To Domitius and Didymus

(Mai, Class. Auct. x. 484, from a Vat. MS.)

But now we do the contrary. For him whom Christ in His goodness seeks when wandering upon the mountains, and calls to Himself when fleeing, and lays upon His shoulders when found at last, [111] him we resolutely repel when he approaches. Nay, let us not adopt so evil a counsel for our own sake, nor drive the sword into our own heart. For they that endeavour to injure or, on the other hand, to benefit others, may not altogether have the effect they desired upon them, but they do bring about good or evil for themselves and replenish their store either of heavenly virtues or of undisciplined affections. And these taking good angels as their companions and fellow-travellers, [112] both here and hereafter, in all peace and freedom from every evil, will be allotted the most blessed inheritances for eternity and will ever be with God, the greatest good of all; and those will forfeit at once the peace of God and their own peace, and both here and after death will be handed over to tormenting demons. Let us then not repel those who return, but gladly welcome them and number them with those who have not strayed, and thus supply that which is wanting [113] in them.

[111] The reference is to Luke xv. 4 ff. and Ezek. xxxiv. 6, etc.

[112] Dionysius is thinking perhaps of the story in Tobit v. 6, where Raphael becomes the companion of Tobit's son Tobias on his journey.

[113] On the principle that "charity thinketh no evil ... but hopeth all things" (1 Cor. xiii.): similar but not identical phrases (in words or sense) are found 1 Cor. xvi. 17, 2 Cor. ix. 12, xi. 9, Phil. ii. 30, and Col. i. 24.

([68]Eus., H. E. vii. 11)
(Part of an Easter Letter)

(1) It is superfluous to mention by name the many members of our body, who are unknown to you: but you should know that men and women, young and old, soldiers [114] and civilians, every class and age, some by the scourge and fire and some by the sword have conquered in the fight and carried off their crowns, while with some even a very long period did not prove sufficient to show them acceptable to the Lord (as martyrs), as in fact seems to be the case even now with me. [115] Wherefore I have been put off until a time which He Himself knows to be the right one by Him who saith: "In a time acceptable I heard thee, and in the day of salvation I succoured thee." [116] For since you inquire and wish to be informed how we fare, by all means hear our experiences: how that when we were being led away prisoners by a centurion and duumviri
[117] with their soldiers and servants, viz. myself and Gaius, Faustus, Peter and Paul, certain of the inhabitants of the Mareotis came upon us, and with violence dragged us off against our will and in spite of our protests. [118] And now I with Gaius and Peter only, deprived of the company of the other brethren, [119] am shut in a desolate and dreary part of Libya, three days' journey from Parætonium. [120]

And further on he says--

(2) In the city there have concealed themselves, secretly looking after the brethren, from among the presbyters Maximus, [121] Dioscorus, Demetrius and Lucius (for Faustinus and Aquila, who were better known in the world, are wandering in other parts of Egypt), and of the deacons Faustus, Eusebius and Chæremon, who survived those who perished in the pestilence. [122] Eusebius was he whom from the beginning God strengthened and inspired to perform many services for the confessors in prison with all energy, and to carry out at no small risk the last offices for the perfect [123] and blessed martyrs in decking out their bodies (for burial). For up till now the Prefect does not cease from cruelly slaying some of those who are brought before him, as I have already said, and from tearing others in pieces with instruments of torture, while he crushes the spirits of others again with chains and imprisonment, forbidding any to visit them and making search lest any should be found doing so. Nevertheless, God gives them some respite from their miseries through the zeal and steadfast efforts of the brethren.

[114] The difficulties of soldiers becoming and remaining Christians were peculiarly great under the early Emperors.

[115] That is, some had not yet been called upon to be actual martyrs, Dionysius among them who was still in exile.

[116] Is. xlix. 8.

[117] These were the same civil officials as those mentioned in Acts vi. 20 at Philippi, with their servants, there called lictors (rhabdouchoi): the soldiers belonged to the centurion, of course.

[118] This has already been described on p. 44.

[119] Including Timotheus who had been the means of his escape.

[120] A town on the coast 150 miles west of Alexandria.

[121] He and the three deacons have already been mentioned on p. 46. They must have left Dionysius when he went into exile and returned to Alexandria.

[122] "In the island," according to Rufinus's version, but it is not clear what island he means: the pestilence is probably one of those frequent epidemics which devastated North Africa and other districts of the empire.

[123] The epithet "perfect," though applied to believers generally in the New Testament (Matt. v. 28, etc.), was later specially used of martyrs.