THE DECLINE AND FALL

360

CHAP.

XXI.

resolutions of an important province. He gaveaudience to the ambassadors of the tyrant, withwhom he was afterwards accused of holding asecret correspondence;' and the emperor Constantius repeatedly assured his dearest father ,the most revered Athanasius , that, notwith-standing the malicious rumours, which werecirculated by their common enemies, he hadinherited the sentiments, as well as the throne,of his deceased brother/ Gratitude and huma-nity would have disposed the primate of Egypt to deplore the untimely fate of Constans , and toabhor the guilt of Magnentius ; but as heclearly understood that the apprehensions ofConstantius were his only safeguard, the fervourof his prayers for the success of the righteouscause might perhaps be somewhat abated.The ruin of Athanasius was no longer contriv-ed by the obscure malice of a few bigoted orangry bishops, who abused the authority of acredulous monarch. The monarch himself a-vowed the resolution, which he had so longsuppressed, of avenging his private injuries ; 8and the first winter after his victory, which hepassed at Arles , was employed against an ene-my more odious to him than the vanquishedtyrant of Gaul .

* Athanasius (tom. i, p. 677, 678) defends his innocence with pa-thetic complaints, solemn assertions, and specious arguments. Headmits that letters had been forged in his name; but he requests thathis own secretaries, and those of the tyrant, may be examined whe-ther those letters had been written by the former, or received by thelatter.

f Athanas. tom. i, p. 823-814.

5 Athanas. tom. i, p. £61. Throdoret, 1. ii, c. 16. The emperor de-clared,