(NOTE: The electronic text obtained from The Electronic Bible Society was
not completely corrected. EWTN has corrected all discovered errors.)
EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA
CHURCH HISTORY, BOOKS IV-VI
[Translated by Rev. Arthur Cushman McGiffert, Ph.D. Professor of Church
History in Lane Theological Seminary, Cincinnati.]
BOOK IV
CHAPTER I: The Bishops of Rome and of Alexandria during the Reign of
Trajan.(1)
1. About the twelfth year of the reign of Trajan the above-mentioned
bishop of the parish of Alexandria(2) died, and Primus,(3) the fourth in
succession from the apostles, was chosen to the office. 2. At that time
also Alexandre,(4) the fifth in the line of succession from Peter and Pail,
received the episcopate at Rome, after Evarestus had held the office eight
years.(5)
CHAPTER II: The Calamities of the Jews during Trajan's Reign.
1. The teaching and the Church of our Saviour flourished greatly and
made progress from day to day; but the calamities of the Jews increased,
and they underwent a constant succession of evils. In the eighteenth year
of Trajan's reign(1) there was another disturbance of the Jews, through
which a great multitude of them preished.(2) 2. For in Alexandria and the
rest of Egypt, and also in Cyrene,(3) as if incited by some terrible and
factious spirit they rushed into seditious measures against their fellow
inhabitants, the Greeks. The insurrection increased greatly, and in the
following year, while Lupus was governor of all Egypt,(4) it developed into
a war of no mean magnitude. 3. In the first attack it happened that they
were victorious over the Greeks, who fled to Alexandria and imprisoned and
slew the Jews that were in the city. But the Jews of Cyrene, although
deprived of their aid, continued to plunder the land of Egypt and to
devastate its districts,(5) under the leadership of Lucuas.(6) against them
the emperor sent Marcius Turbo(7) witha foot and naval force and also with
a force of cavalry. 4. He carried on the war against them for a long time
and fought many battles, and slew many thousands of Jews, not only those of
Cyrene, but also those who welt in Egypt and had come to the assistance of
their king Lucuas. 5. But the emperor, fearing that the Jews in Mesopotamia
would also make an attack upon the inhabitants of that country, commanded
Lucius Quintus(8) to clear the province of them. And he having marched
against them slew a great multitude of those that dwelt there; and in
consequence of his success he was made governor of Judea by the emperor.
These events are recorded also is these very words by the Greek historians
that have written accounts of those times.(9)
CHAPTER III: The Apologists that wrote in Defense of the Faith during the
Reign of Adrian.
1. After Trajan had reigned for nineteen and a half years(1) Aelius
Adrian became his successor in the empire. To him Quadratus addressed a
discourse containing an apology for our religion,(2) because certain wicked
men(3) had attempted to trouble the Christians. the work is still in the
hands of a great many of the brethren, as also in our own, and furnishes
clear proofs of the man's understanding and of his apostolic orthodoxy.(4)
2. He himself reveals the early date at which he lived in the following
words: "But the works of our Savious were always present,(5) for they were
genuine: -- those that were healed, and those that were raised from the
dead, who were seen not only when they were healed and when they were
raised, but were also always present; and not merely while the Savior was
on earth, but also after his death, they were alive for quite a while, so
that some of them lived even to our day."(6) Such then was Quadratus.
3. Aristides also, a believer earnestly devoted to our religion, left,
like Quadratus, an apology for the faith addressed to Adrian.(7) His work,
too, has been preserved even to the present day by a great many persons.
CHAPTER IV: The Bishops of Rome and of Alexandria under the Same
Emperor.(1)
In the third year of the same reign, Alexander,(2) bishop of Rome,
died, after holding office ten years. His successor was Xystus.(3) About
the same time Primus, bishop of Alexandria, died in the twelfth year of his
episcopate,(4) and was succeeded by Justus.(5)
CHAPTER V: The Bishops of Jerusalem from the Age of our Saviour to the
Period under Consideration.
1. The chronology of the bishops of Jerusalem I have nowhere found
preserved in writing;(1) for tradition says that they were all short lived.
2. But I have learned this much from writings,(2) that until the siege of
the Jews, which took place under Adrian,(3) there were fifteen bishops in
succession there,(4) all of whom are said to be of Hebrew descent, and to
have received the knowledge of Christ in purity, so that they were approved
by those who were able to judge of such matters, and were deemed worthy of
the episcopate. For their whole church insisted then of believing Hebrews
who continued from the days of the apostles until the siege which took
place at this time; in which siege the Jews, having again rebelled against
the Romans, were conquered after severe battles. 3. But since the bishops o
the circumcision ceased at this time, it is proper to give here a list of
their names from the beginning. The first, then was James, the so-called
brother of the Lord;(5) the second, Symeon;(6) the third, Justus; (7) the
fourth, Zacchaeus;(8) the fifth, Tobias; the sixth, Benjamin; the seventhm
John; the eighth, Matthias; the ninth, Philip; the tenth, Seneca;(9) the
eleventh, Justsus; the twelfth, Levi; the thirteenth, Ephres;(10) the
fourteenth, Joseph;(11) and finally, the fifteenth, Judas. 4. These are the
bishops of Jerusalem that lived between the age of the apostles and the
time referred to, all of them belonging to the circumcision.
5. In the twelfth year of the reign of Adrian, Xystus, having completed
the tenth year of his episcopate, [12] was succeeded by Telesphorus, [13]
the seventh in succession from the apostles. In the meantime, after the
lapse of a year and some months, Eumenes, [14] the sixth in order,
succeeded to the leadership of the Alexandrian church, his predecessor
having held office eleven years. [15]
CHAPTER VI: The Last Siege of the Jews under Adrian.
1. As the rebellion of the Jews at this time grew much more serious,
[1] Rufus, governor of Judea, after an auxiliary force had been sent him by
the emperor, using their madness as a pretext, proceeded against them
without mercy, and destroyed indiscriminately thousands of men and women
and children, and in accordance with the laws of war reduced their country
to a state of complete subjection. 2. The leader of the Jews at this time
was a man by the name of Barcocheba [2] (which signifies a star), who
possessed the character of a robber and a murderer, but nevertheless,
relying upon his name, boasted to them, as if they were slaves, that he
possessed wonderful powers; and he pretended that he was a star that had
come down to them out of heaven to bring them light in the midst of their
misfortunes. 3. The war raged most fiercely in the eighteenth year of
Adrian, [3] at the city of Bithara, [4] which was a very secure fortress,
situated not far from Jerusalem. When the siege had lasted a long time, and
the rebels had been driven to the last extremity by hunger and thirst, and
the instigator of the rebellion had suffered his just punishment, the whole
nation was prohibited from this time on by a decree, and by the commands of
Adrian, from ever going up to the country about Jerusalem. For the emperor
gave orders that they should not even see from a distance the land of their
fathers. Such is the account of Aristo of Pella. [5] 4. And thus, when the
city had been emptied of the Jewish nation and had suffered the total
destruction of its ancient inhabitants, it was colonized by a different
race, and the Roman city which subsequently arose changed its name and was
called Aelia, in honor of the emperor Aelius Adrian. And as the church
there was now composed of Gentiles, the first one to assume the government
of it after the bishops of the circumcision was Marcus. [6]
CHAPTER VII: The Persons that became at that Time Leaders of Knowledge
falsely so-called. [1]
1. As the churches throughout the world were now shining like the most
brilliant stars, and faith in our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ was
flourishing among the whole human race, [2] the demon who hates everything
that is good, and is always hostile to the truth, and most bitterly opposed
to the salvation of man, turned all his arts against the Church. [3] In the
beginning he armed himself against it with external persecutions. 2. But
now, being shut off from the use of such means, [4] he devised all sorts of
plans, and employed other methods in his conflict with the Church, using
base and deceitful men as instruments for the ruin of souls and as
ministers of destruction. Instigated by him, impostors and deceivers,
assuming the name of our religion, brought to the depth of ruin such of the
believers as they could win over and at the same time, by means of the
deeds which they practiced, turned away from the path which leads to the
word of salvation those who were ignorant of the faith. 3. Accordingly
there proceeded from that Menander, whom we have already mentioned as the
successor of Simon, [5] a certain serpent-like power, double-tongued and
two-headed, which produced the leaders of two different heresies,
Saturninus, an Antiochian by birth, [6] and Basilides, an Alexandrian. [7]
The former of these established schools of godless heresy in Syria, the
latter in Alexandria. 4. Irenaeus states [8] that the false teaching of
Saturninus agreed in most respects with that of Menander, but that
Basilides, under the pretext of unspeakable mysteries, invented monstrous
fables, and carried the fictions of his impious heresy quite beyond bounds.
5. But as there were at that time a great many members of the Church [9]
who were fighting for the truth and defending apostolic and ecclesiastical
doctrine with uncommon eloquence, so there were some also that furnished
posterity through their writings with means of defense against the heresies
to which we have referred. [10] 6. Of these there has come down to us a
most powerful refutation of Basilides by Agrippa Castor, [11] one of the
most renowned writers of that day, which shows the terrible imposture of
the man. 7. While exposing his mysteries he says that Basilides wrote
twenty-four books upon the Gospel, [12] and that he invented prophets for
himself named Barcabbas and Barcoph, [13] and others that had no existence,
and that he gave them barbarous names in order to amaze those who marvel at
such things; that he taught also that the eating of meat offered to idols
and the unguarded renunciation of the faith in times of persecution were
matters of indifference; [14] and that he enjoined upon his followers, like
Pythagoras, a silence of five years. [15] 8. Other similar things the
above-mentioned writer has recorded concerning Basilides, and has ably
exposed the error of his heresy. 9. Irenaeus also writes [16] that
Carpocrates was a contemporary of these men, and that he was the father of
another heresy, called the heresy of the Gnostics, [17] who did not wish to
transmit any longer the magic arts of Simon, as that one [18] had done, in
secret, but openly. [19] For they boasted -- as of something great -- of
love potions that were carefully prepared by them, and of certain demons
that sent them dreams and lent them their protection, and of other similar
agencies; and in accordance with these things they taught that it was
necessary for those who wished to enter fully into their mysteries, or
rather into their abominations, to practice all the worst kinds of
wickedness, on the ground that they could escape the cosmic powers, as they
called them, in no other way than by discharging their obligations to them
all by infamous-conduct. 10. Thus it came to pass that the malignant demon,
making use of these ministers, on the one hand enslaved those that were so
pitiably led astray by them to their own destruction, while on the other
hand he furnished to the unbelieving heathen abundant opportunities for
slandering the divine word, inasmuch as the reputation of these men brought
infamy upon the whole race of Christians. 11. In this way, therefore, it
came to pass that there was spread abroad in regard to us among the
unbelievers of that age, the infamous and most absurd suspicion that we
practiced unlawful commerce with mothers and sisters, and enjoyed impious
feasts. [20] 12. He did not, however, long succeed in these artifices, as
the truth established itself and in time shone with great brilliancy. 13.
For the machinations of its enemies were refuted by its power and speedily
vanished. One new heresy arose after another, and the former ones always
passed away, and now at one time, now at another, now in one way, now in
other ways, were lost in ideas of various kinds and various forms. But the
splendor of the catholic and only true Church, which is always the same,
grew in magnitude and power, and reflected its piety and simplicity and
freedom, and the modesty and purity of its inspired life and philosophy to
every nation both of Greeks and of Barbarians. 14. At the same time the
slanderous accusations which had been brought against the whole Church[21]
also vanished, and there remained our teaching alone, which has prevailed
over all, and which is acknowledged to be superior to all in dignity and
temperance, and in divine and philosophical doctrines. So that none of them
now ventures to affix a base calumny upon our faith, or any such slander as
our ancient enemies formerly delighted to utter. 15. Nevertheless, in those
times the truth again called forth many champions who fought in its defense
against the godless heresies, refuting them not only with oral, but also
with written arguments. [22]
CHAPTER VIII: Ecclesiastical Writers.
1. Among these Hegesippus was well-known. [1] We have already quoted
his words a number of times, [2] relating events which happened in the time
of the apostles according to his account. 2. He records in five2 books the
true tradition of apostolic doctrine in a most simple style, and he
indicates the time in which he flourished when he writes as follows
concerning those that first set up idols: "To whom they erected cenotaphs
and temples, as is done to the present day. Among whom is also Antinous,
[3] a slave of the Emperor Adrian, in whose honor are celebrated also the
Antinoian games, which were instituted in our day. For he [i.e. Adrian]
also founded a city named after Antinous, [4] and appointed prophets."
3. At the same time also Justin, a genuine lover of the true
philosophy, was still continuing to busy himself with Greek literature. [5]
He indicates (his time in the Apology which he addressed to Antonine, where
he writes as follows: [6] "We do not think it out of place to mention here
Antinous also, who lived in our day, and whom all were driven by fear to
worship as a god, although they knew who he was and whence he came." 4. The
same writer, speaking of the Jewish war which took place at that time, adds
the following: [7] "For in the late Jewish war Barcocheba, the leader of
the Jewish rebellion, commanded that Christians alone [8] should be visited
with terrible punishments unless they would deny and blaspheme Jesus
Christ." 5. And in the same work he shows that his conversion from Greek
philosophy to Christianity [9] was not without reason, but that it was the
result of deliberation on his part. His words are as follows: [10] "For I
myself, while I was delighted with the doctrines of Plato, and heard the
Christians slandered, and saw that they were afraid neither of death nor of
anything else ordinarily looked upon as terrible, concluded that it was
impossible that they could be living in wickedness and pleasure. For what
pleasure-loving or intemperate man, or what man that counts it good to
feast on human flesh, could welcome death that he might be deprived of his
enjoyments, and would not rather strive to continue permanently his present
life, and to escape the notice of the rulers, instead of giving himself up
to be put to death?" 6. The same writer, moreover, relates that Adrian
having received from Serennius Granianus, [11] a most distinguished
governor, a letter [12] in behalf of the Christians, in which he stated
that it was not just to slay the Christians without a regular accusation
and trial, merely for the sake of gratifying the outcries of the populace,
sent a rescript [13] to Minucius Fundanus, [14] proconsul of Asia,
commanding him to condemn no one without an indictment and a well-grounded
accusation. 7. And he gives a copy of the epistle, preserving the original
Latin in which it was written, [15] and prefacing it with the following
words: [18] "Although from the epistle of the greatest and most illustrious
Emperor Adrian, your father, we have good ground to demand that you order
judgment to be given as we have desired, yet we have asked this not because
it was ordered by Adrian, but rather because we know that what we ask is
just. And we have subjoined the copy of Adrian's epistle that you may know
that we are speaking the truth in this matter also. And this is the copy."
8. After these words the author referred to gives the rescript in Latin,
which we have translated into Greek as accurately as we could. [17] It
reads as follows:
CHAPTER IX: The Epistle of Adrian, decreeing that we should not be punished
without a Trial.
1. "To Minucius Fundanus. I have received an epistle, [1] written to me
by Serennius Granianus, a most illustrious man, whom you have succeeded. It
does not seem right to me that the matter should be passed by without
examination, lest the men [2] be harassed and opportunity be given to the
informers for practicing villainy. 2. If, therefore, the inhabitants of the
province can clearly sustain this petition against the Christians so as to
give answer in a court of law, let them pursue this course alone, but let
them not have resort to men's petitions and outcries. For it is far more
proper, if any one wishes to make an accusation, that you should examine
into it. 3. If any one therefore accuses them and shows that they are doing
anything contrary to the laws, do you pass judgment according to the
heinousness of the crime. [3] But, by Hercules! if any one bring an
accusation through mere calumny, decide in regard to his criminality, [4]
and see to it that you inflict punishment." [5] Such are the contents of
Adrian's rescript.
CHAPTER X: The Bishops of Rome and of Alexandria during the Reign of
Antoninus.
Adrian having died after a reign of twenty-one years, [1] was succeeded
in the government of the Romans by Antoninus, called the Pious. In the
first year of his reign Telesphorus [2] died in the eleventh year of his
episcopate, and Hyginus became bishop of Rome. [3] Irenaeus records that
Telesphorus' death was made glorious by martyrdom, [4] and in the same
connection he states that in the time of the above- mentioned Roman bishop
Hyginus, Valentinus, the founder of a sect of his own, and Cerdon, the
author of Marcion's error, were both well known at Rome. [5] He writes as
follows: [6]
CHAPTER XI: The Heresiarchs of that Age.
1. "For Valentinus came to Rome under Hyginus, flourished under Pius,
and remained until Anicetus. [1] Cerdon [2] also, Marcion's [3]
predecessor, entered the Church in the time of Hyginus, the ninth [4]
bishop, and made confession, and continued in this way, now teaching in
secret, now making confession again, and now denounced for corrupt doctrine
and withdrawing[5] from the assembly of the brethren." These words are
found in the third book of the work Against Heresies. 2. And again in the
first book he speaks as follows concerning Cerdon: [6] " A certain Cerdon,
who had taken his system from the followers of Simon, and had come to Rome
under Hyginus, the ninth in the episcopal succession from the apostles,[7]
taught that the God proclaimed by the law and prophets was not the father
of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the former was known, but the latter unknown;
and the former was just, but the latter good.[8] Marcion of Pontus
succeeded Cerdon and developed his doctrine, uttering shameless
blasphemies." 3. The same Irenaeus unfolds with the greatest vigor the
unfathomable abyss of Valentinus' errors in regard to matter, and reveals
his wickedness, secret and hidden like a serpent lurking in its nest. 4.
And in addition to these men he says that there was also another that lived
in that age, Marcus by name,[9] who was remarkably skilled in magic arts.
And he describes also their unholy initiations and their abominable
mysteries in the following words: [10] 5. "For some of them prepare a
nuptial couch and perform a mystic rite with certain forms of expression
addressed to those who are being initiated, and they say that it is a
spiritual marriage which is celebrated by them, after the likeness of the
marriages above. But others lead them to water, and while they baptize them
they repeat the following words: Into the name of the unknown father of the
universe, into truth, the mother of all things, into the one that descended
upon Jesus.[11] Others repeat Hebrew names[12] in order the better to
confound those who are being initiated."
6. But Hyginus[13] having died at the close of the fourth Year of his
episcopate, Pius[14] succeeded him in the government of the church of Rome.
In Alexandria Marcus [15] was appointed pastor, after Eumenes[16] had
filled the office thirteen years in all. And Marcus having died after
holding office ten years was succeeded by Celadion[17] in the government of
the church of Alexandria. 7. And in Rome Pius died in the fifteenth year of
his episcopate, and Anicetus[18] assumed the leadership of the Christians
there. Hegesippus records that he himself was in Rome at this time, and
that he remained there until the episcopate of Eleutherus.[19]
8. But Justin [20] was especially prominent in those days. In the guise
of a philosopher[21] he preached the divine word, and contended for the
faith in his writings. He wrote also a work against Marcion,[22] in which
he states that the latter was alive at the time he wrote. 9. He speaks as
follows :[23] "And there is a certain Marcion[24] of Pontus,[25] who is
even now still teaching his followers to think that there is some other God
greater than the creator. And by the aid of the demons[26] he has persuaded
many of every race of men [27] to utter blasphemy, and to deny that the
maker of this universe is the father of Christ, and to confess that some
other, greater than he, was the creator.[28] And all who followed them are,
as we have said,[29] called Christians, just as the name of philosophy is
given to philosophers, although they may have no doctrines in common." 10.
To this he adds: [30] " And we have also written a work against all the
heresies that have existed,[31] which we will give you if you wish to read
it."
11. But this same Justin contended most successfully against the
Greeks, and addressed discourses containing an apology for our faith to the
Emperor Antoninus, called Pius, and to the Roman senate.[32] For he lived
at Rome. But who and whence he was he shows in his Apology in the following
words.35
CHAPTER XII: The Apology of Justin addressed to Antoninus.
"To the Emperor Titus AEIius Adrian Antoninus Pius Caesar Augustus,[1]
and to Verissimus his son,[2] the philosopher, and to Lucius the
philosopher,[3] own son of Caesar and adopted son of Pius, a lover of
learning, and to the sacred senate and to the whole Roman people, I,
Justin, son of Priscus and grandson of Bacchius,[4] of Flavia Neapolis in
Palestine, Syria, present this address and petition in behalf of those men
of every nation who are unjustly hated and persecuted, I myself being one
of them." And the same emperor having learned also from other brethren in
Asia of the injuries of all kinds which they were suffering from the
inhabitants of the province, thought it proper to address the following
ordinance to the Common Assembly s of Asia.
CHAPTER XIII: The Epistle of Antoninus to the Common Assembly of Asia in
Regard to our Doctrine.[1]
1. "THE Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus,[2]
Armenicus, Pontifex Maximus, for the fifteenth time Tribune, for the third
time Consul, to the Common Assembly of Asia, Greeting. 2. I know that the
gods also take care that such persons do not escape detection. For they
would much rather punish those who will not worship them than you would. 3.
But you throw them into confusion, and while you accuse them of atheism you
only confirm them in the opinion which they hold. It would indeed be more
desirable for them, when accused, to appear to die for their God, than to
live. Wherefore also they come off victorious when they give up their lives
rather than yield obedience to your commends. 4. And in regard to the
earthquakes which have been and are still taking place,[3] it is not
improper to admonish you who lose heart whenever they occur, and
nevertheless ate accustomed to compare your conduct with theirs.[4] 5. They
indeed become the more confident in God, while you, during the whole time,
neglect, in apparent ignorance, the other gods and the worship of the
Immortal, and oppress and persecute even unto death the Christians who
worship him.[5] 6. But in regard to these persons, many of the governors of
the provinces wrote also to our most divine father, to whom he wrote in
reply that they should not trouble these people unless it should appear
that they were attempting something affecting the Roman government.[6] And
to me also many have sent communications concerning these men, but I have
replied to them in the same way that my father did. 7. But if any one still
persists in bringing accusations against any of these people as such, the
person who is accused shall be acquitted of the charge, even if it appear
that he is one of them, but the accuser shall be punished.[7] Published in
Ephesus in the Common Assembly of Asia." 8. To these things Melito,[8]
bishop of the church of Sardis, and a man well known at that time, is a
witness,[9] as is clear from his words in the Apology which he addressed to
the Emperor Verus in behalf of our doctrine.
CHAPTER XIV: The Circumstances related of Polycarp, a Friend of the
Apostles.
1. AT this time, while Anicetus was at the head of the church of
Rome,[1] Irenaeus relates that Polycarp, who was still alive, was at
Rome,[2] and that he had a conference with Anicetus on a question
concerning the day of the paschal feast.[3] 2. And the same writer gives
another account of Polycarp which I feel constrained to add to that which
has been already related in regard to him. The account is taken from the
third book of Irenaeus' work Against Heresies, and is as follows: 3. "But
Polycarp 5 also was not only instructed by apostles, and acquainted with
many that had seen Christ, but was also appointed by apostles in Asia
bishop of the church of Smyrna.[6] 4. We too saw him in our early youth;
for he lived a long time, and died, when a very old man, a glorious and
most illustrious martyr's death,[7] having always taught the things which
he had learned from the apostles, which the Church also hands down, and
which alone are true.[8] 5. To these things all the Asiatic churches
testify, as do also those who, down to the present time, have succeeded
Polycarp,[9] who was a much more trustworthy and certain witness of the
truth than Valentinus and Marcion and the rest of the heretics.[10] He also
was in Rome in the time of Anicetus [11] and caused many to turn away from
the above-mentioned heretics to the Church of God, proclaiming that he had
received from the apostles this one and only system of truth which has been
transmitted by the Church. 6. And there are those that heard from him that
John, the disciple of the Lord, going to bathe in Ephesus and seeing
Cerinthus within, ran out of the bathhouse without bathing, crying, 'Let us
flee, lest even the bath fall, because Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth,
is within.'[12] 7. And Polycarp himself, when Marcion once met him[13] and
said, 'Knowest[14] thou us?' replied, 'I know the first born of Satan.'
Such caution did the apostles and their disciples exercise that they might
not even converse with any of those who perverted the truth; as Paul also
said, 'A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition,
reject; knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being
condemned of himself.'[15] 8. There is also a very powerful epistle of
Polycarp written to the Philippians,[16] from which those that wish to do
so, and that are concerned for their own salvation, may learn the character
of his faith and the preaching of the truth." 9. Such is the account of
Irenaeus. But Polycarp, in his above-mentioned epistle to the Philippians,
which is still extant, has made use of certain testimonies drawn from the
First Epistle of Peter.[17]
10. And when Antoninus, called Pius, had completed the twenty-second
year of his reign,[18] Marcus Aurelius Verus, his son, who was also called
Antoninus, succeeded him, together with his brother Lucius.[19]
CHAPTER XV: Under Verus,[1] Polycarp with Others suffered Martyrdom at
Smyrna.
1. At this time,[2] when the greatest persecutions were exciting Asia,
Polycarp ended his life by martyrdom. But I consider it most important that
his death, a written account of which is still extant, should be recorded
in this history. 2. There is a letter, written in the name of the church
over which he himself presided,[3] to the parishes in Pontus,[4] which
relates the events that befell him, in the following words: " 3. The church
of God which dwelleth at Smyma to the church of God which dwelleth in
Philomelium,[5] and to all the parishes of the holy catholic Church[6] in
every place; mercy and peace and love from God the Father and our Lord
Jesus Christ be multiplied. We write[7] unto you, brethren, an account of
what happened to those that suffered martyrdom and to the blessed Polycarp,
who put an end to the persecution, having, as it were, sealed it by his
martyrdom." 4. After these words, before giving the account of Polycarp,
they record the events which befell the rest of the martyrs, and describe
the great firmness which they exhibited in the midst of their pains. For
they say that the bystanders were struck with amazement when they saw them
lacerated with scourges even to the innermost veins and arteries, so that
the hidden inward parts of the body, both their bowels and their members,
were exposed to view; and then laid upon sea-shells and certain pointed
spits, and subjected to every species of punishment and of torture, and
finally thrown as food to wild beasts. 5. And they record that the most
noble Germanicus [8] especially distinguished himself, overcoming by the
grace of God the fear of bodily death implanted by nature. When indeed the
proconsul [9] wished to persuade him, and urged his youth, and besought
him, as he was very young and vigorous, to take compassion on himself, he
did not hesitate, but eagerly lured the beast toward himself, all but
compelling and irritating him, in order that he might the sooner be freed
from their unrighteous and lawless life. 6. After his glorious death the
whole multitude marveling at the bravery of the God- beloved martyr and at
the fortitude of the whole race of Christians, began to cry out suddenly,
"Away with the atheists; [10] let Polycarp be sought." 7. And when a very
great tumult arose in consequence of the cries, a certain Phrygian, Quintus
[11] by name, who was newly come from Phrygia, seeing the beasts and the
additional tortures, was smitten with cowardice and gave up the attainment
of salvation. 8. But the above- mentioned epistle shows that he, too
hastily and without proper discretion, had rushed forward with others to
the tribunal, but when seized had furnished a clear proof to all, that it
is not right for such persons rashly and recklessly to expose themselves to
danger. Thus did matters turn out in connection with them.
9. But the most admirable Polycarp, when he first heard of these
things, continued: undisturbed, preserved a quiet and unshaken mind, and
determined to remain in the city. But being persuaded by his friends who
en-treated and exhorted him to retire secretly, he went out to a farm not
far distant from the city and abode there with a few companions, night and
day doing nothing but wrestle with the Lord in prayer, beseeching and
imploring, and asking peace for the churches throughout the whole world.
