Section 315
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284 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. salvation I have assisted thee.' But since you have inquired, and wish to be informed of all concerning us, you have fully heard how we fare : how we were led away as prisoners by the cen turion and magistrates, and the soldiers and officers with them, myself and Caius, Faustus, Peter, Paul, when a certain party came from Mareotis and forcibly dragged us away, we following them not of our own accord, but forced. But now Caius and Peter, with myself, solitary and deprived of the rest of our bre thren, are shut up in a wild and desert place of Libya, three days' journey distant from Paraetonium." After some further remarks, he proceeds : "But in the city some concealed themselves, secretly visiting the brethren ; pres byters Maximinus, Dioscorus, Demetrius, and Lucius. For Faustinus and Aquila, who are more prominent in the world, are wandering about in Egypt. But of those that died of the sick ness, the surviving deacons are Faustus, Eusebius, Chasremon. Eusebius, who was strengthened by the Lord from the beginning, and who was well qualified to fulfil the arduous and necessary duties to those confessors that were in prison, and to perform the dangerous office of burying those perfected and blessed men who suffered martyrdom. For, to the present day, the governor does not cease killing some, as I before said, in a most cruel manner, whenever they are arraigned, torturing others with scourging, wasting others with imprisonment and bonds, and commanding that no one shall go nigh them, and examining whether any, perhaps, is seen to do so. And yet God, by the alacrity and kindness of the brethren, has afforded some relief to the afflicted.' Such is the statement of Dionysius in this epistle. But it should be observed, that this Eusebius, whom he called a deacon, was not long after appointed bishop of Laodicea, in Syria. But Maximus, whom he called a presbyter, at that time succeeded Dionysius as bishop of the church at Alexandria. But Faustus, who was at that time greatly distinguished for his con fession, being reserved until the persecution of our times, in a very advanced age, and full of days, was made perfect as a mar tyr, and was beheaded. Such, however, were the events that happened to Dionysius at this time.