PROLEGOMENA PERTAINING TO THE LIFE AND PRAISE OF ST. GREGORY OF NYSSA. EULOGIES FROM THE WRITINGS OF OTHERS.
D. Jerome in the *Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers*. Sophronius the Greek translator. A Gregory of Nyssa, bishop, brother of Basil of Caesarea, a few years ago read to me and Gregory of Nazianzus his books against Eunomius, and he is said to have written and to be writing many other things.
Nicephorus Callistus, *Ecclesiastical History*, bk. XI, ch. 29. Basil had brothers, one of whom was Gregory, the light and ornament of the Church of Nyssa: a man esteemed for his doctrine, morals, and holiness of life alongside his brother. And although he had a wife, he nevertheless yielded to his brother in no other regard. Upon the death of Basil, he completed his *Hexaemeron*, or work of the six days; and he wrote refutations against Eunomius and Apollinaris. He also composed a funeral oration at Constantinople for the sainted Meletius, and furthermore left to the Church of God many other pamphlets full of teachings and instructions. Moreover, the oration edited by him regarding that Gregory renowned for miracles, among other things, especially demonstrates what kind of a man he was.
Excerpts from Socrates, *Eccles. Hist.*, bk. IV, ch. 21. Basil had two brothers, Peter and Gregory: Peter followed the solitary life of Basil; Gregory, however, the office of teaching: who, after his brother's death, fully completed the book on the *Hexaemeron* edited by Basil, as it was imperfect. The same man delivered a funeral oration for Meletius, Bishop of Antioch, at Constantinople. There exist also other diverse orations composed by him.
Theodoret, bk. IV, ch. 28. B C Among those who devoted themselves to the monastic life and strict discipline of living, and to the pursuit of virtue, both Gregories—the Nazianzen and the Nyssen—held the principal rank; the latter was the brother of the great Basil, the former his study partner and assistant. These, fighting for piety in Cappadocia, easily obtained the first place. Coming into the same society of praise with them was Peter, who was the full brother of Basil and Gregory: and he, although not equally instructed in secular letters as the others, nevertheless excelled greatly in his pious manner of living.
From Photius. D The book of Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, written likewise in defense of Basil *Against Eunomius*, was read. His style, if that of any rhetorician, is illustrious, and instills sweetness into the ears. But he himself does not refute Eunomius's writing in order. Wherefore he is more concise than Theodore, yet more spacious than Sophronius; for he abounds in enthymemes and examples. Yet this I would truly declare: that by as much as Gregory excels Theodore in elegance, splendor, and wondrous sweetness, by so much does he also strive to surpass him in the abundance and richness of his arguments.
A Another work of the same Gregory of Nyssa was read, on this very same subject; in which, engaging in battle with Eunomius with more cogent arguments, he overcomes him by force and demolishes all the strongholds of his impiety. The beauty of the discourse and the splendor mixed with delight are here, too, elegantly demonstrated.
From the Suda
Gregory of Nyssa, bishop, brother of Basil of Caesarea, a man himself also most learned and abounding in all manner of education; yet more inclined to those who delight in rhetoric. And indeed, he was distinguished and brilliant in this—if anyone among the ancients ever was. He composed an excellent book *Against Eunomius*, then a work to be wondered at *On the Creation of Man*; besides these, many homilies, as well as on the *Song of Songs* and on *Ecclesiastes*; and to his sister Macrina, he composed a long and very beautiful discourse *On the Soul*; and he wrote many other things: among which are that famous encomium of Stephen the Protomartyr, and the Life of Gregory, the worker of wonders.
B What manner of man, and how great, Gregory of Nyssa was, the *Roman Martyrology* for the 9th of March teaches. "At Nyssa, the deposition of Saint Gregory, bishop, brother of Basil the Great, most illustrious in life and learning, who for the defense of the Catholic faith was driven from his city under the Arian emperor Valens."
From the Greek Menaia, January 10
This man was the brother of Basil the Great, brilliant in speech and a zealot for the orthodox faith. For this reason, he presided over the Church of Christ, and having come as a defender with those who assembled the second synod at Constantinople against the impious heresies then arising, he was found to be an invincible pugilist, routing his adversaries by the power of his words and by proofs from the Scriptures. For, having traversed every type of oratory and being illustrious for the glory of his virtue, he obtained power and strength, and having reached a ripe old age, he fell asleep and departed to the Lord. As to the constitution and figure of his body, he was in all things similar to his brother Basil, except for the gray hair and a slightly less graceful appearance.
