Church History 1 part 21/28

And yet, if such matters are to be reckoned according to what has once for all been decreed in the motion of the stars, it was necessary to wait for whoever the destined man should prove to be.

But if it is the work of God's counsel, why was it necessary to meddle? For surely it is not possible, by human foreknowledge or diligence, to know what seems good to God; nor, even if it were possible, would it have been right for men — however wiser than all others — to suppose that they could counsel better than God.

But if, out of mere eagerness to know the future, they were so lacking in judgment as to leap into ready danger and to disregard laws long since established among the Romans — even at a time when to practice Hellenic rites and to sacrifice was without danger — then they did not think the same thoughts as Socrates.

who, though it was in his power to save himself — and that too when he was about to drink the hemlock unjustly — out of reverence for the laws under which he was born and reared, did not flee the prison, although he was able to do so.

But let each man consider and speak of these matters as seems best to him.

When the Sarmatians overran certain districts of the western empire, Valentinian marched against them.

But they, hearing of the size and preparation of his army, sent envoys and sued for peace.

But when he saw these envoys, he inquired whether all the Sarmatians were of this sort.

"These men," it was said, "are not content to remain living within their own borders, but have taken courage to set foot upon the territory under his rule, and imagine that they can wage war against the Romans altogether."

But as he raged for a long time and cried out such things, his inward parts were torn asunder by the excessive strain, and a vein together with an artery burst; and after the blood had gushed forth, he ended his life in a certain fortress of Gaul, having lived about fifty-four years, and having passed thirteen years in his reign in most excellent and truly illustrious fashion.

On the sixth day after his death, his younger son, who bore the same name as he, was proclaimed emperor by the soldiers.

Not long after, both Valens and his brother Gratian ratified his election, although at first they had been displeased that the soldiers, before obtaining their consent, had invested him with the insignia of authority.

Meanwhile Valens, residing in Antioch of Syria, gave himself over even more to hostility against those who held different opinions from him concerning the divine, and grievously oppressed and hounded them, until Themistius the philosopher, addressing a speech to him, admonished him that he ought not to marvel at the disagreement among ecclesiastical doctrines, since it was more moderate and less extensive than that found among the Greeks.

For, he said, the opinions held among the Greeks were many times more numerous, and as necessarily happens amid a multitude of doctrines, the disagreement concerning them produces still more numerous disputes and debates.

since perhaps it is even pleasing to God not to be easily known and to be conceived of in various ways, so that each person, the exact knowledge of him being incomprehensible, might all the more stand in awe, reckoning in his mind, so far as he supposes he can attain, how great and of what nature God is.

As a result of such words from Themistius, the emperor, being somehow disposed to greater humanity, no longer inflicted punishments so harshly as before.

Nevertheless he did not entirely refrain from his wrath against the clergy, until the cares brought on by public affairs no longer left him leisure to pursue such matters.

For the Goths, who formerly dwelt beyond the river Ister and held sway over the other barbarians, being driven out by those called Huns, crossed over into the territories of the Romans.

This nation, as they say, was previously unknown both to the Thracians who dwelt along the Ister and to the Goths themselves; and though neighbors, they remained hidden from one another, because, a very great lake lying between them, each side supposed that their own inhabited land was the end of the dry earth, and that beyond it lay sea and boundless water.

But it happened that an ox, stung by a gadfly, ran across the lake, and a herdsman followed it; and having beheld the land on the opposite side, he reported it to his own kinsmen.

But others say that a deer, fleeing from certain Huns who were hunting it, revealed this path, which was covered over its surface by the waters.

At that time they turned back, marveling at the land, which enjoyed a more temperate climate and was made mild by cultivation, and they reported to the ruler of their nation what they had seen.

At first, with a few men, they came to a trial of strength against the Goths; but afterward they marched out in full force, prevailed in battle, and took possession of the whole of their land.

