Church History 1 part 17/18

Seeing this cowardice on the part of the prefect, the godly Marcellus sent him on ahead to the other cities, while he himself entreated God to grant a way for the destruction.

Then, of his own accord, there came at dawn a certain man who was neither a builder nor a stonecutter nor skilled in any other craft, but was accustomed only to carry stones and timber upon his shoulders.

This man came forward and promised that he would very easily bring down the temple, and he asked for the wages of two craftsmen.

And when the godly bishop promised to give him this, the man devised the following scheme.

The temple, standing on a height, had a colonnade fitted to it on all four sides;

the columns were exceedingly large and equal in height to the temple itself, and the circumference of each was sixteen cubits.

The nature of the stone was extremely hard, and did not readily yield to the tools of the stonecutters.

Digging around the base of each of these in a circle and propping up what lay above with olive-wood beams, he would then move on to the next.

Having thus dug out three of the columns, he applied fire to the wooden props.

But a certain black demon, appearing there, would not allow the wood to be consumed by the fire as its nature required, hindering the action of the flame.

And when, after doing this many times, they saw that the device was proving fruitless, they reported it to the shepherd, who was sleeping after midday.

He at once ran to the divine church, and, having ordered water to be brought in a vessel, placed the water beneath the holy altar; then, placing his forehead on the ground, he entreated the loving Master not to yield any longer to the tyranny of the demon, but to expose that spirit's weakness and to display his own power, lest this become for the unbelievers an occasion of even greater harm.

Having said these things and others like them, and having marked the water with the sign of the cross, he ordered a certain Aequitius, who had been deemed worthy of the office of deacon and was fortified with faith and zeal, to take the water, run quickly, sprinkle it in faith, and then apply the flame.

When this had been done, the demon fled, unable to endure the assault of the water, and the fire, as though the water—its natural adversary—had served it as oil, seized upon the wood and consumed it in an instant.

And the columns, their support having vanished, themselves fell down and dragged twelve others with them.

And the side of the temple that was joined to the columns was also brought down, dragged along by their force.

The crash—for it was tremendous—ran through the whole city and gathered everyone to see the sight.

And when they also learned of the flight of the hostile demon, they moved their tongues to hymn the God of all.

In this way that godly bishop destroyed the other shrines as well.

Although I have many other and highly admirable stories to tell concerning this man (for he used to write letters to the victorious martyrs and would receive replies, and in the end he himself too was crowned with the martyrs' wreath), I shrink from narrating them now, lest by too great prolixity I weary those who are to peruse this history.

I shall therefore turn to another narrative.

That much-celebrated Athanasius was succeeded by the admirable Peter, Peter by Timothy, and Timothy by Theophilus, a man shrewd in mind and manly in spirit.

This man freed the city of Alexander from the error of idolatry.

For he not only tore up the shrines of the idols from their foundations, but also exposed to those who had been deceived the devices of the priests who had deceived them.

Fitting the backs of the idols' images against the walls, they left certain hidden channels in the walls.

Then, ascending through the inner sanctuaries and getting inside the images, they issued through them whatever commands they wished;

and those who heard, being thus deceived, did what was commanded.

These things the most wise bishop, as he demolished them, exposed to view for the deceived populace.

Going up into the temple of Serapis (which, as some say, was of all such temples throughout the world the greatest and most beautiful), he saw the wooden cult-image, of vast size, terrifying the onlookers by its magnitude.

In addition to its size, a deceitful legend also prevailed, that if anyone drew near it, the earth would be shaken and utter destruction would overtake all.

But he judged these tales to be nothing but the nonsense of drunken old women, and, scorning its size as that of a mere lifeless object, he ordered a man with an axe to strike Serapis boldly.

When the man struck, everyone cried out, fearing what had been rumored.

But Serapis, having received the blow, felt no pain—for he was made of wood—nor did he utter any sound, being without life.

But when his head was cut off, mice ran out from within in swarms.

For the god of the Egyptians was a dwelling-place for mice.

Having cut it into small pieces, they consigned some to the fire, but dragged the head through the whole city, while its former worshippers looked on and mocked the weakness of the thing they themselves had worshipped.

Thus, then, the shrines of the demons throughout the whole earth and sea were destroyed.

For Paulinus desired to assume the leadership of the church, but the company of the clergy opposed him, saying that it was not right that one who had not accepted Meletius's counsels during his life should, after his death, take his throne.

Rather, it was fitting that the one distinguished by many labors, who had for so long braved danger on behalf of the flock, should become shepherd.

