obable
that the bishop's reiterated desire for martyrdom would have been
gratified. But Ambrose was secure, owing to the intense orthodoxy of all
Justina's subjects. In an attack on religion, there was no one to carry
out her commands. "As she desired to perform her public devotions on the
approaching festival of Easter, Ambrose was ordered to appear before the
council. He obeyed the summons with the respect of a faithful subject,
but he was followed, without his consent, by an innumerable people: they
pressed, with impetuous zeal, against the gates of the palace; and the
affrighted ministers of Valentinian, instead of pronouncing a sentence
of exile on the archbishop of Milan, humbly requested that he would
interpose his authority, to protect the person of the emperor, and to
restore the tranquillity of the capital."

In the end the bishop prevailed. There are extant certain letters
written by the saint to his sister, Marcellina, in which he describes
the circumstances of this dispute with Justina. He recounts how soldiers
were sent to occupy the church which the empress desired for her own
heretical use, and how they fraternized with the Catholic people who
refused to give up the sacred building. The bishop asserts that in the
midst of all this tumult and public inharmony, he gave utterance only to
"freer groans." But there is evidence in bis own letters that Ambrose
took a more active and also a more effective course than mere pious
groaning; indeed, he showed a remarkable boldness of decision, as well
as astuteness, in his political methods. He met the occasion with a
sermon on the trials of Job, which could hardly have aroused pleasant
reflections in the mind of Justina. "But Job was tried by accumulated
tidings of evils, he was also tried by his wife, who said, 'Speak a word
against God and die.' You see what terrible things are of a sudden
stirred up, the Goths, armed men, the heathen.... You observe what was
commanded when the order was given: 'Surrender the Basilica!' that is,
speak a word against God and die.... So, then, we are prepared by the
imperial commands, but are strengthened by the words of Scripture, which
replies: 'Thou hast spoken as one of the foolish.' That temptation then
is no light one, for we know that those temptations are more severe
which arise through women. For even Adam was overthrown by Eve, whereby
it came to pass that he erred from the divine commandments.... Why
should I relate that