PL 5 · cols. 89–100

S. Dionysius Alexandrinus, Epistolae quae ad Sixtum II papam et martyrem attinent (fragmenta ex Eusebio)

Editors' preface

EPISTOLAE QUAE AD SIXTUM II, PAPAM ET MARTYREM ATTINENT.

LETTERS WHICH CONCERN SIXTUS II, POPE AND MARTYR.

EPISTOLAE I. DIONYSII ALEXANDRINI EPISCOPI AD SIXTUM PAPAM FRAGMENTA.

FRAGMENTS OF LETTER I OF DIONYSIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA, TO POPE SIXTUS.

Dionysius epistolas memorat a se scriptas tum ad Stephanum papam, tum ad Dionysium et Philemonem presbyteros, de baptismo haereticorum et de haeresi Sabelliana.

Dionysius mentions letters written by himself both to Pope Stephen and to the presbyters Dionysius and Philemon, on the baptism of heretics and on the Sabellian heresy.

1. Antea quidem litteras scripserat (Stephanus) de Heleno et de Firmiliano, ac de omnibus per Ciliciam et Cappadociam cunctasque finitimas provincias constitutis, testans sese ob eamdem illam causam ab illorum communione discessurum, quod haereticos rebaptizarent. Ac vide negotii gravitatem. Re enim vera in maximis, ut audio, episcoporum conciliis decretum est, ut qui ab haeresi veniunt, primum doctrina instituti [catholica] ac deinde veteris et impuri fermenti sordibus per baptismum purgarentur. De his omnibus illum rogans et obtestans litteras misi.

1. Earlier, indeed, he (Stephen) had written a letter about Helenus and about Firmilian, and about all those established throughout Cilicia and Cappadocia and all the neighbouring provinces, declaring that for that same reason he would withdraw from communion with them, because they rebaptized heretics. And see the gravity of the matter. For in truth it has been decreed in the greatest councils of bishops, as I hear, that those who come from heresy should first be instructed in [catholic] doctrine, and then be cleansed through baptism from the filth of the old and impure leaven. Concerning all these things I sent him a letter, asking and entreating him.

Ἐπεστάλκει μὲν οὖν πρότερον (Στέφανος) καὶ περὶ Ἑλένου καὶ περὶ Φιρμιλιανοῦ, καὶ πάντων τῶν τε ἀπὸ τῆς Κιλικίας καὶ Καππαδοκίας καὶ Γαλατίας, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑξῆς ὁμορούντων ἐθνῶν. ὡς οὐδὲ ἐκείνοις κοινωνήσων διὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ταύτην αἰτίαν, ἐπειδὲ τοὺς αἱρετικούς, φησίν, ἀναβαπτίζουσι. καὶ σκόπει τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ πράγματος. ὄντως γὰρ δόγματα περὶ τούτου γέγονεν ἐν ταῖς μεγίσταις τῶν ἐπισκόπων συνόδοις, ὡς πυνθάνομαι· ὥστε τοὺς προσιόντας ἀπὸ αἱρέσεως, προκατηχηθέντας, εἶτα ἀπολούσασθαι, καὶ ἀνακαθαίρεσθαι τὸν τῆς παλαιᾶς καὶ ἀκαθάρτου ζύμης ῥύπον. καὶ περὶ τούτων αὐτοῦ πάντων δεόμενος ἐπέστειλα.

Now (Stephen) had previously written also concerning Helenus and concerning Firmilian, and concerning all those from Cilicia and Cappadocia and Galatia, and all the nations bordering on them next in order, to the effect that he would not hold communion with them either, for this same reason, because, he says, they rebaptize heretics. And consider the magnitude of the matter. For in truth decrees on this have been made in the greatest synods of the bishops, as I learn, so that those who come over from heresy, having first been catechized, are then washed, and cleansed of the filth of the old and impure leaven. And concerning all these things I wrote, entreating him.

Et aliquanto post prosequitur Dionysius.

And somewhat later Dionysius continues.

2. Sed et dilectis compresbyteris nostris Dionysio et Philemoni, qui prius cum Stephano consentiebant, deque iisdem ad me scripserant, antea quidem paucis, nunc vero pluribus rescripsi.

2. And also to our beloved fellow-presbyters Dionysius and Philemon, who formerly agreed with Stephen and had written to me about these same things, I replied, earlier indeed in few words, but now at greater length.

Καὶ τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς δὲ ἡμῶν καὶ συμπρεσβυτέροις Διονυσίῳ καὶ Φιλήμονι, συμψήφοις πρότερον Στεφάνῳ γενομένοις, καὶ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν μοι γράφουσι πρότερον μὲν ὀλίγα, καὶ νῦν δὲ διὰ πλετόνων ἐπέστειλα.

And to our beloved fellow presbyters Dionysius and Philemon as well, who had formerly been of one vote with Stephen and were writing to me about the same matters, I wrote previously in few words, and now at greater length.

Editors' notes and page, col. 89

Footnotes

[1] ‹anchor: lemma "Antea quidem litteras"› · no call (lemma note; notes begin col 89) Antea quidem litteras. His praemittit Eusebius. « Ad hunc Xystum (Dionysius) secundam de Baptismo scripsit epistolam, in qua Stephani simul ac reliquorum episcoporum sententiam ac judicium exponit, ita de Stephano scribens. » Ubi haec epistola non secunda ad Xystum, sed secunda de baptismo dicitur: quia nimirum Eusebius ab eodem Dionysio de eadem re unam ad Stephanum scriptam ante memorarat. COUSTANT.

"Earlier indeed, letters." Eusebius puts this before it: "To this Xystus (Dionysius) wrote a second letter on Baptism, in which he sets out the opinion and judgement of Stephen together with those of the other bishops, writing thus of Stephen." Here this letter is called not the second to Xystus but the second on baptism, because Eusebius had of course already mentioned one written by the same Dionysius to Stephen on the same matter. COUSTANT.

[2] ‹anchor: lemma "De Heleno et de Firmiliano"› · no call (lemma note; text col 89) De Heleno et de Firmiliano. Rufinus lib. VII, c. 4, vertit, ad Firmilianum et Helenum, etc., ac subnexa epistolae hujus verba praetermittit. Firmilianus, epist. 75, ad Cyprianum, praedictarum provinciarum episcopos uno Orientalium nomine complectens, ait Stephanum modo cum Afris qui in meridie sunt, modo cum Orientalibus pacem rupisse. COUSTANT.

"Of Helenus and of Firmilian." Rufinus, book VII, ch. 4, translates "to Firmilian and Helenus", etc., and leaves out the words of this letter that follow. Firmilian, letter 75, to Cyprian, taking in the bishops of the provinces named above under the single name of "Easterners", says that Stephen had broken the peace now with the Africans who are in the south, now with the Easterners. COUSTANT.

[3] ‹anchor: lemma "Decretum est"› · no call (lemma note; text col 89) Decretum est. Iconii videlicet ac Synadae, ut inferius explicatur, habitis, praeter ea quae in Africa celebrata sunt. COUSTANT.

"It was decreed": that is, in the councils held at Iconium and Synnada, as is explained below, besides those that were held in Africa. COUSTANT.

[4] ‹anchor: lemma "Primum doctrina instituti"› · no call (lemma note; text col 89) Primum doctrina instituti. Interpretatio Valesii, primum catechumeni fierent, ideo non placet, quia hinc inducitur lector, ut rebaptizantium judicio, ab haeresi venientes catechumenorum munia prius obire debuerint, quam baptismum perciperent. Certe in concilio Carthaginensi III, cui Cyprianus praefuit, episcoporum 86, sententias habemus: sed cum eos, qui ab haeresi veniunt, baptizandos esse omnes decernant; ut prius catechumeni fiant, nullus petit. Tantum Lucius a Thabeste dixit: « Haereticos exsecrandos censeo, et ideo exorcizandos et baptizandos esse: » et cap. 37, Vincentius a Thibari: « Primo per manus impositionem in exorcismo, secundo per baptismi regenerationem tunc possunt ad Christi pollicitationem venire, » manus impositionem, quae ipso Stephani consensu illis adhibenda erat, exorcismum interpretatus. Isti quidem Afri de doctrina tradenda pariter silent: sed nihil opus erat ut hac de re quidquam praeciperetur, cum haereticum, nisi catholicam profiteatur fidem, recipiendum non esse leges aliae doceant. COUSTANT.

"First instructed in doctrine." Valesius's rendering, "should first become catechumens", is unsatisfactory for this reason: it leads the reader to suppose that, in the judgement of the rebaptizers, those coming from heresy had to go through the duties of catechumens before they received baptism. Certainly we have the opinions of 86 bishops at the third Council of Carthage, over which Cyprian presided; but though all of them decree that those who come from heresy are to be baptized, none asks that they first become catechumens. Only Lucius of Thabeste said: "I judge that heretics are to be execrated, and therefore exorcized and baptized"; and, at ch. 37, Vincentius of Thibari: "First through the laying on of hands in exorcism, secondly through the regeneration of baptism, they can then come to Christ's promise", interpreting as exorcism the laying on of hands, which by Stephen's own agreement was to be applied to them. These Africans are likewise silent about giving instruction; but there was no need for anything to be prescribed on this matter, since other laws teach that a heretic is not to be received unless he professes the Catholic faith. COUSTANT.

[5] ‹anchor: lemma "De his omnibus...."› · no call (lemma note; text col 89) De his omnibus.... Firmiliano scilicet Heleno ac sociis, ut eos Stephanus a communione sua minime segregaret. COUSTANT.

"Concerning all these...": that is, Firmilian, Helenus and their colleagues, that Stephen should not cut them off from his communion. COUSTANT.

[6] ‹anchor: lemma "Deque iisdem ad me scripserant"› · no call (lemma note; text col 89) Deque iisdem ad me scripserant. Valesius hic addidit rebus, quod verbum cum a graeco absit, neque latine videtur exprimendum. Commode autem illud (continues)

"And had written to me about the same." Valesius added "matters" here; since the word is absent from the Greek, it does not seem that it should be expressed in the Latin either. But that [word] conveniently (continues)

(printed under page 49)

Page

running head: 89 EPISTOLÆ QUÆ AD SIXTUM P[...] (cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: A DECRETA SIXTI SECUNDI; B 1. Antea quidem litteras scripserat (Stephanus); C paucis, nunc vero pluribus rescripsi.
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: full-width lines not set (cut off at the image edge): the title "EPISTO[LAE] QUAE AD SIXTUM II, PAPAM ET..." and the subtitle "EPISTOLAE I. DIONYSII ALEXANDRINI EPISCOP..." after the Decreta; the italic summary "Dionysius epistolas memorat a se scriptas tum ad Stephanum papam... baptismo haereticorum et de haeresi S..." before section 1; "Et aliquanto post prosequitu..." between sections 1 and 2; the heading "VARIORUM NOT[AE]" above the page-foot notes. The Variorum notae (Antea quidem litteras... Coustant, etc.) are the editors' commentary at the page foot, left for the later pass. "Heleno": the initial H is slightly damaged in print but legible.
other: a full-width band stands across cols 89/90 in mid-page: the 3 paragraph(s) above it in col 90 are set here, after the 3 above it in col 89 (reading order, moved on receipt); the band itself (its title lines) is not set by the volunteer page: set it here, at the move, with full_width
other: the column opens with the end of the previous work (another unit); not set here: the unit begins at 1. Antea quidem litteras scripserat
running head: 89 EPISTOLAE QUAE AD SIXTUM PAPAM ATTINENT. 90
marginal letters: A ‹DECRETA SIXTI SECUNDI› (previous unit); B ‹1. Antea quidem litteras›; C ‹paucis, nunc vero pluribus rescripsi.›; D (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: Page 49 set whole in this file in reading order; col. 90 is a pointer. The italic summary "Dionysius epistolas memorat ..." is editors' matter (layer 1, translated). The Decreta Sixti above the band belong to the previous unit and are not set. The right column (col. 90) carries the facing Greek of Eusebius beside the Latin; it is now set here, each Greek paragraph after the Latin paragraph it faces (reading order), from the volunteers' checked run of col. 90 (hand work 2026-11-01, NR-334 A). Variorum notae at the page foot not set.
other: Q4a 2026-11-01: footnote [4] "doceant" (was "docerent") read on the page foot.

