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149 6 Thus day by day the persecution burned against him, so that the whole city could no longer contain him; but he removed from house to house and was driven in every direction because of the multitude who attended upon the divine instruction which he gave. For his life also exhibited right and admirable conduct according to the practice of genuine philosophy.
7 For they say that his manner of life was as his doctrine, and his doctrine as his life.23 Therefore, by the divine Power working with him he aroused a great many to his own zeal.
8 But when he saw yet more coming to him for instruction, and the catechetical school had been entrusted to him alone by Demetrius, who presided over the church, he considered the teaching of grammatical science inconsistent with training in divine subjects,24 and forthwith he gave up his grammatical school as unprofitable and a hindrance to sacred learning.
9 Then, with becoming consideration, that he might not need aid from others, he disposed of whatever valuable books of ancient literature he possessed, being satisfied with receiving from the purchaser four aboli a day.25 For many years he lived philosophically26 in this manner, putting away all the incentives of youthful desires. Through the entire day he endured no small amount of discipline; and for the greater part of the night he gave himself to the study of the Divine Scriptures. He restrained himself as much as possible by a most philosophic life; sometimes by the discipline of fasting, again by limited time for sleep. And in his zeal he never lay upon a bed, but upon the ground.
10 Most of all, he thought that the words of the Saviour in the Gospel should be observed, in which he exhorts not to have two coats nor to use shoes,27 nor to occupy oneself with cares for the future.28
11 With a zeal beyond his age he continued in cold and nakedness; and, going to the very extreme of poverty, he greatly astonished those about him. And indeed he grieved many of his friends who desired to share their possessions with him, on account of the wearisome toil which they saw him enduring in the teaching of divine things.
12 But he did not relax his perseverance. He is said to have walked for a number of years never wearing a shoe, and, for a great many years, to have abstained from the use of wine, and of all other things beyond his necessary food; so that he was in danger of breaking down and destroying his constitution.29
13 By giving such evidences of a philosophic life to those who saw him, he aroused many of his pupils to similar zeal; so that prominent men even of the unbelieving heathen and men that followed learning and philosophy were led to his instruction. Some of them having received from him into the depth of their souls faith in the Divine Word, became prominent in the persecution then prevailing; and some of them were seized and suffered martyrdom.
1 The first of these was Plutarch, who was mentioned just above.30 As he was led to death the man of whom we are speaking being with him at the end of his life, came near being slain by his fellow-citizens, as if he were the cause of his death. But the providence of God preserved him at this time also.
2 After Plutarch, the second martyr among the pupils of Origen was Serenus,31 who gave through fire a proof of the faith which he had received.
150 3 The third martyr from the same school was Heraclides,32 and after him the fourth was Hero.33 The former of these was as yet a catechumen, and the latter had but recently been baptized. Both of them were beheaded. After them, the fifth from the same school proclaimed as an athlete of piety was another Serenus, who, it is reported, was beheaded, after a long endurance of tortures. And of women, Herais34 died while yet a catechumen, receiving baptism by fire, as Origen himself somewhere says).
1 Basilides36 may be counted the seventh of these. He led to martyrdom the celebrated Potamiaena, who is still famous among the people of the country for the many things which she endured for the preservation of her chastity and virginity. For she was blooming in the perfection of her mind and her physical graces. Having suffered much for the faith of Christ, finally after tortures dreadful and terrible to speak of, she with her mother, Marcella,37 was put to death by fire.
2 They say that the judge, Aquila by name, having inflicted severe tortures upon her entire body, at last threatened to hand her over to the gladiators for bodily abuse. After a little consideration, being asked for her decision, she made a reply which was regarded as impious.
3 Thereupon she received sentence immediately, and Basilides, one of the officers of the army, led her to death. But as the people attempted to annoy and insult her with abusive words, he drove back her insulters, showing her much pity and kindness. And perceiving the man’s sympathy for her, she exhorted him to be of good courage, for she would supplicate her Lord for him after her departure, and he would soon receive a reward for the kindness he had shown her.
