 Book 8, Part 1 of Eusebius' Church History. This is 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 8, Part 1. Introduction through Chapter 8. Book 8. Introduction. As we have described in seven books the events from the time of the Apostles, we think it proper in this eighth book to record for the information of posterity a few of the most important occurrences of our own times, which are worthy of permanent record. Our account will begin at this point. After one, the events which preceded the persecution in our times. It is beyond our ability to describe in a suitable manner the extent and nature of the glory and freedom with which the word of piety toward the God of the Universe, proclaimed to the world through Christ, was honored among all men, both Greeks and barbarians, before the persecution in our day. The favor shown our people by the rulers might be adduced as evidence, as they committed to them the government of provinces, and on account of the great friendship which they entertained toward their doctrine, released them from anxiety in regard to sacrificing. Why need I speak of those in the royal palaces, and of the rulers over all, who allowed the members of their households, wives and children and servants, to speak openly before them for the divine word and life, and suffered them almost to boast of the freedom of their faith? Indeed they esteemed them highly, and preferred them to their fellow servants. Such and one was that Dorotheus, the most devoted and faithful to them of all, and on this account especially honored by them among those who held the most honorable offices and governments. With him was the celebrated Gorgonius, and as many as had been esteemed worthy of the divine distinction on account of the word of God. And one could see the rulers in every church accorded the greatest favor by all officers and governors. But how can anyone describe those vast assemblies, and the multitude that crowded together in every city, and the famous gatherings in the houses of prayer, on whose account not being satisfied with the ancient buildings they erected from the foundation large churches in all the cities? No envy hindered the progress of these affairs which advanced gradually, and grew and increased day by day, nor could any evil demon slander them or hinder them through human counsels so long as the divine and heavenly hand watched over and guarded his own people as worthy. But when, on account of the abundant freedom, we fell into laxity and sloth and envied and reviled each other, and were almost as it were taking up arms against one another, rulers assailing rulers with words like spears and people forming parties against people, and monstrous hypocrisy and dissimulation rising to the greatest height of wickedness, the divine judgment with forbearance as is its pleasure, while the multitudes yet continued to assemble, gently and moderately harassed the episcopacy. This persecution began with the brethren in the army, but as if without sensibility we were not eager to make the deity favorable and propitious, and some, like atheists, thought that our affairs were unheeded and ungoverned, and thus we added one wickedness to another, and those esteemed our shepherds, casting aside the bond of piety, were excited to conflicts with one another, and did nothing else than heap up stripes and threats and jealousy and enmity and hatred toward each other, like tyrants eagerly endeavoring to assert their power. Then truly, according to the word of Jeremiah, the Lord in his wrath darkened the daughter of Zion, and cast down the glory of Israel from heaven to earth, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger. The Lord also overwhelmed all the beautiful things of Israel, and threw down all his strongholds. And according to what was foretold in the Psalms, he has made void the covenant of his servant, and profaned his sanctuary to the earth, in the destruction of the churches, and has thrown down all his strongholds, and has made his fortresses cowardice. All that passed by have plundered the multitude of the people, and he has become besides a reproach to his neighbors, for he has exalted the right hand of his enemies, and has turned back the help of his sword, and has not taken his part in the war. But he has deprived him of purification, and has cast his throne to the ground. He has shortened the days of his time, and besides all has poured out his shame upon him. Chapter 2 The Destruction of the Churches All these things were fulfilled in us. When we saw with our own eyes the houses of prayer thrown down to the very foundations, and the divine and sacred scriptures committed to the flames in the midst of the marketplaces, and the shepherds of the churches basely hidden here and there, and some of them captured ignominiously and mocked by their enemies. When also, according to another prophetic word, contempt was poured out upon rulers, and he caused them to wander in an untrodden and pathless way. But it is not our place to describe the sad misfortunes which finally came upon them, as we do not think it proper, moreover, to record their divisions and unnatural conduct to each other before the persecution. Wherefore we have decided to relate nothing concerning them except the things in which we can vindicate the divine judgment. Hence we shall not mention those who were shaken by the persecution, nor those who in everything pertaining to salvation were shipwrecked, and by their own will were sunk in the depths of the flood. But we shall introduce into this history in general only those events which may be useful first to ourselves and afterwards to posterity. Let us therefore proceed to describe briefly the sacred conflicts of the witnesses of the divine word. It was in the nineteenth year of the reign of Diocletian, in the month Distras, called March by the Romans, when the Feast of the Saviour's Passion was near at hand, that royal edicts were published everywhere, commanding that the churches be leveled to the ground and the scriptures be destroyed by fire, and ordering that those who held places of honor be degraded, and that the household servants, if they persisted in the profession of Christianity, be deprived of freedom. Such was the first edict against us, but not long after other decrees were issued, commanding that all the rulers of the churches in every place be first thrown into prison and afterwards by every artifice be compelled to sacrifice. Chapter 3. The Nature of the Conflicts Endured in the Persecution. Then truly a great many rulers of the churches eagerly endured terrible sufferings and furnished examples of noble conflicts, but a multitude of others, benumbed in spirit by fear, were easily weakened at the first onset. Of the rest each one endured different forms of torture. The body of one was scourged with rods, another was punished with insupportable rackings and scrapings in which some suffered a miserable death. Others passed through different conflicts, thus one, while those around pressed him on by force and dragged him to the abominable and impure sacrifices, was dismissed as if he had sacrificed, though he had not. Another, though he had not approached at all, nor touched any polluted thing, when others said that he had sacrificed, went away, bearing the accusation in silence. Another being taken up half-dead was cast aside as if already dead, and again a certain one lying upon the ground was dragged a long distance by his feet and counted among those who had sacrificed. One cried out and with a loud voice testified his rejection of the sacrifice, another shouted that he was a Christian, being resplendent in the confession of the saving name. Another protested that he had not sacrificed and never would. But they were struck in the mouth and silenced by a large band of soldiers who were drawn up for this purpose, and they were smitten on the face and cheeks and driven away by force, so important did the enemies of piety regard it by any means to seem to have accomplished their purpose. But these things did not avail them against the holy martyrs, for an accurate description of whom what word of ours could suffice. Chapter 4. The famous martyrs of God who filled every place with their memory and won various crowns in behalf of religion. For we might tell of many who showed admirable zeal for the religion of the God of the universe, not only from the beginning of the general persecution, but long before that time, while yet peace prevailed. For though he who had received power was seemingly aroused now as from a deep sleep, yet from the time after Deceus and Valerian he had been plotting secretly and without notice against the churches. We did not wage war against all of us at once, but made trial at first only of those in the army, for he supposed that the others could be taken easily if he should first attack and subdue these. Thereupon many of the soldiers were seen most cheerfully embracing private life, so that they might not deny their piety toward the creator of the universe. For when the commander, whoever he was, began to persecute the soldiers, separating into tribes and purging those who were enrolled in the army, giving them the choice either by obeying to receive the honor which belonged to them, or on the other hand to be deprived of it if they disobeyed the command, a great many soldiers of Christ's kingdom, without hesitation instantly preferred the confession of him to the seeming glory and prosperity which they were enjoying. And one and another of them occasionally received in exchange for their pious constancy not only the loss of position, but death. But as yet the instigator of this plot proceeded with moderation and ventured so far as blood only in some instances, for the multitude of believers as it is likely made him afraid and deterred him from waging war at once against all. But when he made the attack more boldly, it is impossible to relate how many and what sort of martyrs of God could be seen among the inhabitants of all the cities and countries. CHAPTER V. THOSE IN NICOMEDIA Immediately on the publication of the decree against the Churches in Nicomedia, a certain man, not obscure but very highly honored with distinguished temporal dignities, moved with zeal toward God, and incited with ardent faith, seized the edict as it was posted openly and publicly, and tore it to pieces as a profane and impious thing, and this was done while two of the sovereigns were in the same city, the oldest of all, and the one who held the fourth place in the government after him. But this man, first in that place, after distinguishing himself in such a manner, suffered those things which were likely to follow such daring, and kept his spirit cheerful and undisturbed till death. CHAPTER VI. THOSE IN THE PALACE This period produced divine and illustrious martyrs, above all whose praises have ever been sung and who have been celebrated for courage, whether among Greeks or barbarians, in the person of Dorotheus, and the servants that were with him in the palace. Although they received the highest honors from their masters, and were treated by them as their own children, they esteemed reproaches and trials for religion, and the many forms of death that were invented against them, as in truth greater riches than the glory and luxury