 Book 4, Part 3 of Eusebius' Church History. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by David Leeson. Church History by Eusebius of Caesarea, translated by Arthur Cushman MacGifford. Book 4, Part 3, Chapter 17-23. Chapter 17. The Martyrs Whom Justin Mentioned in His Own Work. The same man, before his conflict, mentions in his first apology others that suffered martyrdom before him, and most fittingly records the following events. He writes thus, A certain woman lived with a dissolute husband, she herself, too, having formerly been of the same character. But when she came to the knowledge of the teachings of Christ, she became temperate, and endeavored to persuade her husband likewise to be temperate, repeating the teachings and declaring the punishment in eternal fire which shall come upon those who do not live temperately and conformably to right reason. But he, continuing in the same excesses, alienated his wife by his conduct. For she finally, thinking it wrong to live as a wife with a man who, contrary to the law of nature and right, sought every possible means of pleasure, desired to be divorced from him. And when she was earnestly entreated by her friends, who counseled her still to remain with him, on the ground that her husband might some time give hope of amendment, she did violence to herself and remained. But when her husband had gone to Alexandria, and was reported to be conducting himself still worse, she, in order that she might not by continuing in wedlock and by sharing his board and bed, become a partaker in his lawlessness and impiety, gave him what we call a bill of divorce, and left him. But her noble and excellent husband, instead of rejoicing as he ought to have done, that she had given up those actions which she had formerly recklessly committed with the servants and hirelings, when she delighted in drunkenness and in every vice, and that she desired him likewise to give them up. Then she had gone from him contrary to his wish, brought an accusation concerning her, declaring that she was a Christian. And she petitioned you, the emperor, that she might be permitted first to set her affairs in order, and afterwards, after the settlement of her affairs, to make her defense against the accusation, and this you granted. But he who had once been her husband, being no longer able to prosecute her, directed his attacks against a certain Ptolemaus, who had been her teacher in the doctrines of Christianity, and whom Urbisius had punished. Against him he proceeded in the following manner. He persuaded a centurion who was his friend to cast Ptolemaus into prison, and to take him and ask him this only whether he were a Christian. And when Ptolemaus, who was a lover of truth and not of a deceitful and false disposition, confessed that he was a Christian, the centurion bound him and punished him for a long time in the prison. And finally, when the man was brought before Urbisius, he was likewise asked this question only whether he were a Christian. And again, conscious of the benefits which he enjoyed through the teaching of Christ, he confessed his schooling in divine virtue. For whoever denies that he is a Christian either denies because he despises Christianity or he avoids confession because he is conscious that he is unworthy and an alien to it, neither of which is the case with the true Christian. And when Urbisius commanded that he be led away to punishment, a certain Lucius, who was also a Christian, seeing judgment so unjustly passed, said to Urbisius, Why have you punished this man who is not an adulterer nor a fornicator, nor a murderer, nor a thief, nor a robber, nor has been convicted of committing any crime at all, but has confessed that he bears the name of Christian? You do not judge, O Urbisius, in a manner befitting the Emperor Pius, or the philosophical son of Caesar, or the sacred Senate. And without making any other reply he said to Lucius, Thou also seemest to me to be such a one, and when Lucius said certainly, he again commanded that he too should be led away to punishment. But he professed his thanks, for he was liberated, he added, from such wicked rulers, and was going to the good Father and King, God. And still a third, having come forward, was condemned to be punished. To this, Justin fittingly and consistently adds the words which we quoted above, saying, I too, therefore, expect to be plotted against by some one of those whom I have named, etc. The works of Justin which have come down to us. This writer has left us a great many monuments of a mind educated and practiced in divine things, which are replete with profitable matter of every kind. To them we shall refer the studious, noting as we proceed those that have come to our knowledge. There is a certain discourse of his in defense of our doctrine addressed to Antoninus, surnamed the Pius, and to his sons and to the Roman Senate. Another work contains his second apology in behalf of our faith, which he offered to him who was the successor of the emperor mentioned and who bore the same name, Antoninus Verus, the one whose times we are now recording. Also another work against the Greeks, in which he discourses at length upon most of the questions at issue between us and the Greek philosophers, and discusses the nature of demons. It is not necessary for me to add any of these things here. And still another work of his against the Greeks has come down to us, to which he gave the title refutation, and besides these another on the sovereignty of God, which he establishes not only from our scriptures but also from the books of the Greeks. Still further, a work entitled Saltis and another disputation on the soul, in which, after propounding various questions concerning the problem under discussion, he gives the opinions of the Greek philosophers promising to refute it and to present his own view in another work. He composed also a dialogue against the Jews, which he held in the city of Ephesus with Trifo, a most distinguished man among the Hebrews of that day. In it he shows how the divine grace urged him on to the doctrine of the faith and with what earnestness he had formerly pursued philosophical studies and how ardent a search he had made for the truth. And he records of the Jews in the same work that they were plotting against the teaching of Christ, asserting the same things against Trifo. Not only did you not repent of the wickedness which you had committed, but you selected at that time chosen men and you sent them out from Jerusalem through all the land to announce that the godless heresy of the Christians had made its appearance and to accuse them of those things which all that are ignorant of us say against us, so that you become the causes not only of your own injustice, but also of all other men's. He writes also that even down to his time prophetic gifts shown in the church. And he mentions the apocalypse of John, saying distinctly that it was the apostles. He also refers to certain prophetic declarations and accuses Trifo on the ground that the Jews had cut them out of the scripture. A great many other works of his are still in the hands of many of the brethren. And the discourses of the man were thought so worthy of study even by the ancients that Irenaeus quotes his words, for instance, in the fourth book of his work against heresies where he writes as follows, and Justin Wells says in his work against Marcian that he would not have believed the Lord himself if he had preached another God besides the Creator. And again in the fifth book of the same work he says, and Justin Wells said that before the coming of the Lord Satan never dared to blaspheme God because he did not yet know his condemnation. These things I have deemed it necessary to say for the sake of stimulating the studious to peruse his works with diligence, so much concerning him. CHAPTER XIX. The rulers of the churches of Rome and Alexandria during the reign of Varus. In the eighth year of the above-mentioned reign Sotere succeeded Anacetus as Bishop of the Church of Rome after the latter had held office eleven years in all. But when Ciladion had presided over the Church of Alexandria for fourteen years he was succeeded by Agripinus. CHAPTER XX. THE RULERS OF THE CHURCH OF ANTIOC. At that time also in the Church of Antioch Theophilus was well known as the Sixth from the Apostles, for Cornelius, who succeeded Harrow, was the fourth, and after him Eros, the fifth in order, had held the office of Bishop. CHAPTER XXI. The ecclesiastical writers that flourished in those days. At that time there flourished in the Church Haggisippus, whom we know from what has gone before, and Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, and another Bishop, Pinnitus of Crete, and besides these Philip, and Apollinarius, and Melito, and Musannus, and Modestus, and finally Irenaeus. From them has come down to us in writing the sound and orthodox faith received from apostolic tradition. CHAPTER XXII. HEGGISIPUS AND THE EVENTS WHICH HE MENTIONS. HEGGISIPUS in the five books of memoirs which have come down to us has left a most complete record of his own views. In them he states that on a journey to Rome he met a great many bishops, and that he received the same doctrine from all. It is fitting to hear what he says after making some remarks about the epistle of Clement to the Corinthians. His words are as follows, and the Church of Corinth continued in the true faith until Primus was bishop in Corinth. I conversed with them on my way to Rome, and abode with the Corinthians many days, during which we were mutually refreshed in the true doctrine. And when I had come to Rome I remained there until Anacetus, whose deacon was Eluthorus, and Anacetus was succeeded by Soter, and he by Eluthorus. In every succession, and in every city, that is held which is preached by the law and the prophets and the Lord. The same author also describes the beginnings of the heresies which arose in his time in the following words, and after James the just had suffered martyrdom, as the Lord had also on the same account Simeon, the son of the Lord's uncle, Clopus, was appointed the next bishop. All proposed him as second bishop because he was a cousin of the Lord. Therefore they called the Church a virgin, for it was not yet corrupted by vain discourses. But they buthous, because he was not made bishop began to corrupt it. He also was sprung from the seven sects among the people, like Simon, from whom came the Simonians, and Cleobius, from whom came the Cleobians, and Dosithius, from whom came the Dosithians, and Gorthius, from whom came the Gorthany, and Masbothius, from whom came the Masbothians. From them sprang the Menandrianists, and Marcionists, and Carpo-Cracians, and Valentinians, and Basilidians, and Saturnillians. Each introduced privately and separately his own peculiar opinion. From them came false Christs, false prophets, false apostles, who divided the unity of the Church by corrupt doctrines uttered against God and against his Christ. The same writer also records the ancient heresies which arose among the Jews, in the following words. There were, moreover, various opinions in the circumcision among the children of Israel. The following were those that were opposed to the tribe of Judah and the Christ, Essenes, Galileans, Emerobaptists, Masbothians, Samaritans, Sadducees, Pharisees. And he wrote of many other matters, which we have in part already mentioned, introducing the accounts in their appropriate places. And from the Syriac Gospel according to the Hebrews, he quotes some passages in the Hebrew tongue, showing that he was a convert from the Hebrews, and he mentions other matters as taken from the unwritten tradition of the Jews. And not only he, but also Irenaeus and the whole company of the ancients called the proverbs of Solomon all virtuous wisdom. And when speaking of the books called Apocrypha, he records that some of them were composed in his day by certain heretics. But let us now pass on to another. Chapter 23 Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, and the Epistles which he wrote. And first we must speak of Dionysius, who was appointed Bishop of the church in Corinth, and communicated freely of his inspired labors not only to his own people, but also to those in foreign lands, and rendered the greatest service to all in the Catholic Epistles which he wrote to the churches. Among these is the one addressed to the