to join in the transgression of the people; but they had an excuse, so that the people might not return to Egypt and continue in idolatry. For what appeared [to happen] was reasonable: that by remaining in the desert, they could put an end to their impiety; whereas, if they had entered into Egypt, they would have been worn down and their impiety would have increased in them. For these reasons, therefore, what was done regarding the clergy is excusable; and to those who were deceived and suffered violence, pardon is given. These things I also declare to your piety, confident that your religious devotion will also accept what has been determined, and will not condemn the forbearance of those who have gathered in this way. Deign to read these things to the clergy and the people who are under you, so that they too, knowing these things, may not reproach you for being disposed in this way toward such people. For it would be unseemly for me to write, since your reverence is able both to announce our disposition toward them and to fulfill all that is lacking. Grace to the Lord, who has filled you with all speech and all knowledge. Let those, therefore, who repent openly anathematize, explicitly naming, the corrupt doctrine of Euzoius and Eudoxius. For they, as patrons of the Arian heresy who blaspheme against Christ, wrote that He is a creature. Let them also confess the faith confessed by the Fathers at Nicaea, and let them prefer no other synod to this one. Greet the brotherhood with you; those who are with me greet you in the Lord.
ADMONITION CONCERNING THE TWO FOLLOWING EPISTLES TO LUCIFER
We append two epistles sent to Lucifer, printed in former editions, which survive only in Latin among the writings of Lucifer: nor is it certain whether they were first written in Latin by Athanasius, or translated into Latin later by someone else. The former appears to have been given shortly after the exile of Lucifer, which occurred in the year 355. For he praises Lucifer for his firmness of purpose and honors him with the title of confessor. The latter, as a certain scholiast advises, was written after Athanasius had received the books which Lucifer dedicated and sent to Constantius in defense of Athanasius himself. Here Athanasius recounts the evils inflicted during the persecution of the Arians upon the clergy, as well as the monks and other orthodox people. And again he commends Lucifer for his constancy and freedom of speech. Certainly, both epistles are most worthy of Athanasius the Great.
To the most beloved lord and brother Lucifer, bishop and confessor, Athanasius sends greetings in the Lord.
God willing, being in good health, we send even now our dearest deacon Eutyches, so that your religious holiness may also, as is our wish and desire, make us more certain regarding your safety and that of all. For indeed, with the confessors and servants of God living, we believe that the state of the Catholic Church is being renewed, and that what the heretics attempted to tear asunder, this our Lord Jesus Christ through you is restoring to wholeness. For although the precursors of Antichrist
A by the power of this world have done all things to extinguish the lamp of truth, yet the Divinity, through your confession, shows its light more clearly, so that the fallacy of these men may escape no one. Previously they could even dissemble, but now they are named Antichrists. For who would not abhor those whose communion he does not flee as a stain and the venom of a serpent? The Church everywhere laments, every city groans, aged bishops toil in exile, and the heretics mask themselves, who, while denying Christ, have made themselves publicans, sitting in the churches and exacting taxes. O new kind of men and of persecution, which the devil has devised, so that he might use their very ministers for mischief and such cruelty! But even if they do these great things and spread their arrogance and blasphemies, yet your confession and religion and wisdom are not a small, but a very great comfort and great consolation to the brotherhood. For it has reached us that your Holiness has written to Augustus Constantius, and we marvel more and more, because, though you dwell in the midst of scorpions, as it were, you yet enjoy such freedom of spirit that, whether by warning, or teaching, or correcting, you draw the erring to the light of truth. B I ask, therefore—and all the confessors with me also ask—that you deign to send us an example, so that we may perceive not only by hearing, but also from your letters, the virtue of mind and the assurance and freedom of faith of your soul. Those who are with me salute your Holiness. I salute all who are with you. May the Divinity always keep you unharmed, vigorous, and mindful of us, most beloved lord, and truly a man of God.
Having received these letters, blessed Lucifer sent the books he had written to Constantius; when Athanasius had read them, he sent the letter below.
To the most glorious lord, and worthily most desired, fellow-bishop Lucifer, Athanasius sends greeting in the Lord.
