Part V.

Persecution and Lapse of Liberius

35. Now it had been better if from the first Constantius had never become connected with this heresy at all; or being connected with it, if he had not yielded so much to those impious men; or having yielded to them, if he had stood by them only thus far, so that judgment might come upon them all for these atrocities alone. But as it would seem, like madmen, having fixed themselves in the bonds of impiety, they are drawing down upon their own heads a more severe judgment. Thus from the first108    In contrast to date of his fall. they spared not even Liberius, Bishop of Rome, but extended109    τὴν μανίαν ἐξέτειναν; vid. ἐκτεῖναι τὴν μανίαν, §42. And so in the letter of the Council of Chalcedon to Pope Leo; which says that Dioscorus, κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀμπέλου τὴν φυλακὴν παρὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐπιτετραμμένου τὴν μανίαν ἐξέτεινε, λέγομεν δὴ τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος. Hard. Conc. t. 2. p. 656. [Cf. Prolegg. ch. iv. §4.] their fury even to those parts; they respected not his bishopric, because it was an Apostolical throne; they felt no reverence for Rome, because she is the Metropolis of Romania110    By Romania is meant the Roman Empire, according to Montfaucon after Nannius. vid. Præfat. xxxiv. xxxv. And so Epiph. Hær, lxvi, 1 fin, p. 618, and lxviii. 2 init. p. 728, Nil. Ep. i. 75. vid. Du Cange Gloss. Græc. in voc.; they remembered not that formerly in their letters they had spoken of her Bishops as Apostolical men. But confounding all things together, they at once forgot everything, and cared only to shew their zeal in behalf of impiety. When they perceived that he was an orthodox man and hated the Arian heresy, and earnestly endeavoured to persuade all persons to renounce and withdraw from it, these impious men reasoned thus with themselves: ‘If we can persuade Liberius, we shall soon prevail over all.’ Accordingly they accused him falsely before the Emperor; and he, expecting easily to draw over all men to his side by means of Liberius, writes to him, and sends a certain eunuch called Eusebius with letters and offerings, to cajole him with the presents, and to threaten him with the letters. The eunuch accordingly went to Rome, and first proposed to Liberius to subscribe against Athanasius, and to hold communion with the Arians, saying, ‘The Emperor wishes it, and commands you to do so.’ And then shewing him the offerings, he took him by the hand, and again besought him saying, ‘Obey the Emperor, and receive these.’

36. The Eunuch Eusebius attempts Liberius in vain.

But the Bishop endeavoured to convince him, reasoning with him thus: ‘How is it possible for me to do this against Athanasius? how can we condemn a man, whom not one111    At Alexandria. Council only, but a second112    At Sardica. assembled from all parts of the world, has fairly acquitted, and whom the Church of the Romans dismissed in peace? who will approve of our conduct, if we reject in his absence one, whose presence113    Vid. Apol. Ar. 29. amongst us we gladly welcomed, and admitted him to our communion? This is no Ecclesiastical Canon; nor have we had transmitted to us any such tradition114    παράδοσις, vid. §14. from the Fathers, who in their turn received from the great and blessed Apostle Peter115    Apol. Ar. §35.. But if the Emperor is really concerned for the peace of the Church, if he requires our letters respecting Athanasius to be reversed, let their proceedings both against him and against all the others be reversed also; and then let an Ecclesiastical Council be called at a distance from the Court, at which the Emperor shall not be present, nor any Count be admitted, nor magistrate to threaten us, but where only the fear of God and the Apostolical rule116    τῶν ἀποστόλων διάταξις, cf. §34. shall prevail; that so in the first place, the faith of the Church may be secure, as the Fathers defined it in the Council of Nicæa, and the supporters of the Arian doctrines may be cast out, and their heresy anathematized. And then after that, an enquiry being made into the charges brought against Athanasius, and any other besides, as well as into those things of which the other party is accused, let the culprits be cast out, and the innocent receive encouragement and support. For it is impossible that they who maintain an impious creed can be admitted as members of a Council: nor is it fit that an enquiry into matters of conduct should precede the enquiry concerning the faith117    Vid. Pallavicin. Conc. Trid. vi. 7. Sarpi. Hist. ii. 37.; but all diversity of opinions on points of faith ought first to be eradicated, and then the enquiry made into matters of conduct. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not heal them that were afflicted, until they shewed and declared what faith they had in Him. These things we have received from the Fathers; these report to the Emperor; for they are both profitable for him and edifying to the Church. But let not Ursacius and Valens be listened to, for they have retracted their former assertions, and in what they now say they are not to be trusted.’

