The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, For the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All Heresies 30
30 Chapter XXX. The Council of Ephesus PL 50, 680
The Council of Ephesus.
[79.] These then are the men whose writings, whether as judges or as witnesses, were recited in the Council: St. Peter, bishop of Alexandria, a most excellent Doctor and most blessed martyr, Saint Athanasius, bishop of the same city, a most faithful Teacher, and most eminent Confessor, Saint Theophilus, also bishop of the same city, a man illustrious for his faith, his life, his knowledge, whose successor, the revered Cyril, now adorns the Alexandrian Church. And lest perchance the doctrine ratified by the Council should be thought peculiar to one city and province, there were added also those lights of Cappadocia, St. Gregory of Nazianzus, bishop and Confessor, St. Basil of Cæsarea in Cappadocia, bishop and Confessor, and the other St. Gregory, St. Gregory of Nyssa, for his faith, his conversation, his integrity, and his wisdom, most worthy to be the brother of Basil. And lest Greece or the East should seem to stand alone, to prove that the Western and Latin world also have always held the same belief, there were read in the Council certain Epistles of St. Felix, martyr, and St. Julius, both bishops of Rome. And that not only the Head, but the other parts, of the world also might bear witness to the judgment of the council, there was added from the South the most blessed Cyprian, bishop of Carthage and martyr, and from the North St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan.
[80.] These all then, to the sacred number of the decalogue, were produced at Ephesus as doctors, councillors, witnesses, judges. And that blessed council holding their doctrine, following their counsel, believing their witness, submitting to their judgment without haste, without foregone conclusion, without partiality, gave their determination concerning the Rules of Faith. A much greater number of the ancients might have been adduced; but it was needless, because neither was it fit that the time should be occupied by a multitude of witnesses, nor does any one suppose that those ten were really of a different mind from the rest of their colleagues.
Sunt ergo hi viri quorum in illo Concilio vel tanquam judicum vel tanquam testium scripta recitata sunt. Sanctus Petrus Alexandrinus Episcopus doctor praestantissimus et martyr beatissimus. Sanctus Athanasius, ejusdem civitatis antistes, magister fidelissimus et confessor eminentissimus. Sanctus Theophilus, ejusdem item urbis Episcopus, vir fide, vita, scientia satis clarus, cui successit venerandus Cyrillus, qui nunc Alexandrinam illustrat Ecclesiam. Et ne forsitan unius civitatis ac provinciae doctrina haec putaretur, adhibita sunt etiam illa Cappadociae lumina, Sanctus Gregorius Episcopus et confessor de Nazianzo; Sanctus Basilius, Caesareae Cappadociae Episcopus et confessor; Sanctus item alter Gregorius Nyssenus Episcopus, fidei, conversationis, integritatis et sapientiae merito, fratre Basilio dignissimus. Sed ne sola Graecia aut Oriens tantum, verum etiam Occidentalis et Latinus orbis ita semper sensisse adprobaretur, lectae sunt quoque ibi quaedam ad quosdam Epistolae sancti Felicis martyris et sancti Julii, urbis Romae Episcoporum. Et ut non solum caput orbis, verum etiam latera illi judicio testimonium perhiberent, adhibitus est à Meridie beatissimus Cyprianus Episcopus Carthaginensis et martyr; a Septentrione sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis Episcopus. Hi sunt igitur omnes apud Ephesum sacrato Decalogi numero magistri, consiliarii, testes, judicesque producti; quorum beata illa Synodus doctrinam tenens, consilium sequens, credens testimonio, obediens judicio, absque taedio, praesumptione, et gratia de fidei regulis pronuntiavit. Quanquam multo amplior majorum numerus adhiberi potuerit, sed necesse non fuit; quia neque multitudine testium negotii tempora occupari oportebat, et decem illos non aliud vere sensisse quam caeteros omnes collegas suos nemo dubitabat.