And those who were pursued crossed the river, and, having passed over into the territories of the Romans, sent envoys to the emperor, promising that henceforth they would be his allies, and begging that he would permit them to settle wherever he wished.

The leader of this embassy was Ulfilas, the bishop of the nation.

And since the matter proceeded according to their wish, they were permitted to settle throughout Thrace.

Not long afterward, having fallen into strife among themselves, they were divided into two factions.

One faction was led by Athanaric, the other by Fritigern.

And when they made war upon one another, Fritigern, having fared badly in the battle, begged the Romans to come to his aid.

When the emperor permitted the soldiers in Thrace to fight on his side, he again joined battle, won the victory, and put Athanaric's forces to flight.

In this way he persuaded the barbarians to think as he did.

But I do not think this alone has been the cause why the whole nation, even to this day, has adhered to those who hold the opinions of Arius, but also Ulfilas, who at that time was their consecrated bishop.

For at first he differed in nothing from the universal Church; but under the reign of Constantius, having — imprudently, I think — joined the party of Eudoxius and Acacius at the synod held in Constantinople, he thereafter ceased to remain in...

...communion with the priests who had assembled at Nicaea.

But when he came to Constantinople, it is said that, after the leaders of the Arian heresy had discussed doctrine with him and had promised to further his embassy before the emperor if he would hold the same opinions as they did, he — whether compelled by necessity, or truly believing that it was better to think thus concerning God — entered into communion with the followers of Arius, and thereby cut off both himself and the whole nation from the universal Church.

For the Goths, having been instructed by him as their teacher in matters pertaining to piety, and having through him come to share in a more civilized way of life, readily obeyed him in everything, convinced that nothing of what he said or did was base, but that all of it contributed to the benefit of those who zealously followed him.

Nevertheless he also gave abundant proof of his own virtue, having endured countless dangers on behalf of the doctrine while the aforesaid barbarians still worshipped after the manner of the Greeks.

He was also the first to devise letters for them, and he translated the sacred Scriptures into their own tongue.

This, then, is the reason why the barbarians along the Ister generally hold the opinions of Arius.

At that time a multitude of those under Fritigern were put to death, bearing witness for Christ's sake.

For Athanaric, being indignant that Ulfilas was persuading those under his authority to become Christians, on the ground that the ancestral religion was being subverted, subjected many to numerous punishments; and some, whom he brought to trial and who spoke out boldly in defense of the doctrine, as well as others to whom he did not even grant a hearing, he put to death.

For it is said that a certain wooden idol, set up on a wagon, was carried about by those who had been ordered by Athanaric to do this; and going around to each tent of those reported to be Christianizing, they commanded them to worship and sacrifice to it.

And as for those who refused, they set fire to their tents together with the people inside.

I have learned that at that time another calamity occurred, even more pitiable than these.

For many men and women, worn out by the violence of those who compelled them to sacrifice — some of the women bringing along their small children, others nursing newborn infants at the breast — fled for refuge into the tent that served as their church.

But when the pagans set fire to it, all of them perished.

Not long after, the Goths were reconciled with one another.

And being lifted up into recklessness, they ravaged the Thracians and laid waste their cities and villages.

And when Valens learned of this, he came to understand, through experience, how greatly he had erred.

For, supposing that the Goths would prove useful both to himself and to his subjects, and formidable to his enemies, since they were always prepared in arms, he neglected the Roman legions.

and instead of the customary levy of soldiers chosen for military service from the cities and villages under Roman rule, he exacted gold from them.

But having been disappointed in his hope, he left Antioch and hastened to Constantinople.

At about this same time, the king of the Saracens died, and the treaty with the Romans was dissolved; and Mauia, his wife, who governed the rule of the nation, ravaged the cities of the Phoenicians and Palestinians, as far as the Egyptians who dwell on the left as one sails up the Nile, in the region called Arabia.

He summoned to his aid the general who commanded all the cavalry and infantry forces throughout the East.

But he laughed at the summons... and made the one who had summoned him a laughingstock, unfit for battle.

