[Footnote74:Asaspecimenoftheselegends，wemaybesatisfiedwith10，000Christiansoldierscrucifiedinoneday，eitherbyTrajanorHadrianonMountArarat。SeeBaroniusadMartyrologiumRomanum；Tillemont，Mem。Ecclesiast。tom。ii。partii。p。438；
andGeddes\'sMiscellanies，vol。ii。p。203。TheabbreviationofMil。，whichmaysignifyeithersoldiersorthousands，issaidtohaveoccasionedsomeextraordinarymistakes。]
[Footnote75:Dionysiusap。Eusebl。vi。c。41Oneoftheseventeenwaslikewiseaccusedofrobbery。
Note:Gibbonoughttohavesaid，wasfalselyaccusedofrobbery，forsoitisintheGreektext。ThisChristian，namedNemesion，falselyaccusedofrobberybeforethecenturion，wasacquittedofacrimealtogetherforeigntohischaracter，buthewasledbeforethegovernorasguiltyofbeingaChristian，andthegovernorinflicteduponhimadoubletorture。Euseb。loc。
cit。Itmustbeadded，thatSaintDionysiusonlymakesparticularmentionoftheprincipalmartyrs，[thisisverydoubtful。—M。]andthathesays，ingeneral，thatthefuryofthePagansagainsttheChristiansgavetoAlexandriatheappearanceofacitytakenbystorm。[Thisreferstoplunderandillusage，nottoactualslaughter。—M。]FinallyitshouldbeobservedthatOrigenwrotebeforethepersecutionoftheemperorDecius。—G。]
Duringthesameperiodofpersecution，thezealous，theeloquent，theambitiousCypriangovernedthechurch，notonlyofCarthage，butevenofAfrica。Hepossessedeveryqualitywhichcouldengagethereverenceofthefaithful，orprovokethesuspicionsandresentmentofthePaganmagistrates。Hischaracteraswellashisstationseemedtomarkoutthatholyprelateasthemostdistinguishedobjectofenvyanddanger。^76Theexperience，however，ofthelifeofCyprian，issufficienttoprovethatourfancyhasexaggeratedtheperiloussituationofaChristianbishop；andthedangerstowhichhewasexposedwerelessimminentthanthosewhichtemporalambitionisalwayspreparedtoencounterinthepursuitofhonors。FourRomanemperors，withtheirfamilies，theirfavorites，andtheiradherents，perishedbytheswordinthespaceoftenyears，duringwhichthebishopofCarthageguidedbyhisauthorityandeloquencethecouncilsoftheAfricanchurch。Itwasonlyinthethirdyearofhisadministration，thathehadreason，duringafewmonths，toapprehendthesevereedictsofDecius，thevigilanceofthemagistrateandtheclamorsofthemultitude，wholoudlydemanded，thatCyprian，theleaderoftheChristians，shouldbethrowntothelions。Prudencesuggestedthenecessityofatemporaryretreat，andthevoiceofprudencewasobeyed。Hewithdrewhimselfintoanobscuresolitude，fromwhencehecouldmaintainaconstantcorrespondencewiththeclergyandpeopleofCarthage；and，concealinghimselftillthetempestwaspast，hepreservedhislife，withoutrelinquishingeitherhispowerorhisreputation。Hisextremecautiondidnot，however，escapethecensureofthemorerigidChristians，wholamented，orthereproachesofhispersonalenemies，whoinsulted，aconductwhichtheyconsideredasapusillanimousandcriminaldesertionofthemostsacredduty。^77Theproprietyofreservinghimselfforthefutureexigenciesofthechurch，theexampleofseveralholybishops，^78andthedivineadmonitions，which，ashedeclareshimself，hefrequentlyreceivedinvisionsandecstacies，werethereasonsallegedinhisjustification。^79Buthisbestapologymaybefoundinthecheerfulresolution，withwhich，abouteightyearsafterwards，hesuffereddeathinthecauseofreligion。Theauthentichistoryofhismartyrdomhasbeenrecordedwithunusualcandorandimpartiality。Ashortabstract，therefore，ofitsmostimportantcircumstances，willconveytheclearestinformationofthespirit，andoftheforms，oftheRomanpersecutions。^80
