WEBVTT 00:19.370 --> 00:25.250 CHURCH HISTORY by EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA translated by ARTHUR CUSHMAN MACGUIFFERT 00:25.250 --> 00:29.590 Book 8, Part 3, Chapters 14 through 17. 00:31.670 --> 00:35.510 Chapter 14, The Character of the Enemies of Religion. 00:37.570 --> 00:42.270 Maxentius, his son, who obtained the government at Rome, at first feigned our 00:42.270 --> 00:45.790 faith in complacence and flattery toward the Roman people. 00:46.290 --> 00:50.570 On this account, he commanded his subjects to cease persecuting the Christians, 00:50.570 --> 00:55.310 pretending to religion that he might appear merciful and mild beyond his 00:55.310 --> 00:55.930 predecessors. 00:57.030 --> 01:02.330 But he did not prove in his deeds to be such a person as was hoped, but ran into 01:02.330 --> 01:07.070 all wickedness, and abstained from no impurity or licentiousness, committing 01:07.070 --> 01:10.090 adulteries and indulging in all kinds of corruption. 01:10.910 --> 01:15.950 For having separated wives from their lawful consorts, he abused them and sent 01:15.950 --> 01:18.390 them back most dishonorably to their husbands. 01:19.130 --> 01:24.090 And he not only practiced this against the obscure and unknown, but he insulted 01:24.090 --> 01:28.330 especially the most prominent and distinguished members of the Roman Senate. 01:29.530 --> 01:35.270 All his subjects, people and rulers, honored and obscure, were worn out by 01:35.270 --> 01:36.290 grievous oppression. 01:37.130 --> 01:42.450 Neither, although they kept quiet and bore the bitter servitude, was there any relief 01:42.450 --> 01:44.650 from the murderous cruelty of the tyrant. 01:45.390 --> 01:50.210 Once, on a small pretense, he gave the people to be slaughtered by his guards, 01:50.570 --> 01:54.510 and a great multitude of the Roman populace were slain in the midst of the 01:54.510 --> 02:00.150 city, with the spears and arms not of Scythians and barbarians, but of their own 02:00.150 --> 02:01.030 fellow citizens. 02:02.290 --> 02:07.110 It would be impossible to recount the number of senators who were put to death 02:07.110 --> 02:11.990 for the sake of their wealth, multitudes being slain on various pretenses. 02:13.470 --> 02:18.910 To crown all his wickedness, the tyrant resorted to magic, and in his divinations 02:18.910 --> 02:24.230 he cut open pregnant women and again inspected the bowels of newborn infants. 02:24.870 --> 02:30.530 He slaughtered lions and performed various execrable acts to invoke demons and avert 02:30.530 --> 02:36.010 war, for his only hope was that, by this means, victory would be secured to 02:36.010 --> 02:36.350 him. 02:37.790 --> 02:42.650 It is impossible to tell the ways in which this tyrant at Rome oppressed his 02:42.650 --> 02:47.210 subjects, so that they were reduced to such an extreme dearth of the necessities 02:47.210 --> 02:51.130 of life as has never been known, according to our contemporaries, 02:51.430 --> 02:53.010 either at Rome or elsewhere. 02:54.290 --> 02:59.670 But Maximinus, the tyrant in the East, having secretly formed a friendly alliance 02:59.670 --> 03:04.510 with the Roman tyrant as with a brother in wickedness, sought to conceal it for a 03:04.510 --> 03:09.530 long time, but being at last detected, he suffered merited punishment. 03:11.210 --> 03:16.050 It was wonderful how akin he was in wickedness to the tyrant at Rome, 03:16.330 --> 03:21.490 or rather how far he surpassed him in it, for the chief of sorcerers and magicians 03:21.490 --> 03:23.770 were honored by him with the highest rank. 03:24.030 --> 03:28.870 Becoming exceedingly timid and superstitious, he valued greatly the error 03:28.870 --> 03:30.230 of idols and demons. 03:30.950 --> 03:35.670 Indeed, without soothsayers and oracles, he did not venture to move even a finger, 03:35.930 --> 03:36.630 so to speak. 03:37.910 --> 03:42.830 Therefore he persecuted us more violently and incessantly than his predecessors. 03:43.350 --> 03:48.410 He ordered temples to be erected in every city, and the sacred groves which had been 03:48.410 --> 03:51.590 destroyed through lapse of time to be speedily restored. 