PL 5:90

Editors' notes and page, col. 90

Page

running head: AD SIXTUM PAPAM ATTINENT. 90 (left part cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: A Ex eodem ut supra.; B Ἐπεστάλκει μὲν οὖν πρότερον; C μὲν ὀλίγα, καὶ νῦν δὲ; D (none)
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other: full-width lines not set (cut off at left edge): the title "...PISTOLAE ...APAM ET MARTYREM ATTINENT." below the rule; "...DRINI EPISCOPI AD SIXTUM PAPAM FRAGMENTA."; the argument "...Stephanum papam, tum ad Dionysium et Philemonem presbyteros, de ...reticorum et de haeresi Sabelliana."; the link line "...to post prosequitur Dionysius." between the two Greek paragraphs; the heading "VARIORUM NOTAE." UNSURE: ἐπειδὲ and πλετόνων read from low-resolution Greek type, possibly damaged ἐπειδὴ/πλειόνων rather than true misprints. The Variorum notae at the page foot (beginning "obire debuerint, quam baptismum perciperent") are left for the later commentary pass. No word split at the column break.
other: the 3 paragraph(s) of this column above the full-width band are set under col 89 (reading order, moved on receipt)
running head: 89 EPISTOLAE QUAE AD SIXTUM PAPAM ATTINENT. 90
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other: pointer only: the layer-1 text of page 49 (cols 89-90) is set in c89_a.md. Col. 90 prints the facing Greek (Eusebius) of paras 1-2; it is set in c89_a.md, each Greek paragraph after the Latin paragraph it faces (reading order), from the volunteers' checked run (hand work 2026-11-01, NR-334 A). The three paragraphs above the band (Ex eodem ut supra ...) are the previous unit's Decreta and are not set here.
other: UNSURE (Q4a 2026-11-01): the lean scan seems to print "παλαίας" (acute on ι) where c89_a.md sets "παλαιᾶς"; the accent can't be told apart at this resolution. Check on the high-resolution page before changing anything.

PL 5:91

In eadem epistola de Sabellianis haereticis, inquit Eusebius, Histor., lib. VII, c. 6, ut pote qui tunc increbescant, Xistum certiorem facit his verbis.

In the same letter, says Eusebius (History, book VII, chapter 6), he informs Xystus about the Sabellian heretics, inasmuch as they were then gaining ground, in these words.

3. Nam cum de doctrina, quae nuper apud Ptolemaidem urbem Pentapoleos mota est, impia et plena blasphemiae in Deum omnipotentem et patrem Domini nostri Jesu Christi, plena incredulitatis et perfidiae erga filium ejus unigenitum et primogenitum omnis creaturae Verbum hominem factum, et quae Spiritus sancti aufert intelligentiam: cum ab utraque parte et litterae ad me allatae essent, et fratres disceptaturi venissent, quantum Deo donante potui, planius edisserens, quasdam scripsi litteras; quarum exempla ad te misi.

3. For concerning the doctrine which was lately stirred up at Ptolemais, a city of the Pentapolis, a doctrine impious and full of blasphemy against God almighty, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, full of unbelief and faithlessness towards His only-begotten Son, the firstborn of all creation, the Word made man, and which takes away the understanding of the Holy Spirit: since letters had been brought to me from both parties, and brethren had come to debate it, I wrote certain letters, setting the matter out more plainly as far as I could by God's gift; and I have sent you copies of them.

Περὶ γὰρ τοῦ νῦν κινηθέντος ἐν τῇ Πτολεμαΐδι τῆς Πενταπόλεως δόγματος, ὄντος ἀσεβοῦς καὶ βλασφημίαν πολλὴν ἔχοντος περὶ τοῦ παντοκράτορος Θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀπιστίαν τε πολλὴν ἔχοντος περὶ τοῦ μονογενοῦς παιδὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ προτοτόκου πάσης κτίσεως, τοῦ ἐνανθρωπάσαντος λόγου, ἀναισθησίαν δὲ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος· ἐλθόντων ἑκατέρωθεν πρὸς ἐμὲ καὶ πρὸ γραμμάτων, καὶ τῶν διαλεξομένων ἀδελφῶν, ἐπέστειλά τινα ὡς ἐδυνήθην παρασχόντος τοῦ Θεοῦ, διδασκαλικώτερον ὑφηγούμενος· ὡς τὰ ἀντίγραφα ἔπεμψά σοι.

For concerning the doctrine now set in motion at Ptolemais of the Pentapolis, which is impious and contains much blasphemy concerning the almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and much unbelief concerning His only-begotten Child, the firstborn of all creation, the Word made man, and insensibility concerning the Holy Spirit: since there came to me from both sides, even before letters, also brothers who were to discuss it, I wrote certain things, as far as I was able, God granting it, setting the matter out in a more instructive manner; of which I have sent you the copies.

EPISTOLAE II DIONYSII ALEXANDRINI EPISCOPI AD PHILEMONEM SIXTI PRESBYTERUM FRAGMENTA.

FRAGMENTS OF LETTER II OF DIONYSIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA, TO PHILEMON, PRESBYTER OF SIXTUS.

Ego vero haereticorum libris legendis ac traditionibus ediscendis operam dabam, ad horam quidem exsecrandis illorum sententiis animum meum coinquinans, hanc tamen ex iis utilitatem percipiens, ut eos apud me refutarem, et multo amplius detestarer. Et cum frater quidam ex ordine presbyterorum me deterreret, ac vereretur ne eidem nequitiae coeno commiscerer; quippe animum meum contaminatum iri, aiebat et quidem vere, ut ipse sentiebam: visione divinitus missa confirmatus sum, et sermo ad me factus diserte mihi praecepit dicens: Lege omnia quaecumque in manus venerint: idoneus enim es qui singula corrigas ac probes: et hinc tibi primum credendi causa et occasio exstitit. Visionem hanc suscepi, ut quae apostolicae voci consentiret, quosque majori virtute praeditos ita compellanti: Estote periti numularii (I Thes., XXI, 21).

But I for my part was giving my attention to reading the books of the heretics and learning their traditions thoroughly, for the moment indeed defiling my mind with their detestable opinions, yet drawing this profit from them, that I refuted them within myself and detested them far more. And when a certain brother of the order of presbyters tried to deter me, and feared that I should be mingled in the same filth of wickedness, for, he said, my mind would be contaminated, and indeed he said it truly, as I myself perceived, I was strengthened by a vision sent from God, and a word that came to me expressly commanded me, saying: Read all things whatever come into your hands, for you are fit to correct and to test each one; and from this the cause and occasion of believing first arose for you. I received this vision as agreeing with the apostolic voice, which thus addresses those endowed with greater strength: Be skilled money-changers (1 Thess. 5:21).

Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τοῖς συντάγμασι καὶ ταῖς παραδόσεσι τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἐνέτυχον, χραίνων μέν μου πρὸς ὀλίγον τὴν ψυχὴν ταῖς παμμιάροις αὐτῶν ἐνθυμήσεσιν ὄνησιν δ' οὖν ἀπ' αὐτῶν ταύτην λαμβάνων, τὸ ἐξελέγχειν αὐτοὺς παρ' ἐμαυτῷ, καὶ πολὺ πλέον βδελύττεσθαι. καὶ δή τινος ἀδελφοῦ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων με ἀπείργοντος καὶ δεδιττομένου συμφύρεσθαι (al. συμφέρεσθαι) τῷ τῆς πονηρίας αὐτῷ βορβόρῳ· λυμανεῖσθαι γὰρ τὴν ψυχὴν τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ, καὶ ἀληθῆ γε λέγοντος, ὡς ᾐσθόμην, ὅραμα θείπεμπτον προσελθὸν ἐπέῤῥωσέ με. καὶ λόγος πρός με γενόμενος προσέταξε διαῤῥήδην λέγων, πᾶσιν ἐντύγχανε οἷς ἂν εἰς χεῖρας λάβοις. διευθύνειν γὰρ ἕκαστα καὶ δοκιμάζειν ἱκανὸς εἶ. καὶ σοι γέγονε τοῦτο ἐξαρχῆς καὶ τῆς πίστεως αἴτιον. ἀπεδεξάμην τὸ ὅραμα, ὡς ἀποστολικῇ φωνῇ συντρέχον τῇ λεγούσῃ πρὸς τοὺς δυνατωτέρους, γίνεσθε δόκιμοι τραπεζῖται.

I for my part have read both the treatises and the traditions of the heretics, defiling my soul for a little while with their utterly abominable notions, yet receiving from them this benefit, that I refuted them within myself and loathed them far more. And indeed, when a certain brother among the presbyters was holding me back and frightening me from being mixed up (alias: being carried along) with the very mire of wickedness, for he said I would harm my own soul, and was speaking truly, as I perceived, a vision sent by God came to me and strengthened me. And a word that came to me commanded me, saying expressly: Read everything that you may take into your hands; for you are able to set each thing right and to test it; and this has been for you from the beginning the cause of faith as well. I accepted the vision as agreeing with the apostolic saying which says to the stronger: Be approved money-changers.

Deinde, inquit Eusebius, nonnulla de omnibus haeresibus interlocutus subdit.

Then, says Eusebius, having spoken in passing about all the heresies, he adds:

Hanc ego regulam et formam a beato papa nostro Heracla accepi. Eos enim qui ab haeresibus veniebant,

This rule and pattern I received from our blessed pope Heraclas. For those who were coming from the heresies,

Τοῦτον ἐγὼ τὸν κανόνα καὶ τὸν τύπον παρὰ τοῦ μακαρίου πάπα ἡμῶν Ἡρακλᾶ παρέλαβον. τοὺς γὰρ προσιόν-

This rule and pattern I received from our blessed father Heraclas. For those approach-

Editors' notes and page, col. 91

Footnotes

[1] (continued) ‹anchor: lemma "Deque iisdem ad me scripserant" (p. 49)› · no call

(continued) de iisdem dictum intelligere est de Firmiliano, Heleno, quos a communione segregandos Dionysius ac Philemon presbyteri cum Stephano censebant. COUSTANT.

