The
fruits of their hard-won victories over Sabellianism were falling to the
Anomoeans. They must even defend themselves, for Ursacius and Valens
had the Emperor's ear. As if to bring the danger nearer home to them,
Eudoxius the new bishop of Antioch, and Acacius of Caesarea convened a
Syrian synod, and sent a letter of thanks to the authors of the
manifesto.

[Sidenote: Synod of Ancyra (Lent, 358).]

Next spring came the conservative reply from a knot of twelve bishops
who had met to consecrate a new church for Basil of Ancyra. But its
weight was far beyond its numbers. Basil's name stood high for learning,
and he more than any man could sway the vacillating Emperor. Eustathius
of Sebastia was another man of mark. His ascetic eccentricities, long
ago condemned by the council of Gangra, were by this time forgotten or
considered harmless. Above all, the synod represented most of the
Eastern bishops. Pontus indeed was devoted to conservatism, and the
decided Arianizers were hardly more than a busy clique even in Asia and
Syria. Its decisions show the awkwardness to be expected from men who
have had to make a sudden change of front, and exhibit well the
transition from Eusebian to Semiarian conservatism. They seem to start
from the declaration of the Lucianic creed, that the Lord's sonship is
not an idle name. Now if we reject materialising views of the Divine
Sonship, its primary meaning will be found to lie in similarity of
essence. On this ground the Sirmian manifesto is condemned. Then follow
eighteen anathemas, alternately aimed at Aetius and Marcellus. The last
of these condemns the Nicene _of one essence_--clearly as Sabellian,
though no reason is given.

[Sidenote: Victory of the Semiarians.]

The synod broke up. Basil and Eustathius went to lay its decisions
before the court at Sirmium. To conciliate the Nicenes, they left out
the last six anathemas of Ancyra. They were just in time to prevent
Constantius from declaring for Eudoxius and the Anomoeans. Peace was
made before long on Semiarian terms. A collection was made of the
decisions against Photinus and Paul of Samosata, together with the
Lucianic creed, and signed by Liberius of Rome, by Ursacius and Valens,
and by all the Easterns present. Liberius had not borne exile well. He
had already signed some still more compromising document, and is
denounced for it as an apostate by Hilary and others. However, he was
now allowed to return to his see.

[Sideno