Глава I. Время, в котором он «был потерян»

(Ambrose. On repentance 2, 73) The prefect of Gaul rejoiced with all his heart at the birth of his son. He was not the first-born in the family, but his soft and meek features evoked such tenderness that the prefect, despite the severity inherent in his rank, smiled broadly and said to his wife: - Let's call him Constantine in honor of our great emperor. She looked at him tenderly, then adjusted the blanket in the baby’s cradle and said quietly: “I want it to bear your name.” If Konstantin named his eldest son after himself, yes is also a daughter, then why not a representative of an ancient Roman family do the same? After hesitating a little while waiting for the prefect’s answer, who continued to admire the tiny creature floundering in her crib, with trepidation in her voice, she added: “I love you so much, Ambrose, and our son is the spitting image of you.” The stern prefect immediately softened, gently hugged his wife and whispered to her, as if embarrassed by the baby staring at the parents: “I also love you very much, my precious, and I don’t dare object to your desire, which is so pleasant for me.” So, it’s decided: from now on this baby will bear the name Ambrose Aurelius... History usually does not preserve for us any data about what accompanies the birth of great people. And is it even possible to determine at the moment of a person’s birth what awaits him in the future? And only when a person takes his rightful place in life, stories and legends appear, telling of signs that predicted future greatness. There is such a legend in the biography of Ambrose. The slave maid conveniently arranged little Ambrose's cradle in the courtyard of the prefect's residence in the shade of a mighty plane tree, which spread its branches over almost the entire yard and provided welcome coolness during the summer heat. The baby had a slight cold, but there was no wind, and the maid decided that fresh air would do him good. However, soon a light breeze blew, and she decided to go into the house to bring a thin blanket. A minute later, she went out into the yard again and almost fainted from horror: a whole swarm of bees was circling over the head of a baby sleeping peacefully with his mouth open due to a cold, landing on his face and even crawling into his mouth. This terrible picture was also seen by the child’s parents, who also went out into the yard to take a break from the guests who had just left them and share their impressions of the latest news from Rome told at dinner. The maid rushed towards the baby, but, to her surprise, the prefect stopped her with an imperious gesture and continued to calmly watch what was happening. Meanwhile, the bees took off without causing any harm to the child, and soon rose into the sky to such a height that they could hardly be seen by human eyes. The prefect turned his gaze to his wife, numb with fear, and said: “If this child lives, he will become something great.” Look, the bees have left honey on his lips, and he will become a great speaker and politician. Despite the hundreds of existing biographies of Ambrose, based mainly on the bishop's own writings and the biography compiled by his secretary Paulinus, many facts about his life remain unknown or are covered in different ways. Trier is supposedly considered the place of his birth on the grounds that this city was the residence of the prefect of Gaul, Father Ambrose. And if the latter really held this post (of all sources, only Peacock speaks about this), then he had a very significant territory in his power: Gaul proper, Britain, Spain and Mauritania Tingitana. The high position occupied by his father, his own career, the wealth he possessed at the time of his election as bishop all indicate that Ambrose belonged to the Roman aristocracy. Judging by the Greek names, the surname Ambrose had Greek ancestors, but over several generations it was completely Romanized, and there were even consuls among its members. According to the fair remark of F. Farrar, “in the works of Ambrose there is not the slightest trace that he was in any way proud of this noble origin, but there is no doubt that he owes partly to it his habit of commanding and that stamp of nobility and superiority that distinguished the whole tone of his spirit, making him “the last of the Romans” in a truer sense than many of those to whom this title was given” 9 . The year of birth of the famous bishop dates back to a fairly wide period of time between 333 and 340. The only opportunity to determine this date will be provided by Ambrose's letter to the North (Er. 59, 3-4), in which he first writes about military storms and hordes of barbarians, and below says that he is already 53 years old. However, barbarian attacks and military storms in the second half of the 4th century. were such a frequent occurrence that it is not possible to determine exactly what events Ambrose had in mind here. Some researchers believe that the bishop here means the usurpation of Maximus (387) and date his birth to 333–334, others – the usurpation of Eugenius (393–394) and are inclined in favor of 340. – official date accepted by the church; Still others attribute the events mentioned in the letter to the barbarian invasion of Pannonia, which greatly frightened the inhabitants of Milan in 392, and believe that Ambrose was born in 339. Rome greeted Ambrose unfriendly. The gray sky hung low over the eternal city, on which light rain fell. “Just like here in Trier,” the boy thought, and past events flashed through his memory like a whirlwind. He remembered how his father said goodbye to him when he set off with Emperor Constantine II on a campaign against Italy. The prefect did not stop home for long, bravely jumped off his horse and entered the house with long strides. Little Ambrose was playing in the yard with his sister and brother and for some reason was the first to notice the tears in his mother’s eyes. Her father said something to her, but she did not seem to listen, but continued to cry quietly. Ambrose looked away from the game and tried to find out why her mother was crying. When he approached his parents, he heard that his father was talking