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and after he made his defense against the charges he was slandered with, we were silent, giving proof against ourselves. Deem it worthy, therefore, as is fitting for your Christ-loving piety, both to remind the most God-beloved emperor and to deliver our petitions and to deliberate more quickly on the things fitting for you regarding us.” In this way, then, Eusebius and Theognis repented and received back their churches. 2.17.1 Around this time, as he was about to depart this life, Alexander, the bishop of Alexandria, left Athanasius as his successor, casting the vote for him, as I believe, by divine commands; since they say that Athanasius tried to flee and was unwillingly compelled by Alexander 2.17.2 to accept the episcopate. And Apollinarius the Syrian testifies, saying thus: “And after this, impiety did not hesitate to make war, but first it took up arms against the blessed teacher of the man, for whom he also was present as an advocate, as a son for a father, then also against him, when he came to the succession of the episcopate, having used much avoidance, but was found according to God, as it had also been revealed beforehand by divine 2.17.3 declarations to the blessed man who entrusted the episcopate, that the successor would be none other than this man. For he was being called from this life; and already being near his departure, he called by name for Athanasius, who was not present. And when the one present with the same name answered the call, he fell silent toward him, as not calling this one. And again he used the call; and as the same thing happened many times, the one present was met with silence, but the one not present was indicated. And the blessed Alexander said prophetically: “Athanasius, you think you have escaped; but you will not escape,” showing that he was being called to the struggle.” 2.17.4 Apollinarius writes these things about Athanasius. But those from the Arian heresy say that when Alexander died, those who held the views of Alexander and Meletius were in communion with each other, and that fifty-four bishops, having come together from the Thebaid and the rest of Egypt, agreed under oath to choose by a common vote the one who should have charge of the church of the Alexandrians; but that some seven of the bishops, having broken their oath, stole the ordination of Athanasius against the will of all, and for this reason many of the laity and of the clergy throughout Egypt fled from communion with him. 2.17.5 But I am persuaded that this man did not come to the high priesthood without God's will, being capable both in speaking and thinking and in resisting plots, such as the time in which he lived especially required. And he became a churchman of the highest order and most suited for the priesthood, having appeared, so to speak, to be self-taught in this way from his youth. 2.17.6 Indeed, they say the following happened to him when he was not yet a youth. The Alexandrians still to this day celebrate a public and very splendid festival on the annual day of the martyrdom of Peter, who had been bishop among them. And as Alexander, who was then leader of the church, was celebrating this, having already completed the liturgy, he was waiting for those who were about 2.17.7 to lunch with him. And as he was by himself, he had his eyes on the sea. And seeing from afar some children by the shore playing and imitating a bishop and the customs of the church, as long as he saw the imitation was harmless, he was pleased with the sight and rejoiced at what was happening. But when they also touched upon the secret rites, he was troubled; and having summoned the ranking clergy, he pointed out the children, and having ordered them to be arrested and brought to him, he inquired what their game was and what sort of words and 2.17.8 actions were involved in it. And they, being afraid, at first denied it, but when he persisted in his examination, they disclosed that Athanasius had been bishop and leader, 2.17. and that some of the uninitiated children had been baptized by him. Alexander carefully questioned them as to what the priest of their game asked them or did, and what they themselves answered or were taught. And finding that the entire ecclesiastical order had been accurately observed with them

