calumnies beat as the waves beat against a rock. Their
bitter experience throughout twenty five years had taught
them that as long as Athanasius was alive and free, their
ambitions were but empty baubles. They, therefore,
began to whisper into the ears of Constantius, and –
unfortunately – the Emperor, in an hour of weakness and
a vainglorious mood – forgot his letters and his promises
to Athanasius, and again lent an ear to his calumniators.
- To the denunciations and intrigues of the Arians
was united the soft and gentle voice of a beautiful
woman;Princess Aurelia Eusebia, second wife of the
Emperor. Her sweet words quietly saturated his mind
against the Egyptian Pope.
As for Athanasius, he continued to teach his
people and to govern them with sublime calmness even
though he felt the clouds were ominously darkening.
Lent came. Never were Christian assemblies so
vast and so fervent. A presentiment of alarm filled the
hearts of the people, urging them to pray all the more
intensely. They celebrated Easter with great splendour.
In the midst of these pastoral occupations, Athanasius
received a letter from Constantius in which the Emperor
feigned that the Pope had asked his permission to visit
him in Rome and regulate with him some Church matters,
and in response to his request Constantius gave orders to
facilitate his journey. When Athanasius carefully perused
the letter, he found no explicit order in it, but simply a
permission to go to the Imperial court. He, therefore,
gave a verbal reply only to the imperial messenger,
thanking the Emperor and declaring to him that he was as
yet very busy organising his Church and that he would
accept the invitation later on. In this manner, he
postponed the cruel hour of parting again from his people.