§1## EX EPISTOLA AD ROMAΝOS QUAM AD SOTEREM EPISCOPUM EORUM SCRIPSIT.
Εξ ἀρχῆς γὰρ ὑμῖν ἔθος ἐστὶ τοῦτο, πάντας μὲν ἀδελφοὺς ποικίλως εὐεργετεῖν, ἐκκλησίαις τε πολλαῖς ταῖς κατὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν ἐφόδια πέμπειν· ὧδε μὲν τὴν τῶν δεομένων πενίαν ἀναψύχοντας· ἐν μετάλλοις δὲ ἀδελφοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν ἐπιχορηγοῦντας· δἰ ὧν πέμπετε ἀρχῆθεν ἐφοδίων, πατροπαράδοτον ἔθος Ῥωμαίων Ῥωμαῖοι διαφυλάττοντες·
¦5 ## FROM THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS WHICH HE WROTE TO SOTER THEIR BISHOP. For from the beginning it has been your custom to benefit all the brethren in various ways, and to send resources to many churches in every city; thus on the one hand relieving the poverty of those in need ¦10 and on the other hand supplying the needs of the brethren who are in the mines; by means of the resources which you have sent from the beginning, you, as Romans, preserve the ancestral custom of the Romans.
ὃ οὐ μόνον διατετήρηκεν ὁ μακάριος ὑμῶν ἐπίσκοπος Σωτὴρ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπηύξηκεν· ἐπιχορηγῶν μὲν τὴν διαπεμπομένην δαψίλειαν τὴν εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους· λόγοις δὲ μακαρίοις τοὺς ἀνιόντας ἀδελφοὺς ὡς τέκνα πατὴρ φιλόστοργος παρακαλῶν.
This custom your blessed bishop Soter has not only maintained, but has even increased; on the one hand supplying ¦15 the abundance sent to the saints, and on the other hand encouraging with blessed words the brethren who come up, as an affectionate father does his children.
Hæc attulit Eusebius lib. iv. Hist. c. 23.
Eusebius recorded these things in the fourth book of his History, chapter 23.
§2## Ex eadem Epistola.
## From the same Epistle.
Ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ ταύτῃ (epistola) καὶ τῆς Κλήμεντος πρὸς Κορινθίους μέμνηται ἐπιστολῆς, (verba Eusebii sunt in loco modo signato) δηλῶν ἀνέκαθεν ἐξ ἀρχαίου ἔθους ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν αὐτῆς ποιεῖσθαι.
And in this very same letter he also makes mention of the Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians (the words of Eusebius are in the place just indicated), showing that from of old, according to ancient custom, it was read in the church.
λέγει γοῦν (Dionysius) Τὴν σήμερον οὖν Κυριακὴν ἁγίαν ἡμέραν διηγάγομεν, ἐν ᾗ ἀνέγνωμεν ὑμῶν τὴν ἐπιστολήν· ἣν ἕξομεν ἀεί ποτε ἀναγινώσκοντες νουθετεῖσθαι, ὡς καὶ τὴν προτέραν ἡμῖν διὰ Κλήμεντος γραφεῖσαν. §3## Ex eadem Epistola.
At any rate, Dionysius says: "We have spent today as the Lord's ¦5 holy day, on which we read your epistle; which we shall always have to read for our admonition, just as also the former one written to us through Clement." ## From the same Epistle.
Ταῦτα (Valesius emendat ταύτῃ) καὶ ὑμεῖς διὰ τῆς τοσαύτης νουθεσίας, τὴν ἀπὸ Πέτρου καὶ Παύλου φυτείαν γενηθεῖσαν Ῥωμαίων τε καὶ Κορινθίων συνεκεράσατε.
By this great ¦15 admonition of yours, you also have blended together the planting made by Peter and Paul, which came from the Romans and the Corinthians.
καὶ γὰρ ἄμφω καὶ εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν Κόρινθον φυτεύσαντες ἡμᾶς, ὁμοίως ἐδίδαξαν.
For both of them, having planted us in our Corinth, likewise taught us.
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ εἰς τὴν Ἰταλίαν ὁμόσε διδάξαντες, ἐμαρτύρησαν κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρόν.
And likewise having taught together in ¦20 Italy, they suffered martyrdom at the same time.
Protulit hæc Eusebius lib. ii. Hist. c. 25.
Eusebius produced these things in the second book of his History, chapter 25.
§4## Ex eadem Epistola.