03:52.330 --> 03:57.590 He appointed idol priests in every place and city, and he set over them in every 03:57.590 --> 04:02.490 province, as high priest, some political official who had especially distinguished 04:02.490 --> 04:06.930 himself in every kind of service, giving him a band of soldiers and a 04:06.930 --> 04:07.550 bodyguard. 04:08.130 --> 04:13.070 And to all jugglers, as if they were pious and beloved of the gods, he granted 04:13.070 --> 04:15.050 governments and the greatest privileges. 04:16.370 --> 04:21.570 From this time on he distressed and harassed not one city or country, 04:21.890 --> 04:27.270 but all the provinces under his authority, by extreme exactions of gold and silver 04:27.270 --> 04:31.410 and goods, and most grievous prosecutions and various fines. 04:31.970 --> 04:36.170 He took away from the wealthy the property which they had inherited from their 04:36.170 --> 04:41.070 ancestors, and bestowed vast riches and large sums of money on the flatterers 04:41.070 --> 04:41.710 about him. 04:43.030 --> 04:48.490 And he went to such an excess of folly and drunkenness that his mind was deranged and 04:48.490 --> 04:53.090 crazed in his carousals, and he gave commands when intoxicated, of which he 04:53.090 --> 04:54.750 repented afterward when sober. 04:55.170 --> 05:00.130 He suffered no one to surpass him in debauchery and profligacy, but made 05:00.130 --> 05:05.170 himself an instructor in wickedness to those about him, both rulers and subjects. 05:05.710 --> 05:11.030 He urged on the army to live wantonly in every kind of revelry and intemperance, 05:11.410 --> 05:16.070 and encouraged the governors and generals to abuse their subjects with rapacity and 05:16.070 --> 05:19.690 covetousness, almost as if they were rulers with him. 05:20.930 --> 05:26.710 Why need we relate the licentious, shameless deeds of the man, or enumerate 05:26.710 --> 05:29.090 the multitude with whom he committed adultery? 05:29.590 --> 05:34.170 For he could not pass through a city without continually corrupting women and 05:34.170 --> 05:35.270 ravishing virgins. 05:36.710 --> 05:42.350 And in this he succeeded with all except the Christians, for as they despised 05:42.350 --> 05:44.930 death, they cared nothing for his power. 05:45.590 --> 05:50.150 For the men endured fire and sword and crucifixion and wild beasts and the depths 05:50.150 --> 05:55.350 of the sea, and cutting off of limbs and burnings and pricking and digging out of 05:55.350 --> 06:01.330 eyes and mutilations of the entire body, and besides these, hunger and mines and 06:01.330 --> 06:01.910 bonds. 06:02.470 --> 06:07.590 In all they showed patience in behalf of religion rather than transfer to idols the 06:07.590 --> 06:08.950 reverence due to God. 06:10.210 --> 06:14.690 And the women were not less manly than the men in behalf of the teaching of the 06:14.690 --> 06:20.250 divine word, as they endured conflicts with the men and bore away equal prizes of 06:20.250 --> 06:20.650 virtue. 06:20.970 --> 06:25.030 And when they were dragged away for corrupt purposes, they surrendered their 06:25.030 --> 06:28.050 lives to death rather than their bodies to impurity. 06:29.770 --> 06:34.050 One only of those who were seized for adulterous purposes by the tyrant, 06:34.370 --> 06:37.930 a most distinguished and illustrious Christian woman in Alexandria, 06:38.410 --> 06:43.530 conquered the passionate and intemperate soul of Maximinus by most heroic firmness. 06:44.270 --> 06:49.310 Honorable on account of wealth and family and education, she esteemed all of these 06:49.310 --> 06:54.610 inferior to chastity, he urged her many times, but although she was ready to die, 06:54.790 --> 06:58.330 he could not put her to death, for his desire was stronger than his 06:58.330 --> 06:58.690 anger. 07:00.010 --> 07:03.990 He therefore punished her with exile and took away all her property. 07:04.670 --> 07:09.070 Many others, unable even to listen to the threats of violation from the heathen 07:09.070 --> 07:13.910 rulers, endured every form of tortures and rackings and deadly punishment. 07:14.950 --> 07:19.790 These indeed should be admired, but far the most admirable was that woman 07:19.790 --> 07:25.310 at Rome, who was truly the most noble and modest of all, whom the tyrant Maxentius, 07:25.670 --> 07:29.850 fully resembling Maximinus in his actions, endeavored to abuse. 