4 Having said this, she nobly sustained the issue, burning pitch being poured little by little, over various parts of her body, from the sole of her feet to the crown of her head. Such was the conflict endured by this famous maiden.
5 Not long after this Basilides, being asked by his fellow-soldiers to swear for a certain reason, declared that it was not lawful for him to swear at all, for he was a Christian, and he confessed this openly. At first they thought that he was jesting, but when he continued to affirm it, he was led to the judge, and, acknowledging his conviction before him, he was imprisoned. But the brethren in God coming to him and inquiring the reason of this sudden and remarkable resolution, he is reported to have said that Potamiaena, for three days after her martyrdom, stood beside him by night and placed a crown on his head and said that she had besought the Lord for him and had obtained what she asked, and that soon she would take him with her.
6 Thereupon the brethren gave him the seal38 of the Lord; and on the next day, after giving glorious testimony for the Lord, he was beheaded. And many others in Alexandria are recorded to have accepted speedily the word of Christ in those times.
7 For Potamiaena appeared to them in their dreams and exhorted them. But let this suffice in regard to this matter.
1 Clement39 having succeeded Pantaenus,40 had charge at that time of the catechetical instruction in Alexandria, so that Origen also, while still a boy,41 was one of his pupils. In the first book of the work called Stromata, which Clement wrote, he gives a chronological table,42 bringing events down to the death of Commodus. So it is evident that that work was written during the reign of Severus, whose times we are now recording.
151 At this time another writer, Judas, discoursing about the seventy weeks in Daniel, brings down the chronology to the tenth year of the reign of Severus. He thought that the coming of Antichrist, which was much talked about, was then near.44 So greatly did the agitation caused by the persecution of our people at this time disturb the minds of many.
1At this time while Origen was conducting catechetical instruction at Alexandria, a deed was done by him which evidenced an immature and youthful mind, but at the same time gave the highest proof of faith and continence.45 For he took the words, “There are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake,”46 in too literal ad extreme a sense. And in order to fulfill the Saviour’s word, and at the same time to take away from the unbelievers all opportunity for scandal,—for, although young, he met for the study of divine things with women as well as men,—he carried out in action the word of the Saviour.
2 He thought that this would not be known by many of his acquaintances. But it was impossible for him, though desiring to do so, to keep such an action secret.
3 When Demetrius, who presided over that parish, at last learned of this, he admired greatly the daring nature of the act, and as he perceived his zeal and the genuineness of his faith, he immediately exhorted him to courage, and urged him the more to continue his work of catechetical instruction.
4 Such was he at that time. But soon afterward, seeing that he was prospering, and becoming great and distinguished among all men, the same Demetrius, overcome by human weakness, wrote of his deed as most foolish to the bishops throughout the world. But the bishops of Cesarea and Jerusalem, who were especially notable and distinguished among the bishops of Palestine, considering
5 Origen worthy in the highest degree of the honor, ordained him a presbyter.47 Thereupon his fame increased greatly, and his name became renowned everywhere, and he obtained no small reputation for virtue and wisdom. But Demetrius, having nothing else that he could say against him, save this deed of his boyhood, accused him bitterly,48 and dared to include with him in these accusations those who had raised him to the presbyterate.
6 These things, however, took place a little later. But at this time Origen continued fearlessly the instruction in divine things at Alexandria by day and night to all who came to him; devoting his entire leisure without cessation to divine studies and to his pupils.
7 Severus, having held the government for eighteen years, was succeeded by his son, Antoninus.49 Among those who had endured courageously the persecution of that time, and had been preserved by the Providence of God through the conflicts of confession, was Alexander, of whom we have spoken already50 as bishop of the church in Jerusalem. On account of his pre-eminence in the confession of Christ he was thought worthy of that bishopric, while Narcissus,51 his predecessor, was still living.