37. Liberius refuses the Emperor’s offering.

These were the words of the Bishop Liberius. And the eunuch, who was vexed, not so much because he would not subscribe, as because he found him an enemy to the heresy, forgetting that he was in the presence of a Bishop, after threatening him severely, went away with the offerings; and next commits an offence, which is foreign to a Christian, and too audacious for a eunuch. In imitation of the transgression of Saul, he went to the Martyry118    [1 Sam. xiii. 9. cf. D.C.A. 1132, s.v. Martyrium.] of the Apostle Peter, and then presented the offerings. But Liberius having notice of it, was very angry with the person who kept the place, that he had not prevented him, and cast out the offerings as an unlawful sacrifice, which increased the anger of the mutilated creature against him. Consequently he exasperates the Emperor against him, saying, ‘The matter that concerns us is no longer the obtaining the subscription of Liberius, but the fact that he is so resolutely opposed to the heresy, that he anathematizes the Arians by name.’ He also stirs up the other eunuchs to say the same; for many of those who were about Constantius, or rather the whole number of them, are eunuchs119    Vid. Gibbon, Hist. ch. 19 init., who engross all the influence with him, and it is impossible to do anything there without them. The Emperor accordingly writes to Rome, and again Palatines, and Notaries, and Counts are sent off with letters to the Prefect, in order that either they may inveigle Liberius by stratagem away from Rome and send him to the Court to him, or else persecute him by violence.

38. The evil influence of Eunuchs at Court.

Such being the tenor of the letters, there also fear and treachery forthwith became rife throughout the whole city. How many were the families against which threats were held out! How many received great promises on condition of their acting against Liberius! How many Bishops hid themselves when they saw these things! How many noble women retired to country places in consequence of the calumnies of the enemies of Christ! How many ascetics were made the objects of their plots! How many who were sojourning there, and had made that place their home, did they cause to be persecuted! How often and how strictly did they guard the harbour120    Ostia, vid. Gibbon, Hist. ch. 31, p. 303. and the approaches to the gates, lest any orthodox person should enter and visit Liberius! Rome also had trial of the enemies of Christ, and now experienced what before she would not believe, when she heard how the other Churches in every city were ravaged by them. It was the eunuchs who instigated these proceedings against all. And the most remarkable circumstance in the matter is this; that the Arian heresy which denies the Son of God, receives its support from eunuchs, who, as both their bodies are fruitless, and their souls barren of virtue, cannot bear even to hear the name of son. The Eunuch of Ethiopia indeed, though he understood not what he read121    Acts viii. 27., believed the words of Philip, when he taught him concerning the Saviour; but the eunuchs of Constantius cannot endure the confession of Peter122    Matt. xvi. 16, allusion to Liberius? vid. Hard. Conc. t. 2. p. 305 E., nay, they turn away when the Father manifests the Son, and madly rage against those who say, that the Son of God is His genuine Son, thus claiming as a heresy of eunuchs, that there is no genuine and true offspring of the Father. On these grounds it is that the law forbids such persons to be admitted into any ecclesiastical Council123    Can. Nic. 1.; notwithstanding which they have now regarded these as competent judges of ecclesiastical causes, and whatever seems good to them, that Constantius decrees, while men with the name of Bishops dissemble with them. Oh! who shall be their historian? who shall transmit the record of these things to another generation? who indeed would believe it, were he to hear it, that eunuchs who are scarcely entrusted with household services (for theirs is a pleasure-loving race, that has no serious concern but that of hindering in others what nature has taken from them); that these, I say, now exercise authority in ecclesiastical matters, and that Constantius in submission to their will treacherously conspired against all, and banished Liberius!

39. Liberius’s speech to Constantius.

For after the Emperor had frequently written to Rome, had threatened, sent commissioners, devised schemes, on the persecution124    [356 a.d.] subsequently breaking out at Alexandria, Liberius is dragged before him, and uses great boldness of speech towards him. ‘Cease,’ he said, ‘to persecute the Christians; attempt not by my means to introduce impiety into the Church. We are ready to suffer anything rather than to be called Arian madmen. We are Christians; compel us not to become enemies of Christ. We also give you this counsel: fight not against Him who gave you this empire, nor shew impiety towards Him instead of thankfulness125    Cf. §34.;’ persecute not them that believe in Him, lest you also hear the words, ‘It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks126    Acts ix. 5..’ Nay, I would that you might hear them, that you might obey, as the holy Paul did. Behold, here we are; we are come, before they fabricate charges. For this cause we hastened hither, knowing that banishment awaits us at your hands, that we might suffer before a charge encounters us, and that all may clearly see that all the others too have suffered as we shall suffer, and that the charges brought against them were fabrications of their enemies, and all their proceedings were mere calumny and falsehood.’

