nd public, under heavy penalties, and the Church,
in turn, became persecuting. At this lime the corruption of the Church
made rapid progress. Pretended miracles, pious frauds, the worship of
saints, veneration of relics, ascetic severities, monastic superstitions,
the pomp of bishops, and a secular spirit marked the triumph of
Christianity over paganism. The Church was united to the State, and the
profession of the new faith was made a necessary qualification for the
enjoyment of civil rights. But the Church was now distinguished for great
men, who held high rank, theologians, and bishops, like Augustine,
Ambrose, Chrysostom, Gregory, Nazianzin, Basil, Eusebius, and Martin of
Tours.

(M1164) Theodosius died in Milan, in the arms of Ambrose, A.D. 395, and
with him the genius of Rome expired, and the real drama of the fall of the
empire began. He was succeeded by his two sons, Arcadius and Honorius, the
one in the East and the other in the West, the former being under the
tutelage of Rufinus, the latter under the care of Stilicho, master-general
of the armies. Both emperors were unworthy or unequal to maintain their
inheritances. The barbarians gained fresh courage from the death of
Theodosius, and recommenced their ravages. The soldiers of the empire were
dispirited and enervated, and threw away their defensive armor. They even
were not able to bear the weight of the cuirass and helmet, and the heavy
weapons of their ancestors were exchanged for the bow. Thus they were
exposed to the deadly missiles of their enemies, and fled upon the
approach of danger. Gainas the Goth, who commanded the legions, slew
Rufinus in the presence of Arcadius, who abandoned himself at
Constantinople to the influence of the eunuch Eutropius, most celebrated
for introducing Chrysostom to the court. The eunuch minister soon after
was murdered in a tumult, and Arcadius was then governed by his wife
Eudoxia, who secured the banishment of Chrysostom.

(M1165) The empire was now finally divided. A long succession of feeble
princes reigned in the East, ruled by favorites and women, at whose courts
the manners and customs of Oriental kings were introduced. The Eastern
empire now assumes the character of an Eastern monarchy, and henceforth
goes by the name of the Greek empire, at first, embracing those countries
bounded by the Adriatic and Tigris, but gradually narrowed to the
precincts of Constantinople. It lasted for one thousand years longer,
befor