mician. La Bastie ("Memoires de l'Academie des
Inscripter," &c.) believes that it was the twelfth. This last
valuation is approved by Chastel ("Histoire de la Destruction du
Paganisme en Orient," 1850, p. 36) as an average number, though it
was much larger in the East than in the West. The celebrated passage
of Tertullian's "Apology," in the second century, where he
represents the number of Christians in the Roman empire to be so
great, that it would have become a desert if they had retired from
it, is considered by Beugnot (vol. ii. p. 188) as the most
exaggerated hyperbole which has ever been used by an orator.

_ 29 Translator's Note._--Expression of St Jerome, Op. iv. p. 266. It
would be curious to know what this father of the church would have
said of the present Rome.

30 Beugnot, vol. i., p. 86.

31 "Ludorum celebrationes, deoram festa sunt."--Lactantius,
_Institutiones Divin._, vi., 20, _apud_ Beugnot.

32 "Adite aras publicas adque delubra, et consuetudinis vestrae
celebrate solemnia: nec enim prohibemus preteritae usurpationis
officia libera luce tractari."

33 The _labarum_ was a cross, with the monogram of Christ.

34 The Graeco-Russian church has, however, given him a place in her
calendar on the 21st May, but only in common with his mother Helena.
This was done only a considerable time after his death.

35 Beugnot, upon the authority of Ausonius, vol. i., p. 321.

36 Thus Symmachus, one of the leaders of the old aristocracy of Rome,
celebrated for his learning, virtues, and staunch adherence to the
national polytheism, was invested by Theodosius with the dignity of
a consul of Rome; the well known Greek orator, Libanius, was created
prefect of the imperial palace; and Themistius, who had been
invested with the highest honours under the preceding reigns, was
created by Theodosius prefect of Constantinople, received in the
senate, and entrusted for some time with the education of Arcadius.
These distinguished polytheists never made a secret of their
religious opinions, but publicly declared them on several occasions.
Many of Theodosius' generals were avowed Pagans, but enjoyed no less
his confidence and favour.

37 Fallmerayer, "Geschichte der Morea," vol. i., p. 136.

_ 38 Vide supra_, pp. 30-32.

39 I thi