Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 3 (1897).djvu/173

 OF THE EOMAN EMPIRE 153 abhorred, was first instituted under the reign of Theodosius. Yet we are assured that the execution of his penal edicts was seldom enforced ; and that the pious emperor appeared less desirous to punish than to reclaim, or terrify, his refractory subjects.^^ The theory of persecution was established by Theodosius, Execntion whose justice and piety have been applauded by the saints ; iian and iis but the practice of it, in the fullest extent, was reserved for his a.d. sss rival and colleague Maximus, the first, among the Christian princes, who shed the blood of his Christian subjects on account of their religious opinions. The cause of the Priscillianists,^- a recent sect of heretics, who disturbed the provinces of Spain, was transferred, by appeal, from the synod of Bourdeaux to the Imperial consistory of Treves ; and, by the sentence of the Praetorian praefect, seven persons were tortured, condemned, and executed. The first of these was Priscillian ^^ himself, bishop of Avila,^* in Spain ; Avho adorned the advantages of birth and fortune by the accomplishments of eloquence and learning. Two presbyters and two deacons accompanied their beloved master in his death, which they esteemed as a glorious martyr- dom ; and the number of religious victims was completed by the execution of Latronian, a poet, who rivalled the fame of the ancients ; and of Euchrocia, a noble matron of Bourdeaux, the 51 Sozomen, 1, vii. c. 12. 52 See the Sacred History of Sulpicius Severus {1. ii. p. 437-452, edit. Ludg. Bat. 1647 [c. 46-51]), a correct and original writer. Dr. Lardner ^Credibility, &c. part ii. vol. ix. p. 256-350) has laboured this article, with pure learning, good sense, and moderation. Tillemont (Mem. Eccl^s. tom. viii. p. 491-527) has raked together all the dirt of the fathers; an useful scavenger! [It has been debated how far Priscillian is to be regarded as a heretic. J. H. Liibkert, De haeresi Priscillia- nistarum, 1840, followed by Bernays, held that he was condemned, not as a heretic, but as a lawbreaker. Since then some remains of his own writings (eleven Tractates) were discovered (1885) in a Wiirzburg Ms. off cent., and edited (1889) by G. Schepss. His religious position has been investigated by F. Paret, Priscillianus ein Reformator des vierten Jahrhunderts, 1891. It seems clear that Priscillian's point of view was undogmatic ; and he was certainly heretical in so far as he made use_ of apocryphal books. See too Schepss, Priscillian, 1886. Cp. Jerome's notice, de vir. ill. c. 21, and Orosius, Commonitorium de errore Priscillianistarum et Origenistamm, published by Schepss at end of his ed. of Priscillian.] 52 Sulpicius Severus mentions the arch-heretic with esteem and pity. Felix profecto, si non pravo studio corrupisset optimum ingenium ; prorsus multa in eo animi et corporis bona cerneres (Hist. Sacra, 1. ii. p. 439 [c 46]). Even Jerom (tom. i. in Script. Eccles. p. 302) speaks with temper of Priscillian and Latronian. [They suffered in 385, Prosper, Epit. Chron. ; but Idatius gives 387.] 54 The bishopric (in Old Castile) is now worth 20,000 ducats a year (Busching's Geography, vol. iu p. 308) and is therefore much less likely to produce the author of a new heresy.