[2] ‹anchor: lemma "Nam cum de doctrina..."› · no call (lemma note) Nam cum de doctrina... Totum hoc fragmentum Rufinus licentia sibi consueta latine ita convertit: « Cum de ea doctrina, quae apud Ptolemaidam Pentapoleos civitatem nuper exorta est, plena blasphemiis in Deum patrem et Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, negans vere esse eum filium Patris, nec primogenitum omnis creatura, similiter et Spiritus sancti auferens intellectum: pro quibus cum utraeque partes ad me venissent, et praesentibus fratribus quae commota fuerant discussissent, etiam litteris, prout Deus dedit parvitati meae, prosecutus sum et scripsi singula quaeque diligenter exponens. Quarum tibi exemplaria transmisi. » COUSTANT.

"For when concerning the doctrine..." Rufinus, with his usual freedom, turns this whole fragment into Latin thus: "Concerning the doctrine which has lately arisen at Ptolemais, a city of the Pentapolis, full of blasphemies against God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, denying that He is truly the Son of the Father and the firstborn of every creature [creatura, as printed], and likewise taking away the understanding of the Holy Spirit: when both parties had come to me about these things, and had debated in the presence of the brethren the matters that had been stirred up, I also pursued it in letters, as God granted to my littleness, and wrote, carefully setting out each point. Copies of these I have sent you." COUSTANT.

[3] ‹anchor: heading "Epist. II."› · no call (heading note) EPIST. II. — Fragmentis superioris epistolae istud Eusebius proxime subnectit his verbis: In epistola ad Philemonem Romanum presbyterum, quae inter eas quas de baptismo scripsit est tertia, ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ τῶν περὶ βαπτίσματος, idem Dionysius haec refert. Nempe recensetur prima ad Stephanum, secunda superior ad Xystum, haec tertia: eoque ordine notat Eusebius hanc epistolam ad Philemonem superiori ad Xystum non esse anteriorem. Quocirca defendi nequit opinio Baronii, qui fragmentum istud ex epistola sub Stephano scripta excerptum arbitratur. Neque tamen praemissa ad Xystum posterior est, utpote cujus Dionysius in ea ipsa n. 2, meminit. Quapropter utramque censemus simul missam. Nec alia de causa hanc in illa commemoratam existimamus, nisi ut cum Xysto communicaretur. Et haec igitur ad Xystum aliquo modo pertinet: ideoque fragmenta ejus nobis ab Eusebio transmissa hic exhibere nostri videtur instituti. Illa autem eo exhibemus libentius, quod ad quaestionem de baptismo illustrandam non parum conferant. COUSTANT.

LETTER II. Eusebius attaches this fragment directly to the fragments of the preceding letter with these words: "In the letter to Philemon, a Roman presbyter, which is the third of those he wrote on baptism" (in the Greek: "in the third of those on baptism"), "the same Dionysius relates these things." That is, the first counted is the one to Stephen, the second the preceding one to Xystus, this the third; and by that order Eusebius indicates that this letter to Philemon is not earlier than the preceding one to Xystus. Hence the opinion of Baronius, who thinks this fragment was excerpted from a letter written under Stephen, cannot be defended. Yet the letter to Xystus placed before it is not later either, since Dionysius mentions it in that very letter, no. 2. We therefore judge that both were sent together. Nor do we suppose that this one was mentioned in the other for any reason except that it might be shared with Xystus. So this one too belongs in some way to Xystus; and therefore it seems in keeping with our plan to present here its fragments handed down to us by Eusebius. We present them all the more gladly because they contribute not a little to illuminating the question of baptism. COUSTANT.

[4] ‹anchor: lemma "Estote periti numularii"› · no call (lemma note; text col 91) Estote periti numularii. Verba eadem plurimi patres, a Cotelerio in lib. II Constit. apost., c. 36, summa diligentia collecti, velut Christi aut apostoli laudant. In nostris tamen seu graecis seu latinis exemplaribus desiderantur. Eorum loco Rufinus, quem propterea ingentis confidentiae arguit Cotelerius, substituere non dubitavit. Omnia legite, quae bona sunt tenete, quomodo scilicet sententiam Pauli I Thess. V, 21 Augustinus lib. de Nat. et grat., cap 39, profert. COUSTANT.

"Be skilled money-changers." Very many Fathers, gathered with the greatest care by Cotelier on book II of the Apostolic Constitutions, ch. 36, cite these same words as Christ's or an apostle's. Yet they are missing from our copies, whether Greek or Latin. In their place Rufinus (whom Cotelier therefore charges with enormous presumption) did not hesitate to substitute "Read all things; hold fast what is good", which is how Augustine, in the book On Nature and Grace, ch. 39, quotes Paul's saying in 1 Thess. 5:21. COUSTANT.

(printed under page 50)

Page

running head: 91 EPISTOLARUM QUAE AD SIXTUM [cut off at image edge]
marginal letters: A ‹3. Nam cum de doctrina›; B ‹Ego vero haereticorum libris›; C ‹tiret, quosque majori virtute›; D ‹Rufinus licentia sibi consueta› (in the Variorum notae at the page foot, not in the text block)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: full-width line at the column head not set (In eadem epistola de Sabellianis haereticis, inquit Eusebius, Hist... Xistum certiorem facit his v...); full-width title not set before the second letter (EPISTOLAE II DIONYSII ALEX... / AD PHILEMONEM SIXTI PRESBYT...); full-width line not set before the last paragraph (Deinde, inquit Eusebius, nonnulla de omnibus...); column ends with the word broken as venie- (venientes); the Variorum notae at the page foot are left for the later pass; the scripture reference is 1 Thess. 5:21, printed with xxi; numularii is set as printed (usually nummularii); Ptolemaidem urbem has a slightly damaged letter in mota and in Jesu, read with confidence
other: the column ends with the half-word venie- and col 92 does not begin with its rest (a column in another script stands between): left as printed; join the word where its rest stands
running head: 91 EPISTOLARUM QUAE AD SIXTUM PAPAM ATTINENT. 92
marginal letters: A ‹3. Nam cum de doctrina›; B ‹Ego vero haereticorum libris›; C ‹tiret, quosque majori virtute›; D (in the Variorum notae, not text)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: Page 50 set whole in this file in reading order; col. 92 is a pointer. The full-width head line and "Deinde, inquit Eusebius ..." are Eusebius's linking words, set as printed. The head line prints a stray mark before "c. 6", not set. "veniebant" is split across the page break (venie-|bant) and set whole here from the first line of col. 93. Col. 92 prints the facing Greek; it is set here, each Greek paragraph after the Latin paragraph it faces (reading order), from the volunteers' checked run of col. 92 (hand work 2026-11-01, NR-334 A). Variorum notae not set.

PL 5:92

Editors' notes and page, col. 92

Page

running head: E AD SIXTUM PAPAM ATTINENT. 92 (left part of head cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: A ‹Περὶ γὰρ τοῦ νῦν κινηθέντος›; B ‹Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τοῖς συντάγμασι›; C ‹ρους, γίνεσθε δόκιμοι τραπεζῖται›; D ‹Dionysius in ea ipsa n. 2› (in the Variorum notae, not set)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: This column holds the Greek original; the Latin version stands in column 91. Full-width lines not set: at the top, "...uit Eusebius, Histor., lib. VII, c. 6, ... his verbis" above paragraph 1; the title "...YSII ALEXANDRINI EPISCOPI / ...XTI PRESBYTERUM FRAGMENTA" above paragraph 2; "...nulla de omnibus haeresibus interlocutus subdit" above paragraph 3; and the heading "...ARIORUM NOTAE" above the foot notes. The Variorum notae (Coustant) at the page foot are left for a later pass. UNSURE: θείπεμπτον was read as printed "θεί-" at the line end; πρὸ γραμμάτων and αὐτῷ βορβόρῳ are set as printed (Eusebius reads καὶ γραμμάτων and αὐτῶν). The last word, προσιόν-, is split at the column break.
running head: 91 EPISTOLARUM QUAE AD SIXTUM PAPAM ATTINENT. 92
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: pointer only: the layer-1 text of page 50 (cols 91-92) is set in c91_a.md. Col. 92 prints the facing Greek; it is set in c91_a.md, each Greek paragraph after the Latin paragraph it faces (reading order), from the volunteers' checked run (hand work 2026-11-01, NR-334 A). The break fragment προσιόν- / τας (cols 92-94) is left as received (round 1 ruling).
misprints kept as printed (Q4a 2026-11-01): προτοτόκου (for πρωτοτόκου), para 1.

PL 5:93

etiamsi ab Ecclesia defecissent, immo nec defecissent, sed cum coetus fidelium frequentare viderentur, insimulati essent quod perversae doctrinae magistros audituri adirent, ejectos ab Ecclesia, post multas preces non prius admisit, quam quaecumque ab adversariis audierant, palam publiceque enarrassent. Tum demum ad coetus fidelium eos admisit, nequaquam ab eis petens ut baptismum iterato susciperent. Quippe jam antea Spiritum sanctum ab ipso acceperant.

even if they had fallen away from the Church, or rather had not fallen away, but, while they were seen to frequent the assemblies of the faithful, had been accused of going to hear teachers of perverse doctrine, he expelled them from the Church, and after many entreaties did not readmit them until they had related openly and publicly whatever they had heard from the adversaries. Then at last he admitted them to the assemblies of the faithful, in no way requiring of them that they should receive baptism again. For they had already received the Holy Spirit from him before.

τας ἀπὸ τῶν αἱρέσεων, καί τοι τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀποστάντας, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἀποστάντας, ἀλλὰ συνάγεσθαι μὲν δοκοῦντας, καταμηνυθέντας δὲ ὡς προσφοιτῶντας τινι τῶν ἑτεροδιδασκαλούντων, ἀπελάσας τῆς ἐκκλησίας, δεομένους οὐ προσήκατο, ἕως δημοσίᾳ πάντα ὅσα ἀκηκόασι παρὰ τοῖς ἀντιδιατιθεμένοις, ἐξέφρασαν· καὶ τότε συνήγαγεν αὐτῶν ἑτέρου βαπτίσματος. τοῦ γὰρ ἁγίου πνεύματος πρότερον παρ' αὐτοῦ τετυχήκεσαν.

[those coming] from the heresies, although they had withdrawn from the church, or rather had not even withdrawn, but seemed indeed to assemble with it, yet had been reported as frequenting one of those who teach other doctrines: having driven them from the church, he did not receive them when they begged, until they had publicly declared everything that they had heard among the opponents; and then he admitted them to communion [without requiring] of them another baptism. For they had previously obtained the Holy Spirit from him.

Rursus hac quaestione abunde ventilata subjicit.

Again, after discussing this question at length, he adds:

Illud praeterea didici, non nunc primum apud Afros tantum hunc morem fuisse invectum, sed et multo antea superiorum episcoporum temporibus apud populosissimas ecclesias; idque synodis fratrum Iconii et Synadae habitis, necnon quam plurimis placuisse. Quorum subvertens sententias, in jurgia eos et contentiones conjicere nolim. Dictum est enim: Non transferes terminos proximi tui, quos posuerunt patres tui (Deut., XIX, 14).

This too I have learned: that this custom was not now for the first time introduced among the Africans alone, but long before, in the times of earlier bishops, in the most populous churches; and that it was approved in the synods of the brethren held at Iconium and Synnada, and by very many besides. I would not overturn their judgements and throw them into quarrels and contentions. For it is said: You shall not remove your neighbour's landmarks, which your fathers have set (Deut. 19:14).

