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mE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. BY EDWARD GIBBON, ESQ . .A.A IN TWELVE VOLUMES. VOL. V. .:2J20 LONDON: w. PRJIITBD roR ALLAIO"; B. WHITROW AND CO.; c. CHAPPLE; W. BARTO"; J. EVANS AND BON; I. eREENHILL; J. HARWOOD; R. HILL; O. HEBERT; W. HARRIS; T. MABON; R. SCHOLEY; J. MAYNARD; T. BOHN; W. MAlON; J. CARLISLE; T. FISHER; J. BUMPUS; J. CRANWELL; I. PARSONS AND CO.; J. ROE; T. LESTER;-AUO W. AND P.JENKINS; AND E. KRULL AND col GLASGOW'; I. CuMMINS A"D C. LA GRAIIGB, DUBLIN. 1821. Digitized by Google .. CONTENTS 0' YRI FIFTH VOLU~JE. , CHAP. XXVIL DaTa qf GrtdiflR-Rui,. qf Arilmi_&. AmJnoo_Firll tittil . . Ggairut Mazi_CAarad"., _dminillNlion, _ 'JIftIIfIbI qfTIa_ tliui_D«ltA f!f Val_nia IL-Secmul neil . . . EllgfniUl-D«l~" qfThodoliw. _"'.t A.D. PAGE. 379-383 Character and coudnct of the enlperor Gratian His defects - . 383 Discontent of thl' Roman troops Revolt of Maximu, in BritaiQ 3b3 J.'Jight and death of Gratian 383-387 Treaty of pl'ace between Maximas and TbeodoshlS 380 Baptism and Orthodox edicts ofTheodosinl 340-380 Arianism or Constantinople. 378 Gregory Nazianzen accepts the mislion of Constantinople 380 Ruin or AriaDlsm at Constantinople 381 in tbe East • 'I'he council of Constantinople Retreat of Gregory N azienzen 380·394 Edicts of Theodosius against tbe beretiv. 385 Execution of Pribcilian and his alllOCilrte. 376-397 Ambrose, arcbbishop or Milan - . 3S6 His successful opposition to tbe empress Justina 887 Muimlll invade. Italy Flight of Va1entinian . Tbeodosius takes arms in tbe eaule of Valeotinian 888 Defeat and deatb of MaximUl Virtue. of 'I'heodQsiul Fault or ThcodUliiul 387 Tbe sedition of Antioch Clemency of Theodosius 390 Sedition Rnd massacre of TbessaJontca 388 Influence and OOI)duct of AmblOl4l 300 Penance of Theodosiul '68 Digitized by 1 2 6 7 8 11 13 ]7 20 22 24 26 29 31 33 37 all 41. 49 ill. 52 b5 !)~ 69 G3 64 67 ' 69 Google I. CONTENT.. A.D. 388·391 Generosity of TheodosilD 391 Character of Valentinian 392 His death ~'i94 Usarpation ofEageniul Theodosial preparel for war 394 IDI victory over Eageniol 395 Death of Theodosia. Corruption of the times The infantry lay aside their armour PAGL 72 74 76 77 79 81 86 87 89 CHAP. XXVIII int-IIIIrodumoIt f!f ,A. fDfW.mp of .ainU . !:F"reAt. cmumg 1M CAriIIitIu. Pial iatruI:litm of A.D. 378-396 The destruction of the pagan religion State of paganism at RO.me - PAGL 91 112 384 Petition of the lenate for the altar (l!victory 388 Conversion of Rome 96 99 102 108 110 381 Destruction of the temples in the provinces The temple of Serapi. at Albxandria 389 Its final destruction 390 The pagan religion ililprohibited Oppressed . 390420 Finally extinguished The worship of the Christian martyrs General reOectioDl I. Fabulous martyrs and relics n ..Miracles III. Revival of polytheism' IV. Introduction of pagan ceremonies 116 119 120 123 126 127 ib. 130 133 CIL\P. XXIX. PiMI rliUOft of 1M RotnIm mapire between ,As .0R8 of 7'Aefx/JJliUlR~ f!f Arccrlilll tmd HorwriUl-Adminiltratitm of R'dit'lII muI &ille~Rmil' /DId dtfeta of Gildo in AfriCGo ~n P~~ 396 Division of the empire between Arcadius and HonorilD 386-396 Character and administration of Rufinua 395 He oppresses tbe' Ealt He is disappointed, bytbe marriage of Arcadins Character of Stilicbo, -tbe minister, and general of the western empire 385-408 His military command 396 Tbe fall and deatb of Rufinos 396 Discord of the two empires 386-398 Revolt of GiJdo iu Ali-jca 397 He i, c9ndemned by the Roman senate 898 The African wllr Defeat and deatb of Gildo Marriage, and character of Hunoriol Digitized by 137 139 143 147 160 162 166 169 162 ]64 166 169 17t Google eOJlTEJlT.; , y A. D. ·PAGE. 396 Revolt of the Goth. 396 Alvie marches into Greece 3fY1 He is attaeked by Stilicho Escapes to Epiml ... • 398 Alarie is declared muter-general of the eutem Illyri. com • • Is proclaimed kiDg ofth. Vwgotbl 400-403 He invades Italy 403 HonoriDl ftiea from Milan He is pUJ'II11ed aDd besieged by the Goths 403 Battle of Pollentia •• 403 Boldness and retreat of Alaric 404 The triumph of HonoriDl at Rome The gladiators abolished Honoriu! fixes bis residence at RuenDa 400 The revolutiuns of Scythia 406 Emigration o£the northern Germans 406 RadagailuB invades Italy - - - - besieges Florence - - - - - threatens Romo 406 Dereat and destruction of bil army by Stilicho Thf. remainder of tbe Gel'lbans invade Gaol 407 Desolation of Gaul Revolt of the British army • ~ Constantine is acknowledged in Britain and Ganl 408 He reduces Spain -. 404-40& Negotiation of Alaric and Stilicho 408 Debates of the Roman Ienate Intrigues or the .palace 408 Disgrace and death of Stilicho His memory persecuted The poet CJaudian among the train of Stilieho'. dependants .,' 176 179 184 188 ib. 189 190 IDS ]95 198 201 2U4 106 207 210 212 214 216 211 218 221 2M 228 229 231 233 23(J 238 240 242 246 CHAP. XXXI. of Italy by A~M",.,..,., of tIuJ .Roma mtIII, _ peopJ,-Rome i. tlirice 6uieged. 4Rd at kr$t.A pillqed bg tAs GotAlDMtA '!I Alaric-Til, GiitAI lVCCIItIIe Ieals-Fatl'!l Cotutmatitre-Gmd _ SpGin ar, oeeupiecI by tile 6ar6crilml-lrulIJIffIfI"'" lI./ l'~cm Britain. A_D. 408 Wewell of the court of Ravenna Alarie marches to Rome PAGE. 249 261 \ Digitized by Google vi CO)ITKNT'. A.D. Hannibal at the gate. of Rome Genealogy of the lenators Tbe Anician family Wealth of tbe Roman Doblel Their manners Character of the Roman Dobies, by Ammianus Marcellinus 408 State and character ·of the peol,le of Rome Public distribution of bread, bacon, oil, wine, &C. Ule oftbe public baths Games Iltld spectacle. Populou.ness of R()me First .iege of Rome by the Goth. Famine ~~- 264 256 267 260 263 265 276 278 280 282 2S4 287 288 ~ Superstition 409 Alaric aecepts a I'I.nSom, and railes the siege Fruitless negotiations for peace Change and succession of ministers 409 Second !liege of Rome by the Goths Attalus iJ created emperQr by the Gotbs and Romans 4]0 He i8 degraded by A l a r i o . . Third siege and sack of Rome by tbe Goths Respect of the Goths for the christian religion Pillage aud fire of Rome Captives and fugitives . Sack of Rome by the troops of Charles V. 6]0 Alaric evacuates Rome, and ravages Italy 4()Ij.412 Possession ofltaly by the Goths 410 Deatb of Alario 412 AdolpblU, king of tbe Goths, concludes a peaoe witb the empire, alld marches into Gaul • 414 His marriage with Placidia The Gothic treasurell 410-417 Laws for the.relief ofltaly and Rome . 413 Revolt and deleat of Heraeli an, count of Africa 409-4]3 Revolutions of Gaul and Spain Character and victories of the. general Constantill! 411 Death of the usurper Constantine 411-416 }'alJ ot' the usurpers, Jovinus, Sebastian, and Attal~ ib. 291 296 297 30\ 303 300 308 309 311 316 320 322 32Q 326 327 330 332 334 336 338 341 343 ~ 409 Invasion of Spain by the Suevi, Vandals, Alani, &c. 414 Adolphus, king of the Goths, marches intoSpaill 415 His death 415-418 The Goths conquer and restore Spain 419 Their establi.hment in Aquitain 419 The B u r g u n d i a n . ' 420, &c. State of the barbarians in Gaul 409 &,'olt of Britain and Armorica 409-449 !:Ilate of Britain 448 Assemuly of tbe sevell pro\"inces of Gaul Digitized by 367 3J)0 351 362 3M 356 357 369 361 alia Google COIfTIIN'J'l. "U CHAP. XXXII. .Amdur . r qf,lee Etut-Atlmiflillratiota ad ~ qf BumJoAR (JA,.jltJllom- ITiu-:.:t::"Iff GIIifuu-P".m:ution qf St. TAeodtuiu II, ",.,.,..,. qftlee Etut-Hil M". P~Hi, toi/, Eudoeia.-TA, p".ftGJI toGr, tmd di.uitm qf Af'IINIIic. A.D. PA.GE. 396--1453 The empire ofthe :East. 396-408 Reign of Arcadiul 396-399 Administration and character or Eatropius His venality and injustice • • Ruin of A.bundantius '. Destruction of Timasius 3f17 A cruel and unjustlaw of treason 399 Rebellion of Tribigild Fall of EUb-opius 400 Conspiracy and fall of Gainas • 398 Election and merit of St. John ChrylOstom 398-403 His administration and defects 403 ChrylOstom is persecuted by the emprellll Eudocia Popular tumults at Constantinople • .(()4 Exile ofChrylOstom 40'7 His death 438 His relics transported to Constantinople .408 Death of Arcadius • • IDs supposed testament 4O&·41G Administration of Anthemius .414-463 Character and administration of Pulcheria Education and character of Theodosius the younger 421-460 Character and adventures of the emprellll Eudocia 422 The Persian war 481-440 Armenia -divided between the Persians and tile RomlUll Digitized by 368 ib. 371 374 376 377 379 282 386 389 394 391 400 401 404 . 40IS 406 ib. 308 400 411 414 417 421 424 Google Til. HISTORY 01' THE DECLINE A.ND FALL OJ' THE ROMAN EMPIRE~ • CHAP. XXVII DIlI,l of Gratia,,-Ruin qf .A.rianism~St. .A.m: lwOSB-First ci'IJil war, against Mazimus: CluJracter, admiftistration, and penance, oj Tkeotlosius- Death of ValentiniQ" 1I.-Second civil war, agai1l,t Bugeni",,"":"Death of : TleodosiUl, . :~~_. "'~'('!" • . THE fame of Gratian, before he had ac- CHAP. complished the twenti~th year of his age, was XXVIii equal to that of the most celebrated princes: ~;:r::-; Bis gentle and amiable ~b!position endeared him :~t:~~he to his private friends, the graceful affability of emp~nlr · manners engaged tea h ffiect'Ion 0 f t he peopIe: Gratlan. h 18 A. D. Bflto the men of letters, who enjoyed the liberality, 881.' acknowledged the taste and eloque.nce of their sovereign; his valour and dexterity in arms were equally applauded by the soldiers; and the . VOL. Y. B Digitized by Google THE DECLINE AND FALL 'f:':& clergy considered the humble piety of Gratian the fint and most useful of his virtues. The victory of Colmar had delivered the West from a formidable invasion; and the grateful provinces of the' East ascribed the merits ofTheodosfus to the author of .I,ia greatness, and of th~ public safety. Gratian survived thosememotable events only four or five years; but he survived his reputation; and, before, ,he feU a victim ~ rebellion, he had lost in a great measure, the respect and confidence of the Roman world. The remarkable alteration'of his eharacter or conduct, may not be imputed to the arts of flattery, which had besieged the son of Valentinian from his infancy; nor to the headstrong passions which that gentle youth appears to llave~ escaped. A more attentive view of 'the life of Gratian, may perhaps suggest the tItue cause 'of the disapp~intment of the public hopes. Hia apparent virtues, instead of being the hardy productions of experience and adversity, were the premature and artificial fruits of a royal education. -The anxious tenderness of his fa.ther w.~; cOntmually. einployed to bestow on him tb08~ advant8ges~ .which he might perhap. esteem the more highly, as he himself had been deprived of them; and the' most skilful maSters of every science, and of every art, had laboured to forin th.e miIid and body of the yOUDg prince.· The knowledge which they pain- _"",m as Hi. de. leetl. , • VaieDtiDiu wu leu att'Dti,e to tile relipOD of hia lOB; aee he ......ted tlae educatiOD of Gratin to AuoDiu. a pr.r....d papa. (Meila. Digitized by Google 3 01' THE· ROllfAK EMl"lRE. funy cOUlmuriica~d .waa;displq,yed with oBtenta.: CHAP tion, and celebrated. with lavilhpraise.' ·HiS.soft I~~~~~" and tractable. dispolrition: .rocei\ted-the. fait itnpression.oi1heir j.odicious,p~cepts;aiid the absence,ot passion might.~astJ,:be: mist.ken for th~ streDgth. 0(' ~eason. 'Hts;,reCe~fo.s graduaUy rose tc)'therank'and,oobseq1lenceofminister.s. of s~te t; aDd} aj ..they.;'Nisely di's8embled tbek 8eCret ,,.uthontr~ llie. s~ed· to .{let .with fi~essi .witlt. proprietr.. imd' with judgment, the most impohMit:oOOa.8ions of bis life and· ,reign:. :But-tbe ':in«Ue~e,of;;this' elaberate· .instructipn did'net penetrate-beyond the'suFface;" and the skilful preceptorS;. who: sO- accUrately· guided the stepsJoftheir .r"C),alplJpii, could not infuse into his feeble, and indoterd cha"racter; the. vi'goroue and indepen. . .· pti~eipleof;·action, which renders ·ihe lahoMeui''Puri\Ht- 01 glory eS:sentiany necessary ti). the happiness; and·ahn08t· to the existence, .of the hero.'·· As- SOoB: as time and accident" had reineveti those.faithfui colm..· sellors from the.throne, the emperor Of the Wes.t insensihlydescended to the level of his' tlliLfural genius; abandoned the reins of governUlent: to th~ ~~~itious hands: whi~ W~re s~etched rol\o wu4s to· gnlSp them; aDd amused his leisure with. the m~st frivolous gratificatjons. A public, saleoi Cavour and injustice w-as instituted, · on r (Hem. de AC_JIlie;dea IaIIcriptipu,. tolD. :1:9'; po IIfl./lI8). . Tile poetieal fame of Auaoniul condemns the lute ofh!s age • • , ADIOnioa wu .mccruinly prilmoted' to the pretorian prefectulE of Italf, (4. 1),,1117), Bndof Gaul, (A. I)" 878); ud wuat lelltJib melted with the C1onlulabip, ( .... I)" 179). He,Rpftued iii. gratitude in a R~ Yile and insipid piece ofllllttery, (Actio Gratiarum, p.6911-7-16), whilh ... annived lIlora worthy production. • Digitized by Google 4 ' THE_DECLINE AND FALL - CHAP. both in the court, and in the provinces, ,by the XXVIL hIess d'e1egates'fh' . ' . " , . " u wort 0 IS power, W-hose ~ent it was made 8(1crikge to question."' The conscience of the credulous prince was directed by saints and bishops;4 who procured an imperial; edict to punish, as a. capital offence, the viola:tion, the neglect, or even the ignorance of the divine law.- 'Among, the vario:us arts which had exercised the youth ofGratian, he had applied himself, with singular inclination and success, to manage the horse, to draw the bow, and to dart the javelin; and there qu~ifications, which might be useful to a soldier, 'were prostituted to the viler purposes of hunting. Large parks were inclosed for the imperial pleasures, and plentifully stocked with' every species of wild bea-sts; and Gratian neglected the duties~ and even the dignity, of his rank, to consume whole days ill the vain display of his dexterity and boldness in the chace. The pride and wish of the Roman emperor to excel in an art, in which he mi~t be surpassed by the meanest of his sJaves, reminded the numerous spectators of the exampleil of Nero and' Commodus: :", . • Dilpatare de priucipali jadicio DOD oportet. Sacrilegii enim inatar est dnbitare, ail ia dignas ait, qaem elegerit imperator. Codex J.tiDian. I. ix, tit. xxix, leg. 3. Thil convenient law was revived and promulgated, 'after the death of Gratian, by the feeble conrt of MilaD. • Ambrose composed, for hil inStrUctiOD, a theological treatile oa ' tile faith of the 'rainity: and TillemoDt (Hiat. del Emperean, tom. ". p.,US, 169) ascribes to the archbishop the-merit of Gratian's intole..,: " rant laws. e Qui diviDe legil 8anctitatem Deaciendo omittllnt, aat negli,eDde "lolant, et oi'eDduDt, aacrilegium committunt. Codex JUitinian. I. b. ' tit. xxix, leg. 1. Theodoaiua indeed may claim hil .hare in the merit efthi. comprehensive law. ' - Digitized by Google OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. I) but the chaste and temperate Gratian was a CHAP. stranger to their monstrous viceH; and his hands .~~,~!,~, were stained only with the blood of animals. f . The behaviour of Oratian, which degraded his Discon. the eyes 0 f mank'Ind ,cou Id not have Roman tentofth. C h aracter In disturbed the security of his reign, if the army ~r:'~~'iss. had not been provoked to resent their peculiar injuries. As long as the young emperor was guided by the instructions of· his masters, he' professed himself the friend and pupil of .the soldiers; many of his hours were spent in the f~miliar conversatio~ of the camp, and the health, the comforts, the rewards, the honours, of his faithful troops, appeared t<? be the object of his attentive concern. But, after Gratian more freely indulged his prevailing taste for hunting and shooting, he naturally connected bimselfwith the most dexterous ministe~ of his favourite amusement. A body of the Alani was received into the military and domestic service of the palace; and the admirable skill, which they were accustomed to display in the .unbounded plains of Scythia, was exercised on a more narrow theatre, in the parks and inclosures of Gaul. Gratian admired the talents and customs of these favourite guards, to whom alone he intrusted the defence of his person: and, as if he meant to insult the public opinion, he frequently shewed himself to the soldiers I Ammianus (xxxi, 10) aud the younger Victor acknowledge the 'Ii... tile. of Gratiau; and aCClIIe, or rather lament, hia degenerate taate. The odioUJI parallel of Commodus it saved by "licit incrDentnl;n aM . perhaps Phil08torgio. (I. x, c. 10, and GQdefroy, p. ,JIll) had gauded, ww.-ome similar reaerve, the comparison of Nero. Digitized by Google 8 THEDECLINB AND FALL ' , CHAP. and people, with the dress and arms, the lonr ' . and th'e IitIr garments,. ,nVIL ...." ......,. bow, th' e sound'109 qUIver, of a Scythian warrior. 'Th~ 'unworthy specta;.: de of a Roman prince, who had renounced the dress and manners of his country, filled the minds of the legions with grief andindignation;I' Even the Germans, so strong and formidable ill the' armies of the empire~' affected to disdain the strange and' horrid appearance of the savages of the North, . who, in the space of a few years, had wandered from the banks of the Volga to those of the Seine. A loud and licentibus'mtltIilUr was echoed through the camps ahd garrisons df the West; arid as the mild d'olence of Gratitm neglected 10 extinguish' thi> fits! symptoms Of discl1t1telit;. the' *ant df ,}eV~ and respectwa's not suppUed 'by tlhfiilfluen~ of tear." But'the stibvEit"si6ii or an eMabllshed gbVerliJIient is alway!; a' work' 'l1f'soIite real; 'and of much apparent, difficulty;' and ;the throne of Gratian was protected by tne sanctions of cuStom, law;teligion, aiid the hicebalanceof the civil and military powers, which had 'been established by the policy of Constantine: It is not very important to inquire from what causes the 'revolt of Britain was produced. Accident' is 'commonly the parent of disorder; the seeds of rebellion happened to fall on a soil which was supposed to be more fruitful than any other in- • ZOIimU' (I. iy, p. 1147) aDd tbe youDger "ictor ucribe the rnolatiOD 10 the fayour uf tbe AlUli, and the eIi'CODteDt of tbe Roman Inept. Dum exercitam Delli,eret, et pauco. ell Alanis••UOI iageati aD ... ad .. traDataJerat, aDtefemt .eteri ae RIJIHDO mili'" • • Digitized by Google 'I 0.,_ THE B.OMAlJ EMPIR& in tyrq.uts anti: u81lrpers;~· the legions of that CHAP. sequestered HIland had long been famous for ,~~~~;.. a: spirit ofpreeumption and arrogance;1 and the Dame' Of Maximu!, was proclaimed by the tu- Revolt of mu'ltuary, ,butu~animous voice, both of the 801- :~~m: fliers and of the' provincia1s. ' The emperor; or the. 'rebel, for his title was not yet ascertained 'by fortune, was a native of Spain, the countryman,;tbe fellow-soldier, and. the rival of Theodosiu.,· ,whose el,evation :he hQ.d not seen with.· aut Borne emotions of envy and resentment: the events of his life ha~ long since fixed him in Britain; and I should not be unwilling to And some evidence for: the ,-marriage, ,which he is said ·to' have contracted with'the daughter of a wealthy lord in' :CaernarYonsbire.k But,thi. provincial rank inight.jUJitly :be considered as a state of em~ '~d obscurity; and if Maximul had obtained any .civiLor military office, he was nfJt invested with the authority either ofgovernor or' general} His abilities, and even his a • BritaDDlaf'utiU• .,roYiDcik tyraDDornm, Is memorable exprellioD, Jerom.in'the PelqilUl contronrsy, and ..rioo.ly tortured iD used tbe diapute. of Ollr oational-antiqnaries. The revolotioos of the last age appeared to jostify,the Images of the sublime BO.luet, .. cette isle plus oraleuae que lea me.. qui l'environnent." I Zosimulsays pf tJae British loldiers,.,.'" au.. ."..,.." ..~., ~a" "1 , .... Sllf'l' , ....,...,GIIC. ; Helena the daogbter of Eodd.. Her chapel may still be lun at Caerff'got, Dft' Caer:lIIlrvon, (Carte's Hist. of" England, vol. i, p. 186, (rom Rowland', MODa' Autiqua). The pruclent l'rader lIIay not perhaps be satisfied with Il\ch Welsh evidence. J Call1bdeD (yol. il intrOaoet;p. ci) appolntahlm governor of Britain; aod the father of Odr eatiquitirs i, followed, as usual, hy bis blind progeuy. Paeatus aDd Zosill1OI had fakeo some painl to prevent tbia error, or fable; and 1 .hllll proted my.elf by the'" deeiaift teltimoDles. Regali habittk t.nlaIsDom, illi eaulet orbia iodnetUut, (in Panegyr. Yet. :aii, IS), and the Greek hiatorian.atiU leaa eqoivocally, a""IC(MuiJaUt ) II .... .., Af1Cn ......,..r .~, ..,.0.&"'. (I. if, p. Me). Ie Digitized by Google 8 1HI'. DECLINE AND .P.ALL: integrity, ate acknowledged· by the. partial .~ writers of the age; and the merit· must in.. deed have been conspicuous, that could ex. tort such a confession in favour of the vanquished enemy of Theodosius. The' discon tent of Maximus might inclin~ him to censure the conduct of his sovereign~ and to encourage, pt:rhaps without any views. of ambition, themurmurs of the troops. - But in the midst of. the. tumult, he artfully, or modestly, refused;to ascend .the throne; and some credit appears to have been given to his own posi~ive declara:tion,.· that he was compelled to accept the dangerous present of the imperial purple.m r~lta:d But there was danger likewise in refusing the G!~. empire; and from the moment that Maximus had violated his allegiance to his lawful sove-. reign, he' could not hope to reign" or even to live, if he confined his moderate ambition' with.. in the narrow limits of Britain. He boldly and wisely resolved to prevent the designs ofGratian; the youth of the island crowded to his standard, and he invaded Gaul with a fieetand army, which· were long afterwards remembered, as the emi~ gration of a considerable part of the British nation.- The emperor, in his peaceful resi-' ·CHAP. .v.!. . • Sulpiciua Senrua, Dialog. ii, 7'. Orosiu, I. vii "U, p. 61i6. They both acknowledge (Snlpiciua had been hi, snbject) his innocence and merit. It i. lingular enougb, that Muimns shonld be leas fayourahly treated by ZOIimnl, the partial advenary of his rival. • Archbishop Usher (Antiquitat. Britan. Eccles. p. 107', 108) hu diligently collected the legends of the uland and the continent. The whole· em...ratioa consisted of 10,000 soldiers, aDd 100.000 plebeian.. . who· Digitized by Google , OJ!' THE ROMAN' EMPIRE. , dence of Paris, was alarmed by their hostile, ~~~ri. approach; and the darts which he idly wasted ._."",; on lions and bears, might have been employed 'more honourably against the rebels. But bis feeble efforts announced his degenerate spirit and desperate situation; and deprived him of the resources, which he still might have found, in the support of his subjects and allies. Tile armies of Gaul, instead of opposing the march of Maximus, received him with joyful and loyal acclamations; and the shame of the de~ertion was transferred from the people to the prince. The troops, ,whose station more immediately attached., them to the service of the palace, abandoned' the standard of Gratian the first time that it was displayed in the neighbourhood of Paris. The emperor of the West fled to-' , wards Lyons, with a train of only three hundred hor~; and, in. the cities along the road, where he hoped to find a refuge, or at least a passage, he was taught, by cruel experience, tbat every gate is shut against the unfortunate. Yet he might still have reached, in safety, the dominions of his brother; and soon have returned with the forces of Italy and the East; if he had not su1fered himself to be fatally deceived by the perfidious governor of the LyoDllcse province. Gratian was amused by protesta-, tions of doubtful fidelity, and the hopes of a .ho settled in Bretape. 'l'beir destined brides, St. Uraula with 11,000 Doble, and 60,000 plebeian, virgins, mistook their way; landed at Colope, and were all mOlt cmelly murdered by the Huns. But the plebeian aisters bave been defrauded of their equal honours; and, wbat is .till harder, John 'l'rithemiu8 presumea to mention the child"/III uf the.. Briti.th .,ir,-ilil. Digitized by Google 10 THE DECLINE AND PALL CHAP. support, which could not be effectual; till the • 1 0 f A'nd ragath'lUS, t h"e generaI 0 f t he C~ ••__.• arrlva _XXVII. vaJry of Maxiuius, put an end to his suspense. That resol ute officer executed, witbout remorse, the orders, or the intentions, of the usurper. Gratian, as he rose from supper, was delivered ~~:: ~~. into the. hands of ~he assassin; ~nd bis bo~y was demed to the pIOUS and presslDg:entreaties of his brother Valentinian.. The death of the emperor wall! foliowed by that of his powerful general Mellobaudes, the king' of the "Franks; who maintained, to the ias-t moment of:his life, the ambiguous reputation, which is the just recom pence of obscure and subtle policy.' These executions' might be necessaty'to the publiosafety: but the successful usurper, whose power was acknowledged by ali' the :pi'oYincas of theWest, had the merit; and satisfactio~, "of boasting, that except those who had perished' by the chance of war, his triumph. was not stained with tlie blood of the Romans~q 0 Zoaimos (I. iv, p. 248,249) has traosported the death of Gratian from Logdooom io Ganl (Lyon,) to Singidonom in Maia. Soine hinta may be extracted from the ClarOOiclea"; lOme lift may be detected in BosomeD, (I. vii. Co 13), and Socrates, (I. v, c. 11). Ambrose is our moat authentic evidcnce, (tom. i, £narrat.. in Paalm lxi, p. 961; tom. ii, epist. DiY, p. 888, &c. and de Obitt& Valentiniaa. COuolat. No. 28, p.l182). , Pacata~ (xii. 28) celebrates hla fidelity; wllile his tn'achery it marked ia Prosper's Chronicle, as the canse of the ruin of Gralian, Ambrose, who has occasion to excolpate bimaelf, only eOildemna tbe death of Vallio, a faitbful aervant of Gratian, (tom. ii, epist. xxiv, p. 891, edit. Benedict.) • He prote.ted. nnllom ex adyenarila uiai in aele occobnwe. Snip. Benro. in Vito B. Martin. c. n. The orator of Theodoaiua-bestow. relactant. and therefore weighty. praiae on bis clemency. Si coi Ule, pro ceteris IceleribDl lUis, fIIiII1II "","Iii faiaae videtar. CPa."," Vet. .H, 18. . , Digitized by Google n OP THE ROMAN EMPIll&. The events of tpiS revolution had passed in CHAP. fiuch rapid. succession, that it would have been #~~~ impossible for Theodosius to 'march to the relief Treatyof of ibis benefactor, before he received the intelli- r!:~: begence of his defeat and death. During the sea- !!dx~~:, sori o( sincere grief, or ostentatious mourning, doaiUl, .... D. aaa. . d by t he ar- 387., the E astern emperor was mterrupte rival of the principal chamberlain of Maximus; , and the choice of a venerable old man, for an office 'which was usually exercised by eunuchs, aniiounced to the court of Constantinople the gravity and teIiiperance of the British usurper. 1lhe ambassador condescended to justify, or excnse, thecoriduct of his master; and to protest, in '~pecious language, t~at the murder of Gratian bad been perpetrated without his knowledge or ,!onsent,by'the Fecipitate zeal of the soldiers. But he 'proceeded, in a finn and e,qual tone, to offer Theodo$usthe alternative of peace or war. Thesp~ecb: dfthe ambassador concluded with a' spirited declamation,that although Maximus, as a noman, and as ihe, tatber of his people, would clioose:rather to employ his forces in the common defence of the republic, he was armed and pl'epftred, if his friendship should be rejected, w;disPllte 'in 'afield of battle, the empire of the world. ,;An imlll~diate and peremptory answer was' -:requtred;b'Ut' it was extremely difficult for ·1'heodbsJuS ·;to satisfy; on tbis important occaSIon, 'either the feelings of his' own mind, or" the expectations of the public. The iut-' p~riou~ voiCe &f' honour and 'gratitudecan~d alotid'fol~fe'ven'e.. From the,liberality of Gr.