The history of the church from our Lords incarnation, to the twelth year of the Emperour Maricius Tiberius, or the Year of Christ 594 / as it was written in Greek, by Eusebius Pamphilius ..., Socrates Scholasticus, and Evagrius Scholasticus ... ; made English from that edition of these historians, which Valesius published at Paris in the years 1659, 1668, and 1673 ; also, The life of Constantine in four books, written by Eusibius Pamphilus, with Constantine's Oration to the convention of the saints, and Eusebius's Speech in praise of Constantine, spoken at his tricennalia ; Valesius's annotations on these authors, are done into English, and set at their proper places in the margin, as likewise a translation of his account of their lives and writings ; with two index's, the one, of the principal matters that occur in the text, the other, of those contained in the notes.

CHAP. XIII. Concerning the Fight which hapned at Alexandria between the Christians and Jews, and concer∣ning Cyrillus the Bishops difference with Orestes the Praefect.

ABout the same time, the Jewish Nation were driven out of Alexandria by Cyrillus the Bi∣shop, for this reason. The Alexandrians are more seditious and tumultuous, than any other peo∣ple: and if at any time they get an occasion, they [usually] break out into intollerable mischiefs. For their rage is not appeased without bloud. It hapned at that time, that the populace of that City were tumultuous amongst themselves, not upon any weighty or necessary occasion, but by reason of that mischief which abounds in all Cities, I mean an earnest desire of looking upon Dancers. For in regard a Dancer gathered great multitudes together on the Sabbath day, be∣cause the Jews work not on that day, nor are busied in hearing their Law, but [spend their time in seeing] Theatricall Shews; that day usually occasioned mutuall factions and divisions among the people. And although this was in some measure regulated and repressed by the Praefect of Alexandria, nevertheless the Jews

continued enraged against those of the contrary faction: and besides their being always enemies to the Christians, they were much more incen∣sed a 1.1 against them on account of the Dancers. Therefore, when Orestes Praefect of Alexandria b 1.2 made a Police (••o the Alexandrians do u∣sually term publick Orders,) in the Thea∣tre; some of Bishop Cyrillus's favourers were present there also, being desirous to know the Orders that were made by the Praefect. A∣mongst whom was a person by name Hierax, a teacher of the c 1.3 meaner sort of Learning.

