Eusebius Book 7, Section 30

7.30.1

XXX. Μίαν δὴ οὖν ἐκ κοινῆς γνώμης οἱ ἐπὶ ταὐτὸν συγκεκροτημένοι ποιμένες διαχαράξαντες ἐπιστολὴν εἰς πρόσωπον τοῦ τε 'Ρωμαίων ἐπισκόπου Διονυσίου καὶ Μαξίμου τοῦ κατ’ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ἐπὶ πάσας διαπέμπονται τὰς ἐπαρχίας, τὴν αὐτῶν τε σπουδὴν τοῖς πᾶσιν φανερὰν καθιστάντες καὶ τοῦ Παύλου τὴν διάστροφον ἑτεροδοξίαν, ἐλέγχους τε καὶ ἐρωτήσεις ἃς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἄνα· κεκινήκασιν, καὶ ἔτι τὸν πάντα βίον τε καὶ τρόπον τοῦ ἀνδρὸς διηγούμενοι· ἐξ ὧν μνήμης ἕνεκεν καλῶς ἂν ἔχοι ταύτας αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος διελθεῖν τὰς φωνάς·

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XXX. The pastors, then, who had been assembled together, indited unanimously a single letter personally to Dionysius, bishop of Rome, and Maximus of Alexandria, and sent it throughout all the provinces. In it they made manifest to all their zeal, and also the perverse heterodoxy of Paul, as well as the arguments and questions that they addressed to him; and moreover they described the man’s whole life and conduct. From which, by way of memorial, it may be well on the present occasion to give an account of these their utterances.

7.30.2

“Διονυσίῳ καὶ Μαξίμῳ καὶ τοῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην πᾶσιν αυλλειτουργοῖς ἡμῶν ἐπισκόποις καὶ πρεσβυτέροις καὶ διακόνοις καὶ πάσῃ τῆ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν καθολικῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Ἕλενος καὶ Ὑμέναιος καὶ Θεόφιλος καὶ Θεότεκνος καὶ Μάξιμος Πρόκλος Νικομᾶς καὶ Αἰλιανὸς καὶ Παῦλος καὶ Βωλανὸς καὶ Πρωτογενὴς καὶ Ἱέραξ καὶ Εὐτύχιος καὶ Θεόδωρος καὶ Μαλχίων καὶ Λούκιος καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ πάντες οἱ σὺν ἡμῖν παροικοῦντες τὰς ἐγγὺς πόλεις καὶ ἔθνη ἐπίσκοποι καὶ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ διάκονοι καὶ αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τοῦ θεοῦ ἀγαπητοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν κυρίῳ χαίρειν."

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To Dionysius and Maximus and to all our fellow ministers throughout the world, bishops, presbyters and deacons, and to the whole Catholic Church under heaven, Helenus and Hymenaeus and Theophilus, Theotecnus and Maximus, Proclus, Nicomas and Aelianus and Paul and Bolanus and Protogenes and Hierax and Eutychius and Theodore and Malchion and Lucius and all the others who, with us, sojourn in the adjacent cities and provinces, bishops and presbyters and deacons and the churches of God, beloved brethren in the Lord, send greeting.