about some Africa, which the younger brother of Emperor Constantine II, Emperor Constant, for some reason did not want to give him. Ambrose could not understand why, because of this Africa, his father should put on armor, take this heavy sword, which he himself could barely lift with two hands, and go on a long hike to distant Italy through the high Alps. Paying attention to the approaching Ambrose, the father lifted his son with powerful hands, looked him straight in the eyes and, smiling, said: “Grow up, son, and be worthy of your father, who will always remain faithful to the oath he gave to the emperor.” The father left, and the dreary winter days dragged on. Spring has come. The bright sun and blossoming nature did not foretell trouble. And then came a day that Ambrose remembered for the rest of his life and about which he swore an oath to his mother never to remember. On that memorable April day, a centurion arrived in Trier, whom Ambrose had seen several times in the company of his father. He did not hear his conversation with his mother, but from her appearance he realized that something terrible had happened. Only in the evening, when the mother, tired of grief and sobs, fell asleep, Sister Marcellina, who did not leave her side for a minute, told her brothers about the misfortune that had befallen their family. When Emperor Constantine II and his troops invaded Italy through the Alps into the domain of his brother Constant, the latter was in Dacia. Constantine II, celebrating his victory in advance, slowly advanced towards Rome, unaware that his treacherous brother had sent his troops against him. However, Constant gave his cohorts the order not to engage in open battle with Constantine II, whose army seemed stronger to him. Knowing his brother’s careless and trusting disposition, Constant sent his legates to him, providing them with a letter in which he asked him to agree to negotiations and insidiously hinted that he was ready to make concessions. Constantine II frivolously fell for this trick, was delighted at the opportunity to avoid bloodshed and, trusting his brother and his envoys, went to meet him, accompanied by a small detachment, which included Prefect Ambrose. In a dense forest, this detachment was ambushed and cut down, and all the lands of Constantine II ended up in the hands of Constant. From his sister's story, little Ambrose realized that he would never see his father again and that big changes awaited their family. Now, driving through the narrow streets of Rome, Ambrose suddenly remembered that during his last farewell to him, his father had somehow looked into his eyes in a special way, and the spark that flashed in that look now burned the boy’s heart with a painful burning sensation, reminding him of the bitterness of loss. Having lost his father, Ambrose did not lose the privileges befitting his aristocratic position. Having seized his brother's possessions, the greedy but lazy Constant did not launch political persecution and repression, although later this inactivity cost him dearly - 10 years later he himself fell victim to a conspiracy. However, the widow of the prefect of Gaul knew well how fickle those in power are and how precarious the position of the family of a person close to the overthrown ruler is. Therefore, she took an oath from the children not to remember their father in the presence of strangers (Ambrose followed this oath all his life and in his numerous works never mentioned his father 10), and soon began to prepare for departure. There was no point in buying a new house in Trier, since everything here was reminiscent of a serene life behind the back of a powerful and imperious prefect, especially since in Rome Ambrose’s family also had a house that could be maintained with income from African estates, cultivated by dozens of slaves, who provided a comfortable existence for the small family. We know almost nothing about Ambrose’s time in Rome. In the literature dedicated to the bishop, one can find a common opinion that he was inclined towards Christianity almost from infancy, that his entire life path was sanctified by God, that he was familiar with Christian teaching, and that only custom forced him to delay baptism 11 . It is often cited that Ambrose lived in a Christian environment and that his family had long Christian roots. Ambrose’s own mention of his great-aunt can hardly be considered a serious basis for this. Soteria, who suffered for her faith during the persecution of Diocletian (Encouragement of the virgin life, 12, 82). There is no evidence that Ambrose’s father was a Christian, and regarding his mother, the bishop’s biographer Pavlin only says once that she kissed the priest’s hand, and even then this episode was introduced precisely to emphasize Ambrose’s future destiny: ... when he saw that his household, sister or mother were kissing the priests’ hand, he himself, playfully, extended his right hand, saying that they should do the same to him, since in the future he would call himself a bishop; the spirit of the Lord spoke in him, which nurtured him to the priesthood...” (Life of Ambrose, 4). Ambrose’s elder brother Satyr was baptized after Ambrose himself became a priest (Ambrose. On the death of Brother Satyr, 52). virginity from the Roman bishop Liberius in 353 or 354 (Life of Ambrose, compiled from his works, 7). Undoubtedly, Marcellina and other Christian virgins who visited their house (for example, Candida, about whom Peacock says that she still lived in Carthage in his time in extreme old age) had a certain influence on Ambrose. However, the future bishop was already studying in Rome at a pagan school, and the influence of Christians on him, although it could be significant, was not undivided. In addition, Ambrose himself says that he was not even familiar with Christian teaching: “... I, taken to the position of priest from judicial and administrative duties, began to teach you (the clergy - M.K.) what I myself had not yet learned. So, it turned out that before I began to teach what I learned myself. Therefore, I need to study and teach...” (On the duties of clergy 1, 1, 4). Ambrose does not mention anywhere in his writings that