Defence of His Flight 1–17
Greek text: PG 25.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 4 (1892).
Chapter 1
1PG 25:644a–645b
Ἀκούω Λεόντιον, τὸν νῦν ἐν Ἃντιοχείᾳ, καὶ Νάρκισσον, τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως Νέρωνος, καὶ Γεώργιον, τὸν νῦν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς Ἀρειανοῦς πολλᾶ περὶ ἐμοῦ θρυλλοῦντας καὶ λοιδοροῦντας, δειλίαν τε ἐγκαλοῦντας, ὅτι δὴ, ζητούμενος ἀναιρεθῆναι παρʼ αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἔκδοτον ἐμαυτὸν αὐτοῖς προσήγαγον. Πρὸς μὲν οὖν τὰς λοιδορίας καὶ τὰς συκοφαντίας αὐτῶν, καίτοι δυνάμενος πολλᾶ γράφειν, ἃ μήτʼ αὐτοὶ ἀρνεῖσθαι δύνανται, ἀλλά καὶ πάντες ἐπιγινώσκουσιν o't κατʼ αὐτῶν ἀκούοντες, ὅμως οὐδὲν προαχθήσομαι λέγειν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἢ μόνον τὸ τοῦ Κυρίου ῥῆμα, καὶ τὸ τοῦ Ἀποστολου ῥητὸν, ὅτι · Τὸ μὲν ψεῦδος ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστί· καὶ, Οὔτε δὲ λοίδοροι βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομήσουσιν. Ἀρκεῖ γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐκ τούτων δειχθῆναι μηδὲν κατᾶ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον μήτε φρονοῦντας μήτε πράττοντας, κατᾶ δὲ τὰς ἰδίας ἡδονὰς οῗομὲνους εἶναι καλὸν, ὅπερ αὐτοὶ βούλονται.
Akouō Leontion, ton nyn en Hantiocheią, kai Narkisson, ton apo tēs poleōs Nerōnos, kai Geōrgion, ton nyn en Laodikeią, kai tous syn autois Areianous polla peri emou thryllountas kai loidorountas, deilian te enkalountas, hoti dē, zētoumenos anairethēnai parʼ autōn, ouk ekdoton emauton autois prosēgagon. Pros men oun tas loidorias kai tas sykophantias autōn, kaitoi dynamenos polla graphein, ha mētʼ autoi arneisthai dynantai, alla kai pantes epiginōskousin o't katʼ autōn akouontes, homōs ouden proachthēsomai legein pros autous ē monon to tou Kyriou rhēma, kai to tou Apostolou rhēton, hoti ; To men pseudos ek tou diabolou esti; kai, Oute de loidoroi basileian Theou klēronomēsousin. Arkei gar autous ek toutōn deichthēnai mēden kata to Euangelion mēte phronountas mēte prattontas, kata de tas idias hēdonas oïomenous einai kalon, hoper autoi boulontai.
I hear that Leontius, now at Antioch, and Narcissus of the city of Nero, and George, now at Laodicea, and the Arians with them, are spreading many reports about me and reviling me, charging me with cowardice because, when I was sought by them to be put to death, I did not deliver myself into their hands. To their revilings and false accusations, though I could write much that they themselves cannot deny, and that all who hear it against them recognize, I shall nevertheless be moved to say nothing to them but the word of the Lord and the saying of the Apostle: “Falsehood is from the devil,” and, “Nor will revilers inherit the kingdom of God.” For it is enough that these show them to think and do nothing according to the Gospel, but to suppose that whatever they themselves wish is good, according to their own pleasures.
John 8:44 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 6:10 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius opens his defense by naming the Arian bishops who accuse him of cowardice for fleeing, and answers their slanders only with Scripture.
- Leontius of Antioch, Narcissus of Neronias (Irenopolis) in Cilicia, and George of Laodicea were leaders of the anti-Nicene party. “Falsehood is from the devil”: cf. John 8:44. “Nor will revilers …”: 1 Cor 6:10. A running title of the page, interleaved with the first lines in the scan, and a margin letter are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne’s margin letter left in the text; OCR misreading; OCR misreading of the name; running title of the page interleaved with the text by the OCR): Ἀκούει) Λεοντιον → Ἀκούω Λεόντιον; ἷάρκισσον → Νάρκισσον; Γεώρnel.,'ToB αὐτοῦ, Περἰ τῶν διαβαλὶῖόντων τὴν ἐν τῷ γιον, → Γεώργιον,; βούλονται. Β → βούλονται..
Topics: Heresy, Persecution
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 1 (PG 25:644a–645b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 2
2PG 25:645b–648b
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ προσποιοῦνται δειλίαν ἐγκαλεῖν, ἀναγκαῖον όλίγα περὶ τούτου γράψαι· δειχθήσονται γὰρ καὶ ἐκ τούτου πονηροί τε τὸν τρόπον, καὶ μή ἐντετυχηκότες ταῖς θείαις Γραφαῖς ἢ ἐντυχόντες μὲν, μὴ πιστεύοντες δὲ εἶναι θεόπνευστα τὰ λόγια τὰ ἐν αὐταῖς. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπίστευον, οὐκ ἂν παρὰ μὲν ταύτας ἐτόλμων,’ τὴν δὲ κακοήθειαν τῶν κυριοκτόνιυν Ἰουδαίων ἐζήλουν. Καὶ γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ δεδωκότος ἐντολήν · Τίμα τὸν πατὲρα σου καὶ την μητέρα σου· καὶ, Ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα θανάτῳ τε· λευτάτω ἀντενομοθέτουν κάκεῖνοι, τήν τιμήν εἷς ἀτιμίαν μεταφέροντες, καὶ ἀργορίου τὸ πρὸς τοὺς γονέας καθῆκον παρὰ τῶν τὲκνων ἀναικαταλλάσσοντες καὶ ἀναγινώσκοντες δὲ τὰς τοῦ Δαβὶδ πράξεις ἀντεμελὲτων αὐταῖς, καὶ ᾐτιῶντο τοὺς ἀναιτίουςῖ τίλλοντας στάχυας, καὶ ψώχοντας ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ Σαββάτου. Ἔμελε δὲ αὐτοῖς οὔτε τῶν νόμων, οὔτε διὰ τὸ Σάββατον · ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ μᾶλλον παρηνόμουν.’Δλλʼ ὅτι τὸν τρόπον ὅντες πονηροὶ, τοῖς τε μαθηταῖς ἐφθόνουν σωζομένοις, καὶ μόνον ἠβούλοντο τὰ τῆς ἰδίας γνώμης κρατεῖν. Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οῦν τῆς ἰδίας παρανομίας ἔχουσι τὰ ἐπίχειρα, ἆνίεροι γενόμενοι, καὶ λοιπὸν ἄρχοντες Σοδόμων καὶ λαὸς Γομόρρας χρηματίζοντες. Καὶ οὗτοι δὲ οὐδὲν ἧττον ἐκείνων δοκοῦσί μοι τὴν ἐπιτιμίαν ἔχειν ἤδη, τήν τῆς ἰδίας ἀλογίας ἄγνοιαν. Οῦτε γὰρ νοῦσιν ἃ λέγουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ νομίζουσιν εἰδέναι ἅπερ ἀγνοοῦσι· μόνη δὲ γνῶσις ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐστι τοῦ κακοποιεῖν, καὶ καθʼ ἡμέραν χείρονα χείροσιν ἐφευρίσκειν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὴν νῦν φυγήν ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἐπʼ ἀρετῇ θέλοντες ἡμᾶς ἀνδραγαθήσασθαι, διαβάλλουσι. πόθεν γὰρ εὐχὴ τοιαύτη παρʼ ἐχθροῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν μὴ συντρεχόντων αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ κακοφροσῦνῃ; Ἀλλὰ κακοήθεις ὄντες σχηματίζονται τοιαῦτα περιβομβεῖν, νομίζοντες, εὐήθεις ὄντες ἀληθῶς αὐτοὶ, ὡς ἄρα δέει τῆς παρʼ αὐτῶν λοιδορίας προσάξομεν ἑαυτοὺς ποτε αὐτοῖς. Θέλουσι γὰρ, καί διὰ τοῦτο πάντα περιτρέχουσι · καὶ ὑποκρίνονται μὲν ὡς φίλοι, ἐρευνῶσι δὲ ὡς ἐχθροί · ἵνα, αἰμάτων ἐμφορηθέντες, ἐκποδὼν ποιήσωσι καὶ ἡμᾶς, ὅτι κατὰ τῆς ἀσεβείας αὐτῶν ἐφρονήσαμεν ἀεὶ καὶ φρονοῦμεν, καὶ τὴν αʼίρεσιν αὐτῶν ἐλέγχοντες στηλιτεύομεν.
Epeidē de prospoiountai deilian enkalein, anankaion oliga peri toutou grapsai; deichthēsontai gar kai ek toutou ponēroi te ton tropon, kai mē entetychēkotes tais theiais Graphais ē entychontes men, mē pisteuontes de einai theopneusta ta logia ta en autais. Ei gar episteuon, ouk an para men tautas etolmōn,’ tēn de kakoētheian tōn kyrioktoniyn Ioudaiōn ezēloun. Kai gar tou Theou dedōkotos entolēn ; Tima ton patera sou kai tēn mētera sou; kai, Ho kakologōn patera ē mētera thanatǭ te; leutatō antenomothetoun kakeinoi, tēn timēn heis atimian metapherontes, kai argoriou to pros tous goneas kathēkon para tōn teknōn anaikatallassontes kai anaginōskontes de tas tou Dabid praxeis antemeletōn autais, kai ę̄tiōnto tous anaitiousi tillontas stachyas, kai psōchontas en tę̄ hēmerą tou Sabbatou. Emele de autois oute tōn nomōn, oute dia to Sabbaton ; en autǭ gar mallon parēnomoun.’Dllʼ hoti ton tropon hontes ponēroi, tois te mathētais ephthonoun sōzomenois, kai monon ēboulonto ta tēs idias gnōmēs kratein. Ekeinoi men oun tēs idias paranomias echousi ta epicheira, anieroi genomenoi, kai loipon archontes Sodomōn kai laos Gomorras chrēmatizontes. Kai houtoi de ouden hētton ekeinōn dokousi moi tēn epitimian echein ēdē, tēn tēs idias alogias agnoian. Oute gar nousin ha legousin, alla kai nomizousin eidenai haper agnoousi; monē de gnōsis en autois esti tou kakopoiein, kai kathʼ hēmeran cheirona cheirosin epheuriskein. Kai gar kai tēn nyn phygēn hēmōn, ouk epʼ aretę̄ thelontes hēmas andragathēsasthai, diaballousi. pothen gar euchē toiautē parʼ echthrois hyper tōn mē syntrechontōn autois en tę̄ kakophrosynę̄? Alla kakoētheis ontes schēmatizontai toiauta peribombein, nomizontes, euētheis ontes alēthōs autoi, hōs ara deei tēs parʼ autōn loidorias prosaxomen heautous pote autois. Thelousi gar, kai dia touto panta peritrechousi ; kai hypokrinontai men hōs philoi, ereunōsi de hōs echthroi ; hina, aimatōn emphorēthentes, ekpodōn poiēsōsi kai hēmas, hoti kata tēs asebeias autōn ephronēsamen aei kai phronoumen, kai tēn aʼiresin autōn elenchontes stēliteuomen.
But since they pretend to charge me with cowardice, it is necessary to write a little about this; for by this too they will be shown to be wicked in character, and either not to have read the divine Scriptures, or, having read them, not to believe that the oracles in them are inspired by God. For if they believed, they would not dare to act against them, nor emulate the malice of the Jews who killed the Lord. For when God had given the commandment, “Honor your father and your mother,” and, “He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die,” they too legislated against it, turning honor into dishonor and exchanging for money the duty children owe their parents. And reading the deeds of David, they practiced the contrary, and blamed the guiltless disciples for plucking ears of grain and rubbing them on the sabbath day. They cared neither for the laws nor for the sabbath—for on it above all they broke the law—but, being wicked in character, they envied the disciples who were being saved and wished only that their own opinion should prevail. They, then, have the wages of their own lawlessness, having become unholy and being called thereafter rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrah. And these men, it seems to me, already have no less a penalty than those: ignorance of their own folly. For they neither understand what they say, but even think they know what they do not know; the only knowledge in them is of doing evil and of inventing each day worse things upon worse. For they slander our present flight not because they wish us to show courage in virtue—for whence would such a prayer come from enemies on behalf of those who do not run with them in their evil-mindedness?—but, being malicious, they put on this show of buzzing such things about, thinking, simpletons that they truly are, that for fear of their reviling we shall at some time give ourselves up to them. This is what they want, and for this they run about everywhere; they pretend to be friends, but search as enemies, so that, glutted with blood, they may put us too out of the way, because we have always held and hold against their impiety, and, refuting their heresy, expose it publicly.
Exod 20:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 21:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 15:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 12:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 6:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 1:10 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius compares his accusers to the Jewish leaders who set aside God’s commandments and accused the disciples, saying they mock his flight only to lure him to his death.