7.30.3

τούτοις μετὰ βραχέα ἐπιλέγουσιν ταῦτα· “ἐπεστέλλομεν δὲ ἅμα καὶ παρεκαλοῦμεν πολλοὺς καὶ τῶν μακρὰν ἐπισκόπων ἐπὶ τὴν θεραπείαν τῆς θανατηφόρου διδασκαλίας, ὥσπερ καὶ Διονύσιον τὸν ἐπὶ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας καὶ Φιρμιλιανὸν τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς Καππαδοκίας, τοὺς μακαρίτας· ὧν δ’ μὲν καὶ ἐπέστειΛεν εἰς τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν, τὸν ἡγεμόνα τῆς πλάνης οὐδὲ προσρήσεως ἀξιώσας οὐδὲ πρὸς πρόσωπον γραφὰς αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ τῆ παροικίᾳ πάση, ἧς καὶ τὸ ἀντίγραφον ὑπετάξαμεν· ὁ δὲ Φιρμιλιανός, καὶ δὶς ἀφικόμενος, κατέγνω μὲν τῶν ὑπ’ ἐκείνου καινοτομουμένων, μένων, ὡς ἴσμεν καὶ μαρτυροῦμεν οἱ παραγενόμενοι καὶ ἄλλοι πολλοὶ συνίσασιν, ἐπαγγειλαμένου δὲ μεταθήσεσθαι, πιστεύσας καὶ ἐλπίσας ἄνευ τινὸς περὶ τὸν λόγον λοιδορίας τὸ πρᾶγμα εἰς δέον καταστήσεσθαι, ἀνεβάλετο, παρακρουσθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ καὶ τὸν θεὸν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ κύριον ἀρνουμένου καὶ τὴν πίστιν, ἢν καὶ αὐτὸς πρότερον εἶχεν, μὴ φυλάξαντος. ἔμελλεν δὲ καὶ νῦν ὁ Φιρμιλιανὸς εἰς τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν διαβήσεσθαι καὶ μέχρι γε Ταρσῶν ἧκεν, ἅτε τῆς ἀρνησιθέου κακίας αὐτοῦ πεῖραν εἰληφώς· ἀλλὰ γὰρ μεταξύ, συνεληλυθότων ἡμῶν καὶ καλούντων καὶ ἀναμενόντων, ἄχρι ἄν ἔλθῃ, τέλος ἔσχεν τοῦ βίου."

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A little further on they proceed thus: “And we wrote, inviting many even of the bishops at a distance to come and heal this deadly doctrine, as for example both Dionysius at Alexandria and Firmilian of Cappadocia, those blessed men. The former of these wrote to Antioch, [not to the bishop,] neither deeming the leader of the heresy worthy of being addressed nor writing to him personally, but to the whole community; of which letter also we subjoin a copy. Firmilian, on the other hand, even came twice, and condemned Paul’s new-fangled ideas, as we who were present know and bear witness, and many others know as well; but, on his promising to change, he adjourned the [proceedings], hoping and believing that the matter would be fittingly concluded without any reproach to the Word; for he was deceived by him who both denied his God and Lord, and also did not preserve the faith that he himself formerly held. And Firmilian was now again on his way to cross over to Antioch, and had got as far as Tarsus, for he had had experience of the villainy of this denier of God. But while we had come together and were actually calling him and awaiting his arrival, in the midst of it all he reached life's end.”

