The instant they beheld Numerian they moved so as to elude his observation, taking care at the same time to occupy such a position as enabled them to keep in view the object of their evident distrust.
'Look, Osius,' said one, 'that man is here again!' 'And doubtless with the same motives which brought him here yesterday,' replied the other.

'You will see that he will again enter the church, listen to the service, retire to his little chapel near the Pincian Mount, and there, before his ragged mob of adherents, attack the doctrines which our brethren have preached, as we know he did last night, and as we suspect he will continue to do until the authorities think proper to give the signal for his imprisonment.' 'I marvel that he should have been permitted to persist so long a time as he has in his course of contumacy towards the Church.

Have we not evidence enough in his writings alone to convict him of heresy?
The carelessness of the bishop upon such a matter as this is quite inexplicable!' 'You should consider, Numerian not being a priest, that the carelessness about our interests lies more with the senate than the bishop.

What time our nobles can spare from their debaucheries has been lately given to discussions on the conduct of the Emperor in retiring to Ravenna, and will now be dedicated to penetrating the basis of this rumour about the Goths.

Besides, even were they at liberty, what care the senate about theological disputes?
They only know this Numerian as a citizen of Rome, a man of some influence and possessions, and, consequently, a person of political importance as a member of the population.