The history of the church from our Lords incarnation, to the twelth year of the Emperour Maricius Tiberius, or the Year of Christ 594 / as it was written in Greek, by Eusebius Pamphilius ..., Socrates Scholasticus, and Evagrius Scholasticus ... ; made English from that edition of these historians, which Valesius published at Paris in the years 1659, 1668, and 1673 ; also, The life of Constantine in four books, written by Eusibius Pamphilus, with Constantine's Oration to the convention of the saints, and Eusebius's Speech in praise of Constantine, spoken at his tricennalia ; Valesius's annotations on these authors, are done into English, and set at their proper places in the margin, as likewise a translation of his account of their lives and writings ; with two index's, the one, of the principal matters that occur in the text, the other, of those contained in the notes.

CHAP. XXI. How Apollonius suffered Martyrdom at Rome.

AT the same time of Commodus's Empire, our affairs were converted into a quiet and se∣date posture; peace, by the divine grace, encom∣passing the Churches throughout the whole world. In which interim the saving Word [of God] al∣lured * 1.1 very many of all sorts of men to the religious wor∣ship of the universal God. So that now many of those at Rome, who were very eminent both for riches and descent, did, together with their whole housholds and fami∣lies, betake themselves to [the attaining of] salvati∣on. But this could not be born with by the envious devil, that hater of good, being by nature malicious. Therefore he a 1.2 arms himself again, inventing va∣rious Stratagems against us. At the City Rome there∣fore, he brings before the judgement seat b 1.3 Apollo∣nius, a man who was at that time one of the faith∣full, and very eminent for his Learning and Philosophy; having stirred up c 1.4 one of * 1.5 his ministers, who was fit for such a [wicked enter∣prize] to accuse this person. Now this wretch, having un∣dertaken this accusation in an unseasonable time, (for, according to the d 1.6 Imperial Edict, the informers against those that were [Christians] were to be put to death;) had his legs forthwith bro∣ken, and was put to death, Perennis the Judge having pronounc't this sentence a∣gainst him: but the Mar∣tyr, most beloved by God, (after the Judge had e 1.7 ear∣nestly beseeched him by ma∣ny entreaties, and requested him to render an account [of his Faith] f 1.8 before the Senate,) having made a most g 1.9 elegant defence before them all for the faith he profest, h 1.10 was, as it were by a decree of the Senate, condemn'd to undergoe a capital punish∣ment. For by an ancient i 1.11 Law 'twas establisht a∣mongst them, that those [Christians] who were once accused before the judgment∣seat, should in no wise be dismist, unless they receded from their opinion. More∣over, he that is desirous to know Apollonius's speeches before the Judge, and the an∣swers he made to the interro∣gatories of Perennis, the oration also which he spoke before the Senate in defence of our faith, may see them in our collection of the suf∣ferings of the antient Mar∣tyrs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Or, every soul of all sorts of men. For that's the import of the Greek, if it be exactly rendred. Valesius translates it [ex omni∣genere hominum quàm plurimos, i. e. very many of all sorts of men.
• a 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; i. e. he unclothed himself; 'tis a metaphor taken from champions, who, being to engage, strip't themselves, and studied by various arts and subtilties tò vanquish their Adversaries. Vales.
• b 1.3

  This A∣pollonius was not the same person with him, mentioned chap. 16. of this book. Jerom (in Catalogo) calls him a Roman Senatour. Eusebius does not say▪ he was one of the Senate, in this place. But more of this hereafter. Vales.
• c 1.4

  Jerom (in his book de Scri∣ptor. Ecclesiast.) Supposes the per∣son here spoken of to be Apollo∣nius's servant; and calls his name Severus. Vales.
• * 1.5

  That is, the devil having stir∣red up one of his own instruments, or, ministers, &c.
• d 1.6

  He means the Rescript of Mar∣cus, mentioned chap. 13. B. 4. See that place, and the notes upon it. Rufinus thought the Edict of Tra∣jan, (which Eusebius mentions B. 3. chap. 33,) or the Rescript of Adrian, (see chap. 9. B. 4,) to Minucius Fundanus; was here meant. Vales.
• e 1.7

  The judges, who interrogated the Christians that were brought before them, were wont to per∣swade and entreat them to have a regard for their own safety, by em∣bracing the worship of the heathen Gods. There are infinite Exam∣ples hereof in Tertullian, Euse∣bius, &c. Vales.
• f 1.8

  From this passage I am in∣duced to think that Apollonius was of the Senatorian order, as Jerom has said. Who upon the informa∣tion of some desperate fellow (whose name is unknown) was brought before Perennis, the Pre∣fect of the praetorium, (i. e. the officer to whom the oversight of the Souldiers was committed) as being a Christian; being ask't by the Judge what order he was of, and making answer that he was of the Senatorian order, Perennis com∣manded him to give an account of his faith before the Senate. Which when Apollonius had with much eloquence done, by the sen∣tence of the Senate he was put to death. Why may we not there∣fore believe Jerom, who (in his book de Ecclesiast. Scriptor, and in his Epistle to Magnus) has said in express terms, that Apollonius was a Senatour? And although Eusebius does not expresly say so here; yet from this relation of his thus much may be collected. Besides, Jerom might have read the Acts of Apollonius's suffering, to which Eusebius does here refer us. In which Acts, tis probable, Apollonius was called a Roman Senatour, and was said to have been betrayed by his servant. These Acts were written at Rome in Greek, by men that were Grecians, after the same manner as the Acts of the Lugdunensian Martyrs were written in Greek. Vales.
• g 1.9

  Jerom (in his book de Scriptor. Eccles.) misunderstanding this place of Eusebius, has accounted Apollonius, amongst the Ecclesiastick Writers. But Eusebius onely says, that Apollonius made a most elegant oration before the Judges in defence of the faith he profest, not that he wrote an Apology. Scaliger takes notice of this mistake of Jerom's in his Animadvers. Eusebian. p. 208. But he has there altered the reading of part of this place in Eusebius, thus [But the Martyr, most beloved of God, after he had beseech't the Judge by many intreaties, that he might have leave to give an account of his faith before the Senate.] Which emendation is contradicted by all our M. S. copies, and by reason it self. Vales.
• h 1.10

  All Translatours have rendred this place without taking any no∣tice of the particle [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] in their Versions; supposing it to be use∣less. Which as I judge, is not true: first because the Senatours were not Judges, neither had they Jurisdiction. [2] Perennis, who was the Judge in this cause, had remitted Apollonius to the Senate, not that the Senate should give judgment upon him, but that Apollonius should give them an account of his religion: He honoured the Senate so far, that he would not condemn a Senatour, before the Senate had had cognizance of his crime. When therefore the Senate had heard Apollonius, their answer was, that the man should be judged according to the Law. After this Apollonius was punished with death, by the sentence indeed of Perennis himself, but by the decree of the Senate, because the Senate had heard him, and given their consent that he should be condemned. Vales.
• i 1.11

  He means the Rescript of Trajan, which Eusebius mentions B. 3. chap. 33, at the latter end. See the place and the note upon it. Vales.