Saint Jerome, book *On Illustrious Men*
Gregory of Nyssen, brother of Basil of Caesarea, a few years ago read to me and to Gregory of Nazianzus his books against Eunomius, and he is said to have written and to be writing many other things.
Ut vero tota hæc cum Eunomio controversia D contudisse, ac putidi cadaveris instar, risu dignum melius intelligatur, sciendum est, Eunomium, ostendisse, quod tantam ante sui admirationem aliis Arianæ sectæ antesignanum et Cyzici episcopum, concitarat. pestilentissimum librum adversus orthodoxam de Trinitate sententiam edidisse: de quo libello Photius in sua Bibliotheca (a): Legi libellum Eunomii, quo suam ipse prodit impietatem, cujus hic est titulus. Libellum hunc, quod Eunomianis in admiratione esset, de industria, ne ad alios perveniret, occultatum, vix tandem nactus Basilius Magnus, fortiter eum ac splendide, omnemque adeo dicendi vim ac facultatem pervadens, evertit ac jugulavit: diceres eum Babylonicum infantem ad firmam fidei petram allidendo.
Exstant adhuc quinque libri S. Basilii adversus Eunomium, et ipse etiam impius Eunomii commentariolus in Bibliothecis reperitur: nominatim in Bavarica, et in codice Livineii, post Nysseni in Eunomium libros subjungitur Eunomii libellus, hac inscriptione: Ἡ τοῦ δόγματος Εὐνομίου ἔκθεσις, *Expositio dogmatis Eunomii*, unde fortassis explere licebit lacunam Photianam. Præposuit huic titulo quidam hæc verba: Σίγα, μιαρὲ καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ καρδίαν. Sile et animo et corde exsecrabilis. Impii
A hujus scripti principium est: Τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ κατὰ δικαίαν κρίσιν φήσαντος ὁμολογεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πατρός.
And much more clearly does he reveal our theology to many. Here, I believe, he was bishop of Mopsuestia. Regarding Sophronius, the same Photius C says: A book by Sophronius in defense of Basil against Eunomius was read, which is clearer, much more learned, and briefer than that of Theodore. For he does not follow Eunomius through every point, but attacks and refutes those matters most thoroughly which seemed to contain the main heads of Eunomius's heresy. He used a style that is precise and laconic, and for the most part his discourse is loose and not at all knotted; yet it is not unpleasant, and in fact it is quite brilliant in its logical arguments.
Concerning this same Eunomius, St. Jerome says in his *Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers*: "Eunomius, of the Arian party, bishop of Cyzicus, breaking forth into open blasphemy of heresy—so that what others hide, he publicly confessed—is said to be living even today in Cappadocia and writing many things against the Church. To him replied Apollinarius, Didymus, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa." But St. Jerome speaks of these less distinctly, joining together prior and posterior events. Therefore, to avoid confusion, understand it this way: when the first offspring of Eunomius's disputations against St. Basil appeared in public, he began to rage, and like a trodden serpent raising its crushed neck, he seized his pen and began to act with greater virulence against both Basil and the orthodox doctrine, resorting to a triple invective, during which time St. Basil was translated to heavenly blessedness. Hear Photius B: "A volume by the same impious man was read, containing three books, which serves as a sort of refutation of those inanities which St. Basil demonstrates are to be found in his blasphemies." They say that in bringing this work to birth, he spent many Olympiads of years shut up in his little cell; and barely at length, after an interval of many years, did he bring to light, as if by abortion, that wicked and monstrous offspring which he had conceived in stealthy congress. Furthermore, at that time he was so far from unreservedly showing his miserable offspring even to those of his own sect, that he feared, no doubt, lest this work, should it come into Basil's hands before it had coalesced, might be dissipated, and before it could flourish, might prematurely corrupt and wither away. Therefore, studiously, like another Saturn in the fables, he hid what he had born by devouring it, as long as Basil, living in this fleeting life, struck fear into him. But after that divine man left his foreign dwelling and migrated to his own—that is, to his heavenly—inheritance, and that vast fear was dispelled, the occasion to publish finally arrived; yet even then, he dared not make it public to all, but only to his friends. Theodore and Gregory of Nyssa, and Sophronius (whom I mentioned above), chancing upon it, assaulted it with many lashes of words, just as Basil had done to the former one, and cast it, already putrid and reeking of its author's impurity, back upon him. Thus he then paid the penalties for his impiety.
