Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/223

 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 205 laws and masistrates, was possessed of a public trea- CHAP, sure, and was intimately connected in all its parts, by ' the frequent assemblies of the bishops, to whose de- crees their numerous and opulent congregations yielded an implicit obedience. Arguments like these may seem to have detevmined the reluctant mind of Diocletian to embrace a new system of persecution : but though we may suspect, it is not in our power to relate, the secret intrigues of the palace, the private views and resent- ments, the jealousy of women or eunuchs, and all those triflino- but decisive causes which so often influence the fate of empires, and the counsels of the wisest monarchs ^ The pleasure of the emperors was at length signified Demolition to the christians, who, during the course of this me- church of lancholy winter, had ex})ected with anxiety the result ^^'15"!J^'.j^" of so many secret consultations. The twenty-third of j.eb.23. February, which coincided with the Roman festival of the terminalia', was appointed (whether from accident or design) to set bounds to the progress of Christianity. At the earliest dawn of day, the pretorian prefect'", accompanied by several generals, tribunes, tind officers of the revenue, repaired to the principal church of Ni- comedia, which was situated on an eminence in the most populous and beautiful part of the city. The doors were instantly broke open ; they rushed into the sanctuary ; and as they searched in vain for some visible object of worship, they were obliged to content themselves with committing to the flames the volumes of holy scripture. The ministers of Diocletian were followed by a numerous body of guards and pioneers, who marched in order of battle, and were provided •t The only circumstance which we can discover, is the devotion and jealousy of the mother of Galeiius. She is described by Lact;intius, as deorum montium cultrix ; mulier admodum superstitiosa. She had a ^reat influence over her son, and was offended by the disregard of some of her christian servants. ' 'ihe worship and festival of the god Terminus are elegaitlly illustrated by M. de 13oze, .Mem. de i'Academie des Inscriptions, tom. i. p. 50. •" ill our only manuscript of Lactantius, we read prnfecttis ; but reason, ' and the autiiority of all the critics, allow us, instead of that word, wiiich destroys tlie sense of the passage, to substitute prafectus.