But when he arrayed his forces against Mauia, who commanded the opposing army, he was put to flight, and was barely saved by the commander of the Palestinian and Phoenician soldiers.

For when he saw him in danger, he considered it foolish to remain outside the battle in accordance with his earlier order.

So he rushed forward and confronted the barbarians, giving the other man opportunity for a safer retreat, while he himself, withdrawing as he fled, shot arrows and, with his archery, beat back the enemies who pressed upon him.

These events are still remembered to this day by many who dwell in that region, and among the Saracens they are preserved in songs.

As the war grew burdensome, it seemed necessary to send an embassy to Mauia concerning peace.

But it is said that she flatly refused a treaty with the Romans to those who came to negotiate on this matter, unless a certain Moses, who at that time was leading an ascetic life in the neighboring desert — a man renowned for his virtuous life and for divine signs and marvelous deeds — should be ordained bishop for those under her rule.

The military commanders who had reported this, having received authorization from the emperor, seized Moses and brought him before Lucius.

And he, in the presence of the officials and the assembled crowd, said, "Wait."

"for I am not able worthily to bear the name and honor of high priest."

"But if, even though I am unworthy, God should indeed grant this, I call to witness the Creator of heaven and earth, that you shall not lay upon me those hands of yours, defiled with the blood and gore of holy men..." And Lucius, taking up the reply, said, "If you are still ignorant of my faith, you do not act justly in rejecting it before you have learned it."

"But if it is because certain men have slandered me, come now, listen to me as well this time, and be a judge of what is said." "But to me," said Moses, "your faith appears exceedingly plain, and the bishops, priests, and deacons who are being afflicted in exiles beyond the borders and in the mines bear witness to what sort of thing it is."

These are the marks of what you believe concerning God — marks which are utterly foreign to Christ and to those who rightly hold opinions concerning God.

Since, in saying such things, he swore that he would never accept the priesthood if it were Lucius who ordained him, the Roman commanders dismissed Lucius and brought Moses to the bishops who were in exile, by whom, having been ordained, he went to the Saracens.

And having reconciled them with the Romans, he lived there as an ordained priest, and caused many to become Christians, though he found very few who had shared in the faith.

For this tribe took its origin, and its name, from Ishmael the son of Abraham, and the ancients called them Ishmaelites after their forefather.

But rejecting the reproach of illegitimacy and the ignoble birth of Ishmael's mother (for she was a slave), they named themselves Saracens, as being descended from Sarah, the wife of Abraham.

Being of such a race, they all alike, like the Hebrews, are circumcised, and abstain from swine's flesh, and observe many other of the customs of the Hebrews.

But that they do not conduct their lives in every respect alike must be attributed to time, or to intermixture with the neighboring nations.

For Moses, who lived many ages later, gave laws only to those who had come out of Egypt.

And those who dwelt near them, being exceedingly superstitious, as was likely, corrupted the ancestral way of life of Ishmael, according to which alone the ancient Hebrews had lived before the legislation of Moses, following unwritten customs.

At any rate, they worshipped the same demons as their neighbors, and by honoring and naming them in like manner, they showed, through this similarity of religion to those nearby, the cause of the corruption of their ancestral laws.

But as time is wont to do, a long period having elapsed, it consigned some things to oblivion, while causing others to be held in honor among them.

They added to the customs and laws of the Hebrews.

From that time, even until now, many among them still live in the Jewish manner.

Not long before the present reign, they also began to become Christians.

They shared in the faith in Christ through their association with the priests and monks dwelling near them, who philosophized in the neighboring deserts, living virtuously and working wonders.

It is said that at that time an entire tribe also turned to Christianity, when Zocomus, the phylarch of that tribe, was baptized for the following reason.

Being childless, he went, on account of the fame of a certain monk, to meet with him, and bewailed his misfortune.

For the begetting of children is a matter of great concern to the Saracens, and, I think, to all barbarians.

