XXV.

CHAP. the season of persecution. The episcopal leaders of the contending sects, convinced, from experience, how much their fate would depend on the earliest impressions that were made on the mind of an untutored soldier, hastened to the court of Edessa, or Antioch. The highways of the East were crowded with Homoousian, and Arian, and SemiArian, and Eunomian bishops, who struggled to outstrip each other in the holy race; the apart ments of the palace resounded with their clamours; and the ears of the prince were assaulted, and perhaps astonished, by the singular mixture of metaphysical argument and passionate invective*. The moderation of Jovian, who recommended concord and charity, and referred the disputants to the sentence of a future council, was interpreted as a symptom of indifference; but his attachment to the Nicene creed was at length discovered and declared, by the reverence which he expressed for the celestial virtues of the great Athanasius. The intrepid veteran of the faith, at the age of se venty, had issued from his retreat on the first intelligence of the tyrant's death. The acclamations. of the people seated him once more on the archiepiscopal

Compare Socrates, 1. iii. c. 25. and Philostorgius, 1. viii. e. 6. with Godefroy's Dissertations, p. 330.

1

The word celestial faintly expresses the impious and extravagant flattery of the emperor to the archbishop, tas tges τον Θεον τον ολων ομοιώσεως. See the original epistle in Atha nasius, tom. ii. p. 33. Gregory Nazianzen (Orat. xxi. p. 392.) celebrates the friendship of Jovian and Athanasius. The primate's journey was advised by the Egyptian monks. Tillemont, Mém. Eccles. tom. viii. p. 221.

episcopal throne; and he wisely accepted, or an- CHAP. ticipated, the invitation of Jovian. The vene

rable figure of Athanasius, his calm courage, and insinuating eloquence, sustained the reputation which he had already acquired in the courts of four successive princes. As soon as he had gained the confidence, and secured the faith, of the Christian emperor, he returned in triumph to his diocese, and continued, with mature counsels, and undiminished vigour, to direct, ten years longer t, the ecclesiastical government of Alexandria, Egypt, and the Catholic church. Before his departure from Antioch, he assured Jovian that his orthodox devotion would be rewarded with a long and peaceful reign. Athanasius had reason to hope, that he should be allowed either the merit of a successful prediction, or the excuse of a grateful, though ineffectual, prayer.

Athanasius, at the court of Antioch, is agreeably represented by La Bleterie (Hist. de Jovien, tom. i. p. 121-148.): he translates the singular and original conferences of the empe ror, the primate of Egypt, and the Arian deputies. The Abbé is not satisfied with the coarse pleasantry of Jovian; but his partiality for Athanasius assumes, in his eyes, the character of justice.

+ The true era of his death is perplexed with some difficulties. Tillemont, Mém. Eccles. tom. viii. P. 719-723. But the date (A. D. 373, May 2.), which seems the most consistent with history and reason, is ratified by his authentic life. Massei Osservazioni Letteraire, tom. iii. p. 81.

See the observations of Valesius and Jortin (Remarks on Ecclesiastical History, vol. iv. p. 38.), on the original letter of Athanasius; which is preserved by Theodoret (1. iv. c. 3.). In some MSS. this indiscreet promise is omitted; perhaps by the Catholics, jealous of the prophetic fame of their leader.

XXV.

CHAP.

XXV.

claims uni

versal toleration.

The slightest force, when it is applied to assist and guide the natural descent of its object, ope Jovian pro- rates with irresistible weight; and Jovian had the good fortune to embrace the religious opinions which were supported by the spirit of the times, and the zeal and numbers of the most powerful sect *. Under his reign, Christianity obtained an easy and lasting victory; and as soon as the smile of royal patronage was withdrawn, the genius of paganism, which had been fondly raised and cherished by the arts of Julian, sunk irrecoverably in the dust. In many cities, the temples were shut or deserted: the philosophers, who had abused their transient favour, thought it prudent to shave their beards, and disguise their profession; and the Christians rejoiced, that they were now in a condition to forgive, or to revenge, the injuries which they had suffered under the preceding reign t. The consternation of the Pagan world was dispelled by a wise and gracious edict of toleration; in which Jovian explicitly declared, that although he should severely punish the sacrilegious rites of magic, his subjects might exercise, with freedom and safety, the ceremonies of the ancient worship. The memory of this law has been preserved by the orator Themistius, who was deputed by the senate of Constantinople

