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THE cruel disposition of the emperor was at this time abused by an
execrable demon, who induced certain curious persons to institute an
inquiry by means of necromancy as to who should succeed Valens on the
throne. To their magical incantations the demon gave responses not
distinct and unequivocal, but as the general practice is, full of
ambiguity; for displaying the four letters
q, e,
o, and
d he declared that the name of the
successor of Valens began with these; and that it was a compound
name. When the emperor was apprised of this oracle, instead of
committing to God, who alone can penetrate futurity, the decision of
this matter, in contravention of those Christian principles to which
he pretended the most zealous adherence, he put to death very many
persons of whom he had the suspicion that they aimed at the sovereign
power: thus such as were named 'Theodore,' 'Theodotus,' '
Theodosius,' 'Theodulus,' and the like, were sacrificed to the
emperor's fears; and among the rest was Theodosiolus, a very brave
man, descended from a noble family in Spain. Many persons
therefore, to avoid the danger to which they were exposed, changed
their names, giving up those which they had received from their parents
in infancy as dangerous. This will be enough on that subject.
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