· .. I Digitized by Google tt " ..\'" -r-mE DECLINE AND PALL . CHAP. tian, he had received the imperial diadem: hi. XXVII.-. h \ d·10US SUspICIon, . . ___ ", patience wouId encourage teo that he was more' deeply sensible of former injuries, than of recent obligations; and if he accepted the friendship, he must seem to share . the guilt, of the assassin. Even the priuciples of justice, and the interest of society, would receive a fatal blow from the impunity of Maximus: and the example of successful usurpation· would tend to dissolve the artificial fabric of government, and once more to replunge the empire in the crimes and calamities of the preceding age. But, as the sentiments of gratitude and honour should invariably regulate the conduct of an individual, they may be overbalanced in the mind of a sovereign, by the sense of superior duties: and the maxims both of justice and humanity must permit the escape of an atrocious criminal, iran innocent people would be involved in the consequences of his punishment. The assassin of Gratian had usurped, but he actually possessed, the most warlike provinces of the empire: the East was exhausted by the misfortunes, and even by the success, of the Gothic war; and it was seriously to be apprehended, that, after the vital strength of the republic had been wasted in a doubtfnl and. destrnctive contest, ·the feeble conqueror would remain an easy prey to the barbarians· of the North. These weighty considerations engaged· Theodosius to dissemble his resentment, and to accept the alliance of the ·tyrant. But he stipulated, that Maximus should content himself Digitized by Google 13 OF THE ROMAN EMPIU.· 'With .thppossession of the countries beyond the OBAP. I Alps. The brother of Gratian was confirmed XXVII.' and secured in the sovereignty of Italy, Africa, - and the Western Illyricum; and, some honourable conditions were inserted in the treaty, to protect the Diemory, and the: laws, 'Of the deceased emperor.r According' to the'custom of the age, the images of the three imperial colleagues were exhibited to the .veneration of the . people: nor should it be lightly supposed, that, . in the moment of a sQlemn reconciliation; Theodosius secretly' cherished the intention of perfidy and revenge." ~ .. The contempt of Gratian for the Roman sol- Baptillll :. Jiers had exposed him to the fatal effects :~: of their resentment. His profound veneration °df~beo011111, for the Christian clergy was rewar-ded by theA. D.18O, applause and gratitude of a powerful order, Feb. 28. which has claimed, in every age, the privilege ' of dispensing honours, both on earth and in bea- : ven.t The orthodox bishops bewailed his death, . and their own irreparable loss.. ; but they were soon comforted by the discovery, that Gratia.n·, had committed the sceptre of the East to the·· hands of a prince, whose humble faith, and fervent zeal, were supported by the spirit and abi- ' lities ofa more vigorous character. Among the d:: • Ambrole mention. tbe Ia.s of Gratian, 'luu non abropvit hostit.. (tom. ii, cpist. xvii, p . .821). • ZoaiqlUs, 1. iv, p. 251,2112. We may disclaim hilOdiouliulpicioDS ; Inlt we caunot r('jcct the treaty of peace whicb tbe friends of TbeodoliDS bave absolutely forgotten, or slightly mentioned. t l'heir oracle, the archbishop of Milan, aSlip. to his pupil Gratio lUI high and respectable place in hea...8, (tom. ii, de Obit. Val. Consol. p.I191). ." • Digitized by Google 1"" CHAP. TIm DE~Llt\K AND FALLI . benefactorS of"the church, the tame Of.CODSclait.' !~!~!: tine has· been rivalled. by the glory' of. Tbeodo:. sius. "If . Constantine had .the . advantage of erecting the standard of' the cross, the emula~ don of his successor assumed the merit of; subdUIng the Arian heresy, and of abolishing the' worship of idol& in the Roman world. Theodosiu8 was, the first of the emperors baptised in the true faith of the Trinity. Although he was bom of a Christian family, the maxims~ or ~t least the practice of the age, encouraged bim to delay the ceremony of his initiation; till' he was admonished of the danger of delay, by the sedous illness which threatened his life, towards the end of the first' year of his reign. . Before hi' again took the field against the Goths, he re.. ceivedthe sacrament of baptism from Acholius, i the orthodox bishop ofThessalonica;'I and, as the emperor ascended from the holy font, still glowingwith the warm feelings of regeneration, he dictated a solemn "edict, which proclaimed his own faith, and prescribed the religion of his subjects. " It is our pleasure (such is tbe imperial style) " that all the nations, which are governed by our " clemency and moderation, should stedfastly " adhere to the religion which was taught by St. 11 • For tile baptiam of Theodoaius lee Sosomen. (I. vii, e. 4); Soeratea, (I. v, c. e). and Tillemont. (Hilt. del Emperenl'l, tom. v, P. '128. " A,eoliuI, or Aeholiu.; ~u honoured by the friendship, aad tb6 praises, of Ambrose; wllo style. him, mums fidei atque l&nctitatil, (tom. ii, epiJt. xv, p. 820) i and after,wardl celebrates his speed and dlU,enee in mUDing to CORltantinople, Italy. &e. (epiat, xvi. p. 8ft) l • vfrtue "lIich doe. not IIppertaia eitber tg a INR, or a "w.op. Digitized by Google 14 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. Peter tQ the Romans; which faithful tradition CHAP. i cc has preserved; and which is now professed by ,~~ cc the pontiff Damasus, and by Peter, bishop of U Alexandria, a man of apostolic holiness. Ac" cording to the discipline c-f the apostles, and " :t4e doctrine of the gospel, let us belieVe t~e U sole deity ,of the Father, the Son, and the " Holy Ghost; under an equal majesty, and a " pi()us Trinity. We authorise thefollowers of " this doctrine to assume the title: of Catbolic " Chri~tians~ -and as.we judge, lhafall others are " e~tra:vagant madmen, we brand them with the " infamous name of Heretics; an.d declare, that " their conventicles, shall no JDJiger usurp tbe " respeCtable a.ppellatiOll oC chrlrches. Besides' " the condemnation of Divine j.UBtice, they must " expect to suft'erthe severepen:alties~which. our " atlthority, .guided by heavenly wisdom;. shall " think proper to inflict upon them~''1' The faith of a soldier iliJ commonl y the fruit of iDstruction, rather than ofinquiry; butast4eemperoralways ,fixed his eyes on the visible land-marks oforthodoxy, .which he had so prudently co:nstituted, : his r.eligious opinions were never aff'ected by the specious texts, the subtle arguments, and the ambiguous cr~eds of the Arian doctors. ' Once indeed he expressed afaintincllnation to converse with the eloquent and learned Eunomius, who lived in retirement at a small distance ffom Conu Codes. '1'beodOlo I.' x-ri, tit. i, leg. I, with Godelroy'l Commn. Bath an edict deaened the wannest pmid 01 Baroninl, auream laactionem, .dictum pium et lI8lutare.-8ic U. 1 tar)', tom. Yi, p. 0.9. ad utra. Digitized by Google 16 CHAP. THE D£CLINE AND FALL' . stantinopJe. But the dangerous interview was' !~,~~~: prevented by the prayers of the empress Flac· cilIa, who trembled for the salvation of her hu~' band; and the mind ofTheodosius was confirmed by a theological argument, adapted to the rudest· . capacity. He had lately bestowed, on his eldest son, Arcadius, the name and honours of Augustus; and the two princes were seated on a stately throne to receive the homage of their subjects. A bishop, Amphilochius of Iconium; approached the throne, and after saluting, with' due reverence, the person of his sovereign, he' accosted the royal youth with the same familiar tenderness, which he might have used towards a plebeian child. Provoked by this insolent behaviour, the monarch gave orders, that the rustic priest should be instantly driven from his' presence. But while the guards were forcing' him to the door, the dexterous polemic had time to execute his design, by exclaiming, with a loud Yoice,-" Such is the treatment, 0 Emperor! " which the King of Heaven has prepared for " tqose impious men, who affect to worship the " Father, bu~ refuse to acknowledge the equal " majesty of his divine Son." Theodosius immediately embraced the bishop oflconium; and never forgot the important lesson, which he had received from this dr!UDatic parable.· ·Sozomen, I. vii, c. 6; Theodoret, I. v, c. 16. Tillemont is displeaa-ed (Mem. Ecclts. tom. vi, p. 621, 628) with the terms of" rustic bi. shop," "obscure city." Yet I mUlt take leave to think, that both Amphilochius and Iconium were objects of inconshlerable magnitude ia the Roman empire. Digitized by Google .11 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. '. Constantinople was the principal seat and (Of- eHA I'. " d' I . t I f r: ,XXVII. tretiS 0 fA rlanISID; an ,m a ong 10 erva 0 lorty."....... years: the faith ofthe princes and prelate!:!, who Arlani... rei~ed in the capital o(the East, was rejected in ::.~:;,. the purer schools of Rome and Alexandria. The ~I.e;,. 141archiepiscopal throne of Maced onius, which had 8SO. , been polluted with so much Christian blood, was successively filled by Eudoxusand Damophilus. ' Their diocese enjoyed a free importation oevice and error'from every province of the empire; the eager pursuit-ofreligious controversy afforded a new occupation to the busy idleness of the me-, tropolis ; aud we may credit the assertion of an intelligent observer, who describes, with some pleasantry, the effects of their loquacious zeal. " This city," says he, "is (ull of mechanics and " slaves, who are all of them profound theolo" gians; and preach in the shops, and, in the " . streets. If you desire a man to change a piece " of silver, he informs you, wherein the Son " differs from the Father: if you ask the price " of a loaf, you are told, :l>y way ofreply,Jhat " the Son is inferior to the Father; and if you " inquire whether the bath is ready, the answer " is, that the Son was made out of nothing ". • Sozomfn, I. "ii, c. 5. Socrates. I. v, c. 7. MareelUa. ill ebroa. The account of forty yean mmt be dated from the elf'Ctioa or intrusion of'Eusebiu.; who wi.elyexchanged tbe bi.bopric of Nicomedia for the tbroue of Constautinople. • See Jorlin's R~marb on Ecclesiaatieal History, 1'01. i". p. 7'1. The tbirty-third Oration of Grfgory Nazianzen aWords indeed sOlae' .imilar idea.. even lome Itill more ridiculoul; bot I have not yet (ouad the: rtJOf'd. or this rfmarkahla pasaalC. ",~ieh I allf'ge ou tile faitb of' correct and liberal IcbelaF. : . VOL. V. c Digitized by Google .... 'rHE DECLINE AND FALL Theheretic[1!,.ofvarfousdenominatioris, subsisted . peace un der t h' e protectIon 0 f' t he A' nans 0 f Constantinople; who endeavoured to secure the attachment of those obscure sectaries;. while ·they abused, with unrelenting severity, the vic.. tory'which they had obtained over, the follow:era df the coUnCil of: Nice. .During the partial reigns- of Constantius and Valens,' the feeble remnant of the Homoousians was depriv~d of the public and private exercise of their religion; .and -it has been observed, in pathetic language, that the scattered flock was left withc;mt a shep'herd to wander o~ the mountains, or to be d~ .voured by ·rapacious wolves.c But, as their zeal, instead of being subdued, derived strength and vigour from oppression, they sei~ed the first JIlomeJ,lts of imperfect freedom, which they a~ qui red by the death of Valens, to form themselves into a regular congregation, under the Gregory - conduct Qf an, episcopal pastor. Two natives )luiBIIZtID of Cappadocia, Basil, and Gregory N azianzen," were_disting~ished above all their contemporari~s: by the .rare llnion of profane eloquence CHAP. XXVIL • ...... _,.... lD . ~ • See 'tile tbirty~.eeond O~tiou of Gregory Nazianzell, and the acCOUl!t, at hi, 0_ life, which he bu compoaed in 1800 iambic.. Yel every' ph'Ylician i. prone to exaggerate the inveterate nature of the diaeaae which he hu cared. d I' eCHitf'll myaelf deeply indehted to tbe tUlO lives of Grerory Nuiaozea, ·cOJitpoaed, with very di/,ferent views, by Tillemoat, (Mem. Becle•• tom. ix, p. 805~fIO, 682-781), and Le Clerc. (Bibliotheque Vniverselle, tom. xviii, p, 1.128). • Unle.. Gregory NaziBliun mi.took thirty years in IIi. own ase, lie wu born, u wella. his friend Basil, about tbe year829. l'he prepoa. terous chronology of Saidu hal been· graciously received; because i& removel tbe Icanclal of Gregory's fatlier, a saiat likewise, begetting ehildren, after he beeame a bi.hop. (l'ilIemoDt. l\iem. Eeeles. tom. m" .....). Digitized by Google QF.''mE.~~N AllD"~' J~ ~ -of. ortbod~.'J pi~ty~· .l'hEW$; or~'t ~~9 ~.n might. sometimes b~ ~QD)D~r~,. \~J':~§1JlMM #~#_~~ iIId hJ the pu.blic, to ~eJl)9~t qel~br~.nf'~ ....... .. ancieat Greek$, W~e Jlni~ ~y.~e,#es~,~~ strictest ftiendlibip. .Tb~y;l.w.4 ~JJAAW~~~ ,~it4 equal ardb.ur, .the s~e ,Jjp~~!ll ~tw¥~iW,th~ senols at A~hens; they :h4d l"ei¥:f.9,; ~i~ equal dev~Qil,.to tb~ 'l!I~me s.olitu,gein ~!~ aerts,of PoJltUII.;.. and. ~v.el)y;.sPlK~. Qf ~~qp, or envy,~ap~r~ .to -b.e :totally ex,ti~~1J.itf~ j~ the ho~y .and. :i.Ui"Q~S ~:t~~ of G:r~gQfIf. ~n4 Basil. ,But tbe"e~~tMion.,m~ll~iJ, f~.~pri..; Tate ,life to ,t.Iw..al'chj~pi~@p!f.I tbro),le qf C~ia~ fea, discQv~£e~'UlJh~ 'f~d, ilq~ .p~rJ\\lIP8. ~ himself, :tlmtPride!~~tW$i~~mr; l~iJ ~ ~r.st {av,oW'· whiab ~: ~~.d.~~§~~~ to: :b~~toF "p his friend ;was ;,!~iYml, ;Ml.Jl.·P~A~PS ;~as in..tended, .as ;Qi:;Cf:\le! il\sWtl . ~1Mt.fi~q i}f ,em plo~,. log the: supeJ!i(tr .t~I~~i {)f ,Qrqgqr.y)n. ~1J:l8 useful .and ,~Qnapic1;lQus.!tttf~QD;,~be .~y'ghty prelate .sek:~ed~ .ilIqQP.gtb,e, (lfty'· :bishoprics ~f h.js extensive: .pr;ov.illc.e, .tAle .f ! lY.l'e~~~d village Greg,ory'. Poem on his own lire containt lome beautiful·liDes, (to..; Dr p• .aj, .w~iclJ. buut fOJll.1Iwl IUId lost frieDds4ip.. ""rt, .!l: ....,.~ ,thte ;~, of iqju~ • • •• ~ ••••••' .......,: ""',,, ~O)'&'J • 0,..0("'"'' ....... , ,"",,"IOC Il'ff; , Nile .J", II ..,..., ......... •.•• . is._-I&:cr&. II'II""",.I"~' :~, Au,.., t.,..." ...t ..IIMuIc....~. Dre_. In the M idsllmmel' Night'•. Bekaia••ddr.eIIe& the . e path.. tic'complaint tq JJer frien4,Jiem#'-Is allthe counscllbat we two lIave Ihared, The lister'. ~o'ws" &cc. Sbakespeare had never read thepoe.ms of Grt'goryNazianzen; be wu ~gnorant of the Greek language; bll,t bis mot!Jer-tollgur, the laD§lI8I.1t' of aature, il the Hme ill Cappadocj~ and iu BI·itain. , (;2 Digitized by Google Tm: DECLIN& AND FALE. CHAP. of Sasima,1 without water, without ,verduf8; ~~!:. witbout society,· situate at the junction of three . highways, and frequented only by the incessant passage of rude and clamorous waggoners. Gregory submitted with reluctance to tbis hu.. miliating exile: he was ordained, bishop of Sa.. sima; but he solemnly protests, that, he never consummated his spiritual· marriage with this disgusting bride. He afterwards consented to undertake the government o(his native. church. of N azianzus, II of which his father ha<l been bisbop above five and forty years. ,But as be was still conscious, that b" deserved anotber -Acce)!ta audience, and another theatre, he accepted; • h no unworth y amb·ti . •the ionmi'of . Wit lon, t he honourahIe lD~~::nh- vitation, which was addressed to him from the .~:~t!~ orthodox party of Constantinople. On his arrival in the capital, Gregory was entertained in the' house of a pious and charitable kinsman; the most spacious room was consecrated to the uses of religious worship; and the name of A1UUtaliawas chosen to express tbe resurrection of tbe Nicene faitb. This private conventicle was afterwards converted into a magnificent church; and the credulity of the succeeding age 20 I Thil unfa,ollrable portrait of Suima iI clrawa by Grepl"J Nuianzen, (tom. ii, de VitA au" p. 7', 8). Ita preciae aitution forty-nine milea from Arcbilais, and thirty-two from Tyana, ia bed in the Itinetary of Antoniool, (p. 1(4. edit. Weaaeling). II 1'he name of Nuianzollw been immortalized by Gregory; but IIi, nati.. town, under the Greek or Roman title of Diocelarea, (Tillemout, Mem. Eccles. tom. ix, p. 692), is mentioued by Pliny, (vi, I). Ptolemy, and Hierocle.; (Itinerar. Weaseling, p. 109). It appran to lIave been litoate 011 the ed,e of Ilauria. Digitized by Google ~1 .01' THI! BOHAN DlPIB.L was prepared to believe the miracles and visions, CHAP. · h attested t he presence, or at· IE:ast t he pro- ... XXVII .w hIC. ".,,,•• .tection, of the Mother of God" The pulpit of the Anastasia was the scene of the labours and :triumphs of Gregory Nazianzen; and, in the space of two years, he experienced all the spiritual adventures which constitute the prospe. rous 01' adverse fortunes of a missionary.k . The .Arians, who were provoked by the boldness of his enterprise, represented his doctl'ine, as if he had preached three distinct and eq ual Deities; and the devout populace was excited to suppress, by violence aud tumult, the irregular assemblies of the Anthanasian heretics •. From the cathedral of St. Sophia, there issued a motley crowd "of common beggars, who had for" feited their claim to pity; of monks, who had " the appearance of goats or satyrs; and of " women, more terlible than so many Jezebels." The doors of th~ Anastasia were broke open; much mischief was perpetrated, or attempted, with sticks, stones, and firebrands; and as a man lost his life in the affray, Gregory, who was summoned the next morning before the magistrate, had the satisfaction of supposing, that he publicly confessed the name of Christ. After he was delivered from the fear and danger of a foreign enemy, his infant church was See Doeangt, Constant. Chriatiaoa, I. iv, p. 141, 1~ The .... of Sozomen (I! vii, c. 6) is interpreted to mean the Virgiu Mary• .. Tillemont (l\lem. Eeclt'l. tom. ix, ,. 432, eke.) diligently collect., talarge., od explains, the oratorical anll poetical Ilillls of Grego". llimlelf. I ~¥IC Digitized by Google 21 TH£ ·1>£ct.INt A.Nn )'ALt. t:1iAP. disgraced and' distracted by inte8t~ne fatooft . . :r:~~~~:,A stranger, who assumed the name of r.t~axtthe cloak of a Cynic philosopher, insinuated himselfinto the confidence of Gregory; deceived and abused his favourable opinion; and forniing a secret connection with some bishops of Egypt, attempted, by a cbmdestil1e ordination, to supplant his patron in the' episcopal seat of Constantinople. These mortifications might sometimes tempt tile Cappadocian missionary to regret his obscure solitude. But his fatigues were rewarded by the daily increase of his fame and his congregat~on; and he enjoyed the pleasure of 'obserl'ing, that the greater partM ~is nu))]erolls'~udience retired from his se'rtn'Olls, sitisfied with the eloquence of the preacber, m 0'1 dissatis&ed~ with the manifold imperfeCtions 'of their faith a'li'd practice.a Ruin of TIre Catliolics of Constantinople were aniArianilm at CI!D- inatedwlth joyful confidence by the baptism ItanUnllo d· d' h . Iy pic, an d ed'IC't 0 fTL••eoosIUs; ant ey 'Impatient Ne~: :o~, w~ited the effects of his gracious promise. Their hopes were speedily a'ccomplished; and the et':lpetor; as S0011 as he had. finished the operations of the canlpaign, mad~ his public 111US,t' and I He pron6il11ced an oration (tom. i, erato xxiii, p. 409) in bil prai.t; but after their quarrel, the nallle of Maximlll was changt!d into that of ReroD, (aee Jlol'DIb. tom. :~. in 'Catalog. Script. Keeles. p. 301) I tOllck llighd,. on these ubscure and personal squabbles. .. • Under the modest filiblem of a dream, Grfgory (tom. ii, c;rmen ix, p. 18) describe. his own SIICCt!SS with some human compJal'cncy. Yet it should aeem, from his familiar ('ouverslltion with hil auditor St. Jerom. (tom. i, Epiat. ad NepQtiau. I" U), that the prcacller IIl1derItood tbe true nine of popular applalllr. • Lachrymae auditurum lalldes tllae lint, is the lively al.'d judicio... advice of St. Jcrom. Digitized by Google ~try:inJ.o. tJt~ capi~l at the head of ~ vic~l'i.. CHAP. ·n~~ d~y after his arrival, h~,~~:..~~... • ~1Il0~~ ;Daplophilu8 tq his presence;' and . ~~d that Ari'J.n Pfelate the hard alternative Of 8~bscribing tbe .Nicene cr~ed, or of instantly ~jgniDg~ to the orthodox b~lieve,rs, the use and ~~s!on of the episcopal. palace, the cathedr~}..of 8t. Sophia. and all the churches of Constantinople. The zeal of pamophilus,. which jp. a :c~tpolic saint would have been jnstly applauded, embraced, without hesitation, a life of poverty and e,xile,o and his removal was i~mediately followed by the purification of the imperial city. The Arians might complain, with some appearance of justice, that an inconsider- . able congregation of sectaries should usurp the ..}undred churches, wh.ich they were insufficient to fill; whilst the far greater part of the people was cruelly excluded from every place of religions worship. Theodosius was still inexorable; but as the angels who protected the catholic cause, were only visible to the eyes of faith, h~ prudently reinforced those heavenly legions, with the more effectual aid of temporal and carnal weapons: and the church ofSt. Sophia was occupied by a large body ofthe imperial guards: If the mind of Gregory was susceptible of pride, he must have felt a very lively satisfaction, when the emperor conducted him through the streets in solemn triumph; and, with his .U8_ a~y. . ~he o Soeratea (I. ". e. 1), and SOlomeD, (I. viis e. Ii), relate tbe evangelical words and actions of Damophilllli witbont a word of .pprobatiOll. He considered, aay. Socratea, tbat it ia difficult to reM tlte powerful. but it ~a cay, ud would ban been profitable, to tuhIiI. c4 Digitized by Google THB DBCI.INB ANDFALL\ CHAP. own hand~ respectfully pi aced 'hini on the ath·· ' .' Ie B uC lepulcopaI t hrone 0 f e onstantinop. th~ saint (who had not subdued the imperfec.. tions of human virtue) ,vas deeply affected by the mortifying consideration, that his entrance into the fold was that of a wolf, rather than of a shepherd: that the glittering arms, which surrounded his person, were necessary for his safety; and that he alone was the object ot tlie imprecations of a great party, whom, as men and citizens, it was impossible for him to deApise. He beheld the innumerable multitude of either sex, .and of every age, who crowded the streets, the windowliI,and the roofs of the houses; he heard the tumultuous voice of rage, grief, astonishment, and despair; and Gregory fairly confesses, that on the memorable day or his installation, the capital of the East wore the appearance of a city taken by storm, and in the hands ot a barbarian conqueTor.p About six weeks afterwards, Theodosins declared his resolution of expelling from all the churches or his dominions, the, bishops and their clergy, who should obstinately refuse to believe,or at lenst to proft ss, the doctrine of the council of Nice. Hili lieutenant Sapor was arnled with' the ample powers of a general law, a speciai .commilsion, and a military force;q and this ec- ;xxvu. . _• .., C ID the ~;. 181 'aD. 10. I , See Gregory Nazianzrn, tom. ii, de Vitalu1, p. 21, 22. For tbe lake of pOlterity, tlte bi,hop of Constantinople nc:ords a stupendou, proeli,y, In tbe month of NOVl.'mber, it was a cloudy morning, bllt tbe IIID broke fortb, wben tbe procesllon entered the ehllrela. q Of the three recle8iastical historians. TbrodorC't alone (I. Y. 2). has meotioDt'd lhil important cODlmissioD or Sapor, whicb 1'i11emonl (Hist. del EmperclIrI, tom. v, p. 728) judieiou5Jy removes from th4I rei,D of (iratiaD, to tbal of'1'bcodo!igl. c. Digitized by Google !.S' OF THE ROMAN DlPIR'R~' clesiastical revol,u~n was conducted with 80 CHAP. much discretion ~dvigour, that the religion o(.~~~:~. the' emperor was,esfablis~ed, without tumult or bloodshed, in an,th~ provinces of the East. The writings of the Arians, if, they had been per. mitted to exist, r would perhaps contain the lamentable story oUbe persecution, which aftlicted the church under the reign of the impious Theodosiu8; and the sufferings of ,Aeir holy confessors ,m~ght claim the pity of the disinterested reader. Yet there is reason to imagine, that the violence of zeal and revenge was, in some measure, eluded by the want of resistence; and that, ill their adversity, the Arians dIsplayed' much less finn ness, than had b~n exerted by the orthodox party under the reign ofConstantius and Valens. The inoral character and conduct of t~e hostile sects appear to have been governed by the same common principles of nature and religion; but a very material circumstance may be discovered, which tended to distinguish the degrees of their theologicallaith. Both parties, in the schools, as; well as in the temples, acknowledged and worshipped the divine majesty of Christ; and, as weare always prOne to impute our, own sentimen~ and passions to the Deity, it would be deemed more prudent and respectful to exaggerate, than to circumscribe, the ad~rable perfections of the Son of God. The disciple of Athanasius exulted in the proud confidence, that he had entitled himselfto the divine r I do not reckon PbilOitorgiol, tbough he mentions (I. Ix, c. It) die n polaion of namopbilOlo The EuoomiaD hiatorian baa been caref.ur .traioed tbroo,l~ ao orthodox line. ' Digitized by Google t6 TtIZ' DECLIME AliD FALL f'aTour; while the follower of Ariul m,ust haye secret apprehe' nSlon, that he was guilty~ perhaps of an,unpard~nab}e offence, by the scanty p~e, 8;rid 'parsimonious' hODours, which he hestOwedon the Judge of the World. The opini()Ds of Arianism might satisfy a cold and'speculative mind 1,but the doctrine of the Nicene Creed, most powerfully recommended by the merits of faith 'and devotion, was much better adapted to become popular and successful in a belie~ing age. ' The COUll- ' The hope that truth and wisdom would be ~:!.:~:'Do found in the assemblies of ihe orthodoxc1ergy, pie, .... ioduced the emperor to c01i\'ene, at Constanti.. A.D ......, • Mal' nopIe, a synod of one hundred and fifty bishops, who proceeded, :without much difficulty or deJay, to complete the theological system which had been established in the council of: Nice. The vehement d~putes of the fourth century had been cliiefiy employed on the nature of the Son of Go.d; ad:the various opinions, which were em'bmced ooocemiilg the Ser:O'II.d, were ex~tended and translerred,:byanatural analogy,to t 8&R;m th~ Trinity." the TAird, Yet it was found, or it W;8.S UlOBgbt, necessary, by the vi('torious adversario&.()f Arianism, to explain the CHAP. x,x:,'U•• been tormente ' , d, bythe ___ pet .,._t " I.e Clerc lias give. a curlo.s . (Bibliotheqne Unl'~rtelle, , tQm. xviii, p. 91·IOS) Qf t,",theological srrmons wbicb Grtg0"1 Nazianzen pronounced at Constantinople against tbe Arians, Eunomians, Mae.,donians, "c. He tells the HaeedoDians, wllo deified tbe Fatber aod tbe Son, "itllont the Holy Gho.t, tbat tht'y migbt u "'I'll be styled 1Htluista as Ditl&eiBt.. Greg9ry bimself wal almolt a Trilhl'i,t j and his DlIlDareby of beaven reaembles a well-regulated .,iatocrac),. " Digitized by Google 11 of 'tilE ROMAN I!HPIRP.. Am'iguouslangnage of some respectable doc- CHAP. , t~ faitli of the catholics; a.'nd' XXVII. to ~b.demn an Unpopular and inconsistent sect .