40. Banishment of Liberius and others.

These were the words of Liberius at that time, and he was admired by all men for them. But the Emperor instead of answering127    [But see Theodoret, Hist. ii. 16.], only gave orders for their banishment, separating each of them from the rest, as he had done in the former cases. For he had himself devised this plan in the banishments which he inflicted, that so the severity of his punishments might be greater than that of former tyrants and persecutors128    Cf. infr. §60.. In the former persecution Maximian, who was then Emperor, commanded a number of Confessors to be banished together129    §64 [a.d. 355]., and thus lightened their punishment by the consolation which he gave them in each other’s society. But this man was more savage than he; he separated those who had spoken boldly and confessed together, he put asunder those who were united by the bond of faith, that when they came to die they might not see one another; thinking that bodily separation can disunite also the affections of the mind, and that being severed from each other, they would forget the concord and unanimity which existed among them. He knew not that however each one may remain130    Cf. §47. apart from the rest, he has nevertheless with him that Lord, whom they confessed in one body together, who will also provide (as he did in the case of the Prophet Elisha131    2 Kings vi. 16.) that more shall be with each of them, than there are soldiers with Constantius. Of a truth iniquity is blind; for in that they thought to afflict the Confessors, by separating them from one another, they rather brought thereby a great injury upon themselves. For had they continued in each other’s company, and abode together, the pollutions of those impious men would have been proclaimed from one place only; but now by putting them asunder, they have made their impious heresy and wickedness to spread abroad and become known in every place132    Cf. §34..

41. Lapse of Liberius.

Who that shall hear what they did in the course of these proceedings will not think them to be anything rather than Christians? When Liberius sent Eutropius, a Presbyter, and Hilarius, a Deacon, with letters to the Emperor, at the time that Lucifer and his fellows made their confession, they banished the Presbyter on the spot, and after stripping Hilarius133    This Hilary afterwards followed Lucifer of Calaris in his schism. He is supposed to be the author of the Comments on S. Paul’s Epistles attributed to S. Ambrose, who goes under the name of Ambrosiaster. the Deacon and scourging him on the back, they banished him too, clamouring at him, ‘Why didst thou not resist Liberius instead of being the bearer of letters from him.’ Ursacius and Valens, with the eunuchs who sided with them, were the authors of this outrage. The Deacon, while he was being scourged, praised the Lord, remembering His words, ‘I gave My back to the smiters134    Isa. l. 6.;’ but they while they scourged him laughed and mocked him, feeling no shame that they were insulting a Levite. Indeed they acted but consistently in laughing while he continued to praise God; for it is the part of Christians to endure stripes, but to scourge Christians is the outrage of a Pilate or a Caiaphas. Thus they endeavoured at the first to corrupt the Church of the Romans, wishing to introduce impiety into it as well as others. But Liberius after he had been in banishment two years gave way, and from fear of threatened death subscribed. Yet even this only shews their violent conduct, and the hatred of Liberius against the heresy, and his support of Athanasius, so long as he was suffered to exercise a free choice. For that which men are forced by torture to do contrary to their first judgment, ought not to be considered the willing deed of those who are in fear, but rather of their tormentors. They however attempted everything in support of their heresy, while the people in every Church, preserving the faith which they had learnt, waited for the return of their teachers, and condemned the Antichristian heresy, and all avoid it, as they would a serpent.

