Eusebius Book 7, Section 11

Passages / Book 7 / Section 11

7.11.1

XI. περὶ δὲ τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν διωγμοῦ αφοδρότατα πνεύσαντος οἷα σὐν ἑτέροις ὁ αὐτὸς διὰ τὴν εἰς τὸν τῶν ὅλων θεὸν εὐσέβειαν ὑπέατη, δηλώσουσιν αἱ αὐτοῦ φωναὶ ἃς πρὸς Γερμανὸν τῶν κατ’ αὐτὸν ἐπιακόπων κακῶς ἀγορεύειν αὐτὸν πειρώμενον ἀποτεινόμενος, τοῦτον παρατίθεται τὸν τρόπον· “ εἰς ἀφροαύνην δὲ κινδυνεύω πολλὴν καὶ ἀναιαθηαίαν ὄντως ἐμπεαεῖν, εἰς ἀνάγκην συμβιβαζόμενος τοῦ διηγεῖσθαι τὴν θαυμαστὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς οἰκονομίαν τοῦ θεοῦ· ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ μυστήριον ,’ φησίν, ‘ βασιλέως κρύφαι καλόν, τὰ δὲ ἔργα τοῦ θεοῦ ἀνακαλύπτειν ἔνδοξον,’ ὁμόσε χωρήσω τῆ Γερμανοῦ βίᾳ. ἧκον πρὸς Αἰμιλιανόν, οὐ μόνος, ἠκολούθη δέ μοι αυμπρεαβύτερός τέ μου Μάξιμος καὶ διάκονοι Φαῦστος Εὐσέβιος Χαιρήμων, καί τις τῶν ἀπὸ Ῥώμης παρόντων ἀδελφῶν ἡμῖν αυνειαῆλθεν. Αἰμιλιανὸς δὲ οὐκ εἰπέν μοι προγηουμένως ἴ’ μὴ σύναγε.’ περιττὸν γὰρ τοῦτο ἦν αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον, ἐπὶ τὸ πρῶτον ἀνα- τρέχοντι· οὐ γὰρ περὶ τοῦ μὴ συνάγειν ἑτέρους ὁ ΕUsEBIUs λόγος ἦν αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ μηδ’ αὐτοὺς ἡμᾶς εἶναι χριστιανούς, καὶ τούτου προσέταττεν εἰ μεταβαλοίμην ἐγώ, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἕφεαθαί μοι νομίζων. ἀπεκρινάμην δὲ οὐκ ἀπεοικότως ἐοικότως οὐδὲ μακρὰν τοῦ πειθαρχεῖν δεῖ θεῷ μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνθρώποις,’ ἀλλ’ ἄντικρυς διεμαρτυράμην ὅτι τὸν θεὸν τὸν ὄντα μόνον καὶ οὐδένα ἕτερον σέβω οὐδ’ ἂν μεταθείμην οὐδὲ παυσαίμην Χριστιανὸς ὤν. ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐκέλευσεν ἡμᾶς ἀπελθεῖν εἰς κώμην πλησίον τῆς ἐρήμου καλουμένην Κεφρώ.

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XI. But with regard to the storm of persecution that raged fiercely in his day, what the same Dionysius, and others with him, underwent for their piety toward the God of the universe will be made plain by his own words, which he wrote at length against Germanus, one of the bishops of his day, who was attempting to defame him. He makes his statement in the following manner: “But I am in danger of falling, in truth, into great foolishness and stupidity, being forced to the point of compulsion to recount the wonderful dispensation of God concerning us. But since ‘it is good,’ he says, ‘to keep close the secret of a king, but glorious to reveal the works of God,’ I will join issue with Germanus. I came before Aemilianus, not alone, but there followed me my fellow-presbyter Maximus, and deacons Faustus, Eusebius, Chaeremon, and one of the brethren who had come from Rome entered in along with us. And Aemilianus did not lead off with the words, ‘Do not hold assemblies.’ For that would have been superfluous for him to say, and the last thing to be mentioned by one who was going back to the very beginning. For his discourse was not about not assembling others, but about not being Christians ourselves, and from that he ordered me to desist, thinking that if I were to change, the others also would follow me. But I gave a reply that was not inappropriate, nor far from ‘We must obey God rather than men’; yea, I testified outright that I worship the only God and none other, nor would change or ever cease to be a Christian. Thereupon he bade us depart to a village near the desert, called Cephro.

