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| Of Diocletian, who ignobly abdicated the Imperial Throne, and was terrified by the Dread of Lightning for his Persecution of the Church.
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Chapter XXV.—Of
Diocletian, who ignobly abdicated3488
| 3488 Cf. Prolegomena, Life. | the Imperial Throne, and was
terrified by the Dread of Lightning for his Persecution of the
Church.
Diocletian, however, after the display of relentless cruelty as a
persecutor, evinced a consciousness of his own guilt and owing to the
affliction of a disordered mind, endured the confinement of a mean and
separate dwelling.3489
| 3489 [The derangement of Diocletian appears to have been temporary
only. The causes of his abdication are not very clearly ascertained;
but he seems to have meditated the step a considerable time previously.
See Gibbon, ch. 13, and the note of
Valesius.—Bag.] | What then,
did he gain by his active hostility against our God? Simply this I
believe, that he passed the residue of his life in continual dread of
the lightning’s stroke. Nicomedia attests the fact; eyewitnesses,
of whom I myself am one, declare it. The palace, and the
emperor’s private chamber were destroyed, consumed by lightning,
devoured by the fire of heaven. Men of understanding hearts had indeed
predicted the issue of such conduct; for they could not keep silence,
nor conceal their grief at such unworthy deeds; but boldly and openly
expressed their feeling, saying one to another: “What madness is
this? and what an insolent abuse of power, that man should dare to
fight against God; should deliberately insult the most holy and just of
all religions; and plan, without the slightest provocation, the
destruction of so great a multitude of righteous persons? O rare
example of moderation to his subjects! Worthy instructor of his army in
the care and protection due to their fellow-citizens! Men who had never
seen the backs of a retreating army plunged their swords into the
breasts of their own countrymen!” So great was the effusion of
blood shed, that if shed in battle with barbarian enemies, it had been
sufficient to purchase a perpetual peace.3490
| 3490 Valesius and Hein., in his
first edition, and Bag. read this transposed thus,
“…severe damage to the state, and an effusion of blood;
which, if shed,” etc. But Val. suggests, and Heinichen
adopts in his second edition, that the whole sentence should be
transposed as above. | At length,
indeed, the providence of God took vengeance on these unhallowed deeds;
but not without severe damage to the state. For the entire army of the
emperor of whom I have just spoken, becoming subject to the authority
of a worthless person,3491
| 3491 [“He means Maxentius, as appears from what follows. How
Diocletian’s army came under the command of Maxentius, it is not
difficult to understand. After Diocletian’s abdication, Galerius
Maximian took the command of his forces, giving part to Severus
Cæsar for the defence of Italy. Shortly afterwards, Maxentius
having usurped the Imperial power at Rome, Galerius sent Severus
against him with his forces. Maxentius, however, fraudulently and by
promises corrupted and drew to his own side Severus’s army. After
this, Galerius, having marched against Maxentius with a more numerous
force, was himself in like manner deserted by his troops. Thus the army
of Diocletian came under the power of Maxentius” (Valesius ad
loc.).—Bag.] | who had
violently usurped the supreme authority at Rome (when the providence of
God restored freedom to that great city), was destroyed in several
successive battles. And when we remember the cries with which those who
were oppressed, and who ardently longed for their native liberty
implored the help of God; and their praise and thanksgiving to him on
the removal of the evils under which they had groaned, when that
liberty was regained, and free and equitable intercourse restored: do
not these things every way afford convincing proofs of the providence
of God, and his affectionate regard for the interests of
mankind?E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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