despicableanddecrepiteunuchcouldnolongeralarmthefearsofhisenemies;norwashecapableofenjoyingwhatyetremained,thecomfortsofpeace,ofsolitude,andofahappyclimate。Buttheirimplacablerevengestillenviedhimthelastmomentsofamiserablelife,andEutropiushadnosoonertouchedtheshoresofCyprus,thanhewashastilyrecalled。Thevainhopeofeluding,byachangeofplace,theobligationofanoath,engagedtheempresstotransferthesceneofhistrialandexecutionfromConstantinopletotheadjacentsuburbofChalcedon。TheconsulAurelianpronouncedthesentence;andthemotivesofthatsentenceexposethejurisprudenceofadespoticgovernment。ThecrimeswhichEutropiushadcommittedagainstthepeoplemighthavejustifiedhisdeath;buthewasfoundguiltyofharnessingtohischariotthesacredanimals,who,fromtheirbreedorcolor,werereservedfortheuseoftheemperoralone。^32
[Footnote28:Thisanecdote,whichPhilostorgiusalonehaspreserved,lxi。c。6,andGothofred。Dissertat。p。451—456
iscuriousandimportant;sinceitconnectstherevoltoftheGothswiththesecretintriguesofthepalace。]
[Footnote29:SeetheHomilyofChrysostom,tom。iii。p。381—
386,whichtheexordiumisparticularlybeautiful。Socrates,l。
vi。c。5。Sozomen,l。viii。c。7。MontfauconinhisLifeofChrysostom,tom。xiii。p。135toohastilysupposesthatTribigildwasactuallyinConstantinople;andthathecommandedthesoldierswhowereorderedtoseizeEutropiusEvenClaudian,aPaganpoet,praefat。adl。ii。inEutrop。27,hasmentionedtheflightoftheeunuchtothesanctuary。
Suppliciterquepiashumilisprostratusadaras,Mitigatiratasvocetrementenurus,]
[Footnote30:Chrysostom,inanotherhomily,tom。iii。p。386,
affectstodeclarethatEutropiuswouldnothavebeentaken,hadhenotdesertedthechurch。Zosimus,l。v。p。313,onthecontrary,pretends,thathisenemiesforcedhimfromthesanctuary。Yetthepromiseisanevidenceofsometreaty;andthestrongassuranceofClaudian,Praefat。adl。ii。46,
Sedtamenexemplononferieretuo,maybeconsideredasanevidenceofsomepromise。]
[Footnote31:Cod。Theod。l。ix。tit。xi。leg。14。ThedateofthatlawJan。17,A。D。399iserroneousandcorrupt;sincethefallofEutropiuscouldnothappentilltheautumnofthesameyear。SeeTillemont,Hist。desEmpereurs,tom。v。p。780。]
[Footnote32:Zosimus,l。v。p。313。Philostorgius,l。xi。c。
6。]
Whilethisdomesticrevolutionwastransacted,Gainas^33
openlyrevoltedfromhisallegiance;unitedhisforcesatThyatirainLydia,withthoseofTribigild;andstillmaintainedhissuperiorascendantovertherebelliousleaderoftheOstrogoths。Theconfederatearmiesadvanced,withoutresistance,tothestraitsoftheHellespontandtheBosphorus;andArcadiuswasinstructedtopreventthelossofhisAsiaticdominions,byresigninghisauthorityandhispersontothefaithoftheBarbarians。ThechurchoftheholymartyrEuphemia,situateonaloftyeminencenearChalcedon,^34waschosenfortheplaceoftheinterview。Gainasbowedwithreverenceatthefeetoftheemperor,whilstherequiredthesacrificeofAurelianandSaturninus,twoministersofconsularrank;andtheirnakedneckswereexposed,bythehaughtyrebel,totheedgeofthesword,tillhecondescendedtograntthemaprecariousanddisgracefulrespite。TheGoths,accordingtothetermsoftheagreement,wereimmediatelytransportedfromAsiaintoEurope;andtheirvictoriouschief,whoacceptedthetitleofmaster—generaloftheRomanarmies,soonfilledConstantinoplewithhistroops,anddistributedamonghisdependantsthehonorsandrewardsoftheempire。Inhisearlyyouth,GainashadpassedtheDanubeasasuppliantandafugitive:hiselevationhadbeentheworkofvalorandfortune;andhisindiscreetorperfidiousconductwasthecauseofhisrapiddownfall。Notwithstandingthevigorousoppositionofthearchbishop,heimportunatelyclaimedforhisAriansectariesthepossessionofapeculiarchurch;andtheprideoftheCatholicswasoffendedbythepublictolerationofheresy。^35EveryquarterofConstantinoplewasfilledwithtumultanddisorder;andtheBarbariansgazedwithsuchardorontherichshopsofthejewellers,andthetablesofthebankers,whichwerecoveredwithgoldandsilver,thatitwasjudgedprudenttoremovethosedangeroustemptationsfromtheirsight。
