111 – This is true of the first decision of the Council, but as
S. Ambrose says, ‘it ended badly,’ for the Bishops were
inveigled into accepting a less orthodox formula. See Prof.
Bright’s Hist. p. 94, 98.
112 – S. Ambrose here delicately alludes to the service he had
rendered to Valentinian in going on his behalf to the
court of the usurper Maximus after the death of Gratian,
which is referred to in Letter xxiv.
113 – ‘This was not so great an inconvenience to them as might
appear at first sight, for the early Basilicas were not
unlike the heathen temples, or our own collegiate chapels,
that is, part of a range of buildings, which contained the
lodgings of the ecclesiastics, and formed a fortress in
themselves, which could easily be blockaded either from
within or without.’ Newman. Ch. of the Fathers. p. 22.
114 – The words ‘custodiam’ and ‘amisit,’ are repeated by
S. Ambrose from the former part of the sentence. ‘Amisit’
as applied here recalls the Psalmist’s expression, ‘Hath
God forgotten to be gracious?’ Ps. lxxvii. 9.
115 – This refers to a story thus recounted in Paulinus’ Life
of S. Ambrose ch. 12, ‘Among many who tried to force
S. Ambrose into exile, but through God’s protection failed
of their ♦purpose, one Euthymius more hapless than the
rest, was stirred to such a pitch of frenzy that he hired
a house close to the Church, and there kept a carriage,
that he might the more readily carry off Ambrose into
exile, by seizing him and putting him in the carriage.
But _his wickedness fell upon his own pate_, (Ps. vii. 7.)
for that very day year, he was himself put into the
carriage and from the same house was carried into exile,
confessing that it was by the just judgment of God that
his wickedness had recoiled on himself, and he was carried
into exile in the very chariot which he had prepared for
the Bishop. And the Bishop did much to comfort him, by
giving him money, and other necessaries.’
116 – The word is ‘curiales.’ See Footnote 81 on Lett. xviii.
To the authorities there referred to add Bingh. Antiq.
iv, 4, 4, where Gothofred’s enumeration of their duties is
given in full in the notes.