{"slug":"khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","title":"De decretis Nicaenae synodi","title_source":"De decretis Nicaenae synodi","author":"Athanasius the Great of Alexandria","genre":"other","date":null,"tradition":"greek","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T16:37:26Z","cost_usd":0.053752},"source":{"registry_id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","work_id":"khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","edition":"khazarzar","language":"","license":null,"url":null},"stats":{"passages":92,"english_words":24916,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":100981,"commentary_units":540,"commentary_kinds":9,"derived_notes":12,"ambiguities":136,"work_notes":5,"external_links":6,"timeline":6},"summary":{"work":"khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","abstract":"Athanasius of Alexandria's 'De decretis Nicaenae synodi' (On the Decrees of the Council of Nicaea) is a polemical treatise from the 350s defending the Nicene Creed and the term 'homoousios' against Arian opponents. Written during the Arian controversy, it attacks the Arianizing creeds of the 340s–350s and asserts the authority of the Council of Nicaea (325). The work survives in Greek and was cited in later conciliar florilegia, such as the Acts of Ephesus (431), and translated into Syriac and Latin. The sole source for this edition is the Khazarzar website, which lacks critical apparatus or manuscript details, making verification of the text against the manuscript tradition impossible.","historical_context":"Athanasius wrote this treatise in the 350s, likely in Alexandria, during the height of the Arian controversy following the Council of Nicaea (325). The work defends the Nicene faith against Eusebius of Nicomedia and other Arianizing bishops who promoted alternative creeds in the 340s–350s. The treatise was composed in Greek, the language of the Eastern Church, and circulated among pro-Nicene communities. It was later cited in Greek and Latin conciliar florilegia, such as the Acts of the Council of Ephesus (431), as a patristic witness to Nicene orthodoxy. The work was translated into Syriac and Latin in late antiquity, indicating its broad influence. The Khazarzar edition provides no manuscript sigla or critical apparatus, so its textual basis is uncertain; it may derive from a printed edition or digital transcription of unknown lineage. The attribution to Athanasius is traditional and uncontested, but some manuscripts contain interpolations, such as the addition of the Filioque, which the Khazarzar edition does not flag.","significance":"This treatise is a key primary source for the Arian controversy, illustrating Athanasius' defense of Nicene orthodoxy and his rhetorical strategies against opponents. It influenced later patristic descriptions of heretics and was used in ecumenical councils as a patristic witness. The work's textual history, including interpolations, highlights the challenges of reconstructing early Christian texts.","timeline":[{"date":"325","event":"Council of Nicaea; Athanasius attends as a deacon."},{"date":"340s–350s","event":"Arianizing creeds proposed by opponents of Nicaea."},{"date":"c. 350s","event":"Athanasius writes 'De decretis Nicaenae synodi'."},{"date":"431","event":"Council of Ephesus cites the treatise in its florilegia."},{"date":"Late antiquity","event":"Translation into Syriac and Latin."},{"date":"Undated","event":"Khazarzar edition published; manuscript base unknown."}],"relations":[{"work":"Athanasius, 'De synodis'","relation":"Another Athanasian treatise on councils, likely composed around the same time.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Eusebius of Caesarea, 'Life of Constantine'","relation":"Provides contemporary perspective on the Council of Nicaea.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Acts of the Council of Ephesus (431)","relation":"Cites this treatise as a patristic witness.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Athanasius, 'Orations against the Arians'","relation":"Major anti-Arian work by Athanasius, contemporary with this treatise.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Nicene Creed (325)","relation":"The creed defended in this treatise.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"Khazarzar edition of De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf","reason":"Sole source for this edition; provides the text but lacks critical apparatus."},{"key":"wikipedia:Athanasius of Alexandria","label":"Wikipedia article on Athanasius","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athanasius_of_Alexandria","reason":"Biographical context for the author."},{"key":"wikipedia:First Council of Nicaea","label":"Wikipedia article on the Council of Nicaea","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea","reason":"Historical background for the council defended in the treatise."},{"key":"wikipedia:Arian controversy","label":"Wikipedia article on the Arian controversy","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arian_controversy","reason":"Context for the theological disputes addressed."},{"key":"wikipedia:Homoousian","label":"Wikipedia article on Homoousian theology","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homoousion","reason":"Key term defended in the treatise."},{"key":"wikipedia:Council of Ephesus","label":"Wikipedia article on the Council of Ephesus","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Ephesus","reason":"Later council that cited this treatise."}],"cautions":["The sole source for this edition is the Khazarzar website, which does not specify its manuscript base; the text may derive from a printed edition or digital transcription of uncertain lineage.","The Khazarzar edition provides no critical apparatus, variant readings, or manuscript sigla; readers cannot verify the text against the manuscript tradition or assess scribal interventions.","The work's textual history includes interpolations in some manuscripts (e.g., the addition of the Filioque); the Khazarzar edition does not flag such passages.","The date of composition is given as the 350s based on the Arian controversy context, but the exact year is unknown."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.00057,"generated":"2026-11-15T16:37:25Z"},"links":[],"checks":{"work":"khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","status":"warn","blocking":[],"warnings":[{"code":"short-output-warn","i":92,"words":6},{"code":"commentary-single-kind","i":"64","kind":"scripture"}],"stats":{"passages":92,"translated":92,"commentary_passages":92,"commentary_units":540,"english_words":24916,"source_letters":100981,"commentary_kinds":9},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The sole source for this edition is the Khazarzar website, which does not specify its manuscript base. The text may derive from a printed edition or a digital transcription of uncertain lineage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius wrote this treatise in the 350s, during the Arian controversy after the Council of Nicaea (325). The work defends the Nicene Creed and attacks the Arianizing creeds of the 340s–350s.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The treatise was cited in later Greek and Latin conciliar florilegia (e.g., the Acts of Ephesus 431) as a patristic witness to the Nicene faith. It was translated into Syriac and Latin in late antiquity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Khazarzar edition provides no critical apparatus, variant readings, or manuscript sigla. Readers cannot verify the text against the manuscript tradition or assess scribal interventions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The attribution to Athanasius is traditional and uncontested, but the work’s textual history includes interpolations in some manuscripts (e.g., the addition of the Filioque). The Khazarzar edition does not flag such passages.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in ancient Greek; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 92 narrative."},{"kind":"caution","severity":"caution","text":"7 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note."},{"kind":"scripture","severity":"info","text":"4 scriptural phrase match(es) noted: John 1:1; John 1:14; John 4:10; Luke 1:28."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: khazarzar"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":92},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi":{"label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"Τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀθανασίου· ὅτι ἡ ἐν Νικαίᾳ σύνοδος ἑωρακυῖα τὴν πανουργίαν τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον ἐξέθετο πρεπόντως καὶ εὐσεβῶς κατὰ τῆς ἀρειανῆς αἱρέσεως τὰ ὁρισθέντα.\n\nΚαλῶς ἐποίησας δηλώσας μοι τὴν γενομένην παρὰ σοῦ ζήτησιν πρὸς τοὺς τὰ Ἀρείου πρεσβεύοντας, ἐν οἷς ἦσαν καὶ τῶν Εὐσεβίου τινὲς ἑταίρων καὶ πλεῖστοι δὲ τῶν τὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας φρονούντων ἀδελφῶν. τὴν μὲν οὖν σὴν φιλόχριστον νῆψιν ἀπεδεξάμην καλῶς διελέγξασαν τὴν τῆς αἱρέσεως ἀσέβειαν, τὴν δ' ἐκείνων ἀναισχυντίαν τεθαύμακα, ὅτι καίτοι τῶν Ἀρειανῶν λογισμῶν δειχθέντων σαθρῶν τε καὶ ματαίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ πάντων αὐτοὶ καταγνωσθέντες ἐπὶ πάσῃ κακοφροσύνῃ, ὅμως καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα διεγόγγυζον κατὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους λέγοντες· διατί οἱ ἐν τῇ Νικαίᾳ συνελθόντες ἔγραψαν ἀγράφους λέξεις τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας καὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον; σὺ μὲν οὖν ὡς λόγιος ἀνὴρ καὶ οὕτως αὐτοὺς σχηματιζομένους οὐδὲν ἧττον ἀπέδειξας κενολογοῦντας. ἐκεῖνοι δὲ οὐδὲν ξένον τῆς ἑαυτῶν κακονοίας πράττουσι πλαττόμενοι προφάσεις. εἰσὶ γὰρ ποικίλοι καὶ παλίμβολοι τὰς γνώμας ὡς οἱ χαμαιλέοντες ἐν τοῖς χρώμασι, καὶ ἐλεγχόμενοι μὲν ἐρυθριῶσιν, ἀνακρινόμενοι δὲ ἀποροῦσι καὶ λοιπὸν ἀναιδευόμενοι προφασίζονται. ἂν δέ τις αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐν τούτοις διελέγξῃ, κάμνουσιν ἕως ἂν ἐπινοήσωσι τὰ μὴ ὄντα καὶ κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον λογίσωνται μάταια, ἵνα μόνον διαμείνωσιν ἀσεβοῦντες. τὸ δὲ τοιοῦτον ἐπιχείρημα οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν ἢ γνώρισμα μὲν ἄντικρυς τῆς ἀλογίας αὐτῶν, μίμησις δὲ καθὰ προεῖπον τῆς ἰουδαικῆς κακοηθείας.","english":"Of Saint Athanasius: that the synod at Nicaea, having seen the craftiness of those around Eusebius, set forth fittingly and piously the definitions against the Arian heresy.\n\nYou did well to inform me of the inquiry you conducted with those who champion the doctrines of Arius, among whom were some of the companions of Eusebius and also many of the brethren who hold to the church's teaching. I therefore approved your Christ-loving vigilance, which ably refuted the impiety of the heresy, but I marveled at their shamelessness, because, although the Arian arguments were shown to be unsound and vain, and they themselves were condemned by all for their entire wickedness, nevertheless even after this they muttered like the Jews, saying: \"Why did those who assembled at Nicaea write unwritten expressions, 'from the essence' and 'homoousios'?\" You, being a learned man, demonstrated that they were talking nonsense no less when they put on such airs. But they do nothing foreign to their own evil-mindedness in fabricating pretexts. For they are variegated and changeable in their opinions, like chameleons in their colors, and when refuted they blush, when examined they are at a loss, and then, growing shameless, they make excuses. If someone refutes them even in these matters, they persist until they devise things that do not exist and, as it is written, \"think vain thoughts,\" only so that they may continue in their impiety. Such a contrivance is nothing other than a clear sign of their irrationality and an imitation, as I said before, of Jewish malignity.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀθανασίου· ὅτι ἡ ἐν Νικαίᾳ σύνοδος ἑωρακυῖα τὴν πανουργίαν τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον ἐξέθετο πρεπόντως καὶ εὐσεβῶς κατὰ τῆς ἀρειανῆς αἱρέσεως τὰ ὁρισθέντα.","severity":"info","text":"The opening title frames the work as Athanasius' defense of the Nicene Council's authority, specifically against Eusebius of Nicomedia and his allies, whom Athanasius accuses of craftiness.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας καὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον","severity":"info","text":"The phrases 'from the essence' and 'homoousios' (consubstantial) are central to the Arian controversy; Athanasius defends their use as necessary to articulate orthodox Trinitarian doctrine, despite opponents' claims they are 'unwritten' (ἀγράφους λέξεις).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"λογίσωνται μάταια","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'think vain thoughts' echoes Psalm 93:11 (LXX) or similar wisdom tradition, used here to characterize Arian arguments as futile and impious.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς ἰουδαικῆς κακοηθείας","severity":"caution","text":"Athanasius compares Arian muttering to Jewish malignity, a rhetorical trope in early Christian polemic that reflects anti-Jewish sentiment common in the period, not a historical claim about Jewish practice.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καλῶς ἐποίησας δηλώσας μοι","severity":"info","text":"The letter form begins with a commendation of the recipient's inquiry, establishing a dialogic structure that allows Athanasius to refute Arian objections point by point.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ὡς οἱ χαμαιλέοντες ἐν τοῖς χρώμασι","severity":"info","text":"The chameleon simile for Arian inconsistency became a standard trope in later anti-heretical literature, influencing patristic descriptions of doctrinal opponents.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the recipient is not specified; the text assumes a prior correspondence. The phrase 'τὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας φρονούντων' may imply a specific group of orthodox brethren, but their exact composition is unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"καὶ γὰρ ἐλεγχόμενοι κἀκεῖνοι παρὰ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ μὴ δυνάμενοι πρὸς αὐτὴν ἀντιβλέπειν ἐπροφασίζοντο λέγοντες· «τί ποιεῖς σὺ σημεῖον, ἵνα ἴδωμεν καὶ πιστεύσωμέν σοι; τί ἐργάζῃ;» καίτοι σημείων τοσού των γενομένων, ὥστε λέγειν καὶ αὐτούς· «τί ποιοῦμεν, ὅτι οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος πολλὰ ποιεῖ σημεῖα;» νεκροὶ γὰρ ἠγείροντο, χωλοὶ περιεπάτουν, τυφλοὶ ἀνέβλεπον, λεπροὶ ἐκαθαρίζοντο, καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνος ἐγίνετο, καὶ ἀπὸ πέντε ἄρτων ἐκορέσθησαν πεντακισχίλιοι. καὶ οἱ μὲν πάντες ἐθαύμαζον καὶ προσεκύνουν τὸν κύριον, ὁμολογοῦντες ἐν αὐτῷ πλη ροῦσθαι τὰς προφητείας καὶ αὐτὸν εἶναι θεὸν τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν υἱόν· μόνοι δὲ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι, εἰ καὶ λαμπρότερα ἡλίου φαινόμενα ἦν τὰ σημεῖα, ὅμως πάλιν ἐγόγγυζον ὡς ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἔλεγον· «διατί σὺ ἄνθρωπος ὢν ποιεῖς σεαυτὸν θεόν;» ἄφρονες καὶ τῷ ὄντι τυφλοὶ τὴν διάνοιαν. δέον τὸ ἔμπαλιν αὐτοὺς λέγειν· διατί σὺ θεὸς ὢν ἄνθρωπος γέγονας; τὰ γὰρ ἔργα θεὸν αὐτὸν ἐδείκνυεν, ἵνα τὴν μὲν ἀγαθότητα τοῦ πατρὸς προσκυνήσωσι, τὴν δὲ δι' ἡμᾶς αὐτοῦ οἰκονομίαν θαυμάσωσι. τοῦτο μὲν οὔτε ἔλεγον, ἀλλ' οὔτε τὰ γινόμενα βλέπειν ἐβούλοντο. ἢ ἔβλεπον μέν –ἐξ ἀνάγκης γὰρ ἦν ὁρᾶν αὐτά– πάλιν δὲ ἐγόγγυζον μεταβαλλόμενοι· διατί ἐν τῷ σαββάτῳ θεραπεύεις τὸν παραλυτικόν, καὶ τὸν ἐκ γενετῆς τυφλὸν τότε ποιεῖς ἀναβλέπειν; τοῦτο δὲ πρόφασις πάλιν ἦν καὶ μόνον γογγυσμός. καὶ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις ἡμέραις θεραπεύοντος τοῦ κυρίου πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν ἐκεῖνοι συνήθως ἐμέμφοντο καὶ μᾶλλον ἤθελον ἀθεότητος ἔχειν ὑπόνοιαν τὸν Βεελζεβοὺλ ὀνομάζοντες ἢ ἀρνήσασθαι τὴν ἰδίαν πονηρίαν.","english":"For indeed, being refuted by the truth and unable to look it in the face, they would make excuses, saying: \"What sign do you perform, that we may see and believe you? What work do you do?\"—and yet so many signs had occurred that even they themselves would say: \"What are we to do, since this man performs many signs?\" For the dead were raised, the lame walked, the blind recovered sight, lepers were cleansed, water became wine, and five thousand were filled from five loaves. And all marvelled and worshipped the Lord, confessing that the prophecies were fulfilled in him and that he was God the Son from God; but the Pharisees alone, even though the signs were more manifest than the sun, nevertheless again grumbled like ignorant men and said: \"Why do you, being a man, make yourself God?\"—foolish and truly blind in mind. They ought rather to have said the opposite: \"Why have you, being God, become man?\" For the works showed him to be God, so that they might worship the Father's goodness and marvel at his economy for our sake. This they neither said, nor did they wish to see what was happening. Or they did see—for of necessity they had to see these things—but again they grumbled, changing their complaint: \"Why do you heal the paralytic on the Sabbath, and why do you make the man blind from birth see at that time?\" This again was merely a pretext and a grumbling. For on the other days as well, when the Lord healed every disease and every infirmity, they customarily found fault and preferred to suspect him of godlessness, calling him Beelzebul, rather than deny their own wickedness.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"σημεῖον","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term σημεῖον (sign) is used repeatedly to denote miraculous acts that demonstrate divine power, a key concept in early Christian apologetic against Jewish and pagan critics.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πέντε ἄρτων","severity":"info","text":"The multiplication of five loaves to feed five thousand alludes to the Gospel miracle (Matthew 14:13–21, Mark 6:35–44, Luke 9:10–17, John 6:1–14).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Βεελζεβούλ","severity":"info","text":"Beelzebul, a name for a Philistine deity, appears in the New Testament as a title for Satan (Matthew 10:25, 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15–19).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Φαρισαῖοι","severity":"info","text":"The Pharisees, a Jewish sect known for strict adherence to the Law, are depicted in the Gospels as opponents of Jesus. Athanasius uses them typologically to represent contemporary critics of Nicene orthodoxy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms a narrative digression within the treatise, contrasting the miraculous signs of Christ with the obstinate disbelief of the Pharisees, thereby reinforcing the argument that the Arians, like the Pharisees, refuse to acknowledge evident truth.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius’s use of Gospel miracles to defend the divinity of Christ and the Nicene Creed became a standard apologetic trope in later anti-Arian literature, influencing both Greek and Latin patristic writers.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is clear; no significant ambiguities in this passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ἀλλὰ καὶ οὕτως τοῦ σωτῆρος πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως δεικνύοντος ἑαυτοῦ τὴν θεότητα καὶ εὐαγγελιζομένου πᾶσι τὸν πατέρα οὐδὲν ἧττον ὥσπερ εἰς κέντρα λακτίζοντες ἀντέ λεγον ἐκεῖνοι μωρολογοῦντες, ἵνα μόνον κατὰ τὴν θείαν παροιμίαν προφάσεις ἐφευρίσκοντες χωρίσωσιν ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας.\n\nἸουδαῖοι μὲν οὖν οἱ τότε τοιαῦτα πονηρευόμενοι καὶ ἀρνούμενοι τὸν κύριον εἰκότως τῶν τε νόμων καὶ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἐπαγγελίας ἔξω γεγόνασι. καὶ Ἀρειανοὶ δὲ νῦν ἰουδαίζοντες ταὐτόν μοι δοκοῦσι πάσχειν τῷ Καιάφᾳ καὶ τοῖς τότε Φαρισαίοις· οὐδὲν γὰρ ὁρῶντες εὔλογον ἔχουσαν ἑαυτῶν τὴν αἵρεσιν προφάσεις ἐπινοοῦσι, διατί τοῦτο καὶ μὴ τοῦτο γέγραπται; καὶ μήτοι θαυμάσῃς, εἰ τοιαῦτα νῦν μηχανῶνται. μετ' ὀλίγον γὰρ καὶ εἰς ὕβρεις ἐκτραπήσονται καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα τὴν σπείραν καὶ τὸν χιλίαρχον ἀπειλή σουσιν· ἐν τούτοις γάρ ἐστιν αὐτῶν ἡ δοκοῦσα σύστασις τῆς κακοδοξίας. τὸν γὰρ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγον ἀρνούμενοι εἰκότως καὶ λόγου παντός εἰσιν ἔρημοι. ταῦτα γοῦν εἰδὼς οὐδὲν ἂν ἀπεκρινάμην ἐρωτῶσιν ἐκείνοις. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡ σὴ διάθεσις ἀπῄτησε γνῶναι τὰ ἐν τῇ συνόδῳ πραχθέντα, οὐχ ὑπερεθέμην· ἀλλ' εὐθύς, ὡς τότε γέγονε, δεδήλωκα δείξας δι' ὀλίγων, ὅσον εὐσεβοῦς φρονήσεως ἡ ἀρειανὴ αἵρεσις ἐστέρηται καὶ μόνον προφάσεις πλάττονται. σκόπει δὲ καὶ σύ, ἀγαπητέ, εἰ μὴ οὕτως ἔχει. εἰ θαρροῦσιν οἷς ἐφεῦρον αὐτοὶ κακοῖς ἐπισπείραντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ διαβόλου τὴν κακοφροσύνην, ἀπολογείσθωσαν περὶ ὧν ἐγκληθέντες ἀπεδείχθησαν αἱρετικοί, καὶ τότε λοιπὸν αἰτιάσθωσαν, εἰ δύναν ται, τὰ κατ' αὐτῶν ὁρισθέντα.","english":"But even so, while the Savior was displaying his divinity in many ways and in many forms and proclaiming the Father to all, those men, no less, as if kicking against the goads, kept talking nonsense in opposition, so that, as the divine proverb says, by inventing pretexts they might separate themselves from the truth.\n\nThus the Jews of that time, acting wickedly in such a manner and denying the Lord, were justly excluded from the laws and from the promise to the fathers. And the Arians now, Judaizing, seem to me to suffer the same as Caiaphas and the Pharisees of that time; for seeing that their heresy has no reasonable basis, they invent pretexts, asking, \"Why is this written and not that?\" And do not be surprised if they now contrive such things; for soon they will turn to insults, and after that they will threaten with the cohort and the chiliarch; for in these lies their apparent support for their evil doctrine. For denying the Word of God, they are naturally bereft of all reason. Knowing this, I would have answered nothing to those who asked. But since your disposition required knowledge of what was done at the council, I did not delay; rather, I have immediately set forth what happened then, showing briefly how much the Arian heresy lacks pious understanding and only fabricates pretexts. And consider for yourself, beloved, whether this is not so. If they are confident in the evils they have themselves devised, with the devil having sown their evil-mindedness in them, let them defend themselves concerning the charges for which they were shown to be heretics, and then let them blame, if they can, the decisions made against them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'ὥσπερ εἰς κέντρα λακτίζοντες' (as if kicking against the goads) is a proverbial expression for futile resistance, here applied to the opponents of the Savior.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"κατὰ τὴν θείαν παροιμίαν","severity":"info","text":"The 'divine proverb' likely refers to Proverbs 1:16 or a similar wisdom saying about pretexts separating from truth, though the exact reference is not specified.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The mention of 'σπείραν καὶ τὸν χιλίαρχον' (cohort and chiliarch) reflects Roman military and administrative structures, indicating the Arians' reliance on secular power for support.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius draws a parallel between the Jews who denied Christ and the Arians who deny the Word of God, both inventing pretexts to separate from truth.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from a narrative of the Savior's signs to a direct polemic against the Arians, linking their behavior to that of Caiaphas and the Pharisees.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The accusation of 'ἰουδαίζοντες' (Judaizing) was a common polemical trope in early Christian heresiology, used to discredit opponents by associating them with Jewish rejection of Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact 'divine proverb' referenced is not identified; it may be a loose citation of Proverbs or a common saying.","The phrase 'τὸν γὰρ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγον ἀρνούμενοι' could be read as denying the Logos (Christ) or denying reason itself, but the context favors the former."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἐλεγχθεὶς ἐπὶ φόνῳ καὶ μοιχείᾳ μετὰ τὴν δίκην χώραν ἔχει τὴν ἀπόφασιν τοῦ κρίναντος αἰτιᾶσθαι, διατί μὴ οὕτως ἀλλ' ἐκείνως ἐλάλησε. τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἐλευθεροῖ τὸν κριθέντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔγκλημα διὰ τὴν προπέτειαν καὶ τὴν τόλμαν ἐπαυξάνει. οὐκοῦν καὶ οὗτοι ἢ δεικνύτωσαν τὸ φρόνημα ἑαυτῶν εὐσεβές –κατηγορηθέντες γὰρ ἠλέγχθησαν, οὐ μεμψάμενοι πρότερον· καὶ δίκαιόν ἐστι τοὺς αἰτιαθέντας μηδὲν ἕτερον ποιεῖν ἢ ἀπολογεῖσθαι– ἢ εἰ τὸ συνειδὸς ἔχουσι ῥυπαρὸν καὶ συνορῶσιν ἑαυτοὺς ἀσεβοῦντας, μὴ αἰτιάσθωσαν ἃ ἀγνοοῦσιν, ἵνα μὴ καὶ διπλοῦν ἀσεβείας ἔγκλημα καὶ ἀπαιδευσίας ἀπενέγκωνται μέμψιν. ἐξεταζέτωσαν δὲ μᾶλλον φιλομαθῶς, ἵν' ἐπιγνόντες ἃ πρότερον ἠγνόουν, ἀπονίψωνται τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἀσεβεῖς ἀκοὰς τῷ τῆς ἀληθείας νάματι καὶ τοῖς τῆς εὐσεβείας δόγμασιν. οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῇ κατὰ Νίκαιαν συνόδῳ γέγονε τοῖς περὶ Εὐσέβιον.\n\nὩς ἐφιλονείκουν ἀσεβοῦντες καὶ θεομαχεῖν ἐπεχείρουν, τὰ μὲν λεγόμενα παρ' αὐτῶν ἀσεβείας ἦν μεστά, οἱ δὲ συνελθόντες ἐπίσκοποι, ἦσαν δὲ πλέον ἢ ἔλαττον τρια κόσιοι, πρᾴως καὶ φιλανθρώπως ἀπῄτουν αὐτούς, περὶ ὧν ἔλεγον διδόναι λόγον καὶ ἀποδείξεις εὐσεβεῖς. ὡς δὲ καὶ μόνον φθεγγόμενοι κατεγινώσκοντο καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς διεμάχοντο πολλὴν ὁρῶντες τῆς ἑαυτῶν αἱρέσεως τὴν ἀπορίαν, ἀχανεῖς μὲν ἔμενον οὗτοι καὶ διὰ τῆς σιωπῆς ὡμολόγουν τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ κενοδοξίᾳ αὐτῶν αἰσχύνην. οἱ τοίνυν ἐπίσκοποι λοιπὸν ἀνελόντες τὰ παρ' αὐτῶν ἐπινοηθέντα ῥήματα οὕτως ἐξέθεντο κατ' αὐτῶν τὴν ὑγιαίνουσαν καὶ ἐκκλησιαστικὴν πίστιν·","english":"No one convicted of murder or adultery has, after the verdict, any right to blame the judge’s decision, asking why he spoke this way and not that. For this does not free the convicted man, but rather increases his charge because of his rashness and audacity. Therefore, these men too must either show that their own opinion is pious—for they were accused and convicted, not having complained beforehand; and it is just for those accused to do nothing other than defend themselves—or, if their conscience is foul and they see themselves as impious, let them not blame what they do not understand, lest they incur both a double charge of impiety and a reproach of ignorance. Instead, let them examine the matter with a love of learning, so that, recognizing what they previously did not know, they may wash away their impious ears with the stream of truth and the doctrines of piety. For thus it happened at the Council of Nicaea with those around Eusebius.\n\nAs they persisted in impiety and attempted to fight against God, their own statements were full of impiety, while the assembled bishops—there were more or less three hundred—gently and humanely demanded that they give an account and pious proofs concerning what they said. But when, merely by speaking, they were condemned and were at odds among themselves, seeing the great difficulty of their own heresy, these men stood speechless and through their silence confessed the shame of their vainglory. The bishops therefore, having removed the terms devised by them, set forth in opposition to them the sound and ecclesiastical faith as follows:","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἐλεγχθεὶς ἐπὶ φόνῳ καὶ μοιχείᾳ","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius uses a legal analogy (murder and adultery) to argue that the condemned have no right to question the judge's wording, reinforcing the finality of the Nicene verdict.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"τὸ φρόνημα","severity":"info","text":"Here 'φρόνημα' denotes 'opinion' or 'mindset' regarding doctrine, a key term in Athanasius's polemic distinguishing orthodox belief from heretical intent.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"τοῖς περὶ Εὐσέβιον","severity":"info","text":"Refers to Eusebius of Nicomedia and his faction, who initially resisted the Nicene Creed but later signed it under pressure, a key episode in the Arian controversy.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Athanasius 2023"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῇ κατὰ Νίκαιαν συνόδῳ γέγονε","severity":"info","text":"This sentence transitions from general legal argument to the specific historical example of the Council of Nicaea, linking the preceding analogy to the Eusebian case.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"τριακόσιοι","severity":"info","text":"The number 'about three hundred' bishops at Nicaea became a traditional figure in later patristic and conciliar literature, symbolizing the council's authority.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Athanasius 2023"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"πλέον ἢ ἔλαττον τριακόσιοι","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'more or less three hundred' is vague; actual attendance at Nicaea is debated, with estimates ranging from 250 to 318. Athanasius may be approximating.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'those around Eusebius' is clear in context (Eusebius of Nicomedia), but the Greek phrase could theoretically include other Eusebii; the reading follows standard Athanasian usage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"πάντων τε ὑπογραψάντων ὑπέ γραψαν καὶ οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον τούτοις τοῖς ῥήμασιν, οἷς αἰτιῶνται νῦν οὗτοι· λέγω δὴ τῷ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας καὶ τῷ ὁμοουσίῳ, καὶ ὅτι μήτε κτίσμα ἢ ποίημα μήτε τῶν γενητῶν ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ υἱός, ἀλλὰ γέννημα ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος. καὶ τό γε παράδοξον, Εὐσέβιος ὁ ἀπὸ Καισαρείας τῆς Παλαιστίνης, καίτοι πρὸ μιᾶς ἀρνούμενος, ὅμως ὕστερον ὑπογράψας ἐπέστειλε τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἑαυτοῦ, λέγων ταύτην εἶναι τῆς ἐκ κλησίας τὴν πίστιν καὶ τῶν πατέρων τὴν παράδοσιν, πᾶσί τε φανερῶς ἔδειξεν, ὅτι πρό τερον ἐσφάλλοντο καὶ μάτην ἐφιλονείκουν πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν. εἰ γὰρ καὶ ᾐσχύνθη τότε ταύταις ταῖς λέξεσι γράψαι καὶ ὡς ἠθέλησεν αὐτὸς ἀπελογήσατο τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἀλλά γε διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τὸ ὁμοούσιον καὶ τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας μὴ ἀρνησάμενος φανερῶς τοῦτο σημᾶναι βούλεται. καὶ πέπονθέ τι δεινόν· ὡς γὰρ ἀπολογούμενος κατηγόρησε λοιπὸν τῶν Ἀρειανῶν, ὅτι γράψαντες «οὐκ ἦν ὁ υἱὸς πρὶν γεννηθῆναι» οὐκ ἤθελον αὐτὸν εἶναι οὐδὲ πρὸ τῆς κατὰ σάρκα γεννήσεως.","english":"All having subscribed, even those around Eusebius subscribed to these very words which they now accuse—I mean the phrase \"from the essence\" and \"homoousios,\" and that the Son of God is neither a creature nor a creation nor among things that have come into being, but the Word is a generation from the essence of the Father. And what is remarkable, Eusebius of Caesarea in Palestine, though denying it the day before, nevertheless later subscribed and wrote to his own church, saying that this is the faith of the Church and the tradition of the Fathers, and he clearly showed to all that previously they were mistaken and vainly contended against the truth. For even if he was then ashamed to write with these expressions and made his apology to the church as he wished, yet through his letter, by not denying the homoousios and the phrase \"from the essence,\" he clearly intends to signify this. And he suffered something terrible: for in defending himself, he thereafter accused the Arians, because having written \"the Son was not before he was begotten,\" they did not wish him to exist even before his birth in the flesh.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ὁμοούσιος","severity":"info","text":"The term 'homoousios' (of the same essence) was central to the Nicene Creed, asserting the Son's consubstantiality with the Father. Athanasius highlights that Eusebius of Caesarea, initially reluctant, eventually subscribed to it.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Εὐσέβιος ὁ ἀπὸ Καισαρείας","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Caesarea, a prominent church historian, initially hesitated to accept the Nicene Creed but later signed and defended it. His letter to his church is a key document in Arian controversy history.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ τό γε παράδοξον","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'and what is remarkable' signals a rhetorical shift, emphasizing the irony of Eusebius's change of stance. This structure underscores Athanasius's argument that even opponents conceded the truth.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"πρὸ μιᾶς ἀρνούμενος","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'denying it the day before' refers to Eusebius's initial refusal at the Council of Nicaea (325 CE). This temporal detail highlights the rapid shift in his position, a point Athanasius uses to discredit Arian objections.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"κατηγόρησε λοιπὸν τῶν Ἀρειανῶν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius notes that Eusebius, in defending himself, later accused the Arians of denying the Son's pre-existence. This reception detail shows how Nicene supporters used former opponents' words against the Arian party.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"γέννημα ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'γέννημα ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας' (offspring from the essence) is ambiguous: it could imply a subordinationist emanation, which Athanasius elsewhere rejects. The translation 'generation' may obscure this nuance.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'γέννημα ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας' could be read as implying a temporal or processional generation, which Athanasius elsewhere denies; the English 'generation' may not capture the potential subordinationist nuance."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"καὶ τοῦτο οἶδε καὶ Ἀκάκιος, ἂν μὴ καὶ αὐτὸς φοβηθεὶς νῦν διὰ τὸν καιρὸν ὑποκρίνηται καὶ ἀρνήσηται τὴν ἀλήθειαν. ὑπέταξα γοῦν ἐν τῷ τέλει τὴν ἐπιστολὴν Εὐσεβίου, ἵνα ἐκ ταύτης γνῷς τῶν τε χρι στομάχων καὶ κατὰ περιττὸν τὴν Ἀκακίου πρὸς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν διδασκάλους ἀγνωμοσύνην.\n\nΠῶς τοίνυν οὐκ ἀδικοῦσιν οὗτοι κἂν ἐνθυμούμενοι μόνον ἀντιλέγειν τῇ τοσαύτῃ καὶ οἰκουμενικῇ συνόδῳ; πῶς οὐ παρανομοῦσι τολμῶντες ἀντιβλέπειν τοῖς καλῶς ὁρισθεῖσι κατὰ τῆς ἀρειανῆς αἱρέσεως καὶ μαρτυρουμένοις ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτοὺς πρότερον ἀσεβεῖν διδαξάντων; εἰ δὲ καὶ μετὰ τὸ ὑπογράψαι μετεβάλοντο οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον καὶ ὡς κύνες εἰς τὸ ἴδιον ἐξέραμα τῆς ἀσεβείας ἐπέστρεψαν, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ μᾶλλον ἄξιοι μίσους οἱ νῦν ἀντιλέγοντες, ὅτι τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς ἑαυτῶν ψυχῆς ἄλλοις προπίνοντες τούτους καὶ καθηγεμόνας τῆς αἱρέσεως ἔχειν ἐθέλουσιν, ἀνθρώπους, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ Ἰάκωβος, «διψύχους καὶ ἀκαταστάτους ὄντας ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν», καὶ μὴ μίαν μὲν ἔχοντας γνώμην, ἄλλοτε δὲ ἄλλως μεταβαλλομένους, καὶ νῦν μὲν ἐπαινοῦντας ὃ λέγουσι, μετ' ὀλίγον δὲ ψέγοντας ὅπερ εἰρήκασι, καὶ πάλιν ἐπαινοῦντας ὅπερ πρὸ μικροῦ διέβαλλον. τοῦτο δέ, ὡς ὁ Ποιμὴν εἴρηκεν, ἔκγονόν ἐστι διαβόλου καὶ καπήλων δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ οὐ διδασκάλων ἐστὶ γνώρισμα. ἔστι γάρ, ὡς οἱ πατέρες παραδεδώκασιν, ὄντως διδασκαλία καὶ διδασκάλων ἀληθῶν τοῦτο τεκμήριον τὸ τὰ αὐτὰ ἀλλήλοις ὁμολογεῖν καὶ μὴ ἀμφισβητεῖν μήτε πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς μήτε πρὸς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν πατέρας. οἱ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτον δια κείμενοι τὸν τρόπον μοχθηροὶ μᾶλλον καὶ οὐκ ἀληθεῖς ἂν καλοῖντο διδάσκαλοι.","english":"And this Acacius knows, unless he too, now fearing because of the times, is pretending and denying the truth. I have therefore appended the letter of Eusebius at the end, so that from it you may know the ingratitude of the Christ-fighters and especially of Acacius towards their own teachers.\n\nHow then do these men not do wrong, even if they only think of contradicting such a great and ecumenical council? How do they not break the law, daring to oppose the well-established definitions against the Arian heresy, which are attested by those who formerly taught them to be impious? And if, after subscribing, those around Eusebius changed and, like dogs, returned to their own vomit of impiety, how are not those who now contradict even more worthy of hatred, because they pour out the freedom of their own soul to others and wish to have these men as leaders of the heresy—men who, as James said, are \"double-minded and unstable in all their ways,\" and who have not one fixed opinion, but change at different times, now praising what they say, soon after blaming what they have said, and again praising what they previously denounced? This, as the Shepherd has said, is an offspring of the devil, and is rather a mark of hucksters and not of teachers. For it is, as the fathers have handed down, truly a sign of teaching and of true teachers to confess the same things to one another and not to dispute either with themselves or with their own fathers. For those who are not disposed in this way would be called wicked rather than true teachers.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"χριστομάχων","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Christ-fighters' (χριστομάχων) is a polemical label Athanasius applies to his opponents, implying they are enemies of Christ, not merely theological dissenters.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"διψύχους καὶ ἀκαταστάτους","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius quotes James 1:8 (LXX: 'double-minded and unstable in all their ways') to characterize the inconsistency of the Eusebian party.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ Ποιμὴν","severity":"info","text":"The reference 'the Shepherd' (ὁ Ποιμὴν) is to the early Christian work 'The Shepherd of Hermas', specifically Mandate 11.12, which condemns double-mindedness as an offspring of the devil.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐπιστολὴν Εὐσεβίου","severity":"info","text":"The appended letter of Eusebius of Caesarea is likely his epistle to his congregation explaining his subscription to the Nicene Creed, a key document in the Arian controversy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Πῶς ... πῶς ...","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a double rhetorical question ('How then...? How...?') to intensify the condemnation of those who oppose the Council of Nicaea, building to a climax with the dog-vomit simile.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"οἱ πατέρες παραδεδώκασιν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius appeals to the authority of 'the fathers' (οἱ πατέρες) as a standard for true teaching, a common rhetorical move in fourth-century doctrinal disputes to claim continuity with orthodox tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Acacius' is ambiguous: likely Acacius of Caesarea, but possibly another figure; the text assumes the reader knows him as a contemporary opponent.","The phrase 'κύνες εἰς τὸ ἴδιον ἐξέραμα' (dogs to their own vomit) is a proverbial insult; its precise referent (the Eusebians' return to Arianism) is clear from context."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"Ἕλ ληνες γοῦν οὐχ ὁμολογοῦντες τὰ αὐτά, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀμφισβητοῦντες, οὐκ ἀληθῆ τὴν διδασκαλίαν ἔχουσιν· οἱ δὲ ἅγιοι καὶ τῷ ὄντι τῆς ἀληθείας κήρυκες ἀλλήλοις τε συμφωνοῦσι καὶ οὐ διαφέρονται πρὸς ἑαυτούς. εἰ γὰρ καὶ διαφόροις χρόνοις γεγόνασιν, ἀλλ' εἰς ταὐτὸν ἀλλήλοις ὁρμῶσιν ἑνὸς ὄντες τοῦ θεοῦ προφῆται καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν συμφώνως εὐαγγελιζόμενοι λόγον. Ἃ γοῦν Μωσῆς ἐδίδασκε, ταῦθ' Ἁβραὰμ ἐφύλαττεν· ἃ δὲ Ἁβραὰμ ἐφύλαττε,ταῦτα Νῶε καὶ Ἐνὼχ ἐγίνωσκον διακρίναντες καθαρὰ καὶ ἀκάθαρτα καὶ εὐάρεστοι γινόμενοι τῷ θεῷ. καὶ γὰρ καὶ Ἄβελ οὕτως ἐμαρτύρησεν ἐπιστάμενος ταῦτα, ἅπερ ἦν μαθὼν παρὰ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ τοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ μαθόντος παρὰ κυρίου, ὃς καὶ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων ἐλθὼν εἰς ἀθέτησιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἔλεγεν· «οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, ἀλλ' ἐντολὴν παλαιάν, ἣν ἠκούσατε ἀπ' ἀρχῆς». διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ παρ' αὐτοῦ μαθὼν ὁ μακάριος ἀπόστολος Παῦλος τὰ μὲν ἐκκλησιαστικὰ διατυπῶν οὐδὲ διακόνους ἠθέλησεν εἶναι διλόγους, μήτι γε ἐπισκόπους, τοῖς δὲ Γαλάταις ἐπιπλήττων ἀπεφήνατο καθόλου λέγων· «εἴ τις ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελίζεται παρ' ὃ παρελάβετε, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω, καθὼς προείρηκα, καὶ πάλιν λέγω· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐὰν ἡμεῖς ἢ ἄγγελος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ εὐαγγελίσηται ὑμᾶς παρ' ὃ παρελάβετε, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω». τοῦ τοίνυν ἀποστόλου ταῦτα λέγοντος ἢ καὶ οὗτοι τοὺς περὶ Εὐσέβιον μεταβαλλομένους καὶ λέγοντας ἕτερα παρὰ τὰ ὑπέγραψαν ἀνάθεμα ποιείτωσαν, ἢ εἰ γινώσκουσιν αὐτοὺς καλῶς ὑπογράψαντας, μὴ γογγυζέτωσαν κατὰ τῆς τηλικαύτης συνόδου.","english":"Greeks, at any rate, not confessing the same things, but also disputing with one another, do not have true teaching; but the saints, who are truly heralds of the truth, both agree with one another and do not differ among themselves. For even if they lived in different times, they all hasten to the same goal, being prophets of the one God and proclaiming the same Word harmoniously. What Moses taught, Abraham observed; what Abraham observed, Noah and Enoch knew, discerning clean and unclean and becoming pleasing to God. And Abel likewise bore witness, knowing these things which he had learned from Adam, who himself learned from the Lord, who at the consummation of the ages, coming to abolish sin, said: \"I do not give you a new commandment, but an old commandment, which you have heard from the beginning.\" For this reason, the blessed Apostle Paul, who learned from him, when establishing ecclesiastical matters, did not even wish deacons to be double-tongued, let alone bishops, and rebuking the Galatians, he declared universally: \"If anyone evangelizes you contrary to what you received, let him be anathema, as I have said before, and I say again: even if we or an angel from heaven evangelizes you contrary to what you received, let him be anathema.\" Since the apostle says these things, let these men either anathematize those around Eusebius who change and say things different from what they subscribed, or if they know that they subscribed correctly, let them not murmur against such a great council.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἕλληνες","severity":"info","text":"Here 'Greeks' refers to pagans, not ethnic Greeks, contrasting them with Christian saints as true heralds of truth.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, ἀλλ' ἐντολὴν παλαιάν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius attributes to Christ a saying not found in the canonical Gospels, possibly an apocryphal or oral tradition about an 'old commandment'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"εἴ τις ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελίζεται παρ' ὃ παρελάβετε, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of Paul's warning in Galatians 1:8-9, though the exact wording is not a direct quotation; Athanasius expands it with 'even if an angel from heaven'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τοὺς περὶ Εὐσέβιον","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia, a prominent Arian bishop, and his followers are the target; Athanasius accuses them of changing their subscribed creed.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"διὰ τοῦτο","severity":"info","text":"This phrase links the preceding argument about apostolic tradition to Paul's authority, reinforcing the unity of teaching from Adam to the apostles.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀνάθεμα","severity":"info","text":"The repeated use of 'anathema' reflects the conciliar language of Nicaea, where anathemas were attached to Arian positions; Athanasius turns this against the Eusebians.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The source of Christ's saying about an 'old commandment' is unclear; it may be an apocryphal tradition or Athanasius's own formulation.","The phrase 'παρ' ὃ παρελάβετε' in the Galatians paraphrase is ambiguous: it could mean 'contrary to what you received' or 'beyond what you received'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"εἰ δὲ μήτε τοῦτο μήτ' ἐκεῖνο ποιοῦσι, δῆλοί εἰσι καὶ αὐτοὶ παντὶ ἀνέμῳ καὶ κλύδωνι περιφερόμενοι καὶ μὴ ταῖς ἰδίαις ἀλλὰ ἀλλοτρίαις ἑλκόμενοι γνώμαις. τοιοῦτοι δὲ ὄντες οὐδὲ νῦν τοιαύτας προβαλλόμενοι προφάσεις ἀξιόπιστοί εἰσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παυέσθωσαν αἰτιώμενοι ἃ μὴ γινώσκουσι· τάχα δὲ οὐδὲ διακρίνειν εἰδότες ἁπλῶς «τὸ μὲν πονηρὸν λέγουσι καλόν, τὸ δὲ καλὸν πονηρόν, καὶ νομίζουσι τὸ μὲν πικρὸν εἶναι γλυκύ, τὸ δὲ γλυκὺ πικρόν». ἀμέλει τὰ μὲν κριθέντα κακὰ καὶ ἀποδοκιμασθέντα κρατεῖν ἐθέλουσι, τὰ δὲ καλῶς ὁρισθέντα βιάζονται διαβάλλειν. ἔδει μὲν οὖν μήθ' ἡμᾶς ἔτι τινὰ τούτων ἀπόλογον ποιεῖσθαι καὶ πρὸς τὰς ματαίας αὐτῶν προφάσεις ἀποκρί νεσθαι μήτ' ἐκείνους ἔτι φιλονεικεῖν, ἀλλὰ συντίθεσθαι,\n\nοἷς ὑπέγραψαν οἱ ἡγεμόνες τῆς αἱρέσεως αὐτῶν, εἰδότας ὡς ἡ μὲν μετὰ ταῦτα μεταβολὴ τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον ὕποπτός ἐστι καὶ κακοήθης. τὸ δὲ ὑπογράψαι μετὰ τὸ δυνηθῆναι κἂν τὸ βραχύτατον ἀπολο γήσασθαι τοῦτο δείκνυσιν ἀληθῶς ἀσεβῆ τὴν ἀρειανὴν αἵρεσιν. καὶ γὰρ οὐ πρότερον ὑπέγραψαν, εἰ μὴ κατέγνωσαν αὐτῆς· καὶ οὐ πρότερον κατέγνωσαν, εἰ μὴ πανταχόθεν ἀπορήσαντες ᾐσχύνθησαν· ὥστε τὸ μεταβάλλεσθαι τῆς εἰς ἀσέβειαν φιλονεικίας ἔλεγχός ἐστι. διὸ ἔδει μέν, καθάπερ εἴρηται, καὶ τούτους ἠρεμεῖν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ δεινοὶ πρὸς ἀναισχυντίαν εἰσί, καὶ νομίζουσιν ἴσως αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον ἐκείνων δύνασθαι προστῆναι τῆς διαβολικῆς ταύτης ἀσεβείας.","english":"If they do neither this nor that, it is clear that they themselves are carried about by every wind and wave, and are drawn not by their own opinions but by those of others. Being such, they are not credible even now when they put forward such pretexts, but let them cease accusing what they do not know; perhaps, not even knowing how to distinguish, they simply \"call the bad good, and the good bad, and think the bitter sweet, and the sweet bitter.\" Indeed, they wish to maintain what has been judged evil and rejected, and they force themselves to slander what has been well defined. It would have been proper, then, for us no longer to make any defense against these things and to respond to their vain pretexts, and for them no longer to be contentious, but to agree to what the leaders of their heresy subscribed, knowing that the subsequent change of those around Eusebius is suspicious and malicious. But to subscribe after being able to offer even the briefest defense shows that the Arian heresy is truly impious. For they did not subscribe earlier unless they had condemned it; and they did not condemn it earlier unless, being at a loss from all sides, they were ashamed; so that the change is a proof of their contentiousness toward impiety. Therefore, as has been said, it would have been proper for these also to keep quiet. But since they are clever in shamelessness, and perhaps think that they themselves are more able than those others to champion this diabolical impiety.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"παντὶ ἀνέμῳ καὶ κλύδωνι περιφερόμενοι","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'carried about by every wind and wave' is a proverbial expression for intellectual or moral instability, common in early Christian polemic to describe heretics.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ μὲν πονηρὸν λέγουσι καλόν, τὸ δὲ καλὸν πονηρόν","severity":"info","text":"This inversion of moral categories echoes biblical language (e.g., Proverbs 14:1 LXX) and is a standard rhetorical trope in Athanasius to depict heretical confusion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia was a leading Arian bishop who signed the Nicene Creed under imperial pressure but later opposed Athanasius. His 'change' is a key point in Athanasius' argument.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔδει μὲν οὖν ... ἐπειδὴ δὲ","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from a conditional hypothetical ('it would have been proper') to a concessive realis ('but since'), marking a rhetorical turn from ideal to actual polemic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπολο γήσασθαι","severity":"info","text":"The verb ἀπολογήσασθαι (to defend oneself) is a legal term; Athanasius uses it to frame the Arian subscription as a judicial admission of guilt.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"διαβολικῆς ταύτης ἀσεβείας","severity":"info","text":"Calling Arianism 'diabolical impiety' became a standard epithet in later orthodox polemic, influencing how the controversy was remembered in Byzantine historiography.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'οἱ ἡγεμόνες τῆς αἱρέσεως αὐτῶν' could refer either to the original Arian leaders (like Arius) or to the Eusebian party; Athanasius likely means the latter, given the context."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"εἰ καὶ ἔφθασα διὰ τῆς προτέρας ἐπιστολῆς τῆς πρὸς σὲ γραφείσης πλατυτέρῳ τῷ κατ' αὐτῶν ἐλέγχῳ κεχρημένος, ὅμως φέρε καὶ νῦν τούτους ὥσπερ ἐκείνους καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν ὑπ' αὐτῶν λεγομένων ἐξετάσωμεν. δειχθήσεται γὰρ οὐδὲν ἧττον καὶ νῦν οὐχ ὑγιής, ἀλλά τις δαιμονιώδης αὐτῶν ἡ αἵρεσις. Φασὶ τοίνυν, ὥσπερ κἀκείνοις ἐδόκει, καὶ τετολμήκασι λέγειν· «οὐκ ἀεὶ πατήρ, οὐκ ἀεὶ υἱός· οὐκ ἦν γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς πρὶν γεννηθῇ, ἀλλ' ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων γέγονε καὶ αὐτός· διὸ καὶ οὐκ ἀεὶ πατὴρ ὁ θεὸς γέγονε τοῦ υἱοῦ, ἀλλ' ὅτε γέγονε καὶ ἐκτίσθη ὁ υἱός, τότε καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἐκλήθη πατὴρ αὐτοῦ. κτίσμα γάρ ἐστι καὶ ποίημα ὁ λόγος καὶ ξένος καὶ ἀνόμοιος κατ' οὐσίαν τοῦ πατρός ἐστιν· οὔτε δὲ φύσει καὶ ἀληθινὸς λόγος τοῦ πατρός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς οὔτε ἡ μόνη καὶ ἀληθινὴ σοφία αὐτοῦ ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ κτίσμα καὶ εἷς τῶν ποιημάτων ὢν καταχρηστικῶς λέγεται λόγος καὶ σοφία. λόγῳ γὰρ τῷ ὄντι ἐν τῷ θεῷ γέγονε καὶ αὐτὸς ὥσπερ καὶ τὰ πάντα· διὸ οὐδὲ ἀληθινὸς θεός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός». ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦτο πρῶτον καὶ τούτους ἐρωτῆσαι βούλομαι, τί ἐστιν ὅλως υἱός, καὶ τίνος ἐστὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο σημαντικόν, ἵν' οὕτως αὐτοὶ τὰ λεγόμενα παρ' αὐτῶν κἂν οὕτως νοῆσαι δυνη θῶσιν. ἡ μὲν γὰρ θεία γραφὴ διπλῆν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου διάνοιαν ἡμῖν σημαίνει, μίαν μὲν περὶ ὧν Μωυσῆς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ φησίν· «ἐὰν εἰσακούσητε τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν, φυλάσσειν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, ποιεῖν τὸ καλὸν καὶ ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιον κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου, υἱοί ἐστε κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν», καθὼς καὶ ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ φησὶν ὁ Ἰωάννης·","english":"Although I have already dealt with them in the earlier letter written to you, using a more extensive refutation against them, nevertheless, let us now also examine these men, just as we did those, concerning each of their statements. For it will be shown no less now that their heresy is not sound, but rather something demonic. They say, then, just as it seemed to those others, and they have dared to assert: \"The Father was not always, the Son was not always; for the Son did not exist before he was begotten, but he himself came into being from non-existence; therefore God was not always Father of the Son, but when the Son came into being and was created, then God was called his Father. For the Word is a creature and a product, and is foreign and unlike in essence to the Father; the Son is neither by nature and truly the Word of the Father, nor is he his only and true wisdom, but being a creature and one of the products, he is called Word and wisdom by misuse. For he himself came into being by the Word that is in God, just like all things; therefore the Son is not true God.\" But I wish first to ask these men this: what is a son at all, and of what is this name indicative, so that they themselves might thus be able to understand what is said by them? For divine Scripture signifies to us a twofold meaning from this name: one concerning what Moses says in the Law: \"If you listen to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep all his commandments, as many as I command you today, to do what is good and pleasing before the Lord your God, you are sons of the Lord our God,\" just as John says in the Gospel:","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ καὶ ἔφθασα ... ἐξετάσωμεν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius signals a shift from a previous, more extensive refutation to a fresh examination of the same heretical claims, structuring the argument as a repeated but focused inquiry.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"δαιμονιώδης","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term δαιμονιώδης ('demonic') is a strong polemical label, characterizing the heresy as not merely erroneous but inspired by evil spirits, a common rhetorical move in Athanasius' anti-Arian writings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐὰν εἰσακούσητε ... υἱοί ἐστε κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius cites a Mosaic injunction (likely a paraphrase of Deut 13:4 or similar) to illustrate the 'adoptive' sense of 'son' in Scripture, contrasting it with the natural sense he will later apply to Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐκ ἀεὶ πατήρ, οὐκ ἀεὶ υἱός","severity":"info","text":"This phrase encapsulates a key Arian tenet: that the Father was not always Father, nor the Son always Son, implying a temporal beginning for the Son and thus his created status. Athanasius refutes this by arguing for the eternal co-existence of Father and Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"καταχρηστικῶς","severity":"info","text":"The adverb καταχρηστικῶς ('by misuse' or 'catachrestically') is crucial: the heretics claim that 'Word' and 'Wisdom' are applied to Christ only in a secondary, improper sense, not as true names of his essence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦτο πρῶτον ... ἐρωτῆσαι βούλομαι","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius introduces a new line of questioning: he will ask what 'son' fundamentally means, using Scripture's twofold sense (adoptive and natural) to expose the heretics' confusion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact scriptural source of the Mosaic citation is not given; it may be a composite or paraphrase. The English draft renders 'υἱοί ἐστε κυρίου' as 'you are sons of the Lord our God', which is consistent with the Greek."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"«ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι»· ἑτέραν δὲ διάνοιαν, καθ' ἣν Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ Ἁβραάμ ἐστιν υἱὸς καὶ ὁ Ἰακὼβ τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ οἱ πατριάρχαι τοῦ Ἰακώβ. αὐτοιδὲ κατὰ ποίαν ἄρα τούτων νομίσαντες εἶναι τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ υἱὸν τοιαῦτα περὶ αὐτοῦ μυθο λογοῦσιν; εἰς γὰρ τὴν αὐτὴν ἀσέβειαν εὖ οἶδ' ὅτι συνδραμοῦνται τοῖς περὶ Εὐσέβιον. εἰ μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὴν πρώτην, οἷοί εἰσιν οἱ ἐκ βελτιώσεως τρόπων ἐπικτώμενοι τὴν τοῦ ὀνόματος χάριν καὶ λαμβάνοντες ἐξουσίαν, ἵνα υἱοὶ θεοῦ γένωνται (τοῦτο γὰρ ἔλεγον κἀκεῖνοι), οὐδὲν διαφέρειν ἡμῶν δόξειεν οὐδὲ μονογενὴς ἂν εἴη ἐξ ἀρετῆς καὶ αὐτὸς ἐσχη κὼς τὴν τοῦ υἱὸς προσηγορίαν. κἂν γάρ, ὥς φασι, προγνωσθεὶς ἔσεσθαι τοιοῦτος προλαμβάνῃ καὶ ἅμα τῷ γενέσθαι δέχηται τό τε ὄνομα καὶ τὴν τοῦ ὀνόματος δόξαν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲν διοίσει τῶν μετὰ τὰς πράξεις λαμβανόντων τὸ ὄνομα, ἕως οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς υἱὸς εἶναι μεμαρτύρηται. καὶ γὰρ Ἀδὰμ προλαμβάνων τὴν χάριν καὶ ἅμα τῷ γε νέσθαι τεθεὶς ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ οὐδὲν διήνεγκεν οὔτε τοῦ Ἐνώχ, ὃς μετὰ χρόνον τῆς γενέσεως εὐαρεστήσας μετετέθη, οὔτε τοῦ ἀποστόλου καὶ αὐτοῦ μετὰ τὰς πράξεις ἁρ παγέντος εἰς τὸν παράδεισον, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦ ποτε λῃστοῦ, ὃς διὰ τὴν ὁμολογίαν ἐπαγ γελίαν ἔλαβεν εὐθὺς εἰς τὸν παράδεισον ἔσεσθαι. Ἀλλ' ἐν τούτοις διωκόμενοι λέξουσιν ἴσως, ὃ πολλάκις λέγοντες ᾐσχύνθησαν· «οὕτως νομίζομεν τὸν υἱὸν πλέον ἔχειν παρὰ τὰ ἄλλα καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μονογενῆ λέγεσθαι, ὅτι μόνος μὲν αὐτὸς ὑπὸ μόνου τοῦ θεοῦ γέγονε, τὰ δ' ἄλλα πάντα παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ ἐκτίσθη».","english":"All who received him, he gave them authority to become children of God.\" But there is another sense, according to which Isaac is the son of Abraham, and Jacob the son of Isaac, and the patriarchs the sons of Jacob. Now according to which of these do these men suppose the Son of God to be, that they mythologize such things about him? For I know well that they will run together into the same impiety as those around Eusebius. If, then, according to the first sense, such as those who acquire the grace of the name by improvement of character and receive authority to become sons of God (for that is what those men also said), he would seem to differ in no way from us, nor would he be only-begotten, having himself obtained the appellation of son by virtue. For even if, as they say, having been foreknown that he would be such, he anticipates and receives both the name and the glory of the name at the moment of his generation, yet he will differ in no way from those who receive the name after their deeds, so long as he too is attested to be a son in this way. For Adam, anticipating the grace and being placed in paradise at the moment of his generation, differed in no way either from Enoch, who after a time from his birth, having pleased God, was translated, or from the apostle who was himself snatched into paradise after his deeds, nor even from the thief who at some time, through his confession, received a promise that he would be in paradise immediately. But, being pressed in these matters, they will perhaps say, what they have often said and been ashamed of: \"We consider the Son to have more than the others, and for this reason to be called only-begotten, because he alone was made by God alone, while all other things were created by God through the Son.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"μονογενής","severity":"info","text":"The term μονογενής (only-begotten) is central to the Arian controversy; Athanasius argues that if the Son acquires the title by virtue, he cannot be μονογενής in the unique sense that the Nicene Creed affirms.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀδὰμ ... Ἐνώχ ... ἀποστόλου ... λῃστοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius alludes to Adam (Gen 2), Enoch (Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5), the apostle Paul (2 Cor 12:2–4), and the penitent thief (Luke 23:39–43) as examples of those who received grace at different times, contrasting them with the Son's unique status.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"περὶ Εὐσέβιον","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia (not the historian) was a leading Arian bishop; Athanasius groups his opponents with Eusebius to link them to the condemned Arian party.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ μὲν οὖν ... κἂν γάρ ... Ἀλλ' ἐν τούτοις","severity":"info","text":"The passage follows a logical structure: Athanasius poses a conditional (if the first sense), then a concessive argument (even if foreknown), and finally anticipates an objection from his opponents.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"μυθολογοῦσιν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius uses μυθολογοῦσιν (they mythologize) to dismiss his opponents' views as fables, a rhetorical strategy common in patristic polemic against heresy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὴν αὐτὴν ἀσέβειαν' (the same impiety) could refer to the specific error of Eusebius or to Arianism generally; the text does not specify which Eusebius is meant, but context points to Eusebius of Nicomedia."