- Honor parents: Exod 20:12; “He who speaks evil …”: Exod 21:17 (Matt 15:4–6, on the Corban practice). The disciples plucking grain: Matt 12:1–8 (Luke 6:1). “Rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrah”: Isa 1:10. The phrase “the Jews who killed the Lord” is the author’s polemical language, reproduced as written. Garbled letters around “sabbath” are restored by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris inside a word; line garbled by the OCR; letters reassembled): τοῦ Σ βρ ι, ν ρ 9“ 9 -ο ν ~ ν- κ ε α οαιου. Εμελε οε αυτοις ουτε των νόμων, ουιε οια τὸ Σάββατον → τοῦ Σαββάτου. Ἔμελε δὲ αὐτοῖς οὔτε τῶν νόμων, οὔτε διὰ τὸ Σάββατον; ἀνδραγαθήσαδιδ σθαι → ἀνδραγαθήσασθαι.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 2 (PG 25:645b–648b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 3
3PG 25:648b–649b
Τίνα γάρ ποτε διώκοντες καὶ καταλαβόντες, οὐχ ὕβρισαν ὡς ἠθέλησαν ; τίνα ζητοῦντες, καὶ εὑρόντες, οὐχ οὕτως διέθηκαν, ὡς ἢ τελευτῆσαι κακῶς, ἢ λωβηθῆναι πανταχόθεν; Ἃ γὰρ οἱ δικασταὶ δοκοῦσι ποιεῖν, ταῦτʼ ἐκείνων ἐστὶν ἐνεργήματα, καὶ μᾶλλον οὗτοι τῆς ἐκείνων προαιρέσεως καὶ πονηρίας εἰσὶν ὑπηρέται. Ποῖος τοίνυν τόπος οὐκ ἔχει τῇς κακίας αὐτῶν ὑπόμνημα; τίνα φρονοῦντα κατʼ αὐτῶν οὐ συνεσκευάσαντο, πλασάμενοι προφάσεις κατὰ τὴν Ἰεζάβελ ; Ποία Ἐκκλησία νῦν οὐ θρηνεῖ διὰ τὰς ἐκείνων κατὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπισκόπων ἐπιβουλάς; Ἀντιόχεια μὲν διʼ Εὐστάθιον τὸν ὁμολογητήν καὶ ὀρθόδοξον· Βαλανέαι δὲ διʼ Εὐφρατίωνα τὸν θαυμασιώτατον · καὶ Πάλτος μὲν καὶ Ἀντάραδος διὰ Κυμάτιον καὶ Καρτέριονʼ ἡ δὲ Ἀδριανούπολις διʼ Εὐτρόπιον τὸν φιλόχριστον, καὶ τὸν μετʼ αὐτὸν Λούκιον, τὸν πολλάκις παρʼ αὐτῶν καί ἁλύσεις φορέσαντα, καὶ οὕτως ἀποθανόντα · καὶ Ἀγκυρα μὲν δια Μάρκελλον, Βιρῥοια δὲ διὰ Κῦρον, καὶ Γάζα διʼ Ἀσκληπᾶν Τούτους μὲν γὰρ πολλὰ πρότερον ὑβρίσαντες, ἐξ· ορισθῆναι πεποιήκασιν οἱ δόλιοι· Θεόδουλον δὲ καὶ Ὀλύμπιον ἀπὸ τῆς Θρᾴκης ἐπισκόπους, καὶ ἡμᾶς, καὶ πρεσβυτέρους ἡμετέρους, οὕτως ἐποίησαν ζητηθῆναι, ὥστε, εἰ εὑρεθείημεν, κεφαλῆς ὑποστῆναι τιμωρίαν. Καὶ τάχα ἂν ἀπεθάνομεν οὕτως, εἷ μὴ παρὰ γνώμην αὐτῶν ἐφύγομεν καὶ τότε. Τοιαῦτα γάρ ἐστι τὰ μὲν κατὰ τῶν περὶ Ὀλύμπιον πρὸς τὸν ἀνθύπατον Δωνᾶτον, τὰ δὲ καθ ἡμῶν πρὸς Φιλάγριον δοθέντα γράμματα. Τὸν γὰρ τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἐπίσκοπον Παῦλον διώξαντες καὶ εὑρόντες, προφανῶς ἀποπνιγῆναι πεποιήκασιν ἐν τῇ λεγομένῃ Κουκουσῷ τῆς Καππαδοκίας, δήμιον ἐσχηκότες εἰς τοῦτο Φίλιππον, τὸν γενόμενον ἔπαρχον · ἦν γὰρ καὶ τῆς αἱρέσεως αὐτῶν προστάτης, καὶ τῶν πονηρῶν βουλευμάτων ὑπηρέτης. Ἆρʼ οὖν διὰ τὰ τοσαῦτα κόρον ἔχουσι, και λοιπὸν ἡρέμησαν; οὐδαμῶς. Οὔτε γὰρ ἐπαύσαντο, ἀλλὰ κατά τήν ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις βδέλλαν, μᾶλλον νεανιεύονται τοῖς κακοῖς, έπιφυόμενοι κατὰ τῶν μεγάλων παροικιῶν. Οἴα γὰρ καὶ τανῦν ἔδρασαν, τίς ἂν ἀξίως ἐξείποι; Τίς τοσοῦτον δύναται μνημονεῦσαι, ὅσον ἐκεῖνοι πεποιήκασιν; ’Λρτι γὰρ εἰρήνην ἐχουσῶν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, καὶ τῶν λαῶν εὐχομένων ἐν ταῖς συνάξεσιν, 6 μέν ἐπίσκοπος τῆς Ῥώμης Λιβέριος,καίΠαυλῖνος 6 τῆς μητροπόλεως τῶν Γαλλιῶν, καὶ Διονύσιος 6 τῆς μητροπόλεως τῆς Ἰταλίας, καὶ Λουκίφερ 6 μητροπόλεως τῶν κατά Σαρὸινίαν νήσων, καὶ Εὐσέβιος ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας, οἱ πάντες ἐπίσκοποι ἀγαθοὶ, καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας κήρυκες, ἁρπάζονται, καί ἐξορίζονται · πρόφασιν οὐδεμίαν ἔχοντες, ἣ ὅτι μὴ συνέθεντο τῇ Ἀρειανῇ αἱρέσει, μηδὲ ὑπέγραψαν αὐτοῖς καθʼ ἡμῶν, ἐν αἶς έπλάσαντο διαβολαῖς καὶ συκοφαντίαις.
Tina gar pote diōkontes kai katalabontes, ouch hybrisan hōs ēthelēsan ? tina zētountes, kai heurontes, ouch houtōs diethēkan, hōs ē teleutēsai kakōs, ē lōbēthēnai pantachothen? Ha gar hoi dikastai dokousi poiein, tautʼ ekeinōn estin energēmata, kai mallon houtoi tēs ekeinōn proaireseōs kai ponērias eisin hypēretai. Poios toinyn topos ouk echei tę̄s kakias autōn hypomnēma? tina phronounta katʼ autōn ou syneskeuasanto, plasamenoi prophaseis kata tēn Iezabel ? Poia Ekklēsia nyn ou thrēnei dia tas ekeinōn kata tōn autōn episkopōn epiboulas? Antiocheia men diʼ Eustathion ton homologētēn kai orthodoxon; Balaneai de diʼ Euphratiōna ton thaumasiōtaton ; kai Paltos men kai Antarados dia Kymation kai Karterionʼ hē de Adrianoupolis diʼ Eutropion ton philochriston, kai ton metʼ auton Loukion, ton pollakis parʼ autōn kai halyseis phoresanta, kai houtōs apothanonta ; kai Ankyra men dia Markellon, Birrhoia de dia Kyron, kai Gaza diʼ Asklēpan Toutous men gar polla proteron hybrisantes, ex; oristhēnai pepoiēkasin hoi dolioi; Theodoulon de kai Olympion apo tēs Thrąkēs episkopous, kai hēmas, kai presbyterous hēmeterous, houtōs epoiēsan zētēthēnai, hōste, ei heuretheiēmen, kephalēs hypostēnai timōrian. Kai tacha an apethanomen houtōs, hei mē para gnōmēn autōn ephygomen kai tote. Toiauta gar esti ta men kata tōn peri Olympion pros ton anthypaton Dōnaton, ta de kath hēmōn pros Philagrion dothenta grammata. Ton gar tēs Kōnstantinoupoleōs episkopon Paulon diōxantes kai heurontes, prophanōs apopnigēnai pepoiēkasin en tę̄ legomenę̄ Koukousǭ tēs Kappadokias, dēmion eschēkotes eis touto Philippon, ton genomenon eparchon ; ēn gar kai tēs haireseōs autōn prostatēs, kai tōn ponērōn bouleumatōn hypēretēs. Arʼ oun dia ta tosauta koron echousi, kai loipon hēremēsan? oudamōs. Oute gar epausanto, alla kata tēn en tais Paroimiais bdellan, mallon neanieuontai tois kakois, epiphyomenoi kata tōn megalōn paroikiōn. Oia gar kai tanyn edrasan, tis an axiōs exeipoi? Tis tosouton dynatai mnēmoneusai, hoson ekeinoi pepoiēkasin? ’Lrti gar eirēnēn echousōn tōn Ekklēsiōn, kai tōn laōn euchomenōn en tais synaxesin, 6 men episkopos tēs Rhōmēs Liberios,kaiPaulinos 6 tēs mētropoleōs tōn Galliōn, kai Dionysios 6 tēs mētropoleōs tēs Italias, kai Loukipher 6 mētropoleōs tōn kata Saroinian nēsōn, kai Eusebios apo tēs Italias, hoi pantes episkopoi agathoi, kai tēs alētheias kērykes, harpazontai, kai exorizontai ; prophasin oudemian echontes, hē hoti mē synethento tę̄ Areianę̄ hairesei, mēde hypegrapsan autois kathʼ hēmōn, en ais eplasanto diabolais kai sykophantiais.
For whom have they ever pursued and caught without insulting him as they pleased? Whom have they sought and found without treating him so that he either died miserably or was maimed in every way? For what the judges seem to do is their work; or rather the judges are servants of their purpose and wickedness. What place, then, has no memorial of their malice? Whom that opposed them have they not entrapped, fabricating pretexts as Jezebel did? What church does not now lament because of their plots against its bishops? Antioch for Eustathius, the confessor and orthodox; Balaneae for the most admirable Euphration; Paltus and Antaradus for Cymatius and Carterius; Adrianople for Eutropius, the lover of Christ, and for Lucius after him, who often wore chains at their hands and so died; Ancyra for Marcellus, Beroea for Cyrus, and Gaza for Asclepas. These, after insulting them much beforehand, the crafty men caused to be exiled; but Theodulus and Olympius, bishops from Thrace, and us and our presbyters, they caused to be sought in such a way that, if we were found, we should suffer capital punishment. And perhaps we would have died so, if we had not fled then too, against their will. For such were the letters given against Olympius and those with him to the proconsul Donatus, and against us to Philagrius. For having pursued and found Paul, bishop of Constantinople, they openly had him strangled at the place called Cucusus in Cappadocia, having as their executioner for this Philip, who had been prefect; for he was both a patron of their heresy and the servant of their wicked designs. [4] Have they then had their fill of so much, and are they at last at rest? By no means. They have not ceased; but, like the leech in the Proverbs, they rather run riot in their evils, fastening on the great dioceses. For who could worthily tell what they have done even now? Who can recall as much as they have done? Just now, when the churches were at peace and the people were praying in their assemblies, Liberius the bishop of Rome, Paulinus of the metropolis of the Gauls, Dionysius of the metropolis of Italy, Lucifer of the metropolis of the islands of Sardinia, and Eusebius from Italy, all good bishops and heralds of the truth, are seized and exiled, on no pretext except that they did not assent to the Arian heresy, nor sign against us in the slanders and false accusations they fabricated.
1 Kgs 21:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Prov 30:15 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius lists the bishops the Arians have exiled or killed, from Eustathius of Antioch to Paul of Constantinople, and the recent exile of Liberius of Rome and other Western bishops.
- Chapter 4 has no separate staged section; it is translated inside this one and marked [4]. Jezebel’s pretexts: 1 Kgs 21. The leech: Prov 30:15. Paul of Constantinople died in exile at Cucusus about 350; that he was strangled is Athanasius’s account. Garbled letters before “Have they then” are restored by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (line garbled by the OCR; letters reassembled): ὑπηρέτῃ ς, Ι γ ν Υ ’κ \ κ ~ Ι ’ἔ ιν κ ι. Ap ουν οια τα τοσαυτα κορον εχουσι → ὑπηρέτης. Ἆρʼ οὖν διὰ τὰ τοσαῦτα κόρον ἔχουσι.
Topics: Persecution, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 3 (PG 25:648b–649b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 5
5PG 25:649c–649d
Περὶ γὰρ τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ εὐγηροτοὶτου καὶ ὁμολογητοῧ ἀληθῶς Ὁσίου, περιττόν ἐστιν ἐμὲ καὶ λέγειν · ἴσως γὰρ ἐγνώσθη πᾶσιν, ὅτι καὶ τοῦτον ἐξορισθῆναι πεποιήκασιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἄσημος, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντων μάλιστα καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπιφανὴς 6 γέρων. Ποίας γὰρ οὐ καθηγήσατο συνόδου; Καὶ λέγων ὀρθῶς, οὐ πάντας ἔπεισες Ποία τις Ἐκκλησία τῆς τούτου προστασίας οὐκ ἔχει μνημεῖα τὰ κάλλιστα ; Τίς λυπούμενός ποτε προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐ χαίρων ἀπῆλθε παρʼ αὐτοῦ; τίς ᾔτησε δεόμενος, καὶ οὐκ ἀνεχώρησε τυχὼν ὧν ἠθέλησε; Καὶ ὅμως καὶ κατὰ τούτου τετολμήκασιν· ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς, εἰδὼς ἃς ποιοῦσι διὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν ἑαυτῶν συκοφαντίας, οὐχ ὑπέγραψε ταῖς καθʼ ἡλῶν ἐπιβουλαῖς. Εἴ γὰρ καὶ τὰ ὕστερον διὰ τὰς πολλὰς ὑπὲρ μέτρον ἐπιφερομένας αὖτῷ πληγὰς, καὶ συσκευας κατὰ τῶν συγγενῶν αὐτοῦ, εἶξεν αὐτοῖς πρὸς ὥραν, ὡς γέρων καὶ ἀσθενὴς τῷ σώματι· ὅμως τούτων ἡ πονηρία καὶ ἐκ τούτων δείκνυται, σπουδασάντων πανταχόθεν ἑαυτοὺς δεῖξαι μή εἶναι Χριστιανοὺς ἀληθῶς.
Peri gar tou megalou kai eugērotoitou kai homologētoÿ alēthōs Hosiou, peritton estin eme kai legein ; isōs gar egnōsthē pasin, hoti kai touton exoristhēnai pepoiēkasin. Ou gar asēmos, alla kai pantōn malista kai mallon epiphanēs 6 gerōn. Poias gar ou kathēgēsato synodou? Kai legōn orthōs, ou pantas epeises Poia tis Ekklēsia tēs toutou prostasias ouk echei mnēmeia ta kallista ? Tis lypoumenos pote prosēlthen autǭ, kai ou chairōn apēlthe parʼ autou? tis ę̄tēse deomenos, kai ouk anechōrēse tychōn hōn ēthelēse? Kai homōs kai kata toutou tetolmēkasin; hoti kai autos, eidōs has poiousi dia tēn asebeian heautōn sykophantias, ouch hypegrapse tais kathʼ hēlōn epiboulais. Ei gar kai ta hysteron dia tas pollas hyper metron epipheromenas autǭ plēgas, kai syskeuas kata tōn syngenōn autou, eixen autois pros hōran, hōs gerōn kai asthenēs tǭ sōmati; homōs toutōn hē ponēria kai ek toutōn deiknytai, spoudasantōn pantachothen heautous deixai mē einai Christianous alēthōs.
As for the great Hosius, of so happy an old age, truly a confessor, it is superfluous for me even to speak; for perhaps it is known to all that they caused him too to be exiled. For the old man is not obscure, but of all men most and especially famous. Over what council did he not preside? And speaking rightly, did he not persuade all? What church does not have the finest memorials of his patronage? Who ever came to him in grief and did not go away from him rejoicing? Who asked in need and did not depart having obtained what he wished? And yet they have dared even against him, because he too, knowing the false accusations they make because of their impiety, did not sign the plots against us. For even if afterwards, because of the many blows inflicted on him beyond measure and the conspiracies against his kinsmen, he yielded to them for an hour, as an old man and weak in body, yet their wickedness is shown by this too, since they were zealous in every way to show that they are not truly Christians.
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius praises the aged Hosius of Cordova, exiled for refusing to sign against him, and explains his later brief yielding as the result of violence.
