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CONTENTS OF BOOK III

The contents of the third book of the History of the Church is as follows :

I. The parts of the world in which the apostles preached Christ.

II. Who was the first ruler of the church οf the Romans.

III. on the letters of the Ρostles.

IV, on the first successors of the aportles.

V. on the last siege of the Jews after Christ.

VI. On the famine that οppressed them.

VII. On the Ρrοphecies οf Crhist.

VIII. On the signs before the war.

IX. On Josephus and the writings which he left.

X. Ηow he quotes the sacred books.

XI. Ηow after James Simeon ruled the church at Jerusalem.

XII. Ηοw vespasian ordered the family of Darivld to be sought out.

XIII. Ηow Abilius was the seeond ruler of the Alexandrians.

XIV. Ηow Anencletus was the second bishop of the Romans.

XV. How, after him, clement was the third.

XVI. On the epistle of Clement. XVII.p On the Ρersecution under Domitian.

XVIII. On John the Apostle and the Apocalypse.

XIX. How domitian commanded the family of David to be destroyed.

XX. On family family of our Saviour.

XXI. How Cerdo was the third to rule the church of the Alexandrians.

XXII. How Ignatius was the second of the Antiochians.

XXIII. Α narrative about John the Apostle.

XXIV. Οn the order of the Gospels.

XXV. Οn the writings acknowledged as sacred and Οn those which are not.

XXVI. Οn Μenander the Sorcerer.

XXVII. Οn the heresy of the Ebionites.

XXVII. On Cerinthus the Heresiarch.

XXIX. On Nicholas and those called after him.

XXX. Οn the apostles who were tested by marriage.

XXXO/ On the death of John and Philip.

XXXII. How Simeon, the bishop in Jerusalem, was martyred.

XXXIII. How Trajan forbade the Christians to be sought out.

XXXIV. How Evarestus was the fourth to rule the church of the Romans.

XXXV. How Justus was the third ruler of the church in jerusalem.

XXXVI. Οn Ignatius and his letters.

XXXVII. On the evangelists who were still flourishing.

XXXVIII. On the letter of Clement and the writings fabely attributed to him.

XXXIX. On the writings of Papias.

BOOK III

I. Such was the condition of things among the Jews, but the holy Apostles and disciples of our Saviour were seattered throughout the whole world. Thomas, as tradition relates, obtained by lot Parthia, Andrew Scythia, John Asia (and he stayed there and died in Ephesus), but Ρeter Seems to have preached to the Jews of the Dispersion in Pontus and Galatia and Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia, and at the end he came to Rome and was crueffied head downwards, for so he had demanded to suffer. What need be said of Ρaul, who fulffiled the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem to Illyria and afterward was martyred in Rome under Νerο ? This is stated exactly by Οrigen in the third volume of his commentary on Genesis.

II. Αfter the martyrdom of Paul and Ρeter, Linus was the first appointed to the bishopric of the church of Rome. Ρaul mentions him when writing from Rome to Timothy in the salutation at the end of the Εpistle.

III. Οf Ρeter, one epistle, that which is called his first, is admitted, and the aneient presbyters used this in their οwn writings as unquestioned, but the so-called second Epistle we have not received as canonical, but nevertheless it has appeared useful to many, and has been studied with other seriptures. On the other hand, of the Αcts bearing his name, and the Gospel named according to him and Preaching called his and the so-called Revelation, we have no knowledge at all in Catholic tradition, for no orthodox1 writer of the andent time or of our own has used their testimonies. Αs the narrative proceeds 1 will take pains to infficate suecessively wMhlch of the orthodox writers in eaeh period used any of the doubtful books, and what they said about the canonical and accepted scriptures and what about those which are not such. Νow the above are the books bearing the name of Ρeter, of which I recognize only οne as genuine and admitted by the presbyters of old. Αnd the fourteen letters of Ρaul are obvious and plain, yet it is not right to ignore that some dispute the Epistle to the Hebrews, saying that it was rejected by the church of Rome as not being by Ρaul, and I will expound at the proper time what was sriald about it by our predecessors. Νor have I received his so-called Acts among undisputed books. But since the same Apostle in the salutations at the end οf Romans has mentioned among others Hermas, whose, they say, is the Book of the shepherd, it should be known that this also is rejected by some, and for their sake should not be placed among ¹ aceepted books, but by others it has been judged most valuable, especially to thoSe Who need elementary instruction. For this reason we know that it has been used in public in churehes, and I have found it quoted by some of the most ancient writers. Let this suffiee for the establishment of the divine wrintings which are undisputed, and of those which are not received bv all.

IV. Νοw it would be clear from Paul's own words and from the narrative of Luke in the Acts that Ρaul, in his preaching to the Gentiles, laid the foundations of the churches from Jerusalem round about unto Illyricum. Αnd from the Epistle which we have spoken of as indisputably Peter's, in which he writes to those of the Hebrews in the Dispersion of Pontus and Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, it would be clear from his own words in how many provinces he delivered the word οf the Νew Testament by preaching the Gospel of Christ to those of the eireumcision. But it is not easy to say how many οf these and which of them were genuinely zealous and proved their ability to be the pastors of the churches founded by the Apostles, except by making a list of those mentioned by raul. For there were many thousands of his fellow-workers and, as he called them himself, fellow - soldiers, of whom the most were granted by him memorial past forgetting, for he recounts his testimony to them unceasingly in his own letters, and, moreover, Luke also in the Acts gives a list of those known to him and mentions them by name. Thus Timothy is related to have been the first appointed bishop of the diocese of Ephesus, as was Titus of the ehurehes in Crete. Luke, who was by raee an Antiochian and a physician by profession, was long a companion of Ρaul, and had careful conversation with the other Apostles, and in two books left us examples of the medicine for souls which he had gained from them—the Gospel, which he testifies that he had planned according to the tradition reeeived by him by those who were from the beginning eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, all of whom he says,1 moreover, he had followed from the beginning, and the Acts of the Apostles which he composed no longer on the evidence of hearing but of his own eyes. Αnd they say that Paul was actually accustomed to quote from Luke's Gospel since when writing of some Gospel as his own he used to say, “ According to my ” Of the other followers of Ρaul there is evidence that Crescens was sent by him to Gaul, and Linus, who is mentioned in the seeond Epistle to Timothy as present with him in Rome has already been deelared to have been the first after Ρeter to be appointed to the bishopric of the Chureh in Rome. Of Clement too, who was himself made the third bishop of the chureh of Rome, it is testified by Paul that he worked and strove in company with him. In addition to these Dionysius, one of the ancients, the pastor Of the diocese of the Corinthians, relates that the first bishop of the Chureh at Athens was that member of the Areopagus, the Οther Dionysius, whose original eonversion after Ρaul’s speech to the Athenians in the Areopagus Luke deseribed in the Acts. Now ² as we go on our way the chronological details of the succession of the Apostles will be related, but at present let us go on to the next stage of the narrative.

V. Αfter Νero had held the sovereignty for thirteen years 1 the affairs of Galba and Otho 2 occupied a year and six months, and then Vespasian, who had distinguished himself in the operations against the Jews, was proclaimed Imperator by the army there and appointed Emperor in Judaea itself. Ηe at once set off for Rome and entrusted the war against the Jews to his son Titus. Now after the ascension of our Saviour in addition to their crime against him the Jews at onee contrived numberless plots against his disciples. Stephen was first stoned to death by them and next after him James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John, was beheaded.3 In addition to all, James, who was the first after the ascension οf our Saviour to be appointed to the throne of the bishopric in Jerusalem, paried away in the manner deseribed above and the other Apostles were driven from the land of Judaea by thousands of deadly Ρlots. They went on their way to all the heathen teaching their mesage in the power of Christ for he had said to them, “ Go and make disciples of all the heathen in my ” 4 On the other hand, the ³⁴ people οf the church in Jerusalem were commanded by an oracle given by revelation before the war to those in the city who were worthy of it to depart and dwell in one οf the cities of Perea which they called Ρella. To it those who believed on Christ migrated from Jerusalem, that when holy men had altogether deserted the royal eapital of the Jews and the Whole land of Judaea, the judgement of God might at last overtake them for all their crimes against the Christ and his Apostles, and all that generation οf the wicked be utterly blotted out from among men. Those who wish can retrace accurately from the history written by Josephus how many evils at that time overwhelmed the whole nation in every place and especially how the inhabitants οf Judaea were driven to the last point of suffering, how many thousands οf youths, women, and children perished by the sword, by famine, and by countless other forms of death ; they ean read how many and what famous Jewish cities were besieged, and Rnally how terrors and worse than terrors were seen by those who fled to Jerusalem as if to a mighty capital; they can study the nature οf the whole war, all the details οf what happened in it, and how at the end the abomination of deSolation spoken of by the prophets was set up in the very temple of God, for all its ancient fame, and it perished utteriy and passed away in flames. But it is neceSSary to point οut how the same writer estimates at three millions the number οf those who in the days of the Feart of the Passover thronged Jerusalem from all Judaea and, to use his own words, were shut up as if in prison. Ιt vas indeed right that on the same day on which they had perpetrated the passion of the Saviour and benefactor of all men and the Chrit of God they sholrid be, as it were shut up in prison and reeeiVe the destruetiOn which pursued them from the sentence of God.

Omitting then the details of their misfortunes from the sword and otherwise, Ι think it necessary to adduce only their sufferings from famine in order that those who study this work may have some partial knowledge of how the punishment of God follOWed close after them for their crime against the Christ of God.

VI. Come then, take up again the fifth book of the history of Josephus and go through the tragedy of what was then done. “For the ’’he says, “ to remain was equal to destruction, since for the sake of their property they were murdered on the charge of intended desertion. But the madneb of the rebels grew with the famine, and the terror of both blazed more fiercely day by day. No corn was visible anywhere, but they burst into houses and searched them. Then, if they found any, they tormented the inmates for their denying; if not they tortured then for having hidden it too earefully. The bodies of the miserable creatures were evidence whether they had it or not. Those who were still in health seemed to be provided with food, while those who were already wasted away were passed by, and it seemed unreasonable to kill those who would soon die of need. Μany secretly exchanged their property for a single measure or wheat, if they were richer, of barley, if they were poorer. Then, shutting themselves up in the inmost recesses of their houSes, some, in the extremity of their want, would eat the grain unprepared, others would cook it as necessity and fear dietated. No table was set anyWhere, but snatching it from the fire they tore in pieces the still uncooked food. Their living was pitiable, and their appearance worthy of tears ; the strong plundered and the weak wailed. Famine truly surpasses all sufferings, but it destroys nothing so much as shame 1 ; for what is at other times worthy of respect is despised in famine ; women took the food from the very mouths of their husbands, children from their fathers, and, most piteous of all, mothers from their children, and while their deareSt were wasting away before them there WaS no scruple in taking away the last drop of life. Yet they did not escape detection When they thus ate, but everywhere the rioters arose to rob them even of this; for whenever they Saw a house Shut up it was a sign that those within had obtained food and at onee they tore down the doors, ruShed in, and seized the morSelS, almost squeering them out of their throats. Old men were beaten for withholding food, and Women were dragged by the hair for concealing it in their hands. There Was no pity for grey-headed age or for little children, but they picked up babies clinging to crusts and dashed them on the floor. ⁵ To those who had anticipated their entry, and had gulped down their expected prey, they were the more cruel, as though they had been injured by them. For the ffiscovery of food they sought for terrible methods of torture, sewing up their victims and inmpaling them on sharp stakes. Men suffered things terrible even to hear to secure the confession of a single loaf, and to disclose a single pint of hidden barley. But the torturers suKered no hunger (and indeed their cruelty would have been less had it been from neeessity) but there was method in their madness and they prorided sustenanee for themselves for days to come. When some crept out by night as far as the Roman lines to gather wild herbs and grass, they intercepted them when they thought that they had at last escaped the enemy, plundered them of what they were carrying, and for all their many entreaties and invocations of the awful name οf God to give them some share οf what they had brought at their οwn risk, they gave them nothing whatever, and he Who Was robbed was lueky not to be murdered too.” Αfter some οther details he continues: “Νow When all hope of safety was cut off from the Jews by the closing of the exits from the city and famine deepening from house to house and family to family was eating up the people, the rooms were filled with dead women and children and the alley—ways the corpses of old men. Boys and young men, wandering 1 like ghosts through the market—place, were seimd by death and lay each where the blow had stricken him. The sick had no strength to bury sufferers from famine, not of ghosb (and the text seems corrupt). Or it may be “ swllen yet ghost—like ghost—like ’’ their families and the strong heritated for the number of the dead and their own doubtful fate. Many indeed fell in death on those whom they were burying and many went to their graves before the necessity arose. There was no lamentation or wailing at losses, but famine overcame emotion and those who were dying in misery looked with dry eyes on those Who had found rest before them. Deep silence and night pregnant with death encompassed the city. Worse than these were the robbers. Breaking into houses like body-snatchers they robbed the dead, tearing the garments from their bodies, and went out with laughter. They tried the edge of their Swords on the corpses, and to prove the steel ran through some of the fallen who were still alive, but those who begged for the kindliness of a mortal blow they left in contempt to the famine. These all died with eyes fixed on the temple and lert the rebels to life. Αt first orders were giVen to bury the dead at the public expense because of the unbearable stench ; then afterwards when this was impracticable they Were thrown from the walls into the trenches. When Titus, going round the trenches, saw then full of the dead and the thick gore oozing from the rotting bodies, he groaned, and raising his hand called God to witness that this was not his doing.”

Αfter a little more he goes on : “Ι cannot refrain from stating what emotion bids me. Ι think that had the Roman delayed their attack on the scoundrels the city would haVe been engulfed by the earth opening or overwhelmed by a flood or shared the thunderbolts of Sodom, for it had brought forth a generation far more ungodly than those who thus suffered. It was by their madness that the whole people perished.”

In the sixth book he writes thus : “Οf those who perished in the city from the famine the number which fell was countless and their sufferings indescribable. For in each house if there appeared the very shadow οf food there was fighting, and the dearest friends wrestled together for it, snatching the miserable sustenance of life. Νor were even the dying believed to be destitute, but while they were still breathing the robbers searched them, lest any should feign death while having food on his person. others, gaping from lack of food, stumbled and hurried along like mad dogs, beating at the doors like drunken men, and rushing two or three times in a single hour into the same houses from sheer incompetence. Necessity brought all things to men's teeth and they endured eating a collection of scraps unnt for the ffithieSt of brute beasts. Αt the last they abstained not even from belts and shoes and gnawed the hides stripped off their shieldS. Some fed on wisps of old straw, others collected Stubble and sold a tiny portion for four Attic drachmae.1

“But what need is there to Speak of the shamelessness οf the famine towards inanimate things? I purpose to relate a consequenee of it such as has been narrated neither by the Greeks nor by the barbarians, horrible to tell, ineredible to hear. I myself would have gladly omitted the tragedy to avoid ⁶ appearing to posterity to fabricate legend had I not had coulrtless vitneses to it in my own generation. Certainly I should render cold comfort to my country Were I to compromise the account of her sufferings. There was a woman among those who lived beyond Jordan named Mary whose father was Eliezer of the village Bathezor (which means “ House of ”). She was famous for her family and Wealth, and having fled with the rest of the population to Jerusalem was eaught in the Siege. The tyrants seized all her other possessions which she had brought from Peraea and carried into the city, and the guards rushed in daily and seized the iemnants of her property and any food which they perceived. Fierce indignation seized the woman and by her frequent abuseS and curses she tried to irritate the robbers against herSelf. But when no one killed her either in anger or pity and she wearied of finding food for others, and indeed it was now impossible to do so anywhere, famine entered into her heart and marrow, and rage burnt more fiercely than famine. Anger and neceSsity were her councillors: she turned against nature and seized her child, a boy whom She was suckling. ‘Miserable infant,’ she said, ‘amid war, famine, and rebellion for what 1 am I keeping you ? Slavery among the Romans faces us if they give us our liveS ; famine is overtaking slavery; the rebelS are worse than both. Come, be food for me, an avenging fury to the rebels, and the one story still lacking to the sufferings of the Jews to be told to the world.’ With these words she her son, and then cooked him, ate half, and covered ⁷⁸ up and kept the rest. Αt that moment the rebels came and smelling the horrible savour, threatened to kill her at onee if they were not given what she had made ready. she told them that rile had kept a good helping for them and uncovered the remains of the child. Αs for them, horror and amazement seized them at once, and they stood transfixed at the sight, but She said, ‘ This was my own child and the deed is mine. Eat, for I myself have eaten. Do not be more squeamish than a woman, or compassionate than a mother. But if you have scruples, and turn away from my sacrifice, What I have eaten was your share, let the rest remain for me.’ Αt they went out trembling, for only thiS made them coWards, and they scarcely yielded eVen thiS food to the mother ; but the Whole eity waS at once ffiled with the horror, and each, holding the tragedy before hiS eyes, shuddered as if it had been his own crime. And the sufferers from the famine sought for death and pronounced those blessed whom it had reached before they heard or saw such awful evils.”

VII. Such was the reward of the iniquity of the Jews and of their impiety against the ChriSt of God, but it is worth appending to it the infallible foreeast of our saviour in which he prophetically expounded these very — “ woe unto them that are with child and give suek in those days, but pray that your ffight be not in the winter nor on a sabbath day, for there Shall then be great affliction such as was not from the beginning of the world until now, nor shall be.” Αnd the historian, estimating the whole of those who were destroyed, says that 1.100.000 perished by famine and tlle sword, and that the rest of the rebels and bandits were pointed out by one another after the capture of the city and killed. The tallest of the youths, and those distinguished for physical beauty, were kept for a triumph, and of the remaining population those above seventeen years old Were sent as prisoners to hard labour in Egypt, but more were distributed throughout the provinces to be destroyed in the theatres by the sword and by wild beasts. Those below seventeen years old were sold into slavery and these alone were 90.000.

These things happened in this Way in the second year of the reign of Vespasian in accordance with the prophetic utterances of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who foreseeing them by divine power as though already present, shed tears at them and mourned according to the writing of the saered evangelist, who appends his actual words. For once he said to Jerusalem herself, “ If thou hadst known, even thou, in this day the thing which belong to thy peaee : but now they are hid from thine eyes, for the days will come upon thee When thine enemy Shall cart a trench around thee and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee and thy children even with the ground.” at another time, as if concerning the ”For there shall be great distress On the earth and wrath upon this people, and they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and be sold into slavery to all the Gentiles, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” And again, “ Αnd when ye Jemsalem surrounded by armies then know that her desolation is at ” If anyone compare the words of our Saviour with the other narratives of the historian concerning the whole war, how can he avoid surprise and a confession οf the truly divine and supematurally wonderful character both of the foreknowledge knowledge and of the foretelling οf our Saviour?

There is no necessity to add to the narratives of what happened to the whole nation after the passion of the Saviour and those words in which the multitude of the Jews begged off from death the robber and murderer and besought that the author of Life should be taken from them ; but it would be right to add a possible connnnation οf the kindliness οf beneficent Providence. For forty whole years it suspended their dertruction, after their crime against the Christ, and during all of them many ofthe apostles and disciples, and James himself, who is called the Lord's brother, the first bishop of the city, still survived in this world. By their dwelling in Jerusalem, they afforded, as it were, a strong proteetion to the place; for the govemment of God had still patience, if haply they might at last by repenting of their deeds, be able to obtain pardon and salvation; and in addition to such great long—suffering it wonderful tokens from God οf what would happen to them if they did not repent. These things have been thought worthy of mention by the historian already quoted, and there is nothing better than to append them for the readers of this work.

VIII. Take, then, and read what is related in the sixth book of the Jervish War. “ Now at that time impostors and lying prophets perverted the miserable people, but they gaVe neither attention nor credence to the clear marvels which foretold approaching desolation, but as though they had been thunderstruck and had neither eyes nor soul, they neglected the declarations of God. Αt One time a star stood over the city like a sword, and a comet which lasted for a year. Αt another tlme, before the insurrection, and the disturbance which led to the war, when the people were assembled for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on the eighth of April, at the ninth hour of the night, a light shone on the alter and on the temple so brightly that it seemed to be full day, and this lasted for half an hour. TO the inexperienced this seemed a good sign, but was at once interpreted by the seribes before the events which actually followed. Αnd at thc same feast a cow, which had been led by the —priest for the sacrifice, gave birth to a lamb in the middle of the tempIe, And the eastern gate of the inner building, which was of bronze and very massive and was closed at evening time with difficulty by twenty men, and rested on beams bound with iron and had bars sunk deep, was seen at night at the sixth hour to have opened of itself. Αnd after the feast, not many days later, on the twenty—first of May, a demonic phantom of increffible size, and what will be related would have seemed a fairy-tale had it not been told by those who saw it, and been attended by suffering worthy of the portent. For before sunset there appeared in the air over the whole country chariots and armed troops coursing through the clouds and surrounding the cities. Αnd at the feast called Pentecost the priests passed into the temple at night, as was their custom, for their services, and said that they first perceived movement and noise and after that a sudden cry, ‘ We go hence’ But what was terrible a man of the people named Jesus, the son οf Ananias, a countryman, four years before the war, when the city was in complete peaee and prosperity, came to the feast when it was the custom for all to make booths for God, and began suddenly to cry οut opposite the temple, ‘ Α voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the temple, a voice against bridegrooms and brides, a voice against all the people.’ With this cry night and day he through all the narrow streets. But some οf the notables οf the people were annoyed at the ill omen, seized the man and abused him with many stripes. But he uttered no word in his own behalf, nor in private to those present, but went οn with the same cry as before. But the rulers thought that the man's action was inspired by some demon, as it indeed was, and brought him to the Roman govemor 1 ; there, though he was flayed to the bone with scourges, he uttered no plea and shed no tear, but taising his ⁹ voice with all his power, answered to every blow, ‘Woe, woe to Jerusalem.’”

The same writer has a still more remarkable account in Which he alleges that an oracle was found in “ sacred seript ” to the effect that at that time one from their country should rule the world and he himself considered that this was fulfilled by Vespasian. Yet he did not reign over the whole world, but only such part as was subject to the Romans, and it would be more justly referred to Christ, to whom it was said by the Father, “ Αk of me and Ι will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends οf the earth for thy possession.” was of his holy apostles at that Very time that “ the sound went forth into all tbe earth and their words unto the end of the earth.”

IX. In addition to all this, it is right not to ignore ¹⁰ the date and Origin οf the Josephus who collected so mueh material in the work just dealt with. Ηe himself gives this information and says, “ was a son of Mathhisas, a priest of Jerusalem, and at the beginning he fought againrt the Romans and was forced to take part in the later events.” was the most famous Jew of that time, not only among his fellow countrymen but also among the Romans, so that he was honoured by the erection of a statue in the city of Rome, and the inclusion of the work composed by him in its library Ηe compiled the whole ancient history of the Jews in twenty volumes, 1 and the history of the Roman War 2 in his own time in seven; he testifies that he committed this not only to Greek but also to his native language, and he is for other reasons worthy of credenee. Two other books of his, worthy of notice, are extant, entitled Οn the ancientness of the Jervs, 3 in which he controverts Apion the Scribe, who had composed a treatise against the Jews, and other who had tried to calumniate the ancertral customs of the Jewish nation. Ιn the first of these he gives the number of the canonical scriptures of the –called Old Testament, and showed as follows which are undisputed among the Hebrews as belonging to ancicnt tradition.

X. “ We have no myriads of discordant and contradictory books, but only two and twenty, containing the narrative of all time, which have been justly believed to be divine. Οf thee five are those of ¹¹¹²¹³ Moses and contain the Law and the tradition of human history until his deatll. This period covers almost three thousand years. From the death of Moses to Artaxerxes who succeeded Xerxes, king of the Persians, the prophets after Moses wrote the aecount of the events contemporary with them in thirteen books. 1 The remaining four books contain hymns to God and precepts for the life of men. From the time of Artaxerxes to our own the details have been written, 2 but are not considered worthy οf equal credence with the rest because there has not been an aceurate succession of prophetS. Αnd facts show plainly how we approach our own literature, for though so long a time has elapsed no one has dared to make additions, omissions, or changes, but it is innate in Jews from their very birth to regard them as the decreeS of God, to abide in them and, if it need be, to die for them ” This quotation from the author may be usefully appended.

Another work which is not without merit was produced by him on The Supremacy of Reason, which some entitled Maccabees 3 because it contains the conflicts of those Hebrews mentioned in the so-called books of the Maccabees, who strove valiantly for the worship of God. Αt the end of the twentieth book οf the Antiquities the same writer announces that he had planned to compose four books on the aneestral belief of the Jews concerning God and his nature and ¹⁴¹⁵¹⁶ concerning the Laws, why they allow some aetions and forbid others. Ηe also mentions in his οwn treatises that he had produced other works. Moreover, it is right to mention the words which he appends to the end οf the Antiquities to confirm our quotation οf the passages taken from him. Accusing of false statements Justus of Tiberias, who had undertaken to write a similar account of the same period, and bringing many οther charges against him, he continues as follows : “ I had no such fear as you with regard to my own writing, but I gave the books to the Emperors themselves while the events were still almost before their eyes. For I was conscious of having kept the tradition of the truth and I did not fail in my expectation of obtaining their testimony to that effect. I also gave the narrative to many others, of whom some had actually taken part in the war, such as King Agrippa and some of his relations. For the Emperor Titus Was pleased that from these book alone should information be given the public as to the events, and, writing with his own hand, he ordered the books to be published, and King Agrippa wrote sixty-two letters testifying that they were handing on the ” of these letters he appends two, but let this suffice οn the subject of Josephus and let us proceed.

XI. Αfter the martyrdom of James and the capture of Jemsalem which immeffidlately followed, the story goes that those οf the Apostles and of the disciples οf the Lord who were still alive came together from every place with those who were, humanly speaking, οf the family οf the Lord, for many of them were then still alive, and they all took counsel together as to whom they οught to adjudge worthy to succeed James, and all unanimously decided that Simeon the son οf Clopas, whom the scripture οf the Gospel also mentions, was worthy of the throne of the diocese there. He was, so it is said, a cousin οf the Saviour, for Hegesippus relates that Clopas was the brother of Joseph,

(XII.) and in addition that Vespasian, after the capture of Jerusalem, ordered a seareh to be made for all who were of the family of David, that there might be left among the Jews no one of the royal family and, for this reason, a very great persecution was again infficted οn the Jews.

XIII. when Vespasian had reigned for ten years, his son Titus succeeded him as emperor, 1 and in the second year of his reign, Linus, bishop οf the church οf the Romans, after holding his office for twelve years, handed it οn to Anencletus. Αfter Titus had reigned for two years and as many months Domitian, his brother, suceeeded him. 2

XIV. Νow in the fourth year of Domitian, Annianus, the hrst of the see of Alexandria, died after completing twenty-two years, and Abilius succeeded him as the second.

XV. Αnd in the twelfth year of the same reign, Clement sueeeeded Anencletus after he had been bishop of the church of the Romans for twelve years. The apostle states that he had been his –worker in his epistle to the Philippians saying, “ With Clement and ¹⁷¹⁸ my other fellow-workers whose names are in book οf Life.”

XVI. There is one recognized epistle of Clement, Ιong and wonderful, Which he drew up for the church of the Corinthians in the name of the church of the Romans when there had been dissension in Corinth. We have ascertained that this letter was pubhely read in the common assembly in many churches both in the days of old and in our own time ; and that the affairs οf Corinth were disturbed by dissension in his day is adequately testffied to by Hegesippus.

XVII. When Domitian had given many proofs of his great cruelty and had put to death without any reasonable trial no small number of men distinguished at Rome by family and career, and had punished without a cause myriads of other notable men by banishment and confiscation of their property, he finally showed himself the successor of Nero's campaign of hostility to God. Ηe was the second to promote persecution against uS, though his father, Vespasian, had planned no evil against us.

XVIII. Αt this time, the story goes, the Apostle and Evangelist John was still alive, and was condemned to live in the island of Patmos for his witness to the divine word. Αt any rate Irenaeus, Writing about the number of the name ascribed to the anti-Christ the so-called Apocalypse of John, states this about John in so many words in the fifth book against Heresies. “But if it had been neceSSary to announce his name plainly at the present time, it would have been spoken by him who saw the apocablypse. For it was not seen long ago but almost in our own time, at the end of the reign of Domitian.”

The teaching of our faith shone so brilliantly in the days described that even writers foreign to our belief did not hesitate to commit to their narratives the persecutions and the martyrdoms in it, and they even indicated the time accurately, relating that in the fifeenth year 1 of Domitian, Flavia Domitilla, who was the niece of Flavius Clemens, one of the consuls at Rome at that time, was banished with many others to the island of Pontia as testimony to Christ.

ΧΙΧ. The samc Domitian gave orders for the execution of those of the family of David and an ancient story goes that some hererics accused the grandsons of Judas (who is said to have been the brother, according to the flesh, of the Saviour) saying that they were of the family of David and related to the Christ himself. Hegesippus this exactly as follows.

XX. “ Now there still survived of the family of the Lord grandsons of Judas, who was said to have been his brother according to the flesh, and they were delated as being of the family of David. These tlle officer 2 brought to Domitian Caesar, for, like Herod, he was afraid of the coming of the Christ. Ηe asked them if they were of the house of David and they admitted it. Then he asked them how much property they had, or how ¹⁹ much money they controlled. and they said that all they possessed was nine thousand denarii
them, the half belonging to each, and they stated that they did not possess this in money but that it was the valuation of only thirty-nine plethra
of ground on which they paid taxes and lived on it by their own ” They then showed him their hands, adducing as testimony of their labour the hardness of their bodies, and the tough skin which had been embossed on their hands from their incessant work. They were asked concerning the Christ and his kingdom, its nature, origin, and time of appearance, and explained that it was neither of the world nor earthly, but heavenly and angelic, and it would be at the end of the world, when he would come in glory to judge the living and the dead and to reward every man according to his deeds. At this Domitian did not condemn them at all, but despised them as simple folk, released them, and decreed an end to the persecution against the church. But when they were released they were the leaders of the churches, both for their testimony and for their relation to the Lord, and remained alive in the peace which ensued until Trajan. Hegesippus tells this ; moreover, Tertullian also has made similar mention of Domitian. “ Domitian also once tried to do the same as he, for he was a Nero in cruelty, but, Ι helieve, inasmuch as he had some sense, he stopped at once and recalled those whom he had banished.”

²⁰²¹

Αfter Domitian had reigned fifteen years, Nerva succeeded. 1 The sentences οf Domitian were annulled, and the Roman Senate decreed the return οf those who had been unjustly banished and the restoration of their property. Those who committed the story οf those times to writing relate it. Αt that time, too, the story of the ancient Christians relates that the Apostle John, after his banishment to the island, took up his abode at Ephesus.

XXI. After Νerva had reigned a little more than a year he was suceeeded by Trajan,2 in whose first year Abilius, after leading the diocese οf Alexandria for thirteen years, was sueceeded by Cerdo ; he was the third in charge οf that see after the first, Annianus. Αt this time Clement was still governing the Romans and he, also, occupied the third Ρlace in the list οf bishops in Rome after Ρaul and Ρeter ; Linus was the first and after him Anencletus.

XXII. Moreover, at the time mentioned, Ignatius was famous as the second bishop at Antioch where Evodius had been the first. Likewise at this time, Simeon was second after the brother οf our Saviour to hold the ministry of the church in Jerusalem.

XXIII. Αt this time that very disciple whom Jesus loved, John, at οnce Apostle and Evangelist, still remained alive in Asia and administered the churches there, for after the death of Domitian, he had returned from his banishment οn the island. Αnd that he remained alive until this time may fully be confirmed by two witnesses, and these ought to be trustworthy for they represent the orthodoxy of the ²² church, no less persons than Irenaeus and Clement οf Alexandria. The former of these writes in οne Ρlace in the second οf his books Against the Hereises, as follows : “ Αnd all the presbyters who had been associated in Asia with John, the disciple of the Lord, bear witness to his tradition, for he remained with them until the timesk of ” Αnd in the third book οf the same work he makes the same statement as follows : “ Νοw the church at Εphesus was founded by Ρaul, but Johu stayed there until the times οf Trajan, and it is a true witness of the tradition οf the Apostles.”

Clement indicates the same time, and in the treatise to which he gave the title Who is the rich man that is saved, adds a narrative most acceptable to those who enjoy hearing what is fine and edifying. Take and read here what he wrote. “ Listen to a story which is not a story but a true tradition οf John the Apostle Ρreserved in memory. For after the death of the tyrant he passed from the island of Ρatmos to Εphesus, and used also to go, when he was asked, to the neighbouring districts of the heathen,1 in some places to appoint bishops, in others to reconcile whole churches, and in others to ordain some οne of those pointed out by the spirit. Ηe came to one οf the cities which were near by (and some tell cven its name),2 and gave rest in general to the brethren ; then, while looking before them all at the bishop who had been appointed, he saw a young man οf strong body, beautiful appearance, and wann heart. ῾I commend this ᾿ he siad, ²³²⁴ to you with all diligence in the face of the church, and with Christ as my witness.’ received him, and promised everything, and the same conversations and protestations were used. John then returned to Ephesus and the presbyter1 took to his house the young man entrusted to him, brought him up, looked after him, and finally baptized him. Αfter this he relaxed his great care and watchfulness, because he had set upon him the seal of the Lord as the perfect safeguard. But some idle and dissolute youths, familiar with evil, corrupted him in his presature freedom. First they led him on by expensive feasts, then they started out at night for robbery and took him with them, then they urged him to greater crimes. Ηe gradually became accustomed to this, and like an unbroken and powerful horse starting from the straight way and tearing at the bit, rushed all the more to the precipice becaue οf his natural vigour. Finally he renounced salvation from God; and now he planned nothing small, but, having perpetrated some great crime, since he was ruised once for all, accepted the same lot as the others. Ηe collected them and formed a band of brigands and was himself a born chief, excelling in violence, in murder, and in cruelty. Time went on and some necessity arose to summon John. When he had arranged the rest of his mission John said, ‘Come now, bishop, pay me back the deposit which Christ and I left with you, with the church, over which you preride, as witness.’ The bishop was at first amazed, thinking that he was being blackmailed for money which he had not received. Ηe could neither show his faitjfi;mess in ²⁵ what he had never had, nor could he fail John. But when John said, ‘I ask back the young man and the soul οf the brother,’ the οld man deeply and shedding tears, said, ‘ He has died.’ ‘ Ηow and with what death ? ’ ‘ Ηe has died to God,’ he said, ‘ for he turned out wicked abandoned and finally a brigand, and now instead of the church he has taken to the mountains with an armed band of men like himself.’ Then the rent his gannents and beat his head with great lamentation. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘it was a fine guardian whom I left for the soul of our brother. But let me have a horse and some one to show me the way. ’ So he rode, just as he was, straight from the church. when he came to the place he was was by the sentinel of the brigands and neither fled nor made excuses, but ealled out, ‘This is why I am come ; take me to your leader.’ The leader waited for him, armed as he was, but when he recognized John οn his approach, he turned and fled in shame. But John pursued with all his might, forgetting his age and calling οut, ‘Why do you run away from me, child, your own father, unarmed and old ? Ρity me, child, do not fear me ! You have still hope οf life. I will aecount to Christ for you. Ιf it must be, I will willingly suffer your death, as the Lord suffered for us ; for your life, I will give my own. Stay, believe; Christ sent ’ when he heard this he nrst stood looking down, then he tore off his weapons, then he began to tremble and to weep bitterly. Ηe embraced the old man when he came up, pleading for himself with lamentations as best he could, baptized a second time in his tears, but his right hand he kept back. But John assured him by pledges and protestations that he had found forgiveness for him with the Saviour, led him back, prayed and kneeled and kissed that right hand as though cleansed by his repentance. Ηe brought him to the church, he prayed with many supplications, he joined with him in the struggle of continouns fasting, he worked on his mind by varied addresses and did not leave him, so they say, until he had restored him to the church, and thus gave a great example of true repentance and a great testimony of regeneration, the trophy of a visible ” These remarks of Clement may be quoted both for the Sake of the narrative and the edification of those who shall read them.

XXIV. But come, let us indicate the undoubted writings οf this Apostle. 1 Let the Gospel according to him be first recognized, for it is read in all the churches under heaven. Moreover, that it was reasonable for the aneients to reckon it in the fourth place after the other three may be explained thus. Those inspired and venerable ancients, I mean Christ's Apostles, had completely purified their life and adorned their souls with every virtue, yet were but simple men in speech. Though they were indeed bold in the divine and wonder-working power given them by the saviour, they had neither the knowledge or the desire to represent the teachings of the Master in persuasive or artiStic language, but they used only the proof of the spirit of God which worked with them, and the wonder-working power of Christ which was consummated through them. Thus they announced the knowledge οf the Kingdom of Ηeaven ²⁶ to all the world and cared but little for attention to their style. Αnd this they did inasmuch as they were serving a greater, superhuman ministry. Thus Ρaul, the most powerful of all in the preparation of argument and the Strongest thinker, committed to writing no more than short epistles, though he had ten thousand ineffable thngs to say, seeing that he had touched the vision of the third heaven, had been caught up to the divine paradise itself, and was there granted the hearing ineffable words. Νor were the other pupils of our Saviour without experience of the same things, —the twelve Apostles and the seventy disciples and ten thousand others in addition to them. Yet nevertheless of all those who had been with the Lord only Matthewand John have left theirrecollections, and tradition says that they took to writing perforce. Matthew had first preached to Hebrews, and when he was on the point of going to others he transmitted in writing in his native language the Gospel according to himself, and thus supplied by writhing the Ιack of his own presence to those from whom he was sent, and Mark and Luke had already published the Gospels according to them, but John, it is said, used all the time a message which was not written down, and at last took to writing for the following cause. The three gospels which had been written down before were distributed to all including himself ; it is said that he welcomed them and testified to their truth but said that there was only lacking to the narrative the account of what waS done by Christ at first and at the beginning of the preaehing. The story is surely true. It is at least possible to see that the three evanglists related only what the Saviour did during one year after John the Baptist had been put in prison and that they stated this at the beginning or their nauative. Αt any rate, after the forty ’ fast, and the temptation which followed Matthew fixes the time described in his own writing by saying that “ hearing that John had been betrayed, he retreated ’’ from Judaea “ into ” Similarly Mark says, “ and after John was betrayed Jesus came into ” Αnd Luke, too, makes a similar observation before beginning the acts οf Jcsus saying that Ηerod added to the evil deeds which he had done by “ shutting up John in ” ney say accordingly that for this reason the apostle John was asked to relate in his own gospel the period Ρassed over in silence by the former evangelists and the things done during it by the Saviour (that is to say, the events before the imprisonment of the Baptist), and that he indicated this at one time by saying, “ this beginning οf miracles did ” at another by mentioning the Baptists in the the of the acts of Jesus as at that time still baptizing at Aenon near salem, and that he makes this plain by saying, “ for John was not yet cast into prison. ” Thus John in the course of his gospel relates what Christ did before the Baptist had been thrown into prison, but the other three evangelists narrate the events after the imprisonment of the Baptist. If this be understood the gospels no longer appear to disagree, becauswe that according to John contains the first of the acts οf Christ and the others the narrative of what he did at the end of the poriod, and it will seem probable that John passed over the genealogy οf our Saviour according to the flesh, because it had been already written out by Matthew and Luke, and began with the description of his divinity since this had been reserved for him by the Divine Spirit as for one greater than they.

The above must suffice us concerning the writing of the Gospel according to John, and the cause for that according to Μark has been explained above. Luke himself at the beginning of his treatise prefixed an account οf the cause for which he had made his compilation, explaining that while many others had somewhat rashly attempted to make a narrative of the things οf which he had himself full knowledge, 1 he felt obliged to release us from the doubtful propositions of the others and related in his own gospel the accurate account of the things οf which he had shimself firmly learnt the truth from his profitable intercourse and life with Ρaul and his conversation with the other apostles. This must suffice us for the present, but at the proper time we will endeavour to explain by citation from the ancients what has been said on the point by others.

Of the writings of John in addition to the gospel the first of his epistles has been accepted without controversy by ancients and moderns alike but the οther two are disputed, and as to the Revelation there have been many advocates of either opinion up to the present. This, too, shall be similarly illustrated by quotations from the ancients at the proper time.

XXV. Αt this point it seems reasonable to summarize the writings of the Νew Testament which have been quoted. Ιn the first place should be put the holy tetrad of the Gospels. To them follows the writing οf the Αcts of the Apostles. Αfter this should be reckoned the Epsitles of Ρaul. Following them the Epistle of John called the first, and in the same way should be recognized the Epistle of Ρeter. In addition to these should be put, if it Seem desirable, the Revelation of John, the arguments concerning which we will expound at the proper time. These belong to the Recognized Books. Of the Disputed Books which are nevertheless known to most are the Epistle called of James, that of Jude, the second Epistle of Ρeter, and the so-called second and third Εpistles of John which may be the work οf the evangelist or of some other with the same name. Among the books which are not genuine must be reckoned the Acts of Ρaul, the work entitled the Shepherd, the Apocalypse or Ρeter, and in addition to them the letter called of Barnabas and the so-called Teachings of the Apostles. Αnd in addition, as I said, the Revelation of John, if this view prevaial. For, as I said, some reject it, but others count it among the Recognized Books. Some have also counted the Gospel according to the Hebrews in which those of the Hebrews who have aceepted Christ take a special pleasure. These would all belong to the disputed books, but we have nevertheleSs been obliged to make a list of them, distinguishing between those writings which, according to the tradition of the Church, are true, genuine, and recognized, and those which differ from them in that they are not canonical but disputed, yet neverthelss are known to most of the writers οf the Chureh, in order that we might know them and the writings which put forward by heretics under the name of the apostles containing gospels such as those οf Ρeter, and Thomas, and Matthias, and some others besides, or Acts such as those of Andrew and John and the other apostles. To none of these has any who belonged to the succession of the orthodox ever thought it right to refer in his writings. Moreover the type of phraseology differs from apostolic style, and the opinion and tendeney of their contents is widely dissonant from true orthodoxy and clearly shows that they are the forgeries οf heretics. They ought, therefore, to be reckoned not even among spurious books but shunned as altogether wicked and impious.

XXVI. Let us now continue the narrative. Menander succeeded Simon Magus and showed himself as a weapon of the devil's power not inferior to his predecessor. He, too, was a Samaritan, progressed to the highest point οf sorcery not less than his master, and abounded in greater wonders. Ηe said of himself that he was the saviour who had been sent from above for the salvation of men from invisible aeons 1 and taught that no one, not even οf the angels who made the world, could survive unless they were first rescued through the magic art which was transmitted by him and through the bapiam ²⁷ which he delivered, for those who were vouchsafed it would obtain a share of eternal immortality in this life itself, no longer mortal but remaining here, destined to everlasting and ageless immortality. This point can also be easily studied from the writings of Irenaeus. Justin, too, in the same way after mentioning Simon continues his account of him by saying, “ We also know that a certian Menander, who abo was a samaritan from the village of Caparat taea, became a disciple of Simon and being similarly srimulated by the demons appeared in Antioch and deceived many by magical arts. He persuaded those who followed him that they would not die, and there are still some of his followers who believe this.”

It was assuredly at the instigation of the devil that the name οf Christian was adopted by such sorcerers to calumniate by magic the great mystery of religion and through them to destroy the teaching of the Chureh on the immortality οf the soul and the resurrection of the dead. Those who termed these Saviours fell from the true hope.

XXVII. But others the wiched demon, when he could not aliienate them from God's plan in Christ, made his own, when he found them by a different snare. The first Christians gave these the suitablename of Ebionites because they had poor and mean opinions concerning Christ. They held him to be a plain and ordinary man who had achieved righteousness merely by the progress of his characcter and had been born naturally from Mary and her busband. They insisted on the complete observation of the Law, and did not think that they would be saved by faith in Christ alone and by a life in accordance with it. But there were others besides these who have the same name. These escaped the absurd folly of the first mentioned, and did not deny that the Lord was born of a Virgin and the Ηoly Spirit, but nevertheless agreed with them in not confessing his pre-existence as God, being the Logos and Wisdom. Thus they shared in the impiety of the former class, especially in that they were equally zealous to insist on the literal observance of the Law. They thought that the letters ofthe Apostle 1 ought to be wholly rejecgted and called him an apostate from the Law. They used only the Gospel called according to the Hebrews and made little account of the rest. Like the former they used to observe the sabbath and the rest of the Jewish ceremonial, but on Sundays celebrated rites like ours in commemoration of the Saviour's resurrection. wherefore from these practices they have obtained their name, for the name οf Ebionites indicates the poverty of their intelligence, for this name meanS “ poor ’’ in Hebrew.2

XXVIII. We have received the tradrtion that at the time under discussion Cerinthus founded another heresy. Gaius, whose words 1 have quoted before, in the inquiry attributed to him writes as follows about Cerinthus. “ Moreover, Cerinthus, who through revelations attributed to the writing of a great apostle, lyingly introduees portents to us as though shown him by angels, and says that after the resurrection the kingdom of Christ will be on earth and that ²⁸²⁹ humanity living in Jerusalem will again be the slave of lust and pleasure. Ηe is the enemy οf the scriptures of God and in his desire to deceive says that the marriage feast 1 will last a thousand. years. ” Dionysius, too, who held the bishopric of the diocese of Alexandria in οur time, in the second book of his Promises makes some remarks about the Apocalypse οf John as though from ancient οn and refers to the same Cerintus in these words, “ Cerintus too, who founded the Cerinthian heresy named after him, wished to attaeh a name worthy of credit to his οwn invention, for the doctrine of his teaching was this, that the kingdom οf Christ would be οn earth, and being fond of his body and very camal he dreamt of a future according to his own desires, given up the the indulgence of the flesh, that is, eating and drinking and marrying, and to those things which seem a euphemism for these things, feasts and sacrifices and the slaughter of victums.”

Dionysius said this and Irenaeus in his first book Agianst Heresies quoted some οf his more abominable errors, and in the third book has committed to writing a narrative, which deserves not to be forgotten, stating how aecorffing to the traffidltion of Polycarp, the apostle John once went into a bath-house to wash, but when he knew that Cerinthus was within leapt out of the place and Red from the door, for he did not endure to be even under the same roof with him, and enjoined οn those who were with him to do the same, saying, “ Let us flee, lest the bath-house ³⁰ fall in, for Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within.”

XXIX. Αt this time, too, there existed for a short time the heresy of the Nicolaïtans of which the of John also makes mention. These elaimed Nicolas, one of the deacons in the company of Stephen who were appointed by the Apostles for the serviee of the poor. Clement or Αlexandria in the third book of the Stromata gives the following account of him. “ Ηe had, they say, a beautiful wife ; but after the ascension of the saviour he was accused of jealousy by the apostles, and brought her forward and commanded her to be mated to anyone who wished. They say that this aetion was in consequenee of the injunction ‘ it is necessary to abuse the ’ and that by following up what had been done and said with simplicity and without perversion those who follow his heresy lead a life of unrestrained license. But Ι have learned that Nicolas had nothing to do with any other woman beside her whom he married, and that of his children the daughters reaehed old age as virgins, and that the son remained uncorrupted. Since this is the case it is clear that the exposure of the wife of whom he was jealous in the midst of the disciples was the abandonment of passion, and that teaching the abuse of the flesh was continence from the pleasures which he had sought. For I think that according to the command οf the Saviour he did not whish to serve two masters — pleasure and the Lord. They also say that this was the teaching of Matthias, to slight the flesh and abuse it, yielding nothing to it for pleasure, but to make the soul grow through faith and knowledge.” Let this suffice concerning the attempts made during this period to triumph against the truth which were, nevertheless, extinguished for ever more quickly than it takes to tell.

XXX. Clement, whose words we cited recently in the context οf the previous quotation, enumerates, on aeeount of those who reject marriage, those of the Apostles who were married, saying, “ Or will they disapprove even of the Apostles ? For Ρeter and Philip begat children, and Philip even gave his daughters to husbands, while Ρaul himself does not hesitate in one of his letters to address 1 his wife whom he did not take about with him in order to facilitate his ” Since we have made these quotations there is no harm in adducing another memorable narrative of Clement whleh he wrote down in the seventh book of the Stromata, and narrates as follows: “ They say that the blessed Ρeter when he saw his own wife led out to death rejoiced at her ealrmg and at her return home, and called out to her in true warning and comfort, addressing her by her name, ‘ Remember the ’ Such was the marriage of the blessed and the perfeet disposition of those dearest to ” Let this, cognate to the present subject, suffice for the moment.

XXXI. The time and manner of the death of Ρaul and οf Ρeter, and the plaee where their corpses were laid after their departure from this life, have been already described by us. The date of the death οf ³¹ John has also been already 1 mentioned, and the place of his body is shown by a letter of Polycrates (he was bishop of the diocese of Ephesus) which he wrote to Vietor, bishop of Rome. In this he mentions both John, Philip the apostle, 2 and Philip's daughters as follows: “ For great luminaries sleep in Asia, and they will rise again at the last day of the advent of the Lord, when he shall come with glory from heaven and call back all the saints, such as was Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who sleeps at Hierapolis with his two daughters who grew old as virgins and his third daughter 3 who lived in the ΗοΙy Spirit and rests in Ephesus. Αnd there is also John, who leaned on the Lord's breast, who was a priest wearing the mitre,4 and martyr and and he sleeps at ” So far concerning their deaths. Αnd in the dialogue of Gaius, which we mentioned a little earlier, Proclus, with whom he was disputing, speaks thus about the death of Philip and his daughters and agrees with what has been stated. “ Αfter him the four daughters of Philip who were prophetesses were at Hierapolis in Αsia. Their grave is there and so is their ” so he says. Αnd Luke in the Acts of the Apostles mentions the daughters of Philip who were then living with their father at Caesarea in Judaea and were vouchsafed the gift of prophecy. Ηe says as ³²³³³⁴ follows: “ We came to Caesarea and entered into the house οf Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven, and remained with him. Αnd he had four daughters who were prophetesses.”

We have now described the facts which have come to our knowledge concerning the Apostles and their times, the sacred writings which they have left us, those books which are disputed yet nevertheless are used openly by many in most churches, and those which are altogether fictitious and foreign to our historic orthodoxy. Let us now continue the narrative.

XXXII. Αfter Νero and Domitian tradition says that under the Emperor whose times we are now describing persecution was raised against us sporadically, in some cities, from pupular risings. We have learnt that in it Symeon, the son οf Clopas, whom we showed to have been the second hishop of the church at Jerusalem, ended his life in martyrdom. The witness for this is that same Hegesippus, of whom we have already quoted several passages. Αfter speaking of certain hereties he goes on to explain how Symeon was at this time accused by them and for many days was tortured in various manners for being a Christain, to the great astonishment of the judge and those with him, until he suffered an end like that of the Lord. But there is nothing better than to listen to the historian who tells these facts as follows. “ some οf these (that is to say the heretics) accused simon the son of Clopas of being deseended from David and a Christian and thus he suffered martyrdom, being a hundred and twenty years old, when Trajan was emperor and Atticus was ” The Same Writer says that his aecusers also soffered arrest for being of the royal house of the Jews when search was made at that time for those of that family. Αnd οne would reasonably say that Symeon was one of the eyewitnesses and actual hearers of the Lord on the evidence of the length of his life and the referenee in the Gospels to Μary the wife of Clopas whose son the narrative has already shown him to be.

The same writer says that other grandsons of one of the so-called brethren of the saviour named Judas survived to the same reign after they had given in the time of Domitian the testimony already recorded of them in behalf of the faith in Christ. Ηe writes thus: “ They came therefore and presided over every chureh as witnesses belonging to the Lord's family, and when there was complete peace in every cherch they survived until the reign of the Emperor Trajan, until the time when the son of the Lord's uncle, 2 the aforesaid Simon the son of Clopas, was similarly accused by the sects on the same charge before Atticus the Consular. Ηe was tortured for many days and gave hiS witness, so that all, even the consular, were extremely surprised how, at the age of one hundred and twenty, he endured, and he was eommanded to be ” Besides this the Same writer, explaining the events ³⁵ of these times, adds that until then the church remained a pure and uncorrupted virgin, for those who attempted to corrupt the healthful rule of the Saviour's preaching, if they existed at all, lurked in obscure darlness. But when the sacred band of the Apostles and the generation of those to whom it had been vouchsafed to hear with their own ears the divine wisdom had reached the several ends of their lives, then the federation of godless error took its beginning through the deceit of false teachers who, seeing that none of the Apostles still remained, barefacedly tried against the preaching of the truth the counter-proclamation οf “ knowledge falsely so-called.”

XXXIII. The persecution which at that time was extended against us in many places was so great that Plinius secundus, one of the most distinguished governors, was disturbed at the number of the martyrs, and reported to the Emperor the number of those being put to death for the faith, and in the same document mentioned that he understood them to do nothing wicked or illegal except that they rose at dawn to sing to Christ as though a God, and that they themselves forbade adultery, murder and similar terrible crimes, and that they did eVerything in obedienee to the law. In answer to this Trajan issued a decree to the effect that the tribe of Christians should not be sought for but punished when it was met with. By this means the imminent threat of persecution was extinguished to some extent, but none the less opportunities remained to those who wished to harm us. sometimes the populace, sometimes even the loeal authorities contrived plots against us, so that with no pen persecution partial attacks broke out in various provinces and many of the faithful endured martyrdom in various ways. The narrative has been taken from the Latin apology of Tertullian mentioned above of which the translation is as follows: “ Υet we found that this attempt against us was also prevented, for the governor of the province, Pliny secundus, after eondemning certain Christians and depriving them of their rank, was troubled at their number and, not knowing what to do in the future, eommunieated with the Emperor Trajan. saying that beyond their unwillingness to offer sacrifice to idols, he had found nothing wicked in them. Ηe also mentioned this that the Christians arose at dawn and sang a hymn to Christ as a God, and in order to preserve their teaching 1 forbade murder, adultery, covetousness, robbery, and suchlike. To this Trajan sent a rescript that the tribe of Christians should not be sought out but punished if met ” such were the events at that time.

XXXIV. In the third year of the afore-mentioned emperor, Clement handed over the ministry of the bishops of Rome to Evarestos and departed this life, having been in charge of the teaching of the diving word for nine years.

XXXV. Μoreover, when Symeon suffered martyrdom in the manner already deseribed a certian Jew named Justus, who was one of the many thousands of the circumcision who by that time had belived on ³⁶ Christ, succeeded to the throne of the bishopric of Jerusalem.

XXXVI. Αt this time there flourished in Asia Polycarp, the companion of the Apostles, who had been appointed to the bishopric of the church in Smyrna by The eyewitnesses and ministers of the Lord. Distinguished men at the same time were Papias, who was himself bishop of the diocese of Hierapolis, and Ignatius, still a name of note to most men, the second after Ρeter to succeed to the bishopric of Antioch. The story goes that he was sent from Syria to Rome to be eaten by beasts in testimony to Christ. Ηe was taken through Asia under most careful guard, and strengthened by his speech and exhortation the diocese of eaeh city in which he stayed. Ηe particularly warned them to be on their guard against the heresies which then for the first time were beginning to obtain, and exhorted them to hold fast to the tradition of the Apostles, to which he thought necessary, for safety's sake, to give the form of written testimony. Thus while he was in Smyrna where Polycarp was, he wrote one letter to the church at Ephesus, mentioning their pastor Onesimus, and another to the church at Mangnessia on the Meander (and here, too, he mentioned the bishop Damas), and another to the church in Tralles, of which he relates that Polybius was then the ruler. In addition to these he also wrote to the churcb at Rome, and to it he extended the request that they should not deprive him of the hope for which he longed by begging him off from his martyrdom. It is worth while appending a short extract from this in support οf what has been said. Ηe writes as follows: “ From Syria to Rome I am fighting with wild beasts, by land and sea, by night and day, bound to ten ‘ leopards ’ (that is, a company οf soldiers), and they become worse for kind treatment. Νow I become the more a disciple for their ill deeds, ‘ but not by this am I justified. ’ I long for the beasts that are prepared for me ; and I pray that they may be found prompt for me ; I will even entice them to devour me promptly ; not as has happened to some whom they have not touched from fear ; even if they be unwilling of themselves, I will force them to it. Grant me this favour. I know what is expcdient for me ; now I am beginning to be a disciple. May I envy nothing of things seen οr unseen that 1 may attain to Jesus christ. Let there come οn me fire, and cross, and struggles with wild beasts, cutting, and tearing asunder, rackings of bones, mangling of limbs, crushing οf my whole nody, cruel tortures οf the devil, may I but attain to Jesus Christ.”

This he put into words from the city mentioned to the churehes named. When he had already passed beyond Smyrna he also again conversed in writing from Troas with those in Philadelphia and with the church of the Smyrnaeans, and especially with Polycarp who was then the head of this church. Ηe knew well that Polycarp was an apostolic man and like a true and good shepherd commends the flock at Antioch to him, asking him to be zealous in his care for it. Ηe also wrote to the Smyranaeans quoting words from I know not what source and discoursing thus about Christ: “ For I know and believe that he was in the flesh even after the Resurrection. Αnd when he came to those with Ρeter he said to them: ‘ Take, handle me and see that Ι am not a phantom without a body. ’ Αnd they immediately touched him and believed.”

Ιrenaeus also knew of his martyrdom and quotes his letters saying thus : “ Αs one of the Christians said when he was condemned to the beaSts as testimony for God, ‘ Ι am the wheat of God and Ι am ground by the teeth of beasts that I may be found pure bread.’”

Ρolycarp, too, mentions these same things in the letter to the Philippians bearing his name and says: “ Νow I beseech you all to obey the word of righteousness, and to practise all the endurance which you also saw before your eyes, not only in the blessed Ignatius, and Zosimus, and Rufus, but also in others among yourselves, and in Pual himself, and in the other Apostles; being persuaded that all of these ‘ ran not in vain, ’ but in faith and righteousness, and that they are with the Lord in the ‘ place whieh is their ’ with whom they also suffered. For they did not ‘ love this present world ’ but him who died on our behalf, and was raised by God for our ” Αnd he continues later, “ Both you and Ignatius wrote to me that if anyone was going to Syria he shovld also take your letters Ι will do this if Ι have a convenient opportunity, either myself or the man whom Ι am sending as a representative for you and me. We send you, as you asked, the letters of Ιgnatius, which were sent to us by him, and others which we had by us These are subjoined to this letter, and you will be able to benefit greatly from them. For they contian faith, patience, and all the edification which pertains to our Lord.” such is the story concerning Ignatius, and Ηeros succeeded to the bishopric of Antioch after him.

XXXVII. Among those who were famous at this time was also Quadratus, of whom traffition says that he shared vith the daughters of Philip the ffistinc- tion of a prophetic gift. Αnd many others besides them were well known at this time and take the first rank in the Apostolic succession. These pious foundations οf the churches laid by the Apostles. They spread the preaching and scattered the saving seeds of the kingdom of Heaven, sowing them broad- cast through the whole world. Many of those then disciples, smitten in the soul by the divine Logos with an ardent passion for the love of wisdom,1 first fulfilled the Saviour's command and distributed their property to the needy, then, starting on their ourney, took up the work of evangelists and were zealous to preach to all who had not yet heard the word of the faith, and to transmit the writhing of the divine Gospels. Αs soon as they had no more than laid the foundations of the faith in some strange place, they appointed others as shepherds and had been just brought in, but they themselves passed on again to other lands and peoples, helped by the grace and co-operation of God, seeing that ³⁷ many strange miracles οf the divine spirit were at that time still being wrought by them, So that whole crowds of men at the first hearing eagerly received in their souls the religion of the Creator οf the universe.

It is impossible for us to give the number and the names of all who first succeeded the Apostles, and were shepherds or evangelists in the churches throughout the world. It was, therefore, natural for us to recorded by name the memory only of those of whom the tradition still surviveS to our time by their treatises on the Apostolic teaching.

XXXVIII. such writings, of course, were the letters of Ignatius of which we gave the list, and the Εpistle of Clement which is recognized by all, which he wrote in the name of the church of the Romans to that οf the Corinthians. In this he has many thoughts parallel to the Εpistle to the Ηebrews, and aetuahy makes some verbal quotations from it showing elearly that it was not a recent production, and for this reason, too, it has seemed natural to include it among the οther writings of the Apostle. For Ρaul had Spoken in writing to the Ηebrews in their native language, and some say that the evangelist Luke, others that this same Clement translated the writing. Αnd the truth οf this would be supported by the similarity of style preserved by the Epistle of Clement and that to the Hebrewss, and by the little difference between the thoughts in both writings.

It must be known that there is also a second ³⁸ letter ascribed to Clement, but we have not the same knowledge of its recognition as we have οf the former, for we do not even know if the primitive writers used it. some have also quite recently put forward other verbose and long treatises, purporting to be Clement's, containing dialogues with Ρeter and Apion, 1 but there is absolutely no mention of them among the ancient writers nor do they Ρreserve the purc type οf apostolic orthodoxy.

XXXIX. Thus the recognized writing of Clement is well known and the works of Ignatius and Polycarp have been spoken οf, and of Papias five treatises are extant which have also the title of “ Interpretation οf the oracles of the ” These are also mentioned by Irenaeus as though his οnly writing, for he says in οne place, “ “To these things also Ρapias, the hearer of John, who was a comanion of Ροlycarp and one of the ancients, 2 bears witness in writing in the fourth of his books, for five books were composed by ” so says Irenaeus. Yet Ρapias himself, according to the preface of his treatises, makes plain that he had in no way been a hearer and eyewitness of the sacred Αpostles, but teaches that he had received the articles of the faith from those who had known them, for he speaks as follows : “ Αnd I shall not hesitate to append to the interpretations all that I ever learnt well from the presbyters and remember well, for of their truth I am conndent. For unlike most I did not rejoice in them who say much, but in them who teach the truth, nor in ³⁹ them who recount the commandments οf others, but in them who repeated those given to the faith by the Lord and derived from truth itself; but if ever anyone came who had followed 1 the presbyters, I inquired into the words of the presbyters, what Andrew or Ρeter οr Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew, or any other οf the Lord's disciples, had said, and what Aristion and the Presbyter John, the Ιord’s disciples, were saying. For I did not suppose that information from books would help me so much as the word of a living and surviving voice.”

It is here worth nothing that he twiee counts the name of John, and reckons the first John with Ρeter and James and Matthew and the other Αpostles, clearly the the evangelist, but by changing his statement Ρlaces the seeond with the others outside the number of the Αpostles, putting Αristion Before him and clearly calling him a presbyter. This confirms the truth οf the story of those who have said that there were twp of the same name in Αsia, and that there are two tombs at Εphesus both still called John's. This calls for attention: for it is probable that the second (unless anyone prefer the fonner) saw the revelation which passes under the name οf John The Papias whom we are now treating confesses that he had received the words of the Αpostles from their followers, but says that he had aetually heard Αristion and the presbyter John. Ηe often quotes them by name and gives ⁴⁰⁴¹ their traditions in his writings. Let this suffice to good purpose. But it is worth while to add to the words of Papias already given other sayings οf his, in which he tells certain marvels and other details which apparently reached him by tradition. It has already been mentioned that Philip the Αpostle lived at Ηierapolis with his daughters, but it must now be shown how Ρapias was with them and reeeived a wonderful story from the daughters of Ρhilip; for he relates the resurrection of a corpse in his time and in another Ρlace another miraele conneeted with Justus surnamed Barsabas, for he drank poiSon but by the Lord's graee suffered no harm. Of this Justus the Αcts relates that the sacred Apostles set him up and prayed over him together with Matthias after the ascension of the Lord for the choice of one to fill up their number in place of the traitor Judas, “and they set forth two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was called Justus, and Matthias ; and they prayed and said." The same adduees other accounts, as though they came to him from unwritten tradition, and some strange parables and teachings of the saviour, and some other more mythical accountS. Αmong them he says that there will be a millennium after the resurrection of the dead, when the kingdom of Christ will be set up in material form on this earth. I suppose that he got these notions by a perverse ⁴² reading οf the apostolic aceounts, not realiring that they had spoken mystically and symbolically. For he was a man of very little intelligence, as is clear from his books. But he is responsible for the fact that so many Christian writers after him held the same opinion, relying on his antiquity, for inrtance Irenaeus and whoever else appears to have held the same views.

In the same writing he also quotes other interpretations of the words οf the Lord given by the Aristion mentioned above and traditions of John the presbyter. To them we may dismiss the studious; but we are now obliged to append to the words already quoted from him a tradtion about the Mark who wrote the Gospel, which he expounds as follows. “ Αnd the Presbyter used to say tffihls, Mark became Ρeter’s interpreter and wrote accurately all that he remembered, not, indeed, in order, of the things said or done by the Lord. For he had not heard the Lord, nor had he followed him, but later on, as I said, followed Ρeter, who used to give teaching as necessity demanded but not making, as it were, an auangement of the Lord's oracles, so that Mark did nothing wrong in thus writing down single Ρoints as he remembered them. For to one tHhIng he gave attention, to leave out nothing of what he had heard and to make no false statements in them.' " This is related by Ρapias about Mark, and about Matthew this was said, “ Matthew collected the oracles in the Ηebrew language, and eaeh interpreted them as best he could.”

The same writer used quotations from the rirrt Epistle οf John, and likewise also from that or Ρeter, and has expounded another Story about a woman who was accused before the Lord of many sins, which the Gospel according to the Ηebrews contains. Let this suffice us in addition to the extracts made.

Ecclesiastical History. Eusebius. Kirsopp Lake (Translator), J. E. L. Oulton (Translator). Germany. 2014.

Current edition First1KGreek

Historia Ecclesiastica (English) (Eusebius. Historia Ecclesiastica, Volumes 1-2. Lake, Kirsopp, translator; Oulton, J.E.L., translator. London; New York: William Heinemann, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926-1932.)

Editions (3)

Historia Ecclesiastica First1KGreek (Eusebius. Historia Ecclesiastica, Volumes 1-2. Lake, Kirsopp, translator; Oulton, J.E.L., translator. London; New York: William Heinemann, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926-1932.) — 3 focus

Γ

Τάδε καὶ ἡ p περιέχει βίβλος τῆς Ἐκκλησιαστικῆς ἰατορίας

Αݲ ὅποι γῆς ἐκήρυξαν τὸν Χριστὸν οἱ ἀπόστολοι.

Bݲ Τίς πρῶτος τῆς ῾Ρωμαίων ἐκκληαίας προέατη.

Γݲ Περὶ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν τῶν ἀποατόλων.

Δݲ Περὶ τῆς πρώτης τῶν ἀποατόλων διαδοχῆς.

Εݲ Περὶ τῆς μετὰ τὸν Χριατὸν ὑστάτης Ἰουδαίων πολιορκίας.

ςݲ Περὶ τοῦ πιέσαντος αὐτοὺς λιμοῦ.

Ζݲ Περὶ τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ προρρήσεων.

Ηݲ Περὶ τῶν πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου αημείων.

Θݲ Περὶ Ἰωαήπου καὶ ὧν κατέλιπεν αυγγραμ-

Ιݲ Ὅπως τῶν θείων μνημονεύει βιβλίων.

ΙݲΑݲ Ὡς μετὰ Ἰάκωβον ἡγεῖται Συμεὼν τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐκκλησίας.

ΙݲBݲ Ὡς Οὐεαπααιανὸς τοὺς ἐκ Δαυὶδ ἀναξητεῖσθαι προστάττει.

LݲΓݲ Ὡς δεύτερος Ἀλεξανδρέων ἡγεῖται Ἀβίλιος.

ΙݲΔݲ Ὡς καὶ ῾Ρωμαίων δεύτερος Ἀνέγκλητος ἐπιακοπεῖ.

ΙݲΕݲ Ὡς τρίτος μετ᾿ αὐτὸν Κλήμης.

Ιݲςݲ Περὶ τῆς Κλήμεντος ἐπιατολῆς.

ΙݲΖݲ Περὶ τοῦ κατὰ Δομετιανὸν διωγμοῦ.

ΙΗݲ Περὶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἀποατόλου καὶ τῆς Ἀποκαλύψεως.

ΙΘݲ Ὡς Δομετιανὸς τοὺς ἀπὸ γένους Δαυὶδ ἀναιρεῖαθαι προατάττει.

Κݲ Περὶ τῶν πρὸς γένους τοῦ αωτῆρος ἡμῶν.

ΚΑݲ Ὡς τῆς Ἀλεξανδρέων ἐκκληαίας τρίτος ἡγεῖ. — τᾶι Κερδῶν.

ΚΒݲ Ὡς τῆς Ἀντιοχέων δεύτερος Ἰγνάτιος.

ΕΓݲ ‘Iατορία περὶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἀποστόλου.

ΚΔݲ Περὶ τῆς τάξεως τῶν εὐαγγελίων.

ΚΕݲ Περὶ τῶν ὁμολογουμένων θείων γραφῶν καὶ — τῶν μὴ τοιούτων.

Κςݲ Περὶ Μενάνδρου τοῦ γόητος.

ΚΖݲ Ηερὶ τῆς τῶν ’Eβιωναίων αἱρέσεως.

ΚΗݲ Ηερὶ Κηρίνθου αἱρεαιάρχου.

ΚΘݲ Περὶ Νικολάου καὶ τῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ κεκλημένων.

Λݲ Περὶ τῶν ἐν αυξυγίαις ἐξετααθέντων ἀποστόλων.

ΛΑݲ Περὶ τῆς Ἰωάννου καὶ Φιλίππου τελευτῆς.

ΛBݲ Ὅπως Συμεὼν ὁ ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐπίσκοπος ἐμαρτύρησεν.

ΛΓݲ Ὅπως Τραϊανὸς ζητεῖσθαι Χριστιανοῦς ἐκώλυσεν.

ΛΔݲ Ὡς τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκληαίας τέταρτος Εὐάρεστος ἡγεῖται.

ΛΕݲ Ὡς τρίτος τῆς ἐν Ἱεροαολύμοις Ἰοῦστος.

Λςݲ 5 Περὶ Ἰγνατίου καὶ τῶν ἐπιατολῶν αὐτοῦ.

ΛΖݲ Περὶ τῶν εἰς ἔτι τότε διαπρεπόντων εὐαγγελιστῶν.

