he creed, Ursacius and Valens went on to Ariminum, with
the Emperor's orders to the council to take doctrinal questions first,
and not to meddle with Eastern affairs. They found the Westerns waiting
for them, to the number of more than two hundred. The bishops were in no
courtly temper, and the intimidation was not likely to be an easy task.
They had even refused the usual imperial help for the expenses of the
journey. Three British bishops only accepted it on the ground of
poverty. The new creed was very ill received; and when the Homoean
leaders refused to anathematize Arianism, they were deposed, 'not only
for their present conspiracy to introduce heresy, but also for the
confusion they had caused in all the churches by their repeated changes
of faith.' The last clause was meant for Ursacius and Valens. The Nicene
creed was next confirmed, and a statement added in defence of the word
_essence_. This done, envoys were sent to report at court and ask the
Emperor to dismiss them to their dioceses, from which they could ill be
spared. Constantius was busy with his preparations for the Persian war,
and refused to see them. They were sent to wait his leisure, first at
Hadrianople, then at the neighbouring town of Nice (chosen to cause
confusion with Nicaea), where Ursacius and Valens induced them to sign a
revision of the dated creed. The few changes made in it need not detain
us.

[Sidenote: Eastern Council at Seleucia.]

Meanwhile the Easterns met at Seleucia near the Cilician coast. It was a
fairly central spot, and easy of access from Egypt and Syria by sea, but
otherwise most unsuitable. It was a mere fortress, lying in a rugged
country, where the spurs of Mount Taurus reach the sea. Around it were
the ever-restless marauders of Isauria. They had attacked the place that
very spring, and it was still the headquarters of the army sent against
them. The choice of such a place is as significant as if a Pan-Anglican
synod were called to meet at the central and convenient port of Souakin.
Naturally the council was a small one. Of the 150 bishops present, about
110 were Semiarians. The Acacians and Anomoeans were only forty, but
they had a clear plan and the court in their favour. As the Semiarian
leaders had put themselves in a false position by signing the dated
creed, the conservative defence was taken up by men of the second rank,
like Silvanus of Tarsus and the old soldier Eleusius of Cyzicus. With
them, however, came