For this was always his custom. 10. And three days before his arrest, while
he was praying, he saw in a vision at night the pillow under his head
suddenly seized by fire and consumed; and upon this awakening he
immediately interpreted the vision to those that were present, almost
foretelling that which was about to happen, and declaring plainly to those
that were with him that it would be necessary for him for Christ's sake to
die by fire.
11. Then, as those who were seeking him pushed the search with vigor,
they say that he was again constrained by the solicitude and love of the
brethren to go to another farm. Thither his pursuers came after no long
time, and seized two of the servants there, and tortured one of them for
the purpose of learning from him Polycarp's hiding-place. 12. And coming
late in the evening, they found him lying in an upper room, whence he might
have gone to another house, but he would not, saying, "The will of God be
done." 13. And when he learned that they were present, as the account says,
he went down and spoke to them with a very cheerful and gentle countenance,
so that those who did not already know the man thought that they beheld a
miracle when they observed his advanced age and the gravity and firmness of
his bearing, and they marveled that so much effort should be made to
capture a man like him.
14. But he did not hesitate, but immediately gave orders that a table
should be spread for them. Then he invited them to partake of a bounteous
meal, and asked of them one hour that he might pray undisturbed. And when
they had given permission, he stood up and prayed, being full of the grace
of the Lord, so that those who were present and heard him praying were
amazed, and many of them now repented that such a venerable and godly old
man was about to be put to death. 15. In addition to these things the
narrative concerning him contains the following account: "But when at
length he had brought his prayer to an end, after remembering all that had
ever come into contact with him, small and great, famous and obscure, and
the whole catholic Church throughout the world, the hour of departure being
come, they put him upon an ass and brought him to the city, it being a
great Sabbath. [12] And he was met by Herod, [13] the captain of police,
[14] and by his father Nicetes, who took him into their carriage, and
sitting beside him endeavored to persuade him, saying, ' For what harm is
there in saying, Lord Caesar, and sacrificing and saving your life?' 16. He
at first did not answer; but when they persisted, he said, ' I am not going
to do what you advise me.' And when they failed to persuade him, they
uttered dreadful words, and thrust him down with violence, so that as he
descended from the carriage he lacerated his shin. But without turning
round, he went on his way promptly and rapidly, as if nothing had happened
to him, and was taken to the stadium. 17. But there was such a tumult in
the stadium that not many heard a voice from heaven, which came to Polycarp
as he was entering the place: ' Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man.'
[15] And no one saw the speaker, but many of our people heard the voice.
18. And when he was led forward, there was a great tumult, as they heard
that Polycarp was taken. Finally, when he came up, the proconsul asked if
he were Polycarp. And when he confessed that he was, he endeavored to
persuade him to deny, saying, ' Have regard for thine age,' and other like
things, which it is their custom to say: 19. ' Swear by the genius of
Caesar; [16] repent and say, Away with the Atheists.' But Polycarp, looking
with dignified countenance upon the whole crowd that was gathered in the
stadium, waved his hand to them, and groaned, and raising his eyes toward
heaven, said, ' Away with the Atheists.' 20. But when the magistrate
pressed him, and said, Swear, and I will release thee; revile Christ,'
Polycarp said,' Fourscore and six years [17] have I been serving him, and
he hath done me no wrong; how then can I blaspheme my king who saved me?
21. "But when he again persisted, and said, 'Swear by the genius of
Caesar,' Polycarp replied, ' If thou vainly supposest that I will swear by
the genius of Caesar, as thou sayest, feigning to be ignorant who I am,
hear plainly: I am a Christian. But if thou desirest to learn the doctrine
of Christianity, assign a day and hear.' 22. The proconsul said, ' Persuade
the people.' But Polycarp said, 'As for thee, I thought thee worthy of an
explanation; for we have been taught to render to princes and authorities
ordained by God the honor that is due, [18] so long as it does not injure
us; [19] but as for these, I do not esteem them the proper persons to whom
to make my defense.' [20] 23. But the proconsul said, ' I have wild beasts;
I will throw thee to them unless thou repent.' But he said, ' Call them;
for repentance from better to worse is a change we cannot make. But it is a
noble thing to turn from wickedness to righteousness.' 24. But he again
said to him, ' If thou despisest the wild beasts, I will cause thee to be
consumed by fire, unless thou repent.' But Polycarp said, ' Thou
threatenest a fire which burneth for an hour, and after a little is
quenched; for thou knowest not the fire of the future judgment and of the
eternal punishment which is reserved for the impious. But why dost thou
delay? Do what thou wilt.' 25. Saying these and other words besides, he was
filled with courage and joy, and his face was suffused with grace, so that
not only was he not terrified and dismayed by the words that were spoken to
him, but, on the contrary, the proconsul was amazed, and sent his herald to
proclaim three times in the midst of the stadium: ' Polycarp hath confessed
that he is a Christian.' 26. And when this was proclaimed by the herald,
the whole multitude, both of Gentiles and of Jews, [21] who dwelt in
Smyrna, cried out with ungovernable wrath and with a great shout, 'This is
the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the over-thrower of our
gods, who teacheth many not to sacrifice nor to worship.' 27. When they had
said this, they cried out and asked the Asiarch Philip [22] to let a lion
loose upon Poly-carp. But he said that it was not lawful for him, since he
had closed the games. Then they thought fit to cry out with one accord that
Polycarp should be burned alive. 28. For it was necessary that the vision
should be fulfilled which had been shown him concerning his pillow, when he
saw it burning while he was praying, and turned and said prophetically to
the faithful that were with him, ' I must needs be burned alive.' 29. These
things were done with great speed, --more quickly than they were said,--the
crowds immediately collecting from the workshops and baths timber and
fagots, the Jews being especially zealous in the work, as is their wont.
30. But when the pile was ready, taking off all his upper garments, and
loosing his girdle, he attempted also to remove his shoes, although he had
never before done this, because of the effort which each of the faithful
always made to touch his skin first; for he had been treated with all honor
on account of his virtuous life even before his gray hairs came. 31.
Forthwith then the materials prepared for the pile were placed about him;
and as they were also about to nail him to the stake, [23] he said, ' Leave
me thus; for he who hath given me strength to endure the fire, will also
grant me strength to remain in the fire unmoved without being secured by
you with nails.' So they did not nail him, but bound him. 32. And he, with
his hands behind him, and bound like a noble ram taken from a great flock,
an acceptable burnt-offering unto God omnipotent, said, 33. ' Father of thy
beloved and blessed Son [24] Jesus Christ, through whom we have received
the knowledge of thee, the God of angels and of powers and of the whole
creation and of the entire race of the righteous who live in thy presence,
I bless thee that thou hast deemed me worthy of this day and hour that I
might receive a portion in the number of the martyrs, in the cup of Christ,
unto resurrection of eternal life, [25] both of soul and of body, in the
immortality of the Holy Spirit. 34. Among these may I be received before
thee this day, in a rich and acceptable saccrifice, as thou, the faithful
and true God, bast beforehand prepared and revealed, and hast fulfilled.
35. Wherefore I praise thee also for everything; I bless thee, I glorify
thee, through the eternal high priest, Jesus Christ, thy beloved Son,
through whom, with him, in the Holy Spirit, be glory unto thee, both now
and for the ages to come, Amen.' 36. When he had offered up his Amen and
had finished his prayer, the firemen lighted the fire and as a great flame
blazed out, we, to whom it was given to see, saw a wonder, and we were
preserved that we might relate what happened to the others. 37. For the
fire presented the appearance of a vault, like the sail of a vessel filled
by the wind, and made a wall about the body of the martyr, [26] and it was
in the midst not like flesh burning, but like gold and silver refined in a
furnace. For we perceived such a fragrant odor, as of the fumes of
frankincense or of some other precious spices. 38. So at length the lawless
men, when they saw that the body could not be consumed by the fire,
commanded an executioner [27] to approach and pierce him with the sword.
39. And when he had done this there came forth a quantity of blood [28] so
that it extinguished the fire; and the whole crowd marveled that there
should be such a difference between the unbelievers and the elect, of whom
this man also was one, the most wonderful teacher in our times, apostolic
and prophetic, who was bishop of the catholic Church [29] in Smyrna. For
every word which came from his mouth was accomplished and will be
accomplished. 40. But the jealous and envious Evil One, the adversary of
the race of the righteous, when he saw the greatness of his martyrdom, and
his blameless life from the beginning, and when he saw him crowned with the
crown of immortality and bearing off an incontestable prize, took care that
not even his body should be taken away by us, although many desired to do
it and to have communion with his holy flesh. 41. Accordingly certain ones
secretly suggested to Nicetes, the father of Herod and brother of Alce,
[30] that he should plead with the magistrate not to give up his body,
'lest,' it was said, 'they should abandon the crucified One and begin to
worship this man.' [31] They said these things at the suggestion and
impulse of the Jews, who also watched as we were about to take it from the
fire, not knowing that we shall never be able either to forsake Christ, who
suffered for the salvation of the whole world of those that are saved, or
to worship any other. 42. For we worship him who is the Son of God, but the
martyrs, as disciples and imitators of the Lord, we love as they deserve on
account of their matchless affection for their own king and teacher. May we
also be made partakers and fellow-disciples with them. 43. The centurion,
therefore, when he saw the contentiousness exhibited by the Jews, placed
him in the midst and burned him, as was their custom. And so we afterwards
gathered up his bones. which were more valuable than precious stones and
more to be esteemed than gold, and laid them in a suitable place. 44. There
the Lord will permit us to come together as we are able, in gladness and
joy to celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom, [32] for the commemoration
of those who have already fought and for the training and preparation of
those who shall hereafter do the same. 45. Such are the events that befell
the blessed Polycarp, who suffered martyrdom in Smyrna with the eleven [33]
from Philadelphia. This one man is remembered more than the others by all,
so that even by the heathen he is talked about in every place."
46. Of such an end was the admirable and apostolic Polycarp deemed
worthy, as recorded by the brethren of the church of Smyrna in their
epistle which we have mentioned. In the same volume [34] concerning him are
subjoined also other martyrdoms which took place in the same city, Smyrna,
about the same period of time with Polycarp's martyrdom. Among them also
Metrodorus, who appears to have been a proselyte of the Marcionitic sect,
suffered death by fire. 47. A celebrated martyr of those times was a
certain man named Pionius. Those who desire to know his several
confessions, and the boldness of his speech, and his apologies in behalf of
the faith before the people and the rulers, and his instructive addresses
and moreover, his greetings to those who had yielded to temptation in the
persecution, and the words of encouragement which he addressed to the
brethren who came to visit him in prison, and the tortures which he endured
in addition, and besides these the sufferings and the nailings, and his
firmness on the pile, and his death after all the extraordinary trials,
[35]--those we refer to that epistle which has been given in the Martyrdoms
of the Ancients, [36] collected by us, and which contains a very full
account of him. 48. And there are also records extant of others that
suffered martyrdom in Pergamus, a city of Asia, -- of Carpus and Papylus,
and a woman named Agathonice, who, after many and illustrious testimonies,
gloriously ended their lives. [37]
CHAPTER XVI: Justin the Philosopher preaches the Word of Christ in Rome and
suffers Martyrdom.
1. About this time [1] Justin, who was mentioned by us just above, [2]
after he had addressed a second work in behalf of our doctrines to the
rulers already named, [3] was crowned with divine martyrdom, [4] in
consequence of a plot laid against him by Crescens, [5] a philosopher who
emulated the life and manners of the Cynics, whose name he bore. After
Justin had frequently refuted him in public discussions he won by his
martyrdom the prize of victory, dying in behalf of the truth which he
preached. 2. And he himself, a man most learned in the truth, in his
Apology already referred to [6] clearly predicts how this was about to
happen to him, although it had not yet occurred. 3. His words are as
follows: [7] " I, too, [8] therefore, expect to be plotted against and put
in the stocks [9] by some one of those whom I have named, or perhaps by
Crescens, that unphilosophical and vainglorious man. For the man is not
worthy to be called a philosopher who publicly bears witness against those
concerning whom he knows nothing, declaring, for the sake of captivating
and pleasing the multitude, that the Christians are atheistical and
impious. [10] Doing this he errs greatly. 4. For if he assails us without
having read the teachings of Christ, he is thoroughly depraved, and is much
worse than the illiterate, who often guard against discussing and bearing
false witness about matters which they do not understand. And if he has
read them and does not understand the majesty that is in them, or,
understanding it, does these things in order that he may not be suspected
of being an adherent, he is far more base and totally depraved, being
enslaved to vulgar applause and irrational fear. 5. For I would have you
know that when I proposed certain questions of the sort and asked him in
regard to them, I learned and proved that he indeed knows nothing. And to
show that I speak the truth I am ready, if these disputations have not been
reported to you, to discuss the questions again in your presence. And this
indeed would be an act worthy of an emperor. 6. But if my questions and his
answers have been made known to you, it is obvious to you that he knows
nothing about our affairs; or if he knows, but does not dare to speak
because of those who hear him, he shows himself to be, as I have already
said, [11] not a philosopher, but a vainglorious man, who indeed does not
even regard that most admirable saying of Socrates." [12] These are the
words of Justin.
7. And that he met his death as he had predicted that he would, in
consequence of the machinations of Crescens, is stated by Tatian, [13] a
than who early in life lectured upon the sciences of the Greeks and won no
little fame in them, and who has left a great many monuments of himself in
his writings. He records this fact in his work against the Greeks, where he
writes as follows: [14] " And that most admirable Justin declared with
truth thai the aforesaid persons were like robbers." 8. Then, after making
some remarks about the philosophers, he continues as follows: [15]
"Crescens, indeed, who made his nest in the great city, surpassed all in
his unnatural lust, and was wholly devoted to the love of money. 9. And he
who taught that death should be despised, was himself so greatly in fear of
it that he endeavored to inflict death, as if it were a great evil, upon
Justin, because the latter, when preaching the truth, had proved that the
philosophers were gluttons and impostors."And such was the cause of
Justin's martyrdom.
CHAPTER XVII: The Martyrs whom Justin intentions in his Own Work.
1. The same man, before his conflict, mentions in his first Apology [1]
others that suffered martyrdom before him, and most fittingly records the
following events. He writes thus: [2] 2. "A certain woman lived with a
dissolute husband; she herself, too, having formerly been of the same
character. But when she came to the knowledge of the teachings of Christ,
she became temperate, and endeavored to persuade her husband likewise to be
temperate, repeating the teachings, and declaring the punishment in eternal
fire which shall come upon those who do not live temperately and
conformably to right reason. 3. But he, continuing in the same excesses,
alienated his wife by his conduct. For she finally, thinking it wrong to
live as a wife with a man who, contrary to the law of nature and right,
sought every possible means of pleasure, desired to be divorced from him.
4. And when she was earnestly entreated by her friends, who counseled her
still to remain with him, on the ground that her husband might some time
give hope of amendment, she did violence to herself and remained. 5. But
when her husband had gone to Alexandria, and was reported to be conducting
himself still worse, she in order that she might not, by continuing in
wedlock, and by sharing his board and bed, become a partaker in his
lawlessness and impiety--gave him what we a call a bill of divorce and left
him. 6. But her noble and excellent husband,--instead of rejoicing, as he
ought to have done, that she had given up those actions which she had
formerly recklessly committed with the servants and hirelings, when she
delighted in drunkenness and in every vice, and that she desired him
likewise to give them up, -- when she had gone from him contrary to his
wish, brought an accusation concerning her, declaring that she was a
Christian. 7. And she petitioned you, the emperor, that she might be
permitted first to set her affairs in order, and afterwards, after the
settlement of her affairs, to make her defense against the accusation. And
this you granted. 8. But he who had once been her husband, being no longer
able to prosecute her, directed his attacks against a certain Ptolemaeus,
[4] who had been her teacher in the doctrines of Christianity, and whom
Urbicius [5] had punished. Against him he proceeded in the following
manner:
9. "He persuaded a centurion who was his friend to cast Ptolemaeus into
prison, and to take him and ask him this only: whether he were a Christian?
And when Ptolemaeus, who was a lover of truth, and not of a deceitful and
false disposition, confessed that he was a Christian, the centurion bound
him and punished him for a long time in the prison. 10. And finally, when
the man was brought before Urbicius he was likewise asked this question
only: whether he were a Christian? And again, conscious of the benefits
which he enjoyed through the teaching of Christ, he confessed his schooling
in divine virtue. 11. For whoever denies that he is a Christian, either
denies because he despises Christianity, or he avoids confession because he
is conscious that he is unworthy and an alien to it; neither of which is
the case with the true Christian. 12. And when Urbicius commanded that he
be led away to punishment, a certain Lucius, [6] who was also a Christian,
seeing judgment so unjustly passed, said to Urbicius, ' Why have you
punished this I man who is not an adulterer, nor a fornicator, nor a
murderer, nor a thief, nor a robber, nor has been convicted of committing
any crime at all, but has confessed that he beam the name of Christian? You
do not judge, O Urbicius, in a manner befitting the Emperor Pins, or the
philosophical son [7] of Caesar, or the sacred senate.' 13. And without
making any other reply, he said to Lucius, ' Thou also seem-est to me to be
such an one.' And when Lucius said, 'Certainly,' he again commanded that he
too should be led away to punishment. But he professed his thanks, for he
was liberated, he added, from such wicked rulers and was going to the good
Father and King, God. And still a third having come forward was condemned
to be punished."
14. To this, Justin fittingly and consistently adds the words which we
quoted above, [8] saying, "I, too, therefore expect to be plotted against
by some one of those whom I have named," &c.[9]
CHAPTER XVIII: The Works of Justin which have come down to us.
1. This writer has left us a great many monuments of a mind educated
and practiced in divine things, which are replete with profitable matter of
every kind. To them we shall refer the studious, noting as we proceed those
that have come to our knowledge. [1] There 2. is a certain discourse [2] of
his in defense of our doctrine addressed to Antoninus surnamed t the Pious,
and to his sons, and to the Roman senate. Another work contains his second
Apology [3] in behalf of our faith, which he offered to him who was the
successor of the emperor mentioned and who bore the same name, Antoninus
Verus, the one whose times we are now recording. 3. Also another work
against the Greeks, [4] in which he discourses at length upon most of the
questions at issue between us and the Greek philosophers, and discusses the
nature of demons. It is not necessary for me to add any of these things
here. 4. And still another work of his against the Greeks has come down to
us, to which he gave the title Refutation. And besides these another, On
the Sovereignty of God, [5] which he establishes not only from our
Scriptures, but also from the books of the Greeks. 5. Still further, a work
entitled Psaltes, [6] and another disputation On the Soul, in which, after
pro-pounding various questions concerning the problem under discussion, he
gives the opinions of the Greek philosophers, promising to refute it, and
to present his own view in another work. 6. He composed also a dialogue
against the Jews, [7] which he held in the city of Ephesus with Trypho, a
most distinguished man among the Hebrews of that day. In it he shows how
the divine grace urged him on to the doctrine of the faith, and with what
earnestness he had formerly pursued philosophical studies, and how ardent a
search he had made for the truth. [8] 7. And he records of the Jews in the
same work, that they were plotting against the teaching of Christ,
asserting the same things against Trypho: "Not only did you not repent of
the wickedness which you had committed, but you selected at that time
chosen men, and you sent them out from Jerusalem through all the land, to
announce that the godless heresy of the Christians had made its appearance,
and to accuse them of those things which all that are ignorant of us say
against us, so that you become the causes not only of your own injustice,
but also of all other men's." [9] 8. He writes also that even down to his
time prophetic gifts shone in the Church. [10] And he mentions the
Apocalypse of John, saying distinctly that it was the apostle's. [11] He
also refers to certain prophetic declarations, and accuses Trypho on the
ground that the Jews had cut them out of the Scripture. [12] A great many
other works of his are still in the hands of many of the brethren. [13] 9.
And the discourses of the man were thought so worthy of study even by the
ancients, that Irenaeus quotes his words: for instance, in the fourth book
of his work Against Heresies, where he writes as follows: [14] "And Justin
well says in his work against Marcion, that he would not have believed the
Lord himself if he had preached another God besides the Creator"; and again
in the fifth book of the same work he says: [15] "And Justin well said that
before the coming of the Lord Satan never dared to blaspheme God, [16]
because he did not yet know his condemnation." 10. These things I have
deemed it necessary to say for the sake of stimulating the studious to
peruse his works with diligence. So much concerning him.
CHAPTER XIX: The Rulers of the Churches of Rome and Alexandria during the
Reign of Ferns.
In the eighth year of the above-mentioned reign [1] Soter [2] succeeded
Anicetus [3] as bishop of the church of Rome, after the latter had held
office eleven years in all. But when Celadion [4] had presided over the
church of Alexandria for fourteen years tie was succeeded by Agrippinus.
[5]
CHAPTER XX: The Rulers of the Church of Antioch.
At that time also in the church of Antioch, Theophilus [1] was well
known as the sixth from the apostles. For Cornelius, [2] who succeeded
Hero, [3] was the fourth, and after him Eros, [4] the fifth in order, had
held the office of bishop.
CHAPTER XXI: The Ecclesiastical Writers that flourished in Those Days.
At that time there flourished in the Church Hegesippus, whom we know
from what has gone before, [1] and Dionysius, [2] bishop of Corinth, and
another bishop, Pinytus of Crete, [3] and besides these, Philip, [4] and
Apolinarius, [5] and Melito, [6] and Musanus, [7] and Modestus, [8] and
finally, Irenaeus. [9] From them has come down to us in writing, the sound
and orthodox faith received from apostolic tradition.[10]
CHAPTER XXII: Hegesippus and the Events which he mentions.
1. Hegesippus in the five books of Memoirs [1] which have come down to
us has left a most complete record of his own views. In them he states that
on a journey to Rome he met a great many bishops, and that he received the
same doctrine from all. It is fitting to hear what he says after making
some remarks about the epistle of Clement to the Corinthians. 2. His words
are as follows: "And the church of Corinth continued in the true faith
until Primus [2] was bishop in Corinth. I conversed with them on my way to
Rome, and abode with the Corinthians many days, during which we were
mutually refreshed in the true doctrine. 3. And when I had come to Rome I
remained a there until Anicetus, [3] whose deacon was Eleutherus. And
Anicetus was succeeded by Soter, and he by Eleutherus. In every succession,
and in every city that is held which is preached by the law and the
prophets and the Lord."
4. The same author also describes the beginnings of the heresies which
arose in his time, in the following words: "And after James the Just had
suffered martyrdom, as the Lord had also on the same account, Symeon, the
son of the Lord's uncle, Clopas, [4] was appointed the next bishop. All
proposed him as second bishop because he was a cousin of the Lord.
"Therefore, [4a] they called the Church a virgin, for it was not yet
corrupted by vain discourses. 5. But Thebuthis, [5] because he was not made
bishop, began to corrupt it. He also was sprung from the seven sects [6]
among the people, like Simon, [7] from whom came the Simonians, and
Cleobius, [8] from whom came the Cleobians, and Dositheus, [9] from whom
came the Dositheans, and Gorthaeus, [10] from whom came the Goratheni, and
Masbotheus, [11] from whom came the Masbothaeans. From them sprang the
Menandrianists, [12] and Marcionists, [13] and Carpocratians, and
Valentinians, and Basilidians, and Saturnilians. Each introduced privately
and separately his own peculiar opinion. From them came false Christs,
false prophets, false apostles, who divided the unity of the Church by
corrupt doctrines uttered against God and against his Christ." 6. The same
writer also records the ancient heresies which arose among the Jews, in the
following words: "There were, moreover, various opinions in the
circumcision, among the children of Israel. The following were those that
were opposed to the tribe of Judah and the Christ: Essenes, Galileans,
Hemerobaptists, Masbothaeans, Samaritans, Sadducees, Pharisees." [14]
7. And he wrote of many other matters, which we have in part already
mentioned, introducing the accounts in their appropriate places. And from
the Syriac Gospel according to the Hebrews he quotes some passages in the
Hebrew tongue, [15] showing that he was a convert from the Hebrews, [16]
and he mentions other matters as taken from the unwritten tradition of the
Jews. 8. And not only he, but also Irenaeus and the whole company of the
ancients, called the Proverbs of Solomon All-virtuous Wisdom. [17] And when
speaking of the books called Apocrypha, he records that some of them were
composed in his day by certain heretics. But let us now pass on to another.
CHAPTER XXIII: Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, and the Epistles which he
wrote. [1]
1. And first we must speak of Dionysius, who was appointed bishop of
the church in Corinth, and communicated freely of his inspired labors not
only to his own people, but also to those in foreign lands, and rendered
the greatest service to all in the catholic epistles which he wrote to the
churches. 2. Among these is the one addressed to the Lacedaemonians, [2]
containing instruction in the orthodox faith and an admonition to peace and
unity; the one also addressed to the Athenians, exciting them to faith and
to the life prescribed by the Gospel, which he accuses them of esteeming
lightly, as if they had almost apostatized from the faith since the
martyrdom of their ruler Publius, [3] which had taken place during the
persecutions of those days. 3. He mentions Quadratus [4] also, stating that
he was appointed their bishop after the martyrdom of Publius, and
testifying that through his zeal they were brought together again and their
faith revived. He records, moreover, that Dionysius the Areopagite, [5] who
was converted to the faith by the apostle Paul, according to the statement
in the Acts of the Apostles, [6] first obtained the episcopate of the
church at Athens. 4. And there is extant another epistle of his addressed
to the Nicomedians, [7] in which he attacks the heresy of Marcion, and
stands fast by the canon of the truth. 5. Writing also to the church that
is in Gortyna, [8] together with the other parishes in Crete, he commends
their bishop Philip, [9] because of the many acts of fortitude which are
testified to as performed by the church under him, and he warns them to be
on their guard against the aberrations of the heretics. 6. And writing to
the church that is in Amastris, [10] together with those in Pontus, he
refers to Bacchylides [11] and Elpistus, as having urged him to write, and
he adds explanations of passages of the divine Scriptures, and mentions
their bishop Palmas [12] by name. He gives them much advice also in regard
to marriage and chastity, and commands them to receive those who come back
again after any fall, whether it be delinquency or heresy. [13] 7. Among
these is inserted also another epistle addressed to the Cnosians, [14] in
which he exhorts Pinytus, bishop of the parish, not to lay upon the
brethren a grievous and compulsory burden in regard to chastity, but to
have regard to the weakness of the multitude. 8. Pinytus, replying to this
epistle, admires and commends Dionysius, but exhorts him in turn to impart
some time more solid food, and to feed the people under him, when he wrote
again, with more advanced teaching, that they might not be fed continually
on these milky doctrines and imperceptibly grow old under a training
calculated for children. In this epistle also Pinytus' orthodoxy in the
faith and his care for the welfare of those placed under him, his learning
and his comprehension of divine things, are revealed as in a most perfect
image.
9. There is extant also another epistle written by Dionysius to the
Romans, and addressed to Soter, [15] who was bishop at that time. We cannot
do better than to subjoin some passages from this epistle, in which he
commends the practice of the Romans which has been retained down to the
persecution in our own days. 10. His words are as follows: "For from the
beginning it has been your practice to do good to all the brethren in
various ways, and to send contributions to many churches in every city.