7.30.4

Μεθ’ ἕτερα δ’ αὖθις τὸν βίον τοῦ αὐτοῦ οἵας ἐτύγχανεν ἀγωγῆς, διαγράφουσιν ἐν τούτοις. “ὅπου δὲ ἀποστὰς τοῦ κανόνος, ἐπὶ κίβδηλα καὶ νόθα διδάγματα μετελήλυθεν, οὐδὲν δεῖ τοῦ ἔξω ὄντος τὰς πράξεις κρίνειν, οὐδ’ ὅτι πρότερον πένης ὢν καὶ πτωχὸς καὶ μήτε παρὰ πατέρων παραλαβὼν εὐπορίαν μήτε ἐκ τέχνης ἤ τινος ἐπιτηδεύματος κτησάμενος, νῦν εἰς ὑπερβάλλοντα πλοῦτον ἐλήλακεν ἐξ ἀνομιῶν καὶ ἱεροσυλιῶν καὶ ὧν αἰτεῖ καὶ σείει τοὺς ἀδελφούς, καταβραβεύων τοὺς ἀδικουμένους καὶ ὑπισχνούμενος βοηθήσειν μισθοῦ, ψευδόμενος δὲ καὶ τούτους καὶ μάτην καρπούμενος τὴν τῶν ἐν πράγμασιν ὄντων ἑτοιμότητα τὸ διδόναι ὑπὲρ ἀπαλλαγῆς τῶν ἐνοχλούντων, πορισμὸν ἡγούμενος τὴν θεοσέβειαν. οὔτε ὡς φρονεῖ φρονεῖ καὶ ὑπερῆρται, κοσμικὰ ἀξιώματα ὑποδυόμενος καὶ δουκηνάριος μᾶλλον ἢ ἐπίσκοπος θέλων καλεῖσθαι καὶ σομβῶν κατὰ τὰς ἀγορὰς καὶ ἐπιστολὰς ἀναγινώσκων καὶ ὑπαγορεύων ἅμα βαδίζων δημοσίᾳ καὶ δορυφορούμενος, τῶν μὲν προπορευομένων, τῶν δ’ ἐφεπομένων, πολλῶν τὸν ἀριθμόν, ὡς καὶ τὴν πίστιν φθονεῖσθαι καὶ μισεῖσθαι διὰ τὸν ὄγκον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν τῆς καρδίας· οὔτε τὴν ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησιαστικαῖς συνόδοις τερατείαν, ἢν μηχανᾶται, δοξοκοπῶν καὶ φαντασιοκοπῶν καὶ τὰς τῶν ἀκεραιοτέρων ψυχὰς τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐκπλήττων, βῆμα μὲν καὶ θρόνον ἑαυτῷ ἑαυτῷ κατασκευασάμενος, οὐχ ὡς Χριστοῦ μαθητής, σήκρητόν τε, ὥσπερ οἱ τοῦ κόσμου ἄρχοντες, ἔχων τε καὶ ὀνομάζων, παίων τε τῆ χειρὶ τὸν μηρὸν καὶ τὸ βῆμα ἀράττων τοῖς ποσὶν καὶ τοῖς μὴ ἐπαινοῦσιν μηδὲ ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς θεάτροις κατασείουσιν ταῖς ὀθόναις μηδ’ ἐκβοῶσίν τε καὶ ἀναπηδῶσιν κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς ἀμφ’ αὐτὸν στασιώταις, ἀνδράσιν τε καὶ γυναίοις, ἀκόσμως οὕτως ἀκροωμένοις, τοῖς δ’ οὗν ὡς ἐν οἴκῳ θεοῦ σεμνοπρεπῶν καὶ εὐτάκτως ἀκούουσιν ἐπιτιμῶν καὶ ἐνυβρίζων καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἀπελθόντας ἐκ τοῦ βίου τούτου παροινῶν ἐξηγητὰς τοῦ λόγου φορτικῶς ἐν τῷ κοινῷ καὶ μεγαλορημονῶν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ, καθάπερ οὐκ ἐπίσκοπος ἀλλὰ σοφιστὴς καὶ γόης· ψαλμοὺς δὲ τοὺς μὲν εἰς τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν παύσας ὡς δὴ νεωτέρους καὶ νεωτέρων ἀνδρῶν συγγράμματα, εἰς ἑαυτὸν δὲ ἐν μέσῃ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῆ μεγάλη τοῦ πάσχα ἡμέρᾳ ψαλμῳδεῖν γυναῖκας παρασκευάζων, ὧν καὶ ἀκούσας ἄν τις φρίξειεν· οἷα καὶ τοὺς θωπεύοντας αὐτὸν ἐπισκόπους τῶν ὁμόρων ἀγρῶν τε καὶ πόλεων καὶ πρεσβυτέρους ἐν ταῖς πρὸς τὸν λαὸν ὁμιλίαις