Primary source · Koine Greek
The Apology to Constantius
Athanasius of Alexandria · c. AD 357
What this text is
The exile's formal self-defence to the emperor who hunted him — courteous, forensic, and edged — answering charge by charge, with the emperor's own letters entered in evidence.
Profile of Athanasius of Alexandria →
Public-domain translations
A. Robertson (NPNF, 1892)
Knowing as I do how strong a claim truth has upon the mind, I willingly make my defence before your Piety… I never spoke evil of your Grace before your brother, God is my witness.
Manuscript witnesses
Athanasian corpus manuscripts
10th c. onwardThe measured court apology, its politeness sharpening the Historia Arianorum's rage.
Patrologia Graeca, vol. 25 (Migne)
1857Standard pre-critical text of the corpus.
Provenance
Written on the run, AD 357 — the defence before Constantius
Editions & scholarship
Critical editions and standard translations behind the text above.
- Athanase d'Alexandrie: Apologie à l'empereur Constance (SC 56 bis)Jan M. Szymusiak, 1987Critical edition with French translation.
- Athanasius and ConstantiusTimothy D. Barnes, 1993Historical commentary on the defence.