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Silvanus was formerly a rhetorician, and had been brought up in the
school of Troilus the sophist; but aiming at perfection in his
Christian course, he entered on the ascetic mode of life, and set
aside the rhetorician's pallium. Atticus bishop of Constantinople
having taken notice of him afterwards ordained him bishop of
Philippopolis. Thus he resided three years in Thrace; but being
unable to endure the cold of that region--for his constitution was
delicate and sickly--he begged Atticus to appoint some one else in
his place, alleging that it was for no other reason but the cold that
he resigned residence in Thrace. This having been done, Silvanus
resided at Constantinople, where he practiced so great austerities
that, despising the luxurious refinements of the age, he often
appeared in the crowded streets of that populous city shod with sandals
made of hay. Some time having elapsed, the bishop of Troas died; on
Which account the inhabitants of that city came to Atticus concerning
the appointment of a successor. While he was deliberating whom he
should ordain for them, Silvanus happened to pay him a visit, which
at once relieved him from further anxiety; for addressing Silvanus,
he said: 'You have now no longer any excuse for avoiding the pastoral
administration of a church; for Troas is not a cold place: so that
God has considered your infirmity of body, and provided you a suitable
residence. Go thither then, my brother, without delay.' Silvanus
therefore removed to that city.
Here a miracle was performed by his instrumentality, which I shall
now relate. An immense ship for carrying burdens, such as they term
'float,' intended for the conveyance of enormous pillars, had been
recently constructed on the shore at Troas. This vessel it was
necessary to launch. But although many strong ropes were attached to
it, and the power of a vast number of persons was applied, the vessel
was in no way moved. When these attempts had been repeated several
days successively with the like result, the people began to think that
a devil detained the ship; they therefore went to the bishop
Silvanus, and entreated him to go and offer a prayer in that place.
For thus only they thought it could be launched. He replied with his
characteristic lowliness of mind that he was but a sinner, and that the
work pertained to some one who was just and not to himself. Being at
length prevailed on by their continued: entreaties, he approached the
shore, where after having prayed, he touched one of the ropes, and
exhorting the rest to vigorous exertion, the ship was by the first pull
instantly set in motion, and ran swiftly into the sea. This miracle
wrought by the hands of Silvanus, stirred up the whole population of
the province to piety. But the uncommon worth of Silvanus was
manifested in various other ways. Perceiving that the ecclesiastics
made a merchandise of the contentions of those engaged in law-suits,
he would never nominate any one of the clergy as judge: but causing the
documents of the litigants to be delivered to himself, he summoned to
him some pious layman in whose integrity he had confidence; and
committing to him the adjudication of the case, he soon equitably
settled all the differences of the litigants; and by this procedure
Silvanus acquired for himself great reputation from all classes of
persons.
We have indeed digressed pretty much from the course of our history in
giving this account of Silvanus; but yet it will not, we imagine, be
unprofitable. Let us now however return to the place from which we
departed. Maximian, having been ordained on the 25th of October,
under the consulate of Bassus and Antiochus, the affairs of the
church were reduced to a better ordered and more tranquil condition.
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