Μεμάθηκα καὶ τοῦτο, ὅτι μὴ νῦν οἱ ἐν Ἀφρικῇ μόνον τοῦτο παρεισήγαγον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸ πολλοῦ κατὰ τοὺς πρὸ ἡμῶν ἐπισκόπους ἐν ταῖς πολυανθρωποτάταις ἐκκλησίαις, καὶ ταῖς συνόδοις τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἐν Ἰκονίῳ, καὶ Συνάδοις, καὶ παρὰ πολλοῖς τοῦτο ἔδοξεν. ὧν τὰς βουλὰς ἀνατρέπων, εἰς ἔριν καὶ φιλονεικίαν αὐτοὺς ἐμβαλεῖν οὐχ ὑπομένω. οὐ γὰρ μετακινήσεις, φησίν, ὅρια τοῦ πλησίον σου, ἃ ἔθεντο οἱ πατέρες σου.

I have learned this also, that it is not only now that those in Africa have introduced this practice, but that long before, in the time of the bishops before us, in the most populous churches and in the synods of the brethren, at Iconium and Synnada, and among many, this was decided. I cannot bring myself to overturn their decisions and cast them into strife and contention. For, it says, you shall not remove the boundaries of your neighbour, which your fathers set.

EPISTOLAE III, DIONYSII ALEXANDRINI EPISCOPI AD DIONYSIUM TUM XYSTI PRESBYTERUM, AC POSTEA EJUS SUCCCESSOREM FRAGMENTUM.

FRAGMENT OF LETTER III OF DIONYSIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA, TO DIONYSIUS, THEN PRESBYTER OF XYSTUS, AND AFTERWARDS HIS SUCCESSOR.

Novatianum merito adversandum docet ob schisma, ob dogma impium, ob iteratum baptisma ad se venientium.

He teaches that Novatian is rightly to be opposed, on account of his schism, on account of his impious doctrine, and on account of the repeated baptism of those who come over to him.

Nam Novatianum merito aversamur qui Ecclesiam

For with good reason we turn away from Novatian, who has torn apart the Church

Νουατιανῷ μὲν γὰρ εὐλόγως ἀπεχθανόμεθα, διακο-

For with good reason we are at enmity with Novatian, who

Editors' notes and page, col. 93

Footnotes

[1] ‹anchor: lemma "Qui ab haereticis..."› · no call (lemma note) Qui ab haereticis... Tres hominum classes istic a Dionysio videntur institui: prima eorum, qui apud haereticos nati, et ab illis baptizati, ad Ecclesiam veniebant; altera eorum qui redibant ad Ecclesiam, a qua palam defecerant; postrema nonnullorum, qui licet Ecclesiae coetus frequentare non destitissent, clam tamen conveniebant haereticos, eosque velut magistros audiebant. Quod si ita est, stare nequit quod Hieronymus lib. de Script. eccl., c. 79, scribit de Dionysio Alexandrino: Hic in Cypriani et Africanae synodi dogma consentiens, de haereticis rebaptizandis ad diversos plurimas misit epistolas. Iste quippe praesul singulos proxime memoratos ad Ecclesiam venientes, nullo illorum baptismo iterato, a se decessoris ac praeceptoris sui exemplo susceptos declarat Verum postulare videtur fragmenti hujus clausula, ut et ea quae antecedunt, ad illos unos referamus, qui ab Ecclesia catholica ad haeresim defecerant. Ut ut est, hac in re Hieronymi testimonio inferior non est auctoritas Basilii Caesareae episcopi, qui quidem epist. canon. ad Amphiloch. c. 5, haereticorum baptismum a Dionysio Alexandrino susceptum esse docet; ac mirari se ait, quo pacto tantus antistes, canonum peritia praeditus, ne Pepuzenorum quidem baptisma, tametsi in Patrem et Filium et Montanum Priscillamque baptizabant, rejiceret. Sic porro loquitur Basilius, non quia baptismum in nomine Patris et Filii et Montani ac Priscillae conferebant Montanistae: sed quia Spiritus sancti vocabulo montanum ac Priscillam, per quos Spiritum sanctum locutum ac perfectius datum esse praedicabant, intelligere censebantur Spiritum sanctum. Insistit nempe Basilius vestigiis decessoris sui Firmiliani, a quo iidem haeretici credere arguuntur Spiritum per Montanum et Priscillam (apud Cyprian. legitur Priscam) locutum; adeoque non veritatis Spiritum, sed erroris. Denique ab iterando baptismo, seu a Cypriani Africanaeque synodi dogmate quantum abhorreret Dionysius, sequens ejus ad Xystum epistola 4, comprobabit. COUSTANT.

"Those who from the heretics..." Three classes of people seem to be distinguished here by Dionysius: first, those who were born among the heretics and baptized by them and were coming to the Church; second, those who were returning to the Church from which they had openly fallen away; last, certain people who, though they had not ceased to attend the assemblies of the Church, were secretly meeting with heretics and listening to them as teachers. If this is so, what Jerome writes of Dionysius of Alexandria in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, ch. 79, cannot stand: "He, agreeing with the teaching of Cyprian and the African synod on rebaptizing heretics, sent very many letters to various people." For this prelate declares that he received each of those just mentioned when they came to the Church, repeating none of their baptisms, following the example of his predecessor and teacher. But the close of this fragment seems to require that we refer what precedes as well to those alone who had fallen away from the Catholic Church into heresy. However that may be, on this matter the authority of Basil, bishop of Caesarea, is not inferior to Jerome's testimony; in his canonical letter to Amphilochius, ch. 5, he states that the baptism of heretics was accepted by Dionysius of Alexandria, and says he is astonished that so great a bishop, gifted with knowledge of the canons, did not reject even the baptism of the Pepuzenes, though they baptized into the Father and the Son and Montanus and Priscilla. Basil speaks so, moreover, not because the Montanists conferred baptism in the name of the Father and the Son and Montanus and Priscilla, but because by the name "Holy Spirit" they were thought to understand Montanus [montanum, as printed] and Priscilla, through whom they proclaimed that the Holy Spirit had spoken and been more perfectly given. Basil, that is, follows in the footsteps of his predecessor Firmilian, by whom the same heretics are charged with believing that the Spirit spoke through Montanus and Priscilla (in Cyprian it reads "Prisca"), and therefore not the Spirit of truth but of error. Finally, how much Dionysius shrank from repeating baptism, that is, from the teaching of Cyprian and the African synod, his following letter to Xystus, no. 4, will prove. COUSTANT.

[2] ‹anchor: lemma "Ad coetus fidelium"› · no call (lemma note) Ad coetus fidelium. Valesius et superius verbum συνάγεσθαι, cum fratribus communicare, et nunc συνηγάγεν ad communionem admisit, latine convertit. Utrumque coetus sonat vel quos quispiam adit, vel quibus copulatur. Quocirca istud συνηγάγεν vertere liceret, coetibus (subaudito catholicis) copulavit. Cui loquendi rationi concinens Siricius epist. 1, ad Himer., c. 1, dicit: « Hos per invocationem solam septiformis Spiritus, episcopalis manus impositione. Catholicorum conventui sociamus. » Et Leo epist. 2, ad Rusticum c. 18: « Per manus impositionem, invocata virtute Spiritus sancti, quam ab haereticis accipere non potuerunt, catholicis copulandi sunt. » COUSTANT.

"To the assemblies of the faithful." Valesius rendered both the earlier word synagesthai as "to communicate with the brethren" and now synēgagen as "admitted to communion". Both convey assemblies, either those a person goes to or those he is joined to. So synēgagen could be translated "he joined to the assemblies" (understanding "Catholic"). In keeping with this way of speaking Siricius, letter 1, to Himerius, ch. 1, says: "These we join to the assembly of Catholics through the invocation alone of the sevenfold Spirit, by the laying on of the bishop's hand." And Leo, letter 2, to Rusticus, ch. 18: "Through the laying on of hands, with the power of the Holy Spirit invoked, which they could not receive from heretics, they are to be joined to the Catholics." COUSTANT.

[3] ‹anchor: lemma "Nequaquam ab eis petens"› · no call (lemma note) Nequaquam ab eis petens. Apud Vales.: « Nequaquam existimans iterato baptismate eis opus esse. » COUSTANT.

"By no means requiring of them." In Valesius: "by no means thinking they needed a repeated baptism." COUSTANT.

[4] ‹anchor: lemma "Ab ipso acceperant"› · no call (lemma note) Ab ipso acceperant. Videlicet Heracla, qui baptismum eis contulisse ponitur. Iis etiam, qui apud haereticos baptizati sunt, collatus quodam modo dici potest Spiritus sanctus, ad accipiendum videlicet sacramentum, non ad percipiendam sacramenti gratiam, quam ab haereticis percipi posse negant etiam illi patres, qui haereticorum baptisma suscipiunt. Acceptum quippe sacramentum, remoto erroris obice quo virtus ejus suspensa tenebatur, et supplemento ejus quod deerat accedente, ut loquitur jam non semel laudatus Anonymus Lab. tom. I Conc. pag. 775, hoc est, ut ejusdem verbis utar, fide postmodum sincerata prorsusque purgata, integritatem tandem suam consequitur. COUSTANT.

"They had received from him": that is, from Heraclas, who is assumed to have conferred baptism on them. Even on those baptized among heretics the Holy Spirit can in some way be said to have been conferred, namely for receiving the sacrament, not for obtaining the grace of the sacrament, which even those Fathers who accept the baptism of heretics deny can be obtained from heretics. For the sacrament received, once the obstacle of error by which its power was held in suspense is removed, and "the supplement of what was lacking in it is added", as the Anonymous already cited more than once says (Labbe, vol. I of the Councils, p. 775), that is, to use his own words, "the faith being afterwards made sincere" and wholly purified, at last attains its completeness. COUSTANT.

[5] ‹anchor: lemma "Superiorum episcoporum"› · no call (lemma note) Superiorum episcoporum. Cyprianus epist 71, ad Quintum, et epist. 2, ad Stephanum ab Agrippino invectum fatetur; Firmilianus vero epist. 75, ad Cyprian. in Oriente confirmatum docet in Iconio, qui Phrygiae locus est, cum eo convenissent episcopi ex Galatia et Cilicia et caeteris finitimis regionibus. Cum autem hunc Dionysii locum Eusebius Historiae suae inseruerit, Cyprianum ejus sententiae, quae haereticos rebaptizari volebat primum auctorem nequiit censere, licet illius verba lib. VII, c. 2, hoc sonare videantur. COUSTANT.

"Of the earlier bishops." Cyprian, letter 71, to Quintus, and letter 2, to Stephen, admits that [the practice] was introduced by Agrippinus; Firmilian, in letter 75, to Cyprian, states that in the East it was confirmed "at Iconium, which is a place in Phrygia", when bishops had gathered there "from Galatia and Cilicia and the other neighbouring regions". And since Eusebius inserted this passage of Dionysius into his History, he could not have thought Cyprian the first author of the opinion that wanted heretics rebaptized, although his words in book VII, ch. 2, seem to mean that. COUSTANT.