ΛΗݲ Περὶ τῆς Κλήμεντος ἐπιατολῆς καὶ τῶν φευδῶς εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναφερομένων. ἴ’

ΛΘݲ Περὶ τῶν Παπία συγγραμμάτων.

III

Ι. Τὰ μὲν δὴ κατὰ Ἰουδαίους ἐν τούτοις ἢν· τῶν δὲ ἱερῶν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀποστόλων τε καὶ μαθητῶν ἐφ’ ἅπασαν κατασπαρέντων τὴν οἰκουμένην, Θωμᾶς μέν, ὡς ἡ παράδοσις περιέχει, τὴν Παρθίαν εἴληχεν, Ἀνδρέας δὲ τὴν Σκυθίαν, Ἰωάννης τὴν Ἀσίαν, πρὸς οὓς καὶ διατρίψας ἐν ¹ Ἐφέσῳ τελευτᾷ, Πέτρος δ’ ἐν Πόντῳ καὶ Γαλατίᾳ καὶ Βιθυνίᾳ Καππαδοκίᾳ τε καὶ Ἀσίᾳ κεκηρυχέναι τοῖς ἐκ] διασπορᾶς Ἰουδαίοις ἔοικεν· ὃς καὶ ἐπὶ τέλει ἐν Ῥώμῃ γενόμενος, ἀνεσκολοπίσθη κατὰ κεφαλῆς, οὕτως αὐτὸς ἀξιώσας παθεῖν. τί δεῖ ² περὶ Παύλου λέγειν, ἀπὸ Ἱερπουσαλὴμ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ πεπληρωκότος τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ὕστερον ἐν τῆ Ῥώμῃ ἐπὶ Νέρωνος μεμαρτυρηκότος; ταῦτα Ὠριγένει κατὰ λέξιν ἐν τρίτῳ τόμῳ τῶν εἰς τὴν Γένεσιν ἐξηγητικῶν εἴρηται.

ΙΙ. Τῆς δὲ Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας μετὰ τὴν Παύλου καὶ Πέτρου μαρτυρίαν πρῶτος κληροῦται ³ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν Λίνος. μνημονεύει τούτου Τιμοθέῳ γράφων ἀπὸ Ῥώμης ὁ Παῦλος κατὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τέλει τῆς ἐπιστολῆς πρόσρησιν.

ΙΙΙ. Πέτρου μὲν οὗν ἐπιστολὴ μία, ἡ λεγομένη αὐτοῦ προτέρα, ἀνωμολόγηται, ταύτῃ δὲ καὶ οἱ πάλαι πρεσβύτεροι ὡς ἀναμφιλέκτῳ ἐν τοῖς σφῶν αὐτῶν κατακέχρηνται συγγράμμασιν· τὴν δὲ φερομένην δευτέραν οὐκ ἐνδιάθηκον μὲν εἶναι παρειλήφαμεν, ὅμως δὲ πολλοῖς χρήσιμος φανεῖσα, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐσπουδάσθη γραφῶν. τό γε μὴν τῶν
ἐπικεκλημένων αὐτοῦ Πραξέων καὶ τὸ κατ’ αὐτὸν ὠνομασμένον εὐαγγέλιον τό τε λεγόμενον αὐτοῦ Κήρυγμα καὶ τὴν καλουμένην Ἀποκάλυψιν οὐδ’ ὅλως ἐν καθολικοῖς ἴσμεν παραδεδομένα, ὅτι μήτε ἀρχαίων μήτε μὴν καθ’ ἡμᾶς τις ἐκκλησιαστικὸς συγγραφεὺς ταῖς ἐξ αὐτῶν συνεχρήσατο μαρτυρίαις. προϊούσης δὲ τῆς ἰατορίας προύργου ποιήσομαι
σὺν ταῖς διαδοχαῖς ὑποσημήνασθαι τίνες τῶν κατὰ χρόνους ἐκκλησιαστικῶν συγγραφέων ὁποίαις κέχρηνται τῶν ἀντιλεγομένων, τίνα τε περὶ τῶν ἐνδιαθήκων καὶ ὁμολογουμένων γραφῶν καὶ ὅσα περὶ τῶν μὴ τοιούτων αὐτοῖς εἴρηται. ἀλλὰ τὰ
μὲν ὀνομαζόμενα Πέτρου, ὧν μόνην μίαν γνησίαν ἔγνων ἐπιστολὴν καὶ παρὰ τοῖς πάλαι πρεσβυτέροις ὁμολογουμένην, τοσαῦτα· τοῦ δὲ Παύλου πρόδηλοι καὶ σαφεῖς αἱ δεκατέσσαρες· ὅτι γε μήν
τινες ἠθετήκασι τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους, πρὸς τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας ὡς μὴ Παύλου οὖσαν αὐτὴν ἀντιλέγεσθαι φήσαντες, οὐ δίκαιον ἀγνοεῖν· καὶ τὰ περὶ ταύτης δὲ τοῖς πρὸ ἡμῶν εἰρημένα κατὰ καιρὸν παραθήσομαι. οὐδὲ μὴν τὰς λεγομένας ⁴ αὐτοῦ Πραξεῖς ἐν ἀναμφιλέκτοις παρείληφα. ἐπεὶ
δ’ ὁ αὐτὸς ἀπόστολος ἐν ταῖς ἐπὶ τέλει προσρήσεσιν τῆς πρὸς Ῥωμαίους μνήμην πεποίηται μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ Ἑρμᾶ, οὗ φασιν ὑπάρχειν τὸ τοῦ Ποιμένος βιβλίον, ἰστέον ὡς καὶ τοῦτο πρὸς μέν τινων ἀντιλέλεκται, δι’ οὓς οὐκ ἄν ἐν ὁμολογου- μένοις τεθείη, ὑφ’ ἑτέρων δὲ ἀναγκαιότατον οἷς μάλιστα δεῖ στοιχειώσεως εἰσαγωγικῆς, κέκριται· ὅθεν ἤδη καὶ ἐν ἐκκλησίαις ἴσμεν αὐτὸ δεδημοσιευμένον, καὶ τῶν παλαιτάτων δὲ συγγραφέων κεχρημένους τινὰς αὐτῷ κατείληφα. ταῦτα εἰς
παράστασιν τῶν τε ἀναντιρρήτων καὶ τῶν μὴ παρὰ πᾶσιν ὁμολογουμένων θείων γραμμάτων εἰρήσθω.

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IV. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν κηρύσσων ὁ
Παῦλος τοὺς ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ κύκλῳ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν καταβέβλητο θεμελίους, δῆλον ἐκ τῶν αὐτοῦ γένοιτ’ ἄν φωνῶν καὶ ἀφ’ ὧν ὁ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν ἱστόρησεν· καὶ
ἐκ τῶν Πέτρου δὲ λέξεων ἐν ὁπόσαις καὶ οὗτος ἐπαρχίαις τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς τὸν Χριστὸν εὐαγγελιζόμενος τὸν τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης παρεδίδου ⁶ λόγον, σαφὲς ἂν εἴη ἀφ’ ἦς εἰρήκαμεν ὁμολογουμένης αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολῆς, ἐν ἢ τοῖς ἐξ Ἑβραίων οὖσιν ἐν διασπορᾷ Πόντου καὶ Γαλατίας Καππαδοκίας τε καὶ Ἀσίας καὶ Βιθυνίας γράφει. δάοι
δὲ τούτων καὶ τίνες γνήσιοι ζηλωταὶ γεγονότες τὰς πρὸς αὐτῶν ἱδρυθείσας ἱκανοὶ ποιμαίνειν ἐδοκιμάσθησαν ἐκκλησίας, οὐ ῥᾴδιον εἰπεῖν, μὴ ὅτι γε δάους ἄν τις ἐκ τῶν Παύλου φωνῶν ἀναλέξοιτο· τούτου γὰρ οὖν μυρίοι συνεργοὶ καί, ὡς
αὐτὸς ὠνόμασεν, συστρατιῶται γεγόνασιν, ὧν οἱ ⁷ πλείους ἀλήστου πρὸς αὐτοῦ μνήμης ἠξίωνται, ⁸ διηνεκῆ τὴν περὶ αὐτῶν μαρτυρίαν ταῖς ἰδίαις ἐπιστολαῖς ἐγκαταλέξαντος, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν τοὺς γνωρίμους αὐτοῦ καταλέγων ἐξ ὀνόματος αὐτῶν μνημονεύει. Τιμό
⁹ γε μὴν τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσω παροικίας ἱστορεῖται ¹⁰ πρῶτος τὴν ἐπισκοπῆν εἰληχέναι, ὡς καὶ Τίτος τῶν ἐπὶ Κρήτης ἐκκλησιῶν. Λουδᾶς δὲ τὸ μὲν
γένος ὢν τῶν ἀπ’ Ἀντιοχείας, τὴν ἐπιστήμην δὲ ἰατρός, τὰ πλεῖστα συγγεγονὼς τῷ Παύλῳ, καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς δὲ οὐ παρέργως τῶν ἀποστόλων ὡμιληκώς, ἧς ἀπὸ τούτων προσεκτήσατο ψυχῶν θεραπευτικῆς ἐν δυσὶν ἡμῖν ὑποδείγματα θεοπνεύστοις κατέλιπεν βιβλίοις, τῷ τε εὐαγγελίῳ, δ’ ¹¹ καὶ χαράξαι μαρτύρεται καθ’ ἃ παρέδοσαν αὐτῷ οἱ ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται γενόμενοι τοῦ λόγου, οἷς καί φησιν ἔτ’ ἄνωθεν ἅπασι παρηκολουθηκέναι, καὶ ταῖς τῶν ἀποστόλων Πράξεσιν, ἃς οὐκέτι δι’ ἀκοῆς, ὀφθαλμοῖς δὲ παραλαβὼν ουνετάξατο. φασὶν δ’ ὡς ἄρα τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν εὐαγγελίου
μνημονεύειν ὁ Παῦλος εἴωθεν, ὁπηνίκα ὡς περὶ ἰδίου τινὸς εὐαγγελίου γράφων ἔλεγεν “ κατὰ ¹² τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου.” τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν ἀκολούθων
τοῦ Παύλου Κρήσκης μὲν ἔπι τὰς Γαλλίας στειλάμενος ὐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ μαρτυρεῖται, Λίνος δὲ, οὗ συνόντος ἐπὶ Ῥώμης αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν δευτέραν πρὸς Τιμόθεον ἐπιστολήν, πρῶτος μετὰ Πέτρον τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἤδη πρότερον ¹³ τερον κληρωθεὶς δεδήλωται· ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Κλήμης,
τῆς Ῥωμαίων καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκκλησίας τρίτος ἐπίσκοπος καταστάς, Παύλου συνεργὸς καὶ συναθλητὴς γεγονέναι πρὸς αὐτοῦ μαρτυρεῖται. ἐπὶ τούτοις
καὶ τὸν Ἀρεοπαγίτην ἐκεῖνον, Διονύσιος ¹⁴ ὄνομα αὐτῷ, ὃν ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι μετὰ τὴν ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ πρὸς Ἀθηναίους Παύλου δημηγορίαν πρῶτον πιστεῦσαι ἀνέγραφεν ὁ Λουκᾶς, τῆς ἐν Ἀθήναις ἐκκλησίας πρῶτον ἐπίσκοπον ἀρχαίων τις ἕτερος Διονύσιος, τῆς Κορινθίων παροικίας ποιμήν, ποιμήν, ἱστορεῖ. ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὁδῷ
προβαίνουσιν, ἐπὶ καιροῦ τὰ τῆς κατὰ χρόνους τῶν ἀποστόλων διαδοχῆς ἡμῖν εἰρήσεται· νῦν δ’ ἐπὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ἴωμεν τῆς ἰατορίας.

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V. Μετὰ Νέρωνα δέκα πρὸς τρισὶν ἔτεσιν τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπικρατήσαντα τῶν ἀμφὶ Γάλβαν καὶ Ὄθωνα ἐνιαυτὸν ἐπὶ μησὶν ἓξ διαγενομένων, Οὐεσπασιανός, ταῖς κατὰ Ἰουδαίων παρατάξεσιν λαμπρυνόμενος, βασιλεὺς ἐπ’ αὐτῆς ἀναδείκνυται τῆς ¹⁶ Ἰουδαίας, αὐτοκράτωρ πρὸς τῶν αὐτόθι στρατοπέδων ἀναγορευθείς. τὴν ἐπὶ Ῥώμης οὖν αὐτίκα στειλάμενος, Τίτῳ τῷ παιδὶ τὸν κατὰ Ἰουδαίων ἐγχειρίζει πόλεμον. μετά γε μὴν τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀνάληψιν Ἰουδαίων πρὸς τῷ κατ’ αὐτοῦ τολμήματι ἤδη καὶ κατὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων αὐτοῦ πλείστας ὅσας ἐπιβουλὰς με μηχανὴ μένων, πρώτου τε Στεφάνου λίθοις ὑπ’ αὐτῶν ἀνῃρημένου, εἶτα δὲ μετ’ αὐτὸν Ἰακώβου, ὃς ἢν Ζεβεδαίου μὲν παῖς, ἀδελφὸς δὲ Ἰωάννου, τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποτμηθέντος, ἐπὶ πᾶσί τε Ἰακώβου, τοῦ τὸν αὐτόθι τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς θρόνον πρώτου μετὰ τὴν του σμτῆτρος ἡμῶν ἀνάληψιν κεκληρωμένου, τὸν προδηλωθέντα τρόπον μεταλλάξαντος, τῶν τε λοιπῶν ἀποστόλων μυρία εἰς θάνατον ἐπιβεβουλευμένων καὶ τῆς μὲν Ἰουδαίας γῆς ἀπεληλαμένων, ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ τοῦ κηρύγματος διδασκαλίᾳ τὴν εἰς σύμπαντα τὰ ἔθνη στειλαμένων πορείαν σὺν δυνάμει τοῦ ¹⁷ Χριστοῦ, φήσαντος αὐτοῖς “ πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου, οὐ ¹⁸¹⁹ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐκκλησίας κατά τινα χρησμὸν τοῖς αὐτόθι δοκίμοις δι’ ἀποκαλύψεως ἐκδοθέντα πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου μεταναστῆναι τῆς πόλεως καί τινα τῆς Περαίας πόλιν οἰκεῖν κεκελευσμένου, Πέλλαν αὐτὴν ὀνομάζουσιν, [ἐν ἧ] τῶν εἰς Χριστὸν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ μετῳκισμένων, ὡς ἂν παντελῶς ἐπιλελοιπότων ἁγίων ἀνδρῶν αὐτήν τε τὴν Ἰουδαίων βασιλικὴν μητρόπολιν καὶ σύμπασαν τὴν Ἰουδαίαν γῆν, ἡ ἐκ θεοῦ δίκη λοιπὸν αὐτοὺς ἄτε τοσαῦτα εἴς τε τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους αὐτοῦ παρηνομηκότας μετῄει, τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἄρδην τὴν γενεὰν αὐτὴν ἐκείνην ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανίζουσα. δάα μὲν οὖν τηνικάδε κατὰ πάντα τόπον ὅλῳ τῷ ἔθνει συνερρύη κακά, ὅπως τε μάλιστα οἱ τῆς Ἰουδαίας οἰκήτορες εἰς ἔσχατα περιηλάθησαν συμφορῶν, ὁπόσαι τε μυριάδες ἡβηδὸν γυναιξὶν ἅμα καὶ παισὶ ξίφει καὶ λιμῷ καὶ μυρίοις ἄλλοις εἴδεσι περιπεπτώκασιν θανάτου, πόλεων τε Ἰουδαϊκῶν ὅσαι τε καὶ οἷαι γεγόνασιν πολιορκίαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁπόσα οἱ ἐπ’ αὐτὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὡς ἄν ἐπὶ μητρόπολιν ὀχυρωτάτην καταπεφευγότες δεινὰ καὶ πέρα δεινῶν ἑοράκασι, τοῦ τε παντὸς πολέμου τὸν τρόπον καὶ τῶν ἐν τούτῳ γεγενημένων ἐν ²⁰ μέρει ἕκαστα, καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ τέλει τὸ πρὸς τῶν προφητῶν ἀνηγορευμένον βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως ἐν αὐτῷ κατέστη τῷ πάλαι τοῦ θεοῦ περιβοήτῳ νεῷ, παντελῆ φθορὰν καὶ ἀφανισμὸν ἔσχατον τὸν διὰ πυρὸς ὑπομείναντι, πάρεστιν ὅτῳ φίλον, ἐπ’ ἀκριβὲς ἐκ τῆς τῷ Ἰωσήπῳ γραφείσης ἀναλέξασθαι ²¹ ἰατορίας· ὡς δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος τῶν ἀθροισθέντων
ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις τῆς τοῦ πάσχα ἑορτῆς ωσπερ ἐν εἰρκτῇ ῥήμασιν αὐτοῖς ἀποκλεισθῆναι εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀμφὶ τριακοσίας μυριάδας τὸ πλῆθος ἱστορεῖ, ἀναγκαῖον ὑποσημήνασθαι. χρῆν δ’ οὖν ἐν αἷς ἡμέραις τὸν πάντων σωτῆρα καὶ εὐεργέτην Χριστόν τε τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ κατὰ τὸ πάθος διατέθεινται, ταῖς αὐταῖς ὥσπερ ἐν εἱρκτὴ κατακλεισθέντας τὸν μετελθόντα αὐτοὺς ὄλεθρον πρὸς τῆς θείας δίκης καταδέξασθαι.

Παρελθὼν δὴ τὰ τῶν ἐν μέρει συμβεβηκότων αὐτοῖς ὅσα διὰ ξίφους καὶ ἄλλῳ τρόπῳ κατ’ αὐτῶν ἐγκεχείρηται, μόνας τὰς διὰ τοῦ λιμοῦ ἀναγκαῖον ἡγοῦμαι συμφορὰς παραθέσθαι, ὡς ἂν ἐκ μέρους ἔχοιεν οἱ τῇδε τῇ γραφῆ ἐντυγχάνοντες εἰδέναι ὅπως αὐτοὺς τῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ παρανομίας οὐκ εἰς μακρὸν ἡ ἐκ θεοῦ μετῆλθεν τιμωρία.

VI. φέρε δὴ οὖν, τῶν Ἱστοριῶν τὴν πέμπτην τοῦ Ἰωσήπου μετὰ χεῖρας αὖθις ἀναλαβών, τῶν τότε πραχθέντων δίελθε ²² τὴν τραγῳδίαν· “τοῖς γε μὴν εὐπόροις’’ φησί “καὶ τὸ μένειν πρὸς ἀπωλείας ἴσον ἢν· γὰρ αὐτομολίας ἀνῃρεῖτό τις διὰ τὴν οὐσίαν. τῷ Λιμῷ δ’ ἢ ἀπόνοια τῶν στασιαστῶν συνήκμαζεν, καὶ καθ’ ἡμέραν ἀμφότερα προσεξεκάετο τὰ δεινά. φανερὸς μέν γε οὐδαμοῦ οῖτος ἢν, ἐπεισπηδῶντες δὲ διηρεύνων τὰς οἰκίας, ἔπειθ’ εὑρόντες μὲν ὡς ἀρνησαμένους ᾐκίζοντο, μὴ εὑ· ρόντες δὲ ὡς ἐπιμελέστερον κρύψαντας ἐβασάνιζον. τεκμήριον δὲ τοῦ τ’ ἔχειν καὶ μή, τὰ σώματα τῶν ἀθλίων· ὧν οἱ μὲν ἔτι συνεστῶτες εὐπορεῖν τροφῆς ἐδόκουν, οἱ τηκόμενοι δὲ ἤδη παρωδεύοντο, καὶ κτείνειν ἄλογον ἐδόκει τοὺς ὑπ’ ἐνδείας τεθνηξομένους αὐτίκα. πολλοὶ δὲ λάθρα τὰς
κτήσεις ἑνὸς ἀντικατηλλάξαντο μέτρου, πυρῶν μέν, εἰ πλουσιώτεροι τυγχάνοιεν ὄντες, οἱ δὲ πενέστεροι κριθῆς · ἔπειτα κατακλείοντες ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὰ μυχαίτατα τῶν οἰκιῶν, τινὲς μὲν ὑπ’ ἄκρας ἐνδείας ἀνέργαστον τὸν σῖτον ἤσθιον, οἳ δ᾿ ἔπεσσον ὡς ἥ τε ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸ δέος παρῄνει, καὶ τράπεζα
μὲν οὐδαμοῦ παρετίθετο, τοῦ δὲ πυρὸς ὑφέλκοντες ἔτ᾿ ὠμὰ τὰ σιτία διήρπαζον. ἐλεεινὴ δ᾿ ἦν ἡ τροφὴ καὶ δακρύων ἄξιος ἡ θέα, τῶν μὲν δυνατωτέρων πλεονεκτούντων, τῶν δὲ ἀσθενῶν ὀδυρομένων. πάντων μὲν δὴ παθῶν ὑπερίσταται
λιμός, οὐδὲν δ᾿ οὕτως ἀπόλλυσιν ὡς αἰδῶ1. τὸ γὰρ ἄλλως ἐντροπῆς ἄξιον ἐν τούτῳ καταφρονεῖται. γυναῖκες γοῦν ἀνδρῶν καὶ παῖδες πατέρων καί, τὸ ἀκτρότατον, μητέρες νηπίων ἐξήρπαζον ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν στομάτων τὰς τροφάς, καὶ τῶν φιλτάτων ἐν χερσὶ μαραινομένων οὐκ ἦν φειδὼ τοὺς τοῦ ζῆν ἀφελέσθαι σταλαγμούς. τοιαῦτα δ᾿ ἐσθίοντες, ὅμως οὐ διελάνθανον, πανταχοῦ
δ᾿ ἐφίσταντο οἱ στασιασταὶ καὶ τούτων ταῖς ἁρπαγαῖς. ὁπότε γὰρ κατίδοιεν ἀποκεκλεισμένην οἰκίαν, σημεῖον ἦν τοῦτο τοὺ ςἔνδον προσφέρεσθαι τροφήν, εὐθέως δ᾿ ἐξαράξαντες τὰς θύρας εἰσεπήδων, καὶ μόνον οὐκ ἐκ τῶν φαρύγγων ἀναθλίδβοντες τὰς ἀκόλους ἀνέφερον. ἐτύπτοντο δὲ
γέροντες ἀντεχόμενοι τῶν σιτίων, καὶ κόμης ἐσπαράσσοντο γυναῖκες συγκαλύπτουσαι τὰ ἐν χερσίν, οὐδέ τις ἦν οἶκτος πολιᾶς ἢ νηπίων, ἀλλὰ συνεπαίροντες τὰ παιδία τῶν ψωμῶν ἐκκρεμάμενα κατέσειον εἰς ἔδαφος. τοῖς δὲ φθάσασι ²³ τὴν εἰσδρομὴν αὐτῶν καὶ προκαταπιοῦσιν τὸ ἁρπαγησόμενον ὡς ἀδικηθέντες ἦσαν ὠμότεροι, δεινὰς δὲ βασάνων ὁδοὺς ἐπενόουν πρὸς ἔρευναν
τροφῆς, ὀρόβοις μὲν ἐμφράττοντες τοῖς ἀθλίοις τοὺς τῶν αἰδοίων πόρους, ῥάβδοις δ’ ὀξείαις ἀναπείροντες τὰς ἕδρας· τὰ φρικτὰ δὲ καὶ ἀκοαῖς ἔπασχέ τις εἰς ἐξομολόγησιν ἑνὸς ἄρτου καὶ ἵνα μηνύσῃ δράκα μίαν κεκρυμμένων ἀλφίτων. οἱ βασανισταὶ δ’ οὐδ’ ἐπείνων καὶ γὰρ ἦττον
ἂν ὠμὸν ἦν τὸ μετὰ ἀνάγκης), γυμνάζοντες δὲ τὴν ἀπόνοιαν καὶ προπαρασκευάζοντες ἑαυτοῖς εἰς τὰς ἑξῆς ἡμέρας ἐφόδια. τοῖς δ’ ἐπὶ τὴν
‘Ρωμαίων φρουρὰν νύκτωρ ἐξερπύσασιν ἐπὶ λαχάνων συλλογὴν ἀγρίων καὶ πόας ὑπαντῶντες, ὅτ’ ἤδη διαπεφευγέναι τοὺς πολεμίους ἐδόκουν, ἀφήρπαζον τὰ κομισθέντα, καὶ πολλάκις ἱκετευόντων καὶ τὸ φρικτότατον ἐπικαλουμένων ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ μεταδοῦναί τι μέρος αὐτοῖς ὧν κινδυνεύσαντες ἤνεγκαν, οὐδ’ ὁτιοῦν μετέδοσαν, ἀγαπητὸν δ’ ἢν τὸ μὴ καὶ προσαπολέσθαι σεσυλημένον.”

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ούτοις μεθ’ ἕτερα ἐπιφέρει λέγων· “ Ἰουδαίοις
δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἐξόδων ἀπεκόπη πᾶσα σωτηρίας ἐλπίς, καὶ βαθύνας ἑαυτὸν ὁ λιμὸς κατ’ οἴκους καὶ γενεὰς τὸν δῆμον ἐπεβόσκετο, καὶ τὰ μὲν τέγη πεπλήρωτο γυναικῶν καὶ βρεφῶν λελυμένων, οἱ στενωποὶ δὲ γερόντων νεκρῶν, παῖδες
δὲ καὶ νεανίαι διοιδοῦντες ὥσπερ εἴδωλα κατὰ τὰς ἀγορὰς ἀνειλοῦντο καὶ κατέπιπτον ὅπη τινὰ τὸ πάθος καταλαμβάνοι. θάπτειν δὲ τοὺς προσήκοντας οὔτε ἴσχυον οἱ κάμνοντες καὶ τὸ διευ- ²⁵ τονοῦν ὤκνει διά τε τὸ πλῆθος τῶν νεκρῶν καὶ τὸ κατὰ ἁφᾶς ἄδηλον· πολλοὶ γοῦν τοῖς ὑπ’ αὐτῶν θαπτομένοις ἐπαπέθνῃσκον, πολλοὶ δ’ ἐπὶ τὰς θήκας, πρὶν ἐπιστῆναι τὸ χρεών, προῆλθον. οὔτε δὲ θρῆνος ἐν ταῖς συμφοραῖς οὔτε ὀλοφυρμοὸς
ἢν, ἀλλ’ ὁ λιμὸς ἤλεγχε τὰ πάθη, ξηροῖς δὲ τοῖς ὄμμασιν οἱ δυσθανατοῦντες ἐθεώρουν τοὺς φθάσαντας ἀναπαύσασθαι, βαθεῖα δὲ τὴν πόλιν περιεῖχεν σιγὴ καὶ νὺξ θανάτου γέμουσα. καὶ
τούτων οἱ λῃσταὶ χαλεπώτεροι. τυμβωρυχοῦντες γοῦν τὰς οἰκίας, ἐσύλων τοὺς νεκρούς, καὶ τὰ καλύμματα τῶν σωμάτων περισπῶντες, μετὰ γέλωτος ἐξήεσαν, τάς τε ἀκμὰς τῶν ξιφῶν ἐδοκίμαζον ἐν τοῖς πτώμασιν, καί τινας τῶν ἐρριμμένων ἔτι ζῶντας διήλαυνον ἐπὶ πείρᾳ τοῦ σιδήρου, τοὺς δ’ ἱκετεύοντας χρῆσαι σφίσιν δεξιὰν καὶ ξίφος, τῷ Λιμῷ κατέλιπον ὑπερηφανοῦντες, καὶ τῶν ἐκπνεόντων ἕκαστος ἀτενὲς εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἀφεώρα, τοὺς στασιαστὰς ζῶντας ἀπολιπών. οἳ
δὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐκ τοῦ δημοσίου θησαυροῦ τοὺς νεκροὺς θάπτειν ἐκέλευον, τὴν ὀσμὴν οὐ φέροντες· ὡς οὐ διήρκουν, ἀπὸ τῶν τειχῶν ἐρρίπτουν εἰς τὰς φάραγγας. περιιὼν δὲ ταύτας ὁ Τίτος ὡς ἐθεάσατο πεπλησμένας τῶν νεκρῶν καὶ βαθὺν ἰχῶρα μυδώντων τὸν ὑπορρέοντα τῶν σωμάτων, ἐστέναξέν τε καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀνατείνας κατεμαρτύρατο τὸν θεόν, ὡς οὐκ εἴη τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ.’’

²⁶

Τούτοις τούτοις ἐπειπών τινα μεταξὺ ἐπιφέρει λέγων·
“ οὐκ ἂν ὑποστειλαίμην εἰπεῖν ἅ μοι κελεύει τὸ πάθος· οἶμαι Ῥωμαίων βραδυνάντων ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀλιτηρίους, ἢ καταποθῆναι ἂν ὑπὸ χάσματος ἢ κατακλυσθῦναι τὴν πόλιν ἢ τοὺς τῆς Σοδομηνῆς μεταλαβεῖν κεραυνούς· πολὺ γὰρ τῶν ταῦτα παθόντων ἤνεγκεν γενεὰν ἀθεωτέραν· τῆ γοῦν τούτων ἀπονοίᾳ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς συναπώλετο.”

²⁷

Καὶ ἐν τῷ ἕκτῳ δὲ βιβλίῳ οὕτως γράφει. “ τῶν
δ’ ὑπὸ τοῦ Λιμοῦ φθειρομένων κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ἄπειρον μὲν ἔπιπτε τὸ πλῆθος, ἀδιήγητα δὲ συνέβαινεν τὰ πάθη. καθ’ ἑκάστην γὰρ οἰκίαν, εἴ που τροφῆς παραφανείη σκιά, πόλεμος ἦν, καὶ διὰ χειρῶν ἐχώρουν οἱ φίλτατοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ἐξαρπάζοντες τὰ ταλαίπωρα τῆς ψυχῆς ἐφόδια, πίστις δ’ ἀπορίας οὐδὲ τοῖς θνῄσκουσιν ἦν, ἀλλὰ
καὶ τοὺς ἐμπνέοντας οἱ λῃσταὶ διηρεύνων, μή τις ὑπὸ κόλπον ἔχων τροφήν, σκήπτοιτο τὸν θάνατον αὐτῷ. οἳ δ’ ὑπ’ ἐνδείας κεχηνότες ὥσπερ λυσσῶντες κύνες ἐσφάλλοντο καὶ παρεφέροντο ταῖς τε θύραις ἐνσειόμενοι μεθυόντων τρόπον καὶ ὑπ’ ἀμηχανίας τοὺς αὐτοὺς οἴκους εἰσεπήδων δὶς ἢ τρὶς ὥρᾳ μιᾷ. πάντα δ’ ὑπ’ ὀδόντας ἦγεν ἡ
ἀνάγκη, καὶ τὰ μηδὲ τοῖς ῥυπαρωτάτοις τῶν ἀλόγων ζῴων πρόσφορα συλλέγοντες ἐσθίειν ὑπέφερον. ζωστήρων γοῦν καὶ ὑποδημάτων τὸ τελευταῖον οὐκ ἀπέσχοντο καὶ τὰ δέρματα τῶν θυρεῶν ἀποδέροντες ἐμασῶντο, τροφὴ δ’ ἢν καὶ χόρτου τισὶν παλαιοῦ σπαράγματα· τὰς γὰρ ἶνας ἔνιοι συλλέγοντες, ἐλάχιστον σταθμὸν ἐπώλουν Ἀττικῶν τεσσάρων.

“Καὶ τί δεῖ τὴν ἐπ’ ἀψύχοις ἀναίδειαν τοῦ λιμοῦ
λέγειν; εἶμι γὰρ αὐτοῦ δηλώσων ἔργον ὁποῖον μήτε παρ’ Ἕλλησιν μήτε παρὰ βαρβάροις ἱστόρηται, φρικτὸν μὲν εἰπεῖν, ἄπιστον δ’ ἀκοῦσαι. καὶ ἔγωγε, μὴ δόξαιμι τερατεύεσθαι τοῖς αὖθις ἀνθρώποις, κἂν παρέλιπον τὴν συμφορὰν ἡδέως, εἰ μὴ τῶν κατ’ ἐμαυτὸν εἶχον ἀπείρους μάρτυρας· ἄλλως τε καὶ ψυχρὰν ἂν καταθείμην τῆ πατρίδι χάριν, καθυφέμενος τὸν λόγον ὧν πέπονθε τὰ ἔργα. γυνὴ τῶν ὑπὲρ Ἰορδάνην κατοικούντων,
Μαρία τοὔνομα, πατρὸς Ἐλεαζάρου, κώμης Βαθεζώρ (σημαίνει δὲ τοῦτο οἶκος ὑσσώπου), γένος καὶ πλοῦτον ἐπίσημος, μετὰ τοῦ λοιποῦ πλήθους εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα καταφυγοῦσα συνεπολιορκεῖτο. ταύτης τὴν μὲν ἄλλην κτῆσιν οἱ
τύραννοι διήρπασαν, ὅσην ἐκ τῆς Περαίας ἀνασκευασαμένη μετήνεγκεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, τὰ δὲ λείψανα τῶν κειμηλίων καὶ 1 εἴ τι τροφῆς ἐπινοηθείη καθ’ ἡμέραν εἰσπηδῶντες ἥρπαζον οἱ δορυφόροι. δεινὴ δὲ τὸ γύναιον ἀγανάκτησις εἰσῄει, καὶ πολλάκις λοιδοροῦσα καὶ καταρωμένη τοὺς ἅρπαγας ἐφ’ ἑαυτὴν ἠρέθιζεν. ὡς δ’ οὔτε παροξυόμενός
τις οὔτ’ ἐλεῶν αὐτὴν ἀνῄρει καὶ τὸ μὲν εὑρεῖν τι σιτίον ἄλλοις ἐκοπία, πανταχόθεν δ’ ἄπορον ἦν ἤδη καὶ τὸ εὑρεῖν, ὁ λιμὸς δὲ διὰ σπλάγχνων καὶ μυελῶν ἐχώρει καὶ τοῦ λιμοῦ μᾶλλον ἐξέκαιον οἱ θυμοί, σύμβουλον λαβοῦσα τὴν ὀργὴν μετὰ τῆς ἀνάγκης, ἐπὶ τὴν φύσιν ἐχώρει, καὶ τὸ τέκνον, ἢν δ’ αὐτῇ παῖς ὑπομάστιος, ἁρπασαμένη, ‘βέφος,’ εἷπεν, ἴ’ ἄθλιον, ἐν πολέμῳ καὶ
λιμῷ καὶ στάσει, τίνι ἄε τηρῶ; τὰ μὲν παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις δουλεία κἂν ζήσωμεν ἐπ’ αὐτούς, φθάνει δὲ καὶ δουλείαν ὁ λιμός, οἱ στασιασταὶ δὲ ἀμφοτέρων χαλεπώτεροι. ἴθι, γενοῦ μοι τροφὴ καὶ τοῖς στασιασταῖς ἐρινὺς καὶ τῷ βίῳ μῦθος, ὁ μόνος ἐλλείπων ταῖς Ἰουδαίων συμφοραῖς.' καὶ ταῦθ’ ἅμα λέγουσα κτείνει τὸν υἱόν, ἔπειτ’
ὀπτήσασα, τὸ μὲν ἥμισυ κατεσθίει, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν κατακαλύψασα ἐφύλαττεν. εὐθέως δ’ οἱ στασιασταὶ παρῆσαν καὶ τῆς ἀθεμίτου κνίσης σπάσαντες, ἠπείλουν, εἰ μὴ δείξειεν τὸ παρασκευασθέν, ἀποσφάξειν αὐτὴν εὐθέως· ἢ δὲ καὶ μοῖ· ’ρᾶν αὐτοῖς εἰποῦσα καλὴν τετηρηκέναι, τὰ λείψανα τοῦ τέκνου διεκάλυψεν. τοὺς δ’ εὐθέως φρίκη καὶ
φρενῶν ἔκστασις ᾕρει, καὶ παρὰ τὴν ὄφιν ἐπεπήγεσαν. ἢ δ’, ‘ ἐμόν,’ ἔφη, ‘τοῦτο τὸ τέκνον γνήσιον, καὶ τὸ ἔργον ἐμόν. φάγετε, καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ βέβρωκα· μὴ γένησθε μήτε μαλακώτεροι γυναικὸς μήτε συμπαθέστεροι μητρός. εἰ δ’ ὑμεῖς εὐσεβεῖς καὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ἀποστρέφεσθε ἐγὼ μὲν ὑμῖν βέβρωκα, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν δ’ ἐμοὶ μεινάτω.’ μετὰ ταῦθ’ οἳ μὲν τρέμοντες ἐξῄεσαν,
πρὸς ἓν τοῦτο δειλοὶ καὶ μόλις ταύτης τῆς τροφῆς τῆ μητρὶ παραχωρήσαντες, ἀνεπλήσθη δ’ εὐθέως ὅλη τοῦ μύσους ἡ πόλις, καὶ πρὸ ὀμμάτων ἕκαστος τὸ πάθος λαμβάνων ὡς παρ’ αὐτῷ τολμηθέν, ἔφριττεν. σπουδὴ δὲ τῶν λιμωττόντων ἐπὶ τὸν
θάνατον ἢν καὶ μακαρισμὸς τῶν φθασάντων πρὶν ἀκοῦσαι καὶ θεάσασθαι κακὰ τηλικαῦτα.”

VII. τοιαῦτα τῆς Ἰουδαίων εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν
τοῦ θεοῦ παρανομίας τε καὶ δυσσεβείας τἀπίχειρα, παραθεῖναι δ’ αὐτοῖς ἄξιον καὶ τὴν ἀψευδῆ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν πρόρρησιν, δι’ ἦς αὐτὰ ταῦτα ²⁸ δηλοῖ ὧδέ πως προφητεύων “ οὐαὶ δὲ ταῖς γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις· προσεύχεδθε δὲ ἵνα μὴ γένηται ὑμῶν ἢ φυγὴ χειμῶνος μηδὲ σαββάτῳ. ἔσται γὰρ τότε θλῖψις μεγάλη, οἵα οὐκ ἐγένετο ἀπ’ ²⁹ ἀρχῆς κόσμου ἕως τοῦ νῦν, οὐδὲ μὴ γένηται.” συναγαγὼν δὲ πάντα τὸν τῶν ἀνηρημένων ἀριθμὸν
ὁ συγγραφεὺς λιμῷ καὶ ξίφει μυριάδας ἑκατὸν καὶ δέκα διαφθαρῆναί φησιν, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς στασιώδεις καὶ λῃστρικούς, ὑπ’ ἀλλήλων μετὰ τὴν ἅλωσιν ἐνδεικνυμένους, μένους, ἀνηρῆσθαι, τῶν δὲ νέων τοὺς ὑψηλοάτους καὶ κάλλει διαφέροντας τετηρῆσθαι θριάμβῳ, τοῦ δὲ λοιποῦ πλήθους τοὺς ὑπὲρ ἑπτακαίδεκα ἔτη δεσμίους εἰς τὰ κατ’ Αἴγυπτον ἔργα παραπεμφθῆναι, πλείους δὲ εἰς τὰς ἐπαρχίας διανενεμῆσθαι φθαρησομένους ἐν τοῖς θεάτροις σιδήρῳ καὶ θηρίοις, τοὺς δ’ ἐντὸς ἑπτακαίδεκα ἐτῶν αἰχμαλώτους ἀχθέντας διαπεπρᾶσθαι, τούτων δὲ μόνων τὸν ἀριθμὸν εἰς ἐννέα μυριάδας ἀνδρῶν συναχθῆναι.

Ταῦτα δὲ τοῦτον ἐπράχθη τὸν τρόπον δευτέρῳ
τῆς Οὐεσπασιανοῦ βασιλειᾶς ἔτει ἀκολούθως ταῖς προγνωστικαῖς τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ προρρήσεσιν, θείᾳ δυνάμει ὥσπερ ἤδη παρόντα προεορακότος αὐτὰ ἐπιδακρύσαντός τε καὶ ἀποκλανσαμένου κατὰ τὴν τῶν ἱερῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν γραφήν, οἳ καὶ αὐτὰς αὐτοῦ παρατέθεινται τὰς λέξεις, τοτὲ μὲν φήσαντος ὡς πρὸς ³⁰ αὐτὴν τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ “εἰ ἔγνως καί γε σὺ ἐν τῇ
ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ τὰ πρὸς εἰρήνην ἀοῦ· νῦν δὲ ἐκρύβη ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἀοῦ· ὅτι ἥξουσιν ἡμέραι ἐπὶ αἰ, καὶ περιβαλοῦσίν σοι οἱ ἐχθροί σου χάρακα, καὶ περικυκλώσουσίν ἄε, καὶ συνέξουσίν σε πάντοθεν, καὶ ἐδαφιοῦσίν σε καὶ τὰ τέκνα σου,” τοτὲ δὲ
³¹ περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ “ ἕαται γὰρ ἀνάγκη μεγάλη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ὀργὴ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ· καὶ πεσοῦνται ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας καὶ αἰχμαλωτισθήσονται εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη· καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἔσται πατουμένη ὑπὸ ἐθνῶν, ἄχρις οὗ πληρωθῶσιν καιροὶ ³² ἐθνῶν.” καὶ πάλιν ὅταν δὲ ἴδητε κυκλουμένην ὑπὸ στρατοπέδων τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ, τότε γνῶτε ὅτι ἤγγικεν ἡ ἐρήμωσις αὐτῆς.” συγκρίνας δέ
τις τὰς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν λέξεις ταῖς λοιπαῖς τοῦ συγγραφέως ἱστορίαις ταῖς περὶ τοῦ παντὸς πολέμου, πῶς οὐκ ἂν ἀποθαυμάσειεν, θείαν ὡς ἀληθῶς καὶ ὑπερφυῶς παράδοξον τὴν πρόγνωσιν ὁμοῦ καὶ πρόρρησιν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ὁμολογήσας; Περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν μετὰ τὸ σωτήριον πάθος καὶ
³³ τὰς φωνὰς ἐκείνας ἐν αἷς ἡ τῶν Ἰουδαίων πληθὺς τὸν μὲν λῃστὴν καὶ φονέα του θανάτου παρῄτηται, τὸν δ’ ἀρχηγὸν τῆς ζωῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἱκέτευσεν ἀρθῆναι, τῷ παντὶ συμβεβηκότων ἔθνει, οὐδὲν ἂν δέοι ταῖς ἱστορίαις ἐπιλέγειν, ταῦτα δ’ ἂν εἴη δίκαιον ἐπιθεῖναι, ἃ γένοιτ’ ἄν παραστατικὰ
φιλανθρωπίας τῆς παναγάθου προνοίας, τεσσαράκοντα ἐφ’ ὅλοις ἔτεσιν μετὰ τὴν κατὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ τόλμαν τὸν κατ’ αὐτῶν ὄλεθρον ὑπερθεμένης, ἐν ὅσοις τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν μαθητῶν πλείους Ἰάκωβός τε αὐτὸς ὁ τῇδε πρῶτος ἐπίσκοπος, τοῦ κυρίου χρηματίζων ἀδελφός, ἔτι τῷ βίῳ περιόντες καὶ ἐπ’ αὐτῆς τῆς Ἱεροσολύμων πόλεως τὰς διατριβὰς ποιούμενοι, ἕρκος ὥσπερ ὀχυρώτατον παρέμενον τῷ τόπῳ, τῆς θείας ἐπισκοπῆς εἰς
ἔτι τότε μακροθυμούσης, εἰ ἄρα ποτὲ δυνηθεῖεν ἐφ’ οἷς ἔδρασαν, μετανοήσαντες συγγνώμης καὶ σωτηρίας τυχεῖν, καὶ πρὸς τῆ τοσαύτη μακροθυμίᾳ παραδόξους θεοσημείας τῶν μελλόντων αὐτοῖς μὴ μετανοήσασι συμβήσεσθαι παρασχομένης· ἃ καὶ αὐτὰ μνήμης ἠξιωμένα πρὸς τοῦ δεδηλωμένου συγγραφέως οὐδὲν οἷον τοῖς τῇδε προσιοῦσιν τῇ γραφῇ παραθεῖναι.

VIII. καὶ δὴ λαβὼν ἀνάγνωθι τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἕκτην
τῶν Ἱστοριῶν αὐτῷ δεδηλωμένα ἐν τούτοις.

³⁴

“Τὸν γοῦν ἄθλιον δῆμον οἱ μὲν ἀπατεῶνες καὶ καταψευδόμενοι του θεοῦ τηνικαῦτα παρέπειθον, τοῖς δ’ ἐναργέσι καὶ προσημαίνουσι τὴν μέλλουσαν ἐρημίαν τέρασιν οὔτε προσεῖχον οὔτ’ ἐπίστευον, ἀλλ’ ὡς ἐμβεβροντημένοι καὶ μήτε ὄμματα μήτε ψυχὴν ἔχοντες τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ κηρυγμάτων παρήκουον, τοῦτο μὲν ὅθ’ ὑπὲρ τὴν
πόλιν ἄστρον ἔστη ῥομφαίᾳ παραπλήσιον καὶ παρατείνας ἐπ’ ἐνιαυτὸν κομήτης, τοῦτο δ’ ἡνίκα πρὸ τῆς ἀποστάσεως καὶ τοῦ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον κινήματος, ἀθροιζομένου τοῦ λαοῦ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀζύμων ἑορτήν, ὀγδόη Ξανθικοῦ μηνὸς κατὰ νυκτὸς ἐνάτην ὥραν, τοσοῦτον φῶς περιέλαμψεν τὸν βωμὸν καὶ τὸν ναόν, ὡς δοκεῖν ἡμέραν εἶναι λαμπράν, καὶ τοῦτο παρέτεινεν ἐφ’ ἡμίσειαν ὥραν· ὃ τοῖς μὲν ἀπείροις ἀγαθὸν ἐδόκει εἶναι, τοῖς δὲ ἱερογραμματεῦσι πρὸ τῶν ἀποβεβηκότων εὐθέως ἐκρίθη. καὶ κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ἑορτὴν
βοῦς μὲν ἀχθεῖσα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως πρὸς τὴν θυσίαν ἔτεκεν ἄρνα ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ μέσῳ· ἡ δ’ ἀνατολικὴ
πύλη τοῦ ἐνδοτέρω χαλκῆ μὲν οὖσα καὶ στιβαρωτάτη, κλειομένη δὲ περὶ δείλην μόλις ὑπ’ ἀνθρώπων εἴκοσι, καὶ μοχλοῖς μὲν ἐπερειδομένη σιδηροδέτοις, κατάπηγας δ’ ἔχουσα βαθυτάτους, ὤφθη κατὰ νυκτὸς ὥραν ἕκτην αὐτομάτως ἠνοιγμένη. μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἑορτὴν ἡμέραις
οὐ πολλαῖς ὕστερον, μιᾷ καὶ εἰκάδι Ἀρτεμισίου μηνός, φάσμα τι δαιμόνιον ὤφθη μεῖζον πίστεως, τέρας δ’ ἂν ἔδοξεν εἶναι τὸ ῥηθησόμενον, εἰ μὴ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς θεασαμένοις ἱστόρητο καὶ τὰ ἐπακολουθήσαντα πάθη τῶν σημείων ἢν ἄξια· πρὸ γὰρ ἡλίου δύσεως ὤφθη μετέωρα περὶ πᾶσαν τὴν χώραν ἅρματα καὶ φάλαγγες ἔνοπλοι διᾴττουσαι τῶν νεφῶν καὶ κυκλούμεναι τὰς πόλεις. κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἑορτήν, ἢ πεντηκοστὴ καλεῖται, νύκτωρ οἱ ἱερεῖς παρελθόντες εἰς τὸ ἱερόν, ὥσπερ αὐτοῖς ἔθος ἢν, πρὸς τὰς λειτουργίας, πρῶτον μὲν κινήσεως ἔφασαν ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι καὶ κτύπου, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα φωνῆς ἀθρόας μεταβαίνομεν ἐντεῦθεν. ’ 1 τὸ δὲ τούτων φοβερώτερον, Ἰησοῦς γάρ τις ὄνομα, υἱὸς Ἀνανίου, τῶν ἰδιωτῶν, ἄγροικος, πρὸ τεσσάρων ἐτῶν τοῦ πολέμου, τὰ μάλιστα τῆς πόλεως εἰρηνευομένης καὶ εὐθηνούσης, ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τὴν ἑορτήν, ἐπεὶ σκηνοποιδῖσθαι πάντας ἔθος ἦν τῷ θεῷ, κατὰ τὸ ἱερὸν ἐξαπίνης ἀναβοᾶν ἤρξατο φωνὴ ἀπ’ ἀνατολῆς, φωνὴ ἀπὸ δύσεως, φωνὴ ἀπὸ τῶν τεσσάρων ἀνέμων, φωνὴ ἐπὶ Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ τὸν ναόν, φωνὴ ἐπὶ νυμφίους καὶ νύμφας, φωνὴ ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν λαόν.’ τοῦτο μεθ’ ἡμέραν καὶ νύκτωρ κατὰ πάντας τοὺς στενωποὺς περιῄει κεκραγώς. τῶν δ’ ἐπισήμων τινὲς δημοτῶν ἀγανακτήσαντες πρὸς τὸ κακόφημον, συλλαμβάνουσι τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ πολλαῖς αἰκίζονται πληγαῖς· ὃ δ’ οὔθ’ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ φθεγξάμενος οὔτε ἰδίᾳ πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας, ἃς καὶ πρότερον φωνὰς βοῶν διετέλει. νομίσαντες δ’ οἱ ἄρχοντες, ὅπερ ἢν, δαιμονιώτερον εἷναι τὸ κίνημα τἀνδρός, ἀνάγουσιν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις ἔπαρχον· ἔνθα μάστιξιν μέχρις ὀστέων ξαινόμενος οὔθ’ ἱκέτευσεν οὔτ’ ἐδάκρυσεν, ἀλλ’ ³⁵ ὡς ἐνῆν μάλιστα τὴν φωνὴν ὀλοφυρτικῶς παρεγκλίνων, πρὸς ἑκάστην ἀπεκρίνατο πληγήν αἰ αἰ Ἱεροσολύμοις.1'"

³⁶

Ἕτερον δ’ ἔτι τούτου παραδοξότερον ὁ αὐτὸς ἱστορεῖ, χρησμόν τινα φάσκων ἐν ἱεροῖς γράμμασιν εὑρησθαι περιέχοντα ὡς κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας τις αὐτῶν ἄρξει τῆς οἰκουμένης, ὃν αὐτὸς μὲν ἐπὶ Οὐεσπασιανὸν πεπληρῶσθαι ἐξείληφεν· ἀλλ’ οὐχ ἁπάσης γε οὗτος ἀλλ’ ἢ μόνης ἦρξεν τῆς ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίους· δικαιότερον δ’ ἂν ἐπὶ τὸν χριστὸν ἀναχθείη, πρὸς ὃν εἴρητο ὑπὸ ³⁷ τοῦ πατρὸς “ αἴτησαι παρ’ ἐμοῦ, καὶ δώσω σοι ἔθνη τὴν κληρονομίαν ἀοῦ, καὶ τὴν κατάσχεσίν σου τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς,’ οὗ δὴ κατ’ αὐτὸ δὴ ³⁸ ἐκεῖνο τοῦ καιροῦ “ εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος” τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων “ καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν.”

IX. Ἐπὶ τούτοις ἅπασιν ἄξιον μηδ’ αὐτὸν ³⁹ τὸν Ἰώσηπον, τοσαῦτα τῇ μετὰ χεῖρας συμβεβλημένον ἰατορίᾳ, ὁπόθεν τε καὶ ἀφ’ οἴου γένους ὡρμᾶτο, ἀγνοεῖν. δηλοῖ δὲ πάλιν αὐτὸς καὶ ⁴⁰ τοῦτο, λέγων ὧδε “Ἰώσηπος Ματθίου παῖς, ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεύς, αὐτός τε Ῥωμαίους πολεμήσας τὰ πρῶτα καὶ τοῖς ὕστερον παρατυχὼν ἐξ ἀνάγκης.’’ μάλιστα δὲ τῶν κατ’ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ
Ἰουδαίων οὐ παρὰ μόνοις τοῖς ὁμοεθνέσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις γέγονεν ἀνὴρ ἐπιδοξότατος, ὡς αὐτὸν μὲν ἀναθέσει ἀνδριάντος ἐπὶ τῆς Ῥωμαίων τιμηθῆναι πόλεως, τοὺς δὲ σπουδασθέωατας αὐτῷ λόγους βιβλιοθήκης ἀξιωθῆναι. οὗτος δὴ
πᾶσαν τὴν Ἰουδαϊκὴν ἀρχαιολογίαι ἐν ὅλοις εἴκοσι κατατέθειται συγγράμμασιν, τὴν δ’ ἱστορίαν τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν Ῥωμαϊκοῦ πολέμου ἐν ἑπτά, ⁴¹ ἃ καὶ οὐ μόνον τῆ Ἑλλήνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆ πατρίῳ φωνῇ παραδοῦναι αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ μαρτυρεῖ, ἄξιός γε ὢν διὰ τὰ λοιπὰ πιστεύεσθαι· καὶ ἕτερα δ’
αὐτοῦ φέρεται σπουδῆς ἄξια δύο, τὰ Περὶ τῆς Ἰουδαίων ἀρχαιότητος, ἐν οἷς καὶ ἀντιρρήσεις πρὸς Ἀπίωνα τὸν γραμματικόν, κατὰ Ἰουδαίων τηνικάδε συντάξαντα λόγον, πεποίηται καὶ πρὸς ἄλλους, οἳ διαβάλλειν καὶ αὐτοὶ τὰ πάτρια τοῦ Ἰουδαίων ἔθνους ἐπειράθησαν . τούτων ἐν τῷ
προτέρῳ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῆς λεγομένης παλαιᾶς τῶν ἐνδιαθήκων γραφῶν τίθησι, τίνα τὰ παρ’ Ἑβραίοις ἀναντίρρητα, ὡς ἂν ἐξ ἀρχαίας παραδόσεως αὐτοῖς ῥήμασι διὰ τούτων διδάσκων.

⁴²

X. “ Οὐ μυριάδες οὖν βιβλίων εἰσὶ παρ’ ἡμῖν ] ἀσυμφώνων καὶ μαχομένων, δύο ’δε μόνα πρὸς τοῖς εἴκοσι βιβλία, τοῦ παντὸς ἔχοντα χρόνου τὴν ἀναγραφήν, τὰ δικαίως θεῖα πεπιστευμέωα. καὶ τούτων πέντε μέν ἐστιν Μωυσέως, ἃ τούς
τε νόμους περιέχει καὶ τὴν τῆς ἀνθρωπογονίας παράδοσιν μέχρι τῆς αὐτοῦ τελευτῆς· οὗτος ὁ χρόνος ἀπολείπει τρισχιλίων ὀλίγον ἐτῶν· ἀπὸ
δὲ τῆς Μωυσέως τελευτῆς μέχρι τῆς Ἀρταξέρξου τοῦ μετὰ Ξέρξην Περσῶν βασιλέως οἱ μετὰ Μωυσῆν προφῆται τὰ κατ’ αὐτοὺς πραχθέντα συνέγραψαν ἐν τρισὶν καὶ δέκα βιβλίοις· αἱ δὲ λοιπαὶ τέσσαρες ὕμνους εἰς τὸν θεὸν καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὑποθήκας τοῦ βίου περιέχουσιν. ἀπὸ
δὲ Ἀρταξέρξου μέχρι τοῦ καθ’ ἡμᾶς χρόνου γέγραπται μὲν ἕκαστα, πίστεως δ’ οὐχ ὁμοίας ἠξίωται τοῖς πρὸ αὐτῶν διὰ τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι τὴν τῶν προφητῶν ἀκριβῆ διαδοχήν. δῆλον δ’ ἐστὶν
ἔργῳ πῶς ἡμεῖς πρόσιμεν τοῖς ἰδίοις γράμμασιν· τοσούτου γὰρ αἰῶνος ἤδη παρωχηκότος οὔτε μεταθεῖναι τις οὔτε ἀφελεῖν ἀπ’ αὐτῶν οὔτε μεταθεῖναι τετόλμηκεν, πᾶσι δὲ σύμφυτόν ἐστιν εὐθὺς ἐκ πρώτης γενέσεως Ἰουδαίοις τὸ νομίξειν αὐτὰ θεοῦ δόγματα καὶ τούτοις ἐπιμένειν καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, εἰ δέοι, θνῄσκειν ἡδέως.” καὶ
ταῦτα δὲ τοῦ συγγραφέως χρησίμως ὧδε παρατεθείσθω. πεπόνηται δὲ καὶ ἄλλο οὐκ ἀγεννὲς σπούδασμα τῷ ἀνδρί, Περὶ αὐτοκράτορος λογισμοῦ, ὅ τινες Μακκαβαϊκὸν ἐπέγραψαν τῷ τοὺς ἀγῶνας τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὕτω καλουμένοις Μακκαβαϊκοῖς συγγράμμαοιν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς τὸ θεῖον εὐσεβείας ἀνδρισαμένων Ἑβραίων περιέχειν, καὶ
⁴³ πρὸς τῷ τέλει δὲ τῆς εἰκοστῆς Ἀρχαιολογίας ἐπισημαίνεται ὁ αὐτὸς ὡς ἀν’ προῃρημένος τέτταρσιν αυγγράψαι βιβλίοις κατὰ τὰς πατρίους δόξας τῶν Ἰουδαίων περὶ θεοῦ καὶ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ καὶ περὶ τῶν νόμων, διὰ τί κατ’ αὐτοὺς τὰ μὲν ἔξεστι πράττειν, τὰ δὲ κεκώλυται, καὶ ⁴⁴ ἄλλα δὲ αὐτῶ σπουδασθῆναι ὁ αὐτὸς ἐν τοῖς ὢ ἰδίοις αὐτοῦ μνημονεύει λόγοις. πρὸς τούτοις
εὔλογον καταλέξαι καὶ ἃς ἐπ’ αὐτοῦ τῆς Αρχαιολογίας τοῦ τέλους φωνὰς παρατέθειται, εἰς πίστωσιν τῆς τῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ παραληφθέντων ἡμῖν μαρτυρίας. διαβάλλων δῆτα Ἰοῦστον Τιβεριέα, ὁμοίως αὐτῷ τὰ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἱστορῆσαι χρόνους πεπειραμένον, ὡς μὴ τἀληθῆ συγγεγραφότα, πολλάς τε ὤας εὐθύνας ἐπαγαγὼν τῷ ἀνδρί, ταῦτα αὐτοῖς ῥήμασιν ἐπιλέγει “οὐ
⁴⁵ μὴν ἐγώ ἀοῖ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον περὶ τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ γραφῆς ἔδεισα, ἀλλ' αὐτοῖς ἐπέδωκα τοῖς τὰ βιβλία, μόνον οὐ τῶν ἔργων ἤδη βλεπομένων· συνῄδειν γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ τετηρηκότι τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας παράδοσιν, ἐφ’ ᾖ μαρτυρίας τεύξεσθαι προσδοκήσας οὐ διήμαρτον. καὶ ἄλλοις δὲ πολλοῖς ἐπέδωκα τὴν ἱστορίαν, ὧν ἔνιοι καὶ παρατετεύχεσαν τῷ πολέμῳ, καθάπερ βασιλεὺς Ἀγρίππας καί τινες αὐτοῦ τῶν συγγενῶν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ αὐτοκράτωρ Τίτος οὕτως ἐκ μόνων αὐτῶν ἐβουλήθη τὴν γνῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παραδοῦναι τῶν πράξεων, ὥστε χαράξας τῆ αὐτοῦ χειρὶ τὰ βιβλία δαιῶσαι προσέταξεν, ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς Ἀγρίππας δβ ἔγραψεν ἐπιστολάς, τῆ τῆς ἀληθείας παραδόσει μαρτυρῶν.”

Ἀφ’ ὧν καὶ δύο παρατίθησιν . ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν κατὰ τοῦτον ταύτῃ πη δεδηλώσθω.

ΧΙ. Ἴωμεν δ’ ἐπὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. μετὰ τὴν . Ἰακώβου
μαρτυρίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτίκα γενομένην ἅλωσιν τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ λόγος κατέχει τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν τοῦ κυρίου μαθητῶν τοὺς εἰς ἔτι τῷ βίῳ λειπομένους ἐπὶ ταὐτὸν πανταχόθεν συνελθεῖν ἅμα τοῖς πρὸς γένους κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ κυρίου πλείους γὰρ καὶ τούτων περιῆσαν εἰς ἔτι τότε τῷ βίῳ), βουλήν τε ὁμοῦ τοὺς πάντας περὶ τοῦ τίνα χρὴ τῆς Ἰακώβου διαδοχῆς ἐπικρῖναι ἄξιον, ποιήσασθαι, καὶ δὴ ἀπὸ ⁴⁶ μιᾶς γνώμης τοὺς πάντας Συμεῶνα τὸν τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, οὗ καὶ ἡ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου μνημονεύει γραφή, τοῦ τῆς αὐτόθι παροικίας θρόνου ἄξιον εἶναι δοκιμάσαι, ἀνεψιόν, ὥς γέ φασι, γεγονότα τοῦ σωτῆρος, τὸν γὰρ οὗν Κλωπᾶν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ὑπάρχειν Ἡγήσιππος ἱστορεῖ,

XII. καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις Οὐεσπασιανον
μετὰ τὴν τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ἅλωσιν πάντας τοὺς ἀπὸ γένους Δαυίδ, ὡς μὴ περιλειφθείη τις παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς φυλῆς, ἀναζητεῖσθαι προστάξαι, μέγιστόν τε Ἰουδαίοις αὖθις ἐκ ταύτης διωγμὸν ἐπαρτηθῆναι τῆς αἰτίας.

ΧΙΙΙ. Ἐπὶ δέκα δὲ τὸν Οὐεσπασιανὸν ἔτεσιν
βασιλεύσαντα αὐτοκράτωρ Τίτος ὁ παῖς διαδέχεται· οὗ κατὰ δεύτερον ἔτος τῆς βασιλείας Λίνος ἐπίσκοπος τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας δυοκαίδεκα τὴν λειτουργίαν ἐνιαυτοῖς κατασχών, Ἀνεγκλήτῳ ταύτην παραδίδωσιν.

Τίτον δὲ Δομετιανὸς ἀδελφὸς διαδέχεται, δύο ἐτεαὶ καὶ μησὶ τοῖς ἴσοις βασιλεύσαντα.

XIV.
τετάρτῳ μὲν οὖν ἔτει Δομετιανοῦ τῆς κατ’ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν παροικίας ὁ πρῶτος Ἀννιανὸς δύο πρὸς τοῖς εἴκοσι ἀποπΛήσας ἔτη, τελευτᾷ, διαδέχεται δ’ αὐτὸν δεύτερος Ἀβίλιος.

XV. δωδεκάτῳ δὲ ἔτει τῆς
αὐτῆς ἡγεμονίας τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας Ἀνέγκλητον ἔτεσιν ἐπισκοπεύσαντα δεκαδύο διαδέχεται Κλήμης, ὃν συνεργὸν ἑαυτοῦ γενέσθαι Φιλιππησίοις Phil.4,3 ἐπιστέλλων ὁ ἀπόστολος διδάσκει, λέγων “μετὰ καὶ Κλήμεντος καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν συνεργῶν μου, ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα ἐν βίβλῳ ζωῆς.”

XVI. Τούτου δὴ οὖν ὁμολογουμένη μία ἐπιστολὴ
φέρεται, μεγάλη τε καὶ θαυμασία, ἢν ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς ῾Ρωμαίων ἐκκλησίας τῇ Κορινθίων διετυπώσατο, στάσεως τηνικάδε κατὰ τὴν Κόρινθον γενομένης. ταύτην δὲ καὶ ἐν πλείσταις ἐκκλησίαις ἐπὶ τοῦ κοινοῦ δεδημοσιευμένην πάλαι τε καὶ καθ᾿ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἔγνωμεν. καὶ ὅτι γε κατὰ τὸν δηλούμενον τὰ τῆς Κορινθίων κεκίνητο στάσεως, ἀξιόχρεως μάρτυς ὁ Ἡγήσιππος.

XVII. Πόλλην γε μὴν εἰς πολλοὺς ἐπιδειξάμενος ὁ
Δομετιανὸς ὠμότητα οὐκ ὀλίγον τε τῶν ἐπὶ ῾Ρώμης εὐπατριδῶν τε καὶ ἐπισήμων ἀνδρῶν πλῆθος οὐ μετ᾿ εὐλόγου κρίσεως κτείνας μυρίους τε ἄλλους ἐπιφανεῖς ἄνδρας ταῖς ὑπὲρ τὴν ἐνορίαν ζημιώσας φυγαῖς καὶ ταῖς τῶν οὐσιῶν ἀποβολαῖς ἀναιτίως, τελευτῶν τῆς Νέρωνος θεοεχθρίας τε καὶ θεομαχίας διάδοχον ἑαυτὸν κατεστήσατο. δεύτερος δῆτα τὸν καθ᾿ ἡμῶν ἀνεκίνει διωγμόν, καίπερ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῷ Οὐεσπασιανοῦ μηδὲν καθ᾿ ἡμῶν ἄτοπον ἐπινοήσαντος.

XVIII. Ἐν τούτῳ κατέχει λόγος τὸν ἀπόστολον
ἅμα καὶ εὐαγγελιστὴν Ἰωάννην ἔτι τῷ βίῳ ἐνδιατρίβοντα, τῆς εἰς τὸν θεῖον λόγον ἕνεκεν μαρτυρίας Πάτμον οἰκεῖν καταδικασθῆναι τὴν νῆσον. γράφων
γέ τοι ὁ Εἰρήναιος περὶ τῆς ψήφου τῆς κατὰ τὸν ἀντίχριστον προσηγορίας φερομένης ἐν τῇ Ἰωάννου ⁴⁷ λεγομένῃ Ἀποκαλύψει, αὐταῖς συλλαβαῖς ἐν πέμπτῳ τῶν πρὸς τὰς αἱρέσεις ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ Ἰωάννου ⁴⁸ φησίν “ εἰ δὲ ἔδει ἀναφανδὸν ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ κηρύττεσθαι τοὔνομα αὐτοῦ, δι᾿ ἐκείνου ἂν ἐρρέθη τοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν ἑορακότος . οὐδὲ γὰρ πρὸ πολλοῦ χρόνου ἑωράθη, ἀλλὰ σχεδὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας γενεᾶς, πρὸς τῷ τέλει τῆς Δομετιανοῦ ἀρχῆς.’

Εἰς τοσοῦτον δὲ ἄρα κατὰ τοὺς δηλουμένους ἡ τῆς
ἡμετέρας πίστεως διέλαμπεν διδασκαλία, ὡς καἰ τοὺς ἄποθεν τοῦ καθ’ ἡμᾶς λόγου συγγραφεῖς μὴ ἀποκνῆσαι ταῖς αὐτῶν ἱστορίαις τόν τε διωγμὸν καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ μαρτύρια παραδοῦναι, οἵ γε καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἐπ’ ἀκριβὲς ἐπεσημήναντο, ἐν ἔτει πεντεκαιδεκάτῳ Δομετιανοῦ μετὰ πλείστων ἑτέρων καὶ Φλαυίαν Δομέτιλλαν ἱστορήσαντες, ἐξ ἀδελφῆς γεγονυῖαν Φλαυίου Κλήμεντος, ἑνὸς τῶν τηνικάδε ἐπὶ Ῥώμης ὑπάτων, τῆς εἰς χριστὸν μαρτυρίας ἕνεκεν εἰς νῆσον Ποντίαν κατὰ τιμωρίαν δεδόσθαι.

XIX. Τοῦ δ’ αὐτοῦ Δομετιανοῦ τοὺς ἀπὸ γένους
Δαυὶδ ἀναιρεῖσθαι προστάξαντος, παλαιὸς κατέχει λόγος τῶν αἱρετικῶν τινας κατηγορῆσαι τῶν ἀπογόνων Ἰούδα (τοῦτον δ’ εἷναι ἀδελφὸν κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ σωτῆρος) ὡς ἀπὸ γένους τυγχανόντων Δαυὶδ καὶ ὡς αὐτοῦ συγγένειαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ φερόντων. ταῦτα δὲ δηλοῖ κατὰ λέξιν ὧδέ πως λέγων ὁ ⁴⁹ Ἡγήσιππος.

