Читать книгу Nicaea - The Rise of the Imperial Church - William Speir - Страница 10

Emperor Constantine was now the undisputed ruler of the entire Roman Empire. His legions had defeated the superior forces of Licinius, the last remaining challenger to the Imperial Throne, and had broken the defenses around Byzantium. Unlike the other challengers to the Imperial Throne – Galerius, Maximinus, and Maxentius – Licinius had surrendered his legions, and Constantine spared the life of his former rival. Then the Emperor and his legions marched triumphantly into Byzantium.

Constantine looked out over the conquered city from the window of his temporary palace. The smell of smoke drifted from the southern quarter of the city, where the fighting had been the most intense. Most of the fires were out, but some buildings near the harbor still sat smoldering in the late morning breeze. I love this city - even more than I love Rome. Now that it’s mine, I’m going to rebuild it into the most glorious city in the empire – in the world! It will be the jewel of my reign; I’ll make it my capital city. And I’ll rename it to a name befitting its role as my capital: Constantinople.

Constantine heard soldiers marching. Looking down to the street below, he saw that another one of his legions had arrived to strengthen the city garrison. Constantine returned the salute of the senior officer. Licinius managed to raise an army larger than mine, but only because he left the empire’s eastern border completely unguarded. I’ll have to move quickly to restore order. I can’t afford rebellion or invasion in my eastern provinces.

Constantine watched the legion march out of sight through the wisps of smoke that floated over the street. My legionnaires are the best in the world, but the empire’s too large to be held by legions alone. I need my legions to fight wars and protect my borders, not to police the provinces in case of rebellion. I need another way to keep the citizens in line. I need the church that Hosius promised me. I don’t believe in his god, but there’s nothing new about using religion as a tool of statecraft – it’s been done since the dawn of time. My legions can break armies, but religion is better suited to unite the hearts and minds of the people.

The wind shifted, blowing smoke into Constantine’s eyes. The Emperor turned away from the window and gestured for one of the ever-present servants to hand him a cup of wine. As he sipped it, he remembered when the legion he had just seen marching past his palace had opposed him in battle. It was twelve years earlier when he had fought against Maxentius near Milvian Bridge on the Tiber River. They had me outnumbered five to one on that day. I knew that I couldn’t win unless I had a way to shake their confidence. That’s when I decided to march into battle carrying crosses. Maxentius and his legions knew immediately what it meant; no quarter would be given. I even had my legionnaires paint crosses on their shields. Maxentius’ legions thought that I planned to crucify them all, and their spirit broke. Maxentius died trying to get away. And when I spared the lives of his surviving legionnaires, I turned enemies into loyal soldiers willing to follow me anywhere.

Constantine’s smile turned into a sneer as he took another sip of wine. Later, my old friend Hosius came to me and begged me to let him tell everyone that I’d had a vision of the Christ on the eve of battle – that the crosses were to honor my newfound faith, rather than to serve as a threat to my enemies. Then he convinced me to allow Christians to worship openly and freely throughout Rome and the provinces. And in return, he promised that I’d get a church that I could use to help me control the empire.

Well, I did my part, but where is my imperial church? Where is this religion that will serve my needs by controlling the people in ways that my legions can’t? Hosius can’t even get his churches to agree upon a single theology. How can they convert the empire to one religion when they can’t agree on what that religion is? I’m tired of waiting. Hosius may be my oldest friend, but I’m Emperor. It’s time for him to keep his end of the bargain.

Constantine shouted for the Captain of the Guard.

“You sent for me, My Emperor?” Imperial Guard Captain Titus Horatius Corvinus asked a few moments later when he arrived.

“Yes. Titus. Send two ships to Córdoba in Hispania and fetch Hosius, the Christian Bishop there. I need to see him. Bring him here.”

“Yes, My Emperor,” Titus acknowledged. He saluted and then left Constantine’s chamber to carry out his orders.

I want my church, and I don’t care what Hosius has to do to get it for me.