- Hosius (Ossius) of Cordova presided at the Council of Nicaea and at Serdica. His yielding at Sirmium in 357 is mentioned here briefly; the History of the Arians 45 tells it more fully. The rhetorical question “did he not persuade all?” is printed as a statement with a question mark misplaced in the scan; it is read as a question.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 5 (PG 25:649c–649d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 6
6PG 25:652a–652b
Ἐκεῖθεν γάρ καὶ εἰς τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν πάλιν ἐπεφύησαν, ζητοῦντες πάλιν ἡμᾶς ἀποκτεῖναι, καὶ· γέγονε χείρονα τὰ νῦν τῶν προτέρων Στρατιῶται γὰρ ἐξαίφνης τήν ἐκκλησίαν ἐκύκλωσαν, καὶτὰ τῶν πολέμων ἀντὶ τῶν εὐχῶν ἐγίνετο. Εἶτʼ εἰσελθὼν τῇ Τεσσαρακοστῇ ὁ παρʼ αὐτῶν ἀποσταλεὶς ἐκ Καππαδοκίας Γεώργιος, ηὔξησεν ἃ παρ αὐτῶν με· μάθηκε κακά. Μετὰ γὰρ τὰ ἓβδομα τοῦ Πάσχα παρθένοι εἷς δεσμωτήριον ἐβάλλοντο, ἐπίσκοποι ἤγοντο ὑπὸ στρατιωτῶν δεδεμένοι, ὀρφανῶν καί χηρῶν ἡρπάζοντο οἰκίαι καί ἄρτοι, ἔφοδοι κατά τῶν οἰκιῶν ἐγίνοντο, καὶ νυκτὸς οἱ Χριστιανοὶ κατεφέροντο, ἐπεσφραγίσθησαν οἰκίαι, καὶ ἀδελφοὶ κληρικῶν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐκινδύνευον. Καὶ δεινὰ μὶν ταῦτα, δεινότεραδέ τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα τολμήματα τῇ γὰρ ἑβδομάδι μετᾶ τὴν ἆγίαν Πεντηκοστὴν ὁ λαὸς νηστεύσας ἐξῆλθε περὶ τὸ κοιμητήριον εὔξασθαι, διὰ τὸ πάντας ἀποστρέφεσθαι τὴν πρὸς Γεώργιον κοινωνίαν ° ἀλλᾶ τοῦτο μαθὼν ὁ παμπόνηρος αύτὸς, παροξύνει τὸν στρατηλάτην Σεβαστιανὸν, Μανιχαῖον ὄντα, καὶ λοιπὸν αὐτὸς μετὰ πλήθους στρατιωτῶν, ὅπλα καὶ ξίφη γυμνά, καί τόξα καὶ βέλη φερόντων, ὥρμησεν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ Κυριακῇ κατὰ τῶν λαῶν· καὶ ὀλίγους εὑρὼν εὐχομένους (oi. γάρ πλεῖστοι λοιπὸν ’διᾶ τὴν ὥραν ἀναχωρήσαντες ἦσαν), τοιαῦτα εἰργάσατο, οἶα παρʼ αὐτῶν ἔπρεπεν ἀκούσαντα πρᾶξαι. Πυρκαϊᾶν γὰρ ἀνάψας, καὶ στήσας παρθένους παρὰ τὸ πῦρ, ἠνάγκαζε λέγειν αὐτὰς τῆς Ἀρείου πίστεως εἶναιʼ ὡς δὲ νικώσας αύ-
Ekeithen gar kai eis tēn Alexandreian palin epephyēsan, zētountes palin hēmas apokteinai, kai; gegone cheirona ta nyn tōn proterōn Stratiōtai gar exaiphnēs tēn ekklēsian ekyklōsan, kaita tōn polemōn anti tōn euchōn egineto. Eitʼ eiselthōn tę̄ Tessarakostę̄ ho parʼ autōn apostaleis ek Kappadokias Geōrgios, ēuxēsen ha par autōn me; mathēke kaka. Meta gar ta hebdoma tou Pascha parthenoi heis desmōtērion eballonto, episkopoi ēgonto hypo stratiōtōn dedemenoi, orphanōn kai chērōn hērpazonto oikiai kai artoi, ephodoi kata tōn oikiōn eginonto, kai nyktos hoi Christianoi katepheronto, epesphragisthēsan oikiai, kai adelphoi klērikōn hyper tōn adelphōn ekindyneuon. Kai deina min tauta, deinoterade ta meta tauta tolmēmata tę̄ gar hebdomadi meta tēn agian Pentēkostēn ho laos nēsteusas exēlthe peri to koimētērion euxasthai, dia to pantas apostrephesthai tēn pros Geōrgion koinōnian ° alla touto mathōn ho pamponēros autos, paroxynei ton stratēlatēn Sebastianon, Manichaion onta, kai loipon autos meta plēthous stratiōtōn, hopla kai xiphē gymna, kai toxa kai belē pherontōn, hōrmēsen en autę̄ tę̄ Kyriakę̄ kata tōn laōn; kai oligous heurōn euchomenous (oi. gar pleistoi loipon ’dia tēn hōran anachōrēsantes ēsan), toiauta eirgasato, oia parʼ autōn eprepen akousanta praxai. Pyrkaïan gar anapsas, kai stēsas parthenous para to pyr, ēnankaze legein autas tēs Areiou pisteōs einaiʼ hōs de nikōsas au-
From there they fastened again on Alexandria, seeking again to kill us, and the present things have become worse than the former. For soldiers suddenly surrounded the church, and the deeds of war took place instead of prayers. Then George, sent by them from Cappadocia, entered in Lent and increased the evils he had learned from them. For after the week of Easter, virgins were thrown into prison, bishops were led away bound by soldiers, the houses and bread of orphans and widows were seized, attacks were made on houses, Christians were carried off by night, houses were sealed, and brothers of clergy were endangered on behalf of their brothers. These things were terrible, but more terrible were the outrages after them. For in the week after holy Pentecost, the people, having fasted, went out to the cemetery to pray, because all turned away from communion with George. But that most wicked man, learning this, incited the general Sebastian, a Manichaean; and he himself, with a multitude of soldiers carrying arms, drawn swords, bows, and missiles, rushed out on the Lord’s day itself against the people. And finding few praying—for most had already withdrawn because of the hour—he did such things as it was fitting for one who had listened to them to do. For he lit a fire, set virgins beside it, and tried to compel them to say they were of the faith of Arius. But when he saw them prevailing …
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius describes George’s arrival in Alexandria in Lent 357, the arrests and seizures that followed, and Sebastian’s attack on the people praying at the cemetery after Pentecost.
- The section breaks off in mid-sentence (“when he saw them prevailing …”); the following words are lost between this staged section and the next. George entered Alexandria in Lent 357. Sebastian was military commander (dux) of Egypt.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris inside a word): εὕξαυ σθαι → εὔξασθαι.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 6 (PG 25:652a–652b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 7
7PG 25:652c–653b
Ἀνδρας δὲ κρατήσας τεσσαράκοντα, καινοτέρῳ τρόπῳ κατέκοψε · ῥάβδους γὰρ τὰς ἀπὸ τῶν φοινίκων εὐθὺς τεμὼν, ἐν αὐταῖς ἐχούσαις ἔτι τοὺς σκόλοπας τὰ νῶτα τούτῶν οὕτως ἐξέδειρεν, ὡς τινὰς μὲν πολλάκις χειρουργηθῆναι διὰ τοὺς ἐναποπαγέντας ἐν αὐτοῖς σκόλοπας, τινὰς δὲ καὶ μὴ φέροντας ἀποθανεῖν. Πάντας μὲν οὖν τοὺς περιληφθέντας ἀθρόως, καὶ τὴν παρθένον, ἐξώρισαν εἰς τὴν μεγάλην ’Όασιν τὰ δὲ σώματα τῶν τετελευτηκότων οὐδὲ τοῖς ἰδίοις κατᾶ τήν ἀρχὴν ἀποδοθῆναι πεποιήκασιν , ἀλλʼ ἔκρυψαν ὡς ἠθέλησαν, ἄταφα βαλόντες, ὑπὲρ τοῦ δοκεῖν αὐτοὺς λανθάνειν τήν τοσαύτην ὠμότητα. Πρέττουσι δέ τοῦτο πεπλανημένη τῇ διανοίᾳ οἱ παράφρονες ° τῶν γὰρ οἰκείων τῶν τετελευτηκότων, χαιρόντων μὲν διὰ τήν ὁμολογίαν, θρηνούντων δὲ διὰ τὰ σώματα, μεῖζον έξηχεῖτο κατʼ αὐτῶν ὁ τῆς ἀσεβείας καὶ ὠμότητος ἔλεγχος. Καὶ γὰρ εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ τῶν Λιβυῶν ἐξ· ὡρισαν μὲν ἐπισκόπους Ἀμμώνιον, Μούϊον, Γάϊον, Φίλωνα, Ἑρμῆν, Πλῆνιον, Ψενόσιριν, Νειλάμμωνα, Ἀγαθὸν, Ἀνάγαμφον, Μάρκον, Ἀμιαώνιον, ἕτερον Μάρκον, Δρακόντιον, Ἀδέλφιον, Ἀθηνόδωρον · καὶ πρεσβυτέρους Ἰέρακα καὶ Διόσκορον ’ καὶ οὕτω πικρῶς ἤλασαν αὐτοὺς ὡς τινας μὲν αύτῶν ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς, τινας δὲ ἐν αύτῷ τῷ έξορισμῷ ἀποθανεῖν. Ἐφυγάδευσαν δὲ ἐπισκόπους πλείους τριάκοντα · σπουδή γὰρ ἦν αὐτοῖς κατά τὸν Ἀχαὰβ, εἰ δυνατόν, ἐξᾶραι τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ἰδοῦ ταῦτα τῶν ἀσεβῶν τὰ τολμήματα.
Andras de kratēsas tessarakonta, kainoterǭ tropǭ katekopse ; rhabdous gar tas apo tōn phoinikōn euthys temōn, en autais echousais eti tous skolopas ta nōta toutōn houtōs exedeiren, hōs tinas men pollakis cheirourgēthēnai dia tous enapopagentas en autois skolopas, tinas de kai mē pherontas apothanein. Pantas men oun tous perilēphthentas athroōs, kai tēn parthenon, exōrisan eis tēn megalēn ’Oasin ta de sōmata tōn teteleutēkotōn oude tois idiois kata tēn archēn apodothēnai pepoiēkasin , allʼ ekrypsan hōs ēthelēsan, atapha balontes, hyper tou dokein autous lanthanein tēn tosautēn ōmotēta. Prettousi de touto peplanēmenē tę̄ dianoią hoi paraphrones ° tōn gar oikeiōn tōn teteleutēkotōn, chairontōn men dia tēn homologian, thrēnountōn de dia ta sōmata, meizon exēcheito katʼ autōn ho tēs asebeias kai ōmotētos elenchos. Kai gar euthys apo tēs Aigyptou kai tōn Libyōn ex; hōrisan men episkopous Ammōnion, Mouïon, Gaïon, Philōna, Hermēn, Plēnion, Psenosirin, Neilammōna, Agathon, Anagamphon, Markon, Amiaōnion, heteron Markon, Drakontion, Adelphion, Athēnodōron ; kai presbyterous Ieraka kai Dioskoron ’ kai houtō pikrōs ēlasan autous hōs tinas men autōn en tais hodois, tinas de en autǭ tǭ exorismǭ apothanein. Ephygadeusan de episkopous pleious triakonta ; spoudē gar ēn autois kata ton Achaab, ei dynaton, exarai tēn alētheian. Idou tauta tōn asebōn ta tolmēmata.
Seizing forty men, he beat them in a new manner; for he had rods cut at once from palm trees, with the thorns still on them, and so flayed their backs that some had to undergo surgery many times for the thorns embedded in them, and some, unable to bear it, died. All who were taken, together with the virgin, they exiled at once to the Great Oasis; and the bodies of the dead they would not at first even give to their own families, but hid them as they wished, throwing them out unburied, so as to seem to conceal such cruelty. But the madmen do this with a deluded mind; for when the families of the dead rejoiced at their confession but lamented over their bodies, the proof of their impiety and cruelty resounded the more against them. And immediately they exiled from Egypt and the Libyas the bishops Ammonius, Muis, Gaius, Philo, Hermes, Plenius, Psenosiris, Nilammon, Agathus, Anagamphus, Mark, Ammonius, another Mark, Dracontius, Adelphius, Athenodorus, and the presbyters Hierax and Dioscorus; and they drove them so harshly that some of them died on the road, and some in the place of exile itself. And they put to flight more than thirty bishops; for their zeal was, like Ahab’s, to root out the truth if possible. See, these are the deeds of the impious.
1 Kgs 19:10 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius tells how forty men were flogged with thorny palm rods, the dead left unburied, and sixteen bishops and two presbyters of Egypt and Libya exiled, while more than thirty bishops were put to flight.
- “The virgin”: the sentence about the virgins at the fire (end of the previous section) is incomplete in the scan, so the reference is unclear. The second “Ammonius” is printed Ἀμιαώνιον, probably a misprint for a second Ammonius. Ahab rooting out the prophets: 1 Kgs 18:4, 13; 19:10.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; OCR misreading of a hyphenated name): ἈΟ-η· νόδωρον → Ἀθηνόδωρον; Ἀχαὰβι εἷʼ → Ἀχαὰβ, εἰ.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 7 (PG 25:652c–653b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 8
8PG 25:653b–656a
Ταῦτα δρῶντες καὶ μὴ ἐντραπέντες ἐφʼ οἷς πρότερον καθʼ ἡμῶν ένύρεῦσαν κακοῖς, ἔτι καὶ νῦν κατηγοροῦσιν, ἐκφυγεῖν δυνηθέντας αὐτῶν τὰς ἀνδροφόνους χεῖρας· μᾶλλον δὲ ὀδύρονται πικρῶς, ὅτι μὴ καὶ ἐκποδὼν τέλεον πεποιήκασι· καὶ λοιπὸν προφασίζονται δειλίαν ὀνειδίζειν, ἀγνοοῦντες ὅτι, καὶ τοῦτο γογγύζοντες, εἷς ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιστρέφουσι μᾶλλον τὴν μέμψιν. Εἰ γὰρ φαῦλον τὸ φεύγειν, πολλῶ χεῖρον τὸ διώκειν· ὁ μὲν γὰρ, ἵνα μὴ ἀποθάνῃ, κρύπτεται, ὁ δὲ διώκει ζητῶν ἀποκτεῖναι· καὶ τὸ μὲν φεύγειν γέγραπται· ὁ δὲ ζητῶν ἀναιρῆσαι παραβαίνει νόμον, καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτὸς τήν πρόφασιν τοῦ φεύγειν παρέχει. Εἴπερ οὖν τὴν φυγὴν ὀνειδίζουσι, ἐντρεπέτωσαν πλέον ἑαυτοὺς διώκονταςʼ παυέσθωσαν γὰρ ἐπιβουλεύοντες, καὶ παύσονται εἱ φεύγοντες εύθύς. Ἀλλά τῆς μὲν ἰδίας πονηρίας ού παύονται, τοῦ δὲ καταλαβεῖν ἕνεκα πάντα πράττουσιν · οὐκ εἷδότες, ὅτι τῶν διωκομένων ἡ φυγὴ μέγας ἔλεγχός ἐστι κατά τῶν διωκόντων. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ τόν πρᾶον καὶ φιλἀνθρωπον φεύγει, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τὸν ἄγριον καὶ πονηρὸν ὄντα τὸν τρόπον. Πᾶς γοῦν κατώδυνος καὶ ὑπόχρεως ἀπὸ μὲν τοῦ Σαοὺλ ἔφευγε, πρὸς δὲ τὸν Δαβὶδ κατέφευγε. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ οὗτοι … κρυπτομένους αὐτοὺς ἀναιρεῖν σπουδάζουσιν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ δοκεῖν ἔχειν τῆς αὐτῶν πονηρίας τόν ἔλεγχον. Ἀλλά καὶ ἐν τούτῳ δοκοῦσι τυφλώττειν οἱ ἀεὶ πλανώμενοι ὅσῳ γὰρ ἡ φυγή πρόδηλος, τοσούτῳ καὶ πλέον ἡ ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς γινομένη παρʼ αὐτῶν ἀναίρεσις, ἢ καὶ ἐξορία προφανεστέρα γενήσεται · ἄν τε γὰρ ἀποκτείνωσιν, ὁ θάνατος μεῖζον ἠχήσει κατʼ αὐτῶν ο ἄν τε πάλιν ἐξορίσωσι, πανταχοῦ καθʼ ἔαυτῶν αὐτοί μνημεῖα τῆς παρανομίας ἐξαποστέλλουσιν.
