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| The Terrible Events which resulted from the Treatment of John. Death of the Empress Eudoxia. Death of Arsacius. And further concerning Atticus, the Patriarch, his Birthplace, and Character.
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Chapter XXVII.—The
Terrible Events which resulted from the Treatment of John. Death of the
Empress Eudoxia. Death of Arsacius. And further concerning Atticus, the
Patriarch, his Birthplace, and Character.
Such were the letters of
Innocent from which the opinion which he entertained of John may
readily be inferred. About the same period some hailstones of
extraordinary magnitude fell at Constantinople and in the suburbs of
the city.1619
| 1619Soc. vi. 19, 20, vii. 2; Pallad. Dialog.
ibid. Soz. has new facts, and a sobered judgment of Atticus.
|
Four days afterwards, the wife of the emperor died. These occurrences
were by many regarded as indications of Divine wrath on account of the
persecution that had been carried on against John. For Cyrinus, bishop
of Chalcedon, one of his principal calumniators, had long previously
terminated his life in the midst of great bodily agony, arising from
the accident that had occurred to his foot, and the consequent
necessary amputation of the leg by the physicians. Arsacius, too, died
after he had presided but a very short period over the church of
Constantinople. Many candidates were proposed as his successor; and
four months after his decease, Atticus, a presbyter, of the clergy of
Constantinople, and one of the enemies of John, was ordained. He was a
native of Sebaste in Armenia. He had been instructed from his youth in
the principles of monastic philosophy by monks of the Macedonian
heresy. These monks, who then enjoyed a very high reputation at Sebaste
for philosophy, were of the discipline of Eustathius, to whom allusion
has been already made as bishop there, and a leader of the best monks.
When Atticus attained the age of manhood, he embraced the tenets of the
Catholic Church. He possessed more by nature than by learning, and
became a participant in affairs, and was as skillful in carrying on
intrigues as in evading the machinations of others. He was of a very
engaging disposition, and was beloved by many. The discourses which he
delivered in the church did not rise above mediocrity; and although not
totally devoid of erudition, they were not accounted by his auditors of
sufficient value to be preserved in writing. Being intent, if an
opportunity offered itself anywhere, he exercised himself in the most
approved Greek authors; but lest, in conversation about these writers,
he might appear unlettered, he frequently concealed what he did know.
It is said that he manifested much zeal in behalf of those who
entertained the same sentiments as himself, and that he rendered
himself formidable to the heterodox. When he wished he could easily
throw them into alarm; but he at once transformed himself and would
appear meek. Such is the information which those who knew the man have
furnished.
John acquired great celebrity even in his exile. He
possessed ample pecuniary resources, and being besides liberally
supplied with money by Olympias, the deaconess, and others, he
purchased the liberty of many captives from the Isaurian robbers, and
restored them to their families. He also administered to the
necessities of many who were in want; and by his kind words comforted
those who did not stand in need of money. Hence he was exceedingly
beloved not only in Armenia, where he dwelt, but by all the people of
the neighboring countries, and the inhabitants of Antioch and of the
other parts of Syria, and of Cilicia, who frequently sought his
society. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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