It was still several hours before dawn, and Athanasius couldn’t believe the activity going on all around him. He knew that Alexandria was one of the busiest ports in the southern provinces of the Roman Empire, but ships were being unloaded and loaded by torchlight at breakneck speed.

For two days straight, Athanasius had been waiting outside of the Imperial Harbor Official’s office to find out if there were any ships heading west that were still taking on passengers. He knew that there were no ships that could make the voyage all the way from Alexandria to Gades on the southwest coast of Hispania, so he searched for a ship heading to Carthago. From there, he could get a ship heading for Barcino in eastern Hispania. It would be easy to find a ship in Barcino that would take him to Gades. If all went well, he’d be in Córdoba in seventeen days… if only he could find passage on a ship heading from Alexandria to Carthago.

Athanasius was so busy watching the activity on the docks that he didn’t hear his name being called. The Chief Assistant to the Imperial Harbor Official raised his lantern and touched Athanasius’ shoulder to get his attention. “Athanasius? I’ve found you passage on a galley bound for Carthago. It’s loading now and will be sailing soon. Follow me.”

Athanasius grabbed the bag carrying his garments and supplies, checked to make sure that Alexander’s letters were still around his neck, and followed the harbor official into the crowd of dockworkers, merchants, and people also seeking passage on outbound ships.

When they reached the merchant galley heading for Carthago, the harbor official had to shout to be heard over the noise of ships being loaded and unloaded. He introduced Athanasius to the ship’s captain before disappearing back into the crowd. Athanasius paid the fare, and the captain escorted him to a small sleeping compartment near the rear of the ship. The compartment was just large enough to hold a cot and a bench, but Athanasius didn’t mind. I’m just glad to finally be on my way. He dropped his bag onto the floor and lay down on the cot, falling asleep immediately.

When he awoke, Athanasius heard the sound of oars rhythmically hitting the water. We must be at sea. I wonder how long we’ve been rowing west.

A short while later, he went up on the deck and watched the shore slip past in the distance. From the angle of the sun, he decided that it must be near mid-day. There were few clouds in the sky, and the breeze felt good against his face.

Sailors were busy working all around him, and Athanasius stayed out of their way. He heard a drum beat coming from beneath the deck, and he watched the oars moving to its cadence.

He looked around the deck and noticed a few other passengers also trying to stay out of the way of the busy sailors. Toward the front of the ship, the cook was preparing the midday meal. Feeling hungry, he made his way forward to see what kind of food the cook was serving.

The meal consisted of salted fish, a mix of leeks and beans, a small wedge of cheese, and a hunk of bread with a distinctive barley taste. Athanasius ate it gratefully. Then he returned to his compartment to meditate.

It took nine days to reach Carthago, and other than a rain shower on the fifth day, the weather had been perfect throughout the entire voyage. The galley entered Carthago’s harbor late in the afternoon. Hundreds of ships were anchored in the harbor, making it difficult to navigate through them. The smells of the harbor were pungent with spices and the sweat of the dockworkers. Athanasius disembarked as soon as the galley had been tied to the dock, and he immediately headed for the Imperial Harbor Official’s office to find passage on a ship heading for Barcino.

It only took a day to find a galley bound for Barcino that still had room for a passenger. The trade route between Carthago and Barcino was one of the busiest, and Athanasius managed to book passage on a much larger ship than the one from Alexandria. His compartment was the same size as the one on the ship from Alexandria, and the food was no better, but the voyage only lasted a couple of days, so Athanasius didn’t mind at all.

When he arrived in Barcino on the third morning of the voyage from Carthago, he quickly managed to arrange passage on a ship for Gades that would be leaving the next day before dawn.

It had been a long time since Athanasius had seen the southern coast of Hispania, and he spent most of the voyage on deck watching the coastline. I remember Hosius explaining the history of southern Hispania when I was a boy, and I remember my first view of this coastline when he took me with him to Rome for the first time. I met Emperor Constantine on that trip. That was the first time that Hosius explained to me his plans for the churches. He was my first teacher, and I miss seeing him every day. I know that the reasons he sent me to serve Alexander are important, and even though I still serve Hosius, I’d rather be serving him in Córdoba.

