46. Next morning, however,
Archelaus suddenly made his appearance at this residence2008
| 2008
Castellum. [Note, infra, the “holy
kiss.”] |
in which Diodorus
was staying, before any one was yet stirring abroad. Manes
accordingly, all unconscious of the fact that
Archelaus was now on the
spot again, challenged Diodorus publicly to engage in a disputation
with him; his intention being to
crush him with a verbal display,
because he perceived that he was a man of a simple
nature, and not very
deeply
learned in
questions concerning the Scriptures. For he had
now had a
taste of the
doctrine of
Archelaus. When, therefore,
the multitudes had again collected in the place usually set apart for
the disputation, and when Manes had just begun to reason, all on a
sudden
Archelaus appeared among them, and embraced Diodorus, and
saluted him with an holy
kiss. Then truly were Diodorus, and all
those who were present, filled with wonder at the dispensation of
divine providence which thus
provided that
Archelaus should arrive
among them at the very time when the
question was
just raised;
for in reality, as must be confessed, Diodorus, with all his
religiousness, had been somewhat afraid of the
conflict. But when
Manes caught sight of
Archelaus, he at once drew back from his
insulting attitude; and with his
pride cast down not a little, he made
it quite plain that he would gladly
flee from the contest. The
multitude of hearers, however, looked upon the arrival of
Archelaus as
something like the
advent of an
apostle, because he had shown himself
so thoroughly furnished, and so prompt and ready for a defence
of
the truth by
speech. Accordingly, after demanding
silence
from the people by a wave of his right
hand,—
for no
inconsiderable tumult had arisen,—
Archelaus began an address
in the following terms:—Although some amongst us have
gained the
honour of
wisdom and the meed of
glory, yet this I beg of you, that you
retain in your minds the
testimony of those things which have been said
before my arrival.
2009
| 2009 The text
runs: “tametsi prudentiam, gloriam etiam, nostrorum
nonnulli assecuti sunt, tamen hoc vos deprecor ut eorum quæ ante
me dicta sunt, testimonium reservetis.” Routh suggests
prudentia = Although by their prudence some have gained glory,
etc. |
For I know and am certain,
brethren, that
I now take the place of Diodorus, not on account of any impossibilities
attaching to him,
2010
| 2010 Pro
ipsius impossibilitate. But Routh suggests that the
impossibiIitate is just an inexact translation of the
ἀδυνατία =
impotentia, incapacity, which may have stood in the Greek
text. |
but because I
came to know this person here at a previous time, when he made his way
with his
wicked designs into the parts where I reside, by the favour of
Marcellus,
2011
| 2011 Reading
“Marcelli viri illustris gratia.” The Codex
Casinensis has, “viri in legis gratia.” |
that man of
illustrious name, whom he endeavoured to turn aside from our
doctrine
and
faith, with the object, to wit, of making him an effective
supporter of this impious teaching. Nevertheless, in spite of all
his plausible addresses, he
failed to move him or turn him aside from
the
faith in any one particular. For this most
devout Marcellus
was only found to be like the
rock on which the
house was built with
the most solid
foundations; and when the rain descended, and the
floods
and the
winds burst in and beat upon that
house, it stood firm:
for it had been built on the most solid and immoveable
foundations.
2012
And the
attempt thus made by this person who is now before you, brought
dishonour rather than
glory upon himself. Moreover, it does not
seem to me that he can be very excusable if he
proves to be ignorant of
what is in the future; for surely he ought to know beforehand those who
are on his own side: certainly he should have this measure of
knowledge, if it be true indeed that the Spirit of the Paraclete dwells
in him. But inasmuch as he is really a person
blinded with the
darkness of ignorance, he
ran in
vain when he journeyed to Marcellus,
and he did but show himself to be like the stargazer,
2013
| 2013 The
text gives “similis facere astrologo,” for which Routh
proposes “similis factus est,” etc. |
who busies himself with describing things
celestial, while all the time he is ignorant of what is passing in his
own
home. But lest it should appear as if I were setting aside
the
question in
hand by speaking in this strain, I shall now refrain
from such
discourse. And I shall also give this man the privilege
of taking up any point which may suit him best as a commencement to any
treatment of the subject and the question. And to you, as I have
said already, I only address the request that ye be impartial judges,
so as to give to him who speaks the truth the proper honour and the
palm.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