XX. “ ἔτι δὲ περιῆσαν οἱ ἀπὸ γένους
τοῦ κυρίου υἱωνοὶ Ἰούδα τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα λεγομένου αὐτοῦ ἀδελφοῦ· οὓς ἐδηλατόρευσαν 1 ὡς ἐκ γόους ὄντας Δαυίδ. τούτους ὁ ἠουοκᾶτος ἤγαγεν πρὸς Δομετιανὸν Καίσαρα. ἐφοβεῖτο γὰρ τὴν πάρου· αἶαν τοῦ χριστοῦ ὡς καὶ Ἡρῴδης. καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν
αὐτοὺς εἰ ἐκ Δαυίδ εἰσιν, καὶ ὡμολόγησαν. τότε ἠρώτησεν αὐτοὺς πόσας κτήσεις ἔχουσιν ἢ ⁵⁰⁵¹ πόσων χρημάτων κυριεύουσιν. οἱ δὲ εἶπαν ἀμφοτέροις ἐννακισχίλια δηνάρια ὑπάρχειν αὐτοῖς μόνα, ἑκάστῳ αὐτῶν ἀνήκοντος τοῦ ἡμίσεος, καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐν ἀργυρίοις ἔφασκον ἔχειν, ἀλλ’ ἐν διατιμήσει γῆς πλέθρων ’λθ’ μόνων, ἐξ ὧν καὶ τοὺς φόρους ἀναφέρειν καὶ αὐτοὺς αὐτουργοῦντας διατρέφέφεσθαι.”1 εἶτα δὲ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἐπιδεικνύναι,
μαρτύριον τῆς αὐτουργίας τὴν τοῦ σώματος σκληρίαν καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς συνεχοῦς ἐργασίας ἐναποτυπωθέντας ἐπὶ τῶν ἰδίων χειρῶν τύλους παριστάντας . ἐρωτηθέντας δὲ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῆς βασιλείας
αὐτοῦ ὁποία τις εἴη καὶ ποῖ καὶ πότε φανησομένη, λόγον δοῦναι ὡς οὐ κοσμικὴ μὲν οὐδ’ ἐπίγειος, ⁵² ἐπουράνιος δὲ καὶ ἀγγελικὴ τυγχάνοι, ἐπὶ συντελεία τοῦ αἰῶνος γενησομένη ὁπηνίκα ἐλθὼν ἐν δόξῃ κρινεῖ ζῶντας καὶ νέκρους καὶ ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα αὐτοῦ· ἐφ’ οἷς μηδὲν αὐτῶν
κατεγνωκότα τὸν Δομετιανόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς εὐτελῶν καταφρονήσαντα, ἐλευθέρους μὲν αὐτοὺς ἀνεῖναι, καταπαῦσαι δὲ διὰ προστάγματος τὸν κατὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας διωγμόν. 2 τοὺς δὲ ἀπολυθέντας ηγήσασθαι
τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, ὡς ἂν δὴ μάρτυρας ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ γένους ὄντας τοῦ κυρίου, γενομένης τε εἰρήνης μέχρι Τραϊανοῦ παραμεῖναι αὐτοὺς τῷ βίῳ. ταῦτα
μὲν ὁ Ἡγήσιππος· οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Τερτυλλιανὸς ⁵³ τοῦ Δομετιανοῦ τοιαύτην πεποίηται μνήμην “ πεπειράκει ποτὲ καὶ Δομετιανὸς ταὐτὸ ποιεῖν ἐκείνῳ, μέρος ὢν τῆς Νέρωνος ὠμότητος. ἀλλ’, οἶμαι, ἅτε ἔχων τι συνέσεως, τάχιστα ἐπαύσατο, ἀνακαλεσάμενος καὶ οὓς ἐξηλάκει.”

⁵⁴⁵⁵

Μετὰ δὲ τὸν Δομετιανὸν πεντεκαίδεκα ἔτεσιν
κρατήσαντα Νερούα τὴν ἀρχὴν διαδεξαμένου , καθαιρεθῆναι μὲν τὰς Δομετιανοῦ τιμάς, ἐπανελθεῖν δ’ ἐπὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα μετὰ τοῦ καὶ τὰς οὐσίας ἀπολαβεῖν τοὺς ἀδίκως ἐξεληλαμένους ἡ Ῥωμαίων σύγκλητος βουλὴ ψηφίζεται· ἱστοροῦσιν οἱ γραφῆ τὰ κατὰ τοὺς χρόνους παραδόντες . τότε δὴ οὖν καὶ τὸν
ἀπόστολον Ἰωάννην ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν νῆσον φυγῆς τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐφέσου διατριβὴν ἀπειληφέναι ὁ τῶν παρ’ ἡμῖν ἀρχαίων παραδίδωσι λόγος.

XXI. Μικρῷ δὲ πλέον ἐνιαυτοῦ βασιλεύσαντα
Νερούαν διαδέχεται Τραϊανός· οὗ δὴ πρῶτον ἔτος ἦν ἐν ᾧ τῆς κατ’ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν παροικίας Ἀβίλιον δέκα πρὸς τρισὶν ἔτεσιν ἡγησάμενον διαδέχεται Κερδῶν· τρίτος οὗτος τῶν αὐτόθι μετὰ τὸν πρῶτον ᾿Αννιανὸν προέστη. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Ῥωμαίων εἰς ἔτι Κλήμης ἡγεῖτο, τρίτον καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπέχων τῶν τῇδε μετὰ Παῦλόν τε καὶ Πέτρον ἐπισκοπευσάντων βαθμόν· Λίνος δὲ ὁ πρῶτος ἢν καὶ μετ’ αὐτὸν ᾿Ανέγκλητος .

XXII. ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐπ’ Ἀντιοχείας Εὐοδίου πρώτου
καταστάντος δεύτερος ἐν τοῖς δηλουμένοις ᾿Ιγνάτιος ἐγνωρίζετο. Συμεὼν ὁμοίως δεύτερος μετὰ τὸν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀδελφὸν τῆς ἐν ῾Ιεροσολύμοις ἐκκλησίας κατὰ τούτους τὴν λειτουργίαν εἶχεν.

ΧΧΙΙΙ. Ἐπὶ τούτοις κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν ἔτι τῷ βίῳ
περιλειπόμενος αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ⁵⁶ ; ἀπόστολος ὁμοῦ καὶ εὐαγγελιστὴς Ἰωάννης τὰς αὐτόθι διεῖπεν ἐκκΛησίας, ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν νῆσον μετὰ τὴν Δομετιανοῦ τελευτὴν ἐπανελθὼν φυγῆς. ὅτι δὲ εἰς τούτους τῷ βίῳ περιῆν, ἀπόχρη διὰ δύο
πιστώσασθαι τὸν λόγον μαρτύρων , πιστοὶ δ’ ἂν εἶεν οὗτοι, τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς πρεσβεύσαντες ὁρθο- δοξίας, εἰ δὴ τοιοῦτοι Εἰρήναιος καὶ Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς· ὧν ὁ μὲν πρότερος ἐν δευτέρῳ τῶν
⁵⁷ πρὸς τὰς αἱρέσεις ὧδέ πως γράφει κατὰ λέξιν· “ καὶ πάντες οἱ πρεσβύτεροι μαρτυροῦσιν οἱ κατὰ τὴν Λαίαν Ἰωάννη τῷ τοῦ κυρίου μαθητῇ συμβεβληκότες παραδεδωκέναι τὸν Ἰωάννην. παρέμεινεν γὰρ αὐτοῖς μέχρι τῶν Τραϊανοῦ Χρόνων.” 1 καὶ ἐν
τρίτῳ δὲ τῆς αὐτῆς ὑποθέσεως ταὐτὸ τοῦτο δηλοῖ ⁵⁸ διὰ τούτων· “ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἢ ἐν Ἐφέσω ἐκκλησία ὑπὸ Παύλου μὲν τεθεμελιωμένη , Ἰωάννου δὲ παραμείναντος αὐτοῖς μέχρι τῶν Τραϊανοῦ χρόνων, μάρτυς ἀληθής ἐστιν τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων παραδόσεως.”

Ὁ δὲ Κλήμης ὁμοῦ τὸν χρόνον ἑπισημηνάμενος ,
καὶ ἱστορίαν ἀναγκαιοτάτην οἷς τὰ καλὰ καὶ ἐπωφελῆ φίλον ἀκούειν, προστίθησιν ἐν ᾧ “ ίς ὁ σῳζόμενος πλούσιος ’’ ἐπέγραφεν αὐτοῦ συγγράμματι· λαβὼν δὲ ἀνάγνωθι ὧδέ πως ἔχουσαν καὶ ⁵⁹ αὐτοῦ τὴν γραφήν· “ “ἄκουσον μῦθον οὐ μῦθον ἀλλὰ
ὄντα λόγον πέρι Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἀποστόλου παραδεδομένον καὶ μνήμη πεφυλαγμένον . ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῦ τυράννου τελευτήσαντος ἀπὸ τῆς Πάτμου τῆς νήσου μετῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἔφεσον, ἀπῄει παρακαλούμενος καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ πλησιόχωρα τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὅπου μὲν ἐπισκόπους καταστήσων , ὅπου δὲ ὅλας ἐκκλησίας ἁρμόαων, ὅπου δὲ κλῆρον ἕνα γέ τινα κληρώσων τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος σημαινομένων . ἐλθὼν οὖν καὶ
ἐπί τινα τῶν οὐ μακρὰν πόλεων,2 ἦς καὶ τοὔνομα λέγουσιν ἔνιοι, καὶ τἄλλα ἀναπαύσας τοὺς ἀδελφούς, ἐπὶ πᾶσι τῷ καθεστῶτι προσβλέψας ἐπισκόπῳ, νεανίσκον ἱκανὸν τῷ σώματι καὶ τὴν ὄφιν ἀστεῖον καὶ θερμὸν τὴν ψυχὴν ἰδών, τοῦτον ’ ἔφη σοὶ ⁶⁰ παρακατατίθεμαι μετὰ πάσης σπουδἠς ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τοῦ χριστοῦ μάρτυρος. τοῦ δὲ δεχομένου καὶ πάνθ᾿ ὑπισχνουμένου, καὶ πάλιν τὰ αὐτὰ διελέγετο καὶ διεμαρτύρετο. εἶτα ὁ μὲν ἀπῆρεν
ἐπὶ τὴν Ἐφεσον, ὁ δὲ πρεαβύτερος ἀναλαβὼν οἴκαδε τὸν παραδοθέντα νεανίακον ἔτρεφεν, αυνεῖχεν, ἔθαλπεν, τὸ τελευταῖον ἐφώτισεν. καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ὑφῆκεν τῆς πλείονος ἐπιμελείας καὶ παραφυλακῆς, ὡς τὸ τέλειον αὐτῷ φυλακτήριον ἐπιστήσας τὴν σφραγῖδα κυρίου. τῷ δὲ ἀνέσεως πρὸ ὥρας
λαβομένῳ προσφθείρονταί τινες ἥλικες ἀργοὶ καὶ ἀπερρωγότες, ἐθάδες κακῶν, καὶ πρῶτον μὲν δι᾿ ἑατιάαεων πολυτελῶν αὐτὸν ἐπάγονται, εἶτά που καὶ νύκτωρ ἐπὶ λωποδυσίαν ἐξιόντες συνεπάγονται, εἶτά τι καὶ μεῖζον συμπράττειν ἠξίουν· ὃ δὲ κατ᾿
ὀλίγον προσειθίζετο, καὶ διὰ μέγεθος φύσεως ἑκάτας δαπερ ἄστομος καὶ εὔρωστος ἵππος ὀρθῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ τὸν χαλινὸν ἐνδακών, μειζόνως κατὰ τῶν βαράθρων ἐφέρετο, ἀπογνοὺς δὲ τελέως τὴν ἐν θεῷ
σωτηρίαν, οὐδὲν ἔτι μικρὸν διενοεῖτο, ἀλλὰ μέγα τι πράξας, ἐπειδήπερ ἅπαξ ἀπολώλει, ἴσα τοῖς ἄλλοις παθεῖν ἠξίου. αὐτοὺς δὴ τούτους ἀναλαβὼν καὶ λῃστήριον συγκροτήσας, ἕτοιμος λῄαταρχος ἢν, βιαιότατος μιαιφονώτατος χαλεπώτατος. χρόνος
ἐν μέαῳ, καί τινος ἐπιπεσούσης χρείας ἀνακαλοῦσι τὸν Ἰωάννην. ὃ δὲ ἐπεὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὧν χάριν ἧκεν κατεατήαατο, ῾ἄγε δή᾿ ἔφη ῾ὦ ἐπίσκοπε, τὴν παραθήκην ἀπόδος ἡμῖν, ἢν ἐγώ τε καὶ ὁ Χριατός σοι παρακατεθέμεθα ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ἧς προκαθέζῃ, μάρτυρος. ὃ δὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐξεπλάγη,
χρήματα οἰόμενος, ἅπερ οὐκ ἔλαβεν, συκοφαντεῖαθαι, καὶ οὔτε πιστεύειν εἶχεν ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐκ εἶχεν, οὔτε ἀπιστεῖν Ἰωάννη· ὡς δέ τὸν νεανίσκον᾿ εἶπεν ῾ἀπαιτῶ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ᾿ στενάξας κάτωθεν ὁ πρεαβύτης καί τι καὶ ἐπιδακρύσας, ῾ἐκεῖνος᾿ ἔφη τέθνηκεν.᾿ πῶς καὶ τίνα θάνατον;᾿ ῾θεῷ τέθνηκεν᾿ εἷπεν· ῾ἀπέβη γὰρ πονηρὸς καὶ ἐξώλης καί, τὸ κεφάλαιον, λῃστής, καὶ νῦν ἀντὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τὸ ὄρος κατείληφεν μεθ᾿ ὁμοίου στρατιωτικοῦ.᾿ καταρρηξάμενος τὴν ἐαθῆτα
ὁ ἀπόστολος καὶ μετὰ μεγάλης πληξάμενος τὴν κεφαλήν, ῾καλόν γε᾿ ἔφη ῾φύλακα τῆς τἀδελφοῦ ψυχῆς κατέλιπον . ἀλλ᾿ ἵππος ἤδη μοι παρέατω, καὶ ἡγεμὼν γενέσθω μοί τις τῆς ὁδοῦ.᾿ ἤλαυνεν, ὥσπερ εἶχεν, αὐτόθεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας. ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς τὸ χωρίον, ὑπὸ τῆς
προφυλακῆς τῶν Λῃστῶν ἁλίσκεται, μήτε φεύγων μήτε παραιτούμενος, ἀλλὰ βοῶν ῾ ἐπὶ τοῦτ᾿ ἐλήλυθα, ἐπὶ τὸν ἄρχοντα ὑμῶν ἀγάγετέ με·᾿ ὃς τέως,
ὥσπερ ὥπλιατο, ἀνέμενεν, ὡς δὲ ἐγνώρισε τὸν Ἰωάννην, εἰς φυγὴν αἰδεσθεὶς ἐτράπετο. ὃ δὲ ἐδίωκεν ἀνὰ κράτος, ἐπιλαθόμενος τῆς ἡλικίας τῆς ἑαυτοῦ, κεκραγώς ῾τί με φεύγεις, τέκνον, τὸν
ααυτοῦ πατέρα, τὸν γυμνόν, τὸν γέροντα; ἐλέησόν με, τέκνον, μὴ φοβοῦ· ἔχεις ἔτι ζωῆς ἐλπίδας. ἐγὼ Χριατῷ λόγον δώσω ὑπὲρ σοῦ· ἂν δέη, τὸν σὸν θάνατον ἑκὼν ὑπομενῶ, ὡς ὁ κύριος τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν· ὑπὲρ ἀοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀντιδώσω τὴν ἐμήν. στῆθι, πίατευαον· χριστός με ἀπέατειλεν.’ ὃ δὲ
ἀκούσας, πρῶτον ἔστη μὲν κάτω βλέπων, εἶτα ἔρριφεν τὰ ὅπλα, εἶτα τρέμων ἔκλαιεν πικρῶς· προσελθόντα δὲ τὸν γέροντα περιέλαβεν, ἀπολουούμενος ταῖς οἰμωγαῖς ὡς ἐδύνατο καὶ τοῖς δάκρυσι βαπτιζόμενος ἐκ δευτέρου, μόνην ἀποκρύπτων τὴν δεξιάν· ὃ δ ἐγγυώμενος, ἐπομνύμενος ὡς ἄφεαιν
αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος ηὕρηται, δεόμενος, γόνυ. πετῶν, αὐτὴν τὴν δεξιὰν ὡς ὑπὸ τῆς μετανοίας κεκαθαρμένην καταφιλῶν, ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐπ᾿. ἀνήγαγεν, καὶ δαφιλέαι μὲν εὐχαῖς ἐξαιτούμενος , συνεχέαι δὲ νηστείαις συναγωνιζόμενος , ποικίλαις δὲ σειρῆαι λόγων κατεπᾴδων αὐτοῦ τὴν γνώμην, οὐ πρότερον ἀπῆλθεν, ὥς φασιν, πρὶν αὐτὸν ἐπιατῆσαι τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, διδοὺς μέγα παράδειγμα μετανοίας ἀληθινῆς καὶ μέγα γνώριαμα παλιγγενεσίας, τρόπαιον ἀναστάσεως βλεπομένης.” 1 ταῦτα τοῦ Κλήμεντος, ἱστορίας ὁμοῦ καὶ ὠφελείας τῆς τῶν ἐντευξομένων ἕνεκεν, ἐνταῦθά μοι κείσθω.

XXΙV. Φέρε δέ, καὶ τοῦδε τοῦ ἀποατόλου τὰς
ἀναντιρρήτους ἐπισημηνώμεθα γραφάς. καὶ δὴ
τὸ κατ᾿ αὐτὸν εὐαγγέλιον ταῖς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν διεγνωσμένον ἐκκλησίαις, πρῶτον ἀνωμολογήσθω· ὅτι γε μὴν εὐλόγως πρὸς τῶν ἀρχαίων ἐν τετάρτη μοίρᾳ τῶν ἄλλων τριῶν κατείλεκται, ταύτῃ ἄν γένοιτο δῆλον. οἱ θεσπέαιοι καὶ ὡς ἀληθῶς
θεοπρεπεῖς, φημὶ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοὺς ἀποστόλους, τὸν βίον ἄκρως κεκαθαρμένοι καὶ ἀρετῇ πάσῃ τὰς ⁶¹ φυχὰς κεκοσμημένοι, τὴν δὲ γλῶτταν ἰδιωτεύοντες, τῆ γε μὴν πρὸς τοῦ σωτἠρος αὐτοῖς δεδωρημένῃ θείᾳ καὶ παραδοξοποιῷ δυνάμει θαρσοῦντες, τὸ μὲν ⁶² ἐν πειθοῖ καὶ τέχνῃ λόγων τὰ τοῦ διδασκάλου μαθήματα πρεσβεύειν οὔτε ᾔδεσαν οὔτε ἐνεχείρουν, τῇ δὲ τοῦ θείου πνεύματος τοῦ συνεργοῦντος αὐτοῖς ἀποδείξει καὶ τῇ δι᾿ αὐτῶν συντελουμένῃ θαυματουργῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δυνάμει μόνη Χρώμενοι, τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας τὴν γνῶσιν ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ⁶³ κατήγγελλον τὴν οἰκουμένην, απουδῆς τῆς περὶ τὸ λογογραφεῖν μικρὰν ποιούμενοι φροντίδα. καὶ
τοῦτ’ ἔπραττον ἅτε μείζονι καὶ ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον ἐξυπηρετούμενοι διακονίᾳ. ὁ γοῦν Παῦλος πάν· ἐν παρασκευῇ λόγων δυνατώτατος νοήμασίν τε ἱκανώτατος γεγονώς, οὐ πλέον τῶν βραχυτάτων ἐπιστολῶν γραφῆ παραδέδωκεν, καίτοι μυρία γε καὶ ⁶⁴ ἀπόρρητα λέγειν ἔχων, ἅτε τῶν μέχρις οὐρανοῦ τρίτου θεωρημάτων ἐπιφαύσας ἐπ’ αὐτόν τε τὸν θεοπρεπῆ παράδεισον ἀναρπασθεὶς καὶ τῶν ἐκεῖσε ῥημάτων ἀρρήτων ἀξιωθεὶς ἐπακοῦσαι. οὐκ
ἄπειροι μὲν οὖν ὑπῆρχον τῶν αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν φοιτηταί, δώδεκα μὲν ἀπόστολοι, ἑβδομήκοντα δὲ μαθηταί, ἄλλοι τε ἐπὶ τούτοις μυρίοι· ὅμως δ’ οὖν ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν τοῦ κυρίου διατριβῶν ὑπομνήματα Ματθαῖος ἡμῖν καὶ νῆς μόνοι καταλελοίπασιν· οὕς καὶ ἐπάναγκες ἐπὶ τὴν γραφὴν ἐλθεῖν κατέχει λόγος. Ματθαῖός τε
γὰρ πρότερον Ἑβραίοις κηρύξας, ὡς ἤμελλεν καὶ ἐφ’ ἑτέρους ἰέναι, πατρίῳ γλώττη γραφῆ παραδοὺς τὸ κατ’ αὐτὸν εὐαγγέλιον, τὸ λεῖπον τῆ αὐτοῦ παρουσίᾳ τούτοις ἀφ’ ὧν ἐστέλλετο, διὰ τῆς γραφῆς ἀπεπλήρου· ῥοῦ· ἤδη δὲ Μάρκου καὶ Λουκᾶ τῶν κατ’ αὐτοὺς
εὐαγγελίων τὴν ἔκδοσιν πεποιημένων, Ἰωάννην φασὶ τὸν πάντα χρόνον ἀγράφῳ κεχρημένον κηρύγματι, τέλος καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν γραφὴν ἐλθεῖν τοιᾶσδε χάριν αἰτίας. τῶν προαναγραφέντων τριῶν εἰς πάντας ἤδη καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν διαδεδομένων , ἀποδέξασθαι μέν φασιν, ἀλήθειαν αὐτοῖς ἐπιμαρτυρήσαντα, μόνην δὲ ἄρα λείπεσθαι τῇ γραφῇ τὴν περὶ τῶν ἐν πρώτοις καὶ κατ’ ἀρχὴν τοῦ κηρύγματος ὑπὸ τοῦ χριστοῦ πεπραγμένων διήγηαιν. καὶ ἀληθής γε ὁ λόγος.
τοὺς τρεῖς γοῦν εὐαγγελιστὰς συνιδεῖν πάρεστιν μόνα τὰ μετὰ τὴν ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ κάθειρξιν ἐφ’ ἕνα ἐνιαυτὸν πεπραγμένα τῷ σωτῆρι συγγεγραφότας αὐτό τε τοῦτ’ ἐπισημηωαμένους κατ’ ἀρχὰς τῆς αὐτῶν ἱστορίας· μετὰ
γοῦν τὴν τεασαρακονταήμερον νηστείαν καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ ταύτῃ πειρασμὸν τὸν χρόνον τῆς ἰδίας γραφῆς ὁ μὲν ⁶⁵ Ματθαῖος δηλοῖ λέγων “ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι παρεδόθη, ἀνεχώρησεν ’’ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας “ εἰς ⁶⁶ τὴν Γαλιλαίαν,” ὁ δὲ Μάρκος ὡσαύτως “ μετὰ δὲ
τὸ παραδοθῆναι ’’ φησίν “ Ἰωάννην ἦλθεν Ἰησοῦς ⁶⁷ εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν,’’ καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς δὲ πρὶν ἄρξασθαι τῶν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ πράξεων, παραπλησίως ἐπιτηρεῖ, φάακων ὡς ἄρα προσθεὶς Ἡρῴδης οἷς διεπράξατο πονηροῖς, “ κατέκλεισε τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐν φυλακῇ.” παρακληθέντα δὴ οὖν τούτων ἕνεκά φασι τὸν
ἀπόστολον Ἰωάννην τὸν ὑπὸ τῶν προτέρων εὐαγγελιστῶν παρασιωπηθέντα χρόνον καὶ τὰ κατὰ τοῦ πεπραγμένα τῷ σωτῆρι ταῦτα δ’ ἢν τὰ πρὸ τῆς τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ καθείρξεως) τῷ κατ’ αὐτὸν εὐαγγελίῳ παραδοῦναι, αὐτό τε τοῦτ’ ἐπισημήνασθαι, ⁶⁸ μήνασθαι, τοτὲ μὲν φήσαντα “ ταύτην ἀρχὴν ⁶⁹ ἐποίησεν τῶν παραδόξων ὁ Ἰηαοῦς,’’ τοτὲ δὲ μνημονεύσαντα τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ μεταξὺ τῶν ’Iηαοῦ πράξεων ὡς ἔτι τότε βαπτίζοντος ἐν ἰνὼν ἐγγὺς τοῦ Σαλείμ, σαφῶς τε τοῦτο δηλοῦν ἐν τῷ λέγειν “ οὔπω γὰρ ἦν Ἰωάννης βεβλημένος εἰς φυλακήν,’’ οὐκοῦν ὁ μὲν Ἰωάννης τῆ τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν εὐαγγελίου
γραφῆ τὰ μηδέπω τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ εἰς φυλακὴν βεβλημένου πρὸς τοῦ χριστοῦ πραχθέντα παρα- δίδωσιν, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ τρεῖς εὐαγγελισταὶ τὰ μετὰ τὴν εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον κάθειρξιν τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ μνημονεύουσιν· οἷς καὶ ἐπιστήσαντι οὐκέτ’ ἂν
δόξαι διαφωνεῖν ἀλλήλοις τὰ εὐαγγέλια τῷ τὸ μὲν κατὰ Ἰωάννην τὰ πρῶτα τῶν τοῦ χριστοῦ πράξεων περιέχειν, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τέλει τοῦ χρόνου αὐτῷ γεγενημένην ἱστορίαν· εἰκότως δ’ οὖν τὴν μὲν τῆς σαρκὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν γενεαλογίαν ἅτε Ματθαίῳ καὶ Λουκᾷ προγραφεῖσαν ἀποσιωπῆσαι τὸν Ἰωάννην, τῆς δὲ θεολογίας ἀπάρξασθαι ὡς ἂν αὐτῷ πρὸς τοῦ θείου πνεύματος οἷα κρείττονι παραπεφυλαγμένης.

Tαῦτα μὲν οὗν ἡμῖν περὶ τῆς τοῦ κατὰ Ἰωάννην
εὐαγγελίου γραφῆς εἰρήσθω, καὶ τῆς κατὰ Μάρκον δὲ ἡ γενομένη αἰτία ἐν τοῖς πρόσθεν ἡμῖν δεδήλωται· ὁ δὲ Λουκᾶς ἀρχόμενος καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν
⁷⁰ συγγράμματος τὴν αἰτίαν προύθηκεν δι’ ἢν πεποίηται τὴν αύνταξιν, δηλῶν ὡς ἄρα πολλῶν καὶ ἄλλων προπετέστερον ἐπιτετηδευκότων διήγηαιν ποιήσασθαι ὧν αὐτὸς πεπληροφόρητο λόγων, ἀναγκαίως ἀπαλλάττων ἡμᾶς τῆς περὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀμφηρίστου ὑπολήψεως , τὸν ἀσφαλῆ λόγον ὧν αὐτὸς ἱκανῶς τὴν ἀλήθειαν κατειλήφει ἐκ τῆς ἅμα Παύλῳ συνουσίας τε καὶ διατριβῆς καὶ τῆς τῶν λοιπῶν ἀποστόλων ὁμιλίας ὠφελημένος, διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου παρέδωκεν εὐαγγελίου. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἡμεῖς περὶ τούτων·
οἰκειότερον δὲ κατὰ καιρὸν διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀρχαίων πειρασόμεθα τὰ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις περὶ αὐτῶν εἰρημένα πειρασόμεθα δηλῶσαι.

Τῶν δὲ Ἰωάννου γραμμάτων πρὸς τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ
καὶ ἢ προτέρα τῶν ἐπιστολῶν παρά τε τοῖς νῦν καὶ τοῖς ἔτ’ ἀρχαίοις ἀναμφίλεκτος ὡμολόγηται, ἀντιλέγονται
δὲ αἱ λοιπαὶ δύο, τῆς δ’ Ἀποκαλύφεως εἰς ⁷¹ ἑκάτερον ἔτι νῦν παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς περιέλκεται ἡ δόξα· ὁμοίως γε μὴν ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἀρχαίων μαρτυρίας ἐν οἰκείῳ καιρῷ τὴν ἐπίκρισιν δέξεται καὶ ἀυτὴ.

XXV. Εὕλογον δ’ ἐνταῦθα γενομένους ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι τὰς δηλωθείσας τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης γραφάς. καὶ δὴ τακτέον ἐν πρώτοις τὴν ἁγίαν τῶν εὐαγγελίων τετρακτύν, οἷς ἕπεται ἢ τῶν Πραξέων τῶν ἀποστόλων γραφή· μετὰ δὲ ταύτην τὰς Παύλου καταλεκτέον ἐπιστολάς, αἷς ἑξῆς τὴν φερομένην Ἰωάννου προτέραν καὶ ὁμοίως τὴν Πέτρου κυρωτέον ἐπιστοΛήν· ἐπὶ τούτοις τακτέον, εἴ γε φανείη, τὴν Ἀποκάλυψιν Ἰωάννου, περὶ ἦς τὰ δόξαντα κατὰ καιρὸν ἐκθησόμεθα. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐν ὁμολόγου - μένοις· τῶν δ’ ἀντιλεγομένων, γνωρίμων δ’ οὖν ὅμως τοῖς πολλοῖς, ἡ λεγομένη Ἰακώβου φέρεται καὶ ἡ Ἰούδα ἢ τε Πέτρου δευτέρα ἐπιστολὴ καὶ ἡ ὀνομαζομένη δευτέρα καὶ τρίτη Ἰωάννου, εἴτε τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ τυγχάνουσαι εἴτε καὶ ἑτέρου ὁμωνύμου ἐκείνῳ. ἐν τοῖς νόθοις κατατετάχθω καὶ τῶν Παύλου Πραξέων ἡ γραφὴ ὅ τε λεγόμενος Ποιμὴν καὶ ἡ Ἀποκάαλυψις Πέτρου καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἢ φερομένη Βαρνάβα ἐπιστολὴ καὶ τῶν ἀποατόλων αἱ λεγόμεναι Διδαχαὶ ἔτι τε, ὡς ἔφην, ἡ Ἰωάννου ἀποκάλυψις, εἰ φανείη· ἢν τινες, ὡς ἔφην, ἀθετοῦσιν, ἕτεροι δὲ ἐγκρίνουσιν τοῖς ὁμολογουμένοις. ἤδη δ’ ἐν τούτοις τινὲς καὶ τὸ καθ’ Ἑβραίους εὐαγγέλιον κατέλεξαν, ᾧ μάλιστα Ἑβραίων οἱ τὸν χριστὸν παραδεξάμενοι χαίρουσιν. ταῦτα δὲ πάντα τῶν ἀντιλεγομένων ἂν εἴη, ἀναγκαίως δὲ καὶ τούτων ὅμως τὸν κατάλογον πεποιήμεθα, διακρίνοντες τάς τε κατὰ τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν παράδοσιν ἀληθεῖς καὶ ἀπλάστους καὶ ἀνωμολογημένας γραφὰς καὶ τὰς ἄλλως παρὰ ταύτας, οὐκ ἐνδιαθήκους μὲν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀντιλεγομένας, ὅμως δὲ παρὰ πλείστοις τῶν· ἐκκλησιαστικῶν γινωσκομένας, ὕν’ εἰδέναι ἔχοιμεν αὐτάς τε ταύτας καὶ τὰς ὀνόματι τῶν ἀποστόλων πρὸς τῶν αἱρετικῶν προφερομένας ἤτοι ὡς Πέτρου καὶ Θωμᾶ καὶ Ματθία ἢ καί τινων παρὰ τούτους ἄλλων εὐαγγέλια περιεχούσας ἢ ὡς Ἀνδρέου καὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀποστόλων πράξεις· ὧν οὐδὲν οὐδαμῶς ἐν συγγράμματι τῶν κατὰ τὰς διαδοχὰς ἐκκλησιαστικῶν τις ἀνὴρ εἰς μνήμην ἀγαγεῖν ἠξίωσεν, πόρρω δέ που καὶ ὁ τῆς
φράσεως παρὰ τὸ ἦθος τὸ ἀποστολικὸν ἐναλλάττει χαρακτήρ, ἢ τε γνώμη καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς φερομένων προαίρεσις πλεῖστον ὅσον τῆς ἀληθοῦς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀπᾴδουσα, ὅτι δὴ αἱρετικῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀναπλάσματα τυγχάνει, σαφῶς παρίστησιν· ὅθεν οὐδ’ ἐν νόθοις αὐτὰ κατατακτέον , ἀλλ’ ὡς ἄτοπα πάντῃ καὶ δθσσεβῆ παραιτητέον.

⁷²

XXVI. Ἴωμεν δὴ λοιπὸν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἑξῆς
ἱστορίαν. Σίμωνα τὸν μάγον Μένανδρος διαδεξάμενος, μένος, ὅπλον δεύτερον οὐ χεῖρον τοῦ προτέρου τῆς διαβολικῆς ἐνεργείας ἀποδείκνυται τὸν τρόπον. ἦν καὶ οὗτος Σαμαρεύς, εἰς ἄκρον δὲ γοητείας οὐκ ἔλαττον τοῦ διδασκάλου προελθών, μείζοσιν ἐπιδαψιλεεύεται τερατολογίαις, ἑαυτὸν μὲν ὡς ἄρα εἴη, λέγων, ὁ σωτὴρ ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἄνωθέν ποθεν ἐξ ἀοράτων αἰώνων ἀπεσταλμένος σωτηρίᾳ, διδάσκων δὲ μὴ ἄλλως δύνασθαί τινα καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν
κοσμοποιῶν ἀγγέλων περιυενήσεσθαι, μὴ πρότερον διὰ τῆς πρὸς αὐτοῦ παραδιδομένης μαγικῆς ἐμπειρίας ἀχθέντα καὶ διὰ τοῦ μεταδιδομένου πρὸς αὐτοῦ βαπτίσματος, οὗ τοὺς καταξιουμένους ἀθανασίαν ἀΐδιον ἐν αὐτῷ τούτῳ μεθέξειν τῷ βίῳ, μηκέτι θνήσκοντας, αὐτοῦ δὲ παραμένοντας εἰς τὸ ἀεὶ ἀγήρως τινὰς καὶ ἀθανάτους ἐσομένους. ταῦτα μὲν οὗν καὶ ἐκ τῶν Εἰρηναίου διαγνῶναι ῥᾴδιον· καὶ ὁ Ἱουδυῖνος δὲ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦ Σίμωνος μνημονεύσας, καὶ τὴν περὶ τούτου διήγησιν ἐπιφέρει, ⁷³ λέγων· “Μένανδρον δέ τινα καὶ αὐτὸν Σαμαρέα, τὸν ἀπὸ κώμης Κσπστσυυσίσς, γενόμενον μαθητὴν τοῦ Σίμωνος, οἰστρηθέντα καὶ αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν δαιμόνων καὶ ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ γενόμενον, πολλοὺς ἐξαπατῆσαι διὰ μαγικῆς τέχνης οἴδαμεν· ὃς καὶ τοὺς αὐτῷ ἑπομένους ὡς μὴ ἀποθνῄσκοιεν, ἔπεισεν, καὶ νῦν τινές εἰσιν, ἀπ’ ἐκείνου τοῦτο ὁμολογοῦντες.”

Ἦν δ’ ἄρα διαβολικῆς ἐνεργείας διὰ τοιῶνδε γοήτων τὴν Χριστιανῶν προσηγορίαν ὑποδυομένων τὸ μέγα τῆς θεοσεβείας μυστήριον ἐπὶ μαγεία σπουδάσαι διαβαλεῖν διασῦραί τε δι’ αὐτῶν τὰ περὶ Ψυχῆς ἀθανασίας καὶ νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως ἐκκλησιαστικὰ δόγματα. ἀλλ’ οὗτοι μὲν τούτους σωτῆρας ἐπιγραψάμενοι τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἀποπεπτώκασιν ἐλπίδος·

ΧΧVII. ἄλλους δ’ ὁ πονηρὸς δαίμων, τῆς περὶ τόν
ριστὰν τοῦ θεοῦ διαθέσεως ἀδυνατῶν ἐκσεῖσαι, θατεραλήπτους εὑρὼν ἐσφετερίζετο.· Ἐβιωναίους τούτους οἰκείως ἐπεφήμιζον οἱ πρῶτοι, πτωχῶς καὶ ταπεινῶς τὰ περὶ τοῦ χριστοῦ δοξάζοντας . λιτὸν
μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν καὶ κοινὸν ἡγοῦντο, κατὰ προκοπὴν ἤθους αὐτὸ μόνον ἄνθρωπον δεδικαιωμένον ἐξ ἀνδρός τε κοινωνίας καὶ τῆς Μάριας γεγεννημένον· δεῖν δὲ πάντως αὐτοῖς τῆς νομικῆς θρῃσκείας ὡς μὴ ἂν διὰ μόνης τῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν πίστεως καὶ τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὴν βίου σωθησομένοις. ἄλλοι δὲ παρὰ τού-
τοὺς τῆς αὐτῆς ὄντες προσηγορίας, τὴν μὲν τῶν εἰρημένων ἔκτοπον διεδίδρασκον ἀτοπίαν, ἐκ παρθένου ἁγίου πνεύματος μὴ ἀρνούμενοι γεγονέναι τὸν κύριον, οὐ μὴν ἔθ’ ὁμοίως καὶ οὗτοι προυπάρχειν αὐτὸν θεὸν λόγον ὄντα καὶ σοφίαν ὁμολογοῦντες, τῇ τῶν προτέρων περιετρέποντο δυσσεβείᾳ, μάλιστα ὅτε καὶ τὴν σωματικὴν περὶ τὸν νόμον λατρείαν ὁμοίως ἐκείνοις περιέπειν ἐσπούδαζον. οὗτοι δὲ τοῦ μὲν ἀποστόλου πάμπαν
τὰς ἐπιστολὰς ἀρνητέας ἠγοῦντο εἶναι δεῖν, ἀποστάτην ἀποκαλοῦντες αὐτὸν τοῦ νόμου, εὐαγγελίῳ δὲ μόνῳ τῷ καθ’ Ἑβραίους λεγομένῳ χρώμενοι, τῶν λοιπῶν σμικρὸν ἐποιοῦντο λόγον· καὶ τὸ μὲν σάββατον καὶ τὴν ἄλλην Ἰουδαϊκὴν
ἀγωγὴν ὁμοίως ἐκείνοις παρεφύλαττον, ταῖς δ’ αὖ κυριακαῖς ἡμέραις ἡμῖν τὰ παραπλήσια εἰς μνήμην τῆς σωτηρίου ἀναστάσεως ἐπετέλουν· ὅθεν παρὰ τὴν τοιαύτην ἐγχείρησιν τῆς τοιᾶσδε
λελόγχασι προσηγορίας, τοῦ Ἐβιωναίων ὀνόματος τὴν τῆς διανοίας πτωχείαν αὐτῶν ὑποφαίνοντος· ταύτῃ γὰρ ἐπίκλην ὁ πτωχὸς παρ’ Ἑβραίοις ὀνομάζεται.

ΧΧVIII. κατὰ τοὺς δηλουμένους χρόνους ἐτέρας
αἱρέσεως ἀρχηγὸν γενέσθαι Κήρινθον παρειλήφαμεν· Γάϊος, οὗ φωνὰς ἤδη πρότερον παρατέθειμαι, ἐν τῇ φερομένη αὐτοῦ ζητήσει ταῦτα περὶ αὐτοῦ γράφει·

⁷⁴

“Ἀλλὰ καὶ Κήρινθος ὁ δι’ ἀποκαλύψεων ὡς ὑπὸ
ἀποστόλου μεγάλου γεγραμμένων τερατολογίας ἡμῖν ὡς δι’ ἀγγέλων αὐτῷ δεδειγμένας ψευδόμενος ⁷⁵ ἐπεισάγει, λέγων μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐπίγειον εἶναι τὸ βασίλειον τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ πάλιν ἐπι- θυμίαις καὶ ἡδοναῖς ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὴν πολιτευομένην δουλεύειν. καὶ ἐχθρὸς ὑπάρχων ταῖς γραφαῖς τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀριθμὸν χιλιονταετίας ἐν γάμῳ ἑορτῆς, θέλων πλανᾶν, λέγει γίνεσθαι.”

Καὶ Διονύσιος δέ, ὁ τῆς κατὰ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν
παροικίας καθ’ ἡμᾶς τὴν ἐπιακοπὴν εἰληχώς, ἐν δευτέρῳ τῶν Ἐπαγγελιῶν περὶ τῆς Ἰωάννου Ἀποκαλύψεως εἰπών τινα ὡς ἐκ τῆς ἀνέκαθεν παραδόσεως, τοῦ αὐτοῦ μέμνηται ἀνδρὸς τούτοις τοῖς ῥήμασιν·

Κήρινθον δέ, τὸν καὶ τὴν ἀπ’ ἐκείνου κλῆθεν
ααν Κηρινθιανὴν αἵρεσιν συστησάμενον, ἐπιφημίσαι θελήσαντα τῷ ἑαυτοῦ πλάσματι ὄνομα. τοῦτο γὰρ εἶναι τῆς διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ
τὸ δόγμα, ἐπίγειον ἔαεαθαι τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ βασιλείαν, καὶ ὧν αὐτὸς ὠρέγετο, φιλοσώματος ὢν καὶ πάνυ σαρκικός, ἐν τούτοις ὀνειροπολεῖν ἔσεσθαι, γαστρὰς καὶ τῶν ὑπὸ γαστέρα πλησμοωαῖς, τοῦτ’ τοῦὶ αἰτίοις καὶ πότοις καὶ γάμοις καὶ δι’ ὧν εὐφημότερον ταῦτα ᾠήθη ποριεῖσθαι, ἑορταῖς καὶ θυσίαις καὶ ἱερείων αφαγαῖς.”

⁷⁶

Ταῦτα Δυσίαις ὁ δὲ Εἰρήναιος ἀπορρητοτέρασ δή τινας τοῦ αὐτοῦ ψευδοδοξίας ἐν πρώτῳ συγγράμματι τῶν πρὸς τὰς αἱρέσεις προθείς, ἐν τῷ τρίτῳ καὶ ἱστορίαν οὐκ ἀξίαν λήθης τῆ γραφῇ ⁷⁷ παραδέδωκεν, ὡς ἐκ παραδόσεως Πολυκάρπου φάσκων Ἰωάννην τὸν ἀπόστολον εἰσελθεῖν ποτε ἐν βαλανείῳ, ὥστε λούσασθαι, γνόντα δὲ ἔνδον ὄντα τὸν Κήρινθον, ἀποπηδῆσαί τε τοῦ τόπου καὶ ἐκφυγεῖν θύραζε, μηδ’ ὑπομείναντα τὴν αὐτὴν αὐτῷ ὑποδῦναι στέγην, ταὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ παραινέσαι, φήσαντα “ φύγωμεν μὴ καὶ τὸ βαλανεῖον συμπέσῃ, ἔνδον ὄντος Κηρίνθου τοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθροῦ.”

ΧΧIX. Ἐπὶ τούτων δῆτα καὶ ἡ λεγομένη τῶν
ικολαϊτῶν αἵρεσις ἐπὶ σμικρότατον συνέστη ⁷⁸ χρόνον, ἦς δὴ καὶ ἡ τοῦ Ἰωάννου ἀποκάλυψις ⁷⁹ μνημονεύει· οὗτοι Νικόλαον ἕνα τῶν ἀμφὶ τὸν Στέφανον διακόνων πρὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἐνδεῶν θεραπείᾳ προκεχειρισμένων ηὔχουν. ὅ γε μὴν Ἀλεξανδρεὺς Κλήμης ἐν τρίτῳ Στρωματεῖ ταῦτα περὶ αὐτοῦ κατὰ λέξιν ἱστορεῖ·

⁸⁰

“ Ὠραίαν, φασί, γυναῖκα ἔχων οὗτος, μετὰ τὴν
ἀνάληψιν τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος πρὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων ὀνειδισθεὶς ζηλοτυπίαν, εἰς μέσον ἀγαγὼν τὴν γυναῖκα γῆμαι τῷ βουλομένῳ ἐπέτρεφεν. ἀκόλουθον γὰρ εἶναί φασι τὴν πρᾶξιν ταύτην ἐκείνη ⁸¹ τῇ φωνῇ τῆ ὅτι παραχρᾶσθαι τῇ σαρκὶ δεῖ, καὶ δὴ κατακολουθήσαντες τῷ γεγενημένῳ τῷ τε εἰρημένῳ ἁπλῶς καὶ ἀβασανίστως, ἀνέδην ἐκπορνεύουσιν οἱ τὴν αἵρεσιν αὐτοῦ μετιόντες. πυνθάνομαι δ’ ἐγὼ τὸν Νικόλαον μηδεμιᾷ ἑτέρᾳ
παρ’ ἢν ἔγημε κεχρῆσθαι γυναικί, τῶν τε ἐκείνου τέκνων τὰς μὲν θηλείας καταγηρᾶσαι παρθένους, ἄφθορον δὲ διαμεῖναι τὸν υἱόν· ὧν οὕτως ἐχόντων ἀποβολὴ πάθους ἢν ἡ εἰς μέαον τῶν ἀποστόλων τῆς ζηλοτυπουμένης ἐκκύκλησις γυναικός, καὶ ἡ ἐγκράτεια τῶν περισπουδάστων ἡδονῶν τὸ ‘παραχρᾶσθαι τῆ σαρκὶ ’ ἐδίδασκεν. οὐ γάρ, οἶμαι, ἐβούλετο κατὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐντολὴν δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν ’ ἡδονῇ καὶ κυρίῳ. λέγουσι ἴ’ ⁸² δ’ οὖν καὶ τὸν Ματθίαν οὕτω διδάξαι, σαρκὶ μὲν ⁸³ μάχεσθαι καὶ παραχρᾶσθαι μηδὲν αὐτῇ πρός ἡδονὴν ἐνδιδόντα, ψυχὴν δὲ αὔξειν διὰ πίστεως καὶ γνώσεως.” ταῦτα μὲν οὖν περὶ τῶν κατὰ τοὺς δηλουμένους χρόνους παραβραβεῦσαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐγκεχειρηκότων, λόγου γε μὴν θᾶττον εἰς τὸ παντελὲς ἀπεσβηκότων εἰρήαθω.

XXX. Ὁ μέντοι Κλήμης, οὗ τὰς φωνὰς ἀρτίως
ἀνέγνωμεν, τοῖς προειρημένοις ἑξῆς διὰ τοὺς ἀθετοῦντας τὸν γάμον τοὺς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐξ. ⁸⁴ ετασθέντας ἐν συζυγίαις καταλέγει, φάσκων· “ ἢ καὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐποδοκιμάσουσιν; Πέτρος μὲν γὰρ καὶ Φίλιππος ἐπαιδοποιήσαντο, Φίλιππος δὲ καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας ἀνδράσιν ἐξέδωκεν, καὶ ὅ γε ⁸⁵ Παῦλος οὐκ ὀκνεῖ ἔν τινι ἐπιστολῇ τὴν αὐτοῦ ⁸⁶ προασγορεῦααι σύζυγον, ἣν οὐ περιεκόμιζεν διὰ τὸ τῆς ὑπηρεαίας εὐσταλές.” ἐπεὶ δὲ τούτων
ἐμνήαθημεν, οὐ λυπεῖ καὶ ἄλλην ἀξιοδιήγητον ἱστορίαν τοῦ αὐτοῦ παραθέσθαι, ἣν ἐν τῷ ἑβδόμῳ Στρωματεῖ τοῦτον ἱστορῶν ἀνέγραφεν τὸν τρόπον· ⁸⁷ “ φααὶ γοῦν τὸν μακάριον Πέτρον θεασάμενον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἀπαγομένην τὴν ἔπι θανάτῳ, ἡσθῆναι μὲν τῆς κλήσεως χάριν καὶ τῆς εἰς οἶκον ἀνακομιδῆς, ἐπιφωνῆσαι δὲ εὖ μάλα προτρεπτι· καὶ παρακλητικῶς, ἐξ ὀνόματος προσειπόντα ῾ μέμνησο, ὦ αὕτη, τοῦ κυρίου.᾿ τοιοῦτος ἦν ὁ τῶν μακαρίων γάμος καὶ ἡ τῶν φιλτάτων τελεία διάθεσις.” καὶ ταῦτα δ᾿, οἰκεῖα ὄντα τῇ μετὰ χεῖρας ὑποθέσει, ἐνταῦθά μοι κατὰ καιρὸν κείσθω.

XXXΙ. Παύλου μὲν οὖν καὶ Πέτρου τῆς
τελευτῆς ὅ τε χρόνος καὶ ὁ τρόπος καὶ πρὸς ἔτι τῆς μετὰ τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν τοῦ βίου τῶν σκηνωμάτων αὐτῶν καταθέσεως ὁ χῶρος ἤδη πρότερον ἡμῖν δεδήλωται· τοῦ δὲ Ἰωάννου τὰ μὲν τοῦ
χρόνου ἤδη πως εἴρηται, τὸ δέ γε τοῦ σκηνώματος αὐτοῦ χωρίον ἐξ ἐπιστολῆς Πολυκράτους (τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ παροικίας ἐπίσκοπος οὗτος ἢν) ἐπιδείκνυται, ν Οὐίκτορι Ῥωμαίων ἐπισκόπῳ γράφων, ὁμοῦ τε αὐτοῦ καὶ Φιλίππου μνημονεύει τοῦ ἀποστόλου τῶν τε τούτου θυγατέρων ὧδέ πως· “ καὶ γὰρ κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν μεγάλα στοιχεῖα
κεκοίμηται· ἅτινα ἀναστήσεται τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ κυρίου, ἐν ἧ ἔρχεται μετὰ δόξης ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀναζητήσει πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους, Φίλιππον τῶν δώδεκα ἀποστόλων, ὃς κεκοίμηται ἐν Ἱεραπόλει καὶ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ γεγηρακυῖαι παρθένοι καὶ ἡ ἑτέρα αὐτοῦ θυγάτηρ ἐν ἁγίῳ πνεύματι πολιτευσαμένη ἐν ⁸⁸ Ἐφέσῳ ἀναπαύεται· ἔτι δὲ καὶ Ἰωάννης, ὁ ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος τοῦ κυρίου ἀναπεσών, ὃς ἐγενήθη ⁸⁹ ἱερεὺς τὸ πέταλον πεφορεκὼς καὶ μάρτυς καὶ διδάσκαλος, οὗτος ἐν Ἐφέσῳ κεκοίμηται.” ταῦτα 4 καὶ περὶ τῆς τῶνδε τελευτῆς· καὶ ἐν τῷ Γαΐου δέ, οὗ μικρῷ πρόσθεν ἐμνήσθημεν, διαλόγῳ Πρόκλος, πρὸς ὃν ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ζήτησιν, περὶ τῆς Φιλίππου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων αὐτοῦ τελευτῆς, συνᾴδων τοῖς ἐκτεθεῖσιν, οὕτω φησίν· “ μετὰ τοῦτον προφήτιδες τέσσαρες αἱ Φιλίππου γεγένηνται ἐν Ἱεραπόλει τῇ κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν· ὁ τάφος αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν.” ταῦτα 5 μὲν οὗτος· ὁ δὲ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν τῶν ἀποστόλων τῶν Φιλίππου θυγατέρων ἐν Καισαρείᾳ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἅμα τῷ πατρὶ τότε διατριβουσῶν προφητικοῦ τε χαρίσματος ἠξιωμένων ⁹⁰⁹¹ μνημονεύει, κατὰ λέξιν ὧδέ πως λέγων· “ ἤλθομεν εἰς Καισάρειαν, καὶ εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὸν οἶκον Φιλίππου τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ, ὄντος ἐκ τῶν ἑπτά, ἐμείναμεν παρ’ αὐτῷ. τούτῳ δὲ ἦσαν παρθένοι θυγατέρες τἐσσαρες προφητεύουσαι.”

Τὰ μὲν οὗν εἰς ἡμετέραν ἐλθόντα γνῶαιν περί τε τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν χρόνων ὧν τε καταλελοίπασιν ἡμῖν ἱερῶν γραμμάτων καὶ τῶν ἀντιλεγομένων μέν, ὅμως δ’ ἐν πλείσταις ἐκκΛησίαις παρὰ πολλοῖς δεδημοσιευμένων τῶν τε παντελῶς νόθων καὶ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀλλοτρίων ἐν τούτοις διειληφότες , ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν ἑξῆς προΐωμεν ἱστορίαν.

ΧΧΧΙΙ. Μετὰ Νέρωνα καὶ Δομετιανὸν κατὰ τοῦτον οὗ νῦν τοὺς χρόνους ἐξετάζομεν, μερικῶς καὶ κατὰ πόλεις ἐξ ἐπαναστάσεως δήμων τὸν καθ’ ἡμῶν κατέχει λόγος ἀνακινηθῆναι διωγμόν· ἐν ᾧ Συμεῶνα τὸν τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, ὃν δεύτερον καταστῆναι τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐκκλησίας ἐπίσκοπον ἐδηλώσαμεν, μαρτυρίῳ τὸν βίον ἀναλῦσαι παρειλήφαμεν. καὶ τούτου μάρτυς αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος, οὗ διαφόροις ἤδη πρότερον ἐχρησάμεθα φωναῖς, Ἡγήσιππος· ὃς δὴ περί τινων αἱρετικῶν ἱστορῶν, ἐπιφέρει δηλῶν ὡς ἄρα ὑπὸ τούτων κατὰ τόνδε τὸν χρόνον ὑπομείνας κατηγορίαν, πολυτρόπως ὁ δηλούμενος ὡς ἂν χριστιανὸς ἐπὶ πλείσταις αἰκισθεὶς ἡμέραις αὐτόν τε τὸν δικαστὴν καὶ τοὺς ἀμφ’ αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ μέγιστα καταπλήξας , τῷ τοῦ κυρίου πάθει παραπλήσιον τέλος ἀπηνέγκατο· οὐδὲν δὲ οἷον καὶ τοῦ συγγραφέως ἐπακοῦσαι, αὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα κατὰ λέξιν ὧδέ πως ἱστοροῦντος “ ἀπὸ τούτων δηλαδὴ τῶν αἱρετικῶν κατηγοροῦσί τινες Σίμωνος τοῦ Κλωπᾶ ὡς ὄντος ἀπὸ Δαυὶδ καὶ Χριστιανοῦ, καὶ οὕτως μαρτυρεῖ ἐτῶν ὢν ρݲκݲ ἐπὶ Τραϊανοῦ Καίσαρος καὶ ὑπατικοῦ Ἀττικοῦ.” φησὶν δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς ὡς ἄρα καὶ τοὺς κατηγόρους
αὐτοῦ, ζητουμένων τότε τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς Ἰουδαίων φυλῆς, ὡς ἂν ἐξ αὐτῶν ὄντας ἁλῶναι συνέβη. λογισμῷ δ’ ἂν καὶ τὸν Συμεῶνα τῶν αὐτοπτῶν καὶ αὐτηκόων εἴποι ἄν τις γεγονέναι τοῦ κυρίου, τεκμηρίῳ τῷ μήκει τοῦ χρόνου τῆς αὐτοῦ ζωῆς χρώμενος καὶ τῷ μνημονεύειν τὴν ⁹² τῶν εὐαγγελίων γραφὴν Μάριας τῆς τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, οὗ γεγονέναι αὐτὸν καὶ πρότερον ὁ λόγος ἐδήλωσεν.

Ὁ δ’ αὐτὸς συγγραφεὺς καὶ ἑτέρους ἀπογόνους
ἑνὸς τῶν φερομένων ἀδελφῶν τοῦ σωτῆρος, ᾧ ὄνομα Ἰούδας, φησὶν εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπιβιῶναι βασιλείαν μετὰ τὴν ἤδη πρότερον ἱστορηθεῖσαν αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς τὸν χριστὸν πίστεως ἐπὶ Δομετιανοῦ μαρτυρίαν, γράφει δὲ οὕτως· “ ἔρχονται
οὖν καὶ προηγοῦνται πάσης ἐκκλησίας ὡς μάρτυρες καὶ ἀπὸ γένους τοῦ κυρίου, καὶ γενομένης εἰρήνης βαθείας ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ, μένουσι μέχρι Τραϊανοῦ Καίσαρος, μέχρις οὗ ὁ ἐκ θείου τοῦ κυρίου, ὁ προειρημένος Σίμων υἱὸς Κλωπᾶ, συκοφαντηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν αἱρέσεων ὡσαύτως κατηγορήθη καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ ἐπὶ Ἀττικοῦ τοῦ ὑπατικοῦ. καὶ ἐπὶ πολλαῖς ἡμέραις αἰκιζόμενος ἐμαρτύρησεν, ὡς πάντας ὑπερθαυμάζειν καὶ τὸν ὑπατικὸν πῶς μ’ τυγχάνων ἐτῶν ὑπέμεινεν, καὶ ἐκελεύσθη σταυρωθῆωαι.”

Ἐπὶ τούτοις ὁ αὐτὸς ἀνὴρ διηγούμενος τὰ κατὰ
⁹³ τοὺς δηλουμένους, ἐπιλέγει ὡς ἄρα μέχρι τῶν τότε χρόνων παρθένος καθαρὰ καὶ ἀδιάφθορος ἔμεινεν ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἐν ἀδήλῳ που σκότει ὡς εἰ φωλευόντων εἰς ἔτι τότε τῶν, εἰ καί τινες ὑπῆρχον, παραφθείρειν ἐπιχειρούντων τὸν ὑγιῆ κανόνα τοῦ σωτηρίου κηρύγματος· ὡς δ’ ὁ ἱερὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων
χορὸς διάφορον εἰλήφει τοῦ βίου τέλος παρεληλύθει τε ἡ γενεὰ ἐκείνη τῶν αὐταῖς ἀκοαῖς τῆς ἐνθέου σοφίας ἐπακοῦσαι κατηξιωμένων, τηνικαῦτα τῆς ἀθέου πλάνης ἀρχὴν ἐλάμβανεν ἡ σύστασις διὰ τῆς τῶν ἑτεροδιδασκάλων ἀπάτης, οἳ καὶ ἅτε μηδενὸς ἔτι τῶν ἀποστόλων λειπομένου, ⁹⁴ γυμνὴ λοιπὸν ἤδη κεφαλῇ τῷ τῆς κηρύγματι τὴν ψευδώνυμον γνῶσιν ἀντικηρύττειν ἐπεχείρουν.

XXXIII. τοσοῦτός γε μὴν ἐν πλείοσι τόποις
ὁ καθ’ ἡμῶν ἐπετάθη τότε διωγμός, ὡς Πλίνιον Σεκοῦνδον, ἐπισημότατον ἡγεμόνων, ἐπὶ τῷ πλήθει τῶν μαρτύρων κινηθέντα, βασιλεῖ κοινώσασθαι περὶ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως ἀναιρουμένων, δ’ ἐν ταὐτῷ μηνῦσαι μηδὲν ἀνόσιον μηδὲ παρὰ τοὺς νόμους πράττειν κατειληφέναι, πλὴν τό γε ἅμα τῆ ἕῳ διεγειρομένους τὸν Χριστὸν θεοῦ δίκην ὑμνεῖν, τὸ δὲ μοιχεύειν καὶ φονεύειν καὶ τὰ συγγενῆ τούτοις ἀθέμιτα πλημμελήματα καὶ αὐτοὺς ἀπαγορεύειν πάντα τε πράττειν ἀκολούθως τοῖς νόμοις· πρὸς ἃ τὸν
Τραϊανὸν δόγμα τοιόνδε τεθεικέναι, τὸ χριστιανῶν φῦλον μὴ ἐκζητεῖσθαι μέν, ἐμπεσὸν δὲ χριστιανῶν δι’ οὗ ποσῶς μὲν τοῦ διωγμοῦ σβεσθῆναι τὴν ἀπειλὴν σφοδρότατα ἐγκειμένην, οὐ χεῖρόν γε μὴν τοῖς κακουργεῖν περὶ ἡμᾶς ἐθέλουσιν λείπεσθαι προφάσεις, ἔσθ’ ὅπη μὲν τῶν δήμων, ἔσθ’ ὅπῃ δὲ καὶ τῶν κατὰ χώρας ἀρχόντων τὰς καθ’ ἡμῶν συσκευαζομένων ἐπιβουλάς, ὡς καὶ ἄνευ προθανῶν διωγμῶν μερικοὺς κατ’ ἐπαρχίαν ἐξάπτεσθαι πλείους τε τῶν πιστῶν διαφόροις ἐναγωνίζεσθαι μαρτυρίοις. εἴληπται δ’ ἡ ἱστορία ἐξ ἧς ἀνώτερον
δεδηλώκαμεν τοῦ Τερτυλλιανοῦ Ῥωμαϊκῆς ἀπολογίας, ἧς ἡ ἑρμηνεία τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον ⁹⁵ “ καίτοι εὑρήκαμεν καὶ τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐπιζήτησιν κεκωλυμένην. Πλίνιος γὰρ Σεκοῦνδος ἡγούμενος ἐπαρχίου κατακρίνας Χριστιανούς τινας καὶ τῆς ἀξίας ἐκβαλών, ταραχθεὶς τῷ πλήθει, διὸ ἠγνόει ⁹⁶ τί αὐτῷ λοιπὸν εἴη πρακτέον, Τραϊανῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἀνεκοινώσατο λέγων ἔξω τοῦ μὴ βούλεαθαι αὐτοὺς ἀνεκοινώσατο οὐδὲν ἀνόσιον ἐν αὐτοῖς εὑρηκέναι· ἐμήνυεν δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ἀνίστασθαι ἕωθεν τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς καὶ τὸν χριστὸν θεοῦ δίκην ὑμνεῖν καὶ πρὸς τὸ τὴν ἐπιστήμην αὐτῶν διαφυλάσσειν κωλύεσθαι φονεύειν, μοιχεύειν, πλεονεκτεῖν, ἀποστερεῖν καὶ τὰ τούτοις ὅμοια. πρὸς ταῦτα ⁹⁷ ἀντέγραφεν Τραϊανὸς τὸ τῶν χριστιανῶν φῦλον μὴ ἐκζητεῖσθαι μέν, ἐμπεσὸν δὲ κολάζεσθαι.” καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐν τούτοις ἢν.

ΧΧΧΙV. ῶν δ’ ἐπὶ Ρώμης ἐπισκόπων ἔτει
τρίτῳ τῆς τοῦ προειρημένου βασιλέως ἀρχῆς Κλήμης Εὐαρέστῳ παραδοὺς τὴν λειτουργίαν ἀναλύει τὸν βίον, τὰ πάντα προστὰς ἔτεσιν ἐννέα τῆς τοῦ θείου λόγου διδασκαλίας.

ΧΧΧV. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ Συμεῶνος τὸν δηλωθέντα
τελειωθέντος τρόπον, τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐπισκοπῆς θρόνον Ἰουδαῖός τις ὄνομα Ἰοῦστος, μυρίων ὅσων ἐκ περιτομῆς εἰς τὸν χριστὸν τηνι- καῦτα πεπιστευκότων εἷς καὶ αὐτὸς ὤν, δέχεται.

XXXVI. Διέπρεπέν γε μὴν κατὰ τούτους ἐπὶ
τῆς Ἀσίας τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁμιλητὴς Πολύκαρπος, τῆς κατὰ Σμύρναν ἐκκλησίας πρὸς τῶν αὐτοπτῶν καὶ ὑπηρετῶν τοῦ κυρίου τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἐγκεχειρισμένος· καθ’ ὃν ἐγνωρίζετο Παπίας, τῆς ἐν
Ἱεραπόλει παροικίας καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπίσκοπος, ὅ τε παρὰ πλείστοις εἰς ἔτι νῦν διαβόητος Ἰγνάτιος, τῆς κατὰ Ἀντιόχειαν Πέτρου διαδοχῆς δεύτερος τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν κεκληρωμένος. λόγος δ’ ἔχει
τοῦτον ἀπὸ Συρίας ἐπὶ τὴν ‘Ρωμαίων πόλιν ἀναπεμφθέντα, θηρίων γενέσθαι βορὰν τῆς εἰς χριστὸν μαρτυρίας ἕνεκεν· καὶ δὴ τὴν δι’ Ἀσίας
ἀνακομιδὴν μετ’ ἐπιμελεστάτης φρουρῶν φυλακῆς ποιούμενος, τὰς κατὰ πόλιν αἷς ἐπεδήμει, παροικίας ταῖς διὰ λόγων ὁμιλίαις τε καὶ προτροπαῖς ἐπιρ- ρωννύς, ἐν πρώτοις μάλιστα προφυλάττεσθαι τὰς αἱρέσεις ἄρτι τότε πρῶτον ἐπιπολαζούσας παρῄνει προύτρεπέν τε ἀπρὶξ ἔχεσθαι τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων παραδόσεως, ἢν ὑπὲρ ἀσφαλείας καὶ ἐγγράφως ἤδη μαρτυρόμενος διατυποῦσθαι ἀναγκαῖον ἡγεῖτο. Ιgn. Eph. 21 οὕτω δῆτα ἐν Σμύρνη γενόμενος, ἔνθα ὁ Πολύκαρπος
⁹⁸ ἢν, μίαν μὲν τῇ κάτα τὴν Ἔφεσον ἐπιστολὴν Magn. ἐκκλησίᾳ γράφει, ποιμένος αὐτῆς μνημονεύων Ὀνησίμου, ἑτέραν δὲ τῆ ἐν Μαγνησίᾳ τῆ πρὸς Μαιάνδρῳ , ἔνθα πάλιν ἐπισκόπου Δαμᾶ μνήμην πεποίηται, καὶ τῆ ἐν Τράλλεσι δὲ ἄλλην, ἦς ἄρχοντα τότε ὄντα Πολύβιον ἱστορεῖ. πρὸς ταύταις
καὶ τῆ Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίᾳ γράφει, ἧ καὶ παράκλησιν προτείνει ὡς μὴ παραιτησάμενοι τοῦ μαρτυρίου τῆς ποθουμένης αὐτὸν ἀποστερήσαιεν ἐλπίδος· ἐξ ὧν καὶ βραχύτατα εἰς ἐπίδειξιν τῶν εἰρημένων παραθέσθαι ἄξιον. γράφει δὴ οὖν κατὰ λέξιν· “ ἀπὸ Συρίας μέχρι Ρώμης θηριομαχῶ
μαχῶ διὰ γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης , νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, ἐν. δεδεμένος δέκα λεοπάρδοις, ὅ ἐστιν στρατιωτικὸν τάγμα, οἳ καὶ εὐεργετούμενοι χείρονες γίνονται, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἀδικήμασιν αὐτῶν μᾶλλον μαθητεύομαι· ⁹⁹ ἀλλ’ οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο δεδικαίωμαι. ὀναίμην τῶν
θηρίων τῶν ἐμοὶ ἑτοίμων, ἃ καὶ εὔχομαι σύντομά μοι εὑρεθῆναι· ἃ καὶ κολακεύσω συντόμως με καταφαγεῖν, οὐχ ὥσπερ τινῶν δειλαινόμενα οὐχ ἥψαντο, κἄν αὐτὰ δὲ ἄκοντα μὴ θέλῃ, ἐγὼ συγγνώμην μοι ἔχετε· τί μοι συμφέρει,
ἐγὼ γινώσκω, νῦν ἄρχομαι μαθητὴς εἶναι. μηδέν με ζηλώσαι τῶν ὁρατῶν καὶ ἀοράτων, ἵνα Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ ἐπιτύχω· πῦρ καὶ σταυρὸς θηρίων τε συστάσεις, σκορπισμοὶ ὀστέων, συγκοπαὶ μελῶν, ἀλεσμοὶ ὅλου τοῦ σώματος, κολάσεις τοῦ διαβόλου εἰς ἐμὲ ἐρχέσθωσαν, μόνον ἵνα Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ ἐπιτύχω.”

Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς δηλωθείσης πόλεως
ταῖς καταλεχθείσαις ἐκκλησίαις διετυπώσατο· ἤδη δ’ ἐπέκεινα τῆς Σμύρνης γενόμενος , ἀπὸ Τρωάδος ¹⁰⁰ τοῖς τε ἐν Φιλαδελφίᾳ αὖθις διὰ γραφῆς ὁμιλεῖ καὶ τῆ Σμυρναίων ἐκκλησίᾳ ἰδίως τε τῷ ταύτης προηγουμένῳ Πολυκάρπῳ· ὃν οἷα δὴ ἀποστολικὸν ἄνδρα εὗ μάλα γνωρίζων, τὴν κατ’ Ἀντιόχειαν αὐτῷ ποίμνην οἷα γνήσιος καὶ ἀγαθὸς ποιμὴν παρατίθεται, τὴν περὶ αὐτῆς φροντίδα διὰ σπουδῆς ἔχειν αὐτὸν ἀξιῶν. ὁ δ’ αὐτὸς Σμυρναίοις ] γράφων, οὐκ ἶδ’ ὁπόθεν ῥητοῖς συγκέχρηται, ¹⁰¹ τοιαῦτά τινα περὶ τοῦ ριστοῦ διεξιών· “ ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐν σαρκὶ αὐτὸν οἶδα καὶ πιστεύω ὄντα. καὶ ὅτε πρὸς τοὺς περὶ Πέτρον ἐλήλυθεν, ἔφη αὐτοῖς· ‘λάβετε, ψηλαψήσατέ με καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ δαιμόνιον ἀσώματον·’ καὶ εὐθὺς αὐτοῦ ἥψαντο καὶ ἐπίστευσαν.”

Οἶδεν δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ μαρτύριον καὶ ὁ Εἰρηναῖος, καὶ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν αὐτοῦ μνημονεύει, λέγων ¹⁰² οὕτως· “ὡς εἶπέν τις τῶν ἡμετέρων, διὰ τὴν πρὸς θεὸν μαρτυρίαν κατακριθεὶς πρὸς θηρία, ¹⁰³ ὅτι ‘σῖτός εἰμι θεοῦ καὶ δι᾿ ὀδόντων θηρίων ἀλήθομαι, ἵνα καθαρὸς ἄρτος εὑρεθῶ.’”