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Βέλτιον μὲν οὖν ἦν κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν Κωνστάντιον μηδ' ὅλως τῆς αἱρέσεως ταύτης γενέσθαι ἢ γενόμενον μὴ τοσοῦτον ἐνδοῦναι τοῖς ἀσεβέσιν ἢ ἐνδόντα μέχρι τούτων στῆναι μετ' αὐτῶν, ἵνα κἂν ἕως τούτων ἔχωσι κοινὴν τὴν κρίσιν. ὡς δὲ ἔοικε, κατὰ τοὺς ἄφρονας δεσμοῖς τῆς ἀσεβείας ἑαυτοὺς περιπείροντες μείζονα καθ' ἑαυτῶν τὴν κρίσιν ἐπι σπῶνται. καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ Λιβερίου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου Ῥώμης κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐφείσαντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέχρι τῶν ἐκεῖ τὴν μανίαν ἐξέτειναν, καὶ οὐχ ὅτι ἀποστολικός ἐστι θρόνος ᾐδέσθη σαν, οὔδ' ὅτι μητρόπολις ἡ Ῥώμη τῆς Ῥωμανίας ἐστὶν ηὐλαβήθησαν, οὔδ' ὅτι πρότερον «ἀποστολικοὺς αὐτοὺς ἄνδρας» γράφοντες εἰρήκασιν ἐμνημόνευσαν. ἀλλὰ πάντα ὁμοῦ φύραντες πάντων ἀθρόως ἐπελάθοντο καὶ μόνης τῆς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀσεβείας σπουδῆς ἐφρόντι σαν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἑωράκασιν αὐτὸν ὀρθοδοξοῦντα καὶ μισοῦντα μὲν τὴν ἀρειανὴν αἵρεσιν, σπουδάζοντα δὲ πάντας πείθειν ἀποστρέφεσθαι καὶ ἀναχωρεῖν ἀπ' αὐτῆς, ἐλογίσαντο οἱ δυσσεβεῖς ὅτι· «εἰ τὸν Λιβέριον πείσαιμεν, πάντων ταχέως κρατήσομεν». καὶ δια βάλλουσι βασιλεῖ· κἀκεῖνος ταχέως προσδοκήσας διὰ Λιβερίου πάντας ἕλκειν πρὸς ἑαυτὸν γράφει καὶ πέμπει σπάδοντα Εὐσέβιόν τινα καλούμενον μετὰ γραμμάτων καὶ δώρων, ἵνα τοῖς μὲν δώροις κολακεύσῃ, τοῖς δὲ γράμμασιν ἀπειλήσῃ. ἀπελθὼν τοίνυν ὁ σπάδων εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην πρῶτον παρεκάλει τὸν Λιβέριον κατὰ Ἀθανασίου μὲν ὑπογράψαι, τοῖς δὲ Ἀρειανοῖς κοινωνῆσαι, λέγων· «τοῦτο βασιλεὺς βούλεται καὶ κελεύει σε ποιῆσαι». εἶτα ἐπιδεικνὺς τὰ δῶρα παρεκάλει καὶ χειρῶν ἥπτετο λέγων· «πείσθητι βασιλεῖ καὶ ταῦτα δέξαι».
Ὁ δὲ ἐπίσκοπος λόγῳ πείθων ἐδίδασκε· «πῶς οἷόν τε τοῦτο γενέσθαι κατὰ Ἀθανασίου; ὃν γὰρ οὐ μόνον μία, ἀλλὰ καὶ δευτέρα σύνοδος πανταχόθεν συναχθεῖσα καλῶς ἐκαθάρισε καὶ ἡ Ῥωμαίων δὲ ἐκκλησία μετ' εἰρήνης ἀπέλυσε, πῶς δυνάμεθα κατακρῖναι; ἢ τίς ἡμᾶς ἀποδέξεται, εἰ ὃν παρόντα ἠγαπήσαμεν καὶ εἴχομεν τῇ κοινωνίᾳ, τοῦτον ἐὰν ἀποστραφῶμεν ἀπόντα; οὐκ ἔστιν οὗτος ἐκκλησιαστικὸς κανὼν οὐδὲ τοιαύτην πώποτε παράδοσιν ἔσχομεν παρὰ τῶν πατέρων τῶν καὶ αὐτῶν παραλαβόντων παρὰ τοῦ μακα ρίου καὶ μεγάλου ἀποστόλου Πέτρου. ἀλλ' εἴπερ ἄρα μέλει τῷ βασιλεῖ περὶ τῆς ἐκ κλησιαστικῆς εἰρήνης, εἰ κελεύει λυθῆναι τὰ παρ' ἡμῖν περὶ Ἀθανασίου γραφέντα, λυέσθω καὶ τὰ παρ' ἐκείνων κατ' αὐτοῦ γενόμενα, λυέσθω δὲ καὶ τὰ κατὰ πάντων