Greek ecclesiastical historians of the first six centuries of the Christian era. /
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Title: Greek ecclesiastical historians of the first six centuries of the Christian era.
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tihravy of ^he ^heolocj[ical ^tminavy
PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY
Part of the Addison Alexander Library
which was presented by
Messrs. R.L. and A. Stuart
BR 160 .A2 G73 1643 v.o
Greek ecclesiastical
'--s'-o^ianF of the f
THE
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
OF
EVAGRIUS.
m SIX BOOKS.
LONDON:
PKINIEI) BV JOHN WERTHEIMfcli iSc CO
CIKCUS PLACE, KINSBllKV CI: CUS.
I
^G R E E K
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORIANS
OF
THE FIRST SIX CENTURIES OF
THE CHRISTIAN ERA.
IN SIX VOLUMES.
1. EUSEBIUS S LIFE OF CONSTANTINE, ORATION, ETC.
II. EUSEBIDS'S ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, TO 324 A.D.
III. SOCRATES SCHOLASTICUS'S HISTORY, FROM ABOUT 305 TO 445 A.D,
IV. sozomen's narrative, 324 to about 440 a.d.
V. XHEODORET'S ecclesiastical history, from 322 to 428 A.D.
VI. EVAGRIUS'S ecclesiastical HISTORY, FROM 431 TO 594 A.D.
LONDON :
SAMUEL BAGSTER AND SONS;
WAREHOUSE FOR BIBLES, NEW TESTAMENTS, PRAYER-BOOKS, LEXICONS,
GRAMMARS, CONCORDANCES, AND PSALTERS, IN ANCIENT
AND MODERN LANGUAGES;
PATERNOSTER ROW.
M.DCCC.XLVI.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIstORY^-^^e^^,
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
IN SIX BOOKS,
FROM A. D. 4.31 TO A. D. r,94.
vW^Tv^:^
EVAGRIUS
A NEW TRANSLATION FROM THE GREEK :
WITH AN
ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR AND HIS WRITINGS.
LONDON:
SAMUEL BAGSTER AXD SONS;
WAREHOUSE FOR BIBLES, NEAV TESTAMENTS, PRAYER-BOOKS, LEXICONS,
GRAMMARS, CONCORDANCES, AND PSALTERS, IN ANCIENT
AND MODERN LANGUAGES;
P A T P: R N O S T E R R O W.
M.DCCC.XLVI.
ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR AND
HIS WRITINGS.
The very few particulars which are known respecting the
author of tlie following History, are gathered from the history
itself
Evagrius was a native of Epiphania on the Orontes, and
his birth may be fixed about A.D. 536. He was by profession
a Scholasticus, or advocate, and by this title he is commonly
distinguished from other persons of the same name. The
earliest circumstance which the historian mentions respecting
himself, is his visit when a child, in company with his
parents, to Apamea, to witness the solemn display of the
wood of the cross, amidst the consternation caused by the
sack of Antioch by Chosroes (Book IV. chap. xxvi). The
history, in many places, shows a minute familiarity with the
localities of Antioch: and the prominent interest which the
writer variously manifests in that city and its fortunes, can
only be accounted for by supposing that it was his ordinary
residence, and the principal scene of his professional practice.
In his description of the great pestilence which continued its
ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR,
lie
ravages tlirougliout thcenipire for more than fifty years, h
mentions that lie liiinself was attacked by the disease in his
chiklhood, and that subsequently he lost by it his first wife,
besides several relatives and members of his household, and
among them in particular a daughter with her child (Book
IV. chap. xxix).
Evagrius accompanied Gregory, patriarch of Antioch, as
his professional adviser, when he appeared before a synod at
Constantinople to clear himself from a charge of incest
(Book VI. chap. vii). On his return to Antioch after the
acquittal of the patriarch, he married a young wife: and a
proof of the important position which he occupied, is incidentally
afforded by the circumstance that his nuptials were made an
occasion for a public festival (Book VI. chap. viii). Some
of his memorials, drawn up in the service of the patriarch,
obtained for him from the emperor Tiberius the honorary
rank of Exquoestor ; and a composition on occasion of the birth
of an heir to the emperor Maurice was rewarded with the
higher dignity of Exprsefect (Book VI. chap. xxiv). With
the mention of these last circumstances the history closes.
The only extant work of Evagrius is the " Ecclesiastical
History," commencing with the rise of the Nestoi'i^n con-
tyoyfersy j^ and ending with the twelfth year of the reign of
Maurice. He professes, at the outset, an intention of
including in his narrative matters other than ecclesias-
tical; and this he has done so far as to give a secular
AND HIS WRITINGS. IX
appearance to some parts of it. As might be expected from
an author of that period, his style is frequently affected and
redundant. The modern reader will, however, be principally
struck by the credulity manifested in his cordial detail of
prodigies and miracles. But on this point it must be remem-
bered, that the bent of the age was strongly in favour of
the marvellous: and this frame of the public mind was a soil
which would both spontaneously produce an abundant crop
of wonders, in a fond distortion and exaggeration of ordinary
occurrences, and also would not fail to be cultivated by the
hand of imposture. This feature of the historian's character
ought therefore in no way to affect his reputation for honesty,
or his claim to general credence. It is only a proof that he
was not one of the few whose intellectual course is indepen-
dent of the habits of their age. There is no reason for con-
founding him with those in whom a heated mind has at length
admitted the idea, that the maintenance of what is believed
to be a good cause may be rightfully aided by attestations
knowingly bestowed upon falsehoods. Upon the whole, the
preservation of his work must be a matter of satisfaction to
the studious in history, whether ecclesiastical or civil. It
was used by Nicephorus Callisti in the com.position of his
own History, and has received a favourable notice in the
]\Iyriobiblion of the patriarch Photius.
Evagrlus also published a collection of his memorials and
miscellaneous compositions, which may now be regarded as
X ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR, ETC.
lost (Book VI. chap. xxiv). He also intimates an intention
(Book V. chap. XX.) of composing a distinct work, embracing
an account of the operations of Maurice against the Persians:
but there is no reason for supposing that this design was ever
executed.
THE TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Thk History.— book I. Pas^es 1—42.
PAGE
Prepack. — Design of the work -------- i
Chapter I. Artifice by which the devil attempts to subvert the purity
of the faith ----- . - . 2
Chap. II. Heresy of Nestorius discovered and condemned - - 4
Chap. III. Letter from Cyril to Nestorius. — Council of Ephesus - 6
Chap. IV. Deposition of Nestorius -.-..- 7
Chap. V. Deposition of Cyril and of John. — Their reconciliation - 9
Chap. VI. Cyril's eulogy of a letter from John of Antioch - - 10
Chap. VII. Death of Nestorius 11
Chap. VIII. Succession of bishops at Constantinople - - - 18
Chap. IX. Heresy of Eutyches - - 18
Chap. X. Proceedings of the second council of Ephesus - - 19
Chap. XI. An apology for difiFerences of opinion among Christians - 20
Chap. XII. Condemnation of the Nestorian doctrine by Theodosius - 23
Chap. XIII. Simeon the Stylite - 24
Chap. XIV. Description of the appearance of a star near the column
of Simeon --------28
Chap. XV. Isidore of Pelusium and Synesius of Cyrene - - - 30
Chap. XVI. Translation of the remains of Ignatius - - - - 31
Chap. XVII. Attila king of the Huns.— Earthquakes - - - - 33
Chap. XVIII. Antioch embellished by diflFerent governors - - - 34
Chap. XIX. Wars during the reign of Theodosius - - - - 35
Chap. XX. The empress Eudocia - - 36
Chap. XXI. Visits of Eudocia to Jerusalem. — Ascetics - - - 37
Chap. XXII. Buildings erected by Eudocia. — Accession of Marcian - 42
The History.— BOOK 11. Pa^P5 43— 118.
Chapter 1. Fortunes and character of Marcian - - - - 43
Chap. II. Council of Chalcedon summoned by Marcian - - - 46
Chapter
III.
Chap.
IV.
Chap.
V.
Chap.
VI.
Chap,
VII.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
Description of the Church of St. Euphetnia - - - 48
Council of Chalcedon ------- 51
Tumult at Alexandiia— and at Jerusalem - - - 63
Drought, famine, and pestilence in Asia Minor - - 67
Death of the emperor Valentinian. — Rome tf.ken, — Suc-
cessors of Valentinian ------ C7
Chap. VIII. Death of the emperor Marcian. — Murder of Proterius,
Bishop of Alexandria. — Election of Timothy, surnamed
/Elurus (the Cat) ------- 69
Letter from the emperor Leo ----- 75
Replies of the bishops. — And of Simeon - - - 77
Punishment of Timothy ------ 79
Earthquake at Antioch ------ 80
Conflagration at Constantinople 81
Other public calamities ------ 83
Marriage of Zeno and Ariadne ----- 84
Reign of Anthemius— of Olybrius— and other Western
princes ---------84
Death of the emperor Leo ------ 85
Epitome of the acts of the council of Chalcedon - - 86
Chap.
IX.
Chap.
X.
Chap.
XL
Chap.
XII.
Chap.
XIIL
Chap.
XIV.
Chap.
XV.
Chap.
XVI.
Chap.
XVII.
Chap.
XVIII.
The History.— BOOK III. Prt^es 1 19— 188.
Chapter I. Character of the emperor Zeno - - - - - 119
Chap 11. Incursions of the barbarians - ----- 120
Chap. III. Insurrection of Basiliscus — Flight of Zeno - - - 121
Chap. IV. Circular of Basiliscus ------- 121
CJiap. V. Reception of the circular ------ 126
Chap. VI. Proceedings of Timothy ^lurus ----- 128
Chap. VII. Counter circular of Basiliscus - . - - - 129
Chap. VIII. Restoration of Zeno ------- 131
Chap. IX. Epistle of the Asiatic bishops to Acacius - - - 132
Chap. X. Succession of bishops at Antioch 133
Chap. XL Succession of bishops at Alexandria - - . - 133
Chap. XII. Ecclesiastical measures of Zeno ----- 134
Chap. XIII. Publication of the Henoticon of Zeno - . - . 135
Chap. XIV. The Henoticon (Instrument of Union) - - - - 136
Chap. XV. Correspondence between Simplicius and Zeno - - 140
Chap. XVI. Deposition of Calandion, and restoration of Peter the
Fuller 140
Chap. XVII. Letter from Peter to Acacius - - - - - 141
Chap. XVIIL Felix issues a sentence of deposition against Acacius - 144
CONTENTS.
Xlll
PAGE
Chapter XIX. Interference of Cyril the Monk - - - - - 145
Chap. XX. Correspondence between Felix and Zeno - ■ - 145
Chap. XXI. Accusation of the legates by Simeon the monk, and their
consequent deprivation - 147
Chap. XXII. Commotion at Alexandria on account of the council of
Chalcedon 149
Chap. XXIII. Succession of bishops at Constantinople, Alexandria, and
Antioch - - - - 150
Chap. XXIV. Death of Armatus - - - . - - - 151
Chap, XXV. Insurrection and death of Theodoric - - . . 152
Chap. XXVI. Insurrection of Mercian 153
Chap. XXVII. Insurrection of Illus and Leontius - - . . . 154
Chap.XXVIII. Account of Mammianus and his structures - - - 155
Chap. XXIX. Death of Zeno.— Succession of Anastasius - - - 156
Chap. XXX. Divisions in the church .---.. 157
Chap. XXXI. Letter to Alcison from the monks of Palestine - - 159
Chap. XXXII. Ejection of Macedonius and Flavian from their sees - 163
Chap.XXXIlI. Severus, bishop of Antioch 165
Chap.XXXIV. Act of deposition against Severus 168
Chap. XXXV. Suppression of the Isaurian insurrection - - - 170
Chap. XXXVI. Invasion of the Arabs 171
Ch. XXXVII. Capture of Amida.— Founding of Daras - - - - 171
Ch.XXXVIlI. The Long Wall 172
Chap.XXXIX. Abolition of the Chrysargyrum 173
Chap. XL. Falsehoods of the historian Zosimus . - . . 17(5
Chap. XLI. Refutation of Zosimus 177
Chap. XLII. The Gold- Rate . - - 184
Chap. XLIII. Insurrection of Vitalian --.--. igs
Chap. XLIV. Sedition at Constantinople 186
The History.— book IV. Pages 189—244.
Chapter 1.
Chap. II.
Chap. III.
Chap. IV.
Chap.
Chap.
Chap.
Chap.
VII.
VIII.
Accession of Justin ------- 189
Designs and death of Amantius and Theocritus - - 189
Assassination of Vitalian - - - - - - 190
Deposition of Severus, bishop of Atttioch. — Succession of
Paul and Euphrasius- - - - - - 191
Fires and earthquakes at Antioch. — Death of Euphrasius 192
Elevation of Ephraemius, count of the East, to the patri-
archate of Antioch - - - - - - - 193
Miracles of Zosimus and John . . . - . 194
General calamities - 197
XIV
CONTENTS.
Chapter IX.
Chap.
X.
Chap.
XI.
Chap.
XII.
Chap.
XIII.
Chap.
XIV.
Chap.
XV.
Chap.
XVI.
Chap.
XVII.
Chap.
XVIII.
Chap.
XIX.
Chap.
XX.
Chap.
XXI.
Chap.
XXII.
Chap.
XXIII.
Chap.
XXIV.
Chap.
XXV.
Chap.
XXVI.
Chap.
XXVIl.
Chap.XXVIII.
Chap.
XXIX.
Chap.
XXX.
Chap.
XXXI.
Chap.
XXXII.
Chap.XXXIII.
Chap.
SiXXIV.
Chap.
XXXV.
Chap.
KXXVI.
Ch. XXXVII.
Ch.XXXVlII.
Chap.
XXXIX.
Chap.
XL.
Chap.
XLI.
PAGE
Appointment of Justinian to a share in the empire - - 198
The council of Ciialcedon upheld by Justinian - - 19'J
Deposition of Anthimus and Theodosius from their sees - 200
Cabades and Chosroes, kings of Persia - - - - 201
Incursion of the Arabs. — Sedition at Constantinople - 202
Persecution by Huneric ------ 203
Cabaones the Moor ------- 204
Expedition of Belisarius against the Vandals - - - 206
Triumph of Belisarius ------- 208
Origin of the Moors. — Munificence of Justinian in Africa 209
Events following the death of Theodoric - - - 210
Conversion of the Heruli ------ 212
Loss and recovery of Rome - - - - - - 212
Conversion of the Abasgi - - - - - - 213
Conversion of the people on the Tanais. — Earthquakes - 213
Achievements and piety of Narses - . - - 214
Invasion of the Persians. — Capture of Antioch - - 21.5
Display of the wood of the cross at Apamea - - - 217
Siege of Edessa by Chosroes - ----- 218
Miracle at Sergiopolis - 221
Pestilence --------- 223
Avarice of Justinian ------- 226
Description of the church of St. Sophia at Constantinople 227
Partiality of Justinian for the Blue faction - - - 229
Barsanuphius the ascetic ------ 230
Simeon the monk - - - - - - 231
Thomas the monk ------- 233
Account of a miracle in the patriarchate of Menas - - 235
Succession of bishops - ..--.- 236
The fifth general council ------ 237
Departure of Justinian from orthodoxy - - - - 241
Anastasius, patriarch of Antioch 242
Death of Justinian ------. 244
The History.— book V. Pagt'S 245—283.
Chapter I. Accession of Justin the Second
Chap. II. Murder of Justin, kinsman of the emperor
Chap. III. Execution of .lEtherius and Addaens
Chap. IV. Edict of Justin concerning the faith
Chap. V. Deposition of Anastasius, patriarch of Antioch
Chap. VI. Gregory, the successor ot Anastasius
245
247
248
249
254
254
CONTENTS.
XV
Chapter VII.
Chap.
VIII.
Chap.
IX.
Chap.
X.
Chap.
XI.
Chap.
XII.
Chap.
XIII.
Chap.
XIV.
Chap.
XV.
Chap.
XVI.
Chap.
XVII.
Chap.
XVIII.
Chap.
XIX.
Chap.
XX.
Chap-
XXI.
Chap.
XXII.
Chap.
XXIII.
Chap.
XXIV.
PAGE
Submission of the inhabitants of Pcrsarmenia - - 2.i6
Siege of Nisibis by Marcian ------ 258
Invasion of the Persians -.-..- g.'iS
Capture of Apamea and Daras - . - . . 262
Insanity of Justin -...-.. 2^.3
Embassy of Trajan to Cliosroes . - . . - 2^4
Proclamation of Tiberius. — His character - - - 2r).'j
Successes of the Roman commander Justinian against the
Persians •---.-.-. 267
Death of Chosroes.— Succession of Hormisdas - - 270
Succession of bishops - - - - - - - 271
Earthquake at Antioch - - - - - - - 271
Commotion on account of Anatolius - . . - 272
Character and achievements of Maurice - - - - 275
Overthrow of the Persians ---... 277
Prodigies foreshewing the elevation of Maurice to the
empire ----.--.. 278
Accession of Maurice 279
Chronological statement ------ 280
Succession of writers on sacred and profane history - 281
The History.— BOOK VI. Pag-e* 284— 314.
Chapter I.
Chap.
II.
Chap.
III.
Chap.
IV.
Chap.
V.
Chap.
VI.
Chap.
VII.
Chap.
VIII.
Chap.
IX.
Chap.
X.
Chap.
XI.
Chap.
XII.
Chap.
XIII.
Chap.
XIV.
Chap.
XV.
Chap.
XVI.
Chap.
XVII.
Chap.
XVIII.
Nuptials of Maurice and Augusta ----- 284
Alamundarus the Arab, anl his son Naamanes - - 286
Military operations of John and Pliilippicus - - - 287
Mutiny of the troops against Priscus . - - - 288
Compulsory elevation of Germanus - . - - 289
Mission of Philippicus ------- 290
Accusations against Gregory, patriarch of Antioch - - 290
Recurrence of earthquakes at Antioch - - - - 292
Inroad and destruction of the barbarians - - - 294
Clemency of the emperor towards the rebels. — Invasion
of the Avars 295
Mission of the patriarch Gregory to the troops - - 2t5
Oration of Gregory to the troops ----- 296
Submission of the troops ------ 299
Loss of Martyropolis 300
Capture of Ocbas 302
Murder of Hormisdas - 303
Flight of Chosroes the younger ----- 304
Mission of Gregory and Domitian to meet Chosroes - 305
Xvi CONTENTS.
PAGE
Chapter XIX. Restoration of Chosroes 305
Chap. XX. Golanduch the martyr ------- 306
Chap. XXI. Oflferings of Chosroes ------- BOG
Chap. XXII. Naaraanes the Arab .------ 310
Chap. XXIII. Simeon the Stylite the younger . - - - - 311
Chap. XXIV. Death of the patriarch Gregory - - - - - 313
THE
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
OF
EVAGRIUS.
THE FIRST BOOK.
PREFACE.
DESIGN OF THE WORK.
EuSEBius Pamphili — an especially able writer, to the
extent, in particular, of inducing his readers to em-
brace our religion, though failing to perfect them in
the faith — and Sozomen, Theodoret, and Socrates* have
produced a most excellent record of the advent of
our compassionate God, and His ascension into heaven,
and of all that has been achieved in the endurance
of the divine Apostles, as well as of the other mar-
tyrs; and, further, of whatever events have occurred
among us, whether more or less worthy of mention,
down to a certain period of the reign of Theodosius.
* The " Greek Ecclesiastical Historians of the First Six Centuries,"
newly translated : viz. I. Eusebius's History, to a.d. 324 ; H. Eu-
sebius's Life of Constantine, Orations, etc. ; HI. Socrates's History,
A.D. 305— 445; IV. Sozomen's Narrative, a.d. 324 — 440; V. Theo-
doret's History, 322— 428; VI. Evagrius's History, a.d. 431— 594;
in six uniform volumes, each 7s. in cloth. London: Samuel Bagster
and Sons.
1
2 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
But since events subsequent, and scarcely inferior to
these, have not hitherto been made the subject of a
continuous narrative, I have resolved, though but
ill-qualified for such a task, to undertake the la-
bour which the subject demands, and to embody
them in a history; surely trusting in Him who en-
lightened fishermen, and endued a brute tongue -with
articulate utterance, for ability to raise up transactions
already entombed in oblivion, to reanimate them by
language, and immortalise them by memory : my ob-
ject being, that my readers may learn the nature of
each of these events, up to our time; the period,
place, and manner of its occurrence, as well as those
who were its objects and authors; and that no circum-
stance worthy of recollection, may be lost under the
veil of listless indifi^erence, or, its neighbour, forget-
fulness. I shall then begin, led onwards by the
di\dne impulse, from the point where the above-men-
tioned 'WTiters closed the history.
CHAPTER I.
ARTIFICE BY WHICH THE DEVIL ATTEMPTS TO SUBVERT
THE PURITY OF THE FAITH.
Scarce had the impiety of Julian been flooded over
by the blood of the martyrs, and the frenzy of Arius
been bound fast in the fetters forged at Nicaea, and,
moreover, Eunomius and Macedonius, by the agency of
CHAP. I.] NEAV FORIM OF HERESY. 3
the Holy Spii'it, had l)eeii swept as by a bkist to the
Bosphorus, and wrecked agamst the sacred city of
Constantine ; scarce had the holy church cast oif her
recent delilemeiit, and was being restored to her an-
cient beauty, robed in a vesture inwrought with gold,
and in varied array, and becoming meet for the bride-
groom, when the demon enemy of good, unable to
endure it, commences against us a new mode of war-
fare, disdainhig idolatry, now laiJ in the dust, nor
deigning to employ the servile madness of Arius. He
fears to assault the faith in open war, embattled by so
man}' holy fathers, and he had been already shorn of
nearly all his power in battling against it: but he
pursues his purpose with a robber's stealth, by raising-
certain questions and answers ; his new device being
to turn the course of error towards Judaism, little
foreseeing the overthrow that hence would befall the
miserable designer. For the faith which formerly Avas
alone arrayed against him, this he now aifects: and,
no longer exulting in the thought of forcing us to
abandon the whole, but of succeeding in corrupting a
single term, while he wound himself with many a
malignant wile, he devised the change of merely a
letter, tending indeed to the same sense, luit still witli
the intention of severing the thought and the tongue,
that both might no longer with one accord offer the
same confession and glorification to God. The manner
and result of these transactions I will set forth, each
4 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
at its proper juncture ; giving at the same time a place
in my narrative to other matters that may occur to
me, which, though not belonging to my immediate
subject, are worthy of mention, laying up the record
of them wherever it shall please our compassionate
God.
CHAPTER II.
HERESY OF NESTORIUS DISCOVERED AND CONDEMNED.
Since, then, Nestorius, that God-assaulting tongue,
that second conclave of Caiaphas, that workshop of
blasphemy, in whose case Christ is again made a sub-
ject of bargain and sale, by having His natures divided
and torn asunder — He of whom not a single bone was
broken even on the cross, according to Scripture, and
whose seamless vest suffered no rending at the hands
of God-slaying men — since, then, he thrust aside and
rejected the term. Mother of God, which had been
already wrought by the Holy Spirit through the in-
strumentality of many chosen fathers, and substituted
a spurious one of his own coining — Mother of Christ;
and further filled the Church with mnumerable wars,
deluging it with kindred blood, I think that I shall not
be at a loss for a well-judged arrangement of my history,
nor miss its end, if, with the aid of Christ, who is God
over all, I preface it with the impious blasphemy of
Nestorius. The war of the churches took its rise from
the following circumstances. A certain presbyter
CHAP. II.] HEUESY OF NESTORIUS. 5
named Anastasius, a man of corrupt opinions, and a
warm admirer of Nestorius and his Jewish sentiments,
who also accompanied him when setting out from his
country to take possession of his bishoprick ; at which
time Nestorius, having met with Tlieodore at Mop-
suestia, was perverted by his teaching from godly doc-
trine, as Theodulus writes in an epistle upon this
subject — this Anastasius, in discoursing to the Christ-
loving people in the church of Constantinople, dared
to say, mthout any reserve, " Let no one style Mary
the Mother of God ; for Mary was human, and it is
impossible for God to be born of a human being."
AVhen the Christ-loving people were disgusted, and
with reason regarded his discourse as blasphemous,
Nestorius, the real teacher of the blasphemy, so far
from restraining him and upholding the true doctrine,
on the contrary, imparted to the teaching of Anasta-
sius tile impulse it acquired, by urging on the question
with more than ordinary pugnacity. A.nd further, by
mingling with it notions of his o^vn, and thus vomiting
forth the venom of his soul, he endeavoured to incul-
cate opinions still more blasphemous, proceeding so far
as thus to avouch, upon his own peril, " I could never be
induced to call that God which admitted of being two
months old or three months old." These circum-
stances rest on the distinct authority of Socrates, and
the former synod at Ephesus.
ECCLP]SIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
CHAPTER HI.
LETTER EUOM CYRIL TO NESTORIUS. — COUNCIL OF
EPHESUS.
When Cyril, the reH0^vlled bishop of the church of
the Alexandrians, had communicated to Nestorius his
reprobation of these transactions, and he, in rejoinder,
paid no regard to what was addressed to him by Cyril,
and by Celestine, bishop of the elder Rome, but was
irreverently pouring forth his own vomit over the
whole church, there was just occasion for the conven-
ing of the first synod of Ephesus, at the injunction of
the younger Theodosius, sovereign of the Eastern
empire, by the issuing of imperial letters to Cyril and
the presidents of the holy churches in every quarter,
naming, at the same time, as the day of meetmg, the
sacred Pentecost, on which the life-giving Spirit
descended upon us. Nestorius, on account of the
short distance of Ephesus from Constantinople, arrives
early ; and Cyril too, with his compswiy, came before
the appointed day; but John, the president of the
church of Antioch, with his associate bishops, was
behind the appointed tune; not intentionally, as his
defence has been thought by many to have sufficiently
proved, but because he could not muster his asso-
ciates Avith sufiicient despatch, who were at a distance
of what would be a twelve days' journey to an expe-
CHAP. IV.] DEPOSITION OF NESTORIUS. A.D. 431. 7
ditious traveller froin the city formerly named from
Antiochus, but now the City of God, and in some
cases more ; and Ephesus was then just thirty days'
journey from Antioch. He stoutly defended himself
on the ground that the observance of what is called
the New Lord's Day by his bishops in their respective
sees, was an insuperable impediment to his arriving
before the stated day.
CHAPTER IV.
DEPOSITION OF NESTORIUS.
When fifteen days had elapsed from the 'prescribed
period, the bishops who had assembled for this busi-
ness, considering that the Orientals would not join
them at all, or, at least, after a considerable delay,
hold a conclave, under the presidency of the divine
Cyril, occupying the post of Celestine, who, as has
been before mentioned, was bishop of the elder Rome.
They accordhigly summon Nestorius, with an exhort-
ation that he would defend hunself against the
allegations. When, however, notwithstanding a pro-
mise given on the preceding day, that he would present
himself if there were occasion, he did not appear,
though thrice summoned, the assembly proceeded to
the investigation of the matter. Memnon, the presi-
dent of the Ephesian church, recounted the days
which had elapsed, fifteen in number : then were read
8 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
the letters addressed to Xestorius by the divine Cyril,
and his rejoinders ; there being also inserted the sacred
epistle of the illustrious Celestine to Nestorius himself.
Thcodotus, bishop of Ancyra, and Acacius, of Melitene,
also detailed the blasphemous language to which Nes-
torius had unreservedly given utterance at Ephesus.
With these were combined many statements in which
holy fathers had purely set forth the true faith, having
side by side with them various blasphemies which the
frenzy of the impious Nestorius had vented. When
all this had been done, the holy synod declared its
judgment precisely in the following terms : " Since, in
addition to the other matters, the most reverend
Nestorius has refused to submit to our summons, or
yet to admit the most holy and godly bishops who
were sent by us, we have of necessity proceeded to the
investigation of his impieties : and having convicted
him of entertaining and avowing impious sentiments,
on the evidence both of his letters and writings which
have been read, and also of words uttered by him
lately in this metropolitan city, and established by
sufficient testimony, at length, compelled by the
canons, and in accordance with the epistle of our most
holy father and fellow-minister, Celestine, bishop of
the church of Rome, we have, with many tears, pro-
ceeded to this sad sentence. The Lord Jesus Christ,
who has been blasphemed by him, has, through the
agency of this holy synod, decreed, that the same
CHAP. V.J DEl'ORrTION OF CYRIL AND JOHN.
Nestorius is alien from tlie episcopal dignity, and from
every sacerdotal assembly."
CHAPTER V.
DEPOSITION OF CYRIL AND OF JOHN.— THEIR RECON-
CILIATION.
After the delivery of this most legitimate and just
sentence, John, the bishop of Antioch, arrives with his
associate priests, five days after the act of deposition ;
and having convened all his company, he deposes
Cyril and Memnoii. On account, however, of libels
put forth by Cyril and Memnon to the synod which
had been assembled in company with themselves (al-
though Socrates, in ignorance, has given a diffei^ent
account), John is summoned to justify the deposition
which he had pronounced ; and, on his not appearing
after a thrice repeated summons, Cyril and Memnon
are released from their sentence, and John and his
associate priests are cut off from the holy communion
and all sacerdotal authority. When, however, Theo-
dosius, notwithstanding his refusal at first to sanction
the deposition of Nestorius, had subsequently, on being
fully informed of his blasphemy, addressed j)ious let-
ters both to Cyril and John, they are reconciled to
each other, and ratify the act of deposition.
10 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
CHAPTER VI.
Cyril's eulogy of a letter from john of antioch.
On occasion of th^ arrival of Paul, bishop of Einesa,
at Alexandria, and his delivery before the church of
that discourse which is extant on this subject, Cyril
also, after highly commending the epistle of John,
wrote to him in these words : "Let the heavens rejoice
and the earth be glad, for the middle waU of partition
is broken down, exasperation is stiUed, and all occa-
sion for dissension utterly removed through the
bestowal of peace upon his churches by Christ, the
Saviour of us all ; at the call, too, of our most religious
and divinely favoured sovereigns, who, in excellent
imitation of ancestral piety, preserve in their own
souls a well-founded and unshaken maintenance of the
true faith, and a singular care for the holy churches,
that they may acquire an everlasting reno^vn, and
render their reign most glorious. On them the Lord
of Hosts himself bestows blessings with a bountiful hand,
and grants them victory over their adversaries. Victory
He does bestow : for never can he lie who says. As I
live, saith the Lord, those that glorify me, I glorify.
On the arrival, then, of my most pious brother and
fellow minister, my lord Paul, at Alexandria, I was
filled with delight, and with great reason, at the
mediation of such a man, and his voluntary engage-
ment in labours beyond his strength, in order that
CIIAi'. Vir.] FATK or NESTOKIUS. 11
he might suljdue the inalice ot" the devil, close our
breaches, and, by the removal of the stumbling-blocks
that lay between us, might cro^vn botli our churches
and yours with unanimity and peace." And presently
he proceeds thus : " That the dissension of the church
has been altogether unnecessary and without sufficient
ground, I am fully convinced, now that my lord the
most pious bishop Paul has brought a paper presenting
an unexceptionable confession of the faith, and has
assured me that it was draAvn up by your holmess
and the most pious bishops of your country." And
such is the ^vriting thus drawn up, and inserted ver-
batun in the epistle; which, with reference to the
Mother of God, speaks as follows: "When we read
these your sacred words, and were conscious that our
OAvn sentiments were correspondent — for there is one
Lord, one faith, one baptism — we glorified God, the
Preserver of all things, mth a feeling of mutual joy,
that both your churches and ours maintain a faith in
agreement with the divinely inspired Scriptures and
the tradition of our holy fathers." Of these matters
any one may be assured, who is disposed to inves-
tigate diligently the transactions of those times.
CHAPTER VIL
DEATH OF NESTORIUS.
Historians have not detailed either the banishment
of Nestorius, his subsequent fortunes, or the manner
12 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
ill which his life was closed, and the retribution with
which he was visited for liis blasphemy ; matters which
would have been allowed to slip into oblivion, and
have been altogether swallowed up by time, so as not
to be current even in hearsay, if I had not met with a
book written by himself, which supplied an account of
them. Nestorius, then, himself, the father of the
blasphemy, who raised his structure not on the found-
ation already laid, but built upon the sand one
which, in accordance with the Lord's parable, quickly
fell to ruin, here, in addition to other matters of his
choice, puts forth a defence of his o^\ti blasphemy, in
reply to those who had charged him with unnecessary
innovation and an unseemly demand for the convening
of the synod at Ephesus. He asserts that he was
driven to assume this position by absolute necessity,
on account of the division of the church into two par-
ties, one maintaining that Mary ought to be styled
Mother of Man; the other. Mother of God; and he
devised the title. Mother of Christ, in order, as he
says, that error might not be incurred by adopting
either extreme, either a term which too closely united
immortal essence with humanity, or one which, while
admitting one of the two natures, involved no mention
of the other. He also intimates that Theodosius, from
feelings of friendship, withheld his ratification of the
sentence of deposition ; and, afterwards, that, on occa-
sion of the mission of several bishops of both parties
CHAP. Vir.] IJANISIBIENT DF NESTORIUS. 13
from Ephesus to the emperor, und, moreover, at his
own request, he was allowed to retire to his own
monastery, situated without the gates of the city now
called Theopolis. It is not, indeed, expressly named
by Nestorius, but is said to be that which is now
styled the monastery of Euprepius; which we know
to be, in fact, not more than two stadia from that city.
Nestorius, then, himself says, that during a residence
there of four years, he received every mark of re-
spect and distinction ; and that, by a second edict of
Theodosius, he is banished to the place called Oasis.
But the pith of the matter he has suppressed. For in
his retirement he did not cease from his peculiar blas-
phemy ; so that John, the president of the church of
Antioch, was led to report the circumstance, and Nes-
torius was, in consequence, condemned to perpetual
banishment. He has addressed also a formal dis-
course to a certain Eg}^ptian, on the subject of his
banishment to Oasis, where he treats of these circum-
stances more fully. But the retribution with which,
unable to escape the all-seeing eye, he was visited for
his blasphemous imaginations, may be gathered from
other writings addressed by him to the governor of the
Thebaid : in which one may see how that, since he had
not yet reached the full measure of his deserts, the
vengeance of God visited him, in pursuance, with the
most terrible of all calamities, captivity. Being, then,
still deserving of greater penalties, he was liliei-ated
14 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
by the Blemmyes, into whose hands he had fallen;
and, after Theodosius had decreed his return to his
place of exile, wandering from place to place on the
verge of the Thebaid, and severely injured by a fall,
he closed his life in a manner worthy of his deeds :
whose fate, like that of Arius, was a judicial declara-
tion, what are the appointed wages of blasphemy against
Christ : for both committed similar blasphemy against
him ; the one by calling him a creature ; the other,
regarding him as human. When Nestorius impugns the
integrity of the acts of the council of Ephesus, and refers
them to subtle designs and lawless innovation on the part
of Cyril, I should be most ready thus to reply : — How
came it to pass, that he was banished even by Theodo-
sius, notwithstanding his friendly feelings towards
him, and was condemned by repeated sentences of ex-
termination, and closed this life under those unhappy
circumstances ? If Cyril and his associate priests were
not guided by heaven in their judgment, hoAV came it
to pass that, when both parties were no longer num-
bered with the living, in which case a heathen sage * has
observed, " A frank and kindly meed is yielded to
departed worth," the one is reproliated as a blasphemer
and enemy of God, the other is lauded and proclaimed
to the world as the sonorous herald and mighty cham-
pion of true doctrine? In order that I may not incur
a charge of slander, let me bring Nestorius himself into
court as an evidence on these points. Read me then,
* Thiicvdides. B. ii. c. 45.
CHAP. VII.] SUFFERINGS OF NESTORIUS. 15
word for word, some passages of thy epistle, addressed
to the governor of the Thebaid : — " On account of the
matters which have been lately mooted at Ephesus
concerning our holy religion. Oasis, further called
Ibis, has been appointed as the place of my residence
by an imperial decree." And presently he proceeds
thus : " Inasmuch as the beforementioned place has
fallen into the hands of the barbarians, and ]3een
reduced to utter desolation by fire and sword, and I,
by a most unexpected act of compassion, have been
liberated by them, with a menacing injunction in-
stantly to fly from the spot, since the Mazices were
upon the point of succeeding them in their occupation
of it ; I have, accordingly, reached the Thebaid, toge-
ther with the captive survivors whom they had joined
Avith me, by an act of pity for which I am unal^le to
account. They, accordingly, have been allowed to
disperse themselves to the places whither their in-
dividual inclinations led them, and I, proceed-
ing to Panopolis, have shewed myself in public, for
fear lest any one, making the circumstance of my
seizure an occasion of criminal proceeding, should
raise a charge against me, either of escaping from
my place of exile, or some other imagined delinquency :
for malice never wants occasion for slander. There-
fore I entreat your highness to take that just \dew of
my seizure which the laws would enjoin, and not
sacrifice a prisoner of war to the malice and evil
16 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
designs of men: lest there should hence arise this
melancholy story with all posterity, that it is better
to be made captive by barbarians, than to fly for re-
fuge to the protection of the Roman sovereignty."
He then prefers, with solemn adjuration, the following
request : " I request you to lay before the emperor the
circumstance, that my arrival hither from Oasis arose
from my liberation by the barbarians ; so that my final
disposal, according to God's good pleasure, may now
be determined." The second epistle, from the same to
the same, contains as follows : " Whether you are dis-
posed to regard this present letter as a friendly com-
munication from me to your highness, or as an admo-
nition from a father to a son, I beseech you bear with
its detail, embracing, indeed, many matters, but as
briefly as the case would allow. When Ibis had
been devastated by a numerous body of Nomades," and
so forth. " Under these circumstances, by what mo-
tive or pretext on the part of your highness I know
not, I was conducted by barbarous soldiers from Pano-
polis to Elephantine, a place on the verge of the pro-
vmce of the Thebaid, being dragged thither by the
aforesaid military force ; and when, sorely shattered, I
had accomplished the greater part of the journey, I am
encountered by an un^vintten order from your valour
to return to Panopolis. Thus, miserably worn "wdth
the casualties of the road, with a body afflicted by
disease and age, and a mangled hand and side, I ar-
CIlAl'. VII.] SUFFEIUNG8 OF NESTOKIUS. 17
rived at Pauopolis in cxtrciuc exliaustioii, and further
tormented with cruel pains : whence a second written
injunction from your valour, speedily overtakmg me,
transported me to its adjacent territory. While I was
supposing that this treatment Avould now cease, and
was awaiting the determination of our glorious sove-
reigns respecting me, another merciless order was sud-
denly issued for a fourth deportation." And presently
he proceeds : " But I pray you to rest satisfied with
what has been done, and with having inflicted so many
banishments on one individual. And 1 call upon you
kindly to leave to our glorious sovereigns the inqui-
sition, for which reports laid before them by your
highness, and by myself too, by whom it was proper
that information should be given, would furnish ma-
terials. If, however, this should excite your indig-
nation, continue to deal with me as before, according
to your pleasure; since, no words can prevail over
your will." Thus does this man, who had not learned
moderation even by his sufferings, in his writings
strike and trample with fist and heel, even reviling
both the supreme and provincial governments. I learn
from one who wrote an account of his demise, that,
when his tongue had been eaten through with worms,
he departed to the greater and everlasting judgment
which awaited hiin.
18 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
CHAPTER VIII.
SUCCESSION OF BISHOPS AT CONSTANTINOPLE.
Next in succession to that malignant spirit Nes-
torius, Maximianus is invested with the bishopric of
the city of the renowned Constantine, in whose time
the church of God enjoyed perfect peace : and when
he was departed from among men, Proclus holds the
helm of the see, who had some time before been
ordained bishop of Cyzicus. When he too had gone
the way of all mankind, Flavian succeeds to the see.
CHAPTER IX.
HERESY OF EUTYCHES.
In his time arose the stir about the impious
Eutyches, when a partial synod was assembled at
Constantinople, and a written charge was preferred
by Eusebius, bishop of Dorylaeum, who, while still
practising as a rhetorician, was the first to expose the
blasphemy of Nestorius. Since Eutyches, when
summoned, did not appear, and afterwards, even on
his appearance, was convicted on certain points ; for
he had said, " I allow that our Lord was produced
from two natures before their union, but I confess only
one nature after their union ;" and he even maintained
CHAP. X.] SECOND COUNCIL OF EPIIESUS. — A.l). 449. 19
that our Lord's body was not of the same substance
with ourselves — on tlicse grounds he is sentenced to
deprivation : but on his presenting a petition to
Theodosius, on the plea that the acts, as set forth, had
been concocted in the hands of Flavian, the synod
of the neighbouring region is assembled at Constanti-
nople, and Flavian is tried by it and some of the
magistrates; and when the truth of the acts had been
contirmed, the second synod at Ephesus is summoned.
CHAPTER X.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SECOND COUNCIL OF EPHESUS.
Of this council, Dioscorus, the successor of Cyril in
the see of Alexandria, was appointed president, by an
intrigue, in enmity to Flavian, of Chrysaphius, who at
that time swayed the imperial court. There hasten
to Ephesus Juvenalis, bishop of Jerusalem, who was
present at the former council, \vith a great number of
associate priests, and with him also Domnus, the suc-
cessor of John at Antioch : and besides them, Julius,
a bishop, who was the representative of Leo, bishop
of the elder Rome. Flavian also was present with
his associate bishops, an edict having been addressed
by Theodosius to Elpidius, in these precise terms.
" Provided that those who had on the former occasion
passed judgment on the most religious Archimandrite
20 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
Eutyclies, be present, but take no part in the pro-
ceedings, by abstaining from the functions of judges,
and awaiting the resohition of all the most holy
fathers ; inasmuch as their own previous decision is
now a subject of inquisition." In this council, the
deposition of Eutyches is revoked by Dioscorus and
liis associates — as is contained in the acts — and that
sentence is ])assed upon Flavian, and Eusebius, pre-
sident of the church of Doryl^eum. At the same
time, Ibas, bishop of Edessa, is excommunicated ; and
Daniel, bishop of Carrhae, Irenaeus of Tyre, and
Aquilinus of Byblus, are deposed. Some measures
were also taken on account of Sophronius, bishop of
Constantina: and they depose Theodoret, bishop of
Cyrus, and even Domnus of Antioch. What after-
wards befel the last mentioned, I am not able to dis-
cover. After these proceedings the second council of
Ephesus was dissolved.
CHAPTER XL
AN APOLOGY FOK DIFFERENCES OF OPINION AMONG
CHRISTIANS.
And here let not any one of the deluded wor-
shippers of idols presume to sneer, as if it were the
business of succeeding councils to depose their prede-
cessors, and to be ever devising some addition to the
CHAP. XI,] DIFFERENCES AMONG CHRISTIANS. "21
faith. For while we are endeavouring to trace the
unutterable and unsearchable scheme of God's mercy
to man, and to revere and exalt it to the utmost,
our opinions are SAvayed in this or that direction : and
vnth. none of those who have been the authors of
heresies among Christians, was blasphemy the first
intention; nor did they fall from the truth in a
desire to dishonour the Deity, but rather from an
idea which each entertained, that he should improve
upon his predecessors by upholding such and such
doctrines. Besides, all parties agree in a confession
which embraces the essential points ; for a Trinity is
the single object of our worship, and unity the com-
plex one of our glorification, and the Word, who is
God begotten before the worlds, and became flesh by
a second birth in mercy to the creature : and if new
opinions have been broached on other points, these
also have arisen from the freedom granted to our will
by our Saviour God, even on these subjects, in order
that the holy catholic and apostolic church might be
the more exercised in bringing opposing opinions into
captivity to truth and piety, and arrive, at length,
at one smooth and straight path. Accordingly the
apostle says most distinctly : " There is need of
heresies among you, that the approved ones may be
manifested." And here also, we have occasion to
admire the unutterable wisdom of God, who said to
the divine Paul, " My strength is made perfect in
22 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
weakness." For by the very causes by which the
members of the church have been broken off, the true
and pure doctrine has been more accurately esta-
blished, and the catholic and apostolic church of God
has attained amplification and exaltation to heaven.
But those who have been nurtured in Grecian error,
having no desire to extol God or his tender care of
men, were continually endeavouring to shake the
opinions of their predecessors, and of each other,
rather devising gods upon gods, and assigning to
them by express titles the tutelage of their own
passions, in order that they might find an excuse for
their own debaucheries by associating such deities
with them. Thus, their supreme Father of Gods and
men, under the form of a bird, shamelessly carried off
the Phrygian boy ; and as a reward of his vile service,
bestowed the cup, with leave to pledge him in an
amorous draught, that they might with the nectar
drink in their common shame. Besides innumerable
other villanies, reprobated by the meanest of man-
kind, and transformations into every form of brutes,
himself the most brutish of all, he becomes bi-sexual,
pregnant, if not in his belly yet in his thigh, that
even this violation of nature might be fulfilled in his
person : Avhence springing, the bi-sexual dithyrambic
birth outraged either sex; author of drunkenness,
surfeit, and mad debauch, and all their fearful conse-
quences. To this ^gis-wearer, this Thunderer, they
CHAP. XII.] NESTORIANISM CONDEMNED. 23
attach, in spite of these majestic titles, the crime of
parricide, universally refj;ardecl as the extremity of
guilt; inasmuch as he dethroned Saturn who un-
happily had begotten him. Why need I also mention
their consecration of fornication, over which they
made Venus to preside, the shell-born Cyprian, who
abhorred chastity as an unhallowed and monstrous
thing, but delighted in fornication and all filthiness,
and willed to be propitiated by them: in whose
company Mars also suifers unseemly exposure, being,
by the contrivance of Vulcan, made a spectacle and
laughing-stock to the Gods? Justly would one ridi-
cule their phalli and ithyphalli, and phallagogia;
their Priapus, and Pan, and the Eleusinian mysteries,
which in one respect deserve praise, namely, that the
sun was not allowed to see them, but they were
condemned to dwell with darkness. Leaving, then,
the worshippers and the worshipped in their shame,
let us urge our steed to the goal, and set forth, in
compendious survey, the remaining transactions of
the reio^n of Theodosius.
CHAPTER XII.
CONDEMNATION OF THE NESTORIAN DOCTRINE BY
THEODOSIUS.
Theodosius, then, issued a most pious constitution,
which is included in the first book of what is termed
24 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
the Code of Justinian, and is the third under the first
title; in which, moved by heaven, he condemned, by
all the votes, as the saying is, him to whom he had
been long attached, as Nestorius himself writes, and
placed him under anathema. The precise terms are
as follow : " Further we ordain, that those who favour
the impious creed of Nestorius, or follow his unlawful
doctrine, be ejected from the holy churches, if they
be bishops or clerks ; and if laics, be anathematised."
Other enactments were also promulgated by liim
relating to our religion, which shew his burning zeal.
CHAPTER XIII.
SIMEON THE STYLITE.
In these times flourished and became illustrious
Simeon, of holy and famous memory, who originated
the contrivance of stationing himself on the top of a
column, thereby occupying a spot of scarce two cubits
in circumference. Domnus was then bishop of
Antioch; and he, having visited Simeon, and being
struck with the singularity of his position and mode
of life, was desirous of more mystic intercourse.
They met accordingly, and having consecrated the
immaculate body, imparted to each other the life-
giving communion. This man, endeavouring to
realise in the flesh tlie existence of the heavenly hosts.
CHAP. XIII.] SIMEON THE STYLITE. — A.D. 440. 25
lifts himself above the concerns of earth, and, over-
powering the downward tendency of man's nature,
is intent upon things above: placed between earth
and heaven, he holds communion with God, and
unites with the angels in praising him; from earth,
offering his intercessions on behalf of men, and from
heaven, drawing down upon them the divine favour.
An account of his miracles has been written by one
of those who were eye-witnesses, and an eloquent
record by Theodoret, bishop of Cyrus : though they
have omitted a circumstance in particular, the memory
of which I found to be still retained by the inhabit-
ants of the holy desert, and which I learnt from
them as follows. AVhen Simeon, that angel upon
earth, that citizen in the flesh of the heavenly
Jerusalem, had devised this strange and hitherto un-
known walk, the inhabitants of the holy desert send
a person to him, charged with an injunction to render
a reason of this singular habitude, namely, why,
abandoning the beaten path which the saints had
trodden, he is pursuing another altogether unknown
to mankind ; and, further, that he should come down
and travel the road of the elect fathers. They, at
the same time, gave orders, that, if he should mani-
fest a perfect readiness to come down, liberty should
be given him to follow out the course he had chosen,
inasmuch as his compliance would be sufficient proof
that under God's guidance he persevered in this his
26 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
endurance : but that he should be dragged down by
force, in case he should manifest repugnance, or be
swayed by self-will, and refuse to be guided implicitly
by the injunction. When the person, thus deputed,
came and announced the command of the fathers, and
Simeon, in pursuance of the injunction, immediately
put one foot forward, then he declared him free to
fulfil his own course, saying, ' Be stout, and play the
man : the post which thou hast chosen is from God.'
