The Western Bishops Sent into Exile

From this first proof that the ruler had been won over to their side, the Arians took courage, knowing that they could use the emperor’s power where they could make little impression by their own authority. So when our side did not accept the judgment they had given about Athanasius, the emperor issued an edict that those who did not sign the condemnation of Athanasius were to be sent into exile. At that time, however, our side held councils of bishops at Arles and Béziers, towns in Gaul. They asked that, before anyone was forced to sign against Athanasius, they should first hold a discussion about the true faith; and they insisted that a decision on the point in question should be reached only when they had agreed on who the judges were to be. But Valens and his allies did not dare to enter on a discussion about the faith, and wanted first to secure the condemnation of Athanasius by force. As a result of this conflict between the parties, Paulinus was driven into exile. [a]

In the meantime an assembly was held at Milan, where the emperor then was; but the same controversy went on there with no lessening of its bitterness. Then Eusebius, bishop of Vercelli, and Lucifer, bishop of Caralis in Sardinia, were exiled. Dionysius, however, priest of Milan, signed the condemnation of Athanasius on condition that the bishops should hold an inquiry into the true faith. But Valens and Ursacius, with the rest of that party, were afraid of the people, who held to the catholic faith with extraordinary zeal. So they did not dare to set out their monstrous teachings in public, but met inside the palace. From there, in the emperor’s name, they issued a letter full of every kind of wickedness. No doubt their purpose was this: if the people gave it a favorable hearing, they would then bring forward under public authority the things they wanted; but if it were received otherwise, all the ill feeling would be turned against the emperor, while his mistake could be treated as excusable, since he was then only a catechumen and might easily be supposed to have erred about the mysteries of the faith. Well, when the letter was read in the church, the people showed their loathing for it. And Dionysius, because he did not agree with them, was banished from the city, and Auxentius was at once chosen as bishop in his place.

Liberius too, bishop of the city of Rome, and Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, were driven into exile. Rhodanius also, bishop of Toulouse, was caught up in the same punishment. He was by nature of a softer temper, and had resisted the Arians not so much by his own strength as through his fellowship with Hilary. All these men, however, were ready to suspend Athanasius from communion, provided only that the bishops would hold an inquiry into the true faith. But the Arians thought it best to remove the most famous men from the controversy. So those we have named above were driven into exile forty-five years ago, when Arbitio and Lollianus were consuls. Liberius, however, was brought back to the city a little later, because of the disturbances at Rome. But it is well known that the exiles were honored with the admiration of the whole world, that plentiful sums of money were collected to supply their needs, and that they were visited by delegates of the catholic people from almost every province.