This produced a very long-lasting hostility, both among the Romans and the Egyptians, toward the East.

For the enmity was not dissolved even with the death of Paulinus; rather, after him, when Evagrius had succeeded to his throne, they continued to be hostile toward the great Flavian—and this even though Evagrius had been advanced contrary to ecclesiastical order.

For Paulinus alone had put him forward, thereby transgressing many canons at once.

For the canons neither permit a dying man to ordain a successor in his own place, but require that all the bishops of the province be summoned together, nor again do they allow the ordination of a bishop to take place without at least three bishops present.

But nevertheless, refusing to take any notice of these things, they embraced communion with Evagrius, and set the imperial ears in motion against Flavian.

For the emperor, being repeatedly importuned, both summoned him to Constantinople and ordered him to proceed to Rome.

But Flavian, pleading that it was winter, and promising that once the season grew milder he would fulfill the command, returned home.

Then Flavian, the most wise, employing a praiseworthy boldness of speech, said:

"If, O emperor, some accuse my faith of being unsound, or say that my life is unworthy of the priesthood, I will make these very accusers my judges, and I will gladly accept whatever verdict they render.

But if they are contending merely over the throne and the primacy, I will neither go to law nor fight against those who wish to seize it, but will withdraw and relinquish the primacy altogether.

"Therefore, O emperor, give the throne of Antioch to whomever you please."

He commanded him to shepherd the church that had been entrusted to him.

When a considerable time had passed, the emperor, arriving in the city of Rome, again had to endure the same accusations from the bishops, namely that he was not putting an end to the tyranny of Flavian.

But he bade them state precisely what this \"tyranny\" consisted of, declaring that he himself had, as it were, become Flavian, put forward as his advocate.

When they replied that they could not go to law against the emperor, he then exhorted them to unite the churches in concord, to dissolve the strife, and to quench their fruitless contentiousness.

"For Paulinus has long since died, and Evagrius was not legitimately advanced, while the churches of the East hold fast to the primacy of Flavian.

Besides the East, he has all of Asia, and Pontus, and even Thrace in communion with him and joined to him.

And all Illyricum likewise acknowledges him as leader of the bishops throughout the East."

Yielding to these exhortations, the bishops of the West promised to abandon their hostility and to receive whatever envoys should be sent to them.

When the divine Flavian learned of this, he sent to Rome a number of praiseworthy bishops, together with certain presbyters and deacons of Antioch.

At the head of them all was Acacius, who had been allotted the charge of shepherding the church of Beroea, a city in Syria, but whose fame was celebrated throughout the whole world.

He, arriving in Rome with the others, put an end to the long-standing enmity of seventeen years' duration, and secured peace for the churches.

When the Egyptians learned of this, they too extinguished their hostility and embraced harmony.

At that time the church of Rome was led by Innocent, who had succeeded Anastasius, a man distinguished for keenness of intellect and sound understanding.

And the church of Alexandria was led by Theophilus, whom I have already mentioned earlier.

In this manner, then, the most faithful emperor secured the peace of the churches.

Now before this peace had come about, upon learning both of the death of Valentinian and the usurpation of Eugenius, he led an expedition into Europe.

At that time there lived in Egypt a certain John, who had embraced the ascetic life.

Having received a share of spiritual grace, he would foretell to inquirers many things that were to come.

To him the Christ-loving emperor sent envoys, desiring to learn whether he should go to war against the usurpers.

Concerning the first battle he foretold a victory won without bloodshed; but concerning the second, he predicted that the emperor would be victorious only after great slaughter.

With this hope, the emperor set out on campaign, and in the ensuing engagement shot down many of the enemy, but also lost many of the barbarian allies fighting on his side.

When the generals reported that those arrayed with him were few in number, and advised granting some truce to the war, so that at the start of spring an army might be gathered and the enemy overcome by superior numbers, the most faithful emperor did not accept this proposal.

For he said it was not right to charge the saving Cross with such weakness, while attesting such power to the image of Hercules.

"For the Cross leads this army of ours;

while that image leads the army of our adversaries."

These things having been spoken with such faith, and the remaining army being both small and greatly disheartened, he found a small oratory on the summit of the mountain where the camp was pitched, and there he spent the entire night entreating the Master of all.

But around the time of cockcrow, sleep overcame his resolve.

As he lay on the bare floor, he seemed to see two men clothed in white, mounted on white horses, who bade him take courage, drive out fear, and at dawn arm and marshal the army in battle order.

