ON THE HOLY MARTYRS AT THMUIS IN EGYPT
DONATUS BISHOP OF THE CITY, MACARIUS PRESBYTER, THEODORUS DEACON.
UNDER THE EMPEROR LICINIUS.
THE COMMENTARY OF DANIEL CARDONUS.
Exhibiting a synopsis of the Greek Acts, the chronology, the credibility.
Donatus, Bishop, Martyr at Thmuis in Egypt (S.)
Macarius, Presbyter, Martyr at Thmuis in Egypt (S.)
Theodorus, Deacon, Martyr at Thmuis in Egypt (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR D. C.
The holy Donatus, Bishop and Martyr, for us the Greek Acts exhibit, from the Medicean Library shelf 9, Codex 14, transcribed, under this title Μαρτύριον τοῦ Ἁγίου Δονάτου Ἐπισκόπου, Μακαρίου Πρεσβυτέρου, Θεοδώρου Διακόνου, Μαρτυρισάντων ἐν Ποθμουίῃ: The Acts from the Florentine Greek. The Martyrdom of S. Donatus the Bishop, Macarius the Presbyter, Theodorus the Deacon who suffered at Pothmuie: of which the things which scattered in the Acts are indicated, to the substance of the narration chiefly pertaining, briefly here we give, that more easily afterward it may be established about the right reckoning of the times, in which the things which are narrated must be said to have happened. With his father therefore Crescentinus, and a small (whose name is not expressed) of Istria, where to Pannonia and Dalmatia it is joined, little town sprung Donatus, all his first age to piety and letters he gives. Then, for refuting the errors of the Greeks and other infidels, to Aquileia summoned, and made a Presbyter, so long there tarries, until the persecution of Maximian and Diocletian exceedingly growing heavy, Their Synopsis teaches, the river Natio, which to Aquileia belongs, sailing down, into Dalmatia by flight he comes. Here the mountain's highest top, not far from the city of Salona, he occupies; and a convenient cave having found, hiding-places in it and the opportunity of more quietly giving himself to God he finds. In the second year then of the persecution it happened that Diocletian, to himself and Maximian Jupiter and Hercules about to render propitious, that same mountain for the impious sacrifices chose. And when no answer from the oracles was elicited, thus the petty priests pronounced; that some one of the Christians in that place without doubt was tarrying, who namely the mouths of their idols was stopping. under Diocletian those who confessed the faith in Dalmatia, Sought diligently, and at length also found Donatus to Diocletian is brought, by whom of his faith and the faith's mysteries interrogated, most bravely he answers: Macarius and Theodorus, whom above I named, of Christ persuaded to believe, with the Christian rite he washed. Then having overcome together with them without any harm the punishment of fire, from the beasts also by divine power he is preserved. There is shaken meanwhile the earth, the buildings fall, many are crushed. But while these things happen, are bidden by God the holy Martyrs to Thmuis themselves to betake. They obey these, and by a land journey to the sea having advanced, and there a ship having found, Alexandria first, and then Thmuis they come to, of which city the Bishop Phileas; when in the persecution he had fallen, Donatus by divine will into the place of Phileas and the throne succeeded; and in it remained, until, raging more and more against the Christians Licinius, who suffered under Licinius in Egypt; by his at last command; together with Macarius the Presbyter and Theodorus the Deacon, limb by limb cut up their happy souls to God they delivered.
[2] This narration, with little disputations, sermons, and other amplifications after the manner of many Greek Hagiographers distended, sets forth; whoever these to posterity as Acts handed down; first in the year 304, whom to have been a follower of the monastic life is not a vain conjecture, from that that Salonianus, to whom his writing he directs, he calls a Brother most acceptable to God; which appellation a religious rather than a carnal brotherhood between them to have been signifies. From the now briefly described narration this not absurdly Chronology mayest thou establish. In the second year of the persecution by himself stirred up into the mountain near Salona ascended Diocletian about to sacrifice to the Gods. But of this Diocletian persecution the beginning commonly is taken from the year of the common Era CCCIII at which time Donatus already ordained a Priest can be said from Aquileia a fugitive, even to the following year in the said often mountain to have lain hidden. the second in the year 316, For in the year CCCIV Diocletian, his ninth Consulate having begun at Ravenna, after a difficult disease to Nicomedia first came in autumn, in which meanwhile time in Dalmatia his fatherland through the summer to have been he could, thence through Thrace about to cross into Bithynia and thus the said occasion to him to have been of seeking Donatus. Then is said Donatus to have been slain at the time, in which Licinius the Emperor more vehemently against the Christians raged; but this he did in the year CCCXVI, when (as from Eusebius book 2 on the Life of Constantine chapter 2 at this year noted Baronius) a new kind of death certain Bishops underwent, their body into many particles by the sword minutely dissected; and after that cruel punishment, and more horrible than every crime heard in tragedies, into the deep gulfs of the sea to be devoured by fishes they were cast. And this is the very same kind of punishment, by which with Macarius and Theodorus cruelly slain we read Donatus: who his year of age then carried on about the fiftieth, and flourished toward the end of the third century, slain a little after the beginning of the fourth century.
[3] Thus far Daniel Cardonus, alas! once our associate in these studies; amid the very beginnings of treating matters of this kind
snatched away by an untimely death: D. P. The credibility of the Acts. to which I would have added, that the Greek Codex, from which the Acts were transcribed, is that same one, which S. Syra and other Saints of the Eastern church for the month of May gave us several, to which, though alone, we give full faith concerning these Martyrs: because since it is established that many suffered under Licinius, yet the Acts of few to our notice hitherto have come. But why so prolixly the Author treats the things done in Dalmatia, most strict in the rest, scarcely another cause couldst thou by divining give, than that in Dalmatia first these Acts were composed; and the same persuades the name of Salonianus to whom it is inscribed, taken from a city of that name in Dalmatia celebrated, in which his palace Diocletian had, himself called from Dioclea his fatherland there: from which his frequent there sojourn is proved: and the same things are best reconciled with the proposed narration.
ACTS
From the Ms. of the Florentine Library Shelf 9 Cod. 14.
By the Interpreter Daniel Cardonus of the Society of Jesus.
Donatus, Bishop, Martyr at Thmuis in Egypt (S.)
Macarius, Presbyter, Martyr at Thmuis in Egypt (S.)
Theodorus, Deacon, Martyr at Thmuis in Egypt (S.)
FROM THE FLORENTINE MS.
CHAPTER I.
The contention of Donatus with the Gentiles and Jews, his flight into Dalmatia.
[1] Μεγάλη τῶν Ἁγίων ἡ δόξα, Σαλονιανὲ θεοφιλέστατε ἀδελφέ· ἐξοχῆς καὶ ὑπέρλαμπρος αὐτῶν ὁ στέφανος. Θαυμάζουσιν αὐτοὺς οἱ Ἄγγελοι, καὶ πᾶσαι τῶν οὐρανῶν αἱ Δυνάμεις· ὧν τοῦ κλήπου εἰ καὶ ἀναξίους ἑαυτούς γινώσκωμεν, ὥμος δεόμεθα, ἵνα ταῖς αὐτῶν ἱκεσίαις κουφεσμὸν σχῶμεν τῶν πεπονηρευμένων, καὶ ἡνίκα ὁ πολὺς ἐκεῖνος τῶν Ἁγίων ἐσμὸς, ὁ τὴν σωτηρίαν διὰ τοῦ Μαρτυρίου κτησάμενος εἰς τὰς τῆς ἀνω Ἰερουσαλὴμ μονὰς μέλλει χόρον συστησάμενος εἶναι, καὶ ἡμεῖς καταξιωθῶμεν τῆς θέας ἐκείνης ταῖς αὐτῶν ἱκεσίαις.