07:31.230 --> 07:35.710 For when she learned that those who served the tyrant in such matters were at the 07:35.710 --> 07:40.250 house, she also was a Christian, and that her husband, although a prefect 07:40.250 --> 07:45.110 of Rome, would suffer them to take and lead her away, having requested a little 07:45.110 --> 07:50.110 time for adorning her body, she entered her chamber and, being alone, stabbed 07:50.110 --> 07:51.350 herself with a sword. 07:51.690 --> 07:56.850 Dying immediately, she left her corpse to those who had come for her, and by her 07:56.850 --> 08:02.350 deeds, more powerfully than by any words, she has shown to all men now and hereafter 08:02.350 --> 08:06.830 that the virtue which prevails among Christians is the only invincible and 08:06.830 --> 08:08.090 indestructible possession. 08:09.630 --> 08:14.250 Such was the career of wickedness which was carried forward at one and the same 08:14.250 --> 08:17.510 time by the two tyrants who held the East and the West. 08:18.850 --> 08:23.070 Who is there that would hesitate, after careful examination, to pronounce 08:23.070 --> 08:26.110 the persecution against us the cause of such evils? 08:26.830 --> 08:31.550 Especially since this extreme confusion of affairs did not cease until the Christians 08:31.550 --> 08:32.770 had obtained liberty. 08:38.650 --> 08:43.870 During the entire ten years of the persecution, they were constantly plotting 08:43.870 --> 08:47.850 and warring against one another, for the sea could not be navigated, 08:48.050 --> 08:53.230 nor could men sail from any port without being exposed to all kinds of outrages, 08:53.710 --> 08:58.010 being stretched on the rack and lacerated in their sides, that it might be 08:58.010 --> 09:01.950 ascertained through various tortures whether they came from the enemy, 09:02.290 --> 09:06.570 and finally being subjected to punishment by the cross or by fire. 09:07.810 --> 09:12.630 And besides these things, shields and breastplates were preparing, and darts and 09:12.630 --> 09:17.270 spears and other warlike accoutrements were making ready, and galleys and naval 09:17.270 --> 09:19.410 armor were collecting in every place. 09:20.010 --> 09:24.190 And no one expected anything else than to be attacked by enemies any day. 09:24.810 --> 09:29.810 In addition to this, famine and pestilence came upon them, in regard to which we 09:29.810 --> 09:32.730 shall relate what is necessary in the proper place. 09:34.050 --> 09:35.130 Chapter 16. 09:35.570 --> 09:41.930 THE CHANGE OF AFFAIRS FOR THE BETTER Such was the state of affairs during the entire 09:41.930 --> 09:42.570 persecution. 09:43.190 --> 09:48.530 But in the tenth year, through the grace of God, it ceased altogether, having begun 09:48.530 --> 09:50.570 to decrease after the eighth year. 09:51.090 --> 09:55.170 For when the divine and heavenly grace showed us favorable and propitious 09:55.170 --> 10:00.170 oversight, then truly our rulers, and the very persons by whom the war 10:00.170 --> 10:05.210 against us had been earnestly prosecuted, most remarkably changed their minds, 10:05.450 --> 10:10.330 and issued a revocation, and quenched the great fire of persecution which had been 10:10.330 --> 10:14.790 kindled by merciful proclamations and ordinances concerning us. 10:15.890 --> 10:21.970 But this was not due to any human agency, nor was it the result, as one might say, 10:22.170 --> 10:24.750 of the compassion or philanthropy of our rulers. 10:25.290 --> 10:30.190 Far from it, for daily from the beginning until that time they were devising more 10:30.190 --> 10:35.270 and more severe measures against us, and continually inventing outrages by a 10:35.270 --> 10:36.750 greater variety of instruments. 10:37.490 --> 10:42.670 But it was manifestly due to the oversight of divine providence, on the one hand 10:42.670 --> 10:47.190 becoming reconciled to his people, and on the other attacking him who 10:47.190 --> 10:52.310 instigated these evils, and showing anger toward him as the author of the cruelties 10:52.310 --> 10:53.750 of the entire persecution. 10:55.190 --> 10:59.890 For though it was necessary that these things should take place according to the 10:59.890 --> 11:04.870 divine judgment, yet the word saith, Woe to him through whom the offense 11:04.870 --> 11:05.390 cometh. 