Although I believe that news has reached even your Holiness concerning the persecution which the enemies of Christ are attempting to carry out even now against the brotherhood, seeking our blood, our most beloved friends can also report it to your piety. For they have dared to extend their rage through soldiers so far that they have not only driven away the clerics of the city, but have even gone out to the hermits and have laid their baleful hands upon the C monastics (11). Hence it happened that I also withdrew further away, so that those who received us might not suffer trouble from the same men. For whom indeed will the Arians spare, they who did not even spare their own souls? But when can they desist from their nefarious acts, while they remain in the denial of Christ the Lord, the only Son of God? This is the root of their D depravity: on this sandy foundation they build their perverse ways, as we find written in the thirteenth Psalm: *The fool hath said in his heart: There is no God.* And soon it follows: *They are corrupted and become abominable in their works* (64). Hence the Jews, denying the Son of God, were worthy to hear: *Woe, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are lawless* (65). Whence lawless? Inasmuch as you have forsaken the Lord. Hence blessed Paul, when he had begun not only to believe in the Son of God but also to preach His deity, wrote: *I am not conscious of anything in myself* (66). Thus according to your confession we also desire, holding to the apostolic tradition, to live according to the mandates of the divine law, so that we may be found with you in the choir in which the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs now exult. Although, therefore, the Arian insanity with foreign power was moving itself in such a way that it was not permitted, nor could we, for all their fury, freely see the air; yet, according to your prayers, God favoring, though with labor and danger I was able to see the brother who is accustomed to deliver things as necessary as the letters of both your Holiness and others. We have therefore received the letters and books of your most religious and most wise soul, in which we perceived an apostolic image, a prophetic confidence, a mastership of truth, a doctrine of the true faith, the heavenly way, the glory of martyrdom, triumphs against the Arian heresy, the entire tradition of our Fathers, the right rule of ecclesiastical order. O truly Lucifer (12), who according to your name, bearing the light of truth, have placed it upon a candlestick, that it may shine unto all! 771 For who, except the Arians, does not see from your doctrine the true faith indeed, but the stain of the Arians? Most greatly and admirably, as it is light from darkness, so have you separated truth from the craft and hypocrisy of the heretics, you have defended the Catholic Church, you have proved the words of the Arians to be nothing, but mere phantasm, you have taught that the diabolical gnashers are to be trodden underfoot. How good and pleasant are your exhortations to martyrdom! How most desired you have shown it to be to die for Christ the Son of God (13)! How you have manifested the love of the future age and the heavenly life! You seem to be the true temple of the Savior, who, dwelling in you, speaks these very things through you; He who has granted such grace to your words, inasmuch as you were before beloved among all, yet now such is the love of your affection placed in the souls of all, that they name you Elijah in our times, and it is no wonder. For if those who are seen to please God are named sons of God, how much more is it fitting to name the confessors participants of the prophets (14), and you especially. Believe me, Lu-
Lucifer, it is not you alone who have spoken these things, but the Holy Spirit with you. Whence such a great memory of the Scriptures? Whence such an integer sense and understanding of them? Whence is such an order of discourse composed? Whence such great encouragements toward the heavenly path? Whence the confidence against the devil, and the proofs against the heretics, unless the Holy Spirit were placed within you? Rejoice, therefore, that you are in this state, already perceiving that you are in that state in which your predecessors A now are martyrs, that is, in the choir of the angels. We also rejoice, having you as an example of virtue, and patience, and liberty. For as for these things which you have written concerning my name, I am embarrassed to put forward anything, lest I appear a sycophant; but I know and believe that the Lord Himself, who revealed all knowledge to your holy and religious spirit, will render to you a reward even for this labor in the kingdom of heaven. Since, therefore, such you are, we petition the Lord through prayers that you be an intercessor for us, that He may now deign to look upon, as He is merciful, the Catholic Church, and may snatch all His servants from the hands of the persecutors: so that even all those who have fallen on account of temporal fear may at last be able to raise themselves and return to the path of justice, from which they wander, seduced, not knowing in what pit they are, poor wretches. Moreover, I ask especially, if too little has been said by me, that you deign to forgive; for from such a fountain, which my lack of skill could barely draw, B it was able... But concerning our brethren, if I have not been able to see those same ones, I ask again that you forgive. For the truth itself is witness, that I have yearned and desired to obtain this, and have had such great sorrow that I could not: for neither have tears ceased from my eyes, nor groans from my spirit, because we are not permitted to see the brethren. But the Lord is witness, that I have not been able to see even the parents whom I have, since the time they have been persecuting us. For what do the Arians not do? They observe the roads; they have care for those setting out and exiting from the city; they seek out ships; they roam the wildernesses, they disturb houses, they harass brethren, they contrive difficulties for individuals; but thanks be to God, while they do these things, by so much the more and more are they cursed by all and are known truly, as your holiness has said, to be the slaves of the Antichrist, and they themselves, wretched, while they are held in hatred, persist in their malignity, C until by the death of their grandfather Pharaoh they too are punished. Those who are with me salute your religion; deign to salute those who are with you. May the divine grace of God keep you safe, mindful of us, always blessed, by merit a man of God, servant of Christ, participant of the apostles, consolation of fraternity, teacher of truth, and in all things most desired.
ADMONITION REGARDING THE EPISTLE TO THE MONKS
This epistle was printed after the preceding two to Lucifer in the Commelinian edition, at the foot of the various Feickmann readings, page 94; all of these readings, together with these three epistles, the Parisian editors omitted through carelessness. We learn, however, that this letter was written first to the monks in Greek, from the title as well as from the style itself; for it was translated with such religion that the interpreter seems to have cared for nothing else than to render the Greek words with corresponding Latin ones. Moreover, it was issued when the Arian tumults had been settled and peace had been restored to the Church, after the year 364, as we suppose; and the monks were addressed by their accustomed title, as above in the first epistle to Orsisius, page 693. Athanasius exhorts them not only to avoid the Arians, but also to decline those who communicated with the Arians, unless they repent. Furthermore, we were unable to obtain the Greek exemplar, even though it was sought with great care.—[Which, however, the illustrious editor later obtained and inserted the same epistle, D in Greek and Latin, into the Nova Bibliotheca Patrum, with these things premised: "We give to you, erudite reader, the Greek of the epistle of Athanasius to the monks, the very ancient Latin interpretation of which we gave in the Commelinian edition, first printed, and omitted by the Parisians, on page 771, with an admonition premised. These, however, come forth partly from the Laurentian codices, partly from the Royal 2423, of the 10th century, of excellent quality." But we subjoin the old interpretation so that it may not perish. ED. (EDIT.)]
OF OUR FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS, ATHANASIUS
To those who practice the monastic life, and are rooted in the faith of God, beloved and most desired brethren in the Lord, greeting.
SANCTI PATRIS NOSTRI ATHANASII. Monasticam vitam agentibus, et in fide Dei roboratis, dilectis ac desideratissimis fratribus in Domino, salutem.
VETUS INTERPRETATIO. Exemplum Epistolæ Athanasii de Græco in Latinum translatæ.
Athanasius solitariæ vitæ studentibus et in fide Dei roboratis, ac dilectissimis fratribus, in Domi[no] salutem. Domino quidem gratias ago, qui donavit vobis in eum credere, ut cum sanctis etiam vos habeatis vitam