He was a zealous hearer of Cyrillus the Bishop, and always mighty diligent about raising the * 1.4 Clappings at his Sermons. The Jewish mul∣titude spying this Hierax in the Theatre, cried out immediately, that he came into the Theatre for nothing else, but to raise a Sedition amongst the people. Moreover, Orestes had long before con∣ceived an hatred against the secular Government of Bishops, because it diminished much of their power who had been appointed Governours of Provinces by the Emperour; and also more espe∣cially, because Cyrillus was desirous of prying into his Acts and Orders. Having seized Hierax there∣fore, he made him undergo tortures publickly in the Theatre. With which Cyrillus being ac∣quainted, sends for the chief of the Jews, and threatned them with condign punishment, unless they desisted from being tumultuous against the Christians. Of which menaces after the Jewish multitude were made sensible, they became more pertinacious; and contrived plots to damnifie the Christians. The chiefest of which designs of theirs, and which occasioned their expulsion out of Alexandria, I will relate here. Having † 1.5 agreed upon a sign amongst themselves, [which was,] that every one of them should wear a ring on their fingers made of the bark of a Palm∣tree-branch, they took a resolution of making an attack upon the Christians by a night-fight. One night therefore they sent some persons pro∣vided for that purpose, who cried out in all the * 1.6 streets of the City, that Alexander's Church was on fire. The Christians hearing this, ran some one way, others another, that they might preserve the Church. Then the Jews set upon them immediately, and slew them: they abstai∣ned from killing those of their own party, by shewing their rings; but they murdered all the Christians they hapned to meet with. When it was day, the Authours of this nefarious fact were not concealed. Cyrillus highly incensed hereat, went accompanied with a great multitude to the Jews Synagogues (so they term their houses of prayer,) which he took from them: he also expelled the Jews out of the City, and permitted the multitude to make plunder of their goods. The Jews therefore, who had inhabited that City from the days of Alexander the Macedonian, were all forced to remove naked from thence at that time, and were dispersed some in one place, others in another. Adamantius, [one of them] d 1.7 a professour of Physick, went to Constantinople, and fled to Atticus the Bishop; and having turned a professour of Christianity, returned afterwards to Alexandria again, and fixt his residence there. But Orestes Praefect of A∣lexandria was highly incensed at what was, done; being exceedingly troubled, because so great a City was on such a sudden emptied of so nume∣rous a company of inhabitants. Wherefore, he acquainted the Emperour with what had been done. Cyrillus himself likewise made known the Jews wickednesses to the Emperour; never∣theless, he sent messengers to Orestes, on account of procuring a reconciliation. For the people of Alexandria compelled him to do this. And when Orestes would not admit of any conferences about a reconciliation, Cyrillus * 1.8 held forth the Book of the Gospells to him, thinking he should by that strike a reverence into Orestes. But when he would not be mollified even by this means, but continued an irreconcileable War between himself and Cyrillus; This accident hapned after∣wards.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Instead of [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] Muscul••s and Chri∣stophorson read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a∣gainst them.] Which reading I like better. Notwithstanding, Nicephorus retains the common rea∣ding. Vales.
• b 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Epiphanius Scholasticus was mistaken in thinking there was a Festivall which the Alexandrians cal∣led Politia. Nor was Christophorson less out, in supposing the publick Edicts of the Imperiall Praesects to be so termed by the Alexandrians, which Orestes published then in the Theatre. In which he is doubly mistaken. First, because he thought that all the Imperiall Edicts were by the Alexandrians called Politia; whereas, those Edicts only had that name, which belonged to the quiet and profit of the City. Agreeable whereto, those Orders made in respect to the prizes of Corn and other vendible commodities usually exposed to sale in the Market, at Paris we now term in French a Police, and the Orders of Police. Secondly, Christophorson mistakes in supposing that these Edicts were published by Orestes in the Theatre. For Socrates does not say so▪ but only that Orestes made (that is, dictated, or re∣hearsed to his officers) these orders in the Theatre. For the Ro∣man Magistrates were wont to sit in judgment and decide matters in the Law, in the Theatre, Circus, or in any other place they had a mind to. So Amm. Marcellinus relates (book 15.) concerning Leontius Praefect of the City. Moreover, the orders then made by Orestes, re∣spected the Theatre, and the publick shows▪ Vales.
• c 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (which are the terms here used,) do import the first R••aiments which children learn. The teachers hereof are by the Greeks termed Grammatistae, and by the Latines Li••••ratores. Vales.
• * 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Plausus, clapping of hands; such as is now used at Plays; then belike usu∣all at Ser∣mons.
• † 1.5

  Or, given.
• * 1.6

  Or, in all the Wards of the City.
• d 1.7

  ▪〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. These per∣sons the Greeks in one word term 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, profes∣sours of Physick. Such a one was Mag∣nus Medi∣cus, who professed Physick publickly at Alexan∣dria; but was a bet∣ter Oratour then Phy∣sitian; as Eunapius informs us, in his book De Vi••is Sophistarum. Such a one also was Ge••ius the Physitian in the times of the Emperour Zeno; concerning whom see Stephanus By∣zantius, in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Damascius (in the Life of Isidorus) spends a great many words about this Gesius; and from him Suidas, in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Where he divides Physick into two parts, Theory and Practise. Vales.
• * 1.8

  Cyrillus therefore held forth the Book of the Gospells, that there∣by he might conjure and earnestly beseech Orestes Praefect of Egypt, to be reconciled with him. We have remarked already (see book 6. chap. 11. note b.) that the Antients did usually conjure and earnestly beseech, by those things which they used to swear by. The Christians usage was to swear by the Gospells, laying their hands on those sacred Books, as 'tis evidently known. Vales.