Commodian — Carmen de Duobus Populis 841–880

That famine may invade, there will then also be plague on the globe. Because he does these things, the tortured Jews of course brew many false charges against him, and first inflame the senate to rise in anger and say Elijah is an enemy to the Romans. Then from there the senate, moved in a mass by them, beg Nero with prayers and unjust gifts: Remove the people’s enemies from human affairs, through whom our gods also are trampled and not worshiped. But he, filled with fury and the senate’s prayers, by public carriage snatches the prophets from the east. Who, that he may do enough for them or at least for the Jews, sacrifices these first and so goes out to the churches. Under their martyrdom a tenth part of the city collapses and seven full thousand people perish there. But the Lord on the fourth day lifts those into the airs, whom they had forbidden to be placed in burial as they lay, and they are raised from the soil made immortal from death, whom their enemies look up to going through the airs. Terrified they are not even so, but more they grow raw inside, cursing the people of Christ with whole hatred. For the Most High hardened the wicked hearts, as formerly he had hardened Pharaoh’s ears. This hard and unjust king then, Nero driven out, orders the Christian people expelled from the city itself, and adds two Caesars as partners to himself, with whom he may persecute this people in dire fury. They also send edicts through all judges everywhere, that they make this race of humans without Christ’s name. They command too that incense be set to images and, lest anyone hide, that all come forth crowned. In that history if a faithful one refused to go, he exits happily: but if not, from the crowd he becomes one. No day of peace will then be, nor offering to Christ, but gore flows everywhere, which I am overcome to describe; for tears win, the hand fails, hearts tremble, although it is fit for martyrs to bear so many funerals; over sea, over lands, over islands and hiding-places he searches long, and they lead the cursed as victims. These things Nero will then do for a whole three-year time ****** Senate buys Elijah’s death; Nero hits the churches; tenth of the city falls; on day four the witnesses rise — then three years without Christ’s name.