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and he commanded the books to be burned; and he appointed a day on which it was necessary to resolve the disputed points. 1.17.6 Before the appointed day, the bishops, meeting by themselves, summoned Arius; and when what they believed was set forth in common, they disputed. As was to be expected, with the discussion devolving into various inquiries, some advised innovating nothing concerning the faith that had been handed down from the beginning, and especially those whose simplicity of character led them to accept the faith in the divine without undue curiosity; but others insisted that it was not right to follow the older opinions without examination. 1.17.7 Many of the bishops who had then assembled, and of the clergy who followed them, being skilled in debate and practiced in such methods of argument, distinguished themselves and became known to the emperor and his court. From that time also Athanasius of Alexandria, then still a deacon accompanying Alexander the bishop, was deemed to be a very great part of the council concerning these matters. 1.18.1 But indeed, certain of the Greek philosophers also took part in these discussions on purpose, some eager to learn what the doctrine was; but others, resentful that the Greek religion was recently beginning to be destroyed, cast the inquiry concerning the doctrine into contentious disputes, so as to create faction against itself and appear contradictory. 1.18.2 It is said, then, that when one of them was boasting from love of argument and mocking the priests, a certain simple old man, one of those who had been distinguished in the confessions, could not bear his arrogance. Being a stranger to such quibbles and subtleties, he undertook to speak with him. At this, the affair provoked laughter among the more rash of those who knew the confessor, but fear among the more reasonable, who foresaw that he might appear ridiculous before a man skilled in argument. 1.18.3 Nevertheless, when they permitted him to say what he wished (for they were too ashamed to oppose such a man for long), he said, “In the name of Jesus Christ, philosopher, listen. There is one God, creator of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible, who made all these things by the power of his Word and established them by the holiness of his Spirit. This Word, then,” he says, “whom we call the Son of God, taking pity on men for their error and their beastly way of life, chose to be born of a woman and to converse with men and to die for them; and he will come again as judge of what each has lived. We believe these things to be so without idle speculation. Therefore, do not labor in vain seeking proofs for things that are established by faith, and a way by which these things could or could not have happened. But if you believe, answer me when I ask.” 1.18.4 At this the philosopher, being astonished, says, “I believe.” And confessing thanks for his defeat, he believed the same things as the old man and advised those who formerly thought as he did to be of one mind, swearing that he had not been converted without divine influence, but had been urged by some ineffable power to become a Christian. 1.18.5 And it is said that a miracle similar to the one mentioned occurred through Alexander, who presided over the church of Constantinople. For when Constantine arrived at Byzantium, certain philosophers came to him and reproached him for practicing his religion improperly and for innovating in divine matters, introducing a new worship to the state contrary to the customs of his ancestors and of all the Greek and Roman rulers the past age had produced; 1.18.6 and they sought to dispute with Alexander the bishop concerning the doctrine. But he, though inexperienced in such an exercise of arguments, yet perhaps trusting in his life (for he was noble and good), undertook the contest at the emperor's command. When the philosophers had assembled, since they all wished to debate, he asked them to choose one whom they wished, and for the others who were present to keep silent. 1.18.7 And when one undertook the discourse, Alexander said to him, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you not to speak.” And at the same time as the word, the man immediately the