This circumstance, which is omitted by those who
have written about him, I have thus thought worthy
of record. In so great a measure had the power of
divine grace taken possession of him, that, when
Theodosius had issued a mandate, that the synagogues
of which they had been previously deprived by the
Christians, should be restored to the Jews of Antioch,
he wrote to the emperor with so much freedom and
vehement rebuke, as standing in awe of none but his
own immediate sovereign, that Theodosius re-called
his commands, and in every respect favoured the
Christians, even superseding the prefect who had sug-
gested the measure. He further proceeded to prefer
a request to this .effect, to the holy and aerial martyr,
that he would entreat and pray for him, and impart
a share of his own peculiar benediction. Simeon
prolonged his endurance of this mode of life through
fifty-six years, nine of which he spent in the first
monastery, where he was instructed in divine know-
CHAP. XIII.] SIMEOX THE STYLITE. 27
ledge, and forty-seven in the Mandra, as it is termed ;
namely, ten in a certain nook; on shorter columns,
seven; and thirty upon one of forty cubits. After
his departure, his holy body was conveyed to Antioch,
during the episcopate of Martyrius, and the reign of
the emperor Leo, when Ardabyrius was in command
of the forces of the East, on which occasion the
troops, with a concourse of their folloT\^ers and others,
proceeded to the Mandra, and escorted the venerable
body of the blessed Simeon, lest the inhabitants of
the neighbouring cities should muster and carry it off.
In this manner, it was conveyed to Antioch, and
attended during its progress by extraordinary pro-
digies. The emperor also demanded possession of the
body ; and the people of Antioch addressed to him a
petition in deprecation of his purpose, in these terms :
" Forasmuch as our city is without walls, for we
have been visited in wrath by their fall, we brought
hither the sacred body to be our wall and bulwark."
Moved by these considerations, the emperor yielded
to their prayer, and left them in possession of the
venerable body. It has been preserved nearly entire
to my time: and, in company with many priests,
I enjoyed the sight of his sacred head, in the episco-
pate of the famous Gregory, when Philippicus had
requested that precious relics of saints might be sent
to him for the protection of the Eastern armies.
And, strange as is the circumstance, the hair of his
28 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
head had not perished, but is in the same state of
preservation as when he was alive and sojourning
with mankind. The skin of his forehead, too, was
wrinkled and indurated, but is nevertheless pre-
served, as well as the greater part of his teeth, except
such as had been violently removed by the hands of
faithful men, affording by their appearance an indi-
cation of the personal appearance and years of the
man of God. Beside the head lies the iron collar,
to which, as the companion of its endurance, the
famous body has imparted a share of its own divinely-
bestowed honours ; for not even in death has Simeon
been deserted by the loving iron. In this manner
would I have detailed every particular, thereby bene-
fiting both myself and my readers, had not Theo-
doret, as I said before, already performed the task
more fully.
CHAPTER XIV.
DESCRIPTION OF THE APPEARANCE OF A STAR NEAR
THE COLUMN OF SIMEON.
Let me, however, add a record of another circum-
stance which I mtnessed. I was desirous of visiting^
the precinct of this saint, distant nearly thirty stadia
from Theopolis, and situated near the very summit of
the mountain. The people of the country give it the
title of Mandra, a name bequeathed to the spot, as I
CJIAP. XIV.] MIUACULOCS AITEAIIANCIOS. 29
suppose, by the holy Suiieon, in respect of the disci-
pline which he there had practised. The ascent of
the mountain is as much as twenty stadia. The tem-
ple is constructed in the form of a cross, adorned with
colonnades on the four sides. Beside the colonnades are
arranged handsome columns of polished stone, sus-
taining a roof of considerable elevation; while the
centre is occupied by an unroofed court of the most
excellent workmanship, Avhere stands the pillar, of
forty cubits, on which the incarnate angel upon earth
spent his heavenly life. Adjoining the roof of the
colonnades is a balustrade, termed by some persons win-
dows, forming a fence towards both the before-men-
tioned court and the colonnades. At the balustrade, on
the left of the pillar, I saw, in company with all the
people who were there assembled, while the rustics
were performing dances round it, a very large and
brilliant star, shootmg along the whole balustrade, not
merely once, twice, or thrice, but repeatedly ; vanish-
ing, moreover, frequently, and again suddenly appear-
ing : and this occurs only at the commemorations of
the saint. There are also persons who affirm — and
there is no reason to doubt the prodigy, considering
the credibility of the vouchers, and the other circum-
stances which I actually ^vitnessed — that they have
seen a resemblance of the saint's face flittmg about
here and there, mth a long beard, and wearing a
tiara, as was his habit. Free ingress is allowed to
30 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
men, who repeatedly compass the pillar with their
beasts of burden : but the most scrupulous precaution
is taken, for what reason I am unable to say, that
no woman should enter the sacred building : but they
obtain a view of the prodigy from the threshold with-
out, since one of the doors is opposite to the star's
rays.
CHAPTER XV.
ISIDORE OF PELUSIUM AND SYNESIUS OF GYRENE.
In the same reign Isidore was also conspicuous :
" wide whose reno^vn," according to the language of
poetry ; having become universally celebrated by deed
and word. To such a degree did he waste his flesh by
severe discipline, and feed his soul by elevating doc-
trine, as to pursue upon earth the life of angels, and
be ever a living monument of monastic life and con-
templation of God. Besides his numerous other
writings, well stored with various profit, there are
some addressed to the renoAvned Cyril ; from which it
appears that he flourished contemporary mth the
divine bishop. And now, while endeavouring to give
every attraction to my work, let me also bring upon
the scene Syriesius of Cyrene, whose memory wiU add
an embellishment to my narrative. This Sjmesius,
while possessed of every other kind of learning, car-
ried the study of philosophy, in particular, to its
CHAP. XVI.] REMOVAL (»F IGNATIUS. 31
highest pitch; so as to gain the admiration even of
those Christians whose decision upon things which
fall under their observation is not guided by favouring
or adverse prejudice. They, accordingly, persuade
him to resolve on partakmg of the saving regenera-
tion, and to take upon himself the yoke of the priest-
hood, while as yet he did not admit the doctrine of the
resurrection, nor was inclined to hold that tenet ; anti-
cipating, with well-aimed conjecture, that this belief
would be added to his other excellencies, since divine
grace is never content to leave its work unfinished.
Nor were they disappointed in their expectation : for
his epistles, written after his accession to the priest-
hood, and composed with elegance and learning, as
well as his discourse addressed to Theodosius himself,
and whatever is extant of his valuable ^vritings, suffi-
ciently show how excellent and great a man he was.
CHAPTER XVL
TRANSLATION OF THE REMAINS OF IGNATIUS.
At the same period also took place the translation
of the divine Ignatius, as is recorded, ^vith other mat-
ters, by John the rhetorician : who, having found a
tomb, as he himself desired, in the bowels of the wild
beasts, in the amphitheatre of Rome, had, neverthe-
less, through the preservation of the more solid bones,
32 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [UOOK I.
wliicli were conveyed to Antioch, long reposed in what
is called the cemetery : the good God having moved
Theodosius to dignify the bearer of the name Theopho-
rus with increased honours, and to dedicate a temple,
long ago devoted to the demons, and called by the
inhabitants Tycha3um, to the victorious martyr.
Thus, what was formerly the shrine of Fortune, be-
came a sanctuary and holy precinct for Ignatius, by
depositing there his sacred remains, which were con-
veyed on a car through the city, attended by a solemn
procession. From this event arose the celebration of
a public festival, accompanied mth rejoicings of the
whole population ; which has continued to our times,
and received increased magnificence at the hands of
the prelate Gregory. Such results were brought
about by the conspiring agency of friends and foes,
while God was decreeing honour to the holy memo-
ries of the saints. For the impious Julian, that
heaven-detested poAver, when the Daphnipan Apollo,
Avliose prophetic voice proceeded from the Castalian
fount, could give no response to the emperor's consult-
ation, since the holy Babylas, from his neighbouring
resting-place, restrained his utterance ; was goaded on
to be an unwilling instrument in honouring that saint
by a translation ; on Avliich occasion was also erected
to him, outside the city, a spacious temple, Avhich has
remained entire to the present day : the object of the
removal being that the demons might no longer be
CHAP. XYir.] ATTILA KING OF THE HUNS. 33
overawed in the pursuit of their o"\vii practices, the
performance of which, as is said, they had previously
promised to Julian. Thus were events disposed by
the providence of God, in his design that both the
power of those who were dignified by martyrdom
should be clearly manifested, and the sacred relics of
the holy martyr should be transferred to sacred
ground, and be honoured with a noble precinct.
CHAPTER XVII.
ATTILA KING OF THE HUNS. EARTHQUAKES.
During those times arose the celebrated war of
Attila, king of the Scythians : the history of which
has been written with great care and distinguished
ability by Prisons the rhetorician, who details, in a
very elegant narrative, his attacks on the eastern and
western parts of the empire, how many and important
cities he reduced, and the series of his achievements
until he was removed from the Avorld.
It was also in the reign of Theodosius that an extra-
ordinary earthquake occurred, which threw all former
ones into the shade, and extended, so to speak, over the
whole world. Such was its violence, that many of the
towers in different parts of the imperial city were over-
thro^vn, and the long Avail, as it is termed, of the Cher-
sonese, Avas laid in ruins; the earth opened and SAvalloAved
3
34 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
up many villages; and innumerable other calamities
happened both by land and sea. Several foimtains be-
came dry, and, on the other hand, large bodies of water
were formed on the surface, where none existed before :
entire trees were torn up by the roots and hurled aloft,
and mountains were suddenly formed by the accumula-
tion of masses throA\m up. The sea also cast up dead
fish ; many islands were submerged ; and, again, ships
were seen stranded by the retreat of the waters. At the
same time Bithynia, the Hellespont, and either Phrygia,
suffered severely. This calamity prevailed for a con-
siderable time, thougli the violence with which it com-
menced, did not continue, but abated by degrees until
it entirely ceased.
CHAPTER XVIII.
ANTIOCH EMBELLISHED BT DIFFERENT GOVERNORS.
In the course of the same period, Memnonius, Zoi-
lus, and Callistus, were sent out ])y Theodosius to the
government of Antioch, men who made our religion an
object of marked honour. Memnonius also rebuilt
from the foundation, in a beautiful and elaborate style,
the edifice which we name Psephium, leaving an un-
roofed court in the centre. Zoilus built the basilica,
which is situated on the south side of that of Rufinus,
and which has continued to liear his name to our times.
CHAr. XIX.] HEVOLTS IN EUROPE. 35
although the structure itself has undergone changes
from various casualties. Callistus, too, erected a noble
and striking edifice, called both in former and present
times the Basilica of Callistus, in front of the seats of
justice, and opposite the forum where stand the splen-
did buildings which are the quarters of the military
commanders. Subsequently, Anatolius, having been
sent out as commander of the forces of the East, erects
the basilica which bears his name, and embellishes it
with every variety of material. The introduction of
these matters, though beside my more immediate pur-
pose, will not offend the taste of the curious reader.
CHAPTER XIX.
WARS DURING THE REIGN OF THEODOSIUS.
In the times of Theodosius, repeated revolts took
place in Europe, during the reign of Yalentinian at
Rome. These were crushed by Theodosius, who sent
out for that purpose large land and naval forces. He
also so far quelled the insolence of the Persians, whose
sovereign at that time was Isdigerdes, the father of
Yararanes, or, as Socrates thinks, Yararanes himself,
as to reduce them to solicit peace ; which was granted,
and lasted till the twelfth year of the reign of Anas-
tasius. These transactions have been recorded by
other ^\Titers, and have also been very elegantly epito-
36 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOKI.
mised by Eustathius of Epipliania, the Syrian, who
wrote, besides, an account of the capture of Amida.
In that age, too, it is said that the poets Claudian and
Cyrus flourished; and that Cyrus was elevated to the
seat of highest dignity among the prefects, styled by
our ancestors the prefect of the palace, and was also
invested with the command of the forces of the West,
when the Vandals under Genseric had made them-
selves masters of Carthage.
CHAPTER XX.
THE EMPRESS EUDOCIA.
Theodosius also espoused Eudocia, who had pre-
viously participated in the saving baptism ; an Athe-
nian by birth, and distinguished by poetic skill and
beauty of person ; through the offices of his sister, the
princess Pulcheria. By her he had a daughter Eudoxia,
whom, when she had reached a marriageable age, the
emperor Valentinian afterwards espoused; for which
purpose he made a voyage from the elder Rome to the
city of Constantine. At a subsequent period, when Eu-
docia was pursuing a journey to the holy city of Christ
our God, she also visits this place ; and concluded an
address to our people with the following verse,
'Tis from your blood I proudly trace my line :*
in allusion to the colonies which were sent hither from
* Horn. II. vi. 211.
CHAP. XXI.] EUDOCIA VISITS JERUSALEM. 37
Greece. Of these, if any one is curious to know the
particulars, an elaborate account has been given by
Strabo, the geographer, Phlegon, and Diodorus Siculus,
as well as by Arrian and Pisander the poet, and,
besides, by the distinguished sophists, Ulpian, Libanius,
and Julian. On this occasion, the sons of the Anti-
ochenes honoured her mth a skilfully executed statue
in brass, which has been preserved even to our times.
At her suggestion, Theodosius considerably enlarges
the bounds of the city, by extending the circuit of the
wall as far as the gate Avhich leads to the suburb of
Daphne : of which those who are disposed, may assure
themselves by visible proof; for the whole wall may
still be traced, since the remains afford a sufficient
guidance to the eye. Some, however, say that the
elder Theodosius extended the wall. He gave, besides,
two hundred pounds' weight of gold for the restora-
tion of the baths of Valens, which had been partially
burnt.
CHAPTER XXI.
VISITS OF EUDOCIA TO JERUSALEM. ASCETICS.
From this city Eudocia proceeds on two occasions
to Jerusalem ; but on account of what circumstances,
or Avith Av^hat object in the first instance, must be ga-
thered through those writers who have treated the
38 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
subject, although they do not appear to nie to give
true accounts. At all events, when visitmg the holy
city of Christ, she did many things for the honour of
our Saviour God, even so far as to erect holy monas-
teries, and what are termed laura3. In these places the
mode of life is diiFerent, but the discipline of each
terminates in the same devout object. For those who
live together in com23anies are still not under the
influence of any of those things which weigh down to the
earth, since they possess no gold : but why should I say
gold ? when no article of even dress or food is the sole
property of any one among them, but the g0A\ai or vest
which one is now wearing, another presently puts on,
so that the clothing of all appears to belong to one, and
that of one to all. A common table also is set before
them, not delicately furnished with meats or any other
dainties, but supplied with fare of herbs and pulse,
and that only in sufficient quantity to sustain life.
They maintain common supplications to God through-
out the day and night, to such a degree distressing
themselves, so galling themselves by their severe ser-
vice, as to seem, in a manner, tombless corpses. They
also frequently practice superadditions, as they are
called, namely, l^y maintaining their fastings for two
or three days ; and some on the fifth day, or even later,
scarcely allow themselves a portion of necessary food.
On the other hand, there is a class who pursue a con-
trary course, and indi\'idually seclude themselves in
CHAP. XXI.] ASCETIC DISCIPLINE. 39
cliuinbers of so liiiiited a height and width, that they
can neither stand upright nor lie down at ease, con-
fining their existence to " dens and caves of the earth,"
as says the apostle. Some, too, take up their dwelling
with the wild beasts, and in untracked recesses of the
ground; and thus offer their supplications to God.
Another mode has idso been devised, one which reaches
to the utmost extent of resolution and endurance:
for transporting themselves to a scorched wilderness,
and covering only those parts which nature requires
to be concealed, both men and women leave the rest of
their persons exposed both to excessive frosts and
scorching blasts, regardless alike of heat and cold.
They, moreover, cast off the ordinary food of mankind,
and feed upon the produce of the ground, whence they
are termed Grazers ; allowing themselves no more than
is barely sufficient to sustain life. In consequence,
they at length became assimilated to wild beasts, with
their outward form altogether disfigured, and their
mind m a state no longer fitted for intercourse with
their species, whom they even shun when they see
them; and, on being pursued, contrive to escape, fa-
voured either by their swiftness of foot, or by places
difficult of access. I will mention still another class,
Avhich had almost escaped recollection, though it bears
away the preeminence from all others. Its numbers
are very small ; but still there are persons, who, when
by virtue they have attained to a condition cxenq)t
40 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
from passion, return to the world. In the midst of
the stir, by plainly intimating that they are indifferent
to those who view them with amazement, they thus
trample under foot vain-glory, the last garment, ac-
cording to the wise Plato, which it is the nature of the
soul to cast off. By similar means they study the art
of apathy in eating, practising it even, if need be, with
the petty retailers of victuals. They also constantly
frequent the public baths, mostly mingling and bathing
with women, since they have attained to such an as-
cendancy over their passions, as to possess dominion
over nature, and neither by sight, touch, or even
embracing of the female, to relapse into their natural
condition ; it being their desire to be men among men,
and women among women, and to participate in both
sexes. In short, by a life thus aU excellent and di-
vine, virtue exercises a sovereignty in opposition to na-
ture, establishing her o^vn laws, so as not to allow them
to partake to satiety in any necessary. Indeed, their
o^vn rule enjoins them to hunger and thirst, and to
clothe the body only so far as necessity requires : and
their mode of life is balanced by opposite scales, so
accurately poised, that they are unconscious of any
tendency to motion, though arising from strongly
antagonist forces ; for opposing principles are, in their
case, mingled to such a degree, by the j^ower of divine
grace combining and again severing things that are
incongruous, that life and death dwell together in
CHAP. XXI.] ASCETIC DISCIPLINE.' 41
them, things opposed to eucli other in nature and in
circumstances : for where passion enters, they must be
dead and entombed ; where prayer to God is required,
they must display vigour of body and energy of
spirit, though the flower of life be past. Thus with
them are the two modes of life combined, so as to be
constantly living with a total renunciation of the flesh,
and at the same time mingling with the living ; both
applying remedies to their bodies, and presenting to
God the cries of suppliants, and in all other respects
fully maintaining a practice in accordance with their
former mode of life, except as regards restriction in
intercourse and place : on the contrary, they listen to
all, and associate with all. They also practise a long
and continuous series of kneelings and risings, their
earnestness alone serving to reinvigorate their years
and self-inflicted weakness ; being, as it were, fleshless
athletes, bloodless wrestlers, esteeming fasting as a
varied and luxurious feast, and the utmost abstinence
from food a completely furnished table. On the other
hand, whenever a stranger visits them, even at early
dawn, they welcome him with generous entertainment,
devising another form of fasting in eating against their
will. Hence the marvel, how far the pittance on which
they subsist falls short of a sufficient allowance of
food; foes of their own desires and of nature, but
devoted to the wills of those around them, in order
that fleshly enjoyment may be constantly expelled, and
42 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK I.
tlie soul, diligently selecting and maintaining whatever
is most seemly and pleasing to God, may alone bear
sway : happy in their mode of existence here, happier
in their departure hence, on which they are ever intent,
impatient to behold Him whom they desire.
CHAPTER XXII.
BUILDINGS ERECTED BY EUDOCIA. ACCESSION OF
MARCIAN.
After, having conversed with many persons of this
description, and founded, as I have already said, many
such seats of contemplation, and, besides, restored the
walls of Jerusalem, the consort of Theodosius also
erected a very large sanctuary, conspicuous for eleva-
tion and beauty, in honour of Stephen, the first of
deacons and martyrs, distant less than a stadium
from Jerusalem. Here her own remains were de-
posited, wheii she had departed to the unfading life.
AYlien Theodosius had subsequently, or, as some
think, before Eudocia, departed the sovereignty which
he had administered for eight and thirty years, the
most excellent Marcian is invested with the empire of
the Romans. The sequel of my history shall very
clearly set forth the transactions of his reign over the
East, while the heavenly impulse bestows its o"wii
kindly aid.
THE END or THE EIRST BOOK.
THE SECOND BOOK.
CHAPTER I.
FORTUNES AND CllAliACTER OF MARCIAN.
The transactions of the time of Theodosius have
been embraced m the preceding book. Let me now
introduce upon the scene Marcian, the renowned
emperor of the Romans, and in so doing, first recount
who and whence he was, and by what means he won
the imperial poAver: and having done this, let me
record the occurrences of his reign in the order of
time. Marcian, as has been recorded by many
other writers, and in particular by Priscus, the rhe-
torician, was by birth a Thracian, and the son of a
military man. In his desire to follow his father's
mode of lite, he had set out for Philippopolis, where
he could be enrolled in the legions, and on the road
sees the body of a person recently slain, lying exposed
upon the ground. On going up to it — for, besides
the excellence of his other virtues, he was singularly
compassionate — he commiserated the occurrence, and
suspended his journey for some time, from a desire to
discharge the due offices to the dead. vSonie persons,
44 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
observing the circumstance, reported it to the authori-
ties at Philippopolis, and they proceeded to apprehend
Marcian, and interrogated him respecting the murder :
and when, through the prevalence of conjecture and
mere probabihty over truth and asseveration of inno-
cence, he was upon the point of suffering the punish-
ment of guilt, a providential interposition suddenly
brings into their hands the real criminal, who, by
forfeiting his own head as the penalty of the deed,
procures an acquittance of the head of Marcian. After
this unexi>ected escape, he presents himself to one of
the military bodies stationed in the place, with the
intention of enlistment. Struck with the singularity
of his fortunes, and with reason concluding that he
would arrive at power and preeminent distinction,
they gladly admitted him, and that too without placing
him, according to military rule, lowest on the roll;
but they assigned to him the grade of a lately deceased
soldier, named Augustus, by inscribing in the list,
Marcian, called also Augustus. Thus did his name
anticipate the style of our sovereigns, who assume the
title of Augustus on attaining the purple. It was as
if the name refused to abide on him Avithout its appro-
priate rank, and, on the other hand, the rank was not
ambitious of another name for the augmentation of its
style : and thus arose an identity of his personal and
titular appellations, since his dignity and his name
found an expression in the same term. Another circum-
CHAP. I.] THE EMPEROK MARCIAN. — A.D. 450. 45
stance also occurred, which might serve as a prognostic
of the imperial power being destined to Marcian.
When serving under Aspar against the Vandals, he
was one of many who fell into their hands on the
total defeat of that general; and, on the demand of
Genseric to see the prisoners, was dragged Avith the
rest along the plain. When the whole body was col-
lected, Genseric sat in an upper chamber, surveying
with delight the numbers that had been taken. As
the time wore on, they pursued each his own inclin-
ation, for the guard had, at the order of Genseric,
released them from their bonds; and while they
accordingly disposed of themselves each in his several
way, Marcian laid himself do^vn upon the ground to
sleep in the sun, which was shining with unusual heat
for the season of the year. An eagle, however, poising
his flight above him, and directly intercepting the sun
as with a cloud, thus produced a sliade and its con-
sequent refreshment, to the amazement of Genseric,
who, rightly presaging the future, sent for Marcian,
and liberated him, having previously l)ound him by
solemn oaths, that on attaining the imperial power he
would maintain faithfully the rights of treaty towards
the Vandals, and not commence hostilities against
them; and Procopius records, that Marcian observed
these conditions. But let us leave this digression, and
return to my subject. Marcian was pious towards
God, and just towards those under his rule ; regarding
46 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
as wealth neither treasured stores nor the revenue of
imposts, but only the means of providing relief to the
needy, and to the wealthy the security of their posses-
sions. He was dreaded, not in the infliction of
punishment, but only by its anticipation. On this
accoimt he received the sovereignty not as an inherit-
ance, but as the prize of virtue, conferred by the
unanimous voice both of the senate and men of all
ranks, at the suggestion of Pulcheria, whom he also
espoused as his partner in the imperial dignity, though
she still remained a virgin to old age. These trans-
actions took place without a previous ratiflcation of
the choice by Valentinian, the emperor of Rome, who,
however, accorded his approval to the virtues of the
person elected. It was further the desire of Marcian,
that an undivided service should be offered up by all
to God, by uniting in pious concord the tongues which
the arts of impiety had confounded, and that the
Deity should be honoured by one and the same
doxology.
CHAPTER II.
COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON SUMMONED BY MARCIAN.
AYiiiLE entertaining these intentions, the emperor is
addressed both by the legates of Leo, bishop of the
elder Rome, who alleged that Dioscorus had, during
the second council of Ephesus, refused to receive the
CHAP. II.] COUNCIL OF CIIALCEDON. A.D. 451. 47
epistle of Leo, containing ji formula of the true doc-
trine ; and also by those who had been contumeliously
treated by Dioscorus, intreating that their case might
be submitted to the decision of a synod. But Euse-
bius, who had been president of the church of Dorj^-
lauim, was especially urgent, and affirmed that both
himself and Flavian had been deposed by the intrigues
of Chrysaphius, the minister of Theodosius, because,
in reply to his demand of an offering in gold, Flavian
had, in acknowledgment of his o^vn appointment, sent
the sacred vessels to shame him ; and also that Chry-
saphius made a near approach to Eutyches in errone-
ous doctrine. He also said, that Flavian had even
been brought to a miserable end by being thrust and
trampled on by Dioscorus himself. These circumstances
caused the synod at Chalcedon to be assembled; for
which purpose the bearers of missives were despatched,
and the prelates in all quarters were summoned by
pious letters. The place named was, in the first in-
stance, Niccea ; and, accordingly, Leo, the president of
Rome, on ^vriting an epistle respecting Paschasianus,
Lucentius, and others, whom he had sent as his repre-
sentatives, inscribed it to the council assembled at
NicaBa. It was, however, subsequently convened at
Chalcedon in Bithjmia. Zacharias, the rhetorician,
influenced l)y partiality, says that Nestorius was also
fetched from his place of exile : but this is disproved
by the circumstance, that Nestorius was generally
48 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
anathematised by the members of the synod. And
Eiistathius, bishop of Berytus, clearly establishes the
point, when writing in the following terms to John, a
bishop, and another John, a presbyter, respecting the
matters agitated in the assembly. " Those who were
in quest of the remains of Nestorius, again presenting
themselves, clamorously demanded of the synod, why
the saints are anathematised: so that the emperor
indignantly ordered the guards to drive them far from
the place." How then Nestorius was summoned,
when he had departed from the world, I am unable
to say.
CHAPTER m.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CHURCH OE ST. EUPHEMIA.
The place of meeting was the sacred precinct of
Euphemia, the martyr, situated in the district of Chal-
cedon in Bithynia, and distant not more than two
stadia from the Bosphorus. The site is a beautiful
spot, of so gentle an ascent, that those who are on
their way to the temple, are not aware of their imme-
diate approach, but suddenly find themselves within
the sanctuary on elevated ground ; so that, extending
their gaze from a commanding position, they can sur-
vey the level surface of the plain spread out beneath
them, green with herbage, waving with corn, and
CHAP. III.] CHURCH of st. eupiiemia. 49
beautified with every kind of tree ; at the same time
including within their range woody mountains, tower-
ing gracefully or boldly swelling, as well as parts of
the sea under various aspects : here, Avhere the mnds
do not reach them, the still waters, with their dark
blue tint, sweetly playing with gentle ripple on the
beach; there wildly siirging, and sweeping l^ack the
sea- weeds and the lighter shell-fish with the recoil of
its waves. Directly opposite is Constantinople : and
thus the beauty of the site is enhanced by the view of
so vast a city. The holy place consists of three im-
mense buildings. One is open to the sky, including a
court of great extent, and embellished on all sides mth
columns ; and next to it another, nearly resembling it
in its length, breadth, and columns, and differing from
it only in being roofed. (3n the north side of this,
facing the East, is a round building, skilfully termi-
nated in a dome, and surrounded in the interior with
columns of uniform materials and size. These support
a gallery under the same roof, so contrived, that
those who are disposed, may thence both supplicate
the martyr and be present at the mysteries. Within
the domed building, towards the Eastern part, is a
splendid enclosure, where are preserved the sacred
remains of the martyr in a long coffin (it is dis-
tinguished by some persons by the term "long") of
silver, skilfully worked. The wonders which liave
at certain times been m-ought by the holy martyr, are
4
50 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
manifest to all Christians. For frequently she has
appeared in a dream to the bishops of the city from
time to time, and even to certain persons Avhose lives
have been otherwise distinguished, and has bid them
visit her and gather a vintage at her sanctuary. When
such an occurrence has been ascertained by the sove-
reigns, the patriarch, and the city, they visit the
temple, both those who sway the sceptre, and those
who are invested with sacred and civil offices, as well
as the whole multitude, desirous to partake in the
mysteries. Accordingly, the president of the church
of Constantinople, with his attendant priests, enters, in
sight of the public, the sanctuary where the already-
mentioned sacred body is deposited. There is an
aperture in the left side of the coffin, secured with
small doors, through which they introduce a sponge
attached to an iron rod, so as to reach the sacred relics,
and after turning it round, they draw it out, covered
-with stains and clots of blood. On witnessing this, all
the people bend in worship, giving glory to God. So
great has been the quantity of blood thus extracted,
that both the pious sovereigns and the assembled
priests, as well as the congregated people, all share in
a liberal distribution, and portions are sent to those of
the faithful who desire them, in every place under the
sun. The clots also are permanent, neither does the
appearance of the sacred l.ilood luidergo any change.
These divine manifestations occur not at the recurrence
CHAP. IV.J MIRACLES OF S'P. EUPIIEMIA. 51
of any definite period, but according as the lite of the
prelate or gravity of manners calls for them. Ac-
cordingly it is said, that when the governor of the
church is a person reverend and remarkable for vir-
tues, the marvel occurs with peculiar frequency ; but
when such is not his character, such divine operations
are rarely displayed. I will, however, mention a cir-
cumstance which suffers no interruption depending on
lapse of time or seasonable occasion, nor yet is vouch-
safed Avith a distinction between the faithful and infi-
dels, but to all indiscriminately. AMienever any per-
son approaches the spot where is deposited the precious
coffin in which are the holy relics, he is filled with an
odour surpassing in sweetness every perfume with
which mankind are acquainted, for it resembles neither
the mingled fragrance of the meadows, nor that which
is exhaled from the sweetest substances, nor is it such
as any perfumer could prepare : but it is of a peculiar
and surpassing kind, of itself sufficiently hidicating the
virtue of its source.
CHAPTER IV.
COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON.
This was, then, the place of meeting of the before-
mentioned synod; at which the bishops Paschasinus
and Lucentius, and the presljyter Boniface, were the
52 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
representatives of Leo, archpriest of the elder Koine;
there bemg present Anatolius president of Constanti-
nople, Dioscorus, bishop of Alexandria, Maxiinus of
Antioch,and Juvenalis of Jerusalem : on whom attended
both their associate priests, and those who held the places
of highest rank in the most excellent senate. To the
latter the representatives of Leo alleged, that Dioscorus
ought not to be seated with themselves ; for such, they
said, were their instructions from their bishop : as also
that they would withdraw from the church, if they
should be unable to inaintam tliis point. In reply to
the question of the senators, what were the charges
against Dioscorus, they stated, that he ought himself
to render an account of his own decision, since he had
unduly assumed the character of a judge. After this
statement had been made, and Dioscorus, according to
a resolution of the senate, had taken his seat in the
centre, Eusebius demanded, in the follomng Avords,
that the petition should be read which he had pre-
sented to the sovereign power : "I have been wronged
by Dioscorus; the faith has been wronged: the
bishop Flavian Avas murdered, and, together Avith my-
self, unjustly deposed by him. Give directions that my
petition be read." AMien the matter had been dis-
cussed, the petition Avas alloAved to be read : it Avas
couched in the folloAA^ng terms. " To our Christ-loA^uig
and most religious and pious sovereigns. Flavins
A^alentinianus, and Flavins M;ircianus, the petition of
CHAl'. IV,] v"'OUN(UL OF CIIALCKDON. A. 1). 451. 5o
Eusebius, the very humble bishop of Dorykeuiii, who
now pleads on behalf of hunself and the orthodox faith,
and the sainted Flavian, formerly bishop of Constan-
tinople. It is the aim of your majesty to exercise a
providential care of all your su])jects, and stretch forth
a protecthig hand to all who are suffering Avi'ong, and
to those especially who are invested with the priesthood;
for by this means service is rendered to God, from
whom you have received the bestowal of supremacy
and power over all regions under the sun. Inas-
much, then, as the Christian faith and we have suffered
many outrages at the hands of Dioscorus, the most
reverent bisho}) of the great city of the Alexandrians,
we address ourselves to your piety in pursuance of our
rights. The circumstances of the axse are as follow : —
At the synod lately held at the metropolitan city of
the Ephesians — Vv^ould that it had never met, nor the
Avorld been thereby filled with mischiefs and tumult —
the excellent Dioscorus, regarding neither the prin-
ciple of justice nor the fear of God, sharing also in
the opinions and feelings of the visionary and here-
tical Eutyches, though unsuspected by the multitude
of being such as he afterv/ards shewed himself, took
occasion of the charge advanced by me against his
fellow in doctrine, Eutyches, and the decision given
by the sainted bishop Flavian, and having gathered a
disorderly rabble, and procured an overbearing in-
fluence by bribes, made havoc, as far as la}' in his
54 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IL
power, of the pious religion of the orthodox, and
established the erroneous doctrine of Eutyches the
monk, which had from the first been repudiated by
the holy fathers. Since, then, his aggressions against
the Christian fiiith and us are of no trifling magni-
tude, we beseech and supplicate your majesty to issue
your commands to the same most reverent bishop
Dioscorus, to defend himself against our allegations ;
namely, when the record of the acts which Dioscorus
]:)rocured against us, shall be read before the holy
synod ; on the ground of which we are able to shew,
that he is estranged from the orthodox faith, that he
strengthened a heresy utterly impious, that he wrong-
fully deposed and has cruelly outraged us. And this
we will do on the issuing of your divine and revered
mandates to the holy and universal synod of the
bishops, highly beloved of God, to the effect, that they
should give a formal hearing to the matters whicli
concern both us and the before-mentioned Dioscorus,
and refer all the transactions to the decision of your
piety, as shall seem fit to your immortal supremacy.
If we obtain this our request, we shall ever pray for
your everlasting rule, most divine sovereigns."
In the next place, at the joint request of Dioscorus
and Eusebius, the acts of the second council of Ephesus
were publicly read, the particulars of which, as being-
lengthy, and at the same time embraced by the detail
of the proceedings at Chalcedon, I have subjoined to the
CHAP. IV.] (MIAKfiES A(JAINST DIOSCORUS. 55
present hook of tlie history, tliat I miglit not seem
pi'olix to those who nrc eager t(^ l)e l)rouglit to the
end of tlie transactions; therehy leaving to such as
are desh'oiis of nihuite acquaintance with every par-
ticuUir, the means of leisurely consultation and an
accurate conception of the whole. By way of a
cursory statement of the more important points, I
mention, that Dioscorus was convicted of having
suppressed the epistle of Leo, Ijishop of the elder
Rome ; and further, of having enacted the deposition
of Flavian, bishop of new Rome, in the space of a
single day, and procured the subscriptions of the
assembled prelates to a blank paper, represented as
containing the form of the deposition. Upon these
grounds, the senators decreed as follows : " Of points
relating to the orthodox and catholic faith, we are
agreed that a more exact inquiry should take place
before a fuller assembly of the council, at its next
meeting. But inasmuch as it has been shewn, from
examination of the acts and decrees, and from the oral
testimonyof the presidents of that synod, who admit that
themselves were in error, and the deposition was void,
that Flavian, of pious memory, and the most reverent
bishop Eusebius, were convicted of no error concerning
the faith, and were -wi'ongfuUy deposed, it seems to us,
according to God's good pleasure, to be a just proceed-
ing, if approved by our most divine and pious sove-
reign, that Dioscorus, the most reverent l)ishop of
56 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IL
Alexandria; Juvenalis, the most reverent bishop of
Jerusalem; Thalassius, the most reverent bishop of
C^sarea, in Cappadocia; Eusebius, the most reverent
bishop of Ancyra; Eustathius, the most reverent
bishop of Beiytus; and Basilios, the most reverent
bishop of Seleucia, in Isauria ; who exercised sway and
precedency in that synod; should he svibjected to the
selfsame penalty, by suifering at the hands of the holy
synod deprivation of their episcopal dignity, according
to the canons ; whatever is consequent hereupon, being-
submitted to the cognizance of the emperor's sacred
supremacy."
On the presentation of libels against Dioscorus
at the next meeting of the council, containing
charges of slander and extortion, and his refusal,
for certain alleged reasons, to appear, after a twice
and thrice repeated summons, the representatives of
Leo, bishop of the elder Rome, made the following
declaration : — " The aggressions committed by Dios-
corus, lately bishop of the great city Alexandria, in
violation of canonical order and the constitution of
the church, have been clearly proved by the investiga-
tions at the former meeting, and the proceedings of
to-day. For, not to mention the mass of his oiFences,
he did, on his own authority, uncanonicaUy admit
to communion his partisan Eutyches, after having
been canonically deprived by his own bishop, namely,
our sainted father and archbishop Flavian; and this
CHAP. IV.] DET'OSITION OF DIOSCORUS. 57
before he sat in council with the other hishops at
EphesLis. To them, indeed, the holy see granted par-
don for the trajisactions of which they were not tlie
dehberate authors, and they have hitherto continued
obedient to the most holy archbishop Leo, and the
body of the holy and universal synod ; on which ac-
coinit he also admitted them into communion with
him, as being his fellows in faith. "Wliereas Dioscorus
has continued to maintain a haughty carriage, on ac-
count of those very circumstances over which he ought
to have bewailed and humbled himself to the earth.
Moreover, he did not even allow the epistle to be read
which the blessed pope Leo had addressed to Flavian,
of holy memory; and that too, notmthstanding lie
was repeatedly exhorted thereto by the bearers, and
had promised with an oath to that effect. The result
of the epistle not being read, has l^een to fill the most
holy churches througliout the world with scandals and
mischief. Xotmthstanding, however, such presump-
tion, it vras our purpose to deal mercifully with him
as regards his past impiety, as we had done to the
Other bishops, although they had not held an equal
judicial authority with him. But inasmuch as he has,
by his subsequent conduct, overshot his former ini-
quity, and has presumed to pronounce excommunica-
tion against Leo, the most holy and religious archbishop
of great Rome ; since, moreover, on the presentation
of a })aper full of grievous charges against liim to the
58 ECCLESIASTICAL IIISTOKY. [bOOK IT.
holy and great synod, lie refused to appear, thongh
once, twice, and thrice canonically summoned by the
bishops, pricked no doubt by his o^vn conscience ; and
since he has unlawfully given reception to those who
had been duly deposed by different synods; he has
thus, by variously trampling upon the laws of the
church, given his own verdict against himself. Wliere-
fore Leo, the most blessed and holy archbishop of the
great and elder Rome, has, by the agency of ourselves
and the present synod, in conjunction with the thrice-
blessed and all honoured Peter, who is the rock and
l^asis of the Catholic church, and the foundation of the
orthodox faith, deprived him of the episcopal dignity,
and severed him from every priestly function. Ac-
cordingly, this holy and great synod decrees the pro-
visions of the canons on the aforesaid Dioscorus."
After the ratification of these measures by the synod,
and the transaction of some other matters, those who
had been deposed together with Dioscorus, were
reinstated, at the request of the synod and the assent
of the imperial government ; and, after some further
transactions, a definition of fiiith was enounced in
these precise words : " Our Lord Jesus Christ, while
confirming the knowledge of the fiiith in his disciples
said, ' My peace I give to you ; my peace I leave to
you ;' to the purpose, that no one should differ from
his neighbour in the doctrines of piety, but should
accord in pul)lisliing the declaration of the truth."
CHAT. IV.] DKFIXITION OF FAITH. 59
Al'ter the reading of the holy Nieenc creed, and also
that of the hundred and fifty holy fathers, they sub-
joined as follows: " This wise and salutary synd)ol of
divme grace is indeed sufficient for the perfect know-
ledge and confirmation of godliness; for, concerning
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, its
teaching is plain and complete, and it sufficiently
suggests the incarnation of the Lord to those who
receive it ftiithfully. But since the enemies of the
truth are endeavouring to subvert its doctrine by
heresies of their own, and have given Ijirth to certain
empty speeches, some daring to pervert the mystery
of the economy which the Lord bore for our sakes,
and rejecting the term ' Mother of God,' in the case of
the Virgin ; others introducing a confusion and com-
mixture of substance, and inconsiderately moulding
into one the natures of the flesh and of the Godhead,
and by such confusion producing the monstrous notion
of passibility in the divine nature of the Only-l)egotten ;
for this reason the present great and universal holy
synod, from a desire to preclude every device of theirs
against the truth, and to maintain the hitherto un-
shaken declaration of doctrine, has determined pri-
marily that the creed of the three hundred and
eighteen holy fathers shall be indefeasible; and, on
account of those who impugn the Holy Spirit, it rati-
fies the doctrine delivered subsequently concerning
the substance of the S])irit by the hundred and fifty
60 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [l300K II.
fathers, who assembled in the imperial city, and by
them promulgated universally, not as though they
were supplying some defect on the part of their pre-
decessors, but were more clearly setting forth, by
expressly recorded testimony, their notion respecting
the Holy Spirit, in opposition to those who endea-
voured to annul His prerogative. In respect to those
who have dared to corrupt the mystery of the economy,
and with shameless wantonness to represent Him who
was born of the holy Virgin as a mere man, the
council has adopted the synodic epistles of the blessed
Cyril, pastor of the church of the Alexandrians,
addressed to Nestorius and the prelates of the East,
in refutation of the madness of Nestorius, and for the
instruction of those who with pious zeal are desirous
of being impressed with a due conception of the sav-
ing symbol. To these the council has not without
reason appended, in order to the confirmation of the
true doctrines, the epistle of the president of the great
and elder Rome, Avliich the most blessed and holy arch-
bishop Leo addressed to the sainted archbishop Flavian,
for the overthrow of the evil design of Eutyches;
as being in agreement with the confession of the mighty
Peter, and forming with it a monument of concurrent
testimony against the maintainers of pernicious
opinions ; for it boldly confronts those who endeavour
to dissever the mystery of the economy into a duality
of sons; it expels from the congregation of the holy
CHAP, IV.] DEFINITION OF FAITH. Gl
iTtes those who presume to affirm that the Godliead of
the Only-begotten is passible ; and opposes those who
imagine a mixture or confusion in respect of the two
natures of Christ. It also ejects such as fondly fancy
that the form of a servant which He assumed from
our own nature, was of a heavenly or any other sub-
stance ; and it anathematises those who fable a resolu-
tion into one, at their union, of tAVO previous natures
of the Lord. Following, accordingly, the holy
fathers, we confess one and the same Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ, and we all with one voice declare him to
be at the same time perfect in Godliead, and perfect in
manhood, very God, and at the same tune very man,
consisting of a reasonable soul and a body, being con-
substantial with the Father as respects his Godhead,
and at the same time consubstantial with ourselves as
respects his manhood; resembling us ui all things,
independently of sin ; begotten, before the ages, of the
Father, according to his Godhead, but born, in the
last of the days, of Mary, the virgin and mother of
God, for our sakes and for our salvation ; being one
and the same Jesus Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten,
made knoA\Ti in two natures without confusion, without
conversion, mthout severance, without separation,
inasmuch as the difference of the natures is in no way
annulled by their union, but the peculiar essence of
each nature is rather preserved, and conspires in one
person and one subsistence, not as though he were
62 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [boOK II.
parted or severed into two persons, but is one and the
same Son, Only-begotten, Divine Word, Lord Jesus
Christ, as the prophets declared concerning Him, and
Christ himself has fully instructed us, and the symbol
of the fathers has conveyed to us. Since, then, these
matters have been defined by us with all accuracy and
diligence, the holy and universal synod has determined
that no one shall be at liberty to put forth another
fiiith, whether in writing, or by framing, or devising,
or teaching it to others. And that those who shall
presume to frame, or publish, or teach another faith,
or to communicate another symbol to those who are
disposed to turn to the knowledge of the truth from
heathenism or Judaism, or any other sect — that they,
if they be bishops or clerks, shall suffer deprivation,
the bishops of their episcopal, the clerks of their
clerical office ; and if monks or laics, shall be anathe-
matised." After the reading of the formula, the em-
peror Marcian visited Chalcedon, and attended the
synod, and, having delivered an harangue, again took
his departure. Juvenalis also and Maximus arranged
on mutual terms the matters relating to their own
provinces, and Theodoret and Ibas were reinstated.
Other matters were also mooted ; an account of which,
as I have already said, is subjoined to this history.
It was also determined that the see of New Rome,
while ranking second to that of C)ld Rome, should take
precedence of all others.
CHAP. V] TUMULT AT ALEXANDRIA. A.D. 451. Go
CriAPTEU V.
TUMULT AT ALEXANDRIA — AND AT JERUSALEM.
In addition to these transactions, Dioscorus is sen-
tenced to reside at Gangra in Paphlagonia, and Prote-
rius is appointed to the see of Alexandria by a general
vote of the synod. On his taking possession of his
see, a very great and intolerable tumult arose among
the people, Avho were roused into a storm against con-
Hicthig opinions ; for some, as is likely in such cases,
desired the restoration of Dioscorus, while others reso-
lutely upheld Proterius, so as to give rise to many
irremediable mischiefs. Thus Priscus, the rhetorician,
recounts, that he arrived at Alexandria from the
Thebaid, and that he saw the populace advancing in a
mass agamst the magistrates: that when the troops
attempted to repress the tumult, they proceeded to
assail them mth stones, and put them to flight, and
on their taking refuge in the old temple of Serapis,
carried the place by assault, and committed them
alive to the flames : that the emperor, when informed
of these events, despatched two thousand newly levied
troops, who made so favourable a passage, as to reach
Alexandria on the sixth day ; and that thence resulted
still more alarming consequences, from the license of
64 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [uOOK II.
the soldiery towards the mves and daughters of the
Alexandrians: that, subsequently, the people, being
assembled in the hippodrome, entreated Florus, who
was the mihtary connnandant, as well as the eivil
governor, with such urgency as to procure terms for
themselves, in the distribution of provisions, of which
he had deprived them, as well as the privileges of the
baths and s^^ectacles, and all others from which, on
account of their turbulence, they had been debarred :
that, at his suggestion, Florus presented hmiself to
the j^eople, and pledged himself to that effect, and by
this means stopped the sedition for a time. Nor did
even the wilderness in the neio'hbourhood of Jeru-
o
salem preserve its tranquillity, unvisited by this com-
motion. For there arrived in Palestme some of the
monks who had been present at the council, but were
disposed to harbour designs in opposition to it; and
by lamenting the betra}'al of the faith, exerted tliem-
selves to fan into a flame the monastic body. And
when Juvenalis, after obtaining restitution to his see,
had been compelled to return to the imperial city, by
the violence of the party who claimed the right to
supersede and anathematise in their o^^ai province,
those who, as we have already mentioned, were op-
posed to the acts of the council of Chalcedon, assem-
bled in the church of the Resurrection, and appointed
Theodosius, Avho had especially caused confusion in
the council, and been the first to bring a report of its
CHAP, v.] UKLIGIOIT8 ANIMOSITIES. 05
proceedings, and respecting whom, at a subsequent
period, the monks of Palestine alleged, in letters to
Alcison, that having been convicted of malpractices in
relation to his own bishop, he had been expelled from
his monastery: and that at Alexandria he had
impugned the conduct of Dioscorus, and, after having
been severely scourged as a seditious person, had been
conveyed round the city on a camel, as is usual with
malefactors. To him many of the cities of Palestine
made application, with a view to the ordination of
bishops. Among these was Peter the Iberian ; to
whom was committed the episcopal helm of the city
called Majumas, in the neighbourhood of Gaza. On
being informed of these proceedings, Marcian, in the
first place, commands Theodosius to be conveyed near
his own person, and sends Juvenalis to rectify the
past, mth an injunction that all who had been ordained
by Theodosius should be ejected. Many sad occur-
rences followed the arrival of Juvenalis, while either
party indulged in whatever proceedings their anger
suo-o-ested. Such was the device of the envious and
God-hating demon in the change of a single letter,
that, while in reality the one expression was completely
inductive of the notion of the other, still with the
generality the discrepancy between them was held to
be considerable, and the ideas conveyed by them to be
clearly in diametric opposition, and exclusive of each
other : whereas he who confesses Christ in two natures,
5
66 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
clearly affirms Him to be from tAvo ; inasmuch as l^y
confessing Christ at once in Godhead and manhood, he
asserts His consistence from Godhead and manhood ;
and, on the other hand,the position of one who affirms
His origin from two natures, is completely mclusive
of His existence in two, inasmuch as he who affirms
Christ to be from Godhead and manhood, confesses
His existence in Godhead and manhood, since there is
no conversion of the flesh into Godhead, nor a transi-
tion of the Godhead into flesh, from which substances
arises the ineffable union. So that in this case by the
expression, "from two natures," is aptly suggested the
thought of the expression, " in two," and conversely ;
nor can there be a severance of the terms, this being
an instance where a representation of the whole is
afforded, not merely by its origin from component
parts, but, as a further and distinct means, by its
existence in them. Yet, nevertheless, persons have
so taken up the idea of the marked distinction of the
terms, either from a habit of thought respecting the
glory of God, or by the inclination forestalling the
judgment, as to be reckless of death in any shape,
rather than acknowledge the real state of the case ;
and hence arose the occurrences which T have de-
scribed. Such then was the state of these matters.
CIIAr. VII.] VARIOUS CALAMITIES. 07
CHAPTER VI.
DROUGHT, FAMINE, AND PESTILENCE IN ASIA MINOR.