152 1 The citizens of that parish mention many other miracles of Narcissus, on the tradition of the brethren who succeeded him; among which they relate the following wonder as performed by him.
2 They say that the oil once failed while the deacons were watching through the night at the great paschal vigil. Thereupon the whole multitude being dismayed, Narcissus directed those who attended to the lights, to draw water and bring it to him.
3 This being immediately done he prayed over the water, and with firm faith in the Lord, commanded them to pour it into the lamps. And when they had done so, contrary to all expectation by a wonderful and divine power, the nature of the water was changed into that of oil. A small portion of it has been preserved even to our day by many of the brethren there as a memento of the wonder.52
4 They tell many other things worthy to be noted of the life of this man, among which is this. Certain base men being unable to endure the strength and firmness of his life, and fearing punishment for the many evil deeds of which they were conscious, sought by plotting to anticipate him, and circulated a terrible slander against him.
5 And to persuade those who heard of it, they confirmed their accusations with oaths: one invoked upon himself destruction by fire; another the wasting of his body by a foul disease; the third the loss of his eyes. But though they swore in this manner, they could not affect the mind of the believers; because the continence and virtuous life of Narcissus were well known to all.
6 But he could not in any wise endure the wickedness of these men; and as he had followed a philosophic53 life for a long time, he fled from the whole body of the Church, and hid himself in desert and secret places, and remained there many years.54
7 But the great eye of judgment was not unmoved by these things, but soon looked down upon these impious men, and brought on them the curses with which they had bound themselves. The residence of the first, from nothing but a little spark falling upon it, was entirely consumed by night, and he perished with all his family. The second was speedily covered with the disease which he had imprecated upon himself, from the sole of his feet to his head.
8 But the third, perceiving what had happened to the others, and fearing the inevitable judgment of God, the ruler of all, confessed publicly what they had plotted together. And in his repentance he became so wasted by his great lamentations, and continued weeping to such an extent, that both his eyes were destroyed. Such were the punishments which these men received for their falsehood.
1 Narcissus having departed, and no one knowing where he was, those presiding over the neighboring churches thought it best to ordain another bishop. His name was Dius.55 He presided but a short time, and Germanio succeeded him. He was followed by Gordius,56 in whose time Narcissus appeared again, as if raised from the dead.57 And immediately the brethren besought him to take the episcopate, as all admired him the more on account of his retirement and philosophy, and especially because of the punishment with which God had avenged him.
153 1 But as on account of his great age Narcissus was no longer able to perform his official duties,58 the Providence of God called to the office with him, by a revelation given him in a night vision, the above-mentioned Alexander, who was then bishop of another parish.59
2 Thereupon, as by Divine direction, he journeyed from the land of Cappadocia, where he first held the episcopate, to Jerusalem, in consequence of a vow and for the sake of information in regard to its places.60 They received, him there with great cordiality, and would not permit him to return, because of another revelation seen by them at night, which uttered the clearest message to the most zealous among them. For it made known that if they would go outside the gates, they would receive the bishop foreordained for them by God. And having done this, with the unanimous consent of the bishops of the neighboring churches, they constrained him to remain.
3 Alexander, himself, in private letters to the Antinoites,61 which are still preserved among us, mentions the joint episcopate of Narcissus and himself, writing in these words at the end of the epistle:
4 “Narcissus salutes you, who held the episcopate here before me, and is now associated with me in prayers, being one hundred and sixteen years of age; and he exhorts you, as I do, to be of one mind.”
These things took place in this manner. But, on the death of Serapion,62 Asclepiades,63 who had been himself distinguished among the confessors64 during the persecution, succeeded to the episcopate of the church at Antioch. Alexander alludes to his appointment, writing thus to the church at Antioch:
5 “Alexander, a servant and prisoner of Jesus Christ, to the blessed church of Antioch, greeting in the Lord. The Lord hath made my bonds during the time of my imprisonment light and easy, since I learned that, by the Divine Providence, Asclepiades, who in regard to the true faith is eminently qualified, has undertaken the bishopric of your holy church at Antioch.”
