THE DECLINE AND FALL

370

CHAP.

XXI.

three hundred bishops. Their integrity wasgradually undermined by the arguments of thearians, the dexterity of the eunuchs, and thepressing solicitations of a prince, who gratifiedhis revenge at the expence of his dignity; andexposed his own passions, whilst he influencedthose of the clergy. Corruption, the most in-fallible symptom of constitutional liberty, wassuccessfully practised : honours, gifts, and im-munities, were offered and accepted as the priceof an episcopal vote ; 1 and the condemnation ofthe Alexandrian primate was artfully repre-sented as the only measure which could restorethe peace and union of the catholic church.The friends of Athanasius were not, however,wanting to their leader, or to their cause. Witha manly spirit, which the sanctity of their cha-racter rendered less dangerous, they maintain-ed, in public debate, and in private conferencewith the emperor, the eternal obligation of re-ligion and justice. They declared, that neitherthe hope of his favour, nor the fear of his dis-pleasure, should prevail on them to join in thecondemnation of an absent, an innocent, a re-spectable brother . 11 They affirmed, with appa-

cf the church of Vercellae , and of an old life of Dionysius of Milan,published by BolIandu».See Baronius,A.D.355, and Tillemont, tom. vii,

p. 1415.

1 The honours, presents, feasts, which seduced so many bishops, arementioned with indignation by those whc are too pure or too proud toaccept them. “ We combat (says Hilary of Poitiers ) against Constan-“ tins the antichrist, who strokes the belly instead of scourging the“ back qui non dorsa caedit; sed ventrem palpat. Hilarius contraConstant, c. 5, p. 124.

* Something of this opposition is mentioned by Ammianus (xv, 7),

who