office of burying those perfected and blessed men who suffered martyrdom. For, to the present day, the governor does not cease killing them, as I before said, in a most cruel manner, whenever they are arraigned, torturing some with scourging, wasting others with imprisonment and bonds, and commanding that no one shall go nigh them, and examining whether any is seen to do so. And yet God, by the alacrity and kindness of the brethren, has afforded some relief to the afflicted." Such is the statement of Dionysius in this epistle.

Now it should be observed, that this Eusebius, whom he called a deacon, was not long after appointed bishop of Laodicea, in Syria; and Maximus, whom he called a presbyter, at that time succeeded Dionysius as bishop of the church at Alexandria. But Faustus, who was at that time greatly distinguished for his confession, being reserved until the persecution of our times, in a very advanced age, and full of days, was made perfect as a martyr, and was beheaded. Such were the events that happened to Dionysius at this time.

CHAPTER XII.

THE MARTYRS AT CÆSAREA OF PALESTINE.

In the persecution of Valerian, mentioned above, three men of Cæsarea in Palestine, who shone gloriously in their confession of Christ, were honoured with divine martyrdom by becoming the food of wild beasts. Of these, one was called Priscus, another Malchus, the third was named Alexander. These, it is said, living in the country, blamed themselves for being careless and indolent, because when the occasion presented illustrious rewards to those who were panting with the desire of heaven, they were negligent, and did not seize the martyr's crown. But revolving these things in their mind, they afterwards hasted to Cæsarea, and advanced to the judge, and obtained the sentence we have mentioned. It is also said, that a certain female endured a similar conflict in the same persecution and city, who is said to have been of the sect of Marcion.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE PEACE AFTER GALLIENUS.

As it was not long before Valerian was taken captive, and reduced to slavery by the barbarians, his son Gallienus, obtaining the sole command, was disposed to use more clemency in the exercise of his power. He, therefore, immediately restrained the persecution against us, by sending edicts, in which he commanded that the ministers of the word might perform the customary duties of their office with freedom, the copy of which was as follows: "The emperor Cæsar Publius Licinius Gallienus Pius Felix Augustus, to Dionysius, Pinna, Demetrius, and the other bishops. The benefit of the privilege granted by me. I have ordered to be issued throughout the whole world, that all may depart from their religious retreats; and therefore you may make use of this copy of my my edict, that no one may molest you. And this liberty indeed, which you are now permitted to have, has been long since granted by me. Aurelius Cyrenius, therefore, who has the chief administration of affairs, will keep the copy here given by me." This, that it may be the better understood, we have here presented to our readers, in a translation from the Latin tongue. There is also another ordinance from him, which he addressed to other bishops, in which he grants permission to recover what are called the cemeteries.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE BISHOPS THAT FLOURISHED AT THIS TIME.

At this time the episcopate in the Roman church was still held by Xystus; in the church of Antioch, after Fabius, by Demetrianus; of Cæsarea in Cappadocia, by Firmilianus; of the churches in Pontus, by Gregory, and his brother Athenodorus, both of them familiar friends of Origen. At Cæsarea of Palestine, after the death of Theoctistus, the episcopal office was conferred on Domnus, and he not surviving long, was succeeded by Theotecnus our

contemporary, who was of the school of Origen. In Jerusalem, after the decease of Mazabanus, Hymenæus followed as his successor in the episcopal seat, the same that has been eminent in many respects in the present day.

CHAPTER XV.

THE MARTYRDOM OF MARINUS AT CESAREA.

