History of the Arians

 a wild beast has come forth upon the earth, this heresy. For not only does it harm the innocent with its words as with teeth, but it has also hired ex

 Nevertheless, since Eusebius was lusting after and wanting to seize the episcopate of the city (for thus also he had moved from Berytus to Nicomedia),

 seeing themselves, who happened to be suspected in all things, not prevailing in an ecclesiastical judgment, they approach Constantius alone and then

 you deemed them worthy to have communion from them, they were not worthy of blows but if you were beating them as wicked men, why were you summoning

 of the accusers, as they themselves had suborned everything and contrived such things. Seeing these things, although they had come with haste, thinkin

 deeds to be revealed. For since those in Adrianople did not wish to have communion with them, as men who had fled from the Synod and had become liable

 wonderful and daring in all things, as they have seen them in Antioch, they plotted together, but Stephen alone undertook the drama as being well-suit

 the people of Alexandria. Making our aim your good order in all things ... (This too was likewise written in the same 65th oration and because it vari

 having received letters from him. And having gone up also to Rome, they were repenting, confessing that everything whatsoever they had done and said a

 present, not with palace officials or notaries having been sent, such as they themselves now do, but not even when the emperor was present, nor having

 the emperor commanded.” How many were harassed by them in every city, so that they might not 31.6 condemn them as friends of the bishops. For letters

 Lucifer the bishop from the metropolis of Sardinia, and Eusebius from Vercelli in Italy, and Dionysius 33.7 from Milan, which is also a metropolis of

 Accept these things.” 36.1 But the bishop, persuading by speech, was teaching: “How is it possible for this to happen against Athanasius? For how can

 of the gates, so that no orthodox person, entering, might see Liberius? Rome also had experience of the Christ-fighters and knew at last what it had n

 with 40.3 Constantius’ soldiers. Truly, wickedness is blind for in that by which they thought to vex the confessors by separating them from one anoth

 he might write against us, but hold communion with the Arians. 43.2 But the old man, finding the hearing of it unpleasant and being grieved that he sh

 What courtier of his compelled him to subscribe against anyone, that Valens and his party should say such things? Cease, I beseech you, and remember t

 (for he was now a hundred years old) the heartless one was put to shame. For the new Ahab, another Belshazzar who had arisen among us, overlooked all

 he writes evil things again to the council and the people of Alexandria, inciting the younger men, so that they all might come together and either exp

 to Felicissimus, the then duke, and to Nestorius the prefect, so that if either Philip the prefect or anyone else should dare to plot against Athanasi

 ordered the church to be handed over.” And while all were marveling at this and nodding to one another and saying, “Has Constantius become a heretic?”

 the miracle had a more manifest proof. For a certain licentious young man, running in and daring to do so, sat upon the throne. And sitting down, the

 And to their women they have given authority to abuse whomever they wish. And the respectable and faithful women would turn aside and yield the way to

 And they, seeing the man blind from birth now seeing, and the man who had been a paralytic for a long time made well, they accused the Lord who had do

 the evils that have come to pass, after the persecution which occurred through Heraclius, they again do not cease slandering to the emperor. For they

 the antichrist himself? For he himself, because of his heresy, was the first to hasten to rival Saul in cruelty. For that one, when the priests had gi

 writing, he repents, and repenting, he is provoked, and again he laments and not having what he should do, he shows the desolation of his soul's mind.

 For they did not even pity them when they were sick, but even drove them on when they were bearing up with difficulty on account of their weakness, so

 he is, such as that one might become. For he speaks words against the most high, being the head of the impious heresy, and he makes war against the sa

 to the man. But if you speak having heard from these men, it is just for you to believe also the things said by him, but if you do not believe him, bu

 having caused the Arian heresy to be so much as 78.5 named in it. For still only in the whole of Egypt was there freedom of speech for orthodoxy, and

 It is good to be content with the divine scripture and for all to be persuaded by it as it commands, both because of the other heresies and especially

 as the soldiers were coming on, and men were being shot with arrows and killed. And some of the soldiers also turned to plundering and stood the virgi

