§2. Oratorical
Writings.
According to Eusebius (V.
C. 4. 29; cf. 4. 55) these were very numerous, and it may well be
believed. He seems to have done much of everything he undertook at
all—fighting, or learning, or building temples, or making laws,
he was nothing if not incessant. He had a habit of inflicting his
orations on his court, and undoubtedly had plenty of enthusiastic
hearers, as any emperor would, and as Eusebius says he did. They seem
to have been generally philosophical with as much religion as possible
worked in (V. C. 4. 9). Not many are extant, but we have some
account of the few following:
1. Oration to the saints
(Oratio ad sanctum cœtum, S. C.). For this see the following
translation and Special Prolegomena.
2. Address to the Council of
Nicæa in praise of peace (Ad Syn. Nic.), in Euseb. V.
C. 3. 12. Address of welcome. He rejoices in the assembly, and
exhorts them to be united, that they may thereby please God and do a
favor to their emperor.
3. Oration to the Council of
Nicæa, in Gelasius, Hist. Coun. Nic. 1. 7. Begins with
rhetorical comparison of the Church to a temple, and ends with
injunctions to observe peace and to search the Scriptures as the
authority in all points of doctrine. Appears dubiously
authentic.
4. Address to the bishops on
their departure from Nicæa. Abstract in Euseb. V. C.
32. 1. Exhorts them to keep peace, cautions against jealousy,
&c.
5. Funeral oration. A
description in Euseb. V. C. 4. 55. Dwells on the immortality of
the soul, the blessings laid up for those who love God, and the ruin of
the ungodly.
His method of composition is
spoken of by Eusebius (V. C. 4. 29), and his manner of delivery
may be gathered from Eusebius’ description of his speech at the
opening of the Council of Nicæa (V. C. 3. 11). For the
style of his oratorical discourses, compare remarks on the Oration to
the Saints in the Special Prolegomena.
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