Section 360
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 329 who, according to his rank and Roman dignity, was attended by a military guard, when administering justice every day. Phileas, also, bishop of the churches of Thmuis, a man eminent for his conduct and the services rendered to his country, as well as in the different branches of philosophy. These, although urged by innumerable relatives and other friends, and though many emi nent persons and the judge himself entreated them, that they should take compassion on themselves and have mercy upon their children and wives, were nevertheless not in the least induced by these things to prefer life, when it stood in competition with the command that regarded the confession or the denial of our Saviour. And thus, with a manly and philosophical mind, rather let me say with a mind devoted to God and his religion, persevering in opposition to all the threats and the insults of the judge, both of them were condemned to lose their heads. CHAPTER X. The writings of Phileas, which give an account of the martyrs of Alexandria. BUT since we have mentioned Phileas, as highly estimable for his great proficiency also in foreign literature and science, we will let him bear witness for himself, whilst he may also show us who he was, and also what martyrdoms happened at Alexandria, all which he can state more accurately than ourselves, in the ex tract we here present. From the epistle of Phileas to the inhabitants of Thmuis. " As all these signs, examples, and noble precepts are presented to us in the Holy Scriptures, those holy martyrs with us did not hesitate, whilst they sincerely directed their mental eye to that God who rules over all, and in their minds preferred death for their reli gion, and firmly adhered to their vocation. They had well un derstood that our Lord Jesus Christ became man for us, that he might remove all sin, and furnish us with the means of entering