7.11.2

“Αὐτῶν δὲ ἐπακούσατε τῶν ὑπ’ ἁμφοτέρων λεχθέντων ὡς ὑπεμνηματίσθη. εἰσαχθέντων καὶ Φαύατου καὶ Μαξίμου καὶ Μαρκέλλου καὶ Χαιρήμονος Αἰμιλιανὸς διέπων τὴν ἡγεμονίαν εἶπεν· ἴ’ καὶ ἀγράφως ὑμῖν διελέχθην περὶ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας τῶν κυρίων ἡμῶν ᾖ περὶ ὑμᾶς κέχρηνται· δεδώκασιν γὰρ ἐξουσίαν ὑμῖν σωτηρίας, εἰ βούλοισθε ἐπὶ τὸ κατὰ φύσιν τρέπεαθαι καὶ θεοὺς τοὺς σῴζοντας αὐτῶν τὴν βασιλείαν ἐπιΛαθέσθαι δὲ τῶν παρὰ φύσιν. τί οὖν φατὲ πρὸς ταῦτα; οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀχαρίστους ὑμᾶς ἔσεσθαι περὶ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν αὐτῶν προσδοκῶ, ἐπειδήπερ ἐπὶ τὰ βελτίω ὑμᾶς προτρέπονται.’

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“But hear the things themselves that were spoken by both sides, as they were placed on record: When Dionysius and Faustus and Maximus and Marcellus and Chaeremon were brought into court, Aemilianus, the deputy-prefect, said, ‘. . . And verbally I discoursed with you concerning the kindness that our lords have displayed on your behalf. For they gave you the opportunity of safety if ye were willing to turn to that which is according to nature and worship the gods which preserve their empire, and forget those things which are contrary to nature. What, therefore, say ye to these things? For I do not expect that ye will be ungrateful for their kindness, forasmuch as they urge you on to the better course.’

7.11.3

“Διονύσιος ἀπεκρίνατο· ἴ’ οὐ πάντες πάντας προακυνοῦαι θεούς, ἀλλ᾿ ἕκαστοι τινάς, ἕκαστοι οὓς ἡμεῖς τοίνυν τὸν ἕνα θεὸν καὶ δημιουργὸν τῶν ἁπάντων, τὸν καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἐγχειρίσαντα τοῖς θεοφιλεστάτοις Οὐαλεριανῷ καὶ Γαλλιήνῳ Σεβαατοῖς, τοῦτον καὶ σέβομεν καὶ καὶ τούτῳ διηνεκῶς ὑπὲρ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτῶν, ὅπως ἀσάλευτος διαμείνῃ, “Αἰμιλιανὸς διέπων τὴν ἡγεμονίαν αὐτοῖς εἶπεν· ῾τίς γὰρ ὑμᾶς κωλύει καὶ τοῦτον, εἴπερ ἐστὶν θεός, μετὰ τῶν κατὰ φύαιν θεῶν προσκυνεῖν; θεοὺς γὰρ αέβειν ἐκελεύσθητε. καὶ θεοὺς οὓς πάντες ἴσασιν.᾿

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“Dionysius replied: ‘Not all men worship all gods, but each one certain ones; whom therefore we both worship and adore, the one God and maker of all things, who also committed the empire to the Augusti, most highly favoured of God, Valerian and Gallienus; and to him we unceasingly pray for their empire, that it may remain unshaken.’

7.11.4

“Διονύσιος ἀπεκρίνατο· ῾ἡμεῖς οὐδένα ἕτερον προακυνουΥεν .’

