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. XIV. Concerning Athanasius's Flight.

BUt * 1.1 he Fled again, saying these words to his intimate acquaintance, Friends, let us recede a little while; for 'tis a small cloud, which will soon vanish. Having spoken these words, with all possible celerity he went aboard of a ship, and passing over the Nile, fled into Egypt. They who endeavoured to apprehend him, made a close pursuit after him. When he understood that his pursuers were not far behind, those that accompanied him, perswaded him to fly into the wilderness again. But by making use of pru∣dent advice, he escaped those that pursued him. For he perswaded his followers to turn back and meet the pursuers, which was done with all possible speed. When therefore they, who a little before fled, approacht the pursuers, a 1.2 the persons who sought [for Athanasius,] ask't his followers nothing [but this,] whether they had seen Athanasius. They gave them notice, that he was not far off, and said, that if they made hast, they would soon apprehend him. Being after this manner imposed upon, they pursued him very hotly, but in vain. Athanasius having made his escape, came privately to Alexandria, and absconded there till such time as the Perse∣cution ceased. Such were the miseries which befell the Bishop of Alexandria, after his fre∣quent persecutions and troubles occasioned partly by the Christians, and partly by the Heathens. Moreover, the Presidents of Provinces, supposing the Emperours superstition to be a fair opportu∣nity of [increasing] their private gain, treated the Christians very ill, beyond [what] the Im∣perial Order [commissioned them to do:] one while exacting greater sums of money from them than they ought to have done; at other times in∣flicting on them corporal punishments. These things the Emperour was sensible of, but connived at them. And to the Christians, making their ad∣dresses to him upon this account, his answer was, 'Tis your duty, when you are afflicted, to bear it patiently: for this is the command of your God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Athana∣sius.
• a 1.2

  In my judgment, this passage should be worded thus [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Those who sought for him, ask't his followers, whether they had seen Atha∣nasius:] the term [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 no∣thing] be∣ing expun∣ged; which is superflu∣ous. Nice∣phorus con∣firms our emenda∣tion; in whom this word [no∣thing] occurs not, either because he found it not in his Copy; or else in regard he disliked that expression. Further▪ this whole story is taken out of Rufinus. Vales.