of this life. We will describe the manner in which one of them ended his life, and leave our readers to infer from his case the sufferings of the others. A certain man was brought forward in the above-mentioned city, before the rulers of whom we have spoken. He was then commanded to sacrifice, but as he refused he was ordered to be stripped and raised on high and beaten with rods over his entire body, until, being conquered, he should, even against his will, do what was commanded. But as he was unmoved by these sufferings, and his bones were already appearing, they mixed vinegar with salt and poured it upon the mangled parts of his body. As he scorned these agonies, a grid-iron and fire were brought forward, and the remnants of his body, like flesh intended for eating, were placed on the fire, not at once, lest he should expire instantly, but a little at a time. And those who placed him on the pyre were not permitted to desist until, after such sufferings, he should assent to the things commanded. But he held his purpose firmly, and victoriously gave up his life while the tortures were still going on. Such was the martyrdom of one of the servants of the palace, who was indeed well worthy of his name, for he was called Peter. The martyrdoms of the rest, though they were not inferior to his, we will pass by for the sake of brevity, recording only that Dorotheus and Gorgonius, with many others of the royal household, after varied sufferings, ended their lives by strangling, and bore away the trophies of God-given victory. At this time Anthemus, who then presided over the church in Nicomedia, was beheaded for his testimony to Christ. A great multitude of martyrs were added to him, a conflagration having broken out in those very days in the palace at Nicomedia, I know not how, which through a false suspicion was laid to our people. Entire families of the pious in that place were put to death in masses at the royal command, some by the sword and others by fire. It is reported that with a certain divine and indescribable eagerness men and women rushed into the fire, and the executioners bound a large number of others and put them on boats, and threw them into the depths of the sea. And those who had been esteemed their masters considered it necessary to dig up the bodies of the imperial servants, who had been committed to the earth with suitable burial and cast them into the sea, lest any as they thought regarding them as gods might worship them lying in their sepulchres. Such things occurred in Nicomedia at the beginning of the persecution. But not long after, as persons in the country called Melatine and others throughout Syria attempted to usurp the government, a royal edict directed that the rulers of the churches everywhere should be thrown into prison and bonds. What was to be seen after this exceeds all description. A vast multitude were imprisoned in every place, and the prisons everywhere which had long before been prepared for murderers and robbers of graves were filled with bishops, presbyters, and deacons, readers and exorcists, so that the room was no longer left in them for those condemned for crimes. And as other decrees followed the first, directing that those in prison if they would sacrifice should be permitted to depart in freedom, but that those who refused should be harassed with many tortures, how could any one again number the multitude of martyrs in every province, and especially of those in Africa, and Mauritania, and Tobias, and Egypt. From this last country many went into other cities and provinces, and became illustrious through martyrdom. After seven the Egyptians in Phoenicia. Those of them that were conspicuous in Palestine we know, as also those that were at Tyre in Phoenicia. Who that saw them was not astonished at the numberless stripes and at the firmness which these truly wonderful athletes of religion exhibited under them, and at their contest immediately after the scourging with bloodthirsty wild beasts as they were cast before leopards and different kinds of bears and wild boars and bulls goaded with fire and red hot iron, and at the marvelous endurance of these noble men in the face of all sorts of wild beasts. We were present ourselves when these things occurred, and have put on record the divine power of our martyred Savior Jesus Christ, which was present and manifested itself mightily in the martyrs. For a long time the man devouring beasts did not dare to touch or draw near the bodies of those dear to God, but rushed upon the others who from the outside irritated and urged them on, and they would not in the least touch the holy athletes as they stood alone and naked and shook their hands at them to draw them toward themselves, for they were commanded to do this, but whenever they rushed at them they were restrained as if by some divine power and retreated again. This continued for a long time, and occasioned no little wonder to the spectators, and as the first wild beast did nothing, a second and a third were let loose against one and the same martyr. One could not but be astonished at the invincible firmness of these holy men, and the enduring and immovable constancy of those whose bodies were young. You could have seen a youth not twenty years of age standing unbound and stretching out his hands in the form of a cross, with unterrified and untrumbling mind engaged earnestly in prayer to God, and not in the least going back or retreating from the place where he stood while bears and leopards breathing rage and death almost touched his flesh, and yet their mouths were restrained, I know not how, by a divine and incomprehensible power, and they ran back again to their place, such and one was he. Again you might have seen others, for they were five in all, cast before a wild bull, who tossed into the air with his horns those who approached from the outside and mangled them, leaving them to be taken up half dead, but when he rushed with rage and threatening upon the holy martyrs, who were standing alone, he was unable to come near them, but though he stamped with his feet and pushed in all directions with his horns and breathed rage and threatening on account of the irritation of the burning irons, he was nevertheless held back by the sacred providence, and as he in no wise harmed them, they let loose other wild beasts upon them. Finally after these terrible and various attacks upon them, they were all slain with the sword, and instead of being buried in the earth, they were committed to the waves of the sea. CHAPTER VIII. THOSE IN EGYPT Such was the conflict of those Egyptians who contended nobly for religion in Tyre, but we must admire those also who suffered martyrdom in their native land, where thousands of men, women and children despising the present life for the sake of the teaching of our Saviour endured various deaths. Some of them, after scrapings and rackings and severest scourgings and numberless other kinds of tortures, terrible even to hear of, were committed to the flames, some were drowned in the sea, some offered their heads bravely to those who cut them off, some died under their tortures, and others perished with hunger, and yet others were crucified, some, according to the method commonly employed for malefactors, others yet more cruelly being nailed to the cross with their heads downward, and being kept alive until they perished on the cross with hunger. END OF BOOK VIII. PART I. CHAPTER IX. MARTERS IN THEBAYUS. It would be impossible to describe the outrages and tortures which the martyrs in Thebaus endured. They were scraped over the entire body with shells instead of hooks until they died. Women were bound by one foot and raised aloft in the air by machines and with their bodies altogether bare and uncovered presented to all beholders this most shameful, cruel, and inhuman spectacle. Others being bound to the branches and trunks of trees perished, for they drew the stoutest branches together with machines and bound the limbs of the martyrs to them, and then, allowing the branches to assume their natural position, they tore asunder instantly the limbs of those for whom they contrived this. All these things were done, not for a few days or a short time, but for a long series of years. Sometimes more than ten at other times above twenty were put to death. Again not less than thirty, then about sixty, and yet again a hundred men with young children and women, were slain in one day, being condemned to various and diverse torments. We, also being on the spot ourselves, have observed large crowds in one day, some suffering decapitation, others torture by fire, so that the murderous sword was blunted and becoming weak was broken, and the very executioners grew weary and relieved each other. And we beheld the most wonderful ardor and the truly divine energy and zeal of those who believed in the Christ of God, for as soon as sentence was pronounced against the first, one after another rushed to the judgment seat and confessed themselves Christians, and regarding with indifference the terrible things and the multi-form tortures, they declared themselves boldly and undoubtedly for the religion of the God of the Universe, and they received the final sentence of death with joy and laughter and cheerfulness, so that they sang and offered up hymns and thanksgivings to the God of the Universe till their very last breath. These indeed were wonderful, but yet more wonderful were those who, being distinguished for wealth, noble birth, and honor, and for learning and philosophy, held everything secondary to the true religion and to faith in our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Such an one was Phylo Romus, who held a high office under the Imperial Government at Alexandria, and who administered justice every day, attended by a military guard corresponding to his rank and Roman dignity. Such also was Phylius, Bishop of the Church of Thamuus, a man eminent on account of his patriotism and the services rendered by him to his country, and also on account of his philosophical learning. These persons, although a multitude of relatives and other friends besought them, and many in high position, and even the judge himself entreated them, that they would have compassion on themselves and show mercy to their children and wives, yet were not in the least induced by these things to choose the love of life and to despise the ordinances of our Savior concerning confession and denial. But with manly and philosophic minds, or rather with pious and God-loving souls, they persevered against all the threats and insults of the judge, and both of them were beheaded. CHAPTER X The Writings of Phylius the Martyr describing the occurrences at Alexandria. Since we have mentioned Phylius as having a high reputation for secular learning, let him be his own witness in the following extract, in which he shows us who he was, and at the same time describes more accurately than we can the martyrdoms which occurred in his time at Alexandria. Having before them all these examples and models and noble tokens which are given us in the divine and sacred scriptures, the blessed martyrs who were with us did not hesitate, but directing the eye of the soul in sincerity toward the God over all, and having their mind set upon death for religion, they adhered firmly to their