1

to

*Athanasius (apud Theodoret, 1. iv. c. 3.) magnifies the number of the orthodox, who composed the whole world, aδεξ ολίγων των τα Αρεις Φρονάντων. This assertion was verified in the space of thirty or forty years.

+ Socrates, 1. iii. c. 24. Gregory Nazianzen (Orat. iv. p. 131.), and Libanius (Orat. Parentalis, c. 148. p. 369.), express the living sentiments of their respective factions.

.XXV.

to express their loyal devotion for the new empe- CHAP. rot. Themistius expatiates on the clemency of the Divine Nature, the facility of human error, the rights of conscience, and the independence of the mind; and, with some eloquence, inculcates the principles of philosophical toleration; whose aid Superstition herself, in the hour of her distress, is not ashamed to implore. He justly observes, that, in the recent changes, both religions had been alternately disgraced by the seeming acquisition of worthless proselytes, of those votaries of the reigning purple, who could pass, without a reason, and without a blush, from the church to the temple, and from the altars of Jupiter to the sacred table of the Christians *.

In the space of seven months, the Roman troops, who were now returned to Antioch, had performed a march of fifteen hundred miles; in which they had endured all the hardships of war, of famine, and of climate. Notwithstanding their services, their fatigues, and the approach of winter, the timid and impatient Jovian allowed only, to the men and horses, a respite of six weeks. The emperor could not sustain the indiscreet and malicious raillery of the people of Q 4 Antioch.

1

*Themistius, Orat. v. p. 63-71. edit. Harduin, Paris, 1684. The Abbé de la Bleterie judiciously remarks (Hist. de Jovien, tom. i. p. 199.), that Sozomen has forgot the general toleration; and Themistius, the establishment of the Catholic religion. Each of them turned away from the object which he disliked; and wished to suppress the part of the edict the least honourable, in his opinion, to the emperor Jovian.

His

progress from Antioch,

fo

A. D. 365.

October.

XXV.

CHAP Antioch *. He was impatient to possess the palace of Constantinople; and to prevent the ambition of some competitor, who might occupy the vacant allegiance of Europe. But he soon received the grateful intelligence, that his authority was acknowledged from the Thracian Bosphorus to the Atlantic ocean. By the first letters which he dispatched from the camp of Mesopotamia, he had delegated the military command of Gaul and Illyricum to Malarich, a brave and faithful officer of the nation of the Franks ; and to his father-in-law, count Lucillian, who had formerly distinguished his courage and conduct in the defence of Nisibis. Malarich had declined an office to which he thought himself unequal; and Lucillian was massacred at Rheims, in an accidental mutiny of the Batavian cohorts t. But the moderation of Jovinus, master-general of the cavalry, who forgave the intention of his disgrace, soon appeased the tumult, and confirmed the uncertain minds of the soldiers. The oath of fidelity was administered, and taken with loyal acclamations; and the deputies of the Western armies saluted their new sovereign as he descended from Mount Taurus

to

Οι δε Αντιοχείς εκ ήδέως διέκειντο προς αυτον αλλ' επεσκοπτον αυτον ωδαις καὶ παρωδιανό, καὶ τοις καλέμενοις φαμώσσοις (famosis libellis). Johan. Antiochen. in Excerpt. Valesian. p. 845. The libels of Antioch may be admitted on very slight evidence.

+ Compare Ammianus (xxv. 10.), who omits the name of the Batavians, with Zosimus (1. iii. p. 197.), who removes the scene of action from Rheims to Sirmium.

Quos capita scholarum ordo castrensis appellat. Ammian. xxv. 10. and Vales, ad locum.