Arian Felix ^ as pope in opposition by the arbitrary will of the emperor Constantius (a. d. o55). Liberius, having in hig exile subscribed the Arian creed of Sirmium,^ was in 358 reinstated, and Felix retired, and is said to have subsequently repented his defection to Arianism. The parties, however, continued. After the death of Liberius in 366, Damasus was, by the party of Felix, and Ursinusby the party of Liberius, elected suc- cessor of Peter. It came to repeated bloody encounters ; even the altar of the Prince of Peace was desecrated, and in a church whither Ursinus had betaken himself, a hundred and thirty- seven men lost their lives in one day.'' Other provinces also were drawn into the quarrel. It was years before Damasus at last, with the aid of the emperor, obtained imdisputed posses- ' This is related even by St. Jerome (comp. above § 53, p. 267, note), and goes to confirm the statements of Ammianus. " Athanasius (Historia Arianorum ad Monachos, § Yo, Opera ed. Bened. i. p. 389), and Socrates (H. E. ii. 37), decidedly condemn him as an Arian. Nevertheless this heretic and anti-pope has been smuggled into the Koman catalogue of saints and martyrs. Gregory XIII. instituted an investigation into the matter, which was terminated by the sudden discovery of his remains, with the inscription: "Pope and Martyr." ^ According to Baronius, ad a. 357, the jealousy of Felix was the Delilah, who robbed the catholic Samson (Liberius) of his strength. * Ammian. Marc. L xxvii. c. 3 : " Constat in basilica Sicinini (Sicinii), ubi ritus Christian! est conventiculum, uno die cxxxvii. reperta cadavera peremtorum." Then he speaks of the pomp and luxury of the Roman bishopric, on account of which it was the object of so passionate covetousness and ambition, and contrasts with it the simplicity and self-denial of the rural clergy. The account is confirmed by Augus- tine, Brevic. Coll. c. Donat. c. 16, and Hieron. in Chron. an. 36*7. Socrates, iv. 29, speaks generally of several fights, in which many lives were lost. 372 THIRD PERIOD. A.D. 311-590 sion of his office, and Ursiniis was banished. The statements of the two parties are so conflicting in regard to the priority and legitimacj of election in the two cases, and the authorship of the bloody scenes, that we cannot further determine on which side lay the greater blame. Damasus, who reigned from 367 to 384, is indeed depicted as in otlier respects a violent man,' but he was a man of learning and literary taste, and did good service by his patronage of Jerome's Latin version of the Bible, and by the introduction of the Latin Psalter into the church song.' § 73. The Meletian Schism at Antioch. HiEEONTMTJS : Cbron. ad ann. 364-. Chetsostostus : Homilia in S. Patrem nostrum Meletium, archiepiscopum magnaa Antiocliiaj (delivered a. d. 386 or 387, ia Montfaucon's ed. of Chrysost. Opera, torn. ii. p. 518- 523). Sozomen: H. E. iv. 28; vii.