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

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 another, in this they rather greatly injured themselves. For if they had all been together and happened to be in the same place, the abomination of the impious would have been known from one place, but now, by scattering them, they have caused their impious heresy and wickedness to run about and be known in every place. 41.1 For what sort of things they did in doing these things, who, hearing of them, would not consider them to be anything rather than Christians? For when Liberius sent the presbyter Eutropius and the deacon Hilary to the emperor with letters, at the time when Lucifer and his companions made their confession, they immediately banished the presbyter, and after stripping the deacon Hilary and scourging his back, they banished him, exclaiming: “Why did you not oppose Liberius, but have even brought letters from him?” And Ursacius and Valens and the eunuchs with them did this. 41.2 And the deacon, while being scourged, blessed the Lord, remembering His saying: “I gave my back to the smiters.” But they who scourged him laughed and mocked him, not blushing that they were insulting a Levite; and these, laughing, had thoughts fitting for themselves, while he, blessing, endured. For to be beaten is the mark of Christians, but to scourge 41.3 Christians is the audacity of Pilate and Caiaphas. Thus then, they also attempted to corrupt the church of the Romans from the beginning, wishing to mix impiety in it as well, but Liberius, having been exiled, afterwards, after a period of two years, gave way and, fearing the threatened death, subscribed. But this also shows their violence, on the one hand, and Liberius' hatred of the heresy and his vote for Athanasius, when he had his free 41.4 will. For things done under torture contrary to one's original opinion, these are the wishes not of those who were afraid, but of those who inflicted the torture. Nevertheless, they attempted to do everything for the sake of the heresy. But in each church, holding to the faith they had learned, they await their teachers, and have cast down the Christ-fighting heresy and all turn away from it as from a serpent. 42.1 And having done such and so many things, the impious men thought they had done nothing, so long as the great Hosius was untried by their wickedness. For they planned to extend their madness even against so great an old man. And they were not ashamed that he is the father of the bishops, nor did they revere that he had been a confessor, nor did they respect the length of his episcopate, that he has held it for sixty years and more, but they scorned everything and looked only to their heresy, men truly “fearing neither God nor regarding man.” 42.2 Approaching Constantius, therefore, they again used such words: “We have done everything and have banished the bishop of the Romans, and before him we have banished very many bishops, and we have filled every place with fear; but your great works are for nothing to us, nor have we accomplished anything at all, so long as Hosius is left. For as long as he is in his own see, everyone is also in their own churches, 42.3 he is able in word and faith to persuade everyone against us. This man also presides over synods and is heard everywhere when he writes; this man also set forth the faith at Nicaea and proclaimed the Arians to be heretics everywhere. If, therefore, this man remains, the exile of the others has become superfluous; for our heresy is put out of the way. Begin, therefore, to persecute this man also and do not spare him, even if he is ancient. For our heresy does not know how to honor even the grey hairs of the old.” 43.1 Hearing these things, the emperor did not delay, but knowing the man and the ability of the old man, he writes and orders him to come to him, at the time when he was also initially tempting Liberius. When he arrived, therefore, he demanded and urged him, saying the usual things, by which indeed he thought to deceive the others too, that he should

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μετὰ 40.3 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. 41.1 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 41.2 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 41.3 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 προ41.4 αίρεσιν 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. 42.1 Τοιαῦτα δὲ καὶ τοσαῦτα ποιήσαντες οἱ δυσσεβεῖς οὐδὲν ἐνόμιζον πεποιηκέναι, ἕως ὁ μέγας Ὅσιος ἀπείρατος ἦν αὐτῶν τῆς πονηρίας. καὶ γὰρ καὶ κατὰ τοῦ τηλικούτου γέ ροντος ἐκτεῖναι τὴν μανίαν ἑαυτῶν ἐσκέψαντο. καὶ οὔθ' ὅτι πατήρ ἐστι τῶν ἐπισκόπων ᾐσχύνθησαν, οὔθ' ὅτι γέγονεν ὁμολογητὴς ηὐλαβήθησαν, οὔτε τὸν χρόνον τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς, ὅτι ἑξήκοντα ἔτη καὶ πλεῖον ἔχει ἐν αὐτῇ, ᾐδέσθησαν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἐξουθένουν καὶ πρὸς μόνην τὴν αἵρεσιν ἔβλεπον, ἄνθρωποι ἀληθῶς «μήτε τὸν θεὸν φοβούμενοι μήτε ἄνθρωπον 42.2 ἐντρεπόμενοι». προσελθόντες τοίνυν Κωνσταντίῳ τοιούτοις πάλιν ἐχρήσαντο ῥήμασι· «πάντα μὲν πεποιήκαμεν καὶ ἐξωρίσαμεν τὸν Ῥωμαίων ἐπίσκοπον, ἐξωρίσαμεν δὲ καὶ πρὸ αὐτοῦ πλείστους ὅσους ἐπισκόπους, πάντα τε τόπον φόβου πεπληρώκαμεν· ἀλλ' εἰς οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἐστι τὰ τηλικαῦτά σου ἔργα οὐδὲ κατώρθωται ὁτιοῦν ἡμῖν, ἕως Ὅσιος περι λείπεται. ἐκείνου γὰρ ὄντος ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις καὶ πάντες ἐν ταῖς ἰδίαις ἐκκλησίαις εἰσίν, 42.3 ἱκανός ἐστιν ἐν λόγῳ καὶ πίστει πείθειν πάντας καθ' ἡμῶν. οὗτος καὶ συνόδων καθη γεῖται καὶ γράφων ἀκούεται πανταχοῦ· οὗτος καὶ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν ἐξέθετο καὶ τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς ἐκήρυξεν αἱρετικοὺς εἶναι πανταχοῦ. ἂν τοίνυν οὗτος μείνῃ, περιττὸς ὁ τῶν ἑτέρων ἐξορισμὸς γέγονεν· ἡ γὰρ αἵρεσις ἡμῶν ἐκποδὼν γίγνεται. ἄρξαι τοίνυν καὶ τοῦτον διώκειν καὶ μὴ φείσῃ, κἂν ἀρχαῖος ᾖ. καὶ γὰρ ἡ αἵρεσις ἡμῶν οὐκ οἶδεν οὐδὲ γερόντων τιμᾶν πολιάν». 43.1 Ταῦτα ἀκούων οὐκ ἐμέλλησε βασιλεύς, ἀλλ' εἰδὼς τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ τὸ ἱκανὸν τοῦ γέροντος γράφει καὶ κελεύει τοῦτον ἐλθεῖν πρὸς αὐτόν, ἡνίκα καὶ Λιβέριον κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπείραζεν. ἐλθόντα δὴ οὖν αὐτὸν ἠξίου καὶ προέτρεπε τὰ συνήθη λέγων, οἷς δὴ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀπατᾶν ἐνόμιζεν, ἵνα

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