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Photius, Library 117.91b26-39

   https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/402

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 an anonymous defense based mainly on the apology by Pamphilus and Eusebius (codex 118). The movement at Alexandria to banish and denounce Origen responded to his reception and elevation to preaching and teaching at Caesarea.

Text

Ἀνεγνώσθη βιβλίον ὑπὲρ Ὠριγένους καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ θεοστυγῶν δογμάτων, ἐν τόμοις εʹ. Ἀνεπίγραφον δὲ τὴν ὀνομασίαν ἐτύγχανε τοῦ συντεταχότος, τὴν δὲ φράσιν οὔτε σαφὲς οὔτε καθαρόν, οὔτε εἰς ἄλλο τι ἀξιόλογον ἀνηγμένην ἔχον.Ὁ δὲ τοῦ γράμματος πατὴρ μάρτυρας ὑπὲρ Ὠριγένους τε καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ δογμάτων Διονύσιον προκομίζει τὸν Ἀλεξανδρείας, Δημήτριόν τε καὶ Κλήμεντα καὶ ἑτέρους πλείους· μάλιστα δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων Παμφίλῳ τε τῷ μάρτυρι ἐπερείδεται καὶ τῷ Εὐσεβίῳ, ὃς τῆς κατὰ Παλαιστίνην Καισαρείας ἐπεσκόπησεν.Ἡ δὲ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ἀπολογία οὐκ ἔστι λύσις τῶν ἐπικλημάτων ὡς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον, ἀλλὰ συνηγορία τῆς κατηγορίας· οὕτως οὐδ’ οὗτος ἀπήλλακτο τῶν ἐκείνου βλασφήμων δοξῶν τελείως.1

Textual Note

Ed. Bekker 1824-1825 with ref. Henry 1959

Translation

Read a work defending Origen and his abominable teachings, in five volumes. The name of the author is not inscribed (on the book). The style is neither clear nor pure, and it contains nothing noteworthy.The author of this work brings forward on behalf of Origen and his teachings Dionysius of Alexandria, Demetrius, Clemens, and several others, but among all them he chiefly relies on Pamphilus the martyr and Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea in Palestine.This apology for Origen is not a refutation of the charges against him for the most part but rather supports the accusation, for (the author) is not altogether free from (Origen’s) blasphemous opinions.2

Translation Note

Adapted from Freese 1920 with ref. to Henry 1959

Works Cited

  • 1 Photius, Photii Bibliotheca, ed. Immanuel Bekker, 2 vols. (Berlin: G. Reimer, 1824), bk: 117, p: 91b26-39.Link to Zotero Bibliographic RecordLink to HathiTrust Bibliographic record
  • 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: 205-206.Link to Zotero Bibliographic RecordLink to Archive.org Bibliographic record

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: 88.Link to Zotero Bibliographic Record
About This Text

 

How to Cite This Entry

Joseph L. Rife, “Photius, Library 117.91b26-39,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/402.

Bibliography:

Joseph L. Rife, “Photius, Library 117.91b26-39.” 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/402.

About this Entry

Entry Title: Photius, Library 117.91b26-39

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 editor, “Photius, Library 117.91b26-39”
  • Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Photius, Library 117.91b26-39”

Additional Credit:

  • TEI encoding by Joseph L. Rife
  • URNs and other metadata added by Joseph L. Rife
  • Electronic text added by Joseph L. Rife
  • Testimonia identified by Joseph L. Rife
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