Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata, and the Document Entrusted to Him

The admirable Eusebius, mentioned above, to whom the common resolution had been entrusted, saw that the agreement had been broken, and went back to his own see. Then certain men who were uneasy about the written document persuaded Constantius to send a messenger to get it back. So the emperor sent one of the officers who ride post with relays of horses and carry messages at great speed. When he arrived, he delivered the imperial message. But the admirable Eusebius said, “I cannot hand over the document deposited with me until I am directed to do so by the whole assembly that gave it to me.” This reply was reported to the emperor. Boiling with rage, he sent to Eusebius again and ordered him to give it up, adding that he had ordered his right hand to be cut off if he refused. But he wrote this only to frighten the bishop, for the courier who carried the letter had orders not to carry out the threat. When the divine Eusebius opened the letter and saw the punishment the emperor had threatened, he stretched out his right hand and his left, and told the man to cut off both. “The decree,” he said, “which is a clear proof of Arian wickedness, I will not give up.” [a]

When Constantius was told of this courageous resolve, he was struck with astonishment and never stopped admiring it; for the greatness of bold deeds forces even enemies to admire the success of their opponents.

At this time Constantius learned that Julian, whom he had declared Caesar of Europe, was aiming at the supreme power and was gathering an army against his sovereign. So he set out from Syria, and died in Cilicia. Nor did he have the helper whom his father had left him; for he had not kept whole the inheritance of his father’s piety, and so he bitterly lamented his change of faith. [b]