Eusebius of Caesarea: The History of the Martyrs in Palestine (1861).  Translated by William Cureton.

Eusebius of Caesarea: The History of the Martyrs in Palestine (1861).
Translated by William Cureton.
Eusebius of Caesarea: The History of the Martyrs in
Palestine (1861).  Translated by William Cureton.
HISTORY
OF THE
MARTYRS IN PALESTINE,
BY
EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF CAESAREA,
DISCOVERED IN A VERY ANTIENT SYRIAC MANUSCRIPT.
EDITED AND TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH
BY
WILLIAM CURETON, D.D.,
MEMBER OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE OF FRANCE.
WILLIAMS AND NORGATE:
14, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON
AND
20, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET, EDINBURGH.
PARIS: C. BORRANI.
MDCCCLXI.
W. M. WATTS, CROWN COURT, TEMPLE BAR.
THIS ACCOUNT OF
MARTYRS FOR THE TRUTH OF THE HOLY
RELIGION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
IS
Dedicated to the Memory
OF
FRANCIS EGERTON EARL OF ELLESMERE
K.G.
IN PIOUS RECOGNITION OF MUCH AND LONG-CONTINUED KINDNESS AND
IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THE PRIVILEGE OF ENJOYING THE
FRIENDSHIP OF ONE WHO SO EMINENTLY ADORNED THE HIGH
STATION TO WHICH HE WAS BORN BY HIS OWN PERSONAL
VIRTUES AND ADDED REAL DIGNITY TO THE RANK
WHICH HE INHERITED BY THE ACQUIREMENTS
OF A SCHOLAR THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OF A GENTLEMAN AND THE
GRACES OF A CHRISTIAN.
PREFACE.
THE manuscript from which this work of Eusebius has been at length recovered,
after the lapse of several centuries, is that wonderful volume of the Nitrian
Collection
now in the British Museum, whose most curious and
remarkable history I have already made known in the Preface to my edition of the
Festal Letters of St. Athanasius.
It is not necessary, therefore,
for me in this place to give any further account of it than to state that it was
transcribed fourteen hundred and fifty years ago,--as early as the year of our
Lord four hundred and eleven.
The several works contained in it are now all printed, and thereby rescued
from the chance of being lost for all future time. The first--a Syriac
translation of the Recognitions of St. Clement, which I once intended to
publish, and had transcribed the greater part of it for that purpose--has been
edited by Dr. P. de Lagarde,
to whom I
|ii
gave my copy. The transcript was completed by him, and compared with another
manuscript of the same work, and afterward printed with that great care and
accuracy which gives so much value to all the Syriac texts which he has edited.
The second treatise in this manuscript is the book of Titus, Bishop of Bostra,
or Bozra, in Arabia, against the Manicheans. We are also indebted for the
publication of this important work to Dr. de Lagarde.
The third is
the book of Eusebius on the Theophania, or Divine Manifestation of our Lord. The
text of this was edited by the late Dr. Lee,
who also published an
English translation of it,
with valuable notes and a preliminary
dissertation. The last is this history of the Martyrs of Palestine, also written
by the same Author.
In the eighth book of the Ecclesiastical History, upon the occasion of his
giving a short account of certain Bishops and others, who sealed their testimony
for their faith with their blood, Eusebius stated his intention of writing, in a
distinct treatise, a narrative of the confession
|iii
of those Martyrs with whom he had himself been acquainted.
Up to
the time of the discovery of this Syriac copy, no such work was known to exist
in a separate form, either in Latin or Greek. There is indeed a brief history of
those contemporaries of Eusebius who suffered in the persecution of the
Christians in Palestine, found in several antient Greek manuscripts, inserted as
a part of it, and combined with the Ecclesiastical History : but it does not
occupy the same place in all the copies of that work. In one it is placed after
the middle of the thirteenth chapter of the eighth book;
in two
at the end of the tenth book; and in several,
10
at the end of the
eighth; while from two
|iv
others,
11
as well as from the Latin version made by Ruffinus, it is
omitted altogether. There is no distinct title prefixed to it in any copy but
one, the Codex Castellani,
12
where it bears the inscription:--
Eusebiou
suggramma peri twn kat'
auton marturhsantwn en twi oktaetei Dioklhtianou
kai efexhV Galeriou tou Maximinou diwgmou
but two copies, the
Mazarine and Medicean, have at the end--
Eusebiou tou
Pamfilou
peri twn en Palaistinhi marturhsantwn teloV
13
That this was the history of the martyrs who were known to Eusebius which he
had promised, has never been doubted by any one; while, on the other hand,
almost every one who has undertaken to write on the subject has judged it to be
but an abridgment of the original work which formerly existed in a more extended
form.
14
The
|v
antient Latin copy of the Acts of Procopius,
15
the Acts of
Pamphilus and his companions, as exhibited by Simeon Metaphrastes,
16
in much fuller detail than they are now found in the Greek text of Eusebius, and
the additional facts respecting other martyrs who suffered in Palestine,
supplied by the Greek Menaea and Menologia, were adduced as evidence of the
existence at one time of a more copious work, and as a proof that the narrative
inserted in the Ecclesiastical History was only an abridgment.
The correctness of this critical induction has been completely established by
the discovery of this copy of the work of Eusebius of Caesarea on the Martyrs of
Palestine, in the vernacular language of the country where the events took
place, and actually transcribed within about seventy years after the death of
the author.
17
S. E. Assemani goes so far as to express his conviction that this history of
the sufferings of the martyrs in Palestine was originally composed in Syriac, a
language with which Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, was necessarily well
acquainted,
|vi
as being the vernacular speech of his own country and diocese.
18
It
is not at all improbable that Eusebius might made have use of the Syriac for
ordinary purposes, or, indeed, as a safer deposit for any memoranda which he
might wish to commit to writing than the Greek, during the time that the
persecution continued. Could this inference of S. E. Assemani be established, it
would give still additional interest and value to the work which I now publish.
I must, however, own that I cannot admit the supposition that this work was
originally written in the Syriac language. Indeed, it seems to me to be
sufficiently disproved by the fact, that the Syriac copy of such of the Acts of
Martyrs in Palestine as have been published by S. E. Assemani, while it agrees
completely in substance with this, is evidently a translation by another hand;
and that the variation and errors which occur in some of the proper names are of
such a kind as could only have arisen from confounding two similar Greek letters
of the writing at that period;
19
and further, there are some obscure
passages in this Syriac, which obviously seem to be the result of a translator
not fully apprehending the meaning of the Greek passage before him.
20
How long the entire Greek text of the original work continued to be read, we
have now no means of learning with any degree of certainty. It must have been in
existence in the time of Simeon Metaphrastes, in the tenth century, for he has
supplied many facts
20
from it
|vii
which the abridged form of the Greek does not contain, and has also given
entire the long passage relating to Pamphilus and his companions.
21
Neither can there be any doubt of its having been in use at the period when the
Greek Menaea and Menologia were compiled.
22
The fact that many of the
circumstances and events which it described had been inserted in the
abovementioned books, and that an abridgment, which, I cannot doubt, was made by
Eusebius himself, had also been incorporated into the Ecclesiastical. History,
seems to have led to the discontinuance of the transcription of the larger work,
and to have been mainly the cause of its being no longer found in the Greek in a
separate form. The preservation of this work in its complete state up to the
present time, in the Syriac, is chiefly due to the circumstance of its having
been transported, at a very early period, to the Syrian Monastery in the
solitude of the Nitrian Desert, where the dryness of the climate kept the vellum
from decay, and the idleness and ignorance of the monks saved the volume from
being worn out and destroyed by frequent use.
Independently of the great interest of the subject of which it treats, this
work of Eusebius has especial claims to consideration, on the ground of the
author having been himself an eyewitness of most of the events which he
|viii
describes. There are some, indeed, at which he could not have have been present; for instance, the Confession of Romanus, who suffered at Antioch on the same
day as Alphaeus and Zacchaeus did at Caesarea, where he was then residing. He
has, given a narrative of the sufferings of Romanus, in his history of the
Martyrs of Palestine, because he was a native of Palestine, and had also been a
deacon and exorcist in one of the villages of Caesarea; and Eusebius was anxious
to claim for his own country and diocese the honour of this man's confession.
This may perhaps be the reason why there are found two distinct accounts of the
Acts of Romanus in Syriac, as well as in Greek and Latin.
It is not my intention to enter into any discussion respecting the time of
the composition of this treatise, or that of the great Church History by
Eusebius: nor will I consider at any length the question of the abridgment of
the account of the Martyrs of Palestine inserted in most of the copies of the
Ecclesiastical History, or that of the different recensions of this latter work
by the author himself.
23
These are certainly very interesting
subjects of literary and historical inquiry; and doubtless this book will supply
the critic with new data, to enable him to elucidate and determine them in a
more complete and satisfactory manner than it has been hitherto possible for any
one to do. These matters I would rather leave to other scholars. All now have
the same materials as I have, and some may be possessed of other greater
facilities and appliances, as well as better capacities for the task. I
|ix
believe it to be my duty to employ my own time and exertions in another way.
I will therefore content myself with briefly observing that this work of
Eusebius on the Martyrs of Palestine bears evidently upon it the stamp of being
a record of facts which were noted down at the time as they severally occurred,
and were afterwards revised and arranged in due order at a subsequent period,
when some events, which, in the earlier years of the Persecution, the author
thought it probable might happen, had actually taken place; and when other
occurrences of earlier date were no longer so fresh and vivid in the minds of
men as they had been when all were still living who had witnessed them.
I would observe, also, that it seems to be evident that this work, in which
Eusebius recounts the martyrdom of Pamphilus and his companions, was composed
before he wrote the fuller history of that noble Martyr, to which he refers in
the Abridgment; for no reference whatever is made to the existence of any such
history in this original and more copious narrative of the Martyrs of Palestine.
It must, therefore, have been composed before he wrote the Ecclesiastical
History, in which he several times adverts to the life of Pamphilus as having
been already completed.
The first edition of the Ecclesiastical History does not appear to have
contained the history of the Martyrs of Palestine. This seems to be the copy
used by Ruffinus, who neither gives any such history, nor has the passage in the
thirteenth chapter of the eighth book which refers to it.
Indeed, it is evident from his own words that the abridgment must have been
made by Eusebius himself.
24
When,
|x
therefore, he condensed the narrative for the purpose of incorporating it
into the subsequent editions of the Ecclesiastical History, he also took that
opportunity of supplying several facts which, either from considerations of
prudence, or from not having had knowledge of them at the time when the work was
originally composed, he had previously omitted; and also ventured to speak more
plainly of persons, because the altered condition of circumstances after the
accession of Constantine enabled him to do this without any apprehension of
danger. This, I think, will be obvious to those who will be at the pains to
compare the general narrative of the events as they are recorded year by year,
with the notes which I have added, even without having recourse to fuller and
more minute researches.
The translation I have endeavoured to make as faithful as I could without
following the Syriac idiom so closely as to render the English obscure. There
are a very few passages in which I cannot feel quite sure that I have obtained
the precise meaning of the Syriac; but the obscurity of these passages is
certainly due to the Translator, who does not seem to have fully understood the
Greek text which he had before him. My English translation of the long account
of Pamphilus and his companions was printed before I read either the Greek text
printed by Papebrochius, or the Latin translation made by Lipomannus from the
same Greek, as it was preserved by Simeon Metaphrastes. The comparison of all of
these together will be a good means of testing both the integrity of the
transmission of the original Greek to the present day, and the fidelity of the
Syriac translation.
In the notes, my chief object has been to collect such observations as may
tend especially to throw light upon
|xi
the time of the composition of this work and of the Ecclesiastical History by
Eusebius, and serve to elucidate the text; but in order to keep them from
extending to too great a length, I have omitted all those matters which it
appeared to me an ordinarily well-informed scholar might be presumed to be
acquainted with.
[[Footnotes given numbers and moved to end]]
1. (
) British Museum, Additional MS. No. 12,150.
2.
) P. xv. The Festal Letters of Athanasius, discovered in an antient
Syriac version. 8vo. London, 1848.
3.
) Clementis Romani Recognitiones Syriace. Paulus Antonius de
Lagarde edidit. 8vo, Lipsise, 1861.
4. (
) Titi Bostreni contra Manchaeos libri quatuor Syriace. Paulus
Antonius de Lagarde edidit. 8vo. Berolini, 1859.
5.
) Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, on the Theophania, or Divine
Manifestation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. A Syriac Version, edited
from an ancient Manuscript recently discovered. By Samuel Lee, D.D. 8vo. London,
1842.
6.
) Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, on the Theophania, or Divine
Manifestation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Translated into English with
Notes, from an ancient Syriac Version of the Greek Original now lost. To which
is prefixed a Vindication of the Orthodoxy and Prophetical Views of that
distinguished writer By Samuel Lee, D.D. 8vo. Cambridge, 1843.
7. (
OiV ge mhn autoV paregenomen, toutouV kai
toiV meq hmaV gnwrimouV
di eteraV poihsomai grafhV
. "
Moreover,
there were many other eminent martyrs who have an honourable mention among the
Churches, which are in those places and countries. But our design is not to
commit to writing the conflicts of all those who suffered for the worship of God
over the whole world, nor yet to give an accurate relation of every accident
that befel them; but this rather belongs to those who, with their own eyes,
beheld what was done.
Moreover, those ourselves were present at, we will
commit to the knowledge of posterity in another work
."
See Ecc.
Hist., B. viii. ch. 13,
Eng. Trans.
p. 148.
8.
) Codex olim Regiae Societatis, nunc vero Musei Britannici. This is
G. of Dr. Burton's edition : Oxford, 1838. See the same, pp. 572 and 591.
9.
) Duo Codices Florentini Bibliothecae Mediceo-Laurentianae. Plut.
lxx. n. 7 et 20. I. and K. of Burton. See
Ibid.
p. 591.
10.
) 1. Codex Regius Bibliothecae Parisiensis n. 1436; 2. Codex
Mediceus,
ibid.
n. 1434; 3. Codex Mazarinasus,
ibid.
n. 1430; 4.
Codex Fuketianus,
ibid.
n. 1435; 5. Codex Savilianus, in Bibliotheca
Bodleiana, n. 2278; being A. B. C. D. and F. respectively of Burton.
Ibid.
11. (
) Codex Bibliothecae Regiae Parisiensis n. 1431, and Codex
Venetus n. 838; being E. and H. of Burton.
Ibid.
12.
) See N. of Burton.
Ibid.
13.
) See Valesius, note (
), p. 154,
Eng. Trans.
14.
) See Valesius and Ruinart, cited in the notes to this, pp. 50, 51,
55, 59, 60, 64, 69, 84. Also S. E. Assemani remarks :-- "Graecam S.
Procopii, Martyrum Palaestinorum in Diocletiani persecutione antesignani,
historiam, quae in laudato de martyribus Palaestinae libro habetur; ab alia
fusiori, atque explicatiori fuisse contractam atque truncatam, certum et
exploratum est, nam quae
ad patriam atque institum pertinent omittere
nunquam consuevit Eusebius."--
Acta SS. Mart.
"Horum sanctorum martyrum historiam concisam pariter jejunamque exhibet
nobis Graecus Eusebii Caesariensis textus in libro de martyribus Palaestinae;
eandemque prorsus fortunam experta est, quam prior Procopii, ex latiori scilicet
narratione in brevem summam. Atque priorem illam Latina, quae superfuit, versio
supplerit, haec autem suppleri aliter non potuissent, nisi, favente Deo,
Chaldaicus Codex noster e tenebris Aegypti vindicatus emersisset in lucem."--
Ibid.
p. 173.
Baillet:--" Eusébe de Cesarée avait recueilli à part les Martyrs de
Palestine: et quoique les Actes qu'il en avoit ramassez avec beaucoup de soin et
de travail ne paroissent plus, il nous en reste un bon abbregé dans le livre qui
se trouve joint à son histoire genérale de l'Eglise.'' See
Les Vies des
Saints,
vol. i. p. 55.
15. (
) See these printed p. 50 below and Valesius' note thereon.
16. (
) The Latin, by Surius, of this, will be found in the Notes, at
p. 69.
17. (
) Eusebius died A.D. 339 or 340 (Fabricius,
Bibliotheca
Graec.
lib. v. c. 4. p. 31), and this copy was transcribed A.D. 411.
18. (
) See Note, p. 51, below.
19. (
) See Notes, pp. 57, 60 below.
20. (
) See p. 66, below.
21. (
) A Latin version of this, as it is found in Simeon
Metaphrastes, translated by Lipomannus, I have printed in the Notes, p. 69,
below, for the sake of comparison with this text. It also still exists in Greek,
and was first published by D. Papebrochius from a Medicean MS. in the
Acta
Sanctorum,
June, vol. i. p. 64; and afterwards reprinted by J. Alb.
Fabricius in
S. Hippoliti Opera,
2 vols,
fol. Hamb. 1716--19,
vol. ii. p. 217.
22. (
) See notes pp. 53, 56, 59, 60, 64, 68.
23. (
) See Heinichen,
Notitia Codicum, Editionum et Translationum
Historiae Ecclesiasticae Eusebianae,
§ vi.
24. (
) See Note below, p. 79.
ON THE MARTYRS IN PALESTINE,
BY EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA.
-------------
THOSE Holy Martyrs of God, who loved our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ, and
God supreme and sovereign of all, more than themselves and their own lives, who
were dragged forward to the conflict for the sake of religion, and rendered
glorious by the martyrdom of confession, who preferred a horrible death to a
temporary life, and were crowned with all the victories of virtue, and offered
to the Most High and supreme God the glory of their wonderful victory, because
they had their conversation in heaven, and walked with him who gave victory to
their testimony, also offered up glory, and honour, and majesty to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. Moreover, the souls of the martyrs being
worthy of the kingdom of heaven are in honour together with the company of the
prophets and apostles. Let us therefore, likewise, who stand in need of the aid
of their prayers, and have been also charged in the book of the Apostles, that
we should be partakers in the remembrance of the Saints,-- let us also be
partakers with them, and begin to describe those conflicts of theirs against
sin, which are at all times published abroad by the mouth of those believers who
were acquainted with them Nor, indeed, have their praises been noted by monu- !
ments of stone, nor by statues variegated with painting and colours and
resemblances of earthly things without life, but by the word of truth spoken
before God: the deed also which is seen by our eyes bearing witness.
|2
[P. 2.] Let us therefore, relate the manifest signs and glorious proofs of
the divine doctrine, and commit to writing a commemoration not to be forgotten,
setting also their marvellous virtues as a constant vision before our eyes. For
I am struck with wonder at their all-enduring courage, at their confession under
.many forms, and at the wholesome alacrity of their souls, the elevation of
their minds, the open profession of their faith, the clearness of their reason,
the patience of their condition, and the truth of their religion: how they were
not cast down in their minds, but their eyes looked upwards, and they neither
trembled nor feared. The love of God also, and of His Christ, supplied them with
an all-effective power, by which they overcame their enemies. For they loved
God, the supreme sovereign of all, and they loved Him with all their might. He,
too, requited their love to Him by the aid which He afforded them: and they also
were loved by Him, and strengthened against their enemies, applying the words of
that confessor who had already borne his testimony before them and exclaiming
"Who shall separate us from Christ? shall tribulation, or affliction, or
persecution, or hunger, or death, or the sword? as it is written, For thy sake
we die daily: we are reckoned as lambs for the slaughter." And again, when
this same martyr magnifies that patience which cannot be overcome by evil, he
says--"that in all these things we conquer for Him who loved us." And
he foretold that all evils are overcome by the love of God, and that all terrors
and afflictions are trodden down, while he exclaimed and said : "Because I
am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor things present, nor things to
come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able
to separate us from the love of God which is in our Lord Jesus Christ."
At that time then, Paul, who exulted in the power of his Lord, was himself
crowned with the victory of martyrdom in the midst of Rome, the Imperial City
[p. 3.], because he had entered the contest there, as in a superior conflict. In
that victory also which Christ granted to his triumphant martyrs, Simon, the
chief and first of the disciples, likewise received the crown; and he
|3
suffered in a manner similar to our Lord's sufferings. Others of the Apostles
too, in other places, closed their lives in martyrdom. Nor was this grace given
only to those of former times, but it has also been bestowed abundantly upon
this our own generation.
As for those conflicts, which were gloriously achieved in various other
countries, it is meet that they who were then living should describe what took
place in their own country; but for myself I pray that I may be enabled to write
an account of those with whom I had the honour of being cotemporary, and that
they may rank me also among them--I mean those of whom the whole people of
Palestine is proud, for in the midst of this our land also the Saviour of all
mankind himself arose like a thirst-refreshing fountain. The conflicts,
therefore, of these victorious combatants I will proceed to relate, for the
common instruction and benefit of all.
THE CONFESSION OF PROCOPIUS,
IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS.
THE first of all the martyrs who appeared in Palestine was named Procopius.
In truth he was a godly man, for even before his confession he had given up his
life to great endurance: and from the time that he was a little boy had been of
pure habits, and of strict morals: and by the vigour of his mind he had so
brought his body into subjection, that, even before his death, his soul seemed
to dwell in a body completely mortified, and he had so strengthened his soul by
the word of God that his body also was sustained by the power of God. His food
was bread only, and his drink water; and he took nothing else besides these two.
[P. 4.] Occasionally he took food every second day only, and sometimes every
third day; oftentimes too he passed a whole week without food. But he never
ceased day nor night from the study of the word of God: and at the same time he
was careful as to his manners and modesty of conduct, so that he edified by his; meekness and piety all those of his own standing. And while
|4
his chief application was devoted to divine subjects, he was acquainted also
in no slight degree with natural science. His family was from Baishan; and he
ministered in the orders of the Church in three things :--First, he had been a
Reader; and in the second order he translated from Greek into Aramaic; and in
the last, which is even more excellent than the preceding, he opposed the powers
of the evil one, and the devils trembled before him. Now it happened that he was
sent from Baishan to our city Caesarea, together with his brother confessors.
