To John of Antioch, concerning Theodoret
I had assumed that the most devout Theodoret, together with the other most God-fearing bishops, had wiped away the stain of Nestorius's novel teachings. I thought so because he had written once, had welcomed the peace, and had received my letter of greeting in return. So I believed that he too had removed whatever seemed to stand in the way of the agreement. But the most devout presbyter Daniel has told me otherwise. Theodoret is holding out to this day. He has not moved away from his original positions, and he still clings to that man's blasphemies. It is plain that he has neither anathematized Nestorius nor agreed to sign his deposition.
Ἐγὼ μὲν ἀπομάξασθαι τὴν κηλῖδα τῶν Νεστορίου καινοφωνιῶν ὁμοῦ τοῖς ἄλλοις θεοσεβεστάτοις ἐπισκόποις ὑπενόουν τὸν εὐλαβέστατον Θεοδώρητον. Διεκείμην γὰρ ὅτι γεγραφὼς ἅπαξ, καὶ τὴν εἰρήνην κατασπαζόμενος, ἀντικομισάμενος δὲ καὶ τὰς παρ' ἐμοῦ προσρήσεις, τὸ δοκοῦν ἐμποδὼν ἑστάναι τῇ συμβάσει πεποίηται καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκ μέσου. Ἀλλ' ὡς μεταδέδωκέ μοι ὁ εὐλαβέστατος πρεσβύτερος Δανιήλ, εἰς δεῦρο συντείνεται, μὴ ἐξιστάμενος τῶν ἐν ἀρχαῖς, ἔχεται δὲ τῶν ἐκείνου δυσφημιῶν, καὶ δῆλός ἐστιν, εἰ μήτε ἀνεθεμάτισε, μήτε μὴν ἠνέσχετο ὑπογράψαι τῇ καθαιρέσει αὐτοῦ.
Let your holiness allow me to speak frankly, since I speak out of love. Why are some people so stiff-necked? They refuse to follow the admirable aim of your reverence, even in matters that concern the whole Church (ta oikoumenika). Instead, like strays that break away from the herd, they hold on to whatever seems right to them alone. If what I have heard is true, the most God-fearing man I have mentioned ought to feel the spur of your reverence.1
Καί μοι δότω παρρησίαν ἡ σὴ ὁσιότης ἐξ ἀγάπης λέγοντι· Διὰ ποίαν αἰτίαν οὕτω τραχηλιῶσί τινες, ὡς μὴ ἕπεσθαι τῷ ἀξιαγάστῳ σκοπῷ τῆς σῆς θεοσεβείας, μηδὲ ἐν τοῖς οἰκουμενικοῖς· ἀλλ' οἷον ἀτιμαγέλαι τινές, τὸ αὐτοῖς καὶ μόνοις δοκοῦν κρατύνουσι; καὶ εἴπερ ἐστὶν ἅπερ ἔμαθον ἀληθῆ, ὀφείλει τῶν τῆς σῆς θεοσεβείας κέντρων πεῖραν λαβεῖν ὁ μνημονευθεὶς θεοσεβέστατος ἀνήρ.1