Theyresentedtheinjuriousprecaution;andsomealarmingattemptsweremade,duringthenight,toattackanddestroywithfiretheImperialpalace。^36Inthisstateofmutualandsuspicioushostility,theguardsandthepeopleofConstantinopleshutthegates,androseinarmstopreventortopunishtheconspiracyoftheGoths。DuringtheabsenceofGainas,histroopsweresurprisedandoppressed;seventhousandBarbariansperishedinthisbloodymassacre。Inthefuryofthepursuit,theCatholicsuncoveredtheroof,andcontinuedtothrowdownflaminglogsofwood,tilltheyoverwhelmedtheiradversaries,whohadretreatedtothechurchorconventicleoftheArians。
Gainaswaseitherinnocentofthedesign,ortooconfidentofhissuccess;hewasastonishedbytheintelligencethattheflowerofhisarmyhadbeeningloriouslydestroyed;thathehimselfwasdeclaredapublicenemy;andthathiscountryman,Fravitta,abraveandloyalconfederate,hadassumedthemanagementofthewarbyseaandland。Theenterprisesoftherebel,againstthecitiesofThrace,wereencounteredbyafirmandwell—ordereddefence;hishungrysoldiersweresoonreducedtothegrassthatgrewonthemarginofthefortifications;andGainas,whovainlyregrettedthewealthandluxuryofAsia,embracedadesperateresolutionofforcingthepassageoftheHellespont。Hewasdestituteofvessels;butthewoodsoftheChersonesusaffordedmaterialsforrafts,andhisintrepidBarbariansdidnotrefusetotrustthemselvestothewaves。ButFravittaattentivelywatchedtheprogressoftheirundertakingAssoonastheyhadgainedthemiddleofthestream,theRomangalleys,^37impelledbythefullforceofoars,ofthecurrent,andofafavorablewind,rushedforwardsincompactorder,andwithirresistibleweight;andtheHellespontwascoveredwiththefragmentsoftheGothicshipwreck。Afterthedestructionofhishopes,andthelossofmanythousandsofhisbravestsoldiers,Gainas,whocouldnolongeraspiretogovernortosubduetheRomans,determinedtoresumetheindependenceofasavagelife。AlightandactivebodyofBarbarianhorse,disengagedfromtheirinfantryandbaggage,mightperformineightortendaysamarchofthreehundredmilesfromtheHellesponttotheDanube;^38thegarrisonsofthatimportantfrontierhadbeengraduallyannihilated;theriver,inthemonthofDecember,wouldbedeeplyfrozen;andtheunboundedprospectofScythiawasopenedtotheambitionofGainas。Thisdesignwassecretlycommunicatedtothenationaltroops,whodevotedthemselvestothefortunesoftheirleader;andbeforethesignalofdeparturewasgiven,agreatnumberofprovincialauxiliaries,whomhesuspectedofanattachmenttotheirnativecountry,wereperfidiouslymassacred。