[2] Δονάτος τοίνυν ὁ μακάριος, τεχθεὶς ἐκ πατρὸς Κρεσκεντίνου τὴν προσηγωρίαν, ὁρμώμενος ἐκ τῆς Ἰστριῶν πολίχνης, ἐν τῇ συνορίᾳ τυχγανούσης Δαλματίας τε καὶ Παννονίας, ἐκ νέας ἡλικίας τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δεξάμενος βάπτισμα τοῖς μοναστηρίοις καὶ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ὁσημέραι προσεκαρτερεῖ. Εἰκοστὸν τοίνυν ἀγὼν ἐνιαυτὸν, καὶ καθαρεύων τῶν μολυνόντων τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σῶμα, ἐσεμνύετο ἐλευθερίοις εἰς ἀκρὸν ἐντραφεὶς λόγοις. Χρόνου δὲ ἀπελθόντος παρακληθεὶς παρὰ τῶν ἐν Ἰστρίᾳ ἐκκλησιῶν διαβῆναι, πρὸς αὐτοὺς πρὸς ἔλεγχον τῶν ἐκεῖσε διαγόντων ἐθνικῶν ἐν τῇ Ἀκυληΐᾳ ἀφηκόμενος, παρὰ τοῦ τῆς ἐπαρχίας ἐκείνης Ἐπισκόπου χειροτενεῖται Πρεσβύτερος, καὶ δὴ τὰ τῶν ἐθνικῶν τὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας πίστεως, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τὸν τῆς μακαρίας Παρθένου τόκον καταγγελλόντων, αὐτὸς ἀποκρίνᾳτο· Τί ἄπιστον εἶναι νομίζετε εἰ παρθένος τέτοκεν, ὁπότε τὰς μελίσσας ἀμοίρους εἶναι συνουσίας, καὶ μὴ ἐκ συναφείας τέκτειν πᾶσι πρόδηλον, καὶ ἑτέρων δὲ οὐκ ὀλίγα ζῶα τοιούτῳ τρόπῳ τέκτεται. Τοῦτο οὖν μὴ ἄπιστον φανείη τὸ θείᾳ δυνάμει γενόμενον ἐπὶ ἀνακαινισμῷ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, οὕτινος τεκμήρια καὶ ὑποδείγματα καὶ ἐν τῇ τῶν ἀλόγων διαδείκνυται γονῇ. Οὕτως θαυμάζω ἀνθ᾽ ὅτου τοῦτο ὑμῖν τοῖς Ἕλλησιν ἀδύνατον φαίνεται, οἵτινες πιστεύετε τὴν ἡμετέραν Ἀθηνᾶν ἐκ τῆς κορυφῆς τίκτεσθαι τοῦ Διός. Τί τοίνυν πρὸς πίστιν πειθανότερον, ἢ τί μᾶλλον τῇ φύσει ἀντίκειται; θέλεια ἐνταῦθα ἐστὶν καὶ ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁγίου συνέλαβεν, καὶ ἡ τῆς φύσεως τάξις σώζεται. Ἴδετε τῆς συλλήψεως καὶ τοῦ τόκου τὸν καθήκοντα καιρὸν μετὰ τὴν σύλληψιν γεγονότος. Ἐκεῖ δὲ οὐδὲν θηλείας φύσις· ἀνὴρ δὲ μόνος καὶ τόκος μυθεύεται ὡς ἐκείνοις πιστεύεται, διὰ τοῦτο θαυμάζεται. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν Διόνυσον ἐκ τῶν μηρῶν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Διὸς γεγενῆσθαι φατὲ, καὶ ἰδοὺ καὶ ἓτερον εἶδος τέρατος. Καὶ οἱ τοιουτοις καὶ ἑτέροις ψεύσμασι πιστεύοντες, πῶς τῇ ἀληθείᾳ οὐ πιστεύετε; Ἀλλ᾽ ἀδύνατὀν εἶναι ἡγεῖσθε ὅτι νεᾶνις θήλεια σύλληψιν θείαν οὐ πάθει ἀνθρώπου, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ Πνεύματος ἁγίου ἔσχεν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν δυσχεραινετε πρὸς τὸ πιστεύειν τοῦτο, πῶς τοῖς οὕτως αἰσχροῖς τέρασι πιστεύετε τοῖς παρ᾽ ὑμῶν. Ρᾴδια γὰρ πολλῷ μᾶλλον καὶ πρόχειρα τὰ ἡμέτερα, καὶ σεμνὰ, καὶ ὅσια, ἃ προσήκει ἡμᾶς δέχεσθαι καὶ πιστεύειν.
[3] Τούτων λεχθέντων παρὰ τοῦ Μακαρίου ἐπίστευσαν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ τῷ Χριστῷ τριακόσιοι περί που ἄνδρες, ἐν οἷς ἦσαν φιλόσοφοι ἕπτα, καὶ ῥήτορες ἕνδεκα. Ἀλλ᾽ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι φθόνῳ βλυθέντες καὶ ἀγανακτοῦντες, ἒρεθίζοντες τὸν Μακάριον ἄνδρα· Μεῖζον, ἔφασκον, θαῦμα ὁ ἡμέτερος ἐπεδείξατο προφήτης Ἐλισσαῖος, ὁ γεννηθεὶς ἐκ γυναικὸς, ἣ ὁ δεσπότης ὑμῶν Χριστὸς, ὁ ἐκ παρθένου μέγα εἰργάσατο θαῦμα, τὸν Λάζαρον ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς φῶς ἀνακαλεσάμενος, ὡς διδάσκετε. Τί δύνασθε μεῖζον εἰπεῖν εἰ νεκρὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ ζῶντος ἀνέστη; τὸ μεῖζον ἡμεῖς ἀποδεικνύομεν, ὁ καὶ ὑμεῖς συνομολογήσετε. Ὁ γὰρ ἡμέτερος Ἐλισσαῖος, ἤδη τε τελευτικῶς τὸν χρόνους ἔχοντα νεκρὸν ῥιφεὶς νεκρὸς καὶ ἁψάμενος τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ ἂν ἐζωπύρησεν, καὶ ὃ, οὐκ εἶχεν, ἔδωκεν, καὶ οὗ αὐτὸς ἐστέρητο, ἑτέρῳ ἔδωκεν. Τοῦτο δὴ θώμεθα μάλιστα τῶν λοιπῶν θαυμάτων εἶναι ἀξιοπιστότερον ὅτι ὁ τεθνεὼς τὴν τῆς ζωῆς πνοὴν διὰ τοῦ νεκροῦ ἀπέλαβεν σώματος. Εἰ τοῦτο παρέσχεν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ, εἴπατε. Πῶς οὖν οὐχὶ μᾶλλον οὗτος δυνατώτερος φαίνεται, ὃν ἡμεῖς προφήτην, οὐ Θεὸν, ὁμολογοῦμεν; ἢ τὶ τοιοῦτον καὶ ὅμοιον τούτων γινόμενον, ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε, εἴπατε, ἵνα καὶ τῇ τιμῇ προηγήσεται ὁ διὰ τῶν θαυμάτων φανεὶς λαμπρότερος.
[4] Πρὸς οὓς ὁ Μακάριος Δονάτος φησίν· Ὑμεῖς ἀεὶ βλάσφημον κατὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου κινοῦντες στόμα οὐ παύεσθε. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ μακάριος Ἐλισσαῖος τετελευτικῶς ἕτερον τεθνεῶτα τῇ ἀφῇ τοῦ οἰκείου λειψάνου ἀνέστησεν, ταύτῃ μᾶλλον τὸ θαῦμα μεῖζον τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ τὸ τοῦ προφήτου ἀνεφάνη. Ὁ γὰρ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς τοῦ τάφου αὐτοῦ τὸν λίθον διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀπιστίαν σφραγισθέντος καὶ φυλαττομένου ὑπὸ στρατιωτῶν ἀνέστη τριήμερος. Ὅτι δὲ ἀνέστη καὶ ἄκοντες ἔγνωτε, ἀθρόον τῶν καταχθονίων σπαραχθέντων, καὶ περιδέους γενομένου τοῦ στρατιωτικοῦ στίφους καὶ τοῦ λίθου ἀποκλισθέντος. Οὐ μόνον δὲ αὐτὸς ἀνέστη, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλὰ σώματα τῶν κεκοιμημένων Ἁγίων ἀνεζωοποίησεν. Εἰ οὖν τὴν ἴσην δύναμιν εἶχεν ὁ Προφήτης, διὰ τί μὴ καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἀνέστησεν ὡς ὁ Χριστός; Τούτων ῥηθέντων ἀποθαυμάσαντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὸν δίκαιον ἐπὶ τῇ εὐθυβόλῳ ἀπολογίᾳ, οὐδὲν ἀληθέστερον ἔφασαν εἶναι τῶν εἰρημένων. Περιφανέστατα γὰρ ἡ θεία συνῆν αὐτῷ χάρις, δι᾽ ἧς ἀναριθμήτους εἰς τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ προσεκάλεσατο πίστιν.