#u....,m of; Ma.cedonians ; who.freelyadmitted that tlie Soil· Was ~onsubstantial to the Father, while fIley were fearful of seeming to acknowledge' tJi~ exisience of 'Pliru Gods. A final anel UDa.. , nimous sentence,was pronounced to ratify the equal Deity of the Holy Ghost; the mysterious, doctrine has been received. by all the nations, and all the churches, of the Christian WOl'ld; and their gr8tefaheverence h~ assigned to:the bishops of Theodosius, the seoondrank among the general c6uncils.t Their knowledge of religious tnith may baTe been preserved by tra.. ditro"n, 'or it may have been communicated by Inspiration; but the SGber evidence of history Will not allow much weight 10 the personal authority dt the Fathers -of Constantinople. In an ~;w:hen the ecclesiastieg had scandalousiy.cJegenerated 'ftom ttie'mod~l of apQstotical purity, the niost worthless and corrwpt were always the. motif; eager to frequent, and disturb, the episc~ pal :a'ssemblies. :~ The c€)nttict and fermentation of so many opposite interests and tempers inflamed the paisioD8 of the bisbops: and their ruling passions were, the love of gold, and the love of dispute. Many of the same prelates who now applauded the orthodox piety of Theodosius, had repeatedly changed, with. pru- WtJ ;: :t() confirm t The first general council of Conatantiaople now triomphs in 'the Vatican; but the popea had long heaitated. and their hesitation perplexea. and almost stBilen, the bumble TillemoDt (Mem. ~cclea. tOlD. ~. P 499. $ 0 0 ) . , ' Digitized by Google 18 THE DECLINE AND FALL' CHAP. dent flexibility, their creeds and opinions; and -,~~~~..in the various revolutions of the church and state, the religion of their sovereign was the rule of their obsequious faith. When the emperor suspended his prevailing inHuence,. the turbu-, lent synod was blindly impelled, by the absurd. or selfish motives of pride, hatred, and resentment. The death of Meletius, which happened at the council of Constantinople, presented. the most favourable opportunity oftern,inating: the schism of Antioch, by !!IuWering ,his ag~d; rival, Pauliuus, peaceably to' end his days in· ttae episcopal chair. The faith and virtues of Palllinus were unblemished. But his cause was supported by the··Western churches; aud the bishops of the synod resolved to perpetuate t~ mischiefs of discord, by the hasty ordination of a perjured candidate," rather than to betray the imagined dignity of the East, which had been, illustrated by the birth and death ofthe Son of God. S.uch unjust and disorderly proc~dings forced the gravest members of the assembly to dissent and to secede; and the clamorous majority, . which remained masters pf the field of battle,could be compared only towasps or magpies, to a Hight of cranes or to a Hock of geese." a Before the death of Maletius, six or eight of his moat popular ecclesiastics, amoog whom was Flaviao, had abjured, for the sake of.peaee, tbe bishopric of Antioch, (Sozomen, I. vii, c. 3, 11 ; Socrates, l. v, c. 5). TiUemont.thinki it his dDly to disbelieve the story; but he 0'''08 tilltt there are many circnmstanccs in the life of Flavian, w.bich seem ineOlllistent with the praises of Chrysoltom" and the character :If a saillt, (Mem. Ecclel. tom. x, p. 6(1). : K Consult Gregory Namanzen" de Vif& lol, tom. ii, \l 25·28. His' ,eneral and particular OpiniOIl of the clergy and their aaaemblies .may be ICeD . Digitized by Google -: ..... . or TBB ItOIiAN DlPlJm.: • A sUflpicionmay possibly arise, that 10 'Gilra. CRAP. 'Yourable a picture of ecclesiastical synods has ..~ been drawn by the partial hand of some obsti~ Retreator nate heretic, or some malicious infidel. But the nam~ o~ the si~cere historian,who has con- ~~. 181. veyed thIS lDstruchve lesson to the knowledge of posterity, must silence the impotent murmurs of superstition and bigotry. He was one of the most pious and eloquent bishops of the age; a saint and a doctor of the church; the scourge ofArianism, and the pillar of the orthodox faith; a distinguished member of the council of Con..: stantinople, in which, after the death of Meletius, he exercised the functions of president: in a word-Gregory Nazianzen himself. The harsh and ungenerous treatment which he experienced,J instead of derogating from the truth of his evidence, affords an additional proof of the spirit which actuated the deliberations of the synod. Their unanimous suffrage had confirmed the pretensions which the bishop of Con~ stantinople derived from the choice of the people, and the approbation of the emperor. But Gregory soon became the victim of ~alice and envy. The bishops of the East, his strenuous adherents, provoked by his moderation ::::..'! iD Tene and prose, (tom,. i, orat. i, p. 83, epiat. .\', p. 814; tom. ii, earmen s, p. 81). Such puaagel are faiJlt1, marked b, 1'illemont aad f.irl, prodDeed b, I.e Clerc. 'I See Grtgory, tom. ii, de Vitfl IUl, p. 28·81. The f01lrtuntb, twentY-lennth, and thirtY·lecond oratioua were pronoDnced iD th,,_ _eYera) Itagea of thil bOlline... 'I'he peroration of t)Je lut, (tom. i, p. 528), in which betakel a lolemn leave of men and ancell, the city IIIICI the emperor, the East and the Weat, &e. it padietic. and aImoI& ••bUme. ReD Digitized by Google THE DIICLINE AND MLL iii, t8e aflBirs of Antioch, aba,ndQDed him, ·with ~~~. out sUpport, to the ~dverse .fa.etion ~Uhe Er~.. , tians; -who disputed the validity of biil ~lectjon~ and rigorously asserted the ob$a;lete-caJl()n~ t.b...t. prohibited the -licentious practice' of ~cop~l translations. The pride, or the . humility, -of Gregory, prompted bim to. decline a, cOQ.~t which might have be~n imputed to ambition ~nd avarice; and he publicly offered. not without some mixture of indignation, to renounce the government of a church, which had been restated, and almost' created, by his labours. IDs resignation was accepted by the synod~ and by the emperor, with more r~adiness tb~, he seems t9 have expected. At the time w4enhe JIlight have hoped to enjoy the fruits of his vi(}< tory, his episcopal throne was filled by the Bebator N ectarius; and the new archbi$op, acoidentally recommended by his easy temper and YeBe~leaspect, was obliged to d,elaythe cere. mony: of his consecration, till he bad previo,u~ ly dispatched the rites _of 4is bapti~" After this remarkable experience of the ingr~titU'de of pdnces.and prelates, Gregory retired ()n~e more to,his:..obscure solitude of Cappadocia; where he e~ployed the remainder of his life, about eight years, in the exercises of poetry and devotion. The title of saint has been added to . CHAP. : • Tbe 'wbimllical ordination. of Nectarius i. attested by S~"eII, (I. Yii, c. 8); but TIllemont obsenes, (Mem. Eeclea. tom. is, p. TIg), Aprea tout, ee Darr~ de Sozomeue eat si bODteuX pour-toul ceux4a!i1J' ..ftc, el Illrtout pour Tbeodole, qu'il vaal ..ieux tl'uailler .Ie detruire, Ie ....tepir; an, pcimirable CaDon of criticism. , .a'. Digitized by Google 31 OF THI! ltOBAN DfPIR~ hi. name; but the tenderness>of:his heart: and CHAP. . _JII' XXVII. · geOlU8, the e1egaoce 0 f ' hIS rt:Uoot a- more p-Iea- ____ ..-, Bing lustre on toe memory 'of -Gregory Nazi.anzen. It was not enough that Theodosius had -SB~ Edicts or . 'I ent .reIgn . a fArl' pressed t he IOSO amsm, or .t hat TheodoBius againat he had abundaritlyrevengedthe'injuries ~hich,:::,bert'. the catholics sustained from -the zeal-of GonA.. D. 380. , 194 stantiusand Valens. ,The orthodo« ·emperor . considered every heretic as a ;rebel agains,t, the supreme powers Of heaTen, and of earth; and each of those powers might -exemse thW peeu-liar jurisdiction over' the 80ul and body -of the guilty. The decrees of the cOJ:ln~il of COBstan~ . tinople bad ascertaiDed ·the true standard of the ilith; and the ecclesiastics, ·wbo 'g-ovemed t&e, conscience of Theodosius,. sugge~ted the~t . effectual methods of persecution. In: the,spac~ of. fifteen years,: ·he proinulgated at· least fif~ , severe emCfa ~aanst the· heretics; b more ,especi•. ally ag~inst-those wlw-rejected the,doctl'i,e qf. the Trinity; andto deprive t\lem of every h~pe, of escape, he sternly enacted, that if any laws, ' or rescripts, should be alleged in their favour, the judges should consider t.llem as the illegal. productions either,,-of fraud, or forgery. The penal statutes were directed against'the wi,nisters, the assemblies, :8.nd the.per~ns,.(j)f the bereti~s; and the Pll$SjOD ~ .thel~gj5Jat0r wepe expl'essed . - -I can' only 'be: midmtood to' mean, that'IUeb was his- natul'lll ~emper; wben i.t, was .•et 'Iiardenea, or induenced, by religions 1IeII1. From hi, retirement, he exhorts Nectarine to prosecute the beretics of Constantinople. _ " Set! the Theodosian ,CGde, I.xyi, tit. v, 181;6.28, with Godefroy" _ Commentary, on eaeli law, alld ,hiB general awumlU')', on PfllVlitw., tolD vi, p. l04.·II{l - Digitized by Google 31 CHAP. THE DECLINE AND FALL in the language of declamation aud invective. !~~~" I. The heretical teachers, who usurped the sa~ cred titles of Bishops, or Presbyters, were not only excluded from the privileges and emoluments so liberally granted to the orthodoxclergy, but they were exposed to the heavy penalties of exile ;uid confiscation, if they presumed to pl'each,the'doctrine, or to practise the vites, of their accursed sects. 'A fine 'of ten pounds of gold (above four hundred pounds sterIing)was imposed; on every person who should dare to confer, Dr recerve, 'or promote, an heretical ordination: and it was reasonably expected, that,if the race of pastors could be extinguished, their helpless flocks would be compelled; by' ignorance and hunger, to return within the'pale of the catholic church. II. The 'rigorous prohibition of conventicles was carefully extended to every possible circumstance, in whicl,1 the heretics could assemble with the intention of worshipping' God and· Christ according to the dictates of their·conscience. Their religious meetings, whether public' or secret. by day, or by flight, in cities or in the country, were equally prescribed by the edicts of Theodosius; and the building or ground, which had been used for that illegal purpose, was forfeited to the imperial domain. III. It was supposed, that the error oCthe heretics could proceed only from the obstinate tem- . per of their minds; and that such a,. temper was a fit object of censure and punishment~ Theanathemas of the church were fortified by a sort.of civil excommunication; which separated them from their fellow-citizens. by a peculiar brand of Digitized by Google :IS Of THE ROMAN EMPIRE. infamy; anil this declaration of the supreme ma- CHA·P. gistrate tended to-jastify, or at least to excuse,.~:~. the insults of a fanatic populace. The sectaries 'Were graduallr disqualified for the possession E)fhonourable, or lucrative, employments; and Theodosius was satisfied with his own justice;! when he decreed, that as :the EUDomians dig..; tinguished the nature of the son from that of the father, they· should be incapable of making their: _ wills, or of receiving any advantage from tes~ mentary donations. The guilt of the Mani-. chrean heresy was esteemed of such "IIlagnitud~ that it could be expiated only by the death. of the offende~; and the same capital punisJI-. ment was inflicted on the Audians, or Qllarttr ' dBcimanl,· who should dare to perpetrate the atrocious crime, of celebrating, on an improper: day, the festival of Easter. Every Roman ~ight: exercise the right of public accukation; but the office of Inquisitors of the Fai~ a name so de.. servedly abhorred, was first instituted 'under the reign of Theodosius. Yet we are assured that the execution of his penal edicts was seldom enforced; and that the pious emperor appeared less desirous to punish, than to reolaim, or terrify, his refractory subjects.· The theory of persecu tion was established by ExeentiOD · W h" ' h ave. beeuianandhie OfPri8CillTh eo d'OSlUS, ose JUS t'Ice andpIety aplllauded by the saints; but the practice of it; '~~::i:~ • They always bpt their Easter, like tbe Jewish Passover.. on .the foarteenthday.of the fint moon after the vernal eqllinox; and thas per. tinaciou81y opposed the Roman church and Nicene synod, which had Ji:«tl Ea.tcr to a Sanday. Billgham's Antiquities, I. xx, c, 5, \'01. ii, ~~M~. . • Sozomeo, 1. vii, c. 12. VOL. V. D Digitized by Google M THE DECLINE AIID ..AU. (mAP. in the fullest extent, was reserved (or his rival and colleague, M.aximus, tile first among the - , - -Christian princ~li. who shed the blood of' his Christian subjects, Qn account of their religious 0plDIODIil. The caus.e of the friscillianists,· a recent sect of her.etics, who disturbed the provinces of Spain, was transferred, by appeal, from the synod. of Bourdeaux to the imperial eonaistory of Treves; and by the sentence of the pretorian prefect, seven pe1'8onS were tortured, condemned, and executed. The tirst of these was Eriscillian f himselt: bishop of Avila,' in Spain; who adorned the advantages of birth and fortune, by the accomplishments of eloquence and learning. Two presbyters, and two deacons, accompanied their beloved master in his death, which they esteemed as a gloriOUI martyrdom; and the number of religious victims was completed by the execution of LatroDian, a pod, who rivalled the fame of the ancients; ad of Euchrocia, a noble matron of Bourdeaux, the widow of the orator Delph~ XXVII. ,. • • See tJ,e s.c~ Batory of SnlpiciUl Seyer'll. (1. ii, p. 431-452, edit. Lugd. Bat. 1~1), a correct aod origioal writtr. Dr. Lardoer (CredibOity, are. part ii, vel. ix. p. 25(0160) haa laboored thia article, with pure leamiDg, ,ood selli~, and moderatieD. TiUemoDt, (Melli. Ecele•• toOL lIiii. p. 491-527) baa raked together all the dirt of the fathera: an Ultfal leaveoger! , &everUi Sulpiciu meDtioDa the areh-heretic with ..teem and pity. Flllix profecto, ,I DOD pravo ,tndio corrnmpillet optimum logeoium: prorlnl molta in eo aoimi et eorpori. bODa ctroerel, (Htat, SIICra. L ii, p. 439). Eveo JerolR (tom. i, iD Script. Beel... p. 102) 8pe~1 with\. temper of Pri.eilliau and LatrooiaD • . 1 The bl.bopric (10 old Caetile) is DOW worth 20,000 ducats a year. (Buachlo(l Geography, voL ii, p. 808); aDd ii, thtrefOrt, lRuclileB .....,. to produce the author of. Dew here.y. Digitized by Google II OP THE ROHAN EMPIRE; CUI.' Two bishops, who had· embraced th6 mAP. entimenUi of Prilcillian, were condemned to a ~x~~ .Uatant and dreary exile;1 and some indulgence shewn to the meaner criminals, who assumed the merit ofaaea.ly repentance. If any credit· COltld be- allowed to -cimkssions extorted by ihar or pain, and to v~ reports, the oJrspring of malice and credulity, the Ileresy -of the PrileiDiauista would 'be fomd to include the various abominatiou of magic, of impiety, and of lewd· ResS." Prisci1lian, who wandered about the world in the company of his spiritual sisters, was accused of praying stark-naked in the midst ef the congregation;. and it was confidently asseried, that the-effects ofbis criminal intercoutse with the daughter of Euehrocia, had been supprened, by means shU mGre odious and crimi/ nal. But aJl, accurate, or rather a caDdid, in.«i_iry, will diseGver, that if the Pri8ei1lianists violated the-laws of Ilature,.· it was not by theUCeatiousness, but by the austerity, of their lives.. They absolutely condemned the use of tlte marriag.&-bed; and the peace of families "'as ~n disturbed by indiscreet separations... They ~oined, or recornmeI1ded-l a total absti&e&ee .as • IbprobabatDr mulieri yidUI8 DimiareJilio, et dili,Jntius cola djyi. loch wu the idea ofah1lDlaD, ~.. i,lIOfaut, Pol)labellt. 1 OIIe df tlaem was sent in SylliDIJR imolam qua uIba BritaDDliua est. What must have been the ancient condition of the rocka of !sicily f «('.mden's Britannia, vol. ii, p. lIi19). • Tile scandaloos calumnies of Au,ustin, Pope Leo, &c. which TiII _ t 'wallows like a child, and LardNer refNtel like a man,ma:r1ucpat lome candid • .,piciou. in fa.ollf of the older GDOIltic•• Di~ (Pa~at. in Panegyr. Vet. xi'i,29). Di- Digitized by Google 38 THE DECUNK AND'FALI,; CHAP. from all animal food; and their continual prayXXVII. "1S,lDCU . Icateda' ru1 ......,.._.. er3, fiasts, an d Vlgl e 0fst ' net and perfect devotion. . The speculative tenets oftlle sect, concerning the person of Christ, and . the nature of the human soul, were derived from the Gnostic and Manichrean system; and this vain philosophy, which had been transported from Egypt to Spain" was ill adapted to the grosser spirits of the West. The obscure disciples of PrisciUian suffered, languished~ ana' gradually disappeared: his tenets were rejectai ed by the clergy and people; but his death wa the subject 'of a long and vehement controver sy; while some arraigned, and others applauded, the justice of his sentence. It is with plea-: sure that we can ol?serve the humane inconsitteney of the most illustrious saints and bishops, Ambrose of Milan,l and Martin of Tours ;M who" on this occasion, asserted the cause of tole~ tion. They pitied the unhappy man, who had been executed at Treves; they refused to hold communication with their episcopal murderers; and if Martin deviated from that generous resolution, his motives were laudable~ and his repentance was exemplary. The pishops of Tours and Milan pronounced, without hesitation, the eternal damnation of heretics; but they were surprised. and shocked, by the bloody image of their temporal death, and the honest Ambroa. tom. ii, epist. xxiv, p. ~91. In tbesacred History, and the life of St. Martin, SulI'iciuI Severna ..lei some caution; but he declares himnlf more freely in the Dialopel, (iii, IIi). Hartin was rep~ved, however, by his OWD conacieace, and by an angel; Dor could be afterwards perform miracles willi .. I m alicia eue. - Digitized by Google 31 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. feelings of nature resisted the artificial preju- CHAP dices of theology. The humanity of Ambrose,~:,~~~;# and Martin was confirmed by the scandalous irregularity of the proceedings against Pritlcillian, and his adherents. The civil and ecclesiastical ministers had transgressed the limits of their respective provinces. The secular judge had presumed to receive \l,n appeal, and to pronounce a definitive sentence, in a matter offaith and episcopal jurisdiction. The bishops had disgraced themselves, by exercising the function of accusers in a criminal prosecution. The cruelty of Ithacius: who beheld the torturtls, and solicited the death, of the heretics, provoked the just indignation of mankind; and the vices of that proBigate bishop were admitted as a proof, that his zeal was instigated by the sordid motives of interest. Since the death of Priscillian, the rude attempts of persecution have been refined and methodised in the holy office, which assigns their distinct parts to the ecclesiastical and secular powers. The devoted victim is regularly delivered by the priest to the magistrate, and by the magistrate to the executioner: and the inexorable sentence of the church, which declares the spiritual guilt ofthe offender, is expressed in the mild language of pity and intercession. . Among .the ecclesiastics, who illustrated the A..broae ., reign of Theodosius, Gregory N azianzen was :c~~e' distinguished by the talents of an eloquent A. D. 1'4,. J . , 187. • Tile catholic presbyter, (Salp. Sever. I. ii, p. "8), and the pagan orator, (PacaL in PaDegyr. Vet. xii,lII), I'f'probate with eqlJal indipao lion, the Clbarac:ter aDd couduct of Itlaacina. Digitized by Google 38 TIlE DECLlNB AND FALL CHAP. preaclaer; the rep.tation of miraculous gift8 XXVII. added weJgut . L. aDJgD.l d d' 'ty t 0 the monastic .. .,.",_,,,, VIr-' tues of Martin of Tours;'" but the palm of epi;. scopal vigour and ability was justly claimed by the intrepid AmMoae,P He was descended , from a noble family of Romans; his father had exercised the important office of pretorian pre.' feet of' Gaul; and the son, after passing through the studies of a liberal education, attained, in, the regular gradation of civil honours, the station of consula.'r of Liguria, a province which included the iQJperial residence of Milan. At the' age of thirtyp(our, and before he had received the sacrament of baptism, Ambrose, to bis own· surprise, and to that of the w.()pld~ was suddenIy transformed frpm a gOl'emor t() an archbishop Without the l~st miItnre, as it is said, of art or . intrigue, the whole bady ef the people unanimously saluted him with the episcopal title; the concord and persevera'nc~ of their acclamations' were ascribed to a preternatural impulse; and the reluctant mag1strate was compelled to undertake a spirituaJ office for which he was Dot prepared by the habits and occupations of his formel' life. But the active (orce of his genius n.. "uti" ,0 lire f)I se. ,ad the D~lop.e. coneemia. laiJ mira· cles, conhlio facta adapted to tbe grossest barbarism, in '. Ityle Dot ooworlby of the Aogusl'ao age. So oataral i. the alliance lIetwee. c094 taslC! loll II1A4 8flIIl', tbq JIll "wa18 ,.,0Dilbed by ~it eo8ttalt. , Tbe .bol,t aDd luperficiallile of 81. "mbrole, by bl. deacon ~•• Jilltl., (Appendi~ ad f1Ii£t. Benediqt. p. i'J'), bpa merit of GrIp· lIal nideoce. Tillemoot, (Mem. Eccln. tom. x, p. 180806), aotl the Beoediclille editofl, (p. lIIx_I-1I1iii), ban laboured wjth their ..... r t_. tlUi.cuee. Digitized by Google , 01' THR KOMAN EIrlPIIlB.' • soon qualified hini to exercise, With zeal and CHAP. ' eccI" . ...... XXVII. prud ence, the d utie8 0 f hIS eSlaSt1caI'J url8_ .... _ diction; and, while he cheerfully renounced the vain and splendid trappings of temporal greatness, he condescended , for the good of the church, to direct the conscience of the emperors, and to contronl the administration of the empire. Gratian loved and revered him as a father; and tbe elaborate treatise on the faith of the Trinity, was designed for tbe instruction of tbe young prince. After his tragic death, at a time when the empress Justina trembled for her own safety, and for that of her son Valentinian, the archbishop of-Milan was despatched, on two diiferent embassies, to the court of Treves. He exercised, with equal firmness and dexterity, tbe powers of his spiritual and political characters; and perhaps contributed, by his authority and' eloquence, to check the ambition of MaximuI, and .to protect the peace of Italy. q Ambrose had devoted his life, and his abilities, to the service of the church. W e~lth was the object of his contempt; he had renounced his private· patrimony; and he sold, witbout be~itation, tbe consecrated plate, fOr the redemptionof captiVes. The clergy and people of Milan were attacbed to tbeir archbishop; and he deserved the esteem, witbout soliciting the (avour, or apprebending tbe displeasure, of his feeble sovereigns. The government of Italy, and of the young emperor, naturally devolved to hi. mother Justina, . • Ambroae himarlf (tom. il, epiat. Diy, p. 888oi(I1) ely. tile empefill' a nr;p 'pirited accoant of hia 0 . . . embau1. »4 Digitized by Google 40 'J,'HE DECLINE AND FALL a woman Cil beauty and spirit, but who, in tile ~~~~:. midst of an orthodox people, had the misfortune: Hilluc- of professing theArian heresy, which she endea-. "'easfnlop. '1'Into th e mm . d 0 f h er SOn. J u~ position voured to mstI ~~!~ej:,: t,ina was persu{lded, that a Roman emperor tina, might claim, in his own dominions, the pubHc. ~j,;U ~o exercis.e of his religion; and she proposed to the archbishop, as a moderate and reasonable .con-. cession, that he should resign the use of a single. church, either in the city or suburbs of Milan.· But the conductol Ambrose was governed by very different principles. r. The palaces of the earth might indeed. belong to Cresar; b~t the churches were the houses of God; and, within the limits of his diocese, he himself, as the lawful. successor Of the apostles, was the only ~inil!!ter . of God... The privileges of Christianity, teIilporal as}lwell as spiritual, were confined to the. true believers; and the mind of Ambrose was satisfied, that his own theological opinions were the standard of truth and orthodoxy. The arch-. bishop, who refused to hol4 any conference, or negotiation, with the instruments of Satan, declared, with modest firmness, his resolution to die a martyr, rather than to yield to the impiou~ sacrilege; and Justina, who resented the refusal as an act ofinsolence and rebellion, hastily d'etermined to exert the imperial· prerogative of. her son. As she desired to perform her public 'CRAP. .. Hi, own representation of' hil principles and condnct, (tom. ii~ epiat. xx, xxi, xxii, .p. ~10880), is. one of the curions monuments of ecclesiastical antiquity. It contains two letun to hia sister Marcel. lina, with a petitioD to ValeDtiJiian, and the lermon de BailicN ..... . ,.",.... . Dig,jozed by Google 41 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.· c1evotiens on the approaching festival of Easter, ORAP. AmbrosewQ.s ordered to appear before the coun- ~~~~!.~. cil. He obeyed the summons with the respect ' of.a faithful subject; but he was followed, with- . out his consent, by an innumerable people: they pressed, with impetuous zeal, against the gates of thepalaee; and the affrighted ministers of Valentillian, instead of pronouncing a sentence of exile on the archbishop of Mi1an, humbly requested that he would interpose his authority, to protect the person of the emperor, and to restore the ... tranquillity of the capital. . But the promises which Ambrose received and communicated, were soon violated by a perfidious court; and, during six ofthe most solemn days, which Christian piety has set apart for the exercise of religion, the city was agitated.by the irregular convulsions of tumult and fanaticism. The officers of the household were directed to prepare, first, the Portian, and afterwards, the new, Basilica, for the immediate reception of the emperor, and his mother. Thesplendid canopy and hangings of the royal seat were arranged in the customary manner; but it was found necessary to defend them, by a strong guard, from the insults of the populace. The Arian ecclesiastics, who vetJ.tured to shew themselves in the streets, were exposed to the most imminent danger of their Jives; and Ambrose enjoyed the merit and reputation .of rescuing his personal enemies from the hands of the enraged multitude. But while he laboured to restrain the effect. of their zeal, the pathetic vehemence of his 8~ Digitized by Google 41 , 'CHAP. . TIlE DECLINE ,AND PALL' mons continually inflamed the angry and sediThe cha~ racters of Eve, of the wife of Job, of Jezebel, of Herodias, were indecently applied to the mother of the emperor; and her desire to obtain a church for the Arians, was compared to the mOAt cruel persecutions which Christianity had endured under the reign of paganism. The measures of the court served only to expose the magnitude of the evil. A fine of two hundred. pounds of gold was imposed on the corporate body of merehants and manufacturers:. an order was signified, in the name of the emperor; to all the officers, and inferior servants, of the' courts of justice, that, during the continuance of the public disorders. they should strictly confine themselves to their houses: and th6 ministers of Valentinian imprudently cOBressed, that the most respectable part of the CItizens of Milan was attached to the cause of their archbishop. He was again solicited to restore peace to his country, by a timely compliance with the will df his sovereign. The reply of Ambrose was couched in the most humble and respectful terms, which might, however, be inter.preted as a serious declaration of civil war. "His " life and (ortune were in the hands of the emu peror; bll.t. he would never betray the church· " of Christ, or degrade the dignity of the epi~ " scopa) character. In such a cause, he was " prepared to suffer whatever the malice of the. " demon could inflict; and he only wished to " die in the presence of his faithful flock, and· ec at the foot of the altar: he had not contribut- !