Section 249
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218 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. in the tenth year of the reign of Severus, when Alexandria and the rest of Egypt was under the government of his viceroy Laetus, and the churches there were under the episcopal administra tion of Demetrius, the successor of Julian, that the kindled flame «>f persecution blazed forth mightily, and many thousands were crowned with martyrdom. It was then, too, that the love of martyrdom so powerfully seized the soul of Origen, though yet an almost infant boy, that he advanced so close to encounter danger, and was eager to leap forward and rush upon the conflict. And indeed, there had been now but little wanting, and the termination of his life had not been far ofT, unless the heavenly providence of God for the benefit of vast numbers, had, by means of his mother, interposed an impediment to his eager desire. She, indeed, at first, im plored and entreated him to spare a mother's tenderness regard ing him, but seeing him only the more vehemently bent upon it, as he understood that his father wras taken and kept a prisoner, and he was wholly borne away by the desire of becoming a mar!$££, his mother concealed his clothes in order to compel Tiim to remain at home. But when he saw that there was no other course for him to pursue, as his great zeal was far beyond his years, he could not remain inactive, but sent to his father a most encouraging letter on martyrdom, in which he encourages him, saying, " take heed, (father) not to change thy mind on account of us." This may serve as the first specimen that we mention of Origen's shrewdness, and his genuine devotedness to piety. For he had even then made no little progress in the doctrine of faith, as he had been conversant with the holy Scriptures even when a child. He had been considerably trained in them by his father, who, besides the study of the liberal sciences, had also carefully stored his mind with these. First of all, therefore, be; fore he studied the Grecian literature, he led him to frequent ex ercise in the study of sacred things, appointing him to commit and repeat some passages every day ; and these things were not unwillingly done by the child, but studies most cheerfully per formed with great diligence. So that it was not sufficient for him merely to read what was simple and obvious in the sacred