[5] Ἐπεὶ δὴ δὲ πανταχοῦ διεβοήθη ἡ ἀρετὴ τοῦ μακαρίου Δονάτου, Μαξιμιανὸς ὁ Βασιλεὺς ἀκούσας, καὶ τὰς τάξεις τοῦ παλατίου συγκαλέσας φησίν. Φεῦ! πόσον καθέρπει ἡ θρησκεία τοῦ Χριστοῦ διά τινος Δονάτου, ὥστι ἔλκος εἰς ἀγέλην ἐμποσὼν καὶ λαθραίως τοῖς διηγήμασι τοῖς ἀφυλάκτοις ἰὸν ἔχειν θανατικὸν δείκνυται. Ὡς δὲ κατέμαθεν πάλιν τὰ σημεῖα καὶ τὰ θαύματα, ἃ διὰ Μακαρίου ὁ Χριστὸς ἐποίει, τυφλοὺς θεραπευομένους, κωφοὺς ἀκούοντας καὶ ἄλλους πλείστους διαφόρων ἀσθενειῶν ἀπαλλαττομένους, ἔτι τε τετρακοσίους περί που μετὰ τῶν φιλοσόφων καὶ ῥητόρων ἑλκύσαι τὸ βάπτισμα, ἐκπλαγεὶς ἅμα καὶ ταραχθεὶς ἐν συνεδρίῳ ἔφη· Ὦ πατέρες γεγραμμένοι, οὔκ ἐστιν παραπληξία, ἵνα ἑνὸς Χριστιανοῦ ῥήμασιν, οἱ κορυφαῖοι ἡμῶν καὶ ῥήτορες μηδεμίαν εὑρεθῶσιν ἀποδεδωκότες ἀπόκρισιν; Ἑπὶ τούτοις οὖν ἀγανακτήσαντες, ὅτε Διοκλητιανὸς καὶ Μαξιμιανὸς ἤρξαντο πυριθεῖν τὰς ἐκκλησίας καὶ ἀναιρεῖν τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς, καὶ οὕτως ὁ διωγμὸς διὰ πάσης σχεδὸν τῆς οἰκουμένης ὑπερβαλλόντως ἐξετείνετο. Ἐπὶ δέκα γοῦν ἐνιαυτοὺς ἐμπρησμοὶ κατὰ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, δημεύσεις κατὰ τῶν ἀθώων, πληγαὶ καὶ τραύματα τοῖς μάρτυσιν ἀναπαύστως ἐνεφέροντο.
[6] Ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὴν Ἀκυληΐαν στρατόπεδα ἐπὶ ἀνιχνεύσει τοῦ Δονάτου ἐκινεῖτο διὰ βασιλικῶν διαταγμάτων· καὶ ἔπαθλα τοῖς καταμηνύουσι προέκειτο, εἴ τις μάλιστα μὲν ζῶντα θηράσειεν ἐκεῖνον τὸν Μακάριον, εἰ δὲ μὴ τὴν κεφαλὴν γοῦν αὐτοῦ κομίζοιεν. Γνοὺς οὖν ταῦτα ὁ Ἁγιώτατος, τοὺς τόπους εκείνους ἀπολιπὼν, καὶ εἰς πλοῖον ἐμβὰς, διὰ τοῦ τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης ποταμοῦ Νάσιτος καλουμένου τὴν πορείαν ἐποιεῖτο, καὶ θᾶττον εἰς τῶν Δαλματῶν ἔσπευσεν χώραν. Ἔνθα δὴ ἀφικόμενος, ὑψηλοτάτου κορυφὴν ὄρους οὐ μακρὰν Σαλονῶν κατείληφεν, καὶ σπηλαίῳ ἐμφωλεύσας, τὰς εὐχὰς καὶ τοὺς ὕμνους ἀδιαλείπτους τῷ Θεῷ ποιούμενος, προσεκαρτέρει. Καὶ ὁ εἰρηκώς; Μὴ μεριμνήσητε τί φάγητε, ἠ τί πίητε· ἐπάξιον σιτηρέσιον οὐρανόθεν χωρηγεῖν αὐτῷ ἐν ἐρήμῳ ὄρει κατηξίωσεν.
[1] Great is, Salonianus, Brother most pleasing to God, great, The Prologue of the Author, I say, is that glory which the Saints in heaven enjoy. A certain exceptional and beyond measure illustrious crown makes them conspicuous. Not a mean admiration of themselves into the minds of the Angels and of other virtues existing in the heavens do they instill. But of so great a felicity into any part to be admitted altogether unworthy though we ourselves freely confess us to be, that nevertheless suppliantly those blessed minds we desire to be asked, that by their intervention for us with God some relief at least of our evils they may obtain; and that, when that vast multitude of holy men, who, their blood shed in God's cause, have attained blessed immortality, into one choir of that heavenly Jerusalem shall have been gathered, we also may not be found unworthy, who by their intercession a spectacle so pleasing with our eyes may be able to behold.
[2] The most blessed Donatus therefore, of his father Crescentinus begotten, Donatus born in Istria, a certain town of the Istrians a, situated in the confines of Dalmatia and Pannonia, had as his birthplace. He when from his first beginning age the holy baptism of Christ he had received, in the religious monasteries of holy men and in churches assiduously was engaged. To the twentieth year of his life when he came, whole and pure from all those things to keep himself he endeavored, which the bodies of mortals everywhere are wont to render fouler; but his mind with all the liberal disciplines so imbued, that to the highest summit of knowledge not without his great glory at length he attained. Then the following time, by the holy churches which are in Istria summoned, that the errors of the Ethnics there dwelling with the light of Christian truth he might dispel, to Aquileia when he came, from the Bishop of that province the holy order of the Presbyterate he received: and at Aquileia ordained Presbyter, and soon whatever by the Pagans against the most holy mysteries of our faith, that is, against the birth of the blessed Virgin were brought as obstacles, to cast down in this manner he undertook; What in that so great is of absurdity that we teach the Virgin to have borne? when even the little bees themselves, and of other animals not a few, devoid of all coupling, to bring forth nevertheless no one is ignorant. Let us not therefore reckon this of all faith unworthy, he defends before the Gentiles the birth of the Virgin; which for the cause of the human race to be restored to its integrity by divine counsel and divine power done we say, since the most certain proofs of this truth in the births of brute animals before our eyes
daily we have. There is indeed something which not a little I wonder at, that to you, Greek men, to see done it cannot be, who most persuaded we know are, that Minerva from Jove's head without any use of marriage came forth. What therefore for obtaining faith can be given more fitting, and what on the other part can seem more contrary to nature? A Virgin we bring forward into the midst, who conceived of the Holy Spirit, and so the order of nature in a manner is preserved. But see both of the conception, and of the birth itself, the birth following the conception, the fitting time and order. And in your figments indeed no cooperation of a woman intervenes, Jupiter alone is asserted to have given birth, which to you by faith and admiration seems to be most worthy. Dionysius also from Jove's thigh born ye say. Behold another kind of prodigy. Such lies since ye doubt not to receive, do ye continue to deny faith to the mysteries of our faith, supported by certain truth? But that to you least of all is thought to be believed, that a certain divine offspring, not by human coupling, but by the sole operation of the Holy Spirit a girl conceives. But truly if so difficult ye show yourselves to that which we assert to be believed, how can it be that figments and prodigies so enormous ye doubt not to receive? For the mysteries of our faith from yours are far both easier for faith, and a more ample splendor and sanctity contain, on account of which prerogatives they are also more worthy that faith among men they should obtain.
[3] When these things by the most holy man had been brought forth, three hundred about men, and among them seven Philosophers, and against the Jews preferring Elisha to Christ, and eleven Rhetors, at the same time in Christ believed. But the Jews who were present, by the goads of envy blinded, and grievously what had been said and done bearing; in this way to the holy man trouble to make began; far more illustrious does our Prophet Elisha a miracle present us, although born of a woman common to all, than your Christ presents you. A great prodigy indeed he, whom of a virgin born ye say, wrought, when from the darkness of death and of the sepulcher into light and a new life he called forth Lazarus, as ye indeed hand down. For what greater can be done, so that he who, dead, raised the dead, than if a dead man be raised by a man living? Yet something greater into the midst to bring we can, which not even ye yourselves will deny. For Elisha, of whom is the matter, when he himself was dead, restored to life, and gave that which he himself lacked. And this is, in our opinion, of all admirable works the most worthy of admiration and faith, because he who of life was deprived, the use of life from a dead man's body received. Will ye say that Christ, whom so greatly ye extol, wrought anything like so great a prodigy? In what way therefore shall he not be held more powerful, whom we, as Or what at length can ye bring forth, which with this miracle of Elisha by any reasoning can be compared? if ye can, come, into the midst bring it, that he who in more and more illustrious miracles excels, in greater also veneration may be.
