Eusebius Book 6, Section 41

Passages / Book 6 / Section 41

6.41.1

XLI. Ὁ δ’ αὐτὸς ἐν ἐπιστολῇ τῇ πρὸς Φάβιον Ἀντιοχέων ἐπίσκοπον, τῶν κατὰ Δέκιον μάρη ρησάντων ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ τοὺς ἀγῶνας τοῦτο, ἱστορεῖ τὸν τρόπον· “οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλικοί προστάγματος ὁ διωγμὸς παρ’ ἡμῖν ἤρξατο, ἀλλ’ γὰρ ὅλον ἐνιαυτὸν προύλαβεν, καὶ φθάσας ὁ κακῶ, τῆ πόλει ταύτῃ μάντις καὶ ποιητής, ὅστις ἐκεῖνος ἢν, ἐκίνησεν καὶ παρώρμησεν καθ’ ἡμῶν τὰ πλῆθ’ τῶν ἐθνῶν, εἰς τὴν ἐπιχώριον αὐτοῦ δεοσοδαιμονίαι ἀναρριπίσας· οἳ δ’ ἐρεθισθέντες ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ κα πάσης ἐξουσίας εἰς ἀνοσιουργίαν λαβόμενοι, μόνη εὐσέβειαν τὴν θρῃσκείαν τῶν δαιμόνων ταύτην ὑπ’ ἔλαβον, τὸ καθ’ ἡμῶν φονᾶν.

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XLI. But the same person in a letter to Fabius, bishop of the Antiochenes, gives the following account of the contests of those who suffered martyrdom at Alexandria under Decius: “It was not with the royal edict that the persecution began amongst us, but it preceded it by a whole year; and that prophet and creator of evils for this city, whoever he was, was beforehand in stirring and inciting the masses of the heathen against us, fanning anew the flame of their native superstition. Aroused by him and seizing upon all authority for their unholy deeds, they conceived that this kind of worship of their gods—the thirsting for our blood—was the only form of piety.

6.41.2

“ ΙΙρῶτον οὖν πρεσβύτην, Μητρᾶν ὀνόματι, συναρ πάσαντες καὶ κελεύσαντες ἄθεα λέγειν ῥήματα, μ(??) πειθόμενον, ξύλοις τε παίοντες τὸ σῶμα καὶ καλά ὀξέσιν τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς κεντοῦντες ἀγαγόντες εἰς τὸ προάστεον, κατελιθοβόλησαν.

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“First, then, they seized an old man named Metras, and bade him utter blasphemous words; and when he refused to obey they belaboured his body with cudgels, stabbed his face and eyes with sharp reeds, and, leading him to the suburbs, stoned him.

6.41.3

“Εἶτα πιστὴν γυναῖκα, Κΐνταν καλουμένην, ἐπ’ τὸ εἰδωλεῖον ἀγαγόντες, ἠνάγκαζον προσκυνεῖν ἀποστρεΦομένην δὲ καὶ βδελυττομένην ἐκδήσαντε τῶν ποδῶν διὰ πάσης τῆς πόλεως κατὰ τοῦ τρα χέος λιθοστρώτου σύροντες προσαρασσομένην τοῖ μυλιαίοις λίθοις, ἅμα καὶ μαστιγοῦντες, ἐπὶ τό αὐτὸν ἀγαγόντες κατέλευσαν τόπον. εἴθ’ ὁμο θυμαδὸν ἅπαντες ὥρμησαν ἐπὶ τὰς τῶν θεοσεβῶ οἰκίας, καὶ οὓς ἐγνώριζον ἕκαστοι γειτνιῶντας ἐπεισπεσόντες ἦγον ἐσύλων τε καὶ διήρπαζον, τ(??) μὲν τιμιώτερα τῶν κειμηλίων νοσφιζόμενοι, τ δὲ εὐτελέστερα καὶ ὅσα ἐκ ξύλων ἐπεποίητ διαρριπτοῦντες καὶ κατακάοντες ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖ ἑαλωκυίας ὑπὸ πολεμίων πόλεως παρεῖχον θέ ἐξέκλινον δὲ καὶ ὑπανεχώρουν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ καὶ ἁρπαγὴν τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ὁμοίως ἐκείνοις οἷς κ’ Παῦλος ἐμαρτύρησεν, μετὰ χαρᾶς προσεδέξα καὶ οὐκ οἶδ’ εἴ τις, πλὴν εἰ μή πού τις εἷς ἐμπέσω μέχρι γε τούτου τὸν κύριον ἠρνήσατο.

