Photius, Library 102.86a13-28
created: This entry is taken from Library 102.86a13-28 written by Photius in 845-855 C.E.
edition published: 2023-06-30-05:00
language: grc; grc
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https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/401

Καισαρείας τῆς Παλαιστίνης

, and

Caesarea Palestinae

are directly attested at Photius, Library 102.86a13-28. This passage was written ca. 845-855 C.E. possibly in Constantinople. 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. In this passage, after earlier discussing the authorship of other works under the name of Gelasius, bishop of Caesarea Palestinae (codd. 87, 88), Photius identifies a theological treatise by a different Gelasius, bishop of Caesarea Palestinae, and evaluates its prose style.

Ἀνεγνώσθη ἐν μονοβίβλῳ Γελασίου ἐπισκόπου Καισαρείας τῆς Παλαιστίνης, κατὰ Ἀνομοίων. Ἔστι δὲ τὴν φράσιν ἀπέριττός τε καὶ σύντονος, καὶ ἐξηττικισμέναις λέξεσι κεχρημένος, καὶ ἀξιώμασιν ἀπηκριβωμένος, καὶ οὐδὲ τοῖς ἐπιχειρήμασιν ἄπορος, καὶ πάντα καλὸς εἰ μὴ ὅτι κατακόρως καὶ μειρακιωδῶς, ὡς ἄρτι παρακύπτων εἰς τοὺς διαλεκτικοὺς λόγους, τοῖς τῆς λογικῆς τέχνης καὶ κανόσι καὶ αὐταῖς ἀπεχρήσατο λέξεσιν, εἰ καὶ ἀπολογίαν τῆς τοιαύτης ἀκαιρολογίας ἐνυφαίνει τῷ συγγράμματι· ὅπερ γὰρ εἰς ἀπολογίαν αὐτὸν καθιστάνειν ἔγνω, οὐδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐχρῆν αὐτὸ μεταχειρίζεσθαι· καὶ ἡ τάξις δὲ τοῦ λόγου οὐκ ἀνεπίμωμος. Ἐμπεριείχετο δὲ τῇ δέλτῳ καὶ Διοδώρου Ταρσοῦ περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος διάφορα ἐπιχειρήματα, ἐν οἷς καὶ τὴν Νεστορίου νόσον αὐτὸς ἐπιδείκνυται προηρρωστηκώς.

[Ed. Bekker 1824-1825 with ref. Henry 1959]

Read the treatise of Gelasius, bishop of Caesarea Palestinae, Against the Anomoeans, in one volume. His style of expression is free from superfluities and vigorous, he uses Atticizing diction, his principles are sharply elaborated, and he is not at a loss for arguments. In all respects he is a good writer, except that he excessively and childishly employs the rules and terms of logic, as though he were just now glancing at dialectical textbooks. He does weave an apology for this sort of ill-timed language into his treatise, but what he intended to excuse in his apology he ought not to have used in the first place. In addition, the arrangement of the work is not free from blame. The same little volume contained the various arguments by Diodorus of Tarsus concerning the Holy Spirit, in which he shows that he is already infected by the taint of the Nestorian heresy.

[Adapted from Freese 1920 with ref. to Henry 1959]

Works Cited

[...] 102 86a13-28
[...] 2 70-71

Additional Bibliography

[...] 193

[* Photius, Library 87

* Photius, Library 88

Photius, Library 223]

[none]

[Diodorus of Tarsus

Gelasius, bishop of Caesarea]

[Christianity

Culture and Society

Education (sacred)

Greek Language]