Thus relieving the want of the needy, and making provision for the brethren
in the mines by the gifts which you have sent from the beginning, you
Romans keep up the hereditary customs of the Romans, which your blessed
bishop Soter has not only maintained, but also added to, furnishing an
abundance of supplies to the saints, and encouraging the brethren from
abroad with blessed words, as a loving father his children.'' 11. In this
same epistle he makes mention also of Clement's epistle to the Corinthians,
[16] showing that it had been the custom from the beginning to read it in
the church. His words are as follows: "To-day we have passed the Lord's
holy day, in which we have read your epistle. From it, whenever we read it,
we shall always be able to draw advice, as also from the former epistle,
which was written 'to us through Clement." 12. The same writer also speaks
as follows concerning his own epistles, alleging that they had been
mutilated: "As the brethren desired me to write epistles, I wrote. And
these epistles the apostles of the devil have filled with tares, cutting
out some things and adding others. [17] For them a woe is reserved. [18] It
is, therefore, not to be wondered at if some have attempted to adulterate
the Lord's writings also, [19] since they have formed designs even against
writings which are of less accounts." [20]
There is extant, in addition to these, another epistle of Dionysius,
written to Chrysophora [21] a most faithful sister. In it he writes what is
suitable, and imparts to her also the proper spiritual food. So much
concerning Dionysius.
CHAPTER XXIV: Theaphilus Bishop of Antioch.
1. Of Theophilus, [1] whom we have mentioned as bishop of the church of
Antioch, [2] three elementary works addressed to Autolycus are extant; also
another writing entitled Against the Heresy of Hermogenes, [3] in which he
makes use of testimonies from the Apocalypse of John, and finally certain
other catechetical books. [4] 2. And as the heretics, no less then than at
other times, were like tares, destroying the pure harvest of apostolic
teaching, the pastors of the churches everywhere hastened to restrain them
as wild beasts from the fold of Christ, at one time by admonitions and
exhortations to the brethren, at another time by contending more openly
against them in oral discussions and refutations, and again by correcting
their opinions with most accurate proofs in written works. 3. And that
Theophilus also, with the others, contended against them, is manifest from
a certain discourse of no common merit written by him against Marcion. [5]
This work too, with the others of which we have spoken, has been preserved
to the present day.
Maximinus, [6] the seventh from the apostles, succeeded him as bishop
of the church of Antioch.
CHAPTER XXV: Philip and Modestus.
Philip who, as we learn from the words of Dionysius, [1] was bishop of
the parish of Gortyna, likewise wrote a most elaborate work against
Marcion, [2] as did also Irenaeus [3] and Modestus. The last named has
exposed the error of the man more clearly than the rest to the view of all.
There are a number of others also whose works are still presented by a
great many of the brethren.
CHAPTER XXVI: Melito and the Circumstances which he records.
1. In those days also Melito, [1] bishop of the parish in Sardis, and
Apolinarius, [2] bishop of Hierapolis, enjoyed great distinction. Each of
them on his own part addressed apologies in behalf of the faith to the
above-mentioned emperor [3] of the Romans who was reigning at that time. 2.
The following works of these writers have come to our knowledge. Of Melito,
the two books On the Passover, and one On the Conduct of Life and the
Prophets, [6] the discourse On the Church, [7] and one On the Lord's Day,
[8] still further one On the Faith of Man, [9] and one On his Creation,
[10] another also On the Obedience of Faith, and one On the Senses; [11]
besides these the work On the Soul and Body, [12] and that On Baptism, [13]
and the one On Truth, [14] and On the Creation and Generation of Christ;
[15] his discourse also On Prophecy, [16] and that On Hospitality; [17]
still further, The Key, [18] and the books On the Devil and the Apocalypse
of John, [19] and the work On the Corporeality of God, [20] and finally the
book addressed to Antoninus. [21] 3. In the books On the Passover he
indicates the time at which he wrote, beginning with these words: "While
Servilius Paulus was proconsul of Asia, at the time when Sagaris suffered
martyrdom, there arose in Laodicea a great strife concerning the Passover,
which fell according to rule in those days; and these were written." [22]
4. And Clement of Alexandria refers to this work in his own discourse On
the Passover, [23] which, he says, he wrote on occasion of Melito's work.
5. But in his book addressed to the emperor he records that the following
events happened to us under him: "For, what never before happened, [24] the
race of the pious is now suffering persecution, being driven about in Asia
by new decrees. For the shameless informers and coveters of the property of
others, taking occasion from the decrees, openly carry on robbery night and
day, despoiling those who are guilty of no wrong." And a little further on
he says: "If these things are done by thy command, well and good. For a
just ruler will never take unjust measures; and we indeed gladly accept the
honor of such a death. 6. But this request alone we present to thee, that
thou wouldst thyself first examine the authors of such strife, and justly
judge whether they be worthy of death and punishment, or of safety and
quiet. But if, on the other hand, this counsel and this new decree, which
is not fit to be executed even against barbarian enemies, be not from thee,
much more do we beseech thee not to leave us exposed to such lawless
plundering by the populace."
7. Again he adds the following: [25] "For our philosophy formerly
flourished among the Barbarians; but having sprung up among the nations
under thy rule, during the great reign of thy ancestor Augustus, it became
to thine empire especially a blessing of auspicious omen. For from that
time the power of the Romans has grown in greatness and splendor. To this
power thou hast succeeded, as the desired possessor, [26] and such shalt
thou continue with thy son, if thou guardest the philosophy which grew up
with the empire and which came into existence with Augustus; that
philosophy which thy ancestors also honored along with the other religions.
8. And a most convincing proof that our doctrine flourished for the good of
an empire happily begun, is this--that there has no evil happened since
Augustus' reign, but that, on the contrary, all things have been splendid
and glorious, in accordance with the prayers of all. 9. Nero and Domitian,
alone, persuaded by certain calumniators, have wished to slander our
doctrine, and from them it has come to pass that the falsehood [26a] has
been handed down, in consequence of an unreasonable practice which prevails
of bringing slanderous accusations against the Christians. [27] 10. But thy
pious fathers corrected their ignorance, having frequently rebuked in
writing [28] many who dared to attempt new measures against them. Among
them thy grandfather Adrian appears to have written to many others, and
also to Fundanus, [29] the proconsul and governor of Asia. And thy father,
when thou also wast ruling with him, wrote to the cities, forbidding them
to take any new measures against us; among the rest to the Larissaeans, to
the Thessalonians, to the Athenians, and to all the Greeks. [30] 11. And as
for thee,--since thy opinions respecting the Christians [31] are the same
as theirs, and indeed much more benevolent and philosophic,--we are the
more persuaded that thou wilt do all that we ask of thee." These words are
found in the above-mentioned work.
12. But in the Extracts [32] made by him the same writer gives at the
beginning of the introduction a catalogue of the acknowledged books of the
Old Testament, which it is necessary to quote at this point. 13. He writes
as follows: "Melito to his brother Onesimus, [33] greeting: Since thou hast
often, in thy zeal for the word, expressed a wish to have extracts made
from the Law and the Prophets concerning the Saviour and concerning our
entire faith, and hast also desired to have an accurate statement of the
ancient book, as regards their number and their order, I have endeavored to
perform the task, knowing thy zeal for the faith, and thy desire to gain
information in regard to the word, and knowing that thou, in thy yearning
after God, esteemest these things above all else, struggling to attain
eternal salvation. 14. Accordingly when I went East and came to the place
where these things were preached and done, I learned accurately the books
of the Old Testament, and send them to thee as written below. Their names
are as follows: Of Moses, five books: Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus,
[34] Deuteronomy; Jesus Nave, Judges, Ruth; of Kings, four books; of
Chronicles, two; the Psalms of David, [35] the Proverbs of Solomon, Wisdom
also, [36] Ecclesiastes, Song off Songs, Job; of Prophets, Isaiah,
Jeremiah; of the twelve prophets, one book [37]; Daniel, Ezekiel, Esdras.
[38] From which also I have made the extracts, dividing them into six
books." Such are the words of Melito.
CHAPTER XXVII: Apolinarius, Bishop of the Church of Hierapolis.
A number of works of Apolinarius [1] have been preserved by many, and
the following have reached us: the Discourse addressed to the above-
mentioned emperor, [2] five books Against the Greeks, [3] On Truth, a first
and second book, [4] and those which he subsequently wrote against the
heresy of the Phrygians, [5] which not long afterwards came out with its
innovations, [6] but at that time was, as it were, in its incipiency, since
Montanus, with his false prophetesses, was then laying the foundations of
his error.
CHAPTER XXVIII: Musanus and his Writings.
And as for Musanus, [1] whom we have mentione among the foregoing writers,
a certain very elegant discourse is extant, which was written by him
against some brethren that had gone over to the heresy of the so-called
Encratites, which had recently sprung up, and which introduced a strange
and pernicious error. It is said that Tatian was the author of this false
doctrine.
CHAPTER XXIX: The Heresy of Tatian. [1]
1. He is the one whose words we quoted a little above [2] in regard to
that admirable man, Justin, and whom we stated to have been a disciple of
the martyr. Irenaeus declares this in the first book of his work Against
Heresies, where he writes as follows concerning both him and his heresy:
[3] 2. "Those who are called Encratites, [4] and who sprung from Saturninus
[5] and Marcion, preached celibacy, setting aside the original arrangement
of God and tacitly censuring him who made male and female for the
propagation of the human race. They introduced also abstinence from the
things called by them animate, [6] thus showing ingratitude to the God who
made all things. And they deny the salvation of the first man? 3. But this
has been only recently discovered by them, a certain Tatian being the first
to introduce this blasphemy. He was a hearer of Jus-tin, and expressed no
such opinion while he was with him, but after the martyrdom of the latter
he left the Church, and becoming exalted with the thought of being a
teacher, and puffed up with the idea that he was superior to others, he
established a peculiar type of doctrine of his own, inventing certain
invisible aeons like the followers of Valentinus, [8] while, like Marcion
and Saturninus, he pronounced marriage to be corruption and fornication.
His argument against the salvation of Adam, however, he devised for
himself." Irenaeus at that time wrote thus. 4. But a little later a certain
man named Severus [9] put new strength into the aforesaid heresy, and thus
brought it about that those who took their origin from it were called,
after him, Severians. 5. They, indeed, use the Law and Prophets and
Gospels, but interpret in their own way the utterances of the Sacred
Scriptures. And they abuse Paul the apostle and reject his epistles, and do
not accept even the Acts of the Apostles. 6. But their original founder,
Tatian, formed a certain combination and collection of the Gospels, I know
not how, [10] to which he gave the title Diatessaron, [11] and which is
still in the l hands of some. But they say that he ventured to paraphrase
certain words of the apostle, [12] in order to improve their style. 7. He
has left a great many writings. Of these the one most in use among many
persons is his celebrated Address to the Greeks, [13] which also appears to
be the best and most useful of all his works. In it he deals with the most
ancient times, and shows that Moses and the Hebrew prophets were older than
all the celebrated men among the Greeks. [14] So much in regard to these
men.
CHAPTER XXX: Bardesanes the Syrian and his Extant Works.
1. In the same reign, as heresies were abounding in the region between
the rivers, [1] a certain Bardesanes, [2] a most able man and a most
skillful disputant in the Syriac tongue, having composed dialogues against
Marcion's followers and against certain others who were authors of various
opinions, committed them to writing in his own language, together with many
other works. His pupils, [3] of whom he had very many (for he was a
powerful defender of the faith), translated these productions from the
Syriac into Greek. 2. Among them there is also his most able dialogue On
Fate, [4] addressed to Antoninus, and other works which they say he wrote
on occasion of the persecution which arose at that time. [5]
3. He indeed was at first a follower of Valentinus, [6] but afterward,
having rejected his teaching and having refuted most of his fictions, he
fancied that he had come over to the more correct opinion. Nevertheless he
did not entirely wash off the filth of the old heresy. [7]
About this time also Soter, [8] bishop of the church of Rome, departed
this life.
BOOK V.
INTRODUCTION.
1. SOTER, [1] bishop of the church of Rome, died after an episcopate of
eight years, and was succeeded by Eleutherus, [2] the twelfth from the
apostles. In the seventeenth year of the Emperor Antoninus Verus, [3] the
persecution of our people was rekindled more fiercely in certain districts
on account of an insurrection of the masses in the cities; and judging by
the number in a single nation, myriads suffered martyrdom throughout the
world. A record of this was written for posterity, and in truth it is
worthy of perpetual remembrance. 2. A full account, containing the most
reliable information on the subject, is given in our Collection of
Martyrdoms, [4] which constitutes a narrative instructive as well as
historical. I will repeat here such portions of this account as may be
needful for the present purpose.
3. Other writers of history record the victories of war and trophies
won from enemies, the skill of generals, and the manly bravery of soldiers,
defiled with blood and with innumerable slaughters for the sake of children
and country and other possessions. 4. But our narrative of the government
of God [5] will record in ineffaceable letters the most peaceful wars waged
in behalf of the peace of the soul, and will tell of men doing brave deeds
for truth rather than country, and for piety rather than dearest friends.
It will hand down to imperishable remembrance the discipline and the much-
tried fortitude of the athletes of religion, the trophies won from demons,
the victories over invisible enemies, and the crowns placed upon all their
heads.
CHAPTER I: The Number of those who fought for Religion in Gaul under Verus
and the Nature of their Conflicts.
1. The country in which the arena was prepared for them was Gaul, of
which Lyons and Vienne [1] are the principal and most celebrated cities.
The Rhone passes through both of them, flowing in a broad stream through
the entire region. 2. The most celebrated churches in that country sent an
account of the witnesses [2] to the churches in Asia and Phrygia, relating
in the following manner what was done among them. I will give their own
words. [3]
3. "The servants of Christ residing at Vienne and Lyons, in Gaul, to
the brethren through out Asia and Phrygia, who hold the same faith and hope
of redemption, peace and grace and glory from God the Father and Christ
Jesus our Lord."
4. Then, having related some other matters they begin their account in
this manner: "The greatness of the tribulation in this region, and the
fury of the heathen against the saints, and the sufferings of the blessed
witnesses we cannot recount accurately, nor indeed could they possibly be
recorded. 5. For with all his might the adversary fell upon us, giving us a
foretaste of his unbridled activity at his future coming. He endeavored in
every manner to practice and exercise his servants against the servants of
God, not only shutting us out from houses and baths and markets, but
forbidding any of us to be seen in any place whatever. 6. But the grace of
God led the conflict against him, and delivered the weak, and set them as
firm pillars, able through patience to endure all the wrath of the Evil
One. And they joined battle with him, undergoing all kinds of shame and
injury; and regarding their great sufferings as little, they hastened to
Christ, manifesting truly that 'the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward.'
[4] 7. First of all, they endured nobly the injuries heaped upon them by
the populace; clamors and blows and draggings and robberies and stonings
and imprisonments, [5] and all things which an infuriated mob delight in
inflicting on enemies and adversaries. 8. Then, being taken to the forum by
the chiliarch [6] and the authorities of the city, they were examined in
the presence of the whole multitude, and having confessed, they were
imprisoned until the arrival of the governor. 9. When, afterwards, they
were brought before him, and he treated us with the utmost cruelty, Vettius
Epagathus, [7] one of the brethren, and a man filled with love for God and
his neighbor, interfered. His life was so consistent that, although young,
he had attained a reputation equal to that of the eider Zacharias: for he '
walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless,' s and
was untiring in every good work for his neighbor, zealous for God and
fervent in spirit. Such being his character, he could not endure the
unreasonable judgment against us, but was filled with indignation, and
asked to be permitted to testify in behalf of his brethren, that there is
among us nothing ungodly or impious. 10. But those about the judgment seat
cried out against him, for he was a man of distinction; and the governor
refused to grant his just request, and merely asked if he also were a
Christian. And he, confessing this with a loud voice, was himself taken
into the order [9] of the witnesses, being called the Advocate of the
Christians, but having the Advocate [10] in himself, the Spirit [11] more
abundantly than Zacharias. [12] He showed this by the fullness of his love,
being well pleased even to lay down his life [13] in defense of the
brethren. For he was and is a true disciple of Christ, 'following the Lamb
whithersoever he goeth.' [14]
11. "Then the others were divided, [15] and the proto-witnesses were
manifestly ready, and finished their confession with all eagerness. But
some appeared unprepared and untrained, weak as yet, and unable to endure
so great a conflict. About ten of these proved abortions, [16] causing us
great grief and sorrow beyond measure, and impairing the zeal of the others
who had not yet been seized, but who, though suffering all kinds of
affliction, continued constantly with the witnesses and did not forsake
[12] them. 12. Then all of us feared greatly on account of uncertainty as
to their confession not because we dreaded the sufferings to be endured,
but because we looked to the end, and were afraid that some of them might
fall away. 13. But those who were worthy were seized day by day, filling up
their number, so that all the zealous persons, and those through whom
especially our affairs had been established, were collected together out of
the two churches. 14. And some of our heathen setrants also were seized, as
the governor had commanded that all of us should be examined publicly.
These, being ensnared by Satan, and fearing for themselves the tortures
which they beheld the saints endure, [17] and being also urged on by the
soldiers, accused us falsely of Thyestean banquets and Edipodean
intercourse, [18] and of deeds which are not only unlawful for us to speak
of or to think, but which we cannot believe were ever done by men. 15. When
[15] these accusations were reported, all the people raged like wild beasts
against us, so that even if any had before been moderate on account of
friendship, they were now exceedingly furious and gnashed their teeth
against us. And that which was spoken by our Lord was fulfilled: ' The time
will come when whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.'
[19] 16. Then finally the holy witnesses endured sufferings beyond
description, Satan striving earnestly that some of the slanders might be
uttered by them also?
17. "But the whole wrath of the populace, and governor, and soldiers
was aroused exceedingly against Sanctus, the deacon from Vienne, [21] and
Maturus, a late convert, yet a noble combatant, and against Attalus, a
native of Pergamos [22] where he had always been a pillar and foundation,
and Blandina, through whom Christ showed that things which appear mean and
obscure and despicable to men are with God of great glory, [23] through
love toward him manifested in power, and not boasting in appearance. 18.
For while we all trembled, and her earthly mistress, who was herself also
one of the witnesses, feared that on account of the weakness of her body,
she would be unable to make bold confession, Blandina was filled with such
power as to be delivered and raised above those who were torturing her by
turns from morning till evening in every manner, so that they acknowledged
that they were conquered, and could do nothing more to her. And they were
astonished at her endurance, as her entire body was mangled and broken; and
they testified that one of these forms of torture was sufficient to destroy
life, not to speak of so many and so great sufferings. 19. But the blessed
woman, like a noble athlete, renewed her strength in her confession; and
her comfort and recreation and relief from the pain of her sufferings was
in exclaiming, ' I am a Christian, and there is nothing vile done by US.'
20. "But Sanctus also endured marvelously and superhumanly [24] all the
outrages which he suffered. While the wicked men hoped, by the continuance
and severity of his tortures to wring something from him which he ought not
to say, he girded himself against them with such firmness that he would not
even tell his name, or the nation or city to which he belonged, or whether
he was bond or free, but answered in the Roman tongue to all their
questions, ' I am a Christian.' He confessed this instead of name and city
and race and everything besides, and the people heard from him no other
word. 21. There arose therefore on the part of the governor and his
tormentors a great desire to conquer him but having nothing more that they
could do to him, they finally fastened red-hot brazen plates to the most
tender parts of his body. 22. And these indeed were burned, but he
continued unbending and unyielding, firm in his confession, and refreshed
and strengthened by the heavenly fountain of the water of life, flowing
from the bowels of Christ. 23. And his body was a witness of his
sufferings, being one complete wound and bruise, drawn: out of shape, and
altogether unlike a human form. Christ, suffering in him, manifested his
glory, delivering him from his adversary, and making him an example for the
others, showing that nothing is fearful where the love of the Father is,
and nothing painful where there is the glory of Christ. 24. For when the
wicked men tortured him a second time after some days, supposing that with
his body swollen and inflamed to such a degree that he could not bear the
touch of a hand, if they should again apply the same instruments, they
would overcome him, or at least by his death under his sufferings others
would be made afraid, not only did not this occur, but, contrary to all
human expectation, his body arose and stood erect in the midst of the
subsequent torments, and resumed its original appearance and the use of its
limbs so that, through the grace of Christ, these second sufferings became
to him, not torture, but healing.
25. "But the devil, thinking that he had already consumed Biblias, who
was one of those who had denied Christ, desiring to increase her
condemnation through the utterance of blasphemy, [23] brought her again to
the torture, to compel her, as already feeble and weak, to report impious
things concerning us. 26. But she recovered herself under the suffering,
and as if awaking from a deep sleep, and reminded by the present anguish of
the eternal punishment in hell, she contradicted the blasphemers. 'How,'
she said, 'could those eat children who do not think it lawful to taste the
blood even of irrational animals?' And thenceforward she confessed herself
a Christian, and was given a place in the order of the witnesses.
27. "But as the tyrannical tortures were made by Christ of none effect
through the patience of the blessed, the devil invented other
contrivances, -- confinement in the dark and most loathsome parts of the
prison, stretching of the feet to the fifth hole in the stocks, [26] and
the other outrages which his servants are accustomed to inflict upon the
prisoners when furious and filled with the devil. A great many were
suffocated in prison, being chosen by the Lord for this manner of death,
that he might manifest in them his glory. 28. For some, though they had
been tortured so cruelly that it seemed impossible that they could live,
even with the most careful nursing, yet, destitute of human attention,
remained in the prison, being strengthened by the Lord, and invigorated
both in body and soul; and they exhorted and encouraged the rest. But such
as were young, and arrested recently, so that their bodies had not become
accustomed to torture, were unable to endure the severity of their
confinement, and died in prison.
29. "The blessed Pothinus, who had been entrusted with the bishopric of
Lyons, was dragged to the judgment seat. He was more than ninety years of
age, and very infirm, scarcely indeed able to breathe because of physical
weakness; but he was strengthened by spiritual zeal through his earnest
desire for martyrdom. Though his body was worn out by old age and disease,
his life was preserved that Christ might triumph in it. 30. When he was
brought by the soldiers to the tribunal, accompanied by the civil
magistrates and a multitude who shouted against him m every manner as if he
were Christ himself, he bore noble witness. 31. Being asked by the
governor, Who was the God of the Christians, he replied, ' If thou art
worthy, thou shalt know.' Then he was dragged away harshly, and received
blows of every kind. Those near him struck him with their hands and feet,
regardless of his age; and those at a distance hurled, at him whatever they
could seize; all of them thinking that they would be guilty of great
wickedness and impiety if any possible abuse were omitted. For thus they
thought to avenge their own deities. Scarcely able to breathe, he was cast
into prison and died after two days.
32. "Then a certain great dispensation of God occurred, and the
compassion of Jesus appeared beyond measure, [27] in a manner rarely seen
among the brotherhood, but not beyond the power of Christ. 33. For those
who had recanted at their first arrest were imprisoned with the others, and
endured terrible sufferings, so that their denial was of no profit to them
even for the present. But those who confessed what they were imprisoned as
Christians, no other accusation being brought against them. But the first
were treated afterwards as murderers and defiled, and were punished twice
as severely as the others. 34. For the joy of martyrdom, and the hope of
the promises, and love for Christ, and the Spirit of the Father supported
the latter; but their consciences so greatly distressed the former that
they were easily distinguishable from all the rest by their very
countenances when they were led forth. 35. For the first went out
rejoicing, glory and grace being blended in their faces, so that even their
bonds seemed like beautiful ornaments, as those of a bride adorned with
variegated golden fringes; and they were perfumed with the sweet savor of
Christ, [28] so that some supposed they had been anointed with earthly
ointment. But the others were downcast and humble and dejected and filled
with every kind of disgrace, and they were reproached by the heathen as
ignoble and weak, bearing the accusation of murderers, and having lost the
one honorable and glorious and life-giving Name. The rest, beholding this,
were strengthened, and when apprehended, they confessed without hesitation,
paying no attention to the persuasions of the devil."
36. After certain other words they continue: "After these things,
finally, their martyrdoms (were divided into every form. [29] For plaiting
a crown of various colors and of all kinds of flowers, they presented it
to the Father. It was proper therefore that the noble athletes, having
endured a manifold strife, and conquered grandly, should receive the crown,
great and incorruptible.
37. "Maturus, therefore, and Sanctus and Blandina and Attalus were led
to the amphi- theater to be exposed to the wild beasts, and to give to the
heathen public a spectacle of cruelty, a day for fighting with wild beasts
being specially appointed on account of our people. 38. Both Maturus and
Sanctus passed again through every torment in the amphitheater, as if they
had suffered nothing before, or rather, as if, having already conquered
their antagonist in many contests, they were now striving for the crown
itself. They endured again the customary running of the gauntlet [31] and
the violence of the wild beasts, and everything which the furious people
called for or desired, and at last, the iron chair in which their bodies
being roasted, tormented them with the fumes. 39. And not with this did the
persecutors cease, but were yet more mad against them, determined to
overcome their patience. But even thus they did not hear a word from
Sanctus except the confession which he had uttered from the beginning. 40.
These, then, after their life had continued for a long time through the
great conflict, were at last sacrificed, having been made throughout that
day a spectacle to the world, in place of the usual variety of combats.
41. "But Blandina was suspended on a stake, and exposed to be devoured
by the wild beasts who should attack her. And because she appeared as if
hanging on a cross, and because of her earnest prayers, she inspired the
combatants with great zeal. For they looked on her in her conflict, and
beheld with their outward eyes, in the form of their sister, him who was
crucified for them, that he might persuade those who believe on him, that
every one who suffers for the glory of Christ has fellowship always with
the living God. 42. As none of the wild beasts at that time touched her,
she was taken down from the stake, and cast again into prison. She was
preserved thus for another contest, that, being victorious in more
conflicts, she might make the punishment of the crooked serpent
irrevocable; [33] and, though small and weak and despised, yet clothed with
Christ the mighty and conquering Athlete, she might arouse the zeal of the
brethren, and, having overcome the adversary many times might receive,
through her conflict, the crown incorruptible.
43. "But Attalus was called for loudly by the people, because he was a
person of distinction. He entered the contest readily on account of a good
conscience and his genuine practice in Christian discipline, and as he had
always been a witness for the truth among us. 44. He was led around the
amphitheater, a tablet being carried before him on which was written in the
Roman language 'This is Attalus the Christian,' and the people were filled
with indignation against him. But when the governor learned that he was a
Roman, he commanded him to be taken back with the rest of those who were in
prison concerning whom he had written to Caesar, and whose answer he was
awaiting.
45. "But the intervening time was not wasted nor fruitless to them; for
by their patience the measureless compassion of Christ was manifested. For
through their continued life the dead were made alive, and the witnesses
showed favor to those who had failed to witness. And the virgin mother had
much joy in receiving alive those whom she had brought forth as dead. [34]
46. For through their influence many who had denied were restored, and re-
be-gotten, and rekindled with life, and learned to confess. And being made
alive and strengthened, they went to the judgment seat to be again
interrogated by the governor; God, who desires not the death of the sinner,
[35] but mercifully invites to repentance, treating them with kindness. 47.
For Caesar commanded that they should be put to death, [36] but that any
who might deny should be set free. Therefore, at the beginning of the
public festival [37] which took place there, and which was attended by
crowds of men from all nations, the governor brought the blessed ones to
the judgment seat, to make of them a show and spectacle for the multitude.
Wherefore also he examined them again, and beheaded those who appeared to
possess Roman citizenship, but he sent the others to the wild beasts.
48. "And Christ was glorified greatly in those who had formerly denied
him, for, contrary to the expectation of the heathen, they confessed. For
they, were examined by themselves, as about to be set free; but confessing,
they were added to the order of the witnesses. But some continued without,
who had never possessed a trace of faith, nor any apprehension of the
wedding garment, [38] nor an understanding of the fear of God; but, as sons
of perdition, they blasphemed the Way through their apostasy. 49. But all
the others were added to the Church. While these were being examined, a
certain Alexander, a Phrygian by birth, and physician by profession, who
had resided in Gaul for many years, and was well known to all on account
of his love to God and boldness of speech (for he was not without a share
of apostolic grace), standing before the judgment seat, and by signs
encouraging them to confess, appeared to those standing by as if in
travail. 50. But the people being enraged because those who formerly denied
now confessed, cried out against Alexander as if he were the cause of this.