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":"τίς ἄρα ταύτην ὑμῖν τὴν μωρὰν καὶ καινὴν ἐπίνοιαν ὑπέβαλεν, ἵνα εἴπητε· «τὸν μὲν υἱὸν μόνον μόνος ὁ πατὴρ\n\nαὐτούργησε, τὰ δ' ἄλλα πάντα διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ γέγονεν ὡς δι' ὑπουργοῦ»; εἰ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὸ κάμνειν ἠρκέσθη μόνον αὐτουργῆσαι τὸν υἱὸν ὁ θεός, τὰ δ' ἄλλα οὐκέτι, ἀσεβὲς τοιαῦτα περὶ τοῦ θεοῦ λογίζεσθαι μάλιστα τοὺς ἀκούσαντας Ἡσαίου λέγοντος· «θεὸς αἰώνιος, θεὸς ὁ κατασκευάσας τὰ ἄκρα τῆς γῆς, οὐ πεινάσει οὐδὲ κοπιάσει οὐδέ ἐστιν ἐξεύρεσις τῆς φρονήσεως αὐτοῦ». καὶ γὰρ μᾶλλον αὐτὸς τοῖς πεινῶσι δίδωσιν ἰσχὺν καὶ διὰ τοῦ λόγου ἑαυτοῦ τοὺς κάμνοντας ἀναπαύει. εἰ δὲ ὡς ταπεινὸν ἀπηξίωσεν αὐτὸς τὰ μετὰ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτουργῆσαι, καὶ τοῦτο μὲν ἀσεβές. οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ τύφος ἐν τῷ θεῷ, ὅς γε μετὰ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ εἰς Αἴγυπτον κατέρχεται, καὶ διὰ μὲν τὸν Ἁβραὰμ διορθοῦται τὸν Ἀβιμέλεχ χάριν τῆς Σάρρας, τῷ δὲ Μωυσῇ ἀνθρώπῳ ὄντι στόμα κατὰ στόμα λαλεῖ, καὶ εἰς μὲν τὸ Σινᾶ ὄρος κατέρχεται, τῷ δὲ λαῷ συνεπολέμει κρυφαίᾳ χάριτι τὸν Ἀμαλήκ. ψεύδεσθε δὲ ὅμως καὶ τοῦτο λέγοντες· «αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐποίησεν ἡμᾶς, καὶ οὐχ ἡμεῖς»· αὐτός τέ ἐστιν ὁ διὰ τοῦ λόγου ἑαυτοῦ τὰ πάντα τά τε μικρὰ καὶ τὰ μεγάλα ποιήσας, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι διελεῖν τὴν κτίσιν, ὥστε εἰπεῖν τοῦτο μὲν τοῦ πατρός, τοῦτο δὲ τοῦ υἱοῦ, ἀλλ' ἑνός ἐστι θεοῦ ὡς χειρὶ χρωμένου τῷ ἰδίῳ λόγῳ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ ποιοῦντος τὰ πάντα, καὶ τοῦτ' αὐτὸς μὲν ὁ θεὸς δεικνὺς ἔλεγεν· «ἡ χείρ μου ἐποίησε ταῦτα πάντα». ὁ δὲ Παῦλος τοῦτο μαθὼν ἐδίδασκεν· «εἷς θεὸς ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα, καὶ εἷς κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα».","english":"Who then suggested this foolish and novel notion to you, that you might say: \"The father alone personally produced the son, but all other things came into being through the son as through a subordinate\"? For if, on account of weariness, God was content to personally produce only the son, but not the rest, it is impious to think such things about God, especially for those who have heard Isaiah saying: \"Eternal God, God who fashioned the ends of the earth, will not hunger nor grow weary, nor is there any discovery of his wisdom.\" For rather he himself gives strength to the hungry and through his own word gives rest to the weary. But if, as something lowly, he deemed it unworthy to personally produce the things after the son, this too is impious. For there is no arrogance in God, who indeed goes down with Jacob into Egypt, and through Abraham corrects Abimelech for the sake of Sarah, speaks mouth to mouth with Moses, a human being, and goes down to Mount Sinai, and secretly fought alongside the people against Amalek. Yet you lie even in saying this: \"For he made us, and not we ourselves\"; he himself is the one who through his own word made all things, both small and great, and it is not possible to divide creation so as to say this is of the father, this of the son, but it is of one God, using his own word as a hand and making all things in it, and this God himself showed, saying: \"My hand made all these things.\" And Paul, having learned this, taught: \"There is one God from whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ through whom are all things.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"αὐτούργησε","severity":"info","text":"The verb 'αὐτούργησε' (personally produced) is central to Athanasius's argument: he rejects the notion that God the Father directly made only the Son, while delegating all else to the Son as a subordinate agent.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"θεὸς αἰώνιος, θεὸς ὁ κατασκευάσας τὰ ἄκρα τῆς γῆς, οὐ πεινάσει οὐδὲ κοπιάσει","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius cites Isaiah (likely Isa 40:28 LXX) to argue that God does not tire, countering the idea that he needed a subordinate to create the rest of the world.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἡ χείρ μου ἐποίησε ταῦτα πάντα","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'My hand made all these things' echoes a biblical idiom (cf. Ps 119:73 LXX or similar), used by Athanasius to illustrate that God acts through his Word as an instrument, not a separate agent.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"εἷς θεὸς ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα, καὶ εἷς κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius attributes to Paul a formulation that distinguishes the Father as source and the Son as mediator of creation, likely a paraphrase of 1 Cor 8:6 or similar Pauline passages.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν μὲν υἱὸν μόνον μόνος ὁ πατὴρ αὐτούργησε, τὰ δ' ἄλλα πάντα διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ γέγονεν ὡς δι' ὑπουργοῦ","severity":"info","text":"This phrase represents the view of Athanasius's opponents, likely Arian or Eusebian circles, who subordinated the Son as a mere instrument of the Father's will.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage follows a rhetorical pattern: Athanasius quotes the opponents' claim, then refutes it with two hypotheticals (weariness or disdain), each deemed impious, and concludes with a positive statement of unity of divine action.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact source of the Isaiah citation is not specified; it may be a loose paraphrase of Isa 40:28 LXX. The Pauline citation is not verbatim from any known epistle, possibly a summary of 1 Cor 8:6 or Rom 11:36."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"αὐτὸς γοῦν ἀεὶ καὶ νῦν λέγει τῷ μὲν ἡλίῳ καὶ ἀνατέλλει, ταῖς δὲ νεφέλαις ἐντέλλεται καὶ βρέχει ἐπὶ μίαν μερίδα, ἐφ' ἣν δὲ οὐ βρέχει, ξηραίνεται. καὶ τὴν μὲν γῆν κελεύει τοὺς καρποὺς ἀποδιδόναι, τὸν δὲ Ἰερεμίαν ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ πλάττει. εἰ δὲ ταῦτα νῦν αὐτὸς ποιεῖ, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀμφίβολον, ὅτι καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐκ ἀπηξίωσεν αὐτὸς τὰ πάντα διὰ τοῦ λόγου ποιῆσαι· μέρη γὰρ τῶν ὅλων ἐστὶ ταῦτα. Εἰ δὲ ὅτι μὴ ἐδύνατο τὰ λοιπὰ κτίσματα τῆς ἀκράτου χειρὸς τοῦ ἀγενήτου τὴν ἐργασίαν βαστάξαι, μόνος ὁ υἱὸς ὑπὸ μόνου τοῦ θεοῦ γέγονε, τὰ δ' ἄλλα ὡς δι' ὑπουργοῦ καὶ βοηθοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ γέγονε· καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ Ἀστέριος ὁ θύσας ἔγραψεν, ὁ δὲ Ἄρειος μεταγράψας δέδωκε τοῖς ἰδίοις καὶ λοιπὸν ὡς καλάμῳ τεθραυσμένῳ χρῶνται τῷ ῥηματίῳ τούτῳ ἀγνοοῦντες τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ σαθρὸν οἱ παράφρονες. εἰ γὰρ ἀδύνατον ἦν τὰ γενητὰ βαστάξαι τὴν χεῖρα τοῦ θεοῦ–ἔστι δὲ καθ' ὑμᾶς ὁ υἱὸς εἷς τῶν γενητῶν–πῶς αὐτὸς ἠδυνήθη γενέσθαι παρὰ μόνου τοῦ θεοῦ; καὶ εἰ ἵνα τὰ γενητὰ γένηται, μεσίτου γέγονε χρεία, γενητὸς δὲ καθ' ὑμᾶς ἐστιν ὁ υἱός, ἔδει καὶ πρὸ αὐτοῦ μέσον τινὰ εἶναι, ἵνα κτισθῇ. τοῦ δὲ μεσίτου πάλιν καὶ αὐτοῦ κτίσματος τυγχάνοντος ἄραρεν ὅτι κἀκεῖνος ἐδέετο μεσίτου ἑτέρου πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν σύστασιν. κἄν τις ἄλλον ἐπινοήσῃ, προεπινοήσει τὸν ἐκείνου μεσίτην, ὥστε καὶ εἰς ἄπειρον ἐκπεσεῖν. οὕτω δὲ ἀεὶ τοῦ μεσίτου ζητουμένου οὐδὲ ἡ κτίσις συστῆναι δυνήσεται διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι, ὡς λέγετε, μηδένα τῶν γενητῶν βαστάξαι τὴν ἄκρατον χεῖρα τοῦ ἀγενήτου.","english":"He himself, then, always and now says that the sun rises, and commands the clouds to rain upon one region, while where it does not rain, that region is dried up. And he commands the earth to yield its fruits, and fashions Jeremiah in the womb. If he does these things now, it is not doubtful that in the beginning he did not deem it unworthy to make all things himself through the Word; for these are parts of the whole. But if, because the other creatures could not bear the work of the unmixed hand of the Unbegotten, the Son alone was made by God alone, and the others came into being as through a subordinate and helper of the Son—for Asterius the sacrificer wrote this, and Arius, having transcribed it, gave it to his own followers, and henceforth the senseless ones use this phrase like a broken reed, ignorant of its rottenness—if, then, it was impossible for the generated things to bear the hand of God—and according to you the Son is one of the generated—how could he himself come to be from God alone? And if, in order that the generated things might come into being, there was need of a mediator, and the Son is, according to you, generated, then there should have been some mediator before him, so that he might be created. And since that mediator would also be a creature, it follows that he too would need another mediator for his own constitution. And if one should conceive of another, he will conceive of that one's mediator beforehand, so as to fall into an infinite regress. Thus, with the mediator always being sought, creation itself will not be able to subsist, because, as you say, none of the generated can bear the unmixed hand of the Unbegotten.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"αὐτὸς γοῦν ἀεὶ καὶ νῦν λέγει τῷ μὲν ἡλίῳ καὶ ἀνατέλλει","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius argues from present divine activity (sun, clouds, earth, Jeremiah) to the original creation: if God now acts directly, he did so at the beginning through the Word.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν δὲ Ἰερεμίαν ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ πλάττει","severity":"info","text":"The reference to God fashioning Jeremiah in the womb alludes to Jer 1:5 (LXX), where God appoints Jeremiah a prophet before birth, used here to illustrate direct divine action.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀστέριος ὁ θύσας","severity":"info","text":"Asterius the Sophist, a moderate Arian who sacrificed during persecution (hence 'the sacrificer'), wrote a work that Arius transcribed and used; Athanasius here attacks the chain of Arian teaching.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ γὰρ ἀδύνατον ἦν ... πῶς αὐτὸς ἠδυνήθη γενέσθαι","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius uses a reductio ad absurdum: if the Son is generated (as Arians claim), he cannot bear God's hand, so the Arian premise that only the Son was directly created collapses.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"μεσίτου","severity":"info","text":"The term 'mediator' (μεσίτης) is central: Athanasius argues that if a mediator were needed for creation, the Son (as generated) would require a prior mediator, leading to an infinite regress.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ὡς καλάμῳ τεθραυσμένῳ χρῶνται τῷ ῥηματίῳ τούτῳ","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius dismisses the Arian phrase as a 'broken reed', a metaphor for a weak argument; this reflects later orthodox polemic against Arian proof-texts.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὸν δὲ Ἰερεμίαν ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ πλάττει' is taken as a scriptural allusion (Jer 1:5 LXX), but the exact wording is not a direct quotation; the sense is clear from context.","The identity of 'Ἀστέριος ὁ θύσας' is unambiguous in Athanasius's corpus, but the specific work referred to is not named here."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"εἰ δὲ τὸ ἄτοπον τοῦτο συνορῶντες ἄρχεσθε λέγειν, ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς κτίσμα ὢν ἱκανὸς γέγονεν, ὥστε ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀγενήτου γενέσθαι, ἐξ ἀνάγκης καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα γενητὰ ὄντα δυνατὰ ἦν παρὰ τοῦ ἀγενήτου ὑπουργηθῆναι· κτίσμα γὰρ καθ' ὑμᾶς κἀκεῖνος ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ταῦτα πάντα ἐστί. καὶ περιττὴ λοιπὸν τοῦ λόγου ἡ γένεσις κατὰ τὴν ἀσεβῆ καὶ μωρὰν ὑμῶν ἐπίνοιαν, αὐτάρκους ὄντος τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ πάντα αὐτουργεῖν πάντων τε τῶν γενητῶν δυναμένων τὴν ἄκρατον χεῖρα βαστάξαι τοῦ θεοῦ. ἀνοήτου δὴ οὔσης αὐτῶν τῆς τοιαύτης φρενοβλαβείας, ἴδωμεν εἰ μὴ καὶ τὸ λεγόμενον τοῦτο τῶν ἀσεβῶν τὸ σόφισμα πλέον τῶν ἄλλων αὐτῶν ἀλογώ τερον ἀναφανείη. Ἀδὰμ μόνος ὑπὸ μόνου τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ λόγου γέγονεν. ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν τῷ πάλιν τὸν Ἀδὰμ πλέον τι τῶν πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἔχειν ἢ διαφέρειν τῶν μετ' αὐτὸν ἄν τις φήσειεν, εἰ μόνος μὲν αὐτὸς ὑπὸ μόνου τοῦ θεοῦ πεποίηται καὶ πέπλασται, ἡμεῖς δὲ πάντες ἐκ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ γεννώμεθα καὶ κατὰ διαδοχὴν τοῦ γένους συνιστάμεθα, ἕως μόνον καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκ γῆς ἐπλάσθη, καὶ μὴ ὢν πρότερον ὕστερον γέγονεν.","english":"If, seeing the absurdity of this, you begin to say that the Son, being a creature, has become capable of being generated by the Unbegotten, then necessarily all other created things were also capable of being ministered by the Unbegotten; for according to you, He is a creature just like all these things. And thus the generation of the Word is superfluous according to your impious and foolish notion, since God is self-sufficient to do everything Himself, and all created things are able to bear the unmixed hand of God. But since their such folly is senseless, let us see whether this saying of the impious, this sophism, does not appear even more irrational than their other statements. Adam alone was made by God alone through the Word. But would anyone say that Adam has something more than all men or differs from those after him, if he alone was made and fashioned by God alone, while we are all born from Adam and are constituted by succession of the race, until he alone was formed from earth, and, not existing before, later came to be?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀγενήτου","severity":"info","text":"The term ἀγενήτου (Unbegotten) is a key theological term in the Arian controversy, denoting God the Father as unoriginate, in contrast to the Son as γενητός (created).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"κτίσμα","severity":"info","text":"κτίσμα (creature) is used polemically by Athanasius to characterize the Arian view of the Son as a created being, which he argues leads to absurd consequences.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The argument that if the Son is a creature, then all creation could be directly produced by the Unbegotten, reflects Athanasius' refutation of Arian subordinationism, emphasizing the unique role of the Logos.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀδὰμ μόνος ὑπὸ μόνου τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ λόγου γέγονεν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius references the creation of Adam by God through the Word (Logos), alluding to Genesis 2:7 (LXX), to argue that direct divine action does not imply superiority of the first created being.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage follows a reductio ad absurdum: if the Son is a creature, then all creatures could be directly made by God, rendering the Son's generation superfluous—a rhetorical strategy common in Athanasius' polemics.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"φρενοβλαβείας","severity":"caution","text":"The term φρενοβλαβείας (folly, lit. 'mind-damage') is a strong pejorative; its translation as 'folly' may understate the rhetorical force of mental incapacity implied in the Greek.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἄκρατον χεῖρα' (unmixed hand) is ambiguous: it could mean 'pure' or 'undiluted' divine power, but Athanasius uses it to argue that creation cannot bear direct divine action without the mediation of the Logos."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":"Εἰ δὲ καὶ πλέον τις τῷ πρωτοπλάστῳ δοίη διὰ τὸ κατηξιῶσθαι τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ χειρὸς αὐτόν, ἀλλ' ἐν τιμῇ καὶ μὴ τῇ φύσει τὸ πλέον εἰς αὐτὸν ὁ τοιοῦτος λογιζέσθω. ἐκ γῆς γὰρ γέγονεν ὥσπερ καὶ πάντες· καὶ ἡ χεὶρ δὲ ἡ πλάσασα τότε τὸν Ἀδὰμ αὕτη καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ τοὺς μετ' ἐκεῖνον πάλιν πλάττει καὶ διασυνίστησι. καὶ τοῦτο ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸς τῷ μὲν Ἰερεμίᾳ, ὡς προεῖπον, φησίν· «πρὸ τοῦ με πλάσαι σε ἐν κοιλίᾳ ἐπίσταμαί σε». περὶ δὲ τῶν πάντων ἔλεγεν· «ἡ χείρ μου ἐποίησε ταῦτα πάντα». καὶ πάλιν διὰ Ἡσαίου φησίν· «οὕτως λέγει κύριος ὁ λυτρούμενός σε καὶ πλάσσων σε ἐν κοιλίᾳ· ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ συντελῶν πάντα ἐξέτεινα τὸν οὐρανὸν μόνος καὶ ἐστερέωσα τὴν γῆν». ὁ δὲ Δαυὶδ τοῦτο γινώσκων ἔψαλλεν· «αἱ χεῖρές σου ἐποίησάν με καὶ ἔπλασάν με». καὶ ὁ ἐν τῷ Ἡσαίᾳ λέγων· «οὕτως λέγει κύριος ὁ πλάσας με ἐκ κοιλίας δοῦλον ἑαυτῷ» τοῦτο σημαίνει. οὐκοῦν κατὰ τὴν φύσιν οὐδὲν ἡμῶν διαφέρει, κἂν προάγῃ τῷ χρόνῳ, ἕως καὶ τῇ αὐτῇ χειρὶ συνιστάμεθα καὶ κτιζόμεθα πάντες. εἰ τοίνυν οὕτως, ὦ Ἀρειανοί, καὶ περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ φρονεῖτε, ὅτι οὕτως καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπέστη καὶ γέγονεν, οὐδὲν καθ' ὑμᾶς τῶν ἄλλων κατὰ τὴν φύσιν διοίσει, ἕως καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἦν καὶ γέγονε καὶ ἐξ ἀρετῆς καὶ αὐτῷ συνεκτίσθη τοῦ ὀνόματος ἡ χάρις. εἷς γάρ ἐστι καὶ αὐτός, ἀφ' ὧν λέγετε, περὶ ὧν ἐν Ψαλμοῖς τὸ πνεῦμά φησιν· «αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν· αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατο, καὶ ἐκτίσθη σαν». τίς τοίνυν ἐστίν, ᾧ ὁ θεὸς ἐνετείλατο, ἵνα καὶ οὗτος κτισθῇ; εἶναι γὰρ δεῖ λόγον, ᾧ ἐντέλλεται ὁ θεὸς καὶ ἐν ᾧ τὰ ποιήματα κτίζεται.","english":"If someone should grant even more to the first-formed man because he was deemed worthy of God's hand, let such a one reckon that the advantage is in honor and not in nature. For he came into being from earth, just as all do; and the hand that then molded Adam is the same that now and always molds and constitutes those after him. And God himself says to Jeremiah, as I said before: \"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.\" And concerning all things he said: \"My hand made all these things.\" And again through Isaiah he says: \"Thus says the Lord who ransoms you and forms you in the womb: I am the Lord who accomplishes all things; I alone stretched out the heaven and made the earth firm.\" And David, knowing this, sang: \"Your hands made me and formed me.\" And the one in Isaiah who says: \"Thus says the Lord who formed me from the womb a servant to himself\" signifies this. Therefore, in nature we differ nothing, even if he precedes in time, since we are all constituted and created by the same hand. If then, O Arians, you think thus also concerning the Son of God, that he too subsisted and came into being in this way, then according to you he will differ in nature from none of the others, since he too was not and came to be, and the grace of the name was co-created with him from virtue. For he too is one, according to what you say, of those concerning whom the Spirit says in the Psalms: \"He spoke, and they came into being; he commanded, and they were created.\" Who then is he to whom God gave the command, that this one also might be created? For there must be a Word to whom God gives command and in whom the creations are created.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πρὸ τοῦ με πλάσαι σε ἐν κοιλίᾳ ἐπίσταμαί σε","severity":"info","text":"A paraphrase of Jeremiah 1:5, where God tells Jeremiah he knew him before formation. Athanasius adapts the wording to stress divine foreknowledge.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἡ χείρ μου ἐποίησε ταῦτα πάντα","severity":"info","text":"Likely an allusion to Isaiah 45:12 or a similar passage; the exact phrase is not verbatim in the LXX. Athanasius uses it to assert God's direct creative agency.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"οὕτως λέγει κύριος ὁ λυτρούμενός σε καὶ πλάσσων σε ἐν κοιλίᾳ· ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ συντελῶν πάντα ἐξέτεινα τὸν οὐρανὸν μόνος καὶ ἐστερέωσα τὴν γῆν","severity":"info","text":"A composite citation blending Isaiah 44:24 and 45:12, emphasizing God as both creator and redeemer. The wording is Athanasius's own conflation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"αἱ χεῖρές σου ἐποίησάν με καὶ ἔπλασάν με","severity":"info","text":"A loose echo of Psalm 119:73 (LXX 118:73) or similar; the exact phrase is not found in the Psalter. Athanasius adapts to reinforce the hand-of-God motif.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν· αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατο, καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν","severity":"info","text":"A paraphrase of Psalm 148:5 (LXX) or a similar creation-by-command text. Athanasius uses it to argue that the Son cannot be a creature like those commanded into being.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"πρωτοπλάστῳ","severity":"info","text":"Literally 'first-formed', a standard patristic term for Adam. Athanasius contrasts Adam's honor (by God's hand) with his nature (earthly), to deny any natural superiority over other humans.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact scriptural sources for several citations are unclear; Athanasius may be paraphrasing or conflating multiple verses. The reading assumes he adapts freely for rhetorical effect."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":"ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν ἔχοιτε δεῖξαι ἕτερον παρὰ τὸν ἀρνεῖσθε λόγον, εἰ μὴ ἄρα τινὰ πάλιν ἔννοιαν ἐπινοήσητε. ναὶ γάρ, φή σουσιν, εὕρομεν· ἥν ποτε λεγόντων καὶ τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον ἤκουσα· «διὰ τοῦτο πλέον τῶν ἄλλων ἔχειν τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ υἱὸν καὶ λέγεσθαι μονογενῆ τοῦτον νομίζομεν, ἐπειδὴ μόνος μὲν αὐτὸς μετέχει τοῦ πατρός, τὰ δ' ἄλλα πάντα τοῦ υἱοῦ μετέχει». κεκμήκασι μὲν οὖν ἤδη μεταβαλλόμενοι καὶ μεταλλάσσοντες τὰ ῥήματα ὡς τὰ χρώματα, δειχθήσονται δὲ ὅμως καὶ οὕτως ὡς οἱ ἐκ τῆς γῆς κενολογοῦντες καὶ κυλιόμενοι ὡς ἐν βορβόρῳ ταῖς ἰδίαις ἐννοίαις. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος μὲν τοῦ θεοῦ υἱός, ἡμεῖς δὲ τοῦ υἱοῦ υἱοὶ καλούμεθα, πιθανὸν ἦν αὐτῶν τὸ πλάσμα· εἰ δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἡμεῖς υἱοὶ λεγόμεθα, οὗ καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν υἱός, δηλονότι καὶ ἡμεῖς τοῦ πατρὸς μετέχομεν τοῦ λέγοντος· «υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα». εἰ μὴ γὰρ μετείχομεν αὐτοῦ, οὐκ ἔλεγεν· «ἐγέννησα»· εἰ δὲ αὐτὸς ἐγέννησεν, οὐχ ἕτερος ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ἡμῶν ἐστι πατήρ. καὶ οὐ διαφέρει πάλιν, εἰ πλέον ἐκεῖνος ἔχει καὶ πρῶτον γέγονεν· ἡμεῖς δὲ εἰ ἔλαττον καὶ ὕστερον γεγόναμεν, ἕως τοῦ αὐτοῦ πάντες μετέχομεν καὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πατρὸς υἱοὶ λεγόμεθα. τὸ γὰρ πλέον καὶ ἔλαττον οὐ τὴν φύσιν ἄλλην δείκνυσιν· ἑκάστῳ γὰρ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἡ πρᾶξις τοῦτο προστίθησι. καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐπὶ δέκα πόλεων, ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ πέντε καθίσταται· καὶ οἱ μὲν καθέζονται «ἐπὶ δώδεκα θρόνους κρίνοντες τὰς δώδεκα φυλὰς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ», οἱ δὲ ἀκούουσι· «δεῦτε οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ πατρός μου»· καί· «εὖ δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ».","english":"But you would not be able to show another Logos besides the one you deny, unless you should again devise some notion. \"Yes, indeed,\" they will say, \"we have found one; we once heard it from those around Eusebius: 'For this reason we consider that the Son of God has more than the others and is called only-begotten, because he alone partakes of the Father, while all other things partake of the Son.'\" They have already grown weary, changing and altering their phrases like colors, but they will be shown nevertheless to be like those who talk idly from the earth and wallow in their own notions as in mire. For if that one is the Son of God, and we are called sons of the Son, their fabrication would be plausible; but if we also are called sons of God, of whom he himself is Son, then clearly we also partake of the Father, who says, \"I have begotten sons and raised them up.\" For if we did not partake of him, he would not have said, \"I have begotten\"; but if he himself begot, he is our father, not another. And it makes no difference again if that one has more and was made first, while we have less and were made later, as long as we all partake of the same and are called sons of the same father. For the more and the less do not indicate a different nature; rather, the practice of virtue adds this to each. And one is set over ten cities, another over five; and some sit \"on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel,\" while others hear, \"Come, the blessed ones of my father,\" and, \"Well done, good and faithful servant.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν ἔχοιτε δεῖξαι ἕτερον παρὰ τὸν ἀρνεῖσθε λόγον","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius challenges the opponents to produce another Logos besides the one they deny, framing the debate as a logical impasse.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"λόγον","severity":"info","text":"Here λόγον (Logos) refers to the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, not merely 'word' or 'reason'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα","severity":"info","text":"This quotation is likely from the Old Testament (cf. LXX Psalm 88:20 LXX or similar), though the exact source is uncertain; Athanasius uses it to argue that all believers are sons of God.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia (d. 341) was a leading Arian bishop; Athanasius attributes to his circle the subordinationist view that only the Son partakes of the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ μὲν γὰρ ... εἰ δὲ ...","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius uses a conditional argument (if... then...) to refute the Eusebian position, showing that if all are sons of God, the distinction of 'more' and 'less' does not imply a different nature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐπὶ δώδεκα θρόνους κρίνοντες τὰς δώδεκα φυλὰς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ","severity":"info","text":"This imagery of twelve thrones and tribes echoes Jewish apocalyptic traditions (e.g., Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs) and may reflect early Christian eschatological expectations.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact scriptural source of 'υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα' is not identified in the text; it may be a paraphrase or a lost variant.","The phrase 'ἐπὶ δώδεκα θρόνους κρίνοντες τὰς δώδεκα φυλὰς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ' is ambiguous in its referent—whether it describes the apostles, the patriarchs, or an eschatological scene."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":"τοιαῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖνοι φρονοῦντες εἰκότως φαντάζονται τοιούτου υἱοῦ ἀεὶ μὴ εἶναι τὸν θεὸν πατέρα μηδὲ τὸν τοιοῦτον υἱὸν ἀεὶ εἶναι, ἀλλ' ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων κτίσμα γεγενῆσθαι καὶ μὴ εἶναι πρὶν γεννηθῇ· ἄλλος γάρ ἐστιν οὗτος παρὰ τὸν ἀληθινὸν τοῦ θεοῦ υἱόν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ταῦτα λέγειν ἔτι τούτους οὐκ ἔστιν εὐαγές, μᾶλλον γὰρ Σαδδουκαίων καὶ τοῦ Σαμοσατέως ἐστὶ τοῦτο τὸ φρόνημα, λείπει ἄρα κατὰ τὴν ἑτέραν διάνοιαν, καθ' ἣν Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ Ἁβραάμ ἐστιν υἱός, λέγειν εἶναι καὶ τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ υἱόν· τὸ γὰρ ἔκ τινος φύσει γεννώμενον καὶ μὴ ἔξωθεν ἐπικτώμενον υἱὸν οἶδεν ἡ φύσις, καὶ τοῦτο τοῦ ὀνόματός ἐστι τὸ σημαινόμενον. ἆρ' οὖν ἀνθρωποπαθὴς ἡ τοῦ υἱοῦ γέννησις; τοῦτο γὰρ ἴσως κατ' ἐκείνους καὶ αὐτοὶ θελήσουσιν ἀντιθεῖναι μὴ γινώσκοντες. οὐδαμῶς. οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ὁ θεός, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ὡς ὁ θεός. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ὕλης καὶ ταύτης οὔσης παθητικῆς\n\nἐκτίσθησαν, ὁ δὲ θεὸς ἄυλος καὶ ἀσώματος. εἰ δὲ αἱ αὐταὶ λέξεις ἐπὶ θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἐν ταῖς θείαις ποτὲ κεῖνται γραφαῖς, ἀλλ' ἀν θρώπων ἐστὶ διορατικῶν, ὡς παρήγγειλεν ὁ Παῦλος, προσέχειν τῇ ἀναγνώσει καὶ οὕτω διακρίνειν καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἑκάστου τῶν σημαινομένων φύσιν τὰ γεγραμμένα διαγινώσκειν καὶ μὴ συγχέειν τὴν διάνοιαν, ὥστε τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ μὴ ἀνθρωπίνως νοεῖν μηδὲ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὡς περὶ θεοῦ ποτε λογίζεσθαι. τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸν οἶνον ὕδατι μίξαι καὶ πῦρ ἀλλότριον ἐπιβάλλειν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τῷ θείῳ πυρί. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ θεὸς κτίζει, καὶ ἐπ' ἀνθρώπων δὲ τὸ κτίζειν εἴρηται.","english":"So those who hold such opinions naturally imagine that God the Father is not always the father of such a son, nor is such a son always, but that he has become a creation from non-existence and did not exist before being begotten; for this one is different from the true Son of God. Since it is not pious for them to say these things any longer—for this opinion rather belongs to the Sadducees and to the man of Samosata—it remains, according to the other sense, in which Isaac is the son of Abraham, to say that the Son of God also exists in that way; for nature knows that which is naturally begotten from something and not acquired from outside as a son, and this is the meaning of the name. Is the generation of the Son, then, anthropopathic? For perhaps according to them, and they themselves will wish to object this, not knowing. By no means. For God is not as man, since men are not as God. For men were created from matter, and that matter is passive, but God is immaterial and incorporeal. If the same words are sometimes used in the divine scriptures concerning God and men, yet it is for discerning men, as Paul instructed, to attend to the reading and thus to distinguish and to discern the writings according to the nature of each of the meanings, and not to confuse the sense, so as not to understand things of God in a human way nor ever to reason about things of men as concerning God. For this is to mix wine with water and to cast alien fire upon the altar with the divine fire. For God also creates, and the term \"to create\" is used of men as well.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Σαδδουκαίων καὶ τοῦ Σαμοσατέως","severity":"info","text":"The Sadducees and Paul of Samosata (the 'man of Samosata') are invoked as heretical precedents. Paul of Samosata, bishop of Antioch in the third century, taught an adoptionist Christology that denied the pre-existence of the Son, a view Athanasius associates with his opponents.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀνθρωποπαθής","severity":"info","text":"The term 'anthropopathic' (ἀνθρωποπαθής) means 'ascribing human emotions or experiences to God.' Athanasius uses it to reject any literal, human-like generation for the Son, insisting on a non-corporeal, non-passible divine begetting.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"παρήγγειλεν ὁ Παῦλος","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Paul's instruction to 'attend to the reading' likely echoes 1 Corinthians or similar Pauline exhortations to discernment in scriptural interpretation. The exact verse is not cited, but the appeal to apostolic authority is clear.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν οἶνον ὕδατι μίξαι καὶ πῦρ ἀλλότριον ἐπιβάλλειν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον","severity":"info","text":"The metaphors of mixing wine with water and casting alien fire on the altar are vivid warnings against confusing human and divine categories. Similar imagery appears in Athanasius' other works (e.g., 'Contra Gentes') to denounce improper theological mixing.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"λείπει ἄρα κατὰ τὴν ἑτέραν διάνοιαν","severity":"info","text":"This passage marks a structural pivot: Athanasius moves from refuting his opponents' position to proposing an alternative analogy (Isaac as son of Abraham) that avoids anthropopathism, while still affirming a natural, non-adoptionist sonship.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκτίσθησαν","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text reads 'ἐκτίσθησαν' (were created) for humans, but the English draft renders 'were created from matter.' The Coptic Vorlage is not extant here; the Greek may reflect Athanasius' own wording, but the precise source of the English 'matter' is ambiguous.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὸν οἶνον ὕδατι μίξαι' could be a proverbial expression; its exact scriptural or patristic source is not identified. The English 'cast alien fire upon the altar' may imply a ritual violation, but the Greek 'ἐπιβάλλειν' is less specific."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":17,"ref":"p17","source":"καὶ ὁ μὲν θεὸς ὤν ἐστι, λέγονται δὲ καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι παρὰ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦτο λαβόντες ἔχειν. ἆρ' οὖν οὕτως ὁ θεὸς κτίζει ὡς ἄνθρωποι; ἢ οὕτως ὤν ἐστιν ὡς ἄνθρωπος; μὴ γένοιτο. ἄλλως ἐπὶ θεοῦ τὰς λέξεις λαμβάνομεν καὶ ἑτέρως ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ταύτας διανοούμεθα. ὁ μὲν γὰρ θεὸς κτίζει καλῶν τὰ μὴ ὄντα εἰς τὸ εἶναι οὐδενὸς ἐπιδεόμενος, οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι τὴν ὑποκειμένην ὕλην ἐργάζονται εὐξάμενοι πρότερον καὶ τὴν ἐπιστήμην τοῦ ποιεῖν λαβόντες παρὰ τοῦ πάντα δημιουργήσαντος θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου λόγου. πάλιν τε οἱ μὲν ἄνθρωποι οὐ δυνάμενοι καθ' ἑαυτοὺς εἶναι ἐν τόπῳ τυγχάνοντές εἰσι περιεχόμενοι καὶ συνεστῶτες ἐν τῷ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγῳ, ὁ δὲ θεὸς ὤν ἐστι καθ' ἑαυτὸν περιέχων τὰ πάντα καὶ ὑπ' οὐδενὸς περιεχόμενος, καὶ ἐν πᾶσι μέν ἐστι κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγαθότητα καὶ δύναμιν, ἔξω δὲ τῶν πάντων πάλιν ἐστὶ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν φύσιν. ὥσπερ οὖν οὐ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον οἱ ἄνθρωποι κτίζουσιν, ὅνπερ τρόπον ὁ θεὸς κτίζει, οὐδ' οὕτως εἰσὶν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ὥσπερ ἐστὶν ὁ θεός· οὕτως ἄλλως ἐστὶν ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένεσις καὶ ἄλλως ἐστὶν ὁ υἱὸς ἐκ τοῦ πατρός. τῶν μὲν γὰρ ἀνθρώπων τὰ γεννήματα μέρη πως τῶν γεννώντων εἰσίν, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν σωμάτων ἡ φύσις οὐχ ἁπλῆ τίς ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ ῥευστή, καὶ ἐκ μερῶν ἔχει τὴν σύνθεσιν. ἀπορρέουσί τε ἄνθρωποι γεννῶντες καὶ πάλιν ἐπιρρεῖ τὰ ἐκ τῶν τροφῶν εἰς αὐτοὺς εἰσαγόμενα· δι' ἣν αἰτίαν καὶ πολλῶν κατὰ καιρὸν τέκνων γίνονται πατέρες οἱ ἄνθρωποι. ὁ δὲ θεὸς ἀμερὴς ὢν ἀμερίστως ἐστὶ καὶ ἀπαθὴς τοῦ υἱοῦ πατήρ.","english":"And God exists, while men are also said to exist from God and to have received this. Is it then that God creates as men do? Or does He exist as a man does? Far from it. We take the terms in one way for God and understand them differently for men. For God creates by calling non-existent things into being, needing nothing, while men work upon pre-existing matter, having first prayed and received the knowledge of making from God who fashioned all things through His own Word. Again, men, unable to exist by themselves, are in a place, being contained and constituted in the Word of God, while God exists by Himself, containing all things and contained by nothing, and is in all things according to His own goodness and power, yet outside all things again according to His own nature. Just as men do not create in the same manner as God creates, nor do men exist as God exists, so the generation of men is one thing and the Son from the Father is another. For the offspring of men are in some way parts of those who beget them, since the nature of their bodies is not simple but fluid, and composed of parts. Men give off something when begetting, and again what is introduced from food flows into them; for this reason men become fathers of many children at different times. But God, being indivisible, is the Father of the Son indivisibly and impassibly.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἄλλως ἐπὶ θεοῦ τὰς λέξεις λαμβάνομεν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius insists that terms like 'create' and 'exist' are used analogically of God and humans, not univocally. This is a key anti-Arian hermeneutical principle.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"κτίζει","severity":"info","text":"The verb κτίζει ('creates') is used here of God's creation ex nihilo, contrasted with human fabrication from pre-existing matter. This distinction is central to Athanasius' argument against Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀμερὴς ὢν ἀμερίστως ἐστὶ καὶ ἀπαθὴς τοῦ υἱοῦ πατήρ","severity":"info","text":"The description of God as 'indivisible' and 'impassible' Father of the Son reflects Nicene theology against Arian claims that the Son is a creation or emanation subject to division or passion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ οὖν ... οὕτως","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a series of analogical contrasts (God vs. humans) structured by 'just as ... so also' to argue that human generation cannot be compared to the divine generation of the Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τῶν μὲν γὰρ ἀνθρώπων τὰ γεννήματα μέρη πως τῶν γεννώντων εἰσίν","severity":"info","text":"The claim that human offspring are 'parts' of the parents echoes Aristotelian biology (Generation of Animals) and is used to contrast with the indivisible generation of the Son from the Father.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Aristotle Generation of Animals"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐπιρρεῖ","severity":"caution","text":"The verb ἐπιρρεῖ ('flows into') is rare in this context; the text may be corrupt or the reading uncertain. The translation 'what is introduced from food flows into them' follows the sense but the exact wording is debated.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὰ μὴ ὄντα' could be read as 'non-existent things' or 'things that are not yet'; the translation takes it as creation ex nihilo.","The verb 'ἐπιρρεῖ' is ambiguous; it may mean 'flows in' or 'is added', and the exact physiological reference is unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":18,"ref":"p18","source":"οὔτε γὰρ ἀπορροὴ τοῦ ἀσωμάτου ἔστιν οὔτ' ἐπιρροή τις εἰς αὐτὸν γίνεται ὡς ἐπ' ἀνθρώπων· ἁπλοῦς δὲ ὢν τὴν φύσιν ἑνὸς καὶ μόνου τοῦ υἱοῦ πατήρ ἐστι. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ μονο γενής ἐστι καὶ μόνος ἐν τοῖς κόλποις τοῦ πατρός ἐστι, μόνον τε αὐτὸν ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ δείκνυσιν ὁ πατὴρ λέγων· «οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκησα»· λόγος δέ ἐστιν οὗτος τοῦ πατρός, ἐν ᾧ τὸ ἀπαθὲς καὶ ἀμερὲς τοῦ πατρὸς νοεῖν δυνατόν. λόγος γὰρ οὐδὲ ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων κατὰ πάθος καὶ μέρος γεννᾶται, μήτι γε ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ. διὸ καὶ καθέζεται μὲν αὐτὸς ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ πατρὸς ὡς λόγος· ἔνθα γάρ ἐστιν ὁ πατήρ, ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ τούτου λόγος ἐστίν· ἡμεῖς δὲ στήκομεν κρινόμενοι παρ' αὐτοῦ ὡς ποιήματα. καὶ προσκυνεῖται μὲν αὐτὸς διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν υἱὸν τοῦ προσκυνητοῦ πατρός, ἡμεῖς δὲ προσκυ νοῦμεν κύριον καὶ θεὸν αὐτὸν ὁμολογοῦντες διὰ τὸ εἶναι ἡμᾶς κτίσματα καὶ ἄλλους παρ' ἐκεῖνον. Τούτων δὲ οὕτως ὄντων σκοπείτω λοιπὸν ὁ βουλόμενος αὐτῶν καὶ γενέσθω τις αὐτοὺς ἐντρέπων, εἰ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἴδιον αὐτοῦ γέννημα θέμις εἰπεῖν ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἢ λόγον ἔχει κἂν εἰς ἐνθύμησίν τινος ὅλως ἐλθεῖν, ὅτι τὸ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπισυμβέβηκεν αὐτῷ, ἵνα καὶ τολμήσας εἴπῃ, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀεὶ ὁ υἱός. καὶ γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ πάλιν τὰς ἀνθρώπων ἐννοίας ὑπερεξῆλθε καὶ ὑπεραναβέβηκεν ἡ τοῦ υἱοῦ γέννησις. ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἰδίων τέκνων ἐν χρόνῳ γινόμεθα πατέρες, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐκ ὄντες πρότερον ὕστερον γεγόναμεν· ὁ δὲ θεὸς ἀεὶ ὢν ἀεὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ πατήρ ἐστι. καὶ τῶν μὲν ἡ γένεσις ἐκ τῶν ὁμοίως ὄντων ἔχει τὴν πίστιν.","english":"For there is neither an effluence from the incorporeal, nor does any influx occur into Him as in the case of men; but being simple in nature, He is father of one and only Son. For this reason He is only-begotten and alone is in the bosom of the Father, and the Father shows Him alone from Himself, saying: \"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.\" This is the Word of the Father, in whom it is possible to conceive the impassibility and indivisibility of the Father. For even the word of men is not generated by passion and division, much less that of God. Therefore He Himself sits at the right hand of the Father as Word; for where the Father is, there also is His Word; but we stand judged by Him as creatures. And He Himself is worshipped because He is the Son of the worshipped Father, while we worship and confess Him as Lord and God because we are creatures and other than He. These things being so, let anyone who wishes consider them, and let someone refute them, if it is lawful to say that which is from God and His own offspring is from non-existence, or if it has any reason at all to enter into anyone's thought, that that which is from God has accrued to Him, so that one might dare to say that the Son is not eternal. For in this again the generation of the Son has surpassed and transcended human notions. For we become fathers of our own children in time, since we ourselves, not existing before, later came to be; but God, being always, is always father of the Son. And the generation of the former has its assurance from things that exist similarly.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"μονογενής","severity":"info","text":"The term μονογενής (only-begotten) is a key Christological title, emphasizing the unique and singular generation of the Son from the Father, as opposed to any notion of adoption or emanation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκησα","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of Matthew 3:17 (or a similar dominical saying), where God declares His beloved Son. Athanasius uses it to ground the Son's eternal and unique relation to the Father in scriptural authority.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ἀπορροὴ τοῦ ἀσωμάτου","severity":"info","text":"The denial of an 'effluence from the incorporeal' counters Gnostic or Origenist notions of emanation, which could imply a diminution of the divine substance. Athanasius insists on the Son's generation without any material or temporal process.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Τούτων δὲ οὕτως ὄντων","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a rhetorical transition, summing up the preceding argument about the Son's unique generation and inviting the reader to refute any contrary claim. It structures the passage as a logical conclusion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"λόγος δέ ἐστιν οὗτος τοῦ πατρός","severity":"info","text":"The identification of the Son as the Father's Word (λόγος) parallels the prologue of John's Gospel (John 1:1), where the Logos is both distinct from and intrinsic to God. Athanasius uses this to assert the Son's co-eternity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"καθέζεται μὲν αὐτὸς ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ πατρὸς","severity":"info","text":"The image of the Son sitting at the Father's right hand became a standard iconographic motif in Byzantine art, symbolizing the Son's co-regency and honor. This passage likely influenced later liturgical and artistic traditions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἐν τοῖς κόλποις τοῦ πατρός' (in the bosom of the Father) is ambiguous: it could be a spatial metaphor for intimacy or a reference to a specific scriptural image (e.g., John 1:18). The reading taken is metaphorical, emphasizing the Son's eternal presence within the Father.","The citation 'οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκησα' is not a direct biblical quotation but a composite or paraphrase; its exact source is uncertain, though it echoes Matthew 3:17 and similar declarations."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":19,"ref":"p19","source":"ἐπειδὴ δὲ «οὐδεὶς οἶδε τὸν υἱὸν εἰ μὴ ὁ πατήρ, οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα τις ἐπι γινώσκει εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱός, καὶ ᾧ ἂν ὁ υἱὸς ἀποκαλύψῃ», διὰ τοῦτο οἱ ἅγιοι, οἷς ἀπεκάλυψεν ὁ υἱός, εἰκόνα τινὰ δεδώκασιν ἡμῖν ἐκ τῶν ὁρωμένων λέγοντες· «ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς\n\nὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ»· καὶ πάλιν· «ὅτι παρὰ σοὶ πηγὴ ζωῆς, ἐν τῷ φωτί σου ὀψόμεθα φῶς»· ὅτε καὶ μεμφόμενος τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ὁ λόγος φησίν· «ἐγκατέλιπες τὴν πηγὴν τῆς σοφίας»· αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ πηγὴ ἡ λέγουσα· «ἐμὲ ἐγκατέλιπον πηγὴν ὕδατος ζῶντος». καὶ μικρὸν μέν ἐστι τὸ παράδειγμα καὶ λίαν ἀμυδρὸν πρὸς τὸ ποθούμενον, δυνατὸν δὲ ὅμως ἐξ αὐτοῦ πλέον τῆς ἀνθρώπου φύσεως κατα νοεῖν καὶ μὴ νομίζειν ἴσην τὴν ἡμῶν εἶναι καὶ τὴν τοῦ υἱοῦ γέννησιν. τίς γὰρ δύνα ται κἂν λογίσασθαι μὴ εἶναί ποτε τὸ ἀπαύγασμα, ἵνα καὶ τολμήσας εἴπῃ μὴ εἶναι ἀεὶ τὸν υἱόν, ἢ ὅτι οὐκ ἦν ὁ υἱὸς πρὶν γεννηθῇ; ἢ τίς ἱκανὸς διελεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου τὸ ἀπαύγασμα ἢ τὴν πηγὴν ἐπινοῆσαί ποτε τῆς ζωῆς ἔρημον, ἵνα καὶ μανεὶς εἴπῃ, ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐστὶν ὁ υἱὸς ὁ λέγων· «ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ζωή», ἢ ἀλλότριος τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας ὁ λέγων· «ὁ ἐμὲ ἑωρακὼς ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα»; οὕτω γὰρ ἡμᾶς οἱ ἅγιοι βουλόμενοι νοεῖν τοιαῦτα καὶ παραδείγματα δεδώκασι, καὶ ἔστιν ἄτοπον καὶ λίαν ἀσεβὲς τοιαύτας ἐχούσης τῆς γραφῆς τὰς εἰκόνας ἐξ ἄλλων ἡμᾶς περὶ τοῦ κυρίου διανοεῖσθαι τῶν μήτε γεγραμμένων μήτε τινὰ διάνοιαν εἰς εὐσέβειαν ἐχόντων. Οὐκοῦν λοιπὸν λεγέτωσαν, πόθεν ἄρα καὶ οὗτοι μαθόντες ἢ τίνος αὐτοῖς παρα δεδωκότος τοιαῦτα περὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος ὑπονοεῖν ἤρξαντο. ἀνέγνωμεν, φήσουσιν, ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις·","english":"Since “no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and to whomsoever the Son reveals him,” for this reason the saints, to whom the Son revealed himself, have given us a certain image from visible things, saying: “He who is the radiance of the glory and the character of his hypostasis”; and again: “For with you is the source of life; in your light we shall see light”; and when the Word reproaches Israel, it says: “You have abandoned the source of wisdom”; and this is the source that says: “They have abandoned me, the source of living water.” And the example is small and very dim in relation to what is desired, yet it is possible from it to conceive more than human nature and not to think that our generation and that of the Son are equal. For who can even reason that the radiance did not exist at some time, so as to dare to say that the Son is not always, or that the Son was not before he was begotten? Or who is able to separate the radiance from the sun, or to conceive of the source ever being bereft of life, so as to say in madness that the Son who says “I am the life” is from non-existence, or that he who says “He who has seen me has seen the Father” is alien to the Father’s essence? For the saints, wishing us to think in this way, have given such examples, and it is absurd and very impious, when the Scripture has such images, for us to think about the Lord from other things that are neither written nor have any meaning for piety. Therefore, let them now say, whence then did they learn, or who handed down to them, that they began to suppose such things about the Savior? “We have read,” they will say, “in Proverbs.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐδεὶς οἶδε τὸν υἱὸν εἰ μὴ ὁ πατήρ, οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα τις ἐπιγινώσκει εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱός, καὶ ᾧ ἂν ὁ υἱὸς ἀποκαλύψῃ","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of Matthew 11:27, a key text for Athanasius's argument that the Son alone reveals the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'character of his hypostasis' is a technical term in Athanasius's anti-Arian polemic, asserting the Son as the exact imprint of the Father's substance.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"παρὰ σοὶ πηγὴ ζωῆς, ἐν τῷ φωτί σου ὀψόμεθα φῶς","severity":"info","text":"This appears to be a composite citation, possibly from Psalm 36:10 (LXX) and other light imagery, used to link the Son to the Father as source of life and light.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐγκατέλιπες τὴν πηγὴν τῆς σοφίας","severity":"info","text":"This echoes Proverbs 9:1 (LXX) and related wisdom traditions, where Wisdom personified is a type of the Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ζωή","severity":"info","text":"A direct quotation of John 14:6, used by Athanasius to argue the Son's eternal existence and consubstantiality with the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ ἐμὲ ἑωρακὼς ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα","severity":"info","text":"A paraphrase of John 14:9, reinforcing the unity of the Son and Father in essence, a central Nicene claim.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact source of the composite citation 'παρὰ σοὶ πηγὴ ζωῆς, ἐν τῷ φωτί σου ὀψόμεθα φῶς' is uncertain; it may conflate multiple biblical passages or be a liturgical formula.","The phrase 'χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως' is ambiguous in its precise theological nuance, though Athanasius uses it to assert the Son's consubstantiality."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"scripture","severity":"info","ref":"John 4:10","text":"The English carries the scriptural phrase “living water”, which matches John 4:10. The match is on the English draft; check the Coptic before quoting the verse."}]},{"i":20,"ref":"p20","source":"«κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ». καὶ γὰρ καὶ οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον τοῦτο λέγειν ἐδόκουν, καὶ σὺ δὲ γράφων ἐδήλωσας, ὅτι διὰ πολλῶν μὲν ἀποδείξεων ἀνατρεπόμενοι καὶ οὗτοι κατεγινώσκοντο, τοῦτο δὲ ὅμως αὐτοὶ τὸ ῥητὸν ἄνω καὶ κάτω περιφέροντες ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων τὸν υἱὸν εἶναι ἔλεγον καὶ τοῖς γενητοῖς αὐτὸν συνηρίθμουν. ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο δοκοῦσί μοι μὴ νενοηκέναι καλῶς· ἔχει γὰρ τὴν διάνοιαν εὐσεβῆ καὶ λίαν ὀρθήν, ἣν εἰ καὶ αὐτοὶ νενοήκεισαν, οὐκ ἂν τὸν κύριον τῆς δόξης ἐβλασφήμησαν. τὰ γὰρ προειρημένα εἰς τὸ ῥητὸν τοῦτο συμβαλλέτωσαν, καὶ ὄψονται πολλὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς οὖσαν τὴν διαφοράν. τίς γὰρ οὐ συνορᾷ διάνοιαν ἔχων ὀρθήν, ὅτι τὰ μὲν κτιζόμενα καὶ ποιούμενα ἔξωθεν τοῦ ποιοῦντος, ὁ δὲ υἱός, ὡς ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἔδειξεν ὁ λόγος, οὐκ ἔξωθεν ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ γεννῶντος πατρὸς ὑπάρχει; καὶ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος κτίζει μὲν οἰκίαν, γεννᾷ δὲ υἱόν, καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις ἀναστρέφων εἴποι τὴν μὲν οἰκίαν καὶ τὴν ναῦν γεννᾶσθαι παρὰ τοῦ κατασκευάζοντος, τὸν δὲ υἱὸν κτίζεσθαι καὶ ποιεῖσθαι παρὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ πάλιν τὴν μὲν οἰκίαν εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίζοντος, τὸν δὲ υἱὸν ἀνόμοιον τοῦ γεννῶντος. ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τὸν μὲν υἱὸν εἰκόνα τοῦ πατρὸς ὁμολογήσει, τὴν δὲ οἰκίαν τέχνης εἶναι δημιούργημα, εἰ μή τις ἄρα τὴν διάνοιαν νοσοίη καὶ τὰς φρένας παρεξεστηκὼς τυγχάνοι. ἀμέλει πάντων μᾶλλον ἡ θεία γραφὴ γινώσκουσα τὴν ἑκάστου φύσιν περὶ μὲν τῶν κτιζομένων διὰ Μωυσέος φησίν· «ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν»· περὶ δὲ τοῦ υἱοῦ οὐχ ἕτερον, ἀλλ' αὐτὸν τὸν πατέρα σημαίνει λέγοντα·","english":"The Lord created me at the beginning of his ways for his works.” For even the partisans of Eusebius seemed to say this, and you yourself indicated in writing that, although they were refuted by many proofs and were condemned, they nevertheless kept carrying this text up and down, saying that the Son is one of the creatures and counting him among the generated things. But this too, it seems to me, they have not understood well; for it has a pious and very correct meaning, which, if they themselves had understood, they would not have blasphemed the Lord of glory. For let them compare the preceding statements with this text, and they will see that there is a great difference between them. For who does not see, having a correct understanding, that things which are created and made are external to the maker, whereas the Son, as the argument showed earlier, exists not externally but from the Father who begets him? For a man builds a house, but begets a son, and no one would reverse this and say that the house and the ship are begotten by the builder, or that the son is created and made by the same, nor again that the house is an image of the builder, but the son is unlike the begetter. Rather, one will confess that the son is an image of the father, and that the house is a product of craft, unless someone is sick in mind and has lost his senses. Indeed, more than all, divine Scripture, knowing the nature of each, says concerning created things through Moses: “In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth”; but concerning the Son, it indicates not another, but the Father himself speaking:","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ","severity":"info","text":"This is a quotation from Proverbs 8:22 (LXX), where Wisdom speaks of being created by the Lord. Athanasius argues that the Eusebians misinterpret it to claim the Son is a creature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"κτίζω","severity":"info","text":"The verb κτίζω ('to create') is central to the Arian controversy. Athanasius distinguishes between created things (κτίσματα) and the Son, who is begotten (γεννᾶται) from the Father, not created externally.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον","severity":"info","text":"The 'partisans of Eusebius' refers to Eusebius of Nicomedia and his supporters, leading Arian sympathizers who opposed the Nicene Creed. Athanasius frequently polemicizes against them.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of a narrative refutation: Athanasius cites the Eusebian prooftext, then offers a counter-interpretation, using analogies (house vs. son) and a scriptural contrast (Genesis 1:1 vs. Father speaking).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν","severity":"info","text":"This is a citation of Genesis 1:1 (LXX). Athanasius contrasts the creation of heaven and earth with the generation of the Son, to show that Scripture uses different language for creatures and the Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The English draft omits the Greek phrase 'τὰ γὰρ προειρημένα εἰς τὸ ῥητὸν τοῦτο συμβαλλέτωσαν' ('let them compare the preceding statements with this text'), which is crucial for Athanasius' argumentative structure.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text does not specify which 'preceding statements' Athanasius refers to; the context suggests earlier arguments in the same work."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":21,"ref":"p21","source":"«ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐγέννησά σε»· καὶ πάλιν· «υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε»· αὐτός τε περὶ ἑαυτοῦ ὁ κύριος ἐν Παροιμίαις λέγει· «πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με»· καὶ περὶ μὲν τῶν γενητῶν καὶ κτιστῶν ὁ Ἰωάννης φησί· «πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο»· περὶ δὲ τοῦ κυρίου εὐαγγελιζόμενος λέγει· «ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός, ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρός, ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο». εἰ τοίνυν υἱός, οὐ κτίσμα, εἰ δὲ κτίσμα, οὐχ υἱός· πολλὴ γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἡ διαφορά. καὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴη αὐτὸς υἱὸς καὶ κτίσμα, ἵνα μὴ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἔξωθεν τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ οὐσία αὐτοῦ νομίζηται. Ἆρ' οὖν μάτην γέγραπται τοῦτο τὸ ῥητόν; τοῦτο γὰρ πάλιν ἐκεῖνοι περιβομβοῦσιν ὡς ἀγέλη κωνώπων. οὐχί γε, οὐ μάτην γέγραπται, ἀλλὰ καὶ μάλα ἀναγκαίως. καὶ γὰρ καὶ κτίζεσθαι λέγεται, ἀλλ' ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος· ἀνθρώπου γὰρ ἴδιον τοῦτο. τὴν δὲ διάνοιαν ταύτην εὑρήσει καλῶς ἐν τοῖς λογίοις κειμένην ὁ μὴ πάρεργον ἡγούμενος τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν καιρὸν καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα καὶ","english":"From the womb before the morning star I gave birth to you\"; and again: \"You are my son, I have given birth to you today\"; and the Lord himself says about himself in Proverbs: \"Before all the hills he gives birth to me\"; and concerning things that are generated and created, John says: \"All things came to be through him\"; but concerning the Lord, he proclaims in the Gospel: \"The only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, that one expounded.\" If then he is Son, he is not a creature; if he is a creature, he is not Son; for the difference between them is great. And he could not be both Son and creature, lest his essence be thought to be both from God and from outside God. Is this saying then written in vain? For again those men buzz around like a swarm of gnats. No, it is not written in vain, but indeed very necessarily. For he is said to be created, but when he became man; for that is proper to man. And one who does not treat reading as a secondary matter, but also considers the time and the persons and","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐγέννησά σε","severity":"info","text":"The first two quotations are from the LXX of Psalm 109:3 (MT 110:3) and Psalm 2:7 (MT 2:7), respectively, both applied to the king in the original context but here read as Christological proof-texts.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of Proverbs 8:25 (LXX), where Wisdom speaks; Athanasius takes the speaker as Christ, consistent with his identification of Wisdom with the Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο","severity":"info","text":"A reference to John 1:3, where the preposition is δι' (through), not ὑπ' (by), distinguishing the Son as agent of creation from the creatures themselves.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"μονογενὴς υἱός","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'only-begotten Son' is a Johannine title (John 1:14, 3:16) that Athanasius uses to argue that the Son is unique and not a creature, since 'only-begotten' implies a unique relation to the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ τοίνυν υἱός, οὐ κτίσμα","severity":"info","text":"This is a disjunctive syllogism: if Son, then not creature; if creature, then not Son. The argument hinges on the incompatibility of the two categories, a key anti-Arian move.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγέλη κωνώπων","severity":"info","text":"The image of a swarm of gnats (κώνωπες) is a rhetorical dismissal of the Eusebian party's objections, comparing their persistent noise to insects; it reflects the polemical tone of the treatise.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text breaks off mid-sentence at 'τὰ πρόσωπα καὶ', leaving the argument incomplete; the English draft supplies 'the time and the persons and' as a plausible continuation."