the Western one _hypostasis_ as
Sabellian. As Athanasius had connections with both parties, he was a
natural mediator. As soon as both views were stated before the council,
both were seen to be orthodox. 'One _hypostasis_' (_essence_) was not
Sabellian, neither was 'three _hypostases_' (_persons_) Arian. The
decision was that each party might keep its own usage.

[Footnote 14: _Persona_, again, was a legal term, not exactly
corresponding to its Greek representative.]

[Sidenote: (4.) The schism at Antioch.]

Affairs at Antioch remained for discussion. Now that Meletius was free
to return, some decision had to be made. The Eustathians had been
faithful through thirty years of trouble, and Athanasius was specially
bound to his old friends; yet, on the other hand, some recognition was
due to the honourable confession of Meletius. As the Eustathians had no
bishop, the simplest course was for them to accept Meletius. This was
the desire of the council, and it might have been carried out if Lucifer
had not taken advantage of his stay at Antioch to denounce Meletius as
an associate of Arians. By way of making the division permanent, he
consecrated the presbyter Paulinus as bishop for the Eustathians. When
the mischief was done it could not be undone. Paulinus added his
signature to the decisions of Alexandria, but Meletius was thrown back
on his old connection with Acacius. Henceforth the rising Nicene party
of Pontus and Asia was divided from the older Nicenes of Egypt and Rome
by this unfortunate personal question.

[Sidenote: Fourth exile of Athanasius.]

Julian could not but see that Athanasius was master in Egypt. He may not
have cared about the council, but the baptism of some heathen ladies at
Alexandria roused his fiercest anger. He broke his rule of contemptuous
toleration, and 'the detestable Athanasius' was an exile again before
the summer was over. But his work remained. The leniency of the council
was a great success, notwithstanding the calamity at Antioch. It gave
offence, indeed, to zealots like Lucifer, and may have admitted more
than one unworthy Arianizer. Yet its wisdom is evident. First one
bishop, then another accepted the Nicene faith. Friendly Semiarians came
in like Cyril of Jerusalem, old conservatives followed like Dianius of
the Cappadocian Caesarea, and at last the arch-heretic Acacius himself
gave in his signature. Even the creeds of the churches were remodelled
in a Nicene interest, as at Je