On the Meaning of Constantinople, c. 3

Constantinople I (381), c.3 - Percival, 178-179; Balsamon, PG137, cols. 321-326, and RP2, 174-176; RP2, 175
And here the holy fathers of the second council directed that the bishop of this city, because it is the New Rome, have the primacy of honor after (ta presbeia tes times meta) the bishop of the older Rome. Now, since they ordained in this manner, some wish to understand the word “meta” only in the sense of “coming after in time” and not as “subjegation in honor”. To support their arguments they use the 28th canon of the Fourth Council which says that the same (isa) prerogatives of the most holy throne of the older Rome are held by the throne of Constantinople, and say that this cannot mean second in rank. But, you (should) read the 130th Novel of Justinian, which is in the Basilics Bk5. tit.3, and the scholia on Title 1, chap. 5 of the present collection, and Canon 36 of the Council in Trullo, all of which say that the throne of Constantinople is second
-Balsamon followed here, sometimes word for word, the arguments of Zonaras, and argued against Aristenus.