About the same time there was also a drouglit in
Phrygia, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Cilicia: and, from
want of ordinary necessaries, the inhabitants had
recourse to unwholesome food, which further gave rise
to pestilence. The change of food caused disease;
excessive inflammation produced a swelling of the
body, followed by loss of sight, and attended with a
cough, and death took place on the third day. For a
time no relief could be devised for the pestilence ; but
all-preserving Providence vouchsafed to the survivors
a remedy for the famine, by raining do^vn food in the
unproductive year, in the same way as what was
termed manna upon the Israelites; and, during the
succeeding year, by wiUing that the fruits of the earth
should be matured spontaneously. The spread of these
calamities included also Palestine and innumerable
other districts, making, as it were, a circuit of the earth.
CHAPTER VII.
DEATH OF THE EMPEROR VALENTINIAN. ROME TAKEN. —
SUCCESSORS OF VALENTINIAN.
During the progress of these events in the East,
Aetius meets with a miserable end at Old Rome, and
68 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
Yalentinian, the emperor of the West, is slaiii, together
with Heraclius, by some of the guards of Aetius, at
the instigation of Maximus, who afterwards assumed
the sovereignty, and who conspired against them
because Yalentinian had violated his wife. This
Maximus forces Eudoxia, the wife of Yalentinian, into
a marriage with himself; and she, justly regarding
the transaction as an outrage and altogether monstrous,
determined to set, as the saying is, all upon a cast, on
account of the ^vrong she had suffered both in the
person of her husband and the infringement of her
liberty: for a woman, jealous of her chastity, is
unscrupulous and implacable if she has suffered defile-
ment, especially by one through whose means she has
been deprived of her husband. Accordingly, she
sends to Genseric, in Africa, and by considerable
presents, as Avell as by holding out confident expecta-
tions of the future, induces him to make a sudden
descent upon the Roman empire, Avith a promise of
betraying every thing into his hands. This was
accordingly done, and Rome captured. But Genseric,
barbarian -like and fickle, did not maintain his fidelity
even to her ; but, after firing the city and making an
indiscriminate pillage, he retired, taking with him
Eudoxia and her two daughters, and returned to
Africa. The elder daughter, Eudocia, he espouses to
his OAvn son, Huneric; but the younger, Placidia, he
subsequently sends, together mth her mother Eudoxia,
CHAP. VIII.] DEATH OF MARCIAN. — A.D. 457. 69
Avitli a royal escort to Byzantiuin, with the vii'W of
pacifying Marcian, who was exasperated both by the
buriuiig of Rome and the outrage upon the royal
ladies. Placidia, in obedience to Marcian, consents to
marry Olybrius, a distinguished member of the senate,
who had come to Constantinople on the capture of
Rome. After Maximus, Avitus Avas emperor of the
Romans for eight months; and on his decease by
starvation, Majorian for more than a year: and after
he had been treacherously murdered by Ricimer,
master of the Roman armies, Severus for three years.
CHAPTER VIII.
DEATH OF THE EMPEROR MARCIAN. MURDER OF PRO-
TERIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA. — ELECTION OF
TIMOTHY, SURNAMED .^LURUS (tHE CAT).
During the reign of Severus at Rome, Marcian ex-
changes his earthly sovereignty by a removal to a
happier state, having reigned only seven years, but
leaving behind him a truly royal monument in the
memories of mankind. On learning this event, the
people of Alexandria renewed their feud against
Proterius with stiU greater exasperation and excessive
heat : for the populace in general are an inflammable
material, and allow very trivial pretexts to foment the
flame of commotion, and not in the least degree that
of Alexandria, which presumes on its numbers, chiefly
70 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
an obscure and promiscuous rabble, and vaunts forth
its impulses with excessive audacity. Accordingly, it
is said that every one who is so disposed may, by em-
ploying any casual circumstance as a means of excite-
ment, inspire the city with a frenzy of sedition, and
hurry the populace in whatever direction and against
whomsoever he chooses. Their general humour,
however, is even of a sportive kind, as Herodotus
records to have been the case with Amasis. Such,
then, is the character of this people ; who were, how-
ever, in all other respects by no means contemptible.
The people of Alexandria, accordingly, taking ad-
vantage of the prolonged absence of Dionysius, com-
mander of the legions, in Upper Egy^Dt, decree the
elevation to the highest priestly grade, of Timotheus,
surnamed ^Elurus, who had formerly followed the
monastic life, but had subsequently been admitted
among the presbyters of the church of Alexandria;
and, conducting him to the great church, styled that
of Caesar, elect him their bishop, though Proterius was
still alive and discharged the functions of his office.
There were present at the election, Eusebius, president
of the church of Pelusium, and Peter the Iberian,
bishop of the town of Majumas, according to the
account given of the transaction by the ^vriter of the
life of Peter, who also says that Proterius was not
killed by the populace, but by one of the soldiers.
AVlien Dionysius, on accoiuit of the urgency of these
CHAP. Vlll.] MUKDEli OF I'llOTEUlUS. 71
disorders, had occupied the city with the utmost
dispatch, and Avas taking prompt measures to quench
the towering conflagration of the sedition, some of the
Alexandrians, at the instigation of Timotheus, accord-
ing to the written report made to Leo, despatch
Proterius when he appeared, by thrusting a sword
through his bowels, after he had fled for reluge to the
holy baptistery. Suspending the body by a cord,
they displayed it to the public in the quarter called
Tetrapylum, jeering and vociferating that the victim
was Proterius; and, after dragging it through the
whole city, connnitted it to the flames ; not even re-
fraining themselves from tastmg his intestmes, like
beasts of prey, according to the account of the entire
transaction contained in the petition addressed by the
Egyptian bishops and the whole clergy of Alexandria
to Leo, who, as has been said, was invested with the
imperial power on the death of j\Iarcian. It was
couched in the following terms: — " To the pious,
Christ-loving, and divinely-appointed, the victorious
and triumphant Augustus Leo, the petition of all the
bishops of your Egyptian diocese, and the clergy of
your most dignified and holy church of Alexandria.
Having been granted, by divine grace, a boon to man-
kind, as such you cease not to exercise, next to God, a
daily providence of the connnon weal, Augustus, most
sacred of all emperors." After some other matters,
the petition proceeds: "And while undisturbed
72 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
peace was prevailing among the orthodox people of our
country and Alexandria, Timotheus, immediately after
the holy synod at Chalcedon, being at that time a
presbyter, severed himself from the Catholic church
and faith, together with only four or five bishops and
a few monks, of those who, as well as himself, were
infected with the heretical errors of ApoUinaris and
his followers ; on account of which opinions they were
then deposed by Proterius, of divine memory, and the
general synod of Egypt, and duly experienced the
motion of the imperial will, in the sentence of banish-
ment." And afterwards it proceeds : " And having
watched the opportunity aiForded by the departure
from this world to God of the emperor Marcian, of
sacred memory, assuming then in blasphemous terms
a bold tone of independence, and shamelessly anathe-
matising the holy and general synod at Chalcedon,
while he drew after hhn a mercenary and disorderly
multitude, and assailed the divine canons and ecclesi-
astical order, the commonwealth and the laws, he in-
truded himself upon the holy church of God, which at
that time was possessed of a pastor and teacher in the
person of our most holy father and archbishop, Pro-
terius, duly performing the ordinary rites, and offer-
ing up to Christ, the Saviour of us all, supplications
in behalf of your pious sovereignty and your Christ-
loving court." And presently it proceeds : " And
after the interval of only one day, while Proterius,
CIIAr. VIII.] PETITION FROM EGYPT. 73
beloved of God, was occupying, as usual, the epis-
copal residence, Timotheus, taking with hhn the two
bishops who had been justly deposed, and the clergy
who, as we have said, were condemned to banishment
with them, as if he had received rightful ordination at
the hands of the two, though not one of the orthodox
bishops of the whole Egyptian diocese was present, as
is customary on occasion of the ordinations of the
bishop of the church of Alexandria — he possesses
himself, as he presumed, of the archiepiscopal see,
though manifestly giiilty of an adulterous outrage on
the church, as already having her rightful spouse in
one who was performing the divine offices in her, and
canonically occupied his proper throne." And further
on : " The blessed man could do nothing else than
give place to wrath, according to what is written, and
take refuge in the venerable baptistery from the
assault of those who were pursuing him to death, a
place which especially inspires awe even into bar-
barians and savages, though ignorant of its dignity,
and the grace which flows from it. Notwithstanding,
however, those who were eager to carry into execu-
tion the design which Timotheus had from the first
conceived, and who could not endure that his life
should be protected by those undefiled precincts, nei-
ther reverenced the dignity of the place, nor yet the
season (for it was the solemnity of the saving paschal
feast), nor were awe-struck at the priesth office which
74 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [liOOK II.
mediates between God and man ; but put the blame-
less man to death, cruelly butchermg him with six
others. They then drew forth his body, covered with
Avovmds, and having dragged it in horrid procession
with unfeeling mockery through almost every part of
the city, ruthlessly loaded the senseless corpse with
indignity, so far as to tear it limb from limb, and not
even abstain from tasting, like beasts of prey, the flesh of
him whom but just before they were supposed to
have as a mediator between God and man. They then
committed what remained of the body to the flames,
and scattered the ashes to the mnds, exceeding the
utmost ferocity of wild beasts. Of all these transac-
tions Timotheus was the guilty cause, and the skilful
builder of the scheme of mischief." Zacharias, how-
ever, while treating at length of these events, is of
opinion that the greater part of the circumstances
thus detailed actually occurred, but through the fault
of Proterius, by his instigation of serious disturbances
in the city, and that these outrages were committed,
not by the populace, but by some of the soldiery ;
grounding his opinion on a letter addressed by Timo-
theus to Leo. In consequence, however, of these
proceedings, Stilas is sent out by the emperor to chas-
tise them.
CHAP. IX.] LETTER FROM THE EMPEROR LEO. 75
CHAPTER IX.
LETTER FROM THE EMPEROR LEO.
Leo also addresses circular letters of inquiry to the
bishops throughout the empire and the most distin-
guished monastics, relating to the synod at Chal-
cedon and the ordination of Timotheus, surnamed
iElurus, accompanying them with copies of the peti-
tions which had been presented to him on the part
both of Proterius and Timotheus. The circular let-
ters were couched in the following terms : —
A copy of the sacred epistle of the most pious em-
peror Leo to Anatolius, bishop of Constantinople, to
the metropolitans throughout the whole world, and
the other bishops.
" The emperor Caasar Leo, pious, victorious, tri-
umphant, supreme, ever-worshipful Augustus, to the
bishop Anatolius. It has ever been a subject of prayer
to my piety, that all the orthodox and most holy
churches, and, indeed, the cities throughout the Ro-
man dominion, should enjoy perfect tranquillity, and
that nothing should befall them to disturb their settled
serenity. The events, however, which have lately
happened at Alexandria, we are assured, are known
to your holiness: but that you may be more fully
informed respecting the entire transaction, and the
76 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
cause of so much tumult and confusion, we have for-
Avarded to your sanctity copies of the petitions which
the most reverent bishops and clergy of the before-
mentioned city, and of the Egyptian diocese, presented
to our piety against Timotheus, at the imperial city of
Constantine ; and, in addition, copies of the petitions
presented to our serenity, at our sacred court, by per-
sons from Alexandria on behalf of Tiuiotheus ; so that
your holiness will be able distinctly to learn what
have been the proceedings of the before-mentioned
Timotheus, whom the people of Alexandria and their
dignitaries, senators, and ship-masters request for their
bishop, and what relates to the other transactions, as
intimated by the tenor of the petitions, as well as re-
garding the synod at Chalcedon, to which these par-
ties by no means assent, according as the matters are
set forth by the petitions appended. Your reverence
will accordingly forthwith cause to assemble to you
all the orthodox holy bishops who are now resident
in the imperial city, as also the most reverent clergy ;
and, after carefully investigating and testing every cir-
cumstance, considering that Alexandria is at present
disturbed, and that we are most solicitous for its
settlement and tranquillity, declare your opinion
respecting the before-mentioned Tmiotheus and the
synod at Chalcedon, without any fear of man, and
apart from all favour or disHke ; setting before your
eyes only the fear of the Almighty, inasmuch as ye
CHAP. X.] LETTER FROM THE EMPEROR LEO. 77
know tlint ye sliiill give account of this matter to His
pure Godhead. This we enjoin, in order that, being
perfectly informed by your letters, we may be able to
frame the fitting issue on the entire matter." The
emperor wrote also in similar terms to the other
bishops, and, as I have said, to the most distinguished
among those who at that period were practising the
endurance of the bare and immaterial mode of life.
Among these was Simeon, who first conceived the sta-
tion on the pillar, and of whom I have made mention
in the former part of the history ; as well as Baradatus
and Jacob, the Syrians.
CHAPTER X.
REPLIES OF THE BISHOPS. — AND OF SI3IE0N.
Accordingly, in the first instance, Leo, bishop of
the elder Rome, both wrote in defence of the synod
at Chalcedon, and declared the ordination of Timo-
theus to be null, as having been irregularly performed.
This epistle the emperor Leo dispatches to Timotheus,
president of the church of Alexandria ; Diomedes, the
silentiary, executing the imperial commission : and
Timotheus wrote in rejoinder, excepting to the synod
at Chalcedon and the epistle of Leo. Of these docu-
ments copies are preserved in the collection called the
Circulars : but I have omitted them, to avoid encum-
78 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
bering the matter on hand with too great a number.
The bishops, too, of the other cities, expressed their
adherence to the determinations framed at Chalcedon,
and unanimously condemned the ordination of Timo-
theus. Amphilochius alone, bishop of Side, wrote an
epistle, loudly reprobating the ordination of Timo-
theus, but also rejecting the synod at Chalcedon.
Zacharias the rhetorician has also treated of these
transactions, and has inserted the epistle itself of
Amphilochius in his work. Simeon, too, of holy me-
mory, wrote two epistles on the occasion ; namely, to
the emperor Leo, and to Basilius, bishop of Antioch.
The latter, as being brief, I insert in this my history,
as follows : "To my lord, the most religious and holy
servant of God, the archbishop Basilius, the sinful
and humble Simeon wishes health in the Lord. Well
may we now say, my lord : Blessed be God, who has
not rejected our prayer, nor withdrawn his mercy
from us sinners. For, on the receipt of the letters of
your worthiness, I admired the zeal and piety of our
sovereign, beloved of God, which he manifested and
still manifests towards the holy fathers and their
unshaken faith. And this gift is not from ourselves,
as says the holy apostle, but from God, who, through
your prayers, bestowed on him this readiness of
mind." And presently he proceeds: "On this ac-
count, I also, though mean and worthless, the refuse
of the monks, have conveyed to his majesty my judg-
CHAP. XI. J rUNISITMENT OF TIMOTHY. 79
incnt respecting the creed of the six hundred and
thirty holy fiithers assembled at Chalcedon, firmly
resolving to abide by the faith then revealed by the
Holy Spirit : for if, in the midst of two or three "svlio
are gathered in His name, the Saviour is present, how
could it be otherwise, than that the Holy Spirit
should be throughout in the midst of so many and so
distinguished holy ftithers?" And afterwards he pro-
ceeds: " Wherefore be stout and courageous in the
cause of true piety, as was also Joshua the son of
Nun, the servant of the Lord, in behalf of the chil-
dren of Israel. I beg you to salute from me all the
reverent clergy who are under your holiness, and the
blessed and most faithful laity."
CHAPTER XL
PUNISHMENT OF TIMOTHY.
On these grounds Timotheus is sentenced to ba-
nishment, and Gangra is in his case also named as the
place of exile. The Alexandrians then elect another
Timotheus, variously surnamed Basilicus and Salo-
facialus. Anatolius dies, and Gennadius succeeds him
in the see of the imperial city. His successor is Aca-
cius, who had been master of the Orphan Hospital in
that city.
80 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [uOOK II.
CHAPTER XII
EARTHQUAKE AT ANTIOCH.
During the second year of the reign of Leo, an
extraordinary shock and concussion of the earth took
place at Aiitioch, preceded by certain excesses of the
populace, which reached the extreme of frenzy, and
surpassed the ferocity of beasts, forming, as it were, a
prelude to such a calamity. This grievous visitation
occurred in the five hundred and sixth year of the
free prerogatives of the city, about the fourth hour of
the night, on the fourteenth day of the month Gor-
piaeus, which the Romans call September, on the eve
of the Lord's day, in the eleventh cycle of the indic-
tion; and was the sixth on record after a lapse of
three hundred and forty -seven years, since the earth-
quake under Trajan; for that occurred when the city
was in the hundred and fifty-ninth year of its inde-
pendence; but this, which happened in the time of
Leo, in the five hundred and sixth, according to the
most diligent authorities. This earthquake threw
do-^Ti nearly all the houses of the New City, which was
very populous, and contained not a smgle vacant or
altogether unoccupied spot, but had been highly em-
bellished by the rival liberality of the emperors. Of
the structures composing the palace, the first and
CHAP. Xlir.] FIRE AT CONSTANTINOPLE. — A.D. 46'2. 81
second were thrown down : the rest, however, remained
standing, together with the adjoining baths, which,
having been previously useless, were now rendered
serviceable to the necessities of the city, arising from
the damage of the others. It also levelled the por-
ticoes in front of the [)alace and the adjacent Tetra-
pylum, as Avell as the towers of the Hippodrome,
which flanked the entrances, and some of the porticoes
adjoining them. In the Old City, the ]3orticoes and
dwellings entirely escaped the overthrow; but it shat-
tered a small portion of the baths of Trajan, Severn s,
and Hadrian, and also laid in ruins some parts of the
quarter of houses named Ostracine, together -svith the
porticoes, and levelled what was called the Xymph^e-
um. All these circumstances have been minutely
detailed by John the rhetorician. He says, that a
thousand talents of gold were remitted to the city
from the tributes by the emperor; and, besides, to
individual citizens, the imposts of the houses de-
stroyed : and that he also took measures for the restor-
ation both of them and of the public buildings.
CHAPTER XIII.
CONFLAGRATION AT CONSTANTINOPLE.
A SIMILAR, or even more terrible calamity, befell
Constantinople, which took its rise from the quarter of
6
82 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
the city bordering on the sea, and named Bospo-
rium. The acconnt is, that about dusk-hour, a
demon of destruction in the form of a woman, or in
reality a poor woman incited by a demon, for the story
is told in ])otli ways, carried a light into the market
for the purpose of buying pickled victuals, and then,
having set down the light, stole away. Catching
some tow, it raised a great flame, and in a moment
set the apartment on fire. The conflagration, thus
begun, soon consumed every thing within its reach, and
afterwards continuing to spread for four days, not
only over the more combustible materials, but build-
ings of stone, notAvithstanding every effort to check it,
at last destroyed the whole heart of the city from
north to south, a space of five stadia in width, and
fourteen in length ; throughout which it left no build-
ing standing, either public or private, nor pillars nor
arches of stone; but the hardest substances were as
completely consumed as if they had been combustible.
The ruin, at its northern extremity, which is where the
docks are situated, extended from the Bosporium to
the old temple of Apollo ; at the southern, from the
harbour of Julian as far as the houses near the ora-
tory of tlie church of Unanimity; and in the centre
of the city, from the forum of Constantine to the
Forum Tauri, as it is called : a pitiable and loathsome
spectacle ; for all the most conspicuous ornaments of
the city, and whatever had been embellished with un-
CHAP. XIV.] OTHER PUBLIC CALAMITIES. 83
rivalled inagniiicence, or adapted to public or private
utility, had been swept together into huge heaps and
impassable mounds, formed of various substances,
whose former features were now so blended in one
confused mass, that not even those who lived on the
spot could recognise the different portions, and the
place to which each had belonged.
CHAPTER XIY.
OTHER PUBLIC CALAMITIES.
About the same time, when the Scythian war was
gathering against the Eastern Romans, an earthquake
visited Thrace, the Hellespont, Ionia, and the islands
called Cyclades; so severe as to cause a universal
overthrow in Cnidus and Cos. Priscus also records
the occurrence of excessive rains about Constantinople
and Bithynia, which descended like torrents for three
or four days; when hills were swept down to the
plains, and villages carried away by the deluge:
islands also were formed in the lake Boane, not far
from Nicomedia, by the masses of rubbish brought
do^vn by the waters. This evil, liowever, was snl>se-
quent to the former.
8t ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
CHAPTER XV.
MARRIAGE OF ZENO AND ARIADNE.
Leo bestows his daughter Ariadne on Zeno, who
from his infancy had been called Aricmesius, but on
his marriage assumed the former name, derived from
an individual who had attained great distinction among
the Isaurians. The origin of the advancement of this
Zeno, and the reason why he was preferred by Leo
before all others, have been set forth by Eustathius
the Syrian.
CHAPTER XVL
REIGN OF ANTHEMIUS — OF OLYBRIUS — AND OTHER
WESTERN PRINCES.
In compliance with an embassy from the Western
Romans, Anthemius is sent out as emperor of Rome;
to whom the late emperor Marcian had betrothed his
own daughter. Basiliscus, brother to the emperor's
wife Verina, is also sent out against Genseric, in
command of a body of chosen troops : which transac-
tions have been treated of with great exactness by
Priscus the rhetorician ; and how Leo, in repayment,
as it were, for his own advancement, treacherously
procures the death of Aspar, who had been the means
ClIAr. XVII.] DKATII (»F LEO. — A.D. 474. 85
of investing him with the sovereignty, and also of his
sons, Ardaburius and Patricius; on the latter of
whom he had previonsly bestowed the title of Caesar,
in order to conciliate Aspar. After the slaughter of
Anthemius, in the fifth year of his reign, Olybrius is
declared emperor by Ricimer ; and after him appoint-
ment is made of Glycerins. Nej^os possesses himself
of the supreme power for five years, by the expulsion
of Glycerius, whom he appoints to the bishopric of
Salona, a city of Dalmatia. He is himself driven
from power by Orestes, as was subsequently Komulus,
surnamed Augustulus, the son of the latter, Avho
was the last emperor of Rome, at an interval of thir-
teen hundred and three years from the reign of Ro-
mulus. Odoacer next sways the affairs of the Ro-
mans, declining the imperial title, but assuming that
of king.
CHAPTER XVII.
DEATH OF THE EMPEROR LEO.
About the same time the emperor Leo, at Byzan-
tium, departs his sovereignty, after having swayed
it for seventeen yearSj and appointed to the empire
Leo, the infant son of his daughter Ariadne and
Zeno. Zeno then assumes the purple, being aided by
the favour of Verina, the wife of Leo, towards her
son-in-law. On the death of the child, which shortly
86 ECCLESIAS.TICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
followed, Zeiio contiiiuecl . in sole possession of the
sovereignty. The transactions which originated with
him, or were directed against him, and whatever else
befell him, the sequel shall detail, with the aid of the
Superior Power.
The proceedings of the synod at Chalcedon are
here given in a compendious form.
CHAPTER XVIII.
EPITOME OP THE ACTS OF THE COUNCIL
OF CHALCEDON.
Paschasinus and Lucentius, bishops, and Boniface,
a presbyter, filled the place of Leo, archpriest of the
elder Rome ; there being present Anatolius president of
the church of Constantinople, Dioscorus bishop of
Alexandria, Maximus of Antioch, and Juvenalis of
Jerusalem, and with them their associate bishops ; on
whom attended also those who held the highest rank in
the most excellent senate. To the latter the represen-
tatives of Leo alleged, that Dioscorus ought not to be
seated with themselves, for such were their instructions
from Leo; and that if this should be jdlowed, they
would retire from the church. In reply to the question
of the senators, Avhat were the charges against Dios-
corus, they stated, that he ought himself to render an
CHAP. XVI II.] I'ETITION OF EUSEBIUS. 87
account of his own decision, since he had unduly
assumed the character of a judge, without being
autliorised by the bishop of Rome. After this state-
ment had been made, and Dioscorus stood in the midst,
according to a decision of the senate, Eusebius, bishop
of Doryla3um, demanded, in the following words, that
the petition should be read which he had presented to
the sovereign po^ver : "I have been wronged by
Dioscorus; the faith has been wronged; Flavian the
bishop was murdered, and together with myself un-
justly deposed by him. Give directions that my pe-
tition be read." On its being so ruled, the petition was
read, couched in the following terms : " The petition
of Eusebius, the very humble bishop of Dorylaeum, in
behalf of himself and the sainted Flavian, formerly
bishop of Constantinople. It is the aim of your
majesty to exercise a providential care of all your
subjects, and stretch forth a protecting hand to all
who are suffering wrong, and to those especially who
are invested with the priesthood; for by this means
service is rendered to God, from whom you have re
ceived the bestowal of supremacy and power over all
regions under the sun. Inasmuch, then, as the
Christian faith and we have suffered many outrages
at the hands of Dioscorus, the most reverent bishop
of the great city of the Alexandrians, we address our-
selves to your piety in pursuance of our rights. The
circumstances of the case are as follow : — At the synod
88 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [eOOK II.
lately held at the metropolitan city of the Ephesians —
^vould that it had never met, nor the world been
thereby filled with mischiefs and tumult — the ex-
cellent Dioscorus, regarding neither the principle of
justice nor the fear of God, sharing also in the
opinions and feelings of the visionary and heretical
Eutyches, though unsuspected by the multitude of
being such as he afterwards shewed himself, took oc-
casion of the charge advanced by me against his
fellow in doctrine, Eutyches, and the decision given
by the sainted bishop Flavian, and having gathered a
disorderly rabble, and procured an overbearing in-
tiuence by bribes, made havoc as far as lay in his
power, of the pious religion of the orthodox, and
established the erroneous doctrine of Eutyches the
monk, which had from the first been repudiated by
the holy fathers. Since, then, his aggressions against
the Christian faith and us are of no trifling magni-
tude, we beseech and supplicate your majesty to issue
your commands to the same most reverent bishop
Dioscorus, to defend himself against our allegations ;
namely, when the record of the acts which Dioscorus
procured against us, shall be read before the holy
synod ; on the ground of which we are able to shew,
that he is estranged from the orthodox faith, that he
strengthened a heresy utterly impious, that he wrong-
fully deposed and has cruelly outraged us. i^nd this
we will do on the issuing of your divine and revered
CUA1\ XVIII.] DEBATES IN THE COUNCIL. 89
iriaudates to the holy and universal synod of the
bishops, highly beloved of God, to the eifeet, that they
should give a formal hearing to the matters which
concern both us and the before-mentioned Dioscorus,
and refer all the transactions to the decision of your
piety, as shall seem fit to your immortal supremacy.
If we obtam this our request, we shall ever pray for
your everlasting rule, most divine sovereigns."
At the joint request of Dioscorus and Eusebius, the
transactions of the second synod of Ephesus were
publicly read ; from which it appeared that the epistle
of Leo had not obtained a reading, and that, too, when
mention of the subject had been twice started. Dios-
corus, being called upon to state the reason of this,
said expressly that he had twice proposed that it
should be done ; and he then required that Juvenalis,
bishop of Jerusalem, and Thalassius, bishop of Ca3sa-
rea, metropolis of Cappadocia Prima, should explain
the circumstances, since they shared the presidency
mth himself. Juvenalis accordingly said, that the
reading of a sacred rescript, having precedency, had, at
his decision, been interposed, and that no one had sub-
sequently mentioned the epistle. Thalassius said that
he had not opposed the reading, nor had he sufficient
authority to enable him singly to signify that it should
proceed. The reading of the transactions was then
proceeded with ; and on some of the bishops excepting
to certain passages as forgeries, Stephen, bishop of
90 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
Ephesus, being asked which of his notaries were copy-
ists in this phice, named Julian, afterwards bishop of
Lebedus, and Crispinus ; but said that the notaries of
Dioscorus would not allow them to act, but seized
their lingers, so that they were in danger of most
grievous treatment. He also affirmed, that on one
and the same day he subscribed to the deposition of
Flavian. To this statement, Acacius, bishop of Aria-
rathia, added, that they had all subscribed a blank
paper by force and compulsion, being beset with in-
numerable evils, and surrounded by soldiers with
deadly weapons.
Again, on the reading of another expression, Theo-
dore, bishop of Claudiopolis, said that no one had
uttered the words. And as the reading was thus
proceeding, on the occurrence of a passage to the
effect that Eutyches expressed his disapproval of
those who affirmed that the flesh of our God and Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ had descended from heaven,
the acts testify that Eusebius, upon this, asserted that
Eutyches had discarded indeed the term " from
heaven," but had not proceeded to say from whence ;
and that Diogenes, bishop of Cyzicus, then urged him
with the demand, "Tell us from whence;" but that
further than this they were not allowed to press the
question. The acts then shew : — that Basil, bishop of
Seleucia, in Isauria, said, " I worship our one Lord
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only Divine AVord,
CHAP. XVlll.] UEBATEH IN THE CUUNCIL. 9L
manifested after the incarnation and union in two
natures ;" — that the Egyptians clamoured against this,
" Let no one part the indivisible One ; it is not proper
to call the one Son two ;" and that the Orientals ex-
claimed, " Anathema to him that parts ! anathema to
hmi that divides I" — that Eutyches was asked, whether
he affirmed two natures in Christ ; to which he replied,
that he held Christ to have been from two natures
before the union, but that after the union there was
only one ; — that Basil said, that unless he maintained
two natures without severance and without confusion
after the union, he maintained a confusion and
commixture ; but, notwithstanding, if he would add
the terms " incarnate," and " invested with humanity,"
and should understand the incarnation and the as-
sumption of humanity in the same sense as Cyril, he
affirmed the same thing as themselves ; for the God-
head derived from the Father was one thing, and
humanity from His mother Avas another.
On the parties being asked why they had subscribed
the deposition of Flavian, the acts shew that the
Orientals exclaimed, "We have all erred; we all
intreat pardon." Again, as the reading proceeded,
they shew that the bishops were asked why, when
Eusebius wished to enter the council, they did not
allow him. To this Dioscorus replied, that Elpidius
presented a commonitorium, and solemnly affirmed
that the emperor Theodosius had given command that
92 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II-
Eusebius sliould not be admitted. The acts shew
that Juvenalis also gave the same answer. Thalassius,
however, said that authority in the matter did not
rest with himself. These replies were disallowed by
the magistrates, on the ground that such excuses were
insufficient when the faith was at issue : upon which
Dioscorus recriminated ; " In what respect does the
presence of Theodoret at this time accord with the
observance of the canons?'' The senators rejoined,
that Theodoret had been admitted in the character of
accuser; but Dioscorus sig-nified, that he was
an
0"'"'"^5
sitting in the position of a bishop. The senators
again said, that Eusebius and Theodoret occupied the
position of accusers, as Dioscorus himself that of an
accused person.
The entire transactions of the second synod at
Ephesus having been accordingly read, and, in like
manner, the sentence against Flavian and Eusebius,
as far as the place where Hilary had declared a pro-
test, the Oriental bishops and their party exclaimed,
" Anathema to Dioscorus : Christ has at this moment
deposed Dioscorus. Flavian was deposed by Dios-
corus. Holy Lord, do thou avenge him ! Orthodox
sovereign, do thou avenge him ! INIany be the years
of Leo ! Many be the years of the patriarch I" When
the sequel of the document had been read, shewing
that all the assembled bishops had assented to the
deposition of Flavian, the most illustrious magistrates
CHAP. XVIII.] PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNCIL. 93
ruled as follows : " Concerning the orthodox and
catholic faith, we are clearly of opinion that a more
accurate investigation should be made in a more com-
plete assemblage of the synod to-morrow. But since
it appears that Flavian, of pious memory, and Euse-
bius, the most reverent bishop of Dorylteum, were
not in error concerning the faith, but were unjustly
deposed, both from the examination of the acts and
decrees, and from the present confession of those who
presided in the synod, that themselves were in error,
and the deposition was null ; it seems to us, according
to the good pleasure of God, to be just, M'ith the
approval of our most divine and pious lord, that
Dioscorus, the most reverent bishop of Alexandria;
Juvenalis, the most reverent bishop of Jerusalem;
Thalassius, the most reverent bishop of Ctesarea;
Eusebius, the most reverent bishop of Ancyra; Eusta-
thius, the most reverent bishop of Ber}i;us ; and Basil,
the most reverent bishop of Seleucia, in Isauria,
should be subjected to the same penalty, by being
deprived, through this holy synod, in accordance with
the canons, of the episcopal dignity ; with a reference
of whatever is consequent, to the imperial supremacy."
On this the Orientals exclaimed, " This is a just
decision;" and the Illyrian bishops, "We were all in
error; let us all be deemed deserving of pardon."
When the Orientals had again exclaimed, " This is a
just verdict : Christ has deposed the murderer : Christ
94 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
has avenged the martyrs !" the senators ruled to the
effect, that each of the assembled bishops should
severally put forth his own formulary of fliith, under
the assurance that the belief of the most divine em-
peror was in accordance with the exposition of the
three hundred fathers at Niceea, and of the hundred
and fifty at Constantinople ; and with the epistles of
the holy fathers, Gregory, Basil, Hilary, Athanasius,
and Ambrose, as well as the two of Cyril, which were
made public in the first synod at Ephesus; inasmuch
as upon these grounds Leo, the most reverent bishop
of the Elder Rome, had deposed Eutyches. In this
manner was closed the pi-esent meeting of the
council.
At the next, composed of the most holy bishops
alone, Eusebius presented libels in behalf of himself
and Flavian, in which he objected to Dioscorus, that
he held the same opinions as Eutyches, and had
deprived themselves of the priesthood. He further
charged him with inserting in the transactions expres-
sions which were not uttered in the synod, and having
procured their subscription to a blank paper. He
petitioned that the entire acts of the second synod at
Ephesus should be annulled by vote of those who were
now assembled; that themselves should retain their
priesthood ; and that foul tenet be anathematised.
After the reading of this document, he also required
that his adversary should })e present. Wlien this
CHAP. XVIII.] PUOCEK DINGS AGAINST DIOSCOKUS. 95
had been ruled in the affirmative, Aetius, archdeacon
and priniicerius of the notaries, stated that he had
proceeded to Dioscorus, as also to the others ; hut that
he said he was not permitted by the persons on guard
to appear. It was then decided that Dioscorus should
be sought in front of the place of meeting ; and, on
his not being found, Anatolius, bishop of Constanti-
nople, ruled that he ought to be summoned, and be
present before the synod. This course having been
adopted, the delegates, on their return, said that he
had replied : "I am under restraint. Let these say
whether they leave me free to proceed thither ;" and
to their intimation that they were deputed to himself,
and not to the civil powers, his answer was stated to
be : "I am ready to proceed to the holy and universal
synod, but I am prevented." To this statement
Himerius added, that the Assistant of the Master of the
Sacred Offices had met them on their return, in com-
pany with whom the bishops had again visited Dios-
corus, and that he had taken some notes of what then
passed. These were then read, and set forth the
precise words of Dioscorus, as follows : " Upon calm
reflection, and due consideration of my interest, I thus
reply. Whereas, at the former meeting of the s}niod,
the most illustrious magistrates ruled upon many
several points, and I am now summoned to a second,
having for its object a modification of the preceding
matters ; I pray that the most illustrious magistrates
96 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
who attended on the former occasion, and the sacred
senate, should do so on the present also, m order that
the same pomts may be agam debated." The acts
shew that Acacius then replied in the following-
words : " The great and holy synod, in requiring the
presence of your holiness, has not in view a modifica-
tion of what was transacted in the presence of the
most illustrious magistrates and the sacred senate;
but it has deputed us merely that you should have a
place in the meeting, and that your holiness should
not be wanting to it." Dioscorus replied, according
to the acts, " You have just told me that Eusebius
had presented libels. I pray that the matters touch-
ing myself may be again sifted in the presence of the
magistrates and the senate."
Then follow other similar matters. Afterwards,
persons were again sent with a commission to urge
Dioscorus to appear; who, on their return, said that
they had taken notes of his words. From these it
appears that he said : " I have already signified to
your piety, both that I am suffering from sickness,
and that I demand that the most illustrious magis-
trates and the sacred senate should also on the present
occasion attend the investigation of the matters at
issue. Since, however, my sickness has increased, on
this ground I am withholding my attendance." Cecro-
pius, then, as appears from the acts, intimated to
Dioscorus, that but a short time before he had made
CHAP. XVIII.] PROCEEDINGS AGAINST DIOSCOUUS. 97
no mention of sickness, and, accordingly, he ought to
satisfy the requisitions of the canons. To whom
Dioscorus rejoined : " I have said once for all, that the
magistrates ought to be present." Then Rufinus,
bishop of Samosata, told him that the matters mooted
were under canonical regulation, and that on his
appearance he would be at liberty to make whatever
statements he chose. To the enquiry of Dioscorus,
whether Juvenalis, Thalassius, and Eustathius were
present, he replied that this was nothing to the purpose.
The acts shew that Dioscorus said in answer, that he
prayed the Christ-loving emperor to the eifect that
the magistrates should be present, and also those who
had acted as judges in conjunction with himself. To
this the deputies rejoined, that Eusebius accused him
only, and there was accordingly no occasion that all
should be present. Dioscorus replied, that the others
who had acted with him ought to be present, for the
suit of Eusebius did not affect himself individually,
but rested in fact upon a judgment in which they
had all united. When the deputies still hisisted upon
this point, Dioscorus sunnnarily replied : " What I
have said, I have said once for all; and I have now
nothing further to say."
Upon this report, Eusebius stated that his charge
was against Dioscorus only, and against no other
person ; and he required that he should be sunnnoned
a third time. Aetius then, in continuance, informed
7
98 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
them that certain persons from Alexandria, professing
to be clerks, together with several laymen, had lately
presented libels against Dioscorus, and, standing
outside, were now invoking the synod. When, ac-
cordingly, in the first place Theodoras, a deacon of
the holy church at Alexandria, had presented libels,
and afterwards Ischyrion, a deacon, Athanasius, a
presbyter, and nephew of Cyril, and also Sophronius,
in which they charged Dioscorus mth blasphemies,
oifences agamst the person, and violent seizures of
money; a third summons was issued urging him to
attend. Those who were accordingly selected for this
service, on their return, reported Dioscorus to have
said : "I have already sufficiently informed your
piety on this point, and cannot add any thing further."
Since Dioscorus had persisted in the same reply, while
the delegates continued to press him, the bishop
Paschasinus said: " At length, after being summoned
a third time, Dioscorus has not appeared :" and he
then asked what treatment he deserved. To this,
when the bishops had replied that he had rendered
himself obnoxious to the canons, and Proterius, bishop
of Smyrna, had observed, that when Flavian had been
murdered, no suitable measures had been taken with
respect to him ; the representatives of Leo, bishop of
the elder Rome, made a declaration as follows: —
— " The aggressions committed ])y Dioscorus, lately
bishop of the great city Alexandria, in violation
CHAP. XVIII.] TROCEEDINGS AGAINST DIOSCORUS. 99
of canonical order and the constitution of the church,
have been clearly proved by the investigations at
the former meeting, and the proceedings of to-day.
For, not to mention the mass of his offences, he
did, on his own authority, uncanonically admit to
communion his partisan Eutyches, after having
been canonically deprived by his own bishop, namely,
our sainted father and archbishop Flavian; and this
before he sat in council with the other bishops at
Ephesus. To them, indeed, the holy see granted par-
don for the transactions of which they were not the
deliberate authors, and they have hitherto continued
obedient to the most holy archbishop Leo, and the
body of the holy and universal synod; on which ac-
count he also admitted them into communion with
him, as being his fellows in faith. Whereas Dioscorus
has continued to maintain a haughty carriage, on ac-
count of those very circumstances over which he ought
to have bewailed, and humbled himself to the earth.
Moreover, he did not even allow the epistle to be read
which the blessed pope Leo had addressed to Flavian,
of holy memory; and that too, notmthstandiiig he
was repeatedly exhorted thereto by tlie bearers, and
had promised with an oath to that effect. The result
of the epistle not being read, has been to fill the most
holy churches throughout the world with scandals and
mischief. Notwithstanding, however, such presump-
tion, it was our purpose to deal mercifull}' with him
100 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
as regards his past impiety, as we had done with the
other bisliops, although they had not held an equal
judicial authority with liim. Vmt inasmuch as he has,
by his sulisequent conduct, overshot his fonner ini-
quity, and has presumed to pronounce excommunica-
tion against Leo, the most lioly and religious archbishop
of great Rome ; since, moreover, on the presentation
of a paper full of grievous charges against him to the
holy and great synod, he refused to appear, though
once, twice, and thrice canonically summoned by the
bishops, pricked no doubt by his own conscience ; and
since he has unla"\vfully given reception to those who
had been duly deposed by different s^aiods; he has
thus, by variously trampling upon the laws of the
church, o'iven his own verdict ag-ainst himself. AA^iere-
fore Leo, the most blessed and holy archbishop of the
great and elder Rome, has, by the agency of ourselves
and the present synod, in conjunction with the thrice-
blessed and all honoured Peter, who is the rock and
basis of the Catholic church, and the foundation of the
orthodox faith, deprived him of the episcopal dignity,
and severed him from every priestly function. Ac-
cordingly, this holy and great synod decrees the pro-
visions of the canons on the aforesaid Dioscorus."
After the ratification of this proceeding by Anato-
lius and Maximus, and by the other bishops, with the
exception of those who had been deposed together
with Dioscorus bv the senate, a relation of the matter
CHAP. XVIII.] DEPRIVATION OF DIOSCORUS. 101
was addressed to Marcian by the synod, and the
instrument of deposition was transmitted to Dioscorus,
to the following ellect : " On account of contempt of
the sacred canons, and thy contumacy regarding this
holy and universal synod, inasmuch as, in addition to
the other offences of which thou hast been convicted,
thou didst not appear, even when summoned the third
time by this great and holy synod, according to the
sacred canons, in order to reply to the charges made
against thee ; know then that thou hast been deposed
from thy bishoprick, on the thirteenth day of this
present month, October, by the holy and universal
synod, and deprived of aU ecclesiastical rank." After
a letter had been written to the bishops of the most
holy church at Alexandria on this subject, and an
edict had been framed against Dioscorus, the pro-
ceedings of this meeting were closed.
After the business of the preceding meeting had
terminated in this manner, the members of the synod,
agam assembling, replied to the inquiry of the magis-
trates, who desired to be informed respecting the
orthodox doctrine, that there was no need that any
further formulary should be framed, now that the
matter relating to Eutyches had been brought to a
close, and had received a conclusive determination at
the hands of the Roman bishop, with the further
accordance of all parties. After the bishops had with
one voice exclaimed, that they all held the same
102 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
language, and the magistrates had ruled that each
patriarch, selecting one or two persons of his own
diocese, should come forward into the midst of the
council in order to a declaration of their several
opinions ; Florentius, bishop of Sardis, prayed a
respite, so that they might approach the truth with
due deliberation : and Cecropius, bishop of Sebas-
topolis, spoke as follows. " The faith has been well
set forth by the three hundred and eighteen holy
fathers, and has been confirmed by the holy fathers,
Athanasius, Cyril, Celestine, Hilary, Basil, Gregory,
and again, on the present occasion, by the most holy
Leo. We accordingly require that the words both of
the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers and of
the most holy Leo be now read." At the conclusion
of the reading the whole synod exclaimed, " This is
the faith of the orthodox ; thus we all believe ; thus
does the Pope Leo believe ; thus did Cyril believe ;
thus has the Pope expounded."
Another interlocution was then issued, that the
form set forth by the hundred and fifty fathers should
also be read : which was accordingly done ; and the
members of the synod exclaimed, " This is the faith
of all ; this is the faith of the orthodox ; thus do we
all believe !"
Then Aetius, the archdeacon, said that he held in
his hand the epistle of the divine Cyril to Nestorius,
which all who were assembled at Ephesus had ratified
CHAP. XVIII.] EPISTLE OF CYRIL. 103
by tliL'ir individual subscriptions ; as also another
epistle of the same Cyril addressed to John of Antioch,
which had itself also been confirmed. These he
earnestly prayed might be read. Agreeably with
an interlocution on the point, both were then read ;
a portion of the former being precisely as follows.
" Cyril to our most reverent fellow minister Nestorius.
Certain persons, as I am informed, treat my rebuke
with levity in the presence of your holiness, and that,
too, repeatedly, taking especial occasion for that pur-
pose of the meetings of the authorities ; perhaps also
with the idea of gratifying your own ears." After-
wards it proceeds. " The declaration, then, of the
holy and great synod was this : that the only begotten
Son, begotten naturally of God the Father, very God
of very God, light of light, by whose agency the Father
made all things, descended, was incarnate, assumed
humanity, suiFered, rose again on the third day,
ascended into heaven. This declaration we, too,
ought to follow, carefully considering what is signified
by the expression, that the Divine Word was incarnate
and assumed humanity. For we do not afiirm that
the nature of the Word by undergoing a change
became flesh, nor yet was even converted into a
complete human being, consisting of soul and body ;
but this we rather maintain, that the Word, by uniting
personally mth himself flesh, animated by a rational
soul, became man in an ineffable and incomprehensible
104 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
manner, and bore the title of tlie Son of Man, not in
respect of mere will or pleasure, nor even, as it
were, in an assumption of person merely; and, fur-
ther, that the natures which conspired to the true
unity, were different, but from both is one Christ and
Son ; not as though the difference of the natures had
been done away for the sake of the union, but they
had rather consummated for us the one Lord and
Christ and Son, from both the Godhead and the man-
hood, by their ineffable and mysterious coalition for
unity." And presently the epistle proceeds. " But
since, for our sakes and for our salvation, having
personally united humanity with himself, he came
forth from a woman ; in this respect he is said also to
have been born carnally. For he was not born in the
first instance an ordinary man of the holy Virgin, and
then the Word descended upon him : but the Word,
having been united from the very womb, is said to
have undergone a carnal nativity, as it were, by an
assumption of the nativity of his own flesh. In this
manner we say that He suffered and rose agam ; not
as though the Word of God had endured, as regards
his own nature, stripes or piercings of nails, or the
other wounds, for the Deity is impassible, as being
incorporeal. Since, however, his o^vn body underwent
these circumstances. Himself is said, on the other
hand, to have suffered them on our behalf, inasmuch
as the impassible being was in the suffering body."
CIIAP. XVIII.] EPISTLE OF CYRIL. 105
The greater part of tlie other epistk; has been
inserted m the preceding portion of this history. It
contains, however, a passage to the following eflt'ect,
which John, bishop of Antioch wrote, and Cyril
entirely approved. " We confess the holy Virgin to
be the Mother of God, because from her the Divine
Word was incarnate and assumed humanity, and from
the very conception united with himself the temple
which was derived from her. With respect, however,
to the evangelical and apostolical language concerning
our Lord, we know that the expressions of the divinely
inspired men are sometimes comprehensive, as in
respect of a single person ; sometimes distinctive, as in
respect of two natures ; and that they deliver such as
are of divine import, in reference to the Godhead of
Christ, and those which are hunil)le, in reference to
His manhood." Cyril then subjoins the following
words : — " On reading these your sacred expressions,
we find tliat we ourselves hold the same ophiion : for
there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. A¥e
accordingly glorify God, the Saviour of all, rejoicing
mutually, because both our churches and yours hold
a faith which is in accordance with the inspired scrip-
tures, and the tradition of our holy fathers."
After the reading of these epistles, the members of
the synod exclaimed in these words : " Thus do we
all believe ; thus does the Pope Leo believe. Ana-
thema to him that divides and to him that confounds !
106 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
This is the faith of Leo the archbishop. Thus does
Leo believe. Thus do Leo and Anatolius believe.
Thus do we all believe. As Cyril believed, so do we.
Eternal be the memory of Cyril ! Agreeably with the
epistles of Cyril do we also think. Thus did we
believe ; thus do we now believe. Leo the archbishop
thus thinks, thus believes, thus has ^vritten."
An interlocution having been given to that effect,
the epistle of Leo was also read, in a translation, and
is inserted in the acts ; the bishops at its conclusion
exclaiming, " This is the faith of the fathers : this is
the faith of the Apostles. Thus do we aU believe :
thus do the orthodox believe. Anathema to him who
does not thus believe ! Peter has uttered these words
through Leo. Thus have the Apostles taught. Leo
has taught truly and piously : thus has Cyril taught.
The teaching of Leo and Cyril is the same. Anathema
to him who does not thus believe ! This is the true
faith. Thus do the orthodox think. This is the faith
of the fathers. Why was not this read at Ephesus ?
This did Dioscorus withhold."
It is contained in the acts that, when the bishops
of Illyria and Palestine had expressed some hesitation,
after the following passage of the epistle had been
read : "In order to the discharge of the debt of our
natural state, the divine nature was united to the
passible, that one and the same person, the man Christ
Jesus, beino- the mediator between God and man,
CHAP. XVIII.] DEBATES ON THE EPISTLE OF LEO. 107
might be enabled from the one part to die, but
incapable of decease from the other, such being the
process adapted to our cure ;" — that upon this Aetius,
archdeacon of the most holy church of Constantinople,
produced a passage from Cyril to the follomng purport :
" Since, however, His own body by the grace of God,
as says the Apostle Paul, tasted death for every man,
Himself is said to have suiFered the death on our behalf;
not that he experienced death to the extent of his own
nature, for it would be madness to say or think this,
but because, as I said before, his flesh tasted death."
