f connection
with these events, though herself an Arian, seems to have been
influenced by her charitable inclination. When Liberius was going away
into exile she sent him five hundred pieces of gold with which to defray
his expenses. This however, rather churlishly as it would seem, he sent
back with the message that she "take it to the emperor, for he may want
it to pay his troops."

In this connection there is an incident recorded by Theodoret which
indicates that the clergy, especially the bishops, of those times found
resolute champions among the ladies, as they have in all ages. Two years
after the exile of Liberius, Constantius went to Rome. "The ladies of
rank urged their husbands to petition the emperor for the restoration of
the shepherd to his flock: they added, that if this were not granted,
they would desert them, and go themselves after their great pastor.
Their husbands replied, that they were afraid of incurring the
resentment of the emperor. 'If we were to ask him,' they continued,
'being men, he would deem it an unpardonable offence; but if you were
yourselves to present the petition, he would at any rate spare you, and
would either accede to your request, or else dismiss you without
injury.' These noble ladies adopted this suggestion, and presented
themselves before the emperor in all their customary splendor of array,
that so the sovereign, judging their rank from their dress, might count
them worthy of being treated with courtesy and kindness. Thus entering
the presence, they besought him to take pity on the condition of so
large a city, deprived of its shepherd, and made an easy prey to the
attacks of wolves. The emperor replied, that the flock possessed a
shepherd capable of tending it, and that no other was needed in the
city. For after the banishment of the great Liberius, one of his
deacons, named Felix, had been appointed bishop. He preserved inviolate
the doctrines set forth in the Nicene confession of faith, yet he held
communion with those who had corrupted that faith. For this reason none
of the citizens of Rome would enter the house of prayer while he was in
it. The ladies mentioned these facts to the emperor. Their persuasions
were successful; and he commanded that the great Liberius should be
recalled from exile, and that the two bishops should conjointly rule the
Church. This latter arrangement did not suit the people, so Felix
retired to another city."

Liberius generally refused to