Second Summons or no; and to acquaint the Bishop of _Rome_ with what he had done, that, the Whole being approved by that Church, as he did not question but it would, the whole Church might be happily of one Mind, and reap the Fruit of his Labour[1305]. [Sidenote: Syricius _writes to the Emperor_.] _Syricius_, and in all Likelihood _Ambrose_ too, wrote to _Theodosius_, pressing him to send _Flavianus_ to _Rome_[N33], if he did not approve of his being judged by the Bishop of _Alexandria_. _Syricius_, in his Letter, tells the Emperor, that he well knew how to deal with Tyrants, who revolted from him, and how to chastise them; but suffered those to go unpunished, who despised the Laws of _Christ_[1306][N34]. ----- Footnote N33: That is, into the West; for thus _Theodoret_ constantly expresses the West. Footnote N34: _Theodoret_ tells us, that _Damasus_, _Syricius_, and _Anastasius_ the Successor of _Syricius_, wrote to the Emperor _Theodosius_ about the Dispute between _Flavianus_ and _Evagrius_. A gross Mistake! since _Damasus_ was dead long before the Election of _Evagrius_, and _Theodosius_ before that of _Anastasius_. ----- _Theodosius_, in Compliance with the Request of _Syricius_, made in the Name of all the Western Bishops, sent anew for _Flavianus_, and told him, that he must, by all means, either repair to _Rome_, or submit his Cause to the Judgment of the Bishops of _Egypt_. [Sidenote: Flavianus _ready to resign his Dignity, rather than to submit to the Judgment of the_ Egyptian _or Western Bishops_.] But he was determined, says _Theodoret_, to relinquish his Dignity rather than to suffer the Western Bishops, or those of _Egypt_, to examine and decide whether he had a Right to it or no; and, by that means, to hold it of them. He therefore answered the Emperor, with great Calmness and Respect, in the following Terms: _Sir, if my Faith is not thought Orthodox, or my Conduct not worthy of a Catholic Bishop, I am willing to be judged by those who accuse me, and ready to submit to the Sentence they shall pronounce. But, if all this Noise is made merely for the sake of my Dignity, from this Moment I resign every Preferment I enjoy in the Church, to those whom nothing but Preferment can silence. You may therefore dispose of the See of_ Antioch, _now vacant, to whom you please_. _Theodosius_, pleased with this Answer, and thinking _Flavianus_, the more ready he was to give up his Dignity, the more worthy to hold it, ordered him to return to _Antioch_, and resume the Government of his Church; nor did he ever afterwards give the least Attention to the pressing and repeated Instances of _Syricius_, and his Collegues in the West[1307]. [Sidenote: Flavianus _did not acknowlege in_Syricius _the Power claimed by his Successors_.]