Reference numbers CPG 8511; Urk. 20; Doc. 22
Incipit [Τὸ μηδὲν ἐμὲ ἔχειν]
Date Spring 325
Ancient source The original Greek does not survive; but it is found in several Syriac manuscripts including Paris syr. 62 and Brit. Mus. Add. 14, 526 and 528.
Modern edition used Friedrich Schulthess,  “Die syrischen Kanones der Synoden von Nicaea bis Chalcedon.” Abhandlungen der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, Philologisch-Historische Klasse N.F. 10, no. 2 (Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1908) p. 1
Modern reconstruction of the Greek text E. Schwartz, “Zur Geschichte des Athanasius. VI.” Nachrichten von der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften  zu Göttingen, Philologisch-Historische Klasse (Gottingen: Lüder Horstmann, 1905)  p. 289

Sometime at the end of 324 or very early in 325, Emperor Constantine sent a letter throughout the empire summoning church leaders everywhere to a council at Ancyra. A bit later in 325 he sent a second letter changing the location of the gathering to Nicaea. The first letter has been lost, but the second survives in a Syriac translation. The Greek text below is the retroversion by Eduard Schwartz.[1] The English translation has been adapted from the one found in J. Stevenson and W. Frend’s A New Eusebius, no. 289, p. 388.  The history of this letter and its authenticity are discussed in Hanson, pp. 146-151.

Τὸ μηδὲν εμὲ ἔχειν ὃ ἂν τιμιώτερον ᾗ ἐν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μου τῆς εὐσεβείας, παντὶ δῆλον εἶναι νομίζω· I believe it is obvious to everyone that there is nothing more honorable in my sight than the fear of God.
ἐπεὶ δὲ τὴν τῶν ἐπισκόπων σύνοδον ἐν Ἀγκύραι τῆς Γαλατίας γενέσθαι πρότερον συνεφωνήθη, νῦν πολλῶν ἕνεκα καλὸν εἶναι ἔδοζεν ἵνα ἐν Νικαίαι τῇ τῆς Βιθυνίας πόλει συναχθῇ, διότι τε οἱ ἐκ τῆς Ἰταλίας καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τῆς Εὐρώπης μερῶν ἔρχονται ἐπίσκοποι καὶ διὰ τὴν καλὴν τοῦ ἀέρος κρᾶσιν, ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἵν ̓ ἐγῶ ἐγγύθεν θεατῆς ὦ καὶ κοινωνὸς τῶν γενησομένων.Though it was formerly agreed that a council of bishops should meet at Ancyra in Galatia, it seemed to us for many reasons that it would be better for the council to assemble at Nicaea, a city of Bithynia, because the bishops from Italy and the rest of the countries of Europe are coming, because of the excellent temperature of the air, and in order that I may be present as a spectator and participant in what will be done.
διὰ τοῦτο γνωρίζω ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοί, πάντας ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν εἰρημένην πόλιν, τουτέστι δ ̓ εἰς Νίκαιαν, διὰ σπουδῆς ἐθέλειν ἐμὲ συναχθῆναι.Therefore I affirm for you, my beloved brothers, that you should all promptly assemble at the said city, that is at Nicaea.
Ἕχαστος οὖν ὑμῶν ὁρῶν εἰς τὸ χρήσιμον, ὡς προείρηκα, σπευδέτω ἄνευ τινὸς μελλήσεως ταχέως ἐλθεῖν, ἵνα θεατὴς τῶν γενησομένων αὐτὸς ἐγγύθεν γένηται.Let every one of you therefore, as I said before, keep the greater good in mind and hurry to gather without any delay, so that each may be physically present as a spectator of those things which will be done.
ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς διαφυλάξει, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοί.May our God keep you, beloved brothers.

[1]Schwartz gives the heading as Ἐπιστολὴ Κωνσταντίνου βασιλέως πρὸς τὴν σύνοδον τῶν ΤΙΗ πατέρων, but notes that this is obviously a later version (ibid., 289).

Last updated 18-03-2024 by GLT 

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