Tauta drōntes kai mē entrapentes ephʼ hois proteron kathʼ hēmōn enyreusan kakois, eti kai nyn katēgorousin, ekphygein dynēthentas autōn tas androphonous cheiras; mallon de odyrontai pikrōs, hoti mē kai ekpodōn teleon pepoiēkasi; kai loipon prophasizontai deilian oneidizein, agnoountes hoti, kai touto gongyzontes, heis heautous epistrephousi mallon tēn mempsin. Ei gar phaulon to pheugein, pollō cheiron to diōkein; ho men gar, hina mē apothanę̄, kryptetai, ho de diōkei zētōn apokteinai; kai to men pheugein gegraptai; ho de zētōn anairēsai parabainei nomon, kai mallon autos tēn prophasin tou pheugein parechei. Eiper oun tēn phygēn oneidizousi, entrepetōsan pleon heautous diōkontasʼ pauesthōsan gar epibouleuontes, kai pausontai hei pheugontes euthys. Alla tēs men idias ponērias ou pauontai, tou de katalabein heneka panta prattousin ; ouk heidotes, hoti tōn diōkomenōn hē phygē megas elenchos esti kata tōn diōkontōn. Oudeis gar ton praon kai philanthrōpon pheugei, alla mallon ton agrion kai ponēron onta ton tropon. Pas goun katōdynos kai hypochreōs apo men tou Saoul epheuge, pros de ton Dabid katepheuge. Dia touto kai houtoi … kryptomenous autous anairein spoudazousin, hyper tou mē dokein echein tēs autōn ponērias ton elenchon. Alla kai en toutǭ dokousi typhlōttein hoi aei planōmenoi hosǭ gar hē phygē prodēlos, tosoutǭ kai pleon hē ex epiboulēs ginomenē parʼ autōn anairesis, ē kai exoria prophanestera genēsetai ; an te gar apokteinōsin, ho thanatos meizon ēchēsei katʼ autōn o an te palin exorisōsi, pantachou kathʼ eautōn autoi mnēmeia tēs paranomias exapostellousin.
Doing these things, and not ashamed of the evils they formerly wove against us, they still accuse us even now of having been able to escape their murderous hands; or rather they lament bitterly that they did not put us completely out of the way. And so they make a pretext of reproaching us with cowardice, not knowing that by this very murmuring they turn the blame rather on themselves. For if it is bad to flee, it is much worse to persecute; for the one hides so as not to die, but the other persecutes seeking to kill. And fleeing is written in Scripture; but he who seeks to kill transgresses the law, and is himself rather the one who gives the reason for flight. If, then, they reproach the flight, let them be ashamed rather of themselves for persecuting; let them stop plotting, and those who flee will stop at once. But they do not stop their own wickedness, and do everything in order to catch us, not knowing that the flight of the persecuted is a great proof against the persecutors. For no one flees the gentle and humane, but rather the man who is savage and wicked in character. At any rate, everyone in distress and in debt fled from Saul and took refuge with David. For this reason these men too are eager to kill those who are hiding, so that they may not seem to have the proof of their wickedness. But in this too they seem blind, being always astray; for the more evident the flight, the more manifest will be the killing or the exile they bring about by plotting. For if they kill, death will resound the more against them; and if again they exile, they themselves send out everywhere memorials of their own lawlessness against themselves.
1 Sam 22:2 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius argues that if flight is blameworthy, persecution is far worse, and that the flight of the persecuted is itself evidence against the persecutors.
- Those in distress and debt who joined David: 1 Sam 22:2. Garbled letters in the line about David are restored by a logged correction; a word after “these men too” is lost (“…” in the Greek, not needed in the English).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; line garbled by the OCR; letters reassembled, a word lost): πρὸς δὲ ε “.1 H~.\r'_ -1... τον Δαβιο κατεφευγε. Δια τουτο και οδιοι μου.. → πρὸς δὲ τὸν Δαβὶδ κατέφευγε. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ οὗτοι …; τυφκώττειν → τυφλώττειν; τλανώμενοι → πλανώμενοι.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 8 (PG 25:653b–656a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 9
9PG 25:656a–656c
Εἰ μὲν οὗν ἔσωζον τὰς φρένας, ἔβλεπον ἑαυτοὺς ἐν τούτοις συνεχομένους, καὶ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν προσκόπτοντας λογισμοῖς ἐπειδὴ δὲ καί τὰ σωφρονεῖν ἀπώλεσαν, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ διώκοντες ἐξάγονται, καὶ ζητοῦντες ἀνελεῖν, οὐχ ὁρῶσιν ἑαυτῶν τὴν ἀσέβειαν. Τάχα γὰρ καὶ τὴν Πρόνοιαν αὐτὴν αἰτιᾶσθαι τολμῶσιν (οὐδὲν γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἀτόλμητον), ἐφʼ οἷς αὐτοῖς οὐ παραδίδωσι, προδήλου τούτου τυγχάνοντος κατά τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος φωνὴν, ὅτι μηδὲ στρουθίον ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἐμπεσεῖν εἷς παγίδα δύναται. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὅτε παραλαμβάνουσιν οἰ ἀλάστορες, εὐθὺς ἐπιλανθάνονται τῶν τε ἄλλων, καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἑαυτῶν · καὶ μόναις ταῖς ἀλαζονείαις τὰς ὀφρῦς ἀνασπάσαντες, οὔτε καιρὸν γινώσκουσιν, οὕτε ἀδικοῦντες ἀνθρώπους αἰδοῦνται τὴν φύσιν · κατὰ δὲ τὸν τύραννον τῆς Βαβυλῶονος ἀγριώτερον ἐπιφύονται, καὶ οὕτε τινὰς ἐλεοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου τὸν ζυγὸν ἐπιβαρύνουσι, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ἄλγος τῶν τραυμάτων, ὡς γέγραπται, προστιθιασιν οἱ ἀνηλεεῖς. El μὲν οὖν μὴ ταῦτα δράσαντες ἦσαν, εἰ μὴ τοὺς κατὰ τῆς συκοφαντίας αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν λέγοντας ἐξορίταντες ἦσαν, πιθανῶς ἂν λέγοντες παρά τισιν ἐνομίσθησαν ἐπειδή δὲ ἄλλοις τοσούτοις καὶ τηλικούτοις ἐπισκόποις ἐπεβούλευσαν, καὶ οὕτε τοῖʼ) μεγάλου καὶ ὁμολογητοῦ Ὀσίου, οὔτε τοῦ ἐπισκόπου Ῥώμης, οὕτε τοσούτων ἀπὸ τῶν Σπανιῶν, γαὶ Γαλλιῶν, καὶ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ Λιβύης, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων μερῶν ἐπισκόπων ἐφείσαντο, ἆλλὰ τοσαῦτα πεποιήκασι κατὰ τῶν ὅλως ἐλνεγξάντων αὐτοὺς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ’ πῶς οὐχί μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἐβουλεύσαντο, καὶ μετʼ ἐκείνους ἐπιθυμοῦσι δὲ κακῶς ἀνελεῖν Εἷς τοῦ· το γὰρ ἀγρυπνοῦσι, καὶ νομίζουσιν ἀδικεῖσθαι, ἂν βλέπωσι σωζομένους, οὒς οὐκ ἐβούλοντο ζῇν.
Ei men houn esōzon tas phrenas, eblepon heautous en toutois synechomenous, kai tois heautōn proskoptontas logismois epeidē de kai ta sōphronein apōlesan, dia touto kai diōkontes exagontai, kai zētountes anelein, ouch horōsin heautōn tēn asebeian. Tacha gar kai tēn Pronoian autēn aitiasthai tolmōsin (ouden gar autois atolmēton), ephʼ hois autois ou paradidōsi, prodēlou toutou tynchanontos kata tēn tou Sōtēros phōnēn, hoti mēde strouthion aneu tou Patros hēmōn tou en tois ouranois empesein heis pagida dynatai. Kai gar kai hote paralambanousin oi alastores, euthys epilanthanontai tōn te allōn, kai pro tōn allōn heautōn ; kai monais tais alazoneiais tas ophrys anaspasantes, oute kairon ginōskousin, houte adikountes anthrōpous aidountai tēn physin ; kata de ton tyrannon tēs Babylōonos agriōteron epiphyontai, kai houte tinas eleousin, alla kai tou presbyterou ton zygon epibarynousi, kai epi to algos tōn traumatōn, hōs gegraptai, prostithiasin hoi anēleeis. El men oun mē tauta drasantes ēsan, ei mē tous kata tēs sykophantias autōn hyper hēmōn legontas exoritantes ēsan, pithanōs an legontes para tisin enomisthēsan epeidē de allois tosoutois kai tēlikoutois episkopois epebouleusan, kai houte toiʼ) megalou kai homologētou Osiou, oute tou episkopou Rhōmēs, houte tosoutōn apo tōn Spaniōn, gai Galliōn, kai tēs Aigyptou, kai Libyēs, kai tōn allōn merōn episkopōn epheisanto, alla tosauta pepoiēkasi kata tōn holōs elnenxantōn autous hyper hēmōn ’ pōs ouchi mallon hēmas pro tōn allōn ebouleusanto, kai metʼ ekeinous epithymousi de kakōs anelein Heis tou; to gar agrypnousi, kai nomizousin adikeisthai, an blepōsi sōzomenous, ous ouk eboulonto zę̄n.
If, then, they kept their senses, they would see themselves caught in these things and stumbling over their own reasonings; but since they have lost even their soundness of mind, for this reason they are carried away in persecuting, and, seeking to kill, they do not see their own impiety. For perhaps they dare to blame Providence itself (for nothing is beyond their daring) because it does not hand us over to them, though this is plain according to the Savior’s word, that not even a sparrow can fall into a snare without our Father in heaven. For indeed, when the wretches do take someone, they at once forget all else, and before all else themselves; and, raising their brows only in arrogance, they neither recognize the time, nor, in wronging men, do they respect their common nature; but, like the tyrant of Babylon, they fasten on them more savagely, and pity no one, but even make the yoke of the aged heavier, and, as it is written, the pitiless add to the pain of the wounds. If, then, they had not done these things, if they had not exiled those who spoke for us against their false accusation, they might have seemed to some to speak plausibly; but since they have plotted against so many other bishops of such standing, and spared neither the great confessor Hosius, nor the bishop of Rome, nor so many bishops from the Spains and the Gauls, Egypt and Libya, and the other regions, but have done so much against those who have at all refuted them on our behalf, how did they not rather plot against us before the others, and now desire, after them, to kill us miserably? For they lie awake for this, and think themselves wronged if they see those preserved whom they did not wish to live.
Matt 10:29 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 47:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 69:26 (68:27 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius argues that his accusers, having attacked so many bishops who defended him, plainly intend his death, against Providence which has preserved him.
- Not even a sparrow: Matt 10:29. The tyrant of Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar; cf. Isa 47:6 (the yoke of the aged made heavy). “Add to the pain of the wounds”: Ps 69:26 (68:27 LXX).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR misreading): δὲλτὸν → δὲ τὸν.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 9 (PG 25:656a–656c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 10
10PG 25:656c–660a
Τίς τοίνυν οὐ συνορᾷ τὴν πανουργίαν αὐ·τῶν ; τίνι τοῦτο κατάδηλον οὐκ ἔστιν, ὅτι μή διʼ ἀρετὴν ὀνειδίζουσι δειλίαν, ἀλλʼ αʼίματα διψῶντες, ὥσπερ σαγήναις χρῶνται ταῖς ἰδίαις κακοτεχνίαις, νομίζοντες ἐν ταύταις συλλαμβάνεσθαι οὓς ἐὰν ζητῶσιν ἀναιρῆσαι; Τοιούτους γὰρ αὐτοὺς αἱ πράξεις ἔδειξαν, καὶ ἤλεγξαν τὸν τρόπον αὐτῶν, θηρίων μὲν ἀγριώτερον, Βαβυλωνίων δὲ ώμότερον. Καὶ εἰ καὶ αὐτάρκης ἐκ τούτων ἐστὶν ό κατʼ αὐτῶν ἔλεγχος, ὅμως, ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτῶν τὸν διάβολον ἁπαλοῖς τοῖς λογαρίοις σχηματίζονται, ὥστε δειλίαν ἐγκαλεῖν, δειλότεροι λαγωῶν ὄντες αὐτοί· φέρε καὶ,τὰ ἐκ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν περὶ τῶν τοιούτων γεγραμμένα θεωρήσωμεν. Δειχθήσονται γὰρ οὐδὲν ἧττον καὶ πρὸς ταύτας μὲν μαχόμενοι, τῶν δὲ ἁγίων τὰς ἀρετὰς διαβάλλοντες. Ei γὰρ λοιδοροῦσι τοὺς κρυπτομένους ἀπὸ τῶν ζητούντων ἀνελεῖν, καὶ διαβάλλουσι τοὺς φεύγοντας ἀπὸ τῶν διωκόντων · τί ποιήσουσιν ὁρῶντες τὸν μὲν Ἰακὼβ φεύγοντα τὸν ἀδελφὸν Ἠσαῦ, τὸν δὲ Μωσῆν είς Μαδιάμ ἀναχωροῦντα διὰ τὸν φόβον τοῦ Φαραώ; Τί δὲ, τοιαῦτα φλυαροῦντες, ἀπολογήσονται τῷ Δαβὶδ, φεύγοντι τὸν Σαοὺλ ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκίας, ὅτε ἀπέστειλεν αὑτὸν ἀναιρεθῆναι, καὶ κρυπτομένῳμὲν ἐαυτὸν ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ, ἀλλοιοῦντι δὲ τὺ πρόσωπον ἐαυτοῦ, ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ τὸν Ἀβιμέλεχ, καὶ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ἐκκλίνῃ; Τί δʼ ἂν ετποιεν οἱ πάντα λέγοντες εὐχερῶς, βλέποντες τὸν μέγαν Ἠλίαν ἐπικαλούμενον μὲν τὸν Θεὸν καὶ νεκρὸν ἐγείραντα, κρυπτόμενον δέ διὰ τὸν Ἀχαὰβ, καὶ φεύγοντα διὰ τὰς ἀπειλὰς τῆς Ἰεζάβελ ; τότε γὰρ ξητούμενοι καὶ oi υἱοὶ τῶν προφητῶν ἐκρύπτοντο, λανβάνοντες ἐν τοῖς σπηλαίοις διὰ τοῦ Ἀβδιοῦ. Ἢ τούτοις μὲν ώς παλαιοῖς οὐκ ἐνέτυχον, τῶν δὲκατὰ τὸ Εὑαγγέλιον, ούδὲ μίαν μνήμην ἔχουσι· καὶ γὰρ κα) οἱ μαθηταὶ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶνΊουδαίων, ἀνεχώρουν κρυπτόμενοι, καὶ ό Παῦλος ἐν Δαμασκῷ, παρὰ τοῦ ἐθνάρχου ζητούμενος, ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους ἐν σαργάνῃ κεχάλασται, καὶ ἐξέφυγε τοῦ ζητοῦντος τὰς χεῖρας. Τῆς τοίνυν Γῳφῆς τοιαῦτα λεγούσης περὶ τῶν ἁγίων, ποίαν ἄρα πρόφασιν τῆς ἑαυτῶν προπετείας ἐξευρεῖν δυνήσονται; Ἂν τε γὰρ δειλίαν ὀνειδίσωσι κατʼ αὐτῶν, μαινομένων τὸ τόλμημα· ἂν δέ καὶ ὡς παρὰ τὸ βούλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ ποιοῦντας αύτοὺς διαβάλλωσιν, οὐκ ἐἰδότες εἰσὶ παντελῶς τὰς Γ ραφάς. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῷ νόμῳ πρόσταξις ἦν ἐκπτῆναι καὶ πόλεις φυγαδευτηρίων, ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοὺς ζητουμένους είς θάνατον ὅπως δήποτε δύνασθαι διασώο ζεσθαι · ἐπὶ δὲ συντελείᾳ τῶν αίώνων παραγενόμενος αὐτὸς ὁ τῷ Μωσεῖ λαλήσας Λόγος τοῦ Πατρὸς, πάλιν ἐντολὴν ταύτην δίδωσι,’λέγων · Ὅταν δὲ διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, φεύγετε είς τὴν ἑτέραν · καὶ μετʼ ὀλίγα φησίν · Ὅταν οὖν ἴδητε τὸ ,βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως, τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Δανιὴλ τοῦ προφήτου, ἑστὼς ἐν τόπῳ ἁγίῳ, ό ἀναγινώσκων νοείτω· τότε οἱ ἐντῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ φευγέτωσαν ἐπὶ τὰ ίρη° 6 ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος μή καταβήτω ἆραι τὰ ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦʼ xui 6 ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ μή ὑποστρεψάτω ὀπίσω ἇηαι τὰ. ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ. Ταῦτα γὰρ εἷʼδότες οἳ ἅγιοι, τοιαύτην εἶχον τὴν τῆς πολιτείας ἀγωγήν. "A γὰρ νῦν προσέταξεν ὁ Κύριος, ταῦτα καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἐνσάρκου παρουσίας ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις ἐλάλει· καὶ ἔστιν οὗτος ὅρος ἀνθρώποις εἷς τελειότητα φέρων, '6 δʼ ἂν 6 Θεὸς προστάξῃ, τοῦτο ποιεῖν.
