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

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. 70.2 And so, one might more justly pity him, being such a person, because with the appearance and name of a free man, he is a slave of those who drag him to their own pleasure of impiety. Indeed, wanting to lay the foolish and silly, as Scripture said, to sleep for others, he has given himself as fuel for condemnation in the coming judgment of fire. already doing what they want, and drinking a toast to them in both the plot against the bishops and 70.3 the authority over the churches. For behold, even now he has again disturbed the churches in Alexandria and all those in Egypt and Libya, and he has openly commanded that the bishops of the catholic church and of piety be cast out of the churches, and that they all be handed over to those 70.4 who hold the opinions of Arius. And the general began to do this. And finally bishops, presbyters, and monks in chains, bound with iron and cut to pieces with blows equal to death, were sent away; and everything everywhere has been thrown into confusion; and all Egypt and Libya is in peril, with the people being indignant at this lawless command and seeing the preparation of the antichrist and their own property being seized from them, and these things being given over to the heretics. 71.1 When, then, was such lawlessness heard of? When has such an evil thing ever happened even in a persecution? The Hellenes were the ones who persecuted before, but they did not bring idols into the churches. Zenobia was a Jewess and she favored Paul of Samosata, but she did not give the churches to the Jews for synagogues. This is a new abomination; it is not simply a persecution, but more than a persecution, and a prelude and preparation for the antichrist. 71.2 For even if against Athanasius and against the other bishops whom they exiled, they fabricated false pretexts, what about this new practice? What pretext, then, do they have to speak against all of Egypt and Libya and Pentapolis? For they did not begin to plot against each one, that they might even be able to lie, but they attacked all at once, 71.3 so that, even if they wish to fabricate, they would be condemned. Their wickedness, at any rate, has blinded their mind in these things, and they simply demanded that all the bishops be cast out without pretext, so that they might show that against Athanasius and against the other bishops whom they exiled they fabricated false pretexts for no other reason than for the polluted heresy of the Christ-fighting Arians. For this is no longer hidden, but has now especially become manifest to all. 71.4 For he commanded Athanasius to be cast out of the city, but he has handed over the churches to them. And the presbyters and deacons with him, being from the time of Peter and Alexander, are cast out and exiled, but the true Arians, who are not truly suspected from outside, but who from the beginning were cast out for the heresy along with Arius himself by Alexander the bishop, namely Secundus in upper Libya, and in Alexandria Euzoius the Canaanite and Julius and Ammon and Mark and Irenaeus and Zosimus and Sarapion surnamed Pelycon, and in Libya Sisinnius and the younger men with him who share their impiety, these have taken over the churches. 72.1 And the general Sebastianus wrote to the local provosts and military authorities, and the true bishops were persecuted, but those who held the opinions of impiety 72.2 were brought in instead of them. And they exiled bishops who had grown old in the clergy and were many years in the episcopate, from the time of Alexander the bishop, namely Ammonius and Hermes and Anagamphus and Mark to the upper Oasis, and Mouis and Psenosiris and Nilammon and Plenes and Mark and Athenodorus to the Ammonian region 72.3 for no other reason than that passing through the desolate places they might die.