Καὶ ὁ Πολύκαρπος δὲ τούτων αὐτῶν μέμνηται ἐν τῇ φερομένῃ αὐτοῦ πρὸς Φιλιππησίους ἐπιστολῇ ¹⁰⁴ φάσκων αὐτοῖς ῥήμασιν· “παρακλῶ οὖν πάντας ὑμᾶς πειθαρχεῖν καὶ ἀσκεῖν πᾶσαν ὑπομονήν, ἣν εἴδετε κατ᾿ ὀφθαλμοὺς οὐ μόνον ἐν τοῖς μακαρίοις Ἰγνατίῳ καὶ Ῥούφῳ καὶ Ζωσίμῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις τοῖς ἐξ ὑμῶν καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀποστόλοις, πεπεισμένους ὅτι οὗτοι ¹⁰⁵ πάντες οὐκ εἰς κενὸν ἔδραμον, ἀλλ᾿ ἐν πίστει καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ ὄτι εἰς τὸν ὀφειλόμενον αὐτοῖς ¹⁰⁶ τόπον εἰσὶν παρὰ κυρίῳ, ᾧ καὶ συνέπαθον. οὐ ¹⁰⁷ γὰρ τὸν νῦν ἠγάπησαν αἰῶνα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀποθανόντα καὶ δι᾿ ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ¹⁰⁸ ἀναστάντα.” καὶ ἑξῆς ἐπιφέρει· “ἐγράψατέ μοι καὶ ὑμεῖς καὶ Ἰγνάτιος, ἵν᾿ ἐάν τις ἀπέρχηται εἰς Συρίαν, καὶ τὰ παρ᾿ ὑμῶν ἀποκομίσῃ γράμματα· ὅπερ ποιήσω, ἐὰν λάβω καιρὸν εὔθετον, εἴτε ἐγὼ εἴτε ὃν πέμπω πρεσβεύσοντα καὶ περὶ ὑμῶν. τὰς ἐπιστολὰς Ἰγνατίου τὰς πεμφθείσας ἡμῖν ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄλλας ὅσας εἴχομεν παρ᾿ ἡμῖν, ἐπέμψαμεν ὑμῖν, καθὼς ἐνετείλασθε· αἴτινες ὑπο- τεταγμέναι εἰσὶν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ ταύτῃ· ἐξ μεγάλα ὠφεληθῆναι δυνήσεσθε. περιέχουσι γὰρ πίστιν καὶ ὑπομονὴν καὶ πᾶσαν οἰκοδομὴν τὴν εἰς τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἀνήκουσαν. ” καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ τὸν Ἰγνάτιον τοιαῦτα· διαδέχεται δὲ μετ’ αὐτὸν τὴν Ἀντιοχείας ἐπισκοπὴν Ἥρως.

XXXVII. Τῶν δὲ κατὰ τούτους διαλαμψάντων
καὶ Κοδράτος ἢν, ὃν ἅμα ταῖς Φιλίππου θυγατράσιν προφητικῷ χαρίσματι λόγος ἔχει διαπρέψαι, καὶ ἄλλοι δ’ ἐπὶ τούτοις πλείους ἐγνωρίζοντο κατὰ τούσδε, τὴν πρώτην τάξιν τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐπέχοντες διαδοχῆς· οἳ καί, ἅτε τηλικῶνδε ὄντες θεοπρεπεῖς μαθηταί, τοὺς κατὰ πάντα τόπον τῶν ¹⁰⁹ ἐκκλησιῶν προκαταβληθέντας ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων θεμελίους ἐπῳκοδόμουν, αὔξοντες εἰς πλέον τὸ κήρυγμα καὶ τὰ σωτήρια σπέρματα τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας ἀνὰ πᾶσαν εἰς πλάτος ἐπι- σπείροντες τὴν οἴκου μένην. καὶ γὰρ δὴ πλεῖστοι
τῶν τότε μαθητῶν σφοδροτέρῳ φιλοσοφίας ἔρωτι πρὸς τοῦ θείου λόγου τὴν Ψυχὴν πληττόμενοι, ¹¹⁰ τὴν σωτήριον πρότερον ἀπεπλήρουν παρακέλευσιν , ἐνδεέσιν νέμοντες τὰς οὐσίας, εἶτα δὲ ἀποδημίας ¹¹¹ στελλόμενοι ἔργον ἐπετέλουν εὐαγγελιστῶν, τοῖς ἔτι πάμπαν ἀνηκόοις τοῦ τῆς πίστεως λόγου κηρύττειν φιλοτιμούμενοι καὶ τὴν τῶν θείων ¹¹² εὐαγγελίων παραδιδόναι γραφήν. οὗτοι δὲ θε-
μελίους τῆς πίστεως ἔπι ξἑνοις τισι τόποις αὐτὸ μόνον καταβαλλόμενοι ποιμένας τε καθιστάντες ἑτέρους τούτοις τε αὐτοῖς ἐγχειρίζουτες τὴν τῶν ἀρτίως εἰσαχθέντων γεωργίαν, ἑτέρας αὐτοὶ πάλιν χώρας τε καὶ ἔθνη μετῄεσαν σὺν τῇ ἐκ θεοῦ χάριτι καὶ συνεργίᾳ, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦ θείου πνεύματος εἰς ἔτι τότε δι’ αὐτῶν πλεῖσται παράδοξοι δυνάμεις ἐνήργουντο, 1 ὥστε ἀπὸ πρώτης ἀκροάσεως ἀθρόως αὔτανδρα πλήθη προθύμως τὴν εἰς τὸν τῶν ὅλων δημιουργὸν εὐσέβειαν ἐν ταῖς αὐτῶν Ψυχαῖς καταδέχεσθαι.

Ἀδυνάτου δ’ ὄντος ἡμῖν ἅπαντας ἐξ ὀνόματος ἀπαριθμεῖσθαι ὅδοι ποτὲ κατὰ τὴν πρώτην τῶν ἀποστόλων διαδοχὴν ἐν ταῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐκκλησίαις γεγόνασιν ποιμένες ἢ καὶ εὐαγγελισταί, τούτων εἰκότως ἐξ ὀνόματος γραφῆ μόνων τὴν μνήμην κατατεθείμεθα, ὧν ἔτι καὶ νῦν εἰς ἡμᾶς δι’ ὑπομνημάτων τῆς ἀποστολικῆς διδασκαλίας ἢ παράδοσις φέρεται,

ΧΧΧVIII. Ἕσπερ οὗν ἀμέλει τοῦ Ἰγνατίου ἐν αἷς κατελέξαμεν ἐπι- ¹¹³ στολαῖς, καὶ τοῦ Κλήμεντος ἐν τῆ ἀνωμολογημένῃ παρὰ παρὰ πᾶσιν, ἢν ἐκ προσώπου τῆς Ρωμαίων ἐκκλησίας τῆ Κορινθίων διετυπώσατο· ἐν ἧ τῆς πρὸς Ἑβραίους πολλὰ νοήματα παραθείς, ἤδη δὲ καὶ αὐτολεξεὶ ῥητοῖς τισιν ἐξ ἀύτης χρησάμενος, σαφέστατα παρίστησιν ὅτι μὴ νέον ὑπάρχει τὸ σύγγραμμα, ὅθεν δὴ καὶ εἰκότως ἔδοξεν αὐτὸ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἐγκαταλεχθῆναι γράμμασι τοῦ ἀποστόλου. Ἑβραίοις γὰρ διὰ τῆς πατρίου γλώττης ἐγγράφως ὡμιληκότος τοῦ Παύλου, οἳ μὲν τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν Δουκᾶν, οἳ δὲ τὸν Κλήμεντα τοῦτον αὐτὸν ἑρμηνεῦσαι λέγουσι τὴν γραφήν· ὃ καὶ μᾶλλον ἂν εἴη ἀληθὲς τῷ τὸν ὅμοιον τῆς φράσεως χαρακτῆρα τήν τε τοῦ Κλήμεντος ἐπιστολὴν καὶ τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους ἀποσῲζειν καὶ τῷ μὴ πόρρω τὰ ἐν ἑκατέροις τοῖς συγγράμμασι νοήματα καθεστάναι.

Ἰστέον δ’ ὡς καὶ δευτέρα τις εἶναι λέγεται τοῦ Κλήμεντος ἐπιατολή, οὐ μὴν ἔθ’ ὁμοίως τῆ προτέρᾳ καὶ ταύτην γνώριμον ἐπιστάμεθα, ὅτι μηδὲ τοὺς ἀρχαίους αὐτῇ κεχρημένους ἴσαμεν. ἤδη δὲ καὶ
ἕτερα πολυεπῆ καὶ μακρὰ συγγράμματα ὡς τοῦ αὐτοῦ χθὲς καὶ πρῴην τινὲς προήγαγον, Πέτρου δὴ καὶ Ἀπίωνος διαλόγους περιέχοντα· ὧν οὐδ’ ὅλως μνήμη τις παρὰ τοῖς παλαιοῖς φέρεται, οὐδὲ γὰρ καθαρὸν τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀποσῴζει τὸν χαρακτῆρα.

XXXIX. Ἡ μὲν οὖν τοῦ Κλήμεντος ὁμολογουμένη
γραφὴ πρόδηλος, εἴρηται δὲ καὶ τὰ Ἰγνατίου καὶ Πολυκάρπου· τοῦ δὲ Παπία συγγράμματα πέντε τὸν ἀριθμὸν φέρεται, ἃ καὶ ἐπιγέγραπται Λογίων κυριακῶν ἐξηγήσεως. τούτων καὶ Εἱρηναῖος ὡς μόνων αὐτῷ γραφέντων μνημονεύει, ¹¹⁴ ὧδέ πως λέγων· “ ταῦτα δὲ καὶ Παπίας ὁ Ἰωάννου μὲν ἀκουστής, Πολυκάρπου δὲ ἑταῖρος γεγονώς, ἀρχαῖος ἀνήρ, ἐγγράφως ἐπιμαρτυρεῖ ἐν τῇ τετάρτῃ ἑαυτοῦ βιβλίων. ἔστιν γὰρ αὐτῷ πέντε βιβλία συντεταγμένα.” καὶ ὁ μὲν Εἰρήναιος
ταῦτα· αὐτός γε μὴν ὁ Παπίας κατὰ τὸ προοίμιον τῶν αὐτοῦ λόγων ἀκροατὴν μὲν καὶ αὐτόπτην οὐδαμῶς ἑαυτὸν γενέσθαι τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων ἐμφαίνει, παρειληφέναι δὲ τὰ τῆς πίστεως παρὰ τῶν ἐκείνοις γνωρίμων διδάσκει δι’ ὧν φησιν λέξεων· “ “οὐκ ὀκνήσω δέ ἀοῖ καὶ ὅσα ποτὲ παρὰ
τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καλῶς ἔμαθον καὶ καλῶς ἐμνημόνευσα, συγκατατάξαι ταῖς ἑρμηνείαις, διαβεβαιούμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀλήθειαν. οὐ γὰρ τοῖς τὰ πολλὰ λέγουσιν ἔχαιρον ὥσπερ οἱ πολλοί, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τἀληθῆ διδάσκουσιν, οὐδὲ τοῖς τὰς ¹¹⁵ ἀλλοτρίας ἐντολὰς μνημονεύουσιν , ἀλλὰ τοῖς τὰς παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου τῆ πίστει δεδομένας καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτῆς παραγινομένας τῆς ἀληθείας· εἰ δέ που ¹¹⁶ καὶ παρηκολουθηκώς τις τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις ἔλθοι, τοὺς τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἀνέκρινον λόγους, τί Ἀνδρέας ἢ τί Πέτρος εἶπεν ἢ τί Φίλιππος ἢ τί Θωμᾶς ἢ Ἰάκωβος ἢ τί Ἰωάννης ἢ Ματθαῖος ἤ τις ἕτερος τῶν τοῦ κυρίου μαθητῶν ἅ τε Ἀριστίων καὶ ὁ πρεσβύτερος Ἰωάννης, τοῦ κυρίου μαθηταί, λέγουσιν. οὐ γὰρ τὰ ἐκ τῶν βιβλίων τοσοῦτόν με ὠφελεῖν ὑπελάμβανον δάον τὰ παρὰ ζώσης φωνῆς καὶ μενούσης.”

Ἔνθα καὶ ἐπιστῆσαι ἄξιον δὶς καθαρθμιοῦντι αὐτῷ τὸ Ἰωάννου ὄνομα, ὧν τὸν μὲν πρότερον Πέτρῳ καὶ Ἰακώβῳ καὶ Ματθαίῳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀποστόλοις συγκαταλέγει, σαφῶς δηλῶν τὸν εὐαγγελιστήν, τὸν δ’ ἕτερον Ἰωάννην, διαστείλας τὸν λόγον, ἑτέροις παρὰ τὸν τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀριθμὸν κατατάσσει, προτάξας αὐτοῦ τὸν Ἀριστίωνα, σαφῶς τε αὐτὸν πρεσβύτερον ὀνομάζει·1 ὡς καὶ διὰ τούτων ἀποδείκνυσθαι τὴν ἱστορίαν ἀληθῆ τῶν δύο κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν ὁμωνυμίᾳ κεχρῆσθαι εἰρηκότων δύο τε ἐν Ἐφέσω γενέσθαι μνήματα καὶ ἑκάτερον Ἰωάννου ἔτι νῦν λέγεσθαι· οἷς καὶ ἀναγκαῖον προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν, εἰκὸς γὰρ τὸν δεύτερον, εἰ μή τις ἐθέλοι τὸν πρῶτον, τὴν ἐπ’ ὀνόματος φερομένην Ἰωάννου ἀποκάλυψιν ἑορακέναι. καὶ ὁ νῦν δὲ ἡμῖν δηλούμενος Παπίας τοὺς μὲν τῶν ἀποατόλων λόγους παρὰ τῶν αὐτοῖς παρηκολουθηκότων ὁμολογεῖ παρειληφέναι, Ἀριστίωνος δὲ καὶ τοῦ πρεαβυτέρου Ἰωάννου αὐτήκοον ἑαυτόν φησι γενέσθαι· ὀνομαστὶ γοῦν πολλάκις αὐτῶν μνημονεύσας ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῦ συγγράμμασιν τίθησιν αὐτῶν παραδόαεις. καὶ ταῦτα δ’ ἡμῖν
οὐκ εἰς τὸ ἄχρηστον εἰρήσθω· ἄξιον δὲ ταῖς ἀποδοθείσαις τοῦ Παπία φωναῖς προσάψαι λέξεις ἑτέρας αὐτοῦ, δι’ ὧν παράδοξά τινα ἱστορεῖ καὶ ἄλλα ὡς ἂν ἐκ παραδόσεως εἰς αὐτὸν ἐλθόντα. τὸ μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὴν ‘Iεράπολιν Φίλιππον τὸν
ἀπόστολον ἅμα ταῖς θυγατράσιν διατρῖψαι διὰ τῶν πρόσθεν δεδήλωται· ὡς δὲ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς ὁ Παπίας γενόμενος, διήγησιν παρειληφέναι θαυμασίαν ὑπὸ τῶν τοῦ Φιλίππου θυγατέρων μνημονεύει, τὰ νῦν σημειωτέον· νεκροῦ γὰρ ἀνάστασιν κατ’ αὐτὸν γεγονυῖαν ἱστορεῖ καὶ αὖ πάλιν ἕτερον παράδοξον περὶ Ἰοῦστον τὸν ἐπικληθέντα Βαρσαβᾶν γεγονός, ὡς δηλητήριον φάρμακον ἐμπιόντος καὶ μηδὲν ἀηδὲς διὰ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου χάριν ὑπομείναντος. τοῦτον δὲ τὸν Ἰοὺστον μετὰ τὴν τοῦ
σωτῆρος ἀνάληψιν τοὺς ἱεροὺς ἀποστόλους μετὰ Ματθία στῆσαί τε καὶ ἐπεύξασθαι ἀντὶ τοῦ προδότου Ἰούδα ἐπὶ τὸν κλῆρον τῆς ἀναπληρώσεως τοῦ αὐτῶν ἀριθμοῦ ἡ τῶν Πραξέων ὧδέπως ¹¹⁷ ἱστορεῖ γραφή· “ “καὶ ἔστησαν δύο, Ἰωσὴφ τὸν καλούμενον Βαρναβᾶν, ὃς ἐπεκλήθη ’Iοῦατος, καὶ Ματθίαν· καὶ προαευξάμενοι εἶπαν.’’ καὶ
ἄλλα δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς ὡς ἐκ παραδόσεως ἀγράφου εἰς αὐτὸν ἥκοντα παρατέθειται ξένας τέ τινας παραβολὰς τοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ καί τινα ἄλλα μυθικώτερα· ἐν οἷς καὶ χιλιάδα τινά
φησιν ἐτῶν ἔσεσθαι μετὰ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ανάστασιν, σωματικῶς τῆς χριστοῦ βασιλείας ἐπὶ ταυτησὶ τῆς γῆς ὑποστησομένης· ἃ καὶ ἡγοῦμαι τὰς ἀποστολικὰς παρεκδεξάμενον διηγήσεις ὑπολαβεῖν, τὰ ἐν ὑποδείγμασι πρὸς αὐτῶν μυστικῶς εἰρημένα μὴ συνεορακότα. σφόδρα γάρ τοι σμικρὸς ὢν
τὸν νοῦν, ὡς ἂν ἐκ τῶν αὐτοῦ λόγων τεκμηράμενον εἰπεῖν, φαίνεται, πλὴν καὶ τοῖς μετ’ αὐτὸν πλείστοις ὅσοις τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν τῆς ὁμοίας αὐτῷ δόξης παραίτιος γέγονεν τὴν ἀρχαιότητα τἀνδρὸς προβεβλημένοις , ὥσπερ οὖν Εἰρηναίῳ καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος τὰ ὅμοια φρονῶν ἀναπέφηνεν.

Καὶ ἄλλας δὲ τῆ ἰδίᾳ γραφῆ παραδίδωσιν Ἀριστίωνος
τοῦ πρόσθεν δεδηλωμένου τῶν τοῦ κυρίου λόγων διηγήσεις καὶ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου Ἰωάννου παραδόσεις· ἐφ’ ἃς τοὺς φιλομαθεῖς ἀναπέμψαντες, ἀναγκαίως νῦν προσθήσομεν ταῖς προεκτεθείσαις αὐτοῦ φωναῖς παράδοσιν ἢν περὶ Μάρκου τοῦ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον γεγραφότος ἐκτέθειται διὰ τούτων· ἴ’ καὶ τοῦθ’ ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἔλεγεν·
Μάρκος μὲν ἑρμηνευτὴς Πέτρου γενόμενος, δάα ἐμνημόνευσεν, ἀκριβῶς ἔγραφεν, οὐ μέντοι τάξει, τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἢ λεχθέντα ἢ πραχθέντα. οὔτε γὰρ ἤκουσεν τοῦ κυρίου οὔτε παρηκολούθησεν αὐτῷ, ὕστερον δέ, ὡς ἔφην, Πέτρῳ· ὃς πρὸς τὰς χρείας ἐποιεῖτο τὰς διδασκαλίας, ἀλλ’ οὐχ ὥσπερ σύνταξιν τῶν κυριακῶν ποιούμενος λογίων, ὥστε οὐδὲν ἥμαρτεν Μάρκος οὕτως ἔνια γραφὰς ὡς ἀπεμνημόνευσεν. ἑνὸς γὰρ ἐποιήσατο πρόνοιαν, τοῦ μηδὲν ὧν ἤκουσεν παραλιπεῖν ἢ ψεύσασθαί τι ἐν αὐτοῖς.” ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἱστόρηται
τῷ Παπίᾳ περὶ τοῦ Μάρκου· περὶ δὲ τοῦ Ματθαίου ταῦτ’ εἴρηται· “ Ματθαῖος μὲν οὖν Ἑβραίδι διαλέκτῳ τὰ λόγια συνετάξατο, ἡρμήνευσεν δ’ αὐτὰ ὡς ἢν δυνατὸς ἕκαστος.”

Κέχρηται δ’ ὁ αὐτὸς μαρτυρίαις ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰωάννου
προτέρας ἐπιστολῆς καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Πέτρου ὁμοίως, ἐκτέθειται δὲ καὶ ἄλλην ἱστορίαν περὶ γυναικὸς ἐπὶ πολλαῖς ἁμαρτίαις διαβληθείσης ἐπὶ τοῦ κυρίου, ἢν τὸ καθ’ Ἑβραίους εὐαγγέλιον περιέχει. καὶ ταῦτα δ’ ἡμῖν ἀναγκαίως πρὸς τοῖς ἐκτεθεῖσιν ἐπιτετηρήσθω.

Historia Ecclesiastica First1KGreek (Eusebius. Eusebii Caesariensis Opera, Volume 4. Dindorf, Luwdig, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1871.) — 3.1 focus

[Nic. H. E. II, 39 –44. III, 1] Τὰ μὲν δὴ κατὰ Ἰουδαίους ἐν τούτοις ἦν. τῶν δὲ ἱερόν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀποστόλων τε καὶ μαθητῶν ἐφ’ ἅπασαν κατασπαρέντων τὴν οἰκουμένην, Θωμᾶς μὲν, ὡς ἡ παράδοσις
περιέχει , τὴν Παρθίαν εἴληχεν , Ἀνδρέας δὲ τὴν Σκυθίαν, Ἰωάννης τὴν Ἀσίαν, πρὸς οὓς καὶ διατρίψας ἐν Ἐφέσω τελευτᾷ.

[2] Πέτρος δὲ ἐν Πόντῳ καὶ Γαλατία καὶ Βιθυνία Καππαδοκία τε καὶ Ἀσία κεκηρυχέναι τοῖς ἐν διασπορᾷ Ἰουδαίοις ἔοικεν· ὃς
¹ καὶ ἐπὶ τέλει ἐν Ῥώμῃ γενόμενος ἀνεσκολοπίσθη κατὰ κεφαλῆς, οὕτως αὐτὸς ἀξιώσας παθεῖν.

[3] τί δεῖ περὶ Παύλου λέγειν , ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ πεπληρωκότος τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοὐ Χριστοῦ,
καὶ ὕστερον ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ ἐπὶ Νέρωνος μεμαρτυρηκότος ; ταῦτα Ὠριγένει κατὰ λέξιν ἐν τρίτῳ τόμῳ τῶν εἰς τὴν Γένεσιν ἐξηγητικῶν εἴρηται.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 2] Τῆς δὲ Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας μετὰ τὴν Παύλου καὶ Πέτρου μαρτυρίαν πρῶτος κληροῦται
τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν Λίνος. μνημονεύει τούτου Τιμοθέῳ γράφων ἀπὸ Ῥώμης ὁ Παῦλος κατὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τέλει τῆς ἐπιστολῆς πρόσρησιν.

[1] [Nic. H. E. ΙΙ, 45-46] Πέτρου μὲν οὖν ἐπι- στολὴ μία ἡ λεγομένη αὐτοῦ προτέρα ἀνωμολόγηται ·
ταύτῃ δὲ καὶ οἶ πάλαι πρεσβύτεροι ὡς ἀναμφιλέκτῳ ἐν τοῖς σφῶν αὐτῶν κατακέχρηνται συγγράμμασι. τὴν δὲ φερομένην αὐτοῦ δευτέραν οὐκ ἐνδιάθηκον μὲν εἶναι παρειλήφαμεν , ὅμως δὲ πολλοῖς χρήσιμος φανεῖσα μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐσπουδάσθη γραφῶν.

[2] τό γε
μὴν τῶν ἐπικεκλημένων αὐτοῦ πράξεων, καὶ τὸ κατ’ αὐτὸν ὠνομασμένον εὐαγγέλιον , τό τε λεγόμενον αὐτοῦ κήρυγμα, καὶ τὴν καλουμένην ἀποκάλυψιν οὐδ’ ὅλως ἐν καθολικαῖς ἴσμεν παραδεδομένα, ὅτι μήτε ἀρχαίων μήτε τῶν καθ’ ἡμᾶς τις ἐκκλησιαστικὸς συγγραφεὺς
ταῖς ἐξ αὐτῶν συνεχρήσατο μαρτυρίαις.

[3] προι·ούσης δὲ τῆς ἱστορίας προύργου ποιήσομαι σὺν ταῖς διαδοχαῖς ὑποσημήνασθαι τίνες τῶν κατὰ χρόνους ἐκκλησιαστικῶν συγγραφέων ὁποίαις κέχρηνται τόν ἀντιλεγομένων , τίνα τε περὶ τῶν ἐνδιαθήκων
καὶ ὁμολογουμένων γραφῶν, καὶ ὅσα περὶ τῶν μὴ τοιούτων αὐτοῖς εἴρηται.

[4] ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ὀνομαζόμενα Πέτρου, ὧν μόνην μίαν γνησίαν ἔγνων ἐπιστολὴν καὶ παρὰ τοῖς πάλαι πρεσβυτέροις ὡμολογημένην, τοσαῦτα.

[5] τοῦ δὲ Παύλου πρόδηλοι καὶ σαφεῖς αἶ δεκατέσσαρες ἐπιστολαί. ὅτι γε μήν τινες ἠθετήκασι τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους , πρὸς τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας ὡς μὴ Παύλου οὖσαν αὐτὴν ἀντιλέγεσθαι φήσαντες, οὐ δίκαιον
ἀγνοεῖν. καὶ τὰ περὶ ταύτης δὲ τοῖς πρὸ ἡμῶν εἰρημένα κατὰ καιρὸν παραθήσομαι. οὐδὲ μὴν τὰς λεγομένας αὐτοῦ Πραξεῖς ἐν ἀναμφιλέκτοις παρείληφα.

[6] ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς ἀπόστολος ἐν ταῖς ἐπὶ τέλει προσρήσεσι τῆς πρὸς Ῥωμαίους μνήμην πεποίηται μετὰ τῶν
ἄλλων καὶ Ἑρμᾶ, οὗ φασιν ὑπάρχειν τὸ τοῦ ποιμένος βιβλίον , ἰστέον ὡς καὶ τοῦτο πρὸς μέν τινων ἀντι- λέλεκται , δι’ οὓς οὐκ ἂν ἐν ὁμολογουμένοις τεθείη, ὑφ’ ἑτέρων δὲ ἀναγκαιότατον οἶς μάλιστα δεῖ στοιχειώσεως εἰσαγωγικῆς κέκριται. ὅθεν ἤδη καὶ ἐν ἐκκλησίαις
ἴσμεν αὐτὸ δεδημοσιευμένον, καὶ τῶν παλαιτάτων δὲ συγγραφέων κεχρημένους τινὰς αὐτῷ κατείληφα.

[7] ταῦτα εἰς παράστασιν τῶν τε ἀναντιρρήτων καὶ τῶν μὴ παρὰ πᾶσιν ὁμολογουμένων θείων γραμμάτων εἰρήσθω.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 1-2] Ὅτι μὲν οὖν τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν κηρύσσων ὁ Παῦλος τοὺς ἀπὸ Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ κύκλῳ μέχρι τοὐ Ἰλλυρικοῦ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν καταβέβλητο θεμελίους δῆλον ἐκ τῶν αὐτοῦ γένοιτ’ ἂν φωνῶν καὶ ἀφ’ ὧν ὁ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν ἰστόρησεν.

[2] καὶ ἐκ τῶν Πέτρου δὲ λέξεων ἐν ὁπόσαις καὶ οὗτος ἐπαρχίαις τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς τὸν Χριστὸν εὐαγγελιζόμενος τὸν τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης παρεδίδου λόγον σαφὲς ἂν εἴη ἀφ’ ἧς εἰρήκαμεν ὁμολογουμένης αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολῆς, ἐν ἡ τοῖς ἐξ Ἑβραίων οὖσιν ἐν δια-
² σπορᾷ Πόντου καὶ Γαλατίας Καππαδοκίας τε καὶ Ἀσίας καὶ Βιθυνίας γράφει.

[3] ὅσοι δὲ τούτων καὶ τίνες γνήσιοι ζηλωταὶ γεγονότες τὰς πρὸς αὐτῶν ἱδρυθείσας ἱκανοὶ ποιμαίνειν ἐδοκιμάσθησαν ἐκκλησίας
οὐ ῥᾴδιον εἰπεῖν, μὴ ὅτι γε ὅσους ἄν τις ἐκ τῶν Παύλου φωνῶν ἀναλέξοιτο.

[4] τούτου γὰρ οὑν μυρίοι συνεργοὶ καὶ ὡς αὐτὸς ὠνόμασε συστρατιῶται γεγόνασιν, ὧν οἶ πλείους ἀλήστου πρὸς αὐτοῦ μνήμης ἠξίωνται, διηνεκῆ τὴν περὶ αὐτῶν μαρτυρίαν ταῖς
ἰδίαις ἐπιστολαῖς ἐγκαταλέξαντος. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι τοὺς γνωρίμους αὐτοῦ καταλέγων ἐξ ὀνόματος αὐτῶν μνημονεύει.

[5] Τιμόθεός γε μὴν τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσω παροικίας ἱστορεῖται πρῶτος τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν εἰληχέναι, ὡς καὶ Τίτος τῶν ἐπὶ
Κρήτης ἐκκλησιῶν.

[6] Λουκᾶς δὲ τὸ μὲν γένος ὢν τῶν ἀπ’ Ἀντιοχείας, τὴν ἐπιστήμην δὲ ἰατρὸς, τὰ πλεῖστα συγγεγονὼς τῷ Παύλῳ, καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς δὲ οὐ παρέργως τῶν ἀποστόλων ὡμιληκὼς, ἦς ἀπὸ τούτων προσεκτήσατο ψυχῶν θεραπευτικῆς ἐν δυ’
ἡμῖν ὑποδείγματα θεοπνεύστοις καταλέλοιπε βιβλίοι τῷ τε εὐαγγελίῳ , ὃ καὶ χαράξαι μαρτυρεῖται, κα παρέδοντο αὐτῷ οἷ ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς αὐτόαται καὶ ὑπηρέτ γενόμενοι τοῦ λόγου , οἷς καί φησιν ἐπάνωθεν ἄπ’ παρηκολουθηκέναι , καὶ ταῖς τῶν ἀποστόλων πράξ
σιν, ἅς οὐκέτι δι’ ἀκοῆς, ὀφθαλμοῖς δὲ αὐτοῖς παρ’ λαβὼν συνετάξατο.

[7] φασὶ δὲ ὡς ἄρα τοῦ κατ’ τὸν εὐαγγελίου μνημονεύειν ὁ Παῦλος εἴωθεν ὁπηνίκ’ ὡς περὶ ἰδίου τινὸς εὐαγγελίου γράφων ἔλεγε “ κατ’ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου ”

[8] τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν ἀκολούθο
τοῦ Παύλου Κρίσκης μὲν ἐπὶ τὰς Γαλλίας στειλάμει ³ ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ μαρτυρεῖται, Λίνος δὲ, οὗ μέμνηται συν- όντος ἐπὶ Ῥώμης αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν δευτέραν πρὸς Τιμόθεον ἐπιστολὴν , πρῶτος μετὰ Πέτρον τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἤδη πρότερον κληρωθεὶς δεδήλωται.

[9] ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Κλήμης τῆς Ῥωμαίων
καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκκλησίας τρίτος ἐπίσκοπος καταστὰς Παύλου συνεργὸς καὶ συναθλητὴς γεγονέναι πρὸς αὐτοῦ μαρτυρεῖται.

[10] ἐπὶ τούτοις καὶ τὸν Ἀρεοπαγίτην ἐκεῖνον , Διονύσιος ὄνομα αὐτῷ, ὃν ἐν Πράξεσι μετὰ τὴν ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ πρὸς Ἀθηναίους Παύλου
δημηγορίαν πρῶτον πιστεῦσαι ἀνέγραψεν ὁ Λουκᾶς) τῆς ἐν Ἀθήναις ἐκκλησίας πρῶτον ἐπίσκοπον ἀρχαίων τις ἕτερος Διονύσιος τῆς Κορινθίων παροικίας ποιμὴν ἱστορεῖ γεγονέναι.

[11] ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὁδῷ προβαίνουσιν ἐπὶ καιροῦ τὰ τῆς κατὰ χρ·όνους τῶν ἀποστό
λῶν διαδοχῆς ἡμῖν εἰρήσεται. νῦν δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ ἐξῆς ἴωμεν τῆς ἱστορίας.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 8] Μετὰ Νέρωνα δέκα πρὸς τρισὶν ἔτεσι τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπικρατήσαντα τῶν ἀμφὶ Γάλβαν καὶ Ὄθωνα ἐνιαυτὸν ἐπὶ μησὶν ἕξ διαγενομένων
Οὐεσπασιανὸς, ταῖς κατὰ Ἰουδαίων παρατὰξεσι λαμπρυνόμενος, βασιλεὺς ἐπ’ αὐτῆς ἀναδείκνυται τῆς Ἰουδαίας , αὐτοκράτωρ πρὸς τῶν αὐτόθι στρατοπέδων ἀναγορευθείς. τὴν ἐπὶ Ῥώμης οὖν αὐτίκα στειλάμενος Τίτῳ τῷ παιδὶ τὸν κατὰ Ἰουδαίων
ἐγχειρίζει πόλεμον.

[2] μετά γε μὴν τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀνάληψιν Ἰουδαίων πρὸς τῷ κατ’ αὐτοῦ τολμήματι ἤδη καὶ κατὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων αὐτοῦ πλείστας ὅσας ἐπιβουλὰς μεμηχανημένων , πρώτου τε Στεφάνου λίθοις ὑπ’ αὐτῶν ἀνῃρημένου , εἶτα δὲ μετ’ αὐ-
⁴ τὸν Ἰακώβου, ὃς ἦν Ζεβεδαίου μὲν παῖς, ἀδελφὸς δὲ Ἰωάννου, τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποτμηθέντος, ἐπὶ πᾶσί τε Ἰακώβου, τοῦ τὸν αύτόθι τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς θρόνον πρώτου μετὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀνάληψιν κεκληρωμένου,
τὸν προδηλωθέντα τρόπον μεταλλάξαντος, τῶν τε λοιπῶν ἀποστόλων μυρία εἰς θάνατον ἐπιβεβουλευμένων, καὶ τῆς μὲν Ἰουδαίας γῆς ἀπεληλαμένων, ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ τοῦ κηρύγματος διδασκαλίᾳ τὴν εἰς σύμπαντα τὰ ἔθνη στειλαμένων πορείαν σὺν δυνάμει
τοῦ Χριστοῦ φήσαντος αὐτοῖς “πορευθέντες μαθητεύ- “σατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου,”

[3] οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐκκλησίας κατά τινα χρησμὸν τοῖς αὐτόθι δοκίμοις δι᾿ ἀποκαλύψεως δοθέντα πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου μεταναστῆναι τῆς
πόλεως καί τινα τῆς Περαίας πόλιν οἰκεῖν κεκελευσμένου, Πέλλαν αὐτὴν ὀνομάζουσιν, ἐν ᾗ τῶν εἰς Χριστὸν πεπιστευκότων ἀπὸ τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ μετῳκισμένων, ὡσὰν παντελῶς ἐπιλελοιπότων ἀγίων ἀνδρῶν αὐτήν τε τὴν Ἰουδαίων βασιλικὴν μητρόπολιν
καὶ σύμπασαν τὴν Ἰουδαίαν γῆν, ἡ ἐκ θεοῦ δίκη λοιπὸν αὐτοὺς ἅτε τοσαῦτα εἴς τε τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους αὐτοῦ παρηνομηκότας μετῄει, τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἄρδην τὴν γενεὰν αὐτὴν ἐκείνην ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανίζουσα.

[4] ὅσα μὲν οὖν τηνικάδε κατὰ πάντα
τόπον ὅλῳ τῷ ἔθνει συνερρύη κακὰ, ὅπως τε αὖ μάλιστα οἱ τῆς Ἰουδαίας οἰκήτορες εἰς ἔσχατον περιηλάθησαν συμφορῶν, ὁπόσαι τε μυριάδες ἡβηδὸν γυναιξὶν ἅμα καὶ παισὶ ξίφει καὶ λιμῷ καὶ μυρίοις ἄλλοις εἴδεσι περιπεπτώκασι θανάτου, πόλεων τε Ἰουδαϊκῶν
ὅσαι τε καὶ οἷαι γεγόνασι πολιορκίαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁπόσα ⁵ οἶ ἐπ’ αὐτὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὡσὰν ἐπὶ μητρόπολιν ὀχυρωτάτην καταπεφευγότες δεινὰ καὶ πέρα δεινῶν ἑωράκασι, τοῦ τε παντὸς πολέμου τὸν τρόπον, καὶ τῶν ἐν τούτῳ γεγενημένων ἐν μέρει ἕκαστα, καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ τέλει τὸ πρὸς τῶν προφητῶν ἀνηγορευμένον βδέλυγμα
τῆς ἐρημώσεως ἐν αὐτῷ κατέστη τῷ πάλαι τοῦ θεοῦ περιβοήτῳ νεῷ , παντελῆ φθορὰν καὶ ἀφανισμὸν ἔσχατον τὸν διὰ πυρὸς ὑπομείναντι, πάρεστιν ὅτῳ φίλον ἐπ’ ἀκριβὲς ἐκ τῆς τῷ Ἰωσήπῳ γραφείσης ἀναλέξασθαι ἱστορίας.

[5] ὡς δὲ αὐτὸς οὕτος τῶν
ἀθροισθέντων ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἁπάσης ἐν ἡμέραις τῆς τοῦ Πάσχα ἑορτῆς ὥσπερ ἐν εἱρκτῇ ῥήμασιν αὐτοῖς ἀποκλεισθῆναι εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀμφὶ τριακοσίας μυριάδας τὸ πλῆθος ἱστορεῖ, ἀναγκαῖον ὑποσημήνασθαι.

[6] χρῆν γοῦν, ἐν αἷς ἡμέραις τὸνπάντων
σωτῆρα καὶ εὐεργέτην τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ κατὰ τὸ πάθος διατέθεινται, ταῖς αὐταῖς ὥσπερ ἐν εἱρκτῇ κατακλεισθέντας τὸν μετελθόντα αὐτοὺς ὄλεθρον πρὸς τῆς θείας δίκης καταδέξασθαι.

[7] παρελθὼν δὴ τὰ τῶν ἐν μέρει συμβεβηκότων αὐτοῖς ὅσα διὰ ξίφους
καὶ ἄλλῳ τρόπῳ κατ’ αὐτῶν ἐγκεχείρισται μόνας τὰς διὰ τοῦ λιμοῦ ἀναγκαῖον ἡγοῦμαι συμφορὰς παραθέσθαι, ὡς ἂν ἐκ μέρους ἔχοιεν οἶ τῇδε τῇ γραφῇ ἐντυγχάνοντες εἰδέναι ὅπως αὐτοὺς τῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ παρανομίας οὐκ εἰς μακρὸν ἡ ἐκ θεοῦ
μετῆλθε τιμωρία.

[1] [Nic. H. E. ΙΙΙ, 6] Φέρε δὴ οὖν τῶν ἱστοριῶν τὴν πέμπτην τοῦ Ἰωσήπου μετὰ χεῖρας αὖθις ἀναλα- βὼν τῶν τότε πραχθέντων δίελθε τὴν τραγῳδίαν· τοῖς γε μὴν εὐπόροις’’ φησὶ “ καὶ τὸ μένειν πρὸς
⁶ “ἀπωλείας ἴσον ἦν. προφάσει γὰρ αὐτομολίας ἀνῃ- “ ρεῖτό τις διὰ τὴν οὐσίαν. τῷ λιμῷ δὲ ἡ ἀπόνοια ‘ τῶν στασιαστῶν συνήκμαζε, καὶ καθ’ ἡμέραν ἀμφό- ‘τερα προσεξεκάετο τὰ δεινά.

[2] φανερὸς μέν γε οὐ-
“ δάμου σῖτος ἦν, ἐπεισπηδῶντες δὲ διηρεύνων τὰς “ οἰκίας, ἔπειθ’ εὑρόντες μὲν ὡς ἀρνησαμένους ᾐκί- “ ζοντο, μὴ εὑρόντες δὲ ὡς ἐπιμελέστερον κρύψαντας ἐβασάνιζον. τεκμήριον δὲ τοῦ τ’ ἔχειν καὶ μὴ τὰ σώματα τῶν ἀθλίων ἦν, ὧν οἱ μὲν ἔτι συνεστῶτες
εὐπορεῖν τροφῆς ἐδόκουν, οἶ τηκόμενοι δὲ ἤδη παρωδεύοντο, καὶ κτείνειν ἄλογον ἐδόκει τοὺς ὑπ’ ἐν- δείας τεθνηξομένους αὐτίκα.

[3] πολλοὶ δὲ λάθρα τὰς κτήσεις ἑνὸς ἀντικατηλλάξαντο μέτρου , πυρῶν μὲν, εἰ πλουσιώτεροι τυγχάνοιεν ὄντες, οἱ δὲ πενέ-
“ στεροι κριθῆς. ἔπειτα κατακλείοντες ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὰ μυχαίτατα τῶν οἰκιῶν τινὲς μὲν ὑπ’ ἄκρας ἐνδείας “ τὸν σῖτον ἤσθιον, οἱ δὲ ἔπεσσον, ὡς ἥ τε ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸ δέος παρῄνει.

[4] καὶ τράπεζα μὲν “ οὐδαμοῦ παρετίθετο , τοῦ δὲ πυρὸς ἀφέλκοντες ἔτ’
“ὠμὰ τὰ σιτία διήρπαζον. ἐλεεινὴ δ’ ἦν ἡ τροφὴ κ’ “δακρύων ἄξιος ἡ θέα, τῶν μὲν δυνατωτέρων πλέο “νεκτούντων , τῶν δὲ ἀσθενῶν ὀδυρομένων.

[5] πά “ των μὲν δὴ παθῶν ὑπερίσταται λιμὸς , οὐδὲν “οὕτως ἀπόλλυσιν ὡς αἰδώς. τὸ γὰρ ἄλλως ἐντροπῆς
“ ἄξιον ἐν τούτῳ καταφρονεῖται. γυναῖκες γοῦν ἀν- “ δρῶν καὶ παῖδες πατέρων, καὶ τὸ οἰκτρότατον , μ’ ‘τέρες νηπίων ἐξήρπαζον ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν στομάτων τ’ τροφάς. καὶ τῶν φιλτάτων ἐν χερσὶ μαραινομένῳ “ οὐκ ἦν φειδὼ τοὺς τοῦ ζῆν ἀφελέσθαι σταλαγμοῦ
“

[6] τοιαῦτα δ’ ἐσθίοντες ὅμως οὐ διελάνθανον. πανταχοῦ δ’ οὑν ἐφίσταντο οἱ στασιασταὶ καὶ τούτω “ ταῖς ἁρπαγαῖς. ὁπότε γὰρ κατίδοιεν ἀποκεκλεισμένη “οἰκίαν, σημεῖον ἢν τοῦτο τοὺς ἔνδον προσφέρεσθαι “τροφήν. εὐθέως δὲ εἰσαράξαντες τὰς θύρας εἰσεπή- ·‘δων, καὶ μόνον οὐκ ἐκ τῶν φαρύγγων ἀναθλίβον- “τες τοὺς ἀκόλους ἀνέφερον.

[7] ἐτύπτοντο δὲ γέρον- “τες ἀντεχόμενοι τῶν σιτίων, καὶ κόμης ἐσπαράσσοντο
“γυναῖκες, συγκαλύπτουσαι τὰ ἐν χερσίν· οὐδέ τις “ἦν οἶκτος πολιᾶς ἢ νηπίων, ἀλλὰ συνεπαίροντες “νήπια τῶν ψωμῶν ἐκκρεμάμενα κατέσειον εἰς ἔδα- “φος. τοῖς δὲ φθάσασι τὴν εἰσδρομὴν αὐτῶν καὶ “προκαταπιοῦσι τὸ ἁρπαγησόμενον ὡς ἀδικηθέντες
‘ἦσαν ὠμότεροι.

[8] δεινὰς δὲ βασάνων ὁδοὺς ἐπε- ‘νόουν πρὸς ἔρευναν τροφῆς, ὀρόβοις μὲν ἐμφράττοντες τοῖς ἀθλίοις τοὺς τῶν αἰδοίων πόρους, ῥάβδοις δὲ ὀξείαις ἀναπείροντες τὰς ἔδρας. τὰ φρικτὰ δὲ καὶ ‘ἀκοαῖς ἔπασχέ τις εἰς ἐξομολόγησιν ἑνὸς ἄρτου καὶ
“ἔνα μηνύσῃ δράκα μίαν κεκρυμμένην ἀλφίτων.

[9] οἱ “βασανισταὶ δ’ οὐκ ἐπείνων, (καὶ γὰρ ἂν ἧττον ὠμὸν “ἦν τὸ μετ’ ἀνάγκης), γυμνάζοντες δὲ τὴν ἀπόνοιαν, ‘καὶ προπαρασκευάζοντες ἑαυτοῖς εἰς τὰς ἑξῆς ἡμέρας ἐφόδια.

[10] τοῖς δ’ ἐπὶ ‘Ρωμαίων φρουρὰν νύ-
“κτωρ ἐξερπύσασιν ἐπὶ λαχάνων συλλογὴν ἀγρίων καὶ πόας ὑπαντῶντες, ὅτ’ ἤδη διαπεφευγέναι τοὺς “πολεμίους ἐδόκουν, ἀφήρπαζον τὰ κομισθέντα, καὶ “πολλάκις ἱκετευόντων, καὶ τὸ φρικτότατον ἐπικαλου- ‘μένων ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ, μεταδοῦναί τι μέρος αὐτοῖς
῾ ὧν κινδυνεύσαντες ἤνεγκαν, οὐδ’ ὁτιοῦν μετέδοσαν. ‘ἀγαπητὸν δ’ ἦν τὸ μὴ καὶ προσαπολέσθαι σεσυλημένον.”

[11] τούτοις δὲ μεθ’ ἕτερα ἐπιφέρει λέγων Ἰουδαίοις δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἐξόδων ἀπεκόπη πᾶσα σωτη- “ρίας ἐλπίς. καὶ βαθύνας ἑαυτὸν ὁ λιμὸς κατ᾿ οἴκους
⁷ “καὶ γενεὰς τὸν δῆμον ἐπεβόσκετο. καὶ τὰ μὲν τέγη ‘πεπλήρωτο γυναικῶν καὶ βρεφῶν λελυμένων, οἱ “στενωποὶ δὲ γερόντων νεκρῶν.

[12] παῖδες δὲ καὶ ‘νεανίαι διοιδοῦντες ὥσπερ εἴδωλα κατὰ τὰς ἀγορὰς
“ἀνειλοῦντο καὶ κατέπιπτον, ὅπη τινὰ τὸ πάθος καταλαμβάνοι· θάπτειν δὲ τοὺς προσήκοντας οὔτε ἴσχυον οἱ κάμνοντες, καὶ τὸ διευτονοῦν ὤκνει, διά τε τὸ πλῆθος τῶν νεκρῶν καὶ τὸ κατὰ σφᾶς ἄδηλον. πολ- λοὶ γοῦν τοῖς ὑπ’ αὐτῶν θαπτομένοις ἐπαπέθνη-
“σκον, πολλοὶ δ’ ἐπὶ τὰς θήκας, πρὶν ἐπιστῆναι τὸ χρεὼν) προῆλθον.

[13] οὔτε δὲ θρῆνος ἐν ταῖς συμ- φοραῖς οὔτε ὀλοφυρμὸς ἠν, ἀλλ’ ὁ λιμὸς ἤλεγχε τὰ πάθη. ξηροῖς δὲ τοῖς ὄμμασιν οἶ δυσθανατοῦν- “τες ἐφεώρων τοὺς φθάσαντας ἀναπαύσασθαι. βα-
“θεῖα δὲ τὴν πόλιν περιεῖχε σιγὴ, καὶ νὺξ θανάτου γέμουσα. καὶ τούτων οἱ λῃσταὶ χαλεπώτεροι.

[14] τυμβωρυχοῦντες γοῦν τὰς οἰκίας ἐσύλων τοὺς νεκροὺς, καὶ τὰ καλύμματα τῶν σωμάτων περισπῶντες μετὰ γέλωτος ἐξῄεσαν, τάς τε ἀκμὰς τῶν ξιφῶν
“ἐδοκίμαζον ἐν τοῖς πτώμασι, καί τινας τῶν ἐρριμμένων ἔτι ζῶντας διήλαυνον, ἐπὶ πείρᾳ τοῦ σιδήρου, τοὺς δὲ ἱκετεύοντας χρῆσαι σφίσι δεξιὰν καὶ ξίφος, τῷ λιμῷ κατέλιπον ὑπερηφανοῦντες. καὶ τῶν ἐκπνεόντων ἕκαστος ἀτενὲς εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἐφεώρα,
τοὺς στασιαστὰς ζῶντας ἀπολιπών.

[15] οἶ δὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐκ τοῦ δημοσίου θησαυροῦ τοὺς νεκροὺς “θάπτειν ἐκέλευον, τὴν ὀσμὴν οὐ φέροντες· ἔπειθ’ “ὡς οὐ δοήρκουν, ἀπὸ τῶν τειχῶν ἐρρίπτουν εἰς τὰς, φάραγγας. περιιὼν δὲ ταύτας ὁ Τίτος ὡς ἐθεάσατο
πεπλησμένας τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ βαθὺν ἰχῶρα μυδώντων τὸν ὑπορρέοντα τῶν σωμάτων, ἐστέναξέ τε καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀνατείνας κατεμαρτύρατο τὸν θεὸν, ὡς “οὐκ εἴη τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ.”

[16] τούτοις ἐπειπών τινα μεταξὺ ἐπιφέρει λέγων οὐκ ἂν ὑποστειλαίμην εἰπεῖν ἅ μοι κελεύει τὸ πάθος. οἶμαι ‘Ρωμαίων βραδυνάντων ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀλιτηρίους, ἢ καταποθῆναι ἂν ‘ὑπὸ χάσματος, ἢ κατακλυσθῆναι τὴν πόλιν, ἢ τοὺς
“τῆς Σοδομηνῆς μεταλαβεῖν κεραυνούς. πολὺ γὰρ ‘τῶν ταῦτα παθόντων ἤνεγκε γενεὰν ἀθεωτέραν. τῇ ‘γοῦν τούτων ἀπονοίᾳ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς συναπώλετο.”

[17] καὶ ἐν τῷ ἕκτῳ δὲ βιβλίῳ οὕτω γράφει τῶν δ’ ὑπὸ “τοῦ λιμοῦ φθειρομένων κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ἄπειρον μὲν
‘ἔπιπτε τὸ πλῆθος, ἀδιήγητα δὲ συνέβαινε τὰ πάθη. καθ’ ἑκάστην γὰρ οἰκίαν, εἴ που τροφῆς παραφανείη σκιὰ, πόλεμος ἦν, καὶ διὰ χειρῶν οἷ φίλτατοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ἐξαρπάζοντες τὰ ταλαίπωρα τῆς ψυχῆς ἐφόδια. πίστις δ’ ἀπορίας οὐδὲ
τοῖς θνήσκουσιν ἦν.

[18] ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐμπνέοντας οἶ λῃσταὶ διηρεύνων, μή τις ὑπὸ κόλπον ἔχων τροφὴν σκήπτοιτο τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ. οἱ δ’ ὑπ’ ἐνδείας κεχηνότες ὥσπερ λυσσῶντες κύνες ἐφήλλοντο καὶ παρεφέροντο, ταῖς τε θύραις ἐνσειόμενοι μεθυόντων
τρόπον καὶ ὑπ’ ἀμηχανίας εἰς τοὺς αὐτοὺς οἴκους εἰσεπήδων δὶς ἢ τρὶς ὥρᾳ μιᾷ.

[19] πάντα δ’ ὑπ’ ὀδόντας ἦγεν ἡ ἀνάγκη, καὶ τὰ μηδὲ τοῖς ῥυπαρωτάτοις τῶν ἀλόγων ζῴων πρόσφορα συλλέγον- τες ἐσθίειν ὑπέφερον. ζωστήρων γοῦν καὶ ὑποδημάτων
τὸ τελευταῖον οὐκ ἀπείχοντο, καὶ τὰ δέρματα τῶν θυρεῶν ἀποδέροντες ἐμασῶντο. τροφὴ δὲ ἦν καὶ χόρτου τισὶ παλαιοῦ σπαράγματα. τὰς γὰρ ἶνας ἔνιοι συλλέγοντες ἐλάχιστον σταθμὸν ἐπώλουν Ἀττικῶν τεσσάρων.

[20] καὶ τί δεῖ τὴν ἐπ’ ἀψύχοις ἀναίδειαν
⁸ ‘τοῦ λιμοῦ λέγειν; εἶμι γὰρ αὐτοῦ δηλώσων ἔργον, “ὁποῖον μήτε Ἕλλησι μήτε παρὰ βαρβάροις ἱστό- “ρηται, φρικτὸν μὲν εἰπεῖν, ἄπιστον δ’ ἀκοῦσαι. καὶ “ἔγωγε μὴ δόξαιμι τερατεύεσθαι τοῖς αὖθις ἀνθρώ-
“ποις, κἂν παρέλιπον τὴν συμφορὰν ἡδέως, εἰ μὴ “τῶν κατ’ ἐμαυτὸν εἶχον ἀπείρους μάρτυρας· ἄλλως τε καὶ ψυχρὰν ἂν καταθείμην τῇ πατρίδι χάριν κα- ‘θυφέμενος τὸν λόγον ὧν πέπονθε τὰ ἔργα.

[21] γυνὴ “τῶν ὑπὲρ τὸν Ἰορδάνην κατοικούντων, Μαρία τοὔ-
“νομα, πατρὸς Ἐλεαζάρου, κώμης Βαθεζὼρ, “νει δὲ τοῦτο οἶκος ὑσσώπου,) διὰ γένος καὶ πλοῦτον “ ἐπίσημος, μετὰ τοῦ λοιποῦ πλήθους εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσό- “λυμα καταφυγοῦσα συνεπολιορκεῖτο.

[22] ταύτης τὴν “μὲν ἄλλην κτῆσιν οἱ τύραννοι διήρπασαν, ὅσην ἐκ
“πόλιν, Περαίας ἀνασκευασαμένη μετήνεγκεν εἰς τὴν “πόλιν, τὰ δὲ λείψανα τῶν κειμηλίων κἂν εἴ τι τρο- “φῆς ἐπινοηθείη, καθ’ ἡμέραν εἰσπηδῶντες ἥρπαζον ‘οἱ δορυφόροι. δεινὴ δὲ τὸ γύναιον ἀγανάκτησις εἰσ- “ῄει, καὶ πολλάκις λοιδοροῦσα καὶ καταρωμένη τὸ
“ἅρπαγας ἐφ’ ἑαυτὴν ἠρέθιζεν.

[23] ὡς δ’ οὔτε παρ’ “ξυνόμενός τις οὔτ’ ἐλεῶν αὐτὴν ἀνήρει, καὶ τὸ μὲ “εὑρεῖν τι σιτίον ἄλλοις ἐκοπία, πανταχόθεν δ’ ἄπο “ρον ἦν ἤδη καὶ τὸ εὑρεῖν, ὁ λιμὸς δὲ διὰ σπλάγ- “χνων καὶ μυελῶν ἐχώρει, καὶ τοῦ λιμοῦ μᾶλλον ἐξε-
“καίοντο οἱ θυμοὶ, σύμβουλον λαβοῦσα τὴν ὀργὴ “μετὰ μετὰ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἐπὶ τὴν φύσιν ἐχώρει, κα “τέκνον, ἦν δ’ αὐτῇ παῖς ὑπομάσθιος, ἁρπασαμένη, “

[24] βρέφος, εἶπεν, ἄθλιον, ἐν πολέμῳ καὶ λιμῷ καὶ ‘στάσει, τίνι σε τηρῶ; τὰ μὲν παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις δου-
῾’λεία, κἂν ζήσωμεν ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς, φθάνει δὲ καὶ δου- “λείαν ὁ λιμὸς, οἱ στασιασταὶ δὲ ἀμφοτέρων χαλεπώ- “τεροι. ἴθι, γενοῦ μοι τροφὴ, καὶ τοῖς στασιασταῖς “ἐρινὺς, καὶ τῷ βίῳ μῦθος, ὁ μόνος ἐλλείπων ταῖς “Ἰουδαίων συμφοραῖς.

[25] καὶ ταῦθ’ ἅμα κτείνει τὸν υἱόν. ἔπειτ’ ὀπτήσασα τὸ μὲν ἥμισυ κατεσθίει, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν κατακαλύψασα ἐφύλαττεν. εὐθέως δ’ δἱ στασιασταὶ παρῆσαν, καὶ τῆς ἀθεμίτου
κνίσης σπάσαντες ἠπείλουν, εἰ μὴ δείξειε τὸ παρασκευασθὲν, ἀποσφάξειν αὐτὴν εὐθέως. ἡ δὲ καὶ μοῖραν αὐτοῖς εἰποῦσα καλὴν τετηρηκέναι τὰ λείψανα τοῦ τέκνου διανεκάλυψεν.

[26] τοὺς δ’ εὐθέως “φρίκη καὶ φρενῶν ἔκστασις ᾕρει, καὶ παρὰ τὴν ὄψιν
ἐπεπήγεσαν. ἡ δὲ, ἐμὸν, ἔφη, τοῦτο τὸ τέκνον γνή- ‘σιον, καὶ τὸ ἔργον ἐμόν. φάγετε, καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ βέ- ‘βρωκα. μὴ γένησθε μήτε μαλακώτεροι γυναικὸς μήτε συμπαθέστεροι μητρός. εἰ δ’ ὑμεῖς εὐσεβεῖς καὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ἀποστρέφεσθε θυσίαν, ἐγὼ μὲν ὑμῖν
βέβρωκα, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν δ’ ἐμοὶ μεινάτω.

[27] μετὰ ταῦθ’ οἱ μὲν τρέμοντες ἐξῄεσαν, πρὸς ἒν τοῦτο δει- λοὶ, καὶ μόλις ταύτης τῆς τροφῆς παραχωρήσαντες τῇ μητρί. ἀνεπλήσθη δ’ εὐθέως ὅλη τοῦ μύσους ἡ “πόλις, καὶ πρὸ ὀμμάτων ἕκαστος τὸ πάθος ἀναλαμβάνβν ὡς παρ’ αὐτοῦ τολμηθὲν δεινῶς ἔφριττε.

[28] σπουδὴ δὲ τῶν λιμωττόντων ἐπὶ τὸν θάνατον ἦν, καὶ μακαρισμὸς τῶν φθασάντων πρὶν ἀκοῦσαι καὶ θεάσασθαι κακὰ τηλικαῦτα.” τοιαῦτα τῆς Ἰουδαίων εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ παρανομίας τε καὶ
δυσσεβείας τἀπίχειρα.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 4] Παραθεῖναι δ’ αὐτοῖς ἄξιον τὴν ἀψευδῆ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν πρόρρησιν, δι’ ἧς αὐτὰ ταῦτα δηλοῖ ὧδέ πως προφητεύων οὐαὶ δὲ ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις ἐν ἐκεί-
⁹ ναις ταῖς ἡμέραις· προσεύχεσθε δὲ, ἵνα μὴ γένηται ἡ φυγὴ ὑμῶν χειμῶνος, μηδὲ σαββάτῳ. ἔσται γὰρ τότε θλῖψις μεγάλη, οἵα οὐκ ἐγένετο ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς κόσμου ἕως τοῦ νῦν, οὐδὲ μὴ γένηται.”

[2] συναγαγὼν
δὲ πάντα τὸν τῶν ἀνῃρημένων ἀριθμὸν ὁ συγγραφεὺς λιμῷ καὶ ξίφει μυριάδας ἑκατὸν καὶ δέκα διαφθαρῆναί φησι, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς στασιώδεις καὶ λῃστρικοὺς, ὑπ᾿ ἀλλήλων μετὰ τὴν ἅλωσιν ἐνδεικνυμένους, ἀνῃρῆσθαι, τῶν δὲ νέων τοὺς ὑψηλοτάτους
καὶ κάλλει σώματος διαφέροντας τετηρῆσθαι θριάμβῳ, τοῦ δὲ λοιποῦ πλήθους τοὺς ὑπὲρ ἑπτακαίδεκα ἔτη δεσμίους εἰς τὰ κατ᾿ Αἴγυπτον ἔργα παραπεμφθῆναι, πλείους δὲ εἰς τὰς ἐπαρχίας διανενεμῆσθαι φθαρησομένους ἐν τοῖς θεάτροις σιδήρῳ καὶ θηρίοις,
τοὺς δ᾿ ἐντὸς ἑπτακαίδεκα ἐτῶν αἰχμαλώτους ἀχθέντας διαπεπρᾶσθαι, τούτων δὲ μόνων τὸν ἀριθμὸν εἰς ἐννέα μυριάδας ἀνδρῶν συναχθῆναι.

[3] ταῦτα δὲ τοῦτον ἐπράχθη τὸν τρόπον, δευτέρῳ τῆς Οὐεσπασιανοῦ βασιλείας ἔτει, ἀκολούθως ταῖς προγνωστικαῖς
τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ προρρήσεσιν, θείᾳ δυνάμει ὥσπερ ἤδη παρόντα προεωρακότος αὐτὰ, ἐπιδακρύσαντός τε καὶ ἀποκλαυσαμένου κατὰ τὴν τῶν ἱερῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν γραφὴν, οἳ καὶ αὐτὰς αὐτοῦ παρατέθεινται τὰς λέξεις, τοτὲ μὲν
φήσαντος ὡς πρὸς αὐτὴν τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ

[4] “εἰ ἔγνως. καί γε σὺ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ τὰ πρὸς εἰρήνην σοι· νῦν δὲ ἐκρύβη ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν σου· ὅτι ἥξουσιν ἡμέραι ἐπὶ σὲ, καὶ περιβαλοῦσί σοι οἱ ἐχθροί σου χάρακα, καὶ περικυκλώσουσί σε, καὶ συνέξουσί σε πάντοθεν,
καὶ ἐδαφιοῦσί σε καὶ τὰ τέκνα σου·”

[5] τοτὲ δὲ ὡς ¹⁰ περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ “ἔσται ἔσται γὰρ ἀνάγκη μεγάλη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ὀργὴ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ. καὶ πεσοῦνται ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας καὶ αἰχμαλωτισθήσονται εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη· καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἔσται πατουμένη ὑπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν, ἄχρις οὗ πληρωθῶσι καιροὶ ἐθνῶν.” καὶ πάλιν “ὅταν
δὲ ἴδητε κυκλουμένην ὑπὸ στρατοπέδων τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ, τότε γνῶτε ὅτι ἤγγικεν ἡ ἐρήμωσις αὐτῆς.”

[6] συγκρίνας δέ τις τὰς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν λέξεις ταῖς λοιπαῖς τοῦ συγγραφέως ἱστορίαις ταῖς περὶ τοῦ παντὸς πολέμου πῶς οὐκ ἂν ἀποθαυμάσειεν θείαν ὡς
ἀληθῶς καὶ ὑπερφυῶς παράδοξον τὴν πρόγνωσιν ὁμοῦ καὶ πρόρρησιν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ὀμολογήσας;

[7] περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν μετὰ τὸ σωτήριον πάθος καὶ τὰς φωνὰς ἐκείνας, ἐν αἷς ἡ τῶν Ἰουδαίων πληθὺς τὸν μὲν λῃστὴν καὶ φονέα τοῦ θανάτου παρῄτηται, τὸν
δὲ ἀρχηγὸν τῆς ζωῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἱκέτευσεν ἀρθῆναι, τῷ παντὶ συμβεβηκότων ἔθνει, οὐδὲν ἂν δέοι ταῖς ἱστορίαις ἐπιλέγειν.

[8] ταῦτα δ’ ἂν εἴη δίκαιον ἔτι προσθεῖναι, ἃ γένοιτ’ ἂν παραστατικὰ φιλανθρωπίας τῆς παναγάθου προνοίας, τεσσαράκοντα ἐφ’ ὅλοις
ἔτεσι μετὰ τὴν κατὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τόλμαν τὸν κατ’ αὐτῶν ὄλεθρον ὑπερθεμένης, ἐν ὅσοις τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν μαθητῶν πλείους, Ἰάκωβός τε αὐτὸς ὁ τῇδε πρῶτος ἐπίσκοπος, τοῦ κυρίου χρηματίζων ἀδελφὸς, ἔτι τῷ βίῳ περιόντες, καὶ ἐπ’ αὐτῆς τῆς Ἱεροσολύμων
πόλεως τὰς διατριβὰς ποιούμενοι, ἕρκος ὥσπερ ἐχυρώτατον παρέμενον τῷ τόπῳ,

[9] τῆς θείας ἐπισκοπῆς εἰσέτι τότε μακροθυμούσης, εἰ ἄρα ποτὲ δυνηθεῖεν ἐφ’ οἷς ἔδρασαν μετανοήσαντες συγγνώμης καὶ σωτηρίας τυχεῖν, καὶ πρὸς τῇ τοσαύτῃ μακρο-
¹¹ θυμίᾳ παραδόξους θεοσημίας τῶν μελλόντων αὐτοῖς μὴ μετανοήσασι συμβήσεσθαι παρασχομένης. ἃ καὶ αὐτὰ μνήμης ἠξιωμένα πρὸς τοῦ δεδηλωμένου συγγραφέως οὐδὲν οἷον τοῖς τῇδε προσιοῦσι τῇ γραφῇ
παραθεῖναι.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 4] Καὶ δὴ λαβὼν ἀνάγνωθι τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἕκτην τῶν ἱστοριῶν αὐτῷ δεδηλωμένα ἐν τούτοις ‘τὸν γοῦν ἄθλιον δῆμον οἱ μὲν ἀπατεῶνες καὶ καταψευδόμενοι τοῦ θεοῦ τηνικαῦτα παρέπειθον,
τοῖς δ’ ἐναργέσι καὶ προσημαίνουσι τὴν μέλλουσαν ἔσεσθαι ἐρημίαν τέρασιν οὔτε προσεῖχον οὔτε ἐπίστευον, ἀλλ’ ὡς ἐμβεβροντημένοι καὶ μήτε ὄμματα μήτε ψυχὴν ἔχοντες τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ κηρυγμάτων παρήκουον·

[2] τοῦτο μὲν ὅτε ὑπὲρ τὴν πόλιν ἄστρον
ἔστη ῥομφαίᾳ παραπλήσιον καὶ παρατείνας ἐπ’ ἐνιαυτὸν κομήτης, τοῦτο δὲ ἡνίκα πρὸ τῆς ἀποστάσεως καὶ τοῦ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον κινήματος, ἀθροιζομένου τοὐ λαοῦ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀζύμων ἑορτὴν, ὀγδόῃ Ξανθικου μηνὸς κατὰ νυκτὸς ἐνάτην ὥραν τοσοῦτο φῶς
περιέλαμψε τὸν βωμὸν καὶ τὸν ναὸν ὡς δοκεῖν ἡμὲ ραν εἶναι λαμπράν. καὶ τοῦτο παρέτεινεν ἐφ’ ἡ σειαν ὥραν· ὃ τοῖς μὲν ἀπείροις ἀγαθὸν ἐδ εἶναι, τοῖς δὲ ἱερογραμματεῦσι πρὸ τῶν ἀποβεβ κότων εὐθέως ἐκρίθη.

[3] καὶ κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ἑορ
τὴν βοῦς μὲν ἀχθεῖσα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως πρὸς τη θυσίαν ἔτεκεν ἄρνα ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ μέσῳ.

[4] ἡ δ’ ἀν τολικὴ πύλη τοῦ ἐνδοτέρω χαλκῆ μὲν οὖσα καὶ στ βαρωτάτη, κλειομένη δὲ περὶ δείλην μόλις ὑπ ἀνθρώπων εἴκοσι, καὶ μοχλοῖς μὲν ἐπερειδομέν
σιδηροδέτοις, κατάπηγας δ’ ἔχουσα βαθυτάτου ¹² “ὤφθη κατὰ νυκτὸς ὥραν ἕκτην αὐτομάτως ἠνοιγμένη. “

[5] μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἑορτὴν ἡμέραις οὐ πολλαῖς ὕστερον, “μιᾷ καὶ εἰκάδι Ἀρτεμισίου μηνὸς, φάσμα τι δαιμόνιον “ ὤφθη μεῖζον πίστεως. τέρας δ’ ἂν ἔδοξεν εἶναι τὸ “ ῥηθησόμενον, εἰ μὴ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς θεασαμένοις ἱστό-
“ρητο καὶ τὰ ἐπακολουθήσαντα πάθη τῶν σημείων “ἦν ἄξια. πρὸ γὰρ ἡλίου δύσεως ὤφθη μετέωρα πᾶσαν τὴν χώραν ἅρματα καὶ φάλαγγες ἔνοπλοι διᾴτ- “τουσαι τῶν νεφῶν καὶ κυκλούμεναι τὰς πόλεις.

[6] ‘κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἑορτὴν, ἣ πεντηκοστὴ καλεῖται, νύκτωρ
‘οἱ ἱερεῖς παρελθόντες εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν, ὥσπερ αὐτοῖς ‘ἔθος ἦν, πρὸς τὰς λειτουργίας πρῶτον μὲν κινή- ‘σεως ἔφασαν ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι καὶ κτύπου, μετὰ δὲ ‘ταῦτα φωνῆς ἀθρόας ‘μεταβαίνομεν ἐντεῦθεν.’

[7] τὸ “δὲ τούτων φοβερώτερον · Ἰησοῦς γάρ τις υἱὸς Ἀνα-
‘νίου, τῶν ἰδιωτῶν ἄγροικος, πρὸ τεσσάρων ἐτῶν τοῦ πολέμου, τὰ μάλιστα τῆς πόλεως εἰρηνευομένης καὶ “εὐθηνούσης, ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τὴν ἑορτὴν, ἐν ᾗ σκηνοποιεῖ- ‘σθαι πάντας ἔθος ἦν τῷ θεῷ, κατὰ τὸ ἱερὸν ἐξαπίνης “ἀναβοᾶν ἤρξατο ‘φωνὴ ἀπ’ ἀνατολῆς, φωνὴ ἀπὸ δύ-
‘σεως, φωνὴ ἀπὸ τῶν τεσσάρων ἀνέμων, φωνὴ Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ τὸν ναὸν, φωνὴ ἐπὶ νυμφίους καὶ νύμ- ‘φας, φωνὴ ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν λαόν.’ τοῦτο μεθ’ ἡμέραν καὶ ‘νύκτωρ κατὰ πάντας τοὺς στενωποὺς περιῄει κεκρα- “γώς.

