{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/204/2040250.htm","path":"chr/ecf/204/2040250.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/204/2040250.htm","text":"86. And a certain general, Balacius by name, persecuted us Christians bitterly on account of his regard for the Arians\u2014that name of ill-omen. And as his ruthlessness was so great that he beat virgins, and stripped and scourged monks, Antony at this time wrote a letter as follows, and sent it to him. \u2018I see wrath coming upon thee, wherefore cease to persecute the Christians, lest haply wrath catch hold of thee, for even now it is on the point of coming upon thee 1139 .\u2019 But Balacius laughed and threw the letter on the ground, and spit on it, and insulted the bearers, bidding them tell this to Antony: \u2018Since thou takest thought for the monks, soon I will come after thee also.\u2019 And five days had not passed before wrath came upon him. For Balacius and Nestorius, the Prefect of Egypt 1140 , went forth to the first halting-place from Alexandria, which is called Ch\u00e6reu, and both were on horseback, and the horses belonged to Balacius, and were the quietest of all his stable. But they had not gone far towards the place when the horses began to frisk with one another as they are wont to do; and suddenly the quieter, on which Nestorius sat 1141 , with a bite dismounted Balacius, and attacked him, and tore his thigh so badly with its teeth that he was borne straight back to the city, and in three days died. And all wondered because what Antony had foretold had been so speedily fulfilled.\nIn Hist. Ar. 14 the letter is sent not to Balacius but to Gregory, who died on June 26, 345 (Gwatkin, p. 105).\n219:1140\nNestorius was prefect \u2018345\u2013352\u2019 (Index to Fest. Letters, where the year \u2018345\u2019 is from August 344 to August 345).\n219:1141\nIn the Hist. Ar. it is simply stated that Balacius was bitten by his own horse. The present passage looks like a more careful restatement.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. IV: Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.): Section 86","type":"page"}