Chris Weimer

I was wondering if anyone knows where I can get a copy of Haereticae Fabulae or perhaps a citation of Theodoret's condemnation of Tatian's Diatesseron?

Thanks,

Chris

S.C.Carlson

Haereticae Fabulae has been published in the 19th cen. by Migne. I don't know whether its been re-edited since then. The relevant portion was quoted and translated by Petersen in his indispensible book on the Diatessaron. Here's his translation:

This one [Tatian] also composed the gospel called the Diatessaron by cutting out the genealogies and whatever goes to prove the Lord to have been born of the seed of David according to the flesh. And this work was in use not only among his own party but also among those who follow the Apostolic teachings, who used it somewhat too innocently as a compendium of the GOspels, because they did not recognize the wickness of its composition. I myself found more than two hundred copies in reverential use in the churches of our diocese, and all of them I collected and removed and instead of them I introduced the Gospels of the four Evangelists.

This Theodoret was bishop of Cyrrhus (in Syria near Antioch) from 423 to 457. His policy follows that of bishop Rabbula of Edessa (c. 412-435), who insisted that his churches use the "separated gospels."

Stephen Carlson

Roger Pearse

Theodoret of Cyrrhus (d.457/8), Patrologia Graeca 83, "Haereticarum fabularum compendium ad Sporacium," 1.20 (= pp. 370-71); more familiarly known by the title, "Treatise on Heresies", writes:

He [Tatian] composed the Gospel which is called Diatessaron, cutting out the genealogies and such other passages as show the Lord to have been born of the seed of David after the flesh. This work was in use not only among persons belonging to his sect, but also among those who follow the apostolic doctrine, as they did not perceive the mischief of the composition, but used the book in all simplicity on account of its brevity. And I myself found more than two hundred such copies held in respect in the churches in our parts. All these I collected and put away, and I replaced them by the Gospels of the four Evangelists.

(No English translation of this work exists: the quotation is taken from J. M. Fuller’s article “Tatian� in W. Smith and H. Wace, A Dictionary of Christian Biography (4 vols.; London: John Murray, 1887) 4.795, via McFall.

I wish we could get this heresiology translated somehow.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Chris Weimer

Thank you Stephen and Roger! I didn't realize that this was left unpublished. Someone (...who...me?) ought to take the time to translate this. Maybe we could run it through your automatic translator!