The Distinguished Ecclesiasticsof our Day, and which of them survived until the Destruction of the Churches.
1. this time, Felix, having presided over the church of Rome for five years, was succeeded by Eutychianus, but he in less than ten months left the position to Caius, who lived in our day. He held it about fifteen years, and was in turn succeeded by Marcellinus, who was overtaken by the persecution.
2. About the same time
Timæus received the episcopate of Antioch
after Domnus, and Cyril, who lived in our day, succeeded him. In
his time we became acquainted with Dorotheus, a man of learning among those of his day, who was honored with the office of presbyter in Antioch. He was a lover of the beautiful in divine things, and devoted himself to the Hebrew language, so that he read the Hebrew Scriptures with facility.
3. He belonged to those who were
especially liberal, and was not unacquainted with Grecian
propædeutics. Besides this he
was a eunuch, having been so
from his very birth. On this account, as if it were a miracle, the
emperor took him into his family, and
honored him by placing him over the purple dye-works at Tyre. We have
heard him expound the Scriptures wisely in the Church.
4. After Cyril, Tyrannus received the episcopate of the
parish of Antioch. In his time occurred the destruction of the
churches.
5. Eusebius, who had come from the city of Alexandria, ruled the parishes of Laodicea after Socrates. The occasion of his removal thither was the affair of Paul. He went on this account to Syria, and was restrained from returning home by those there who were zealous in divine things. Among our contemporaries he was a beautiful example of religion, as is readily seen from the words of Dionysius which we have quoted.
6. Anatolius was appointed his successor; one good
man, as they say, following another. He also was an Alexandrian by
birth. In learning and skill in Greek philosophy, such as arithmetic
and geometry, astronomy, and dialectics in general, as well as in the
theory of physics, he stood first among the ablest men of our time, and
he was also at the head in rhetorical science. It is reported that for
this reason he was requested by the citizens of Alexandria to establish
there a school of Aristotelian philosophy.
7. They relate of him many other
eminent deeds during the siege of the Pyrucheium in Alexandria, on account of which he was especially honored by all those in high office; but I will give the following only as an example.
8. They say that bread had
failed the besieged, so that it was more difficult to withstand the
famine than the enemy outside; but he being present provided for them
in this manner. As the other part of the city was allied with the Roman
army, and therefore was not under siege, Anatolius sent for
Eusebius,—for he was still there before his transfer to Syria, and was among those who were not besieged, and possessed, moreover, a great reputation and a renowned name which had reached even the Roman general,—and he informed him of those who were perishing in the siege from famine.
9. When he learned this he
requested the Roman commander as the greatest possible favor, to grant
safety to deserters from the enemy. Having obtained his request, he
communicated it to Anatolius. As soon as he received the message he
convened the senate of Alexandria, and at first proposed that all
should come to a reconciliation with the Romans. But when he perceived
that they were angered by this advice, he said, “But I do not
think you will oppose me, if I counsel you to send the supernumeraries
and those who are in nowise useful to us, as old women and children and
old men, outside the gates, to go wherever they may please. For why
should we retain for no purpose these who must at any rate soon die? and why should we destroy with hunger those who are crippled and maimed in body, when we ought to provide only for men and youth, and to distribute the necessary bread among those who are needed for the garrison of the city?”
10. With such arguments he
persuaded the assembly, and rising first he gave his vote that the
entire multitude, whether of men or women, who were not needful for the
army, should depart from the city, because if they remained and
unnecessarily continued in the city, there would be for them no hope of
safety, but they would perish with famine.