And at the very moment that he passed the gates of the city they brought him
before the Governor: and immediately upon his first entrance the judge, whose
name was Flavianus, said to him: It is necessary that thou shouldest sacrifice
to the gods: but he replied with a loud voice, There is no God but one only, the
Maker and Creator of all things. And when the judge felt himself smitten by the
blow of the martyr's words, he furnished himself with arms of another kind
against the doctrine of truth, and, abandoning his former order, commanded him
to sacrifice to the emperors, who were four in number; but the holy martyr of
God laughed still more at this saying, and repeated the words of the greatest of
poets of the Greeks, which he said that "the rule of many is not good: let
there be one ruler and one sovereign." And on account of his answer, which
was insulting to the emperors, he, though alive in his conduct, was delivered
over to death, and forthwith the head of this blessed man was struck off, and an
easy transit afforded him along the way to heaven. [P. 5.] And this took place
on the seventh day of the month Heziran, in the first year of the persecution in
our days. This confessor was the first who was consummated in our city Caesarea.
THE CONFESSION OF ALPHAEUS, AND ZACCHAEUS, AND ROMANUS,
IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS.
IT happened, at the same time, that the festival, which is celebrated on the
twentieth year of the emperor's reign, was at hand, and a
|5
pardon was announced at that festival for the offences of those who were in
prison. The governor, therefore, of the country came before the festival, and
instituted an inquiry respecting the prisoners which were in confinement, and
some of them were set at liberty through the clemency of the emperors; but the
martyrs of God he insulted with tortures, as though they were worse malefactors
than thieves and murderers.
Zacchaeus, therefore, who had been a deacon of the Church in the city of
Gadara, was led like an innocent lamb from the flock--for such indeed he was by
nature, and those of his acquaintance had given him the appellation of Zacchaeus
as a mark of honour, calling him by the name of that first Zacchaeus--for one
reason, because of the smallness of his stature, and for another, on account of
the strict life which he led; and he was even more desirous of seeing our Lord
than the first Zacchaeus. And when he was brought in before the judge, he
rejoiced in his confession for the sake of Christ: and when he had spoken the
words of God before the judge, he was delivered over to all the tortures of
punishment, and after having been first scourged, he was made to endure dreadful
lacerations, and then after this he was thrown into prison again, and there for
a whole day and a whole night his feet were strained to four holes of the rack.
Alphaeus, also, a most amiable man, endured afflictions and sufferings
similar to these. His family was of the most illustrious of the city
Eleutheropolis, and in the church of Caesarea he had been honoured with the
dignity of Reader and Exorcist. But before he became a confessor he had been a
preacher and teacher of [p. 6.] the word of God; and had great confidence
towards all men, and this of itself was a good reason for his being brought to
his confession of the truth. And because he saw that there was fallen upon all
men at that time laxity and great fear, and many were swept along as it were
before the force of many waters, and carried away to the foul worship of idols,
he deliberated how he might withstand the violence of the evil by his own
valour, and by his own courageous words repress the terrible storm. Of his own
accord, therefore, he threw himself into the midst of
|6
the crowd of the oppressors, and with words of denunciation reproached those,
who through their timidity had been dragged into error; and held them back from
the worship of idols, by reminding them of the words which had been spoken by
our Saviour, respecting confession. And when Alphaeus, full of courage and
bravery, had done these things openly with boldness, the officers seized him,
and took him at once before the judge. But this is not the time for us to relate
what words he uttered with all freedom of speech, nor what answers he gave in
words of godly religion, like a man filled with the Spirit of God. In
consequence of these things he was sent to prison. And after some days he was
brought again before the judge, and his body was torn all over by severe
scourgings without mercy, but the fortitude of his mind still continued erect
before the judge, and by his words he withstood all error. Then he was tortured
on his sides with the cruel combs, and, at last, having wearied out the judge
himself, and those who were ministering to the judge's will, he was again
committed to prison, together with another fellow-combatant, and stretched out a
whole day and night upon the wooden rack. After three days they were both of
them brought together before the judge, and he commanded them to offer sacrifice
to the emperors: but they confessed, and said, We acknowledge one God only, the
supreme sovereign of all; and when they had uttered these words in the presence
of all the people (p. 7.) they were numbered among the company of Holy Martyrs,
and were crowned as glorious and illustrious combatants in the conflict of God,
for whose sake also their heads were cut off. And better than all the course of
their lives did they love their departure, to be with Him in whom they made
their confession. But the day that they suffered martyrdom was the seventh of
Teshri the latter, on which day the confession of those of whom we have been
speaking was consummated.
And on this selfsame day also Romanus suffered martyrdom in the city of
Antioch. But this Romanus belonged to Palestine, and he was a Deacon, and an
Exorcist likewise, in one of the villages of Caesarea. And he, too, was
stretched out upon the rack,
|7
and like as the martyr Alphaeus had done in Caesarea, so did the blessed
Romanus by his words of denunciation restrain from sacrificing those who, from
their timidity, were relapsed into the sin of the error of devils, recalling to
the minds of them all the terrors of God. He had also the courage to go in
together with the; multitude who were dragged by force into error and to
present himself there in Antioch before the judge: and when he heard the judge
commanding them to sacrifice, and they, in trepidation from their fears, were
driven with trembling to offer sacrifice, this zealous man was no longer able to
endure this sad spectacle, but was : moved with pity towards them as towards
those who were feeling about in thick darkness, and on the point of falling over
a precipice, and so he made the doctrine of the religion of God to rise up
before them like the sun, crying aloud and saying: Whither are ye being carried,
oh men? Are ye all stooping down to cast yourselves into the abyss? Lift up
the eyes of your understanding on high, and above all the worlds ye shall
recognise God and the Saviour of all the ends of the world; and do not abandon
for error the commandment which has been committed to you: then shall the
godless error of the worship of devils be apparent to you. Remember also the
righteous judgment of God supreme, [p. 8.] And when he had spoken these things
to them with a loud voice, and stood there without fear and without dread, at
the command of him who was constituted judge there, the officers seized him, and
he condemned him to be destroyed by fire, for the crafty judge perceived that
many were confirmed by the words which the martyr spake, and that he turned many
back from error. And because the servant of Jesus had done these things in the
place where the emperors were, they at once brought out this blessed man into
the midst of the city of Antioch. And he was arrived at the spot where he was to
undergo his punishment, and the things which were required for the fire were got
ready, and they were busying themselves to fulfil the command with haste, when
the emperor Diocletian, having heard of what was done, gave orders that they
should withdraw the martyr from the death by fire, because, said he, his
insolence and folly were not suitable
|8
for punishment by fire; and so, like a merciful emperor, he gave order for a
new kind of punishment for the martyr, that his tongue should be cut out.
Nevertheless, when that member by which he spoke was taken away, still was his
true love not severed from his God; neither was his intellectual tongue
restrained from preaching, and immediately he received from God, the sovereign
of all, a recompense for his struggle in the conflict, and was filled with power
much greater than he had before. Then did great wonder seize upon all men; for
he, whose tongue had been cut out, forthwith, by the gift of God spake out
valiantly, and heartily exulted in the faith, as though he were standing by the
side of Him in whom he made his confession; and with a countenance bright and
cheerful he saluted his acquaintance, and scattered the seed of the word of God
into the ears of all men, exhorting them all to worship God alone, and lifting
up his prayers and thanksgiving to God, who worketh marvels [p. 9.] : and when
he had done these things he mightily gave testimony to the word of Christ before
all men, and in deed shewed forth the power of Him in whom he made his
confession. And when he had done so for a long time he was again stretched upon
the rack; and by the command of the governor and the judge they threw upon him
the strangling instrument, and he was strangled. And on the same day as those
blessed martyrs who appertained to Zacchaeus he was consummated in his
confession. And although this man actually passed through the conflict, and
suffered martyrdom in Antioch, nevertheless, because his family was of
Palestine, he is properly described among the company of martyrs in this our
country.
THE CONFESSION OF TIMOTHEUS, IN THE CITY OF GAZA,
IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS.
IT was the second year of the persecution, and the hostility against us was
more violent than the first; and Urbanus, who at that same time had superseded
the governor Flavianus in his
|9
office, was governor over the people of Palestine. There came then again the
second time edicts from the emperor, in addition to the former, threatening
persecution to all persons. For, in the former, he had given orders respecting
the rulers of the Church of God only, to compel them to sacrifice; but, in the
second edicts there was a strict ordinance, which compelled all persons equally,
that the entire population in every city, both men and women, should sacrifice
to dead idols, and a law was imposed upon them to offer libations to devils; for
such were the commands of the tyrants who, in their folly, desired to wage war
against God, the king supreme. And when these commands of the emperor were put
into effect, the blessed Timotheus, in the city of Gaza, was delivered up to
Urbanus while he was there, and was unjustly bound in fetters, like a murderer
[p. 10.], for indeed he was not bound in fetters on account of any thing
deserving of blame, because he had been blameless in all his conduct, and during
the whole of his life. When, therefore, he did not comply with the law as to the
worship of idols, nor bow down to dead images without life, for he was a man
perfect in every thing, and was in his soul acquainted with his God, and because
of his piety and his conduct and his virtues, even before he was delivered up to
the governor, he had already endured severe sufferings from the inhabitants of
his own city, having lived there under insults and frequent blows and contumely,
for the people of the city of Gaza were accursed in the heathenism; and when
they were present in the judgment hall of the governor, this champion of
righteousness came off victorious in all the excellence of his patience. And the
judge cruelly employed against him severe tortures, and showered upon his body
terrible scourgings without number, inflicting on his sides horrible
lacerations, such as it is impossible to describe; but, under all these things
this brave martyr of God sustained the conflict like a hero, and at last
obtained the victory in the struggle, by enduring death by means of a slow fire
: for it was a weak and slow fire by which he was burned, so that his soul could
not easily make her escape from the body, and be at rest.
|10
And there was he tried like pure gold in the furnace of a slow fire,
manifesting the perfection and the sincerity of his religion towards his God,
and obtaining the crown of victory which belongs to the glorious conquerors of
righteousness. And because he loved God, he received, as the meet recompense of
his will, that perfect life which he longed for in the presence of God the
sovereign of all. And together with this brave confessor, at the same time of
the trial of his confession, and in the same city, the martyr Agapius, and the
admirable Theckla (she of our days) were condemned by the governor to suffer
punishment and to be devoured by wild beasts, [p. 11.]
THE CONFESSION OF AGAPIUS, AND OF THE TWO ALEXANDERS, AND OF THE TWO DIONYSIUSES,
AND OF TIMOTHEUS, AND OF ROMULUS, AND OF PAESIS,
IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS, IN THE CITY OF CAESAREA.
IT was the festival at which all the people assembled themselves together in
their cities. The same festival also was held in Caesarea. And in the circus
there was an exhibition of horse races, and a representation was performed in
the theatre, and it was customary for impious and barbarous spectacles to take
place in the Stadium: and there was a rumour and a report generally current,
that Agapius, whose name we have mentioned above, and Theckla with him, together
with the rest of the Phrygians, were to be sent into the theatre in the form of
martyrs, in order that they might be devoured by the wild beasts; for the
governor Urbanus would present this gift to the spectators. When the fame of
these things was heard abroad, it happened further that other young men, perfect
in stature, and brave in person (they were in number six) arrived. And as the
governor was proceeding to the theatre, and passing through the city, these six
men stood up courageously before him: and having bound their hands behind them,
they drew near before the judge Urbanus, and, in fact,
|11
by binding themselves, shewed what was about to be done to them by others,
and exhibited their excellent patience, and the readiness of their mind for
martyrdom, for they confessed, crying aloud and saying, We are Christians; and
beseeching the governor Urbanus that they also might be thrown to the wild
beasts in the theatre in company with their brethren who appertained to Agapius.
For all this confidence of Jesus our Saviour, in his own champions did He
manifest to all men; extinguishing the menaces of the tyrants by his champion's
valour, and manifestly and clearly shewing, that neither fire, nor steel, nor
even fierce wild beasts, were able to subdue his victorious servants [p. 12.],
for He had girded them with the armour of righteousness, and strengthening them
with victorious and invincible armour, he made them despise death. And they
struck at once the governor and the whole band with him with astonishment at
this their courage: and the governor gave command that they should be delivered
up to prison; and there they were detained many days. And while they were in
prison, Agapius, a meek and good man, the brother of one of the prisoners,
arrived from the city of Gaza, and went frequently to the prison to visit his
brother, and having already striven in many contests of confession before, he
went with confidence to the place of imprisonment: and so he was denounced to
the governor as a man prepared for martyrdom, and consequently was delivered
over to bonds, in order that he might endure the trial of a second conflict. And
things similar to these did Dionysius also suffer. And this good recompense was
given to him from the martyrs of God as the reward of his service to them. And
when the governor was made aware of this recompense of the compassion of
Dionysius towards the martyrs, he gave the sentence of death against him. And
thus he became associated with those who preceded him. And all together they
were eight in number; namely, Timotheus, whose origin was from Pontus; and
Dionysius, who came from the city of Tripolis; and Romulus, a sub-deacon of the
church of the city of Diospolis; and two were Aegyptians, Paesis and Alexander;
and again another Alexander,
|12
and those two respecting whom we have said that they were at last cast into
prison.
All these were delivered up together at one time, to be beheaded. And this
matter took place on the twenty-fourth of Adar. But there was, at the same time,
a sudden change of the emperors, both of him who was the chief and emperor, and
of him who was honoured in the next place after him: and those [p. 13.] who had
divested themselves of the power of empire and put on the ordinary dress, having
given up the empire to their associates, were rent asunder from their love
towards each other, and they raised against one another an implacable war; nor
was any remedy given to this malady of their hostility, until the peace in our
time, which was spread throughout the whole empire of the Romans; for it arose
like light out of clouds of darkness, and forthwith the Church of the supreme
God and the divine doctrine was extended throughout the whole world.
THE CONFESSION OF EPIPHANIUS (Gr.
Apphianus),
IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION WHICH TOOK PLACE IN OUR DAYS IN THE CITY OF CAESAREA.
THAT bitter viper, and wicked and cruel tyrant, which in our time held the
dominion of the Romans, went forth, even from his very commencement, to fight as
it were against God, and was filled with persecution and rage against us in a
far greater degree than any of those who had preceded him--I mean Maximinus :
and no little consternation fell upon all the inhabitants of the cities, and
many were scattered abroad into every country, and dispersed themselves, in
order that they might escape the danger which surrounded them.
What words then are adequate to describe, as it deserves, the divine love of
the martyr Epiphanius, who had not yet attained the age of twenty years? He was
sprung from one of the most illustrious families in Lycia, famous also for their
extensive worldly wealth, and, by the care of his parents, he had been sent to
be educated in the city of Beyrout, where he had also acquired a
|13
great stock of learning. But this incident is not in any way connected with
the narrative which we are writing: if, however, it be befitting that we make
any mention of the virtuous conduct of this all-holy soul, it is very right to
admire, how in a city such as this he used to withdraw himself from the society
and company [p. 14.] of young men, and practised the virtues and the habits of
old men, adorning himself with pure conduct and becoming manners, nor suffered
himself to be overcome by the vigour of his body, nor to be led away by the
society of youth. But he laid the foundation of all virtues for himself in
patience, cherishing perfect holiness and temperance, and applying himself with
purity, as it is right, to the worship of God. And when he had finished his
education and quitted Beyrout, and was returned to the house of his parents, he
was no longer able to live with those who were of his own family, because their
manners were dissimilar to his own. He therefore left them, without taking care
to carry with him the means of providing sustenance even for a single day. He
conducted himself, however, in his travels, with purity, and by the power of God
which accompanied him, he came to this our city, in which the crown of martyrdom
was prepared for him, and resided in the same house with us, confirming himself
in godly doctrine, and being instructed in the Holy Scriptures by that perfect
martyr, Pamphilus, and acquiring from him the excellence of virtuous habits and
conduct.
And for this reason I have applied myself to the narrative of the martyrdom
of Epiphanius, in order that I may declare, if I be able, what a consummation he
also had. All the multitudes that beheld him were struck with admiration of him.
And who is there, even now-a-days, that can hear of his fame without being
filled with astonishment at his courage, and at his boldness of speech, and at
his daring, and at his patience, at his words addressed to the governor, and his
answers to the judge? And more than all to be wondered at is the resolution with
which he dedicated as it were with incense the offering of his zeal for God. For
when the persecution had been raised against us the second time, in the third
year of this same persecution, the former
|14
edicts of Maximinus arrived--those by which he gave command that the
governors of the cities should use great pains and diligence in order to compel
all men to offer sacrifices [p. 15.] and libations to devils. The heralds,
therefore, through all the cities made a diligent proclamation, that the men,
together with their wives and children, should assemble in the temples of the
idols, and before the Chiliarchs and Centurions, as they went round about to the
houses and the streets making a list of the inhabitants of the city. Then they
summoned them by name, and compelled them to offer sacrifice as they had been
commanded. And while this boundless tempest was threatening all men from all
sides, Epiphanius, a perfectly holy man, and a witness of the truth, performed
an act which surpasses all words. While no one was aware of his purpose; he even
concealed it from us who were in the same house with him, he went and drew near
to the governor of the place, and stood boldly before him; having also escaped
the observation of the whole band that was standing near the governor, for they
had not given heed when he approached the governor: and while Urbanus was
offering libations, he came up to him and laid hold of his right hand, and held
him back from offering the foul libation to idols, endeavouring with an
excellent and gentle address and godlike suavity to persuade him to turn from
his error, saying to him: That it was not right for us to turn away from the one
only God of truth, and offer sacrifice to lifeless idols and wicked devils. Thus
did He, who is more mighty than all, reprove the wicked through the youth
Epiphanius, whom, for the sake of his reproof, the power of Jesus had taken from
the house of his fathers, in order that he might be a reprover of the works of
pollution. He therefore despised threatenings and all deaths, and turned not
aside from good to evil, but spake gladly with pure knowledge and a glorifying
tongue, because he was desirous to carry speedily, if it were possible,
persuasion even to his persecutors, and to teach them to turn away from their
error, and become acquainted with our common deliverer, the Saviour and God of
all. When then this holy martyr of God had done these things, the servants [p.
16.] of devils, together with the officers of the governor,
|15
were smitten in their hearts as if by a hot iron; and they struck him on the
face, and when he had been thrown down on the ground they kicked him with their
feet, and tore his mouth and lips with a bridle. And when he had endured all
these things bravely, he was afterwards delivered up to be taken to a dark
prison, where his legs were then stretched for a day and a night in the stocks.
And after the next day they brought Epiphanius, who, although a youth in age,
was a mighty man in valour, into the judgment hall, and there the governor
Urbanus displayed a proof of his own wickedness and hatred against this lovely
youth by punishment and every kind of torture inflicted upon this martyr of God.
And he ordered them to lacerate his sides until his bones and entrails became
visible: he was also smitten upon his face and his neck to such a degree, that
his countenance was so disfigured by the severe blows which he had received,
that not even his friends could recognise him. This martyr of Christ, however,
was strengthened both in body and soul like adamant, and stood up even more
firmly in his confidence upon his God. And when the governor asked him many
questions, he gave him no further answer than this--that he was a Christian:
and he questioned him again as to whose son he was, and whence he came and where
he dwelt; but he made no other reply than that he was the servant of Christ. For
this cause therefore the fury of the governor became more fierce, and he
thundered forth the more in his rage, on account of the indomitable speech of
the martyr, giving command that his feet should be wrapped up in cotton that had
been dipped in oil, and then be set on fire. So the officers of the judge did
what he commanded them. And the martyr was hung up at a great height, in order
that, by this dreadful spectacle, he might strike terror into all those who were
looking on, while at the same time they tore his sides and ribs with combs, till
he became one mass of swelling all over, and the appearance of his countenance
was completely changed, [p. 17.] And for a long time his feet were burning in a
sharp fire, so that the flesh of his feet, as it was consumed, dropped like
melted wax, and the fire burnt into his very bones like dry reeds. But at the
same time, although he
|16
was in great suffering from what befel him, he became, by his patience, like
one who had no pain, for he had within, for a helper, that God who dwelt within
him; and he appeared evidently to all like the sun : and in consequence of the
great courage of this martyr of Christ many Christians also were assembled
together to behold him, and stood up with much open confidence; and he, with a
loud voice and distinct words, made his confession for the testimony of God,
publishing by this his valour the hidden power of Jesus, that He is ever near to
those who themselves draw near to Him.
And all this wonderful spectacle did the glorious Epiphanius exhibit, as it
were in a theatre: for they who were the martyr's oppressors became like corrupt
demons, and suffered within themselves great pain; being also themselves
tortured in their own persons, as he was, on account of his endurance in the
doctrine of his Lord. And while they stood in bitter pains, they gnashed upon
him with their teeth, burning in their minds against him, and trying to force
him to tell them whence he came, and who he was, and questioning him as to whose
son he was, and where he lived, and commanding him to offer sacrifice and comply
with the edict. But he looked upon them all as evil demons, and regarded them as
corrupt devils : not returning an answer to any of them, but using only this
word in confessing Christ, that He is God and the Son of God: [p. 18.]
testifying also that he knew God his Father only. When therefore those who were
contending against him were grown weary and overcome, and failed, they took him
back to the prison, and on the next day they brought him forth again before that
bitter and merciless judge, but he still continued in the same confession as
before. And when the governor and his officers, and the whole band that
ministered to his will, were foiled, he gave orders at last that he should be
cast into the depths of the sea.
