit, mortis paenam subibit : simul atque enim in hoc facinore
fuerit deprehensus, capitali supplicio ferietur. Divinitas vos
servet...” - (Pages 89, 90; Lib. I. Cap. IX. HISTORIA
ECCLESIASTICA. MPL.)
SOCRATES
SCHOLASTICUS’ (circa. born 380-? C.E.):
“...Victor Constantine Maximus Augustus, to the bishops and
people.—Since Arius has imitated wicked and impious persons, it is
just that he should undergo the like ignominy. Wherefore as
Porphyry,[180] that enemy of piety, for having composed
licentious treatises against religion, found a suitable recompense,
and such as thenceforth branded him with infamy, overwhelming him
with deserved reproach, his impious writings also having been
destroyed; so now it seems fit both that Arius and such as hold his
sentiments should be denominated Porphyrians, that they may take
their appellation from those whose conduct they have imitated. And in
addition to this, if any treatise composed by Arius should be
discovered, let it be consigned to the flames, in order that not only
his depraved doctrine may be suppressed, but also that no memorial of
him may be by any means left. This therefore I decree, that if any
one shall be detected in concealing a book compiled by Arius, and
shall not instantly bring it forward and burn it, the penalty for
this offense shall be death; for immediately after conviction the
criminal shall suffer capital punishment. May God preserve you!...”
- (Book I, Chapter IX.—The Letter of the Synod, relative to its
Decisions: and the Condemnation of Arius and those who agreed with
him.
Another
Epistle of Constantine. Socrates Scholasticus’ Ecclesiastical
History. Roberts & Donalsons ANF series.)
[FOOTNOTE
180]: Cf. III. 23, where the author makes further mention of
Porphyry and his writings; see also Smith, Dict. Greek and Roman
Biog.
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf202.ii.iv.ix.html
Two English translations of the Syriac version of the same edict:
Two English translations of the Syriac version of the same edict:
SOCRATES
SCHOLASTICUS’ (circa. born 380-? C.E.):
“...Constantine the King to the Bishops and nations
everywhere. Inasmuch as Arius imitates the evil and the wicked, it is
right that, like them, he should be rebuked and rejected. As
therefore Porphyry, who was an enemy of the fear of God, and wrote
wicked and unlawful writings against the religion of Christians,
found the reward which befitted him, that he might be a reproach to
all generations after, because he fully and insatiably used base
fame; so that on this account his writings were righteously
destroyed; thus also now it seems good that Arius and the holders of
his opinion should all be called Porphyrians, that he may be named by
the name of those whose evil ways he imitates: And not only this, but
also that all the writings of Arius, wherever they be found, shall be
delivered to be burned with fire, in order that not only his wicked
and evil doctrine may be destroyed, but also that the memory of
himself and of his doctrine may be blotted out, that there may not by
any means remain to him remembrance in the world. Now this also I
ordain, that if any one shall be found secreting any writing composed
by Arius, and shall not forthwith deliver up and burn it with fire,
his punishment shall be death; for as soon as he is caught in this he
shall suffer capital punishment by beheading without delay...” -
(Letter of Constantine to the churches. Synopsis: Against Arius and
the Porphyrians, and threatens that any one who conceals a work of
Arius shall be punished with death. A translation of a Syriac
translation of [Socrates Scholasticus’ Ecclesiastical History 1:9],
written in 501, is in B. H. Cowper’s, Syriac Miscellanies, Extracts
From The Syriac Ms. No. 14528 In The British Museum, Lond. 1861, p.
