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 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 277 intrigues of a year, the separation of the disaffected troops, and the choice of Nice for a second orthodox synod removed these obstacles ; and the episcopal conscience was again, after the Greek fashion, in the hands of the prince. No more than eighteen days were allowed for the consummation of this im- portant work ; the Iconoclasts appeared, not as judges, but as criminals or penitents ; the scene was decorated by the legates of pope Hadrian and the Eastern patriarchs ; "'-' the decrees were framed by the president Tarasius, and ratified by the acclama- tions and subscriptions of three hundred and fifty bishops. They unanimously pronounced that the worship of images is agreeable to scripture and reason, to the fathers and councils of the church : but they hesitate whether that worship be relative or direct ; whether the Godhead and the figure of Christ be entitled to the same mode of adoration. Of this second Nicene council, the acts are still extant : a curious monument of super- stition and ignorance, of falsehood and folly. 1 shall only notice the judgment of the bishops on the comparative merit of image-worship and morality. A monk had concluded a truce with the daemon of fornication, on condition of interrupting his daily prayers to a picture that hung in his cell. His scruples prompted him to consult the abbot. " Rather than abstain from adoring Christ and his Mother in their holy images, it would be better for you," replied the casuist, " to enter every brothel, and visit every prostitute, in the city."^*^ For the honour of orthodoxy, at least the orthodoxy of the Rnai es- Roman church, it is somewhat unfortunate that the two princes ^^mi'g'^a by who convened the two councils of Nice are both stained with ih^eod^?"" the blood of their sons. The second of these assemblies was ^^- ^ approved and rigorously executed by the despotism of Irene, and she refused her adversaries the toleration which at first she had granted to her friends. During the five succeeding reigns, a period of thirty eight years, the contest was maintained, with unabated rage and various success, between the worshippers, ™ The pope's legates were casual messengers, two priests without any special commission, and who were disavowed on their return. Some vagabond monks were persuaded by the Catholics to represent the Oriental patriarchs. This curious anecdote is revealed by Theodore Studites (epist. i. 38, in Sirmond. 0pp. torn. V. p. 1319), one of the warmest Iconoclasts of the age. 2v^)Tpb? €>' fiKtii'i. These visits could not be innocent, since the Aai>wi/ L-opi-eia? (the daemon of fornication) tTroAeVd it- airhi'. . . ei- ixia o5c ws t-n-eVeiro airw <T<l,6apa, &C. Actio iv. p. 901, Actio v. p. 1031.