The Revelation to Attalus

The same letter of the martyrs already mentioned contains another story worth remembering, and no one could begrudge our setting it before those who will read this. It goes like this: “A certain Alcibiades, one of them, lived a very harsh life. Before this he had taken nothing at all but bread and water, and he tried to live the same way in prison. But after the first contest Attalus fought in the amphitheater, it was revealed to him that Alcibiades was not doing well in refusing to use what God created, and in leaving others an example that could make them stumble. [a] Alcibiades was persuaded, and took everything freely, giving thanks to God. For God’s grace had not left them unvisited; the Holy Spirit was their counselor.” Let that be enough on these matters.

The followers of Montanus, Alcibiades and Theodotus in Phrygia were then first spreading among many people their claim to prophesy, for the many other wonderful works of God’s gift that were still being done at that time in various churches led many to believe that these men prophesied too. When disagreement arose about them, the brothers in Gaul in their turn set down their own judgment on these matters as well, a careful and most orthodox one. They also published various letters of the martyrs who had been put to death among them, letters they had written while still in chains to the brothers in Asia and Phrygia, and also to Eleutherus, then bishop of Rome, acting as envoys for the peace of the churches. [b]