[8] τῶν δ’ ἐπισήμων τινὲς δημοτῶν ἀγανακτήσαντες
πρὸς τὸ κακόφημον συλλαμβάνουσι τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ πολλαῖς αἰκίζονται πληγαῖς. ὁ δὲ οὔθ’ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ φθεγξάμενος οὔτε ἰδίᾳ πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας ἃς καὶ πρότερον φωνὰς βοῶν διετέλει.

[9] νομίσαντες δ’ οἱ ἄρχοντες, ὅπερ ἦν, δαιμονιώτερον εἶναι κίνημα τἀνδρὸς ἄγουσιν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις ἔπαρχον· ἔνθα μάστιξι μέχρις ὀστέων ξαινό- “μενος οὔθ᾿ ἱκέτευσεν οὔτ᾿ ἐδάκρυσεν, ἀλλ᾿ ὡς ἐνῆν “μάλιστα τὴν φωνὴν ὀλοφυρτικῶς παρεγκλίνων πρὸς “ἑκάστην ἀπεκρίνατο πληγὴν, αἰαῖ Ἱεροσολύμοις.”

[10] ἕτερον δέ τι τούτου παραδοξότερον ὁ αὐτὸς ἱστορεῖ
συγγραφεὺς χρησμόν τινα φάσκων ἐν ἱεροῖς γράμμασιν ηὑρῆσθαι περιέχοντα ὡς κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας τις αὐτῶν ἄρξει τῆς οἰκουμένης, ὃν αὐτὸς μὲν ἐπὶ Οὐεσπασιανὸν πεπληρῶσθαι ἐξείληφεν·

[11] ἀλλ᾿ οὐχ ἁπάσης γε οὗτος ἢ μόνης
ἦρξεν τῆς ὑπὸ ῾Ρωμαίους· δικαιότερον δ᾿ ἂν ἐπὶ τὸν χριστὸν ἀναχθείη, πρὸς ὃν εἴρητο ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς “αἴτησαι παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ δώσω σοι ἔθνη τὴν κληρονομίαν σου, καὶ τὴν κατάσχεσίν σου τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς.” οὗ δὴ κατ᾿ αὐτὸ δὴ ἐκεῖνο τοῦ καιροῦ εἰς
πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ ῥήματα ἀυτῶν.

[1] [Nic. H. E. II, 18] Ἐπὶ τούτοις ἅπασιν ἄξιον μηδ᾿ αὐτὸν τὸν Ἰώσηπον, τοσαῦτα τῇ μετὰ χεῖρας
συμβεβλημένον ἱστορίᾳ, ὁπόθεν τε καὶ ἀφ᾿ οἵου γένους ὡρμᾶτο ἀγνοεῖν. δηλοῖ δὲ πάλιν αὐτὸς καὶ τοῦτο λέγων ὧδε “Ἰώσηπος Ματταθίου παῖς, ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεὺς, αὐτός τε ῾Ρωμαίους πολεμήσας τὰ πρῶτα καὶ τοῖς ὕστερον παρατυχὼν ἐξ ἀνάγκης.”

[2] μάλιστα δὲ τῶν κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ Ἰουδαίων παρὰ μόνοις τοῖς ὁμοεθνέσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ ῾Ρωμαίοις γέγονεν ἀνὴρ ἐπιδοξότατος, ὡς αὐτὸν μὲν ἀναθέσει ἀνδριάντος ἐπὶ ῾Ρωμαίωντιμηθῆναι πόλεως, τοὺς δὲ σπουδασθέντας αὐτῷ λόγους βιβλιοθήκρας ¹³ ἀξιωθῆναι.

[3] οὗτος δὴ πᾶσαν τὴν Ἰουδϊκῆν ἀρχαιολογίαν ἐν ὅλοις εἴκοσι καταβέβληται συγγράμμασι, τὴν δ’ ἱστορίαν τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν Ἰουδαϊκοῦ πολέμου ἐν ἑπτὰ, ἃ οὐ μόνον τῇ Ἑλλήνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ τατρίῳ φωνῇ παραδοῦναι αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ μαρτυρεῖ, ἄξιός
γε ὢν διὰ τὰ λοιπὰ πιστεύεσθαι.

[4] καὶ ἕτερα δὲ αὐτοῦ φέρεται σπουδῆς ἄξια δύο, τὰ περὶ τῆς Ἰουδαίων ἀρχαιότητος, ἐν οἷς καὶ ἀντιρρήσεις πρὸς Ἀπίωνα τὸν γραμματικὸν κατὰ Ἰουδαίων τηνικάδε συντάξαντα λόγον πεποίηται καὶ πρὸς ἄλλους, οἳ διαβάλλειν καὶ
αὐτοὶ τὰ πάτρια τοὐ Ἰουδαίων ἔθνους ἐπειράθησαν.

[5] τούτων ἐν τῷ προτέρῳ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῆς λεγομένης παλαιᾶς τῶν ἐνδιαθήκων γραφῶν τίθησι, τίνα τὰ παρ’ Ἑβραίοις ἀναντίρρητα, ὡσὰν ἐξ ἀρχαίας παραδόσεως, αὐτοῖς ῥήμασι διὰ τούτων διδάσκων·

[1] “Οὐ μυριάδες οὖν βιβλίων εἰσὶ παρ’ ἡμῖν “ἀσυμφώνων καὶ μαχομένων, δύο δὲ μόνα πρὸς τοῖς “εἴκοσι βιβλία, τοῦ παντὸς ἔχοντα χρόνου τὴν ἀναγραφὴν, τὰ δικαίως θεῖα πεπιστευμένα.

[2] καὶ τού- ‘των πέντε μέν ἐστι τὰ Μωυσέως, ἃ τούς τε νόμους
“περιέχει καὶ τὴν τῆς ἀνθρωπογονίας παράδοσιν, ‘μέχρι τῆς αὐτοῦ τελευτῆς. οὗτος ὁ χρόνος ἀπολείπει ‘τρισχιλίων ὀλίγῳ ἐτῶν.

[3] ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς Μωυσέως ‘τελευτῆς μέχρι τῆς Ἀρταξέρξου τοῦ μετὰ Ξέρξην Περσῶν βασιλέως οἱ μετὰ Μωυσῆν προφῆται τὰ κατ’
αὐτοὺς πραχθέντα συνέγραψαν ἐν τρισὶ καὶ δέκα βιβλίοις. αἶ δὲ λοιπαὶ τέσσαρες ὕμνους εἰς τὸν θεὸν καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὑποθήκας τοῦ βίου περιέχουσιν.

[4] ἀπὸ δὲ Ἀρταξέρξου μέχρι τοῦ καθ’ ἡμᾶς χρόνου ‘γέγραπται μὲν ἕκαστα, πίστεως δ’ οὐχ ὁμοίας ἠξί-
¹⁴ “ωται τοῖς πρὸ αὐτῶν, διὰ τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι τὴν τῶν προ- “φητῶν ἀκριβῆ διαδοχήν.

[5] δῆλον δ᾿ ἐστὶν ἔργῳ πῶς “ἡμεῖς πρόσιμεν τοῖς ἰδίοις γράμμασι. τοσούτου γὰρ αἰ- “ῶνος ἤδη παρωχηκότος οὔτε προσθεῖναί οὔτε ἀφε-
“λεῖν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν οὔτε μεταθεῖναι τετόλμηκε, πᾶσι δὲ “σύμφυτόν ἐστιν εὐθὺς ἐκ πρώης γενέσεως Ἰουδαίοις “τὸ νομίζειν αὐτὰ θεοῦ δόγματα, καὶ τούτοις ἐπιμένειν, “καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, εἰ δέοι, θνήσκειν ἡδέως.”

[6] καὶ ταῦτα δὲ τοῦ συγγραφέως χρησίμως ὧδε παρατεθείσθω.
πεπόνηται δὲ καὶ ἄλλο οὐκ ἀγεννὲς σπούδασμα τῷ ἀνδρὶ περὶ αὐτοκράτορος λογισμοῦ, ὅ τινες Μακκαβαϊκὸν ἐπέγραψαν, τῷ τοὺς ἀγῶνας τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὕτω καλουμένοις Μακκαβαϊκοῖς συγγράμμασιν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς τὸ θεῖον εὐσεβείας ἀνδρισαμένων Ἑβραίων περιέχειν.

[7] καὶ πρὸς τῷ τέλει δὲ τῆς εἰκοστῆς ἀρχαιολογίας ἐπισημαίνεται ὁ αὐτὸς, ὡσὰν προῃρημένος ἐν τέτταρσι συγγράψαι βιβλίοις κατὰ τὰς πατρίους δόξας τῶν Ἰουδαίων περὶ θεοῦ καὶ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ περὶ τῶν νόμων, διὰ τί κατ᾿ αὐτοὺς τὰ μὲν ἔξεστι πράττειν, τὰ
δὲ κεκώλυται. καὶ ἄλλα δὲ αὐτῷ σπουδασθῆναι ὁ αὐτὸς ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις αὐτοῦ μνημονεύει λόγοις.

[8] πρὸς τούτοις εὔλογον καταλέξαι καὶ ἃς ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀρχαιολογίας τοῦ τέλους φωνὰς παρατέθειται, εἰς πίστωσιν τῆς τῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ παραληφθέντων ἡμῖν μαρτυρίας.
διαβάλλων δῆτα Ἰοῦστον Τιβεριέα, ὁμοίως αὐτῷ τὰ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἱστορῆσαι χρόνους πεπειραμένον, ὡς μὴ τἀληθῆ συγγεγραφότα πολλάς τε ἄλλας εὐθύνα ἐπαγαγὼν τῷ ἀνδρὶ, καὶ ταῦτα αὐτοῖς ῥήμασιν ἐπιλέγει

[9] “οὐ μὴν ἐγώ σοι τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον περὶ τῆς
“ἐμαυτοῦ γραφῆς ἔδεισα, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτοῖς ἐπέδωκα τοῖς ¹⁵ αὐτοκράτορσι τὰ βιβλία, μόνον οὐχὶ τῶν ἔργων ἤδη βλεπομένων. συνῄδειν γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ τετηρηκότι τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας παράδοσιν, ἐφ’ ᾗ μαρτυρίας τεύξεσθαι προσδοκήσας οὐ διήμαρτον.

[10] καὶ ἄλλοις δὲ πολλοῖς ἐπέδωκα τὴν ἱστορίαν, ὧν ἔνιοι καὶ παρατετυχἡκεσαν
τῷ πολέμῳ, καθάπερ βασιλεὺς Ἀγρίππας καί τινες αὐτοῦ τῶν συγγενῶν.

[11] ὁ μὲν γὰρ αὐτοκράτωρ Τίτος οὕτως ἐκ μόνων αὐτῶν ἐβουλήθη τὴν γνῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παραδοῦναι τῶν πράξεων, ὥστε χαράξας τῇ αὐτοῦ χειρὶ τὰ βιβλία δημοσιεύεσθαι
προσέταξεν, ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς Ἀγρίππας ἐξήκοντα δύο ἔγραψεν ἐπιστολὰς, τῇ τῆς ἀληθείας παραδόσει μαρτυρῶν, ἀφ’ ὧν καὶ δύο παρατίθησιν. ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν κατὰ τοῦτον ταύτῃ πη δεδηλώσθω, ἴωμεν δ’ ἐπὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 9] Μετὰ τὴν Ἰακώβου μαρτυρίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτίκα γενομένην ἅλωσιν τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ λόγος κατέχει τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν τοῦ κυρίου μαθητῶν τοὺς εἰσέτι τῷ βίῳ λειπομένους ἐπὶ ταὐτὸ πανταχόθεν συνελθεῖν, ἅμα τοῖς πρὸς γένους
κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ κυρίου (πλείους γὰρ καὶ τούτων περιῆσαν εἰσέτι τότε τῷ βίῳ) βουλήν τε ὁμοῦ τοὺς πάντας περὶ τοῦ τίνα χρὴ τῆς Ἰακώβου διαδοχῆς ἐπικρῖναι ἄξιον ποιήσασθαι, καὶ δὴ ἀπὸ μιᾶς γνώμης τοὺς πάντας Συμεῶνα τὸν τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, οὗ καὶ ἡ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου
μνημονεύει γραφὴ, τοῦ τῆς αὐτόθι παροικίας θρόνου ἄξιον εἶναι δοκιμάσαι, ἀνεψιόν γε, ὥς φασι, γεγονότα τοῦ σωτῆρος. τὸν γὰρ οὖν Κλωπᾶν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ὑπάρχειν Ἡγήσιππος ἱστορεῖ.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 10] Καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις Οὐεσπασιανὸν
μετὰ τὴν τἂν Ἱεροσολύμων ἅλωσιν πάντας τοὺς ἀπὸ γένους Δαβὶδ, ὡς ἂν μὴ περιλειφθείη παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς φυλῆς, ἀνα ζητεῖσθαι προστάξαι, μέγιστόν τε Ἰουδαίοις αὖθις ἐν ταύτης διωγμὸν ἐπαρτηθῆναι τῆς αἰτίας.

[1] Ἐπὶ δέκα δὲ τὸν Οὐεσπασιανὸν ἔτεσι βα
σιλεύσαντα αὐτοκράτωρ Τίτος ὁ παῖς διαδέχεται, ου κατὰ δεύτερον ἔτος τῆς βασιλείας Λίνος ἐπίσκοπο τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας δυοκαίδεκα τὴν λειτουργία ἐνιαυτοῖς κατασχὼν Ἀνεγκλήτῳ ταύτην παραδίδωσι Τίτον δὲ Δομετιανὸς ἀδελφὸς διαδέχεται, δύο ἔτεο
καὶ μησὶ τοῖς ἴσοις βασιλεύσαντα.

[1] Τετάρτῳ μὲν οὖν ἔτει Δομετιανοῦ τῆς κατ’ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν παροικίας ὁ πρῶτος Ἀννιανὸς, δύο πρὸς εἴκοσιν ἀναπλήσας ἔτη, τελευτᾷ, διαδέχεται δ’ αὐτὸν δεύτερος Ἀβίλιος.

[1] Δωδεκάτῳ δὲ ἔτει τῆς ἡγεμονίας τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας Ἀνέγκλητον ἔτεσιν ἐπισκοπεύσαντα δεκαδύο διαδέχεται Κλήμης. ὃν συνεργὸν ἑαυτοῦ γενέσθαι Φιλιππησίοις ἐπιστέλλων ὁ ἀπόστολος δι- δάσκει λέγων “μετὰ καὶ Κλήμεντος καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν
“συνεργῶν μου μου, ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα ἐν βίβλῳ ζωῆς.''

[1] Τούτου δὴ οὑν τοῦ Κλήμεντος ὁμολογουμένη μία ἐπιστολὴ φέρεται, μεγάλη τε καὶ θαυμασία, ἥν ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας τῇ Κορινθίων διετυπώσατο, στάσεως τηνικάδε κατὰ τὴν Κόρινθον
γενομένης. ταύτην δὲ καὶ ἐν πλείσταις ἐκκλησίαις ἐπὶ τοῦ κοινοῦ δεδημοσιευμένην πάλαι τε καὶ καθ’ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἔγνωμεν. καὶ ὕτι γε κατὰ τὸν δηλούμενον τὰ τῆς Κορινθίων κεκίνητο στάσεως ἀξιόχρεως μάρτυς ὁ Ἡγήσιππος.

[1] [Nic. II. E. III, 9] Πόλλην γε μὴν εἰς πολ- ¹⁶ λοὺς ἐπιδειξάμενος ὁ Δομετιανὸς ὠμότητα, οὐκ ἀλίγον τε τῶν ἐπὶ Ῥώμης εὐπατριδῶν τε καὶ ἐπισήμων ἀνδρῶν πλῆθος οὐ μετ’ εὐλόγου κρίσεως κτείνας, μυρίους τε ἄλλους ἐπιφανεῖς ἄνδρας ταῖς ὑπὲρ τὴν ἐνορίαν ζημιώσας φυγαῖς καὶ ταῖς τῶν οὐσιῶν ἀποβολαῖς
ἀναιτίως, τελευτῶν τῆς Νέρωνος θεοεχθρίας τε καὶ θεομαχίας διάδοχον ἑαυτὸν κατεστήσατο. δεύτερος δῆτα τὸν καθ’ ἡμῶν ἀνεκίνει διωγμὸν, καίπερ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῷ Οὐεσπασιανοῦ μηδὲν καθ’ ἡμῶν ἄτοπον ἐπινοήσαντος.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 9] Ἐν τούτῳ κατέχει λόγος τὸν ἀπόστολον ἅμα καὶ εὐαγγελιστὴν Ἰωάννην ἔτι τῷ βίῳ ἐνδιατρίβοντα, τῆς εἰς τὸν θεῖον λόγον ἕνεκεν μαρτυρίας, Πάτμον οἰκεῖν καταδικασθῆναι τὴν νῆσον.

[2] γράφων γέ τοι ὁ Εἰρήναιος περὶ τῆς
ψήφου τῆς κατὰ τὸν ἀντίχριστον προσηγορίας φερομένης ἐν τῇ Ἰωάννου λεγομένῃ προσηγορίας αὐταῖς συλλαβαῖς ἐν πέμπτῳ τῶν πρὸς τὰς αἱρέσεις ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ Ἰωάννου φησίν

[3] “εἰ δὲ ἔδει ἀναφανδὸν ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ κηρύττεσθαι τοὔνομα αὐ-
‘τοῦ, δι’ ἐκείνου ἂν ἐρρέθη τοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν ἑωρακότος. οὐδὲ γὰρ πρὸ πολλοῦ χρόνου ἑωράθη, “ ἀλλὰ σχεδὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας γενεὰς, πρὸς τῷ τέλει τῆς Δομετιανοῦ ἀρχῆς.”

[4] εἰς τοσοῦτον δὲ ἄρα κατὰ τοὺς δηλουμένους ἡ τῆς ἡμετέρας πίστεως διέλαμπε
διδασκαλία, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἄποθεν τοῦ καθ’ ἡμὰς λόγου συγγραφεῖς μὴ ἀποκνῆσαι ταῖς αὐτῶν ἱστορίαις τόν τε διωγμὸν καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ μαρτύρια παραδοῦναι, οἴ γε καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἐπ’ ἀκριβὲς ἐπεσημήνατο, ἐν ἔτει πεντεκαιδεκάτῳ Δομετιανοῦ μετὰ
¹⁷ πλείστων ἑτέρων καὶ Φλαουίαν Δομέτιλλαν ἱστορη σαντες, ἐξ ἀδελφῆς γεγονυῖαν Φλαουίου Κλήμεντος ἑνὸς τῶν τηνικάδε ἐπὶ Ῥώμης ὑπάτων, τῆς εἰς Χρι ’στὸν μαρτυρίας ἕνεκεν εἰς νῆσον Ποντίαν κατὰ τιμο
ρίαν δεδόσθαι.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 10] Τοῦ δ’ αὐτοῦ Δόμε τιανοῦ τοὺς ἀπὸ γένους Δαβὶδ ἀναιρεῖσθαι προστα ξαντος παλαιὸς κατέχει λόγος τῶν αἱρετικῶν τινα κατηγορῆσαι τῶν ἀπογόνων Ἰούδα, (τοῦτον δὲ
ἀδελφὸν κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ σωτῆρος), ὡς ἀπὸ γένους τυγχανόντων Δαβὶδ, καὶ ὡς αὐτοῦ συγγένειαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ φερόντων. ταῦτα δὲ δηλοῖ κατὰ λέξιν ὧδέ πως λέγων ὁ Ἡγήσιππος·

[1] “Ἔτι δὲ περιῆσαν οἱ ἀπὸ γένους τοῦ κυρίου
“υἱωνοὶ Ἰούδα, τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα λεγομένου αὐτοῦ “ἀδελφοῦ, οὓς ἐδηλατόρευσαν ὡς ἐκ γένους ὄντας ‘Δαβίδ. τούτους δ’ ὁ Ἰουόκατος ἤγαγε πρὸς Δομε- “τιανὸν Καίσαρα· ἐφοβεῖτο γὰρ τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ “Χριστοῦ Χριστοῦ ὡς καὶ Ἡρώδης.

[2] καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐ-
“τοὺς εἰ ἐκ Δαβίδ εἰσι, καὶ ὡμολόγησαν. τότε ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτοὺς πόσας κτήσεις ἔχουσιν, ἢ πόσων χρημάτων κυριεύουσιν. οἱ δὲ εἶπαν ἀμφότεροι ἐννακισχίλια δηνάρια ὑπάρχειν αὐτοῖς μόνα, ἑκάστῳ “αὐτῶν ἀνήκοντος τοῦ ἡμίσεος. καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐν
“ἀργυρίοις ἔφασκον ἔχειν, ἀλλ’ ἐν διατιμήσει γῆς πλέθρων τριάκοντα ἐννέα μόνων, ἐξ ὧν καὶ τοὺς ‘φόρους ἀναφέρειν καὶ αὐτοὺς αὐτουργοῦντας δια- ᾿῾τρέφεσθαι.

[3] εἶτα δὲ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας τὰς ‘ἐπιδεικνύναι, μαρτύριον τῆς αὐτουργίας τὴν τοῦ σώ-
“ματος σκληρίαν καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς συνεχοῦς ἐργασίας ῾ ἐναποτυπωθέντας ἐπὶ τῶν ἰδίων χειρῶν τύλους πα- ‘ριστάντας.

[4] ἐρωτηθέντας δὲ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ, ὁποία τις εἴη καὶ ποῖ καὶ πότε φανησομένη, λόγον δοῦναι ὡς οὐ κοσμικὴ μὲν οὐδ’ ἐπίγειος, ἐπουράνιος δὲ καὶ ἀγγελικὴ τυγχάνει, ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος γενησομένη, ὁπηνίκα ἐλθὼν ἐν δόξῃ κρινεῖ ζῶντας καὶ νεκροὺς, καὶ ἀποδώσει
ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα αὐτοῦ.

[5] ἐφ’ οἷς μηδὲν αὐτῶν κατεγνωκότα τὸν Δπμετιανὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς εὐτελῶν καταφρονήσαντα, ἐλευθέρους μὲν αὐτοὺς ἀνεῖναι, καταπαῦσαι δὲ διὰ προστάγματος τὸν κατὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας διωγμόν.

[6] τοὺς δὲ ἀπολυθέντας
ἡγήσασθαι τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, ὡσὰν δὴ μάρτυρας ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ γένους ὄντας τοῦ κυρίου, γενομένης τε εἰρήνης μέχρι Τραϊανοῦ παραμεῖναι αὐτοὺς τῷ βίῳ.”

[7] ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Ἡγήσιππος. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Τερτυλλιανὸς τοῦ Δομετιανοῦ τοιαύτην πεποίηται
μνήμην· “πεπειράκει ποτὲ καὶ Δομετιανὸς ταὐτὸ ‘ποιεῖν ἐκείνῳ, μέρος ὢν τῆς Νέρωνος ὠμότητος. ἀλλ’ οἶμαι ἅτε ἔχων τι συνέσεως τάχιστα ἐπαύσατο, ‘ἀνακαλεσάμενος καὶ οὓς ἐξεληλάκει.”

[8] μετὰ δὲ τὸν Δομετιανὸν πεντεκαίδεκα ἔτεσιν ἐπικρατήσαντα Νέρουα
τὴν ἀρχὴν διαδεξαμένου καθαιρεθῆναι μὲν τὰς Δομετιανο τιμὰς, ἐπανελθεῖν δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα μετὰ τοῦ καὶ τὰς οὐσίας ἀπολαβεῖν τοὺς ἀδίκως ἐξεληλαμένους, ἡ Ῥωμαίων σύγκλητος βουλὴ ψηφίζεται· ἱστοροῦσιν οἱ γραφῇ τὰ κατὰ τοὺς χρόνους παραδόντες.

[9] τότε δὴ οὖν καὶ τὸν ἀπόστολον Ἰωάννην ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν νῆσον φυγῆς τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐφέσου διατριβὴν ἀπειληφέναι ὁ τῶν παρ’ ἡμῖν ἀρχαίων παραδίδωσι λόγος.

[1] Μικρῷ δὲ πλέον ἐνιαυτοῦ βασιλεύσαντα
¹⁸ Νέρουαν διαδέχεται τραϊανός, οὗ δὴ πρῶτον ἕτο ἦν, ἐν ᾧ τῆς κατ’ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν παροικίας Ἀβίλιο δέκα πρὸς τρισὶν ἔτεσιν ἡγησάμενον διαδέχεται Κε δῶν. τρίτος οὗτος τῶν αὐτόθι μετὰ τὸν πρῶτον Ἀ(??)
νιανὸν προέστη. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Ῥωμαίων εἰσέτι Κλη μὴς ἡγεῖτο, τρίτον καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπέχων τῶν τῇδε μετ Παῦλόν τε καὶ Πέτρον ἐπισκοπευσάντων βαθμόν Λίνος δὲ ὁ πρῶτος ἠν, καὶ μετ’ αὐτὸν Ἀνέγκλητος.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 11] Ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐπ’ Ἀη
τιοχείας Εὐοδίου πρώτου καταστάντος δεύτερος τοῖς δηλουμένοις Ἰγνάτιος ἐγνωρίζετο. Συμεὼν ὁμοίως δεύτερος μετὰ τὸν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀδελφὸν τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐκκλησίας κατὰ τούτους τὴν λειτουργίαν εἶχεν,

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 11 H, 42] Ἐπὶ τούτοις κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν ἔτι τῷ βίῳ περιλειπόμενος αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος, ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἀπόστολος ὁμοῦ καὶ εὐαγγελιστὴς Ἰωάννης τὰς αὐτόθι διεῖπεν ἐκκλησίας, ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν νῆσον μετὰ τὴν Δομετιανοῦ τελευτὴν
ἐπανελθὼν φυγῆς.

[2] ὅτι δὲ εἰς τούτους ἔτι τῷ βίῳ περιῆν ἀπόχρη διὰ δύο πιστώσασθαι τὸν λόγον μαρτύρων. πιστοὶ δ’ ἂν εἶεν οὗτοι, τῆς πρεσβεύσαντες ὀρθοδοξίας, εἰ δὴ τοιοῦτοι Εἰρηναῖος καὶ Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς.

[3] ὧν ὁ μὲν
πρότερος ἐν δευτέρῳ τῶν πρὸς τὰς αἱρέσεις ὡδέ πως γράφει κατὰ λέξιν “καὶ πάντες δὲ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι “μαρτυροῦσιν, οἱ κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν Ἰωάννῃ τῷ τοῦ “κυρίου μαθητῇ συμβεβληκότες, παραδεδωκέναι τὸν “ Ἰωάννην. παρέμεινε γὰρ αὐτοῖς μέχρι τῶν τραϊα-
“νοῦ χρόνων.”

[4] καὶ έν τρίτῳ δὲ τῆς αὐτῆς ὑπο- ¹⁹ θέσεως ταὐτὸ τοῦτο δηλοῖ διὰ τούτων “ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ “ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησία ὑπὸ Παύλου μὲν τεθεμελιωμένη, “Ἰωάννου δὲ παραμείναντος αὐτοῖς μέχρι τῶν Τραϊ- “ανοῦ χρόνων, μάρτυς ἀληθής ἐστι τῆς τῶν ἀπο- “στόλων παραδόσεως.”

[5] ὁ δὲ Κλήμης ὁμοῦ καὶ τὸν
χρόνον ἐπισημηνάμενος καὶ ἱστορίαν ἀναγκαιοτάτην οἷς τὰ καλὰ καὶ ἐπωφελῆ φίλον ἀκούειν προστίθησιν ἐν ᾧ “τίς ὁ σωζόμενος πλούσιος” ἐπέγραψεν αὐτοῦ συγγράμματι. λαβὼν δὲ ἀνάγνωθι ὧδέ πως ἔχουσαν καὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν γραφήν

[6] “ἄκουσον μῦθον
οὐ μῦθον, ἀλλὰ ὄντα λόγον, περὶ Ἰωάννου τοὐ ἀποστόλου στόλου παραδεδομένον καὶ μνήμῃ πεφυλαγμένον. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῦ τυράννου τελευτήσαντος ἀπὸ τῆς Πάτμου τῆς νήσου μετῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἔφεσον, ἀπῄει παρακαλούμενος καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ πλησιόχωρα τῶν ἐθνῶν,
ὅπου μὲν ἐπισκόπους καταστήσων, ὅπου δὲ ὅλας ἐκκλησίας ἁρμόσων, ὅπου δὲ κλήρῳ ἔνα γέ τινα κληρώσων τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος σημαινομένων.

[7] ἐλθὼν οὖν καὶ ἐπί τινα τῶν οὐ μακρὰν πόλεων, ἧς καὶ τοὔνομα λέγουσιν ἔνιοι, καὶ τἄλλα ἀναπαύσας
τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, ἐπὶ πᾶσι τῷ καθεστῶτι προσβλέψας ἐπισκόπῳ, νεανίσκον ἱκανὸν τῷ σώματι καὶ τῇ ὄψει ἀστεῖον καὶ θερμὸν τὴν ψυχὴν ἰδὼν, “τοῦτον” ἔφη σοὶ παρακατατίθεμαι μετὰ πάσης σπουδῆς, ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ μάρτυρος.” τοῦ δὲ δεχομένου
καὶ πάνθ’ ὑπισχνουμένου καὶ πάλιν τὰ αὐτὰ διελέγετο καὶ διεμαρτύρετο.

[8] εἶτα ὁ μὲν ἀπῇρεν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἔφεσον, ὁ δὲ πρεσβύτερος ἀναλαβὼν οἴκαδε τὸν παραδοθέντα νεανίσκον ἔτρεφε, συνεῖχεν, ἔθαλπε, τὸ τελευταῖον ἐφώτισε. καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο
²⁰ “ὑφῆκε τῆς πλείονος ἐπιμελείας καὶ παραφυλακῆς, ὡς “τὸ τέλειον αὐτῷ φυλακτήριον ἐπιστήσας τὴν σφρα– “γῖδα τοῦ κυρίον.

[9] Τῷ δὲ ἀνέσεως πρὸ ὥρας λαβο– “μένῳ προσφθείρονταί τινες ἥλικες ἀργοὶ καὶ ἀπερ–
”ρωγότες, ἐθάδες κακῶν. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν δἰ ἑστιά– “σεων πολυτελῶν αὐτὸν ἐπάγονται, εἶτά που καὶ νύ– “κτωρ ἐπὶ λωποδυσίαν ἐξιόντες συνεπάγονται, εἶτά “τι καὶ μεῖζον συμπράττειν ἠξίουν.

[10] ὁ δὲ κατ’ ὀλί– “γον προσειθίζετο, καὶ διὰ μέγεθος φύσεως, ἐκστὰς
” ὥσπερ ἄστομος καὶ εὔρωστος ἵππος ὀρθῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ “τὸν χαλινὸν ἐνδακὼν, μειζόνως κατὰ τῶν βαράθρων “ἐφέρετο.

[11] ἀπογνοὺς δὲ τελέως τὴν ἐν θεῷ σω– “τηρίαν οὐδὲν ἔτι μικρὸν διενοεῖτο, ἀλλὰ μέγα τι “πράξας, έπειδήπερ ἄπαξ, άπολώλει, ἴσa τοῖς ἄλλοις
“παθεῖν ήξίον. Αὐτοὺς δὴ τούτονς άναλαβὼν καὶ λῳ– “στήριον σνγκροτήσας ἕτοιμος λᾐσταρχος ἦν, βιαιό- "τατος, μιαιφονώτατος, χαλεπώτατος.

[12] χρόνος ἐν “μέβῳ, καί τίνος έπιπεσούης χρείας άνακαλοῦσι τὸν “ ‘Ιωάννην. ό δε έπε ι τά ἄλλα ὧν χάριν ἧκε κατεβτή-
“sατο, ἄγε δὴ, ἔφη, ὧ έπίσκοπε, τὴν παρακαταθή- “κην áπόδος ήμῖν, ἥν ἐγώ τε καὶ ο Χριστός σοι πα- "ρακατεθέμεθα έπὶ τἠς έκκλησίας, ἧς προκαδίζῃ, "μάρτνρος.

[13] ό δὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον έξεπλάγη, χρή- “ματα οἰόμενος, ἅπερ οὐκ ἔλαβε, σνκοφαντεῖσθαι, καὶ
"οὔτε πιιστεύειν εἶχεν ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐκ ἔσχεν οὔτε ἀπιστεῖν “’Ιωάννῃ. ὡς δὲ “τὸν νεανίσκον” εἶπεν “ἀπαιτῶ καὶ τὴν “φνχὴν τοῦ άδελφοῦ," στενάξας κάτωθεν ὁ πρεσβύτης “καί τι καὶ έπιδακρύσας, “έκεῖνος” ἔφη "τέθνηκε." “πῶς καὶ τίνα θάνατον; " "θεῷ τέθνηκεν" εἶπεν.
"άπέβη γὰρ πονηρός καὶ εξώλης, καὶ τὸ κεφάλαιον, “λῃστής. Καὶ νῦν άντὶ τῆς έκκλησίας τὸ ὄρος κατεί- “ληφε μεθ' όμοίον στρατιωτικοῦ”

[14] καταρρηζάμε- “νος οὖν τὴν ἐσθῆτα ὁ ἀπόστολος, καὶ μετὰ μεγάλης “οἰμωγῆς πληξάμενος τὴν κεφαλὴν, καλόν γε, ἔφη, “φύλακα τῆς τἀδελφοῦ ψυχῆς κατέλιπον. ἀλλ᾿ ἵππος “ἤδη μοι παρέστω, καὶ ἡγεμὼν γινέσθω μοί τις τῆς “ὁδοῦ. ἤλαυνεν, ὥσπερ εἶχεν, αὐτόθεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκ-
“κλησίας.

[15] ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς τὸ χωρίον ὑπὸ τῆς προ- “φυλακῆς τῶν λῃστῶν ἁλίσκεται, μήτε φεύγων μήτε “παραιτούμενος, ἀλλὰ βοῶν, ἐπὶ τοῦτ᾿ ἐλήλυθα, ἐπὶ “τὸν ἄρχοντα ὑμῶν ἀγάγετέ με.

[16] ὃς τέως, ὥσπερ “ὥπλιστο, ἀνέμενεν, ὡς δὲ προσιόντα ἐγνώρισε τὸν
“Ἰωάννην, εἰς φυγὴν αἰδεσθεὶς ἐτράπετο. ὁ δὲ ἐδί- “ωκεν ἀνὰ κράτος, ἐπιλαθόμενος τῆς ἡλικίας τῆς ἑαυ- “τοῦ, κεκραγὼς,

[17] τί με φεύγεις, τέκνον, τὸν σαυ- “τοῦ πατέρα, τὸν γυμνὸν, τὸν γέροντα; ἐλέησόν με, “τέκνον, μὴ φοβοῦ. ἔχεις ἔτι ζωῆς ἐλπίδα. ἐγὼ
“Χριστῷ λόγον δώσω ὑπὲρ σοῦ, ἂν δέῃ, τὸν σὸν θά- “νατον ἑκὼν ὑπομενῶ, ὡς ὁ κύριος τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. “ὑπὲρ σοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀντιδώσω τὴν ἐμήν. στῆθι, “πίστευσον, Χριστός με ἀπέστειλεν.

[18] ὁ δὲ ἀκού- “σας πρῶτον μὲν ἔστη κάτω βλέπων, εἶτα ἔρριψε τὰ
“ὅπλα, εἶτα τρέμων ἔκλαιε πικρῶς. προσελθόντα δὲ “τὸν γέροντα περιέλαβεν, ἀπολογούμενος ταῖς οἰμω- “γαῖς ὡς ἐδύνατο καὶ τοῖς δάκρυσι βαπτιζόμενος ἐκ “δευτέρου, μόνην ἀποκρύπτων τὴν δεξιάν.

[19] ὁ δ᾿ “ἐγγυώμενος, ἐπομνύμενος, ὡς ἄφεσιν αὐτῷ παρὰ
“τοῦ σωτῆρος ηὕρηται, δεόμενος, γονυπετῶν, αὐτὴν “τὴν δεξιὰν ὡς ὑπὸ τῆς μετανοίας κεκαθαρμένην κα- “ταφιλῶν, ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐπανήγαγε, καὶ δαψι- “λέσι μὲν εὐχαῖς ἐξαιτούμενος, συνεχέσι δὲ νηστείαις “συναγωνιζόμενος, ποικίλαις δὲ σειρῆσι λόγων κατε-
“πᾴδων αὐτοῦ τὴν γνώμην οὐ πρότερον ἀπῆλθεν, ὥς “φασι, πρὶν αὐτὸν ἀποκατέστησε τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, διδοὺς “μέγα παράδειγμα μετανοίας ἀληθινῆς καὶ μέγα γνώ- “ρισμα παλιγγενεσίας, τρόπαιον ἀναστάσεως βλεπο- “μένη.”

[1] [Nic. H. E. II, 45] Ταῦτα τοῦ Κλήμεντος,
ἱστορίας ὁμοῦ καὶ ὠφελείας τῆς τῶν ἐντευξομένων ἕνεκεν, ἐνταῦθά μοι κείσθω. φέρε δὲ καὶ τοῦδε τοῦ ἀποστόλου τὰς ἀναντιρρήτους ἐπισημηνώμεθα γραφάς.

[2] καὶ δὴ τὸ κατ᾿ αὐτὸν εὐαγγέλιον ταῖς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν διεγνωσμένον ἐκκλησίαις πρῶτον ἀνωμολογήσθω.
ὅτι γε μὴν εὐλόγως πρὸς τῶν ἀρχαίων ἐν τετάρτῃ μοίρᾳ τῶν ἄλλων τριῶν κατείλεκται, ταύτῃ ἂν γένοιτο δῆλον.

[3] οἱ θεσπέσιοι καὶ ὡς ἀληθῶς θεοπρεπεῖς, φημὶ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοὺς ἀποστόλους, τὸν βίον ἄκρως κεκαρθαρμένοι, καὶ ἀρετῇ πάσῃ τὰς
ψυχὰς κεκοσμημένοι, τὴν δὲ γλῶτταν ἰδιωτεύοντες, τῇ γε μὴν πρὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος αὐτοῖς δεδωρημένῃ θείᾳ καὶ παραδοξοποιῷ δυνάμει θαρσοῦντες, τὸ μὲν ἐν περινοίᾳ καὶ τέχνῃ λόγων τὰ τοῦ διδασκάλου μαθήματα πρεσβεύειν οὔτε ᾔδεσαν οὔτε ἐνεχείρουν, τῃ
δὲ τοῦ θείου πνεύματος τοῦ συνεργοῦντος αὐτοῖς~ ἀποδείξει καὶ τῇ δι᾿ αὐτῶν συντελουμένῃ θαυματουργῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δυνάμει μόνῃ χρώμενοι, τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας τὴν γνῶσιν ἐπὶ πᾶσαν κατήγγελλον τὴν οἰκουμένην, σπουδῆς τῆς περὶ τὸ λογογραφεῖν
μικρὰν ποιούμενοι φροντίδα.

[4] καὶ τοῦτ᾿ ἔπραττον ἅτε μείζονι καὶ ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον ἐξυπηρετούμενοι διακονίᾳ. ὁ γοῦν Παῦλος πάντων ἐν παρασκευῇ λόγων δυνατώτατος νοήμασί τε ἱκανώτατος γεγονὼς, οὐ πλέον τῶν βραχυτάτων ἐπιστολῶν γραφῇ παρα
δέδωκε, καίτοι μυρία γε καὶ ἀπόρρητα λέγειν ἔχων, ἅτε τῶν μέχρις οὐρανοῦ τρίτου θεωρημάτων ἐπιψαύσας, ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν τε τὸν θεοπρεπῆ παράδεισον ἀναρ- πασθεὶς καὶ τῶν ἐκεῖσε ῥημάτων ἀρρήτων ἀξιωθεὶς ἐπακοῦσαι.

[5] οὐκ ἄπειροι μὲν οὖν ὑπῆρχον τῶν αὐτῶν καὶ οἶ λοιποὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν φοιτηταὶ, δώδεκα μὲν ἀπόστολοι, ἑβδομήκοντα δὲ μαθηταὶ, ἄλλοι τε ἐπὶ τούτοις μυρίοι. ὅμως δ’ οὖν ἐξ ἀπάντων τῶν
τοῦ κυρίου διατριβῶν ὑπομνήματα Ματθαῖος ἡμῖν καὶ Ἰωάννης μόνοι καταλελοίπασιν, οὓς καὶ ἐπάναγκες ἐπὶ τὴν γραφὴν ἐλθεῖν κατέχει λόγος.

[6] Ματθαῖος μὲν γὰρ πρότερον Ἑβραίοις κηρύξας, ὡς ἤμελλεν καὶ ἐφ’ ἑτέρους ἰέναι, πατρίῳ γλώττῃ γραφῆ παραδοὺς
τὸ κατ’ αὐτὸν εὐαγγέλιον τὸ λεῖπον τῇ αὐτοῦ παρουσίᾳ τούτοις, ἀφ’ ὧν ἐστέλλετο, διὰ τῆς γραφῆς ἀπεπλήρου.

[7] ἤδη δὲ Μάρκου καὶ Λουκᾶ τῶν κατ’ αὐτοὺς εὐαγγελίων τὴν ἔκδοσιν πεποιημένων Ἰωάννην φασὶ, τὸν πάντα χρόνον ἀγράφῳ κεχρημένον κηρύγματι,
τέλος καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν γραφὴν ἐλθεῖν τοιᾶσδε χάριν αἰτίας. τῶν προαναγραφέντων τριῶν εἰς πάντας ἤδη καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν διαδεδομένων ἀποδέξασθαι μέν φασιν ἀλήθειαν αὐτοῖς ἐπιμαρτυρήσαντα, μόνην δὲ ἄρα λείπεσθαι τῇ γραφῇ τὴν περὶ τῶν ἐν πρώτοις καὶ
κατ’ ἀρχὴν τοῦ κηρύγματος ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πεπραγμένων διήγησιν.

[8] καὶ ἀληθής γε ὁ λόγος. τοὺς ἄλλους γοῦν τρεῖς εὐαγγελιστὰς συνιδεῖν πάρεστι μόνα τὰ μετὰ τὴν ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ κάθειρξιν ἐφ’ ἔνα ἐνιαυτὸν πεπραγμένα
τῷ σωτῆρι συγγεγραφότας, αὐτό τε τοῦτ’ ἐπισημηναμένους κατ’ ἀρχὰς τῆς αὐτῶν ἱστορίας.

[9] μετὰ γοῦν τὴν τεσσαρακονταήμερον νηστείαν καὶ τὸν ἐπ’ αὐτῇ πειρασμὸν τὸν χρόνον τῆς ἰδίας γραφῆς ὁ μὲν Ματθαῖος δηλοῖ λέγων “ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι Ἰωάννης πα-
²¹ “ρεδόθη ἀνεχώρησεν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας εἰς τὴν “λιλαίαν.”

[10] ὁ δὲ Μάρκος ὡσαύτως “μετὰ δὲ τὸ “παραδοθῆναι” φησὶν “Ἰωάννην ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς “τὴν Γαλιλαίαν.” καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς δὲ, πρὶν ἄρξασθαι
τῶν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ πράξεων, παραπλησίως ἐπιτηρεῖ φάσκων ὡς ἄρα προσθεὶς Ἡρώδης οἷς διεπράξατο πονηροῖς κατέκλεισε τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐν φυλακῇ.

[11] παρακληθέντα δὴ οὖν τούτων ἕνεκά φασι τὸν ἀπόστολον Ἰωάννην τὸν ὑπὸ τῶν προτέρων εὐαγγελιστῶν παρασιωπηθέντα
χρόνον καὶ τὰ κατὰ τοῦτον πεπραγμένα τῷ σωτῆρι (ταῦτα δ’ ἦν τὰ πρὸ τῆς τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ καθείρξεως) τῷ κατ’ αὐτὸν εὐαγγελίῳ παραδοῦναι, αὐτό τε τοῦτ’ ἐπισημήνασθαι, τοτὲ μὲν φήσαντα ‘ταύτην ἀρχὴν ἐποίησε τῶν παραδόξων ὁ Ἰησοῦς,”
τοτὲ δὲ μνημονεύσαντα τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ μεταξὺ τῶν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ πράξεων, ὡς ἔτι τότε βαπτίζοντος ἐν Αἰνῶν ἐγγὺς τοῦ Σαλεὶμ, σαφῶς τε τοῦτο δηλοῦν ἐν τῷ λέγειν “οὔπω γὰρ ἦν, φησὶν, Ἰωάννης βεβλημένος “φυλακήν.

[12] οὐκοῦν ὁ μὲν Ἰωάννης τῇ τοῦ κατ’
αὐτὸν εὐαγγελίου γραφῇ τὰ μηδέπω τοῦ βαπτιστο βεβλημένου εἰς φυλακὴν πρὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ πραχθέντ παραδίδωσιν, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ τρεῖς εὐαγγελισταὶ τὰ μετ τὴν εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον κάθειρξιν τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ μνη μονεύουσιν.

[13] οἷς καὶ ἐπιστήσαντι οὐκέτι ἂν δόξα
διαφωνεῖν ἀλλήλοις τὰ εὐαγγέλια, τῷ τὸ μὲν κα Ἰωάννην τὰ πρῶτα τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ πράξεων περιε χειν, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τέλει τοῦ χρόνου αὐτῷ γε γενημένην ἱστορίαν· εἰκότως δ’ οὖν τὴν μὲν τη σαρκὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν γενεαλογίαν, ἅτε Ματθαίῳ
καὶ Λουκᾷ προγραφεῖσαν, ἀποσιωπῆσαι τὸν Ἰωάη ²² νῆν, τῆς δὲ θεολογίας ἀπάρξασθαι, ὡσὰν αὐτῷ πρὸς τοῦ θείου πνεύματος οἱα κρείττονι παραπεφυλαγμένης.

[14] ταῦτα μὲν οὐν ἡμῖν περὶ τῆς τοῦ κατὰ Ἰωάννην εὐαγγελίου γραφῆς εἰρήσθω. καὶ τῆς κατὰ Μάρκον δὲ ἡ γενομένη αἰτία ἐν τοῖς πρόσθεν ἡμῖν
δεδήλωται.

[15] ὁ δὲ Λουκᾶς ἀρχόμενος καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν συγγράμματος τὴν αἰτίαν προύθηκε, δι ἣν πεποίηται τὴν σύνταξιν, δηλῶν ὡς ἄρα πολλῶν καὶ ἄλλων προπετέστερον ἐπιτετηδευκότων διήγησιν ποιήσασθαι ὧν αὐτὸς πεπληροφόρητο λόγων, ἀναγκαίως
ἀπαλλάττων ἡμὰς τῆς περὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀμφηρίστου ὑπολήψεως τὸν ἀσφαλῆ λόγον ὣν αὐτὸς ἱκανῶς τὴν ἀλήθειαν κατειλήφει, ἐκ τῆς ἅμα Παύλῳ συνουσίας τε καὶ διατριβῆς καὶ τῆς τῶν λοιπῶν ἀποστόλων ὁμιλίας ὠφελημένος, διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου παρέδωκεν
εὐαγγελίου.

[16] καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἡμεῖς περὶ τούτων· οἰκειότερον δὲ κατὰ καιρὸν διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀρχαίων παραθέσεως τὰ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις περὶ αὐτῶν εἰρημένα πειρασόμεθα δηλῶσαι.

[17] τῶν δὲ Ἰωάννου συγγραμμάτων πρὸς τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ καὶ ἡ προτέρα τῶν ἐπιστολῶν
παρά τε τοῖς νῦν καὶ τοῖς ἀρχαίοις ἀναμίλεκτος ὡμολόγηται, ἀντιλέγονται δὲ αἱ λοιπαὶ δύο.

[18] τῆς δ’ Ἀποκαλύψεως ἐφ’ ἑκάτερον ἔτι νῦν παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς περιέλκεται ἡ δόξα. ὅμως γε μὴν ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἀρχαίων μαρτυρίας ἐν οἰκείῳ καιρῷ τὴν ἐπίκρισιν
δέξεται καὶ αὐτή.

[1] [Nic. H. E, II, 46] Εὔλογον δ’ ἐνταῦθα γενομένους ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι τὰς δηλωθείσας τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης γραφάς. καὶ δὴ τακτέον ἐν πρώτοις τὴν ἁγίαν τῶν εὐαγγελίων τετρακτὺν, οἷς ἴπε-
²³ ται ἡ τῶν πράξεων τῶν ἀποστόλων γραφή.

[2] μετὰ δὲ ταύτην τὰς Παύλου καταλεκτέον ἐπιστολὰς, αἷς ἐξῆς τὴν φερομένην Ἰωάννου προτέραν καὶ ὁμοίως τὴν Πέτρου κυρωτέον ἐπιστολήν. ἐπὶ τούτοις
τακτέον, εἴ γε φανείη, τὴν Ἀποκάλυψιν Ἰωάννου, περὶ ἧς τὰ δόξαντα κατὰ καιρὸν ἐκθησόμεθα.

[3] καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐν ὁμολογουμένοις. τῶν δ᾿ ἀντιλεγομένων, γνωρίμων δ᾿ οὖν ὅμως τοῖς πολλοῖς, ἡ λεγομένη Ἰακώβου φέρεται καὶ ἡ Ἰούδα, ἥ τε Πέτρου
δευτέρα ἐπιστολὴ, καὶ ἡ ὀνομαζομένη δευτέρα καὶ τρίτη Ἰωάννου, εἴτε τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ τυγχάνουσαι, εἴτε καὶ ἑτέρου ὁμωνύμου ἐκείνῳ.

[4] ἐν τοῖς νόθοις κατατετάχθω καὶ τῶν Παύλου πράξεων ἡ γραφὴ, ὅ τε λεγόμενος Ποιμὴν, καὶ ἡ Ἀποκάλυψις Πέτρου, καὶ
πρὸς τούτοις ἡ φερομένη Βαρνάβα ἐπιστολὴ, καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων αἱ λεγόμεναι διδαχαί· ἔτι τε, ὡς ἔφην, ἡ Ἰωάννου Ἀποκάλυψις, εἰ φανείη, ἥν τινες, ὡς ἔφην, ἀθετοῦσιν, ἕτεροι δὲ ἐγκρίνουσι τοῖς ὁμολογουμένοις.

[5] ἤδη δ᾿ ἐν τούτοις τινὲς καὶ τὸ καθ᾿
Ἑβραίους εὐαγγέλιον κατέλεξαν, ᾧ μάλιστα Ἑβραίῳ οἱ τὸν Χριστὸν παραδεξάμενοι χαίρουσι. ταῦτα πάντα τῶν ἀντιλεγομένων ἂν εἴη.

[6] ἀναγκαίως δὲ καὶ τούτων ὅμως τὸν κατάλογον πεποιήμεθα, διακρίναντες τάς τε κατὰ τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν παράδοσιν
ἀληθεῖς καὶ ἀπλάστους καὶ ἀνωμολογημένας γραφὰς, καὶ τὰς ἄλλας παρὰ ταύτας, οὐκ ἐνδιαθήκους μὲν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀντιλεγομένας, ὅμως δὲ παρὰ πλείστοις τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν γινωσκομένας, ἵν᾿ εἰδέναι ἔχοιμεν αὐτάς τε ταύτας καὶ τὰς ὀνόματι τῶν ἀποστόλων
πρὸς τῶν αἱρετικῶν προφερομένας, ἤτοι ὡς Πέτρου καὶ Θωμᾶ καὶ Ματθία ἢ καί τινων παρὰ τούτους ἄλλων εὐαγγέλια περιεχούσας, ἢ ὡς Ἀνδρέου καὶ Ἰω- άννου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀποστόλων πράξεις, ὧν οὐδὲν οὐδαμῶς ἐν συγγράμματι τῶν κατὰ τὰς διαδοχὰς ἐκκλησιαστικῶν τις ἀνὴρ εἰς μνήμην ἀγαγεῖν ἠξίωσεν.

[7] πόρρω δέ που καὶ ὁ τῆς φράσεως παρὰ τὸ ἦθος τὸ ἀποστολικὸν ἐναλλάττει χαρακτὴρ, ἥ τε γνώμη καὶ ἡ
τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς φερομένων προαίρεσις, πλεῖστον ὅσον τῆς ἀληθοῦς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀπᾴδουσα, ὅτι δὴ αἱρετικῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀναπλάσματα τυγχάνει σαφῶς παρίστησιν· ὅθεν οὐδ’ ἐν νόθοις αὐτὰ κατατακτέον, ἀλλ’ ὡς ἄτοπα πάντη καὶ δυσσεβῆ παραιτητέον. ἴωμεν δὴ
λοιπὸν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐξῆς ἱστορίαν.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 42] Σίμωνα τὸν μάγον Μένανδρος διαδεξάμενος ὅπλον δεύτερον, οὐ χεῖρον τοῦ προτέρου, τῆς διαβολικῆς ἐνεργείας ἀποδείκνυται τὸν τρόπον· ἦν καὶ οὗτος Σαμαρεὺς, εἰς ἄκρον
δὲ γοητείας οὐκ ἔλαττον τοῦ διδασκάλου προελθὼν μείζοσιν ἐπιδαψιλεύεται τερατολογίαις, ἑαυτὸν μὲν ὡς ἄρα εἴη, λέγων, ὁ σωτὴρ, ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἄνωθέν ποθεν ἐξ ἀοράτων αἰώνων ἀπεσταλμένος σωτηρίᾳ,

[2] διδάσκων δὲ μὴ ἄλλως δύνασθαί τινα καὶ
αὐτῶν τῶν κοσμοποιῶν ἀγγέλων περιγενήσεσθαι, μὴ πρότερον διὰ τῆς πρὸς αὐτοῦ παραδιδομένης μαγικῆς ἐμπειρίας ἀχθέντα, καὶ διὰ τοῦ μεταδιδομένου πρὸς αὐτοῦ βαπτίσματος, οὗ τοὺς κατηξιωμένους ἀθανασίαν ἀΐδιον ἐν αὐτῷ τούτῳ μεθέξειν τῷ βίῳ, μηκέτι
θνήσκοντας, αὐτοῦ δὲ παραμένοντας, εἰς τὸ ἀεὶ ἀγήρως τινὰς καὶ ἀθανάτους ἐσομένους. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν καὶ ἐκ τῶν Εἰρηναίου διαγνῶναι ῥᾴδιον.

[3] καὶ ὁ Ἰουστῖνος δὲ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦ Σίμωνος μνημονεύσας καὶ τὴν περὶ τούτου διήγησιν ἐπιφέρει, λέγων
²⁴ “Μένανδρον δέ τινα καὶ αὐτὸν Σαμαρέα, τὸν ἀπὸ “κώμης Καππαραττέας, γενόμενον μαθητὴν τοῦ Σί- ‘μωνος, οἰστρηθέντα καὶ αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν δαιμόνων “καὶ ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ γενόμενον πολλοὺς ἐξαπατῆσαι
“διὰ μαγικῆς τέχνης οἴδαμεν, ὃς καὶ τοὺς αὐτῷ ἑπο- “μένους ὧς μὴ ἀποθνήσκοιεν ἔπεισεν. καὶ νῦν “τινές εἰσιν ἀπ’ ἐκείνου τοῦτο ὁμολογοῦντες.”

[4] ἦν δ’ ἄρα διαβολικῆς ἐνεργείας διὰ τοιῶνδε γοήτων τὴν Χριστιανῶν προσηγορίαν ὑποδυομένων τὸ μέγα
τῆς θεοσεβείας μυστήριον ἐπὶ μαγείᾳ σπουδάσαι διαβαλεῖν, διασῦραί τε δι’ αὐτῶν τὰ περὶ ψυχῆς ἀθα- νασίας καὶ νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως ἐκκλησιαστικὰ δόγματα. ἀλλ’ οὗτοι μὲν τούτους σωτῆρας ἐπιγραψάμενοι τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἀποπεπτώκασιν ἐλπίδος.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 13] Ἄλλους δὲ ὁ πονηρὸς δαίμων, τῆς περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ διαθέσεως ἀδυνατῶν ἐκσεῖσαι, θατέρᾳ ληπτοὺς εὑρὼν ἐσφετερίζετο. Ἐβιωναίους τούτους οἰκείως ἐπεφήμιζον οἷ πρῶτοι, πτωχῶς καὶ ταπεινῶς τὰ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ
δοξάζοντας.

[2] λιτὸν μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν καὶ κοινὸν ἡγοῦντο κατὰ προκοπὴν ἤθους αὐτὸ μόνον ἄνθρωπον δεδικαιωμένον, ἐξ ἀνδρός τε κοινωνίας καὶ τῆς Μαρίας γεγεννημένον· δεῖν δὲ πάντως αὐτοῖς νομικῆς θρησκείας, ὡς μὴ ἂν διὰ μόνης τῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν
πίστεως καὶ τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὴν βίου σωθησομένοις.

[3] ἄλλοι δὲ παρὰ τούτους τῆς αὐτῆς ὄντες προσηγορίας τὴν μὲν τῶν εἰρημένων ἔκτοπον διεδίδρασκον ἀτοπίαν, ἐκ παρθένου καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος μὴ ἀρνούμενοι γεγονέναι τὸν κύριον, οὐ μὴν ἔθ’ ὁμοίως καὶ
οὗτοι προυπάρχειν αὐτὸν, θεὸν λόγον ὄντα καὶ σοφίαν, ὁμολογοῦντες τῇ τῶν προτέρων περιετρέποντο δυσσεβείᾳ, μάλιστα ὅτε καὶ τὴν σωματικὴν περὶ τὸν νόμον λατρείαν ὁμοίως ἐκείνοις περιέπειν ἐσπούδαζον.

[4] οὗτοι δὲ τοῦ μὲν ἀποστόλου πάσας τὰς ἐπιστολὰς ἀρνητέας ἡγοῦντο εἶναι δεῖν, ἀποστάτην ἀποκαλοῦντες αὐτὸν τοῦ νόμου· εὐαγγελίῳ δὲ μόνῳ τῷ καθ᾿ Ἑβραίους λεγομένῳ χρώμενοι τῶν λοιπῶν σμικρὸν
ἐποιοῦντο λόγον.

[5] καὶ τὸ μὲν σάββατον καὶ τὴν ἄλλην Ἰουδαϊκὴν ἀγωγὴν ὁμοίως ἐκείνοις παρεφύλαττον, ταῖς δ᾿ αὖ κυριακαῖς ἡμέραις ἡμῖν τὰ παραπλήσια εἰς μνήμην τῆς τοῦ κυρίου ἀναστάσεως ἐπετέλουν.

[6] ὅθεν παρὰ τὴν τοιαύτην ἐγχείρησιν τῆς
τοιᾶσδε λελόγχασι προσηγορίας, τοῦ Ἐβιωναίων ὀνόματος, τὴν τῆς διανοίας πτωχείαν αὐτῶν ὑποφαίνοντος· ταύτῃ γὰρ ἐπίκλην ὁ πτωχὸς παρ᾿ Ἑβραίοις ὀνομάζεται.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 14] Κατὰ τοὺς δεδηλωμένους
χρόνους ἑτέρας αἱρέσεως ἀρχηγὸν γενέσθαι Κήρινθον παρειλήφαμεν. Γάϊος, οὗ φωνὰς ἤδη πρότερον παρατέθειμαι, ἐν τῇ φερομένῃ αὐτοῦ ζητήσει ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ γράφει

[2] “ἀλλὰ καὶ Κήρινθος “ὁ δι᾿ ἀποκαλύψεων ὡς ὑπὸ ἀποστόλου μεγάλου γε-
“γραμμένων τερατολογίας ἡμῖν ὡς δι᾿ ἀγγέλων αὐτῷ “δεδειγμένας ψευδόμενος ἐπεισάγει λέγων μετὰ τὴν “ἀνάστασιν ἐπίγειον εἶναι τὸ βασίλειον τοῦ Χρι- “στοῦ, καὶ πάλιν ἐπιθυμίαις καὶ ἡδοναῖς ἐν Ἱερου- “σαλὴμ τὴν σάρκα πολιτευομένην δουλεύειν. καὶ
“ἐχθρὸς ὑπάρχων ταῖς γραφαῖς τοῦ θεοῦ ἀριθμὸν “χιλιονταετίας ἐν γάμῳ ἑορτῆς, θέλων πλανᾶν, λέγει “γίνεσθαι.”

[3] καὶ Διονύσιος δὲ ὁ τῆς κατ᾿ Ἁλεξάνδρειαν παροικίας καθ᾿ ἡμᾶς τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν εἰληχὼς, ἐν δευτέρῳ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν περὶ τῆς Ἰωάννου Ἀπο-
²⁵ καλύψεως εἰπών τινα ὡς ἐκ τῆς ἀνέκαθεν παραδόσεως, τοῦ αὐτοῦ μέμνηται ἀνδρὸς τούτοις τοῖς ῥήμασι

[4] “Κήρινθον δὲ τὸν καὶ τὴν ἀπ’ ἐκείνου κλη- “θεῖσαν Κηρινθιανὴν αἵρεσιν συστησάμενον ἀξιό-
“πιστον ἐπιφημίσαι θελήσαντα τῷ ἑαυτοῦ πλάσματι “ὄνομα. τοῦτο γὰρ εἶναι τῆς διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ τὸ “δόγμα, ἐπίγειον ἔσεσθαι τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ βασιλείαν. “

[5] καὶ ὧν αὐτὸς ὠρέγετο φιλοσώματος ὢν καὶ πάνυ “σαρκικὸς, ἐν τούτοις ὀνειροπολεῖν ἔσεσθαι, γαστρὸς
“καὶ τῶν ὑπὸ γαστέρα πλησμοναῖς, τουτέστι σιτίοις “καὶ ποτοῖς καὶ γάμοις, καὶ δι’ ὧν εὐφημότερον “ταῦτα ᾠήθη ποριεῖσθαι, ἑορταῖς καὶ θυσίαις καὶ ἱε- “ρείων σθαγαῖς.”

[6] ταῦτα Διονύσιος. ὁ δὲ Εἰρήναιος ἀπορρητοτέρας δή τινας τοῦ αὐτοῦ ψευδοδοξίας ἐν
πρώτῳ συγγράμματι τῶν πρὸς τὰς αἱρέσεις προθεὶς ἐν τῷ τρίτῳ καὶ ἱστορίαν οὐκ ἀξίαν λήθης τῇ γραφῇ παραδέδωκεν, ὡς ἐκ παραδόσεως Πολυκάρπου φάσκων Ἰωάννην τὸν ἀπόστολον εἰσελθεῖν ποτε ἐν βαλανείῳ, ὥστε λούσασθαι, γνόντα δὲ ἔνδον ὄντα τὸν
Κήρινθον ἀποπηδῆσαί τε τοῦ τόπου καὶ ἐκφυγεῖν θύραζε, μηδ’ ὑπομείναντα τὴν αὐτὴν αὐτῷ ὑποδῦναι στέγην, ταὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ παραινέσαι φήσαντα, “φύγωμεν, μὴ καὶ τὸ βαλανεῖον “συμπέσῃ, ἔνδον ὄντος Κηρίνθου τοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας
ἐχθροῦ.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 15] Ἐπὶ τούτῳ δῆτα καἲ ἡ λεγομένη τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν αἵρεσις ἐπὶ σμικρότατον συνέστη χρόνον, ἧς δὴ καὶ ἡ τοῦ Ἰωάννου Ἀποκάλυψις μνημονεύει. οὗτοι Νικόλαον ἔνα τῶν ἀμφὶ τὸν
Στέφανον διακόνων πρὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ²⁶ ἐνδεῶν θεραπείᾳ προκεχειρισμένων ηὔχουν. ὅ γε μὴν Ἀλεξανδρεὺς Κλήμης ἐν τρίτῳ στρωματεῖ ταῦτα περὶ αὐτοῦ κατὰ λέξιν ἱστορεῖ

[2] “ὡραίαν, φασὶ, γυ- “ναῖκα ἔχων οὗτος μετὰ τὴν ἀνάληψιν τὴν τοῦ σωτῆ- “ρος πρὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων ὀνειδισθεὶς ζηλοτυπίαν εἰς
“μέσον ἀγαγὼν τὴν γυναῖκα γῆμαι τῷ βουλομένῳ ἐπέ- “τρεψεν. ἀκόλουθον γὰρ εἶναί φασι τὴν πρᾶξιν ταύ- “την ἐκείνῃ τῇ φωνῇ, τῇ ὅτι παραχρᾶσθαι τῇ σαρκὶ “δεῖ. καὶ δὴ κατακολουθήσαντες τῷ γεγενημένῳ τῷ “τε εἰρημένῳ ἁπλῶς καὶ ἀβασανίστως ἀναίδην ἐκ-
“πορνεύουσιν οἱ τὴν αἵρεσιν αὐτοῦ μετιόντες.

[3] “πυνθάνομαι δ᾿ ἐγὼ τὸν Νικόλαον μηδεμιᾷ ἑτέρᾳ “παρ᾿ ἣν ἔγημε κεχρῆσθαι γυναικὶ, τῶν τε ἐκείνου “τέκνων τὰς μὲν θηλείας καταγηράσαι παρθένους, “ἄφθορον δὲ διαμεῖναι τὸν υἱόν. ὧν οὕτως ἐχόντων
“ἀποβολὴ πάθους ἦν ἡ εἰς μέσον τῶν ἀποστόλων τῆς “ζηλοτυπουμένης ἐγκύκλησις γυναικὸς, καὶ ἡ ἐγκρά- “τεια τῶν περισπουδάστων ἡδονῶν τὸ “παραχρᾶσθαι “τῇ σαρκὶ” ἐδίδασκεν. οὐ γὰρ οἶμαι ἐβούλετο κατὰ “τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐντολὴν δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν,
“ἡσονῇ καὶ κυρίῳ.

[4] λέγουσι δ᾿ οὖν καὶ τὸν Ματ- “θίαν οὕτω διδάξαι, σαρκὶ μὲν μάχεσθαι καὶ παρα- “χρᾶσθαι, μηδὲν αὐτῇ πρὸς ἡδονὴν ἐνδιδόντα, ψυ- “χὴν δ᾿ αὔξειν διὰ πίστεως καὶ γνώσεως.” ταῦτα μὲν οὖν περὶ τῶν κατὰ τοὺς δηλουμένους χρόνους
παραβραβεῦσαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐγκεχειρηκότων, λόγου γε μὴν θᾶττον εἰς τὸ παντελὲς ἀπεσβηκότων, εἰρήσθω.

[1] [Nic. H. E. II, 44]. Ὁ μέντοι Κλήμης, οὗ τὰς φωνὰς ἀρτίως ἀνέγνωμεν, τοῖς προειρημένοις ἑξῆς
²⁷ διὰ τοὺς ἀθετοῦντας γάμον τοὺς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐξετασθέντας ἐν συζυγίαις καταλέγει φάσκων “ἢ καὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἀποδοκιμάσουσι. Πέτρος μὲν γὰρ “καὶ Φίλιππος ἐπαιδοποιήσαντο, Φίλιππος δὲ καὶ τὰς
“θυγατέρας ἀνδράσιν ἐξέδωκε. καὶ ὅ γε Παῦλος οὐκ “ὀκνεῖ ἔν τινι ἐπιστολῇ τὴν αὑτοῦ προσαγορεῦσαι σύ- “ζυγον, ἣν οὐ περιεκόμιζε διὰ τὸ τῆς ὑπηρεσίας εὐ- “σταλές.”

[2] ἐπεὶ δὲ τούτων ἐμνήσθημεν, οὐ λυπεῖ καὶ ἄλλην ἀξιοδιήγητον ἱστορίαν τοῦ αὐτοῦ παραθέσθαι,
ἣν ἐν τῷ ἑβδόμῳ στρωματεῖ τοῦτον ἱστορῶν ἀνέγραψε τὸν τρόπον “ φασὶ γοῦν τὸν μακάριον Πέ- “τρον, θεασάμενον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἀπαγομένην τὴν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ, ἡσθῆναι μὲν τῆς κλήσεως χάριν “καὶ καὶ τῆς ἐπ’ οἶκον ἀνακομιδῆς, ἐπιφωνῆσαι δὲ εὖ
“μάλα προτρεπτικῶς καὶ παρακλητικῶς ἐξ ὀνόματος προσειπόντα ῾μέμνησο, ὦ αὕτη, τοῦ κυρίου.᾿ “τος ἦν ὁ τῶν μακαρίων γάμος καὶ ᾑ τῶν φιλτάτων “τελεία διάθεσις.” καὶ ταῦτα δ’ οἰκεῖα ὄντα τῇ μετὰ χεῖρας ὑποθέσει ἐνταῦθά μοι κατὰ καιρὸν κείσθω.

[1] [Nic. H. E. I, 35] Παύλου μὲν οὖν καὶ Πέτρου τῆς τελευτῆς ὅ τε χρόνος καὶ ὁ τρόπος καὶ προσέτι τῆς μετὰ τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν τοῦ βίου τῶν σκη νωμάτων αὐτῶν καταθέσεως ὁ χῶρος ἤδη πρότερον ἡμῖν δεδήλωται.