[Footnote76:ThelettersofCyprianexhibitaverycuriousandoriginalpicturebothofthemanandofthetimes。SeelikewisethetwolivesofCyprian，composedwithequalaccuracy，thoughwithverydifferentviews；theonebyLeClercBibliothequeUniverselle，tom。xii。p。208—378，theotherbyTillemont，MemoiresEcclesiastiques，tom。ivparti。p。76—459。]
[Footnote77:SeethepolitebutsevereepistleoftheclergyofRometothebishopofCarthage。Cyprian。Epist。8，9。Pontiuslaborswiththegreatestcareanddiligencetojustifyhismasteragainstthegeneralcensure。]
[Footnote78:InparticularthoseofDionysiusofAlexandria，andGregoryThaumaturgus，ofNeo—Caesarea。SeeEuseb。Hist。
Ecclesiast。l。vi。c。40；andMemoiresdeTillemont，tom。iv。
partii。p。685。]
[Footnote79:SeeCyprian。Epist。16，andhislifebyPontius。]
[Footnote80:WehaveanoriginallifeofCyprianbythedeaconPontius，thecompanionofhisexile，andthespectatorofhisdeath；andwelikewisepossesstheancientproconsularactsofhismartyrdom。Thesetworelationsareconsistentwitheachother，andwithprobability；andwhatissomewhatremarkable，theyarebothunsulliedbyanymiraculouscircumstances。]
ChapterXVI:ConductTowardsTheChristians，FromNeroToConstantine。
PartIV。
WhenValerianwasconsulforthethird，andGallienusforthefourthtime，Paternus，proconsulofAfrica，summonedCypriantoappearinhisprivatecouncil—chamber。HethereacquaintedhimwiththeImperialmandatewhichhehadjustreceived，^81
thatthosewhohadabandonedtheRomanreligionshouldimmediatelyreturntothepracticeoftheceremoniesoftheirancestors。Cyprianrepliedwithouthesitation，thathewasaChristianandabishop，devotedtotheworshipofthetrueandonlyDeity，towhomheoffereduphisdailysupplicationsforthesafetyandprosperityofthetwoemperors，hislawfulsovereigns。
Withmodestconfidencehepleadedtheprivilegeofacitizen，inrefusingtogiveanyanswertosomeinvidiousandindeedillegalquestionswhichtheproconsulhadproposed。AsentenceofbanishmentwaspronouncedasthepenaltyofCyprian\'sdisobedience；andhewasconductedwithoutdelaytoCurubis，afreeandmaritimecityofZeugitania，inapleasantsituation，afertileterritory，andatthedistanceofaboutfortymilesfromCarthage。^82Theexiledbishopenjoyedtheconveniencesoflifeandtheconsciousnessofvirtue。HisreputationwasdiffusedoverAfricaandItaly；anaccountofhisbehaviorwaspublishedfortheedificationoftheChristianworld；^83andhissolitudewasfrequentlyinterruptedbytheletters，thevisits，andthecongratulationsofthefaithful。OnthearrivalofanewproconsulintheprovincethefortuneofCyprianappearedforsometimetowearastillmorefavorableaspect。Hewasrecalledfrombanishment；andthoughnotyetpermittedtoreturntoCarthage，hisowngardensintheneighborhoodofthecapitalwereassignedfortheplaceofhisresidence。^84
[Footnote81:Itshouldseemthatthesewerecircularorders，sentatthesametimetoallthegovernors。Dionysiusap。
Euseb。l。vii。c。11relatesthehistoryofhisownbanishmentfromAlexandriaalmostinthesamemanner。Butasheescapedandsurvivedthepersecution，wemustaccounthimeithermoreorlessfortunatethanCyprian。]
[Footnote82:SeePlin。Hist。Natur。v。3。Cellarius，Geograph。
Antiq。partiii。p。96。Shaw\'sTravels，p。90；andfortheadjacentcountry，whichisterminatedbyCapeBona，orthepromontoryofMercury，l\'AfriquedeMarmol。tom。ii。p。494。
