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| Council of Milan. Flight of Athanasius.
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Chapter IX.—Council of
Milan. Flight of Athanasius.
The emperor1303
| 1303Ruf. H. E. i. 19, 20; Athan. Hist.
Arian. 31–46, and probably the lost letter of consecration
addressed to the nuns; Theodoret, H. E. ii. 14, 15; Soc. ii. 36;
Sulp. Sev. H. S. ii. 39.
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was extremely urgent to convene a council in Milan, yet few of the
Eastern bishops repaired thither; some, it appears, excused themselves
from attendance under the plea of illness; others, on account of the
length and difficulties of the journey. There were, however, upwards of
three hundred of the Western bishops at the council. The Eastern
bishops insisted that Athanasius should be condemned to banishment, and
expelled from Alexandria; and the others, either from fear, fraud, or
ignorance, assented to the measure. Dionysius, bishop of Alba, the
metropolis of Italy, Eusebius, bishop of Vercella in Liguria, Paulinus,
bishop of Treves, Rhodanus,1304
| 1304Or, as Rufinus and Sulpicius Severus call him,
Rhodanius. Socrates omits Rhodanius and Lucifer, and does not mention
Hilary. Sozomen evidently used Rufinus. Rhodanius was bishop of
Toulouse. Sulp. Sev. H. S. ii. 39.
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and Lucifer, were the only bishops who protested against this decision;
and they declared that Athanasius ought not to be condemned on such
slight pretexts; and that the evil would not cease with his
condemnation; but that those who supported the orthodox doctrines
concerning the Godhead would be forthwith subjected to a plot. They
represented that the whole measure was a scheme concerted by the
emperor and the Arians with the view of suppressing the Nicene faith.
Their boldness was punished by an edict of immediate banishment, and
Hilary was exiled with them. The result too plainly showed for what
purpose the council of Milan had been convened. For the councils which
were held shortly after at Ariminum and Seleucia were evidently
designed to change the doctrines established by the Nicæan
council, as I shall directly show.
Athanasius, being apprised that plots had been formed
against him at court, deemed it prudent not to repair to the emperor
himself, as he knew that his life would be thereby endangered, nor did
he think that it would be of any avail. He, however, selected five of
the Egyptian bishops, among whom was Serapion, bishop of Thumis, a
prelate distinguished by the wonderful sanctity of his life and the
power of his eloquence, and sent them with three presbyters of the
Church to the emperor, who was then in the West. They were directed to
attempt, if possible, to conciliate the emperor; to reply, if
requisite, to the calumnies of the hostile party; and to take such
measures as they deemed most advisable for the welfare of the Church
and himself. Shortly after they had embarked on their voyage,
Athanasius received some letters from the emperor, summoning him to the
palace. Athanasius and all the people of the Church were greatly
troubled at this command; for they considered that no safety could be
enjoyed when acting either in obedience or in disobedience to an
emperor of heterodox sentiments. It was, however, determined that he
should remain at Alexandria, and the bearer of the letters quitted the
city without having effected anything. The following summer, another
messenger from the emperor arrived with the governors of the provinces,
and he was charged to urge the departure of Athanasius from the city,
and to act with hostility against the clergy. When he perceived,
however, that the people of the Church were full of courage, and ready
to take up arms, he also departed from the city without accomplishing
his mission. Not long after, troops, called the Roman legions, which
were quartered in Egypt and Libya, marched into Alexandria. As it was
reported that Athanasius was concealed in the church known by the name
“Theonas,” the commander of the troops, and Hilary,1305
| 1305The general was Syrianus; Hilary was notary to the
Emperor Constantius, and was sent by him to expel Athanasius from
Alexandria. On the whole passage, see Athan. Apol. ad Const.
imp. 19–25; Apol. de fuga sua, 24.
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whom the emperor had again intrusted with the transaction of this
affair, caused the doors of the church to be burst open, and thus
effected their entrance; but they did not find Athanasius within the
walls, although they sought for him everywhere. It is said that he
escaped this and many other perils by the Divine interposition; and
that God had disclosed this previously; directly as he went out, the
soldiers took the doors of the church, and were within a little of
seizing him.
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