The Orthodox, who had hitherto communicated with the _Arians_, were so disobliged and scandalized at these Proceedings, that, in the End they renounced the _Arian_ Communion; and, assembling by themselves, proposed an Union with the _Eustathians_. But their Proposal was rejected by the leading Men of that Party, alleging, that they could not admit them to their Communion, because they had for so many Years communicated with the _Arians_, received the Sacraments at their Hands, and still seemed to acknowlege _Meletius_ as lawful Bishop, though he had been chosen by the _Arian_ Faction: for the _Eustathians_, notwithstanding the heroic Firmness of _Meletius_ in defending and promoting the common Cause, refused to own him, for no other Reason but because the _Arians_ had had a chief Share in his Election[1037]. As this Disagreement greatly weakened the Orthodox Cause in _Antioch_, and might, in time, be attended with fatal Consequences, no Pains were spared by the apostolic Men of those Times, to induce the _Eustathians_ to abate somewhat of their Zeal and Severity. As for the other Party, notwithstanding their Attachment to _Meletius_, whence they had the Name of _Meletians_, they were greatly inclined to an Accommodation, and seemed to court the Communion of the _Eustathians_, almost upon any Terms. _Lucifer_, the famous Bishop of _Cagliari_, on his Return from _Thebais_ in _Egypt_, to which Place he had been confined by _Constantius_, was prompted by his Zeal to take _Antioch_ in his Way, with a Design to mediate an Accommodation between the dissenting Parties. Being arrived in that City, he had several Conferences with the leading Men of the one and the other Party; and, finding neither averse to an Accommodation, he conceived great Hopes of succeeding in his Design; and therefore begged the Fathers of the Council of _Alexandria_, which was already sitting, and to which he had been invited by _Athanasius_, to dispense with his assisting at that Assembly, since his Presence seemed more necessary at _Antioch_. However, he appointed Two of his Deacons to be present as his Deputies, injoining them to agree, in his Name, to the Decisions of the Council[1038]. _Baronius_ owns here, which I cannot help observing by the way, that _Lucifer_ never appeared in the Council of _Alexandria_[1039]; forgetting, no doubt, what he elsewhere so strenuously maintains[1040]; _viz._ that _Lucifer_ assisted at that Assembly, in the Name of Pope _Liberius_, and as his Legate. [Sidenote: _The Council of_ Alexandria _strive to heal these Divisions_.]