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Athanasius: Select Works and Letters — On the Incarnation, Against the Arians, Life of Antony

Athanasius of Alexandria · translated by Archibald Robertson and others · 1892

On the Incarnation of the Word, the Orations against the Arians, the Life of Antony, and the festal letter that lists the New Testament canon.

Edition: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 4 · www.ccel.org

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From the opening: Chapter II

Chapter II

Life of St. Athanasius and Account of Arianism

A. §§1-3. To the Council of Nicæa, 298-325.

§1. Early years, 298-319.

§2. The Arian controversy before Nicæa (319-325).

§3. (1.) The Council of Nicæa (325).

§3. (2.) Situation at the close of the Council (325-328).

a. Novelty of Arianism. Its Antecedents in the history of doctrine.

b. The Omoousion.'

c. Materials for reaction. 1. Persecuted Arians. 2. Eusebius and the Court. 3. Ecclesiastical conservatism. Marcellus and Photinus.

B. §§4-8. The Conflict with Arianism (328-361).

§4. Early years of his Episcopate (328-335), and first troubles.

§5. The Council of Tyre and First Exile (335-337).

§6. Renewed troubles and Second Exile (337-346).

(1) At Alexandria (337-339).

(2) At Rome. Council of Antioch, &c. (339-342).

(3) Constans; Council of Sardica, and its sequel (342-346).

§7. The golden Decade (346-356).

(1) Athanasius as bishop.

(2) Sequel of the death of Constans.

§8. The Third Exile (356-361).

(1) Expulsion of Athanasius.

(2) State of the Arian controversy:--(a) Anomoeans'; (b) Homoeans'; (c) Semi-Arians.'

(3) Athanasius in his retirement.

C. §§9, 10. Athanasius in Victory (362-373).

§9. Under Julian and his successors; Fourth and Fifth Exiles (362-366).

§10. Last years. Basil, Marcellus, Apollinarius (366-373).

Id primum scitu opus est in proposito nobis minime fuisse ut omnia ad Arium Arianos aliosque haereticos illius aetatis itidemque Alexandrum Alexandrinum Hosium Marcellum Serapionem aliosque Athanasii familiares aut synodos spectantia recensere sed solummodo ea quæ uel ad Athanasii Vitam pertinent uel ad eam proxime accedunt.--Montfaucon.

Athanasius was born between 296 and 298 . His parents, according to later writers, were of high rank and wealthy. At any rate, their son received a liberal education. In his most youthful work we find him repeatedly quoting Plato, and ready with a definition from the Organon of Aristotle. He is also familiar with the theories of various philosophical schools, and in particular with the developments of Neo-Platonism. In later works, he quotes Homer more than once (Hist. Ar. 68, Orat. iv. 29), he addresses to Constantius a defence bearing unmistakeable traces of a study of Demosthenes de Corona (Fialon, pp. 286 sq. 293). His education was that of a Greek: Egyptian antiquities and religion, the monuments and their history, have no special interest for him: he nowhere betrays any trace of…

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Contents (161 sections)