the emperor commanded.” How many were harassed by them in every city, so that they might not 31.6 condemn them as friends of the bishops. For letters were also written to the magistrates, and there was a threat, a fine of money, if each one did not compel the bishop of his own city to subscribe. And in short, every place and every city was filled with fear and confusion as the bishops were being dragged away, and the judges saw the lamentations and groans of the people. 32.1 These things were done by the palace officials who had been sent, but these admirable men, trusting in the patronage they have, are zealous; and thus they summon some of the bishops to the emperor, and others again they ensnare by letters, fabricating pretexts against them, so that some might be terrified by the presence of Constantius, and others, fearing those who were sent and the threats of calumny based on pretext, might change their 32.2 own right and pious mind. Thus, at any rate, the emperor compelled so great a multitude of bishops, partly by threatening, partly by promising, to say: “We no longer have communion with Athanasius.” For those who came to him were not allowed to see him, nor to have any rest at all or to leave their own lodging, until they had subscribed or, 32.3 refusing, were banished. And he did this because he perceived that the heresy was hated by all, for which reason he especially compelled so many to be numbered with the few. And he was zealous to gather a crowd of names, on the one hand out of envy against the bishop, and on the other for the sake of making a show of the Arian impiety, of which he himself is the leader, thinking that as he could pervert men, so also he could pervert the truth, not knowing nor having read that not even the Sadducees and Herodians, having taken the Pharisees with them, were able to 32.4 hide the truth. For rather, even so, she is shown more brilliant daily, but these men, even after crying out: “We have no king but Caesar,” and having the judgment of Pilate, are no less desolate and full of all shame, expecting very soon to remain naked themselves like “the partridge,” when they see their own patron dying. 33.1 But if it is unseemly that some of the bishops, having become afraid on account of these things, changed their minds, yet it is more unseemly and characteristic of those who do not trust in what they believe to use violence 33.2 and to compel those who are unwilling. Thus the devil, since he has nothing of the truth, entering “with axe and stone-hammer” breaks down the doors of those who do not receive him, but the Savior is so gentle, as to teach, “If any man will come after me,” and “He that wills to be my disciple,” and coming to each one he does not use violence, but rather knocks and says, “Open to me, my sister, my spouse,” and when they open, he enters, but when they are hesitant 33.3 and unwilling, he departs. For the truth is not proclaimed with swords or arrows, nor by means of soldiers, but by persuasion and counsel. What persuasion, then, is there, where there is fear of the emperor? Or what counsel, in which he who contradicts has for his final lot exile and death? 33.4 And David, though he was a king and had his enemy in his hands, and though his soldiers wanted to kill the enemy, did not prevent them by his authority, but, as the Scripture says, David persuaded his men with words and did not allow them to rise up and kill 33.5 Saul. But this man, not having reason, compels all by his authority, so that it might be shown to all that their mind is not according to God, but human, and that those who think the things of Arius 33.6 “truly have no king but Caesar.” For through him, the enemies of Christ do all that they wish, but while thinking they were plotting against many through him, they were ignorant that they had made many become confessors, of whom are those who now have made a glorious confession, pious men and good bishops, Paulinus the bishop of Treves, the metropolis of Gaul, and