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Then they led a woman called Quinta, a believer, to the idol temple, and were forcing her to worship. But when she turned away and showed her disgust, they bound her by the feet and dragged her through the whole city over the rough pavement, so that she was bruised by the big stones, beating her all the while; and bringing her to the same place they stoned her to death. Then with one accord they all rushed to the houses of the godly, and, falling upon those whom they recognized as neighbours, they harried, spoiled, and plundered them, appropriating the more valuable of their treasures, and scattering and burning in the streets the cheaper articles and such as were made of wood, until they gave the city the appearance of having been captured by enemies. But the brethren gave way and gradually retired, and, like those of whom Paul also testified, they took joyfully the spoiling of their possessions. And I know not whether there was anyone there, save, it may be, some single one who fell into their hands, who up to the present has denied the Lord.

6.41.4

“Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν θαυμασιωτάτην τότε παρθένον πρεσβῦτιν Ἀπολλωνίαν διαλαβόντες, τοὺς μὲν ὀδόντας ἅπαντας κόπτοντες τὰς σιαγόνας ἐξήλασαν πυρὰν δὲ νήσαντες πρὸ τῆς πόλεως ζῶσαν ἠπείλουν κατακαύαειν, εἰ μὴ συνεκφωνήσειεν αὐτοῖς τὰ τῆς ἀσεβείας κηρύγματα. ἡ δὲ ὑποπαραιτησαμένη βραχὺ καὶ ἀνεθεῖσα, συντόνως ἐπήδησεν εἰς τὸ πῦρ, καὶ καταπέφλεκται.

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Moreover, they seized then that marvellous aged virgin Apollonia, broke out all her teeth with blows on her jaws, and piling up a pyre before the city threatened to burn her alive, if she refused to recite along with them their blasphemous sayings. But she asked for a brief space, and, being released, without flinching, she leaped into the fire and was consumed.

6.41.5

“Σεραπίωνά τε καταλαβόντες ἐφέστιον, σκληραῖς βασάνοις αἰκισάμενοι καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄρθρα διακλάσαντες, ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑπερῴου πρηνῆ κατέρριψαν.

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“Serapion they laid hold of at his own home, broke all his limbs by the severe tortures they inflicted, and cast him head foremost down from the upper story.

6.41.6

“Οὐδεμία δὲ ὁδός, οὐ λεωφόρος, οὐ στενωπὸς ἡμῖν βάσιμος ἦν, οὐ νύκτωρ, οὐ μεθ’ ἡμέραν, ἀεὶ καὶ πανταχοῦ πάντων κεκραγότων, εἰ μὴ τὰ δύσφημά τις ἀνυμνοίη ῥήματα, τοῦτον εὐθέως δεῖν αύρεσθαί τε καὶ πίμπρασθαι. καὶ ταῦτα ἐπὶ πολὺ μὲν τοῦτον ἤκμασεν τὸν τρόπον, διαδεξαμένη δὲ τοὺς ἀθλίους ἡ στάσις καὶ πόλεμος ἐμφύλιος τὴν καθ’ ἡμῶν ὠμότητα πρὸς ἀλλήλους αὐτῶν ἔτρεφεν, καὶ σμικρὸν μὲν προσανεπνεύσαμεν, ἀσχολίαν τοῦ πρὸς ἡμᾶς θυμοῦ λαβόντων, εὐθέως δὲ ἡ τῆς βασιλείας ἐκείνης τῆς εὐμενεστέρας ἡμῖν μεταβολὴ διήγγελται, καὶ πολὺς ὁ τῆς ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς ἀπειλῆς φόβος ἀνετείνετο. καὶ δὴ καὶ παρῆν τὸ πρόσταγμα, αὐτὸ σχεδὸν ἐκεῖνο οἷον τὸ προρρηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν παρὰ βραχὺ τὸ φοβερώτατον, ὡς, εἰ δυνατόν, σκανδαλίσαι καὶ τοὺς ἐκλεκτούς. πλῆ πάντες γε κατεπτήχεσαν· καὶ πολλοὶ μὲν εὐθέως τῶν περιφανεστέρων, οἳ μὲν ἀπήντων δεδιότες, δὲ δημοσιεύοντες ὑπὸ τῶν πράξεων ἤγοντο, δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀμφ’ αὐτοῖς ἐφείλκοντο· ὀνομαστί τε καλούμενοι ταῖς ἀνάγνοις καὶ ἀνιέροις θυσίαις προσῄεσαν, οἳ μὲν ὠχριῶντες καὶ τρέμοντες, ὥσπερ οὐ θύσοντες, ἀλλ’ αὐτοὶ θύματα καὶ αφάγια τοῖς εἰδώλοις ἐσόμενοι, ὡς ὑπὸ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιεατῶτος δήμου χλεύην αὐτοῖς ἐπιφέρεσθαι καὶ δήλους μὲν εἶναι πρὸς πάντα δειλοὺς ὑπάρχοντας, καὶ πρὸς τὸ τεθνάναι καὶ πρὸς τὸ θῦααι· οἳ δέ τινες ἑτοιμότερον τοῖς βωμοῖς προσέτρεχον, ἰσχυριζόμενοι τῆ θρασύτητι τὸ μηδὲ πρότερον Χριστιανοὶ γεγονέναι, περὶ ὧν ἡ τοῦ κυρίου πρόρρησις ἀληθεστάτη ὅτι δυσκόλως σωθήσονται. τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν οἳ μὲν ἕποντο τούτοις ἑκατέροις, οἳ δὲ ἔφευγον· οἳ δὲ ἡλίσκοντο, καὶ τούτων οἳ μὲν ἄχρι δεσμῶν καὶ φυλακῆς χωρήσαντες, καὶ τινὲς καὶ πλείονας ἡμέρας καθειρχθέντες, εἶτα καὶ πρὶν ἐπὶ δικαστήριον ἐλθεῖν, ἐξωμόσαντο, οἳ δὲ καὶ βασἀνοις ἐπὶ ποσὸν ἐγκαρτερήσαντες, πρὸς τὸ ἑξῆς ἀπεῖπον.