Tis toinyn ou synorą tēn panourgian au;tōn ? tini touto katadēlon ouk estin, hoti mē diʼ aretēn oneidizousi deilian, allʼ aʼimata dipsōntes, hōsper sagēnais chrōntai tais idiais kakotechniais, nomizontes en tautais syllambanesthai hous ean zētōsin anairēsai? Toioutous gar autous hai praxeis edeixan, kai ēlenxan ton tropon autōn, thēriōn men agriōteron, Babylōniōn de ōmoteron. Kai ei kai autarkēs ek toutōn estin o katʼ autōn elenchos, homōs, epeidē kata ton patera heautōn ton diabolon hapalois tois logariois schēmatizontai, hōste deilian enkalein, deiloteroi lagōōn ontes autoi; phere kai,ta ek tōn theiōn Graphōn peri tōn toioutōn gegrammena theōrēsōmen. Deichthēsontai gar ouden hētton kai pros tautas men machomenoi, tōn de hagiōn tas aretas diaballontes. Ei gar loidorousi tous kryptomenous apo tōn zētountōn anelein, kai diaballousi tous pheugontas apo tōn diōkontōn ; ti poiēsousin horōntes ton men Iakōb pheugonta ton adelphon Ēsau, ton de Mōsēn eis Madiam anachōrounta dia ton phobon tou Pharaō? Ti de, toiauta phlyarountes, apologēsontai tǭ Dabid, pheugonti ton Saoul apo tēs oikias, hote apesteilen hauton anairethēnai, kai kryptomenǭmen eauton en tǭ spēlaiǭ, alloiounti de ty prosōpon eautou, heōs an parelthę̄ ton Abimelech, kai tēn epiboulēn ekklinę̄? Ti dʼ an etpoien hoi panta legontes eucherōs, blepontes ton megan Ēlian epikaloumenon men ton Theon kai nekron egeiranta, kryptomenon de dia ton Achaab, kai pheugonta dia tas apeilas tēs Iezabel ? tote gar xētoumenoi kai oi huioi tōn prophētōn ekryptonto, lanbanontes en tois spēlaiois dia tou Abdiou. Ē toutois men ōs palaiois ouk enetychon, tōn dekata to Heuangelion, oude mian mnēmēn echousi; kai gar ka) hoi mathētai dia ton phobon tōnIoudaiōn, anechōroun kryptomenoi, kai o Paulos en Damaskǭ, para tou ethnarchou zētoumenos, apo tou teichous en sarganę̄ kechalastai, kai exephyge tou zētountos tas cheiras. Tēs toinyn Gǭphēs toiauta legousēs peri tōn hagiōn, poian ara prophasin tēs heautōn propeteias exeurein dynēsontai? An te gar deilian oneidisōsi katʼ autōn, mainomenōn to tolmēma; an de kai hōs para to boulēma tou Theou poiountas autous diaballōsin, ouk eidotes eisi pantelōs tas G raphas. En men gar tǭ nomǭ prostaxis ēn ekptēnai kai poleis phygadeutēriōn, hyper tou tous zētoumenous eis thanaton hopōs dēpote dynasthai diasōo zesthai ; epi de synteleią tōn aiōnōn paragenomenos autos ho tǭ Mōsei lalēsas Logos tou Patros, palin entolēn tautēn didōsi,’legōn ; Hotan de diōkōsin hymas en tę̄ polei tautę̄, pheugete eis tēn heteran ; kai metʼ oliga phēsin ; Hotan oun idēte to ,bdelygma tēs erēmōseōs, to rhēthen dia Daniēl tou prophētou, hestōs en topǭ hagiǭ, o anaginōskōn noeitō; tote hoi entę̄ Ioudaią pheugetōsan epi ta irē° 6 epi tou dōmatos mē katabētō arai ta ek tēs oikias autouʼ xui 6 en tǭ agrǭ mē hypostrepsatō opisō haēai ta. himatia autou. Tauta gar heiʼdotes hoi hagioi, toiautēn eichon tēn tēs politeias agōgēn. "A gar nyn prosetaxen ho Kyrios, tauta kai pro tēs ensarkou parousias en tois hagiois elalei; kai estin houtos horos anthrōpois heis teleiotēta pherōn, '6 dʼ an 6 Theos prostaxę̄, touto poiein.
Who, then, does not see their villainy? To whom is it not evident that it is not for the sake of virtue that they reproach us with cowardice, but that, thirsting for blood, they use their own evil devices like nets, thinking to catch in them whomever they seek to kill? For their deeds have shown them to be such, and convicted their character, more savage than wild beasts and more cruel than the Babylonians. And though the proof against them from these things is sufficient, yet since, after the manner of their father the devil, they put on a show with soft little words, so as to charge us with cowardice, though they themselves are more cowardly than hares, come, let us consider also what is written in the divine Scriptures about such things. For they will be shown no less to be fighting against these, and slandering the virtues of the saints. For if they revile those who hide from those who seek to kill them, and slander those who flee from their persecutors, what will they do when they see Jacob fleeing from his brother Esau, and Moses withdrawing to Midian for fear of Pharaoh? What defense will they make, talking such nonsense, to David, who fled from Saul out of his house when Saul sent to have him killed, and hid himself in the cave, and changed his appearance until he got away from Abimelech and escaped the plot? What would those who say anything so readily say, seeing the great Elijah, who called upon God and raised the dead, hiding because of Ahab and fleeing because of the threats of Jezebel? For at that time the sons of the prophets too, when sought, hid themselves, lying concealed in caves through Obadiah. [11] Or have they not read these, as being ancient? Have they no memory even of what is in the Gospel? For the disciples too, for fear of the Jews, withdrew and hid themselves; and Paul at Damascus, sought by the ethnarch, was let down from the wall in a basket and escaped the hands of him who sought him. Since, then, Scripture says such things about the saints, what excuse for their own rashness will they be able to find? If they reproach them with cowardice, theirs is the audacity of madmen; and if they slander them as acting against the will of God, they are utterly ignorant of the Scriptures. For in the law there was a command to flee, and cities of refuge, so that those sought to be put to death might in some way be saved; and at the consummation of the ages, the very Word of the Father who spoke to Moses, having come, again gives this commandment, saying, “When they persecute you in this city, flee to the other”; and a little after he says, “So when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place—let the reader understand—then let those in Judea flee to the mountains; let him who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his clothes.” Knowing this, the saints held such a course of life. For what the Lord has now commanded, this he spoke in the saints even before his coming in the flesh; and this is the rule for men that leads to perfection: to do whatever God commands.
Gen 27:43 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 2:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 19:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 22:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 21:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 34:1 (33:1 LXX) (echo, low confidence) · 1 Kgs 17:22 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:3 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:4 (allusion, high confidence) · John 8:44 (echo, medium confidence) · John 20:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 11:32 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 35:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 24:15 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius shows from the flight of Jacob, Moses, David, Elijah, the apostles, and Paul, and from Christ’s command to flee, that flight in persecution is scriptural.
- The numeral of chapter 11 stands in the scan inside this staged section; it is marked [11]. Jacob: Gen 27:42–45; Moses: Exod 2:15; David: 1 Sam 19:12; 22:1; 21:13 (Abimelech is the name in the title of Ps 34); Elijah: 1 Kgs 17:22; 19:3; the prophets hidden by Obadiah: 1 Kgs 18:4. The disciples for fear of the Jews: John 20:19. Paul at Damascus: 2 Cor 11:32–33. Cities of refuge: Num 35:11. “When they persecute you …”: Matt 10:23; “the abomination of desolation …”: Matt 24:15–18.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR misreading in Latin letters; chapter numeral (chapter 11) misread and left in the running text): ll. Ἢ τούτοις → Ἢ τούτοις; "Utar οὖν → Ὅταν οὖν.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 10 (PG 25:656c–660a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 12
12PG 25:660a–660b
Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ αὐνὸς ὁ Λόγος, διʼ ἡμᾶς γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος, κατηξίωσε ζητούμενος, ὡς ἡμεῖς, κρυβῆναι· καὶ πάλιν διωκόμενος, φεύγειν καὶ την ἐπιβουλὴν ἐκκλῖναι. Ἔπρεπε γὰρ αὐτὸν, ὠς ἐκ τοῦ πεινῇν xui διψῇν, καὶ τοῦ παθεῖν, οὕτως καὶ ἐκ τοῦ κρύπτεσθαι καὶ φεύγειν, δεικνύειν ἑαυτὸν φο· ροῦντα σάρκα καὶ γενόμενον ἄνθρωπον. Ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν γὰρ ἅμα τῷ γενέσθαι ἄνθρωπος, ὅτε παιδίον ἧν, αὐτὸς διὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου ἐνετείλατο τῷ Ἰωσήφ -Ἒγερθεῖς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καί τῆν μητέρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ φεῦγε είς Αἴγυπτον μέλλει γὰρ Ἡρώδης ζητεῖν τήν ψυχὴν τοῦ παιδίου. Καὶ ἀποθανόντος δὲ Ἡρώδου, φαίνεται διʼ Ἃρχέλαον τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἀναχωρῶν εἷς τήν Ναζαρέτ. ’Ὀτε δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ Θεὸν ἑαυτὸν ἐδείκνυε, καὶ τῆν ξηρὰν χεῖρα πεποίηκεν ὑγιᾶ, οἱ μὲν Φαρισαῖοι, ἐξελθόντες, συμβούλιον ἔλαβον κατʼ αὐτοῦ, ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀπολέσωσιν· ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς γνοὺς ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν. Καὶ γὰρ ὅτε τὸν Λάζαρον ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, Ἀπʼ ἐκείνης, (ρησὶ, τῆς ἡμέρας ἐβουλεύσαντο, *ἱνα ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτόν. Ὀ οὗν Ἰησοῦς οὐκέτι παρρησίᾳ περιεπάτει ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, ἀλλʼ ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν εὶς τὴν χώραν ἐγγὺς τῆς ἐρήμου. Εἶτα λέγοντος τοῦ ’ Σωτῆρος, Πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι, ἐγώ εἶμι, οἱ μὶν Ἰουδαῖοι ἦραν λίθους, *ἱνα βάλωσιν ἐπʼ αὖ·
Dia touto kai aunos ho Logos, diʼ hēmas genomenos anthrōpos, katēxiōse zētoumenos, hōs hēmeis, krybēnai; kai palin diōkomenos, pheugein kai tēn epiboulēn ekklinai. Eprepe gar auton, ōs ek tou peinę̄n xui dipsę̄n, kai tou pathein, houtōs kai ek tou kryptesthai kai pheugein, deiknyein heauton pho; rounta sarka kai genomenon anthrōpon. Ex archēs men gar hama tǭ genesthai anthrōpos, hote paidion hēn, autos dia tou angelou eneteilato tǭ Iōsēph -Egertheis paralabe to paidion kai tēn mētera autou, kai pheuge eis Aigypton mellei gar Hērōdēs zētein tēn psychēn tou paidiou. Kai apothanontos de Hērōdou, phainetai diʼ Harchelaon ton huion autou anachōrōn heis tēn Nazaret. ’Ote de loipon kai Theon heauton edeiknye, kai tēn xēran cheira pepoiēken hygia, hoi men Pharisaioi, exelthontes, symboulion elabon katʼ autou, hopōs auton apolesōsin; ho de Iēsous gnous anechōrēsen ekeithen. Kai gar hote ton Lazaron ēgeiren ek nekrōn, Apʼ ekeinēs, (rēsi, tēs hēmeras ebouleusanto, *hina apokteinōsin auton. O houn Iēsous ouketi parrēsią periepatei en tois Ioudaiois, allʼ apēlthen ekeithen eis tēn chōran engys tēs erēmou. Eita legontos tou ’ Sōtēros, Prin Abraam genesthai, egō eimi, hoi min Ioudaioi ēran lithous, *hina balōsin epʼ au;
For this reason the Word himself, having become man for our sake, deigned, when sought, to hide as we do; and again, when persecuted, to flee and avoid the plot. For it was fitting that, as by hungering and thirsting and suffering, so also by hiding and fleeing he should show that he bore flesh and had become man. For at the very beginning, as soon as he became man, when he was a child, he himself commanded Joseph through the angel: “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt; for Herod is about to seek the child’s life.” And when Herod died, he is seen withdrawing to Nazareth because of Archelaus his son. And later, when he was showing himself to be God and made the withered hand whole, the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him how to destroy him; but Jesus, knowing it, withdrew from there. And when he raised Lazarus from the dead, “From that day,” it says, “they took counsel to kill him. Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness.” Then, when the Savior said, “Before Abraham was, I am,” the Jews took up stones to throw at him …
Matt 2:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 2:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 12:14 (quotation, high confidence) · John 11:53 (quotation, high confidence) · John 8:58 (quotation, high confidence) · John 8:59 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius shows that Christ himself, as man, hid and fled from those who sought his life: in his infancy, after healing the withered hand, after raising Lazarus, and in the temple.
- The section breaks off in mid-sentence (“to throw at him …”); the end of the quotation of John 8:59 (“but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple”) is lost between this staged section and the next. Joseph warned: Matt 2:13; Archelaus: Matt 2:22–23; the withered hand: Matt 12:13–15; Lazarus: John 11:53–54; “Before Abraham was”: John 8:58–59.