he was a catechumen, but, on the contrary, recalls the years of youth that passed without baptism as a time in which he “was lost,” and regrets that he was not brought up in the church (On Repentance 11:72–73). In Rome, Ambrose received a pagan education, learning the “free disciplines” (Paulin, Life of Ambrose, 5), which in late antiquity meant grammar, dialectics, rhetoric, geometry, arithmetic, music and astrology. There were no Christian schools in the Roman Empire until the end of the 4th century, although there were many Christians among the teachers already in the middle of the century. By the way, the prototype of a Christian school was created precisely by Ambrose, when he launched a vigorous episcopal activity. Ambrose's school was called the presbyterium and was intended to train priests. In general, the education system in Rome was formed under the influence of the Greeks in the 1st century. n. e. and by the time of Ambrose had not undergone significant changes. In its main features it was preserved in medieval monastery schools. Roman education was private and had three levels. In elementary school they taught reading, writing and basic arithmetic. At the middle level, students paid a fee to visit a teacher who taught grammar, combining it with the basics of rhetoric. The training program included reading Greek and Roman authors, analyzing texts, and studying the rules of stylistics. However, training was not limited to only this, but was, in modern terms, integrated. As the famous orator and teacher of rhetoric wrote in the 1st century. Quintilian, when reading, you cannot do without music, because you have to talk about poetic meters and rhythms, nor without knowledge of astronomy, because otherwise you will not understand poets who so many times mention in their poems the rising and setting of heavenly bodies in order to give an idea of ​​the time of year or day. But one cannot do without knowledge of philosophy: the theme of each poetic work is connected with the deepest and most subtle phenomena of nature and the human soul (Education of the Speaker 1 4.4). The study of languages ​​and literature was carried out simultaneously with the teaching of Roman history, which consisted mainly of reporting historical examples of the worthy behavior of ancestors. There were no music or gymnastics lessons as such; instead, practical training in horse riding, fencing and swimming was often provided. A significant place in schools was devoted to the study of Roman law. The place for classes was usually a room under the columns in the city forum, fenced off with a cloth curtain and decorated with images of muses. The teacher sat on a chair, and the students sat around him on simple stools. The students wrote on wooden tablets, covered with wax and fastened together in the form of notebooks with a hinge or simple string, placing them directly on their knees. The writing tool was a style - a stick, pointed at one end and flattened at the other, to erase what was written. Often, for writing, they used tablets without wax, on which they could write with ink; less often, they used expensive papyrus in the form of sheets sewn with twine into a notebook. The teaching method was simple: the teacher read aloud and dictated, and the students constantly repeated and wrote down what they heard. The textbooks in secondary school were the original texts of the classics (Homer, Euripides, Menander, Demosthenes, Virgil, Terence, Cicero and Sallust), equipped with explanatory notes in the margins (scholia), publications of various writers and short collections on certain important branches of knowledge - compendiums on mythology, metrics, geography, chronological reviews of historical events, etc. Classes at a secondary school usually lasted until the age of seventeen. At the age of 17–18, the young man had to leave school for a while and undergo military service. This was followed by higher education, which consisted primarily of the study of rhetoric, law and philosophy. The program was extensive and required a lot of work from both the teacher and the students. The training consisted of the theory of oratory and practical exercises, which consisted of composing speeches on a given topic from history, mythology, literature or from the field of social life. Our sources do not report anything about Ambrose's school years, but we can judge his education from his works written during his episcopal service. Ambrose had a great creative capacity and knew Greek and Roman literature very well, especially Virgil and Cicero. So only in the essay “On the Duties of the Clergy” Ambrose quotes 15 Greek and Latin classics, and without the slightest hesitation introduces classical antiquity into his other works, without fear of spoiling their Christian content with pagan wisdom. The memory of the two unfortunate emperors brings to his mind the fate of Nisus and Euryalus, and Virgil helps him mourn them with dignity. In order to console his sister, who lost her brother under tragic circumstances, he finds it most convenient to reproduce part of the letter of Servius Sulpicius addressed to Cicero, which explains the perishability of all earthly things. And even when describing the intrigues of the heretics, Ambrose cannot resist comparing the danger with Scylla and Charybdis. Ambrose's education can be evidenced by his future career. Probably already in childhood he decided to follow his father's example and devote himself to administrative activities most suitable for people of his origin. To do this, it was necessary to undergo military service and deeply study rhetoric and law at the highest level of education. Regarding Ambrose’s military service, the sources do not allow us to say absolutely anything, but the young man undoubtedly mastered rhetoric and law brilliantly. Origin and education opened up ample opportunities for Ambrose. Around 365, he completed his studies and left Rome to serve as lawyer for the praetorian prefecture in Sirmium, which at that time was the center of Italy, Illyricum and Africa. (Peacock. Life of Ambrose, 11) “Look at him,” Ambrose said passionately, addressing those present in the praetorian courtroom and