~~. tious temper of the people of Milan. Digitized by Google 43 OF THE ROMAN EMPDm.' ed to excite, but it was in the power of God CRA P. '" alone to appease the rage of the people: he .~~~.I:.. '" deprecated the scenes of blood and cpnfusion, " which were likely to ensue; and it was his foe fervent prayer, that he might not 8unive to " behold the ruin of a flourishing city, and peru haps the desolation of all Italy.'" The obstinate bigotry of Justina would have endangered the empire of her son, if, in this contest with the church and people of Milan, lite could have depended on the active obedience of the troop. of the palace. A large body of Goths bad marched to occupy the Basilica, which was the object of the dispute: and it might be expected from the Arian principles, and barbarous manners, of these Coreign mercenaries, that they would not entertain any scruples in the execution of the most sanguinary orders. They were . enconnterpd, on the sacred threshold, by the archbishop, who, thimdering against them a sentence of excommunication, asked them, in the tone. of a father and a master, Whether it was to invade the house of God, that they bad implored the hospitable protection of the republic? The suspense. of the barbarians allowed some hours for a more effectual negotiation; and the empress was persuaded, by the advice of her wisest counsellors, to leave the c~tholics in possession of all the churches of Milan; and to dissemble, till a more cODvenient season, her If • Ret. had a aimilarmHIIIl&e Itom tile queen, to requelt that lie would appnae tbe tnmolt of Pui.. It was 00 longer ia bia power, eke. A q1l0i J"~ootai tout ce qoe nus pou.e. '001 ima,iner de relpect, de dooleur. de recret, et de 100miaaioD, Ike. (Memoirel, tom. i, p. 149). CertaiaI, I do not compare either the Hosea, or the men; yet the coacijutor iii_If had 10m. idea (p. 84) ef imitatiD, St. AmluOll. Digitized by Google 44 THE DECLDfE AND FALL ' intentions or revenge. The mother of Valenti_~~~~~~ nian could never forgive the triumph of. Ambrose; and the royal youth uttered a passionate exclamation, that his own servants were ready to betray him' into the hands of an insolent priest. The l-aws or the empire, some of which were inscribed with the name ofValentini an, still conA D.I86. demned the Arian heresy, and'seems to excuse the resistance of the catholics. By the influence ofJustin, an edict of toleration was promulgated in all the provinces which were subject to the court of-Milan; the free exercise of their religion was granted to those who professed the faith of Rimini; and the emperor declared, t.hat all persons who should infringe this sacred and salu~ tary constitution, !lhould be capitally punished, as the enemies of the public peace.t . The character and language of the archbishop of Milan may justify the sllspicion, that his c.onduct soon afforded a reasonable ground, or at least a specious pretence, to the Arian ministers, who watched the opportunity of surprising him in some act of disobedience to a law, which he strangely represents as a law of blood. and ty ranny. A sentence of easy· and honourable banishment was pronounced, which enjoined Ambrose to depart from Milan without delay; whilst it permitted him to choose the place of his exile, and the number of his companions. Bu~ the authority of the saints, who have preached and practised the maxims of passive loyalty, CHAP. I' • Sozomen alone (I. ,ii. c. 11) throwl thillummoDi (act into a dark aud perplexed narrative. ' Digllized by Google 01' THE ROMAN 4& EMPIRE~ appeared to Ambrose of less moment than the CHAP. extreme and pressing danger of the church. He .~~~~~'" boldly refused to obey; and his refusal was sup-' ported by the unanimous consent of his faithful people.- They guarded. by turns the person of their archbishop; the gates of the cathedral and, the episcopal palace were strongly secured; and· the imperial troops, who had formed the block- . ade, .were unwilling to risk the attack, of that· impregnable (ortress. The numerous poor, who' had been relieved by the liberality of Ambrose, embraced the (air occasion of signalizing their zeal and gr4titude; and as the patience of the· multitude might have been exhausted by the· length and uniformity o( nocturnal vigils, he . rudently introduced into the church of MHan the useful institution o( a loud and regular psalmody.' While he maintained this arduous' contest, he was instructed, by a dream, to open the earth in a place where the remains of two martyrl'l, Gervasius and Protasius," had been deposited above three hundred years. Immediately noder the pavement of the church two perfect skeletons were found, 'I with the heads separated from their bodies, ~nd a plentiful ef- . • Excubabat pia plebl iD ~ccleail mori parata cum epilCopo IUO ••• NOI adbuc frigidi excitabll!JlV tameD civitate attoDiti atque turbatt AUpIIID. CODfellioD.I. ix, c.1. " Tillemoot, Mem.Ecclel. tom. ii, p. 18, 408. MaDY churcbes ia Italy, Gaul, Icc. were dedicated to theae uDkDown martyn, of whom It. Ge"_ seeml to han beeD more fortunate tbao his companioD. ' 1 IMeDiaul mira magDitudiDis virol duo., ut prilca atat ferebat, to.. ii, epill. xxii, p. 876. The ala of theae .keletoDi wu fortuDate- . Iy, or *HfiIUy, auitecl to the popular prejadice of the paclual deca- . . . ' . " Digitized by Google 'THE D&CUNB AND PALL CHAP. fumon of blood. The holy relics were presentXXVII. 1 ' 0 fth e peo••_ • .,,;,. eel' , In IOJeJIm pomp, to te h veDeration pl~; aDd every circumatanee of thill fortunate discovery was admirably adapted. to promote the designs of Ambrose. The bones of the martyrs, their blood, their garments, were iapposed ' to contain a healing poWer; and then preternatural' influence was communicated to the most distant objects, without lOiliBg any part of. it~ original virtue. The extra-ordinary cure of a blind man,· ·and the reluctant confessions of several demoniacs, appeared to justify the faith and sanctity of Ambrose; and the truth of those miracles is attested by Amhrose himself, by his secretary Paulinu8, and by his proselyte, the celebrated Augustin, who, at that time, professe6 the art of rhetoric, in Milan. The reason of the present age may possibly approve the incredulity of Justina and her Arian court; who derided the theatrical reprelentations, which were exhibited by the contrivance, and at the expence, of the archbishop" Their effect, however, on the minds of the people was ra.pid and irresistible; and the feeble sovereign of Italy ()und himself unable to cOBtend with the favourite of of the human .tature; which hu preyaned in every age .iDce the time .rHomer. Gnmdiaqlle eft'oail mirabitar ona Icpalcbris. • Ambros. tom. ii, epilt. xxii, p. 875. Augu8tin. Conres. I. hr, c. 'I. Det emtat. Dei, 1. uii, c. So. Paulio. iD Vilt; St. Ambroe. c. 14, in Appead. Benedict. p. 4. The blind mao's Dame wu SeYerus j lie touched th. boly pnnent, reeonred bis lipt, and deYotett tile reM ., HIe (at lealt tweaty-five yean) to tbe IICnice ofthecharcli. Isb..t4f reeommeDd tIUI miracle to oar diviDeS, if it did Det proft tlte ....hif rella, u wei • tire Nieeae creed. a Paulin. in Vito St. Ambroe. c. r, in AppeDd. B_dieL p.l. .iI .r Digitized by Google _= OF THE IlOMAN BIIPI... , .• beaven. The powers likewise of the eartli in.: CRAP.' terposed ill the defence of Ambrose; the dieinterested advice of Theod08ius was the geauine result of pity a'nd friendship; and the mask of religious zeal concealed the hostile and ambitious designs of the tyrant of Gaul. • . The reign Qf Maximus might have ended iii Maximo peace and prosperity, could he have contented ~n"dea himself with the possession of three ample coUn- AI.a~'181. tries, which now constitute the three most Bou-. Au....t. rishing kingdoms of modern Europe. ,But the aspiring. usurper, whose sordid ambition ",u, not dignified by the love of glory 'and of arms, considered his adua\ forces as the instrumema. only of his future greatness, and his succe88 ft'aS the immediate cause of his destruction. The tvealth which he extorted from the opp~s.ed provinces of Gaul, Spain, and Britain, was em ployed in levying and maintaining a formidable. army of'barbarians, collected, for tbe IOOBt part, fl:om the. fiercest nations of Germany. Theco.. quest or Italy was the object of his hopes and preparations; and he secretly meditated the rWIl of an imlocent youth, whose go.vermnent was· abhorred and despised by his catholic subjects. • But as Maximus wished to occupy, withollf; resistance,' the palSes of the Alps, he received, with perfidiou~ .miles, Domninus of C • Tillemollt,. Mem. El'clel. tom. ~~ p. lilt, 750. He partiaUy aUo.. . the mediation ofTheodoliol; and capricionsly I't'jettll tbat of MaKiau, thougb it it attelled by Prolper, Sozomen, and Tbeodoret. • Tlae modat cena.re of SaJpiclua (Dialog. iii, 11) inflictl a mllc. _per 'woUDd than tbe feehle declmaatio.. of Pacatu, (xii, 215, Ill. .. Digitized by Google , 48 CHAP. XXVII. mE DECLINE AND "ALL Syria, the ambassador of Valentinian, and pret sed'him to accept the aid of a considerable body of troops for the service of a Pannonian war. ·The penetration of Ambrose had discoverea the snares of an enemy under the professions of friendship;1. but the Syrian Domninus was corrupted, or deceived, by the liberal favour of the court of Treves; and the council of Milan obstinately rejected the suspicion of danger, With a blind. confidence, which was the effect, not of courage, but of fear. The march of the auxiliaries waS guided by the ambassador; and they· were admitted, without distrust, into the foI'tresses of the Alps. But the crafty tyrant followed, with hasty and silent footsteps, in the rear; and, as he diligently intercepted all intel.· ligence of his motions, the gleam of armour,· and the dust excited by the troops of cavalry, first announced the hostile approach of a stranger to the gates of Milan. In this extremity, Justina and her son might accusethei'rown· imprudence, and the ;'perfidious arts of Maximus; but they wanted time, and force, and resolution, to stand against the Gauls and Germans, either in the field, or withi n the walls of a large and disaffected city. Flight was. their . only hope, Aquileia their only refuge; and as Maximus now displayed his genuine character, the brother of Gratian might expect thr AIDe (ate from the hands of the same assassin. ~"".u,. • Eat totior advenos hominem, pacia involucro te,eDtem, was lhe wise caution of Ambrose, (tom. ii, p. 891), after his return from lliI _Dd Imbaa),. Digitized by Google '49 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRP!. Maximus entered Milan in triumph; and if the CH,.\P. " arc hb'IS'h op re fiused a d ang-erous - au.d" XXVII. wise crlmi- _m~#. nal connection with the U$urp~r, 'he m'igbt indirectly contril:mte. to the suc~~s of his a~ms, by inculcating, from the pulpit, the duty -of resignation, rather than that oft:esistance.e ,The un.fortunate Justina' reached Aquileil,L in safety; but she distrusted the strength: of 'the fortifications; . ~he dreade" the. event' of, a siege; and she resolved to impJore ,the protection of the great.Theodosius, whose power and virtue were celebrated in all the countries of the West. i\. vessel was secretly provided to transport the imperial family; they embarked with precipitation In one of the obscure harbours of Venetia, • , Istria; traversed the whole, extent of the Hadriatic and Ionian seas; turned the extreme promontory of Peloponnesus; and, after a long, but successful, navigation, reposed themselves in the port ofThessaIonica. All the sub- Fligbt 01 jects of Valentinian deserted the cause .of a prince, who, by his abdication, had absolved them from the duty of allegiance; and if the little city of ~m'ona, on the verge of Italy, had 1I0t presumed to stop the career of his inglorious victory, Maximus .wouI~ have obtained, withouta struggle, the sole possession of the wester~, empire. , . , Instead of iIiviting his royal guests to the palace of Constantinople, Theodosius ha~ som~ l~n-' known reasons to fix their residence at Tbessa- ::1::: • • Baronins (A. D. 887, No~ 63)' applies to this seMon of ·ptiblK:< tli.. Ims lome of the peni,te~tial serHlons ~f the archbishop.; : -' VOL. V. E ' Digitized by Google '60 I' mE DECLINE AND JPA.LL ·CHAP. lonica; but these reasons did not proceed from • dar. d •XXVII. .",.".... contempt or In Ulerence, as he speedOl 1 y rna e a TheodOli· visit to that city, accompanied by the greatest :-~: part of his court and senate. After the first :;o\~ai::tender expressions of friendship and sympathy, tiDiaD, the pious emperor of the East gently admonish....0.181. ed Justina, that the guilt of heresy was sometimes punished in this world, 8S well as in the next; and tllat ,the public profession of the Ni'cene faith would be the most' efficacious step to promote the restoration ofher son, by the satisfaction which it must occasion both on earth and in heaven. The momentous question of peace or war was referred, by Theodosius, to the deliberation of his council; and the arguments which might be alledged on the side o. honour and justice, had acquired, since the death of 'Gratian, a considerahle degree of additional weight. The persecution of the imperial family, to which Theodosius himself had been indebted for his fortune, was now aggravated by recent and repeated inj~ries. Neither oaths ,nor treaties could restrain the boundless ambition of Maximlls; and the delay of vigorOilS and decisive measures, instead of prolonging the Messings of peace, would expose the ('astern (,U1pire to the danger of an hostile invasion. The harharians, who had passed the Danube, bad lately assumed the character of soldiers and subjects, but their native fiercEl' ness was yet untamed; and the operations of 1\ war, which would exercise their valour, and diminish their numbers, might tend to relieVf Digitized by Google 61 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRL the provirices fi'om an intolerable Oppression. CHAP. Notwithstanding these specious and solid rea- .~~~.. 80ns, which were approved by a majority of the council, Theodosius still hesitated, whether he should draw the sword in a contest, which could no longer admit any terms of reconcilia, tioB; and his magnanimous character was not disgraced by the apprehensions which he felt for the safety of his infant sons, ~nd the welfare of his -exhausted people. In this moment of anxious doubt, while the fate of tbe Roman world depended on the resolution of a single Dian, the charms of the princess GaUa most powerfully pleaded the cause _of her brother Valentinian! The heart of Theodosius was softened by the tears of beauty; his a1fec.tions were insensibly engaged ;by the graces of youth and iBnecence; the art of Justina managed and directed the impulse 'Of passiOn-;atJ:d 'the celebration of the royal nuptials was the assurance and signa:l of the civil war. The unfeeling critics, whd C01i8idel' ev~ry amorous weakness as an indeltble stain on the memory of a great and qrthooox -empero)" are inclined, on th,is occasion, to dispute the suspicious evidence of the historian Zosiinus. For my own part, I shall frankly confess,. that I am willing to find, or even to seek, in tlte revolutions of the world, some traces of the mlld and-tender sentiments of domestic life; and, TIle Biglat of Valentiniao, and the 101'e of Theodo.iOB for hillilter, rel.ted by ZOIimUll (I. i1', p. 263, 264). Tillemoot prodllces some weB .... IIDblguDos evidence to antedate the lecood marria,e eI T1aeodOliOB, (Hiat. des Empereon, tom. 1', p. 140), and cOUlleqaend, l.~ rerute·cei contes de Zoaime, qui aeroient .trc.p contrairea;\ 1a pie" f ~ 1e~. Digitized by Google 62 THE DECLINE AND PALL amidst the, crowd of fierce and ambitiolls ,on.- 'h WIt 'h pecuI'Jar com_...,~.. querors,. I can d"Istmguls, placency, a gentle hero, who may be suppos~d to receive his armour from the hands oflove. The allianCE! of the Persian king was secured by the faith of treaties; the martial barbarians were persuaded to follow the standard, or, to re~pect the frontiers,of an active and liberal monarch; and the dominions of Theodosius, from theEuphrates to the Hadriatic, resounded with the preparations of war both by land and sea. The skilful disposition of the forces of the East seemed to multiply their numbers, and di~tract ed the attention of Maximus. He had reason to fear, that a chosen body of troops, u~der the ~ommknd of the intrepid Arbogastes, would di-· reet their march along the banks of the Danube, and boldly penetrate through tlie Rhretian pJ'Oo vinces into the centre of Gaul. . A powerfullleet was equipped in the harbours of Greece ,and Epirus, with an apparent design, that as 'soon a passage had been opened by a ~aval victory, Valentinian, and his mother, should land in Italy, proceed, without delay, to Rome, -and ~ccupy the majestic seat oi- religion and empire. In the meanwhile, Theodosius himself advanced a,t the head of a brave and disciplined army, to enco~nter his unworthy rival, who, after the siege of ~mol1a, had fixed his camp in the neighboUl'hood of Sisda, a city of Pannonia, strongly fortified by the broad and rapid stream of the Save. The veterans, who still remembered the long resistance, and successivel'esources, ofthe tyrant Magnentius. might prepare themselves Cor the la~ CHAP. XXVII, as Digitized by Google 63 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. hours of three bloody campaigns. But the con- CHAP• ...... XXVII. u:;s t WI'th h'IS successor, W h0, l'k 1 e h'1m, 'h a d ''''''U'',. usurped the throne of the West, was easily de- Def'eat Cl-ded'III' t h e term 0 f two month s,' ' and WI'th'1D the aDdde.th of Maxispace of two hundred miles, . Tbe superior g~ ~,u::, 188. Dius, of the' emperOf' of the East miglit prevail JUPtAuover the feeble Maxionis; who; in this, important ..... crisis, shewed himself destitute ofniilitary skill,. personal conrage; but the' abilities of Theo-. dosius were secon~ed by the advantage which he possessed of a numerous and active cavalry. The Huns" Alani, and, after their example, the' Goths themselves, were formed into squadrons . of archers; who fought on horseback, and :confounded the steady valour of the GaiIls and Ger\Dans, by the 'rapid motions of a Tartar war. After the fatigue of a long march; in the heat of summer, they spurred their foaming'horses intothe waters of the Save, swam the river in the presence' of the enemy, and instantly charged and routed' the troops. who' guarded the high , ground ori the opposite side. Marcellinus, the tyrant's brother, advanced to support themwith the select cohorts, which were considered as:the. hope and strength of .the army. The action, which had been interrupted by the approach of night, was renewed in .the morning; and after a sharp conflict, the surviving remnant of the bravest soldiers of M;aximus threw down their arms at the feet of the conqueror. Without suspending.,his march, to receive the loyal acclamations:of the citizens of lEmona, Theodosiu8 or • See Godef'roy" Chronology of'the Law., Cod, Theodol, tom, i, p 119. Digitized by Google " 'l'BE DECLID AND PALll pressed forwards, to terminate the war by the ~~~:.. death or captivity of his rival, who Bed before him with the diligence of fear. FrOID the sum· mit Df the Julian Alps, he descended with such incredible speed into the plain of Italy, that he reached Aquileia on the eveaing of the first day; and Maximus, who found himself encompassed on all sides, had scarcely time to shut the gates of the city. But the gates could not long resist thee1fort of a victorious enemy; and the despair, the disaffection, the indi1ference of the soldier. and pe~ple, hastened the downfal of the wretched Maximus. He was dragged from hi. throne, Ndely &tripped of the imperial ornaments, the, 'robe, the diadem, and the purple slippers; and condudec.t, like a malel8.ctor, to the camp and presence of Tbeodosius, at a place about three miles from Aquileia. The behaviour of the emper-or was not intended to insult, and he shewed limne disposition to pity aud forgive, the tyrant or ,the West, who had nerw been his personal enemy, and was now become the object of his contempt. Our sym pathy is the most forcibly _cited by the misfortunes to which we are exposed; alld the spectacle of a proud eompetitor, now prostrate at his feet, could not fail of producing very serious and solemn thoughts in the mind of the victorious emperor. But the feeble emotion of involuntary pity was checked by his regard for public justice, aDd the memory of Gratian; and he abandoned the victim to the pious zeal of the soldiers, who drew him out of the imperial presence; and instantly separat~d his head from his body. The intelligence' of CHAP. Digitized by Google or THB ROMAN IDIP~ 66 hil clefeat and death was received with "sincere,. CHAP. orwell-dissembled, joy: his son Victor~ on whom .~~~.~~. he had conferred the title of Augustus, died by . the order, perhaps by the hand, of the bold Ar-· bogastes; and all the military pla.ns of Theodosiul were successfully.executed.. Wben he had thus terminated the civil war, with less difticq,lty and bloodshed than he might naturally expect, he employed the winter mouths of his r~· sidence at Milan, to Jle8tore the state of the • afilicted provinces; and early in the spring he made, after the example of Constantine· $WI. Constantiu8, his triump~al entry into the ancient capital of the Roman empire.1I The oratot, who may be silent without danger, Virtae. may praise without d~cul~y, an~ wifhout re- :~:.. lucta.nce t and postenty wIll confess, that the character ofTheodosiusl' might furnish the subject .0£' a sincere and ample panegyric. The wisdom of his laws, and the success o.fhis arms, " B~ds the lIinu which may be gathered from ehronielea and eec.eliutical history, ZoIimna, (I. iv, p. 1119-16'7), Oroaina, (L 'fil, c. 35), and Paeat!Ia (in Panel1r. Vet.ldi,I04'7), aapply the loose and leant, materiUI of thil civil war. Ambrose (tom. ii, epist. xl, p. 952, Vl3), darkly aIInds to the well-known events .f a mapaine surprised, an action .t Peto,io, a Sicilia.., perhapa a ,ictory, ~c. Anaouia. (p. 156, edit. Toll.) applauds the peculiar merit, and ,ood fortune, 01 AquiJela. J Quam promptum lall__ prineipeua, tam totam liJoiue de priaeipe, (Pacat. in PaneDr. Vet. ;Jii,2). LatinUJ Paea. Drepaniua, a native of Gaul, pronounced tbis cration at Rome, (A. D.888). He 11'81 afterwards procensql of Afrin; arullO frieDd A•• olli", praiaea him as a ,oct, III'conci 01111 to Vir~iL See Tillemopt, Hist. des Emperenrs, tom. '. p" 303. . . , II: See the fair port,rait of Theodoaias, lIy tilt yoanger Vietor.; the itrokes are distinct, and the ceJqurs we mixed. The praise of Pacat•• iI too va,ue; and ClaudiaD alway, leems afraid of exaltiDg tbe father lIIIove the IOD -,aI, Digitized by Google 56 I THEDKCLINE AND FAI.:L· ! rendered 'hIs administratM:)n' respectahle Inrthe' .~~~~~:. eyes 'b~th of his subjects, and of hiseneoiies: He, loved and practised.the'virtues of domestic-life, which seldom 'hold their residence in the palaces ofkings. Theodosius was chaste arid temperate; , he enjoyed, without excess, the sensual. and s~ . ci1i1 pleasures of the table; and :the'warmth ofhis amorous passions was never diverted' fram. their lawful objects. The proud, titles of.iInpe.. 'rilll greatness,wereadorned by .the tender names o'f ~faithful husband, anin<\ulgent father;· his. , unde was raised, by his afi'ectionateeste:elJ); to the Tank of a. secoudparent.:: Theodosius embraced, as his own, the' children 'of his' ~rother . and sister; and the expressions, of his regartl were extended to· the most distau.t 'and obscure . branches of his numerous kindred. His fami-" liar friends were judiciously selected from among, those persons, who, in the equal intel'coUJ'se of private life, had appeared before .bis eyes wit~ elit a mask: the consciousness of p~rsona' and superior ~erit enabled hilll to despise the accidental distinction of the purple; and he proved by his conduct, that he had forgotten all Q1e~~ juries, while he most gratefully remembered all the favours and services, which he had received before he aseen ded the throne of the Roman empire. The serious, or lively, tone of his con- . versation, was adapted to the age, the rank, or the character, of his subjects whom he admitted ilJto his society; and the affability of his manners displayed the image of his mind. Theodosins respected the simplicity of the g90d and . CHAP, Digitized by Google (Jp o 61 THE ROMAN EMPIRE. nrtuous; everY art, . everY talent, ol"an 'useful, CHAP: or even of an innocent, nature, was rewarded XXVII. by his' judicious Jiberality; and, except the he-- Unrm«. retics, . whom ·he persecuted with implacable hatred, the dHfusive circle of his benevolence was circumscribed only by' the limits of the human race. The government or a mighty empire may assuredly suffice to occupy the time, and the abilities, ofa mortal: yet the diligent prince, wi~ho~t aspiring to the unsuitable reputation of profound learning, always reserved some mOments of his leIsure' for the instructive amus&' ment of reading. History, whi('h enlarged his experience, was his favourite study. The annals of Rome, in the long period of eleven hunired years, pres~nted him with a various and splendid picture of human life; and it has "been p8rticul,a~ly observed, that whenever he perused the, clluel, acts of Cinna, of Marius, or of Syl la, he warmly express1:d his generous detestation of those enemies of humanity and freedom. His disinterested opinion of past events was usefully applied as the rule of his own actions; and Theodosius has deserved the singular commendation, that· his virtues always' seemed to expand with his fortune: the season of his pro~ perity was that 'Of his moderation; ,and his clemencyappeared the most conspicuous after the danger and success of the civil war. The Moorish guards of the tyrant had been massacred in the first heat of the victory; and a small number of the most obnoxious criminals suffered the punishment of the law,. But the emperor Digitized by Google 68 CHAP. XXVIL #0##""" .'JIlIB DEeUIIB MID FALL .hewed himself much more attentive to reliflre. . · the gm·1 ty. Th e. t he mnocent, t han to ch astise oppressed Bubjects of the West, who wottld have deemed themselves happy in the re~ora tion of their lands, we,re astonished to receive a sum of mOlley equivalent tQ their I08$es; and the liberality .of the conqueror suppqrted tbe aged lnother, and educated the orphan daughters.of Maximus} A character thus accomplished, might almost excuse the extravagant supposition of the orator Pacatu8; that, if the elder Brutus (lol,dd be penuitted to revisit the ecu'lb, the ste.