Therefore let us return to those things which, in the same letter, the favorers of the heretics reprehended in writing, in order to refute it as profane and impious. These are the things which follow: "Cyril has forestalled the ears of all with a drug which blinds the eyes of the wise," and the rest; and again: "Because, in the condemnation of Nestorius which was made by them, they set forth the twelve chapters which were written by Cyril as being contrary to the true faith," and the rest. These two things are contained under one head, just as those two former ones; but by these men they have, as is their custom, been cut apart and diminished, lest in them the integrity of the intention should appear. Now of that head, ill dissipated by them, this is the beginning, as it is contained in that letter:
«On account of this dispute, the victorious and pious emperors commanded the chief bishops to be gathered together in the city of Ephesus, and that the books of Nestorius and of Cyril be judged in the presence of all. But before all the bishops who had been ordered to assemble had arrived at Ephesus, this same Cyril, getting ahead, forestalled the ears of all with the drug that blinds the eyes of the wise. He found, moreover, an occasion in the hatred which he bore against Nestorius, and before the most holy and most reverend archbishop John was present at the synod, they deposed Nestorius from his episcopate, no trial or inquiry having been made. But two days after his condemnation we came to Ephesus;
and when we came to know that, in the condemnation of Nestorius which was carried out by these same men, they had set down the twelve chapters composed by Cyril—which stood contrary to the true faith—and had confirmed them, and had given their assent to them as though they were consonant with the true faith; all the Eastern bishops condemned this same Cyril, and decreed excommunication against the other bishops who had assented to his chapters.»
In these bitter and swelling words the most reverend Ibas seems still to be exhaling, as it were, the undigested rawness of a past offence: namely, that whereas it had been so commanded by the emperors that in the case of Nestorius holy John of Antioch together with the Eastern bishops, and other chief bishops with their own, should sit as judges, Nestorius was condemned while these had not yet arrived at Ephesus. From this arose the cause of the whole schism: from this all the tumult took its origin; from this the Easterns and the other Fathers, being offended, came with adverse mind to believe that the blessed Cyril, conscious of guilt within himself, fled the judgment and inquiry of the said Fathers, so as not to await their coming.
For they thought that, if a trial and inquiry had also been made concerning those of his chapters which he afterward retracted, Nestorius would not be found culpable alone. For this reason, therefore, the venerable Ibas said that Nestorius had been condemned with no trial and inquiry made: as though there had been no examination of the blessed Cyril's words, whose intention they less understood; since the emperors, as he related, had for this very reason ordered the chief bishops to be gathered in the city of Ephesus, that in the presence of all not only the books of Nestorius but also those of Cyril should be judged.
It is not, then, necessary to take what he says, «no trial and inquiry having been made,» as said of Nestorius, as though Nestorius had been condemned without trial and inquiry; since it can be understood to be said because the chapters of blessed Cyril—about which we have already given satisfaction—were not investigated in that trial. But even if we should grant that it was said of Nestorius, «no trial and inquiry having been made,»—even granting this, is it necessary for us to understand that in these words Nestorius had been excused?
For why should we not believe that the most reverend Ibas, not excusing but indignant that the Easterns had not been awaited, said that in that council the matter had been concluded «with no trial and inquiry made,» because it had been judged and examined there without them: as though the judgment were not lawful, nor the inquiry lawful, where those very men were not present who had alike been chosen as inquisitors and judges? But I think—and we ought to believe—that for the Easterns and the Fathers of the other provinces certain unavoidable causes could have arisen, so that they were late in coming; and on the other side, for blessed Cyril and the others who had arrived first, likewise some necessity, such that they could not wait for them any longer.
Here what shall we say, except that which we have already said when we were treating of the curses of Cyril himself which he hurled against holy John: «Woe to the world because of scandals» (Matt. XVIII, 7)? Since indeed not only by the voluntary movements of minds, but also beyond the will and beyond the knowledge of mortals who must be harried, scandals arise.