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NOT long after these occurrences the silver statue of the empress,
which is still to be seen to the south of the church opposite the grand
council-chamber, was placed upon a column of porphyry on a high
platform, and the event was celebrated there with applause and popular
spectacles of dances and mimes, as was then customary on the erection
of the statues of the emperors. In a public discourse to the people
John charged that these proceedings reflected dishonor on the Church.
This remark recalled former grievances to the recollection of the
empress, and irritated her so exceedingly at the insult that she
determined to convene another council. He did not yield, but added
fuel to her indignation by still more openly declaiming, against her in
the church; and it was at this period that he pronounced the memorable
discourse commencing with the words, "Herodias is again enraged;
again she dances; again she seeks to have the head of John in a
basin."
Several bishops arrived soon after at Constantinople, and amongst
them were Leontius, bishop of Ancyra, and Acacius, bishop of
Berea. The festival of our Lord's Nativity was then at hand, and
the emperor, instead of repairing to the church as usual, sent to
acquaint John that he could not hold communion with him until he had
cleared himself of the charges. John spiritedly replied that he was
ready to prove his innocence; and this so intimidated his accusers that
they did not dare to follow up the charges. The judges decided that,
having been once deposed, he ought not to be admitted to a second
trial. But they called on John to defend himself on this point only,
that after he had been deposed, he had sat on the episcopal throne
before a synod had reinstated him. In his defense he appealed to the
decision of the bishops who had, subsequently to the council of "The
Oak," held communion with him. The judges waived this argument,
under the plea that those who had held communion with John were
inferior in point of number to those who had deposed him, and that a
canon was in force by which he stood condemned. Under this pretext
they therefore deposed him, although the law in question had been
enacted by heretics; for the Arians, after having taken advantage of
various calumnies to expel Athanasius from the church of Alexandria,
enacted this law from the apprehension of a change in public affairs,
for they struggled to have the decisions against him remain
uninvestigated.
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