The Eunomians Split into Several Factions

Nor did the followers of Eunomius remain free of divisions. Eunomius himself had long before this broken with Eudoxius, who had ordained him bishop of Cyzicus, using as his occasion that bishop’s refusal to restore his master Aetius to communion after Aetius had been expelled. But those who took their name from Eunomius were later split into several factions. First, Theophronius, a Cappadocian, who had been trained in the art of disputation by Eunomius and had picked up a smattering of Aristotle’s Categories and his book On Interpretation, wrote some treatises which he called On the Exercise of the Mind. Having brought down on himself the condemnation of his own sect, he was expelled as an apostate. Afterward he held assemblies apart from them and left behind him a heresy that bore his own name. Then at Constantinople a certain Eutychius, over some absurd dispute, withdrew from the Eunomians, and he still holds separate meetings. The followers of Theophronius are called “Eunomiotheophronians,” and those of Eutychius go by the name “Eunomieutychians.” What the nonsensical terms were about which they differed I consider unworthy of being recorded in this history, so as not to stray into matters foreign to my purpose. I will only note that they corrupted baptism: for they do not baptize in the name of the Trinity, but into the death of Christ. [a]

Among the Macedonians, too, there was a division for a time, when Eutropius, a presbyter, held separate assemblies and Carterius did not agree with him. There may be sects in other cities that have branched off from these. But since I live at Constantinople, where I was born and educated, I describe more fully what has taken place in that city, both because I have myself witnessed some of these events, and because what has happened there is of the first importance and so more worth recording. Let it be understood, however, that the things I have related here happened at different times, and not all at once. If anyone wants to know the names of the various sects, he can easily satisfy himself by reading a book called the Ancoratus, written by Epiphanius, bishop of Cyprus. I will content myself with what I have already said. Public affairs were again thrown into turmoil, for a reason I will now relate.