[4] To these things thus answered S. Donatus; Ye indeed never cease blasphemies against the Lord with a foul mouth to vomit forth. For if B. Elisha, being dead, by the mere touch of his relics a new life to a man dead obtained; he proves Christ greater by it, something greater certainly and more admirable to have wrought can seem Christ, than that Prophet. The Lord indeed Jesus Christ, penetrating the huge stone of the sepulcher, which on account of your unbelief by a public seal secured by not a few soldiers was guarded, on the third day from the dead rose. But that, as I have said, from the dead he rose, who raised himself. willing or unwilling to confess ye must; the bonds of hell namely suddenly broken, and the troop of soldiers watching at the sepulcher by sudden terror struck, and also by power more than human the stone moved away. Nor only himself rose from the dead, but several also bodies of Saints, who having undergone death had slept, were recalled to life. If therefore nothing at all to Christ in power yields the Prophet, why not himself also could he raise from the dead, as Christ? Which when by the holy man were said, with no mean stupor struck the Jews, on account of the strong and prompt response of the just man to those things which were objected, of their own accord confessed, that nothing was truer or could be said than what Donatus asserted. Most manifest moreover it was, that a certain singular prerogative divinely to him was given, by which innumerable mortals to the faith of Christ to be received sweetly he led.
[5] When therefore a most beautiful fame of Donatus everywhere grew widespread, not a little moved the Emperor c Maximian, Maximian moved at these things, to the chief administrators of his palace called together this oration delivered; Bah! how far and wide the Christian Religion spreads itself, by the work of some Donatus chiefly! Which religion indeed of a worst certain ulcer obtains the manner, which when through the flocks of peoples it has once begun to creep, a deadly at length poison upon the incautious to breathe is detected. But the same Emperor, when again of the signs and prodigies, which through B. Donatus Christ deigned to work, not a few he had heard; namely to the blind sight, to the deaf hearing restored, and many others from various infirmities healed; nay even three hundred about men, among whom Philosophers and Rhetors some, the holy baptism to have received; and with Diocletian persecuting the Church, with stupor equally and indignation full, thus in the senate to his men spoke, To how great, think ye, Fathers conscript, must that be attributed ignorance or madness, that of your Wise men the chief, and the very Rhetors, to the words of a single Christian a response find nothing? For this cause therefore grievously indignant Diocletian and Maximian torches to the Churches, a persecution to the Christians so grievous to bring began, that through the whole orb of the lands its monstrousness as it were poured itself. For a decade d full the burnings of the Churches, the proscriptions of Christians, the blows of the innocent, and the wounds of the Martyrs without delay or rest were continued.
[6] But toward Aquileia many also thousands of armed men e, for Donatus chiefly to be investigated and apprehended, by command of the Emperors were sent; a reward also being appointed to those who the holy man to the persecutors should betray, Donatus avoiding their fury, especially if anyone should effect it that alive into the hands of the emissaries he should fall; but if that he could not, of the slain man at least the head to the Emperors he should bring. These machinations against him understood the most holy man, those places to desert with himself resolved, and a ship having boarded by the river, which that city flows through and Nasitus f is called, into the region of the Dalmatians to escape with great zeal he strove. Whither when he came, he betakes himself into Dalmatia. the highest top of a very high mountain, which from the city of Salona g not far distant, he occupied: in which as long as he lay hidden, assiduous prayers to God and hymns without intermission the blessed man offered, all things for life to be sustained necessary abundantly to him supplying, on the mountain though so deserted, he who said; Be not solicitous what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink. Luke 10, 22.
ANNOTATIONS OF D. C.
CHAPTER II.
The confession of faith before Diocletian, the conversion of his companions.
[7] Δευτέρῳ τοίνυν ἐνιαυτῷ τοῦ διωγμοῦ ὁ Διοκλητιανὸς ἐν τῷ ὄρει, ὁ οὐ μακρὰν τῶν Σαλονῶν εἶναι εἰρήκαμεν, σπένδων ὑπὲρ μὲν ἑαυτοῦ τῷ Διῒ, ὑπὲρ δὲ Μαξιμιανοῦ τῷ Ἡρακλεῖ· ἀπόκρισιν δὲ οὐδεμίαν ὧν ἐπεζήτει ἐδέχετο, καὶ ἐπυνθάνετο παρὰ τῶν ἱερέων τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς σιωπῆς. Οἱ οὖν μιερεῖς ἀπεκρίναντο· Πάρεστί τις ἐνιαῦθα, ὃν οὐκ ἴσμεν, ὃς λατρεύει τὸν Κριστὸν, καὶ διὰ τούτου οἱ χρησμοὶ παρὰ τῶν θεῶν οὐκ ἀποδίδονται. Ἐκέλευσεν οὖν ὁ Διοκλητιανὸς ζητῆσαι τοῦτον. Ἀνιχνεύοντες τοίνυν αὐτὸν, εὑρίσκουσιν ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ ψάλλοντα, καὶ προσάγουσι τῷ Διοκλητιανῷ, ὃς ἔφη τῷ Δονάτῳ· Πῶς ὑμεῖς ὡς πεπληρωμένοι μυστηρίων φησώμενοι τὴν διάνοιαν καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐπτόησθε, καὶ ἀνθρωπίνῃ κρίσει ὑποπεπτωκέναι τὰ θεῖα ἡγεῖσθε; Πρὸς ὃν ὁ Δανάτος ἀπεκρίνατο· Τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐστι τοῦτο τὸ μυστήριον. Αὐτὸς γὰρ διὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ σαρκὸς τὸ πατρικὸν βούλημα διεσάφησεν, καὶ τὰς διὰ τῆς γλώσσης δοθείσας ἐντολὰς τῇ ἐκχύσει τοῦ ἰδίου αἵματος ἀνεπλήρωσεν. Διὰ γὰρ τῶν δύο διαθηκῶν τὰ μυστήρια τῶν πατρικῶν διατάξεων ἡμῖν ἀπεκάλυψεν, οὐ μέλανι ἐγχαράξας, ἀλλὰ ζῶντι πνεύματι τῆς αὐτοῦ θεότητος ἀναφανείσης.
[8] Πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Διοκλητιανός. Συνάδει, ὡς ἔοικεν, τὰ παρ᾽ ὑμῶν τῶν Χριστιανῶν λεγόμενα, ταῖς ἀναρμόστοις γραφαῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἐν αἷς οὐδὲν σαφὲς, οὐδὲν ὑγιὲς καθέστηκεν, ἀλλὰ λοιπὸν εἴς τινα διηγήματα ἄκοσμα καὶ συνάῤῥητα κατατρέχετε, ἃ οὐ μόνον ἀσαφῇ τυγχάνει, ἀλλὰ καὶ παντὸς ἐπαίνου τοῖς διηγουμένοις ἀλλότρια. Πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Δονάτος· Πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος, καὶ ἡ διδασκαλία τοῦ καινοῦ μυστηρίου τοῖς παλαίοις συμφωνεῖ, καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ εἱρμῷ καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ ὑποδείγματι τῶν πάλαι συνταχθέντων. Ἡ ἡμετέρα διὰ τῶν Εὐαγγελίων ῥυθμίζεται ἱστορίᾳ, καὶ ἔσεσθαι ταῦτα οἱ τῶν Ἰουδαίων προφῆται προεμήνυσαν. Ἄνδρες γὰρ θεόθεν ἐμπνευσθέντες, ἄνθρωπον ἅμα καὶ Θεὸν τὸν αὐτὸν ὀφθησόμενον
[7] In the second year then of the persecution, on that very mountain which we said to be not far from Salona, for his own safety indeed to Jove, but for the welfare of Maximian to Hercules sacrifices a he resolved to offer. And when no response to those things which he had proposed from the images he elicited, the cause of so pertinacious a silence from his petty priests he inquired. To whom the petty priests; There is present, they say, some one of them, whom we indeed hitherto know not; yet there is present one who the Christian rites professes: and hence it happens that of our Gods the oracles in the wonted manner to us are not rendered. These things understood immediately Diocletian ordered that that Christian by diligent scrutiny into light they should try to bring forth. he is led to Diocletian, The Emperor's command diligently obeying the soldiers, having sought through all the mountain Donatus in a certain cave to psalmody giving himself they find, and to Diocletian they bring. Who the holy man thus addressed; How is it that ye, as if with certain secret unknown sciences about religion ye were instructed, in your minds against us are so excited? How comes it that by human judgment those things which to the Gods pertain ye think to be subjected? To whom thus answered Donatus; Of Christ and the Christians great is this mystery. Christ indeed with our flesh clothed, his eternal Father's will to us opened, and the commands which by the sole voice to us had been dictated, by the pouring out of his blood confirmed to be willed. For in the tables of both testaments consigned the mysteries of divine providence, before our eyes to place he did not disdain; not now with ink them consigning, but with the life-giving spirit of the divinity itself into our souls them beautifully insinuating.