TherearetheremainsofanaqueductnearCurubis，orCurbis，atpresentalteredintoGurbes；andDr。Shawreadaninscription，whichstylesthatcityColoniaFulvia。ThedeaconPontiusinVit。Cyprian。c。12callsit\"Apricumetcompetentemlocum，hospitiumprovoluntatesecretum，etquicquidapponieisantepromissumest，quiregnumetjustitiamDeiquaerunt。\"]
[Footnote83:SeeCyprian。Epistol。77，edit。Fell。]
[Footnote84:Uponhisconversion，hehadsoldthosegardensforthebenefitofthepoor。TheindulgenceofGodmostprobablytheliberalityofsomeChristianfriendrestoredthemtoCyprian。SeePontius，c。15。]
Atlength，exactlyoneyear^85afterCyprianwasfirstapprehended，GaleriusMaximus，proconsulofAfrica，receivedtheImperialwarrantfortheexecutionoftheChristianteachers。
ThebishopofCarthagewassensiblethatheshouldbesingledoutforoneofthefirstvictims；andthefrailtyofnaturetemptedhimtowithdrawhimself，byasecretflight，fromthedangerandthehonorofmartyrdom；butsoonrecoveringthatfortitudewhichhischaracterrequired，hereturnedtohisgardens，andpatientlyexpectedtheministersofdeath。Twoofficersofrank，whowereintrustedwiththatcommission，placedCyprianbetweentheminachariot，andastheproconsulwasnotthenatleisure，theyconductedhim，nottoaprison，buttoaprivatehouseinCarthage，whichbelongedtooneofthem。Anelegantsupperwasprovidedfortheentertainmentofthebishop，andhisChristianfriendswerepermittedforthelasttimetoenjoyhissociety，whilstthestreetswerefilledwithamultitudeofthefaithful，anxiousandalarmedattheapproachingfateoftheirspiritualfather。^86Inthemorningheappearedbeforethetribunaloftheproconsul，who，afterinforminghimselfofthenameandsituationofCyprian，commandedhimtooffersacrifice，andpressedhimtoreflectontheconsequencesofhisdisobedience。TherefusalofCyprianwasfirmanddecisive；andthemagistrate，whenhehadtakentheopinionofhiscouncil，pronouncedwithsomereluctancethesentenceofdeath。Itwasconceivedinthefollowingterms:
\"ThatThasciusCyprianusshouldbeimmediatelybeheaded，astheenemyofthegodsofRome，andasthechiefandringleaderofacriminalassociation，whichhehadseducedintoanimpiousresistanceagainstthelawsofthemostholyemperors，ValerianandGallienus。\"^87Themannerofhisexecutionwasthemildestandleastpainfulthatcouldbeinflictedonapersonconvictedofanycapitaloffence；norwastheuseoftortureadmittedtoobtainfromthebishopofCarthageeithertherecantationofhisprinciplesorthediscoveryofhisaccomplices。
[Footnote85:WhenCyprian；atwelvemonthbefore，wassentintoexile，hedreamtthatheshouldbeputtodeaththenextday。
Theeventmadeitnecessarytoexplainthatword，assignifyingayear。Pontius，c。12。]
[Footnote*:Thiswasnot，asitappears，themotivewhichinducedSt。Cypriantoconcealhimselfforashorttime；hewasthreatenedtobecarriedtoUtica；hepreferredremainingatCarthage，inordertosuffermartyrdominthemidstofhisflock，andinorderthathisdeathmightconducetotheedificationofthosewhomhehadguidedduringlife。Such，atleast，ishisownexplanationofhisconductinoneofhisletters:Cumperlatumadnosfuisset，fratrescarissimi，frumentariosessemissosquimeUticamperducerent，consilioquecarissimorumpersuasumest，utdehortisinterimrecederemus，justaintervenientecausa，consensi；eoquodcongruatepiscopumineacivitate，inquaEcclesiaedominicaepraeest，illie。DominumconfiterietplebemuniversampraepositipraesentisconfessioneclarificariEp。83。—
G]