6– 7)
SOCRATES
SCHOLASTICUS’ (circa. born 380-? C.E.): “...The
great and victorious Constantine Augustus to the bishops and laity:
Since Arius is an imitator of the wicked and the ungodly, it is only
right that he should suffer the same dishonor as they. Porphyry, who
was hostile to anyone who feared God, composed a book which
transgressed against our religion, and has found a suitable reward:
namely that he has been disgraced from that time onward, his
reputation is completely terrible, and his ungodly writings have been
destroyed. In the same way it seems appropriate that Arius and those
of like mind with Arius should from now on be called Porphyrians, so
that their name is taken from those whose ways they have imitated. In
addition, if any writing composed by Arius should be found, it should
be handed over to the flames, so that not only will the wickedness of
his teaching be obliterated, but nothing will be left even to remind
anyone of him. And I hereby make a public order, that if someone
should be discovered to have hidden a writing composed by Arius, and
not to have immediately brought it forward and destroyed it by fire,
his penalty shall be death. As soon as he is discovered in this
offense, he shall be submitted for capital punishment. And in another
hand: God will watch over you, beloved brothers...” -
(Translation by AJW or H-G. Opitz, Athanasius Werke,
vol. 2.1 (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1940). Ancient Syriac sources 2
manuscripts: Brit. Mus. Add. 14,528 and Vatican Borg. Syr. 82 Modern
edition of Syriac Fredrich Schulthess, “Die syrischen Kanones der
Synoden von Nicaea bis Chalcedon.” Abhandlungen der
Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen,
Philologisch-Historische Klasse N.F. 10, no. 2 (Berlin:
Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1908) pp. 1-2.)
SALMINIUS
HERMIAS SOZOMEN (circa. ?-448 C.E.): “...It ought to be known,
that they affirmed the Son to be consubstantial with the Father; and
that those are to be excommunicated and voted aliens to the Catholic
Church, who assert that there was a time in which the Son existed
not, and before He was begotten He was not, and that He was made from
what had no existence, and that He is of another hypostasis or
substance from the Father, and that He is subject to change or
mutation. This decision was sanctioned by Eusebius, bishop of
Nicomedia; by Theognis, bishop of Nicaea; by Maris, bishop of
Chalcedon; by Patrophilus, bishop of Scythopolis; and by Secundus,
bishop of Ptolemais in Libya.[67] Eusebius Pamphilus, however,
withheld his assent for a little while, but on further examination
assented.[68] The council excommunicated Arius and his
adherents, and prohibited his entering Alexandria. The words in which
his opinions were couched were likewise condemned, as also a work
entitled "Thalia," which he had written on the subject. I
have not read this book, but I understand that it is of a loose
character, resembling in license Sotadus.[69] It ought to be
known that although Eusebius, bishop of Nicomedia, and Theognis,
bishop of Nicaea, assented to the document of this faith set forth by
the council, they neither agreed nor subscribed to the deposition of
Arius. The emperor punished Arius with exile, and dispatched edicts
to the bishops and people of every country, denouncing him and his
adherents as ungodly, and commanding. that their books should be
destroyed, in order that no remembrance of him or of the doctrine
which he had broached might remain. Whoever should be found secreting
his writings and who should not bum them immediately on the
accusation, should undergo the penalty of death, and suffer capital
punishment...” - (Book 1, Chapter XXI. - What the Council
Determined About Arius; The Condemnation of His Followers; His
Writings are to Be Burnt; Certain of the High Priests Differ from the
Council; The Settlement of the Passover. Historia Ecclesia.)
[FOOTNOTE
67]: There are variations in the earlier writers as to the number
and names of the excommunicated and banished.
[FOOTNOTE
68]: Eusebius' attempt at straddling amounts to prevarication
here, and later; Soc. i. 8 copied by the later historians.
http://www.tertullian.org/fathers2/NPNF2-02/Npnf2-02-19.htm#P3125_1277828
Eusebius refers to the seizure of books as well:
Eusebius refers to the seizure of books as well:
EUSEBIUS
OF CAESAREA (circa. 260 to 340 C.E. ): “...Thus
were the lurking-places of the heretics broken up by the emperor's
command, and the savage beasts they harbored (I mean the chief
authors of their impious doctrines) driven to flight. Of those whom
they had deceived, some, intimidated by the emperor's threats,
disguising their real sentiments, crept secretly into the Church. For
since the law directed that search should be made for their books,
those of them who practiced evil and forbidden arts were detected,
and, these were ready to secure their own safety by dissimulation of
every kind.[84]...” - (Book III, ch.6ff. Chapter LXVI.
How on the Discovery of Prohibited Books Among the Heretics, Many of
Them Return to the Catholic Church. Vita Constantini.)
[FOOTNOTE
84]: Here again it is worth noting, for history and for
edification, that books were prohibited and heretics treated just as
the Christians did not like to "be done by," by the
heathen.