11:05.970 --> 11:10.650 Therefore punishment from God came upon him, beginning with his flesh and 11:10.650 --> 11:12.170 proceeding to his soul. 11:13.710 --> 11:18.610 For an abscess suddenly appeared in the midst of the secret parts of his body, 11:18.970 --> 11:24.230 and from it a deeply perforated sore, which spread irresistibly into his inmost 11:24.230 --> 11:24.870 bowels. 11:25.130 --> 11:31.010 An indescribable multitude of worms sprang from them, and a deathly odour arose, 11:31.410 --> 11:36.030 as the entire bulk of his body had, through his gluttony, been changed, 11:36.170 --> 11:41.750 before his sickness, into an excessive mass of soft fat, which became putrid, 11:41.970 --> 11:46.130 and thus presented an awful and intolerable sight to those who came near. 11:47.410 --> 11:51.810 Some of the physicians, being wholly unable to endure the exceeding 11:51.810 --> 11:57.590 offensiveness of the odour, were slain, others, as the entire mass had swollen and 11:57.590 --> 12:02.010 passed beyond hope of restoration, and they were unable to render any help, 12:02.370 --> 12:04.090 were put to death without mercy. 12:05.290 --> 12:12.090 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN THE REVOCATION OF THE RULERS Wrestling with so many evils, 12:12.350 --> 12:15.750 he thought of the cruelties which he had committed against the pious. 12:16.330 --> 12:21.210 Turning, therefore, his thoughts toward himself, he first openly confessed to the 12:21.210 --> 12:25.530 God of the universe, and then, summoning his attendants, he commanded 12:25.530 --> 12:29.050 that without delay they should stop the persecution of the Christians, 12:29.550 --> 12:34.570 and should by law and royal decree urge them forward to build their churches and 12:34.570 --> 12:39.430 to perform their customary worship, offering prayers in behalf of the emperor. 12:40.250 --> 12:42.590 Immediately the deed followed the word. 12:43.650 --> 12:48.670 The imperial decrees were published in the cities, containing the revocation of the 12:48.670 --> 12:50.970 acts against us in the following form. 12:52.330 --> 12:58.290 The Emperor Caesar Galerius Valerius Maximinus Invictus Augustus Pontifex 12:58.290 --> 13:04.370 Maximus Conqueror of the Germans Conqueror of the Egyptians Conqueror of the Thebans 13:04.370 --> 13:10.190 Five times Conqueror of the Sarmatians Conqueror of the Persians Twice Conqueror 13:10.190 --> 13:15.670 of the Carpathians Six times Conqueror of the Armenians Conqueror of the Medes 13:15.670 --> 13:21.390 Conqueror of the Adiabany Tribune of the people the twentieth time Emperor the 13:21.390 --> 13:28.130 nineteenth time Consul the eighth time Father of his country And the Emperor 13:28.130 --> 13:34.810 Caesar Flavius Valerius Constantinus, Pius Felix Invictus Augustus, Pontifex 13:34.810 --> 13:39.310 Maximus, Tribune of the People, Emperor the Fifth Time, Consul, 13:39.490 --> 13:41.550 Father of his Country, Proconsul. 13:41.730 --> 13:47.630 And the Emperor Caesar Valerius Licinius, Pius Felix Invictus, Augustus, 13:47.810 --> 13:53.330 Pontifex Maximus, Tribune of the People the Fourth Time, Emperor the Third Time, 13:53.690 --> 13:55.670 Consul, Father of his Country, Proconsul. 13:55.690 --> 13:59.310 To the people of their provinces, greeting. 14:00.570 --> 14:04.330 Among the other things which we have ordained for the public advantage and 14:04.330 --> 14:09.230 profit, we formerly wished to restore everything to conformity with the ancient 14:09.230 --> 14:14.330 laws and public discipline of the Romans, and to provide that the Christians also, 14:14.630 --> 14:18.890 who have forsaken the religion of their ancestors, should return to a good 14:18.890 --> 14:19.430 disposition. 14:20.650 --> 14:26.030 For in some way such arrogance had seized them and such stupidity had overtaken 14:26.030 --> 14:30.510 them, that they did not follow the ancient institutions which possibly their own 14:30.510 --> 14:35.370 ancestors had formerly established, but made for themselves laws according to 14:35.370 --> 14:40.950 their own purpose, as each one desired, and observed them, and thus assembled as 14:40.950 --> 14:43.450 separate congregations in various places. 