aim on the part of the emperor to the
highest authority in Church matters. Justinian tried repeatedly his
personal influence with the Pope, that also of bishops and officers of
State. He even had him watched for a length of time and cut off from all
approach, so that the Pope exclaimed, "If you have made me a prisoner, you
cannot imprison the holy Apostle Peter". Yet the intercourse of Vigilius
with eastern bishops soon convinced him that they were generally agreed
with the emperor; that a prolonged resistance on his part would produce a
new division between Greeks and Latins; that considerable grounds existed
for the condemnation of the Three Chapters, with which, hitherto, he had
not been well acquainted. So he allowed the subject to be further
considered, held out a prospect of agreeing with the emperor, and
readmitted Mennas to his communion, who restored the Pope's name in the
liturgy. This reconciliation took place on the feast of the Princes of the
Apostles, 29th June, 547.

The Pope, after further conferences with bishops present at
Constantinople, seventy of whom had not signed the imperial edict, issued,
on the 11th April, 548, his _Judgment_, directed to Mennas, of which all
but fragments are lost. In it he most strongly maintained the authority of
the four General Councils, especially of the fourth; put under anathema the
godless writings of Theodore of Mopsuestia, and also his person; the letter
said to be written by Ibas to Maris, which Justinian had marked as
supposititious, and the writings of Theodoret, which impugned orthodoxy and
the twelve anathemas of Cyril. It was his purpose to quiet excitement,
satisfying the Greeks by a specific condemnation of the Three Chapters, and
the Latins by maintaining the rank of the Council of Chalcedon. And he
required that therewith the strife should cease. But neither side accepted
the condition. The westerns, especially Dacius, archbishop of Milan, and
Facundus, bishop of Hermiane, vehemently attacked his _Judgment_. So did
many African monks. Even two Roman deacons, the Pope's own nephew Rusticus,
and Sebastianus, though they began by supporting the _Judgment_, became
very violent against the Pope, spread the most injurious reports against
him, and disregarded his warnings. He deposed and excommunicated them.
False reports were spread that, against the Council of Chalcedon, the Pope
had condemned the persons of Theodoret and Ibas, and had gone against the
decrees o