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THE bishops held long consultations; and after summoning Arius
before them, they made an accurate test of his propositions; they were
intently on their guard, not to come to a vote on either side. When
at length the appointed day arrived on which it had been decided to
settle the doubtful points, they assembled together in the palace,
because the emperor had signified his intention of taking part in the
deliberations. When he was in the same place with the priests, he
passed through to the head of the conference, and seated himself on the
throne which had been prepared for him, and the synod was then
commanded to be seated; for seats had been arranged on either side
along the walls of the palatial rooms, for it was the largest, and
excelled the other chambers.
After they were seated, Eusebius Pamphilus arose and delivered an
oration in honor of the emperor, returning thanks to God on his
account. When he had ceased speaking, and silence was restored, the
emperor delivered himself in the following words: "I give thanks to
God for all things, but particularly, O friends, for being
permitted to see your conference. And the event has exceeded my
prayer, in that so many priests of Christ have been conducted into the
same place; now, it is my desire that you should be of one mind and be
partakers of a consentient judgment, for I deem dissension in the
Church of God as more dangerous than any other evil. Therefore when
it was announced, and I understood you were in discord, an
unwholesome thing to hear, I was deeply pained in soul; and least of
all does it profit you, since you are the conductors of divine worship
and arbiters of peace. On this account it is, that I have called you
together in a holy Synod, and being both your emperor and your
fellow-physician, I seek for you a favor which is acceptable to our
common Lord, and as honorable for me to receive, as for you to
grant. The favor which I seek is, that you examine the causes of the
strife, and put a consentient and peaceful end thereto i so that I may
triumph with you over the envious demon, who excited this internal
revolt because he was provoked to see our external enemies and tyrants
under our feet, and envied our good estate." The emperor pronounced
this discourse in Latin, and the interpretation was supplied by one at
his side.
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