Lacedaemonians, containing instruction in the Orthodox faith and an admonition to peace and unity, the one also addressed to the Athenians, exciting them to faith and to the life prescribed by the Gospel, which he accuses them of esteeming lightly, as if they had almost apostatized from the faith since the martyrdom of their ruler Publius, which had taken place during the persecutions of those days. He mentions Quadratus also, stating that he was appointed their bishop after the martyrdom of Publius, and testifying that through his zeal they were brought together again and their faith revived. He records moreover that Dionysius the Areopagite, who was converted to the faith by the Apostle Paul, according to the statement in the Acts of the Apostles, first obtained the Episcopate of the church at Athens. And there is extant another epistle of his addressed to the Nicomedians, in which he attacks the heresy of Marcian and stands fast by the canon of the truth. Writing also to the church that is in Gortana, together with the other parishes in Crete, he commends their bishop Philip, because of the many acts of fortitude which are testified to as performed by the church under him, and he warns them to be on their guard against the aberrations of the heretics. And writing to the church that is in Amastris, together with those in Pontus, he refers to Bacchylides and Elpistus as having urged him to write, and he adds explanations of passages of the divine scriptures, and mentions their bishop Palmas by name. He gives them much advice also in regard to marriage and chastity, and commands them to receive those who come back again after any fall, whether it be delinquency or heresy. Among these is inserted also another epistle addressed to the Nosians, in which he exhorts Pinatis, bishop of the parish, not to lay upon the brethren a grievous and compulsory burden in regard to chastity, but to have regard to the weakness of the multitude. Pinatis, replying to this epistle, admires and commends Dionysius, but exhorts him in turn to impart some time more solid food, and to feed the people under him, when he wrote again, with more advanced teaching, that they might not be fed continually on these milky doctrines and imperceptibly grow old under a training calculated for children. In this epistle also, Pinatis' orthodoxy in the faith and his care for the welfare of those placed under him, his learning and his comprehension of divine things, are revealed as in a most perfect image. There is extant also another epistle written by Dionysius to the Romans and addressed to Sotère, who was bishop at that time. We cannot do better than to subjoin some passages from this epistle, in which he commends the practice of the Romans which has been retained down to the persecution in our own days. His words are as follows. For from the beginning it has been your practice to do good to all the brethren in various ways, and to send contributions to many churches in every city, thus relieving the want of the needy and making provision for the brethren in the minds by the gifts which you have sent from the beginning, you Romans keep up the hereditary customs of the Romans, which your blessed bishop Sotère has not only maintained, but also added to, furnishing an abundance of supplies to the saints, and encouraging the brethren from abroad with blessed words as a loving father to his children. In this same epistle he makes mention also of Clement's epistle to the Corinthians, showing that it had been the custom from the beginning to read it in the church. His words are as follows. Today we have passed the Lord's holy day, in which we have read your epistle. From it, whenever we read it, we shall always be able to draw advice, as also from the former epistle which was written to us through Clement. The same writer also speaks as follows concerning his own epistles, alleging that they had been mutilated, as the brethren desired me to write epistles, I wrote, and these epistles, the apostles of the devil, have filled with tears, cutting out some things and adding others. For them a woe is reserved. It is, therefore, not to be wondered at if some have attempted to adulterate the Lord's writings also, since they have formed designs even against writings which are of less account. There is extant, in addition to these, another epistle of Dionysius written to Chrysophora, a most faithful sister. In it he writes what is suitable, and imparts to her also the proper spiritual food, so much concerning Dionysius. End of Book 4, Part 3. Book 4, Part 4 of Eusebius' Church History. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by David Leeson. Church History, by Eusebius of Caesarea, translated by Arthur Cushman MacGifford. Book 4, Part 4, chapters 24 through 30. Chapter 24 Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch. Of Theophilus, whom we have mentioned as Bishop of the Church of Antioch, three elementary works addressed to Autolicus are extant, also another writing entitled Against the Heresy of Hermogenes, in which he makes use of testimonies from the Apocalypse of John, and finally certain other catechetical books. And as the heretics, no less than than at other times, were like tares, destroying the pure harvest of apostolic teaching, the pastors of the churches everywhere hastened to restrain them as wild beasts from the fold of Christ, at one time by admonitions and exhortations to the brethren, at another time by contending more openly against them in oral discussions and refutations, and again by correcting their opinions with most accurate proofs in written works. And that Theophilus also, with the others contended against them, is manifest from a certain discourse of no common merit written by him against Marcian. This work too, with the others of which we have spoken, has been preserved to the present day. Maximinus, the Seventh from the Apostles, succeeded him as Bishop of the Church of Antioch. CHAPTER XXV Philip and Modestus Philip, who, as we learn from the words of Dionysius, was Bishop of the Parish of Gortina, likewise wrote a most elaborate work against Marcian, as did also Irenaeus and Modestus. The last named has exposed the error of the man more clearly than the rest to the view of all. There are a number of others also whose works are still presented by a great many of the brethren. CHAPTER XXVI Melito and the circumstances which he records. In those days also Melito, Bishop of the Parish in Sardis and Apollonarius, Bishop of Hierapolis, enjoyed great distinction. Each of them on his own part addressed apologies in behalf of the faith to the above-mentioned Emperor of the Romans who was reigning at that time. The following works of these writers have come to our knowledge. Of Melito, the two books on the Passover, and one on the conduct of life and the prophets, the discourse on the church, and one on the Lord's Day, still further one on the faith of man, and one on his creation, another also on the obedience of faith and one on the senses. Besides these the work on the soul and body, and that on baptism, and the one on truth, and on the creation and generation of Christ, his discourse also on prophecy, and that on hospitality. Still further, the key, and the books on the Devil and the Apocalypse of John, and the work on the corporeality of God, and finally the book addressed to Antoninus. In the books on the Passover he indicates the time at which he wrote beginning with these words. While Servilius Paulus was proconsul of Asia at the time when Sagaris suffered martyrdom, there arose in Laodicea a great strife concerning the Passover, which fell according to rule in those days, and these were written. And Clement of Alexandria refers to this work in his own discourse on the Passover, which he says he wrote on occasion of Melito's work. But in his book addressed to the Emperor he records that the following events happened to us under him. For, what never before happened, the race of the pious is now suffering persecution, being driven about in Asia by new decrees. For the shameless informers and coveters of the property of others, taking occasion from the decrees, openly carry on robbery night and day, despoiling those who are guilty of no wrong. And a little further on, he says, if these things are done by thy command well and good, for a just ruler will never take unjust measures, and we indeed gladly accept the honor of such a death. But this request alone we present to thee, that thou wouldst thyself first examine the authors of such strife, and justly judge whether they be worthy of death and punishment, or of safety and quiet. But if, on the other hand, this counsel and this new decree, which is not fit to be executed even against barbarian enemies, be not from thee, much more do we beseech thee not to leave us exposed to such lawless plundering by the populace. Again he adds the following, for our philosophy formerly flourished among the barbarians, but having sprung up among the nations under thy rule, during the great reign of thy ancestor Augustus, it became to thine empire especially a blessing of auspicious omen, for from that time the power of the Romans has grown in greatness and splendor. To this power thou hast succeeded, as the desired possessor, and such shalt thou continue with thy son, if thou guardest the philosophy which grew up with the empire, in which came into existence with Augustus, that philosophy which thy ancestors also honored along with the other religions. And a most convincing proof that our doctrine flourished for the good of an empire happily begun is this, that there has no evil happened since Augustus's reign, but that, on the contrary, all things have been splendid and glorious, in accordance with the prayers of all. Thou and Domitian alone, persuaded by certain columniators, have wished to slander our doctrine, and from them it has come to pass that the falsehood has been handed down, in consequence of an unreasonable practice which prevails of bringing slanderous accusations against the Christians. But thy pious fathers corrected their ignorance, having frequently rebuked in writing many who dared to attempt new measures against them. And as for thee, since thy opinions respecting the Christians are the same as theirs, and indeed much more benevolent and philosophic, we are the more persuaded that thou wilt do all that we ask of thee. These words are found in the above-mentioned work. But in the extracts made by him the same writer gives at the beginning of the introduction a catalogue of the acknowledged books of the Old Testament, which it is necessary to quote at this point. He writes as follows. Since thou hast often, in thy zeal for the word, expressed a wish to have extracts made from the law and the prophets concerning the Savior and concerning our entire faith, and hast also desired to have an accurate statement of the ancient book, as regards their number and their order, I have endeavored to perform the task, knowing thy zeal for the faith, and thy desire to gain information in regard to the word, and knowing that thou, in thy yearning after God, esteemest these things above all else, struggling to attain eternal salvation. Accordingly when I went east and came to the place where these things were preached and done, I learned accurately the books of the Old Testament, and sent them to thee as written below. Their names are as follows. Of Moses five books, Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, Jesus' Nave, Judges, Ruth, of Kings, four books, of Chronicles Two, the Psalms of David, the Proverbs of Solomon, Wisdom also, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Job, of Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, of the Twelve Prophets, one book, Daniel, Ezekiel, Esdras, from which also I have made the extracts, dividing them into six books. Such are the words of Milito. Chapter 27 Apollonarius, Bishop of the Church of Hierapolis A number of works of Apollonarius have been preserved by many, and the following have reached us. The discourse addressed to the above-mentioned emperor, five books against the Greeks, On Truth, a first and second book, and those which he subsequently wrote against the heresy of the Phrygians, which not long afterwards came out with its innovations, but at that time was, as it were, in its incipiency, since Montanus, with his false prophetesses, was then laying the foundations of his