[8] To which Diocletian; Not unlike are whatever ye Christians bring forth, to those things which in their books insipid the Jews have described; in which nothing to truth, nothing to sound doctrine consonant, and before him he renders the account of his faith: but on the contrary to narrations certain truly disordered and unworthy of relation ye have recourse, which not only by no certainty are seen to rest on a foundation, but nothing also of praise from their hearers obtain. Then Donatus; All, he says, Scripture divinely inspired is profitable, and of the new mystery the doctrine conformable is set to the doctrines of the ancients, as much as to the series of things, as to the same's exhibition among the ancients in letters consigned. For our doctrine the history of the sacred Gospels contains, which one day to be the Seers of the Jews most holy long before to have foretold is established. These men namely, having received from heaven the spirit of divining, God equally and man, the same to be seen visible to come into this orb, and all nations of his Father's divinity and other sacred dogmas, as much by himself as by others, the most holy heralds of his Gospel, to teach foretold; just as also other things not a few, of the manner in which death the God-man at length was to undergo, of the resurrection of the same from the dead, of the ascent into heaven, whence to us he had descended, and of his to his Father return. Nor do we think any head of our doctrine to be supported by surer truth. For that which in the more ancient scriptures was still an obscure mystery, by the divine gift now is revealed. But by what reasoning can it be, replies Diocletian, that with gentleness and mercy that God of yours shines, who from Adam to the times of Moses, and from the times of Moses, to Christ's, as indeed ye call it, into the lands coming, all the nations of the orb with so great ignorance of the law and the commands of God suffered to perish? But what was the need that in the last times he should come, and not before an infinite multitude of men into destruction rushed? To which words of Diocletian thus Donatus meets: He who from the beginning the human race entire with various, and not of one reason benefits affected, God, nor ever of its safety and advantages the care laid aside, of all benefits the greatest willed for the last times reserved. For when to the height of peril it had now come, and in a wretched desperation about their affairs men were engaged and were wasting away, the only-begotten Word of God to us descending a certain new face of all things into the world brought.
[9] Then a certain Macarius, of the Imperial chamber Provost, by divine will rather, than by command of Diocletian thus answered: We also, if thou knowest not, from that rich and fertile meadow of all doctrine, and so notable a treasury of intelligible things, Macarius the Chamberlain bidden to answer him, is converted, as from various herbs, some things, if not altogether we have learned, in a rude at least manner we know. For not from this that some one thing we are ignorant of, to the notice of some other the access to us is shut off. To which thus Donatus; God we know and confess of this universe the founder, and the Word of the Father, who, when into old age as it were this world was now verging, conceived of a Virgin, took the nature of man, nor on that account divinity lost. We know him the form of a servant to have taken, with spittings for so many benefits making for salvation dishonored, with blows struck, with a thorny crown encircled, the cross at last for our sake to have undergone. The same to have descended to hell, on the third day to have risen from the dead; in that same body, which for the salvation of mortals on the cross was fixed, a conqueror at last into the heavens to have penetrated, and now at his Father's right hand to sit, whence he will come one day as Judge of the living and of the dead, without doubt we believe.
[10] When thus Donatus discoursed, Theodorus the Eunuch and Chamberlain of the Emperor, and his companion Theodorus, not without divine impulse thus addresses him; We indeed who a prodigious so religion have, that God whom so great veneration ye hold, the eternal Father's Word, and our rather than his own cause incarnate, who in this our orb appeared, and the darkness enlightened of men, by no means do we think with contumelies by anyone is to be subjected. For if those things which he taught some solid refutation admitted, no longer they who in him believe, even by the very effusion of their blood in any way pure would be made: since not an earthly or humble, but a heavenly plainly for salvation to be attained reasoning to men, into grave errors fallen, he showed. These things said, to the royal abode Diocletian betook himself, and at the same time they are baptized: the day declining toward evening. That very night Macarius and Theodorus, when in the chamber of Diocletian they took sleep, with such were held a vision. They seemed to themselves to behold Donatus the Presbyter, who the sacred Gospel to them read aloud, but they themselves into a very high mountain to be lifted up they beheld, and thence into heaven led to stand before God's tribunal, where the Angels and the holy inhabitants of heaven together with them to God to fall down as suppliants they observed. As soon as it grew light, not a little they moved the mind of Diocletian by the narration of those things which in sleep they had seen. Whom then leaving, and having ascended
ἤξειν τε τοῦτον τὸν κόσμον, καὶ διδάσκαλον πάντων ἐθνῶν, καὶ τῆς πατρικῆς θεότητος, καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν δογμάτων ἐσόμενον διὰ τῶν εὐσεβῶν διδασκάλων κηρύξας, καὶ περὶ τοῦ τρόπου τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ, ὅπως τοῦ βίου τούτου ἀναχωρήσῃ, καὶ ὅπως ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν ἐπανήξῃ, καὶ ὅπως εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, ὅθεν καὶ κατῆλθεν, ἐπανέλθῃ, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ὑποστρέψῃ. Καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἠγοῦμαι ἀξιοπιστοτέραν τῆς ἡμετέρας διδασκαλίας ἔκθεσιν ἔσεσθαι. Ὃ γὰρ ἦν ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς ἀποκεκρυμμένον μυστήριον, ἀπεκαλύφθη. Ποίῳ τοίνυν τρόπῳ, ἔφη ὁ Διοκλητιανὸς, ἐπιεικὴς καὶ ἐλεήμων ἐστὶν ὁ ὑμέτερος Θεὸς, ὃς ἠνέσχετο ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἕως τοῦ Μοΰσεως, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Μοΰσεως ἄχρι τῆς ἐλεύσεως, ὡς ὑμεῖς λέγεται, τοῦ Χριστοῦ, πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἀγνοίᾳ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀπόλλυσθαι. Τί δὲ ἀναγκαῖον ἦν ἐν ἐσχάτοις καιροῖς ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν, καὶ μὴ πρότερον, πρινὴ τὰ ἀναρίθμητα τῶν ἀνθρώπων φθαρῆναι πλήθη; Πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Δονάτος ἔφη· Ὁ ἐξ ἀρχῆς διαφόροις τρόποις τὸν κόσμον πάντα τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου γὲνους εὐεργετήσας Θεὸς, καὶ οὐδέποτε παυσάμενος τῆς περὶ αὐτὸν ὠφελείας, ἐν ἐσχάτοις τὰ μείζονα ἐφιλοτιμήσατο. Ἐν ἐσχάτῳ γὰρ κυνδίνῳ ὄντων, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἀπογνώσει τῶν ἠσθενηκότων, παραγενόμενος ὁ Μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος παντὶ ἔθνει τὰ πάντα ἀνεκαίνισεν.