[6] ‹anchor: lemma "Dionysii fragmentum"› · no call (lemma note) Dionysii fragmentum. Ex verbis epistolae superioris (continues)

"A fragment of Dionysius." From the words of the preceding letter (continues)

(printed under page 51)

Page

running head: 93 EPISTOLA TERTI (cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: A bant, etiamsi ab Ecclesia; B apud populosissimas ecclesias; C Dionysio videntur institui (in the Variorum notae); D a Dionysio Alexandrino susceptum (in the Variorum notae)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: column begins with the fragment "bant", the end of a verb broken from the previous column; it is set as printed and left untranslated, its sense going with the previous column. The first "defecissent" is in heavy, blurred type and is read as defecissent. Full-width lines not set: "Rursus hac quaestione abunde ven..." between the two paragraphs; the title "EPISTOLAE III, DIONYSII ALEX..."; "AD DIONYSIUM TUM XYSTI PRESBYTERUM, AC POSTE..."; the summary "Novatianum merito adversandum docet ob schisma, ob dogma imp..."; and the heading "VARIORUM NOTAE". The column ends mid-word with "Eccle-", continued in col. 94. The Variorum notae at the page foot (Qui ab haereticis... Tres hominum classes; Ad coetus fidelium. Valesius...) are left for the later pass.
other: the column ends with the half-word Eccle- and col 94 does not begin with its rest (a column in another script stands between): left as printed; join the word where its rest stands
running head: 93 EPISTOLA TERTIA. 94
marginal letters: A ‹bant, etiamsi ab Ecclesia›; B ‹apud populosissimas ecclesias; idque synodis fra-›; C (in the Variorum notae, not text); D (in the Variorum notae, not text)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: Page 51 set whole in this file in reading order; col. 94 is a pointer. The page opens with "bant", the end of "veniebant" split from col. 91 and set whole there (joined on receipt). "Ecclesiam" is split across the page break (Eccle-|siam) and set whole here from the first line of col. 95; the English renders the verb "discidit" (printed in col. 95) at the end of this column's English. The bold summary "Novatianum merito adversandum docet ..." under the title of Epistola III is editors' matter (layer 1, translated). Col. 94 prints the facing Greek; it is set here, each Greek paragraph after the Latin paragraph it faces (reading order), from the volunteers' checked run of col. 94 (hand work 2026-11-01, NR-334 A). In the Greek's English, [without requiring] is a supplement taken from Coustant's Latin (nequaquam ab eis petens): the printed Greek (συνήγαγεν αὐτῶν ἑτέρου βαπτίσματος) appears to have dropped a line (settle round 2 ruling). Variorum notae not set.
misprints kept as printed: SUCCCESSOREM (title of Epistola III, for SUCCESSOREM).
other: UNSURE (Q4a 2026-11-01): in the col. 94 Greek set here, the lean scan seems to print "μετακνήσεις" (no ι) where the file sets "μετακινήσεις"; the type is too blurred to tell. Check on the high-resolution page before changing anything.

PL 5:94

Editors' notes and page, col. 94

Page

running head: ISTOLA TERTIA. 94 (cut off at left; presumably EPISTOLA TERTIA.)
marginal letters: A τας ἀπὸ τῶν αἱρέσεων; B σίαις, καὶ ταῖς συνόδοις; C Utrumque coetus sonat (in the Variorum notae, not set); D illi patres, qui haereticorum (in the Variorum notae, not set)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: column is the Greek column of the page. The column begins with the fragment τας of a word broken from col. 93. The text has συνήγαγεν αὐτῶν ἑτέρου βαπτίσματος as printed; words like μὴ ἀπαιτήσας seem to be dropped, and the English supplies [without requiring]. The Greek type's κ resembles χ (Ἀφρικῇ, ἐκκλη-) and was read as κ. The last word διακο- is split at the column break. Full-width lines not set, all cut off at the left edge: "…estione abunde ventilata subjicit." before the Μεμάθηκα paragraph; the title "…YSII ALEXANDRINI EPISCOPI / …UM, AC POSTEA EJUS SUCCCESSOREM FRAGMENTUM." (SUCCCESSOREM as printed); the summary "…sma, ob dogma impium, ob iteratum baptisma ad se venientium."; and the heading "…ARIORUM NOTAE." The Variorum notae (Coustant) at the page foot are left for the later pass.
running head: 93 EPISTOLA TERTIA. 94
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: pointer only: the layer-1 text of page 51 (cols 93-94) is set in c93_a.md. Col. 94 prints the facing Greek; it is set in c93_a.md, each Greek paragraph after the Latin paragraph it faces (reading order), from the volunteers' checked run (hand work 2026-11-01, NR-334 A). The break fragments τας (from col. 92) and διακο- / ψαντι (cols 94-96) are left as received (round 1 ruling).

PL 5:95

discidit, et ex fratribus quosdam ad impietatem et blasphemias pertraxit; qui impiissimam de Deo doctrinam in orbem invexit, et clementissimum Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum quasi immisericordem calumniatur; ac praeter haec omnia sacrum lavacrum irritum habet ac rejicit, fidemque et confessionem, quae baptismo praemittuntur, subvertit, et Spiritum sanctum ab iis penitus fugat, etiamsi spes aliqua subsit; vel quod in illis permanserit, vel quod ad eos reversus sit.

and has drawn some of the brethren into impiety and blasphemies; who has brought into the world a most impious doctrine about God, and slanders our most merciful Lord Jesus Christ as though He were unmerciful; and besides all this holds the sacred washing void and rejects it, overturns the faith and confession which precede baptism, and utterly drives the Holy Spirit away from them, even if there should be some hope that He had either remained in them or returned to them.

ψαντι τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ τινας τῶν ἀδελφῶν εἰς ἀσεβείας καὶ βλασφημίας ἑλκύσαντι, καὶ περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ διδασκαλίαν ἀνοσιώτατην ἐπεισκυκλήσαντι, καὶ τὸν χρηστότατον κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ὡς ἀνηλεῆ συκοφαντοῦντι, ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ τούτοις τὸ λουτρὸν ἀθετοῦντι τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ τήν τε πρὸ αὐτοῦ πίστιν καὶ ὁμολογίαν ἀνατρέποντι, τό τε πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐξ αὐτῶν, εἰ καί τις ἦν ἐλπὶς τοῦ παραμεῖναι ἢ ἐπανελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτούς, παντελῶς φυγαδεύοντι.

[rent] the Church, and dragged some of the brethren into impieties and blasphemies, and brought in a most unholy teaching about God, and slanders our most gracious Lord Jesus Christ as merciless, and on top of all these things sets aside the holy laver, and overturns the faith and confession that precede it, and utterly banishes the Holy Spirit from them, even if there was some hope of His remaining with them or returning to them.

EPISTOLAE IV, DIONYSII ALEXANDRINI EPISCOPI AD SIXTUM II. PAPAM FRAGMENTUM.

FRAGMENT OF LETTER IV OF DIONYSIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA, TO POPE SIXTUS II.

De homine qui baptismo Ecclesiae initiari expetebat, cum baptismum aliis verbis ac rebus apud haereticos suscepisse se diceret.

Concerning a man who sought to be initiated by the baptism of the Church, since he said that he had received baptism among the heretics with other words and rites.

Vere etenim, frater, consilio opus habeo, et sententiam tuam expeto, ne forte halluciner, super negotio quod mihi tale accidit. Quidam ex fratribus, qui ad ecclesiam conveniunt, jam pridem pro fideli habitus, et qui ante meam ordinationem, ac ni fallor, ante ipsius quoque Heraclae episcopatum coetus fidelium particeps fuerat, cum interfuisset baptismo eorum qui nuper baptizabantur, et interrogationes responsionesque audisset, ad me accessit flens et vicem suam ingemiscens. Pedibusque meis advolutus, confiteri atque dejerare coepit, baptismum quo apud haereticos initiatus fuerat, non hujusmodi esse, neque quidquam omnino habere cum hoc nostro commune: quippe plenum fuisse impietatis et blasphemiae. Aiebatque animum suum acerbissimo doloris sensu compungi, ac ne oculos quidem ad Deum attollere se

For truly, brother, I need counsel, and I ask your judgement, lest perhaps I go astray, concerning a matter of this kind which has befallen me. One of the brethren who assemble at the church, long held to be one of the faithful, who had shared in the assembly of the faithful before my ordination and, if I am not mistaken, even before the episcopate of Heraclas himself, having been present at the baptism of those who were lately being baptized and having heard the questions and answers, came to me weeping and lamenting his own lot. And, falling at my feet, he began to confess and to swear that the baptism with which he had been initiated among the heretics was not of this kind, nor had anything at all in common with this of ours, for it had been full of impiety and blasphemy. And he said that his soul was pierced with a most bitter sense of grief, and that he did not dare even to lift his eyes to God

Καὶ γὰρ ὄντως, ἀδελφέ, συμβουλῆς δέομαι, καὶ γνώμην αἰτῶ παρὰ σοῦ, τοιούτου τινός μοι προσελτόντος πράγματος, δεδιὼς μὴ ἄρα σφάλλωμαι. τῶν γὰρ συναγομένων ἀδελφῶν πιστὸς νομιζόμενος ἀρχαῖος καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἐμῆς χειροτονίας, οἶμαι δὲ καὶ πρὸ τῆς τοῦ μακαρίου Ἡρακλᾶ καταστάσεως τῆς συναγωγῆς μετασχών, τοῖς ὑπόγνον βαπτιζομένοις παρατυχών, καὶ τῶν ἐπερωτήσεων καὶ ἀποκρίσεων ἐπακούσας, προσῆλτέ μοι κλαίων καὶ καταθρηνῶν ἑαυτόν. Καὶ πίπτων πρὸ τῶν ποδῶν μου, ἐξομολογούμενος μὲν καὶ ἐξομνύμενος τὸ βάπτισμα, ὃ παρὰ τοῖς αἱρετικοῖς βεβάπτιστο, μὴ τοιοῦτον εἶναι, μὴ δὲ ὅλως ἔχειν τινὰ πρὸς τοῦτο κοινωνίαν· ἀσεβείας γὰρ ἐκεῖνο καὶ βλασφημιῶν πεπληρῶσθαι. Λέγων δὲ πάνυ τι τὴν ψυχὴν νῦν κατανενύχται, καὶ μὴ δὲ παῤῥησίαν ἔχειν ἐπᾶραι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνοσίων ἐκείνων ῥημάτων καὶ πραγμάτων ὁρμώμενος·

For truly, brother, I am in need of counsel, and I ask your judgement, since a matter of this kind has come before me, and I fear that I may perhaps be in error. For one of the brethren who assemble, who was reckoned a believer of long standing, and from before my ordination, and, I think, even before the appointment of the blessed Heraclas, had shared in the congregation, happened to be present with those being baptized recently, and having heard the questions and answers, came to me weeping and lamenting himself. And falling at my feet, confessing and forswearing the baptism with which he had been baptized among the heretics, [he said] that it was not of this kind, nor had any communion at all with this; for that one had been filled with impiety and blasphemies. And saying that his soul is now very deeply pierced, and that he has not even the boldness to lift up his eyes to God, because of those unholy words and deeds;

Editors' notes and page, col. 95

Footnotes

[1] (continued) ‹anchor: lemma "Dionysii fragmentum" (p. 51)› · no call

(continued) colligere est, eo ipso tempore, quo Stephanus papa de haereticis non rebaptizandis scripsit, Philemonem ac Dionysium presbyteros eadem de re litteras ad Dionysium Alexandrinum misisse. Iisdem quoque Dionysius Alexandrinus primo paucis, ac deinde cum jam Stephano Xystus successisset, pluribus rescripsit, et quidem separatim, ut ex eo conficitur, quod epistola quae ad Philemonem rescripta est, tertia de baptismo: et quae ad Dionysium, quarta ab Eusebio appelletur. De hac porro idem Eusebius ita praeloquitur: « Quarta ejus (Dionysii) de baptismo epistola ad Dionysium scripta est, tunc quidem Romanae urbis presbyterum, sed qui aliquanto post tempore ejusdem urbis episcopus constitutus est. Ex qua hunc ipsum Romanum Dionysium eruditissimum planeque admirandum virum fuisse testimonio Dionysii Alexandrini licet cognoscere. » Tum haec praefatus, subnexum fragmentum subjicit. COUSTANT.

