Photius, Library 118.92a41-93a29
https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/148
Context
Photius I was ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople in 858-867 and
877-886, as well as an unparalleled intellectual luminary for his age. Apart from his
distinguished ecclesiastical career, he engaged in polymathic teaching and research,
supported by his vast personal library. Photius wrote an expansive compendium of
classical writings in 280 volumes or codices, his Library (Βιβλιοθήκη) or
Thousandsfold Book (Μυριόβιβλον), which included epitomes, excerpts,
and commentaries mainly on historical, rhetorical, and theological works, many of which
are otherwise lost. Several passages discuss the renowned leaders of the Church at
Caesarea in Palestine. Here Photius recounts the defense of Origen by Pamphilus and
Eusebius, briefly describing his career and death at Caesarea.
Text
Ἀνεγνώσθη Παμφίλου τοῦ μάρτυρος καὶ Εὐσεβίου ὑπὲρ Ὠριγένους. Τόμοι δὲ τὸ
βιβλίον ϛʹ, ὧν οἱ μὲν εʹ Παμφίλῳ τὸ δεσμωτήριον οἰκοῦντι συμπαρόντος Εὐσεβίου
ἐξεπονήθησαν, ὁ δὲ ἕκτος, ἐπεὶ ὁ μάρτυς ξίφει τοῦ ζῆν ἀπαχθεὶς ἀνέλυσε πρὸς ὃν ἐπόθει
Θεόν, Εὐσεβίῳ λοιπὸν ἀπαρτίζεται.Καὶ ἄλλοι δὲ πλεῖστοι κατ’ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ καὶ
ἀξιολογώτατοι ἀπολογίας ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ συνετάξαντο. Φασὶ δὲ τὸν Ὠριγένην ἐν τοῖς κατὰ
Σεβῆρον διωγμοῖς γράψαι Λεωνίδῃ τῷ πατρὶ ἐπαλείφοντα πρὸς τὸν τοῦ μαρτυρίου δρόμον, ὃν
καὶ καλῶς δραμόντι τῶν βραβείων τυχεῖν ἐξεγένετο, καὶ αὐτὸν δὲ ἀποδύσασθαι σπεύδειν πρὸς
τὸ αὐτὸ τῶν ἀγωνισμάτων στάδιον, τὴν δὲ μητέρα καὶ ἄκοντα δυνηθῆναι τῆς ὁρμῆς ἐπισχεῖν·
καὶ τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν ἐπιστολῇ οἰκείᾳ ἐπισημαίνεται.Φασὶ δὲ αὐτὸν ὅ τε Πάμφιλος
μάρτυς καὶ ἕτεροι πλεῖστοι, οἵτινες ἀπ’ αὐτῶν τῶν ἑωρακότων Ὠριγένην τὰ περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς
ἠκριβώσαντο, διαβοήτῳ μαρτυρίῳ τοῦ βίου ἐξεληλυθέναι ἐπ’ αὐτῆς τῆς
Καισαρείας Δεκίου τὴν κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ὠμότητα πνέοντος. Οἱ δέ φασιν
αὐτὸν ἕως Γάλλου καὶ Βολουσιανοῦ διαρκέσαντα, καὶ ἑξηκοστὸν ἔνατον ἔτος τῆς ἡλικίας
ἄγοντα ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ τελευτῆσαι καὶ ταφῇ παραδοθῆναι. Ἔστι δὲ μᾶλλον οὗτος ὁ λόγος ἀληθής,
εἴ γε αἱ φερόμεναι αὐτοῦ μετὰ τὸν Δεκίου διωγμὸν ἐπιστολαὶ οὐκ ἔχουσι τὸ πλαστόν.Παντὸς δὲ μαθήματος ἰδέαν φασὶν αὐτὸν καὶ μετελθεῖν καὶ διδάσκειν. Τοῦτον τοίνυν τὸν
Ὠριγένην, ὃν καὶ Ἀδαμάντιον ἐπονομάζεσθαί φασιν, ὅτι ἀδαμαντίνοις δεσμοῖς ἐῴκεσαν οὓς ἂν
δήσειε λόγους, ἀκροατὴν καὶ διάδοχον λέγουσι γενέσθαι Κλήμεντος τοῦ Στρωματέως καὶ τοῦ
κατὰ τὴν Ἀλεξανδρείαν ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ διδασκαλείου· Κλήμεντα δὲ Πανταίνου γενέσθαι
λέγουσι καὶ ἀκροατὴν καὶ τοῦ διδασκαλείου διάδοχον, Πάνταινον δὲ τῶν τε τοὺς ἀποστόλους
ἑωρακότων ἀκροάσασθαι οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καί τινων αὐτῶν ἐκείνων διακοῦσαι.Τὰς δὲ κατὰ
Ὠριγένους κινήσεις ἐκεῖθεν λέγουσιν ἐκρυῆναι. Δημήτριος Ἀλεξανδρείας ἐπεσκόπει, ὃς
Ὠριγένην δι’ ἐπαίνων εἶχε καὶ ἐς τοὺς φιλτάτους συνέταττεν.Ἀλλ’ Ὠριγένης μέλλων
ἀπαίρειν εἰς Ἀθήνας χωρὶς τῆς τοῦ οἰκείου γνώμης ἐπισκόπου εἰς πρεσβύτερον οὐ δέον
ἀναβιβάζεται. Θεότεκνος δ’ ἦν ὁ κατὰ Καισάρειαν τὴν ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ
τὸν ἀρχιερατικὸν χειρίζων νόμον ὁ τῆς Ὠριγένους αὐτουργὸς χειροτονίας, ἔχων
συνευδοκοῦντα καὶ τὸν Ἱεροσολύμων Ἀλέξανδρον. Τρέπεται διὰ τοῦτο Δημητρίῳ εἰς μῖσος τὸ
φίλτρον καὶ οἱ ἔπαινοι πρὸς τοὺς ψόγους καὶ σύνοδος ἀθροίζεται κατὰ Ὠριγένους ἐπισκόπων
