ATHANASIUS, SAINT, flourished in the fourth century, and was the renowned champion of ortho doxy against the Arians. We have no certain ac counts of his parentage ; and all that we know of his younger years, is, that he was a native of Egypt, and probably distinguished by his proficiency in theo logical learning. He accompanied the bishop of Alexandria to the council of Nice, in the capacity of secretary ; and though then only a deacon, distinguish ed himself greatly by his zeal and his eloquence against Arius, and his party. He recommended himself so much to his patron and employer, that, in the year 326, he succeeded him in the see of Alexandria, by his special nomination. He immediately devoted his time and his talents to a zealous support of the ca tholic doctrine of the Trinity, against the innovations of Arius ; and never had any cause a more intrepid advocate. He was five times driven into exile, or forced to abdicate his episcopal see, by the intrigues of his enemies ; but his zeal was never diminished by his misfortunes, and he at last triumphed over all his opponents, dying in quiet possession of his see in the year 373. He was first banished by the Emperor Constantine, on the unfounded accusation of detain ing at Alexandria the ships which supplied Constan tinople with corn. The place of his exile was Treves, in Gaul, where he remained about eighteen months, when he was honourably restored to his sec by an edict of Constantius. A co.S.-ncil of Arian bishops, held at Antioch, represented this restoration of Atha nasius as an encroachment on synodical authority, and confirmed his former deposition. Upon this lie fled to Julius, bishop of Rome, and was patronized by the Emperor Constans, who threatened to make war on his brother Constantius if Athanasius was not restored. The eastern emperor complied with this demand ; but Athanasius was soon assailed by the violence of his adversaries, and, being again deprived of his episcopal authority, was forced to seek an asy lum in the desert of Thebais, where he remained un heard of for the space of six years. He was again
restored to his see under Julian, and afterwards ba nished by the same emperor, to whom lie was parti cularly obnoxious. He was afterwards restored by Jovian, and again banished by Valens ; he was finally restored under the latter emperor, and ended his days in tranquillity.
The character of Athanasius is thus drawn by Gibbon, who cannot be supposed partial to his te nets : " Amidst the storms of persecution, lie was patient of labour ; jealous of fame ; careless of safety : and though his mind was tainted by the contagion of fanaticism, Athanasius displayed a superiority of cha racter and abilities, which would have qualified him, mdch better than the degenerate sons of Constantine, for the government of a great empire. His learning was much less profound and extensive than that of Eusebius of Cxsaria, and his rude eloquence could • not bC compared with the polished oratory of Gre gory, or Basil ; but whenever the primate of Egypt was called upon to justify his sentiments, or his con duct, his unpremeditated style, either of speaking or writing, was clear, forcible, and persuasive." Eusebius Renandottts, in his history of the Pa triarchs of Alexandria, has collected all the accounts which oriental writers give of Athanasius ; and the celebrated Bernard Montfaucon has published a splen - did edition of his works, in three volumes folio. His works consist chiefly of apologies for himself, or in vectives against his enemies. The most valuable are, his first book " Against the Gentiles ;" " Apolo gies ;" " Letter to those who lead a Monastic Life ;" " Letters to Scrapion ;" " Conference with the Arians," &c. &c. Dupin and Cave have enumera ted both the genuine and the spurious works of Athanasius. For an account of what is commonly called the Athanasian Creed, see CREED. See Gig. bon's Mist. vols. iii. and iv. Lardner's Works, vol. iv..
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