32 - Martyrs of Palestine, Part 3

CHURCH HISTORY by EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA translated by ARTHUR CUSHMAN MACGUIFFERT The Martyrs of Palestine, Part 3, Chapters 11-13 CHAPTER XI IT IS TIME TO DESCRIBE THE GREAT AND CELEBRATED SPECTACLE OF PAMPHOLUS, A MAN THRICE DEAR TO ME, AND OF THOSE WHO FINISHED THEIR COURSE WITH HIM. THEY WERE TWELVE IN ALL, BEING COUNTED WORTHY OF APOSTOLIC GRACE AND NUMBER. Of these the leader and the only one honoured with the position of a presbyter at Caesarea was Pampholus, a man who through his entire life was celebrated for every virtue, for renouncing and despising the world, for sharing his possessions with the needy, for contempt of earthly hopes, and for philosophic deportment and exercise. He especially excelled all in our time in most sincere devotion to the divine scriptures and indefatigable industry in whatever he undertook, and in his helpfulness to his relatives and associates. In a separate treatise on his life, consisting of three books, we have already described the excellence of his virtue. Referring to this work those who delight in such things and desire to know them, let us now consider the martyrs in order. Second after Pampholus, Valis, who was honoured for his venerable grey hair, entered the contest. He was a deacon from Elea, an old man of gravest appearance, and versed in the divine scriptures if any one ever was. He had so laid up the memory of them in his heart that he did not need to look at the books if he undertook to repeat any passage of scripture. The third was Paul from the city of Jamna, who was known among them as most zealous and fervent in spirit. Previous to his martyrdom, he had endured the conflict of confession by cauterization. After these persons had continued in prison for two entire years, the occasion of their martyrdom was a second arrival of Egyptian brethren who suffered with them. They had accompanied the confessors in Cilicia to the mines there and were returning to their homes. At the entrance of the gates of Caesarea, the guards, who were men of barbarous character, questioned them as to who they were and whence they came. They kept back nothing of the truth, and were seized as malefactors taken in the very act. They were five in number. When brought before the tyrant, being very bold in his presence, they were immediately thrown into prison. On the next day, which was the nineteenth of the month Paritius, according to the Roman reckoning of the fourteenth before the calends of March, they were brought, according to command, before the judge, with Pamphilus and his associates whom we have mentioned. First, by all kinds of torture, through the invention of strange and various machines, he tested the invincible constancy of the Egyptians. Having practiced these cruelties upon the leader of all, he asked him first who he was. He heard in reply the name of some prophet instead of his proper name, for it was their custom, in place of the names of idols given them by their fathers, if they had such, to take other names, so that you would hear them calling themselves Elijah or Jeremiah or Isaiah or Samuel or Daniel, thus showing themselves inwardly true Jews, and the genuine Israel of God, not only in deeds, but in the names which they bore. When Formilianus had heard some such name from the martyr, and did not understand the force of the word, he asked next the name of his country. But he gave a second answer similar to the former, saying that Jerusalem was his country, meaning that of which Paul says, Jerusalem which is above is free, which is our mother, and Ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. This was what he meant, but the judge, thinking only of the earth, sought diligently to discover what that city was, and in what part of the world it was situated. And therefore he applied tortures that the truth might be acknowledged. But the man, with his hands twisted behind his back, and his feet crushed by strange machines, asserted firmly that he had spoken the truth. And being questioned again repeatedly what and where the city was of which he spoke, he said that it was the country of the pious alone, for no others should have a place in it, and that it lay toward the far east and the rising sun. He philosophized about these things according to his own understanding, and was in no wise turned from them by the tortures with which he was afflicted on every side, and as if he were without flesh or body he seemed insensible of his sufferings. But the judge, being perplexed, was impatient, thinking that the Christians were about to establish a city somewhere, inimical and hostile to the Romans, and he inquired much about this, and investigated where that country toward the east was located. But when he had for a long time lacerated the young man with scourgings, and punished him with all sorts of torments, he perceived that his persistence in what he had said could not be changed, and passed against him sentence of death. Such a scene was exhibited by what was done to this man, and having inflicted similar tortures on the others, he sent them away in the same manner. Then