## From the same Epistle.
Ἔτι δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ περὶ τῶν ἰδίων ἐπιστολῶν (verba Eusebii sunt in lib. iv. Hist. c. 23. ) ὡς ῥᾳδιουργηθεισῶν, ταῦτα φησίν. Ἐπιστολὰς γὰρ ἀδελφῶν ἀξιωσάντων με γράψαι, ἔνραψα.
And the same author also says these things concerning his own epistles (the words of Eusebius are in the fourth book of his History, chapter 23) as having been falsified: "For when the brethren requested me to write epistles, I wrote them.
καὶ ταύτας οἱ τοῦ διαβόλου ἀπόστολοι ζιζανίων γεγέμικαν· ἃ μὲν ἐξαιροῦντες, ἃ δὲ προστιθέντες· οἷς τὸ οὐαὶ κεῖται.
¦5 And these the apostles of the devil have filled with tares, taking away some things and adding others; for whom the woe is reserved.
οὐ θαυμαστὸν ἄρα εἰ καὶ τῶν Κυριακῶν ῥαδιουργῆσαί τινες (for. legend. τινας) ἐπιβέβληνται γραφῶν, ὁπότε καὶ ταῖς οὐ τοιαύταις ἐπιβεβλήκασι (alii ἐπιβουλεύκασι). §5## DE RΕLIQUIS SEPTEM EPISTOLIS
## Hæc posuit ibidem Eusebius. Καὶ πρῶτόν γε περὶ Διονυσίου φατέον·
It is no wonder, then, if some have attempted to falsify even the scriptures of the Lord, since they have also attempted to do so to those which are not of such a kind (others read ¦10 'plotted against')." ## ON THE REMAINING SEVEN EPISTLES ¦20 ## Eusebius placed these things in the same passage.
ὅτι τε τῆς ἐν Κορίνθῳ παροικίας τὸν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἐγκεχείριστο θρόνον· καὶ ὡς τῆς ἐνθέου φιλοπονίας οὐ μόνον τοῖς ὑπ᾿ αὐτὸν, ἀλλ᾿ ἤδη καὶ τοῖς ἐπὶ τῆς ἀλλοδαπῆς ἀφθόνως ἐκοινώνει· χρησιμώτατον ἅποσιν ἑαυτὸν καθιστὰς, ἐν αἷς ὑπετυποῦτο καθολικαῖς πρὸς τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐπιστολαῖς.
And first indeed we must speak concerning Dionysius, both that he was entrusted with the throne of the bishopric of the parish in Corinth, and how he bountifully shared his divine labor not only with those under him, but already also with those in foreign lands, rendering himself most useful to all ¦25 in the catholic epistles which he composed for the churches.
ὧν ἐστιν, Ἡ ΜΕΝ ΠΡΟΣ ΛΑΚΕΔΑIΜΟΝΙΟΥΣ, ὀρθοδοξίας κατηχητικὴ, εἰρήνης τε καὶ ἑνώσεως ὑποθετική.
Of these, one indeed is THE ONE TO THE LACEDAEMONIANS, instructive in orthodoxy, and counsel for peace and unity.
Ἡ ΔΕ ΠΡΟΣ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΟΥΣ, διεγερτικὴ πίστεως καὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πολιτείας· ἧς ὀλιγωρήσαντας ἐλέγχει, ὡς ἂν μικροῦ δεῖν ἀποστάντας τοῦ λόγου, ἐξ οὗπερ τὸν προεστῶτα αὐτῶν Πούπλιον μαρτυρῆσαι κατὰ τοὺς τότε συνέβη διωγμούς.
And THE ONE TO THE ATHENIANS, stirring up faith and the life according to the gospel; whom he rebukes for having neglected it, as having almost fallen away from the word, since it happened that their leader Publius suffered martyrdom during the persecutions of that time.
Κοδράτου δὲ μετὰ τὸν μαρτυρήσαντα Πούπλιον καταστάντος αὐτῶν ἐπισκόπου μέμνηται· ἐπιμαρτυρῶν, ὡς ἂν διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ σπουδῆς ἐπισυναχθέντων, καὶ τῆς πίστεως ἀναζωπύρησιν εἰληχότων·
And he makes mention of Quadratus having been appointed their bishop after the martyred Publius; ¦5 testifying that through his zeal they had been gathered together and had received a rekindling of their faith.
δηλοῖ δ᾿ ἐπὶ τούτοις, ὡς καὶ Διονύσιος ὁ Ἀρεοπαγίτης ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀποστόλου Παύλου προτραπεὶς ἐπὶ τὴν πίστιν κατὰ τὰ ἐν ταῖς πράξεσι δεδηλωμένα, πρῶτος τῆς ἐν Ἀθήναις παροικίας τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἐγκεχείριστο.