But that wonderful thing which happened after this act I know will not be
believed by those who did not witness the wonder with their own eyes, as I
myself did: for men are not wont to give the same credence to the hearing of the
ear as to the seeing of
|17
eye. It is not, however, right for us also, like those who are in error and
deficient in faith, to conceal that prodigy which took place at the death of
this martyr of God; and we also call as witnesses to you of these things, which
we have written, the whole of the inhabitants of the city of Caasarea, for there
was not even one of the inhabitants of this city absent from this terrific
sight. For after this man of God had been cast into the depths of the terrible
sea, with stones tied to his feet, forthwith a great storm and frequent
commotions and mighty waves troubled the vast sea, and a severe earthquake made
even the city itself tremble, and every one's hands were raised towards heaven
in fear and trembling, for they supposed that the whole place, together with its
inhabitants, was about to be destroyed on that day. And at the same time, the
sea, even as if it were unable to endure it, vomited back the holy body of the
martyr of God, and carried it with the waves and laid it before the gate of the
city. And there was at that time vast affliction and commotion, for it seemed
like a messenger sent from God to threaten all men with great anger [p. 19]. And
this which took place was proclaimed to all the inhabitants of the city, and
they all ran at once and pushed against each other in order that they might
obtain a sight, both boys and men and old men together, and all grades of women,
so that even the modest virgins, who kept to their own apartments, went out to
see this sight. And the whole city together, even the very children as well,
gave glory to the God of the Christians alone, confessing with a loud voice the
name of Christ, who had given strength to the martyr in his lifetime to endure
such afflictions, and at his death had shewed prodigies to all who beheld.
Such was the termination of the history of Epiphanius, on the second of the
month Nisan, and his memory is observed on this day.
THE CONFESSION OF ALOSIS (Gr.
Aedesius).
LIKE what had befallen the martyr Epiphanius, so after a short time the
brother of Epiphanius, both on the father's and the
|18
mother's side, became a confessor, whose name was Alosis. He too, as he
contended against them with the words of God, made use of his faith in the truth
as armour; they also fought against him with smiting and scourging, and they
stood up against each other as it were in battle array, and strove which side
should get the victory. But even before his brother had given himself up to God,
this admirable Alosis had applied his mind to philosophy, and meditated upon all
the learned investigations of the greatest minds. Nor was he a proficient in the
learning of the Greeks only, but he was also well acquainted with the philosophy
of the Romans, and he had passed a long time in the society of the martyr
Pamphilus, and by him had been embued with the godly doctrine as with purple
suited for royalty. This same Alosis, after his admirable confession, which was
accomplished before our eyes, and his sufferings of the evils (p. 20) of
imprisonment for a long period, was first of all delivered over to the copper
mines which are in our country, Palestine; and after that he had passed through
many afflictions there, and then been released, he went thence to the city
Alexandria, and fell in with Hierocles, who held the government of the province
in all the land of Egypt. Him also he beheld judging the Christians severely,
and contrary to just laws, making mock of the confessors of God, and delivering
up the holy virgins of God to fornication, and to lust, and to bodily shame.
When therefore these things were perpetrated before the eyes of this brave
combatant, he devoted himself to an act akin to that of his brother; and the
zeal of God was kindled within him like fire, and its heat burned within his
members as in dry stubble, and he drew near to Hierocles, the wicked governor,
with indignation, and put him to shame by his words of wisdom and his deeds of
righteousness, and, having struck him on the face with both his hands, he threw
him on his back upon the ground; and as his attendants laid hold upon him to
help him, he gave him some severe blows, saying to him, Beware how thou darest
to commit acts of pollution contrary to nature against the servants of God. And,
being well instructed, he convicted
|19
him from the laws themselves of acting contrary to the laws.
And after Alosis had so courageously done all these things, he endured with
great patience the torments which were inflicted upon his body; and as he
resembled his brother in his appearance, and conduct, and in his zeal and
confession, so also did they resemble each other in their punishment, and at the
last, after their death the terrible sea received them from the hand of the
judge.
Now this servant of Jesus exhibited his contest for the truth in [p. 21] the
city of Alexandria, and was there adorned with the crown of victory; but the
next confessor after Epiphanius who was called to the conflict of martyrdom in
Palestine was Agapius.
THE CONFESSION OF AGAPIUS,
IN THE FOURTH YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS.
IT was in the fourth year of the persecution in our days, and on Friday the
twentieth of the latter Teshri: it was on this same day that the chief of
tyrants, Maximinus, came to the city of Caesarea. And he made a boast that he
would exhibit some novel sight to all the spectators that were assembled
together on his account; for that was the same day on which he celebrated the
anniversary of his birthday. And it was requisite upon the arrival of the tyrant
that he should exhibit something more than what had ordinarily been done. What
then was this new spectacle, but that a martyr of God should be cast to wild
beasts to be devoured by them? while of old it had been the practice upon the
arrival of the emperor that he should set before the spectators competitive
exhibitions of various forms and different kinds, such as recitation of
speeches, and listening to new and strange songs and music, and also spectacles
of all sorts of wild beasts, and likewise that the spectators might have much
delight and amusement in a show of gladiators.
It was therefore requisite that the emperor at this festival of his birthday
should also do something great and extraordinary,
|20
for at all the previous exhibitions which he had furnished for them he had
not done any thing new. So that--what was at once a thing desired by himself,
and acceptable to the wicked tyrant--a martyr of God was brought forth into the
midst, adorned with all righteousness, and remarkable for the meekness of his
life; and he was cast into the theatre in order that he might be devoured by the
wild beasts. His name was Agapius, respecting whom, together with Theckla, an
order had been given that they should be devoured by wild beasts. The fair name
of Theckla has been already mentioned in another chapter [p. 22]. They therefore
dragged the blessed Agapius forward, and took him round about in mockery in the
midst of the Stadium. And a tablet, with an inscription upon it, was carried
about before him, on which no other accusation was exhibited against him, but
this only--That he was a Christian. And the same time also a slave, a murderer,
that had killed his master, was brought forward, together with the martyr of
God, and they both received equally one and the same sentence. And very closely
did this passion resemble that of our Saviour; for while the one was to suffer
martyrdom for the sake of the God of all, the other also was to be put to death
for the murder of his master; and one and the same sentence of evil went forth
against both of them without any distinction. And the judge in this case was the
governor Urbanus, for he was still governor in Palestine: but when Maximinus
came to be present at this spectacle which has been described above, as if on
account of the promptitude of Urbanus, he increased his power of evil, and
liberated from death that murderer which had slain his master, and put him
beyond all torture; but as for the martyr of God, he took delight in looking on
with his own eyes while he was being devoured by the savage beasts. When
therefore they had led the martyr Agapius round about in the Stadium, they asked
him in the first place if he would deny his God, but he cried out with a loud
voice and said to all those who were assembled together--Oh ye that are looking
on at this trial in which I am now placed, know that it is not for any evil
crime which I have committed that I am
|21
brought to this trial, for I am a witness of the true doctrine of God, and I
bear testimony to you all, in order that ye may have knowledge of the one only
God, and of that Light which he has caused to arise, that ye may know and adore
Him who is the creator of the heavens and of the earth. And all this which is
come upon me for his name's sake, I receive with joy in my mind; for they have
not brought me to this place against my will, but I desire this of my own free
choice, by which I stand even unto death. Moreover, I am contending for the sake
of my faith, that I may afford encouragment to those who are younger than
myself, that they too may despise death while [p. 23] they follow after their
true life, and may disregard the grave in order to obtain a kingdom; that they
should make light of that which is mortal, and keep in their recollection the
life of the Giver of life, nor have any dread of punishment which is momentary,
but be in fear of those flames of fire which are never quenched.
When therefore this martyr of God had cried with a loud voice and said these
things, and stood erect in the midst of the Stadium, like one who felt confident
that there was no danger, the wicked tyrant was filled with rage and fury, and
gave orders for the wild beasts to be let loose upon him: but he, being full of
courage and despising death, turned not aside to the right hand or to the left,
but with lightness of feet and courage of heart advanced to meet the savage
beasts. And a fierce bear rushed upon him and tore him with her teeth: he was
then remanded to prison, while life was still left in him, and there he lived
one day. After this, stones were tied about him, and his body was thrown into
the sea; but the soul of the blessed Agapius winged her flight through the air
to the kingdom of heaven, whither she was previously hastening, and was received
together with the angels and the holy company of martyrs. So far then was the
contest and the valour of Agapius victorious.
|22
THE CONFESSION OF THEODOSIA, A VIRGIN OF GOD,
IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION WHICH TOOK PLACE IN OUR DAYS.
THE persecution in our days had been prolonged to the fifth year. And it was
the month Nisan, and the second day of the same month, when a godly virgin, and
holy in all things, one of the virgins of the Son of God in the city of Tyre,
who was not yet eighteen years old, out of pure love for those, who on account
of their confession of God were set before the tribunal of the governor, [p. 24]
drew near and saluted them, and entreated them to remember her in their prayers:
and because of these words which she had spoken to them, the wicked men were
filled with anger, as if she had been doing something unjust and improper; and
the officers seized her forthwith, and took her before the governor Urbanus, for
he still held the power in Palestine. And I know not what happened to him, but
immediately, like one much excited by this young woman, he was filled with rage
and fury against her, and commanded the girl to offer sacrifice: and because he
found, that although she was but a girl, she withstood the imperial orders like
a heroine, then did this savage governor the more inflict tortures on her sides
and on her breast with the cruel combs; and she was torn on the ribs until her
bowels were seen. And because this girl had endured this severe punishment and
the combs without a word, and still survived, he again commanded her to offer
sacrifice. She then raised her lips and opened her eyes, and looking around with
a joyful countenance in that time of her suffering, (for she was charming in
beauty and in the appearance of her figure), with a loud voice she addressed the
governor: Why, oh man, dost thou deceive thyself, and not perceive that I have
found the thing which I prayed to obtain at thy hands? for I rejoice greatly in
having been deemed worthy to be admitted to the participation of the sufferings
of God's martyrs: for indeed, for this very cause, I stood up and
|23
spake with them, in order that by some means or other they might make me a
sharer in their sufferings, so that I also might obtain a portion in the kingdom
of heaven together with them, because so long as I had no share in their
sufferings, I could not be a partaker with them in their salvation. Behold
therefore now, how, on account of the future recompense, I stand at present
before thee with great exultation, because I have obtained the means of drawing
near to my God, even before those just men, whom but a little while ago I
entreated to intercede for me. Then that wicked judge [p. 25], seeing that he
became a laughingstock, and that his haughty threats were manifestly humbled
before all those who were standing in his presence, did not venture to assail
the girl again with great tortures like the former, but condemned her by the
sentence which he passed to be thrown into the depths of the sea.
And when he passed on from the condemnation of this pure girl, he proceeded
to the rest of those confessors, on whose account this blessed maiden had been
called to this grace, and they were all delivered over to the copper mines in
Palestine, without his saying a word to them, or inflicting upon them any
sufferings or torture; for this holy girl prevented all those confessors by her
courageous conduct against error, and received in her own body, as it were on a
shield, all the inflictions and tortures which were intended for them, having
rebuked in her own person the enemy that opposed them; and subdued by her valour
and patience the furious and cruel judge, and rendered that fierce governor like
a coward with respect to the other confessors. It was on the first day of the
week that these confessors were condemned in Caesarea; and in the month above
written and in the year noted by us was this act accomplished.
|24
THE CONFESSION OF DOMNINUS,
IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS, IN THE CITY OF CAESAREA.
URBANUS was governor in Palestine; and it was the first day. of the latter
Teshri; and so, from day to day, he renewed himself in his wickedness, and every
year prepared some devices against us. I will therefore relate how many evils he
inflicted on this one day which I have mentioned. On the day then which we have
spoken of, a certain man, admirable in all his conduct, and excellently skilled
in the science of medicine, [p. 26] and he was a young man of tall stature and
handsome, and celebrated for the holiness of his life, and the purity of his
soul, and his modesty, and his name was Domninus; he was also well known to all
those in our time who had been confessors. Moreover, this same man, previously
to his receiving consummation by martyrdom, had endured torture in the copper
mines; and on account of his patience under his confession he was condemned to
the punishment by fire.
When that same judge, cunning in his wickedness (for it is not meet that
those should be called wise who boast themselves in the bitterness of their
wickedness), had passed on from this martyr, he lighted upon three young men of
fine stature, and handsome in their person, and praiseworthy as to their souls,
on account of their courage in worshipping God; and in order that he might
afford amusement thereby, he sent them to the Ludus. Then he passed on from
these, and delivered up an excellent and godly old man to be devoured by the
wild beasts. Then the mad man passed on from this old man, and came to others,
and commanded them to be castrated and turned into eunuchs. Then he left them
also, and proceeded to those who appertained to Sylvanus, whose own lot also it
was some time afterwards to become a martyr of God, and these he condemned to
the mines of Phaeno. Afterwards he passed on from these and came to others whom
he insulted with tortures. Nor was the
|25
fury of his malice content with males, but he also threatened to torment the
females, and delivered over these virgins to fornicators for the violation of
their persons. Others again he sent to prison. Now all these things which we
have described did this arrogant judge perpetrate in one hour.
And after all these things which I have described had been accomplished, that
heavenly martyr of God, Pamphilus, a name very dear to me (p. 27), who was holy
in all things, and adorned with every virtue, was tried in the conflict of
martyrdom. He was indeed the most famous of all the martyrs in our time, on
account of his accomplishments in philosophy, and his acquirements both in
sacred and profane literature. Of this same man, admirable in all things,
Urbanus first made a trial of his wisdom by questions and answers; and at last
endeavoured to compel him by threats to offer sacrifice to dead idols; and when
he had ascertained by trial that he was not to be persuaded by words, and also
perceived that his threats were not heeded by him, he applied cruel torture, and
lacerated him grievously on his sides. But he was not able to subdue him by this
means, as he had expected. The wicked judge then considered that if he bound him
in prison together with those confessors of whom mention has been already made,
he might by this means subdue this holy martyr.
Now as to this cruel judge, who employed all these wicked devices against the
confessors of God, what recompense and punishment must await him? For this is
easy for us to know from what we are writing. For forthwith, and immediately,
and without any long delay, the righteous judgment of God overtook him on
account of those things which he had dared to do, and took severe and bitter
vengeance upon him; and he that sat on the judgment-seat on high in his pride,
and boasted himself in his soldiers that stood before him, and considered
himself above all the people in Palestine, was in one night stripped of all his
splendour and all his honours, and reduced to the condition of a private
individual. And here, in our city of Caesarea, where he had perpetrated all
those crimes which have been written above, he was by the sentence of Maximinus,
a wicked tyrant like himself, delivered up to a
|26
miserable death; and insult and humiliation, which is worse than all deaths,
was heaped upon him, so that reproachful words from women, with dreadful
imprecations from the mouths of all, were poured into his ears before he died
[p. 28]. Wherefore, by these things we may perceive that this was a foretaste of
that vengeance of God which is reserved for him at the last, on account of all
his maliciousness and unmercifulness towards the servants of God.
These things we have related in a cursory manner for those believers, of whom
some still remain unto this present time, omitting to relate many afflictions
which passed over him, in order that we may arrange these things briefly, and in
a few words, as a record for those who are to come after us; but there may come
a time when we may recount in our narrative the end and fall of those wicked men
who exerted themselves against our people.
THE CONFESSION OF PAULUS, AND VALENTINA, AND HATHA,
IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS IN CAESAREA.
UP to the sixth year of the persecution which was in our days, the storm
which had been raised against us was still raging; and great multitudes of
confessors were in the mines which are called Porphyrites, in the country of
Thebais, which is on one side of Egypt; and on account of the purple marble
which is in that land, the name of Porphyrites has also been given to those who
were employed in cutting it. This name, therefore, was also extended to those
great multitudes of confessors who were under sentence of condemnation in the
whole of the land of Egypt: for there were a hundred martyrs there all but
three. And these confessors were sent, the men together with the women and
children, to the governor in Palestine, whose name was Firmillianus. For he had
superseded the governor Urbanus in his office, and he was a man by no means of a
peaceful turn; indeed he even surpassed
|27
his predecessor in ferocity, having been a soldier that had been engaged in
war, and had had much experience in blood and fighting, [p 29.]
There is a large city in the land of Palestine, teeming with population, of
which all the inhabitants were Jews. It is called in the Aramaic tongue Lud, and
in the Greek it is called Diocaesarea. To this city the governor Firmillianus
went, and took thither the whole assembly of those hundred confessors. And this
was a great sight which well deserves to be recorded in writing. And the Jews
were spectators of this marvellous contest, having surrounded the place of
judgment on all sides; and as if it were for a rebuke to themselves, they looked
on with their own eyes at what took place, while the whole company of the
confessors, with much confidence and immense courage, made their confession of
belief in God's Christ. And they being Jews, to whom the coming of that Christ
had been foretold by their prophets, whose coming their fathers looked for, had
not received him when he was come; but these Egyptians, who had been of old the
enemies of God, confessed, even in the midst of persecutions, their faith in
God, the Lord of all, and in the Manifestation from him. And these Egyptians,
who had been taught by their fathers to worship idols only, were at that time,
from the conviction of their reason, undergoing this conflict, in order that
they might avoid the worship of idols; while those Jews, who had always been
accused by their prophets on account of their worship of idols, were surrounding
them, standing and looking on, and listening as the Egyptians repudiated the
gods of their own fathers, and confessed their faith in the same God as they
also did; and bare witness for Him whom they had many times denied. And they
were still more cut to the heart and rent, when they heard the criers of the
governor shouting and calling Egyptians by Hebrew names, and addressing them
with the names of the prophets. For the crier, shouting aloud, called to them
and said: Elias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and other appellations similar to
these, which their fathers had chosen from among the Hebrews, [p. 30.] in order
that they might call their sons after
|28
the names of the prophets. Moreover, it also came to pass that their deeds
corresponded with their names; and the Jews greatly wondered both at them and at
their names, as well as at their words and their deeds, being rendered
despicable themselves both by their own vice and infidelity. And I myself am
convinced that these things were not done without the will of God. However,
after this trial they were deprived of the use of their left leg, by having the
muscles of the knee cauterized with fire, and then again they had their right
eyes blinded with the sword, and then destroyed by fire. And not only were they
men who endured these things, but really children and many women. And after this
they were delivered over to the copper mines to see afflictions there.
And after a short time, the three men from Palestine, whom I mentioned a
little while ago as having been for the moment handed over to the Ludus, were
called to undergo similar sufferings, because they would not take the food from
the royal provision, nor would give themselves up to that exercise and
instruction which were requisite for pugilism; and they suffered many evils
which we are not competent to describe: and at the end of all their afflictions
they underwent this severe sentence. And others in the city of Gaza, being in
the habit of assembling themselves for prayer, and being constant in reading the
Holy Scriptures, were seized, and had to endure the same sufferings as their
companions, being tortured on their legs and eyes. Others also had to contend in
conflicts even greater than these, and after having been tortured both in their
legs and eyes, were severely torn on their sides with combs. And others again
more than these attained to this great excellence, and at the end of all
contended with death itself.
And when he had turned himself away from these, he came to judge one who,
although a woman in body, was a hero in the bravery of mind, which she possessed
[p. 31] : she was also a virgin in her mode of life, and could not bear the
threat of pollution which she heard, but at once gave utterance to harsh words
against the tyrannical emperor, for having given authority to a
|29
vile and wicked judge. On this account, therefore, he in the first place
bruised her body all over with stripes; then she was hung up and her sides were
lacerated; and this not once only, but two and three times in one hour, and for
a great while and also repeatedly, until those who inflicted the punishment
became wearied and tired; then others succeeded them against her, and, at the
commands of the furious governor, tortured her most severely. For these judges
were barbarous in their manners, and enemies in their hearts. Moreover, it
happened that while this furious judge was insulting this girl with his
tortures, another young woman, small indeed in person, but courageous in
soul--for she was possessed of a large mind, which supplied strength to the
smallness of her person--being no longer able to tolerate the wickedness and
cruelty of those things which were inflicted upon her sister, called out from
the midst of the crowd of persons who were standing before the governor, and
cried out complaining, and said: How long dost thou intend to tear my sister to
pieces in so cruel and merciless a manner? And when the wicked Firmillianus
heard this saying, he was bitterly incensed, and gave orders for the young woman
who had complained to be brought before him. Her name was Valentina. Having
therefore caught her up they brought her into the midst of the place of
judgment. But she placed her trust in the holy name of Jesus. Then the murderous
governor in his fury commanded her to offer sacrifice. But the maiden Valentina
despised the word even of the threatener. Then he gave orders for those who were
ministering to his will to lay hold upon the girl by force, and to take her up
to the side of the altar, so that she might be polluted by the sacrifices. Then
at that time of terror [p. 32.] the noble maiden shewed the courage of her mind,
and gave the altar a kick with her foot, and it was overturned, and; the fire
that had been kindled upon it was scattered about; and because she did all these
things without shewing any fear, the rage of the governor was roused like a wild
beast, and he gave command for her to be tortured with the combs, without any
mercy, so that no one man was ever torn to such a degree; and I think that, had
it been possible, he would even have devoured the girl's
|30
flesh. And when at length his fury was satisfied with the sight of her blood,
and he had learned, both by deeds and words, how divine is that invincible power
which arms and strengthens even little girls with courage and valour, he caused
both the young women, Hatha and Valentina, to be bound together, and gave
sentence against them of death by fire. The name of the first was Hatha, and her
father's house was in the land of Gaza; and the other was from Caesarea, our own
city, and she was well known to many, and her name was Valentina.