error. Chapter 28 Musannus and his Writings And as for Musannus, whom we have mentioned among the foregoing writers, a certain very elegant discourse is extant, which was written by him against some brethren that had gone over to the heresy of the so-called Incretites, which had recently sprung up, and which introduced a strange and pernicious error. It is said that Taysian was the author of this false doctrine. Chapter 29 The Heresy of Taysian He is the one whose words we quoted a little above in regard to that admirable man, Justin, and whom we stated to have been a disciple of the martyr. Thomas declares this in the first book of his work against heresies, where he writes as follows concerning both him and his heresy. Those who are called Incretites, and who sprung from Saturninus, and Marcian, preached celibacy, setting aside the original arrangement of God and tacitly censuring him who made male and female for the propagation of the human race. They introduced also abstinence from the things called by them animate, thus showing ingratitude to the God who made all things, and they deny the salvation of the first man. But this has been only recently discovered by them, a certain Taysian being the first to introduce this blasphemy. He was a hearer of Justin, and expressed no such opinion while he was with him, but after the martyrdom of the latter he left the church, and becoming exalted with the thought of being a teacher, and puffed up with the idea that he was superior to others, he established a peculiar type of doctrine of his own, inventing certain invisible eons like the followers of Valentinus, while, like Marcian and Saturninus, he pronounced marriage to be corruption and fornication. His argument against the salvation of Adam, however, he devised for himself. Irenaeus at that time wrote thus. But a little later a certain man named Severus put new strength into the aforesaid heresy, and thus brought it about that those who took their origin from it were called after him Severians. They indeed used the law and prophets and gospels, but interpret in their own way the utterances of the sacred scriptures, and they abuse Paul the apostle and reject his epistles, and do not accept even the acts of the apostles. But their original founder, Taysian, formed a certain combination and collection of the gospels, I know not how, to which he gave the title Diateseron, and which is still in the hands of some. But they say that he ventured to paraphrase certain words of the apostle in order to improve their style. He has left a great many writings. Of these the one most in use among many persons is his celebrated address to the Greeks, which also appears to be the best and most useful of all his works. In it he deals with the most ancient times, and shows that Moses and the Hebrew prophets were older than all the celebrated men among the Greeks. So much in regard to these men. Chapter 30. Bardessonies the Syrian and his extant works. In the same reign, as heresies were abounding in the region between the rivers, a certain Bardessonies, a most able man and a most skillful disputant in the Syriac tongue, having composed dialogues against Marcians, followers, and against certain others who were authors of various opinions, committed them to writing in his own language, together with many other works. His pupils, of whom he had very many, for he was a powerful defender of the faith, translated these productions from the Syriac into Greek. Among them there is also his most able dialogue on fate, addressed to Antoninas, and other works which they say he wrote on occasion of the persecution which arose at that time. He indeed was at first a follower of Valentinas, but afterward, having rejected his teaching and having refuted most of his fictions, he fancied that he had come over to the more correct opinion. Nevertheless, he did not entirely wash off the filth of the old heresy. About this time also Sotère, bishop of the Church of Rome, departed this life. End of Book 4, Part 4. Book 5, Part 1 of Eusebius' Church History. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by David Leeson. Church History by Eusebius of Caesarea, translated by Arthur Cushman MacGifford. Book 5, Part 1, Introduction and Chapter 1. Book 5. Introduction. Sotère, bishop of the Church of Rome, died after an Episcopate of eight years, and was succeeded by Eluthorus, the twelfth from the Apostles. In the seventeenth year of the Emperor Antoninas Verus, the persecution of our people was rekindled more fiercely in certain districts, on account of an insurrection of the masses in the cities, and judging by the number in a single nation, myriads suffered martyrdom throughout the world. A record of this was written for posterity, and in truth it is worthy of perpetual remembrance. A full account containing the most reliable information on the subject is given in our collection of martyrdoms, which constitutes a narrative instructive as well as historical. I will repeat here such portions of this account as may be needful for the present purpose. Other writers of history record the victories of war and trophies won from enemies, the skill of generals, and the manly bravery of soldiers, defiled with blood and with innumerable slaughters for the sake of children and country and other possessions. But our narrative of the government of God will record in ineffacable letters the most peaceful wars waged in behalf of the peace of the soul, and will tell of men doing brave deeds for truth rather than country, and for piety rather than dearest friends. It will hand down to imperishable remembrance the discipline and the much-tried fortitude of the athletes of religion, the trophies won from demons, the victories over invisible enemies, and the crowns placed upon all their heads. The number of those who fought for religion in Gaul under Varus and the nature of their conflicts. The country in which the arena was prepared for them was Gaul, of which Lyons and Vian are the principal and most celebrated cities. The Rhone passes through both of them, flowing in a broad stream through the entire region. The most celebrated churches in that country sent an account of the witnesses to the churches in Asia and Phrygia, relating in the following manner what was done among them. I will give their own words. The servants of Christ residing at Vian and Lyons, in Gaul, to the brethren throughout Asia and Phrygia, who hold the same faith and hope of redemption, peace and grace and glory from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Then, having related some other matters, they begin their account in this manner, the greatness of the tribulation in this region and the fury of the heathen against the saints and the sufferings of the blessed witnesses, we cannot recount accurately, nor indeed could they possibly be recorded. For with all his might the adversary fell upon us, giving us a foretaste of his unbridled activity at his future coming. He endeavored in every manner to practice and exercise his servants against the servants of God, not only shutting us out from houses and baths and markets, but forbidding any of us to be seen in any place whatever. But the grace of God led the conflict against him, and delivered the weak, and set them as firm pillars, able through patience to endure all the wrath of the evil one. And they joined battle with him, undergoing all kinds of shame and injury, and regarding their great sufferings as little they hastened to Christ, manifesting truly that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to usward. First of all, they endured nobly the injuries heaped upon them by the populace, clamors and blows and draggings and robberies and stonings and imprisonments, and all things which an infuriated mob delight in inflicting on enemies and adversaries. Then being taken to the forum by the Killiark and the authorities of the city, they were examined in the presence of the whole multitude, and having confessed they were imprisoned until the arrival of the Governor. When afterwards they were brought before him, and he treated us with the utmost cruelty, Veteus Epagathus, one of the brethren and a man filled with love for God and his neighbor, interfered. His life was so consistent that, although young, he had attained a reputation equal to that of the elder Zacharias, for he walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless, and was untiring in every good work for his neighbor, zealous for God and fervent in spirit. Such being his character, he could not endure the unreasonable judgment against us, but was filled with indignation, and asked to be permitted to testify in behalf of his brethren that there is among us nothing ungodly or impious. But those about the judgment seat cried out against him, for he was a man of distinction, and the Governor refused to grant his just request, and merely asked if he also were a Christian. And he, confessing this with a loud voice, was himself taken into the order of the witnesses, being called the Advocate of the Christians, but having the Advocate in himself, the Spirit more abundantly than Zacharias. He showed this by the fullness of his love, being well pleased even to lay down his life in defense of the brethren, for he was and is a true disciple of Christ, following the Lamb with or so ever he goeth. Then the others were divided, and the proto-witnesses were manifestly ready, and finished their confession with all eagerness. But some appeared unprepared and untrained, weak as yet, and unable to endure so great a conflict. About ten of these proved abortions, causing us great grief and sorrow beyond measure, and impairing the zeal of the others who had not yet been seized, but who, those suffering all kinds of affliction, continued constantly with the witnesses and did not forsake them. Then all of us feared greatly on account of uncertainty as to their confession, not because we dreaded the sufferings to be endured, but because we looked to the end, and were afraid that some of them might fall away. But those who were worthy were seized day by day, filling up their number, so that all the zealous persons, and those through whom especially our affairs had been established, were collected together out of the two churches. And some of our heathen servants also were seized, as the governor had commanded that all of us should be examined publicly. These being ensnared by Satan, and fearing for themselves the tortures which they beheld the saints endure, and being also urged on by the soldiers, accused us falsely of Diestian banquets, and Oedipodian intercourse, and of deeds which are not only unlawful for us to speak of or to think, but which we cannot believe were ever done by men. When these accusations were reported, all the people raged like wild beasts against us, so that even if any had before been moderate on account of friendship, they were now exceedingly furious, and gnashed their teeth against us. And that which was spoken by our Lord was fulfilled, the time will come when whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. Then finally the holy witnesses endured sufferings beyond description, Satan striving earnestly that some of the slanders might be uttered by them also. But the whole wrath of the populace, and governor, and soldiers, was aroused exceedingly against Sanctus, the deacon from Vian, and Maturus, a late convert, yet a noble combatant, and against Attalus, a native of Pergamus, where he had always been a pillar and foundation, and Blandina, through whom Christ showed that things which appear mean and obscure and despicable to men are with God of great glory, drew love toward him manifested in power, and not boasting in appearance. For while we all trembled, and her earthly mistress, who was herself also one of the witnesses, feared that on account of the weakness of her body she would be unable to make bold confession, Blandina was filled with such power as to be delivered and raised above those who were torturing her by turns from morning till evening in every manner, so that they acknowledged that they were conquered, and could do nothing more to her. And they were astonished at her endurance, as her entire body was mangled and broken, and they testified that one of these forms of torture was sufficient to destroy life, not to speak of so many and so great sufferings. But the blessed woman, like a noble athlete, renewed her strength in