καθίησιν διαλέγεσθαι· τὸν μὲν γὰρ υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ οὐ βούλεται συνομολογεῖν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κατεληλυθέναι (ἵνα προλαβόντες τῶν μελλόντων γραφήσεσθαι θῶμεν, καὶ τοῦτο οὐ λόγῳ ψιλῷ ῥηθήσεται, ἀλλ’ ἐξ ὧν ἐπέμψαμεν ὑπομνημάτων δείκνυται πολλαχόθεν, οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ ὅπου λέγει Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν κάτωθεν), οἱ δὲ εἰς αὐτὸν ψάλλοντες καὶ ἐγκωμιάζοντες ἐν τῷ λαῷ ἄγγελον τὸν ἀσεβῆ διδάσκαλον ἑαυτῶν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κατεληλυθέναι λέγουσιν, καὶ ταῦτα οὐ κωλύει, ἀλλὰ καὶ λεγομένοις πάρεστιν ὁ ὑπερήφανος· τὰς δὲ συνεισάκτους αὐτοῦ γυναῖκας, ὡς Ἀντιοχεῖς ὀνομάζουσιν, καὶ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ διακόνων, οἷς καὶ τοῦτο καὶ τὰ ὤα ἁμαρτήματα ἀνίατα ὄντα συγκρύπτει, συνειδὼς καὶ ἐλέγξας, ὅπως αὐτοὺς ὑπόχρεως ἔχῃ, περὶ ὧν λόγοις καὶ ἔργοις ἀδικεῖ, μὴ τολμῶντας κατηγορεῖν τῷ καθ’ ἑαυτοὺς φόβῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλουσίους ἀπέφηνεν, ἐφ’ ᾧ πρὸς τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα ζηλούντων φιλεῖται καὶ θαυμάζεται—τί ἂν ταῦτα γράφοιμεν; ἐπιστάμεθα δέ, ἀγαπητοί, ὅτι τὸν ἐπίσκοπον καὶ τὸ ἱερατεῖον ἅπαν παράδειγμα εἶναι δεῖ τῷ πλήθει πάντων καλῶν ἔργων, καὶ οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνο ἀγνοοῦμεν ὅσοι ὑπὸ τοῦ συνεισάγειν ἑαυτοῖς γυναῖκας ἐξέπεσον, οἳ δ’ ὑπωπτεύθησαν, ὥστ’ εἰ καὶ δοίη τις αὐτῷ τὸ μηδὲν ἀσελγὲς ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ τήν γε ὑπόνοιαν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ τοιούτου πράγματος φυομένην ἐχρῆν εὐλαβηθῆναι, μή τινα σκανδαλίσῃ, τοὺς δὲ καὶ μιμεῖσθαι προτρέψῃ. πῶς γὰρ ἂν ἐπιπλήξειεν ἢ νουθετήσειεν ἕτερον μὴ συγκαταβαίνειν ἐπὶ πλέον εἰς ταὐτὸν γυναικί, μὴ ὀλίσθῃ, φυλαττόμενον, ὡς γέγραπται, ὅστις μίαν μὲν ἀπέστησεν ἤδη, δύο δὲ ἀκμαζούσας καἰ εὐπρεπεῖς τὴν ὄφιν ἔχει μεθ’ ἑαυτοῦ, κάν ἀπίη που, συμπεριφέρει, καὶ ταῦτα τρυφῶν καὶ ὑπερεμπιμπλάμενος; ὧν ἕνεκα στενάζουσι μὲν καὶ ὀδύπονται πάντες καθ’ ἑαυτούς, οὕτω δὲ τὴν τυραννίδα καὶ δυναστείαν αὐτοῦ πεφόβηνται, ὥστε κατηγορεῖν μὴ τολμᾶν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μέν, ὡς προειρήκαμεν, εὔθυνεν ἄν τις ἄνδρα τὸ γοῦν φρόνημα καθολικὸν ἔχοντα καὶ συγκαταριθμούμενον ἡμῖν, τὸν δ’ ἐξορχησάμενον τὸ μυστήριον καὶ ἐμπομεπεύσαντα τῆ μιαρᾷ αἱρέσει τῇ Ἀρτεμᾶ (τί γὰρ οὐ χρὴ μόλις τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ δηλῶσαι;) οὐδὲν δεῖν ἡγούμεθα τούτων τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἀπαιτεῖν."

