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BUT while he was lecturing in the school, as he tells us himself,
and there was no one at Alexandria to give instruction in the faith,
as all were driven away by the threat of persecution, some of the
heathen came to him to hear the word of God. The first of them, he
says, was Plutarch, who after living well, was honored with divine
martyrdom. The second was Heracles, a brother of Plutarch; who
after he too had given with him abundant evidence of a philosophic ad
ascetic life, was esteemed worthy to succeed Demetrius in the
bishopric of Alexandria. He was in his eighteenth year when he took
charge of the catechetical school. He was prominent also at this
time, during the persecution under Aquila, the governor of
Alexandria, when his name became celebrated among the leaders in the
faith, through the kindness and goodwill which he manifested toward all
the holy martyrs, whether known to him or strangers. For not only was
he with them while in bonds, and until their final condemnation, but
when the holy martyrs were led to death, he was very bold and went with
them into danger. So that as he acted bravely, and with great
boldness saluted the martyrs with a kiss, oftentimes the heathen
multitude round about them became infuriated, and were on the point of
rushing upon him. But through the helping hand of God, he escaped
absolutely and marvelously. And this same divine and heavenly power,
again and again, it is impossible to say how often, on account of his
great zeal and boldness for the words of Christ, guarded him when thus
endangered. So great was the enmity of the unbelievers toward him, on
account of the multitude that were instructed by him in the sacred
faith, that they placed bands of soldiers around the house where he
abode. 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. For they say that his manner of life was as his
doctrine, and his doctrine as his life. Therefore, by the divine
Power working with him he aroused a great many to his own zeal. 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, and forthwith he
gave up his grammatical school as unprofitable and a hindrance to sacred
learning. 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. For many years he lived philosophically 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. 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, nor to occupy oneself with cares for
the future. With a zeal beyond his age he continued in col and
nakedness; and, going to the very extreme of poverty, he greatly
astonished those about him. And indeed he grieved may 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. 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.
By giving such evidences of a philosophic life to those who saw him,,
he aroused may 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 hi 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.
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