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Aemilianus, the deputy-prefect, said to them: ‘And who prevents you from worshipping this also, if he be a god, along with the natural gods? For ye were bidden to worship gods, and gods whom all know.’

7.11.5

“Αἰμιλιανὸς διέπων τὴν ἡγεμονίαν αὐτοῖς εἶπεν· ῾ὁρῶ ὑμᾶς ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀχαρίατους ὄντας καὶ ἀναισθήτους τῆς πρᾳότητος τῶν Σεβαστῶν ἡμῶν· δι᾿ ὅπερ οὐκ ἔαεαθε ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, ἀλλὰ ἀποσταλήαεαθε εἰς τὰ μέρη τῆς Λιβύης καὶ ἐν τόπῳ λεγομένῳ Kεφρώ· τοῦτον γὰρ τὸν τόπον ἐξελεξάμην ἐκ τῆς κελεύσεως τῶν Σεβαατῶν ἡμῶν. οὐδαμῶς δὲ ἐξέσται οὔτε ὑμῖν οὔτε ἄλλοις τισὶν ἢ συνόδους ποιεῖαθαι ἢ εἰς τὰ καλούμενος κοιμητήρια εἰαιέναι. εἰ δέ τις φανείη ἢ μὴ γενόμενος εἰς τὸν τόπον τοῦτον ὃν ἐκέλευσα, ἢ ἐν συναγωγῇ τινι εὑρεθείη, ἑαυτῷ τὸν κίνδυνον ἐπαρτήσει· οὐ γὰρ ἐπιλείψει ἡ δέουσα ἐπιατρέφεια. ἀπόατητε οὗν ὅπου ἐκελεύοθητε.᾿

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“Aemilianus, as governor, said to them: ‘I see that you are at once both ungrateful and insensible to the kindness of our Emperors; and for this reason you shall not remain in this city, but shall be sent away to the parts of Libya and to the place called Cephro; for this place I have selected by command of our Emperors. Moreover, it shall by no means be lawful either for you or for anyone else either to hold meetings or to enter the so-called cemeteries. But if anyone should appear, either not having gone to the place that I ordered, or having been found in some assembly, he will bring danger upon himself; for the necessary supervision will not be lacking. Depart, then, to where you have been ordered.’

7.11.6

“Καὶ νοσοῦντα δέ με κατήπειξεν, οὐδὲ μιᾶς ὑπέρθεαιν δοὺς ἡμέρας. ποίαν οὖν ἔτι τοῦ αυνάγειν ἢ μὴ αυνάγειν εἶχον σχολήν; ’

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“Aemilianus, the deputy-prefect, said to them: ‘I see that ye are at once ungrateful and insensible of the clemency of our Augusti. Wherefore ye shall not be in this city, but ye shall betake yourselves to the parts of Libya and [remain] in a place called Cephro. For this is the place I chose in accordance with the command of our Augusti. And it shall in no wise be permitted either to you or to any others either to hold assemblies or to enter the cemeteries, as they are called. If anyone be proved not to have gone to the place that I commanded, or be found at any assembly, he will bring the peril upon himself, for there shall be no lack of the necessary observation. Be gone therefore whither ye were bidden.'

7.11.7

Eἶτα μεθ᾿ ἕτερά φηαιν· “ἀλλ᾿ οὐδὲ τῆς αἰἡμεῖς μετὰ τοῦ κυρίου αυναγωγῆς ἀπέατημεν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν ἐν τῆ πόλει απουδαιότερον συνεκρότουν ὡς συνών, ἀπὼν μὲν τῷ σώματι,᾿ ὡς εἶπεν, ῾παρὼν δὲ τῷ πνεύματι,᾿ ἐν δὲ τῆ Kεφροῖ καὶ πολλὴ αυνεπεδήμηαεν ἡμῖν ἐκκλησία, τῶν μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως ἀδελφῶν ἑπομένων, τῶν δὲ συνιόντων ἀπ᾿ Αἰγύπτου. κἀκεῖ θύραν ἡμῖν ὁ θεὸς ἀνέῳξεν τοῦ λόγου. καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐδιώχθημεν, ἐλιθοβολήθημεν, ὕατερον δέ τινες οὐκ ὀλίγοι τῶν ἐθνῶν τὰ εἴδωλα καταλιπόντες, ἐπέστρεψαν ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν· οὐ πρότερον δὲ παραδεξαμένοις αὐτοῖς τότε πρῶτον δι’ ἡμῶν ὁ λόγος ἐπεαπάρη, καὶ ὥαπερ τούτου ἕνεκεν ἀπαγαγὼν ἡμᾶς πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ θεός, ἐπεὶ τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην ἐπληρώααμεν, πάλιν ἀπαγήοχεν.

