REMOVAL OF A STATUE OF CHRIST.

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poured down upon it, the head and breast were broken, and it was transfixed to the ground with the face downwards: it is still to be seen on the spot where it fell, blackened by the effects of the thunder. The statue of Christ was dragged round the city and mutilated by the Pagans; but the Christians recovered the fragments, and deposited the statue in the church in which it is still preserved. Eusebius relates, that at the base of this statue grew a herb which was unknown to the physicians and empirics, but was efficacious in the cure of all disorders. It does not appear a matter of astonishment, to me, that, after God has vouchsafed to dwell with men, he should condescend to bestow benefits upon them. It appears that innumerable other miracles were wrought, of which accounts have been handed down to the people of the country, and with which they only are acquainted: one instance may be cited in proof. There is a city, now called Nicopolis, in Palestine, which was formerly only a village, and which was mentioned by the holy evangelists under the name of Emmaus. The name of Nicopolis was given to this place by the Romans, in consequence of the conquest of Jerusalem and the victory over the Jews. Just beyond the city, where three roads meet, is the spot where Christ, after his resurrection, said farewell to Cleophas and his companions, as if he were going to another village; and here is the fountain in which the Saviour washed his feet, and which has ever since possessed the property of removing every species of disease from man and other animals. At Ermopolis in Thebais is a tree called Persea, of which the branches, the leaves, and the least portion of the bark, are said to heal disease when touched by the sick for it is related by the Egyptians, that when Joseph fled with Christ and Mary the holy Mother from the wrath of Herod, they went to Ermopolis; and as they were entering the city, this tree bent down and worshipped Christ. I relate precisely what I have heard from many sources concerning this tree. I think that this phenomenon was a sign of the presence of God in the city; or, perhaps, as seems most probable, it may have arisen from the fear of the demon, who had been worshipped in this large and beautiful tree by the people 1 St. Luke xxiv. 13.

2 This was done in the reign of Hadrian, when Œlia was built on the site of Jerusalem.

of the country: for at the presence of Christ, the idols of Egypt were shaken, even as Isaiah' the prophet had foretold. On the expulsion of the demon, the tree was permitted to remain as a monument of what had occurred, and was endued with the property of healing those who believed. The inhabitants of Egypt and of Palestine testify to the truth of these events, which took place among themselves.

CHAP. XXII.-FROM AVERSION TO THE CHRISTIANS, JULIAN

GRANTS PERMISSION TO THE JEWS TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM; THEIR ATTEMPT IS FRUSTRATED BY FIRE FROM HEAVEN, AND BY THE APPEARANCE OF THE SIGN OF THE CROSS ON THEIR GARMENTS.

THOUGH the emperor 2 hated and oppressed the Christians, he manifested benevolence and humanity towards the Jews. He wrote3 to the Jewish patriarchs and leaders, as well as to the people, requesting them to pray for him, and for the prosperity of the empire. In taking this step he was not actuated, I am convinced, by any respect for their religion: for he was aware that it is, so to speak, the mother of the Christian religion, and he knew that both religions rest upon the authority of the patriarchs and the prophets; but he thought to grieve the Christians by favouring the Jews, who are their most inveterate enemies. He also calculated upon persuading the Jews to embrace Paganism: for they were only acquainted with the mere letter of Scripture, and could not, like the Christians and a few of the wisest among their own nation, discern the hidden meaning. Events proved that this was his real motive: for he sent for some of their chiefs, and exhorted them to return to the observance of the laws of Moses and the customs of their fathers. On their replying, that they were permitted to offer up sacrifices only at the temple of Jerusalem, he commanded them to rebuild the temple, and gave them money for that purpose. The Jews entered upon the undertaking, without reflecting that, according to the prediction of 1 Chap. xix. 1.

2 Compare Socrates, Eccl. Hist. iii. 20.

3 The letter is still extant as the 25th Epistle of Julian; but its genuineness has been questioned. Valesius admits it as original.

