Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 9.djvu/252

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aa: "But the public convayfAicei will not be mough UxMrrj to many." Liberius: "They will not be needed; the eccleaiastics are rich enough to send their trishtqM as far aa the sea." CouBtaiitiua: " Gen- eml synods must not be too numerous; you alone holil out against the judgment of thb whole world. He has injuicd alt, and me above all; not content with the mur- der of mv eldest brother, he iiet Constaus also against me. I snould prize a victory over him more than one €»ver Silvanus or Magnentius." Liberius; " Do not employ bishops, whose hands are meant to bless, to revenge your own enmity. Have the bishops restored ftnd, if they agree with the Nicene Faith, let them con- sult aa to the peace of the world, that an innocent bo not emidemaed." Constantius: " 1 am willing

Arian Bishop Acadus oT Cssarea had been arranged by Epictfltus at the emperor's order. The people of Rome ignored the antipope. Constantius paid his tirat visit to Rome on 1 April, 357, and was able to see for iiimself the failure of his nominee. He was awaie that there was no canonical justification for the exile ot Li ijeri us and the intrusion of l''e]ix; in other cases he bad always acted in accordance with the decision of a council. He was also greatly moved by the yrandeur of the Ji]tenial City^o Ammianiis aaaures us. He was impressed by the praj-ers for the return of the pope boldly addressed to him by the noblest of the Roman ladies, whose husbands had insufhcient courage for the venture. There is no reason to suppose that Felix i outside Rome, unless

•end you back to Rome, if you ion (x^the Church. Make peace, and sign the condc nation." Liberius: "I have already bidden farewell at Rome to the brethren. The laws of the Church are more important than residence in Rome," The em- peror gave the pope three days for consideration, oiid then raniahed bim to Dercca in Thrace, sending him five hundred gold pieces (or his e^gienscs; but he re- fused them, saying Constantius ncpiled them to pay bis soldiers. The empress sent him the same amount, but he sent it to the emperor, sai-ins: " If he does not need it, let him give it to Auxentius or Epictetus, who want such things." Eusebius the eunuch brought him yet more money: " Voii have \a\d waste the Qiurches of the world ", the pope broke out, " and do vou bring me alms as to a condemned man? Go UHl fiiBt become a Christian."

Exile. — On the departure of Libciiii-i from Komi-. all the clergy had sworn that they n-ouKI receive no other bishop. But soon many of them accepted as pope the ArchdeacOTi Felix, wbo-se consecration by the

by the court party and a few extreme Arians, and the uncompromising attitude (if T.ibprius through at least the greater part of hi.? biir.ishnicnt must have done more harm to the cause the emperor had at heart than his constancy had done when h'ft i>t Home in peace. It is not surprising to find that Liberius returned to Rome before tite end of 357, and that it was noised abroad that he must ha\'e signed the condemnation of Athanasius and perhaps some Arian Creed. His res- toration is placed by some critics in 358, but this is impossible, for St. .\thanaaius telts us that he endured the rigours of exile for two s'cara, and the " fiesta inter Lilierium ctFelicemepisconos". which forms the pref- ace to the " Liber Preeum of Fausliniia and Marcel- linue, t«lla us that be returned "in the thirdyear". The cause of liia return is variously related. Tneodo- ret says that Constantius wom moved by the Roman matrons to restore him. but when his letter to Rome, sayini: that Lil^rius and Felix were to lie bishops side by side, was read in the circus, the Romans jeered at it, and filled the air with cries of " One God, one Christ,