Chap. IV.

This long peace,8    [Most noteworthy in corroboration of the earlier Fathers.]   however, was afterwards interrupted. Decius appeared in the world, an accursed wild beast, to afflict the Church,—and who but a bad man would persecute religion? It seems as if he had been raised to sovereign eminence, at once to rage against God, and at once to fall; for, having undertaken an expedition against the Carpi, who had then possessed themselves of Dacia and Moefia, he was suddenly surrounded by the barbarians, and slain, together with great part of his army; nor could he be honoured with the rites of sepulture, but, stripped and naked, he lay to be devoured by wild beasts and birds,9    [Jer. xxii. 19 and xxxvi. 30.]  —a fit end for the enemy of God.  

IV. Extitit enim post annos plurimos execrabile animal Decius, qui vexaret Ecclesiam. Quis enim justitiam, nisi malus persequatur? Et quasi hujus rei gratia provectus esset ad illud principale fastigium, furere 0201A protinus contra Deum coepit, ut protinus caderet. Nam profectus adversus Carpos, qui tum Daciam Moesiamque occupaverant, statimque circumventus a barbaris, et cum magna exercitus parte deletus, nec sepultura quidem potuit honorari: sed exutus ac nudus, ut hostem Dei oportebat, pabulum feris ac volucribus jacuit.