He shows, moreover, that Dionysius the Areopagite, having been converted to the faith by the apostle Paul according to what is declared in the Acts, was the first to be entrusted with the bishopric of the parish in Athens.
Ἄλλη δ᾿ ἐπιστολή τις αὐτοῦ ΠΡΟΣ ΝΙΚΟΜΗΔΕΑΣ φέρεται· ἐν τὴν Μαρκίωνος αἵρεσιν πολεμῶν, τῷ τῆς ἀληθείας παρίσταται κανόνι.
And another epistle of his is circulated, THE ONE TO THE NICOMEDIANS, in which, fighting against the heresy of Marcion, he stands by the canon of truth.
Καὶ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ δὲ τῇ παροικούσῃ ΓΟΡΤΥΝΑΝ ἉΜΑ ΤΑΙΣ ΛΟΙΠΑΙΣ ΚΑΤΑ ΚΡΗΤΗΝ ΠΑΡΟΙΚΙΑΙΣ ἐπιστείλας, Φίλιππον ἐπίσκοπον αὐτῶν ἀποδέχεται, ἅτε δὴ ἐπὶ πλείσταις μαρτυρουμένης ἀνδραγαθίαις τῆς ὑπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐκκλησίας· τήν τε τῶν αἱρετικῶν διαστροφὴν ὑπομιμνήσκει φυλάττεσθαι.
And having written also to the church which parishes in GORTYNA TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER ¦15 PARISHES IN CRETE, he welcomes their bishop Philip, since indeed the church under him is testified to for many brave deeds; and he reminds them to guard against the corruption of the heretics.
Καὶ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ δὲ τῇ παροικούσῃ ΑΜΑΣΤΡΙΝ ἉΜΑ ΤΑΙΣ ΚΑΤΑ ΠΟΝΤΟΝ ἐπιστείλας, Βακχυλίδου μὲν καὶ Ἐλπίστου, ὡς ἂν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ γράψαι προτρεψάντων μέμνηται· γραφῶν τε θείων ἐξηγήσεις παρατέθειται· ἐπίσκοπον αὐτῶν ὀνόματι Πάλμαν ὑποσημαίνων· πολλὰ δὲ περὶ γάμου καὶ ἁγνείας τοῖς αὐτοῖς παραινεῖ.
And having written also to the church which parishes in AMASTRIS TOGETHER WITH THOSE ¦20 IN PONTUS, he makes mention of Bacchylides and Elpistus, as having urged him to write; and he sets forth expositions of divine scriptures, indicating their bishop, Palma by name; and he exhorts them much concerning marriage and purity.
καὶ τοὺς ἐξ οἵας δ᾿ οὖν ἀποπτώσεως, εἴτε πλημμελείας, εἴτε μὴν αἱρετικῆς πλάνης ἐπιστρέφοντας, δεξιοῦσθαι προστάττει.
And he commands to welcome those who return from any fall whatsoever, whether of transgression or indeed of heretical error.
Ταύταις ἄλλη ἐγκατείλεκται ΠΡΟΣ ΚΝΩΣΣΙΟΥΣ ἐπιστολὴ, ἐν ᾗ Πινυτὸν τῆς παροικίας ἐπίσκοπον παρακαλεῖ, μὴ βαρὺ φορτίον ἐπάναγκες τὸ περὶ ἁγνείας τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐπιτιθέναι, τῆς δὲ τῶν πολλῶν καταστοχάζεσθαι ἀσθενείας.
¦5 Among these is included another epistle, THE ONE TO THE KNOSSIANS, in which he entreats Pinytus, the bishop of the parish, not to lay a heavy burden of necessity concerning purity upon the brethren, but to have regard for the weakness of the many.
—
Καὶ ἄλλη δέ τις παρὰ ταύτας ἐπιστολὴ τοῦ Διονυσίου φέρεται, ΧΡΥΣΟΦΟΡΑ πιστοτάτῃ ἀδελφῇ ἐπιστείλαντος. ᾗ τὰ κατάλληλα γράφων, τῆς προσηκούσης καὶ αὐτῇ μετεδίδου λογικῆς τροφῆς.
And another epistle of Dionysius besides these is circulated, ¦10 written TO CHRYSOPHORA, a most faithful sister, to whom, writing what was appropriate, he imparted the proper spiritual nourishment.