extending his hand towards an elderly, but stately and strong man sitting on the bench opposite the judge. – Does he deserve to be condemned? No, he does not beg for mercy, he does not ask for our mercy. He earned respect and honor for his selfless service for the glory of Rome. Aren't his wounds the best evidence of his exploits? An all-penetrating Parthian arrow pierced his shoulder when he covered with his body a centurion who was raising the soldiers of Emperor Julian to attack the assault on the Anathan fortress in Assyria. He was struck in the thigh by a spear during the siege of Senon by the Alamans. The scar on his cheek recalls a wound inflicted on him by a Gothic sword. He served under the banners of Julian, Jovian and the now living Valentinian and never violated the oath he gave to the Roman people. How did Rome repay the brave warrior, whose blood abundantly watered the possessions of the eternal city? What glory did this fighter deserve, who, like the heroic Cocles, held back hordes of barbarians on the bridge over the Danube? Rome allocated him a plot of land in the vicinity of Sirmium, Rome paid him a monetary reward for his long service. But now Rome must protect his rights. No one paid attention when his young wife, seduced by his money, and not by his unselfish heart, left him for the sake of a young lover, unable to bear his moans and screams at night, when the bloody events of past battles flashed like a whirlwind in his inflamed brain and the wounds that had healed flared up again with acute pain. No one paid attention when the hail destroyed his crops and, in order to feed himself, he was forced to sell his few slaves. No one paid attention when he alone, limping on one leg and managing with one hand, gritted his teeth, cultivated his plot of land. But in vain: the year did not bring a bountiful harvest, and this gray-haired veteran, having lost faith in the favor of the gods towards him, turned to a moneylender - greedy, greedy and cunning, like Mercury himself, Palladius, who, having no honor and not knowing pity, gave him money at the highest interest rate. What does Palladius have to say about the glory of Rome and her legions? What does Palladius care about the wounds of veterans who shed blood for the well-being of the Roman people and their own peace? Self-interest and profit, gold and slaves, luxurious utensils and depraved concubines - this is his fortress, the siege of which he successfully wages with legions of his interests. So should we condemn the brave Mark for the fact that, without a sword, he defended with a club his possessions, given to him for his faithful service by Rome and its emperor, when Palladius and his corrupt henchmen tried to force him out of the land for failure to pay extortionate interest on the debt on time? Should we express our sympathy and gratitude to Palladius, who received a blow to the head - his only battle wound - during the siege of the fortress whose name is Greed? So let the scales of Themis weigh all the circumstances of this case and let the decision of the high court be fair. Ambrose's speech was listened to in complete silence and clearly captivated all those present. Even court secretaries who attended dozens of trials were amazed at the eloquence and persuasiveness of the young lawyer’s arguments. His confidence in the rightness of his client was conveyed to everyone, and the court’s decision was greeted as a matter of course: Mark, accused of causing bodily harm, was acquitted, and the moneylender Palladius was to accept payment of the debt and interest on it in installments. The cheers that were heard in the hall after the announcement of the court verdict were addressed not so much to the person through whose lips the court verdict was pronounced, but to the young lawyer. Even while delivering his speech, Ambrose noticed a man in the hall, clearly of noble birth, who seemed to be listening to him with special attention. His proud bearing, independent pose, and the stern look of his eyes, slightly narrowed and glowing with intelligence, markedly distinguished him from those present, who consisted mainly of veteran friends of Mark, on the one hand, and merchants and moneylenders with fleshy faces, on the other. After the end of the trial, this man approached Ambrose, who began to consult his brother Satyr, for he, too, was soon to act as a defender. “So this is the same Ambrose,” the stranger said with a slight smile. “They talk a lot about your eloquence in Sirmium, but, to be honest, what I heard exceeded my expectations.” “The gift of speech is given to everyone, spiritual wisdom is given to not many,” Ambrose answered with a quote from Cato, “And I,” he modestly continued in the words of Sallust, “have enough eloquence, little wisdom.” “Practice is the best teacher,” it seems that Cicero said. – The stranger continued the game of quotes. “Alas,” the lawyer said with sadness in his voice, “Cicero is my unattainable ideal.” However,” he suddenly became wary, “I would like to know to whom I owe such a high assessment of my modest talents?” “I am the new praetorian prefect Probus, appointed by the Emperor Valentinian to replace Vulcatius Rufinus, who is ordered to appear at court. – After hesitating a little to allow his interlocutor to come to his senses, he continued. “I arrived in Sirmium a few days ago and deliberately did not advertise my arrival in order to get to know the situation myself and select worthy people for my council. And it’s no coincidence that I’m here. Your speech really impressed me, and I want to invite you, Ambrose, to become a member of the council of the praetorian prefect. Later, Ambrose very modestly mentioned his merits: “We (my brother and I) achieved honors of this time not because they were expected to be received, but because it seemed immodest to neglect them” (On the Death of Brother Satyr, 25). The choice of Probus turned out to be very successful, for Ambrose fully justified his hopes. Some time later, 12 Prefect Probus, having properly assessed Ambrose's business and administrative qualities, recommended his adviser to Emperor Valentinian and contributed to the appointment of his protégé as governor