καί τινων πρεσβυτέρων. Ἡ δέ, ὡς ὁ Πάμφιλός φησι, ψηφίζεται μεταστῆναι μὲν ἀπὸ
Ἀλεξανδρείας τὸν Ὠριγένην, καὶ μήτε διατρίβειν ἐν αὐτῇ μήτε διδάσκειν, τῆς μέντοι τοῦ
πρεσβυτηρίου τιμῆς οὐδαμῶς ἀποκεκινῆσθαι. Ἀλλ’ ὅ γε Δημήτριος ἅμα τισὶν ἐπισκόποις
Αἰγυπτίοις καὶ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἀπεκήρυξε, συνυπογραψάντων καὶ τῇ ἀποφάσει τῶν συμψήφων
αὐτῷ γεγενημένων. Φυγαδευθέντα δὲ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας τὸν Ὠριγένην Θεότεκνος ὁ Παλαιστίνης
ἀσμένως τε διάγειν ἐν Καισαρείᾳ ὑπεδέξατο, καὶ τοῦ διδάσκειν
πᾶσαν ἐξουσίαν ἐνεχείρισε. Καὶ τὰς μὲν αἰτίας ἐξ ὧν συνέβη τὰς διαβολὰς ἐκραγῆναι τῷ
Ὠριγένει, ταύτας φησί.Τὴν δὲ ὑπὲρ Ὠριγένους ἀπολογίαν, ὡς ἔφημεν, ὁ Πάμφιλος σὺν
Εὐσεβίῳ καθειργμένος τῷ οἰκήματι συνεγράψατο, καὶ ταύτην πρὸς τοὺς ἐν μετάλλοις διὰ
Χριστὸν ταλαιπωρουμένους διεπέμψατο, ὧν ἦν τὸ ἀκροθίνιον Πατερμούθιος ὁ μετὰ βραχὺ τῆς
Παμφίλου ἀναλύσεως διὰ πυρὸς καὶ αὐτὸς σὺν ἑτέροις τὸν βίον τελειωθείς.Ἦν δὲ Παμφίλου
διδάσκαλος ὁ Πιέριος, τοῦ ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ καὶ αὐτὸς προεστηκὼς διδασκαλείου. Μάρτυς δὲ
καὶ ὁ Πιέριος ἅμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ Ἰσιδώρῳ τῶν ἀθλητικῶν ἀξιωθέντες στεφάνων, οἷς ὥς φασι καὶ
νεὼς καὶ οἶκοι ὑπὸ τῶν εὐσεβούντων ἱδρύθησαν. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος Πάμφιλος πρεσβύτερος ἦν. Καὶ
πολλὰ δὲ τῶν Ὠριγένους εἰς τὴν θείαν γραφὴν ἐξηγήσεων ἰδίᾳ χειρὶ λέγουσιν αὐτὸν
γεγραφέναι. 1
Textual Note
Ed. Bekker 1824-1825 with ref. Henry 1959Translation
Read In Defense of Origen by Pamphilus the martyr and
Eusebius. The book has six volumes, five of which were written by Pamphilus when he was
in prison in the company of Eusebius; the sixth was completed by Eusebius, when the
martyr had been deprived of life by the sword and was released to God, whom he desired.Many other distinguished persons at that time wrote in defense of Origen. It is said
that Origen, during the persecutions under Severus, wrote to his father Leonides to urge
him on to the race to martyrdom, which it turned out he ran well and won the prize. (It
is) also (said) that he had prepared to rush into the same stadium for contests, but his
mother against his will restrained his competitive drive. He attests to this himself in
a private letter.Pamphilus the martyr and many others who have ascertained
information about Origen from those who knew him say that he departed life through
renowned martyrdom at Caesarea when Decius was blasting forth his
cruelty against the Christians. Others say that he lived until the time of Gallus and
Volusianus, and, when he reached his 69th year of life, he died at Tyre and was
delivered to burial. This is the most accurate account, assuming that the letters
postdating the Decian persecution that we have from him are not fictional.They say
that he pursued and taught every field of knowledge. This man Origen—he was surnamed Man
of Steel, they say, because his expression of thought seemed to be bound together by
chains of steel—they say was the student of Clement, (author) of
Stromateis, and his successor at the Ecclesiastical School in
Alexandria. Now Clement, they say, was student of Pantainos and his successor at the
School; and Pantainos, they say, studied with those who knew the apostles, and indeed
even heard the teachings of some of those men themselves.The movement against Origen
began, they say, as follows. Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria, had openly celebrated
Origen and accepted him among his closest associates. But Origen, who was about to
