In Praise of Hosius

Of the great Hosius, who lives up to his name, that confessor blessed in his old age, there is no need for me to speak. I suppose everyone knows that they had him banished too. For he is no obscure person, but the most illustrious of all men, and more than that. When was a council ever held in which he did not take the lead and convince everyone by his sound counsel? Where is there a church that does not have some glorious memorials of his care for it? Who ever came to him in sorrow and did not go away rejoicing? What needy person ever asked his help and did not get what he wanted? And yet they attacked even this man, because he knew the slanders they invent on behalf of their wickedness and would not sign on to their designs against us. And if afterward, under the blows laid on him again and again beyond measure, and the plots formed against his relatives, he gave way to them for a time, being old and frail in body, at least their wickedness is shown even in this. So eagerly did they try by every means to prove that they were not truly Christians. [a]