[9] Πρὸς ὃν Μακάριός τις Πραιπόσιτος τοῦ κουβουκλίου, κελεύσει τοῦ Διοκλητιανοῦ. μᾶλλον δὲ θείῳ νεύματι ἀπεκρίνατο· Καὶ ἡμεῖς τούτῳ τῷ πίωνι καὶ εὐθηρουμένῳ τῆς διδασκαλίας λειμῶνι ἐκ τοῦ τοσούτου πλούτου τῆς συνέσεως, καθάπερ ἐκ οοικίλης πόας, κᾂν μὴ παντελῶς ἐδιδάχθημεν, ὅμως τινά πως γινώσκομεν. Οὔτε γὰρ ἡμῖν ἡ τοῦ ἑνὸς πράγματος ἄγνοια τὴν τοῦ ἑτέρου ἀπέκλεισεν γνῶσιν. Πρὸς ἅ φησιν ὁ Δονάτος· Τὸν ἡμέτερον Θεὸν κτίστην ὄντα τοῦ παντὸς, καὶ Λόγον τοῦ Πατρὸς, γηράσκοντος ἤδη τοῦ κόσμου συλληφθέντα ἐν Παρθένῳ, καὶ ἀποκυλιθέντα ἄνθρωπον ἑαυτὸν παραστῆσαι, οὐ παυσάμενον τοῦ εἶναι Θεὸν. Γινώσκομεν ἐκεῖνον μορφὴν ἀνειληφέναι δούλου, ἐκεῖνον ἐμπτύσματα ἀντὶ τῶν σωτηριωδῶν θαυματουργιῶν, ἐκεῖνον ῥαπίσματα, ἐκεῖνον στέφανον ἐξ ἀκανθῶν, ἐκεῖνον πρὸς τῷ τέλει σταυρὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ὑπομεῖναι, ἐκεῖνον εἰς τὸν ᾅδην κατεληλυθέναι, ἐκεῖνον τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστῆναι ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ σώματι, τῷ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ προσηλωμένῳ, καὶ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεληλυθέναι νικηφόρον, καὶ καθιεῖσθαι ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ, Θεοῦ, ὅθεν ἥξει κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς.
[10] Τούτων ῥηθέντων Θεόδωρος, καὶ αὐτὸς εὐνοῦχος καὶ Κουβικουλάριος θεόθεν ἐμπνευσθεὶς ἔφη· Ἡμεῖς οἱ περὶ τὰς τερατώδεις θρησκείας ἐπτοημένοι, τὸν Θεὸν, ὃν ὑμεῖς μετὰ παντὸς σεβάσματος δοξάζετε, Λόγον τοῦ αἰωνίου Πατρὸς ὑπάρχοντα καὶ σαρκωθέντα, ἡμῶν μᾶλλον χάριν, καὶ οὐχ ἑαυτοῦ, τῇ γῇ ἐπιφανέντα, καὶ φωτίσαντα τὰ ἐσκοτισμένα, οὐδαμῶς ὀφείλομεν τολμᾷν ὑποβάλλειν ὕβρεσιν. Εἶ γὰρ ἃ εὐηγγελίσατο, εἶχέν τινα ἀντιβολὴν, οὐκ οὖν οἱ πιστεύοντες εἰς αὐτὸν τῇ ἐκχύσει τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ ἐκαθαίροντο. Οὐ γαρ γηΐνην ὁδὸν τοῖς πλανομένοις ἐφανέρωσεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἔνδοξον πορείαν τὴν ἑπουράνιον ἀπεκάλυψεν. Τούτων ῥηθέντων ὁ Διοκλητιανὸς εἰς τὰ βασίλεια ἀνεχώρησεν, ἑσπέρας λοιπὸν οὔσης. Ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ νυκτὶ ὁ Μακάριος καὶ Θεόδωρος καθεύδοντες ἐν τῷ κουβουκλίῳ Διοκλητιανοῦ, ἐν ἐθεάσαντο ἐνύπνιον. Ἵδον γὰρ Δονάτον τὸν Πρεσβύτερον ἀναγινώσκοντα αὐτοῖς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, αὐτούς τε ἀναφερομένους ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ εἰς ὄρος λίαν ὑψιλὸν, εἶτα ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν παρίστασθαι τῷ βήματι τοῦ παντοκράτορος, τούς τε Ἀγγέλους καὶ τοὺς Ἁγίους προσκυνοῦντας τὸν Δεσπότην καὶ αὐτοὺς δὲ τοῦτο αὐτὸ ποιοῦντας. Ἡμέρας δὲ γενόμενης, ἐν πολλῇ φροντίδι ὄντα τὸν Διοκλητιανὸν ἐνταράττουσιν ἀμφότεροι, διηγησάμενοι τὸ αὐτὸ τεθεάσται ἐνύπνιον· καὶ καταλιπόντες αὐτὸν, ἀνελθόντες εἰς τὸ ὄρος, προσεκυλινδοῦντο τοῖς ποσὶ τοῦ μακαρίου Δονάτου, διηγούμενοι ὅπως δι᾽ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἡρπάγησαν, καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖ κάλλη τεθέανται. Ἀκούσας τοίνυν ταῦτα ὁ Μακαριώτατος καὶ θαυμάσας, παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὸ τῆς πίστεως μυστήριον, καὶ τὸ ἅγιον βάπτισμα.
mountain to the feet of S. Donatus they cast themselves, commemorating this, in what manner under his leading into heaven through a vision they had been snatched away, and whatever there were found worthy of sight, with their eyes they had perceived. Such things hearing the most blessed man and vehemently wondering, the mysteries of our religion to them all he explained, and with the Christian rite, them willing, he washed.
AnnotatumCHAPTER III.
The torments overcome, the flight into Egypt and the martyrdom.
[11] ὙΠοστρεψάντων τοίνυν αὐτῶν ὁ Μακάριος, συνεστὸς καὶ πάσης παῤῥησίας ἔμπλεως ὑπάρχων, εἴπεν πρὸς Διοκλητιανόν. Ιὠσίππος ὁ ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεὺς γενόμενος, καὶ ἱστορῶν μετ᾽ ἀληθείας τὰ κατὰ Ἰουδαίους, μαρτυρεῖ τὸν Χριστὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν γεγονότα, ἐνανθρωπίσαντά τε καὶ σταυρωθέντα, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθέντα, οὗ τὰ συγγράμματα ἐν τῇ δημοσίᾳ ἀπόκειται βιβλιοθήκῃ. Λέγει δὲ οὕτως· Γίνεται δὲ κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν καιρὸν Ἰησοῦς σοφὸς ἀνήρ· εἴγε ἄνδρα αὐτὸν λέγειν χρῆ· ἦν γὰρ παραδόξων ἔργων ποιητὴς, διδάσκαλος ἀνθρώπων τῶν ἡδονῇ ἀληθῆ δεχομένων. Καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν Ἰουδαίων, πολλοὺς δὲ τοῦ ἑλληνικοῦ ἐπείγετο. Ὁ Χριστὸς οὗτος ἦν· καὶ αὐτὸν ἐνδείξει τῶν πρώτων ἀνδρῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν σταυρῷ ἐπιτετιμηκότος Πιλάτου, οὐκ ἐπαύσαντο οἱ τὸ πρῶτον ἀγαπήσαντες. Ἐφάνη γὰρ αὐτοῖς τρίτην ἔχων ἡμέραν πάλιν ζῶν, τῶν θείων Προφητῶν ταῦτα καὶ ἄλλα μυρία θαυμάσια περ᾽ αὐτοῦ εἰρηκότων, καὶ οὐκ ἔτι νῦν τὸ Χριστιανὸν ἀπὸ τοῦδε ὠνομασμένον οὐκ ἐπέλιπε φύλον. Ταῦτα οὖν τοῦ τῶν Ἑβραίων γραμματέως πάλαι ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ βίβλοις ἐγχαράξαντος περὶ τοῦ Δεσπότου καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, ποία ἄρα ἀπολογία τοῖς ἀπίστοις ὑποληφθήσεται; ἐπιμελέστερον τοίνυν παρ᾽ ἡμῶν, ὦ Βασιλεῦ, προσήκει ταῦτα ἐρευνᾶθαι. Ποῖόν τινα ἄρα νομίζετε τὸν τῶν Χριστανῶν Θεόν; διὰ τί δὲ τοῦτον οὐ προσεδέξασθε, καὶ αὐτῷ λατρεύετε, ἀλλὰ τοῖς θεοῖς τῶν ἐθνῶν; ὃν καὶ ἡ Ῥωμαίων βασιλεία ὑπετάγη; Διὰ τί δὲ μόος παρ᾽ ὑμῶν οὐ προσκυνεῖται; Εἰ δὲ μηδὲν ἰσχύη ἕλως, ποίῳ λόγῳ συντετριμμένων τῶν ὑμετέρων βδελυγμάτων παρὰ πᾶσι σχεδὸν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, μόνος ἕχει τὸ κράτος; Πρὸς ταύτας τὰς ἀπολογίας θυμῷ συσχεθεὶς ὁ Διοκλητιανὸς οὐδὲν ἀπεκρίνατο. Τότε καὶ ὁ Θεόδωρος ἔφη· Ἐφράγη ὡς ὁρᾶς, ὦ Μακάριε, στόμα λαλοῦντων ἄδικα. Ἐπεμάνησαν γὰρ πολλοῖς οἱ ὑπηρέται τῶν αἱμοβόρων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐφέστηκεν αὐτίκα ἡ τούτων τιμωρὸς δεξιὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
[12] Τούτων ῥηθέντων μανίας πολλῆς ἐμφορηθεὶς ὁ Διοκλητιανὸς πρὸς τοὺς Ἁγίους φησίν· Ἀπάχθητε καὶ ὑμεῖς ὑπὸ θεομηνίας ἑλκόμενοι, καθὰ καὶ Θεόδωρος καὶ Γοργόνιος οἱ Πραίποσιτοί μου, οὓς μετὰ πολλὰς καὶ ποικίλας βασάνους τελευταῖον ἀγχονισθῆναι ἐκέλευσα. Καὶ ἐμμανὴς γενόμενος ἐπενόει κατ᾽ αὐτῶν διάφορα κολαστηρίων εἴδη. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ πυρὶ τὸ σῶμα Δονάτου καὶ Μακαρίου καὶ Θεοδώρου ὺποβάλλεται, εἶτα θηρίοις διαφόροις. Ἐκεὶ λέοντες, πάρδοι, ἄρκτοι, καὶ θηρίων πᾶν γένος, ἀλλὰ καὶ χοῖροι ἄγριοι, καὶ ταῦροι, οἱ τῆς διὰ σιδήρου καὶ πυρὸς ἁφῆς ἀγριώτεροι καθίσταντο, καὶ ἦν πρόχειρα ταῦτα κατὰ τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἁγίων. Οἱ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεραπεῦται τὰς εὐχὰς αὐτῶν ἀνέπεμπτον βοῶντες· Μὴ παραδὼς Δέσποτα τοῖς θηρίοις ψυχὰς ἐξομολογουμένων σε. Τὰ δὲ θηρία τοὺς μὲν ἐποτρύνοντας αὐτἀ κατὰ τῶν δικαίων θᾶττον τοῦ δέοντος διεσπάραξαν, τῶν δὲ Μαρτύρων οὒχ ἥψαντο, ἱνὰ δειχθῆ πᾶσιν ὅτι θεία αὐτοὺς ἐφρούρει δύναμις. Τότε τοίνυν θάμβος μέγα καὶ δέος πάντας τοὺς ἐν τῷ θεάτρῳ εἴληφεν βλέποντας τοὺς Ἁγιωτάτους χαίροντας καὶ φαιδρῷ τῷ προσώπῳ ἐν μέσῳ τῶν θηρίων ἑστῶτας.