14:44.570 --> 14:48.970 When we had issued this decree that they should return to the institutions 14:48.970 --> 14:54.450 established by the ancients, a great many submitted under danger, but a great many 14:54.450 --> 14:57.050 being harassed endured all kinds of death. 14:57.990 --> 15:03.330 And since many continue in the same folly, and we perceive that they neither offer to 15:03.330 --> 15:07.970 the heavenly gods the worship which is due, nor pay regard to the God of the 15:07.970 --> 15:12.530 Christians, in consideration of our philanthropy and our invariable custom, 15:12.970 --> 15:18.150 by which we are wont to extend pardon to all, we have determined that we ought more 15:18.150 --> 15:23.330 cheerfully to extend our indulgence in this matter also, that they may again be 15:23.330 --> 15:27.190 Christians, and may rebuild the conventicles in which they were accustomed 15:27.190 --> 15:32.070 to assemble, on condition that nothing be done by them contrary to discipline. 15:33.270 --> 15:37.550 In another letter we shall indicate to the magistrates what they have to observe. 15:39.650 --> 15:44.270 Wherefore, on account of this indulgence of ours, they ought to supplicate their 15:44.270 --> 15:50.170 God for our safety, and that of the people and their own, that the public welfare may 15:50.170 --> 15:55.430 be preserved in every place, and that they may live securely in their several homes. 15:57.150 --> 16:02.330 Such is the tenor of this edict, translated as well as possible from the 16:02.330 --> 16:04.030 Roman tongue into the Greek. 16:04.390 --> 16:07.810 It is time to consider what took place after these events. 16:09.730 --> 16:13.470 That which follows is found in some copies of the eighth book. 16:51.230 --> 16:56.670 As four of them held the supreme authority, those who were advanced in age 16:56.670 --> 17:00.770 and honor, after the persecution had continued not quite two years, 17:01.190 --> 17:05.690 abdicated the government, as we have already stated, and passed the remainder 17:05.690 --> 17:08.250 of their lives in a common and private station. 17:09.270 --> 17:11.550 The end of their lives was as follows. 17:12.050 --> 17:16.750 He who was first in honor and age perished through a long and most grievous physical 17:16.750 --> 17:17.570 infirmity. 17:18.250 --> 17:23.170 He who held the second place ended his life by strangling, suffering thus 17:23.170 --> 17:27.730 according to a certain demoniacal prediction, on account of his many daring 17:27.730 --> 17:28.410 crimes. 17:29.310 --> 17:34.030 Of those after them, the last, of whom we have spoken as the originator 17:34.030 --> 17:38.190 of the entire persecution, suffered such things as we have related. 17:38.610 --> 17:43.610 But he who preceded him, the most merciful and kindly Emperor Constantius, 17:44.090 --> 17:47.670 passed all the time of his government in a manner worthy of his office. 17:47.670 --> 17:52.750 Moreover, he conducted himself towards all most favorably and beneficently. 17:53.590 --> 17:58.390 He took not the smallest part in the war against us, and preserved the pious that 17:58.390 --> 18:00.710 were under him unharmed and unabused. 18:01.350 --> 18:05.330 Neither did he throw down the church buildings, nor devise anything else 18:05.330 --> 18:06.150 against us. 18:06.970 --> 18:09.650 The end of his life was happy and thrice blessed. 18:09.650 --> 18:15.350 He alone at death left his empire happily and gloriously to his own son as his 18:15.350 --> 18:19.670 successor, one who was in all respects most prudent and pious. 18:20.270 --> 18:24.950 He entered on the government at once, being proclaimed Supreme Emperor and 18:24.950 --> 18:26.390 Augustus by the soldiers. 18:27.070 --> 18:31.470 And he showed himself an emulator of his father's piety toward our doctrine. 18:32.130 --> 18:36.170 Such were the deaths of the four, of whom we have written, which took place 18:36.170 --> 18:37.350 at different times. 18:38.190 --> 18:44.030 Of these, moreover, only the one referred to a little above by us, with those who 18:44.030 --> 18:48.590 afterward shared in the government, finally published openly to all the 18:48.590 --> 18:52.410 above-mentioned confession in the written edict which he issued.