12

βασιλεὺς προσέταξε». πόσοι διεσείσθησαν παρ' αὐτῶν κατὰ πόλιν, ἵνα μὴ 31.6 ὡς φίλους τῶν ἐπισκόπων αὐτοὺς καταμέμψωνται. καὶ γὰρ καὶ πολιτευταῖς ἐγράφετο, καὶ ἦν ἀπειλή, ζημία χρημάτων, εἰ μὴ ἀναγκάζοι ἕκαστος τὸν τῆς ἰδίας πόλεως ἐπίσκοπον ὑπογράφειν. καὶ ὅλως πᾶς τόπος καὶ πᾶσα πόλις ἐπεπλήρωτο φόβου καὶ ταραχῆς τῶν μὲν ἐπισκόπων ἑλκομένων, τῶν δὲ δικαστῶν ὁρώντων τοὺς ὀδυρμοὺς καὶ στεναγμοὺς τῶν λαῶν. 32.1 Ταῦτα μὲν παρὰ τῶν ἀποσταλέντων παλατινῶν ἐπράττετο, οἱ δὲ θαυμαστοὶ θαρροῦντες αἷς ἔχουσι προστασίαις σπουδὴν τίθενται· καὶ οὕτω τῶν ἐπισκόπων τοὺς μὲν πρὸς βασιλέα καλοῦσι, τοὺς δὲ πάλιν διὰ γραμμάτων μεθοδεύουσι πλάττοντες κατ' αὐτῶν προφάσεις, ἵν' οἱ μὲν παρόντα Κωνστάντιον καταπτήξωσιν, οἱ δὲ τοὺς ἀπο σταλέντας καὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς τῆς ἐκ προφάσεως συκοφαντίας φοβηθέντες μεταθῶνται τῆς 32.2 ἑαυτῶν ὀρθῆς καὶ εὐσεβοῦς μνήμης. οὕτω γοῦν ἐβιάσατο βασιλεὺς τὸ τοσοῦτον τῶν ἐπισκόπων πλῆθος, τὰ μὲν ἀπειλῶν, τὰ δὲ ἐπαγγελλόμενος, εἰπεῖν· «οὐκέτι κοινωνοῦμεν Ἀθανασίῳ». οἱ γὰρ ἐρχόμενοι πρὸς αὐτὸν οὐ πρότερον ἔβλεπον αὐτὸν οὔδ' ὅλως ἄνεσιν ἔχειν τινὰ ἢ προιέναι τῆς ἰδίας οἰκήσεως ἐπετρέποντο, πρὶν ἂν ὑπογράψωσιν ἢ ἀνα 32.3 νεύοντες ἐξορισθῶσιν. ἐποίει δὲ τοῦτο διὰ τὸ συνορᾶν ἀπὸ πάντων μισεῖσθαι τὴν αἵρεσιν, διὸ μάλιστα καὶ ἠνάγκασε τοὺς τοσούτους τοῖς ὀλίγοις συναριθμηθῆναι. καὶ ἐσπούδασεν ὄχλον ὀνομάτων συναγαγεῖν, πρὸς φθόνον μὲν κατὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου, φαν τασίας δὲ χάριν τῆς ἀρειανῆς ἀσεβείας, ἧς αὐτὸς προίσταται οἰόμενος ὅτι ὡς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους οὕτω καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν μεταστρέψαι δυνήσεται, οὐκ εἰδὼς οὐδὲ ἀναγνοὺς ὅτι οὐδὲ Σαδδουκαῖοι καὶ Ἡρωδιανοὶ προσλαβόμενοι τοὺς Φαρισαίους ἴσχυσαν ἐπι 32.4 κρύψαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν. μᾶλλον γὰρ καὶ οὕτως αὕτη μὲν καθημέραν λαμπρὰ δείκνυται, οὗτοι δὲ καὶ κράξαντες· «οὐκ ἔχομεν βασιλέα εἰ μὴ Καίσαρα», καὶ ἔχοντες τὴν Πιλάτου κρίσιν οὐδὲν ἧττόν εἰσιν ἔρημοι καὶ πάσης αἰσχύνης, προσδοκῶντες ὅσον οὐδέπω μένειν καὶ αὐτοὶ κατὰ «τὸν πέρδικα» γυμνοί, ὅταν ἴδωσι καὶ τὸν προστάτην ἑαυτῶν ἀπο θνήσκοντα. 33.1 Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀπρεπὲς τὸ ὅλως ἐπὶ τούτοις φοβηθέντας τινὰς τῶν ἐπισκόπων μετα θέσθαι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἀπρεπέστερον καὶ οὐ θαρρούντων οἷς πεπιστεύκασι τὸ βιάζεσθαι 33.2 καὶ ἀναγκάζειν τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους. οὕτως ὁ μὲν διάβολος ἐπεὶ μηδὲν ἀληθὲς ἔχει «ἐν πελέκει καὶ λαξευτηρίῳ» ἐπιβαίνων κατεάσσει τὰς θύρας τῶν μὴ δεχομένων αὐτόν, ὁ δὲ σωτὴρ οὕτως ἐστὶ πρᾶος, ὡς διδάσκειν μὲν «εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν» καὶ «ὁ θέλων εἶναί μου μαθητής», ἐρχόμενον δὲ πρὸς ἕκαστον μὴ βιάζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον κρούειν τε καὶ λέγειν· «ἄνοιξόν μοι, ἀδελφή μου νύμφη», καὶ ἀνοιγόντων μὲν εἰσέρχεται, ὀκνούν 33.3 των δὲ καὶ μὴ θελόντων ἐκείνων ἀναχωρεῖ. οὐ γὰρ ξίφεσιν ἢ βέλεσιν οὐδὲ διὰ στρατιω τῶν ἡ ἀλήθεια καταγγέλλεται, ἀλλὰ πειθοῖ καὶ συμβουλίᾳ. ποία οὖν πειθώ, ἔνθα βασι λέως φόβος; ἢ ποία συμβουλία, ἐν ᾗ ὁ ἀντιλέγων τὸ τέλος ἐξορισμὸν ἔχει καὶ θάνατον; 33.4 καὶ ὁ μὲν ∆αυὶδ καίτοι βασιλεὺς ὢν καὶ τὸν ἐχθρὸν ὑπὸ χεῖρας ἔχων θέλοντάς τε τοὺς στρατιώτας ἀποκτεῖναι τὸν ἐχθρὸν οὐ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ κεκώλυκεν, ἀλλ', ὡς ἡ γραφή φησιν, ἔπεισε ∆αυὶδ τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ ἐν λόγοις καὶ οὐκ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἀναστάντας θανατῶσαι 33.5 τὸν Σαούλ. αὐτὸς δὲ τὸν λόγον οὐκ ἔχων μετ' ἐξουσίας πάντας βιάζεται, ἵνα δειχθῇ πᾶσιν ὅτι ἡ φρόνησις αὐτῶν οὐκ ἔστι κατὰ θεόν, ἀλλ' ἀνθρωπίνη, καὶ ὅτι οἱ τὰ Ἀρείου 33.6 φρονοῦντες «οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἀληθῶς βασιλέα εἰ μὴ Καίσαρα». δι' αὐτοῦ γὰρ πάντα μὲν ὅσαπερ βούλονται καὶ πράττουσιν οἱ χριστομάχοι, δόξαντες δὲ δι' αὐτοῦ πολλοῖς ἐπιβουλεύειν ἠγνόησαν πολλοὺς ποιήσαντες ὁμολογητὰς γενέσθαι, ἐξ ὧν εἰσιν οἱ νῦν λαμπρᾷ χρησάμενοι τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ ἄνδρες εὐλαβεῖς καὶ ἐπίσκοποι ἀγαθοί, Παυλῖνος ὁ ἀπὸ Τριβέρων τῆς μητροπόλεως τῶν Γαλλίων ἐπίσκοπος καὶ

12