And after these things, Paul the confessor was called to the conflict. And he
also endured it bravely, and in the same hour was condemned to be put to death,
and his sentence was to be beheaded by the sword. When, then, this blessed man
came to the place of execution where he was to be put to death, he besought the
officer who was to behead him to have patience with him for a little while; and
when the officer had granted him this desire, in the first place, with a mild
and cheerful voice, he offered up thanksgiving, and worship, and glory, and
supplication to God for having accounted him worthy of this victory. Then he
prayed for tranquillity and peace for our people, and entreated God speedily to
grant them deliverance. After this he offered up prayer for our enemies, the
Jews, many of whom at that time were standing around him: then he went on in his
supplication, and prayed for the Samaritans, and for those among the Gentiles
[p. 33] who were without knowledge; he prayed that they might be converted to
the knowledge of the truth. Nor was he unmindful of those who were standing
around him, but prayed also for them. And oh, the perfection--which cannot be
described--that he prayed even for that judge who had condemned him to death,
and for all rulers in every place; and not only for them, but also for that
officer who was then going to cut off his head. And as he was offering his
supplications to God, the officers heard him with their own ears praying for
them, and beseeching God not to lay to their charge that which they did to him.
And as he prayed for all with a suppliant voice, he turned the whole multitude
that was standing by and looking
|31
on to sorrow and tears; and then, of his own accord, he bent down his body,
and put out his neck to be cut off by the sword. The conflict of this victorious
martyr was consummated on the twenty-fifth of the month Thamuz.
THE CONFESSION OF ANTONINUS, AND ZEBINAS, AND GERMANUS, AND MANNATHUS (Gr.
Ennathas
IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS IN CAESAREA.
AND when some time had elapsed after these things which I have related,
another company of God's martyrs, amounting in number to one hundred and thirty,
was sent from the land of Egypt into our country. And all of these had also
undergone the same tortures in their eyes and legs as the former martyrs; and
some of them were sent to the mines of Palestine, and some of them were
delivered over to the judges in Cilicia to be chastised with injurious and
insulting tortures. But from us the flame of the persecution ceased a little,
the sword having been satiated with the blood of the holy martyrs; and a little
rest and cessation threw some check upon the persecution which took place in our
days. And continuously the scourge of God was sent upon Maximinus, the wicked
tyrant, of all these evils, of which the governors of the countries were the
instructors and cunning ministers, [p. 34], and that duke who was the general of
the army of the Romans. And because of those things which took place, they urged
the Logistae of the cities, and the military commander, and the Tabularii to
rebuild with diligence what was fallen of the temples of idols, and to compel
all the men, together with their wives and children and slaves, and even the
infants at the breast, to sacrifice and offer libations to devils, and also to
force them to eat of the sacrifices. And a command was given that every thing
that was sold in the market should be polluted with the libations and the
sprinkling of the blood of the sacrifices. When these things, therefore, were
done
|32
in this manner, these actions which were performed were abominated, even by
the heathen who were without faith.
Great tumult, therefore, and consternation, such as there had never been the
like before, overwhelmed all those who belonged to us in every place; and the
souls of every one were set in affliction and trouble. But the Divine Power, on
account of those things which had taken place, gave encouragement to such as
belonged to Him, so that they were able to tread under foot the threats of the
judges, and to depise their tortures.
But some servants of Christ's people, who in the stature of their bodies were
only youths, but their soul was armed with the worship of God, both came of
themselves, and when the governor was offering libations to idols in the midst
of the city, suddenly rushed upon him, and called upon him to abandon his error,
For there is no other God but one, the Maker and Creator of all things; and when
they were asked who they were, they confessed they were Christians. No sooner,
then, were these words uttered than they received sentence of death, and so
passed on easily and without delay to Him in whom they made their confession.
The name of the first of them was Antoninus, and the second was called Zebinas,
and the third's name was Germanus; and these things were done on the thirteenth
of Teshri the latter.
And they had at the same time a companion, a sister, one of the Lord's
virgins, [p. 35] a chaste and courageous maiden, who came from the city of
Baishan. She, however, had not acted in the same manner as those had done with
whom she became confessor; for she had been brought by force from Baishan, and
suffered insults and cruel tortures from the judge before she was condemned. But
one of those who was set over the streets of the city was the originator of
these evils. His name was Maxys, and he proved to all men that he was worse even
than his name. This same blessed woman he stripped naked, and she was only left
covered from the groin downwards, in order that he might indulge his lustful
eyes in looking at the rest of her limbs; and he carried her about through the
whole city, being tortured with straps; and afterwards took her before the
tribunal of the
|33
governor, where with great boldness of speech she made the confession of her
faith--that she was a Christian; and there also displayed her courage and
patience under every kind of torture; and was afterwards delivered over by the
governor to be burnt with fire. Moreover, the same judge became day by day more
ferocious, displaying both his merciless disposition and cruelty, and he was
carried away even beyond the laws of nature, so that he wreaked his vengeance
and hatred even upon the lifeless corpses of the Christians, and forbade their
burial. And of this same maiden of whom it has been just spoken, and of those
who on the same day were consummated by confession, orders were issued that
their bodies should be devoured by animals, and be carefully guarded night and
day till they should be consumed by birds. Persons were therefore appointed to
watch over this barbarous order from a distance, and to keep guard to prevent
the bodies of the confessors from being carried away by us by stealth. So the
beasts of the field, and the dogs, and the fowls of the heaven, were here and
there tearing to pieces the flesh of men, so that men's bones and entrails were
found even in the middle of the city; and all men were clad in sorrow on account
of these things, because never before had such atrocities been done. [p. 35.]
And great sorrow and grief came even upon those who were aliens from us in the
faith, because of these things which their own eyes beheld; for even before the
gates of the city was exhibited the dreadful spectacle of men's bodies devoured
by wild beasts.
When, therefore, things had continued in this manner for
many days, there happened in the midst of the city a prodigy which will scarcely
be believed. The atmosphere was perfectly calm and clear, when, all on a sudden,
many of the columns of the porticos in the city emitted spots as it were of
blood, while the
market-places and the streets became sprinked and wet as
with water, although not a single drop had fallen from the heavens. And it was
declared by the mouth of every one, that the stones shed tears and the ground
wept; for even the senseless stones and the ground without feeling could not
endure this foul and barbarous deed; and that the blood which flowed from the
stones, and
|34
the earth which without any rain emitted as it were tears from its body,
rebuked all these godless folk. And perhaps it may seem to such as did not see
with their own eyes the things which I have described, that what I have related
must be attributed to a fable devoid of truth. Far from it, for these things
which we have described were actually seen by those who were living at that
time, some of whom are alive unto this very day.
Such then was the consummation of those holy martyrs of God; whose struggles
and conflicts against error were exhibited before our eyes.
THE CONFESSION OF ARES, AND PRIMUS (Gr.
Promus),
AND ELIAS,
IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS AT ASHKELON.
IN the month Canun the former, on the fourteenth of the same--on this day
some Egyptian martyrs of God were seized before the gates of Ashkelon; and
because, when they were questioned as to who they were, they acknowledged that they were Christians, [p. 38] and confessed
that they had undertaken the journey, and were come from their own country for
the purpose of taking sustenance to the confessors who were in Cilicia, they
also were brought as malefactors before the judge. For the keepers of the gates of the city were cruel men, and laid hold upon these martyrs, and took
them before Firmillianus the governor, because he was also, up to that time,
still over the people of Palestine; and he decreed a cruel sentence against
them: and some of them he ordered to have their eyes and their feet injured by
fire and steel, and some of them to be delivered over to death by the sword; but one
of them, whose name was Ares, was consummated in his confession by a fierce
fire, and Primus and Elias were beheaded by the sword.
|35
THE CONFESSION OF PETER, WHO WAS SURNAMED ABSALOM,
IN THE SEVENTH YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS IN THE CITY OF CAESAREA.
ON the tenth day of the month Canun the latter, Peter, who was called
Absalom, appeared, a famous confessor of the kingdom of God; and so manfully did
he behave in his struggle for the worship of God, and so victorious was he in
the conflict of his martyrdom, that he even excited admiration in the judge
himself, and made those who were standing by him wonder greatly. Much,
therefore, did they strive to induce him to have pity upon himself, to spare his
own person, and save himself from the evils which were hanging over him; but he
disregarded in his mind all that they said. And those who surrounded him--not
those only who knew him, but those also who were not acquainted with him--urged
him, and intreated him one after another, and besought the blessed man as if it
were for their own lives. But some of them confirmed his good resolution;
others, again, by what they said, suggested irresolution [p. 39], bidding him to
regard with pity his own youth and person. Those of the same mind as himself
called to his remembrance that hell fire which is to come, while others tried to
make him afraid of the fire which was visible before him. Some endeavoured to
terrify him by the mortal judge, while others reminded him of the Judge of all
judges. Some called upon him to regard this transitory life, while others
persuaded him to look to the kingdom of heaven. Those who belonged to the right
hand invited him to turn towards them, while they who belonged to the left hand
tried to persuade him to mind earthly things. But he was a young man, handsome
in person, brave in mind, and active and able in body; and being such he proved
his purity like gold in the furnace and the fire, and loved his confession in
our Saviour better than the life of this time, which so soon passes away. And
there was burned together
|36
with him in the same fire one who belonged to the heresy of Marcion, and
called himself a bishop; and he gave himself up to this as in the zeal for
righteousness, although he was not in true knowledge, and endured martyrdom by
fire in company with this God's martyr. And this holy martyr of whom we have
spoken came from Aia (Gr.
Anea
), a village which is on the confines of
Beth Gobrin; and he contended in the consummation which we have described, and
obtained in the conflict the crown of the glorious victory of the martyrs of
Christ.
THE CONFESSION OF PAMPHILUS, AND VALES, AND SELEUCUS, AND PAULUS, AND PORPHYRIUS,
AND THEOPHILUS
(Theodulus
AND JULIANUS, AND ONE EGYPTIAN,
BEING IN NUMBER EIGHT, IN THE SEVENTH YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS.
THE time now calls upon us to describe that grand spectacle which was
displayed of the all-holy martyr Pamphilus, and of those [p. 39] who together
with him were consummated by martyrdom; men admirable and brave, who exhibited,
under many forms, contests for the sake of the worship of God. For indeed there
are many whom we know to have been victorious in this persecution; but in none
altogether like these whom we have just mentioned did we behold so completely
all kinds of bodily stature, and of moral qualities of soul and education, and
of deaths by different tortures, receiving the glory of the consummation of
martyrdom by various triumphs. For all of the Egyptians who were with them
appeared to be youths and boys; others Were young men in the prime of life,
among whom was Porphyrius; others again were in the full vigour both of mind
and body, namely, those who were of the house of Pamphilus, that name dearly
beloved by me; and Paulus, who came from Iamna; and Seleucus and Julianus, both
of whom came from the country of Cappadocia. There were also among them some
venerable seniors who were bent down with deep old age, as Vales, a deacon of
the church of Jerusalem, and that other, whose conduct was conformable to his
name,
|37
Theodulus. There was, likewise, a variety of bodily stature : and they differed
too in their mental acquirements, for some of them were very simple-minded and
ordinary like children, while others were possessed of profound understandings
and courageous habits. There were also some among them who were also instructed
in theology, and in all of them was their praiseworthy courage remarkable. But
like the sun which giveth light to the day among the stars, so in the midst of
them all shone forth the excellency of My Lord Pamphilus--for it is not meet
that I should mention the name of that holy and blessed Pamphilus without
styling him My Lord, for he indeed had no slight acquaintance with that learning
which those among the Greeks admire; while there was no one in our time who was
[p. 40] so well instructed in those scriptures which proceed from the Spirit of
God, and also in the whole range of theology. And what is even greater than
these acquirements, he was possessed of natural wisdom and discernment, that is,
he received them by the gift of God. Moreover, Pamphilus was by birth of an
illustrious family, and his mode of living in his own country was as that of the
noble. Seleucus also had held a place of authority in the army. Some of them
again were of the middle rank of life, and one also, who was called to this
honour together with the rest, was a slave of the governor. Porphyrius too was
reckoned the slave of Pamphilus, but in his love towards God and in his
admirable confession he was his brother; and by Pamphilus himself he was
considered rather as a beloved son; and, indeed, in every thing he closely
resembled him who had brought him up. And were any one to say of this company of
them all that they were a perfect representation of a congregation of the
church, I should say that he did not go beyond the truth. For among them
Pamphilus had been honoured with the presbytery, and Vales was in the orders of
the diaconate, and others among them had the rank of readers; and Seleucus, even
before the consummation of his confession, had been honoured as a confessor by
the suffering of cruel scourgings, and had endured with patience his dismissal
from his command in the army. And
|38
the remainder of the others who came after these were hearers and receivers
(catechumens). And thus, under a small form, they completed the representation
of a perfect church of many persons. And so this admirable selection of all
these martyrs and such as these, while we looked upon them, although they were
not many in number, lo ! they still bore the semblance of a many-stringed harp,
which consists of chords that do not resemble each other--the tenor and base,
and flat, and sharp, and medial, all of which are well arranged together by the
art of music. Like this resemblance, also, there were among them young men and
old men together, and slaves and free, [p. 41] and clever and simple, and noble
and common, and believers together with hearers (catechumens), and deacons with
presbyters: all of which were variously harmonized together by one
all-skilful--the Word--the only (begotten) of God. And they displayed each
individually the excellency of the power within them by the endurance of
tortures, and at the place of judgment produced the melody of a glorious
confession.
It is also worthy of our admiration, when we look to their number, how they
were twelve like the prophets and the apostles. Nor is it fit that we should
omit the all-patient readiness of every one of them, each in his own part; the
combs on their sides, and their incurable scourgings, and their tortures of
every kind, and how they forced by violence these martyrs to do that which was
abominated by them. And what necessity is there for our telling of the divine
sayings which they uttered, as though stripes were reckoned by them as nothing,
while with a cheerful and joyous countenance they answered the interrogatories
of the judge, and jested with readiness under the very tortures themselves. And
when he asked them over again whence they came, they avoided speaking of the
city to which they belonged on earth, and spake of the city which in truth is
theirs, and said that they were from Jerusalem which is above in heaven,
confessing that they were hastening to go thither. And because of these things
the judge became the more enraged at them, and prepared himself against them
with cruel scourgings, in order that he might
|39
accomplish his will upon them; but when he failed in his expectations, he
gave command that one of them should receive the crown of victory.
Moreover, the modes of their deaths also were of all kinds; for two of them
were hearers (catechumens), and they were baptized at their deaths with the
baptism of fire only, while others of them were delivered up to be crucified
like our Saviour.
But Pamphilus, that name so especially dear to me--one who was a lover of
God in truth, and a peacemaker among all men-- [p. 42] received a triumph
different from these. He was the ornament of the church of Caesarea, because he
also sat in the chair of the presbytery, both adorning it and being himself
adorned thereby during his ministry in that place. In all his conduct too he was
truly godly, being at all times in communion with the Spirit of God; for he was
eminently virtuous in his mode of life, shunning wealth and honours, despising
and rejecting them, and devoting himself entirely to the word of God. For every
thing that he possessed from his parents he sold and distributed to the naked,
and the sick, and the poor, and continued in private life without any
possessions, and passed his time in the patient study of divine philosophy. He
therefore quitted Beyrout, the city in which he had grown up in stature and
learning together; and for the sake of his knowledge and understanding he
attached himself to men seeking perfection. Human wisdom he abandoned, and loved
the word of God. He also adopted the heavenly habit of the prophets, and was
crowned with martyrdom.
The next after him that was brought to the conflict was Vales, a man
venerable for his comely grey hairs, being in appearance a pure and respectable
old man. Nor was he worthy of honour on this account only, but also for his
great knowledge of the holy scriptures; for his memory was completely stored
with the scriptures, so that he could repeat God's scriptures by rote like one
in whose memory the whole scriptures were deposited. Moreover, he was a deacon
of God's church.
And he that was reckoned third among them was named Paul,; a man who was
fervent in the Spirit of God; and he came from
|40
the city Iamna. And he also had previously to this his confession contended
with the suffering [p. 43] of the cautery of confession.
And when they had endured affliction in prison for about two years, the
immediate cause of their martyrdom was the arrival of those Egyptians who were
also consummated in martyrdom at the same time together with them. For having
accompanied those men who had been sent to suffer affliction in the mines of
Cilicia, and being then on their way back to return to their own country, as
they entered in at the gate of Caesarea, they were questioned as to who they
were and whence they came; and when they made no concealment of the truth, but
said, We are Christians, they were at once seized, just as if they had been
malefactors. And they were in number five. So when they were carried before the
judge, and spake in his presence with openness of speech, they were forthwith
committed to prison; and on the next day--the sixteenth of the month
Shebat--they, together with those who appertained to Pamphilus, were brought
before Firmillianus. First of all, then, the governor tried the Egyptians, and
proved them by every kind of torture; and he brought forward the first of them
into the midst, and asked him what was his name; but instead of his real name he
heard from them the name of a prophet. Also the rest of the Egyptians who were
with him, instead of those names which their fathers had given them after the
name of some idol, had taken for themselves the names of the prophets, such as
these-- Elias, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Samuel, Daniel. And when the judge heard from
the same martyrs some such name as these, he did not perceive the force of what
they said, and asked them again what was the city to which they belonged. He
then gave a reply similar to the former, and said, Jerusalem is my city; for he
was acquainted with that city of which St. Paul spake, Jerusalem which is above
is free, and our mother in whom we confess is the holy church. And the governor
inquired diligently about this. Then he brought against them the combs and
cauteries of fire. But he, when his hands had been bound
|41
behind him, and his feet were twisted in the stocks, sealed what he had said
before, [p. 44.] and spake the truth. And again, when he questioned him many
times as to what city and in what country was that Jerusalem which was said to
belong to the Christians only, he replied, It is in the east, and on the side of
the light of the sun, again making use of this artifice as it were in his own
mind, while those who surrounded him continued to torture him with combs. Nor
was he at all changed, but seemed as one who had no body. Then the judge grew
furious in his mind, and imagined that perchance the Christians had built in
some place a city for themselves; and so he became much more instant with
tortures against them, making inquiries respecting this city, and the country in
the east. When, therefore, he had punished this young man with scourging, and
perceived that he varied not at all from what he had said to him at the first,
he gave sentence of death against him that he should be beheaded. The rest then
of the Egyptians he tried with tortures similar to his, and they likewise agreed
in their confession with him who had preceded them.
And then, after these things he turned to those of the house of Pamphilus;
and when he learned that they had been previously tried by many tortures, he
thought that it would be folly in him to apply to them the same tortures again,
and so labour in vain. He therefore only put to them the question whether they
would now comply; and when he heard from them one after another the words of
confession, he condemned them in the same manner as those who had preceded them,
and gave sentence against them that they should be beheaded. And before the
whole of the sentence was uttered, a youth from among the men, who was a slave
of Pamphilus, cried out from the midst of the crowd which was standing round
about the place of judgment; and then came forward into the midst, and cried out
again with a loud voice to persuade the governor to grant permission for the
bodies of the confessors to be buried. And he was no other than the blessed
Porphyrius, the beloved disciple of Pamphilus, the mighty man of valour, [p.
45.] But Porphyrius himself was not yet eighteen years old; and he had been
|42
instructed in literature and writing, and for his modesty and manners was
deserving of all praise. This youth then, who had been brought up by such a man,
when he was informed of the sentence which had been issued against his master,
cried out from the middle of the crowd, and begged the bodies of the confessors.
Then that wretch, who is not worthy to be called a man, but rather a savage
brute, not only refused to grant this becoming request, but also neither spared
nor had pity upon one who in years was but a youth; and having learnt this one
thing only, that he was a Christian, gave orders to those who applied the
tortures to tear him with all their might: and after this, having commanded the
blessed youth to sacrifice, and experiencing a refusal, he now applied the
torture upon him, not as if it were upon a human body, but rather as if it were
upon lifeless wood or stone, and commanded him to be torn even till they came to
his bones and entrails. And when he had done this for a long while, he perceived
that he was labouring to no purpose; and thus having exhibited his own cruelty
and brutality upon this youth, he condemned him to be given up to a slow and
lingering fire. Now, he was brought to the conflict before Pamphilus was
consummated, and so departed from the body before his master who had brought him
up. And thus Porphyrius exhibited himself as a warrior who was crowned with
victory in all his conflicts; and although he was weak in body, he was of a
cheerful countenance and courageous mind, and trod along the path of death
without fear, and in truth he was full of the Holy Ghost. And when he arrived at
the place where he was put to death, having put on his cloak like a philosopher,
with his shoulder uncovered, he looked with his eyes up towards heaven, and in
his mind looked down upon all the life of man, and approached the fire with a
soul unmoved, like one who had no harm near him, and with a watchful mind, and
undisturbed, he gave charge to his friends respecting his human affairs, and
then was anxious to go speedily [p. 46] to the presence of God. When, therefore,
the fire had been kindled at a distance around him, he caught at the flames here
and there with his mouth, and his soul hastened to
|43
the journey which lay before him. Such was the conflict of Porphyrius.
