Historia Ecclesiastica

vI. But when inffidlcating in the same letter, with reference to the followers of the Sabellian heresy,1 that they were prevalent in his day, he speaks thus: “For as to the doetrine now set on foot at Ρtοlemais in the Pentapolis, an impious doctrine which contains great blasphemy concerning the Almighty ood, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and great unbelief as to Ηis only-begotten Son, the firstborn of all creation, the word who was made man, and whieh is without pereeption of the Ηοly Spirit, — when there eame to me nom both both both documents and also the brethren who were ready to discuss the question, I wrote some letters, as 1 was able by the help of God, giving an exposition of the marter in a somewhat didactic manner; οf which scnd thee the copies.”

VII. Αnd in the third οf those on Baptism, which the same Dionysius wrote to Philemon the Roman presbyter, he relates the following: “But as for me, 1 read both the compositions and the traditions ofthe heretics, polluting my soul for a little with their abominable thoughts, yet all the while deriving this advantage from them, that I could refute them for myself and loathed them far more. Αnd indeed a certain brother, one of the presbyters, attempted to dissuade and frighten me from becoming involved in the mire of their wickedness, for he said that I should injure my own soul; and said truly, as Ι perceived. nut a vision sent by ood came and strengthened me, and a word of command was given me, saying expressly: ‘Read all things that may come to thy [*](only πρόσωπα or characters by which God is revealed to the Trinity being one οf revclation, not essence. See 26. 1.)

Then, making certain renlarks about all the heresies, he goe On tO say: “This rule and pattern I reeeiVed from our blessed pope 2 Ηeraclas. For those Who came over frOm the hereries, although they had departed from the Church (Or rather, had not eVen done that, but, while srill reputed members Of the congregation, were charged with frequenting some false teacher), he drOve rrom the Church, and refused to listen to their entreaties until they pubhely declared all that they had heard frOm them that oppose themselves.’ and then he admitted them to the congregation, without requiring of them a second baptism. For they had fOrmerly receiVed the holy [baptism] from him.’’

Αnd again, after a protracted discussiOn of the question, he adds as follows: “I have learnt this also, that the Africans did nOt intrOduee this practice noW for the rlrst time, but that long befOre, in the days of the bishops that were before us, in the most populous churches and the synods of the brethren, in Iconium and Synnada and in many places, this eOurse was adOpted. Αnd Ι do not dare to overturn their deeirions and involve them in strife and comtention. ‘ For ‘For thou shalt not remove,’ he says, neighbour’s landmarks, which thy fathers placed.’

The fourth of hls letters on baptism was written to [*](2 πάπα: this is the eariiest known occasion on which an Alexandrian bishop is entitled “pope,” though later on are several instances of the praCbee. )

VIII. “For it is with good reason indeed that we feel enmity towards Novatian, who caused a in the church and drew away some of the brethren to impieues and blasphemies, and introduced as well most profane teaching about God, and falsely accouses our most compassionate Lord Jesus Christ of being without mercy; and above all this, he sets at naught the holy washing, and overturns the faith and confession that precede it, and entirely banishes the Ηoly sprit from them, even though there was some hope οf Ηis remaining with or even returning to them.”

IX. Αnd his fifth letter was written to Xystus, bishop of the Romans. In it, speaking much against the heretics, he sets forth the following thing that happened in his day, saying: “of a truth, brother, I have need of counsel, and ask an opinion of thee. The following matter has come before me, and 1 am fearful lest after all I be mistaken. of the brethren who meet together for worship there is one, reckoned faithful, of long stanffing, a member of the congregation before my ordination, and, I think, before the appointment of the blessed Heraclas. Having been present with those who were recently being baptized, and having heard the questions and answers, he came to me in tears, bewailing himself and falling before

In addition to the above-mentioned letters, there is extant also another of his On Baptism, addressed by him and the community over which he ruled to Xystus and the church at Rome, in which with a long proof he gives a protracted discussion of the the subject in question. Αnd, after these, there is yet another letter of his extant, to Dionysius at Rome, that with reference to Lucian. so much for these matters.

X. But to resume. Gallus and his associates held [*](1 συνεστάναι ταῖς προσευχαῖς: see vi. 42. 5. )

And in addition he goes on to say: “Goodly at all events were the thank-offerings that Macrianus made to them for the Empire of his hopes. 1 Formerly when he was regarded as minister over the imperial accounts as a whole, he displayed neither a reasenable nor a catholic mind. But he has fallen under the prophetic curse which says: ‘Woe unto them that prophesy from their heart, and see not the whole.᾿ For he did not understand the universal nor did he suspeet the judgement of Him who is before all and through all and over all. Therefore he has come to be at enmity with His Catholic Church, and so alienated and estranged himself from God's mercy and banished himself as far as possible from his own salvations, in this proving true his name.”

Αnd again, after Other remarks, he says: “For Valerian, being induced by him to this course of aetion, Was given over to insults and reproaches, according to that which was said to Isaiah: “Αnd these have Chosen their own ways and abominations, in which their soul delighteth, and I will their mockings, and their sins I will recompense them.᾿ now this man,3 in his mad desire for [*](εὔλογον (“reasonable”) and also between καθόλου καθολικόν; and, in order to maintain this latter play, Dionysius, in his quotation οf Ezek. xiii. 3 (LXX), takes τὸ καθόλου as the object of the sentence (“the whole”) instead of adverbially (“not at all’’). 2 Another play upon words: Μacrianus and μακρός ("far off’’). 3 i.e. Μacrianus; he was lame. )

This is the account given by dionysius concerning valerian.