being wearied and perceiving that he punished the men in vain, having satiated his desire, he proceeded against Pamphilus and his companions. And having learned that already under former tortures they had manifested an unchangeable zeal for the faith, he asked them if they would now obey, and receiving from every one of them only this one answer, as their last word of confession in martyrdom, he inflicted on them punishment similar to the others. When this had been done, a young man, one of the household servants of Pamphilus, who had been educated in the noble life and instruction of such a man, learning the sentence passed upon his master, cried out from the midst of the crowd, asking that their bodies might be buried. Thereupon the judge, not a man but a wild beast, or, if anything, more savage than a wild beast, giving no consideration to the young man's age, asked him only the same question. When he learned that he confessed himself a Christian, as if he had been wounded by a dart, swelling with rage, he ordered the tormentors to use their utmost power against him. And when he saw that he refused to sacrifice as commanded, he ordered them to scrape him continually to his very bones and to the inmost recesses of his bowels, not as if he were human flesh but as if he were stones or wood or any lifeless thing. But after long persistence he saw that this was in vain, as the man was speechless and insensible and almost lifeless, his body being worn out by the tortures. But being inflexibly merciless and inhuman, he ordered him to be committed straightway, as he was, to a slow fire, and before the death of his earthly master, though he had entered later on the conflict, he received release from the body, while those who had been zealous about the others were yet delaying. One could then see Porphyry, like one who had come off victorious in every conflict, his body covered with dust, but his countenance cheerful after such sufferings, with courageous and exulting mind advancing to death. And as if truly filled with the Divine Spirit, covered only with his philosophic robe thrown about him as a cloak, soberly and intelligently he directed his friends as to what he wished, and beckoned to them, preserving still a cheerful countenance even at the stake. But when the fire was kindled at some distance around him in a circle, having inhaled the flame into his mouth, he continued most nobly in silence from that time till his death, after the single word which he uttered when the flame first touched him, and he cried out for the help of Jesus, the Son of God. Such was the contest of Porphyry. His death was reported to Pamphilus by a messenger, Seleucus. He was one of the confessors from the army. As the bearer of such a message, he was forthwith deemed worthy of a similar lot, for as soon as he related the death of Porphyry, and had saluted one of the martyrs with a kiss, some of the soldiers seized him and led him to the governor, and he, as if he would hasten him on to be a companion of the former on the way to heaven, commanded that he be put to death immediately. This man was from Cappadocia, and belonged to the select band of soldiers, and had obtained no small honor in those things which are esteemed among the Romans, for in stature and bodily strength and size and vigor he far excelled his fellow soldiers, so that his appearance was matter of common talk, and his whole form was admired on account of its size and symmetrical proportions. At the beginning of the persecution he was prominent in the conflicts of confession, through his patience under scourging. After he left the army he set himself to imitate zealously the religious ascetics, and as if he were their father and guardian he showed himself a bishop and patron of destitute orphans and defenseless widows, and of those who were distressed with penury or sickness. It is likely that on this account he was deemed worthy of an extraordinary call to martyrdom by God, who rejoices in such things more than in the smoke and blood of sacrifices. He was the tenth athlete among those whom we have mentioned as meeting their end on one and the same day. On this day, as was fitting, the chief gate was opened, and a ready way of entrance into the kingdom of heaven was given to the martyr Pamphilus and to the others with him. In the footsteps of Seleucus came Theodulus, a grave and pious old man, who belonged to the governor's household, and had been honored by Formilianus himself more than all the others in his house on account of his age, and because he was a father of the third generation, and also on account of the kindness and most faithful conscientiousness which he had manifested toward him. As he pursued the course of Seleucus when brought before his master, the latter was more angry at him than at those who had preceded him, and condemned him to endure the martyrdom of the Saviour on the cross. As there lacked yet one to fill up the number of the twelve martyrs of whom we have spoken, Julian came to complete it. He had just arrived from abroad, and had not yet entered the gate of the city, when having learned about the martyrs while still on the