who accepted the Henoticon, was the nominee of the local government, as inspired by Theodora, but his confirmation was resisted by violent riots. The Empress at once despatched Narses to establish her candidate by the aid of the military; and the eunuch had to wage a civil war in the streets of the hostile city, amid showers of missiles launched from windows and from roofs of houses by infuriated women, before he could achieve his object.[1] Yet the Orthodox party had become so reinvigorated that the very next year the presence of the Egyptian primate was commanded at the Imperial capital, where he was offered the option of accepting fully the Council of Chalcedon, or of deposition from his see. He chose the latter alternative, and was banished to the Castle of Dercos in Thrace, which had been chosen for the seclusion of Monophysites who were unable, or who had not deigned to escape.[2] Shortly, however, there was a lull in the storm of Orthodox rancour; and a flourishing brotherhood of Monophysites was permitted to exist at Sycae, where a monastery had been built for them, and liberally endowed by Theodora. To this establishment Theodosius returned before a twelvemonth, and continued for more than a quarter of a century to be the head of it.[3]
Early in the fifth decade of the sixth century the great
- [Footnote: were divided into two parties, the Corruptibles and Incorruptibles.
The latter were in a great majority, and now constituted the Gaianites. Zachariah Myt., ix, 9-13; Liberatus, 19, 20.]
- ↑ Ibid. The soldiers were beaten, but Narses "won by fire where iron could not," that is, he burnt them out.
- ↑ John Eph., Com., pp. 14, 114 et seq.; Victor Ton., an. 540, etc.
- ↑ John Eph. Com., pp. 11, 66, 154, etc. It was opposite Blachernae. She also had a refuge for proscribed Monophysites in the island of Chios; ibid. Zooras was at first head of the monastery at Sycae, but he ended his days at Dercos.