-n republican would abjure, at the feet ofTheodosiuB, his hatred of kings; and ingenuously confess, that such a monarch was the .nost faithful gqardian of the happiness and. dignity.of the ROIJIatl people. Yet tbe piercing eye of the founder of the repqblic must have discerned two essential imperfections, which might, perhaps, have abated his recent love of despotism. The virtuous lUind of Theodosiris was often relaxed by indolence,· and it was sometimes inflamed by passion. In the pursuit of an important object, his active cou1Il F .. ulta of Theodo- .inl. 0 I AmbroL tom. ii. epiat. lll, p. 066. Pacataa, (rom.the want of ,kill, or of courage, omit. thisglorioQl ci~umataDce• .. Pacat. in Panegyr. Vet. llii, JO. • ZOlimUS, L h', p. 1'11, ID. HI. pirtill endeaee it marked by In elr of candollr alld tnlila. Ue oltsern. theae yicialitada of .Ioth and activity, not at a Yic" but at a ainplarity, in the character 01 "heotlosiul. o Tllis choleric temper i ••ckuowledgec!, ud e.«naed, by Victor. Sed habea (aaya Ambroae, in deernt and lIIauly langaagr, to hi. ao"ereign) natnne imprtum, qllflD Ii quia Ienire nlit, tito .-ertea ad misericordia.. : Ii qllia ali.uIea. ill magi, eUUlcltal, lit etUIl rnocare yill poais, (tom. ii, ('piat. Ii, p. 998). Theodosiua (Claud. in i". Cou.. Hoo.l66, &c.) ellliorta ,his Ion to moderate bis aBaca:. Dig,j,zed by Google 01' THE ROMAN DlPJU. • rage was capable of the moat vigorous exeriions 1 CHAP. 1 but as soon as the design was accomplished, or _~~~!: the danger was surmounted, the hero sunk into inglorious repose; and, forgetful that the ti~e of a prince is the property of his people, resigned, himse1f to the enjoyment of the innocent, but trilIing, pleasures of a luxurious court. The Datural disposition of Theodosius was hasty and choleric; and, in a station where none could re81st, and few would dissuade, tbe fatat consequence of his resentment, the humane monarch was justly alarmed by the consciousness of his iidirmity, and of his power. It was the coustant study olhis life to suppress, or regulate, the intemperate sallies of pa&$ion; and the success of his efforts enbanced the merit of his clemency. But the painful virtue whIch claims the merit of victory, is exposed to the danger of defeat; and the reign of a wise and merciful prince was polluted by an act of cruelty, which would stain the annals of Nero or Domitian. Within the space of three years, the inconsistent historian ' of Theodosius must relate the generous pardon of the citizens of Antioch, and the inhuman massacre of the people of Thessalonica. The lively impatience of the inhabitants of ~he leeK. . own 81-. tiOD bf . h. was never satis . Iied WI·th thelr A ntIo~ ADtiOC'h, tnation, 01' with the character, and conduct, of" ». 111. their successive sovereigns. TheAriansubjects ofTheodosius deplored the loss oftheir churches: and, as three rival bishops disputed the throne of Antioch, the sentencewhichdecided their pretensions excited the murmurs of th~ two unsuc- Digitized by Google 60 'THB DECmB AND p.tJL CHAP., cessful -congregations. The exigencies of the _~~~~~;Gothic-war, and the inevitable expence that accompanied the conclusion of the p~ace, had constrained the emperor to aggravate ~he weight of the public impositions; and the provinces of Asia, as they had not been involved in the distress, were the less inclined to contribute to the relief of Europe. The auspicious period now approached of the tenth year of his reign; a festival more grateful to the soldiers, who re-_ ceived a liberal donative, than to the liubjects, who'se voluntary offerings had been long since conver~ed into an extraordinary and oppres'sive burden. The edicts of taxation interrupted the, repose, and pleasures, of Antioch; and the tribunal of the magistrate was besieged by a suppliant crowd; who, in pathetic, but; at first, in respectful language, solicited theredress of their grievances. T~ey were gradually incensed by the pride of their haughty rulers, who treated their complaints as a criminal resistance; their satirical wit degenerated into sharp and angry illvectives; and, from the subordinate powers of government, the invectivel!! of the people insensibly rose to attack the sacred character Feb. 26. of the emperor himself. Their fury, proyoked by a feeble opposition,' discharged itself. on tbe images of the imperial -family, which were erected as objects of public veneration, ,in the most conspicuous places of the city. The statues ofTheodosius, of his father, of his wife Flaccllla, of .his two sons, Arcadius and Honorius, were Digitized by Google 61 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. insolently thrown down' from their pedestals, CHO\P. . h contempt ••XXVII. b rok-en . m. pIeces, or dragged WIt ,,_.... through the streets: and' the indignities which were offered to the representations of imperial majesty sufficiently declared the impious and treasonable wishes of the populace. The tumult was almost immediately' suppressed by the ar..i~ val of a hodyof archers; ,'andAntioch had leisure to reflect on the nature and consequences of her crime.p According to the duty of hi.s office, the governor of the province dispatched a faithful narrative of the whole transaction; while the trembling citizens intrusted the confession of their crime, and the assurance of their repentance, to'the zeal of Flavian their bishop, and to , the eloquence of the senator Hilarius, the friend, , and, most probably, tJ:te disciple, of Libanius ; whose'genius, on this melancholy occasion, was not useless to his country.q But the two capitals, Antioch and Constantinople, were separated by the distance of eight hundred miles; and, notwithstanding the diligence of the imperial, posts, the guilty city was severely punished by a long and dreadful. interval of suspense~ Every rumour agitated the hopes and fears of th~ Antiochians, and they heard with terror, that their 'Tbe Cbridians and pagani agreed in believing, tbat the sedition or,Antioch, wal excited by the demons. A gigantic woman (saya SozomeD, I. vii, c. 2S) paraded tbe streets with a IcolD'ge in her haDd. An old maD (says LibaDins, Orat. xii, p. S96) transformed billlllelfiDte a youtb, then a boy, &c. . , • Z08imus, in biB abort and dising.nDoDs account, I. Iv, p. 258, JIlt>, is certainly mistaken in lending Libaniul himaelC to CODltanliDople. Bit OW8 oratioDl fix him at Antioch. Digitized by Google TD DECLINE AND FALL sovereign, exasperated by the insult which had' 4'. d to h'IS own statues, and, more esOuere pecially, to those of his beloved wife, had resolved to level with the ground the offending city; and to massacre, without mstillction of age or sex, the criminal inhabitants;r many of whom were actually driven, by their apprehensions, to seek a refuge in the mOllntains of 8yJlarch 22. ria, and the adjacent desert. At length, twenty-four daYI after the seditiou, the general Hellebicus, and Cresarius, master of the offices, declared the will of the elnperor, and the sentence of Antioch. That proud capital was degraded from the rank of a city; aDd the metropolis of the East, stripped of its lands, its privileges, and its revenues, was subjected, under the humiliating denomination of a village, to the jurisdiction of Laodicea.. The baths, the -circus, and the theatres, were shut: and, th~t every source of plenty and pleasurernight at the same time be intercepted, the distribution of com was abolished, by the severe insbuctions -of Tbeodosius. His commissioners then, proceeded to inquire into the guilt of individuals; of those who had perpetrated, and of those who had not prevented, the destruetion of the sacred statues. The tribunal of Hellebicus and CmsaCHAP. XXVII.•• b~n _._ r Ltbanial (Orat. i, p. 6, edit. Venet.) declares, that, under lacla a relen, the fear of1aIllllllRre _ groaodtea and abeard, especially in the emperor'. abBeJlce; for his presence, according to the eloqnent .Iave, might have given a sanction to tbe most bloody actl. • Laodicea, en the lea-c:oast, lixty-fin milea from Antioch, (lee Noris, Epoch. Syro-Maced. DillerL iii, p • .210). The Autiochi_ were oWeaded, that the dependent city of Seleueia .bould preaume te iatercede~ for them. Digitized by Google OP THE ~OMAN DlPntl". 63 encompasse~ with armed soldiers, was CRAP. erected in the midst of the Forum. The no- .~!~ blest, and most wealthy, of the citizens of An-tioch, appeared before them in chains; th~ examination was assisted by the use of torture, and .their sentence was pronounced or suspended, according to the judgmellt of these extraordinary magistrates. The houses of the criminals were exposed to sale, their wives and children were suddenly reduced, from afBuence and lux"Q.ry, to the most abject distress; and a bloody execution was expeciPd to conclude the horrors' of a day,l which tbe preacher of Antioch, the eloquent Chrysostom, has represented SUI a li.vely image of,the last and 'universal judgment of the world. But the ministers ofTheodosius performed, with reluctance. the cruel task wbiohhad been assigned them; they dropped a gentle tear over the calamities of the people; ani they listened with reverence to the pressing solicitations of the monks and hermits, who descended in swarms from the mountains." Hellebicus and Cresarins were persuaded to suspend the execution of their- sentence; and it 'Was agreed, that tbe former· should remain at Antioch, while the latter returned, with all possible speed, to Constantinopll'; and presumed once more to consult the will of his sovereign. ..us, • A. the day. ofthe tumult depeud on the fIIIIUG6'datival of Euter.. they ran only be determined by' the previona deter~nation of the year. The year 181 blli been preferred, after a laborious inqlliry. by TiDelIIont, (Hiat. del Emp. tom. v, p. '141.'144,) and Montfaucon, (ChrJaoetom. :&iii, p. 106-110). . .• Chry,ostom Oppoae8 .heir courage, which wu not atteaded willa _eli rilk, to the cowudly 8iCbt of tile. C)'Dica. Digitized by Google fU CHAP. THE DKCLINE AND FALL . The resentment ofTheodosius had already su~ . ~~~~!:. sided; the deputies ofthe people. both the bishop and the orator. had .ohtained a favourable ,audid~~~o. ence; a~d the reproaches of the emperor,were the complaints of injured friendship, rather than the stern menaces of pride alldpower.' A free and general pardon was granted to the city and citizens of AntiQch; the prison-doors were thrown open; and senators, who despaired of their lives, recovered the possession of their houses and estates; and the capital 0 f the East was restored to the enjoyment of her ancient dignity and splendour. Theodosius condescended to praise the senate of Constantinople, who had generously interceded for their, distressed brethren: he rewarded the eloquenc... C!f Hilarius with the. government of Palestine; and dismissed the bishop of Antioch with the warmest e~pression8 of his respect and gratiApril Ii. tude. A thousand new sta~ues arose to the clemency of Theodosius; the applause of his subjects was ratified by the approbation of his own heart; and the emperor confessed, that, if the exercise, of: justice is, the most· importan~ duty, the indulgence of mercy is the most exquisit~ pleasure, of a sovereign." The sedition of ThessalOuica is ascribed to a more shamefu.l cause" and was productive of c.emency "''!'he sedition of- Antioch is represented in a lively, and almost dramatic, maimer, by two orators, who had their respectiYe shares of interest and merit. See Libanins (Orat. xiv, xv, p. 389-420, edit. Morel. Orat. i, p. 1-14, Vellet. 1154), and tbe twenty orations of St. John CbtysostolD, lIe Stnivi,. (tom, ii, p. 1·225, edit. M ontfau('on). r do not prett'nd to milch personal acquaintance with Chrys08tom 'j -bllt' Tillemont, (Hiat.' IWS Empt'reafS, toni. v, p. 263-283), and Ht'rmant, (Vie de St. Cln')sostom; tom. i, I" 131,224), had rfad him with pioul c:uriositl and dili CDce. Digitized by Google or THE ROMAN EMPIRE. M much more dreadful consequences: That great CRAP. city, the metropolis of all the Inyi-ian provinces, ,~~~,I,~'. had been protected from the dangers of the Go- Sedition thic war by strong fortifications~ 'and a nume-- ::;!emof' rous garrison. Botheric, the general of those ~:aIOo troops, and, as it should' seem, from his name, A. ';.1'10. a b~lrbarian, had among his' slaves' a beautiful boy, who excited the iinpure desires of one of tbe charioteers_ofihe Circus. "The,insolent and brutal lover was thrown into prison by the order of Botheric; and he sternlY. rejected the importunate clamours' of the multitude,' who. i)D tbe day of the public' games, lamented the absence of their favourite; and considered the skill of a charioteer as an object' of more im:. portance than his virtue. The resentmen't the people was embittered by' some previous disputes; and, as the strength of the garrison had been di'awn' away for the service of the Italian war, the feeble remnant, whose numbers were reduced by desertion, could not save' the unhappy general from their licentiou's fury. B6theric, and several of his principal officers, were inhumanly murdered: their mangled bodies were dragged about the streets..; 'and the eut:' peror, who then resided at Milan, was surprised by the intelligence of the audacious and wanton cruelty of the people of Thessalonica. The sentence of a dispassionate judge' would have inflicted a'severe punishment on the authors of the crime; and the merit of Both eric might con':' tribute to exasperate the grief and indignation of his master. The, fiery and choleric. tern per or VOL. V. " 6G CHAP. 'J:'HE DECUNE AND FALL of Theodosius was impatient of the dilatory I. l·· h ti·l re....XXVII. _ .._ .."Iorms 0 fa·JUd·lCi alDqulry; aud heasy ~lOlved, that the blood of his lieutenant should be expiated by the blood ·of the gtrilty people. Yet his.mind still Buctuated between the counsels of cJemency and of revenge; tile zeaJ mtlle bishops had almost ex~oried trom tbe relucta.t . em~or the pr-omise of a general pardon; his passion was again infiamed by the Hattering suggestions ofhis minister, RUMUS; and, after Theodosius had disp.atched ~be messengers of death~ be attempted, when it was too late, to prevent the execution of his orders. The punishment of a Roman city was blindly committed to the undistinguishing sword of the barbarians; and the hostile preparations were concerted with the dark and perfidious artifice. of an illegal conspiracy. Tbe people of Tbessalonica .were treacherously invited, in the name of tbeir sovereign, to tbe games of the Circus; and such was their insatiate avidity for those amusements, that every consideration of fear, or suspicion, was disregarded by the numerous spectators. As soon as the assembly was COlDplete, the soldiers, ~ho ~ad secretly been posted round th.e Circ~IlI' received the signal, not of the racea, but of a general massacre. The promiscuous carnage continued tbree hours, with· out discriminatio~ of strangers or natives, of age or sect, of innocence or· guilt; tbe mos* moderate accounts state the number ofth.e slail; at seven thousand; and it is affirmed by so~ writers, that mo~ than fifteen thousand vict~ Digitized by Google OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. . 61 were sacrificed to the manes of Botberic. A eHA P. foreign merchant, who had probably n~ concern ,~~ in his murder" offered his OWB life, and all his wealth; to. supply the place of one t>f his two sons; but, while the Jat,her hesita~d with equal tenderness, while he waS doubtful to choose,. and unwilling to condeinil~ the soldiers deterlnined his suspense" byplunging,tbeir daggers at, the same ,inomeut into, ·the breast&. :of ~ deimcelesliyontbs•. The apology ofthe.al$sassins, that ,they were .obliged to produce the prescribed number ofheads, serves pnly to increase, by an appearance of order a.nd design" ,the horrors of themas~acre, which. was executed by the commands of TheodosillS. The guilt of the emperor is aggravated by bis long and frequent residence at Thessalon.ca. l'he situation of the unfo~tunate city~ the ~8peC~ of the I.treets and buildings, tbe, dress ,and faces Qf the inhabitants,. wel'e familiar, and ev~n: .present, to his imaginatioll; and TheQdo.sius P'>s~c;!ssbd a quick and lively sense of the e~8~nce of tl~e people :w:hom he destroled.', , .. . .The respec~ul attachmeDt of. Uae eJllperor .for Inflnl'lIl'e tbeolfhocJox clergy, had d ispqsed hilA (:,o1C)ve an4 d:~tC=:f admire the .cb:allact.erof .A.1nbrose;, whQ ~nited Ambr~ all ihe ~piscopel virtues in. tlte.lQQst eminent de- A. D. , gree. : The friends and _~$ of TheodOliliu8 • :r I The· origiIIal "ideace of Aiabl'Glle (tolll,' ii, epiat. ,sl, p. 1IIJ8); A.-.tiD, (~Ci,ltat.; ~ei~ v,~U), aDd PaaJiDllI, (ia Vito Alllbrol. c. 1«), i. delivered iD va,uc. exprealioDs of horror aDd pity. It ia iII..tratetl by the 811bRquCDl aDd unequlII telti_Diet of Sozomen (I. yiL Co II); ~'heodoret, .(1. v, c. 11) ; TheophaDe. (Chronograph. p. 62); Cedreaal, (p. 31'7), aDd Zonaraa, (tom. ii, J. xiii, p. 34). Zoaimal.,.." the partial enemy or TJieodosiul, mOlt liD accountably p..ael over i. ailmce the went oflds actiOlll. " Digitized by Google fl8 THE DECLINE AND FALL ' imitated the example oftbelr sovereign; and he . tban d'ISP Ieasure, more surprise that all his secret counsels wereimmediately com~ numicated to the archbishop; who acted frOID the laudable persuasion, that every measure of civil government may have s~me connection with the glory of God, and the interest of the true religion. The inonks andvbpulaceofCallinicum, an obscure town on the frontier of Persia, excited by their own Mnaticism, and by that of their bishop, had tumultuously burnt a 'convell"ticle of the Valentinians, and a synagogue of tbe Jews: The seditious prelate was condemned, by the magistrate of the pj'ovince, either to rebuild the synagogue, or to repay the damage; and this moderate sentence was confirmed by the emperor. But it was not confinned by the archbishop of Milan.· He dictated an epistle ot celll~ure and reproach, more suitable, perhaps, if the em.: peror had .received the mark of 'circumcision, and renounced the faith of bis baptism. Ambrose considers the toleration of the Jewish, as the persecution of theCbristiall, religion; boldly declares, tllat he himself, and every true believer, would eagerly dispute with the bishop of Callinicum the merit, of the deed, and the crown martyrdom; and laments, ill'the most pathetic terms, that the execution of the sentence would be fatal to the fame and salvation ofTbeodosjus. As this private admonition did not produce ail . immediate effect, the archbishop, from his pul- CHAP. ' h _ XXVIL .......... 0 b sened ,Wit of • See the wbole tran,action in Ambrole, (tom. ii, epilt. xl, xli, p. GtO·91G). and hiI hiograpber Paaliaua, (e. IS). Ba,le uuI Bar• •o (\\loralel de l'lre., c. x,ii, p. 325, &r.) have justly COIldcmued lite arcbbisbop. Digitized by Google 69 OP TilE ROMAN EMPIRE. pit,a publicly addressed the emperor on. his CHAI'. 1:llrone;' nor wouldhecorifleIit to offer the obla-',!~:!..:, tion of the altar, :tillhe had obtained from Theo-' dosins a solemn arid positive declaration, which secured the impunity of the bishops and monks of Callinicum.· The recantation .of Theodosius .was sincere; C and, during the term of his residence at Milan, his affection for Ambrose was continually increased by'the habits of pious and' . familiar (.onversation. . ,.. When Ambrose was informed of the massacre Penance ofTh~s8alonica, his mind was filled. with horror :~~o. and anguish. He retired into the country to A. D. 1110, indulge his grief, and to avoid the presence of Theodosius. But as the archbishop was satisfied- that a timid 'silence would 'render him the accomplice of his guilt,· he represented, in a private letter, the enormity olthe crime; which cou,d only be effaced by the tears of penitence. The episcopal vigour of Ambrose was tempered by'prudence; and he contented himself with signifying' an indirect sort of, excommunicaa Hi. aermonis a Itranp alle,ory of JereDliah'. rod,otaa almondtree, of. the woman who washed aud auointed the feet of Chrlat. But tJae peroration is direct aud pr.rsonal .. Hodie, Episcope, de me' propOloilti. Ambrose modestly coa(eased: it: bot he lternly reprimauded T"uaWUI, .eneral of the bone ~ foot, who had presumed to lay, thaUhe monkl of CaUiaicam dele"ed punishment• • c, Yet, five yean afterward., when TbeodOliUl wu absent Iiom hill Ipiritqal gnide, h~ tolerated. the JewI, aud condemned the destructioG of their Iynagogue. Cod. Theodol. I. xyi. tit. yiii, Ir.g. 9, with Godefroy'. Commentary,tolDo yi, p. US. • Ambros. tom. ii, epist. Ii, p. 991.1001. His Epistle is a mlaer"le rhapsody 00 a Doble sobject. Ambrose could act better than he coulel write. Hii cOlnpo.itions are destitute of taste, or genius; without the spirit· of TertuUian, the copious rlegance of LactaDttll', the Iinly wit .f Jerom, orthe ,rIYe eDerey of ADenltin. Digitized by Google '0 THE DECLINE AND FALL tion, by 'as8ura~e, that he bad been wamed'iu XXVII. a VISIon, • • • th e name, -J... _,..,,,,.. ·110t to' 0 ffier the 0 bl'a tie on In in ·the presence Of, Tlieodosiu8; ana, by the ·ad.. vice, that he. would coiIfine himself. t& the '1I8b of prayer, .without' presnming to appfbach the altar ()fChli$t, o.r· to receive tie boly eucmmiit With tJiose hands that Were *till polluted· with the blood of an innocent peopl~.· The emperorWas deeply affected bY his own reproaches; and by those of his spiritual father; and. after· he had bewailea the mischievous and iri'epaiable consequences' of his rash fnry, heprocee~, in thea~customed manner, to perform his devotions in the great cllUrch of Milan. He was stopped in the porch by t1ie' archbishop; who, in the tolie' and language of an ambassador of Heaven, declared to his sovereign, that private contrition was not sufficient to atone for a public fault, or, to appease the justice 9f the oft"ended Deity. Theodosius humbly represented, that if he. had' contracted the guilt oCbomiCide, David, the man. after God's own heart, had heen guilty, not only of murder, but of adultery. "You have imitate, ed David in his crime, imitate then his repent..· " ance," was the reply of the undaunted Am, brose. . The rigorous conditions of peace ~nd pardot;l were accepted; and the public penance of the e~peror TheodO&i~~ bas been recorded as one of the most honourable events in the annals of the church. According to the mildest rules' of ecclrsiastical discipline, which were estab Iisned In the fourth century, the crime of homicide was expiated by the penitence of twenty 'CHAP. QI; Digitized by Google 71 OF THE ROMAN DlPI.£. 7ears;· and it was impossible, in the period of CHAP. human life, to purgetheaccumlllated guilt of the .~~l~ massacre of Thessatonical the murderer should have been excluded from tile holy cOIDlflunion till the hour of his death. But the a.rcbbishop, cOllsulting the maxims of religious potier,: graDted some indulgence to the rarik. of his iIIusUi.. ous penioont, who humbled in the dust the pride of the diadem;. and the public edi6cation:might he admitted as a weighty reason to abridge the duration of his puniShment. It was sufficient, that the emperor of the Romans, stripptd of the ensigns of royalty, should appear i~ a: mournful and suppliant postnre; and that, in the midst \lfthe clnu'ch of Milan, heshoold humbly solicit, "ith sighs and tears, the pardon ofbis sins.'· In this spiritual cure, Ambrose employed the vari. ous methods of mildness and severity. After a delay of a1)out eight months, Theodosius was restored to the communionofthefaithfol; and the edic"t, whichinterposes a salutaryilltervalofthir. iy days between the sentence and the execution, may be "accepted as the worthy fruits of his • AeeerdiD, to the diacipliD. of St. BuU, (Canon.IYi); the yol_ tary homicide waa /fIlAr yean a moumer; fief an hearer; MlltII in a prostrate Itate; and' /oar in a ltanding posture. I have the original (BeYeridp, Paaded. tom. ii, p. 47.151), aad a translation, (Chardon, Hist. des Sacremen.,·tom. iy, p. 1119-211), of the ea,oniL'tIi EpilUel of St, Basil. f 'I'he ,ena1lce- of TheodOaiuI illantllenticated by Ambrose, tom. vi, ' de- Obit. Tbeodos. e.· 8-1; p. 120'1; Augustin, de (Civitat. Dei, Y, lICl), and Paulinus, (in Vito Ambros. c.24). Socrates is ignol"ant; Sozomen (I. vii, c. 25) concise; and the copioaa narrative of 111eodoret (1. Y, Co 18) mult be uled with precautitll. Digitized by Google n THE DECLINE AND FALL repentance.- Posterity has applauded the vir. :::!!;.tuous firmness of the archbishop: and the exam:... pie of Theodosius may prove the beneficial influence of those principles, which could force a ,monarch, . exalted above the apptehension of human. punishment, to respect the laws, and ministers, of an invisible Judge. "The prince~" says Montesquieu, "who is actuated by the ~~ hopes and fears of religion, may be compared " to a lion, docile only.1o t,he voicE', and tract'.' able to the hand, .of his keeper."1a The motions of the royal animal will therefore depend on the inclination, and, interest, of the man who has acquired such dangerous authority over ~im; and the priest, who holds in his hand the conscience of a king,. may inflame, or moderate, his sanguinary passions.' The cause ot huma.mty, and that of persecution, have been asserted by the same Ambrose, with equal energy. aud with equal success. Ge I . After the defeat and death of the tyrant of of ;::.t)' Gaul, the Roman world was in the possession ~~~~'i880 of Theodosius. He derived from the choice 'of 1"1. Gratian his honourable title to the' provinces of the East: he ha~ acquired the West by the right of conquest; and the three years whicb he spent in .Italy, were usefully employed to restore the CHAI', • Code's. Tbeodo•• I. hi:, tit.xI,ltg.11. 'lbedatuodcirc1IIIIItaDCd of thil law are ptrplesed with ditlicuJdel; but J feel .yaelf mcli_ to' favoDr tbe hODnt eWort. of TillemoDt, (Hi.t. del Emp. tOlllo " po 721), aod PAli, (Critic., tom. i, p. 11'78).. .b UD priDce 'lui aime I~ ..relillioD, el 'lui la craint, at lID lioD C'6de a la maiD qui Ie flatu:, ou Ii 'a .ois 'lui "appme. Eipjrit dn Lobrt .ui 1. Klliv, c. 2. Digitized by Google . QP~THB ROMAN. EMPIRE. 7S authority ofthe.laws; and to correct the abuse., CRAP. which had prevail~d with impunity under the_~~ usurpation of Maximus. ,and the minority of VaJentinian., The name of Valentinian was regu· larly inserted in the public acts: butthe tender age, and doubtfnl faith, of the son of Justina, appeared torequh:etheprudentcareofanorthodox' gQ'ardian ; and his specious ambition might have excluded the unfortunate youth, witho~t a struggle,' and almost without a murmur, from the administration, and even' from the inheritance, of the empire. IfTheodosius had con'sulted the , rigid maxims of interest and policy, his conduct would have been justified by his friends; butthe generosity of his behaviour on this' meinorable occasion has extorted the applause of his most inveterate enemies. . He seated Valentinian on the throne of Milan; and, without stipJIlating any present or future advantages, restored him to the absolute dominion of all the province8 from whic!I he had been driven by the arms of Maximus. To the restitution of his ample patrimony,. Theodosius added the free and gener.ous gift of the countries beyond theAlps, which his su~ces8ful valour had recovered from the as Husin of Gratian.1 Satisfied with the, glory which ~e had acquired, by revenging the death of his benefactor, and deHvering the West (roOl the y.oke of tyranny, the eUlperor returned from *'" I TIlT' ""f WI",.":.' ......., lao!., IIMI, is the niggard pni.e of 200in1ll8 bim~l'lf, (I. iv, p. 267). AIl~stin 8ays, with some hapl,ineM fIf rxpres,ion, ValentiniaDum •• ; •••• miserirordissimt& nne ratione .... &iitnit., • Digitized by Google 74 TNB DEcLINE AND FALL CRAP. Milan to Constantinople; and, in the peaceful ..