THE DECLINE AND FALL

340

CHAP.

XXI.

and the

orthodox

party,

A. o. 328.337.

three years from the council of Nice weicscarcely elapsed, before he discovered somesymptoms of mercy, and even of indulgence,towards the proscribed sect, which was secretlyprotected by his favourite sister. The exileswere recalled; and Eusebius , who graduallyresumed his influence over the mind of Constan-tine , was restored to the episcopal throne, fromwhich he had been ignominiously degraded.Arius himself was treated by the whole courtwith the respect which would have been due toan innocent and oppressed man ; his faith wasapproved by the synod of Jerusalem ; and theemperor seemed impatient to repair bis injus-tice, by issuing an absolute command, that lieshould be solemnly admitted to the communionin the cathedral of Constantinople . On thesame day which had been fixed for the triumphof Arius , he expired ;—and the strange andhorrid circumstances of his death might excitea suspicion, that the orthodox saints had con-tributed more efficaciously than by their prayers,to deliver the church from the most formidableof her enemies . 0 The three principal leaders ofthe catholics, Athanasius of Alexandria, Eu-stathius of Antioch, and Paul of Constantino-ple , were deposed on various accusations, bythe sentence of numerous councils, and were

° We derive the original story from Athanasius (tom. i, p. 070),who expresses some reluctance to stigmatize the memory of the dead.He might exaggerate, hut the perpetual commerce of Alexandria andConstantinople would have rendered it dangerous to invent. Thosewho press the literal narrative of the death of Arius (his bowels sudden-ly hurst out in a privy) must make their option between poison and« iraele.