καὶ γενέσθω λοιπὸν ἐκκλησιαστικὴ σύνοδος μακρὰν τοῦ παλατίου, ἐν ᾗ βασιλεὺς οὐ πάρεστιν, οὐ κόμης παραγίνεται, οὐ δικαστὴς ἀπειλεῖ, ἀλλὰ μόνον ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ φόβος ἀρκεῖ καὶ ἡ τῶν ἀποστόλων διάταξις, ἵν' οὕτως προηγουμένως ἡ μὲν ἐκκλησιαστικὴ πίστις σώζηται, καθὼς οἱ πατέρες ὥρισαν ἐν τῇ κατὰ Νίκαιαν συνόδῳ, οἱ δὲ τὰ Ἀρείου φρονοῦντες ἐκβάλλωνται καὶ ἡ αἵρεσις αὐτῶν ἀναθεματισθῇ. καὶ τότε λοιπὸν κρίσεως γενομένης περὶ ὧν Ἀθανάσιος καὶ εἴ τις ἕτερος ἐγκαλεῖται καὶ περὶ ὧν ἐγκαλοῦνται καὶ αὐτοί, οἱ μὲν ὑπεύθυνοι ἐκβάλλωνται, οἱ δὲ καθαροὶ παρρησίαν ἔχωσιν. οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε συνόδῳ συναριθμηθῆναι τοὺς περὶ πίστιν ἀσεβοῦντας οὐδὲ πρέπει προκρίνεσθαι πράγματος ἐξέτασιν τῆς περὶ πίστεως ἐξετάσεως. χρὴ γὰρ πρῶτον πᾶσαν περὶ τῆς πίστεως διαφωνίαν ἐκκόπτεσθαι καὶ τότε τὴν περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἔρευναν ποιεῖσθαι. καὶ γὰρ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς οὐ πρότερον ἐθε ράπευε τοὺς πάσχοντας, πρὶν ἂν δείξωσι καὶ εἴπωσιν ὁποίαν πίστιν εἶχον εἰς αὐτόν. ταῦτα παρὰ τῶν πατέρων ἐμάθομεν, ταῦτα ἀπάγγειλον τῷ βασιλεῖ, ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ αὐτῷ συμφέρει καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ. μὴ ἀκουέσθω δὲ Οὐρσάκιος καὶ Οὐάλης, καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν τοῖς προτέροις μετενόησαν καὶ νῦν λέγοντες οὐκ εἰσὶ πιστοί».
Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἐπίσκοπος Λιβέριος τοιαῦτα, ὁ δὲ εὐνοῦχος λυπηθεὶς οὐ τοσοῦτον, ὅτι μὴ ὑπέγραψεν, ἀλλ' ὅτι τῆς αἱρέσεως ἐχθρὸν αὐτὸν εὗρεν, ἐπιλαθόμενός τε ὅτι πρὸς ἐπίσκο πον ἦν μεγάλως ἀπειλήσας ἐξήρχετο μετὰ τῶν δώρων. πράττει δέ τι παράνομον Χριστια νῶν μὲν ἀλλότριον, σπαδόντων δὲ τολμηρότερον. τὴν γὰρ παράβασιν τοῦ Σαοὺλ μιμησά μενος ἀπελθὼν εἰς τὸ μαρτύριον Πέτρου τοῦ ἀποστόλου τὰ δῶρα αὐτῷ ἀνέθηκεν. ἀλλὰ μαθὼν ὁ Λιβέριος πρὸς μὲν τὸν τηροῦντα τὸν τόπον καὶ μὴ κωλύσαντα μεγάλως ἠγανάκ τησεν, αὐτὰ δὲ ὡς ἄθυτον θυσίαν ἀπέρριψε, καὶ τοῦτο μᾶλλον εἰς ὀργὴν ἐκίνει τὸν θλαδίαν. παροξύνει τοίνυν βασιλέα λέγων· «οὐκέτι περὶ τοῦ γράψαι Λιβέριόν ἐστιν ἡμῖν ἡ φροντίς, ἀλλ' ὅτι κατὰ τῆς αἱρέσεως οὕτω φρονεῖ, ὡς ἐξ ὀνόματος τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς ἀναθεματίζειν». εἰς τοῦτο δὲ κινεῖ καὶ τοὺς ἑτέρους σπάδοντας, πολλοὶ δέ, μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ ὅλον εἰσὶν εὐνοῦχοι παρὰ Κωνσταντίῳ καὶ πάντα δύνανται παρ' αὐτῷ, χωρίς τε τούτων οὐδέν ἐστιν ἐκεῖ γε νέσθαι. γράφει δὴ οὖν βασιλεὺς εἰς Ῥώμην, καὶ πάλιν παλατινοὶ καὶ νοτάριοι καὶ κόμητες ἀποστέλλονται καὶ γράμματα πρὸς τὸν ἔπαρχον, ἵνα ἢ πλανήσαντες δόλῳ τὸν Λιβέριον ἐξαγάγωσιν ἀπὸ τῆς Ῥώμης καὶ πέμψωσιν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον πρὸς αὐτὸν ἢ βίᾳ τοῦτον διώξωσι.
