Edition Hide
De mortibus persecutorum

4.

[1] Extitit enim post annos plurimos execrabile animal Decius, qui vexaret ecclesiam; quis enim iustitiam nisi malus persequatur? [2] Et quasi huius rei gratia provectus esset ad illud principale fastigium, fuere protinus contra deum coepit, ut protinus caderet. [3] Nam profectus adversum Carpos, qui tum Daciam Moesiamque occupaverant, statimque circumventus a barbaris et cum magna exercitus parte delectus ne sepultura quidem potuit honorari, sed exutus ac nudus, ut hostem dei oportebat, pabulum feris ac volucribus iacuit.

Translation Hide
Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died

Chap. IV.

This long peace, ¹ however, was afterwards interrupted. Decius appeared in the world, an accursed wild beast, to afflict the Church,--and who but a bad man would persecute religion? It seems as if he had been raised to sovereign eminence, at once to rage against God, and at once to fall; for, having undertaken an expedition against the Carpi, who had then possessed themselves of Dacia and Moefia, he was suddenly surrounded by the barbarians, and slain, together with great part of his army; nor could he be honoured with the rites of sepulture, but, stripped and naked, he lay to be devoured by wild beasts and birds, ² --a fit end for the enemy of God.