Again, when the bishops of Illyria and Palestine
had expressed their hesitation at the following passage
of the epistle of Leo: — " For there operates in each
form its peculiar property, in union with what belongs
to the other ; the Word working that which pertains
to the Word, and the body discharging that which
pertains to the body ; and the one shines forth by the
miracles, the other was subjected to the insults ;" upon
this the said Aetius read a passage of Cyril as fol-
lows : — " The rest of the expressions are especially
appropriate to deity ; others, again, are equally suited
to manhood ; and some hold, as it were, an interme-
diate place, presenting the Son of God as being God and
man at the same time." Afterwards, when the same
bishops hesitated at another part of the epistle of Leo,
which is as follows : — " Although in our Lord Jesus
Christ there is altogether one person, of God and man,
108 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
yet the one part from which was derived to the other
a community of ignominy, is distinct from that from
"vvhich proceeded a community of glory ; for from us
was derived the manhood, which is inferior to the
Father, and from the Father the Godhead, which
partakes equality with the Father;" Theodoret said,
to adjust the point, that the blessed Cyril had also
expressed himself thus : — " That He both became man,
and at the same time did not lay aside His proper
nature; for the latter continued as before, though
dwelling in what was different from it ; namely, the
divine nature in conjunction with humanity." After-
wards, when the illustrious magistrates asked whether
any one still hesitated, all replied that they no longer
entertained any doubt.
Atticus, bishop of Nicopolis, then begged a respite
of a few days, in order that a formulary might be
framed of the matters which were approved by God
and the holy fathers. He also prayed that they might
have the epistle which was addressed by Cyril to
Nestorius, in which he exhorts him to assent to his
twelve chapters. All expressed their concurrence in
these requests ; and when the magistrates had ruled
that a respite of five days should be allowed, in order
to their assembling with Anatoli us, president of Con-
stantinople, all the bishops signified their approval,
saying, " Thus do we believe, thus do we all believe.
Not one of us hesitates. We have all subscribed." Upon
CHAr. XVIII.] DERATES IN THE COUNCIL. 109
this it was ruled as follows: — "Tliero is no necessity
that you should all assemble; since, however, it is
reasonable that the minds of those who have hesitated
should be confirmed, let the most reverent bishop
Anatolius select from among the subscribers whom-
soever he may deem proper for the information of
those who have doubted." Upon this the members of
the synod proceeded to exclaim, " We intreat for the
fathers. The fathers to the synod. Those who
accord with Leo to the synod. Our words to the
emperor. Our prayers to the orthodox sovereign.
Our prayers to Augusta. We have all erred. Let
indulgence be granted to all." Upon this, those wlio
belonged to the church of Constantinople cried out,
" But few are exclaiming. The synod is not speaking."
Then the Orientals shouted, " The Egyptian to exile !"
And the Illyrians, "We entreat compassion upon all;"
and again the Orientals, " The Egyptian to exile I"
Wliile the Illyi'ians persisted in their prayer, the Con-
stantinopolitan clergy shouted, " Dioscorus to exile !
The Egyptian to exile ! The heretic to exile !" and again
the Illyrians and their party, " We have all erred.
Grant indulgence to all. Dioscorus to the synod ! Dios-
corus to the churches !" After further proceedings of
the same kind, the business of this meeting was
brought to a close.
At the next meeting, when the senators had ruled
that the forms which had been already enacted should
110 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
be read, Constantine, the secretary, read from a paper,
as follows : " Concerning the orthodox and catholic
faith, we are agreed that a more exact inquiry should
take place before a fuller assembly of the council, at
its next meeting. But inasmuch as it has been shewn,
from examination of the acts and decrees, and from
the oral testimony of the presidents of that synod, who
admit that themselves were in error, and the deposition
was void, that Flavian, of pious memory, and the most
reverent bishop Eusebius, were convicted of no error
concerning the faith, and were wrongfuUy deposed, it
seems to us, according to God's good pleasure, to be a
just proceeding, if approved by our most divine and
pious sovereign, that Dioscorus, the most reverent
bishop of Alexandria ; Juvenalis, the most reverent
bishop of Jerusalem ; Thalassius, the most reverent
bishop of Csesarea, in Cappadocia; Eusebius, the most
reverent bishop of Ancyra ; Eustathius, the most
reverent bishop of Berytus ; and Basilius, the most
reverent bishop of Seleucia, in Isauria ; who exercised
sway and precedency in that S3mod ; should be sub-
jected to the selfsame penalty, by suffering at the
hands of the holy synod deprivation of their episcopal
dignity, according to the canons ; whatever is con-
sequent hereupon, being submitted to the cognizance
of the emperor's sacred supremacy."
After several other readings, the assembled bishops,
beinof asked whether the letters of Leo accorded with
CHAP. XVIII.] PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNCIL. Ill
the fiiith of the three hundred and eighteen holy
fathers who met at Nictea, and that of the hundred
and fifty in the imperial city, Anatolius, president of
Constantinople, and all who were present, replied, that
the epistle of Leo accorded with the before-mentioned
fathers ; and he further subscribed the epistle. At
this stage of the proceedings the members of the
synod exclaimed : " We all concur : we all approve :
we all believe alike : we all hold the same sentiments :
thus do we all believe. The fathers to the synod !
the subscribers to the synod ! Many be the years of
the emperor ! Many be the years of Augusta ! The
fathers to the synod : those who agree with us in faith,
to the synod I Many be the years of the emperor !
Those who agree with us in opinion, to the synod !
Many be the years of the emperor ! We have all sub-
scribed. As Leo thinks, so do we." An interlocution
was then pronounced to the following effect. "We
have referred these matters to our most sacred and
pious lord, and are now waiting the answer of his
piety. But your reverence will give account to God
concerning Dioscorus, who has been deposed by you
without the knowledge of our most sacred sovereign
and ourselves, and concerning the five for whom you
are now making entreaty, and concerning all the acts
of the synod." They then expressed their approval,
saying, " God has deposed Dioscorus ; Dioscorus has
been justly deposed. Christ has deposed Dioscorus."
112 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
Afterwards, oii the presentation of a response from
Marcian, leaving the case of those who had been
deposed to the decision of the bishops, as the inter-
locution of the magistrates had set forth ; they made
entreaty in the following words. " We pray that they
may be admitted: — our fellows in doctrine, to the
synod : our fellows in opinion, to the synod : the
subscribers to the epistle of Leo, to the synod." They
were accordingly, by an interlocution to that effect,
numbered with the members of the synod.
Then were read the petitions presented from the
Egyptian diocese to the emperor JMarcian ; which, in
addition to other matters, contain the following.
" We agree in opinion with what the three hundred
and eighteen fathers at Nicasa, and the blessed
Athanasius, and the sainted Cyril have set forth ;
anathematising every heresy, both those of Arius, of
Eunomius, of Manes, of Nestorius, and that of those
who say, that the flesh of our Lord was derived from
heaven and not from the holy Mother of God and ever-
virgin Mary, in like manner with ourselves, with the
exception of sin." Upon this, the whole synod
exclaimed : " Why have they not anathematised the
doctrine of Eutyches ? Let them subscribe the epistle
of Leo, anathematising Eutyches and his doctrines.
Let tliem concur with the epistle of Leo. They intend
to jeer us, and be gone." In reply, the bishops from
Egypt stated, that the Egyptian bishops were numerous,
CHAP. XVIII.] rpyrmoN of the monks. 113
and that they themselves could not assume to represent
those who were absent : and they prayed the synod to
await their areh})ishop, that they might be guided by
his judgment, as usage required : for if they should
do any thing before the appointment of their head, tlie
whole diocese would assail them. After many in-
treaties on this subject, which were stoutly resisted
by the synod, it was ruled, that a respite should be
granted to the bishops from Kgypt, until their arch-
bishop should be ordained.
Then petitions were presented from certain monks ;
the purport of which was, that they should not be
compelled to subscril^e certain papers, before the synod
which the emperor had summoned should have assem-
bled, and its determinations be made known. After
these had been read, Diogenes, bishop of Cyzicus,
stated that Barsumas, one of the persons present, had
been the murderer of Flavian, for he had exclaimed
" Slay him!" and, though not a party to the petition,
had improperly obtained admission. Upon this all
the bishops exclaimed : " Barsumas has desolated all
Syria ; he has let loose upon us a thousand monks."
After an interlocution, to the eifect that the assembled
monks should await the determination of the synod,
they demanded that the libels which they had dra^vn
up, should be read ; one requisition therein contained
being, that Dioscorus and the bishops of his party
should be present in the synod. In repl}^ to which all
114 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
the bishops exclamied : " Anathema to Dioscorus.
Christ has deposed Dioscorus ! Cast out such persons.
Away with outrage ; away Avith violence from the
synod ! Our words to the emperor ! Away with
outrage ; away with infamy from the synod !" After
a repetition of these exclamations, it was ruled that
the remainder of the libels should be read : wherein it
was affirmed, that the deposition of Dioscorus was
improper ; that, when a matter of faith was before the
council, he ought to share in its delil^erations, and
that, if this were not granted, they would shake their
garments from the communion of the assembled
bishops. In reference to these expressions, Aetius,
the archdeacon, read a canon against those wlio
separate themselves. Again, when, at the questions
of the most holy bishops, the monks manifested dis-
agreement, and afterwards at an interrogation put by
Aetius in the name of the synod, some anathematised
Nestorius and Eutyches, while others declined; it was
ruled by the magistrates, that the petitions of Faustus
and the other monks should be read : which prayed
the emperor no longer to sanction the monks who had
lately opposed the orthodox doctrines. Whereupon
Dorotheus, a monk, termed Eutyches orthodox : in
reply to whom various doctrinal points were started
by the magistrates.
At the fifth meeting, the magistrates ruled that the
determinations relating to the faith should l)e pub-
CHAP. XVIII.] DEFINITION OF FAITH. 115
lished; and Asclepiades, a deacon of Constantinople,
read a fonnnlaiy, wliicli it was resolved should not be
inserted in the acts. Some dissented from it, but the
majority approved it : and on the utterance of counter
exclamations, the magistrates said, that Dioscorus
affirmed that he had deposed Flavian on his asserting
two natures, whereas the formulary contained the
expression "from two natures." To this Anatolius
replied, that Dioscorus had not been deposed on a
point of faith, but because he had excommunicated
Leo, and, after having been thrice, summoned, did not
appear. The magistrates then required that the
substance of the epistle of Leo should be inserted in
the formulary ; but since the bishops objected, and
maintained that no other formulary could be framed,
inasmuch as a complete one already existed, a relation
was made to the emperor ; who commanded that six
of the Oriental bishops, three from Pontus, three from
Asia, three from Thrace, and three from lllyria, should,
together with Anatolius and the vicars of Eome,
assemble in the sanctuary of the martyr, and rightly
frame the ride of faith, or put forth each his several
declaration of faith ; or be assured that the synod
must be held in the West. On this, being required to
state whether they followed Dioscorus when affirming
that Christ was from two natures ; or Leo, that there
were two natures in Christ ; they exclaimed that tliey
agreed with Leo, and that those who contradicted,
IIG ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK II.
were Eutychians. The magistrates then said, that,
in accordance mth the language of Leo, a clause
sliould be added, to the effect that there were two
natures united in Christ, without change, or severance,
or confusion ; and they entered the sanctuary of the
holy martyr Euphemia, in company with Anatolius
and the vicars of Leo, as well as Maximus of Antioch,
Juvenalis of Jerusalem, Thalassius of Ca^sarea in
Cnppadocia, and others ; and on their return, the
formulary of faith was read, as follows. " Our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ," and so forth, as it has been
inserted in a previous part of the history. When all
had exclaimed, " This is the faith of the fathers : let
the metropolitans at once subscrilie ! This is the faith
of the Apostles : by this are we all guided : thus do
we all think !" the magistrates ruled, that the formu-
lary, thus framed by the fathers and approved by all,
should he referred to the imperial supremacy.
At the sixth meeting Marcian was present, and
harangued the bishops on the subject of unanimity.
At the command of the emperor, the formidary was
read b}^ Aetius, archdeacon of Constantinople, and all
subscril^ed it. The emperor then asked, whether the
fornndary had been composed with the approbation of
all : upon which all declared their confirmation of it by
expressions of approval. Again the emperor tvv^ice
addressed them, and all applauded. At the emperor's
suggestion certain canons were enacted, and metro-
CHAP. XVIII.] CASE OF TIIEODOUET AND OTHERS. 1 17
politcUi ruiik was conferred upon Clialceclon. The
emperor further commanded the bishops to remain three
or four days; that each one should move the synod on
whatever matters he might choose, in the presence of
the magistrates ; and such as were judged proper,
should take effect. The meetino; was then closed.
Another was held, at which canons were enacted ;
and at the next, Juvenalis and Maximus came to an
agreement that Antioch should have for its province
the two Phoenicias and Arabia; and Jerusalem, the
three Palestines ; which was ratified by an interlo-
cution of the magistrates and bishops.
At the ninth meeting, the case of Theodoret was
mooted. He anathematised Nestorius, saying, " Ana-
thema to Nestorius, and to him who does not affirm
the holy Virgin Mary to be Mother of God, and to
him who divides into two Sons the one Son, the only
begotten ! I have also subscribed the formulary of
faith and the epistle of Leo." Upon this he was
restored to his see, by an interlocution of all parties.
At another meeting, the case of Ibas was discussed ;
and the judgment was read which had been passed
upon him by Photius, bishop of Tyre, and Eustathius
of Berytus ; but the vote was deferred to the next
meeting.
At the eleventh meeting, when the majority of the
bishops had voted that Ibas should be restored to
his episcopal rank, others, in rejoinder, said that his
118 ECCLESIASTICAL IIISTOKY. [bOOK II.
accusers were waiting outside, and required that they
should be admitted. The proceedings in his case were
then read ; but when the magistrates ruled, that the
transactions at Ephesus respecting Ibas should also be
read, the bishops replied, that all the proceedings in
the second synod at Ephesus were null, with the
exception of the ordination of Maximus of Antioch.
On this point, they further requested the emperor to
decree that nothing should be valid which had been
transacted at Ephesus subsequently to the first synod,
over which the sainted Cyril, president of Alexandria,
had presided. It was judged right that Ibas should
retain his bishopric.
At the next meeting, the case of Bassianus was
inquired into, and it was judged "fit that he should be
removed and Stephen substituted : which measures
were formally voted at the following meeting. At the
thirteenth, the case was investigated of Eunomius of
Nicomedia and Anastasius of Nicasa, who had a dispute
about their respective cities. A fourteenth was also
held, at which the case of Sabinianus was investigated.
Finally, it was decided that the see of Constantinople
should rank next after that of Rome.
THE END OF THE SECOND BOOK.
THE THIRD BOOK.
CHAPTER I.
CHARACTER OF THE EMPEROR ZENO.
Zeno, on becoming, by the death of his son, sole
emperor, as if entertaining an idea that his power was
incomplete ^\'ithout an unrestrained pursuit of every
pleasure that presented itself, so far abandoned himself
from the first to the solicitations of desire, as to
hesitate at nothing of all that is unseemly and illicit ;
but so thorough was his habitude in such things, that
he esteemed it grovellmg to practise them in conceal-
ment and privacy ; but to do it openly, and as it were,
in a conspicuous spot, truly royal and suited to none
but an emperor : a notion base and servile ; for the
emperor is known, not by the circumstances of ordinary
sway over others, but by those wherem he rules and
sways himself, in guarding against the admission in
his own person of whatever is indecorous; and bemg
thus unconquered by loose indulgence, so as to be a
living image of virtue for imitation and the mstruction
of his subjects. But he who lays himself open to the
pleasures of sense, is unwittingly becoming a base
120 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOKY. [bOOK III.
slave, an uiiransoiiied captive, continually passing,
like worthless slaves, from the hands of one master to
another ; inasmuch as pleasures are an unnumbered
train of mistresses, linked in endless succession ; while
the present enjoyment, so far from being lasting, is
only the kindler and prelude to another, until a man
either banishes the rabble rule of pleasures, becoming
thus a sovereign instead of a victim of tyranny ; or,
continuing a slave to the last, receives the portion of
the infernal world.
CHAPTER II.
INCURSIONS OF THE BARBARIANS.
In such a manner, then, had Zeno, from the com-
mencement of his reign, depraved his course of life :
while, however, his subjects, both in the East and the
West, were greatly distressed ; in the one quarter, by
the general devastations of the Scenite barbarians ; and
in Thi-ace, by the inroads of the Huns, formerly knoAvn
by the name of Massaget^e, who crossed the Ister
mthout opposition : while Zeno himself, in barbarian
fashion, was making violent seizure on whatever
escaped them.
CHAP. IV. 1 REVOLT or HA8IL1SCUS. A.D.475. 121
CHAPTER III.
INSURRECTION OF BASILISCUS. FLIGHT OF ZENO.
But OH the iHsnrrectioii of Basiliscus, the brother
of A^erma — for the disposition of his nearest con-
nexions was hostile, from the universal disgust at his
most disgraceful life — he was utterly wanting in
courage : for vice is craven and desponding, suffi-
ciently indicating its unmanly spirit by submission to
pleasures. Zeno fled with precipitation, and sur-
rendered so great a sovereignty to Basiliscus without
a struo-(Tle. He was also blockaded in his native
district, Isauria, having with him his wife Ariadne,
who had subsequently fled from her mother, and those
parties who still continued loyal to him. Basiliscus,
having thus acquired the Roman diadem, and bestowed
on his son Marcus the title of Caesar, adopted measures
opposed to those of Zeno and his predecessors.
CHAPTER IV.
CIRCULAR OF BASILISCUS.
At the instigation of an embassy of certain Alex-
andrians, Basiliscus summons Timotheus ^lurus from
his exile, in the eighteenth year of his banishment ; at
Avhich time Acacius held the episcopate of Con-
122 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
stantinople. On his arrival at the unperial city,
Timotheus persuades Basiliscus to address circular
letters to the bishops in every quarter, and to anathe-
matise the transactions at Chalcedon and the tome of
Leo. They were to this effect.
THE CIRCULAR LETTER OF BASILISCUS.
" The emperor Ca3sar Basiliscus, pious, victorious,
triumphant, supreme, ever-worshipful Augustus, and
Marcus, the most illustrious Csesar, to Timotheus,
archbishop of the great city of the Alexandrians, most
reverent and beloved of God. It has ever been our
pleasure, that whatever laws have been decreed in
behalf of the true and apostolic faith, by those our
pious predecessors who have maintained the true
service of the blessed and undecaying and life-giving
Trinity, should never be inoperative ; but we are
rather disposed to enounce them as of our own
enactment. We, preferring piety and zeal in the cause
of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ who created and
has made us glorious, before all diligence in human
affairs, and being further convinced that unity among
the flocks of Christ is the preservation of ourselves
and our subjects, the stout foundation and unshaken
bulwark of our empire ; being by these considerations
moved with godly zeal, and offering to our God and
Saviour Jesus Christ the unity of the Holy Church as
the first fruits of our reign, ordain that the basis
CHAP. IV.] CIKCULAK UV BASILISCUS. 123
and settleiiieiit of human felicity, namely, the symbol
of the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers who
were assembled, in concert with the Holy Spirit, at
Nicfea, into which both ourselves and all our believing
predecessors were baptised ; that this alone should
have reception and authority with the orthodox people
in all the most holy churches of God, as the only
formulary of the right faith, and sufficient for the
utter destruction of every heresy, and for the complete
unity of the holy churches of God ; without prejudice,
notwithstanding, to the force of the acts of the
hundred and fifty holy Others assembled in this
imperial city, in confirmation of the sacred symbol
itself, and in condemnation of those who blasphemed
against the Holy Ghost ; as well as of all that were
passed in the metropolitan city of the Ephesians
against the impious Nestorius and those who sub-
sequently favoured his opinions. But the proceedings
which have disturbed the unity and order of the holy
churches of God, and the peace of the whole world,
that is to say, the so-called tome of Leo, and all things
said and done at Chalcedon in innovation upon the
before-mentioned holy symbol of the three hundred
and eighteen holy fathers, whether by w^ay of definition
of faith, or setting forth of symbols, or of inter-
pretation, or instruction, or discourse ; we ordain that
these shall be anathematised both here and every
Avhere by the most holy bishops in every church, and
124 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
shall be committed to the flames whenever they shall
be found, inasmuch as it was so enjoined respecting
all heretical doctrines by our predecessors, of pious
and blessed memory, Constantine, and Theodosius the
younger ; and that, having thus been rendered null,
they shall be utterly expelled from the one and only
catholic and apostolic orthodox church, as superseding
the everlasting and saving definitions of the three
hundred and eighteen fathers, and those of the blessed
fathers who, by the Holy Spirit, made their decision
at Ephesus ; that no one, in short, either of the
priesthood or laity, shall be allowed to deviate from
that most sacred constitution of the holy symbol ; and
that, together with all the innovations upon the
sacred symbol which were enacted at Chalcedon, there
be also anathematised the heresy of those who do not
confess, that the only begotten Son of God was truly
incarnate, and made man of the Holy Spirit and of
the holy and ever-virghi Mary, Mother of God, but,
accordmg to their strange conceit, either from heaven,
or in mere phantasy and seeming : and, in short, every
heresy, and whatever other innovation, in respect
either of thought or language, has been devised in
violation of the sacred symbol in any manner or at
any time or place. And, inasmuch as it is the special
task of kingly providence to furnish to their subjects,
with forecasting deliberation, abundant means of
security, not only for the present but i'or future time,
CHAP. IV. j CmCULAK OF 15ASILTSCUS. 125
we oi'diiin tliat tlie most holy bislio])s in cveiy place
shall subst-ribe to this our sacred circular epistle when
exhibited to them, as a distinct declaration tiiat they
are indeed ruled by the sacred symbol of the three
hiuidrcd and eighteen holy fathers alone — which the
hundred and fifty holy fathers confirmed ; as it was
also defined by the most holy fathers, who, sub-
sequently, assembled in the metropolitan city of the
Ephcsians, that the sacred symbol of the three hundred
and eighteen holy fathers ought to be the only rule —
^^'hile they anatliematise ever}^ stumbling-l)lock enacted
at Chalcedon to the faith of the orthodox people, and
utterly eject them from the churches, as an impediment
to the general happiness and our own. Those, more-
over, who, after the issuing of these our sacred letters,
which we trust to have been uttered in accordance
with the will of God, in an endeavour to accomplish
that unity which all desire for the holy churches of
God, shall attempt to bring forward or so much as to
name the innovation upon the faith which was
enacted at Chalcedon, either in discourse or instruction
or Avriting, in whatever manner, place, or time ; with
respect to those persons, as being the cause of con-
fusion and tumult in the churches of God and anions'
the whole of our subjects, and enemies to God and our
safety, we command (in accordance with the laws
ordained by our predecessor, Theodosius, of blessed
and sacred memory, against such sort of evil designs.
126 ECCLESIASTICAL IIISTOPwY. [bOOK III.
which laws are subjoined to this our sacred circular)
that, if bishops or clergy, they be deposed ; if monks
or laics," that they be subjected to banishment and
every mode of confiscation, and the severest penalties :
for so the holy and homoousian Trinity, the Creator
and Vivifier of the universe, which has ever been
adored by our piety, receiving at the present time
service at our hands in the destruction of the before-
mentioned tares and the confirmation of the true and
apostolic traditions of the holy symbol, and being
thereby rendered favourable and gracious to our souls
and to all our subjects, shall ever aid us in the exercise
of our sway, and preserve the peace of the world."
CHAPTER V.
RECEPTION OF THE CIRCULAR.
According to Zacharias, the rhetorician, Timotheus,
who, as I said, was just returned from banishment,
agrees to these circular letters ; as does also Peter,
president of the church of Antioch, surnamed the
Fuller, who also attended Timotheus at the imperial
city. After these proceedings, they also determined
that Paul should occupy the archiepiscopal throne of
the church of Ephesus. This author also says, that
Anastasius, the successor of Juvenalis as president of
Jerusalem, subscribes the circular, and very many
CIIAl'. v.] RKCErTION OF THE CIRCELAK. 127
others ; so that those who repudiated the tome of Leo
and the s3aiod of Chalcedoii, amounted to about five
hundred : and also that a written petition was
addressed to Basiliscus by the Asiatic bishops, assem-
bled at Ephesus, a part of which is couched in the
following terms : "To our entirely pious and Christ-
loving lords, Basiliscus and Marcus, ever victorious
emperors." Presently it proceeds : " Whenever the
fiiith has been hated and assailed, you, all pious and
Christ-lovino- sovereiojns, have made it manifest
throughout that you were equally assailed." And
further on : " A certain fearful retribution of judg-
ment and fury of divine fire and the just wrath of
your serenity shall suddenly involve the adversaries,
those who endeavour with vauntful assault to battle
down the mighty God and your sovereignty fortified
by the faith ; Avho also in various ways have not
spared our humble selves, but have continually
slandered and belied us, as having subscribed to
your sacred and apostolic circular letters by com-
pulsion and violence, v/hich we, in fact, subscribed
with all joy and readiness." And furtlier on : " Let
it therefore be your pleasure, that nothing be put
forward otherwise than as accords with your sacred
circular, being assured that, as we have before said, the
whole world will be turned upside down, and the evils
which have proceeded from the synod at Chalcedon
will be found trifling in comparison, notwithstanding
128 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
the iiiimincrable slaughters which they have caused,
and the blood of the orthodox which they have
unjustly and lawlessly shed." And further on: "We
conjure your piety, in the presence of our Lord Jesus
Christ, to maintain the just and canonical and eccle-
siastical condemnation and deposition which has been
inflicted on them, and especially on him who has been
on many points convicted of having unduly exercised
the episcopate of the imperial city." The same Zacha-
rias also writes as follows : "On the issuing of the
imperial circulars, those in the capital who were
infected with the phantasy of Eutyches, and followed
the monastic rule, believing themselves to have chanced
on a prize in the person of Timotheus, and hoping by
the circulars to catch their own profit, flock to him
with all speed, and again retire, as if convinced by
Timotheus that the Word of God is consubstantial
with ourselves as to flesh, and consubstantial with the
Father as respects the Godhead."
CHAPTER VI.
PROCEEDINGS OF TIMOTHY yELURUS.
The same author says, that Timotheus, setting out
from the imperial city, visited Ephesus, and there
enthroned Paul as archpriest ; wdio had already been
ordained, according to the more ancient custom, by
GHAP. VII.] COUNTER CIKCULAR.
129
the bishops of the province, but had been ejected from
his see : and he also restored to Ephesus the dignity
of the patriarchate, of which the synod at Chalcedon
had deprived it, as I have already mentioned. Pro-
ceeding thence, he arrives at Alexandria, and uniformly
required all who approached him to anathematise the
synod at Chalcedon. Accordingly, there abandon
him, as has been recorded by the same Zacharias,
many of his party, and among them Theodotus, one
of the bishops ordained at Joppa by Theodosius, who
had, by means of certain persons, become bishop of
Jerusalem, at the time when Juvenalis betook himself
to Byzantium.
CHAPTER YII.
COUNTER CIRCULAR OF BASILISCUS.
This author also says, that Acacius, president of the
church of Constantinople, in consequence of these
proceedings, stirred up the monastic body and the
populace of the imperial city, on the plea that Basil-
iscus was a heretic : and that the latter repudiated
the circular, and issued a constitution to the effect,
that transactions precipitated by overbearing influ-
ence were utterly null; and also sent forth a counter
circular in recommendation of the synod at Chalcedon.
This counter circular, as he terms it, he has, however,
9
130 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
omitted, having written the whole work under passion-
ate feelings. It is as follows : —
THE COUNTER CIRCULAR OF BASILISCUS.
"We, the emperors, Cresars, Basiliscus and Marcus,
thus ordain: that the apostolic and orthodox faith,
which has held sway in the catholic churches from the
very first, both until the beginning and during the
continuance of our reign, and ought to sway 'in all
coming time, into which also we were baptised, and in
which we believe; that this alone continue to sway
uninjured and unshaken, and ever prevail throughout
the catholic and apostolic churches of the orthodox ;
and that no question tending otherwise be a subject of
debate. On this account we also enjoin, that all acts
during our reign, whether circular letters or others, or
any thing whatever relating to faith or ecclesiastical
constitution, be null; while we at the same time
anathematise Nestorius, Eutyches, and ■ every other
heresy, with all who hold like sentiments; and that
no synod or other debate be held on this subject, but
that the present form remain unimpaired and unshaken.
Also, that the provinces, the ordination to which was
possessed by the see of this imperial and glorious city,
be restored to the most reverent and holy patriarch
and archbishop Acacius, the present bishops, highly
beloved of God, retaining their respective sees ; provided
CILU\ VIII.] RESTOIIATION OF ZENO. — A.D.477. 131
that no prejudice thence arise after their demise to the
right of ordination belonging to the illustrious see of
this imperial and glorious city. That this our sacred
ordinance has the force of a sacred constitution is a
matter of doubt to none."
Such was the course of these transactions.
CHAPTER Vm.
RESTORATION OF ZENO.
But Zeno, having seen in a vision the holy and much
tried proto-martyr Thecla encouraging him and pro-
mising him restoration to power, after winning over
the besiegers by bribes, marches on Byzantium and
expels Basiliscus, who had now held the supreme power
for two years, and, on his taking refuge in a holy
precinct, surrenders him to his enemies. Zeno, in
consequence, dedicated to the proto-martyr Thecla a
very extensive sanctuary, of singular statelmess and
beauty, at Seleucia, which is situated near the borders
of Isauria, and embellished it with very many and
royal offerings, which have been preserved to our
times. Basiliscus is, accordingly, conveyed to Cappa-
docia, in order to his death, and is slain with his wife
and children at' the station named Acusus. Zeno
enacts a law in abrogation of what Basiliscus the tyrant
had constituted by his circulars, and Peter, surnamed
the Fuller, is ejected from the church of the Auti-
ochenes, and Paul from that of the Ephesians.
132 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOKY. [bOOK III.
CHAPTER IX.
EPISTLE OF THE ASIATIC BISHOPS TO ACACIUS.
The bishops of Asia, to sooth Acacius, address to
him a deprecatory plea, and implore his pardon in a
repentant memorial, wherein they alleged, that they
had subscribed the circular by compulsion and not
voluntarily ; and they affirmed with an oath that the
case was really thus, and that they had settled their
faith, and still maintained it in accordance with the
synod at Chalcedon. The purport of the document
is as follows.
An epistle or petition sent from the bishops of Asia, to
Acacius, bishop of Constantinople. " To Acacius, the
most holy and pious patriarch of the church in the im-
perial city of Constantine, the New Rome." And it
afterwards proceeds : "We have been duly visited by the
person who will also act as our representative." And
shortly after: " By these letters we acquaint you that
we subscribed, not designedly but of necessity, having
agreed to these matters with letters and words, not
Avith the heart. For, by your acceptable prayers and
the will of the higher Power, we hold the faith as Ave
have received it from the three hundred and eighteen
lights of the world, and the hundred and fifty holy
fathers ; and, moreover, Ave assent to the terms Avhich
Avere piousl}^ and rightly framed at Chalcedon by the
holy fathers there assembled."
CHAP. XI.] SUCCESSION OF BISHOPS. 133
Whether Zacharias has slandered these persons, or
they themselves lied in asserting that they were un-
willing to subscribe, I am not able to say.
CHAPTER X.
SUCCESSION OP BISHOPS AT ANTIOCH.
Next to Peter, Stephen succeeds to the see of An-
tioch, whom the sons of the Antiochenes dispatched
with reeds sharpened like lances, as is recorded by
John the Ehetorician. After Stephen, Calandion is
entrusted with the helm of that see, and he wrought
upon those who approached him, to anathematise
Timotheus, and, at the same time, the circular of
Basiliscus.
CHAPTER XL
SUCCESSION OP BISHOPS AT ALEXANDRIA.
It was the intention of Zeno to eject Timotheus
from the church of Alexandria ; but, on being in-
formed by certain persons that he was already aged,
and had almost reached the common resting-place of all
men, he abandoned his purpose. And, in fact, Timo-
theus shortly after paid the debt of nature. Upon this
the Alexandrian bishops elect, on their own authority,
134 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
Peter, surnained Mongus ; the announcement of
which proceeding exasperated Zeno, who judged him
to have incurred the penalty of death, and he recalls
Timotheus, the successor of Proterius, while residing,
on account of a popular tumult, at Canopus. Thus
Timotheus obtained, by the commands of the emperor,
possession of his rightful see.
CHAPTER XII.
ECCLESIASTICAL MEASURES OF ZENO.
By the advice of certain persons, John, a presbyter,
^vlio lield the office of steward of the venerable temple
of the holy forerunner and baptist John, visits the im-
perial city, in order to negotiate permission for the
inhabitants of Alexandria to elect as president of their
church a person of their own choice, if it should happen
that their bishop should depart out of the world.
According to Zacharias, he was detected by the empe-
ror in the endeavour to compass his own appointment
to the bishopric, and was allowed to return home, under
an oath that he would never aspire to the see of Alex-
andria. The emperor too issues a precept, to the effect
that, after the death of Timotheus, that person should
be bishop whom the clergy and people might elect. On
the death of Timotheus, which took place shortly after,
John, l)y tlie employment of money, as the same Zacha-
CHAP. XIII.] IIENOTICON OF ZENO. A.D. 482. 135
rias writes, and in disregard of his sworn pledge to
the emperor, procures his own nomination as bishop
of the Alexandrians. The emperor, on being informed
of these circumstances, commands his expulsion, and,
at the suggestion of certain persons, addresses an allo-
cution to the Alexandrians, which he named Henoticon,
directing, at the same time, that the see of Alexandria
should be restored to Peter, with a stipulation, that he
should subscribe this document and admit to commu-
nion the party of Proterius.
CHAPTER Xm.
PUBLICATION OF THE HENOTICON OF ZENO.
Of this measure of arrangement, framed according
to the advice of Acacius, bishop of the imperial city,
Pergamius is the bearer, who had been appointed pro-
curator of Egypt. Finding, on his arrival at Alexandria,
that John had fled, he addresses himself to Peter, and
urges him to receive the allocution of Zeno, and also
to admit the separatists. He, accordingly, receives and
subscribes the before mentioned allocution, with a pro-
mise also to admit to communion the members of the
opposite party. Accordingly, on occasion of a general
festival at Alexandria and the universal acceptance of
the so-called Henoticon of Zeno, Peter admits the par-
tizans of Proterius ; and, on delivering in the church
an address to the people, he reads the allocution of Zeno,
as follows.
136 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE HENOTICON (INSTRUMENT OF UNION).
"The emperor Caesar Zeno, pious, victorious, trium-
phant, supreme, ever worshipful Augustus, to the most
reverent bishops and clergy, and to the monks and
laity throughout Alexandria, Egypt, Libya, and Pen-
tapolis. Being assured that the origin and constitu-
tion, the might and invincible defence of our sovereignty
is the only right and true faith, which, through divine
inspiration, the three hundred holy fathers assembled at
Nicasa set forth, and the hundred and fifty holy fathers,
who in like manner met at Constantinople, confirmed;
^ve night and day employ every means of prayer, of
zealous pains and of laws, that the holy Catholic and
apostolic church in every place may be multiplied, the
uncorruptible and immortal mother of our sceptre ; and
that the pious laity, continuing in peace and unani-
mity with respect to God, may, together with the
bishops, highly beloved of God, the most pious clergy,
the archimandrites and monks, offer up acceptably
their supplications in behalf of our sovereignty. So
long as our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who
was incarnate and born of Mary, the Holy Virgin, and
Mother of God, approves and readily accepts our con-
cordant glorification and service, the power of our
enemies will be crushed and swept away, and peace
CHAP. XIV.] THE llENOTICON. 137
Avith its blessings, kindly temperature, abundant
produce, and whatever is beneficial to man, ^vill be
liberally bestowed. Since, then, the irreprehensible
faith is the preserver both of ourselves and the Roman
weal, petitions have been offered to us from pious
archimandrites and hermits, and other venerable per-
sons, imploring us with tears that unity should be
procured for the churches, and the limbs should be
knit together, which the enemy of all good has of old
time been eagerly bent upon severing, under a con-
sciousness that defeat will befall him whenever he
assails the body while in an entire condition. For
since it happens, that of the unnumbered generations
which during the lapse of so many years time has
withdrawTi from life, some have departed, deprived of
the laver of regeneration, and others have been borne
away on the inevitable journey of man, without having
partaken in the divine communion ; and innumerable
murders have also been perpetrated; and not only the
earth, but the very air has been defiled by a multitude
of blood- she ddings ; that this state of things might be
transformed into good, who woidd not pray? For
this reason, we were anxious that you should be
informed, that we and the churches in every quarter
neither have held, nor do we or shall we hold, nor are
we aware of persons who hold, any other symbol or
lesson or definition of faith or creed than the before-
mentioned holy symbol of the three hundred and
138 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, [bOOK III.
eighteen holy fathers, which the aforesaid hundred and
fifty holy fathers confirmed ; and if any person does
hold such, we deem him an alien : for we are confident
that tliis symbol alone is, as we said, the preserver of
our sovereignty, and on their reception of this alone
are all the people baptised when desirous of the saving
illumination: which symbol all the holy fathers
assembled at Ephesus also followed; who further
passed sentence of deposition on the impious Nestorius
and those who subsequently held his sentiments : which
Nestorius we also anathematise, together with Euty-
ches and all who entertain opinions contrary to those
above-mentioned, receiving at the same time the twelve
chapters of Cyril, of holy memory, formerly archbishop
of the holy Catholic church of the Alexandrians. We
moreover confess, that the only begotten Son of God,
himself God, who truly assumed manhood, namely, our
Lord Jesus Christ, who is con-substantial with the
Father in respect of the Godhead, and con -substantial
with ourselves as respects the manhood; that He,
having descended, and become incarnate of the Holy
Spirit and Mary, the Virgin and INIother of God, is one
and not two ; for we affirm that both his miracles, and
the sufferings which he voluntarily endured in the
flesh, are those of a single person : for we do in no
deoree admit those who either make a division or a
confusion, or introduce a phantom ; inasmuch as his
truly sinless incarnation from the Mother of God did not
CHAP. XIV.] THE HENOTICON. 139
produce an addition of a son, because the Trinity con-
tinued a Trinity even when one member of the Trinity,
the God Word, became incarnate. Knowing, then, that
neither the holy orthodox churches of God in all parts,
nor the priests, highly beloved of God, who are at their
head, nor our own sovereignty, have allowed or do allow
any other symbol or definition of faith than the before-
mentioned holy lesson, we have united ourselves thereto
without hesitation. And these things we write- not as
setting forth a new form of faith, but for your assu-
rance : and every one who has held or holds any other
opinion, either at the present or another time, whether
at Chalcedon or in any synod whatever, we anathema-
tise ; and specially the before-mentioned Nestorius and
Eutyches, and those who maintain their doctrines.
Link yourselves, therefore, to the spiritual mother,
the church, and in her enjoy the same communion
with us, according to the aforesaid one and only defi-
nition of the faith, namely, that of the three hundred
and eighteen holy fathers. For your all holy mother,
the church, waits to embrace you as true children, and
longs to hear your loved voice, so long withheld. Speed
yourselves, therefore, for by so doing you will both
draw towards yourselves the favor of our Master and
Saviour and God, Jesus Christ, and be commended
by our sovereignty."
When this had been read, all the Alexandrians
united themselves to the holy catholic and apostolic
church.
140 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
CHAPTER XV.
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SIMPLICIUS AND ZENO.
John, however, of whom we have made mention
before, having fled from Alexandria, arrives at the
ancient Rome, and there causes great stir, by saying
that he had been banished from his riglitful see for
upholding the doctrines of Leo and the council at
Chalcedon, and had been superseded by another person,
who was their opponent. Upon this Simplicius, bishop
of the elder Rome, writes in alarm to Zeno; who in
reply charges John Avith perjury, and alleges that for
this reason and no other he had been ejected from his
bishopric.
CHAPTER XVI.
DEPOSITION OF CALANDION AND RESTORATION OF
PETER THE FULLER.
Calandion, president of Antioch, writing to the
emperor Zeno, and to Acacius, president of Constanti-
nople, terms Peter an adulterer, saying that, when he
was at Alexandria, he had anathematised the council at
Chalcedon. He is afterwards condemned to exile at
Oasis, on a supposition of having supported lUus,
Leontius, and Pamprepius, in their usurpation against
CHAP. XVII.] LETTER FROM PETER TO ACACIUS. 141
Zeno ; and Peter the Fuller, the predecessor of Calan-
dioii and Stephen, as I have mentioned, recovered his
own see. The latter also subscribed the Henoticon of
Zeno, and addressed s3^nodical letters to Peter, bishop
of Alexandria. Acacius, president of Constantinople,
also entered into communion with him. Martyrius, too,
bishop of Jerusalem, addressed synodical letters to
Peter. Subsequently, certain persons withdrew from
communion with Peter, who, in consequence, thence-
forward openly anathematised the synod at Chalcedon.
The news of this circumstance greatly troubled Acacius,
and induced him to send persons to gain information
on the subject; when Peter, to convince them that he
had not so acted, drew up memorials, in which certain
persons said, from their own knowledge, that Peter had
not done any thing of the kind.
CHAPTER XVII.
LETTER FROM PETER TO ACACIUS.
This Peter never abided by one opinion, being a
double dealer, a waverer, and a time-server, now ana-
thematising the synod at Chalcedon, at another time
recanting, and admitting it with entire assent.
Accordingly, the same Peter wrote an epistle to Acacius,
president of Constantinople, in the following words :
"The most high God will repay your holiness for the
142 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
many labours and toils wherewith, during the lapse
of time, you have guarded the form of faith of the
holy fathers, which you have confirmed by unceasingly
proclaiming it ; in which form when we found the
symbol of the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers
to be embraced, we were disposed to accord with it ;
that symbol in which we believed at baptism, and still
believe ; which also the hundred and fifty holy fathers,
who assembled at Constantinople, confirmed. Accord-
ingly, while increasing in your endeavours to guide
all aright, you have united the holy church of God, by
convincing us by the most powerful proofs that nothing
at variance with this was enacted in the holy and gene-
ral synod held at Chalcedon, but that it accorded with
the acts of the holy fathers at Nicsea, and confirmed
them. Thus, having discovered no novelty therein, Ave
have of our own free motion accorded our assent and
belief. But we are informed that certain monks,
envying our brotherly union, have conveyed certain
slanders to your holy ears, which have with some difii-
culty succeeded in embittering the feelings of your
holiness. And, in the first place, it is alleged that Ave
have removed to another place the remains of our
sainted father, the blessed archbishop Timotheus, a
thing abhorrent to religion and laAV : and they have
further shifted their ground to another charge, in itself
incoherent and Avorse than the former; for how could
Ave possibly have anathematised the synod at Chalcedon,
ClIAr. XVII.] LETTER FROM TETER TO ACACIUS. 143
Avhicli wti luid previously confii'ined by according to it
our belief? But the nudignant teuiper and fickleness
of our people are notorious, and cannot but be known
to your piety, as well as of tliose monks who are dis-
posed to innovation ; who, in conspiracy with certain
ill-designing persons that have broken loose from the
church, are endeavouring to draw away the people.
Through your prayers we have also devised a discourse
of a directly healing tendency, and in no way impugn-
ing the synod at Chalcedon, well knowing that its
transactions contain no novelty ; and, further, for tlie
satisfaction of guileless persons, we have procured
those who had united themselves to us, to affirm this
point. This nnschief, then, by much exertion, I have
readily checked : but I make known to your holiness,
that even still the monks who are ever sowino- the
o
tares, are not at rest, associating also with themselves,
as mstruments, persons who were never the inmates of
monasteries; but they travel about disseminating
various rumours to our disadvantage, and, while they
do not allow that we act canonically and in a manner
suitable to the holy catholic church of God, but are
habituating our people to govern rather than obey us,
they are bent on doing whatever is unbecoming the
service of God. We doubt not, however, that your
holiness will inform the most sacred master of tlie
world of all these circumstances, and provide that a
formulary shall be put forth by his serenity, embracing
144 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOKY. [bOOK III.
the necessary matters relating to such a peace of the
church as becomes both God and the emperor ; so as to
lead all to repose on its provisions."
CHAPTER XVm.
FELIX ISSUES A SENTENCE OF DEPOSITION AGAINST
ACACIUS.
John, who had fled to Rome, was urgent on Felix,
the successor of Simplicius in that see, respecting the
proceedings of Peter, and recommends, according to
Zacharias, that an instrument of deposition should be
sent to Acacius from Felix, on the ground of his
communion with Peter : which, however, as being un-
canonical, Acacius did not admit, as the same Zacha-
rias writes, on its presentation by certain members
of the monastery of the Acoemets, as they are called.
Such is the account given by Zacharias ; but he appears
to me to have been altogether ignorant of the real
transactions, and to have reported merely an imper-
fect hearsay. I now proceed to give a precise account
of the proceedings. On the presentation of libels to
Felix by John against Acacius, on the score of irregu-
lar communion with Peter, and other uncanonical pro-
ceedings, the bishops Vitalis and Misenus are sent by
Felix to the emperor Zeno, with a requisition that the
authority of the synod at Chalcedon should be main-
CHAP. XX.] LETTER FROM ZENO TO FELIX. 145
tained, that Peter should be ejected as a heretic, and
that Acacius should be sent to Felix to answer for
himself to the charges brought against him by John,
of whom we have made frequent mention.
CHAPTER XIX.
INTERFERENCE OF CYRIL THE MONK.
Before, however, they reached the imperial city,
Cyril, the superior of the Acoemets, writes to Felix,
blaming his tardiness, when so grievous offences were
being committed against the right faith; and Felix
writes to Misenus and his associates, that they should
take no measures until they had conferred with Cyril,
and learnt from him what was best to be done.
CHAPTER XX.
correspondence BETWEEN FELIX AND ZENO.
Further commonitories were also addressed to
them by Felix; as also letters to Zeno, concerning
both the synod at Chalcedon, and the persecution
which Huneric was carrying on in Africa. He also
wrote an epistle to Acacius. Zeno wrote in answer,
that the concern with which John had iiUed him, was
groundless ; because, having sworn that he would in
10
146 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III,
no way endeavour to insinuate himself into tlie see of
Alexandria, and having subsequently violated these
terms and disregarded his oath, he had been guilty of
the extreme of sacrilege : that Peter had not been
appointed without being tested, but had with his own
hand subscribed his reception of the faith of the three
hundred and eighteen holy fathers who met at Nictea,
which the holy synod at Chalcedon also followed.
Part of the epistle is in these precise words: "You
ought to be assured that our piety, and the l)efo re-men-
tioned most holy Peter, and all the most holy churches,
receive and revere the most holy synod at Chalcedon,
which agreed with the faith of the Nicene synod."
In the transactions are also contained epistles from
the before-mentioned Cyril, and other archimandrites
of the imperial city, and from bishops and clergy of
the Egyptian province, addressed to Felix against
Peter, as being a heretic, and against those who
communicated with him. The members of the
monastery of the Acoemets who came to Felix, further
averred against Misenus and his party, that before their
arrival at Byzantium, the name of Peter had been
read secretly in the sacred diptychs, and since that
time without any concealment, and that they had in
this way communicated with him. The epistle also of
the Eg\i^tians ailirmed the same things respecting
Peter ; and that John, being orthodox, had been right-
fully ordained : that Peter was ordained by two Inshops
CHAP. XXI.] CHAUGIC AGAINST THE LEGATES. 147
only, inaintainei's of similar errors with himself: that
since the flight of John every species of severity had
been inflicted on the orthodox : that all these circum-
stances had been made known to Acacius by persons
who had visited the imperial city ; and that they were
convinced that he was in all things acting in union
with Peter.
CHAPTER XXI.
ACCUSATION OF THE LEGATES BY SIMEON THE MONK,
AND THEIR CONSEQUENT DEPRIVATION.
This stir was further increased by Simeon, an
Acoemet, who had been dispatched to Rome by Cyril.
He expressly charged Misenus and Vitalis with holding
communion with the heretics, by distinctly uttermg
the name of Peter in the reading of the sacred di-
ptychs ; and affirmed that many simple persons had, on
this ground, been beguiled by the heretics, who said
that Peter was admitted to the communion even of the
Roman see : and, further, in reply to various interro-
gatories, Simeon said that Misenus and his party had
declined to have communication with any orthodox
person, either in person or by letter, or to sift any of
the presumptuous attempts upon the right faith.
There was also brought forward Silvanus, a presbyter,
who had been in company -^vith Misenus and Vitalis at
148 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
Constantinople, and he coniirmed tlie statement of the
monks. There was read, too, a letter from Acaciiis
to Simplicins, to the effect that Peter had been long
ago deposed and had become a child of night. On these
grounds Misenus and Vitalis were removed from the
priesthood and severed from the holy communion, when
a unanimous vote was passed by the synod, in the follow-
ing terms : " The church of the Eomans does not admit
Peter, the heretic, who has also been long ago con-
demned by the holy see, excommunicated, and anathe-
matised. To whom, if there were no other objection,
this is sufficient, namely, that having been ordained
by heretics, he could not have authority over the
orthodox." The decree also contains what follows:
" The mere circumstance shews Acacius, bishop of
Constantinople, to have incurred very great responsi-
bility, because, writing to Simplicius and having
termed Peter a heretic, he has nevertheless made no
such declaration to the emperor : which was his duty,
if he were loyal to him. He is, however, more par-
tial to the emperor than to the faith."
Let me now return to the order of events. There
is extant an epistle from Acacius to the Egyptian
bishops, the clergy, monks, and the people in general,
by which he endeavours to heal the existing schism :
on which subject he also T\Tote to Peter, bishop of
Alexandria.