[2] τοῦ δὲ Ἰωάννου τὰ μὲν τοῦ χρόνου
ἤδη πως εἴρηται, τὸ δέ γε τοῦ σκηνώματος αὐτοῦ χωρίον ἐξ ἐπιστολῆς Πολυκράτους (τῆς δ’ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ παροικίας ἐπίσκοπος οὗτος ἦν) ἐπιδείκνυται, ἣν Οὐίκτορι ‘Ρωμαίων ἐπισκόπῳ γράφων ὁμοῦ τε αὐτοῦ καὶ Φιλίππου μνημονεύει τοῦ ἀποστόλου τῶν τε ²⁸ τούτου θυγατέρων ὧδέ πως “καὶ γὰρ καὶ κατὰ τὴν “Ἀσίαν μεγάλα στοιχεῖα κεκοίμηται, ἅτινα ἀναστή- “σεται τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ κυρίου, “ἐν ᾖ ἔρχεται μετὰ δόξης ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἀναζητήσει “πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους, Φίλιππον τὸν τῶν δώδεκα ἀποστόλων,
ὃς κεκοίμηται ἐν Ἱεραπόλει, καὶ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ γεγηρακυῖαι παρθένοι, καὶ ἡ ἑτέρα ‘αὐτοῦ θυγάτηρ ἐν ἁγίῳ πνεύματι πολιτευσαμένη, ἣ ἐν Ἐφέσω ἀναπαύεται,

[3] ἔτι δὲ καὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ ἐπὶ τὸ ‘στῆθος τοῦ κυρίου ἀναπεσὼν, ὃς ἐγενήθη ἱερεὺς τὸ
πέταλον πεφορηκὼς καὶ μάρτυς καὶ διδάσκαλος· οὑ- “τος ἐν Ἐφέσω κεκοίμηται.” ταῦτα καὶ περὶ τῆς τῶνδε τελευτῆς.

[4] καὶ ἐν τῷ Γαΐου δὲ, οὑ μικρῷ πρόσθεν ἐμνήσθημεν, διαλόγῳ Πρόκλος, πρὸς ὃν ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ζήτησιν, περὶ τῆς Φιλίππου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων αὐτοῦ
τελευτῆς συνᾴδων τοῖς ἐκτεθεῖσιν οὕτω φησίν μετὰ τοῦτον δὲ προφήτιδες τέσσαρες αἱ Φιλίππου γεγένηνται ἐν Ἱεραπόλει τῇ κατὰ τὴν Ἀσέαν· ὁ τά- “φος αὐτῶν έστιν ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν. ”

[5] ταῦτα μὲν οὗτος. ὁ δὲ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι
τῶν ἀποστόλων τῶν Φιλίππου θυγατέρων ἐν Καισαρείᾳ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἅμα τῷ πατρὶ τότε διατριβουσῶν, προφητικοῦ τε χαρίσματος ἠξιωμένων, μνημονεύει κατὰ λέξιν ὧδέ πως λέγων “ἤλθομεν εἰς Και- “σάρειαν, καὶ εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὸν οἶκον Φιλίππου
“τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ ὄντος ἐκ τῶν ἑπτὰ ἐμείναμεν παρ αὐτῷ. τούτῳ δὲ ἤσαν παρθένοι θυγατέρες προφητεύουσαι τέσσαρες.”

[6] τὰ μὲν οὖν εἰς ἡμετέραν ἐλθόντα γνῶσιν περί τε τῶν ἀποστόλων αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν χρόνων, ὧν τε καταλελοίπασιν ἡμῖν
²⁹ ἱερῶν γραμμάτων, καὶ τῶν ἀντιλεγομένων μὲν, ὅμως δ᾿ ἐν πλείσταις ἐκκλησίαις παρὰ πολλοῖς ἀποστολικῆς μένων, τῶν τε παντελῶς νόθων καὶ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀλλοτρίων ἐν τούτοις διειληφότες ἐπὶ τὴν
τῶν ἑξῆς προΐωμεν ἱστορίαν.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 16] Μετὰ Νέρωνα καὶ Δομετιανὸν, κατὰ τοῦτον οὗ νῦν τοὺς χρόνους ἐξε- τάζομεν, μερικῶς καὶ κατὰ πόλεις ἐξ ἐπαναστάσεως δήμων τὸν καθ’ ἡμῶν κατέχει λόγος ἀνακινηθῆναι
διωγμὸν, ἐν ᾧ Συμεῶνα τὸν τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, ὃν δεύτερον καταστῆναι τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐκκλησίας ἐπίσκοπον ἐδηλώσαμεν, μαρτυρίῳ τὸν βίον ἀναλῦσαι παρειλήφαμεν.

[2] καὶ τούτου μάρτυς αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος, οὗ διαφόροις ἤδη πρότερον ἐχρησάμεθα φωναῖς, Ἡγήσιππος·
ὃς δὴ περί τινων αἱρετικῶν ἱστορῶν ἐπιφέρει δηλῶν ὡς ἄρα ὑπὸ τούτων κατὰ τόνδε τὸν χρόνον ὑπομείνας κατηγορίαν, πολυτρόπως ὁ δηλούμενος ὡσὰν Χριστιανὸς ἐπὶ πλείσταις αἰκισθεὶς ἡμέραις, αὐτόν τε τὸν δικαστὴν καὶ τοὺς ἀμφ᾿ αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ
μέγιστα καταπλήξας, τῷ τοῦ κυρίου πάθει παραπλήσιον τὸ τέλος ἀπηνέγκατο.

[3] οὐδὲν δὲ οἷον καὶ τοῦ συγγραφέως ἐπακοῦσαι, αὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα κατὰ λέξι ὧδέ πως ἱστοροῦντος “ἀπὸ τούτων δηλαδὴ τῶν αἱρε- “τικῶν κατηγοροῦσί τινες Συμεῶνος τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, ὡς
“ὄντος ἀπὸ Δαβὶδ καὶ Χριστιανοῦ, καὶ οὕτω μαρτυ- “ρεῖ ἐτῶν ὢν ἑκατὸν εἴκοσιν, ἐπὶ Τραϊανοῦ Καίσα- “ρος καὶ ὑπατικοῦ Ἀττικοῦ.”

[4] φησὶ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς ὡς ἄρα καὶ τοὺς κατηγόρους αὐτοῦ, ζητουμένων τότε τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς Ἰουδαίων φυλῆς, ὡσὰν ἐξ
αὐτῆς ὄντας ἁλῶναι συνέβη. λογισμῷ δ᾿ ἂν καὶ τὸν Συμεῶνα τῶν αὐτοπτῶν καὶ αὐτηκόων εἴποι ἄν τις γεγονέναι τοῦ κυρίου, τεκμηρίῳ τῷ μήκει τοῦ χρό- νου τῆς αὐτοῦ ζωῆς χρώμενος, καὶ τῷ μνημονεύειν τὴν τῶν εὐαγγελίων γραφὴν Μάριας τῆς τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, οὗ γεγονέναι αὐτὸν καὶ πρότερον ὁ λόγος ἐδήλωσεν.

[5] ὁ δ’ αὐτὸς συγγραφεὺς καὶ ἑτέρους ἀπὸ γένους ἑνὸς τῶν φερομένων ἀδελφῶν τοῦ σωτῆρος, ᾧ ὄνομα
Ἰούδας, φησὶν εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπιβιῶναι βασιλείαν, μετὰ τὴν ἤδη πρότερον ἱστορηθεῖσαν αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν πίστεως ἐπὶ Δομετιανοῦ μαρτυρίαν.

[6] γράφει δὲ οὕτως “ἔρχονται οὖν καὶ προηγοῦνται πάσης ἐκκλησίας ὡς μάρτυρες καὶ ἀπὸ γένους τοῦ
κυρίου, καὶ γενομένης εἰρήνης βαθείας ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ μένουσι μέχρι Τραϊανοῦ Καίσαρος, μέχρις οὗ ὁ ἐκ θείου τοῦ κυρίου, ὁ προειρημένος Συμεὼν υἱὸς Κλωπᾶ, συκοφαντηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν αἱρέσεων, ὡσαύτως κατηγορήθη καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ
ἐπὶ Ἀττικοῦ τοῦ ὑπατικοῦ. καὶ ἐπὶ πολλαῖς ἡμέραις αἰκιζόμενος ἐμαρτύρησεν, ὡς πάντας ὑπερθαυμάζειν καὶ τὸν ὑπατικὸν πῶς ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι τυγχάνων ἐτῶν ὑπέμεινε· καὶ ἐκελεύσθη σταυρωθῆναι.”

[7] ἐπὶ τούτοις ὁ αὐτὸς ἀνὴρ διηγούμενος τὰ κατὰ τοὺς
δηλουμένους ἐπιλέγει, ὡς ἄρα μέχρι τῶν τότε χρόνων παρθένος καθαρὰ καὶ ἀδιάφθορος ἔμενεν ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἐν ἀδήλῳ που σκότει φωλευόντων εἰσέτι τότε τῶν, εἰ καί τινες ὑπῆρχον, παραφθείρειν ἐπιχειρούντων τὸν ὑγιῆ κανόνα τοῦ σωτηρίου κηρύγματος.

[8] ὡς δ’ ὁ ἱερὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων χορὸς διάφορον εἰλήφει τοῦ βίου τέλος, παρεληλύθει τε ἡ γενεὰ ἐκείνη τῶν αὐταῖς ἀκοαῖς τῆς ἐνθέου σοφίας ἐπακοῦσαι κατηξιωμένων, τηνικαῦτα τῆς ἀθέου πλάνης ἀρχὴν ἐλάμβανεν ἡ σύστασις, διὰ τῆς τῶν ἑτεροδιδασκάλων
³⁰ ἀπάτης, οἳ καὶ, ἅτε μηδενὸς ἔτι τῶν ἀποστόλων λειπομένου, γυμνῇ λοιπὸν ἤδη τῇ κεφαλῇ τῷ τῆς ἀληθείας κηρύγματι τὴν ψευδώνυμον γνῶσιν ἀντικηρύττειν ἐπεχείρουν.

[1] [Nic. H. E. IIl, 17] Τοσοῦτός γε μὴν ἐν πλείοσι τόποις ὁ καθ’ ἡμῶν ἐπετάθη τότε διωγμὸς, ὡς Πλίνιον Σεκοῦνδον ἐπισημότατον ἡγεμόνων ἡγεμόνων, ἐπὶ τῷ πλήθει τῶν μαρτύρων κινηθέντα, βασιλεῖ κοινωσασθαι περὶ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως
ἀναιρουμένων, ἅμα δ’ ἐν ταὐτῷ μηνῦσαι, μηδὲν ἀνόσιον μηδὲ παρὰ τοὺς νόμους πράττειν αὐτοὺς κατειληφέναι, πλὴν τό γε ἅμα τῇ ἕῳ διεγειρομένους τὸν Χριστὸν θεοῦ δίκην ὑμνεῖν, τὸ δὲ μοιχεύειν καὶ φονεύειν καὶ τὰ συγγενῆ τούτοις ἀθέμιτα πλημμελήματα
καὶ αὐτοὺς ἀπαγορεύειν, πάντα τε πράττειν ἀκολούθως τοῖς νόμοις.

[2] πρὸς ἃ τὸν Τραϊανὸν δόγμα τοιόνδε τεθεικέναι, τὸ Χριστιανῶν φῦλον μὴ ἐκζητεῖσθαι μὲν, ἐμπεσὸν δὲ κολάζεσθαι· οὗ γενομένου ποσῶς μὲν τοῦ διωγμοῦ σβεσθῆναι τὴν ἀπειλὴν
σφοδρότατα ἐγκειμένου, οὐ χείρονάς γε μὴν τοῖς κακουργεῖν περὶ ἡμᾶς ἐθέλουσι λείπεσθαι προφάσεις, ἔσθ’ ὅπη μὲν τῶν δήμων, ἔσθ’ ὅπη δὲ καὶ τῶν κατὰ χώρας ἀρχόντων τὰς καθ’ ἡμῶν συσκευαζομένων ἐπιβουλὰς, ὡς καὶ ἄνευ προφανῶν διωγμῶν μερικοὺς
κατ’ ἐπαρχίαν ἐξάπτεσθαι, πλείους τε τῶν πιστῶν διαφόροις ἐναγωνίζεσθαι μαρτυρίοις.

[3] εἴληπται δ ἡμίν ἡ ἱστορία ἐξ ἧς ἀνωτέρω δεδηλώκαμεν τοῦ Τερτυλλιανοῦ ‘Ρωμαϊκῆς ἀπολογίας, ἧς ἡ ἑρμηνεία τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον “καίτοι ηὑρήκαμεν καὶ τὴν εἰς
“ἡμᾶς ἐπιζήτησιν κεκωλυμένην. Πλίνιος γὰρ Σε- ³¹ “κοῦνδος ἡγούμενος ἐπαρχίου, κατακρίνας Χριστια- “νούς τινας καὶ τῆς ἀξίας ἐκβαλὼν, ταραχθεὶς τῷ “πλήθει ἠγνόει τί αὐτῷ λοιπὸν εἴη πρακτέον. Τραϊ- “ανῷ οὖν τῷ βασιλεῖ ἀνεκοινώσατο λέγων ἔξω τοῦ “μὴ βούλεσθαι αὐτοὺς εἰδωλολατρεῖν οὐδὲν ἀνόσιον
‘ἐν αὐτοῖς ηὑρηκέναι. ἐμήνυε δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ἀνίστα- “σθαι ἔωθεν τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν “θεοῦ δίκην ὑμνεῖν, καὶ πρὸς τὸ τὴν ἐπιστήμην αὐ- “τῶν διαφυλάσσειν κωλύεσθαι φονεύειν, μοιχεύειν, “πλεονεκτεῖν, ἀποστερεῖν καὶ τὰ τούτοις ὅμοια. πρὸς
“ταῦτα ἀντέγραψε Τραϊανὸς τὸ τῶν Χριστιανῶν φῦ- “λον μὴ ἐκζητεῖσθαι μὲν, ἐμπεσὸν δὲ κολάζεσθαι.” καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐν τούτοις ἠν.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 25] Τῶν δὲ ἐπὶ ‘Ρώμης ἐπισκόπων ἔτει τρίτῳ τῆς τοῦ προειρημένου βασιλέως
ἀρχῆς Κλήμης Εὐαρέστῳ παραδοὺς τὴν λειτουργίαν ἀναλύει τὸν βίον, τὰ πάντα προστὰς ἔτη ἐννέα τῆς τοῦ θείου λόγου διδασκαλίας.

[1] [Nic. H, E. III. 2] Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ Συμεῶνος τὸν δηλωθέντα τελειωθέντος τρόπον, τῆς ἐν ‘Ιεροσολύμοις
ἐπισκοπῆς τὸν θρόνον Ἰουδαῖός τις ὄνομα Ιοῦστος, μυρίων ὅσων ἐκ περιτομῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν τηνικαῦτα πεπιστευκότων εἶς καὶ αὐτὸς ὢν, διαδέχεται.

[1] [Nic. II. E. III, 29] Διέπρεπέ γε μὴν κατὰ τούτους ἐπὶ τῆς Ἀσίας τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁμιλητὴς
Πολύκαρπος, τῆς κατὰ Σμύρναν ἐκκλησίας πρὸς τῶν αὐτοπτῶν καὶ ὑπηρετῶν τοῦ κυρίου τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἐγκεχειρισμένος.

[2] καθ’ ὃν ἐγνωρίζετο Παπίας τῆς ἐν Ἱεραπόλει παροικίας καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπίσκοπος, ὅ τε παρὰ πλείστοις εἰσέτι νῦν διαβόητος
³² Ἰγνάτιος, τῆς κατ’ Ἀντιόχειαν Πέτρου διαδοχῆς δεύτερος τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν κεκληρωμένος.

[3] λόγος δ’ ἔχει τοῦτον ἀπὸ Συρίας ἐπὶ τὴν Ῥωμαίων πόλιν ἀναπεμφθέντα θηρίων γενέσθαι βορὰν τῆς εἰς
Χριστὸν μαρτυρίας ἕνεκεν.

[4] οὗτος δὴ οὖν τὴν δι’ Ἀσίας ἀνακομιδὴν μετ’ ἐπιμελεστάτης φρουρῶν φυλακῆς ποιούμενος τὰς κατὰ πόλιν αἷς ἐπεδήμει παροικίας ταῖς διὰ λόγων ὁμιλίαις τε καὶ προτροπαῖς ἐπιρρωννὺς, ἐν πρώτοις μάλιστα προφυλάττεσθαι
τὰς αἱρέσεις ἄρτι τότε πρῶτον ἀναφυείσας καὶ ἐπιπολαζούσας παρῄνει, προύτρεπέ τε ἀπρὶξ ἔχεσθαι τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων παραδόσεως, ἣν ὑπὲρ ἀσφαλείας καὶ ἐγγράφως ἤδη μαρτυρόμενος διατυποῦσθαι ἀναγκαῖον ἡγεῖτο.

[5] οὕτω δῆτα ἐν Σμύρνῃ γενόμενος, ἔνθα ὁ
Πολύκαρπος ἦν, μίαν μὲν τῇ κατὰ τὴν Ἔφεσον ἐπιστολὴν ἐκκλησίᾳ γράφει, ποιμένος αὐτῆς μνημονεύων Ὀνησίμου, ἑτέραν δὲ τῇ ἐν Μαγνησίᾳ τῇ πρὸς Μαιάνδρῳ, ἔνθα πάλιν ἐπισκόπου Δάμα μνήμην πεποίηται, καὶ τῇ ἐν Τράλλεσι δὲ ἄλλην, ἧς ἄρχοντα τότ’
ὄντα Πολύβιον ἱστορεῖ.

[6] πρὸς ταύταις καὶ τῇ ‘Ρωμαίων ἐκκλησίᾳ γράφει, ᾗ καὶ παράκλησιν προτείνει, ὡς μὴ παραιτησάμενοι τοῦ μαρτυρίου τῆς ποθουμένης αὐτὸν ἀποστερήσαιεν ἐλπίδος· ἐξ ὧν καὶ βραχύτατα εἰς ἐπίδειξιν τῶν εἰρημένων παραθέσθαι ἄξιον.

[7] γράφει δὴ οὖν κατὰ λέξιν “ἀπὸ Συρίας μέχρι ‘Ρώ- ‘μης θηριομαχῶ διὰ γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης, νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, ἐνδεδεμένος δέκα λεοπάρδοις, ὅ ἐστι στρατιωτικὸν τάγμα, οἳ καὶ εὐεργετούμενοι χείρονες γίνονται. ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἀδικήμασιν αὐτῶν μᾶλλον μαθη-
“τεύομαι, ἀλλ’ οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο δεδικαίωμαι.

[8] ὀναί- ³³ ”μην τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἐμοὶ ἑτοίμων, ἃ καὶ εὔχομαι “σύντομά μοι εὑρεθῆναι, ἃ καὶ κολακεύσω συντόμως “με καταφαγεῖν , οὐχ ὥσπερ τινῶν δειλαινόμενα οὐχ “ἥψαντο· κἂν αὐτὰ δὲ ἄκοντα μὴ θέλῃ , ἐγὼ προσ- ῾ βιάσομαι.

[9] συγγνώμην μοι ἔχετε. τί μοι συμφέ-
“ρει ἐγὼ γινώσκω. νῦν ἄρχομαι μαθητὴς εἶναι. μη- “ δέν με ζηλώσαι τῶν ὁρατῶν καὶ ἀοράτων, ἔνα Ἰησοῦ “ Χριστοῦ ἐπιτύχω· πῦρ καὶ σταυρὸς , θηρίων τε συ- “ στάσεις, σκορπισμοὶ ὀστέων, συγκοπαὶ μελῶν, ἀλε- “σμοὶὅλου τοῦ σώματος, κολάσεις τοῦ διαβόλου εἰς ἐμὲ
“ ἐρχέσθωσαν , μόνον ἔνα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιτύχω.’’

[10] καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς δηλωθείσης πόλεως ταῖς καταλεχθείσαις ἐκκλησίαις διετυπώσατο. ἤδη δ’ ἐπέκεινα τῆς Σμύρνης γενόμενος ἀπὸ Τρωάδος τοῖς τε ἐν Φιλαδελφείᾳ αὖθις διὰ γραφῆς ὁμιλεῖ καὶ τῇ Σμυρναίων
ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἰδίως τε τῷ ταύτης προηγουμένῳ Πολυκάρπῳ, ὃν οἶα δὴ ἀποστολικὸν ἄνδρα εὖ μάλα γνωρίζων , τὴν κατ’ Ἀντιόχειαν αὐτῷ ποίμνην ὡσὰν γνήσιος καὶ ἀγαθὸς ποιμὴν παρατίθεται, τὴν περὶ αὐτῆς φροντίδα διὰ σπουδῆς ἔχειν αὐτὸν ἀξιῶν.

[11]
ὁ δ’ αὐτὸς Σμυρναίοις γράφων οὐκ οἶδ’ ὁπόθεν ῥητοῖς συγκέχρηται, τοιαῦτά τινα περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ διεξιών “ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐν σαρκὶ αὐτὸν οἶδα καὶ πιστεύω ὄντα. καὶ ὅτε πρὸς τοὺς περὶ Πέτρον ἐλήλυθεν, ἔφη αὐτοῖς , λάβετε, ψηλαφήσατέ με
καὶ ἴδετε, ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ δαιμόνιον ἀσώματον· καὶ εὐθὺς αὐτοῦ ἥψαντο καὶ ἐπίστευσαν.’’

[12] οἶδε δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ μαρτύριον καὶ ὁ Εἰρήναιος , καὶ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν αὐτοῦ μνημονεύει λέγων οὕτως “ ὡς εἶπέ τις τῶν ἡμετέρων διὰ τὴν πρὸς θεὸν μαρτυρίαν κατα-
³⁴ “κριθεὶς πρὸς θηρία, ὅτι σῖτός εἰμι θεοῦ, καὶ δι᾿ ‘ὀδόντων θηρίων ἀλήθομαι, ἵνα καθαρὸς ἄρτος εὑ- “ ρεθῶ.”

[13] καὶ ὁ Πολύκαρπος δὲ τούτων αὐτῶν μέμνηται ἐν τῇ φερομένῃ αὐτοῦ πρὸς Φιλιππησίους
ἐπιστολῇ, φάσκων αὐτοῖς ῥήμασι “ παρακαλῶ “ πάντας ὑμᾶς πειθαρχεῖν καὶ ἀσκεῖν πᾶσαν ὑπομο- ‘νὴν, ἣν εἴδετε κατ’ ὀφθαλμοὺς οὐ μόνον ἐν τοῖ “μακαρίοις Ἰγνατίῳ καὶ Ῥούφῳ καὶ Ζωσίμῳ, ἀλλα “ καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις τοῖς ἐξ ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ Παύλφ
“καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀποστόλοις, πεπεισμένους ὅτι οὗτο “πάντες οὐκ εἰς κενὸν ἔδραμον , ἀλλ’ ἐν πίστει κα “ δικαιοσύνῃ , καὶ ὅτι εἰς τὸν ὀφειλόμενον αὐτοῖς το “πον εἰσὶ παρὰ κυρίῳ , ᾧ καὶ συνέπαθον. οὐ γὰ “ τὸν νῦν ἠγάπησαν αἰῶνα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἄπο
“θανόντα καὶ δι’ ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀναστάντα.”

[14] καὶ ἐξῆς ἐπιφέρει “ἐγράψατέ μοι καὶ ὑμεῖς καὶ Ἰγνα “τιος, ἵνα ἐάν τις ἀπέρχηται εἰς Συρίαν, καὶ τὰ παρ “ὑμῶν ἀποκομίσῃ γράμματα. ὅπερ ποιήσω, ἐὰν “καιρὸν εὔθετον, εἴτε· ἐγὼ, εἴτε ὃν πέμπω πρεσβεύ-
“ σοντα καὶ περὶ ὑμῶν.

[15] τὰς ἐπιστολὰς Ἰγνατίο(??) “τὰς πεμφθείσας ἡμῖν ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄλλας ὅσας ει(??) “χομεν παρ’ ἡμῖν ἐπέμψαμεν ὑμῖν καθὼς ἐνετεί- “λασθε , αἵτινες ὑποτεταγμέναι εἰσὶ τῇ ἐπιστολῇ “ταύτῃ, ἐξ ὧν μεγάλα ὠφεληθῆναι δυνήσεσθε. πε-
“ ριέχουσι γὰρ πίστιν καὶ ὑπομονὴν καὶ πᾶσαν οἰκο- “ δομὴν τὴν εἰς τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἀνήκουσασν.” καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ τὸν Ἰγνάτιον τοιαῦτα. διαδέχεται δὲ μετ’ αὐτὸν τὴν Ἀντιοχείας ἐπισκοπὴν Ἥρως.

[1] [Nic H. E. III, 21.] Τῶν δὲ κατὰ τού- ³⁵ τους διαλαμψάντων καὶ Κοδρᾶτος ἦν, ὃν ἅμα ταῖς Φιλίππου θυγατράσι προφητικῷ χαρίσματι λόγος ἔχει διαπρέψαι. καὶ ἄλλοι δ’ ἐπὶ τούτοις πλείους εγνωρίζοντο κατὰ τούσδε, τὴν πρώτην τάξιν τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐπέχοντες διαδοχῆς· οἳ καὶ, ἅτε τηλικῶνδε
ὄντες διαπρεπεῖς μαθηταὶ, τοὺς κατὰ πάντα τόπον τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν προκαταβληθέντας ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων θεμελίους ἐπῳκοδόμουν , αὔξοντες εἰς πλέον τὸ κήρυγμα καὶ τὰ σωτήρια σπέρματα τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας ἀνὰ πᾶσαν εἰς πλάτος ἐπισπείροντες
τὴν οἰκουμένην.

[2] καὶ γὰρ δὴ πλεῖστοι τῶν τότε μαθητῶν σφοδροτέρῳ φιλισοφίας ἔρωτι πρὸς τοῦ θείου λόγου τὴν ψυχὴν πληττόμενοι τὴν σωτήριον πρότερον ἀπεπλήρουν παρακέλευσιν, ἐνδεέσι νέμοντες τὰς οὐσίας, ἔπειτα δὲ ἀποδημίας στελλόμενοι ἔργον ἐπετέλουν
εὐαγγελιστῶν , τοῖς ἔτι πάμπαν ἀνηκόοις τοῦ τῆς πίστεως λόγου κηρύττειν τὸν Χριστὸν φιλοτιμούμενοι καὶ τὴν τῶν θείων εὐαγγελίων παραδιδόναι γραφήν.

[3] οὑτοι δὲ θεμελίους τῆς πίστεως ἐπὶ ξένοις τισὶ τόποις αὐτὸ μόνον καταβαλλόμενοι , ποιμένας
τε καθιστάντες ἑτέρους, τούτοις τε αὐτοῖς ἐγχιρίζοντες τὴν τῶν ἀρτίως εἰσαχθέντων γεωργίαν, ἑτέρας αὐτοὶ πάλιν χώρας τε καὶ ἔθνη μετῄεσαν σὺν τῇ ἐκ θεοῦ χάριτι καὶ συνεργίᾳ, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦ θείου πνεύματος εἰσέτι τότε δι’ αὐτῶν πλεῖσται παράδοξοι
δυνάμεις ἐνήργουν, ὥστε ἀπὸ πρώτης ἀκροάσεως ἀθρόως αὔτανδρα πλήθη προθύμως τὴν εἰς τὸν τῶν ὅλων δημιουργὸν εὐσέβειαν ἐν ταῖς αὐτῶν ψυχαῖς καταδέχεσθαι.

[4] ἀδυνάτου δ’ ὄντος ἡμῖν ἅπαντας ἐξ ὀνόματος ἀπαριθμεῖσθαι, ὅσοι ποτὲ κατὰ τὴν πρώτην
τῶν ἀποστόλων διαδοχὴν ἐν ταῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐκκλησίαις γεγόνασι ποιμένες ἢ καὶ εὐαγ- γελισταὶ, τούτων εἰκότως ἐξ ὀνόματος γραφῇ μόνων τῂν μνήμην κατατεθείμεθα, ὡν ἔτι καὶ νῦν εἰς ἡμᾶς δι’ ὑπομνημάτων τῆς ἀποστολικῆς διδασκαλίας ἡ παράδοσις φέρεται ·

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 18] ὥσπερ οὖν ἀμέλει τοῦ Ἰγνατίου ἐν αἷς κατελέξαμεν ἐπιστολαῖς, καὶ τοῦ Κλήμεντος ἐν τῇ ἀνωμολογημένῃ παρὰ πᾶσιν, ἣν ἐκ προσώπου τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας τῇ Κορινθίων διετυπώσατο , ἐν ᾗ τῆς πρὸς Ἑβραίους πολλὰ νοήματα
παραθεὶς, ἤδη δὲ καὶ αὐτολεξεὶ ῥητοῖς τισὶ(??) ἐξ αὐτῆς χρησάμενος , σαφέστατα παρίστησιν ὅτι μη νέον ὑπάρχει τὸ σύγγραμμα.

[2] ὅθεν δὴ καὶ εἰκότως ἔδοξεν αὐτὸ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἐγκαταλεχθῆναι γράμμασι τοῦ ἀποστόλου. Ἑβραίοις γὰρ διὰ τῆς πατρίου γλώττης
ἐγγράφως ὡμιληκότος τοῦ Παύλου οἱ μὲν τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν Λουκᾶν, οἱ δὲ τὸν Κλήμεντα τοῦτο(??) αὐτὸν ἑρμηνεῦσαι λέγουσι τὴν γραφήν.

[3] ὃ καὶ μᾶλλον ἂν εἴη ἀληθὲς, τῷ τὸν ὅμοιον τῆς φράσεως χαρακτῆρα τήν τε τοῦ Κλήμεντος ἐπιστολὴν καὶ τὴν
πρὸς Ἑβραίους ἀποσώζειν , καὶ τῷ μὴ πόρρω τὰ ἐν ἑκατέροις τοῖς συγγράμμασι νοήματα καθεστάναι.

[4] ἰστέον δ’ ὡς καὶ δευτέρα τις εἶναι λέγεται τοῦ Κλήμεντος ἐπιστολή. οὐ μὴν ἴθ’ ὁμοίως τῇ προτέρᾳ καὶ ταύτην γνώριμον ἐπιστάμεθα, ὅτι μηδὲ τοὺς
ἀρχαίους αὐτῇ κεχρημένους ἴσμεν.

[5] ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἕτερα πολυεπῆ καὶ μακρὰ συγγράμματα ὡς τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐχθὲς καὶ πρώην τινὲς προήγαγον, Πέτρου δὴ καὶ Ἀπίωνος διαλόγους περιέχοντα, ὧν οὐδ’ ὅλως μνήμη τις παρὰ τοῖς παλαιοῖς φέρεται. οὐδὲ γὰρ καθαρὸν
τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀποσώζει τὸν χαρακτῆρα. ἡ μὲν οὖν τοῦ Κλήμεντος ὁμολογουμένη γραφὴ πρόδηλος. εἴρηται δὲ καὶ τὰ Ἰγνατίου καὶ Πολυκάρπου.

[1] [Nic. H. E. III, 20] Τοῦ δὲ Παπία συγγράμματα πέντε τὸν ἀριθμὸν φέρεται, ἃ καὶ ἐπιγέγραπται Λογίων κυριακῶν ἐξηγήσεις. τούτων καὶ Εἰρήναιος ὡς μόνων αὐτῷ γραφέντων μνημονεύει ὧδέ πως λέγων “ταῦτα δὲ καὶ Παπίας ὁ Ἰωάννου μὲν
“ ἀκουστὴς, Πολυκάρπου δὲ ἑταῖρος γεγονὼς, ἀρχαῖος “ἀνὴρ, ἐγγράφως ἐπιμαρτυρεῖ ἐν τῇ τετάρτῃ τῶν “ ἑαυτοῦ βίβλων. ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῷ πέντε βιβλία συν- “τεταγμἐνα.’’ καὶ ὁ μὲν Εἰρήναιος ταῦτα.

[2] αὐτός γε μὴν ὁ Παπίας κατὰ τὸ προοίμιον τῶν αὐτοῦ λόγων
ἀκροατὴν μὲν καὶ αὐτόπτην οὐδαμῶς ἑαυτὸν γενέσθαι τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων ἐμφαίνει, παρειληφέναι δὲ τὰ τῆς πίστεως παρὰ τῶν ἐκείνοις γνωρίμων διδάσκει δι’ ὧν φησι λέξεων·

[3] “οὐκ ὀκνήσω δέ σοι “καὶ ὅσα ποτὲ παρὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καλῶς ἔμαθον
“καὶ καλῶς ἐμνημόνευσα συντάξαι ταῖς ἑρμηνείαις, “ διαβεβαιούμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀλήθειαν. οὐ γὰρ τοῖς “τὰ πολλὰ λέγουσιν ἔχαιρον ὥσπερ οἱ πολλοὶ , ἀλλὰ “τοῖς τἀληθῆ διδάσκουσιν , οὐδὲ τοῖς τὰς ἀλλοτρίας “ ἐντολὰς μνημονεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τὰς παρὰ τοῦ
“ κυρίου τῇ πίστει δεδομένας καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτῆς παραγινο- “ μένας τῆς ἀληθείας.

[4] εἰ δέ που καὶ “ κώς τις τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις ἔλθοι, τοὺς τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἀνέκρινον λόγους· τί᾿ ἢ τί Πέτρος εἶπεν ἢ τί Φίλιππος ἢ τί Θωμᾶς ἢ Ἰάκωβος ἢ τί Ἰωάννης
“ ἢ Ματθαῖος ἤ τις ἕτερος τῶν τοῦ κυρίου μαθητῶν, “ ἅ τε Ἀριστίων καὶ ὁ πρεσβύτερος Ἰωάννης οἱ τοῦ “κυρίου μαθηταὶ λέγουσιν. οὐ γὰρ τὰ ἐκ τῶν βιβλίων “ τοσοῦτόν με ὠφελεῖν ὑπελάμβανον ὅσον τὰ “ ζώσης φωνῆς καὶ μενούσης.’’

[5] ἔνθα καὶ ἐπιστῆσαι ³⁶ ἄξιον δὶς καταριθμοῦντι αὐτῷ τὸ Ἰωάννου ὄνομα, ὧν τὸν μὲν πρότερον Πέτρῳ καὶ Ἰακώβῳ καὶ Ματθαίῳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀποστόλοις συγκαταλέγει, σαφῶς δηλῶν τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν, τὸν δ᾿ ἕτερον Ἰωάννην διαστείλας
τὸν λόγον ἐν ἑτέροις παρὰ τὸν τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀριθμὸν κατατάσσει, προτάξας αὐτοῦ τὸν Ἀριστίωνα, σαφῶς τε αὐτὸν πρεσβύτερον ὀνομάζει·

[6] ὡς καὶ διὰ τούτων ἀποδείκνυσθαι τὴν ἱστορίαν ἀληθῆ τῶν δύο κατὰ τὴν Ἀίαν ὁμωνυμίᾳ κεχρῆσθαι εἰρηκότων, δύο τε
ἐν Ἐφέσῳ γενέσθαι μνήματα καὶ ἑκάτερον Ἰωάννου ἔτι νῦν λέγεσθαι. οἷς καὶ ἀναγκαῖον προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν· εἰκὸς γὰρ τὸν δεύτερον, εἰ μή τις ἐθέλοι τὸν πρῶτον, τὴν ἐπ᾿ ὀνόματος φερομένην Ἰωάννου ἀποκάλυψιν ἑωρακέναι.

[7] καὶ ὁ νῦν δὲ ἡμῖν δηλούμενος Παπίας
τοὺς μὲν τῶν ἀποστόλων λόγους παρὰ τῶν αὐτοῖς παρηκολουθηκότων ὁμολογεῖ παρειληφέναι, Ἀριστίωνος δὲ καὶ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου Ἰωάννου αὐτήκοον ἑαυτόν φησι γενέσθαι. ὀνομαστὶ γοῦν πολλάκις αὐτῶν μνημονεύσας ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῦ συγγράμμασι τίθησιν αὐτῶν
καὶ παραδόσεις.

[8] καὶ ταῦτα δ᾿ ἡμῖν οὐκ εἰς τὸ ἄχρηστον εἰρήσθω. ἄξιον δὲ ταῖς ἀποδοθείσαις τοῦ Παπία φωναῖς προσάψαι λέξεις ἑτέρας αὐτοῦ, δι᾿ ὧν παράδοξά τινα ἱστορεῖ καὶ ἄλλα ὡσὰν ἐκ παραδόσεως εἰς αὐτὸν ἐλθόντα.

[9] τὸ μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὴν Ἱεράπολιν
Φίλιππον τὸν ἀπόστολον ἅμα ταῖς θυγατράσι διατρῖψαι διὰ τῶν πρόσθεν δεδήλωται, ὡς δὲ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς ὁ Παπίας γενόμενος διήγησιν παρειληφέναι θαυμασίαν ὑπὸ τῶν τοῦ Φιλίππου θυγατέρων μνημονεύει τὰ νῦν σημειωτέον. νεκροῦ γὰρ ἀνάστασιν
κατ᾿ αὐτὸν γεγονυῖαν ἱστορεῖ, καὶ αὖ πάλιν ἕτερον παράδοξον περὶ Ἰοῦστον τὸν ἐπικληθέντα Βαρσαββᾶν γεγονὸς, ὡς δηλητήριον φάρμακον ἐμπιόντος καὶ μηδὲν ἀηδὲς διὰ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου χάριν ὑπομείναντος.

[10] τοῦτον δὲ τὸν Ἰοῦστον μετὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἀνάληψιν τοὺς ἱεροὺς ἀποστόλους μετὰ Ματθία στῆσαί τε καὶ ἐπεύξασθαι ἀντὶ τοῦ προδότου Ἰούδα ἐπὶ τὸν κλῆρον τῆς ἀναπληρώσεως τοῦ αὐτῶν ἀριθμοῦ
ἡ τῶν Πραξέων ὧδέ πως ἱστορεῖ γραφή “καὶ “ἔστησαν δύο, Ἰωσὴφ τὸν καλούμενον Βαρσαββᾶν, ὃς “ ἐπεκλήθη Ἰοῦστος, καὶ Ματθίαν· καὶ προσευξάμε- “νοι εἶπαν.’’

[11] καὶ ἄλλα δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς ὡσὰν ἐκ παραδόσεως ἀγράφου εἰς αὐτὸν ἥκοντα παρατέθειται , ξένας
τέ τινας παραβολὰς τοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ, καί τινα ἄλλα μυθικώτερα.

[12] ἐν οἷς καὶ χιλιάδα τινά φησιν ἐτῶν ἔσεσθαι μετὰ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν , σωματικῶς τῆς Χριστοῦ βασιλείας ἐπὶ ταυτησὶ τῆς γῆς ὑποστησομένης. ἃ καὶ ἡγοῦμαι τὰς
ἀποστολικὰς παρεκδεξάμενον διηγήσεις ὑπολαβεῖν, τὰ ἐν ὑποδείγμασι πρὸς αὐτῶν μυστικῶς εἰρημένα μὴ συνεωρακότα.

[13] σφόδρα γάρ τοι σμικρὸς ὢν τὸν νοῦν, ὡσὰν ἐκ τῶν αὐτοῦ λόγων τεκμηράμενον εἰπεῖν, φαίνεται· πλὴν καὶ τοῖς μετ’ αὐτὸν πλείστοις
ὅσοις τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν τῆς ὁμοίας αὐτῷ δόξης παραίτιος γέγονε, τὴν ἀρχαιότητα τἀνδρὸς προβεβλημένοις, ὥσπερ οὖν Εἰρηναίῳ, καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος τὰ ὅμοια φρονῶν ἀναπέφηνεν.

[14] καὶ ἄλλας δὲ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ γραφῇ παραδίδωσιν Ἀριστίωνος τοῦ πρόσθεν
δεδηλωμένου τῶν τοῦ κυρίου λόγων διηγήσεις καὶ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου Ἰωάννου παραδόσεις , ἐφ’ ἃς τοὺς φιλομαθεῖς ἀναπέμψαντες ἀναγκαίως νῦν προσθήσομεν ταῖς προεκτεθείσαις αὐτοῦ φωναῖς παράδοσιν, ἢ περὶ Μάρκου τοῦ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον γεγραφότος ἐκτἐ-
³⁷ θεῖται διὰ τούτων

[15] “καὶ τοῦτο ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἔλεγε “ Μάρκος μὲν ἑρμηνευτὴς Πέτρου γενόμενος, ὅσα ἐμνη- “ μόνευσεν ἀκριβῶς ἔγραψεν, οὐ μέντοι τάξει, τὰ ὑπο “ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἢ λεχθέντα ἢ πραχθέντα. οὔτε γὰρ
“ἤκουσε τοο͂ κυρίου οὔτε παρηκολούθησεν αὐτῷ, “ὕστερον δὲ, ὡς ἔφην, Πέτρῳ, ὃς πρὸς τἀς χρείας ἐποι- ’’ εἷτο τὰς διδασκαλίας, ἀλλ’ οὐχ ὥσπερ σύνταξιν τῶν “κυριακῶν ποιούμενος λόγων, ὥστε οὐδὲν ἥμαρτε “Μάρκος, οὕτως ἔνια γράψας ὡς ἀπεμνημόνευσεν.
" ἑνὸς γὰρ ἐποιήσατο πρόνοιαν, τοῦ μηδὲν ὧν ἤκουσε " παραλιπεῖν, ἢ ψεύσασθαί τι ἐν αὐτοῖς.” ταῦτα οὑν ἱστόρηται τῷ Παπίᾳ περὶ τοῦ Μάρκου.

[16] περὶ δὲ τοῦ Ματθαίου ταῦτ’ εἴρηται “ Ματθαῖος μὲν “Ἑβραίδι διαλέκτῳ τὰ λόγια συνεγράψατο , ἡρμή-
“ νεῦσε δ’ αὐτὰ ὡς ἦν δυνατὸς ἔκαστος.’’

[17] κέχρηται δ’ αὐτὸς μαρτυρίαις ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰωάννου προτέρας ἐπιστολῆς καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Πέτρου ὁμοίως. ἐκτέθειται δὲ καὶ ἄλλην ἱστορίαν περὶ γυναικὸς ἐπὶ πολλαῖ ἁμαρτίαις διαβληθείσης ἐπὶ τοῦ κυρίου , ἣν τὸ κατ
Ἑβραίους εὐαγγἐλιον περιέχει. καὶ ταῦτα δ’ ἡμῖν ἀναγκαίως πρὸς τοῖς ἐκτεθεῖσιν ἐπιτετηρήσθω.

Ἐκκλησιαστικὴ ἱστορία Perseus (Eusebius. Historia Ecclesiastica, Volumes 1-2. Lake, Kirsopp; Oulton, J.E.L.; Lawlor, H.J., editors. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1926-1932 (printing).) — 3.arg focus

Τάδε καὶ ἡ γ περιέχει βίβλος τῆς Ἐκκλησιαστικῆς ἱστορίας

Α Ὅποι γῆς ἐκήρυξαν τὸν Χριστὸν οἱ ἀπόστολοι.

Β Τίς πρῶτος τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας προέστη.

Γ Περὶ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν τῶν ἀποστόλων.

Δ Περὶ τῆς πρώτης τῶν ἀποστόλων διαδοχῆς.

Ε Περὶ τῆς μετὰ τὸν Χριστὸν ὑστάτης Ἰουδαίων πολιορκίας.

Σ Περὶ τοῦ πιέσαντος αὐτοὺς λιμοῦ.

Ζ Περὶ τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ προρρήσεων.

Η Περὶ τῶν πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου σημείων.

Θ Περὶ Ἰωσήπου καὶ ὧν κατέλιπεν συγγραμμάτων.

Ι Ὅπως τῶν θείων μνημονεύει βιβλίων.

ΙΑ Ὡς μετὰ Ἰάκωβον ἡγεῖται Συμεὼν τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐκκλησίας.

ΙΒ Ὡς Οὐεσπασιανὸς τοὺς ἐκ Δαυὶδ ἀναζητεῖσθαι προστάττει.

ΙΓ Ὡς δεύτερος Ἀλεξανδρέων ἡγεῖται Ἀβίλιος.

ΙΔ Ὡς καὶ Ῥωμαίων δεύτερος Ἀνέγκλητος ἐπισκοπεῖ.

ΙΕ Ὡς τρίτος μετ’ αὐτὸν Κλήμης.

ΙΣ Περὶ τῆς Κλήμεντος ἐπιστολῆς.

ΙΖ Περὶ τοῦ κατὰ Δομετιανὸν διωγμοῦ.

ΙΗ Περὶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἀποστόλου καὶ τῆς Ἀποκαλύψεως.

ΙΘ Ὡς Δομετιανὸς τοὺς ἀπὸ γένους Δαυὶδ ἀναιρεῖσθαι προστάττει.

Κ Περὶ τῶν πρὸς γένους τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν.

ΚΑ Ὡς τῆς Ἀλεξανδρέων ἐκκλησίας τρίτος ἡγεῖται Κέρδων.

ΚΒ Ὡς τῆς Ἀντιοχέων δεύτερος Ἰγνάτιος.

ΚΓ Ἱστορία περὶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἀποστόλου.

ΚΔ Περὶ τῆς τάξεως τῶν εὐαγγελίων.

ΚΕ Περὶ τῶν ὁμολογουμένων θείων γραφῶν καὶ τῶν μὴ τοιούτων.

ΚΣ Περὶ Μενάνδρου τοῦ γόητος.

ΚΖ Περὶ τῆς τῶν Ἐβιωναίων αἱρέσεως.

ΚΗ Περὶ Κηρίνθου αἱρεσιάρχου.

ΚΘ Περὶ Νικολάου καὶ τῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ κεκλημένων.

Λ Περὶ τῶν ἐν συζυγίαις ἐξετασθέντων ἀποστόλων.

ΛΑ Περὶ τῆς Ἰωάννου καὶ Φιλίππου τελευτῆς.

ΛΒ Ὅπως Συμεὼν ὁ ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐπίσκοπος ἐμαρτύρησεν.

ΛΓ Ὅπως Τραϊανὸς ζητεῖσθαι Χριστιανοὺς ἐκώλυσεν.

ΛΔ Ὡς τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας τέταρτος Εὐάρεστος ἡγεῖται.

ΛΕ Ὡς τρίτος τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις Ἰοῦστος.

ΛΣ Περὶ Ἰγνατίου καὶ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν αὐτοῦ.

ΛΖ Περὶ τῶν εἰς ἔτι τότε διαπρεπόντων εὐαγγελιστῶν.

ΛΗ Περὶ τῆς Κλήμεντος ἐπιστολῆς καὶ τῶν ψευδῶς εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναφερομένων.

ΛΘ Περὶ τῶν Παπία συγγραμμάτων.

[1] Τὰ μὲν δὴ κατὰ Ἰουδαίους ἐν τούτοις ἦν· τῶν δὲ ἱερῶν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀποστόλων τε καὶ μαθητῶν ἐφ’ ἅπασαν κατασπαρέντων τὴν οἰκουμένην, Θωμᾶς μέν, ὡς ἡ παράδοσις περιέχει, τὴν Παρθίαν εἴληχεν, Ἀνδρέας δὲ τὴν Σκυθίαν, Ἰωάννης τὴν Ἀσίαν, πρὸς οὓς καὶ διατρίψας ἐν ¹ Ἐφέσῳ τελευτᾷ,

[2] Πέτρος δ’ ἐν Πόντῳ καὶ Γαλατίᾳ καὶ Βιθυνίᾳ Καππαδοκίᾳ τε καὶ Ἀσίᾳ κεκηρυχέναι τοῖς ἐκ διασπορᾶς Ἰουδαίοις ἔοικεν· ὃς καὶ ἐπὶ τέλει ἐν Ῥώμῃ γενόμενος, ἀνεσκολοπίσθη κατὰ κεφαλῆς, οὕτως αὐτὸς ἀξιώσας παθεῖν.

[3] τί δεῖ ² περὶ Παύλου λέγειν, ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ πεπληρωκότος τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ὕστερον ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ ἐπὶ Νέρωνος μεμαρτυρηκότος; ταῦτα Ὠριγένει κατὰ λέξιν ἐν τρίτῳ τόμῳ τῶν εἰς τὴν Γένεσιν ἐξηγητικῶν εἴρηται.

[1] Τῆς δὲ Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας μετὰ τὴν Παύλου καὶ Πέτρου μαρτυρίαν πρῶτος κληροῦται ³ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν Λίνος. μνημονεύει τούτου Τιμοθέῳ γράφων ἀπὸ Ῥώμης ὁ Παῦλος κατὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τέλει τῆς ἐπιστολῆς πρόσρησιν.

[1] Πέτρου μὲν οὖν ἐπιστολὴ μία, ἡ λεγομένη αὐτοῦ προτέρα, ἀνωμολόγηται, ταύτῃ δὲ καὶ οἱ πάλαι πρεσβύτεροι ὡς ἀναμφιλέκτῳ ἐν τοῖς σφῶν αὐτῶν κατακέχρηνται συγγράμμασιν· τὴν δὲ φερομένην δευτέραν οὐκ ἐνδιάθηκον μὲν εἶναι παρειλήφαμεν, ὅμως δὲ πολλοῖς χρήσιμος φανεῖσα, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐσπουδάσθη γραφῶν.

[2] τό γε μὴν τῶν ἐπικεκλημένων αὐτοῦ Πράξεων καὶ τὸ κατ’ αὐτὸν ὠνομασμένον εὐαγγέλιον τό τε λεγόμενον αὐτοῦ Κήρυγμα καὶ τὴν καλουμένην Ἀποκάλυψιν οὐδ’ ὅλως ἐν καθολικοῖς ἴσμεν παραδεδομένα, ὅτι μήτε ἀρχαίων μήτε μὴν καθ’ ἡμᾶς τις ἐκκλησιαστικὸς συγγραφεὺς ταῖς ἐξ αὐτῶν συνεχρήσατο μαρτυρίαις.

[3] προϊούσης δὲ τῆς ἱστορίας προύργου ποιήσομαι σὺν ταῖς διαδοχαῖς ὑποσημήνασθαι τίνες τῶν κατὰ χρόνους ἐκκλησιαστικῶν συγγραφέων ὁποίαις κέχρηνται τῶν ἀντιλεγομένων, τίνα τε περὶ τῶν ἐνδιαθήκων καὶ ὁμολογουμένων γραφῶν καὶ ὅσα περὶ τῶν μὴ τοιούτων αὐτοῖς εἴρηται.

[4] ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ὀνομαζόμενα Πέτρου, ὧν μόνην μίαν γνησίαν ἔγνων ἐπιστολὴν καὶ παρὰ τοῖς πάλαι πρεσβυτέροις ὁμολογουμένην, τοσαῦτα· τοῦ δὲ Παύλου πρόδηλοι καὶ σαφεῖς αἱ δεκατέσσαρες·

[5] ὅτι γε μήν τινες ἠθετήκασι τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους, πρὸς τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας ὡς μὴ Παύλου οὖσαν αὐτὴν ἀντιλέγεσθαι φήσαντες, οὐ δίκαιον ἀγνοεῖν· καὶ τὰ περὶ ταύτης δὲ τοῖς πρὸ ἡμῶν εἰρημένα κατὰ καιρὸν παραθήσομαι. οὐδὲ μὴν τὰς λεγομένας ⁴ αὐτοῦ Πράξεις ἐν ἀναμφιλέκτοις παρείληφα.

[6] ἐπεὶ δ’ ὁ αὐτὸς ἀπόστολος ἐν ταῖς ἐπὶ τέλει προσρήσεσιν τῆς πρὸς Ῥωμαίους μνήμην πεποίηται μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ Ἑρμᾶ, οὗ φασιν ὑπάρχειν τὸ τοῦ Ποιμένος βιβλίον, ἰστέον ὡς καὶ τοῦτο πρὸς μέν τινων ἀντιλέλεκται, δι’ οὓς οὐκ ἂν ἐν ὁμολογουμένοις τεθείη, ὑφ’ ἑτέρων δὲ ἀναγκαιότατον οἷς μάλιστα δεῖ στοιχειώσεως εἰσαγωγικῆς, κέκριται· ὅθεν ἤδη καὶ ἐν ἐκκλησίαις ἴσμεν αὐτὸ δεδημοσιευμένον, καὶ τῶν παλαιτάτων δὲ συγγραφέων κεχρημένους τινὰς αὐτῷ κατείληφα.

[7] ταῦτα εἰς παράστασιν τῶν τε ἀναντιρρήτων καὶ τῶν μὴ παρὰ πᾶσιν ὁμολογουμένων θείων γραμμάτων εἰρήσθω.

[1] ⁵ Ὅτι μὲν οὖν τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν κηρύσσων ὁ Παῦλος τοὺς ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ κύκλῳ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν καταβέβλητο θεμελίους, δῆλον ἐκ τῶν αὐτοῦ γένοιτ’ ἂν φωνῶν καὶ ἀφ’ ὧν ὁ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν ἱστόρησεν·

[2] καὶ ἐκ τῶν Πέτρου δὲ λέξεων ἐν ὁπόσαις καὶ οὗτος ἐπαρχίαις τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς τὸν Χριστὸν εὐαγγελιζόμενος τὸν τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης παρεδίδου ⁶ λόγον, σαφὲς ἂν εἴη ἀφ’ ἧς εἰρήκαμεν ὁμολογουμένης αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολῆς, ἐν ᾗ τοῖς ἐξ Ἑβραίων οὖσιν ἐν διασπορᾷ Πόντου καὶ Γαλατίας Καππαδοκίας τε καὶ Ἀσίας καὶ Βιθυνίας γράφει.

[3] ὅσοι δὲ τούτων καὶ τίνες γνήσιοι ζηλωταὶ γεγονότες τὰς πρὸς αὐτῶν ἱδρυθείσας ἱκανοὶ ποιμαίνειν ἐδοκιμάσθησαν ἐκκλησίας, οὐ ῥᾴδιον εἰπεῖν, μὴ ὅτι γε ὅσους ἄν τις ἐκ τῶν Παύλου φωνῶν ἀναλέξοιτο·

[4] τούτου γὰρ οὖν μυρίοι συνεργοὶ καί, ὡς αὐτὸς ὠνόμασεν, συστρατιῶται γεγόνασιν, ὧν οἱ ⁷ πλείους ἀλήστου πρὸς αὐτοῦ μνήμης ἠξίωνται, ⁸ διηνεκῆ τὴν περὶ αὐτῶν μαρτυρίαν ταῖς ἰδίαις ἐπιστολαῖς ἐγκαταλέξαντος, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν τοὺς γνωρίμους αὐτοῦ καταλέγων ἐξ ὀνόματος αὐτῶν μνημονεύει.

[5] Τιμόθεός ⁹ γε μὴν τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ παροικίας ἱστορεῖται πρῶτος τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν εἰληχέναι, ὡς καὶ Τίτος τῶν ἐπὶ Κρήτης ἐκκλησιῶν.

[6] Λουκᾶς δὲ τὸ μὲν γένος ὢν τῶν ἀπ’ Ἀντιοχείας, τὴν ἐπιστήμην δὲ ἰατρός, τὰ πλεῖστα συγγεγονὼς τῷ Παύλῳ, καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς δὲ οὐ παρέργως τῶν ἀποστόλων ὡμιληκώς, ἧς ἀπὸ τούτων προσεκτήσατο ψυχῶν θεραπευτικῆς ἐν δυσὶν ἡμῖν ὑποδείγματα θεοπνεύστοις κατέλιπεν βιβλίοις, τῷ τε εὐαγγελίῳ, ὃ ¹⁰ καὶ χαράξαι μαρτύρεται καθ’ ἃ παρέδοσαν αὐτῷ οἱ ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται γενόμενοι τοῦ λόγου, οἷς καί φησιν ἔτ’ ἄνωθεν ἅπασι παρηκολουθηκέναι, καὶ ταῖς τῶν ἀποστόλων Πράξεσιν, ἃς οὐκέτι δι’ ἀκοῆς, ὀφθαλμοῖς δὲ παραλαβὼν συνετάξατο.

[7] φασὶν δ’ ὡς ἄρα τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν εὐαγγελίου μνημονεύειν ὁ Παῦλος εἴωθεν, ὁπηνίκα ὡς περὶ ἰδίου τινὸς εὐαγγελίου γράφων ἔλεγεν κατὰ ¹¹ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου.

[8] τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν ἀκολούθων ¹² τοῦ Παύλου Κρήσκης μὲν ἐπὶ τὰς Γαλλίας στειλάμενος ¹³ ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ μαρτυρεῖται, Λίνος δὲ, οὗ μέμνηται συνόντος ἐπὶ Ῥώμης αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν δευτέραν πρὸς Τιμόθεον ἐπιστολήν, πρῶτος μετὰ Πέτρον τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἤδη πρότερον ¹⁴ κληρωθεὶς δεδήλωται·

[9] ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Κλήμης, τῆς Ῥωμαίων καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκκλησίας τρίτος ἐπίσκοπος καταστάς, Παύλου συνεργὸς καὶ συναθλητὴς γεγονέναι πρὸς αὐτοῦ μαρτυρεῖται.

[10] ἐπὶ τούτοις καὶ τὸν Ἀρεοπαγίτην ἐκεῖνον, Διονύσιος ¹⁵ ὄνομα αὐτῷ, ὃν ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι μετὰ τὴν ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ πρὸς Ἀθηναίους Παύλου δημηγορίαν πρῶτον πιστεῦσαι ἀνέγραψεν ὁ Λουκᾶς, τῆς ἐν Ἀθήναις ἐκκλησίας πρῶτον ἐπίσκοπον ἀρχαίων τις ἕτερος Διονύσιος, τῆς Κορινθίων παροικίας ποιμήν, γεγονέναι ἱστορεῖ.

[11] ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὁδῷ προβαίνουσιν, ἐπὶ καιροῦ τὰ τῆς κατὰ χρόνους τῶν ἀποστόλων διαδοχῆς ἡμῖν εἰρήσεται· νῦν δ’ ἐπὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ἴωμεν τῆς ἱστορίας.

[1] ¹⁶ Μετὰ Νέρωνα δέκα πρὸς τρισὶν ἔτεσιν τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπικρατήσαντα τῶν ἀμφὶ Γάλβαν καὶ Ὄθωνα ἐνιαυτὸν ἐπὶ μησὶν ἓξ διαγενομένων, Οὐεσπασιανός, ταῖς κατὰ Ἰουδαίων παρατάξεσιν λαμπρυνόμενος, βασιλεὺς ἐπ’ αὐτῆς ἀναδείκνυται τῆς ¹⁷ Ἰουδαίας, αὐτοκράτωρ πρὸς τῶν αὐτόθι στρατοπέδων ἀναγορευθείς. τὴν ἐπὶ Ῥώμης οὖν αὐτίκα στειλάμενος, Τίτῳ τῷ παιδὶ τὸν κατὰ Ἰουδαίων ἐγχειρίζει πόλεμον.

[2] μετά γε μὴν τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀνάληψιν Ἰουδαίων πρὸς τῷ κατ’ αὐτοῦ τολμήματι ἤδη καὶ κατὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων αὐτοῦ πλείστας ὅσας ἐπιβουλὰς μεμηχανημένων, πρώτου τε Στεφάνου λίθοις ὑπ’ αὐτῶν ἀνῃρημένου, εἶτα δὲ μετ’ αὐτὸν Ἰακώβου, ὃς ἦν Ζεβεδαίου μὲν παῖς, ἀδελφὸς δὲ Ἰωάννου, τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποτμηθέντος, ἐπὶ πᾶσί τε Ἰακώβου, τοῦ τὸν αὐτόθι τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς θρόνον πρώτου μετὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀνάληψιν κεκληρωμένου, τὸν προδηλωθέντα τρόπον μεταλλάξαντος, τῶν τε λοιπῶν ἀποστόλων μυρία εἰς θάνατον ἐπιβεβουλευμένων καὶ τῆς μὲν Ἰουδαίας γῆς ἀπεληλαμένων, ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ τοῦ κηρύγματος διδασκαλίᾳ τὴν εἰς σύμπαντα τὰ ἔθνη στειλαμένων πορείαν σὺν δυνάμει τοῦ ¹⁸ Χριστοῦ, φήσαντος αὐτοῖς πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου,

[3] οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐκκλησίας κατά τινα χρησμὸν τοῖς αὐτόθι δοκίμοις δι’ ἀποκαλύψεως ἐκδοθέντα πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου μεταναστῆναι τῆς πόλεως καί τινα τῆς Περαίας πόλιν οἰκεῖν κεκελευσμένου, Πέλλαν αὐτὴν ὀνομάζουσιν, ἐν ᾗ τῶν εἰς Χριστὸν πεπιστευκότων ἀπὸ τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ μετῳκισμένων, ὡς ἂν παντελῶς ἐπιλελοιπότων ἁγίων ἀνδρῶν αὐτήν τε τὴν Ἰουδαίων βασιλικὴν μητρόπολιν καὶ σύμπασαν τὴν Ἰουδαίαν γῆν, ἡ ἐκ θεοῦ δίκη λοιπὸν αὐτοὺς ἅτε τοσαῦτα εἴς τε τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους αὐτοῦ παρηνομηκότας μετῄει, τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἄρδην τὴν γενεὰν αὐτὴν ἐκείνην ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανίζουσα.

[4] ὅσα μὲν οὖν τηνικάδε κατὰ πάντα τόπον ὅλῳ τῷ ἔθνει συνερρύη κακά, ὅπως τε μάλιστα οἱ τῆς Ἰουδαίας οἰκήτορες εἰς ἔσχατα περιηλάθησαν συμφορῶν, ὁπόσαι τε μυριάδες ἡβηδὸν γυναιξὶν ἅμα καὶ παισὶ ξίφει καὶ λιμῷ καὶ μυρίοις ἄλλοις εἴδεσι περιπεπτώκασιν θανάτου, πόλεών τε Ἰουδαϊκῶν ὅσαι τε καὶ οἷαι γεγόνασιν πολιορκίαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁπόσα οἱ ἐπ’ αὐτὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὡς ἂν ἐπὶ μητρόπολιν ὀχυρωτάτην καταπεφευγότες δεινὰ καὶ πέρα δεινῶν ἑοράκασι, τοῦ τε παντὸς πολέμου τὸν τρόπον καὶ τῶν ἐν τούτῳ γεγενημένων ἐν ¹⁹ μέρει ἕκαστα, καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ τέλει τὸ πρὸς τῶν προφητῶν ²⁰ ἀνηγορευμένον βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως ἐν ²¹ αὐτῷ κατέστη τῷ πάλαι τοῦ θεοῦ περιβοήτῳ νεῷ, παντελῆ φθορὰν καὶ ἀφανισμὸν ἔσχατον τὸν διὰ πυρὸς ὑπομείναντι, πάρεστιν ὅτῳ φίλον, ἐπ’ ἀκριβὲς ἐκ τῆς τῷ Ἰωσήπῳ γραφείσης ἀναλέξασθαι ²² ἱστορίας·

[5] ὡς δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος τῶν ἀθροισθέντων ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἁπάσης ἐν ἡμέραις τῆς τοῦ πάσχα ἑορτῆς ὥσπερ ἐν εἰρκτῇ ῥήμασιν αὐτοῖς ἀποκλεισθῆναι εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀμφὶ τριακοσίας μυριάδας τὸ πλῆθος ἱστορεῖ, ἀναγκαῖον ὑποσημήνασθαι.

[6] χρῆν δ’ οὖν ἐν αἷς ἡμέραις τὸν πάντων σωτῆρα καὶ εὐεργέτην Χριστόν τε τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ κατὰ τὸ πάθος διατέθεινται, ταῖς αὐταῖς ὥσπερ ἐν εἱρκτῇ κατακλεισθέντας τὸν μετελθόντα αὐτοὺς ὄλεθρον πρὸς τῆς θείας δίκης καταδέξασθαι.

[7] Παρελθὼν δὴ τὰ τῶν ἐν μέρει συμβεβηκότων αὐτοῖς ὅσα διὰ ξίφους καὶ ἄλλῳ τρόπῳ κατ’ αὐτῶν ἐγκεχείρηται, μόνας τὰς διὰ τοῦ λιμοῦ ἀναγκαῖον ἡγοῦμαι συμφορὰς παραθέσθαι, ὡς ἂν ἐκ μέρους ἔχοιεν οἱ τῇδε τῇ γραφῇ ἐντυγχάνοντες εἰδέναι ὅπως αὐτοὺς τῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ παρανομίας οὐκ εἰς μακρὸν ἡ ἐκ θεοῦ μετῆλθεν τιμωρία.

[1] φέρε δὴ οὖν, τῶν Ἱστοριῶν τὴν πέμπτην τοῦ Ἰωσήπου μετὰ χεῖρας αὖθις ἀναλαβών, τῶν τότε πραχθέντων δίελθε ²³ τὴν τραγῳδίαν· τοῖς γε μὴν εὐπόροις φησί καὶ τὸ μένειν πρὸς ἀπωλείας ἴσον ἦν· προφάσει γὰρ αὐτομολίας ἀνῃρεῖτό τις διὰ τὴν οὐσίαν. τῷ λιμῷ δ’ ἡ ἀπόνοια τῶν στασιαστῶν συνήκμαζεν, καὶ καθ’ ἡμέραν ἀμφότερα προσεξεκάετο τὰ δεινά.

[2] φανερὸς μέν γε οὐδαμοῦ σῖτος ἦν, ἐπεισπηδῶντες δὲ διηρεύνων τὰς οἰκίας, ἔπειθ’ εὑρόντες μὲν ὡς ἀρνησαμένους ᾐκίζοντο, μὴ εὑρόντες δὲ ὡς ἐπιμελέστερον κρύψαντας ἐβασάνιζον. τεκμήριον δὲ τοῦ τ’ ἔχειν καὶ μή, τὰ σώματα τῶν ἀθλίων· ὧν οἱ μὲν ἔτι συνεστῶτες εὐπορεῖν τροφῆς ἐδόκουν, οἱ τηκόμενοι δὲ ἤδη παρωδεύοντο, καὶ κτείνειν ἄλογον ἐδόκει τοὺς ὑπ’ ἐνδείας τεθνηξομένους αὐτίκα.

[3] πολλοὶ δὲ λάθρα τὰς κτήσεις ἑνὸς ἀντικατηλλάξαντο μέτρου, πυρῶν μέν, εἰ πλουσιώτεροι τυγχάνοιεν ὄντες, οἱ δὲ πενέστεροι κριθῆς· ἔπειτα κατακλείοντες ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὰ μυχαίτατα τῶν οἰκιῶν, τινὲς μὲν ὑπ’ ἄκρας ἐνδείας ἀνέργαστον τὸν σῖτον ἤσθιον, οἳ δ’ ἔπεσσον ὡς ἥ τε ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸ δέος παρῄνει,

[4] καὶ τράπεζα μὲν οὐδαμοῦ παρετίθετο, τοῦ δὲ πυρὸς ὑφέλκοντες ἔτ’ ὠμὰ τὰ σιτία διήρπαζον. ἐλεεινὴ δ’ ἦν ἡ τροφὴ καὶ δακρύων ἄξιος ἡ θέα, τῶν μὲν δυνατωτέρων πλεονεκτούντων, τῶν δὲ ἀσθενῶν ὀδυρομένων.

[5] πάντων μὲν δὴ παθῶν ὑπερίσταται λιμός, οὐδὲν δ’ οὕτως ἀπόλλυσιν ὡς αἰδῶ· τὸ γὰρ ἄλλως ἐντροπῆς ἄξιον ἐν τούτῳ καταφρονεῖται. γυναῖκες γοῦν ἀνδρῶν καὶ παῖδες πατέρων καί. τὸ οἰκτρότατον, μητέρες νηπίων ἐξήρπαζον ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν στομάτων τὰς τροφάς, καὶ τῶν φιλτάτων ἐν χερσὶ μαραινομένων οὐκ ἦν φειδὼ τοὺς τοῦ ζῆν ἀφελέσθαι σταλαγμούς.

[6] τοιαῦτα δ’ ἐσθίοντες, ὅμως οὐ διελάνθανον, πανταχοῦ δ’ ἐφίσταντο οἱ στασιασταὶ καὶ τούτων ταῖς ἁρπαγαῖς. ὁπότε γὰρ κατίδοιεν ἀποκεκλεισμένην οἰκίαν, σημεῖον ἦν τοῦτο τοὺ ςἔνδον προσφέρεσθαι τροφήν, εὐθέως δ’ ἐξαράξαντες τὰς θύρας εἰσεπήδων, καὶ μόνον οὐκ ἐκ τῶν φαρύγγων ἀναθλίβοντες τὰς ἀκόλους ἀνέφερον.

[7] ἐτύπτοντο δὲ γέροντες ἀντεχόμενοι τῶν σιτίων, καὶ κόμης ἐσπαράσσοντο γυναῖκες συγκαλύπτουσαι τὰ ἐν χερσίν, οὐδέ τις ἦν οἶκτος πολιᾶς ἢ νηπίων, ἀλλὰ συνεπαίροντες τὰ παιδία τῶν ψωμῶν ἐκκρεμάμενα κατέσειον εἰς ἔδαφος. τοῖς δὲ φθάσασι τὴν εἰσδρομὴν αὐτῶν καὶ προκαταπιοῦσιν τὸ ἁρπαγησόμενον ὡς ἀδικηθέντες ἦσαν ὠμότεροι,

[8] δεινὰς δὲ βασάνων ὁδοὺς ἐπενόουν πρὸς ἔρευναν τροφῆς, ὀρόβοις μὲν ἐμφράττοντες τοῖς ἀθλίοις τοὺς τῶν αἰδοίων πόρους, ῥάβδοις δ’ ὀξείαις ἀναπείροντες τὰς ἕδρας· τὰ φρικτὰ δὲ καὶ ἀκοαῖς ἔπασχέ τις εἰς ἐξομολόγησιν ἑνὸς ἄρτου καὶ ἵνα μηνύσῃ δράκα μίαν κεκρυμμένων ἀλφίτων.

[9] οἱ βασανισταὶ δ’ οὐδ’ ἐπείνων (καὶ γὰρ ἧττον ἂν ὠμὸν ἦν τὸ μετὰ ἀνάγκης), γυμνάζοντες δὲ τὴν ἀπόνοιαν καὶ προπαρασκευάζοντες ἑαυτοῖς εἰς τὰς ἑξῆς ἡμέρας ἐφόδια.