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Now there was no way, no thoroughfare, no alley by which we could go, either by night or during the day: always and everywhere all were shouting that he who did not join in the chorus of blasphemy must immediately be dragged off and burnt. And this state of things continued at its height for a long time. But strife and civil war came upon the wretched men, and turned on themselves the fury of which we had been the object; and for a brief space we breathed again, since they had no time to indulge their anger against us. Straightway, however, the news was spread abroad of the change from that rule that had been more kindly to us, and great was the fear of threatened punishment that hung over us. And, what is more, the edict arrived, and it was almost like that which was predicted by our Lord, wellnigh the most terrible of all, so as, if possible, to cause to stumble even the elect. Howsoever that be, all cowered with fear. And many of the more eminent persons, some came forward immediately through fear, others in public positions were led to do so by their business, and others were dragged by those around them. Called by name, they approached the impure and unholy sacrifices, some pale and trembling, as if they were not sacrificing but rather were to be themselves the sacrifices and victims to the idols, so that the large crowd that stood around heaped mockery upon them, and it was evident that they were by nature cowards in everything, cowards both in dying and in sacrificing. But others ran eagerly towards the altars, affirming by their forwardness that they had not been Christians even formerly; concerning whom the Lord very truly predicted that they shall hardly be saved. Of the rest, some followed one or other of these, others fled; some were captured, and of these some went as far as bonds and imprisonment, and certain, when they had been shut up for many days, then forswore themselves even before coming into court, while others, who remained firm for a certain time under tortures, subsequently gave in.

6.41.7

“Οἱ δὲ στερροὶ καὶ μακάριοι στῦλοι τοῦ κυρίου κραταιωθέντες ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἰσχυρᾶς ἐν αὐτοῖς πίστεως ἀξίαν καὶ ἀνάλογον δύναμιν καὶ καρτερίαν λαβόντες, θαυμαστοὶ γεγόνσιν αὐτοῦ τῆς βασιλεία μάρτυρες· ὧν πρῶτος Ἰουλιανός, ἄνθρωπος ποδαγρός, μὴ στῆναι, μὴ βαδίσαι δυνάμενος, σὺν ἑτέροις δύο τοῖς φέρουσιν αὐτὸν προσήχθη· ὧν ὁ μὲν ἕτερος εὐθὺς ἠρνήσατο, ὁ δ’ ἕτερος, Κρονίων ὀνόματι, ἐπίκλην δὲ Εὔνους, καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ πρεσβύτης Ἰουλιανὸς ὁμολογήσαντες τὸν κύριον, διὰ πάσης τῆς πόλεως, μεγίστης οὔσης ὡς ἴστε, καμήλοις ἐποχούμενοι καὶ μετέωροι μαστιγούμενοι, τέλος ἀσβέστῳ, περικεχυμένου τοῦ δήμου παντός, κα ετάκησαν. στρατιώτης τε αὐτοῖς παραστὰς καὶ τοῖς ἐφυβρίζουσιν ἐναντιωθείς, ἐκείνων προσαχθεὶς ὁ ἀνδρειότατος ὁπλομάχος τοῦ θεοῦ Βησᾶς κἀν τῷ μεγάλῳ πολέμῳ τῷ περὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀριστεύσας, ἀπετμήθη τὴν κεφαλήν. καί τις ἕτερος, τὸ μὲν γένος Λίβυς, τὴν δὲ προσηγορίαν ἅμα καὶ τὴν εὐλογίαν ἀληθὴς Μάκαρ, προτροπῆς αὐτῷ πολλῆς ὑπὸ τοῦ δικαστοῦ πρὸς ἄρνησιν γενομένης, οὐχ ὑπαχθεὶς ζῶν καταπέφλεκται. Ἐπίμαχός τε μετ’ αὐτοὺς καὶ ᾿Αλέξανδρος μετὰ πολὺν ὃν ἔμειναν δεσμῶται χρόνον, μυρίας διενεγκόντες ἀλγηδόνας ξυστῆρας μάστιγας, [πυρὶ] ἀσβέστῳ καὶ οὗτοι διεχύθησαν.