CHAP. XXII. TllOUBLES AT ALEXANDRIA.
149
CHAPTER XXII.
COMMOTION AT ALEXANDRIA ON ACCOUNT OE THE
COUNCIL OF CHALCEUON.
While the schism at Alexandria was thus at its
height, Peter, having again anathematised the tome of
Leo, the transactions at Chalcedon, and those who
refused to admit tlie writings of Dioscorus and Timo-
theus, induced some of the bishops and archimandrites
to communicate with him; and faihng to prevail upon
the others, ejected most of them from their monasteries.
On account of these proceedings, Xephalius visited the
imperial city, and reported them to Zeno; Avho, in
great vexation, despatches Cosmas, one of his officers,
charged to load Peter with menaces, for the enforce-
ment of unity, on the score of his having caused a
serious dissension by his harshness. Cosmas returns
to the imperial city without accomplishing the object
of his mission, having merely restored those who had
been ejected, to their monasteries. Subsequently,
Arsenius is sent out by the emperor as governor of
Egypt and commander of the forces. Arriving at
Alexandria in company with Nephalius, he negociated
Avith a view to unity; but foiling to induce persons to
acquiesce in his measures, he sends some of them to
the imperial city, where, accordingly, many discussions
took place in the presence of Zeno: but with no
150 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
practical result, because the emperor altogether de-
clined agreement with the synod at Chalcedon.
CHAPTER XXm.
SUCCESSION OF BISHOPS AT CONSTANTINOPLE,
ALEXANDRIA, AND ANTIOCH.
At this juncture Acacius departed on the common
journey of all men, and is succeeded by Fravitas. On
his addressing synodical letters to Peter of Alexandria,
the latter replies with a repetition of the former
matters respecting the synod at Chalcedon. On the
demise of Fravitas, after an episcopate of only four
months, Euphemius was ordained as his successor, and
is the recipient of the letters of Peter addressed to
Fravitas. On discovering the anathema against the
transactions at Chalcedon, his feelings were greatly
roused, and he broke off from communion with Peter.
Both epistles are extant, namely, from Fravitas to
Peter, and from Peter to Fravitas; but I pass them
over on account of their length. When, in conse-
quence, Euphemius and Peter were upon the point of
coming to open hostility, and summoning synods
against each other, these proceedings were prevented
by the death of the latter. He is succeeded by Atha-
nasius, who attempted to unite the dissidents; but
without success, since the parties were ranged under
CHAP. XXIV.] DEATH OF AEMATUS. 151
diti^rences of opinion. Subsequently, when dispatch-
ing syiiodical letters to Palladius, the successor of
Peter in the bishopric of Antioch, he took a similar
course respecthig the synod at Chalcedon ; as did also
John, his successor in the see of Alexandria. On the
death of Palladius, and the succession of Flavian to the
see of Antioch, Solomon, a presbyter of that church,
is sent to Alexandria, as the bearer of synodical letters,
with the request of an answer from John to Flavian.
John is succeeded in the see of Alexandria by another
of the same name. Such was the progress of these
events down to a certain period of the reign of Anas-
tasius : who had himself ejected Euphemius. I have
been compelled thus to detail them continuously, for the
sake of perspicuity and a ready comprehension of the
whole.
CHAPTER XXIY.
DEATH OF AEMATUS.
Zeno, at the instigation of Illus, puts to death
Armatus, a kinsman of the empress Verina. When
Armatus had been sent against him by Basiliscus,
Zeno had succeeded, by bribes, in converting him from
a foe into an ally, and had bestowed on his son Basiliscus
the rank of Caasar at Xiciea : but on his return to Con-
stantinople, he procures the assassination of Armatus,
152 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [ BOOK III.
and makes his son a priest instead of Cffisar. The latter
was afterwards raised to the episcopal dignity.
CHAPTER XXV.
INSURRECTION AND DEATH OF THEODORIC.
Theodoric also, a Scythian, raised an insurrection,
and having collected his forces in Thrace, marched
against Zeno. After ravaging every place in his
march as far as the mouth of the Pontus, he was near
taking the imperial city, when some of his most
intimate companions were secretly induced to enter
into a plot against his life. When, however, he had
learnt the disaffection of his followers, he commenced
a retreat, and was very soon afterwards numbered with
the departed, by a kind of death which I will mention,
and which happened thus. A spear, with its thong pre-
pared for immediate use, had been suspended before
his tent in barbaric fashion. He had ordered a horse
to be brought to him for the purpose of exercise, and
being in the habit of not having any one to assist him
in mounting, vaulted into his seat. The horse, a
mettlesome and ungovernable animal, reared before
Theodoric was fairly mounted, so that, in the contest,
neither daring to rein back the horse, lest it should
come do^vn upon him, nor yet having gained a firm
seat, he was whirled round in all directions, and
ClIAr. XXVI.] INSURRECTION OF MARCIAN. 153
dashed against the point of the spear, Mliich thus
struck him obliquely, and wounded his side. He was
then conveyed to his couch, and after surviving a few
days, died of the wound. '
CHAPTER XXYl.
INSURRECTION OF MARCIAN.
Subsequently Marcian had a rupture with Zeno,
and attempted to dispute the empire with him. He
was the son of Anthemius who had formerly reigned at
Rome, and was allied to Leo, the preceding emperor,
having married his younger daughter Leontia. After
a severe battle around the palace, in which many fell
on both sides, Marcian repulsed his opponents, and
would have become master of the palace, had he not
let slip the critical moment, by putting off the opera-
tion to the morrow.
For the critical season is swift of flight : when it is
close upon one, it may be secured ; but should it once
have escaped the grasp, it soars aloft and laughs at its
pursuers, not deigning to place itself again within their
reach. And hence no doubt it is, that statuaries and
painters, while they figure it ^vith a lock hangmg down
in front, represent the head as closely shaven behind ;
thus skilfully symbolising, that when it comes up from
behind one, it may perhaps be held fast by the flowing
154 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
forelock, but fairly escapes when it has once got the
start, from the absence of any thing by which the
pursuer might grasp it.
And this was what befel Marcian, when he had lost
the moment favourable to his success, and was unable
to find it afterwards. For the next day he was
betrayed by his own followers, and being completely
deserted, lied to the sacred precinct of the divine
Apostles ; whence he was dragged away by force, and
transported to Ca3sarea in Cappadocia. Having there
joined the society of certain monks, he was afterwards
detected in meditating an escape ; and being removed
by the emperor to Tarsus in Cilicia, he was shorn, and
ordained a presbyter : of all which particulars an elegant
narrative has been given by Eustathius the Syrian.
CHAPTER XXVII.
INSURRECTION OF ILLUS AND LEONTIUS.
The ' same writer states that Zeno also devised in-
numerable machinations against his mother-in-law
Verina, and afterwards sent her away to Cilicia; and
that subsequently, on the assumption of sovereign
power by lUus, she removed to what is called the
castle of Papirius ; where she died.
Eustathius also narrates with great ability the story
of Illus : how he escaped Zeno's plots against liim, and
CHAP. XXYIII.] VARIOUS INSURRECTIONS. 155
how Zeiio gave up to capital punishinciit the man who
had been commissioned to murder Illus, rewarding
him with the loss of his head for his failure in the
attempt. He also appointed Illus commander of the
forces of the East, thinking thus to conceal his real
designs : but he, having gained over as partizans
Leontius, Marsus, a man of reputaion, and Pamprepius,
proceeded to the east.
The same Eustathius then mentions the proclamation
of Leontius as emperor, which took place at Tarsus in
Cilicia; and how these persons reaped the fruits of
their assumption of power, when Theodoric, a man of
Gothic extraction, but illustrious among the Romans,
had been sent out against them, with a force composed
both of native and foreign troops.
The same author ably depicts the fate of those who
Avere miserably put to death by Zeno in return for their
loyalty to hhn ; and how Theodoric, becoming aware
of the evil designs of Zeno, -withdrew to the elder
Rome. Some, however, say that this was done at the
suggestion of Zeno. Having there defeated Odoacer,
he made himself master of Rome, and assumed the
title of king.
CHAPTER XX Vm.
ACCOUNT OF MAMMIANUS AND* HIS STRUCTURES.
John the rhetorician writes, that in the time of
Zeno, Mammianus from an artizan became a person of
156 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
note and a member of the senate ; and that he built in
the suburb of Daphne what is called the Antiphorus,
on a site previously planted with vines and suitable for
cultivation, directly opposite the public baths ; where
there is also the brazen statue inscribed, " Mammianus
the friend of the city." He also states that he built
within the city, two basilicas, singularly beautiful in
their design, and embellished with brilliant stone-work ;
and that, as an intervening structure to the two, he
raised a Tetrapylum, exquisitely finished both in its
columns and its brazen work. The basilicas I have
identified, retaining, together with their name, some
trace of their former beauty, in the stones from Pro-
comiesus, which form the pavement, but nothing
remarkable in their architecture : for, in consequence
of the calamities which had befallen them, they had
lately been rebuilt, without receiving any thing in the
way of ornament. Of the Tetrapylum I was not able
to detect the slightest vestige.
CHAPTER XXIX.
DEATH OF ZENO. — SUCCESSION OF ANASTASIUS.
On the decease of Zeno, by epilepsy, without issue,
after a reign of seventeen years, Longinus his brother,
having raised himself to considerable power, hoped to
secure the sovereignty, but was, notwithstanding,
CHAP. XXX.] ACCESSION OF ANASTASIUS A.D. 491. 157
disappointed of his expectation. For Ariadne bestows
the diadem on Anastasius, a person who had not yet
attained senatorian rank, hut belonged to the corps of
the Silentiaries.
Eustathius writes, that two hundred and seven years
elapsed from the beginning of the reign of Diocletian
to the death of Zeno and the nomination of Anastasius :
five hundred and fifty-two years and seven months
from the time that Augustus obtained the supreme
power; eight hundred and thirty- two years and seven
months from the reign of Alexander the Macedonian ;
one thousand and fifty-two years and seven months
from the reign of Romulus ; one thousand six hundred
and eighty-six years and seven months from the
taking of Troy.
This Anastasius, bemg a native of Epidamnus, now
called Dyrrachium, both succeeds to the sovereignty
of Zeno and espouses his Tvdfe Ariadne. In the first
place, he dismisses to his native country Longinus, the
brother of Zeno, who held the post of Master of the
Offices, formerly termed commander of the household
troops ; and afterwards, many other Isaurians at their
o^^^l request.
CHAPTER XXX.
DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH.
Tins Anastasius, being of a peaceful disposition,
was alto2:ether averse to the introduction of changes.
158 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
especially in the state of the church, but endeavoured by
every means, that the most holy churches should con-
tinue undisturbed, and the whole body of his subjects
enjoy profound tranquillity, by the removal of all strife
and contention from matters both ecclesiastical and
civil. During these times, accordingly, the synod of
Chalcedon was neither openly proclaimed in the most
holy churches, nor yet was repudiated by all : but the
bishops acted each according to his individual opinion.
Thus, some very resolutely maintained vdiat had been
put forth by that synod, and would not yield to the
extent of one word of its determinations, nor admit
even the change of a single letter, but firmly declined
all contact and communion with those who refused to
admit the matters there set forth. Others, again,
not only did not submit to the synod of Chalcedon
and its determinations, but even anathematised both
it and the tome of Leo. Others, however, firmly
adhered to the Henoticon of Zeno, and that too al-
though mutually at variance on the point of the single
and double nature ; some being caught by the artful
composition of that document; and others influenced
by an inclination for peace. Thus the churches in
general were divided into distinct factions, and their
presidents did not even admit each other to com-
munion.
Numerous divisions, hence arising, existed in the
East, in the West, and in Africa; while the eastern
CHAP. XXXI.] DEPOSITION OF BISHOPS. 159
bishops had no friendly intercourse with those of the
West and Africa, nor the latter with those of the East.
The evil too became still more monstrous, for neither
did the presidents of the eastern churches allow com-
munion among themselves, nor yet those who held the
sees of Europe and Africa, much less with those of
remote parts.
In consideration of these circumstances, the Empe-
ror Anastasius removed those bishops who were pro-
moters of change, wherever he detected any one either
proclaiming or anathematising the synod of Chalcedon
in opposition to the practice of the neighbourhood.
Accordingly, he rejected from the see of the imperial
city, first, Euphemius, as has been already mentioned,
and afterwards Macedonius, Vvdio was succeeded by
Timotheus; and Flavian from the see of Antioch.
CHAPTER XXXI.
LETTER TO ALCISON FROM THE MONKS OF PALESTINE.
The monastic body in Palestine, writing to Alcison
concerning Macedonius and Flavian, express them-
selves thus : "On the death of Peter, they were again
separated, but Alexandria, Egypt, and Africa remained
at unity among themselves; as, on the other hand, did
the rest of the East ; while the churches of the West
refused to communicate with them on any other terms
IGO ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
than the anathematising of Xestorius, Eutyches, and
Dioscorus, including also Peter, surnamed IMongTis,
and Acacius. Such, then, being the situation of the
churches throughout the world, the genuine followers
of Dioscorus and Eutyches were reduced to a very
small number ; and when they were upon the point of
disappearing altogether from the earth, Xenaias, who
was truly a stranger to God, with what object we
know not, or pursuing what enmity towards Flavian,
but under colour of defending the ftiith, as is generally
said, begins to raise a stir against him, and to calum-
niate him as being a Nestorian. When, however, he
had anathematised Nestorius and his notion, Xenaias
transferred his attacks from him to Dioscorus and
Theodore, Theodoret, Ibas, Cyrus, Eleutherius, and
John ; and we know not whom besides and whence he
mustered them : some of Avhom really maintained the
opinions of Xestorius, but others, having been sus-
pected, anathematised him, and departed in the com-
munion of the church. 'Unless,' said he, 'thou shalt
anathematise all these, as holding the opinions of
Xestorius, thou art thyself a Xestorian, though thou
shouldest ten thousand times anathematise him and
his notion.' He also endeavoured by letters to induce
the advocates of Dioscorus and Eutyches to take arms
with him against Flavian, not however with a view of
exacting from him an anathema upon the synod, but
merely on the before-mentioned persons. Cut when
CHAP. XXXI.] PROCEEDINGS OF XENAIAS. 161
the bishop Flavian liad maintained a prolonged
resistance to them, and other persons had united with
Xenaias against him, namely, Eleusinus, a bishop of
Cappadocia Secunda, Nicias, of Laodicea in Syria, and
others from other quarters, the motive of whose spite
against Flavian it is the province of others, not of
ourselves, to detail; at last, in hope of peace, he yielded
to their contentious spirit, and having in writing ana-
thematised the before-mentioned persons, he despatched
the instrument to the emperor, for they had stirred up
him also against Flavian as a maintainer of the opinions
of Nestorius. Xenaias, not contented with this, again
demands of Flavian that lie should anathematise the
synod itself, and those who maintained two natures
in the person of the Lord, namely, the flesh and the
Godhead; and on his refusal, again accused him of
being a Nestorian. After much stir upon this subject,
and after the patriarch had put forth an exposition of
faith, in which he confessed that he admitted the synod
as far as regards the deposition of Nestorius and Euty-
ches, not however as defining and teaching the faith ;
they again impugn him as secretly holding the opinions
of Nestorius, unless he would further anathematise the
synod itself, and those who maintained two natures
in the person of the Lord, the flesh and the Godhead.
The}^ also win over to their side the Isaurians, by
various deceitful expressions, and having drawn up a
formulary of faith, in which they anathematise the
11
162 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
synod together with those who maintamed the two
natures or persons, they separate themselves from
Flavian and Macedonius, but unite with others on
their subscribing the formulary. At the same time
they also demanded of the bishop of Jerusalem a
written statement of faith; which he put forth, and
sent to the emperor by the hands of the party of
Dioscorus. This they present, containing an anathema
upon those who maintained the two natures. But the
bishop of Jerusalem himself, affirming that it had been
forged by them, puts forth another without such
anathema. And no wonder. For they have often
forged discourses of the fathers, and to many ^vi'itings
of ApoUinaris they have attached titles assigning them
to Athanasius, Gregory Thaumaturgus, and Julius;
their principal object in so doing being to draw over
the multitude to their own impieties. They also de-
manded of Macedonius a written statement of faith ;
who put one forth, affirming that he recognised only
the creed of the three hundred and eighteen, and of
the one hundred and fifty fathers, anathematising at
the same time Nestorius, Eutyches, and those who
held the doctrine of two sons or two Christs, or divided
the natures; making, however, no mention of the
sjaiod of Ephesus, which deposed Nestorius, nor that
of Chalcedon, which deposed Eutyches. Indignant
at this, the monastic bodies about Constantinople sepa-
rate from their bishop Macedonius. In the mean time
CHAP. XXXII.] DEPOSITION OF MACEDONIUS. 163
Xenaias and Dioscorus, associating with them many
of the bishops, became insufferable, from the stir which
they raised against those who refused to anathematise ;
and, by various devices, they endeavoured to procure
the banishment of those who persisted in their refusal.
In this way, accordingly, they banish both Macedonius,
and John, bishop of Paltus, and Flavian."
Such are the contents of the letter.
CHAPTER XXXII.
EJECTION OF MACEDONIUS AND FLAVIAN
FROM THEIR SEES.
There were other things which caused secret vex-
ation to Anastasius. For when Ariadne was desirous
of investing him with the purple, Euphemius, who held
the archiepiscopal see, withheld his approval, until
Anastasius had presented to him an agreement, written
with his own hand, and secured with fearful oaths,
that he would maintain the faith inviolate, and intro-
duce no innovation into the holy church of God, in
case he should obtain the sceptre : which document he
also deposited with Macedonius, the keeper of the
sacred treasures. This measure he adopted, because
Anastasius had generally the reputation of holding the
Manichaean doctrine. When, however, Macedonius
ascended the episcopal throne, Anastasius was desirous
164 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
that the agreement should be returned to him, affirm-
ing it to be an insult to the imperial dignity, if the
before-mentioned document, in his own hand-writing,
should be preserved : and when ]\Iacedonius resolutely
opposed the demand, and firmly protested that he
would not betray the faith, the emperor pursued every
insidious device for the purpose of ejecting hun from
his see. Accordingly, even boys were brought forward
as informers, who falsely accused both themselves and
Macedonius of infamous practices. But when Mace-
donius was found to be emasculate, they had recourse
to other contrivances ; until, by the advice of Celer,
commander of the household troops, he secretly retired
from his see.
With the ejection of Flavian, other circumstances
are associated. For we have met with some very aged
men who remembered all the events of this time.
These say, that the monks of the district called Cyne-
gica, and of the whole of Syria Prima, having been
wrought upon by Xenaias, who was bishop of the
neighbouring city of Hierapolis, and who was named
in Greek Philoxenus, rushed into the city in a body with
great noise and tumult, endeavouring to compel Fla-
vian to anathematise the synod of Chalcedon and the
tome of Leo. Roused at the indignation manifested
by Flavian, and the violent urgency of the monks, the
people of the city made a great slaughter of them, so
that a very large number found a grave in the Orontes,
CHAP. XXXIII.] SEVERUS OF ANTIOCII. 165
where the waves performed their only funeral rites.
There happened also another circumstance of scarcely
less magnitude than the former. For the monks of
Ciele S}Tia, now called Syria Secunda, from sympathy
with Flavian, since he had led a monastic life in a
monastery of the district called Tilmognon, advanced
to Antioch, with the intention of defending him.
From which , circumstance, also, no inconsiderable
mischief arose. Accordingly, on the ground either of
the former or latter occurrence, or both, Flavian is
ejected, and condemned to reside at Petra, on the ex-
treme verge of Palestine.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
SEVERUS BISHOP OF ANTIOCH.
Flavian having been thus ejected, Severus ascends
the episcopal throne of Antioch, in the five hundred
and sixty-first year of the era of that city, in the month
Dius, the sixth year of the Indiction; the year in which
I am now writing being the six hundred and forty-
first of that era. He was a native of Sozopolis, a city
of Pisidia, and had applied himself to the profession of
a pleader at Berytus ; but immediately on his aban-
doning the practice of the law, having participated in
holy baptism in the sacred precinct of the divine martyr
Leontius, who is revered at Tripolis, a city of Phcenicia
166 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
Maritima, he assumed the monastic life in a certain
monastery situated between the city of Gaza and the
town called Majumas ; in which latter place Peter the
Iberian, who had been bishop of the same Gaza, and
had been banished with Timotheus ^lurus, passed
through the same discipline, and left behind him a
famous memory. Severus there engages in a discussion
with Nephalius, who had formerly sided mth him on
the question of the single nature, but had subsequently
been one of the synod at Chalcedon and among those
who held the opinion of two natures in the person of
our Lord Jesus Christ; and he is, in consequence,
expelled from his own monastery by Nephalius and
his party, together with many others who held similar
doctrines. Thence he proceeds to the imperial city,
to plead the cause of himself and those who had been
expelled with him, and thus obtains the notice of the
emperor Anastasius, as is narrated by the author of
the life of Severus.
Accordingly, Severus, in issuing synodical letters,
expressly anathematised the synod at Chalcedon; on
which point the letters addressed to Alcison speak as
follows. " The synodical letters of Timotheus of Con-
stantinople were admitted here in Palestine, but the
deposition of Macedonius and Flavian was not admitted,
nor yet the synodical letters of Severus ; but the bear-
ers were put to flight, Avith the ignominy and insult
which they deserved, by the people and monks of the
CHAP. XXXIII.] LETTEll TO ALCISON. 167
city, who rose upon them. Such was the situation of
matters in Palestine. But of the bishops subject to
Antioch, some were carried away mto compliance,
among whom Avas Marinus, bishop of Berytus ; others
by force and compulsion concurred in the synodical let-
ters of Severus, which mcluded an anathema, both on
the synod and all others who affirmed two natures or
persons m the Lord, namely, the flesh and the Godhead ;
and others, after having concurred by compulsion, re-
called their assent, and among them the bishops subject
to Apamea; others, again, altogether refused concur-
rence, among whom were Julian, bishop of Bostra,
Epiphanius of Tyre, and some others, as is said. But
the Isaurian bishops, having returned to their sober
senses, are now condemning themselves for the error
into which they had been beguiled, and are anathema-
tising Severus and his party. Others of the bishops
and clergy subject to Severus have abandoned their
churches, and among them Julian of Bostra, and Peter
of Damascus, who are now living in these parts, as also
Mamas. This latter is one of those two who seemed
to be the chiefs of the followers of Dioscorus, by whose
means also Severus obtained his dignity : but he now
condemns the arrogance of that party." And presently
the letter proceeds. " The monasteries m these parts
and Jerusalem itself are, with the aid of God, unani-
mous respecting the right faith, and very many cities
besides, together with their bishops, for all of whom,
168 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
and for ourselves, pray thou that we may not enter into
temptation, our most holy lord and honoured
father."
CHAPTER XXXIV.
ACT OF DEPOSITION AGAINST SEVERUS.
Since, then, these letters state, that the priests sub-
ject to Apamea had separated from Sever us, let me now
add a circumstance transmitted to us from our fathers,
although it has not hitherto found a place in history.
Cosmas, bishop of my native place, Epiphanea, which
stands on the Orontes, and Severian, bishop of the
neighbouring city of Arethusa, being troubled at the
synodical letters of Severus, and having withdrawn
from his communion, despatched an instrument of de-
position to him, while still bishop of Antioch. They
entrust the document to Aurelian, chief of the deacons
at Epiphanea, and he, through dread of Severus and
the majesty of so great a bishopric, on his arrival at
Antioch puts on a female dress, and apj)roaches Seve-
rus with dehcate carriage and the entire assumption of
a Avoman's appearance. Letting his vail fall down to his
breast, with wailing and deep drawn lamentation he
presents to Severus, as he advanced, the instruments
of deposition in the guise of a petition : he then passes
unobserved from among the attendant crowd and
CHAP. XXXIV.J HUMANITY OF ANASTASIUS. 169
purchased safety by flight, before Severus had learned
the purport of the document. Severus, having received
the document and learned its contents, continued, never-
theless, in his see, until the death of Anastasius.
On bemg informed of these transactions, for I must
record the benevolent measure of Anastasius, he
directs Asiaticus, who was commander in Phoenicia
Libanensis, to eject Cosmas and Severian from their
sees, because they had sent the instrument of deposi-
tion to Severus. Findmg, on his arrival in the East,
that many adhered to the opinions of those bishops,
and that their cities resolutely upheld them, he reported
to Anastasius that he could not eject them without
bloodshed. So great then was the humanity of Anas-
tasius, that he wi'ote in express terms to Asiaticus,
that he did not desire the accomplishment of any object,
however important and illustrious, if one drop of blood
was to be shed.
Such, then, was the situation of the churches
throughout the world down to the reign of Anastasius ;
whom some, treating him as an enemy to the synod at
Chalcedon, erased from the sacred diptychs ; and he
was also anathematised at Jerusalem even during his
life-time.
170 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
CHAPTER XXXV.
SUPPRESSION OF THE ISAURIAN INSURRECTION.
It will not be inconsistent, if, in accordance with
the promise which I originally made, I insert in my
narrative the other circumstances worthy of mention
which occurred in the time of Anastasius.
Longinus, the kinsman of Zeno, on his arrival at his
native country, as has been already detailed, openly
commences war agamst the emperor: and after a
numerous army had been raised from different quarters,
in which Conon, formerly bishop of Apainea in Syria,
was also present, who, as being an Isaurian, aided the
Isaurians, an end was put to the war by the utter
destruction of the Isaurian troops of Longinus. The
heads of Longinus and Theodore were sent to the
imperial city by John the Scythian ; which the emperor
displayed on poles at the place caUed Sycee, opposite
Constantmople, an agreeable spectacle to the Byzan-
tines, who had been hardly treated by Zeno and the
Isaurians. The other Longinus, surnamed of Selinus,
the main stay of the insurgent faction, and Indes, are
sent alive to Anastasius by John, surnamed Hunch-
back ; a circumstance which especially gladdened the
emperor and the Byzantines, by the display of the
prisoners led in triumph along the streets and the
hippodrome, with iron chains about their necks and
CHAP. XXXVII.] INVASION OF THE ARABS, — A.D. 500. 171
hands. Thenceforward, also, the payment called Isau-
rica accrued to the imperial treasury, being gold
previously paid to the Barbarians annually, to the
amount of five thousand pounds.
CHAPTER XXXYI.
INVASION OF THE ARABS.
The Scenite barbarians also insulted the Roman
empire; not, however, to their own advantage; by
plundering Mesopotamia, either Phoenicia, and Pales-
tine. After having been every^vhere chastised by the
commanders, they subsequently continued quiet, and
universally made peace with the Romans.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
CAPTURE OF AMIDA. FOUNDING OF DARAS.
The Persians too, having, in violation of treaties,
marched beyond their own territories under their king
Cabades, first attacked Armenia, and having captured
a town named Theodosioj^olis, reached Amida, a strong
city of Mesopotamia, which they took by storm ; and
which the Roman emperor subsequently restored by
great exertions.
If any one is inclined to learn the particulars of these
172 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
transactions, and to trace the whole mmutely, a very
able narrative, a work of great labour and elegance,
has been composed by Eustathius ; who, after having
brought down his history to this point, Avas numbered
with the departed; closing with the twelfth year of
the reign of Anastasius.
After the close of this war, Anastasius founds a city
on the spot called Daras, in Mesopotamia, situated
near the limits of the Roman dominion, and, as it
were, a border-point of the two empires. He surrounds
it with strong fortifications, and embellishes it with
various stately erections, both of churches and other
sacred buildings, basilicas, public baths, and other
ornaments of distinguished cities. The place is said
by some to have obtained the name of Daras, because
there Alexander the Macedonian, the son of Philip,
utterly defeated Darius.
CHAPTER XXX Vm.
THE LONG WALL.
By the same emperor was raised a vast and memo-
rable work called the Long Wall, in a favourable
situation in Thrace, distant from Constantinople two
hundred and eighty stadia. It reaches from one sea
to the other, like a strait, to the extent of four hundred
and twenty stadia ; making the city an island, in a
CHAP. XXXIX.] THE LONG WALL. A.D. 507. 173
manner, instead of a peninsula, and affording a very
safe transit, to such as choose, from the Pontus to the
Euxine Sea. It is a check upon the inroads of the
Barbarians from the Euxine, and of the Colchians from
the Palus Masotis, and from beyond the Caucasus, as
well as of those who have made irruptions from Europe.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
ABOLITION OF THE CHRYSARGYRUM.
The same emperor completed an extraordinary and
divine achievement, namely, the entire abolition of the
tax called chrysargyrum : which transaction I must now
detail, though the task needs the eloquence of Thucy-
dides, or something still more lofty and graceful. I
will, lio^vever, myself describe it, not in reliance upon
powers of language, but encouraged by the nature of
the action.
There was imposed upon the Roman commonwealth,
so singular in its magnitude and duration, a tax vile
and hateful to God, and unworthy even of Barbarians,
much more of the most Christian empire of the Romans :
which, having been overlooked, from ^vhat cause I am
unable to say, until the time of Anastasius, he most
royally abolished. It was imposed, both on many other
classes of persons who procured their livelihood by
an accumulation of petty gains, and also upon women
174 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
who made a sale of their charms, and surrendered
themselves m brothels to promiscuous fornication in
the obscure parts of the city ; and besides, upon those
who were devoted to a prostitution which outraged
not only nature but the common weal : so that this
mode of revenue proclaimed, as distinctly as a direct
enactment, that all who chose, might practise such
wickedness in security. The impious and accursed
revenue raised from this source, the collectors paid at
the end of every five years into the hands of the first
and most dignified of the prefects : so that it formed
no unimportant part of the functions of that ofiice, and
had its separate exchequer, and accountants, men who
regarded the business as a military service, suited, like
the rest, to persons of some distinction.
Anastasius, being informed of the circumstance, laid
the matter before the senate, and justly declaring it to
be an abomination and unparallelled defilement, decreed
that it should be utterly abolished ; and committed to
the flames the papers which were vouchers for its
collection. With the desire also of making this mea-
sure a complete sacrifice to God, and of preventing any
of his successors from reviving the ancient shame, he
puts on the appearance of vexation, and accuses him-
self of inconsiderateness and excessive folly, saying, that
in the too eager pursuit of novelty he had neglected
the interests of the commonwealth, and had rashly
and thoughtlessly abolished so important a revenue.
CHAP. XXXIX.] THE CHRYSARG-i-RUM. 175
wliicli had been established m former thnes and con-
firmed by so long a contmuance, without duly weighing
the impending dangers, or the expenses necessary for
the maintenance of the army, that living buhvark of
the empire, nor yet for the service of God. Accordingly,
without betraying his secret thoughts, he proclaims
his desire to restore the before-mentioned revenue ; and
having summoned those who had been in charge of the
levy, he told them that he repented of the step, but
knew not what course to take, or how to rectify his
error, now that the papers had been burnt which could
be vouchers for the particulars of its exaction. And
while they, on their part, lamented the abolition of the
levy, not in semblance but in reality, on account of
the unrighteous gain which had thence accrued to them,
and were professing the same perplexity as the em-
peror, he urged and exhorted them to employ every
mode of search, in the endeavour to procure from among
documents preserved in various quarters, a statement
of the entire lev}^ Supplymg each individual with
money, he despatched hun to collect materials, enjoin-
ing him to bring every paper which threw light upon
this matter wherever it might be found ; that by means
of the utmost circumspection and minute attention, a
statement of the business might be again put together.
Accordingly, on the return of those who were engaged
in the execution of these orders, Anastasius put on a
pleased and gladsome appearance, and was in reality
176 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
rejoiced in having compassed the object on which he
was bent. He also made particular enquiries, both
how they were discovered and in whose possession,
and whether any thing of the same kind was still
remaining : and on their affirming that they had ex-
pended great pains upon the collection, and swearing
by the emperor himself, that no other paper which
could be a voucher was preserved throughout the
Avhole empire, Anastasius again lighted up a great
pile with the papers thus produced, and drenched the
ashes with water, with the intention of removing every
trace of this levy ; so that there might appear neither
dust, nor ashes, nor any remnant whatever of the
business, through imperfect combustion.
In order, however, that, while we are thus extolling
the abolition of this impost, we may not seem to be
ignorant how much has been T\Titten under passionate
feelings on the subject by former authors, let me pro-
duce these matters, and shew their falsehood, and that
more especially from their own statements.
CHAPTER XL.
FALSEHOODS OF THE HISTORIAN ZOSIMUS.
ZosiMUS, a follower of the accursed and foul religion
of the Greeks, in his anger against Constant ine, ])ecause
he was the first emperor that had adopted Christianity,
CHAP. XLI.] CALUMNIES OF ZOSIMUS. 177
abandoning the abominable superstition of the Greeks,
says, that he was the person who devised the tax
called Chrysargyrum, and enacted that it should be
levied every five years. He has on many other grounds
also reviled -that pious and magnificent monarch; for
he affirms that he contrived many other intolerable
proceedings against every class of persons; that he
miserably destroyed his son Crispus, and made away
with his wife Fausta by inclosing her in an overheated
bath ; and that, after having in vain endeavoured to
to procure purification from murders so detestable at
the hands of the priests of his own religion (for they
plainly declared its impossibility), he met with an
Egyptian who had come from Iberia ; and, having been
assured by him that the faith of the Christians had the
power of blotting out every sin, he embraced what the
Eg}^ptian had imparted to him, and thenceforward
abandoning the faith of his fathers, he made the com-
mencement of his impiety. The falsehood of these
assertions I will forthwith shew, and in the first place
treat of the matter of the Chrysargyrum.
CHAPTER XLI.
REFUTATION OF ZOSIMUS.
Thou sayest, evil and malignant demon, that
Constantine, Avishing to raise a city equal to Rome,
12
178 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
first made a commencement of so vast a place by laying
strong foundations and erecting a lofty wall between
Troas and Ilium; l^ut when he had discovered in
Byzantium a more suitable site, he in such fashion
encircled the place with walls, so far extended the
former city, and embellished it with Iniildings so
splendid, as hardly to be surpassed by Rome itself,
which had received gradual increase through so long a
course of years. Thou sayest also that he made a
distribution of provisions at the public cost to the
people of Byzantium, and bestowed a very large sum
of gold upon those who had accompanied him thither,
for the erection of private houses. Again, thou
Avi'itest to the following effect : that on the decease of
Constantine, the imperial power came into the hands
of Constantius, his only surviving son after the death
of his two brothers ; and that when Magnentius and
Vetranio had assumed the sovereignty, he wrought
upon the latter by persuasives : and when both armies
had been mustered, Constantius, addressing them first,
reminded the soldiers of the generosity of his father,
with whom they had served through many wars, and
by whom they had been distinguished with the most
liberal gifts ; and that the soldiers, on hearing this,
stripped Vetranio of his imperial robe, and made him
descend from the tribunal into a private station ; and
that he suffered no unkindness at the hands of Con-
stantius : wlio has shared with his father in so much
CHAP. XLI.] RKFUTATION OF ZOSIMUS. 179
of thy calumny.' How thou canst then maintain that
the same person could be so liberal, so munificent, and
at the same time so paltry and sordid as to impose so
accursed a tax, I am utterly unable to comprehend.
In proof that Constantine did not destroy Fausta or
Crispus, nor was on that account initiated by an
Egyptian into our mysteries, listen to the history of
Eusebius Pamphili, who was contemporary with Con-
stantine and Crispus, and had intercourse with them.
For what thou writest, so far from being truth, was
not even contemporary hearsay, since thou livedst long-
after, in the time of Arcadius and Honorius — to which
period thou hast brought down thy history — or even
after their time. Eusebius, in the eighth book of his
ecclesiastical history, has the following words : "After
no very long interval, the emperor Constantine, having
maintained a disposition remarkable for gentleness in
respect to his whole life, kindliness towards his subjects,
and favour towards the divine word, closes his life b}'
the common laws of nature, leaving behind him, as
emperor and Augustus in his own room, a legitimate
son, Constantius." And farther on he says: "His son
Constantius, having at the very commencement of his
reign been proclaimed supreme emperor and Augus-
tus by the armies, and long before by God himself, the
universal Sovereign, shewed himself an imitator of his
father's pietj^ as respects our faith." And at the end
of the liistorv he ex]iresses liimself in the f()llo\viiig
180 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
terms : "The mighty, victorious Constantine, distin-
guished by every religious excellence, in conjunction
with his son Crispus, a sovereign highly beloved of God,
and resembling his father in all things, obtained his
rightful possession of the East." Eusebius, who
survived Constantine, would never have praised Cris-
pus in these terms, if he had been destroyed by his
father. Theodoret, in his history, says that Constan-
tine partook in the saving baptism at Nicomedia, near
the close of his life, and that he had deferred the rite
till this period, from a desire that it should be per-
formed in the river Jordan.
Thou sayest, most detestable and polluted one,
that the Roman empire from the time of the appearance
of Christianity, fell away and was altogether ruined :
either because thou hast not read any of the older
writings, or because thou art a traitor to the truth.
For, on the contrary, it clearly appears that the Roman
power increased together with the spread of our faith.
Consider, for instance, how, at the very time of the
sojourn of Christ our God among mankind, the greater
part of the Macedonians were crushed by the Romans,
and Albania, Iberia, the Colchians, and Arabians were
subjugated. Caius Caesar also, in the hundred and
eighty-first Olympiad, subdued in great battles the
Gauls, Germans, and Britons, and thereby added to
the Roman empire the inhal)itants of five hundred
cities ; as has l^een recorded by historians. He also
CHAP. XLI.] REFUTATION OF ZOSIMUS. 181
was the first who attamed to sole sovereignty since
the establishment of consuls, thereby preparing a way
for the previous introduction of a reverence for mon-
archy, after the prevalence of polytheism and popular
rule, on account of the monarchy of Christ which Avas
immediately to appear. A further acquisition was
also forthwith made of the whole of Judaea and the
neighbouring territories : so that it was at this time
that the first registration took place ; in which Christ
also was enrolled, in order that Bethlehem might
fulfil the prophecy relating to it; for thus had the
prophet Micah spoken respecting that place: "And
thou, Bethlehem, territory of Judali, art by no means
least among the princes of Judah, for from thee shall
come forth a governor who shall feed my people Israel."
Also after the nativity of Christ our God, Egypt was
added to the Roman dominion; Augustus C^sar, in
whose time Christ was born, having completely over-
thrown Antony and Cleopatra; who also killed them-
selves. Upon wdiich Cornelius Gallus is appointed by
Augustus governor of Egypt, being the first who ruled
that country after the Ptolemies : as has been recorded
by historians. To what extent the territories of the
Persians were curtailed by Ventidius, Corbulo the
general of Nero, Severus, Trajan, Car us, Cassius,
Odenatus of Palmyra, ApoUonius, and others; and
how often Seleucia and Ctesiphon were taken, and
Nisibis changed sides; and how Armenia and the
182 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOKY. [bOOK III.
neighbouring countries were added to the Roman
empire ; these matters have been narrated by thyself,
as well as by others.
I had, however, nearly forgotten to notice what thou
thyself writest respecting the achievements of Constan-
tine, how nobly and courageously he swayed the Roman
empire, while professing our religion, and what befell
Julian, thy hero and the votary of thy orgies, who
l)equeathed to the commonwealth injuries so serious.
Whether, however, he has either already received a
foretaste of the things which have been foretold con-
cerning the end of the world, or will even receive their
full measure, is a question relating to an economy
too high for thy comprehension.
Let us, at all events, consider under what circum-
stances heathen and Christian emperors have respec-
tively closed their reigns. Did not Caius Julius Ca3sar,
the iirst sole sovereign, close his life by assassination ?
In the next place, did not some of his own officers
despatch with their swords Caius, the grandson of
Tiberius ? Was not Nero slain by one of his domestics ?
Did not Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, who reigned in all
only sixteen months, suffer a similar fate? Was not
Titus, on his attaining the empire, taken off by poison
by his OA\ai brother Domitian? Was not Domitian
himself miserably despatched by Stephanus? What
too dost thou say about Commodus ? Was not he killed
by Narcissus? Pertinax and Julian, did tlie\" not meet
ciiAr. xll] refutation of zosimus. 183
Avitli the sMine treatnieiit? Autoiiinus, the son of
Sevei'us, did he not murder his l)rother Geta, and was
himself murdered by Martial? Macrinus too, was he
not dragged about Byzantium, like a captive, and then
butchered by his o^vn soldiers ? And Aurelius Anto-
ninus, the Emesene, was he not slaughtered together
with his mother? And his successor Alexander, was
he not, together with his mother, involved in a similar
catastrophe? Wliat should I say, too, concerning
Maximin, who was slain by his own troops? or Gor-
dian, brought to a similar end by the designs of Philip ?
Tell me whether Philip and his successor Decius did
not perish b}^ the hands of their enemies? And
Gallus and Volusian by their o^vn armies ? ^milian,
was he not involved in the same fate ? And Valerian,
was he not made prisoner and carried about as a show
by the Persians ? After the assassination of Gallienus
and the murder of Carinus, the sovereignty came into
the hands of Diocletian and those whom he chose as his
partners in the empire. Of these, Herculius, Maximian,
and Maxentius his son, and Licinius utterly perished.
But from the time that the renowned Constantine
succeeded to the empire, and had dedicated to Christ
the city which bears his name, mark me, whether any
of those who have reigned there, except Julian thy
hierophant and monarch, have perished by the hands
of either domestic or foreign foes, and whether a rival
has overthrown any of them; except that Basiliscus
184 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
expelled Zeno, by whom, however, he was afterwards
overthroAvn and killed. I also agree with thee in what
thou sayest about Valens, who had inflicted so many
evils upon the Christians : for of any other case not
even thou thyself makest mention.
Let no one think that these matters are foreign to
an ecclesiastical history ; since they are, in fact, alto-
gether useful, and essential, on account of wilful
desertion of the cause of truth on the part of heathen
writers. Let me now proceed to the rest of the acts
of Anastasius.
CHAPTER XLIL
THE GOLD-RATE.
The before-mentioned measures Anastasius success-
fully carried out in a truly royal spirit ; but he adopted
others by no means worthy of them : both by devising
what is called the gold-rate, and farming out the sup-
plies for the army on terms most burdensome to the
provincials. He also took the levying of imposts out of
the hands of the councils of the respective cities, and
appointed what "are called Vindices, at the suggestion,
as is said, of Marinus the Syrian, who held the highest
prefecture, termed in former times the Prefect of the
Pra3torium. The result was that the revenue fell off
to a great extent, and the local dignitaries sunk into
CHAP. XLIIl.j REVOLT OF VITALIAN. — A. D. 514. 185
tibeyaiice : for persons of liigh fuinilies formerly had
their names inscribed in the album of each city ; which
regarded those who were members of its council, as a
kind of senate.
CHAPTER XLIII.
INSURRECTION OF VITALIAN.
ViTALiAN, a Thracian by birth, disputes the empire
with Anastasius, and having devastated Thrace and
Mysia as far as Odessus and Anchialus, was advancing
rapidly upon the imperial city, at the head of an
innumerable force of Huns. The emperor despatched
Hypatius to encounter this force; and, after he had
been captured through the treachery of his own troops,
and liberated at a large ransom, the conduct of the
war was entrusted to Cyril.
The battle which followed, was at tirst indecisive,
Avith several subsequent alternations of success ; but,
notwithstanding the advantage was on the side of Cyril,
the enemy rallied, and he was ultimately routed
through the wilful desertion of his o^vn soldiers. In
consequence, Vitalian captured Cyril in Odessus, and
advanced as far as the place called Syc«, laying the
whole country Avaste with tire and sword ; meditating
nothing less than the capture of the city itself and the
seizure of the sovereignty. AATien he had encamped
186 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
at Sycee, Mariiius the Syrian, ^vllom we have mentioned
before, is despatched by the emperor to attack him by
sea. The two armaments, accordingly, encountered,
the one having Sycte astern, the other Constantinople.
For a time the fleets remained inactive : but, after the
skirmishings and discharge of missiles had been fol-
lowed by a fierce conflict in the place called Bytharia,
V Italian withdraws from the line of battle and takes to
flight, with the loss of the greater portion of his fleet.
The remainder then fly with such precipitation, that
the next day not a single enemy was found in the
channel or in the neighbourhood of the city. It is said
that Yitalian then continued inactive for some time at
Anchialus. There was also another inroad of Huns,
who had passed the defiles of Cappadocia.
About the same time Rhodes sufl'ered by a violent
earthquake at the dead of night : this being the third
time it had been visited by that calamity.
CHAPTER XLIV.
SEDITION AT CONSTANTINOPLE.
A VERY great sedition occurred at Byzantium, arising
from a wish of the emperor to add to the Trisagion
the clause, " Who was crucified for our sakes:" which
Avas regarded as subversive of the Christian religion.
Its prime mover and chief was Macedonius, aided by
CHAP.XLIV.] TUMULT AT CONSTANTINOPLE. A.D.51S. 187
his subject clergy, as Severus says in a letter to Sote-
ricus, which he wrote before his elevation to the epis-
copal throne, while residing at the imperial city, at the
time when, with several others, he had been expelled
from his monastery, as I have already mentioned. It
was on account of this imputation, in addition to the
causes before mentioned, that, in my opinion, Mace-
donius was ejected from his see. Amid the uncontrol-
lable excitement of the populace which followed, persons
of rank and station were brought into extreme danger,
and many principal parts of the city Avere set on fire.
The populace, having found in the house of Marin us
the Syrian, a monk from the country, cut off his head,
saying that the clause had been added at his instiga-
tion; and having fixed it upon a pole, jeeringly
exclaimed: " See the plotter against the Trinity!"
Such was the violence of the tumult, filling every
quarter with devastation, and surpassing every means
of control, that the emperor was driven to appear at
the Hippodrome in pitiable guise, without his crown,
and despatched heralds to proclaim to the assembled
people, that he was most ready to resign his sovereign-
ty; at the same time reminding them, that it was
impossible that all should be elevated to that dignity,
which admitted not of a plurality of occupants, and
that one individual only could be his successor.
At this the temper of the people was suddenly
changed, as by some divine impulse; and they begged
188 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK III.
Anastasius to resume his cro^vii ; with a promise of
peaceable conduct in future.
Anastasius survived this event a very short time,
and departed to the other world after a reign of twenty-
seven years, three months, and three days.
THE END OF THE THIRD BOOK.
THE FOURTH BOOK.
CHAPTER I.
ACCESSION OF JUSTIN.
After Anastasius had, as I have said, departed for
the better lot, Justin, a Thracian by birth, assumes
the purple, in the five hundred and sixty- sixth year of
the Era of Antioch, on the ninth day of the month
Panemus, which the Romans call July. He was pro-
claimed emperor by the imperial body-guards, of which
he was also the commander, having been appointed
prefect of the household troops. His elevation was,
however, contrary to all expectation, since there were
many most distinguished and flourishing members of
the family of Anastasius, possessed also of sufficient
influence to have secured for themselves the supreme
power.
CHAPTER II.
DESIGNS AND DEATH OF AMANTIUS AND THEOCRITUS.
Amantius was the imperial chamberlain, and a man
190 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
of very great influence; but as it was not laAvful for
any emasculated person to attain the sovereignty of
the Romans, he was desirous that the imperial crown
should be given to Theocritus, one of his creatures.
He, therefore, sends for Justin, and gives him a large
sum of money, with orders to distribute it amongst tlie
persons most fit for this purpose, and able to invest
Theocritus with the purple. But with the money he
either bought over the people, or purchased the good-
will of what are termed the Excubitores — for both
accounts are given — and so attained the empire. Soon
afterwards he took off Amantius and Theocritus, with
some others.
CHAPTER m.
ASSASSINATION OF VITALIAN.
Justin sends for Vitalian, who was living in Thrace
and who had entertained designs of dethroning Anas-
tasius, to Constantinople: for he dreaded his power,
his military experience, his universal renown, and his
great desire to possess the sovereignty : and rightly
conjecturing that he should not be able to overcome
him otherwise than by pretending to be a friend ; by
way of concealing his guile under a plausible mask, he
appoints him commander of one of the bodies called
Prwsentcs, and, as a more effectual pei'suasive, with a
CHAP. IV.] DEPOSITION OF SEVERIIS. A.l). 5U). 191
view to a still grcnter cleceptioii, he raises him to the
consulship. He, being consul elect, was assassinated
on visiting the palace, at an inner door, and thus
met with a punishment for his insolence towards the
Roman sovereignty. But these events happened sid3-
sequently.
CHAPTER IV.
DEPOSITION OF SEVERUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH. SUCCES-
SION OF PAUL AND EUPHRASIUS.
Severus, Avho had been ordained president of An-
tioch, as stated above, ceased not daily to anathematise
the synod at Chalcedon, and chiefly by means of those
epistles called Enthronistic, and in the responses which
he sent to all the patriarchs, though they were received
only at Alexandria, by John, the successor of the for-
mer John, and by Dioscorus and Timotheus : which
epistles have come down to our time.
Many contentions having thus arisen in the church,
whereby the most faithful people w^ere split into
factions, Justin, in the first year of his reign, ordered
him to be arrested, and to be punished, as some say,
by having his tongue cut out ; the execution of which
sentence was committed to Irenseus, who, at Antioch,
held the government of the Eastern provinces,
Severus himself confirms the account of Ireneeus
being appointed to arrest him, in a letter to some
192 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
of the Antiochenes, describing the manner of his es-
cape; wherein he casts the strongest invectives on
IrenjBus, and states that he is under the strictest sur-
veillance lest he should escape from Antioch. Some
say that Vitalian, who still appeared to be in the high-
est favour with Justin, demanded the tongue of Seve-
rus, because he had reproached him in his discourses.