[13] Καὶ τούτων οὕτως πραχθέντων, ὁ Δονάτος πρότερον πρὸς τὸν δῆμον εἶπεν· Ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς, ὁ ἐν ἀρχῇ σὺν τῷ Πατρὶ κτίσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον, αὐτὸς ἐνανθρωπίσας εἶπεν περὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ ποιήσας σημεῖα καὶ διδάξας τοὺς μαθητὰς, ἔπαθεν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐτάφη, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀνέστη, καὶ ἀνελθὼν εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, ὅθεν προσδοκᾶται ἧξειν κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς. Καὶ ἡμῖν ἐλπίδα ἀναστάσεως ἔδωκεν τῷ ὁμοίῳ τύπῳ· οὐ κατὰ φαντασίαν, ὡς στυκοφαντοῦσιν οί ἀσύνετοι, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα αὐτὰ ἐν οἷς ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα τὰ σώματα ἀποληψόμενοι. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐ φοβούμεθα τοὺς ἀποκτείνοντας τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένους ἀποκτῆναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνον φοβούμεθα τὸν δυνάμενον καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα ἀπολέσαι ἐν γεέννῃ πυρός. Καὶ ἐξεβοήθη ἐκ τοῦ δήμου δωδέκατον· Χριστὲ βοήθει, καὶ ἐπάκουσον Δονάτου. Καὶ γενομένης σιωπῆς, ὁ εὐνοῦχος Μακάριος εὐηγγελίσατο λέγων· Ταῦτα ἃ νῦν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν πράττετε, ἔσεσθαι ἡμῖν αὐτὸς προεῖπεν ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ ὅτι παραστησόμεθα βασιλεῦσιν καὶ ἄρχουσιν· καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ μόνῳ τὸν θάνατον κατεδέξατο, ἵνα αὐτὸν νικήσῃ διὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Καὶ ἐξεβοήθη ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου πρὸς αὐτὸν ἑπτάκιος· Χριστὲ, ἐπάκουσον Μακαρίου. Εἶτα Θεόδωρος ἀπεκρίνατο περὶ τῆς καταφρονήσεως τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῆς σαρκὸς, καὶ φησίν· Τοῦτο τὸ σῶμα ἄφθαρτον κτισθὲν, καὶ διὰ τὴν παράβασιν κατάρον δεξάμενον, εἰκότως ὑπὸ φθορὰν γέγονεν. Ἤκουσεν γάρ· Γῆ εἰ καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ· ὅπερ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐπὶ τέλει τῶν αἰώνων σαρκωθεὶς, παθών τε, καὶ ἀναστὰς, εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν μετέστησεν. Καθὼς καὶ ὁ Ἁπόστολος λέγει· Δεῖ γὰρ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀφθαρσίαν· καὶ οὕτω πάλιν τῶν ἄνθρωπον ἀνακληθῆναι εἰς τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, τῆς φθορᾶς ἐκ ποδῶν γενομένης διὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως.
[14] Τούτων ῥηθέντων σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγας, καὶ ἀθρόον συμπεσόντα οἰκήματα οὐκ ὀλίγον πλῆθος ἀνθρώπων ἀπέκτειναν. Οὗ γενομένου, Δονάτος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ, δεξάμενοι παρὰ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀπόκρισιν, εἰς πόλιν Ποθμούην καλουμένην ἀπελθεῖν κελεύονται. Καὶ ὁδοιπορήσαντες ἄχρι θαλάσσης, νηόστε ἐπιτυχόντες πρὸς ἀπόπλουν, μηδὲν ὑπερθέμενοι ἐπέβησαν αὐτῇ, καὶ αἰσίῳ χρησάμενοι δρόμῳ τῇ δωδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ εἰς τὴν Ἀλεξανδρείαν παραγίνονται, εsbiti;τα εἰς Τίθμουλον ἀφικνοῦνται ἧς Ἐπίσκοπος ἦν Φιλήας, ὃς τῆς σάλης τοῦ διωγμοῦ κινουμένης, ἐν τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ τοῦ Δεσπότου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διαμείνας, τὸν στέφανον τοῦ μαρτυρίου διὰ τῆς ἀφαιρέσεως τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀνεδήσατο. Εἰσελθόντος τοίνυν τοῦ ἁγίου Δονάτου ἐν τῷ κυριακῷ, περιστερὰ οὐρανόθεν πεμφθεῖσα τῇ κεφαλῇ αὐτοῦ ἐπεκάθισεν· ἦν θεασάμενοι οἱ παρόντες, τοῦτον ἄξιον Ἐπισκοπῆς εἶναι τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίσει ἐψήφαντο, καὶ εὐθέως ἐνθρονίσαντες αὐτὸν τελείᾳ ἱερατείᾳ καθίδρυσαν. Καθ᾽ ὃν καιρὸν Λικίνιος τὴν βασιλείαν διαδεξάμενος διωγμὸν ἐγείρει κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν, καὶ πρῶτον μὲν πάντας ἐκ παλατίου αὐτοῦ τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς ἐξελθεῖν παρακελεύεται, ἔπειτα καὶ πάσῃ ἀποτάττεσθαι στρατείᾳ. Προἳόντος δὲ τοῦ χρόνου, ἀποθηριοθεὶς προστίθησι διατάγματα τυραννικὰ, ὡς τοὺς ὁμολογοῦντας ἑαυτοὺς Χριστιανοὺς εἶναι ἐν φρουρᾷ βάλλεσθαι, καὶ μηδένα τροφὴν ἢ ποτον προσαγαγεῖν, φάσκων, ἄτοπον εἶναι φιλανθρωπίας ἀξιοῦσθαι τοὺς ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτοῦ νόμων καταδικαζομένους. Καὶ οὕτω πλήθη ταῖς φυλακαῖς ἐμβληθέντα, λοιμῶ διεφθείρετο. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐκέλευσεν πάντας τοὺς μὴ ἀνεσχομένους τῶν μεμολυσμένων θυσιῶν μετασχεῖν ἀναιρεῖσθαι· ὧι ἔξαρχοι ἦσαν οἱ μακαριώτατοι καὶ ἀποστολικοὶ ἄνδρες Δονάτος ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ Μακάριος ὁ Πρεσβύτερος, καὶ Θεόδωρος Διάκονος, ἐν τῇ προλεχθήσῃ ὁμολογίᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τῷ Διοκλητιανῷ πρῶτον ἐνδόξως ἀντιστάντες, καὶ νῦν τῷ Λικινίῳ, οὓς ἐκέλευσεν μελιδὸν κατασμηθῆναι. Καὶ λαβόντες οἱ δήμιοι καὶ ῥαχίζοντες, καὶ εἰς μέρη διαιροῦντες τὰ σώματα τῶν Ἁγίων, εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν ἔρριπτον. Καὶ οὗτως ἐτελειώθησαν οἱ ἅγιοι τοῦ Θεοῦ Μάρτυρες, δικάζοντες τὴν ἁγίαν καὶ ὁμοούσιον Τριάδα, ᾖ πρέπει πᾶσα δόξα, τιμὴ, καὶ προσκύνησις, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
[11] Those therefore returned whence they had come, Macarius more intelligent in matters and using greater freedom, Macarius and Theodorus preaching the divinity of Christ before Diocletian this oration before Diocletian delivered: Josephus the Priest of Jerusalem, and who the history of the Jews with entire faith to posterity handed down, that Christ was true God testifies, of which thing a most certain in his books testimony we have this: a At the same time was Jesus, a wise man, if yet a man him it is right to call: for he was of wonderful works a worker, and a teacher of those who willingly the true things receive, and very many followers as much of the Jews as of the gentiles he had. This was the Christ, whom accused by the Princes of our nation, Pilate when he had condemned to the cross, nonetheless they did not cease to love him, who from the beginning had begun. For he appeared to them on the third day alive, so that divinely of him the Prophets this and many other wonders foretold, and even to this day the race of Christians, from him named, does not fail. These are the things which the said historian of the Hebrews from so long ago of our Lord and Savior to posterity handed down. What therefore reason of excuse now is left to those unwilling the true faith to receive? This indeed with the greatest care let us scrutinize it is necessary, O Emperor. For whom at length do ye think the Christians' God to be? Why not him rather to be received and worshiped do ye think, than the idols of the gentiles? To whom now through the whole Roman Empire obedience and worship is rendered, why by you alone of worship is he judged unworthy? If he so little, as ye think, avails, how came it that, the idols of the gentiles broken almost everywhere, he alone worship and veneration obtains? At so free a confession of Christ before him in mind moved Diocletian, an answer which to give he had not. Then therefore also Theodorus; Stopped is, as thou seest, O Macarius, the mouth of those speaking iniquities. Their fury indeed upon not a few they poured out the ministers of bloodthirsty men, but the right hand of the Lord, the avenger of crimes, upon them forthwith pressed.