calling, for they understood that our Lord Jesus Christ had become man on our account, that he might cut off all sin and furnish us with the means of entrance into eternal life, for he counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore also being zealous for the greater gifts, the Christ-bearing martyrs endured all trials and all kinds of contrivances for torture, not once only, but some also a second time, and although the guards vied with each other in threatening them in all sorts of ways, not in words only, but in actions, they did not give up their resolution, because perfect love casteth out fear. What words could describe their courage and manliness under every torture? For as liberty to abuse them was given to all that wished, some beat them with clubs, others with rods, others with scourges, yet others with thongs, and others with ropes. And the spectacle of the outgrages was varied and exhibited great malignity, for some, with their hands bound behind them, were suspended on the stocks, and every member stretched by certain machines. Then the torturers, as commanded, lacerated with instruments their entire bodies, not only their sides, as in the case of murderers, but also their stomachs and knees and cheeks. Others were raised aloft, suspended from the porch by one hand, and endured the most terrible suffering of all, through the distention of their joints and limbs. Others were bound, face to face to pillars, not resting on their feet, but with the weight of their bodies bearing on their bonds and drawing them tightly. And they endured this, not merely as long as the governor talked with them or was at leisure, but through almost the entire day, for when he passed on to others, he left officers under his authority to watch the first, and observe if any of them, overcome by the tortures, appeared to yield. And he commanded to cast them into chains without mercy, and afterwards, when they were at the last gasp, to throw them to the ground and drag them away. For he said that they were not to have the least concern for us, but were to think and act as if we no longer existed, our enemies having invented this second mode of torture in addition to the stripes. Some also, after these outrages, were placed on the stalks, and had both their feet stretched over the four holes so that they were compelled to lie on their backs on the stalks, being unable to keep themselves up on account of the fresh wounds with which their entire bodies were covered as a result of the scourging. Others were thrown on the ground and lay there under the accumulated infliction of tortures, exhibiting to the spectators a more terrible manifestation of severity, as they bore on their bodies the marks of the various and diverse punishments which had been invented. As this went on, some died under the tortures, shaming the adversary by their constancy. Others half-dead were shut up in prison, and suffering with their agonies they died in a few days. But the rest, recovering under the care which they received, gained confidence by time and their long detention in prison. When therefore they were ordered to choose whether they would be released from molestation by touching the polluted sacrifice, and would receive from them the accursed freedom, or refusing to sacrifice, should be condemned to death, they did not hesitate, but went to death cheerfully, for they knew what had been declared before by the sacred scriptures, for it is said, he that sacrificeeth to other gods shall be utterly destroyed, and thou shalt have no other gods before me. Such are the words of the truly philosophical and God-loving martyr, which, before the final sentence, while yet in prison, he addressed to the brethren in his parish, showing them his own circumstances, and at the same time exhorting them to hold fast, even after his approaching death, to the religion of Christ. But why need we dwell upon these things, and continue to add fresh instances of the conflicts of the divine martyrs throughout the world, especially since they were dealt with no longer by common law, but attacked like enemies of war. CHAPTER XI. THOSE IN FRIGIA A small town of Frigia, inhabited solely by Christians, was completely surrounded by soldiers while the men were in it. Throwing fire into it, they consumed them with the women and children while they were calling upon Christ. This they did because all the inhabitants of the city, and the curator himself, and the governor, with all who held office and the entire populace, confessed themselves Christians, and would not in the least obey those who commanded them to worship idols. There was another man of Roman dignity named Adactus, of a noble Italian family, who had advanced through every honor under the emperors, so that he had blamelessly filled even the general offices of magistrate, as they call it, and of finance minister. Besides all this he excelled in deeds of piety and in the confession of the Christ of God, and was adorned with the diadem of martyrdom, he endured the conflict for religion while still holding the office of finance minister. CHAPTER XII. MANY OTHERS, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, WHO SUFFERED IN VARIOUS Ways. Why need we mention the rest by name, or number the multitude of the men, or picture the various sufferings of the admirable martyrs of Christ? Some of them were slain with the axe as in Arabia. The limbs of some were broken as in Cappadocia. Some, raised on high by the feet, with their heads down, while a gentle fire burned beneath them, were suffocated by the smoke which arose from the burning wood, as was done in Mesopotamia. Others were mutilated by cutting off their noses and ears and hands, and cutting to pieces the other members and parts of their bodies as in Alexandria. Why need we revive the recollection of those in Antioch who were roasted on grates, not so as to kill them, but so as to subject them to a lingering punishment, or of others who preferred to thrust their right hand into the fire rather than touch the impious sacrifice? Some, shrinking from the trial, rather than be taken and fall into the hands of their enemies, threw themselves from lofty houses, considering death preferable to the cruelty of the impious. A certain holy person, in soul admirable for virtue, embody a woman, who was illustrious beyond all in Antioch for wealth and family and reputation, had brought up in the principles of religion her two daughters, who were now in the freshness and bloom of life. Since great envy was excited on their account, every means was used to find them in their concealment, and when it was ascertained that they were away, they were summoned deceitfully to Antioch. Thus they were caught in the nets of the soldiers. When the woman saw herself and her daughters thus helpless, and knew the things terrible to speak of that men would do to them, and the most unbearable of all terrible things that threatened violation of their chastity, she exhorted herself and the maidens that they ought not to submit even to hear of this. For, she said, that to surrender their souls to the slavery of demons was worse than all deaths and destruction, and she set before them the only deliverance from all these things escaped to Christ. They then listened to her advice, and after arranging their garments suitably, they went aside from the middle of the road, having requested of the guards a little time for retirement, and cast themselves into a river which was flowing by. Thus they destroyed themselves, but there were two other virgins in the same city of Antioch who served God in all things, and were true sisters, illustrious in family and distinguished in life, young and blooming, serious in mind, pious in deportment, and admirable for zeal, as if the earth could not bear such excellence the worshippers of demons commanded to cast them into the sea, and this was done to them. In Pontus others endured sufferings horrible to hear, their fingers were pierced with sharp reeds under their nails, melted lead bubbling and boiling with the heat was poured down the backs of others, and they were roasted in the most sensitive parts of the body. Others endured on their bowels and privy members shameful and inhuman and unmentionable torments, which the noble and law observing judges to show their severity devised as more honourable manifestations of wisdom, and new tortures were continually invented as if they were endeavouring by surpassing one another to gain prizes in a contest. But at the close of these calamities, when finally they could contrive no greater cruelties, and were weary of putting to death, and were filled and satiated with the shedding of blood, they turned to what they considered merciful and humane treatment, so that they seemed to be no longer devising terrible things against us. For they said that it was not fitting that the cities should be polluted with the blood of their own people, or that the government of their rulers, which was kind and mild toward all, should be defamed through excessive cruelty, but that rather the beneficence of the humane and royal authority should be extended to all, and we should no longer be put to death. For the infliction of this punishment upon us should be stopped in consequence of the humanity of the rulers. Therefore it was commanded that our eyes should be put out, and that we should be maimed in one of our limbs. For such things were humane in their sight, and the lightest of punishments for us. So that now, on account of this kindly treatment accorded us by the impious, it was impossible to tell the incalculable number of those whose right eyes had first been cut out with the sword, and then had been cauterized with fire, or who had been disabled in the left foot by burning the joints, and afterward condemned to the provincial copper mines, not so much for service as for distress and hardship. Besides all these, others encountered other trials, which it is impossible to recount, for their manly endurance surpasses all description. In these conflicts the noble martyrs of Christ shone illustrious over the entire world, and everywhere astonished those who beheld their manliness, and the evidences of the truly divine and unspeakable power of our Saviour were made manifest through them, to mention each by name would be a long task, if not indeed impossible. CHAPTER XIII. The bishops of the church that evinced by their blood the genuineness of the religion which they preached. As for the rulers of the church that suffered martyrdom in the principal cities, the first martyr of the kingdom of Christ whom we shall mention among the monuments of the Pius is Anthymus, bishop of the city of Nicomedia, who was beheaded. Among the martyrs at Antioch was Lucian, a presbyter of that parish, whose entire life was most excellent. At Nicomedia, in the presence of the emperor, he proclaimed the heavenly kingdom of Christ, first in an oral defense and afterwards by deeds as well. Of the martyrs in Phoenicia the most distinguished were those devoted pastors of the spiritual flocks of Christ, Tyrannian, bishop of the church of Tyre, Xenobius, a presbyter of the church at Sidon, and Sylvannus, bishop of the churches about Emesa. The last of these, with others, was made food for wild beasts at Emesa, and was thus received into the