g messages from the empress, at other times merely to
pay a visit. And after a few days the empress brought forth a male
child, and he was called Theodosius, after his grandfather Theodosius,
the Spaniard, who reigned together with Gratian. And the child
Theodosius was born in the purple, wherefore he was proclaimed emperor
at his birth. And there was great joy in the city, and men were sent to
the cities of the Empire, bearing the good news, with gifts and
bounties.

But the empress, who had only just been delivered and arisen from her
chair of confinement, sent Amantius to us with this message: "I thank
Christ that God bestowed on me a son on account of your holy prayers.
Pray then, fathers, for his life and for my lowly self, in order that I
may fulfil those things which I promised you, Christ himself again
consenting, through your holy prayers." And when the seven days of her
confinement were fulfilled, she sent for us and met us at the door of
the chamber, carrying in her arms the infant in a purple robe. And she
inclined her head and said: "Draw nigh, fathers, unto me and the child
which the Lord granted to me through your holy prayers." And she gave
them the child that they might seal it with God's signet. And the holy
bishops sealed both her and the child with the seal of the cross, and,
offering a prayer, sat down. And when they had spoken many words full of
heart pricking, the lady said to them: "Do ye know, fathers, what I
resolved to do in regard to your affairs?" (Here Porphyrius related a
dream which he had dreamed the night before: then Eudoxia resumed:) "If
Christ permit, the child will be privileged to receive the holy baptism
in a few days. Do ye then depart and compose a petition and insert in it
all the requests ye wish to make. And when the child comes forth from
the holy baptismal rite, give the petition to him who holds the child in
his arms; but I will instruct him what to do. And I trust in the Son of
God that He can arrange the whole matter according to the will of His
loving kindness." Having received these instructions we blessed her and
the infant and went out. Then we composed the petition, inserting many
things in the document, not only as to the overthrow of the idols, but
also that privileges and revenues should be granted to the holy Church
and the Christians; for the holy Church was poor.

The days ran by, and the day on which the young emperor was to be
illuminated (_i. e._, baptized