Three days later at mid-day, the galley rowed into the harbor at Gades. Athanasius could hardly contain his excitement to be back in the city again. The smells and sounds assaulted his senses, triggering happy memories from his youth. As much as he wanted to spend time walking along its all-too-familiar streets, he had messages to deliver to Córdoba. He walked past two Roman warships that were taking on supplies as he headed for the city. Once he had left the harbor area, he began looking for ground transportation to Hosius’ church.

As Athanasius walked through the crowded streets at the base of the hill east of the harbor, he recognized the pucker from an old scar near the left ear of a man walking away from him. The man turned, and Athanasius saw his face. “Sebastian!” he called out.

The short, balding young man turned and noticed Athanasius. “Athanasius!” he called back, making his way through the crowd to his old friend. Hosius’ acolyte and chief scribe grasped Athanasius by the wrists. “It’s good to see you, my friend. What brings you to Gades?”

Athanasius held up the leather pouch hanging around his neck. “I have messages from Alexander to Hosius. I was about to hire a chariot or ox-cart to take me to Córdoba. Perhaps we can ride there together?”

Sebastian shook his head. “It’s good that you arrived today. Hosius isn’t in Córdoba; he’s here in Gades. He received a summons to Byzantium by the Emperor. We leave in the morning.”

“Then I’m glad that I arrived just in time,” Athanasius said, surprised. “Can you take me to him? I have instructions to wait for his reply before returning to Alexandria.”

“Sounds important,” Sebastian noted. “Follow me. We’re staying at an inn two streets over.

As they walked to the inn, Athanasius asked, “Why did the Emperor summon Hosius?”

“I have no idea,” Sebastian replied. “Do you think Hosius tells me such things? All I know is that the Emperor sent two warships and some of his personal guards to make sure that Hosius comes as quickly as possible.” Dropping his voice to a whisper, he added, “But I can guess what the summons is about.”

Athanasius leaned forward, and Sebastian continued. “It’s the Imperial Church. Constantine’s impatient for a religion that he can use to control the people of the empire.”

Athanasius nodded. Hosius is playing a dangerous game with the churches and the Emperor, and I’ve had my part to play in that game. Hosius instructed me to make things worse between Alexander and Arias, and I’ve done my best to do that. When I’m serving as Alexander’s scribe, I always make a copy of each letter to Arias for Alexander to keep. How would he react if he discovered that his copies don’t match the letters that Arias actually receives? Would he forgive me, send me back to Hispania, or banish me from the churches altogether? One thing is for certain: he’d never trust me again. And now the Emperor is growing impatient. I wonder why Hosius wanted me to keep Alexander and Arias unable to reach an agreement. “Emperors are dangerous to cross,” Athanasius said aloud. “I wonder if Hosius has figured out how to get the churches to agree to the new theology.”

“I don’t know,” Sebastian said. “But he’d better figure it out before we reach Byzantium.”

They reached the inn a few moments later, and Athanasius saw an imperial guard blocking the entrance.

“Don’t worry,” Sebastian said to Athanasius as they approached the guard.

“State your business,” the guard said to Athanasius.

“Athanasius, I’d like you to meet Imperial Guard Lucius Artorius Gemellus. Lucius, this is Athanasius. He has messages for Hosius from the Patriarch of Alexandria.”

Lucius nodded curtly and allowed Athanasius and Sebastian to enter the inn.

The inn was a two story building along a narrow road that ran from the harbor to the base of the hills east of the city. Athanasius followed Sebastian through the large common room to a corridor that ran to the back of the inn. Sebastian knocked on the last door on the right.

The door opened, and Athanasius recognized Titurius, another one of Hosius’ trusted acolytes. His close-cropped black hair and hawk-nose made the tall acolyte look sinister, but he was man with a tremendous love for life. “Athanasius! Welcome to Gades! Come in, come in. We had no idea you were coming.”