And he, bidding him take courage, prayed and sent him away, having promised that he would have a son if he should believe in Christ.

And when God confirmed the promise in deed, and a child was born to him, Zocomus himself was initiated, and led those under him to do the same.

From that time, they say, this tribe became prosperous and populous, formidable to the Persians and to the other Saracens.

In what manner, then, the Saracens first turned to Christianity, and what we have received concerning the first one to become bishop among them, stands thus.

Those in the city who were zealous for the doctrine of the Council of Nicaea again took courage, especially the Alexandrians in Egypt.

Lucius, having been driven out, sailed away to Constantinople.

The emperor Valens, as was likely, being occupied with cares, had no leisure to attend to these matters.

For as soon as he came to Constantinople, he became an object of great suspicion and hatred among the populace.

For the barbarians, having ravaged Thrace and already advanced as far as the suburbs, attempted to attack the very walls, with no one hindering them.

At this the city took great offense, and blamed the emperor because he did not march out against them but delayed making war, and they spread the report that he himself was bringing on the enemy.

At last, while watching in the hippodrome, they cried out against him openly, saying that he was neglecting the public affairs, and demanded weapons, as though they themselves would go to war.

Valens, being thus insulted, marched out against the barbarians, and threatened that, if he should return, he would take vengeance on the people for those insults, and because they had earlier sided with Procopius the usurper.

As he was leaving Constantinople, Isaacius, a monk who was good in other respects and who, for God's sake, despised dangers, approached him and said: "Restore, O emperor, to those who hold right opinions and keep the tradition of those who assembled at Nicaea, the churches that have been taken from them, and you will win the war." The emperor, enraged, ordered him to be seized and kept in bonds, until he should return and exact justice for his audacity.

But he replied, "You will not return, unless you restore the churches"... and it came to pass just so.

For when he marched out with the army, the Goths, being pursued, retreated.

But as he departed, having already passed through Thrace, he came to Adrianople.

And being not far from the barbarians, who were encamped in a place of safety, he joined battle sooner than he ought, without first arranging how and where it was necessary to array the army.

And when his cavalry had been scattered and the infantry put to flight, he, being pursued by the enemy, together with a few who followed him in his flight, dismounted from his horse, slipped into a certain small building or tower, and remained unnoticed.

The barbarians ran toward it in order to take it, but rushing onward, they ran right past it.

For they did not suspect that he was hiding there.

But some of those with him, when most of the barbarians had already passed beyond that place and only a few remained behind, shot arrows from the roof at those going by.

And these, at this, cried out.

Behind, by shouting, they made known to those farther back what they had heard, so that in a short time even the enemy who were further off heard of it, and quickly all came together to the same place.

And surrounding the building in a circle, and having heaped up a great quantity of wood around it, they cast fire upon it.

And immediately the flame, driven by a favoring wind—since it so happened—swept through the wood.

At the same time, the things stored inside the building also caught the fire, and it burned up the emperor himself together with those around him.

He died at about fifty years of age, having reigned thirteen years together with his brother, and three more after him.

The barbarians, elated by this victory, again ravaged Thrace, and at last overran the very suburbs of Constantinople.

When affairs were then in danger, the greatest help toward the situation came from the few allied Saracens sent by Mavia, and from a great many of the populace.

Gratian, who together with his brother administered the whole Roman empire, not approving of his uncle's persistent attitude toward those who held different opinions from his own, restored the right of return to all who had been condemned by him to exile on account of religion, and enacted a law that each should worship, without fear, as they wished, and hold assemblies, except the Manichaeans and those who held the views of Photinus and Eunomius.

And considering that, since the barbarians about the Ister were troubling the Illyrians and Thracians, it was fitting to render aid there, but that it was also necessary to be present in the western parts of the empire, especially since the Alamanni were causing harm to the Gauls there, he made Theodosius his partner in the empire at Sirmium—a man of the race of the Iberians about the Pyrenees mountains, of noble birth, and one who had often distinguished himself excellently in wars, so that even before his reign he seemed, in the judgment of his subjects, fit for rule.