Then the governor summoned him and inquired who he was. And when he
answered that he was a Christian, being very angry he condemned him to the
wild beasts. And on the next day he entered along with Attalus. For to
please the people, the governor had ordered Attalus again to the wild
beasts. 51. And they were tortured in the amphitheater with all the
instruments contrived for that purpose, and having endured a very great
conflict, were at last sacrificed. Alexander neither groaned nor murmured
in any manner, but communed in his heart with God. 52. But when Attalus was
placed in the iron seat, and the fumes arose from his burning body, he said
to the people in the Roman language: 'Lo! this which ye do is devouring
men; but we do not devour men; nor do any other wicked thing.' And being
asked, what name God has, he replied, ' God has not a name as man has.'
53. "After all these, on the last day of the contests, Blandina was
again brought in, with Ponticus, a boy about fifteen years old. They had
been brought every day to witness the sufferings of the others, and had
been pressed to swear by the idols. But because they remained steadfast and
despised them, the multitude became furious, so that they had no compassion
for the youth of the boy nor respect for the sex of the woman. 54.
Therefore they exposed them to all the terrible sufferings and took them
through the entire round of torture, repeatedly urging them to swear, but
being unable to effect this; for Ponticus, encouraged by his sister so that
even the heathen could see that she was confirming and strengthening him,
having nobly endured every torture, gave up the ghost. 55. But the blessed
Blandina, last of all, having, as a noble mother, encouraged her children
and sent them before her victorious to the King, endured herself all their
conflicts and hastened after them, glad and rejoicing in her departure as
if called to a marriage supper, rather than east to wild beasts. 56. And,
after the scourging, after the wild beasts, after the roasting seat, [39]
she was finally enclosed in a net, and thrown before a bull. And having
been tossed about by the animal, but feeling none of the things which were
happening to her, on account of her hope and firm hold upon what had been
entrusted to her, and her communion with Christ, she also was sacrificed.
And the heathen themselves confessed that never among them had a woman
endured so many and such terrible tortures.
57. "But not even thus was their madness and cruelty toward the saints
satisfied. For incited by the Wild Beast, wild and barbarous tribes were
not easily appeased, and their violence found another peculiar opportunity
in the dead bodies [40] 58. For, through their lack of manly reason, the
fact that they had been conquered did not put them to shame, but rather the
more enkindled their wrath as that of a wild beast, and aroused alike the
hatred of governor and people to treat us unjustly; that the Scripture
might be fulfilled: ' He that is lawless, let him be lawless still, and he
that is righteous, let him be righteous still.' [41] 59. For they cast to
the dogs those who had died of suffocation in the prison, carefully
guarding them by night and day, lest any one should be buried by us. And
they exposed the remains left by the wild beasts and by fire, mangled and
charred, and placed the heads of the others by their bodies, and guarded
them in like manner from burial by a watch of soldiers for many days. 60.
And some raged and gnashed their teeth against them, desiring to execute
more severe vengeance upon them; but others laughed and mocked at them,
magnifying their own idols, and imputed to them the punishment of the
Christians. Even the more reasonable, and those who had seemed to
sympathize somewhat, reproached them often, saying, ' Where is their God,
and what has their religion, which they have chosen rather than life,
profited them?' 61. So various was their conduct toward us; but we were in
deep affliction because we could not bury the bodies. For neither did night
avail us for this purpose, nor did money persuade, nor entreaty move to
compassion; but they kept watch in every way, as if the prevention of the
burial would be of some great advantage to them."
In addition, they say after other things:
62. "The bodies of the martyrs, having thus in every manner been
exhibited and exposed for six days, were afterward burned and reduced to
ashes, and swept into the Rhone by the wicked men, so that no trace of them
might appear on the earth. 63. And this they did, as if able to conquer
God, and prevent their new birth; 'that,' as they said, 'they may have no
hope of a resurrection, [43] through trust in which they bring to us this
foreign and new religion, and despise terrible things, and are ready even
to go to death with joy. Now let us see if they will rise again, and if
their God is able to help them, and to deliver them out of our hands.'"
CHAPTER II: The Martyrs, beloved of God, kindly ministered unto those who
fell in the Persecution.
1. Such things happened to the churches of Christ under the above-
mentioned emperor, [1] from which we may reasonably conjecture the
occurrences in the other provinces. It is proper to add other selections
from the same letter, in which the moderation and compassion of these
witnesses is recorded in the following words:
2. "They were also so zealous in their imitation of Christ, -- ' who,
being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with
God,' [2] -- that, though they had attained such honor, and had borne
witness, not once or twice, but many times,- having been brought back to
prison from the wild beasts, covered 'with burns and scars and wounds, --
yet they did not proclaim themselves witnesses, nor did they suffer us to
address them by this name. If any one of us, in letter or conversation,
spoke of them as witnesses, they rebuked him sharply. 3. For they conceded
cheerfully the appellation of Witness to Christ ' the faithful and true
Witness,' [3] and ' firstborn of the dead,' [4] and prince of the life of
God; [5] and they reminded us of the witnesses who had already departed,
and said, ' They are already witnesses whom Christ has deemed worthy to be
taken up in their confession, having sealed their testimony by their
departure; but we are lowly and humble confessors.' [6] And they besought
the brethren with tears that earnest prayers should be offered that they
might be made perfect. [7] 4. They showed in their deeds the power of '
testimony,' manifesting great boldness toward all the brethren, and they
made plain their nobility through patience and fearlessness and courage,
but they refused the title of Witnesses as distinguishing them from their
brethren, [8] being filled with the fear of God."
5. A little further on they say: "They humbled themselves under the
mighty hand, by which they are now greatly exalted. [9] They defended all,
[10] but accused none. They absolved all, but bound none. [11] And they
prayed for those who had inflicted cruelties upon them, even as Stephen,
the perfect witness, ' Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.' [12] But if
he prayed for those who stoned him, how much more for the brethren !"
6. And again after mentioning other matters, they say: "For, through
the genuineness of their love, their greatest contest with him was that the
Beast, being choked, might cast out alive those whom he supposed he had
swallowed. For they did not boast over the fallen, but helped them in their
need with those things in which they themselves abounded, having the
compassion of a mother, and shedding many tears on their account before the
Father. 7. They asked for life, and he gave it to them, and they shared it
with their neighbors. Victorious; over everything, they departed to God.
Having always loved peace, and having commended peace to us [13] they went
in peace to God, leaving no sorrow to their mother, nor division or strife
to the brethren, but joy and peace and concord and love."
8. This record of the affection of those blessed ones toward the
brethren that had fallen may be profitably added on account of the inhuman
and unmerciful disposition of those who, after these events, acted
unsparingly toward the members of Christ. [14]
CHAPTER III: The Vision which appeared in a Dream to the Witness Attalus.
1. The same letter of the above mentioned[1]. witnesses contains
another account worthy of remembrance. No one will object to our bringing
it to the knowledge of our readers. It runs as follows:
2. "For a certain Alcibiades, [1] who was one of them, led a very
austere life, partaking of nothing whatever but bread and water. When he
endeavored to continue this same sort of life in prison, it was revealed to
Attalus after his first conflict in the amphitheater that Alcibiades was
not doing well in refusing the creatures of God and placing a stumbling-
block before others. 3. And Alcibiades obeyed; and partook of all things
without restraint, giving thanks to God. For they were not deprived of the
grace of God, but the Holy Ghost was their counselor." Let this suffice for
these matters.
4. The followers of Montanus, [2] Alcibiades [3] and Theodotus [4] in
Phrygia were now first giving wide circulation to their assumption in
regard to prophecy, -- for the may other miracles that, through the gift of
God, were still wrought in the different churches caused their prophesying
to be readily credited by many, -- and as dissension arose concerning them,
the brethren in Gaul set forth their own prudent and most orthodox judgment
in the matter, and published also several epistles from the witnesses that
had been put to death among them. These they sent, while they were still in
prison, to the brethren throughout Asia and Phrygia, and also to
Eleutherus, [5] who was then bishop of Rome, negotiating for the peace of
the churches. [6]
CHAPTER IV: Irenaeus commended by the Witnesses in a Letter.
1. The same witnesses also recommended Irenaeus, [1] who was already at
that time a presbyter of the parish of Lyons, to the above-mentioned bishop
of Rome, saying many favorable things in regard to him, as the following
extract shows:
2. "We pray, father Eleutherus, that you may rejoice in God in all
things and always. We have requested our brother and comrade Irenaeus to
carry this letter to you, and we ask you to hold him in esteem, as zealous
for the covenant of Christ. For if we thought that office could confer
righteousness upon any one, we should commend him among the first as a
presbyter of the church, which is his position."
3. Why should we transcribe the catalogue of the witnesses given in the
letter already mentioned, of whom some were beheaded, others cast to the
wild beasts, and others fell asleep in prison, or give the number of
confessors [2] still surviving at that time? For whoever desires can
readily find the full account by consulting the letter itself, which, as I
have said, is recorded in our Collection of Martyrdoms. [3] Such were the
events which happened under Antoninus. [4]
CHAPTER V: God sent Rain from Heaven for Marcus Aurelius Caesar in Answer
to the Prayers of our People.
1. It is reported [1] that Marcus Aurelius 1 Caesar, brother of
Antoninus, [2] being about to engage in battle with the Germans and
Sarmatians, was in great trouble on account of his army suffering from
thirst. [3] But the soldiers of the so-called Melitene legion, [4] through
the faith which has given strength from that time to the present, when they
were drawn up before the enemy, kneeled on the ground, as is our custom in
prayer, [5] and engaged in supplications to God. 2. This was indeed a
strange sight to the enemy, but it is reported [6] that a stranger thing
immediately followed. The lightning drove the enemy to flight and
destruction, but a shower refreshed the army of those who had called on
God, all of whom had been on the point of perishing with thirst.
3. This story is related by non-Christian writers who have been pleased
to treat the times referred to, and it has also been recorded by our own
people. [7] By those historians who were strangers to the faith, the marvel
is mentioned, but it is not acknowledged as an answer to our prayers. But
by our own people, as friends of the truth, the occurrence is related in a
simple and artless manner. 4. Among these is Apolinarius, [8] who says that
from that time the legion through whose prayers the wonder took place
received from the emperor a title appropriate to the event, being called in
the language of the Romans the Thundering Legion. 5. Tertullian is a
trustworthy witness of these things. In the Apology for the Faith, which he
addressed to the Roman Senate, and which work we have already mentioned,
[9] he confirms the history with greater and stronger proofs. 6. He writes
[10] that there are still extant letters [11] of the most intelligent
Emperor Marcus in which he testifies that his army, being on the point of
perishing with thirst in Germany, was saved by the prayers of the
Christians. And he says also that this emperor threatened death [12] to
those who brought accusation against us.
He adds further: [13]
7. "What kind of laws are those which impious, unjust, and cruel
persons use against us alone? which Vespasian, though he had conquered the
Jews, did not regard; [14] which Trajan partially annulled, forbidding
Christians to be sought after; [15] which neither Adrian, [16] though
inquisitive in all matters, nor he who was called Plus [17] sanctioned."
But let any one treat these things as he chooses; [18] we must pass on to
what followed. 8. Pothinus having died with the other martyrs in Gaul at
ninety years of age, [19] Irenaeus succeeded him in the episcopate of the
church at Lyons. [20] We have learned that, in his youth, he was a hearer
of Polycarp. [21] 9. In the third book of his work Against Heresies he has
inserted a list of the bishops of Rome, bringing it down as far as
Eleutherus (whose times we are now considering), under whom he composed his
work. He writes as follows: [22]
CHAPTER VI: Catalogue of the Bishops of Rome.
1. "The blessed apostles [1] having founded and established the church,
entrusted the office of the episcopate to Linus. [2] Paul speaks of this
Linus in his Epistles to Timothy. [3] 2. Anencletus [4] succeeded him, and
after Anencletus, in the third place from the apostles, Clement [5]
received the episcopate. He had seen and conversed with the blessed
apostles, [6] and their preaching was still sounding in his ears, and their
tradition was still before his eyes. Nor was he alone in this, for many who
had been taught by the apostles yet survived. 3. In the times of Clement, a
serious dissension having arisen among the brethren in Corinth, [7] the
church of Rome sent a most suitable letter to the Corinthians, [8]
reconciling them in peace, renewing their faith, and proclaiming [9] the
doctrine lately received from the apostles." [10]
A little farther on he says: [11]
4. "Evarestus [12] succeeded Clement, and Alexander, [13] Evarestus.
Then Xystus, [14] the sixth from the apostles, was appointed. After him
Telesphorus, [15] who suffered martyrdom gloriously; then Hyginus; [16]
then Pius; [17] and after him Anicetus; [18] Sorer [19] succeeded
Anicetus; and now, in the twelfth place from the apostles, Eleutherus [20]
holds the office of bishop. 5. In the same order and succession [21] the
tradition in the Church and the preaching of the truth has descended from
the apostles unto us."
CHAPTER VII: Even down to those Times Miracles were performed by the
Faithful.
1. These things Irenaeus, in agreement with the accounts already given
by us, [1] records in the work which comprises five books, and to which he
gave the title Refutation and Overthrow of the Knowledge Falsely So-called.
[2] In the second book of the same treatise he shows that manifestations of
divine and miraculous power continued to his time in some of the churches.
He says: [3]
2. "But so far do they come short of raising the dead, as the Lord
raised them, and the apostles through prayer. And oftentimes in the
brotherhood, when, on account of some necessity, our entire Church has
besought with fasting and much supplication, the spirit of the dead has
returned, [4] and the man has been restored through the prayers of the
saints."
3. And again, after other remarks, he says: [5]
"If they will say that even the Lord did these things in mere
appearance, we will refer them to the prophetic writings, and show from
them that all things were beforehand spoken of him in this manner, and were
strictly fulfilled; and that he alone is the Son of God. Wherefore his true
disciples, receiving grace from him, perform such works in his Name for the
benefit of other men, as each has received the gift from him. 4. For some
of them drive out demons effectually and truly, so that those who have been
cleansed from evil spirits frequently believe and unite with the Church.
Others have a foreknowledge of future events, and visions, and prophetic
revelations. Still others heal the sick by the laying on of hands, and
restore them to health. And, as we have said, even dead persons have been
raised, and remained with us many years. 5. But why should we say more? It
is not possible to recount the number of gifts which the Church, throughout
all the world, has received from God in the name of Jesus Christ, who was
crucified under Pontius Pilate, and exercises every day for the benefit of
the heathen, never deceiving any nor doing it for money. For as she has
received freely from God, freely also does she minister." [6]
6. And in another place the same author writes: [7]
"As also we hear that many brethren in the Church possess prophetic
gifts, and speak, through the Spirit, with all kinds of tongues, and bring
to light the secret things of men for their good, and declare the mysteries
of God." So much in regard to the fact that various gifts remained among
those who were worthy even until that time.
CHAPTER VIII: The Statements of Irenaeus in regard to the Divine
Scriptures.
1. Since, in the beginning of this work, [1] we promised to give, when
needful, the words of the ancient presbyters and writers of the Church, in
which they have declared those traditions which came down to them
concerning the canonical books, and since Irenaeus was one h of them, we
will now give his words and, first, what he says of the sacred Gospels:
[2]
2. "Matthew published his Gospel among the Hebrews in their own
language, [3] while Peter and Paul were preaching and founding the church
in Rome. [4] 3. After their departure Mark, the disciple and interpreter of
Peter, also transmitted to us in writing those things which Peter had
preached; [5] and Luke, the attendant of Paul, recorded in a book the
Gospel which Paul had declared. [6] 4. Afterwards John, the disciple of the
Lord, who also reclined on his bosom, published his Gospel, while staying
at Ephesus in Asia." [7]
5. He states these things in the third book of his above- mentioned
work. In the fifth book he speaks as follows concerning the Apocalypse of
John, and the number of the name of Antichrist: [8]
"As these things are so, and this number is found in all the approved
and ancient copies, [9] and those who saw John face to face confirm it, and
reason teaches us that the number of the name of the beast, according to
the mode of calculation among the Greeks, appears in its letters .... "
[10]
6. And farther on he says concerning the same: [11]
"We are not bold enough to speak confidently of the name of Antichrist.
For if it were necessary that his name should be declared clearly at the
present time, it would have been announced by him who saw the revelation.
For it was seen, not long ago, but almost in our generation, toward the end
of the reign of Domitian." [12]
7. He states these things concerning the Apocalypse [13] in the work
referred to. He also mentions the first Epistle of John, [14] taking many
proofs from it, and likewise the first Epistle of Peter. [15] And he not
only knows, but also receives, The Shepherd, [16] writing as follows: [17]
"Well did the Scripture [18] speak, saying, [19] 'First of all believe
that God is one, who has created and completed all things,'" &c.
8. And he uses almost the precise words of the Wisdom of Solomon,
saying: [20] "The vision of God produces immortality, but immortality
renders us near to God." He mentions also the memoirs [21] of a certain
apostolic presbyter, [22] whose name he passes by in silence, and gives his
expositions of the sacred Scriptures. 9. And he refers to Justin the
Martyr, [23] and to Ignatius, [24] using testimonies also from their
writings. Moreover, he promises to refute Marcion from his own writings, in
a special work. [25]
10. Concerning the translation of the inspired [26] Scriptures by the
Seventy, hear the very words which he writes: [27]
"God in truth became man, and the Lord himself saved us, giving the
sign of the virgin but not as some say, who now venture to translate the
Scripture, 'Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bring forth a son,'
[28] as Theodotion of Ephesus and Aquila of Pontus, [29] both of them
Jewish proselytes, interpreted; following whom, the Ebionites say [30] that
he was begotten by Joseph."
Shortly after he adds:
11. "For before the Romans had established their empire, while the
Macedonians were still holding Asia, Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, [31] being
desirous of adorning the library which he had rounded in Alexandria with
the meritorious writings of all men, requested the people of Jerusalem to
have their Scriptures translated into the Greek language. 12. But, as they
were then subject to the Macedonians, they sent to Ptolemy seventy elders,
who were the most skilled among them in the Scriptures and in both
languages. Thus God accomplished his purpose. [32] 13. But wishing to try
them individually, as he feared lest, by taking counsel together, they
might conceal the truth of the Scriptures by their interpretation, he
separated them from one another, and commanded all of them to write the
same translation. [33] He did this for all the books. 14. But when they
came together in the presence of Ptolemy, and compared their several
translations, God was glorified, and the Scriptures were recognized as
truly divine. For all of them had rendered the same things in the same
words and with the same names from beginning to end, so that the heathen
perceived that the Scriptures had been translated by the inspiration [34]
of God. 15. And this was nothing wonderful for God to do, who, in the
captivity of the people trader Nebuchadnezzar, when the Scriptures had been
destroyed, and the Jews had returned to their own country after seventy
years, afterwards, in the time of Artaxerxes, king of the Persians,
inspired Ezra the priest, of the tribe of Levi, to relate all the words of
the former prophets, and to restore to the people the legislation of
Moses." [35]
Such are the words of Irenaeus.
CHAPTER IX: The Bishops under Commodus.
After Antoninus [1] had been emperor for nine- teen years, Commodus
received the government. [2] In his first year Julian [3] became bishop of
the Alexandrian churches, after Agrippinus [4] had held the office for
twelve years.
CHAPTER X: Pantaenus the Philosopher.
1. About that time, Pantaenus, [1] a man highly distinguished for his
learning, had charge of the school of the faithful in Alexandria. [2] A
school of sacred learning, which continues to our day, was established
there in ancient times, [3] and as we have been informed, [4] was managed
by men of great ability and zeal for divine things. Among these it is
reported [5] that Pantaenus was at that time especially conspicuous, as he
had been educated in the philosophical system of those called Stoics. 2.
They say that he displayed such zeal for the divine Word, that he was
appointed as a herald of the Gospel of Christ to the nations in the East,
and was sent as far as India. [6] For indeed [7] there were still many
evangelists of the Word who sought earnestly to use their inspired zeal,
after the examples of the apostles, for the increase and building up of the
Divine Word. 3. Pantaenus was one of these, and is said to have gone to
India. It is reported that among persons there who knew of Christ, he found
the Gospel according to Matthew, which had anticipated his own arrival. For
Bartholomew, [8] one of the apostles, had preached to them, and left with
them the writing of Matthew in the Hebrew language, [9] which they had
preserved till that time.
4. After many good deeds, Pantaenus finally became the head of the
school at Alexandria, [10] and expounded the treasures of divine doctrine
both orally and in writing. [11]
CHAPTER XI: Clement of Alexandria.
1. At this time Clement, [1] being trained with him [2] in the divine
Scriptures at Alexandria, became well known. He had the same name as the
one who anciently was at the head of the Roman church, and who was a
disciple of the apostles. [3] 2. In his Hypotyposes [4] he speaks of
Pantaenus by name as his teacher. It seems to me that he alludes to the
same person also in the first book of his Stromata, when, referring to the
more conspicuous of the successors of the apostles whom he had met, [5] he
says: [6]
3. "This work [7] is not a writing artfully constructed for display;
but my notes are stored up for old age, as a remedy against forgetfulness;
an image without art, and a rough sketch of those powerful and animated
words which it was my privilege to hear, as well as of blessed and truly
remarkable men. 4. Of these the one -- the Ionian [8] -- was in Greece, the
other in Magna Graecia; [9] the one of them was from Coele-Syria, [10] the
other from Egypt. There were others in the East, one of them an Assyrian,
[11] the other a Hebrew in Palestine? But when I met with the last, [13]--
in ability truly he was first,-- having hunted him out in his concealment
in Egypt, I found rest. 5. These men, preserving the true tradition of the
blessed doctrine, directly from the holy apostles, Peter and James and John
and Paul, the son receiving it from the father (but few were like the
fathers), have come by God's will even to us to deposit those ancestral and
apostolic seeds." [14]
CHAPTER XII: The Bishops in Jerusalem.
1. At this time Narcissus [1] was the bishop of the church at
Jerusalem, and he is celebrated by many to this day. He was the fifteenth
in succession from the siege of the Jews under Adrian. We have shown that
from that time first the church in Jerusalem was composed of Gentiles,
after those of the circumcision, and that Marcus was the first Gentile
bishop that presided over them. [2] 2. After him the succession in the
episcopate was: first Cassianus; after him Publius; then Maximus; [3]
following them Julian; then Gaius; [4] after him Symmachus and another
Gaius, and again another Julian; after these Capito [5] and Valens and
Dolichianus; and after all of them Narcissus, the thirtieth in regular
succession from the apostles.
CHAPTER XIII: Rhodo and his Account of the Dissension of Marcion.
1. At this time Rhodo, [1] a native of Asia, who had been instructed,
as he himself states, by Tatian, with whom we have already become
acquainted, [2] having written several books, published among the rest one
against the heresy of Marcion. [3] He says that this heresy was divided in
his time into various opinions; [4] and while describing those who
occasioned the division, he refutes accurately the falsehoods devised by
each of them. But hear what he writes: [5]
2. "Therefore also they disagree among themselves, maintaining an
inconsistent opinion. [6] For Apelles, [7] one of the herd, priding himself
on his manner of life [8] and his age, acknowledges one principle, [9] but
says that the prophecies [10] are from an opposing spirit, being led to
this view by the responses of a maiden by name Philumene, [11] who was
possessed by a [3] demon. 3. But others, among whom are Potitus and
Basilicus, [12] hold to two principles, [13] as does the mariner [14]
Marcion himself. 4. These following the wolf [15] of Pontus, and, like him,
unable to fathom the division of things, became reckless, and without
giving any proof asserted two principles. Others, again, drifting into a
worse error, consider that there are not only two, but three natures. [16]
Of these, Syneros [17] is the leader and chief, as those who defend his
teaching [18] say." 5. The same author writes that he engaged in
conversation with Apelles. He speaks as follows:
"For the old man Apelles, when conversing with us, [19] was refuted in
many things which he spoke falsely; whence also he said that it was not at
all necessary to examine one's doctrine, [20] but that each one should
continue to hold what he believed. For he asserted that those who trusted
in the Crucified would be saved, if only they were found doing good works.
[21] But as we have said before, his opinion concerning God was the most
obscure of all. For he spoke of one principle, as also our doctrine does."
6.Then, after stating fully his own opinion, he adds:
"When I said to him, Tell me how you know this or how can you assert
that there is one principle, he replied that the prophecies refuted
themselves, because they have said nothing true; [22] for they are
inconsistent, and false, and self-contradictory. But how there is one
principle he said that he did not know, but that he was thus persuaded. 7.
As I then adjured him to speak the truth, he swore that he did so when he
said that he did not know how there is one unbegotten God, but that he
believed it. Thereupon I laughed and reproved him because, though calling
himself a teacher, he knew not how to confirm what he taught." [23]
8. In the same work, addressing Callistio, [24] the same writer
acknowledges that he had been instructed at Rome by Tatian. [25] And he
says that a book of Problems [26] had been prepared by Tatian, in which he
promised to explain the obscure and hidden parts of the divine Scriptures.
Rhodo himself promises to give in a work of his: own solutions of Tatian's
problems. [27] There is also extant a Commentary of his on the Hexaemeron.
[28]
9. But this Apelles wrote many things, an impious manner, of the law of
Moses, blaspheming the divine words in many of his works, being, as it
seemed, very zealous for their refutation and overthrow?
So much concerning these.
CHAPTER XIV: The False Prophets of the Phrygians.
The enemy of God's Church, who is emphatically a hater of good and a
lover of evil, and leaves untried no manner of craft against men, was
again active in causing strange heresies to spring up against the Church.
[1] For some persons, like venomous reptiles, crawled over Asia and
Phrygia, boasting that Montanus was the Paraclete, and that the women that
followed him, Priscilla and Maximilla, were prophetesses of Montanus. [2]
CHAPTER XV: The Schism of Blastus at Rome. [1]
Others, of whom Florinus [2] was chief, flourished at Rome. He fell
from the presbyterate of the Church, and Blastus was involved in a similar
fall. They also drew away many oft the Church to their opinion, each
striving to introduce his own innovations in respect to the truth.
CHAPTER XVI: The Circumstances related of Montanus and his False Prophets.
[1]
1. Against the so-called Phrygian [2] heresy, the power which always
contends for the truth raised up a strong and invincible weapon,
Apolinarius of Hierapolis, whom we have mentioned before, [3] and with him
many other men of ability, by whom abundant material for our history has
been left. 2. A certain one of these, in the beginning of his work against
them, [4] first intimates that he had contended with them in oral
controversies. 3. He commences his work in this manner: [5]
"Having for a very long and sufficient time, O beloved Avircius
Marcellus, [6] been urged Against the so-called Phrygian [2] heresy, the
power which always contends for the truth raised up a strong and invincible
weapon, Apolinarius of Hierapolis, whom we have mentioned before, [3] and
with him many other men of ability, by whom abundant material for our
history has been left. by you to write a treatise against the heresy of
those who are called after Miltiades, [7] I have hesitated till the present
time, not through lack of ability to refute the falsehood or bear testimony
for the truth, but from fear and apprehension that I might seem to some to
be making additions to the doctrines or precepts of the Gospel of the New
Testament, which it is impossible for one who has chosen to live according
to the Gospel, either to increase or to diminish. 4. But being recently in
Ancyra [8] in Galatia, I found the church there [9] greatly agitated by
this novelty, not prophecy, as they call it, but rather false prophecy, as
will be shown. Therefore, to the best of our ability, with the Lord's help,
we disputed in the church many days concerning these and other matters
separately brought forward by them, so that the church rejoiced and was
strengthened in the truth, and those of the opposite side were for the time
confounded, and the adversaries were grieved. 5. The presbyters in the
place, our fellow-presbyter Zoticus [10] of Otrous also being present,
requested us to leave a record of what had been said against the opposers
of the truth. We did not do this, but we promised to write it out as soon
as the Lord permitted us, and to send it to them speedily."