her confession, and her comfort and recreation and relief from the pain of her sufferings was in exclaiming, I am a Christian, and there is nothing vile done by us. But Sanctus also endured marvelously and superhumanly all the outrages which he suffered. While the wicked men hoped by the continuance and severity of his tortures to wring something from him which he ought not to say, he girded himself against them with such firmness that he would not even tell his name, or the nation or city to which he belonged, or whether he was bond or free, but answered in the Roman tongue to all their questions, I am a Christian. He confessed this instead of name and city and race and everything besides, and the people heard from him no other word. There arose, therefore, on the part of the governor and his tormentors a great desire to conquer him. But having nothing more that they could do to him, they finally fastened red-hot brazen plates to the most tender parts of his body. These indeed were burned, but he continued unbending and unyielding, firm in his confession, and refreshed and strengthened by the heavenly fountain of the water of life, flowing from the bowels of Christ. And his body was a witness of his sufferings, being one complete wound and bruise, drawn out of shape and altogether unlike a human form. Christ, suffering in him, manifested his glory, delivering him from his adversary, and making him an ensample for the others, showing that nothing is fearful where the love of the Father is, and nothing painful where there is the glory of Christ. For when the wicked men tortured him a second time after some days, supposing that with his body swollen and inflamed to such a degree that he could not bear the touch of a hand, if they should again apply the same instruments they would overcome him, or at least by his death under his sufferings others would be made afraid, not only did not this occur, but, contrary to all human expectation, his body arose and stood erect in the midst of the subsequent torments, and resumed its original appearance and the use of its limbs, so that, through the grace of Christ, these second sufferings became to him, not torture, but healing. But the devil, thinking that he had already consumed Biblius, who was one of those who had denied Christ, desiring to increase her condemnation through the utterance of blasphemy, brought her again to the torture, to compel her, as already feeble and weak, to report impious things concerning us. But she recovered herself under the suffering, and as if awaking from a deep sleep, and reminded by the present anguish of the eternal punishment in hell, she contradicted the blasphemers, how, she said, could those eat children who do not think it lawful to taste the blood even of irrational animals, and thenceforward she confessed herself a Christian and was given a place in the order of the witnesses. But as the tyrannical tortures were made by Christ of none effect through the patience of the blessed, the devil invented other contrivances, confinement in the dark and most loathsome parts of the prison, stretching of the feet to the fifth hole in the stocks, and the other outrages which his servants are accustomed to inflict upon the prisoners, when furious and filled with the devil, a great many were suffocated in prison, being chosen by the Lord for this manner of death, that he might manifest in them his glory. For some, though they had been tortured so cruelly that it seemed impossible that they could live, even with the most careful nursing, yet destitute of human attention, remained in the prison, being strengthened by the Lord, and invigorated both in body and soul, and they exhorted and encouraged the rest, but such as were young and arrested recently, so that their bodies had not become accustomed to torture, were unable to endure the severity of their confinement, and died in prison. The blessed Pothinus, who had been entrusted with the bishopric of Lyons, was dragged to the judgment seat. He was more than ninety years of age, and very infirm, scarcely indeed able to breathe because of physical weakness, but he was strengthened by spiritual zeal through his earnest desire for martyrdom. Though his body was worn out by old age and disease, his life was preserved that Christ might triumph in it. When he was brought by the soldiers to the tribunal, accompanied by the civil magistrates and a multitude who shouted against him in every manner as if he were Christ himself, he bore noble witness. Being asked by the Governor, who was the God of the Christians, he replied, if thou art worthy, thou shalt know. Then he was dragged away harshly, and received blows of every kind. Those near him struck him with their hands and feet, regardless of his age, and those at a distance hurled at him whatever they could seize, all of them thinking that they would be guilty of great wickedness and impiety if any possible abuse were omitted, for thus they thought to avenge their own deities. Scarcely able to breathe, he was cast into prison and died after two days. Then a certain great dispensation of God occurred, and the compassion of Jesus appeared beyond measure in a manner rarely seen among the brotherhood, but not beyond the power of Christ. For those who had recanted after their first arrest were imprisoned with the others, and endured terrible sufferings, so that their denial was of no profit to them even for the present. But those who confessed what they were were imprisoned as Christians, no other accusation being brought against them. But the first were treated afterwards as murderers and defiled, and were punished twice as severely as the others. For the joy of martyrdom, and the hope of the promises, and love for Christ, and the spirit of the fathers supported the latter, but their consciences so greatly distressed the former that they were easily distinguishable from all the rest by their very countenances when they were led forth. For the first went out rejoicing, glory and grace being blended in their faces, so that even their bonds seemed like beautiful ornaments, as those of a bride adorned with variegated golden fringes, and they were perfumed with the sweet savor of Christ so that some supposed that they had been anointed with earthly ointment. But the others were downcast and humble and dejected and filled with every kind of disgrace. And they were reproached by the heathen as ignoble and weak, bearing the accusation of murderers, and having lost the one honorable and glorious and life-giving name. The rest, beholding this, were strengthened, and when apprehended they confessed without hesitation, paying no attention to the persuasions of the devil. After certain other words they continue, after these things finally their martyrdoms were divided into every form. For plating a crown of various colors and of all kinds of flowers they presented it to the Father. It was proper therefore that the noble athletes, having endured a manifold strife and conquered grandly, should receive the crown, great and incorruptible. Maturus, therefore, and Sanctus and Blandina and Attalus were led to the amphitheater to be exposed to the wild beasts, and to give to the heathen public a spectacle of cruelty, a day for fighting with wild beasts being specially appointed on account of our people. Both Maturus and Sanctus passed again through every torment in the amphitheater, as if they had suffered nothing before, or rather as if, having already conquered their antagonist in many contests, they were now striving for the crown itself. They endured again the customary running of the gauntlet and the violence of the wild beasts, and everything which the furious people called for or desired, and at last the iron chair in which their bodies being roasted tormented them with the fumes. And not with this did the persecutors cease, but were yet more mad against them, determined to overcome their patience, but even thus they did not hear a word from Sanctus except the confession which he had uttered from the beginning. These then, after their life had continued for a long time through the great conflict, were at last sacrificed, having been made throughout that day a spectacle to the world, in place of the usual variety of combats. But Blandina was suspended on a stake, and exposed to be devoured by the wild beasts who should attack her. And because she appeared as if hanging on a cross, and because of her earnest prayers, she inspired the combatants with great zeal, for they looked on her in her conflict, and beheld with their outward eyes, in the form of their sister, him who was crucified for them, that he might persuade those who believe on him, that everyone who suffers for the glory of Christ has fellowship always with the living God. As none of the wild beasts at that time touched her, she was taken down from the stake, and cast again into prison. She was preserved thus for another contest, that being victorious in more conflicts, she might make the punishment of the crooked serpent irrevocable, and though small and weak and despised, yet clothed with Christ the mighty and conquering athlete, she might arouse the zeal of the brethren, and having overcome the adversary many times might receive, through her conflict, the crown incorruptible. But Attilus was called for loudly by the people, because he was a person of distinction. He entered the contest readily, on account of a good conscience and his genuine practice in Christian discipline, and as he had always been a witness for the truth among us. He was led around the amphitheater, a tablet being carried before him on which was written in the Roman language, this is Attilus the Christian, and the people were filled with indignation against him. But when the governor learned that he was a Roman, he commanded him to be taken back with the rest of those who were in prison concerning whom he had written to Caesar, and whose answer he was awaiting. But the intervening time was not wasted nor fruitless to them, for by their patience the measureless compassion of Christ was manifested, for through their continued life the dead were made alive, and the witnesses showed favor to those who had failed to witness, and the virgin mother had much joy in receiving alive those whom she had brought forth as dead. For through their influence many who had denied were restored, and rebegotten, and rekindled with life and learned to confess, and being made alive and strengthened, they went to the judgment seat to be again interrogated by the governor, God who desires not the death of the sinner, but mercifully invites to repentance treating them with kindness. For Caesar commanded that they should be put to death, but that any who might deny should be set free, therefore at the beginning of the public festival which took place there, and which was attended by crowds of men from all nations, the governor brought the blessed ones to the judgment seat, to make of them a show and spectacle for the multitude. Wherefore also he examined them again, and beheaded those who appeared to possess Roman citizenship, but he sent the others to the wild beasts. And Christ was glorified greatly in those who had formerly denied him, for contrary to the expectation of the heathen they confessed. For they were examined by themselves as about to be set free, but confessing they were added to the order of the witnesses. But some continued without who had never possessed a trace of faith, nor any apprehension of the wedding garment, nor an understanding of the fear of God, but as sons of perdition they blasphemed the way through their apostasy. But all the others were added to the church. While these were being examined, a certain Alexander, a Phrygian by birth, and physician by profession, who had resided in Gaul for many years, and was well known to all on account of his love to God and boldness of speech, for he was not without a share of apostolic grace, standing before the judgment seat and by signs encouraging them to confess, appeared to those standing by as if in travail. But the people being enraged because those who formerly denied now confessed, cried out against Alexander as if he were the cause of this. Then the governor summoned him and inquired who he was, and when he answered that he was a Christian, being very angry, he condemned him to the wild beasts, and on the next day he entered along with Attilus, for to please the people