Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 3 (1897).djvu/191

 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 171 them in chains ; the examination was assisted by the use of torture, and their sentence was pronounced or suspended, according to the judgment of these extraordinary magistrates. The houses of the criminals were exposed to sale, their wives and children were suddenly reduced, from aiBuence and luxury, to the most abject distress ; and a bloody execution was ex- pected to conclude the horrors of a day ^^ which the preacher of Antioch, the eloquent Chrysostom, has represented as a lively image of the last and universal judgment of the world. But the ministers of Theodosius performed, with reluctance, the cruel task which had been assigned them ; they dropped a gentle tear over the calamities of the people ; and they listened with reverence to the pressing solicitations of the monks and hermits, who descended in swarms from the mountains.^'' Hellebicus and Caesarius were persuaded to suspend the execution of their sentence ; and it was agreed [March 3i] that the former should remain at Antioch, while the latter returned, with all possible speed, to Constantinople ; and re. departs presumed once more to consult the will of his sovereign. The ^ resentment of Theodosius had already subsided ; the deputies clemency of ri iiiii-i 11 111-1 Theodosius of the people, both the bishop and the orator, had obtained a favourable audience; and the reproaches of the emperor were re. arrives at 01)16 AdiH the complaints of injured friendship rather than the stemsio]' menaces of pride and power. A free and general pardon was granted to the city and citizens of Antioch ; the prison-doors [c Apru 17] were thrown open ; the senators who despaired of their lives recovered the possession of their houses and estates ; and the capital of the East was restored to the enjoyment of her ancient dignity and splendour. Theodosius condescended to praise the senate of Constantinople, who had generously in- terceded for their distressed brethren ; he rewarded the eloquence of Hilarius with the government of Palestine ; and dismissed the bishop of Antioch with the warmest expressions of his respect and gratitude. A thousand new statues arose toAprU25 r Easter the clemency of Theodosius ; the applause of his subjects was Sunday] ratified by the approbation of his own heart ; and the emperor 89 As the days of the tumult depend on the mm'eable festival of Easter, they can only be determined by the previous determination of the yenr. The year 387 has been preferred, after a laborious inquiry, by Tillemont (Hist, des Emp. torn. v. p. 741-744) and Montfaucon (Chrysostom, torn. xiii. p. 105-110). [So Giildenpenning and Ifland ; but Baronius and Clinton give 388. Cp. Arnold Hug, Studien aus dem classischen Alterthum, p. 54.] 90 Chrysostom opposes their courage, which was not attended with much risk, to the cowardly flight of the Cynics.