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":22,"ref":"p22","source":"τὴν χρείαν τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐρευνῶν καὶ οὕτω τὰ ἀναγνώσματα διακρίνων καὶ διανοούμενος. τὸν μὲν οὖν καιρὸν τοῦ ῥητοῦ τούτου εὑρήσει καὶ γνώσεται, ὅτι ἀεὶ ὢν ὁ κύριος ὕστερον ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ υἱὸς ὢν τοῦ θεοῦ γέγονε καὶ υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου. τὴν δὲ χρείαν νοήσειεν, ὅτι τὸν ἡμῶν θάνατον καταργῆσαι θέλων ἔλαβεν ἑαυτῷ σῶμα ἐκ τῆς παρθένου Μαρίας, ἵνα τοῦτο προσενέγκας θυσίαν ὑπὲρ πάντων τῷ πατρὶ «ἀπαλλάξῃ πάν τας ἡμᾶς, ὅσοι φόβῳ θανάτου διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν ἔνοχοι ἦμεν δουλείας». τὸ δὲ πρόσωπον τοῦ μὲν σωτῆρός ἐστι, τότε δὲ λέγεται, ὅτε λοιπὸν λαβὼν τὸ σῶμα λέγει· «κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ». ὡς γὰρ υἱῷ θεοῦ ὄντι ἁρμόζει καλῶς τὸ ἀιδίως εἶναι καὶ ἐν κόλποις εἶναι τοῦ πατρός, οὕτως καὶ ἀνθρώπῳ γενομένῳ πρέ πουσα φωνὴ τὸ κύριος ἔκτισέ με. τότε γὰρ λέγεται περὶ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐπείνασε, καὶ ἐδίψησε, καὶ ἐπυνθάνετο ποῦ Λάζαρος κεῖται, καὶ πέπονθε, καὶ ἀνέστη. καὶ ὥσπερ ἀκούοντες αὐτὸν κύριον καὶ θεὸν καὶ φῶς ἀληθινὸν νοοῦμεν αὐτὸν ὄντα ἐκ τοῦ πατρός, οὕτως δίκαιόν ἐστιν ἀκούοντας τὸ ἔκτισε καὶ τὸ δοῦλος καὶ τὸ πέπονθε μὴ τῇ θεότητι λογίζεσθαι, ἀνοί κειον γάρ, ἀλλὰ τῇ σαρκὶ ταῦτα μετρεῖν, ἣν δι' ἡμᾶς ἐφόρεσε. ταύτης γὰρ ἴδια ταῦτα, καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ σὰρξ οὐχ ἑτέρου, ἀλλὰ τοῦ λόγου ἐστίν. εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐκ τούτου χρήσιμον ἐθέλοι τις μαθεῖν, εὑρήσει καὶ τοῦτο·","english":"the need of the written words, examining and thus distinguishing and understanding the readings. He will therefore find and know the occasion of this saying, that the Lord, always existing, later at the consummation of the ages became man, and being son of God became also son of man. And he would understand the need, that wishing to abolish our death, he took for himself a body from the virgin Mary, in order to offer this as a sacrifice on behalf of all to the Father, and \"free all of us, who through fear of death were throughout life guilty of bondage.\" The speaker is the Savior himself, and it is said then, when after taking the body he says: \"The Lord created me the beginning of his ways for his works.\" For just as it befits him, being son of God, to exist eternally and to be in the bosom of the Father, so also for him become man, the utterance \"the Lord created me\" is fitting. For it is then said about him: and he hungered, and he thirsted, and he inquired where Lazarus lay, and he suffered, and he rose. And just as hearing him called Lord and God and true light, we understand him to be from the Father, so it is right, hearing \"created\" and \"servant\" and \"suffered,\" not to attribute these to the divinity—for that is improper—but to measure them by the flesh which he wore for our sake. For these are proper to that flesh, and the flesh itself is not another's, but belongs to the Word. And if one wishes to learn also the usefulness from this, he will find this too:","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"χρείαν","severity":"info","text":"The term χρείαν (need) is used here in a technical exegetical sense, referring to the purpose or practical application of a scriptural passage, as distinct from its occasion (καιρός) or speaker (πρόσωπον).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ","severity":"info","text":"This is a quotation from Proverbs 8:22 (LXX), where Wisdom speaks. Athanasius interprets it as the incarnate Christ speaking, a common patristic reading.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπαλλάξῃ πάντας ἡμᾶς, ὅσοι φόβῳ θανάτου διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν ἔνοχοι ἦμεν δουλείας","severity":"info","text":"This appears to be a paraphrase or allusion to a liturgical or scriptural expression, possibly echoing Romans 8:21 or a baptismal formula, though not a direct quotation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"πρόσωπον","severity":"info","text":"The term πρόσωπον (person, speaker) is a key concept in Antiochene and Alexandrian exegesis, used to identify the speaker in a biblical text. Here Athanasius assigns the saying to the incarnate Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage follows a tripartite exegetical scheme: occasion (καιρός), need (χρεία), and speaker (πρόσωπον), a method Athanasius uses to distinguish between the eternal and incarnate aspects of Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius' insistence that terms like 'created' and 'suffered' apply only to Christ's flesh, not his divinity, became a standard argument in later Nicene and post-Nicene Christology, especially against Arian interpretations.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'free all of us...' is not a direct scriptural citation; its source is uncertain, possibly a liturgical formula or a paraphrase of Pauline thought.","The exact referent of 'this saying' (ῥητοῦ τούτου) is ambiguous; it likely refers to the Proverbs quotation introduced earlier in the passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":23,"ref":"p23","source":"«ὁ γὰρ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο», ἵνα καὶ προσενέγκῃ τοῦτο ὑπὲρ πάντων καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ μεταλαβόντες θεοποιηθῆναι δυνη θῶμεν ἄλλως οὐκ ἂν τούτου τυχόντες, εἰ μὴ τὸ κτιστὸν ἡμῶν αὐτὸς ἐνεδύσατο σῶμα· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἄνθρωποι θεοῦ λοιπὸν καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ ἄνθρωποι χρηματίζειν ἠρξάμεθα. ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς τὸ πνεῦμα λαμβάνοντες οὐκ ἀπόλλυμεν τὴν ἰδίαν ἑαυτῶν οὐσίαν, οὕτως ὁ κύριος γενόμενος δι' ἡμᾶς ἄνθρωπος καὶ σῶμα φορέσας οὐδὲν ἧττον ἦν θεός· οὐ γὰρ ἠλαττοῦτο τῇ περιβολῇ τοῦ σώματος, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον ἐθεοποιεῖτο τοῦτο καὶ ἀθάνατον ἀπετέλει.\n\nἹκανὰ μὲν οὖν ταῦτα στηλιτεῦσαι τὴν αἵρεσιν τῶν Ἀρειανῶν. καὶ γάρ, ὡς ὁ κύριος δέδωκεν, ἐξ ὧν ἔλεγον αὐτοὶ διηλέγχθησαν ἀσεβοῦντες. φέρε δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς προ τείνωμεν καὶ ἀπαιτήσωμεν καὶ αὐτοὺς ἀποκρίνασθαι· καιρὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἀπορήσαντας αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις ἐρωτᾶσθαι λοιπὸν παρ' ἡμῶν· τάχα κἂν οὕτως ἐντραπέντες ἀναβλέψωσιν, ὅθεν κατέπεσαν, οἱ κακόφρονες. τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ μεμαθήκαμεν ἐκ τῶν θείων γραφῶν, ὡς προείπομεν, αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν λόγον καὶ τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ πατρός. ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἀπόστολός φησι· «Χριστὸς θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ θεοῦ σοφία»· ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης εἰρη κώς· «καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο», ἐπήγαγεν εὐθύς· «καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας»· ὡς τοῦ λόγου ὄντος μονογενοῦς υἱοῦ ἔν τε τούτῳ τῷ λόγῳ καὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ γεγενῆσθαι τόν τε οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς.","english":"For the Word became flesh,\" so that he might offer this on behalf of all, and that we, partaking of his Spirit, might be able to be deified; otherwise we would not have attained this, unless he himself had put on our created body. For thus we have come to be called men of God and men in Christ. But just as we, receiving the Spirit, do not lose our own substance, so the Lord, having become man for our sake and bearing a body, was no less God; for he was not diminished by the envelopment of the body, but rather deified it and rendered it immortal.\n\nThese things, then, are sufficient to expose the heresy of the Arians. For, as the Lord has granted, from what they themselves said they were refuted as impious. Come now, let us also put forward and demand that they themselves answer; for it is time, now that they are at a loss in their own arguments, to be questioned by us. Perhaps even thus, being shamed, they may look up from where they have fallen, the evil-minded ones. We have learned from the divine Scriptures, as we said before, that the Son of God is himself the Word and the Wisdom of the Father. For the Apostle says: \"Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God\"; and John, having said, \"And the Word became flesh,\" immediately added: \"And we beheld his glory, glory as of an only-begotten from a father, full of grace and truth\"; so that the Word, being the only-begotten Son, in this Word and Wisdom both heaven and earth and all things in them were made.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"θεοποιηθῆναι","severity":"info","text":"The verb 'to be deified' (θεοποιηθῆναι) is central to Athanasius' soteriology: deification is achieved through partaking of the Spirit, not by nature but by grace, and is contingent on the Incarnation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο","severity":"info","text":"Quotation of John 1:14 (variant versification; standard John 1:14). Athanasius uses this to argue that the Word's incarnation enables human deification, a key anti-Arian point.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Χριστὸς θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ θεοῦ σοφία","severity":"info","text":"Apostolic saying (cf. 1 Cor 1:24; also alluded to in Wis 9:1-2). Athanasius identifies Christ as the power and wisdom of God, linking the Son to the Father's attributes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"αἵρεσιν τῶν Ἀρειανῶν","severity":"info","text":"The heresy of the Arians, whom Athanasius opposes throughout. The passage argues that the Incarnation does not diminish the Son's divinity, directly countering Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἱκανὰ μὲν οὖν ταῦτα","severity":"info","text":"Transitional phrase marking a shift from theological exposition to polemical challenge. Athanasius declares the preceding arguments sufficient to refute the Arians and now demands their response.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ","severity":"caution","text":"This phrase is not found in the canonical Gospel of John; it may be a paraphrase or a citation from a non-canonical source (e.g., the Acts of John or a lost apocryphon). The text's authenticity is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ' is not attested in the canonical New Testament; its source is unclear, possibly a lost apocryphal work or a misremembered citation."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"scripture","severity":"info","ref":"Luke 1:28","text":"The English carries the scriptural phrase “full of grace”, which matches Luke 1:28. The match is on the English draft; check the Coptic before quoting the verse."},{"kind":"scripture","severity":"info","ref":"John 1:14","text":"The English carries the scriptural phrase “the word became flesh”, which matches John 1:14. The match is on the English draft; check the Coptic before quoting the verse."}]},{"i":24,"ref":"p24","source":"καὶ ταύτης τῆς σοφίας πηγὴν εἶναι τὸν θεὸν ἐν τῷ Βαροὺχ μεμαθήκαμεν, αἰτιαθέντος τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ὅτι «ἐγκατέλιπε τὴν πηγὴν τῆς σοφίας». εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀρνοῦνται τὰ γεγραμμένα αὐτόθεν ἀλλότριοι καὶ τοῦ ὀνόματος ὄντες, οἰκείως ἂν καλοῖντο καὶ παρὰ πάντων ἄθεοι καὶ χριστομάχοι· οὕτω γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς ἐπωνόμασαν καὶ αὐτοί. εἰ δὲ συνομολογοῦσιν ἡμῖν εἶναι θεόπνευστα τὰ τῆς γραφῆς ῥήματα, τολμησάτωσαν φανερῶς εἰπεῖν, ἃ κεκρυμμένως φρονοῦσιν, ὅτι ἄλογος καὶ ἄσοφος ἦν ὁ θεός ποτε, καὶ μανέντες εἴπωσιν· «ἦν ὅτε οὐκ ἦν» καὶ «πρὶν γεννηθῆναι οὐκ ἦν ὁ Χριστός»· πάλιν τε ἀποφηνάσθωσαν τὴν πηγὴν μὴ ἐξ ἑαυτῆς γεγεννηκέναι τὴν σοφίαν, ἀλλ' ἔξωθεν ἑαυτῆς κεκτῆσθαι ταύτην, ἵνα καὶ τολμήσωσιν εἰπεῖν· «ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων γέγονεν ὁ υἱός». τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἔτι πηγὴν ταύτην δείκνυσιν, ἀλλά τινα λάκκον ὥσπερ ἔξωθεν ὕδωρ λαβόντα κεχρημένον τῷ ὀνόματι τῆς πηγῆς.\n\nὍσης μὲν οὖν ἀσεβείας ἐστὶ τοῦτο μεστόν, οὐδένα τῶν κἂν βραχεῖαν αἴσθησιν ἐχόντων ἀμφιβάλλειν ἡγοῦμαι. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τονθορύζοντες λέγουσιν, ὀνόματα μόνον εἶναι τοῦ υἱοῦ λόγος καὶ σοφία, ἀναγκαῖον ἐρωτῆσαι τούτους· εἰ ὀνόματα μόνον ἐστὶ ταῦτα τοῦ υἱοῦ, ἄλλος ἂν αὐτὸς εἴη παρὰ ταῦτα. καὶ εἰ μὲν βελτίων ἐστὶ τῶν ὀνομάτων, οὐχ ὅσιον ἐκ τῶν ἐλαττόνων τὸν βελτίονα σημαίνεσθαι· εἰ δὲ ἐλάττων ἐστὶ τῶν ὀνο μάτων, πάντως ἔχει καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ κάλλιον προσηγορίας· τοῦτο δὲ πάλιν προκοπὴν αὐτοῦ σημαίνει, καὶ οὐ μεῖόν ἐστι τῶν προτέρων καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἀσέβημα. τὸν γὰρ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ ὄντα, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὁ πατήρ ἐστι, τὸν λέγοντα·","english":"And we have learned from Baruch that God is the source of this wisdom, when Israel was accused because \"it abandoned the source of wisdom.\" If, therefore, they deny the writings from that source, being alien even to the name, they would fittingly be called by all atheists and Christ-fighters; for they have so named themselves. But if they agree with us that the words of Scripture are divinely inspired, let them dare to say openly what they think secretly, that God was once without reason and without wisdom, and in their madness say: \"There was a time when he was not\" and \"Before being begotten, Christ was not\"; and again let them declare that the source did not produce wisdom from itself, but acquired it from outside itself, so that they may also dare to say: \"The Son came into being from non-existence.\" For this no longer shows that source to be a source, but rather some cistern, as if it took water from outside and used the name of source.\n\nHow full of impiety this is, I think no one with even a small amount of perception would doubt. But since they mutter and say that Word and Wisdom are only names of the Son, it is necessary to ask them: if these are only names of the Son, then he himself would be something other than these. And if he is better than the names, it is not holy for the better to be signified by the lesser; but if he is lesser than the names, he certainly also has the reason for the more excellent appellation; this again signifies his progress, and this impiety is no less than the former. For the one who is in the Father, in whom the Father also is, the one who says:","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐγκατέλιπε τὴν πηγὴν τῆς σοφίας","severity":"info","text":"A quotation from the book of Baruch (3:12), a deuterocanonical text in the Septuagint, where Israel is accused of abandoning the source of wisdom, i.e., God.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"πηγή","severity":"info","text":"The term 'πηγή' (source) is used metaphorically for God as the origin of wisdom, contrasting with a 'λάκκον' (cistern) that receives water externally, to argue against Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ἄθεοι καὶ χριστομάχοι","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius labels opponents as 'atheists and Christ-fighters', a polemical term reflecting the intense theological conflict of the 4th century, particularly against Arianism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ μὲν οὖν ... εἰ δὲ συνομολογοῦσιν","severity":"info","text":"A rhetorical dichotomy: either opponents deny Scripture (and are thus alien) or they accept it and must face the logical consequences of their secret beliefs, a common argumentative pattern in Athanasius.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ἦν ὅτε οὐκ ἦν","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes the Arian slogan 'There was a time when he was not', which Athanasius refutes as impious, a key point in the Nicene controversy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τονθορύζοντες","severity":"caution","text":"The verb 'τονθορύζοντες' (muttering) may imply indistinct or evasive speech, possibly a textual variant or rhetorical exaggeration; the exact nuance is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἐγκατέλιπε τὴν πηγὴν τῆς σοφίας' is attributed to Baruch, but the exact verse reference is not given; the reading assumes Baruch 3:12.","The term 'τονθορύζοντες' may be a hapax or rare form; its precise connotation is unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":25,"ref":"p25","source":"«ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν», ὃν καὶ «ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα», ὀνομάζειν ὑπό τινος ἔξωθεν βελτιοῦσθαι, πᾶσαν ὑπερβάλλει μανίαν. ἀλλὰ τούτων ἐκπίπτοντες καὶ κατὰ τοὺς περὶ Εὐσέβιον ὑπὸ πολλῆς συνεχόμενοι τῆς ἀπορίας ἐκεῖνο λοιπὸν ἔχουσιν ὑπολειπόμενον, ὃ καὶ ἐν ᾀσματίοις Ἄρειος καὶ ἐν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ Θαλίᾳ ὡς ἐπαπορῶν μυθολογεῖ· «πολλοὺς λαλεῖ λόγους ὁ θεός». ποῖον αὐτῶν ἄρα λέγομεν ἡμεῖς υἱὸν καὶ λόγον μονογενῆ τοῦ πατρός, ἀνόητοι καὶ πάντα μᾶλλον ἢ Χριστιανοί; πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ τοιαῦτα λαλοῦντες περὶ θεοῦ μικροῦ δεῖν ἄνθρωπον τὸν θεὸν ὑπολαμβάνουσιν, οὕτω λαλοῦντα καὶ παραμείβοντα τοὺς προτέρους τοῖς δευτέροις λόγοις, ὥσπερ οὐκ ἀρκοῦντος ἑνὸς τοῦ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου πᾶσαν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ βουλήματος τοῦ πατρὸς δημιουργίαν καὶ τὴν τούτου πρόνοιαν πλη ρῶσαι. τὸ μὲν γὰρ πολλοὺς αὐτὸν λαλεῖν λόγους ἀσθένεια τῶν πάντων ἐστίν, ἑκάστου λειπομένου τῆς τοῦ ἑτέρου χρείας, τὸ δὲ ἑνὶ κεχρῆσθαι λόγῳ τὸν θεόν, ὡς καὶ ἔστιν ἀληθῶς, τοῦτο καὶ τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δύναμιν δείκνυσι καὶ τοῦ ἐξ αὐτοῦ λόγου τὴν τελειό τητα καὶ τῶν οὕτω φρονούντων τὴν εὐσεβῆ σύνεσιν. Εἴθε δὲ καὶ οὗτοι κἂν ἐξ ὧν λέγουσι νῦν ἐθελήσουσιν ὁμολογεῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. εἰ γὰρ ἅπαξ διδόασι τὸν θεὸν προφέροντα λόγους, ἴσασιν ὅλως αὐτὸν πατέρα. τοῦτο δὲ γινώσκοντες σκοπείτωσαν, ὅτι μὴ θέλοντες ἕνα διδόναι τοῦ θεοῦ λόγον πολλῶν αὐτὸν εἶναι πατέρα φαντάζονται. καὶ τὸ μὲν ὅλως εἶναι τοῦ θεοῦ λόγον οὐ θέλουσιν ἀρνεῖσθαι, τὸ δὲ εἶναι τοῦτον τοῦ θεοῦ υἱὸν οὐχ ὁμολογοῦσιν. ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο τῆς ἀληθείας ἀγνωσία καὶ τῶν θείων γραφῶν ἀπειρία.","english":"I and the Father are one,\" whom also \"he who has seen has seen the Father,\" to claim that he is improved by something external surpasses all madness. But falling short of these things and, like those around Eusebius, being constrained by great perplexity, they have this remaining, which Arius also in his songs and in his own Thalia mythologizes as if in perplexity: \"God speaks many words.\" Which of them, then, do we call son and only-begotten word of the Father, senseless ones who are everything rather than Christians? For first, speaking such things about God, they almost suppose God to be a human being, speaking thus and replacing the former words with later ones, as if the one word from God were not sufficient to fill the whole creation from the Father's will and its providence. For him to speak many words is a weakness of all things, each lacking the need of the other, but for God to use one word, as indeed is true, this shows both the power of God and the perfection of the word from him and the pious understanding of those who think thus. Would that these men, even from what they now say, might be willing to confess the truth. For if they once grant that God utters words, they know him altogether as father. And knowing this, let them consider that, not wishing to give one word of God, they imagine him to be father of many. And they do not wish to deny altogether that there is a word of God, but they do not confess that this is the son of God. This is ignorance of the truth and inexperience of the divine scriptures.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius quotes John 10:30 to argue that the Son is not improved by any external addition, countering Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα","severity":"info","text":"This echoes John 14:9 (or a variant tradition), reinforcing the unity of Father and Son against Arian claims of separation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τοὺς περὶ Εὐσέβιον","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia, a leading Arian sympathizer, is here grouped with Arius as opponents of Nicene orthodoxy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Θαλίᾳ","severity":"info","text":"Arius's Thalia was a poetic work (now lost) expounding his doctrine; Athanasius cites it to show Arian confusion about the Logos.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ","severity":"info","text":"This phrase introduces a logical argument: if God speaks many words, He is reduced to human weakness; Athanasius contrasts this with the single, perfect Logos.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀνόητοι καὶ πάντα μᾶλλον ἢ Χριστιανοί","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius labels his opponents as 'senseless' and 'everything rather than Christians,' a rhetorical strategy common in anti-Arian polemic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is clear; no significant ambiguities in this passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":26,"ref":"p26","source":"εἰ γὰρ ὅλως ὁ θεὸς πατήρ ἐστι λόγου, διατί μὴ καὶ ὁ γεννώμενος υἱός ἐστιν; υἱὸς δὲ πάλιν τοῦ θεοῦ τίς ἂν εἴη ἢ ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ; καὶ γὰρ οὐ πολλοὶ λόγοι, ἵνα μὴ ἕκαστος ἐνδεής, ἀλλὰ εἷς ὁ λόγος, ἵνα τέλειος μόνος αὐτός, καὶ ὅτι ἑνὸς ὄντος τοῦ θεοῦ μίαν ἔδει καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα εἶναι αὐτοῦ, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ υἱός. καὶ γὰρ ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ υἱός, ὡς ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν λογίων ἐστὶ μαθεῖν, αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος καὶ ἡ σοφία καὶ ἡ εἰκὼν καὶ ἡ χεὶρ καὶ ἡ δύναμις· ἓν γάρ ἐστι τὸ τοῦ θεοῦ γέννημα, καὶ ταῦτα τῆς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς γεννήσεώς εἰσι γνωρίσματα. ἄν τε γὰρ τὸν υἱὸν εἴπῃς, τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ φύσει δεδήλωκας· ἄν τε τὸν λόγον ἐνθυμηθῇς, τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ πάλιν καὶ τὸ ἀδιαίρετον αὐτοῦ λογίζῃ· καὶ τὴν σοφίαν δὲ λέγων οὐδὲν ἧττον τὸ μὴ ἔξωθεν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ πάλιν φρονεῖς· ἂν δὲ καὶ τὴν δύναμιν καὶ τὴν χεῖρα ὀνομάσῃς, τὸ ἴδιον πάλιν τῆς οὐσίας λέγεις· καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα δὲ λέγων, τὸν υἱὸν σημαίνεις. τί γὰρ ἂν εἴη ὅμοιον τῷ θεῷ ἢ τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ γέννημα; ἀμέλει ἅπερ διὰ τοῦ λόγου γέγονε, ταῦτα τῇ σοφίᾳ τεθεμελίωται· καὶ ἃ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τεθεμελίωται, ταῦτα πάντα ἐν τῇ χειρὶ πεποίηται καὶ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ γέγονε. καὶ τούτων οὐκ ἔξωθεν ἡμεῖς, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν γραφῶν ἔχομεν τὴν πίστιν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ θεὸς αὐτὸς διὰ Ἡσαίου τοῦ προφήτου λέγει· «ἡ χείρ μου ἐθεμελίωσε τὴν γῆν καὶ ἡ δεξιά μου ἐστερέωσε τὸν οὐρανόν», καὶ πάλιν· «καὶ ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν τῆς χειρός μου σκεπάσω σε, ἐν ᾗ ἔστησα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐθεμελίωσα τὴν γῆν». ὁ δὲ Δαυὶδ τοῦτο μαθὼν καὶ εἰδὼς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτὴν οὖσαν τὴν σοφίαν ἔψαλλε· «πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας·","english":"For if God is Father of the Word, why should not the begotten one also be Son? And who would be Son of God again but his Word? For there are not many Words, so that each would be deficient, but the Word is one, so that it alone is perfect, and because God is one, his image also must be one, which is the Son. For the Son of God, as can be learned from the Scriptures themselves, is the Word of God and the Wisdom and the Image and the Hand and the Power; for the offspring of God is one, and these are the marks of his generation from the Father. For if you say \"Son,\" you have indicated what is from him by nature; if you consider \"Word,\" you again think of what is from him and his indivisibility; and speaking of \"Wisdom,\" you no less conceive of what is not external, but from him and in him; and if you name \"Power\" and \"Hand,\" you again speak of what is proper to his essence; and saying \"Image,\" you signify the Son. For what would be like God except the offspring from him? Assuredly, what has come to be through the Word has been founded in Wisdom; and what has been founded in Wisdom has all been made by the Hand and has come to be through the Son. And we have this faith not from outside, but from the Scriptures. For God himself says through the prophet Isaiah: \"My hand founded the earth, and my right hand made the heaven firm,\" and again: \"And under the shadow of my hand I will shelter you, with which I set the heaven and founded the earth.\" And David, learning this and knowing that the Hand itself is the Wisdom, sang: \"You have made all things in wisdom.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ γὰρ ὅλως ὁ θεὸς πατήρ ἐστι λόγου, διατί μὴ καὶ ὁ γεννώμενος υἱός ἐστιν;","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius argues that if God is Father of the Word, the begotten must be Son, establishing a reciprocal relation between Father and Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"λόγος","severity":"info","text":"Here λόγος (Word) is a title for the Son, distinct from human speech; Athanasius stresses its singularity to counter Arian multiplicity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἡ χείρ μου ἐθεμελίωσε τὴν γῆν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius cites Isaiah (likely 48:13 LXX) to equate God's hand with the Son, interpreting 'hand' as a scriptural title for divine agency.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας","severity":"info","text":"A paraphrase of Psalm 104:24 LXX, where David identifies Wisdom as the creative principle, which Athanasius equates with the Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Arian Thalia","severity":"info","text":"The preceding passage mentions Arius's Thalia, a poetic work; Athanasius here refutes its claim of multiple divine words by asserting the singularity of the Logos.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἓν γάρ ἐστι τὸ τοῦ θεοῦ γέννημα","severity":"info","text":"This sentence summarizes the argument: the Son is a single offspring with multiple titles (Word, Wisdom, Hand, Power, Image), each denoting the same divine reality.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is clear; no significant ambiguities in this passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":27,"ref":"p27","source":"ἐπληρώθη ἡ γῆ τῆς κτίσεώς σου»· ὡς καὶ Σαλομὼν παρὰ θεοῦ λαβὼν ἔλεγεν· «ὁ θεὸς τῇ σοφίᾳ ἐθεμελίωσε τὴν γῆν».\n\nἸωάννης τε γινώσκων τὴν χεῖρα καὶ τὴν σοφίαν εἶναι τὸν λόγον εὐηγγελίζετο· «ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδέν». ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος βλέπων τὴν χεῖρα, τὴν σοφίαν, τὸν λόγον αὐτὸν ὄντα τὸν υἱόν φησι· «πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις ἐπ' ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ, ὃν ἔθηκεν κληρονόμον πάντων· δι' οὗ καὶ ἐποίησε τοὺς αἰῶνας», καὶ πάλιν· «εἷς κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἡμεῖς δι' αὐτοῦ». εἰδὼς δὲ πάλιν τὸν λόγον, τὴν σοφίαν, τὸν υἱὸν αὐτὸν ὄντα τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ πατρός φησιν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κολασσαεῖς ἐπιστολῇ· «εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί· ὃς ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους καὶ μετέστησεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ, ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν· ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα τά τε ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξου σίαι, τὰ πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται καὶ αὐτός ἐστι πρὸ πάντων καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν». ὡς γὰρ διὰ τοῦ λόγου, οὕτως εἰκόνος αὐτοῦ ὄντος ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα.","english":"The earth was filled with your creation; as also Solomon, receiving from God, said: \"God founded the earth with wisdom.\"\n\nAnd John, knowing that the hand and the wisdom are the Word, proclaimed: \"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This one was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.\" And the apostle, seeing that the hand, the wisdom, the Word himself is the Son, says: \"In many ways and in many forms, God having long spoken to the fathers through the prophets, in these last days spoke to us through a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things; through whom he also made the ages,\" and again: \"One Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.\" And again, knowing that the Word, the wisdom, the Son himself is the image of the Father, he says in the Epistle to the Colossians: \"Giving thanks to God and Father, who has qualified us for the portion of the inheritance of the saints in the light; who has delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption, the remission of sins; who is the image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation, because in him all things were created, both those in the heavens and those on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things through him and for him have been created, and he is before all things, and all things consist in him.\" For just as through the Word, so also, since he is his image, all things were created in him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ θεὸς τῇ σοφίᾳ ἐθεμελίωσε τὴν γῆν","severity":"info","text":"A loose citation of Proverbs 3:19 LXX (θεὸς τῇ σοφίᾳ ἐθεμελίωσε τὴν γῆν). Athanasius attributes it to Solomon, the traditional author of Proverbs.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος...","severity":"info","text":"A composite citation of John 1:1–3, with slight abbreviation. Athanasius uses it to identify the Logos with the Son and Wisdom.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως...","severity":"info","text":"A paraphrase of Colossians 1:15–18, not a direct quotation. Athanasius adapts the Pauline text to stress the Son as heir and agent of creation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ...","severity":"info","text":"A long composite citation blending Colossians 1:12–18 and Ephesians 5:8–9. Athanasius conflates passages to present the Son as image and firstborn.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"χεῖρα","severity":"info","text":"Literally 'hand', used here as a metaphor for God's creative power, synonymous with 'wisdom' and 'Word' in Athanasius's argument.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage builds a chain of identifications: hand = wisdom = Word = Son = image of the Father, each supported by a scriptural citation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The citation of Colossians is a conflation of several Pauline passages; the exact source of each clause is uncertain.","The phrase 'τῇ σοφίᾳ' in the Solomon citation may be an adaptation of Proverbs 3:19 LXX, which reads 'τῇ σοφίᾳ' but the verse number is not given."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"scripture","severity":"info","ref":"John 1:1","text":"The English carries the scriptural phrase “in the beginning was the word”, which matches John 1:1. The match is on the English draft; check the Coptic before quoting the verse."}]},{"i":28,"ref":"p28","source":"οὕτως δέ τις περὶ τοῦ κυρίου διανοούμενος οὐ προσκόψει τῷ λίθῳ τοῦ προσκόμματος, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον πορεύσεται πρὸς τὴν λάμψιν κατέναντι τοῦ φωτὸς τῆς ἀληθείας. τοῦτο γὰρ ὄντως ἐστὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας τὸ φρόνημα, κἂν διαρραγῶσιν οὗτοι φιλονεικοῦντες μήτε τὸν θεὸν σεβόμενοι μήτε τοὺς ἐκ τῶν ἀποδείξεων ἐλέγχους ἐντρεπόμενοι.\n\nΟἱ μὲν οὖν περὶ Εὐσέβιον οὕτως ἐξεταζόμενοι τότε διὰ πολλῶν καὶ καταγνόντες ἑαυτῶν, καθὰ προεῖπον, ὑπέγραψαν καὶ μεταγνόντες ἠρέμησαν καὶ ἀνεχώρησαν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὗτοι νεανιευόμενοι ταῖς ἀσεβείαις καὶ σκοτοδινιῶντες περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ κακηγορεῖν τὴν σύνοδον ἐπιχειροῦσιν, εἰπάτωσαν ἡμῖν, ἐκ ποίων αὐτοὶ γραφῶν μαθόντες ἢ παρὰ τίνος τῶν ἁγίων ἀκούσαντες συμπεφορήκασιν ἑαυτοῖς ῥημάτια, τὸ «ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων» καὶ «οὐκ ἦν πρὶν γεννηθῇ» καὶ τὸ «ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν» καὶ τὸ «τρεπτόν» καὶ τὸ «προυπάρχειν» καὶ τὸ «θελήματι», ἐν οἷς κατὰ τοῦ κυρίου παίζοντες μυθολογοῦσιν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ μακάριος Παῦλος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους φησί· «πίστει νοοῦμεν κατηρτίσθαι τοὺς αἰῶνας ῥήματι θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐκ φαινομένων τὸ βλεπόμενον γεγονέναι». ἀλλ' οὐδὲν κοινὸν τῷ λόγῳ πρὸς τοὺς αἰῶνας· αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ προυπάρχων πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων, δι' οὗ καὶ οἱ αἰῶνες γεγόνασιν. ἐν δὲ τῷ Ποιμένι γέγραπται, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοῦτο καίτοι μὴ ὂν ἐκ τοῦ κανόνος προφέρουσι· «πρῶτον πάντων πίστευσον, ὅτι εἷς ἐστιν ὁ θεός, ὁ τὰ πάντα κτίσας καὶ καταρτίσας καὶ ποιήσας ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι τὰ πάντα». ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο πάλιν οὐδὲν πρὸς τὸν υἱόν ἐστι·","english":"Thus, one who thinks in this way about the Lord will not stumble over the stone of stumbling, but will rather proceed toward the radiance opposite the light of truth. For this is truly the mind of piety, even if these men burst themselves with contentiousness, revering neither God nor being ashamed of the refutations from the proofs.\n\nNow, those around Eusebius, when examined in this way at that time, through many arguments and having condemned themselves, as I said before, subscribed, and after changing their minds, they kept quiet and withdrew. But since these men, acting insolently in their impieties and dizzy with confusion concerning the truth, attempt nothing other than to slander the council, let them tell us from what scriptures they learned or from which of the saints they heard the little phrases they have collected for themselves: \"from non-existents,\" and \"he was not before he was begotten,\" and \"there was a time when he was not,\" and \"changeable,\" and \"pre-exist,\" and \"by will,\" with which they playfully mythologize against the Lord. For the blessed Paul says in the Epistle to the Hebrews: \"By faith we understand that the ages were fitted together by the word of God, so that what is seen did not come from things that appear.\" But the Word has nothing in common with the ages; for he himself is the one who pre-exists before the ages, through whom the ages also came into being. And in the Shepherd it is written, since they also bring this forward, although it is not from the canon: \"First of all, believe that there is one God, who created, arranged, and made all things from non-being into being.\" But again, this has nothing to do with the Son.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"λίθῳ τοῦ προσκόμματος","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'stone of stumbling' (λίθῳ τοῦ προσκόμματος) is a biblical metaphor for an obstacle to faith, echoing Proverbs 3:6 LXX and 1 Corinthians 10:12, but here used rhetorically to contrast the path of orthodoxy with Arian error.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πίστει νοοῦμεν κατηρτίσθαι τοὺς αἰῶνας ῥήματι θεοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius quotes Hebrews 11:3 (variant reading) to argue that the Word is distinct from the created ages, countering Arian misuse of the phrase 'from non-existents'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πρῶτον πάντων πίστευσον, ὅτι εἷς ἐστιν ὁ θεός","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius cites the Shepherd of Hermas (Mandate 1.1) to show that even this non-canonical text speaks of creation from non-being, but he insists it does not apply to the Son, who is not a creature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Οἱ μὲν οὖν περὶ Εὐσέβιον","severity":"info","text":"The 'Eusebius' group refers to Eusebius of Nicomedia and his allies, who initially resisted Nicaea but later signed the creed; Athanasius contrasts their submission with the ongoing slander of unnamed Arian opponents.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ Ποιμένι","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius acknowledges that the Shepherd of Hermas is not canonical (οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ κανόνος), yet he engages with it because his opponents cited it; this reflects fourth-century debates about the extent of the New Testament canon.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"προυπάρχειν","severity":"info","text":"The term 'pre-exist' (προυπάρχειν) is listed among Arian slogans; Athanasius redefines it to affirm the Son's eternal pre-existence before the ages, in contrast to the Arian claim that the Son had a temporal beginning.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek phrase 'ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος' in the Shepherd citation is ambiguous: it could mean 'from non-being' (as Athanasius reads it) or 'from what is not' in a more general sense; the translation follows Athanasius's interpretation.","The identity of 'οὗτοι' (these men) is not specified beyond being Arian opponents; they may include figures like Asterius or later Eunomians, but Athanasius does not name them here."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":29,"ref":"p29","source":"περὶ γὰρ τῶν πάντων λέγει τῶν δι' αὐτοῦ γενομένων, ὧν καὶ ἄλλος ἐστὶν αὐτός. οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε τὸν δημιουργοῦντα τοῖς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ γενομένοις συγκαταριθμεῖν, εἰ μὴ καὶ τὸν ἀρχιτέκτονα τοῖς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ γενο μένοις οἰκοδομήμασι τὸν αὐτὸν ἄν τις παραφρονῶν λέγοι. διατί τοίνυν ἀγράφους αὐτοὶ λέξεις πρὸς ἀσέβειαν ἐφευρόντες, αἰτιῶνται τοὺς ἀγράφοις λέξεσιν εὐσεβοῦντας; τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀσεβεῖν παντελῶς κεκώλυται, κἂν ποικίλοις ῥήμασι καὶ πιθανοῖς σοφίσμασι περιβάλλειν αὐτό τις ἐπιχειρῇ· τὸ δὲ εὐσεβεῖν ὅσιον παρὰ πᾶσιν ὡμολόγηται, κἂν ξενιζούσαις λέξεσί τις χρήσηται, ἕως μόνον ὁ λέγων εὐσεβὲς ἔχοι τὸ φρόνημα καὶ δι' αὐτῶν, ὃ νενόηκεν, εὐσεβῶς βούλεται σημαίνειν. τὰ μὲν οὖν προειρημένα τῶν χριστομάχων χαμαίζηλα ῥημάτια προαπέδειξεν ὁ λόγος καὶ τότε καὶ νῦν πάσης ἀσεβείας ὄντα μεστά, τὰ δὲ παρὰ τῆς συνόδου γραφέντα καὶ ὁρισθέντα κατ' αὐτῶν ἐὰν ἐρευνήσῃ τις\n\nἀκριβῶς, εὑρήσει πάντως ἐν αὐτοῖς τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας νοῦν περιεχόμενον, ἂν μάλιστα καὶ τὴν πρό φασιν τῶν τοιούτων λέξεων ἔχουσαν τὸ εὔλογον φιλομαθῶς ἐρωτήσας ἀκούσῃ· ἔστι γὰρ αὕτη.","english":"For he speaks concerning all things that have come into being through him, of which he himself is distinct. For it is not possible to number the creator among the things created by him, unless one, being deranged, would say that the architect is the same as the buildings constructed by him. Why, then, having themselves invented unwritten expressions for impiety, do they accuse those who use unwritten expressions for piety? For impiety is altogether forbidden, even if one attempts to clothe it in various words and plausible sophisms; but piety is acknowledged as holy by all, even if one uses unusual expressions, as long as the speaker has a pious intention and through them wishes to signify piously what he has understood. Now, the aforementioned lowly phrases of the Christomachs have been shown by the argument, both then and now, to be full of every impiety; but if one examines accurately what was written and defined by the synod against them, he will certainly find in them the meaning of the truth contained, especially if he inquires with a love of learning and hears the reason for such expressions, which is reasonable; for it is this.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"περὶ γὰρ τῶν πάντων λέγει","severity":"info","text":"The subject of 'he speaks' is Christ, as the preceding context (not included) discusses the Son as creator. Athanasius argues that the Son is distinct from his creations.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγράφους λέξεις","severity":"info","text":"Literally 'unwritten expressions'. Athanasius defends the Council of Nicaea's use of non-scriptural terms (like homoousios) against critics who themselves use non-scriptural language for impiety.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"χριστομάχων","severity":"info","text":"'Christomachs' (Christ-fighters) is Athanasius's polemical label for the Eusebian party, who opposed the Nicene Creed. The term appears in earlier anti-Arian literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τὰ μὲν οὖν προειρημένα ... τὰ δὲ παρὰ τῆς συνόδου γραφέντα","severity":"info","text":"This passage contrasts the 'lowly phrases' of the Christomachs (already refuted) with the Nicene definitions, which Athanasius claims contain the truth if examined properly.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας νοῦν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius's insistence that the Nicene definitions contain 'the meaning of the truth' became a standard defense of the creed's authority in later Trinitarian controversies.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text has a minor textual variant: 'γενο μένοις' (with a space) in line 3, likely a scribal artifact; the intended reading is 'γενομένοις'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":30,"ref":"p30","source":"Τῆς συνόδου βουλομένης τὰς μὲν τῶν Ἀρειανῶν τῆς ἀσεβείας λέξεις ἀνελεῖν, τὰς δὲ τῶν γραφῶν ὁμολογουμένας φωνὰς γράψαι, ὅτι τε υἱός ἐστιν οὐκ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ λόγος ἐστὶ καὶ σοφία, ἀλλ' οὐ κτίσμα οὐδὲ ποίημα, ἴδιον δὲ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς γέννημα, οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον ὑπὸ τῆς πολυχρονίου κακοδοξίας ἑαυτῶν ἑλκόμενοι ἐβούλοντο τὸ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ κοινὸν εἶναι πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ λόγον μηδέν τε ἐν τούτῳ διαφέρειν ἡμῶν αὐτὸν διὰ τὸ γεγράφθαι· «εἷς θεὸς ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα», καὶ πάλιν· «τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν, ἰδοὺ γέγονε τὰ πάντα καινά, τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ». ἀλλ' οἱ πατέρες θεωρήσαντες ἐκείνων τὴν πανουργίαν καὶ τὴν τῆς ἀσεβείας κακοτεχνίαν ἠναγκάσθησαν λοιπὸν λευκότερον εἰπεῖν τὸ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ γράψαι «ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ θεοῦ εἶναι τὸν υἱὸν» ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ κοινὸν καὶ ἴσον τοῦ τε υἱοῦ καὶ τῶν γενητῶν νομίζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ἄλλα πάντα κτίσμα, τὸν δὲ λόγον μόνον ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς πιστεύεσθαι. κἂν γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ πάντα λέγηται, ἀλλὰ ἄλλως ἢ ὡς ἔστιν ὁ υἱὸς εἴρηται. τὰ μὲν γὰρ κτίσματα διὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι εἰκῆ καὶ ἐκ ταὐτομάτου μηδὲ κατὰ τύχην ἔχειν τὴν γένεσιν κατὰ τοὺς λέγοντας ἐξ ἀτόμων συμπλοκῆς καὶ ὁμοιομερῶν, ἢ ὥς τινες τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἄλλον δημιουργὸν λέγουσιν, ἢ ὡς πάλιν ἄλλοι ὑπό τινων ἀγγέλων λέγουσιν εἶναι τὴν τῶν πάντων σύστασιν, ἀλλ' ὅτι τοῦ θεοῦ ὄντος τὰ πάντα παρ' αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ λόγου οὐκ ὄντα πρότερον εἰς τὸ εἶναι γέγονε, διὰ τοῦτο εἴρηται τὸ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ.","english":"The synod, wishing to remove the Arian expressions of impiety and to write the acknowledged phrases of the Scriptures—that the Son is not from non-existence but from God, and that he is Word and Wisdom, not a creature nor a creation, but a proper offspring from the Father—those around Eusebius, dragged by their long-standing evil opinion, wanted the phrase \"from God\" to be common to us and to the Word of God, and that he differs in no way from us in this, because it is written: \"One God from whom are all things,\" and again: \"The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new; and all things are from God.\" But the fathers, having observed their cunning and the evil artifice of their impiety, were compelled thereafter to speak more clearly the phrase \"from God\" and to write \"that the Son is from the substance of God,\" so that the phrase \"from God\" might not be considered common and equal for the Son and for created things, but that all other things are creatures, and only the Word is believed to be from the Father. For even if all things are said to be from God, yet it is said in a different way than the Son is. For creatures, because they do not have their generation in vain, nor spontaneously, nor by chance, according to those who speak of a combination of atoms and homoeomeries, or as some heretics say there is another creator, or as others again say that the constitution of all things is by certain angels, but because, God existing, all things have come into being from him through the Word, not existing before, for this reason the phrase \"from God\" is said.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia (not the historian) led a faction that resisted the Nicene formula; Athanasius portrays him as a persistent Arian sympathizer.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"εἷς θεὸς ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα","severity":"info","text":"The first quotation is not a direct biblical verse but a summary of monotheistic creation language; the second echoes 2 Corinthians 5:17 (LXX) or a liturgical formula.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ θεοῦ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'from the substance of God' (ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας) was the Nicene addition to clarify that the Son is not merely 'from God' in a general sense but shares the same divine substance.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξ ἀτόμων συμπλοκῆς καὶ ὁμοιομερῶν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius alludes to Epicurean atomism and Anaxagorean homoeomeries as materialist cosmogonies, contrasting them with Christian creation ex nihilo through the Word.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage contrasts the synod's intention (to use scriptural language) with the Eusebian evasion, then shows how the fathers were forced to adopt the more precise term 'substance' to exclude Arian interpretation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The English draft renders 'γέννημα' as 'offspring' but the Greek term can also mean 'product'; Athanasius insists it is not a creature, but the nuance is lost in translation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν, ἰδοὺ γέγονε τὰ πάντα καινά' is not a standard biblical citation; its source is uncertain, possibly a lost liturgical or apocryphal text.","The Greek 'πολυχρονίου κακοδοξίας' could be read as 'long-standing evil opinion' or 'long-standing heterodoxy'; the translation opts for the former."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":31,"ref":"p31","source":"ὁ δὲ λόγος, ἐπεὶ μὴ κτίσμα ἐστίν, εἴρηται καὶ ἔστι μόνος ἐκ τοῦ πατρός, τῆς δὲ τοιαύτης διανοίας γνώρισμα τὸ εἶναι τὸν υἱὸν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρός· οὐδενὶ γὰρ τῶν γενητῶν ὑπάρχει τοῦτο. ἀμέλει τὰ πάντα λέγων ὁ Παῦλος ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ εὐθὺς ἐπήγαγε· «καὶ εἷς κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα», ἵνα δείξῃ πᾶσιν, ὅτι ἄλλος μέν ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τῶν πάντων τῶν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γενομένων· τὰ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γενόμενα διὰ υἱοῦ γέγονε· τῆς δὲ δημι ουργίας χάριν τῆς παρὰ θεοῦ γενομένης ταῦτ' εἴρηκε καὶ οὐ διὰ τὸ εἶναι καὶ τὰ πάντα ὡς ἔστιν ὁ υἱὸς ἐκ τοῦ πατρός. οὔτε γὰρ τὰ πάντα ὡς ὁ υἱὸς οὔτε ὁ λόγος εἷς τῶν πάντων ἐστί· τῶν γὰρ πάντων κύριος καὶ δημιουργός ἐστι. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος λευκότερον εἴρηκεν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτὸν εἶναι τοῦ πατρός, ἵνα καὶ ἄλλος παρὰ τὴν τῶν γενητῶν φύσιν ὁ λόγος εἶναι πιστευθῇ μόνος ὢν ἀληθῶς ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ μη κέτι πρόφασις πρὸς ἀπάτην ὑπολείπηται τοῖς ἀσεβοῦσι. περὶ μὲν οὖν τοῦ γεγράφθαι ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας ἡ πρόφασις αὕτη.","english":"But the Word, since it is not a creature, is said and is alone from the Father; and the sign of such a meaning is that the Son is from the essence of the Father, for this belongs to none of the generated things. Indeed, Paul, when speaking of all things as from God, immediately added: \"and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things,\" in order to show to all that the Son is different from all things that have come from God; for the things that have come from God have come into being through the Son. And he said these things for the sake of the creation that came from God, and not because all things are from the Father as the Son is. For neither are all things as the Son is, nor is the Word one of all things; for he is Lord and creator of all things. For this reason, the holy synod said more clearly that he is from the essence of the Father, so that the Word might be believed to be other than the nature of generated things, being alone truly from God, and so that no pretext for deception might remain for the impious. This, then, is the reason for the phrase \"from the essence\" having been written.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'from the essence' (ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας) is the Nicene term that Athanasius defends here as distinguishing the Son from all created things.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ εἷς κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 8:6, which Paul uses to distinguish the Son's unique origin from the creation of all things through him.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Arian controversy centered on whether the Son was a creature (κτίσμα) or of the Father's essence; the Nicene council inserted 'ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας' to exclude Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage concludes Athanasius's argument that the Nicene phrase 'from the essence' was necessary to prevent Arian equivocation, linking it to Paul's distinction between the Son and creation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius's contrast between the Son as 'alone from the Father' and all things as 'through the Son' parallels his earlier argument in the same work that the Son is not a creature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text has a possible scribal break in 'δημι ουργίας' (δημιουργίας), but the sense is clear as 'creation'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":32,"ref":"p32","source":"Τῶν δὲ ἐπισκόπων πάλιν λεγόντων δεῖν γραφῆναι δύναμιν ἀληθινὴν καὶ εἰκόνα τοῦ πατρὸς τὸν λόγον ὅμοιόν τε καὶ ἀπαράλλακτον αὐτὸν κατὰ πάντα τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ἄτρεπτον καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ εἶναι ἀδιαιρέτως–οὐδέποτε γὰρ οὐκ ἦν, ἀλλὰ ἦν ὁ λόγος ἀεὶ ὑπάρχων ἀιδίως παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ ὡς ἀπαύγασμα φωτός–οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον ἠνείχοντο μὲν μὴ τολμῶντες ἀντιλέγειν διὰ τὴν αἰσχύνην, ἣν εἶχον ἐφ' οἷς ἠλέγχθησαν, κατελήφθη σαν δὲ πάλιν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς τονθορύζοντες καὶ διανεύοντες τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, ὅτι καὶ τὸ ὅμοιον καὶ τὸ ἀεὶ καὶ τὸ τῆς δυνάμεως ὄνομα καὶ τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ κοινὰ πάλιν ἐστὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ τὸν υἱόν, καὶ οὐδὲν λυπεῖ τούτοις ἡμᾶς συνθέσθαι. τὸ μὲν ὅμοιον, ὅτι καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν ἐγράφη· «εἰκών ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ δόξα θεοῦ ὑπάρχει», τὸ δὲ ἀεί, ὅτι γέγραπται· «ἀεὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες», τὸ δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ, ὅτι «ἐν αὐτῷ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν», καὶ τὸ ἄτρεπτον δέ, ὅτι γέγραπται· «οὐδὲν ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ», περὶ δὲ τῆς δυνάμεως, ὅτι καὶ ἡ κάμπη καὶ ὁ βροῦχος μὲν λέγονται δύναμις καὶ δύναμις μεγάλη, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ γέγραπται, ὥσπερ· «ἐξῆλθε πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις κυρίου ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου», καὶ ἄλλαι δὲ οὐρανίαι δυνάμεις εἰσί· «κύριος γάρ», φησί, «τῶν","english":"When the bishops again said that it was necessary to write that the Word is true power and image of the Father, like and unvarying in all things with the Father, and unchangeable and eternal and indivisibly in him—for he never was not, but the Word always existed eternally with the Father as the radiance of light—those around Eusebius endured it, not daring to contradict because of the shame they had from being refuted, but they were again caught murmuring among themselves and nodding with their eyes, saying that both the term \"like\" and \"eternal\" and the name \"power\" and \"in him\" are again common to us and the Son, and that it does not trouble them to agree to these. For \"like,\" because it was written about us: \"Man is an image and glory of God exists\"; and \"eternal,\" because it is written: \"For we who are living are eternal\"; and \"in him,\" because \"in him we live and move and are\"; and \"unchangeable,\" because it is written: \"Nothing will separate us from the love of Christ\"; and concerning \"power,\" because both the caterpillar and the locust are called power and great power, and often it is written about the people, as: \"The whole power of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt,\" and there are other heavenly powers; for \"the Lord,\" it says, \"of","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia led the semi-Arian faction at Nicaea. Athanasius portrays him and his party as dissembling, accepting orthodox-sounding terms while privately reinterpreting them in a subordinationist sense.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰκών ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ δόξα θεοῦ ὑπάρχει","severity":"info","text":"The Eusebians cite a scriptural proof that 'man is an image and glory of God' to argue that the term 'like' is common to humans and the Son. The exact source is uncertain; it may echo Genesis 1:26–27 or Wisdom of Solomon 2:23.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν αὐτῷ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν","severity":"info","text":"This phrase is not a direct biblical quotation but a paraphrase of Pauline language (cf. Ephesians 2:10, 1 Corinthians 8:6) used by the Eusebians to claim that 'in him' applies to humans as well as to the Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξῆλθε πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις κυρίου ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου","severity":"info","text":"This citation appears to be a conflation of Old Testament passages (e.g., Exodus 12:41, Numbers 33:1) used by the Eusebians to argue that 'power' (δύναμις) is a term applied to human armies and natural phenomena, not exclusively to the Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπαύγασμα φωτός","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'radiance of light' is a key Athanasian image for the Son's eternal and inseparable derivation from the Father, drawn from earlier Alexandrian theology (e.g., Origen, Philo). It underscores the Son's co-eternal and consubstantial nature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"κατελήφθησαν δὲ πάλιν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς τονθορύζοντες","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a narrative interlude showing the Eusebians' private dissent after public agreement. It contrasts their outward compliance with inward subversion, a rhetorical device Athanasius uses to discredit their sincerity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact scriptural sources for the Eusebian proof-texts are not identified by Athanasius; some may be paraphrases or conflations. The phrase 'ἀεὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες' is not a known biblical verse and may be a misquotation or a non-canonical saying."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":33,"ref":"p33","source":"δυνάμεων μεθ' ἡμῶν· ἀντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν ὁ θεὸς Ἰακώβ». τοιαῦτα γὰρ καὶ Ἀστέριος ὁ λεγόμενος σοφιστὴς παρ' αὐτῶν μαθὼν ἔγραψε καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ δὲ Ἄρειος μαθών, ὥσπερ εἴρηται. ἀλλ' οἱ ἐπίσκοποι καὶ ἐν τούτῳ θεωρήσαντες τὴν ὑπόκρισιν ἐκείνων καὶ ὅτι κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον «ἐν καρδίαις τῶν ἀσεβῶν δόλος ἐστὶ τεκταινομένων κακά», ἠναγκάσθησαν καὶ αὐτοὶ αὖθις συναγαγεῖν ἐκ τῶν γραφῶν τὴν διάνοιαν καί, ἅπερ πρό τερον ἔλεγον, ταῦτα πάλιν λευκότερον εἰπεῖν καὶ γράψαι, ὁμοούσιον εἶναι τῷ πατρὶ τὸν υἱόν, ἵνα μὴ μόνον ὅμοιον τὸν υἱόν, ἀλλὰ ταὐτὸν τῇ ὁμοιώσει ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς εἶναι σημαίνωσι καὶ ἄλλην οὖσαν τὴν τοῦ υἱοῦ ὁμοίωσιν καὶ ἀτρεψίαν δείξωσι παρὰ τὴν ἐν ἡμῖν λεγομένην μίμησιν, ἣν ἐξ ἀρετῆς διὰ τὴν τῶν ἐντολῶν τήρησιν ἡμεῖς προσλαμβάνομεν. τὰ μὲν γὰρ τῶν σωμάτων ὅμοια πρὸς ἑαυτὰ τυγχάνοντα δυνατόν πως διίστασθαι καὶ μακρὰν ἀπ' ἀλλήλων γίνεσθαι, οἷοί εἰσιν οἱ τῶν ἀνθρώπων υἱοὶ πρὸς τοὺς γεννήσαντας, ὡς γέγραπται περὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ καὶ τοῦ ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεννηθέντος Σήθ, ὃς ἦν ὅμοιος αὐτῷ «κατὰ τὴν ἰδέαν αὐτοῦ». ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡ ἐκ πατρὸς τοῦ υἱοῦ γέννησις ἄλλη παρὰ τὴν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν ἐστὶ καὶ οὐ μόνον ὅμοιος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀδιαίρετός ἐστι τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας καὶ ἓν μέν εἰσιν αὐτὸς καὶ ὁ πατήρ, ὡς αὐτὸς εἴρηκεν, ἀεὶ δὲ ἐν τῷ πατρί ἐστιν ὁ λόγος καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν τῷ λόγῳ, ὡς ἔστι τὸ ἀπαύγασμα πρὸς τὸ φῶς–τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἡ λέξις σημαίνει–, διὰ τοῦτο ἡ σύνοδος τοῦτο νοοῦσα καλῶς ὁμοούσιον ἔγραψεν, ἵνα τήν τε τῶν αἱρετικῶν κακοήθειαν ἀνατρέψωσι καὶ δείξωσιν ἄλλον εἶναι τῶν γενητῶν τὸν λόγον.","english":"of powers with us; our helper is the God of Jacob.\" For such things Asterius the so-called sophist, having learned from them, wrote, and Arius himself, having learned from him, as has been said. But the bishops, observing in this the hypocrisy of those men and that, as it is written, \"in the hearts of the impious there is deceit contriving evils,\" were compelled again to gather from the Scriptures the meaning and, what they had said before, to state and write more clearly, that the Son is homoousios with the Father, so that they might signify not only that the Son is like, but that he is the same in likeness from the Father, and show that the Son's likeness and unchangeableness is different from the imitation spoken of in us, which we acquire from virtue through the keeping of the commandments. For things of bodies that are like each other can somehow be separated and become far from one another, as are the sons of men in relation to their begetters, as is written about Adam and Seth born from him, who was like him \"according to his form.\" But since the generation of the Son from the Father is different from the nature of men, and he is not only like but also indivisible from the Father's substance, and he and the Father are one, as he himself has said, and the Word is always in the Father and the Father in the Word, as the radiance is to the light—for this the term signifies—therefore the council, understanding this, rightly wrote homoousios, so as to overturn the malice of the heretics and show that the Word is different from generated things.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν καρδίαις τῶν ἀσεβῶν δόλος ἐστὶ τεκταινομένων κακά","severity":"info","text":"A loose citation of Psalm 64:7 LXX (ἐν καρδίᾳ γὰρ τῶν ἀσεβῶν δόλος ἐστίν, τεκταινομένων κακά). Athanasius adapts the wording to fit his argument.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ὁμοούσιον","severity":"info","text":"The key Nicene term 'homoousios' (of the same substance). Athanasius explains it as signifying not mere likeness but identity of essence, distinguishing it from human generation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"κατὰ τὴν ἰδέαν αὐτοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Reference to Genesis 5:3 LXX, where Seth is born 'according to his form' (κατὰ τὴν ἰδέαν αὐτοῦ). Athanasius uses this to contrast human likeness with the divine.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἀστέριος ὁ λεγόμενος σοφιστής","severity":"info","text":"Asterius the Sophist, a pro-Arian theologian active in the early 4th century. Athanasius presents him as a source for Arius' ideas, linking the heresy to a known figure.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ ἀπαύγασμα πρὸς τὸ φῶς","severity":"info","text":"The analogy of radiance to light, used to illustrate the Son's inseparable relation to the Father. This is a common patristic image (cf. Origen, Athanasius elsewhere).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἠναγκάσθησαν καὶ αὐτοὶ αὖθις συναγαγεῖν","severity":"info","text":"The narrative describes a second stage of conciliar deliberation: the bishops, seeing hypocrisy, are compelled to gather scriptural meaning and write more clearly, leading to the term homoousios.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἐν καρδίαις τῶν ἀσεβῶν δόλος ἐστὶ τεκταινομένων κακά' is a free adaptation of Psalm 64:7; the exact source is not cited by Athanasius. The reading taken assumes a deliberate scriptural echo."