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καὶ τὰ βιβλία καυθῆναι προσέταξε· καὶ ἡμέραν ὥρισε, καθ' ἣν ἐχρῆν λῦσαι τὰ ἀμφισβητούμενα. 1.17.6 Πρὸ δὲ τῆς προθεσμίας συνιόντες καθ' ἑαυτοὺς οἱ ἐπίσκοποι μετεκαλοῦντο τὸν ῎Αρειον· καὶ προτιθεμένων εἰς τὸ κοινὸν ὧν ἐδόξαζον διελέγοντο. οἷα δὲ εἰκὸς εἰς διαφόρους ζητήσεις περιισταμένης τῆς διασκέψεως, οἱ μὲν μηδὲν νεωτερίζειν περὶ τὴν ἀρχῆθεν παραδοθεῖσαν πίστιν συνεβούλευον, καὶ μάλιστα οἷς τὸ τῶν τρόπων ἁπλοῦν ἀπεριέργως εἰσηγεῖτο προσίεσθαι τὴν εἰς τὸ θεῖον πίστιν· οἱ δὲ ἰσχυρίζοντο μὴ χρῆναι ἀβασανίστως ταῖς παλαιοτέραις δόξαις ἕπεσθαι. 1.17.7 Πολλοὶ δὲ τῶν τότε συνεληλυθότων ἐπισκόπων καὶ τῶν ἑπομένων αὐτοῖς κληρικῶν, δεινοὶ διαλέγεσθαι καὶ τὰς τοιαύτας μεθόδους τῶν λόγων ἠσκημένοι, διέπρεψαν καὶ βασιλεῖ γνώριμοι καὶ τοῖς ἀμφ' αὐτὸν ἐγένοντο. ἐξ ἐκείνου δὲ καὶ ᾿Αθανάσιος ὁ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας ἔτι τότε διάκονος ᾿Αλεξάνδρῳ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ συνὼν πλεῖστον ἔδοξεν εἶναι μέρος τῆς περὶ ταῦτα βουλῆς. 1.18.1 Οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καί τινες τῶν παρ' ῞Ελλησι φιλοσόφων ἐπίτηδες τουτωνὶ τῶν διαλέξεων μετέσχον, οἱ μὲν ὅ τι ποτέ ἐστι τὸ δόγμα μανθάνειν σπουδάζοντες· οἱ δὲ προσφάτως ἀπόλλυσθαι τῆς ῾Ελληνικῆς θρησκείας ἀρχομένης ἀπεχθανόμενοι τοῖς Χριστιανοῖς τὴν περὶ τοῦ δόγματος ζήτησιν εἰς ἔριδας λόγων ἐνέβαλλον, ὥστε πρὸς ἑαυτὸ στασιάζειν καὶ ἐναντίον 1.18.2 δοκεῖν. λέγεται οὖν, ὥς τινος αὐτῶν ὑπὸ φιλοτιμίας λόγων κομπάζοντος καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἐπιτωθάζοντος οὐκ ἤνεγκε τὸν τῦφον γέρων ἁπλοῦς τις τῶν ἐν ὁμολογίαις εὐδοκιμησάντων· τοιούτων δὲ σκινδαλμῶν καὶ τερθρείας ἄμοιρος ὢν τὸν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀνεδέξατο λόγον. ἐπὶ τούτῳ δὲ τοῖς μὲν προπετέσι τῶν εἰδότων τὸν ὁμολογητὴν γέλωτα ἐκίνησε τὸ πρᾶγμα, τοῖς δὲ ἐπιεικέσι δέος, προορωμένοις μὴ παρὰ ἀνδρὶ τεχνίτῃ λόγων γελοῖος φανείη. 1.18.3 ὅμως δ' οὖν συγχωρησάντων λέγειν ἃ βούλεται (ἀντιτείνειν γὰρ αὐτῷ τοιούτῳ ὄντι ἐπὶ πολὺ ᾐδοῦντο) «ἐν ὀνόματι», ἔφη, «᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, φιλόσοφε ἄκουσον. εἷς ἐστι θεός, οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ὁρωμένων καὶ ἀοράτων δημιουργός, ὁ πάντα ταῦτα τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ λόγου αὐτοῦ ποιήσας καὶ τῇ ἁγιωσύνῃ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ στηρίξας. οὗτος οὖν ὁ λόγος», φησίν, «ὃν ἡμεῖς υἱὸν θεοῦ προσαγορεύομεν, ἐλεήσας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τῆς πλάνης καὶ τῆς θηριώδους πολιτείας εἵλετο ἐκ γυναικὸς τεχθῆναι καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνομιλῆσαι καὶ ἀποθανεῖν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν· ἥξει δὲ πάλιν κριτὴς τῶν ἑκάστῳ βεβιωμένων. ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχειν ἀπεριέργως πιστεύομεν. μὴ τοίνυν μάτην πόνει τῶν πίστει κατορθουμένων ἐλέγχους ἐπιζητῶν καὶ τρόπον, ᾧ γενέσθαι ταῦτα ἢ μὴ γενέσθαι ἐνεδέχετο. ἀλλ' εἰ πιστεύεις, ἐρομένῳ μοι ἀποκρίνου.» 1.18.4 πρὸς ταῦτα καταπλαγεὶς ὁ φιλόσοφος «πιστεύω» φησί. καὶ τῆς ἥττης χάριν ὁμολογήσας τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ πρεσβύτῃ ἐδόξαζε καὶ τοῖς πρότερον ὁμοίως διακειμένοις ὁμοφρονεῖν συνεβούλευεν, οὐκ ἀθεεὶ μετατεθεῖσθαι ἐπομνύμενος, ἀλλ' ἀφράστῳ τινὶ δυνάμει χριστιανίσαι προτραπείς. 1.18.5 Λέγεται δὲ τῷ εἰρημένῳ παραπλήσιον γενέσθαι θαῦμα δι' ᾿Αλεξάνδρου τοῦ ἐπιτροπεύσαντος τὴν Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἐκκλησίαν. ἡνίκα γὰρ παρεγένετο Κωνσταντῖνος εἰς τὸ Βυζάντιον, προσελθόντες αὐτῷ φιλόσοφοί τινες ἐμέμφοντο ὡς οὐ δεόντως θρησκεύοι καὶ περὶ τὰ θεῖα νεωτερίζοι καινὸν εἰσάγων σέβας τῇ πολιτείᾳ παρὰ τὰ νενομισμένα τοῖς αὐτοῦ προγόνοις καὶ πᾶσιν, ὅσους ῾Ελλήνων τε καὶ ῾Ρωμαίων ἡγεμόνας ὁ παρελθὼν αἰὼν ἤνεγκε· 1.18.6 καὶ ἐζήτουν διαλεχθῆναι ᾿Αλεξάνδρῳ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ περὶ τοῦ δόγματος. ὁ δὲ καίπερ ὢν τοιαύτης γυμνασίας λόγων ἀτριβής, ἴσως δὲ τῷ βίῳ πεποιθώς (ἐγένετο γὰρ καλὸς καὶ ἀγαθός) ὑπέστη τὸν ἀγῶνα τοῦ βασιλέως προστάξαντος. συνελθόντων δὲ τῶν φιλοσόφων, ἐπειδὴ πάντες διαλέγεσθαι ἠβούλοντο, ἕνα αὐτοὺς αἱρεῖσθαι ὃν θέλουσιν ἠξίου, τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους παρόντας ἡσυχίαν 1.18.7 ἄγειν. ἀναδεξαμένου δὲ ἑνὸς τὸν λόγον «ἐν ὀνόματι ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ», ἔφη πρὸς αὐτὸν ᾿Αλέξανδρος, «ἐπιτάττω σοι μὴ λαλεῖν.» ἅμα δὲ τῷ λόγῳ καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος αὐτίκα τὸ