~..~~~:.. possession of the East, Jnsensibly relapsed into his former habits of luxury and indolence. Theodomus discharged his obligation to the brother, he indulged his conjugal tenderness to th~ sister, of Valentinian : and posterity, which admires the pure aad singular glory of his eleva-' tion, must applaud his unrivalled, generosity in the use of victory. Character The empress Justina did Dot long survive her ti~!~:eu. r~turn to Italy; and, though she beheld the triA. D. 301. nmpbol Theodosius, she was not allowed to influence the government of her Son.l' The pernicious attachment to the Arian sect, which Valentinian' had imbibed from lier ~ample and· instructions, were soon erased by the lessons of a mare orthodox education. His growing zeal for the faith of Nice, and his filial reverence for the character and authority of Ambrose, disposed the catholics to entertain the most favour-' able opinion of the virtues of the young emperor of the West.1 'They applauded his chastity and temperance, his contempt of pleasure, his ap-" plication to business, and his tender affection for his two siMteN;' which could not, however, seduce his impartial equity to pronounce an unjust sentence against the meanest of his fIlIlb-jects. But this amiable youth, before he had· accomplished the twentieth year of his age, was Sozomell, I. yii, c. U. Hi, chronology i, very irregular. See Ambrollt', (tom. ii, de Obit. ValeDlinian, c. IIi, &e. p. 1118; e. 36, &tc. p. 111!4). When the YOllnl emperor lave an entertainment, he falted Ilimself; 'he refused 10 lee an handaome actrl'l8, &te. Sinee he ordered his wild bealtl to be killed, it i. unieneroul in Philoa..... ,1_. (I. ai, c. 1) to reproach him with the lClve ofthal amU8elDent. I . Ie I Digitized by Google 76 OF THE ROMAN EJdPlltE'. oppressed by domestic treason; and the empire CHAP' . .lDVOIve d'm the h orrors 0 f XXVII ,vas agam a' CIVI'1 War. ,_" ....,;. Arhogastes,· a gallant soldier of the nation of the Franks, held the second rank in the service of Gratian. On the death of his master, he joined the standard of Theodosiu8; contributed, by his valour and military conduct, to the destruction of the tyrant; and was appointed, after tbeVlctory, master-general of the armies of Gaul. His real merit, and apparent fidelity, had gained the confidence both of the prince and people; his boundless liberality corrupted the allegiance of the troops; and, whilst he WILl' universally esteemed as the pillar of the 8ta~ the bold and craft.y barbarian was secretly determined, either to rule, or to ruin, the empire of the W~st. The important commands of the army were distributed among the Franks; the creatures of Arbogastes were promoted to all the honours and offices of the ciyil gOTemment; the progress of the conspiracy removed every. faithful servant {rom the presence of Valentinian; and the emperor, ,without power, and without intelligence, insensibly sunk into the, precarious and dependant condition of a. captiTe" The indignation which he expressed, though it might arise only {rom the rash and impatient temper of youth, may be candidly ascribed to the generous spirit of a prince,' who .. ZOlimll1 (I. iY, p. 275) praises tbe enemy of Theodoailll. But he ia deteated by SocrateA, (I. Y, c. 25), and Oroliul, (I. vii, c. 15). • Grqory of Tonn (I. ii, c. 9, p..1116, ill tlae ••concl Yolume of die Hi.torianl of Franct) baa preserved a curious fragment of Sulpici... Alexander, au Iaiatoriaa far mOl'e_vallaable thaD himlelf. Digitized by Google 76 THE DECLINE AND PALL . (eli that he was not unworthy to reign. He se,~~~~~.. cretly invited the archbishop of Milan to under. take tbe office of a mediator; as the pledge of his sincerity, and the guardian of his safety, He contrived to apprise the em peror of the East of his bel pless situation; and he declared, that, unless Theodosius could speedily march to his assistance, he must attempt to escape from the palace,or rather prison, of Vienna in Gaul, where he had imprudently fixed his residence in the midst of the hostile faction. But the hopes of relief were distant and doubtful; and, as every day furnished some newprovocatioo, tbe emperor, without strength. or counsel, too Mstily resolved to risk an immediate contest with his powerful general. He received Arbogastesonthethrone; and,asthe count approachedwith some appearance of respect, delivered to hima paper, 'whichdismissed him from all his employments. "My authority," repHed Arbogastes, with insulting coolness, "does not ~e '( pend 00 the' smile, or the frown, of a monarch;" and he contemptnously threw the paper on tht' ground. The indignant monarch snatched at the sword of one of the guards, which he struggled to draw from its scabbard; and it was' not without soine degree ofviolence tbathe was prevented from using the deadly weapon against . his enemy, or against himself. A few days after HI.death . , D 1'01. t b'IS extraord'mary quarrel, ' In W b'IC h he ha d ex11., 16, posed his resentment and his weakness, th~ UDfortunate Valentiuian was found strangled in his apa~~ent; and some pains were employed to CHAP, Digitized by Google 7' OF THe ROMAN EMPIRE. disguise the manife~t guilt of Arbogastes, and to CHAP. persuade the world that the death of the young .~~:~. emperor had been the voluntary effect of his· own· despair.· His body was conducte~ with. decent pomp to the sepukhre of Milan ; and the archbishop pronounced· a funeral' oration to commemol"ate.his virtue, and his misfortunes.', On this occasion the humanity of Ambrose tempted him to make a siugular breach in his theological system; and to comfort the weeping sisters of VaJentinian, by the firm assurance, that· their pious brother; though he had not received the 'sacrament o( baptism; was introduced, without difficulty, into the mansions of, eternal bliss.· .. " Theprudenceof.Arbogastes had prepared the. U.a~rti success ofliis ambitious designs: and theprovin- ::a~aR~u, cials, in whose breasts every sentiment of patrio- :g:.... tism or loyalty were extinguished, expected, with . tame resignation, the unknown master, whom the choice of a Frank might place on the imperial throne. But some remains of pride and prejudice still opposed the elevation of Arbogastes himself; and the judiCious barbarian' thought it • Godefroy (Diuertat. ad Philoltorg. p. ,42IMU) has diligently 1'01. leeted all tbe cireamstancel of tbe death of Valeatialaa IL The "ariationl, and the iporaDce, of coatemporar), writen, prove tbat it wallecret• • De Obitta ValeatiDiaa. tom. ii, p.llfl.ll00. He is forred to Ipeak ' a dilt'reet and oblcure laapIge: )'et be il mucb bolder thao aay la,lIIan, or perbapl, an)' other eccleaiutir, would bave dared to be. q Spe e. 51, p. 1188: e. 7'5, p.lltS. Don Chardon (Hilt.dea Saeremene, torn. i, p. 86), who 01l'nl that St. Ambroae most ItrcnnouII), lDalotllnl tbe illdilpelllablc Decenil), of baptism, laboarl to reroaeile the contradiction. Digitized by Google '18 THE DECLINE AND fALL ~:¢ri more advisable to reigIi under the nalDe of some __.." dependent Roman. He bestowed the purple on the rhetorician Eugenius;r whom be bad.. al.. ready raised from the place of his dom~ .secretary,to the rank of master of the offices. . In the. course both of his private- and public vice, the count -had always approved the attackment and abilities of Eugenins; his learning and eloquence, supported by the gravity 0(. his mau.. ners, Tecommenood him to -the esteem of the people; and tbe reluctance1 with whieh he seemed to asceBd. the throne, ma.y.inspire a fa-vourable prejudice of his virtue and moderation. The aml1assadors oftbe Dew emperor were imm~diately despatched to the court of Theodosius, to communicate, with' affected gNef, the unfortunate accident of the ooath of Valentinian; and, ,vithout mentioning the name of. Arbogastes, to request that the monarch of the East would embrace, as his lawful colleague,- the respectable citizen, who -had obtained the -nn8llimous suffrage of the -armies and provinces of the West. • Theodosius was justly provo.k.ed~ _that the perfidy of a barbarian should have destroyed, in a moment, the Jabour~, and the (mit, of his Cormer victory; and he was excited by the ser- r Quem sibi Germanus famolum delegt'rat exul, II the contemptuous expression of Claudia.., (iv ConI. Hon. 14). Ea- Ifllioa profeued Cbristianity; but his .ecret attachment to paganism . (So.oruen. I. vii, c. 6. Philostorg. I. xi, c. I) b probable in a gra_ m8rlllll, and wOlild IICCure tbe friendship of ZOIimus, (I. iY, p. lI'J'G, 171). • Z08imal (I. iv, p. 218) mentionl this embuay; but he ia diyert.e4 It, anotber ItOry tiom relating the eveata. Digitized by Google 79 011' 'l'H/& aoKAN EMPlar. tears of his beloved wife,t, to revenge the fate of OIlAP. her unhappy brother, and once more to assert ,~~ by arms the violated majesty of the throne. But as the second conquest of the West was a task of difficulty and danger, he dismissed, with splendid presents, and an ambiguous answer, the ambassadors of Eugeniu.; and almost two years were consumed in the preparations of the civil war. ' Before he formed any decisive reso- Theoclolution, the pious emperor Wall anxious to disco- ;~:Jr: ver the will of Heaven; and as the progress of war. Christianity had mleneed the oracle. of Delphi , and Dodona, he cons\1lted an Egyptian monk, who possessed, in the opinion of the age, the gift of miracles, and the knowledge of futurity. Eutropius, one of the favourite eunuchs of the palace of Constantinople, embarked for Alexandria, from whenee he sailed up thp Nile as far as the city of Lycopolis, or of Wolves, in the remote province of Thebais." In the neiglabourhood of that city. and on the summit of a lofty mountain, the holy John" had constructed -with his own bands, an ,humble cell, in .,.Jo.., • %"""'&f&!" ~ ..."." "..,........ ran..... i-.".... ...., tl.otur,..m. Zoaim. I. Iv, p. 217•. He afterwardl lay. (p. 280), th.t Galla died in ebildbed; and intimate!!, that the .miction oC her hnsband.u extreme, bnl ahort. • Lyeopolia II the modt'rn Siot, or O.iot, a town of Said, abolll the lise of It. Deny., which tlriv. a profitable trade with the kingdom of Sennaar, and hal a ve'l1 convenient fonntain, " cnjnl potn ligna vir"illitat" eripiuotDr." See d'Anvil"', Description de rEgyptt', ,po 181 ; Abalred., De.crlp. }Egvpt. p. 14, and the corlon. Annotation., p. 25, ft, of hia editor Michaella. • The life of John oC Lycopolia i. delcribt'tI by hia two friends, Rutiiau, (L il, c. i, p. «9), and Palladin_, CHiat. Lali,iac. c. '1, p. 718), i. ROIWJde"a Digitized by Google 80 TBR DECLINE' AND PALL' CUAP which he' had dwelt above fifty years, without XXVII.' • h'IS door, WIt . hout seemg . t be t1ace 0 f . a _._..... openmg woman, and without tasting any food that had been prepared by fire, or any human art. Five. days of the week he spent in prayer and medi·, tation; but on Saturday and Sundays he regu.; larly opened a small window, and gave audience to the crowd of suppliants, who successively· :Bowed from every part'of the Christian w.orld .• The eunuch of Theodosius approached the win-: dow with respectful steps, propo.ed his questions concerning the event of the civil war, and, soon returned with. a favourable oracle, which: animated the courage of the emperor by the'as-' surance ofa bloody, but infaJJihle victory.:r The· accomplishment of the prediction was forwarded by aU the means that human prudencecoul& supply. The industry of the two master-gene-' rals, Stilicho and Timasius, was directed to recruit the numbers, and to revive the discipline, of the Roman legions. The fonnidable troops ofbarbarians marched under the ensiglls of their national chieftains. The Iberian, the Arab, and the Goth, who gazed on each other with mutual astonishment, were inHsted in the service of the same prince; and the renowned Alaric ac-' quired, in the school of Theodosius, the' knowledge of the art of war, .which be after·. Ra.wyde" great ColleetioB of the Ville Patrum: TiDemoDt, '(U_' Etoelr•• tom x, p. 118, 720) bu BettiI'd the chroDoloe. , SOllomeD, I. ~ii, c. 22. ClaudiaB (iD Entrop. I. i, S12) mrnti_ the eunuch'. journey; but be moat eODtemptuoullly deride. tbe EIf!'tiaD drl.'alPI: aDd the oracl~ of the Nile. . • Digitized by Google I , I 81 0" THE ROMAN 2MPlR£. wards so fatally exerted for the destruction '01 ClIAP. Rome:' XXVII. The emperor ofthe West, or, 't6 speak more ..;:';~;: ... 'tes, was rns . tr uc t'd tory 0910' · generaIArbogas properIy, h18 e Eugenilla, by the miscond~c,t ~nd misfortune of ~axi~~s, 8;;',:'94. how dangerous It mIght prove to extend the hne of defence against a.- skilful antagonist, who wa's frep. to prefls, or to suspend, ' to contract, or to multiply, his various methods of attack.- Arbogastesfixed his station on the confinesofltaJy: the troops of Theodosius were permitted to occupy, without resistarice~ the provinces of Pannonia, as far as the foot of the Julian Alps; and even the passages of the mountains were negligently, or perhaps artfully, abandoned, to the bold invader. He descended from the hills, and beheld~ '\fith some astonishment, the formidable camp of the Gauls and Germans, that covered 'With arms and tents the open country, which extends to the walls of Aquileia, and the banks of • Zosimlls, I, iv, p. 280. Soeratel, Lvii, 10. Alarie himsell (de Bell. Getieo, li24) dwC'l1a with more eomplaeeney on his earlyexploitl agaiolt the RomaDlo ' • • • •• • Tot Augu,tul Hebro qui t ..lte wIllYj. " Yet bis vanity could leareely han proyed this plimdilr of ftyiDI emperon. I Claodian (in jv Cons. Honor. 17, .te.) contrails the military pi... . • • • • • Novilas audere priorem ' ' SlIadebat; eautllmqlle dabant exempla aeqllentem. Hie uova moilri pUllcrp.: hic qnllorere lulu, Providnl. Hie fUlia; collecti. viribul iIIe. Hie vagll' eXCtlFft'III; his intra c)aultl'a reduct... Dinilllilt"8; sed mOl'te pun. • • • • .' •r tbe two ulurpers.- VOL. V. G Digitized by Google 82 THE DECLINE AND FALL the Frigidus,~ or Cold River.e This narrow .'::'':!!:,theatre of the war, circumscribed by the Alps and the Hadriatic, did not allow much room for the operations of military skill; the spirit of Arbogastes would have disdained a pardon ;bis guilt extinguished the hope of a negotiation: and Theodosius was impatient to satisfy his glory and revenge, by the chastisement of the assassins oC Valentinian. Without weighing the natural and artificial obstacles that opposed his efforts, the emperor of the East immediately attacked the fortifications of his rivals, assigned the post oC honourable danger to the Goths, and cherished a secret wish, that the bloody conllict might diminish the pride and numbers of the conquerors. Ten thousand of those auxiliaries, and Bacurius, general of_.the Iberians, died bravely on the field ··of battle. But the victory was not purchased by their blood: the Gauls maintained their advantage; and the approach of night protected the disorderly flight, or retreat, of the troops uf Theodosiu8. The emperor retired to the adjacent hills; where he passed a disconsolate night, without sleep, without provisions, and without CHAP. ~ The FripduI, a amall, though memorablt', strt'am in the COIIJl..., of Goreta, DOW called th. Vipao, falls into the Sontinl, or Lison&o, above Aqoileia, ~ome miles from the Jladriatic. See d'Anville'. Ancient and Modem Mapa, and the ltalia Antiqua of Cluveriul, (tOIll. i, p.l88). C Claudian" wit is intolenble: the Inow waa dyed red; the eold nnr smaaked; and the ehannel most have been choued with CSI'! cuiel, if the curreDt had Dot been .welled with bleod. Digitized by Google OF 'i'IU: ItOMAN DlPIlUI!. hopes;' except that strong assurance, whicb, CHAP. under the most desperate c~rcumstances, the in.. _~~~ dependent mind may derive from the contempt offortune and onile. The triumph of Eugenius was eelebrated by the insolent and diS80late joy of his camp; wbilst tbe active and vigilant AI'bogastes secretly detached a considerable body of troops to occupy tbe passes olthe mountains, and to encompass the rear of the eastern anny. The dawn of day discovered to the eres of TheOdosi us the extent and the extremity of his danger ': but· his apprehensions were soon dispelled, by a friendly message from the leader'il of those troops, wbo expressed their inelination to desert the standard of the tyrant. The h0nourable and lucrati,e rewards, which they sti. pulated as the price of their perfidy, were grant,. ed without hesitation-; aad as ink and paper could not easily be procured, the emperor subscribed, on his own tablets, too f'atificatiGB 01 the treaty. The spirit of MS 80Idien was re. vived by this seasonahle reioforOOlMDC: aDA they again marched, with coofidence, to.. SUl"prise tbe camp of a tyrant, whose pm.eipal ofi. . Cers appeared to distrust, either the justice, or the success, of his arms. In the heat of. the battle, a violenf tempest,·· such as is often felt • Theodoret affirms, that St. J4bD, and St. PiaiUp, appeared to the wakia" or .ieepiDg, emperor, OD boraebacJl, ate. TIIiI ia the lint inataDceel apo.tone cbinlry, whlek at\erwards became 10 popular •• SpaiD, a,ad iD the eru.adea• . • Te propter, gelilil Aquilo de moDte procellis Obruit adnrsaa aeit'l; revoiuhlqae tela Vertit in auctores, t't turbint' nppulit Itastal. o .imium dileete ])eo, cui (ulldit ab anlri, .£0111' Digitized by Google U 'l'HE DECLINE AND PALL among. the Alps, suddenly arose from tlie eattt...~~~~:.. The army of Theodosius was sheltered by their position from the impetuosity of tbe wind"which. blew a cloud of dust in the faces of tbe enemy" disordered their ranks, Wrested their weapons. from their hands, and divei'ted,or repelled, tbeir inetl'ectual javelins. This accidental advantage' was skilfully improved; 'the violence of, the. storm was magnified· by, the superstitious ter-rors of the Gauls ; and they- yielded without' shame to the invisible powers of heaven; who' seemed to militate on the side of the pious emperor. His victory was decisive; 'and the dmths. of his two 'rivals were distinguished only by th~i difference of their charactel'l. The rhetorician Eugenius, who had almost 'acquired the domi~: nion of the world, was reduced to. implore the mercy of the conqueror; and the unrelenting soldierl separated his head frOID' his body, as he lay prostrate at the feet ofTheodosius. Arbogastes, after the loss of a battle, in which be, had discharged the duties of a soldier and a general, wandered several days among the mountainl. But when he was convinced. that his cause 'was desperate, and his escape impr.~cti cable, the intrepid ~arbarian -imitated the ex• -, CHAP. .IEolaa armatu byemH; cui'mUitat JEther, Et conjurati yeaiuut ad eluaiea YeDti. TbHe famoUl linea of ClaudiaD (iD iii CoDl. HODor. 9S, lie. A. •• 116) are alleged by hi. eODtemporariea, AugUltin and OrOliDl; Who: IUppreu Pllan deity of .lEolu.; and add lOme eireumataucH fro. the informatioD of e,..1ritn~. Withill....rmontba after the yietory, it wu compared by AIIIbrllle to the IlliraculoUi yic:torie. of JrIoau ... .he .lOIh.,. Digitized by Google 'OP THE ROMAN E l l P l B . L M ::aniple oftlie anCient Romans, and turriedhis CHAP. . hisown breast. Th'elate ~ XXVII._ 8W{)ld,agalDst 0 f t he _____ 'empire was.determined ,in a narrow comer 0( Italy; and the legitin:tate successor of the house -of Valentini an .embraced the archbishop of M~ .lan, ~nd graciously received the submission of the provinces of the West. Those provinces were involve~ in the guilt of rebellion; while ·the inBexib~e courage of Ambrose alone had re'.is~ed the claims ,of successful usurpation. With a manly freedom, which might have been 'latal to any other subject, the archbishop rejected'the gifts of EugeniuB, declined his correspondence, and withdrew himself from Milan, to' avoid the ,odious presence of a tyrant; whose downfal he predicted in discreet and ambiguous language. The merit of Ambrose was applauded by the conqueror, who secured the attachment of the people by hiB alliance with the church: and the clemency of Theodosius its ascribed to the humane intercession of the archbishop of Milan.' After the defeat of Eugenius, the merit, as DeatiJ t6 well as the authority, ofTheodosius, was cheer- ~eodOo • fully acknowledged by all the inhabitants of the A. ~• • • . Id The expenence . R omall wor. 0 fh'IS past con- JaB. 17. duct encouraged the most pleasing expectations ~( his fut~re reign; and the age of the emperor, which did not exceed fifty years, seemed to .. r The events of thi. ci,U war are lathered from Ambl"Olle, (tom. if, tpiat. hdi, p. 1m) j :fallliou, (io Vito Ambroa. e. 16-14); AIII1I'tbt, (de Ci,itat. Dei, " 10) j OMlliu, (I. vii, e.I6); Sozomeo (1. vii. e.14) ; Theodoret, (I. v, e. 14); Zoaimu, (L i., p. SSI·28!); Claudio, Cia iii Cona. Hoo. 61-106, io iv Co.... Boo•. 70.1rr), and the Chronicles 1'IIbliahed b! Sc:m~er. Digitized by Google 8tJ THE DECLINE AND ".LL : CHAP. eXtend the prospect of the public· felicity. His ~~death, only four months after bis victory, was cOllsideredby the people as an unforeseen and fatal event,. which destroyed, in a moment, the hopes of the rising generation. But the indulgence of ease and Iuxiny bad secretly nQurished the principles of disease.I The strength of Theodosius was unable to support the 8udden and violent transition from the palace to the camp; and the increasing symptoms ofa d·roPIIY announced the speedy dissolution oithe emperor. The opinion, and perhaps the interest, of tkepublic had oonfirmed the division oftheeast~ ern and western empires; and the two royal youths, ArcadiuB and Honorius, who had already obtained, from the teudernels of their fa. ther, the titJe of AUgo.StUB, were destined to fill the thrones of 'Constantinople and of Rome. Those princes were not permitted ro share the danger and glory of the cinl 'War~ but as soon as Theodosius had triumphed over his unworthy rivals, he called his younger 80n, Honorius, to enjoy the fruits of the victory, and to receive the sceptre of the West from the hands of his dying father. The arrival of Bonorius at MiJan was welcomed by a splendid exhibition of the games of the Circus; and the em. I Thi.· disease, ascribed by Socrates (I. 'Y, c. 26) to the fatigues of .ar,.ia re,reIHlDtC!4 by P~il08lor,ias, (I. Jd, c. 2)•• the etect of .1011& IIIId intemperance, for which Photia. call. him aD impudent Ii..., (Godefroy. Diaert. p. 438). b ZosimuB supposes, that the boy HOlIonOl aecompllllied hi. father. (I. i., p. 280). Yet the qUllllto t.,rabllllt pectora Yoto, ia all that t.tlery ",oufd allow to • contempOrary poet; who clearly deaeribca die emperor'. reAlaal, aDd thejfl;troey of HonoriOl, qfi" the victury,(ClAu • ."iolD i.u iii CORI. 18-126). . 87 OF ~ ROMAK DlPIB peror, tho1lgh he was .oppressed by the weight CHAP. XXVII. · d·lsorder, contri·bu ted b y hiS presence ,.,,_,... of hIS tG the public ~y. But the remains of his strength were exhausted by the painful effort, which he made, to assist at the spectacles of the' IIIOrning. Honorius supplied,' during the rest of the day, the place of his father; and the great Theodosius expired in the.ensuing night. Notwithstanding the recent animosities of a civil war, his death was universally lamented. The barbarians, whom he had vanquished, and the churchmen, by whom he had been subdued, celebrated, with loud and sincere applause, the qualities of the deceased emperor, which sppeared the most valuable in their eyes. The 'lomans were terrified by tlIe impending dangers of a feeble and divided administration; and every disgraceful moment of the ~nfortunate reigns of. Arcadius and Honorius revived the memory of their irreparable loss. In the faithful picture of the virtues of Thea- CorrlJpti. · h"" ~ ti" ons have no t been d"ISSem- OD of..the dOSIUS, IS JmpeneC time bled; the act of cruelty, and the habits of indolence, which tarnished the glory of one of the greatest of the Ruman princes. An historian, perpetually adverse to the fame of Theodosius, has exaggerated his vices, and their perniciou8 effects; he boldly asserts, that every rank of subjects imitated the effeminate manners of their sovereign; that every species of corruption polluted the course of public and private life; and that the f~ble restraints of order and decency were insufficient to resist the progress of that d~ Digitized by Google 88 TRB DECLINE AND PALL' CHAP. geilEjratespirit~ whichsacl'i6.cee, withouta.'bhull,· ~~~~~" the consideratioQ. of duty and interest to the:base indulgence of sloth an«l appetite. I T~e:com~. plaints of contemporary writers, who deplore: the inerease ofluxury, and depral'ation Qf man.. ners, are cominonly expressive of their p~Quliar : temper and situation. . There are few obserVers, , who possess a clear and comprehensive: view of . the revoluti&ns of soCiety; and who are capable of discovering the nice and secret springs of action, which impel, in the same uniform direction, the blind and capricious passions of a multitude of individuals. If it can be affirmed, with· any degree 9f truth, that the luxury of the Romans was more shainel~ss and dissolute in the reign . of Theodosius than in the age of Constantine, perhaps, or of Augustus, the alteration cannot be ascribed to any beneficial improveme)lts, which had gradually increased the stock of • national riches,., A long period of calamity or decay must have checked the inaustry, and diminished the wealth, of the people; and their profuse luxury mU6t have been the result of that indolent despair, which enjoys the present hour, and declines the thoughts of futurity. The uncertain condition of their property discouraged the subjects of Theodosius from engaging in those useful and laborious undertakings which require an immediate expence, and promise a slow~and distant advantage. The frequent e~ amples of ruin and desolation tempted them not, to spare the remains of a patrimony, whic.b I ZOlimue, I iY"Po au•. Digitized by Google 80 0'1 THE !lOMAN EMPIRE. might,.every hour, become the prey of the ra-CIli\1t. pacious Goth. And the mad prodigality which .~~,~~!:. prevails in the confusion of a shipwreck~ or a siege, may serve to explain the pt'ogress of luxury 'amidst the misfortunes and terrors of a sinking nation. The effeminate luxury, which infected the The I... manners of courts and cities~ had instilled a fanlry I.y aide their . . . h secret an d destructIve pOlson IOto t e camps of armoar. the legions: and their degeneracy- has been marked by the pen of a military· writer, who had accurately studied the genuine and ancient principles of Roman discipline. It is the just and important observation of Vegetius, that the infantry was invariably covered with defensive armour, from the foundation of the city, to the reign of the emperor Gratian. The relaxation' of discipline, and the disuse of exercise, rendered the soldiers leiS able,' and less willing, to support the fatigues of the service; they complained of the weight of the armour, which they seldom wore; and they successively obtained' the permission of laying aside both their cuirasses and their helmebl. The heavy weapons of their ancestors, the short sword, and the formidable pilurn, which had subdued the world, insensibly dropped from their feeble hands. AI the use of the shield is incompatible with that of the bow, they reluctantly marched into the field; condemned to suifer, either the pain of wounds, or the ignominy of Hight, and always disposed to prefer the more shameful alterna-. tive. The cavalry of the Goths, the Huns, and the Alani. had felt the benefits. and ado ted the Digitized by Google . 