[Footnote86:Pontiusc。15acknowledgesthatCyprian，withwhomhesupped，passedthenightcustodiadelicata。Thebishopexercisedalastandveryproperactofjurisdiction，bydirectingthattheyoungerfemales，whowatchedinthestreets，shouldberemovedfromthedangersandtemptationsofanocturnalcrowd。Act。Preconsularia，c。2。]
[Footnote87:SeetheoriginalsentenceintheActs，c。4；andinPontius，c。17Thelatterexpressesitinamorerhetoricalmanner。]
Assoonasthesentencewasproclaimed，ageneralcryof\"Wewilldiewithhim，\"aroseatonceamongthelisteningmultitudeofChristianswhowaitedbeforethepalacegates。ThegenerouseffusionsoftheirzealandtheiraffectionwereneitherserviceabletoCypriannordangeroustothemselves。Hewasledawayunderaguardoftribunesandcenturions，withoutresistanceandwithoutinsult，totheplaceofhisexecution，aspaciousandlevelplainnearthecity，whichwasalreadyfilledwithgreatnumbersofspectators。Hisfaithfulpresbytersanddeaconswerepermittedtoaccompanytheirholybishop。Theyassistedhiminlayingasidehisuppergarment，spreadlinenonthegroundtocatchthepreciousrelicsofhisblood，andreceivedhisorderstobestowfive—and—twentypiecesofgoldontheexecutioner。Themartyrthencoveredhisfacewithhishands，andatoneblowhisheadwasseparatedfromhisbody。HiscorpseremainedduringsomehoursexposedtothecuriosityoftheGentiles:butinthenightitwasremoved，andtransportedinatriumphalprocession，andwithasplendidillumination，totheburial—placeoftheChristians。ThefuneralofCyprianwaspubliclycelebratedwithoutreceivinganyinterruptionfromtheRomanmagistrates；
andthoseamongthefaithful，whohadperformedthelastofficestohispersonandhismemory，weresecurefromthedangerofinquiryorofpunishment。Itisremarkable，thatofsogreatamultitudeofbishopsintheprovinceofAfrica，Cyprianwasthefirstwhowasesteemedworthytoobtainthecrownofmartyrdom。
^88
[Footnote*:ThereisnothinginthelifeofSt。Cyprian，byPontius，norintheancientmanuscripts，whichcanmakeussupposethatthepresbytersanddeaconsintheirclericalcharacter，andknowntobesuch，hadthepermissiontoattendtheirholybishop。Settingasideallreligiousconsiderations，itisimpossiblenottobesurprisedatthekindofcomplaisancewithwhichthehistorianhereinsists，infavorofthepersecutors，onsomemitigatingcircumstancesallowedatthedeathofamanwhoseonlycrimewasmaintaininghisownopinionswithfranknessandcourage。—G。]
[Footnote88:Pontius，c。19。M。deTillemontMemoires，tom。
iv。parti。p。450，note50isnotpleasedwithsopositiveanexclusionofanyformermartyroftheepiscopalrank。
Note:M。de。Tillemont，asanhonestwriter，explainsthedifficultieswhichhefeltaboutthetextofPontius，andconcludesbydistinctlystating，thatwithoutdoubtthereissomemistake，andthatPontiusmusthavemeantonlyAfricaMinororCarthage；forSt。Cyprian，inhis58th69thletteraddressedtoPupianus，speaksexpresslyofmanybishopshiscolleagues，quiproscriptisunt，velapprehensiincarcereetcatenisfuerunt；
autquiinexiliumrelegati，illustriitinereedDominumprofectisunt；autquiquibusdamlocisanimadversi，coelesescoronasdeDominiclarificationesumpserunt。—G。]
ItwasinthechoiceofCyprian，eithertodieamartyr，ortoliveanapostate；butonthechoicedependedthealternativeofhonororinfamy。CouldwesupposethatthebishopofCarthagehademployedtheprofessionoftheChristianfaithonlyastheinstrumentofhisavariceorambition，itwasstillincumbentonhimtosupportthecharacterhehadassumed；^89andifhepossessedthesmallestdegreeofmanlyfortitude，rathertoexposehimselftothemostcrueltortures，thanbyasingleacttoexchangethereputationofawholelife，fortheabhorrenceofhisChristianbrethren，andthecontemptoftheGentileworld。
