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Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died

Lactantius

Chapter 6

About this work

Author: Lactantius

Chap. VI.

Aurelian might have recollected the fate of the captived

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emperor

,

yet

,

being

of

a

nature

outrageous

and

headstrong

,

he

forgot

both

his

sin

and

its

punishment

,

and

by

deeds

of

cruelty

irritated

the

divine

wrath

.

He

was

not

,

however

,

permitted

to

accomplish

what

he

had

devised

;

for

just

as

he

began

to

give

a

loose

to

his

rage

,

he

was

slain

.

His

bloody

edicts

had

not

yet

reached

the

more

distant

provinces

,

when

he

himself

lay

all

bloody

on

the

earth

at

Cænophrurium

in

Thrace

,

assassinated

by

his

familiar

friends

,

who

had

taken

up

groundless

suspicions

against

him

.

Examples of such a nature, and so numerous, ought to have deterred succeeding tyrants; nevertheless they were not only not dismayed, but, in their misdeeds against God, became more bold and presumptuous.