“Thank you, Titurius.” Athanasius and Sebastian entered the long room covered in rugs and thick wooden furniture.

Athanasius saw Hosius sitting next to the window at the far end of the room, reading a letter. The bishop had sandy hair and Celtic features, making him look more like a barbarian tribesmen that a Roman citizen. Hosius looked up when Athanasius entered the room and jumped to his feet, causing the pile of letters in his lap to fall onto the floor.

“Athanasius! You’re a welcome sight. What brings you here?”

Athanasius and Hosius embraced. Athanasius then removed the leather pouch from around his neck and handed it to Hosius. “I have messages from Alexander. He’s instructed me to wait for your reply.”

Hosius took the pouch and smiled. Reaching down to pick up the letters he had dropped, he said, “I expected as much. I received Arias’ letter three days ago – delivered by an imperial courier.”

“I’ve heard that Arias’ servant is clever, but I had no idea he was connected to the imperial couriers,” Athanasius said. “It took me seventeen days to get here. The courier made good time!”

Hosius gestured for Athanasius to sit down in another chair near the window. Sebastian poured a cup of wine for Athanasius and refilled Hosius’ cup. He and Titurius withdrew across the room so Athanasius and Hosius could speak in private.

“I hear that you’ve been summoned to Byzantium,” Athanasius said as Hosius opened the leather pouch.

“Yes, Emperor Constantine wants to see me,” Hosius said casually as he removed the contents of the pouch.

Athanasius sat quietly as Hosius read Alexander’s letters and the reply from Arias. Hosius shook his head several times but didn’t say anything until he had read each letter twice.

Hosius looked up at Athanasius, smiling. “May I assume that the letter here from Alexander to Arias is not the same letter that Arias received?”

Athanasius grinned and nodded.

“You’ve done well, Athanasius. I think it’s safe to say that neither Alexander nor Arias will ever be able to reach agreement on points of theology.”

“That much is certain,” Athanasius agreed. “But won’t that make the Emperor angry? I hear that he’s impatient for the Imperial Church to be handed over to him.”

Hosius glanced across the room at his acolytes. “Sebastian talks too much.” Looking back to Athanasius, he continued, “But you’re right. Constantine wants his church, and he wants it soon.”

“But instead of getting the two theological factions led by Alexander and Arias to come to an agreement, we’ve been making things worse between them.”

Hosius smiled. “Exactly.”

“I don’t understand. Why?” Athanasius asked.

“Because I need the Emperor to step in and personally resolve the disagreement. What’s more, I need the churches to practically beg the Emperor to step in. That way the Imperial Church can be crafted as Constantine wants it with the full blessing of the Patriarchs and the churches.”

Athanasius nodded. “So your plan is to make Constantine the head of the Imperial Church?”

“The secular head of the Imperial Church, yes.”

“And who will be the spiritual head of the Imperial Church?”

Hosius waved his hand in the air. “Who knows? For now it will be the Patriarchs, but who knows what the future will bring?”

Athanasius sipped his wine. “What message do you want me to take back to Alexander?”

Hosius thought about this for a moment. “I’m not sure. I need to craft a reply for Arias as well, and what I tell them depends on how my meetings go with the Emperor. You should come with me to Byzantium. I’ll meet with Constantine, and then I’ll craft a reply for you to take back. It’s a twenty day voyage from here to Byzantium, and then it’s only a nine day voyage from there to Alexandria. You’ll be home in just over a month. Surely Alexander can spare you for that long.”

Athanasius’ excitement at the prospect of traveling again with Hosius filled his mind with memories of his first voyage to Rome. I’d like to know Hosius’ plans for how the Imperial Church will do what the Emperor needs it to do. Besides, I’ve never been to Byzantium before, and I’ve always wanted to go.

Before Athanasius could respond, Hosius called to his two acolytes across the room. “Tell Lucius that there will be another passenger on the voyage. And then find somewhere for Athanasius to sleep. It’s a long journey to Byzantium, and we leave before dawn.