ranks of martyrs. The other two glorified the word of God at Antioch through patience unto death. The bishop was thrown into the depths of the sea, but Xenobius, who was a very skillful physician, died through severe tortures which were applied to his sides. Of the martyrs in Palestine, Sylvannus, bishop of the churches about Gaza, was beheaded with thirty-nine others at the copper mines of Feno. There also the Egyptian bishops, Pileus and Nylus, with others, suffered death by fire. Among these we must mention Pampholis, a presbyter who was the great glory of the parish of Caesarea, and among the men of our time most admirable. The virtue of his manly deeds we have recorded in the proper place. Of those who suffered death illustriously at Alexandria and throughout Egypt and Thebaus, Peter, bishop of Alexandria, one of the most excellent teachers of the religion of Christ, should first be mentioned, and of the presbyters with him Faustus, Dius and Amonius, perfect martyrs of Christ, also Phileus, Hezekaius, Paquemius and Theodorus, bishops of Egyptian churches, and besides them many other distinguished persons who are commemorated by the parishes of their country and region. It is not for us to describe the conflicts of those who suffered for the divine religion throughout the entire world, and to relate accurately what happened to each of them. This would be the proper work of those who were eye-witnesses of the events. I will describe for posterity in another work those which I myself witnessed. But in the present book I will add to what I have given the revocation issued by our persecutors, and those events that occurred at the beginning of the persecution, which will be most profitable to such as shall read them. What words could sufficiently describe the greatness and abundance of the prosperity of the Roman government before the war against us, while the rulers were friendly and peaceable toward us? Then those who were highest in the government, and had held the position ten or twenty years, passed their time in tranquil peace, in festivals and public games, and most joyful pleasures and cheer. While thus their authority was growing uninterruptedly, and increasing day by day, suddenly they changed their peaceful attitude toward us, and began an implacable war. But the second year of this movement was not yet passed, when a revolution took place in the entire government and overturned all things. For a severe sickness came upon the chief of those of whom we have spoken, by which his understanding was distracted, and with him who was honored with the second rank he retired into private life. Scarcely had he done this when the entire empire was divided, a thing which is not recorded as having ever occurred before. Not long after, the emperor Constantius, who through his entire life was most kindly and favorably disposed toward his subjects, and most friendly to the divine word, ended his life in the common course of nature, and left his own son, Constantine, as emperor and Augustus in his stead. He was the first that was ranked by them among the gods, and received after death every honor which one could pay to an emperor. He was the kindest and mildest of emperors, and the only one of those of our day that passed all the time of his government in a manner worthy of his office. Moreover, he conducted himself toward all most favorably and beneficently. He took not the smallest part in the war against us, but preserved the pious that were under him unharmed and unabused. He neither threw down the church buildings, nor did he devise anything else against us. The end of his life was honorable and thrice-blessed. He alone at death left his empire happily and gloriously to his own son as his successor, one who was in all respects most prudent and pious. His son Constantine entered on the government at once, being proclaimed supreme emperor and Augustus by the soldiers, and long before by God himself, the king of all. He showed himself an emulator of his father's piety toward our doctrine. Such and one was he. But after this, Licinius was declared emperor and Augustus by a common vote of the rulers. These things grieved Maximinus greatly, for until that time he had been entitled by all only Caesar. He therefore, being exceedingly imperious, seized the dignity for himself, and became Augustus, being made such by himself. In the meantime, he whom we have mentioned as having resumed his dignity after his abdication, being detected in conspiring against the life of Constantine, perished by a most shameful death. He was the first whose decrees and statues and public monuments were destroyed because of his wickedness and impiety. CHURCH HISTORY by Eusebius of Caesarea translated by Arthur Cushman McGifford, Book 8, Part 3, Chapters 14 through 17 CHAPTER XIV THE CHARACTER OF THE ENEMIES OF RELIGION Maxentius his son, who obtained the government at Rome, at first feigned our faith in complacence and flattery toward the Roman people. On this account he commanded his subjects to cease persecuting the Christians, pretending to religion that he might appear merciful and mild beyond his predecessors. But he did not prove in his deeds to be such a person as was hoped, but ran into all wickedness and abstained from no impurity or licentiousness, committing adulteries and indulging in all kinds of corruption. For having separated wives from their lawful consorts, he abused them and sent them back most dishonorably to their husbands. And he not only practiced this against the obscure and unknown, but he insulted especially the most prominent and distinguished members of the Roman Senate. All his subjects, people and rulers, honored and obscure, were worn out by grievous oppression. Neither, although they kept quiet and bore the bitter servitude, was there any relief from the murderous cruelty of the tyrant. Once on a small pretense he gave the people to be slaughtered by his guards, and a great multitude of the Roman populace were slain in the midst of the city, with the spears and arms not of Scythians and barbarians, but of their own fellow-citizens. It would be impossible to recount the number of senators who were put to death for the sake of their wealth, multitudes being slain on various pretenses. To crown all his wickedness the tyrant resorted to magic, and in his divinations he cut open pregnant women, and again inspected the bowels of newborn infants. He slaughtered lions, and performed various execrable acts to invoke demons and avert war, for his only hope was that, by this means, victory would be secured to him. It is impossible to tell the ways in which this tyrant at Rome oppressed his subjects, so that they were reduced to such an extreme dearth of the necessities of life as has never been known, according to our contemporaries, either at Rome or elsewhere. But Maximinus, the tyrant in the east, having secretly formed a friendly alliance with the Roman tyrant as with a brother in wickedness, sought to conceal it for a long time, but being at last detected he suffered merited punishment. It was wonderful how akin he was in wickedness to the tyrant at Rome, or rather how far he surpassed him in it, for the chief of sorcerers and magicians were honored by him with the highest rank, becoming exceedingly timid and superstitious, he valued greatly the error of idols and demons. Indeed without soothsayers and oracles he did not venture to move even a finger, so to speak. For he persecuted us more violently and incessantly than his predecessors. He ordered temples to be erected in every city, and the sacred groves which had been destroyed through laps of time to be speedily restored. He appointed idol priests in every place and city, and he set over them in every province as high priest, some political official who had especially distinguished himself in every kind of service, giving him a band of soldiers and a bodyguard. And to all jugglers, as if they were pious and beloved of the gods, he granted governments and the greatest privileges. From this time on he distressed and harassed not one city or country, but all the provinces under his authority, by extreme exactions of gold and silver and goods, and most grievous prosecutions and various fines. He took away from the wealthy the property which they had inherited from their ancestors, and bestowed vast riches and large sums of money on the flatterers about him. And he went to such an excess of folly and drunkenness that his mind was deranged and crazed in his carousels, and he gave commands when intoxicated of which he repented afterward when sober. He suffered no one to surpass him in debauchery and profligacy, but made himself an instructor in wickedness to those about him, both rulers and subjects. He urged on the army to live wantonly in every kind of revelry and intemperance, and encouraged the governors and generals to abuse their subjects with rapacity and covetousness, almost as if they were rulers with him. Why need we relate the licentious, shameless deeds of the man, or enumerate the multitude with whom he committed adultery? For he could not pass through a city without continually corrupting women and ravishing virgins. And in this he succeeded with all except the Christians, for as they despised death they cared nothing for his power. For the men endured fire and sword and crucifixion and wild beasts and the depths of the sea, and cutting off of limbs and burnings, and pricking and digging out of eyes, and mutilations of the entire body, and besides these, hunger and minds and bonds. In all they showed patience in behalf of religion rather than transfer to idols the reverence due to God. And the women were not less manly than the men in behalf of the teaching of the Divine Word, as they endured conflicts with the men, and bore away equal prizes of virtue, and when they were dragged away for corrupt purposes they surrendered their lives to death rather than their bodies to impurity. One only of those who were seized for adulterous purposes by the tyrant, a most distinguished and illustrious Christian woman in Alexandria, conquered the passionate and intemperate soul of Max Minus by most heroic firmness. Honorable on account of wealth and family and education, she esteemed all of these inferior to chastity. He urged her many times, but although she was ready to die he could not put her to death, for his desire was stronger than his anger. He therefore punished her with exile, and took away all her property. Many others, unable even to listen to the threats of violation from the heathen rulers, endured every form of tortures and rackings and deadly punishment. These indeed should be admired, but far the most admirable was that woman at Rome, who was truly the most noble and modest of all, whom the tyrant Maxentius, fully resembling Max Minus in his actions, endeavored to abuse. For when she learned that those who served the tyrant in such matters were at the house, she also was a Christian, and that her husband, although a prefect of Rome, would suffer them to take and lead her away, having requested a little time for adorning her body, she entered her chamber and, being alone, stabbed herself with a sword, dying immediately, she left her corpse to those who had come for her, and by her deeds, more powerfully than by any words, she has shown