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COUNCIL OF NICE.

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"I have sent you these signatures by my son Apion, the deacon: they are the signatures of the ministers in all Egypt and in Thebes; also of those in Libya, Pentapoiis, Syria, Lycia, Pamphylia, Asia, Cappadocia, and in the other adjoining countries. You likewise must follow this example. Many attempts have been made by me to gain back those who have been led astray, and discover the means of restoring the people who have been deceived by them; and I have found none more persuasive in leading them to repentance, than the manifestation of the union of our fellow ministers. The following are the names of those who have been excommunicated:—

"Among the presbyters, Arius; among the deacons, Achillas, Euzoius, Aithalis,^[1] Lucius, Sarmatis, Julius,^[2] Menas, another Arius, and Helladius." Alexander wrote in the same strain to Philogonius,

↑ These names are of various orthography, Socrates writing Aithales, and Sozomen Aithalas. The latter spells the eighth name Minas, but he is considered a little less reliable than Socrates. As I shall have occasion to quote often from his [Sozomen's] ecclesiastical history, it seems proper to give a sketch of him in this place.

Hermias Sozomen Salamanes, according to the very learned Valesius, who wrote his life, was born and educated in Palestine, probably at Gaza, in the bosom of those monks who were of his relative, Alaphio's, family; and he studied the civil law at Berytus, a city of Phœnicia, where was a famous law-school. His ancestors were of Bethelia, near Gaza, where his grandfather was born and converted to Christianity. Sozomen practised law at Constantinople at the same time with Socrates Scholasticus; and as they each wrote a history of the same events, it is evident one purloined from the other without giving due credit. Socrates probably wrote first. So Valesius thinks. Sozomen's Church history extends from A.D. 324 to 440. His style is more perspicuous and consecutive than that of Socrates.—See Bohn's edition of their works, in English.
↑ Socrates calls them Samartes and Julian; and the names of Carpones and Gaius are given in Alexander's letter to his fellow ministers, as among these apostates.

[1] These names are of various orthography, Socrates writing Aithales, and Sozomen Aithalas. The latter spells the eighth name Minas, but he is considered a little less reliable than Socrates. As I shall have occasion to quote often from his [Sozomen's] ecclesiastical history, it seems proper to give a sketch of him in this place.

Hermias Sozomen Salamanes, according to the very learned Valesius, who wrote his life, was born and educated in Palestine, probably at Gaza, in the bosom of those monks who were of his relative, Alaphio's, family; and he studied the civil law at Berytus, a city of Phœnicia, where was a famous law-school. His ancestors were of Bethelia, near Gaza, where his grandfather was born and converted to Christianity. Sozomen practised law at Constantinople at the same time with Socrates Scholasticus; and as they each wrote a history of the same events, it is evident one purloined from the other without giving due credit. Socrates probably wrote first. So Valesius thinks. Sozomen's Church history extends from A.D. 324 to 440. His style is more perspicuous and consecutive than that of Socrates.—See Bohn's edition of their works, in English.

[2] Socrates calls them Samartes and Julian; and the names of Carpones and Gaius are given in Alexander's letter to his fellow ministers, as among these apostates.

[1]

[2]