Τοιούτων δὴ ὄντων τῶν γραφέντων λοιπὸν κἀκεῖ φόβος καὶ ἐπιβουλὴ κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν πόλιν ἤκμαζε. κατὰ πόσων γοῦν οἴκων ἀπειλὴ γέγονε; πόσοι πόσας ἐπαγγελίας εἰλήφασι κατὰ Λιβερίου; πόσοι ταῦτα βλέποντες ἐκρύβησαν ἐπίσκοποι; πόσοι τῶν ἐλευθέρων ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς χωρία διὰ τὰς διαβολὰς τῶν χριστομάχων; πόσοις ἀσκηταῖς ἐπεβού λευσαν; πόσους ἐκεῖ διατρίβοντας καὶ λοιπὸν τὸ ἐφέστιον ἔχοντας ἐκεῖ διωχθῆναι πεποι ήκασι, ποσάκις καὶ ὅπως ἐφύλαξαν τὸν λιμένα καὶ τὰς εἰσόδους τῶν πυλῶν, ἵνα μή τις ὀρθόδοξος εἰσελθὼν θεωρήσῃ Λιβέριον; ἔσχε καὶ Ῥώμη πεῖραν τῶν χριστομάχων καὶ ἔγνω λοιπὸν ὅπερ οὐκ ἐπίστευεν ἀκούουσα πρότερον, πῶς καὶ αἱ ἕτεραι ἐκκλησίαι κατὰ πόλιν ἐπορθήθησαν παρ' αὐτῶν. εὐνοῦχοι δὲ ἦσαν οἱ καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τὰ κατὰ πάντων κινοῦντες. καὶ τὸ παράδοξον τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι ἡ ἀρειανὴ αἵρεσις ἀρνουμένη τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξ εὐνούχων ἔχει τὴν βοήθειαν, οἵτινες ὡς τῇ φύσει οὕτως καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀρετῆς ἄγονοι τυγχάνοντες οὐ φέρουσιν ἀκούειν ὅλως περὶ υἱοῦ. ὁ μὲν οὖν ἐκ τῆς Αἰθιοπίας εὐνοῦχος μὴ νοῶν ἃ ἀνεγίνωσκεν ἐπείσθη τῷ Φιλίππῳ διδάσκοντι περὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος, οἱ δὲ τοῦ Κωνσταντίου σπάδοντες οὔτε τοῦ Πέτρου ὁμολογοῦντος ἀνέχονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν πατέρα δεικνύντα τὸν υἱὸν ἀποστρέφονται καὶ μαίνονται κατὰ τῶν λεγόν των γνήσιον εἶναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκδικοῦντες σπαδόντων αἵρεσιν, μηδὲν εἶναι γνήσιον καὶ ἀληθινὸν ἐκ τοῦ πατρός. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ νόμος εἴργει τούτους εἰς ἐκκλη σιαστικὴν συμβουλίαν προσλαμβάνεσθαι, καὶ ὅμως τούτους νῦν τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν κρι μάτων κυρίους ἐλογίσατο, καὶ ὅπερ ἂν αὐτοῖς δόξῃ, τοῦτο Κωνστάντιος κρίνει καὶ οἱ λεγόμενοι ἐπίσκοποι ὑποκρίνονται. ὦ τίς ἂν γένοιτο τούτων λογογράφος; τίς ἀπαγγείλαι ταῦτα εἰς γενεὰν ἑτέραν; τίς ἄρα πιστεύσειεν ἀκούων ὅτι σπάδοντες οἱ οἰκειακὰς ὑπηρεσίας μόγις πιστευόμενοι (φιλήδονον γὰρ τὸ τούτων εἶδος, καὶ οὐδὲν ἄλλο μεριμνῶσιν ὡς τοῦθ', ὅπερ αὐτοὺς ἡ φύσις ἀφείλατο, ἐμποδίζειν) οὗτοι νῦν τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν κατάρ χουσι, καὶ τούτοις ὑποπίπτων Κωνστάντιος πᾶσιν ἐπεβούλευσε καὶ Λιβέριον ἐξώρισεν;
Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολὺς ἦν εἰς Ῥώμην γράφων, ἀπειλῶν, ἀποστέλλων, ἐπιβουλεύων, λοιπὸν δ' ἐγεγόνει καὶ ὁ κατὰ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν διωγμός. ἕλκεται καὶ Λιβέριος πρὸς βασι λέα καὶ πολλῇ καὶ αὐτὸς κέχρηται τῇ παρρησίᾳ· «παῦσαι», λέγων, «διώκων Χριστιανούς· μὴ πείραζε δι' ἡμῶν εἰσάξαι τὴν ἀσέβειαν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. πάντα ὑπομένειν ἐσμὲν ἕτοιμοι ἢ Ἀρειομανῖται κληθῆναι. Χριστιανοὺς ὄντας ἡμᾶς μὴ ἀνάγκαζε χριστομάχους γενέσθαι. τοῦτο καὶ σοὶ συμβουλεύομεν· μὴ μάχου πρὸς τὸν δεδωκότα σοι τὴν ἀρχὴν ταύτην· μὴ ἀντ' εὐχαριστίας ἀσεβήσῃς εἰς αὐτόν· μὴ δίωκε τοὺς πιστεύοντας εἰς αὐτόν· μὴ ἀκούσῃς καὶ σύ·» σκληρόν σοι πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν «. ἀλλ' εἴθε κἂν ἀκούσῃς, ἵνα καὶ σὺ πεισθῇς ὡς ὁ ἅγιος Παῦλος. ἰδοὺ πάρεσμεν, ἤλθομεν, πρὶν πλάσωνται πρόφασιν· διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐσπεύσαμεν εἰδότες ὅτι ἐξορισμὸς ἡμᾶς μένει παρὰ σοῦ, ἵνα, πρὶν προ φάσεως πάθωμεν, καὶ πᾶσι δειχθῇ φανερῶς ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες οὕτω πεπόνθασιν ὡς ἡμεῖς καὶ αἱ λεχθεῖσαι κατ' αὐτῶν προφάσεις ἐπλάσθησαν παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν καὶ πάντα τὰ κατ' αὐτούς ἐστι συκοφαντία καὶ ψευδῆ».
Οὕτω μὲν οὖν ὁ Λιβέριος τότε λέγων ἐθαυμάζετο παρὰ πάντων, ὁ δὲ ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀπο κρίνασθαι μόνον ἐκέλευσε καὶ ἐξώρισεν ἕκαστον διαστήσας, ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν προτέρων πεποίηκε. τοῦτον γὰρ ἐξορίζων τὸν τύπον αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν, ἵνα καὶ ἐν ταῖς τιμωρίαις ὠμό τερος τῶν πρὸ αὐτοῦ τυράννων καὶ διωκτῶν γένηται. τῷ μὲν γὰρ προτέρῳ διωγμῷ κοινῇ καὶ πολλοὺς ἅμα κελεύων ὁ τότε Μαξιμιανὸς ἐξώριζεν ὁμολογητὰς καὶ τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐπεκούφιζε παραμυθούμενος αὐτοὺς τῇ συνουσίᾳ, οὗτος δὲ κἀκείνου γέγονεν ὠμότερος καὶ διέστησε τοὺς κοινῇ παρρησιασαμένους καὶ ὁμολογήσαντας καὶ διεχώρισε τοὺς συνδεθέντας τῇ πίστει, ἵνα καὶ ἀποθνήσκοντες ἀλλήλους μὴ βλέπωσι, νομίζων ὡς ὁ χωρισμὸς τοῦ σώματος πάντως καὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς διάθεσιν διίστησιν ἢ χωρισθέντες ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν ἐπι λάθωνται τῆς ἀλλήλων ὁμοφροσύνης τε καὶ ὁμοψυχίας· οὐκ εἰδὼς ὅτι, κἂν ἕκαστος ἀπο μείνῃ, ἀλλ' ἔχει μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ πάλιν ὃν κοινῇ συνόντες ὡμολόγησαν κύριον, ὃς καὶ πλείους εἶναι ποιήσει μεθ' ἑκάστου (ὡς πεποίηκεν ἐπὶ Ἑλισσαίου