Section 498
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16 COUNCIL OF NICE. and a princely condescension, indicative, says his biographer, of the noble qualities of his mind. When he had reached the upper end of the hall, he remained standing in the middle, between the highest places, before a small chair, burnished with gold, which was prepared for his accommodation, until he was requested to be seated by the bishops, who then resumed their places. The prelate who occupied the seat on the right side of the emperor then addressed him in a short speech, giving thanks and praise to Almighty God for the benefits conferred on the Church through his instrumentality. When he was seated, the spectators all continued in silence, fixing their eyes upon the emperor, who, surveying them with a cheerful and serene expression of counte nance, and employing a few moments to collect his thoughts, spake to the following purport, in a pleasant and subdued tone of voice. " It was, my dear friends, my most cherished wish, that I might one day enjoy the sight of this convention. Having been indulged in this desire, I return thanks to God, the ruler of all, who, in addition to innumerable other favors, has granted me this greatest of all blessings, to see you assembled together, and united in your minds. May no malignant foe disturb in future our public happiness. After the complete subversion, by the help of God our preserver, of the tyranny of those, who warred against the Most High, let no malevolent demon again expose the divine law. in any other manner, to slander and detraction. An inter nal sedition in the Church is, in my apprehension, more dan gerous and formidable than any war, in which I can be engaged ; nor do foreign concerns, however unfortunate, affect my mind with so sensible a grief as this unhappy affair. After I had be come victorious, by divine assistance, over all my enemies, I thought that it only remained for me to render thanks to God, and to participate in the universal joy with those, whose liberation he has accomplished through my agency and efforts. But when the unwelcome news of your dissensions was brought to my ears, I conceived that the report should by no means be neglected ; and hoping that by my interference, a remedy might be applied to the evil, I sent for you all, without delay. Great indeed is my satis Eustathius, according to Theodoret. I. 7.