ButifthezealofCyprianwassupportedbythesincereconvictionofthetruthofthosedoctrineswhichhepreached，thecrownofmartyrdommusthaveappearedtohimasanobjectofdesireratherthanofterror。ItisnoteasytoextractanydistinctideasfromthevaguethougheloquentdeclamationsoftheFathers，ortoascertainthedegreeofimmortalgloryandhappinesswhichtheyconfidentlypromisedtothosewhoweresofortunateastoshedtheirbloodinthecauseofreligion。^90
Theyinculcatedwithbecomingdiligence，thatthefireofmartyrdomsuppliedeverydefectandexpiatedeverysin；thatwhilethesoulsofordinaryChristianswereobligedtopassthroughaslowandpainfulpurification，thetriumphantsufferersenteredintotheimmediatefruitionofeternalbliss，where，inthesocietyofthepatriarchs，theapostles，andtheprophets，theyreignedwithChrist，andactedashisassessorsintheuniversaljudgmentofmankind。Theassuranceofalastingreputationuponearth，amotivesocongenialtothevanityofhumannature，oftenservedtoanimatethecourageofthemartyrs。
ThehonorswhichRomeorAthensbestowedonthosecitizenswhohadfalleninthecauseoftheircountry，werecoldandunmeaningdemonstrationsofrespect，whencomparedwiththeardentgratitudeanddevotionwhichtheprimitivechurchexpressedtowardsthevictoriouschampionsofthefaith。Theannualcommemorationoftheirvirtuesandsufferingswasobservedasasacredceremony，andatlengthterminatedinreligiousworship。
AmongtheChristianswhohadpubliclyconfessedtheirreligiousprinciples，thosewhoasitveryfrequentlyhappenedhadbeendismissedfromthetribunalortheprisonsofthePaganmagistrates，obtainedsuchhonorsaswerejustlyduetotheirimperfectmartyrdomandtheirgenerousresolution。Themostpiousfemalescourtedthepermissionofimprintingkissesonthefetterswhichtheyhadworn，andonthewoundswhichtheyhadreceived。Theirpersonswereesteemedholy，theirdecisionswereadmittedwithdeference，andtheytoooftenabused，bytheirspiritualprideandlicentiousmanners，thepreeminencewhichtheirzealandintrepidityhadacquired。^91Distinctionslikethese，whilsttheydisplaytheexaltedmerit，betraytheinconsiderablenumberofthosewhosuffered，andofthosewhodied，fortheprofessionofChristianity。
[Footnote89:WhateveropinionwemayentertainofthecharacterorprinciplesofThomasBecket，wemustacknowledgethathesuffereddeathwithaconstancynotunworthyoftheprimitivemartyrs。SeeLordLyttleton\'sHistoryofHenryII。vol。ii。p。
592，&c。]
[Footnote90:SeeinparticularthetreatiseofCypriandeLapsis，p。87—98，edit。Fell。ThelearningofDodwellDissertat。Cyprianic。xii。xiii。，andtheingenuityofMiddleton，FreeInquiry，p。162，&c。，haveleftscarcelyanythingtoaddconcerningthemerit，thehonors，andthemotivesofthemartyrs。]
[Footnote91:Cyprian。Epistol。5，6，7，22，24；anddeUnitat。
Ecclesiae。Thenumberofpretendedmartyrshasbeenverymuchmultiplied，bythecustomwhichwasintroducedofbestowingthathonorablenameonconfessors。
Note:M。GuizotdeniesthatthelettersofCyprian，towhichherefers，bearoutthestatementinthetext。IcannotscrupletoadmittheaccuracyofGibbon\'squotation。Totakeonlythefifthletter，wefindthispassage:Doleoenimquandoaudioquosdamimprobeetinsolenterdiscurrere，etadineptianveladdiscordiasvacare，ChristimembraetjamChristumconfessaperconcubitusillicitosinquinari，necadiaconisautpresbyterisregiposse，sedidagereutperpaucorumpravosetmalosmores，multorumetbonorumconfessorumgloriahonestamaculetur。