way, he rushed at once, just as he was, to see them. When he beheld the tabernacles of the saints prone on the ground, being filled with joy, he embraced and kissed them all. The ministers of slaughter straightway seized him as he was doing this and led him to Formilianus. Acting as was his custom, he condemned him to a slow fire. Thereupon Julian, leaping and exulting, in a loud voice gave thanks to the Lord who had judged him worthy of such things, and was honoured with the crown of martyrdom. He was a Cappadocian by birth, and in his manner of life he was most circumspect, faithful and sincere, zealous in all other respects, and animated by the Holy Spirit himself. Such was the company which was thought worthy to enter into martyrdom with Pamphilus. By the command of the impious governor their sacred and truly holy bodies were kept as food for the wild beasts for four days and as many nights, but since, strange to say, through the providential care of God, nothing approached them, neither beast of prey, nor bird, nor dog, they were taken up uninjured, and after suitable preparation were buried in the customary manor. When the report of what had been done to these men was spread in all directions, Adrianus and Eubulus, having come from the so-called country of Mangania to Caesarea to see the remaining confessors, were also asked at the gate the reason for their coming, and having acknowledged the truth, were brought to Formilianus. But he, as was his custom, without delay inflicted many tortures in their sides, and condemned them to be devoured by wild beasts. After two days, on the fifth of the month Distrus, the third before the Nones of March, which was regarded as the birthday of the tutelary divinity of Caesarea, Adrianus was thrown to a lion, and afterward slain with the sword. But Eubulus, two days later, on the Nones of March, that is, on the seventh of the month Distrus, when the judge had earnestly entreated him to enjoy by sacrificing that which was considered freedom among them, preferring a glorious deathful religion to transitory life, was made like the other an offering to wild beasts, and as the last of the martyrs in Caesarea, sealed the list of athletes. It is proper also to relate here how in a short time the heavenly providence came upon the impious rulers, together with the tyrants themselves. For that very Formilianus, who had thus abused the martyrs of Christ after suffering with the others the severest punishment, was put to death by the sword. Such were the martyrdoms which took place at Caesarea during the entire period of the persecution. CHAPTER XII I think it best to pass by all the other events which occurred in the meantime, such as those which happened to the bishops of the churches, when instead of shepherds of the rational flocks of Christ, over which they presided in an unlawful manner, the divine judgment, considering them worthy of such a charge, made them keepers of camels, an irrational beast, and very crooked in the structure of its body, or condemned them to have the care of the imperial horses. And I pass by also the insults and disgraces and tortures they endured from the imperial overseers and rulers, on account of the sacred vessels and treasures of the Church, and besides these the lust of power on the part of many, the disorderly and unlawful ordinations, and the schisms among the confessors themselves, also the novelties which were zealously devised against the remnants of the Church by the new and factious members, who added innovation after innovation, and forced them in unsparingly among the calamities of the persecution, heaping misfortune upon misfortune. I judge it more suitable to shun and avoid the account of these things, as I said at the beginning. But such things as are sober and praiseworthy, according to the sacred word, and if there be any virtue and praise, I consider it most proper to tell and to record, and to present to believing hearers in the history of the admirable martyrs. And after this I think it best to crown the entire work with an account of the peace which has appeared unto us from heaven. CHAPTER XIII. The seventh year of our conflict was completed, and the hostile measures which had continued into the eighth year were gradually and quietly becoming less severe. A large number of confessors were collected at the copper mines in Palestine, and were acting with considerable boldness, so far as even to build places of worship. But the ruler of the province, a cruel and wicked man, as his acts against the martyrs showed, having come there and learned the state of affairs, communicated it to the Emperor, writing in accusation whatever he thought best. Thereupon being appointed superintendent of the mines, he divided the band of confessors as if by a royal decree, and sent some to dwell in Cyprus and others in Lebanon, and he scattered others in different parts of Palestine, and ordered them to labor in various works. And selecting the four who seemed to him to be the leaders, he sent them to the commander of the armies in that section. These were Peleus and Nihilus, Egyptian bishops, also a presbyter, and Patermuthius, who