Accordingly, he flies from his see, in the month
GorpijBus, which in the Latin language is called Sep-
tember, in the five hundred and sixty-seventh year of
the Era of Antioch. Paul succeeds to the see, with
orders to proclaim openly the synod at Chalcedon.
Afterwards, retiring voluntarily from Antioch, he went
the way of all flesh by a natural death. He is suc-
ceeded in his see by Euphrasius from Jerusalem.
CHAPTER V. .
FIRES AND EARTHQUAKES AT ANTIOCH. DEATH OF
EUPHRASIUS.
About the same period of Justin's reign there hap-
pened at Antioch numerous and dreadful fires, as if
harbingers of the terrible shocks which afterwards took
place, and serving as a prelude for the coming calami-
ties. For, a short time after, in the tenth month
of the seventh year of Justin's reign, being Artemisius
or May, on the twenty-ninth day of the month, precisely
CHAP. VI.] EARTHQUAKE AT ANTIOCH. A.D. 526. 193
at noon, on the sixth day of the week, the city
was visited with the shock of an earthquake, which
very nearly destroyed the whole of it. This was fol-
lowed by a fire, to share, as it were, in the calamity :
for what escaped the earthquake, the fire in its spread
reduced to ashes. The damage that the city sustained,
how many persons according to probable estimate
became the victims of the fire and earthquake, what
strange occurrences surpassing the power of words
took place, have been feelingly related by John the
Rhetorician, who concludes his history with the
relation.
Euphrasius also perished in the ruins, to add
another misfortune to the city, by leaving no one to
provide for its exigencies.
CHAPTER VI.
ELEVATION OF EPHRAEMIUS, COUNT OF THE EAST, TO THE
PATRIARCHATE OF ANTIOCH.
But the saving care of God for man, which prepares
the remedy before the stroke, and the compassion
which, while sharpening the sword of wrath, at the
moment of the deepest despair displays its sympathy,
raised up Ephraemius, at that time governor of the
Eastern provinces, to take upon himself all the care of
the city; so that it lacked not any thhig that its
Vd
194 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
exigency required. On this account, the sons of the
Antiochenes so admired him, that they elected him
their priest : and he thus attains the apostolic see as a
reward and prize of his singular care for the place.
Thirty months after, the city suffered again from an
earthquake.
At this time also, what had been hitherto called the
city of Antiochus was entitled the City of God, and
received additional care at the hands of the emperor.
CHAPTER YII.
MIRACLES OF ZOSIMAS AND JOHN.
Now that I have recorded the above-mentioned
calamities, let me also add to the present narrative
some other circumstances worthy of record, and which
have been transmitted to us from those who have made
them a subject of notice.
Zosimas was a native of Sinde, a village of Phoenicia
Maritiina, distant from Tyre about twenty stadia, and
pursued the monastic discipline. He, by means both
of abstinence and use of food, having attained to such
a union with God as not only to discern forthcoming
events, but also to possess the grace of perfect freedom
from passion, was in company with a distinguished
person from Ca3sarea, the capital of one of the
Palestines. This was Arcesilaus, a man of g-ood
CHAP. VII.] MIRACLES OF ZOSIMAS. 195
family, accomplished, and high in dignities and what-
ever gives lustre to life. Zoshnas, at the very moment
of the overthrow of Antioch, suddenly became troubled,
uttered lamentations and deep sighs, and then shed-
ding such a profusion of tears as to bedew the ground,
called for a censer, and having fumed the whole
place where they were standing, throws himself upon
the ground, propitiating God with prayers and sup-
plications. Upon Arcesilaus asking the reason of
all this trouble, he distinctly replied, that the sound
of the overthrow of Antioch was at that instant
rino'inor in his ears. This led Arcesilaus and the
rest of the astonished company to note down the
hour ; and they afterwards found that it was as
Zosimas had said.
By his hand many other miracles were performed :
but omitting the greater part of them, since they are
too numerous to detail, I shall mention a few.
Contemporary with Zosimas, and endued with equal
virtues, was a man named John, who had practised
the endurance of the solitary and immaterial life in
the cloister called Chuzibas, situated at the extremity
of the glen at the northern part of the highway lead-
ing from Jerusalem to Jericho, and was now bishop of
the before-named Ca^sarea. This John, the Chuzibite,
having heard that the wife of Arcesilaus had lost one
of her eyes by a stroke of a spindle, runs immediately
to her to see the accident ; and when he finds that the
196 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
pupil is gone and the eye altogether lacerated, he
commands one of the physicians in attendance to bring
a sponge, and, having replaced as well as he could the
lacerated parts, to apply and secure the sponge with
bandages. Arcesilaus was absent, for he happened to
be Avith Zosimas in his monastery at Sinde, distant
from Csesarea full five hundred stadia. Accordingly,
messengers proceeded with all haste to Arcesilaus,
whom they found sitting in conversation with Zosimas.
When informed of the circumstance, he uttered a
piercing cry, tore his hair and cast it towards heaven.
Upon Zosimas asking him the reason, he told him
what had happened, interrupting his account mth
frequent wailings and tears. Whereupon Zosimas,
leaving him alone, goes to his chamber, where he
used to make his addresses to God according to the
rule of such persons, and after some interval he ap-
proaches Arcesilaus with a solemnly joyous coun-
tenance, and gently pressing his hand, said : " Depart
with joy, depart. Grace is given to the Chuzibite.
Your wife is cured, and is in possession of both
her eyes ; for the accident has had no power to
deprive her of them, since such was the desire of the
Chuzibite." This was brought about by the united
wonder-working of both the just men.
Again, as the same Zosimas was going to Csesarea,
and leading an ass laden with certain necessaries, a
lion encountered him and carried off the ass. Zosimas
CHAP. VIII.] GENERAL CALAMITIES A.D. 521. 197
follows into the wood, reaches the place where the lion
was, satiated with his meal upon the beast, and smiling
says, "Come, my friend; my journey is interrupted,
since I am heavy and far advanced in years, and not
able to carry on my back the ass's load. You must
therefore carry it, though contrary to your nature, if
you wish Zosimas to get out of this place and yourself
to be a wild beast again." All at once the lion, foro-ettinsr
his ferocity, fa^aied on him, and by his gestures plainly
manifested obedience. Zosunas then put the ass's load
upon him, and led him to the gates of Cgesarea, showing
the power of God, and how all things are subservient
to man if we live to Him and do not pervert the grace
given to us. But that I may not render my history
prolix by more circumstances of the kind, I mil
return to the point wlience 1 digressed.
CHAPTER VIII.
GENERAL CALAMITIES.
DuEiNG the reign of Justin, Dyrrachium, formerly
called Epidamnus, suifered from an earthquake; as
did also Corinth in Greece, and afterwards, for the
fourth time, Anazarbus, the capital of Cilicia Minor.
These cities Justin restored at great expence. About
the same time Edessa, a large and flourishing city of
198 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOKY. [bOOK IV.
Osroene, was inundated by the waters of the Skirtus,
which runs close by it ; so that most of the buildings
were swept away, and countless multitudes that were
carried down by the stream, perished. Accordingly,
the names of Edessa and Anazarbus were changed by
Justin, and each of them was called, after himself,
Justinopolis.
CHAPTER IX.
APPOINTMENT OF JUSTINIAN TO A SHARE IN
THE EMPIRE.
When Justin had reigned eight years, nine months,
and three days, he associated in the government Jus-
tinian, his nephew, who was proclaimed on the first of
the month Xanthicus, or April, in the five hundred
and seventy -fifth year of the era of Antioch. After
these transactions, Justin departs his earthly sovereign-
ty, closing his life on the first of the month Lous, or
August, having had Justin for his associate in the
empire four months, and reigned in all nine years and
three days. Now that Justinian was sole sovereign of
the Roman empire, and the synod at Chalcedon was
being proclaimed in the most holy churches by the
commands of Justin, as stated before ; the state of the
church was disturbed in some of the provinces, but
CHAP. X.J MEASURES OF JUSTINIAN. 199
chiefly at Constantinople and Alexandria, Anthimus
being bishop of the former, and Theodosius of the
latter : for both held the doctrine of the single nature
of Christ.
CHAPTER X.
THE COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON UPHELD BY JUSTINIAN.
Justinian very resolutely upheld the synod at
Chalcedon and what was put forth by it ; and Theodora,
his consort-, those who maintained the single nature :
either because such were their real sentunents — for
when the faith is a matter of dispute, fathers are
divided against their children, children against the
authors of their birth, a wife against her own husband,
and again a husband against his own wife — or by
mutual understanding, that he should uphold those
who maintained the two natures in Christ our God
after the union ; and she those who alleged the single
nature. Neither conceded to the other : but he stren-
uously supported the acts at Chalcedon, and she,
ranging with the opposite party, exercised the greatest
care towards those who maintained the single nature.
Our people she treated with the warmest kindness, and
others too with great munificence. She also persuades
Justinian to send for Severus.
200 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOKY. [bOOK IV.
CHAPTER XL
DEPOSITION OF ANTHIMUS AND THEODOSIUS
FEOM THEIR SEES.
There are letters extant from Severus to Justinian
and Theodora, from which we may gather that at first
he put oif his journey to the imperial city on leaving
his see of Antioch. Nevertheless he afterwards
arrived there ; and has written to the effect that when
he came thither and had conversed with Anthimus,
and found him holding the same sentiments with him-
self, and the same opinions with respect to the God-
head, he persuaded him to withdraw from his see. He
wrote concerning these matters to Theodosius, bishop
of Alexandria, and greatly gloried in having persuaded
Anthimus, as stated before, to prefer such doctrines to
earthly glory and the possession of his see. Letters
are also extant on this subject from Anthimus to Theo-
dosius, and from Theodosius to Severus and Anthimus ;
which I pass over, leaving them to those who choose
to consult them, that I may not include in the present
work too great a mass of materials. Nevertheless,
both were ejected from their sees, as opposing the
imperial mandates and the decrees of Chalcedon.
Zoilus succeeded to that of Alexandria, and Epiphanius
to that of the imperial city : so that from that time
forward the synod at Chalcedon was openly proclaimed
CHAP. XIL] ClIOSKOES KING OF PERSIA. — A.D. 5ol. 201
in all the churches ; and no one dared to anathematise
it ; while those who dissented, were urged by innume-
rable methods to assent to it. Accordingly, a consti-
tution was drawn up by Justinian in which he
anathematised Severus, Anthimus, and others, and
subjected those who held their doctrines, to the highest
penalties : the effect of which was, that thenceforward
no schism remained in any of the churches, but the
patriarchs of the several dioceses agreed with each
other, and the bishops of the cities followed their
respective primates. Four synods were thus proclaimed
throughout the churches; first, that held at Nicaea;
secondly, that at Constantinople ; thirdly, the former
one at Ephesus ; and fourthly, that at Chalcedon. A
fifth also took place by order of Justinian, concerning
which I shall say what is suitable in its proper place,
while I weave into my present narrative the several
events of the same period which are worthy of notice.
CHAPTER XIL
CABADES AND CHOSROES, KINGS OF PERSIA.
The history of Belisarius has been written by
Procopius the Rhetorician. He says that Cabades,
king of the Persians, wishing to invest his youngest
son Chosroes with the sovereignty, was desirous to
have him adopted by the Roman emperor, so that by
202 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
that means his succession might be secured. But when
this was refused, at the suggestion of Proclus, who
advised Justinian as his qua3stor, they conceived a still
greater hatred against the Romans. This same Proco-
pius has, with diligence, elegance, and ability, set
forth the events of the war between the Romans and
Persians while Belisarius was commander of the forces
of the East. The first victory on the side of the
Romans which he records, was m the neighbourhood
of Daras and Nisibis, under the command of Belisarius
and Hermogenes. He subjoins an account of the
occurrences in Armenia, and the mischief inflicted on the
Romans by Alamundarus, the chieftain of the Scenite
barbarians, who captured Timostratus, the brother of
Rufinus, together with his troops, and afterwards
liberated him for a considerable ransom.
CHAPTER Xm.
INCUKSION OF THE ARABS. SEDITION AT
CONSTANTINOPLE.
He also feelingly details the incursion of the before-
named Alamundarus and Azarethus into the Roman
territory; and how Belisarius, compelled by his o^^i
troops, engaged them in their retreat by the Euphrates,
on the eve of Easter day ; and how the Roman army
was destroyed through their repugnance to the mea-
CHAP. XIV.] PERSECUTION BY IIUNERIC. — A.D. 484. 203
sures of Belisarius ; and how Rufinus and Hermogenes
made with the Persians the peace called the perpetual
peace.
He subjoins an account of the insurrection of the
people at Byzantium, which derived its name from the
watchword of the populace : for they entitled it "Nica",
because on their assembling they chose this term as the
watchword, to know each other. On this occasion
Hypatius and Pompeius were compelled by the people
to assume the sovereignty. But on the defeat of the
populace, both were beheaded by the soldiers at the
command of Justinian, and the insurrection was
quelled. Procopius states that thirty thousand per-
sons were killed in this disturbance.
CHAPTER XIV.
PERSECUTION BY HUNERIC.
The same writer, when treating of the affairs of the
Vandals, has recorded most important occurrences and
worthy of perpetual memory, which I now proceed to
mention. Huneric, the successor of Genseric, and a
professor of the creed of Arius, entertained most cruel
intentions against the African Christians, in the en-
deavour to convert by force the maintainers of the
orthodox doctrines to the opinions of the Arians.
Those who refused compliance, he destroyed both by
204 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [BOOK IV.
fire and various modes of death, and some he deprived
of their tongues. The latter, Procopius says that he
himseK saw, when they had taken refuge at the impe-
rial city, and that he maintained a conversation with
them in the same manner as with unmutilated persons :
that their tongues were cut out from the root ; never-
tlieless their speech was articulate, and they conversed
distinctly ; a new and strange marvel, of which also a
constitution of Justinian makes mention. Two of these
persons lapsed, as Procopius himself writes. For on
their desiring commerce with women, they were de-
prived of their speech, since the grace of their martyr-
dom had abandoned them.
CHAPTER XV.
CABAONES THE MOOK.
He also relates another wonderful occurrence
wrought by our Saviour God in the case of men, aliens
indeed to our religion, who, however, acted with
religious reverence. He states that Cabaones was
chieftain of the Moors in the neighbourhood of
Tripolis. This Cabaones, he says — for it is worth while
to use his own words during his able narration of this
matter also — this Cabaones, as soon as he learned that
the Yandals were marching against him, acted in the
following manner. First, he commanded all his sub-
CHAP. XV.] CABAONES THE MOOR. A.D. 522. 205
jects to refrain from injustice and all luxurious food,
but particularly from commerce with women; and
having raised two fortified enclosures, he encamped
himself with all the men in one, and enclosed the
women in the other, threatening death to any man who
should approach the women. Afterwards, he sent
scouts to Carthage with these instructions : that when
the Vandals on their march outraged any temple
reverenced by the Christians, they should note what
was being done, and when the Vandals left the place,
should, immediately on their departure, treat the
sanctuary in a manner directly the reverse. It is
mentioned that he further said, that he was ignorant
of the God worshipped by the Christians, but it was
likely, if he were powerful, as was affirmed, that he
would chastise those who outraged him, and defend
such as rendered him service. The scouts, therefore,
commg to Carthage, continued to watch the prepara-
tions of the Vandals, and when the army set forward
for Tripolis, they followed it, disguised in a sorry dress.
The Vandals, encamping at the close of the first day,
introduced their horses and other beasts into the tem-
ples of the Christians, and abstained from no species of
outrage, but gave way to their usual license; and
beating and severely scourging the priests whom they
happened to seize, bid them wait upon them. But as
soon as the Vandals had left the place, the scouts of
Cabaones did all that had been enjoined them, and
206 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
immediately cleansed the sanctuaries, sedulously
removing the dung and every other defilement : they
lighted all the tapers, paid reverent obeisance to the
priests, and saluted them with every kindness; and
when they had bestowed money on the beggars Avho
sat round the shrine, they followed the army of the
Vandals, who, from this point along the whole line of
march, committed the same outrages, while the scouts
remedied them. When, however, they were at no
great distance, the scouts, proceeding in advance,
announced to Cabaones all that had been done by the
Vandals and themselves to the temples of the Chris-
tians, and that the enemy were now near. On hearing
this, he prepared to engage. By far the greater part
of the Vandals, as our author states, were destroyed :
some were captured by the enemy, and very few
returned home. Such was the misfortune that Thra-
samund sustained at the hands of the Moors. He
died some time after, having ruled the Vandals for
seven and twenty years.
CHAPTER XVI.
EXPEDITION OF BELISARIUS AGAINST THE VANDALS.
The same author ^viites that Justinian, having, in
pity to the Christians in that quarter, professed his
intention of undertaking an expedition for their relief.
CIIAr. XVI.] EXPEDITION AGAINST CARTHAGE, 207
was being diverted from his purpose by the suggestion
of John, prefect of the palace, when a dream appeared
to him, bidding him not to shrink from the execution
of his design ; for, by assisting the Christians he would
overthrow the power of the Vandals. Being determined
by this circumstance, in the seventh year of his reign,
he despatches Belisarius, about the summer solstice,
to attack Carthage; on which occasion, when the
general's ship touched at the shore of the palace, Epi-
phanius, bishop of the city, offered up appropriate
prayers, having previously baptized some of the
soldiers and embarked them on board the vessel. He
also narrates some circumstances, worthy of record,
relating to the martyr Cyprian, in the following words :
" All the Carthaginians especially reverence Cyprian,
a holy man, and having erected on the shore, in front
of their city, a noble shrine, besides other reverential
observances, they celebrate an annual festival, and call
it Cypriana ; and the sailors are accustomed to call the
tempestuous weather which I have before mentioned by
the same name as the festival, smce it is wont to hap-
pen at the time of the year at which the Africans have
fixed its perpetual celebration. This temple the
Vandals, in the reign of Huneric, took by force from
the Christians, and ignominiously expelling the priests,
refitted it, as henceforward belonging to the Arians.
They say that Cyprian, frequently appearing in a
dream to the Africans who were indignant and dis-
208 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
tressed on this account, told them that there was no
occasion for the Christians to be solicitous about him,
for in time he would avenge himself: which prediction
attamed its accomplishment in the time of Belisarius,
Avhen Carthage, ninety-five years after its loss, was
reduced by him under the Roman power, by the utter
overthrow of the Vandals : at which time the doctrine
of the Arians was entirely extirpated from Africa, and
the Christians recovered their own temples, according
to the prediction of the martyr Cyprian."
CHAPTER XYII.
TRIUMPH OF BELISARIUS.
The same author writes as follows. " When Beli-
sarius had subdued the Vandals, he returned to Byzan-
tium, bringing the spoils and prisoners, and among
them Gelimer, king of the Vandals. A triumph was
granted him, and he carried in procession through the
Hippodrome whatever would be an object of wonder.
Among these were considerable treasures obtained by
Genseric from the plunder of the palace at Rome,- as I
have already narrated; when Eudoxia, the wife of
Valentinian, emperor of the West, having been both
deprived of her husband and subjected to an outrage
on her chastity by Maximus, invited Genseric, with a
CHAP. XVI 11. ] ORIGIN OF THE MOORS. 209
promise of surrendering the city to him : on which
occasion, after burning Rome, he conveyed Kudoxia
and her daughters to the country of the Vandals.
Together with the other treasures, he then carried oif
all that Titus, the son of Vespasian, had brought to
Rome on the capture of Jerusalem; oiferings which
Solomon had dedicated to God. These Justinian, in
honour of Christ our God, sent back to Jerusalem ; an
act of becoming reverence to the Deity, to whom they
had in the first instance been dedicated. On this oc-
casion, Procopius says that Gelimer, prostrating him-
self on the ground in the hippodrome, before the
imperial throne on which Justinian was sitting to
witness the proceedings, made application, in his own
language, of the divine oracle: " Vanity of vanities;
all is vanity."
CHAPTER XVIII.
ORIGIN OF THE MOORS. MUNIFICENCE OF JUSTINIAN
IN AFRICA.
Procopius mentions another circumstance, unnoticed
before his time, but one that can scarcely be regarded
with sufficient wonder. He states that the Moors of
Lybia settled in that country after being dislodged
from Palestine, and that they are those whom the
divine oracles mention as the Girgashites and Jebusites,
14
210 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
and the other nations subdued by Josliua the son of
Nun. He concludes the entire truth of the story from
an inscription in Phoenician characters, which he says
that he himself had read, and that it was near a foun-
tain, where were two pillars of white stone on which
were engraved these words : " We are those who fled
from the face of Joshua the robber, the son of Nun."
Such was the end of these transactions, in Africa
becoming again subject to the Romans, and paying, as
before, an annual tribute.
Justinian is said to have restored one hundred and
fifty cities in Africa, some of which had been altogether,
and others extensively ruined ; and this he did with
surpassing magnificence, in private and public works
and embellishments, in fortifications, and other vast
structures by which cities are adorned and the Deity
propitiated : also in aqueducts for use and ornament,
the supply of water having been in some cases con-
veyed to the cities for the first time, in others restored
to its former state.
CHAPTER XIX.
EVENTS FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THEODORIC.
I NOW proceed to relate what occurred in Italy ;
events which have also been treated very distinctly by
Procopius, the Rhetorician, down to his own times.
CHAP. XIX.] RECOVERY OF ROME. A.J), bfil . 21 1
After Tlieodoric, as I have already detailed, had
ca))tured Rome and utterly destroyed its king
Odoacer, and had closed his lite in possession of the
Roman sovereignty, his wife Amalasuntha held the
reins of government, as guardian of their common
son Athalaric ; a woman rather of a masculine temper-
ament, and administering affairs accordingly. She was
the first person who led Justinian to entertain a desire
for the Gothic war, by sending an embassy to him on
the formation of a conspiracy against herself. On the
death, however, of Athalaric at a very early age,
Theodatus, a kmsman of Theodoric, was invested with
the sovereignty of the West, but abdicated when
Justinian had despatched Belisarius to that quarter;
being a person addicted rather to literature, and
altogether wanting in military experience ; while
Vitiges, an able soldier, was in command of his forces.
From the materials which the same Procopius has
collected, one may gather that Vitiges abandoned
Rome on the arrival of Belisarius in Italy ; who at
once marched upon the city. The Romans readily
opened their gates to him; a result mainly l^rought
about by Silverius, their bishop, who, with this view,
had sent to him Fidelis, formerly assessor to Athalaric.
They accordingly surrendered their city to him with-
out resistance : and thus Rome, after an interval of
sixty years, again fell into Roman hands on the ninth
day of the month Apellaius, called by the Latins
212 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
December. The same Procopius writes, that, when
the Goths were besieging Rome, Belisarius, suspecting
Silverius of a design to betray the city, transports
him to Greece and appoints Vigilius in his room.
CHAPTER XX.
CONVERSION OF THE HERULI.
About the same time, as Procopius also writes,
when the Heruli, who had already crossed tlie river
Danube in the reign of Anastasius, had experienced
generous treatment at the hands of Justinian, in large
presents of money, the whole nation embraced Chris-
tianity and adopted a more civilised mode of life.
CHAPTER XXI.
LOSS AND RECOVERY OF ROME.
In the next place he records the return of Beli-
sarius to Byzantium, and how he brought thither
Vitiges, together with the spoils of Rome ; also the
seizure of the sovereignty of Rome by Totila, and how
the city again feU under the dominion of a Goth ;
how Belisarius, having twice entered Italy, again
recovered the city, and how, on the breaking out of
the Median war, he was recalled to Byzantium by the
emperor.
CHAP. XXIII.] CONVERSION OF BARBARIANS. 213
CHAPTER XXII.
CONVERSION OF THE ABASGI.
pROCorius also records, that the Abasgi, having
become more civilised, embraced the Christian doc-
trine about the same time, and that Justinian sent
to them one of the eunuchs of the palace, their
countryman, by name Euphratas, with an interdict,
that henceforward no one in that nation should
undergo emasculation in violation of nature ; for from
among them the imperial chamberlains were principally
appointed, whom usage styles eunuchs. At this
time, Justinian, having erected among the Abasgi a
temple in honour of the Mother of God, appointed
priests for them; by which means they were ac-
curately instructed in the Christian doctrine.
CHAPTER XXIII.
CONVERSION OF THE PEOPLE ON THE TANAIS.
EARTHQUAKES.
The same author narrates, that the people on the
Tanais (the natives give the name of Tanais to the
channel extending from the Palus Maeotis to the
Euxine Sea) urged Justinian to send a bishop to
them; which request he granted, and gladly sent
214 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
them a priest. The same writer describes, with great
ability, the irruptions of the Goths of the M^otis
into the Roman territory in the time of Justinian,
and the violent earthquakes which took place in
Greece ; how Boeotia, Achaia, and the neighbourhood
of the Crisssean bay suffered shocks ; how innumerable
towns and cities were levelled, and chasms were
formed, many of which closed again, while others
remained open.
CHAPTER XXIV.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PIETY OF NARSES.
Procopius also describes the expedition of Narses,
who was sent by Justinian into Italy; how he over-
threw Totila and afterwards Tela; and how Rome
was taken for the iifth time. Those about the person
of Narses affirm that he used to propitiate the Deity
Avith prayers and other acts of piety, paying due
honour also to the Virgin and mother of God, so that
she distinctly announced to him the proper season for
action ; and that Narses never engaged until he had
received the signal from her. He recounts also other
distinguished exploits of Narses in the overthrow
of Buselinus and Syndualdus, and the acquisition of
nearlv the whole counti'V as tar as the ocean. These
niAP. XXV.] PERSIAN INVASION. A.D. 540. 215
transactions have been recounted by Agathias tlie
Rhetorician, but his history has not reached our
liands.
CHAPTER XXV.
INVASION OF THE PERSIANS. CAPTURE OF ANTIOCU.
The same Procopius has also written the following
account. AMien Chosroes had learned what had
occurred in Africa and Italy favourable to the Roman
dominion, he was moved to excessive- jealousy, and
advanced certain charges against the Roman govern-
ment, that terms had been violated and the existing
peace broken. In the first place, Justinian sent
ambassadors to Chosroes to induce him not to break
the peace which was intended to be perpetual, nor to
trespass on the existing conditions; proposing that
the points in dispute should be discussed and settled
in an amicable manner. But Chosroes, maddened by
the ferment of jealousy, would not listen to any pro-
posals, and invaded the Roman territory with a large
army, in the thirteenth year of the reign of Justinian.
The historian also writes, that Chosroes captured and
destroyed Sura, a city on the banks of the Euphrates,
after having professed to make terms, but dealing
with it in deiiance of all justice, by paying no regard
to the conditi(ms, and becoming master of it rather
216 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
by stratagem than by open war. He also narrates
the l)urning of Bersea, and then the advance upon
Antioeh; at which time Ephraemius was bishop of
the city, but had abandoned it on the failure of all
his plans. This person is said to have rescued the
Church and its precincts, by arraying it with the
sacred offerings, in order that they might serve as a
ransom for it. The historian also feelingly describes
the capture of Antioeh by Chosroes, and its pro-
miscuous devastation by lire and sword : his visit to
the neighbouring city of Seleucia, and to the suburb
Daphne, and his advance towards Apamea, during the
episcopate of Thomas, a man most powerful in word
and deed. He had the prudence to yield to Chosroes
in becoming a spectator of the horse-races in the
hippodrome, though an act of irregularity ; employ-
ing every means to court and pacify the conqueror.
Chosroes also asked him whether he was desirous to
see him in his own city : and it is said that he frankly
replied that it was no pleasure to see him in his
neighbourhood : at which answer Chosroes was struck
with wonder, justly admiring the truthfuhiess of the
man.
CHAP. XXVI.] DltSl'LAY OF THE CROSS. A.D. 540. 217
CHAPTER XXVI.
DISPLAY OF THE WOOD OF THE CROS8 AT APAMEA.
Now that I have arrived at this point of my narra-
tive, I will relate a prodigy, which occurred at Apamea,
and is worthy of a place in the present history.
When the sons of the Apameans were informed
that Antioch had been burnt, they besought the
before-mentioned Thomas to bring forth and display
the saving and life-giving wood of the cross, in de-
viation from established rule ; that they might be-
hold and kiss for the last time the sole salvation of
man, and obtain a provision for the passage to another
life, in having the precious cross as their means of
transport to the better lot. In performance of which
request, Thomas brings forth the life-giving wood,
announcing stated days for its display, that all the
neighbouring people might have an opportunity to
assemble and enjoy the salvation thence proceeding.
Accordingly, my parents visited it together with the
rest, accompanied by myself, at that time a school-boy.
When, therefore, we requested permission to adore and
kiss the precious cross, Thomas, lifting up both his
hands, displayed the wood which blotted out the ancient
curse, making an entire cii'cuit of the sanctuary, as
218 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
was customary on the ordinary clays of adoration. As
Thomas moved from place to place, there followed
him a large body of fire, blazing but not consuming ;
so that the whole spot where he stood to display the
precious cross seemed to be hi flames : and this took
place not once or twice but often, as the priest was
making the circuit of the place, and the assembled
people were entreating him that it might be done.
This circumstance foreshewed the preservation which
was granted to the Apameans. According^, a re-
presentation of it was suspended on the roof of the
sanctuary, explaining it by its delineation to those
who were uninformed: which was preserved until
the irruption of Adaarmanes and the Persians, when it
was burnt together with the holy church in the con-
flagration of the entire city. Such were these events.
But Chosroes, in his retreat, acted in direct violation
of conditions — for even on this occasion terms had
been made — in a manner suited to his restless and
inconstant disposition, but utterly unbecoming a
rational man, much more a king professing a regard
for treaties.
CHAPTER XXVII.
SIEGE OF EDESSA BY CHOSROES.
The same Procopius narrates what the ancients
had recorded concerning Edessa and Abgarus, and
CHAP. XXVII. J SIEGE OF EDESSA. A.l). 540. 219
hoAv Christ wrote a letter to him. He then relates
how Chosroes made a fresh movement to lay siege
to the city, thinking to folsify the assertion prevalent
among the faithful, that Eclessa would never fall into
the power of an enemy : which assertion, however, is
not contained in what was written to Ahgarus by
Christ our God ; as the studious may gather from the
history of Eusebius Pamphili, who cites the epistle
verbatim. Such, however, is the averment and belief
of the faithful ; which was then realised, faith bringing
about the accomplishment of the prediction. For
after Chosroes had made many assaults on the city,
had raised a mound of sufficient size to overtop the
walls of the town, and had devised innumerable ex-
pedients beside, he raised the siege and retreated.
I will, however, detail the particulars. Cliosroes
ordered his troops to collect a great quantity of wood
for the siege from whatever timber fell in their way ;
and when this had been done before the order could
well be issued, arranging it in a circular form, he
threw a mound inside with its face advancing against
the city. In this way elevating it gradually with the
timber and earth, and pushing it forward towards the
town, he raised it to a height sufficient to overtop the
Avail, so that the besiegers could hurl their missiles
from vantage ground against the defenders. Wlien
the besiegers saw the mound approaching the walls
like a moving mountain, and the enemy in expecta-
220 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
tion of stepping into the town at day- break, they
devised to run a mine under the mound — which the
Latins term " aggestus " — and by that means apply
lire, so that the combustion of the timber might cause
the downfall of the mound. The mine was completed ;
I) lit they failed in attempting to fire the wood, l^ecause
the fire, ha^dng no exit whence it could obtain a
supply of air, was unable to take hold of it. In this
state of utter perplexity, they bring the divinely
wrought image, which the hands of men did not form,
but Christ our God sent to Abgarus on his desiring
to see Him. Accordingly, having introduced this holy
image into the mine, and washed it over with water,
they sprinlded some upon the timber ; and the divine
power forthwith being present to the faith of those
who had so done, the I'esult was accomplished which
had previously l3een impossible : for the timber im-
mediately caught the flame, and being in an instant
reduced to cinders, communicated with that above,
and the fire spread in all directions. When the
besieged saw the smoke rising, they adopted the fol-
lowing contrivance. Having filled small jars with
sulphur, tow, and other combustibles, they threw
them upon the aggestus ; and these, sending fortli
smoke as the fire was increased by the force of their
flight, prevented that which was rising from the
mound from being observed ; so that all who were
not in the secret, supposed that the smoke proceeded
CIIAr. XXVIII.] MIRACLE AT SERGIOPOLIS, A.D. 540. 221
solely from the jars. On the tliircl day the flames
were seen issuing from the earth, and then the
Persians on the mound became aware of their un-
fortunate situation. But Chosroes, as if in opposition
to the power of heaven, endeavoured to extinguish
the pile, by turning all the Avater-coui'ses which were
outside the city upon it. The fire, however, receiving
the water as if it had been oil or sulphur, or some
other combustible, continually increased, until it had
completely levelled the entire mound and reduced the
aggestus to ashes. Then Chosroes, in utter despair,
impressed by the circumstances with a sense of his
disgraceful folly in having entertained an idea of pre-
vailing over the God whom we worship, retreated
ingloriously into his own territories.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
MIRACLE AT SERGIOPOLIS.
What occurred at Sergiopolis through the proceed-
ings of Chosroes shall also be described, as being a
notable event and worthy of perpetual remembrance.
Chosroes advanced against this city too, eager for its
capture; and on his proceeding to assault the walls,
negociations took place with a view to spare the city :
and it was agreed that the sacred treasures should be
222 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
a ransom for the place, among which was also a cross
presented by Justinian and Theodora. When they
had been duly conveyed, Chosroes asked the priest
and the Persians who had been sent with him, whether
there was not any thing besides. Upon this one of
them, being persons unaccustomed to speak the truth,
told Chosroes that there were some other treasures
concealed by the townsmen, who were but few. In
fact, there had been left behind not any treasure of
gold or silver, but one of more valuable material, and
irrevocably devoted to God, namely, the holy relics
of the victorious martyr Sergius, lying in a coffin of
the oblong sort, plated over with silver. Chosroes,
influenced by these persons, advanced his whole army
against the city ; when suddenly there appeared along
the circuit of the walls, in defence of the place, in-
numerable shields ; on seemg which the persons sent
by Chosroes returned, describing, with wonder, the
number and fashion of the arms. Aiid when, on fur-
ther enquiry, he learned that very few persons
remained in the city, and these consisted of aged
people and children, from the absence of the flower of
the population, he perceived that tlie prodigy pro-
ceeded from the martyr, and, influenced by fear and
wonder at the faith of the Christians, he withdrew into
his o"svn country. They also say that in his latter
days he partook in the holy regeneration.
CHAP. XXIX.] PESTILENCE A.D. 542 594. 223
CHAPTER XXIX.
PESTILENCE.
I WILL also describe the circumstances of the pesti-
lence which commenced at that period, and has now
prevailed and extended over the whole world for fifty-
two years; a circumstance such as has never before
been recorded. Two years after the capture of Antioch
by the Persians, a pestilence broke out, in some respects
similar to that described by Thucydides, in others
widely diiixirent. It took its rise from ^Ethiopia, as is
now reported, and made a circuit of the whole ^\^orld
in succession, leaving, as I suppose, no part of the
human race unvisited by the disease. Some cities ^v^ere
so severely afflicted as to be altogether depopulated,
though in other places the visitation was less violent.
It neither commenced according to any fixed period,
nor was the time of its cessation uniform ; but it seized
upon some places at the commencement of winter,
others in the course of the spring, others during the
summer, and in some cases, when the autumn was
advanced. In some instances, having infected a part
of a city, it left the remainder untouched; and fre-
quently in an uninfected city one might remark a few
households excessively wasted; and in several places,
while one or two households utterly perished, the rest
of the city remained unvisited : but, as we have learned
224 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV-
from careful observation, the uninfected households
alone suffered the succeeding year. But the most sin-
gular circumstance of all was this ; that if it happened
that any inhabitants of an infected city were living in a
place which the calamity had not visited, these alone
were seized with the disorder. This visitation also
befell cities and other places in many instances accord-
ing to the periods called Indictions; and the disease
occurred, with the almost utter destruction of human
beings, in the second year of each indiction. Thus it
happened in my own case — for I deem it fitting, in
due adaptation of circumstances, to insert also in this
history matters relating to myself — that at the com-
mencement of this calamity I was seized with what are
termed buboes, while still a school-boy, and lost by its
recurrence at different times several of ray children,
my wife, and many of my kin, as well as of my domes-
tic and country servants ; the several indictions making,
as it were, a distribution of my misfortunes. Thus,
not quite two years before my writing this, being now
in the fifty-eighth year of my age, on its fourth visit to
Antioch, at the expiration of the fourth indiction from
its commencement, I lost a daughter and her son,
besides those who had died previously. The plague
was a complication of diseases: for, in some cases,
commencing in the head, and rendering the eyes
bloody and the face swollen, it descended into the
throat, and then destroyed the patient. In others.
CHAP. XXIX.] TESTILENCE. 2:25
there was a flux of the bowels : in otliers buboes were
formed, followed by violent fever; and the sufferers
died at the end of two or three days, equally in posses-
sion, with the healthy, of their mental and bodily powers.
Others died in a state of delirium, and some by the
breaking out of carbuncles. Cases occnrred where
persons, who had been attacked once and twice and
liad recovered, died by a subsequent seizure.
The ways in which the disease was communicated,
were various and unaccountable : for some perished by
merely living with the infected, others by only touching
them, others by having entered tlieir chaml^er, others
by frequenting public places. Some, having fled from
the infected cities, escaped themselves, but imparted
the disease to the healthy. Some were altogether free
from contagion, though they had associated with many
who were afflicted, and had touched many not only in
their sickness but also when dead. Some, too, who
were desirous of death, on account of the utter loss of
their children and friends, and witli this view placed
themselves as much as possible in contact with the
diseased, were nevertheless not infected; as if the
pestilence struggled against their purpose. This
calamity has prevailed, as I have already said, to the
present time, for two and fifty years, exceeding all
that have preceded it. For Philostratus expresses
wonder that the pestilence which happened in his time,
lasted for fifteen ye^rs. The sequel is uncertain, since
15
226 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
its course will be guided by the good pleasure of God,
who knows both the causes of things, and their ten-
dencies. I shall now return to the point from which I
digressed, and relate the remainder of Justinian's
history.
CHAPTER XXX.
'-■ ~^—'^-^^'-' AVARICE OF .JUSTINIAN.
Justinian was insatiable in the acquisition of
wealth, and so excessively covetous of the property of
others, that he sold for money the whole body of his
subjects to those who were entrusted with offices or
who were collectors of tributes, and to whatever per-
sons were disposed to entrap others by groundless
charges. He stripped of their entire property innu-
merable wealthy persons, under colour of the emptiest
pretexts. If even a prostitute, marking out an indivi-
dual as a victim, raised a charge of criminal intercourse
against him, all law was at once rendered vain, and
by making Justinian her associate in dishonest gain,
she transferred to herself the whole wealth of the
accused person. At the same time he was liberal in
expenditure ; so far as to raise in every quarter many
sacred and magnificent temples, and other religious
edifices devoted to the care of infants and aged persons
of either sex, and of sucli as Avere afflicted with various
CIIAl'. XXXI.] CHURCH OF ST. SOrHIA. 227
diseases. He also appropriated considerable revenues
for carrying out these objects ; and performed many
such actions as are pious and acceptable to God, pro-
vided that those who perform them do so from their
own means, and the offering of their deeds be pure.
CHAPTER XXXI.
DESCRIPTION OP THE CHURCH OF ST. SOPHIA
AT CONSTANTINOPLE.
He also raised at Constantinople many sacred build-
ings of elal)orate beauty, in honour of God and the
saints, and erected a vast and incomparable v>^ork,
such as has never been before recorded, namely the
largest edifice of the Church, a noble and surpassing
structure, beyond the power of words to describe.
Nevertheless I will endeavour to the best of my abi-
lity to detail the plan of the sacred precinct. The
nave of the sanctuary is a dome, supported by four
arches, and raised to so great a height that the sight
of persons surveying it from beloAV can scarcely reach
the vertex of the hemisphere, and no one from above,
however daring, ventures to bend over and look down
to the floor. The arches are raised clear from the
pavement to the roof : Ijut within those on the right
and left are ranged columns of Thessalian stone,
which, together with other corresponding pillars, sup-
port galleries, so as to allow those Vvdio wish, to look
228 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
down upon the performance of the rites below. From
these the empress also, when attending at the festivals,
witnesses the ceremony of the sacred mysteries. But
the eastern and western arches are left vacant, without
any thing to interrupt the imposing aspect of so vast
dimensions. There are also colonnades under the
before-mentioned galleries, forming, with pillars and
small arches, a termination to so vast a structure.
But in order to convey a more distinct idea of this
wonderful fabric, 1 have thought proper to set down
in feet, its length, breadth, and height, as well as the
span and height of the arches, as follows : — The length
from the door facing the sacred apse where are per-
formed the rites of the bloodless sacrifice, to the apse,
is one hundred and ninety feet : the breadth from north
to south is one hundred and fifteen feet : the depth
from the centre of the hemisphere to the floor is one
hundred and eighty feet: the span of each of the
arches is * * * feet : the length, however, from
east to west is two hundred and sixty feet; and the
range of the lights seventy -five feet. There are also
to the west two other noble colonnades, and on all
sides unroofed courts of elaborate beauty. Justinian
also erected the church of the holy Apostles, which
may dispute the first place with any other. In this
the emperors and the bishops are usually interred. I
have thought fit thus to take some notice of these and
similar matters.
CHAP. XXX II.] TllH BLUE FACTION. 229
CHAriEii XXX 11.
PARTIALITY OF JLSTINIAN FOR THE BLUE FACTlOiN.
Justinian was possessed by anotliei- pvopeiisity, of
unequalled ferocity ; whether attributable to an innate
defect of his disposition, or to cowardice and appre-
hensions, I am not able to say. It took its rise from
the existence of the faction among the populace dis-
tinguished by the name " Nica." He appeared to
favour one party, namely the Blues, to such an excess,
that they slaughtered their opponents at inid-day and in
the middle of the city, and, so far from dreading pun-
ishment, were even rewarded; so that many persons
became murderers from this cause. They were allowed
to assault houses, to plunder the valuables they con-
tained, and to compel persons to purchase their own
lives; and if any of the authorities endeavoured to
check them, he was in danger of his very life : and it
actually happened that a person holding the govern-
ment of the East, having chastised some of the rioters
with lashes, was himself scourged in the very centre
of the city, and carried about in triumph. Callinicus
also, the governor of Cilicia, having subjected to
legal punishment two Cilician murderers, Paul and
Faustinus, who had assaulted and endeavoured to
despatch him, suffered impalement, as the penalty
for rio'ht feelinir and maintenance of the laws. The
230 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
members of the other faction having, in consequence,
fled from their homes, and meeting with a welcome
nowhere, but being universally scouted as a pollution,
betook themselves to waylaying travellers, and com-
mitted thefts and murders to such an extent, that every
place was filled with untimely deaths, robberies, and
every other crime. Sometimes also, siding with the other
faction, Justinian put to death in turn their opponents,
by surrendering to the vengeance of the laws those
whom he had allowed to commit in the cities equal
outrages with barbarians. Neither words nor time
would suffice for a minute detail of these transactions.
Thus much will, however, serve for a conception of
the remainder.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
BARSANUPHIUS THE ASCETIC.
There lived at that season men divinely inspired
and workers of distinguished miracles in various parts
of the world, but Y>^hose glory has shone forth every
where. First, Barsanuphius, an Egyptian. Tie main-
tained in the flesh the exercise of the fleshless life, in
a certain seat of contemplation near the to"\vn of Gaza,
and succeeded in working wonders too numerous to be
recorded. He is also believed to be stiU alive, enclosed
CHAP. XXXIV.] SIMEON THE MONK. 231
in a chamber, altliougli for fifty years and more from
this time he has not been seen by any one, nor has he
partaken of any earthly thing. When Eustochius, the
president of the church of Jerusalem, in disbelief of
this account, had determined to dig into the chamber
where the man of God was enclosed, fire burst forth
and nearly consumed all those who were on the spot.
CHAPTER XXXI V.
SIMEON THE MONK.
•
Theke lived also at Emesa, Simeon, n man who had
so completely unclothed himself of vain-glory as to
appear insane to those who did not know him, although
filled with all wisdom and divine grace. This Simeon
lived principally in solitude, affording to none the
means of knowing how and when he propitiated the
Deity, nor his time of abstinence or eating.- Fre-
quently, too, on the public roads, he seemed to be
deprived of self-possession, and to become utterly void
of sense and intelligence, and entering at times into a
tavern, he would eat, when he happened to be hungry,
whatever food was mthin his reach. But if any one
saluted him with an inclination of the head, he would
leave the place angrily and hastily, through reluctance
that his peculiar virtues should be detected by many
persons. Such was the conduct of Simeon in public.
232 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
But there were some of his acqiiamtances, with whom
he associated without any assumed appearances. One
of his friends had a female domestic, who, having been
debauched and become pregnant b}' some person, when
she was urged by her owners to name the individual,
said that vSimeon had secretly cohabited with her and
that she was pregnant by him ; that she was
ready to swear to the truth of this statement, and, if
necessary, to convict him. On hearing this, Simeon
assented, saying that he bore the flesh with its
frailties ; and when the story was universally spread,
and Simeon, as it seemed, was deeply disgraced, he
withdrew into retirement, as if from feelings of shame.
When the woman's time had arrived, and she had been
placed in the usual position, her throes, causing great
and intolerable sufferings, brought her into imminent
peril, but the birth made no progress. When, accord-
ing!}', they besought Simeon, who had come thither
designedly, to pray for her, he openly declared that
the woman would not be delivered before she had said
who was the father of the child : and when she had
done this, and named the real father, the delivery was
instantaneous, as though by the midwifery of truth.
He once was seen to enter the chamber of a cour-
tezan, and having closed the door, he remained alone
^vith her a considerable time; and when, again open-
ing it, he went away looking round on all sides lest
any one should see him, suspicion rose to so high a
pitch, that those who witnessed it, brought out. the
CHAP. XXXV.] TPIOiMAS THE xMONK. 233
woman, and inquired what was the nature of Simeon's
visit to her and continuance with her for so long a
time. She swore that, from want of necessaries, she
had tasted notliing but water for three days past, and
that Simeon had brought her victuals and a vessel
of wine; that, having closed the door, he set a
table before her and bid her make a meal, and
satisfy her hunger, after her sufferings from want (if
food. She then produced the remains of what had
been set before her.
Also at the approach of the earthquake which
visited Phcenicia Maritima, and by which Berytus,
Bjd^lus, and Tripolis especially suffered, raising a
whip in his hand, he struck the greater part of the
columns in the forum, exclaiming, "Stand still, if there
shall be occasion to dance." Inasmuch as none of his
actions were unmeaning, those who were present care-
fully marked which were the columns he passed by
AA'ithout striking them. These were soon afterwards
thrown down by the effects of the earthquake. Many
other things he also did which require a separate
treatise.
CHAPTER XXXV.
THOMAS THE MONK.
At that time lived also Thomas, who pursued the
same mode of life in Coele-Syria. On occasion of his
234 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
visiting Antioch, for the purpose of receiving the
yearly stipend for the support of his monastery, which
had been assigned from the revenues of the church in
that place, Anastasius, the steward of the church,
struck him on the head with his hand, because he fre-
quently troubled him. When the bystanders mani-
fested indignation, he said that neither himself should
again receive nor Anastasius pay the money. Both
which things came to pass, by the death of Anastasius
after an interval of one day, and by the departure of
Thomas to the unfading life, on his way back, in the
sick hospital at the suburb of Daphne. They depo-
sited his body in the tomb appropriated to strangers :
but, after the subsequent interment of two others, his
body was found above them, an extraordinary wonder,
proceeding from God, who bore testimony to him even
after his death ; for the other bodies were thrown to a
considerable distance. They report the circumstance
to Ephraemius, in admiration of the saint. In con-
sequence, his holy body is transported to Antioch,
with a public festival and procession, and is honoured
with a place in the cemetery, having, by its translation,
stopped the plague which was then visiting the place.
The yearly festival in honour of whom the sons of the
Antiochenes continue to celebrate to our time with
great magnificence. Let me now, however, return to
my subject.
CHAP. XXXVr.] MIllACLE AT CONST ANTINOl'LE. 235
CHAPTER XXXYI.
ACCOUNT OF A MIT.ACLE IN THE PATRIARCHATE (j6-
OF MENAS.
When Anthimus, as lias been already mentioned,
was removed from the see of the imperial city,
Epiphanius succeeds to the bishopric; and after
Epiphanius, Menas, in whose time also occurred a
remarkable prodigy. It is an old custom in the
imperial city, that, when there remains over a con-
siderable quantity of' the holy fragments of the im-
maculate body of Christ our God, boys of tender age
should be fetched from among those who attend the
schools, to eat them. On one occasion of this kind,
there was included among them the son of a glass-
worker, a Jew by faith; who, in reply to the inquiries
of his parents respecting the cause of his delay, told
them wdiat had taken place, and what he had eaten in
company with the other boys. The father, in his indig-
nation and fury, places the boy in the furnace where
he used to mould the glass. The mother, unable to
find her child, wandered over the city with lamenta-
tions and wailings; and on the third day, standing by
the door of her husband's workshop, was calling upon
the boy by name, tearing herself in her sorrow.
