Theodoret of Cyrrhus, The Collector 244.25-245.6
https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/478
Context
Theodoret served as bishop of Cyrrhus in northwestern Syria in 423-457
C.E. Following his wide education in both the Christian and the Greek traditions and a
brief monastic devotion, he became a vigorous leader of his diocese, distinguished by
his philanthropy, and a prominent theologian, particularly in opposition to Cyril of
Alexandria as a persistent defender of Nestorius. He was a prolific writer, and his many
extant works include exegesis, ecclesiastical history, and Christological treatises. The
most developed and elaborate theological work, The Collector (Ἐρανίστης)
is composed as a disputatious dialog between the Orthodox Man, the voice of Theodoret on
the divine and human natures of Christ following incarnation, and the Collector, who
expresses an amalgam of heresies. In this passage, Theodoret paraphrases Gelasius,
bishop of Caesarea in the late 4th century.
Text
Τοῦ μακαρίου Γελασίου ἐπισκόπου Καισαρείας τῆς
Παλαιστίνης. Ἐκ τοῦ εἰς τὰ Ἐπιφάνια λόγου. Ἐδέθη, ἐτρώθη, ἐσταυρώθη,
ἐψηλαφήθη, μώλωπας ἐφόρεσεν, οὐλὴν σπάθης ἐδέξατο. Πάντα ταῦτα τὸ ἐκ Μαρίας τεχθὲν
ὑπέμεινε σῶμα. Τὸ δὲ πρὸ αἰώνων ἐκ πατρὸς γεννηθὲν οὐδεὶς ἠδύνατο βλάψαι. Οὐ γὰρ εἶχε
τοιαύτην φύσιν ὁ λόγος. Πῶς γάρ τις κατέχει θεότητα; πῶς τιτρώσκει; πῶς αἱμάσσει τὴν
ἀσώματον φύσιν; πῶς δεσμοῖς ταφῆς περιβάλλει; Αἰδοῦ τοίνυν ἃ μὴ δύνασαι βλάψαι, καὶ
τίμησον θεότητα, τῷ τῆς ἀνάγκης συνεχόμενος λόγῳ.1
Textual Note
Ed. Ettlinger 1975Translation
The Blessed Gelasius, Bishop of Caesarea
Palestinae. From the discourse on the Manifestation. He was bound,
wounded, crucified, beaten, bore bruises, and suffered a wound from a spear. The body
that was born of Mary endured all this. But no one could injure that which was begotten
by the Father before time, because the Word did not have that type of nature. For how
can one restrain divinity? How can one wound it? How can one bloody the nature that has
no body? How can one enclose it in the bounds of the tomb? Constrained by the limits set
by necessity, therefore, reverence what you cannot injure, and honor divinity.2
Translation Note
Revised from Ettlinger 2003Works Cited
- 1 Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Theodoret of Cyrus: Eranistes, ed. Gerald H. Ettlinger (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1975), p: 244.25-245.6.
- 2 Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Theodoret of Cyrus: Eranistes, trans. Gerald H. Ettlinger, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University Press of America, 2003), p: 242.
How to Cite This Entry
Joseph L. Rife, “Theodoret of Cyrrhus, The Collector 244.25-245.6,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/478.
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Bibliography:
Joseph L. Rife, “Theodoret of Cyrrhus, The Collector 244.25-245.6.” 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/478.About this Entry
Entry Title: Theodoret of Cyrrhus, The Collector 244.25-245.6
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, “Theodoret of Cyrrhus, The Collector 244.25-245.6”
- Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Theodoret of Cyrrhus, The Collector 244.25-245.6”
Additional Credit:
- Testimonium edited by Joseph L. Rife
- TEI record created by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium translated by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium transcribed by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium identified by Joseph L. Rife
- Editorial review by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium edited by Joseph L. Rife
- TEI record created by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium translated by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium transcribed by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium identified by Joseph L. Rife
- Editorial review by Joseph L. Rife