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THE calumniators of Athanasius, however, did not desist from their
attempts. On the contrary, they devised so bold a fiction against
him, that it surpassed every invention of the ancient writers of the
tragic or comic stage. They again bribed individuals of the same
party, and brought them before the emperor, vociferously accusing that
champion of virtue of many abominable crimes. The leaders of the party
were Eusebius, Theognis, and Theodorus, bishop of Perinthus, a
city now called Heraclea . After having accused Athanasius of crimes
which they described as too shocking to be tolerated, or even listened
to, they persuaded the emperor to convene a council at Caesarea in
Palestine, where Athanasius had many enemies, and to command that
his cause should be there tried. The emperor, utterly ignorant of the
plot that had been devised, was persuaded by them to give the required
order.
But the holy Athanasius, well aware of the malevolence of those who
were to try him, refused to appear at the council. This served as a
pretext to those who opposed the truth to criminate him still further;
and they accused him before the emperor of contumacy and arrogance.
Nor were their hopes altogether frustrated; for the emperor, although
exceedingly forbearing, became exasperated by their representations,
and wrote to him in an angry manner, commanding him to repair to
Tyre. Here the council was ordered to assemble, from the suspicion,
as I think, that Athanasius had an apprehension of Caesarea on
account of its bishop. The emperor wrote also to the council in a
style consistent with his devoted piety. His letter is as follows.
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