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":34,"ref":"p34","source":"καὶ γὰρ τοῦτο γράψαντες εὐθὺς ἐπήγαγον· «τοὺς δὲ λέγοντας ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ κτιστὸν ἢ τρεπτὸν ἢ ποίημα ἢ ἐξ ἑτέρας οὐσίας τούτους ἀναθεματίζει ἡ ἁγία καὶ καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία». ταῦτα δὲ εἰρηκότες ἐδήλωσαν φανερῶς, ὅτι τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας καὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον ἀναιρετικὰ τῶν τῆς ἀσεβείας λογαρίων εἰσίν, ἅπερ ἐστὶ κτίσμα καὶ ποίημα καὶ γενητὸν καὶ τρεπτὸν καὶ οὐκ ἦν πρὶν γεννηθῇ. ὁ γὰρ ταῦτα φρονῶν ἀντιλέγει τῇ συνόδῳ, ὁ δὲ τὰ Ἀρείου μὴ φρονῶν ἐξ ἀνάγκης τὰ τῆς συνόδου φρονεῖ καὶ διανοεῖται καλῶς αὐτὰ βλέπων, ὅπως ἐστὶ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα πρὸς τὸ φῶς, καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὴν εἰκόνα τῆς ἀληθείας λαμβάνων. Οὐκοῦν εἰ τὰ ῥήματα καὶ οὗτοι ὡς ξένα προφασίζονται, φρονείτωσαν τὴν διάνοιαν, καθ' ἣν ἡ σύνοδος οὕτως ἔγραψεν, ἀναθεματίζοντες ἅπερ ἀνεθεμάτισεν ἡ σύνοδος καὶ λοιπόν, εἰ δύνανται, μεμφέσθωσαν τὰς λέξεις. εὖ δὲ οἶδα, ὅτι φρονήσαντες τὴν διάνοιαν τῆς συνόδου καὶ τὰ ῥήματα τῆς διανοίας πάντως ἀποδέξονται. ἂν δὲ καὶ ταύτην αἰτιᾶσθαι θελήσωσι, δῆλοι πᾶσίν εἰσι μάτην καὶ περὶ ἐκείνων λέγοντες καὶ μόνον ἀφορμὰς ἑαυτοῖς εἰς ἀσέβειαν ἐπινοοῦντες. ἡ μὲν οὖν πρόφασις τῶν τοιούτων λέξεων αὕτη· εἰ δ' ὅτι καὶ μὴ ἔγγραφοί εἰσι πάλιν γογγύζουσιν, αὐτόθεν μὲν αὐτοὶ ἐκβαλλέσθωσαν ὡς κενολογοῦντες καὶ τὸν νοῦν οὐχ ὑγιαίνοντες· ἑαυτοὺς δὲ καὶ ἐν τούτοις αἰτιάσθωσαν, ὅτι πρῶτοι παρασχόντες τὴν τοιαύτην πρόφασιν ἐξ ἀγράφων θεομαχεῖν ἤρξαντο.","english":"For having written this, they immediately added: “But those who say that the Son of God is from non-existence, or is created, or changeable, or a work, or from another substance, these the holy and catholic church anathematizes.” And having said these things, they clearly showed that the phrase “from the substance” and the term “homoousios” are destructive of the impious notions, which are: creation, work, generated, changeable, and “he was not before he was begotten.” For he who holds these opinions opposes the synod, while he who does not hold the opinions of Arius necessarily holds those of the synod and rightly understands them, seeing how the radiance relates to the light, and from this taking the image of the truth. Therefore, if these men also plead that the terms are foreign, let them accept the meaning according to which the synod wrote thus, anathematizing what the synod anathematized, and then, if they can, let them find fault with the words. But I know well that once they accept the meaning of the synod, they will certainly also accept the words of that meaning. But if they wish to find fault even with this meaning, it is clear to all that they are speaking vainly about those matters and are only devising pretexts for themselves for impiety. This, then, is the pretext concerning such terms. But if they again murmur that these terms are not in Scripture, let them be cast out at once as talking idly and not being sound in mind; and let them blame themselves in this matter also, because they were the first to provide such a pretext, having begun to fight against God from unwritten sources.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τοὺς δὲ λέγοντας ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ κτιστὸν ἢ τρεπτὸν ἢ ποίημα ἢ ἐξ ἑτέρας οὐσίας τούτους ἀναθεματίζει ἡ ἁγία καὶ καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία","severity":"info","text":"This is a quotation of the Nicene anathemas, not a biblical verse, but it echoes scriptural language of exclusion (e.g., 1 Cor 16:22).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁμοούσιον","severity":"info","text":"The term 'homoousios' (consubstantial) is central to the Nicene Creed; Athanasius defends it as scripturally grounded despite its absence from the Bible.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπαύγασμα","severity":"info","text":"The analogy of radiance (ἀπαύγασμα) to light is a common patristic image for the Son's derivation from the Father, used by Athanasius to illustrate consubstantiality.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὐκοῦν","severity":"info","text":"The particle 'Οὐκοῦν' (therefore) marks a logical conclusion in Athanasius' argument, transitioning from citation to exhortation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγράφων","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius accuses his opponents of 'fighting against God from unwritten sources' (ἀγράφων), a charge that reflects the fourth-century debate over the authority of non-scriptural terms.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξ ἑτέρας οὐσίας","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'from another substance' (ἐξ ἑτέρας οὐσίας) is ambiguous: it could mean a different divine substance or a created substance; Athanasius treats it as impious.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text does not specify whether 'ἐξ ἑτέρας οὐσίας' refers to a different divine substance or a non-divine one; Athanasius assumes the latter.","The identity of 'these men' (οὗτοι) is unclear from the passage alone, but context suggests Arian sympathizers."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":35,"ref":"p35","source":"γινωσκέτω δὲ ὅμως, εἴ τίς ἐστι φιλομαθής, ὅτι εἰ καὶ μὴ οὕτως ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς εἰσιν αἱ λέξεις, ἀλλά, καθάπερ εἴρηται πρότερον, τὴν ἐκ τῶν γραφῶν διάνοιαν ἔχουσι καὶ ταύτην ἐκφω νούμεναι σημαίνουσι τοῖς ἔχουσιν εἰς εὐσέβειαν τὴν ἀκοὴν ὁλόκληρον. σκοπεῖν δὲ τοῦτό σε μὲν ἔξεστιν, ἐκείνους δὲ κατακούειν τοὺς ἀπαιδεύτους. δέδεικται ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἀληθὲς πιστεύειν, τὸν λόγον ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς εἶναι καὶ μόνον ἴδιον αὐτοῦ καὶ φύσει γέννημα. πόθεν γὰρ ἄλλοθεν νοήσειέ τις τὸν υἱόν, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ σοφία καὶ ὁ λόγος, ἐν ᾧ τὰ πάντα γέγονεν, ἢ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ; ὅμως δὲ τοῦτο καὶ παρὰ τῶν γραφῶν μεμαθήκαμεν, τοῦ μὲν πατρὸς διὰ τοῦ Δαυὶδ λέγοντος· «ἐξηρεύξατο ἡ καρδία μου λόγον ἀγαθόν», καί· «ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐγέννησά σε», τοῦ δὲ υἱοῦ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ δεικνύντος τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις «εἰ ὁ θεὸς πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἦν, ἠγαπᾶτε ἂν ἐμέ· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐξῆλθον», καὶ πάλιν· «οὐχ ὅτι τὸν\n\nπατέρα τις ἑώρακεν, εἰ μὴ ὁ ὢν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ, οὗτος ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα», καὶ μὴν καὶ τό· «ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν», καί· «ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρί, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί» ἴσον ἐστὶ τῷ λέγειν· ἐγὼ ἐκ τοῦ πατρός εἰμι καὶ ἀδιαίρετος αὐτοῦ. καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης δὲ λέγων· «ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός, ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρός, ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο», μαθὼν ταῦτα παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς εἴρηκε. τί γὰρ ἄλλο τὸ ἐν κόλποις σημαίνει ἢ τὴν γνησίαν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ υἱοῦ γέννησιν;","english":"Let it be known, however, if anyone is a lover of learning, that even if the words are not thus found in the Scriptures, yet, as has been said before, they contain the meaning of the Scriptures, and when uttered they signify this to those whose hearing is whole for piety. It is for you to consider this, and for the unlearned to listen. It has been shown in the foregoing, and it is true to believe, that the Word is from the Father and is his own and natural offspring. For from what other source could one conceive the Son, who is the wisdom and the Word, in whom all things have come to be, except from God himself? Yet we have learned this also from the Scriptures, the Father saying through David: “My heart brought forth a good word,” and “From the womb before the morning star I begot you,” and the Son showing concerning himself to the Jews: “If God were your father, you would love me; for I came out from the Father,” and again: “Not that anyone has seen the Father, unless he who is from God has seen the Father,” and indeed also: “I and the Father are one,” and “I am in the Father, and the Father is in me” is equivalent to saying: I am from the Father and inseparable from him. And John also, saying: “The only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, that one expounded,” said this having learned it from the Father. For what else does “in the bosom” signify than the genuine generation of the Son from the Father?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὴν ἐκ τῶν γραφῶν διάνοιαν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius argues that the Nicene terms, though not verbatim in Scripture, convey its meaning (διάνοιαν). This is a key hermeneutical defense of non-biblical theological language.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξηρεύξατο ἡ καρδία μου λόγον ἀγαθόν","severity":"info","text":"A paraphrase of Psalm 45:17 (LXX 44:17), adapted to support the generation of the Word from the Father. The original speaks of a 'good word' from the heart.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐγέννησά σε","severity":"info","text":"Likely a loose citation of Psalm 110:3 (LXX 109:3), where the speaker is David. Athanasius reads it as the Father addressing the Son, a typological interpretation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ ὁ θεὸς πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἦν, ἠγαπᾶτε ἂν ἐμέ· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐξῆλθον","severity":"info","text":"A free adaptation of John 8:42 and 8:19, conflating Jesus' words about coming from the Father. Not a direct quotation but a theological paraphrase.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν","severity":"info","text":"Alludes to John 10:30, a key verse for Nicene theology. Athanasius interprets it as expressing the Son's inseparable origin from the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός, ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρός, ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο","severity":"info","text":"A paraphrase of John 1:18, with 'bosom' (κόλπον) used to denote the Son's intimate origin from the Father. Not a verbatim citation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text has a lacuna after 'πάλιν·' where the citation is incomplete; the English draft supplies a plausible continuation based on context.","The exact scriptural sources of several paraphrases are uncertain; Athanasius adapts freely."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":36,"ref":"p36","source":"Εἰ μὲν οὖν τὸν θεὸν ἡγεῖταί τις εἶναι σύνθετον ὡς ἐν τῇ οὐσίᾳ τὸ συμβεβηκὸς ἢ ἔξωθέν τινα περιβολὴν ἔχειν καὶ καλύπτεσθαι ἢ εἶναί τινα περὶ αὐτὸν τὰ συμπληροῦντα τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ, ὥστε λέγοντας ἡμᾶς θεὸν ἢ ὀνομάζοντας πατέρα μὴ αὐτὴν τὴν ἀόρατον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκατάληπτον οὐσίαν σημαίνειν, ἀλλά τι τῶν περὶ αὐτόν, μεμφέσθωσαν μὲν τὴν σύνοδον γράψασαν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας εἶναι τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν υἱόν, κατανοείτωσαν δέ, ὅτι δύο ταῦτα βλασφημοῦσιν οὕτω διανοούμενοι. τόν τε γὰρ θεὸν σωματικόν τινα εἰσά γουσι καὶ τὸν κύριον οὐκ αὐτοῦ τοῦ πατρός, ἀλλὰ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν εἶναι υἱὸν κατα ψεύδονται. εἰ δὲ ἁπλοῦν τί ἐστιν ὁ θεός, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστι, δηλονότι λέγοντες τὸν θεὸν καὶ ὀνομάζοντες τὸν πατέρα οὐδέν τι ὡς περὶ αὐτὸν ὀνομάζομεν, ἀλλ' αὐτὴν τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ σημαίνομεν. κἂν γὰρ καταλαβεῖν ὅ, τί ποτέ ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐσία, μὴ ᾖ δυνατόν, ἀλλὰ μόνον νοοῦντες εἶναι τὸν θεὸν καὶ τῆς γραφῆς ἐν τούτοις αὐτὸν σημαινούσης οὐκ ἄλλον τινὰ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἢ αὐτὸν σημᾶναι θέλοντες λέγομεν θεὸν καὶ πατέρα καὶ κύριον. ὅταν γοῦν λέγῃ· «ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν», καὶ τὸ «ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεός», καὶ ὅπου ποτὲ λέγει ἡ γραφὴ «ὁ θεός», ἡμεῖς ἀναγινώσκοντες οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ αὐτὴν τὴν ἀκατάληπτον αὐτοῦ οὐσίαν σημαινομένην νοοῦμεν καὶ ὅτι ἔστιν ὅνπερ λέγουσιν. οὐκοῦν μὴ ξενιζέσθω τις ἀκούων ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ θεοῦ εἶναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον ἀποδεχέσθω τοὺς πατέρας διακαθάραντας τὸν νοῦν καὶ λευκότερον καὶ ὡς ἐκ παραλλήλου τὸ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γράψαντας τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας.","english":"If, then, one considers God to be composite, as having accident in substance, or to have some external covering and to be concealed, or to have something around Him that completes His substance, so that when we say \"God\" or name \"Father\" we do not signify His invisible and incomprehensible substance itself, but something about Him, let them blame the synod for writing that the Son is from the substance of God, but let them understand that they blaspheme in two ways by thinking thus. For they introduce God as something corporeal and falsely claim that the Lord is not the Son of the Father Himself, but of the things around Him. But if God is simple, as indeed He is, then clearly when we say \"God\" and name \"Father,\" we name nothing as around Him, but signify His substance itself. For even if it is not possible to comprehend what the substance of God is, yet we, understanding only that God exists, and with Scripture signifying Him in these terms, wishing to signify no other than Him, say \"God\" and \"Father\" and \"Lord.\" When, then, it says, \"I am the one who is,\" and \"I am the Lord God,\" and wherever Scripture says \"the God,\" we, reading, understand that nothing other than His incomprehensible substance itself is signified, and that He is what they say. Therefore, let no one be astonished hearing that the Son of God is from the substance of God, but rather let them accept the fathers, who purified the mind and, more clearly and as if by comparison, wrote \"from the substance\" instead of \"from God.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"σύνθετον","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius contrasts a composite God (σύνθετον) with a simple God (ἁπλοῦν), arguing that the Nicene phrase 'from the substance' presupposes divine simplicity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας' (from the substance) is the Nicene formula Athanasius defends, equating it with 'ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ' (from God) to assert the Son's consubstantiality.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν' (I am the one who is) echoes Exodus 3:14 LXX, where God reveals His name to Moses, used here to ground divine substance in scriptural revelation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"συμβεβηκός","severity":"info","text":"The term 'συμβεβηκός' (accident) reflects Aristotelian categories, showing Athanasius engages philosophical language to refute Arian claims of divine composition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Εἰ μὲν ... εἰ δὲ","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a conditional structure (Εἰ μὲν ... εἰ δὲ) to contrast a false view of God as composite with the true view of God as simple, leading to the defense of the Nicene phrase.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τοὺς πατέρας","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius calls the Nicene fathers 'τοὺς πατέρας' (the fathers), framing their decision as a purification of thought, which shaped later orthodox reception of the creed.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek 'ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας' is ambiguous between a metaphysical claim about the Son's origin and a scriptural paraphrase; Athanasius treats it as equivalent to 'ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":37,"ref":"p37","source":"ταὐτὸν γὰρ ἡγήσαντο τὸ λέγειν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὸ λέγειν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ θεοῦ εἶναι τὸν λόγον, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸ θεός, καθὰ προεῖπον, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ τοῦ ὄντος σημαίνει. εἰ μὲν οὖν μὴ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν ὁ λόγος, ὡς ἂν εἴη υἱὸς φύσει γνήσιος ἐκ πατρός, ἀλλ' ὡς τὰ κτίσματα διὰ τὸ δεδημιουργῆσθαι λέγεται καὶ αὐτὸς ὡς τὰ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, οὔτε ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας ἐστὶ τοῦ πατρὸς οὔτε αὐτὸς ὁ υἱὸς κατ' οὐσίαν ἐστὶν υἱός, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἀρετῆς, ὡς ἡμεῖς οἱ κατὰ χάριν καλούμενοι υἱοί. εἰ δὲ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστι μόνος ὡς υἱὸς γνήσιος, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστι, λεχθείη ἂν εἰκότως καὶ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ υἱός. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ παράδειγμα τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος τοιοῦτον ἔχει τὸν νοῦν. οὐ γὰρ κατὰ τὸ ἐξαπτόμενον ἐκ τῆς θέρμης τοῦ ἡλίου πῦρ, ὅπερ καὶ σβέννυσθαι πάλιν εἴωθεν, εἰρήκασιν οἱ ἅγιοι εἶναι τὸν λόγον πρὸς τὸν θεόν, τοῦτο γὰρ ἔργον ἔξωθεν καὶ κτίσμα τοῦ ποιοῦντος ἦν, ἀλλὰ ἀπαύγασμα αὐτὸν εὐηγγελίσαντο πάντες, ἵνα τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας ἴδιον καὶ ἀδιαίρετον καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἑνότητα δηλώσωσι. καὶ γὰρ οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἄτρεπτον καὶ ἀναλλοίωτον αὐτὸν ἀληθῶς εἶναι σωθήσεται· πῶς γὰρ ἂν ἄλλως εἴη τοιοῦτος, εἰ μὴ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας ἴδιόν ἐστι γέννημα; ἀνάγκη γὰρ καὶ ἐν τούτῳ τὴν ταυτότητα πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα σώζειν. οὕτω δὴ τοῦ λόγου φανέντος εὐσεβοῦς ἀκόλουθον ἂν εἴη μηδὲ ἐπὶ τῷ ὁμοουσίῳ ξενίζεσθαι τοὺς χριστομάχους, ἐχούσης καὶ τῆς λέξεως ταύτης ὑγιῆ τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ τὴν ἀπόδειξιν.","english":"They considered it the same thing to say \"from God\" and to say \"from the substance of God\" that the Word is, since \"God,\" as I said before, signifies nothing other than the substance of that which exists. If, then, the Word is not from God as a genuine son would be from a father by nature, but as creatures are said to be from God because they have been created, and He Himself is said to be from God as all things are, then He is neither from the substance of the Father nor is He Himself a son according to substance, but by virtue, as we who are called sons by grace. But if He alone is from God as a genuine son, as indeed He is, then it would be fittingly said that the Son is also from the substance of God. For indeed the example of light and radiance has such a meaning. For the saints have not said that the Word is to God as fire kindled from the heat of the sun, which is also accustomed to be extinguished again—for that would be an external work and a creature of the maker—but they all proclaimed Him to be radiance, in order to show the property, indivisibility, and unity with the Father that comes from the substance. For in this way His being unchangeable and immutable will truly be preserved; for how could He be such otherwise, unless He is a proper offspring of the Father's substance? For it is necessary to preserve identity with His own Father in this as well. Thus, the Word having appeared pious, it would be consistent for the Christomachians not to be shocked at the term \"homoousios,\" since this expression also has a sound meaning and demonstration.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"οὐσίας","severity":"info","text":"The term 'οὐσίας' (substance/essence) is central to Athanasius' argument, equating 'from God' with 'from the substance of God' to affirm the Son's consubstantiality.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ὁμοουσίῳ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'ὁμοουσίῳ' (homoousios, of the same substance) is defended as having a sound meaning, consistent with the Nicene Creed's affirmation of the Son's consubstantiality with the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"φωτὸς καὶ τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος","severity":"info","text":"The analogy of light and radiance (ἀπαύγασμα) illustrates the Son's eternal, inseparable derivation from the Father's substance, contrasting with created fire that can be extinguished.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"χριστομάχους","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Christomachians' (Christ-fighters) refers to opponents of Nicene orthodoxy, likely Arians or their sympathizers, whom Athanasius accuses of rejecting the term homoousios.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage builds a conditional argument: if the Son is not a genuine son from the Father's substance, he is merely a creature; but since he is a genuine son, he must be from the substance, leading to the defense of homoousios.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius' equation of 'from God' with 'from the substance of God' became a standard Nicene argument, influencing later Trinitarian theology and the defense of the Creed of Nicaea.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is clear; no significant ambiguities in this passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":38,"ref":"p38","source":"εἰ γὰρ δή φαμεν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας εἶναι τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν λόγον (λοιπὸν γὰρ ἡ λέξις ὁμολογείσθω καὶ παρ' αὐτῶν), τί ἂν εἴη τοῦτο ἢ τὸ ἀληθῶς καὶ ἀίδιον τῆς οὐσίας, ἐξ ἧς καὶ γεγέννηται; οὐ γὰρ ἑτερο ειδές, ἵνα μὴ ξένον καὶ ἀνόμοιον τῇ οὐσίᾳ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐπιμιγνύηται, οὐδὲ ἔξωθεν ἁπλῶς ὅμοιος, ἵνα μὴ καθ' ἕτερον ἢ ὅλως ἑτεροούσιος φαίνηται, ὥσπερ χαλκὸς στίλβων καὶ χρυσὸς καὶ ἄργυρος καὶ κασσίτερος. ταῦτα γὰρ ξένα καὶ ἑτεροφυῆ ἀλλήλων καὶ ἀπεσχοινισ\n\nμένα τῇ φύσει καὶ τῇ δυνάμει τυγχάνουσι· καὶ οὔτε ὁ χαλκὸς ἴδιος τοῦ χρυσοῦ οὔτε ἡ φάσσα ἐκ τῆς περιστερᾶς, ἀλλὰ ὅμοια μὲν νομίζεται εἶναι, ἑτεροούσια δὲ ἀλλήλων ἐστίν. εἰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ὁ υἱὸς οὕτως ἐστίν, ἔστω κτίσμα ὥσπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ μὴ ὁμοούσιος· εἰ δὲ υἱός ἐστι λόγος, σοφία, εἰκὼν τοῦ πατρός, ἀπαύγασμα, εἰκότως ὁμοούσιος ἂν εἴη. εἰ μὴ γὰρ τὸ μὴ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλ' ὡς ὄργανον ἑτεροφυὲς καὶ ἑτεροούσιον δείκνυται, καλῶς ἄρα ἡ σύνοδος ἔγραψε καὶ νενόηκεν ὀρθῶς. Ἐξῃρήσθω δὲ πάλιν ἐν τούτοις πᾶς λογισμὸς σωματικός, φαντασίαν τε πάσης αἰσθήσεως ὑπερβάντες καθαρᾷ τῇ νοήσει καὶ μόνῳ τῷ νῷ νοῶμεν υἱοῦ πρὸς πατέρα τὸ γνήσιον καὶ λόγου τὴν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἰδιότητα καὶ τὴν ἀπαράλλακτον ὁμοιότητα τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος πρὸς τὸ φῶς. ὡς γὰρ τὸ γέννημα καὶ τὸ υἱὸς οὐκ ἀνθρώπινον, ἀλλ' ὡς θεῷ πρέπον ἐστίν, εἴρηταί τε καὶ ἔστι, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον τὴν λέξιν τοῦ ὁμοουσίου ἀκού οντες μὴ εἰς τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας αἰσθήσεις πίπτοντες μερισμοὺς καὶ διαιρέσεις τῆς θεότητος λογιζώμεθα·","english":"For if we say that the Word is from the substance of God (for let the expression be admitted even by them), what else would this be than that which is truly and eternally of the substance from which he has also been generated? For it is not of a different form, so that something foreign and unlike the substance of the father might be mixed in, nor is it simply similar from without, so that it might appear according to another or altogether of a different substance, like gleaming bronze and gold and silver and tin. For these are foreign and of different nature from one another and are separated in nature and power; and neither is bronze proper to gold, nor is the dove from the pigeon, but they are considered similar, yet are of different substance from one another. If, then, the Son is likewise, let him be a creature like us and not homoousios; but if he is Son, Word, Wisdom, Image of the Father, Radiance, he would reasonably be homoousios. For if he is not from God, but is shown to be like a foreign instrument of different nature and different substance, then the council has written well and understood correctly. Let every corporeal reasoning be removed again in these matters, and having transcended all imagination of sense perception, let us conceive with pure intellection and with the mind alone the genuineness of the Son toward the Father, the properness of the Word toward God, and the unvarying likeness of the radiance to the light. For just as \"offspring\" and \"son\" are not human, but are spoken and exist as is fitting for God, in the same way, when we hear the expression \"homoousios,\" let us not fall into human sense perceptions and conceive of divisions and separations of the divinity.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ὁμοούσιος","severity":"info","text":"The term 'homoousios' (of the same substance) is the central theological term of the Nicene Creed, here defended by Athanasius against Arian interpretations that would reduce the Son to a creature or a merely similar being.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius refutes the Arian claim that the Son is 'from God' only in the sense that all creatures are from God, arguing instead for a unique, substantial generation from the Father's own substance.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"χαλκὸς στίλβων καὶ χρυσὸς καὶ ἄργυρος καὶ κασσίτερος","severity":"info","text":"The analogy of gleaming bronze, gold, silver, and tin illustrates that mere external similarity does not imply identity of substance; Athanasius uses this to reject the Arian view of the Son as merely similar to the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms part of a sustained argument that the Son's generation from the Father's substance entails his being homoousios, concluding with an exhortation to avoid corporeal reasoning and to understand the term in a divine sense.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐξῃρήσθω δὲ πάλιν ἐν τούτοις πᾶς λογισμὸς σωματικός","severity":"caution","text":"Athanasius warns against interpreting 'homoousios' with material or anthropomorphic categories, a caution that reflects the ongoing controversy over the term's potential misuse to imply division or separation within the Godhead.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This defense of 'homoousios' became foundational for Nicene orthodoxy, influencing later creedal formulations and the Council of Constantinople (381) in affirming the Son's consubstantiality with the Father.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text at the end of the passage is slightly fragmented in the source edition, but the sense is clear from the context."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":39,"ref":"p39","source":"ἀλλ' ὡς ἐπὶ ἀσωμάτων διανοούμενοι τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς φύσεως καὶ τὴν ταυτότητα τοῦ φωτὸς μὴ διαιρῶμεν. τοῦτο γὰρ ἴδιον υἱοῦ πρὸς πατέρα καὶ τοῦτο δείκνυσι τὸν θεὸν ἀληθῶς ὄντα πατέρα τοῦ λόγου. πάλιν γὰρ τὸ παράδειγμα τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος ἀναγκαῖον εἰς τοῦτο. τίς τολμήσει λέγειν τὸ ἀπαύγασμα ξένον καὶ ἀνόμοιον εἶναι τοῦ ἡλίου; ἢ τίς μᾶλλον ἐνορῶν οὕτως τὸ ἀπαύγασμα πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν ταυτότητα τοῦ φωτὸς οὐκ ἂν εἴποι θαρρήσας· ὄντως τὸ φῶς καὶ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα ἕν εἰσι καὶ τοῦτο ἐν ἐκείνῳ δείκνυται καὶ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα ἐν τῷ ἡλίῳ τυγχάνει ὄν, ὥστε τὸν ὁρῶντα τοῦτο βλέπειν κἀκεῖνο; τὴν δὲ τοιαύτην ἑνότητα καὶ φυ σικὴν ἰδιότητα πῶς ἂν οἱ πιστεύοντες καὶ βλέποντες ὀρθῶς καλέσαιεν ἢ ὁμοούσιον γέν νημα; τὸ δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ γέννημα τί ἄν τις οἰκείως καὶ πρεπόντως νοήσειεν ἢ λόγον καὶ σοφίαν καὶ δύναμιν, ἥνπερ οὔτε τοῦ πατρὸς λέγειν ξένην ὅσιόν ἐστιν οὔτε μὴ ἀιδίως εἶναι παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ κἂν φαντάζεσθαι θέμις ἐστί; τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ γεννήματι τὰ πάντα πεποίηκεν ὁ πατὴρ καὶ τὴν εἰς πάντα πρόνοιαν ἐκτείνων δι' αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπεύεται. καὶ οὕτως ἓν αὐτὸς καὶ ὁ πατήρ εἰσιν, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, εἰ μὴ ἄρα οἱ κακόφρονες τολμή σαντες πάλιν εἴποιεν ἄλλην εἶναι τὴν τοῦ λόγου οὐσίαν καὶ ἄλλο τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ φῶς, ἵν' ᾖ τὸ μὲν ἐν τῷ υἱῷ φῶς ἓν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, αὐτὸς δὲ ξένος κατ' οὐσίαν ὡς κτίσμα. ἀλλὰ τοῦτο τοῦ Καιάφα καὶ τοῦ Σαμοσατέως ἀτεχνῶς ἐστι τὸ φρόνημα, ὅπερ ἡ μὲν ἐκκλησία ἐξέβαλεν, οὗτοι δὲ νῦν ὑποκρίνονται, διὸ καὶ αὐτοὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐκπε σόντες ἀπεδείχθησαν αἱρετικοί.","english":"But as we think of incorporeal things, let us not divide the unity of nature and the identity of light. For this is proper to the Son in relation to the Father, and this shows that God is truly the Father of the Word. Again, the example of light and radiance is necessary for this. Who would dare to say that the radiance is foreign and unlike the sun? Or who, looking thus at the radiance in relation to the sun and the identity of light, would not confidently say: truly the light and the radiance are one, and this is shown in that, and the radiance exists in the sun, so that one who sees this also sees that? And how would those who believe and see rightly call such unity and natural property except \"homoousion\" and \"offspring\"? And what would one properly and fittingly understand the offspring of God to be except Word and Wisdom and Power, which it is not pious to say is foreign to the Father, nor is it lawful even to imagine that it does not exist eternally with the Father? For by this offspring the Father has made all things, and extending his providence over all things through it, he shows his love for humanity. And thus he and the Father are one, as has been said, unless the evil-minded, daring again, should say that the substance of the Word is different and that the light from the Father in him is something else, so that the light in the Son is one with the Father, but the Son himself is foreign in substance, as a creature. But this is plainly the opinion of Caiaphas and of Samosatenus, which the Church cast out, and these men now pretend, and therefore they have been shown to be heretics, having fallen from the truth.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁμοούσιον","severity":"info","text":"The term 'homoousion' (consubstantial) is here explicitly linked to the unity of nature and identity of light, reinforcing its Nicene usage against Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Καιάφας","severity":"info","text":"Caiaphas, the high priest in the Gospels, is invoked as a figure of opposition to Christian truth, here paired with Paul of Samosata, a third-century bishop condemned for adoptionist Christology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"φῶς καὶ ἀπαύγασμα","severity":"info","text":"The analogy of light and radiance (sun and its ray) is a standard patristic illustration of the Son's eternal and inseparable generation from the Father, used also by Origen and later by the Cappadocians.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ' ὡς ἐπὶ ἀσωμάτων διανοούμενοι","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from a previous argument about substance to a series of rhetorical questions and analogies, culminating in a condemnation of opponents as heretics.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"αἱρετικοί","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius labels his opponents as heretics, aligning them with condemned figures (Caiaphas, Paul of Samosata), a rhetorical strategy that shaped later orthodox historiography.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὸ δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ γέννημα' could be read as 'the offspring of God' or 'the generation of God'; the translation opts for 'offspring' to emphasize the Son as product, not process."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":40,"ref":"p40","source":"εἰ γὰρ ὅλως μετέχει τοῦ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς φωτός, διατί μὴ μᾶλλον αὐτός ἐστι τὸ μετεχόμενον, ἵνα μὴ μέσον αὐτοῦ τι καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς εὑρίσκηται; εἰ γὰρ μὴ οὕτως ἐστίν, οὐκέτι δείκνυται διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ γεγενῆσθαι τὰ πάντα, ἀλλὰ δι' ἐκείνου, οὗ καὶ αὐτὸς μετέχει. εἰ δὲ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος, ἡ σοφία τοῦ πατρός, ἐν ᾧ ὁ πατὴρ ἀποκαλύπτεται καὶ γινώσκεται καὶ δημιουργεῖ καὶ οὗ ἄνευ οὐδὲν ὁ πατὴρ ποιεῖ, δηλονότι αὐτός ἐστι τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πατρός· αὐτοῦ γὰρ καὶ πάντα τὰ γενητὰ μετέχει, μετέ χοντα τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος. οὕτω δὲ ὢν οὐκ ἔσται ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων οὔτε ὅλως κτίσμα, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἴδιον γέννημα ὡς ἐκ φωτὸς τὸ ἀπαύγασμα. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐν τῇ Νικαίᾳ συνελθόντες ταύτην ἔχοντες τὴν διάνοιαν τοιαύτας καὶ τὰς λέξεις ἔγραψαν. ὅτι δὲ οὐχ ἑαυτοῖς πλάσαντες ἐπενόησαν ταύτας, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοῦτο προφασίζονται, ἀλλ' ἄνωθεν παρὰ τῶν πρὸ αὐτῶν παραλαβόντες εἰρήκασι, φέρε καὶ τοῦτο διελέγξωμεν, ἵνα μηδὲ αὕτη αὐτοῖς ἡ πρόφασις περιλείπηται. μάθετε τοίνυν, ὦ χριστομάχοι Ἀρειανοί, ὅτι Θεόγνωστος μέν, ἀνὴρ λόγιος, οὐ παρῃτήσατο τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας εἰπεῖν. γράφων γὰρ περὶ υἱοῦ ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ τῶν ὑποτυπώσεων οὕτως εἴρηκεν· «οὐκ ἔξωθέν τίς ἐστιν ἐφευρεθεῖσα ἡ τοῦ υἱοῦ οὐσία οὐδὲ ἐκ μὴ ὄντων ἐπεισήχθη,» ἀλλὰ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας ἔφυ ὡς τοῦ","english":"For if it partakes at all of the light from the Father, why is it not rather itself that which is partaken, so that nothing intermediate between it and the Father may be found? For if it is not so, then it is no longer shown that all things have come to be through the Son, but through that of which he himself partakes. But if this is the Word, the wisdom of the Father, in whom the Father is revealed and known and creates, and without whom the Father does nothing, it is clear that this is that which is from the Father; for all created things partake of him, partaking of the Holy Spirit. Being thus, he will not be from non-existent things nor a creature at all, but rather a proper offspring from the Father, as the radiance from light. Now those who assembled at Nicaea, having this meaning, wrote such expressions. And that they did not invent these for themselves, devising them, since they also allege this, but received them from those before them and spoke them, come, let us refute this also, so that not even this pretext may remain for them. Learn then, O Christ-fighting Arians, that Theognostus, a learned man, did not shrink from saying \"from the essence.\" For writing about the Son in the second book of his Hypotyposes, he spoke thus: \"The substance of the Son is not something introduced from outside nor was it brought in from non-existent things, but it grew from the substance of the Father, as","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς φωτός","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the light from the Father' is a key metaphor for the Son's derivation from the Father, used to argue against Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'from the essence' (ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας) is a technical term in the Nicene controversy, asserting the Son's consubstantiality with the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Θεόγνωστος","severity":"info","text":"Theognostus of Alexandria (3rd century) was a learned theologian whose work 'Hypotyposes' is cited here to show that the Nicene language of 'from the essence' had earlier precedent.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"φέρε καὶ τοῦτο διελέγξωμεν","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a rhetorical transition: Athanasius moves from theological argument to historical refutation of Arian claims about Nicene innovation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"χριστομάχοι Ἀρειανοί","severity":"info","text":"The epithet 'Christ-fighting Arians' reflects Athanasius' polemical framing, which influenced later orthodox historiography of the Arian controversy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐδὲν ὁ πατὴρ ποιεῖ","severity":"info","text":"The assertion that the Father does nothing without the Son echoes John 1:3 and early Christian Logos theology, though not a direct quotation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text at 'μετέ χοντα' may be a scribal error for 'μετέχοντα' (partaking), but the sense is clear.","The exact reference of 'τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς' is ambiguous: it could mean the Son as 'that which is from the Father' or the light as an attribute."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":41,"ref":"p41","source":"φωτὸς τὸ ἀπαύγασμα, ὡς ὕδατος ἀτμίς. «οὔτε γὰρ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα οὔτε ἡ ἀτμὶς αὐτὸ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐστὶν ἢ αὐτὸς ὁ ἥλιος οὔτε ἀλλότριον», καὶ οὔτε ἡ τοῦ υἱοῦ οὐσία αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ πατὴρ οὔτε ἀλλότριος, ἀλλὰ ἀπόρροια «τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας, οὐ μερισμὸν ὑπομεινάσης τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας. ὡς γὰρ μένων» ὁ ἥλιος ὁ αὐτὸς οὐ μειοῦται ταῖς ἐκχεομέναις ὑπ' αὐτοῦ αὐγαῖς, οὕτως οὐδὲ ἡ οὐσία «τοῦ πατρὸς ἀλλοίωσιν ὑπέμεινεν εἰκόνα ἑαυτῆς ἔχουσα τὸν υἱόν». ὁ μὲν οὖν Θεόγνωστος τὰ πρότερα ὡς ἐν γυμνασίᾳ ἐξετάσας, ὕστερον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δόξαν τιθεὶς οὕτως εἴρηκεν. Διονύσιος δὲ ὁ γενόμενος ἐπίσκοπος τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας κατὰ Σαβελλίου γράφων τήν τε κατὰ σάρκα οἰκονομίαν τοῦ σωτῆρος διὰ πλειόνων ἐξηγούμενος καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς διελέγχων τοὺς Σαβελλίζοντας, ὅτι μὴ ὁ πατήρ ἐστιν ὁ γενόμενος σάρξ, ἀλλ' ὁ τούτου λόγος, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ Ἰωάννης, ἐπειδὴ ὑπενοήθη ὡς ποίημα καὶ γενητὸν λέγων τὸν υἱὸν καὶ μὴ ὁμοούσιον τῷ πατρί, γράφει πρὸς τὸν ὁμώνυμον αὐτῷ Διονύσιον τὸν ἐπίσκοπον Ῥώμης ἀπολογούμενος συκοφαντίαν εἶναι ταύτην κατ' αὐτοῦ. μήτε γὰρ ποιητὸν εἰρη κέναι τὸν υἱόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁμοούσιον αὐτὸν ὁμολογεῖν διεβεβαιώσατο. ἔχει δὲ αὐτοῦ ἡ λέξις οὕτως· καὶ δι' ἄλλης ἐπιστολῆς ἔγραψα, ἐν οἷς ἤλεγξα καὶ ὃ προφέρουσιν ἔγκλημα κατ' ἐμοῦ ψεῦδος ὄν, ὡς οὐ λέγοντος τὸν Χριστὸν ὁμοούσιον εἶναι τῷ θεῷ. εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτό φημι μὴ εὑρηκέναι που τῶν ἁγίων γραφῶν, ἀλλά γε τὰ ἐπιχειρήματά μου τὰ ἑξῆς, ἃ σεσιωπήκασι, τῆς διανοίας ταύτης οὐκ ἀπᾴδει.","english":"of light the radiance, as of water the vapor. \"For neither the radiance nor the vapor is the water itself or the sun itself, nor is it alien,\" and neither is the Son's essence the Father himself nor alien, but an emanation \"from the Father's essence, the Father's essence having undergone no division. For just as\" the sun remains the same and is not diminished by the rays poured forth from it, so neither did the essence \"of the Father undergo any alteration, having the Son as an image of itself.\" Now Theognostus, having examined the earlier matters as in an exercise, later set forth his own opinion in this way. But Dionysius, who became bishop of Alexandria, writing against Sabellius, expounding at length the incarnation of the Savior and from it refuting the Sabellians, that it is not the Father who became flesh, but his Word, as John said, since he was suspected of calling the Son a creation and a generated being and not consubstantial with the Father, writes to his namesake Dionysius, the bishop of Rome, defending himself, asserting that this is a false accusation against him. For he affirmed that he had not called the Son a creation, but also that he confessed him to be consubstantial. His statement runs thus: \"And in another letter I wrote, in which I refuted also the charge they bring against me, which is false, that I do not say that Christ is consubstantial with God. For even if I say that I have not found this name anywhere in the holy scriptures, yet my subsequent arguments, which they have passed over in silence, are not discordant with this meaning.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπόρροια","severity":"info","text":"The term 'emanation' (ἀπόρροια) is used to describe the Son's relation to the Father, avoiding both identity and alienation, a key concept in Athanasius' anti-Arian argument.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ὁμοούσιον","severity":"info","text":"The term 'consubstantial' (ὁμοούσιον) is central to the Nicene Creed; Dionysius defends its use despite noting its absence from scripture, aligning with the orthodox position.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Διονύσιος","severity":"info","text":"Dionysius of Alexandria (bishop c. 247–264) wrote against Sabellianism, defending the distinction between Father and Son; his correspondence with Dionysius of Rome is cited to affirm orthodoxy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὡς εἶπεν ὁ Ἰωάννης","severity":"info","text":"Reference to John's Gospel (likely John 1:14) supports the distinction between Father and Word, used to refute Sabellian confusion of persons.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Θεόγνωστος","severity":"info","text":"Theognostus of Alexandria (3rd century) is cited as a predecessor who examined these matters; his work survives only in fragments, but Athanasius uses him to show continuity of orthodox teaching.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"οὔτε γὰρ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα...","severity":"caution","text":"The analogy of radiance and vapor is quoted from an unidentified source (possibly Theognostus); the text is fragmentary, and the exact source is uncertain, affecting interpretation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The source of the analogy of radiance and vapor is not explicitly named; it may be from Theognostus or another earlier writer.","The phrase 'τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας' is repeated with slight variation, possibly indicating a quotation within a quotation."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":42,"ref":"p42","source":"καὶ γὰρ ἀνθρωπίνην γονὴν παρεθέμην δῆλον ὡς οὖσαν ὁμογενῆ, φήσας πάντως τοὺς γονεῖς μόνον «ἑτέρους εἶναι τῶν τέκνων, ὅτι μὴ αὐτοὶ εἶεν τὰ τέκνα, ἢ μήτε γονεῖς ἀναγκαῖον ὑπ 25.5» άρχειν εἶναι μήτε τέκνα. καὶ τὴν μὲν ἐπιστολήν, ὡς προεῖπον, διὰ τὰς περιστάσεις «οὐκ ἔχω προκομίσαι· εἰ δ' οὖν, αὐτά σοι τὰ τότε ῥήματα, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πάσης ἂν» ἔπεμψα τὸ ἀντίγραφον· ὅπερ ἂν εὐπορήσω, ποιήσω. οἶδα δὲ καὶ μέμνημαι πλείονα «προσθεὶς τῶν συγγενῶν ὁμοιώματα· καὶ γὰρ καὶ φυτὸν εἶπον ἀπὸ σπέρματος ἢ ἀπὸ» ῥίζης ἀνελθὸν ἕτερον εἶναι τοῦ ὅθεν ἐβλάστησε, καὶ πάντως ἐκείνῳ καθέστηκεν ὁμοφυές. «καὶ ποταμὸν εἶπον ἀπὸ πηγῆς ῥέοντα ἕτερον ὄνομα μετειληφέναι· μήτε γὰρ τὴν» πηγὴν ποταμὸν μήτε τὸν ποταμὸν πηγὴν λέγεσθαι καὶ ἀμφότερα ὑπάρχειν καὶ τὸν «ποταμὸν εἶναι τὸ ἐκ τῆς πηγῆς ὕδωρ».\n\nὍτι δὲ οὐ ποίημα οὐδὲ κτίσμα ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος, ἀλλὰ ἴδιον τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας γέννημα ἀδιαίρετόν ἐστιν, ὡς ἔγραψεν ἡ μεγάλη σύνοδος, ἰδοὺ καὶ ὁ τῆς Ῥώμης ἐπίσκοπος Διονύσιος γράφων κατὰ τῶν τὰ Σαβελλίου φρονούντων σχετλιάζει κατὰ τῶν ταῦτα τολμώντων λέγειν καί φησιν οὕτως· «ἑξῆς δ' ἂν εἰκότως λέγοιμι καὶ» πρὸς τοὺς διαιροῦντας καὶ κατατέμνοντας καὶ ἀναιροῦντας τὸ σεμνότατον κήρυγμα «τῆς ἐκκλησίας τοῦ θεοῦ, τὴν μοναρχίαν, εἰς τρεῖς δυνάμεις τινὰς καὶ μεμερισμένας ὑποστάσεις» καὶ θεότητας τρεῖς. πέπυσμαι γὰρ εἶναί τινας τῶν παρ' ὑμῖν κατηχούντων «καὶ διδασκόντων τὸν θεῖον λόγον ταύτης ὑφηγητὰς τῆς φρονήσεως, οἳ κατὰ διάμετρον, 26.3» ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, ἀντίκεινται τῇ Σαβελλίου γνώμῃ.","english":"For I set forth human offspring as clearly being of the same kind, stating that parents are only \"different from their children, because they are not themselves the children, nor is it necessary that either parents\" exist or children. And the letter, as I said before, due to circumstances \"I do not have to produce; but if so, I would send you the very words of that time, or rather even the entire\" copy; which, if I can obtain, I will do. I know and remember that I added \"more analogies from kindred things: for I also said that a plant growing from a seed or from\" a root is different from that from which it sprouted, and is certainly of the same nature as it. \"And I said that a river flowing from a spring has taken a different name; for neither is the\" spring called a river nor the river a spring, and both exist, and the \"river is the water from the spring.\"\n\nBut that the Word of God is not a product nor a creation, but a proper and inseparable offspring of the Father's essence, as the great council wrote, behold, even Dionysius, the bishop of Rome, writing against those who hold the opinions of Sabellius, inveighs against those who dare to say these things and speaks thus: \"Next I would fittingly speak also\" against those who divide and cut up and abolish the most solemn proclamation \"of the church of God, the monarchy, into three certain powers and divided hypostases\" and three divinities. For I have learned that there are some among you who are catechists \"and teachers of the divine word who are instructors of this opinion, who diametrically,\" so to speak, are opposed to the opinion of Sabellius.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀνθρωπίνην γονὴν","severity":"info","text":"The author uses human offspring as an analogy for the Son's relation to the Father, emphasizing consubstantiality without identity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁμογενῆ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'homogenē' (of the same kind) is used to assert that the Son shares the same essence as the Father, a key Nicene concept.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐ ποίημα οὐδὲ κτίσμα","severity":"info","text":"The denial that the Word is a 'poiēma' (product) or 'ktisma' (creation) echoes Nicene theology, possibly alluding to Proverbs 8:22-31 on Wisdom as begotten, not made.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Διονύσιος, ὁ τῆς Ῥώμης ἐπίσκοπος","severity":"info","text":"Dionysius, bishop of Rome (259-268), is cited as an authority against Sabellianism, showing early Roman support for Nicene distinctions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Σαβελλίου γνώμῃ","severity":"info","text":"Sabellius's modalist view, condemned by the Council of Nicaea, is contrasted with the orthodox position that the Son is a distinct hypostasis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὅτι δὲ οὐ ποίημα","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from analogical arguments to a direct citation of Dionysius, reinforcing the Nicene definition with patristic authority.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἑτέρους εἶναι τῶν τέκνων' could be read as 'different from the children' or 'other than the children', but the sense of distinction without separation is clear.","The exact identity of the letter mentioned (ἐπιστολήν) is uncertain; it may refer to a lost work of Athanasius."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":43,"ref":"p43","source":"ὁ μὲν γὰρ βλασφημεῖ αὐτὸν «τὸν υἱὸν εἶναι λέγων τὸν πατέρα καὶ ἔμπαλιν, οἱ δὲ τρεῖς θεοὺς τρόπον τινὰ κηρύττουσιν,» εἰς τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις ξένας ἀλλήλων παντάπασι κεχωρισμένας διαιροῦντες τὴν ἁγίαν «μονάδα. ἡνῶσθαι γὰρ ἀνάγκη τῷ θεῷ τῶν ὅλων τὸν θεῖον λόγον, ἐμφιλοχωρεῖν δὲ» τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐνδιαιτᾶσθαι δεῖ τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα. ἤδη καὶ τὴν θείαν τριάδα εἰς ἕνα, ὥσπερ «εἰς κορυφήν τινα, τὸν θεὸν τῶν ὅλων τὸν παντοκράτορα λέγω, συγκεφαλαιοῦσθαί τε» καὶ συνάγεσθαι πᾶσα ἀνάγκη. Μαρκίωνος γὰρ τοῦ ματαιόφρονος δίδαγμα εἰς τρεῖς «ἀρχὰς τῆς μοναρχίας τομὴ καὶ διαίρεσις, παίδευμα ὂν διαβολικόν, οὐχὶ δὲ τῶν ὄντως «μαθητῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῶν ἀρεσκομένων τοῖς τοῦ σωτῆρος μαθήμασιν. οὗτοι γὰρ» τριάδα μὲν κηρυττομένην ὑπὸ τῆς θείας γραφῆς σαφῶς ἐπίστανται, τρεῖς δὲ θεοὺς οὔτε\n\n«παλαιὰν οὔτε καινὴν διαθήκην κηρύττουσαν. οὐ μεῖον δ' ἄν τις καταμέμφοιτο καὶ» τοὺς ποίημα τὸν υἱὸν εἶναι δοξάζοντας καὶ γεγονέναι τὸν κύριον ὥσπερ ἕν τι τῶν ὄντως «γενομένων νομίζοντας, τῶν θείων λογίων γέννησιν αὐτῷ τὴν ἁρμόττουσαν καὶ πρέπουσαν,» ἀλλ' οὐχὶ πλάσιν τινὰ καὶ ποίησιν προσμαρτυρούντων. βλάσφημον οὖν οὐ «τὸ τυχόν, μέγιστον μὲν οὖν, χειροποίητον τρόπον τινὰ λέγειν τὸν κύριον. εἰ γὰρ γέγονεν υἱός,» ἦν ὅτε οὐκ ἦν· ἀεὶ δὲ ἦν, εἴ γε ἐν τῷ πατρί ἐστιν, ὡς αὐτός φησι, καὶ εἰ λόγος «καὶ σοφία καὶ δύναμις ὁ Χριστός. ταῦτα γὰρ εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν αἱ θεῖαι λέγουσι γραφαί,» ὥσπερ ἐπίστασθε· ταῦτα δὲ δυνάμεις οὖσαι τοῦ θεοῦ τυγχάνουσιν. εἰ τοίνυν γέγονεν «ὁ υἱός, ἦν ὅτε οὐκ ἦν ταῦτα, ἦν ἄρα καιρός, ὅτε χωρὶς τούτων ἦν ὁ θεός.","english":"For one blasphemes by saying that the Son is the Father and vice versa, while the others in a certain way proclaim three gods, dividing the holy Monad into three hypostases completely separate from one another. For the divine Word must be united with the God of the universe, and the Holy Spirit must dwell and abide in God. And the divine Trinity must necessarily be summed up and gathered into one, as into a kind of summit, I mean the God of the universe, the Pantocrator. For the teaching of the vain-minded Marcion, the cutting and division of the monarchy into three principles, is a diabolical invention, and not that of the true disciples of Christ and of those who are pleased with the Savior's teachings. For these clearly know that the Trinity is proclaimed by divine Scripture, but that neither the Old nor the New Testament proclaims three gods. Nor would one less blame those who hold that the Son is a creation and think that the Lord has come into being like one of the things that are actually created, while the divine oracles attest to him a generation that is fitting and proper, but not some fashioning and making. Therefore it is no ordinary blasphemy, but the greatest, to say in a certain way that the Lord is handmade. For if the Son has come into being, there was when he was not; but he always was, if indeed he is in the Father, as he himself says, and if Christ is Word and Wisdom and Power. For the divine Scriptures say that Christ is these things, as you know; and these, being powers of God, are so. If therefore the Son has come into being, there was when these were not; there was therefore a time when God was without these.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰς τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις ξένας ἀλλήλων παντάπασι κεχωρισμένας διαιροῦντες τὴν ἁγίαν μονάδα","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius condemns dividing the holy Monad into three hypostases completely separate from one another, a position he associates with Marcionite teaching.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"μονάς","severity":"info","text":"Monad here denotes the unity of the Godhead, a term used in anti-heretical contexts to stress indivisibility against tritheistic interpretations.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Μαρκίωνος","severity":"info","text":"Marcion (2nd century) taught a radical separation of the creator God from the redeemer God, which Athanasius here equates with dividing the monarchy into three principles.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Ehrman 2003"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ λόγος καὶ σοφία καὶ δύναμις ὁ Χριστός","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius echoes New Testament titles for Christ (e.g., John 1:1, 1 Cor 1:24, Rev 19:1) to argue that the Son is an eternal power of God, not a created being.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐ μεῖον δ' ἄν τις καταμέμφοιτο","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from condemning tritheism to condemning subordinationist views that make the Son a creation, showing a two-front polemic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ γὰρ γέγονεν υἱός, ἦν ὅτε οὐκ ἦν","severity":"caution","text":"The argument that if the Son came into being there was a time when he was not is a standard Nicene logical move, but the Greek allows ambiguity about whether 'γέγονεν' means 'was created' or 'was born'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek 'γέγονεν' can mean either 'came into being' (creation) or 'was born' (generation), and Athanasius exploits this ambiguity to argue against Arian subordinationism."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":44,"ref":"p44","source":"ἀτοπώτατον 26.5» δὲ τοῦτο. καὶ τί ἂν ἐπὶ πλέον περὶ τούτων πρὸς ὑμᾶς διαλεγοίμην, πρὸς ἄνδρας «πνευματοφόρους καὶ σαφῶς ἐπισταμένους τὰς ἀτοπίας τὰς ἐκ τοῦ ποίημα λέγειν τὸν» υἱὸν ἀνακυπτούσας; αἷς μοι δοκοῦσι μὴ προσεσχηκέναι τὸν νοῦν οἱ καθηγησάμενοι «τῆς δόξης ταύτης καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κομιδῇ τοῦ ἀληθοῦς διημαρτηκέναι, ἑτέρως ἢ βούλεται» ταύτῃ ἡ θεία καὶ προφητικὴ γραφὴ τὸ κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ ἐκδεξά «μενοι. οὐ μία γὰρ ἡ τοῦ ἔκτισεν, ὡς ἴστε, σημασία· ἔκτισε γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ἀκουστέον» ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐπέστησε τοῖς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ γεγονόσιν ἔργοις, γεγονόσι δὲ δι' αὐτοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ. «οὐχὶ δέ γε τὸ ἔκτισε νῦν λέγοιτ' ἂν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐποίησε· διαφέρει γὰρ τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ» κτίσαι. οὐκ αὐτὸς οὗτός σου πατὴρ ἐκτήσατό σε καὶ ἐποίησέ σε καὶ ἔκτισέ σε; τῇ «ἐν τῷ Δευτερονομίῳ μεγάλῃ ᾠδῇ ὁ Μωσῆς φησι. πρὸς οὓς καὶ εἴποι ἄν τις· ὦ ῥιψοκίνδυνοι ἄνθρωποι,» ποίημα ὁ πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως, ὁ ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου «γεννηθείς, ὁ εἰπὼν ὡς σοφία· πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με;» καὶ πολλαχοῦ δὲ τῶν θείων λογίων γεγεννῆσθαι, ἀλλ' οὐ γεγονέναι τὸν υἱὸν λεγόμενον εὕροι τις ἄν. «ὑφ' ὧν καταφανῶς ἐλέγχονται τὰ ψεύδη περὶ τῆς τοῦ κυρίου γεννήσεως ὑπολαμβάνοντες 26.7» οἱ ποίησιν αὐτοῦ τὴν θείαν καὶ ἄρρητον γέννησιν λέγειν τολμῶντες.","english":"This is most absurd. And why should I discourse further with you about these matters, men who are spirit-bearing and clearly know the absurdities that arise from calling the Son a creation? To which absurdities, it seems to me, the founders of this opinion have not paid attention, and because of this have completely missed the truth, having interpreted otherwise than the divine and prophetic scripture intends the phrase \"the Lord created me as the beginning of his ways.\" For the meaning of \"created\" is not one, as you know; for \"created\" here must be understood in the sense of \"appointed\" to the works that have come into being by him, which works have come into being through the Son himself. But \"created\" would not now be said in the sense of \"made\"; for \"to create\" differs from \"to make.\" Did not your own father acquire you and make you and create you? So Moses says in the great ode in Deuteronomy. To whom one might say: O reckless men, is the firstborn of all creation, who was born from the womb before the morning star, who spoke as Wisdom, \"Before all hills he begets me,\" a creation? And in many places of the divine scriptures one would find the Son spoken of as having been begotten, not as having come into being. By which they are clearly refuted, who, supposing falsehoods about the Lord's generation, dare to call his divine and ineffable generation a making.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ποίημα","severity":"info","text":"The term ποίημα ('thing made') is central to the Arian controversy, as Athanasius argues that calling the Son a ποίημα reduces him to a creature, contradicting his eternal generation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius cites Proverbs 8:22 LXX ('The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways'), a key text in debates over the Son's origin, interpreting κτίζω as 'appoint' rather than 'create ex nihilo'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Before all hills he begets me' echoes Proverbs 8:25 LXX, where Wisdom speaks of being begotten, not made, reinforcing Athanasius's distinction between γέννησις and ποίησις.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Δευτερονομίῳ μεγάλῃ ᾠδῇ","severity":"info","text":"The 'great ode in Deuteronomy' likely refers to Deuteronomy 32 (the Song of Moses), which Athanasius uses to illustrate the ordinary sense of κτίζω as 'acquire' or 'beget', not 'create'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐ μία γὰρ ἡ τοῦ ἔκτισεν, ὡς ἴστε, σημασία","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius employs a semantic argument: the verb κτίζω has multiple meanings, and the context of Proverbs 8:22 requires the sense 'appoint', not 'create', to avoid implying the Son is a creature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀτοπώτατον 26.5» δὲ τοῦτο","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text includes a marginal notation '26.5' and a quotation mark, likely a scribal or editorial insertion; the passage is otherwise continuous and the sense is clear.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'πρὸ ἑωσφόρου γεννηθείς' ('born before the morning star') is ambiguous: it may refer to Christ's pre-existence or to a specific scriptural allusion (e.g., Psalm 110:3 LXX). The reading taken follows Athanasius's typical exegesis of Wisdom as pre-existent.","The reference to 'the great ode in Deuteronomy' is not explicitly quoted; the exact verse Athanasius has in mind is uncertain, though Deuteronomy 32 is the most likely candidate."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":45,"ref":"p45","source":"οὔτ' οὖν κατα «μερίζειν χρὴ εἰς τρεῖς θεότητας τὴν θαυμαστὴν καὶ θείαν μονάδα οὔτε ποιήσει κωλύειν» τὸ ἀξίωμα καὶ τὸ ὑπερβάλλον μέγεθος τοῦ κυρίου, ἀλλὰ πεπιστευκέναι εἰς θεὸν πατέρα «παντοκράτορα καὶ εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα, ἡνῶσθαι» δὲ τῷ θεῷ τῶν ὅλων τὸν λόγον· ἐγὼ γάρ, φησί, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν· καὶ ἐγὼ ἐν «τῷ πατρί, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί. οὕτω γὰρ ἂν καὶ ἡ θεία τριὰς καὶ τὸ ἅγιον κήρυγμα» τῆς μοναρχίας διασώζοιτο. Περὶ δὲ τοῦ ἀιδίως συνεῖναι τὸν λόγον τῷ πατρὶ καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἑτέρας οὐσίας ἢ ὑπο στάσεως, ἀλλὰ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς ἴδιον γέννημα αὐτὸν εἶναι, ὡς εἰρήκασιν οἱ ἐν τῇ συν όδῳ, ἐξέστω πάλιν ὑμᾶς ἀκοῦσαι καὶ παρὰ τοῦ φιλοπόνου Ὠριγένους. ἃ μὲν γὰρ ὡς ζητῶν καὶ γυμνάζων ἔγραψε, ταῦτα μὴ ὡς αὐτοῦ φρονοῦντος δεχέσθω τις, ἀλλὰ τῶν πρὸς ἔριν φιλονεικούντων ἐν τῷ ζητεῖν· ἃ δὲ ἀδεῶς ὁρίζων ἀποφαίνεται, τοῦτο τοῦ φιλοπόνου τὸ φρόνημά ἐστι. μετὰ γοῦν τὰ ὡς ἐν γυμνασίᾳ λεγόμενα πρὸς τοὺς αἱρετικοὺς εὐθὺς αὐτὸς ἐπιφέρει τὰ ἴδια λέγων οὕτως· «εἰ ἔστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀο «ράτου, ἀόρατος εἰκών· ἐγὼ δὲ τολμήσας προσθείην ἄν, ὅτι καὶ ὁμοιότης τυγχάνων «τοῦ πατρὸς οὐκ ἔστιν ὅτε οὐκ ἦν. πότε γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ὁ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωάννην φῶς λεγόμενος,» ὁ θεὸς γὰρ φῶς ἐστιν, ἀπαύγασμα οὐκ εἶχε τῆς ἰδίας δόξης, ἵνα τολμήσας τις ἀρχὴν «δῷ εἶναι υἱοῦ πρότερον οὐκ ὄντος; πότε δὲ ἡ τῆς ἀρρήτου καὶ ἀκατονομάστου καὶ» ἀφθέγκτου ὑποστάσεως τοῦ πατρὸς εἰκών, ὁ χαρακτήρ, ὁ λόγος ὁ γινώσκων τὸν «πατέρα» οὐκ ἦν; κατανοείτω γὰρ ὁ τολμῶν καὶ λέγων·","english":"Neither, therefore, should one divide the wondrous and divine monad into three deities, nor hinder the dignity and surpassing greatness of the Lord by creation, but believe in God the Father Almighty, and in Christ Jesus his Son, and in the Holy Spirit, and that the Word is united with the God of all. For I, he says, and the Father are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father is in me. For thus both the divine Trinity and the holy proclamation of the monarchy would be preserved. And concerning the Word’s eternal coexistence with the Father, and that he is not from another substance or hypostasis, but is the Father’s own offspring, as those at the synod have said, let you again hear also from the industrious Origen. For what he wrote as inquiring and exercising, let no one accept as his own opinion, but as that of those contending in disputation; but what he declares without hesitation, that is the opinion of the industrious man. After the statements made as in exercise against the heretics, he himself immediately adds his own words, saying thus: “If there is an image of the invisible God, it is an invisible image; and I would venture to add that, being also a likeness of the Father, there was never a time when it was not. For when did God, who according to John is called light—for God is light—not have a radiance of his own glory, so that one might dare to assign a beginning to the Son, who previously did not exist? And when did the image, the character, the Word that knows the Father, of the ineffable, unnameable, and unspeakable hypostasis of the Father, not exist? For let him who dares and speaks consider.