Concerning Gregory of Nyssa, the same Photius D says: "A book by Gregory, bishop of Nyssa, was also read, written in defense of Basil against Eunomius. His style, if it is to be judged by rhetoricians, is illustrious and instills sweetness in the ears. But he himself does not refute Eunomius's writing in order. Wherefore, he is more concise than Theodore and broader than Sophronius; for he abounds in enthymemes and examples. I would truly declare, however, that just as Gregory excels Theodore in grace, splendor, and wondrous sweetness, so too does he strive to surpass him in the wealth and abundance of his arguments." Another work of the same Gregory of Nyssa was read on this same subject, in which, joining battle with Eunomius with more powerful arguments, he overcomes him with force, shaking the very foundations of his impiety. The grace of his oratory and his splendor, mingled with sweetness, show themselves becomingly in this work as well.
Regarding these individual opponents of Eunomius, Photius speaks specifically. Regarding Theodore B: "Twenty-five books of Theodore of Antioch in defense of Basil against Eunomius were read. His phrasing is not everywhere clear, yet he is dense to an extraordinary degree in his thoughts and arguments, and he abounds wonderfully in testimonies of Holy Scripture. He refutes Eunomius's arguments almost word for word, deeming him highly unskilled in external disciplines." C Photius speaks of that very long oration which holds the twelfth place in the work against Eunomius, according to some, or the thirteenth according to others, the inscription of which in the Bavarian codex is: *Of the same holy Gregory, an antirrhetic against the second book of the impious Eunomius*; the beginning of which is: *The first of the struggles against Eunomius...*
In his judgment of the Eunomian style, Photius clearly agrees with Gregory of Nyssa: you will understand this from the first book of Nyssenus and from these words of Photius: "As regards the style (of Eunomius), it is so far removed from all grace and sweetness that, indeed, one might doubt whether I have ever known such a thing to exist. It displays with prodigy a certain arrogance, wishing to affect a sound of alternating succession, and using words difficult to pronounce, which abound with many consonants: and that in a poetic manner, or, more truly, in a dithyrambic style. His composition is forced, and compressed and extruded by violence, so that whoever reads his writings must necessarily lash the air vehemently with his lips, if he but wishes to pronounce them clearly—which, chance finding and twisting, or even colliding, and rashly interjecting, nay, even truncating, he barely joins together at last. He also makes long and immoderately drawn-out periods at times: and moreover, he pours mist and uncertainty over the whole work."
A Since he seems to the common man to exceed their comprehension by far through the very force of his eloquence, and since, moreover, he is able to cover over what is weak in his senses and thoughts (and it is truly a great deal) with this very obscurity and difficulty of understanding, and to hide the fault of his reasoning. Furthermore, he seems to be entangled in logical arguments, for while he partly mocks others under this name, he himself most willingly makes use of them, although frequently (since he took up this study late and has not penetrated to its depths) he is often rightly noted for error in many things. These points Photius makes concerning the manner of Eunomian speech.
St. Gregory of Nyssa appeared to favor the opinion of Origen and the Origenists regarding the common liberation of all from hell, both of demons and of condemned men. But Nyssen discovered a powerful champion, as mighty in learning as he was in sanctity, in St. Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople; from whose lucubrations for Gregory, Photius has left us these excerpts: "I read a book by Germanus, who was first ordained for Cyzicus and later became Patriarch of Constantinople, which book is inscribed: *On Retribution and Lawfulness*: which is the same as if you were to say: *On true and lawful retribution, which is repaid to men, as they have lived.* And such is the inscription of the title. Indeed, he maintains that Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, and his writings are free from the error of Origen. For those to whom that delusion appeals, that liberation from hell is to be expected for demons and men cast into eternal punishment: they, because they recognized him as a man singular in doctrine and distinguished in eloquence, and saw the clear reputation of his sanctity sung by the mouths of all, set out to mingle the dark and pernicious poisons of the Origenian dream with his clear and salutary writings, and to secretly subject that man's virtue and his celebrated doctrine to heretical madness. Wherefore, partly by false additions, partly by rightly formed arguments violently twisted, they attempted to calumniate many things from his irreproachable monuments. Against these men, Germanus, patron of piety, unsheathing the sharp sword of truth and leaving his enemies prostrate from their wounds, established as victor and superior the man against whom the heretical colluvies had constructed and set traps."