6. Having said this with other things, in the beginning of his work, he
proceeds to state the cause of the above-mentioned heresy as follows:
"Their opposition and their recent heresy which has separated them from
the Church arose on the following account. 7. There is said to be a certain
village called Ardabau in that part of Mysia, which borders upon Phrygia.
[11] There first, they say, when Gratus was proconsul of Asia, [12] a
recent convert, Montanus by name, through his unquenchable desire for
leadership, [13] gave the adversary opportunity against him. And he became
beside himself, and being suddenly in a sort of frenzy and ecstasy, he
raved, and began to babble and utter strange things, prophesying in a
manner contrary to the constant custom of the Church handed down by
tradition from the beginning. [14] 8. Some of those who heard his spurious
utterances at that time were indignant, and they rebuked him as one that
was possessed, and that was under the control of a demon, and was led by a
deceitful spirit, and was distracting the multitude; and they forbade him
to talk, remembering the distinction [15] drawn by the Lord and his warning
to guard watchfully against the coming of false prophets? But others
imagining themselves possessed of the Holy Spirit and of a prophetic
gift,[17] were elated and not a little puffed up; and forgetting the
distinction of the Lord, they challenged the mad and insidious and seducing
spirit, and were cheated and deceived by him. In consequence of this, he
could no longer be held in check, so as to keep silence. 9. Thus by
artifice, or rather by such a system of wicked craft, the devil, devising
destruction for the disobedient, and being unworthily honored by them,
secretly excited and inflamed their understandings which had already become
estranged from the true faith. And he stirred up besides two women, [18]
and filled them with the false spirit, so that they talked wildly and
unreasonably and strangely, like the person already mentioned. [19] And the
spirit pronounced them blessed as they rejoiced and gloried in him, and a
wise and faithful manner, that he might seem to be a reprover. But those of
the Phrygians that were puffed them up by the magnitude of his promises.
But sometimes he rebuked them openly in deceived were few in number.
"And the arrogant spirit taught them to revile the entire universal
Church under heaven, because the spirit of false prophecy received neither
honor from it nor entrance into it. 10. For the faithful in Asia met often
in many places throughout Asia to consider this matter, [20] and examined
the novel utterances and pronounced them profane, and rejected the heresy,
and thus these persons were expelled from the Church and debarred from
communion."
11. Having related these things at the outset, and continued the
refutation of their delusion through his entire work, in the second book he
speaks as follows of their end:
12. "Since, therefore, they called us slayers of the prophets [21]
because we did not receive their loquacious prophets, who, they say, are
those that the Lord promised to send to the people, [22] let them answer as
in God's presence: Who is there, O friends, of these who began to talk,
from Montanus and the women down, that was persecuted by the Jews, or slain
by lawless men? None. Or has any of them been seized and crucified for the
Name? Truly not. Or has one of these women ever been scourged in the
synagogues of the Jews, or stoned? No; never anywhere. [23] 13. But by
another kind of death Montanus and Maximilla are said to have died. For the
report is that, incited by the spirit of frenzy, they both hung themselves;
[24] not at the same time, but at the time which common report gives for
the death of each. And thus they died, and ended their lives like the
traitor Judas. 14. So also, as general report says, that remarkable person,
the first steward, [25] as it were, of their so-called prophecy, one
Theodotus -- who, as if at sometime taken up and received into heaven, fell
into trances, and entrusted himself to the deceitful spirit -- was pitched
like a quoit, and died miserably? 15. They say that these things happened
in this manner. But as we did not see them, O friend, we do not pretend to
know. Perhaps in such a manner, perhaps not, Montanus and Theodotus and the
above-mentioned woman died."
16. He says again in the same book that the holy bishops of that time
attempted to refute the spirit in Maximilla, but were prevented by others
who plainly co-operated with the spirit. He writes as follows:
17. "And let not the spirit, in the same work of Asterius Urbanus, [27]
say through Maximilla, ' I am driven away from the sheep like a wolf. [28]
I am not a wolf. I am word and spirit and power.' But let him show clearly
and prove the power in the spirit. And by the spirit let him compel those
to confess him who were then present for the purpose of proving and
reasoning with the talkative spirit,- those eminent men and bishops,
Zoticus, [29] from the village Comana and Julian, [30] from Apamea, whose
mouths the followers of Themiso [31] muzzled, refusing to per-knit the
false and seductive spirit to be refuted by them."
18. Again in the same work, after saying other things in refutation of
the false prophecies of Maximilla, he indicates the time when he wrote
these accounts, and mentions her predictions in which she prophesied wars
and anarchy. Their falsehood he censures in the following manner:
19. "And has not this been shown clearly to be false? For it is to-day
more than thirteen years since the woman died, and there has been neither a
partial nor general war in the world; but rather, through the mercy of God,
continued peace even to the Christians." [32] These things are taken from
the second book. 20. I will add also short extracts from the third book, in
which he speaks thus against! their boasts that many of them had suffered,
martyrdom:
"When therefore they are at a loss, being refuted in all that they say,
they try to take refuge in their martyrs, alleging that they have many
martyrs, and that this is sure evidence of the , power of the so-called
prophetic spirit that is with them. But this, as it appears, is entirely
fallacious. [33] 21. For some of the heresies have a great many martyrs;
but surely we shall not on that account agree with them or confess that
they hold the truth. And first, indeed, those called Marcionites, from the
heresy of Marcion, say that they have a multitude of martyrs for Christ;
yet they do not confess Christ himself in truth. "
A little farther on he continues:
22. "When those called to martyrdom from the Church for the truth of
the faith have met with any of the so-called martyrs of the Phrygian
heresy, they have separated from them, and died without any fellowship with
them, [34] because they did not wish to give their assent to the spirit of
Montanus and the women. And that this is true and took place in our own
time in Apamea on the Maeander, [35] among those who suffered martyrdom
with Gaius and Alexander of Eumenia, is well known."
CHAPTER XVII: Miltiades and his Works.
1. In this work he mentions a writer, Miltiades, [1] stating that he
also wrote a certain book against the above-mentioned heresy. After quoting
some of their words, he adds:
"Having found these things in a certain work of theirs in opposition to
the work of the brother Alcibiades, [2] in which he shows that a prophet
ought not to speak in ecstasy, [3] I made an abridgment."
2. A little further on in the same work he gives a list of those who
prophesied under the new covenant, among whom he enumerates a certain Ammia
[4] and Quadratus, [5] saying:
"But the false prophet falls into an ecstasy, in which he is without
shame or fear. Beginning with purposed ignorance, he passes on, as has been
stated, 16 involuntary madness of soul. 3. They cannot show that one of the
old or one of the new prophets was thus carried away in spirit. Neither can
they boast of Agabus, [6] or Judas, [7] or Silas, [8] or the daughters of
Philip, [9] or Ammia in Philadelphia, or Quadratus, or any others not
belonging to them."
4. And again after a little he says: "For if after Quadratus and Ammia
in Philadelphia, as they assert, the women with Montanus received the
prophetic gift, let them show who among them received it from Montanus and
the women. For the apostle thought it necessary that the prophetic gift
should continue in all the Church until the final coming. But they cannot
show it, though this is the fourteenth year since the death of Maximilla."
[10]
5. He writes thus. But the Miltiades to whom he refers has left other
monuments of his own zeal for the Divine Scriptures, [11] in the discourses
which he composed against the Greeks and against the Jews, [12] answering
each of them separately in two books. [13] And in addition he addresses an
apology to the earthly rulers, [14] in behalf of the philosophy which he
embraced.
CHAPTER XVIII: The Manner in which Apollonius refuted the Phrygians, and
the Persons [1] whom he mentions.
1. As the so-called Phrygian heresy [2] was still flourishing in
Phrygia in his time, Apollonius [3] also, an ecclesiastical writer,
undertook its refutation, and wrote a special work against it, correcting
in detail the false prophecies current among them and reproving the life of
the founders of the heresy. But hear his own words respecting Montanus:
2. "His actions and his teaching show who this new teacher is. This is
he who taught the dissolution of marriage; [4] who made laws for fasting;
[5] who named Pepuza and Tymion, [6] small towns in Phrygia, Jerusalem,
wishing to gather people to them from all directions; who appointed
collectors of money; [7] who contrived the receiving of gifts under the
name of offerings; who provided salaries for those who preached his
doctrine, that its teaching might prevail through gluttony." [8]
3. He writes thus concerning Montanus; and a little farther on he
writes as follows concerning his prophetesses: "We show that these first
prophetesses themselves, as soon as they were filled with the Spirit,
abandoned their husbands. How falsely therefore they speak who call Prisca
a virgin." [9]
4. Afterwards he says: "Does not all Scripture seem to you to forbid a
prophet to receive gifts and money? [10] When therefore I see the
prophetess receiving gold and silver and costly garments, how can I avoid
reproving her?"
5. And again a little farther on he speaks thus concerning one of their
confessors:
"So also Themiso, [11] who was clothed with plausible covetousness,
could not endure the sign of confession, but threw aside bonds for an
abundance of possessions. Yet, though he should have been humble on this
account, he dared to boast as a martyr, and in imitation of the apostle, he
wrote a certain catholic [12] epistle, to instruct those whose faith was
better than his own, contending for words of empty sound, and blaspheming
against the Lord and the apostles and the holy Church."
6. And again concerning others of those honored among them as martyrs,
he writes as follows:
"Not to speak of many, let the prophetess herself tell us of Alexander,
[13] who called himself a martyr, with whom she is in the habit of
banqueting, and who is worshiped [13a] by many. We need not mention his
robberies and other daring deeds for which he was punished, but the
archives [14] contain them. 7. Which of these forgives the sins of the
other? Does the prophet the robberies of the martyr, or the: martyr the
covetousness of the prophet? For although the Lord said,' Provide neither
gold, nor silver, neither two coats,' [15] these men, in complete
opposition, transgress in respect to the possession of the forbidden
things. For we will show that those whom they call prophets and martyrs
gather their gain not only from rich men, but also from the poor, and
orphans, and widows. 8. But if they are confident, let them stand up and
discuss these matters, that if convicted they may hereafter cease
transgressing. For the fruits of the prophet must be tried; ' for the tree
is known by its fruit.' [16] 9. But that those who wish may know concerning
Alexander, he was tried by AEmilius Frontinus, [17] proconsul at Ephesus;
not on account of the Name, [18] but for the robberies which he had
committed, being already an apostate. [19] Afterwards, having falsely
declared for the name of the Lord, he was released, having deceived the
faithful that were there. [20] And his own parish, from which he came, did
not receive him, because he was a robber. [21] Those who wish to learn
about him have the public records [22] of Asia. And yet the prophet with
whom he spent many years knows nothing about him ![23] 10. Exposing him,
through him we expose also the pretense [24] of the prophet. We could show
the same thing of many others. But if they are confident, let them endure
the test." 11. Again, in another part of his work he speaks as follows of
the prophets of whom they boast:
"If they deny that their prophets have received gifts, let them
acknowledge this: that if they are convicted of receiving them, they are
not' prophets. And we will bring a multitude of proofs of this. But it is
necessary that all the fruits of a prophet should be examined. Tell me,
does a prophet dye his hair? [25] Does a prophet stain his eyelids? [26]
Does a prophet delight in adornment? Does a prophet play with tables and
dice? Does a prophet lend on usury? Let them confess whether these things
are lawful or not; but I will show that they have been done by them." [27]
12. This same Apollonius states in the same [12] work that, at the time
of his writing, it was the fortieth year since Montanus had begun his
pretended prophecy. [28] 13. And he says also that Zoticus, who was
mentioned by the former writer, [29] when Maximilla was pretending to
prophesy in Pepuza, resisted her and endeavored to refute the spirit that
was working in her; but was prevented by those who agreed with her. He
mentions also a certain Thraseas [30] among the martyrs of that time.
He speaks, moreover, of a tradition that the Saviour commanded his
apostles not to depart from Jerusalem for twelve years. [31] He uses
testimonies also from the Revelation of John, [32] and he relates that a
dead man had, through the Divine power, been raised by John himself in
Ephesus. [38] He also adds other things by which he fully and abundantly
exposes the error of the heresy of which we have been speaking.These are
the matters recorded by Apollonius.
CHAPTER XIX: Serapion on the Heresy of the Phrygians.
1. Serapion, [1] who, as report says, succeeded Maximinus [2] at that
time as bishop of the church of Antioch, mentions the works of Apolinarius
[3] against the above-mentioned heresy. And he alludes to him in a private
letter to Caricus and Pontius, [4] in which he himself exposes the same
heresy, and adds the following words: [5]
2. "That you may see that the doings of this lying band of the new
prophecy, so called, are an abomination to all the brotherhood throughout
the world, I have sent you writings [6] of the most blessed Claudius
Apolinarius, bishop of Hierapolis in Asia."
3. In the same letter of Serapion the signatures 3 of several bishops
are found, [7] one of whom subscribes himself as follows:
"I, Aurelius Cyrenius, a witness, [8] pray for your health."
And another in this manner:
"AElius Publius Julius, [9] bishop of Debeltum, a colony of Thrace. [1]
As God liveth in the heavens, the blessed Sotas in Anchialus desired to
cast the demon out of Priscilla, but the hypocrites did not permit him."
[10]
4. And the autograph signatures of many other bishops who agreed with
them are contained in the same letter.
So much for these persons.
CHAPTER XX: The Writings of Irenaeus against the Schismatics at Rome.
1. Irenaeus [1] wrote several letters against those who were disturbing
the sound ordinance of the Church at Rome. One of them was to Blastus On
Schism; [2] another to Florinus On Monarchy, [3] or That God is not the
Author of Evil. For Florinus seemed to be defending this opinion. And
because he was being drawn away by the error of Valentinus, Irenaeus wrote
his work On the Ogdoad, [4] in which he shows that he himself had been
acquainted with the first successors of the apostles. [5] 2. At the close
of the treatise we have found a most beautiful note which we are
constrained to insert in this work. [6] It runs as follows:
"I adjure thee who mayest copy this book, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and
by his glorious advent when he comes to judge the living and the dead, to
compare what thou shalt write, and correct it carefully by this manuscript,
and also to write this adjuration, and place it in the copy."
3. These things may be profitably read in his work, and related by us,
that we may have those ancient and truly holy men as the best example of
painstaking carefulness. 4. In the letter to Florinus, of which we have
spoken, [7] Irenaeus mentions again his intimacy with Polycarp, saying:
"These doctrines, O Florinus, to speak mildly, are not of sound
judgment. These doctrines disagree with the Church, and drive into the
greatest impiety those who accept them. These doctrines, not even the
heretics outside of the Church, have ever dared to publish. These
doctrines, the presbyters who were before us, and who were companions of
the apostles, did not deliver to thee.
5. "For when I was a boy, I saw thee in lower Asia with Polycarp,
moving in splendor in the royal court, [8] and endeavoring to gain his
approbation. 6. I remember the events of that time more clearly than those
of recent years. For what boys learn, growing with their mind, becomes
joined with it; so that I am able to describe the very place in which the
blessed Polycarp sat as he discoursed, and his goings out and his comings
in, and the manner of his life, and his physical appearance, and his
discourses to the people, and the accounts which he gave of his intercourse
with John and with the others who had seen the Lord. And as he remembered
their words, and what he heard from them concerning the Lord, and
concerning his miracles and his teaching, having received them from
eyewitnesses of the 'Word of life,' [9] Polycarp related all things in
harmony with the Scriptures. 7. These things being told me by the mercy of
God, I listened to them attentively, noting them down, not on paper, but in
my heart. And continually, through God's grace, I recall them faithfully.
And I am able to bear witness before God that if that blessed and
apostolic presbyter had heard any such thing, he would have cried out, and
stopped his ears, and as was his custom, would have exclaimed, O good God,
unto what times hast thou spared me that I should endure these things? And
he would have fled from the place where, sitting or standing, he had heard
such words. [10] 8. And this can be shown plainly from the letters [11]
which he sent, either to the neighboring churches for their confirmation,
or to some of the brethren, admonishing and exhorting them." Thus far
Irenaeus.
CHAPTER XXI: How Appolonius suffered Martyrdom at Rome.
1. About the same time, in the reign of Com- modus, our condition
became more favorable, and through the grace of God the churches
throughout the entire world enjoyed peace, [1] and the word of salvation
was leading every soul, from every race of man to the devout worship of
the God of the universe. So that now at Rome many who were highly
distinguished for wealth and family turned with all their household and
relatives unto their salvation. 2. But the demon who hates what is good,
being malignant in his nature, could not endure this, but prepared himself
again for conflict, contriving many devices against us. And he brought to
the judgment seat Apollonius, [2] of the city of Rome, a man renowned among
the faithful for learning and philosophy, having stirred up one of his
servants, who was well fitted for such a purpose, to accuse him. [3] 3. But
this wretched man made the charge unseasonably, because by a royal decreeit
was unlawful that informers of such things should live. And his legs were
broken immediately, Perennius the judge having pronounced this sentence
upon him. [4] 4. But the martyr, highly beloved of God, being ear nestly
entreated and requested by the judge to give an account of himself before
the Senate, made in the presence of all an eloquent defense of the faith
for which he was witnessing. And as if by decree of the Senate he was put
to death by decapitation; an ancient law requiring that those who were
brought to the judgment seat and refused to recant should not be liberated.
[5] 5. Whoever desires to know his arguments before the judge and his
answers to the questions of Perennius, and his entire defense before the
Senate will find them in the records of the ancient martyrdoms which we
have collected. [6]
CHAPTER XXII: The Bishops that were well known at this Time.
In the tenth year of the reign of Commodus, Victor [1] succeeded
Eleutherus, [2] the latter having held the episcopate for thirteen years.
In the same year, after Julian a had completed his tenth year, Demetrius
[4] received the charge of the parishes at Alexandria. At this time the
above-mentioned Serapion, [5] the eighth from the apostles, was still well
known as bishop of the church at Antioch. Theophilus [6] presided at
Caesarea in Palestine; and Narcissus, [7] whom we have mentioned before,
still had charge of the church at Jerusalem. Bacchylus [8] at the same time
was bishop of Corinth in Greece, and Polycrates [9] of the parish of
Ephesus. And besides these a multitude of others, as is likely, were then
prominent. But we have given the names of those alone, the soundness of
whose faith has come down to us in writing.
CHAPTER XXIII: The Question then agitated concerning the Passover.
1. A Question of no small importance arose at that time. For the
parishes of all Asia, as from an older tradition, held that the fourteenth
day of the moon, on which day the Jews were commanded to sacrifice the
lamb, should be observed as the feast of the Saviour's passover. [1] It was
therefore necessary to end their fast on that day, whatever day of the week
it should happen to be. But it was not the custom of the churches in the
rest of the world to end it at this time, as they observed the practice
which, from apostolic tradition, has prevailed to the present time, of
terminating the fast on no other day than on that of the resurrection of
our Saviour.
2. Synods and assemblies of bishops were held on this account, [2] and
all, with one consent, through mutual correspondence drew. up an
ecclesiastical decree, that the mystery of the resurrection of the Lord
should be celebrated on no other but the Lord's day, and that we should
observe the close of the paschal fast on this day only. There is still
extant a writing of those who were then assembled in Palestine, over whom
Theophilus, [3] bishop of Caesarea, and Narcissus, bishop of Jerusalem,
presided. And there is also another writing extant of those who were
assembled at Rome to consider the same question, which bears the name of
Bishop Victor; [4] also of the bishops in Pontus over whom Palmas, [5] as
the oldest, presided; and of the parishes in Gaul of which Irenaeus was
bishop, and of those in Osrhoene [6] and the cities there; 3. and a
personal letter of Bacchylus, [7] bishop of the church at Corinth, and of a
great many others, who uttered the same opinion and judgment, and cast the
same vote. And that which has been given above was their unanimous
decision. [8]
CHAPTER XXIV: The Disagreement in Asia.
1. But the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, decided to hold to the
old custom handed down to them. [1] He himself, in a letter which he
addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, set forth in the following
words the tradition which had come down to him: [2]
2. "We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in
Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the
day of the Lord's coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and
shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve
apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters,
and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at
Ephesus; 3. and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who
reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the
sacerdotal plate. He fell asleep at Ephesus. 4. And Polycarp [3] in Smyrna,
who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, [4] bishop and martyr from
Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna. 5. Why need I mention the bishop and
martyr Sagaris [5] who fell asleep in Laodicea, or the blessed Papirius,
[6] or Melito, [7] the Eunuch who lived altogether in the Holy Spirit, and
who lies in Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from heaven, when he shall rise
from the dead? 6. All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover
according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of
faith. [8] And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to
the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For
seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives
always observed the day when the people [9] put away the leaven. 7. I,
therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have
met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every
Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater
than I have said ' We ought to obey God rather than man.' " [10] 8. He then
writes of all the bishops who were present with him and thought as he did.
His words are as follows:
"I could mention the bishops who were present, whom I summoned at your
desire; [11] whose names, should I write them, would constitute a great
multitude. And they, beholding my littleness, gave their consent to the
letter, knowing that I did not bear my gray hairs in vain, but had always
governed my life by the Lord Jesus."
9. Thereupon Victor, who presided over the church at Rome, immediately
attempted to cut off from the common unity the parishes of all Asia, with
the churches that agreed with them, as heterodox; and he wrote letters and
declared all the brethren there wholly excommunicate. [12] 10. But this did
not please all the bishops. And they besought him to consider the things of
peace, and of neighborly unity and love. Words of theirs are extant,
sharply rebuking Victor. 11. Among them was Irenaeus, who, sending letters
in the name of the brethren in Gaul over whom he presided, maintained that
the mystery of the resurrection of the Lord should be observed only on the
Lord's day. He fittingly admonishes Victor that he should not cut off whole
churches of God which observed the tradition of an ancient custom and after
many other words he proceeds as follows: [13]
12. "For the controversy is not only concerning the day, but also
concerning the very manner of the fast. For some think that they should
fast one day, others two, yet others more; some, moreover, count their day
as consisting 13 of forty hours day and night. [14] 13. And this variety in
its observance has not originated in our time; but long before in that of
our ancestors. [15] It is likely that they did not hold to strict accuracy,
and thus formed a custom for their posterity according to their own
simplicity and peculiar mode. Yet all of these lived none the less in
peace, and we also live in peace with one another; and the disagreement in
regard to the fast confirms the agreement in the faith."
14. He adds to this the following account, which I may properly insert:
"Among these were the presbyters before Soter, who presided over the
church which thou now rulest. We mean Anicetus, and Plus, and Hyginus, and
Telesphorus, and Xystus. They neither observed it [16] themselves, nor did
they permit those after them to do so. And yet though not observing it,
they were none the less at peace with those who came to them from the
parishes in which it was observed; although this observance was more
opposed to those who didnot observe it. [17] 15. But none were ever cast
out on account of this form; but the presbyters before thee who did not
observe it, sent the eucharist to those of other parishes who observed it.
[18] 16. And when the blessed Polycarp was at Rome [19] in the time of
Anicetus, and they disagreed a little about certain other things, they
immediately made peace with one another, not caring to quarrel over this
matter. For neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarp not to observe what he
had always observed with John the disciple of our Lord, and the other
apostles with whom he had associated; neither could Polycarp persuade
Anicetus to observe it as he said that he ought to follow the customs of
the presbyters that had preceded him. 17. But though matters were in this
shape, they communed together, and Anicetus conceded the administration of
the eucharist in the church to Polycarp, manifestly as a mark of respect.
[20] And they parted from each other in peace, both those who observed, and
those who did not, maintaining the peace of the whole church."
18. Thus Irenaeus, who truly was well named, [21] became a peacemaker
in this matter, exhorting and negotiating in this way in behalf of the
peace of the churches. And he conferred by letter about this mooted
question, not only with Victor, but also with most of the other rulers of
the churches. [22]
CHAPTER XXV: How All came to an Agreement respecting the Passover.
Those in Palestine whom we have recently mentioned, Narcissus and
Theophilus, [1] and with them Cassius, [2] bishop of the church of Tyre,
and Clarus of the church of Ptolemais, and those who met with them, [3]
having stated many things respecting the tradition concerning the passover
which had come to them in succession from the apostles, at the close of
their writing add these words: [4]
"Endeavor to send copies of our letter to every church, that we may not
furnish occasion to those who easily deceive their souls. We show you
indeed that also in Alexandria they keep it on the same day that we do. For
letters are carried from us to them and from them to us, so that in the
same manner and at the same time we keep the sacred day." [5]
CHAPTER XXVI: The Elegant Works of Irenaeus which have come down to us.
Besides the works and letters of Irenaeus which we have mentioned, [1]
a certain book of his On Knowledge, written against the Greeks, [2] very
concise and remarkably forcible, is extant; and another, which he dedicated
to a brother Martian, In Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching; [3] and
a volume containing various Dissertations, [4] in which he mentions the
Epistle to the Hebrews and the so-called Wisdom of Solomon, making
quotations from them. These are the works of Irenaeus which have come to
our knowledge.
Commodus having ended his reign after thirteen years, Severus became
emperor in less than six months after his death, Pertinax having reigned
during the intervening time. [5]
CHAPTER XXVII: The Works of Others that flourished at that Time.
Numerous memorials of the faithful zeal of the ancient ecclesiastical
men of that time are still preserved by many. Of these we would note
particularly the writings of Heraclitus [1] On the Apostle, and those of
Maximus on the question so much discussed among heretics, the Origin of
Evil, and on the Creation of Matter. [2] Also those of Candidus on the
Hexaemeron, [3] and of Apion [4] on the same subject; likewise of Sextus
[5] on the Resurrection, and another treatise of Arabianus, [6] and
writings of a multitude of others, in regard to whom, because we have no
data, it is impossible to state in our work when they lived, or to give any
account of their history. [7] And works of many others have come down to us
whose names we are unable to give, orthodox and ecclesiastical, as their
interpretations of the Divine Scriptures show, but unknown to us, because
their names are not stated in their writings. [8]
CHAPTER XXVIII: Those who first advanced the Heresy of Artemon; their
Manner of Life, and how they dared to corrupt the Sacred Scriptures.
1. In a laborious work by one of these writers against the heresy of
Artemon, [1]which Paul of Samosata [2] attempted to revive again in our
day, there is an account appropriate to the history which we are now
examining. 2. For he criticises, as a late innovation, the above-mentioned
heresy which teaches that the Saviour was a mere man, because they were
attempting to magnify it as ancient? Having given in his work many other
arguments in refutation of their blasphemous falsehood, he adds the
following words:
3. "For they say that all the early teachers and the apostles received
and taught what they now declare, and that the truth of the Gospel was
preserved until the times of Victor, who was the thirteenth bishop of Rome
from Peter, [4] but that from his successor, Zephyrinus, [5] the truth had
been corrupted. 4. And what they say might be plausible, if first of all
the Divine Scriptures did not contradict them. And there are writings of
certain brethren older than the times of Victor, which they wrote in behalf
of the truth against the heathen, and against the heresies which existed in
their day. I refer to Justin [6] and Miltiades [7] and Tatian [8] and
Clement [9] and many others, in all of whose works Christ is spoken of as
God. [10] 5. For who does not know the works of Irenaeus [11] and of Melito
[12] and of others which teach that Christ is God and man? [13] And how
many psalms and hymns, [14] written by the faithful brethren from the
beginning, celebrate Christ the Word of God, speaking of him as Divine. 6.
