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THE odium against John Chrysostom was considerably increased by
another additional event as follows: two bishops flourished at that
time, Syrians by birth, named Severian and Antiochus; Severian
presided over the church at Gabala, a city of Syria, and Antiochus
over that of Ptolemais in Phoenicia. They were both renowned for
their eloquence; but although Severian was a very learned man, he did
not succeed in using the Greek language perfectly; and so while
speaking Greek he betrayed his Syrian origin. Antiochus came first
to Constantinople, and having preached in the churches for some time
with great zeal and ability, and having thus amassed l a large sum of
money, he returned to his own church. Severian hearing that
Antiochus had collected a fortune by his visit to Constantinople,
determined to follow his example. He therefore exercised himself for
the occasion, and having composed a number of sermons, set out for
Constantinople. Being most kindly received by John, to a certain
point, he soothed and flattered the man, and was himself no less
beloved and honored by him: meanwhile his discourses gained him great
celebrity, so that he attracted the notice of many persons of rank,
and even of the emperor himself. And as it happened at that time that
the bishop of Ephesus died, John was obliged to go to Ephesus for
the purpose of ordaining a successor. On his arrival at that city, as
the people were divided in their choice, some proposing one person,
and some another, John perceiving that both parties were in a
contentious mood, and that they did not wish to adopt his counsel, he
resolved without much ado to end their dispute by preferring to the
bishopric a certain Heraclides, a deacon of his own, and a Cypriot
by descent. And thus both parties desisting from their strife with
each other had peace. Now as this detention [at Ephesus] was
lengthened, Severian continued to preach at Constantinople, and
daily grew in favor with his hearers. Of this John was not left
ignorant, for he was promptly made acquainted with whatever occurred,
Serapion, of whom we have before spoken, communicating the news to
him and asserting that the church was being troubled by Severian; thus
the bishop was aroused to a feeling of jealousy. Having therefore
among other matters deprived many of the Novatians and Quartodecimans
of their churches, he returned to Constantinople. Here he resumed
himself the care of the churches under his own especial jurisdiction.
But Serapion's arrogance no one could bear; for thus having won
John's unbounded confidence and regard, he was so puffed up by it
that he treated every one with contempt. And on this account also
animosity was inflamed the more against the bishop. On one occasion
when Severian passed by him, Sera-pion neglected to pay him the
homage due to a bishop, but continued seated [instead of rising],
indicating plainly how little he cared for his presence. Severian,
unable to endure patiently this [supposed] rudeness and contempt,
said with a loud voice to those present, 'If Serapion should die a
Christian, Christ has not become incarnate.' Serapion, taking
occasion from this remark, publicly incited Chrysostom to enmity
against Severian: for suppressing the conditional clause of the
sentence, 'If Serapion die a Christian,' and saying that he had
made the assertion that 'Christ has not become incarnate,' he
brought several witnesses of his own party to sustain this charge. But
on being informed of this the Empress Eudoxia severely reprimanded
John, and ordered that Severian should be immediately recalled from
Chalcedon in Bithynia. He returned forthwith; but John would hold
no intercourse whatever with him, nor did he listen to any one urging
him to do so, until at length the Empress Eudoxia herself, in the
church called The Apostles, placed her son Theodosius, who now so
happily reigns, but was then quite an infant, before John's knees,
and adjuring him repeatedly by the young prince her son, with
difficulty prevailed upon him to be reconciled to Severian. In this
manner then these men were outwardly reconciled; but they nevertheless
continued cherishing a rancorous feeling toward each other. Such was
the origin of the animosity [of John] against Severian.
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