A. D. 362.] ATTEMPT TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE.

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the holy prophets, it could not be accomplished. They sought for the most skilful artisans, collected materials, cleared the ground, and entered so earnestly upon the task, that even the women carried heaps of earth, and sold their ornaments towards defraying the expense. The emperor, the other Pagans, and all the Jews, regarded every other undertaking as secondary in importance to this. Although the Pagans were not well-disposed towards the Jews, yet they assisted them in this enterprise, because they reckoned upon its ultimate success, and hoped by this means to falsify the prophecies of Christ. Besides this motive, the Jews themselves were impelled by the consideration, that the time had arrived for rebuilding their temple. When they had removed the ruins of the former building, and had cleared the ground for the purpose of laying the foundations of the new edifice, an earthquake occurred, and stones were thrown up from the earth, by which those who were engaged in the work were wounded, as likewise those who were merely looking on. The houses and public porticoes near the site of the temple were thrown down; many people lost their lives, and others were horribly mutilated. On the cessation of the earthquake, the workmen returned to their task, partly because such was the edict of the emperor, and partly because they were themselves interested in the undertaking. Men often, in endeavouring to gratify their own passions, seek what is injurious to them, reject what would be truly advantageous, and are deluded by the idea that nothing is really useful except what is agreeable to them. When once led astray by this error, they are no longer able to act in a manner conducive to their own interests, or to take warning by the calamities which are visited upon them. The Jews, I believe, were just in this state: for, instead of regarding this unexpected earthquake as a manifest indication that God was opposed to the re-erection of their temple, they proceeded to re-commence the work. But all parties relate, that they had scarcely returned to the undertaking, when fire burst from the foundations of the temple, and consumed several of the workThis fact is fearlessly stated, and believed by all; the only discrepancy in the narrative is, that some maintain that fire burst from the interior of the temple, as the workmen were striving to force an entrance; while others say that the fire proceeded direct from the bowels of the earth. In whichever [SOZOMEN.]

men.

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way the phenomenon might have occurred, it is equally wonderful. A more tangible and still more extraordinary prodigy ensued: suddenly the sign of the cross appeared on the garments of the persons engaged in the undertaking. These crosses were disposed like stars, and appeared the work of art. Many were hence led to confess that Christ is God, and that the rebuilding of the temple was not pleasing to him; others presented themselves in the church, were baptized, and besought Christ, with tears and supplications, to pardon their transgression. If any one does not feel disposed to believe my narrative, let him go and be convinced by those who heard the facts I have related from the eye-witnesses of them, for they are still alive. Let him inquire, also, of the Jews and Pagans who left the work in an incomplete state, or who, to speak more accurately, were not able to commence it.

BOOK VI.

CHAP. I.-EXPEDITION OF JULIAN AGAINST THE PERSIANS, AND HIS MISERABLE END. LETTER WRITTEN BY LIBANUS, DESCRIBING HIS DEATH.

I HAVE narrated, in the preceding book, the occurrences which took place in the church, during the reign of Julian.1 This emperor, having determined to carry on the war with Persia, made a rapid transit across the Euphrates, in the beginning of spring, and, passing by Edessa from hatred to the inhabitants, who had long professed Christianity, he went on to Carias, where there was a temple of Jupiter, in which he offered up sacrifice and prayer. He then selected twenty thousand armed men from among his troops, and sent them towards the Tigris, in order that they might guard those regions, and also be ready to join him, in case he should require their assistance. He then wrote to Arsacius, king of Armenia, one of the Roman allies, to bespeak his aid in the war. In this letter, Julian manifested the most unbounded arrogance: he boasted of the high qualities which had, he said, rendered 1 Comp. Socrates, Eccl. Hist. iii. 21.

A. D. 363.] EXPEDITION OF JULIAN INTO PERSIA.

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him worthy of the empire, and acceptable to the gods; he reviled Constantius, his predecessor, as an effeminate and impious emperor, and directed his aspersions against Christianity. He told Arsacius that, unless he acted according to his directions, the God in whom he trusted would not be able to defend him from his vengeance. When he considered that all his arrangements had been duly made, he led his army through Assyria. He took a great many towns and fortresses, either through treachery or by force, and thoughtlessly proceeded onwards, without reflecting that he would have to return by the same route. He pillaged every place he approached, and destroyed and burnt the granaries and storehouses. As he was journeying up the Euphrates, he arrived at Ctesiphon, a very large city, whither the Persian monarchs have now transferred their residence from Babylon. The Tigris flows near the spot. As he was prevented from reaching the city, by a part of the land which separated it from the river, he judged that he must either pursue his journey by water, or quit his ships, and go to Ctesiphon by land; and he interrogated the prisoners on the subject. Having ascertained from them, that there was a canal which had been blocked up by the course of time, he caused it to be cleared out, and, having thus effected a communication between the Tigris and the Euphrates, he proceeded towards the city, his ships floating along by the side of his army. But the Persians appeared on the banks, with a formidable display of troops, of elephants, and of horses; and Julian became conscious that his army was enclosed between two great rivers, and was in danger of perishing, either by remaining in its present position, or by retreating through the country which he had so utterly devastated that no provisions were attainable. To divert the minds of the soldiers, he proposed horse-races,1 and promised rewards to all who would enter the lists. In the mean time, he commanded the officers to throw the provisions and baggage from the ships; so that the soldiers, being driven to extremity by the want of

1 κέλησιν ἆθλα προσθείς. Valesius observes that the Greek writers use the word kéλng both of the "horse" and the "rider," but that the word is here equivalent to the Latin Eques. The Roman order of Equites are spoken of by Polybius as κέλητες; and the verb κελητίζειν is used by Homer, Od. O., in the sense of leaping down from horseback. See Harpocration in voce auro, and compare the Latin "Desultor."