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“And even though I was sick, he hurried me away without granting me a single day’s respite. What spare time had I then remaining either for holding or not holding an assembly?”

7.11.8

“Ὁ γὰρ Αἰμιλιανὸς εἰς τραχυτέρους μέν, ὡς ἐδόκει, καὶ Λιβυκωτέρους ἡμᾶς μεταστῆσαι τόπους ἐκέλευσεν καὶ τοὺς πανταχόσε εἰς τὸν Μαρεώτην ἐκέλευσεν συρρεῖν, κώμας ἑκάστοις τῶν χώραν ἀφορίσας, ἡμᾶς δὲ μᾶλλον ἐν ὁδῷ καὶ πρώτους καταληφθησομένους ἔταξεν. γὰρ δῆλον ὅτι καὶ παρεσκεύαζεν ἵνα ὁπόταν βουληθείη αυλλαβεῖν, πάντας εὐαλώτους ἔχοι. ἐγὼ δὲ ὅτε μὲν εἰς Κεφρὼ κεκελεύαμην ἀπελθεῖν, καὶ τὸν τόπον ἠγνόουν ὅποι ποτὲ οὗτός ἐστιν, οὐδὲ τὸ ὄνομα αχεδὸν πρότερον ἀκηκοώς, καὶ ὅμως εὐθύμως καὶ ἀταράχως ἀπῄειν· ἐπεὶ δὲ μεταακηνώαειν εἰς τὰ Κολλουθίωνος ἀπηγγέλη μοι, ἴσασιν οἱ παρόντες ὅπως διετέθην ἐνταῦθα γὰρ ἐμαυτοῦ κατηγορήσω), τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἠχθέσθην καὶ λίαν ἐχαλέπηνα· καὶ γὰρ εἰ γνωριμώτεροι καὶ συνηθέστεροι ἐτύγχανον ἡμῖν οἱ τόποι, ἔρημον μὲν ἀδελφῶν καὶ σπουδαίων ἀνθρώπων ἔφασκον εἶναι τὸ χωρίον, ταῖς δὲ τῶν ὁδοιπορούντων ἐνοχλήσεσιν καὶ λῃστῶν ἐκκείμενον· ἔτυχον δὲ παραμυθίας, ὑπομνησάντων με τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὅτι γειτνιῴη μᾶλλον τῆ πόλει καὶ ἡ μὲν Κεφρὼ πολλὴν ἡμῖν ἦγεν ἀδελφῶν τῶν ἀπ’ Αἰγύπτου τὴν ἐπιμιξίαν, ὡς πλατύτερον ἐκκλησιάζειν δύνασθαι, ἐκεῖ δέ, πλησιαίτερον οὔσης τῆς πόλεως, συνεχέστερον τῆς τῶν ὄντως καὶ οἰκειοτάτων καὶ φιλτάτων ὄφεως ἀπολαύσομεν· ἀφίξονται γὰρ καὶ ἀναπαύσονται καὶ ὡς ἐν προαστείοις πορρωτέρω κειμένοις κατὰ μέρος ἔσονται αυναγωγαί. καὶ οὕτως ἐγένετο.’’

