fymbol of their innocence; and the tumultuous CHA P. concourfe of an innumerable people. But the zeal of Antioch was diverted, fince the reign of Christianity, into a different channel. Instead of hecatombs of fat oxen facrificed by the tribes of a wealthy city, to their tutelar deity, the emperor complains that he found only a fingle goofe, provided at the expence of a priest, the pale and folitary inhabitant of this decayed temple. The altar was deferted, the oracle had been reduced to filence, and the holy ground was profaned by the introduction of Chriftian and funereal rites. After Babylas (a bishop of Antioch, who died in prison in the perfecution of Decius) had rested near a century in his grave, his body, by the order of the Cæfar Gallus, was tranfported into the midft of the grove of Daphne. A magnificent church was erected over his remains'; a portion of the facred lands was ufurped for the maintenance of the clergy, and for the burial of the Christians of Antioch, who were ambitious of lying at the feet of their bishop; and the priests of Apollo retired, with their affrighted and indignant votaries. As foon 110 Julian (Mifopogon, p. 361, 362.) discovers his own character with that naïveté, that unconfcious fimplicity, which always conftitutes genuine humour. 11 Babylas is named by Eusebius in the fucceffion of the bifhops of Antioch (Hift. Ecclef. 1. vi. c. 29. 39.). His triumph over two emperors (the first fabulous, the second historical) is diffusely celebrated by Chryfoftom (tom. ii. p. 536–579. edit. Montfaucon.). Tillemont (Mem. Ecclef. tom. iii. part ii. p. 278-302. 459-465.) becomes almost a sceptic. as XXIII. CHAP. Removal of the dead bodies, and conflagration of the temple. 112 as another revolution feemed to reftore the for tune of Paganifm, the church of St. Babylas was demolished, and new buildings were added to the mouldering edifice which had been raised by the piety of Syrian kings. But the first and moft ferious care of Julian was to deliver his oppreffed deity from the odious prefence of the dead and living Chriftians, who had fo effectually fuppreffed the voice of fraud or enthufiafm *2. The scene of infection was purified, according to the forms of ancient rituals; the bodies were decently removed; and the minifters of the church were permitted to convey the remains of St. Babylas to their former habitation within the walls of Antioch. The modeft behaviour which might have affuaged the jealoufy of an hostile government, was neglected on this occafion by the zeal of the Chriftians. The lofty car, that transported the relics of Babylas, was followed, and accompanied, and received, by an innumerable multitude; who chanted, with thundering acclamations, the Pfalms of David the most expreffive of their contempt for idols and idolaters. The return of the faint was a triumph; and the triumph was an infult on the religion of the emperor, who exerted his pride to diffemble his refentment. During the night which terminated 112 Ecclefiaftical critics, particularly those who love relics, exult in the confeffion of Julian (Misopogon, p. 361.) and Libanius (Nænia, p. 185.), that Apollo was difturbed by the vicinity of one dead man. Yet Ammianus (xxii. 12.) clears and purifies the whole ground, according to the rites which the Athenians formerly practised in the isle of Delos. XXIII. this indifcreet proceffion, the temple of Daphne CHAP. was in flames; the ftatue of Apollo was confumed; and the walls of the edifice were left a naked and awful monument of ruin. The Chrif tians of Antioch afferted, with religious confidence, that the powerful interceffion of St. Ba bylas had pointed the lightnings of heaven against the devoted roof: but as Julian was reduced to the alternative, of believing either a crime or a miracle, he chofe, without hefitation, without evidence, but with fome colour of probability, to impute the fire of Daphne to the revenge of the Galilæans 113. Their offence, had it been fufficiently proved, might have juftified the retaliation, which was immediately executed by the order of Julian, of fhutting the doors, and con- Julian fifcating the wealth, of the cathedral of Antioch. huts the To discover the criminals who were guilty of of Antithe tumult, of the fire, or of secreting the riches of the church, feveral ecclefiaftics were tortured"; and a presbyter, of the name of Theodoret, was beheaded by the fentence of the Count of the East. But this hafty act was blamed by 113 Julian (in Misopogon, p. 361.) rather infinuates, than affirms, their guilt. Ammianus (xxii. 13.) treats the imputation as leviffi mus rumor, and relates the story with extraordinary candour. 