τοῦ προφήτου) ἤπερ εἰσὶ μετὰ Κωνσταντίου στρατιῶται. τυφλὸν ἀληθῶς ἡ κακία· ἐν ᾧ γὰρ ἔδοξαν λυπεῖν τοὺς ὁμολογητὰς διαχωρίζοντες αὐτοὺς ἀπ' ἀλλήλων, ἐν τούτῳ μᾶλλον ἑαυτοὺς μεγάλως ἠδίκη σαν. ὅλως μὲν γὰρ εἰ συνῆσαν ἀλλήλοις καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἐτύγχανον, ἐξ ἑνὸς τόπου τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἐγνωρίζετο τὸ μύσος, νῦν δὲ διαστήσαντες αὐτοὺς πεποιήκασιν εἰς πάντα τόπον διαδραμεῖν ἑαυτῶν καὶ γνωσθῆναι τὴν ἀσεβῆ αἵρεσιν καὶ πονηρίαν.
Οἷα γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα πράττοντες ἔδρασαν, τίς ἀκούσας οὐχ ἡγήσεται πάντα μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς ἢ Χριστιανοὺς εἶναι; Λιβερίου γὰρ ἀποστείλαντος πρὸς βασιλέα Εὐτρόπιον πρεσ βύτερον καὶ διάκονον Ἱλάριον μετὰ γραμμάτων, ὅτε καὶ οἱ περὶ Λουκίφερον ὡμολόγουν, τὸν μὲν πρεσβύτερον εὐθὺς ἐξώρισαν, τὸν δὲ διάκονον Ἱλάριον γυμνώσαντες καὶ τὰ νῶτα μαστίξαντες ἐξώρισαν ἐπιφωνοῦντες· «διὰ τί μὴ ἀντέστης Λιβερίῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ κεκόμικας γράμματα»; ἐποίουν δὲ τοῦτο Οὐρσάκιος καὶ Οὐάλης καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτοῖς σπάδον τες. καὶ ὁ μὲν διάκονος μαστιζόμενος ηὐλόγει τὸν κύριον μνησθεὶς αὐτοῦ λέγοντος· «τὸν νῶτόν μου ἔδωκα εἰς μάστιγας». οἱ δὲ καὶ μαστίζοντες ἐγέλων καὶ ἐχλεύαζον αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐρυθριῶντες, ὅτι Λευίτην ὕβριζον· πρέποντα δὲ ἑαυτοῖς καὶ οὗτοι γελῶντες ἐφρόνουν κἀκεῖνος εὐλογῶν ὑπέμενε. τὸ μὲν γὰρ τύπτεσθαι Χριστιανῶν ἴδιόν ἐστι, τὸ δὲ μαστίζειν Χριστιανοὺς Πιλάτου καὶ Καιάφα τὸ τόλμημα. οὕτω μὲν οὖν καὶ τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἐκ κλησίαν καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπεχείρησαν διαφθεῖραι θελήσαντες ἐγκαταμίξαι καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν ἀσέβειαν, ὁ δὲ Λιβέριος ἐξορισθεὶς ὕστερον μετὰ διετῆ χρόνον ὤκλασε καὶ φοβηθεὶς τὸν ἀπειλούμενον θάνατον ὑπέγραψεν. ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο δείκνυσιν ἐκείνων μὲν τὴν βίαν, Λιβερίου δὲ τὸ κατὰ τῆς αἱρέσεως μῖσος καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ Ἀθανασίου ψῆφον, ὅτε τὴν προαίρεσιν εἶχεν ἐλευθέραν. τὰ γὰρ ἐκ βασάνων παρὰ τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς γνώμην γιγνόμενα, ταῦτα οὐ τῶν φοβηθέντων, ἀλλὰ τῶν βασανιζόντων ἐστὶ βουλήματα. πάντα μέντοι ποιεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς αἱρέσεως ἐπεχείρησαν. καθ' ἑκάστην δὲ ἐκκλησίαν τηροῦντες ἣν ἔμαθον πίστιν, τοὺς μὲν διδασκάλους προσδοκῶσι, τὴν δὲ χριστομάχον αἵρεσιν κατέβαλον καὶ πάντες ὡς ὄφιν ἐκτρέπονται.