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. Ηe makes his statement in the following manner: “But Ι am in danger of falling, in truth, into great foolishness and stupidity, being foreed 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,᾿ God,῾ I will join issue with the Germanus. I came before Aemilianus,1 not alone, but there followed me my fellow-presbyter maximus, and Faurtus, Εusebius, Chaeremon, deacons; 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 essemblies.' 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

“But hear the things themselves that were spoken ὢ both sides, as they were placed on record: When Dionysius and Faustus and Maximus and Marcellus and chaeremon were brought into eourt, Aemilianus, the deputy-prefect, said, ‘ . . . Αnd verbally I discoursed with you concerning the kindness that our lords 1 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 Εmpire, and forget those gods which are contrary to nature. What, therefore, say ye to these things? For I do not expect that ye will be ungrateful for their kindess, forasmuch as they urge you on to the better urse.'

“Dionysius replied : ‘Νot all men Worship all ods, but each one certain whom he regards as such. therefore both worship and adore the οne God and aker of all things, who also committed the Εmpire the Augusti, most highly favoured of God, Valerian d Gallienus; and to Ηim we unceasingly pray for their Empire, that it may remain unshaken.

“Aemilianus, the deputy-prefect, said to them: ῾ Αnd 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.'

“Dionysius replied: ‘We worship no other God.'

“Aemilianus, the deputy-prefect, said to them: ‘ I see that ye are at onee ungrateful and insensible of the clemency οf οur Αugusti. Wherefore ye shall not be in this city, but ye shall betake yourselves to the parts of Libya and [remain] in a place ealled Cephro. For this is the place 1 chose in accordance with the command οf our Augusti. Αnd it shall in no wise be permitted either to you or to any others either to hold assemblies or to enter the cemeteries, 1 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 laek οf the necessary observation. Be gone therefore whither ye were bidden.'

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

Then after other remarks he says:“ But we did not abstain from even the visible assembling of ourselves with the Lord; nay, 1 strove the more earnestly to gather together those in the city, as if Ι were with them, ‘being abSent in body,' as he 2 said, ‘but present in spirit,᾿ and at Cephro a large churck also sojourned with us, some brethren following us from the city, οthers joining us from Egypt. And [*](1 It was felt to be dangerous to allow Christians to assemble at the grave οf martyrs: cf. ix. 2. 2 i.e. St. Ρaul.)

‘‘For Aemilianus wished to remove us to rougher, as he thought, and more Libyan-like places, and he ade those [who were seattered] in every direction to stream together to the Mareotian [nome], assigning mparate rillages in the district for each party; but us he posted more on the road, so that we should be he first to be arrested. For he eridently was managing and arranging it, that, whenever he wished to eize us, he might find us all easy of capture. Αs οr me, when I had been bidden to depart to Cephro, did not even know in what direction the place lay, carcely haring heard so much as the name before; evertheless I departed with a good grace and made o disturbance. But when it was told me that I was remove to the parts of Colluthion, those who were resent know how I was affected (for here I shall be own aecuser): at nffirs 1 was vexed and exceedly angry; for although the places happened to better known and more familiar to us, yet it was rmed that the district was without brethren or ersons of good character, and exposed besides to oyances of travellers and incursions of robbers. ut I found encouragement when the brethren reinded me that it was nearer the city,1 and that, hile Cephro used to bring us much intercourse with [*](1 i.e Alexandria. )

Αnd, after other remarks with referenee to hat happened to him, he writes again as follows: “Μany, 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 make a list of as regards us: sentenees, 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 Deeius and sabinus, up to the present time under Aemilianus. But Where did Germanus appear? What talk was there about him? But Ι must cease from the great folly into which Ι 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."

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. Οnly understand that men and women, both οld men and lads, both girls and aged women, both soldiers and civilians, both every race and every age, some enduring scourgings and fire,

Αnd a little further down he says: “But in the city there have concealed themselves, secretly visiting e brethren, of the presbyters Maximus, Dioscorus, emetrius, Lucius. For those who are better known the world, Faustinus and Aquila, are wandering bout in Εgypt. Αs to the deacons, they who surived those that died in the island are Faustus, usebius, chaeremon: that Εusebius, whom from beginning God strengthened and prepared to nder with all energy the services to the confessors at were in prison, and at no small risk to perform e task of laying out the corpses οf the blessed and erfect martyrs. For even to this day the prefect not cease from putting to a cruel death, as I have id before of those who are brought before

Such is the aceount given by Dionysius. It should be observed, however, that Εusebius, whom he calls a deacon, shortly afterwards was appointed bishop of Laodicea in syria; and Maximus, of whom he speaks 38 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 perseeution in our day, and, when quite an old man and full οf days, was perfeeted by martyrdom in our οwn time, being beheaded.

XII. so it happened to Dionysius at that time. But during the perseeution of Valerian, of whieh we are speaking, three persons at Caesarea in Palestine, conspicuous for their confession of Christ, were adorned with a divine martyrdom, becoming food for wild beasts. of these οne was called Priscus, the second Malchus, and the name of the third was Alexander. It is said that these men, who were living in the country, at first reproached themselves for their carelessness and sloth, because instead of hastening to secure the crown of martyrdom, they were proving contemptuous of prizes, though the present opportunity was bestowing them upon sueh as yearned with a heavenly desire. But that when they had taken counsel thereon, they started for caesarea, appeared before the judge and met the