  1. About this edition
  2. Post-Nicene Fathers
  3. Professor of Church History in the Union Theological Seminary, New York
  4. Grand Rapids, Michigan
  5. Preface
  6. Chapter I
  7. Chapter II
  8. Chapter II (continued)
  9. Chapter II (continued)
  10. Chapter II (continued)
  11. Chapter II (continued)
  12. Chapter II (continued)
  13. Chapter II (continued)
  14. Chapter II (continued)
  15. Chapter III
  16. Chapter IV
  17. Chapter IV (continued)
  18. Chapter V
  19. Letter of Alexander of Alexandria to his namesake of Byzantium
  20. Council of NicÆA
  21. Council at Antioch deposes Eustathius
  22. Council at Cæsarea. Athan. refuses to attend
  23. Council at Jerusalem. Arius received to communion
  24. Council at CP., Marcellus (Asclepas), &c., deposed
  25. Letter of Constantius Cæsar' ordering return of Athanasius (p. lxxxii.)
  26. Council of Egyptian bishops at Alexandria
  27. Synod at Antioch appoint Gregory bishop of Alexandria
  28. Council of the Dedication at Antioch. Four creeds
  29. Council at Milan. Photinus condemned
  30. Council at Arles against Athanasius
  31. Council at Milan against Athanasius
  32. Council of Ancyra
  33. Council of the confessors at Alexandria
  34. Council of Lampsacus
  35. Appendix
  36. Introduction to the Treatise
  37. Introduction. Statement of the purpose of the treatise
  38. Introduction. Statement of the purpose of the treatise (continued)
  39. Part II
  40. Part III
  41. Introduction to the Treatise
  42. Introduction. The Redemptive work of the Word based on His initial relation to the…
  43. Introduction. The Redemptive work of the Word based on His initial relation to the… (continued)
  44. Introduction. The Redemptive work of the Word based on His initial relation to the… (continued)
  45. Introduction. The Redemptive work of the Word based on His initial relation to the… (continued)
  46. Introduction to the Deposition of Arius' and Encyclical Letter of Alexander
  47. Introduction
  48. Letter of Eusebius of Cæsarea to the people of his Diocese
  49. Introduction to Expositio Fidei
  50. Introduction to In Illud Omnia,' Etc
  51. Introduction to the Encyclical Epistle to the Bishops Throughout the World
  52. Introduction to Apologia Contra Arianos
  53. Introduction
  54. Introduction (continued)
  55. Chapter II — Letter of Julius to the Eusebians at Antioch
  56. Chapter III — Letters of the Council of Sardica to the Churches of Egypt and of…
  57. Letter of the Council of Sardica to the Church of Alexandria
  58. Letter of the Council of Sardica to the Bishops of Egypt and Libya
  59. Chapter IV — Imperial and Ecclesiastical Acts in Consequence of the Decision of the…
  60. The Second Letter
  61. The Third Letter
  62. The Second Letter
  63. Chapter V — Documents connected with the charges of the Meletians against S. Athanasius
  64. Part of a Letter from the Emperor Constantine
  65. Letter of Alexander
  66. Chapter VI — Documents connected with the Council of Tyre
  67. Chapter VI — Documents connected with the Council of Tyre (continued)
  68. Introduction to de Decretis or Defence of the Nicene Definition
  69. Introduction to de Decretis or Defence of the Nicene Definition (continued)
  70. Chapter VI — Authorities in Support of the Council. Theognostus; Dionysius of Alexandria…
  71. Introduction to the de Sententia Dionysii
  72. Introduction to the de Sententia Dionysii (continued)
  73. Introduction to Vita S. Antoni
  74. Prologue
  75. Prologue (continued)
  76. Prologue (continued)
  77. Prologue (continued)
  78. Introduction to Ad Episcopos Ægypti Et Libyæ Epistola Encyclica
  79. Chapter II
  80. Introduction to Apologia Ad Constantium
  81. Introduction to Apologia Ad Constantium (continued)
  82. Introduction to Apologia de Fuga
  83. Introduction to Apologia de Fuga (continued)
  84. Introduction to Historia Arianorum
  85. Part I. Proceedings of the Arians from the Council of Tyre till the return of the Exiles…
  86. Part II. Second Exile of Athanasius, till the Council of Sardica (337-343)
  87. Part III. From Sardica till the Death of Constans (343-350)
  88. Part IV. From the Death of Constans to the Council of Milan (351-355)
  89. Part V. Liberius (355-358)
  90. Part VI. Hosius (355-358)
  91. Part VII. The attacks upon Athanasius (351-356)
  92. Part VIII. Further details of the Persecution in Egypt (357)
  93. Part I
  94. Part II
  95. Part III
  96. Part IV
  97. Part V
  98. Part VI
  99. Part VII
  100. Part VIII
  101. Part VIII (continued)
  102. Introduction to Four Discourses Against the Arians
  103. Chapter I — Introduction. Reason for writing; certain persons indifferent about Arianism…
  104. Chapter I — Introduction. Reason for writing; certain persons indifferent about Arianism… (continued)
  105. Chapter VII — Objections to the Foregoing Proof. Whether, in the generation of the Son…
  106. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being…
  107. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being… (continued)
  108. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being… (continued)
  109. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being… (continued)
  110. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being… (continued)
  111. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being… (continued)
  112. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being… (continued)
  113. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being… (continued)
  114. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being… (continued)
  115. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being… (continued)
  116. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being… (continued)
  117. Chapter X — Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being… (continued)
  118. Introductory to the Fourth Discourse against the Arians
  119. Introductory to the Fourth Discourse against the Arians (continued)
  120. Introduction to de Synodis
  121. Part I. History of the Double Council
  122. Part II. History of Arian Creeds
  123. Part III. Appeal to the Semi-Arians
  124. Part I. History of the Councils
  125. Part II. History of Arian Opinions
  126. Part II. History of Arian Opinions (continued)
  127. Part III. On the Symbols Of the Essence' And Coessential.'
  128. Part III. On the Symbols Of the Essence' And Coessential.' (continued)
  129. Introduction to Tomus Ad Antiochenos
  130. Appendix
  131. Introduction to Ad Afros Epistola Synodica
  132. Letter of Ninety Bishops of Egypt and Libya, including Athanasius
  133. Letter of Ninety Bishops of Egypt and Libya, including Athanasius (continued)
  134. I
  135. I (continued)
  136. I (continued)
  137. I (continued)
  138. I (continued)
  139. I (continued)
  140. I (continued)
  141. Letter XLVI. — Letter to the Mareotis from Sardica, a.d. 343-4
  142. Letter XLVII. — To the Church of Alexandria on the same occasion
  143. Letter XLVIII. — Letter to Amun . Written before 354 a.d
  144. Letter XLIX. — Letter to Dracontius . Written a.d. 354 or 355
  145. Letter L. — First Letter to Lucifer
  146. Letter LI. — Second Letter to Lucifer
  147. Letter LII. — First Letter to Monks . (Written 358-360)
  148. Letter LIII. — Second Letter to Monks
  149. Letter LIV. — To Serapion, concerning the death of Arius
  150. Letter LV. — Letter to Rufinianus
  151. Letter LVI. — To the Emperor Jovian
  152. Appendix to Letter LVI
  153. Letter LVII. — First Letter to Orsisius
  154. Letter LVIII. — Second Letter to Orsisius
  155. Letter LIX. — To Epictetus
  156. Letter LX. — To Adelphius , Bishop and Confessor: against the Arians
  157. Letter LXI. — Letter to Maximus. (Written about 371 a.d.)
  158. Letter LXII. — To John and Antiochus
  159. Letter LXIII. — Letter to the Presbyter Palladius
  160. Letter LXIV. — To Diodorus (fragment)
  161. Letter LXIV. — To Diodorus (fragment) (continued)

How to cite it

Chicago
Athanasius of Alexandria. Athanasius: Select Works and Letters — On the Incarnation, Against the Arians, Life of Antony. Translated by Archibald Robertson and others. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 4, 1892. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf204
MLA
Athanasius of Alexandria. Athanasius: Select Works and Letters — On the Incarnation, Against the Arians, Life of Antony. Translated by Archibald Robertson and others, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 4, 1892. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf204
APA
Athanasius of Alexandria (1892). Athanasius: Select Works and Letters — On the Incarnation, Against the Arians, Life of Antony (Archibald Robertson and others, Trans.). Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 4. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf204

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