A. D. 391. from a wish to comply with the instances of the Pope and the other Bishops of the West, who earnestly solicited him to put an end to the schism of Antioch. Flavian at that time pleaded the winter as an excuse for his refusal, and returned home, promising to obey the Emperor's command in the spring. When the Pope renewed his importunity, the Emperor sent again for Flavian, and urged him to set out ['aienalve and go to Rome. Then Flavian gave this resolute' answer: Theod.] "If I am accused of error in faith, or of leading a life un"worthy of the priesthood, I desire no other judges than my accusers themselves; but if a throne and primacy2 be the object of dispute, I will offer no defence, I will resign the "primacy; confer the throne of Antioch, O Emperor, on "whom thou wilt." The Emperor moved with this generosity, bade him return and feed the Church entrusted to his care. A short time after this Evagrius died, and Flavian managed that no one should be appointed to succeed him, but those who were ill-disposed towards Flavian continued to hold their assemblies apart.

[2 προε δρίας.]

XXVIII. Pagan se

3 Scz. 7. 15.

66

Meanwhile the Bishop Theophilus actively undertook the dition at A- overthrow of idolatry in Egypt, where it had taken such deep lexandria. root. There was at Alexandria an ancient temple of Bacchus3, which had been so neglected, that nothing remained standing but the bare walls. From the increase of the faithful, Theo[oratio- philus found it necessary to increase the number of churches', num loca.] and asked Theodosius to give this ruin to him for that purpose. The Emperor consented, and Theophilus began to clear it and [odvov.] take away the idols. In the secret places underground, which the Pagans called in Greek Adyta, and held sacred, were found the scandalous figures, called in Greek Phalli, and others, which were only ridiculous. These Theophilus took care to expose and parade publicly, to shame the Pagans for their mysteries. They could not put up with it. The philosophers were offended, the people became furious, and not satisfied with seditious exclamations, came to blows and took up arms. Conflicts were frequent in the streets, and many were killed on both sides. The Christians, though superior in strength, were held back by the moderation their faith had

f Ruffinus (11. c. 22.) speaks of it given to the Arians. as a Basilica, which Constantius had

taught them; the Pagans after killing many of them retired A. d. 391. to the temple of Serapis, as to their fortress. They made a sudden sally, and dragging back with them such Christians as they could surprise, forced them to sacrifice on the Altars, and, if they refused, put them to the most cruel tortures, crucified some, and threw others, after they had broken their legs, into the pits which had been made to receive the blood of the victims and the rest of the filth attendant on their sacrifices.

The Pagans began these excesses with some fear, but getting bolder they at last threw off all restraint and behaved with the utmost recklessness. They supported themselves for some time in the temple, living upon plunder. They chose for their leader a man named Olympus, a man with the name and garb of a philosopher'. He had come from Cilicia Suid. to devote himself to the worship of Serapis, and established him- Olymp. self, at Alexandria, as a teacher of paganism. He assembled [2 iepodidáeverywhere those whom he met, instructed them in their ancient oxas.] laws, and promised the utmost happiness as a reward to those who strictly observed them. He possessed every external recommendation. His figure was tall and well-proportioned, his countenance handsome, he was in the vigour of his mind, affable, agreeable, eloquent, the very person to lead the multitude, who looked upon him as something divine3.

3 Suid. Olymp.

This temple of Serapis', in which the insurgents had forti- . 11. fied themselves, was built on a quadrangular terrace, raised 23. artificially to the height of more than a hundred steps, and spacious on every side. The ascent to the summit was vaulted throughout, and the whole substruction was divided into chambers, communicating with each other by secret passages, and lighted by immense lamps suspended from the roofs. Above, the extremities of the terrace were occupied with halls for disputation', sleeping rooms, and lofty build- [exedræ.] [ pastoings, which were inhabited by the officers of the temple', or phoria.] persons who were under a course of purification. Then æditui.] οἱ ἁγνεύcame rows of porticoes, forming a quadrangular court, in ovTES. the midst of which stood the temple in its grandeur and magnificence, built of marble and supported by precious columns. Within, the walls of the temple were covered with plates of copper, under which were said to be others of silver,

'Macrob. Saturn. 1. 20. [calathum.]

2 Clem. Alex. Pro

Aug. de

tom. 7.

2

A. D. 391. and under both, other plates of gold, the more precious metal being the more carefully protected. The Idol of Serapis was of such enormous size, that with its extended hands it touched both sides of the temple. It was the figure of a venerable man with a beard and long hair, as is seen on medals; but at its side stood another monstrous or mysterious figure of a creature with three heads, of which the largest, in the middle, was that of a lion, on the right was that of a fawning dog, and that of a ravening wolf on the left. A serpent surrounding these three animals with its folds submitted its head to the right hand of Serapis. The latter image carried on his head a bushel', which led some to suppose that the Patriarch Joseph was intended by it, and that the superstitious Egyptians paid him divine honours for the abundance he had procured for them. Indeed no one was very certain what god trept. p.14. this idol was meant to represent, nor whence it had come into Potter.] [t. 1. p. 43. Egypt. The material of the idol was mixed; all kinds of metals, 3 Vid. S. precious stones, and woods, are said to have entered into its Civ.18.c.5. composition. The original blue with which it had been Ruff. 11. painted, time had rendered black. There was in the wall of the temple a very small aperture, so placed, that the sun's rays passing through it fell on the lips of Serapis, on the day and at the instant when it was customary to bring the idol of the sun to visit him, so that the sun was seen by the assembled people to salute Serapis with a kiss. Other artifices are related, by which, at this time, the idolaters were deceived. So successful were they in this case, that there was no idol more respected than that of Serapis in AlexanJul. Imp. dria, which was considered a sacred city from its presence3. Epist. 10. 51. Eunap. The Præfect of Egypt at this time was Evagrius, and Count Romanus, the General of the forces in Egypt'. As soon as [apxos they were informed of the sedition, they hastened to the avspelas.] temple of Serapis and demanded of the Pagans the cause Soz. 7.15. of their temerity, and what was meant by the concourse, and why the blood of the citizens was shed before the altars. The insurgents who had secured the entrances answered only with cries and confused noises. In vain was the Roman power represented, and the vengeance they had to expect put before them. The strength of the place itself, which they had increased by the fortifications, precluded all