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Again, after other remarks they describe the manner of his life, in the following terms: “But he departed from the canon [of truth], and has turned aside to spurious and bastard doctrines, we are under no obligation to judge the actions of him that is without, not even because, though he was formerly poor and penniless, neither having received a livelihood from his fathers nor having got it from a trade or any occupation, he has come to possess abundant wealth, as a result of lawless deeds and sacrilegious plunderings and extortions exacted from the brethren by threats; for he deprives the injured of their rights, and promises to help them for money, yet breaks his word with these also, and with a light heart makes his harvest out of the readiness of persons engaged in lawsuits to make an offer, for the sake of being rid of those that trouble them; seeing that he considers that godliness is a way of gain. Neither [do we judge him] because he sets his mind on high things and is lifted up, clothing himself with worldly honours and wishing to be called ducenarius rather than bishop, and struts in the market-places, reading and dictating letters as he walks in public, and attended by a bodyguard, some preceding, some following, and that too in numbers: with the result that the faith is ill thought of and hated because of his conceit and the overweening pride of his heart. Nor [do we judge] the quackery in church assemblies that he devises, courting popularity and posing for appearance’s sake, and thus astonishing the minds of the simpler folk, with the tribunal and lofty throne that he prepared for himself, not befitting a disciple of Christ, and the secretum which, in imitation of the rulers of the world, he has and so styles. Also, he smites his hand on his thigh and stamps the tribunal with his feet; and those who do not applaud or wave their handkerchiefs, as in a theatre, or shout out and jump up in the same way as do the men and dainty women who are his partisans and hearken in this disorderly fashion, but who listen, as in God’s house, with orderly and becoming reverence,—these he rebukes and insults. And towards the interpreters of the word who have departed this life he behaves in an insolent and ill-bred fashion in the common assembly, and brags about himself as though he were not a bishop but a sophist and charlatan. And as to psalms, he put a stop to those addressed to our Lord Jesus Christ, on the ground that they are modern and the compositions of modern men, but he trains women to sing hymns to himself in the middle of the church on the great day of the Pascha, which would make one shudder to hear. Such also is the kind of discourse that he permits the bishops of the neighbouring country and towns, who fawn upon him, and the presbyters as well, to deliver in their sermons to the people. For he is not willing to acknowledge with us that the Son of God has come down from heaven (to anticipate something of what we are about to write; and this will not be merely asserted, but is proved from many passages of the notes that we send, and not least where he says that Jesus Christ is from below); while they who sing psalms to him and utter his praises in the congregation say that their impious teacher has come down an angel from heaven. And he does not prevent this, but is even present when such things are said, arrogant fellow that he is. And as to the subintroductae, as the Antiochenes call them, his own and those of the presbyters and deacons in his company, with whom he joins in concealing both this and the other incurable sins (though he knows of, and has convicted, them), that he may have them under obligation to him, and that they may not dare, through fear for themselves, to accuse him of his misdemeanours in word and deed; yea, he has even made them rich, for which cause he is beloved and admired by those who affect such conduct — why should we write of these things? But we know, beloved, that the bishop and the priesthood as a whole should be a pattern to the people of all good works; and we are not ignorant of this: how many have fallen through procuring subintroductae for themselves, while others are under suspicion; so that even if it be granted that he does nothing licentious, yet he ought at least to guard against the suspicion that arises from such a practice, lest he cause someone to stumble, and induce others also to imitate him. For how could he rebuke another, or counsel him not to consort any further with a woman and so guard against a slip, as it is written, seeing that he has sent one away already, and has two in his company in the flower of youth and beauty, and even if he go away anywhere, he brings them around with him, living all the while in luxury and surfeiting? Wherefore, though all groan and lament in private, so fearful have they become of his tyranny and power, that they dare not accuse him. Yet, as we have said before, one might call to account for these matters a man who has at any rate a catholic mind and is numbered along with us; but as for one who burlesqued the mystery, and strutted about in the abominable heresy of Artemas (for why should we not bring ourselves to declare his father?)—from such a one we think that we are under no obligation to demand a reckoning for these things.”