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Then after other remarks he says: “But we did not abstain from even the visible assembling of ourselves with the Lord; nay, I strove the more earnestly to gather together those in the city, as if I were with them, ‘being absent in body,’ as he said, ‘but present in spirit,’ and at Cephro a large church also sojourned with us, some brethren following us from the city, others joining us from Egypt. And ere God opened unto us a door for the word, and first we were pursued, we were stoned, but afterwards not a few of the heathen left their idols and turned to God. Then for the first time was the word sown through our agency among those who had not formerly received it. It was, as it were, for this that God took us away to them, and, when we had fulfilled this ministry, took us away again.”

7.11.9

καὶ μεθ’ ἕτερα περὶ τῶν συμβεβηκότων αὐτῷ αὖθις ταῦτα γράφει· “πολλαῖς γε ταῖς ὁμολογίαις Γερμανὸς σεμνύνεται, πολλά γε εἰπεῖν ἔχει ἑαυτοῦ γενόμενα· δάας ἀριθμῆσαι δύναται ἡμῶν ἀποφάσεις, δημεύσεις, ἀρχόντων ἁρπαγάς, ἀξιωμάτων ἀποθέσεις, δόξης κοαμικῆς ὀλιγωρίας, ἐπαίνων ἡγεμονικῶν καὶ βουλευτικῶν καταφρονήσεις καὶ τῶν ἐναντίων, ἀπειλῶν καὶ καταβοήσεων καὶ κινδύνων καὶ διωγμῶν καὶ πλάνης καὶ στενοχωρίας καὶ ποικίλης θλίφεως ὑπομονήν, οἷα τὰ ἐπὶ Δεκίου καὶ Σαβίνου αυμβάντα μοι, οἷα μέχρι νῦν Αἰμιλιανοῦ. ποῦ δὲ Γερμανὸς ἐφάνη; τίς δὲ περὶ αὐτοῦ λόγος; ἀλλὰ τῆς πολλῆς ἀφροσύνης, εἰς ἢν ἐμπίπτω διὰ ὑφίεμαι, δι’ ὃ καὶ τὴν καθ’ ἕκαστον γενομένων διήγησιν παρίημι τοῖς εἰδόσιν λέγειν.’’

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“For Aemilianus wished to remove us to rougher, as he thought, and more Libyan-like places, and he made those [who were scattered] in every direction to stream together to the Mareotian [nome], assigning separate villages in the district for each party; but us he posted more on the road, so that we should be the first to be arrested. For he evidently was managing and arranging it, that, whenever he wished to seize us, he might find us all easy of capture. As for me, when I had been bidden to depart to Cephro, I did not even know in what direction the place lay, scarcely having heard so much as the name before; nevertheless I departed with a good grace and made no disturbance. But when it was told me that I was removed to the parts of Colluthion, those who were present know how I was affected (for here I shall be my own accuser): at first I was vexed and exceedingly angry; for although the places happened to be better known and more familiar to us, yet it was reported that the district was without brethren or persons of good character, and exposed besides to annoyances of travellers and incursions of robbers. But I found encouragement when the brethren reminded me that it was nearer the city, and that, while Cephro used to bring us much intercourse with brethren from Egypt, so that there was a wider area from which to gather a congregation, yet there, from the nearer position of the city, we should enjoy seeing more constantly those really beloved and most intimate and dear. They would come, they said, and stay the night, and, as in the more remote suburban districts, there would be sectional assemblies. And so it proved.”

