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| Exaction of Tribute in Antioch, and Demolition of the Statues of the Emperor. Embassy headed by Flavian the Chief Priest.
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Chapter
XXIII.—Exaction of Tribute in Antioch, and Demolition
of the Statues of the Emperor. Embassy headed by Flavian the Chief
Priest.
In this time, on account of the
necessities of war, it seemed best to the officials whose concern it
was, to impose more than the customary taxes; for this reason the
populace of Antioch in Syria revolted;1564
| 1564Soz. is again independent. Cf. Theodoret, H.
E. v. 20; Chrysost. Homiliæ, xxi., de Statuis ad
populum Antiochenum habitæ.
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the statues of the emperor and empress were thrown down and dragged by
ropes through the city, and, as is usual on such occasions, the enraged
multitude uttered every insulting epithet that passion could suggest.
The emperor determined to avenge this insult by the death of many of
the citizens of Antioch; the people were struck dumb at the mere
announcement; the rage of the citizens had subsided, and had given
place to repentance; and, as if already subjected to the threatened
punishment, they abandoned themselves to groans and tears, and
supplicated God to turn away the anger of the emperor, and made use of
some threnodic hymns for their litanies. They deputed Flavian, their bishop, to go on an embassy to
Theodosius; but on his arrival, finding that the resentment of the
emperor at what had occurred was unabated, he had recourse to the
following artifice. He caused some young men accustomed to sing at the
table of the emperor to utter these hymns with the litanies of the
Antiochans. It is said that the humanity of the emperor was excited; he
was overcome by pity at once; his wrath was subdued, and as his heart
yearned over the city, he shed tears on the cup which he held in his
hand. It is reported that, on the night before the sedition occurred, a
spectre was seen in the form of a woman of prodigious height and
terrible aspect, pacing through the streets of the city, lashing the
air with an ill-sounding whip, similar to that which is used in goading
on the beasts brought forward at the public theatres. It might have
been inferred that the sedition was excited by the agency of some evil
and malicious demon. There is no doubt but that much bloodshed would
have ensued, had not the wrath of the emperor been stayed by his
respect for this sacerdotal entreaty.
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