Epiphanius, the Empress and the Long Brothers

About this time the empress’s son fell dangerously ill. His mother, fearing the worst, sent to beg Epiphanius to pray for him. Epiphanius sent back the answer that the sick child would live, provided that she would have nothing to do with the heretic Dioscorus and his companions. To this message the empress replied as follows: “If it is the will of God to take my son, his will be done. The Lord who gave me my child can take him back again. You do not have the power to raise the dead, or your archdeacon would not have died.” She was referring to Chrispion the archdeacon, who had died a short time before. He was the brother of Fuscon and Salamanus, monks I had occasion to mention when I told the history of events under the reign of Valens. He had been a companion of Epiphanius and had been appointed his archdeacon. [a]

With the empress’s permission, Ammonius and his companions went to Epiphanius. Epiphanius asked who they were, and Ammonius replied: “Father, we are the Long Brothers. We have come to ask you respectfully whether you have read any of our works, or those of our disciples.” When Epiphanius replied that he had not seen them, Ammonius went on: “Then how is it that you consider us heretics, when you have no proof of what views we may hold?” Epiphanius said that he had formed his judgment from the reports he had heard on the subject, and Ammonius replied: “We have followed a very different course from yours. We have talked with your disciples and read your works often, among them the one called The Anchored. When we have met people who ridiculed your opinions and claimed that your writings are full of heresy, we have argued for you and defended you as our father. Should you, then, condemn people who are absent, on mere report, when you know nothing about them for certain? Or should you make such a return to those who have spoken well of you?”

Epiphanius was convinced in some measure, and dismissed them. Soon afterward he set sail for Cyprus, either because he recognized that his journey to Constantinople had been useless, or because, as there is reason to believe, God had revealed to him that his death was near; for he died on the voyage back to Cyprus. It is reported that he said to the bishops who had gone with him to the place where he boarded ship: “I leave you the city, the palace and the stage, for I will soon depart.” Several people have told me that John predicted that Epiphanius would die at sea, and that Epiphanius predicted John’s deposition. For it appears that when the dispute between them was at its height, Epiphanius said to John, “I hope you will not die a bishop”; and John replied, “I hope you will never return to your bishopric.”