TheGothsadvanced,byrapidmarches,throughtheplainsofThrace;andtheyweresoondeliveredfromthefearofapursuit,bythevanityofFravitta,who,insteadofextinguishingthewar,hastenedtoenjoythepopularapplause,andtoassumethepeacefulhonorsoftheconsulship。Butaformidableallyappearedinarmstovindicatethemajestyoftheempire,andtoguardthepeaceandlibertyofScythia。^39ThesuperiorforcesofUldin,kingoftheHuns,opposedtheprogressofGainas;ahostileandruinedcountryprohibitedhisretreat;hedisdainedtocapitulate;andafterrepeatedlyattemptingtocuthiswaythroughtheranksoftheenemy,hewasslain,withhisdesperatefollowers,inthefieldofbattle。ElevendaysafterthenavalvictoryoftheHellespont,theheadofGainas,theinestimablegiftoftheconqueror,wasreceivedatConstantinoplewiththemostliberalexpressionsofgratitude;andthepublicdeliverancewascelebratedbyfestivalsandilluminations。ThetriumphsofArcadiusbecamethesubjectofepicpoems;^40andthemonarch,nolongeroppressedbyanyhostileterrors,resignedhimselftothemildandabsolutedominionofhiswife,thefairandartfulEudoxia,whowassulliedherfamebythepersecutionofSt。JohnChrysostom。
[Footnote33:Zosimus,l。v。p。313—323,Socrates,l。vi。c。
4,Sozomen,l。viii。c。4,andTheodoret,l。v。c。32,33,
represent,thoughwithsomevariouscircumstances,theconspiracy,defeat,anddeathofGainas。]
[Footnote34:ItistheexpressionofZosimushimself,l。v。p。
314,whoinadvertentlyusesthefashionablelanguageoftheChristians。Evagriusdescribesl。ii。c。3thesituation,architecture,relics,andmiracles,ofthatcelebratedchurch,inwhichthegeneralcouncilofChalcedonwasafterwardsheld。]
[Footnote35:ThepiousremonstrancesofChrysostom,whichdonotappearinhisownwritings,arestronglyurgedbyTheodoret;buthisinsinuation,thattheyweresuccessful,isdisprovedbyfacts。TillemontHist。desEmpereurs,tom。v。p。383hasdiscoveredthattheemperor,tosatisfytherapaciousdemandsofGainas,wasobligedtomelttheplateofthechurchoftheapostles。]
[Footnote36:Theecclesiasticalhistorians,whosometimesguide,andsometimesfollow,thepublicopinion,mostconfidentlyassert,thatthepalaceofConstantinoplewasguardedbylegionsofangels。]
[Footnote37:Zosmiusl。v。p。319mentionsthesegalleysbythenameofLiburnians,andobservesthattheywereasswiftwithoutexplainingthedifferencebetweenthemasthevesselswithfiftyoars;butthattheywerefarinferiorinspeedtothetriremes,whichhadbeenlongdisused。Yethereasonablyconcludes,fromthetestimonyofPolybius,thatgalleysofastilllargersizehadbeenconstructedinthePunicwars。SincetheestablishmentoftheRomanempireovertheMediterranean,theuselessartofbuildinglargeshipsofwarhadprobablybeenneglected,andatlengthforgotten。]
[Footnote38:ChishullTravels,p。61—63,72—76proceededfromGallipoli,throughHadrianopletotheDanube,inaboutfifteendays。HewasinthetrainofanEnglishambassador,whosebaggageconsistedofseventy—onewagons。Thatlearnedtravellerhasthemeritoftracingacuriousandunfrequentedroute。]
[Footnote*:Fravitta,accordingtoZosimus,thoughaPagan,receivedthehonorsoftheconsulate。Zosim,v。c。20。OnFravitta,seeaveryimperfectfragmentofEunapius。Mai。ii。
290,inNiebuhr。92。—M。]
[Footnote39:ThenarrativeofZosimus,whoactuallyleadsGainasbeyondtheDanube,mustbecorrectedbythetestimonyofSocrates,audSozomen,thathewaskilledinThrace;andbythepreciseandauthenticdatesoftheAlexandrian,orPaschal,Chronicle,p。307。ThenavalvictoryoftheHellespontisfixedtothemonthApellaeus,thetenthoftheCalendsofJanuary,December23;theheadofGainaswasbroughttoConstantinoplethethirdofthenonesofJanuary,January3,inthemonthAudynaeus。]
[Footnote40:EusebiusScholasticusacquiredmuchfamebyhispoemontheGothicwar,inwhichhehadserved。NearfortyyearsafterwardsAmmoniusrecitedanotherpoemonthesamesubject,inthepresenceoftheemperorTheodosius。SeeSocrates,l。vi。c。
6。]
