Chapter XLII.
Apollonius, [2451] a Roman senator under the emperor Commodus, having been denounced by a slave as a Christian, gained permission to give a reason for his faith and wrote a remarkable volume which he read in the senate, yet none the less, by the will of the senate, he was beheaded for Christ by virtue of an ancient law among them, that Christians who had once been brought before their judgment seat should not be dismissed unless they recanted.
[2451] Died about 185.
Chapter XLIII.
Theophilus, [2452] bishop of Cæsarea in Palestine, the city formerly called Turris Stratonis, in the reign of the emperor Severus wrote, in conjunction with other bishops, a synodical letter of great utility against those who celebrated the passover with the Jews on the fourteenth day of the month.
[2452] Died about 190.
Chapter XLIV.
Bacchylus, [2453] bishop of Corinth, was held in renown under the same emperor Severus, and wrote, as representative of all the bishops who were in Achaia, an elegant work On the passover.
[2453] Bishop about 190-200.
Chapter XLV.
Polycrates [2454] bishop of the Ephesians with other bishops of Asia who in accordance with some ancient custom celebrated the passover with the Jews on the fourteenth of the month, wrote a synodical letter against Victor bishop of Rome in which he says that he follows the authority of the apostle John and of the ancients. From this we make the following brief quotations, "We therefore celebrate the day according to usage, inviolably, neither adding anything to nor taking anything from it, for in Asia lie the remains of the greatest saints of those who shall rise again on the day of the Lord, when he shall come in majesty from heaven and shall quicken all the saints, I mean Philip one of the twelve apostles who sleeps at Hierapolis and his two daughters who were virgins until their death and another daughter of his who died at Ephesus full of the Holy Spirit. And John too, who lay on Our Lord's breast and was his high priest carrying the golden frontlet on his forehead, both martyr and doctor, fell asleep at Ephesus and Polycarp bishop and martyr died at Smyrna. Thraseas of Eumenia also, bishop and martyr, rests in the same Smyrna. What need is there of mentioning Sagaris, bishop and martyr, who sleeps in Laodicea and the blessed Papyrus and Melito, eunuch in the Holy Spirit, who, ever serving the Lord, was laid to rest in Sardis and there awaits his resurrection at Christ's advent. These all observed the day of the passover on the fourteenth of the month, in nowise departing from the evangelical tradition and following the ecclesiastical canon. I also, Polycrates, the least of all your servants, according to the doctrine of my relatives which I also have followed (for there were seven of my relatives bishops indeed and I the eighth) have always celebrated the passover when the Jewish people celebrated the putting away of the leaven. And so brethren being sixty-five years old in the Lord and instructed by many brethren from all parts of the world, and having searched all the Scriptures, I will not fear those who threaten us, for my predecessors said "It is fitting to obey God rather than men." I quote this to show through a small example the genius and authority of the man. He flourished in the reign of the emperor Severus in the same period as Narcissus of Jerusalem.
[2454] Bishop about 196.
Chapter XLVI.
Heraclitus [2455] in the reign of Commodus and Severus wrote commentaries on the Acts and Epistles.
[2455] Flourished about 193.
Chapter XLVII.
Maximus, [2456] under the same emperors propounded in a remarkable volume the famous questions, What is the origin of evil? and Whether matter is made by God.
[2456] Bishop of Jerusalem 185.
Chapter XLVIII.
Candidus [2457] under the above mentioned emperors published most admirable treatises On the six days of creation.
[2457] Flourished about 196.
Chapter XLIX.
Appion [2458] under the emperor Severus likewise wrote treatises On the six days of creation.
[2458] Flourished about 196.
Chapter L.
Sextus [2459] in the reign of the emperor Severus wrote a book On the resurrection.
[2459] Flourished about 196.