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| Arrival of Constantius at Rome. A Council held in Italy. Account of what happened to Athanasius the Great through the Machinations of the Arians.
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Chapter VIII.—Arrival
of Constantius at Rome. A Council held in Italy. Account of what
happened to Athanasius the Great through the Machinations of the
Arians.
On the death of the
tyrants,1299
Constantius anticipated the restoration of peace and cessation of
tumults, and quitted Sirmium in order to return to ancient Rome, and to
enjoy the honor of a triumph after his victory over the tyrants. He
likewise intended to bring the Eastern and the Western bishops, if
possible, to one mind concerning doctrine, by convening a council in
Italy. Julius died about this period, after having governed the church
of Rome during twenty-five years;1300
| 1300Sozomen is mistaken in saying twenty-five years; he
was bishop from a.d. 337–352, fifteen
years; this error is due to his earlier confusion of Julius and
Silvester.
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and Liberius succeeded him. Those who were opposed to the doctrines of
the Nicæan council thought this a favorable opportunity to
calumniate the bishops whom they had deposed, and to procure their
ejection from the church as abettors of false doctrine, and as
disturbers of the public peace; and to accuse them of having sought,
during the life of Constans, to excite a misunderstanding between the
emperors; and it was true, as we related above,1301
that Constans menaced his brother with war unless he would consent to
receive the orthodox bishops. Their efforts were principally directed
against Athanasius, towards whom they entertained so great an aversion
that, even when he was protected by Constans, and enjoyed the
friendship of Constantius, they could not conceal their enmity.
Narcissus, bishop of Cilicia, Theodore, bishop of Thrace, Eugenius,
bishop of Nicæa, Patrophilus, bishop of Scythopolis, Menophantes,
bishop of Ephesus, and other bishops, to the number of thirty,
assembled themselves in Antioch,1302
| 1302Sozomen is the only historian who makes mention of
this Synod at Antioch in Syria; probably from Sabinus.
|
and wrote a letter to all the bishops of every region, in which they
stated that Athanasius had returned to his bishopric in violation of
the rules of the Church, that he had not justified himself in any
council, and that he was only supported by some of his own faction; and
they exhorted them not to hold communion with him, nor to write to him,
but to enter into communion with George, who had been ordained to
succeed him. Athanasius only contemned these proceedings; but he was
about to undergo greater trials than any he had yet experienced.
Immediately on the death of Magnentius, and as soon as Constantius
found himself sole master of the Roman Empire, he directed all his
efforts to induce the bishops of the West to admit that the Son is of
like substance with the Father. In carrying out this scheme, however,
he did not, in the first place, resort to compulsion, but endeavored by
persuasion to obtain the concurrence of the other bishops in the
decrees of the Eastern bishops against Athanasius; for he thought that
if he could bring them to be of one
mind on this point, it would be easy for him to regulate aright the
affairs connected with religion.
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