00' TH£ DECLINE AND PALL. ose of defensive armour; and,. as they ex.~~~~~;.. celJed in the management of missile weapons, they easily overwhelmed the naked and trero.· bling legions, whose heads and breasts were exposed, without defence, to the arrows of the barbarians. The loss of armies, the destmction of cities, and the dishonour of the Roman name, ine1fectually solicited the successors of Gratian to restore the helmets and cuirasses· of the infantry. Theenervated soldiers abanduned their own, and the public, defence; and their pusillanimous indolence may be considered as the immediate cause of the downfal of the , . empire.IE . CHAP. It Vegetinl, de :fte Milit!lri, I. i, e. 10. Tftseries or calamities, wilJcll he marb, compel oa to ltel,ie• .., tllat tile Ikro. to whom be dediaatel .it book, is tbe last &ad most insloriou of the ValelltiniaJII Digitized by Google 91 . OF TIlE ROMAN EMPIRE. CHAP. XXVIII. PifI(Jl de8truction of paganism-Introdw,clio. of 1M woriAip of sainls, and relic" among tk. Ckriltians. THE ruin of paganism, in the age of Theo- CHAP. . perb aps t heonI y example.r the to- ___ XX"JlL_ · d OllUS, IS tal extirpation of any ancient and popular super. The d!," • • ..I. th efo atractioD stition; all,", lD3.y, er re, deserve to be con- of the "'.. sidered, as a singular event in the history of the ~-;:.,relibuman mind. The christianll,more especially :N,.D. 1780 the clergy7 had impatiently supported the pru· dent delays of Constantine, and tbe equal tole. ration of the elder ValentiniaD; DOr c:oo.ld they deem their conquest perfect· or Ecure, as long as their adyersaries were permitted to e~i8t. The influence, which A.brose and his brethren had acquired over the youth of Gratian, and the pjety of Theodo.iuI, was employed ~ infuse the maxims of persecution into the breasts of their imperial proselyres. Two specious principles of religious jurisprudence were established, from whence they deduced a direct and rigorous conclusion, against the subjects of the empire. who still adhered to the ceremonies of their ancestors: t"at tbe magistrate is, in some measure, guilty of the crimes which he neglects to prohibit, or to punish; and 'kat the idolatrons worship of fabulous deities, and real demons, is the most abominable crime against Digitized by Google ,THE DECUNB AND FALL the supreme majesty of the Creator. The laws ~~!!:of Moses, and the examples of Jewish history: were hastily, perhaps erroneously, applied, by the clergy, to the mild and universal reign of Christianity.II The zeal of the ~mperors was excited to vindicate their own honour, and tflat of the Deity: and the temples of the Roman world were subvertf>d, about sixty years after the conversion of Constailtine. . State or From the age of N uma, to the reign of Grapapnism tian, the Romans preserved the regular 8UCCesat Rome. • '. ,Slon of the severaI coIleges of t he sacerdotaI order.c Fifteen PONTIFFS exercised their su-' preme jurisdiction over all things,.and persons, that were consecrated to the service of the gods; and the various' questions which perpetually arose in a loose and traditionary system, were submitted to the judgment of their holy tribunal. Fifteen grave and learned AUGURS obse"ed the face of the heavens, and prescribed the actions of heroe8~ according to the :flight of birds. Fifteen keepers of ibe SybiIline books CHAP. • , ~ St:Ambl'OR,(tom. ii, de Obit. Theoc)OI. p.1208)expreu1yprailft aud recomineud. the seal of JOilah in the destructioD of idolatry. The lanrua,e of Juliu Firmical Materna. OD the _ lubjft't (de Errore ProfaD. Reli,. p. 4fII, edit. Gronoy.)b,pioUlly inhlUllaQ. !tiie fillo jlibet.( the M••aic Law), parel, Dec fratri, et per amatam copjugtIB gladium vindlcem'ducit, &c. . ~ Bayle (tom. ii, p. 406, iD Ilia CemiDeDtalfe PhiIOlOplahl"e) jUltifiel, and Jimill, theae intolerant law. by the temporal reip of Jehovah OYfr tbe Jew.. The attempt i, laudable~ C See the outline, of the Roman hierarch, iD Cieero, (de LeJibu. iI, 'J, 8) j Livy, (i, 20); Diony.iu, HarlicarnUleuia, (I. ii, p. nO-ll111, edit. HudlOn); Beaufort, (Republique Romaine, tom. i, p. 1-80), and Ifoyle, (vol. I, p. 10-1111). The laat ia the work OhD Enlliab whig, u well u of a RoII\ID auti4luary. .. . Digitized by Google or THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 93 (their name of QUINDECEMVIRS w,as d~rived .cHAP.' :from their number) . occasionally consulted the:,~:~!!: history of future, and, as it should, seem, of contingent, events'. -Six VESTA.LS devoted their virginity to the guard of the sacred fire, and of tlie unknoWn pledges of 'the duration of Rome; which no mortal had been suffered to behold with impUnIty! Seven EpULOS prepared the' table of the guds, conducted the 801emn pr~ cession, and regulated the ceremonies of the annual festival. The three FLAIrIENS of Jupi., ter, of Mars, and of Quirinus, were considered as the peculiar ministers of the three most powerful deities, who watched over the fate of Rome and of the universe. The Kum.of the SACRIFICES represented the person of N UUla, and of his successors, in the religious func,:, tions, which could be performed only by royal hands. The confraternities of the SAl.IAN!, the LUPERCAL~, &c. practised such rites as might extort a smile of contempt from every reasonabJe man, with a lively confidence of rec~ mending themselves to the favour oftheimmor.. tal gods. The authority, which the RomaB priests had formerly obtained in the councils of the repuhl!c, was gradually abolished by the establishment of monarchy, and the removal o~. • These mYltic, and pMha,. imagiuary, lymboJa havegivell birth t. , '\'arioal fables and conjectares. It aeema probable, that the PalladillDl wu a IDUlllltatDe (three cubits and a halr high) or Miner.., with a lance and distaft" I that it was tiSDall, inclosed in a atria, or barrel; and that a aimitar barrel wu placed by its lide, to disconcert carioaity, or I8Crile,e. See Mezeriac, (Comment.anr lei Epitrea crO,ide, tom. i" 10-66), aJUJ 1..ipaiuI, (tom. iii, p. 610. de Veat', "c. c. 10). Digitized by Google TID DECLINE AND FALL the seat of empire. But the dignity of their ~!~ sacred character was still protected by the laws and manners of their country; and they still co. tinued, more especially the college ofpontUfs, to exercise in the capitaJ, and sometimes in the protinces, the rites of their ecclesiastical and civil jurisdiction. Their robes of purple, chariotS of state, and sumptuous entertainments, attracted the admiration of the people ~ and they received, from the COBsecrated lands, and the public revenue, an ample stipend, which liberally supported the splendour of the priesthood, and all the expences ofthe religious worship of the state. As the service of the altar was not incompatible with the command of armies, the Romans, after their cODsulships and triumphs, aspired to tbt place of ponti~ or of augur; the seats of CiceroaDd Pompey were filled, in the fourth century, by the most ilJustrious members of the senate; and the dignity of their birth reflected additional splendour 00 their sacerdotal character. The fifteen priests, who composed the college of pontiffs, eDjoyed a more distinguished rank as the companions of· their sovereign; and the Christian· emperors condescended to accept the rob.e and ensigns, whic::h were appropriated to the office of supreme pontiff. But when Gratian ascended the throne, more scrupulous, or more enlightened, CHAP. • Cicrro(rankly, (ad Atticum, I. ii, rpiat. Ii), or iDdirectly. (ad Familiar I. xv, rpiat. 4), confes.el, that the agtII'IIte ia tile mp~ .bject of hia wishes. Pliny i. proud to tread in the footstep. of ac••• (l. iv, epi.t. 8), and the chain of traditio. migbl be continueel f~ lliatory aDd marbles. Digitized by Google ~"TH& ~MAN EIIPlR& '" he-sternly rejected those profanesymbola;' ap- CHAP. plied to the service of the state, or of the church, .~~!!!: the revenues of the priests or vesta)s; abolished their·honoursaod immunities; aDP dissolved the aDcient fabric of Roman superstition, which was supported by tbe opinions, and habits, of eleven hundred years. Paganism was still the ~onsti.;. tutional religion of the sen~. The hall or temple, in which they assembled, was .adOl'Qed by the statue and altar of Victru.:y;1 a majestic female standjng .oa a globe, with Bowing garments, exp~llded wUags, and a crown of laurel iD her out-stretclaed .haIKLIt The senators were sworn on the altar of the goddess, to observe the laws of the emper.or aad of the empire; and a iOlemn oIiering of wioe and inceoee wa. the ordinary prelude of their public deliberatWu! The removal of tbis ancient monument WaR the only injury which CODItantius bad offered to. the ;superatitioD of the Romans. . The altar of Victory was again restored by J nlian, tolerated by Valentinian, and once more banished from the senate by the zeal of Gratian}' But the , Zosimns, I. h-, p. 2(9, 260. I haTe luppreaed the fooliab pOD about POIlti/',Z and Ma.mnu. • This Itatue was tran.ported from TareJltum to Romf', plated ia the CIIria Julia by Claar, and decorated by A1IJIlitui with the Ipoi... or'Egypt. II Pradf'ntiu. (I. ii. in initio) hal drawn a very awkward portrait of Victory; but the cnrionl reader wiD obtain more aatiafactiou from Montfaucon'. AutilJuities, (tom. i, p. 8(1). I lee Snetonlul, (ia August. c. 85), and the Exordium of Pliny'. Paaqyric. It These facta are mutually allowed by the two .,.ocala, S,.... ch. and Ambrose. I ~ Digitized by Google 16 'l'IIB D~nm AND PAUl, yet CRAP. ~mperor spared the statues of the gods which !~I!: were exposed to the ·pub"lic veneration; four hundred' and twenty-four temples, or chapelsf still remained flo 1Iatisfy the devotion of the peo. pIe; and in every quarter of Rome the delicacy of the Christians was offended by the fumes of idolatrous sacrifice.1 ' Petition But the Christians formed the least numerous ~:;o~e- party in the senate of Rome;tA and it was·only the altar by their ab.ence, that they could express their of Vic- . to..,. dissent from the legal, though profane, acts of a A.D. IN. pagan majority. In that assembly, the dying embers of freedom were, for a moment, revived and inflamed by the breath offanaticism. Four, respectable deputations were successively voted . to the imperial court,!' to represent thegrievauces' of the priesthood ;and the senate; and to solicit the restoration of the altar of Victory. The conduct of this important business was intrusted to the eloquent Symmachus,o a· wealthy and J The Notilill UrbU, more recent than Constantine, doe. not find OIIe Christian chnreh worthy to be nlUlJed among the edifices of the city. Ambroae (tom. ii, epiat. :nii, p. 825) deplores the public acudaJa of , Rome, which continnally ojfencied the eyes, the can, and tile Dostrill of the faithful. • A mbrOle repeatedly affirms, in contradiction to eommon lense, (Moyle'. Worb. yol. ii, p. 147), that the Cbristiana bad a majority ia the aenate. • The fi'rlll'(i... D. IS2) to G~tian, who refoaed them audience.. The _ 4 (A. D.I84) to Valentinian. when the,fidd wu dispnted 'y Symmacboa and Ambrose. The lAird (4 .. D. 188) to Theodolinl; and the /w.t11 (4. D. 192) to Valentinian. Lardner (Heatbea Testimonies. yolo iv. p. 372.199) fairly repreaentl the wbolf' tl::1I1ccaion. . • S,mmacboa, wbo wu inyeltPd wilb all tbe civil and sacentoU ....oun, repre••ted tbe emperor under the two characters of PMfli/Dt Ma.ri... · Digitized by Google 97 OPTHE ROMAN EMPIRE. noble 'senator, w~o united the sacred ch'a,racters XCHAP• '4' '11 t he ClVl "1 d'Ign~ties " o f pontIu and augur, Wit 0 f ,,,XVIU, ........_ pro,c~nsul ,of Africa,- and pr~fect~f the city. ~he br.east of Symmachus was ,animated. by" t~e wannest zeal forthecauseo{expiring'pagt\ntsw; aud his religious antagonists Iamebted the abuse ofhis;genius,. and the inefficacy of his. moralvir~ tue8~P, ' The orator, ,whose petition is'extant,to ~e ellip¢for Valentinian, wa$ c(m8Ci~ulf' of. th~ diBiculty and -danger ofthe office which he, had astJuJIie~. He cautiously avoids :every topj.c which might appear to reflect on t~el'eligion. of his soyereign; humbly, declares, that. orayed and entreaties are his' only arms; an'd artfUlly , d~ws,his argum~Dts from;the schools of rheto. ric, rather than'frqm those of philosophy. Synl+ ma~hils "endeavours to seduce the imagiilation . of a 'young prince, by displaying the attributeS of the. goddess, of Victory; be insiu;oates, that the ,confiscation of the rev,eliues, ,whi:ch, were consecrated to, the service of,.the g~ds, was a m~slU'e :unworthy of his liberal and disinterest.:. ed character; and, he. mailitains, that :the R~ man'sacrifices would 'be deprived! of their, force and; energy, jf they were no .longer' celebrated at the expeuce, as well as in ,the name~ of. the republic. Even ,scepticism ,is :made ,supply an ,apology for superstiti~n. . The great and.iRi to . , .JIaitau, aDd pn.up &ttaIu, See the prond inSCription at tbe btact ofhia work. ' , • AI if anY,on,e. say. Prudentiul (in Symmuh.i, 689). should dig in' the mnd 1!'ith an instrQment of ,old and Ivory, EveD salntl, and polelllic, iaiuts, treat tbis advenar), with relpect and C\,ility, , VOL. V. B Digitized by Google DB THE DECLINE AND PALL CRAP. ,'comprehensible secret of the universe eludes the XXVIO; • • ._ .._ .....lDqwry 0 f man. Where reason cannot'IDSt ruct, , custom may be permitted to guide; and evert nation seems to consult the dictates of pl'Udence, by a faithful attacbment to those rights, and opinions, which have received the sanction of -ages. If those ages ha'Ve been crowned with glory and prosperity, if the devo.t people have frequently obtained the blessings whieh they have solicited at the altaJos of the gods, it DlUst appear still more 'advisable: to persist in the 'Ialne· salutary practice; and not, to risk the 'WI!' known perils that may attend any rash inJl~ vations. The test of antiquity and suocen WU applied with singular advantage to the religilil of N uma; and ROME hersel( the celestial gao. nius that presided over the fates of the·citY,.is ibtroduced by the orator to plead her. own cau. before the tribunal of the emperors. "-Most ex· " cellent princes," says the venerable matron. " fathers of your country! pity and respect my " age, ,which has hitherto flowed in an uninter.. " rupted course of piety. Siilce I do Dot,repeDt, " permit me to continue in tht: practice of my " ancient rites. Since I am born free, allow me " to enjoy my domestic institutions. .This reli" gion has reduced the 'world under my laws. " These rites have repelled lJannibal from the '~city, and the Gauls from the capitol. Were I, mygray bairs -reserved for suchintolerabledi•. "grace? I am ignorant of the- Dew systelll; that " I amrequired toadopt; but I amwell assu~~ '" that the correction of old age is always . aD Digitized by Google OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. ' gg ungrateful and ignominious office. "'I The CHAP. fears of the people supplied what tlte discretion~~~ 'of the orator had suppressed; and the calamities, whibh afflicted, or threatened, the declining empire, were unanimously imputed, by the pagans, to the new religion of Christ and of Con:' $taIitine.' But the h~pes ofSymmachus were repeatedly Conyerbaffled by the firm and dexterous opposition of ~::.:f the' archbishop of Milan ; who fortified the em.' A. D. iss, perors against the fallacious eloquence 'of the: arc. ;idvocate of Rome. In this controversY', Am;"l brose con(lEiscends to speak the' language of a philosopher,' and to ask~ 'with some, ,c,(jnt~mpt, why it should be th'ought neCessary, to' intra..; duce an imaginarY'and'ftrvisih:l'e, pbWer;' as the' cause' of. tliose victories; '1vliich' vte'rti stiflicf~ntlt explainecfby 'tbe;va:tour!;mdf!di~ci~tine or the legions. 1He' j ustly dEiri;d~gi' absurd ~~ev~ fence lot' anti'qrlity;'tvHicb' conlCl ~'<>lilr: iendff) ~iscourage '~heimpro.vemeM's' olaTt; 'and to reipI unge the' human' rac'e in\(j' theft· original bar"lIarisDl~' From thel}Ce gradually risi~g to a ~ore lOfty and theological t6ne, be pronounces, that. Christianity alone is the doctrine bft~~h and salV'atioo; and that every mode of polytheism i:onduCts its 'deluded' votaries through the paths '.lie- -: .-;", -" "I. ·..·Iee ae· My-fourth epistle of the tentll book of Symmachul. In the form aQ,d di,pOlition of his t(,D books of epistles, he imitated the' )'01lJllel'P1illy; _hole ricb and' 6orid' style he was .apposed, by hie friend., too equal or' nee}, (1tlacrob. Satumal. I., y, c. I). But the lanrittdey' of '&,....achu C!onsist& of barren leaves, without fruia. and' eYt!n 'without flowers. Few filet8, and few sentiment., can tracted from his verbo.e correspondence. be,.. . ~2 Digitized by Google 100 THE DECLINE AND P~LL. ,9HAP. of error, to the abyss of e.ternal perdi~on.' Ar-.. ... XVIIT. ...... _ •••• guments I'k lethese, when t hey were suggested" by a favourite bishop, had power to prevent the. . restoration of the altar of Victory ; but the same arguments fell, with much more energy and ef': feet, from the mouth.of a conqueror; and the gods of antiquity were dragged in triumph at the chariot-wheels 'of Th~odosius" In.a full meeting 'of the senate, the em~ror proposed,· according to the forms of the republic, the im-. portant question, Whether the worship of Ju": piter, or that of Christ, should .be the religion of tbe Romans? The liberty" of suffrages, which he affected to allow, ~.as destroyed by the hopes and fears that his presence inspired; and the arbitrary exile ofSymmachus was a·recenta~o ni#on, that it might be dangerous to oppo~e ~he' wi~hes of the D)onarch. On a regular Clivision ofth~ senate, Jupiter was condemned and deg~adedby the sense of a very large m~jority;: and it i$ .rather surprising, that any members' should be found bold enough. to declare, by their r See Ambl'OH, (tom. ii, epist. xxvii, xviii, p. 825-831). 11te former of theae epistles il a Ihort cau tioe; the latter is. f(lnnal reply, to the petition or libel of Symmachns. The lame ideas are more copioual7 exprelsed in tIle poetl')', if it may delerve that name, of Prudential j wbo composed his two boob against Symmach••, (4. D. (04), while: that Ieaator was Itill alive. It is whimsical enough, that Montesquie. «'.onsiderations, ""c. c. xix, tom. iii, p. 4S1) Ihould overlook the two profelled antagonists of Symmachus; uad amuse himself with descaatlug on tile more remote and indirect eonfutations of Oroaiu, at. A.gUltin, and Salviaa. • See PI'udentiu8, in Symmaeh. I. i, 646, &teo) The Chria~u ....eeo' with the pagan ZosimuI, (I. iv, p. 283), in placing· this Vilit of T~. dOliul after the lleotHl eivil war, gemini bis victor cade ""rUllli,- (L ... 410). Bot tlae time aud circnmstances are better luitetl· to Ilia into triumph.' . - t Digitized by Google OP 'THE ROMAN EMPIRE. ] 0" speeches iuid votes, that they were still attached CHAP. -. the mteres . . t 0 f an abd'lcat ed d' XXVIU. to elty.t TlIe ."."" •• hasty·conversion of the senate must be attrib~ted, either to supernatural or to sordid motives; and-many of these reluctant proselytes 'betrayed, 'on every favourable occasion, tlleir secret disposition to throw aside the mask of _ odious dissimulation. But they were gradually fixed in the new religion, as the cause of the ancient became more hopeless; they yielded to the authority of the emperor, to the fasbion of the times, and to the entreaHes of their wives and children,a who were instigated and governed by th~ clergy' of Rome and the monks of the East. The edifying example of the Anician family was soon imitated by the rest of the no6ility: the Bassi, the Paullini, the Oracchi, embraced the Christian religion; and "the hhoi" naries of the world; the venerable assembly " of Catos, (such are ~he high-flown expressions " of Prudentius,) were impatient to strip them" selves of their pontifical garment; to cast the ., skin of the old serpent; to assume the snowy t Pradentius, after proving that the sense or the .eoate iI cleclared hy a lepl mlUority, proceed. to .aye, (600, "'c.) Adspice qnam pleno luh.ellia nOltra Senatta Decernant inrame Jovia pnlvinar, et omne Idolium longe. purgall at) nrbe fnpndom. Qna vocal egregii aenlenlia Principia, iliac Libera, cum pedibu, lam corde, frequentia traoait. ZoaimUI ascrib". to tbe con.cript lathen an heathenish connIe, whicla few of them are found to pOISe... • Jerom .pceltie. the pontill' Albinus, who was lurrounded with sucla . a .belleving family of children and lrandchildreu, as would haYe beea Iidlicient to conYert even Jupiter himself j an e:ltraordinary protelyte I (tom. i, ad Lelam, p. 5(). u3 Digitized by Google IO~ ~v~ri " robM.~f.hap,~$I,flal ~W1~JJI:(le ~ ,.". ~ ho~ pdde· of t~ .co~~ular fasq~ before tb~ 3:-_..,: "tbe ." tombs. of .-.be m;lrtyrs."·x l'~'ciQzen~, w~ subsjst~d by t~~ir Qwn in4.¥s.try~jand. th~ po,.. pulaceJ ~ho were suppoI1e.d by the p~blic liberality, fill~pthe ,chJlr.ch~1iI ,of tb~ La~ a~d Vatican, with ~n ~~s!3aIlt t.bf,0JJr of dey.out proselytes. ,The de,cr.e~s. of the senate, which proscribed the W9rship of idols, wer.e ratified j}y the gener~ ~:nse~~ ()f th,e. R.()man~:~ *he splendour of tbe capj~ol W"':~ 4efa~ed, and ~he solitary temples we,re abapdon~d., to and cont~mpt.. Rome submitted to the yoke of the gospel; .and theva,nqui~hed proviJ).ces had not yet lost their reverel)ce for the name and authority of Rome .. !?estMlc. . The filial piety of the emperor!;; themselves entlon orthe d h d .h . d templesin gage t em to procee , wit some caution an !~:!e~00 tenderness, in the refo~ation of the eternal city. A. D. 881, Tbose absolute monarchs acted with less regard Ire. . to the prejudices of the provi~cials .. The pious labour which had heen suspended near twenty years since the death of Constantius~· was vi- fw.. 1l:xultare Pat res videas, pulcherrima Mundi Lumina; Concilinmque sen6m ge.tire CatonDJIl. Candidiore togt& Diveum pietati, amictDm Sumere; et exuvias depoDere pontificales. 'J'he faDCY of Pmdentiu8 is warmed IlI1d elevated by victory. 1 Pmdentius, after he has described the convenioD of the aeaate .... people, asks, with lome trnth and i:oDfidenct', Et dnbitamus adhuc Romam, tibi, Christe, dicatam , . In leges trambse mas ? • Jerom exulta in the desolation of the capitol, aDd the other tempJe.:. Rome, (tom. i, p; 114; tom. ii, p. 95). • I,ibaniul (Orat. pro Templis, p. 10, Grenev. 1634, p1Iblisbed by "aDles Godefroy, and DOW extremely Bearce) accuse. ValeDtinian alld Valeill II , 0' Digitized by Google · or 'I'HB.ltOIlAN DJPmB. loa geroatily resumed, and finally accomplitlhed, by CHAP. the .zeal Jof Theodosiult. Whilst that warlike XXVIII. prillce yet. struggled, With the. Goths, not for the glo.,-, llutmr'tlaesaWy of the republic; he TeDtlried to offend a considerable party of hi8: suh·· jects, by some acts which might perhaps secure the protection of Heaven, but which must seem . rash and unseasonable in the eye of human, prudeace. ' The success of his first experimeats against the pagans, encouraged the pious ~ J'Or to. reiterate and enfgrce his edicts of proseription; the same laws which had been originall; pu blished in the provinces of the East, were applied', after the defeat of Maximus, to the whole extent of the Roman empire; and every victory of the orthodox Theodosius contributed lO the triumph, of the Christian and Catholic faith.' . He attacked superstition in her most vital part, by prohibiting the use of sacrifices, which he declared to be cnnliual as well as. infamous; and if the terms of his edicts LlGre strictly condemned the impious curiosity which examined' the entrails of the victims, every' subsequent explanation tended to· involve;' *-- C ValeDI 'Of prohibiting lacrificH. Some partial oreler maJ haYe IIeea iUaed by the ealten emperor; but the idea of aDY JeDerallaw iI COlItradicted by the sileDce ofthe Code, aDd the eYideDce ofrcclrliutica1 hiltory. . .. See hillawl,in the TheodOliutCode, I. :ul, tiL X, Ie,. 7·11. e Homer'1 IIIcrificea are' not accompaDied with aDJ iDqn\a'tioD tIi entrails, (aee Feithint, ADtiqoitat. Homer. I. i, c. 10, 16). The T ... cans, who produced the firat Bat:III}IUu, lubdued both tbe Greeb .... the Ro....., (Cieero'de Diyioatione, ii, 23). . H4 Digitized by Google , I 104 T·8E DltCLlNE AND PALL CHAP. in the same guilt, the general practice of ammo- XXVIII. , • . II constitute ' . 'd the· re . Ii_,_,_,al.OfI, w h'IC h essentla.y '. gion of the pagans. 'As the temples had been erected for the purpose of sacrifice, it was,the duty· of a benevolent prince to remove from his subjects the dangerous temptation, of offending against the laws which he had enacted. Aspecia} commission was grailted· to Cynegius,·· the pretorian prefect of the East, and afterwards to th.e counts Jovius and Gaudentius, two 'officers , of distinguished rank in the West; by which tb,ey were directed to shut the temples, to seize or destroy the instruments of idolatry, to abolish the privileges of the priests, and to confiscate the consecrated property for the benefit of the emperor, of the church, or of the army.· Here the desolation might have stopped: and the naked edifices, which were no longer employed'in the service of idolatry, might have been protected from the destructive rage. of fanaticism. Many of those temples were the most splendid and beautiful monuments of Grecian a:.:chitecture: and the emperor himself was inter~sted'not to deface splendour of bis own cities, or to diminish the value ofbis own possessions. Those stately edificesmightbe suffered to remain-as so many lasting trophies ofthe victory of Christ. In the decline of the arts, they might be usefully converted into magazines, manufac- the . • Zosimna, I. iv, p. ti5, 140. Tbeodoret, 1. v, 4:. 21, Idatiu in ebron. Prosper. Aqaitaa. 1. iii, c. 88, apad BaroDlllm, ADDaL Eccln. A. D. ,89, No. 51. LibaDiua (pro Templi., p. 10) laboan to pi'll'" that the lIommllJlda of Theodosius were Dot direct aDd po.ltiwe. Digitized by Google 106 0" THE ROMAN DPIllR. tbres,orplacesofpublic.assembly:'andperhaps, C.HAP. when the walls of the -temple had been suffi- .~.. ciently purified by holy rites, the worship of the trQe Diety might be allowed to expiate the ancientguiltofidolatry. But as long as they subsisted,' the pagans fondly cl\erished the secret hope; that an auspicious revolution, a second Julian, mlght- again restore the altars of the gods;' and the earnestness with which they addressed their ~navailing prayers to the throne: increased the zeal of the Christian reformers to extirpate, without mercy, the root of superstitioil. The laws of the emperors exhibit some symptoms of a milder disposition:' but their cold and languid- efforts were insufficient to stem the tor,rent 'of enthusiasm and rapine, which was conducted, or rather impelled,' by ,the .spiritual rulers of the churcb. In Gaul, the holy Martin, bishop of Tours,' marched, at the head of his faithful monks, to destroy the idols, the templea, and the consecrated trees of his extensive djocese; and,' in the execution of this arduous task, 'the prudent reader will judge whether Martin was supported by the aid of miraculous '2:. • Cod. TheodOlo I. xvi, tit. It, Ie,. 