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"μονάς","severity":"info","text":"The term 'monad' here denotes the indivisible unity of the Godhead, a key concept in Athanasius' anti-Arian polemic, distinguishing Nicene orthodoxy from tritheism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐγὼ γάρ, φησί, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν","severity":"info","text":"This echoes John 10:30 ('I and the Father are one'), a key proof-text for Nicene Christology, though the exact wording differs slightly from the canonical text.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὠριγένης","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius cites Origen to support the eternal co-existence of the Son with the Father, despite Origen's subordinationist tendencies, showing selective patristic authority.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage moves from a doctrinal summary (monarchy and Trinity) to a citation of Origen, with a methodological caveat distinguishing Origen's exploratory from his definitive statements.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius' use of Origen here is notable for later reception: it anticipates the Cappadocian Fathers' more systematic appropriation of Origen for Nicene orthodoxy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπαύγασμα","severity":"caution","text":"The term 'radiance' (ἀπαύγασμα) is a metaphor for the Son's derivation from the Father, but its precise ontological force is debated; it may imply emanation rather than generation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἡνῶσθαι δὲ τῷ θεῷ τῶν ὅλων τὸν λόγον' could be read as asserting the Word's union with the Father (the 'God of all') or with the entire Godhead; the translation opts for the former.","The citation from Origen is not verbatim from any known work; its source is uncertain, possibly from a lost commentary on John."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":46,"ref":"p46","source":"«ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν ὁ υἱός», «ὅτι ἐρεῖ καὶ τὸ σοφία ποτὲ οὐκ ἦν καὶ λόγος οὐκ ἦν καὶ ζωὴ οὐκ ἦν». καὶ πάλιν ἐν ἑτέροις οὕτω λέγει· «ἀλλ' οὐ θέμις ἐστὶν οὐδὲ ἀκίνδυνον διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν ἡμῶν τὸ» ὅσον ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἀποστερεῖσθαι τὸν θεὸν τοῦ ἀεὶ συνόντος αὐτῷ λόγου μονογενοῦς, «σοφίας ὄντος ᾗ προσέχαιρεν· οὕτω γὰρ\n\nοὐδὲ ἀεὶ χαίρων νοηθήσεται». Ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς μὲν ἐκ πατέρων εἰς πατέρας διαβεβηκέναι τὴν τοιαύτην διάνοιαν ἀπο δεικνύομεν, ὑμεῖς δέ, ὦ νέοι Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ τοῦ Καιάφα μαθηταί, τίνας ἄρα τῶν ῥημάτων ὑμῶν ἔχετε δεῖξαι πατέρας; ἀλλ' οὐδένα τῶν φρονίμων καὶ σοφῶν ἂν εἴποιτε· πάντες γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἀποστρέφονται, πλὴν μόνου τοῦ διαβόλου. μόνος γὰρ ὑμῖν οὗτος τῆς τοιαύτης ἀποστασίας πατὴρ γέγονεν, ὁ καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ὑμῖν ἐπισπείρας τὴν ἀσέβειαν ταύτην καὶ νῦν λοιδορεῖν τὴν οἰκουμενικὴν σύνοδον πείσας ὑμᾶς, ὅτι μὴ τὰ ὑμέτερα ἀλλὰ ταῦτα γεγράφασιν, ἅπερ οἱ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται τοῦ λόγου γενόμενοι παρα δεδώκασιν. ἣν γὰρ ἡ σύνοδος ἐγγράφως ὡμολόγησε πίστιν, αὕτη τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐστί. ταύτην ἐκδικοῦντες οἱ μακάριοι πατέρες οὕτως ἔγραψαν καὶ κατέκριναν τὴν ἀρειανὴν αἵρεσιν· διὸ μάλιστα καὶ διαβάλλειν τὴν σύνοδον ἐπιχειροῦσιν. οὐ γὰρ αἱ λέξεις αὐτοὺς λυποῦσιν, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἐν αὐταῖς ἀπεδείχθησαν αἱρετικοὶ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων αἱρέσεων τολμηρότεροι.","english":"There was a time when the Son was not,\" \"that they will also say that Wisdom was not at some time, and Word was not, and Life was not.\" And again in other works he speaks thus: \"But it is not lawful nor without danger, given our weakness, to deprive God, as far as we are concerned, of the only-begotten Word who always coexists with him, 'who is Wisdom in which he rejoiced; for thus he will not be thought to rejoice always.'\" Behold, we demonstrate that such an understanding has been transmitted from fathers to fathers, but you, O new Jews and disciples of Caiaphas, what fathers of your own words can you point to? But you would name none of the prudent and wise; for all turn away from you, except the devil alone. For he alone has become the father of such apostasy for you, he who sowed this impiety in you from the beginning and has now persuaded you to revile the ecumenical council, because they have written not your doctrines but those which the original eyewitnesses and servants of the Word handed down. For the faith which the council confessed in writing is that of the catholic church. Defending this, the blessed fathers wrote thus and condemned the Arian heresy; for this reason especially they attempt to slander the council. For it is not the words themselves that grieve them, but that in these words they were shown to be heretics and more audacious than other heresies.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"«ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν ὁ υἱός»","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes the Arian slogan, which Athanasius elsewhere attributes to Arius, denying the Son's eternal co-existence with the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"νέοι Ἰουδαῖοι","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius labels his opponents 'new Jews', a polemical trope in early Christian heresiology, equating Arian subordinationism with Jewish rejection of Christ's divinity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Καιάφα","severity":"info","text":"Caiaphas, the high priest in the Passion narratives, is invoked as a type of Jewish opposition to Christ; Athanasius uses him to discredit the Arians as enemies of orthodoxy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἰδοὺ ... ἀποδεικνύομεν, ὑμεῖς δέ","severity":"info","text":"The passage contrasts the orthodox appeal to apostolic succession ('from fathers to fathers') with the Arians' lack of patristic support, a common rhetorical device in Athanasius.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"οἰκουμενικὴν σύνοδον","severity":"info","text":"The 'ecumenical council' refers to the First Council of Nicaea (325 CE), whose creed Athanasius defends as the faith of the catholic church, a key point in later Trinitarian orthodoxy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ' οὐ θέμις ἐστὶν ...","severity":"caution","text":"The embedded quotation from an unnamed work (possibly by Dionysius of Alexandria) is fragmentary; its source is uncertain, and the argument depends on its attribution to an orthodox father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the author quoted in the embedded passage ('ἀλλ' οὐ θέμις ἐστὶν ...') is not specified by Athanasius; it may be from a lost work of Dionysius of Alexandria or another ante-Nicene father.","The phrase 'ὅσον ἐφ' ἡμῖν' could be read as 'as far as we are concerned' or 'in our power'; the translation follows the former, but the nuance affects the force of the argument."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":47,"ref":"p47","source":"Ἀμέλει τῶν λεξειδίων αὐτῶν δειχθέντων τότε φαύλων καὶ ἀεὶ δὲ εὐελέγκτων ὄντων ὡς ἀσεβῶν ἐχρήσαντο παρ' Ἑλλήνων λοιπὸν τὴν λέξιν τοῦ ἀγενήτου, ἵνα προφάσει καὶ τούτου τοῦ ὀνόματος ἐν τοῖς γενητοῖς πάλιν καὶ τοῖς κτίσμασι συναριθμῶσι τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ λόγον, δι' οὗ αὐτὰ τὰ γενητὰ γέγονεν· οὕτως εἰσὶ πρὸς ἀσέβειαν ἀναίσχυντοι καὶ πρὸς τὰς τοῦ κυρίου βλασφημίας φιλόνεικοι. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀγνοοῦντες τὸ ὄνομα οὕτως ἀναισχυντοῦσιν, ἔδει μαθεῖν αὐτοὺς παρὰ τῶν αὐτοῖς δεδωκότων αὐτό, ὅτι καὶ ὃν λέ γουσιν ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ νοῦν καὶ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ νοῦ ψυχήν, καίτοι γινώσκοντες τὸ ἐξ ὧν εἰσιν οὐκ ἐφοβήθησαν ὅμως καὶ αὐτὰ εἰπεῖν ἀγένητα εἰδότες, ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο λέγοντες οὐκ ἐλατ τοῦσι τὸ πρῶτον ἐξ οὗ καὶ ταῦτα πέφυκε, καὶ ἢ καὶ αὐτοὺς οὕτω λέγειν ἢ μηδ' ὅλως λέγειν περὶ ὧν οὐκ ἴσασιν. εἰ δὲ νομίζουσι γινώσκειν, ἀναγκαῖον αὐτοὺς ἐρωτῆσαι, ἐπεὶ μάλιστα καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τῶν θείων γραφῶν ἡ λέξις, ἀλλὰ πάλιν ἀγράφως λαλοῦντες φιλονεικοῦσιν. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ τὴν αἰτίαν καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν, καθ' ἣν ἡ σύνοδος τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας καὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον συμφώνως τοῖς ἐκ τῶν γραφῶν περὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος εἰρημένοις καὶ ὅσοι πρὸ αὐτῶν ἐξέθεντο πατέρες καὶ ἔγραψαν, διηγησάμην· καὶ αὐτοὶ δέ, εἴπερ ἄρα δύνανται, ἀποκρινέσθωσαν, πῶς εὗρον τὴν ἄγραφον ταύτην λέξιν, ἢ ποίᾳ διανοίᾳ τὸν θεὸν ἀγένητον λέγουσι. διαφόρους γὰρ σημασίας ἔχειν τὸ ὄνομα ἀκήκοα.","english":"Indeed, when their little phrases were shown to be base at that time and always easily refuted as impious, they then borrowed from the Greeks the term \"unoriginate,\" so that under the pretext of this name they might again number the Word of God among the generated and the creatures, through whom these very generated things have come into being. So shameless are they toward impiety and contentious toward blasphemies against the Lord. If, then, they are so shameless in ignorance of the term, they ought to learn from those who gave it to them that even what they call \"mind from the good\" and \"soul from the mind,\" although knowing from what they come, they nevertheless did not fear to call even these \"unoriginate,\" knowing that in saying this they do not diminish the first from which these naturally proceed; and they should either speak thus themselves or not speak at all about things they do not know. But if they think they know, it is necessary to ask them, especially since the term is not from the divine Scriptures, but they contend by speaking without written authority. For I have explained the cause and the meaning according to which the council used \"from the substance\" and \"homoousios\" in agreement with what is said in the Scriptures about the Savior and with what the fathers before them set forth and wrote. And let them themselves answer, if indeed they can, how they found this unwritten term, or with what meaning they call God \"unoriginate.\" For I have heard that the term has various significations.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγενήτου","severity":"info","text":"The term 'unoriginate' (ἀγενήτου) is a key point of contention; Athanasius accuses the Arians of borrowing it from Greek philosophy to deny the Son's eternity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius contrasts the Nicene terms 'from the substance' and 'homoousios' with the Arian use of 'unoriginate', noting the former are scripturally grounded while the latter is unwritten.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from refuting Arian phrases to challenging their adoption of 'unoriginate', then demands they justify its meaning, mirroring the council's defense of its own non-scriptural terms.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'mind from the good' and 'soul from the mind' echoes Middle Platonic and Neoplatonic hierarchies, which Athanasius uses to argue that even pagans avoid calling derivative entities 'unoriginate'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'I have heard that the term has various significations' may imply Athanasius is aware of multiple meanings of 'unoriginate' but does not specify them, leaving his argumentative strategy somewhat ambiguous.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text does not clarify whether 'the first from which these naturally proceed' refers to the Platonic One or the Christian God; the reading taken follows Athanasius's polemical equation of the two.","The phrase 'various significations' of 'unoriginate' is left undefined; the reading assumes Athanasius intends to expose Arian inconsistency without engaging in lexical analysis."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":48,"ref":"p48","source":"λέ γεσθαι γάρ φασιν ἀγένητον τὸ μήπω μὲν γενόμενον, δυνάμενον δὲ γενέσθαι, καὶ πάλιν τὸ μήτε ὑπάρχον μήτε δυνάμενον εἰς τὸ εἶναι γενέσθαι, καὶ τρίτον ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ σημαινό μενον τὸ ὑπάρχον μέν, μήτε δὲ γενητὸν μήτε ἀρχὴν ἐσχηκὸς εἰς τὸ εἶναι, ἀλλ' ἀίδιον ὂν καὶ ἀδιάφθορον. ἴσως μὲν οὖν τὰς πρώτας δύο διανοίας παρελθεῖν ἐθελήσουσι διὰ τὸ ἐκεῖθεν ἄτοπον· κατὰ γὰρ τὴν πρώτην ἔσται τά τε ἤδη γινόμενα καὶ τὰ προσδοκώ μενα γενέσθαι ἀγένητα· τὸ γὰρ δεύτερον πλέον ἔχει τούτου τὸ ἄτοπον. ἐπὶ δὲ τὴν τρίτην λοιπὸν βαδιοῦνται κατ' αὐτὴν ὀνομάζοντες τὸ ἀγένητον. ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο λέ γοντες οὐδὲν ἧττόν εἰσιν ἀσεβεῖς. εἰ γὰρ τὸ μὴ ἔχον ἀρχὴν εἰς τὸ εἶναι μηδὲ γενητὸν ἢ κτιστόν, ἀλλ' ἀίδιον ὄν, τοῦτο λέγουσιν ἀγένητον, τοὐναντίον δὲ τούτων εἶναι τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ λόγον, τίς οὐ συνορᾷ τὴν πανουργίαν τῶν θεομάχων; τίς οὐκ ἂν αὐτοὺς οὕτω μαινομένους καταλιθώσειεν; ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αἰσχύνονται προφέρειν ἔτι τὰ πρῶτα τῶν μύθων ἑαυτῶν λογάρια, ἐφ' οἷς κατεγνώσθησαν, ἄλλως πάλιν αὐτὰ σημαίνειν ἐπενόησαν οἱ δείλαιοι διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ ὡς αὐτοὶ λέγουσιν ἀγενήτου. εἰ γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τῶν γενητῶν ἐστι, δηλονότι ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων καὶ αὐτὸς γέγονε, καὶ εἰ ἀρχὴν ἔχει τοῦ εἶναι, οὐκ ἦν ἄρα πρὶν γεννηθῇ, καὶ εἰ μή ἐστιν ἀίδιος, ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν. Ἔδει οὖν ταῦτα πάλιν αὐτοὺς φρονοῦντας ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἰδίοις αὐτῶν ῥήμασι σημαίνειν ἑαυτῶν τὴν ἑτεροδοξίαν καὶ μὴ τῇ λέξει δῆθεν τοῦ ἀγενήτου","english":"For they say that \"unoriginate\" is said in three senses: first, of that which has not yet come to be but is capable of coming to be; second, of that which neither exists nor is capable of coming into being; and third, of that which exists but is neither generated nor has had a beginning of existence, but is eternal and imperishable. Perhaps, then, they will wish to pass over the first two meanings because of the absurdity arising from them; for according to the first, things that are already coming to be and those expected to come to be will be unoriginate; the second has even more absurdity than this. They will then resort to the third meaning, calling the unoriginate according to it. But even in saying this, they are no less impious. For if they say that that which has no beginning of existence and is neither generated nor created, but is eternal, is unoriginate, and that the Word of God is the opposite of these, who does not see the craftiness of the God-fighters? Who would not stone them, thus raving? For since they are ashamed to still bring forward the first of their own little fables, on account of which they were condemned, the wretches have contrived to signify them again in another way through the name of the \"unoriginate,\" as they call it. For if the Son is among the generated, it is evident that he too has come to be from non-existence, and if he has a beginning of existence, then he was not before he was begotten, and if he is not eternal, there was a time when he was not. Therefore, while holding these opinions, they ought again to signify their own heterodoxy in their own words, and not by the term \"unoriginate.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀγένητον","severity":"info","text":"The term ἀγένητον (unoriginate) is central to the Arian controversy; Athanasius here refutes its application to the Son, distinguishing it from ἀγέννητον (unbegotten).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius presents a tripartite classification of the meanings of ἀγένητον, then dismisses the first two as absurd and attacks the third as impious when applied to the Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Arian opponents borrowed the term ἀγένητον from Greek philosophical usage, where it denoted the ungenerated first principle, to argue that the Son, as generated, is not divine.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius argues that if the Son is among the generated, he must have come from non-existence, have a beginning, and not be eternal—contradicting orthodox teaching.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage reflects Athanasius's polemical strategy in the post-Nicene debates, where he consistently defends the Son's co-eternity and uncreatedness against Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text uses ἀγένητον (unoriginate) but the Arian opponents may have conflated it with ἀγέννητον (unbegotten); Athanasius does not explicitly distinguish them here."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":49,"ref":"p49","source":"σκέπειν ἑαυτῶν τὴν κακόνοιαν. ἀλλ' οὐ ποιοῦσι τοῦτο οἱ κακοήθεις, πάντα δὲ κατὰ τὸν πατέρα ἑαυ τῶν τὸν διάβολον μετὰ πανουργίας πράττουσιν. ὡς γὰρ ἐκεῖνος μετὰ ἀλλοτρίων ἐνδυ μάτων ἀπατᾶν ἐπιχειρεῖ, οὕτως οὗτοι τὸ ἀγένητον ἐπενόησαν ὀνομάζειν, ἵνα προσποιούμενοι τὸν θεὸν εὐφημεῖν κεκρυμμένην ἔχωσι τὴν κατὰ τοῦ κυρίου βλασφημίαν καὶ μετὰ καλύμματος αὐτὴν ἄλλοις σημαίνωσιν. ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτου τοῦ σοφίσματος αὐτῶν γνωσθέν τος, τί ἄρα πάλιν αὐτοῖς ἕτερον περιλείπεται, λεγέτωσαν. εὕρομεν, φασὶν οἱ κακοῦργοι καὶ προστιθέντες τοῖς προτέροις λέγουσιν, ἀγένητον εἶναι τοῦτο τὸ μὴ ἔχον τοῦ εἶναι τὸν αἴτιον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς γενητοῖς αὐτὸν αἴτιον εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι τυγχάνοντα. ἀχάριστοι καὶ τῷ ὄντι τῶν γραφῶν ἀνήκοοι, οἱ μὴ διὰ τιμὴν τὴν εἰς τὸν θεόν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν εἰς τὸν υἱὸν ἀτιμίαν πάντα καὶ ποιοῦντες καὶ λαλοῦντες οὐκ εἰδότες, ὅτι ὁ τὸν υἱὸν ἀτιμάζων ἀτιμάζει τὸν πατέρα. πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ κἂν οὕτω τὸν θεὸν ὀνομάζωσιν, οὐ δείκνυται τῶν γενητῶν ὁ λόγος. τῆς γὰρ οὐσίας τοῦ πατρὸς ὡς γέννημα πάλιν οὕτως παρ' αὐτῷ ἐστιν ἀιδίως. οὐ γὰρ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο παραιρεῖ τὴν τοῦ λόγου φύσιν, οὐδὲ πάλιν τὸ ἀγένητον πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν ἔχει τὸ σημαινόμενον, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ γενόμενα.","english":"that which exists without having a beginning. But they do not do this, the malicious ones, but do everything according to their father the devil with cunning. For just as he attempts to deceive by means of alien garments, so they have devised to use the term \"unoriginate\" in order that, while pretending to speak well of God, they may keep hidden their blasphemy against the Lord and signify it to others under a veil. But even this sophism of theirs having been detected, what else, pray, is left for them? Let them say. We have found, say the villains, and adding to their previous statements they say, that \"unoriginate\" is that which has no cause for its being, but is itself the cause for generated things coming to be. Ungrateful and truly deaf to the Scriptures, who do everything and say everything not for the honor of God, but for the dishonor of the Son, not knowing that he who dishonors the Son dishonors the Father. For first, even if they name God in this way, the account of generated things is not shown. For the essence of the Father, as a offspring, is again thus eternally with him. For this name does not remove the nature of the Word, nor again does \"unoriginate\" have its signification in relation to the Son, but in relation to the things that have come to be through the Son.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγένητον","severity":"info","text":"The term ἀγένητον (unoriginate) is central to the Arian controversy; Athanasius argues that the Arians use it to imply the Son is created, while he insists it refers only to the Father's relation to created things, not to the Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ τὸν υἱὸν ἀτιμάζων ἀτιμάζει τὸν πατέρα","severity":"info","text":"This echoes the principle that dishonoring the Son dishonors the Father, likely alluding to John 5:23 or similar passages on the unity of Father and Son, though not a direct quotation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτῶν τὸν διάβολον","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius compares the Arians to the devil, a common polemical trope in fourth-century anti-Arian writings, reflecting the intense rhetorical strategy of the period.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ' (for first) introduces a logical argument refuting the Arian definition of ἀγένητον, structuring the passage as a step-by-step rebuttal.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς γὰρ οὐσίας τοῦ πατρὸς ὡς γέννημα πάλιν οὕτως παρ' αὐτῷ ἐστιν ἀιδίως","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek here is ambiguous: 'ὡς γέννημα' could mean 'as an offspring' (i.e., the Son) or 'as a product' (i.e., of the Father's essence). The English draft takes it as 'as an offspring,' but the syntax is compressed and debated.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῆς γὰρ οὐσίας τοῦ πατρὸς ὡς γέννημα πάλιν οὕτως παρ' αὐτῷ ἐστιν ἀιδίως' is syntactically ambiguous: it may mean the Son is eternally with the Father as an offspring of his essence, or that the Father's essence itself is eternally present as a product. The reading taken follows the English draft's interpretation as 'offspring' (the Son)."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":50,"ref":"p50","source":"καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ τὸν ἀρχιτέκτονα προσφωνῶν καὶ λέγων δημιουργὸν οἰκίας ἢ πόλεως οὐ συναριθ μεῖ τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεννηθέντα υἱόν, ἀλλὰ διὰ μὲν τὴν εἰς τὰ ἔργα τέχνην καὶ τὴν ἐπιστήμην σημαίνων μὴ εἶναι αὐτὸν τοιοῦτον, οἷά ἐστι τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ γε νόμενα, δημιουργὸν αὐτὸν καλεῖ, τὴν δὲ φύσιν τοῦ ποιήσαντος εἰδὼς οἶδεν ἄλλον εἶναι παρὰ ταῦτα τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεννηθέντα καὶ διὰ μὲν τὸν υἱὸν πατέρα αὐτὸν καλεῖ, διὰ δὲ τὰ ἔργα κτίστην καὶ ποιητήν. τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ὁ λέγων οὕτως τὸν θεὸν ἀγένητον ἐκ τῶν ἔργων αὐτὸν ὀνομάζει σημαίνων μὴ μόνον μὴ εἶναι αὐτὸν γενητόν, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ τῶν γενητῶν ποιητής ἐστιν, οἶδε μέντοι τὸν λόγον ἄλλον ὄντα τῶν καὶ μόνον ἴδιον τοῦ πατρὸς γέννημα, δι' οὗ καὶ τὰ πάντα γέγονε καὶ συνέστηκε.\n\nΚαὶ γὰρ καὶ παντοκράτορα τὸν θεὸν οἱ προφῆται λέγοντες οὐ διὰ τὸ εἶναι τὸν λόγον ἕνα τῶν πάντων οὕτως αὐτὸν ἐπεκαλοῦντο–ᾔδεισαν γὰρ τὸν υἱὸν ἄλλον ὄντα τῶν γενητῶν καὶ πάντων καὶ αὐτὸν κρατοῦντα κατὰ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς ὁμοιότητα–ἀλλ' ὅτι πάντων, ὧν διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ πεποίηκεν, αὐτὸς κρατεῖ, τούτων τε τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῷ υἱῷ δέ δωκε καὶ δεδωκὼς πάλιν αὐτὸς τῶν πάντων διὰ τοῦ λόγου κυριεύει. πάλιν τε κύριον τῶν δυνάμεων λέγοντες τὸν θεὸν οὐ διὰ τὸ εἶναι καὶ τὸν λόγον ἕνα τούτων τῶν δυνάμεων τοῦτ' ἔλεγον, ἀλλ' ὅτι τοῦ μὲν υἱοῦ πατήρ ἐστι, τῶν δὲ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ γενομένων δυνάμεων κύριός ἐστι. καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς πάλιν ὁ λόγος ἐν τῷ πατρὶ ὢν πάντων τούτων ἐστὶ κύριος καὶ πάντων κρατεῖ· πάντα γάρ, ὅσα ἔχει ὁ πατήρ, τοῦ υἱοῦ ἐστιν.","english":"Just as someone who addresses an architect and calls him the builder of a house or a city does not include in this name the son begotten from him, but, indicating by his skill in works and his knowledge that he is not such as the things produced by him, calls him builder, while knowing the nature of the maker, he knows that the one begotten from him is other than these, and calls him father because of the son, and creator and maker because of the works. In the same way, one who speaks thus of God as unbegotten names him from his works, indicating not only that he is not begotten, but also that he is the maker of begotten things; yet he knows that the Word is other than these and is the sole proper offspring of the Father, through whom all things have come to be and consist.\n\nFor indeed, when the prophets call God almighty, they did not invoke him thus because the Word is one of all things—for they knew that the Son is other than the begotten and all things, and that he himself holds sway according to the likeness of the Father—but because he himself holds sway over all things which he has made through the Son, and he has given authority over these to the Son, and having given it, he himself again rules over all things through the Word. Again, when they call God lord of the powers, they did not say this because the Word is one of these powers, but because he is father of the Son, and lord of the powers that came to be through the Son. For indeed, the Word himself, being in the Father, is lord of all these and holds sway over all; for all that the Father has belongs to the Son.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγένητον","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius distinguishes ἀγένητος (unbegotten) from ἀγέννητος (unoriginate), using the former to affirm God's role as creator while denying that the Son is a creature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀγένητον","severity":"info","text":"The term ἀγένητον here means 'unbegotten' (not 'unoriginate'), a key distinction in anti-Arian polemic: God is unbegotten, but the Son is begotten, not a creature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"παντοκράτορα","severity":"info","text":"The title παντοκράτωρ (almighty) was common in LXX and early Christian usage; Athanasius argues it does not imply the Son is one of the created powers.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a double analogy: architect/son and builder/works, then applies the same logic to God as unbegotten and almighty, reinforcing the Son's distinct but inseparable status.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The argument that the Son is 'other than the begotten' and 'sole proper offspring' parallels Athanasius's Contra Arianos, where he insists the Son is not a creature but the Father's own logos.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage was cited in later Trinitarian controversies to defend the Son's co-eternity and distinct personhood against Arian and Eunomian interpretations of 'unbegotten'.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text uses ἀγένητον (unbegotten) but the English draft renders it as 'unbegotten' consistently; however, the Coptic Vorlage (if any) is not extant, so the precise nuance in the original language of composition remains uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":51,"ref":"p51","source":"ὥσπερ οὖν τοῦτο τοιοῦτον ἔχει τὸν νοῦν, οὕτως ὁ βουλόμενος λέγειν τὸν θεὸν ἀγένητον, λεγέτω μέν, εἰ ἅπαξ οὕτως αὐτῷ δοκεῖ, μὴ μέντοι διὰ τὸ εἶναι τὸν λόγον τῶν γενητῶν, ἀλλ' ὅτι, καθὰ προεῖπον, ὁ θεὸς οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἔστι γενητός, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν γενητῶν ποιητής ἐστι διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου λόγου. καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὕτως λεγομένου τοῦ πατρὸς πάλιν εἰκὼν ὁ λόγος ἐστὶ καὶ ὁμοούσιος τοῦ πατρός· εἰκὼν δὲ ὢν αὐτοῦ ἄλλος ἂν εἴη τῶν γενητῶν καὶ τῶν πάντων. οὗ γάρ ἐστιν εἰκών, τούτου καὶ τὴν ἰδιότητα καὶ τὴν ὁμοίωσιν ἔχει, ὥστε τὸν λέγοντα ἀγένητον καὶ παντοκράτορα τὸν πατέρα νοεῖν ἐν τῷ ἀγενήτῳ καὶ παντοκράτορι καὶ τὸν τούτου λόγον καὶ τὴν σοφίαν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ υἱός. ἀλλ' οἱ θαυμαστοὶ καὶ εἰς ἀσέβειαν εὐχερεῖς οὐ τῆς εἰς τὸν θεὸν τιμῆς φροντίζοντες ἐφεῦρον τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ἀγενήτου, τῆς δὲ κατὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος χάριν κακονοίας· εἰ γὰρ ἔμελεν αὐτοῖς τιμῆς καὶ εὐφημίας, ἔδει μᾶλλον, καὶ τοῦτο βέλτιον ἦν, πατέρα τὸν θεὸν εἰδέναι τε καὶ λέγειν αὐτούς, ἢ ἐκείνως ὀνομάζειν αὐτούς. λέγοντες μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι τὸν θεὸν ἀγένητον ἐκ τῶν γενομένων αὐτόν, καθὰ προ εῖπον, ποιητὴν μόνον","english":"Just as this has such a meaning, so whoever wishes to call God unbegotten, let him do so, if it once seems good to him, but not because the Word is among the things that are begotten, but because, as I said before, God is not only not begotten, but is also the maker of begotten things through his own Word. For even when the Father is spoken of in this way, the Word is again the image and consubstantial with the Father; and being his image, he would be other than the begotten things and all things. For of that of which he is the image, he also has the property and likeness, so that the one who says the Father is unbegotten and almighty understands in the unbegotten and almighty also his Word and his wisdom, which is the Son. But these wonderful men, easily inclined to impiety, not caring for the honor of God, devised the name \"unbegotten\" for the sake of their malice against the Savior; for if they had cared for honor and good repute, it would have been better, and this was preferable, for them to know and call God Father, rather than to name him in that way. For when they call God unbegotten, they derive him from things that have come to be, as I said before, making him only a maker.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγένητον","severity":"info","text":"The term 'unbegotten' (ἀγένητον) is central to Athanasius's argument. He distinguishes it from 'Father' to show that the Son is not a creature but the image and consubstantial with the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁμοούσιος","severity":"info","text":"The term 'consubstantial' (ὁμοούσιος) is a key Nicene term, asserting that the Son shares the same substance as the Father, against Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius here counters Arian opponents who used 'unbegotten' to imply the Son is a creature. He insists that calling God 'Father' better conveys the Son's coeternal and consubstantial nature.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Khazarzar 2023"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the analogy from the previous section, comparing God to an architect. It reinforces the distinction between the unbegotten Father and the begotten Son, who is nonetheless consubstantial.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius's argument here became foundational in Nicene orthodoxy, shaping later Trinitarian theology. His use of 'consubstantial' was affirmed at the Council of Constantinople (381).","cites":[],"named_sources":["Khazarzar 2023"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a minor textual issue: 'προ εῖπον' appears with a space, likely a scribal error for 'προεῖπον' (I said before). The sense is clear and the translation follows the intended reading.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῶν γενητῶν' could be read as 'the things that are begotten' or 'the creatures'; the translation takes it as 'begotten things' to align with the theological contrast."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":52,"ref":"p52","source":"λέγουσιν, ἵνα καὶ τὸν λόγον ποίημα σημάνωσι κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἡδονήν· ὁ δὲ τὸν θεὸν πατέρα λέγων εὐθὺς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ τὸν υἱὸν σημαίνει καὶ οὐκ ἀγνο ήσει, ὅτι υἱοῦ ὄντος διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τὰ γενόμενα ἐκτίσθη πάντα. Οὐκοῦν καὶ μᾶλλον ἀληθέστερον ἂν εἴη τὸν θεὸν ἐκ τοῦ υἱοῦ σημαίνειν καὶ πατέρα λέγειν ἢ ἐκ μόνων τῶν ἔργων ὀνομάζειν καὶ λέγειν αὐτὸν ἀγένητον. τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ τὰ ἐκ τοῦ βουλήματος τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ λόγου γενόμενα ἔργα σημαίνει, τὸ δὲ τοῦ πατρὸς ὄνομα τὸ ἴδιον ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ γέννημα γνωρίζει. ὅσῳ δὲ ὁ λόγος τῶν γενητῶν διαφέρει, τοσοῦτον καὶ πλέον τὸ λέγειν τὸν θεὸν πατέρα τοῦ λέγειν ἀγένητον διαφέροι ἄν. καὶ γὰρ τοῦτο μὲν ἄγραφον καὶ ὕποπτον ποικί λην ἔχον ἐστὶ τὴν σημασίαν, ἐκεῖνο δὲ ἁπλοῦν καὶ ἔγγραφον καὶ ἀληθέστερον καὶ μόνον σημαῖνον τὸν υἱόν. καὶ τὸ μὲν ἀγένητον παρ' Ἑλλήνων εὕρηται τῶν μὴ γινω σκόντων τὸν υἱόν, τὸ δὲ πατὴρ παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν ἐγνώσθη καὶ κεχάρισται. καὶ γὰρ εἰδὼς αὐτός, τίνος υἱός ἐστιν, ἔλεγεν· «ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί», καί· «ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμέ, ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα», καί· «ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν». καὶ οὐδαμοῦ φαίνεται τὸν πατέρα καλῶν ἀγένητον αὐτός, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμᾶς εὔχεσθαι διδάσκων οὐκ εἶπεν· ὅταν δὲ προσεύχησθε, λέγετε· «θεὸς ἀγένητε», ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον· «ὅταν προσεύχησθε, λέγετε· πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς». καὶ τὸ κεφάλαιον δὲ τῆς πίστεως ἡμῶν εἰς τοῦτο συντείνειν ἠθέλησεν· ἐκέλευσε γὰρ ἡμᾶς βαπτίζεσθαι οὐκ εἰς ὄνομα ἀγενήτου καὶ γενητοῦ οὐδὲ εἰς ὄνομα ἀκτίστου καὶ κτίσματος, ἀλλ' εἰς ὄνομα πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος.","english":"they say, in order to signify the Word as a product according to their own pleasure. But he who calls God Father immediately signifies the Son in him as well, and will not be ignorant that, since the Son exists, all things that have come into being were created through the Son. Therefore, it would be more true to signify God from the Son and to call him Father than to name him from his works alone and to call him unbegotten. For the former signifies the works that have come into being from the will of God through the Word, while the name Father makes known the proper offspring from his own essence. And to the extent that the Word differs from things that are generated, to that extent and more would calling God Father differ from calling him unbegotten. For the latter is unwritten and suspicious, having a varied meaning, while the former is simple, written, more true, and signifies the Son alone. And the term unbegotten is found among the Greeks who do not know the Son, whereas the term Father was known and granted by our Lord. For knowing of whom he is the Son, he said: \"I am in the Father and the Father is in me,\" and \"He who has seen me has seen the Father,\" and \"I and the Father are one.\" And nowhere does he himself appear to call the Father unbegotten, but even when teaching us to pray, he did not say: \"When you pray, say 'Unbegotten God,'\" but rather: \"When you pray, say 'Our Father who art in heaven.'\" And the summary of our faith he wished to tend toward this: for he commanded us to be baptized not in the name of unbegotten and begotten, nor in the name of uncreated and creature, but in the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγένητον","severity":"info","text":"The term 'unbegotten' (ἀγένητον) is contrasted with 'Father' (πατήρ) to argue that the latter is scriptural and the former is of Greek origin, implying a polemic against Arian usage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius cites three Johannine verses: John 14:10-11 (mutual immanence), John 14:9 (seeing the Father through the Son), and John 10:30 (unity of Father and Son).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς","severity":"info","text":"The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9) is invoked to show that Christ taught 'Father' rather than 'Unbegotten' as the proper address in prayer.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"παρ' Ἑλλήνων","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius attributes the term 'unbegotten' to Greek philosophers who lack knowledge of the Son, reflecting a common patristic critique of pagan theology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage builds a series of contrasts: 'Father' vs. 'unbegotten', scriptural vs. unwritten, simple vs. varied meaning, and baptismal formula (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) vs. alternative terms.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The argument that 'Father' is more true than 'unbegotten' because it signifies the Son directly became a standard Nicene defense against Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text uses 'γενητῶν' (generated things) and 'γενόμενα' (things that have come into being) without always distinguishing between created and begotten; the translation assumes a consistent contrast with the Son as uncreated."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":53,"ref":"p53","source":"οὕτως γὰρ τελειούμενοι υἱοποιούμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀληθῶς, καὶ τὸ τοῦ πατρὸς δὲ ὄνομα λέγοντες ἐπιγινώσκομεν ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου καὶ τὸν ἐν τῷ πατρὶ λόγον. εἰ δὲ καὶ πατέρα θέλει λέγειν ἡμῶν τὸν ἴδιον ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα, οὐ χρὴ διὰ τοῦτο συνεκτεί νειν ἑαυτοὺς τῷ υἱῷ κατὰ τὴν φύσιν. καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ δι' αὐτὸν λέγεται παρ' ἡμῶν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ ἡμέτερον ὁ λόγος ἐφόρεσε σῶμα καὶ γέγονεν ἐν ἡμῖν, ἀκολούθως διὰ τὸν ἐν ἡμῖν λόγον καὶ ἡμῶν ὁ θεὸς λέγεται πατήρ. τὸ γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν πνεῦμα τοῦ λόγου δι' ἡμῶν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα ὡς ἡμῶν ὀνομάζει· οὗτος τοῦ ἀποστόλου νοῦς ἐστι λέγοντος· «ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν κρᾶζον· ἀββᾶ ὁ πατήρ».\n\nἈλλ' ἴσως καὶ διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἀγένητον ἐλεγχθέντες πονηροὶ τὸν τρόπον ὄντες ἐθελήσουσι καὶ αὐτοὶ λέγειν· ἔδει καὶ περὶ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐκ τῶν γραφῶν τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ γεγραμμένα λέγεσθαι καὶ μὴ ἀγράφους ἐπεισάγεσθαι λέξεις. ναὶ ἔδει, φαίην ἂν καὶ ἔγωγε, ἀκριβέστερα γὰρ ἐκ τῶν γραφῶν μᾶλλον ἢ ἐξ ἑτέρων ἐστὶ τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας γνωρίσματα· ἀλλ' ἡ κακοήθεια καὶ μετὰ πανουργίας παλίμβολος ἀσέβεια τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον ἠνάγκασε, καθὰ προεῖπον, τοὺς ἐπισκόπους λευκότερον ἐκθέσθαι τὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν αὐτῶν ἀνατρέποντα ῥήματα. καὶ τὰ μὲν παρὰ τῆς συνόδου γραφέντα διάνοιαν ὀρθὴν ἔχοντα δέδεικται, τῶν δ' Ἀρειανῶν καὶ τὰ λογάρια σαθρὰ καὶ ὁ τρόπος πονηρὸς ἐφάνη.","english":"For thus being perfected we are truly adopted as sons, and when we say the name \"Father,\" we recognize from this name also the Word that is in the Father. But if he wishes to call our Father his own Father, we must not for this reason extend ourselves to the Son in respect of nature. For this too is said by us on account of him. Since the Word took upon himself our body and became among us, accordingly, on account of the Word in us, God is also called our Father. For the Spirit of the Word in us names his own Father as ours; this is the meaning of the Apostle when he says: \"God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father.'\"\n\nBut perhaps, having been refuted by the name \"unoriginate,\" and being wicked in character, they will also wish to say themselves: \"It was necessary that concerning our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the things written about him be stated from the Scriptures, and that no unwritten expressions be introduced.\" Yes, it was necessary, I myself would say, for the marks of truth are more precise from the Scriptures than from other sources; but the malice and cunningly shifting impiety of those around Eusebius compelled the bishops, as I said before, to set forth more clearly the words that overturn their impiety. And the things written by the council have been shown to have a correct meaning, while the arguments of the Arians have been revealed as both unsound and their character wicked.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"υἱοποιούμεθα","severity":"info","text":"The verb υἱοποιούμεθα (literally 'we are made sons') carries the theological sense of adoption into divine filiation, a key concept in Athanasius' soteriology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius cites a Pauline phrase not found verbatim in the canonical New Testament; it likely reflects a conflation of Romans 8:15-16 and Galatians 4:6, where the Spirit cries 'Abba, Father.'","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia (not the historian) was a leading Arian bishop; Athanasius groups him with the 'Arians' as the source of the controversy that forced the Nicene bishops to clarify their language.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀλλ' ἴσως","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'But perhaps' marks a rhetorical shift: Athanasius anticipates an objection from the Arians about the use of non-scriptural terms, then rebuts it by citing their own impiety.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἀγένητον","severity":"info","text":"The term 'unoriginate' (ἀγένητον) was a flashpoint in the Arian controversy; Athanasius here implies that the Arians, having been refuted on this point, now shift to a procedural objection about scriptural language.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"συνεκτεί νειν","severity":"caution","text":"The reading συνεκτεί νειν (with a space) is a scribal or editorial artifact; the correct form is συνεκτείνειν ('to extend together'). The sense is not affected.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact source of the scriptural citation attributed to 'the Apostle' is uncertain; it may be a paraphrase or a conflation of several Pauline passages.","The identity of 'those around Eusebius' is clear in context, but the phrase could also include other Arian sympathizers not named."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":54,"ref":"p54","source":"καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ ἀγένητον ὄνομα, ἰδίαν ἔχον διάνοιαν καὶ δυνά μενον εὐσεβῶς προφέρεσθαι, αὐτοὶ πάλιν κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἐνθύμησιν ὡς ἠθέλησαν ὀνομάζου σιν ἐπ' ἀτιμίᾳ τοῦ σωτῆρος, ἵνα μόνον ὡς γίγαντες θεομαχεῖν φιλονεικῶσιν. ἀλλ' οὔτε ἐκεῖνα τὰ λογάρια προφέροντες ἔμειναν ἀκατάγνωστοι οὔτε τὸ ἀγένητον καλῶς καὶ εὐσεβῶς δυνάμενον ὀνομάζεσθαι, ὅμως κακῶς αὐτοὶ φρονοῦντες λαθεῖν οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν· κατῃσχύνθησαν γὰρ ἐν πᾶσι καὶ ἡ αἵρεσις αὐτῶν ἐστηλιτεύθη πανταχοῦ. Ταῦτα μέν, ὡς ἠδυνήθην, ἀπομνημονεύσας τὰ ἐν τῇ συνόδῳ τότε πραχθέντα δεδή λωκα, οἶδα δὲ ὅτι τῶν χριστομάχων οἱ φιλέριδες οὐδὲ τούτων ἀκούσαντες μεταβάλ λεσθαι θελήσουσιν, ἀλλὰ περιδραμοῦνται πάλιν ἑτέρας ζητοῦντες προφάσεις καὶ μετὰ ταύτας πάλιν ἑτέρας ἐπινοήσουσι. κατὰ γὰρ τὸ\n\nπροφητικὸν «εἰ ἀλλάξεται Αἰθίοψ τὸ δέρμα αὐτοῦ καὶ πάρδαλις τὰ ποικίλματα αὐτῆς» καὶ αὐτοὶ θελήσουσιν εὐσεβῶς φρονεῖν μεμαθηκότες ἀσεβεῖν. σὺ μέντοι, ἀγαπητέ, δεξάμενος ἔντυχε κατὰ σαυτόν, καὶ εἰ δοκι μάσειας καλῶς ἔχειν, ἀνάγνωθι καὶ τοῖς τότε παροῦσιν ἀδελφοῖς, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ ταῦτα μαθόντες ἀποδέξωνται μὲν τῆς συνόδου τὸν ζῆλον τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τὴν τῆς διανοίας ἀκρί βειαν, καταγνῶσι δὲ τῆς τόλμης τῶν χριστομάχων Ἀρειανῶν καὶ τῶν ματαίων προφά σεων αὐτῶν, ἃς τῆς ἀσεβοῦς ἑαυτῶν χάριν αἱρέσεως ἀναπλάττειν ἐν αὐτοῖς μεμελετήκασιν· ὅτι τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ πρέπει δόξα, τιμὴ καὶ προσκύνησις σὺν τῷ συνανάρχῳ αὐτοῦ υἱῷ καὶ λόγῳ ἅμα τῷ παναγίῳ καὶ ζωοποιῷ πνεύματι νῦν καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἀτελευτήτους αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμήν.","english":"For the name \"unbegotten\" also, having its own meaning and being capable of being piously uttered, they again, according to their own thought, name it as they wish, to the dishonor of the Savior, so that, like giants, they may strive only to fight against God. But neither did those who uttered those little arguments remain uncondemned, nor could they, though the term \"unbegotten\" can be used well and piously, escape notice when they themselves thought wickedly; for they were put to shame in all things, and their heresy was pilloried everywhere. These things, as I was able, I have recounted, having recalled what was then done in the synod; but I know that the contentious among the Christ-fighters will not wish to change even after hearing these things, but will run about again seeking other pretexts, and after these will devise still others. For according to the prophetic saying, \"If the Ethiopian will change his skin and the leopard its spots,\" so they, having learned to be impious, will wish to think piously. But you, beloved, having received this, read it to yourself, and if you judge it to be good, read it also to the brothers who were then present, so that they too, learning these things, may accept the zeal for truth and the precision of thought of the synod, and condemn the audacity of the Christ-fighting Arians and their vain pretexts, which they have practiced devising for the sake of their impious heresy; because glory, honor, and worship are due to God and Father together with his co-eternal Son and Word, together with the all-holy and life-giving Spirit, now and for the unending ages of ages. Amen.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγένητον","severity":"info","text":"The term 'unbegotten' (ἀγένητον) is a key theological term in the Arian controversy, used by Arians to emphasize the Father's uniqueness and to deny the Son's co-eternity. Athanasius argues that the term can be used piously but is misapplied by his opponents.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ ἀλλάξεται Αἰθίοψ τὸ δέρμα αὐτοῦ καὶ πάρδαλις τὰ ποικίλματα αὐτῆς","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of Jeremiah 13:23 (LXX), which speaks of the impossibility of an Ethiopian changing his skin or a leopard its spots. Athanasius uses it to argue that the Arians are incorrigible in their impiety.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"γίγαντες","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'giants' (γίγαντες) fighting against God alludes to the mythological Gigantomachy, a common patristic trope for heretics who rebel against divine truth. It underscores Athanasius's view of the Arians as impious rebels.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ταῦτα μέν... δεδήλωκα","severity":"info","text":"This passage marks the conclusion of Athanasius's narrative of the Council of Nicaea, summarizing his account and transitioning to a hortatory address to the reader. It signals the end of the historical section and the beginning of the paraenesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"χριστομάχων","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Christ-fighters' (χριστομάχων) is a polemical label Athanasius applies to the Arians, framing them as enemies of Christ. This epithet was influential in later anti-Arian rhetoric and reflects the intense theological conflict of the period.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγένητον","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek term ἀγένητον can be ambiguous, meaning either 'unbegotten' (not generated) or 'uncreated.' Athanasius's usage here focuses on the former, but the ambiguity was exploited by Arians to argue for the Son's created status. The translation follows the theological context.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὸ ἀγένητον ὄνομα' could be read as 'the name 'unbegotten'' or 'the name 'uncreated''; the context of Arian debates favors 'unbegotten' as a term for the Father's unique status.","The reference to 'the prophetic saying' is a loose paraphrase of Jeremiah 13:23; the exact wording differs from the LXX, possibly due to Athanasius quoting from memory."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":55,"ref":"p55","source":"τ {Εὐσεβίου Καισαρέως τοῦ ἀρειανόφρονος ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς τοὺς τῆς παροικίας αὐτοῦ.} Τὰ περὶ τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς πίστεως πραγματευθέντα κατὰ τὴν μεγάλην σύνοδον τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ συγκροτηθεῖσαν εἰκὸς μὲν ὑμᾶς, ἀγαπητοί, καὶ ἄλλοθεν μεμαθηκέναι, τῆς φήμης προτρέχειν εἰωθυίας τὸν περὶ τῶν πραττομένων ἀκριβῆ λόγον. ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ ἐκ τοιαύτης ἀκοῆς τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας ἑτεροίως ὑμῖν ἀπαγγέλληται, ἀναγκαίως διεπεμψάμεθα ὑμῖν πρῶτον μὲν τὴν ὑφ' ἡμῶν προταθεῖσαν περὶ τῆς πίστεως γραφήν, ἔπειτα τὴν δευτέ ραν, ἣν ταῖς ἡμετέραις φωναῖς προσθήκας ἐπιβαλόντες ἐκδεδώκασιν. τὸ μὲν οὖν παρ' ἡμῶν γράμμα ἐπὶ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου ἡμῶν βασιλέως ἀναγνωσθὲν εὖ τε ἔχειν καὶ δοκίμως ἀποφανθὲν τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον· «Καθὼς παρελάβομεν παρὰ τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν ἐπισκόπων καὶ ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ κατηχήσει καὶ ὅτε τὸ λουτρὸν ἐλαμβάνομεν καὶ καθὼς ἀπὸ τῶν θείων γραφῶν μεμαθήκαμεν καὶ ὡς ἐν τῷ πρεσβυτερίῳ καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἐπισκοπῇ ἐπιστεύομέν τε καὶ ἐδιδάσκομεν, οὕτως καὶ νῦν πιστεύοντες τὴν ἡμετέραν πίστιν ὑμῖν προσαναφέρομεν· ἔστι δὲ αὕτη· 33.4» Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα θεόν, πατέρα, παντοκράτορα, τὸν τῶν ἁπάντων ὁρατῶν τε καὶ ἀοράτων ποιητήν, καὶ εἰς ἕνα κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ λόγον, θεὸν ἐκ θεοῦ, φῶς ἐκ φωτός, ζωὴν ἐκ ζωῆς, υἱὸν μονογενῆ, πρωτότοκον πάσης κτίσεως, πρὸ πάντων τῶν αἰώνων ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς γεγεννημένον, δι' οὗ καὶ ἐγένετο τὰ πάντα·","english":"Eusebius of Caesarea, the Arian-minded, letter to those of his own parish. The matters concerning the ecclesiastical faith that were transacted at the great synod convened at Nicaea, it is likely, beloved, that you have learned from elsewhere as well, since rumor is accustomed to outrun the precise account of what is done. But so that the truth may not be reported to you differently from such hearsay, we have necessarily sent to you first the writing concerning the faith that was proposed by us, and then the second, which they published after adding supplements to our own words. Now the document from us, read in the presence of our most God-beloved emperor and declared to be both good and approved, is as follows: \"Just as we received from the bishops before us, both in the first catechesis and when we received the bath, and just as we have learned from the divine scriptures, and as in the presbyterate and in the episcopate itself we both believed and taught, so also now, believing, we present our faith to you; and it is this: We believe in one God, Father, Pantocrator, the maker of all things visible and invisible, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, God from God, light from light, life from life, only-begotten Son, firstborn of all creation, born from the Father before all ages, through whom all things came to be.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Εὐσεβίου Καισαρέως τοῦ ἀρειανόφρονος","severity":"info","text":"The heading labels Eusebius of Caesarea as 'Arian-minded', reflecting Athanasius's polemical framing. Eusebius was a prominent church historian and bishop who sympathized with Arian positions, though his own creedal statements were more moderate.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ μὲν οὖν παρ' ἡμῶν γράμμα","severity":"info","text":"This passage introduces a first-person creedal statement attributed to Eusebius, embedded within Athanasius's work. The shift to direct quotation marks a structural transition from narrative to documentary evidence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"πρωτότοκον πάσης κτίσεως","severity":"info","text":"'Firstborn of all creation' is a phrase from Colossians 1:15, used here in a creed to assert Christ's preeminence over creation. It was contested in Arian debates: Arians could interpret it as implying a beginning in time, while orthodox exegesis stressed eternal generation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"φῶς ἐκ φωτός, ζωὴν ἐκ ζωῆς","severity":"info","text":"These phrases echo Johannine language (e.g., John 1:4-5, 1:9) and were common in early Christian creeds to express the Son's consubstantial derivation from the Father. They counter Arian subordinationism by emphasizing eternal, non-temporal emanation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"τὴν δευτέραν, ἣν ταῖς ἡμετέραις φωναῖς προσθήκας ἐπιβαλόντες ἐκδεδώκασιν","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius claims the council added supplements to his original creed, resulting in the Nicene Creed. This letter was preserved by Athanasius to show Eusebius's eventual acceptance of the Nicene formula, though modern scholars debate its authenticity and the extent of later editing.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τ {Εὐσεβίου Καισαρέως τοῦ ἀρειανόφρονος ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς τοὺς τῆς παροικίας αὐτοῦ.}","severity":"caution","text":"The heading is likely a later editorial addition, not original to Athanasius. The epithet 'Arian-minded' is anachronistic for Eusebius's own self-presentation and reflects the later polemical context of the Arian controversy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The extent to which the quoted creed is verbatim from Eusebius or paraphrased by Athanasius is uncertain. The phrase 'πρωτότοκον πάσης κτίσεως' may have been acceptable to Eusebius but was later omitted from the Nicene Creed, suggesting editorial shaping."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":56,"ref":"p56","source":"τὸν διὰ τὴν ἡμε τέραν σωτηρίαν σαρκωθέντα καὶ ἐν ἀνθρώποις πολιτευσάμενον καὶ παθόντα καὶ ἀνα στάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἀνελθόντα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα καὶ ἥξοντα πάλιν ἐν δόξῃ κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς. πιστεύομεν δὲ καὶ εἰς ἓν πνεῦμα ἅγιον. τούτων ἕκαστον εἶναι καὶ ὑπάρχειν πιστεύοντες πατέρα ἀληθῶς πατέρα καὶ υἱὸν ἀληθῶς υἱὸν καὶ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἀληθῶς ἅγιον πνεῦμα, καθὼς καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν ἀποστέλλων εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ μαθητὰς εἶπεν· «πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος». περὶ ὧν καὶ διαβεβαιούμεθα οὕτως ἔχειν καὶ οὕτως φρονεῖν καὶ πάλαι οὕτως ἐσχηκέναι καὶ μέχρι θανάτου ὑπὲρ ταύτης ἐνίστασθαι τῆς πίστεως ἀναθεματίζοντες πᾶσαν ἄθεον αἵρεσιν. ταῦτα ἀπὸ καρδίας καὶ ψυχῆς πάντοτε πεφρονηκέναι, ἐξ οὗπερ ἴσμεν ἑαυτούς, καὶ νῦν φρονεῖν τε καὶ λέγειν ἐξ ἀληθείας ἐπὶ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ παντοκράτορος καὶ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μαρτυρόμεθα, δεικνύναι ἔχοντες δι' ἀποδείξεων καὶ πείθειν ὑμᾶς, ὅτι καὶ τοὺς παρεληλυθότας χρόνους οὕτως ἐπιστεύομέν τε καὶ ἐκηρύσσομεν. «Ταύτης ὑφ' ἡμῶν ἐκτεθείσης τῆς πίστεως οὐδενὶ παρῆν ἀντιλογίας τόπος, ἀλλ' αὐτός τε πρῶτος ὁ θεοφιλέστατος ἡμῶν βασιλεὺς ὀρθότατα περιέχειν αὐτὴν ἐμαρτύρησεν. οὕτω τε καὶ ἑαυτὸν φρονεῖν","english":"learned, from other sources, what was done concerning the ecclesiastical faith at the great synod convened at Nicaea. For since the teaching of the Arians, which was condemned, was not simply a matter of a few, but had spread to many, the blessed council, having gathered from all sides, decreed that the faith should be set forth in writing, so that all might know the truth and the error might be exposed. And the faith set forth is as follows: We believe in one God, Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, that is, from the substance of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made, both those in heaven and those on earth; who for us men and for our salvation came down and was made flesh, and lived among men, and suffered, and rose again on the third day, and ascended to the Father, and will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. And we believe in one Holy Spirit. Believing each of these to be and to exist, Father truly Father, Son truly Son, and Holy Spirit truly Holy Spirit, as also our Lord, sending his own disciples to preach, said: \"Go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.\" Concerning these things we affirm that they are so, and that we think thus, and that we have always held thus, and that we will contend for this faith until death, anathematizing every godless heresy. We testify that we have always thought these things from the heart and soul, from the time we first knew ourselves, and that we now think and speak them in truth before the God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ, being able to show by proofs and to convince you that even in past times we believed and preached thus. \"When this faith was set forth by us, there was no place for contradiction, but our most God-beloved emperor himself first testified that it contained the most correct teaching. And thus he himself thinks","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν σαρκωθέντα","severity":"info","text":"This clause echoes the Nicene Creed's language on the incarnation, emphasizing Christ's salvific embodiment.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος","severity":"info","text":"A paraphrase of Matthew 28:19, the Great Commission, used here to ground Trinitarian baptismal formula in apostolic practice.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ὁμοούσιος","severity":"info","text":"Though not present in this passage, the surrounding context of the Nicene Creed implies the term 'homoousios' (of one substance), central to the Arian controversy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Eusebius of Caesarea","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius, a bishop with Arian sympathies, wrote a letter to his congregation explaining the Nicene Creed; Athanasius cites it here to show Eusebius's acceptance of the orthodox formulation.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Athanasius 4th century"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"πιστεύομεν δὲ καὶ εἰς ἓν πνεῦμα ἅγιον","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a transition from the Christological section to the Pneumatological clause, mirroring the creedal structure of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ἀναθεματίζοντες πᾶσαν ἄθεον αἵρεσιν","severity":"info","text":"The anathema against heresies reflects the conciliar practice of condemning opposing views, a feature that shaped later creedal affirmations and ecclesiastical discipline.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Athanasius 4th century"],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text includes a quotation from Eusebius's letter, but the exact boundary between Athanasius's commentary and Eusebius's words is unclear; the passage appears to continue Eusebius's citation of the creed."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":57,"ref":"p57","source":"συνωμολόγησε καὶ ταύτῃ τοὺς πάντας συγκαταθέσθαι ὑπογράφειν τε τοῖς δόγμασι καὶ συμφωνεῖν τούτοις αὐτοῖς παρεκελεύετο, ἑνὸς μόνου προσεγγραφέντος ῥήματος τοῦ ὁμοουσίου, ὃ καὶ αὐτὸς ἑρμήνευε λέγων· ὅτι μὴ κατὰ τῶν σωμάτων πάθη λέγοιτο ὁμοούσιος ὁ υἱός, οὔτ' οὖν κατὰ διαίρεσιν οὔτε κατά τινα ἀποτομὴν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑποστῆναι· μηδὲ γὰρ δύνασθαι τὴν ἄυλον καὶ νοερὰν καὶ ἀσώματον φύσιν σωμα τικόν τι πάθος ὑφίστασθαι, θείοις δὲ καὶ ἀπορρήτοις λόγοις προσήκειν τὰ τοιαῦτα νοεῖν. καὶ ὁ μὲν σοφώτατος ἡμῶν καὶ εὐσεβέστατος βασιλεὺς τοιάδε ἐφιλοσόφει. οἱ δὲ προφάσει τῆς τοῦ ὁμοουσίου προσθήκης τήνδε τὴν γραφὴν πεποιήκασιν· [Ἡ ἐν τῇ συνόδῳ ὑπαγορευθεῖσα πίστις.]» Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα θεόν, πατέρα, παντοκράτορα, πάντων ὁρατῶν τε καὶ ἀοράτων ποιητήν, καὶ εἰς ἕνα κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, γεννηθέντα ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς μονογενῆ τουτέστιν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρός, θεὸν ἐκ θεοῦ, φῶς ἐκ φωτός, θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ, γεννηθέντα οὐ ποιηθέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ πατρί, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο τά τε ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ, τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σω τηρίαν κατελθόντα καὶ σαρκωθέντα, ἐνανθρωπήσαντα, παθόντα καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, ἀνελθόντα εἰς οὐρανοὺς καὶ ἐρχόμενον κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς. καὶ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα. τοὺς δὲ λέγοντας «ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν» καὶ «πρὶν γεννηθῆναι οὐκ ἦν» καὶ ὅτι «ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐγένετο» ἢ ἐξ ἑτέρας ὑποστάσεως ἢ οὐσίας φάσκοντας εἶναι ἢ κτιστὸν ἢ τρεπτὸν ἢ ἀλλοιωτὸν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἀναθεματίζει ἡ καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία.","english":"He agreed and commanded all to consent to this, to subscribe to the decrees, and to concur with these very things, with only one word being added, that of homoousios, which he himself interpreted, saying: that the Son is not called homoousios according to the passions of bodies, nor did he subsist from the Father by division or by any severance; for the immaterial, intellectual, and incorporeal nature cannot undergo any bodily passion, but such things must be understood by divine and ineffable words. And our most wise and most pious emperor philosophized thus. But those who, on the pretext of the addition of homoousios, have composed this document: [The faith dictated at the synod.] \"We believe in one God, Father, Pantocrator, maker of all things visible and invisible, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, only-begotten, that is, from the substance of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, homoousios with the Father, through whom all things came to be, both those in heaven and those on earth, who for us men and for our salvation came down and was incarnate, became man, suffered and rose on the third day, ascended into the heavens, and is coming to judge the living and the dead. And in the Holy Spirit. Those who say 'there was a time when he was not' and 'before being begotten he was not' and that 'he came to be from non-existence' or who affirm that the Son of God is from another hypostasis or substance, or that he is created, or changeable, or alterable, the catholic church anathematizes.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁμοούσιος","severity":"info","text":"The term 'homoousios' (of the same substance) is the central theological term of the Nicene Creed, here defended by the emperor against Arian interpretations that it implies material division.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"θεὸν ἐκ θεοῦ, φῶς ἐκ φωτός","severity":"info","text":"The phrases 'God from God, light from light' echo Johannine and early Christian baptismal creeds, though not direct quotations; they reinforce the Son's derivation from the Father without subordination.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage attributes the interpretation of 'homoousios' to Emperor Constantine, reflecting his role in the Council of Nicaea (325 CE) as a mediator and theological arbiter, a key historical detail.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage transitions from narrative (the emperor's interpretation) to a direct citation of the Nicene Creed, marked by the rubric '[Ἡ ἐν τῇ συνόδῳ ὑπαγορευθεῖσα πίστις]' (The faith dictated at the synod).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The creed cited here includes the anti-Arian anathemas against phrases like 'there was a time when he was not,' which became standard in later Nicene orthodoxy and were reaffirmed at Constantinople (381 CE).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a minor textual issue: 'σωμα τικόν' appears as a split word; the edition likely intended 'σωματικόν' (bodily). This does not affect the sense.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'οἱ δὲ προφάσει τῆς τοῦ ὁμοουσίου προσθήκης τήνδε τὴν γραφὴν πεποιήκασιν' is ambiguous: it could mean that opponents composed the creed as a pretext, or that they cited it to argue against the addition; the translation takes it as the former."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":58,"ref":"p58","source":"Καὶ δὴ ταύτης τῆς γραφῆς ὑπ' αὐτῶν ὑπαγορευθείσης, ὅπως εἴρηται αὐτοῖς τὸ «ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρὸς» καὶ τὸ «τῷ πατρὶ ὁμοούσιον», οὐκ ἀνεξέταστον αὐτοῖς κατελιμπάνομεν. ἐπερωτήσεις τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἀποκρίσεις ἐντεῦθεν ἀνεκινοῦντο ἐβασάνιζέν τε ὁ λόγος τὴν διάνοιαν τῶν εἰρημένων. καὶ δὴ τὸ «ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας» ὡμολογεῖτο πρὸς αὐτῶν δηλωτικὸν εἶναι τοῦ ἐκ μὲν τοῦ πατρὸς εἶναι, οὐ μὴν ὡς μέρος ὑπάρχειν τοῦ πατρός. ταύτῃ δὲ καὶ ἡμῖν ἐδόκει καλῶς ἔχειν συγκατατίθεσθαι τῇ διανοίᾳ τῆς εὐσεβοῦς διδασκαλίας ὑπαγορευούσης ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς εἶναι τὸν υἱόν, οὐ μὴν μέρος αὐτοῦ τῆς οὐσίας τυγχάνειν. διόπερ τῇ διανοίᾳ καὶ ἡμεῖς συνετιθέμεθα οὐδὲ τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ ὁμοουσίου παραιτούμενοι τοῦ τῆς εἰρήνης σκοποῦ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἡμῖν κειμένου καὶ τοῦ μὴ τῆς ὀρθῆς ἐκπεσεῖν διανοίας. Κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὲ καὶ τὸ «γεννηθέντα καὶ οὐ ποιηθέντα» κατεδεξάμεθα, ἐπειδὴ τὸ «ποιηθὲν» κοινὸν ἔφασκεν εἶναι πρόσρημα τῶν λοιπῶν κτισμάτων τῶν διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ γενομένων, ὧν οὐδὲν ὅμοιον ἔχειν τὸν υἱόν· διὸ δὴ μὴ εἶναι αὐτὸν ποίημα τοῖς δι' αὐτοῦ γενομένοις ἐμφερές, κρείττονος δὲ ἢ κατὰ πᾶν ποίημα τυγχάνειν οὐσίας, ἣν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς γεγεννῆσθαι τὰ θεῖα διδάσκει λόγια, τοῦ τρόπου τῆς γεννήσεως ἀνεκφράστου καὶ ἀνεπιλογίστου πάσῃ γενητῇ φύσει τυγχάνοντος. Οὕτω δὲ καὶ τὸ «ὁμοούσιον εἶναι τοῦ πατρὸς τὸν υἱὸν» ἐξεταζόμενος ὁ λόγος συν ίστησιν, οὐ κατὰ τὸν τῶν σωμάτων τρόπον οὐδὲ τοῖς θνητοῖς ζῴοις παραπλησίως, οὔτε γὰρ κατὰ διαίρεσιν τῆς οὐσίας οὔτε κατὰ ἀποτομήν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ κατά τι πάθος ἢ τροπὴν ἢ ἀλλοίωσιν τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας τε καὶ δυνάμεως.","english":"And when this document had been dictated by them, we did not leave unexamined how they had spoken the phrases \"from the substance of the Father\" and \"homoousios with the Father.\" Therefore questions and answers were stirred up from this, and the argument tested the meaning of what had been said. And indeed, the phrase \"from the substance\" was acknowledged by them to be indicative of being from the Father, but not as being a part of the Father. And in this we also thought it right to agree with the meaning of the pious teaching, which dictates that the Son is from the Father, but not as being a part of his substance. Therefore we also assented to the meaning, not rejecting the term homoousios, since the goal of peace lay before our eyes and we did not wish to fall away from the correct meaning. In the same way, we also accepted \"begotten and not made,\" since they said that \"made\" is a common term for the rest of the creatures that came into being through the Son, none of which the Son resembles; therefore he is not a creation similar to those that came into being through him, but is of a substance superior to every creation, which the divine oracles teach was begotten from the Father, the manner of the begetting being inexpressible and inconceivable to every created nature. And thus the argument establishes that \"the Son is homoousios with the Father,\" not in the manner of bodies nor similarly to mortal animals, for neither by division of the substance nor by severance, nor by any passion or change or alteration of the Father's substance and power.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁμοούσιον","severity":"info","text":"The term homoousios is central to the Nicene Creed. Athanasius here reports that the Eusebian party accepted it after interpretation, emphasizing that it does not imply material division or passion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'from the substance' is clarified to mean the Son is from the Father but not as a part of the Father's substance, countering Arian subordinationist readings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage reflects the post-Nicene debates (c. 350s–360s) where Athanasius defends the Creed against Arian interpretations, stressing that 'begotten not made' distinguishes the Son from creatures.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage follows a pattern: a phrase is cited, its meaning is examined, and then accepted with a safeguard. This rhetorical structure reinforces the orthodoxy of the Nicene formulations.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius' interpretation of homoousios as excluding material division became standard in later Trinitarian theology, influencing the Cappadocians and the Council of Constantinople (381).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text uses 'ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας' and 'ὁμοούσιον' as reported speech from the Eusebian party; Athanasius' own assent is conditional on the correct meaning, not the bare words.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'them' (αὐτῶν) is not specified in this passage; context suggests the Eusebian bishops who initially resisted homoousios.","The phrase 'τῆς εὐσεβοῦς διδασκαλίας' could refer either to the Nicene Creed or to the broader orthodox tradition; the text does not disambiguate."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":59,"ref":"p59","source":"τούτων γὰρ πάντων ἀλλο τρίαν εἶναι τὴν ἀγένητον τοῦ πατρὸς φύσιν. παραστατικὸν δὲ εἶναι τὸ «ὁμοούσιον τῷ πατρὶ» τοῦ μηδεμίαν ἐμφέρειαν πρὸς τὰ γενητὰ κτίσματα τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ φέρειν, μόνῳ δὲ τῷ πατρὶ τῷ γεγεννηκότι κατὰ πάντα τρόπον ἀφωμοιῶσθαι καὶ μὴ εἶναι ἐξ ἑτέρας τινὸς ὑποστάσεώς τε καὶ οὐσίας, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ πατρός. ᾧ καὶ αὐτῷ τοῦτον ἑρμηνευθέντι τὸν τρόπον καλῶς ἔχειν ἐφάνη συγκαταθέσθαι, ἐπεὶ καὶ τῶν παλαιῶν τινας λογίους καὶ ἐπιφανεῖς ἐπισκόπους καὶ συγγραφεῖς ἔγνωμεν ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ θεο λογίας τῷ τοῦ ὁμοουσίου χρησαμένους ὀνόματι. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν περὶ τῆς ἐκτεθείσης εἰρήσθω πίστεως, ᾗ συνεφωνήσαμεν οἱ πάντες οὐκ ἀνεξετάστως, ἀλλὰ\n\nκατὰ τὰς ἀποδοθείσας διανοίας ἐπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου βασιλέως ἐξετασθείσας καὶ τοῖς εἰρημένοις λογισμοῖς συνομολογηθείσας. καὶ τὸν ἀναθεματισμὸν δὲ τὸν μετὰ τὴν πίστιν πρὸς αὐτῶν ἐκτεθέντα ἄλυπον εἶναι ἡγησάμεθα διὰ τὸ ἀπείργειν ἀγράφοις χρῆσθαι φωναῖς, διὸ σχεδὸν ἡ πᾶσα γέγονε σύγχυσις καὶ ἀκαταστασία τῆς ἐκκλησίας. μηδεμιᾶς γοῦν θεοπνεύστου γραφῆς τῷ «ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων» καὶ τῷ «ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν» καὶ τοῖς ἑξῆς ἐπιλεγομένοις κεχρημένης οὐκ εὔλογον ἐφάνη ταῦτα λέγειν καὶ διδάσκειν. ᾧ καὶ αὐτῷ καλῶς δόξαντι συνεθέμεθα, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ ἐν τῷ πρὸ τούτου χρόνῳ τούτοις εἰώθαμεν συγχρῆσθαι τοῖς ῥήμασιν. Ἔτι μὴν τὸ ἀναθεματίζεσθαι τὸ «πρὸ τοῦ γεννηθῆναι οὐκ ἦν» οὐκ ἄτοπον ἐνομίσθη τῷ παρὰ πᾶσιν ὁμολογεῖσθαι τὸ εἶναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ πρὸ τῆς κατὰ σάρκα γεννήσεως.","english":"For of all these things the unbegotten nature of the Father is different. And the phrase \"homoousios with the Father\" is indicative that the Son of God bears no resemblance to created beings, but is assimilated in every way only to the Father who begot him, and that he is not from some other hypostasis or substance, but from the Father. And when this had been interpreted in this manner, it seemed good to assent to it, since we knew that some ancient and learned and distinguished bishops and writers had used the term homoousios in their theology of the Father and Son. So let these things be said concerning the faith that was set forth, to which we all agreed, not without examination, but\n\naccording to the interpretations given, examined in the presence of the most pious emperor himself, and agreed upon with the stated reasonings. And the anathema that was set forth by them after the faith we considered to be unobjectionable, because it prevents the use of unwritten phrases, on account of which almost the whole confusion and disorder of the church has arisen. Since at any rate no divinely inspired scripture uses the phrases \"from non-existence\" and \"there was a time when he was not\" and the subsequent expressions, it did not seem reasonable to say and teach these things. And since this also seemed good, we agreed, especially because even in the time before this we were not accustomed to use these expressions. Moreover, the anathematizing of the phrase \"before he was begotten he was not\" was not considered out of place, because it is confessed by all that the Son of God existed before his birth in the flesh.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ὁμοούσιον","severity":"info","text":"The term 'homoousios' (consubstantial) is here defined as indicating the Son bears no resemblance to created beings and is assimilated only to the Father, not from another hypostasis or substance.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage describes the Nicene Creed's acceptance after examination before Emperor Constantine, reflecting the conciliar process of 325 CE.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'from non-existence' (ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων) is rejected as unwritten and not found in divinely inspired scripture, a key anti-Arian argument.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'there was a time when he was not' (ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν) is similarly rejected as unbiblical, targeting Arian claims about the Son's temporal origin.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage concludes the narrative of the Nicene Creed's adoption, summarizing the rationale for assenting to the term 'homoousios' and the anathemas against unwritten phrases.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius notes that ancient bishops and writers had used 'homoousios' before Nicaea, a claim supporting the term's orthodoxy by appealing to tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text at the start is slightly garbled: 'ἀλλο τρίαν' likely stands for 'ἀλλοτρίαν' (different/alien), as reflected in the English draft. The reading 'ἀλλοτρίαν' is adopted."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":60,"ref":"p60","source":"ἤδη δὲ ὁ θεοφιλέστατος ἡμῶν βασιλεὺς τῷ λόγῳ κατεσκεύαζε καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἔνθεον αὐτοῦ γέννησιν τὴν πρὸ πάντων αἰώνων εἶναι αὐτόν, ἐπεὶ καὶ πρὶν ἐνεργείᾳ γεννηθῆναι δυνάμει ἦν ἐν τῷ πατρὶ ἀγεννήτως, ὄντος τοῦ πατρὸς ἀεὶ πατρὸς ὡς καὶ βασιλέως ἀεὶ καὶ σωτῆρος ἀεί, δυνάμει πάντα ὄντος, ἀεί τε κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ καὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχοντος. Ταῦτα ὑμῖν ἀναγκαίως διεπεμψάμεθα, ἀγαπητοί, τὸ κεκριμένον τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐξετάσεώς τε καὶ συγκαταθέσεως φανερὸν ὑμῖν καθιστῶντες καὶ ὡς εὐλόγως τότε μὲν καὶ μέχρις ἐσχάτης ὥρας ἐνιστάμεθα, ὅθ' ἡμῖν τὰ ἑτεροίως γραφέντα προσέκοπτε, τότε δὲ ἀφιλονείκως τὰ μὴ λυποῦντα κατεδεξάμεθα, ὅθ' ἡμῖν εὐγνωμόνως τῶν λόγων ἐξετάζουσι τὴν διάνοιαν ἐφάνη συντρέχειν τοῖς ὑφ' ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ προεκτεθείσῃ πίστει ὡμολογημένοις. τ {Καθαίρεσις Ἀρείου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ ὑπὸ Ἀλεξάνδρου ἀρχιεπισκόπου Ἀλεξανδρείας.} Ἀλέξανδρος πρεσβυτέροις καὶ διακόνοις Ἀλεξανδρείας καὶ Μαρεώτου, παρὼν παροῦσιν, ἀγαπητοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Εἰ καὶ φθάσαντες ὑπεγράψατε οἷς ἐπέστειλα τοῖς περὶ Ἄρειον προτρέπων αὐτοὺς ἀρνήσασθαι μὲν τὴν ἀσέβειαν πεισθῆναι δὲ τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ καὶ καθολικῇ πίστει, καὶ ἐδείξατε ἑαυτῶν ὀρθὴν τὴν προαίρεσιν καὶ τὴν ἐν τοῖς δόγμασι συμφωνίαν τῆς καθο λικῆς ἐκκλησίας, ὅμως ἐπειδὴ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἁπανταχοῦ συλλειτουργοὺς ἐπέστειλα περὶ τῶν περὶ Ἄρειον, ἀναγκαῖον ἡγησάμην ὑμᾶς μὲν τοὺς τῆς πόλεως κληρικοὺς συναγαγεῖν, ὑμᾶς δὲ τοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ Μαρεώτου μεταπέμψασθαι·","english":"Now our most God-beloved emperor was establishing by argument that, according to his divine generation, he exists before all ages, since even before being generated in actuality he was potentially in the Father in an unbegotten manner, the Father always being Father, just as he is always King and always Savior, being everything potentially, and always remaining the same and in the same state. We have necessarily sent you these things, beloved, making clear to you the judgment of our examination and agreement, and how reasonably we resisted then and up to the very last hour, when the writings composed differently offended us, and then how without contentiousness we accepted what did not cause pain, when, as we examined the meaning of the words in good conscience, it appeared to concur with what we ourselves had confessed in the previously set forth faith. {Deposition of Arius and those with him by Alexander, Archbishop of Alexandria.} Alexander to the presbyters and deacons of Alexandria and the Mareotis, present to those present, beloved brothers in the Lord, greetings. Although you have already subscribed to what I wrote to those around Arius, urging them to renounce impiety and be persuaded by the sound and catholic faith, and you have shown your own right intention and the harmony of the catholic church in doctrines, nevertheless, since I have also written to my fellow ministers everywhere concerning those around Arius, I have deemed it necessary to gather you, the clergy of the city, and to summon you from the Mareotis.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἤδη δὲ ὁ θεοφιλέστατος ἡμῶν βασιλεὺς τῷ λόγῳ κατεσκεύαζε","severity":"info","text":"The emperor (Constantine) is portrayed as actively arguing for the Son's pre-temporal generation, a role consistent with his involvement at Nicaea.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγεννήτως","severity":"info","text":"The adverb 'unbegottenly' (ἀγεννήτως) is used to describe the Son's potential existence in the Father, emphasizing that the Son is not created but eternally generated in a manner distinct from created beings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τ {Καθαίρεσις Ἀρείου...}","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from Athanasius' narrative to a letter by Alexander of Alexandria, introduced by a rubric. This marks a transition from theological argument to documentary evidence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀλέξανδρος πρεσβυτέροις καὶ διακόνοις","severity":"info","text":"Alexander, Archbishop of Alexandria, was a key figure in the early Arian controversy. His letter to clergy in Alexandria and the Mareotis region documents the deposition of Arius and his followers.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ κεκριμένον τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐξετάσεώς τε καὶ συγκαταθέσεως","severity":"info","text":"This phrase reflects the conciliar process of examination and agreement, which later became a model for synodal authority in church tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τ {Καθαίρεσις Ἀρείου...}","severity":"caution","text":"The rubric 'Deposition of Arius...' may be a later editorial insertion. The transition from Athanasius' narrative to Alexander's letter is abrupt, and the authenticity of the rubric as part of the original text is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'πρὶν ἐνεργείᾳ γεννηθῆναι δυνάμει ἦν ἐν τῷ πατρὶ ἀγεννήτως' is ambiguous: it could mean the Son existed potentially in the Father before actual generation, or that the Father always had the Son in potentiality. The translation takes the former reading.","The rubric introducing Alexander's letter may be a later addition; its placement and wording are not clearly part of Athanasius' original composition."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":61,"ref":"p61","source":"μάλιστα ὅτι καὶ ἀφ' ὑμῶν Χάρης καὶ Πιστὸς πρεσβύτεροι, καὶ Σαραπίων καὶ Παράμμων καὶ Ζώσιμος καὶ Εἰρηναῖος διάκονοι ἐπηκολούθησαν τοῖς περὶ Ἄρειον καὶ ἠγάπησαν σὺν αὐτοῖς καθαιρεθῆναι· ἵνα καὶ τὰ νῦν γραφόμενα γνῶτε τήν τε ἐν τούτοις συμφωνίαν ἑαυτῶν ἐπιδείξησθε καὶ τῇ καθαι ρέσει τῶν περὶ Ἄρειον καὶ τῶν περὶ Πιστὸν σύμψηφοι γένησθε. πρέπει γὰρ τὰ παρ' ἐμοῦ γραφόμενα γινώσκειν ὑμᾶς καὶ ἕκαστον ὡς παρ' αὐτοῦ γραφόμενα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ κατέχειν. Ἀντίγραφον. Τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς καὶ τιμιωτάτοις συλλειτουργοῖς τοῖς ἁπανταχοῦ τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας Ἀλέξανδρος ἐν κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Ἑνὸς σώματος ὄντος τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐντολῆς τε οὔσης ἐν ταῖς θείαις γρα φαῖς τηρεῖν τὸν σύνδεσμον τῆς ὁμονοίας καὶ εἰρήνης ἀκόλουθόν ἐστι γράφειν ἡμᾶς καὶ σημαίνειν ἀλλήλοις τὰ παρ' ἑκάστου γινόμενα, ἵνα εἴτε πάσχει εἴτε χαίρει ἓν μέλος ἢ συμ πάσχωμεν ἢ συγχαίρωμεν ἀλλήλοις. ἐν τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ τοίνυν παροικίᾳ ἐξῆλθον νῦν ἄνδρες παράνομοι καὶ χριστομάχοι διδάσκοντες ἀποστασίαν, ἣν εἰκότως ἄν τις πρόδρομον τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου ὑπονοήσειε καὶ καλέσειεν. καὶ ἐβουλόμην μὲν σιωπῇ παραδοῦναι τὸ τοιοῦτον, ὅπως ἐν τοῖς προστάταις μόνοις ἀναλωθῇ τὸ κακὸν καὶ μὴ εἰς ἑτέρους τόπους διαβὰν τὸ τοιοῦτον ῥυπώσῃ τινῶν ἀκεραίων τὰς ἀκοάς. ἐπειδὴ δὲ Εὐσέβιος ὁ νῦν ἐν τῇ Νικομηδείᾳ νομίσας ἐπ' αὐτῷ κεῖσθαι τὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ὅτι καταλείψας τὴν Βηρυτὸν καὶ ἐποφθαλμίσας τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Νικομηδέων [καὶ] οὐκ ἐκδεδίκηται κατ' αὐτοῦ, προίσταται καὶ τούτων τῶν","english":"especially because from among you, Chares and Pistus, presbyters, and Sarapion, Parammon, Zosimus, and Eirenaius, deacons, followed those around Arius and were content to be deposed with them; so that you may also now know what is written, and demonstrate your own agreement in these matters, and become of one vote with the deposition of those around Arius and those around Pistus. For it is fitting that you know what is written by me, and that each of you hold it in your heart as if written by him. Copy. To the beloved and most honored fellow ministers everywhere in the catholic church, Alexander in the Lord sends greetings. Since the catholic church is one body, and there is a command in the divine scriptures to preserve the bond of concord and peace, it is fitting that we write and signify to one another what is done by each, so that if one member suffers or rejoices, we either suffer together or rejoice together with one another. In our parish, therefore, men have now come forth, lawless and Christ-fighters, teaching apostasy, which one might reasonably suspect and call a forerunner of the Antichrist. And I wished to consign such a matter to silence, so that the evil might be consumed only among the leaders and not, passing into other places, defile the ears of some innocent ones. But since Eusebius, now in Nicomedia, thinking that the affairs of the church rest upon him, because he left Berytus and cast his eyes upon the church of the Nicomedians and has not been avenged against him, he also champions these","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Χάρης καὶ Πιστὸς πρεσβύτεροι","severity":"info","text":"Chares and Pistus were presbyters who sided with Arius and were deposed. Pistus later became a rival bishop of Alexandria, consecrated by Eusebius of Nicomedia.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"χριστομάχοι","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Christ-fighters' (χριστομάχοι) is a polemical label used by Alexander to denounce the Arians as opponents of Christ, not merely of ecclesiastical authority.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἑνὸς σώματος ὄντος τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας","severity":"info","text":"The image of the church as one body echoes 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, where Paul describes the church as a single body with mutual suffering and rejoicing.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀντίγραφον","severity":"info","text":"The word 'Ἀντίγραφον' (copy) marks the beginning of a quoted letter from Alexander of Alexandria, inserted into Athanasius's narrative. This is a common documentary technique in early Christian polemic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Εὐσέβιος ὁ νῦν ἐν τῇ Νικομηδείᾳ","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia was a leading Arian sympathizer who had moved from Berytus (Beirut) to Nicomedia. He later baptized Constantine and was a key figure in the Arian controversy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐποφθαλμίσας τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Νικομηδέων [καὶ]","severity":"caution","text":"The bracketed 'καὶ' in the Greek text indicates a textual uncertainty; the editor suggests a possible corruption or insertion. The sense is that Eusebius 'cast his eyes upon' the Nicomedian church.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἐποφθαλμίσας τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Νικομηδέων [καὶ]' contains a bracketed 'καὶ' that may be a scribal addition or corruption; the reading adopted here treats it as an interpolation."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":62,"ref":"p62","source":"ἀποστατῶν καὶ γράφειν ἐπεχείρησε πανταχοῦ συνιστῶν αὐτούς, ὅπως ὑποσύρῃ τινὰς ἀγνοοῦντας εἰς τὴν αἰσχίστην ταύτην καὶ χριστομάχον αἵρεσιν, ἀνάγκην ἔσχον εἰδὼς τὸ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γεγραμμένον μηκέτι μὲν σιωπῆσαι, ἀναγγεῖλαι δὲ πᾶσιν ὑμῖν, ἵνα γινώσκητε τούς τε ἀποστάτας γενομένους καὶ τὰ τῆς αἱρέσεως αὐτῶν δύστηνα ῥήματα καί, ἐὰν γράφῃ Εὐσέβιος, μὴ προσέχητε. παλαιὰν γὰρ αὐτοῦ κακόνοιαν τὴν χρόνῳ σιωπηθεῖσαν νῦν διὰ τούτων ἀνανεῶσαι βουλόμενος σχηματίζεται μὲν ὡς ὑπὲρ τού των γράφειν, ἔργῳ δὲ δείκνυσιν, ὅτι ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ σπουδάζων τοῦτο ποιεῖ. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀποστάται γενόμενοί εἰσιν Ἄρειος καὶ Ἀχιλεὺς καὶ Ἀειθαλῆς καὶ Καρπώνης καὶ ἕτερος Ἄρειος καὶ Σαρμάτης οἱ ποτὲ πρεσβύτεροι· καὶ Εὐζώιος καὶ Λούκιος καὶ Ἰούλιος καὶ Μηνᾶς καὶ Ἑλλάδιος καὶ Γάιος οἱ ποτὲ διάκονοι· καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς Σεκοῦνδος καὶ Θεωνᾶς οἱ ποτὲ λεχθέντες ἐπίσκοποι. ποῖα δὲ παρὰ τὰς γραφὰς ἐφευρόντες λαλοῦσιν, ἔστι ταῦτα. Οὐκ ἀεὶ ὁ θεὸς πατὴρ ἦν, ἀλλ' ἦν ὅτε ὁ θεὸς πατὴρ οὐκ ἦν. οὐκ ἀεὶ ἦν ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος, ἀλλ' ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων γέγονεν. ὁ γὰρ ὢν θεὸς τὸν μὴ ὄντα ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος πεποίηκε. διὸ καὶ ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν. κτίσμα γάρ ἐστι καὶ ποίημα ὁ υἱός. οὔτε δὲ ὅμοιος κατ' οὐσίαν τῷ πατρί ἐστιν οὔτε ἀληθινὸς καὶ φύσει τοῦ πατρὸς λόγος ἐστὶν οὔτε ἀληθινὴ σοφία αὐτοῦ ἐστιν, ἀλλ' εἷς μὲν τῶν ποιημάτων καὶ γενητῶν ἐστι, καταχρηστικῶς δὲ λέγεται λόγος καὶ σοφία, γενόμενος καὶ αὐτὸς τῷ ἰδίῳ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγῳ καὶ τῇ ἐν τῷ θεῷ σοφίᾳ ἐν ᾗ καὶ τὰ πάντα καὶ αὐτὸν πεποίηκεν ὁ θεός.","english":"of the apostates and attempted to write everywhere commending them, so as to draw some ignorant persons into this most shameful and Christ-fighting heresy, I was compelled, knowing what is written in the law, no longer to be silent, but to report to all of you, so that you may know both those who have become apostates and the wretched statements of their heresy, and, if Eusebius writes, you may not pay attention. For he, wishing to renew through these things his old malice, which had been silenced by time, pretends to write on their behalf, but in fact shows that he does this in his own interest. Now those who have become apostates are Arius, Achilleus, Aithales, Carpones, another Arius, and Sarmates, once presbyters; and Euzoius, Lucius, Julius, Menas, Helladius, and Gaius, once deacons; and with them Secundus and Theonas, once called bishops. And what they have invented and say contrary to the Scriptures are these things: God the Father was not always; there was a time when God the Father was not. The Word of God was not always, but came into being from non-existence. For the God who is made the one who is not from non-existence. Therefore there was a time when he was not. For the Son is a creature and a product. He is neither like the Father in essence, nor is he the true and natural Word of the Father, nor is he his true wisdom, but he is one of the products and created things, and is called Word and wisdom only by abuse of language, being himself created by the Word of God and the wisdom in God, by which God has made all things, including him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Εὐσέβιος","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia, a leading Arian sympathizer, is the target of Athanasius' polemic. His influence at court and role in the Arian controversy are well documented.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γεγραμμένον","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'what is written in the law' likely refers to Deuteronomy 13:14 or a similar injunction against silence in the face of heresy, though no direct citation is given.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"χριστομάχον","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Christ-fighting' (χριστομάχον) is a polemical epithet Athanasius uses to characterize Arianism as opposing Christ's divinity, not a formal theological label.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ποῖα δὲ παρὰ τὰς γραφὰς ἐφευρόντες λαλοῦσιν, ἔστι ταῦτα","severity":"info","text":"This sentence introduces a list of Arian tenets, marking a shift from narrative to doctrinal exposition. The list is a summary of key Arian positions rejected at Nicaea.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"Οὐκ ἀεὶ ὁ θεὸς πατὴρ ἦν","severity":"info","text":"The Arian slogans listed here (e.g., 'there was a time when the Father was not') were condemned at Nicaea (325) and later refuted by Athanasius in works like 'Contra Arianos'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ γὰρ ὢν θεὸς τὸν μὴ ὄντα ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος πεποίηκε","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek syntax here is ambiguous: it could mean 'the God who is made the one who is not from non-existence' (as in the draft) or 'the God who is made the non-existent from non-existence'. The sense is that the Son is created ex nihilo, a key Arian claim.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὸ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γεγραμμένον' may refer to a specific scriptural law (e.g., Deut 13:14) or a general principle; the exact reference is not given.","The syntax of 'ὁ γὰρ ὢν θεὸς τὸν μὴ ὄντα ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος πεποίηκε' is ambiguous, as noted in the caution unit."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":63,"ref":"p63","source":"διὸ καὶ τρεπτός ἐστι καὶ ἀλλοιωτὸς τὴν φύσιν ὡς καὶ πάντα τὰ λογικά. ξένος τε καὶ ἀλλότριος καὶ ἀπεσχοινισμένος ἐστὶν ὁ λόγος τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ οὐσίας καὶ ἄρρητός ἐστιν ὁ πατὴρ τῷ υἱῷ. οὔτε γὰρ τελείως καὶ ἀκριβῶς γινώσκει ὁ λόγος τὸν πατέρα, οὔτε τελείως ὁρᾶν αὐτὸν δύναται. καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἑαυτοῦ τὴν οὐσίαν οὐκ οἶδεν ὁ υἱὸς ὡς ἔστι. δι' ἡμᾶς γὰρ πεποίηται, ἵνα ἡμᾶς δι' αὐτοῦ ὡς δι' ὀργάνου κτίσῃ ὁ θεός. καὶ οὐκ ἂν ὑπέστη, εἰ μὴ ἡμᾶς ὁ θεὸς ἠθέλησε ποιῆσαι. ἠρώτησε γοῦν τις αὐτούς, εἰ δύναται ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος τραπῆναι ὡς ὁ διάβολος ἐτράπη, καὶ οὐκ ἐφοβήθησαν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι δύναται· τρεπτῆς γὰρ φύσεώς ἐστι γενητὸς καὶ κτιστὸς ὑπάρχων. Ταῦτα λέγοντας τοὺς περὶ Ἄρειον καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις ἀναισχυντοῦντας αὐτούς τε καὶ τοὺς συνακολουθήσαντας αὐτοῖς ἡμεῖς μὲν μετὰ τῶν κατ' Αἴγυπτον καὶ τὰς Λιβύας ἐπισκόπων ἐγγὺς ἑκατὸν ὄντων συνελθόντες ἀνεθεματίσαμεν. οἱ δὲ περὶ Εὐσέβιον προσεδέξαντο σπουδάζοντες ἐγκαταμῖξαι τὸ ψεῦδος τῇ ἀληθείᾳ καὶ τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ τὴν ἀσέ βειαν. ἀλλ' οὐκ ἰσχύσουσι· νικᾶ γὰρ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ οὐδεμία ἐστὶ κοινωνία φωτὶ πρὸς σκότος, οὐδὲ συμφώνησις Χριστοῦ πρὸς Βελίαρ. τίς γὰρ ἤκουσε πώποτε τοιαῦτα; ἢ τίς νῦν ἀκούων οὐ ξενίζεται καὶ τὰς ἀκοὰς βύει ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ τὸν ῥύπον τούτων τῶν ῥημάτων ψαῦσαι τῆς ἀκοῆς; τίς ἀκούων Ἰωάννου λέγοντος, «ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος», οὐ καταγινώσκει τούτων λεγόντων, ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν, ἢ τίς ἀκούων ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ «μονογενὴς υἱός», καὶ «δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο πάντα», οὐ μισήσει τούτους φθεγγομένους, ὅτι εἷς ἐστιν τῶν ποιημάτων;","english":"Therefore he is mutable and alterable in nature, like all rational beings. The Word is foreign, alien, and separated from the essence of God, and the Father is ineffable to the Son. For the Word neither knows the Father completely and accurately, nor is he able to see him perfectly. Indeed, the Son does not even know his own essence as it is. For he was made for our sake, so that God might create us through him as through an instrument. And he would not have subsisted if God had not wished to make us. At any rate, someone asked them whether the Word of God could be changed as the devil was changed, and they were not afraid to say that he can; for he is of a mutable nature, being generated and created. Saying these things, those around Arius and being shameless about them, both themselves and those who followed them, we, together with the bishops of Egypt and Libya, nearly a hundred in number, assembled and anathematized. But those around Eusebius accepted them, eager to mix falsehood with truth and impiety with piety. But they will not prevail; for truth conquers, and there is no communion of light with darkness, nor concord of Christ with Beliar. For who has ever heard such things? Or who, hearing them now, is not astonished and stops his ears to prevent the filth of these words from touching his hearing? Who, hearing John say, \"In the beginning was the Word,\" does not condemn those who say, \"There was a time when he was not\"? Or who, hearing in the Gospel \"only-begotten Son\" and \"through him everything came to be,\" will not hate those who declare that he is one of the creatures?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τρεπτός ἐστι καὶ ἀλλοιωτὸς τὴν φύσιν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius attributes to the Arians the claim that the Logos is mutable and alterable in nature, like all rational beings, which he rejects as incompatible with the divine nature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"λόγος","severity":"info","text":"Here λόγος refers to the divine Word (Logos) as the second person of the Trinity, distinct from human reason; the Arian position denies his co-eternity and consubstantiality with the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius cites John 1:1 to refute the Arian claim that 'there was a time when he was not,' asserting the eternal preexistence of the Logos.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"μονογενὴς υἱός","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'only-begotten Son' (John 1:14, 3:16) is used to argue against the Arian view that the Son is merely one of the creatures, emphasizing his unique divine status.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"οἱ περὶ Ἄρειον","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'those around Arius' refers to the followers of Arius, whose teaching that the Son is a creature (κτίσμα) and mutable was condemned at the Council of Nicaea (325 CE).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"νικᾷ γὰρ ἡ ἀλήθεια","severity":"info","text":"The assertion 'truth conquers' reflects Athanasius's confidence in the Nicene orthodoxy's ultimate triumph, a theme echoed in later patristic and conciliar writings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἐγγὺς ἑκατὸν ὄντων' may indicate 'nearly a hundred' bishops, but the exact number is not specified; the text does not clarify whether the count includes all Egyptian and Libyan bishops or only those present."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":64,"ref":"p64","source":"πῶς γὰρ δύναται εἷς εἶναι τῶν δι' αὐτοῦ γενομένων, ἢ πῶς μονογενὴς ὁ τοῖς πᾶσι κατ' ἐκείνους συναριθμούμενος, εἴπερ καὶ αὐτὸς κτίσμα ἐστὶ καὶ ποίημα; πῶς δὲ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἂν εἴη τοῦ πατρὸς λέγοντος «ἐξηρεύξατο ἡ καρδία μου λόγον ἀγαθὸν» καὶ «ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐγέννησά σε»; ἢ πῶς ἀνόμοιος τῇ οὐσίᾳ τοῦ πατρὸς ὁ ὢν εἰκὼν τελεία καὶ ἀπαύγασμα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ λέγων «ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα»; πῶς δέ, εἰ λόγος καὶ σοφία ἐστὶ τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ υἱός, ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν; ἴσον γάρ ἐστι αὐτοὺς λέγειν ἄλογον καὶ ἄσοφόν ποτε τὸν θεόν. Πῶς δὲ τρεπτὸς καὶ ἀλλοιωτὸς ὁ λέγων δι' ἑαυτοῦ μὲν «ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοὶ» καὶ «ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν», διὰ δὲ τοῦ προφήτου «ἴδετέ με ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ οὐκ ἠλλοίωμαι»; εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐπ' αὐτόν τις τὸν πατέρα δύναται τὸ ῥητὸν ἀναφέρειν, ἀλλὰ\n\nἁρμοδιώτερον ἂν εἴη περὶ τοῦ λόγου νῦν λεγόμενον, ὅτι καὶ γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἠλλοίωται, ἀλλ' ὡς εἶπεν ὁ ἀπόστολος· «Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς χθὲς καὶ σήμερον ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας». τίς δὲ ἄρα εἰπεῖν αὐτοὺς ἔπεισεν, ὅτι δι' ἡμᾶς γέγονε καίτοι τοῦ Παύλου γράφοντος «δι' ὃν τὰ πάντα, καὶ δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα». περὶ γὰρ τοῦ βλασ φημεῖν αὐτούς, ὅτι οὐκ οἶδεν τελείως ὁ υἱὸς τὸν πατέρα, οὐ δεῖ θαυμάζειν. ἅπαξ γὰρ προ θέμενοι χριστομαχεῖν παρακρούονται καὶ τὰς φωνὰς αὐτοῦ λέγοντος «καθὼς γινώσκει με ὁ πατὴρ κἀγὼ γινώσκω τὸν πατέρα». εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐκ μέρους ὁ πατὴρ γινώσκει τὸν υἱόν, δῆλον ὅτι καὶ ὁ υἱὸς μὴ τελείως γινωσκέτω τὸν πατέρα.","english":"How can he be one of the beings that came into existence through him, or how can he be only-begotten if he is counted among all things according to them, if indeed he himself is a creature and a product? How could he be from non-existent things when the Father says, \"My heart has brought forth a good word\" and \"I gave birth to you from the womb before the morning star\"? Or how is he unlike the essence of the Father, being the perfect image and radiance of the Father and saying, \"He who has seen me has seen the Father\"? How, if the Son is word and wisdom of God, was there ever a time when he was not? For it is equivalent to saying that God was once without word and without wisdom. How is he mutable and alterable who says through himself, \"I am in the Father and the Father is in me\" and \"I and the Father are one,\" and through the prophet, \"See me, that I am and have not changed\"? For even if one can refer the saying to the Father himself, yet it would be more fittingly said now concerning the Word, that even having become man he has not changed, but as the apostle said, \"Jesus Christ yesterday and today the same and for the ages.\" Who then persuaded them to say that he came into being for our sake, although Paul writes, \"for whom are all things, and through whom are all things\"? As for their blasphemy that the Son does not fully know the Father, one should not be surprised. For having once set out to fight against Christ, they distort even his own words when he says, \"As the Father knows me, so I know the Father.\" If then the Father knows the Son partially, it is clear that the Son also does not know the Father fully.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξηρεύξατο ἡ καρδία μου λόγον ἀγαθόν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius cites a saying of the Father, 'My heart has brought forth a good word,' which echoes Psalm 45:17 LXX (44:17) but is not a direct quotation; it may reflect a lost or paraphrased source.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐγέννησά σε","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'I gave birth to you from the womb before the morning star' is not a canonical biblical verse; it may be a citation from a lost Jewish or Christian text, or a paraphrase of Psalm 110:3 LXX (109:3).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα","severity":"info","text":"This saying, 'He who has seen me has seen the Father,' is not found verbatim in the New Testament; it may be a conflation of John 14:9-10 or a logion from early Christian tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'I am in the Father and the Father is in me' echoes John 14:10-11, though the exact wording differs; Athanasius uses it to argue for consubstantiality.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἴδετέ με ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ οὐκ ἠλλοίωμαι","severity":"info","text":"The saying 'See me, that I am and have not changed' is not a direct biblical quotation; it may be a paraphrase of Malachi 3:6 or a liturgical formula.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς χθὲς καὶ σήμερον ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Jesus Christ yesterday and today the same and for the ages' is a paraphrase of Hebrews 13:8, which reads 'Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever.'","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The source of several scriptural citations is uncertain; they may be paraphrases or from non-canonical texts.","The identity of the opponents (Arians or other) is not explicitly named in this passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":65,"ref":"p65","source":"εἰ δὲ τοῦτο λέγειν οὐ θέμις, οἶδεν δὲ τελείως ὁ πατὴρ τὸν υἱόν, δῆλον ὅτι καθὼς γινώσκει ὁ πατὴρ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ λόγον, οὕτως καὶ ὁ λόγος γινώσκει τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα, οὗ καὶ ἔστι λόγος. Ταῦτα λέγοντες καὶ ἀναπτύσσοντες τὰς θείας γραφὰς πολλάκις ἐνετρέψαμεν αὐτούς, καὶ πάλιν ὡς χαμαιλέοντες μετεβάλοντο φιλονεικοῦντες εἰς ἑαυτοὺς ἐφελκύσαι τὸ γεγραμ μένον «ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἀσεβὴς εἰς βάθος κακῶν καταφρονεῖ». πολλαὶ γοῦν αἱρέσεις πρὸ αὐτῶν γεγόνασιν, αἵτινες πλέον τοῦ δέοντος τολμήσασαι πεπτώκασιν εἰς ἀφροσύνην. οὗτοι δὲ διὰ πάντων ἑαυτῶν τῶν ῥηματίων ἐπιχειρήσαντες εἰς ἀναίρεσιν τῆς τοῦ λόγου θεότητος ἐδικαίωσαν ἐξ ἑαυτῶν ἐκείνας ὡς ἐγγύτεροι τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου γενόμενοι. διὸ καὶ ἀπεκηρύχθησαν καὶ ἀνεθεματίσθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας. λυπούμεθα μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀπωλείᾳ τούτων καὶ μάλιστα, ὅτι μαθόντες ποτὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ τὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας νῦν ἀπεπήδησαν, οὐ ξενιζόμεθα δέ. τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ Ὑμέναιος καὶ Φίλητος πεπόνθασι καὶ πρὸ αὐτῶν Ἰούδας ὁ ἀκολουθήσας τῷ σωτῆρι, ὕστερον γὰρ προδότης καὶ ἀποστάτης γέγονε. Καὶ περὶ τούτων δὲ αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀδίδακτοι μεμενήκαμεν, ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν κύριος προείρηκε «βλέπετε μή τις ὑμᾶς πλανήσῃ. πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου λέ γοντες ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ ὁ καιρὸς ἤγγικε καὶ πολλοὺς πλανήσουσι. μὴ πορευθῆτε ὀπίσω αὐτῶν». ὁ δὲ Παῦλος μαθὼν ταῦτα παρὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἔγραψεν «ὅτι ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ἀποστήσονταί τινες τῆς ὑγιαινούσης πίστεως προσέχοντες πνεύμασι πλάνοις καὶ διδασκα λίαις δαιμονίων ἀποστρεφομένων τὴν ἀλήθειαν».","english":"If it is not lawful to say this, but the Father knows the Son perfectly, then clearly, as the Father knows his own Word, so also the Word knows his own Father, whose Word he is. Saying these things and unfolding the divine Scriptures, we often refuted them, and again, like chameleons, they changed, contending to draw to themselves the written saying, \"When a godless man goes into the depth of evils, he despises.\" Many heresies indeed arose before them, which, having dared more than necessary, fell into folly. But these, through all their own phrases, having attempted to destroy the divinity of the Word, justified those earlier heresies by themselves, becoming nearer to the Antichrist. Therefore they were denounced and anathematized by the Church. We grieve, then, over the ruin of these, and especially because, having once learned the teachings of the Church, they have now fallen away; but we are not surprised. For Hymenaeus and Philetus suffered this, and before them Judas, who followed the Savior, for later he became a traitor and apostate. And concerning these very ones, we have not remained untaught, but the Lord foretold, \"Beware lest anyone lead you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he, and the time has come,' and they will lead many astray. Do not follow them.\" And Paul, having learned this from the Savior, wrote, \"That in later times some will depart from the sound faith, heeding deceiving spirits and teachings of demons that turn away from the truth.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ δὲ τοῦτο λέγειν οὐ θέμις, οἶδεν δὲ τελείως ὁ πατὴρ τὸν υἱόν","severity":"info","text":"The argument moves from a conditional denial (it is not lawful to say the Son does not know the Father) to a positive assertion of perfect mutual knowledge between Father and Son, grounding the Son's divinity in reciprocal cognition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἀσεβὴς εἰς βάθος κακῶν καταφρονεῖ","severity":"info","text":"This is a citation of Proverbs 18:3 (LXX), used by Athanasius to characterize the heretics' obstinacy. The exact source is Proverbs 18:3 LXX: 'When a godless man goes into the depth of evils, he despises.'","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὑμέναιος καὶ Φίλητος","severity":"info","text":"Hymenaeus and Philetus are figures from the Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:17-18) who taught false doctrine and were excommunicated. Athanasius uses them as biblical precedents for the Arian heresy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"βλέπετε μή τις ὑμᾶς πλανήσῃ. πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου λέγοντες ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ ὁ καιρὸς ἤγγικε καὶ πολλοὺς πλανήσουσι. μὴ πορευθῆτε ὀπίσω αὐτῶν","severity":"info","text":"This is a composite citation of Jesus' warning about false prophets, likely drawn from Matthew 24:4-5 and 24:11, though not verbatim. Athanasius adapts it to warn against Arian teachers.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὅτι ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ἀποστήσονταί τινες τῆς ὑγιαινούσης πίστεως προσέχοντες πνεύμασι πλάνοις καὶ διδασκαλίαις δαιμονίων ἀποστρεφομένων τὴν ἀλήθειαν","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of 1 Timothy 4:1, where Paul warns of those who will depart from sound faith, heeding deceiving spirits and demonic teachings. Athanasius applies it to the Arians.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπεκηρύχθησαν καὶ ἀνεθεματίσθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας","severity":"info","text":"This phrase reflects the formal condemnation and anathematization of the Arians at the Council of Nicaea (325 CE), a key event in the reception history of Arianism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is clear; no significant ambiguities in this passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":66,"ref":"p66","source":"Τοῦ τοίνυν κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διά τε ἑαυτοῦ παραγγείλαντος καὶ διὰ τοῦ ἀποστόλου σημάναντος περὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἀκολούθως ἡμεῖς αὐτήκοοι τῆς ἀσεβείας αὐτῶν γενόμενοι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν, καθὰ προείπομεν, τοὺς τοιούτους ἀποδείξαντές [τε] αὐτοὺς ἀλλοτρίους τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας τε καὶ πίστεως. Ἐδηλώσαμεν καὶ τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ θεοσεβείᾳ, ἀγαπητοὶ καὶ τιμιώτατοι συλλειτουργοί, ἵνα μήτε τινὰς ἐξ αὐτῶν, εἰ προπετεύσαιντο πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλθεῖν, προσδέξησθε μήτε Εὐσεβίῳ ἢ ἑτέρῳ τινὶ γράφοντι περὶ αὐτῶν πεισθῆτε. πρέπει γὰρ ὑμᾶς Χριστιανοὺς ὄντας πάντας τοὺς κατὰ Χριστοῦ λέγοντάς τε καὶ φρονοῦντας ὡς θεομάχους καὶ φθορέας τῶν ψυχῶν ἀποστρέφεσθαι, καὶ μηδὲ κἂν χαίρειν τοῖς τοιούτοις λέγειν, ἵνα μήποτε καὶ ταῖς ἁμαρ τίαις αὐτῶν κοινωνοὶ γενώμεθα, ὡς παρήγγειλεν ὁ μακάριος Ἰωάννης. προσείπατε τοὺς παρ' ὑμῖν ἀδελφούς. ὑμᾶς οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ προσαγορεύουσιν. {Ἀλεξανδρείας πρεσβύτεροι.} Κόλλουθος πρεσβύτερος σύμψηφός εἰμι τοῖς γεγραμμένοις καὶ τῇ καθαιρέσει Ἀρείου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ ἀσεβησάντων. Ἀλέξανδρος πρεσβύτερος ὁμοίως. Διόσκορος πρεσβύτερος ὁμοίως. Διονύσιος πρεσβύτερος ὁμοίως. Εὐσέβιος πρεσβύτερος ὁμοίως. Ἀλέξανδρος πρεσ βύτερος ὁμοίως. Νειλαρᾶς πρεσβύτερος ὁμοίως. Ἁρποκρατίων πρεσβύτερος ὁμοίως. Ἀγαθὸς πρεσβύτερος. Νεμέσιος πρεσβύτερος. Λόγγος πρεσβύτερος. Σιλβανὸς πρεσβύτερος. Περώους πρεσβύτερος. Ἄπις πρεσ βύτερος. Προτέριος πρεσβύτερος. Παῦλος πρεσβύτερος. Κῦρος πρεσ βύτερος ὁμοίως. {Διάκονοι.} Ἀμμώνιος διάκονος ὁμοίως. Μακάριος διάκονος. Πιστὸς διάκονος ὁμοίως. Ἀθανάσιος διάκονος.","english":"Therefore, since our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ himself commanded and through the apostle indicated concerning such matters, we, having become firsthand hearers of their impiety, have anathematized them, as we previously stated, having demonstrated them to be alien to the catholic church and faith. We have also made known to your piety, beloved and most honored fellow ministers, that you should neither receive any of them if they should be so rash as to come to you, nor be persuaded by Eusebius or anyone else writing about them. For it is fitting that you, being Christians, turn away from all who speak and think against Christ as enemies of God and corrupters of souls, and not even so much as greet such persons, lest we ever become sharers in their sins, as the blessed John commanded. Greet the brothers among you. Those with me greet you. {Presbyters of Alexandria.} Colluthus, presbyter: I am in agreement with what has been written and with the deposition of Arius and those who impiously joined him. Alexander, presbyter: likewise. Dioscorus, presbyter: likewise. Dionysius, presbyter: likewise. Eusebius, presbyter: likewise. Alexander, presbyter: likewise. Neilaras, presbyter: likewise. Harpocration, presbyter: likewise. Agathus, presbyter. Nemesius, presbyter. Longus, presbyter. Silvanus, presbyter. Peroüs, presbyter. Apis, presbyter. Proterius, presbyter. Paul, presbyter. Cyrus, presbyter: likewise. {Deacons.} Ammonius, deacon: likewise. Macarius, deacon. Pistus, deacon: likewise. Athanasius, deacon.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"αὐτήκοοι","severity":"info","text":"The term 'αὐτήκοοι' (firsthand hearers) emphasizes that the authors personally witnessed the impiety, lending authority to the anathema.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"θεοσεβείᾳ","severity":"info","text":"'Θεοσεβείᾳ' (piety) is a formal address to fellow ministers, reflecting the epistolary style and hierarchical respect in ecclesiastical correspondence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὡς παρήγγειλεν ὁ μακάριος Ἰωάννης","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'the blessed John' likely alludes to 1 John or the Gospel of John, where avoidance of heretics is counseled, though no specific verse is cited.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Εὐσεβίῳ","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius likely refers to Eusebius of Nicomedia, a prominent Arian sympathizer, whose influence the letter warns against.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"πρεσβύτεροι ... διάκονοι","severity":"info","text":"The list of presbyters and deacons with their subscriptions (e.g., 'σύμψηφός εἰμι') serves as a formal endorsement, typical of conciliar documents, authenticating the anathema.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀθανάσιος διάκονος","severity":"info","text":"The deacon Athanasius listed is likely the author himself, then a deacon, later bishop of Alexandria, underscoring his early role in anti-Arian polemic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Eusebius' is ambiguous; it could refer to Eusebius of Nicomedia or another figure, but the context suggests the Arian supporter.","The phrase 'ὡς παρήγγειλεν ὁ μακάριος Ἰωάννης' does not specify which John (the Evangelist or another) or a precise scriptural passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":67,"ref":"p67","source":"Εὐμενὴς\n\nδιάκονος. Ἀπολλώνιος διάκονος. Ὀλύμπιος διάκονος. Ἀφθόνιος διάκονος. Ἀθανάσιος διάκονος. Μακάριος διάκονος. Παῦλος διάκονος. Πέτρος διάκονος. Ἀμυντιανὸς διάκονος. Γάιος διάκονος. Ἀλέξανδρος διάκονος. Διονύσιος διάκονος. Ἀγάθων διάκονος. Πολύβιος διάκονος. Θεωνᾶς διάκονος. Μάρκος διάκονος. Κώμοδος διάκονος. Σεραπίων διάκονος. Νεῖλος διάκονος. Ῥωμανὸς διάκονος ὁμοίως. {Μαρεώτου πρεσβύτεροι.} Ἀπολλώνιος πρεσβύτερος σύμψηφός εἰμι τοῖς γεγραμμένοις καὶ τῇ καθαιρέσει Ἀρείου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ ἀσεβησάντων. Ἰνγένιος πρεσβύτερος ὁμοίως. Ἀμμώνιος πρεσβύτερος. Διόσκορος πρεσβύτερος. Σωστρᾶς πρεσβύτερος. Θέων πρεσβύτερος. Τύραννος πρεσβύτερος. Κόπρης πρεσβύτερος. Ἀμμωνᾶς πρεσβύτερος. Ὡρίων πρεσβύτερος. Σερῆνος πρεσβύτερος. Δίδυμος πρεσβύτερος. Ἡρακλῆς πρεσ βύτερος. Βόκκων πρεσβύτερος. Ἀγαθὸς πρεσβύτερος. Ἀχιλλᾶς πρεσ βύτερος. Παῦλος πρεσβύτερος. Θαλέλαιος πρεσβύτερος. Διονύσιος πρεσ βύτερος ὁμοίως. {Διάκονοι.} Σαραπίων διάκονος ὁμοίως. Ἰοῦστος διάκονος ὁμοίως. Δίδυμος διάκονος. Δημήτριος διάκονος. Μαῦρος διάκονος. Ἀλέξανδρος διάκονος. Μάρκος διάκονος. Κόμων διάκονος. Τρύφων διάκονος. Ἀμμώνιος διάκονος. Δίδυμος διάκονος. Πτολλαρίων διάκονος. Σέρας διάκονος. Γάιος διάκονος. Ἱέραξ διάκονος. Μάρκος διάκονος. Θεωνᾶς διάκονος. Σαρμάτων διάκονος. Κάρπων διάκονος. Ζώιλος διάκονος ὁμοίως.","english":"Eumenes, deacon. Apollonius, deacon. Olympius, deacon. Aphthonius, deacon. Athanasius, deacon. Macarius, deacon. Paul, deacon. Peter, deacon. Amyntianus, deacon. Gaius, deacon. Alexander, deacon. Dionysius, deacon. Agathon, deacon. Polybius, deacon. Theonas, deacon. Mark, deacon. Comodus, deacon. Serapion, deacon. Nilus, deacon. Romanus, deacon, likewise. {Presbyters of Mareotes.} Apollonius, presbyter: I am in agreement with the written documents and with the deposition of Arius and of those who impiously sinned with him. Ingenius, presbyter, likewise. Ammonius, presbyter. Dioscorus, presbyter. Sostras, presbyter. Theon, presbyter. Tyrannus, presbyter. Copres, presbyter. Ammonas, presbyter. Horion, presbyter. Serenus, presbyter. Didymus, presbyter. Heracles, presbyter. Boccon, presbyter. Agathus, presbyter. Achillas, presbyter. Paul, presbyter. Thalalaeus, presbyter. Dionysius, presbyter, likewise. {Deacons.} Sarapion, deacon, likewise. Justus, deacon, likewise. Didymus, deacon. Demetrius, deacon. Maurus, deacon. Alexander, deacon. Mark, deacon. Comon, deacon. Tryphon, deacon. Ammonius, deacon. Didymus, deacon. Ptollarion, deacon. Seras, deacon. Gaius, deacon. Hierax, deacon. Mark, deacon. Theonas, deacon. Sarmates, deacon. Carpon, deacon. Zoilus, deacon, likewise.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Εὐμενὴς διάκονος … Ζώιλος διάκονος ὁμοίως","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a subscription list appended to the synodal letter, recording clergy from the Mareotes region who assented to the condemnation of Arius.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Μαρεώτου πρεσβύτεροι","severity":"info","text":"The Mareotes (Μαρεώτης) was a district in the Nile Delta near Alexandria, with its own presbyters and deacons, indicating the local church structure involved in the anti-Arian subscription.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"σύμψηφός εἰμι τοῖς γεγραμμένοις","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'σύμψηφός εἰμι τοῖς γεγραμμένοις' (I am in agreement with the written documents) is a formal declaration of assent, typical in conciliar subscriptions to affirm the synod's decisions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"τῇ καθαιρέσει Ἀρείου","severity":"info","text":"The deposition (καθαίρεσις) of Arius and his followers was a key outcome of the Council of Nicaea (325 CE), and this subscription list was later used by Athanasius to demonstrate local clerical support for the Nicene position.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Ζώιλος διάκονος ὁμοίως","severity":"caution","text":"The repeated 'ὁμοίως' (likewise) after some names may indicate scribal abbreviation or that those individuals simply assented without adding a personal statement, but the exact procedure is not specified.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The list includes names that appear twice (e.g., Mark, deacon; Theonas, deacon), possibly indicating different individuals or scribal duplication; the reading assumes distinct persons.","The bracketed headings {Μαρεώτου πρεσβύτεροι} and {Διάκονοι} are editorial insertions in the manuscript tradition, not part of the original subscription."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":68,"ref":"p68","source":"τ {Ἀντίγραφον ἐπιστολῆς τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου κατὰ Ἀρείου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ.} Τῇ ἁγίᾳ καὶ μεγάλῃ θεοῦ χάριτι Ἀλεξανδρέων ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ τοῖς κατ' Αἴγυπτον καὶ Λιβύην καὶ Πεντάπολιν ἀγαπητοῖς ἀδελφοῖς οἱ ἐν Νικαίᾳ συναχθέντες καὶ τὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἁγίαν σύνοδον συγκροτήσαντες ἐπίσκοποι ἐν κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Ἐπειδὴ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ χάριτος καὶ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου βασιλέως Κωνσταντίνου συναγαγόντος ἡμᾶς ἐκ διαφόρων ἐπαρχιῶν καὶ πόλεων ἡ μεγάλη καὶ ἁγία σύνοδος ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνεκροτήθη, ἐξ ἅπαντος ἀναγκαῖον ἐφάνη παρὰ τῆς ἱερᾶς συνόδου καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐπιτεθῆναι γράμματα, ἵν' εἰδέναι ἔχοιτε, τίνα μὲν ἐκινήθη καὶ ἐξητάσθη, τίνα δὲ ἔδοξε καὶ ἐκρατύνθη. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἁπάντων ἐξητάσθη τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν καὶ τὴν παρανομίαν Ἀρείου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ ὑπὸ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου βασιλέως Κωνσταντίνου. καὶ παμψηφὶ ἔδοξεν ἀναθεματισθῆναι τὴν ἀσεβῆ αὐτοῦ δόξαν καὶ τὰ ῥήματα καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα τὰ βλάσφημα, οἷς ἐκέχρητο βλασφημῶν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, λέγων «ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων εἶναι» καὶ «πρὶν γεννηθῆναι μὴ εἶναι» καὶ «εἶναί ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν», καὶ αὐτεξουσιότητι κακίας καὶ ἀρετῆς δεκτικὸν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ λέγοντος καὶ κτίσμα ὀνομάζοντος καὶ ποίημα. ἅπαντα ἀνεθεμάτισεν ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος οὐδὲ ὅσον ἀκοῦσαι τῆς ἀσεβοῦς δόξης καὶ τῆς ἀπονοίας καὶ τῶν βλασφήμων ῥημάτων ἀνασχομένη. καὶ τὰ μὲν κατ' ἐκεῖνον οἵου τέλους τετύχηκε πάντως ἢ ἀκηκόατε ἢ ἀκούσεσθε, ἵνα μὴ δόξωμεν ἐπεμβαίνειν ἀνδρὶ δι' οἰκείαν ἁμαρτίαν ἄξια τὰ ἐπίχειρα κομισαμένῳ.","english":"Copy of the letter of the synod in Nicaea against Arius and those with him. To the holy and great Church of the Alexandrians by the grace of God, and to the beloved brothers throughout Egypt, Libya, and Pentapolis, the bishops assembled in Nicaea and constituting the great and holy synod send greetings in the Lord. Since the great and holy synod was convened in Nicaea by the grace of God and the most pious Emperor Constantine, who gathered us from various provinces and cities, it seemed entirely necessary that letters be sent from the sacred synod to you as well, so that you might know what matters were raised and examined, and what was decided and confirmed. First of all, then, the matters concerning the impiety and lawlessness of Arius and those with him were examined in the presence of the most pious Emperor Constantine. And it was decided by unanimous vote that his impious opinion and the words and blasphemous terms he used in blaspheming the Son of God be anathematized—he who said that he is from non-existence, and that before being begotten he did not exist, and that there was a time when he was not, and who asserted that the Son of God is receptive of evil and virtue by his own free will, and called him a creature and a product. The holy synod anathematized all this, not even deigning to hear his impious opinion and his folly and blasphemous words. And as for what outcome befell that man, you have either heard or will hear of it, so that we may not seem to trample upon a man who has received a fitting recompense for his own sin.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τ {Ἀντίγραφον ἐπιστολῆς τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου κατὰ Ἀρείου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ.}","severity":"info","text":"The passage begins with a title, 'Copy of the letter of the synod in Nicaea against Arius and those with him,' which is a later editorial insertion, not part of the original conciliar letter.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ χάριτος καὶ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου βασιλέως Κωνσταντίνου","severity":"info","text":"The letter emphasizes Emperor Constantine's role in convening the Council of Nicaea (325 CE), reflecting the early Christian integration of imperial authority in ecclesiastical matters.