114 Quo tam atroci cafû repente confumpto, ad id ufque impératoris ira provexit, ut quæftiones agitare juberet folito acriores (yet Julian blames the lenity of the magistrates of Antioch), et majorem ecclefiam Antiochiæ claudi. This interdiction was performed with fome circumstances of indignity and profanation: and the seasonable death of the principal actor, Julian's uncle, is related with much fuperftitious complacency by the Abbé de la Bleterie. Vie de Julien, p. 362-369. the cathedral och. XXIII. CHAP. the emperor; who lamented, with real or affected concern, that the imprudent zeal of his minifters would tarnish his reign with the difgrace of perfecution ". The zeal of the minifters of Julian was instantly checked by the frown of their sovereign; but when the father of his country declares himfelf the leader of a faction, the licence of popular fury cannot easily be restrained, nor consistently punished. Julian, in a public compofition, applauds the devotion and loyalty of the holy cities of Syria, whofe pious inhabitants had deftroyed, at the firft fignal, the fepulchres of the Galilæans; and faintly complains, that they had revenged the injuries of the gods with lefs moderation than he fhould have recommended "1. This imperfect and reluctant confeffion may ap pear to confirm the ecclefiaftical narratives; that in the cities of Gaza, Afcalon, Cæfarea, Heliopolis, &c. the Pagans abused, without prudence or remorse, the moment of their profperity. That the unhappy objects of their cruelty were released from torture only by death; that as their mangled bodies were dragged through the streets, they were pierced (fuch was the univerfal rage) by the spits of cooks, and the diftaffs of enraged women; and that the entrails of Chriftian priests and virgins, after they had been tafted by those 115 Befides the ecclefiaftical hiftorians, who are more or less to be fufpected, we may allege the paffion of St. Theodore, in the Acta Sincera of Ruinart, p. 591. The complaint of Julian gives it an original and authentic air. 116 Julian. Mifopogon, p. 361. bloody XXIII. bloody fanatics, were mixed with barley, and CHAP. contemptuously thrown to the unclean animals of the city". Such fcenes of religious madness exhibit the most contemptible and odious picture of human nature; but the maffacre of Alexandria attracts ftill more attention, from the certainty of the fact, the rank of the victims, and the splendour of the capital of Egypt. George of Cappado George, from his parents or his education, furnamed the Cappadocian, was born at Epi- cia phania in Cilicia, in a fuller's fhop. From this obfcure and fervile origin he raised himself by the talents of a parafite: and the patrons, whom he affiduously flattered, procured for their worthlefs dependent a lucrative commiffion, or contract, to fupply the army with bacon. His employment was mean: he rendered it infamous. He accumulated wealth by the baseft arts of fraud and corruption; but his malverfations were fo notorious, that George was compelled to escape from the pursuits of juftice. After this difgrace, in which he appears to have faved his 117 See Gregory Nazianzen (Orat. iii. p. 87.). Sozomen (1. v. c. 9.) may be confidered as an original, though not impartial, witnefs. He was a native of Gaza, and had converfed with the confeffor Zeno, who, as bishop of Maiuma, lived to the age of an hundred (1. vii. c. 28.). Philoftorgius (1. vii. c. 4. with Godefroy's Differtations, p. 284.) adds some tragic circumftances, of Christians, who were literally sacrificed at the altars of the gods, &c. 118 The life and death of George of Cappadocia are described by Ammianus (xxii. 11.), Gregory Nazianzen (Orat. xxi. p. 382. 385. 389, 390.), and Epiphanius (Hæref. lxxvi.). The invectives of the two faints might not deserve much credit, unless they were con. firmed by the testimony of the cool and impartial infidel. |