Topics: Persecution, Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 12 (PG 25:660a–660b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 13
13PG 25:660b–664b
Ἀρα ταῦτα βλέποντες, μᾶλλον δὲ κᾶν ἀκούοντες, ἐπεὶ μή βλέπουσι, πῶς κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον ού θελήσουσι γενέσθαι πυρίκαυστοι, ὅτι ἐναντία ὧν 6 Κύριος ποιεῖ καὶ διδάσκει, βουλεύονται xui φθέγγονται; Kui γὰρ ὅτε Ἰωάννης μεμαρτύρηκε, καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ τὸ σῶμα ἔθαψαν, ἀκούσασ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν ἐν πλοίῳ εἰς ἔρημον τόπον κατʼ ἰδίαν. Ὀ μὲν οὗν Κύριος ἐποίει ταῦτα, καὶ οὕτως ἐδίδασκεν. Εἴθε δὲ οὗτοι κᾶν οὕτως αἰσχυνθῶσι, καὶ μέχρι τῶν ἀνθρώπων στήσωσιν ἑαυτῶν τήν μροπέτειαν, καὶ μή πλέον μανέντες ἐγκαλέσωσι καὶτῷ Σωτῆρι δειλίαν, ἅπαξ κατʼ αὐτοῦ βλασφημεῖν μελετήσαντεςΙ Ἀλλʼ οὔτε μαινομένων αὐτῶν τις ἀνέξεται· μᾶλλον δὲ xui τὰ Εὑαγγέλια μή νοοῦντες ἐλεγχθήσονται. Ἔστι γὰρ ἡ πρόφασις τῆς τοιαύτης ἀναχωρήσεως καὶ φυγῆς εὔλογος καὶ ἀληθὴς, ἢν ἐπὶ καὶ αὑτός. τοῦ Σωτῆρος κειμένην οἱ εὖαγγελισται ἀπεμνημόνευσαν. Δεῖ δὲ ἡμᾶς ἐκ τούτου καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων τὴν αὐτὴν λογίζεσθαι (ἃ γάρ περί τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἀνθρωπίνως γέγραπται, ταῦτα τῷ κοινῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀναφέρεσθαι προσήκει, Τὸ γάρ ἡμῶν ἐκεῖνος έφόρεσε σῶμα, καὶ τήν ἀνθρωπίνην ἀσθένειαν ἐνεδείκνυτο)· ἣ 6 Ἰωάννης ἔγραψεν οὕτως· Ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν πιάσαι, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐπέβαλεν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν τὴν χεῖρα, ὅτι οῦπω ἐληλύθει ἡ ὥρα αὐτοῦ. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ πρὸ ταύτην ἐλθεῖν, ἔλεγεν ν αὐτὰς τῇ μὲν μητρί· Οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου · τοῖς δὲ χρηματίσασιν ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ· ‘0 ἐμὸς καιρὸς οῦπω πάρεστι. Πάλιν τε, ἐλθόντος τοῦ καιροῦ, ἔλεγε τοῖς μαθηταῖς ’ Καθεύδετε τὸ λοιπὸν καὶ ἀναπαύεσθε· ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἤγγικεν ἡ ὥρα, καὶ όΥἱὸςκητοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται είς χεῖραςΒ ἁμαρτωλῶν. Ὡς μὲν οῦν Θεὸς καὶ Λόγος ὢν τοῦ Πατρὸς, καίρὸν οὐκ εἶχεν · αὐτὸς γὰρ τῶν καιρῶν ἐστι δη μιουργός· ἄνθρωπος δὲ γενόμενος καὶ τοῦτο λέγων, δείκνυσιν ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων χρόνον εἶναι μεμετρημένον · καὶ χρόνον οὐ τὸν κατὰ τύχην, ὥς τινες τῶν Ἑλλήνων νομίζοντες μυθολογοῦσιν, ἀλλʼ ὃν αὐτὸς δημιουργὸς ὢν, ὡς ἠθέλησεν 6 Πατὴρ, ὥρισεν ἑκάστῳ. Καὶ τοῦτο γέγραπται, καὶ πᾶσι γέγονε φανερόν · εἰ γάρ κέκρυπται, καὶ λανθάνει πάντας ἀνθρώπους τὸ πῶς, καὶ τὸ πόσον ἑκάστῳ μεμέτρηται, ἀλλʼ ὅμως πᾶς ὁστισοῦν οἶδεν,ὅτι ὡς ἔαρος καὶ θέρους,καὶ φθινοπώρου καὶ χειμῶνός ἐστι καιρὸς, οὕτως, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, καιρὸς τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ ζῇν ἐστι. Διὰ τοῦτο τῆς μὲν κατά Νῶε γενεᾶς 6 χρόνος ἀπετμήθη · καὶ ὡς τοῦ καιροῦ πάντων ’παρόν-τός, συνεστάλη τὰ ἔτη. Καὶ τῷ Ἐζεχία προσετέθησαν ἔτη δέκα καὶ πέντε. Τοῦ δὲ Θεοῦ ἐπαγγελλομένου τοῖς γνησίως αὖτῷ λατρεῦουσιν, ὅτι Τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἡμερῶν σου ἀναπληρώςω, ὁ μὲν ’Δόραάμ πλήρης ἡμερῶν ἀποθνήσκει 6 δὲ Δαβὶδ παρεκάλει λέγων ’ Μὴ ἀναγάγῃς,με ἐν ἡμίσει ἡμερῶν μου · καὶ 6 μὲν εἷς τῶν φίλων τοῦ Ἰὼβ, Ἐλιφὰζ, τοῦτο καλῶς εἰδὼς, ἔλεγεν· Ἐλεύσῃ δὲ ἐν τάφῳ, ὥσπερ σῖτος ὥριμος, κατά καιρὸν θεριζόμενος, ἢ ὥσπερ θημωνία ἅλωνος καθʼ ὥραν συγκομισθεῖσα· ὁ δὲ Σολομὼν, ἐπισφραγίζων τούτου τήν φωνὴν, φησίν- Ἀφαιροῦνται ἄωροι ψυχαὶ παρανόμων. Διὸ παραινεῖ ἐν τῷ Ἐκκλησιαστῇ λέγων· Μὴ ἀσεβήσῃς πολὺ, καὶ μὴ γίνου σκληρὸς, ’ἱνα μὴ ἀποθάνῃς ἐν οὐ καιρῷ σου. Ὥσπερ δὲ ταῦτα γέγραπται, δείκνυσιν ὁ λόγος τοὺς ἁγίους εἰδέναι χρόνον ἑκάστῳ μεμετρη μένον. Τοῦ 8‘s μηδένα γινώσκειν τὸ τέλος τοῦ χρόνου γνώρισμα τὸ λέγειν τὸν Δαβίδ ° Τὴν ὀλιγότητα τῶν ἡμερῶν μου ἀνάγγειλόν μοι· ’ὁ γὰρ οὐκ ἠπίστατο, τοῦτο μαθεῖν ἠξίου. Διά τοῦτο γοῦν ὁ πλούσιος, νομίζων ἔτι πολὺν ζήσεσθαι χρόνον, ἤκουσεν Ἀφρον,ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ ζητοῦσι σου τήν ψυχήν · ἃ δὲ ἡτοίμασας τίνι ἔσται; Ὀ δέ Ἐκκλησιαστής ἀποφαίνεται θαρῥῶν τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ, καί φησι· Καί γε οὐκ ἔγνω ἅνθρωπος τὸν καιρὸν αὐτοῦ. Διά τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁπατριάρχης Ἰσαὰκ ἔλεγε τῷ υἱῷ αὑτοῦ Ἠσαῦ · Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ γεγήρακα, καὶ οὑ γινώσκω τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς τελευτῆς μου. Ὃ μὶν οὖν Κύριος, καίτοι Θεὸς ὣν καὶ Λόγος τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ εἰδὼς τὸν μετρηθέντα τοῖς πᾶσι διʼ αὐτοῦ καιρὸν, καὶ γινώσκων ὃν αὐτὸς ὥρισε καὶτῷ ἰδίῳ σώματι χρόνον εἷς τὸ παθεῖν ο ἐπειδὴ διʼ ἡμᾶς ἅνθρωπος γέγονε, τὰς μὲν πρὸ τοῦ τὸν χρόνον ἐλθεῖν ἡμέρας καὶ αὐτὸς, ὡς ἡμεῖς, ἐκρύπτετο ζητούμενος, διωκόμενός τε ἔφευγε, καὶ τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς ἐκκλίνων οὕτω διήρχετο καὶ διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν ἐπορεύετοο ὅτε δὲ καὶ τὸν ὁρισθέντα παρʼ αὐτοῦ καιρὸν ἤγαγεν αὐτὸς, ἐν ᾦ παθεῖν σωματικῶς ὑπὲρ πάντων ἤθελε, τοῦτον μὲν προσφωνεῖ τῷ Πατρῖ, λέγων · Πάτερ, ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα· δόξασόν σου τὸν Υὶόν. οὐκ ἔτι δὲ λοιπὸν τοὺς ζητοῦντας ἐκρύπτετο, ἀλλῗ εἱστήκει θέλων κρατηθῆναι ὑπʼ αὐτῶν. Εἷπε γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῖς ἐλθοῦσι πρὸς αὐτόν · Τίνα ζητεῖτε; τῶν δὲ ἀποκριναμένων* Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον· ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ° Ἐγώ εἰμι ’ὸν ζητεῖτε · καὶ τοῦτο οὐχ ἅπαξ, ἀλλὰ καὶ δεύτερον πεποίηκε ’ καὶ οὕτως λοιπὰν ἀπήγαγον αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν Πιλᾶτον. Οὔτε δὲ πρὸ τοῦ τὸν χρόνον ἐλθεῖν ἤφιεν ἐαυτὸν κρατεῖσθαι, οὔτε … τοῦ καιροῦ παρόντος ἐκρύπτετο, ἀλλὰ καί ἔκδοτον ἐαυτὸν ἐδίδου τοῖς ἐπιβουλεύουσιν, ’ἱνα δείξῃ πᾶσι, τῆς ἄνωθεν κρίσεως ἠρτῆσθαι τὴν ζωὴν καὶ τὸν θάνατον τών ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἄνευ τοῦ Πα-
Ara tauta blepontes, mallon de kan akouontes, epei mē blepousi, pōs kata to gegrammenon ou thelēsousi genesthai pyrikaustoi, hoti enantia hōn 6 Kyrios poiei kai didaskei, bouleuontai xui phthengontai? Kui gar hote Iōannēs memartyrēke, kai hoi mathētai to sōma ethapsan, akousas ho Iēsous, anechōrēsen ekeithen en ploiǭ eis erēmon topon katʼ idian. O men houn Kyrios epoiei tauta, kai houtōs edidasken. Eithe de houtoi kan houtōs aischynthōsi, kai mechri tōn anthrōpōn stēsōsin heautōn tēn mropeteian, kai mē pleon manentes enkalesōsi kaitǭ Sōtēri deilian, hapax katʼ autou blasphēmein meletēsantesI Allʼ oute mainomenōn autōn tis anexetai; mallon de xui ta Heuangelia mē noountes elenchthēsontai. Esti gar hē prophasis tēs toiautēs anachōrēseōs kai phygēs eulogos kai alēthēs, ēn epi kai hautos. tou Sōtēros keimenēn hoi euangelistai apemnēmoneusan. Dei de hēmas ek toutou kai epi pantōn tōn hagiōn tēn autēn logizesthai (ha gar peri tou Sōtēros anthrōpinōs gegraptai, tauta tǭ koinǭ genei tōn anthrōpōn anapheresthai prosēkei, To gar hēmōn ekeinos ephorese sōma, kai tēn anthrōpinēn astheneian enedeiknyto); hē 6 Iōannēs egrapsen houtōs; Ezētoun auton piasai, kai oudeis epebalen epʼ auton tēn cheira, hoti oupō elēlythei hē hōra autou. Kai gar kai pro tautēn elthein, elegen n autas tę̄ men mētri; Oupō hēkei hē hōra mou ; tois de chrēmatisasin adelphois autou; ‘0 emos kairos oupō paresti. Palin te, elthontos tou kairou, elege tois mathētais ’ Katheudete to loipon kai anapauesthe; idou gar ēngiken hē hōra, kai oUioskētou anthrōpou paradidotai eis cheirasB hamartōlōn. Hōs men oun Theos kai Logos ōn tou Patros, kairon ouk eichen ; autos gar tōn kairōn esti dē miourgos; anthrōpos de genomenos kai touto legōn, deiknysin hekastǭ tōn anthrōpōn chronon einai memetrēmenon ; kai chronon ou ton kata tychēn, hōs tines tōn Hellēnōn nomizontes mythologousin, allʼ hon autos dēmiourgos ōn, hōs ēthelēsen 6 Patēr, hōrisen hekastǭ. Kai touto gegraptai, kai pasi gegone phaneron ; ei gar kekryptai, kai lanthanei pantas anthrōpous to pōs, kai to poson hekastǭ memetrētai, allʼ homōs pas hostisoun oiden,hoti hōs earos kai therous,kai phthinopōrou kai cheimōnos esti kairos, houtōs, kata to gegrammenon, kairos tou apothanein kai kairos tou zę̄n esti. Dia touto tēs men kata Nōe geneas 6 chronos apetmēthē ; kai hōs tou kairou pantōn ’paron-tos, synestalē ta etē. Kai tǭ Ezechia prosetethēsan etē deka kai pente. Tou de Theou epangellomenou tois gnēsiōs autǭ latreuousin, hoti Ton arithmon tōn hēmerōn sou anaplērōsō, ho men ’Doraam plērēs hēmerōn apothnēskei 6 de Dabid parekalei legōn ’ Mē anagagę̄s,me en hēmisei hēmerōn mou ; kai 6 men heis tōn philōn tou Iōb, Eliphaz, touto kalōs eidōs, elegen; Eleusę̄ de en taphǭ, hōsper sitos hōrimos, kata kairon therizomenos, ē hōsper thēmōnia halōnos kathʼ hōran synkomistheisa; ho de Solomōn, episphragizōn toutou tēn phōnēn, phēsin- Aphairountai aōroi psychai paranomōn. Dio parainei en tǭ Ekklēsiastę̄ legōn; Mē asebēsę̄s poly, kai mē ginou sklēros, ’hina mē apothanę̄s en ou kairǭ sou. Hōsper de tauta gegraptai, deiknysin ho logos tous hagious eidenai chronon hekastǭ memetrē menon. Tou 8‘s mēdena ginōskein to telos tou chronou gnōrisma to legein ton Dabid ° Tēn oligotēta tōn hēmerōn mou anangeilon moi; ’ho gar ouk ēpistato, touto mathein ēxiou. Dia touto goun ho plousios, nomizōn eti polyn zēsesthai chronon, ēkousen Aphron,tautę̄ tę̄ nykti zētousi sou tēn psychēn ; ha de hētoimasas tini estai? O de Ekklēsiastēs apophainetai tharrhōn tǭ Pneumati tǭ hagiǭ, kai phēsi; Kai ge ouk egnō hanthrōpos ton kairon autou. Dia touto gar kai hopatriarchēs Isaak elege tǭ huiǭ hautou Ēsau ; Idou egō gegēraka, kai hou ginōskō tēn hēmeran tēs teleutēs mou. Ho min oun Kyrios, kaitoi Theos hōn kai Logos tou Patros, kai eidōs ton metrēthenta tois pasi diʼ autou kairon, kai ginōskōn hon autos hōrise kaitǭ idiǭ sōmati chronon heis to pathein o epeidē diʼ hēmas hanthrōpos gegone, tas men pro tou ton chronon elthein hēmeras kai autos, hōs hēmeis, ekrypteto zētoumenos, diōkomenos te epheuge, kai tas epiboulas ekklinōn houtō diērcheto kai dia mesou autōn eporeuetoo hote de kai ton horisthenta parʼ autou kairon ēgagen autos, en ǭ pathein sōmatikōs hyper pantōn ēthele, touton men prosphōnei tǭ Patri, legōn ; Pater, elēlythen hē hōra; doxason sou ton Uion. ouk eti de loipon tous zētountas ekrypteto, allï heistēkei thelōn kratēthēnai hypʼ autōn. Heipe gar, phēsi, tois elthousi pros auton ; Tina zēteite? tōn de apokrinamenōn* Iēsoun ton Nazōraion; elegen autois ° Egō eimi ’on zēteite ; kai touto ouch hapax, alla kai deuteron pepoiēke ’ kai houtōs loipan apēgagon auton pros ton Pilaton. Oute de pro tou ton chronon elthein ēphien eauton krateisthai, oute … tou kairou parontos ekrypteto, alla kai ekdoton eauton edidou tois epibouleuousin, ’hina deixę̄ pasi, tēs anōthen kriseōs ērtēsthai tēn zōēn kai ton thanaton tōn anthrōpōn, kai aneu tou Pa-
