Modestus
Prefect of the Praetorium under Emperor Valens. Pressed Basil to follow the Emperor's Arian religion and was famously rebuffed. Mocked by the poet Cyrus Theodorus.
Preliminaries
-
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Pressed Basil to follow the religion of the Emperor; was told threats of confiscation, exile, torture, and death did not touch Basil
"Modestus, the Prefect of Valens, as Gregory Nazianzen testifies, pressed Basil to follow the religion of the Emperor."
-
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Broken by Basil's boldness, went to the Emperor and said "We have been vanquished by the Bishop of this Church"; later, when ill, was compelled to beg for Basil's help
"Broken by this boldness, the Prefect went to the Emperor and said"
-
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Mocked by Cyrus Theodorus's verses: "You are Prefect over all men else, Modestus, / but under Basil the Great you take your place."
"You are Prefect over all men else, Modestus, but under Basil the Great you take your place."