How then since the opinion held by the Church has been preached for so many
years, can its preaching have been delayed as they affirm, until the times
of Victor? And how is it that they are not ashamed to speak thus falsely of
Victor, knowing well that he cut off from communion Theodotus, the cobbler,
[15] the leader and father of this God- denying apostasy, and the first to
declare that Christ is mere man? For if Victor agreed with their opinions,
as their slander affirms, how came he to cast out Theodotus, the inventor
of this heresy ?"
7. So much in regard to Victor. His bishopric lasted ten years, and
Zephyrinus was appointed his successor about the ninth year of the reign of
Severus. [16] The author of the above-mentioned book, concerning the
founder of this heresy, narrates another event which occurred in the time
of Zephyrinus, using these words:
8. "I will remind many of the brethren of a fact which took place in
our time, which, had it happened in Sodom, might, I think, have proved a
warning to them. There was a certain confessor, Natalius, [17] not long
ago, but in our own day. 9. This man was deceived at one time by
Asclepiodotus [18] and another Theodotus, [19] a money- changer. Both of
them were disciples of Theodotus, the cobbler, who, as I have said, was the
first person excommunicated by Victor, bishop at that time, on account of
this sentiment, or rather senselessness. [20] 10. Natalius was persuaded by
them to allow himself to be chosen bishop of this heresy with a salary, to
be paid by them, of one hundred and fifty denarii a month. [21] 11. When he
had thus connected himself with them, he was warned oftentimes by the Lord
through visions. For the compassionate God and our Lord Jesus Christ was
not willing that a witness of his own sufferings, being cast out of the
Church, should perish. 12. But as he paid little regard to the visions,
because he was ensnared by the first position among them and by that
shameful covetousness which destroys a great many, he was scourged by holy
angels, and punished severely through the entire night. [22] Thereupon
having risen in the morning, he put on sackcloth and covered himself with
ashes, and with great haste and tears he fell down before Zephyrinus, the
bishop, rolling at the feet not only of the clergy, but also of the laity;
and he moved with his tears the compassionate Church of the merciful
Christ. And though he used much supplication, and showed the welts of the
stripes which he had received, yet scarcely was he taken back into
communion."
13. We will add from the same writer some other extracts concerning
them, which run as follows: [23]
"They have treated the Divine Scriptures recklessly and without fear.
They have set aside the rule of ancient faith; and Christ they have not
known. They do not endeavor to learn what the Divine Scriptures declare,
but strive laboriously after any form of syllogism which may be devised to
sustain their impiety. And if any one brings before them a passage of
Divine Scripture, they see whether a conjunctive or disjunctive form of
syllogism can be made from it. 14. And as being of the earth and speaking
of the earth, and as ignorant of him who cometh from above, they forsake
the holy writings of God to devote themselves to geometry. [24] Euclid is
laboriously measured [25] by some of them; and Aristotle and Theophrastus
are admired; and Galen, perhaps, by some is even worshiped. 15. But that
those who use the arts of unbelievers for their heretical opinions and
adulterate the simple faith of the Divine Scriptures by the craft of the
godless, are far from the faith, what need is there to say? Therefore they
have laid their hands boldly upon the Divine Scriptures, alleging that they
have corrected them. 16. That I am not speaking falsely of them in this
matter, whoever wishes may learn. For if any one will collect their
respective copies, and compare them one with another, he will find that
they differ greatly. 17. Those of Asclepiades, [26] for example, do not
agree with those of Theodotus. And many of these can be obtained, because
their disciples have assiduously written the corrections, as they call
them, that is the corruptions, [27] of each of them. Again, those of
Hermophilus 28 do not agree with these, and those of Apollonides [29] are
not consistent with themselves. For you can compare those prepared by them
at an earlier date with those which they corrupted later, and you will find
them widely different. 18. But how daring this offense is, it is not likely
that they themselves are ignorant. For either they do not believe that the
Divine Scriptures were spoken by the Holy Spirit, and thus are unbelievers,
or else they think themselves wiser than the Holy Spirit, and in that case
what else are they than demoniacs? For they cannot deny the commission of
the crime, since the copies have been written by their own hands. For they
did not receive such Scriptures from their instructors, nor can they
produce any copies from which they were transcribed. 19. But some of them
have not thought it worth while to corrupt them, but simply deny the law
and the prophets, [30] and thus through their lawless and impious teaching
under pretense of grace, have sunk to the lowest depths of perdition."
Let this suffice for these things.
BOOK VI
CHAPTER I: The Persecution under Severus.
When Severus began to persecute the churches,[1] glorious testimonies
were given everywhere by the athletes of religion. This was especially the
case in Alexandria, to which city, as to a most prominent theater, athletes
of God were brought from Egypt and all Thebais according to their merit,
and won crowns from God through their great patience under many tortures
and every mode of death. Among these was Leonides, who was called the
father of Origen,[2] and who was beheaded while his son was still young.
How remarkable the predilection of this son was for the Divine Word, in
consequence of his father's instruction, it will not be amiss to state
briefly, as his fame has been very greatly celebrated by many.
CHAPTER II: The Training of Origen from Childhood.[1]
1. Many things might be said in attempting to describe the life of the
man while in school; but this subject alone would require a separate
treatise. Nevertheless, for the present, abridging most things, we shall
state a few facts concerning him as briefly as possible, gathering them
from certain letters, and from the statement of persons still living who
were acquainted with him. 2. What they report of Origen seems to me worthy
of mention, even, so to speak, from his swathing-bands.
It was the tenth year of the reign of Severus, while Laetus[2] was
governor of Alexandria and the rest of Egypt, and Demetrius[3] had lately
received the episcopate of the parishes there, as successor of Julian.[4]
3. As the flame of persecution had been kindled greatly,[5] and multitudes
had gained the crown of martyrdom, such desire for martyrdom seized the
soul of Origen, although yet a boy, that he went close to danger, springing
forward and rushing to the conflict in his eagerness. 4. And truly the
termination of his life had been very near had not the divine and heavenly
Providence, for the benefit of many, prevented his desire through the
agency of his mother. 5. For, at first, entreating him, she begged him to
have compassion on her motherly feelings toward him; but finding, that when
he had learned that his father had been seized and imprisoned, he was set
the more resolutely, and completely carried away with his zeal for
martyrdom, she hid all his clothing, and thus compelled him to remain at
home. 6. But, as there was nothing else that he could do, and his zeal
beyond his age would not suffer him to be quiet, he sent to his father an
encouraging letter on martyrdom,[6] in which he exhorted him, saying, "Take
heed not to change your mind on our account."
This may be recorded as the first evidence of Origen's youthful wisdom
and of his genuine love for piety. 7. For even then he had stored up no
small resources in the words of the faith, having been trained in the
Divine Scriptures from childhood. And he had not studied them with
indifference, for his father, besides giving him the usual liberal
education,[7] had made them a matter of no secondary importance. 8. First
of all, before inducting him into the Greek sciences, he drilled him in
sacred studies, requiring him to learn and recite every day. 9. Nor was
this irksome to the boy, but he was eager and diligent in these studies.
And he was not satisfied with learning what was simple and obvious in the
sacred words, but sought for something more, and even at that age busied
himself with deeper speculations. So that he puzzled his father with
inquiries for the true meaning of the inspired Scriptures. 10. And his
father rebuked him seemingly to his face, telling him not to search beyond
his age, or further than the manifest meaning. But by himself he rejoiced
greatly and thanked God, the author of all good, that he had deemed him
worthy to be the father of such a child. 11. And they say that often,
standing by the boy when asleep, he uncovered his breast as if the Divine
Spirit were enshrined within it, and kisses it reverently; considering
himself blessed in his goodly offspring.
These and other things like them are related to Origen when a boy. 12.
But when his father ended his life in martyrdom, he was left with his
mother and six younger brothers when he was not quite seventeen years
old.[8] 13. And the poverty of his father being confiscated to the royal
treasury, he and his family were in want of the necessaries of life. But he
was deemed worthy of Divine care. And he found welcome and rest with a
woman of great wealth, and distinguished in her manner of life and in other
respects. She was treating with great honor a famous heretic then in
Alexandria;[9] who, however, was born in Antioch. He was with her as an
adopted son, and she treated him with the greatest kindness. 14. But
although Origen was under the necessity of associating with him, he
nevertheless gave from this time on strong evidences of his orthodoxy in
the faith. For when on account of the apparent skill in argument[10] of
Paul, -- for this was the man's name, -- a great multitude came to him, not
only of heretics but also of our people, Origen could never be induced to
join with him in prayer;[11] for he held, although a boy, the rule of the
Church,[12] and abominated, as he somewhere expresses it, heretical
teachings.[13] Having been instructed in the sciences of the Greeks by his
father, he devoted him after his death more assiduously and exclusively to
the study of literature, so that he obtained considerable preparation in
philology[14] ad was able not long after the death of his father, by
devoting himself to that subject, to earn a compensation amply sufficient
for his needs at his age.[15]
CHAPTER III: While still very Young, he taught diligently the Word of
Christ.
1. But while he was lecturing in the school, as he tells us himself,
and there was no one at Alexandria to give instruction in the faith, as all
were driven away by the threat of persecution, some of the heathen came to
him to hear the word of God. 2. The first of them, he says, was
Plutarch,[1] who after living well, was honored with divine martyrdom. The
second was Heracles,[2] a brother of Plutarch; who after he too had given
with him abundant evidence of a philosophic ad ascetic life, was esteemed
worthy to succeed Demetrius in the bishopric of Alexandria.
3. He was in his eighteenth year when he took charge of the
catechetical school.[3] He was prominent also at this time, during the
persecution under Aquila,[4] the governor of Alexandria, when his name
became celebrated among the leaders in the faith, through the kindness and
goodwill which he manifested toward all the holy martyrs, whether known to
him or strangers. 4. For not only was he with them while in bonds, and
until their final condemnation, but when the holy martyrs were led to
death, he was very bold and went with them into danger. So that as he acted
bravely, and with great boldness saluted the martyrs with a kiss,
oftentimes the heathen multitude round about them became infuriated, and
were on the point of rushing upon him. 5. But through the helping hand of
God, he escaped absolutely and marvelously. And this same divine and
heavenly power, again and again, it is impossible to say how often, on
account of his great zeal and boldness for the words of Christ, guarded him
when thus endangered.[5] So great was the enmity of the unbelievers toward
him, on account of the multitude that were instructed by him in the sacred
faith, that they placed bands of soldiers around the house where he abode.
6. Thus day by day the persecution burned against him, so that the whole
city could no longer contain him; but he removed from house to house and
was driven in every direction because of the multitude who attended upon
the divine instruction which he gave. For his life also exhibited right and
admirable conduct according to the practice of genuine philosophy. 7. For
they say that his manner of life was as his doctrine, and his doctrine as
his life.[6] Therefore, by the divine Power working with him he aroused a
great many to his own zeal.
8. But when he saw yet more coming to him for instruction, and the
catechetical school had been entrusted to him alone by Demetrius, who
presided over the church, he considered the teaching of grammatical science
inconsistent with training in divine subjects,[7] and forthwith he gave up
his grammatical school as unprofitable and a hindrance to sacred learning.
9. Then, with becoming consideration, that he might not need aid from
others, he disposed of whatever valuable books of ancient literature he
possessed, being satisfied with receiving from the purchaser four aboli a
day.[8] For many years he lived philosophically[9] in this manner, putting
away all the incentives of youthful desires. Through the entire day he
endured no small amount of discipline; and for the greater part of the
night he gave himself to the study of the Divine Scriptures. He restrained
himself as much as possible by a most philosophic life; sometimes by the
discipline of fasting, again by limited time for sleep. And in his zeal he
never lay upon a bed, but upon the ground. 10. Most of all, he thought that
the words of the Saviour in the Gospel should be observed, in which he
exhorts not to have two coats nor to use shoes,[10] nor to occupy oneself
with cares for the future.[11] 11. With a zeal beyond his age he continued
in col and nakedness; and, going to the very extreme of poverty, he greatly
astonished those about him. And indeed he grieved may of his friends who
desired to share their possessions with him, on account of the wearisome
toil which they saw him enduring in the teaching of divine things. 12. But
he did not relax his perseverance. He is said to have walked for a number
of years never wearing a shoe, and, for a great many years, to have
abstained from the use of wine, and of all other things beyond his
necessary food; so that he was in danger of breaking down and destroying
his constitution.[12]
13. By giving such evidences of a philosophic life to those who saw
him, he aroused may of his pupils to similar zeal; so that prominent men
even of the unbelieving heathen and men that followed learning and
philosophy were led to his instruction. Some of them having received from
hi into the depth of their souls faith in the Divine Word, became prominent
in the persecution then prevailing; and some of them were seized and
suffered martyrdom.
CHAPTER IV: The Pupils of Origen that became Martyrs.
1. The first of these was Plutarch, who was mentioned just above.[1] As
he was led to death the man of whom we are speaking being with him at the
end of his life, came near being slain by his fellow-citizens, as if he
were the cause of his death. But the providence of God preserved him at
this time also. 2. After Plutarch, the second martyr among the pupils of
Origen was Serenus,[2] who gave through fire a proof of the faith which he
had received. 3. The third martyr from the same school was Heraclides,[3]
and after him the fourth was Hero.[4] The former of these was as yet a
catechumen, and the latter had but recently been baptized. Both of them
were beheaded. After them, the fifth from the same school proclaimed as an
athlete of piety was another Serenus, who, it is reported, was beheaded,
after a long endurance of tortures. And of women, Herais[5] died while yet
a catechumen, receiving baptism by fire, as Origen himself somewhere says.
CHAPTER V: Potamiaena.[1]
1. Basilides[2] may be counted the seventh of these. He led to
martyrdom the celebrated Potamiaena, who is still famous among the people
of the country for the many things which she endured for the preservation
of her chastity and virginity. For she was blooming in the perfection of
her mind and her physical graces. Having suffered much for the faith of
Christ, finally after tortures dreadful and terrible to speak of, she with
her mother, Marcella,[3] was put to death by fire. 2. They say that the
judge, Aquila by name, having inflicted severe tortures upon her entire
body, at last threatened to hand her over to the gladiators for bodily
abuse. After a little consideration, being asked for her decision, she made
a reply which was regarded as impious. 3. Thereupon she received sentence
immediately, and Basilides, one of the officers of the army, led her to
death. But as the people attempted to annoy and insult her with abusive
words, he drove back her insulters, showing her much pity and kindness. And
perceiving the man's sympathy for her, she exhorted him to be of good
courage, for she would supplicate her Lord for him after her departure, and
he would soon received a reward for the kindness he had shown her. 4.
Having said this, she nobly sustained the issue, burning pitch being poured
little by little, over various parts of her body, from the sole of her feet
to the crown of her head. Such was the conflict endured by this famous
maiden.
5. Not long after this Basilides, being asked by his fellow-soldiers to
swear for a certain reason, declared that it was not lawful for him to
swear at all, for he was a Christian, and he confessed this openly. At
first they thought that he was jesting, but when he continued to affirm it,
he was led to the judge, and, acknowledging his conviction before him, he
was imprisoned. 6. But the brethren in God coming to him and inquiring the
reason of this sudden and remarkable resolution, he is reported to have
said that Potamiaena, for three days after her martyrdom, stood beside him
by night and placed a crown on his head and said that she had besought the
Lord for him and had obtained what she asked, and that soon she would take
him with her. Thereupon the brethren gave him the seal[4] of the Lord; and
on the next day, after giving glorious testimony for the Lord, he was
beheaded. 7. And many others in Alexandria are recorded to have accepted
speedily the word of Christ in those times. For Potamiaena appeared to them
in their dreams and exhorted them. But let this suffice in regard to this
matter.
CHAPTER VI: Clement of Alexandria.
Clement[1] having succeeded Pantaenus,[2] had charge at that time of
the catechetical instruction in Alexandria, so that Origen also, while
still a boy,[3] was one of his pupils. In the first book of the work called
Stromata, which Clement wrote, he gives a chronological table,[4] bringing
events down to the death of Commodus. So it is evident that that work was
written during the reign of Severus, whose times we are now recording.
CHAPTER VII: The Writer, Judas.[1]
At this time another writer, Judas, discoursing about the seventy weeks
in Daniel, brings down the chronology to the tenth year of the reign of
Severus. He thought that the coming of Antichrist, which was much talked
about, was then near.[2] So greatly did the agitation caused by the
persecution of our people at this time disturb the minds of many.
CHAPTER VIII: Origen's Daring Deed.
1. At this time while Origen was conducting catechetical instruction at
Alexandria, a deed was done by him which evidenced an immature and youthful
mind, but at the same time gave the highest proof of faith and
continence.[1] 2. For he took the words, "There are eunuchs who have made
themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake,"[2] in too literal ad
extreme a sense. And in order to fulfill the Saviour's word, and at the
same time to take away from the unbelievers all opportunity for scandal,--
for, although young, he met for the study of divine things with women as
well as men,- -he carried out in action the word of the Saviour. He thought
that this would not be known by many of his acquaintances. But it was
impossible for him, though desiring to do so, to keep such an action
secret.
3. When Demetrius, who presided over that parish, at last learned of
this, he admired greatly the daring nature of the act, and as he perceived
his zeal and the genuineness of his faith, he immediately exhorted him to
courage, and urged him the more to continue his work of catechetical
instruction. 4. Such was he at that time. But soon afterward, seeing that
he was prospering, and becoming great and distinguished among all men, the
same Demetrius, overcome by human weakness, wrote of his deed as most
foolish to the bishops throughout the world. But the bishops of Cesarea and
Jerusalem, who were especially notable and distinguished among the bishops
of Palestine, considering Origen worthy in the highest degree of the honor,
ordained him a presbyter. [3] 5. Thereupon his fame increased greatly, and
his name became renowned everywhere, and he obtained no small reputation
for virtue and wisdom. But Demetrius, having nothing else that he could say
against him, save this deed of his boyhood, accused him bitterly, [4] and
dared to include with him in these accusations those who had raised him to
the presbyterate. 6. These things, however, took place a little later. But
at this time Origen continued fearlessly the instruction in divine things
at Alexandria by day and night to all who came to him; devoting his entire
leisure without cessation to divine studies and to his pupils.
7. Severus, having held the government for eighteen years, was
succeeded by his son, Antoninus. [5] Among those who had endured
courageously the persecution of that time, and had been preserved by the
Providence of God through the conflicts of confession, was Alexander, of
whom we have spoken already [6] as bishop of the church in Jerusalem. On
account of his pre- eminence in the confession of Christ he was thought
worthy of that bishopric, while Narcissus, [7] his predecessor, was still
living.
CHAPTER IX: The Miracles of Narcissus.
1. The citizens of that parish mention many other miracles of
Narcissus, on the tradition of the brethren who succeeded him; among which
they relate the following wonder as performed by him. 2. They say that the
oil once failed while the deacons were watching through the night at the
great paschal vigil. Thereupon the whole multitude being dismayed,
Narcissus directed those who attended to the lights, to draw water and
bring it to him. 3. This being immediately done he prayed over the water,
and with firm faith in the Lord, commanded them to pour it into the lamps.
And when they had done so, contrary to all expectation by a wonderful and
divine power, the nature of the water was changed into that of oil. A small
portion of it has been preserved even to our day by many of the brethren
there as a memento of the wonder. [1]
4. They tell many other things worthy to be noted of the life of this
man, among which
is this. Certain base men being unable to endure the strength and firmness
of his life, and fearing punishment for the many evil deeds of which they
were conscious, sought by plotting to anticipate him, and circulated a
terrible slander against him. 5. And to persuade those who heard of it,
they confirmed their accusations with oaths: one invoked upon himself
destruction by fire; another the wasting of his body by a foul disease; the
third the loss of his eyes. But though they swore in this manner, they
could not affect the mind of the believers; because the continence and
virtuous life of Narcissus were well known to all. 6. But he could not in
any wise endure the wickedness of these men; and as he had followed a
philosophic [2] life for a long time, he fled from the whole body of the
Church, and hid himself in desert and secret places, and remained there
many years. [3] 7. But the great eye of judgment was not unmoved by these
things, but soon looked down upon these impious men, and brought on them
the curses with which they had bound themselves. The residence of the
first, from nothing but a little spark failing upon it, was entirely
consumed by night, and he perished with all his family. The second was
speedily covered with the disease which he had imprecated upon himself,
from the sole of his feet to his head. 8. But the third, perceiving
what had happened to the others, and fearing the inevitable judgment of
God, the ruler of all, confessed publicly what they had plotted together.
And in his repentance he became so wasted by his great lamentations, and
continued weeping to such an extent, that both his eyes were destroyed.
Such were the punishments which these men received for their falsehood.
CHAPTER X: The Bishops of Jerusalem.
Narcissus having departed, and no one knowing where he was, those
presiding over the neighboring churches thought it best to ordain another
bishop. His name was Dius. [1] He presided but a short time, and Germanio
succeeded him. He was followed by Gordius, [2] in whose time Narcissus
appeared again, as if raised from the dead. [3] And immediately the
brethren besought him to take the episcopate, as all admired him the more
on account of his retirement and philosophy, and especially because of the
punishment with which God had avenged him.
CHAPTER XI: Alexander.
1. But as on account of his great age Narcissus 1 was no longer able to
perform his official duties, [1] the Providence of God called to the office
with him, by a revelation given him in a night vision, the above-mentioned
Alexander, who was then bishop of another parish. [2] 2. Thereupon, as by
Divine direction, he journeyed from the land of Cappadocia, where he first
held the episcopate, to Jerusalem, in consequence of a vow and for the sake
of information in regard to its places. [3] They received , him there with
great cordiality, and would not permit him to return, because of another
revelation seen by them at night, which uttered the clearest message to the
most zealous among them. For it made known that if they would go outside
the gates, they would receive the bishop foreordained for them by God. And
having done this, with the unanimous consent of the bishops of the
neighboring churches, they constrained him to remain. 3. Alexander,
himself, in private letters to the Antinoites, which are still preserved
among us, mentions the joint episcopate of Narcissus and himself, writing
in these words at the end of the epistle:
4. "Narcissus salutes you, who held the episcopate here before me, and
is now associated
with me in prayers, being one hundred and sixteen years of age; and he
exhorts you, as I do, to be of one mind."
These things took place in this manner. But, on the death of Serapion,
[5] Asclepiades, [6] who had been himself distinguished among the
confessors [7] during the persecution, succeeded to the episcopate of the
church at Antioch. Alexander alludes to his appointment, writing thus to
the church at Antioch:
5. "Alexander, a servant and prisoner of Jesus 5 Christ, to the blessed
church of Antioch,
greeting in the Lord. The Lord hath made my bonds during the time of my
imprisonment light and easy, since I learned that, by the Divine
Providence, Asclepiades, who in regard to the true faith is eminently
qualified, has undertaken the bishopric of your holy church at Antioch."
6. He indicates that he sent this epistle by Clement, [8] writing
toward its close as follows:
"My honored brethren, [9] have sent this letter to you by Clement, the
blessed presbyter, a man virtuous and approved, whom ye yourselves also
know and will recognize. Being here, in the providence and oversight of the
Master, he has strengthened and built up the Church of the Lord."
CHAPTER XII: Serapion and his Extant Works.
1. It is probable that others have preserved other memorials of
Serapion's [1] literary industry, [2] but there have reached us only those
addressed to a certain Domninus, who, in the time of persecution, fell away
from faith in Christ to the Jewish will-worship; [3] and those addressed to
Pontius and Caricus, [4] ecclesiastical men, and other letters to different
persons, and still another work composed by him on the so-called Gospel of
Peter. [5] 2. He wrote this last to refute the falsehoods which that Gospel
contained, on account of some in the parish of Rhossus [6] who had been led
astray by it into heterodox notions. It may be well to give some brief
extracts from his work, showing his opinion of the book. He writes as
follows:
3. "For we, brethren, receive both Peter and the other apostles as
Christ; but we reject intelligently the writings falsely ascribed to them,
knowing that such were not handed down to us. 4. When I visited you I that
all of you held the true faith, and as I had not read the Gospel which they
put forward under the name of Peter, I said, ' If this is the only thing
which occasions dispute among you, let it be read.' But now having learned,
from what has been told me, that their mind was involved in some heresy, I
will hasten to come to you again. Therefore, brethren, expect me shortly.
5. But you will learn, brethren, from what has been written to you, that we
perceived the nature of the heresy of Marcianus, [7] and that, not
understanding', what he was saying, he contradicted himself. 6. For having
obtained this Gospel from others who had studied it diligently, namely,
from the successors of those who first used k, whom we call Docet' [8]
(for most of their opinions are connected with the teaching of that school
[9]) we have been able to read it through, and we find many things in
accordance with the true doctrine of the Saviour, but some things added to
that doctrine, which we have pointed out for you farther on."
So much in regard to Serapion.
CHAPTER XIII: The Writings of Clement.[1]
1. All the eight Stromata of Clement are preserved among us, and have
been given by him the following title: "Titus Flavius Clement's Stromata of
Gnostic Notes on the True Philosophy." [2] 2. The books entitled
Hypotyposes [3] are of the same number. In them he mentions Pantaenus [4]
by name as his teacher, and gives his opinions and traditions. 3. Besides
these there is his Hortatory Discourse addressed to the Greeks; [5] three
books of a work entitled the Instructor; [6] another with the title What
Rich Man is Saved? [7] the work on the Passover; [8] discussions on Fasting
and on Evil Speaking; [9] the Hortatory Discourse on Patience, or To Those
Recently Baptized; 20 and the one bearing the title Ecclesiastical Canon,
or Against the Judaizers, [11] which he dedicated to Alexander, the bishop
mentioned above. 4. In the Stromata, he has not only treated extensively
[12] of the Divine Scripture, but he also quotes from the Greek writers
whenever anything that they have said seems to him profitable. He
elucidates the opinions of many, both Greeks and barbarians. 5. He also
refutes the false doctrines of the heresiarchs, and besides this, reviews a
large portion of history, giving us specimens of very various learning;
with all the rest he mingles the views of philosophers. It is likely that
on this account he gave his work the appropriate title of Stromata. [13]
6. He makes use also in these works of testimonies from the disputed
Scriptures, [14] the so-called Wisdom of Solomon, [15] and of Jesus, the
son of Sirach, and the Epistle to the Hebrews, [16] and those of Barnabas,
[17] and Clement[18] and Jude. [19] 7. He mentions also Tatian's [20]
Discourse to the Greeks, and speaks of Cassianus [21] as the author of a
chronological work. He refers to the Jewish authors Philo, [22]
Aristobulus, [28] Josephus, [24] Demetrius, [25] and Eupolemus, [26] as
showing, all of them, in their works, that Moses and the Jewish race
existed before the earliest origin of the Greeks. 8. These books abound
also in much other learning. In the first of them [27] the author speaks of
himself as next after the successors of the apostles. In them he promises
also to write a commentary on Genesis. (28) 9. In his book on the Passover
(29) he acknowledges that he had been urged by his friends to commit to
writing, for posterity, the traditions which he had heard from the ancient
presbyters; and in the same work he mentions Melito and Iren'us, and
certain others, and gives extracts from their writings.
CHAPTER XIV: The Scriptures mentioned by him.