He, recognising his mother's voice, answered her
from within the furnace, and she, bursting open the
236 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
doors, saw, on her entrance, the boy standing in
the midst of the coals, and untonched by the tire.
On being asked how he had continued unhurt, lie
said that a woman in a purple robe had frequently
visited him that 5; she had offered him water, and with
it had quenched that part of the coals which was near-
est to hhn ; and that she had supplied him with food
as often as he was hungry.
Justinian, on the report of this occurrence, placed
the boy and his mother in the orders of the church,
after they had been enlightened by the laver of re-
generation. But the father, on«his refusal to be num-
bered among the Christians, he ordered to be impaled
in the suburb of Syca3, as being the murderer of his
child.
Such was the course of these occurrences.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
SUCCESSION OF BISHOPS.
Apter Menas, Eutychius is elevated to the see.
At Jerusalem, Sallustius succeeds Martyrius, who is
himself succeeded by Helias. The next in succession
was Peter; and after him came Macarius, without
the emperor's confirmation. He was ejected from
his see, on the charge of maintaining the opinions of
Origen, and was succeeded by Eustochius. After
CHAP. XXXVllI.J FIFTH GENERAL COUNCIL. — A.I). 552. 237
the removal of Theodosius, as has been already
ineiitioned, Zoilus is appointed bishop of Alexandria,
and when he had been gathered to his predecessors,
Apollinaris obtains the chair. After Ephraemius,
Donininus is entrusted with the see of Antioch.
CHAPTER XXXYIII.
THE FIFTH GENERAL COUNCIL.
During the time that Yigilius was bishop of the
Elder Rome, and first Menas, then Eutychius of New
Rome, Apollinaris of Alexandria, Domninus of An-
tioch, and Eustocliius of Jerusalem, Justinian summons
the fifth synod, for the following reason : — On account
of the increasing influence of those who held the opin-
ions of Origen, especially in what is called the New
Laura, Eustocliius used every effort for their removal,
and, visiting the place itself, he ejected the whole party,
driving them to a distance, as general pests. These
persons, in their dispersion, associated with themselves
many others. They found a champion in Theodore,
surnamed Ascidas, bishojD of Ctesarea, the metropolis
of Cappadocia, who was constantly about the person of
Justinian, as being trusty and highly serviceable to
him. Whereas he was creating much confusion in the
imperial court, and declared the proceeding of Eusto-
chius to be utterly impious and lawless, the latter
238 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
despatches to Constantinople Rufus, superior of the
monastery of Theoclosius, and Conon, of that of Saba,
persons of the first distinction among the solitaries,
both on account of their personal worth and the reli-
gious houses of which they were the heads ; and with
them were associated others scarcely their inferiors in
dignity. These, in the first instance, mooted the ques-
tions relating to Origen, Evagrius, and Didymus. But
Theodore of Cappadocia, with a view to divert them
from this point, introduces the subject of Theodore of
Mopsuestia, Theodoret, and Ibas ; the good God provi-
dentially disposing the whole proceeding, in order that
the profanities of both parties should be ejected.
On the first question being started, namely, whether
it were proper to anathematise the dead, Eutychius,
a man of consummate skill in the divine Scrij^tures,
being as yet an undistinguished person — for Menas was
still living, and he was himself at that time apocrisia-
rius to the bishop of Amasea — casting a look on the
assembly, not merely of commanding intelligence but of
contempt, plainly declared that the question needed no
debate, since King Josiah in former time not only slew
the living priests of the demons, but also broke up the
sepulchres of those who had long been dead. This
was considered by all to have been spoken to the pur-
pose. Justinian also, having been made acquainted
with the circumstance, elevated him to the see of the
imperial city on the death of Menas, which happened
CHAP. XXXVIII.] FIFTH GENERAL COUNCIL. 239
immediately after. A^igilius gave his assent in writing
to the assembling of the synod but declined attendance.
Justinian addressed an inquiry to the synod on its
assembling, as to what was their opinion concerning
Theodore, and the expressions of Theodoret against
Cyril and his twelve chapters, as well as the epistle of
Ibas, as it is termed, addressed to Maris, the Persian.
After the reading of many passages of Theodore and
Theodoret, and proof given that Theodore had been
long ago condemned and erased from the sacred dip-
tychs, as also that it was fitting that heretics should be
condemned after their death, they unanimously ana-
thematise Theodore, and what had been advanced by
Theodoret against the twelve chapters of Cyril and the
right faith ; as also the epistle of Ibas to Maris, the Per-
sian ; in the following words : —
"Our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, ac-
cording to the parable in the gospels," and so forth.
"In addition to all other heretics, who have been
condemned and anathematised by the before-mentioned
four holy synods and by the holy catholic and apos-
tolic church, we condemn and anathematise Theodore,
styled bishop of Mopsuestia, and his impious writings;
also whatever has been impiously written by Theodoret
against the right faith, against the twelve chapters of the
sainted Cyril, and against the first holy synod at Ephe-
sus, and all that he has written in defence of Theodore
and Nestorius. We further anathematise the impious
240 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
epistle said to have been written by Ibas to Maris the
Persian."
After some other matter, they proceed to set forth
fourteen chapters concerning the right and unimpeach-
able faith. In this manner had the transactions pro-
ceeded : but on the presentation of libels against the
doctrine of Origen, named also Adamantius, and the
followers of his impious error, by the monks Eulogius,
Conon, Cyriacus, and Pancratius, Justinian addresses
a question to the synod concerning these points, append-
ing to it a copy of the libel, as well as the epistle of
Vigilius upon the subject : from the whole of which
may be gathered the attempts of Origen to fill the sim-
plicity of the apostolic doctrine with philosophic and
Manicheean tares. Accordingly, a relation was ad-
dressed to Justinian by the synod, after they had
uttered exclamations ag^ainst Orio-en and the maintain-
ers of similar errors. A portion of it is expressed in
the following terms: "0 most Christian emperor,
gifted with heavenly generosity of soul, " and so forth.
"We have shunned, accordingly, we have shunned this
error; for Ave knew not the voice of the alien; and
having bound such a one, as a thief and a robber, in the
cords of our anathema, we have ejected him from the
sacred precincts. " And presently they proceed : "By
perusal you will learn the vigour of our acts. " To
this they appended a statement of the heads of the
matters which the followers of Oriojen were tauo-ht to
CHAP. XXXIX.] HETERODOXY OF JUSTINIAN. 241
iiijiiutain, shewing their agreements, as well as their dis-
agreements, and their manifold errors. The fifth head
contains the blasphemous expressions uttered by private
individuals belonging to what is called the New Laura,
as follows. Theodore, surnamed Ascidas, the Cappa-
docian, said "If the Apostles and Martyrs at the present
time work miracles, and are already so highly honoured,
unless they shall be equal with Christ in the restitu-
tion of things, in what respect is there a restitution for
them ? " They also reported many other blasphemies of
Didymus, Evagrius, and Theodore ; having with great
diligence extracted whatever bore upon these points.
At an interval of some time after the meeting of the
synod, Eutychius is ejected, and there is appointed in
his place to the see of Constantinople John a native of
Seremis, which is a village of the district of Cynegica,
belonging to Antioch.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
DEPARTUKE OF JUSTINIAN FROM ORTHODOXY.
At that time Justinian, abandoning the right road
of doctrine, and following a path untrodden by the
apostles and fathers, became entangled among thorns
and briers ; with which wishing to fill the Church also,
he failed in his purpose, and thereby fulfilled the pre-
diction of prophecy ; the Lord having secured the
roval road with an unfailing^ fence, that murderers
16 ~~
242 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOHY. [uOOK IV.
might not leap, as it were, upon a tottering wall or a
broken hedge. Thus, at the time when John, named
also Catelinus, v,^as bishop of the elder Rome, after
Vigilius ; John from Seremis, of New Rome ; Apol-
linaris, of Alexandria; Anastasius, of Theopolis, after
Domninus; and Macarius, of Jerusalem, had been
restored to his see ; Justinian," after he had anathema-
tized Origen, Didymus, and Evagrius, issued what the
Latins call an Edict, after the deposition of Eustochius,
in which he termed the body of the Lord incorruptible
and incapable of the natural and blameless passions;
affirming that the Lord ate before his passion in
the same manner as after his resurrection, his holy
body having undergone no conversion or change from
the time of its actual formation, in the womb, not even
in respect of the voluntary and natural passions, nor
yet after the resurrection. To this, he proceeded to
compel the bishops in all quarters to give their assent.
However, they all professed to look to Anastasius, the
bishop of Antioch, and thus avoided the first attack.
CHAPTER XL.
ANASTASIUS, PATRIARCH OF ANTIOCH.
Anastasius was a man most accomplished in divine
learning, and so strict in his manners and mode of life,
as to insist upon very minute matters, and on no occa-
sion to deviate from a staid and settled frame, much
CHAP. XL.] AXASTASIUS OF ANTIOCM. — A.l). 561. 243
less in things of moment and having relation to the
Deity himself. So well tempered was his character,
tliat neither, by being accessible and affable, was he
exposed to the intrusion of things unsuitable ; nor by
being austere and unindulgent, did he become difficult
of approach for proper purposes. Accordingly, in
serious concei'ns he was ready in ear and fluent in
tongue, promptly resolving the questions proposed to
him ; but in trifling matters, his ears were altogether
closed, and a bridle restrained his tongue, so that
speech was enthralled by thought, and silence resulted,
more valuable than speech. Justinian assaults him,
like some impregnable tower, with every kind of device,
considering that if he could only succeed in shaking
this bulwark, all difficidty would be removed in cap-
turing the city, enslaving the right doctrine, and
taking captive the sheep of Christ. In such a manner
was Anastasius raised above the assailing force by
heavenly greatness of mind, for he stood upon the
immoveable rock of faith, that he unreservedly contra-
dicted Justinian by a formal declaration, in which
he showed very clearly and forcibly that the body of
the Lord was corruptible in respect of the natural
and blameless passions, and that the divine apostles
and the inspired fathers both held and delivered this
opinion. In the same terms he replied to a question
of the monastic body of Syria Prima and Secunda,
confirming the minds of all, preparing them fn- the
244 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK IV.
struo'gle, and daily reading in the Churcli those
words of the "chosen vessel:"* "If any one is
preaching to you a gospel different from that which ye
have received, even though it be an angel from heaven,
let him be accursed. "f To this all, with few excep-
tions, paid a steady regard and zealous adherence. He
also addressed to the Antiochenes a valedictory dis-
course, on hearing that Justinian intended to banish
him ; a discourse deserving admiration for its elegance,
its flow of thought, the abundance of saci'ed texts, and
the appropriateness of its historical matters.
CHAPTER XLT.
DEATH OF JUSTINIAN.
But this discourse was not published, " God having
provided some better thing for us:" J for Justinian,
while dictating the banishment of Anastasius and his
associate priests, departed this life by an invisible
stroke, having reigned in all eight and thirty years
and eight months.
* Acts ix. 15. f GaL i. 9.
I Heb. xi. 40.
THE END OF THE FOURTH BOOK
THE FIFTH BOOK.
CHAPTER I.
ACCESSION OF JUSTIN THE SECOND.
Ix this manner did Justinian depart to the lowest
region of retribution, after having filled every place
with confusion and tumults, and having received at
the close of his life the reward of his actions. His
nephew Justin succeeds to the purple; having pre-
viously held the office of guardian of the palace,
styled in the Latin knguage Curopalata. No one,
except those who Avere immediately about his person,
was aware of the demise of Justinian or the declara-
tion of Justin, until the latter made his appearance
in the hippodrome, by way of formally assuming the
stated functions of royalty. Confining himself to
this simple proceeding, he then returned to the palace.
His first edict was one dismissing the bishops to
their respective sees, wherever they might be assembled,
with a provision that they should maintain what was
already established in religion, and abstain from
novelties in matters of faith. This proceeding was
to his honour. In his mode of life, however, he was
246 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
dissolute, utterly abandoned to luxury and inordinate
pleasures : and to such a degree was he inflamed with
desire for the property of others, as to convert every
thing into a means of unlawful gain ; standing in no
awe of the Deity even in the case of bishoprics, but
■^making them a matter of public sale to any purchasers
that ofl'ered. Possessed, as he was, alike by the
vices of audacity and cowardice, he in the first
place sends for his kinsman Justin, a man universally
famous for military skill and his other distinctions, who
was at that time stationed upon the Danube, and en-
gaged in preventing the Avars from crossing that river.
These were one of those Scythian tribes who live in
wagons, and inhabit the plains beyond iivd Caucasus.
Having been worsted by their neighbours, tlie Turks,
they had migrated in a mass to the Bosphorus ; and,
having subsequently left the shores of the Euxine —
where were many barbarian tribes, and where also
cities, castles, and some harbours had been located by
the Romans, being either settlements of veterans, or
colonies sent out by the emperors — they were pur-
suing their march, in continual conflict \vith the bar-
barians whom they encountered, luitil they reached the
bank of the Danube ; and thence they sent an embassy
to Justinian.
From this quarter Justin was summoned, as having
a claim to the fulfilment of the terms of the as-reement
d
between himself and the emperor. For, since both
CHAP. II.] IMUliDER OF JUSTIN THE GENERAL. 247
Oi tliciii liad been possessed of equal dignity, and the
succession to the empire was in suspense between both,
they had agreed, after much dispute, that whichever
of the two should become possessed of the sovereignty,
should confer the second place on the other; so that
wJiile ranking beneath the emperor, he should still
take precedence of all others.
CPIAPTER IT.
MUIIDER OF JUSTIN, KINSMAN OF THE EMPEROR.
The emperor accordingly received him, in the hrst
instance, with an abundant display of kindness. After-
Avards, he proceeded to fix certain charges upon him,
and to withdraw the various guards of his person,
forbidding him at the same time access to his presence ;
for he himself lived in the retirement of liis palace :
and ultimately he ordered his removal to Alexandria.
There he is miserably murdered in the dead of night,
when he had just retired to rest; such being the
reward of his fidelity to the commonwealth and his
achievements in Avar. Nor did the emperor and his
consort Sophia abate their rage, nor had they suffi-
ciently indulged their boiling spite, before they had
gazed upon his head and spurned it Avitli their feet.
248 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOKV. [bOUK V.
CHAPTER m.
EXECUTION OF ^THERIUS AND ADD^US.
Not long after, the emperor brought to trial
for treason ^tlierius and Addseus, members of the
senate, who had occupied the very highest position at
the court of Justinian, ^therius confessed to a design
of poisoning the emperor, saying that he had in Adda^us
an accomplice in the plot and an abettor throughout.
The latter, however, asseverated, with fearful impre-
cations, that he was utterly ignorant of the transac-
tion. Both were accordingly beheaded, Adda3us
affirming, at the instant of execution, that he had been
falsely accused on this point, but admitting that he re-
ceived his due at the hands of all-seeing Justice, for
that he had taken off Theodotus, prefect of the palace,
by sorcery. How far these statements are true, I am
not able to say; but both were men of bad character;
Adda?us being addicted to unnatural lust, and jEtlierius
pursuing to the utmost a system of false accusation,
and plundering the property both of the living and
the dead, in the name of the imperial household, of
which he had been comptroller in the time of
Justinian. Such was tlie termination of these matters.
CI1A1\ IV.] EDICT OF JUSTIN. A.D. 566. 241)
CHAPTER IV.
EDICT OV JUSTIN CONCERNING THE FAITH.
Justin issues an edict to the Christians in every
quarter, in the following terms.
" In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the
Emperor Ca3sar Flavian Justin, faithful in Christ, cle-
ment, supreme, beneficent, Alemannicus, Gothicus,
Germanicus, Anticus, Francicus, Herulicus, Gepidicus,
pious, fortunate, glorious, victorious, triumphant, ever-
worshipful Augustus.
'"My peace I give to you,' says the Lord Christ, our
very God. ' My peace I leave to you, ' he also pro-
claims to all mankind. Nov/ this is nothing else than
that those who believe on him should gather into one
and the same church, being unanimous concerning the
true belief of Christians, and withdrawing from such
as affirm or entertain contrary opinions : for the prime
means of salvation for all men is the confession of the
right faith. Wherefore we also, foUomng the evange-
lical precepts and the holy symbol or doctrine of the
holy fathers, exhort all persons to unite in one and the
same church and sentiment ; and this we do, believing
in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, holding the doc-
trine of a consubstantial Trinity, one Godhead or
nature and substance, both in terms and reality; one
power, influence, and operation in three subsistences
250 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V-
or persons ; into which doctrine we were baptized, in
which we believe, and to which we have united our-
selves. For we worship a Unity in trinity and a
Trinity in unity, peculiar both in its division and in
its union, being Unity in respect of substance or God-
head, and Trinity with regard to its proprieties or sub-
sistences or persons ; for it is divided indivisibly, so to
speak, and is united divisibly : for there is one thing
in three, namely, the Godhead ; and the three things
are one, namely, those in which is the Godhead, or, to
speak more accurately, which are the Godhead : and we
acknowledge the Father to be God, the Son God, and
the Holy Spirit God, whenever each person is regarded
by itself — the thought in that case separating the things
that are inseparable — and the three when viewed in
conjunction to be God by sameness of motion and of
nature ; inasmuch as it is proper both to confess the
one God, and at the same time to proclaim the three
subsistences or proprieties. We also confess the only
begotten Son of God, the God-Word, v>']io, before the
ages and without time, was begotten of the Father, not
made, and Avho, in the last of the days, for our sakes and
for our salvation, descended from heaven, and was incar-
nate of the Holy Spirit and of our Lady, the holy glorious
Mother of God and ever virgin Mary, and was born of
her; who is our Lord Jesus Christ, one of the Holy
Trinity, united in glorification with the Father and the
Holy Spirit : for the Holy Trinity did not admit the
CHAP. IV.J KDICT OF JUSTIN. 251
addition of a fourth person, even when one of the
Trinity, the God- Vv^ord, had become incarnate ; but our
Lord Jesus Christ is one and the same, being consub-
stantial with God the Father, as respects the Godhead,
and at the same time consubstantial with ourselves as
respects the manhood; passible in the flesh, and at the
same time impassible in tlie Godhead : for we do not
admit that the divine Word who wrouglit the miracles
was one, and he who underwent the sufferings was an-
other; but we confess our Lord Jesus Christ to be one
and the same, namely, the Word of God become incar-
nate and made perfectly man, and that both the mira-
cles and the sufferings which he voluntarily underwent
for our salvation belong to one and the same ; inas-
much as it was not ahumanbeingthat gave himself on
our behalf; but the God-Word himself, becoming man
without undergoing change, submitted in the flesh to
the voluntary passion and death on our behalf. Ac-
cordingly, while confessing hhn to be God, we do not
contravene the circumstance of his being man ; and while
confessing him to be man, we do not deny the fact of his
being God : whence, while confessing our Lord Jesus
Christ to be one and the same, composed of both natures,
namely, the Godhead and the manhood, we do not
superinduce confusion upon the union; forhewiU not
lose the circumstance of being God on becoming man
like ourselves ; nor yet, in being by nature God, and in
that respect incapable of likeness to us, will he also
252 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
decline the circumstance of being man. But as he con-
tinued God in manhood ; in like manner, though pos-
sessed of divine supremacy, he is no less man ; being both
in one, God and man at the same time, one Emmanuel.
Further, while confessing him to be at the same time
perfect in Godhead and perfect in manhood, of which
two he was also composed, we do not attach to his one
complex subsistence a division by parts or severance ;
but we signify that the difference of the natures is not
annulled by the union : for neither was the divine na-
ture changed into the human, nor the human nature
converted into the divine ; but, each being the more dis-
tinctly understood and existent in the limit and rela-
tion of its own nature, we say that the union took place
according to subsistence. The union according to
subsistence signifies, that the God- Word, that is to say
one subsistence of the three subsistences of the God-
head, was not united with a previously existing human
being, but in the womb of our Lady, the holy
glorious Mother of God and ever virgin Mary, formed
for himself of her, in his own subsistence, flesh consub-
stantial with ourselves, having the same passions in all
respects except sin, and animated with a reasonable
and intelligent soul ; for he retained his subsistence in
himself, and became man, and is one and the same, our
Lord Jesus Christ, united in glorification with the
Father and the Holy Spirit. Further, while consi-
dering his ineffable union, wc rightly confess one nature,
I'lIAP. IV.] EDICT OF JUSTIN. 253
that of the Divhie Word, to have become incarnate, by
flesh animated with a reasonable and intelligent soul ;
and, on the other hand, while contemplating the diffe-
rence of the natures, we affirm that they are two, with-
out, however, introducing any division, for either nature
is in him ; whence we confess one and the same Christ,
one Son, one person, one subsistence, both God and
man together : and all who have held or do hold opin-
ions at variance mth these, we anathematize, judging
them to be alien from the Holy and Apostolic Church
of God. Accordingly, while the right doctrines which
have been delivered to us by the holy fathers are being
thus proclaimed, we exhort you all to gather into one
and the same Catholic and Apostolic Church, or rather
w^e even entreat you ; for though possessed of imperial
supremacy, we do not decline the use of such a term,
in behalf of the unanimity and union of all Christians,
in the universal offering of one doxology to our great
God and Saviour Jesus Christ, and in abstinence for
the future on the part of all from unnecessary disputes
about persons and words — since the words lead to one
true belief and understanding — while the usage and
form which has hitherto prevailed in the holy Catholic
and Apostolic Church of God, remains for ever un-
shaken and unchanged. "
To this edict all assented, saying that it was ex-
pressed in orthodox language. None, however, of the
severed portions of the Church were entirely reunited,
254 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
because the edict distinctly declared that what had
hitherto been unshaken and unchanged, should con-
tinue so in all coming time.
CHAPTER V.
DEPOSITION OF ANASTASIUS, PATRIARCH OF ANTIOCH.
Justin also ejected Anastasius from the episcopate
of Theopolis, on the charge of a profuse and improper
expenditure of the funds of the see, and also for
scandalous language against himself; inasmuch as
Anastasius, on being asked why he was so lavishly
squandering the property of the see, frankly replied,
that it was done to prevent its being carried off by
that universal pest, Justin. He is also said to have
entertained a grudge against Anastasius, because he had
refused to pay a sum of money, when demanded of him
in consideration of his appointment to the bishopric.
Other charges were also brought against him by
persons, who, as I suppose, wished to second the
emperor's bent.
CHAPTER VI.
GREGORY, THE SUCCESSOR OF ANASTASIUS.
Next in succession, Gregory is elevated to the
episcopal see: "wide whose renown," according to
CHAP. VI.] GREGORY OF ANTIOCII A.D. 571. 255
the language of poetry; a person who had devoted
himself from the earliest period of life to the monastic
discipline, and had wrestled therein so manfully and
stoutly, that he arrived at the highest elevation when
scarcely past his boyhood, and became superior of the
monastery of the Byzantines, in which he had assumed
the bare mode of life, and subsequently, by the orders
of Justin, of the monastery of Mount Sinai. Here he
encountered extreme danger, having sustained a siege
by the Scenite Arabs.
Having, nevertheless, secured the complete tranquil-
lity of the spot, he was thence summoned to the
archiepiscopal dignity. He was unrivalled in every
excellence of intellect and virtue, and most energetic
in accomplishing whatever he resolved upon, unin-
fluenced by fear, and incapable of shrinking before
secular power. So noble was his expenditure of
money, in a general system of liberality and munificence,
that whenever he appeared in public, crowds, besides
his ordinary attendants, followed him ; and all gathered
round him who saw or heard of his approach. The
respect shewn to so high a dignity, was but second to
the honour bestowed upon the individual, in the
generous desire of persons to obtain a near view of
him and to hear his words ; for he was possessed of
singular power to inspire with attachment towards
himself all who held converse with him, being a person
of most imposing aspect and sweet address, especially
256 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
quick of perception and prompt in execution, a most
able counsellor and judge, both in his own matters and
in those of others. On this account it was that he
accomplished so much, never deferring any thing till
to-morrow. By dealing with matters with unfailing
promptitude, according as either necessity required
or opportunity favoured, he filled with admiration not
only the Roman but the Persian sovereigns, as I shall
set forth the particulars in their proper place. His
character was strongly marked by vehemence, and at
times by indications of anger; while, on the other
hand, his meekness and gentleness were not confined,
but were exceedingly abundant ; so that to him was
admirably fitted the excellent expression of Gregory
Theologus, "austerity tempered with modesty," while
neither quality was impaired, but each rendered more
striking by the other.
CHAPTER YU.
SUBMISSION OF THE INHABITANTS OF PERSARMENIA.
In the first year of the episcopate of Gregory, the
inhabitants of what was formerly called the greater
Armenia, but afterwards Persarmenia — this country
was formerly subject to the Romans, but when PhiHp,
the successor of Gordian, had betrayed it to Sapor,
wlint is called the lesser Armenia alone was possessed
ClIAr. VII.] RUPTURE WITH I'ERSIA. A.l). 072. 257
b}^ the Ivomans, but the remairider by the Persians —
this people, being Christians and cruelly treated by
the Persians, especially on the score of their faith,
sent a secret embassy to Justin, imi)loring to be
allowed to place themselves under the dominion of
the Romans, in order to a safe and unrestrained ob-
servance of their religion. When the emperor had ad-
mitted their overtures, and certain written conditions
had been settled on his part and guaranteed by the
most solemn oaths, the Armenians massacre their
governors; and the whole nation, together with their
allied neighbours, both of kindred and foreign race,
unite themselves to the Roman empire, Vardanes
having a precedence among his countrymen by birth,
dignity, and military skill. In reply to the complaints
of Chosroes on account of these transactions, Justin
alleged that the peace had expired, and that it was
impossible to reject the advances of Christians, when
desirous of uniting themselves Avith fellow Chrrstians
in time of war.
Such was his reply. Notwithstanding, he made
no preparation for war, but was involved in his
habitual luxury, regarding every thing as secondary
to his personal enjoyments.
17
258 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
CHAPTER VIII.
SIEGE OP NISIBIS BY MARCIAN.
The emperor sends out his kinsman Marcian, as
commander of the forces of the East, without, however,
sufficiently supplying him Avith troops, or the other
material of war. He occupies Mesopotamia, at the
imminent risk of utter ruin,foUowedhy very few troops,
and these imperfectly armed, and by a few rustic
labourers and herdsmen, whom he had pressed into
his service from among the provincials. After gaining
the advantage in some skirmishes near Nisibis with
the Persians, who were themselves not yet completely
prepared, he sits down before that city, though the
enemy did not think it necessary to close the gates,
and insolently jeered the Roman troops. Besides
many other prodigies presaging the approaching
calamities, I also saw, at the beginning of the war, a
newly born calf with two heads.
CHAPTER IX.
INVASION OF THE PERSIANS.
Chosroes, when his preparations for war were com-
pleted, having accompanied Adaarmanes for some dis-
CHAP. IX.] IRRUPTION OF THE PERSIANS. A.D. 574. 259
tance, sent him across the Euphrates from his own
bank of the river into the Roman territory, by Circe-
sium, a city most important to the Romans, situated at
the limit of the empire, and rendered strong not only
by its walls, which are carried to an immense height,
but by the rivers Euphrates and Aboras, which, as it
were, insulate the place. Chosroes himself, having
crossed the Tigris with his own division of the army,
advanced upon Nisibis.
Of these operations the Romans were for a longtime
ignorant, so far that Justin, relying on a rumour to
the effect that Chosroes was either dead or approacliing
his last breath, was indignant at the tardiness of the
siege of Nisibis, and sent persons for the purpose of
stimulating the efforts of Marcian, and bringing to him
the keys of the gates as quickly as possible. Informa-
tion, however, that the siege was making no progress,
but that the commander was bringing great discredit
upon himself by attempting impossibilities in the case
of so important a city with so contemptible a force, is
conveyed in the first instance to Gregory, bishop of
Theopolis : for the bishop of Nisibis, being strongly
attached to Gregory, as having received munificent
presents from hun, and especially being indignant at
the insolence which the Persians vrere continually dis-
playing towards the Christians, and desirous that his
city should be subject to the Roman power, supplied
information to Gregorv of all things that were going
200 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
on in the enemy's territory, at each several juncture.
Thisthe latter mimediately forwarded to Justin, inform-
ing liim as quickly as possible of the advance of Chos-
roes : biit he, being immersed in his habitual pleasures,
paid no regard to the letters of Gregory ; nor was he
indeed inclined to believe them, indulging rather the
thoughts suggested by his wishes : for the ordinary
mark of dissolute persons is a meanness of spirit com-
bined with confidence with regard to results ; as well
as incredulity, if any thing occurs which runs counter
to their desires. Accordingly he writes to Gregory,
altogether repudiating the information as being utterly
false, and, even supposing it were true, saying that the
Persians would not come up before the siege was
concluded, and that, if they did, they would be
beaten oif with loss. He further sends Acacius, a
wicked and insolent man, to Marcian with orders to
supersede him in the command, even supposing he had
already set one foot within the town. This command
he strictly executed, carrying out the emperor's orders
without any regard to the public good : for, on his ar-
rival at the camp, he deprives Marcian of his command
while on the enemy's territory, and without informing
the army of the transaction; The various officers, on
learning at the l^reak of the next day that their com-
mander was superseded, no longer appeared at the head
of their troops, but stole away in various directions,
and thus raised that ridiculous sie^e.
CUAV. IX.] SUCCESSES OF THE PERSIANS. 261
Adaaniiancs, on the other hand, in command of a
considerable force of Persians and Scenite barbarians,
having marched by Circesinm, inflicted every possible
injury with iire and sword upon the Roman territory,
setting no limits to his intentions or actions. He also
captures many fortresses and towns, without encoun-
tering any resistance ; in the first place, because there
was no one in command, and secondly, because, since
the Roman troops were shut up in Daras by Chosroes,
liis foragings and incursions were made in perfect secu-
rity. He also directed an advance upon Theopolis,
without proceeding thither in person. These troops
were compelled to draw ofl' most unexpectedly ; for
scarcely any one, or indeed very few persons, remained
in the city; and the bishop had fled, taking with him
the sacred treasures, because both the greater part of
the walls had fallen to ruins, and the populace had
made insurrection with the hope of gaining ascendancy
by change : a thing of frequent occurrence, and especially
at junctures like this. The insurgents themselves also
abandoned the city, without any attempt to meet the
emergency or take active measures against the enemy.
2()2 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
CHAPTER X.
CAPTURE OP APAMEA AND DARAS.
Failing thus in this attempt, Adaarmanes, having
burnt the city formerly called Heraclea but subse-
quently Gagalica, made himself master of Apamea;
AYhich, having been founded by Seleucus Nicator, was
once flourishing and populous, but had fallen to a great
extent into ruin through lapse of time. On the capi-
tulation of the city from the inability of the inhabitants
to oiFer any resistance, since the wall had fallen down
through age, he fired and pillaged the whole place, in
violation of the terms, and drew off, carrying away
captive the inhabitants of the town and the adjoinmg
country, and among them the bishop and the governor.
He also exercised every kind of atrocity during his
march, ^vitliout meeting with any resistance or indeed
attempt at opposition, except a very small force sent
out by Justin under the command of Magnus, Avho had
formerly been a banker at Constantinople, and subse-
quently appointed steward of one of the imperial resi-
dences. These troops hoAvever fled with precipitation,
and narrowly escaped being made prisoners.
After these operations, Adaarmanes joins Chosroes,
who had not yet captured the city he was l^esieging.
By the junction, he threw an important weight into the
CHAP. XI.] INSANITY OF JUSTIN. 263
scale, ill raising the spirits of his coimtryiiieii, while he
disheartened their opponents. He found the city cut
off by lines, and a huge mound carried forward within
a short distance of the walls, with engines mounted,
and especially catapults, shooting from vantage ground.
By these means, Chosroes took the city by storm.
John, the son of Timostratus, was governor, who paid
little regard to the defence of the place, or perhaps
betrayed it ; for both accounts arc reported. Chosroes
had besieged the city for five months or more without
any effort being made for its relief. Having brought
forth all the inhabitants in immense numbers, some
of whom he miserably slaughtered but retained the
greater part as captives, he garrisoned the city, on
account of its important situation, and then retired
into his own territories.
CHAPTEK XL
INSANITY OF JUSTIN.
On being informed of these events, Justin, in whose
mind no sober and considerate thoughts found place
after so much inflation and pride, and who did not
bear what had befallen him with resignation suited to
a human being, ffdls into a state of frenzy, and be-
comes unconscious of all subsequent transactions.
Tiberius assumes the direction of affairs, a Thracian by
264 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
birth, but holding the first place in the court of Justin-
He had previously been sent out against the Avars by
the emperor, who had raised a very large army for the
purpose; and he would inevitably have been made
prisoner, since his troops would not even face the
barbarians, had not divine Providence unexpectedly
delivered him, and preserved him for succession to
the Roman sovereignty; which, through the incon-
siderate measures of Justin, was in danger of falling
to ruin, together with the entire commonwealth, and
of passing from such a height of power into the hands
of barbarians.
CHAPTER XII.
EMBASSY OF TRAJAN TO CHOSUOES.
AccoKDiNGLY, Tibcrius adopts a measure opportune
and well suited to the state of affairs, which altogether
repaired the calamity. He despatches to Chosroes,
Trajan, a senator and an accomplished man, universally
esteemed for his years and intelligence ; not, however,
as representative of the sovereign power, nor yet as
ambassador for the commonwealth, but merely to treat
on behalf of the empress Sophia; who herself also
wrote to Chosroes, bewailing the calamities which had
befiillen her husband, and the loss of its head which
the commonAvealth sustained, and urging the unseem-
liness of trampling upon a widowed female, a prostrate
CIIAr. XIII.] ADOPTION OF TIBERIUS. — A. D. 474. 265
monarch, and a desolate empire : at the same time re-
minding hiin that, when afflicted with sickness, he had
himself not only been treated with similar forbearance,
but that the very best physicians had been sent to
him by the Roman government, and had cured him
of his disease. Chosroes is, accordingly, moved by
the appeal, and when upon the very point of attacking
the empire, makes a truce for three years, embracing
the eastern parts ; with a condition that Armenia should
be excepted, so as to allow of hostilities being main-
tained there, provided the East ^^re not molested.
During these proceedings in the East, Sirmium
is taken by the barbarians, wliicli had some time
before fallen into the hands of the Gepida3, and been
afterwards restored by them to Justin.
CPIAPTER XIII.
rROCLAMATION OF TIBERIUS. HIS CHARACTER.
About this time Justin, by the advice of Sophia,
bestows on Tiberius the rank of Ca3sar, giving utter-
ance, in the act of declaration, to such expressions as
surpass all that has been recorded in ancient or recent
history ; our compassionate God having vouchsafed to
him an opportunity for an avowal of his own errors,
and a suggestioii of what was for the benefit of the
state. For when there were assembled in the open
266 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
court, where ancient usage enjoins that such proceed-
ings should take place, both the archbishop, John,
whom we have already mentioned, and his clergy, as
well as the state dignitaries, and the household troops,
the emperor, on investing Tiberius with the imperial
tunic and robe, gave utterance with a loud voice to
the following words : " Let not the grandeur of thy
investiture deceive thee, nor the pomp of the present
spectacle ; beguiled by which, I have unwittingly ren-
dered myself obnoxious to the most severe penalties.
Do thou make reparation for my errors, by administer-
ing the commonwealth with all gentleness." Then
pointing to the magistrates, he recommended him by
no means to put confidence in them, adding: " These
are the very persons who have brought me into the
condition which thou now witnessest : " together with
other similar expressions, which filled all with utter
amazement, and drew forth an abundance of tears.
Tiberius was very tall, and by far the most noble
in person not only of sovereigns but all mankind ; so
that, in the first place, his beauty was deserving of
sovereignty. In disposition, he was mjld and comi^as-
sionate, and gave cordial reception to all persons at
their very first approach. He deemed wealth to
consist in aiding all with largesses, not merely so far
as to meet their wants, but even to superfluity : for
he did not consider what the needy ought to receive,
but Avhat it became a Itoman em})eror to l^estow. He
CHAP. XIV.] MEASURES OF TIBERIUS. 267
esteemed that gold to be adulterated which was exacted
with tears: on which account he entirely remitted
the taxation for one year, and released from their im-
posts the properties which Adaarmanes had devastated,
not merely to the extent of the damage but even far
beyond it. The magistrates were also excused from
the necessity of making the unlawful presents, by
means of which the emperors formerly made a sale of
their subjects. On these points he also issued constitu-
tions, as a security for coming time.
CHAPTER XIV.
SUCCESSES OF THE ROMAN COMMANDER JUSTINIAN
AGAINST THE PERSIANS.
Tiberius, accordingly, applying to a rightful purpose
the wealth which had been amassed by improper means,
made the necessary preparations for war. So numerous
was the army of brave men, raised among the Trans-
alpine nations, the Massageta>, and other Scythian
tribes, by a choice levy in the countries on the Rhine,
and on this side of the Alps, as well as in Pseonia, Mysia,
Illyria, and Isauria, that he completed squadrons of
excellent cavalry, to the amount of nearly one hundred
and fifty thousand men, and repulsed Chosroes, who,
immediately after the capture of Daras, had advanced
in the course of the summer against Armenia, and
268 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
was thence directing his movements upon Cagsarea,
Avhich was the seat of government of Cappadocia and
the capital of the cities in that quarter. In such
contempt did Chosroes hold the Roman power, that,
when the Caesar had sent an embassy to him, he did
not deign to admit the ambassadors to an audience,
but bid them follow him to Cassarea ; at which place
he said he would take the embassy into his consider-
ation. When, however, he saw the Roman army in the
front of him, under the command of Justinian, the
brother of that Justin who had been miserably put to
death by the Emperor Justin, in complete equipment,
with the trumpets .sending forth martial sounds, the
standards uplifted for conflict, and the soldiery eager
for slaughter, breathing forth fury, and at the same
time maintaining perfect order, and, besides, so
numerous and noble a body of cavalry as no monarch
had ever imagined, he drew a deep groan, with many
adjurations, at the unforeseen and unexpected sight,
and was reluctant to begin the engagement. But
while he is lingering and whiling away the time, and
making a mere feint of fighting, Kurs, the Scythian,
who was in command of the right wing, advances
upon him; and since the Persians were unable to
stand his charge, and were in a very signal manner
aljandoning their ground, he made an extensive
slaughter of his opponents. He also attacks the rear,
where Ijoth Chosroes and the whole army had placed
CHAr. XIV.] DKFEAT OF CH08R0ES. — A. D. 576. 269
their baggage, and captures all the royal stores and
the entire baggage, under the very eyes of Chosroes ;
who endured the sight, deeming self-imposed constraint
more tolerable than the onset of Kurs. The latter, having
together with his troops made himself master of a
great amount of money and spoil, and carrying off
the beasts of burden with their loads, among which
was the sacred lire of Chosroes to which divine honours
were paid, makes a circuit of the Persian camp, singing
songs of victory, and rejoins, about nightfall, his own
army, who had already broken up from their position,
without a commencement of battle on the part of
either Chosroes or themselves, beyond a few slight
skirmishes or single combats, such as usually take
place.
Chosroes, having lighted many fires, made prepara-
tions for a night assault ; and since the Romans had
formed two camps, he attacks the division which lay
northward, at the dead of night. On their giving
way under this sudden and unexpected onset, he
advances upon the neighbouring town of Melitene,
which was undefended and deserted by its inhabitants,
and having fired the whole place, pre})ared to cross
the Euphrates. At the approach, however, of the
united forces of the Romans, in alarm for his own safety,
he mounted an elephant, and crossed alone; whik^
great numbers of his ami}' found n grave in the waters
of the river : on learning whose fate he retreated.
270 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOUY. [bOOK V.
Having paid this extreme penalty for his insolence
towards the Roman power, Chosroes retires with the
snrvivors to the eastern parts, in which quarter the
terms of the truce had provided that uo one should
attack him. Nevertheless Justinian made an irruption
into the Persian territory with his entire force, and
passed the whole winter there, without any molestation.
He withdrew about the summer solstice, without
having sustained any loss whatever, and passed the
summer near the border, surrounded by prosperity
and glory.
CHAPTER XV.
DEATH OF CHOSROES. SUCCESSION OF HORMISDAS.
Chosroes, lost in frenzy and despair, and submerged
in the surgings of sorrow, is brought to a miserable
end by overwhelming anguish, after leaving behind
him a lasting monument of his flight, in the law
which he enacted, that no king of the Persians should
henceforward lead an army against the Romans.
He is succeeded by his son Hormisdas. These matters
I must now pass over, since the events wliicli follow
in direct succession are inviting my attention and
awaiting the regular progress of my narrative.
CHAP. XVII. J EARTHQUAKE AT ANTIOCH. — A. D. 580. 271
CIIArXER XVI.
SUCCESSION OF BISHOPS.
On the decease of John, named also Catelhius,
Bonosus is intrusted with the helm of the Roman see,
and he is succeeded by another John, and he, again,
by Pelagius. In the imperial city John is succeeded
by Eutychius, who had already held the see before
him. Apollinaris is succeeded in the see of Alexan-
dria by John, and he by Eulogius, After Macarius,
John is elevated to the bishopric of Jerusalem, who
had pursued the monastic discipline in what is called
tlie monastery of the Acoemets. This period passed
without any changes being attempted in the state of
tlie Church.
CHAPTER XYIL
EARTHQUAKE AT ANTIOCH.
In the third year of the administration of the empire
by Tiberius, a violent earthquake befell Theopolis and
its suburb of Daphne, precisely at noon; on which
occasion the whole of that suburl) was laid in utter
ruui by the shocks, while the public and private build-
ings in Theopolis, though rent to the ground, were still
272 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [eOOK V.
not entirely levelled. Several other events occurred
both in Theopolis, and also in the imperial city, deserv-
ing especial notice, which threw both places into
confusion, and broke out into excessive disturbances:
events which took their rise from zeal for God, and
terminated in a manner worthy of divine agency.
These I now proceed to notice.
CHAPTER XVin.
COMMOTION ON ACCOUNT OF ANATOLIUS.
There was residing at Theopolis a certain Anato-
lius, who was originally one of the vulgar and an arti-
san, but had subsequently, by some means or other,
obtained admission into public offices and other posts
of importance. In this city he was pursuing his en-
gagements, from which resulted an intimacy with
Gregory, president of that Church, and frequent visits
to liim, partly for the purpose of conversing on matters
of business, and partly with a view to obtain greater
influence on the ground of his intercourse with the pre-
late. This person was detected in the practice of sacri-
ficial rites, and being called to account was proved to
be a miscreant and a sorcerer, and implicated in innu-
merable enormities. He gains over, however, by bri-
bery, the governor of the East, and would have obtained
an acquittal, together witli his accomplices, for he was
CHAP. XVIII.] DANGER OF OREGORV. 273
associated with others of a similar stamp who were in-
volved in the detection, had not the people risen, and,
by exciting a universal stir, frustrated the design.
They also clamoured against the bishop, saying that
he was a party to the scheme ; and some turbulent and
malignant demon induced persons to believe that he
had also taken part with Anatolius in the sacrificial
rites. By this means Gregory was brought into
extreme danger, from the vehement efforts of the
populace against him ; and the suspicion was so far pre-
valent, that even the emperor Tiberius was desirous of
learning the truth from the mouth of Anatolius.
Accordingly, he orders Anatolius and his associates to
be conveyed forth^vith to the imperial city. On learn-
ing this, Anatolius rushed to a certain image of the
Mother of God, which was suspended by a cord in the
prison, and folding his hands behind his back, an-
nounced himself as a suppliant : but she, in detestation
and conviction of the guilty and God-hated man,
turned herself quite round, presenting a prodigy awful
and worthy of perpetual remembrance ; ^vhich, having
been witnessed by all the prisoners as well as by those
who had the charge of Anatolius and his associates,
was thus published to the world. She also appeared
in a vision to some of the faithful, exhorting them
against the wretch, and saying that Anatolius was
guilty of insult against her Son.
When he had been conveyed to the imperial city,
18
27J: ECCLESIASTICxVL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
and, on being subjected to the extreme of torture, was
unable to allege anything against the bishop, he and
his associates were the cause of still greater disturb-
ances and a general rising of the populace : for, when
some of the party had received sentence of banishment
instead of death, the populace, inflamed with a sort of
divine zeal, caused a general commotion, in their fury
and indignation, and having seized the persons con-
demned to banishment and put them into a skiif, they
committed them alive to the flames; such being the
people's verdict. They also clamoured against the
emperor and their own bishop Eutychius as betrayers
of the faith ; and they would have inevitably despatched
Eutychius, and those who had been charged with the
investigation, making search for them in every quarter,
had not all-preserving Providence rescued them from
their pursuers, and gradually lulled the anger of so
liumerous a population ; so that no outrage was perpe-
trated at their hands. Anatolius himself, after behig
first exposed to the wild beasts in the amphitheatre
and mangled by them, was then impaled, without ter-
minating even then his punishment in this world ; for
the wolvesj tearing dovm. liis polluted body, divided it
as_ a feast among themselves; a circumstance never
before noticed. There was also one of my fellow-
citizens, who, before these events took place, affirmed
that he had been informed by a dream, that the judg-
ment upon Anatolius and his associates was in the
CIIA1\ XIX.] CHARACTER OF MAURICE. 275
hands of the populace. A person too of high distinc-
tion, being the curator of the palace, who had resolutely
protected Anatolius, said that he had seen the T^Iother
of God, demanding of him how long he intended to
defend Anatolius, who had so grievously outraged
herself and her Son. Such was the termination of this
business.
CHAPTER XIX.
CUARACTER AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF MAURICE.
Tiberius, being by this time in possession of the
crown on the death of Justin, supersedes Justinian,
since he had not been equally successful against the
barbarians, and appoints Maurice to the command of
the forces of the East; a person who derived his de-
scent and name from the elder Rome, but, as regards
his more immediate origin, y/as a native of Arabissus
in Cappadocia; a man of sense and ability, and of un-
varying accuracy and firmness. Being staid and pre-
cise in his mode of living and manners, he was tempe-
rate in his food, using only such as was necessary and
simple, and was superior to all other indulgences of a
luxurious life. He was not easily accessible to the
solicitations of the vulgar, nor a too easy listener in
general ; well knowing that the one tends to produce
contempt, and the other leads to flattery. Accordingly,
276 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
he granted audiences sparingly, and those only to
persons on serious business, and closed his ears against
idle talk, not with wax, as poets say, but rather with
reason ; so that this latter was an excellent key to them,
appropriately both opening and closing them during
conversation. So completely had he banished both
ignorance, the mother of audacity, and also cowardice,
which is at the same time a foreigner and a neighbour
to the former, that with him to face danger was an act
of prudence, and to decline it was a measure of safety ;
while both courage and discretion were the charioteers
of opportunity, and guided the reins to whatever
quarter necessity directed : so that his efforts were both
restrained and put forth, as it were, by measure and
rule. Concerning this person I shall speak more fully
in the sequel; since the detail of his greatness and
excellence I must reserve for the history of his reign ;
which displayed the man in a clearer light, as unfolding,
through freedom of action, even the more inward parts
of his character.
This Maurice, advancing beyond the limits of the
empire, captures both cities and fortresses, of the
greatest importance to the Persians, and carried off
so much plunder, that the captives were suffi-
ciently numerous to occupy at length whole islands,
to^vns, and districts which had been deserted : and
thus the land which had been previousl}- untilled,
^vas every Avhere restored to culti^'ation. Numerous
CHAP. XX.] DEFEAT OF THE PERSIANS. 277
armies also were raised from among them, that fought
resolutely and courageously against the otlier nations.
At the same time every household was completely
furnished with domestics, on account of the easy rate
at which slaves were procured.
CHAPTER XX.
OVERTHROW OF THE PERSIANS.
He also engaged Tamchosroes and Adaarmanes,
the principal Persian commanders, who had advanced
against him with a considerable force : but the nature,
manner, and place of these transactions I leave others
to record, or shall perhaps myself make them the
sul]>ject of a distinct work, since my present one pro-
fesses to treat of matters of a very different kind. Tam-
chosroes, however, falls in battle, not by the bravery
of the Roman soldiery, but merely through the piety
and faith of their commander: and Adaarmanes,
being worsted in the fight and having lost many of his
men, flies mth precipitation, and this too, although Ala-
mundarus, the commander of the Scenite barbarians,
played the traitor in declining to cross the Euphrates
and support Maurice against the Scenites of the op-
posite party. For this people are invincible by any
otlier than themselves, on account of the fleetness of
their horses : when hemmed in, they cannot be
278 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
captured ; and they outstrip their enemies in retreat.
Theodoric too, connnander of the Scythian troops, did
not so much as venture within range of the missiles,
but fled with all his people.
CHAPTER XXI.
PRODIGIES FOKESHEWING THE ELEVATION OF MAURICE
TO THE EMPIRE.
Prodigies also occurred, which indicated that the
imperial power was destined to Maurice. As he was
offering incense, at the dead of night, within the sanc-
tuary of Mary, the holy and immaculate virgin and
Mother of God, which is called by the Antiochenes the
church of Justinian, the veil which surrounds the
holy table became ^vi'apt in flames ; so that Maurice
was seized with amazement and awe, and was terrified
at the sight. Gregory, the archbishop of the city,
who was standing by, said that it was a divine mani-
festation, betokening to him the highest fortune.