the governor had ordered Attilus again to the wild beasts. And they were tortured in the amphitheater with all the instruments contrived for that purpose, and having endured a very great conflict were at last sacrificed. Alexander neither groaned nor murmured in any manner, but communed in his heart with God. But when Attilus was placed in the iron seat, and the fumes arose from his burning body, he said to the people in the Roman village, Lo, this which ye do is devouring men, but we do not devour men, nor do any other wicked thing. And being asked what name God has, he replied God has not a name as man has. After all these, on the last day of the contests, Blandina was again brought in, with Ponticus, a boy about fifteen years old. They had been brought every day to witness the sufferings of the sisters, and had been pressed to swear by the idols. But because they remained steadfast and despised them, the multitude became furious, so that they had no compassion for the youth of the boy, nor respect for the sex of the woman. Therefore they exposed them to all the terrible sufferings and took them through the entire round of torture, repeatedly urging them to swear, but being unable to effect this. For Ponticus encouraged by his sisters so that even the heathen could see that she was confirming and strengthening him, having nobly endured every torture, gave up the ghost. But the blessed Blandina, last of all, having as a noble mother encouraged her children and sent them before her victorious to the king, endured herself all their conflicts and hastened after them, glad and rejoicing in her departure as if called to a marriage supper, rather than cast wild beasts. And after the scourging, after the wild beasts, after the roasting seat, she was finally enclosed in a net and thrown before a bull. And having been tossed about by the animal, but feeling none of the things which were happening to her, on account of her hope and firm hold upon what had been entrusted to her and her communion with Christ, she also was sacrificed. And the heathen themselves confessed that never among them had a woman endured so many and such terrible tortures. But not even thus was their madness and cruelty toward the saints satisfied. For incited by the wild beasts, wild and barbarous tribes were not easily appeased, and their violence found another peculiar opportunity in the dead bodies. For, through their lack of manly reason, the fact that they had been conquered did not put them to shame, but rather the more incindled their wrath as that of a wild beast, and aroused alike the hatred of governor and people to treat us unjustly, that the scripture might be fulfilled, he that is lawless let him be lawless still, and he that is righteous let him be righteous still. For they cast to the dogs those who had died of suffocation in the prison, carefully guarding them by night and day, lest anyone should be buried by us. And they exposed the remains left by the wild beasts and by fire, mangled and charred, and placed the heads of the others by their bodies, and guarded them in like manner from burial by a watch of soldiers for many days. And some raged and gnashed their teeth against them, desiring to execute more severe vengeance upon them, but others laughed and mocked at them, magnifying their own idols, and imputed to them the punishment of the Christians. Even the more reasonable, and those who had seemed to sympathize somewhat, reproached them often, saying, Where is their God, and what has their religion, which they have chosen rather than life, profited them? So various was their conduct toward us, but we were in deep affliction because we could not bury the bodies, for neither did night avail us for this purpose, nor did money persuade, nor in treaty moved to compassion, but they kept watch in every way, as if the prevention of the burial would be of some great advantage to them. In addition, they say after other things, the bodies of the martyrs, having thus in every manner been exhibited and exposed for six days, were afterward burned and reduced to ashes, and swept into the ron by the wicked men, so that no trace of them might appear on the earth. And this they did as if able to conquer God and prevent their new birth. That, as they said, they may have no hope of a resurrection, through trust in which they bring to us this foreign and new religion, and despise terrible things, and are ready even to go to death with joy. Now let us see if they will rise again, and if their God is able to help them, and to deliver them out of our hands. End of Book 5, Part 1. Church History by Eusebius of Caesarea, translated by Arthur Cushman MacGifford. Book 5, Part 2, chapters 2 through 12. Chapter 2, The Martyrs, Beloved of God, kindly ministered unto those who fell in the persecution. Such things happened to the churches of Christ under the above-mentioned emperor, from which we may reasonably conjecture the occurrences in the other provinces. It is proper to add other selections from the same letter, in which the moderation and compassion of these witnesses is recorded in the following words. They were also so zealous in their imitation of Christ, who, being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on inequality with God, that, though they had attained such honor, and had borne witness, not once or twice, but many times, having been brought back to prison from the wild beasts, covered with burns and scars and wounds, yet they did not proclaim themselves witnesses, nor did they suffer us to address them by this name. If any one of us, in letter or conversation, spoke of them as witnesses, they rebuked him sharply. For they conceded cheerfully the appellation of witness to Christ, the faithful and true witness, and firstborn of the dead, and prince of the life of God, and they reminded us of the witnesses who had already departed, and said, they are already witnesses whom Christ has deemed worthy to be taken up in their confession, having sealed their testimony by their departure, but we are lowly and humble confessors, and they besought the brethren with tears that earnest prayers should be offered that they might be made perfect. They showed in their deeds the power of testimony, manifesting great boldness toward all the brethren, and they made plain their nobility through patience and fearlessness and courage, but they refused the title of witnesses as distinguishing them from their brethren, being filled with the fear of God. A little further on they say, they humbled themselves under the mighty hand by which they are now greatly exalted. They defended all, but accused none. They absolved all, but bound none. And they prayed for those who had inflicted cruelties upon them, even as Stephen, the perfect witness, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. But if he prayed for those who stoned him, how much more for the brethren? And again after mentioning other matters they say, for, through the genuineness of their love, their greatest contest with him was that the beast, being choked, might cast out alive those whom he supposed he had swallowed, for they did not boast over the fallen, but helped them in their need with those things in which they themselves abounded, having the compassion of a mother, and shedding many tears on their account before the Father. They asked for life, and he gave it to them, and they shared it with their neighbors. Victorious over everything they departed to God. Having always loved peace, and having commended peace to us, they went in peace to God, leaving no sorrow to their mother, nor division nor strife to the brethren, but joy and peace and concord and love. This record of the affection of those blessed ones toward the brethren that had fallen may be profitably added on account of the inhuman and unmerciful disposition of those who, after these events, acted unsparingly toward the members of Christ. CHAPTER III. THE VISION, WHICH APPEARED IN A DREAM TO THE WITNESS ATOLUS. The same letter of the above-mentioned witnesses contains another account worthy of remembrance. No one will object to our bringing it to the knowledge of our readers. It runs as follows. For a certain Alcibiades, who was one of them, led a very austere life, partaking of nothing whatever but bread and water. When he endeavored to continue this same sort of life in prison, it was revealed to Atlas after his first conflict in the amphitheater that Alcibiades was not doing well in refusing the creatures of God and placing a stumbling block before others. And Alcibiades obeyed and partook of all things without restraint, giving thanks to God. For they were not deprived of the grace of God, but the Holy Ghost was their counselor. Let this suffice for these matters. The followers of Montanus, Alcibiades, and Theodotus in Phrygia were now first giving wide circulation to their assumption in regard to prophecy, for the many other miracles that, through the gift of God, were still wrought in the different churches, caused their prophesying to be readily credited by many, and as dissension arose concerning them, the brethren in Gaul set forth their own prudent and most orthodox judgment in the matter, and published also several epistles from the witnesses that had been put to death among them. These they sent, while they were still in prison, to the brethren throughout Asia and Phrygia, and also to Eluthorus, who was then Bishop of Rome negotiating for the peace of the churches. After four, Irenaeus commended by the witnesses in a letter. The same witnesses also recommended Irenaeus, who was already at that time a presbyter of the parish of Lyons, to the above-mentioned Bishop of Rome, saying many favorable things in regard to him, as the following extract shows. We pray, Father Eluthorus, that you may rejoice in God in all things and all ways. We have requested our brother and comrade Irenaeus to carry this letter to you, and we ask you to hold him in esteem, as zealous for the covenant of Christ, for if we thought that office could confer righteousness upon any one, we should commend him among the first as a presbyter of the church, which is his position. Why should we transcribe the catalogue of the witnesses given in the letter already mentioned, of whom some were beheaded, others cast to the wild beasts, and others fell asleep in prison, or give the number of confessors still surviving at that time, for whoever desires can readily find the full account by consulting the letter itself, which, as I have said, is recorded in our collection of martyrdoms, such were the events which happened under Irenaeus. CHAPTER V God sent rain from heaven for Marcus Aurelius Caesar in answer to the prayers of our people. It is reported that Marcus Aurelius Caesar, brother of Antoninus, being about to engage in battle with the Germans and Sarmatians, was in great trouble on account of his army suffering from thirst. But the soldiers of the so-called Melatine Legion, through the faith which has given strength from that time to the present, when they were drawn up before the enemy, kneeled on the ground, as is our custom in prayer, and engaged in supplications to God. This was indeed a strange sight to the enemy, but it is reported that a stranger thing immediately followed. The lightning drove the enemy to flight and destruction, but a shower refreshed the army of those who had called on God, all of whom had been on the point of perishing with thirst. This story is related by non-Christian writers who have been pleased to treat the times referred to, and it has also been recorded by our own people. By those historians who were strangers to the faith, the marvel is mentioned, but it is not acknowledged as an answer to our prayers, but by our own people, as friends of the truth, the occurrence is related in a simple and artless manner. Among these is Apollinarius, who says that from that time the Legion through whose prayers the wanderer took place received from the emperor a title appropriate to the event, being called in the language of the Romans the Thundering Legion. Tertolian is a trustworthy witness of these things, in the apology for the faith which he addressed to the Roman Senate and which work we have already mentioned, he confirms the history with greater and stronger proofs. He writes that there are still extant letters of the most intelligent emperor Marcus in which he testifies that his army, being on