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ACACIUS, Eudoxius, and those at Constantinople who took part
with them, became exceedingly anxious that they also on their side
might depose some of the opposite party. Now it should be observed
that neither of the factions were influenced by religious considerations
in making depositions, but by other motives: for although they did not
agree respecting the faith, yet the ground of their reciprocal
depositions was not error in doctrine. The Acacian party therefore
availing themselves of the emperor's indignation against others, and
especially against Macedonius, which he was cherishing and anxious to
vent, in the first place deposed Macedonius, both on account of his
having occasioned so much slaughter, and also because he had admitted
to communion a deacon who had been found guilty of fornication. They
then depose Eleusius bishop of Cyzicus, for having baptized, and
afterwards invested with the diaconate, a priest of Hercules at Tyre
named Heraclius, who was known to have practiced magic arts. A like
sentence was pronounced against Basil, or Basilas, -- as he was
also called, -- who had been constituted bishop of Ancyra instead of
Marcellus: the causes assigned for this condemnation were, that he
had unjustly imprisoned a certain individual, loaded him with chains,
and put him to the torture; that he had traduced some persons; and
that he had disturbed the churches of Africa by his epistles.
Dracontius was also deposed, because he had left the Galatian church
for that of Pergamos. Moreover they deposed, on various pretenses,
Neonas bishop of Seleucia, the city in which the Synod had been
convened, Sophronius of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia, Elpidius of
Satala, in Macedonia, and Cyril of Jerusalem, and others for
various reasons.
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