B The defense and refutation of this wickedness, both from the debased places and from the consequences, is fashioned and demonstrated; and he correctly examines it from the other six hundred books of St. Gregory of Nyssa, which think orthodoxly and legitimately, so that no one could have finished his work better in salutary prayers and praises of God. However, the books which the heretics labored to entrap with their ambushes, and which Germanus, the primary champion of truth, saved from the insult of those brigands without harm, are: the *Dialogue with his sister Macrina regarding the soul*, the *Catechetical Oration*, and that which contains the narrative *On the Perfect Life*. Thus Germanus on behalf of Nyssen. From which the calumny of Casaubon vanishes, who, in his *Scholia* to a certain epistle ascribed to Nyssen and inscribed to Eustathia, Ambrosia, and Basilissa, accuses Nyssen of having contracted certain flaws from his reading of Origen. The same Origenian stain is repelled from Nyssen by an anonymous author, who committed his life to writing.
I must, however, advise that the end of the *Catechetical Oration* is not Gregory of Nyssa's. For since it mentions Severus and promises a work on the distinction of terms against him, it is clear that all that part must be taken as having been admitted from elsewhere, since Severus, the leader of the Acephali, appeared many years after Nyssen's death; which our Fronto Ducaeus also rightly observed in his *Annotations to the Great Catechetical Oration*.
C After some things were interposed, the same Photius adds: "To speak briefly, he declares that all the writings of this holy father are free from every heretical depravity and from the calumny which tends towards impiety."
D Furthermore, although so many have written against the impious Eunomius, a long-lasting antiquity has left us the monuments of only a few; for where are the disputations of Sophronius, Theodorus, Didymus, and Apollinarius? Even Nyssen himself lay too long in the shadows: whom I had long ago begun to attempt to bring to light; but with other business constantly intervening, I had to desist. But my cessation has recently been filled by the Parisians, who elegantly published the works of Nyssen in Greek and Latin in two volumes, adding also the books against Eunomius; but omitting the first, which the editors lacked: which we now publish from the Bavarian codex, as well as some other things which the Parisian edition lacks, so that I fully trust that this supplement or addition of ours to the Parisian edition will not be ungrateful to the readers.
TO THE EQUANIMOUS READER
Since it sometimes happens to those for whom a golden mean had been desirable in their prayers, equanimous Reader, that God grants you what you desired more abundantly and better, just as if one were, more than master of his prayer, to say with Flaccus—
A it is well, I pray for nothing more, that has happened to us who fear for Gregory Nazianzen. For our first vow and plan had been, in the beginning, to bring to light only the books of St. Gregory *Against Eunomius*, rendered into Latin by the most learned man Nic. Gulonius, a former royal professor, which the Reverend Father Joannes a S. Francisco, Prior of the Faliensian monks, who is better than a father, had reviewed. But since he had fallen into illness and could not suffice for the task for the pressing press, it seemed best to collect other books of St. Gregory already published in Greek to complete the second volume; for already, long ago, at Raphelengius's, the book *On the Life of Moses*; at Plantin's, the book *On Virginity*; and at Sartorius's, *Against Apollinaris*, and other short works of his elsewhere, had been made public. B When the most eminent president, Lord Thuanus, councillor of the Royal Consistory, heard of this, he kindly granted us his own manuscripts, from which was extracted the dissertation *On the Soul*, hitherto unpublished. The Reverend Father Andreas Schottus also sent to us from Antwerp a huge codex containing more than thirty books or homilies of Nyssen, copied long ago at the expense of the illustrious man Theodore Canter, a senator of Utrecht, to which were added others obtained from the library of the most noble man Franciscus Olivarius, of Fed. Morellus, royal professor and dean, and of others of our friends, whose beneficence will be heralded in the notes to the individual books.
For even though the most learned man, the *theophilestatos* Fronto Ducæus, S. J. theologian, was still detained by the edition of the works of St. John Chrysostom, he nevertheless did not cease to help us with his own support, since both a selection of manuscript codices had to be made, and variant readings had to be embraced with judgment, some over others, and notes on various books previously emended by him had to be recognized and adapted to this edition.