[12] These things said into rage turned Diocletian, thus addressed the Saints; with Donatus to fire and beasts they are exposed: Ye also as it appears with the same madness against Christ are snatched away, with which not so long ago Theodorus b and Gorgonius my Provosts, whom after several and various tortures at last with a noose to end their life I ordered. Then more and more growing hot many kinds of punishments against the men most holy he turned in his mind. First therefore to fire, then to beasts, are handed over to be punished Donatus, Macarius and Theodorus. For in that place not lions, not leopards, not bears, not every kind of beasts, not also swine and wild bulls, whose bite the torment of fire and iron in its bitterness far exceed, were lacking, who immediately against the Saints of God were loosed. But they their prayers to him said, crying; by which nothing harmed Deliver not to the beasts the souls of those confessing thee. But those fierce brutes those very men, by whom against the athletes of Christ they were instigated, quicker than word tore to pieces, the bodies of the holy Martyrs not even touched; that openly to all it might be established, that these by a certain divine power were protected. Then indeed all who to the theater for the sake of beholding had come together,
a vast fear came upon; when men most holy with joy unwonted to exult, and with countenance to all cheerfulness composed amid the brutes to be engaged they beheld.
[13] they persuade the people to the faith of Christ, While these things are done, first of all Donatus thus to the people to speak began: God's own Son, who from the beginning with his Father man created, of man himself the nature taking, testimony of the Father bore, and with many afterward notable miracles, after the heavenly to his disciples doctrine he delivered, many things for us endured: then in the sepulcher laid on the third day from the dead rose, and into the heavens at last departed, whence he is awaited to come to judge the living and the dead. A hope he left us not doubtful, that in the same manner from the dead one day we shall rise; not imaginarily, just as certain fools perversely think and teach; but these very bodies, in which now we live and move, again receiving. Hence indeed it comes, that we fear not those who the body indeed kill, but the soul kill cannot; but his fear alone strikes us, who soul together with body can destroy in the gehenna of fire. To this oration twelve times by the people was cried out; In aid be present, and they convert many. Christ, and Donatus kindly hear. Made then silence, Macarius thus announced to them: This very thing which now against us ye perform, according to Christ himself's prediction, was to befall us, that before Kings and Governors we should be led; for which cause he himself also chose to undergo death, that through his resurrection death he might overcome. Macarius saying it seven times by all the throng was acclaimed: Macarius, Christ, hear. Then Theodorus, of the contempt of death and the resurrection of the flesh about to speak, these things pronounced; This body which incorruptible first God created, and through transgression into a curse fell, by its own desert to corruption was made liable. For it heard: Earth thou art, and into earth thou shalt return. Yet the Word divine, in the end of the ages flesh for us put on, and not a few things endured, and rising from the dead, it again of incorruption capable made; just as also the Apostle in writing left; This corruptible must put on incorruption; and so man is recalled to that which from the beginning was, corruption being taken from the midst by the resurrection. 1 Cor. 15, 35.
[14] These things said, a vast suddenly motion of the earth arose: and when many on a sudden buildings to the ground had fallen, no small multitude of men was destroyed. An earthquake made the Saints escape into Egypt, Which when it happened, Donatus and his companions, having received divinely from Christ and God upon this a response, into the city, which Pothmuis c they call, to go are ordered. By a land journey therefore to the sea they come, where a ship for crossing having found, no delay interposing, they boarded it; and using a favorable wind and course, the twelfth day after Alexandria, and thence Tithmulum they come to, over which city then as Bishop presided d Phileas; who the persecution then arising, in the confession of our Lord Jesus Christ persisting, where Donatus made Bishop the crown of martyrdom by the head being lessened bore. But when Donatus entered the church, sent down those who were present beheld, him indeed of the Episcopate most worthy they pronounced, God namely himself thus indicating. And immediately into that of dignity degree raising the stranger, with the supreme Priesthood they adorned him. And when about those times Licinius the Empire's reins had taken f, a great against the Christians persecution he stirred up: and before all things, whoever in his palace were Christians, without delay both the palace and the whole army afterward were ordered to leave. But by the progress of time more and more enraged, edicts worthy of a tyrant he set forth; that whoever should confess themselves Christians, into prison cast, of all food should be deprived and of drink; adding, that it was a thing unworthy to show toward them anything of humanity, Finally under Licinius with his companions he bore martyrdom. who against his laws to have offended openly were convicted. Whereby it came that a vast force of men into custody delivered, by hunger wasted away. At last all, who with the impure sacrifices of idols to pollute themselves had refused, to be taken from the midst he commanded. Of these the chief were the most blessed and Apostolic men, Donatus the Bishop, Macarius the Presbyter, and Theodorus the Deacon: who as in the confession described above of Christ so gloriously first to Diocletian had resisted, so also now resisted Licinius, who limb by limb them commanded to be cut up. Obeying the command the executioners, the bodies of the holy men into pieces dissected cast into the sea. This was the end of the blessed Martyrs of Christ, who amid the most bitter torments praised the holy and consubstantial Trinity, to whom is due glory, honor, and adoration, unto the ages of ages. Amen.