"For," they said, "we have been sent as helpers and as champions to fight in the front line."

The one said that he himself was John the Evangelist, and the other, that he was Philip the Apostle.

Having seen this vision, the emperor did not cease from his supplication, but rather offered it with all the greater eagerness.

A general, thinking he was reporting something new, related these very things to the emperor.

"It is not for my sake," he said, "that this man has beheld these things;

for I myself have already believed those who promised the victory.

But rather, so that no one might suppose I had invented the vision out of a longing for battle, the helper of my kingdom has revealed these same things to this man as well, that he might become a credible witness to my account.

For it was to me first that the common Master of all showed this vision."

"Let us, then, cast off fear and follow our champions and leaders in this war; and let no one measure victory by the number of combatants, but let each reckon rather the power of our leaders."

Having said these things also to his soldiers, and thereby filling them all with eagerness, he led them down from the summit of the mountain.

But the usurper, seeing from afar the soldiers eager for battle, armed his own army and drew it up in battle order.

He himself remained on a certain hillock, declaring that the emperor was courting death, and was arraying for battle as one eager to be rid of his present life.

And he ordered his generals to bring this man to him alive and in chains.

When the battle lines had taken their stand, the enemy's forces were many times more numerous, while those arrayed with the emperor were few enough to be easily counted.

But when both sides began to loose their missiles, the champions showed the promises to be true.

For a violent wind, blowing straight into the faces of the enemy, turned their arrows back upon them, and their shields and spears and every missile became useless to them; and neither heavy infantry, nor archer, nor light-armed skirmisher was able to inflict any harm on the emperor's army.

Moreover, a vast quantity of dust, driven against their faces, forced them to shut their eyelids and to shield their beleaguered eyes.

But the emperor's soldiers, suffering no harm whatever from that storm, boldly slaughtered the enemy.

The enemy, seeing this and recognizing the divine assistance, threw down their weapons and begged to obtain mercy from the emperor.

He yielded and showed pity, and ordered them to bring the tyrant quickly.

Running, they went up to the hill where he sat, unaware of what was happening.

Seeing them panting, and their gasping breath signaling their haste, he supposed them to be messengers of victory, and asked whether they had also brought Theodosius in chains, as they had been ordered.

"It is not him," they said, "that we are bringing to you, but you whom we are taking away to him."

"For this is what the Ruler of all has commanded."

So saying, they raised him up from his seat, and putting fetters on him led him away in bonds, and brought as a captive of the spear the one who a moment before had been boasting greatly.

The emperor reminded him of the wrongs committed against Valentinian, of his unlawful usurpation, and of the wars waged against the lawful sovereignty.

He also ridiculed the image of Heracles and the vain audacity that had arisen on its account.

And then he pronounced against him a just and lawful sentence of punishment.

Such was he, both in peace and in war: always asking for divine assistance, and always obtaining a share of it.

After this victory, falling ill, he divided the empire among his sons.

To the elder he gave his own dominion, and to the younger the scepter of Europe;

and he exhorted both the one and the other to keep perfect piety.

"For through this," he said, "peace is preserved, war is brought to an end, enemies are put to flight, trophies are raised, and victory is awarded."

So he, having given this counsel to his sons, died, leaving behind a glory that will ever be remembered;

and his successors in the empire became heirs of his piety as well.

For Honorius, who received the empire of Europe, abolished the gladiatorial combats long practiced in Rome, taking the following occasion for it.

There was a certain Telemachus who embraced the ascetic life.

...men wielding weapons against one another.

The spectators, angered at his stopping the bloodshed, and having taken into themselves the frenzy of the demon who delighted in that blood, stoned to death this herald of peace.

Learning of this, the admirable emperor numbered him among the victorious martyrs, and put an end to that wicked spectacle.

When Nectarius, who had shepherded the church in Constantinople, had died, Arcadius, who had obtained the government of that empire, learning that John, the great luminary of the inhabited world, had been enrolled in the order of presbyters at Antioch, brought him there, and charged the assembled bishops to bring him forward to the divine grace and to declare him shepherd of that greatest of cities.

This alone is sufficient to show the emperor's zeal for divine things.

At this time the divine Flavian presided over Antioch, and Elpidius over Laodicea — who had shared a tent with the great Meletius and had taken the impress of his manner of life more perfectly than wax takes the imprint of rings (this man succeeded the great Pelagius; and the divine Marcellus was succeeded by the all-renowned Agapetus, whom I said excelled in the ascetic contests at the time of the heretical storm); and over Seleucia near the Taurus presided Maximus, the fellow-student of the great John, and over Mopsuestia, Theodore.