[10] τοῖς δ’ ἐπὶ τὴν Ῥωμαίων φρουρὰν νύκτωρ ἐξερπύσασιν ἐπὶ λαχάνων συλλογὴν ἀγρίων καὶ πόας ὑπαντῶντες, ὅτ’ ἤδη διαπεφευγέναι τοὺς πολεμίους ἐδόκουν, ἀφήρπαζον τὰ κομισθέντα, καὶ πολλάκις ἱκετευόντων καὶ τὸ φρικτότατον ἐπικαλουμένων ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ μεταδοῦναί τι μέρος αὐτοῖς ὧν κινδυνεύσαντες ἤνεγκαν, οὐδ’ ὁτιοῦν μετέδοσαν, ἀγαπητὸν δ’ ἦν τὸ μὴ καὶ προσαπολέσθαι σεσυλημένον.

[11] ²⁴ Τούτοις μεθ’ ἕτερα ἐπιφέρει λέγων· Ἰουδαίοις δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἐξόδων ἀπεκόπη πᾶσα σωτηρίας ἐλπίς, καὶ βαθύνας ἑαυτὸν ὁ λιμὸς κατ’ οἴκους καὶ γενεὰς τὸν δῆμον ἐπεβόσκετο, καὶ τὰ μὲν τέγη πεπλήρωτο γυναικῶν καὶ βρεφῶν λελυμένων,

[12] οἱ στενωποὶ δὲ γερόντων νεκρῶν, παῖδες δὲ καὶ νεανίαι διοιδοῦντες ὥσπερ εἴδωλα κατὰ τὰς ἀγορὰς ἀνειλοῦντο καὶ κατέπιπτον ὅπῃ τινὰ τὸ πάθος καταλαμβάνοι. θάπτειν δὲ τοὺς προσήκοντας οὔτε ἴσχυον οἱ κάμνοντες καὶ τὸ διευτονοῦν ὤκνει διά τε τὸ πλῆθος τῶν νεκρῶν καὶ τὸ κατὰ σφᾶς ἄδηλον· πολλοὶ γοῦν τοῖς ὑπ’ αὐτῶν θαπτομένοις ἐπαπέθνῃσκον, πολλοὶ δ’ ἐπὶ τὰς θήκας, πρὶν ἐπιστῆναι τὸ χρεών, προῆλθον.

[13] οὔτε δὲ θρῆνος ἐν ταῖς συμφοραῖς οὔτε ὀλοφυρμὸς ἦν, ἀλλ’ ὁ λιμὸς ἤλεγχε τὰ πάθη, ξηροῖς δὲ τοῖς ὄμμασιν οἱ δυσθανατοῦντες ἐθεώρουν τοὺς φθάσαντας ἀναπαύσασθαι, βαθεῖα δὲ τὴν πόλιν περιεῖχεν σιγὴ καὶ νὺξ θανάτου γέμουσα.

[14] καὶ τούτων οἱ λῃσταὶ χαλεπώτεροι. τυμβωρυχοῦντες γοῦν τὰς οἰκίας, ἐσύλων τοὺς νεκρούς, καὶ τὰ καλύμματα τῶν σωμάτων περισπῶντες, μετὰ γέλωτος ἐξῄεσαν, τάς τε ἀκμὰς τῶν ξιφῶν ἐδοκίμαζον ἐν τοῖς πτώμασιν, καί τινας τῶν ἐρριμμένων ἔτι ζῶντας διήλαυνον ἐπὶ πείρᾳ τοῦ σιδήρου, τοὺς δ’ ἱκετεύοντας χρῆσαι σφίσιν δεξιὰν καὶ ξίφος, τῷ λιμῷ κατέλιπον ὑπερηφανοῦντες, καὶ τῶν ἐκπνεόντων ἕκαστος ἀτενὲς εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἀφεώρα, τοὺς στασιαστὰς ζῶντας ἀπολιπών.

[15] οἳ δὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐκ τοῦ δημοσίουθησαυροῦ τοὺς νεκροὺς θάπτειν ἐκέλευον, τὴν ὀσμὴν οὐ φέροντες· ἔπειθ’ ὡς οὐ διήρκουν, ἀπὸ τῶν τειχῶν ἐρρίπτουν εἰς τὰς φάραγγας. περιιὼν δὲ ταύτας ὁ Τίτος ὡς ἐθεάσατο πεπλησμένας τῶν νεκρῶν καὶ βαθὺν ἰχῶρα μυδώντων τὸν ὑπορρέοντα τῶν σωμάτων, ἐστέναξέν τε καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀνατείνας κατεμαρτύρατο τὸν θεόν, ὡς οὐκ εἴη τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ.

[16] ²⁵ Τούτοις ἐπειπών τινα μεταξὺ ἐπιφέρει λέγων· οὐκ ἂν ὑποστειλαίμην εἰπεῖν ἅ μοι κελεύει τὸ πάθος· οἶμαι Ῥωμαίων βραδυνάντων ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀλιτηρίους, ἢ καταποθῆναι ἂν ὑπὸ χάσματος ἢ κατακλυσθῆναι τὴν πόλιν ἢ τοὺς τῆς Σοδομηνῆς μεταλαβεῖν κεραυνούς· πολὺ γὰρ τῶν ταῦτα παθόντων ἤνεγκεν γενεὰν ἀθεωτέραν· τῇ γοῦν τούτων ἀπονοίᾳ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς συναπώλετο.²⁶

[17] καὶ ἐν τῷ ἕκτῳ δὲ βιβλίῳ οὕτως γράφει. τῶν δ’ ὑπὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ φθειρομένων κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ἄπειρον μὲν ἔπιπτε τὸ πλῆθος, ἀδιήγητα δὲ συνέβαινεν τὰ πάθη. καθ’ ἑκάστην γὰρ οἰκίαν, εἴ που τροφῆς παραφανείη σκιά, πόλεμος ἦν, καὶ διὰ χειρῶν ἐχώρουν οἱ φίλτατοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ἐξαρπάζοντες τὰ ταλαίπωρα τῆς ψυχῆς ἐφόδια, πίστις δ’ ἀπορίας οὐδὲ τοῖς θνῄσκουσιν ἦν,

[18] ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐμπνέοντας οἱ λῃσταὶ διηρεύνων, μή τις ὑπὸ κόλπον ἔχων τροφήν, σκήπτοιτο τὸν θάνατον αὐτῷ. οἳ δ’ ὑπ’ ἐνδείας κεχηνότες ὥσπερ λυσσῶντες κύνες ἐσφάλλοντο καὶ παρεφέροντο ταῖς τε θύραις ἐνσειόμενοι μεθυόντων τρόπον καὶ ὑπ’ ἀμηχανίας τοὺς αὐτοὺς οἴκους εἰσεπήδων δὶς ἢ τρὶς ὥρᾳ μιᾷ.

[19] πάντα δ’ ὑπ’ ὀδόντας ἦγεν ἡ ἀνάγκη, καὶ τὰ μηδὲ τοῖς ῥυπαρωτάτοις τῶν ἀλόγων ζῴων πρόσφορα συλλέγοντες ἐσθίειν ὑπέφερον. ζωστήρων γοῦν καὶ ὑποδημάτων τὸ τελευταῖον οὐκ ἀπέσχοντο καὶ τὰ δέρματα τῶν θυρεῶν ἀποδέροντες ἐμασῶντο, τροφὴ δ’ ἦν καὶ χόρτου τισὶν παλαιοῦ σπαράγματα· τὰς γὰρ ἶνας ἔνιοι συλλέγοντες, ἐλάχιστον σταθμὸν ἐπώλουν Ἀττικῶν τεσσάρων.

[20] καὶ τί δεῖ τὴν ἐπ’ ἀψύχοις ἀναίδειαν τοῦ λιμοῦ λέγειν; εἶμι γὰρ αὐτοῦ δηλώσων ἔργον ὁποῖον μήτε παρ’ Ἕλλησιν μήτε παρὰ βαρβάροις ἱστόρηται, φρικτὸν μὲν εἰπεῖν, ἄπιστον δ’ ἀκοῦσαι. καὶ ἔγωγε, μὴ δόξαιμι τερατεύεσθαι τοῖς αὖθις ἀνθρώποις, κἂν παρέλιπον τὴν συμφορὰν ἡδέως, εἰ μὴ τῶν κατ’ ἐμαυτὸν εἶχον ἀπείρους μάρτυρας· ἄλλως τε καὶ ψυχρὰν ἂν καταθείμην τῇ πατρίδι χάριν, καθυφέμενος τὸν λόγον ὧν πέπονθε τὰ ἔργα.

[21] γυνὴ τῶν ὑπὲρ Ἰορδάνην κατοικούντων, Μαρία τοὔνομα, πατρὸς Ἐλεαζάρου, κώμης Βαθεζώρ (σημαίνει δὲ τοῦτο οἶκος ὑσσώπου), διὰ γένος καὶ πλοῦτον ἐπίσημος, μετὰ τοῦ λοιποῦ πλήθους εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα καταφυγοῦσα συνεπολιορκεῖτο.

[22] ταύτης τὴν μὲν ἄλλην κτῆσιν οἱ τύραννοι διήρπασαν, ὅσην ἐκ τῆς Περαίας ἀνασκευασαμένη μετήνεγκεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, τὰ δὲ λείψανα τῶν κειμηλίων καὶ εἴ τι τροφῆς ἐπινοηθείη καθ’ ἡμέραν εἰσπηδῶντες ἥρπαζον οἱ δορυφόροι. δεινὴ δὲ τὸ γύναιον ἀγανάκτησις εἰσῄει, καὶ πολλάκις λοιδοροῦσα καὶ καταρωμένη τοὺς ἅρπαγας ἐφ’ ἑαυτὴν ἠρέθιζεν.

[23] ὡς δ’ οὔτε παροξυνόμενός τις οὔτ’ ἐλεῶν αὐτὴν ἀνῄρει καὶ τὸ μὲν εὑρεῖν τι σιτίον ἄλλοις ἐκοπία, πανταχόθεν δ’ ἄπορον ἦν ἤδη καὶ τὸ εὑρεῖν, ὁ λιμὸς δὲ διὰ σπλάγχνων καὶ μυελῶν ἐχώρει καὶ τοῦ λιμοῦ μᾶλλον ἐξέκαιον οἱ θυμοί, σύμβουλον λαβοῦσα τὴν ὀργὴν μετὰ τῆς ἀνάγκης, ἐπὶ τὴν φύσιν ἐχώρει, καὶ τὸ τέκνον, ἦν δ’ αὐτῇ παῖς ὑπομάστιος, ἁρπασαμένη,

[24] βρέφος, εἶπεν, ἄθλιον, ἐν πολέμῳ καὶ λιμῷ καὶ στάσει, τίνι σε τηρῶ; τὰ μὲν παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις δουλεία κἂν ζήσωμεν ἐπ’ αὐτούς, φθάνει δὲ καὶ δουλείαν ὁ λιμός, οἱ στασιασταὶ δὲ ἀμφοτέρων χαλεπώτεροι. ἴθι, γενοῦ μοι τροφὴ καὶ τοῖς στασιασταῖς ἐρινὺς καὶ τῷ βίῳ μῦθος, ὁ μόνος ἐλλείπων ταῖς Ἰουδαίων συμφοραῖς.

[25] καὶ ταῦθ’ ἅμα λέγουσα κτείνει τὸν υἱόν, ἔπειτ’ ὀπτήσασα, τὸ μὲν ἥμισυ κατεσθίει, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν κατακαλύψασα ἐφύλαττεν. εὐθέως δ’ οἱ στασιασταὶ παρῆσαν καὶ τῆς ἀθεμίτου κνίσης σπάσαντες, ἠπείλουν, εἰ μὴ δείξειεν τὸ παρασκευασθέν, ἀποσφάξειν αὐτὴν εὐθέως· ἣ δὲ καὶ μοῖραν αὐτοῖς εἰποῦσα καλὴν τετηρηκέναι, τὰ λείψανα τοῦ τέκνου διεκάλυψεν.

[26] τοὺς δ’ εὐθέως φρίκη καὶ φρενῶν ἔκστασις ᾕρει, καὶ παρὰ τὴν ὄψιν ἐπεπήγεσαν. ἣ δ’, ἐμόν, ἔφη, τοῦτο τὸ τέκνον γνήσιον, καὶ τὸ ἔργον ἐμόν. φάγετε, καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ βέβρωκα· μὴ γένησθε μήτε μαλακώτεροι γυναικὸς μήτε συμπαθέστεροι μητρός. εἰ δ’ ὑμεῖς εὐσεβεῖς καὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ἀποστρέφεσθε θυσίαν, ἐγὼ μὲν ὑμῖν βέβρωκα, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν δ’ ἐμοὶ μεινάτω.

[27] μετὰ ταῦθ’ οἳ μὲν τρέμοντες ἐξῄεσαν, πρὸς ἓν τοῦτο δειλοὶ καὶ μόλις ταύτης τῆς τροφῆς τῇ μητρὶ παραχωρήσαντες, ἀνεπλήσθη δ’ εὐθέως ὅλη τοῦ μύσους ἡ πόλις, καὶ πρὸ ὀμμάτων ἕκαστος τὸ πάθος λαμβάνων ὡς παρ’ αὐτῷ τολμηθέν, ἔφριττεν.

[28] σπουδὴ δὲ τῶν λιμωττόντων ἐπὶ τὸν θάνατον ἦν καὶ μακαρισμὸς τῶν φθασάντων πρὶν ἀκοῦσαι καὶ θεάσασθαι κακὰ τηλικαῦτα.

[1] Τοιαῦτα τῆς Ἰουδαίων εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ παρανομίας τε καὶ δυσσεβείας τἀπίχειρα, παραθεῖναι δ’ αὐτοῖς ἄξιον καὶ τὴν ἀψευδῆ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν πρόρρησιν, δι’ ἧς αὐτὰ ταῦτα ²⁷ δηλοῖ ὧδέ πως προφητεύων οὐαὶ δὲ ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις· προσεύχεσθε δὲ ἵνα μὴ γένηται ὑμῶν ἡ φυγὴ χειμῶνος μηδὲ σαββάτῳ. ἔσται γὰρ τότε θλῖψις μεγάλη, οἵα οὐκ ἐγένετο ἀπ’ ²⁸ ἀρχῆς κόσμου ἕως τοῦ νῦν, οὐδὲ μὴ γένηται.

[2] συναγαγὼν δὲ πάντα τὸν τῶν ἀνῃρημένων ἀριθμὸν ὁ συγγραφεὺς λιμῷ καὶ ξίφει μυριάδας ἑκατὸν καὶ δέκα διαφθαρῆναί φησιν, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς στασιώδεις καὶ λῃστρικούς, ὑπ’ ἀλλήλων μετὰ τὴν ἅλωσιν ἐνδεικνυμένους, ἀνῃρῆσθαι, τῶν δὲ νέων τοὺς ὑψηλοτάτους καὶ κάλλει σώματος διαφέροντας τετηρῆσθαι θριάμβῳ, τοῦ δὲ λοιποῦ πλήθους τοὺς ὑπὲρ ἑπτακαίδεκα ἔτη δεσμίους εἰς τὰ κατ’ Αἴγυπτον ἔργα παραπεμφθῆναι, πλείους δὲ εἰς τὰς ἐπαρχίας διανενεμῆσθαι φθαρησομένους ἐν τοῖς θεάτροις σιδήρῳ καὶ θηρίοις, τοὺς δ’ ἐντὸς ἑπτακαίδεκα ἐτῶν αἰχμαλώτους ἀχθέντας διαπεπρᾶσθαι, τούτων δὲ μόνων τὸν ἀριθμὸν εἰς ἐννέα μυριάδας ἀνδρῶν συναχθῆναι.

[3] Ταῦτα δὲ τοῦτον ἐπράχθη τὸν τρόπον δευτέρῳ τῆς Οὐεσπασιανοῦ βασιλείας ἔτει ἀκολούθως ταῖς προγνωστικαῖς τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ προρρήσεσιν, θείᾳ δυνάμει ὥσπερ ἤδη παρόντα προεορακότος αὐτὰ ἐπιδακρύσαντός τε καὶ ἀποκλαυσαμένου κατὰ τὴν τῶν ἱερῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν γραφήν, οἳ καὶ αὐτὰς αὐτοῦ παρατέθεινται τὰς λέξεις, τοτὲ μὲν φήσαντος ὡς πρὸς ²⁹ αὐτὴν τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ

[4] εἰ ἔγνως καί γε σὺ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ τὰ πρὸς εἰρήνην σου· νῦν δὲ ἐκρύβη ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν σου· ὅτι ἥξουσιν ἡμέραι ἐπὶ σέ, καὶ περιβαλοῦσίν σοι οἱ ἐχθροί σου χάρακα, καὶ περικυκλώσουσίν σε, καὶ συνέξουσίν σε πάντοθεν, καὶ ἐδαφιοῦσίν σε καὶ τὰ τέκνα σου,

[5] τοτὲ δὲ ³⁰ ὡς περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ ἔσται γὰρ ἀνάγκη μεγάλη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ὀργὴ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ· καὶ πεσοῦνται ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας καὶ αἰχμαλωτισθήσονται εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη· καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἔσται πατουμένη ὑπὸ ἐθνῶν, ἄχρις οὗ πληρωθῶσιν καιροὶ ³¹ ἐθνῶν. καὶ πάλιν ὅταν δὲ ἴδητε κυκλουμένην ὑπὸ στρατοπέδων τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ, τότε γνῶτε ὅτι ἤγγικεν ἡ ἐρήμωσις αὐτῆς.

[6] συγκρίνας δέ τις τὰς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν λέξεις ταῖς λοιπαῖς τοῦ συγγραφέως ἱστορίαις ταῖς περὶ τοῦ παντὸς πολέμου, πῶς οὐκ ἂν ἀποθαυμάσειεν, θείαν ὡς ἀληθῶς καὶ ὑπερφυῶς παράδοξον τὴν πρόγνωσιν ὁμοῦ καὶ πρόρρησιν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ὁμολογήσας;

[7] Περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν μετὰ τὸ σωτήριον πάθος καὶ ³² τὰς φωνὰς ἐκείνας ἐν αἷς ἡ τῶν Ἰουδαίων πληθὺς ³³ τὸν μὲν λῃστὴν καὶ φονέα τοῦ θανάτου παρῄτηται, τὸν δ’ ἀρχηγὸν τῆς ζωῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἱκέτευσεν ἀρθῆναι, τῷ παντὶ συμβεβηκότων ἔθνει, οὐδὲν ἂν δέοι ταῖς ἱστορίαις ἐπιλέγειν, ταῦτα δ’ ἂν εἴη δίκαιον ἐπιθεῖναι,

[8] ἃ γένοιτ’ ἂν παραστατικὰ φιλανθρωπίας τῆς παναγάθου προνοίας, τεσσαράκοντα ἐφ’ ὅλοις ἔτεσιν μετὰ τὴν κατὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τόλμαν τὸν κατ’ αὐτῶν ὄλεθρον ὑπερθεμένης, ἐν ὅσοις τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν μαθητῶν πλείους Ἰάκωβός τε αὐτὸς ὁ τῇδε πρῶτος ἐπίσκοπος, τοῦ κυρίου χρηματίζων ἀδελφός, ἔτι τῷ βίῳ περιόντες καὶ ἐπ’ αὐτῆς τῆς Ἱεροσολύμων πόλεως τὰς διατριβὰς ποιούμενοι, ἕρκος ὥσπερ ὀχυρώτατον παρέμενον τῷ τόπῳ,

[9] τῆς θείας ἐπισκοπῆς εἰς ἔτι τότε μακροθυμούσης, εἰ ἄρα ποτὲ δυνηθεῖεν ἐφ’ οἷς ἔδρασαν, μετανοήσαντες συγγνώμης καὶ σωτηρίας τυχεῖν, καὶ πρὸς τῇ τοσαύτῃ μακροθυμίᾳ παραδόξους θεοσημείας τῶν μελλόντων αὐτοῖς μὴ μετανοήσασι συμβήσεσθαι παρασχομένης· ἃ καὶ αὐτὰ μνήμης ἠξιωμένα πρὸς τοῦ δεδηλωμένου συγγραφέως οὐδὲν οἷον τοῖς τῇδε προσιοῦσιν τῇ γραφῇ παραθεῖναι.

[1] Καὶ δὴ λαβὼν ἀνάγνωθι τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἕκτην τῶν Ἱστοριῶν αὐτῷ δεδηλωμένα ἐν τούτοις.

³⁴ Τὸν γοῦν ἄθλιον δῆμον οἱ μὲν ἀπατεῶνες καὶ καταψευδόμενοι τοῦ θεοῦ τηνικαῦτα παρέπειθον, τοῖς δ’ ἐναργέσι καὶ προσημαίνουσι τὴν μέλλουσαν ἐρημίαν τέρασιν οὔτε προσεῖχον οὔτ’ ἐπίστευον, ἀλλ’ ὡς ἐμβεβροντημένοι καὶ μήτε ὄμματα μήτε ψυχὴν ἔχοντες τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ κηρυγμάτων παρήκουον,

[2] τοῦτο μὲν ὅθ’ ὑπὲρ τὴν πόλιν ἄστρον ἔστη ῥομφαίᾳ παραπλήσιον καὶ παρατείνας ἐπ’ ἐνιαυτὸν κομήτης, τοῦτο δ’ ἡνίκα πρὸ τῆς ἀποστάσεως καὶ τοῦ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον κινήματος, ἀθροιζομένου τοῦ λαοῦ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀζύμων ἑορτήν, ὀγδόῃ Ξανθικοῦ μηνὸς κατὰ νυκτὸς ἐνάτην ὥραν, τοσοῦτον φῶς περιέλαμψεν τὸν βωμὸν καὶ τὸν ναόν, ὡς δοκεῖν ἡμέραν εἶναι λαμπράν, καὶ τοῦτο παρέτεινεν ἐφ’ ἡμίσειαν ὥραν· ὃ τοῖς μὲν ἀπείροις ἀγαθὸν ἐδόκει εἶναι, τοῖς δὲ ἱερογραμματεῦσι πρὸ τῶν ἀποβεβηκότων εὐθέως ἐκρίθη.

[3] καὶ κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ἑορτὴν βοῦς μὲν ἀχθεῖσα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως πρὸς τὴν θυσίαν ἔτεκεν ἄρνα ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ μέσῳ·

[4] ἡ δ’ ἀνατολικὴ πύλη τοῦ ἐνδοτέρω χαλκῆ μὲν οὖσα καὶ στιβαρωτάτη, κλειομένη δὲ περὶ δείλην μόλις ὑπ’ ἀνθρώπων εἴκοσι, καὶ μοχλοῖς μὲν ἐπερειδομένη σιδηροδέτοις, καταπῆγας δ’ ἔχουσα βαθυτάτους, ὤφθη κατὰ νυκτὸς ὥραν ἕκτην αὐτομάτως ἠνοιγμένη.

[5] μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἑορτὴν ἡμέραις οὐ πολλαῖς ὕστερον, μιᾷ καὶ εἰκάδι Ἀρτεμισίου μηνός, φάσμα τι δαιμόνιον ὤφθη μεῖζον πίστεως, τέρας δ’ ἂν ἔδοξεν εἶναι τὸ ῥηθησόμενον, εἰ μὴ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς θεασαμένοις ἱστόρητο καὶ τὰ ἐπακολουθήσαντα πάθη τῶν σημείων ἦν ἄξια· πρὸ γὰρ ἡλίου δύσεως ὤφθη μετέωρα περὶ πᾶσαν τὴν χώραν ἅρματα καὶ φάλαγγες ἔνοπλοι διᾴττουσαι τῶν νεφῶν καὶ κυκλούμεναι τὰς πόλεις.

[6] κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἑορτήν, ἣ πεντηκοστὴ καλεῖται, νύκτωρ οἱ ἱερεῖς παρελθόντες εἰς τὸ ἱερόν, ὥσπερ αὐτοῖς ἔθος ἦν, πρὸς τὰς λειτουργίας, πρῶτον μὲν κινήσεως ἔφασαν ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι καὶ κτύπου, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα φωνῆς ἀθρόας μεταβαίνομεν ἐντεῦθεν.

[7] τὸ δὲ τούτων φοβερώτερον, Ἰησοῦς γάρ τις ὄνομα, υἱὸς Ἀνανίου, τῶν ἰδιωτῶν, ἄγροικος, πρὸ τεσσάρων ἐτῶν τοῦ πολέμου, τὰ μάλιστα τῆς πόλεως εἰρηνευομένης καὶ εὐθηνούσης, ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τὴν ἑορτήν, ἐπεὶ σκηνοποιεῖσθαι πάντας ἔθος ἦν τῷ θεῷ, κατὰ τὸ ἱερὸν ἐξαπίνης ἀναβοᾶν ἤρξατο φωνὴ ἀπ’ ἀνατολῆς, φωνὴ ἀπὸ δύσεως, φωνὴ ἀπὸ τῶν τεσσάρων ἀνέμων, φωνὴ ἐπὶ Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ τὸν ναόν, φωνὴ ἐπὶ νυμφίους καὶ νύμφας, φωνὴ ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν λαόν. τοῦτο μεθ’ ἡμέραν καὶ νύκτωρ κατὰ πάντας τοὺς στενωποὺς περιῄει κεκραγώς.

[8] τῶν δ’ ἐπισήμων τινὲς δημοτῶν ἀγανακτήσαντες πρὸς τὸ κακόφημον, συλλαμβάνουσι τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ πολλαῖς αἰκίζονται πληγαῖς· ὃ δ’ οὔθ’ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ φθεγξάμενος οὔτε ἰδίᾳ πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας, ἃς καὶ πρότερον φωνὰς βοῶν διετέλει.

[9] νομίσαντες δ’ οἱ ἄρχοντες, ὅπερ ἦν, δαιμονιώτερον εἶναι τὸ κίνημα τἀνδρός, ἀνάγουσιν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις ἔπαρχον· ἔνθα μάστιξιν μέχρις ὀστέων ξαινόμενος οὔθ’ ἱκέτευσεν οὔτ’ ἐδάκρυσεν, ἀλλ’ ὡς ἐνῆν μάλιστα τὴν φωνὴν ὀλοφυρτικῶς παρεγκλίνων, πρὸς ἑκάστην ἀπεκρίνατο πληγήν αἲ αἲ Ἱεροσολύμοις.

[10] ³⁵ Ἕτερον δ’ ἔτι τούτου παραδοξότερον ὁ αὐτὸς ἱστορεῖ, χρησμόν τινα φάσκων ἐν ἱεροῖς γράμμασιν εὑρῆσθαι περιέχοντα ὡς κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας τις αὐτῶν ἄρξει τῆς οἰκουμένης, ὃν αὐτὸς μὲν ἐπὶ Οὐεσπασιανὸν πεπληρῶσθαι ἐξείληφεν·

[11] ἀλλ’ οὐχ ἁπάσης γε οὗτος ἀλλ’ ἢ μόνης ἦρξεν τῆς ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίους· δικαιότερον δ’ ἂν ἐπὶ τὸν Χριστὸν ἀναχθείη, πρὸς ὃν εἴρητο ὑπὸ ³⁶ τοῦ πατρὸς αἴτησαι παρ’ ἐμοῦ, καὶ δώσω σοι ἔθνη τὴν κληρονομίαν σου, καὶ τὴν κατάσχεσίν σου τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς, οὗ δὴ κατ’ αὐτὸ δὴ ³⁷ ἐκεῖνο τοῦ καιροῦ εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν.

[1] Ἐπὶ τούτοις ἅπασιν ἄξιον μηδ’ αὐτὸν τὸν Ἰώσηπον, τοσαῦτα τῇ μετὰ χεῖρας συμβεβλημένον ἱστορίᾳ, ὁπόθεν τε καὶ ἀφ’ οἵου γένους ὡρμᾶτο, ἀγνοεῖν. δηλοῖ δὲ πάλιν αὐτὸς καὶ ³⁸ τοῦτο, λέγων ὧδε Ἰώσηπος Ματθίου παῖς, ἐξ. Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεύς, αὐτός τε Ῥωμαίους πολεμήσας τὰ πρῶτα καὶ τοῖς ὕστερον παρατυχὼν ἐξ ἀνάγκης.

[2] μάλιστα δὲ τῶν κατ’ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ Ἰουδαίων οὐ παρὰ μόνοις τοῖς ὁμοεθνέσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις γέγονεν ἀνὴρ ἐπιδοξότατος, ὡς αὐτὸν μὲν ἀναθέσει ἀνδριάντος ἐπὶ τῆς Ῥωμαίων τιμηθῆναι πόλεως, τοὺς δὲ σπουδασθέντας αὐτῷ λόγους βιβλιοθήκης ἀξιωθῆναι.

[3] οὗτος δὴ πᾶσαν τὴν Ἰουδαϊκὴν ἀρχαιολογίαν ἐν ὅλοις εἴκοσι κατατέθειται συγγράμμασιν, τὴν δ’ ἱστορίαν τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν Ῥωμαϊκοῦ πολέμου ἐν ἑπτά, ³⁹ ἃ καὶ οὐ μόνον τῇ Ἑλλήνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ πατρίῳ φωνῇ παραδοῦναι αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ μαρτυρεῖ, ἄξιός γε ὢν διὰ τὰ λοιπὰ πιστεύεσθαι·

[4] καὶ ἕτερα δ’ αὐτοῦ φέρεται σπουδῆς ἄξια δύο, τὰ Περὶ τῆς Ἰουδαίων ἀρχαιότητος, ἐν οἷς καὶ ἀντιρρήσεις πρὸς Ἀπίωνα τὸν γραμματικόν, κατὰ Ἰουδαίων τηνικάδε συντάξαντα λόγον, πεποίηται καὶ πρὸς ἄλλους, οἳ διαβάλλειν καὶ αὐτοὶ τὰ πάτρια τοῦ Ἰουδαίων ἔθνους ἐπειράθησαν.

[5] τούτων ἐν τῷ προτέρῳ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῆς λεγομένης παλαιᾶς τῶν ἐνδιαθήκων γραφῶν τίθησι, τίνα τὰ παρ’ Ἑβραίοις ἀναντίρρητα, ὡς ἂν ἐξ ἀρχαίας παραδόσεως αὐτοῖς ῥήμασι διὰ τούτων διδάσκων.

[1] ⁴⁰ Οὐ μυριάδες οὖν βιβλίων εἰσὶ παρ’ ἡμῖν ἀσυμφώνων καὶ μαχομένων, δύο δὲ μόνα πρὸς τοῖς εἴκοσι βιβλία, τοῦ παντὸς ἔχοντα χρόνου τὴν ἀναγραφήν, τὰ δικαίως θεῖα πεπιστευμένα.

[2] καὶ τούτων πέντε μέν ἐστιν Μωυσέως, ἃ τούς τε νόμους περιέχει καὶ τὴν τῆς ἀνθρωπογονίας παράδοσιν μέχρι τῆς αὐτοῦ τελευτῆς· οὗτος ὁ χρόνος ἀπολείπει τρισχιλίων ὀλίγον ἐτῶν·

[3] ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς Μωυσέως τελευτῆς μέχρι τῆς Ἀρταξέρξου τοῦ μετὰ Ξέρξην Περσῶν βασιλέως οἱ μετὰ Μωυσῆν προφῆται τὰ κατ’ αὐτοὺς πραχθέντα συνέγραψαν ἐν τρισὶν καὶ δέκα βιβλίοις· αἱ δὲ λοιπαὶ τέσσαρες ὕμνους εἰς τὸν θεὸν καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὑποθήκας τοῦ βίου περιέχουσιν.

[4] ἀπὸ δὲ Ἀρταξέρξου μέχρι τοῦ καθ’ ἡμᾶς χρόνου γέγραπται μὲν ἕκαστα, πίστεως δ’ οὐχ ὁμοίας ἠξίωται τοῖς πρὸ αὐτῶν διὰ τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι τὴν τῶν προφητῶν ἀκριβῆ διαδοχήν.

[5] δῆλον δ’ ἐστὶν ἔργῳ πῶς ἡμεῖς πρόσιμεν τοῖς ἰδίοις γράμμασιν· τοσούτου γὰρ αἰῶνος ἤδη παρῳχηκότος οὔτε προσθεῖναί τις οὔτε ἀφελεῖν ἀπ’ αὐτῶν οὔτε μεταθεῖναι τετόλμηκεν, πᾶσι δὲ σύμφυτόν ἐστιν εὐθὺς ἐκ πρώτης γενέσεως Ἰουδαίοις τὸ νομίζειν αὐτὰ θεοῦ δόγματα καὶ τούτοις ἐπιμένειν καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, εἰ δέοι, θνῄσκειν ἡδέως.

[6] καὶ ταῦτα δὲ τοῦ συγγραφέως χρησίμως ὧδε παρατεθείσθω. πεπόνηται δὲ καὶ ἄλλο οὐκ ἀγεννὲς σπούδασμα τῷ ἀνδρί, Περὶ αὐτοκράτορος λογισμοῦ, ὅ τινες Μακκαβαϊκὸν ἐπέγραψαν τῷ τοὺς ἀγῶνας τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὕτω καλουμένοις Μακκαβαϊκοῖς συγγράμμαοιν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς τὸ θεῖον εὐσεβείας ἀνδρισαμένων Ἑβραίων περιέχειν,

[7] καὶ ⁴¹ πρὸς τῷ τέλει δὲ τῆς εἰκοστῆς Ἀρχαιολογίας ἐπισημαίνεται ὁ αὐτὸς ὡς ἂν προῃρημένος ἐν τέτταρσιν συγγράψαι βιβλίοις κατὰ τὰς πατρίους δόξας τῶν Ἰουδαίων περὶ θεοῦ καὶ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ καὶ περὶ τῶν νόμων, διὰ τί κατ’ αὐτοὺς τὰ μὲν ἔξεστι πράττειν, τὰ δὲ κεκώλυται, καὶ ⁴² ἄλλα δὲ αὐτῷ σπουδασθῆναι ὁ αὐτὸς ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις αὐτοῦ μνημονεύει λόγοις.

[8] πρὸς τούτοις εὔλογον καταλέξαι καὶ ἃς ἐπ’ αὐτοῦ τῆς Ἀρχαιολογίας τοῦ τέλους φωνὰς παρατέθειται, εἰς πίστωσιν τῆς τῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ παραληφθέντων ἡμῖν μαρτυρίας. διαβάλλων δῆτα Ἰοῦστον Τιβεριέα, ὁμοίως αὐτῷ τὰ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἱστορῆσαι χρόνους πεπειραμένον, ὡς μὴ τἀληθῆ συγγεγραφότα, πολλάς τε ἄλλας εὐθύνας ἐπαγαγὼν τῷ ἀνδρί, ταῦτα αὐτοῖς ῥήμασιν ἐπιλέγει

[9] οὐ ⁴³ μὴν ἐγώ σοι τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον περὶ τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ γραφῆς ἔδεισα, ἀλλ’ αὐτοῖς ἐπέδωκα τοῖς αὐτοκράτορσι τὰ βιβλία, μόνον οὐ τῶν ἔργων ἤδη βλεπομένων· συνῄδειν γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ τετηρηκότι τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας παράδοσιν, ἐφ’ ᾗ μαρτυρίας τεύξεσθαι προσδοκήσας οὐ διήμαρτον.

[10] καὶ ἄλλοις δὲ πολλοῖς ἐπέδωκα τὴν ἱστορίαν, ὧν ἔνιοι καὶ παρατετεύχεσαν τῷ πολέμῳ, καθάπερ βασιλεὺς Ἀγρίππας καί τινες αὐτοῦ τῶν συγγενῶν.

[11] ὁ μὲν γὰρ αὐτοκράτωρ Τίτος οὕτως ἐκ μόνων αὐτῶν ἐβουλήθη τὴν γνῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παραδοῦναι τῶν πράξεων, ὥστε χαράξας τῇ αὐτοῦ χειρὶ τὰ βιβλία δημοσιῶσαι προσέταξεν, ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς Ἀγρίππας ξβ ἔγραψεν ἐπιστολάς, τῇ τῆς ἀληθείας παραδόσει μαρτυρῶν.

Ἀφ’ ὧν καὶ δύο παρατίθησιν. ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν κατὰ τοῦτον ταύτῃ πη δεδηλώσθω.

[1] Ἴωμεν δ’ ἐπὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. μετὰ τὴν. Ἰακώβου μαρτυρίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτίκα γενομένην ἅλωσιν τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ λόγος κατέχει τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν τοῦ κυρίου μαθητῶν τοὺς εἰς ἔτι τῷ βίῳ λειπομένους ἐπὶ ταὐτὸν πανταχόθεν συνελθεῖν ἅμα τοῖς πρὸς γένους κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ κυρίου (πλείους γὰρ καὶ τούτων περιῆσαν εἰς ἔτι τότε τῷ βίῳ), βουλήν τε ὁμοῦ τοὺς πάντας περὶ τοῦ τίνα χρὴ τῆς Ἰακώβου διαδοχῆς ἐπικρῖναι ἄξιον, ποιήσασθαι, καὶ δὴ ἀπὸ ⁴⁴ μιᾶς γνώμης τοὺς πάντας Συμεῶνα τὸν τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, ⁴⁵ οὗ καὶ ἡ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου μνημονεύει γραφή, τοῦ τῆς αὐτόθι παροικίας θρόνου ἄξιον εἶναι δοκιμάσαι, ἀνεψιόν, ὥς γέ φασι, γεγονότα τοῦ σωτῆρος, τὸν γὰρ οὖν Κλωπᾶν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ὑπάρχειν Ἡγήσιππος ἱστορεῖ.

[1] καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις Οὐεσπασιανον μετὰ τὴν τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ἅλωσιν πάντας τοὺς ἀπὸ γένους Δαυίδ, ὡς μὴ περιλειφθείη τις παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς φυλῆς, ἀναζητεῖσθαι προστάξαι, μέγιστόν τε Ἰουδαίοις αὖθις ἐκ ταύτης διωγμὸν ἐπαρτηθῆναι τῆς αἰτίας.

[1] Ἐπὶ δέκα δὲ τὸν Οὐεσπασιανὸν ἔτεσιν βασιλεύσαντα αὐτοκράτωρ Τίτος ὁ παῖς διαδέχεται· οὗ κατὰ δεύτερον ἔτος τῆς βασιλείας Λίνος ἐπίσκοπος τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας δυοκαίδεκα τὴν λειτουργίαν ἐνιαυτοῖς κατασχών, Ἀνεγκλήτῳ ταύτην παραδίδωσιν.

Τίτον δὲ Δομετιανὸς ἀδελφὸς διαδέχεται, δύο ἔτεσι καὶ μησὶ τοῖς ἴσοις βασιλεύσαντα.

[1] τετάρτῳ μὲν οὖν ἔτει Δομετιανοῦ τῆς κατ’ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν παροικίας ὁ πρῶτος Ἀννιανὸς δύο πρὸς τοῖς εἴκοσι ἀποπλήσας ἔτη, τελευτᾷ, διαδέχεται δ’ αὐτὸν δεύτερος Ἀβίλιος.

[1] δωδεκάτῳ δὲ ἔτει τῆς αὐτῆς ἡγεμονίας τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας Ἀνέγκλητον ἔτεσιν ἐπισκοπεύσαντα δεκαδύο διαδέχεται Κλήμης, ὃν συνεργὸν ἑαυτοῦ γενέσθαι Φιλιππησίοις ⁴⁶ ἐπιστέλλων ὁ ἀπόστολος διδάσκει, λέγων μετὰ καὶ Κλήμεντος καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν συνεργῶν μου, ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα ἐν βίβλῳ ζωῆς.

[1] Τούτου δὴ οὖν ὁμολογουμένη μία ἐπιστολὴ φέρεται, μεγάλη τε καὶ θαυμασία, ἣν ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας τῇ Κορινθίων διετυπώσατο, στάσεως τηνικάδε κατὰ τὴν Κόρινθον γενομένης. ταύτην δὲ καὶ ἐν πλείσταις ἐκκλησίαις ἐπὶ τοῦ κοινοῦ δεδημοσιευμένην πάλαι τε καὶ καθ’ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἔγνωμεν. καὶ ὅτι γε κατὰ τὸν δηλούμενον τὰ τῆς Κορινθίων κεκίνητο στάσεως, ἀξιόχρεως μάρτυς ὁ Ἡγήσιππος.

[1] Πολλήν γε μὴν εἰς πολλοὺς ἐπιδειξάμενος ὁ Δομετιανὸς ὠμότητα οὐκ ὀλίγον τε τῶν ἐπὶ Ῥώμης εὐπατριδῶν τε καὶ ἐπισήμων ἀνδρῶν πλῆθος οὐ μετ’ εὐλόγου κρίσεως κτείνας μυρίους τε ἄλλους ἐπιφανεῖς ἄνδρας ταῖς ὑπὲρ τὴν ἐνορίαν ζημιώσας φυγαῖς καὶ ταῖς τῶν οὐσιῶν ἀποβολαῖς ἀναιτίως, τελευτῶν τῆς Νέρωνος θεοεχθρίας τε καὶ θεομαχίας διάδοχον ἑαυτὸν κατεστήσατο. δεύτερος δῆτα τὸν καθ’ ἡμῶν ἀνεκίνει διωγμόν, καίπερ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῷ Οὐεσπασιανοῦ μηδὲν καθ’ ἡμῶν ἄτοπον ἐπινοήσαντος.

[1] Ἐν τούτῳ κατέχει λόγος τὸν ἀπόστολον ἅμα καὶ εὐαγγελιστὴν Ἰωάννην ἔτι τῷ βίῳ ἐνδιατρίβοντα, τῆς εἰς τὸν θεῖον λόγον ἕνεκεν μαρτυρίας Πάτμον οἰκεῖν καταδικασθῆναι τὴν νῆσον.

[2] γράφων γέ τοι ὁ Εἰρηναῖος περὶ τῆς ψήφου τῆς κατὰ τὸν ἀντίχριστον προσηγορίας φερομένης ἐν τῇ Ἰωάννου ⁴⁷ λεγομένῃ Ἀποκαλύψει, αὐταῖς συλλαβαῖς ἐν πέμπτῳ τῶν πρὸς τὰς αἱρέσεις ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ Ἰωάννου ⁴⁸ φησίν

[3] εἰ δὲ ἔδει ἀναφανδὸν ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ κηρύττεσθαι τοὔνομα αὐτοῦ, δι’ ἐκείνου ἂν ἐρρέθη τοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν ἑορακότος. οὐδὲ γὰρ πρὸ πολλοῦ χρόνου ἑωράθη, ἀλλὰ σχεδὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας γενεᾶς, πρὸς τῷ τέλει τῆς Δομετιανοῦ ἀρχῆς.

[4] Εἰς τοσοῦτον δὲ ἄρα κατὰ τοὺς δηλουμένους ἡ τῆς ἡμετέρας πίστεως διέλαμπεν διδασκαλία, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἄποθεν τοῦ καθ’ ἡμᾶς λόγου συγγραφεῖς μὴ ἀποκνῆσαι ταῖς αὐτῶν ἱστορίαις τόν τε διωγμὸν καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ μαρτύρια παραδοῦναι, οἵ γε καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἐπ’ ἀκριβὲς ἐπεσημήναντο, ἐν ἔτει πεντεκαιδεκάτῳ Δομετιανοῦ μετὰ πλείστων ἑτέρων καὶ Φλαυίαν Δομέτιλλαν ἱστορήσαντες, ἐξ ἀδελφῆς γεγονυῖαν Φλαυίου Κλήμεντος, ἑνὸς τῶν τηνικάδε ἐπὶ Ῥώμης ὑπάτων, τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν μαρτυρίας ἕνεκεν εἰς νῆσον Ποντίαν κατὰ τιμωρίαν δεδόσθαι.

[1] Τοῦ δ’ αὐτοῦ Δομετιανοῦ τοὺς ἀπὸ γένους Δαυὶδ ἀναιρεῖσθαι προστάξαντος, παλαιὸς κατέχει λόγος τῶν αἱρετικῶν τινας κατηγορῆσαι τῶν ἀπογόνων Ἰούδα (τοῦτον δ’ εἶναι ἀδελφὸν κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ σωτῆρος) ὡς ἀπὸ γένους τυγχανόντων Δαυὶδ καὶ ὡς αὐτοῦ συγγένειαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ φερόντων. ταῦτα δὲ δηλοῖ κατὰ λέξιν ὧδέ πως λέγων ὁ ⁴⁹ Ἡγήσιππος.

[1] ἔτι δὲ περιῆσαν οἱ ἀπὸ γένους τοῦ κυρίου υἱωνοὶ Ἰούδα τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα λεγομένου αὐτοῦ ἀδελφοῦ· οὓς ἐδηλατόρευσαν ὡς ἐκ γένους ὄντας Δαυίδ. τούτους ὁ ἠουοκᾶτος ἤγαγεν πρὸς Δομετιανὸν Καίσαρα. ἐφοβεῖτο γὰρ τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὡς καὶ Ἡρῴδης.

[2] καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτοὺς εἰ ἐκ Δαυίδ εἰσιν, καὶ ὡμολόγησαν. τότε ἠρώτησεν αὐτοὺς πόσας κτήσεις ἔχουσιν ἢ πόσων χρημάτων κυριεύουσιν. οἱ δὲ εἶπαν ἀμφοτέροις ἐννακισχίλια δηνάρια ὑπάρχειν αὐτοῖς μόνα, ἑκάστῳ αὐτῶν ἀνήκοντος τοῦ ἡμίσεος, καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐν ἀργυρίοις ἔφασκον ἔχειν, ἀλλ’ ἐν διατιμήσει γῆς πλέθρων λθ μόνων, ἐξ ὧν καὶ τοὺς φόρους ἀναφέρειν καὶ αὐτοὺς αὐτουργοῦντας διατρέφεσθαι.

[3] εἶτα δὲ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἐπιδεικνύναι, μαρτύριον τῆς αὐτουργίας τὴν τοῦ σώματος σκληρίαν καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς συνεχοῦς ἐργασίας ἐναποτυπωθέντας ἐπὶ τῶν ἰδίων χειρῶν τύλους παριστάντας.

[4] ἐρωτηθέντας δὲ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ ὁποία τις εἴη καὶ ποῖ καὶ πότε φανησομένη, λόγον δοῦναι ὡς οὐ κοσμικὴ μὲν οὐδ’ ἐπίγειος, ⁵⁰ ἐπουράνιος δὲ καὶ ἀγγελικὴ τυγχάνοι, ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος γενησομένη, ὁπηνίκα ἐλθὼν ἐν δόξῃ κρινεῖ ζῶντας καὶ νεκροὺς καὶ ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα αὐτοῦ·

[5] ἐφ’ οἷς μηδὲν αὐτῶν κατεγνωκότα τὸν Δομετιανόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς εὐτελῶν καταφρονήσαντα, ἐλευθέρους μὲν αὐτοὺς ἀνεῖναι, καταπαῦσαι δὲ διὰ προστάγματος τὸν κατὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας διωγμόν.

[6] τοὺς δὲ ἀπολυθέντας ἡγήσασθαι τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, ὡς ἂν δὴ μάρτυρας ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ γένους ὄντας τοῦ κυρίου, γενομένης τε εἰρήνης μέχρι Τραϊανοῦ παραμεῖναι αὐτοὺς τῷ βίῳ.

[7] ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Ἡγήσιππος· οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Τερτυλλιανὸς ⁵¹ τοῦ Δομετιανοῦ τοιαύτην πεποίηται μνήμην πεπειράκει ποτὲ καὶ Δομετιανὸς ταὐτὸ ποιεῖν ἐκείνῳ, μέρος ὢν τῆς Νέρωνος ὠμότητος. ἀλλ’, οἶμαι, ἅτε ἔχων τι συνέσεως, τάχιστα ἐπαύσατο, ἀνακαλεσάμενος καὶ οὓς ἐξηλάκει.

[8] Μετὰ δὲ τὸν Δομετιανὸν πεντεκαίδεκα ἔτεσιν κρατήσαντα Νερούα τὴν ἀρχὴν διαδεξαμένου, καθαιρεθῆναι μὲν τὰς Δομετιανοῦ τιμάς, ἐπανελθεῖν δ’ ἐπὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα μετὰ τοῦ καὶ τὰς οὐσίας ἀπολαβεῖν τοὺς ἀδίκως ἐξεληλαμένους ἡ Ῥωμαίων σύγκλητος βουλὴ ψηφίζεται· ἱστοροῦσιν οἱ γραφῇ τὰ κατὰ τοὺς χρόνους παραδόντες.

[9] τότε δὴ οὖν καὶ τὸν ἀπόστολον Ἰωάννην ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν νῆσον φυγῆς τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐφέσου διατριβὴν ἀπειληφέναι ὁ τῶν παρ’ ἡμῖν ἀρχαίων παραδίδωσι λόγος.

[1] Μικρῷ δὲ πλέον ἐνιαυτοῦ βασιλεύσαντα Νερούαν διαδέχεται Τραϊανός· οὗ δὴ πρῶτον ἔτος ἦν ἐν ᾧ τῆς κατ’ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν παροικίας Ἀβίλιον δέκα πρὸς τρισὶν ἔτεσιν ἡγησάμενον διαδέχεται Κέρδων· τρίτος οὗτος τῶν αὐτόθι μετὰ τὸν πρῶτον Ἀννιανὸν προέστη. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Ῥωμαίων εἰς ἔτι Κλήμης ἡγεῖτο, τρίτον καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπέχων τῶν τῇδε μετὰ Παῦλόν τε καὶ Πέτρον ἐπισκοπευσάντων βαθμόν· Λίνος δὲ ὁ πρῶτος ἦν καὶ μετ’ αὐτὸν Ἀνέγκλητος.

[1] ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐπ’ Ἀντιοχείας Εὐοδίου πρώτου καταστάντος δεύτερος ἐν τοῖς δηλουμένοις Ἰγνάτιος ἐγνωρίζετο. Συμεὼν ὁμοίως δεύτερος μετὰ τὸν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀδελφὸν τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐκκλησίας κατὰ τούτους τὴν λειτουργίαν εἶχεν.

[1] Ἐπὶ τούτοις κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν ἔτι τῷ βίῳ περιλειπόμενος αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ⁵² ἀπόστολος ὁμοῦ καὶ εὐαγγελιστὴς Ἰωάννης τὰς αὐτόθι διεῖπεν ἐκκλησίας, ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν νῆσον μετὰ τὴν Δομετιανοῦ τελευτὴν ἐπανελθὼν φυγῆς.

[2] ὅτι δὲ εἰς τούτους τῷ βίῳ περιῆν, ἀπόχρη διὰ δύο πιστώσασθαι τὸν λόγον μαρτύρων, πιστοὶ δ’ ἂν εἶεν οὗτοι, τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς πρεσβεύσαντες ὀρθοδοξίας, εἰ δὴ τοιοῦτοι Εἰρηναῖος καὶ Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς·

[3] ὧν ὁ μὲν πρότερος ἐν δευτέρῳ τῶν ⁵³ πρὸς τὰς αἱρέσεις ὧδέ πως γράφει κατὰ λέξιν· καὶ πάντες οἱ πρεσβύτεροι μαρτυροῦσιν οἱ κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν Ἰωάννῃ τῷ τοῦ κυρίου μαθητῇ συμβεβληκότες παραδεδωκέναι τὸν Ἰωάννην. παρέμεινεν γὰρ αὐτοῖς μέχρι τῶν Τραϊανοῦ χρόνων.

[4] καὶ ἐν τρίτῳ δὲ τῆς αὐτῆς ὑποθέσεως ταὐτὸ τοῦτο δηλοῖ ⁵⁴ διὰ τούτων· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησία ὑπὸ Παύλου μὲν τεθεμελιωμένη, Ἰωάννου δὲ παραμείναντος αὐτοῖς μέχρι τῶν Τραϊανοῦ χρόνων, μάρτυς ἀληθής ἐστιν τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων παραδόσεως.

[5] Ὁ δὲ Κλήμης ὁμοῦ τὸν χρόνον ἐπισημηνάμενος, καὶ ἱστορίαν ἀναγκαιοτάτην οἷς τὰ καλὰ καὶ ἐπωφελῆ φίλον ἀκούειν, προστίθησιν ἐν ᾧ Τίς ὁ σῳζόμενος πλούσιος ἐπέγραψεν αὐτοῦ συγγράμματι· λαβὼν δὲ ἀνάγνωθι ὧδέ πως ἔχουσαν καὶ ⁵⁵ αὐτοῦ τὴν γραφήν·

[6] ἄκουσον μῦθον οὐ μῦθον ἀλλὰ ὄντα λόγον περὶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἀποστόλου παραδεδομένον καὶ μνήμῃ πεφυλαγμένον. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῦ τυράννου τελευτήσαντος ἀπὸ τῆς Πάτμου τῆς νήσου μετῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἔφεσον, ἀπῄει παρακαλούμενος καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ πλησιόχωρα τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὅπου μὲν ἐπισκόπους καταστήσων, ὅπου δὲ ὅλας ἐκκλησίας ἁρμόσων, ὅπου δὲ κλῆρον ἕνα γέ τινα κληρώσων τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος σημαινομένων.

[7] ἐλθὼν οὖν καὶ ἐπί τινα τῶν οὐ μακρὰν πόλεων, ἧς καὶ τοὔνομα λέγουσιν ἔνιοι, καὶ τἄλλα ἀναπαύσας τοὺς ἀδελφούς, ἐπὶ πᾶσι τῷ καθεστῶτι προσβλέψας ἐπισκόπῳ, νεανίσκον ἱκανὸν τῷ σώματι καὶ τὴν ὄψιν ἀστεῖον καὶ θερμὸν τὴν ψυχὴν ἰδών, τοῦτον ἔφη σοὶ παρακατατίθεμαι μετὰ πάσης σπουδῆς ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ μάρτυρος. τοῦ δὲ δεχομένου καὶ πάνθ’ ὑπισχνουμένου, καὶ πάλιν τὰ αὐτὰ διελέγετο καὶ διεμαρτύρετο.

[8] εἶτα ὁ μὲν ἀπῆρεν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἔφεσον, ὁ δὲ πρεσβύτερος ἀναλαβὼν οἴκαδε τὸν παραδοθέντα νεανίσκον ἔτρεφεν, συνεῖχεν, ἔθαλπεν, τὸ τελευταῖον ἐφώτισεν. καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ὑφῆκεν τῆς πλείονος ἐπιμελείας καὶ παραφυλακῆς, ὡς τὸ τέλειον αὐτῷ φυλακτήριον ἐπιστήσας τὴν σφραγῖδα κυρίου.

[9] τῷ δὲ ἀνέσεως πρὸ ὥρας λαβομένῳ προσφθείρονταί τινες ἥλικες ἀργοὶ καὶ ἀπερρωγότες, ἐθάδες κακῶν, καὶ πρῶτον μὲν δι’ ἑστιάσεων πολυτελῶν αὐτὸν ἐπάγονται, εἶτά που καὶ νύκτωρ ἐπὶ λωποδυσίαν ἐξιόντες συνεπάγονται, εἶτά τι καὶ μεῖζον συμπράττειν ἠξίουν·

[10] ὃ δὲ κατ’ ὀλίγον προσειθίζετο, καὶ διὰ μέγεθος φύσεως ἐκστὰς ὥσπερ ἄστομος καὶ εὔρωστος ἵππος ὀρθῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ τὸν χαλινὸν ἐνδακών, μειζόνως κατὰ τῶν βαράθρων ἐφέρετο,

[11] ἀπογνοὺς δὲ τελέως τὴν ἐν θεῷ σωτηρίαν, οὐδὲν ἔτι μικρὸν διενοεῖτο, ἀλλὰ μέγα τι πράξας, ἐπειδήπερ ἅπαξ ἀπολώλει, ἴσα τοῖς ἄλλοις παθεῖν ἠξίου. αὐτοὺς δὴ τούτους ἀναλαβὼν καὶ λῃστήριον συγκροτήσας, ἕτοιμος λῄσταρχος ἦν, βιαιότατος μιαιφονώτατος χαλεπώτατος.

[12] χρόνος ἐν μέσῳ, καὶ τινος ἐπιπεσούσης χρείας ἀνακαλοῦσι τὸν Ἰωάννην. ὃ δὲ ἐπεὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὧν χάριν ἧκεν κατεστήσατο, ἄγε δή ἔφη ὦ ἐπίσκοπε, τὴν παραθήκην ἀπόδος ἡμῖν, ἣν ἐγώ τε καὶ ὁ Χριστός σοι παρακατεθέμεθα ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ἧς προκαθέζῃ, μάρτυρος.

[13] ὃ δὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐξεπλάγη, χρήματα οἰόμενος, ἅπερ οὐκ ἔλαβεν, συκοφαντεῖσθαι, καὶ οὔτε πιστεύειν εἶχεν ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐκ εἶχεν, οὔτε ἀπιστεῖν Ἰωάννῃ· ὡς δέ τὸν νεανίσκον εἶπεν ἀπαιτῶ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, στενάξας κάτωθεν ὁ πρεσβύτης καί τι καὶ ἐπιδακρύσας, ἐκεῖνος ἔφη τέθνηκεν. πῶς καὶ τίνα θάνατον; θεῷ τέθνηκεν εἶπεν· ἀπέβη γὰρ πονηρὸς καὶ ἐξώλης καί, τὸ κεφάλαιον, λῃστής, καὶ νῦν ἀντὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τὸ ὄρος κατείληφεν μεθ’ ὁμοίου στρατιωτικοῦ.

[14] καταρρηξάμενος τὴν ἐσθῆτα τα ὁ ἀπόστολος καὶ μετὰ μεγάλης οἰμωγῆς πληξάμενος τὴν κεφαλήν, καλόν γε ἔφη φύλακα τῆς τἀδελφοῦ ψυχῆς κατέλιπον. ἀλλ’ ἵππος ἤδη μοι παρέστω, καὶ ἡγεμὼν γενέσθω μοί τις τῆς ὁδοῦ. ἤλαυνεν, ὥσπερ εἶχεν, αὐτόθεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας.

[15] ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς τὸ χωρίον, ὑπὸ τῆς προφυλακῆς τῶν λῃστῶν ἁλίσκεται, μήτε φεύγων μήτε παραιτούμενος, ἀλλὰ βοῶν ἐπὶ τοῦτ’ ἐλήλυθα, ἐπὶ τὸν ἄρχοντα ὑμῶν ἀγάγετέ με·

[16] ὃς τέως, ὥσπερ ὥπλιστο, ἀνέμενεν, ὡς δὲ προσιόντα ἐγνώρισε τὸν Ἰωάννην, εἰς φυγὴν αἰδεσθεὶς ἐτράπετο. ὃ δὲ ἐδίωκεν ἀνὰ κράτος, ἐπιλαθόμενος τῆς ἡλικίας τῆς ἑαυτοῦ, κεκραγώς

[17] τί με φεύγεις, τέκνον, τὸν σαυτοῦ πατέρα, τὸν γυμνόν, τὸν γέροντα; ἐλέησόν με, τέκνον, μὴ φοβοῦ· ἔχεις ἔτι ζωῆς ἐλπίδας. ἐγὼ Χριστῷ λόγον δώσω ὑπὲρ σοῦ· ἂν δέῃ, τὸν σὸν θάνατον ἑκὼν ὑπομενῶ, ὡς ὁ κύριος τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν· ὑπὲρ σοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀντιδώσω τὴν ἐμήν. στῆθι, πίστευσον· Χριστός με ἀπέστειλεν.

[18] ὃ δὲ ἀκούσας, πρῶτον ἔστη μὲν κάτω βλέπων, εἶτα ἔρριψεν τὰ ὅπλα, εἶτα τρέμων ἔκλαιεν πικρῶς· προσελθόντα δὲ τὸν γέροντα περιέλαβεν, ἀπολογούμενος ταῖς οἰμωγαῖς ὡς ἐδύνατο καὶ τοῖς δάκρυσι βαπτιζόμενος ἐκ δευτέρου, μόνην ἀποκρύπτων τὴν δεξιάν·

[19] ὃ δ’ ἐγγυώμενος, ἐπομνύμενος ὡς ἄφεσιν αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος ηὕρηται, δεόμενος, γονυπετῶν, αὐτὴν τὴν δεξιὰν ὡς ὑπὸ τῆς μετανοίας κεκαθαρμένην καταφιλῶν, ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐπανήγαγεν, καὶ δαψιλέσι μὲν εὐχαῖς ἐξαιτούμενος, συνεχέσι δὲ νηστείαις συναγωνιζόμενος, ποικίλαις δὲ σειρῆσι λόγων κατεπᾴδων αὐτοῦ τὴν γνώμην, οὐ πρότερον ἀπῆλθεν, ὥς φασιν, πρὶν αὐτὸν ἐπιστῆσαι τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, διδοὺς μέγα παράδειγμα μετανοίας ἀληθινῆς καὶ μέγα γνώρισμα παλιγγενεσίας, τρόπαιον ἀναστάσεως βλεπομένης. ταῦτα τοῦ Κλήμεντος, ἱστορίας ὁμοῦ καὶ ὠφελείας τῆς τῶν ἐντευξομένων ἕνεκεν, ἐνταῦθά μοι κείσθω.

[1] Φέρε δέ, καὶ τοῦδε τοῦ ἀποστόλου τὰς ἀναντιρρήτους ἐπισημηνώμεθα γραφάς.

[2] καὶ δὴ τὸ κατ’ αὐτὸν εὐαγγέλιον ταῖς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν διεγνωσμένον ἐκκλησίαις, πρῶτον ἀνωμολογήσθω· ὅτι γε μὴν εὐλόγως πρὸς τῶν ἀρχαίων ἐν τετάρτῃ μοίρᾳ τῶν ἄλλων τριῶν κατείλεκται, ταύτῃ ἂν γένοιτο δῆλον.

[3] οἱ θεσπέσιοι καὶ ὡς ἀληθῶς θεοπρεπεῖς, φημὶ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοὺς ἀποστόλους, τὸν βίον ἄκρως κεκαθαρμένοι καὶ ἀρετῇ πάσῃ τὰς ⁵⁶ ψυχὰς κεκοσμημένοι, τὴν δὲ γλῶτταν ἰδιωτεύοντες, τῇ γε μὴν πρὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος αὐτοῖς δεδωρημένῃ θείᾳ καὶ παραδοξοποιῷ δυνάμει θαρσοῦντες, τὸ μὲν ⁵⁷ ἐν πειθοῖ καὶ τέχνῃ λόγων τὰ τοῦ διδασκάλου μαθήματα πρεσβεύειν οὔτε ᾔδεσαν οὔτε ἐνεχείρουν, τῇ δὲ τοῦ θείου πνεύματος τοῦ συνεργοῦντος αὐτοῖς ἀποδείξει καὶ τῇ δι’ αὐτῶν συντελουμένῃ θαυματουργῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δυνάμει μόνῃ χρώμενοι, τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας τὴν γνῶσιν ἐπὶ πᾶσαν κατήγγελλον τὴν οἰκουμένην, σπουδῆς τῆς περὶ τὸ λογογραφεῖν μικρὰν ποιούμενοι φροντίδα.

[4] καὶ τοῦτ’ ἔπραττον ἅτε μείζονι καὶ ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον ἐξυπηρετούμενοι διακονίᾳ. ὁ γοῦν Παῦλος πάντων ἐν παρασκευῇ λόγων δυνατώτατος νοήμασίν τε ἱκανώτατος γεγονώς, οὐ πλέον τῶν βραχυτάτων ἐπιστολῶν γραφῇ παραδέδωκεν, καίτοι μυρία γε καὶ⁵⁸ ἀπόρρητα λέγειν ἔχων, ἅτε τῶν μέχρις οὐρανοῦ τρίτου θεωρημάτων ἐπιψαύσας ἐπ’ αὐτόν τε τὸν θεοπρεπῆ παράδεισον ἀναρπασθεὶς καὶ τῶν ἐκεῖσε ῥημάἀρρήτων ἀξιωθεὶς ἐπακοῦσαι.

[5] οὐκ ἄπειροι μὲν οὖν ὑπῆρχον τῶν αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν φοιτηταί, δώδεκα μὲν ἀπόστολοι, ἑβδομήκοντα δὲ μαθηταί, ἄλλοι τε ἐπὶ τούτοις μυρίοι· ὅμως δ’ οὖν ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν τοῦ κυρίου διατριβῶν ὑπομνήματα Ματθαῖος ἡμῖν καὶ Ἰωάννης μόνοι καταλελοίπασιν· οὓς καὶ ἐπάναγκες ἐπὶ τὴν γραφὴν ἐλθεῖν κατέχει λόγος.

[6] Ματθαῖός τε γὰρ πρότερον Ἑβραίοις κηρύξας, ὡς ἤμελλεν καὶ ἐφ’ ἑτέρους ἰέναι, πατρίῳ γλώττῃ γραφῇ παραδοὺς τὸ κατ’ αὐτὸν εὐαγγέλιον, τὸ λεῖπον τῇ αὐτοῦ παρουσίᾳ τούτοις ἀφ’ ὧν ἐστέλλετο, διὰ τῆς γραφῆς ἀπεπλήρου·

[7] ἤδη δὲ Μάρκου καὶ Λουκᾶ τῶν κατ’ αὐτοὺς εὐαγγελίων τὴν ἔκδοσιν πεποιημένων, Ἰωάννην φασὶ τὸν πάντα χρόνον ἀγράφῳ κεχρημένον κηρύγματι, τέλος καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν γραφὴν ἐλθεῖν τοιᾶσδε χάριν αἰτίας. τῶν προαναγραφέντων τριῶν εἰς πάντας ἤδη καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν διαδεδομένων, ἀποδέξασθαι μέν φασιν, ἀλήθειαν αὐτοῖς ἐπιμαρτυρήσαντα, μόνην δὲ ἄρα λείπεσθαι τῇ γραφῇ τὴν περὶ τῶν ἐν πρώτοις καὶ κατ’ ἀρχὴν τοῦ κηρύγματος ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πεπραγμένων διήγησιν.

[8] καὶ ἀληθής γε ὁ λόγος. τοὺς τρεῖς γοῦν εὐαγγελιστὰς συνιδεῖν πάρεστιν μόνα τὰ μετὰ τὴν ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ κάθειρξιν ἐφ’ ἕνα ἐνιαυτὸν πεπραγμένα τῷ σωτῆρι συγγεγραφότας αὐτό τε τοῦτ’ ἐπισημηναμένους κατ’ ἀρχὰς τῆς αὐτῶν ἱστορίας·

[9] μετὰ γοῦν τὴν τεσσαρακονταήμερον νηστείαν καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ ταύτῃ πειρασμὸν τὸν χρόνον τῆς ἰδίας γραφῆς ὁ μὲν ⁵⁹ Ματθαῖος δηλοῖ λέγων ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι Ἰωάννης παρεδόθη, ἀνεχώρησεν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας εἰς ⁶⁰ τὴν Γαλιλαίαν,

[10] ὁ δὲ Μάρκος ὡσαύτως μετὰ δὲ τὸ παραδοθῆναι φησίν Ἰωάννην ἦλθεν Ἰησοῦς ⁶¹ εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς δὲ πρὶν ἄρξασθαι τῶν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ πράξεων, παραπλησίως ἐπιτηρεῖ, φάσκων ὡς ἄρα προσθεὶς Ἡρῴδης οἷς διεπράξατο πονηροῖς, κατέκλεισε τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐν φυλακῇ.

[11] παρακληθέντα δὴ οὖν τούτων ἕνεκά φασι τὸν ἀπόστολον Ἰωάννην τὸν ὑπὸ τῶν προτέρων εὐαγγελιστῶν παρασιωπηθέντα χρόνον καὶ τὰ κατὰ τοῦτον πεπραγμένα τῷ σωτῆρι (ταῦτα δ’ ἦν τὰ πρὸ τῆς τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ καθείρξεως) τῷ κατ’ αὐτὸν εὐαγγελίῳ παραδοῦναι, αὐτό τε τοῦτ’ ἐπισημήνασθαι, ⁶² τοτὲ μὲν φήσαντα ταύτην ἀρχὴν ⁶³ ἐποίησεν τῶν παραδόξων ὁ Ἰησοῦς, τοτὲ δὲ μνημονεύσαντα τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ μεταξὺ τῶν Ἰησοῦ πράξεων ὡς ἔτι τότε βαπτίζοντος ἐν Αἰνὼν ἐγγὺς τοῦ Σαλείμ, σαφῶς τε τοῦτο δηλοῦν ἐν τῷ λέγειν οὔπω γὰρ ἦν Ἰωάννης βεβλημένος εἰς φυλακήν,

[12] οὐκοῦν ὁ μὲν Ἰωάννης τῇ τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν εὐαγγελίου γραφῇ τὰ μηδέπω τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ εἰς φυλακὴν βεβλημένου πρὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ πραχθέντα παραδίδωσιν, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ τρεῖς εὐαγγελισταὶ τὰ μετὰ τὴν εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον κάθειρξιν τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ μνημονεύουσιν·

[13] οἷς καὶ ἐπιστήσαντι οὐκέτ’ ἂν δόξαι διαφωνεῖν ἀλλήλοις τὰ εὐαγγέλια τῷ τὸ μὲν κατὰ Ἰωάννην τὰ πρῶτα τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ πράξεων περιέχειν, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τέλει τοῦ χρόνου αὐτῷ γεγενημένην ἱστορίαν· εἰκότως δ’ οὖν τὴν μὲν τῆς σαρκὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν γενεαλογίαν ἅτε Ματθαίῳ καὶ Λουκᾷ προγραφεῖσαν ἀποσιωπῆσαι τὸν Ἰωάννην, τῆς δὲ θεολογίας ἀπάρξασθαι ὡς ἂν αὐτῷ πρὸς τοῦ θείου πνεύματος οἷα κρείττονι παραπεφυλαγμένης.