7.11.10

Ὁ δ’ αὐτὸς καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Δομέτιον καὶ Δίδυμον ἐπιστολῇ τῶν ἀμφὶ τὸν διωγμὸν αὖθις ἐν τούτοις· “τοὺς δὲ ἡμετέρους πολλούς τε ὄντας καὶ ἀγνῶτας ὑμῖν, περισσὸν ὀνομαστὶ πλὴν ἴστε ὅτι ἄνδρες καὶ γυναῖκες, καὶ νέοι καἰ γέροντες, καὶ κόραι καὶ πρεσβύτιδες, καὶ στρατιῶται καὶ ἰδιῶται, καὶ πᾶν γένος καὶ πᾶσα ἡλικία, οἱ μὲν διὰ μαστίγων καὶ πυρός, οἱ δὲ διὰ αιδήρου τὸν ἀγῶνα νικήσαντες, τοὺς στεφάνους ἀπειλήφασιν· τοῖς δὲ οὐ πάμπολυς αὐτάρκης ἀπέβη χρόνος εἰς τὸ φανῆναι δεκτοὺς τῷ κυρίῳ, ὥαπερ οὖν ἔοικεν μηδὲ ἐμοὶ μέχρι νῦν, διόπερ εἰς ὃν οἶδεν ἐπιτήδειον καιρὸν ὑπερέθετό με ὁ λέγων καιρῷ δεκτῷ ἐπήκουσά ἀοῦ, καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σωτηρίας ἐβοήθησά σοι.' τὰ γὰρ καθ’ ἡμᾶς ἐπειδὴ καὶ βούλεσθε δηλωθῆναι ὑμῖν ὅπως δι’· ἄγομεν, ἠκούσατε μὲν πάντως ὅπως ἡμᾶς δεσμώτας ἀγομένους ὑπὸ ἑκατοντάρχου καὶ στρατηγῶν καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτοῖς ατρατιωτῶν καὶ ὑπηρετῶν, ἑ μέ τε καὶ Γάϊον καὶ φαῦστον καὶ Πέτρον Παῦλον, ἐπελθόντες τινὲς τῶν Μαρεωτῶν, ἄκοντας καὶ μηδὲ ἑπομένους, βίᾳ τε καὶ σὐροντες, ἐγὼ δὲ νῦν καὶ Γάϊος καὶ Πέτρος μόνοι, τῶν ἄλλων ἀδελφῶν ἀπορφανισθέντες, ἐν καὶ αὐχμηρῷ τῆς Λιβύης τόπῳ κατακεκλείσμεθα, τριῶν ὁδὸν ἡμερῶν τοῦ Παραιτονίου διεστηκότες.

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And, after other remarks with reference to what happened to him, he writes again as follows: “Many, to be sure, are the confessions on which Germanus prides himself, many the happenings to his hurt of which he has to tell—even all the things that he makes a list of as regards us: sentences, confiscations, proscriptions, spoiling of possessions, losses of dignities, despisings of worldly glory, disdainings of commendations and the reverse from prefect and council, endurance of threats, outcries, perils, persecutions, wanderings, anguish and divers tribulations, such as happened to me under Decius and Sabinus, up to the present time under Aemilianus. But where did Germanus appear? What talk was there about him? But I must cease from the great folly into which I am falling on account of Germanus; wherefore also I forbear to give in detail to the brethren who know them an account of the events."

7.11.11

καὶ ὑποκαταβάς φησιν· “ἐν δὲ τῇ πόλει καταδεδύκασιν ἀφανῶς ἐπισκεπτόμενοι τοὺς ἀδελφούς, πρεσβύτεροι μὲν Μάξιμος Διόσκορος Λούκιος· οἱ γὰρ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ προφανέστεροι Φαυστῖνος καὶ Ἀκύλας ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ διάκονοι δὲ οἱ μετὰ τοὺς ἐν τῇ νήσῳ ὑπολειφθέντες Φαῦστος Εὐσέβιος Εὐαέβιος, ὃν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὁ θεὸς ἐνεδυνάμωσεν παρεσκεύασεν τὰς ὑπηρεσίας τῶν ἐν ταῖς φυλακαῖς γενομένων ὁμολογητῶν ἐναγωνίως ἀποπληροῦν καὶ τὰς τῶν σωμάτων περιστολὰς τῶν τελείων καὶ μακαρίων μαρτύρων οὐκ ἀκινδύνως ἐκτελεῖν· καὶ γὰρ μέχρι νῦν οὐκ ἀνίησιν ὁ ἡγούμενος τοὺς μὲν ἀναιρῶν, ὡς προεῖπον, ὠμῶς τῶν προσαγομένων, ἀγομένων, τοὺς δὲ βασάνοις καταξαίνων, τοὺς φυλακαῖς καὶ δεαμοῖς ἐκτήκων προστάσσων τε μηδένα τούτοις προσιέναι καὶ ἀνερευνῶν μή τις φανείη, καὶ ὅμως ὁ θεὸς τῆ προθυμίᾳ καὶ λιπαρίᾳ τῶν ἀδελφῶν διαναπαύει τοὺς πεπιεσμένους.