to all men now and hereafter, that the virtue which prevails among Christians is the only invincible and indestructible possession. Such was the career of wickedness which was carried forward at one and the same time by the two tyrants who held the East and the West. Who is there that would hesitate, after careful examination, to pronounce the persecution against us the cause of such evils? Especially since this extreme confusion of affairs did not cease until the Christians had obtained liberty. Chapter 15 The Events Which Happened to the Heathen During the entire ten years of the persecution they were constantly plotting and warring against one another, for the sea could not be navigated, nor could men sail from any port without being exposed to all kinds of outrages, being stretched on the rack and lacerated in their sides, that it might be ascertained through various tortures whether they came from the enemy, and finally being subjected to punishment by the cross or by fire. And besides these things shields and breast-plates were preparing, and darts and spears and other warlike accoutrements were making ready, and galleys and naval armor were collecting in every place, and no one expected anything else than to be attacked by enemies any day. In addition to this famine and pestilence came upon them in regard to which we shall relate what is necessary in the proper place. Chapter 16 The Change of Affairs for the Better Such was the state of affairs during the entire persecution, but in the tenth year, through the grace of God, it ceased altogether, having begun to decrease after the eighth year. For when the divine and heavenly grace showed us favorable and propitious oversight, then truly our rulers and the very persons by whom the war against us had been earnestly prosecuted, most remarkably changed their minds and issued a revocation, and quenched the great fire of persecution which had been kindled by merciful proclamations and ordinances concerning us. But this was not due to any human agency, nor was it the result, as one might say, of the compassion or philanthropy of our rulers, far from it, for daily from the beginning until that time they were devising more and more severe measures against us, and continually inventing outrages by a greater variety of instruments, but it was manifestly due to the oversight of divine providence, on the one hand becoming reconciled to his people, and on the other, attacking him who instigated these evils, and showing anger toward him as the author of the cruelties of the entire persecution. For though it was necessary that these things should take place according to the divine judgment, yet the word sayeth, woe to him through whom the offense cometh. For punishment from God came upon him, beginning with his flesh and proceeding to his soul. For an abscess suddenly appeared in the midst of the secret parts of his body, and from it a deeply perforated sore, which spread irresistibly into his inmost bowels, an indescribable multitude of worms sprang from them, and a deathly odor arose, as the entire bulk of his body had, through his gluttony, been changed before his sickness, into an excessive mass of soft fat, which became putrid, and thus presented an awful and intolerable sight to those who came near. Some of the physicians, being wholly unable to endure the exceeding offensiveness of the odor, were slain, others, as the entire mass had swollen and passed beyond hope of restoration, and they were unable to render any help, were put to death without mercy. CHAPTER XVII. THE REVACATION OF THE RULERS Wrestling with so many evils, he thought of the cruelties which he had committed against the pious. Turning therefore his thoughts toward himself, he first openly confessed to the God of the universe, and then, summoning his attendants, he commanded that without delay they should stop the persecution of the Christians, and should by law and royal decree urge them forward to build their churches and to perform their customary worship, offering prayers in behalf of the emperor. Immediately the deed followed the word. The imperial decrees were published in the cities, containing the revocation of the acts against us in the following form. The emperor Caesar Galerius Valerius Maximus Invictus Augustus Pontifex Maximus, conqueror of the Germans, conqueror of the Egyptians, conqueror of the Thebans, five times conqueror of the Sarmatians, conqueror of the Persians, twice conqueror of the Carpathians, six times conqueror of the Armenians, conqueror of the Medes, conqueror of the Adiabani, tribune of the people the twentieth time, emperor the nineteenth time, consul the eighth time, father of his country, proconsul, and the emperor Caesar Valerius Constantinus, pious Felix Invictus Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, tribune of the people, emperor the fifth time, consul father of his country, proconsul, and the emperor Caesar Valerius Licinius, pious Felix Invictus, Augustus Pontifex Maximus, tribune of the people the fourth time, emperor the third time, consul father of his country, proconsul, to the people of their provinces, greeting. Among the other things which we have ordained for the public advantage and profit we formerly wish to restore everything to conformity with the ancient laws and public discipline of the Romans, and to provide that the Christians also, who have forsaken the religion of their ancestors, should return to a good disposition. For in some way such arrogance had seized them and such stupidity had overtaken them that they did not follow the ancient institutions which possibly their own ancestors had formerly established, but made for themselves laws according to their own purpose, as each one desired and observed them, and thus assembled as separate congregations in various places. When we had issued this decree that they should return to the institutions established by the ancients, a great many submitted under danger, but a great many being harassed endured all kinds of death. And since many continue in the same folly, and we perceive that they neither offer to the heavenly gods the worship which is due, nor pay regard to the God of the Christians, in consideration of our philanthropy and our invariable custom, by which we are want to extend pardon to all, we have determined that we ought more cheerfully to extend our indulgence in this matter also, that they may again be Christians and may rebuild the conventicles in which they were accustomed to assemble, on condition that nothing be done by them contrary to discipline. In another letter we shall indicate to the magistrates what they have to observe. Wherefore, on account of this indulgence of ours, they ought to supplicate their God for our safety, and that of the people and their own, that the public welfare may be preserved in every place, and that they may live securely in their several homes. Such is the tenor of this edict, translated as well as possible from the Roman tongue into the Greek. It is time to consider what took place after these events. That which follows is found in some copies of the Eighth Book. The author of the edict, very shortly after this confession, was released from his pains and died. He is reported to have been the original author of the misery of the persecution, having endeavored, long before the movement of the other emperors, to turn from the faith the Christians in the army, and first of all those in his own house, degrading some from the military rank and abusing others most shamefully, and threatening still others with death, and finally inciting his partners in the empire to the general persecution. It is not proper to pass over the death of these emperors in silence. As four of them held the supreme authority, those who were advanced in age and honor, after the persecution had continued not quite two years, abdicated the government, as we have already stated, and passed the remainder of their lives in a common and private station. The end of their lives was as follows. He who was first in honor and age perished through a long and most grievous physical infirmity. He who held the second place ended his life by strangling, suffering thus according to a certain demoniacal prediction on account of his many daring crimes. Of those after them, the last of whom we have spoken as the originator of the entire persecution suffered such things as we have related, but he who preceded him, the most merciful and kindly emperor Constantius, passed all the time of his government in a manner worthy of his office. Moreover, he conducted himself towards all most favorably and beneficently. He took not the smallest part in the war against us, and preserved the pious that were under him unharmed and unabused. Neither did he throw down the church buildings, nor devise anything else against us. The end of his life was happy and thrice blessed. He alone at death left his empire happily and gloriously to his own son as his successor, one who was in all respects most prudent and pious. He entered on the government at once, being proclaimed Supreme Emperor and Augustus by the soldiers, and he showed himself an emulator of his father's piety toward our doctrine. Such were the deaths of the four of whom we have written which took place at different times. Of these, moreover, only the one referred to a little above by us, with those who afterwards shared in the government, finally published openly to all the above-mentioned confession in the written edict which he issued. End of Book 8, Part 3 The Martyrs of Palestine, Part 1, from 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 McGifford. The Martyrs of Palestine, Part 1. Introduction through Chapter 5. The following also we found in a certain copy in the Eighth Book. It was in the nineteenth year of the reign of Diocletian, in the month Zanticus, which is called April by the Romans, about the time of the Feast of Our Savior's Passion, while Flavianus was Governor of the Province of Palestine, that letters were published everywhere, commanding that the churches be leveled to the ground and the scriptures be destroyed by fire, and ordering that those who held places of honor be degraded, and that the household servants, if they persisted in the profession of Christianity, be deprived of freedom. Such was the force of the first edict against us. But not long after other letters were issued, commanding that all the bishops of the churches everywhere be first thrown into prison, and afterward, by every artifice, be compelled to sacrifice. Chapter 1. The first of the Martyrs of Palestine was Procopius, who, before he had received the trial of imprisonment, immediately on his first appearance before the Governor's Tribunal, having been ordered to sacrifice to the so-called gods, declared that he knew only one to whom it was proper to sacrifice as he himself wills. But when he was commanded to offer libations to the four emperors, having quoted a sentence which displeased them, he was immediately beheaded. The quotation was from the poet, The rule of many is not good, let there be one ruler and one king. It was the seventh day of the month Deceus, the seventh before the Ides of June, as the Romans reckon, and the fourth day of the week when this first example was given at Caesarea in Palestine. Afterwards, in