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But the firm and blessed pillars of the Lord, being strengthened by Him, and receiving power and stedfastness in due measure according to the mighty faith that was in them, proved themselves admirable martyrs of His kingdom. Of these the first was Julian, a man who suffered from gout, unable to stand or walk. He was brought up with two others who carried him, of whom the one straightway denied; the other, Cronion by name, but surnamed Eunus, and the old man Julian himself, confessed the Lord, and were carried upon camels through the whole city, very large in extent as ye know, and thus uplifted were beaten, and in the end, surrounded by all the people, burnt in quicklime. A soldier who stood by as they were being led off, opposed those who insulted them; and, when the crowd cried out, Besas, that brave warrior of God, was brought up, and after excelling in the great war of piety was beheaded. And another, a Libyan by race, Macar, true both to his name and the [Lord's] benediction, though the judge urged him strongly to deny, was not induced, and so was burnt alive. And after these Epimachus and Alexander, when they had remained a long time in prison, enduring the countless agonies from scrapers and scourges, were also burnt in quicklime.

6.41.8

“Καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς γυναῖκες τέσσαρες, Ἀμμωνάριόν τε ἁγία παρθένος, πάνυ φιλονείκως αὐτὴν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον τοῦ δικαστοῦ βασανίσαντος, ἅτε προαπγφηναμένην ὅτι μηδὲν ὧν ἐκεῖνος κελεύοι φθέγξεται, ἀληθεύσασα τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, ἀπήχθη· αἱ δὲ λοιπαί, ἡ σεμνοτάτη πρεσβῦτις Μερκουρία καὶ ἡ πολύπαις μέν, οὐχ ὑπὲρ τὸν κύριον δὲ ἀγαπήσασα τὰ τέκνα Διονυσία, καταιδεσθέντος εἰς ἀνήνυτον ἔτι βασανίζειν καὶ ὑπὸ γυναικῶν ἡττᾶσθαι τοῦ ἡγεμόνος, αιδήρῳ τεθνᾶσιν, μηκέτι βασάνων πεῖραν λαβοῦσαι· τὰς γὰρ ὑπὲρ πασῶν ἡ πρόμαχος Ἀμμωνάριον ἀνεδέδεκτο.

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And with them four women: Ammonarion, a holy virgin, though tortured vigorously by the judge for a very long time, inasmuch as she had made it plain beforehand that she would not utter anything of what he bade her, kept true to her promise, and was led away. And as to the rest, Mercuria, an aged woman of reverend mien, and Dionysia, the mother indeed of many children, who yet did not love them above the Lord, when the governor was ashamed to ply continued torture any longer and to be worsted by women, they were put to death with the sword, having had no further trial of tortures. For Ammonarion, the champion of them all, had undertaken it on behalf of all.

6.41.9

“Ἥρων δὲ καὶ Ἀτὴρ καὶ Ἰσίδωρος Αἰγύπτιοι καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς παιδάριον ὡς πεντεκαιδεκαέτης ὁ Διοσκόρος παρεδόθησαν· καὶ πρῶτον τὸ μειράκιον λόγοις τε ἀπατᾶν ὡς εὐπαράγωγον καὶ βασάνοις καταναγκάζειν ὡς εὐένδοτον πειρωμένου, οὔτ’ ἐπείσθη οὔτ’ εἶξεν ὁ Διοσκόρος· τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ἀγριώτατα καταξήνας, ἐγκαρτερήσαντας πυρὶ καὶ τούτους ἔδωκεν. τὸν δὲ Διόακορον ἐλλαμπρυνάμενόν τε δημοσίᾳ καὶ σοφώτατα πρὸς τὰς ἰδίας πεύσεις ἀποκρινάμενον θαυμάσας, παρῆκεν, ὑπέρθεσιν φήσας εἰς μετάνοιαν αὐτῷ διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν ἐπιμετρεῖν· καὶ νῦν ὁ θεοπρεπέστατος σὺν ἡμῖν ἐστιν Διοσκόρος, εἰς μακρότερον τὸν ἀγῶνα διαρκέστερον μείνας τὸν ἆθλον.