of the province of Emilia and Liguria 13 . Sending Ambrose to the place of his new service, Probus, without hiding his joy, admonished him with these words: “Ride and behave not like a judge, but like a bishop” (Peacock. Life of Ambrose, 8), thereby giving wise advice to show provincials episcopal mercy rather than the severity of a judge. But did Probus think how prophetic his parting words would be? Having taken the position of governor of the province, Ambrose became a member of the Roman Senate and received the title clarissimus 14. This was the second level of the six highest ranks of Roman officials, defined by Constantine. The center of the province assigned to Ambrose was Mediolan. At that time, this city was the center of social, political and religious life in the western part of the Roman Empire and, in fact, represented the western capital, competing with Rome. The special significance of Mediolan was determined by the fact that from the beginning of the 4th century. it was the western residence of the Roman emperors, who did not really spoil the eternal city with their attention, where the Senate still sat, preserving the last remnants of republican traditions that were irretrievably a thing of the past. The Milan church by this time was the largest and most significant bishopric in the west after Rome, both due to the legend about the antiquity of the spread of Christianity here by the Apostle Barnabas, and due to the fact that 17 churches and bishops were subject to it (it was the metropolitanate of Liguria, Turin, Genoa, Bologna and Ravenna). As governor of the province, Ambrose, with his administrative talents, gained the favor of Emperor Valentinian, and gained a reputation among the population as a humane and fair man. All civil power was in his hands, he had the right to administer court, and his duties included maintaining order and tranquility in the province entrusted to him and, of course, in its center. Due to his duty, Ambrose sometimes had to intervene in church strife, which tore Christianity apart throughout the turbulent 4th century, and was especially pronounced in the large centers of the empire. It must be assumed that the governor of the province, in the recent past a lawyer and adviser to the prefect, was of little interest in the essence of religious disputes. As a representative of civil power, he acted towards Christians in line with the policy of Valentinian I, whose main religious principle was religious tolerance, and the goal was peace and order in the empire. And if Ambrose intervened in the affairs of the Milan Church, it was only in order to prevent clashes and mitigate hostility between intra-church factions. Ambrose's career was generally ordinary for a noble Roman, who had a talent for eloquence, a sound mind and extraordinary business and organizational abilities. He reached great heights, and only one step separated him from the post held by his father and which was the possible limit of his ambitious dreams, since only the emperor himself possessed a higher civil power than the prefect. However, in 374 15 Ambrose's life took a most unexpected turn for him, when Auxentius, bishop of the Arian Church of Milan, died, 16 and a fierce struggle broke out for the possession of the most important episcopal see in the West. It should be noted that in the 4th century. elections to episcopal positions still took place with the participation of the entire flock and remained, perhaps, perhaps the last element of democracy in the conditions of increasing despotism, militarization and bureaucratization of late Roman society. But when democracy is squeezed from all sides, it tends to turn into its worst extreme - ochlocracy, the rule of an unbridled crowd, which usually follows the lead of unscrupulous demagogues, drawing it, as a rule, to senseless and cruel extremes. After the legalization of Christianity by Constantine in 313 and as the church grew, the importance of the office of bishop grew rapidly. The bishop became the bearer of the privileges that the state granted to the church, and his role grew to that of the highest state dignitary. The politicization of the church, its formation as a political institution of the Roman Empire, was a necessary condition for the rise of individual bishops due to the political significance of the main cities of the empire in which they held their posts. The presence of a strong material base in individual bishops, the spread of the church power of bishops over large territories, a large number of clergy members who were subordinate to the bishop and interested in strengthening his power, the new position of church power in relation to secular power - all this created the ground for the emergence of church-political groupings seeking to spread their influence over entire regions of the Roman world. Often these groups clashed with each other in a fierce struggle, especially when it came to filling vacant departments. Therefore, elections for episcopal positions took place in the 4th century. truly a critical moment for public peace. The most striking and almost classic example of such elections is the struggle between Ursinus and Damasus in 366 for the Roman episcopal throne. “The parties were divided,” writes the historian Ammianus Marcellinus, “and the struggle reached bloody battles and mortal combat between adherents of both. Unable to either correct this or soften it, the mayor Viventius was forced to retire outside the city. Damas won this competition, thanks to the efforts of the party behind him. In the Basilica of Sitsinin, where Christian gatherings take place, in one day 137 corpses of murdered people were collected, and the common people, who had been in brutality for a long time, only gradually and little by little calmed down” (History XXVII. 