Seeing these things, then—or rather even hearing them, since they do not see—how will they not wish, as it is written, to be burned up, because they plan and speak contrary to what the Lord does and teaches? For when John had been martyred and his disciples had buried the body, Jesus, hearing it, withdrew from there in a boat to a desert place apart. The Lord, then, did these things and taught thus. Would that these men might at least be ashamed in this way, and limit their rashness to men, and not, going madder still, charge even the Savior with cowardice, having once practiced blaspheming against him! But no one will bear them in their madness; rather, they will be convicted of not understanding the Gospels either. For the reason for such withdrawal and flight is reasonable and true, which the evangelists have recorded as applying to the Savior himself. And from this we must reckon the same in the case of all the saints (for what is written humanly of the Savior ought to be referred to the common race of men; for he bore our body and showed human weakness): the reason which John wrote thus: “They sought to seize him, and no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.” For before it came he himself said to his mother, “My hour has not yet come,” and to those who were called his brothers, “My time is not yet here.” And again, when the time had come, he said to the disciples, “Sleep now and take your rest; for see, the hour has drawn near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.” [14] As God, then, and Word of the Father, he had no time; for he is himself the maker of times. But having become man and saying this, he shows that each man has a measured time; and a time not by chance, as some of the Greeks imagine in their myths, but one which he himself, being the maker, appointed for each as the Father willed. And this is written and has become plain to all; for though it is hidden, and all men do not know how much is measured to each and how, yet everyone whatsoever knows that, as there is a season of spring and summer, autumn and winter, so, as it is written, there is a time to die and a time to live. For this reason the time of the generation of Noah was cut short, and their years were shortened, as though the time of all had come; and to Hezekiah fifteen years were added. And as God promises to those who serve him truly, “I will fulfill the number of your days,” Abraham dies full of days, while David besought, saying, “Do not take me away in the midst of my days.” And Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends, knowing this well, said, “You will come to the grave like ripe grain reaped in its season, or like a heap on the threshing floor gathered in at its hour”; and Solomon, confirming his word, says, “The souls of the lawless are taken away untimely.” Therefore he exhorts in Ecclesiastes, saying, “Do not be very wicked, and do not be harsh, lest you die before your time.” [15] And as these things are written, the passage shows that the saints knew that a time is measured to each. But that no one knows the end of his time is shown by David’s saying, “Declare to me the fewness of my days”; for what he did not know, he asked to learn. For this reason the rich man, thinking he would yet live a long time, heard, “Fool, this night they require your soul of you; and what you have prepared, whose will it be?” And the Preacher declares, confident in the Holy Spirit, and says, “Indeed man does not know his time.” For this reason too the patriarch Isaac said to his son Esau, “See, I have grown old, and I do not know the day of my death.” The Lord, then, though he was God and Word of the Father, and knew the time measured to all through himself, and knew the time he had appointed for his own body to suffer, yet, since he had become man for our sake, in the days before that time came he too, like us, hid when sought, fled when persecuted, and so passed through, avoiding the plots, and went through the midst of them. But when he had brought the time appointed by himself, in which he willed to suffer bodily for all, he addresses it to the Father, saying, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son.” And then he no longer hid from those who sought him, but stood, willing to be seized by them. For he said, it says, to those who came to him, “Whom do you seek?” and when they answered, “Jesus the Nazarene,” he said to them, “I am he whom you seek.” And this he did not once but a second time; and so they led him away to Pilate. Neither did he let himself be seized before the time came, nor did he hide when the time was present, but gave himself up to those who plotted against him, to show all that the life and death of men depend on the judgment from above, and that without the Fa…
Isa 9:5 (echo, low confidence) · Matt 14:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 14:13 (quotation, high confidence) · John 7:30 (quotation, high confidence) · John 2:4 (quotation, high confidence) · John 7:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 26:45 (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 3:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 6:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 38:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 23:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 25:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 102:24 (101:25 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Job 5:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 13:23 (quotation, medium confidence) · Eccl 7:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 102:23 (101:24 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 9:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 27:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 4:30 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 17:1 (quotation, high confidence) · John 18:4 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius explains that Christ fled before his hour but gave himself up when it came, showing that each person has an appointed time known only to God, which the saints respected by fleeing and by facing death when it came.
- The numerals of chapters 14 and 15 stand in the scan inside this staged section; they are marked [14] and [15]. The section breaks off in mid-word (“without the Fa[ther] …”); the rest of the sentence is lost between this staged section and the next. “To be burned up”: cf. Isa 9:5 (LXX). John’s death: Matt 14:12–13. “They sought to seize him”: John 7:30. “My hour has not yet come”: John 2:4; “My time is not yet here”: John 7:6; “Sleep now …”: Matt 26:45. A time to die and a time to live: Eccl 3:2. Noah’s generation: Gen 6:3; Hezekiah: Isa 38:5. “I will fulfill the number of your days”: Exod 23:26; Abraham full of days: Gen 25:8; “Do not take me away …”: Ps 102:24 (101:25 LXX); Eliphaz: Job 5:26; “The souls of the lawless …”: Prov 13:23 (LXX); “Do not be very wicked …”: Eccl 7:17. “Declare to me the fewness of my days”: Ps 102:23 (101:24 LXX); the rich fool: Luke 12:20; “Man does not know his time”: Eccl 9:12; Isaac: Gen 27:2. Passing through the midst: Luke 4:30. “Father, the hour has come”: John 17:1; the arrest: John 18:4–8.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR debris; a word lost; chapter numeral (chapter 14) misread and left in the running text; chapter numeral (chapter 15) left in the running text): Ui. Ὠς μὲν → Ὡς μὲν; ’ 15. ’Ὠσπερ → Ὥσπερ; Οὔτε δέ πρὸ ι Ι ος Α -Ω Ἰ ο \ ν Λ Ἰ τοῦ τὸν χρόνον → Οὔτε δὲ πρὸ τοῦ τὸν χρόνον; οὔτε _ _...,κη.,ι δ → οὔτε ….
Topics: Persecution, Christology, Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 13 (PG 25:660b–664b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 16
16PG 25:664b–665b
Ὁ μὲν οὖν Κύριος οὕτως ἐαυτὸν προσῆγεν ὑπερ πάντων, ὡς προείρηται ’ οἱ δὲ ἅγιοι, καὶ τοῦτον τὸν τύπον παρᾶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος μαθόντες (παρʼ αὐτοῦ γὰρ καὶ πρὸ τούτου καὶ ἀεὶ πάντες ἐδιδάσκοντο), πρὸς μὲν τοὺς διώκοντας ἀγωνιζόμενοι, νομίμως. ἔφευγον, καὶ ζητούμενοι παρʼ αὐτῶν ἐκρύπτοντο· ἀγνοοῦντες δὲ ὡς ἄνθρωποι τοῦ ὁρισθέντος αὐτοῖς παρά τῆς, Προνοίας χρόνου τὸ τέλος, οὐκ ἐβούλοντο παρέχειν ἁπλῶς ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδότους τοῖς ἐπιβουλεύουσιν · εἰδότες δὲ πάλιν τὸ γεγραμμένον, ὅτι ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσιν οἱ κλῆροι τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καί Κύριος θανατοῖ καὶ Κύριος ζωοποιεῖ, μᾶλλον ἕως τέλους ὑπέμενον, ὡς εἶʼρηκεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος, περιερχόμενοι ἐν μηλωταῖς, η ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, κακουχούμενοι, ἐπὶ ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι, καὶ ἐν σπηλαίοις καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς κρυπτόμενοι, ἓως ἂν ἢ ὁ ὡρισμένος τοῦ θανάτου χρόνος ἔλθῃ, ἤ ὁ τὸν χρόνον ὁρίσας Θεὸς λαλήσῃ πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καὶ παύσῃ τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας, ἢ δηλονότι παραδῷ τοὺς διωκομένους τοῖς διώκουσιν, ὡς ἂν αὑτῷ δόξῃ καλῶς ἔχειν. Καὶ τοῦτο περὶ πάντων ἀπὸ τοῦ Δαβὶδ ἔστι μαθεῖν καλῶς· ὅτε γὰρ κατά τοῦ Σαοὺλ παρώξυνεν αὑτὸν Ἰωὰβ, ἔλεγεν αὐτός· Ζῇ Κύριος, ἐὰν μή ὁ Κύριος αὑτὸν παίσῃ, ἢ ἔλθῃ ἡμέρα τοῦ θανάτου αὑτοῦ, ἥ καταβῇ είς πόλεμον, καὶ προστεθῇ εἷς τοὺς ὑπεναντίους, οὑ μὴ ἐποίσω χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ χριστὸν Κυρίου.
Ho men oun Kyrios houtōs eauton prosēgen hyper pantōn, hōs proeirētai ’ hoi de hagioi, kai touton ton typon para tou Sōtēros mathontes (parʼ autou gar kai pro toutou kai aei pantes edidaskonto), pros men tous diōkontas agōnizomenoi, nomimōs. epheugon, kai zētoumenoi parʼ autōn ekryptonto; agnoountes de hōs anthrōpoi tou horisthentos autois para tēs, Pronoias chronou to telos, ouk eboulonto parechein haplōs heautous ekdotous tois epibouleuousin ; eidotes de palin to gegrammenon, hoti en tais chersi tou Theou eisin hoi klēroi tōn anthrōpōn, kai Kyrios thanatoi kai Kyrios zōopoiei, mallon heōs telous hypemenon, hōs eiʼrēken ho Apostolos, perierchomenoi en mēlōtais, ē en aigeiois dermasin, hysteroumenoi, kakouchoumenoi, epi erēmiais planōmenoi, kai en spēlaiois kai tais opais tēs gēs kryptomenoi, heōs an ē ho hōrismenos tou thanatou chronos elthę̄, ē ho ton chronon horisas Theos lalēsę̄ pros autous, kai pausę̄ tous epibouleuontas, ē dēlonoti paradǭ tous diōkomenous tois diōkousin, hōs an hautǭ doxę̄ kalōs echein. Kai touto peri pantōn apo tou Dabid esti mathein kalōs; hote gar kata tou Saoul parōxynen hauton Iōab, elegen autos; Zę̄ Kyrios, ean mē ho Kyrios hauton paisę̄, ē elthę̄ hēmera tou thanatou hautou, hē katabę̄ eis polemon, kai prostethę̄ heis tous hypenantious, hou mē epoisō cheira mou epi christon Kyriou.
The Lord, then, thus offered himself for all, as was said before; and the saints, having learned this pattern too from the Savior (for from him all were taught both before this and always), when contending against the persecutors fled lawfully, and when sought by them hid themselves. And not knowing, as men, the end of the time appointed for them by Providence, they did not wish simply to give themselves up to those who plotted against them; but knowing again what is written, that the lots of men are in the hands of God, and that the Lord kills and the Lord makes alive, they rather endured to the end, as the Apostle said, going about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, afflicted, wandering in deserts, and hiding in caves and the holes of the earth, until either the appointed time of death should come, or God who appointed the time should speak to them and stop those who plotted, or else hand over the persecuted to the persecutors, as it seemed good to him. And this one may learn well from David concerning all: for when Joab provoked him against Saul, he himself said, “As the Lord lives, unless the Lord strikes him, or the day of his death comes, or he goes down to battle and is added to the enemy, I will not lay my hand on the Lord’s anointed.”
Ps 31:15 (30:16 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 2:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 11:37 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 11:38 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 26:10 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius explains that the saints, following Christ, fled and hid until God’s appointed time, neither surrendering themselves rashly nor laying hands on their persecutors, as David spared Saul.
- The lots of men in God’s hands: Ps 31:15 (30:16 LXX). “The Lord kills and makes alive”: 1 Sam 2:6. Sheepskins and goatskins: Heb 11:37–38. David’s words: 1 Sam 26:10–11; in Scripture it is Abishai, not Joab, who urges David to kill Saul (1 Sam 26:8); the slip is the author’s. Much OCR debris is removed by logged corrections; the printed “badly” (κακῶς) is corrected to “well” (καλῶς).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR debris inside a hyphenated word; OCR debris inside a word; OCR misreading (κακῶς for καλῶς); OCR misreading in Latin letters): τοῦτον τὸν.. _ __ η,υ ι., η. ε τύπον → τοῦτον τὸν τύπον; (παρʼ αὐτοῦ γὰρ ι ι l ι θ \ Ι ’δ δ 1 \ ἱ καὶ πρὸ τούτου → (παρʼ αὐτοῦ γὰρ καὶ πρὸ τούτου; πρὸς.......... τι μὲν → πρὸς μὲν; H‘ppνοίας → Προνοίας; ἀπλῶς...μ _.... ηιμ, ἑαυτοὺς → ἁπλῶς ἑαυτοὺς; εἰδότες δὲ πά- \ ι 1 ΙΙ Ἰ υ \ θʼ Α ὐ Ἲ λιν → εἰδότες δὲ πάλιν; Θεοῦ εἰσιν ο \.. η Ἵ Δ Ι \ '7’ Λ υ \ οἱ κλῆροι → Θεοῦ εἰσιν οἱ κλῆροι; κακουχούμεο νοι → κακουχούμενοι; μαθεῖν κακῶς → μαθεῖν καλῶς.