the same city, many rulers of the country churches readily endured terrible sufferings, and furnished to the beholders an example of noble conflicts. But others, benumbed in spirit by terror, were easily weakened at the first onset. Of the rest, each one endured different forms of torture, as scourgings without number and rackings and tearing of their sides and insupportable fetters by which the hands of some were dislocated. Yet they endured what came upon them, as in accordance with the inscrutable purposes of God. For the hands of one were seized, and he was led to the altar, while they thrust into his right hand the polluted and abominable offering, and he was dismissed as if he had sacrificed. Another had not even touched it, yet when others said that he had sacrificed he went away in silence. Another, being taken up half-dead, was cast aside as if already dead and released from his bonds, and counted among the Sacrificers. When another cried out and testified that he would not obey, he was struck in the mouth, and silenced by a large band of those who were drawn up for this purpose, and driven away by force, even though he had not sacrificed. Of such consequence did they consider it to seem by any means to have accomplished their purpose. For of all this number the only ones who were honored with the crown of the holy martyrs were Alpheus and Zacchaeus. After stripes and scrapings and severe bonds and additional tortures and various other trials, and after having their feet stretched for a night and day over four holes in the stocks, on the seventeenth day of the month Dias, that is, according to the Romans, the fifteenth before the Calends of December, having confessed one only God and Christ Jesus as king, as if they had uttered some blasphemy, they were beheaded like the former martyr. CHAPTER II What occurred to Romanus on the same day at Antioch is also worthy of record. For he was a native of Palestine, a deacon and exorcist in the parish of Caesarea, and being present at the destruction of the churches, he beheld many men, with women and children, going up in crowds to the idols and sacrificing. But through his great zeal for religion he could not endure the sight and rebuked them with a loud voice. Being arrested for his boldness, he proved a most noble witness of the truth, if there ever was one. For when the judge informed him that he was to die by fire, he received the sentence with cheerful countenance and most ready mind and was led away. When he was bound to the stake and the wood piled up around him, as they were awaiting the arrival of the emperor before lighting the fire, he cried, Where is the fire for me? Having said this, he was summoned again before the emperor and subjected to the unusual torture of having his tongue cut out. But he endured this with fortitude, and showed to all by his deeds that the divine power is present with those who endure any hardship whatever for the sake of religion, lightening their sufferings and strengthening their zeal. When he learned of this strange mode of punishment the noble man was not terrified but put out his tongue readily and offered it with the greatest alacrity to those who cut it off. After this punishment he was thrown into prison and suffered there for a very long time. At last the twentieth anniversary of the emperor being near, when, according to an established gracious custom, liberty was proclaimed everywhere to all who were in bonds, he alone had both his feet stretched over five holes in the stocks, and while he lay there was strangled, and was thus honored with martyrdom as he desired. Although he was outside of his country, yet, as he was a native of Palestine, it is proper to count him among the Palestinian martyrs. These things occurred in this manner during the first year, when the persecution was directed only against the rulers of the church. CHAPTER III In the course of the second year the persecution against us increased greatly, and at that time Erbanus, being Governor of the province, imperial edicts were first issued to him, commanding by a general decree that all the people should sacrifice at once in the different cities, and offer libations to the idols. In Gaza, a city of Palestine, Temotheus endured countless tortures, and afterwards was subjected to a slow and moderate fire, having given by his patients in all his sufferings, most genuine evidence of sincerest piety toward the deity, he bore away the crown of the victorious athletes of religion. At the same time Agapius and our contemporary Thecla, having exhibited most noble constancy, were condemned as food for the wild beasts. But who that beheld these things would not have admired, or if they heard of them by report, would not have been astonished, for when the heathen everywhere were holding a festival and the customary shows, it was noised abroad that besides the other entertainments, the public combat of those who had lately been condemned to wild beasts would also take place. As this report increased and spread in all directions, six young men, namely Temoleus, a native of Pontus, Dionysius from Tripolis in Phoenicia, Romulus, a subdeacon of the parish of Diospolis, Pesus and Alexander, both Egyptians, and another Alexander from Gaza, having first bound their own hands, went in haste to Urbanus, who was about to open the exhibition, evidencing great zeal for martyrdom. They confessed that they were Christians, and by their ambition for all terrible things, showed that those who glory in the religion of the God of the universe do not cower before the attacks of wild beasts. Immediately, after creating no ordinary astonishment in the governor and those who were with him, they were cast into prison. After a few days two others were added to them, one of them, named Ogopius, had in former confessions endured dreadful torments of various kinds. The other, who had supplied them with the necessaries of life, was called Dionysius. All of these eight were beheaded on one day at Caesarea, on the twenty-fourth day of the month Distrus, which is the ninth before the Callens of April. Meanwhile, a change in the emperors occurred, and the first of them all in dignity, and the second retired into private life, and public affairs began to be troubled. Shortly after the Roman government became divided against itself, and a cruel war arose among them, and this division, when the troubles which grew out of it, was not settled until peace toward us had been established throughout the entire Roman empire. For when this peace arose for all, as the daylight after the darkest and most gloomy night, the public affairs of the Roman government were re-established, and became happy and peaceful, and the ancestral goodwill toward each other was revived, but we will relate these things more fully at the proper time. Now let us return to the regular course of events. CHAPTER IV. Maximinus Caesar, having come at this time into the government, as if to manifest to all the evidences of his reborn enmity against God, and of his impiety, armed himself for persecution against us more vigorously than his predecessors. In consequence, no little confusion arose among all, and they scattered here and there, endeavoring in some way to escape the danger, and there was great commotion everywhere. But what words would suffice for a suitable description of the divine love and boldness in confessing God of the blessed and truly innocent Lamb, I refer to the martyr Apfianus, who presented in the sight of all before the gates of Caesarea a wonderful example of piety toward the only God? He was at that time not twenty years old. He had first spent a long time at Baritus, for the sake of a secular Grecian education, as he belonged to a very wealthy family. It is wonderful to relate how, in such a city, he was superior to youthful passions, and clung to virtue, uncorrupted neither by his bodily vigor nor his young companions, living discreetly, soberly and piously, in accordance with his profession of the Christian doctrine and the life of his teachers. If it is needful to mention his native country, and give honor to it as producing this noble athlete of piety, we will do so with pleasure. The young man came from Paghi. If anyone is acquainted with the place, a city in Lycia of no mean importance. After his return from his course of study in Baritus, though his father held the first place in his country, he could not bear to live with him and his relatives, as it did not please them to live according to the rules of religion. Therefore, as if he were led by the Divine Spirit and in accordance with a natural or rather uninspired and true philosophy, regarding this preferable to what is considered the glory of life and despising bodily comforts, he secretly left his family, and because of his faith and hope in God, paying no attention to his daily needs, he was led by the Divine Spirit to the city of Caesarea, where was prepared for him the crown of martyrdom for piety. Abiding with us there and conferring with us in the Divine scriptures diligently for a short time, and fitting himself zealously by suitable exercises, he exhibited such an end as what astonish any one should it be seen again. Who that hears of it would not justly admire his courage, boldness, constancy, and even more than these the daring deed itself, which evidenced a zeal for religion and a spirit truly superhuman? For in the second attack upon us under Maximinas, in the third year of the persecution, edicts of the tyrant were issued for the first time, commanding that the rulers of the cities should diligently and speedily see to it that the people offered sacrifices. Throughout the city of Caesarea, by command of the Governor, the heralds were summoning men, women, and children to the temples of the idols, and besides this the Achilliarchs were calling out each one by name from a roll, and an immense crowd of the wicked were rushing together from all quarters. In this youth fearlessly, while no one was aware of his intentions, eluded both us who lived in the house with him and the whole band of soldiers that surrounded the Governor, and rushed up to Erbanus as he was offering libations, and fearlessly seizing him by the right hand, straightway put a stop to his sacrificing, and skillfully and persuasively, with a certain divine inspiration, exhorted him to abandon his delusion, because it was not well to forsake the one and only true God, and sacrifice to idols and demons. It is probable that this was done by the youth through a divine power which led him forward, and which all but cried aloud in his act that Christians, who were truly such, were so far from abandoning the religion of the God of the universe which they had once espoused, that they were not only superior to threats and the punishments which followed, but yet bolder to speak with noble and untrammeled tongue, and, if possible, to summon even their persecutors to turn from their ignorance and acknowledge the only true God. Thereupon he of whom we are speaking, and that instantly, as might have been expected after so bold a deed, was torn by the Governor and those who were with him as if by wild beasts, and having endured manfully innumerable blows over his entire body, he was straightway cast into prison. There he was stretched by the tormentor