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But the pontiff of Eschmoun rose, and, standing perfectly upright, with his knees close together, his elbows pressed to his body, and his hands half open, he said: "Barca, Carthage has need that you should take the general command of the Punic forces against the Mercenaries!" "I refuse," replied Hamilcar. "We will give you full authority," cried the chiefs of the Syssitia. "No!"
The nominal power of the Western emperors was considerable. No pontiff could be legally consecrated till the emperor, the advocate of the Church, had graciously signified his approbation and consent. Gregory VII., in 1073, usurped this power, and fixed for ever in the college of cardinals the freedom and independence of election.
Invigorated by the approbation of the pontiff, his zealous missionary traversed. with speed and success, the provinces of Italy and France.
The Pontiff rapidly ascended the five steps, and disappeared. Benedetto remained upon his knees, wrapt in that benediction which, it seemed to him, had come from Christ Himself. On hearing steps in the gallery he rose. A few moments later he was returning to the bronze portal, accompanied by Don Teofilo. III. The room on the fourth floor was hardly decent.
Thus shall we, let us hope, leave to those who follow us a track where upon if they find not the footsteps of a saint, they may at least tread in the path of a true pontiff.
Now I must ask you a few questions, and I exhort you to answer with perfect truth." The Pontiff looked with serious eyes into Benedetto's eyes; Benedetto bowed his head slightly. "You have written here," the Pontiff began, "that when you were in that little church in the Veneto, you had a vision of yourself in the Vatican, conversing with the Pope.
The reform of morals he so ardently desired was not to be expected from the Church. Florence well knew that Sixtus had plotted to murder the Medici before the altar at the moment of the elevation of the Host. Excommunicated for a deed of justice after the failure of this Popish plot, the city had long been at war with the pontiff.
The insertion here of the allocution which he delivered on the occasion cannot but prove acceptable to all English readers: “Great is the authority with which the Supreme Pontiff is invested. This authority, however, does not destroy. It builds up. It does not oppress. But, on the contrary, sustains. Very frequently it behooves it to defend the rights of our brethren, the bishops.
As soon as he ascended the throne, he assumed, according to the custom of his predecessors, the character of supreme pontiff; not only as the most honorable title of Imperial greatness, but as a sacred and important office; the duties of which he was resolved to execute with pious diligence.
It was also the merest mockery to pretend to recognize the Pope as a sovereign, whilst, in reality, he was detained as a prisoner, who could not pass beyond the gate of his garden without coming into the custody of the armed police or soldiery of the usurper, By the provisions of this same law of guarantees, full liberty was secured to the Sovereign Pontiff in the exercise of his spiritual office.
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