PartII。
Thefilialpietyoftheemperorsthemselvesengagedthemtoproceed，withsomecautionandtenderness，inthereformationoftheeternalcity。Thoseabsolutemonarchsactedwithlessregardtotheprejudicesoftheprovincials。ThepiouslaborwhichhadbeensuspendedneartwentyyearssincethedeathofConstantius，^24wasvigorouslyresumed，andfinallyaccomplished，bythezealofTheodosius。WhilstthatwarlikeprinceyetstruggledwiththeGoths，notfortheglory，butforthesafety，oftherepublic，heventuredtooffendaconsiderablepartyofhissubjects，bysomeactswhichmightperhapssecuretheprotectionofHeaven，butwhichmustseemrashandunseasonableintheeyeofhumanprudence。ThesuccessofhisfirstexperimentsagainstthePagansencouragedthepiousemperortoreiterateandenforcehisedictsofproscription:thesamelawswhichhadbeenoriginallypublishedintheprovincesoftheEast，wereapplied，afterthedefeatofMaximus，tothewholeextentoftheWesternempire；andeveryvictoryoftheorthodoxTheodosiuscontributedtothetriumphoftheChristianandCatholicfaith。^25Heattackedsuperstitioninhermostvitalpart，byprohibitingtheuseofsacrifices，whichhedeclaredtobecriminalaswellasinfamous；
andifthetermsofhisedictsmorestrictlycondemnedtheimpiouscuriositywhichexaminedtheentrailsofthevictim，^26
everysubsequentexplanationtendedtoinvolveinthesameguiltthegeneralpracticeofimmolation，whichessentiallyconstitutedthereligionofthePagans。Asthetempleshadbeenerectedforthepurposeofsacrifice，itwasthedutyofabenevolentprincetoremovefromhissubjectsthedangeroustemptationofoffendingagainstthelawswhichhehadenacted。AspecialcommissionwasgrantedtoCynegius，thePraetorianpraefectoftheEast，andafterwardstothecountsJoviusandGaudentius，twoofficersofdistinguishedrankintheWest；bywhichtheyweredirectedtoshutthetemples，toseizeordestroytheinstrumentsofidolatry，toabolishtheprivilegesofthepriests，andtoconfiscatetheconsecratedpropertyforthebenefitoftheemperor，ofthechurch，orofthearmy。^27Herethedesolationmighthavestopped:andthenakededifices，whichwerenolongeremployedintheserviceofidolatry，mighthavebeenprotectedfromthedestructiverageoffanaticism。ManyofthosetempleswerethemostsplendidandbeautifulmonumentsofGrecianarchitecture；andtheemperorhimselfwasinterestednottodefacethesplendorofhisowncities，ortodiminishthevalueofhisownpossessions。Thosestatelyedificesmightbesufferedtoremain，assomanylastingtrophiesofthevictoryofChrist。
Inthedeclineoftheartstheymightbeusefullyconvertedintomagazines，manufactures，orplacesofpublicassembly:andperhaps，whenthewallsofthetemplehadbeensufficientlypurifiedbyholyrites，theworshipofthetrueDeitymightbeallowedtoexpiatetheancientguiltofidolatry。Butaslongastheysubsisted，thePagansfondlycherishedthesecrethope，thatanauspiciousrevolution，asecondJulian，mightagainrestorethealtarsofthegods:andtheearnestnesswithwhichtheyaddressedtheirunavailingprayerstothethrone，^28increasedthezealoftheChristianreformerstoextirpate，withoutmercy，therootofsuperstition。Thelawsoftheemperorsexhibitsomesymptomsofamilderdisposition:^29buttheircoldandlanguideffortswereinsufficienttostemthetorrentofenthusiasmandrapine，whichwasconducted，orratherimpelled，bythespiritualrulersofthechurch。InGaul，theholyMartin，bishopofTours，^30marchedattheheadofhisfaithfulmonkstodestroytheidols，thetemples，andtheconsecratedtreesofhisextensivediocese；and，intheexecutionofthisarduoustask，theprudentreaderwilljudgewhetherMartinwassupportedbytheaidofmiraculouspowers，orofcarnalweapons。InSyria，thedivineandexcellentMarcellus，^31asheisstyledbyTheodoret，abishopanimatedwithapostolicfervor，resolvedtolevelwiththegroundthestatelytempleswithinthedioceseofApamea。HisattackwasresistedbytheskillandsoliditywithwhichthetempleofJupiterhadbeenconstructed。Thebuildingwasseatedonaneminence:oneachofthefoursides，theloftyroofwassupportedbyfifteenmassycolumns，sixteenfeetincircumference；andthelargestone，ofwhichtheywerecomposed，werefirmlycementedwithleadandiron。Theforceofthestrongestandsharpesttoolshadbeentriedwithouteffect。Itwasfoundnecessarytounderminethefoundationsofthecolumns，whichfelldownassoonasthetemporarywoodenpropshadbeenconsumedwithfire；andthedifficultiesoftheenterprisearedescribedundertheallegoryofablackdaemon，whoretarded，thoughhecouldnotdefeat，theoperationsoftheChristianengineers。Elatedwithvictory，Marcellustookthefieldinpersonagainstthepowersofdarkness；anumeroustroopofsoldiersandgladiatorsmarchedundertheepiscopalbanner，andhesuccessivelyattackedthevillagesandcountrytemplesofthedioceseofApamea。Wheneveranyresistanceordangerwasapprehended，thechampionofthefaith，whoselamenesswouldnotallowhimeithertofightorfly，placedhimselfataconvenientdistance，beyondthereachofdarts。Butthisprudencewastheoccasionofhisdeath:hewassurprisedandslainbyabodyofexasperatedrustics；andthesynodoftheprovincepronounced，withouthesitation，thattheholyMarcellushadsacrificedhislifeinthecauseofGod。Inthesupportofthiscause，themonks，whorushedwithtumultuousfuryfromthedesert，distinguishedthemselvesbytheirzealanddiligence。TheydeservedtheenmityofthePagans；andsomeofthemmightdeservethereproachesofavariceandintemperance；ofavarice，whichtheygratifiedwithholyplunder，andofintemperance，whichtheyindulgedattheexpenseofthepeople，whofoolishlyadmiredtheirtatteredgarments，loudpsalmody，andartificialpaleness。