1. To sum up briefly, he has given in the Hypotyposes (1) abridged
accounts of all canonical Scripture, not omitting the disputed books, (2) -
- I refer to Jude and the other Catholic epistles, and Barnabas (3) and the
so-called Apocalypse of Peter. (4) 2. He says that the Epistle to the
Hebrews (5) is the work of Paul, and that it was written to the Hebrews in
the Hebrew language; but that Luke translated it carefully and published it
for the Greeks, and hence the same style of expression is found in this
epistle and in the Acts. 3. But he says that the words, Paul the Apostle,
were probably not prefixed, because, in sending it to the Hebrews, who were
prejudiced and suspicious of him, he wisely did not wish to repel them at
the very beginning by giving his name. 4. Farther on he says: "But now, as
the blessed presbyter said, since the Lord being the apostle of the
Almighty, was sent to the Hebrews, Paul, as sent to the Gentiles, on
account of his modesty did not subscribe himself an apostle of the Hebrews,
through respect for the Lord, and because being a herald and apostle of the
Gentiles he wrote to the Hebrews out of his superabundance."
5. Again, in the same books, Clement gives the tradition of the
earliest presbyters, as to the order of the Gospels, in the following
manner: The Gospels containing the genealogies, he says, were written
first. 6. The Gospel according to Mark (6) had this occasion. As Peter had
preached the Word publicly at Rome, and declared the Gospel by the Spirit,
many who were present requested that Mark, who had followed him for a long
time and remembered his sayings, should write them out. And having composed
the Gospel he gave it to those who had requested it. 7. When Peter learned
of this, he neither directly forbade nor encouraged it. But, last of all,
John, perceiving that the external (7) facts had been made plain in the
Gospel, being urged by his friends, and inspired by the Spirit, composed a
spiritual Gospel. (8) This is the account of Clement.
8. Again the above-mentioned Alexander, (9) in a certain letter to
Origen, refers to Clement, and at the same time to Pantaenus, as being
among his familiar acquaintances. He writes as follows:
"For this, as thou knowest, was the will of God, that the ancestral
friendship existing between us should remain unshaken; nay, rather should
be warmer and stronger. 9. For we know well those blessed fathers who have
trodden the way before us, with whom we shall soon be; (10) Pantaenus, the
truly blessed man and master, and the holy Clement, my master and
benefactor, and if there is any other like them, through whom I became
acquainted with thee, the best in everything, my master and brother." (11)
10. So much for these matters. But Adamantius, 10 (12) -- for this also
was a name of Origen, -- when Zephyrinus (13) was bishop of Rome, visited
Rome, "desiring," as he himself somewhere says, "to see the most ancient
church of Rome." After a short stay there he returned to Alexandria. 11.
And he performed the duties of catechetical instruction there with great
zeal; Demetrius, who was bishop there at that time, urging and even
entreating him to work diligently for the benefit of the brethren. (14)
CHAPTER XV: Heraclas. (1)
But when he saw that he had not time for the deeper study of divine
things, and for the investigation and interpretation of the Sacred
Scriptures, and also for the instruction of those who came to him,-- for
coming, one after another, from morning till evening to be taught by him,
they scarcely gave him time to breathe, --he divided the multitude. And
from those whom he knew well, he selected Heraclas, who was a zealous
student of divine things, and in other respects a very learned man, not
ignorant of philosophy, and made him his associate in the work of
instruction. He entrusted to him the elementary training of beginners, but
reserved for himself the teaching of those who were farther advanced.
CHAPTER XVI: Origen's Earnest Study of the Divine Scriptures.
1. So earnest and assiduous was Origen's research into the divine
words that he learned the Hebrew language, (1) and procured as his own the
original Hebrew Scriptures which were in the hands of the Jews. He
investigated also the works of other translators of the Sacred Scriptures
besides the Seventy. (2) And in addition to the well-known translations of
Aquila, (3) Symmachus, (4) and Theodotion, (5) he discovered certain others
which had been concealed from remote times, -- in what out-of-the-way
corners I know not, -- and by his search he brought them to light. (6) 2.
Since he did not know the authors, he simply stated that he had found this
one in Nicopolis near Actium (7) and that one in some other place. 3. In
the Hexapla (8) of the Psalms, after the four prominent translations, he
adds not only a fifth, but also a sixth and seventh. (9) He states of one
of these that he found it in a jar in Jericho in the time of Antoninus, the
son of Severus. 4. Having collected all of these, he divided them into
sections, and placed them opposite each other, with the Hebrew text itself.
He thus left us the copies of the so-called Hexapla. He arranged also
separately an edition of Aquila and Symmachus and Theodotion with the
Septuagint, in the Tetrapla. (10)
CHAPTER XVII: The Translator Symmachus. (1)
As to these translators it should be stated that Symmachus was an
Ebionite. But the heresy of the Ebionites, as it is called, asserts that
Christ was the son of Joseph and Mary, considering him a mere man, and
insists strongly on keeping the law in a Jewish manner, as we have seen
already in this history. (2) Commentaries of Symmachus are still extant in
which he appears to support this heresy by attacking the Gospel of Matthew.
(3) Origen states that he obtained these and other commentaries of
Symmachus on the Scriptures from a certain Juliana, (4) who, he says,
received the books by inheritance from Symmachus himself.
CHAPTER XVIII: Ambrose.
1. About this time Ambrose, (1) who held the heresy of Valentinus, (2)
was convinced by Origen's presentation of the truth, and, as if his mind
were illumined by light, he accepted the orthodox doctrine of the Church.
2. Many others also, drawn by the fame of Origen's learning, which
resounded everywhere, came to him to make trial of his skill in sacred
literature. And a great many heretics, and not a few of the most
distinguished philosophers, studied under him diligently, receiving
instruction from him not only in divine things, but also in secular
philosophy. 3. For when he perceived that any persons had superior
intelligence he instructed them also in philosophic branches --in geometry,
arithmetic, and other preparatory studies--and then advanced to the systems
(3) of the philosophers and explained their writings. And he made
observations and comments upon each of them, so that he became celebrated
as a great philosopher even among the Greeks themselves. 4. And he
instructed many of the less learned in the common school branches, (4)
saying that these would be no small help to them in the study and
understanding of the Divine Scriptures. On this account he considered it
especially necessary for himself to be skilled in secular and philosophic
learning. (5)
CHAPTER XIX: Circumstances related of Origen.
1. The Greek philosophers of his age are witnesses to his proficiency
in these subjects. We find frequent mention of him in their writings.
Sometimes they dedicated their own works to him; again, they submitted
their labors to him as a teacher for his judgment. 2. Why need we say these
things when even Porphyry, (1) who lived in Sicily in our own times and
wrote books against us, attempting to traduce the Divine Scriptures by
them, mentions those who have interpreted them; and being unable in any way
to find a base accusation against the doctrines, for lack of arguments
turns to reviling and calumniating their interpreters, attempting
especially to slander Origen, whom he says he knew in his youth. 3. But
truly, without knowing it, he commends the man; telling the truth about him
in some cases where he could not do otherwise; but uttering falsehoods
where he thinks he will not be detected. Sometimes he accuses him as a
Christian; again he describes his proficiency in philosophic learning. But
hear his own words:
4. "Some persons, desiring to find a solution of the baseness of the
Jewish Scriptures rather than abandon them, have had recourse to
explanations inconsistent and incongruous with the words written, which
explanations, instead of supplying a defense of the foreigners, contain
rather approval and praise of themselves. For they boast that the plain
words of Moses are enigmas, and regard them as oracles full of hidden
mysteries; and having bewildered the mental judgment by folly, they make
their explanations." Farther on he says:
5. "As an example of this absurdity take a man whom I met when I was
young, and who was then greatly celebrated and still is, on account of the
writings which he has left. I refer to Origen, who is highly honored by the
teachers of these doctrines. 6. For this man, having been a hearer of
Ammonius, (2) who had attained the greatest proficiency in philosophy of
any in our day, derived much benefit from his teacher in the knowledge of
the sciences; but as to the correct choice of life, he pursued a course
opposite to his. 7. For Ammonius, being a Christian, and brought up by
Christian parents, when he gave himself to study and to philosophy
straightway conformed to the life required by the laws. But Origen, having
been educated as a Greek in Greek literature, went over to the barbarian
recklessness. (3) And carrying over the learning which he had obtained, he
hawked it about, in his life conducting himself as a Christian and contrary
to the laws, but in his opinions of material things and of the Deity being
like a Greek, and mingling Grecian teachings with foreign fables. (4) 8.
For he was continually studying Plato, and he busied himself with the
writings of Numenius (5) and Cronius, (6) Apollophanes, (7) Longinus, (8)
Moderatus, (9) and Nicomachus, (10) and those famous among the
Pythagoreans. And he used the books of Ch'remon (11) the Stoic, and of
Cornutus. (12) Becoming acquainted through them with the figurative
interpretation of the Grecian mysteries, he applied it to the Jewish
Scriptures." (13)
9. These things are said by Porphyry in the third book of his work
against the Christians. (14) He speaks truly of the industry and learning
of the man, but plainly utters a falsehood (for what will not an opposer of
Christians do?) when he says that he went over from the Greeks, (15) and
that Ammonius fell from a life of piety into heathen customs. 10. For the
doctrine of Christ was taught to Origen by his parents, as we have shown
above. And Ammonius held the divine philosophy unshaken and unadulterated
to the end of his life. (16) His works yet extant show this, as he is
celebrated among many for the writings which he has left. For example, the
work entitled The Harmony of Moses and Jesus, and such others as are in the
possession of the learned. 11. These things are sufficient to evince the
slander of the false accuser, and also the proficiency of Origen in Grecian
learning. He defends his diligence in this direction against some who
blamed him for it, in a certain epistle, (17) where he writes as follows:
12. When I devoted myself to the word, and the fame of my proficiency
went abroad, and when heretics and persons conversant with Grecian
learning, and particularly with philosophy, came to me, it seemed necessary
that I should examine the doctrines of the heretics, and what the
philosophers say concerning the truth. 13. And in this we have followed
Pantaenus, (18) who benefited many before our time by his thorough
preparation in such things, and also Heraclas, (19) who is now a member of
the presbytery of Alexandria. I found him with the teacher of philosophic
learning, with whom he had already continued five years before I began to
hear lectures on those subjects. (20) 14. And though he had formerly worn
the common dress, he laid it aside and assumed and still wears the
philosopher's garment; (21) and he continues the earnest investigation of
Greek works."
15. He says these things in defending himself for his study of Grecian
literature. About this time, while he was still at Alexandria, a soldier
came and delivered a letter from the governor of Arabia (22) to Demetrius,
bishop of the parish, and to the prefect of Egypt who was in office at that
time, requesting that they would with all speed send Origen to him for an
interview. Being sent by them, he went to Arabia. And having in a short
time accomplished the object of his visit, he returned to Alexandria. 16.
But sometime after a considerable war broke out in the city, (23) and he
departed from Alexandria. And thinking that it would be unsafe for him to
remain in Egypt, he went to Palestine and abode in Caesarea. While there
the bishops of the church in that country (24) requested him to preach and
expound the Scriptures publicly, although he had not yet been ordained as
presbyter. (25) 17. This is evident from what Alexander, (26) bishop of
Jerusalem and Theoctistus (27) of Caesarea, wrote to Demetrius (28) in
regard to the matter, defending themselves thus:
"He has stated in his letter that such a thing was never heard of
before, neither has hitherto taken place, that laymen should preach in the
presence of bishops. I know not how he comes to say what is plainly untrue.
18. For whenever persons able to instruct the brethren are found, they are
exhorted by the holy bishops to preach to the people. Thus in Laranda,
Euelpis by Neon; and in Iconium, Paulinus by Celsus; and in Synada,
Theodorus by Atticus, our blessed brethren. (29) And probably this has been
done in other places unknown to us."
He was honored in this manner while yet a young man, not only by his
countrymen, but also by foreign bishops. (30) 19. But Demetrius sent for
him by letter, and urged him through members and deacons of the church to
return to Alexandria. So he returned and resumed his accustomed duties.
CHAPTER XX: The Extant Works of the Writers of that Age.
1. There flourished many learned men in the Church at that time, whose
letters to each other have been preserved and are easily accessible. They
have been kept until our time in the library at AElia, (1) which was
established by Alexander, who at that time presided over that church. We
have been able to gather from that library material for our present work.
2. Among these Beryllus (2) has left us, besides letters and treatises,
various elegant works. He was bishop of Bostra in Arabia. Likewise also
Hippolytus, (3) who presided over another church, has left writings. 3.
There has reached us also a dialogue of Caius, (4) a very learned man,
which was held at Rome under Zephyrinus, (5) with Proclus, who contended
for the Phrygian heresy. In this he curbs the rashness and boldness of his
opponents in setting forth new Scriptures. He mentions only thirteen
epistles of the holy apostle, not counting that to the Hebrews (6) with the
others. And unto our day there are some among the Romans who do not
consider this a work of the apostle.
CHAPTER XXI: The Bishops that were well known at that Time.
1. After Antoninus (1) had reigned seven years and six months, Macrinus
succeeded him. He held the government but a year, and was succeeded by
another Antoninus. During his first year the Roman bishop, Zephyrinus, (2)
having held his office for eighteen years, died, and Callistus (3) received
the episcopate. 2. He continued for five years, and was succeeded by
Urbanus. (4) After this, Alexander became Roman emperor, Antoninus having
reigned but four years. (5) At this time Philetus (6) also succeeded
Asclepiades (7) in the church of Antioch.
3. The mother of the emperor, Mammaea (8) by name, was a most pious
woman, if there ever was one, and of religious life. When the fame of
Origen had extended everywhere and had come even to her ears, she desired
greatly to see the man, and above all things to make trial of his
celebrated understanding of divine things. 4. Staying for a time in
Antioch, she sent for him with a military escort. Having remained with her
a while and shown her many things which were for the glory of the Lord and
of the excellence of the divine teaching, he hastened back to his
accustomed work.
CHAPTER XXII: The Works of Hippolytus which have reached us.
1. At that time Hippolytus, (1) besides many other treatises, wrote a
work on the pass over. (2) He gives in this a chronological table, and
presents a certain paschal canon of sixteen years, bringing the time down
to the first year of the Emperor Alexander. 2. Of his other writings the
following have reached us: On the Hexaemeron, (3) On the Works after the
Hexaemeron, (4) Against Marcion, (5) On the Song of Songs, (6) On Portions
of Ezekiel, (7) On the Passover, (8) Against All the Heresies; (9) and you
can find many other works preserved by many.
CHAPTER XXIII: Origen's Zeal and his Elevation to the Presbyterate.
1. At that time Origen began his commentaries on the Divine Scriptures,
being urged thereto by Ambrose, (1) who employed innumerable incentives,
not only exhorting him by word, but also furnishing abundant means. 2. For
he dictated to more than seven amanuenses, who relieved each other at
appointed times. And he employed no fewer copyists, besides girls who were
skilled in elegant writing. For all these Ambrose furnished the necessary
expense in abundance, manifesting himself an inexpressible earnestness in
diligence and zeal for the divine oracles, by which he especially pressed
him on to the preparation of his commentaries. 3. While these things were
in progress, Urbanus, (2) who had been for eight years bishop of the Roman
church, was succeeded by Pontianus, (3) and Zebinus (4) succeeded Philetus
(5) in Antioch. 4. At this time Origen was sent to Greece on account of a
pressing necessity in connection with ecclesiastical affairs, (6) and went
through Palestine, and was ordained as presbyter in Caesarea by the bishops
of that country. The matters that were agitated concerning him on this
account, and the decisions on these matters by those who presided over the
churches, besides the other works concerning the divine word which he
published while in his prime, demand a separate treatise. We have written
of them to some extent in the second book of the Defense which we have
composed in his behalf. (7)
CHAPTER XXIV: The Commentaries which he prepared at Alexandria.
1. It may be well to add that in the sixth book of his exposition of
the Gospel of John (1) he states that he prepared the first five while in
Alexandria. Of his work on the entire Gospel only twenty-two volumes have
come down to us. 2. In the ninth of those on Genesis, (2) of which there
are twelve in all, he states that not only the preceding eight had been
composed at Alexandria, but also those on the first twenty-five Psalms (3)
and on Lamentations. (4) Of these last five volumes have reached us. In
them he mentions also his books On the Resurrection, (5) of which there are
two. 3. He wrote also the books De Principiis (6) before leaving
Alexandria; and the discourses entitled Stromata, (7) ten in number, he
composed in the same city during the reign of Alexander, as the notes by
his own hand preceding the volumes indicate.
CHAPTER XXV: His Review of the Canonical Scriptures
1. When expounding the first Psalm, (1) he gives a catalogue of the
sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament (2) as follows:
"It should be stated that the canonical books, as the Hebrews have
handed them down, are twenty-two; corresponding with the number of their
letters." Farther on he says:
2. "The twenty-two books of the Hebrews are the following: That which
is called by us Genesis, but by the Hebrews, from the beginning of the
book, Bresith, (3) which means, 'In the beginning'; Exodus, Welesmoth, (3a)
that is, 'These are the names'; Leviticus, Wikra, 'And he called'; Numbers,
Ammesphekodeim; Deuteronomy, Eleaddebareim, ' These are the words'; Jesus,
the son of Nave, Josoue ben Noun; Judges and Ruth, among the m in one book,
Saphateim; the First and Second of Kings, among them one, Samouel, that is,
'The called of God'; the Third and Fourth of Kings in one, Wammelch David,
that is, 'The kingdom of David'; of the Chronicles, the First and Second in
one, Dabreiamein, that is, 'Records of days'; Esdras, (4) First and Second
in one, Ezra, that is, 'An assistant'; the book of Psalms, Spharthelleim;
the Proverbs of Solomon, Me-loth; Ecclesiastes, Koelth; the Song of Songs
(not, as some suppose, Songs of Songs), Sir Hassirim; Isaiah, Jessia;
Jeremiah, with Lamentations and the epistle in one, Jeremia; Daniel,
Daniel; Ezekiel, Jezekiel; Job, Job; Esther, Esther. And besides these
there are the Maccabees, which are entitled Sarbeth Sabanaiel. (5) He gives
these in the above-mentioned work.
3. In his first book on Matthew's Gospel, (6) maintaining the Canon of
the Church, he testifies that he knows only four Gospels, writing
as follows:
4. "Among the four Gospels, (7) which are the only indisputable ones in
the Church of God under heaven, I have learned by tradition that the first
was written by Matthew, who was once a publican, but afterwards an apostle
of Jesus Christ, and it was prepared for the converts from Judaism, and
published in the Hebrew language. (8) 5. The second is by Mark, who
composed it according to the instructions of Peter, (9) who in his Catholic
epistle acknowledges him as a son, saying, 'The church that is at Babylon
elected together with you, saluteth you, and so doth Marcus, my son.' (10)
6. And the third by Luke, the Gospel commended by Paul, (11) and
composed for Gentile converts. Last of all that by John." (12)
7. In the fifth book of his Expositions of John's Gospel, he speaks
thus concerning the epistles of the apostles: (13) "But he who was 'made
sufficient to be a minister of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of
the Spirit,' (14) that is, Paul, who 'fully preached the Gospel from
Jerusalem and round about even unto Illyricum,' (15) did not write to all
the churches which he had instructed and to those to which he wrote he sent
but few lines. (16) 8. And Peter, on whom the Church of Christ is built,
'against which the gates of hell shall not prevail,' (17) has left one
acknowledged epistle; perhaps also a second, but this is doubtful. (18) 9.
Why need we speak of him who reclined upon the bosom of Jesus, (19) John,
who has left us one Gospel, (20) though he confessed that he might write so
many that the world could not contain them? (21) And he wrote also the
Apocalypse, but was commanded to keep silence and not to write the words of
the seven thunders. (22) 10. He has left also an epistle of very few lines;
perhaps also a second and third; but not all consider them genuine, and
together they do not contain hundred lines."
11. In addition he makes the following statements 11 in regard to the
Epistle to the Hebrews (23) in his Homilies upon it:
"That the verbal style of the epistle entitled 'To the Hebrews,' is not
rude like the language of the apostle, who acknowledged himself 'rude in
speech,' (24) that is, in expression; but that its diction is purer Greek,
any one who has the power to discern differences of phraseology will
acknowledge. 12. Moreover, that the thoughts of the epistle are admirable,
and not inferior to the acknowledged apostolic writings, any one who
carefully examines the apostolic text (25) will admit." 13. Farther on he
adds:
"If I gave my opinion, I should say that the thoughts are those of the
apostle, but the diction and phraseology are those of some one who
remembered the apostolic teachings, and wrote down at his leisure what had
been said by his teacher. Therefore if any church holds that this epistle
is by Paul, let it be commended for this. For not without reason have the
ancients handed it down as Paul's. 14. But who wrote the epistle, in truth,
God knows. The statement of some who have gone before us is that Clement,
bishop of the Romans, wrote the epistle, and of others that Luke, the
author of the Gospel and the Acts, wrote it." But let this suffice on these
matters.
CHAPTER XXVI: Heraclas becomes Bishop of Alexandria.
It was in the tenth year of the above-mentioned reign that Origen
removed from Alexandria to Caesarea, (1) leaving the charge of the
catechetical school in that city to Heraclas. Not long afterward Demetrius,
bishop of the church of Alexandria, died, having held the office for forty-
three full years, (2) and Heraclas succeeded him. At this time Firmilianus,
(3) bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, was conspicuous.
CHAPTER XXVII:How the Bishops regarded Origen.
He was so earnestly affected toward Origen, that he urged him to come
to that country for the benefit of the churches, and moreover he visited
him in Judea, remaining with him for some time, for the sake of improvement
in divine things. And Alexander, (1) bishop of Jerusalem, and Theoctistus,
(2) bishop of Caesarea, at-tended on him constantly, (3) as their only
teacher, and allowed (4) him to expound the Divine Scriptures, and to
perform the other duties pertaining to ecclesiastical discourse. (5)
CHAPTER XXVIII: The Persecution under Maximinus.
The Roman emperor, Alexander, having finished his reign in thirteen
years, was succeeded by Maximinus Caesar. (1) On account of his hatred
toward the household of Alexander, (2) which contained many believers, he
began a persecution, commanding that only the rulers of the churches should
be put to death, as responsible for the Gospel teaching. Thereupon Origen
composed his work On Martyrdom, (3) and dedicated it to Ambrose and
Protoctetus, (4) a presbyter of the parish of Caesarea, because in the
persecution there had come upon them both unusual hardships, in which it is
reported that they were eminent in confession during the reign of
Maximinus, which lasted but three years. Origen has noted this as the time
of the persecution in the twenty-second book of his Commentaries on John,
and in several epistles. (5)
CHAPTER XXIX: Fabianus, who was wonderfully designated Bishop of Rome by
God.
1. Gordianus succeeded Maximinus as Roman emperor; (1) and Pontianus,
(2) who had been bishop of the church at Rome for six years, was succeeded
by Anteros. (3) After he had held the office for a month, Fabianus (4)
succeeded him. 2. They say (5) that Fabianus having come, after the death
of Anteros, with others from the country, was staying at Rome, and that
while there he was chosen to the office through a most wonderful
manifestation of divine and heavenly grace. 3. For when all the brethren
had assembled to select by vote him who should succeed to the episcopate of
the church, several renowned and honorable men were in the minds of many,
but Fabianus, although present, was in the mind of none. But they relate
that suddenly a dove flying down lighted on his head, resembling the
descent of the Holy Spirit on the Saviour in the form of a dove. 4.
Thereupon all the people, as if moved by one Divine Spirit, with all
eagerness and unanimity cried out that he was worthy, and without delay
they took him and placed him upon the episcopal seat. (6)
5. About that time Zebinus, (7) bishop of Antioch died, and Babylas (8)
succeeded him.
And in Alexandria Heraclas, (9) having received the episcopal office after
Demetrius, (10) was succeeded in the charge of the catechetical school by
Dionysius, (11) who had also been one of Origen's pupils.
CHAPTER XXX: The Pupils of Origen.
While Origen was carrying on his customary duties in Caesarea, many
pupils came to him not only from the vicinity, but also from other
countries. Among these Theodorus, the same that was distinguished among the
bishops of our day under the name of Gregory, (1) and his brother
Athenodorus, (2) we know to have been especially celebrated. Finding them
deeply interested in Greek and Roman learning, he infused into them a love
of philosophy, and led them to exchange their old zeal for the study of
divinity. Remaining with him five years, they made such progress in divine
things, that although they were still young, both of them were honored with
a bishopric in the churches of Pontus.
CHAPTER XXXI: Africanus.
1. At this time also Africanus, (1) the writer of the books entitled
Cesti, was well known. There is extant an epistle of his to Origen,
expressing doubts (2) of the story of Susannah in Daniel, as being spurious
and fictitious. Origen answered this very fully. 2. Other works of the same
Africanus which have reached us are his five books on Chronology, a work
accurately and laboriously prepared. He says in this that he went to
Alexandria on account of the great fame of Heraclas, (3) who excelled
especially in philosophic studies and other Greek learning, and whose
appointment to the bishopric of the church there we have already mentioned.
3. There is extant also another epistle from the same Africanus to
Aristides on the supposed discrepancy between Matthew and Luke in the
Genealogies of Christ. In this he shows clearly the agreement of the
evangelists, from an account which had come down to him, which we have
already given in its proper place in the first book of this work. (4)
CHAPTER XXXII: The Commentaries which Origen composed in Caesarea in
Palestine.
1. About this time Origen prepared his Commentaries on Isaiah (1) and
on Ezekiel. (2) Of the former there have come down to us thirty books, as
far as the third part of Isaiah, to the vision of the beasts in the desert;
(3) on Ezekiel twenty-five books, which are all that he wrote on the whole
prophet. 2. Being at that time in Athens, (4) he finished his work on
Ezekiel and commenced his Commentaries on the Song of Songs, (5) which he
carried forward to the fifth book. After his return to Caesarea, he
completed these also, ten books in number. 3. But why should we give in
this history an accurate catalogue of the man's works, which would require
a separate treatise? (6) we have furnished this also in our narrative of
the life of Pamphilus, (7) a holy martyr of our own time. After showing how
great the diligence of Pamphilus was in divine things, we give in that a
catalogue of the library which he collected of the works of Origen and of
other ecclesiastical writers, Whoever desires may learn readily from this
which of Origen's works have reached us. But we must proceed now with our
history.
CHAPTER XXXIII: The Error of Beryllus.
1. Beryllus, (1) whom we mentioned recently as bishop of Bostra in
Arabia, turned aside from the ecclesiastical standard (2) and attempted to
introduce ideas foreign to the faith. He dared to assert that our Saviour
and Lord did not pre-exist in a distinct form of being of his own (3)
before his abode among men, and that he does not possess a divinity of his
own, (4) but only that of the Father dwelling in him. 2. Many bishops
carried on investigations and discussions with him on this matter, and
Origen having been invited with the others, went down at first for a
conference with him to ascertain his real opinion. But when he understood
his views, and perceived that they were erroneous, having persuaded him by
argument, and convinced him by demonstration, he brought him back to the
true doctrine, and restored him to his former sound opinion. 3. There are
still extant writings of Beryllus and of the synod held on his account,
which contain the questions put to him by Origen, and the discussions which
were carried on in his parish, as well as all the things done at that time.
4. The elder brethren among us s have handed down many other facts
respecting Origen which I think proper to omit, as not pertaining to this
work. But whatever it has seemed necessary to record about him can be found
in the Apology in his behalf written by us and Pamphilus, the holy martyr
of our day. We prepared this carefully and did the work jointly on account
of faultfinders. (6)
CHAPTER XXXIV: Philip Caesar.