7.30.5

Εἶτ᾿ ἐπὶ τέλει τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ταῦτ᾿ ἐπιλέγουσιν. ἠναγκάσθημεν οὖν ἀντιτασσόμενον αὐτὸν τῷ θεῷ καὶ μὴ εἴκοντα ἐκκηρύξαντες, ἕτερον ἀντ’ αὐτοῦ τῇ καθολικῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ καταστῆσαι ἐπίσκοοπον, θεοῦ προνοίᾳ ὡς πεπείσμεθα, τὸν τοῦ μακαρίου Δημητριανοῦ καὶ ἐπιφανῶς προστάντος πρὸ τούτου τῆς αὐτῆς παροικίας υἱὸν Δόμνον, ἅπασιν τοῖς πρέπουσιν ἐπισκόπῳ καλοῖς κεκοσμημένον, ἐδηλώσαμέν τε ὑμῖν, ὅπως τούτῳ γράφητε καὶ παρὰ τούτου τὰ κοινωνικὰ δέχησθε γράμματα· τῷ δὲ Ἀρτεμᾷ οὗτος ἐπιστελλέτω καὶ οἱ τὰ Αρτεμᾶ φρονοῦντες τούτῳ κοινωνείτωσαν."

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Then at the close of the letter they add as follows:

7.30.6

Τοῦ δὴ οὗν Παύλου σὺν καὶ τῇ τῆς πίστεως ὀρθοδοξίᾳ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἀποπεπτωκότος, Δόμνος, ὡς εἴρηται, τὴν λειτουργίαν τῆς κατὰ Ἀντιόχειαν ἐκκλησίας διεδέξατο· ἀλλὰ γὰρ μηδαμῶς ἐκστῆναι τοῦ Παύλου τοῦ τῆς ἐκκλησίας οἴκου θέλοντος, βασιλεὺς ἐντευχθεὶς Αὐρηλιανὸς αἰσιώτατα περὶ τοῦ πρακτέου διείληφεν, τούτοις νεῖμαι προστάττων τὸν οἶκον, οἷς ἂν οἱ κατὰ τὴν Ἰταλίαν καὶ τὴν ‘Ρωμαίων πόλιν ἐπίσκοποι τοῦ δόγματος ἐπιστέλλοιεν. οὕτω δῆτα ὁ προδηλωθεὶς ἀνὴρ μετὰ τῆς ἐσχάτης αἰσχύνης ὑπὸ τῆς κοσμικῆς ἀρχῆς ἐξελαύνεται τῆς ἐκκλησίας.

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“We were compelled therefore, as he opposed himself to God and refused to yield, to excommunicate him, and appoint another bishop in his stead for the Catholic Church [choosing], by the providence of God, as we are persuaded, Domnus the son of the blessed Demetrian, who formerly presided with distinction over the same community; he is adorned with all the noble qualities suitable for a bishop, and we notify [this his appointment] unto you that ye may write to him, and from him receive letters of communion. But let this fellow write to Artemas, and let those who side with Artemas hold communion with him.”