Nevertheless, with this diligence applied, we could not obtain the Greek text of certain homilies, which we have published in Latin only at the end of the second volume; nor do we provide all twelve books *Against Eunomius*, since, as is clear from the VI Ecumenical Council, the second number is that which occupies the place of the first in our edition, expressed from a copy of the V. C. Franc. Pithæus, which the translator used while he lived to convert them into Latin. For as is clear from the Catalogue of books of the Vatican Library, the book was divided by the librarian into two parts, the first part of which makes up the eleventh book of our edition, begun with this opening: *ἄλλ᾽ εἴδωμεν καὶ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ ἀκολούθου*, which opening that catalogue assigns to book XII. And likewise the sixth synod, action 10, page 127 of the Vatican edition.
There are exhibited, therefore, now for you, the books of St. Gregory of Nyssa *Against Eunomius*, which St. Jerome in his *Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers* affirms were read by the author himself and by Greg. Nazianz.; and lest you doubt whether these are the very ones which Theodoret, who was present at the Council of Ephesus in the year of Christ 450, published as written by him, C he spoke, in the first *Polymorphous Dialogue*, where he speaks of the incarnation of the Lord, having taken these testimonies from fol. 124 of the Tigurine edition, from the same *Against Eunomius*. *We say, therefore, that in the books prior to this, having said that Wisdom built a house for herself, he signifies the construction of the Lord's flesh by the Word.* We say, therefore, since in those things which were spoken earlier, he said that Wisdom built a house for herself, he mystically understands the construction of the Lord's flesh by the Word. You will find this testimony on page 77 of this edition, vol. II. We say, therefore, that in those things which precede this place, when he said that Wisdom had built a house for herself.
In the same Dialogue and fol. 124, from the same treatise of the same author: *The Word was before the ages, but the flesh was made in the furthest of times, and he would not be one who, having turned, says either that this is pre-eternal, or that the Word came to be in the final [times].* The Word was before the ages, but the flesh was made in extreme times, and neither turning should anyone say either that it was before the ages, or that the Word was made in the final times. You have this testimony on p. 161 of this edition. The same place is cited also in the VI Ecumenical Council, action 10, page 126, Roman edition. *From the fifth volume against Eunomius, the beginning of which is, "De voce itaque S. Petri Apostoli."* From the fifth volume *Against Eunomius*, the beginning of which is, "Concerning the voice, therefore, of St. Peter the Apostle." Whence we gather that the first book is missing from this our edition, and that the fourth oration in the synod is called and is truly the fifth. In the Catalogue also of books of the Vatican Library under number 424, that opening is assigned to book 1 *Against Eunomius*: *Οὐκ ἦν ὡς ἔοικε τῷ πάντα σε θέλειν εὐεργετεῖν*; but of the second, this one: *Ἡ τῶν Χριστιανῶν πίστις εἰς πάντα ἔθνη*, which is the initiation of the first oration of this edition. The third testimony is brought forward by Theodoret in the same Dialogue 1, fol. 125, *Οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ θείου τε καὶ ἀκηράτου ἐστὶν ἡ τοῦ ἔκτισέ με φωνὴ, ἀλλὰ καθὼς εἴρηται ἐκ τοῦ ἀναληφθέντος κατ' οἰκονομίαν*. Not from the divine and unblemished [source] is the voice "He created me," but as it has been said, from that which was assumed according to the dispensation. The same is shown in the very same words on p. 79 of this edition, except that for *ἀναληφθέντος* there is read there *ἀνακραθέντος*. The fourth is brought forward D by the same Theodoret in Dialogue 2, where he disputes concerning the passion of Christ from the same work *Against Eunomius* fol. 147. *Εἰ δὲ ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῆς Μαρίας ἀδελφοῖς διαλέγεται, ὁ δὲ μονογενὴς ἀδελφοὺς οὐκ ἔχει· πῶς γὰρ ἐν ἀδελφοῖς τὸ μονογενὲς διεσῴζετο; καὶ ὁ εἰπών· 'Πνεῦμα ὁ Θεός,' φησὶ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς ὁ αὐτὸς 'Ψηλαφήσατέ με.'* But if he who was born of Mary discourses with brothers; but the Only-Begotten does not have brothers: for how would the Only-Begotten be preserved among brothers? And he who said, "God is Spirit," the same says to the disciples, "Palpate me." These, however, you will find printed on page 281 of this edition.
The fifth is found in Dialogue 3, fol. 129, *οὔτε ζωοποιεῖ τὸν Λάζαρον ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη φύσις, οὔτε*