6 He indicates that he sent this epistle by Clement,65 writing toward its close as follows:
“My honored brethren,66 I have sent this letter to you by Clement, the blessed presbyter, a man virtuous and approved, whom ye yourselves also know and will recognize. Being here, in the providence and oversight of the Master, he has strengthened and built up the Church of the Lord.”
1 It is probable that others have preserved other memorials of Serapion’s67 literary industry,68 but there have reached us only those addressed to a certain Domninus, who, in the time of persecution, fell away from faith in Christ to the Jewish will-worship;69 and those addressed to Pontius and Caricus,70 ecclesiastical men, and other letters to different persons, and still another work composed by him on the so-called Gospel of Peter.71
2 He wrote this last to refute the falsehoods which that Gospel contained, on account of some in the parish of Rhossus72 who had been led astray by it into heterodox notions. It may be well to give some brief extracts from his work, showing his opinion of the book. He writes as follows:
154 3 “For we, brethren, receive both Peter and the other apostles as Christ; but we reject intelligently the writings falsely ascribed to them, knowing that such were not handed down to us.
4 When I visited you I supposed that all of you held the true faith, and as I had not read the Gospel which they put forward under the name of Peter, I said, If This is the Only Thing Which Occasions Dispute Among You, Let It Be Read. But now having learned, from what has been told me, that their mind was involved in some heresy, I will hasten to come to you again.
5 Therefore, brethren, expect me shortly. But you will learn, brethren, from what has been written to you, that we perceived the nature of the heresy of Marcianus,73 and that, not understanding, what he was saying, he contradicted himself.
6 For having obtained this Gospel from others who had studied it diligently, namely, from the successors of those who first used it, whom we call Docet74 (for most of their opinions are connected with the teaching of that school75 ) we have been able to read it through, and we find many things in accordance with the true doctrine of the Saviour, but some things added to that doctrine, which we have pointed out for you farther on.” So much in regard to Serapion.
1 All the eight Stromata of Clement are preserved among us, and have been given by him the following title: “Titus Flavius Clement’s
2 Stromata of Gnostic Notes on the True Philosophy.”77 The books entitled Hypotyposes78 are of the same number. In them he mentions Pantaenus79 by name as his teacher, and gives his opinions and traditions.
3 Besides these there is his Hortatory Discourse addressed to the Greeks;80 three books of a work entitled the Instructor;81 another with the title What Rich Man is Saved?82 the work on the Passover;83 discussions on Fasting and on Evil Speaking;84 the Hortatory Discourse on Patience, or To Those Recently Baptized;85 and the one bearing the title Ecclesiastical Canon, or Against the Judaizers,86 which he dedicated to Alexander, the bishop mentioned above.
4 In the Stromata, he has not only treated extensively87 of the Divine Scripture, but he also quotes from the Greek writers whenever anything that they have said seems to him profitable.
5 He elucidates the opinions of many, both Greeks and barbarians. He also refutes the false doctrines of the heresiarchs, and besides this, reviews a large portion of history, giving us specimens of very various learning; with all the rest he mingles the views of philosophers. It is likely that on this account he gave his work the appropriate title of Stromata.88
6 He makes use also in these works of testimonies from the disputed Scriptures,89 the so-called Wisdom of Solomon,90 and of Jesus, the son of Sirach, and the Epistle to the Hebrews,91 and those of Barnabas,92 and Clement93 and Jude.94 He mentions also Tatian’s95
155 7 Discourse to the Greeks, and speaks of Cassianus96 as the author of a chronological work. He refers to the Jewish authors Philo,97 Aristobulus,98 Josephus,99 Demetrius,100 and Eupolemus,101 as showing, all of them, in their works, that Moses and the Jewish race existed before the earliest origin of the Greeks.
8 These books abound also in much other learning. In the first of them102 the author speaks of himself as next after the successors of the apostles.