the point of perishing with thirst in Germany, was saved by the prayers of the Christians, and he says also that this emperor threatened death to those who brought accusation against us. He adds further, what kind of laws are those which impious, unjust, and cruel persons use against us alone, which Vespasian, though he had conquered the Jews, did not regard which Trajan partially annulled forbidding Christians to be sought after, which neither Adrian, though inquisitive in all matters, nor he who was called Pius, sanctioned, but let anyone treat these things as he chooses, we must pass on to what followed. Pothinus, having died with the other martyrs in Gaul at ninety years of age, Irenaeus succeeded him in the Episcopate of the Church at Lyons. We have learned that in his youth he was a hearer of Polycarp. In the third book of his work Against Heresies he has inserted a list of the bishops of Rome, bringing it down as far as Eleutherus, whose times we are now considering, under whom he composed his work. He writes as follows. CHAPTER VI The Blessed Apostles, having founded and established the Church, entrusted the office of the Episcopate to Lyonus. Paul speaks of this Lyonus in his Epistles to Timothy. Anencleetus succeeded him, and after Anencleetus in the third place from the Apostles, Clement received the Episcopate. He had seen and conversed with the Blessed Apostles, and their preaching was still sounding in his ears, and their tradition was still before his eyes, nor was he alone in this, for many who had been taught by the Apostles yet survived. In the times of Clement, a serious dissension having arisen among the brethren in Corinth, the Church of Rome sent a most suitable letter to the Corinthians, reconciling them in peace, renewing their faith, and proclaiming the doctrine lately received from the Apostles. A little farther on he says, Everestus succeeded Clement, and Alexander Everestus, then Zistus, the sixth from the Apostles, was appointed, after him Telesphorus, who suffered martyrdom gloriously, then Hyginus, then Pius, and after him Anacetus, Sotère succeeded Anacetus, and now, in the twelfth place from the Apostles, Eleutherus holds the office of Bishop. In the same order and succession the tradition in the Church and the preaching of the truth has descended from the Apostles unto us. Chapter 7 Even down to those times miracles were performed by the faithful. These things ironyous in agreement with the accounts already given by us, records in the work which comprises five books, and to which he gave the title refutation and overthrow of the knowledge falsely so called. In the second book of the same treatise he shows that manifestations of divine and miraculous power continued to his time in some of the churches. He says, But so far do they come short of raising the dead as the Lord raised them, and the Apostles through prayer, and oftentimes in the brotherhood, when, on account of some necessity, our entire church has besought with fasting and much supplication, the spirit of the dead has returned, and the man has been restored through the prayers of the saints. And again, after other remarks, he says, If they will say that even the Lord did these things in mere appearance, we will refer them to the prophetic writings, and show from them that all things were beforehand spoken of him in this manner, and were strictly fulfilled, and that he alone is the Son of God, wherefore his true disciples receiving grace from him performed such works in his name for the benefit of other men as each has received the gift from him. For some of them drive out demons effectually and truly, so that those who have been cleansed from evil spirits frequently believe and unite with the church. Others have a foreknowledge of future events and visions and prophetic revelations. Still others heal the sick by the laying on of hands and restore them to health. And as we have said, even dead persons have been raised and remained with us many years. But why should we say more? It is not possible to recount the number of gifts which the church throughout all the world has received from God, in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and exercises every day for the benefit of the heathen, never deceiving any nor doing it for money, for as she has received freely from God, freely also does she minister. And in another place the same author writes, as also we hear that many brethren in the church possess prophetic gifts and speak through the spirit with all kinds of tongues, and bring to light the secret things of men for their good, and declare the mysteries of God. So much in regard to the fact that various gifts remained among those who were worthy even until that time. CHAPTER VIII. THE STATEMENTS OF IRONIUS IN REGARD TO THE DEVINE SCRIPTURES Since in the beginning of this work we promise to give, when needful, the words of the ancient presbyters and writers of the church in which they have declared those traditions which came down to them concerning the canonical books, and since Irenaeus was one of them, we will now give his words and first what he says of the sacred Gospels. Matthew published his Gospel among the Hebrews in their own language while Peter and Paul were preaching and founding the church in Rome. After their departure Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also transmitted to us in writing those things which Peter had preached, and Luke, the attendant of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel which Paul had declared. Afterwards John, the disciple of the Lord, who also reclined on his bosom, published his Gospel while staying at Ephesus in Asia. He states these things in the third book of his above-mentioned work. In the fifth book he speaks as follows concerning the apocalypse of John and the number of the name of Antichrist. As these things are so, and this number is found in all the approved and ancient copies, and those who saw John face to face confirm it, and reason teaches us that the number of the name of the beast according to the mode of calculation among the Greeks appears in its letters. And farther on he says concerning the same, we are not bold enough to speak confidently the name of Antichrist, for if it were necessary that his name should be declared clearly at the present time it would have been announced by him who saw the revelation, for it was seen not long ago but almost in our generation toward the end of the reign of Domitian. He states these things concerning the apocalypse in the work referred to. He also mentions the first epistle of John, taking many proofs from it, and likewise the first epistle of Peter. And he not only knows but also receives the shepherd, writing as follows. Well did the scriptures speak, saying, first of all believe that God is one who has created and completed all things, etc. And he uses almost the precise words of the wisdom of Solomon, saying, the vision of God produces immortality but immortality renders us near to God. He mentions also the memoirs of a certain apostolic presbyter whose name he passes by in silence and gives his expositions of the sacred scriptures. And he refers to Justin the martyr and to Ignatius, using testimonies also from their writings. Moreover, he promises to refute Marcyon from his own writings in a special work. Concerning the translation of the inspired scriptures by the Seventy, hear the very words which he writes, God in truth became man and the Lord himself saved us giving the sign of the Virgin, but not as some say who now venture to translate the scripture, behold a young woman shall conceive and bring forth a son, as the adotian of Ephesus and Aquila of Pontus, both of them Jewish proselytes interpreted, following whom the E-Bionites say that he was begotten by Joseph. Shortly after he adds, for before the Romans had established their empire, while the Macedonians were still holding Asia, Ptolemy, the son of Lagos, being desirous of adorning the library which he had founded in Alexandria with the meritorious writings of all men, requested the people of Jerusalem to have their scriptures translated into the Greek language. But as they were then subject to the Macedonians, they sent Ptolemy's seventy elders, who were the most skilled among them in the scriptures and in both languages, thus God accomplished his purpose. But wishing to try them individually, as he feared lest by taking counsel together they might conceal the truth of the scriptures by their interpretation, he separated them from one another and commanded all of them to write the same translation. He did this for all the books. But when they came together in the presence of Ptolemy and compared their several translations, God was glorified and the scriptures were recognized as truly divine, for all of them had rendered the same things in the same words and with the same names from beginning to end, so that the heathen perceived that the scriptures had been translated by the inspiration of God. And this was nothing wonderful for God to do, who, in the captivity of the people under Nebuchadnezzar, when the scriptures had been destroyed and the Jews had returned to their own country after seventy years, afterwards, in the time of Artaxerxes, king of the Persians, inspired Ezra, the priest of the tribe of Levi, to relate all the words of the former prophets and to restore to the people the legislation of Moses. Such are the words of Irenaeus. Chapter 9 The Bishops Under Commodus After Antoninus had been emperor for nineteen years, Commodus received the government. In his first year, Julian became bishop of the Alexandrian churches after Agripinus had held the office for twelve years. Chapter 10 Pantinus the Philosopher About that time Pantinus, a man highly distinguished for his learning, had charge of the school of the faithful in Alexandria. A school of sacred learning which continues to our day was established there in ancient times and as we have been informed was managed by men of great ability and zeal for divine things. Among these it is reported that Pantinus was at that time especially conspicuous as he had been educated in the philosophical system of those called Stoics. They say that he displayed such zeal for the divine word that he was appointed as a herald of the Gospel of Christ to the nations in the east and was sent as far as India. For indeed there were still many evangelists of the word who sought earnestly to use their inspired zeal, after the examples of the apostles, for the increase and building up of the divine word. Pantinus was one of these, and is said to have gone to India. It is reported that among persons there who knew of Christ he found the Gospel according to Matthew which had anticipated his own arrival, for Bartholomew, one of the apostles, had preached to them and left with them the writing of Matthew in the Hebrew language which they had preserved till that time. After many good deeds Pantinus finally became the head of the school at Alexandria and expounded the treasures of divine doctrine both orally and in writing. CHAPTER XI. Clement of Alexandria. At this time Clement, being trained with him in the divine scriptures at Alexandria, became well known. He had the same name as the one who anciently was at the head of the Roman church and who was a disciple of the apostles. In his hypotiposes he speaks of Pantinus' by name as his teacher. It seems to me that he alludes to the same person also in the first book of his Stromata, when referring to the more conspicuous of the successors of the apostles whom he had met, he says, This work is not a writing artfully constructed for display, but my notes are stored up for old age, as a remedy against forgetfulness, an image without art, and a rough sketch of those powerful and animated words which it was my privilege to hear, as well as of blessed and truly remarkable men. Of these the one, the Ionian, was in Greece, the other in Magna Gritia. The one of them was from Koweli, Syria, the other from Egypt. There were others in the East, one of them an Assyrian, the other a Hebrew in Palestine, but when I met with the last, inability truly he was first, having hunted him out on his concealment in Egypt, I found rest. These men, preserving the true tradition of the blessed doctrine directly from the holy apostles, Peter and James and John and Paul, the son receiving it from the father, but few were like the fathers, have