AfterthedeathoftheindolentNectarius,thesuccessorofGregoryNazianzen,thechurchofConstantinoplewasdistractedbytheambitionofrivalcandidates,whowerenotashamedtosolicit,withgoldorflattery,thesuffrageofthepeople,orofthefavorite。OnthisoccasionEutropiusseemstohavedeviatedfromhisordinarymaxims;andhisuncorruptedjudgmentwasdeterminedonlybythesuperiormeritofastranger。InalatejourneyintotheEast,hehadadmiredthesermonsofJohn,anativeandpresbyterofAntioch,whosenamehasbeendistinguishedbytheepithetofChrysostom,ortheGoldenMouth。
^41AprivateorderwasdespatchedtothegovernorofSyria;andasthepeoplemightbeunwillingtoresigntheirfavoritepreacher,hewastransported,withspeedandsecrecyinapost—
chariot,fromAntiochtoConstantinople。Theunanimousandunsolicitedconsentofthecourt,theclergy,andthepeople,ratifiedthechoiceoftheminister;and,bothasasaintandasanorator,thenewarchbishopsurpassedthesanguineexpectationsofthepublic。Bornofanobleandopulentfamily,inthecapitalofSyria,Chrysostomhadbeeneducated,bythecareofatendermother,underthetuitionofthemostskilfulmasters。HestudiedtheartofrhetoricintheschoolofLibanius;andthatcelebratedsophist,whosoondiscoveredthetalentsofhisdisciple,ingenuouslyconfessedthatJohnwouldhavedeservedtosucceedhim,hadhenotbeenstolenawaybytheChristians。Hispietysoondisposedhimtoreceivethesacramentofbaptism;torenouncethelucrativeandhonorableprofessionofthelaw;andtoburyhimselfintheadjacentdesert,wherehesubduedthelustsofthefleshbyanausterepenanceofsixyears。Hisinfirmitiescompelledhimtoreturntothesocietyofmankind;
andtheauthorityofMeletiusdevotedhistalentstotheserviceofthechurch:butinthemidstofhisfamily,andafterwardsonthearchiepiscopalthrone,Chrysostomstillperseveredinthepracticeofthemonasticvirtues。Theamplerevenues,whichhispredecessorshadconsumedinpompandluxury,hediligentlyappliedtotheestablishmentofhospitals;andthemultitudes,whoweresupportedbyhischarity,preferredtheeloquentandedifyingdiscoursesoftheirarchbishoptotheamusementsofthetheatreorthecircus。Themonumentsofthateloquence,whichwasadmiredneartwentyyearsatAntiochandConstantinople,havebeencarefullypreserved;andthepossessionofnearonethousandsermons,orhomilieshasauthorizedthecritics^42ofsucceedingtimestoappreciatethegenuinemeritofChrysostom。TheyunanimouslyattributetotheChristianoratorthefreecommandofanelegantandcopiouslanguage;thejudgmenttoconcealtheadvantageswhichhederivedfromtheknowledgeofrhetoricandphilosophy;aninexhaustiblefundofmetaphorsandsimilitudesofideasandimages,tovaryandillustratethemostfamiliartopics;thehappyartofengagingthepassionsintheserviceofvirtue;andofexposingthefolly,aswellastheturpitude,ofvice,almostwiththetruthandspiritofadramaticrepresentation。
[Footnote41:ThesixthbookofSocrates,theeighthofSozomen,andthefifthofTheodoret,affordcuriousandauthenticmaterialsforthelifeofJohnChrysostom。Besidesthosegeneralhistorians,Ihavetakenformyguidesthefourprincipalbiographersofthesaint。1。TheauthorofapartialandpassionateVindicationofthearchbishopofConstantinople,composedintheformofadialogue,andunderthenameofhiszealouspartisan,Palladius,bishopofHelenopolis,Tillemont,Mem。Eccles。tom。xi。p。500—533。ItisinsertedamongtheworksofChrysostom。tom。xiii。p。1—90,edit。Montfaucon。2。
ThemoderateErasmus,tom。iii。epist。Mcl。p。1331—1347,edit。Lugd。Bat。Hisvivacityandgoodsensewerehisown;hiserrors,intheuncultivatedstateofecclesiasticalantiquity,werealmostinevitable。3。ThelearnedTillemont,Mem。
