Historia Ecclesiastica

III. Αnd while he was devoting himself to teaching, as he himself informs us somewhere in writing, since there was no one at Alexandria set apart for catechetical instruction (for all had been driven away by the threat of the persecution), some of the heathen approached him to hear the word of God. Of these Plutrach is pointed out as being the first, who after a noble life was adorned also with a divine martyrdom; and the second, Heraclas, Plutarch's brother. Ηe also, in his own person, afforded a noteworthy example of a philosophic life and of discipline, and was deemed worthy of the bishopric of Αlexandrians in succession to Demetrius. Origen was in his eighteenth year 1 when he came to preside over the catechetical school, and at this time also he came into prominence when the persecutions were going on under Aquila, the governor of Alexandria.2 Then also he won himself an exceedingly wide reputation among all those who were οf the faith, by the kindly help and goodwill that he displayed towards all the holy martyrs, unknown and known alike. For he was present not only with the holy martyrs who were in prison, not only with those who were under examination right up to the final sentence, but also when they were being led away afterwards to their death, using great boldness and coming to close quarters with danger; so that, as he courageously drew near and with great boldness greeted the martyrs with a kiss, many a time the heathen multitude round about in its fury went near to stoning him, but for the fact that time after time he found the divine right hand to help him, and so

Αnd when he saw still more pupils coming to him (for the task of instruction had been entrusted by Demetrius, the president of the church, to him alone), considering that the teaching of letters3 was not consonant with training in the divine studies, without more ado he broke off the task of teaching letters,3 as being unprofitable and opposed to sacred study; and then, for the good reason that he might never be in need of others’ assistance, he disposed of all the [*](1 Or “with a view to capturing him.” 2 cf. Ρlato, Repub. 400 D. 3 Or “literature.” )

Αnd by displaying proofs such as these οf a philosophic life to those who saw him, he naturally stimulated a large number of his pupils to a like zeal, so that, even among the unbelieving Gentiles and those from the ranks of learning and philosophy, some persons of no small account were won by his instruction. By his ageney these very persons received the faith of the divine Word truly in the depths of the soul, and were conspicuous at the persecution then taking place; insomuch that even some οf them were arrested and perfected by martyrdom.

IV. The first of these, then, was Plutarch, he whom we mentioned a little while ago.1 As this man was being led οn the way to death, he οf whom we have been speaking, being present with him to the very end of his life, was again almost killed by his fellow- citizens, as being clearly responsible for his death. But οn that occasion also he was kept by the will of God.2 Αnd, after Plutarch, Serenus was the second οf Origen's pupils to show himself a martyr, having through fire given the proof of the faith he had received. From the same school Heraclides was the third martyr, and after him Ηero, the fourth; the former of these was still a eatechumen, the latter lately baptized. Both were beheaded. Further, in addition to these, from the same school was proclaimed a fifth champion of piety, one serenus, a different person from the first-mentioned of that name. It is recorded that after very great endurance of torture his head was taken off. Αnd, among the women, Ηerais, who was still under instruction for baptism, as Οrigen himself sayssomewhere, “received the baptism by fire,” and so ended her life.

v. Seventh among them must be numbered Basilides, who led away the famous Potamiaena. The praise οf this woman is to this day still loudly sung by her fellow-countrymen, as of one who on of the chastity and virginity of her body, in which excelled, contended much with lovers (for assuredly her body, as well as her mind, was in the full bloom of its youthful beauty); as of one who endured much, and at the end, after tortures that were terrible and fearful to relate, was perfected by fire, along with her mother Marcella. Ιt is said, in fact, that the judge, whose name was Aquila, after inflicting severe tortures upon her entire body, at last threatened to hand her over to the gladiators for bodily insult, and that, when after a brief period of reflection she was asked what her decision was, she made a reply which involved from their point of view something profane. No sooner had she spoken than she received the sentence, and Basilides, being one of those serving in the army, took her and led her away to death. And as the crowed tried to annoy her, and insult her with shameful words, he kept restraining them and driving away the insulters, displaying the greatest pity and kindness towards her. She on her part accepted his fellow-feeling for her and bade him be of cheer, for that she would ask him from her Lord, when she departed, and before long would requite him for what he had done for her. Thus speaking [it is said], she right nobly endured the end, boiling pitch being poured slowly and little by little over different parts of her body from head to toe. Such was the contest waged by this maiden celebrated in

VI. Ρantaenus was succeeded by Clement, who directed the instruction at Alexandria up to such a date that Origen also was one of his pupils. In fact lement, when compiling his Stromateis, in the first k displays a chronological table, using the death of Commodus as a terminus in measuring his dates 1; so that it is clear that the work was composed by him [*](1 clem. Strom. i. 21 (139, 140, 144).)

