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When the Emperor Honorius died Theodosius -- now sole ruler --
having received the news concealed the truth as long as possible,
misleading the people sometimes with one report, and then with
another. But he privately dispatched a military force to Salonae, a
city of Dalmatia, that in the event of any revolutionary movement in
the West there might be resources at hand to check it; and after
making these provisional arrangements, he at length openly announced
his uncle's death. In the meantime John, the superintendent of the
emperor's secretaries, not content with the dignity to which he had
already attained, seized upon the sovereign authority; and sent an
embassy to the emperor Theodosius, requesting that he might be
recognized as his colleague in the empire. But that prince first
caused the ambassadors to be arrested, then sent off Ardaburius, the
commander-in-chief of the army, who had greatly distinguished himself
in, the Persian war. He, on arriving at Salonae, set sail from
thence for Aquileia. And he was fortunate as was thought, but
fortune was adverse to him as it afterwards appeared. For a contrary
wind having arisen, he was driven into the usurper's hand. The
latter having seized him became more sanguine in his hope that the
emperor would be induced by the urgency of the case to elect and
proclaim him emperor, in order to preserve the life of his
genera-in-chief. And the emperor was in fact greatly distressed when
he heard of it, as was also the army which had been sent against the
usurper, lest Ardaburius should be subjected to evil treatment by the
usurper. Aspar the son of Ardaburius, having learnt that his father
was in the usurper's power, and aware at the same time that the party
of the rebels was strengthened by the accession of immense numbers of
barbarians, knew not what course to pursue. Then again at this crisis
the prayer of the pious emperor prevailed. For an angel of God,
under the appearance of a shepherd, undertook the guidance of Aspar
and the troops which were with him, and led him through the lake near
Ravenna -- for in that city the usurper was then residing -- and
there detained the military chief. Now, no one had ever been known to
have forded that lake before; but God then rendered that passable,
which had hitherto been impassable. Having therefore crossed the
lake, as if going over dry ground, they found the gates of the city
open, and overpowered the usurper. This event afforded that most
devout emperor an opportunity of giving a fresh demonstration of his
piety towards God. For the news of the usurper's being destroyed,
having arrived while he was engaged at the exhibition of the sports of
the Hippodrome, he immediately said to the people: 'Come now, if
you please, let us leave these diversions, and proceed to the church
to offer thanksgivings to God, whose hand has overthrown the
usurper.' Thus did he address them; and the spectacles were
immediately forsaken and neglected, the people all passing out of the
circus singing praises together with him, as with one heart and one
voice. And arriving at the church, the whole city again became one
congregation; and once in the church they passed the remainder of the
day in these devotional exercises.
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