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

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 for this reason the impious men were eager to bring envy upon this land also, or rather, not they themselves, but the devil who moved them, so that his herald, the antichrist, coming, might find the churches in Egypt also having become his own, and the Meletians already having been instructed beforehand in his things, and might recognize himself already formed in them. 79.1 Such then is the lawless edict that came forth from Constantius, but among the people there was a readiness for martyrdom and even more, a hatred against the most impious heresy, yet nevertheless there was mourning for the churches and groaning from all, crying to the Lord: » «Spare, O Lord, your people, and do not give your inheritance to the reproach of your enemies, but also hasten to deliver us from the hand of the lawless. For behold, they have not spared your servants, but are preparing the way for the antichrist.» 79.2 For the Meletians will never stand against him, nor will they care about truth, nor will they consider it a wicked thing to deny Christ, men who have in no way genuinely approached the Word, adapting themselves to everything like a chameleon and becoming hirelings of those who accomplish their purpose. For they do not have the truth as their aim, but they prefer the immediate pleasure of this life, and only say, "Let us eat and drink; 79.3 for tomorrow we die." Such then is the purpose of the hypocrites [Picritians instead of Meletians] and their manner is faithless; but the faithful servants of the Savior and true bishops, who have genuinely believed and live not for themselves but for the Lord, these, piously believing in our Lord Jesus Christ and knowing, as I said before, that the pretexts against the truth are false and were openly fabricated for the sake of the Arian heresy; for from the repentance of Ursacius and Valens they understood the slander composed against Athanasius, so that they might remove him, and introduce the impiety of the Christ-fighters into the churches—perceiving these things, as being champions and heralds of the truth, they chose rather to be insulted and exiled and they endured it 79.4 than to subscribe against him and to have fellowship with the Ariomaniacs. For they did not forget what they taught, but they know even more, that for traitors there is great dishonor, but for those who confess the truth, the kingdom of heaven. And for those who are negligent and feared Constantius there will be nothing good, but for those who endured the afflictions here, as for sailors a fair haven after a storm, as for athletes a crown after the contest, so also for them there will be great and eternal joy and gladness in the heavens, such as Joseph had after those afflictions, such as the great Daniel after the temptations and the many plots of the royal officials, such as Paul now has, being crowned by the Savior, which the people of God everywhere, expecting and seeing these things, were not weakened in their purpose, 79.5 but rather were strengthened in faith and increased their zeal all the more. For being fully informed about the slander and impiety of the heretics, they condemn the persecutor, and concur with the persecuted in judgment and in harmony of mind, so that they too may receive the crown of confession. 80.1 One could, then, say many things against this abominable and Christ-fighting heresy, and one could also prove that the practices of Constantius are preludes to the antichrist. But since, as the prophet said, "from feet to head there is nothing reasonable in it," but it is filled with all filth and all impiety, so that it is to be fled from hearing alone, as the vomit of a dog and the venom of serpents, and there is also Costyllius 80.2 openly bearing the image of the adversary. Lest the account become long, for this reason

