Section 427
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396 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. diers, I deemed it consistent to remind your gravity by these letters, that you should cause our provincials to cultivate their regard for the gods, rather by exhortations and mild measures. Whence if any one should determine to adopt the worship of the gods, of his own accord, it is proper that these should be readily received. But if any wish to follow their own worship, you may leave these to have their liberty. Wherefore, it is incumbent on your devoted zeal to observe what is committed to you, and that liberty be granted to no one, to oppress our provincial subjects with violence and insult ; whereas, as I wrote before, it is more becoming to reclaim our provincials, by encouraging and inviting measures, to the worship of the gods. But that this our will may come to the knowledge of all our subjects, it is incumbent on you to communicate the mandate by a proclamation issued by you." When he had thus commanded these matters, he was neither sincere nor credited by any, but was evidently forced by necessity, and did not act according to his real sentiments, as was obvious from his duplicity, and perfidy, after the former similar grant. No one therefore, of our brethren, ventured to hold meetings, nor even to appear in public, because neither was this the import of the writing, only enjoining to beware of ha rassing us ; but not commanding that we might hold meetings, or build houses of worship, or perform any of those things custo mary with us. And with all this, those advocates of peace and piety, Constantine and Licinius, had wrritten to him to permit this, and had granted it to all those under them in their edicts and ordinances. But this most impious ruler did not choose yield ing to this course ; until, driven by the justice of God, he was a< last compelled, though unwillingly, to adopt it. certain privileges. The word, as it here occurs, forms a curious illustration of the manner in which Greek words were formed from the Latin, /s^qjixax-.o*. The li quids I and r were frequently interchanged.