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The same Dionysius, in the letter also to Domitius and Didymus, mentions again the happenings of the persecution, as follows: “But it is superfluous to recount by name our people, since they are numerous and unknown to you. Only understand that men and women, both old men and lads, both girls and aged women, both soldiers and civilians, both every race and every age, some enduring scourgings and fire, others the sword, conquered in the fight and have received their crowns. But in the case of some, a very long time was not sufficient to show them acceptable to the Lord, as indeed it is still seemingly not sufficient in my case; wherefore I have been put off, until that suitable time that He knows, by Him that saith: ‘At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, and in a day of salvation did I succour thee.’ For since ye make inquiries as to our affairs and desire to be told how we pass our time, ye have heard of course how that when we were being led away prisoners by a centurion and duumvirs with their soldiers and servants—I and Gaius and Faustus and Peter and Paul—certain men of the nome of Marea, up, dragged us by force and carried us away, willy-nilly and in the face of our refusal to follow them. And now I and Gaius and Peter only, bereft of the other brethren, have been shut up in a lonely, parched spot in Libya, a three-days’ journey from Paraetonium.”

7.11.12

καὶ τοσαῦτα μὲν ὁ Διονύσιος. ἰατέον δὲ ὡς ὁ μὲν Εὐσέβιος, ὃν διάκονον προσεῖπεν, σμικρὸν ὕστερον ἐπίσκοπος τῆς κατὰ Συρίαν Λαοδικείας καθἱσταται, ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος, ὃν τότε πρεσβύτερον εἴρηκεν, μετ’ αὐτὸν Διονύσιον τὴν λειτουργίαν τῶν κατ’ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ἀδελφῶν διαδέχεται, Φαῦστος δέ, ὁ σὺν αὐτῷ τηνικάδε διαπρέψας ἐν μέχρι τοῦ καθ’ ὑμᾶς διωγμοῦ φυλαχθείς, γηραιὸς κομιδῇ καὶ πλήρης ἡμερῶν καθ’ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς μαρτυρίῳ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποτμηθεὶς τελειοῦται.

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And a little further down he says: “But in the city there have concealed themselves, secretly visiting the brethren, of the presbyters Maximus, Dioscorus, Demetrius, Lucius. For those who are better known in the world, Faustinus and Aquila, are wandering about in Egypt. As to the deacons, they who survived those that died in the island are Faustus, Eusebius, Chaeremon: that Eusebius, whom from the beginning God strengthened and prepared to endure with all energy the services to the confessors who were in prison, and at no small risk to perform the task of laying out the corpses of the blessed and perfect martyrs. For even to this day the prefect does not cease from putting to a cruel death, as I have said before, those who are brought before him, while others he mutilates with tortures, or allows to pine away in imprisonment and chains, giving his orders that no one is to go near them, and investigating whether any has been found so doing; nevertheless God gives some respite to those who are sorely pressed, through the zeal and steadfastness of the brethren.”

7.11.13

Ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν κατ’ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ τῷ συμβάντα τοιαῦτα.

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Such is the account given by Dionysius. It should be observed, however, that Eusebius, whom he calls a deacon, shortly afterwards was appointed bishop of Laodicea in Syria; and Maximus, of whom he speaks as a presbyter then, succeeded Dionysius himself in his ministry to the brethren in Alexandria; but that Faustus, who along with him was distinguished at that time for his confession, was preserved until the persecution in our day, and, when quite an old man and full of days, was perfected by martyrdom in our own time, being beheaded.