depart from Athens without the permission of his bishop, ascended in an improper manner
to the priesthood. Theotecnus, the archbishop of Caesarea in
Palestine, handled the ordination of Origen with sole authority over the
appointment, receiving the approval of Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem.For this reason
Demetrius’ affection turned to matred and his praise to blame. A synod of bishops and
certain priests was called together in opposition to Origen. This synod, as Pamphilus
says, resolved that Origen should transfer away from Alexandria, and that he should not
spend time or teach there, but that he should in no way be removed from his priesthood.
Nonetheless, Demetrius and certain Egyptian bishops proclaimed (Origen’s) renunciation
from sacred service, and those who voted with him in favor of the decision signed on as
well. After Origen had been banished from Alexandria, Theotecnus, bishop of Palestine,
gladly welcomed him to live at Caesarea and conferred on him the
full authority to teach. Pamphilus says that these are the reasons why the calumnies
broke out against Origen.Pamphilus wrote In Defense of Origen, we have
said, when he was imprisoned in a cell with Eusebius. He sent it forth to those
Christians suffering hard labor in the mines in Christ’s service. Their chief was
Patermythios, who, shortly after the release of Pamphilus, ended his own life with
others on the pyre.The teacher of Pamphilus was Pierius, also himself the head of the
School at Alexandria. Pierius was a martyr too, along with his brother Isidore, both men
worthy of the crown of (Christ’s) champion. Churches and houses (of prayer?) were
established by the faithful for them. Saint Pamphilus was a priest, and they say that he
copied by his own hand many of Origen’s commentaries on Holy Scripture.2
Translation Note
Adapted from Freese 1920 with ref. to Henry 1959Works Cited
- 1 Photius, Photii Bibliotheca, ed. Immanuel Bekker, 2 vols. (Berlin: G. Reimer, 1824), bk: 118, p: 92a41-93a29.
- 2 Photius, The Library of Photius, trans. John Henry Freese, Translations of Christian Literature 1 (London; New York: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge ; Macmillan Company, 1920), p: 207-208.
Additional Bibliography
- Photius, Photius: Bibliothèque, ed. René Henry and Jacques Schamp, 2nd printing, 9 vols., Collection Byzantine (Paris: Société d’édition «Les belles lettres», 1959), vol: 2, p: 90-92.
How to Cite This Entry
Eliana Yonan et al., “Photius, Library 118.92a41-93a29,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/148.
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Bibliography:
Eliana Yonan et al., “Photius, Library 118.92a41-93a29.” In Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, edited by Joseph L. Rife., edited by Joseph L. Rife. Caesarea City and Port Exploration Project, 2023. Entry published June 30, 2023. https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/148.About this Entry
Entry Title: Photius, Library 118.92a41-93a29
Authorial and Editorial Responsibility:
- Joseph L. Rife, general editor, Vanderbilt University
- Joseph L. Rife, editor, Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia
- David A. Michelson, Daniel L. Schwartz, and William L. Potter, technical editors, “Photius, Library 118.92a41-93a29”
- Eliana Yonan and Joseph L. Rife, entry contributors, “Photius, Library 118.92a41-93a29”
Additional Credit:
- TEI encoding by William L. Potter
- Electronic text added by Eliana Yonan
- Testimonia identified by Joseph L. Rife