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ποιήσαντες κἂν ὅλως 78.5 ὀνομασθῆναι τὴν ἀρειανὴν αἵρεσιν ἐν αὐτῇ. ἔτι γὰρ ἐν ὁλοκλήρῳ μόνῃ τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ παρρησία τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας ἦν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτ' ἐσπούδασαν καὶ ταύτῃ φθόνον ἐπαγαγεῖν οἱ δυσσεβεῖς, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ αὐτοί, ἀλλ' ὁ κινήσας αὐτοὺς διάβολος, ἵν' ἐλθὼν ὁ τούτου κῆρυξ ἀντίχριστος εὕρῃ καὶ ἐν τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἑαυτοῦ γενομένας τούς τε Μελιτιανοὺς προκατηχηθέντας ἤδη τὰ ἐκείνου καὶ ἐπιγνῷ ἑαυτὸν ἐν ἐκείνοις ἤδη μορφωθέντα. 79.1 Τοιοῦτον μὲν οὖν ἐστι τὸ ἐξελθὸν παρὰ Κωνσταντίου παράνομον πρόσταγμα, τῶν δὲ λαῶν προθυμία μὲν ἦν εἰς μαρτύριον καὶ μᾶλλον μῖσος κατὰ τῆς ἀσεβεστάτης αἱρέσεως, πένθος δὲ ὅμως διὰ τὰς ἐκκλησίας καὶ στεναγμὸς παρὰ πάντων βοώντων πρὸς τὸν κύριον· » «φεῖσαι, κύριε, τοῦ λαοῦ σου, καὶ μὴ δῷς τὴν κληρονομίαν σου εἰς ὄνειδος τοῖς ἐχθροῖς σου, ἀλλὰ καὶ τάχυνον τοῦ ἐξελέσθαι ἡμᾶς ἐκ χειρὸς ἀνόμων. ἰδοὺ γὰρ τῶν μέν σου θεραπόντων οὐκ ἐφείσαντο, τῷ δὲ ἀντιχρίστῳ τὴν ὁδὸν παρασκευάζουσιν». 79.2 οὐ γὰρ ἀντιστήσονταί ποτε Μελιτιανοὶ τούτῳ οὐδὲ φροντίσουσι περὶ ἀληθείας οὐδὲ ἀρνήσασθαι τὸν Χριστὸν φαῦλον ἡγήσονται, ἄνθρωποι μηδόλως γνησίως προσελθόντες τῷ λόγῳ, πρὸς πάντα κατὰ τὸν χαμαιλέοντα σχηματιζόμενοι καὶ μισθωτοὶ τῶν ἀνυόντων αὐτῶν τὴν χρείαν γιγνόμενοι. οὐ γὰρ πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἔχουσι τὸν σκοπόν, ἀλλὰ ταύτης τὴν παραυτίκα προκρίνουσιν ἡδονήν, καὶ μόνον λέγουσι· «φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν· 79.3 αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνήσκομεν». τῶν μὲν οὖν ὑποκριτῶν [πικριτιανῶν ἀντὶ Μελιτιανῶν] ἡ πρόθεσις τοιαύτη καὶ ὁ τρόπος ἄπιστος· οἱ δὲ πιστοὶ δοῦλοι τοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ ἀληθῶς ἐπίσκοποι, οἱ γνησίως πιστεύσαντες καὶ μὴ ἑαυτοῖς, ἀλλὰ τῷ κυρίῳ ζῶντες, οὗτοι πιστῶς εὐσεβοῦντες εἰς τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν καὶ γιγνώσκοντες, καθὰ προ εῖπον, ὡς κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας προφάσεις εἰσὶ ψευδεῖς καὶ φανερῶς ἐπλάσθησαν διὰ τὴν ἀρειανὴν αἵρεσιν· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκ τῆς Οὐρσακίου καὶ Οὐάλεντος μετανοίας κατεμάνθανον τὴν κατὰ Ἀθανασίου συντεθεῖσαν συκοφαντίαν, ἵνα αὐτὸν μὲν ἐκποδὼν ἄρωσι, τὴν δὲ ἀσέβειαν τῶν χριστομάχων εἰς τὰς ἐκκλησίας εἰσάξωσι-ταῦτα συνορῶντες ὡς ἀλη θείας ὄντες ὑπέρμαχοι καὶ κήρυκες ὑβρισθῆναι καὶ ἐξορισθῆναι μᾶλλον εἵλοντο καὶ ὑπέμειναν 79.4 ἢ κατ' αὐτοῦ ὑπογράψαι καὶ τοῖς Ἀρειομανίταις κοινωνῆσαι. οὐ γὰρ ἐπελάθοντο ἃ ἐδίδαξαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον γιγνώσκουσιν, ὡς τοῖς μὲν προδόταις ἀτιμία πολλή, τοῖς δὲ ὁμολογοῦσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν βασιλεία οὐρανῶν. καὶ τοῖς μὲν ὀλιγώροις καὶ φοβηθεῖσι Κωνστάντιον οὐδὲν ἔσται ἀγαθόν, τοῖς δὲ ὑπομείνασι τὰς ὧδε θλίψεις, ὡς ἐκ χειμῶνος ναύταις εὔδιος λιμήν, ὡς ἀθληταῖς μετὰ τὸν ἀγῶνα στέφανος, οὕτω καὶ αὐτοῖς μεγάλη καὶ αἰώνιος χαρὰ καὶ εὐφροσύνη ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς γενήσεται, οἵαν ἔσχεν Ἰωσὴφ μετὰ τὰς θλίψεις ἐκείνας, οἵαν ὁ μέγας ∆ανιὴλ μετὰ τοὺς πειρασμοὺς καὶ τὰς πολλὰς ἐπιβουλὰς τῶν βασιλικῶν, οἵαν ἔχει νῦν ὁ Παῦλος στεφανούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ σωτῆρος, οἵαν προσδοκῶντες καὶ οἱ πανταχοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ λαοὶ ταῦτα βλέποντες οὐκ ἠσθένησαν τῇ προαιρέσει, 79.5 ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐνεδυναμώθησαν τῇ πίστει καὶ πλέον ηὔξησαν τὴν προθυμίαν. πληρο φορηθέντες γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῆς συκοφαντίας καὶ ἀσεβείας τῶν αἱρετικῶν καταγινώσκουσι μὲν τοῦ διώκοντος, συντρέχουσι δὲ τοῖς διωκομένοις τῇ γνώμῃ καὶ τῇ ὁμοφροσύνῃ, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸν τῆς ὁμολογίας ἀπολάβωσι στέφανον. 80.1 Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν ἄν τις δύναιτο λέγειν κατὰ τῆς μυσαρᾶς καὶ χριστομάχου ταύτης αἱρέσεως, πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἀποδείξειεν ἄν τις εἶναι προοίμια τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου τὰ ἐπιτηδεύ ματα Κωνσταντίου. ἐπειδὴ δὲ, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ προφήτης, «ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως κεφαλῆς οὐδέν ἐστιν εὔλογον ἐν αὐτῇ», παντὸς δὲ ῥύπου καὶ πάσης ἀσεβείας πεπλήρωται, ὥστε καὶ μόνον ἐξ ἀκοῆς φευκτέαν αὐτὴν εἶναι, ὡς ἐξέραμα κυνὸς καὶ δρακόντων ἰόν, ἔστι δὲ καὶ Κοστύλλιος 80.2 ἐκ φανεροῦ τὴν εἰκόνα φέρων τοῦ ἀντικειμένου. ἵνα μὴ μακρὸς ὁ λόγος γένηται, διὰ τοῦτο

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