was known among them all for his zeal toward all. The commander of the army demanded of them a denial of religion, and not obtaining this, he condemned them to death by fire. There were others there who had been allotted to dwell in a separate place by themselves, such of the confessors as on account of age or mutilations, or for other bodily infirmities, had been released from service. Silvanus, a bishop from Gaza, presided over them, and set a worthy and genuine example of Christianity. This man, having from the first day of the persecution, and throughout its entire continuance, been imminent for his confessions in all sorts of conflicts, had been kept all that time that he might, so to speak, set the final seal upon the whole conflict in Palestine. There were with him many from Egypt, among whom was John, who surpassed all in our time in the excellence of his memory. He had formerly been deprived of his sight. Nevertheless, on account of his imminence in confession he had with the others suffered the destruction of his foot by cauterization. And although his sight had been destroyed, he was subjected to the same burning with fire, the executioners aiming after everything that was merciless and pitiless and cruel and inhuman. Since he was such a man, one would not be so much astonished at his habits and his philosophic life, nor would he seem so wonderful for them as for the strength of his memory. For he had written whole books of the divine scriptures, not in tables of stone, as the divine apostle says, neither on skins of animals, nor on paper which moths and time destroy, but truly in fleshy tables of the heart, in a transparent soul and most pure eye of the mind, so that whenever he wished he could repeat, as if from a treasury of words, any portion of the scripture, whether in the law or the prophets or the historical books or the gospels or the writings of the apostles. I confess that I was astonished when I first saw the man as he was standing in the midst of a large congregation and repeating portions of the divine scripture. When I only heard his voice, I thought that, according to the custom in the meetings, he was reading. But when I came near and perceived what he was doing, and observed all the others standing around him with sound eyes while he was using only the eyes of his mind, and yet was speaking naturally like some prophet, and far excelling those who were sound in body, it was impossible for me not to glorify God and wonder. And I seemed to see in those deeds evident and strong confirmation of the fact that true manhood consists not in excellence of bodily appearance, but in the soul and understanding alone, for he, with his body mutilated, manifested the superior excellence of the power that was within him. But as to those whom we have mentioned as abiding in a separate place, and attending to their customary duties in fasting and prayer and other exercises, God himself saw fit to give them a salutary issue by extending his right hand in answer to them. The bitter foe, as they were armed against him zealously through their prayers to God, could no longer endure them, and determined to slay and destroy them from off the earth because they troubled him. And God permitted him to accomplish this, that he might not be restrained from the wickedness he desired, and that at the same time they might receive the prizes of their manifold conflicts. Therefore, at the command of the most accursed Maximinus, forty, lacking one, were beheaded in one day. These martyrdoms were accomplished in Palestine during eight complete years, and of this description was the persecution in our time. Beginning with the demolition of the churches, it increased greatly as the rulers rose up from time to time against us. In these assaults, the multi-form and various conflicts of those who wrestled in behalf of religion produced an innumerable multitude of martyrs in every province, in the regions extending from Libya and throughout all Egypt, and Syria, and from the east round about to the district of Illyricum. But the countries beyond these, all Italy and Sicily and Gaul, and the regions toward the setting sun, in Spain, Mauritania, and Africa, suffered the war of persecution during less than two years, and were deemed worthy of a speedier divine visitation and peace, the heavenly providence sparing the singleness of purpose and faith of those men. For what had never before been recorded in the annals of the Roman government first took place in our day, contrary to all expectation, for during the persecution in our time the empire was divided into two parts. The brethren dwelling in the part of which we have just spoken enjoyed peace, but those in the other part endured trials without number. But when the divine grace kindly and compassionately manifested its care for us too, then truly our rulers also, those very ones through whom the wars against us had been formerly carried on, changed their minds in a most wonderful manner, and published a recantation, and by favorable edicts and mild decrees concerning us, extinguished the conflagration against us. This recantation also must be recorded.