Then Seleucus carried to Pamphilus a report of all these things which had
been done to Porphyrius, and as the reward for this intelligence it was granted
of God to Seleucus that he should become a martyr with Pamphilus. For
immediately after he had given information to Pamphilus respecting the struggle
and conflict of Porphyrius, as he saluted one of the martyrs with a kiss, the
soldiers laid hold upon him and took him before the governor; and as Seleucus
himself was anxious to go in company with the confessors, commandment was given
for him to be beheaded. And this Seleucus came from the country of Cappadocia,
and had acquired a glorious reputation by his military service, having held an
important command in the ranks of the army. And not only this, but he also
surpassed most men in stature by the size of his person and his prowess. His
appearance, too, was very handsome. Moreover, at the commencement of the
persecution he had been famous for his endurance of scourgings in confession;
and after he had been dismissed from his military service on account of his
religion, his zeal suffered not him to abstain from doing good, and so he was
anxious to serve in the beloved ranks of Christ. As a visitor, therefore, of
lonely orphans, and of destitute widows, and of those who were afflicted with
poverty and sickness, he became a visitor and supporter of these, and, like a
tender father, endeavoured to heal their afflictions. And after all these
things, in which God delighteth more than sacrifices, and burnt-offerings, and
incense, he was counted worthy of being consummated by confession. And this was
the tenth combatant of those who have been mentioned above as having received
all together on the same day their consummation and crown. And it seemed as if a
great door of the kingdom of heaven had been opened by the confession of
Pamphilus [p. 47], and an abundant entrance been effected for others as well as
himself into the paradise of God.
The next that was brought forward after Seleucus was the pure and pious
Theodulus; and he was one of the slaves of the governor, and the oldest of them
all, and was much respected by
|44
them all, both on account of his manners and his years; and although he was
the father of three generations, and had served his master with fidelity, still
he had no mercy on him when he heard that he had saluted the martyrs in the same
way as Seleucus. For after this had been told to his master, he was excited with
fury against him much more than against the rest; and gave command that he
should be put to death by the same mode of suffering as our Saviour, and suffer
martyrdom on the cross.
But there was still one wanted after these to complete the number twelve; and
so Julianus arrived from a journey, and, as if it were on purpose to make up the
number of martyrs twelve, the moment he arrived, before he was yet entered into
the city, immediately on the way he was told by some one respecting the matter
of the confessors, and ran to have a sight of the confessors; and when he
beheld the bodies of the saints lying upon the ground, he was filled with joy,
and embraced them one after another with heavenly love, and saluted them all
with a kiss. And while he was still visiting them, and lamenting that he himself
had not suffered martyrdom with them, the officers seized him, and took him
before the judge; and that judge commanded what his evil heart conceived, and
delivered him also to a slow fire. So this Julianus, also, with joy and gladness
praised God with a loud voice for having counted him worthy of this; and his
soul ascended to his Lord with the company of the confessors. And this man was
by family of Cappadocia, and in his soul he was filled with the fear of God,
being a quiet and religious man, and diligent in the practice of every virtue.
There was also in him a glorious savour of the Holy Spirit; and he was counted
worthy to be associated with the company of these who received the consummation
of confession together with the blessed Pamphilus. [p. 48.]
Four days and nights then were the bodies of the all-holy martyrs of God
exposed to be devoured by wild beasts, by the command of the governor
Firmillianus. When, therefore, nothing had touched them, not even the wild
beasts, they were taken up whole without the permission of the governor, and
with due
|45
reverence committed to an honourable burial; and were laid in the interior of
the churches, and so consigned to a never-to-be-forgotten memorial in the
temples of the house of prayer, that they might be honoured of their brethren
who are with God.
THE CONFESSION OF HADRIANUS AND EUBULUS,
IN THE SEVENTH YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS.
WHEN the consummation of Pamphilus and of those martyrs who were with him was
published abroad by the mouths of all men, both Hadrianus and Eubulus, from a
place which is called part of Batanea, had hastened to the rest of the martyrs
at Caesarea: and when they drew near to the gate of the city, they were
interrogated as to the cause for which they were come, and having stated the
truth, they were taken before Firmillianus; and he at once, without any delay,
ordered them, in the first place, to have their sides torn with combs, and
punished them in a peculiar manner, as if they had been enemies and were hated
by him; and not being satisfied with this, he condemned them to be devoured by
wild beasts. And after an interval of two days, the confessor Hadrianus was cast
before a lion on the fifth of Adar, and bravely accomplished his conflict, and
after having been torn by the beast, he was at last put to death by the sword.
Eubulus, also, on the second day following, the seventh of Adar, when the judge
had made many attempts with him, and said to him, If thou wilt sacrifice to
devils thou shalt be set at liberty in peace, both despised the whole existence
of this passing time, and chose for himself everlasting life rather than this
fleeting and transitory life. He was then cast to a lion, and after [p. 49] he
had been torn by the teeth of the lion, he suffered in the same manner as those
who were gone before him. He was the last of all that suffered martyrdom and
finished his conflict in Caesarea.
|46
THE CONFESSION OF PAULUS (
Gr.Peleus
) AND NILUS, AND PATRIMYTHEAS (Gr.
Patermutheus
AND ELIAS,
IN THE SEVENTH YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS.
IT was the nineteenth day of Ilul, and during the same wonderful conflict of
the martyrs of God, that a great spectacle was assembled in Phaeno, in this same
Palestine; and all the combatants were perfect, and in number they were about a
hundred and fifty. Many of them, also, were Egyptians, amounting to more than a
hundred. And the same in the first place had their right eyes and their left
legs in their sinews destroyed by cautery of fire and by the sword. And then
after these things they were delivered over to dig copper in the mines. Those,
also, who belonged to Palestine had to endure afflictions in the same manner as
the Egyptians; and they were all assembled together in a place called Zauara,
as a congregation consisting of many persons. There was also much people with
them, who came from other places to see them, and many others who ministered to
them in their necessities, and visited them in love, and filled up their lack.
And all the day they were occupied in the ministry of prayer, and in the service
of God, and in teaching and reading; and all the afflictions which passed over
them were esteemed by them as pleasures, and they spent all that time as if it
had been in a festive assembly. But the enemy of God and wicked envier was not
able to bear these things, so there was immediately sent out against them one of
those generals of the Romans that is styled Dux; and first of all he separated
them one by one from each other, and some of them were sent to that wretched
place Zauara, and some not; and some of them to Phaeno, the place where the
copper is dug; [p. 50.] and the others went to different places. Afterwards he
selected from among those in Phaeno four of them who were of great excellence,
in order that by them he might terrify the rest. Having, therefore, brought them
to the trial, and not one of them having shewn any signs of dismay, this
|47
merciless judge, thinking that no punishment was so severe as that by fire,
delivered up God's holy martyrs to this kind of death. When, therefore, they
were brought to the fire, they cast themselves into the flames without fear, and
dedicated themselves as an offering more acceptable than all incense and
oblations; and presented their own bodies to God as a holocaust more excellent
than all sacrifices. And two of these were Bishops Paulus and Nilus; and the
other two were selected of the laity, Patermytheus and Elias; and by race they
were all of them Egyptians. They were pure lovers of that exalted philosophy
which is of God, and offered themselves like gold to the fire to be purified.
But He who giveth strength to the weak, and multiplieth comfort to the
afflicted, deemed them worthy of that life which is in heaven, and associated
them with the company of angels.
THE CONFESSION OF SILVANUS, AND OF THOSE WITH HIM,
IN THE EIGHTH YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION IN OUR DAYS.
THIS blessed Silvanus came from Gaza, and he was one of the veteran soldiers;
and when his freedom from service proved to be contrary to his habits, he
enlisted himself as a good soldier of Christ. For he was a perfectly meek man,
and of bright turn of mind, and used his faith with simplicity and purity. And
he was a presbyter of the church in the city of Gaza, and conducted himself
there with great propriety. And because the conflict for life was proclaimed
against the soldiers of Christ [p. 51], he, an old man, of a noble person, went
down to the Stadium, and there, in his first confession before the people of
Caesarea, he acquitted himself valiantly, being tried with scourgings. And when
he had endured these bravely, he fought in a second conflict, in which the old
man endured the combs on his sides like a young man. And at the third conflict
he was sent to the copper mines; and during a life of much length he exhibited
great probation. He was also deemed worthy of the office of the episcopate,
|48
and also rendered himself illustrious in this office of his ministry. But on
the fourth day of Iyar the great gate of heaven was fully opened to him, and
this blessed man went up with a company of martyrs, not being left alone, for a
great assembly of brave men followed him. And suddenly a mandate of wickedness
was issued, and command was given that all those in the mines who were become
enfeebled through old age or sickness, and those who were not able to work,
should be put to death by the sword; and God's martyrs, being all together forty
in number, were beheaded all in one day. And many of them were Egyptians, but
their leader and guide was this same martyr and bishop of martyrs, Silvanus, a
man truly blessed and beloved of God.
Being now arrived at this place in our narrative, we will inform you how God
in a short time took vengeance upon those wicked rulers, and they speedily
experienced the punishment of their crimes. For he that was excited against
these martyrs of God in a barbarous manner, like some fierce wild beast,
suffered a wretched punishment; and by the command of him who possessed the
power of the time, perished after the manner of a cruel wild beast. And all the
rest perished by various kinds of deaths, and received that punishment which
they deserved for their crimes. So, then, we have described and made known the
things which were done during the whole time of the persecution among the people
in Palestine. And all these were blessed martyrs [p. 52] of God, who triumphed
in our time; who made light of this temporary life, and prized the worship of
God far above every other thing, and have received the hidden hope of those good
things which are invisible to the bodily eyes.
Oh ! the blessed confessors of the kingdom of Christ, who were tried like
gold in the excellence of their righteousness, and obtained through the conflict
in which they were set the heavenly life of angels, and laid hold upon the
promises of the hidden good things of the victory of the high calling--For eye
hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what
God has prepared for them that love him.
Here end the chapters of the narrative of the victories of the holy
confessors in Palestine.
[[These notes have been scanned, but only
proofed a little, and all the Syriac and most of the Greek omitted, as they seem
unlikely to be of interest to anyone online.  I was going to omit them,
rather than spend hours proofing them, but what follows is a compromise]]
NOTES.
P. ii. l. 18.--"Who shall separate us ..... slaughter." Rom. viii.
v. 35.
l. 23.--
For him who loved us," v. 37...
l. 27.--v. 38. ...
l. 31.--Eusebius gives the account of the martyrdom of Peter and Paul at
Rome in his Eccl. Hist. book ii. ch. 25.
P. iii. l. 6.--"As for those conflicts." Eusebius makes a similar
statement, book viii. ch. 13, on which passage Valesius has the following
note:--
) "
He means doubtless his book
concerning
the Martyrs of Palestine.
For no other book but that can be found, wherein
Eusebius relates the conflicts of the Martyrs which he himself had seen. The
opinion of Christophorson is from this passage further disproved, who supposed
the book
concerning the Martyrs of Palestine
was a part of this eighth
book." In speaking here of Christophorson, Valesius alludes to a note
immediately preceding, which runs thus--" (
) To wit, in the
book
concerning the Martyrs of Palestine,
which is placed after this
eighth book. For in that Eusebius at large declares the martyrdom of Pamphilus,
as may there be seen. Moreover, from this place it appears that that book
concerning
the Martyrs of Palestine
was written by Eusebius after his
Ecclesiastical
History,
and after his books
concerning the life of Pamphilus the Martyr.
Christophorson, who had inserted the whole Appendix before this chapter, was
forced to omit these words of Eusebius here, lest Eusebius should seem to have forgot himself." See English Translation of Eusebius's
Ecclesiastical History in
"The History of the Church
: fol., London,
1709, p. 148. I shall cite this in the following notes as
Eng. Trans.
l. 18.--"Procopius." There is an antient Latin copy of these Acts,
as they stand here, published by Valesius in his notes upon the first chapter of
the Martyrs of Palestine as they exist in the Greek at the end of the eighth
book of the Eccl. Hist, of Eusebius. Respecting these, he writes
thus:--"The same relation is in the
Acts of the Passion of Procopius
the Martyr,
which begins thus :
'The first of the Martyrs that appeared
in Palestine was Procopius,'
&c. From whence it is evident that those
acts were translated out of the Greek copy of Eusebius into Latin. To make this
more apparent, it will in no wise be unuseful to insert here the entire acts.
For many things worth our knowledge are contained in these which neither
Baronius nor Molanus happened to have a sight of."
Passio Sancti Procopii Martyris, qui passus est sub Fabiana judice
Nonas
Augusti.
Primus martyrum qui sunt in Palasstina, apparuit Procopius, vir coelestis
gratise, qui et ante martyrium sic suam vitam dis-posuit, ut etiam a parva
aetate castitati semper et morum virtuti-bus studeret. Corpus quidem suum sic
confecit, ut paene mortuum putaretur, animam vero ejus sic verbis confortabat
divinis, ut etiam corpori virtutem ex hujus refectione ministraret. Cibus et
potus ei panis et aqua fuit. Solis his utebatur, cum post biduum triduumque,
diem interdum etiam post septimam ad cibum rediret. Sacrorum quoque meditatio
sermonum ita mentem ejus obstrinxerat, ut nocte ac die in hoc infatigabilis
permaneret. dementias autem et mansuetudinis tanquam ceteris inferior documentum
sui prsebebat copiam. In verbis divinis ei tantum studium erat. Ilia vero quas
extrinsecus sunt, mediocriter attigerat. Igitur genere quidem Aeliensis,
conversatione autem vel habitatione Scythopolitarius erat. Ibi ecclesise tria
ministeria prsebebat, unum in legendi officio, alterum in Syri interpretatione sermonis, et tertium adversus
daemones manus impositione
consummans. Cumque ab Scythopoli una cum sociis in Caesaream. transmissus
fuisset, ab ipsis portis ad prsesidem ducitur, et priusquam carceris vel
vinculorum experiretur angustias, in ipso ingressu suo a judice Flaviano ut diis
sacrificaret impellitur. At ille magna voce non esse deos multos sed unum
factorem omnium opificemque testatus est. Judex autem plaga sermonis ictus et
conscientia saucius, consensit ejus sermoni. Atque ad alia se rursum argumenta
constituit, ut vel regibus sacrificaret. Sanctus autem Dei martyr sermonem ejus
despiciens, Homeri, inquit, versum dicens: non est bonum multos dominos esse.
Unus dominus est, unus rex. Itaque hoc verbo ejus audito, quasi qui infausta in
regibus deprompsisset, jussu judicis ducitur ad mortem, et capite amputate
ingressum vitas ccelestis, vel compendium beatus invenit: Desii septima Julii
mensis, qua? Nonas Julias "dicitur apud Latinos, primo anno quo adversus
nos fuit persecutio. Hoc primum in Caesarea martyrium consummatum est, regnante
Domino nostro Jesu Christo, cui honor et gloria in ssecula saeculorum. Amen.
And in a note following this Latin copy he writes (
)--"
Many things are omitted in the Greek text of Eusebius, which must be made
perfect by these Acts in Latin. For when Eusebius had here said expressly, that
Procopius upon his first arrival was brought before the judge, he adds nothing
concerning the place from whence he came, where he was apprehended, or to what
place he was brought: nothing of which ought to have been omitted. Besides,
Eusebius does accurately relate the descent and country of other Martyrs
mentioned in this book; and if any of these had attained to any Ecclesiastical
honour, he does usually take notice of that also. But of this person, who was
the chief and leader of all the Palestine Martyrs, we see no such relation made.
This, it is probable, was not the fault of Eusebius, but of his exscribers; for
in the Latin Acts, which, as we before evinced, were translated out of Eusebius,
all these circumstances are manifestly declared." See Ecc. Hist.
Eng.
Trans.,
p. 154. This Latin version is also printed by Th. Ruinart, p. 353,
Acta
primorum
Martyrum Sincera et Selecta,
fol. Amstel. 1713. There is also another
Syriac version of these Acts taken from Cod. Nit. Vat. 1. (See Assemani,
Bibl.
Orient,
vol. 1. p. 56); and published with a Latin translation and notes, by
S. E. Assemani, in
Acta SS. Martt. Orient, et Occident., 2
vol. fol.
Romae, 1748, part ii. p. 169. I have collated it with this version. It is not of
importance to note the variants, which seem to be chiefly due to separate
translations.
l. 20.--" The first year of the persecution in our days." The
preface to the account of the
Martyrs of Palestine,
in the eighth book of
Ecc. Hist.,
says this was the 19th year of Diocletian, or A. D. 303. See
Ruinart
Acta primorum Martt.
p. 316.
P. iv. l. 2.--" His family was from Baishan." The Latin has--
''
Igitur genere quidem Aeliensis, conversatione autem vel habitatione
Scythopolitanus erat," with which the other Syriac agrees in reading,
[Syriac snipped]. But his family was from Jerusalem, and he dwelt in the
city Baishan." Scythopolis was the Greek name of Baishan, and Aelia
occupied the site of Jerusalem. See, respecting Baishan, S. E. Assemani,
Ibid,
not. p. 171.
l.4.--
In the second order he translated from Greek into
Aramaic." He was an interpreter; on which passage S. E. Assemani
observes--"Ad munus interpretis recte adnotat Valesius, apud Syros olim
Divinas Scripturas Graece fuisse lectitatas, quas deinde Interpres Syriacus
redderet,"
Ibid.
p. ii. p. 171. I should feel much disposed to
question this assertion without greater proof. Doubtless before this time the
Scriptures were translated into Syriac. The meaning of the passage may also
imply that Procopius was engaged in translating other ecclesiastical works into
Syriac from the Greek. This very copy of Eusebius was transcribed only 108 years
after the Martyrdom of Procopius.
Ibid.
p. 166. S. E. Assemani gives his
opinion in these words:--" Imo vero quum S. Procopius Sanctorum librorum a
Graeco in Syriacum sermonem in ecclesia Scythopolitana Interpres dicatur, plane
inde colligitur, Syriacum seu Chaldaicum idioma Palsestinis tune vernaculum
fuisse, atque adeo ejusdem Procopii, quemadmodum et aliorum martyrum in
Palaestina coronatorum, Acta Syriace seu
Chaldaice ab Eusebio fuisse primum exarata, eademque ipsa esse, quse prge
manibus habemus, omnino tenendum est. Neque enim verisimile est, Eusebium, quam
in usum popularium suorum, et in ovium sibi concreditarum solatium scribebat,
martyrum historian! iis literis consignasse, quas omnes non callerent."
Ibid.
p. 166.
l. 12.--" Flavianus." The other Syriac has [Syriac], Paulinus, evidently a mistake of the scribe.
l. 21.--" Greatest of the poets of the Greeks." The Latin has
" Homeri inquit versum, dicens;" and the other Syriac, [Syriac], "Homer, the celebrated of the poets of
the Greeks."' Those words of Homer,
Iliad
ii. 24, were often cited
by the early Christians, and do not therefore prove that Procopius was
acquainted with his poems. See
Heinichen's note.
l. 19.--"The Emperors, who were four in number." These were
Diocletianus, Maximianus, Constantius, and Galerius. See Eusebius
Ecc. Hist.
b.
viii. c. 13; and supplement to same book; and Valesius's notes,
Eng. Trans.
pp.
148. 153.
l. 27.--" On the seventh day of the month Heziran." See Valesius's
note on this passage in the Greek;
Eng. Trans.
p. 157.
l. 31.--" The confession of Alphaeus, Zacchaeus, and Romanus."
Their festival is celebrated on the 18th of November. See Baillet,
Vies des
Saints.
There is also a Syriac version of these Acts published by S. E.
Assemani in
Acta SS. Martt.
part ii. p. 177.
1. 35.--"Festival--on the twentieth year." That is, Diocletian's
Vicennalia. See Valesius's note on this place,
Eng. Trans.
p. 158; and
also on Life of Constantine,
ibid.
p. 529.
P. v. l. 9.--" Of Gadara." So in the other Syriac. This is not in
the Greek, but Valesius has supplied the fact in the following note
):--
"He
was of Gadara, concerning whom we have this passage in the Menology at 18th of
November--
The commemoration of the holy Martyrs, Michaeus, Zacchaeus, deacon of Gadara,
and Alphaeus, ibid.
p. 158. See also Ruinart, n. 4. p. 317,
Acta prim.
Martt.
l. 22.--"Four holes of the rack." Valesius has the following note
on Eusebius,
Ecc. Hist.
b. v. c. i.--" The fashion of this engine
for punishment, and the manner how persons were punished in it, seems to have
been this. It was a piece of timber wherein five pairs of holes were made at a
certain distance one from the other. Into these holes, as it were into boots,
they put the feet of the offenders, and fastened them therein with cords and
fetters. The meaning of
their feet being strained to the fifth hole
is,
they forced them to straddle so wide as to put their feet into the last pair of
holes, which posture (those holes being at the greatest distance one from the
other) was the sharpest degree of torture in this engine."--
Eng. Trans.
p. 71. See also
Gallonius De SS. Martt. cruciatibus,
Parisiis, 1659.
l. 25.--"Exorcist." Valesius has this note on Exorcists (
):--
" There was in former times a twofold use of the
Exorcists
in the
Church; for their business was to cleanse both those possessed with devils, and
also the
catechumens,
who were exorcised more than once; for after every
examination in their catechism they were brought to the Exorcist ungirt and with
their shoes off, that they might be purged by him. See Cyril Hierosol. in
Procatechesi
ad llluminandos,
and Chrysostom in his first Homily
ad
Illuminandos." Eng. Trans.
p. 158. See also Bingham,
Antiquities of
the Christian Church,
book iii. ch. 4. Respecting Readers or Lectors, see
ibid.
ch. v.
P. vi. l. 16.--"Combs." See Gallonius de
SS. Martt. Cruciat.
ch.
v.
l. 33.--" Romanus." There are other Acts of Romanus, in Syriac,
giving a much longer and fuller account than this.
British Museum Cod. Add.
12,174,
fol. 300 b. In these the day of his martyrdom is given the 19th of Teshri the
latter. See L. Surius,
de Probatis Sanctorum vitis,
at the 18th of
November, and Baillet,
Vies des Saints,
at the same day. See a further account of him from
Eusebius
de
Resurrectione;
Prudentius
peri sephanon,
&c., collected and published by Ruinart.