Topics: Persecution, Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 16 (PG 25:664b–665b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 17
17PG 25:665b–668c
Εἰ δέ ποτε καὶ φεύγοντες προσήρχοντο τοῖς ζητοῦσιν, οὗδέ τοῦτο ἁπλῶς ἔπραττονο τοῦ γὰρ Πνεύματος λαλοῦντος αὑτοῖς, οὕτως ἀπήντων ἐκείνοις θεοφιλεῖς τυγχάνοντεςο καὶ οὕτω πάλιν τήν ἑαυτῶν ὑπακοὴν καὶ προθυμίαν ἐπιδεικνύμενοι. Οἷος ἦν Ἠλίας, ἀκούων παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος, καὶ φαινόμενος τῷ Ἀχαὰβ, Μιχαίας τε ὁ προφήτης ἐρχόμενος πρὸς αὑτὸν τὸν Ἀχαάβ, καὶ ὁ ἐπικαλεσάμενος προφήτης ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τῆς Σαμαρείας, καὶ ἐντρέπων τὸν Ῥοβοὰμ, καὶ Παῦλος ἐπικαλούμενος Καίσαρα. Οὑ γὰρ δὴ διὰ δειλίαν ἔφευγον, μὴ γένοιτοί μᾶλλον γὰρ τὴν φυγὴν εἶχον ἀγῶνα καὶ μελέτην κατὰ τοῦ θανάτου. Ἀλλᾶ δύο ταῦτʼ ἐφύ. λαττον καὶ ἐβουλεύοντο καλῶς, ὅτι μήτε ἑαυτοὺς ἁπλῶς προσῆγον, τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν ἑαυτὸν ἀποκτεῖναι, ὑπεύθυνόν τε θανάτου γενέσθαι, καὶ ἀντιπρᾶξαι τῷ Κυρίῳ λέγοντι· Ἃ ὁ Θεὸς ἔζευξεν, ἄνθρωπος μή χωριζέτω· μήτε μέμψιν ὀλιγωρίας ἤθελον ὑπομένειν, ὡς ἀτονήσαντες πρὸς τὰς ἐν τῇ φυγῇ θλίψεις, μείζονα καὶ δεινότερον πόνον ἐχούσας τοῦ θανάτου. ’Ὃ μὲν γὰρ ἀποθανὼν πέπαυται τοῦ πονεῖν· ὁ δὲ φεύγων προσδοκῶν καθʼ ἡμέραν τὰσ παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐφόδους, κουφότερον ἡγεῖται τὸν θάνατον· ὥστε καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῇ φυγῇ τελειωθέντας μη ἀκλεῶς ἀποθνήσκειν, ἀλλʼ ἔχειν καὶ αὐτοὺς τοῦ μαρτυρίου τὸ καύχη μα. Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ Ἰὼβ ἐν ἀνδρείᾳ μέγας ἐγνώσθη, ἐπειδή ζῶν τοσεύτους καὶ τηλικούτους ὑπέμεινε πόνους, ὧν οὑδεμίαν αἶʼσθησιν ἐλάμβανεν, εἰ τελευτήσας ἦν, Λιὰ τοῦτο καὶ αὑτοὶ 0i μακάριοι Πατέρες τοιαύτην εἶχον τῆς πολιτείας τὴν ἀγωγήν· διω κὸμενοι μὲν γὰρ οὑκ ἐδειλίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλο ἐδείκνυον ὲαυνῶν τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀνδρείαν, οὕτως ὲ. πνιγηροῖς καὶ σκοτεινοῖς τόποις ἑαυτοὺς κατακλείον τες, καὶ σκληρῶς ἑαυτοὺς ἄγοντες· παρόντα δὲ πά λιν τοῦ θανάτου τὸν καιρὸν οὗ παρῃτοῦντο· ἔμελ γὰρ αὐτοῖς μήτε τοῦτον παρόντα πτήσσειν, μήτε τῆν ὡρισμένην παρὰ τῆς Προνοίας κρίσιν προλαμβάνειν, μήτʼ αὖ πρὸς τήν οἰκονομίαν αὐτῆς ἀντιπράττειν, εἷς ἣν καὶ φυλαττομένους ἑαυτοὺς ἐγίνωσκονο ’ίνα μὴ καὶ, προπετῶς πράττοντες, ἑαυτοῖς '0 προπετὴς χείλεσι πτοήσει Ἀμέλει τοσοῦτον ἦσαν παρεσκευασμένοι πρὸς τήν τῆς ἀνδρείας ἀρετὴν, ὡς μηδὲ τὸν τυχόντα δύνασθαι διστάσαι περὶ τούτου. ‘0 μὲν γὰρ πατριάρχης Ἰακὼβ, φεύγων πρότερον τὸν Ἡσαῦ, ούκ ἐφοβήθη παρόντα τὸν θάνατον· μᾶλλον γὰρ ἐν αύτῷ τῷ καιρῷ κατʼ ἀξίαν ἕκαστον τῶν πατριαρχῶν ηὐλόγειε 6 δὲ ο μέγας Μωσῆς, κρυπτόμενος πρὸ τούτου τὸν Φαραὼ, καὶ διʼ αὐτὸν ἀποδημήσας είς Μαδιὰμ, ἀκούσας, ’Ἃπελθε εἷς Αἴγυπτον, οὐκ ἐφοβήθηο πάλιν τε προσταχθεὶς ἀναβῆναι εἰς τὸ ὅρος τὸ ’Λβαρεὶ καὶ τελευτᾷν, ού δειλιάσας ἀπέμεινεν, ἀλλά καί ἄσμενος ὥρμησεν εἰς αὐτόν. Καὶ 6 μὲν Δαβὶδ, φεύγων πρότερσν τὸν Σαοὺλ, οὐκ ἐφοβεῖτο προκινδυνεύων ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις ὑπὲρ τῶν λαῶνʼ ἀλλά καὶ περὶ θανάτου καὶ φυγῆς ατίρεσιν ἀκούσας, ἐξὸν αύτῷ φεύγειν καὶ ζῇν, μᾶλλον εἵλετο τὸν θάνατον 6 σοφόςʼ 6 δὲ μέγας Ἠλίας, κρυπτόμενος πάλαι τήν Ἰεζάβελ, οὐκ ἐδειλίασεν, ἀκούσας παρά τοῦ Πνεύματος ἀπαντῆσαι τῷ Ἀχαάβ, καὶ τὸν Ὀχοζίαν ἐλέγξαι. Πέτρος δὲ 6 διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων κρυπτόμενος, καὶ Παῦὲ λος 6 ἀπόστολος ἐν σαργάνῃ χαλασθεὶς xui φυγὼν,ἀκούσαντες, Εἰς Ῥώμην δεῖ ὑμᾶς μαρτυρῆσαι, ούκ ἀνεβάλοντο τῆν ἀποδημίαν· χαίροντες δὲ μᾶλλον ἀπῆλθον· καὶ 6 μὲν, ὡς πρὸς τοὺς ἰδίους σπεύδων, ἐγάννυτο σφαζόμενος, 6 δὲ καὶ παρόντα τὸν καιρὸν ού κατέπτησσεν, ἀλλά καὶ ἐκαυχᾶτο λέγωνʼ Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σπένδομαι, καὶ 6 καιρὸς τῆς ἀναλύσεώς μου ἐφέστηκεν., ”
Ei de pote kai pheugontes prosērchonto tois zētousin, houde touto haplōs eprattono tou gar Pneumatos lalountos hautois, houtōs apēntōn ekeinois theophileis tynchanonteso kai houtō palin tēn heautōn hypakoēn kai prothymian epideiknymenoi. Hoios ēn Ēlias, akouōn para tou Pneumatos, kai phainomenos tǭ Achaab, Michaias te ho prophētēs erchomenos pros hauton ton Achaab, kai ho epikalesamenos prophētēs epi to thysiastērion tēs Samareias, kai entrepōn ton Rhoboam, kai Paulos epikaloumenos Kaisara. Hou gar dē dia deilian epheugon, mē genoitoi mallon gar tēn phygēn eichon agōna kai meletēn kata tou thanatou. Alla dyo tautʼ ephy. latton kai ebouleuonto kalōs, hoti mēte heautous haplōs prosēgon, touto gar ēn heauton apokteinai, hypeuthynon te thanatou genesthai, kai antipraxai tǭ Kyriǭ legonti; Ha ho Theos ezeuxen, anthrōpos mē chōrizetō; mēte mempsin oligōrias ēthelon hypomenein, hōs atonēsantes pros tas en tę̄ phygę̄ thlipseis, meizona kai deinoteron ponon echousas tou thanatou. ’Ho men gar apothanōn pepautai tou ponein; ho de pheugōn prosdokōn kathʼ hēmeran tas para tōn echthrōn ephodous, kouphoteron hēgeitai ton thanaton; hōste kai tous en tę̄ phygę̄ teleiōthentas mē akleōs apothnēskein, allʼ echein kai autous tou martyriou to kauchē ma. Dia touto gar ho Iōb en andreią megas egnōsthē, epeidē zōn toseutous kai tēlikoutous hypemeine ponous, hōn houdemian aiʼsthēsin elambanen, ei teleutēsas ēn, Lia touto kai hautoi 0i makarioi Pateres toiautēn eichon tēs politeias tēn agōgēn; diō komenoi men gar houk edeiliōn, alla kai mallo edeiknyon eaunōn tēn tēs psychēs andreian, houtōs e. pnigērois kai skoteinois topois heautous katakleion tes, kai sklērōs heautous agontes; paronta de pa lin tou thanatou ton kairon hou parę̄tounto; emel gar autois mēte touton paronta ptēssein, mēte tēn hōrismenēn para tēs Pronoias krisin prolambanein, mētʼ au pros tēn oikonomian autēs antiprattein, heis hēn kai phylattomenous heautous eginōskono ’ina mē kai, propetōs prattontes, heautois '0 propetēs cheilesi ptoēsei Amelei tosouton ēsan pareskeuasmenoi pros tēn tēs andreias aretēn, hōs mēde ton tychonta dynasthai distasai peri toutou. ‘0 men gar patriarchēs Iakōb, pheugōn proteron ton Hēsau, ouk ephobēthē paronta ton thanaton; mallon gar en autǭ tǭ kairǭ katʼ axian hekaston tōn patriarchōn ēulogeie 6 de o megas Mōsēs, kryptomenos pro toutou ton Pharaō, kai diʼ auton apodēmēsas eis Madiam, akousas, ’Hapelthe heis Aigypton, ouk ephobēthēo palin te prostachtheis anabēnai eis to horos to ’Lbarei kai teleutąn, ou deiliasas apemeinen, alla kai asmenos hōrmēsen eis auton. Kai 6 men Dabid, pheugōn protersn ton Saoul, ouk ephobeito prokindyneuōn en tois polemois hyper tōn laōnʼ alla kai peri thanatou kai phygēs atiresin akousas, exon autǭ pheugein kai zę̄n, mallon heileto ton thanaton 6 sophosʼ 6 de megas Ēlias, kryptomenos palai tēn Iezabel, ouk edeiliasen, akousas para tou Pneumatos apantēsai tǭ Achaab, kai ton Ochozian elenxai. Petros de 6 dia ton phobon tōn Ioudaiōn kryptomenos, kai Paue los 6 apostolos en sarganę̄ chalastheis xui phygōn,akousantes, Eis Rhōmēn dei hymas martyrēsai, ouk anebalonto tēn apodēmian; chairontes de mallon apēlthon; kai 6 men, hōs pros tous idious speudōn, egannyto sphazomenos, 6 de kai paronta ton kairon ou kateptēssen, alla kai ekauchato legōnʼ Egō gar ēdē spendomai, kai 6 kairos tēs analyseōs mou ephestēken., ”
And if at any time, having fled, they came forward to those who sought them, they did not do even this simply; but when the Spirit spoke to them, they went to meet them, being dear to God, and so again showing their own obedience and readiness. Such was Elijah, who, hearing from the Spirit, showed himself to Ahab; and Micaiah the prophet, who came to Ahab himself; and the prophet who cried out against the altar in Samaria and rebuked Rehoboam; and Paul appealing to Caesar. For it was not from cowardice that they fled—God forbid!—but rather they held flight as a contest and a training against death. But they guarded these two things and took good counsel: that they should not give themselves up simply—for this was to kill oneself and become guilty of death, and to act against the Lord who says, “What God has joined, let no man separate”—nor be willing to bear the reproach of negligence, as though they had grown faint at the afflictions in flight, which involve a greater and more terrible toil than death. For he who has died has ceased from toil; but he who flees, expecting every day the attacks of his enemies, considers death the lighter thing; so that those also who were perfected in flight did not die ingloriously, but they too have the boast of martyrdom. For this reason Job was known as great in courage, since while living he endured toils so many and so great, of which he would have had no perception if he had died. For this reason the blessed Fathers themselves held such a course of life: when persecuted they were not cowardly, but rather showed the courage of their soul, shutting themselves up in stifling and dark places and leading a hard life; and again, when the time of death was present, they did not refuse it. For they took care neither to cower at it when present, nor to anticipate the judgment appointed by Providence, nor again to act against its ordering, for which they knew they were being kept; lest, acting rashly, they should bring terror on themselves; for “He who is rash with his lips will terrify himself.” [18] Certainly they were so prepared in the virtue of courage that not even an ordinary person could doubt it. For the patriarch Jacob, who earlier fled from Esau, did not fear death when it was present; rather, at that very time he blessed each of the patriarchs according to his worth. And the great Moses, who earlier hid from Pharaoh and because of him went abroad to Midian, when he heard, “Go to Egypt,” was not afraid; and again, when commanded to go up into the mountain of Abarim and die, he did not hold back in cowardice, but even set out for it gladly. And David, who earlier fled from Saul, did not fear to run danger in the wars on behalf of the people; and when he heard the choice between death and flight, though he might have fled and lived, the wise man rather chose death. And the great Elijah, who once hid from Jezebel, was not afraid when he heard from the Spirit that he should go to meet Ahab and rebuke Ahaziah. And Peter, who hid for fear of the Jews, and the apostle Paul, who was let down in a basket and fled, when they heard, “You must bear witness at Rome,” did not put off the journey, but rather went away rejoicing; and the one exulted at being slain, as hastening to his own, while the other did not cower at the time when it was present, but even boasted, saying, “For I am already being poured out, and the time of my departure has come.”
1 Kgs 18:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Kgs 13:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 25:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 19:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 13:3 (quotation, medium confidence) · Gen 49:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 4:19 (quotation, medium confidence) · Deut 32:49 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 24:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 1:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 11:33 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 23:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 4:6 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius shows that the saints went to meet their persecutors only when the Spirit directed, and that the same saints who fled earlier faced death bravely when its time came: Jacob, Moses, David, Elijah, Peter, and Paul.
- The numeral of chapter 18 stands in the scan inside this staged section; it is marked [18]. Elijah and Ahab: 1 Kgs 18:1–2; Micaiah: 1 Kgs 22; the prophet at the altar: 1 Kgs 13:1–5 (the text names Rehoboam; in Scripture the king rebuked is Jeroboam). Paul appealing to Caesar: Acts 25:11. “What God has joined …”: Matt 19:6, here applied to the union of soul and body. “He who is rash with his lips …”: Prov 13:3 (LXX). Job’s endurance: Job 1–2. Jacob’s blessings: Gen 49; Moses: Exod 4:19; Deut 32:49–50; David’s choice: 2 Sam 24:12–14 (the choice there is between famine, flight, and pestilence; Athanasius summarizes); Elijah and Ahaziah: 2 Kgs 1:15–16; Peter hiding: cf. Acts 12:17; Paul in the basket: 2 Cor 11:33; “You must bear witness at Rome”: Acts 23:11; “I am already being poured out”: 2 Tim 4:6. The tradition of Peter’s martyrdom at Rome is assumed by the author.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR misreading; OCR misreading of the name; chapter numeral (chapter 18) left in the running text): φεύγοντεςυ → φεύγοντες; τῷ ιὶυρίιμλέγοντι· "A ὁ ὲεὸς ἔζευξεν, ἅνθρίοτξος → τῷ Κυρίῳ λέγοντι· Ἃ ὁ Θεὸς ἔζευξεν, ἄνθρωπος; 18. ’Δμέλει → Ἀμέλει; ’Πχοζίαν → Ὀχοζίαν; Εἷς-44) Ῥώμην → Εἰς Ῥώμην.
Topics: Persecution, Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Fug. 17 (PG 25:665b–668c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-fuga/1/#p-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-apologia-fuga-17) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.