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γράφων μεταμελεῖται καὶ μεταμελόμενος παροξύνεται, πάλιν τε ὀδύρεται καὶ οὐκ ἔχων, ὃ πράξει, δείκνυσιν ἑαυτοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ ἔρημον τῶν φρενῶν. 70.2 οὕτω δὲ τοῦτον ὄντα τοιοῦτον οἰκτείρειεν ἄν τις μᾶλλον δικαίως, ὅτι μετ' ἐλευθέρου σχήματος καὶ ὀνόματος δοῦλός ἐστι τῶν ἑλκόντων αὐτὸν πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ἡδονὴν τῆς ἀσεβείας. ἀμέλει τὸ ἀνόητον καὶ κέπφον, ὡς εἶπεν ἡ γραφή, καθηκεύειν θέλων ἄλλοις ἑαυτὸν εἰς καταδίκην τῇ μελλούσῃ κρίσει τοῦ πυρὸς παρανάλωμα δέδωκεν. ἤδη πράττων, ἃ θέλουσιν ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ προπίνων αὐτοῖς τήν τε κατὰ τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἐπιβουλὴν καὶ 70.3 τὴν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἐξουσίαν. ἰδοὺ γὰρ καὶ νῦν πάλιν ἐτάραξε τὰς ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ ἐκκλησίας καὶ τὰς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ Λιβύαις πάσας, καὶ φανερῶς προσέταξε τοὺς μὲν τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐπισκόπους ἐκβάλλεσθαι τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, τοῖς 70.4 δὲ τὰ Ἀρείου φρονοῦσι πάσας αὐτὰς παραδίδοσθαι. τοῦτό τε ποιεῖν ὁ στρατηλάτης ἤρξατο. καὶ λοιπὸν ἐπίσκοποι δέσμιοι πρεσβύτεροί τε καὶ μονάζοντες σεσιδηρωμένοι καὶ πληγαῖς κατακοπέντες ἴσα θανάτῳ παρεπέμφθησαν πάντα τε κατὰ τόπον τετά ρακται· καὶ ἡ Αἴγυπτος καὶ Λιβύη πᾶσα κινδυνεύει τῶν λαῶν δυσανασχετούντων ἐπὶ τῷ παρανόμῳ προστάγματι τούτῳ καὶ βλεπόντων τὴν τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου παρα σκευὴν καὶ τὰ ἴδια ἀπ' αὐτῶν μὲν ἁρπαζόμενα, τοῖς δὲ αἱρετικοῖς ἐκδιδόμενα ταῦτα. 71.1 Πότε οὖν ἠκούσθη τοσαύτη παρανομία; πότε τι τοιοῦτον κἂν ἐν διωγμῷ γέγονε κακόν; Ἕλληνες γεγόνασιν οἱ πρότερον διώξαντες, ἀλλ' οὐκ εἰς τὰς ἐκκλησίας εἰσήνεγκαν τὰ εἴδωλα. Ἰουδαία ἦν Ζηνοβία καὶ Παύλου προέστη τοῦ Σαμοσατέως, ἀλλ' οὐ δέδωκε τὰς ἐκκλησίας τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις εἰς συναγωγάς. καινόν ἐστι τοῦτο μύσος· οὐκ ἔστιν ἁπλῶς διωγμός, ἀλλὰ διωγμοῦ μὲν πλέον, προοίμιον δὲ καὶ παρασκευὴ τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου. 71.2 ἔστω γὰρ καὶ κατὰ Ἀθανασίου καὶ κατὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπισκόπων, οὓς ἐξώρισαν, προ φάσεις ἐπλάσαντο ψευδεῖς, τί πρὸς τὸ καινὸν ἐπιτήδευμα τοῦτο; ποίαν ἄρα πρόφασιν ἔχουσι κατὰ πάσης τῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ Λιβύης καὶ Πενταπόλεως εἰπεῖν; οὐδὲ γὰρ καθ' ἕκαστον ἐπιβουλεύειν ἤρξαντο, ἵνα κἂν ψεύσασθαι δυνηθῶσιν, ἀλλ' ἀθρόως πᾶσιν 71.3 ἐπέθεντο, ἵνα, κἂν θέλωσι πλάσασθαι, καταγνωσθῶσιν. ἐτύφλωσε γοῦν αὐτῶν ἐν τούτοις τὴν διάνοιαν ἡ κακία, καὶ πάντας ἁπλῶς τοὺς ἐπισκόπους ἀπροφασίστως ἠξίωσαν ἐκβάλλεσθαι, ἵνα δείξωσιν ὅτι κατὰ Ἀθανασίου καὶ κατὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπισκόπων οὓς ἐξώρισαν προφάσεις ἐπλάσαντο ψευδεῖς δι' οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ διὰ τὴν μιαρὰν αἵρεσιν τῶν χριστομάχων Ἀρειανῶν. τοῦτο γὰρ λοιπὸν οὐκέτι κέκρυπται, ἀλλὰ πᾶσι μάλιστα 71.4 νῦν γέγονε φανερόν. Ἀθανάσιον μὲν γὰρ προσέταξεν ἐκβάλλεσθαι τῆς πόλεως, ἐκείνοις δὲ παραδέδωκε τὰς ἐκκλησίας. καὶ οἱ μὲν πρεσβύτεροι καὶ οἱ διάκονοι οἱ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ Πέτρου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τυγχάνοντες ἐκβάλλονται καὶ φυγαδεύονται, οἱ δὲ ἀληθῶς Ἀρειανοὶ οἱ μὴ ἔξωθεν ἀληθῶς ὑπονοούμενοι, ἀλλ' οἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς διὰ τὴν αἵρεσιν ἐκβληθέντες μετ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Ἀρείου παρὰ Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου, ἐν μὲν τῇ ἄνω Λιβύῃ Σεκοῦνδος, ἐν δὲ τῇ Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ Εὐζώιος ὁ Χαναναῖος καὶ Ἰούλιος καὶ Ἄμμων Μάρκος τε καὶ Εἰρηναῖος καὶ Ζώσιμος καὶ Σαραπίων ἐπίκλην Πελύκων καὶ ἐν Λιβύῃ Σισίννιος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ νεώτεροι συνασεβοῦντες αὐτοῖς, οὗτοι τὰς ἐκκλησίας παρειλήφασιν. 72.1 Καὶ ὁ μὲν στρατηλάτης Σεβαστιανὸς ἔγραψε τοῖς κατὰ τόπον πραιποσίτοις καὶ στρατιωτικαῖς ἐξουσίαις, καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀληθῶς ἐπίσκοποι ἐδιώχθησαν, οἱ δὲ τὰ τῆς ἀσεβείας 72.2 φρονοῦντες ἀντ' ἐκείνων εἰσήχθησαν. καὶ ἐξώρισαν μὲν ἐπισκόπους γηράσαντας ἐν τῷ κλήρῳ καὶ πολυετεῖς ἐν τῇ ἐπισκοπῇ ἀπὸ Ἀλεξάνδρου ὄντας τοῦ ἐπισκόπου, Ἀμμώνιον μὲν καὶ Ἑρμῆν καὶ Ἀνάγαμφον καὶ Μάρκον εἰς τὴν ἄνω Ὤασιν, Μοῦιν δὲ καὶ Ψενόσιριν καὶ Νειλάμμωνα καὶ Πλήνην καὶ Μάρκον καὶ Ἀθηνόδωρον εἰς τὴν Ἀμμωνιακὴν72.3 δι' οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἢ ἵνα διὰ τῶν ἐρήμων διερχόμενοι τελευτήσωσι.

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