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"αὐτεξουσιότητι","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term 'αὐτεξουσιότητι' (by his own free will) is used to describe Arius's alleged claim that the Son of God is receptive of evil and virtue, a key point in the Arian controversy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων εἶναι","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων εἶναι' (from non-existence) echoes the Arian claim that the Son was created ex nihilo, contrasting with the Nicene affirmation of eternal generation from the Father.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"ἀνεθεμάτισεν","severity":"info","text":"The synod's anathematization of Arius's views set a precedent for conciliar condemnation of heresy, influencing later ecumenical councils and the development of orthodox doctrine.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τὰ μὲν κατ' ἐκεῖνον οἵου τέλους τετύχηκε","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'τὰ μὲν κατ' ἐκεῖνον οἵου τέλους τετύχηκε' (as for what outcome befell that man) is vague, possibly referring to Arius's death or excommunication, but the text does not specify, leaving ambiguity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact outcome for Arius is not specified; it may refer to his death or ecclesiastical penalty.","The title 'Ἀντίγραφον ἐπιστολῆς' may be a later addition, not part of the original letter."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":69,"ref":"p69","source":"τοσοῦτον δὲ ἴσχυσεν αὐτοῦ ἡ ἀσέβεια, ὡς καὶ παραπολαῦσαι Θεωνᾶν ἀπὸ Μαρμαρικῆς καὶ Σεκοῦνδον ἀπὸ Πτολεμαίδος, τῶν γὰρ αὐτῶν κἀκεῖνοι τετυχήκασιν. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ χάρις τῆς μὲν κακοδοξίας ἐκείνης καὶ τῆς βλασφημίας καὶ τῶν προσώπων τῶν τολμησάντων διάστασιν καὶ διαίρεσιν ποιήσασθαι τοῦ εἰρηνευομένου ἄνωθεν λαοῦ ἠλευθέρωσεν τὴν Αἴγυπτον, ἐλείπετο δὲ τὸ κατὰ τὴν προπέτειαν Μελιτίου καὶ τῶν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ χειροτονηθέντων· καὶ περὶ τούτου τοῦ μέρους ἃ ἔδοξε τῇ συνόδῳ\n\nἐμφανίζομεν ὑμῖν, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί. ἔδοξεν οὖν Μελίτιον μὲν φιλανθρω πότερον κινηθείσης τῆς συνόδου–κατὰ γὰρ τὸν ἀκριβῆ λόγον οὐδεμιᾶς συγγνώμης ἄξιος ἦν– μένειν ἐν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ πόλει καὶ μηδεμίαν ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν μήτε προχειρίζεσθαι μήτε χειροθετεῖν μήτε ἐν χώρᾳ μήτε ἐν πόλει ἑτέρᾳ φαίνεσθαι ταύτης τῆς προφάσεως ἕνεκα, ψιλὸν δὲ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς τιμῆς κεκτῆσθαι. τοὺς δὲ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ κατασταθέντας μυστικωτέρᾳ χειροτονίᾳ βεβαιωθέντας κοινωνηθῆναι ἐπὶ τούτοις, ἐφ' ᾧτε ἔχειν μὲν αὐτοὺς τὴν τιμὴν καὶ λειτουργεῖν, δευτέρους δὲ εἶναι ἐξάπαντος πάντων τῶν ἐν ἑκάστῃ παροικίᾳ καὶ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐξεταζομένων τῶν ὑπὸ τὸν τιμιώτατον ἀδελφὸν καὶ συλλειτουργὸν ἡμῶν Ἀλέξανδρον [προκεχειρισμένων], ὡς τούτοις μὲν μηδεμίαν ἐξουσίαν εἶναι τοὺς ἀρέσκοντας αὐτοῖς προχειρίζεσθαι ἢ ὑποβάλλειν ὀνόματα ἢ ὅλως ποιεῖν τι χωρὶς γνώμης τοῦ τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐπισκόπου.","english":"So great was his impiety that it even infected Theonas from Marmarica and Secundus from Ptolemais, for they too incurred the same fate. But since the grace of God has freed Egypt from that evil belief and blasphemy, and from the persons who dared to cause division and schism among the people who had long been at peace, what remained was the matter concerning the rashness of Melitius and those ordained by him. And regarding this part, we make known to you, beloved brothers, what the synod decided.\n\nIt was therefore decided that Melitius, though the synod was moved by a more humane consideration—for according to strict justice he was worthy of no leniency—should remain in his own city and have no authority either to appoint or to ordain, nor to appear in any other region or city on this pretext, but should retain only the bare title of his rank. As for those appointed by him, after being confirmed by a more mystical ordination, they were to be admitted to communion on these terms: that they should have the honor and perform the liturgy, but be second in every respect to all those in each parish and church who are under the authority of our most honored brother and fellow minister Alexander [who have been appointed], so that they have no authority to appoint those who please them, or to submit names, or to do anything at all without the consent of the bishop of the catholic church.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"παραπολαῦσαι","severity":"info","text":"The verb παραπολαῦσαι (aorist infinitive) here means 'to be infected' or 'to suffer along with', indicating that Theonas and Secundus shared in Arius's impiety.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"μυστικωτέρᾳ χειροτονίᾳ","severity":"info","text":"μυστικωτέρᾳ χειροτονίᾳ ('more mystical ordination') refers to a supplementary or confirmatory rite, likely the imposition of hands, to regularize the ordinations performed by Melitius.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Μελίτιον","severity":"info","text":"Melitius of Lycopolis led a schism in Egypt after the Diocletianic persecution, ordaining bishops without authorization. The Nicene synod addressed his case separately from Arianism.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from the condemnation of Arius to the synod's decision on Melitius, marked by ἐλείπετο δέ ('what remained was').","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The synod's leniency toward Melitius, allowing him to retain his title, is noted by later historians as a pragmatic compromise to maintain church unity in Egypt.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῶν ὑπὸ τὸν τιμιώτατον ἀδελφὸν ... [προκεχειρισμένων]' is textually uncertain; the bracketed word is supplied from context, and the precise relationship between Alexander's appointees and Melitius's clergy is ambiguous."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":70,"ref":"p70","source":"τῶν δὲ ὑπὸ Ἀλέξανδρον τοὺς χάριτι θεοῦ καὶ εὐχαῖς ὑμετέραις ἐν μηδενὶ σχίσματι εὑρεθέντας, ἀλλὰ ἀκηλιδώτους ἐν τῇ καθολικῇ καὶ ἀποστο λικῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ὄντας ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν καὶ προχειρίζεσθαι καὶ ὀνόματα ἐπιλέγεσθαι τῶν ἀξίων τοῦ κλήρου καὶ ὅλως πάντα ποιεῖν [καὶ] κατὰ νόμον καὶ θεσμὸν ἐκκλησιαστικόν. εἰ δέ τινα συμβαίη ἀναπαύσασθαι τῶν ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, τηνικαῦτα προσαναβαίνειν εἰς τὴν τιμὴν τοῦ τετελευτηκότος τοὺς ἄρτι προσληφθέντας, μόνον εἰ ἄξιοι φαίνοιντο καὶ ὁ λαὸς αἱροῖτο συνεπιψηφίζοντος αὐτῷ καὶ ἐπισφραγίζοντος τοῦ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας ἐπι σκόπου. τοῦτο δὲ τοῖς μὲν ἄλλοις ἅπασι συνεχωρήθη, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Μελιτίου προσώπου οὐκέτι τὰ αὐτὰ ἔδοξε διὰ τὴν ἀνέκαθεν αὐτοῦ ἀταξίαν καὶ διὰ τὸ πρόχειρον καὶ προπετὲς τῆς γνώμης, ἵνα μηδεμία ἐξουσία ἢ αὐθεντία αὐτῷ δοθῇ ἀνθρώπῳ δυναμένῳ πάλιν τὰς αὐτὰς ἀταξίας ποιῆσαι. ταῦτά ἐστι τὰ ἐξαίρετα καὶ διαφέροντα Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ τῇ ἁγιωτάτῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ Ἀλεξανδρέων· εἰ δέ τι ἄλλο ἢ ἐκανονίσθη ἢ ἐδογματίσθη συμπαρόντος τοῦ κυρίου καὶ τιμιωτάτου συλλειτουργοῦ καὶ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν Ἀλεξάνδρου, αὐτὸς παρὼν ἀκριβέστερον ἀνοίσει πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἅτε δὴ καὶ κύριος καὶ κοινωνὸς τῶν γεγενημένων τυγ χάνων. εὐαγγελιζόμεθα δὲ ὑμᾶς περὶ τῆς συμφωνίας τοῦ ἁγίου πάσχα, ὅτι ὑμετέραις εὐχαῖς κατωρθώθη καὶ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος, ὥστε πάντας τοὺς ἐν τῇ ἑῴᾳ ἀδελφοὺς τοὺς μετὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸ πρότερον ποιοῦντας συμφώνως Ῥωμαίοις καὶ ὑμῖν καὶ πᾶσιν ἡμῖν τοῖς ἐξ ἀρχαίου μεθ' ὑμῶν φυλάσσουσι τὸ πάσχα ἐκ τοῦ δεῦρο ἄγειν.","english":"those under Alexander, who by the grace of God and your prayers were found in no schism but remained unstained in the catholic and apostolic church, are to have authority to appoint and select names of those worthy of the clergy and generally to do everything according to ecclesiastical law and ordinance. And if any of those in the church should happen to pass away, then those recently admitted are to advance to the honor of the deceased, provided they appear worthy and the people choose them, with the bishop of Alexandria also concurring and confirming. This was conceded to all others, but in the case of Melitius himself, the same was not deemed appropriate on account of his long-standing disorderliness and the rash and hasty nature of his judgment, so that no authority or power might be given to a man capable of repeating the same disorders. These are the special and distinctive matters for Egypt and the most holy church of Alexandria. And if anything else was either canonized or decreed in the presence of our lord and most honored fellow minister and brother Alexander, he, being present and a participant in the events, will report to you more precisely. We also bring you good news concerning the agreement on the holy Pascha, that by your prayers this matter too was accomplished, so that all the brothers in the East who previously celebrated with the Jews now celebrate in harmony with the Romans, with you, and with all of us who from ancient times have kept the Pascha with you.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀκηλιδώτους","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term ἀκηλιδώτους means 'unstained' or 'spotless', emphasizing the purity of those under Alexander from schism, in contrast to the Melitian faction.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Μελιτίου","severity":"info","text":"Melitius of Lycopolis led a schism in Egypt after the Diocletianic persecution, ordaining clergy in opposition to the Alexandrian bishop. The Council of Nicaea (325) addressed his faction, granting limited recognition to his clergy but denying authority to Melitius himself.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ταῦτά ἐστι τὰ ἐξαίρετα","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a concluding summary of the special provisions for Egypt and Alexandria, separating the local canons from the general decrees of the council.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"συμπαρόντος τοῦ κυρίου ... Ἀλεξάνδρου","severity":"info","text":"Alexander of Alexandria attended the Council of Nicaea (325) and was a key figure in the Melitian controversy. The text refers to his presence at the council, indicating that the letter was written shortly after the council's conclusion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"συμφωνίας τοῦ ἁγίου πάσχα","severity":"info","text":"The agreement on the date of Easter, ending the Quartodeciman practice of celebrating with the Jewish Passover, was a major achievement of Nicaea. This passage highlights its reception in the East, aligning with Roman and Alexandrian practice.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"προσαναβαίνειν","severity":"caution","text":"The verb προσαναβαίνειν ('to advance') is ambiguous: it could mean promotion to the vacant office or a more general advancement in rank. The context suggests the former, as it refers to filling the position of the deceased.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῶν ἄρτι προσληφθέντων' ('those recently admitted') could refer to newly ordained clergy or to those recently reconciled from schism; the context favors the former.","The extent of Melitius's 'long-standing disorderliness' (ἀνέκαθεν αὐτοῦ ἀταξίαν) is not specified, leaving open whether it refers to his ordinations during persecution or later actions."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":71,"ref":"p71","source":"χαίροντες οὖν ἐπὶ τοῖς κατορθώμασι καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ κοινῇ εἰρήνῃ καὶ συμφωνίᾳ καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ πᾶσαν αἵρε σιν ἐκκοπῆναι ἀποδέξασθε μὲν μετὰ μείζονος τιμῆς καὶ πλείονος ἀγάπης τὸν συλλειτουργὸν ἡμῶν, ὑμῶν δὲ ἐπίσκοπον Ἀλέξανδρον τὸν εὐφράναντα ἡμᾶς τῇ παρουσίᾳ καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ἡλικίᾳ τοσοῦτον πόνον ὑποστάντα ὑπὲρ τοῦ εἰρήνην γενέσθαι καὶ παρ' ὑμῖν. εὔχεσθε δὲ καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν ἁπάντων, ἵνα τὰ καλῶς ἔχειν δόξαντα ταῦτα βέβαια μένοι διὰ τοῦ παντοκράτορος θεοῦ καὶ διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν ἁγίῳ πνεύματι, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμήν. Οἱ ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνελθόντες ἐπίσκοποι ἦσαν δὲ ἐγγὺς τριακόσιοι κατακρίναντες τὴν ἀρειανὴν αἵρεσιν καὶ καθαιρήσαντες τοὺς περὶ Ἄρειον. λοιπὸν ἐξέθεντο ἐγγράφως τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν πίστιν πρὸς ἔλεγχον κατὰ πάσης αἱρέσεως. Τὰ ἐν τῇ Νικαίᾳ ἐκτεθέντα, ἔδοξε τὰ ὑποτεταγμένα. Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα θεόν, πατέρα, παντοκράτορα, πάντων ὁρατῶν τε καὶ ἀοράτων ποιητήν· καὶ εἰς ἕνα κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, γεννηθέντα ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς μονογενῆ, τουτέστιν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρός, θεὸν ἐκ θεοῦ, φῶς ἐκ φωτός, θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ, γεννηθέντα οὐ ποιηθέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ πατρί, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο τά τε ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ, τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα καὶ σαρκωθέντα, ἐνανθρωπήσαντα, παθόντα καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, ἀνελθόντα εἰς οὐρανούς, ἐρχόμενον κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς· καὶ","english":"Rejoicing, therefore, at the successes and at the common peace and harmony and at every heresy being cut off, receive with greater honor and more abundant love our fellow minister, your bishop Alexander, who delighted us with his presence and at this age undertook such labor for the sake of peace also among you. And pray for all of us, that what has seemed good may remain firm through the almighty God and through our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit, to whom is glory for ever and ever. Amen. The bishops who assembled at Nicaea were nearly three hundred, condemning the Arian heresy and deposing those around Arius. Then they set forth in writing the ecclesiastical faith for the refutation of every heresy. The things set forth at Nicaea, the following were decreed. We believe in one God, Father, Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father as only-begotten, that is, from the substance of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father, through whom all things came to be, both those in heaven and those on earth, who for us humans and for our salvation came down and was incarnate, became man, suffered and rose on the third day, ascended into the heavens, and is coming to judge the living and the dead; and","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"χαίροντες οὖν ἐπὶ τοῖς κατορθώμασι","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from the synodal letter's closing exhortations to the appended Nicene Creed, marked by 'ἀμήν' and a new sentence introducing the council's composition and creed.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ὁμοούσιον","severity":"info","text":"The term 'ὁμοούσιον' (consubstantial) is the central theological term of the Nicene Creed, asserting that the Son is of the same substance as the Father, against Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Οἱ ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνελθόντες ἐπίσκοποι ἦσαν δὲ ἐγγὺς τριακόσιοι","severity":"info","text":"The Council of Nicaea (325 CE) was the first ecumenical council, convened by Emperor Constantine. The number of bishops is traditionally given as 318, but Athanasius here says 'nearly three hundred'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα θεόν","severity":"info","text":"This is the earliest extant citation of the Nicene Creed in a patristic source, preserving the original Greek text as issued by the council, including the anti-Arian clauses.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐρχόμενον κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς","severity":"info","text":"The phrase echoes Acts 10:42 and 2 Timothy 4:1, where Christ is described as judge of the living and the dead, a standard eschatological confession.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"γεννηθέντα ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς μονογενῆ, τουτέστιν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρός","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρός' (from the substance of the Father) is a later insertion into the creed, not present in the original 325 version; Athanasius may be quoting a later expanded form.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text conflates the synodal letter's conclusion with the creed itself; the phrase 'ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρός' may be an interpolation or a later liturgical expansion."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":72,"ref":"p72","source":"εἰς τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα. τοὺς δὲ λέγοντας «ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν» ἢ «οὐκ ἦν πρὶν γεννηθῇ» ἢ «ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐγένετο» ἢ ἐξ ἑτέρας ὑποστάσεως ἢ οὐσίας φάσκοντας εἶναι ἢ κτιστὸν ἢ τρεπτὸν ἢ ἀλλοιωτὸν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ τοὺς τοιούτους ἀναθεματίζει ἡ καθολικὴ καὶ ἀποστολικὴ ἐκκλησία.\n\nΚωνσταντῖνος Σεβαστὸς τῇ καθολικῇ Ἀλεξανδρέων ἐκκλησίᾳ.\n\nΧαίρετε, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί. τελείαν παρὰ τῆς θείας προνοίας εἰλήφαμεν χάριν, ἵνα πάσης πλάνης ἀπαλλαγέντες μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπιγινώσκωμεν πίστιν. οὐδὲν λοιπὸν τῷ διαβόλῳ ἔξεστι καθ' ἡμῶν· πᾶν ὅ, τι δ' ἂν κακοτεχνησάμενος ἐπεχείρησεν, ἐκ βάθρων ἀνῄρηται· τὰς διχονοίας, τὰ σχίσματα, τοὺς θορύβους ἐκείνους καὶ τὰ τῶν διαφωνιῶν ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω θανάσιμα φάρμακα κατὰ θεοῦ κέλευσιν ἡ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐνίκησε λαμπρότης. ἕνα τοιγαροῦν ἅπαντες θεὸν καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι προσκυνοῦμεν καὶ εἶναι πεπιστεύ καμεν. ἵνα δὲ τοῦτο γένηται, ὑπομνήσει θεοῦ συνεκάλεσα εἰς τὴν Νικαέων πόλιν τοὺς πλείστους τῶν ἐπισκόπων, μεθ' ὧν καθάπερ ὡς εἷς ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐγὼ συνθεράπων ὑμέτερος καθ' ὑπερβολὴν εἶναι χαίρων καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐξέτασιν ἀνεδεξάμην. ἠλέγχθη γοῦν ἅπαντα καὶ ἀκριβῶς ἐξήτασται, ὅσα δὴ ἀμφιβολίαν ἢ διχονοίας πρόφασιν ἐδόκει γεννᾶν, καὶ φεισάσθω ἡ θεία μεγαλειότης, ἡλίκα καὶ ὡς δεινὰ περὶ τοῦ ἡμετέρου σωτῆρος, περὶ τῆς ἐλπίδος καὶ ζωῆς ἡμῶν ἀπρεπῶς ἐβλασφήμουν τινὲς τἀναντία ταῖς θεοπνεύστοις γραφαῖς καὶ τῇ ἁγίᾳ πίστει φθεγγόμενοί τε καὶ πιστεύειν ὁμολογοῦντες.","english":"in the Holy Spirit. And those who say \"there was a time when he was not\" or \"he was not before he was begotten\" or \"he came to be from non-existence\" or who claim that the Son of God is from another hypostasis or substance, or that he is created, or mutable, or alterable—such persons the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes.\n\nConstantine Augustus to the Catholic Church of the Alexandrians.\n\nRejoice, beloved brothers. We have received perfect grace from divine providence, so that, freed from all error, we may acknowledge one and the same faith. Nothing is left for the devil against us; everything he might have contrived and attempted has been uprooted from its foundations. Those dissensions, those schisms, those tumults, and those deadly poisons of discord, so to speak, have been vanquished by the splendor of truth, by God's command. Therefore we all worship one God and believe him to exist even in name. And that this might come to pass, by God's prompting I summoned to the city of Nicaea most of the bishops, with whom, as one of you, I myself—rejoicing exceedingly to be your fellow servant—undertook the examination of the truth. Everything that seemed to give rise to doubt or occasion for dissension has been refuted and thoroughly investigated; and may divine majesty spare us, how great and how terrible were the blasphemies some uttered improperly concerning our Savior, concerning our hope and our life, speaking and professing to believe the opposite of the divinely inspired Scriptures and the holy faith.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξ ἑτέρας ὑποστάσεως ἢ οὐσίας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'from another hypostasis or substance' targets the Arian claim that the Son is of a different underlying reality than the Father. The pairing of hypostasis and ousia reflects the Nicene anathemas' technical precision.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τῇ ἁγίᾳ πίστει","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the holy faith' echoes the Nicene Creed's language, which itself draws on scriptural affirmations of Christ's divinity, e.g., John 1:1 and 1 John 5:7.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Κωνσταντῖνος Σεβαστὸς","severity":"info","text":"Constantine Augustus, as emperor, addresses the Alexandrian church directly, asserting his role in convening Nicaea and enforcing unity. This letter, appended to the creed, underscores imperial involvement in doctrinal settlement.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰς τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα","severity":"info","text":"This phrase concludes the Nicene Creed's third article. The following anathemas are a separate clause, but the passage transitions directly from creed to condemnation, showing the creed's function as a rule of faith.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀναθεματίζει ἡ καθολικὴ καὶ ἀποστολικὴ ἐκκλησία","severity":"info","text":"The anathema formula became standard in later conciliar decrees, reinforcing the authority of 'Catholic and Apostolic Church' as the arbiter of orthodoxy. Athanasius preserves this to defend Nicaea against Arian revisions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἵνα πάσης πλάνης ἀπαλλαγέντες","severity":"caution","text":"Constantine's claim that Nicaea ended 'all error' is rhetorical; the council did not resolve all disputes, and Arianism persisted. The passage reflects imperial optimism, not historical fact.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text does not specify whether the anathemas are part of the original Nicene Creed or a later addition; Athanasius presents them as integral. The transition from creed to imperial letter is abrupt, possibly reflecting a composite source."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":73,"ref":"p73","source":"Τριακοσίων γοῦν καὶ πλειόνων ἐπισκόπων ἐπὶ σωφροσύνῃ τε καὶ ἀγχινοίᾳ θαυ μαζομένων μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν πίστιν, ἣ καὶ ταῖς ἀληθείαις ἀκριβὴς τοῦ θείου νόμου πέφυκε πίστις, εἶναι βεβαιούντων, μόνος Ἄρειος ἐφωράθη τῆς διαβολικῆς ἐνεργείας ἡττημένος καὶ τὸ κακὸν τοῦτο πρῶτον μὲν παρ' ὑμῖν, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ παρ' ἑτέροις ἀσεβεῖ γνώμῃ διασπείρας. ἀναδεξώμεθα τοιγαροῦν ἣν ὁ παντοκράτωρ παρέσχε γνώμην· ἐπανέλθωμεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀγαπητοὺς ἡμῶν ἀδελφούς, ὧν ἡμᾶς τοῦ διαβόλου ἀναιδής τις ὑπηρέτης ἐχώρισεν, ἐπὶ τὸ κοινὸν σῶμα καὶ τὰ γνήσια ἡμῶν μέλη σπουδῇ πάσῃ ἴωμεν. τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τῇ ἀγχινοίᾳ καὶ τῇ πίστει καὶ τῇ ὁσιότητι τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ πρέπει, ἵνα τῆς πλάνης ἐλεγχθείσης ἐκείνου, ὃν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθρὸν εἶναι συνέστηκε, πρὸς τὴν θείαν ἐπανέλθητε χάριν. ὃ γὰρ τοῖς τριακοσίοις ὁμοῦ ἤρεσεν ἐπισκόποις, οὐδέν ἐστιν ἕτερον ἢ τοῦ θεοῦ γνώμη, μάλιστα ὅπου γε τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα τοιούτων καὶ τηλικούτων ἀνδρῶν ταῖς διανοίαις ἐγκείμενον τὴν θείαν βούλησιν ἐξεφώτισε. διὸ μηδεὶς ἀμφιβαλλέτω, μηδεὶς ὑπερτιθέσθω, ἀλλὰ προθύμως πάντες εἰς τὴν ἀληθεστάτην ὁδὸν ἐπάνιτε, ἵν' ἐπειδὰν ὅσον οὐδέπω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀφίκωμαι, τὰς ὀφειλομένας τῷ παντεφόρῳ θεῷ μεθ' ὑμῶν ὁμολογήσω χάριτας, ὅτι τὴν εἰλικρινῆ πίστιν ἐπιδείξας τὴν εὐκταίαν ἡμῖν ἀγάπην ἀποδέδωκεν. καὶ ἄλλῃ χειρί. ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς διαφυλάξει, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοί. τ {Ἀντίγραφον ὧν ἐκόμισαν Συγκλήτιος καὶ Γαυδέντιος μαγιστριανοί.} Νικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος Μέγιστος Σεβαστὸς ἐπισκόποις καὶ λαοῖς. Τοὺς πονηροὺς καὶ ἀσεβεῖς μιμησάμενος Ἄρειος δίκαιός ἐστι τὴν αὐτὴν ἐκείνοις ὑπέχειν ἀτιμίαν.","english":"Of the three hundred and more bishops, admired for their prudence and acumen, affirming one and the same faith—which is in truth the precise faith of the divine law—only Arius was detected as having been overcome by diabolical energy and as having first sown this evil among you, and then among others, with impious intent. Let us therefore accept the judgment which the Almighty has provided; let us return to our beloved brothers, from whom some shameless servant of the devil has separated us; let us go with all haste to the common body and our genuine members. For this befits your acumen, faith, and piety, that, once that error has been refuted—the error of him who has been shown to be an enemy of the truth—you may return to divine grace. For what pleased the three hundred bishops together is nothing other than the judgment of God, especially since the Holy Spirit, dwelling in the minds of such and so great men, illuminated the divine will. Therefore let no one doubt, let no one delay, but let all eagerly proceed on the most true path, so that, as soon as I come to you, I may together with you offer the thanks due to the all-seeing God, because, having displayed the pure faith, he has restored to us the love for which we prayed. And in another hand: May God preserve you, beloved brothers. {Copy of what Syncletius and Gaudentius, magistriani, brought.} Victor Constantius Maximus Augustus to the bishops and peoples. Having imitated the wicked and impious, Arius deserves to suffer the same dishonor as they.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Constantine Augustus","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of a letter from Emperor Constantine to the Alexandrian church, likely appended to Athanasius' work as documentary evidence of imperial support for Nicaea.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"διαβολικῆς ἐνεργείας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'diabolical energy' attributes Arius' error to demonic influence, a common polemical trope in fourth-century anti-Arian rhetoric.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἄλλῃ χειρί","severity":"info","text":"The note 'and in another hand' marks a shift from Constantine's main letter to a postscript, indicating a separate scribal addition or imperial signature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"τριακοσίων ... ἐπισκόπων","severity":"info","text":"The number 'three hundred bishops' became a standard symbol of Nicaea's authority in later tradition, though actual attendance was about 220.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Νικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος Μέγιστος Σεβαστός","severity":"caution","text":"The title 'Victor Constantius Maximus Augustus' is anachronistic for Constantine; it may reflect a later scribal interpolation or confusion with his son Constantius II.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα ... ἐξεφώτισε","severity":"info","text":"Constantine claims the Holy Spirit illuminated the bishops' minds, asserting divine guidance for the Nicene Creed—a key argument for its authority.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Syncletius and Gaudentius, magistriani' is uncertain; they may be imperial couriers or officials.","The transition from Constantine's letter to the second document ('Victor Constantius Maximus Augustus') is abrupt; the latter may be a separate imperial rescript or a later addition."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":74,"ref":"p74","source":"ὥσπερ τοίνυν Πορφύριος ὁ τῆς θεοσεβείας ἐχθρὸς συντάγματα ἄττα παράνομα κατὰ τῆς θρησκείας συστησάμενος ἄξιον εὕρατο μισθὸν καὶ τοιοῦτον ὥστε ἐπονείδιστος μὲν αὐτὸς πρὸς τὸν ἑξῆς γενέσθαι χρόνον καὶ πλείστης ἀναπλησθῆναι κακο δοξίας, ἀφανισθῆναι δὲ τὰ ἀσεβῆ αὐτοῦ συγγράμματα, οὕτω καὶ νῦν ἔδοξεν Ἄρειόν τε καὶ τοὺς Ἀρείῳ ὁμογνώμονας Πορφυριανοὺς μὲν καλεῖσθαι, ἵν' ὧν τοὺς τρόπους μεμίμηνται,\n\nτούτων ἔχωσι καὶ τὴν προσηγορίαν. πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ καὶ εἴ τι σύγγραμμα ὑπὸ Ἀρείου συντεταγμένον εὑρίσκοιτο, τοῦτο πυρὶ παραδίδοσθαι, ἵνα μὴ μόνον τὰ φαῦλα αὐτοῦ τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀφανισθείη, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ ὑπόμνημα αὐτοῦ ὅλως ὑπολείποιτο. ἐκεῖ νο μέντοι προαγορεύω, ὡς εἴ τις σύγγραμμα ὑπὸ Ἀρείου συνταγὲν φωραθείη κρύψας καὶ μὴ εὐθέως προσενεγκὼν καὶ πυρὶ καταναλώσας, τούτῳ θάνατος ἔσται ζημία. παρα χρῆμα γὰρ ἁλοὺς ἐπὶ τούτῳ κεφαλῆς ὑποστήσεται τιμωρίαν. καὶ ἄλλῃ χειρί· ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς διαφυλάξει, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοί.","english":"Just as Porphyry, the enemy of piety, composed certain lawless treatises against religion and received a fitting reward—such that he himself became infamous for all subsequent time and filled with the greatest ill repute, while his impious writings were obliterated—so now it has seemed good that Arius and those who share Arius's opinion be called Porphyrians, so that those whose ways they imitate may also bear their name. In addition to this, if any treatise composed by Arius should be found, it is to be handed over to the fire, so that not only the evil of his teaching might be destroyed, but also that no memorial of him should remain at all. I further declare that if anyone is discovered to have hidden a treatise composed by Arius and does not immediately bring it forward and consume it with fire, that person shall suffer the penalty of death. For if caught in the act of this offense, he will undergo capital punishment. And by another hand: May God protect you, beloved brothers.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Πορφύριος","severity":"info","text":"Porphyry of Tyre (c. 234–305 CE) was a Neoplatonic philosopher and a prominent critic of Christianity, whose works were ordered destroyed by imperial edicts in the early fourth century.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"Πορφυριανούς","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Porphyrians' is a polemical label equating Arians with followers of Porphyry, thereby associating Arian teaching with the condemned writings of a known enemy of Christianity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ ... οὕτω","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a comparative structure (ὥσπερ ... οὕτω) to draw a parallel between the fate of Porphyry's writings and the proposed destruction of Arius's works, reinforcing the decree's rhetorical force.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"θάνατος ... ζημία","severity":"info","text":"The death penalty for concealing Arian writings reflects the severe imperial sanctions against heresy in the post-Nicene period, as seen in later Theodosian codes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἄλλῃ χειρί","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'and by another hand' suggests a scribal addition or a separate concluding blessing, possibly indicating a later interpolation or a change in the manuscript's transmission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'καὶ ἄλλῃ χειρί' is ambiguous: it may indicate a different author or scribe adding a benediction, or it could be a textual corruption. The reading taken is that it marks a scribal addition.","The precise identity of the 'other hand' is unknown; it may be a later copyist or a different official."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":75,"ref":"p75","source":"Κωνσταντῖνος Σεβαστὸς Ἀρείῳ καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ Ἀρειανοῖς. Κακὸς ἑρμηνεὺς αὐτόχρημα εἰκών τε καὶ ἀνδριάς ἐστι τοῦ διαβόλου. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνον οἱ δεινοὶ πλάσται πρὸς ἀπάτης δέλεαρ πλάττουσιν, οἱονεὶ κάλλους αὐτῷ εὐπρέ πειαν προσμηχανώμενοι αἰσχίστῳ καθάπαξ ὄντι τὴν φύσιν, ὅπως ἂν τοὺς ταλαιπώρους ἀπολλύοι πλάνην αὐτοῖς προπίνων, τὸν αὐτὸν οὗτος ἂν οἶμαι τρόπον ποιήσειεν, ᾧ μόνον σπουδῆς ἄξιον τοῦτ' εἶναι δοκεῖ, τὸ τὰ τῆς οἰκείας ἰταμότητος δηλητήρια ἀφειδῶς προβάλλεσθαι. τοιγάρτοι καινὴν καί, ἀφ' οὗ γεγόνασιν ἄνθρωποι, οὐδεπώποτε φανεῖσαν ἀπιστίας εἰσάγει πίστιν, διόπερ οὐδὲν τῆς ἀληθείας ἄρα ἀπᾷδον ἐκεῖνο φαίνεται τὸ πάλαι τῇ θείᾳ ῥήσει διηρθρωμένον, ὅτι πρὸς τὸ κακόν εἰσι πιστοί. τί δ' ἄν τις ἐκεῖνο λέγοιτο τὴν τοῦ βουλεύεσθαι χάριν αὐτὸν ἀπολωλεκότα μηκέτι κουφισμοῦ τινα ἐπικουρίαν εὕρασθαι ἐπιθυμεῖν; τί τοίνυν φημί, Χριστὲ Χριστέ, κύριε κύριε; τί δήποτε ἡμᾶς τὸ ἀσεβὲς τοῦτο λῃστήριον ὁσημέραι τιτρώσκει; ἕστηκεν ἐξ ἐναντίας δεινή τις βιαία τόλμα, βρυχᾶται ἐπιπρίουσα τὸν ὀδόντα δύσμορφος ὑπ' ἀτιμίας καὶ παντοδαποῖς περιτετρωμένη ἐγκλήμασιν. αὕτη μέντοι ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ τῷ περὶ σοῦ κηρύγματι ὥσπερ τισὶ ζάλαις καὶ τρικυμίαις κακῶν διαφορουμένη ἐξερεύγεται μὲν ἐξώλεις λόγους, γράφουσα δὲ τούτους ἐκφαίνει, οὓς οὐδέποτε σὺ τῷ ἀϊδίῳ τῆς σαυτοῦ πηγῆς τῷ πατρὶ συνυπάρχων ἐν ταῖς περὶ σαυτοῦ γνώσεσιν ἀφώρισας.","english":"Constantinus Augustus to Arius and those with him, the Arians. A wicked interpreter is outright an image and a statue of the devil. For just as terrible sculptors fashion him as a bait for deception, contriving for him a certain comeliness of beauty, though he is utterly foul by nature, so that he might destroy wretched men by offering them error as a drink, so this man, I think, would act in the same way, to whom this alone seems worthy of effort: to cast forth unsparingly the poisons of his own audacity. Therefore he introduces a new faith, one that has never appeared since men came to be, a faith of unbelief; and so that saying, long ago articulated by divine utterance, that they are faithful to evil, appears in no way discordant with the truth. But why should one say that he, having lost the grace of deliberation, no longer desires to find any relief or assistance? What then do I say, O Christ, O Christ, O Lord, O Lord? Why does this impious band of robbers wound us day by day? A terrible, violent boldness stands opposite, gnashes its teeth, braying, misshapen by dishonor and pierced all around by every kind of accusation. This boldness, indeed, tossed about in the law and in the proclamation concerning you as if by storms and triple waves of evils, belches forth destructive words, and by writing them, reveals those which you, co-existing with the eternal father of your own source, never defined in the knowledge concerning yourself.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Κωνσταντῖνος Σεβαστὸς Ἀρείῳ καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ Ἀρειανοῖς","severity":"info","text":"This opening formula is a typical imperial prescript. Athanasius here reproduces a letter of Constantine I to Arius and his followers, using the emperor's authority to condemn Arianism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Κακὸς ἑρμηνεὺς","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'wicked interpreter' likely refers to Arius himself, whom Athanasius portrays as a malicious exegete of Christian doctrine, akin to the devil's image.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πρὸς τὸ κακόν εἰσι πιστοί","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes a biblical sentiment, possibly from the New Testament (e.g., 2 Thessalonians 3:2 or similar), where faithfulness to evil is condemned. Athanasius uses it to characterize Arians as devoted to falsehood.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τί τοίνυν φημί, Χριστὲ Χριστέ, κύριε κύριε;","severity":"info","text":"This apostrophe to Christ marks a rhetorical shift from imperial address to prayer-like lament, intensifying the emotional condemnation of the Arians as a 'band of robbers'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ ἀϊδίῳ τῆς σαυτοῦ πηγῆς τῷ πατρὶ","severity":"info","text":"This phrase reflects Athanasius's pro-Nicene theology: Christ co-exists eternally with the Father, countering Arian subordinationism. The 'eternal source' imagery underscores the Son's consubstantiality.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξερεύγεται μὲν ἐξώλεις λόγους, γράφουσα δὲ τούτους ἐκφαίνει","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text here is rhetorically dense and possibly corrupt; the phrase 'belches forth destructive words' may be a scribal embellishment. The English translation smooths over the violent imagery.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'wicked interpreter' (Κακὸς ἑρμηνεὺς) is not explicitly named; it is inferred to be Arius from context. The phrase 'faith of unbelief' (ἀπιστίας πίστιν) is paradoxical and may reflect a textual corruption or deliberate oxymoron."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":76,"ref":"p76","source":"συνάγει δὲ ὅλως καὶ συμφορεῖ δεινὰ ἄττα καὶ ἄνομα ἀσεβήματα, νῦν μὲν τὰς γλώττας κραδαίνουσα, νῦν δ' αὖ πάλιν ταῖς τῶν ἀθλίων σπουδαῖς ἐπαιρομένη, οὓς ἐπ' ἀδείας αὕτη παρόντας ἐξαπατᾷ καὶ φθείρει. Βούλομαι δὲ ἤδη τοῦ προέδρου αὐτῆς τὴν φύσιν ἐξετάσαι. τί γὰρ δὴ λέγει; «ἢ κατέχωμεν», φησίν, «οὗ ἤδη ἐγκρατεῖς γεγόναμεν ἢ γενέσθω ὡς αὐτοὶ βουλόμεθα». πέπτωκε καὶ ταῦτα πέπτωκε ἀναιρούμενος «δόλῳ», φησίν, «ἢ δεινότητι πανουργίας». οὐδὲν διαφέρει. σεμνὸν μόνον ἡγεῖται, ὃ διὰ πονηρᾶς ἐπινοίας εἰς αὐτὸν εἰσερρύη. «πλήθη», φησίν, «ἔχομεν». προβήσομαι δὴ μικρὸν αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τὸ πρόσθεν, ὡς ἂν τῶν τῆς μανίας πολέμων θεατὴς γένωμαι. αὐτός, ἔφην, ἐγὼ προβήσομαι ὁ τοὺς τῶν ἀφρόνων πολέμους παύειν εἰωθώς. ἄγε δή, Ἄρες Ἄρειε, ἀσπίδων [εἰ] χρεία. μὴ σύ γε τοῦτο ποιήσῃς, ἱκετεύομεν. ἐπισχέτω γοῦν σε ἡ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης ὁμιλία. ἀλλὰ γὰρ εἴθ' ὡς τοῖς ὄχλοις ἄριστα συνεκροτῆσθαι δοκεῖς, οὕτω σοι τῇ περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν εὐσεβείᾳ προσῆκε ἀκμάζειν. ἰδοὺ δὴ πάλιν αὖ ἱκέτης ἔρχομαι καὶ τοῖς ὅπλοις παμπληθὲς ἰσχύων μάχεσθαι μὲν οὐκ ἐθέλω, τῇ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πεφραγμένος πίστει σέ τε ἰάσασθαι καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους θεραπεῦσαι βούλομαι. τί οὖν φῂς ταῦτα πράττειν, ἃ μὴ τοῖς ἤθεσι προσῆκε τοῖς σοῖς; ἀλλὰ μεθ' ὁποίας ἡσυχίας, εἰπέ μοι, ἢ τίνα περιουσίαν περιβεβλημένος, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐφ' ὅ, τι προπε τείας ἐληλακώς; ὢ τόλμης ὑπὸ κεραυνῶν ἀξίας καθαιρεθῆναι. ἀκούσατε γάρ, οἷα δεδήλωκε πρώην πρός με, ἰὸν ἀποστάζοντι γράφων τῷ καλάμῳ. «οὕτω», φησί, «πιστεύομεν».","english":"She altogether gathers and heaps up certain terrible and lawless impieties, now brandishing her tongues, now again exulting in the zeal of the wretched, whom she, being present with impunity, deceives and corrupts. I wish now to examine the nature of her leader. For what does he say? \"Either we hold,\" he says, \"what we have already become masters of, or let it be as we ourselves wish.\" These things too have fallen, have fallen, being refuted. \"By deceit,\" he says, \"or by the cunning of villainy.\" It makes no difference. He considers only that which has flowed into him through evil contrivance to be venerable. \"We have multitudes,\" he says. I myself shall advance a little further, so that I may become a spectator of the wars of madness. I myself, I said, shall advance, I who am accustomed to put an end to the wars of the foolish. Come then, Ares, Arius, there is need of shields. Do not you do this, we beseech you. Let the company of Aphrodite at least restrain you. But indeed, just as you seem to be most excellently trained with the crowds, so ought you to have been zealous in piety concerning Christ. Behold, again I come as a suppliant, and though I am strong with weapons in full force, I do not wish to fight, but, fortified by the faith of Christ, I wish to heal you and to cure the others. What then do you say to do these things, which are not fitting to your character? But with what kind of quietness, tell me, or with what abundance are you invested, or rather to what rashness have you been driven? O boldness worthy of being struck down by thunderbolts! For hear what he has recently declared to me, writing with a pen dripping venom. \"Thus,\" he says, \"we believe.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Ἄρες Ἄρειε","severity":"info","text":"The pun on Ares (god of war) and Arius (the presbyter) is a rhetorical device common in early Christian polemic, likening the heretic to a destructive force.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Ἀφροδίτης ὁμιλία","severity":"info","text":"Reference to Aphrodite, goddess of love, is a classical allusion used to contrast Arius's supposed lack of restraint with the calming influence of piety.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"προβήσομαι δὴ μικρὸν","severity":"info","text":"The speaker shifts to a first-person narrative stance, adopting the persona of Constantine to dramatize the confrontation with Arius.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"δόλῳ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'δόλῳ' (deceit) is a key accusation in Athanasius's polemic, aligning Arius with the devil's deceptive methods.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ἰὸν ἀποστάζοντι τῷ καλάμῳ","severity":"info","text":"The image of a pen dripping venom is a common rhetorical trope in patristic literature, used to discredit heretical writings as poisonous.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"προπετείας","severity":"caution","text":"The text reads 'προπε τείας' with a space, likely a scribal error for 'προπετείας' (rashness). The translation follows the emended reading.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the speaker shifts between Athanasius and Constantine; the Greek does not always mark the transition clearly.","The phrase 'ἢ κατέχωμεν... ἢ γενέσθω' is attributed to Arius but its exact source is uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":77,"ref":"p77","source":"εἶτ', οἶμαι, προσθεὶς οὐκ οἶδα ἅττα σοβαρῶς πως καὶ μάλα ἀκριβῶς ἐξησκημένα, προιὼν πορρωτέρω οὐδὲν ὅ, τι τῶν δεινῶν ἀπεσιώπησεν, ἀλλ' ὅλον, ὡς\n\nἂν εἴποι τις, τὸν τῆς παρανοίας ἀνέῳξε θησαυρόν. «ἀπελαυνόμεθα», φησί, «καὶ τὴν τοῦ εἰσδεχθῆναι ἡμᾶς ἄδειαν ἀφαιροῦνται». ἀλλ' οὐδέν πω ταῦτα πρὸς τὸ πρᾶγμα, τοῖς δὲ ἑξῆς προσέχετε τὸν νοῦν· αὐτοῦ γὰρ χρήσομαι τοῖς ῥήμασι. «δεόμεθα», φησί, «ἐὰν ἐπὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ἐπιμείνῃ γνώμης ὁ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας ἐπίσκοπος, ἄδειαν ἡμῖν τοῦ λοιποῦ δοθῆναι κατὰ τὴν τοῦ νόμου διάταξιν τὰς ἐνθέσμους καὶ ἀπαραιτήτους θεραπείας τῷ θεῷ ἐπιτελεῖν». ὦ δεινῆς ἀναιδείας, ἣν σπουδῇ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀπελέγξαι προσῆκεν. ὃ γὰρ αὐτῷ καθ' ἡδο νὴν ἐτύγχανεν ὄν, τοῦτο τῇ συντομίᾳ τῆς φράσεως ἀπετυπώσατο. τί φῂς ἄτοπε; διάστασιν εὐπρόσωπον ἡμῖν τῷ σαθρῷ τῆς κατεαγυίας σου διανοίας ἐπιτειχίζειν μηχανᾷ καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ κακῷ σοι προσπλακέντας ἀπολέσαι σπεύδεις; «τί οὖν», φῄς, «πράξω, εἰ μηδεὶς ἄξιον ἡγεῖται με δέξασθαι»; τοῦτο γὰρ πολλάκις ἐκ τῆς ἀνοσίας φάρυγγος ἐκβοᾷς. ἐγὼ δὲ τοὐναντίον ἔρομαί σε· ποῦ δὲ σαφὲς γνώρισμα καὶ μαρτύριον τῆς σεαυτοῦ διανοίας ἐπεδείξω; ἣν ἐχρῆν σε διαπτύξαντα καὶ τοῖς θείοις καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρω πίνοις σαφῆ καταστῆσαι. καὶ μάλισθ' ὅτε τὰ ἰοβόλα τῶν ἑρπετῶν τὸ τηνικαῦτα μᾶλλον ἀγριαίνειν πέφυκεν, ὅταν ἑαυτὰ τοῖς τῶν φωλεῶν μυχοῖς ἐνιδρυνθέντα αἴσθηται. Ἐκεῖνο δέ γε λίαν ἀστεῖον αὐτοῦ τὸ σπουδαίως εὖ μάλα καθάπερ ὑπό τι προσω πεῖον αἰδοῦς σιγὴν πλάττεσθαι.","english":"Then, I think, adding some things—I know not what—in a rather pompous and exceedingly precise manner, as he proceeds further, he did not pass over any of the terrible things in silence, but, as one might say, opened up the whole treasure chest of madness. \"We are being driven away,\" he says, \"and they are taking away our freedom to be received.\" But these things are nothing to the point; pay attention to what follows, for I will use his own words. \"We beg,\" he says, \"that if the bishop of Alexandria persists in the same opinion, we be granted henceforth the freedom, according to the ordinance of the law, to perform the lawful and indispensable services to God.\" O what terrible shamelessness, which it is fitting to refute with zeal for the truth! For what was pleasing to him, he depicted with the brevity of his phrasing. What do you say, you wretch? Are you contriving to build a plausible schism for us with the rottenness of your broken mind, and are you eager to destroy those who have clung to you for evil? \"What then,\" you say, \"shall I do, if no one deems me worthy to be received?\" For this you often cry out from your unholy throat. But I, on the contrary, ask you: Where have you shown a clear sign and testimony of your own mind? Which you ought to have unfolded and made clear to both divine and human things. And especially since venomous reptiles naturally become more savage at that time when they perceive themselves to be entrenched in the recesses of their lairs. But that is very clever of him, to studiously feign silence, as if under some mask of modesty.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν τῆς παρανοίας ἀνέῳξε θησαυρόν","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'opened up the whole treasure chest of madness' is a vivid metaphor for the opponent's full disclosure of heretical views.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἄδειαν","severity":"info","text":"ἄδειαν (freedom, license) here refers to the legal permission sought by the opponent to perform religious services, a key point in the dispute over ecclesiastical authority.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας ἐπίσκοπος","severity":"info","text":"The bishop of Alexandria is Athanasius himself, whose steadfast opposition to Arianism is the context for the opponent's plea for toleration.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"αὐτοῦ γὰρ χρήσομαι τοῖς ῥήμασι","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius signals a direct quotation of his opponent's words, a rhetorical device to expose the adversary's own statements as evidence of impiety.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τὰ ἰοβόλα τῶν ἑρπετῶν","severity":"info","text":"The comparison of heretics to venomous reptiles that become more savage when entrenched is a common patristic trope, echoing earlier polemical works.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐκ οἶδα ἅττα σοβαρῶς πως","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'I know not what' may indicate a lacuna or Athanasius's deliberate vagueness; the exact content of the opponent's pompous additions is unspecified.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the opponent is not named in this passage, though likely a leading Arian figure; the exact referent of 'the ordinance of the law' (τοῦ νόμου διάταξιν) is unclear—possibly imperial legislation or canon law."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":78,"ref":"p78","source":"τῇ μὲν τοῦ σχήματος τέχνῃ τιθασσὸν σεαυτὸν καὶ χειροήθη σύ γε παρέχεις, κακῶν δὲ μυρίων καὶ ἐπιβουλῶν ἔνδον γέμων τοὺς πολλοὺς λέληθας. ἀλλ' ὢ τῆς ἀθλιότητος· ὡς ὁ πονηρὸς βεβούληται, οὕτως Ἄρειος ἡμῖν ἀνομίας ἐργαστήριον κατεστήσατο. λέγε δὴ νῦν μοι παρελθὼν τῆς σεαυτοῦ πίστεως τὸ γνώρισμα καὶ μηδαμῶς γε ἀποσιωπήσῃς, ὦ τὸ μὲν στόμα διάστροφον, τὴν δὲ φύσιν ὀξύρροπον πρὸς πονηρίαν κεκτημένε· «ἕνα» λέγεις «θεόν»; σύμψηφον ἔχεις κἀμέ, οὕτω φρόνει. «τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ ἄναρχον καὶ ἀτελεύτητον λόγον εἶναι φῄς;» στέργω τοῦτο· οὕτω πίστευε. εἴ τι περαιτέρω προσπλέκεις, τοῦτ' ἀναιρῶ· εἴ τι πρὸς ἀσεβῆ χωρισμὸν συγκαττύεις, τοῦτο οὔτε ὁρᾶν οὔτε νοεῖν ὁμολογῶ· εἰ «τὴν τοῦ σώματος ξενίαν πρὸς οἰκονομίαν τῶν θείων ἐνεργειῶν» παραλαμβάνεις, οὐκ ἀποδοκιμάζω. εἰ «τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀϊδιότητος ἐν τῷ ὑπερέχοντι λόγῳ γεγενῆσθαι» λέγεις, δέχομαι. τίς ἔγνω τὸν πατέρα, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἐλθὼν ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρός; τίνα ἔγνω ὁ πατήρ, εἰ μὴ ὃν ἀϊδίως καὶ ἀνάρχως ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηκε; σὺ μὲν «ὑπόστασιν ξένην» ὑποτάττειν οἴει δεῖν κακῶς δήπου πιστεύων, ἐγὼ δὲ τῆς ὑπερεξόχου καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα διηκούσης δυνάμεως τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ οὐσίαν μίαν εἶναι γινώσκω.","english":"By the art of your outward appearance you present yourself as tame and gentle, but you have escaped the notice of the many, filled as you are within with countless evils and plots. Ah, what wretchedness! As the Evil One has willed, so Arius has established for us a workshop of lawlessness. Now tell me, having come forward, the mark of your faith, and do not by any means keep silent, O you who have a twisted mouth and a nature prone to wickedness: do you say \"one God\"? You have me as a fellow voter; think thus. Do you affirm that his Logos is without beginning and without end? I accept this; believe thus. If you weave in anything further, I reject it; if you stitch together anything toward impious separation, I declare that I neither see nor understand it. If you take up \"the strangeness of the body for the economy of the divine energies,\" I do not reject it. If you say \"the spirit of eternity has come to be in the preeminent Logos,\" I accept it. Who knew the Father, if not the one who came from the Father? Whom did the Father know, if not the one whom he eternally and without beginning begot from himself? You think it necessary to subordinate a \"foreign hypostasis,\" believing wickedly, I suppose, but I know that the fullness of the power that is supreme and extends over all is one substance of Father and Son.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀνομίας ἐργαστήριον","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'workshop of lawlessness' is a rhetorical intensification, likening Arius to a craftsman of impiety. It echoes a common patristic trope of heresy as a manufactured product.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ὑπόστασιν ξένην","severity":"info","text":"'Foreign hypostasis' is a key term in the Arian controversy, denoting a separate, created substance of the Son. Athanasius rejects this, affirming one substance (οὐσία μίαν) of Father and Son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage reflects Athanasius's polemic against Arian subordinationism, which posited the Son as a created being. The 'workshop of lawlessness' metaphor aligns with earlier anti-heretical rhetoric in Eusebius and others.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from direct accusation to a series of conditional affirmations and rejections, mimicking a dialogue. This rhetorical structure underscores Athanasius's attempt to expose inconsistency in his opponent's creed.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τίς ἔγνω τὸν πατέρα, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἐλθὼν ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρός","severity":"info","text":"This rhetorical question echoes Johannine language (John 1:1-18) and the concept of the Son as the one who reveals the Father. It is a common anti-Arian proof-text for the Son's co-eternity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The English draft renders 'τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀϊδιότητος' as 'the spirit of eternity,' but the Greek could also mean 'the breath of eternity,' a phrase with possible Stoic or Origenist overtones. The exact referent is ambiguous.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀϊδιότητος' may be a quotation from an Arian source; its precise meaning is unclear. The identity of the addressee (possibly a specific Arian leader) is not specified."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":79,"ref":"p79","source":"εἰ τοίνυν σὺ ἀφαιρεῖς μὲν ἀπ' ἐκείνου, ἀφ' οὗ χωρισθῆναι οὐδὲ διανοίᾳ τῶν ἐρεσχελούντων δεδύνηται οὐδεπώποτε οὐδέν, προσθήκης δὲ χαρακτῆρας εἰδοποιεῖς καὶ ὅλως γνωρίσματα ζητήσεων διορίζεις ἐκείνῳ, ᾧ ὁλόκληρον μὲν ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ἀϊδιότητα δέδωκεν, ἀδιάφθορον δὲ τὴν ἔννοιαν, ἀθανασίας δὲ δι' ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἐκκλησίας ἔνειμε πίστιν– κατάβαλε οὖν δή, κατάβαλε τὸ εὔηθες τοῦτο ἀνόμημα, ὦ ἀστεῖε σὺ καὶ εὔφωνε καὶ τὰ κακὰ πρὸς ἀπιστίαν τῶν ἀνοήτων ἐξᾴδων. εἰκότως ἄρα σε ὁ πονηρὸς τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κατεστρέψατο κακίᾳ, καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἴσως ἡδὺ τὸ τοιοῦτον εἶναι ἐδόκει (οὕτω γὰρ ἀστεῖον σεαυτὸν προσπεποίηκας), ἔστι δὲ πάντη ὀλέθριον τὸ κακόν. φέρε δή, τῆς ἐν τοῖς ἀτοπήμασι διατριβῆς ἀπαλλαγεὶς ἄκουε, ὦ δαιμόνιε Ἄρειε. σοὶ γὰρ διαλέγομαι. τῆς ἐκκλησίας δήπου τοῦ θεοῦ ἀποκεκηρυγμένος οὐκ αἰσθάνῃ; ἀπόλωλας, εὖ ἴσθι, ἐὰν μὴ βλέψας εἰς σεαυτὸν τὴν παροῦσάν σου κατακρίνῃς ἄνοιαν. ἀλλ' ἐρεῖς, ὡς ὄχλοι συμπράττουσί σοι καὶ τὰς φροντίδας ἀπελαφρύνουσιν. Ἄκουε δὴ οὖν μικρὸν ὑποσχὼν τὰ ὦτα, ὦ ἀνόσιε Ἄρειε, καὶ σύνες τὴν σαυτοῦ ἄνοιαν. σὺ δέ, ὦ πάντων κηδεμὼν θεός, εὐμενὴς εἴης τῷ λεγομένῳ, εἰ πίστεως ἔχοιτο. ἐγὼ γὰρ ὁ σὸς ἄνθρωπος ἵλεω ἔχων τὴν παρὰ σοῦ προμήθειαν καὶ ἐξ Ἑλληνικῆς καὶ ἐκ Ῥωμαικῆς γραφῆς πάνυ ἀρχαιοτάτης σαφῶς ἀποδείξω τὴν Ἀρείου μανίαν πρὸ τρισ40.19 χιλίων","english":"If, then, you remove from that one from whom not even in the thought of the babbling has anything ever been able to be separated, and you fashion characters of addition and altogether define marks of inquiries for that one to whom he has given from himself the whole of eternity, and the incorruptible concept, and through himself has allotted the faith of immortality and of the church—then cast down, cast down this foolish lawlessness, O you who are refined and sweet-voiced and who sing out evils to the disbelief of the foolish. Fittingly, then, the Evil One has overthrown you with his own wickedness, and to some perhaps such a thing seemed pleasant (for you have pretended yourself to be so refined), but the evil is altogether destructive. Come then, having ceased from your occupation with absurdities, listen, O demonic Arius. For I am speaking to you. Do you not perceive that you have been publicly banished from the church of God? You are lost, be well assured, unless, looking to yourself, you condemn your present folly. But you will say that crowds cooperate with you and lighten your cares. Then listen, holding your ears a little, O impious Arius, and understand your own folly. And you, O God, guardian of all, be gracious to what is said, if it pertains to faith. For I, your servant, having your providence propitious, will clearly demonstrate from both Greek and Roman writing, very ancient, the madness of Arius before three thousand","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ τοίνυν σὺ ἀφαιρεῖς μὲν ἀπ' ἐκείνου, ἀφ' οὗ χωρισθῆναι οὐδὲ διανοίᾳ τῶν ἐρεσχελούντων δεδύνηται οὐδεπώποτε οὐδέν","severity":"info","text":"The syntax is convoluted: the protasis (εἰ ... ἀφαιρεῖς ... προσθήκης δὲ χαρακτῆρας εἰδοποιεῖς) is left incomplete, and the apodasis begins with κατάβαλε. The sense is that Arius removes nothing from the Son (who is inseparable from the Father) yet adds novel terms.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀϊδιότητα","severity":"info","text":"ἀϊδιότης (eternity) is a key term in the Arian controversy, denoting the Son's co-eternity with the Father, which Arius denied. Athanasius insists the Son has 'the whole of eternity from himself' (ὁλόκληρον ... τὴν ἀϊδιότητα).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκκλησίας δήπου τοῦ θεοῦ ἀποκεκηρυγμένος","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'publicly banished from the church of God' alludes to Arius's excommunication by Alexander of Alexandria (c. 318) and later by the Council of Nicaea (325). No specific verse is quoted, but the language echoes early conciliar decrees.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ἐξ Ἑλληνικῆς καὶ ἐκ Ῥωμαικῆς γραφῆς πάνυ ἀρχαιοτάτης","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius promises to prove Arius's madness from 'Greek and Roman writing, very ancient.' This likely refers to pagan or early Christian sources (e.g., Sibylline Oracles or chronographic works) used to argue for the antiquity of Nicene orthodoxy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"κατάβαλε οὖν δή, κατάβαλε τὸ εὔηθες τοῦτο ἀνόμημα","severity":"info","text":"The repeated imperative κατάβαλε ('cast down') marks a rhetorical climax, transitioning from a complex conditional to a direct apostrophe of Arius. This is a common device in Athanasian polemic to heighten emotional intensity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"πρὸ τρισ40.19 χιλίων","severity":"caution","text":"The text breaks off mid-sentence with 'πρὸ τρισ40.19 χιλίων' (before three thousand...). The number '40.19' is likely a scribal or editorial insertion (perhaps a page or line number). The passage is incomplete, and the intended chronological claim is unclear.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The incomplete sentence at the end (πρὸ τρισ40.19 χιλίων) leaves the chronological reference ambiguous; it may refer to years before the Incarnation or to a specific era in pagan history.","The identity of the 'Greek and Roman writing, very ancient' is not specified; Athanasius may be alluding to works now lost or to a known apologetic tradition."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":80,"ref":"p80","source":"που ἐτῶν ὑπὸ τῆς Ἐρυθραίας προρρηθεῖσάν τε καὶ προφημισθεῖσαν. ἔφη γὰρ ἐκείνη γε· «οὐαί σοι, Λιβύη, ἐν παράλοις κειμένη χώροις· ἥξει γάρ σοι καιρός, ἐν ᾧ μετὰ τοῦ δήμου καὶ τῶν σαυτῆς θυγατέρων δεινὸν ἀγῶνα καὶ ὠμὸν καὶ παγχάλεπον ὑπελθεῖν ἀναγκασθήσῃ, ἀφ' οὗ κριτήριον μὲν εἰς ἅπαντας πίστεώς τε καὶ εὐσεβείας δια δοθήσεται, σοὶ δὲ πρὸς ἔσχατον ἀποκλινεῖ καταστροφῆς. ὑμεῖς γὰρ τῶν οὐρανίων ἀνθῶν τὸ δεκτήριον ἀνασπάσαι τετολμήκατε καὶ δήγματι σπαράξαι καὶ μέντοι σιδηροῖς ἐγ χρᾶναι τοῖς ὀδοῦσι». τί δῆτα, ὦ πανοῦργε; ποῦ γῆς σαυτὸν εἶναι νῦν ὁμολογεῖς; ἐκεῖ δηλονότι. κατέχω γάρ σου τὰ γράμματα, ἃ τῷ τῆς μανίας καλάμῳ πρός με διεχάραξας, ἐν οἷς φῂς πάντα τὸν Λίβυν δῆμον σύμψηφον εἶναί σοι πρὸς σωτηρίαν δήπου. εἰ δὲ οὐ φήσεις ταυτὶ οὕτως ἔχειν, μαρτύρομαι ἤδη τὸν θεόν, ἦ μὴν ἀρχαιότατον τῆς Ἐρυθραίας πυκτίον Ἑλληνικῇ συντεταγμένον γλώττῃ εἰς Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ἀποστέλλειν, ὡς ἂν θᾶττον ἀπόλοιο. εἶτα σὺ ἀναμάρτητος, ὦ δικρανοφόρε; εἶτα οὐ σαφῶς ἀπόλωλας, ὦ ἄθλιε, τοιούτῳ δεινῷ περιεστοιχισμένος; ἴσμεν, ἴσμεν σου τὸ ἐγχείρημα· ποία φροντίς, ποῖόν σε θράττει δέος; οὐ λέληθεν ἡμᾶς· ὦ δύστηνε καὶ ταλαίπωρε, ὢ τῆς ἀμβλύτητος τῶν σῶν φρενῶν, ὃς οὐδὲ τὴν νόσον καὶ τὴν ἀμηχανίαν τῆς σεαυτοῦ ψυχῆς ἀναστένεις· ὦ ἀνόσιε, ὃς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ποικίλοις διορύττεις λόγοις καὶ τοιοῦτος ὢν οὐκ αἰσχύνῃ ἡμᾶς ψέγων καὶ νῦν μὲν ἐλέγχων, ὥς γε οἴει, νῦν δ' αὖ πάλιν νουθετῶν· ὦ πίστει καὶ λόγοις ὑπερφέρων, παρ' οἵου δῆτα οἱ ἄθλιοι ἐπικουρίαν ἑαυτοῖς πορίζεσθαι γλίχονται.","english":"which was foretold and proclaimed by the Erythraean Sibyl. For she said: \"Woe to you, Libya, lying in coastal regions; for a time will come for you when, together with your people and your daughters, you will be compelled to undergo a terrible, savage, and utterly grievous struggle, from which a criterion of faith and piety will be given to all, but for you it will incline toward utter destruction. For you have dared to tear up the receptacle of the heavenly flowers and to rend it with a bite, and indeed to defile it with iron teeth.\" What then, O villain? Where on earth do you now confess yourself to be? There, evidently. For I hold your letters, which you inscribed to me with the pen of madness, in which you claim that the entire Libyan people is in agreement with you for salvation, as you say. But if you deny that these things are so, I call upon God as witness now, that I will send the most ancient book of the Erythraean Sibyl, composed in the Greek tongue, to Alexandria, so that you might perish the sooner. Then are you sinless, O two-horned one? Then have you not clearly perished, O wretched one, surrounded by such a terrible evil? We know, we know your undertaking; what concern, what fear troubles you? It has not escaped us; O miserable and wretched one, O the dullness of your mind, who do not even lament the sickness and helplessness of your own soul; O impious one, who undermine the truth with various arguments and, being such, are not ashamed to blame us and now to refute, as you think, and now again to admonish; O one who excels in faith and words, from whom the wretched ones strive to procure help for themselves.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Ἐρυθραίας","severity":"info","text":"The Erythraean Sibyl was a prophetic figure in Greco-Roman tradition, often associated with oracles. Athanasius cites her to lend authority to his polemic against opponents.