[2] ‹anchor: lemma "Lavacrum irritum habet"› · no call (lemma note) Lavacrum iritum habet. Quocirca in epistola 73 Cypriani ad Jubanianum legimus, Novatianenses rebaptizare eos, quos a nobis sollicitant. Et apud Augustinum append. tom. III antiquus auctor vet. et nov. Testam. quaest. 102, de ipso Novatiano ait: In tantum irascitur nobis, ut et nos Christianos neget, (ideoque baptismum nobis iterandum censeat), cum sciat nos ea fide initiatos,. de qua ipse praesumit. Quibus concinit illud vulgati Ambrosii Comment. in I Cor. cap. I: « Sic enim erant, sicut nunc Novatiani et Donatiani, qui baptismum sibi vindicant, a nostris baptizatos reprobantes. » COUSTANT.

"He holds the washing void" [iritum, as printed]. Hence in Cyprian's letter 73, to Jubaianus, we read that "the Novatianists rebaptize those whom they lure away from us". And in the appendix to vol. III of Augustine, the ancient author of the Questions on the Old and New Testament, question 102, says of Novatian himself: "He is so angry with us that he even denies we are Christians" (and so thinks our baptism must be repeated), "though he knows we were initiated in the faith which he himself presumes to hold." With this agrees the passage of the commentary on 1 Corinthians, ch. 1, published under Ambrose's name: "For they were like the Novatians and Donatists now, who claim baptism for themselves and reject those baptized by us." COUSTANT.

[3] ‹anchor: lemma "Etiamsi spes aliqua subsit"› · no call (lemma note) Etiamsi spes aliqua subsit. Graeca vox ἐλπὶς interdum pro opinione usurpatur. Et hic quidem constructio ejus cum verbo praeteriti temporis postulare videtur, ut illam ea ratione intelligamus. Neque vero cum Valesio hunc locum de lapsis in idololatriam, sed de Catholicis a Novatiano subversis interpretamur, quorum ille baptismum exsufflans, Spiritum sanctum sacramenti hujus munere acceptum fugabat, quamvis in eorum aliquibus, antequam subverterentur, Spiritum sanctum vel permansisse per innocentiam vel est ut cum Valesio per poenitentiam rediisse credibile sit. Ita nihil opus quaeramus, In lapsis quomodo potest remanere Spiritus sanctus? COUSTANT.

"Even if some hope remains." The Greek word elpis is sometimes used for "opinion". And here its construction with a verb in the past tense seems to require that we understand it in that sense. Nor do we, with Valesius, interpret this passage of those who lapsed into idolatry, but of Catholics overthrown by Novatian, whose baptism he blew upon in contempt and so drove out the Holy Spirit received through the gift of this sacrament; although in some of them, before they were overthrown, it may be credible that the Holy Spirit either remained through innocence or, as Valesius has it, returned through penance. So there is no need for us to ask, "How can the Holy Spirit remain in the lapsed?" COUSTANT.

[4] ‹anchor: lemma "Dionysii Alexandrini fragmentum"› · no call (lemma note) Dionysii Alexandrini fragmentum. De hac epistola Eusebius ita praeloquitur: « Extat et quinta ejusdem epistola ad Xystum Romanae urbis episcopum, in qua postquam adversus haereticos multa disseruit, hujusmodi quiddam sua aetate contigisse narrat. » In ea autem narrat Dionysius quod nuper contigerat, cum baptisma publice ac sollemniter tradidisset. Unde hanc epistolam paulo post Pascha, vel certe Pentecosten, anni 258, scriptam esse colligitur. COUSTANT.

"A fragment of Dionysius of Alexandria." Of this letter Eusebius says by way of preface: "There is also a fifth letter of his, to Xystus, bishop of the city of Rome, in which, after discussing many things against the heretics, he relates that something of this kind happened in his time." In it Dionysius relates what had recently happened when he had administered baptism publicly and solemnly. Hence it is inferred that this letter was written shortly after Easter, or at any rate Pentecost, of the year 258. COUSTANT.

[5] ‹anchor: lemma "Baptismum quo apud haereticos initiatus fuerat"› · no call (lemma note; text col 95) Baptismum quo apud haereticos initiatus fuerat. Rufinus haec ita reddidit: « Baptisma ab haereticis aliter se suscepisse: quod tamen secundum ea, quae nunc videret a nobis ministrari, nec baptisma duceret, eo quod esset repleta plasphemiis omnis illa confessio. » Dionysii ejusque decessorum aevo in Alexandrina ecclesia, ut baptismo non iterato susciperentur haeretici usu receptum fuisse ex hoc loco evidenter conficitur. (continues)

"The baptism with which he had been initiated among the heretics." Rufinus rendered this thus: "that he had received baptism from heretics in another manner, which, however, judged by what he now saw being administered by us, he would not even consider baptism, because that whole confession was full of blasphemies [plasphemiis, as printed]." That in the age of Dionysius and his predecessors it was received custom in the church of Alexandria for heretics to be admitted without their baptism being repeated is clearly established from this passage. (continues)

(printed under page 52; "conficitur" is split across the page break, confi-|citur, and set whole here)

Page

running head: 95 EPISTOLARUM QUÆ AD SIXTUM (cut off at the right edge)
marginal letters: A siam discidit; B Vere etenim, frater; C batque animum suum; D stola ad Dionysium (in the Variorum notae, not set)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: column begins with "siam", the end of a word (ecclesiam) broken from the previous column; column ends mid-sentence at "attollere se"; full-width lines not set: the title "EPISTOLAE IV, DIONYSII ALE..." and "AD SIXTUM II. PAPAM FR..." and the summary "De homine qui baptismo Ecclesiae initiari expetebat..." between the two paragraphs, and the heading "VARIORUM NOT..." above the page-foot notes; the Variorum notae (colligere est... COUSTANT.; Lavacrum iritum habet... COUSTANT.) are left for the later pass; "reversu s sit" printed with a gap and set as reversus sit; "habitus" looks like "babitus" because of damaged type, set as habitus; several t's look like l from worn type (pertraxil, invexil) and are set as t; Greek column at right cut off and not set (by this reader; the Greek is now set from col. 96's own checked run, see below)
running head: 95 EPISTOLARUM QUAE AD SIXTUM PAPAM ATTINENT ! 96
marginal letters: A ‹siam discidit, et ex fratribus›; B ‹Vere etenim, frater, consilio›; C ‹batque animum suum acerbissimo›; D (in the Variorum notae, not text)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: Page 52 set whole in this file in reading order; col. 96 is a pointer. The page opens with "siam", the end of "Ecclesiam" split from col. 93 and set whole there (joined on receipt; the English of "discidit" also stands at the end of col. 93's English, so this column's English begins with "and has drawn"). The summary "De homine qui baptismo ..." under the title of Epistola IV is editors' matter (layer 1, translated). The page ends mid-sentence ("attollere se"); "dare" in the English anticipates the verb on col. 97. The running head ends in a stray mark like "!", recorded as printed. Col. 96 prints the facing Greek; it is set here, each Greek paragraph after the Latin paragraph it faces (reading order), from the volunteers' checked run of col. 96 (hand work 2026-11-01, NR-334 A). Variorum notae not set.
other (Q4b 2026-11-01): Variorum note [2] prints "initiatos,. de qua" (stray point after the comma); set as printed.

PL 5:96

Editors' notes and page, col. 96

Page

running head: [QU]Æ AD SIXTUM PAPAM ATTINENT (cut off at left edge) | 96
marginal letters: A ψαντι τὴν ἐκκλησίαν; B Καὶ γὰρ ὄντως; C ἔχειν ἐπᾶραι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς; D sit. Ita nihil opus quaeramus (in the Variorum notae)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: column begins with the fragment ψαντι, the rest of a word broken from the column before (probably διακόψαντι), set as printed; this column is the Greek text facing the Latin version in col. 95
other: full-width lines not set: the title DIONYSII ALEXANDRINI EPISCOPI / [AD SIXTUM] II. PAPAM FRAGMENTUM and the summary line ending cum baptismum aliis verbis ac rebus apud haereticos suscepisse se diceret, both between the first and second Greek paragraphs; the heading [V]ARIORUM NOTAE above the foot apparatus
other: the Variorum notae at the page foot (Etiamsi spes aliqua subsit; Dionysii Alexandrini fragmentum; Baptismum quo apud haereticos initiatus fuerat), which end mid-word after evidenter, are page-foot commentary and left for the later pass
other: UNSURE: βεβάπτιστο printed without augment, left as printed; κατανενύχται read from slightly blurred type
running head: 95 EPISTOLARUM QUAE AD SIXTUM PAPAM ATTINENT ! 96
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: pointer only: the layer-1 text of page 52 (cols 95-96) is set in c95_a.md. Col. 96 prints the facing Greek; it is set in c95_a.md, each Greek paragraph after the Latin paragraph it faces (reading order), from the volunteers' checked run (hand work 2026-11-01, NR-334 A).
misprints kept as printed (Q4b 2026-11-01): ἀνοσιώτατην (for ἀνοσιωτάτην; the file had it corrected, set back as printed); προσελτόντος (for προσελθόντος); προσῆλτέ (for προσῆλθέ). UNSURE: ὑπόγνον (for ὑπόγυον?) may be the type's ν/υ likeness, left as received; ἐπακούσας is followed by what looks like a point rather than a comma at this resolution, left as a comma.