with both his feet in the stalks for a night and a day, and the next day he was brought before the Judge. As they endeavored to force him to surrender, he exhibited all constancy under suffering and terrible tortures. His sides were torn, not once or twice, but many times, to the bones and the very bowels, and he received so many blows on his face and neck that those who for a long time had been well acquainted with him could not recognize his swollen face. But as he would not yield under this treatment, the torturers, as commanded, covered his feet with linen cloths soaked in oil and set them on fire. No word can describe the agonies which the Blessed One endured from this, for the fire consumed his flesh and penetrated to his bones so that the humours of his body were melted and oozed out and dropped down like wax. But as he was not subdued by this, his adversaries being defeated and unable to comprehend his superhuman constancy cast him again into prison. A third time he was brought before the Judge, and having witnessed the same profession, being half-dead, he was finally thrown into the depths of the sea. But what happened immediately after this will scarcely be believed by those who did not see it. Although we realize this, yet we must record the event of which to speak plainly all the inhabitants of Caesarea were witnesses, for truly there was no age but beheld this marvelous sight. For as soon as they had cast this truly sacred and thrice-blessed youth into the fathomless depths of the sea, an uncommon commotion and disturbance agitated the sea and all the shore about it, so that the land and the entire city were shaken by it, and at the same time, with this wonderful and sudden perturbation, the sea threw out before the gates of the city the body of the Divine Martyr as if unable to endure it. Such was the death of the wonderful Apfianus. It occurred on the second day of the month Xanthicus, which is the fourth day before the knowns of April, on the day of preparation. About the same time, in the city of Tyre, a youth named Apfianus, after dreadful tortures and most severe scourgings, was enclosed in a raw oxhide, with a dog and one of those poisonous reptiles an asp, and cast into the sea. Wherefore I think that we may properly mention him in connection with the martyrdom of Apfianus. Shortly afterwards, Edesius, a brother of Apfianus, not only in God but also in the flesh, being a son of the same earthly father, endured sufferings like his, after very many confessions and protracted tortures and bonds, and after he had been sentenced by the governor to the mines in Palestine. He conducted himself through them all in a truly philosophic manner, for he was more highly educated than his brother, and had prosecuted philosophic studies. Only in the city of Alexandria, when he beheld the judge, who was trying the Christians, offending beyond all bounds, now insulting holy men in various ways, and again consigning women of greatest modesty and even religious virgins to procurers for shameful treatment, he acted like his brother, for as these things seemed insufferable, he went forward with bold resolve, and with his words and deeds overwhelmed the judge with shame and disgrace. After suffering in consequence many forms of torture, he endured a death similar to his brother's, being cast into the sea. But these things, as I have said, happened to him in this way a little later. End of the Martyrs of Palestine, Part 1 The Martyrs of Palestine, Part 2, from 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. The Martyrs of Palestine, Part 2, chapters 6 through 10. Chapter 6 In the fourth year of the persecution against us, on the twelfth day before the Callens of December, which is the twentieth day of the month Dias, on the day before the Sabbath, while the tyrant Maxim Minus was present and giving magnificent shows in honor of his birthday, the following event truly worthy of record occurred in the city of Caesarea. As it was an ancient custom to furnish the spectators more splendid shows when the emperors were present than at other times, new and foreign spectacles taking the place of the customary amusements, such as animals brought from India or Ethiopia or other places, or men who could astonish the beholders with skillful bodily exercises, it was necessary at this time, as the emperor was giving the exhibition, to add to the shows something more wonderful. And what should this be? A witness of our doctrine was brought into the midst and endured the contest for the true and only religion. This was Agapius, who, as we have stated a little above, was with Thecla, the second to be thrown to the wild beasts for food. He had also, three times and more, marched with malifactors from the prison to the arena, and every time, after threats from the judge, whether in compassion or in hope that he might change his mind, had been reserved for other conflicts. But the emperor being present, he was brought out at this time, as if he had been appropriately reserved for this occasion, until the very word of the Saviour should be fulfilled in him, which through divine knowledge he declared to his disciples that they should be brought before kings on account of their testimony unto him. He was taken into the midst of the arena with a certain malifactor who they said was charged with the murder of his master. But this murderer of his master, when he had been cast to the wild beasts, was deemed worthy of compassion and humanity, almost like Barabbas in the time of our Saviour, and the whole theatre resounded with shouts and cries of approval, because the murderer was humanely saved by the emperor, and deemed worthy of honour and freedom. But the athlete of religion was first summoned by the tyrant and promised liberty if he would deny his profession. But he testified with a loud voice that, not for any fault, but for the religion of the creator of the universe, he would readily and with pleasure endure whatever might be inflicted upon him. Having said this, he joined the deed to the word, and rushed to meet a bear which had been let loose against him, surrendering himself most cheerfully to be devoured by him. After this, as he still breathed, he was cast into prison, and living yet one day stones were bound to his feet, and he was drowned in the depths of the sea. Such was the martyrdom of Agapius. CHAPTER VII Again in Caesarea, when the persecution had continued to the fifth year, on the second day of the month Xanthicus, which is the fourth before the knowns of April, on the very Lord's Day of our Saviour's Resurrection, Theodosia, a virgin from Tyre, a faithful and sedate maiden, not yet eighteen years of age, went up to certain prisoners who were confessing the kingdom of Christ and sitting before the judgment seat, and saluted them, and, as is probable, besought them to remember her when they came before the Lord. Thereupon, as if she had committed a profane and impious act, the soldiers seized her and led her to the governor, and he immediately, like a madman and a wild beast in his anger, tortured her with dreadful and most terrible torments in her sides and breasts, even to the very bones, and as she still breathed, and with all stood with a joyful and beaming countenance, he ordered her thrown into the waves of the sea. When passing from her to the other confessors, he condemned all of them to the copper mines in Fino in Palestine. Afterwards on the fifth of the month Dias, on the knowns of November according to the Romans, in the same city, Sylvanus, who at that time was a presbyter and confessor, but who shortly after was honoured with the Episcopate and died a martyr, and those with him, men who had shown the noblest firmness in behalf of religion, were condemned by him to labour in the same copper mines, command being first given that their ankles be disabled with hot irons. At the same time he delivered to the flames a man who was illustrious through numerous other confessions. This was Dom Ninus, who was well known to all in Palestine for his exceeding fearlessness. After this the same judge, who was a cruel contriver of suffering and an inventor of devices against the doctrine of lust, planned against the pious punishments that had never been heard of. He condemned three to single pugilistic combat. He delivered to be devoured by wild beasts auxentious, a grave and holy old man. Others who were in mature life he made eunuchs, and condemned them to the same mines. Yet others, after severe tortures, he cast into prison. Among these was my dearest friend Pampholus, who was by reason of every virtue the most illustrious of the martyrs in our time. Urbanus first tested him in rhetorical philosophy and learning, and afterwards endeavored to compel him to sacrifice. But as he saw that he refused and in no wise regarded his threats being exceedingly angry he ordered him to be tormented with severest tortures. And when the brutal man, after he had almost satiated himself with these tortures by continuous and prolonged scrapings in his sides, was yet covered with shame before all, he put him also with the confessors in prison. But what recompense for his cruelty to the saints, he who thus abused the martyrs of Christ, shall receive from the divine judgment may be easily determined from the preludes to it, in which immediately, and not long after his daring cruelties against Pampholus, while he yet held government the divine judgment came upon him. For thus suddenly he who but yesterday was judging on the lofty tribunal guarded by a band of soldiers and ruling over the whole nation of Palestine, the associate and dearest friend and table companion of the tyrant himself was stripped in one night and overwhelmed with disgrace and shame before those who had formerly admired him as if he were himself an emperor, and he appeared cowardly and unmanly, uttering womanish cries and supplications to all the people whom he had ruled, and Maximinus himself, in reliance upon whose favor Urbanus was formerly so arrogantly insolent, as if he loved him exceedingly for his deeds against us, was set as a harsh and most severe judge in this same Caesarea to pronounce sentence of death against him for the great disgrace of the crimes of which he was convicted. Let us say this in passing. A suitable time may come when we shall have leisure to relate the end and the fate of those impious men who especially fought against us, both of Maximinus himself and those with him. CHAPTER VIII Up to the sixth year the storm had been incessantly raging against us. Before this time there had been a very large number of confessors of religion in the so-called porphyry quarry in Tobias, which gets its name from the stone found there. Of these one hundred men, lacking three, together with women and infants, were sent to the governor of Palestine, when they confessed the God of the universe and Christ for Milianus, who had been sent there as governor in the place of Urbanus, directed, in accordance with the imperial command, that they should be maimed by burning the sinews of the ankles of their left feet, and that their right eyes with the eyelids and pupils should first be cut out, and then destroyed by hot irons to the very roots. And he then sent them to the mines in the province to endure hardships with severe toil and