3, 11-13). And below Ammianus very clearly shows the reasons for the desire for the episcopal position: “Observing the luxurious living conditions of Rome, I am ready to admit that people striving for this rank must achieve their goal with the exertion of all their strength. After all, upon achieving this rank, they will have to live in prosperity, be enriched by voluntary donations from the matrons, walk around in magnificent robes and ride around in beautiful carriages, give feasts so luxurious that their dishes surpass the imperial table. They could be truly blessed if, despising the splendor of the city with which they cover up their vices, they began to live like some provincial shepherds, who, being content with simple food and showing moderation in drinking, putting on the simplest clothes and lowering their gaze to the ground, declare themselves before the eternal God as his true servants as pure and modest people” (History XXVII. 3, 14-15). The statement of the prefect of Rome Praetextatus, a pagan by faith, addressed to the same Damasus is indicative: “Make me a bishop of Rome, and I will become a Christian.” It must be assumed that the See of Milan was no less desirable for the leaders of church-political groups than the Roman throne, since this city, as already mentioned, was the actual capital of the western part of the Roman Empire. We do not have the details of this struggle, but there is no doubt that it reached alarming proportions, for it required the intervention of the governor Ambrose. A light autumn rain was drizzling, casting a gloomy mood. Ambrose looked thoughtfully at the deserted street and looked up for a while from reading the imperial edict that had recently been sent to him, prohibiting Christian clergy from visiting the homes of widows and orphans and declaring their wills in favor of clergy invalid. “How is it,” Ambrose reflected, “Christians always say that their main wealth is not money, but the grace of God. Has the abuse of the trust of unfortunate widows and orphans by individual Christians (no, not all, I cannot believe it!) reached such proportions that a special edict from the emperor was required? However, if the church has really taken the path of enrichment, then it becomes clear why they cannot agree on a candidate for the post of bishop of our Mediolap Church. After all, it seems that all the deadlines have already passed, and they still have not chosen a bishop.” Ambrose's train of thought was interrupted by the unexpected appearance of his assistant, who was a Christian and, as the governor believed, should have been today in the main church of the city, where the question of a bishop was being decided for the umpteenth time. “Illustrious Ambrose,” said the newcomer, barely catching his breath after a strong rush, “trouble threatens our city.” The Arians have gone completely wild and are threatening to let everyone who disagrees with their candidate bleed. But ours, that is, those who believe in the consubstantial Trinity,” he explained to the viceroy, ignorant of the intricacies of religious doctrine, “intend to stand to the end and are ready to give a proper rebuff to the Arians. I already saw on the way here that people were flocking to the church, and some of them were really armed with anything. There will be trouble if you don't intervene. Ambrose, the Mediolans love you and consider you the most honest and fair of all the city officials. Stop the madmen, they will listen to you, because you do not belong to any party. “Law and order are above all for me,” Ambrose answered without hesitation, “although I do not like to interfere in Christian affairs.” However, I see that your elections threaten to result in great unrest. Give my order to the city guard so that the soldiers immediately go to the church. Ambrose quickly walked along the wet and seemingly deserted street. But as we approached the church, more and more people came across. No one noticed the governor walking in the same direction as the people. “They’re in a hurry like at a comitia during the Republic,” thought Ambrose. “And the rain is not a hindrance to them, and they are not afraid of fights. Or maybe this is because, when choosing a bishop, they have the only opportunity to express their personal opinion, as in the old days, when the Romans elected all officials and made laws.” The closer Ambrose approached to the church and the denser the crowd of people became, many of whom came out of simple curiosity and thirst for a scandalous spectacle, the more his anxiety intensified. He had already begun to regret that he had gone to this gathering alone, without the usual accompaniment for his rank, having succumbed to the noble impulse to save the city from disaster at any cost. The crowd, electrified by rivalry, began to confront him with serious concerns, which were intensified by the fact that no one greeted him. Not paying attention to the drizzling rain, Ambrose with a decisive movement threw off the hood from his head, and now the people surrounding the church began to recognize the governor, clearing his way to the main entrance. Voices could be heard from the church, excitedly shouting unfamiliar names. The screams became more and more furious and bitter, and when Ambrose finally squeezed into the church, they turned into continuous, chaotic noise. One of the church authorities, standing not far from the entrance, recognized Ambrose and in a loud voice announced the arrival of the governor. Ambrose was pleasantly surprised when the noise began to subside at the sound of his name. There was no trace left of his recent anxiety. He again regained his usual confidence and firmness, which was ensured by his undoubted authority among the inhabitants of Mediolan. When the noise finally died down, Ambrose, climbing onto the bench helpfully cleared for him, addressed those gathered: – Glorious inhabitants of ancient Mediolan! Your city has stood for several centuries, but it has always defended itself only from external enemies. Now he is threatened by an internal one - strife between citizens, between brothers and sisters, parents and children, neighbors and friends. Come to your senses, I tell you, I am one who is not a worshiper of your Christ, but who has always had good feelings for Christians and respected your faith. As a governor appointed here by the Emperor himself, I urge you to obey the laws of the Roman Empire and heed the voice of reason. If you cannot calmly agree on who will lead this church and its believers, is this a reason for mutual insults, is it possible