ABOUT this time, as peace was every where restored to the churches, Marinus of Cæsarea in Palestine, who was one of the army, distinguished for his military honours, and illustrious for his family and wealth, was beheaded for his confession of Christ on the following account: There is a certain honour among the Romans, called the vine, and they who obtain it are called centurions. A place becoming vacant, Marinus, by the order of succession, was called to this promotion; but when he was on the point of obtaining this, another advancing to the tribunal began to make opposition, saying, that according to the ancient institutions it was not lawful for him to share in the Roman honours, as he was a Christian, and refused to sacrifice to the emperors; and that the office devolved on himself. The judge, whose name was Achæus, roused at this, first began to ask what the opinions of Marinus were; and when he saw him constantly affirming that he was a Christian, he granted him three hours for reflection. But as soon as he came out of the prætorium, or judgment hall, Theotecnus, the bishop of the place, coming to him, drew him aside in conversation, and taking him by the hand, conducted him to the church; and having placed him within by the altar, he raised his cloak a little, and pointing to the sword that was attached to his side, at the same time presenting before him the book of the holy gospels, told him to choose either of the two according to his wish. Without hesitation he extended his hand and took the book. "Hold fast, then, hold fast to God," said Theotecnus, "and strengthened by Him, mayest thou obtain what thou hast chosen-go in peace." Immediately upon his return from thence, a crier began to proclaim before the prætorium, for the appointed time had already passed

away; and being thus arraigned, after exhibiting a still greater ardour in his faith, he was forthwith led away as he was, and made perfect by martyrdom.

CHAPTER XVI.

SOME ACCOUNT OF ASTYRIUS.

MENTION is also made in these times of the pious confidence of Astyrius, a man who was a Roman of senatorial rank, in great favour with the emperors, and well known to all for his noble birth and his wealth. As he was present at the death of the above-mentioned martyr, taking up the corpse, he bore him on his shoulder in a splendid and costly dress, and covering it in a magnificent manner, committed it to a decent burial. Many other facts are stated of the man by his friends, who have lived to the present times.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE MIRACLES OF OUR SAVIOUR AT PANEAS.

AMONG these there was the following remarkable occurrence. At Cæsarea Philippi, which is called Paneas by the Phoenicians, they say there are springs that are shown there, at the foot of the mountain called Panius, from which the Jordan rises; and that on a certain festival day there was usually a victim thrown into these, and that this, by the power of the demon, in some wonderful manner entirely disappeared. The thing was a famous wonder to all that were there to see it. Astyrius happening to be once present at these rites, and seeing the multitude astonished at the affair, pitied their delusion. Then raising his eyes to heaven, he implored the God over all through Christ, to refute this seducing demon, and to restrain the delusion of the people. As soon as he prayed, it is said that the victim floated on the stream, and that thus this miracle vanished, no wonder ever more occurring in this place.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE STATUE ERECTED BY THE WOMAN HAVING AN
HEMORRHAGE.

BUT as we have mentioned this city, I do not think it right to pass by a narrative that deserves to be recorded for posterity. They say that the woman who had an issue of blood, mentioned by the evangelists, and who obtained deliverance from her affliction by our Saviour, was a native of this place, and that her house is shown in the city, and the wonderful monuments of our Saviour's benefit to her are still remaining. At the gates of her house, on an elevated stone, stands a brazen image of a woman on her bended knee, with her hands stretched out before her like one entreating. Opposite to this there is another image of a man erect, of the same materials, decently clad in a mantle (diñλoida), and stretching out his hand to the woman. Before her feet, and on the same pedestal, there is a certain strange plant growing, which, rising as high as the hem of the brazen garment, is a kind of antidote to all kinds of diseases. This statue, they say, is a statue of Jesus Christ, and it has remained even until our times; so that we ourselves saw it whilst tarrying in that city. Nor is it to be wondered at, that those of the Gentiles who were anciently benefited by our Saviour, should have done these things, since we have also seen representations of the apostles Peter and Paul, and of Christ himself, still preserved in paintings; as it is probable that, according to a practice among the Gentiles, the ancients were accustomed to pay this kind of honour indiscriminately to those who were saviours to them.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE EPISCOPAL SEAT OF JAMES.

JAMES being the first that received the dignity of the episcopate at Jerusalem, from our Saviour himself, as the sacred Scriptures show that he was generally called the brother of Christ; this See, which has been preserved