Socrates Scholasticus - The Blood Libel in Syria
(c. 4th century)
The Blood Libel - the accusation that Jews kill Christian children,
has a long history. This is a version recorded without challenge by
Socrates Scholasticus.
The Jews commit Another Outrage upon the Christians
and are punished.
Soon afterwards the Jews renewed their malevolent and
impious practices against the Christians, and drew down upon themselves
deserved punishment. At a place named Inmestar, situated between Chalcis
and Antioch in Syria, the Jews were amusing themselves in their usual
way with a variety of sports. In this way they indulged in many absurdities,
and at length impelled by drunkenness they were guilty of scoffing at
Christians and even Christ himself; and in derision of the cross and
those who put their trust in the Crucified One, they seized a Christian
boy, and having bound him to a cross, began to laugh and sneer at him.
But in a little while becoming so transported with fury, they scourged
the child until he died under their hands. This conduct occasioned a
sharp conflict between them and the Christians; and as soon as the emperors
were informed of the circumstance, they issued orders to the governor
of the province to find out and punish the delinquents. And thus the
Jewish inhabitants of this place paid the penalty for the wickedness
they had committed in their impious sport.
Translation as in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers
Sources: Medieval
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