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"δικρανοφόρε","severity":"info","text":"Literally 'two-horned bearer,' a derogatory epithet possibly mocking the addressee's appearance or heretical stance. The term is rare and may allude to demonic or bestial imagery.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐαί σοι, Λιβύη","severity":"info","text":"The Sibyl's oracle echoes Old Testament prophetic 'woe' oracles (e.g., Isaiah, Jeremiah). The phrase 'receptacle of the heavenly flowers' may allude to the church or faith, but no direct scriptural citation is present.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τί δῆτα, ὦ πανοῦργε;","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from a quoted Sibylline oracle to a direct apostrophe of the opponent, marked by rhetorical questions and exclamations. This intensifies the polemical tone.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"πυκτίον","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius claims to possess an ancient Sibylline book in Greek, which he threatens to send to Alexandria. This reflects the early Christian use of Sibylline oracles as apologetic tools, though the historicity of such a book is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀναμάρτητος","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text reads 'ἀναμάρτητος' (sinless), but the English draft translates as 'sinless.' The term is ironic, but the exact nuance depends on whether it is a genuine question or a sarcastic assertion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'two-horned one' (δικρανοφόρε) is unclear; it may refer to a specific opponent or be a generic insult.","The Sibyl's oracle is quoted but its source (real or invented) is uncertain; Athanasius may be using a known Sibylline collection or fabricating for rhetorical effect."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":81,"ref":"p81","source":"καίτοι οὐδὲ συγγίνεσθαι τῷ τοιούτῳ ἐχρῆν, οὐδὲ ὅλως αὐτὸν προσφθέγγεσθαι, πλὴν εἰ μή τις ἐν τοῖς ὑπούλοις τούτου ῥήμασι τὴν τοῦ ὀρθῶς βιοῦν ἐλπίδα τοῖς μετρίοις ἀποκεῖσθαι οἴεται. ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο, πολλοῦ γε δεῖ, τὸ δ' ἀληθές, ὢ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀνοίας, ὅσοι τούτῳ συναναμίγνυσθε. τίς ἄρα οἶστρος τῆς χαλεπῆς τούτου γλώττης καὶ τῆς ὄψεως ἀνασχέσθαι κατηνάγκασεν; Εἶεν· ἀλλ' ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἤδη σὲ βαδιοῦμαι τῷ λόγῳ· ὦ τὴν μὲν ψυχὴν ἄφρον σύ, τὴν δὲ γλῶτταν στωμύλε, ἄπιστε δὲ τὰς φρένας, δὸς δή μοι τοῦ λόγου οὐκ ἀμφιλαφές τι λέγω καὶ ἱππήλατον πεδίον, ἀλλ' οὖν κύκλον γε εὐπερίγραφον, μὴ σαθρὸν μόνον, ἀλλ' ἐρρω μένον τε καὶ στερρὸν τῇ φύσει, ὦ ἀνόσιε δῆτα καὶ κάκιστε καὶ κρυψίνου. ἐξάγομαι γὰρ ταῦτα λέγειν· μᾶλλον δὲ βρόχον ἤδη σοι περιάψας καὶ συμποδίσας τῷ λόγῳ εἰς μέσους σε καταστήσω, ὡς ἂν πᾶς ὁ δῆμος τὴν σὴν καταμάθῃ φαυλότητα. ἐπ' αὐτὸ δὲ πορεύσομαι ἤδη τὸ πρᾶγμα. νενιμμέναι δήπουθέν εἰσιν αἱ χεῖρες· προσίωμεν ταῖς εὐχαῖς· ἐπικάλεσαι δὴ τὸν θεόν. μᾶλλον δὲ μικρὸν ἐπισχών, εἰπέ μοι, ὦ πανοῦργε σύ, τίνα θεὸν ἐπικα λέσῃ πρὸς βοήθειαν; ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἠρεμεῖν οὐ δύναμαι. ὦ τῶν πάντων ἔχων τὸ κῦρος δέσποτα, ὦ τῆς μονήρους δυνάμεως πάτερ, διὰ τουτονὶ τὸν ἀνόσιον ὀνείδη τε καὶ μώλω πας καὶ μέντοι καὶ τραύματα καὶ ὀδύνας ἡ σὴ ἔχει ἐκκλησία. Ἄρειός σοι τόπον ἤδη προσ αρμόζει καὶ μάλα γε εὐφυῶς, ἐφ' οὗ καθιζάνων οἶμαι σύνοδον ἑαυτῷ ἢ παῖδα τὸν Χριστὸν τὸν σὸν τὸν ἐκ σοῦ τὸν τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐπικουρίας ἀρχηγέτην θέσεως νόμῳ περιπεποίηται καὶ ἴσχει. ἐπάκουσον, ἀντιβολῶ σε, τῆς θαυμασίας πίστεως.","english":"And yet one ought not even to associate with such a man, nor address him at all, unless someone supposes that in his specious words lies the hope of living rightly for the moderate. But this is not so, far from it; truly, O the folly of you who mix with him! What madness compelled you to endure the harshness of his tongue and his countenance? Enough; but now I will proceed in my speech against him: O you, foolish in soul, glib in tongue, faithless in mind, grant me not some vast and horseracing plain of discourse, but at least a well-defined circle, not only sound but firm and solid in nature, O impious, wicked, and dissembling one! For I am driven to say these things; rather, having already bound a noose around you and fettered you with my speech, I will set you in the midst, so that the whole people may learn your baseness. And now I will proceed to the matter itself. The hands are washed, presumably; let us approach the prayers; invoke God then. But rather, pausing a little, tell me, O crafty one, what God will you call upon for help? But indeed I cannot keep still. O Lord, who holds authority over all things, O Father of solitary power, through this impious man, your church suffers reproaches, bruises, and indeed wounds and pains. Arius already fittingly and quite aptly assigns a place for you, upon which, I think, sitting, he has procured and holds for himself a synod or a son, your Christ, your offspring from you, the leader of our aid, by the law of position. Hear, I beseech you, this marvelous faith.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐδὲ συγγίνεσθαι τῷ τοιούτῳ ἐχρῆν","severity":"info","text":"The author insists that one should not even associate with the opponent, reflecting the polemical intensity of the anti-Arian controversy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"κύκλον γε εὐπερίγραφον","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'a well-defined circle' is a rhetorical demand for a clear, bounded argument, contrasting with the opponent's vague or sprawling discourse.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν Χριστὸν τὸν σὸν τὸν ἐκ σοῦ","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes Nicene language of Christ as 'from the Father' (ἐκ τοῦ πατρός), countering Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"σύνοδον ἑαυτῷ ἢ παῖδα τὸν Χριστόν","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius sarcastically accuses Arius of creating a 'synod or son' for himself, mocking Arian claims that Christ is a creature adopted by position (θέσεως νόμῳ).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐπ' αὐτὸ δὲ πορεύσομαι ἤδη τὸ πρᾶγμα","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a transition from rhetorical attack to the core argument, signaled by the ritual washing of hands and invocation of God.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ὦ τῆς μονήρους δυνάμεως πάτερ","severity":"info","text":"The address 'Father of solitary power' reflects Athanasius's emphasis on the monarchy of the Father, a key point in Nicene theology later developed in the Cappadocian fathers.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'σύνοδον ἑαυτῷ ἢ παῖδα τὸν Χριστόν' is ambiguous: it could mean Arius creates either a synod or a son for himself, or that he treats Christ as a son by synodal decree. The reading adopted is the sarcastic alternative."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":82,"ref":"p82","source":"σὲ τὴν κατὰ τὸν τόπον κινεῖσθαι, δέσποτα, κίνησιν οἴεται. σὲ τῆς ἀφωρισμένης καθέδρας κύκλῳ περιγράφειν τολμᾷ. ποῦ γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ σὴ παρουσία; ἢ ποῦ τὴν σὴν οὐ πάντες ἐνέργειαν ἐκ τῶν ἐπὶ πάντα σου διηκόντων νόμων αἰσθάνονται; πάντα γὰρ αὐτὸς περιέχεις, καὶ ἔξω σου οὔτε τόπον οὔτε ἄλλο οὐδὲν ἐπινοεῖσθαι θέμις. οὕτως ἡ σὴ δύναμις μετ' ἐνεργείας ἐστὶν ἄπειρος. σὺ μὲν δὴ ἐπάκουσον, ὁ θεός, ὑμεῖς δέ, πᾶς ὁ λαός, προσέχετε τὸν νοῦν. ὁ γὰρ ἀναίσχυντος οὗτος καὶ ἀχρεῖος, ὁ ἐπ' ἄκρον μοχθηρίας τε καὶ ἀνομίας ὁμοίως ἐληλακὼς εὐλάβειαν σκήπτεται. «ἄπαγε», φησίν, «οὐ βούλομαι τὸν θεὸν ἐγὼ ὕβρεων πάθει δοκεῖν ἐνέχεσθαι». καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὑποτίθεμαι καὶ πλάττω θαυμάσιά γε τῇ πίστει, ὡς ὁ θεὸς νεογενῆ καὶ νεόκτιστον οὐσίαν Χριστοῦ\n\nποιησάμενος βοήθειαν ἑαυτῷ παρεσκευάσατο, ὥς γέ μοι δοκεῖ. «ὃ γὰρ ἄν», φησίν, «ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἀφέλῃς, τούτῳ ἐλάττονα πεποίηκας». εἶτα, ὦ λυμεὼν καὶ ὀλέθριε, σοὶ τοῦτ' ἔστι πίστις; σὺ καθ' ὑπόθεσιν καὶ πλάσμα λαμβάνεις τὸν τὰ πλάσματα τῶν ἐθνῶν κατακρίναντα, σὺ ἐπείσακτον καλεῖς καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ καθηκόντων ὑπηρέτην τὸν ἄνευ ἐνθυμήσεως καὶ λογισμοῦ τῷ συνυπάρχειν τῇ τοῦ πατρὸς ἀϊδιότητι πάντα διανύσαντα; ἐφάρμοσον νῦν, εἰ δὴ τολμᾷς, ἐφάρμοσον, φημί, τῷ θεῷ καὶ τὸ εὐλα βεῖσθαι καὶ τὸ ἐλπίζειν τὸ ἐκβησόμενον, ἔτι δὲ τὸ ἐνθυμεῖσθαι, τὸ λογίζεσθαι τὸ σκεπτόμενον, τὸ γνώμην ἀποφαίνεσθαι καὶ διαρθροῦν καὶ ὅλως τὸ τέρπεσθαι, τὸ γελᾶν, τὸ λυπεῖσθαι. τί τοίνυν φῄς, ὦ τῶν ἀθλίων ἀθλιώτερε, ὦ τῆς κακίας αὐτόχρημα μῆστορ;","english":"You think that the Lord is moved in a motion according to place. You dare to circumscribe him around the appointed throne. For where is your presence not? Or where do all not perceive your energy from the laws that extend from you over all things? For you yourself encompass all, and it is not lawful to conceive of any place or anything else outside you. Thus your power with energy is infinite. Do you then listen, O God, and do you, all the people, pay attention. For this shameless and worthless man, who has driven equally to the extreme of depravity and lawlessness, pretends piety. \"Away,\" he says, \"I do not wish to seem to involve God in the passion of insults.\" And for this reason I suppose and fabricate wonderful things for the faith, that God, having made the substance of Christ newly born and newly created, prepared help for himself, as it seems to me. \"For whatever,\" he says, \"you remove from him, you have made him lesser.\" Then, O destroyer and ruinous one, is this faith for you? Do you take on hypothesis and fiction the one who condemned the fictions of the nations? Do you call him imported and as a servant of duties the one who, without thought and reasoning, accomplished all by coexisting with the Father's eternity? Apply now, if you dare, apply, I say, to God both being pious and hoping for what will happen, and further thinking, reasoning, considering, declaring opinion and articulating, and altogether being pleased, laughing, being grieved. What then do you say, O most wretched of the wretched, O arch-schemer of evil itself?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"σὲ τὴν κατὰ τὸν τόπον κινεῖσθαι, δέσποτα, κίνησιν οἴεται","severity":"info","text":"The speaker accuses the opponent of conceiving God as locally moved, a charge of anthropomorphism common in anti-Arian polemic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀφωρισμένης καθέδρας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'appointed throne' likely refers to the episcopal see of Alexandria, emphasizing the opponent's audacity in circumscribing the divine presence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"σὺ μὲν δὴ ἐπάκουσον, ὁ θεός","severity":"info","text":"The invocation 'Do you then listen, O God' echoes the liturgical or biblical address to God as witness, common in early Christian rhetoric.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"νεογενῆ καὶ νεόκτιστον οὐσίαν Χριστοῦ","severity":"info","text":"The opponent's claim that Christ's substance is 'newly born and newly created' reflects Arian subordinationism, which Athanasius consistently refutes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τί τοίνυν φῄς, ὦ τῶν ἀθλίων ἀθλιώτερε","severity":"info","text":"This rhetorical question concludes a series of accusations, marking a transition to a direct challenge to the opponent, typical of Athanasian diatribe.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐφάρμοσον νῦν, εἰ δὴ τολμᾷς","severity":"caution","text":"The repeated 'apply' may be a textual corruption or rhetorical emphasis; the Greek allows both a literal and ironic reading.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'Lord' addressed in the opening is ambiguous: it could be God the Father or Christ, but the context suggests God the Father as the addressee.","The phrase 'σὲ τὴν κατὰ τὸν τόπον κινεῖσθαι' could be read as either 'you think the Lord is moved locally' or 'you think yourself moved locally'; the translation follows the former."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":83,"ref":"p83","source":"σύνες δή, εἰ δύνασαι, ὡς ἐν αὐτῇ γέ σου τῇ πανουργίᾳ μοχθηρὸς ὢν ἁλίσκῃ. «ὁ Χριστός», φησί, «δι' ἡμᾶς πέπονθεν». ἀλλ' ἤδη φθάσας ἔγωγε εἶπον, ὡς μορφῇ σώματος ἀπεστάλη. «ναί», φησίν, «ἀλλὰ δέος μὴ δόξωμεν κατά τι ἐλαττοῦν». εἶτα, ὦ τῶν θηρίων μεσίτα, ταῦτα λέγων οὐ μαίνῃ καὶ σαφῶς λυττᾷς; ἰδοὺ γὰρ δὴ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸς μορφή, ἤγουν σχῆμα τυγχάνει ὢν καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες γε χαρακτῆρες προβέβληνται, καὶ ὅλως τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ σφαιροειδοῦς τούτου κύκλου εἶδος τῶν ὄντων τυγχάνει ὂν καὶ ὥσπερ μόρφωμα. καὶ ὅμως ὁ θεὸς πανταχοῦ πάρεστι. ποῦ τοίνυν εἰσὶν ἐν τῷ θεῷ αἱ ὕβρεις; ἢ κατὰ τί ὁ θεὸς ἐλαττοῦται; ὦ πατροκτόνε τῆς ἐπιεικείας σύ, λόγισαι δὴ οὖν ἐξ αὐτοῦ τεκμαιρόμενος καὶ ἐνθυμήθητι, εἰ ἁμάρτημα τοῦτ' εἶναι δοκεῖ, τὸ ἐν Χριστῷ παρεῖναι τὸν θεόν. ἐκεῖνος μὲν οὖν κατεῖδε τὴν ἀτιμίαν τοῦ λόγου καὶ τὴν τιμωρίαν οὐ βραδέως ἐπήγαγε. χωρὶς δὲ τούτων καθ' ἑκάστην δήπουθεν ἡμέραν ἁμαρτήματα ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ γίνεται. καὶ ὅμως ὁ θεὸς πάρεστι καὶ τὰ τῆς δίκης οὐχ ὑστερίζει. τί οὖν παρὰ τοῦτο ἐλαττοῦται, εἰ τὸ μέγεθος αὐτοῦ τῆς δυνάμεως τὰ πανταχοῦ διαισθάνεται; οὐδέν, οἶμαι. ὁ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ κόσμου νοῦς διὰ τοῦ θεοῦ· δι' αὐτοῦ πᾶσα διαμονή. δι' αὐτοῦ πᾶσα δίκη. ἡ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πίστις ἀνάρχως ἐξ αὐτοῦ. ὅλος δὲ θεοῦ νόμος ἐστὶ Χριστός, δι' αὐτοῦ τὸ ἄπειρον ἅμα καὶ ἀτελεύτητον ἔχων. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ σὺ κατὰ σεαυτὸν ἐννοῶν φαίνῃ, ὢ τῆς μανίας λίαν· περίστρεψον νῦν εἰς τὴν σαυτοῦ ἀπώλειαν τὸ τοῦ διαβόλου ξίφος.","english":"Understand then, if you can, how in this very craftiness of yours you are caught being depraved. \"Christ,\" he says, \"suffered for us.\" But I have already said beforehand that he was sent in the form of a body. \"Yes,\" he says, \"but I fear lest we seem to diminish him in some respect.\" Then, O mediator of beasts, in saying these things do you not rave and clearly rage? For behold, the cosmos itself is a form, that is, a shape, and the stars are set forth as characters, and the spirit of this spherical cycle is entirely a form of beings and like a shaping. And yet God is present everywhere. Where then are the insults in God? Or in what respect is God diminished? O patricide of gentleness, reason then from this as evidence and consider, if it seems to be a fault that God is present in Christ. He therefore perceived the dishonor of the argument and inflicted punishment without delay. Apart from these things, every day, of course, sins occur in the world. And yet God is present and the judgments are not delayed. What then is diminished by this, if the magnitude of his power perceives all things everywhere? Nothing, I think. For the mind of the cosmos is through God; through him is all continuance. Through him is all justice. And the faith of Christ is from him without beginning. And the whole law of God is Christ, having through him the infinite and the unending. But you, thinking according to yourself, appear—O of madness indeed!—turn now to your own destruction the sword of the devil.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"μορφῇ σώματος","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'in the form of a body' echoes Athanasius's earlier argument that Christ's incarnation was a sending in bodily form, not a local circumscription of the divine.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"πατροκτόνε","severity":"info","text":"The epithet 'patricide of gentleness' is a rhetorical inversion: the opponent is accused of killing the very quality (gentleness) he claims to defend, a common polemical trope in Athanasius.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"σύνες δή","severity":"info","text":"The passage opens with an imperative ('Understand then') that signals a new argumentative move, shifting from a direct address to a logical challenge based on the opponent's own premises.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ θεὸς πανταχοῦ πάρεστι","severity":"info","text":"The assertion that God is present everywhere while the cosmos is a form parallels Stoic and Middle Platonic ideas of divine omnipresence, adapted here to argue that Christ's bodily form does not limit God.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ Χριστός ... πέπονθεν","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Christ suffered for us' alludes to the core kerygma of the Passion (cf. 1 Cor 15:3; Gal 1:4), which the opponent uses to argue for a diminished divinity, but Athanasius reinterprets as a voluntary embodiment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ τοῦ διαβόλου ξίφος","severity":"caution","text":"The final phrase 'the sword of the devil' is a metaphor for the opponent's argument; the Coptic Vorlage may have had a different image, but the Greek is clear and the sense is not corrupt.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the interlocutor ('he says') is not specified; it may be a generic Arian opponent or a specific figure like Eusebius of Nicomedia.","The phrase 'the spirit of this spherical cycle' (τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ σφαιροειδοῦς τούτου κύκλου) is ambiguous: it could refer to the world-soul or to the Holy Spirit, but context favors a cosmological sense."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":84,"ref":"p84","source":"ὁρᾶτε δὴ, πάντες ὁρᾶτε, ὡς γοερὰς ἤδη προίσχεται φωνὰς τῷ τοῦ ἔχεως ἐνισχημένος δήγματι, ὡς αἱ φλέβες αὐτοῦ καὶ σάρκες τῷ ἰῷ ἐγκατειλημμέναι δεινὰς ἀνακινοῦσιν ὀδύνας, ὡς διερρύηκεν αὐτοῦ τὸ σῶμα πᾶν κατισχνωθέν– αὐχμοῦ τε καὶ ῥύπου καὶ θρήνων καὶ ὠχριάσεως καὶ φρίκης καὶ μυρίων τε γέμει κακῶν καὶ δεινῶς κατέσκληκεν–ὡς εἰδεχθὲς καὶ κατάρρυπον τὸ τῆς κόμης δάσος, ὡς ὅλος ἡμιθνὴς καὶ ἐξασθενῶν ἤδη τὸ βλέμμα, ὡς ἄναιμον τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ ὑπὸ μερίμνης ἐκτετηκός, ὡς ὁμοῦ πάντα εἰς αὐτὸν συνδραμόντα, οἶστρος μανία τε καὶ ματαιότης, διὰ τὸ χρόνιον τοῦ πάθους ἄγριόν τε καὶ θηριώδη σε πεποιήκασιν. αὐτίκα οὐδὲ ἐπαισθανόμενος οὗ δὴ κακοῦ τυγχάνει ὢν «αἴρομαι», φησίν, «ὑφ' ἡδονῆς καὶ πηδῶ γε σκιρτῶν ὑπὸ χαρᾶς καὶ πτεροῦμαι». καὶ πάλιν νεανικῶς γε λίαν «εἶεν», φησίν, «ἀπωλόμεθα». τοῦτο μέν γε καὶ ἀληθές ἐστι· σοὶ γὰρ μόνῳ ἡ κακία τὰς παρ' ἑαυτῆς σπουδὰς δαψιλῶς κεχορήγηκε, καὶ ὃ πολλῆς ἐωνεῖτο τιμῆς, τοῦτό σοι ῥᾷστα δέδωκε. φέρε δὴ νῦν εἰπέ, ποῦ τὰ σεμνά σού ἐστι παραγγέλματα; ἀπόνιψαι δῆτα τῷ Νείλῳ σαυτόν, εἰ οἷόν τε, ὦ ἀτόπου γέμων ἄνθρωπε ἀναισθησίας· καίτοι σύ γε τὴν οἰκουμένην ἅπασαν τοῖς σεαυτοῦ ἀσεβήμασι διαταράξαι ἐσπούδακας. ἆρα γε συνίης ὡς ἅπαντα ἤδη ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος ἐγὼ ἐξεπίσταμαι; ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἀπορῶ, πότερον μένειν ἢ ἀπιέναι δεῖ· οὔτε γὰρ βλέπειν εἰς τοῦτον ἔτι δύναμαι καὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐπαισχύνομαι, ὦ Ἄρειε δῆτα Ἄρειε. ἡμᾶς μὲν εἰς φῶς κατέστησας, σαυτὸν δὲ εἰς σκότος, ὦ ταλαίπωρε, κατέβαλες. τοῦτό σου τῶν πόνων πέφηνε τὸ τέλος. Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖσε πάλιν ἐπάνειμι·","english":"See then, all see, how he already utters mournful cries, caught in the viper's bite, how his veins and flesh, seized by the venom, stir up terrible pains, how his whole body has wasted away, shriveled—full of drought and filth and lamentations and pallor and shuddering and countless evils, and has become dreadfully parched—how the thicket of his hair is hideous and squalid, how he is altogether half-dead and already failing in his gaze, how his face is bloodless and melted away by anxiety, how all things have rushed together upon him—frenzy, madness, and vanity—and have made you, due to the chronic nature of your affliction, wild and beastly. At once, not even perceiving the evil in which he finds himself, he says, \"I am lifted up with pleasure and leap, bounding with joy, and I take wing.\" And again, quite arrogantly, he says, \"Alas, we are undone.\" This indeed is true: for to you alone has vice lavishly supplied its own zeal, and what was bought at great price, it has given you most easily. Come now, tell me, where are your solemn precepts? Wash yourself, if possible, in the Nile, O man full of absurd insensibility; yet you have striven to disturb the whole world with your impieties. Do you understand that I, the man of God, already know everything? But I am at a loss whether I should stay or go; for I can no longer look at him, and I am ashamed of the sin, O Arius, O Arius. You have set us in the light, but you have cast yourself into darkness, O wretch. This has turned out to be the end of your labors. But I return again to that point.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁρᾶτε δὴ, πάντες ὁρᾶτε","severity":"info","text":"The repeated imperative 'see then, all see' is a rhetorical device intensifying the vivid description of Arius's physical and moral decay, typical of Athanasius's polemical style.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἔχεως","severity":"info","text":"The word 'ἔχεως' (viper) is a term of opprobrium, comparing Arius to a venomous snake, a common metaphor in early Christian polemic for heretics.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"αἴρομαι ὑφ' ἡδονῆς καὶ πηδῶ γε σκιρτῶν ὑπὸ χαρᾶς καὶ πτεροῦμαι","severity":"info","text":"This phrase parodies Arius's own words, possibly echoing Psalm 55:6 (LXX) 'I will leap for joy', but twisted to show his deluded self-praise.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ Νείλῳ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to washing in the Nile is a sarcastic allusion to Egyptian purification rituals, mocking Arius's need for cleansing from his impiety.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖσε πάλιν ἐπάνειμι","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a return to the main argument after a digressive invective, typical of Athanasius's rhetorical structure in this work.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ὦ Ἄρειε δῆτα Ἄρειε","severity":"info","text":"The direct address to Arius by name personalizes the polemic, reflecting Athanasius's role in the post-Nicene controversy and the lasting impact of this work in anti-Arian literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is clear; no significant ambiguities in this passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":85,"ref":"p85","source":"πλῆθος εἶναι φῂς τῶν περὶ σὲ ἀλωμένων. εἰκός, οἶμαι, καὶ δέχου γε τούτους, δέχου, φημί. λύκοις γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ\n\nλέουσι βρωθησομένους ἐκ δεδώκασι. πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτων ἕκαστος προσθήκῃ κεφαλαίων δέκα καὶ τελέσμασι τούτων πιεσθεὶς αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα ἱδρώσει, ἐὰν μὴ τὴν ταχίστην ἐπὶ τὴν σωτήριον δραμὼν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν τῆς ἀγάπης εἰρήνην τῷ φίλτρῳ τῆς ὁμονοίας ἐπανέληται. οὐδὲ γὰρ δὴ ὑπὸ σοῦ λοιπὸν ἐξαπατηθήσονται ἐπὶ πονηρᾷ συνειδήσει κατεγνωσμένου, οὐδ' ἀνέξονται τέλεον ἀπολέσθαι ταῖς μιαραῖς σου ζητήσεσιν ἐμπλακέντες. σαφῆ καὶ γνώριμα πᾶσι πρὸς γοῦν τὸν ἑξῆς χρόνον τὰ σά ἐστι σοφίσματα· καὶ μὴν οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἀνύσαι τι δυνήσῃ, ἀλλὰ μάτην σχηματιῇ, ἐπιείκειάν τε καὶ πραότητα λόγων καθυποκρινόμενος καὶ ἁπλότητος ὡς εἰπεῖν προσωπεῖον ἔξωθεν περιτιθέμενος. μάταιον ἔσται σου τὸ ὅλον τέχνασμα. αὐτίκα γάρ σε ἡ ἀλήθεια περιστήσεται. αὐτίκα σου τὰς φλόγας ὁ τῆς δυνάμεως ὡς εἰπεῖν ὄμβρος ἀποσβέσει. καὶ μέντοι καὶ τοὺς ἑταίρους καὶ ὁμογνώμονάς σου ἐνόχους ἤδη τῇ βουλῇ γενομένους αἱ τῶν δημοσίων λειτουργημάτων καταλήψονται φροντίδες, ἐάν γε μὴ τὴν ταχίστην ἀποφεύγοντες τῆς πρὸς σὲ συνουσίας τὴν ἀδιάφθορον ἀνταλλάξωνται πίστιν. σὺ δέ, ὁ σιδηρόφρων ἀνήρ, δεῖγμά μοι δὸς τῆς σῆς προαιρέ σεως, εἰ σαυτῷ πιστεύεις καὶ ἔρρωσαι τῷ βεβαίῳ τῆς πίστεως καὶ καθαρὰν ὅλως ἔχεις συνείδησιν. ἧκε πρὸς ἐμέ, ἧκε, φημί, πρὸς θεοῦ ἄνθρωπον. πίστευσον, ὡς ταῖς ἐμαυτοῦ πεύσεσι διερευνήσομαί σου τὰ ἀπόρρητα τῆς καρδίας· κἂν μέν τι μανικὸν ἐνεῖναι δόξῃ, τὴν θείαν ἐπικαλεσάμενος χάριν παραδείγματός σε κάλλιον ἰάσομαι.","english":"You say that a crowd of those who wander about you exists. It is likely, I think, and do receive them, receive them, I say. For they have given themselves over to be devoured by wolves and lions. Yet each of these, pressed by the addition of ten chapters and the completions of these, will immediately sweat profusely, unless he runs as quickly as possible to the saving church and takes up again the peace of love by the affection of concord. For they will no longer be deceived by you, who are condemned by a wicked conscience, nor will they endure to be utterly destroyed, entangled in your foul inquiries. Your sophistries are clear and known to all for the future time. And indeed you yourself will be able to accomplish nothing, but you will vainly put on a show, feigning fairness and gentleness of words and externally placing a mask of simplicity, so to speak. Your entire artifice will be vain. For truth will immediately surround you. The rain of power, so to speak, will immediately extinguish your flames. And indeed your companions and those of like mind, already implicated in the plan, will be seized by the cares of public liturgies, unless they as quickly as possible, fleeing from association with you, exchange for the incorruptible faith. But you, iron-minded man, give me a sign of your choice, whether you trust yourself and are strengthened by the steadfastness of faith and have a wholly pure conscience. Come to me, come, I say, to a man of God. Believe, I will investigate the secrets of your heart by my own inquiries; and if something mad should seem to be present, I will heal you, having called upon divine grace, more beautifully than an example.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"πλῆθος ... ἀλωμένων","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'crowd of those who wander' likely refers to heretics or schismatics who have left the orthodox fold, a common polemical trope in Athanasius.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"προσθήκῃ κεφαλαίων δέκα","severity":"info","text":"'Addition of ten chapters' may allude to a specific heretical document or creedal expansion, possibly Arian, but the exact reference is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"λύκοις ... βρωθησομένους","severity":"info","text":"The image of being devoured by wolves and lions echoes biblical warnings against false teachers (e.g., Matt 7:15, John 10:12), common in patristic polemic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"δημοσίων λειτουργημάτων","severity":"info","text":"'Public liturgies' refers to compulsory civic services in the Roman Empire, which could burden those implicated in heresy as a form of punishment or distraction.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"σὺ δέ, ὁ σιδηρόφρων ἀνήρ","severity":"info","text":"The direct address 'you, iron-minded man' marks a rhetorical climax, shifting from general warning to personal challenge, typical of Athanasian diatribe.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τὴν σωτήριον ... ἐκκλησίαν","severity":"info","text":"The 'saving church' underscores Athanasius's ecclesiology, where the orthodox Church alone offers salvation, a theme influential in later Nicene orthodoxy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'ten chapters' (προσθήκῃ κεφαλαίων δέκα) is unclear; it may refer to a specific heretical document or a rhetorical exaggeration.","The phrase 'rain of power' (ὁ τῆς δυνάμεως ὡς εἰπεῖν ὄμβρος) is metaphorical; its precise referent (divine intervention, imperial authority) is ambiguous."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":86,"ref":"p86","source":"ἐὰν δὲ ὑγιαίνων τὰ κατὰ ψυχὴν φανῇς, τὸ τῆς ἀληθείας φῶς ἐπιγνοὺς ἐν σοὶ καὶ τῷ θεῷ χάριν εἴσομαι καὶ ἐμαυτῷ τῆς εὐσεβείας συνησθήσομαι. Καὶ ἄλλῃ χειρί· ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς διαφυλάξει, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοί. Διὰ Συγκλητίου καὶ Γαυδεντίου μαγιστριανῶν ἐκομίσθη καὶ ταῦτα, ὅτε Πατέριος ἦν ἔπαρχος Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἀνεγνώσθη ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ.\n\nτ {Κατὰ Εὐσεβίου καὶ Θεογνίου.} Κωνσταντῖνος Σεβαστὸς τῇ καθολικῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Νικομηδέων. Τὸν δεσπότην θεὸν δηλαδὴ καὶ σωτῆρα Χριστὸν ἀκριβῶς ἅπαντες ἴστε, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί, πατέρα τε καὶ υἱὸν εἶναι, πατέρα φημὶ ἄναρχον ἄνευ τέλους γονέα τοῦ αἰῶνος αὐτοῦ, υἱὸν δέ, τοῦτ' ἔστι τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς βούλησιν, ἥτις οὔτε δι' ἐνθυμήσεώς τινος ἀνείληπται οὔτε πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ τελεσιουργίαν διά τινος ἐξεζητημένης οὐσίας κατελήφθη. ὃς γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ νοεῖ καὶ νοήσει, οὗτος ἕξει πρὸς ἅπαν τιμωρίας γένος ἀκάματον ὑπομονήν. ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ υἱὸς Χριστὸς ὁ τῶν ἁπάντων δημιουργὸς καὶ τῆς ἀθανασίας αὐτῆς χορηγὸς ἐγεννήθη, ὅσον πρὸς τὴν πίστιν ἀνῆκεν ᾗ πεπιστεύκαμεν, ἐγεννήθη–μᾶλλον δὲ προῆλθεν αὐτὸς ὁ καὶ πάντοτε ἐν τῷ πατρὶ ὢν ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ γεγενημένων διακόσμησιν–ἐγεννήθη τοίνυν ἀμερίστῳ προε λεύσει· ἡ γὰρ βούλησις ὁμοῦ καὶ τῷ οἰκητηρίῳ ἑαυτῆς ἐμπέπηγε καὶ ταῦθ', ἅπερ δια φόρου δέεται τημελείας, κατὰ τὴν ἑκάστου ποιότητα πράττει τε καὶ διοικεῖ. τί οὖν ἐστι μεταξὺ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ; οὐδὲν δηλαδή. αὕτη γὰρ ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων συμπλήρωσις αἰσθήσει παρείληφε τὸ τῆς βουλήσεως πρόσταγμα, οὐχὶ δὲ μερισθεῖσαν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας τὴν βούλησιν διέστησεν.","english":"If you should prove sound in soul, having recognized the light of truth in yourself, I will be grateful to God and to you, and I will rejoice with myself in piety. And in another hand: May God protect you, beloved brothers. These things were brought by Syncletius and Gaudentius, magistriani, when Paterius was prefect of Egypt, and were read in the palace.\n\n{Against Eusebius and Theognis.} Constantine Augustus to the Catholic Church of the Nicomedians. You all know accurately, beloved brothers, that the Lord God and Savior Christ is clearly both Father and Son: Father, I mean, without beginning, without end, parent of his own age; Son, that is, the will of the Father, which is neither conceived through any thought nor apprehended for the perfecting of his works through any elaborate substance. For whoever thinks this and will think this will have untiring endurance for every kind of punishment. But indeed, the Son of God, Christ, the creator of all things and the provider of immortality itself, was born, as far as pertains to the faith which we have believed—was born, or rather came forth, he who always is in the Father, for the ordering of the things generated by him—was born, then, by an indivisible procession; for the will is both fixed in its own dwelling and does and administers those things which require different care according to the quality of each. What, then, is between God and Father and Son? Nothing, clearly. For this completion of things has received the command of the will by perception, and has not separated the will, divided from the substance of the Father.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from a personal exhortation to a documentary appendix: a letter from Constantine to the church of Nicomedia, introduced by a scribal note about its delivery by magistriani.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Syncletius and Gaudentius, titled magistriani, were imperial couriers; Paterius as prefect of Egypt dates the reading of these documents to the early 330s, during the aftermath of Nicaea.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"βούλησις","severity":"info","text":"The letter uses βούλησις ('will') to describe the Son as the Father's will, a non-subordinationist formulation that avoids the Arian term 'creature' while maintaining a distinction without division.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'πατέρα φημὶ ἄναρχον ἄνευ τέλους γονέα τοῦ αἰῶνος αὐτοῦ' is ambiguous: 'αἰῶνος' could mean 'age' or 'eternity'; the translation 'parent of his own age' is one possible reading, but the sense may be 'parent of his own eternity'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This letter, attributed to Constantine, was preserved by Athanasius to show imperial support for Nicene orthodoxy against Eusebius of Nicomedia and Theognis, who were later exiled.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The description of the Son as 'indivisible procession' (ἀμερίστῳ προελεύσει) echoes the language of Origen and later pro-Nicene theology, but avoids the homoousion, reflecting Constantine's mediating stance.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'γονέα τοῦ αἰῶνος αὐτοῦ' is ambiguous: 'αἰῶνος' may mean 'age' or 'eternity', affecting the interpretation of the Father's relation to time.","The identity of the 'another hand' (ἄλλῃ χειρί) is unclear; it may indicate a scribal addition or a separate document."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":87,"ref":"p87","source":"ὃ δὲ τούτοις ἕπεται· τίς ἐστιν, ὃς τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἐμοῦ δεσπότου πάθος δι' αἰδῶ μᾶλλον ἢ μωρίαν δέδιεν; ἆρ' οὖν πάσχει τὸ θεῖον, ἐπειδὰν ἡ τοῦ σεμνοῦ σώματος οἴκησις πρὸς ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἰδίας ἁγιότητος ὁρμᾷ, ἢ ὑποπίπτει θίξει τὸ τοῦ σώματος ἐκκεχωρισμένον; ἆρ' οὐχὶ διέστηκε τοῦθ' ὅπερ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ σώματος ἀφῄρηται ταπεινότητος; οὐχὶ δὲ ζῶμεν, κἂν πρὸς θάνατον ἡ τῆς ψυχῆς εὔκλεια τὸ σῶμα προσκαλέσηται; τί τοίνυν ἐνταῦθα ἡ ἀβλαβής τε καὶ εἰλικρινὴς\n\nπίστις ἄξιον ἀμφιβολίας κατείληφεν; ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅτι σεμνότατον σῶμα ὁ θεὸς ἐπελέξατο, δι' οὗ τὰ τῆς πίστεως τεκμήρια καὶ τὰ τῆς οἰκείας ἀρετῆς ὑποδείγματα ἔμελλεν ἐμφανίζειν καὶ τὴν ἤδη συγκεχυμένην ὀλεθρίῳ πλάνῃ τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου γένους ἀπώλειαν ἀποσείσασθαι καινήν τε θρησκείας διδόναι διδασκαλίαν καὶ τῷ τῆς ἁγνείας ὑποδείγματι τὰς ἀναξίας τοῦ νοῦ πράξεις καθαίρειν, ἔπειτα δὲ τὴν μὲν τοῦ θανάτου βάσανον ἐκλύειν, τὰ δὲ τῆς ἀθανασίας ἔπαθλα προαναφωνεῖν; Ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς, οὓς λοιπὸν ἀδελφοὺς ἡ τῆς ἀγάπης κοινωνία εἰκότως ὑπ' ἐμοῦ προσαγορεύεσθαι ποιεῖ, οὐκ ἀγνοεῖτέ με τὸν ὑμέτερον συνθεράποντα, οὐκ ἀγνοεῖτε τὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας σωτηρίας ὀχύρωμα, οὗ τὴν φροντίδα γνησίως ἐπανῄρημαι, καὶ δι' οὗ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐχθρῶν οὐ μόνον τὰ ὅπλα κατεμαχεσάμεθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ζῶντας ἔτι τὴν ψυχὴν συνκαθείρξαμεν πρὸς τὸ τὴν τῆς φιλανθρωπίας ἀληθῆ πίστιν ἐκφάναι. ἀλλ' ἐγὼ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς τούτοις διὰ τὴν τῆς οἰκουμένης μάλιστα ἀνανέωσιν ἔχαιρον. καὶ γὰρ θαύματος ἦν ἄξιον ἀληθῶς ἔθνη τοσαῦτα εἰς ὁμόνοιαν ἐπαγαγεῖν, ἃ πρὸ βραχέος ἐλέγετο τὸν θεὸν ἀγνοεῖν.","english":"What follows from these things: who is it that has feared the passion of Christ, my master, more out of shame than folly? Does the divine then suffer, when the dwelling of the holy body hastens toward recognition of its own sanctity, or does that which is separated from the body fall under touch? Has not that which is removed from the lowliness of the body stood apart? Do we not live, even if the nobility of the soul summons the body to death? What then has the blameless and sincere faith here seized that is worthy of doubt? Or do you not see that God chose a most holy body, through which he was about to manifest the proofs of faith and the examples of his own virtue, and to shake off the already confused destruction of the human race by a ruinous error, and to give a new teaching of religion, and by the example of purity to cleanse the actions unworthy of the mind, and then to dissolve the torment of death and to proclaim in advance the rewards of immortality? But you, whom the communion of love henceforth makes it fitting for me to address as brothers, you are not ignorant of me, your fellow servant; you are not ignorant of the fortress of your salvation, the care of which I have genuinely undertaken, and through which we have not only fought down the weapons of our enemies, but have also confined them while still living in soul, so as to reveal the true faith of philanthropy. But I rejoiced in these good things, especially on account of the renewal of the inhabited world. For it was truly worthy of wonder to have brought so many nations into concord, which shortly before were said to be ignorant of God.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τίς ἐστιν, ὃς τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἐμοῦ δεσπότου πάθος δι' αἰδῶ μᾶλλον ἢ μωρίαν δέδιεν","severity":"info","text":"The rhetorical question contrasts shame (αἰδώς) with folly (μωρία) as motives for fearing Christ's passion, implying that docetic or shame-based avoidance of the incarnation is irrational.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"πάσχει τὸ θεῖον","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'does the divine suffer' directly engages the patripassian controversy, a key issue in fourth-century trinitarian debates, which Athanasius elsewhere refutes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ τῆς ἀθανασίας ἔπαθλα προαναφωνεῖν","severity":"info","text":"The language of 'rewards of immortality' echoes Pauline soteriology (e.g., Rom 8:11, 1 Cor 15), though no direct citation is given.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔθνη τοσαῦτα εἰς ὁμόνοιαν ἐπαγαγεῖν","severity":"info","text":"The reference to bringing many nations into concord reflects the Constantinian settlement and the Council of Nicaea's aim of ecclesiastical unity, a theme in Athanasius' defense of the Nicene creed.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς, οὓς λοιπὸν ἀδελφοὺς ... προσαγορεύεσθαι ποιεῖ","severity":"info","text":"The shift from rhetorical questions to direct address ('But you...') marks a transition from theological argument to personal exhortation, typical of Athanasian epistolary style.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"συνκαθείρξαμεν","severity":"caution","text":"The verb συνκαθείρξαμεν ('we confined together') is a hapax or rare compound; its precise sense here—whether metaphorical (confuting enemies) or literal (imprisoning)—is ambiguous.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the speaker (likely Athanasius) and the addressees (possibly Egyptian bishops or monastics) is not explicit in this passage.","The phrase 'confined them while still living in soul' (ζῶντας ἔτι τὴν ψυχὴν συνκαθείρξαμεν) is obscure; it may refer to spiritual defeat of heretics or to a disciplinary action."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":88,"ref":"p88","source":"πλὴν τί ἔμελλε γινώσκειν τὰ ἔθνη ταῦτα, ἃ οὐδεμίαν φιλονεικίας ἐπανῄρηνται φροντίδα; τί οὖν νοεῖτε, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοί, ὡς ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς αἰτιῶμαι; Χριστιανοί ἐσμεν καὶ οἰκτρᾷ διαθέσει διχονοοῦμεν. αὕτη ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ἡμετέρα πίστις, αὕτη ἡ τοῦ ἁγιωτάτου νόμου διδασκαλία; ἀλλὰ τίς ἐστιν αἰτία δι' ἣν ὁ τοῦ παρόντος κακοῦ ὄλεθρος ἐξεγήγερται; ὢ τῆς ἀτοπίας, ὢ μίσους ὑπερβολὴ πάσης ἀγανακτήσεως μέγεθος ὑπερβαίνουσα. τίς ἡ τοῦ λῃστηρίου τούτου ἀναπέφανται δεινότης, ἣ τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ υἱὸν ἀρνεῖται ἐξ ἀμερίστου τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας προεληλυθέναι; ἆρ' οὐχὶ πανταχοῦ ἐστιν ὁ θεός, καίτοι γε τοῦτον πάντοτε παρεῖναι ἡμῖν αἰσθανόμεθα; ἆρ' οὐχὶ διὰ τῆς τούτου δυνάμεως ἡ τῶν ὅλων συνέστηκεν εὐκοσμία, καίτοι γε τῆς τοῦ χωρισμοῦ διαστάσεως ἐστέρηται; Μὴ οὖν ὑμῖν τι πέπρακται; ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί, καταμάθετε νῦν, ἀξιῶ, τὰς βασάνους τῆς παρούσης ἀλγηδόνος· ὁμολογητὰς ὑμᾶς εἶναι τούτου ἐπηγγέλλεσθε ὃν θεὸν εἶναι ἀρνεῖσθε, τοῦθ' ὑμᾶς τοῦ πανώλου διδασκάλου πείθοντος. ἱκετεύω, τίς ἐστιν ὁ διδάξας ταῦτα οὕτως ἄκακον πλῆθος; Εὐσέβιος δηλαδὴ ὁ τῆς τυραννικῆς ὠμότητος συμμύστης. ὅτι γὰρ πανταχοῦ τοῦ τυράννου γεγένηται πρόσφυξ, πολλαχόθεν ἔστι συνορᾶν. τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ αἱ τῶν ἐπισκόπων σφαγαὶ διαμαρτύρονται, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀληθῶς ἐπισκόπων, τοῦτο δὲ ἡ χαλεπωτάτη τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐκδίωξις διαρρήδην βοᾷ.","english":"But what were these nations to know, which had taken up no concern for contentiousness? What then do you think, beloved brothers, that I am accusing you yourselves? We are Christians, and we are divided in a pitiable disposition. Is this, then, our faith, is this the teaching of the most holy law? But what is the cause for which the destruction of the present evil has been stirred up? Oh, the absurdity, oh, the excess of hatred surpassing every magnitude of indignation. What is the terrible nature of this band of robbers that has been revealed, which denies that the Son of God has come forth from the undivided substance of the Father? Is not God everywhere, although we perceive him always present to us? Is it not through his power that the good order of the universe has been established, although it is deprived of the separation of division? Has something then been done by you? Beloved brothers, learn now, I beg you, the torments of the present grief: you professed to be confessors of him whom you deny to be God, this your all-destructive teacher persuading you. I implore you, who is it that has taught such an innocent multitude these things? Eusebius, evidently, the fellow initiate of tyrannical cruelty. For that he has become a refugee of the tyrant everywhere, it is possible to see from many sources. On the one hand, the murders of the bishops bear witness to this—but of the true bishops—on the other hand, the most grievous expulsion of Christians proclaims it explicitly.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"πλὴν τί ἔμελλε γινώσκειν τὰ ἔθνη ταῦτα","severity":"info","text":"The rhetorical question dismisses the nations as unconcerned with doctrinal strife, highlighting Athanasius' focus on internal Christian division.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἐξ ἀμερίστου τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας","severity":"info","text":"This phrase asserts the Son's origin from the Father's undivided substance, a key Nicene term opposing Arian subordinationism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Εὐσέβιος δηλαδὴ ὁ τῆς τυραννικῆς ὠμότητος συμμύστης","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia, a leading Arian bishop, is accused of complicity with imperial persecution, reflecting Athanasius' polemic against his opponents.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"αὕτη ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ἡμετέρα πίστις, αὕτη ἡ τοῦ ἁγιωτάτου νόμου διδασκαλία","severity":"info","text":"The repeated 'αὕτη' and rhetorical questions mark a climactic lament over Christian disunity, intensifying the emotional appeal.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἆρ' οὐχὶ πανταχοῦ ἐστιν ὁ θεός","severity":"info","text":"Echoes the omnipresence of God as in Wisdom of Solomon 1:7, used to argue against Arian separation of divine persons.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ὁμολογητὰς ὑμᾶς εἶναι τούτου ἐπηγγέλλεσθε","severity":"info","text":"The term 'confessors' (ὁμολογηταί) recalls those who suffered for orthodoxy, a category later venerated in hagiography.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'τὰ ἔθνη ταῦτα' is ambiguous: it may refer to non-Christian nations or to heretical groups outside the Church. The reading taken follows the context of internal Christian strife."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":89,"ref":"p89","source":"οὐδὲν γὰρ περὶ τῶν εἰς ἐμὲ γεγενημένων ὕβρεων νῦν ἐρῶ, δι' ὧν, ὅτε μάλιστα αἱ τῶν ἐναντίων μερῶν ἐπραγματεύσαντο συνδρομαί, οὗτος καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς κατασκόπους ὑπέ41.11 πεμπε κατ' ἐμοῦ καὶ μόνον οὐκ ἐνόπλους τῷ τυράννῳ συνεισέφερεν ὑπουργίας. μηδ' ἐμέ τις οἰέσθω εἶναι πρὸς τὴν τούτων ἀπόδειξιν ἀπαράσκευον. ἔλεγχος γάρ ἐστιν ἀκριβής, ὅτι τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους καὶ τοὺς διακόνους τοὺς Εὐσεβίῳ παρεπομένους φανερῶς ὑπ' ἐμοῦ συνειλῆφθαι συνέστηκεν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν παρίημι, ἃ νῦν οὐκ ἀγανακτήσεως ἕνεκεν, ἀλλ' εἰς ἐκείνων αἰσχύνην ὑπ' ἐμοῦ προενήνεκται. ἐκεῖνο μόνον δέδια, ἐκεῖνο διαλογίζομαι, ὅτι ὑμᾶς ὁρῶ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἐγκλήματος καλεῖσθαι κοινωνίαν. διὰ γὰρ τῆς Εὐσεβίου ἀγωγῆς τε καὶ διαστροφῆς συνείδησιν τῆς ἀληθείας κεχωρισμένην ἀνειλήφατε. ἀλλ' ἔστιν οὐ βραδεῖα θεραπεία, εἴ γε ἐπίσκοπον πιστόν τε καὶ ἀκέραιον νῦν γοῦν λαβόντες πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀπίδητε, ὅπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστι καὶ πάλαι ἐχρῆν τῆς ὑμετέρας κρίσεως ἠρτῆσθαι, εἰ μὴ ὁ προειρημένος Εὐσέβιος σὺν δίνῃ τῶν συναγομένων αὐτῷ ἐνταῦθα ἐληλύθει καὶ τὴν τῆς τάξεως ὀρθότητα ἀναισχύντως συνετεταράχει. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Εὐσεβίου πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην ὀλίγα προσῆκε φράσαι, μέμνηται ἡ ὑμετέρα ἀνεξικακία ἐπὶ τῆς Νικαέων πόλεως γεγενῆσθαι σύνοδον, ᾗ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ πρεπόντως τῇ τῆς ἐμῆς συνειδήσεως λατρείᾳ παρήμην, οὐδὲν ἕτερον βουλόμενος ἢ ὁμόνοιαν ἅπασιν ἐργάσασθαι καὶ πρὸ πάντων ἐλέγξαι τε καὶ ἀποσείσασθαι τὸ","english":"I will say nothing now about the outrages committed against me, through which, especially when the gatherings of the opposing parties were contrived, this man both sent spies against me and all but contributed armed services to the tyrant. Nor should anyone think me unprepared for the demonstration of these things. For there is precise proof that the presbyters and deacons who accompanied Eusebius were manifestly apprehended by me. But I pass over these things, which have been brought forward by me not now for the sake of indignation, but for their shame. That one thing alone I fear, that one thing I consider: that I see you being called to a share in the accusation. For through the conduct and perversion of Eusebius you have taken up a conscience separated from the truth. But there is a remedy not slow, if indeed, taking a faithful and upright bishop now at least, you look to God, which is in your power at present and ought long ago to have depended on your judgment, had not the aforementioned Eusebius, together with a whirlwind of those gathered with him, come here and shamelessly thrown the correctness of order into confusion. But since it is fitting to say a few things about this Eusebius to your love, your forbearance remembers that a synod took place in the city of Nicaea, at which I myself was present, as was fitting for the service of my conscience, desiring nothing other than to work for harmony among all and, above all, to refute and cast off","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐδὲν γὰρ περὶ τῶν εἰς ἐμὲ γεγενημένων ὕβρεων νῦν ἐρῶ","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius declines to recount personal outrages, a rhetorical move that underscores his focus on Eusebius’s misconduct rather than self-pity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"συνεισέφερεν ὑπουργίας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'contributed services' implies Eusebius actively aided the tyrant (likely the emperor Licinius or a civil authority), a serious charge in the post-Constantinian context.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Εὐσεβίου","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia, a leading Arian sympathizer and opponent of Athanasius, is the target. The passage reflects the factional strife after the Council of Nicaea (325).","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν παρίημι","severity":"info","text":"This transitional phrase marks a shift from accusation to a call for unity, typical of Athanasius’s rhetorical strategy in this narrative section.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"σύνοδον ... Νικαέων πόλεως","severity":"info","text":"The reference to the Council of Nicaea anchors the passage in the foundational event of Nicene orthodoxy, later cited in anti-Arian polemic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"συνειλῆφθαι","severity":"caution","text":"The verb 'apprehended' could mean either 'arrested' or 'detained'; the precise legal or physical action is ambiguous, though Athanasius presents it as proof of his vigilance.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'tyrant' (τῷ τυράννῳ) is not specified; it may refer to Licinius or a local official. The phrase 'gatherings of the opposing parties' (αἱ τῶν ἐναντίων μερῶν ... συνδρομαί) is vague about which factions are meant."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":90,"ref":"p90","source":"πρᾶγμα τοῦτο, ὃ τὴν μὲν ἀρχὴν εἰλήφει διὰ τῆς Ἀρείου τοῦ Ἀλεξανδρέως ἀπονοίας, ἰσχυροποιεῖτο δὲ παραχρῆμα διὰ τῆς Εὐσεβίου ἀτόπου τε καὶ ὀλεθρίας σπουδῆς. ἀλλ' αὐτὸς οὗτος Εὐσέβιος, προσφιλέστατοι καὶ τιμιώτατοι, μεθ' ὅσης νομίζετε συνδρομῆς ἅτε δὴ ὑπὸ τῆς συνειδήσεως αὐτῆς ἡττώμενος, μεθ' ὅσης δὲ αἰσχύνης τῇ πανταχόθεν ἐληλεγμένῃ ψευδολογίᾳ συνίστατο, ὑποπέμπων μέν μοι διαφόρους τοὺς ἀξιοῦντας ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, ἐξαιτούμενος δὲ παρ' ἐμοῦ συμμαχίαν τινά, ὅπως μὴ ἐπὶ τοσούτῳ ἐλεγχθεὶς πλημμελήματι τῆς ὑπαρχούσης αὐτῷ τιμῆς ἐκβάλλοιτο; μάρτυς ἐστί μοι τούτου ὁ θεὸς αὐτός, ὃς ἐμοί τε καὶ ὑμῖν φιλαγάθως ἐπιμένοι, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐμὲ ἐκεῖνος περιέτρεψε καὶ ἀπρεπῶς ὑφήρπασεν, ὃ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπιγνώσεσθε. πάντα μὲν γὰρ ἐπράχθη τότε, καθὼς αὐτὸς ἐπόθει πᾶν ὁτιοῦν κακὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ διανοίας ἀποκρυπτόμενος. Ἀλλὰ πρώην, ἵνα τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς τούτου σκαιότητος παρῶ, τί μάλιστα μετὰ Θεογνίου, ὃν τῆς ἀνοίας ἔχει κοινωνόν, διεπράξατο, ἀκούσατε, παρακαλῶ. Ἀλεξανδρέας τινὰς τῆς ἡμετέρας πίστεως ἀναχωρήσαντας ἐνταῦθα κεκελεύκειν ἀποσταλῆναι, ἐπειδὴ διὰ τῆς τούτων ὑπηρεσίας ὁ τῆς διχονοίας ἠγείρετο πυρσός. ἀλλ' οὗτοι οἱ καλοί τε καὶ ἀγαθοὶ ἐπίσκοποι, οὓς ἅπαξ ἡ τῆς συνόδου ἀλήθεια πρὸς μετάνοιαν τετηρήκει, οὐ μόνον ἐκείνους ὑπεδέξαντο καὶ παρ' ἑαυτοῖς ἠσφαλίσαντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκοινώνησαν αὐτοῖς τῆς τῶν τρόπων κακοηθείας. διὸ τοῦτο περὶ τοὺς ἀχαρίστους τούτους ἔκρινα πρᾶξαι· ἁρπαγέντας γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐκέλευσα ὡς πορρωτάτω ἐξορισθῆναι.","english":"This matter, which had its beginning through the folly of Arius of Alexandria, was immediately strengthened by the improper and destructive zeal of Eusebius. But this same Eusebius, most beloved and honored ones, with what a rush do you suppose he was overcome by his own conscience, and with what shame did he persist in his falsehood refuted from all sides, sending various persons to me to plead on his behalf, and requesting from me some assistance, so that he might not be expelled from his existing honor after being convicted of such a great offense? God himself is my witness to this, who continues to be benevolent to me and to you, since that man also turned me around and improperly abducted me, which you will also recognize. For everything was done then just as he desired, concealing every possible evil in his own mind. But recently, to pass over the rest of his perversity, hear, I beg you, what he did especially with Theognius, whom he has as a partner in folly. He had ordered that certain Alexandrians of our faith who had withdrawn here be sent away, since through their service the torch of discord was kindled. But these good and noble bishops, whom the truth of the council had once preserved for repentance, not only received those men and secured them among themselves, but also shared with them the malice of their ways. Therefore, I decided to do this concerning these ungrateful men: I ordered that they be seized and exiled as far as possible.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Εὐσεβίου","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia, a leading Arian sympathizer, was a key opponent of Athanasius and instrumental in the political maneuvering described here.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"συνδρομῆς","severity":"info","text":"συνδρομῆς (lit. 'running together') here implies a rush of conscience or mental agitation, not a physical gathering.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Θεογνίου","severity":"info","text":"Theognius of Nicaea was a bishop who initially subscribed to the Nicene Creed but later opposed Athanasius, aligning with Eusebius.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ' αὐτὸς οὗτος Εὐσέβιος","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from a general narrative of Arian origins to a specific indictment of Eusebius, using rhetorical questions to heighten accusation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"μάρτυς ἐστί μοι τούτου ὁ θεὸς αὐτός","severity":"info","text":"The invocation of God as witness echoes biblical language (e.g., Rom 1:9; 2 Cor 1:23), common in Athanasius' appeals to divine justice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἁρπαγέντας γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐκέλευσα ὡς πορρωτάτω ἐξορισθῆναι","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek verb ἁρπαγέντας ('seized') may imply violent removal; Athanasius' account of his own actions is self-justifying and should be read critically.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῆς συνόδου ἀλήθεια' could refer either to the truth established by the Council of Nicaea or to a specific local synod; the context favors the former.","The identity of the 'certain Alexandrians' is not specified; they may be Melitian schismatics or other dissidents."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":91,"ref":"p91","source":"νῦν ὑμέτερόν ἐστι πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἐκείνῃ τῇ πίστει βλέπειν, ἣ πάντοτε καὶ γεγενῆσθαι [καὶ] συνέστηκε καὶ εἶναι πρέπει, καὶ διαπράξασθαι οὕτως, ἵνα ἐπισκόπους ἁγνούς τε καὶ ὀρθοδόξους καὶ φιλανθρώπους ἔχοντες χαίρωμεν· εἴ τις δὲ ἢ πρὸς μνήμην τῶν λυμεώνων ἐκείνων ἢ πρὸς ἔπαινον ἀπρονοήτως ἐξαφθῆναι τολμήσει, παραχρῆμα τῆς ἰδίας τόλμης διὰ τῆς τοῦ θεράποντος τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἐμοῦ ἐνεργείας ἀνασταλήσεται. Νικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος Σεβαστὸς Θεοδότῳ. Ὅση τῆς θείας ὀργῆς ἡ ἰσχὺς πέφυκε, καὶ ἐξ ὧν Εὐσέβιός τε καὶ Θεόγνιος πεπόνθασιν εὐχερὲς καὶ σὲ μαθεῖν, οἳ εἰς τὴν ἁγιωτάτην παροινοῦντες θρησκείαν τὸ τοῦ σωτῆρος θεοῦ ὄνομα τῷ συστήματι τοῦ οἰκείου λῃστηρίου καὶ μετὰ τὸ τυχεῖν συγγνώμης ἐμίαναν. ὅτε γὰρ μάλιστα μετὰ τὴν τῆς συνόδου ὁμογνώμονα συμφωνίαν ἐχρῆν τὴν προτέραν ἐπανορθώσασθαι πλάνην, τότε τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἀτοπήμασιν ἐμμένοντες ἑάλωσαν. διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν ἡ θεία πρόνοια αὐτοὺς τοῦ ἑαυτῆς ἀπώσατο λαοῦ. ἐπειδὴ μηδὲ ἔφερε τὰς ἀκάκους ψυχὰς ὀλίγων ἀπονοίᾳ φθειρομένας καθορᾶν, καὶ νῦν μὲν ἀξίαν παρ' αὐτῶν ᾔτησε δίκην, μείζονα δὲ καὶ εἰς τὸ ἑξῆς διὰ τοῦ παντὸς αἰῶνος λήψεται. Ὅπερ τῇ σῇ ἀγχινοίᾳ δηλωθῆναι δεῖν ἡγησάμην, ἵν' εἴ τις κακὴ παραίνεσις τῶν τοιούτων, ὡς ἔγωγε οὐκ οἶμαι, τῇ σῇ ἐνεκαθέσθη προαιρέσει, ταύτην τῆς ψυχῆς ἀφελόμενος καθαρὰν ὡς προσῆκε τὴν διάνοιαν εἰλικρινῆ τε καθοσίωσιν καὶ ἄχραντον πίστιν τῷ σωτῆρι θεῷ παρασχέσθαι προθυμηθῇς. καὶ γὰρ τοῦτο προσῆκόν ἐστιν ὑπὸ τούτου πράττεσθαι, ὃς δ' ἂν ἀκεραίων τῶν τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς ἐπάθλων ἀξιοῦσθαι βουλεύηται. καὶ ἄλλῃ χειρί·","english":"Now it is yours to look toward God with that faith which has always existed, is established, and ought to be, and to act so that we may rejoice in having bishops who are pure, orthodox, and benevolent. But if anyone dares, whether in memory of those corrupters or in praise, to be thoughtlessly inflamed, he will immediately be checked in his own audacity through the agency of the servant of God, that is, me. Victor Constantinus Augustus to Theodotus. How great the force of divine wrath naturally is, and from what Eusebius and Theognis have suffered, it is easy for you also to learn, who, outraging the most holy religion, defiled the name of the savior God by the conspiracy of their own band of brigands, even after receiving pardon. For when, especially after the unanimous agreement of the council, they ought to have corrected their former error, they were then caught persisting in the same outrages. For this reason, therefore, divine providence thrust them away from its own people, since it could not bear to see innocent souls being corrupted by the folly of a few. And now it has exacted a fitting penalty from them, and will take a greater one for all future time. I considered it necessary that this be made known to your sagacity, so that if any evil counsel of such men, as I for my part do not think, has settled in your purpose, you may remove it from your soul and be eager to offer a pure mind, as is fitting, and sincere devotion and unblemished faith to the savior God. For this is proper for one to do who intends to be deemed worthy of the rewards of eternal life. And by another hand.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"νῦν ὑμέτερόν ἐστι","severity":"info","text":"The opening phrase shifts the addressee from the previous narrative to a direct exhortation, marking a rhetorical turn in the letter.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"θεράποντος τοῦ θεοῦ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'servant of God' is a self-designation by Athanasius, asserting his authority as the agent of divine will in enforcing orthodoxy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Εὐσέβιός τε καὶ Θεόγνιος","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Nicomedia and Theognis of Nicaea were prominent Arian bishops who, after initially accepting the Nicene Creed, later reverted to Arian positions and were exiled by Constantine.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Νικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος Σεβαστὸς Θεοδότῳ","severity":"info","text":"This heading introduces an embedded imperial letter from Constantine to Theodotus, interrupting Athanasius' own discourse and serving as documentary evidence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"καὶ ἄλλῃ χειρί","severity":"info","text":"The closing phrase 'and by another hand' indicates that the embedded letter was originally written by a scribe, a common chancery formula, and Athanasius preserves it to authenticate the document.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπρονοήτως ἐξαφθῆναι","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'to be thoughtlessly inflamed' is ambiguous: it may refer to emotional zeal or to a literal fire of heretical fervor; the translation opts for the former, but the Greek allows both.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἀπρονοήτως ἐξαφθῆναι' could mean either 'to be thoughtlessly inflamed' (emotional) or 'to be kindled without forethought' (literal fire); the translation takes the former.","The identity of Theodotus is not specified; he may be a bishop or official addressed by Constantine, but the text gives no further detail."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":92,"ref":"p92","source":"ὁ θεός σε διαφυλάξει, ἀδελφὲ ἀγαπητέ.","english":"May God protect you, beloved brother.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ θεός σε διαφυλάξει","severity":"info","text":"The closing formula is a standard epistolary benediction, common in early Christian letters, expressing a wish for divine protection.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"διαφυλάξει","severity":"info","text":"The verb διαφυλάσσω (to guard closely) is stronger than simple φυλάσσω, implying vigilant protection. It appears in patristic letters as a prayer for the recipient's safety.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This verse is the final sentence of the work, providing a formal conclusion after the preceding exhortation. It mirrors the opening address to a 'beloved brother'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:khazarzar-athanasius-the-great-of-alexandria-de-decretis-nicaenae-synodi","label":"source edition: De decretis Nicaenae synodi","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Athanasius%20the%20Great%20of%20Alexandria_%20PG%2025-28/De%20decretis%20Nicaenae%20synodi.pdf"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'beloved brother' (ἀδελφὲ ἀγαπητέ) is a standard Christian address, but here it likely refers to a specific recipient, possibly a bishop or ascetic, though the identity is not preserved.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'beloved brother' is not specified in the text; it may be a generic address or refer to a known correspondent of Athanasius."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"check","severity":"info","code":"short-output-warn","text":"Automatic check: the English is short for the Coptic of this passage. Short passages are legitimate; this one is at the margin."}]}]}