Acta prim. Martt.
p. 357
seq.
P. vii. l. 7. -- " The judge." His name was Asclepiades. See
Prudentius
Hymn peri stephanon,
l. 687, in Ruinart,
Acta prim.
Martt.
p. 361. S. E. Assemanni also observes: -- "Hunc Asclepiadem
vocant
Acta
apud Mombritium et Prudentius in
Hymno."
See
Acta
SS. Martt.
ii. p. 182, and the other Syriac Acts,
Mus. Brit. Cod. Add.
12,174.
l. 24.-- " The officers," [Syriac], " Quaetionarii."
They were the persons who inflicted the punishment, as appears from the
following passage of the acts of Trypho : -- " Praefectus autem admirans
tantam eorum perseverantiam, jussit eos manibus post tergum ligatis nudos caedi
: et cum acerrime caederentur, quaestionarii deficiebant, Praefectus ira
repletus jussit ungulas et lampades eorum lateribus applicari. Quaestionarii
accedentes jussa complebant." See Ruinart,
Act. prim. Martt.
p. 163.
He also has this note,
ibid.
p. 172. -- " Quaestionis nomine
designat tormenta, quae ad confessionem eliciendam adhibentur : vox etiam nunc
ad eandem rem significandam usurpata est. Ab ea
Confessor es quaestionati et
torti
dicuntur apud Cyprian,
Epist. ad Florentium,
66.
l. 34. -- "The emperor Diocletian." The name is not given in the
Greek. It appears from this that Valesius was mistaken when he wrote, -- "
I suppose he means Galerius Caesar, for Diocletian made his abode then at
Nicomedia." See
Eng. Trans.
p. 158. The other Syriac Acts, however,
give the name [Syriac], "Maximinus, the son-in-law of Diocletianus."
Mus. Brit. Cod,
Add.
fol. 304.
P. viii. l. 8. -- " Then did great wonder." The miraculous part of
this narrative, which savors so strongly of the superstitious, is omitted from
the Greek; and that passage added which, in the Syriac, commences the account
of Zacchaeus, but is not found at that place in the Greek. The story of Romanus
having spoken after his tongue was cut out is, however, repeated in the other
Syriac Acts, and is also told in the Greek
Menaum.
See Valesius, note (
Eng. Trans.
p.
158. Ruinart has
the following note:--" Omittit miraculum Romani, etiam abscissa lingua
loquentis, quod alias adeo exaggerat. Hinc patet non omnia isto libello
contineri." p. 318. Eusebius himself also, in his book
de Resurrectione,
affirms the miracle. See Ruinart,
Acta prim. Martt.
p. 359; and
Chrysostom,
Oral.
43 et 48.
Ibid.
See also S. E. Assemani's note,
Act.
SS. Martt.
p. ii. p. 182.
l. 20.--" Upon the rack." The other Syriac version adds here,
" to five holes," [Syriac] .
Ibid.
p. 181.
l. 22.---" Strangling instrument." [Syriac]. Greek,
τῳ ξυλῳ βροχῳ
. The other Acts have, " He was strangled in
Prison," fol. 304.
l. 30.--"Confession of Timotheus." These Acts are also given in
the other Syriac Translation by S. E. Assemani,
Act. SS. Martt.
p. ii. p.
184. See Surius, at the 19th of August, and Baillet, at the same day.
P.ix. l. 2.--"Edicts from the Emperors." Respecting these Edicts
Valesius has the following note on the Ecc. Hist. b. viii. c. vi.
)--
By the first Edict of the Emperors against the Christians it was
ordered that the churches should be ruined and the scriptures burnt, and that
those who were honoured with any preferment (if they refused to sacrifice)
should be deprived of their dignity. The meaner sort were to lose their liberty.
See chap. 2. Another Edict soon followed this, that Bishops, Priests, and
Deacons should be imprisoned, and by all ways compelled to sacrifice. The third
Edict comprehended all sorts of Christians, as well those of the laity as the
clergy; which Edict was proposed (says Eusebius in the chap. 3 of his book
concerning
the Martyrs of Palestine)
in the second year of the Persecution. But this
seems rather to have been the fourth Edict: for the second and third concerned
the Presbyters only. By the second it was ordered they should be imprisoned, and
by the third it was enjoined that they should by tortures be compelled to
sacrifice."
Eng. Trans.
p. 143.
l. 25.--" The people of the city of Gaza were accursed in their
heathenism." See the account given by Theodoretus, book iii. c. 6 and 7; and S. E. Assemani,
Acta SS. Martt.
p. ii. p. 186, note (
).
P. x. l. 9.--"Theckla (she of our days)." There were several
martyrs of this name. S. E. Assemani has published the Acts of two others. See
Acta
SS. Martt.
vol. i. pp. 101, 123; but Eusebius seems especially to draw the
distinction with reference to Theckla, the companion of St. Paul, so celebrated
in the early ages of Christianity. See Grabe,
Spicilegium,
vol. i. p. 95
Jer. Jones,
New and Full Method,
vol. ii. p. 353; Tischendorf,
Acta
Apost. Apocr. Lips.
1851, p. 40. There are also antient copies in Syriac of
the Acts of Theckla, brought from the Nitrian Convent, now in the British
Museum. The account of Theckla is in one or two instances found in a volume
containing also the Books of Ruth, Esther, and Judith, and called in Syriac
" The Book of Women." See
Cod. Add.
12,174; 14,641; 14,652.
l.15.--"Timotheus." The Greek has
Τιμολαος
. See Surius, at March
24th, and Baillet, at the same day.
1. 16.--"Paesis." The Syriac is [Syriac], "Plasis,"
which I have corrected here from the reading below, where it is [Syriac],
Paesis, or Pausis, for some Greek MSS. read
Παησις
and others
Παυσις
Valesius notes
)--
" In the
Maz.
and
Med.
MSS. his name is
Paesis.
In the
Greek Menology
(which
Canisius
published) at the 5th of March, instead of
Paesis
he is called
Publius."
Eng. Trans.
p. 159. The variation in the Syriac doubtless arose from
confounding
with
in the word
ΠΑΗΣΙΣ
or
ΠΛΗΣΙΣ
l. 27.--" The Phrygians." There is no mention of Phrygians
in the Greek; but in
Ecc. Hist,
book viii. ch. 11, Eusebius speaks of the
destruction of a whole city of Christians in Phrygia. These, perhaps, were some
of them who had been reserved for a spectacle in the theatre.
P. xi. l. 35.--"A subdeacon." Syriac [], evidently a blunder
for []. Greek
υποδιακονος
P. xii. l. 5.--"A sudden change." See respecting this, Eusebius,
Life
of Constantine,
book i. ch. 18,
Eng. Trans.
p. 537, where Valesius
has the following note(
):--"This place is highly remarkable, for from it this conclusion may be made, that the persecution
began in Dioclesian's eighth, and Maximian's seventh consulate, and not on the
foregoing year, as Baronius will have it. Concerning which matter I have spent
many words in my notes on Eusebius,
Ecc. Hist,
book viii. c. 2, note (
).
For whereas Eusebius affirms that the Emperors Dioclesian and Maximian divested
themselves of their purple in the year after the persecution was begun; and
whereas it is manifest that they did that on the year of Christ 304; what I have
said does necessarily follow,, that Dioclesian's persecution was begun in the
year of Christ 303." Ruinart has this note :--" Diocletianus scilicet
prope Nicomediam, Herculius Mediolani, cogente Galerio Maximinano, non autem
sponte, uti hactenus putabatur. Totam hunc historiani egregie describit
Lactantius in lib. de
Mortibus Persecut.
cap. 18 seq.
Acta Prim. Mar
it.
p. 319.
l. 16.--The Greek adds a passage, "But we will give an exact account of
these matters at a more opportune place and time," referring perhaps to the
Life of Constantine.
l. 18.--" Epiphanius." Syriac, []; but
the Greek reads
[];
the other Syriac version published by S. E. Assemani,
Acta SS. Mart.
P. ii. p. 189,
[]; and an Arabic
account cited by him, [] Amphianus." In Latin he is called
Apianus,
Apphianus,
and
Amphianus. Ibid.
See Surius and Baillet, at the 2d of
April.
l. 33.--" He was sprung from one of the most illustrious families in
Syria." For which the Greek is,
[].
On this Valesius has
the following note (*):--"In the
Med.
MS. this city is called
Arpagas;
in the
Maz.
MS.
Arapagas,
in the
Fuk
MS.
Harpagas;
but
in the margin a notice is given that it should be
[]
with an
aspirate. I never met with any thing concerning
Aragas,
a city of
Lycia.--In the
Menoeum
of the Greeks, Amphianus is said to have been
born in Lydia."--
Eng. Trans.
p. 160. There seems, therefore, to
have been some mistake in the copies in this place at an early period.
l. 36.--"Educated at Beyrout." (
"At Berytus there was a school of civil law, as many have taken notice from Gregory Thaumaturgus,
Eunapius, Nonnus, and others. Gregorius Nazianzenus calls Berytus
[], a famous city of Phoenicia, the
seat of Ausonian laws"
See Valesius,
ibid.
P. xiii. l. 20.--
This our city." The Greek has
[].
l. 23.--" Pamphilus." His name is not mentioned in the Greek, and
Valesius has this note on the passage (
):--" Simeon Metaphrastes, who
professes that he transcribed the Martyrdom of
Apphianus
(or, as he calls
him, Amphianus), out of Eusebius, has altered this passage thus:--
And having
been conversant with us in divine studies, and instructed in the sacred
scriptures by the great Martyr Pamphilus, he obtained no mean habit of virtue;
by which he opened a passage for himself, whereby, he procured the crown of
Martyrdom"
See
Eng. Trans.
p. 160. And in note (
),
on the same page, Yalesius writes:--" In the Menologies of the Greeks at
the 2d of April, Amphianus, with his brother Aedesius, is mentioned to have been
instructed in the Christian religion by Pamphilus the Martyr, at Berytus;"
but not having the knowledge of the fact that Pamphilus himself had been
educated at the same place--supplied in the Syriac, but omitted in the
Greek--Yalesius supposed the Menologies to be mistaken, See note (
),
Ibid.
It
is evident from this that Simeon Metaphrastes, and the compilers of the
Menologies, read these Acts as in the Syriac.
P. xv. 1. 12.--"His bones and entrails became visible." The same
thing is said of the Martyr Alexander, whose Acts were published by
Ruinart:--" Ita enim laniatum fuerat corpus crudelitate verberantium, ut
carne soluta costarum, patefactisque visceribus, secreta animae
panderentur."
Acta Prim. Martt.
p. 77.
l. 28.--"Was hung up at a great height." See, respecting the
various modes of suspension in torture, Gallonius
de SS. Martt. cruciatibus,
p.
6.
P. xvii. l. 30.--After the Martyrdom of Apphianus the Greek adds the
following account of Ulpianus:--" At the same time, and almost on the same day, a young man in the city of Tyre,
by name
Ulpianus, after he had been cruelly scourged, and endured most grievous stripes,
was sewn up in the raw hide of an ox, together with a dog and a venomous
serpent, and cast into the sea. Wherefore we thought it agreeable to make
mention of this person at [this place wherein we have related] the Martyrdom of
Apphianus."--
Eng. Trans.
p. 161. On this Valesius has the following
note
):--"[] :
that is,
Although
Ulpianus suffered not in Palestine, but in Phoenicia., yet because he suffered
martyrdom at the same time, and died by the same sort of punishment that
Apphianus had inflicted on him, we judged it not unfit to make mention of him
here.
It is therefore apparent from these words that Eusebius in this book
designed to give an account of the Martyrs of the Province of Palestine
only."--
Ibid.
l. 33.--"Alosis." In the Greek Aedesius,
[],
the
variation has doubtless arisen from the similarity of the names
[]
and
[]
in a MS. partly effaced. The other Syriac published by S. E.
Assemani has []. See
Acta SS. Martt.
P. ii. p. 195. The account of
this martyrdom is given by Baillet, at the 2d of April.
l. 36.--"Both on the father's and the mother's side." And so also
in the other Syriac.--
Ibid.
p. 195. The Greek has here [] only. Valesius has this note (''):--
In the
Greek
Menoeum,
at the second day of April, Aedesius is styled Apphianus's brother
by the mother's side."--
Eng. Tram.
p. 161. Hence it appears they
both followed a text like this, each omitting one part of it.
P. xviii. l. 12.--" In the society of the martyr Pamphilus." There
is no mention of this or of Pamphilus in the Greek; but in the
Mencea
and
in the
Menology
Apphianus, with his brother Aedesius, is said to have
been instructed by Pamphilus. See Valesius, note (
),
Eng. Trans.
p. 160.
l. 20.--" Hierocles." His name is also omitted in the Greek, but
it is given in the Menaeum of the Greeks, which Valesius quotes in explanation of
the passage, otherwise obscure, as it is found in the Greek, but plain enough
from the facts supplied in the Syriac. " The explanation of this place is to be had from the
Menaeum of the Greeks, where Aedesius is said to have struck Hierocles, Prefect
of Egypt, with his fist. The words there are these:--
But Aedesius, who was
condemned to work in the mines of brass, having seen (at Alexandria in Egypt)
Hierocles, the president, punishing the Christians, he accounted him a
despicable person, and struck the president with his own hand.---
Epiphanius
and Lactantius mention this Hierocles, Prefect of Egypt, .who was famous for the
great slaughter he made amongst the Christians. This was the Hierocles against
which our Eusebius wrote a book." See
Note
) p. 161,
Eng.
Trans.
See also
Acta SS. Martt.
S. E. Assemani, p. 1, p. 197. The last
and best edition of Eusebius
Against Hierocles
was published by the late
most excellent and learned Dr. Gaisford, Dean of Christ Church :
Eusebii
Pamphili contra Hieroclem et Marcellum
libri, 8vo., Oxonii, 1852.
P. xix. l. 15.--" Agapius." The Syriac is [], which would
be more correctly transcribed "Agapus;" but the other Syriac,
published by S. E. Assemani,
Acta SS. Martt.
P. ii. p. 198, has []. The omission of the vowels causes frequently great discrepancy in
the transcription of Greek proper names in the Syriac character. The Acts of
Agapius are given by Baillet, at the 19th of August.
P. xx. l. 10.--" In another chapter." See above, p. 10. Valesius
was mistaken in supposing that this was a different Agapius from the one there
mentioned. For it is distinctly stated here, that although he had been condemned
by the Judge Urbanus to be devoured by wild beasts two years before, the
sentence had not yet been put into execution, but was kept back till now, when
Maximinus was present. See note (
) p. 162.
Eng. Trans.
He is called in
the Greek the
second Agapius--[]
--because,
although he had been condemned before, he was not put to death till after the
other Agapius mentioned above, p. 11, who was beheaded.
l. 12.--Concerning the leading about in the Stadium Valesius has this note
on the
Ecc. Hist.
b. v. c. 1 (
):--" The Gladiators and the Bestiarii, before they began the encounter, were wont to be led about
in the presence of the spectators. See Lucian, in
Toxari.
This was
usually done, not only with those who let themselves out to play prizes, but
also with those offenders, which were condemned to the sword and to the wild
beasts. So Martial, " Traducta est gyris, nec cepit arena nocentes."
Eng.
Trans.
p. 72.
l. 25.--"Maximinus." The Emperor's name is not mentioned in the
Greek; but the following passage, not found in the Syriac, is added:--"The
Emperor himself being then present, being reserved as it were on set purpose for
that opportunity, that that saying of our Saviour's which, by his divine
knowledge, he foretold his disciples might be accomplished in him,
that they
should be brought before kings for their testimony of him.
See
Eng.
Trans.
p. 162.
P. xxi. l. 3.--" That Light which he had caused to arise." Syriac,
[]; and again below, P. xxvii. l. 20.-- " The manifestation
from him." Eusebius's work,
Περι Θεοφανιας
which having been
long lost, was discovered in this same MS., and has been published both in
Syriac and English by the late lamented Dr. Lee, bears the Syriac title, [], On the " Divine Manifestation," or, more
literally, on " The Divine Sunrise," the []; which is the
Septuagint version of [] of Zech. vi. 12. []. In our English translation, " Behold the man whose name is the
BRANCH." So in Luke i. 78,[]; and Matt. iv. 16, []; Epist. to Heb. vii. 14,
[]
all referring to the coming of Christ.
P. xxii. l. 1.--"Theodosia." There is another Syriac version of these
Acts, published by Assemani in
Acta SS. Martt.
P. ii. p. 203. Ruinart
notes:--"Celebris est ejus memoria apud Latinos et Graecos die 2 Aprilis.
Alii tamen aliis diebus ejus festum peragunt. Ejusdem Martyris Acta prolixiora
vidimus in multis codd. MSS. sed aliquatenus amplificata. Ipsius vero sacrum
corpus in Monasterium Dervense allatum ab ipso S. Berchario fuisse dicitur. Vide
Mabillon, saec. 2; Bened. p. 848; et Bolland, ad diem 2 April." See
Acta Prim. Marti,
p. 323. Her
martyrdom is given by Baillet, at the 2d of April.
l. 10.--" One of the virgins of the Son of God." The other Syriac
has "
Christian
virgins," []; the Greek,
[].
l. 18.--"Urbanus." The name of the Governor is omitted in the
Greek.
P. xxiii. l. 19.--"Copper mines in Palestine." The Greek adds the name
of the place Phaeno, which occurs also in the Syriac below. See P. xxiv. l. 35;
P. xlvi. l. 9, and note thereon.
l. 28.--" The first day of the week." The Greek has [], upon which
Valesius has a note (
):--" In the MS. Acts of the passion of
Theodosia, she is said to have suffered, not on Easter-day, but only on a
Sunday.--
Eng. Trans.
p. 162.
P. xxiv. l. 1.--"Confession of Domninus." In the Greek mention is
made of Sylvanus before him, and the account of both much abridged. See Surius
and Baillet, at the 4th of October.
l. 28.--"Ludus." " Munera seu ludi, pugnas cum
bestiis appellabantur, quod in populorum vel militum delectationem darentur.
Dicebantur autem ludi castrenses, si in castris fierent. Sermonem in
die
Munerum
habuit Augustinus in
Basilica Restituta,
qui est in nova
edit. 19, tomi v. vide notas ibi appositas." See Ruinart,
Acta Prim.
Martt.
p. 96, in not; also p. 111. The Greek, however, has in this place, []
on which Valesius has this note (
):--" See
the following chapter; from whence we are informed that those who were condemned
to such combats were delivered to the procurators of Caesar, who caused them to
practise exercise daily, so that at last they might be fit to engage in
combat."
Eng. Trans.
p. 163.
l. 29.--" An excellent and godly old man." The Greek gives his
name "Auxentius." See Baillet, at the 13th of December.
l. 33.--" Silvanus." A further account is given of him below, p.
47. The Greek adds here--" who was then a Presbyter and a Confessor, but some time after was honoured with a
Bishopric."--
Eng. Trans.
p. 162.
P. xxv. l. 26.--
Without any long delay." For this the
Greek has, [].
l. 31.--" Considered himself above all the people of Palestine."
The Greek adds here--" Who also was companion of the tyrant himself, for
he was his chief favourite, and did usually eat at the same table with
him."
Ibid.
p. 163.
P. xxvi. l. 8.--"The servants of God." The Greek more boldly,
" against us," []; and so at line 15
below. Instead of " There may come a time ..... against our people,"
the Greek has, " There may happen a seasonable opportunity, wherein we
shall be more at leisure to relate the exits and calamitous deaths, by which
those impious wretches (especially Maximinus and those about him who were his
advisers) that were the greatest sticklers in the persecution against us,
finished their lives." See
Eng. Trans.
p. 163. This account is given
in the Appendix to the Eighth Book of the
Ecc. Hist. Ibid.
p. 153. See
also
Ecc. Hist.
b. viii. c. 16; and Valesius, note (
Eng. Trans.
p.
151, and b. ix. c.
9, Ibid.
p. 177.
l. 19.--" Hatha." The Greek gives no name, but only []
The Sister." The word
Hatha
means "Sister."
Hathai
was
not an uncommon woman's name.--See S. E. Assemani,
Acta SS. Martt.
P. i.
p. 101, &c. In the Greek Menology she is called
Thea.
Yalesius gives
this note ("):--"This virgin's name is wanting here, but we will
supply this defect from the
Grecian Menology;
where this passage occurs
at the 15th of July.
On the same day the holy Martyrs
Valentina
and
Thea,
which were Egyptians,
being brought to the city
Dio Caesarea,
before
Firmillianus
the judge, made confession of Christ's name, who is our God; after which,
their left feet being burnt and their right eyes pulled out, they were killed
with a sword, and their bodies burnt.
But this account disagrees with
Eusebius's relation here. For he says the one was born at Gaza and the other at
Caesarea; and he makes no mention of the burning of their feet or the pulling
out of their eyes." See
Eng. Trans.
p. 164. The mistake in the Menologium perhaps arose from the compiler having read that the
Egyptians, who are spoken of in the beginning of this same chapter, had their
eyes put out and their feet burnt, and therefore concluding that these two
virgins, mentioned immediately afterwards, were Egyptians, and had suffered like
the rest. See Surius and Baillet, at the 25th of July.
