he greatest of them all."

The time was coming in which his work was to be tried as gold in the
fire. Constans was killed in battle, leaving Constantius master of the
whole empire. It was a moment for misgivings; but for some time the
new Emperor seemed favorably disposed, even going so far as to assure
Athanasius of his friendship. It was a friendship which might well be
mistrusted.

Pope Julius had also died and had been succeeded by Liberius. One of
the first acts of Constantius was to write to the new Pope, offering
him handsome presents and urging him to condemn Athanasius. Letters
from the Arians containing all the old charges followed, but in vain.
Liberius refused with indignation both presents and requests.

A fresh persecution broke out. Athanasius, it is true, was not
molested, but his enemies were only waiting for a pretext to attack
him. This pretext they soon found.

At Easter of the year 354, the churches of Alexandria were so crowded
with worshippers that there was scarcely room to breathe. It was
proposed to Athanasius that he should hold the Easter services in a
large church that had been lately built but was not yet dedicated.
Athanasius hesitated to do this without leave, as it was built on the
Emperor's property, but he was at last persuaded by the people to
yield. The Patriarch Alexander had done the very same thing, they
urged, in the Church of St. Theonas on just such an occasion; in a
case of necessity it was certainly lawful. But they had counted
without the Arians, who instantly accused Athanasius of having usurped
the royal authority.

The Patriarch, in his famous "Apology to Constantius," stated the
reasons for his act, but it was useless; other false charges were
scraped up against him, and his doom was sealed. In the spring of the
next year, Constantius, who was now master of both the East and the
West, succeeded by force of persecution in inducing the members of a
large council, which he had had summoned at Arles in France, to
condemn Athanasius as guilty. The Emperor himself was present with his
troops and threatened with drawn sword those who resisted his will.
The Bishops who refused to sign were scourged, tortured or exiled; the
Pope was banished to Berea, where he was treated with harshness and
cruelty.

In the winter of the next year, a General called Syrianus came to
Alexandria with a large army. He was an Arian, and the people
suspected a plot. Athanasius asked him if he b