Ecclesiastiques,tom。xi。p。1—405,547—626,&c。&c。,whocompilesthelivesofthesaintswithincrediblepatienceandreligiousaccuracy。HehasminutelysearchedthevoluminousworksofChrysostomhimself。4。FatherMontfaucon,whohasperusedthoseworkswiththecuriousdiligenceofaneditor,discoveredseveralnewhomilies,andagainreviewedandcomposedtheLifeofChrysostom,OperaChrysostom。tom。xiii。p。91—
177。]
[Footnote42:AsIamalmostastrangertothevoluminoussermonsofChrysostom,Ihavegivenmyconfidencetothetwomostjudiciousandmoderateoftheecclesiasticalcritics,Erasmustom。iii。p。1344andDupin,BibliothequeEcclesiastique,tom。
iii。p。38:yetthegoodtasteoftheformerissometimesvitiatedbyanexcessiveloveofantiquity;andthegoodsenseofthelatterisalwaysrestrainedbyprudentialconsiderations。]
ThepastorallaborsofthearchbishopofConstantinopleprovoked,andgraduallyunitedagainsthim,twosortsofenemies;
theaspiringclergy,whoenviedhissuccess,andtheobstinatesinners,whowereoffendedbyhisreproofs。WhenChrysostomthundered,fromthepulpitofSt。Sophia,againstthedegeneracyoftheChristians,hisshaftswerespentamongthecrowd,withoutwounding,orevenmarking,thecharacterofanyindividual。Whenhedeclaimedagainstthepeculiarvicesoftherich,povertymightobtainatransientconsolationfromhisinvectives;buttheguiltywerestillshelteredbytheirnumbers;andthereproachitselfwasdignifiedbysomeideasofsuperiorityandenjoyment。
Butasthepyramidrosetowardsthesummit,itinsensiblydiminishedtoapoint;andthemagistrates,theministers,thefavoriteeunuchs,theladiesofthecourt,^43theempressEudoxiaherself,hadamuchlargershareofguilttodivideamongasmallerproportionofcriminals。Thepersonalapplicationsoftheaudiencewereanticipated,orconfirmed,bythetestimonyoftheirownconscience;andtheintrepidpreacherassumedthedangerousrightofexposingboththeoffenceandtheoffendertothepublicabhorrence。ThesecretresentmentofthecourtencouragedthediscontentoftheclergyandmonksofConstantinople,whoweretoohastilyreformedbytheferventzealoftheirarchbishop。Hehadcondemned,fromthepulpit,thedomesticfemalesoftheclergyofConstantinople,who,underthenameofservants,orsisters,affordedaperpetualoccasioneitherofsinorofscandal。Thesilentandsolitaryascetics,whohadsecludedthemselvesfromtheworld,wereentitledtothewarmestapprobationofChrysostom;buthedespisedandstigmatized,asthedisgraceoftheirholyprofession,thecrowdofdegeneratemonks,who,fromsomeunworthymotivesofpleasureorprofit,sofrequentlyinfestedthestreetsofthecapital。Tothevoiceofpersuasion,thearchbishopwasobligedtoaddtheterrorsofauthority;andhisardor,intheexerciseofecclesiasticaljurisdiction,wasnotalwaysexemptfrompassion;
norwasitalwaysguidedbyprudence。Chrysostomwasnaturallyofacholericdisposition。^44Althoughhestruggled,accordingtothepreceptsofthegospel,tolovehisprivateenemies,heindulgedhimselfintheprivilegeofhatingtheenemiesofGodandofthechurch;andhissentimentsweresometimesdeliveredwithtoomuchenergyofcountenanceandexpression。Hestillmaintained,fromsomeconsiderationsofhealthorabstinence,hisformerhabitsoftakinghisrepastsalone;andthisinhospitablecustom,^45whichhisenemiesimputedtopride,contributed,atleast,tonourishtheinfirmityofamoroseandunsocialhumor。
Separatedfromthatfamiliarintercourse,whichfacilitatestheknowledgeandthedespatchofbusiness,hereposedanunsuspectingconfidenceinhisdeaconSerapion;andseldomappliedhisspeculativeknowledgeofhumannaturetotheparticularcharacter,eitherofhisdependants,orofhisequals。