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What cruelties George perpetrated at Alexandria at the same time may
be learned from the narration of Athanasius, who both suffered in and
witnessed the occurrences. In his 'Apology for his flight,'
speaking of these transactions, he thus expresses himself:
'Moreover, they came to Alexandria, again seeking to destroy me:
and on this occasion their proceedings were worse than before; for the
soldiery having suddenly surrounded the church, there arose the din of
war, instead of the voice of prayer. Afterwards, on his arrival
during Lentil George, sent from Cappadocia, added to the evil which
he was instructed to work. When Easter-week a was passed, the
virgins were east into prison, the bishops were led in chains by the
military, and the dwellings even of orphans and widows were forcibly
entered and their provisions pillaged. Christians were assassinated by
night; houses were sealed; and the relatives of the clergy were
endangered on their account. Even these outrages were dreadful; but
those that followed were still more so. For in the week after the holy
Pentecost, the people, having fasted, went forth to the cemetery to
pray, because all were averse to communion with George: that
wickedest of men being informed of this, instigated against them
Sebastian, an officer who was a Manichaen. He, accordingly, at
the head of a body of troops armed with drawn swords, bows, and
darts, marched out to attack the people, although it was the Lord's
day: finding but few at prayers,-as the most part had retired because
of the lateness of the hour,-- he performed such exploits as might be
expected from them. Having kindled a fire, he set the virgins near
it, in order to compel them to say that they were of the Arian faith:
but seeing they stood their ground and despised the fire, he then
stripped them, and so beat them on the face, that for a long time
afterwards they could scarcely be recognized. Seizing also about forty
men, he flogged them in an extraordinary manner: for he so lacerated
their backs with rods fresh cut from the palm-tree, which still had
their thorns on, that some were obliged to resort repeatedly to
surgical aid in order to have the thorns extracted from their flesh,
and others, unable to bear the agony, died under its infliction. All
the survivors with one virgin they banished to the Great Oasis? The
bodies of the dead they did not so much as give up to their relatives,
but denying them the rites of sepulture they concealed them as they
thought fit, that the evidences of their cruelty might not appear.
They did this acting as madmen. For while the friends of the deceased
rejoiced on account of their confession, but mourned because their
bodies were uninterred, the impious inhumanity of these acts was
sounded abroad the more conspicuously. For soon after this they sent
into exile out of Egypt and the two Libyas the following bishops:
Ammonius, Thmuis, Caius, Philo, Hermes, Pliny, Psenosiris,
Nilammon, Agatho, Anagamphus, Mark, Ammonius, another Mark,
Dracontius, Adelphius, and Athenodorus; and the presbyters Hierax
and Discorus. And so harshly did they treat them in conducting them,
that some expired while on their journey, and others in the place of
banishment. In this way they got rid of more than thirty bishops, for
the anxious desire of the Arians, like Ahab's, was to exterminate
the truth if possible.'
Such are the words of Athanasius in regard to the atrocities
perpetrated by George at Alexandria. The emperor meanwhile led his
army into Illyricum. For there the urgency of public affairs demanded
his presence; and especially the proclamation of Vetranio as emperor
by the military. On arriving at Sirmium, he came to a conference
with Vetranio during a truce; and so managed, that the soldiers who
had previously declared for him changed sides, and saluted Constantius
alone as Augustus and sovereign autocrat. In the acclamations,
therefore, no notice was taken of Vetranio. Vetranio, perceiving
himself to be abandoned, immediately threw himself at the feet of the
emperor; Constantius, taking from him his imperial crown and purple,
treated him with great clemency, and recommended him to pass the rest
of his days tranquilly in the condition of a private citizen: observing
that a life of repose at his advanced are was far more suitable than a
dignity which entailed anxieties and care. Vetranio's affairs came to
this issue; and the emperor ordered that a liberal provision out of the
public revenue should be given him. Often afterwards writing to the
emperor during his residence at Prusa in Bithynia, Vetranio assured
him that he had conferred the greatest blessing on him, by liberating
him from the disquietudes which are the inseparable concomitants of
sovereign power. Adding that he himself did not act wisely in
depriving himself of that happiness in retirement, which he had
bestowed upon him. Let this suffice on this point. After these
things, the Emperor Constantius having created Gallus his kinsman
Caesar, and given him his own name, sent him to Antioch in Syria,
providing thus for the guarding of the eastern parts. When Gallus was
entering this city, the Savior's sign appeared in the East: for a
pillar in the form of a cross seen in the heavens gave occasion of great
amazement to the spectators. His other generals the emperor despatched
against Magnentius with considerable forces, and he himself remained
at Sirmium, awaiting the course of events.
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