sacrificio (cum his
legibus sta prohiberentur) et non negavit?"]

[Footnote 58: Libanius (pro Templis, p. 17, 18) mentions, without
censure the occasional conformity, and as it were theatrical play, of
these hypocrites.]

[Footnote 59: Libanius concludes his apology (p. 32) by declaring to
the emperor, that unless he expressly warrants the destruction of the
temples, the proprietors will defend themselves and the laws.]

[Footnote 60: Paulinus, in Vit. Ambros. c. 26. Augustin de Civitat. Dei,
l. v. c. 26. Theodoret, l. v. c. 24.]

A nation of slaves is always prepared to applaud the clemency of their
master, who, in the abuse of absolute power, does not proceed to the
last extremes of injustice and oppression. Theodosius might undoubtedly
have proposed to his Pagan subjects the alternative of baptism or of
death; and the eloquent Libanius has praised the moderation of a prince,
who never enacted, by any positive law, that all his subjects should
immediately embrace and practise the religion of their sovereign. [61]
The profession of Christianity was not made an essential qualification
for the enjoyment of the civil rights of society, nor were any peculiar
hardships imposed on the sectaries, who credulously received the fables
of Ovid, and obstinately rejected the miracles of the Gospel. The
palace, the schools, the army, and the senate, were filled with declared
and devout Pagans; they obtained, without distinction, the civil and
military honors of the empire. [6111] Theodosius distinguished his
liberal regard for virtue and genius by the consular dignity, which
he bestowed on Symmachus; [62] and by the personal friendship which he
expressed to Libanius; [63] and the two eloquent apologists of Paganism
were never required either to change or to dissemble their religious
opinions. The Pagans were indulged in the most licentious freedom of
speech and writing; the historical and philosophic remains of Eunapius,
Zosimus, [64] and the fanatic teachers of the school of Plato, betray
the most furious animosity, and contain the sharpest invectives, against
the sentiments and conduct of their victorious adversaries. If these
audacious libels were publicly known, we must applaud the good sense of
the Christian princes, who viewed, with a smile of contempt, the last
struggles of superstition and despair. [65] But the Imperial laws,
which prohibited the sacrifices and ceremonies of Paganism, were rigidly
executed; and every hou