OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
379
emperor congratulates the deliverance of Alex- chap.
aiwhia from a popular tyrant, who deluded his_^
blind votaries by the inagic of his eloquence;expatiates on the virtues and piety of the mostreverend George, the elected bishop; and as-pires, as the patron and benefactor of the city,to surpass tire fame of Alexander himself. Buthe solemnly declares his unalterable resolutionto pursue with lire and sword the seditious ad-herents of the wicked Athanasius , who, by fly-ing from justice, has confessed his guilt, andescaped the ignominious death which he had sooften deserved."
Athanasiushad indeed escaped from the most Hisfacha>imminent dangers ; and the adventures of that viourextraordinary man deserve and fix our attention.
On the memorable night when the church of St.Theonas was invested by the troops of Syrianus ,the archbishop , seated on his throne, expected,with calm and intrepid dignity, the approach ofdeath. While the public devotion was inter-rupted by shouts of rage and cries of terror, heanimated his trembling congregation to expresstheir religious confidence, by chanting one of thepsalms of David, which celebrates the triumphof the God of Israel over the haughty and impi-ous tyrant of Egypt . The doors were at lengthburst open ; a cloud of arrows was dischargedamong the people; the soldiers, with drawnswords, rushed forwards into the sanctuary;and the dreadful gleam of their armour was re-