At this time, except for Jerusalem, those who held the opinions of Arius still controlled the churches throughout the East.

The Macedonians, and especially those in Constantinople, after the agreements made with Liberius, did not differ greatly from those who approved of the doctrine of those who had assembled at Nicaea.

As being of like opinion, they mingled with them in the cities and held communion with one another.

But after the law enacted by Gratian, some of the bishops of this heresy, availing themselves of the freedom it allowed, seized the churches from which they had been removed under Valens.

And having assembled at Antioch in Caria, they decreed that the Son ought not to be called consubstantial with the Father, but of like substance, as before.

As a result of this, some, being divided in opinion, held assemblies of their own; but others, condemning the contentiousness and love of strife of those who had voted this, withdrew from them and were more firmly united with those who worshipped according to the doctrine of the Council of Nicaea.

Of those bishops who then, according to the law of Gratian, returned from the exile that had befallen them during the reign of Valens, some gave no thought to precedence, but, preferring the concord of the people, begged that those of the heresy of Arius should not abandon them, nor cut up into many parts, through discord, the Church that had been handed down by God and the apostles as one—a Church which contentiousness and love of precedence had divided into many.

Of this zeal was also Eulalius, the bishop of Amasea, near Pontus.

Being concerned for the union of all, he entreated that this man should take precedence and jointly guide the Church, holding the presidency as a prize awarded for the sake of concord.

But he, not being persuaded, was not, before long, to lead even the few whom he had, once they went over to join the others.

At that same time, when Meletius, according to this law, also returned to Antioch in Syria, a grievous contention arose among the people.

For since Paulinus was still living—whose piety, as we have learned, Valens the emperor respected, and so did not dare to condemn him to exile—some thought it right that Meletius should become his colleague upon the same throne.

But when those who held the views of Paulinus objected and slandered the ordination of Meletius as having been carried out by Arian bishops, the admirers of Meletius forcibly carried through what they were eager to accomplish.

For being a crowd of no small number, in one of the churches outside the city, they raised him up to the episcopal throne.

And when the people on both sides were angry and a riot was expected, a certain marvelous plan prevailed, which brought them to concord.

For it was agreed to take oaths from those considered, or expected, to be fit to hold the episcopal throne there—among whom were five others besides Flavian—that they would neither seek it, nor, if an ordination should be made in their favor, tolerate holding the bishopric, so long as either Paulinus or Meletius should remain alive.

And they agreed that, once one of the two had died first, the other alone should hold the bishopric.

When the oaths had accordingly been given, almost the entire multitude was of one mind.

Only a few of the followers of Lucifer still disagreed, on the ground that Meletius had been ordained by men of heterodox opinion.

Since these things had happened in this way, Meletius came to Constantinople.

At which time, since many other bishops had also gathered together there at the same time, it was deemed necessary to transfer Gregory from Nazianzus and entrust to him the episcopate of that see.

About this time, since the Gauls to the west were still being troubled by the Alamanni, Gratian turned back to his ancestral portion, which he had left to be administered by himself and his brother, having entrusted Illyricum and the eastern parts of the empire to Theodosius.

His affairs concerning these succeeded according to his intention, and Theodosius's affairs concerning the barbarians around the Ister likewise succeeded.

When he had prevailed over some by battle, and had received hostages and accepted a treaty from those who begged to have the Romans as friends, he came to Thessalonica.

But falling ill there, he was initiated into the mysteries by Acholius, the bishop of that place, who instructed him, and he became easier.

For being a Christian from his forebears according to the doctrine of the council of Nicaea, he was pleased with Acholius, who held this same belief and was, so to speak, altogether devoted to good works and to every virtue of the priesthood; and he was pleased also with all the Illyrians, who had no part in the opinion of Arius.

