「And very many others throughout the cities and villages were torn to pieces by the heathen, of whom I will mention one for an example. Ischyrion was steward to one of the rulers for hire. His employer commanded him to sacrifice; and when he would not obey, he reviled him; and when he persisted, he heaped insults on him; and when he held his ground, he took a very large staff and, thrusting it through his bowels and entrails, killed him.」
「What need is there to tell of the multitude of those who wandered in deserts and on mountains, destroyed by hunger and thirst and cold and sicknesses and robbers and wild beasts? Of these the survivors are witnesses of their election and victory. But one deed of these also I will set forth for an illustration.」
「Chaeremon, exceedingly aged, was bishop of the city called Nilopolis. Having fled to the Arabian mountain together with his wife, he did not return, nor were the brethren able to see them any more, though they searched much, neither the men themselves nor their bodies.」
「And many of those at that same Arabian mountain were carried off into slavery by the Saracens; of whom some were ransomed only with difficulty for much money, but others have not been even to this day. And these things I have recounted not in vain, brother, but that you may know how many and how great were the terrible things that befell us; of which those who have had more experience would know more.」
Then he adds to these things, after a few words, saying: 「These same divine martyrs among us, then, who are now assessors of Christ and partakers of His kingdom and sharers in His judgment and joint-judges with Him, took to themselves certain of the fallen brethren who had become liable to the charges concerning the sacrifices; and seeing their conversion and repentance, and judging that it could be acceptable to Him who wills not at all the death of the sinner, but rather his repentance, they received them and gathered them and ranked them with themselves, and shared with them in prayers and feasts.」
「What, then, brethren, do you counsel us concerning these matters? What ought we to do? Shall we stand of one vote and one mind with them, and uphold their judgment and their favour, and deal kindly with those who have obtained mercy from them? Or shall we make their judgment unjust, and set ourselves up as scrutinizers of their decision, and grieve their kindness, and overthrow good order?」 And these things Dionysius reasonably set down, stirring up the discussion concerning those who had grown weak in the time of the persecution.