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CvPKiAN OF Cautmage. A. D. 248. 7
Iiis immediate predecessor; but^* it is probably concluded
by learned men, that bis name Mas Donatus.
The beginning- ot'St. Cyprian's episcopate was peaceable,
under the emperor Philip ; but'' near the end of the year 240,
or early in the year 250, began the Decian persecution. This
bishop of Carthage was extremely obnoxious to the heathen
people ; and they often demanded in a clamorous umnncr,
in the theatre, and other public places, that he should be
thrown to the lions, as is related by^ Pontius, and'' by Cyprian
himself. Hereupon he retired, (as Pearson supposeth,^
in Jan. 250,) judging it to be' for the good of his people, and
agreeable to the doctrine of Christ in the gospel, ands having-
also received a divine direction to that purpose. The
government not being- able to find him out, he was'' pro-
scribed, and proclamation was made at Carthage, That if
any one had any goods of Caecilius Cyprian, bishop of the
christians, he should discover them. Nor is the place where
he absconded known to this day. In this retirement, which
lasted about fourteen months, he was not idle, nor unprofitable,
as appears from the many epistles written by him during-
that time, a large part of which are still extant. Cyprian
seems to have taken with him from Carthage, one of his
deacons, named Victor, and some other fiiends. It is plain,
he' had such company with him at the beginning of his retirement.
They may be supposed to have been of great use
to him in taking copies of his letters sent to Carthage and
other places : and to their diligent and faithful attendance
on their bishop", as well as perhaps to the kind assistance
likewise of some others, who came to him afterwards, we
ought to reckon ourselves indebted for the letters above mentioned,
now in our hands.
The heat of the persecution being abated, in the year 251,
^ Vid. Pears. Ann. Cypr. 248. n. 3. et Benedic. Vit. St. Cypr. n. 4. p. 45.
'' Vid. Pagi Crit. 250. n. 4.
"^ maxime cum et sutiragiis
.saepe repetitis ad leonem postularetiir. Pont. p. 4.
conspectum publicum, et maxime ejus loci, ubi toties flagitatus et quaesitus
"^ Nee me in
fui.ssem, temere committere. Cypr. Ep. 14. [al. 6.] p. 31. Oi1o statim tur-
bationis impetu primo, cum me clamore \'iolento frequenter populus t agitas?et,
non tam meam salutem, quam quietem fratrum publicam cogitans, interim
secessi, Ep. 20. [al. 15.] p. 42. Vid. et Ep. 59. [al. 55.] p. 130.
« Ann. Cyp. p. 1 7. n. 2. Conf. Pagi 250. n. 5.
" See note ^.
E Et audietis omnia, quando ad vos reducem me Dorainus fecerit, qui ut
secederem jussit. Ep. 16. [al. 10.] p. 38. Credidit se, nisi Domino latebram
tunc jubenti paniisset, etiam ipsa passione peccare. Pont. p. 5. in.
'' Statim denique pro talibus merit is etiam proscriptionis gloriam con«ecutus
est. Pont. p. 4. Persecutio enim veniens me proscriptionis onere depressit,
ciun publice legeretur : Si quis tenet vel possidet de bonis Caecilii Cypriani
episcopi Christianorum. Ep. 66. [al. 69.] p. 166. ' Salutant vos
Victor diaconus, et qui mecum s-imt. Ep. 5.