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I HAVE heard moreover concerning Eutychian, a devout person who
flourished about the same time; who also belonged to the Novatian
church, yet was venerated for the performance of similar miracles. I
shall unequivocally state my authority for this narrative, nor will I
attempt to conceal it, even though I give offense to some parties.
It was Auxanon, a very aged presbyter of the Novatian church; who
when quite a youth accompanied Acesius to the Synod at Nicaea, and
related to me what I have said concerning him. His life extended from
that period to the reign of Theodosius the Younger; and when I was a
mere youth he recounted to me the acts of Eutychian, enlarging much on
the divine grace which was manifested in him: but one circumstance he
alluded to, which occurred in the reign of Constantine, peculiarly
worthy of mention. One of those military attendants, whom the emperor
calls his domestic [or body] guards having been suspected of
treasonable practices, sought his safety in flight. The indignant
monarch ordered that he should be put to death, wherever he might be
found: who, having been arrested on the Bithynian Olympus, was
bound with heavy and painful chains and kept imprisoned near those parts
of Olympus where Eutychian was leading a solitary life, and healing
both the bodies and souls of many. The aged Auxanon being then very
young was with him, and was being trained by him in the discipline of
the monastic life. Many persons came to this Eutychian, entreating
him to procure the release of the prisoner by interceding for him with
the emperor. For the fame of the miracles done by Eutychian had
reached the ears of the emperor. He readily promised to go to the
sovereign; but as the chains inflicted intolerable suffering, those
who interested themselves on his behalf declared that death caused by
the effect of his chains would anticipate both the emperor's vengeance
and any intercession that might be made for the prisoner. Accordingly
Eutychian sent to the jailers requesting them to relieve the man; but
they having answered that they should bring themselves into danger by
relieving a criminal, he went himself to the prison, attended by
Aux-anon; and as they refused to open the jail, the grace which
rested on Eutychian was rendered more conspicuous: for the gates of
the prison opened of their own accord, while the jailers had the keys
in their custody. As soon as Eutychian, together with Auxanon, had
entered the prison, to the great astonishment of all then present the
fetters spontaneously fell from the prisoner's limbs. He then
proceeded with Aux-anon to the city which was anciently called
Byzantium but afterwards Constantinople, where having been admitted
into the imperial palace, he saved the man from death; for the
emperor, entertaining great veneration for Eutychian, readily granted
his request. This indeed occurred some time after [the period to
which this part of our history refers].
The bishops who were convened at the council of Nicaea, after having
drawn up and enrolled certain other ecclesiastical regulations which
they are accustomed to term canons, again departed to their respective
cities: and as I conceive it will be appreciated by lovers of
learning, I shall here subjoin the names of such as were present, as
far as I have been able to ascertain them, with the province and city
over which they severally presided, and likewise the date at which this
assembly took place. Hosius, who was I believe bishop of Cordova in
Spain, as I have before stated. Vito and Vicentius, presbyters of
Rome, Alexander, bishop of Egypt, Eustathius of Antiochia
Magna, Macarius of Jerusalem, and Harpocration of Cynopolis: the
names of the rest are fully reported in The Synodicon of Athanasius,
bishop of Alexandria. This Synod was convened (as we have
discovered from the notation of the date prefixed to the record of the
Synod) in the consulate of Paulinus and Julian, on the 20th day
of May, and in the 636th year from the reign of Alexander the
Macedonian. Accordingly the work of the council was accomplished.
It should be noted that after the council the emperor went into the
western parts of the empire.
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