3.
Afterwards he subjoins the following:--Splendid surely were the thank-offerings, then, which Macrianus brought them 1 for that empire which was the object of his hopes; who, while formerly reputed as the sovereign's faithful public treasurer, 2 had yet no mind for anything which was either reasonable in itself or conducive to the public good, 3 but subjected himself to that curse of prophecy which says, "Woe unto those who prophesy from their own heart, and see not the public good!" 4 For he did not discern that providence which regulates all things; nor did he think of the judgment of Him who is before all, and through all, and over all. Wherefore he also became an enemy to His Catholic Church; and besides that, he alienated and estranged himself from the mercy of God, and fled to the utmost possible distance from His salvation. 5 And in this indeed he demonstrated the reality of the peculiar significance of his name. 6
By the autois some understand tois basileusi; others better, tois daimosi. According to Valesius, the sense is this: that Macrianus having, by the help and presages of the demons, attained his hope of empire, made a due return to them, by setting Valerian in arms against the Christians. ↩
epi ton katholou logon. The Greeks gave this name to those officials whom the Latins called rationales, or procuratores summae rei. Under what emperor Macrianus was procurator, is left uncertain here. ↩
ouden eulogon oude katholikon ephronesen. There is a play here on the two senses of the word katholikos , as seen in the official title epi ton katholou logon, and in the note of character in oude katholikon. But it can scarcely be reproduced in the English. ↩
ouai tois propheteuousin apo kardias auton kai to katholou me blepousin. The quotation is probably from Ezek. xiii. 3, of which Jerome gives this interpretation: Vae his qui prophetant ex corde suo et omnino non vident. ↩
Robertus Stephanus edits tes heautou ekklesias, "from his Church," following the Codex Medicaeus. But the best manuscripts give soterias. ↩
A play upon the name Macrianus, as connected with makran, "at a distance." [This playfulness runs through the section.] ↩
