for a council.]

Now that the Semiarians were forced to treat with their late victims on
equal terms, they agreed to hold a general council. Both parties might
hope for success. If the Homoean influence was increasing at court,
the Semiarians were strong in the East, and could count on some help
from the Western Nicenes. But the court was resolved to secure a
decision to its own mind. As a council of the whole Empire might have
been too independent, it was divided. The Westerns were to meet at
Ariminum in Italy, the Easterns at Seleucia in Isauria; and in case of
disagreement, ten deputies from each side were to hold a conference
before the Emperor. A new creed was also to be drawn up before their
meeting and laid before them for acceptance.

[Sidenote: The 'Dated Creed' (May 22, 359).]

The 'Dated Creed' was drawn up at Sirmium on Pentecost Eve 359, by a
small meeting of Homoean and Semiarian leaders. Its prevailing
character is conservative, as we see from its repeated appeals to
Scripture, its solemn tone of reverence for the person of the Lord, its
rejection of the word _essence_ for the old conservative reason that it
is not found in Scripture, and above all, from its elaborate statement
of the eternity and mysterious nature of the divine generation. The
chief clause however is, 'But we say that the Son is _like_ the Father
in all things, as the Scriptures say and teach.' Though the phrase here
is Homoean, the doctrine seems at first sight Semiarian, not to say
Nicene. In point of fact, the clause is quite ambiguous. First, if the
comma is put before _in all things_, the next words will merely forbid
any extension of the likeness beyond what Scripture allows; and the
Anomoeans were quite entitled to sign it with the explanation that for
their part they found very little likeness taught in Scripture. Again,
likeness in all things cannot extend to essence, for all likeness which
is not identity implies difference, if only the comparison is pushed far
enough. So the Anomoeans argued, and Athanasius accepts their
reasoning. The Semiarians had ruined their position by attempting to
compromise a fundamental contradiction. The whole contest was lowered to
a court intrigue. There is grandeur in the flight of Athanasius, dignity
in the exile of Eunomius; but the conservatives fell ignobly and
unregretted, victims of their own violence and unprincipled intrigue.

[Sidenote: Western Council at Ariminum.]

After signing t