P. xxvii. l. 6.--" Lud:" and in the Greek it is called
Dio
Caesarea"
Lydda is the same as Diospolis. It seems, therefore, that
Dio Caesarea, which is the same as Sepphoris, is a mistake for Diospolis. See
Van de Yelde,
Memoir to accompany the Map of the Holy Land,
p. 331 and
347. If, however, it be a mistake, it has been copied into the Greek Menology.
See the preceding note.
l. 31.--" Calling Egyptians by Hebrew names." Eusebius refers to
this in his Commentary on Isaiah as a fulfilment of the prophecy contained in
ch. 44, v. 5 :--" One shall say, I am the Lord's, and another shall call
himself by the name of Jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the
Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel." Eusebius's words are-- []
Hoc est: Mirari plane subit
prophetiae vim et
efficaciam, et quam vere rei eventum oculis perceperimus. Nam in persecutionibus
nostro tempore concitatis, multos ex alienigenis gentibus vidimus, qui sanctorum
virorum nomina usurpabant; alius quippe sese Jacobum appellabat, alius Israelem,
alius Jeremiam, hie Hesaiam, iste Danielem. Etenim his sibi adscriptis
nominibus, ad martyrium pro Deo subeundum cum fiducia et constantia accedebant.
Quae prophetia indicat dum ait, Hie dicet, Dei Sum, &c. See Eusebius's
Comm. in Hesaiam,
in
Collectio Nova Patt.,
edited by
Montfaucon, vol. ii. pp. 353 et 527.
P. xxviii. l. 17.--" Food from the Royal provision ------
pugilism." The Greek is [] and
also adds, which is not in the Syriac, []
on which Yalesius observes (
):--"He means, as I judge, the
Procurators of the company of gladiators and of the morning exercises; of whom
there is frequent mention in the inscriptions. For the gladiators that were
maintained by stipends paid out of the imperial exchequer, were committed to
their care, and they gave them their allowances out of the treasury."
Eng.
Trans.
p. 163, note.
P. xxx. l. 8.--"Our own city." Omitted in the Greek; and so
probably for the same purpose below, [] instead of
" for our people." l. 20.
P. xxxi. l. 8.--"Mannathus." The Greek has
[]
below,
on which Valesius remarks (
)--" In the Greek Menology she is called
Manatho."
Eng. Trans.
p. 165. Ruinart observes-- " Hoc ipso
die memorantur
(i. e.
Antoninus, Zebinas, et Germanus) cum Ennatha
virgine in Martyrol. Romano, ac Menologio Basilii Imp., sed in magnis Menaeis et
Menologio Canisii die precedenti. Porro haec omnia Menologia
Nicephorum
tribus
his martyribus adjiciunt, et pro Ennatha habent
Manatho." Acta Prim.
Martt.
p. 327. See Baillet,
Vies des Saints,
at the 13th of November.
l. 23.--" And continuously ---- Romans." This passage is
evidently corrupt, and it is difficult to understand it. I subjoin the
corresponding Greek:--[].
l. 28.--" They urged the Logistae of the cities, and the military
commander, and the Tabularii." On this Valesius notes (
-- "
I judge he means the Prefect of the Praetorium. For at that time they took
care of the military matters. Indeed, Eusebius's following words are a sufficient evidence that the Prefect of the
Praetorium
is meant here. For he speaks of the injunctions and public orders given to the
Curators, Magistrates, and Tabularii of every city: which orders were issued out
by the Prefect of the Praetorium only; as might be made to appear from several
places. See Book 9, ch. 1 & 9, where Eusebius speaks of Sabinus, Prefect of
the Praetorium to Maximin."
Eng. Trans.
p. 165. Concerning the
Logistae or Curators he writes (
)--" The
Curator
of the
city was he, who looked after the Treasure and whatever else belonged to the
revenue of the city: this is manifest from the
Pandects of the Law.
He is
also called
Logista
(from the Greek word
[],
which
is the term here in the original) in Lege 3,
Cod. de modo mulctandi.
Hence
[]
was used to signify
the performance of the Curator's
office."
See
Ecc. Hist.
b. viii. c. 9;
Eng. Trans.
p.
146. Respecting the Tabularii he writes (
)-- " These officers had in
their custody the public tables or rolls of the cities, and looked after the
accounts of the tribute. They were first called
Numerarii.
Afterwards
Valens made a law that they should be called Tabularii." He then refers for
further information to his observations on Ammianus Marcellinus,
ibid.
p.
165, which Heinichen has incorporated into his notes at this place.
P. xxxii. l. 18.--"They received sentence of death." The Greek
says this was passed upon them by Firmillianus. It also adds that Zebinas was
from Eleutheropolis.
l. 20.-- "Antoninus." Valesius
):--
In the Greeks' Menology this man is called Antonius, where, besides Zebinas and
Germanus, there is a fourth companion of their's named, to wit, Nicephorus. For
the 12th day of November this passage occurs:--
The birthday of the holy
Martyrs Antonius and his fellows, who were in the times of Maximinus. Antonius
was an old man) Nicephorus, Zebinas, and Germanus were in the flower of their
age. They were taken at Casarea, and after they had boldly confessed Christ,
were slain.
Here you see the author of the Menology has rendered
presbuteros
an
old man,
and
not a Presbyter." Ibid.
p. 165.
l. 23.--" A sister, one of the Lord's virgins
a chaste and
courageous maiden." For this the Greek has
[];
and also adds the name
Ενναθας
omitted
here in the Syriac.
l. 30.--" Maxys." Greek
Μαχυς
Ruinart,
Acta Marti,
p.
327, has this note:--" Haec vox Graeca non est. An a Syris repetenda, apud
quos
mochos
est pulicanus a
casas
increpare?" That is [] from
[]; but the form here is [], which seems rather to follow the
Greek.
P. xxxiii. l. 33.--" The stones shed tears," &c. This, which
doubtless was produced by natural causes, seemed miraculous to Eusebius, more
especially if he looked upon it as fulfilling a prophecy of our Lord--Luke xix.
40: "I tell you, that if these should hold their peace, the stones would
immediately cry out." See also Habak. ii. 11. Compare note p.
55
above.
P. xxxiv. l. 12.--"Primus." The Greek is
[],
on which
Valesius observes
)--
"In the Greek this man's name is
Promus; but I suppose it should be Probus, for I have never met with such a
proper name as Promus. This mistake rose from hence : in antient MSS.
Beta
is
usually written like
My.
In the
Fuk.
and
Sav.
MSS. it is
Probus.'"
Eng. Trans.
p. 166.
P. xxxv. l. 1.--"Peter, who was surnamed Absalom." In the Greek he
is called
[].
Valesius has this note
: (*)--" Mention is made of this person in the
Greek Mencea
at the
14th of October, although Eusebius says he suffered on the 3d of the Ides of
January. In the Menaeum he is called
Auselamus,
but in the Menology
Anselamus
is, by a mistake, put for
Auselamus
or
Abselamus.
The import
of the passage there is this :--'On the same day is the commemoration of the
holy Martyr Petrus Anselamus of Eleutheropolis, who, being in the flower of his
age and of a vigorous mind, behaved himself most admirably in the conflicts he
underwent for religion; and having despised earthly things, was by fire offered
up as a victim well pleasing to God in the sixth year of Dioclesian's and
Maximian's empire. In which passage this is observable, that the sixth year of
Dioclesian's empire is put for the sixth year of the Persecution." See
Eng. Trans.
p. 166. Ruinart has published
Passio
Sancti Petri Balsami,
who, although some have doubted the fact, can hardly
be a different person from the one here described as "Peter, who was
surnamed Absalom." See
Acta Prim. Martt.
p. 501. The account is
given by Baillet in the
Vies des Saints
at the 3d of January.
P. xxxvi. l. 1.--" One who belonged to the heresy of Marcion." The
Greek gives the name
Asclepius,
omitted here.
l. 6.--" Aia, a village which is on the confines of Beth Gobrin."-- The Greek has
[].
The other Syriac version published by S. E. Assemani has [], which he renders--"Ex agro Eleutheropolitano in vico Anea."
Acta
SS. Martt.
P. ii. p. 207. See Yan de Yelde--
Eleutheropolis: Betogabra
(Ptolemy
xvi. 4),
Betogabri, Bethgebrim;
also
Geberin
of the Crusaders,
identified with great care by Robinson and Smith
(Bib. Res.
404--420,
642, seq.), with the Modern Beit-Jibrin.
Memoir to accompany the
Map of the Holy Land,
p. 309.
1l. 11.--" The Confession of Pamphilus," &c. This account is
considerably abridged in the Greek. Valesius has the following, note (
:--" Symeon Metaphrastes has transcribed this whole relation of the
Martyrdom of Pamphilus and his companions, out of our Eusebius, adding some
things and altering others, as he usually does. But he seems to have been
furnished with more perfect copies of Eusebius, than those we now have; which
will manifestly appear to the reader, who may meet with Metaphrastes' account
hereof in the Latin version of him, which Lipomaimus and Surius put forth, Tome
the third, at the 1st of June, p. 139, Edit. Ven. at 1581."
Eng. Trans.
p.
166. This account of Pamphilus and his companions still exists entire in Greek.
It was first printed from a Medicean MS. by D. Papebrochius in the
Acta
Sanctorum,
June, vol. i. p. 64. J. A. Fabricius reprinted it in his edition
of Hippolytus' works, vol. ii. p. 217. Both of these learned men supposed it to
have been an extract of Eusebius'
Life of Pamphilus,
to which he
frequently refers in his Ecclesiastical History, and of which Jerome speaks. See
note, p. 78 below. It is quite evident that Metaphrastes had before him the same copy of the Martyrs of Palestine as this Syriac, with some very
slight variations. I have thought that it would be useful, for the sake of
comparison, to copy here the whole of Lipomannus' Latin version after
Metaphrastes in Surius,
De Probatis Sanctorum Vitis,
at the 1st of June
:--
Certamen SS. Martyrum Pamphili et Sociorum ex Symeone Metaphraste.
I."Tempus invitat ad omnibus enarrandum magnum et gloriosum spectaculum Pamphili et sociorum, virorum admirabilium, cum eo
consummatorum, et qui ostenderunt multiplicia certamina pietatis. Atque cum
plurimi in nobis cognita persecutione se fortiter gesserint, eorum de quibus
agimus rarissimun certamen quod nos cognovimus, conscripsimus, quod in se simul
omne genus aetatis et corporis et animi vitaeque diversorum studiorum est
complexum, variis tormentorum generibus, et diversis in perfecto martyrio
coronis exornatum. Licebat enim videre quosdam adolescentes et pueros, atque
adeo plane infantes, ex illis qui erant ex ipsis, alios autem pubescentes, cum
quibus erat Porphyrius, corpore simul vigentes et prudentia, nempe mihi
carissirnum Jamnitem Paulum, Seleucumque et Julianum, qui ambo orti erant ex
terra Cappadocum. Erant autem inter eos sacris quoque canis et profunda ornati
senectute, Valens quidam diaconus ecclesias Hierosolymitanas, et cui verum
nomen obtigerat, Theodulus.
II. Atque hasc quidem fuit in eis astatum varietas. Animis autem inter se
differebant. Nam alii quidem erant rudiores, utpote pueri, et quibus erat
ingenium adhuc tenerius et simplicius, alii vero severi et morum gravitate
praediti. Erant autem inter eos quoque nonnulli disciplinarum sacrarum non
ignari. Aderat vero omnibus congeriita, insignis et admirabilis animi
fortitude. Veluti autem quoddam in die resplendens luminare in astris
fulgentibus, in medio eorum eminebat meus Dominus, non est enim fas mihi aliter
appellare divinum et plane beatissimum Pamphilum. Is enim et eruditionem, qua?
habetur apud Grgecos in admiratione, non modice attigerat, et in divinorum dogmatum et divinitus inspiratarum scripturarum eruditione, si quid audacius,
sed verum dicendum est, ita erat exercitatus, ut nullus aeque ex iis qui erant
suo tempore. Quod autem erat his longe majus et praestantius, habebat donum,
nempe domi natam, vel potius ei a Deo datam, intelligentiam et sapientiam.
III. Et quod ad animum quidem attinet, omnes ita se babebant. Vitae autem
conditionis et conversations erat inter eos plurimadifferentia, cum Pamphilus
quidem duceret genus secundum carnem ex iis qui erant honesto loco nati, fuisset
autem insignis in republica gerenda in patria sua; Seleucus vero fuisset
insign'iter ornatus militige dignitatibus; alii autem nati essent ex mediocri et
communi loco. Non erat eorum chorus nee extra servilem conditionem. Nam et ex
prassidis domo in eorum numerum relatus erat Theodulus, et Porphyrius, qui
specie quidem erat Pamphili famulus; is autem ipsum affectione habebat loco
fratris, vel germani potius filii, ut qui mini omitteret, quo minus imitaretur
dominum. Quid aliud? Si quis dixerit in summa, eos ecclesiastici coetus typum
esse complexes, is non procul abfuerit a veritate, cum inter eos presbyterio
quidem dignatus esset Pamphilus; Valens vero diaconatu, et alii sortiti essent
locum eorum, qui e multitudine consueverunt legere, et confessionibus per
fortissimam flagrorum tolerantiam diu ante in martyrio praeclarissime se
gessisset Seleucus, et militaris dignitatis amissionem fortiter excepisset, et
reliqui deinde per catechumenos et fideles reliquam implerent similitudinem
innumerabilis ecclesiae, ut in parva imagine.
IV. Sic adspexi admirabilem tarn multorum et talium martyrum electionem, qui
etsi non essent multi numero, nullus tamen aberat ex iis ordinibus, qui
inveniuntur inter homines. Quomodo autem lyra, quae multas habet chordas, et ex
chordis constat dissimilibus, acutis et gravibus, remissisque et intensis, et
mediis, arte musica concinne adaptatis omnibus, eodem modo in his
adolescentes simul et senes, servi simul et liberi, eruditi et rudes, obscuri
generis homines, ut multis videbatur, et gloria insignes, fideles simul cum
catechumenis, et diaconi simul cum presbyteris. Qui omnes tanquam a
sapientissimo musico, nempe Dei verbo unigenito, varie pulsati, et quge erat in
ipsis potentiae unusquisque per tormentorum tolerantiam, hoc est confessionem, ostendentes virtutem, et clarissimos numerososque, et concinnos sonos edentes
in judiiciis, uno et eodem fine in primis piam et longe sapientissimam, per
Martyrii consummationem, Deo universorum impleverunt melodiam.
V. Opera pretium autem est admirari virorum quoque numerum, qui significat
propheticam quamdam et apostolicam gratiam. Contigit enim omnes esse duodecim,
quo numero patriarchas et prophetas et apostolos fuisse accepimus. Non est autem
prastermittenda uniuscujusque singulatim laboriosa fortitude, laterum
lacerationes, et cum pilis caprinis laceratarum corporis partium attritiones, et
flagella immedicabilia, multipliciaque et varia tormenta, gravesque et toleratu
diflSciles cruciatus, quos, jubente judice, manibus et pedibus infligentes
satellites, vi cogebant martyres aliquid facere eorum quae prohibita.
VI. Quid opus est dicere memorias perpetuo mandandas voces virorum divinorum,
quibus labores m'hil curantes, laeto et alacri vultu respondebant judicis
interrogationibus, in ipsis tornientis ridentes viriliter, et bonis moribus
ludificantes ejus percontationes? Cum enim rogasset undenam essent, mittentes
dicere, quam in terris habebant civitatem, ostendebant earn,
quae
vere
est eorum patria, dicentes se esse ex Hierusalem. Indicabant vero eadem
sententia Dei quoque caelestern, ad quam tendebant, civitatem, et alia quas sunt
ejusmodi, ignota quidem et quEe non possunt perspici ab iis, qui sacras literas
non gustarunt, eis autem solis qui a fide divina sunt incitati, aperta
adducebant. Propter quaa judex indignatus, et valde animo cruciatus, et plane
quid ageret dubius, varia, ne vinceretur, in eos operabatur. Deinde cum a spe
cecidisset, concessit unicuique auferre prasmia victoriae. Erat autem varius
modus eorum mortis, cum duo quidem inter eos catechumeni, consummati sint
baptismo ignis, alius vero fuerit traditus figurae salutaris passionis, qui
autem erat mihi carus, fuerit diversis braviis redimitus.
VII. Atque haec quidem dixerit quispiam, horum magis faciens universam
mentionem, singulatim autem unumquemque persequens, merito beatum pronuntiarit
eum,qui in choro primum locum obtinet. Is autem erat Pamphilus, vir revera pius,
et omnium, ut semel dicam, amicus et familiaris, re ipsa nomen sibi impositum verura esse
ostendens, Cassariensium ecclesiaa ornamentum. Nam presbyterorurn quoque
cathedram, cum esset presbyter, honestabat, ut qui simul ornaret ministerium et
ex eo ornaretur. Quinetiam aliis quoque erat diviiius et divine particeps
inspirationis, quoniam tota sua vita fuit raaxime insignis virtute, multum
quidem jubens valere delicias et copiara divitiarum, cum se totum dedicasset
Dei verbo, renuntians quidem iis qua? ad ipsum redibant a majoribus, nudis,
mancis, et pauperibus omnia distribuit. Ipse autem degit in vita, quae nihil
possidebat, per valentissimam exercitationem, divinam persequens philosophiam.
Atque ortus quidem erat ex Berytensium civitate, ubi in prima aetate educatus
f'uerat in illis, quas illic erant, studiis litterariis. Postquam autem
ejus providentia ad virilem pervenisset aetatem, transiit ab iis ad sacrarum
litterarum scientiam. Assumpsit vero mores divinee et propheticae vitae, et ipse
se verum Dei martyrem exliibuit etiam ante ultimurn vitas finem. Sed talis
quidem erat Pampbilus.
VIII. Secundus autem post ipsum accessit Valens ad certamen, qui senili, et
qua? decet sacerdotem, erat ornatus canitie, ipsoque aspectu venerandus et
sacrosanctus senex; qui etiam divinarum scripturarum sciens, ut si quis alius,
eas quidem certe ita erat complexus memoria, ut a lectione nihil discreparent,
quas memoriae mandatae ab eo conservabantur, sacrosanctorum discipulorum
promissiones. Erat autem diaconus, etsi esset hujusmodi, ecclesiae Eliensium.
Tertius in eorum numerum relatus erat Paulus, qui, vir acerrimus et spiritu
fervens, agnoscebatur ex civitate lamnitarum: qui etiam in martyrio per cauterii
tolerantiam susceperat certamen confessionis.
IX. His in careers duobus annis contritis, martyrii occasio fuit Aegyptiorum
adventus, qui etiam cum eis fuere consummati. Ii autem cum vel sic valde
afflicti, in metallis usque ad loca pervenissent, domum revertebantur. Qui, cum
in ingressu portae Caesariensium interrogati essent a custodibus, quinam essent
et unde venirent, et nihil veri celassent, dixissent antem se esse Christianos; perinde ac malefici in ipso furto deprehensi, vincti sunt
et comprehensi: erant vero quinque numero. Ad Praesidem autem adducti, et coram
eo libere locuti, in vincula quidem statim conjiciuntur: die autem sequente, qui
erat sextus decimus mensis Peritii, more vero Romano quartus decimus Calend.
Martii, hos ipsos cum Pamphilo et sociis adducunt ad Firmillianun. Ille autem
Aegyptiorum solum periculum fecit ante tormenta, ornni ratione eos exercens.
Atque eorum quidem principem, quum adduxisset in medium, rogavit quisnam esset,
et unde? Qui cum pro proprio nomine quoddam propheticum audisset (hoc autem
fiebat ante alia, ut qui pro patriis eis impositis idolicis nominibus sibi
prophetica nomina impossuissent, ut qui Eliam, et Hieremiam, Esaiam, Samuelem et
Danielem ipsi seipsos nomlnarent, et qui est in occulto, Judaeum et germanum
Israelitem, non solum factis, sed etiam vocibus proprie enunciatis judicarent).
X. Cum tale ergo Judex audivisset a martyre, rim autem nominis non
attendisset, secundo rogavit, qugenam esset ejus patria? Ille vero caelestem
Hierusalem dixit esse suam patriam, illam intelligens de qua dictum est Paulo.
'Quae sursum est Jerusalem est libera, quae est mater nostra.' Et 'accessistis ad montem Sion et civitatem Dei viventis, Hierusalem
cae
lestem.'
Et hic quidem hanc cogitabat: ille autem humi suam abjiciens cogitationem, quaenam hasc esset, et ubi terrarum sita esset, accurate perscrutabatur, atque
adeo ei etiam inferabat tormenta, ut verum fateretur. Hie vero dum torqueretur,
se verum dixisse affirmabat. Deinde eo hgec rursus et saspe sciscitante quasnam
esset, et ubi sita esset dicta civitas Hierusalem? solum dicebat earn esse
patriam Christianorum; nullos enim alios praeter eos esse ejus participes, sitam
autem esse ad orientem et ad ipsam lucem et solem. Atque hie quidem rursus per haec mente sua philosophabatur, nihil sentiens eos, qui circumcirca ipsum
tormentis afficiebant. Tanquam autem carnis expers et incorporeus, nihil
videbatur pati molestum. Judex vero animi dubius, odio cruciabatur, et
existimans Christianos hanc sibi civitatem, quae esset infesta Romanis,
constituisse, valde urgebat tormentis, et curiose scrutabatur earn, quge dicta fuerat, civitatem, et quae
est in Oriente, inquirebat regionem. Cum autem adolescentem, diu caesum
flagellis, videret non posse dimoveri ab iis, quae prius dixerat, statuit in eum
ferre sententiam capitis.
XI. Et in eum quidem res hoc modo processit: reliquos autem Aegyptios cum
simili palaestra exercicuisset, similem quoque in eos fert sententiam. Deinde
cum ab his transisset ad Pamphilum, accepit quod ii jam prius essent plurima
experti tormenta. Absurdum autem esse arbitratus, eosdem iisdem rursus afficere
tormentis, et frustra laborare, hoc solum est percontatus, an nunc saltern
obedirent? Cum vero ab unoquoque eorum andiisset ultimam vocem martyrii, in eos
similiter fert sententiam capitis.
