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Proclus was a reader at a very early age, and assiduously frequenting
the schools, became devoted to the study of rhetoric. On attaining
manhood he was in the habit of constant intercourse with Atticus the
bishop, having been constituted his secretary. When he had made great
progress, his patron promoted him to the rank of deacon; subsequently
being elevated to the presbyterate, as we have before stated, he was
ordained by Sisinnius to be bishop of Cyzicus. But all these things
were done long before. At this time he was allotted the episcopal
chair of Constantinople. He was a man of moral excellence equal to
any other; for having been trained by Atticus, he was a zealous
imitator of all that bishop's virtues. Patience, however, he
exercised to a greater degree than his master, who occasionally
practiced severities upon the heretics; for Proclus was gentle towards
everybody, being convinced teat kindness is far more effective than
violence in advancing the cause of truth. Resolving therefore to
vexatiously interfere with no heresy whatever, he restored in his own
person to the church that mild and _benign dignity of character, which
had so often before been unhappily violated. In this respect he
followed the example of the Emperor Theodosius; for as the latter had
determined never to exercise his imperial authority against criminals,
so had Proclus likewise purposed not to disquiet those who entertained
other sentiments on divine subjects than those which he cherished
himself.
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