to bring this dispute to bloodshed, which, as far as I know, is contrary, as far as I know, to what your Christ taught. What could be more reckless than hostility between people of the same faith? The governor paused, pondering the continuation of his speech, and at that time, among the quiet people listening to the popular speaker, a thin child’s voice was heard, which all those present could not perceive otherwise than as a sign from above: “Ambrose is a bishop!” Someone said with obvious irritation: “But he’s not even baptized.” – Ambrose is a bishop! – I heard it again from somewhere on the side. “But he is a governor appointed by the emperor himself,” a female voice objected. – Ambrose is a bishop! “The crowd picked it up, and timid objections were immediately drowned in the general roar that filled the church, burst out into the street and rolled along the streets of the city. Church historians of the late IV - early V centuries. are surprisingly unanimous in their description of this event. Peacock, Rufinus, Socrates and Sozomen testify that Ambrose addressed those gathered in the main church of Milan with a speech and “stopped the mad impulses of the crowd” (Socrates). At this moment, “suddenly” (this word is present in all church historians), “one thought” (Socrates) occurs to everyone, “leaving anger” (Sozomen), “unanimously” (Theodoret), “in one amazing and incredible unanimity” (Paulin) to proclaim Ambrose bishop. Moreover, Peacock complements the story about the elections by the fact that at a critical moment a child’s voice was heard among the people and proclaimed (in some manuscripts it says: “three times”) Ambrose as bishop. However, even if we take into account Ambrose’s great popularity among the Milanese, it is difficult to believe that Christians, in the midst of internecine strife, “suddenly” agreed on choosing a person outside their community - an unbaptized official. In this regard, the version held by a number of researchers 17 about the intervention of the imperial power and, in particular, Valentinian himself, in the matter of electing the Bishop of Milan seems fair. For all his religious tolerance, Valentinian I put state interests above all else and could not let the election of the head of such an important bishopric take its course, especially since during his reign there was already such an unpleasant precedent as the aforementioned struggle between Ursinus and Damasus in Rome. Probus, who at that time was the prefect of Italy and was responsible for order in the center of the huge empire, also appears to be an interested person in the election matter. The sources do not contain direct indications of the interference of civil authorities in the course of the elections, but Theodoret and the anonymous author of the biography of Ambrose, who followed him, contain an episode of a conversation between Valentinian I and the bishops on the eve of the elections. The emperor addressed the priests with the following words: “You know well, because you are imbued with divine teaching, what one should be like who is awarded the bishopric; you know that he must instruct his subordinates not only in word, but also in life, to be the first example of all virtue and in his life to present evidence of his teaching. Now elevate such and such a man to the episcopal see, so that we, the rulers of the kingdom, can sincerely accept his admonitions as a life-saving medicine.” (Theodoret. Ecclesiastical History IV, 6). Some, like Dudden, consider this speech to be an invention of a historian, for writing speeches for historical characters was a common technique in ancient historiography; The very fact of the emperor’s conference with the bishops is also rejected. But if we agree that Valentinian’s speech was composed by Theodoret half a century later, and believe him in conveying the very fact of the emperor’s meeting with the priests, then we can assume that Valentinian’s speech could contain a list of precisely those qualities that Ambrose possessed and which the emperor should have known well. When the assembled bishops asked Valentinian to make a choice himself, he, according to the same Theodoret, refused out of modesty. Thus, it cannot be ruled out that the emperor somehow let the priests know whom he would like to see as bishop of Mediolan. The implementation of such a directive did not present any significant difficulty: on the one hand, Ambrose’s authority among the Christians of Milan was great enough to incline the opinion of those wavering in his favor, especially since he, without being baptized, could take the side of any of the warring factions; on the other hand, the authority of the emperor made his word law for all his subjects, and it is unlikely that any of the clergy would openly oppose him. Valentinian I’s involvement in these elections is also supported by his prayer, in which he turns to the Lord: “I thank you... that to the same man to whom I entrusted the body, you entrusted the soul, and thereby showed that My election was fair” (Theodoret. Ecclesiastical History IV, 7). The possible involvement of Prefect Probus in these elections can be evidenced by the fact that he was very happy about the election of Ambrose and the fact that the hundred words with which he escorted Ambrose to the post of governor were justified (Peacock. Life of Ambrose, 8). And Ambrose himself says that Valentinian “promised him a calm future if the choice was supported by the clergy” (Letter 21, 7). As for Ambrose, such a turn of fate was a complete surprise for him. Peacock describes in detail the various tricks that the governor resorted to in order to avoid the episcopal rank: first, contrary to his custom, he ordered the torture of the accused at trial, then he clearly brought public women into his house, and finally, when in response to these attempts to discredit his own person, the almost New Testament saying “Your sin is on us!” was heard from the people, he tried to flee from Mediolan (Peacock. Life of Ambrose, 7-9). At midnight he left the city and went towards Ticinus. Having lost his way in the pitch darkness, he wandered for a long time, and when dawn broke, with surprise turning into