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THE great general remained, and then saw a wonderful vision clearly
shewn him by the very God of the universe himself. In it he seemed to
see the divine Meletius, chief of the church of the Antiochenes,
investing him with an imperial robe, anti covering his head with an
imperial crown. The morning after the night hi which he had seen the
vision he told it to one of his intimate friends, who pointed out that
the dream was plain and had nothing obscure or ambiguous about it.
A few days at most had gone by when the commissioners sent to
investigate the battle returned and reported that vast multitudes of the
barbarians had been shot down.
Then the emperor was convinced that he had done right well in selecting
Theodosius for the command, and appointed him emperor and gave him the
sovereignty of the share of Valens.
Upon this Gratian departed for Italy and despatched Theodosius to
the countries committed to his charge. No sooner had Theodosius
assumed the imperial dignity than before everything else he gave heed to
the harmony of the churches, and ordered the bishops of his own realm
to repair with haste to Constantinople. That division of the empire
was now the only region infected with the Arian plague, for the west
had escaped the taint. This was due to the fact that Constantine the
eldest of Constantine's sons, and Constans the youngest, had
preserved their father's faith in its integrity, and that
Valentinian, emperor of the West, had also kept the true religion
undefiled.
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