9 In them he promises also to write a commentary on Genesis.103 In his book on the Passover104 he acknowledges that he had been urged by his friends to commit to writing, for posterity, the traditions which he had heard from the ancient presbyters; and in the same work he mentions Melito and Irenaeus, and certain others, and gives extracts from their writings.
1 To sum up briefly, he has given in the Hypotyposes105 abridged accounts of all canonical Scripture, not omitting the disputed books,106 —I refer to Jude and the other Catholic epistles, and Barnabas107 and the so-called Apocalypse of Peter.108
2 He says that the Epistle to the Hebrews109 is the work of Paul, and that it was written to the Hebrews in the Hebrew language; but that Lc translated it carefully and published it for the Greeks, and hence the same style of expression is found in this epistle and in the Acts.
3 But he says that the words, Paul the Apostle, were probably not prefixed, because, in sending it to the Hebrews, who were prejudiced and suspicious of him, he wisely did not wish to repel them at the very beginning by giving his name.
4 Farther on he says: “But now, as the blessed presbyter said, since the Lord being the apostle of the Almighty, was sent to the Hebrews, Paul, as sent to the Gentiles, on account of his modesty did not subscribe himself an apostle of the Hebrews, through respect for the Lord, and because being a herald and apostle of the Gentiles he wrote to the Hebrews out of his superabundance.”
5 Again, in the same books, Clement gives the tradition of the earliest presbyters, as to the order of the Gospels, in the following manner:
6 The Gospels containing the genealogies, he says, were written first. The Gospel according to Mark110 had this occasion. As Peter had preached the Word publicly at Rome, and declared the Gospel by the Spirit, many who were present requested that Mark, who had followed him for a long time and remembered his sayings, should write them out. And having composed the Gospel he gave it to those who had requested it.
7 When Peter learned of this, he neither directly forbade nor encouraged it. But, last of all, John, perceiving that the external111 facts had been made plain in the Gospel, being urged by his friends, and inspired by the Spirit, composed a spiritual Gospel.112 This is the account of Clement.
156 8 Again the above-mentioned Alexander,113 in a certain letter to Origen, refers to Clement, and at the same time to Pantaenus, as being among his familiar acquaintances. He writes as follows:
“For this, as thou knowest, was the will of God, that the ancestral friendship existing between us should remain unshaken; nay, rather should be warmer and stronger.
9 For we know well those blessed fathers who have trodden the way before us, with whom we shall soon be;114 Pantaenus, the truly blessed man and master, and the holy Clement, my master and benefactor, and if there is any other like them, through whom I became acquainted with thee, the best in everything, my master and brother.”115
10 So much for these matters. But Adamantius,116 —for this also was a name of Origen,— when Zephyrinus117 was bishop of Rome, visited Rome, “desiring,” as he himself somewhere says, “to see the most ancient church of Rome.”
11 After a short stay there he returned to Alexandria. And he performed the duties of catechetical instruction there with great zeal; Demetrius, who was bishop there at that time, urging and even entreating him to work diligently for the benefit of the brethren.118
1 But when he saw that he had not time for the deeper study of divine things, and for the investigation and interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures, and also for the instruction of those who came to him,— for coming, one after another, from morning till evening to be taught by him, they scarcely gave him time to breathe,—he divided the multitude. And from those whom he knew well, he selected Heraclas, who was a zealous student of divine things, and in other respects a very learned man, not ignorant of philosophy, and made him his associate in the work of instruction. He entrusted to him the elementary training of beginners, but reserved for himself the teaching of those who were farther advanced.
1 So earnest and assiduous was Origen’s research into the divine words that he learned the Hebrew language,120 and procured as his own the original Hebrew Scriptures which were in the hands of the Jews. He investigated also the works of other translators of the Sacred Scriptures besides the Seventy.121 And in addition to the well-known translations of Aquila,122 Symmachus,123 and Theodotion,124 he discovered certain others which had been concealed from remote times,— in what out-of-the-way corners I know not,—and by his search he brought them to light.125
2 Since he did not know the authors, he simply stated that he had found this one in Nicopolis near Actium126 and that one in some other place.