Christ our God also appeared to him, when in the
East, calling upon him to avenge Him : which circum-
stance distinctly intimated the possession of sovereign
power ; for of what other person would He have made
the demand than of an emperor, and one who mani-
fested so much piety towards Him?
His parents also detailed to me circumstances
CHAP. XXII.] ACCESSION or MAURICE A.D. 582. 279
remarkable and worthy of being recorded, when I was
making inquiries on this point : for his father said
tliat, about the time of his conception, he had seen in
a dream a very large vine growing from his bed, on
which hung great numbers of beautiful clusters of
grapes : and his mother told me that, at the time of
her delivery, the earth sent forth a strange odour of
peculiar sweetness ; and that Empusa, as she is called,
had often carried off the child for the purpose of
devouring him, but had been unable to injure him.
Simeon, too, who practised the station upon the
pillar in the neighbourhood of Theopolis, a most
energetic man, and distinguished by every divine
virtue, both said and did many things which betokened
his succession to the empire. The sequel of the
history will relate respecting him whatever circum-
stances are suitable.
CHAPTER XXII.
ACCESSION OF MAUIMCE.
]\Iaueice assumes the sovereignty, when Tiberius
was at the point of death, and had l^estowed upon him
his daughter Augusta, and the empire as her do^\Ty.
Notwithstandino- the shortness of his reio-n, Tiberius
left behind hhn an innnortal memorial in the remem-
brance of his good deeds; for he bequeathed to the
280 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
commonwealth, in the appointment of Maurice, an
inheritance, not admitting of specification in terms, but
most precious. He also distributed his own appella-
tions, giving to Maurice the name of Tiberius, and to
Augusta that of Constantina. The transactions of
their reign the sequel of the history will set forth, with
the aid of the divine impulse.
CHAPTER XXHL
CHRONOLOGICAL STATEMENT.
In order also to an accurate account of the various
periods of time, be it known that Justin the younger,
reigned alone twelve years, ten months and a half,
and in conjunction with Tiberius, three years and
eleven months: so that the whole period is sixteen
years, nine months and a half. Tiberius also reigned
four years alone : so that the Avhole time from
Komulus to the proclamation of Maurice Tiberius,
amounts to * * * years; as appears from the
previous and present dates.
CIIAP. XXIV. J CATALOGUE OF HISTORIANS. 281
CHAPTER XXIV.
SUCCESSION OF WRITERS ON SACRED AND PROFANE HISTORY.
By the aid of God, an account of the affairs of the
Church, presenting a fair survey of the whole, has been
preserved for us in what has been recorded by Eusebius
Pamphili doAvn to the time of Constantine, and thence
forward as far as Theodosius the younger, by Theodo-
ret, Sozomen, and Socrates, and in the matters which
have been selected for my present work.
Primitive and profane histoiy has been also pre-
served in a continuous narrative by those who have
been zealous at the task ; Moses being the first to com-
pose history, as has been clearly shewn by those who
have collected whatever bears upon the subject, in
writing a true account of events from the beginning of
the world, derived from what he learned in converse
with God on Mount Sinai. Then follow the accounts
Avhich those who after him prepared the way for our
religion have stored up in sacred scriptures. Josephus
also composed an extensive history, in every way
valuable. All the stories, whether fabulous or true,
relating to the contests of the Greeks and ancient
barbarians, both among themselves and against each
other, and whatever else had l^een achieved since the
period at which they record tlie first existence of
282 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK V.
mankind, have been written by Charax, Theopompus,
Ephorns, and others too numerous to mention. The
transactions of the Romans, embracing the history of
the whole world and whatever else took place either with
respect to their intestine divisions or their proceed-
ings towards other nations, have been treated of by
Dionysius of Halicarnassi^s, who has brought down his
account from the times of what are called the Abo-
rigines, to those of Pyrrhus of Epirus. The history is
then taken up by Polybius of Megalopohs, who brings
it down to the capture of Carthage. All these materials
Appian has portioned out by a clear arrangement, se-
parately grouping each series of transactions, though
occurring at intervals of time. What events occurred
subsequent to the before-mentioned periods, have been
treated by Diodorus Siculus, as far as the time of Ju-
lius Caesar, and by Dion Cassius, who continued his
account as far as Antoninus of Emesa. In a similar
work of Herodian, tlie account extends as far as the
death of Maxinms; and in that of Nicostratus, the
sophist of Trapezus, from Philip, the successor of Gor-
dian, to Odenatus of Palmyra, and the ignominious ex-
pedition of Valerian against the Persians. Dexippus
has also written at great length on the same subject,
commencing with the Scytliian wars, and terminating
with the reign of Claudius, the successor of Gallienus :
and he also included the military transactions of the
Carpi {Uid other barl)arian tribes, in Greece, Thrace,
CHAP. XXIV.] CATALOGUE OF HISTORIANS. 283
and Ionia. Ensebius too, coniniencing from Octaviiin,
Trajan, and Marcus, brought his account down to the
death oi' Cams. The history of the same times has
been partially written both by Arrian and Asinius
Quadratus : that of the succeeding period by Zosimus,
as far as Honorius and Arcadius : and events subsequent
to their reign by Priscus the Rhetorician, and others.
The whole of this range of history has been excellently
epitomised by Eustathius of Epiphania, in two volumes,
one extending to the capture of Troy, the other to the
twelfth year of the reign of Anastasius. The occurrences
subsequent to that period have' been written by
Procopius the rhetorician as far as the tune of Justi-
nian ; and the account has been thenceforward
continued by Agathias the rhetorician, and John, my
fellow-citizen and kinsman, as far as the flight of Chos-
roes the younger to the Romans, and his restoration
to his kingdom : on v>hich occasion Maurice was by no
means tardy in his operations, but royally entertained
the fugitive, and with the utmost speed restored him
to his kingdom, at great cost and with numerous forces.
These writers, however, have not yet published their
history. With respect to tliese events, I also will
detail in the sequel such matters as are suitable, witli
the favour of the higher power.
THE EXD OF THE FIFTH BOOK.
284 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
THE SIXTH BOOK.
CHAPTER I.
NUPTIALS OF MAURICE AND AUGUSTA.
Maurice, on succeeding to the empire, in the
first place made the necessary arrangements for
his nuptials, and, in accordance with the imperial
ordinance, marries Augusta, named also Constan-
tina, with magnificent ceremony, and with public
banquetings and festivity in every part of the
city. In attendance on the nuptials were Religion
and Royalty, offering an escort most distinguished
and gifts most precious. For the one supplied a
father and mother, to hallow the rite with
honoured locks of grey and venerable wrinkles —
a circumstance strange in the story of sovereigns —
as also brethren noble and blooming, to give
dignity to the nuptial procession : the other, a gold em-
broidered robe, adorned with purple and Indian
gems, and crowns most costly, with abundance
of gold and the varied emblazonment of jewels ;
together witli the attendance of all who were
CHAP. I.] VIRTUES OF MAURICE. 285
distinguislied in courtly nmk or military service, light-
ing the nuptial flambeaux in splendid costumes and
investitures, and hynuiing the bridal cavalcade: so
that no human display was ever more majestic and
happy. Damophilus, Avhen writing on the subject of
Rome, says that Plutarch the Ch^eronean * has well
remarked, that in order to her greatness alone did
Virtue and Fortune unite in friendly truce : but, for
myself, I would say, that in respect of Maurice alone
did Piety and Good Fortune so conspire; by Piety
laying compulsion upon Fortune, and not permitting
her to shift at all. It Avas henceforward the settled
aim of the emperor to wear the purple and the diadem
not merely on his person but also on his soul : for he
alone of recent sovereigns was sovereign of himself;
and, with authority most truly centred in himself, he
banished from his own soul the mob-rule of the pas-
sions, and having established an aristocracy in his
OA\m reasonings, he shewed himself a living image of
virtue, training his subjects to imitation. Nor have T
said this by way of flattery : for how could such be my
motive, since he is not acquainted with what is being
written? That such was, however, the case with
Maurice, will he evidenced by the gifts bestowed upon
him by God, and the circumstances of various kinds
that must unquestionably be referred to divine favour.
* De Fortuna Romanorum, subinit.
286 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [dOOKVI.
V^
CHAPTER 11.
ALAMUNDARUS THE ARAB AND HIS SON NAAMANES.
[- ' Besides his other noble purposes, this was an
i^*^ especial object with the emperor, to avoid in every
3^1 case the shedding of the blood of persons guilty of
treason. Accordingly, he did not put to death Ala-
mundarus, chieftain of the Scenite Arabs, who had be-
trayed both the commonwealth and Maurice himself,
as I have already detailed ; but sentenced him to deport-
ation to an island with his wife and some of his children,
and appointed Sicily as the place of his banishment.
Naamanes his son, notwithstanding a unanimous sen-
tence of death, he detained as a prisoner at large, with-
out any further infliction ; although he had filled tlie
empire with endless mischiefs, and, by the hands of
his followers, had plundered either Phoenicia and Pales-
tine, and enslaved the inhabitants, at the time when
Alamundarus was captured. He pursued the same
course in innumerable other cases, wliicli shall be
severally noticed in tlieir places.
CHAP. 111.] SUCCESS OF riiiLjpricus. — a. d. 589. 287
ClIx\PTER III.
MILITARY OPEKATIONS OF JOHN AND PHILIPPICUS.
Maurice sent out as commander of the forces of the
East, first, John, a Scythian, who, after experiencing
some reverses, with some alternations of success,
achieved nothing worthy of mention; afterwards,
Phihppicus, who was allied to him by having married
one of his two sisters. Having crossed the border and
Ifiid waste all before him, he amassed great booty, and
killed many of the nobles of Xisibis and the other
cities situated within the Tiofris. He also orave battle
to the Persians, and, after a severe conflict, attended
with the loss of many distinguished men on the side of
the enemy, he made numerous prisoners, and dismissed
unharmed a battalion, ^vhich had retreated to an
eminence and was fairly in his power, under a pro-
mise that they would urge their sovereign to send
immediate proposals for peace. He also completed
other measures during- the continuance of his com-
mand, namely, in withdrawing his troops from super-
fluities and things tending to luxury, and in reducing
them to discipline and subordination : the representa-
tion of which transactions must be fixed by writers,
past or present, according as they may be or have been
288 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
circumstanced with respect to hearsay or opinion —
writers whose narrative, stumbling and limping through
ignoranccj or rendered affected by partiality, or blinded
by antipathy, misses the mark of truth.
CHAPTER lY.
MUTINY OF THE TROOPS AGAINST PRISCUS.
He is succeeded in the command by Priscus, a person
difficult of access, and not readily approached without
necessary occasion, who expected the successful
accomplishment of all his measures if he should main-
tain an almost entire seclusion ; from a notion, that,
through the awe thence resulting, the soldiery also
would be more obedient to orders. Accordingly, on his
arrival at the camp with stern and haughty look and
in imposing costume, he issued certain orders, relating
to the hardihood of the soldiery in the field, to strictness
in respect of their arras and to their allowances. Having
received previous intimation of the proceeding, they
then gave unrestrained vent to their rage ; and advanc-
ing in a body to the general's quarters, tliey pillage,
in barbarian fashion, all his magnificence and tlie
most valuable of his treasures, and would inevitably
have despatched Priscus himself, had he not mounted
one of the led horses, and escaped to Edessa : to
which place they laid siege, demanding his surrender.
CIIAr. v.] ELEVATION OF GERMAXUS. — A.D. 587. 289
CHAPTER V.
COMPULSORY ELEVATION OF GERMANUS.
On the refusal of their demands by the citizens, they
leave Priscus there, and seizing Germanus, who at tliat
time held the command in Phoenicia Libanensis, thoy
elect him their own general and emperor, while he re-
sisted and they were the more urgent; and a struggle
thus arose, on the part of the one to escape compulsion,
of the others to enforce their object. After they had
menaced him with death unless he would embrace the
offered charge, and he, on his part, eagerly embraced
the alternative, disclaiming all fear and consternation,
they proceeded to certain severities and methods of
cruelty, which they thought he would not be able to
bear ; for they did not suppose that he would manifest
greater endurance than the strength of nature and his
time of life would warrant. By putting him to the
trial at first cautiously and sparingly, they succeed in
forcing him to accede to their demands, and solemnly
to swear that he would be true to them. Thus they
compelled him to be their ruler under rule, their subject
sovereign, their master in thraldom. Then chasing
from them the officers of every grade, they elect others
in their place, openly reviling the imperial government.
They treated provincials on the whole less harshly
19
290 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
than the barbarians did, but in a manner very unlike
allies or servants of the commonwealth : for they levied
their provisions not according to stated measures or
weight, and were not contented with the quarters
assigned to them : but the will of each individual was a
rule, and his caprice an established measure.
CHAPTER VI.
MISSION OF PHILIPPICUS.
The emperor despatches Philippicus to settle this
ferment: they, however, not only denied him recep-
tion, but perilled the lives of all whom they supposed
to be connected with him.
CHAPTER VII.
ACCUSATIONS AGAINST GREGORY, PATRIARCH
OF ANTIOCH.
While matters were in this situation, Gregory,
bishop of Theopolis, returns from the imperial city,
after having been victorious in the struggle which I
now proceed to detail.
At the time when Asterius held the government of
the East, a quarrel had arisen between him and Gre-
gory : the higher ranks of the city sided entirely with
the former, and were supported by the populace, and
CHAP. VII.] CHARGES AGAINST GREGORY. 291
by those who were engaged in trades ; for each class
declared that they had been injured by Gregory;
until at hist license was given to the rabble to vent
their abuse against him. Thus both the other classes
accorded with the populace, and they clamoured forth
their insults against the prelate in the streets and the
theatre ; and even the actors indulged in them. As-
terius is removed from his government, and John is
invested with it, with orders from the emperor to
make inquiry into the stir; a man incompetent to the
management of the most trifling matters, much less a
business so important. Having, in consequence, filled
the city with confusion and uproar, and given public
license to any one that chose, to accuse the bishop, he
receives a formal charge against him from a certain
banker, to the effect that he had had criminal inter-
course with his own sister, married to another man.
He also receives accusations from other persons of the
same stamp against Gregory, as having repeatedly
disturbed the peace of the city. On the latter charge
he declared his readiness to make his defence : with
respect to the others, he appealed to the emperor and
a synod. Accordingly, he repaired to the imperial
city, to make answer to these charges, accompanied
by myself as his adviser, and is victorious after a pro-
longed struggle during an investigation of the matter
before the patriarchs from every quarter, who ap-
peared either in person or by deputy, as well as the
292 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
sacrecl senate, and many most religious metropolitans :
and the result was that the accuser, after having been
scourged and paraded round the city, was sent into
exile. Gregory thence returns to his see, at the time
when the troops were in a state of mutiny, and Phi-
lippicus was remaining in the neighbourhood of Bercea
and Chalcis.
CHAPTER VITI.
RECURRENCE OF EARTHQUAKES AT ANTIOOH.
At an interval of four months from the return of
Gregory, in the six hundred and thirty-seventh year
of the era of Theopolis, sixty-one years after the
former earthquake, a crash and concussion shook the
entire city, about the third hour of the night, on the
last day of the month Hyperbereta3us, at the time
when I ^vas celebrating my marriage with a young
maiden, and the whole city was making rejoicings and
holding a festival at the public cost, in honour of tlie
nuptial ceremony. This convulsion levelled by far
the greater part of the buildings, their very found-
ations being cast up by it, and all the portions of
the most holy church were thrown to the ground,
with tlie exception of the hemisphere, which, after its
injury by the earthquake in the time of Justin, had
been secured by Ephraemius with timbers from
CHAP. VIII.] EARTHQUAKE AT ANTIOCH. A.D. 589. 293
Daphne. By tlie subsequent shocks, it received an
inclination in a northerly direction ; so that the tim-
bers were thrown by it into a leaning position, and
fell, wlien the hemisphere had returned, by the force
of the shock, exactly into its original situation, as if it
liad been adjusted by a rule. Nearly the entire quarter
named Ostracine was ruined, and Psephium, of which
1 have made previous mention, as well as all the parts
called Brysia, and the buildings of the venerable
sanctuary of the Mother of God, with the sole excep-
tion of the central colonnade, which was singularly
preserved. All the towers of the plain were also
damaged, though the other buildings in that quarter
escaped, with the exception of the battlements, of
which some stones were thrown backwards, though
they did not fall. Other churches also suffered in-
jury, and one of the public baths, namely, that which
had separate divisions according to the seasons. An
incalculable number of persons were involved in the
destruction, and, according to an estimate which some
persons drew from the supply of bread, about sixty
thousand perished. The bishop experienced a most
unexpected preservation in the midst of the fall of the
entire habitation where he then was, and the destruc-
tion of every individual except those w^ho were near
his person. These took up the bishop in their arms,
and lowered him by a cord, after a second shock had
rent an opening, and thus they removed Iiim beyond
294 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [BOOK VI.
the reach of danger. Another preservation was also
granted to the city, our compassionate God having
mitigated the keenness of His threatened vengeance,
and corrected our sin with the branch of pity and
mercy : for no conflagration followed, though so many
fires were spread about the place, in hearths, public
and private lamps, kitchens, furnaces, baths, and in-
numerable other forms.* Very many persons of dis-
tinction, and among them Asterius himself, became
the victims of the calamity. The emperor endea-
voured to alleviate this visitation by grants of
money.
CHAPTER IX.
INROAD AND DESTRUCTION OF THE BARBARIANS.
In the army, matters continued in the same state;
and, in consequence, the barbarians made an inroad,
in the expectation that there would be no one to
check them in the exercise of barbarian practices.
Germanus, however, encounters them with his forces,
and inflicted a defeat so destructive, that not a man
was left to convey to the Persians tidings of the mis-
lortune.
CHAP. Xr.l INROAD OF THE AVARS. A.D. 590. 295
CHAPTER X.
CLEMENCY OF THE EMPEROR TOWARDS THE REBELS.
INVASION OF THE AVARS.
Accordingly, the emperor remunerates the troops
with largesses of money ; and, withdrawing Germanus
and others, brings them to trial. They were all con-
demned to death : but the emperor would not permit
any infliction whatever; on the contrary, he bestowed
rewards on them.
During the course of these transactions, the Avars
twice made an inroad as far as the Long Wall, and cap-
tured Anchialus, Singidunum, and many towns and
fortresses throughout the whole of Greece, enslaving
the inhabitants, and laying every thing waste with fire
and sword ; in consequence of the greater part of the
forces being engaged in the East. Accordingly, the
emperor sends Andrew, the first of the imperial
guards, on an attempt to induce the troops to receive
their former officers.
CHAPTER XL
MISSION OF THE PATRIARCH GREGORY TO THE TROOPS.
Since, however, the troops would not endure the
bare mention of the proposal, the business is trans-
296 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
ferred to Gregory, not only as being a person com-
petent to the execution of the most important mea-
sures, but because he had earned the highest regard
from the soldiery ; since some of them had received
presents from him in money, others in clothing, pro-
visions, and other things, when they were passing his
neighbourhood at the time of their enlistment. Ac-
cordingly, he assembles, by summons despatched to
every quarter, the principal persons of the army at
Litarba, a place distant from Theopolis about three
hundred stadia; and, though confined to his couch,
addressed them in person, in the following words.
CHAPTER XII.
OEATION OF GUEGORY TO THE TROOPS.
" I HAVE been expecting, Romans — Romans both
in name and deeds — that your visit to me would have
been made long ago, for the purpose of communicating
to me your present circumstances, and of receiving
that friendly counsel of which you have an assurance
in my kindliness towards you, so unequivocally evinced
by past occurrences, at the time when I relieved, by a
su})ply of necessaries, your tempest-struck and wave-
tost plight. Since, however, this course has not
hitherto been taken — it may be that Providence has
not permitted it, in order that the Persians, having
CHAP. XII.] ORATION OF GREGORY. — A.D. 590. 297
been utterly defeated by men without a leader, might
be thereby thorouglily taught the prowess of the
Eomans, and that your pure loyalty might be com-
pletely proved, in having been tested by the juncture
and testified by your deeds ; for you shewed that, not-
withstanding your quarrel with your officers, you do
not regard any thing as more important than the good
of the commonwealth — let us accordingly now deli-
berate what ought to be your conduct. Your sove-
reign invites you with a promise of an amnesty of
all past transactions, receiving the display of your
loyalty to the commonwealth and your prowess in
the field as emblems of supplication. While bestow-
ing upon you these most certain pledges of pardon
the emperor thus speaks : ' Since God has given victory
to their loyalty, and, on the abandonment of their
errors, a signal display has been granted to their
prowess as a clear intimation of forgiveness, how can
I do otherwise than follow the judgment of heaven?
A king's heart is in tlie hand of God, and He sways it
Avhithersoever He wdll.' Yield, therefore, to me at
once, Romans. Let us not wilfully forfeit the
present opportunity, nor allow it to elude our grasp :
for opportunity, when it has once slipped from us, is
most unwilling to be seized, and, as if it were indig-
nant at having been neglected, is ever after intolerant
of capture. Shew yourselves the heirs of the obe-
dience of your fathers, as ye are of their courage ; in
298 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
order that ye may appear altogether Romans, and no
taunt may touch you or point at you as degenerate.
Your fathers, under the command of consuls and em-
perors, by obedience and courage became masters of
the whole world. Manlius Torquatus, though he
cro^vned, yet also put to death his son, who had played
a valiant part but in disobedience of orders. For by
skill on the part of the leaders, combined with obe-
dience in those whom they lead, great successes are
ordinarily achieved ; but either, when bereaved of the
other, is lame and unsteady, and is utterly overthrown
by the separation of the excellent pair. Be not, there-
fore, tardy, but at once obey ray call, while the
priestly office mediates between the emperor and the
army; and shew that your proceedings were not the
establishment of a rival sovereign, but a transient dis-
play of just indignation against commanders who had
wronged you: for unless you immediately embrace
the offer, I shall at once consider myself as quit of the
service laid upon me in this matter by my duty to
the commonwealth and my regard for you. Consider
too yourselves, what has been the fate of pretenders
to the sovereignty. What too will be the termination
of your present position? To continue concentrated
is impossible : for whence will you derive your pro-
vision of ordinary fruits, or those supplies which the
sea furnishes to the land, except by war between
Christians, and the mutual infliction of the most dis-
CHAP. XIII.] SUBMISSION OF THE TROOPS. 299
<rraceful treatment? What too will be the final result?
You will live in dispersion, and haunted by Justice,
who will henceforward disdain to bestow forgiveness.
Let us therefore give pledges of amity, and consider
what course will be for the benefit of ourselves and
the state, at a time too when we shall have the days
of the saving Passion and of the most holy Resurrec-
tion conspiring with the deed."
CHAPTER XIII.
SUBMISSION OF THE TROOPS.
Having thus addressed them, accompanying his
speech with many tears, he wrought an instantaneous
change in the minds of all, as it had been by some
divine impulse. They immediately requested permission
to retire from the meeting, and to deliberate among
themselves respecting the course to be pursued. After
a short interval they returned, and placed themselves
at the disposal of the bishop. However, on his naming
Philippicus to them, in order that they might them-
selves request him for a commander, they declared
that the whole army had on this- point bound them-
selves with fearful oaths : but the bishop, undeterred
by this, without the least delay said, that he was a
bishop by divine permission, and had authority to
loose and bind both u[)on earth and in heaven, and at
300 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [BOOK VI.
the same time he quoted the sacred oracle. On their
}'ielding upon this point also, he propitiated the Deity
with supplication and prayers, at the same time ad-
ministering to them the communion of the immaculate
body ; for it happened to be the second day of the holy
passion week. After he had feasted them all, to the
number of two thousand, upon couches hastily con-
structed on the turf, he returned home the following
day. It was also agreed that the soldiers should
assemble wherever they might choose. Gregory in
consequence sends for Philippicus, who at that time
was at Tarsus in Gilicia, intending to proceed imme-
diately to the imperial city ; and he also reports these
proceedings to the government, communicating at the
same time the prayer of the soldiery respecting Phi-
lippicus. Accordingly, they meet Philippicus at The-
opolis, and employing those who had been admitted
to partake in the divine regeneration, to entreat for
them, they bend in supplication before him, and, on
receiving a solemn promise of amnesty, they return to
their duty with him. Such was the progress of these
events.
CHAPTER Xiy.
LOSS OF MARTYROPOLIS.
A CERTAIN Sittas, one of the petty officers stationed
at Martyropolis, considering himself aggrieved by the
CHAP. XIV.] SIEGE OF MARTYROPOLIS. A.D. 590. 301
cominanders in that [)lace, betrays the city, by watch-
ing the withdrawal of the troops which occupied it,
and introducing a Persian battalion under colour of
being Romans. He thus obtained possession of a place
which was most important to the Romans; and, re-
taining most of the younger females, expelled all the
other inhabitants, except a few domestic slaves.
Philippicus in consequence marched thither, and
beleaguered the city, without being provided with
tilings necessary for the siege. Nevertheless, he main-
tained his operations with such means as he possessed,
and, having run several mines, threw down one of the
towers. He was unable, however, to make himself
master of the place, because the Persians continued
their exertions through the night, and secured the
breach. When the Romans, repeatedly assaulting,
were as often repulsed, for the missiles were hurled
upon them from vantage ground mth unerring aim,
and since they were suffering greater loss than they
inflicted, they at last raised the siege, and encamped
at a short distance, with the sole object of preventing
the Persians from reinforcing the garrison. By the
order of Maurice, Gregory visits the camp, and in-
duces them to resume the siege. They were, how-
ever, unable to accomplish any thing, from their utter
want of engines for sieges. In consequence, the army
breaks up for winter quarters, and numerous garrisons
are left in the neighbouring forts, to prevent the
302 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
Persians from secretly introducing succours into the
place.
In the succeeding summer, on the re-assembling of
the army, and the advance of the Persians, a severely
contested battle is fought before Martyropolis. Though
the advantage was on the side of Philippicus, and
many Persians had fallen, with the loss of one dis-
tinguished chieftain, a considerable body of the enemy
made their way into the city : which was in fact their
main object. Thenceforward the Romans gave up
the siege in despair, as being unable to encounter this
force, and they erect a rival city at the distance of
seven stadia, in a stronger situation on the mountains,
in order to the carrying on of counter operations.
Such were the proceedings of the army during the
summer ; it broke up on the approach of winter.
CHAPTER XV.
CAPTURE OF OCBAS.
CoiMENTiOLUS, a Thraciau by birth, is sent out as a
successor in the command to Philippicus. He en-
gaged the Persians with great spirit, and would have
lost his life by being throAvn to the ground together
with his horse, had not one of the guards mounted
him upon a led horse, and conveyed him out of the
battle. Tn consequence, the enemy fly with precipi-
CHAP. XVr.] MURDER OF IIORMISDAS. A.l). 591. 303
tiition, Avitli the loss of all their commanders, and re-
tire to Nisibis; and, fearing to return to their king,
since he had threatened them with death unless they
should bring off their commanders in safety, they
there enter into the insurrection against Hormisdas,
now that Yaramus, the Persian general, had already
entertained that design with his party on his return
from his encounter mth the Turks. In the meantime,
Comentiolus, having commenced the siege of Martyro-
polis, leaves there the greater part of his army, and
himself makes an excursion with a chosen body of
troops to Ocbas, a very strong fortress, situated on a
precipice on the bank opposite to Martyropolis, and
commanding a view of the whole of that city. Having
employed every effort in the siege, and thrown down
some portion of the wall by catapults, he takes the
place by storming the breach. In consequence, the
Persians thenceforward despaired of keeping pos-
session of Martyropolis.
CHAPTER XYI.
MURDER OF HORMISDAS.
While such was the course of these events, the Per-
sians despatched Hormisdas, the most unjust of all
monarchs, in as far as he inflicted upon his subjects
not only pecuniary exactions, but also various modes
of death.
304 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
CHAPTER XVII.
FLIGHT OF CHOSROES THE YOUNGER.
They establish as his successor his son Chosroes,
against whom Yaramus advanced with his troops.
Chosroes encounters him with an inconsiderable force,
and takes to flight on seeing his own men deserting
him. He arrives at Circesium, having, according to
his own account, vowed to the God of the Christians,
that he would allow his horse to take its course wher-
ever it should be guided by Him. He was accom-
panied by his wives and two newly-born children, and
certain Persian nobles who voluntarily followed him.
Thence he sends an embassy to the emperor Maurice;
who, manifesting on this occasion too the soundest
judgment, and deriving from the very circumstances
an estimate of the instability and mutability of life,
and the sudden fluctuations of human affairs, admits
his suit, and treats him as a guest instead of an exile,
and as a son instead of a fugitive, welcoming him
with royal gifts, which were sent not only by the
emperor himself, l^ut, in similar style, by the empress
to the consorts of Chosroes, and also by their children
to the children.
CIIAr.XlX.] IIESTORATION OF CilOSROES.— A. D. 59 1. oU5
CHAPTER XVIII.
MISSION OF GRECJORY AND DOMITIAN TO JMEET CilOSROES.
The emperor also despatches the Avhole of his body
guards and the entire Roman army with their com-
mander, with orders to attend Chosroes wherever he
might choose to proceed : and by way of still greater
distinction, he also sends Domitian, bishop of Meli-
tene, his own kinsman, a man of sense and ability,
most capable both in word and deed, and most efficient
for the despatch of the highest transactions. He sends
Gregory too : who on all points filled Chosroes with
amazement, by his conversation, by his munificence,
and by his suggestion of seasonable measures.
CHAPTER XIX.
RESTORATION OF CUOSROES.
Chosroes, having proceeded as far as» Hierapolis,
the capital of Euphratensis, immediately returned :
and this was done with the consent of Maurice, who
favoured the interest of his suppliant more than his
own glory. He also presents Chosroes with a large
sum of money, a circumstance never before recorded ;
and having raised a body of Persians, and supplied
20
306 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
the cost from his o^vn means, he sends him across the
border with a combined force of Romans and Persians,
after MartyropoHs had been previously surrendered,
together mth the traitor Sittas ; whom the inhabitants
stoned and impaled. Daras was also recovered on its
evacuation by the Persian garrison, and Chosroes was
restored to his kingdom in consequence of the utter
overthrow of Varamus, in a single engagement with
the Roman troops only, and his inglorious and solitary
flight.
CHAPTER XX.
GOLANDUCH THE MARTYR.
At that time there was living in our country Go-
landuch, a female martyr, who maintained her testi-
mony through a course of severe sufferings when tor-
tured by the Persian Magi, and was a worker of
extraordinary miracles. Her life was written by
Stephen, the former bishop of Hierapolis.
CHAPTER XXL
OFFERINGS OF CHOSROES.
Chosroes, on his restoration to his kingdom, seiids
to Gregory a cross, embellished with much gold and
precious stones, in honour of the ■ victorious martyr
CHAP. XXI.] OFFERINGS OF CHOSROES. 307
Sergius ; which cross Theodora, the wife of Justinian,
had dedicated, and Ohosroes had carried off, with the
other treasures, as I have ah*eady related. He also
sends another golden cross, on which was engraven
the following inscription in Greek : —
" This cross I, Chosroes, king of kings, son of Hor-
niisdas, have sent. After I had been compelled to
take refuge in the Roman territory by the slanderous
practices and villany of the unhappy Varamus and
his cavalry, and when, because the unhappy Zades-
pram had come to Nisibis with an army, with a view
to seduce the cavalry in that quarter to revolt and
raise commotion, we also had sent a body of cavalry
with a commander to Charchas ; at that time, by the
fortune of the venerable and renowned saint, Sergius,
having heard that he granted the petitions addressed
to him, we vowed, in the first year of our reign, on
the seventh day of January, that if our cavalry should
slay or capture Zadespram, we would send to his
sanctuary a golden cross, embellished with jewels for
the sake of his venerable name : and on the seventh
day of February they brought to us the head of Zades-
pram. Having, accordingly, obtained our petition, in
order that each circumstance should be placed beyond
all doubt, we have sent, in honour of his venerable
name, this cross, which we have caused to be made,
and together with it that which was sent to his sanc-
tuary by Justinian, emperor of the Romans, and which
308 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
was conveyed hither by our father Chosroes, king of
kings, son of Cabades, at the time of the rupture
between the two states, and has been found among
our treasures."
Gregory, having received these crosses, with the
approval of the emperor Maurice, dedicated them with
much ceremony in the sanctuary of the martyr.
Shortly after, Chosroes sent other offerings for the
same temple, with a golden disc, bearing the following
inscription : —
" I, Chosroes, king of kings, son of Plormisdas,
have placed the inscription upon this disc, not as an
object for the gaze of mankind, nor that the greatness
of thy venerable name might be made known by words
of mine, but on account of the truth of the matters
therein recorded, and the many benefits and favours
which I have received at thy hands: for, that my
name should be inscribed on thy sacred vessels, is a
happiness to me. At the time wlien I was at Bera-
mais, I begged of thee, holy one, that thou wouldest
come to my aid, and that Sira might conceive : and
inasmuch as Sira was a Christian and I a heathen,
and our law forbids us to have a Christian wife, never-
theless, on account of my favourable feelings towards
thee, I disregarded the law as respects her, and among
my wives 1 have constantly esteemed, and do still
esteem her as peculiarly mine. Thus I resolved to
request of thy goodness, Saint, that she might con-
riTAr. XXI.] OFFERINGS OF CIIOSROES. r)09
ceive: and J made the request with a vov,^, that, if
Sira should conceive, I would send the cross she wears
to thy venerable sanctuary. On this account both T
and Sira purposed to retain this cross in memory of thy
name, Saint, and in place of it to send five thousand
staters, as its value, which does not really exceed four
thousand four hundred staters. From the time that
I conceived this request and these intentions, until I
reached Rhosochosron, not more than ten days elapsed,
when thou, Saint, not on account of my worthiness
but thy kindness, appearedst to me in a vision of the
night and didst thrice tell me that Sira should con-
ceive, while, in the same vision, thrice I replied, It is
well. From that day forward Sira has not expe-
rienced the custom of women, because thou art the
granter of requests ; though I, had I not believed thy
words, and that thou art holy and the granter of re-
quests, should have doubted that she would not thence-
forward experience the custom of women. From this
circumstance I was convinced of the power of the
vision and the truth of thy words, and accordingly
forthwith sent the same cross and its value to thy
venerable sanctuary, with directions that out of that
sum should be made a disc, and a cup for the purposes
of the divine mysteries, as also a cross to be fixed
upon the holy table, and a censer, all of gold : also a
Hunnish veil adorned with gold. Let the surplus of
tlie sum belong to thy sanctuary, in order that by
310 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOKY. [bOOK VI.
virtue of thy fortune, saint, thou mayest come
to the aid of me and Sira in all matters, and especially
with respect to this petition ; and that what has been
already procured for us by thy intercession, may be
consummated according to the compassion of thy
goodness, and the desire of me and Sira; so that both
of us, and all persons in the world, may trust in thy
power and continue to believe in thee."
Such is the language of the offerings sent by Chos-
roes : an instance altogether resembling the prophecy
of Balaam; since our compassionate God has wisely
disposed it, that the tongues of heathens should give
utterance to savins^ words.
CHAPTER XXII.
NAAMANES THE ARAB.
At the same time Naamanes, chieftain of the
Scenites, after having been a detestable and vile
heathen, to such an extent as to sacrifice with his own
hand human beings to his gods, approached the sacred
baptism. At which time he melted down a Venus of
solid gold, and divided it among the poor, and also
brought over all his followers to the service of God.
Gregory too, after the presentation of the crosses
of Chosroes, while making, with the approbation of
the government, a visitation of the solitudes on the
CHAP. XXIII.] SIMEON THE STYLITE. 311
borders, where the doctrines of Severus extensively
prevailed, brought into union with the Church of God
many garrisons, villages, monasteries, and entire
tribes.
CHAPTER XXIII.
SIMEON THE STYLITE THE YOUNGER.
At this time, when the sainted Simeon was afflicted
Avith a mortal disease, Gregory, on being informed
by me of the circumstance, hastens to salute him for
the last time, but was nevertheless disappointed.
This Simeon far surpassed all his contemporaries in
virtue, and endured the discipline of a life on the top
of a column from his earliest years, since he even cast
his teeth in that situation. The occasion on which
he was first elevated on the column, was the following.
While still very young, he was roving about, sporting
and bounding along the eminences of the mountain,
and meeting -with a panther, he throws his girdle
round its neck, and with this kind of halter led the
beast, beguiled of its ferocity, to his monastery. His
preceptor, who himself occupied a column, observing
the circumstance, enquired what he h.ad got; to which
he replied, that it was a cat. Conjecturing from this
occurrence how distinguished the child would be for
virtue, he took him up upon the column ; and on this
312 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
column, and on another, towering above the summit
of the mountain, he spent sixty-eight years; earning
thereby the highest gifts of grace, in respect of the
ejection of demons, the healing of every disease and
malady, and the foresiglit of future things as if they
were present.
He also foretold to Gregory that the latter would
not witness his death, but said that he was ignorant
of the events which should follow it.
On occasion also of my ponderings on the loss of
my children, when I was perplexed Avith the sug-
gestion, why such things did not befall heathens who
had numerous offspring; although I had not dis-
closed, my thoughts to any one, he wrote advising me
to abandon such ideas as being displeasing to God.
In the case of the wife of one of my amanuenses,
when the milk would not flow after child-birth, and
the child was in extreme danger, laying his hand
upon the right hand of her husband, he bid him place
it upon the breasts of his wife. When this Avas done,
immediately the milk started, as if from a fountain,
so as to saturate her dress.
A child having been forgotten at dead of night by
its fellow-travellers, a lion took it on its back, and
conveyed it to the monastery; Avhen, by orders of
Simeon, the servants went out and brought in the
child under the protection of the lion.
Many otlier actions he performed, surpassing every
CHAP. XXIV.] DEATH OF GREGOKY. A.D. 59-4. 313
thing that has been recorded ; which demand of an
liistorian elegance of language, leisure, and a separate
treatise, being renowned by the tongues of mankind;
for persons came to visit him from almost every part
of the earth, not only Romans but barbarians, and
obtained the object of their prayers. In his case, the
place of food and drink was supplied by the branches
of a shrub which grew upon the mountain.
CHAPTER XXIV.
DEATH OF THE PATUIARCII GREGORY.
Shortly after, Gregory also dies, after taking a
draught of medicine composed of what is called Her-
modactylus, administered by one of the physicians
during a lit of gout; a disease with which he was
much afflicted. At the time of his death, Gregory,
the successor of Pelagius, was bishop of Old Rome,
and John of Xew Rome ; Eulogius, one of those whom
I have already mentioned, of Alexandria; and Anas-
tasius was restored, after three and twenty years, to
the see of Theopolis. John was bishop of Jerusalem ;
since whose decease, which occurred shortly after, no
one has hitherto been entrusted A^dth that see.
Here let me close my history, in the twelfth year
of the reign of Maurice Tiberius, leaving the task of
selectinsr and recordino; succeedino- events to those
314 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. [bOOK VI.
who choose to undertake it. If any matter has been
overlooked by me or has been treated without suf-
ficient accuracy, let no one blame me, considering that
I have brought together scattered materials in order
to the benefit of mankind; for whose sake I have
submitted to so much toil.
I have also compiled another volume, containing
memorials, epistles, decrees, orations, and disputations,
and some other matters. The memorials were prin-
cipally composed in the name of Gregory, bishop of
Theopolis ; and by means of them I obtained two dig-
nities, Tiberius Constantine having conferred upon
me qu£estorian rank, and Maurice Tiberius that of
prefecture, in consideration of what I composed at the
time when he rid the empire of reproach in becoming
the father of Theodosius, an earnest of all prosperity
both to himself and the commonwealth.
THE END.
GENERAL INDEX.
PAGE
Abasgi converted . . . 213
Acacius, bishop of Meliteiie . 8
, patriarch of Constanti-
nople, 79 ; advises the Heno-
ticon . . . . .135
, bishop of Ariathia . 90
Adaarmanes, a Persian <^eneral,
258 ; destroys Apaniea . . 262
Addseus and ^Etherius executed 248
J^tius, death of . . .68
Alamundarus, the Arab, invades
the empire, 202 ; his treachery,
277 ; and punishment . . 286
Alexandria, commotions at, 63, 149
Amalasuntha, queen of the
Goths 211
Amida taken by the Persians . 171
Anastasius, a presbyter, and
partizan of Nestorius . . 5
, the emperor, acces-
sion of, 157 ; deposes certain
bishops, 159 ; deposes Mace-
donius and Flavian, 164; his
humanity, 169 ; his name
erased from the sacred dip-
tychs, 1 69 ; founds Daras, 1 72 ;
builds tlie Long Wall, 172 ;
abolishes the Chrysargyrum,
173 ; establishes the "Gold-
rate, 184; offers to resign his
crown, 187; his death . . 188
, patriarch of Anti-
och, character of, 242 ; de-
posed ..... 254
AnatoHus, patriarch of Constan-
tinople, dies . . . .79
, a person of mean ex-
tracton, convicted of sorcery,
272; conveyed to Constanti-
nople, 273 ; executed . . 274
Anthemius, emperor of the West, 84
Antioch, earthquakes at, 80, 27 1 ,
292 ; fire and earthquake, 192, 194
Arabs invade the empire, 171, 202
Armatus put to death by Zeno, 151
Athalaric, son of Theodoric .211
Avars advance to the Danube,
246 ; invade the empire . 295
Augustulus, emperor of the West 85
Avitus, emperor of the West . 69
Babylas, his relics removed . 32
Barsanuphius, an ascetic . . 230
Basiliscus assumes the purple,
121 ; restores Timothy .^lurus
to his see, 121 ; issues a cir-
cular letter, 122 ; a counter
circular, 129; his death . 131
Belisarius defeats the Persians,
202 ; takes Carthage, 208 ;
returns in triumph, 209 ; re-
covers Home, 211; a second
time, 212; captures Yitiges . 212
Cabaones, the Moor, defeats
Thrasamund .
Calandion, patriarch of Antioch
133; banished
Celestine, pope, writes to Nes
torius ....
Chalcedon, council of, 51, 86
definition of faith there framed
Chosroes I. invades the empire
215 ; takes Antioch, 216 ; be
sieges Edessa, 219; and Ser
giopolis, 222 ; takes Daras
263 ; makes a truce with the
Romans, 265 ; defeated, 268
his death
II., flies to the Ro
mans, 304 ; restored, 306 ; his
offerings . . . .
206
270
316
GENERAL INDEX.
Chrysargyrum abolished .
Constantinople, conflagration at,
81; violent rains, 83; sedi-
tion, 203 ; miracle, 235 ;
second council of .
Cyril, patriarch of Alexandria,
writes to Nestorius, 6, .
, prior of the Acoeraets
Dioscorus, patriarch of Alex-
andria, presides in the second
council of Ephesus, 19 ; de-
posed, 57, ... .
Domnus, patriarch of Antioch,
deposed, 20 ; visits Simeon
the Stylite ....
Drought, famine, and pestilence
in Asia ....
Earthquakes, 83, 186, 192, 197,
271,
Edessa besieged by Chosroes .
Ephesus, first council of, 6 ;
second ....
Ephraemius, patriarch of An-
tioch . .
Epistle from the Asiatic bishops
to Acacius ....
Euphrasius, patriarch of Antioch
Eusebius, bishop of Dorylseum,
charges Eutyches with heresy,
18 ; deposed, 20; petitions the
emperor, 52,
Eutyches, his deposition revoked
Felix, pope, issues a sentence of
deposition against Acacius,
144 ; writes to Zeno
Flavian, patriarch of Constanti-
nople, 18; deposed
Gelimer, king of the Vandals,
taken prisoner
Gennadeus, patriarch of Con-
stantinople ....
Genseric takes Rome
Germanus elected emperor by
the mutinous troops, 289 ; de-
feats the barbarians, 294 ; par-
doned by Maurice
Glycerius, emperor of the West
Golanduch, a female martvr
page] page
175 Gregory, patriarch of Antioch,
his character, 254 ; in danger
from the populace, 273; ac-
cused of incest, and acquit-
. 237 ted, 291 ; his mission to the
mutinous troops, 295; his ora-
103 tion, 296 ; sent to meet Chos-
145 roes II., 305 ; his death
102
313
Henoticon of Zeno . . .135
Keruli converted . . . 212
Hormisdas, son of Chosroes I.,
hisaccession, 270; assassinated 303
Huneric persecutes the orthodox 203
24 Ignatius, his relics removed . 32
lllus and Leontius, their insur-
67 rection crushed . . .155
Isidore of Pelusium . . 30
John, patriarch of Antioch, de-
poses Cyril and Memnon . 9
, patriarch of Constantinople 241
.Justin I , his accession . . 189
II., his accession, 245 ;
edict, 249 ; insanity, 263; «on-
fers on Tiberius the dignity of
Caesar
, kinsman of Justin II.,
265
247
murdered
Justinian, the emperor, his ac-
cession, 198 ; upholds the coun -
oil of Chalcedon, 199; deposes
Anthimus and Theodosius,
200 ; sends Belisarius against
the Vandals, 207 ; restores to
Jerusalem the spoils taken by
Titus, 209 ; his avarice, 226";
favours the blue faction, 229 ;
his heterodoxy, 241 ; death . 244
■ , the general, defeats
Chosroes, 268; invades Persia 270
Kurs, a Scythian chieftain, routs
the Persians . . . 268
Leo, tlie emperor, issues a cir-
cular letter, 75 ; his death . 85
Longinus overthrown . .170
295 l,ong- Wall built . . .172
85
306'Majorian, emperor of the West . 69
GENERAL INDEX.
317
Maimnianus beautifies Antioch
Marcian, the emperor, present
at the council of Chalcedon,
(54, 116; his death .
, the general, besieges Ni-
sibis, 258 ; superseded ,
IMartyropolis betrayed to the
Persians ....
Maurice, the emperor, his cha-
racter, 275; defeats the Per-
sians, 277 ; his succession to
the empire fore-shown, 278 ;
his accession, 279 ; marries
Constantina, 284 ; his virtues,
285 ; clemency to the muti-
neers, 295 ; protects Chos-
roes II. ....
Maximianus, patriarch of Con-
stantinople ....
Maximus, emperor of the West
Memnon, bishop of l.phesus, 7,
Moors, their origin .
Naamanes, the Arab, converted
Narses, his piety, 214 ; defeats
Totila and Tela
Nepos, emperor of the West
IN'cstorius deposed by the coun-
cil of Ephesus, 8 ; retires to the
monastery of Euprepius, 13;
captured by the Llemmyes,
14 ; his death
Odoacer, king of Rome, 85 ;
overthrown ....
Olybrius, emperor of the West .
Origen, his opinions condemned
by the fifth general council .
Paul, bishop of Emesa
Pestilence of fifty years' duration
Peter the Fuller, patriarch of
Antioch, 141 ,• writes to Aca-
cius .....
JNIongus, patriarch of Alex-
andria .....
Philippicus defeats the Persians,
287 ; sent to quell a mutiny,
290; defeats the Persians
Priscus, mutiny of his troops
Prochis, patriarch of Constan-
tinople .....
•AUE
156
69
260
300
304
310
Proterius, patriarch of Alex-
andria, murdered .
Rhodes visited by an earthquake
Uicimer murders Majorian
Rome taken by Genseric .
St. Euphemia, church of, 49; mi-
racles .....
St. Sophia, church of
Sergiopolis, miraculous deliver-
ance of.
Severus, emp.Tor of the West .
, patriarch of Antioch,
165 ; abandons his see .
Silverius, pope
Simeon the Stylite, 24 ; his re-
mains conveyed to Antioch,
27 ; miracles, 29 ; addresses
letters to the emperor Leo, and
Basil, patriarch of Antioch
the younger
-, a monk of Emesa ,
134
18
Simplicius, pope
Stephen, patriarch of Antioch .
Synesius of Cyrene .
Theodoret, bishop of Cyrus, de-
posed, 20 ; re-instated, 62,
Thcodoric, the Scythian, his in-
surrection and death
the Goth, takes Rome
•AGE
71
180
69
68
51
227
69
192
211
78
311
231
140
133
30
and makes himself king .
Theodosius, the younger, sum-
mons the council of Ephesus,
6; condemns Nestorius, 24 ;
rebuked by Simeon
Tbeodotus, bishop of Ancyra .
Thomas, bishop of Apamea,
courts Chosroes, 216; dis-
plays the wood of the cross .
Timothy ^lurus, patriarch of
Alexandria, 70 ; banished, 79 ;
restored, 121; enthrones Paul
at Ephesus ....
Totila seizes Rome, 212 ; over-
thrown by Narses .
Valentinian IIL, his death
Varamus dethrones Hormisdas,
303 ; defeats Chosroes IL,
304; defeated . . .306
117
152
155
26
8
217
128
214
68
318
GENERAL INDEX.
PAGE
Vardanes heads the^ Armenian
revolt . . . . .257
Verina favours Leo . . .85
Vitalian revolts, 185 ; defeated
by sea, 186; assassinated . 191
Xenaias, his violence
. 160
Zeno, the emperor, marries Ari-
adne, 84 ; murders Aspar, 84 ;
assumes the purple, 85 ; his
character, 119; flies from
Basiliscus, 121 ; restored, 131
issues the Henoticon, 135
Avrites to pope Felix, 146
puts to death Armatus, 151
his death
156
Zosimas, the monk, his miracles 194
Zosimus, the historian, refuta-
tion of 177
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