Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 6, CHI-Crystallization

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Ckmftan- emperor was acquainted with their proceedings than
tj hri-r r3 1 ahandoned the temple, which was in a (hort time
«- * ^ deftroyed by Theophilus; nothing being left except
the foundations, which could not be removed on ac¬
count of the extraordinary weight and fize of the
ftones. Not fatisfied with the deftrudtion of the Alexan¬
drian temples, the zealous bifhop encouraged the people
to pull down all the other temples, oratories, chapels,
and places fet apart for the worlhip of the Heathen
gods throughout Egypt, and the ftatues of the gods
themfelves to be either burnt or melted down. Of the
innumerable ftatues which at that time were to be
found in Egypt, he is faid to have fparcd but one,
viz. that of an ape, in order to expofe the Pagan reli¬
gion to ridicule. On his return to Conftantinople, Theo-
dolius ordered fuch temples as were yet ftanding to be
thrown down, and the Arians to be everywhere driven
86 out of the cities.
^ murder- In 39 2’ Valentinian, emperor of the Weft, was
edbyArboItre2C^erou^y murdered by Arbogaftes his general;
gaftes, who w^°» though he might afterwards have eafxly feized
raifesEu- on the fovereignty himfelf, chofe to confer it upon
gemus to one Eugenius, and to reign in his name. This new
10 empire. ufurper> though a Chriftian, was greatly favoured by
the Pagans, who were well apprifed that he only bore
the title of emperor, while the whole power lodged in
Arbogaftes, who pretended to be greatly attached to
their religion. The arufpices began to appear anew,
and informed him that he was deftined to the em¬
pire of the whole world; that he would foon gain
a complete victory over Theodolius, who was as much
hated as Eugenius was beloved by the gods, &c. But
though Eugenius feemed to favour the Pagans, yet in
the very beginning of his reign he wrote to St Am-
brofe. The holy man did not anfwrer his letter till
. he was preffed by fome friends to recommend them to
the new prince; and then he wrote to this infamous
nfurper with all the refpeft due to an emperor. Soon
after bis acceflkm to the empire, Eugenius fent depu¬
ties to Theodofius ; and they are faid to have been re¬
ceived by him in a very obliging manner. He did
not, however, intend to enter into any alliance with
this ufurper, but imtnediately began his military pre¬
parations. In 394, he fet out from Conftantinople,
and was at Adriancple on the 15th of June that year.
He bent his march through Dacia, and the other pro¬
vinces between Thrace and the Julian Alps, with a
defign to force the pafles of thefe, mountains, and break
into Italy before the army of Eugenius was in a con¬
dition to oppofe him. On his arrival at the Alps, he
found thefe pafles guarded by Flavianus prefect of Ita¬
ly, at the head of a confiderable body of Roman troops.
Thefe were utterly defeated by Theodofius, who
thereupon crofted the Alps and advanced into Italy.
He was foon rpet by Eugenius; and a bloody battle
enfued, without any decifive advantage on either fide.
The next day the emperor led his troops in perfon
gy againft the enemy, utterly defeated them, and took
lug enius their camp. Eugenius was taken prifoner by his own
defeated, men, and brought to Theodofius, who reproached him
foner1 and the murc,er Va‘entinian, with the calamities
put to351 had brought on the empire by his unjuft ufurpa-
dcatk and with putting his confidence in Hercules,
and not in the true God; for on his chief ftandard he
had difplayed the image of that fabulous hero. Euge-
j CON
nius begged earneftly for his life : but while he lay pro- (W 1
ftrate at the emperor’s feet, his own foldiers cut *
his head, and carrying it about on the point of a fpear hiiW J
ftiowed it to thofe in the camp, tvho had not yet fub-L *
mitted to Theodofius. At this they were all thunder-
ftruck j but being informed that Theodofius was ready
to receive them into favour, they threw down their as
arms and fubmitted. After this, Arbogaftes, defpair-Arbol
ingot pardon, fled to the mountains; but being in-bysvk
formed that diligent fearch was made for him, he laid ^ut ^
violent hands on himfelf. His children, and thofe oi™ ^
Eugenius, took fan&uary in churches ; but the empe¬
ror not only pardoned, but took the opportunity of
converting them to Chriftianity, reftored them to their
paternal eftates, and railed them to confidcrable em¬
ployments in the ftate. Soon after this, Theodofius
appointed his fon Honorius emperor of the weft, af-
figning him for his (hare Italy, Gaul, Spain, Africa,
and Weft Illyncum. The next year, as he prepared
for his return to Conftantinople, he was feized with a
dropfy, owing to the great fatigues he had undergone
during the war. As foon. as he perceived himfelf to Theodofia
be in danger, he made his will ; by which he be-^ks.
queathed the empire of the eaft to Arcadius, and con¬
firmed Honorius in the poffeflion of the weft. He
likewife confirmed the pardon which he had granted
to all thofe who had borne arms againft him, and re¬
mitted a tribute which had proved very burdenfome to
the people ; and charged his two fons to fee thefe
points of his will executed. He died at Milan on the
17th of January 395, in the 16th year of his reign and
50th of his age.
From the. time of Theodofius to the time when the Empire
Roman empire in the weft was totally deftroyed by ufurped
the Goths, we find but very little remarkable in theEafllifcus' ,
hiftory of Conftantinople. At this time the eaftern
empire was ufurped by Bafilifcus, who had driven out
Zeno the lawful emperor; being aflifted in his confpi-
racy by the emprefs Verina his fifter. Zeno fled in¬
to Ifauria, whither he was purfued by Ulus and Tre-
condes, two of the ufurper’s generals; who having
eafily defeated the few troops he had with him, for¬
ced the unhappy prince to {hut himfelf up in a caftle,
which they immediately invefted. But in a Ihort
time Bafilifcus having difobliged the people by his cru¬
elty, avarice, and other bad qualities, for which he was
no lefs remarkable than his predeceffor had been, his
generals joined with Zeno, whom they reftored to the
throne. After his reftoration, Zeno having got Bafi¬
lifcus into his power, confined him in a caftle of Cap- ^
padocia together with his wife Zenonides, where they Is ftarveJ
both perilhed with hunger and cold. This happenedt0 ^eat^ j
in the year 467, after Bafilifcus had reigned about 20
months. During the time of this ufurpation a dreadful $12
fire happened at Conftantinople, which confumed greatGreat ^
part of the city, with the library containing 120,coo at
volumes; among which were the works of Homer,tin°Pe\ j
written, as is faid, on the great gut of a dragon 120
feet long.
The misfortunes which Zeno had undergone did
not work any reformation upon him. He ftill conti¬
nued the fame vicious courfes which had given ®cca-
fi.on to the ufurpation of Bafilifcus. Other confpira-
cies were formed agaift him, but he had the good
fortune to eicape them. Pie engaged in a war with
the