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Translated by Cardinal Newman.
St Athanasius the Great Resources Online and in Print
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70 Pages
Page 22
18. Arian Persecution after Sardica.
But the deposed persons, who ought now to have remained quiet, with those who had separated after so disgraceful a flight, were guilty of such conduct, that their former proceedings appear trifling in comparison of these. For when the people of Adrianople would not have communion with them, as men who had fled from the Council, and had proved culprits, they carried their complaints to the Emperor Constantius, and succeeded in causing ten of the laity to be beheaded, belonging to the Manufactory of arms [1565] there, Philagrius, who was there again as Count, assisting their designs in this matter also. The tombs of these persons, which we have seen in passing [1566] by, are in front of the city. Then as if they had been quite successful, because they had fled lest they should be convicted of false accusation, they prevailed with the Emperor to command whatsoever they wished to be done. Thus they caused two Presbyters and three Deacons to be banished from Alexandria into Armenia. As to Arius and Asterius, the one Bishop of Petrae [1567] in Palestine, the other Bishop in Arabia, who had withdrawn from their party, they not only banished into upper Libya, but also caused them to be treated with insult.
19. Tyrannical measures against the Alexandrians.
And as to Lucius [1568] , Bishop of Adrianople, when they saw that he used great boldness of speech against them, and exposed their impiety, they again, as they had done before, caused him to be bound with iron chains on the neck and hands, and so drove him into banishment, where he died, as they know. And Diodorus a Bishop [1569] they remove; but against Olympius of AEni, and Theodulus of Trajanople [1570] , both Bishops of Thrace, good and orthodox men, when they perceived their hatred of the heresy, they brought false charges. This Eusebius and his fellows had done first of all, and the Emperor Constantius wrote letters on the subject; and next these men [1571] revived the accusation. The purport of the letter was, that they should not only be expelled from their cities and churches, but should also suffer capital punishment, wherever they were discovered. However surprising this conduct may be, it is only in accordance with their principles; for as being instructed by Eusebius and his fellows in such proceedings, and as heirs of their impiety and evil principles, they wished to shew themselves formidable at Alexandria, as their fathers had done in Thrace. They caused an order to be written, that the ports and gates of the cities should be watched, lest availing themselves of the permission granted by the Council, the banished persons should return to their churches. They also cause orders to be sent to the magistrates at Alexandria, respecting Athanasius and certain Presbyters, named therein, that if either the Bishop [1572] , or any of the others, should be found coming to the city or its borders, the magistrate should have power to behead those who were so discovered. Thus this new Jewish heresy does not only deny the Lord, but has also learnt to commit murder.
[1565] De Fabricis, vid. Gothofr. in Cod. Theod. x. 21.
[1566] [Apparently on his way from Treveri (see 21, n. 3) back to Alexandria in 346.]
[1567] [See pp. 148, 128 note, and infr., Tom. ad Ant. S:8. In the text Petrae is wrongly placed in Palestine. The slip is one of many in this tract; see Introd. above.]
[1568] Apol. Ar. 45, Apol. Fug. 3.
[1569] Of Tenedos, vid. Apol. Ar. 50, supr. S:5.
[1570] Apol. Ar. 45, note 2.
[1571] Acacius, &c.
[1572] This accounts for Ath.'s caution, Apol. Ar. 51, and below S:21.
Reference address : https://elpenor.org/athanasius/history-arians.asp?pg=22
