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On the 2d of June of the following year, in the consulate of
Lupicin and Jovian, there fell at Constantinople hail of such a size
as would fill a maws hand. Many affirmed that this hail had fallen as
a consequence of the Divine displeasure, because of the emperor's
having banished several persons engaged in the sacred ministry, those,
that is to say, who refused to communicate with Eudoxius. During the
same consulate, on the 24th of August, the emperor Valentinian
proclaimed his son Gratian Augustus. In the next year, when
Valentinian and Valens were a second time consuls, there happened on
the 11th of October, an earthquake in Bithynia which destroyed the
city of Nicaea on the eleventh day of October. This was about twelve
years after Nicomedia had been visited by a similar catastrophe. Soon
afterwards the largest portion of Germa in the Hellespont was reduced
to ruins by another earthquake. Nevertheless no impression was made on
the mind of either Eudoxius the Arian bishop, or the emperor
Valens, by these occurrences; for they did not desist from their
relentless persecution of those who dissented from them in matters of
faith. Meanwhile these convulsions of the earth were regarded as
typical of the disturbances which agitated the churches: for many of
the clerical body were sent into exile, as we have stated; Basil and
Gregory alone, by a special dispensation of Divine Providence,
being on account of their eminent piety exempted from this punishment.
The former of these individuals was bishop of Caesarea in
Cappadocia; while Gregory presided over Nazianzus, a little city in
the vicinity of Caesarea. But we shall have occasion to mention both
Basil and Gregory again in the course of our history.
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