337-361.] CHAPTER VIII. 'The royal-hearted Athanase With Paul's own mantle blest.' -LYRA APOSTOLICA. CONSTANTIUS, CONSTANS, CONSTANTINE, MAGNENTIUS-JULIAN— JOVIAN-VALENTINIAN, VALENS-GRATIAN-VALENTINIAN II. THEODOSIUS-HONORIUS, ARCADIUS. EMPERORS Cross the scene in startlingly quick succession during the remainder of this century, but the real champions are bishops. When the Roman monarchs lost sight of their ancient capital and Senate, they easily forgot the origin of their power; and in place of the modest titles of consul, proconsul, censor and tribune,-by the union of which offices it had been formed, and which betrayed its republican origin,they associated with their high military title of Emperor, or Imperator, the epithet of Dominus, or Lord, as expressive of the despotic power of a master over his slaves. The form and seat of government were so intimately blended together, that it was impossible to transport the one to another locality without destroying the other. Hence the degeneracy of the Roman Emperors into mere Oriental despots amidst the voluptuous scenes of their new capital, where not even a spot existed to revive the ancient memories of heroic selfsacrifice, or of ambitious daring, for the preservation, or the aggrandizement, of the majesty of Rome.' 6 Constantine's three sons-Constantius, Constans, and Constantine had been named Cæsars by him, and on his death they divided the Empire among them. Constantius obtained the Asiatic provinces, with the capital Constantinople; Constans Italy and Africa; and Constantine Gaul, Spain, and Britain. Scarcely had Constantine been consigned to the tomb, than an awful dark shadow from the great tragedy of his life enshrouded the palace in the new Emperors' massacre of six out of the eight surviving princes of the Imperial family, their uncles and their cousins, on suspicion of their having poisoned their father. Their cousins Gallus and Julian-one suffering under a hopeless malady, the other a mere child-alone escaped with life; and were kept under vigilant watch. This Oriental massacre did not secure to the brothers the quiet possession of their dominions. Constans and Constantine were soon at deadly feud; when the latter fell, Constans did not long survive the fratricide, and was slain by his general Magnentius, who, in his turn, slew himself after suffering repeated and disastrous defeats, leaving Constantius sole master of the Empire. Thus wore on twenty long years of general and wofully desolating civil war, during which the sole interest centres in Athanasius, and the varying fortunes of the great Arian struggle. That illustrious Defender of the Faith was of very small stature; a dwarf rather than a man,' was the taunt of his opponents, but he was of almost angelical beauty and expression of countenance. He had a slight stoop in his figure, a hooked nose, and small mouth; a short beard which spread out into large whiskers; and light auburn hair. When Ariansim was professed by the successor of Constantine, Athanasius retired to Rome, where he remained for three years, studying the Latin language, and so successfully vindicating the SAVIOUR'S Divinity, that the Roman 6 309 Church and its bishop, Julius II., heartily opposed Arianism; assembled a Council of fifty Italian bishops to investigate the charges against Athanasius; and unanimously acquitted him of them all. Dean Milman observes, that in pronouncing the Council's decree, Julius is far from asserting any pontical supremacy, saying, 'It may be asked, "Why do you alone write?"-Because I represent the opinions of the bishops of Italy.' The weak and tyrannical Constantius was a vehement but vacillating supporter of Arianism, and alternately courted and persecuted Athanasius as his own fortunes varied during the whole twenty-years' civil war. Five times Athanasius was expelled from Alexandria, but during his exile continued his perpetual combat against Arianism, with such energy and success in almost every province of the Roman Empire, that our illustrious Hooker quotes as a proverb the celebrated saying, The whole world against Athanasius, and Athanasius against it.' Patient of labour; gifted, even to old age, with the buoyant spirit and elastic step of youth; master of a singularly clear, forcible, and persuasive style of speaking and writing, and of much profound and extensive learning; the varied and rare talents of Athanasius commanded the respect and esteem of his clergy; whilst his modest and fatherly visitation of them in their own homes, from the mouth of the Nile to the confines of Æthiopia; and his familiar conversations with the meanest of the populace, and his humble salutation of the hermits of the desert, won their whole hearts. In the many persecutions which he suffered he always obtained support, or at least consolation, from the fidelity of his clergy; the hundred bishops of Egypt adhered with unshaken zeal to the Trinitarian cause; and the people of Alexandria were often impatient to rise in arms for his defence. So consistent was his life, that it was noted that in all the changing scenes of his prosperity and adversity, he never once lost the confidence of his friends, or the respect of his adversaries. Egypt, as we saw, was the parent of Monachism, and monks now abounded in it so exceedingly, that in regard to them the old saying was nearly verified, 'Egypt has as many gods as men.' They were all the inseparable allies of Athanasius, who in early life had been, for a short time, a hermit, which won their allegiance; and who, in later life, poured forth to them the news of the outer world. In the most critical moments of his life-long struggle, Athanasius sought refuge in their caves along the banks of the Nile, whenever his residence in Alexandria was insecure; and the hermits swarmed forth in innumerable crowds from their cells with thousands of blazing torches, their abbot leading his ass, to escort him to their impregnable retreats. Indeed the grandeur of his cause, and his noble championship of the SAVIOUR'S Divinity rallied around him all who revered the SAVIOUR among his countrymen, and assisted in making him formidable to his Arian opponents. No fugitive Stuart in the Scottish Highlands could count more securely on the loyalty of his subjects than did Athanasius, in his hidingplaces in Egypt, count upon the faithfulness and secrecy of his countrymen. Sometimes it was the hermits who afforded him shelter in their rocky fastnesses; sometimes his fellowtownsmen supported him as he lay hid in his father's tomb outside the walls of their city; sometimes it was the beautiful Alexandrian maiden who, in her old age, delighted to tell how, when he had suddenly appeared at midnight wrapped in his short tunic and red cloak, she had concealed and tended him in her house, with provisions and books, till he was able, as suddenly, to reappear amongst his astonished friends. His whole course was that of an adventurous and wandering prince, rather than of a persecuted theologian; and when 337-361.] ATHANASIUS. 311 in the brief intervals of triumph he was enabled to return to his native city his entrance was like that of a Sovereign rather than of a Prelate. As the mighty stream of the population rolled out of the gates to greet his coming, it was as if the Nile (this was the truly Egyptian figure that suggested itself to the historian,) at the height of its floods, scattering fertility as it went, had turned its course and flowed backwards from Alexandria towards the first outpost of the city. As now, so then, the usual mode of moving to and fro along the roads of Egypt was upon asses, and such used to be his triumphal entry—whilst branches of trees were waved aloft, and carpets of all the gayest colours and richest textures of Alexandria were spread beneath his feet. There was a long unbroken shout of applause as he rode along; thousands of hands clapped with delight; the air was scented with the fragrant ointments poured out, the city flashed with illuminations; public and private entertainments were given in every house; many vowed themselves to a monastic life, and in a far nobler sense of a Christian revival, the hungry and orphans were sheltered and maintained and every household so re-echoed prayer and praise, that it seemed to be transformed into a Church. It has been often said, that a man who can provoke or enjoy a laugh is sure to succeed with his fellow-creatures. Such was Athanasius. Take his clever retort to Constantius, who at the instigation of his Arian persecutors had asked him to open an Arian church at Alexandria. 'I will grant a Church to the heretics at Alexandria, as soon as you grant a Church to the Orthodox at Antioch.' It was unanswerable for an intolerant faction always shrinks from such a test. Take again the well-sustained and pointed irony of the scene before the Council of Tyre, where he produces the man whom he is accused of having murdered, and whose right |