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Circular Letter.
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To his fellow-ministers in every place, beloved
lords, Athanasius sends health in the Lord.
§1. The whole Church affected by what has
occurred.
Our sufferings have been dreadful beyond
endurance, and it is impossible to describe them in suitable terms; but
in order that the dreadful nature of the events which have taken place
may be more readily apprehended, I have thought it good to remind you
of a history out of the Scriptures. It happened that a certain Levite444
was injured in the person of his wife; and,
when he considered the exceeding greatness of the pollution (for the
woman was a Hebrew, and of the tribe of Judah), being astounded at the
outrage which had been committed against him, he divided his
wife’s body, as the Holy Scripture relates in the Book of Judges,
and sent a part of it to every tribe in Israel, in order that it might
be understood that an injury like this pertained not to himself only,
but extended to all alike; and that, if the people sympathised with him
in his sufferings, they might avenge him; or if they neglected to do
so, might bear the disgrace of being considered thenceforth as
themselves guilty of the wrong. The messengers whom he sent related
what had happened; and they that heard and saw it, declared that such
things had never been done from the day that the children of Israel
came up out of Egypt. So every tribe of Israel was moved, and all came
together against the offenders, as though they had themselves been the
sufferers; and at last the perpetrators of this iniquity were destroyed
in war, and became a curse in the mouths of all: for the assembled
people considered not their kindred blood, but regarded only the crime
they had committed. You know the history, brethren, and the particular
account of the circumstances given in Scripture. I will not therefore
describe them more in detail, since I write to persons acquainted with
them, and as I am anxious to represent to your piety our present
circumstances, which are even worse than those to which I have
referred. For my object in reminding you of this history is this, that
you may compare those ancient transactions with what has happened to us
now, and perceiving how much these last exceed the other in cruelty,
may be filled with greater indignation on account of them, than were
the people of old against those offenders. For the treatment we have
undergone surpasses the bitterness of any persecution; and the calamity
of the Levite was but small, when compared with the enormities which
have now been committed against the Church; or rather such deeds as
these were never before heard of in the whole world, or the like
experienced by any one. For in that case it was but a single woman that
was injured, and one Levite who suffered wrong; now the whole Church is
injured, the priesthood insulted, and worst of all, piety445
| 445 εὐσέβεια, orthodoxy, see de Decr. 1, note. | is persecuted by impiety. On that occasion
the tribes were astounded, each at the sight of part of the body of one
woman; but now the members of the whole Church are seen divided from
one another, and are sent abroad some to you, and some to others,
bringing word of the insults and injustice which they have suffered. Be
ye therefore also moved, I beseech you, considering that these wrongs
are done unto you no less than unto us; and let every one lend his aid,
as feeling that he is himself a sufferer, lest shortly ecclesiastical
Canons, and the faith of the Church be corrupted. For both are in
danger, unless God shall speedily by your hands amend what has been
done amiss, and the Church be avenged on her enemies. For our Canons446
| 446 Vid.
Beveridg. Cod. Can. Illustr. i. 3. §2, who comments on this
passage at length. Allusion is also made to the Canons in Apol.
contr. Arian. §69. | and our forms were not given to the Churches
at the present day, but were wisely and safely transmitted to us from
our forefathers. Neither had our faith its beginning at this time, but
it came down to us from the Lord
through His disciples447
| 447 Vid.
de Syn. §4. Orat. i. §8. Tertull.
Præscr. Hær. §29. | . That therefore the
ordinances which have been preserved in the Churches from old time
until now, may not be lost in our days, and the trust which has been
committed to us required at our hands; rouse yourselves, brethren, as
being stewards of the mysteries of God448
, and
seeing them now seized upon by others. Further particulars of our
condition you will learn from the bearers of our letters; but I was
anxious myself to write you a brief account thereof, that you may know
for certain, that such things have never before been committed against
the Church, from the day that our Saviour when He was taken up, gave
command to His disciples, saying, ‘Go ye and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost449
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