_Orestes_ the Governor, assaulted by the Monks; their Captain racked to
Death, but esteemed as a Martyr by _Cyril_.
Now the Revenge which _Cyril_ took of _Orestes_, being the Prelude to
poor _Hypatia_’s Tragedy, I chuse to relate it, as I have done other
Passages, in the Words of honest _Socrates_. _Certain of the Monks
(_says he_) living in the _Nitrian_ Mountains, leaving their Monasteries
to the Number of about Five Hundred, flocked to the City, and spied the
Governor going Abroad in his Chariot; whereupon approaching, they called
him by the Names of _Sacrificer_ and _Heathen_, using many other
scandalous Words. The Governor therefore suspecting, that this was a
Trick plaid him by _Cyril_, cryed out, that he was a _Christian_, and
that he was _baptized_ at Constantinople by Bishop _Atticus_. But the
Monks, giving no Heed to what he said, one of them, called _Ammonius_,
threw a Stone at _Orestes_, which struck him on the Head; and being all
covered with Blood from his Wound, his Guards, a few excepted, fled some
one Way some another, hiding themselves in the Croud, lest they should
be stoned to Death. In the mean while the People of _Alexandria_ ran to
defend their Governor against the Monks, and, putting all the rest to
Flight, they apprehend _Ammonius_, and brought him before _Orestes_;
who, as the Laws prescribed, publickly put him to the Torture, and
racked him till he expired. Not long after he gave an Account of all
that was done to the Princes. Nor did _Cyril_ fail to give them a
contrary Information. He received the Body of _Ammonius_, and, laying it
in one of the Churches, he changed his Name, calling him _Thaumasius_,
and ordered him to be considered as a _Martyr_; nay, he made his
Panegyrick in the Church, extolling his Courage, as one that had
contended for the Truth. But the wiser Sort of the Christians themselves
did not approve the Zeal, which _Cyril_ showed on this Man’s Behalf;
being convinced that _Ammonius_ had justly suffered for his desperate
Attempt, but was not forced to deny _Christ_, in his Torments._ This
Account requires no Commentary. I shall only observe with a Heathen
Philosopher, that _at that Time the Monks (_the fittest__ __Executioners
of_ Cyril_’s Cruelty_) were Men indeed as to their Form, but Swine in
their Lives; who openly committed Thousands of execrable Crimes, not fit
to be named. Whoever, _says he_, got on a black Habit, and would make a
Grotesque Figure in Publick, _obtained_ a tyrannical Authority; to such
a Reputation of Virtue did that Race of Men arrive._ This Picture, tho’
drawn by an Enemy’s Hand, is allowed by all good Judges to be done to
the Life; and we shall presently have Reason, more than sufficient, to
be of the same Opinion.