2 151. EUSTATHIUS OF THESSALONICA. G51
was sacked by Count Alduin acting under William II. of Sicily, Eustathius remained in the city and by direct personal effort procured some alleviation of the people's sufferings, and defended their worship against the fanatical Latins.1 Again, he interposed his influence to keep the Thessalonians from the rapacity of the imperial tax-gatherers. But notwithstanding his high character and unsparing exertions on behalf of Thessalonica there were enough persons there who were incensed against him by his plain speaking to effect his banishment. This probably happened during the reign of the infamous Androuicus (1180-1183), who was unfriendly to Eustathius. A brief experience of the result of his absence led to his recall, and he ended his days in increased esteem. It is strange indeed to find Eustathius and Calvin alike in their expulsion and re call to the city they had done so much to save.
His WRITINGS upon practical religious topics have great interest and value. Besides sermons upon Psalm xlviii.,2 on an auspicious year,3 four during Lent,4 in which he specially inveighs against the lax marital customs, and five on different martyrs,5 he wrote an enthusiastic treatise in praise of monasticism6 if properly used, while at the same time he faithfully re buked the common faults of the monks, their sloth, their hypoc risy and their ignorance, which had made the very name of monk a reproach. To the Stylitcs,7 he was particularly plain in setting forth their duty. By reason of their supposed sanc tity they were sought by all classes as oracles. He seeks there fore to impress them with their responsibility, and tells them always to speak fearlessly, irrespective of person ; not flattering the strong nor domineering the weak. He addressed also the
1 He wrote a valuable history of this siege, Narratio de Thcssalonica urbe a Lalinis capta, Migne, CXXXVI. col. 9-140.
2 Migne, CXXXV. col. 520-540. 3 Ibid. col. 540-5GO.
* Four orations, ibid. col. 5(51-728. » CXXXVI. col. 141-216 ; 264-301.
6 De cmendanda vita monachica, CXXXV. col. 729-909-
7 Ad Stylitam quondam Thessalonicensem, CXXXVI. col. 217-264.
652 FOURTH PERIOD. A.D. 590-1049.
laity, not only in the sermons already mentioned, but in sepa rate treatises,1 and with great earnestness and tenderness exhorted them to obedience to their lawful rulers, and rebuked them for their hypocrisy, which was the crying sin of the day, and for their vindictiveness. He laid down the true gospel principle : love is the central point of the Christian life. His letters,2 of which 75 have been published, give us a vivid picture of the time, and bear unconscious testimony to his virtue. To his Interpretation of the Pentecostal hymn of John of Damascus Cardinal Mai accords the highest praise.3
§ 152. Nicetas Acominatos.
I. NICETAS CHONTATES: Opera, in Migne, Tom. CXXXIX., col. 287 —
CXL., col. 292. His History was edited by Imrnanuel Bekker in Scriptores Byzantince. Bonn, 1835.
II. See Allatius in Migne, CXXXIX., col. 287-302. CEILLIER, XIV.
1176, 1177. KARL ULLMANN: Die Dogmatik der griechischen Kirche tw!2. Jahrhundert, re-printed from the " Studien und Kritiken," 1833.
NICETAS ACOMINATOS, also called Choniates, to denote his birth at Chonse, the old Colossse in Phrygia, was one of the great scholars and authors of the twelfth and thirteenth cen turies. He was educated at Constantinople, studied law and early rose to prominence at the imperial court. He married a descendant of Belisarius; and at the time when Constanti nople was taken by the crusaders (1204) he was governor of Philippopolis. He fled to Nicsea, and there died about 1216. It was during this last period of his life that he composed his Treasury of Orthodoxy f for the consolation and instruction of his suffering fellow-religionists. This work was in twenty-
1 Epistola ad Thessalonicenses, CXXXV. col. 1032-1060; De obedientia magistratui Christiana debita, CXXXVI. col. 301-357 ; De simulatione, ibid. col. 373-408 ; Adversus implacabilitatis accusationem (or Contra injuriarum memoriam), ibid. col. 408-500.
2 CXXXVI. col. 1245-1334 (Greek only).
3 Interpretatio hymni Pentecostalis Damasceni in Mai, Spicilegium Romanum, V. (Rome, 1841) pp. xxiv. 161-383, and in Migne, CXXXVI. col. 504-753.
Migne, CXXXIX. col. 109&-CXL. col. 292.