Inquiring about the other nations, he learned that as far as Macedonia the churches were of one mind, and that all alike worshiped God the Word together with the Father, and the Holy Spirit; but that from there eastward there was dissension, so that the peoples were divided into various heresies, and especially throughout Constantinople.

Considering it better to declare beforehand to his subjects the opinion he held concerning the Divine, so that he might not seem to be compelling them all at once, by command, to worship contrary to their judgment, he issued from Thessalonica a law addressed to the people of Constantinople:

For he perceived that from there, as from a kind of citadel over all his subjects, the edict would swiftly become known to the other cities as well.

...that only those who worship the divine Trinity as of equal honor should be called the Catholic Church, while those who hold opinions contrary to this should be called heretics, be held in dishonor, and should expect punishment.

Having enacted these laws, not long afterward he came to Constantinople.

Now Gregory of Nazianzus was presiding over those who held the Trinity to be of one substance, and he held services in a small house that had been fitted up as a house of prayer, by those who shared his belief, for himself and for others who worshiped in like manner.

But afterward this became, and still is, one of the most celebrated churches in the city, not only for the beauty and size of its buildings, but also for the benefits of manifest divine visitations.

For a divine power, appearing there both in waking visions and often in dreams, many times brought aid to those afflicted with illnesses and with adverse turns of fortune.

And it is believed that this power is Mary, the holy virgin, the mother of Christ.

They call this church Anastasia, as I supposed, because the doctrine of the council of Nicaea, which had already fallen in Constantinople and, so to speak, died on account of the power of those of contrary opinion, was here raised up and revived again through the discourses of Gregory.

But as I have heard from some who insist that they speak the truth, while the people were assembled for worship, a pregnant woman fell from the upper gallery and died there; but when a common prayer was offered for her by all, she came back to life and was saved together with her infant.

And because of this extraordinary occurrence wrought by God, the place received this name from that time on.

And concerning this, such is the account still current even now.

But he, calling the multitude together, made known the emperor's intention, and announced beforehand that on the following day they should hold their service outside the walls:

'Since,' he said, 'the divine word commands:'

'If they persecute you in this city, flee to another.' Having spoken thus, from that time on he held services outside the city; and with him also Lucius, who had formerly been set over the church of the Alexandrians by the followers of Arius.

For having been driven out, as has been said, he came as a fugitive to Constantinople and was residing there.

And from that time on, those who upheld the consubstantial Trinity took possession of the houses of prayer.

This was the year in which Gratian held the consulship for the fifth time and Theodosius for the first, the fortieth year since those of the heresy of Arius had gained control of the churches.

Yet these, being still numerous through the influence exerted under Constantius and Valens, assembled with less fear and openly disputed about God and His essence, and urged those who shared their views at court to sound out the emperor.

For, considering what had come to pass under Constantius, they thought they would succeed in their attempt.

And this very thing stirred up anxiety and fear also among those of the Catholic Church.

And they were not least fearful when they considered the formidable skill of Eunomius in disputations.

For not long before, on account of a dispute he had had at Cyzicus with his own clergy, during the reign of Valens, he had separated from the followers of Arius and was living by himself in Bithynia, across from Constantinople.

And many crossed over to him, while others gathered from elsewhere as well, some to test him, others to hear what he had to say.

A report of these things reached the emperor also, and he was ready to meet with him;

but the empress Placilla earnestly restrained him with her entreaties.

For being a most faithful guardian of the doctrine of the council of Nicaea, she feared that the emperor, as might well happen, would be won over in the disputation and change over to his opinion.

While the zeal on both sides concerning these matters was still at its height, it is said that when the bishops residing at Constantinople came to the palace, as was fitting, to greet the ruler, there was among them an elderly priest of an obscure city, a simple man, unversed in worldly affairs, but possessed of understanding in divine things.

Now the others greeted the emperor with great solemnity and reverence;

but to the son who sat beside his father, he did not render equal honor; instead, approaching him as one might approach a small child, he said, 'Rejoice, little one,' patting him with his finger.