3 In the Hexapla127 of the Psalms, after the four prominent translations, he adds not only a fifth, but also a sixth and seventh.128 He states of one of these that he found it in a jar in Jericho in the time of Antoninus, the son of Severus.
157 4 Having collected all of these, he divided them into sections, and placed them opposite each other, with the Hebrew text itself. He thus left us the copies of the so-called Hexapla. He arranged also separately an edition of Aquila and Symmachus and Theodotion with the Septuagint, in the Tetrapla.129
1 As to these translators it should be stated that Symmachus was an Ebionite. But the heresy of the Ebionites, as it is called, asserts that Christ was the son of Joseph and Mary, considering him a mere man, and insists strongly on keeping the law in a Jewish manner, as we have seen already in this history.131 Commentaries of Symmachus are still extant in which he appears to support this heresy by attacking the Gospel of Matthew.132 Origen states that he obtained these and other commentaries of Symmachus on the Scriptures from a certain Juliana,133 who, he says, received the books by inheritance from Symmachus himself.
1 About this time Ambrose,134 who held the heresy of Valentinus,135 was convinced by Origen’s presentation of the truth, and, as if hismind were illumined by light, he accepted the orthodox doctrine of the Church.
2 Many others also, drawn by the fame of Origen’s learning, which resounded everywhere, came to him to make trial of his skill in sacred literature. And a great many heretics, and not a few of the most distinguished philosophers, studied under him diligently, receiving instruction from him not only in divine things, but also in secular philosophy.
3 For when he perceived that any persons had superior intelligence he instructed them also in philosophic branches—in geometry, arithmetic, and other preparatory studies—and then advanced to the systems136 of the philosophers and explained their writings. And he made observations and comments upon each of them, so that he became celebrated as a great philosopher even among the Greeks themselves.
4 And he instructed many of the less learned in the common school branches,137 saying that these would be no small help to them in the study and understanding of the Divine Scriptures. On this account he considered it especially necessary for himself to be skilled in secular and philosophic learning.138
1 The Greek philosophers of his age are witnesses to his proficiency in these subjects. We find frequent mention of him in their writings. Sometimes they dedicated their own works to him; again, they submitted their labors to him as a teacher for his judgment.
2 Why need we say these things when even Porphyry,139 who lived in Sicily in our own times and wrote books against us, attempting to traduce the Divine Scriptures by them, mentions those who have interpreted them; and being unable in any way to find a base accusation against the doctrines, for lack of arguments turns to reviling and calumniating their interpreters, attempting especially to slander Origen, whom he says he knew in his youth.
158 3 But truly, without knowing it, he commends the man; telling the truth about him in some cases where he could not do otherwise; but uttering falsehoods where he thinks he will not be detected. Sometimes he accuses him as a Christian; again he describes his proficiency in philosophic learning. But hear his own words:
4 “Some persons, desiring to find a solution of the baseness of the Jewish Scriptures rather than abandon them, have had recourse to explanations inconsistent and incongruous with the words written, which explanations, instead of supplying a defense of the foreigners, contain rather approval and praise of themselves. For they boast that the plain words of Moses are enigmas, and regard them as oracles full of hidden mysteries; and having bewildered the mental judgment by folly, they make their explanations.” Farther on he says:
5 “As an example of this absurdity take a man whom I met when I was young, and who was then greatly celebrated and still is, on account of the writings which he has left. I refer to Origen, who is highly honored by the teachers of these doctrines.
6 For this man, having been a hearer of Ammonius,140 who had attained the greatest proficiency in philosophy of any in our day, derived much benefit from his teacher in the knowledge of the sciences; but as to the correct choice of life, he pursued a course opposite to his.