PL 5:97

audere, quod scelestis illis verbis ac rebus initiatus fuisset. Quapropter exorabat, ut hoc purissimo lavacro susceptione et gratia donaretur. Quod ego quidem facere non sum ausus; sed diuturnam illi communionem ad id satis fuisse dixi. Nam qui gratiarum actionem audierit, et qui cum caeteris responderit Amen; qui ad sacram mensam adstiterit, et manus ad suscipiendum sanctum cibum porrexerit, atque illum exceperit, et corporis et sanguinis Domini nostri Jesu Christi particeps fuerit diutissime, eum adhuc de integro renovare non ausus fuerim. Porro illum

because he had been initiated with those wicked words and rites. Wherefore he kept begging that he might be granted reception and grace through this most pure washing. This indeed I did not dare to do; but I said that his long-continued communion had been sufficient for that. For one who has heard the thanksgiving, and who has answered Amen with the rest; who has stood at the sacred table, and has stretched out his hands to receive the holy food, and has taken it, and has been a partaker of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for a very long time, him I would not dare to renew again from the beginning. Moreover him

Editors' notes and page, col. 97

Footnotes

[1] (continued) ‹anchor: lemma "Baptismum quo apud haereticos initiatus fuerat" (p. 52)› · no call

(continued) Illud quoque notandum, scrupulum homini de baptismo suo non ideo injectum, quia eum ab haereticis, sed quia sub aliena forma, ut existimabat, suscepisset. Baptisma enim aliis verbis aut rebus, quam quae Christus praescripsit, numquam in Ecclesia pro Christi baptismate, adeoque nec pro vero baptismo, habitum est. Non aliter sentiebat Dionysii decessor, etsi forsitan culpandus, quod hominem ab haeresi venientem, qua ratione baptizatus esset, interrogare neglexit. Hujusmodi incommodum ut caveretur deinceps, anno 314, concilium Arelatense can. 8, constituit, « ut si ad Ecclesiam aliquis de haeresi venerit, interrogent eum Symbolum, et si perviderint eum in Patre et Filio et Spiritu sancto esse baptizatum, manus ei tantum imponatur, ut accipiat Spiritum sanctum; quod si interrogatus non responderit hanc Trinitatem, baptizetur. » COUSTANT.

[2] ‹anchor: lemma "Verbis ac rebus"› · no call (lemma note) Verbis ac rebus. Valesius, verbis ac ceremoniis. Hic religioni est a graeco tantisper discedere. Quinam vero essent haeretici, quae res ac verba, quibus baptismum administrabant, ut exposuisset Dionysius, nemo non desideraret. Sed nec forte ipse ab eo, qui de baptismo suo ambigebat, quidquam nisi generalibus verbis ediscere potuerat. COUSTANT.

"By words and things." Valesius: "by words and ceremonies". Here it is a matter of scruple to depart even slightly from the Greek. Everyone would wish that Dionysius had explained who the heretics were, and what the things and words were with which they administered baptism. But perhaps he himself could not learn anything except in general terms from the man who was in doubt about his own baptism. COUSTANT.

[3] ‹anchor: lemma "Susceptione et gratia"› · no call (lemma note) Susceptione et gratia. Christophors. susceptione in Ecclesiam. Musculus simpliciter susceptione: quam interpretationem sibi magis probari Valesius in notis declarat; quia in baptismo Deus nos tamquam filios suscipiat. Ipse in Eusebii textu praefert, verissimaque adoptione. Nos autem hunc locum sic intelligendum censemus, quasi legeremus, ut non modo susceptione, qua gaudebat in Ecclesiam receptus, sed et gratia, qua se privatum dolebat, donaretur. Ex hac Rufini interpretatione, Propter quod exorabat mundari se et purificari ecclesiastico baptismate, ut et gratiam consequi posset Spiritus sancti, illum legisse liquet παραδοχῆς χάριτος, sine media particula καί. Quae lectio si vera est, latine vertendum erit perceptione gratiae. COUSTANT.

"By reception and grace." Christophorson: "by reception into the Church". Musculus, simply, "by reception", a rendering which Valesius declares in his notes he prefers, because in baptism God receives us as sons. He himself, in the text of Eusebius, puts "and by a most true adoption". We, however, think this passage should be understood as if we read: that he might be granted not only the reception which he enjoyed as one received into the Church, but also the grace of which he grieved to be deprived. From Rufinus's rendering, "For which reason he begged to be cleansed and purified by the Church's baptism, that he might also obtain the grace of the Holy Spirit", it is clear that he read paradochēs charitos, without the particle kai between. If that reading is right, it should be translated into Latin as "the receiving of grace". COUSTANT.

[4] ‹anchor: lemma "Responderit amen"› · no call (lemma note) Responderit amen. His consentanea sunt ista Justini martyris Apolog. 1, Ubi absolvit (sacerdos) preces et Eucharistiam perfecit, omnis populus, qui adstat, succlamat dicens, Amen. Οὗ συντελέσαντος τὰς εὐχὰς καὶ τὴν εὐχαριστίαν, πᾶς ὁ παρὼν λαὸς παρευφημεῖ λέγων, Ἀμήν. Quocirca Justinianus imp. Novel. 137, c. 6. Jubemus, inquit, omnes episcopos et presbyteros non in secreto, sed cum ea voce quae a fidelissimo populo exaudiatur, divinam oblationem .... facere. Et mox, Si solum benedicis spiritu, is qui idiotae locum implet, quomodo tuae gratiarum actioni subjiciet sanctum illud Amen? Jam quidem superius pag. 157 not. b, observavimus fideles sacerdoti eucharistiam sibi tradenti, ac dicenti, Corpus Christi, aut Sanguis Christi, respondere olim consuevisse Amen. At Dionysium de responsione Amen, quae consecrationis verbis subjiciatur, modo loqui orationis ejus series persuadet. Ab eo certe dictum narrat, quem postea ad altare percipiendae eucharistiae gratia inducit. Jam vero antiquatum morem revocare privati non est: sed alterum diutino usu nunc receptum vir humilitatis ac pacis studiosus semper praetulerit. Satis habebit, cum ad eum venerit sacrae liturgiae locum, ubi antiqui respondere solebant Amen, eam fidem, quam illi hac voce exprimebant, sincero mentis affectu firmare, ut ex Ambrosii lib. de Myster. cap. 9, consilio, quod os olim loquebatur dicens Amen, hoc est verum est, nunc mens intenta fateatur. COUSTANT.

"Had answered Amen." In agreement with this are these words of Justin Martyr, Apology 1: "When he (the priest) has finished the prayers and completed the Eucharist, all the people standing by cry out, saying, Amen" (Greek: "when he has completed the prayers and the thanksgiving, all the people present acclaim, saying, Amen"). Hence the Emperor Justinian, Novel 137, ch. 6: "We command", he says, "that all bishops and presbyters perform the divine offering .... not in secret, but with a voice that can be heard by the most faithful people." And shortly after: "If you bless only with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned add that holy Amen to your thanksgiving?" We noted earlier, p. 157, note b, that the faithful used of old to answer Amen to the priest giving them the Eucharist and saying "The Body of Christ" or "The Blood of Christ". But the sequence of Dionysius's sentence persuades us that he is speaking only of the response Amen added to the words of consecration. Certainly he relates that it was said by the man whom he afterwards brings to the altar to receive the Eucharist. Now it is not for private persons to revive a custom that has fallen out of use; rather, a man zealous for humility and peace will always prefer the other, now received by long usage. He will think it enough, when he comes to that place in the sacred liturgy where the ancients used to answer Amen, to confirm with sincere affection of mind the faith which they expressed by this word, so that, according to the counsel of Ambrose, book On the Mysteries, ch. 9, what the mouth once spoke in saying Amen, that is, "it is true", the attentive mind may now confess. COUSTANT.

[5] ‹anchor: lemma "Et manus ad suscipiendum"› · no call (lemma note) Et manus ad suscipiendum. Et hic usus, quo fideles Christi corpus manibus excipere solebant, antiquatus est, sed nulla lege abrogatus legitur. Eum saltem ad saeculum sextum in Galliis perseverasse Mabillonius noster lib. I Liturg. Gallic., cap. 5, n. 25, ex lib. X Gregorii Turon., cap. 8, colligit. COUSTANT.

"And has stretched out his hands to receive." This custom too, by which the faithful used to receive the body of Christ in their hands, has fallen out of use, but no law is recorded as abolishing it. Our Mabillon, book I of the Gallican Liturgy, ch. 5, no. 25, gathers from book X of Gregory of Tours, ch. 8, that it persisted in Gaul at least until the sixth century. COUSTANT.

[6] ‹anchor: lemma "Renovare non ausus fuerim"› · no call (lemma note) Renovare non ausus fuerim. An Dionysio responderit Xystus, ejusque scrupulum exemerit, nobis ignotum. Forte etiam huic papae rescribendi opportunitatem persecutio ac mors non multo post interveniens sustulit. At eum, qui praescriptis a Christo verbis baptizatus non fuisset, baptizandum esse superius allatus Arelatensis concilii canon 8, clare decidit. Quocirca et Nicaenum concilium can. 19 Paulianistas ad Ecclesiam venientes baptizari voluit; quia inquit Innocentius epist. 16, ad Macedonas, cap. 10, haeretici illi in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti minime baptizabant: adeoque nullum erat hujusmodi baptisma. Quis enim, inquit Augustinus lib. VI de Bapt. cont. Donat. c. 25, nesciat non esse baptismum Christi, si verba evangelica, quibus symbolum constat defuerint. Christi tamen generale praeceptum est, Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua etc.; nec cuiquam, ab Evangelii praedicatione, salutem sperandam censet Ecclesia, nisi qui hoc praeceptum re vel voto impleverit. Quantumvis frequentarit quis fidelium coetus, ibique corporis ac sanguinis Christi particeps fuerit, de gratia Spiritus sancti ab eo percepta nemo certior esse potest, quam de hoc munere tum Cornelio tum sociis ejus indulto certus fuit Petrus: qui nihilominus eos omnes, quos Spiritu sancto plenos conspiciebat, baptizandos esse non dubitavit, ut nihil praetermissum videretur, inquit Cyprianus epist. 2, ad Steph., n. 1, quominus per omnia divini praecepti atque Evangelii legem apostolica magisteria servarent. Nec ambigendum mihi videtur, quin hoc ipsum Dionysio exploratum fuerit. Inde igitur angebatur potius, quod cum is, qui se rebus ac verbis aliis baptizatum dicebat, nulla certa ratione istud comprobaret, baptismum praeter apostolicam doctrinam iterare vereretur. Eum nempe in se expertus est iterationis baptismi horrorem, quem fidelium animis insitum esse postea Augustinus lib. V de Bapt. cont. Donat. c. 5. testatus est. Et in hac dubitatione aestuans, de homine praedicto id sentire maluit, quod de aliis in Ecclesia non baptizatis Cyprianus epist. 73, ad Jubaianum, sentire se dixit: Potens est Dominus misericordia sua indulgentiam dare, et eos, qui ad Ecclesiam simpliciter (sine baptismo) admissi, in Ecclesia dormierunt, ab Ecclesiae suae muneribus non separare. Subinde vero formidinem hujusmodi Leo epist. 115, ad Neonem, (continues in the text block of col 99 under VARIORUM NOTAE)