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καὶ ἀπολογησαμένου, ἐφ' οἷς διεβάλλετο, ἡμᾶς ἐπισιωπᾶν καθ' "7ἑαυτῶν διδόντας τὸν ἔλεγχον. καταξιώσατε οὖν, ὡς ἁρμόζει τῇ φιλο"7χρίστῳ ὑμῶν εὐλαβείᾳ, καὶ τὸν θεοφιλέστατον βασιλέα ὑπομνῆσαι καὶ "7τὰς δεήσεις ἡμῶν ἐγχειρίσαι καὶ θᾶττον βουλεύσασθαι τὰ ὑμῖν ἁρμόζοντα "7ἐφ' ἡμῖν.» ῟Ωδε μὲν αὐτοῖς Εὐσέβιός τε καὶ Θεόγνιος μετεμελήθησαν καὶ τὰς αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίας ἀπέλαβον. 2.17.1 ῾Υπὸ δὲ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον μέλλων τὸν βίον μεταλλάσσειν ᾿Αλέξανδρος ᾿Αλεξανδρείας ἐπίσκοπος διάδοχον αὐτοῦ κατέλιπεν ᾿Αθανάσιον, θείαις προστάξεσιν, ὡς ἡγοῦμαι, ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἐνέγκας τὴν ψῆφον· ἐπεὶ τόν γε ᾿Αθανάσιόν φασιν ἀποφυγεῖν πειραθῆναι καὶ ἄκοντα βιασθῆναι πρὸς ᾿Αλεξάνδρου 2.17.2 τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ὑποδέξασθαι. καὶ μαρτυρεῖ ᾿Απολινάριος ὁ Σύρος ὧδε λέγων· «Οὐκ ὤκνει δὲ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πολεμεῖν ἡ δυσσέβεια, ἀλλὰ πρῶτον μὲν "7ἐπὶ τὸν μακάριον διδάσκαλον τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὡπλίζετο, ᾧ καὶ οὗτος παρῆν συν"7ήγορος ὡς πατρὶ παῖς, ἔπειτα καὶ ἐπ' αὐτόν, ὡς ἧκεν ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς "7διαδοχήν, πολλῇ μὲν ἀποφυγῇ χρησάμενος, κατὰ θεὸν δὲ ἀνευρεθείς, ὡς "7καὶ τῷ μακαρίῳ ἀνδρὶ τῷ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἐγχειρίσαντι προδεδήλωτο θείαις 2.17.3 "7δηλώσεσιν οὐχ ἕτερον ἔσεσθαι τὸν διάδοχον ἢ τοῦτον. ἐκαλεῖτο μὲν γὰρ "7ἐκ τοῦ βίου· ἤδη δὲ πρὸς ἀπαλλαγὴν τυγχάνων ᾿Αθανάσιον ὀνομαστὶ μὴ "7παρόντα ἐκάλει. καὶ ὡς ὁ παρὼν ὁμώνυμος ὑπήκουε τῇ κλήσει, πρὸς μὲν "7τοῦτον ἀπεσιώπα, ὡς οὐ τοῦτον καλῶν. αὖθις δὲ ἐχρῆτο τῇ κλήσει· καὶ "7ὡς ταὐτὸ πολλάκις ἐγίνετο, ἀπεσιωπᾶτο μὲν ὁ παρών, ἐδηλοῦτο δὲ ὁ μὴ "7παρών. καὶ προφητικῶς ἔλεγεν ὁ μακάριος ᾿Αλέξανδρος· «᾿Αθανάσιε, νο-"7μίζεις ἐκπεφευγέναι· οὐκ ἐκφεύξῃ δέ», δηλῶν ὡς πρὸς τὸν ἀγῶνα ἐκαλεῖτο.» 2.17.4 Ταῦτα μὲν ᾿Απολινάριος γράφει περὶ ᾿Αθανασίου. οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ᾿Αρείου αἱρέσεως λέγουσιν, ὡς ᾿Αλεξάνδρου τελευτήσαντος ἐκοινώνουν ἀλ-λήλοις οἱ τὰ ᾿Αλεξάνδρου καὶ Μελιτίου φρονοῦντες, συνελθόντες τε ἐκ Θηβαΐδος καὶ τῆς ἄλλης Αἰγύπτου πεντήκοντα καὶ τέσσαρες ἐπίσκοποι ἐνωμότως συνέθεντο κοινῇ ψήφῳ αἱρεῖσθαι τὸν ὀφείλοντα τὴν ᾿Αλεξανδρέων ἐκκλησίαν ἐπιτροπεύειν· ἐπιορκήσαντας δὲ ἑπτά τινας τῶν ἐπισκόπων παρὰ τὴν πάντων γνώμην κλέψαι τὴν ᾿Αθανασίου χειροτονίαν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πολλοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τῶν ἀνὰ τὴν Αἴγυπτον κληρικῶν ἀποφυγεῖν τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν κοινωνίαν. 2.17.5 ᾿Εγὼ δὲ πείθομαι τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον οὐκ ἀθεεὶ παρελθεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην, λέγειν τε καὶ νοεῖν ἱκανὸν καὶ πρὸς ἐπιβουλὰς ἀντέχειν, οἵου μάλιστα ὁ κατ' αὐτὸν ἐδεῖτο καιρός. ἐγένετο δὲ ἐκκλησιαστικὸς ὅτι μάλιστα καὶ περὶ τὸ ἱερᾶσθαι ἐπιτηδειότατος, ἐκ νέου, ὡς εἰπεῖν, αὐτοδίδακτος 2.17.6 τοιοῦτος φανείς. ἀμέλει τοι οὔπω προσήβῳ γενομένῳ τόδε φασὶν ἐπ' αὐτῷ συμβεβηκέναι. δημοτελῆ καὶ σφόδρα λαμπρὰν πανήγυριν εἰσέτι νῦν ἄγουσιν ᾿Αλεξανδρεῖς τὴν ἐτησίαν ἡμέραν τῆς μαρτυρίας Πέτρου τοῦ γενομένου παρ' αὐτοῖς ἐπισκόπου. ταύτην τε ἐπιτελῶν ᾿Αλέξανδρος ὁ τότε τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡγούμενος, ἤδη τὴν λειτουργίαν πληρώσας, περιέμενε τοὺς ἅμα 2.17.7 αὐτῷ μέλλοντας ἀριστᾶν. καθ' ἑαυτὸν δὲ διάγων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς εἶχεν ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν. ἰδὼν δὲ πόρρωθεν παρὰ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν παῖδας παίζοντας καὶ ἐπίσκοπον μιμουμένους καὶ τὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἔθη, ἐφ' ὅσον ἀκίνδυνον ἑώρα τὴν μίμησιν, ἥδετο τῇ θέᾳ καὶ τοῖς γινομένοις ἔχαιρεν. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἀπορρήτων ἥψαντο, ἐταράχθη· καὶ μετακαλεσάμενος τοὺς ἐν τέλει τοῦ κλήρου ἐπέδειξε τοὺς παῖδας, καὶ συλληφθέντας αὐτοὺς ἀχθῆναι κελεύσας ἐπυνθάνετο, τίς αὐτοῖς ἦν ἡ παιδιὰ καὶ ποδαποὶ οἱ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ λόγοι καὶ 2.17.8 πράξεις. οἱ δὲ δείσαντες τὰ πρῶτα ἠρνοῦντο, ἐπιμείναντος δὲ αὐτοῦ τῇ βασάνῳ κατεμήνυσαν ἐπίσκοπον μὲν καὶ ἀρχηγὸν γενέσθαι τὸν ᾿Αθανάσιον, 2.17. βαπτισθῆναι δὲ παρ' αὐτοῦ τινας τῶν ἀμυήτων παίδων. οὓς ἐπιμελῶς ἀνέκρινεν ᾿Αλέξανδρος, τί μὲν αὐτοὺς ἤρετο ἢ ἐποίησεν ὁ τῆς παιδιᾶς ἱερεύς, τί δὲ αὐτοὶ ἀπεκρίναντο ἢ ἐδιδάχθησαν. ἀνευρὼν δὲ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν τάξιν ἀκριβῶς ἐπ' αὐτοῖς