VII. Αt this time Judas also, another writer, composed a written discourse on the seventy weeks in the book of Daniel; he stops his record of time at the tenth year of the reign of Severus. Ηe also was of the opinion that the much talked of coming of the antichrist was then already near. So strongly did the persecution which was then stirred up against us disturb the minds of the many.

VIII. Αt that time, while Οrigen was performing the work of instruction at Alexandria, he did a thing which gave abundant proof of an immature and youthful mind, yet withal of faith and self-control. For he took the saying, “There are eunuchs which made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake,” in too literal and extreme a sense, and both to fulfil the Saviour’s saying, and also that might prevent all suspicion of shameful slander on the part of unbelievers (for, young as he was, he used to discourse on divine things with women as well as men), he hastened to put into effect the Saviour's Saying, taking care to escape the notice of the greater number of his pupils. But, wishful though he might be, it was not possible to hide a deed of this nature. In fact Demetrius got to know of it later, since he was presiding over the community at that place; and while he marvelled exceedingly at him for his rash act, he approved the zeal and the sinceriry of his faith, bade him be of good cheer, and urged him to attach himself now all the more to the work of instruction.

Such indeed was his attitude at that time. But not Iong afterwards, when the same person saw that he was prospering and a great man and distinguished and famous in the sight of all, overcome by a human weakness, he attempted to describe the deed as monstrous to the bishops throughout the world, when the most highly approved and distinguished bishops in Palestine, namely those of Caesarea and Jerusalem,1 deeming Origen worthy of privilege and the highest honour, ordained him to the presbyterate by laying on of hands.2 So, as he had then advanced to a position of great esteem, and had aequired no small reputation and fame for his virtue and wisdom in the eyes of all men everywhere, through lack of any other ground οf aceusation Demetrius spread grave scandal about the deed that he had committed long ago when a boy, and had the temerity to include in his accusations those who raised him to the presbyterate.

This happened a little while afterwards. Αt that time, however, Origen was engaged at Αlexandria in the work or divine instruction for all, without reserve, who came to him by night and in the course of the day, devoting his whole time untiringly to the divine studies and his pupils.

When Severus had held the principate for eighteen years, he was succeeded by his son Antoninus.3 this time Αlexander (being one of those who Ρlayed the man during the persecution and after contending for the faith by their confessions were preserved by the Providence of God), whom we have mentioned lately4 as bishop of the church at Jerusalem, deemed worthy of the said bishopric, distinguished [*](1 i.e. Theoctistus and Αlexander: cf. 19. 17; 27. 2 See 23. 4. 3 Α.D. 211. 4 § 4.)

IX. Many οther miracles, indeed, of Νarcissus do e citizens of the community call to mind, as handed wn by the brethren in succession, and among these ey relate that the following wonder was performed him. Once at the great all-night vigil of the ascha it is said that the oil failed the deacons, and at when deep despondency seized the whole ultitude, thereupon Narcissus commanded those ho were preparing the lights to draw water and ring it to him; that when this was no sooner said an done, he then prayed οver the water, and bade em pour it down into the lamps with unfeigned ith in the Lord. Αnd that when they did this, contrary to all reason by miraculous and divine power nature was changed in quality from water into il; and that for a very long time, from that day even ours, a little was preserved as a οf that wonder former days by very many οf the brethren there.

Αnd they enumerate a great many other things about the life of this man worthy of mention, among which is the following. Certain miserable creatures, not being able to endure his energy and the firmness of his conduct, and fearing lest they should be taken and put on their trial (for they were conscious of many evil deeds), anticipated the event by devising an intrigue agrinst him and spreading a certain grave slander to his hurt. Then, with a view to securing the belief οf their hearers, they strove to confirm their accusations by oaths; one swore, “[if this is not true] ay I be destroyed by fire”; another, “may y be wasted by an untoward diseasse”; and [*](1 For the reason οf this see c. 11. VOL. II c )

such were the punishments that these men suffered their falsehood.

X. But as Narcissus had retired no one knew where he might be, it seemed good those presiding over the neighbouring churches to eed to the appointment οf another bishop. Ηis e was Dius. Αfter a brief presidency he was cceeded by Germanion, and he in turn by Gordius.