7.30.7

τοιοῦτος μέν γέ τις ἢν τὸ τηνικάδε περὶ ἡμᾶς ὁ Αὐρηλιανός, προϊούσης δ’ αὐτῷ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἀλλοῖόν τι περὶ ἡμῶν φρονήσας, ἤδη τισὶν βουλαῖς, ὡς ἂν διωγμὸν καθ’ ἡμῶν ἐγείρειεν, ἀνεκινεῖτο, πολύς τε ἦν ὁ παρὰ πᾶσιν περὶ τούτου λόγος· μέλλοντα δὲ ἤδη καὶ σχεδὸν εἰπεῖν τοῖς καθ’ ἡμῶν γράμμασιν ὑποσημειούμενον θεία μέτεισιν δίκη, μόνον οὐχὶ ἐξ ἀγκώνων τῆς ἐγχειρήσεως αὐτὸν ἀποδεσμοῦσα λαμπρῶς τε τοῖς πᾶσιν συνορᾶν παριστῶσα ὡς οὔποτε γένοιτ’ ἂν ῥᾳστώνη τοῖς τοῦ βίου ἄρχουσιν κατὰ τῶν τοῦ χριστοῦ ἐκκλησιῶν, μὴ οὐχὶ τῆς ὑπερμάχου χειρὸς θείᾳ καὶ οὐρανίῳ κρίσει παιδείας ἕνεκα καὶ ἐπιστροφῆς, καθ’ οὓς ἂν αὐτὴ δοκιμάζοι καιρούς, τοῦτ’ ἐπιτελεῖσθαι συγχωρούσης. ἔτεσι γοῦν ἓξ κρατήσαντα τὸν Αὐρηλιανὸν διαδέχεται Πρόβος, καὶ τοῦτον δέ που τοῖς ἴσοις ἐπικατασχόντα Κᾶρος παισὶν Καρίνῳ καὶ Νουμεριανω, πάλιν τ’ αὖ τούτων οὐδ’ ὅλοις τρισὶν ἐνιαυτοῖς διαγενομένων, μέτεισιν τὰ τῆς ἡγεμονίας Διοκλητιανὸν καὶ τοὺς μετ’ αὐτὸν εἰσποιηθέντας, ἐφ’ ὧν ὁ καθ’ ἡμᾶς συντελεῖται διωγμὸς καὶ ἢ κατ’ αὐτὸν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν καθαίρεσις.

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Such, then, was Aurelian at that time toward us; but as his reign advanced, he conceived some other design against us, and was already stirring up certain plans, as though he might raise a persecution against us. There was much talk everywhere about this; but as he was now on the point of acting, and, so to speak, was already being marked out by the letters against us, divine justice overtook him, almost loosing him from the very grasp of his undertaking and setting him forth before all to see clearly that there could never be any ease for the rulers of this life in their attacks on the churches of Christ, unless the hand above, by divine and heavenly judgment, should allow this to be accomplished for the sake of correction and conversion, at whatever times it might judge best. For after Aurelian had ruled six years, Probus succeeded him; and after Probus, having held power for the same period, Carus, with his sons Carinus and Numerianus, took over; and then, when these too had not lasted even three full years, the government passed to Diocletian and those adopted with him, under whom our persecution was brought to completion and, as it were, the destruction of the churches.

7.30.8

Ἀλλὰ γὰρ μικρῷ τούτου πρότερον τὸν ἐπὶ Ῥώμης ἐπίσκοπον Διονύσιον ἔτεσιν ἐννέα διελθόντα τὴν λειτουργίαν διαδέχεται Φῆλιξ.

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such indeed was the disposition of Aurelian towards us at that time. But as his reign advanced, he changed his mind with regard to us, and was now being moved by certain counsels to stir up persecution against us; and there was great talk about this on all sides. But as he was just on the point of so doing and was putting, one might almost say, his signature to the decrees against us, the divine Justice visited him, and pinioned his arms, so to speak, to prevent his undertaking. Thus it was clearly shown for all to see that the rulers of this world would never find it easy to proceed against the churches of Christ, unless the hand which champions us were to permit this to be done, as a divine and heavenly judgement to chasten and turn us, at whatsoever times it should approve. At all events, when Aurelian had reigned for six years, he was succeeded by Probus. He held the government for something like the same number of years, and Carus with his sons Carinus and Numerianus succeeded him; and when they in their turn had remained in office for not three entire years, the government devolved on Diocletian and on those who were brought in after him; and under them was accomplished the persecution of our day and the destruction of the churches therein. But a short time before this, Felix succeeded in the ministry Dionysius, bishop of Rome, who had completed nine years.