Both were also brilliant teachers.

The divine Acacius, governing Beroea, shone forth in both understanding and manner of life;

and Leontius shepherded the nation of the Galatians, distinguished by many kinds of virtue.

The great John, having taken the helm of the church, boldly exposed the injustices committed by certain persons, gave the emperor and empress fitting counsel, and required the priests to conduct themselves according to the established laws; and those who dared to transgress these he barred from entering the palace, saying it was not right to enjoy the honor of priests while not emulating the life of true priests.

And he exercised this care not only over that city, but over the whole of Thrace as well (which is divided into six provinces) and over the whole of Asia (which likewise is governed by eleven officials).

Moreover he adorned the Pontic diocese also with these same laws;

and this region too has as many governors as Asia.

Learning that Phoenicia was still raving madly over the rites of the demons, he gathered ascetics who were ablaze with divine zeal, and, arming them with the imperial laws, sent them forth against the idolatrous shrines.

The money paid to the workmen who demolished the shrines, and to their assistants, he did not take from the imperial treasury to spend, but he persuaded women who abounded in wealth and shone in faith to provide it generously, showing them the blessing that springs from such giving.

In this way he tore up from their foundations the shrines of the demons that still remained.

Seeing also that the Scythian multitude had been caught in the net of Arian heresy, he in turn devised a counter-scheme and found a way to catch them.

For putting forward presbyters and deacons and readers of the divine oracles who spoke their own tongue, he assigned to them a single church, and through these he caught many of those who had gone astray.

For he himself frequently went there and preached, using as interpreter a certain man who knew both languages;

and he had those who knew how to speak the language do the same.

These things he continued doing within the city, and he captured alive many of those who had been deceived, demonstrating to them the truth of the apostolic teachings.

Learning also that some of the nomadic Scythians encamped along the Ister were thirsting for salvation, but were deprived of anyone to offer them the saving stream, he sought out men who had emulated the apostolic way of life, and set these over them.

I myself have come upon letters he wrote to Leontius, bishop of Ancyra, in which he made known the conversion of the Scythians and requested that men suitable to guide them be sent to him.

Learning that the disease of Marcion had fallen upon certain villages, he wrote to the one then shepherding that region, urging him to drive out the disease and offering him the assistance of the imperial laws.

So then, how he carried about in his soul the care of the churches, after the manner of the divine apostle — these things too are sufficient to teach.

It is also possible to learn of his boldness of speech from another episode.

A certain Gainas, a Scythian by race but even more barbarous in disposition, possessed of a tyrannical mindset, held the rank of general at that time, having many of his own countrymen as subjects, and commanding alongside them also the cavalry and infantry forces of the Romans.

Not only did everyone else shudder at him, but the emperor himself as well, suspecting the usurpation he was contemplating.

This man, having also partaken of the blight of Arius, demanded that the emperor give him one of the divine shrines.

The emperor said he would consider it, and promised to satisfy him.

And summoning the divine John, he told him of the request, reminded him of Gainas's power, hinted at the usurpation he was contemplating, and urged him to bridle the barbarian's temper by granting the gift.

But that noble man said:

"Do not," he said, "O emperor, promise such things, nor command that holy things be given to dogs."

"For I will not endure that those who confess God the Word and sing his praises be driven out, while the divine temple is handed over to those who blaspheme him."

"And do not fear that barbarian at all, O emperor; rather, call both of us, myself and him, and you quietly listen to what is said, while I will bridle his tongue and persuade him not to ask at all for what it is not fitting to give."

Hearing this, the emperor was pleased, and on the following day summoned both of them.

And Gainas demanded the fulfillment of the promise, but the great John opposed him, declaring that it was not permitted for an emperor, if he chose to be pious, to lay violent hands on things divine.

And when he said that he too ought to have a house of prayer —

"Every divine house is open to you," said the great John, "and no one hinders you, if you are eager to pray."

"But I," said Gainas, "belong to another party, and together with them I ask to have one divine house of our own;

and indeed I ask most justly, since I endure many warlike struggles on behalf of the Romans." "But," he said, "you have rewards greater than your labors."

"For you are a general, and have been deemed worthy of the consular robe; and you ought to consider what you once were and what you have now become, what was your former poverty and what your present abundance, and what sort of garments you wore before you crossed the Ister, and what sort you now wear."