[14] Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἡμῖν περὶ τῆς τοῦ κατὰ Ἰωάννην εὐαγγελίου γραφῆς εἰρήσθω, καὶ τῆς κατὰ Μάρκον δὲ ἡ γενομένη αἰτία ἐν τοῖς πρόσθεν ἡμῖν δεδήλωται·

[15] ὁ δὲ Λουκᾶς ἀρχόμενος καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν ⁶⁴ συγγράμματος τὴν αἰτίαν προύθηκεν δι’ ἣν πεποίηται τὴν σύνταξιν, δηλῶν ὡς ἄρα πολλῶν καὶ ἄλλων προπετέστερον ἐπιτετηδευκότων διήγησιν ποιήσασθαι ὧν αὐτὸς πεπληροφόρητο λόγων, ἀναγκαίως ἀπαλλάττων ἡμᾶς τῆς περὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀμφηρίστου ὑπολήψεως, τὸν ἀσφαλῆ λόγον ὧν αὐτὸς ἱκανῶς τὴν ἀλήθειαν κατειλήφει ἐκ τῆς ἅμα Παύλῳ συνουσίας τε καὶ διατριβῆς καὶ τῆς τῶν λοιπῶν ἀποστόλων ὁμιλίας ὠφελημένος, διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου παρέδωκεν εὐαγγελίου.

[16] καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἡμεῖς περὶ τούτων· οἰκειότερον δὲ κατὰ καιρὸν διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀρχαίων παραθέσεως τὰ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις περὶ αὐτῶν εἰρημένα πειρασόμεθα δηλῶσαι.

[17] Τῶν δὲ Ἰωάννου γραμμάτων πρὸς τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ καὶ ἡ προτέρα τῶν ἐπιστολῶν παρά τε τοῖς νῦν καὶ τοῖς ἔτ’ ἀρχαίοις ἀναμφίλεκτος ὡμολόγηται,

[18] ἀντιλέγονται δὲ αἱ λοιπαὶ δύο, τῆς δ’ Ἀποκαλύψεως εἰς ἑκάτερον ἔτι νῦν παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς περιέλκεται ἡ δόξα· ὁμοίως γε μὴν ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἀρχαίων μαρτυρίας ἐν οἰκείῳ καιρῷ τὴν ἐπίκρισιν δέξεται καὶ αὐτή.

[1] Εὔλογον δ’ ἐνταῦθα γενομένους ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι τὰς δηλωθείσας τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης γραφάς. καὶ δὴ τακτέον ἐν πρώτοις τὴν ἁγίαν τῶν εὐαγγελίων τετρακτύν, οἷς ἕπεται ἡ τῶν Πράξεων τῶν ἀποστόλων γραφή·

[2] μετὰ δὲ ταύτην τὰς Παύλου καταλεκτέον ἐπιστολάς, αἷς ἑξῆς τὴν φερομένην Ἰωάννου προτέραν καὶ ὁμοίως τὴν Πέτρου κυρωτέον ἐπιστολήν· ἐπὶ τούτοις τακτέον, εἴ γε φανείη, τὴν Ἀποκάλυψιν Ἰωάννου, περὶ ἧς τὰ δόξαντα κατὰ καιρὸν ἐκθησόμεθα.

[3] καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐν ὁμολογουμένοις· τῶν δ’ ἀντιλεγομένων, γνωρίμων δ’ οὖν ὅμως τοῖς πολλοῖς, ἡ λεγομένη Ἰακώβου φέρεται καὶ ἡ Ἰούδα ἥ τε Πέτρου δευτέρα ἐπιστολὴ καὶ ἡ ὀνομαζομένη δευτέρα καὶ τρίτη Ἰωάννου, εἴτε τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ τυγχάνουσαι εἴτε καὶ ἑτέρου ὁμωνύμου ἐκείνῳ.

[4] ἐν τοῖς νόθοις κατατετάχθω καὶ τῶν Παύλου Πράξεων ἡ γραφὴ ὅ τε λεγόμενος Ποιμὴν καὶ ἡ Ἀποκάλυψις Πέτρου καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἡ φερομένη Βαρναβᾶ ἐπιστολὴ καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων αἱ λεγόμεναι Διδαχαὶ ἔτι τε, ὡς ἔφην, ἡ Ἰωάννου Ἀποκάλυψις, εἰ φανείη· ἥν τινες, ὡς ἔφην, ἀθετοῦσιν, ἕτεροι δὲ ἐγκρίνουσιν τοῖς ὁμολογουμένοις.

[5] ἤδη δ’ ἐν τούτοις τινὲς καὶ τὸ καθ’ Ἑβραίους εὐαγγέλιον κατέλεξαν, ᾧ μάλιστα Ἑβραίων οἱ τὸν Χριστὸν παραδεξάμενοι χαίρουσιν.

[6] ταῦτα δὲ πάντα τῶν ἀντιλεγομένων ἂν εἴη, ἀναγκαίως δὲ καὶ τούτων ὅμως τὸν κατάλογον πεποιήμεθα, διακρίνοντες τάς τε κατὰ τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν παράδοσιν ἀληθεῖς καὶ ἀπλάστους καὶ ἀνωμολογημένας γραφὰς καὶ τὰς ἄλλως παρὰ ταύτας, οὐκ ἐνδιαθήκους μὲν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀντιλεγομένας, ὅμως δὲ παρὰ πλείστοις τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν γινωσκομένας, ἵν’ εἰδέναι ἔχοιμεν αὐτάς τε ταύτας καὶ τὰς ὀνόματι τῶν ἀποστόλων πρὸς τῶν αἱρετικῶν προφερομένας ἤτοι ὡς Πέτρου καὶ Θωμᾶ καὶ Ματθία ἢ καί τινων παρὰ τούτους ἄλλων εὐαγγέλια περιεχούσας ἢ ὡς Ἀνδρέου καὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀποστόλων πράξεις· ὧν οὐδὲν οὐδαμῶς ἐν συγγράμματι τῶν κατὰ τὰς διαδοχὰς ἐκκλησιαστικῶν τις ἀνὴρ εἰς μνήμην ἀγαγεῖν ἠξίωσεν,

[7] πόρρω δέ που καὶ ὁ τῆς φράσεως παρὰ τὸ ἦθος τὸ ἀποστολικὸν ἐναλλάττει χαρακτήρ, ἥ τε γνώμη καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς φερομένων προαίρεσις πλεῖστον ὅσον τῆς ἀληθοῦς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀπᾴδουσα, ὅτι δὴ αἱρετικῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀναπλάσματα τυγχάνει, σαφῶς παρίστησιν· ὅθεν οὐδ’ ἐν νόθοις αὐτὰ κατατακτέον, ἀλλ’ ὡς ἄτοπα πάντῃ καὶ δυσσεβῆ παραιτητέον.

[1] ⁶⁵ Ἴωμεν δὴ λοιπὸν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἑξῆς ἱστορίαν. Σίμωνα τὸν μάγον Μένανδρος διαδεξάμενος, ὅπλον δεύτερον οὐ χεῖρον τοῦ προτέρου τῆς διαβολικῆς ἐνεργείας ἀποδείκνυται τὸν τρόπον. ἦν καὶ οὗτος Σαμαρεύς, εἰς ἄκρον δὲ γοητείας οὐκ ἔλαττον τοῦ διδασκάλου προελθών, μείζοσιν ἐπιδαψιλεύεται τερατολογίαις, ἑαυτὸν μὲν ὡς ἄρα εἴη, λέγων, ὁ σωτὴρ ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἄνωθέν ποθεν ἐξ ἀοράτων αἰώνων ἀπεσταλμένος σωτηρίᾳ,

[2] διδάσκων δὲ μὴ ἄλλως δύνασθαί τινα καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν κοσμοποιῶν ἀγγέλων περιγενήσεσθαι, μὴ πρότερον διὰ τῆς πρὸς αὐτοῦ παραδιδομένης μαγικῆς ἐμπειρίας ἀχθέντα καὶ διὰ τοῦ μεταδιδομένου πρὸς αὐτοῦ βαπτίσματος, οὗ τοὺς καταξιουμένους ἀθανασίαν ἀΐδιον ἐν αὐτῷ τούτῳ μεθέξειν τῷ βίῳ, μηκέτι θνῄσκοντας, αὐτοῦ δὲ παραμένοντας εἰς τὸ ἀεὶ ἀγήρως τινὰς καὶ ἀθανάτους ἐσομένους. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν καὶ ἐκ τῶν Εἰρηναίου διαγνῶναι ῥᾴδιον·

[3] καὶ ὁ Ἰουστῖνος δὲ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦ Σίμωνος μνημονεύσας, καὶ τὴν περὶ τούτου διήγησιν ἐπιφέρει, ⁶⁶ λέγων· Μένανδρον δέ τινα καὶ αὐτὸν Σαμαρέα, τὸν ἀπὸ κώμης Καπαρατταίας, γενόμενον μαθητὴν τοῦ Σίμωνος, οἰστρηθέντα καὶ αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν δαιμόνων καὶ ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ γενόμενον, πολλοὺς ἐξαπατῆσαι διὰ μαγικῆς τέχνης οἴδαμεν· ὃς καὶ τοὺς αὐτῷ ἑπομένους ὡς μὴ ἀποθνῄσκοιεν, ἔπεισεν, καὶ νῦν τινές εἰσιν, ἀπ’ ἐκείνου τοῦτο ὁμολογοῦντες.

[4] Ἦν δ’ ἄρα διαβολικῆς ἐνεργείας διὰ τοιῶνδε γοήτων τὴν Χριστιανῶν προσηγορίαν ὑποδυομένων τὸ μέγα τῆς θεοσεβείας μυστήριον ἐπὶ μαγείᾳ σπουδάσαι διαβαλεῖν διασῦραί τε δι’ αὐτῶν τὰ περὶ ψυχῆς ἀθανασίας καὶ νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως ἐκκλησιαστικὰ δόγματα. ἀλλ’ οὗτοι μὲν τούτους σωτῆρας ἐπιγραψάμενοι τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἀποπεπτώκασιν ἐλπίδος·

[1] ἄλλους δ’ ὁ πονηρὸς δαίμων, τῆς περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ διαθέσεως ἀδυνατῶν ἐκσεῖσαι, θατεραλήπτους εὑρὼν ἐσφετερίζετο· Ἐβιωναίους τούτους οἰκείως ἐπεφήμιζον οἱ πρῶτοι, πτωχῶς καὶ ταπεινῶς τὰ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δοξάζοντας.

[2] λιτὸν μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν καὶ κοινὸν ἡγοῦντο, κατὰ προκοπὴν ἤθους αὐτὸ μόνον ἄνθρωπον δεδικαιωμένον ἐξ ἀνδρός τε κοινωνίας καὶ τῆς Μαρίας γεγεννημένον· δεῖν δὲ πάντως αὐτοῖς τῆς νομικῆς θρῃσκείας ὡς μὴ ἂν διὰ μόνης τῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν πίστεως καὶ τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὴν βίου σωθησομένοις.

[3] ἄλλοι δὲ παρὰ τούτους τῆς αὐτῆς ὄντες προσηγορίας, τὴν μὲν τῶν εἰρημένων ἔκτοπον διεδίδρασκον ἀτοπίαν, ἐκ παρθένου καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος μὴ ἀρνούμενοι γεγονέναι τὸν κύριον, οὐ μὴν ἔθ’ ὁμοίως καὶ οὗτοι προϋπάρχειν αὐτὸν θεὸν λόγον ὄντα καὶ σοφίαν ὁμολογοῦντες, τῇ τῶν προτέρων περιετρέποντο δυσσεβείᾳ, μάλιστα ὅτε καὶ τὴν σωματικὴν περὶ τὸν νόμον λατρείαν ὁμοίως ἐκείνοις περιέπειν ἐσπούδαζον.

[4] οὗτοι δὲ τοῦ μὲν ἀποστόλου πάμπαν τὰς ἐπιστολὰς ἀρνητέας ἡγοῦντο εἶναι δεῖν, ἀποστάτην ἀποκαλοῦντες αὐτὸν τοῦ νόμου, εὐαγγελίῳ δὲ μόνῳ τῷ καθ’ Ἑβραίους λεγομένῳ χρώμενοι, τῶν λοιπῶν σμικρὸν ἐποιοῦντο λόγον·

[5] καὶ τὸ μὲν σάββατον καὶ τὴν ἄλλην Ἰουδαϊκὴν ἀγωγὴν ὁμοίως ἐκείνοις παρεφύλαττον, ταῖς δ’ αὖ κυριακαῖς ἡμέραις ἡμῖν τὰ παραπλήσια εἰς μνήμην τῆς σωτηρίου ἀναστάσεως ἐπετέλουν·

[6] ὅθεν παρὰ τὴν τοιαύτην ἐγχείρησιν τῆς τοιᾶσδε λελόγχασι προσηγορίας, τοῦ Ἐβιωναίων ὀνόματος τὴν τῆς διανοίας πτωχείαν αὐτῶν ὑποφαίνοντος· ταύτῃ γὰρ ἐπίκλην ὁ πτωχὸς παρ’ Ἑβραίοις ὀνομάζεται.

[1] Κατὰ τοὺς δηλουμένους χρόνους ἑτέρας αἱρέσεως ἀρχηγὸν γενέσθαι Κήρινθον παρειλήφαμεν· Γάϊος, οὗ φωνὰς ἤδη πρότερον παρατέθειμαι, ἐν τῇ φερομένῃ αὐτοῦ ζητήσει ταῦτα περὶ αὐτοῦ γράφει·

[2] ⁶⁷ Ἀλλὰ καὶ Κήρινθος ὁ δι’ ἀποκαλύψεων ὡς ὑπὸ ἀποστόλου μεγάλου γεγραμμένων τερατολογίας ἡμῖν ὡς δι’ ἀγγέλων αὐτῷ δεδειγμένας ψευδόμενος ἐπεισάγει, λέγων μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐπίγειον εἶναι τὸ βασίλειον τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ πάλιν ἐπιθυμίαις καὶ ἡδοναῖς ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὴν σάρκα πολιτευομένην δουλεύειν. καὶ ἐχθρὸς ὑπάρχων ταῖς γραφαῖς τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀριθμὸν χιλιονταετίας ἐν γάμῳ ἑορτῆς, θέλων πλανᾶν, λέγει γίνεσθαι.

[3] Καὶ Διονύσιος δέ, ὁ τῆς κατὰ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν παροικίας καθ’ ἡμᾶς τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν εἰληχώς, ἐν δευτέρῳ τῶν Ἐπαγγελιῶν περὶ τῆς Ἰωάννου Ἀποκαλύψεως εἰπών τινα ὡς ἐκ τῆς ἀνέκαθεν παραδόσεως, τοῦ αὐτοῦ μέμνηται ἀνδρὸς τούτοις τοῖς ῥήμασιν·

[4] Κήρινθον δέ, τὸν καὶ τὴν ἀπ’ ἐκείνου κληθεῖσαν Κηρινθιανὴν αἵρεσιν συστησάμενον, ἀξιόπιστον ἐπιφημίσαι θελήσαντα τῷ ἑαυτοῦ πλάσματι ὄνομα.

[5] τοῦτο γὰρ εἶναι τῆς διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ τὸ δόγμα, ἐπίγειον ἔσεσθαι τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ βασιλείαν, καὶ ὧν αὐτὸς ὠρέγετο, φιλοσώματος ὢν καὶ πάνυ σαρκικός, ἐν τούτοις ὀνειροπολεῖν ἔσεσθαι, γαστρὸς καὶ τῶν ὑπὸ γαστέρα πλησμοναῖς, τοῦτ’ ἐστὶ σιτίοις καὶ πότοις καὶ γάμοις καὶ δι’ ὧν εὐφημότερον ταῦτα ᾠήθη ποριεῖσθαι, ἑορταῖς καὶ θυσίαις καὶ ἱερείων σφαγαῖς.

[6] ⁶⁸ Ταῦτα Διονύσιος· ὁ δὲ Εἰρηναῖος ἀπορρητοτέρας δή τινας τοῦ αὐτοῦ ψευδοδοξίας ἐν πρώτῳ συγγράμματι τῶν πρὸς τὰς αἱρέσεις προθείς, ἐν τῷ τρίτῳ καὶ ἱστορίαν οὐκ ἀξίαν λήθης τῇ γραφῇ ⁶⁹ παραδέδωκεν, ὡς ἐκ παραδόσεως Πολυκάρπου φάσκων Ἰωάννην τὸν ἀπόστολον εἰσελθεῖν ποτε ἐν βαλανείῳ, ὥστε λούσασθαι, γνόντα δὲ ἔνδον ὄντα τὸν Κήρινθον, ἀποπηδῆσαί τε τοῦ τόπου καὶ ἐκφυγεῖν θύραζε, μηδ’ ὑπομείναντα τὴν αὐτὴν αὐτῷ ὑποδῦναι στέγην, ταὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ παραινέσαι, φήσαντα φύγωμεν, μὴ καὶ τὸ βαλανεῖον συμπέσῃ, ἔνδον ὄντος Κηρίνθου τοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθροῦ.

[1] Ἐπὶ τούτων δῆτα καὶ ἡ λεγομένη τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν αἵρεσις ἐπὶ σμικρότατον συνέστη ⁷⁰ χρόνον, ἧς δὴ καὶ ἡ τοῦ Ἰωάννου Ἀποκάλυψις ⁷¹ μνημονεύει· οὗτοι Νικόλαον ἕνα τῶν ἀμφὶ τὸν Στέφανον διακόνων πρὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἐνδεῶν θεραπείᾳ προκεχειρισμένων ηὔχουν. ὅ γε μὴν Ἀλεξανδρεὺς Κλήμης ἐν τρίτῳ Στρωματεῖ ταῦτα περὶ αὐτοῦ κατὰ λέξιν ἱστορεῖ·

[2] ⁷² Ὡραίαν, φασί, γυναῖκα ἔχων οὗτος, μετὰ τὴν ἀνάληψιν τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος πρὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων ὀνειδισθεὶς ζηλοτυπίαν, εἰς μέσον ἀγαγὼν τὴν γυναῖκα γῆμαι τῷ βουλομένῳ ἐπέτρεψεν. ἀκόλουθον γὰρ εἶναί φασι τὴν πρᾶξιν ταύτην ἐκείνῃ ⁷³ τῇ φωνῇ τῇ ὅτι παραχρᾶσθαι τῇ σαρκὶ δεῖ, καὶ δὴ κατακολουθήσαντες τῷ γεγενημένῳ τῷ τε εἰρημένῳ ἁπλῶς καὶ ἀβασανίστως, ἀνέδην ἐκπορνεύουσιν οἱ τὴν αἵρεσιν αὐτοῦ μετιόντες.

[3] πυνθάνομαι δ’ ἐγὼ τὸν Νικόλαον μηδεμιᾷ ἑτέρᾳ παρ’ ἣν ἔγημε κεχρῆσθαι γυναικί, τῶν τε ἐκείνου τέκνων τὰς μὲν θηλείας καταγηρᾶσαι παρθένους, ἄφθορον δὲ διαμεῖναι τὸν υἱόν· ὧν οὕτως ἐχόντων ἀποβολὴ πάθους ἦν ἡ εἰς μέσον τῶν ἀποστόλων τῆς ζηλοτυπουμένης ἐκκύκλησις γυναικός, καὶ ἡ ἐγκράτεια τῶν περισπουδάστων ἡδονῶν τὸ παραχρᾶσθαι τῇ σαρκὶ ἐδίδασκεν. οὐ γάρ, οἶμαι, ἐβούλετο κατὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐντολὴν δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν, ἡδονῇ καὶ κυρίῳ.

[4] λέγουσι ⁷⁴ δ’ οὖν καὶ τὸν Ματθίαν οὕτω διδάξαι, σαρκὶ μὲν ⁷⁵ μάχεσθαι καὶ παραχρᾶσθαι μηδὲν αὐτῇ πρὸς ἡδονὴν ἐνδιδόντα, ψυχὴν δὲ αὔξειν διὰ πίστεως καὶ γνώσεως. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν περὶ τῶν κατὰ τοὺς δηλουμένους χρόνους παραβραβεῦσαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐγκεχειρηκότων, λόγου γε μὴν θᾶττον εἰς τὸ παντελὲς ἀπεσβηκότων εἰρήσθω.

[1] Ὁ μέντοι Κλήμης, οὗ τὰς φωνὰς ἀρτίως ἀνέγνωμεν, τοῖς προειρημένοις ἑξῆς διὰ τοὺς ἀθετοῦντας τὸν γάμον τοὺς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐξετασθέντας ⁷⁶ ἐν συζυγίαις καταλέγει, φάσκων· ἢ καὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἀποδοκιμάσουσιν; Πέτρος μὲν γὰρ καὶ Φίλιππος ἐπαιδοποιήσαντο, Φίλιππος δὲ καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας ἀνδράσιν ἐξέδωκεν, καὶ ὅ γε ⁷⁷ Παῦλος οὐκ ὀκνεῖ ἔν τινι ἐπιστολῇ τὴν αὐτοῦ ⁷⁸ προσαγορεῦσαι σύζυγον, ἣν οὐ περιεκόμιζεν διὰ τὸ τῆς ὑπηρεσίας εὐσταλές.

[2] ἐπεὶ δὲ τούτων ἐμνήσθημεν, οὐ λυπεῖ καὶ ἄλλην ἀξιοδιήγητον ἱστορίαν τοῦ αὐτοῦ παραθέσθαι, ἣν ἐν τῷ ἑβδόμῳ Στρωματεῖ τοῦτον ἱστορῶν ἀνέγραψεν τὸν τρόπον· ⁷⁹ φασὶ γοῦν τὸν μακάριον Πέτρον θεασάμενον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἀπαγομένην τὴν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ, ἡσθῆναι μὲν τῆς κλήσεως χάριν καὶ τῆς εἰς οἶκον ἀνακομιδῆς, ἐπιφωνῆσαι δὲ εὖ μάλα προτρεπτικῶς καὶ παρακλητικῶς, ἐξ ὀνόματος προσειπόντα μέμνησο, ὦ αὕτη, τοῦ κυρίου. τοιοῦτος ἦν ὁ τῶν μακαρίων γάρμος καὶ ἡ τῶν φιλτάτων τελεία διάθεσις. καὶ ταῦτα δ’, οἰκεῖα ὄντα τῇ μετὰ χεῖρας ὑποθέσει, ἐνταῦθά μοι κατὰ καιρὸν κείσθω.

[1] Παύλου μὲν οὖν καὶ Πέτρου τῆς τελευτῆς ὅ τε χρόνος καὶ ὁ τρόπος καὶ πρὸς ἔτι τῆς μετὰ τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν τοῦ βίου τῶν σκηνωμάτων αὐτῶν καταθέσεως ὁ χῶρος ἤδη πρότερον ἡμῖν δεδήλωται·

[2] τοῦ δὲ Ἰωάννου τὰ μὲν τοῦ χρόνου ἤδη πως εἴρηται, τὸ δέ γε τοῦ σκηνώματος αὐτοῦ χωρίον ἐξ ἐπιστολῆς Πολυκράτους (τῆς δ’ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ παροικίας ἐπίσκοπος οὗτος ἦν) ἐπιδείκνυται, ἣν Οὐίκτορι Ῥωμαίων ἐπισκόπῳ γράφων, ὁμοῦ τε αὐτοῦ καὶ Φιλίππου μνημονεύει τοῦ ἀποστόλου τῶν τε τούτου θυγατέρων ὧδέ πως·

[3] καὶ γὰρ κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν μεγάλα στοιχεῖα κεκοίμηται· ἅτινα ἀναστήσεται τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ κυρίου, ἐν ᾗ ἔρχεται μετὰ δόξης ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀναζητήσει πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους, Φίλιππον τῶν δώδεκα ἀποστόλων, ὃς κεκοίμηται ἐν Ἱεραπόλει καὶ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ γεγηρακυῖαι παρθένοι καὶ ἡ ἑτέρα αὐτοῦ θυγάτηρ ἐν ἁγίῳ πνεύματι πολιτευσαμένη ἐν ⁸⁰ Ἐφέσῳ ἀναπαύεται· ἔτι δὲ καὶ Ἰωάννης, ὁ ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος τοῦ κυρίου ἀναπεσών, ὃς ἐγενήθη ⁸¹ ἱερεὺς τὸ πέταλον πεφορεκὼς καὶ μάρτυς καὶ διδάσκαλος, οὗτος ἐν Ἐφέσῳ κεκοίμηται.

[4] ταῦτα καὶ περὶ τῆς τῶνδε τελευτῆς· καὶ ἐν τῷ Γαΐου δέ, οὗ μικρῷ πρόσθεν ἐμνήσθημεν, διαλόγῳ Πρόκλος, πρὸς ὃν ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ζήτησιν, περὶ τῆς Φιλίππου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων αὐτοῦ τελευτῆς, συνᾴδων τοῖς ἐκτεθεῖσιν, οὕτω φησίν· μετὰ τοῦτον προφήτιδες τέσσαρες αἱ Φιλίππου γεγένηνται ἐν Ἱεραπόλει τῇ κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν· ὁ τάφος αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν.

[5] ταῦτα μὲν οὗτος· ὁ δὲ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν τῶν ἀποστόλων τῶν Φιλίππου θυγατέρων ἐν Καισαρείᾳ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἅμα τῷ πατρὶ τότε διατριβουσῶν προφητικοῦ τε χαρίσματος ἠξιωμένων ⁸² μνημονεύει, κατὰ λέξιν ὧδέ πως λέγων· ἤλθομεν εἰς Καισάρειαν, καὶ εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὸν οἶκον Φιλίππου τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ, ὄντος ἐκ τῶν ἑπτά, ἐμείναμεν παρ’ αὐτῷ. τούτῳ δὲ ἦσαν παρθένοι θυγατέρες τέσσαρες προφητεύουσαι.

[6] Τὰ μὲν οὖν εἰς ἡμετέραν ἐλθόντα γνῶσιν περί τε τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν χρόνων ὧν τε καταλελοίπασιν ἡμῖν ἱερῶν γραμμάτων καὶ τῶν ἀντιλεγομένων μέν, ὅμως δ’ ἐν πλείσταις ἐκκλησίαις παρὰ πολλοῖς δεδημοσιευμένων τῶν τε παντελῶς νόθων καὶ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀλλοτρίων ἐν τούτοις διειληφότες, ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν ἑξῆς προΐωμεν ἱστορίαν.

[1] Μετὰ Νέρωνα καὶ Δομετιανὸν κατὰ τοῦτον οὗ νῦν τοὺς χρόνους ἐξετάζομεν, μερικῶς καὶ κατὰ πόλεις ἐξ ἐπαναστάσεως δήμων τὸν καθ’ ἡμῶν κατέχει λόγος ἀνακινηθῆναι διωγμόν· ἐν ᾧ Συμεῶνα τὸν τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, ὃν δεύτερον καταστῆναι τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐκκλησίας ἐπίσκοπον ἐδηλώσαμεν, μαρτυρίῳ τὸν βίον ἀναλῦσαι παρειλήφαμεν.

[2] καὶ τούτου μάρτυς αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος, οὗ διαφόροις ἤδη πρότερον ἐχρησάμεθα φωναῖς, Ἡγήσιππος· ὃς δὴ περί τινων αἱρετικῶν ἱστορῶν, ἐπιφέρει δηλῶν ὡς ἄρα ὑπὸ τούτων κατὰ τόνδε τὸν χρόνον ὑπομείνας κατηγορίαν, πολυτρόπως ὁ δηλούμενος ὡς ἂν Χριστιανὸς ἐπὶ πλείσταις αἰκισθεὶς ἡμέραις αὐτόν τε τὸν δικαστὴν καὶ τοὺς ἀμφ’ αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ μέγιστα καταπλήξας, τῷ τοῦ κυρίου πάθει παραπλήσιον τέλος ἀπηνέγκατο·

[3] οὐδὲν δὲ οἷον καὶ τοῦ συγγραφέως ἐπακοῦσαι, αὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα κατὰ λέξιν ὧδέ πως ἱστοροῦντος ἀπὸ τούτων δηλαδὴ τῶν αἱρετικῶν κατηγοροῦσί τινες Σίμωνος τοῦ Κλωπᾶ ὡς ὄντος ἀπὸ Δαυὶδ καὶ Χριστιανοῦ, καὶ οὕτως μαρτυρεῖ ἐτῶν ὢν ρκ ἐπὶ Τραϊανοῦ Καίσαρος καὶ ὑπατικοῦ Ἀττικοῦ.

[4] φησὶν δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς ὡς ἄρα καὶ τοὺς κατηγόρους αὐτοῦ, ζητουμένων τότε τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς Ἰουδαίων φυλῆς, ὡς ἂν ἐξ αὐτῶν ὄντας ἁλῶναι συνέβη. λογισμῷ δ’ ἂν καὶ τὸν Συμεῶνα τῶν αὐτοπτῶν καὶ αὐτηκόων εἴποι ἄν τις γεγονέναι τοῦ κυρίου, τεκμηρίῳ τῷ μήκει τοῦ χρόνου τῆς αὐτοῦ ζωῆς χρώμενος καὶ τῷ μνημονεύειν τὴν ⁸³ τῶν εὐαγγελίων γραφὴν Μαρίας τῆς τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, ⁸⁴ οὗ γεγονέναι αὐτὸν καὶ πρότερον ὁ λόγος ἐδήλωσεν.

[5] Ὁ δ’ αὐτὸς συγγραφεὺς καὶ ἑτέρους ἀπογόνους ἑνὸς τῶν φερομένων ἀδελφῶν τοῦ σωτῆρος, ᾧ ὄνομα Ἰούδας, φησὶν εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπιβιῶναι βασιλείαν μετὰ τὴν ἤδη πρότερον ἱστορηθεῖσαν αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν πίστεως ἐπὶ Δομετιανοῦ μαρτυρίαν, γράφει δὲ οὕτως·

[6] ἔρχονται οὖν καὶ προηγοῦνται πάσης ἐκκλησίας ὡς μάρτυρες καὶ ἀπὸ γένους τοῦ κυρίου, καὶ γενομένης εἰρήνης βαθείας ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ, μένουσι μέχρι Τραϊανοῦ Καίσαρος, μέχρις οὗ ὁ ἐκ θείου τοῦ κυρίου, ὁ προειρημένος Σίμων υἱὸς Κλωπᾶ, συκοφαντηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν αἱρέσεων ὡσαύτως κατηγορήθη καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ ἐπὶ Ἀττικοῦ τοῦ ὑπατικοῦ. καὶ ἐπὶ πολλαῖς ἡμέραις αἰκιζόμενος ἐμαρτύρησεν, ὡς πάντας ὑπερθαυμάζειν καὶ τὸν ὑπατικὸν πῶς ρκ τυγχάνων ἐτῶν ὑπέμεινεν, καὶ ἐκελεύσθη σταυρωθῆναι.

[7] Ἐπὶ τούτοις ὁ αὐτὸς ἀνὴρ διηγούμενος τὰ κατὰ τοὺς δηλουμένους, ἐπιλέγει ὡς ἄρα μέχρι τῶν τότε χρόνων παρθένος καθαρὰ καὶ ἀδιάφθορος ἔμεινεν ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἐν ἀδήλῳ που σκότει ὡς εἰ φωλευόντων εἰς ἔτι τότε τῶν, εἰ καί τινες ὑπῆρχον, παραφθείρειν ἐπιχειρούντων τὸν ὑγιῆ κανόνα τοῦ σωτηρίου κηρύγματος·

[8] ὡς δ’ ὁ ἱερὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων χορὸς διάφορον εἰλήφει τοῦ βίου τέλος παρεληλύθει τε ἡ γενεὰ ἐκείνη τῶν αὐταῖς ἀκοαῖς τῆς ἐνθέου σοφίας ἐπακοῦσαι κατηξιωμένων, τηνικαῦτα τῆς ἀθέου πλάνης ἀρχὴν ἐλάμβανεν ἡ σύστασις διὰ τῆς τῶν ἑτεροδιδασκάλων ἀπάτης, οἳ καὶ ἅτε μηδενὸς ἔτι τῶν ἀποστόλων λειπομένου, ⁸⁵ γυμνῇ λοιπὸν ᾔδη κεφαλῇ τῷ τῆς ἀληθείας κηρύγματι τὴν ψευδώνυμον γνῶσιν ἀντικηρύττειν ἐπεχείρουν.

[1] Τοσοῦτός γε μὴν ἐν πλείοσι τόποις ὁ καθ’ ἡμῶν ἐπετάθη τότε διωγμός, ὡς Πλίνιον Σεκοῦνδον, ἐπισημότατον ἡγεμόνων, ἐπὶ τῷ πλήθει τῶν μαρτύρων κινηθέντα, βασιλεῖ κοινώσασθαι περὶ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως ἀναιρουμένων, ἅμα δ’ ἐν ταὐτῷ μηνῦσαι μηδὲν ἀνόσιον μηδὲ παρὰ τοὺς νόμους πράττειν αὐτοὺς κατειληφέναι, πλὴν τό γε ἅμα τῇ ἕῳ διεγειρομένους τὸν Χριστὸν θεοῦ δίκην ὑμνεῖν, τὸ δὲ μοιχεύειν καὶ φονεύειν καὶ τὰ συγγενῆ τούτοις ἀθέμιτα πλημμελήματα καὶ αὐτοὺς ἀπαγορεύειν πάντα τε πράττειν ἀκολούθως τοῖς νόμοις·

[2] πρὸς ἃ τὸν Τραϊανὸν δόγμα τοιόνδε τεθεικέναι, τὸ Χριστιανῶν φῦλον μὴ ἐκζητεῖσθαι μέν, ἐμπεσὸν δὲ κολάζεσθαι· δι’ οὗ ποσῶς μὲν τοῦ διωγμοῦ σβεσθῆναι τὴν ἀπειλὴν σφοδρότατα ἐγκειμένην, οὐ χεῖρόν γε μὴν τοῖς κακουργεῖν περὶ ἡμᾶς ἐθέλουσιν λείπεσθαι προφάσεις, ἔσθ’ ὅπῃ μὲν τῶν δήμων, ἔσθ’ ὅπῃ δὲ καὶ τῶν κατὰ χώρας ἀρχόντων τὰς καθ’ ἡμῶν συσκευαζομένων ἐπιβουλάς, ὡς καὶ ἄνευ προφανῶν διωγμῶν μερικοὺς κατ’ ἐπαρχίαν ἐξάπτεσθαι πλείους τε τῶν πιστῶν διαφόροις ἐναγωνίζεσθαι μαρτυρίοις.

[3] εἴληπται δ’ ἡ ἱστορία ἐξ ἧς ἀνώτερον δεδηλώκαμεν τοῦ Τερτυλλιανοῦ Ῥωμαϊκῆς ἀπολογίας, ἧς ἡ ἑρμηνεία τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον ⁸⁶ καίτοι εὑρήκαμεν καὶ τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐπιζήτησιν κεκωλυμένην. Πλίνιος γὰρ Σεκοῦνδος ἡγούμενος ἐπαρχίου κατακρίνας Χριστιανούς τινας καὶ τῆς ἀξίας ἐκβαλών, ταραχθεὶς τῷ πλήθει, διὰ ἠγνόει ⁸⁷ τί αὐτῷ λοιπὸν εἴη πρακτέον, Τραϊανῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἀνεκοινώσατο λέγων ἔξω τοῦ μὴ βούλεσθαι αὐτοὺς εἰδωλολατρεῖν οὐδὲν ἀνόσιον ἐν αὐτοῖς εὑρηκέναι· ἐμήνυεν δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ἀνίστασθαι ἕωθεν τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν θεοῦ δίκην ὑμνεῖν καὶ πρὸς τὸ τὴν ἐπιστήμην αὐτῶν διαφυλάσσειν κωλύεσθαι φονεύειν, μοιχεύειν, πλεονεκτεῖν, ἀποστερεῖν καὶ τὰ τούτοις ὅμοια. πρὸς ταῦτα ⁸⁸ ἀντέγραψεν Τραϊανὸς τὸ τῶν Χριστιανῶν φῦλον μὴ ἐκζητεῖσθαι μέν, ἐμπεσὸν δὲ κολάζεσθαι. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐν τούτοις ἦν.

[1] Τῶν δ’ ἐπὶ Ῥώμης ἐπισκόπων ἔτει τρίτῳ τῆς τοῦ προειρημένου βασιλέως ἀρχῆς Κλήμης Εὐαρέστῳ παραδοὺς τὴν λειτουργίαν ἀναλύει τὸν βίον, τὰ πάντα προστὰς ἔτεσιν ἐννέα τῆς τοῦ θείου λόγου διδασκαλίας.

[1] Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ Συμεῶνος τὸν δηλωθέντα τελειωθέντος τρόπον, τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐπισκοπῆς τὸν θρόνον Ἰουδαῖός τις ὄνομα Ἰοῦστος, μυρίων ὅσων ἐκ περιτομῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν τηνικαῦτα πεπιστευκότων εἷς καὶ αὐτὸς ὤν, διαδέχεται.

[1] Διέπρεπέν γε μὴν κατὰ τούτους ἐπὶ τῆς Ἀσίας τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁμιλητὴς Πολύκαρπος, τῆς κατὰ Σμύρναν ἐκκλησίας πρὸς τῶν αὐτοπτῶν καὶ ὑπηρετῶν τοῦ κυρίου τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἐγκεχειρισμένος·

[2] καθ’ ὃν ἐγνωρίζετο Παπίας, τῆς ἐν Ἱεραπόλει παροικίας καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπίσκοπος, ὅ τε παρὰ πλείστοις εἰς ἔτι νῦν διαβόητος Ἰγνάτιος, τῆς κατὰ Ἀντιόχειαν Πέτρου διαδοχῆς δεύτερος τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν κεκληρωμένος.

[3] λόγος δ’ ἔχει τοῦτον ἀπὸ Συρίας. ἐπὶ τὴν Ῥωμαίων πόλιν ἀναπεμφθέντα, θηρίων γενέσθαι βορὰν τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν μαρτυρίας ἕνεκεν·

[4] καὶ δὴ τὴν δι’ Ἀσίας ἀνακομιδὴν μετ’ ἐπιμελεστάτης φρουρῶν φυλακῆς ποιούμενος, τὰς κατὰ πόλιν αἷς ἐπεδήμει, παροικίας ταῖς διὰ λόγων ὁμιλίαις τε καὶ προτροπαῖς ἐπιρρωννύς, ἐν πρώτοις μάλιστα προφυλάττεσθαι τὰς αἱρέσεις ἄρτι τότε πρῶτον ἐπιπολαζούσας παρῄνει προύτρεπέν τε ἀπρὶξ ἔχεσθαι τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων παραδόσεως, ἣν ὑπὲρ ἀσφαλείας καὶ ἐγγράφως ἤδη μαρτυρόμενος διατυποῦσθαι ἀναγκαῖον ἡγεῖτο.

[5] ⁸⁹ οὕτω δῆτα ἐν Σμύρνῃ γενόμενος, ἔνθα ὁ Πολύκαρπος ἦν, μίαν μὲν τῇ κατὰ τὴν Ἔφεσον ἐπιστολὴν ⁹⁰ ἐκκλησίᾳ γράφει, ποιμένος αὐτῆς μνημονεύων ⁹¹ Ὀνησίμου, ἑτέραν δὲ τῇ ἐν Μαγνησίᾳ τῇ πρὸς ⁹² Μαιάνδρῳ, ἔνθα πάλιν ἐπισκόπου Δαμᾶ μνήμην πεποίηται, καὶ τῇ ἐν Τράλλεσι δὲ ἄλλην, ἧς ἄρχοντα τότε ὄντα Πολύβιον ἱστορεῖ.

[6] πρὸς ταύταις καὶ τῇ Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίᾳ γράφει, ᾗ καὶ παράκλησιν προτείνει ὡς μὴ παραιτησάμενοι τοῦ μαρτυρίου τῆς ποθουμένης αὐτὸν ἀποστερήσαιεν ἐλπίδος· ἐξ ὧν καὶ βραχύτατα εἰς ἐπίδειξιν τῶν εἰρημένων παραθέσθαι ἄξιον. γράφει δὴ οὖν κατὰ λέξιν·

[7] ἀπὸ Συρίας μέχρι Ῥώμης θηριομαχῶ διὰ γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης, νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, ἐνδεδεμένος δέκα λεοπάρδοις, ὅ ἐστιν στρατιωτικὸν τάγμα, οἳ καὶ εὐεργετούμενοι χείρονες γίνονται, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἀδικήμασιν αὐτῶν μᾶλλον μαθητεύομαι· ⁹³ ἀλλ’ οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο δεδικαίωμαι.

[8] ὀναίμην τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἐμοὶ ἑτοίμων, ἃ καὶ εὔχομαι σύντομά μοι εὑρεθῆναι· ἃ καὶ κολακεύσω συντόμως με καταφαγεῖν, οὐχ ὥσπερ τινῶν δειλαινόμενα οὐχ ἥψαντο, κἂν αὐτὰ δὲ ἄκοντα μὴ θέλῃ, ἐγὼ προσβιάσομαι.

[9] συγγνώμην μοι ἔχετε· τί μοι συμφέρει, ἐγὼ γινώσκω, νῦν ἄρχομαι μαθητὴς εἶναι. μηδέν με ζηλώσαι τῶν ὁρατῶν καὶ ἀοράτων, ἵνα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιτύχω· πῦρ καὶ σταυρὸς θηρίων τε συστάσεις, σκορπισμοὶ ὀστέων, συγκοπαὶ μελῶν, ἀλεσμοὶ ὅλου τοῦ σώματος, κολάσεις τοῦ διαβόλου εἰς ἐμὲ ἐρχέσθωσαν, μόνον ἵνα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιτύχω.

[10] Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς δηλωθείσης πόλεως ταῖς καταλεχθείσαις ἐκκλησίαις διετυπώσατο· ἤδη δ’ ἐπέκεινα τῆς Σμύρνης γενόμενος, ἀπὸ Τρωάδος ⁹⁴ τοῖς τε ἐν Φιλαδελφίᾳ αὖθις διὰ γραφῆς ὁμιλεῖ ⁹⁵ καὶ τῇ Σμυρναίων ἐκκλησίᾳ ἰδίως τε τῷ ταύτης ⁹⁶ προηγουμένῳ Πολυκάρπῳ· ὃν οἷα δὴ ἀποστολικὸν ⁹⁷ ἄνδρα εὖ μάλα γνωρίζων, τὴν κατ’ Ἀντιόχειαν αὐτῷ ποίμνην οἷα γνήσιος καὶ ἀγαθὸς ποιμὴν παρατίθεται, τὴν περὶ αὐτῆς φροντίδα διὰ σπουδῆς ἔχειν αὐτὸν ἀξιῶν.

[11] ὁ δ’ αὐτὸς Σμυρναίοις γράφων, οὐκ οἶδ’ ὁπόθεν ῥητοῖς συγκέχρηται, ⁹⁸ τοιαῦτά τινα περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ διεξιών· ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐν σαρκὶ αὐτὸν οἶδα καὶ πιστεύω ὄντα. καὶ ὅτε πρὸς τοὺς περὶ Πέτρον ἐλήλυθεν, ἔφη αὐτοῖς· λάβετε, ψηλαψήσατέ με καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ δαιμόνιον ἀσώματον· καὶ εὐθὺς αὐτοῦ ἥψαντο καὶ ἐπίστευσαν.

[12] Οἶδεν δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ μαρτύριον καὶ ὁ Εἰρηναῖος, καὶ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν αὐτοῦ μνημονεύει, λέγων ⁹⁹ οὕτως· ὡς εἶπέν τις τῶν ἡμετέρων, διὰ τὴν πρὸς θεὸν μαρτυρίαν κατακριθεὶς πρὸς θηρία, ¹⁰⁰ ὅτι σῖτός εἰμι θεοῦ καὶ δι’ ὀδόντων θηρίων ἀλήθομαι, ἵνα καθαρὸς ἄρτος εὑρεθῶ.

[13] Καὶ ὁ Πολύκαρπος δὲ τούτων αὐτῶν μέμνηται ἐν τῇ φερομένῃ αὐτοῦ πρὸς Φιλιππησίους ἐπιστολῇ ¹⁰¹ φάσκων αὐτοῖς ῥήμασιν· παρακαλῶ οὖν πάντας ὑμᾶς πειθαρχεῖν καὶ ἀσκεῖν πᾶσαν ὑπομονήν, ἣν εἴδετε κατ’ ὀφθαλμοὺς οὐ μόνον ἐν τοῖς μακαρίοις Ἰγνατίῳ καὶ Ῥούφῳ καὶ Ζωσίμῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις τοῖς ἐξ ὑμῶν καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀποστόλοις, πεπεισμένους ὅτι οὗτοι ¹⁰² πάντες οὐκ εἰς κενὸν ἔδραμον, ἀλλ’ ἐν πίστει καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ ὅτι εἰς τὸν ὀφειλόμενον αὐτοῖς ¹⁰³ τόπον εἰσὶν παρὰ κυρίῳ, ᾧ καὶ συνέπαθον. οὐ ¹⁰⁴ γὰρ τὸν νῦν ἠγάπησαν αἰῶνα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀποθανόντα καὶ δι’ ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ¹⁰⁵ ἀναστάντα.

[14] καὶ ἑξῆς ἐπιφέρει· ἐγράψατέ μοι καὶ ὑμεῖς καὶ Ἰγνάτιος, ἵν’ ἐάν τις ἀπέρχηται εἰς Συρίαν, καὶ τὰ παρ’ ὑμῶν ἀποκομίσῃ γράμματα· ὅπερ ποιήσω, ἐὰν λάβω καιρὸν εὔθετον, εἴτε ἐγὼ εἴτε ὃν πέμπω πρεσβεύσοντα καὶ περὶ ὑμῶν.

[15] τὰς ἐπιστολὰς Ἰγνατίου τὰς πεμφθείσας ἡμῖν ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄλλας ὅσας εἴχομεν παρ’ ἡμῖν, ἐπέμψαμεν ὑμῖν, καθὼς ἐνετείλασθε· αἵτινες ὑποτεταγμέναι εἰσὶν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ ταύτῃ· ἐξ ὧν μεγάλα ὠφεληθῆναι δυνήσεσθε. περιέχουσι γὰρ πίστιν καὶ ὑπομονὴν καὶ πᾶσαν οἰκοδομὴν τὴν εἰς τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἀνήκουσαν. καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ τὸν Ἰγνάτιον τοιαῦτα· διαδέχεται δὲ μετ’ αὐτὸν τὴν Ἀντιοχείας ἐπισκοπὴν Ἥρως.

[1] Τῶν δὲ κατὰ τούτους διαλαμψάντων καὶ Κοδρᾶτος ἦν, ὃν ἅμα ταῖς Φιλίππου θυγατράσιν προφητικῷ χαρίσματι λόγος ἔχει διαπρέψαι, καὶ ἄλλοι δ’ ἐπὶ τούτοις πλείους ἐγνωρίζοντο κατὰ τούσδε, τὴν πρώτην τάξιν τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐπέχοντες διαδοχῆς· οἳ καί, ἅτε τηλικῶνδε ὄντες θεοπρεπεῖς μαθηταί, τοὺς κατὰ πάντα τόπον τῶν¹⁰⁶ ἐκκλησιῶν προκαταβληθέντας ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων θεμελίους ἐπῳκοδόμουν, αὔξοντες εἰς πλέον τὸ κήρυγμα καὶ τὰ σωτήρια σπέρματα τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας ἀνὰ πᾶσαν εἰς πλάτος ἐπισπείροντες τὴν οἰκουμένην.

[2] καὶ γὰρ δὴ πλεῖστοι τῶν τότε μαθητῶν σφοδροτέρῳ φιλοσοφίας ἔρωτι πρὸς τοῦ θείου λόγου τὴν ψυχὴν πληττόμενοι, ¹⁰⁷ τὴν σωτήριον πρότερον ἀπεπλήρουν παρακέλευσιν, ἐνδεέσιν νέμοντες τὰς οὐσίας, εἶτα δὲ ἀποδημίας ¹⁰⁸ στελλόμενοι ἔργον ἐπετέλουν εὐαγγελιστῶν, τοῖς ἔτι πάμπαν ἀνηκόοις τοῦ τῆς πίστεως λόγου κηρύττειν φιλοτιμούμενοι καὶ τὴν τῶν θείων ¹⁰⁹ εὐαγγελίων παραδιδόναι γραφήν.

[3] οὗτοι δὲ θεμελίους τῆς πίστεως ἐπὶ ξένοις τισὶ τόποις αὐτὸ μόνον καταβαλλόμενοι ποιμένας τε καθιστάντες ἑτέρους τούτοις τε αὐτοῖς ἐγχειρίζοντες τὴν τῶν ἀρτίως εἰσαχθέντων γεωργίαν, ἑτέρας αὐτοὶ πάλιν χώρας τε καὶ ἔθνη μετῄεσαν σὺν τῇ ἐκ θεοῦ χάριτι καὶ συνεργίᾳ, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦ θείου πνεύματος εἰς ἔτι τότε δι’ αὐτῶν πλεῖσται παράδοξοι δυνάμεις ἐνήργουντο, ὥστε ἀπὸ πρώτης ἀκροάσεως ἀθρόως αὔτανδρα πλήθη προθύμως τὴν εἰς τὸν τῶν ὅλων δημιουργὸν εὐσέβειαν ἐν ταῖς αὐτῶν ψυχαῖς καταδέχεσθαι.

[4] Ἀδυνάτου δ’ ὄντος ἡμῖν ἅπαντας ἐξ ὀνόματος ἀπαριθμεῖσθαι ὅσοι ποτὲ κατὰ τὴν πρώτην τῶν ἀποστόλων διαδοχὴν ἐν ταῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐκκλησίαις γεγόνασιν ποιμένες ἢ καὶ εὐαγγελισταί, τούτων εἰκότως ἐξ ὀνόματος γραφῇ μόνων τὴν μνήμην κατατεθείμεθα, ὧν ἔτι καὶ νῦν εἰς ἡμᾶς δι’ ὑπομνημάτων τῆς ἀποστολικῆς διδασκαλίας ἡ παράδοσις φέρεται.

[1] ὥσπερ οὖν ἀμέλει τοῦ Ἰγνατίου ἐν αἷς κατελέξαμεν ἐπιστολαῖς, ¹¹⁰ καὶ τοῦ Κλήμεντος ἐν τῇ ἀνωμολογημένῃ παρὰ πᾶσιν, ἣν ἐκ προσώπου τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας τῇ Κορινθίων διετυπώσατο· ἐν ᾗ τῆς πρὸς Ἑβραίους πολλὰ νοήματα παραθείς, ἤδη δὲ καὶ αὐτολεξεὶ ῥητοῖς τισιν ἐξ αὐτῆς χρησάμενος,

[2] σαφέστατα παρίστησιν ὅτι μὴ νέον ὑπάρχει τὸ σύγγραμμα, ὅθεν δὴ καὶ εἰκότως ἔδοξεν αὐτὸ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἐγκαταλεχθῆναι γράμμασι τοῦ ἀποστόλου. Ἑβραίοις γὰρ διὰ τῆς πατρίου γλώττης ἐγγράφως ὡμιληκότος τοῦ Παύλου, οἳ μὲν τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν Λουκᾶν, οἳ δὲ τὸν Κλήμεντα τοῦτον αὐτὸν ἑρμηνεῦσαι λέγουσι τὴν γραφήν·

[3] ὃ καὶ μᾶλλον ἂν εἴη ἀληθὲς τῷ τὸν ὅμοιον τῆς φράσεως χαρακτῆρα τήν τε τοῦ Κλήμεντος ἐπιστολὴν καὶ τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους ἀποσῴζειν καὶ τῷ μὴ πόρρω τὰ ἐν ἑκατέροις τοῖς συγγράμμασι νοήματα καθεστάναι.

[4] Ἰστέον δ’ ὡς καὶ δευτέρα τις εἶναι λέγεται τοῦ Κλήμεντος ἐπιστολή, οὐ μὴν ἔθ’ ὁμοίως τῇ προτέρᾳ καὶ ταύτην γνώριμον ἐπιστάμεθα, ὅτι μηδὲ τοὺς ἀρχαίους αὐτῇ κεχρημένους ἴσμεν.

[5] ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἕτερα πολυεπῆ καὶ μακρὰ συγγράμματα ὡς τοῦ αὐτοῦ χθὲς καὶ πρῴην τινὲς προήγαγον, Πέτρου δὴ καὶ Ἀπίωνος διαλόγους περιέχοντα· ὧν οὐδ’ ὅλως μνήμη τις παρὰ τοῖς παλαιοῖς φέρεται, οὐδὲ γὰρ καθαρὸν τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀποσῴζει τὸν χαρακτῆρα.

[1] Ἡ μὲν οὖν τοῦ Κλήμεντος ὁμολογουμένη γραφὴ πρόδηλος, εἴρηται δὲ καὶ τὰ Ἰγνατίου καὶ Πολυκάρπου· τοῦ δὲ Παπία συγγράμματα πέντε τὸν ἀριθμὸν φέρεται, ἃ καὶ ἐπιγέγραπται Λογίων κυριακῶν ἐξηγήσεως. τούτων καὶ Εἰρηναῖος ὡς μόνων αὐτῷ γραφέντων μνημονεύει, ¹¹¹ ὧδέ πως λέγων· ταῦτα δὲ καὶ Παπίας ὁ Ἰωάννου μὲν ἀκουστής, Πολυκάρπου δὲ ἑταῖρος γεγονώς, ἀρχαῖος ἀνήρ, ἐγγράφως ἐπιμαρτυρεῖ ἐν τῇ τετάρτῃ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ βιβλίων. ἔστιν γὰρ αὐτῷ πέντε βιβλία συντεταγμένα.

[2] καὶ ὁ μὲν Εἰρηναῖος ταῦτα· αὐτός γε μὴν ὁ Παπίας κατὰ τὸ προοίμιον τῶν αὐτοῦ λόγων ἀκροατὴν μὲν καὶ αὐτόπτην οὐδαμῶς ἑαυτὸν γενέσθαι τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων ἐμφαίνει, παρειληφέναι δὲ τὰ τῆς πίστεως παρὰ τῶν ἐκείνοις γνωρίμων διδάσκει δι’ ὧν φησιν λέξεων·

[3] οὐκ ὀκνήσω δέ σοι καὶ ὅσα ποτὲ παρὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καλῶς ἔμαθον καὶ καλῶς ἐμνημόνευσα, συγκατατάξαι ταῖς ἑρμηνείαις, διαβεβαιούμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀλήθειαν. οὐ γὰρ τοῖς τὰ πολλὰ λέγουσιν ἔχαιρον ὥσπερ οἱ πολλοί, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τἀληθῆ διδάσκουσιν, οὐδὲ τοῖς τὰς ἀλλοτρίας ἐντολὰς μνημονεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τὰς παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου τῇ πίστει δεδομένας καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτῆς παραγινομένας τῆς ἀληθείας·

[4] εἰ δέ που ¹¹² καὶ παρηκολουθηκώς τις τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις ἔλθοι, τοὺς τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἀνέκρινον λόγους, τί Ἀνδρέας ἢ τί Πέτρος εἶπεν ἢ τί Φίλιππος ἢ τί Θωμᾶς ἢ Ἰάκωβος ἢ τί Ἰωάννης ἢ Ματθαῖος ἤ τις ἕτερος τῶν τοῦ κυρίου μαθητῶν ἅ τε Ἀριστίων καὶ ὁ πρεσβύτερος Ἰωάννης, τοῦ κυρίου μαθηταί, λέγουσιν. οὐ γὰρ τὰ ἐκ τῶν βιβλίων τοσοῦτόν με ὠφελεῖν ὑπελάμβανον ὅσον τὰ παρὰ ζώσης φωνῆς καὶ μενούσης.

[5] Ἔνθα καὶ ἐπιστῆσαι ἄξιον δὶς καθαρθμιοῦντι αὐτῷ τὸ Ἰωάννου ὄνομα, ὧν τὸν μὲν πρότερον Πέτρῳ καὶ Ἰακώβῳ καὶ Ματθαίῳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀποστόλοις συγκαταλέγει, σαφῶς δηλῶν τὸν εὐαγγελιστήν, τὸν δ’ ἕτερον Ἰωάννην, διαστείλας τὸν λόγον, ἑτέροις παρὰ τὸν τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀριθμὸν κατατάσσει, προτάξας αὐτοῦ τὸν Ἀριστίωνα, σαφῶς τε αὐτὸν πρεσβύτερον ὀνομάζει·

[6] ὡς καὶ διὰ τούτων ἀποδείκνυσθαι τὴν ἱστορίαν ἀληθῆ τῶν δύο κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν ὁμωνυμίᾳ κεχρῆσθαι εἰρηκότων δύο τε ἐν Ἐφέσῳ γενέσθαι μνήματα καὶ ἑκάτερον Ἰωάννου ἔτι νῦν λέγεσθαι· οἷς καὶ ἀναγκαῖον προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν, εἰκὸς γὰρ τὸν δεύτερον, εἰ μή τις ἐθέλοι τὸν πρῶτον, τὴν ἐπ’ ὀνόματος φερομένην Ἰωάννου ἀποκάλυψιν ἑορακέναι.

[7] καὶ ὁ νῦν δὲ ἡμῖν δηλούμενος Παπίας τοὺς μὲν τῶν ἀποστόλων λόγους παρὰ τῶν αὐτοῖς παρηκολουθηκότων ὁμολογεῖ παρειληφέναι, Ἀριστίωνος δὲ καὶ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου Ἰωάννου αὐτήκοον ἑαυτόν φησι γενέσθαι· ὀνομαστὶ γοῦν πολλάκις αὐτῶν μνημονεύσας ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῦ συγγράμμασιν τίθησιν αὐτῶν παραδόσεις.

[8] καὶ ταῦτα δ’ ἡμῖν οὐκ εἰς τὸ ἄχρηστον εἰρήσθω· ἄξιον δὲ ταῖς ἀποδοθείσαις τοῦ Παπία φωναῖς προσάψαι λέξεις ἑτέρας αὐτοῦ, δι’ ὧν παράδοξά τινα ἱστορεῖ καὶ ἄλλα ὡς ἂν ἐκ παραδόσεως εἰς αὐτὸν ἐλθόντα.

[9] τὸ μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὴν Ἱεράπολιν Φίλιππον τὸν ἀπόστολον ἅμα ταῖς θυγατράσιν διατρῖψαι διὰ τῶν πρόσθεν δεδήλωται· ὡς δὲ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς ὁ Παπίας γενόμενος, διήγησιν παρειληφέναι θαυμασίαν ὑπὸ τῶν τοῦ Φιλίππου θυγατέρων μνημονεύει, τὰ νῦν σημειωτέον· νεκροῦ γὰρ ἀνάστασιν κατ’ αὐτὸν γεγονυῖαν ἱστορεῖ καὶ αὖ πάλιν ἕτερον παράδοξον περὶ Ἰοῦστον τὸν ἐπικληθέντα Βαρσαβᾶν γεγονός, ὡς δηλητήριον φάρμακον ἐμπιόντος καὶ μηδὲν ἀηδὲς διὰ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου χάριν ὑπομείναντος.

[10] τοῦτον δὲ τὸν Ἰοῦστον μετὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἀνάληψιν τοὺς ἱεροὺς ἀποστόλους μετὰ Ματθία στῆσαί τε καὶ ἐπεύξασθαι ἀντὶ τοῦ προδότου Ἰούδα ἐπὶ τὸν κλῆρον τῆς ἀναπληρώσεως τοῦ αὐτῶν ἀριθμοῦ ἡ τῶν Πράξεων ὧδέπως ¹¹³ ἱστορεῖ γραφή· καὶ ἔστησαν δύο, Ἰωσὴφ τὸν καλούμενον Βαρσαβᾶν, ὃς ἐπεκλήθη Ἰοῦστος, καὶ Ματθίαν· καὶ προσευξάμενοι εἶπαν.

[11] καὶ ἄλλα δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς ὡς ἐκ παραδόσεως ἀγράφου εἰς αὐτὸν ἥκοντα παρατέθειται ξένας τέ τινας παραβολὰς τοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ καί τινα ἄλλα μυθικώτερα·

[12] ἐν οἷς καὶ χιλιάδα τινά φησιν ἐτῶν ἔσεσθαι μετὰ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν, σωματικῶς τῆς Χριστοῦ βασιλείας ἐπὶ ταυτησὶ τῆς γῆς ὑποστησομένης· ἃ καὶ ἡγοῦμαι τὰς ἀποστολικὰς παρεκδεξάμενον διηγήσεις ὑπολαβεῖν, τὰ ἐν ὑποδείγμασι πρὸς αὐτῶν μυστικῶς εἰρημένα μὴ συνεορακότα.

[13] σφόδρα γάρ τοι σμικρὸς ὢν τὸν νοῦν, ὡς ἂν ἐκ τῶν αὐτοῦ λόγων τεκμηράμενον εἰπεῖν, φαίνεται, πλὴν καὶ τοῖς μετ’ αὐτὸν πλείστοις ὅσοις τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν τῆς ὁμοίας αὐτῷ δόξης παραίτιος γέγονεν τὴν ἀρχαιότητα τἀνδρὸς προβεβλημένοις, ὥσπερ οὖν Εἰρηναίῳ καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος τὰ ὅμοια φρονῶν ἀναπέφηνεν.

[14] Καὶ ἄλλας δὲ τῇ ἰδίᾳ γραφῇ παραδίδωσιν Ἀριστίωνος τοῦ πρόσθεν δεδηλωμένου τῶν τοῦ κυρίου λόγων διηγήσεις καὶ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου Ἰωάννου παραδόσεις· ἐφ’ ἃς τοὺς φιλομαθεῖς ἀναπέμψαντες, ἀναγκαίως νῦν προσθήσομεν ταῖς προεκτεθείσαις αὐτοῦ φωναῖς παράδοσιν ἣν περὶ Μάρκου τοῦ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον γεγραφότος ἐκτέθειται διὰ τούτων·

[15] καὶ τοῦθ’ ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἔλεγεν· Μάρκος μὲν ἑρμηνευτὴς Πέτρου γενόμενος, ὅσα ἐμνημόνευσεν, ἀκριβῶς ἔγραψεν, οὐ μέντοι τάξει, τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἢ λεχθέντα ἢ πραχθέντα. οὔτε γὰρ ἤκουσεν τοῦ κυρίου οὔτε παρηκολούθησεν αὐτῷ, ὕστερον δέ, ὡς ἔφην, Πέτρῳ· ὃς πρὸς τὰς χρείας ἐποιεῖτο τὰς διδασκαλίας, ἀλλ’ οὐχ ὥσπερ σύνταξιν τῶν κυριακῶν ποιούμενος λογίων, ὥστε οὐδὲν ἥμαρτεν Μάρκος οὕτως ἔνια γράψας ὡς ἀπεμνημόνευσεν. ἑνὸς γὰρ ἐποιήσατο πρόνοιαν, τοῦ μηδὲν ὧν ἤκουσεν παραλιπεῖν ἢ ψεύσασθαί τι ἐν αὐτοῖς.

[16] ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἱστόρηται τῷ Παπίᾳ περὶ τοῦ Μάρκου· περὶ δὲ τοῦ Ματθαίου ταῦτ’ εἴρηται· Ματθαῖος μὲν οὖν Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ τὰ λόγια συνετάξατο, ἡρμήνευσεν δ’ αὐτὰ ὡς ἦν δυνατὸς ἕκαστος.

[17] Κέχρηται δ’ ὁ αὐτὸς μαρτυρίαις ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰωάννου προτέρας ἐπιστολῆς καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Πέτρου ὁμοίως, ἐκτέθειται δὲ καὶ ἄλλην ἱστορίαν περὶ γυναικὸς ἐπὶ πολλαῖς ἁμαρτίαις διαβληθείσης ἐπὶ τοῦ κυρίου, ἣν τὸ καθ’ Ἑβραίους εὐαγγέλιον περιέχει. καὶ ταῦτα δ’ ἡμῖν ἀναγκαίως πρὸς τοῖς ἐκτεθεῖσιν ἐπιτετηρήσθω.

Notes on the current edition

Ecclesiastical History

1. 1 Gk. “ecclesiastic,” that is, belonging to or recognized by the church, as opposed to heretics, Jews, οr heathen.

2. 1 The translation obscures the difficulty οf the Greek. Is it the tradition or the eyewitnesses which Luke (in the opinion of Eusebius) claims to have followed? The Greek is quite ambiguous.

3. 3 Cf. Acts vi. 8 ff. and xii. 2.

4. 4 This is the form in which Eusebius usually quotes Matt. xxviii. 19, omitting the reference to baptism. It cannot be accidental, but there are no MSS. of the N.T. with this text. Some think that the Eusebian text is an earlier form, some that Eusebius wished to keep secret the formula of baptism.

5. 1 The Greek means rather more than this: it is almost a “ sense of decency.”

6. 1 About half a crown or sixty cents.

7. 1 Οr possibly “ for whom.”

8. 1 κἄν in most MSS. and in Josephus, but it seems impossible.

9. 1 That is, Albinus who was procurator from 61 to 64.

10. 1 Two late manuscripts make the following additions from Josephus. “ Αnd when Albinus, for he was governor, asked him who he was and whence he came and why he said these things, he made no answer but did not cease reising his lamentation against the city until Albinus considered him mad and let him go. Until the time οf the war he neither approached any of the citizens nor was he seen talking, but daily, as though reciting a prayer, he wailed ‘Woe, woe to ’ He never cursed those who struck him daily, nor did he bless those who gave him food, but all received the same melancholy wail as an answer. He howled with especial vigour on feast days, and this he kept up for seven year and five months, nor did his voice fail or grow weary until at the siege he rested, seeing his lamentations fulfilled. For he went round on the wall with the piercing cry, ‘Woe, woe to the people, to the city, and to the temple,’ and as last he ‘ Woe, woe to me also,´ a stone flew from a catapult and hit him; he died at once, and gave up his soul still uttering those lamentations.”

11. 1 Usually qouted as “ Antiquities,” from the Latin rendering of ἀρχαιολογία by antiquitates.

12. 2 Usually known as the “Wars” Οr the “ Jewish and often quoted as B.I. (bellum iudaicum).

13. 3 Usually known as Contra Apionem.

14. 1 Josephus does not state which these are. Probably he means Joshua, Judges and Ruth, 1 and 2 Sam., 1 and
Κings, 1 and 2 Chron., Ezra and Νeh., Esther, Isaiah, Jer. and Lam., Ezek., Dan., the minor prophets, Job. The “ remaining four books” would be Pss., Ρrov., Feel., the Song of Songs.

15. 2 Ηe means 1 Maccabees and perhaps 2 Maccabees.

16. 3 4 Maccabees.

17. 1 June 24, A.D. 79.

18. 2 Dec 13. Α.D. 81.

19. 2 The Greek represents the Latin evocatus, apparently the name of an official, but even Rufinus did not fully understand it and made οut of it a proper name Revocatus quidam.

20. 1 About 35.

21. 2 The Greek plethron is not quite a quarter of an acre, but is used to represent the Latin iugerum=more than half an acre.

22. 1 Sept. 18, A.D. 96. 2 Jan. 27, A.D. 98.

23. 1 ᾿ἐθνῶν possibly means “ country-people ’’ as opposed to “town-folk.”

24. 2 According to the Chronicon Paschale it was Smyrna.

25. 1 Immediately above he is called a bishop.

26. 1 John.

27. 1 The Greek word liyrtslly means “age,’’ but in ecclesiastical astical Greek is sometimes used, as here, οf the supernatural beings who form part οf Gnostic theology.

28. 1 That is, Ρaul.

29. 2 The does does mean “ poor ’’ in Ηebrew ; but it is not known why it was applied to the Jewish Chrisrians. One guess is as good as another.

30. 1 This is the obvious sense of the Greek which is, however, clearly corrupt. It would appear that Gaius thought that Cerinthus was the writer of the Apocalypse.

31. 1 Philipp. iv. 3 γνήσιε σύζυγε, ‘true yoke-fellow’ or ‘wife.’

32. 2 Possibly Polycrates has confused Philip the Apostle and Philip the Deacon and Eusebius did not notice it.

33. 3 This must be the meaning unless the text be corrupt. The Greek word tranriated “ third ’’ ought to mean “ the second of two.”

34. 4 The word πέταλον is used in the LXX. οf the “ plate ’’ οr “diadem ’’ of the Ηigh Priest (cf. Exod. xxviii.), but what it means here has never been discovered.

35. 2 Ηe was the brother of Joseph ; see iii. 11. 1.

36. 1 The Greek word means knowledge which is meaningless and clearly a mistaken translation of the Latin. Tertullian wrote disciplinam.

37. 1 The Greek wordd is “ philosophy ’’ ; but Eusebius does not mean metaphysics.

38. 1 so Wendland: the Mss. read ἐνήργουν.

39. 3 “Ρrimitive’’ would perhaps be a better rendering for the Greek, which at Ιeast sometimes seems to mean a man who belonged to “the ” Cf. the application οf the adjective to Mnason ἀρχαίῳ μαθητῇ) in Αcts xxi. 16

40. 1 Thc meaning οf the Greek is doubrtul ; see Jackson and Lake, Beginnings of Christianity, vol. ii. p. 501.

41. 1 Cf. vii. 25. 16 (excerpt from Dionysios).

42. 1 cf. C. de Boor's fragments of Papias in texte und Untersuchungen, v. 2. 170.

Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 3

Kirsopp Lake (Translator), J. E. L. Oulton (Translator)

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