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Pamphilus. a. D. 294. 233
Valesius' thinks that those Acts in Metaphrastes were taken
from Eusebius's book of the 3Iartyrs of Palestine : which
book, as we now have it in tlic coinnton copies, is imperfect,
as he says, and may be made more complete by these Acts
ill 3Ietaphrastes.
I rather think tliese Acts to be the invention of some idle
impostor, who, according- to his own fancy, eidarged and
flourished upon Eusebius's genuine account of the martyrdom
ot i^unphilus and his companions, Aviiich we have in
the eleventh chapter of his book concerning the Martyrs of
Palestine. The whole of this piece, compared with that
chapter of Eusebius, has such an appearance: Eusebius
says of that company of martyrs, that '"they resembled
* the prophets and apostles.' This writer' adds, ' and the
* patriarchs.' Eusebius, speaking- of their last combat,
says, ' it"' was a most glorious spectacle;' as indeed it was.
Whereupon this oratorical author says, ' there^ might be
* seen in it at once persons of every age of the human life,
' and of every rank in the church, (meaningy faithful cate-
* chumens, presbyters, and deacons,) and of every condition
* and employment, and likewise a great variety of sufferings,
* and consequently different crowns for the victors.' This
plan the author proposes at the beg-inning", and afterwards
fills up as he sees g-ood.
I think these considerations, added to the foregoing-, may
be sufficient to show that this piece is a forgery.
The length of these critical remarks,! hope will be excused.
If we are not upon our guard, we shall have nothing but
fable instead of history.
' Vid. Vales. Ann. p. 180. " De M. Pal. c. xi. p. 33G. B.
" Ap. Fab. lb. p. 219. m. ap. Vales. Ann. p. 179. C.
" Ubi supr. p. 336. A.
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Kai ava-^o(t>riQ £iai 7rt^iti\r](pora, ^acavuv rt ttoixiXoiq iidiai, k. X. ap.
Fabr. p. 217. ap. Vales. 179. C.
y Ap. Fabr. p. 219. in. ap. Vales, p. 180. A.