come by God's will, even to us, to deposit those ancestral and apostolic seeds. CHAPTER XII. THE BISHOPS IN JURUSELM At this time Narcissus was the bishop of the church at Jerusalem, and he is celebrated by many to this day. He was the fifteenth in succession from the siege of the Jews under Adrian. We have shown that from that time first the church in Jerusalem was composed of Gentiles, after those of the circumcision, and that Marcus was the first Gentile bishop that presided over them. After him the succession in the Episcopate was, first Cassianus, after him Publius, then Maximus, following them Julian, then Gaius, after him Simacus, and another Gaius, and again another Julian, after these Capito, and Valens, and Dolikianus, and after all of them Narcissus, the thirtieth in regular succession from the apostles. CHAPTER XIII. RODO And his account of the dissension of Marcian. At this time RODO, a native of Asia, who had been instructed, as he himself states, by Taysin, with whom we have already become acquainted, having written several books, published among the rest one against the heresy of Marcian. He says that this heresy was divided in his time into various opinions, and while describing those who occasioned the division, he refutes accurately the falsehoods devised by each of them. But hear what he writes. Therefore also they disagree among themselves, maintaining an inconsistent opinion. For Apelles, one of the herd, priding himself on his manner of life and his age, acknowledges one principle, but says that the prophecies are from an opposing spirit being led to this view by the responses of a maiden by the name of Philumini, who was possessed by a demon. But others, among whom are Protitis and Basilicus, hold to two principles, as does the Mariner Marcian himself. These following the wolf of Pontus, and like him, unable to fathom the division of things, became reckless, and without giving any proof asserted two principles. Others again, drifting into a worse error, consider that there are not only two but three natures. Of these, Sineros is the leader and chief, as those who defend his teachings say. The same author writes that he engaged in conversation with Apelles. He speaks as follows. For the old man Apelles, when conversing with us, was refuted in many things which he spoke falsely, whence also he said that it was not at all necessary to examine one's doctrine, but that each one should continue to hold what he believed. For he asserted that those who trusted in the crucified would be saved if only they were found doing good works. But as we have said before, his opinion concerning God was the most obscure of all, for he spoke of one principle, as also our doctrine does. Then after stating fully his own opinion, he adds, When I said to him, tell me how you know this or how you can assert that there is one principle, he replied that the prophecies refuted themselves, because they have said nothing true, for they are inconsistent and false and self-contradictory. But how there is one principle he said that he did not know, but that he was thus persuaded. As I then adjured him to speak the truth, he swore that he did so when he said that he did not know how there is one unbegotten God, but that he believed it. Thereupon I laughed and reproved him, because, though calling himself a teacher, he knew not how to confirm what he taught. In the same work, addressing Callistio, the same writer acknowledges that he had been instructed at Rome by Taysian, and he says that a book of problems had been prepared by Taysian, in which he promised to explain the obscure and hidden parts of the divine scriptures. Roto himself promises to give, in a work of his own, solutions of Taysian's problems. There is also extant, a commentary of his on the Heximeron. But this appellese wrote many things in an impious manner of the law of Moses, blaspheming the divine words in many of his works, being, as it seemed, very zealous for their refutation and overthrow. So much concerning these. CHAPTER XIV THE FALSE PROPHETS OF THE FRIGIANS The enemy of God's church, who is emphatically a hater of good and a lover of evil, and leaves untried no manner of craft against men, was again active in causing strange heresies to spring up against the church. For some persons, like venomous reptiles, crawled over Asia and Phrygia, boasting that Montanus was the paraclete, and that the women that followed him, Priscilla and Maximilla, were prophetesses of Montanus. The schism of Blastus at Rome. Others, of whom Florinus was chief, flourished at Rome. He fell from the presbyteria of the church, and Blastus was involved in a similar fall. They also drew away many of the church to their opinion, each striving to introduce his own innovations in respect to the truth. CHAPTER XVI THE CIRCUMSTANCE IS RELATED OF MONTANUS AND HIS FALSE PROPHETS. Against the so-called Phrygian heresy, the power which always contends for the truth raised up a strong and invincible weapon, a Polinarius of Hierapolis, whom we have mentioned before, and with him many other men of ability, by whom abundant material for our history has been left. A certain one of these, in the beginning of his work against them, first intimates that he had contended with them in oral controversies. He commences his work in this manner. Having for a very long and sufficient time, O beloved Aversius Marcellus, been urged by you to write a treatise against the heresy of those who are called after Miltiades, I have hesitated till the present time, not through lack of ability to refute the falsehood or bear testimony for the truth, but from fear and apprehension that I might seem to some to be making additions to the doctrines or precepts of the gospel of the New Testament, which it is impossible for one who has chosen to live according to the gospel, either to increase or to diminish. But being recently in Ansira in Galatia, I found the church there greatly agitated by this novelty, not prophecy as they call it, but rather false prophecy as will be shown. Therefore to the best of our ability, with the Lord's help, we disputed in the church many days concerning these and other matters separately brought forward by them, so that the church rejoiced and was strengthened in the truth, and those of the opposite side were for the time confounded and the adversaries were grieved. The presbyters in the place, our fellow presbyter Zoticus of Otrois also being present, requested us to leave a record of what had been said against the opposers of the truth. We did not do this, but we promised to write it out as soon as the Lord permitted us, and to send it to them speedily. Having said this with other things, in the beginning of his work, he proceeds to state the cause of the above mentioned heresy as follows. Their opposition and their recent heresy which has separated them from the church arose on the following account. There is said to be a certain village called Ardaba in that part of Misia which borders upon Phrygia. There first, they say, when Grotus was proconsul of Asia, a recent convert, Montanus by name, through his unquenchable desire for leadership gave the adversary opportunity against him, and he became beside himself, and being suddenly in a sort of frenzy and ecstasy he raved, and began to babble and utter strange things, prophesying in a manner contrary to the constant custom of the church handed down by tradition from the beginning. Some of those who heard his spurious utterances at that time were indignant, and they rebuked him as one that was possessed, and that was under the control of a demon, and was led by a deceitful spirit, and was distracting the multitude, and they forbade him to talk, remembering the distinction drawn by the Lord, and his warning to guard watchfully against the coming of false prophets. But others imagining themselves possessed of the Holy Spirit and of a prophetic gift were elated and not a little puffed up, and for getting the distinction of the Lord they challenged the mad and insidious and seducing spirit, and were cheated and deceived by him. In consequence of this he could no longer be held in check so as to keep silence. Thus by artifice, or rather by such a system of wicked craft, the devil devising destruction for the disobedient, and being unworthily honored by them, secretly excited and inflamed their understandings which had already become estranged from the true faith. And he stirred up besides two women, and filled them with the false spirit, so that they talked wildly and unreasonably and strangely like the person already mentioned, and the spirit pronounced them blessed as they rejoiced and gloried in him, and puffed them up by the magnitude of his promises. But sometimes he rebuked them openly in a wise and faithful manner that he might seem to be a reprover, but those of the Phrygians that were deceived were few in number. And the arrogant spirit taught them to revile the entire universal church under heaven because the spirit of false prophecy received neither honor from it nor entrance into it. For the faithful in Asia met often in many places throughout Asia to consider this matter, and examined the novel utterances and pronounced them profane, and rejected the heresy, and thus these persons were expelled from the church and debarred from communion. Having related these things at the outset, and continued the refutation of their delusion through his entire work, in the second book he speaks as follows of their end. Since therefore they called us slayers of the prophets because we did not receive their loquacious prophets, who they say are those that the Lord promised to send to the people, let them answer as in God's presence. Who is there, O friends, of these who began to talk from Montanus and the women down, that was persecuted by the Jews, or slain by lawless men, none, or has any of them been seized and crucified for the name, truly not, or has one of these women ever been scourged in the synagogues of the Jews, or stoned? No, never anywhere. But by another kind of death Montanus and Maximilla are said to have died, for the report is that, incited by the spirit of frenzy, they both hung themselves, not at the same time, but at the time which common report gives for the death of each, and thus they died and ended their lives like the traitor Judas. So also, as general report says, that remarkable person, the first steward, as it were, of their so-called prophecy, one Theodotus, who, as if at some time taken up and received into heaven, fell into trances, and entrusted himself to the deceitful spirit, was pitched like a coit and died miserably. They say that these things happened in this manner, but as we did not see them, O friend, we do not pretend to know, perhaps in such a manner, perhaps not, Montanus and Theodotus and the above mentioned woman died. He says again in the same book that the holy bishops of that time attempted to refute the spirit in Maximilla, but were prevented by others who plainly cooperated with the spirit. He writes as follows, and let not the spirit in the same work of asterious urbanus say through Maximilla, I am driven away from the sheep like a wolf, I am not a wolf, I am word and spirit and power, but let him show clearly and prove the power in the spirit, and by the spirit let him compel those to confess him who were then present for the purpose of proving and reasoning with the talkative spirit, those immanent men and bishops, Zotacus from the village Comana, and Julian from Appamia, whose mouths the followers of Themiso muzzled, refusing to permit the false and seductive spirit to be refuted by them. Again in the same work, after saying other things in refutation of the false prophecies of Maximilla, he indicates the time when he wrote these accounts and mentions her predictions in which she prophesied wars and anarchy. Their falsehood he censures in the following manner, and has not this been shown clearly to be false, for it is today more than thirteen years since the woman died and there has been neither a partial nor general war in the world, but rather through the mercy of God continued peace even to the Christians. These things are taken from the second book. I will add also short extracts from the third book in which he speaks thus against their boasts that many of them had suffered martyrdom. When therefore they are at a loss, being refuted in all that they say, they try