disappointment, he discovered that he was at the gates of Mediolan, which were called Roman, since the road from them led to the eternal city. Mortally tired, Ambrose had no choice but to return home after fruitless night wanderings. Lost in a heavy sleep, he slept all day, and in the evening, waking up, he was surprised to find two spies near his house, who clearly showed with all their appearance that they intended to prevent a new attempt to escape. However, this time Ambrose acted more carefully and prudently. Through people devoted to him who did not believe in Christ, he came to an agreement with his friend Leontius, whom he knew from studying together in Rome with a rhetorician. Leontius owned a beautiful villa located in a picturesque location in the vicinity of Mediolan; Ambrose often visited there on vacation, since his own family estates were in Sicily and Africa, and he visited them very rarely due to his workload, relying on the zeal and scrupulousness of his brother Satyr. In addition, Ambrose loved to talk with Leonty on philosophical topics and simply remember, over a mug of viscous, tart wine, the carefree time of his youth spent in the eternal city. Ultimately, Ambrose managed to deceive his vigilant guards, and he fled a second time, taking advantage of a heavy November downpour, which forced the spies to hide under a canopy, from where his house was not so clearly visible. Leonty received his old friend very cordially, although he did not approve of his flight. However, Ambrose’s serene life among the vineyards and lazy slaves, constantly trying to hide from the strict fork, did not last long. One day Leonty returned from Mediolan in a bad mood. Ambrose, who was reading the Neoplatonic work of Victorinus in the atrium, heard how the arriving owner scolded the slave, and then Vilik got it too. When Leonty finally entered the atrium, Ambrose rose from his couch to greet his friend, but he, instead of answering the greeting, said gloomily: – Bad news, Ambrose. Do you remember how we read from Plato: “Even the gods themselves have no power against necessity”? And it’s not that I can’t shelter you anymore. Believe me, I have always valued our friendship very highly. But you yourself said that the highest virtue for a Roman is following the laws and loyalty to the emperor. “I’m ready to confirm this now,” Ambrose said dryly. - So, you are breaking the law by not fulfilling the duties of a consular 18, and you are not loyal to the emperor because you are not following his orders. “Well, as for the duties of the consular, I usually, as you know, allow myself to rest for a week or two at the end of autumn, and the emperor never objected to such a vacation for his viceroy; and I always follow his orders strictly,” Ambrose tried to object. – You are deceiving yourself and are afraid to admit it. I see how you are suffering, Ambrose. You are trying to find solace in Neoplatonism and have read a mountain of scrolls, but it does not give you satisfaction. I would swear that your present state of inactivity is contrary to your nature. And yet, this is not the main problem. Well, tell me, Leonty, you’ve completely tormented me with your speeches,” Ambrose impatiently exclaimed, fiddling with the half-read scroll in his hands. – The fact is that today the emperor’s envoy arrived in Mediolan. Valentinian approves the election results and orders you to resign as consular. Everyone in town is talking about it. The people rejoice that the emperor approved his choice, but the people are dismayed that his chosen one is hiding. And they also say...” Leonty fell silent and sighed heavily. – What else? “Speak now that you’ve already started,” Ambrose encouraged his friend in alarm. “They say that the emperor has a clause in his order in which he threatens punishment for everyone who harbors a fugitive people’s choice. But don’t think, friend, I’m not afraid of punishment... Ambrose smiled guiltily and, without saying a word, headed to the room assigned to him. -What do you intend to do? – Leonty almost shouted after him. “To obey,” Ambrose answered firmly, “I’m going to Mediolan.” Ambrose subsequently explained his reluctance to accept the episcopal rank as follows: “I knew that I was not worthy to be called a bishop, because I dedicated myself to this world” (On Repentance II, 73). And in another place he writes: “How I resisted so as not to be appointed..., but it was not the order that mattered, but the pressure” 19. (Letter 63, 65). It must be assumed that in the fact that Ambrose agreed to become a bishop, two factors were of paramount importance: the order of the emperor and the choice of the people. As a true Roman, Ambrose could not help but submit to these two highest authorities in his eyes. On November 30, 374, he was baptized, then, in violation of all customs and canons, 20 within 7 days he was promoted through church positions, starting with the lowest, and on the eighth, Sunday, December 7, he was ordained bishop. Farrar F. Life and works of Sts. Fathers and Teachers of the Church. – St. Petersburg, 1903. P. 95. However, in none of his works he mentions either the name of his mother or his teachers. The postponement of baptism - catechumenate - existed in the ancient church so that pagans converted to Christianity could prepare both for the sacrament itself and for the future Christian life. CHAPTER II Regarding the date, researchers have discrepancies from 369 to 374. At that time, the territory of Liguria included the cities of Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Lodi, Milan, Novara, Pavia, Vercelli and Turin; and Emilia: Bologna, Faenza, Forli, Imola, Modena, Parma, Piacenza and Reggio. Lordship or Excellency. The date given is traditional and accepted by the church. The most authoritative scholars Palank, Kampenhausen and Dudden argue in favor of 373. Auxentius occupied the See of Milan from 355 after Dionysius, who adhered to the Nicene Creed, was deposed and sent into exile. I. I. Adamov, C. Corbelini, etc. This word can be translated to mean “impression”. The 2nd canon of the Council of Nicaea in 325 directly prohibited the inclusion in the clergy of persons who had just been baptized.