XXVIII. cities 38. But the obfequious priefts, who were CHAP. feduced by the liberality of the Ptolemies, fubmitted, without refiftance, to the power of the god of Pontus: an honourable and domeftic genealogy was provided; and this fortunate ufurper was introduced into the throne and bed of Ofiris 39 the husband of Ifis, and the celestial monarch of Egypt. Alexandria, which claimed his peculiar protection, gloried in the name of the city of Serapis. His temple 40, which rivalled the pride and magnificence of the capitol, was erected on the spacious fummit of an artificial mount, raised one hundred steps above the level of the adjacent parts of the city; and the interior cavity was strongly supported by arches, and diftributed into vaults and fubterraneous apartments. The confecrated buildings were furrounded by a quadrangular portico; the ftately halls, and exquifite ftatues, difplayed the triumph of the arts; and the treasures of ancient learning were preferved in the famous Alexandrian library, which had arisen with new splendour from its afhes ". After the edicts 38 Macrobius, Saturnal. 1. i. c. 7. proves his foreign extraction. of Such a living fact decifively 39 At Rome, Ifis and Serapis were united in the fame temple. The precedency which the queen assumed, may feem to betray her unequal alliance with the stranger of Pontus. But the fuperiority of the female fex was established in Egypt as a civil and religious inftitution (Diodor. Sicul. tom. i. 1. i. p. 31. edit. Weffeling), and the fame order is obferved in Plutarch's Treatife of Ifis and Ofiris; whom he identifies with Serapis. 40 Ammianus (xxii. 16.). The Expofitio totius Mundi (p. 8. in Hudson's Geograph. Minor, tom. iii.), and Rufinos (1. ii. c. 22.), celebrate the Serapeum, as one of the wonders of the world. 41 See Memoires de l'Acad. des Infcriptions, tom. ix. p. 397416. The old library of the Ptolemies was totally confumed in Cæfar's XXVIII. CHAP. of Theodofius had feverely prohibited the facrifices of the Pagans, they were ftill tolerated in the city and temple of Serapis; and this fingular indulgence was imprudently afcribed to the fuperftitious terrors of the Chriftians themselves: as if they had feared to abolish thofe ancient rites, which could alone fecure the inundations of the Nile, the harvefts of Egypt, and the fubfiftence of Conftantinople 42. Its final deftruction, 44 At that time 43 the archiepifcopal throne of Alexandria was filled by Theophilus **, the perA.D. 389. petual enemy of peace and virtue; a bold, bad man, whofe hands were alternately polluted with gold, and with blood. His pious indignation was excited by the honours of Serapis; and the infults which he offered to an ancient chapel of Bacchus, convinced the Pagans that he meditated a more important and dangerous enterprise. In the tumultuous capital of Egypt, the flightest provocation was fufficient to inflame a civil war. The votaries of Serapis, whofe ftrength and numbers were much inferior to thofe of their antagonifts, rofe in arms at the inftigation of the philo Cæfar's Alexandrian war. Marc Antony gave the whole collection of Pergamus (200,000 volumes) to Cleopatra, as the foundation of the new library of Alexandria. 42 Libanius (pro Templis, p. 21.) indifcreetly provokes his Christian mafters by this infulting remark. The am 43 We may chufe between the date of Marcellinus (A. D. 389.) or that of Profper (A. D. 391.). Tillemont (Hift. des Emp. tom. v. p. 310. 756.) prefers the former, and Pagi the latter. 44 Tillemont, Mem. Ecclef. tom. xi. p. 441-500. biguous fituation of Theophilus, a faint, as the friend of Jerom; a devil, as the enemy of Chryfoftom; produce a fort of impartiality: yet upon the whole, the balance is justly inclined against him. 3 fopher XXVIII. fopher Olympius 45, who exhorted them to die in CHAP. the defence of the altars of the gods. Thefe Pagan fanatics fortified themfelves in the temple, or rather fortrefs, of Serapis; repelled the befiegers by daring fallies, and a refolute defence; and, by the inhuman cruelties which they exercised on their Chriftian prifoners, obtained the laft confolation of defpair. The efforts of the prudent magiftrate were usefully exerted for the establishment of a truce, till the answer of Theodofius should determine the fate of Serapis. The two parties affembled, without arms, in the principal fquare; and the Imperial refcript was publicly read. But when a sentence of destruction against the idols of Alexandria was pronounced, the Christians fet up a fhout of joy and exultation, whilft the unfortunate Pagans, whofe fury had given way to confternation, retired with hafty and filent fteps, and eluded, by their flight or obfcurity, the refentment of their enemies. Theophilus proceeded to demolish the temple of Serapis, without any other difficulties, than thofe which he found in the weight and folidity of the materials; but thefe objects proved fo infuperable, that he was obliged to leave the foundations; and to content himself with reducing the edifice itself to a heap of rubbish, a part of which was foon afterwards cleared away, to make room for a church, erected in honour of the Christian 45 Lardner (Heathen Teftimonies, vol. iv. p. 411.) has alleged a beautiful paffage from Suidas, or rather from Damafcius, which shews the devout and virtuous Olympius, not in the light of a warrior, but of a prophet. martyrs. CHAP. 47 martyrs. The valuable library of Alexandria was pillaged or destroyed; and, near twenty years afterwards, the appearance of the empty shelves excited the regret and indignation of every spectator, whose mind was not totally darkened by religious prejudice 46. The compofitions of ancient genius, fo many of which have irretrievably perifhed, might furely have been excepted from the wreck of idolatry, for the amusement and inftruction of fucceeding ages; and either the zeal or the avarice of the archbishop ", might have been fatiated with the rich fpoils, which were the reward of his victory. While the images and vafes of gold and filver were carefully melted, and thofe of a lefs valuable metal were contemptuously broken, and caft into the streets, Theophilus laboured to expose the frauds and vices of the minifters of the idols; their dexterity in the management of the loadstone; their fecret methods of introducing an human actor into a hollow ftatue; and their fcandalous abufe of the confidence of devout hufbands, and unfufpecting females 4. Charges like these may seem to deserve 48 fome 35 Nos vidimus armaria librorum, quibus direptis, exinanita ea a noftris hominibus, noftris temporibus memorant. Orofius, I. vi. c. 15. p. 421. edit. Havercamp. Though a bigot, and a controverfial writer, Orofius feems to blush. 47 Eunapius, in the lives of Antoninus and defius, execrates the facrilegious rapine of Theophilus. Tillemont (Mem. Ecclef. tom. xiii. p. 453.) quotes an epiftle of Ifidore of Pelufium, which reproaches the primate with the idolatrous worship of gold, the auri facra fames. +48 Rufinus names the priest of Saturn, who, in the character of the god, familiarly conversed with many pious ladies of quality; till he XXVIII. fome degree of credit, as they are not repugnant CHAP. he betrayed himself, in a moment of transport, when he could not disguise the tone of his voice. The authentic and impartial narrative of Æschines (see Bayle, Dictionnaire Critique, SCAMANDRE), and the adventure of Mundus (Jofeph. Antiquitat. Judaic. 1. xviii. c. 3. p. 877. edit. Havercamp.), may prove that fuch amorous frauds have been practifed with fuccefs. 49 See the images of Serapis, in Montfaucon (tom. ii. p. 297.): but the description of Macrobius (Saturnal. 1. i. c. 20.) is much more picturesque and fatisfactory. VOL. V. I return |