23.

in Ædes.

p. 72. [43.]

6

τῆς ̓Αλεξ

8 Ruff. 11.

22.

2 Suid.

Olymp.

Destruc

3

Rom. Mart.

17.

means of attack but open force, and the officers would not resort A. D. 391. to this, till they had written to the Emperor. Despair and the harangues of Olympus added to the courage of the insurgents. He exhorted them to die rather than abandon their fathers' laws. He endeavoured to remove their consternation at the destruction of their idols, by telling them that they were merely representations' of perishable material and subject ['ivdárμato destruction, but that the powers which had dwelt in them vai rà àτα λέγων had taken flight to heaven. He had, besides, predicted to his yárμara.] friends, that Serapis was soon about to leave his temple'. As soon as Theodosius heard of these events, he pronounced XXIX. the Christians, who had suffered at Alexandria, happy, as tion of the having earned the crown of Martyrdom, and they are still temple of Serapis. commemorated on the seventeenth of March3. His rescript Martyrol. to the magistrates pronounced a free pardon to the guilty, as well that the Martyrdom of the Christians might not be dishonoured with executions, as to win the murderers to the Faith. He decreed, however, the subversion of the temples at Alexandria, as the causes of the insurrection. The Bishop Theophilus, at whose solicitation this decree was sent, took care, with Evagrius and Romanus, to have it executed, and sent for some Monks to Alexandria to assist him with their prayers. On the arrival of the Emperor's reply, the whole vit. Patr. multitude, Christians and Pagans, having agreed upon a cessa- 572. § 63. tion of hostilities for that purpose, assembled. The first page [p. 435.] of the letter, which condemned the vain superstition of the 22, 23. Pagans, filled the Christians with exultation and their adversaries with dismay, the heathen looked round for some means of concealment, at least by mingling themselves with the Christians. Many fled from Alexandria and were dispersed through various cities. Among the rest were two Socr.5.16. Grammarians, who afterwards became professors at Constantinople, Helladius (who boasted of having slain nine men in the insurrection) and Ammonius; the former said to have been priest of Jupiter, the other of the Ape worshipped by the Egyptians.

The temple of Serapis was abandoned; Olympus himself took flight. It is said that the midnight before, he heard a voice in the temple singing Hallelujah. He found the doors closed, and that there was perfect stillness every where, except

4

Rosw. p.

5 Ruff. 11.

A. D. 391. that this same' strain was melodiously continued. He under[To arò stood the omen, and secretly quitting the temple, embarked ψαλμὸν] Soz.7. 15. for Italy'. He may himself have invented the story, in justification of his flight.

22.

A report had been spread abroad by the Pagans, that if the hand of man were to touch the idol of Serapis, the Ruff. 11.23. heavens would fall and the earth sink into chaos3. This prejudice checked the people for a little, after the Imperial rescript had been read, when a soldier, at the command of the Bishop Theophilus, took an axe and buried it with all his Theod. 5. force in the jaw of Serapis'. The whole people, Christians and Pagans, shouted; their fears were removed; the soldier repeated his blow on the knee of the idol; it fell, and was broken to pieces. On striking off the head, a number of rats ran out; the scattered limbs of the idol were dragged through the city and burnt, piece by piece; the trunk, which remained, was burnt in the Amphitheatre. So perished Serapis in the midst of his worshippers, who mocked him themselves. The utter demolition of the temple followed the destruction of the idol. Its substructions were suffered to remain, on account of the difficulty there would have been in levelling it from Socr. 5. 7. the immense size of the stones". But the whole was now a mere mass of ruins. On some stones there were found crosses engraved, and some Christians, who understood the ["lepar- hieroglyphics or sacred characters of the Egyptians, exκαὶ] plained them as significative of the life to come. This, together with an ancient tradition that when this figure of the cross should appear their religion should come to an end, Soc. 5. 17. induced many of the Pagans to embrace Christianity'. Hence it was that the sacrificers and ministers of the temples were first converted, from being better informed. Every house in [Thora- Alexandria had busts of Serapis against the walls, at the ces.] doors, or at the windows; these were all taken away, there remained no trace of Serapis or of any other idol, and the figure of the cross was painted in their stead.

7

Soz. 7. 16.

Ruff. 11.29.

[ dæmonis.]

2

ulna, Ruff.

The inundation of the Nile was ascribed by the Pagans to [xvs, Serapis, and the measure' of its increase was carefully pre11. 30.] served in his temple. Constantine' had commanded it to be Fleury, 11. kept in a church, but Julian restored it to the temple; it Fleury, 15. was now replaced according to Constantine's order. The

33.

3.