"Consider, then, how small your labors are, and how very great your rewards, and do not become ungrateful toward those who have honored you."

Using such words, the teacher of the inhabited world silenced Gainas and compelled him to keep his peace.

But as time passed, he laid bare the usurpation he had long been contemplating, and gathering his army in Thrace, he plundered and ravaged most of the region.

Learning this, all were terrified, both rulers and ruled, and no one was willing to draw up in battle against him, nor did anyone suppose it safe to go to him as an envoy;

for each one dreaded the barbarity of his temper.

Then, leaving aside all the others as being afraid, they persuaded this great champion to undertake the embassy.

And he, reckoning neither the opposition that had taken place nor the enmity that had grown from it, eagerly set out for Thrace.

And Gainas, recognizing the envoy and calling to mind the boldness he had shown on behalf of piety, went to meet him from afar and pressed his right hand to his own eyes, and moreover brought his children to be laid at his sacred knees.

Such is the nature of virtue, to inspire reverence and awe even in those who are most hostile.

But envy could not bear the brilliant flashes of his wisdom, and employing its own devices, it deprived the imperial city — or rather, the whole inhabited world — of his tongue and mind.

But I, having arrived at this part of the history, do not know what I should do.

Wishing to record the injustice that was dared, I feel shame for the otherwise virtuous character of those who committed the wrong.

For this very reason I shall try to conceal even their names.

These men, having various pretexts for hostility, were unwilling to see the man's shining virtue, but having found certain wretched accusers and beholding for themselves the obviousness of the calumny, they held their tribunal far from the city and pronounced their verdict.

And the emperor, trusting them as if they were priests, ordered that he be taken far away from the city.

But he, having neither heard the accusation nor offered a defense, was compelled to leave the city as though he had been convicted of the charges laid against him, and he reached Hieron, which lies at the mouth of the Pontus;

for so they call that port town.

And when a very great earthquake occurred at night and terror seized the imperial city, envoys were sent at dawn to the man who had been driven out, entreating him to reach the city as quickly as possible and to put a stop to the danger threatening it.

And others were sent after them, and still others after these, until the Bosporus was full of those being sent.

And when the most faithful people learned of this, they covered the mouth of the Propontis with their ferry-boats;

for they all went out to meet him, kindling torches of wax.

At that time, then, the throng of enemies was dispersed.

But when a few months had passed, they gathered together again and exacted a penalty, not for those false charges, but for the ministry he performed after his deposition.

But he said that he had neither stood trial nor heard the charges nor made a defense nor even been condemned while present, but had been driven out by the emperor and then in turn recalled.

And when another synod had been convened, his enemies had no need of a trial, but having persuaded the emperor that their verdict was lawful and just, they not only drove him out of that city but sent him away to a small and desolate little town of Armenia;

and from there, leading him out, they removed him to Pityus;

and this is the very boundary of both Pontus and the Roman dominion, bordering on the most savage barbarians.

But the loving Master did not allow the ever-victorious champion to be led away to that little island;

for when he arrived at Comana, He translated him into the ageless and griefless life.

And his body, which had contended so well, was laid to rest beside the tomb of the martyr Basiliscus, the martyr himself having ordered this through a dream.

As for how many bishops were driven out of their churches on his account and came to dwell in the very ends of the inhabited world, and how many of those who loved the ascetic philosophy fell into the same sufferings, I think it superfluous to narrate and to lengthen this history; and besides, I consider it right to pass over the sorrowful events in silence and to conceal the offenses of those who committed them, since they are of the same faith.

Most of the wrongdoers, however, also paid the penalty for the wrongs they had done, and by what they suffered brought benefit to others.

This injustice the bishops of Europe abhorred exceedingly;

for they cut themselves off from communion with those who had done it.

And all the Illyrians too took that side.

But of the cities toward the rising sun, most avoided sharing in the injustice, yet did not divide the body of the church.

And when the great teacher of the world had died, the bishops of the West did not embrace communion with those in Egypt and the East and those on the Bosporus and in Thrace, until they had inscribed the name of that divinely inspired man among the deceased bishops.

And Arsacius, who succeeded him, they did not deem worthy even of greeting;

but Atticus, the successor of Arsacius, who often sent embassies and often asked to obtain peace, they received later in time, once he had inscribed the name.

At this time Cyril was bishop of Alexandria, the nephew of Theophilus, having obtained the presidency from his uncle,

having succeeded him, of whom we have made mention before.