7 For Ammonius, being a Christian, and brought up by Christian parents, when he gave himself to study and to philosophy straightway conformed to the life required by the laws. But Origen, having been educated as a Greek in Greek literature, went over to the barbarian recklessness.141 And carrying over the learning which he had obtained, he hawked it about, in his life conducting himself as a Christian and contrary to the laws, but in his opinions of material things and of the Deity being like a Greek, and mingling Grecian teachings with foreign fables.142
8 For he was continually studying Plato, and he busied himself with the writings of Numenius143 and Cronius,144 Apollophanes,145 Longinus,146 Moderatus,147 and Nicomachus,148 and those famous among the Pythagoreans. And he used the books of Chaeremon149 the Stoic, and of Cornutus.150 Becoming acquainted through them with the figurative interpretation of the Grecian mysteries, he applied it to the Jewish Scriptures.”151
9 These things are said by Porphyry in the third book of his work against the Christians.152 He speaks truly of the industry and learning of the man, but plainly utters a falsehood (for what will not an opposer of Christians do?) when he says that he went over from the Greeks,153 and that Ammonius fell from a life of piety into heathen customs.
10 For the doctrine of Christ was taught to Origen by his parents, as we have shown above. And Ammonius held the divine philosophy unshaken and unadulterated to the end of his life.154 His works yet extant show this, as he is celebrated among many for the writings which he has left. For example, the work entitled The Harmony of Moses and Jesus, and such others as are in the possession of the learned.
11 These things are sufficient to evince the slander of the false accuser, and also the proficiency of Origen in Grecian learning. He defends his diligence in this direction against some who blamed him for it, in a certain epistle,155 where he writes as follows:
12 “When I devoted myself to the word, and the fame of my proficiency went abroad, and when heretics and persons conversant with Grecian learning, and particularly with philosophy, came to me, it seemed necessary that I should examine the doctrines of the heretics, and what the philosophers say concerning the truth.
13 And in this we have followed Pantaenus,156 who benefited many before our time by his thorough preparation in such things, and also Heraclas,157 who is now a member of the presbytery of Alexandria. I found him with the teacher of philosophic learning, with whom he had already continued five years before I began to hear lectures on those subjects.158
159 14 And though he had formerly worn the common dress, he laid it aside and assumed and still wears the philosopher’s garment;159 and he continues the earnest investigation of Greek works.”
(He says these things in defending himself for his study of Grecian literature.
15 About this time, while he was still at Alexandria, a soldier came and delivered a letter from the governor of Arabia160 to Demetrius, bishop of the parish, and to the prefect of Egypt who was in office at that time, requesting that they would with all speed send Origen to him for an interview. Being sent by them, he went to Arabia. And having in a short time accomplished the object of his visit, he returned to Alexandria.
16 But sometime after a considerable war broke out in the city,161 and he departed from Alexandria. And thinking that it would be unsafe for him to remain in Egypt, he went to Palestine and abode in Caesarea. While there the bishops of the church in that country162 requested him to preach and expound the Scriptures publicly, although he had not yet been ordained as presbyter.163
17 This is evident from what Alexander,164 bishop of Jerusalem and Theoctistus165 of Caesarea, wrote to Demetrius166 in regard to the matter, defending themselves thus:
“He has stated in his letter that such a thing was never heard of before, neither has hitherto taken place, that laymen should preach in the presence of bishops. I know not how he comes to say what is plainly untrue.
18 For whenever persons able to instruct the brethren are found, they are exhorted by the holy bishops to preach to the people. Thus in Laranda, Euelpis by Neon; and in Iconium, Paulinus by Celsus; and in Synada, Theodorus by Atticus, our blessed brethren.167 And probably this has been done in other places unknown to us.”
(He was honored in this manner while yet a young man, not only by his countrymen, but also by foreign bishops.168
19 But Demetrius sent for him by letter, and urged him through members and deacons of the church to return to Alexandria. So he returned and resumed his accustomed duties.
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