Tomos, and their faces expressed their perplexity. The
civil judges observing their confusion asked: “Are they
are thought-provoking terms in this Tomos?” The
Bishops assumed that there were none, but asked for an
adjournment of five days that they may inquire into the
exact meaning of some Latin terms.^52 Their request was
immediately granted.^53
- Three days later (instead of the five requested) the
bishops resumed the official Council meetings without
informing the civil judges. - Upon assembling, they sent deputies to the abode
of Abba Dioscorus to inform him of their meeting and to
request him to come to the Council. Dioscorus was
virtually under house arrest, for Pulcheria had appointed
guards around his house, with orders that they bar his way
and that of his bishops. When the delegates of the council
came to him, he remarked to them that only three days
had elapsed since the adjournment, and asked if the
imperial commissioners had been notified. To the first
remark, he received no answer; to the second he was told
that in church matters the attendance of the laity was
irrelevant. He then asked them if they had spoken to his
guards that they may allow him to go out. They replied:
“We were not sent to speak to your guards, but ti invite
you, personally, to come to the council”.
This so-called invitation was enacted twice again,
so as to give the semblance of a triple summons^54 in
accordance with church regulations.
After the second summons, the assembled bishops
admitted some men who had presumably come to accuse
Abba Dioscorus. Their accusations centred around
material subjects, which had no relation whatsoever to the