XII. Nondum autem dictum universum absolverat, et alicunde exclamat quidam
adolescens ex familia Pamphili, et ex media turba accedens in medium eorum, qui
circumsidebant judicium, alta voce corpora eorum petiit sepulturae. Is autem
erat beatus Porphyrius, Pamphili germanum pecus, nondum totos octodecim annos
natus, recte scribendi scientiae peritus, modestia vero morum has laudes celans,
ut qui a tali viro fuisset institutus. Is, postquam adversus dominum latam
cognovit sententiam, exclamavit ex media multitudine, Corpora rogo, ut humi
mandentur. Ille autem non homo, sed fera, et quavis fera agrestior, neque
honestam et rationi consentaneam admittens petitionem, neque juvenili astati
dans veniam, cum hoc solum intellexisset, eum fateri se esse Christianum, jubet
tortoribus ut totis viribus in eum uterentur. Cum vero, eo jubente, sacrificare
recusasset vir admirandus, non utique tanquam carnem hominis, sed tanquam
lapides et lignum, aut aliquid aliud inanimum usque ad ipsa ossa et ima viscera
jubet eum torquere et corpus ejus caedere. Cum autem hoc diu fieret, agnovit se
hoc frustra aggredi, cum propemodum mutum et inanimum effectum esset corpus
generoso Martyri. Perseverans vero Judex in sasvitia et inhumanitate, iubet
latera tormentis exagitata, pilorum textis amplius atteri. Deinde cum sic eum
cepisset satietas et furore esset exsatiatus, pronunciat sententiam ut tradatur
lento et molli igni. Atque hic quidem, cum ante Pamphili consummationem postremus
accessisset, prior e
corpore excessit ad Dominum.
XIII. Licebat autem videre Porphyrium, non secus affectum quam victorem in
sacris certaminibus, qui in omnibus pugnis evaserat superior, corpore
pulverulentum, vultu Igetum, audenter et exultando ad mortem progredientem, re
vera plenum divino spiritu. Philosophico autem habitu suo indumento amictus
instar superhumeralis, rursum aspiciens et omnia humana despiciens, sicut vitam
mortalem, quieto animo accedit ad rogum. Cum jam flamma ei appropinquaret, et
tanquam nihil ei adesset molestum, sana mente et nulla afFecta perturbatione de
rebus suis manctavit suis necessariis, adhuc vultum et universum corpus lastum
conservans et immutatum. Postquam autem notos suos satis allocutus, eos valere
jussit, jam de caetero contendebat ad Dominum. Cum vero rogus, satis longo
spatio disjunctus, circa eum esset accensus, hinc et illinc ore flammam
arripiebat, se ipsum incitans ad iter propositum. Hoc autem faciebat nihil
aliud quam Jesum invocans. Tale est certamen Porphyrii.
XIV. Cum ejus autem consummations Pamphilo nuncius fuisset Seleucus, dignus.
habetur, cui sors eadem cum eis obtingeret. Cum primum itaque renuntiasset
Pamphilo exitum Porphjrii, et uno osculo salutasset Martjres, comprehendunt eum
milites et ducunt ad Praesidem. Ille autem perinde ac urgens, ut ipse abiret
simul cum prioribus, jubet eum affici supplicio capitis. Is erat ex regione
Cappadocum, cum autem militia se praeclare gessisset, ad non parvos gradus
dignitatum pervenerat in Romano exercitu. Quin etiam statura, viribusque et
magnitudine corporis, reliquos omnes longe superabat: ipso quoque aspectu erat
omnibus suspiciendus, et tota forma corporis plane admirabilis, tarn propter
magnitudinem quam propter pulchritudinem. Atque in principio «quidem
persecutionis, per flagellorum perpessionem clarus extitit in certaminibus
confessionis. Postquam autem fuerat liberatus a militia, seipsum constituens
semulatorem eorum, qui se exercent in pietate, efficitur Christi germanus miles,
orphanorum desertorum et viduarum, quee carebant praesidio, eorumque qui paupertate opprimebantur et imbecillitate, tanquam episcopus
quispiam et procurator, curam gerens et instar diligentis et solicit! patris,
omnium, qui abjecti erant, labores recreans et affectiones. Quamobrem merito Deo
his magis laetante quam quae per fumum et sanguinem fiunt, sacrificiis, dignus
fait habitus consummatione, quge fit per martyrium. Hie decimus athleta cum iis,
qui dicti sunt, consummatus fait uno eodemque die: in quo, ut est coiisentaneum,
maxima Pamphili martyrio porta coelorum aperta, facilis et expeditus ei fuit
aditus regni coelorum.
XV. Seleuci institit vestigiis Theodulus quidam, venerandus et pius senex, qui primum honoris locum obtinuerat inter servos
praesidis, et morum et ffitatis gratia, et quod trium filiorum esset pater, et maxime propter benevolentiam quam conservabat in
suos. Is autem, cum similiter fecisset atque Seleucus, et quendam ex martyribus salutasset osculo, adducitur ad dominum.
Quem cum magis ad iram irritasset quam alii, salutaris passionis cruci traditus, subiit martyrium.
XVI. Cum post hos unus adhuc restaret, qui inter eos, qui dicti sunt, numerum
impleret duodecimum, eum impleturus aderat Julianus. Is, cum ea ipsa hora
rediisset ex peregrinatione, ne ingressus quidem civitatern, ita ut erat ex
itinere, hoc audito profectus ad videndos martyres, postquam adspexit sanctorum
corpora humi jacentia, gaudio repletus, unumquemque amplectitur, omnes salutans
osculo. Eo autem adhuc agente, eum comprehendunt lictores et adducunt ad
prassidem. Impius vero suo institute faciens consentanea, eum quoque tradit
lento igni. Sic itaque Julianus laetans et exultans, et magna voce Deo, qui
tantis bonis eum erat dignatus, agens gratias, assumptus fuit in chores
martyrum. Erat autem is quoque genere quidem Cappadox, moribus plenus quidem
pietate, plenus et fide, vir mitis et mansuetus, et alioqui vir bonus, et
spirans boiium odorem Sancti Spiritus. Tanta turba comitatus, dignatus fuit
consummatione martyrii cum beatissimo Pamphilo.
Et quatuor quidem dies et totidem noctes jussu Firmilliani sanctissirna
martyrum corpora exposita fuerunt bestiis carnivoris. Cum autem Dei providentia nihil ad eos accessisset, non fera, non avis, non
aliquid aliud, sed sana permansissent et integra, justum et convenientem honorem
consecuta, consuetae mandata sunt sepulturae, reposita in pulchris templorum
sedibus, et sacris traditas oratoriis ad perpetuam memoriam, ut honorarentur a
populo, ad gloriam Christi, veri Dei nostri."
P. xxxvi. l. 13.--" Theophilus." An error of the scribe for
Theodulus. It is given correctly in the narrative below.
l. 15.--"Being in number eight." And so the names
enumerated above are eight; but there were really twelve. See pp. 38 and 44. The
Greek, which is here a good deal abridged, has at the beginning,
[].
l. 28.--" Youths and boys." Papebrochius corrects here the error
of Lipomannus--
"Adolescentes et pueros atque adeo plane infantes"
See
Hippolyti Opera,
curante J. A. Fabricio, vol. ii. p. 217. I have not the
Ada
Martyrum
at hand, and therefore cite the reprint of the Acts of Pamphilus
and his companions by Fabricius. When I use the term
the other Greek,
mean these Acts, in contradistinction to
the Greek,
which I have used in
these notes to signify the abridgement found in the Ecclesiastical History of
Eusebius.
l. 29.--" Porphyrius." The Syriac has by mistake here [],
"Porphon."'
l. 32.--"Iamna." " Jamnia sive Jamna urbs maritima
Palaestinae, haud procul a Joppe, sed totis 20 leueis horariis dissita a
Caesarea, cujus Archiepiscopo subest: etiam urbs maritima in confiniis
Phoeniciae." Papebrochius.
Ibid.
p. 218.
l. 36.--" Conformable to his name, Theodulus." That is,
Servant
of God.
P. xxxvii. l. 7.--"But like the sun ..... My Lord Pamphilus."
Eusebius speaks of him several times in his Ecc. Hist. Book vi. chap. 32, he
says:--"But what necessity is there at present to write an exact catalogue
of this man's works, which requires a work itself, which we have also written in
our
History of Pamphilus's life,
the blessed martyr of our times. In which, endeavouring to prove how great Pamphilus's care and love towards
sacred learning was, we have published the catalogue of Origen's works, and of
several other ecclesiastical writers which he collected."
Eng. Trans.
p.
107. And in the next chapter:--" But what things concerning him are
necessary to be known, may be read at large in that
Apology
for him which
was written by me and Pamphilus, the holy martyr of our times, which we
conjointly composed."
Ibid.
In book vii. ch. 33. " In this
man's(Agapius) times we knew Pamphilus, a most eloquent man and a true
philosopher in the practices of his life, honoured with a presbytership of that
church (Caesarea). To declare what a person this man was, and whence descended,
would be a copious subject. But all things relating to his life, the school he
founded, the conflicts which, during the time of persecution, he underwent in
several confessions, and lastly, the crown of martyrdom with which he was
encircled, we have fully declared in a peculiar work. Indeed, this Pamphilus was
the most admirable person of all that lived here." Valesius's note (
).
Christophorson takes these words to signify one book only. But Eusebius wrote
three books of the life of
Pamphilus,
which Hieromymus attesteth in his
book,
De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis,
and in his
Apology against
Ruffinus. Ibid.
p. 138. Book viii. c. 13--" Amongst which number we
must in no wise omit the mention of
Pamphilus
the Presbyter, the most
admirable person in our age, and the greatest ornament of the Church of
Caesarea, whose fortitude and courageous exploits we will declare at a fit and
convenient opportunity." Valesius remarks (
)--" I must
indeed confess that in the
Maz., Med., Fuk.,
and
Savil
MSS, the
reading is
([], we have declared);
but if that reading be
true, Eusebius must mean his Books
concerning the life of Pamphilus the
Martyr,
which, as we before observed, he wrote before his
Ecclesiastical
History, Ibid.
p. 148. See the former part of this note which I have quoted
above, p. 49. See also what Eusebius says in the
Confession of Domninus,
p.
25, above. The Greek, in the account of Pamphilus, here adds:--" This
person's other virtues and egregious performances, which require a larger relation, we have already comprised in
three
Books,
being a particular work which we wrote concerning his life. On this
Valesius remarks
):
-- " Moreover, hence we make this
manifest conclusion, that the
Book concerning the Martyrs of Palestine
was
Eusebius's own work, written by him after his Books concerning Pamphilus's life,
and after his Ecclesiastical History."
Eng. Tram.
p. 166. We must
bear in mind that this observation of Valesius applies to the
abridged
form
of the Martyrs of Palestine, and not to the original copy; for the passage upon
which he founds his conclusions does not exist, either in the Syriac or the
other Greek.   It therefore affirms that the
abridgment
was made by
Eusebius himself. The Confession of Pamphilus is given by Baillet,
Vie des
Saints,
at the 1st of June.
l. 10.--" Without styling him My Lord." Upon referring to the
Syriac here it is seen that Simeon Metaphrastes, whom Lipomannus followed in
translating
"non est mihi fas aliter appellare"
had
[]
correctly; and that the reading
[]
of
the
other Greek
is wrong. See Papebrochius' note in
Hipp. Oper.
vol.
ii. p. 218.
l. 23.--" Porphyrius." His martyrdom and that of those who
suffered with him is given by Baillet,
Vie des Saints,
Feb. 17.
l. 36.--" His dismissal from his command in the army." Lactantius
speaks of the order of Diocletian respecting the dismissal of soldiers who
professed Christianity thus:--" Tunc ira furens, sacrificare non eos
tantum qui sacris ministrabant, sed universos qui erant in palatio, jussit, et
in eos, si detractassent, verberibus animadverti; datisque ad Prsepositos
litteris, etiam milites cogi ad nefanda sacrificia praecepit, ut qui non
paruissent, militia solverentur." See
De Mortibus Persecutorum,
ch.
x.
P. xxxviii. l. 6.--"They bore the semblance of a many-stringed
harp." Eusebius uses the same comparison in hisTheophania, bk. i. ch.
28:--[] which. Dr. Lee translates as follows : -- " This sensible world is therefore, not unlike the lyre of many strings,
consisting of many dissimilar portions: of acute and grave, lax and intense;
and of others between these, all well combined together by the art of the
musician. Such, then, is also this (universe), collected (as it is) into one
compound, consisting of many parts, and many compositions; of cold at once, and
warm its opposite; and of matter, wet and dry. It is, moreover, a mighty vessel,
and is the work of the God of all." See
Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, on
the Theophania,
translated by S. Lee. 8vo.
Cambridge,
1843, p. 18.
l. 19. -- "Like the prophets." He means the Twelve Minor Prophets.
l. 20. -- " Nor is it fit that we should omit." So also the Latin
version of Lipomannus. The other Greek is corrupt here, reading
[].
P. xxxix. l. 6. -- " The baptism of fire." Martyrdom for the sake
of Christ was held in antient times to supply the place of baptism to those who
had not yet received that sacrament. It was generally called the "Baptism
of Blood." Thus Cyprian,
letter
57, to Cornelius : -- " Qui
martyrium tollit, sanguine suo batizatur." Edit.
Dodwell,
Amst.
1691, p. 118. And 73, to Jubaianus: -- " Sanguine autem suo baptizatos et
passione sanctificatos consummari, et divinse pollicitationis gratiam consequi;
declarat in Evangelic idem Dominus."
Ibid.
p. 208.
Exhort, ad
Mart.
:-- " Nos tantum, qui, Domino permittente, primum baptisma
credentibus dedimus, ad aliud quoque singulos praeparemus, insinuantes et
docentes hoc esse baptisma in gratia majus, in postestate sublimius, in honore
pretiosius: baptisma in quo angeli baptizant, baptisma in quo Deus et Christus
ejus exultant, baptisma post quod nemo jam peccat, baptisma quod fidei nostrse incrementa consummat,
baptisma quod nos de mundo recedentes statim Deo copulat. In aquas baptismo
accipitur peccatorum remissa, in sanguinis corona virtutum.
Ibid.
p. 168.
See also
Bingham Antiquit.
Book 10, ch. 2, s. 20, and other passages
cited by him. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Cat. 3, ch. 10:--
[]
Eusebius speaks also of
Herais, a catechumen, receiving
baptism by fire,
Book 6, ch. 4: --
[].
l. 8.--"But Pamphilus, that name ..... different from these." The
other Greek varies here from the Syriac. See Lipomannus's Translation above,
vii.
l. 14.--"In communion with the Spirit of God." The
other Greek, []
l.24.--"Men seeking perfection." Other Greek,
[].
l. 26.--" Martyrdom." The other Greek adds here, []
l. 27.--" Vales." There is added here in the Greek, " a
deacon of Aelia." This had been stated of him before in the part omitted
from the Greek,
a deacon of the Church of Jerusalem." See p.
37, l. 35, above.
P. xl. l. 4.--"ln prison." The other Greek has
[],
which Papebrochius has corrected after Metaphrastes from
Lipomannus's translation
in carcere,
to
[].
l. 33.--" Our Mother in whom we confess is the Holy Church." The
Greek here, as in Gal. iv. 26,
[]
and adds, Heb. xii. 12,
[],
and so the
other Greek and Lipomannus' version. See p. 74 above.
P. xli. l. 3.--" In what country was that Jerusalem." At the time
when these events took place, there was no city known to the Romans by the name
of Jerusalem; otherwise, as Valesius observes, Firmillianus, president of
Palestine, would never have been so earnest in his inquiries of the martyrs
where Jerusalem was situated. Eusebius writes, Book 4, ch; 6 :--" From that time
the whole nation was altogether interdicted to enter into the country about Jerusalem, the law, edict, and sanctions of Adrian
having commanded them that they should not so much as from afar off behold their
paternal soil. Ariston of Pella relates this. Thus the city being destitute of
the Jewish nation, and wholly cleared of its old inhabitants, was possessed by
foreigners, who dwelt there, and afterwards made a Roman city; and changing its
name, was, in honour of the Emperor
Aelius Adrianus,
called
Aelia."
Valesius, in his note on this place, says (
) :--" Eusebius is here
doubly mistaken; both in that he says Jerusalem was wholly destroyed in Adrian's
time; and also because he thought Aelia Capitolina was built by the same Adrian
after the siege of Betthera.--
Aelia Capitolina
was built long before; to
wit, in the second year of Adrian: from whose times to those of Constantine the
Great it was always called
Aelia.
But from the time of Constantine the
Great it recovered again the name of Jerusalem, both upon account of the honour
of that name, and also because of its prerogative, being the first episcopal
seat." See
Eng. Trans.
p. 52.
P. xlii. l. 7.--"Wretch ---- savage brute." Such epithets as
this, and others--"that bitter viper," p. 12, "fierce wild
beast,' p. 49, when applied to the persecutors of the Christians, are not
peculiar to Eusebius. Cyprian calls Nero,
execrabilis ac nocens tyrannus,
bestia mala
; and Decius,
execrabile animal:
also he calls
Diocletianus, Maximinianus Herculius, and Galerius Maximinianus,
tres
acerbissimae bestiae.
See
De mortt. Pers.
ch. 4, 9, 16, &c.
l.24.--"Weak in body." Syriac, []. The other Greek,
[],
and Lipomannus,
corpore pulverulentum.
Perhaps originally
the translation was a,[] afterwards altered by a transcriber.
l. 28.--" Having put on his cloak like a philosopher, with his shoulder
uncovered." Valesius has this Note on Book 6, ch. 19 of Ecc. Hist. (
):--" The philosophic habit was the
pallium or cloak, which was the usual badge of the Greek philosophers,
different from that which was worn by the ordinary Greeks, which those
Christians still kept to, who, before their conversion, were
philosophers."--See
Eng. Trans.
p. 101. And on this place
):--"This garment is in the Greek termed
εξωμις
see its description, A. Gellius, Book 7, ch. 12."
ibid.
p. 168.
P. xliv. l. 2.--" The father of three generations." The Greek,
[],
and the other Greek,
[].
On which Papebrochius observes:--" Trium filiorum
patribus praemia apud Romanos fuisse proposita notius est quam ut hie moneri
debeat, atque id hie dici credo
[].
Valesius, tamen
aliter vertit
quod tertiae jam stirpis nepotes haberet"
See
Hippol.
Opera,
vol. ii. p. 224.
l. 19.--
Officers," here " Quaestionarii," as
above, p. 55. The Greek is, in this place,
[].
l. 27.--" There was also in him a glorious savour of the Holy
Spirit." Greek,
[]
; and the other
Greek,
[].
l. 36.--" Without the permission of the Governor." Omitted in the
Greek.
P. xlv. l. 1.--"And were laid in the interior of the Churches .....
with God." This passage is not found in the abridged Greek, but it is in
the
other Greek.
Upon which Papebrochius has the following note: "
Deest haec clausula in historia: quam tamem Eusebio abjudicare nihil nos cogit,
qui vitam Pamphili seque ac Historiam Ecclesiasticam scripsit, cum jam
Constantinus lege lata permisisset Christianis sacras aedes condere et Martyrum
corpora eis inferre." See
Hippol. Opera,
vol. ii. p. 224.
l. 13.--"Of Batanea." [] Greek, [].
l. 32.--" He was the last ..... in Caesarea." The Greek here adds
the account of Firmillianus having been put to death by the sword; and then a
chapter concerning what happened to the prelates of the Church.
P. xlvi. l. 1.--" The confession of Paulus," &c. The name in
the Greek is [], both in this place and in Ecc. Hist, Book 8, ch. 13.
l. 9---"Phaeno." Eusebius has described this place thus
in his book, De locis Hebraicis :--[]. And Athanasius:--[]. See Reading's Note on Eusebius at this place.
1. 18.--" Zauara." This is
Zoura,
mentioned by Eusebius in
the preceding note, now Zara, Zora, or Zoara. See Van de Velde,
Memoir to Map
of the Holy Land,
p. 354.
P. xlvii. l. 8.--" Patermytheus." Above,
Patrimytheas,
with
the usual inconsistency in writing proper names in Syriac.
l. 10.--" Lovers of that exalted philosophy which is of God." That
is, the Christian religion. See Ecc. Hist, passim.
l. 25.--" Presbyter of the Church in the city of Gaza." The Greek
has, []. And in the Ecc. Hist. Book 8, ch. 13:--
And in the Greek of the Mart. Palest., ch. 7, he gives
the same account of him as in this place, that he was at that time presbyter of
Gaza, and afterwards was promoted to the episcopate :--[]
P. xlviii. l. 5.--"And suddenly a mandate of wickedness was
issued." The Greek states that this order was given by Maximinus.
l. 9.--"Forty in number." The Greek says "thirty-nine.''
l. 10.--" Many of them were Egyptians." The Greek adds in this
place the account of one John, who had learned the Scriptures so thoroughly by
heart, that Eusebius states, that when he saw him standing up and repeating
portions of the Scripture to the congregation, he supposed that he had been
reading, till he drew near, and discovered that he was quite blind.
l. 16.--"For he that was excited against us ..... perished after the
manner of a cruel wild beast." It does not appear to whom this applies.
Probably he means Firmillianus, of whose savage disposition and extreme cruelty
he had spoken above in such strong terms, see p. 27, 29; some account of whose
death he gives in the Greek, although omitted here. See note above, on P. xlv.
1. 32, p. 84. Or he may mean the Maximinus whose death he describes in the
Ecclesiastical History, b. xi. ch. 10.
[[Syriac text omitted]]
This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 6th September 2002. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.
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