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The wonted opponents of the truth were so much displeased at these
proceedings, that they planned a notoriously execrable and impious
crime.
The two bishops resided near the foot of the mountain, while the
military commander had settled in a lodging in another quarter.
At this period Stephanus held the rudder of the church of Antioch,
and had well nigh sunk the ship, for he employed several tools in his
despotic doings, and by their aid involved all who maintained orthodox
doctrines in manifold calamities. The leader of these instruments was
a young man of a rash and reckless character, who led a very infamous
life. He not only dragged away men from the market-place, and
treated them with blows and insult, but had the audacity to enter
private houses, whence he carried off men and women of irreproachable
character. But, not to be too prolix in relating his crimes, I will
merely narrate his daring conduct towards the bishops; for this alone
is sufficient to give an idea of the unlawful deeds of violence which he
perpetrated against the citizens. He went to one of the lowest women
of the town, and told her that some strangers had just arrived, who
desired to pass the night with her. He took fifteen of his band,
placed them in hiding among the stone walls at the bottom of the hill,
and then went for the prostitute. After giving the preconcerted
signal, and learning that the folk privy to the plot were on the spot,
he went to the gate of the courtyard belonging to the inn where the
bishops were lodging. The doors were opened by one of the household
servants, who had been bribed by him. He then conducted the woman
into the house, pointed out to her the door of the room where one of
the bishops slept, and desired her to enter. Then he went out to call
his accomplices. The door which he had pointed out happened to be that
of Euphratas, the eider bishop, whose room was the outer of the two.
Vincentius, the other bishop, occupied the inner room. When the
woman entered the room of Euphratas, he heard the sound of her
footsteps, and, as it was then dark, asked who was there. She
spoke, and Euphratas was full of alarm, for he thought that it was a
devil imitating the voice of a woman, and he called upon Christ the
Saviour for aid. Onager, for this was the name of the leader of this
wicked band (a name peculiarly appropriate to him, as he not only used
his hands but also his feet as weapons against the pious), had in the
meantime returned with his lawless crew, denouncing as criminals those
who were expecting to be judges of crime themselves. At the noise
which was made all the servants came running in, and up got
Vincentius. They closed the gate of the courtyards and captured seven
of the gang; but Onager and the rest made off. The woman was
committed to custody with those who had been seized. At the break of
day the bishops awoke the officer who had come with them, and they all
three proceeded together to the palace, to complain of the audacious
acts of Stephanus, whose evil deeds, they said, were too evident to
need either trial or torture to prove them. The general loudly
demanded of the emperor that the audacious act should not be dealt with
synodically, but by ordinary legal process, and offered to give up the
clergy attached to the bishops to be first examined, and declared that
the agents of Stephanus must undergo the torture too. To this
Stephanus insolently objected, alleging that the clergy ought not to
be scourged. The emperor and the principal authorities then decided
that it would be better to judge the cause in the palace. The woman
was first of all questioned, and was asked by whom she was conducted to
the inn where the bishops were lodging. She replied, that a young man
came to her, and told her that some strangers had arrived who were
desirous of her company; that in the evening he conducted her to the
inn; that he went to look for his band, and when he had found it,
brought her in through the door of the court, and desired her to go
into the chamber adjoining the vestibule. She added, that the bishop
asked who was there; that he was alarmed; and that he began to pray;
and that then others ran to the spot.
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