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Hero and Ater and Isidore, Egyptians, and with them a young boy of about fifteen named Dioscorus were delivered up. And at first [the governor] tried to wheedle the lad by words, as one easily led astray, and to compel him by tortures, as one that would easily give in; but Dioscorus neither obeyed nor yielded. The rest he savagely tore in pieces, and, when they endured, committed them also to the flames. But, marvelling at the splendid bearing of Dioscorus in public and the wisest answers he made to his own questions in private, he let him off, saying that he granted him a period of delay to repent, on account of his youth. And now the most godly Dioscorus is with us, having remained for a still longer contest and a more lasting conflict.

6.41.10

“ Νεμεσίων δέ τις, κἀκεῖνος Αἰγύπτιος, ἐσυκοφαντήθη μὲν ὡς δὴ σύνοικος λῃστῶν, δὲ ταύτην παρὰ τῷ ἑκατοντάρχῳ τὴν ἀλλοτριωτάτην διαβολήν, καταμηνυθεὶς ὡς Χριστιανὸς ἧκεν δεαμώτης ἐπὶ τὸν ἡγούμενον· ὁ δὲ ἀδικώτατος διπλαῖς αὐτὸν ἢ τοὺς λῃστὰς ταῖς τε βασάνοις καὶ ταῖς μάστιξιν λυμηνάμενος, τῶν λῃστῶν κατέφλεξεν τιμηθέντα ’τον μακάριον τῷ τοῦ χριστοῦ παραδείγματι.

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A certain Namesion, he also an Egyptian, was falsely accused of consorting with robbers, and when he had cleared himself before the centurion of that charge so foreign to his character, he was informed against as being a Christian, and came bound before the governor. He most unjustly inflicted on him twice as many tortures and scourgings as he did on the robbers, and burnt him between them, thus honouring him, happy man, with a likeness to Christ.

6.41.11

“ Ἀθρόον δέ τι σύνταγμα στρατιωτικόν, Ἄμμων καὶ Ζήνων καὶ Πτολεμαῖος καὶ Ἰγγένης καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς πρεαβύτης Θεόφιλος, εἱστήκεισαν πρὸ τοῦ δικαατηρίου· κρινομένου δή τινος ὡς Χριστιανοῦ καὶ πρὸς ἄρνησιν ἤδη ῥέποντος, ἐπρίοντο παρεστηκότες, καὶ τοῖς τε προσώποις ἐνένευον καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀνέτεινον καὶ συνεσχηματίζοντο τοῖς αώμααιν. ἐπιατροφῆς δὲ πάντων πρὸς αὐτοὺς γενομένης, πρίν τινας αὐτῶν ἄλλως λαβέσθαι φθάσαντες ἐπὶ τὸ βάθρον ἀνέδραμον, εἶναι Χριστιανοὶ λέγοντες, ὡς τόν τε ἡγεμόνα καὶ τοὺς συνέδρους ἐμφόβους γενέσθαι, καὶ τοὺς μὲν εὐθαρσεστάτους ἐφ’ οἷς πείσονται, φαίνεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ δικάζοντας ἀποδειλιᾶν. καὶ οὗτοι μὲν ἐκ δικαστηρίων ἐνεπόμπευσαν καὶ ἠγαλλιάσαντο μαρτυρίᾳ, θριαμβεύοντος αὐτοὺς ἐνδόξως τοῦ θεοῦ.

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A whole band of soldiers, Ammon and Zeno and Ptolemy and Ingenuus, and with them an old man Theophilus, had taken their stand before the court. Now a certain man was being tried as a Christian, and at that moment was inclining towards denial, when these men, standing by, ground their teeth, cast looks at him, stretched out their hands and made gestures with their bodies. And when all turned towards them, before anyone could otherwise seize them, they ran of their own accord to the prisoner’s dock, saying that they were Christians; so that both the governor and his assessors were filled with fear, and those who were on their trial showed themselves very courageous in the face of their future sufferings, while the judges were affrighted. So these men marched from the court in proud procession, exulting in their witness, God spreading abroad their fame gloriously.