to take refuge in their martyrs, alleging that they have many martyrs, and that this is sure evidence of the power of the so-called prophetic spirit that is with them, but this, as it appears, is entirely fallacious. For some of the heresies have a great many martyrs, but surely we shall not on that account agree with them or confess that they hold the truth, and first indeed those called Marcianites from the heresy of Marcian say that they have a multitude of martyrs for Christ, yet they do not confess Christ himself in truth. A little farther on he continues, When those called to martyrdom from the church for the truth of the faith have met with any of the so-called martyrs of the Phrygian heresy, they have separated from them, and died without any fellowship with them, because they did not wish to give their assent to the spirit of Montanus and the women, and that this is true and took place in our own time with Epamiah on the meander, among those who suffered martyrdom with Gaius and Alexander of Eumenia is well known. Chapter 17 Miltiades and his works In this work he mentions a writer, Miltiades, stating that he also wrote a certain book against the above mentioned heresy. After quoting some of their words he adds, having found these things in a certain work of theirs in opposition to the work of the brother Alcibiades, in which he shows that a prophet ought not to speak in ecstasy, I made an abridgment. A little further on in the same work he gives a list of those who prophesied under the new covenant, among whom he enumerates a certain amia and quadratus, saying, But the false prophet falls into an ecstasy in which he is without shame or fear, beginning with purposed ignorance he passes on, as has been stated, to involuntary madness of soul. They cannot show that one of the old or one of the new prophets was thus carried away in spirit. Neither can they boast of Agabus, or Judas, or Silas, or the daughters of Philip, or Amia in Philadelphia, or Quadratus, or any others not belonging to them. And again after a little he says, For if after Quadratus and Amia in Philadelphia, as they assert, the women with Montanus received the prophetic gift, let them show who among them received it from Montanus and the women, for the apostle thought it necessary that the prophetic gift should continue in all the church until the final coming. But they cannot show it, though this is the fourteenth year since the death of Maximilla. He writes thus, But the miltiades to whom he refers has left other monuments of his own zeal for the divine scriptures in the discourses which he composed against the Greeks and against the Jews, answering each of them separately in two books. And in addition he addresses an apology to the earthly rulers in behalf of the philosophy which he embraced. CHAPTER XVIII. The manner in which Apollonius refuted the Phrygians and the persons whom he mentions. As the so-called Phrygian heresy was still flourishing in Phrygia in his time, Apollonius also, an ecclesiastical writer, undertook its refutation, and wrote a special work against it, correcting in detail the false prophecies current among them and reproving the life of the founders of the heresy. But hear his own words respecting Montanus. His actions and his teaching show who this new teacher is. This is he who taught the dissolution of marriage, who made laws for fasting, who named Pepuza and Timion, small towns in Phrygia, Jerusalem, wishing to gather people to them from all directions, who appointed collectors of money, who contrived the receiving of gifts under the name of offerings, who provided salaries for those who preached his doctrine that its teaching might prevail through gluttony. He writes thus concerning Montanus, and a little farther on he writes as follows concerning his prophetesses. We show that these first prophetesses themselves, as soon as they were filled with the spirit, abandoned their husbands. How falsely therefore they speak who call Prisha a virgin. Afterwards he says, Does not all scripture seem to you to forbid a prophet to receive gifts and money, when therefore I see the prophetess receiving gold and silver and costly garments, how can I avoid reproving her? And again a little farther on he speaks thus concerning one of their confessors. So also Themiso, who was clothed with plausible covetousness, could not endure the sign of confession, but threw aside bonds for an abundance of possessions. Yet, though he should have been humble on this account, he dared to boast as a martyr, and in imitation of the apostle he wrote a certain Catholic epistle to instruct those whose faith was better than his own, contending for words of empty sound and blaspheming against the Lord and the apostles and the Holy Church. And again concerning others of those honored among them as martyrs, he writes as follows. Not to speak of many, let the prophetess herself tell us of Alexander, who called himself a martyr, with whom she is in the habit of banqueting, and who is worshiped by many. We need not mention his robberies and other daring deeds for which he was punished, but the archives contain them. Each of these forgives the sins of the other. Does the prophet, the robberies of the martyr, or the martyr the covetousness of the prophet? For although the Lord said, provide neither gold nor silver, neither two coats, these men in complete opposition transgress in respect to the possession of the forbidden things. For we will show that those whom they call prophets and martyrs gather their gain not only from rich men, but also from the poor and orphans and widows. But if they are confident, let them stand up and discuss these matters, that if convicted they may hear after cease transgressing. For the fruits of the prophet must be tried, for the tree is known by its fruit. But that those who wish may know concerning Alexander he was tried by Emilius frontinus, proconsolate Ephesus, not on account of the name, but for the robberies which he had committed being already an apostate. Afterwards, having falsely declared for the name of the Lord, he was released, having deceived the faithful that were there. And his own parish from which he came did not receive him because he was a robber. Those who wish to learn about him have the public records of Asia, and yet the prophet with whom he spent many years knows nothing about him. Exposing him through him we expose also the pretense of the prophet. We could show the same thing of many others. But if they are confident, let them endure the test. Again in another part of his work he speaks as follows of the prophets of whom they boast. If they deny that their prophets have received gifts, let them acknowledge this, that if they are convicted of receiving them they are not prophets, and we will bring a multitude of proofs of this. But it is necessary that all the fruits of a prophet should be examined. Tell me, does a prophet die his hair? Does a prophet stain his eyelids? Does a prophet delight in adornment? Does a prophet play with tables and dice? Does a prophet lend on usury? Let them confess whether these things are lawful or not, but I will show that they have been done by them. This same Apollonius states in the same work that, at the time of his writing, it was the fortieth year since Montanus had begun his pretended prophecy. And he says also that Zotacus, who was mentioned by the former writer when Maximilla was pretending to prophesy in Pepuza, resisted her and endeavored to refute the spirit that was working in her, but was prevented by those who agreed with her. He mentions also a certain Thracius among the martyrs of that time. He speaks moreover of a tradition that the Saviour commanded his apostles not to depart from Jerusalem for twelve years. He uses testimonies also from the revelation of John, and he relates that a dead man had, through the divine power, been raised by John himself in Ephesus. He also adds other things by which he fully and abundantly exposes the error of the heresy of which we have been speaking. These are the matters recorded by Apollonius. CHAPTER XIX. CERAPION ON THE HERESY OF THE FRIDGIONS Cerapion, who, as report says, succeeded Maximilis at that time as Bishop of the Church of Antioch, mentions the works of Apollonius against the above-mentioned heresy, and he alludes to him in a private letter to Caricus and Pontius, in which he himself exposes the same heresy and adds the following words, that you may see that the doings of this lying band of the new prophecy so-called are an abomination to the brotherhood throughout the world, I have sent you writings of the most blessed Claudius Apollonarius, Bishop of Hieropolis in Asia. In the same letter of Cerapion the signatures of several bishops are found, one of whom subscribes himself as follows, I Aurelius Serinius, a witness, pray for your health. And another, in this manner, Ilius Publius Julius, Bishop of De Beltum, a colony of Thrace. As God liveth in the heavens, the blessed Sotacian Anciolus desired to cast the demon out of Priscilla, but the hypocrites did not permit him. And the autograph signatures of many other bishops who agreed with them are contained in the same letter, so much for these persons. CHAPTER XX. THE WRITINGS OF IRONIUS AGAINST THE SKISMATICS AT ROME. Irenaeus wrote several letters against those who were disturbing the sound ordinance of the church at ROME. One of them was to blast us on schism, another to Florinus on monarchy, or that God is not the author of evil, for Florinus seemed to be defending this opinion. And because he was being drawn away by the error of Valentinus, Irenaeus wrote his work on the Agdoad in which he shows that he himself had been acquainted with the first successors of the apostles. At the close of the treatise we have found a most beautiful note which we are constrained to insert in this work. It runs as follows. I adjure thee whomeist copy this book by our Lord Jesus Christ and by his glorious advent when he comes to judge the living and the dead, to compare what thou shalt write and correct it carefully by this manuscript and also to write this adoration and place it in the copy. These things may be profitably read in his work and related by us that we may have those ancient and truly holy men as the best example of painstaking carefulness. In the letter to Florinus, of which we have spoken, Irenaeus mentions again his intimacy with Polycarp saying, These doctrines, O Florinus, to speak mildly are not of sound judgment. These doctrines disagree with the church and drive into the greatest impiety those who accept them. These doctrines, not even the heretics outside of the church, have ever dared to publish. These doctrines, the presbyters who were before us and who were companions of the apostles, did not deliver to thee. For when I was a boy I saw thee in lower Asia with Polycarp, moving in splendor in the royal court and endeavoring to gain his approbation. I remembered the events of that time more clearly than those of recent years, for what boys learn growing with their mind becomes joined with it, so that I am able to describe the very place in which the blessed Polycarp sat as he discoursed, and his goings out and his coming in and the manner of his life and his physical appearance and his discourses to the people and the accounts which he gave of his intercourse with John and with the others who had seen the Lord, and as he remembered their words and what he heard from them concerning the Lord, and concerning his miracles and his teaching, having received them from eyewitnesses of the word of life, Polycarp related all things in harmony with the scriptures. These things being told me by the mercy of God I listened to them attentively, noting them down not on paper but in my heart, and continually through God's grace I recall them faithfully, and I am able to bear witness before God that if that blessed and apostolic presbyter had heard any such thing he would have cried out and stopped his ears, and as was his custom would have exclaimed, Oh good God, unto what times hath thou spared me that I should endure these things, and he would have fled from the place where, sitting or standing, he had heard such words. And this can be shown plainly from the letters which he sent either to the neighboring churches for their confirmation or to some of the brethren admonishing and exhorting them. Thus far, Irenaeus. End of Book 5, Part 3