OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

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his angry sovereign as he passed on horseback chap.through the principal street of Constantinople. ^

So strange an apparition excited his surpriseand indignation ; and the guards were orderedto remove the importunate suitor; but his re-sentment was subdued by involuntary respect;and the haughty spirit of the emperor was awedby the courage and eloquence of a bishop, whoimplored his justice, and awakened his con-science . 11 Constantine listened to the complaintsof Athanasius with impartial, and even gracious,attention; the members of the synod of Tyrewere summoned to justify their proceedings;and the arts of the eusebian faction would havebeen confounded, if they had not aggravatedthe guilt of the primate, by the dexterous sup-position of an unpardonable offence; a criminaldesign to intercept and detain the corn-fleet ofAlexandria, which supplied the subsistence ofthe new capital. q The emperor was satisfiedthat the peace of Egypt would be secured bythe absence of a popular leader; but he refusedto fill the vacancy of the archiepiscopal throne;

9 Athanas. torn I, p 804. In a church dedicated to St. Athanasius ,his situation would afford a better subject for a picture, than most ofthe storres of miracles and martyrdoms.

*■ Athanas. tom. i, p. 729. Eunapius has related (in Vit. Sophist, p.

3G, 37, edit. Comnulin) a strange example of the cruelty and credulityof Coustantine on a similar occasion. The eloquent Sopater, a Syrian philosopher, enjoyed his friendship, and provoked the resentment ofAhlavius, his praetorian prefect. The corn fleet was detained for wantof a south wind ; the people of Constantinople were discontented; andSopater was beheaded, on a charge that he had bound the winds bythe power of magic. Suidas adds, that Constantine wished to prove,by this execution, that he had absolutely renounced the superstition ofthe gentiles.