"I would not have dared to renew it." Whether Xystus answered Dionysius and freed him of his scruple is unknown to us. Perhaps persecution and death, coming not long after, took away from this pope the chance to reply. But canon 8 of the Council of Arles, cited above, clearly decided that one who had not been baptized with the words prescribed by Christ must be baptized. Hence the Council of Nicaea too, canon 19, required that Paulianists coming to the Church be baptized; because, says Innocent, letter 16, to the Macedonians, ch. 10, "those heretics did not baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit at all", and so such a baptism was nothing. "For who", says Augustine, book VI On Baptism against the Donatists, ch. 25, "does not know that it is not the baptism of Christ if the words of the Gospel, of which the creed consists, are missing?" Yet Christ's general command is, "Unless one is reborn of water" etc.; and since the preaching of the Gospel the Church judges that no one may hope for salvation except one who has fulfilled this command in fact or in desire. However often someone has attended the assemblies of the faithful and shared there in the body and blood of Christ, no one can be more certain of his having received the grace of the Holy Spirit than Peter was certain of this gift bestowed on Cornelius and his companions; yet he did not doubt that all of them, whom he saw filled with the Holy Spirit, must be baptized, "so that nothing might seem to be left undone", says Cyprian, letter 2, to Stephen, no. 1, "whereby the apostolic teaching should fail to keep in all things the law of the divine command and of the Gospel." Nor does it seem to me doubtful that this very thing was well known to Dionysius. What distressed him, rather, was that since the man who said he had been baptized with other rites and words could prove it by no sure means, he feared to repeat baptism contrary to apostolic teaching. He felt in himself, that is, the horror of repeating baptism which Augustine later testified, in book V On Baptism against the Donatists, ch. 5, is implanted in the souls of the faithful. And, torn by this doubt, he preferred to think of the man in question what Cyprian, in letter 73, to Jubaianus, said he thought of others in the Church not baptized: "The Lord is able in His mercy to grant pardon, and not to separate from the gifts of His Church those who, admitted simply to the Church" (without baptism), "have fallen asleep in the Church." Later, however, Leo, letter 115, to Neo, (continues in the text block of col 99 under VARIORUM NOTAE)

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Page

running head: 97 EPISTOLA QUART (cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: A audere, quod scelestis; B baptismo suo non ideo injectum (in the Variorum notae); C ptismum administrabant (in the Variorum notae); D Responderit amen. His consentanea (in the Variorum notae)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: the right-hand Greek column (kai dia ... pisteos) belongs to the facing column and is not set here; the full-width heading VARIORUM NOTAE, cut off at the image edge, stands below "Porro illum" and is not set; the Variorum notae (citur. Illud quoque notandum ... Jam vero antiquatum morem revocare privati non) fill the rest of the column as page-foot commentary and are left for the later apparatus pass; the text block ends mid-sentence at "Porro illum"

PL 5:98

καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δεόμενος τῆς εἰλικρινεστάτης ταύτης καθάρσεως καὶ παραδοχῆς καὶ χάριτος τυχεῖν· ὅπερ ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἐτόλμησα ποιῆσαι, φήσας αὐτάρκη τὴν πολυχρόνιον αὐτῷ κοινωνίαν εἰς τοῦτο γεγονέναι. εὐχαριστίας γὰρ ἐπακούσαντα, καὶ συνεπιφθεγξάμενον τὸ ἀμήν, καὶ τραπέζῃ παραστάντα, καὶ χεῖρας εἰς ὑποδοχὴν τῆς ἁγίας τροφῆς προτείναντα, καὶ ταύτην καταδεξάμενον. καὶ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετασχόντα ἱκανῷ χρόνῳ, οὐκ ἂν ἐξ ὑπαρχῆς ἀνασκευάζειν ἔτι τολμήσαιμι· θαρσεῖν δὲ ἐκέλευον, καὶ μετὰ βεβαίας πίστεως, καὶ ἀγαθῆς συνειδήσεως τῇ μετοχῇ τῶν ἁγίων

and for this reason he was asking to obtain this most pure cleansing and reception and grace. This I did not dare to do, saying that his long-standing communion had been sufficient for this. For one who had heard the thanksgiving, and had joined in saying the Amen, and had stood at the table, and had stretched out his hands to receive the holy food, and had received it, and had partaken of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for a considerable time, I would not dare any longer to remake from the beginning; but I urged him to take courage, and with firm faith and good conscience to the participation of the holy

Editors' notes and page, col. 98

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running head: [cut off at left] STOLA QUARTA. 98
marginal letters: A καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δεόμενος; B militatis ac pacis studiosus (in the notes); C baptizatus non fuisset (in the notes); D bat, baptizandos esse (in the notes)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: the text block of this column is the Greek of the letter, the Latin version standing in col. 97; set from the Greek as printed, with the spacing slips at ζειν ἔτι and μετὰ βεβαίας normalized; accent on τυχεῖν UNSURE (blurred); full stop after καταδεξάμενον as printed, where the sense needs a comma (English follows the sense); the full-width heading "VARIORUM NOTAE" below the text is cut off at the left edge and not set; the Variorum notae (Coustant's notes on Et manus ad suscipiendum, Renovare non ausus fuerim, etc.) fill the rest of the column and are left for the later apparatus pass

PL 5:99

bono animo esse jussi, et cum firma fide ac bona conscientia accedere ad Sancta, et participem eorum fieri. Verum ille lugendi finem non facit, et ad mensam accedere exhorrescit, vixque rogatus interesse orationibus sustinet.

I told him to be of good heart, and to approach the holy things with firm faith and a good conscience, and to become a partaker of them. But he does not cease from lamenting, and shrinks in horror from approaching the table, and when asked he can scarcely bring himself to be present at the prayers.

προσιέναι. ὁ δὲ οὔτε πεντῶν πάνεται· πέφρικέ τε τῇ τραπέζῃ προσιέναι· καὶ μόλις παρακαλούμενος συνεστάναι ταῖς προσευχαῖς ἀνέχεται.

to approach. But he does not cease mourning; he shudders to approach the table, and, even when urged, he can scarcely bring himself to stand with [us] at the prayers.

VARIORUM NOTAE.

NOTES OF VARIOUS EDITORS.

levavit: ubi praemittens, In primis itaque providere debemus, ne dum speciem quamdam cautionis tenemus, damnum regenerandarum incidamus animarum, fatetur quidem deinde, inexpiabile esse facinus, lavacrum, quod regenerandis semel tributum est, bis subire; verum mox nihilominus addit: Sed in hoc (quem vere baptizatum nemo scit,) nihil simile formidatur; quoniam non potest in iterationis crimen venire, quod factum esse omnino nescitur. Porro de baptismo, cujus causa Dionysius Xystum sibi consulendum duxerat, illud certo constabat, eum ab haereticis fuisse collatum.

lifted: where, putting first, "In the first place, therefore, we must take care lest, while we keep up a certain appearance of caution, we incur the loss of souls that are to be regenerated," he then indeed admits that it is an inexpiable crime to undergo twice the washing that has once been given to those who are to be regenerated; but soon nonetheless he adds: "But in this case (one whom no one knows to have been truly baptized) nothing of the kind is to be feared, since what is not known at all to have been done cannot come under the charge of repetition." Moreover, concerning the baptism on account of which Dionysius had thought he should consult Xystus, this was certainly established, that it had been conferred by heretics.

Nec dubium quin si homo sic baptizatus Cyprianum et eos, qui cum illo Africana in synodo convenerant, adiisset, hunc baptizandum esse statim decrevissent. Et inde igitur Dionysium cum iisdem minime consensisse confirmatur. Hinc certe constat hominem illum, qui baptizatus ab haereticis fuerat, ab Heracla in Ecclesiam sine novo baptismo fuisse admissum. Ipsevero Dionysius Heraclae in recipiendis haereticis morem sequi se conceptis verbis profitetur. COUSTANT.

Nor is there any doubt that, if a man so baptized had come to Cyprian and to those who had assembled with him in the African synod, they would at once have decreed that he must be baptized. From this too, therefore, it is confirmed that Dionysius by no means agreed with them. Hence it is certainly established that that man, who had been baptized by heretics, had been admitted into the Church by Heraclas without a new baptism. And Dionysius himself professes in express words that he follows the custom of Heraclas in receiving heretics. Coustant.

NOTITIA SCRIPTORUM QUORUMDAM QUAE AD SIXTUM ATTINENT.

ACCOUNT OF CERTAIN WRITINGS WHICH CONCERN SIXTUS.

I. Praeterea Dionysius aliam ad Sixtum scripsit epistolam, quam Eusebius, lib. VII, Hist., c. 9, his verbis indicare satis habuit: « Est et quinta ejusdem Dionysii epistola de baptismo, ipsius et ecclesiae quam regebat nomine, ad Sixtum et ecclesiam urbis Romae, in qua de proposita quaestione prolixam admodum disputationem instituit. »

I. Besides this, Dionysius wrote another letter to Sixtus, which Eusebius (Hist., book VII, ch. 9) thought it enough to indicate in these words: "There is also a fifth letter of the same Dionysius on baptism, in his own name and that of the church which he governed, to Sixtus and the church of the city of Rome, in which he undertook a very lengthy discussion of the question put forward."

II. Pontius in Vita S. Cypriani haec habet: « Jam de Sixto bono et pacifico sacerdote, ac propterea beatissimo martyre, nuntius venerat. Sperabatur jamjamque carnifex veniens. » Quae verba sic summatim reddit Oxoniensis editor: « Sixtus pontifex romanus de persecutione secutura Cyprianum admonet; »

II. Pontius in the Life of St Cyprian has the following: "News had already come about Sixtus, a good and peaceable priest, and for that reason a most blessed martyr. The executioner was expected to come at any moment." These words the Oxford editor renders in summary thus: "Sixtus, the Roman pontiff, warns Cyprian of the persecution that is to follow;"

adeoque, si Pontii assecutus est mentem, dicendus est Sixtus passionis proximus ad Cyprianum litteras misisse, quibus eum de persecutione imminente certiorem faceret. Verum hoc tantum sibi vult Pontius, persecutionem Romae flagrare, jamque de Sixti martyrio ac nece nuntium venisse, et Carthagine in dies carnificem expectari. Ibi enim perstringit hic diaconus quod Cyprianus epist. 82, ad Successum explicat, eos nempe venisse, quos Romam, ut veritatem explorarent, ipse miserat; a quibus et Valerianum adversus christianos ad senatum rescripsisse, et Sixtum animadversum, et huic persecutioni in Urbe praefectos quotidie insistere didicit. D. COUSTANT.

and so, if he has grasped Pontius' meaning, Sixtus must be said, when close to his passion, to have sent a letter to Cyprian by which to inform him of the impending persecution. But Pontius means only this: that persecution was raging at Rome, that news had already come of the martyrdom and killing of Sixtus, and that at Carthage the executioner was expected from day to day. For there this deacon touches on what Cyprian explains in Epistle 82, to Successus: namely, that those had come whom he himself had sent to Rome to find out the truth; from whom he learned both that Valerian had sent a rescript to the senate against the Christians, and that Sixtus had been executed, and that the prefects in the City were pressing on with this persecution daily. D. Coustant.

Editors' notes and page, col. 99

Footnotes

- pointer only: footnotes (1) to (5) printed at the foot of page 54 belong to the next work, De sancto Dionysio Romano pontifice prolegomena, and are set in the unit corpus/PL005/ed_prolegomena_dionysii_romani: (1) and (2) in its notes/n99.md, (3) to (5) in its notes/n100.md (hand work 2026-11-01, NR-296 A).

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Misprints kept as printed

- col 100 (Greek, set under col 99's rail): πεντῶν, for πενθῶν - col 100 (Greek, set under col 99's rail): πάνεται, for παύεται

Footnotes

(3) ‹anchor: Stephano papa censebant› · call in col 100

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(4) ‹anchor: baptizandos esse judicarit› · call in col 100

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(5) ‹anchor: inquit Cl. Maranus› · call in col 100

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