Prologue to Nemesinus: seven dialogues on the consubstantial Trinity
Things about God are hard to reach even for those well trained and ready to gaze into mysteries, and to see what lies beyond every mind in a mirror and in a riddle, as the wisest Paul says. Human speech is thick, and cannot keep step with how thin our thoughts are. So there is much fear in speaking about God, and it is wise to choose silence here — yet not without cost for those charged to teach. Knowing this, the divine Paul said, Woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel.
I have therefore come to write the present book, and again for you, most studious brother Nemesinus, I have worked out the discourse on the holy and consubstantial Trinity. Gathering the thoughts on each question as by kind or form, we composed the whole body of the book in seven short discourses; and because Hermias is most fond of letters and often asks about such things, we have addressed them to that most gentle man.
The style is relaxed, and the talk proceeds as question and answer through two speakers. The letter α is set before the first, β before the second. Because what is sought is very subtle, so that by questions and answers the matter under test may always be built up and torn down keenly, bringing in the speakers became necessary. Guard carefully the letters set before them. That way we will keep the finding of thoughts unconfused and set in the best order, and the arrangement and force of the whole book. I pray you be well in the Lord, beloved.
Greek
ΠΡΟΛΟΓΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΗΣ ΒΙΒΛΟΥ ∆υσέφικτα μὲν κομιδῇ τὰ περὶ Θεοῦ καὶ τοῖς ἄγαν ἐξησκημένως καὶ ἀρτίως ἔχουσιν εἰς τὸ δύνασθαι καταθρεῖν μυστήρια, καὶ τὰ παντὸς ἐπέκεινα νοῦ καὶ γοῦν "ἐν ἐσόπτρῳ καὶ αἰνίγματι" βλέπειν, κατὰ τὸν σοφώτατον Παῦλον. Παχὺς δὲ δὴ λίαν ὁ ἀνθρώπινος λόγος καὶ τῇ τῶν ἐννοιῶν ἰσχνότητι συμπαρομαρτεῖν οὐχ οἷός τε. Τοιγάρτοι πολὺ τὸ δέος φάναι τὰ περὶ Θεοῦ, καὶ σοφὸν μὲν λίαν τὸ ἔν γε τούτοις ἑλέσθαι σιγᾶν· πλὴν οὔ τί που τοῖς διδάσκειν ἐπιτεταγμένοις ἀζήμιον. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰδὼς ὁ θεσπέσιος ἔφη Παῦλος· "Οὐαὶ γάρ μοί ἐστιν, ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίζωμαι." Ἀφῖγμαι δὴ οὖν ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦδε τοῦ προκειμένου βιβλίου συγγραφήν, καί σοι πάλιν, ὦ φιλομαθέστατε ἀδελφὲ Νεμεσῖνε, τὸν περὶ τῆς ἁγίας τε καὶ ὁμοουσίου Τριάδος ἐκπεπόνηκα λόγον. Κατὰ γένος δὲ ὥσπερ ἤτοι κατ' εἶδος τὰς ἐφ' ἑκάστῳ τῶν ζητουμένων συνενεγκόντες ἐννοίας, ἐν ἑπτὰ λογιδίοις 384 τὸ σύμπαν τοῦ βιβλίου συντεθείκαμεν σῶμα· φιλολογωτάτῳ δὲ ὄντι λίαν καὶ φιλοπευστοῦντι τὰ τοιάδε συχνῶς τῷ ἐπιεικεστάτῳ Ἑρμείᾳ προσπεφωνήκαμεν. Καὶ ἔστι μὲν ἀνειμένος ὁ λόγος, ὡς πρὸς πεῦσιν δὲ καὶ ἀπόκρισιν διὰ δυοῖν προσώποιν ἔρχεται· καὶ τοῦ μὲν πρώτου τὸ α προτέτακται στοιχεῖον, τοῦ δὲ δευτέρου τὸ β. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλή τις ἄγαν ἐν τοῖς ζητουμένοις ἐστὶν ἡ λεπτότης, ἵνα ταῖς ἐρωτήσεσι καὶ ταῖς ἀποκρίσεσιν ἀεὶ τὸ βασανι ζόμενον κατασκευάζηταί τε καὶ ἀνασκευάζηται πικρῶς, ἀναγκαία γέγονεν ἡ τῶν προσώπων εἰσκομιδή. Παραφυ λακτέον οὖν ἀκριβῶς τὰ προτεταγμένα αὐτῶν στοιχεῖα. Ἀσύγχυτον γὰρ οὕτω καὶ ἐν τάξει τῇ παναρίστῃ κειμένην τηρήσομεν τὴν τῶν ἐννοιῶν εὕρεσιν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ παντὸς βιβλίου σύνταξίν τε καὶ δύναμιν. Ἐρρῶσθαί σε ἐν Κυρίῳ εὔχομαι, ἀγαπητέ.
About this text
Cyril of Alexandria, Dialogue 1 on the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity (Greek). Complete on this page: prologue + opening + rem CLOSEOUT.
English follows PG 75 Greek (CPG 5216). Durand SC French and modern English syncs were not used as wording. Dialogue 1 CLOSEOUT.
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 75 — De sancta et consubstantiali Trinitate dialogi (Greek · Dialogue 1 prologue + opening)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.