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SUCH are the details that have been transmitted concerning John.
Not long after his death, and three years after the elevation of
Atticus to the bishopric of Constantinople, and during the consulate
of Bassus and Philip, Arcadius died. He left Theodosius, his
son, who was just weaned, as his successor to the empire. He also
left three daughters of tender age, named Pulcheria, Arcadia, and
Marina.
It appears to me that it was the design of God to show by the events
of this period, that piety alone suffices for the salvation of
princes; and that without piety, armies, a powerful empire, and
every other resource, are of no avail. The Divine Power which is
the guardian of the universe, foresaw that the emperor would be
distinguished by his piety, and therefore determined that Pulcheria,
his sister, should be the protector of him and of his government.
This princess was not yet fifteen years of age, but had received a
mind most wise and divine above her years. She first devoted her
virginity to God, and instructed her sisters in the same course of
life. To avoid all cause of jealousy and intrigue, she permitted no
man to enter her palace. In confirmation of her resolution, she took
God, the priests, and all the subjects of the Roman empire as
witnesses to her self-dedication. In token of her virginity and the
headship of her brother, she consecrated in the church of
Constantinople, a holy table, a remarkable fabric and very beautiful
to see; it was made of gold and precious stones; and she inscribed
these things on the front of the table, so that it might be patent to
all. After quietly resuming the care of the state, she governed the
Roman empire excellently and with great orderliness; she concerted her
measures so well that the affairs to be carried out were quickly decreed
and completed. She was able to write and to converse with perfect
accuracy in the Greek and Latin languages. She caused all affairs to
be transacted in the name of her brother, and devoted great attention
to bringing him up as a prince in the best possible way and with such
information as was suitable to his years. She had him taught by the
most skilled men, in horsemanship, and the practice of arms, and in
letters. But he was systematically taught by his sister to be orderly
and princely in his manners; she showed him how to gather up his
robes, and how to take a seat, and how to walk; she trained him to
restrain laughter, to assume a mild or a formidable aspect as the
occasion might require, and to inquire with urbanity into the cases of
those who came before him with petitions. But she strove chiefly, to
lead him into piety, and to pray continuously; she taught him to
frequent the church regularly, and to honor the houses of prayer with
gifts and treasures; and she inspired him with reverence for priests
and other good men, and for those who, in accordance with the law of
Christianity, had devoted themselves to philosophy. She provided
zealously and wisely that religion might not be endangered by the
innovation of spurious dogmas. That new heresies have not prevailed in
our times, we shah find to be due especially to her, as we shall
subsequently see. With how much fear she worshiped God, it would
take long for any one to say; and how many houses of prayer she built
magnificently, and how many hostelries and monastic communities she
established, the arrangement for the expenses for their perpetual
support, and the provision for the inmates. If any one pleases to
examine the truth from the business itself, and not to be convinced by
my words, he will learn that they are not falsely described by me for
my own favor, if he will investigate the testimonial documents written
up by the stewards of her house, and if he will inquire from the true
records whether the facts agree with my history. If these proofs alone
do not satisfy him so as to make him believe, let God himself persuade
him who had her in favor altogether and everywhere on account of her
conduct, so that He heard her prayer readily, and frequently directed
beforehand the things which ought to be done. Such indications of
Divine love are not conferred upon men unless they have merited them by
their works. But I willingly pass over for the present the many
separate manifestations of Divine favor that were granted to the sister
of the emperor as proofs that she was loved of God, lest anybody
should blame me for having set out to do other things, and yet had
turned to the use of encomiums. One incident relating to her seems,
however, so fitting in itself and to my ecclesiastical history, and so
evident a demonstration of her love for God, that I will relate it
here, although it happened some time afterwards. It is as follows.
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