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The Church History of Eusebius
Chapter XII.--The Martyrs in Caesarea in Palestine.
During the above-mentioned persecution under Valerian, three men in Caesarea in Palestine, being conspicuous in their confession of Christ, were adorned with divine martyrdom, becoming food for wild beasts. One of them was called Priscus, another Malchus, and the name of the third was Alexander. 1 They say that these men, who lived in the country, acted at first in a cowardly manner, as if they were careless and thoughtless. For when the opportunity was given to those who longed for the prize with heavenly desire, they treated it lightly, lest they should seize the Crown of martyrdom prematurely. But having deliberated on the matter, they hastened to Caesarea, and went before the judge and met the end we have mentioned. They relate that besides these, in the same persecution and the same city, a certain woman endured a similar conflict. But it is reported that she belonged to the sect of Marcion. 2
Of these three men we know only what is told us in this chapter. ↩
Marcionitic martyrs are mentioned by Eusebius in Bk. IV. chap. 15, and in Martyrs of Pal. chap. 10. In H. E. V. 16, it is stated that the Marcionites as well as the Montanists had many martyrs, but that the orthodox Christians did not acknowledge them as Christians, and would not recognize them even when they were martyred together. Of course they were all alike Christians in the eyes of the state, and hence all alike subject to persecution. ↩
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Kirchengeschichte (BKV)
12. Kap. Die Märtyrer zu Cäsarea in Palästina.
Während der in Rede stehenden valerianischen Verfolgung wurden zu Cäsarea in Palästina drei Männer wegen ihres rühmlichen Bekenntnisses zu Christus mit herrlichem Martyrium gekrönt. Sie wurden wilden Tieren zum Fraße vorgeworfen. Der eine von ihnen hieß Priskus, der andere Malchus, der dritte hatte den Namen Alexander. Sie wohnten auf dem Lande und machten sich zuerst, wie es heißt, Vorwürfe ob ihrer Sorglosigkeit und Trägheit, daß sie sich, anstatt eilig nach der Krone des Martyriums zu greifen, in keiner Weise um die Kampfpreise kümmerten, welche die Zeit denen schenkte, die sich nach dem Himmel sehnten. Nachdem sie darüber Rat gehalten, gingen sie nach Cäsarea, traten vor den Richter und fanden das genannte Ende. Außer diesen Männern hat, wie man berichtet, in derselben Verfolgung und in derselben Stadt noch eine Frau den gleichen Kampf gekämpft. Wie erzählt wird, gehörte sie der Sekte Marcions an.