Gordianus had been Roman emperor for six years when Philip, with his
son Philip, succeeded him. (1) It is reported that he, being a Christian
desired, on the day of the last paschal vigil, to share with the multitude
in the prayers of the Church, (2) but that he was not permitted to enter,
by him who then presided, (3) until he had made confession and had numbered
himself among those who were reckoned as transgressors and who occupied the
place of penance. (4) For if he had not done this, he would never have been
received by him, on account of the many crimes which he had committed. It
is said that he obeyed readily, manifesting in his conduct a genuine and
pious fear of God.
CHAPTER XXXV: Dionysius succeeds Heraclas in the Episcopate.
In the third year of this emperor, Heraclas died, having held his
office for sixteen years, and Dionysius (2) received the episcopate of the
churches of Alexandria.
CHAPTER XXXVI: Other Works of Origen.
1. At this time, as the faith extended and our doctrine was proclaimed
boldly before all, (1) Origen, being, as they say, over sixty years old,
(2) and having gained great facility by his long practice, very properly
permitted his public discourses to be taken down by stenographers, a thing
which he had never before allowed. 2. He also at this time composed a work
of eight books in answer to that entitled True Discourse, which had been
written against us by Celsus (3) the Epicurean, and the twenty-five books
on the Gospel of Matthew, (4) besides those on the Twelve Prophets, of
which we have found only twenty-five. (5) 3. There is extant also an
epistle (6) of his to the Emperor Philip, and another to Severa his wife,
with several others to different persons. We have arranged in distinct
books to the number of one hundred, so that they might be no longer
scattered, as many of these as we have been able to collect, (7) which have
been preserved here and there by different persons. 4. He wrote also to
Fabianus(8) bishop of Rome, and to many other rulers of the churches
concerning his orthodoxy. You have examples of these in the eighth book of
the Apology (9) which we have written in his behalf.
CHAPTER XXXVII: The Dissension of the Arabians. (1)
About the same time others arose in Arabia, putting forward a doctrine
foreign to the truth. They said that during the present time the human soul
dies and perishes with the body, but that at the time of the resurrection
they will be renewed together. And at that time also a synod of
considerable size assembled, and Origen, being again invited thither, spoke
publicly on the question with such effect that the opinions of those who
had formerly fallen were changed.
CHAPTER XXXVIII: The Heresy of the Elkesites.
Another error also arose at this time, called the heresy of the
Elkesites, (1) which was extinguished in the very beginning. Origen speaks
of it in this manner in a public homily on the eighty-second Psalm: (2)
"A certain man (3) came just now, puffed up greatly with his own
ability, proclaiming that godless and impious opinion which has appeared
lately in the churches, styled 'of the Elkesites.' I will show you what
evil things that opinion teaches, that you may not be carried away by it.
It rejects certain parts of every scripture. Again it uses portions of the
Old Testament and the Gospel, but rejects the apostle (4) altogether. It
says that to deny Christ is an indifferent matter, and that he who
understands will, under necessity, deny with his mouth, but not in his
heart. They produce a certain book which they say fell from heaven. They
hold that whoever hears and believes (5) this shall receive remission of
sins, another remission than that which Jesus Christ has given."
Such is the account of these persons.
CHAPTER XXXIX: The Persecution under Decius, and the Sufferings of Origen.
1. After a reign of seven years Philip was succeeded by Decius. (1) On
account of his hatred of Philip, he commenced a persecution of the
churches, in which Fabianus (2) suffered martyrdom at Rome, and Cornelius
succeeded him in the episcopate. (3) 2. In Palestine, Alexander, (4) bishop
of the church of Jerusalem, was brought again on Christ's account before
the governor's judgment seat in Caesarea, and having acquitted himself
nobly in a second confession was cast into prison, crowned with the hoary
locks of venerable age. 3. And after his honorable and illustrious
confession at the tribunal of the governor, he fell asleep in prison, and
Mazabanes (5) became his successor in the bishopric of Jerusalem. 3.
Babylas (6) in Antioch, having like Alexander passed away in prison after
hi confession, was succeeded by Fabius in the episcopate of that church.
5. But how many and how great things came upon Origen in the
persecution, and what was their final result, -- as the demon of evil
marshaled all his forces, and fought against the man with his utmost craft
and power, assaulting him beyond all others against whom he con- tended at
that time, --and what and how many things he endured for the word of
Christ, bonds and bodily tortures and torments under the iron collar and in
the dungeon; and how for many days with his feet stretched four spaces in
the stooks (8) he bore patiently the threats of fire and whatever other
things were inflicted by his enemies; and how his sufferings terminated, as
his judge strove eagerly with all his might not to end his life; and what
words he left after these things, full of comfort to those needing aid, a
great many of his epistles show with truth and accuracy. (9)
CHAPTER XL: The Events which happened to Dionysius. (1)
1. I shall quote from the epistle of Dionysius to Germanus (2) an
account of what befell the former. Speaking of himself, he writes as
follows:
"I speak before God, and he knows that I do not lie. I did not flee on
my own impulse nor without divine direction. 2. But even before this, at
the very hour when the Decian persecution was commanded, Sabinus (3) sent a
frumentarius (4) to search for me, and I remained at home four days
awaiting his arrival. But he went about examining all places, -- roads,
rivers, and fields, --where he thought I might be concealed or on the way.
But he was smitten with blindness, and did not find the house, (5) for he
did not suppose, that being pursued, I would remain at home. 3. And after
the fourth day God commanded me to depart, and made a way for me in a
wonderful manner; and I and my attendants (6) and many of the brethren went
away together. And that this occurred through the providence of God was
made manifest by what followed, in which perhaps we were useful to some."
4. Farther on he relates in this manner what happened to him after his
flight:
"For about sunset, having been seized with those that were with me, I
was taken by the soldiers to Taposiris, (7) but in the providence of God,
Timothy (8) was not present and was not captured. But coming later, he
found the house deserted and guarded by soldiers, and ourselves reduced to
slavery." (9) 5. After a little he says:
"And what was the manner of his admirable management? for the truth
shall be told. One of the country people met Timothy fleeing and disturbed,
and inquired the cause of his haste. 6. And he told him the truth. And when
the man heard it (he was on his way to a marriage feast, for it was
customary to spend the entire night in such gatherings), he entered and
announced it to those at the table. And they, as if on a preconcerted
signal, arose with one impulse, and rushed out quickly and came and burst
in upon us with a shout. Immediately the soldiers who were guarding us
fled, and they came to us lying as we were upon the bare couches. 7. But I,
God knows, thought at first that they were robbers who had come for spoil
and plunder. So I remained upon the bed on which I was, clothed only in a
linen garment, and offered them the rest of my clothing which was lying
beside me. But they directed me to rise and come away quickly. 8. Then I
understood why they were come, and I cried out, beseeching and entreating
them to depart and leave us alone. And I requested them, if they desired to
benefit me in any way, to anticipate those who were carrying me off, and
cut off my head themselves. And when I had cried out in this manner, as my
companions and partners in everything know, they raised me by force. But I
threw myself on my back on the ground; and they seized me by the hands and
feet and dragged me away. 9. And the witnesses of all these occurrences
followed: Gaius, Faustus, Peter, and Paul.(10) But they who had seized me
carried me out of the village hastily, and placing me on an ass without a
saddle, bore me away." (11)
Dionysius relates these things respecting himself.
CHAPTER XLI: The Martyrs in Alexandria.
1. The same writer, in an epistle to Fabius, (1) bishop of Antioch,
relates as follows the sufferings of the martyrs in Alexandria under
Decius:
"The persecution among us did not begin with the royal decree, but
preceded it an entire year. (2) The prophet and author of evils (3) to this
city, whoever he was, previously moved and aroused against us the masses of
the heathen, rekindling among them the superstition their country. 2. And
being thus excited by him and finding full opportunity for any wickedness,
they considered this the only pious service of their demons, that they
should slay us.
3. "They seized first an old man named Metras(4) and commanded him to
utter impious words. But as he would not obey, they beat him with clubs,
and tore his face and eyes with sharp sticks, and dragged him out of the
city and stoned him. 4. Then they carried to their idol temple a faithful
woman, named Quinta, that they might force her to worship. And as she
turned away in detestation, they bound her feet and dragged her through the
entire city over the stone-paved streets, and dashed her against the
millstones, and at the same time scourged her; then, taking her to the same
place, they stoned her to death. 5. Then all with one impulse rushed to the
homes of the pious, and they dragged forth whomsoever any one knew as a
neighbor, and despoiled and plundered them. They took for themselves the
more valuable property; but the poorer articles and those made of wood they
scattered about and burned in the streets, so that the city appeared as if
taken by an enemy. 6. But the brethren withdrew and went away, and 'took
joyfully the spoiling of their goods,' (5) like those to whom Paul bore
witness. I know of no one unless possibly some one who fell into their
hands, who, up to this time, denied the Lord. 7. Then they seized also that
most admirable virgin, Apollonia, an old woman, and, smiting her on the
jaws, broke out all her teeth. And they made a fire outside the city and
threatened to burn her alive if she would not join with them in their
impious cries. And she, supplicating a little, was released, when she
leaped eagerly into the fire and was consumed. 8. Then they seized Serapion
in his own house, and tortured him with harsh cruelties, and having broken
all his limbs, they threw him headlong from an upper story. And there was
no street, nor public road, nor lane open to us, by night or day; for
always and everywhere, all of them cried out that if any one would not
repeat their impious words, he should immediately be dragged away and
burned. 9. And matters continued thus for a considerable time. But a
sedition and civil war came upon the wretched people and turned their
cruelty toward us against one another. (6) So we breathed for a little
while as they ceased from their rage against us. But presently the change
from that milder reign was announced to us, (7) and great fear of what was
threatened seized us. 10. For the decree arrived, almost like unto that
most terrible time foretold by our Lord, which if it were possible would
offend even the elect. (8) All truly were affrighted. 11. And many of the
more eminent in their fear came forward immediately; (9) others who were in
the public service were drawn on by their official duties; (10) others were
urged on by their acquaintances. And as their names were called they
approached the impure and impious sacrifices. Some of them were pale and
trembled as if they were not about to sacrifice, but to be themselves
sacrifices and offerings to the idols; so that they were jeered at by the
multitude who stood around, as it was plain to every one that they were
afraid either to die or to sacrifice. 12. But some advanced to the altars
more readily, declaring boldly that they had never been Christians. Of
these the prediction of our Lord is most true that they shall 'hardly' (11)
be saved. Of the rest some followed the one, others the other of these
classes, some fled and some were seized. 13. And of the latter some
continued faithful until bonds and imprisonment, and some who had even been
imprisoned for many days yet abjured the faith before they were brought to
trial. Others having for a time endured great tortures finally retracted.
14. But the firm and blessed pillars of the Lord being strengthened by him,
and having received vigor and might suitable and appropriate to the strong
faith which they possessed, became admirable witnesses of his kingdom. 15.
The first of these was Julian, a man who suffered so much with the gout
that he was unable to stand or walk. They brought him forward with two
others who carried him. One of these immediately denied. But the other,
whose name was Cronion, and whose surname was Eunus, and the old man Julian
himself, both of them having confessed the Lord, were carried on camels
through the entire city, which, as you know, is a very large one, and in
this elevated position were beaten and finally burned in a fierce fire,
(12) surrounded by all the populace. 16. But a soldier, named Besas, who
stood by them as they were led away rebuked those who insulted them. And
they cried out against him, and this most manly warrior of God was
arraigned, and having done nobly in the great contest for piety, was
beheaded. 17. A certain other one, a Libyan by birth, but in name and
blessedness a true Macar, was strongly urged by the judge to recant; but as
he would not yield he was burned alive. After them Epimachus and Alexander,
having remained in bonds for a long time, and endured countless agonies
from scrapers (14) and scourges, were also consumed in a fierce fire. (15)
18. And with them there were four women. Ammonarium, a holy virgin, the
judge tortured relentlessly and excessively, because she declared from the
first that she would utter none of those things which he commanded; and
having kept her promise truly, she was dragged away. The others were
Mercuria, a very remarkable old woman, and Dionysia, the mother of many
children, who did not love her own children above the Lord. (16) As the
governor was ashamed of torturing thus ineffectually, and being always
defeated by women, they were put to death by the sword, without the trial
of tortures. For the champion, Ammonarium, endured these in behalf of all.
19. The Egyptians, Heron and Ater and Isidorus, and with them
Dioscorus, (17) a boy about fifteen years old, were delivered up. At first
the judge attempted to deceive the lad by fair words, as if he could be
brought over easily, and then to force him by tortures, as one who would
readily yield. But Dioscorus was neither persuaded nor constrained. 20. As
the others remained firm, he scourged them cruelly and then delivered them
to the fire. But admiring the manner in which Dioscorus had distinguished
himself publicly, and his wise answers to his persuasions, he dismissed
him, saying that on account of his youth he would give him time for
repentance. And this most godly Dioscorus is among us now, awaiting a
longer conflict and more severe contest. 20. But a certain Nemesion, who
also was an Egyptian, was accused as an associate of robbers; but when he
had cleared himself before the centurion of this charge most foreign to the
truth, he was informed against as a Christian, and taken in bonds before
the governor. And the most unrighteous magistrate inflicted on him tortures
and scourgings double those which he executed on the robbers, and then
burned him between the robbers, thus honoring the blessed man by the
likeness to Christ. 22. A band of soldiers, Ammon and Zeno and Ptolemy and
Ingenes, and with them an old man, Theophilus, were standing close together
before the tribunal. And as a certain person who was being tried as a
Christian, seemed inclined to deny, they standing by gnashed their teeth,
and made signs with their faces and stretched out their hands, and gestured
with their bodies. 23. And when the attention of all was turned to them,
before any one else could seize them, they rushed up to the tribunal saying
that they were Christians, so that the governor and his council were
affrighted. And those who were on trial appeared most courageous in
prospect of their sufferings, while their judges trembled. And they went
exultingly from the tribunal rejoicing in their testimony; (18) God himself
having caused them to triumph gloriously."
CHAPTER XLII: Others of whom Dionysius gives an Account.
1. "Many others, in cities and villages, were torn asunder by the
heathen, of whom I will mention one as an illustration. Ischyrion (1) was
employed as a steward by one of the rulers. His employer commanded him to
sacrifice, and on his refusal insulted him, and as he remained firm, abused
him. And as he still held out he seized a long staff and thrust it through
his bowels (2) and slew him.
2. "Why need I speak of the multitude that wandered in the deserts and
mountains, and perished by hunger, and thirst, and cold, and sickness, and
robbers, and wild beasts? Those of them who survived are witnesses of their
election and victory. 3. But I will relate one occurrence as an example.
Chaeremon, (3) who was very old, was bishop of the city called Nilus. He
fled with his wife (4) to the Arabian mountain (5) and did not return. And
though the brethren searched diligently they could not find either them or
their bodies. 4. And many who fled to the same Arabian mountain were
carried into slavery by the barbarian Saracens. Some of them were ransomed
with difficulty and at a large price others have not been to the present
time. I have related these things, my brother, not without an object, but
that you may understand how many and great distresses came upon us. Those
indeed will understand them the best who have had the largest experience of
them."
5. A little further on he adds: "These divine martyrs among us, who now
are seated with Christ, and are sharers in his kingdom, partakers of his
judgment and judges with him, received some of the brethren who had fallen
away and become chargeable with the guilt of sacrificing. When they
perceived that their conversion and repentance were sufficient to be
acceptable with him who by no means desires the death of the sinner, but
his repentance, having proved them they received them back and brought them
together, and met with them and had fellowship with them in prayers and
feasts. (6) 6. What counsel then, brethren, do you give us concerning such
persons? What should we do? Shall we have the same judgment and rule as
theirs, and observe their decision and charity, and show mercy to those
whom they pitied? Or, shall we declare their decision unrighteous, and set
ourselves as judges of their opinion, and grieve mercy and overturn order?"
(7) These words Dionysius very properly added when making mention of those
who had been weak in the time of persecution.
CHAPTER XLIII: Novatus, (1) his Manner of Life and his Heresy.
1. After this, Novatus, a presbyter of the church at Rome, being lifted
up with arrogance against these persons, as if there was no longer for them
a hope of salvation, not even if they should do all things pertaining to a
genuine and pure conversion, became leader of the heresy of those who, in
the pride of their imagination, call themselves Cathari. (2) 2. Thereupon a
very large synod assembled at Rome, (3) of bishops in number sixty, and a
great many more presbyters and deacons; while the pastors of the remaining
provinces deliberated in their places privately concerning what ought to be
done. A decree was confirmed by all, that Novatus and those who joined with
him, and those who adopted his brother-hating and inhuman opinion, should
be considered by the church as strangers; but that they should heal such of
the brethren as had fallen into misfortune, (4) and should minister to them
with the medicines of repentance.
3. There have reached us epistles (5) of Cornelius, bishop of Rome, to
Fabius, of the church at Antioch, which show what was done at the synod at
Rome, and what seemed best to all those in Italy and Africa and the regions
thereabout. (6) Also other epistles, written in the Latin language, of
Cyprian and those with him in Africa, (7) which show that they agreed as to
the necessity of succoring those who had been tempted, and of cutting off
from the Catholic Church the leader of the heresy and all that joined with
him. 4. Another epistle of Cornelius, concerning the resolutions of the
synod, is attached to these; and yet others, (8) on the conduct of Novatus,
from which it is proper for us to make selections, that any one who sees
this work may know about him. 5. Cornelius informs Fabius what sort of a
man Novatus was, in the following words:
"But that you may know that a long time ago this remarkable man desired
the episcopate, but kept this ambitious desire to himself and concealed
it,--using as a cloak for his rebellion those confessors who had adhered to
him from the beginning,-- I desire to speak. 6. Maximus, (9) one of our
presbyters, and Urbanus, (10) who twice gained the highest honor by
confession, with Sidonius, (11) and Celerinus, (12) a man who by the grace
of God most heroically endured all kinds of torture, and by the strength of
his faith overcame the weakness of the flesh, and mightily conquered the
adversary,-- these men found him out and detected his craft and duplicity,
his perjuries and falsehoods, his un-sociability and cruel friendship. And
they returned to the holy church and proclaimed in the presence of many,
both bishops and presbyters and a large number of the laity, all his craft
and wickedness, which for a long time he had concealed. And this they did
with lamentations land repentance, because through the persuasions of the
crafty and malicious beast they had left the church for the time." A little
farther on he says:
7. "How remarkable, beloved brother, the change and transformation
which we have seen take place in him in a short time. For this most
illustrious man, who bound himself with terrible oaths in nowise to seek
the bishopric, (13) suddenly appears a bishop as if thrown among us by some
machine. (14) 8. For this dogmatist, this defender of the doctrine of the
Church, (15) attempting to grasp and seize the episcopate, which had not
been given him from above, chose two of his companions who had given up
their own salvation. And he sent them to a small and insignificant corner
of Italy, that there by some counterfeit argument he might deceive three
bishops, who were rustic and very simple men. And they asserted positively
and strongly that it was necessary that they should come quickly to Rome,
in order that all the dissension which had arisen there might be appeased
through their mediation, jointly with other bishops. 9. When they had come,
being, as we have stated, very simple in the craft and artifice of the
wicked, they were shut up with certain selected men like himself. And by
the tenth hour, when they had become drunk and sick, he compelled them by
force to confer on him the episcopate through a counterfeit and vain
imposition of hands. Because it had not come to him, he avenged himself by
craft and treachery. 10. One of these bishops shortly after came back to
the church, lamenting and confessing his transgression. And we communed
with him as with a layman, all the people present interceding for him. And
we ordained successors of the other bishops, and sent them to the places
where they were. 11. This avenger of the Gospel (16) then did not know that
there should be one bishop in a catholic church; (17) yet he was not
ignorant (for how could he be?) that in it there were forty-six presbyters,
seven (18) deacons, seven sub-deacons, (19) forty-two acolyths, (20) fifty-
two exorcists, (21) readers, (22) and janitors, (23) and over fifteen
hundred widows and persons in distress, all of whom the grace and kindness
of the Master nourish. 12. But not even this great multitude, so necessary
in the church, nor those who, through God's providence, were rich and full,
together with the very many, even innumerable people, could turn him from
such desperation and presumption and recall him to the Church." 13. Again,
farther on, he adds these words:
"Permit us to say further: On account of what works or conduct had he
the assurance to contend for the episcopate? Was it that he had been
brought up in the Church from the beginning, and had endured many conflicts
in her be- half, and had passed through many and great dangers for
religion? Truly this is not the fact. 14. But Satan, who entered and dwelt
in him for a long time, became the occasion of his believing. Being
delivered by the exorcists, he fell into a severe sickness; and as he
seemed about to die, he received baptism by affusion, on the bed where he
lay; (24) if indeed we can say that such a one did receive it. 15. And when
he was healed of his sickness he did not receive the other things which it
is necessary to have according to the canon of the Church, even the being
sealed by the bishop. (25) And as he did not receive this, (26) how could
he receive the Holy Spirit?" 16. Shortly after he says again:
"In the time of persecution, through cowardice and love of life, he
denied that he was a presbyter. For when he was requested and entreated by
the deacons to come out of the chamber in which he had imprisoned himself
and give aid to the brethren as far as was lawful and possible for a
presbyter to assist those of the brethren who were in danger and needed
help, he paid so little respect to the entreaties of the deacons that he
went away and departed in anger. For he said that he no longer desired to
be a presbyter, as he was an admirer of another philosophy." (27) 17.
Passing by a few things, he adds the following:
"For this illustrious man forsook the Church of God, in which, when he
believed, he was judged worthy of the presbyterate through the favor of the
bishop who ordained him to the presbyterial office. This had been resisted
by all the clergy and many of the laity; because it was unlawful that one
who had been affused on his bed on account of sickness as he had been
should enter into any clerical office; (28) but the bishop requested that
he might be permitted to ordain this one only." 18. He adds to these yet
another, the worst of all the man's offenses, as follows:
"For when he has made the offerings, and distributed a part to each
man, as he gives it he compels the wretched man to swear in place of the
blessing. Holding his hands in both of his own, he will not release him
until he has sworn in this manner (for I will give his own words): 'Swear
to me by the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ that you will never
forsake me and turn to Cornelius.' And the unhappy man does not taste until
he has called down imprecations on himself; and instead of saying Amen, as
he takes the bread, he says, I will never return to Cornelius." 20. Farther
on he says again:
"But know that he has now been made bare and desolate; as the brethren
leave him every day and return to the church. Moses also, the blessed
martyr, who lately suffered among us a glorious and admirable martyrdom,
while he was yet alive, beholding his boldness and folly, refused to
commune with him and with the five presbyters who with him had separated
themselves from the church."
21. At the close of his letter he gives a list of the bishops who had
come to Rome and condemned the silliness of Novatus, with their
names and the parish over which each of them presided. 22. He mentions also
those who did not come to Rome, but who expressed by letters their
agreement with the vote of these bishops, giving their names and the cities
from which they severally sent them. (30) Cornelius wrote these things to
Fabius, bishop of Antioch.
CHAPTER XLIV: Dionysius' Account of Serapion.
1. To this same Fabius, who seemed to lean somewhat toward this schism,
(1) Dionysius of Alexandria also wrote an epistle. (2) He writes in this
many other things concerning repentance, and relates the conflicts of those
who had lately suffered martyrdom at Alexandria. After the other account he
mentions a certain wonderful fact, which deserves a place in this work. It
is as follows:
2. "I will give thee this one example which occurred among us. There
was with us a certain Serapion, (3) an aged believer who had lived for a
long time blamelessly, but had fallen in the trial. He besought often, but
no one gave heed to him, because he had sacrificed. But he became sick, and
for three successive days continued speechless and senseless. 3. Having
recovered somewhat on the fourth day he sent for his daughter's son, and
said, 'How long do you detain me, my child? I beseech you, make haste, and
absolve me speedily. Call one of the presbyters to me.' And when he had
said this, he became again speechless. And the boy ran to the presbyter.
But it was night and he was sick, and therefore unable to come. 4. But as I
had commanded that persons at the point of death, if they requested it, and
especially if they had asked for it previously, should receive remission,
that they might depart with a good hope, he gave the boy a small portion of
the eucharist, telling him to soak (4) it and let the drops fall into the
old man's mouth. (5) 5. The boy returned with it, and as he drew near,
before he entered, Serapion again arousing, said, 'Thou art come, my child,
and the presbyter could not come; but do quickly what he directed, and let
me depart.' Then the boy soaked it and dropped it into his mouth. And when
he had swallowed a little, immediately he gave up the ghost. 6. Is it not
evident that he was preserved and his life continued till he was absolved,
and, his sin having been blotted out, he could be acknowledged (6) for the
many good deeds which he had done?"
Dionysius relates these things.
CHAPTER XLV: An Epistle of Dionysius to Novatus.
But let us see how the same man addressed Novatus (1) when he was
disturbing the Roman brotherhood. As he pretended that some of the brethren
were the occasion of his apostasy and schism, as if he had been forced by
them to proceed as he had, (2) observe the manner in which he writes to
him:
"Dionysius to his brother Novatus, greeting. If, as thou sayest, thou
hast been led on unwillingly, thou wilt prove this if thou retirest
willingly. For it were better to suffer everything, rather than divide the
Church of God. Even martyrdom for the sake of preventing division would not
be less glorious than for refusing to worship idols. Nay, to me it seems
greater. For in the one case a man suffers martyrdom 291 for the sake of
his own soul; in the other case in behalf of the entire Church. And now if
thou canst persuade or induce the brethren to come to unanimity, thy
righteousness will be greater than thine error, and this will not be
counted, but that will be praised. But if thou canst not prevail with the
disobedient, at least save thine own soul. I pray that thou mayst fare
well, maintaining peace in the Lord."
This he wrote to Novatus.
CHAPTER XLVI: Other Epistles of Dionysius.
1. He wrote also an epistle to the brethren in Egypt on Repentance. (1)
In this he sets forth what seemed proper to him in regard to those who had
fallen, and he describes the classes of transgressions. 2. There is extant
also a private letter on Repentance, which he wrote to Conon, (2) bishop of
the parish of Hermopolis, and another of an admonitory (3) character, to
his flock at Alexandria. Among them also is the one written to Origen on
Martyrdom (4) and to the brethren at Laodicea, (5) of whom The- lymidres
was bishop. He likewise sent one on Repentance to the brethren in Armenia,
(6) of whom Merozanes was bishop. 3. Besides all these, he wrote to
Cornelius of Rome, when he had received from him an epistle against
Novatus. (7) He states in this that he had been invited by Helenus, (8)
bishop of Tarsus, in Cilicia, and the others who were with him,
Firmilianus, (9) bishop in Cappadocia, and Theoctistus, (10) of Palestine,
to meet them at the synod in Antioch, where some persons were endeavoring
to establish the schism of Novatus. 4. Besides this he writes that he had
been informed that Fabius (11) had fallen asleep, and that Demetrianus (12)
had been appointed his successor in the episcopate of Antioch. He writes
also in these words concerning the bishop of Jerusalem: "For the blessed
Alexander (13) having been confined in prison, passed away happily." 5. In
addition to this there is extant also a certain other diaconal epistle of
Dionysius, sent to those in Rome through Hippolytus. (14) And he wrote
another to them on Peace, and likewise on Repentance; (15) and yet another
to the confessors there who still held to the opinion of Novatus. (16) He
sent two more to the same persons after they had returned to the Church.
And he communicated with many others by letters, which he has left behind
him as a benefit in various ways to those who now diligently study his
writings. (17)
Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published
by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland, beginning in
1867. (LNPF II/I, Schaff and Wace). The digital version is by The Electronic
Bible Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.
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