Address to Emperor Constantine · §1 · Eustathius of Antioch

Thanksgiving for the end of idolatry and the proclamation of the consubstantial Trinity

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Eustathius opens his address by thanking God before the emperor for abolishing idolatry through him and for the freedom now given to the faithful.

We give thanks to God, most mighty emperor, for he steers for you the earthly kingdom. Through you he abolished the error of idols, and he established the cheerful confidence of the faithful in boldness. The savor of demons has ceased. The objects of worship of Greek polytheism have been destroyed. The darkness of ignorance is driven away. The whole world is illumined by the light of the knowledge of God. The Father is glorified. The Son is worshiped together with him. The Holy Spirit is proclaimed. The consubstantial Trinity is preached: one Godhead in three persons and subsistences.

Greek

Εὐχαριστοῦμεν Θεῷ, κράτιστε βασιλεῦ, τῷ τὴν ἐπίγειον συνθύνοντί σοι βασιλείαν· τῷ τὴν πλάνην τῶν εἰδώλων διὰ σοῦ καταργήσαντι, καὶ τῶν πιστῶν καταστήσαντι ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ τὸν εὔθυμον. Πέπαυται κνίσσα δαιμόνων· καταλέλυται πολυθεΐας Ἑλληνικῆς τὰ σεβάσματα· τὸ τῆς ἀγνωσίας ἀπελαύνεται σκότος· τῷ τῆς θεογνωσίας φωτὶ ἡ οἰκουμένη καταυγάζεται· Πατὴρ δοξολογεῖται· Υἱὸς συμπροσκυνεῖται· τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καταγγέλλεται· Τριὰς ὁμοούσιος, μία 676 θεότης ἐν τρισὶ προσώποις καὶ ὑποστάσεσι κηρύττεται.

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About this text

An address thanking Constantine and urging the Council of Nicaea against Arius, credited to Eustathius of Antioch but printed among works not by him.

Eustathius of Antioch (fl. c. 320–337) wrote this address to Emperor Constantine.

Eustathius praises God for giving Constantine earthly rule and for abolishing idolatry through him, so that the world is now illumined by the knowledge of God and the consubstantial Trinity is proclaimed.

He asks Constantine either to persuade Arius to abandon his errors or, if he persists, to remove him from the Church so that his sophistry cannot ensnare simpler souls. The fragment contains no direct biblical citations.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 18 (Greek)

This work has passed our source check. We made this study translation with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open Greek on any section to see the source text. It is not a critical edition.

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