XI. Αnd when he was no longer able to perform the ministry on account of ripe old age, the abovementioned1 Alexander, being bishop of another community, was called by a dispensarion of God to a joint ministry with Narcissus, by a revelation which appeared to him in a vision at night. Whereupon, as if in obedience to some oraele, he made the journey rom the land of the Cappadocians, where he was rst deemed worthy of the episeopate, to Jerusalem, for the purpose of prayer and investigation οf the sacred] places. The people there gave him the most ordial welcome, and suffered him not to return home gain, in accordance with another revelation which as seen by them also at night, and which vouchsafed n identieal utterance of the clearest kind to those f them who were peculiarly zealous. For it indieated o them to go forth outside the gates and welcome as heir bishop him who was fore-ordained of God. Αnd oing this, with the common consent of the bishops ho were administering the churches round about, hey compelled him of necessity to remain. Αnd in fact Alexander himself in a personal letter to the ntinoites,2 which is still to this day preserved , mentions Narcissus as holding the chief place long with him, writing as follows, in these very words,

So was it with these matters. But when Serapion tered upon his rest, Asclepiades succeeded to the ishopric of the chureh at Antioch, and he was self distinguished for his confessions in the (??)ersecution. Αlexander also his his appointent, writing thus to the Antiochenes: “Αlexander, slave and prisoner οf Jesus Christ, to the blessed urch of the Antioehenes, greeting in the Lord. Light and easy did the Lord make my bonds, when learnt at the time οf my imprisonment that by the vine Ρrovidence Αsclepiades, whose worthy faith es him most suitable, had been entrusted with the ishopric of your holy church of the Antiochenes.”

This epistle he indicates had been sent by the hand f Clement,1 writing at the close in this is letter I send unto you, my dear brethren, by the and of Clement the blessed presbyter, a man irtuous and approved, of whom ye yourselves also ve heard, and with whom ye will become acquainted; o also, when he was present here in accordance h the providence and overseership of the Master, th stablished and increased the Church of the rd.”

XII. Νοw it is likely, indeed, that other memoirs , the fruit of Serapion's literary studies, are reserved by other persons, but there have come wn to us only those addressed To Domnus, οne ho had fallen away from the faith of Christ, at the [*](1 i.e. Clement οf Alexandria.)

XIII. Such are the writings of Serapion. But of Clement the Stromateis, all the eight books, are preserved with us, upon whieh he bestowed the following title: “Titus Flavius Clement's Stromateis3 of Gnostic Memoirs according to the True Philosophy”; and οf equal number with these are his books entitled Hypotyposeis,4 in which he mentions Ρantaenus by name as his teaeher, and has set forth his interpretations of the scriptures and his traditons. There is also a book of his, the Exhorlalion to the Greeks,5 and the three books of the work entitled Paedagogus, and Who is the Rich Man that is being Saved?5 (such is the title of another book of his), and the treatise Οn the Pascha, and discourses Οn Fasting and Οn Slander, and the Exhortation to Endurance, or To the Recently Baptized,5 and the [book] entitled the Ecclesiastical Cannon, or Against the Judaizers,6 which he has dedicated to Alexander, the bishop mentioned above.7 the bedelothes. Hence works of a miscellaneous character were thus entitled, not οnly by Clement, but also by Plutarch and Origen (see 24. 3).

Νow in the Stromateis he has composed a patchwork, not only of the divine Scripture, but of the writings of the Greeks as well, if he thought that they also had said anything useful, and he mentions opinions from many sources, explaining Greek and barbarian alike, and moreover sifts the false opinions οf the heresiarchs; and unfolding much history he gives us a work of great erudition. With all these he mingles also the opinions of philosophers, and so he has suitably made the title of the Stromateis to correspond to the work itself. Αnd in them he has also made use of testimonies from the disputed writings, the known known as the Wisdom of Solomon, and the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of sirach, and the Epistle to the Hebrews, and those of Barnabas, and Clement, and Jude; and he mentions Tatian's book Against the Greeks, and Cassian, sinee he also had composed a chronography,1 and moreover Philo and Aristobulus and Josephus and Demetrius and Eupolemus, Jewish writers, in that they would show, all of them, in writing, that Moses and the Jewish race went back further in their origins than the Greeks.2 Αnd the books of Clement, of which we are speaking, are full of much other useful learning. Ιn the first of these he shows with reference to himself that he came very near to the successors of the Αpostles3; and he promises in them also to write a commentary on Genesis.4

Αnd in his book Οn the Pascha he professes that he was compelled by his companions to commit to [*](2 Ibid. 15 (72. 4), 22 (150. 1), 21 (147. 2; 141. 1 ff.), 23 (153. 4). 3 Lit. “the succession from the apostles.” Ibid. quoted v. 11. 5 4 Clem. Strom. iii. 14 (95. 2) ; iv. 1 (3. 3) ; vi. 18 (168. 4). )