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AFTER the death of the Emperor Constantine, Eusebius, bishop
of Nicomedia, and Theognis of Nicaea, imagining that a favorable
opportunity had arisen, used their utmost efforts to expunge the
doctrine of homoousion, and to introduce Arianism in its place.
They, nevertheless, despaired of effecting this, if Athanasius
should return to Alexandria: in order therefore to accomplish their
designs, they sought the assistance of that presbyter by whose means
Arius had been recalled from exile a little before. How this was done
shall now be described. The presbyter in question presented the will
and the request of the deceased king to his son Constantius; who
finding those dispositions in it which he was most desirous of, for the
empire of the East was by his father's will apportioned to him,
treated the presbyter with great consideration, loaded him with
favors, and ordered that free access should be given him both to the
palace and to himself. This license soon obtained for him familiar
intercourse with the empress, as well as with her eunuchs. There was
at that time a chief eunuch of the imperial bed-chamber named
Eusebius; him the presbyter persuaded to adopt Arian's views, after
which the rest of the eunuchs were also prevailed on to adopt the same
sentiments. Not only this but the empress also, under the influence
of the eunuchs and the presbyters, became favorable to the tenets of
Arius; and not long after the subject was introduced to the emperor
himself. Thus it became gradually diffused throughout the court, and
among the officers of the imperial household and guards, until at
length it spread itself over the whole population of the city. The
chamberlains in the palace discussed this doctrine with the women; and
in the family of every citizen there was a logical contest. Moreover,
the mischief quickly extended to other provinces and cities, the
controversy, like a spark, insignificant at first, exciting in the
auditors a spirit of contention: for every one who inquired the cause
of the tumult, found immediately occasion for disputing, and
determined to take part in the strife at the moment of making the
inquiry. By general altercation of this kind all order was subverted;
the agitation, however, was confined to the cities of the East,
those of Illyricum and the western parts of the empire meanwhile were
perfectly tranquil, because they would not annul the decisions of the
Council of Nicaea. As this affair increased, going from bad to
worse, Eusebius of Nicomedia and his party looked upon popular
ferment as a piece of good fortune. For only thus they thought they
would be enabled to constitute some one who held their own sentiments
bishop of Alexandria. But the return of Athanasius at that time
defeated their purpose; for he came thither fortified by a letter from
one of the Augusti, which the younger Constantine, who bore his
father's name, addressed to the people of Alexandria, from Treves,
a city in Gaul. A copy of this epistle is here subjoined.
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