suffering. But it was not sufficient that these only who suffered such miseries should be deprived of their eyes, but those natives of Palestine also, who were mentioned just above as condemned to pugilistic combat, since they would neither receive food from the royal storehouse nor undergo the necessary preparatory exercises. Having been brought on this account not only before the overseers, but also before Maxim Minus himself, and having manifested the noblest persistence in confession by the endurance of hunger and stripes, they received like punishment with those whom we have mentioned, and with them other confessors in the city of Caesarea. Immediately afterwards others who were gathered to hear the scriptures read were seized in Gaza, and some endured the same sufferings in the feet and eyes, but others were afflicted with yet greater torments and with most terrible tortures in the sides. One of these, embody a woman, but in understanding a man, would not endure the threat of fornication, and spoke directly against the tyrant who entrusted the government to such cruel judges. She was first scourged, and then raised aloft on the stake, and her sides lacerated. As those appointed for this purpose applied the tortures incessantly and severely at the command of the judge, another, with mind fixed, like the former, on virginity as her aim, a woman who was altogether mean in form and contemptible in appearance, but on the other hand strong in soul, and endowed with an understanding superior to her body, being unable to bear the merciless and cruel and inhuman deeds, with a boldness beyond that of the combatants famed among the Greeks, cried out to the judge from the midst of the crowd, and how long will you thus cruelly torture my sister? But he was greatly enraged, and ordered the woman to be immediately seized. Thereupon she was brought forward, and having called herself by the august name of the Saviour, she was first urged by words to sacrifice, and as she refused she was dragged by force to the altar, but her sister continued to maintain her former zeal, and with intrepid and resolute foot kicked the altar, and overturned it with the fire that was on it. Thereupon the judge, enraged like a wild beast, inflicted on her such tortures in her sides as he never had on any one before, having almost to glut himself with her raw flesh. But when his madness was satiated he bound them both together, this one and her whom she called sister, and condemned them to death by fire. It is said that the first of these was from the country of Gaza, the other, by name Valentina, was of Caesarea, and was well known to many. But how can I describe as it deserves the martyrdom which followed, with which the thrice-blessed Paul was honored. He was condemned to death at the same time with them under one sentence. At the time of his martyrdom, as the executioner was about to cut off his head, he requested a brief respite. This being granted, he first, in a clear and distinct voice, supplicated God in behalf of his fellow Christians, praying for their pardon, and that freedom might soon be restored to them. Then he asked for the conversion of the Jews to God through Christ, and proceeding in order he requested the same things for the Samaritans, and besought that those Gentiles, who were in error and were ignorant of God, might come to a knowledge of him, and adopt the true religion. Nor did he leave neglected the mixed multitude who were standing around. After all these, oh, great and unspeakable forbearance, he entreated the God of the universe for the judge who had condemned him to death, and for the highest rulers, and also for the one who was about to behead him, in his hearing and that of all present, beseeching that their sin toward him should not be reckoned against them. Having prayed for these things with a loud voice, and having, as one who was dying unjustly, moved almost all to compassion and tears, of his own accord he made himself ready, and submitted his bare neck to the stroke of the sword, and was adorned with divine martyrdom. This took place on the twenty-fifth day of the month Panamus, which is the eighth before the Calends of August. Such was the end of these persons, but not long after, one hundred and thirty admirable athletes of the confession of Christ from the land of Egypt endured in Egypt itself at the command of Maximinus the same afflictions in their eyes and feet with the former persons, and were sent to the above-mentioned mines in Palestine, but some of them were condemned to the mines in Cilicia. CHAPTER IX After such noble acts of the distinguished martyrs of Christ the flame of persecution lessened, and was quenched, as it were, by their sacred blood, and relief and liberty were granted to those who, for Christ's sake, were laboring in the mines of Thebaeus, and for a little time we were beginning to breathe pure air. But by some new impulse I know not what. He who held the power to persecute was again aroused against the Christians. Immediately letters from Maximinus against us were published everywhere in every province. The governors and the military prefect urged by edicts and letters and public ordinances, the magistrates and generals and notaries in all the cities to carry out the imperial decree, which ordered that the altars of the idols should with all speed be rebuilt, and that all men, women and children, even infants at the breast, should sacrifice and offer oblations, and that with diligence and care they should cause them to taste of the execrable offerings, and that the things for sale in the market should be polluted with libations from the sacrifices, and that guards should be stationed before the baths in order to defile with the abominable sacrifices those who went to wash in them. When these orders were being carried out, our people, as was natural, were at the beginning greatly distressed in mind, and even the unbelieving heathen blamed the severity and the exceeding absurdity of what was done, for these things appeared to them extreme and burdensome. As the heaviest storm impended over all and every quarter, the divine power of our Saviour again infused such boldness into his athletes that without being drawn on or dragged forward by any one, they spurned the threats. Three of the faithful joining together rushed on the governor as he was sacrificing to the idols, and cried out to him to cease from his delusion, there being no other God than the maker and creator of the universe. When he asked who they were, they confessed boldly that they were Christians. Thereupon, Vermilionis, being greatly enraged, sentenced them to capital punishment without inflicting tortures upon them. The name of the eldest of these was Antoninus, of the next Zebinus, who was a native of Ileuthoropolis, and of the third Germanus. This took place on the thirteenth of the month Dias, the Ides of November. There was associated with them on the same day in Athos, a woman from Scythopolis, who was adorned with the chaplet of virginity. She did not indeed do as they had done, but was dragged by force and brought before the judge. She endured scourgings and cruel insults, which Maxis, a tribune of a neighbouring district, without the knowledge of the superior authority, dared to inflict upon her. He was a man worse than his name, sanguinarian other respects, exceedingly harsh and altogether cruel, and censured by all who knew him. This man stripped the blessed woman of all her clothing, so that she was covered only from her loins to her feet, and the rest of her body was bare. And he led her through the entire city of Caesarea, and regarded it as a great thing to beat her with the thongs while she was dragged through all the marketplaces. After such treatment she manifested the noblest constancy at the judgment seat of the governor himself. And the judge condemned her to be burned alive. He also carried his rage against the pious to a most inhuman length and transgressed the laws of nature, not being ashamed even to deny burial to the lifeless bodies of the sacred men. Thus he ordered the dead to be exposed in the open air as food for wild beasts and to be watched carefully by night and day. For many days a large number of men attended to this savage and barbarous decree, and they looked out from their post of observation, as it were a matter worthy of care, to see that the dead bodies should not be stolen. And wild beasts and dogs and birds of prey scattered the human limbs here and there, and the whole city was strewed with the entrails and bones of men. So that nothing had ever appeared more dreadful and horrible, even to those who formerly hated us, though they bewailed not so much the calamity of those against whom these things were done, as the outrage against themselves and the common nature of man. For there was to be seen near the gates a spectacle beyond all description and tragic recital, for not only was human flesh devoured in one place, but it was scattered in every place, so that some said that limbs and masses of flesh and parts of entrails were to be seen even within the gates. After these things had continued for many days a wonderful event occurred, the air was clear and bright and the appearance of the sky most serene. When suddenly throughout the city from the pillars which supported the public porches many drops fell like tears, and the market places and streets, though there was no mist in the air, were moistened with sprinkled water, whence I know not. Then immediately it was reported everywhere that the earth, unable to endure the abomination of these things, had shed tears in a mysterious manner, and that as a rebuke to the relentless and unfeeling nature of men, stones and lifeless wood had wept for what had happened. I know well that this account may perhaps appear idle and fabulous to those who come after us, but not to those to whom the truth was confirmed at the time. CHAPTER X On the fourteenth day of the following month of Pellius, the nineteenth before the callons of January, certain persons from Egypt were again seized by those who examined people passing the gates. They had been sent to minister to the confessors in Cilicia. They received the same sentence as those whom they had gone to help, being mutilated in their eyes and feet. Three of them exhibited in Ascalon, where they were imprisoned, marvellous bravery in the endurance of various kinds of martyrdom. One of them named Ares was condemned to the flames, and the others, called Probus and Ilius, were beheaded. On the seventh day of the month Audinius, which is the third before the Ides of January, in the same city of Caesarea, Peter, an ascetic, also called Absalamus, from the village of Ania, on the borders of Eleutheropolis, like purest gold gave noble proof by fire of his faith in the Christ of God. Though the judge and those around him besought him many times to have compassion on himself and to spare his own youth and bloom, he disregarded them, preferring hope in the God of the universe to all things, even to life itself. A certain Asclepius, supposed to be a bishop of the sect of Marcian, possessed as he thought with zeal for religion, but not according to knowledge, ended his life on one and the same funeral pyre. These things took place in this manner. End of the Martyrs of Palestine, Part 2