8, 18. There it room to beUen, that thia te~le (J/ Edeua, whicb Theodoaiu witbed to .ave for ciyU Usel, was lOon afterwUda a beap of ruins, (Libuiua pro Templil, p. 26, 11, and Godefroy~ DOt••, p. 69). , , f See thll carious oration of Libaniul TempU., pronouneed, or nitber composed, about tbe year 190. I bave coualtecJ, with adYaD' tage, Dr. Lardner'. nnion ad remarks, (Heatben Testimonies, vol. iv. p. 116.163). I • See tbe life of Martin, by Salpiciu Severa.. c. 9-14. Tile nint once mistook (as Don Quixote mi,bt bave done') aD ba........ funeral for aD idoiatrou ,raeeDion, and Impradently coaimitted -.. .mracle. ,IV Digitized by Google joG CHAP. powers. or of carnal weapons. In SyJlia, tile xx~n. divine and excellent Marcellus,1I as be is styled ..." ...."" by Theodoret, a bishop. animated with apbs&o-lie fervour, resolved to level with the grollDtl the stately temples within .the diocese· of Apamea. His attack was resisted, by the. skill and. solidity, with which the temple of Jupiter had Deen constructed. The building was seated QIII an eminence: on each oC the four sides, the lofty roof was supported by fifteen massy columns, sixteen feet in circumference; and the large stones, of which they were composed, were firmly cemented with lead and iron. The force ofthe strongest and sharpest tools had been tried' without effect. It was found necessary, to. UDdermine the foundations of the columns, whick fell down aSSODD as.thetemporary wODelen props had been consumed with fire;. a.d .the difti.coJ... ties .of the enterprise are. described und~r the. allegory of a black demon, who retarded, though' he could not defeat, the operations of.the Chn. tian engineers. Elated with victory, Marcell~ took the field ip person: against the powers of darkness; .a numerous troop, of soldiers and gladiators marched under the episcopal banner, and he succe~sivelY"attacked the villages and country temples of. the diocese of Apamea. Whenever any resistance or danger was apprehended, the champion of the faith" whose lameDess would no~ anow' him either to fight or fiy, • COlllpare Soaomea. (I. Yii, Co II) willa Tbeodoret (I••, ~ U). Bet.ee. tIIem, the1 relate the Cl'IIAde aDd "ealk of lIarceU.... Digitized by Google 101 OF' THBROIIAl( DlPJR&' plaCed himself at a.ettDv~ient dlstauQe,beyQud CHAP. tb.e.l'eacll .of. darts.. But t.his. prudence was the .~.~~~~~: occasion ofltis death: b.e was aurprised ~nd slain by a body ofexasperated rustics: and the synod «the province pronounced, without· hesitation, ih&t the holy Marcellus had lIacriliced his life in the cause of God. In the support oftbis caUIle, the. monks, . w.ho l"\\shed wit4 tu.ml1ltuoqs, fpry, .fr.Gm the· desert, distinguished themselves by .their zeal and diligence.. They. deserved t~ enmity :f)f the pagans; and some of thePl JIlight d"sene the reproaches of avarice ap.d intempe-. rance; of avarice,. which they gr.a.tifiqd with holy plunder, 'arid ofintemp~,.which they indulged attha elCpeMeDf.the people, :who.fooli~bly admired.. thei, tattered .g~p&$, .loud . psalmody" and artificial. palenesIII-' sme.ll Dumber of temples '.'as JprotQQtQd hy:the ~l'S, the venality, the! ta"te,.or th~ pJ''Qdtn~qf Qf the civil and e.ccle8iasti~1 ,gol't)l'nj)rl~ Th~ teJDple of the celelti~ VeQ;WJ at C.r.tb~e; .~40se 4tf.lcred precincts formed a. circumfel~u(:e of two mile~, was judiciously eODverie(\ " jJl~" a·. Chl'u.tiaJ) church;'" and a similar conllecration has preserved inviolate th~ majes~'9 d~me·.9f.the.PaQ theon of Rome! But in almost every fJro'l'iuee· :.4. I Libanin.; pre Templm, p. 10.11. Be NiJI at tbelle' blaC!k....rbml meD, tbe Cbristian mODks, wbo eat more tbaD elepba&Jta. Poor eleplumb I lief are temp ....te aniQUlla• .. Proeper "qultaD. J.. iii, c. 38, .pad BaroDillml Au",I. ~ol.R • .&. D. 189, No. 68, &c.The temple had been ahut time,and tile aceea to it was oyergrown with brambles. . I DoDatus, Roma Antiqua e.t Nova, I. Iv, c. IV, p. 468. This ceDIllo erationwas performed by Pope Boniface IV. I am igllorant of tb, fayourable circnmilanee. wbich had presel'Vl'd the PaatbeoD aboye two hnndred yean after the r~igD of Theodosiu •• eom. Digitized by Google 108 THE DECLINB AMD PALL of i:~:;i. the Roman world; an army of fanatics; witli..,.,___.. out authority, and without discipline, invaded the peaceful inhabitants; and the ruin of the fairest structures of antiquity still display. ,the ravages oftkose barbarians, who alone had time and inclination to execute such' laborious de.;truction .• In this wide and various prospect {)f devasta~e }em. tion, the spectator may distinguish the ruins of ~;i~ as:- the temple ofSerapis, at Alexandria.ID ' Serapis Alex... docs" not appear'to have ' beenone 0 f th e native . dria. gods, or mOIisters~ who sprung from the fruitful soil of superstitious Egypt.n ,The fitst of the Ptolemies had been 'commanded, by a dream; to import the mystenou9stranger from the coast of Pontus, where he had b~en long 'adored by the inhabitants of Sinope'; but his attributes and his reign WE're 'so Uriperfectly understood, that it became a subject of dispute, whether he rftpre-, sented the bright orb, of daYr 'or the gloomy monarch of. the subterraneous' regions.o 'The . Egyptians, who were :.obstinately devoted to the religion of'their 'fathers, refused to admit this foreign deity within the walls of their ",' .. Sopbronia, eompoaed a recent and separate history, (Jerom, in Seript. Eeclea toin. i, p. 103), wbieb Jiad famiiked' materiala to So- ' crate., (I. ,v, Co 16). Theodoret, (I. v, e. 22). and RufiIlUl, (I. ii, Co 22). Yet the la.t, wbo bad been at Alexandria before and after the event, may deserve tbl' credit of an origiual witneal. D General VOlliua (Opera, tom. v, p. SO, and de Idololatrio. I. i, e.' III) atrinl to lapport the atraDce notion of the fathers; tbat. tbe patriarcb Josepb was adored in Egypt, as the bull Apia, and the cod Serapia. , , • Origo del nondam DOStril celebrata. "cyptiomm antiatitea iii. memorant. "'c. Tlicit Hist. iv. 83. The Greeo, who bad travelle4 into Be)'p' were aliJI.e iporant of this Dew ddt" Digitized' by Goog Ie 109; OF Till R~KAH ':DI~IRE.. cities. p But t~e ob~qui~us prie8~, w:ho wet:e i:~'[ 8~~~ed ~y the ~iberality of the Ptolemies" sub- ~,..._.: mitted, "itlwutr~8istance, ~o the powerof the, ... , god. 'o( ~ontus: ~. honourable a~d domestic i genealogy ~,~provided; and ,thi~ ;fortuna~e us.urpet; was i~trod~c~d in~ th~ thro~e and bed , of,O~iris,q the husband.of ~~s, and the cele~tial monarch of ~gypt. Ale~andria, which cJ~imed ) his peculiar protection, gloried in the name of the: city of Se~pis. His temple, r which rivalled the ptide' and magnificence .of ~he capitol, was, er~ted on the spacious summit of an artificial mount, raised one hundred steps above the level of the adjacent parts of the city; and the illte~" rior cavity was strongly supported by arches,.and distributed into vaults and subterraneous apartments. The consecrated buildings were " s~rounded . by a quandrangular portico; the. stately hans~ and exquisite statues, displayed the triumph of the arts; and the treasures of ancient learning were preserved in the famous " Alexandrian library, which had arisen with new', splendour from its ashes." After t4,e edicts o( L • Macrobiol, Satorual. L i, c. 1. Soch a IiYing fact decwvel,. prove. his Coreign extraction• • At Rome, [.i. and Sera pis were united in the aame temple. 'III.: preeedenr.,., which tbe queen assomed, may seem to betray her ulle••aI ' aBiance with the Itr.lDger oC Poutus. But tbe supl'riorit,. oC the C.. _Ie leX was established in Egypt II a ciYil and religious inltitutio•• (Diodor. Sicul. tom. i, I. i, p. 31, edit. Weueling); and the same ordet' . \ i. observed in Plutarch'. Treatise of lsi. rlld Orim. whom be i~ti. fiea with Serapis. r Ammiallul (xxii, 16). Tbe Exposilio totiul Mundi (p. 8. in Hod.on', Geograph. Minor. tom. iii), aud Rufinul, (I. n. c. 22), celebrate the s.r.".... II onl' of tbe wondcrs of the world. • See Memoires de l'Acad. des Inlcription., tom. b:, p. 1970410. TIae Digitized by Google • J to' TID DECLlKB AlfD PALl: egA". Theodoiitis had se'f'erely prohibited th~ sacri... ~~~~ fices of pagans, ~ey .were ~till tolerated in the city and temple' of Seiapis; and tbis singular iD:dulgen~e 'was. 'imprudently aScribed to the su..: perstiti01i8 terrors of the Chri8'tiai18 thetil8~ve~;-' as if 'they had feared'10 abolish .'thOse a~ieritl rites, which. could'a:lone secnretbeb:iuI1d~fidn'S' of the Nile, jth~ harvests 6f~Egjpt, -and. t1itf$'ub-, j 8istenc~'of Cori~nti'nople."'.' • • 'At .;'\1 :" ".i., or tita,t· time, the 'archiepiscopal' throne, ::B~C- Alexandria -(vas ·filled by Theophilus,"·the per.;.' A. D. 389. pet'ual enemy df'pe~Ce atld virtue; a bold, ball' man, whose hands W'ere alternately polluted with' gold, and with . bl()od~ His· piel1s ·indigttation was excited by the honours.ofSerapis;and the' insults which he offered 'to an ancient 'chapel or Bacchus, convinced tlie,pagansthathemeditated' a more important and dangerous enterprise. lil the tUinultuous capital of Egypt, the sJightest provocation was suffiCient to inflame a civil war: Thevotaries of Serapis, whose strength and numbers·Were much inferior to those of their antago-nists, rose in arins at the instigation of the philo- III fiDaI II : The oW library of the PtoleDlies was tolal', consnmed iu Cleaar'a Ale:&-. aaclrilln war. Marc Antony g..e tbe wbole collectiNl of Pergamlll (109,000 volumes) to Cleopatra, 81 tbe foBDdation of th,ll. '!lID lill....., of Alexandria. .. t Libaniul (pro Templis, p. 21) indiscreetly provokei bit- Cbri.Iiia", Blute... by this inalllting remark. a We may choose between the date of MarcetllDus,'(A. D.389), or that of Prosper, (A, II. S9l). 'I'illemollt (Hial. des Emp. tom. v. p. S10, 766) prefen tbe former, and Pagi the latter. ' " Tnlemont, Mt'm. Ecell's. tom. xi, p. 441-600. Tbe ambiguous aitaalion of Tbeophilu., a saint, as tile friend of Jerom; a det:il, as tbe eneIIIJ ofCbrysoatom; produce a SOl't of impartiality : yet, upon the whole ••e baltmce-ia juslly incliueil against him • Digitized by Google 111 OP THE ROMAN EIfPIU. . sopher Olympius,' who exhorted them to die in CHAP. i the d~ence of the altars of the gods. The pa...XXVIII.' ___ gaD fanatics fortified themselves in the temple, or: ", .. rather fortress, of Serapis; repelled the,' besieger. . by daring sallie8~ and a :resolute:defence;- .and.; by -tlte- ~fthuirlall ~Cn1e1ti8st which. they ~reised . on tfleit;Chrlstian. ptW()I(en,'~ob.iaed·.1Ire~a..t, con801ation~of''8pair.: TJje-eWoris'of ihe prs~ dent magr8tnte.W'8re'l1Iefully exerted -fOT"the establishVD.wt1bta tnrc~,'tilJ;tbe ansWer 01. Tbeo-- : dosiu.s'; ahould 'd.rDrine the fate' of -Serapis. : The two: partieS assembled,: without al'm8, iD" the principah;quaite~. and the'lmpel'ial reacrip4 i was pllbliClY-,raad.!" 'But ,-When. a .ent~nce.of. destrootion;againstthe'idoll of Alexandria-was·; ))ronounced, ~Christjam':8et aI'P a shou* of~ ~'.and exultatiOD'; whilst: the' ·unfommate)·p.t;4 . gans, . ~ho.se far, had.. given way to ~c01iSter...,tion-,' 1etir~ ~th·. has~,' and, sileot Bteps~, :aDd· eluded; bY'tiair: flight :.)Ob8cnrity~ .tber~nt,.: ment of their-enemies~ 'Theophilu8 proceeded' to demolish·the temple: of Serapis, without any: other difficulties, than those wftic~ he found in. the weight and 'solidity of the materials; but the~e oJlstacles pro'fed 'so insuperable, that -he was oblige4 to leave the foundations; and to' content himself with reducing the edifice itaelf to a heap of-ritbbish; a part of which was soon afterwards cleared away to make room for a church erected in honour of the Christian mal'- the J Laruer (Heathen Te.timonie., vol_ iv, p. (11) hIlS alleged a IK..... dfttl p_ae.e from lIuidu, or rather from Damaseas, which shews the devout and VirtuOU8 Olympias, not in tbe li,l:t of a warrior. but of • propbt:J. . . Digitized by Google 112 TIlE D)£CLlNE .AND?.u.L CHAP. tyrs. The valuable library of Alexandria.Was ..~~~~~pil1~ed or. destroyed; and, near twentY. year. afterwards. the appearance ofth~.el,Dpty liihel~es. excited the regret and iudignatiQn.of ev.ery .sJY~-' tator, whose mind was .not to~lly darkened by religionsprejudice~' ,The COInpositi9DS of a~ci-' ent genius~ 80 many, which have jrretJ.iev:ahly. perished, 'might surely have been excepted frQm, the ·wreck of idolatry, fQr the amQ.~e~ent ~nd: instruction of succeeding ages;, and either the -zeal or the avarice of'the archbishop'- mightha.ve been satiated with the rich spoils, which were.' the'reward of his Victory. 'While the images and, vases of'gold and silver were carefully melted" and those' of a . less valuable :tiu~tal. were con-,. temptuously broken, and. cast ·into, the,stree~~ Theophilus laboured t-o expose' the f~auds-an4 . vices of the !ministers of -the. idols; .their :d~xte rityinthe managementof.t1].e loadstone,; their, secret methods of .introducing. an humilliactQrj ipto a hollow statue; and their scandalou~ abuse of the confidence of devout~husbands, and unsuspecting fem~les.· . Charges like these· .may. of • ·Nol vidimoa arma';a libromlP,. qui.boa. direptis, exinauita ea a, nOltris hominibul, nostris temporibul memorant. Or08iu8, I. vi, e. 15, p •. 421, edit. Havereamp.. Though. bigot"and a ,~ontroversiai writer, ' Oroliul leems to bloah. ~ EunapiuI, in the lives of Antoninnl!Uld lEdeiius, execrates. the sacrilegious rapine of Theopbilu5. Tillemont (Mem. Eccles. tom. siii, p. 453) quotes an "pistle of lsidOl'e ofPehlliium, wbieh reproaches the I.rimate witb tbe idulatroIU worabip of gold, the aurf..... fames. a Rufinn. names tbe priest of Saturn, who, in the character of the roa~ lamilia"'y eonnl'sed with man, piou. ladies of quality. till lie Digitized by Google . 11s OP THE ROMAN EMPIRE. seem'to deserve some degree of credit, as they CHAP.' are not repugnant ~o the crafty and interested .~.~!:. spirit ot superstition. But the same spirit is .equally prone to the base practice of insulting and calumniating a fallen enemy; and our bel~ef is naturally checked by the reflection, tha~ it is much less difficult to' invent a fictitiou~ story, than to support a practical fraud .. Th~ col~ssal statue of Serapis· was involved in tb~ ruin of his temple an.d religion. A grea~ n;Ulllr ber of plates of different metals, artificiallyjoiued together, composed the majestic ,figure of the dei~y, who touched on either side the walls of the sanctuary. The aspect of Serapis, his sitting posture, and the sceptre, which be bore in his left hand, were extremely similar to the ordinary representations of Jupiter~. He was distinguished from Jupiter by the basket, or bu~hel, .which was placed' on his head; and b.r the emblematic monster, which he held in bis right, hand; the bead and body of a serpent branching into three tails, which were again terminated by the triple heads of a dog, a lion, and a wolf. It was confidently affirmed, that if any impious hand should dare to violate the majesty (f)f th~·god, t,he heavens and the earth would inhe betrayed himself in a moment of transport, when hc could DOt disguise the tODe of his voice. Tbe autbt'utic and impartial narrative of lElc:biDCI, (lee Bayle, Dictionnaire Cl'itiqnl', SCAMAliIDRE), and -tbe adventure of Mundus, (Josej)b. Alltiquitat. Judaic. I. xviii, c. 3, p. 8'1:1, edit. Havercamp.) may' pl'ove tbat sucb amorous frauds have beeD practised witb slIccess. • Sec the images of Scral'is, in ]\fontfancon, (tom. Ii, p. 297): bat the descriptiOD of Macrobins (S:\!nrnal. I. i, c. 20) is mucb more piC.", \1Iresque and Bati,factory. VOL. V. I Digitized by Google 114 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP. stantly r~turn to -their original chaos. An illXXVIII. . d b Id ......... _ .._trepl'd soId'ler, ammate y zea, an armed with a weighty battle-axe, ascended the ladder; and even the Christian multitude expected, with . some anxiety, the event of the combat" He ..aimed a vigorous stroke against the cheek of :Serapis; the cheek fell to the ground; the thun'der was still silent, and both the heavens and 'tlie earth· continued to preserve their·accustomoed order and tranquillity. 'The victorious 80~ dierrepeatedhis blows: the huge idol was oyer'thrown, and broken in pieces; and-the limbs of Serapis 'were ignominiously dragged through the streets of Alexandria.·· His mangled carcase was burnt in the amphitheatre, amidst the shouts 6(the populace; and marty persons' attributed their conversion to this' 'discovery' of 'the impotence of their tutelar'deity. . The p0pulaI' ,m'odes 'of religion, that propose any visi'hIe anditJaterial objects of worship,. have the advailtage'of adapting, 'and familiarizing them'selves lothe-senses of mankind:' but this ad vant~ge'is c'Ounterbalahced by the various and inevitable accidents to which ·the faith :of the idolater is exposed. It is scarcely possible, that, in ~v.er1 disposition of mind, he should preserve - ' , Sed fortel tremuere IDIlDUa, montique verendl Majeatate loci, ai robora aacra ferirent In lua credebant redituraa membra aecllres. (LUCIlD. iii, 429). "Is it tme, (said Augustus to a veteran of Italy, " at wboae bouse be supped), tbat, tbe man, who gave tbe firat blow to , ." the golden atarue at Anaitia, was justantly deprived of bia eye.. aod .. of bis life r' .. 1 was tbat man, (replied the clear-sigbted .,eterao). " and you ROW SI1P on one of the legs of tbe loddt'ss." (PIiD••HiaI. Natur_ xxxiii, 24) • . Digitized by Google '11~ OF. THE ROMAN·DlPlIlE. Jtis implicit reverence for. the .idGJ8"or.the:.r~$, CIfAP• .which the qaked eye,. and the. profane hand •. ~e !':~~~: -unable. to distinguish .from the DlO$t. oommon .pr~ductiol1I0f art, or nature;. and.if, -ill the hour of danger, ,their.secret. and mir.~c:wous .virtue does not" operate for their own presenatiQn, he scoms the vain apologies ofbis priests, .and jattty derides the obj,ect, and the, folly, Qf his supel'stitious attachlpEmt.e Afterthe fall.of Se11Lpis, some hopes. were still.:enter,tained, by the ,agans, that the Nile, ,would ·refuse his anllual -supply to the jmpiousmasters of Egypt; and the extraordinary delay. of the inundation.seemed toaDoounce the,~ispleasureofthe rival-god. But this delay was .soon .compen:s~ted by the rapid Sowell Qfthe waters .. They suddenly rOBe to:.s,uch an unusual. height, as to comfort the discontented party with .the pleasing expec. 't&tion of a .deluge; till the peaceful river agai~ ."bsided tothe well-known and iertilizing level of sixteen cubits, or about thirty English feet.' "he.temples of tbeRoman·entpire were .de- Thepau:"'.' gaure 6• aened,ot, destroyed;· but· the ,mge1ll0ussu,per- 0!l it proatition of the pagans still attempted to elude the :b:.~9o, .Iaws ofTheodos~us,'by w:hich.alI sac~i1jce8 had •. Tile History..efthe.RefDrmatioD.aft'olda.freqlleDt exunplea of tile ladden change (rom luperstition to CQllleempt. , Bozomen, I. vii, c. 20. I bavc supplied thc measnre. The·....e ~tlDdard of the inundation, and conseqnently of the cubit, haa nDiform), InbliJtedsince the time of Herodotu. See Freret, in the Mem. de J'Academie des Inscriptio..., tom. xvi. p. 8••·858. Greaves'. MiseeUaneouI Workl, vol. i, p.283. Tbe Egyptian cubit is about twent,two incbes of the Encliab meaanre. Ii ~i9ltlzed by Google 116 Tim DECLINE AND PALL been severely prohibited. The inhabitants of the ..,.__" .. country, whose conduct was less exposed to the eye ofmalicious curiosity, disguised their religious, under the appearance of convivial, meetings. On the days of solemn festivals, they assembled in great numbers under the spreading shade of some consecrated trees; sheep and oxen were slaughtered and roasted; and this rural ~nter tainment was sanctified"by the use of incense, and by the hymns, which were sung in hOIiour of the gods. But it was alJedged, that, as no part of the animal was made a burntoffering, as no altar was provided to receive the blood, and as the previous Qblation of salt cakes, and the concluding ceremony of libations, were carefully omitted, these festal meetings did not involve the guests in tbe guilt, or penalty, of au illegal sacrifice.' Whatever might be the truth of the facts, or the merit of the distinCtion, h. these vain pretences were swept away by the la~tedict ofTheodosius; which inJicted a dea'd;ly wound on the superstition of the pagans.1This prohibitory law is expressed in " CHAP. XXVIII. & Libaniul (pro Templis, p. 15, 16, 17) pleads their call1le with gentle and inlinuating rhetoric. From 1he earliest age, Buchfeasta had enlivened the conntry; and those of Bacchus (Georgie. ii, 180) had produced the theatft! of Athens. See Godefroy, ad loc. Liban. and Codex Theodos. tom. v.i, p. 1M. b Honorius tolerated these rualic festivals, CA. D. 399). cc Abaqae .. nllo aacrificio, atqne ulll 8npentitione damnabili." But nine yean afterwards he found it nect'uary to reiterate and enforce the same provi~o, (Codex Theodos. I. xvi, tit. X, leg. 11,19). 1 Cod. Theodoa. 1. xvi, tit. X, l('g. It. Jortin (Rt'marks on Eccles. History, vol. iv, p. IlI4) censures, ",!th becoming asperity, the Ind 8t'utiments of this intolerant Jaw. It,.. Digitized by Google 117 'OF THE ROHAIi EMPIRE. the most absolute and comprehensive terms~ CHAIt. " It is our will and. pleasure," says the emperor, ~,~~~~. " thai none of our subjects, whether magistrates 4& or private citizens, however exalted or how" ever· humble may be their rank and condition, " shall presume, in any city, or in any place, to " worship an inanimate idol, by the sacrifice of 4& a g uil tless victim." The aCt of sacrificing, and the practice of divination by the entrails of the viCtim, are declared (without any regard to the object of the inquiry) a crime of high treason against the state; which can be expiated only by the· death of the guilty. The rites of pagan superstition, which might seem· less bloody and atr9cious, are abolished; as highly injurious to the truth and· honour of religion; luminaries, garlands, frankincense, and libations of wine, are specially enumerated and .condemned.; and the harmless claims of the domestic genius, of thehonsehold gods, are included ill this rigorous proscription. The use of any of these profane and illegal ceremonies, subjects the offender to the· forfeiture of the house, or estate, where they have- been performed; and if he has artfully chosen the property of another for the scene of his impiety, he is compelled to discharge, witbout delay, a heavy flue of twenty-five pounds of gold, or more than one thousand pounds sterling. A fine not less considerable, is imposed on the connivance of the secret enemies of religion, who shall neglect the duty of their respective stations, either to reveal or to punish, the guilt of idolatry. Such was the persecuting spirit of 13 Digitized by Google 118 THE DECLlNB AND FALb CHAP. the laws of Theo'OOsius, ,which were' repeatedly XXVIIL ' . and. g~ands"ons, . WI'tIi th e ~_ .... _,,, en tiorcedb' y h'IS' sons loud and unanihlOus applause' of· the Christian' worla. 1t " .ppnued, In the'cruel reigns of Decius'and Diodetian; Christianity had been proscribed, as a revolt' from the ancient and hereditary religion' of the empire; and the unjust sris'piciotirr which were entertained of- a dark' and- dangerouS faction, were, in ~ome measure, countenarlced by the inseparable union, and rapid cotiqu~ts, of ~e, catholic church. But the same excuses offear and ignorancecanno't be applied to theChristiali emperors; who violated tbeprecepts of humanity a!ld of the gospel. The experience of ages haefbetrayed the weaknels, as well as folly, of paganism; the light of reason alid of faith bad already exposed, to the greatest part of mankind, the vanity of idols; alld the declining sect, which still adhered to tlieir worship, might have been permitted to enjoy; in peace and obscurity, the religious customs' of their ancestors. Had the pagans been animated by the undaunted zeal, which possesSed the minds of the primitive believers, the triumph of the church must have been stained with blood; and the Inartyrs of Jupiter and Apollo wight have em. ~'i Such a chargeahould Dot be lightly made; but it mal' lurely be justified by the authority of St. Augustm, who tIlus addreaed the Donatists.-cc Quia Dostrtlm, quia ,estrllm DOD laud at leges ab imperao " toribu. data. adwersus sacrificia paganornm? Et certe longe ibi " pcena sewerior cODstituta est; ininl quippe impietatls capitale suppU.. cium est." Epist. xciii, No. 10, quoted by Le Clerc, (Bibliothejfue Cboi.ie, tom. viii, p. 277), who acids some JudicioUJ reftectiou OD the iDtolerance or the vic:tllrioUl ChristilUll. J • Digitized by Google 119 OF THB ROMAN EMPIRE. 'braced the glorious opportunity of devoting their CRA P. lives and fortunes at the foot of their altars. But XXVIII.' such obstinate zeal.was not congenial to,the loose ",,,,,,,, and careless temper of polytheism. The violent and repeated, strokes of the orthodox princes, were broken by the soft and yielding su:bstance against which they .were directed; and the read y obedience of the pagans protected, t.hem from the pains and penalties of the' Theodosian. cod~! Instead of asserting, that the authority of the gods .was superior to that of the emperor, they desisted, .with a plaintive murmur, from the use of those sacred rites .which their sovereign had condemned. H they .were sometimes tempted, by a sally of passion, or by the hopes of concealment, to indulge their favourite supersti.. tion; their humble repentance disarmed the severity of the Christian magistrate, and they seldom refused to atone for their rashness, by submitting, .with some secre~ reluctance, to the yoke of the gospel. The churches were tilled .with , the increasing mu~titude of these. un.worthy proselytes, .who had conformed, from temporal mOtives, to the reigning religion; and .whilst they devoutly imitated the postJlres, and recited the prayers, of the faithful, they satisfied their conscience by the silent and sincere invocation of the gods of antiquity." If the pagans .wanted I Oroaiu" L yii, c. 28, p. &31. Augustin (Enarrat. in Psalm cx) apud Larduer, Heathen T.ltimooiel, yol. iv, p. 4G8) insults their cowardice• .., Quia eorum comprehculus Cit in aacrificio (cum hia legibull ista pro. hibereutur) et non ne,aYit ?" .. Libanius (pro Templis, p. 11, 18) mentions, without censure. the oceuioDal couformity. aDd as it were theatrical.play. of tIIeH poarltel. Ia,- Digitized by Google l~ THe DECLINB AND FALL '~HAP. patience to suffer, they wanted spirit to resist; .~;~!!~and the scattered myriads, who deplored the ruin of the temples, yielded, without a contest, to the fortune of their adversaries. The disorderly opposition- of the peasants of Syria, and the populace of Alexandria, to the rage of plivate fanaticism, was silenced by the name and . authority of the emperor. The pagans of the West, without contributing to the elevation of Eugenius, disgraced, by their partial attachment, the cause and character of tbe usurper. The clergy vehemently exclaimed, that he aggravated the crime of rebellion by the guilt of apostacy; that, by his permission, the altar of Victory was again restored; and that the idQla~. trous symbols of Jupiter and Hercules were displayed in the field, against the invincible standard of the cross. But the vain hopes of the pagans were soon annihilated by the defeat of Eugenius.; and they were left exposed to the resentment of the conqueror, who ,laboured to deserve the favour of heaven by the extirpation of idolatry.o . and 6~aJ.. A nation of slaves is always prepared to ap~U~~~d: plaud the clemency ~f their master, who, in the ~.~:.,. abuse of absolute power, does not proceed to , . the last extremes of injustice and oppression. Theodosius migJ;It undoubtedly have proposed to his pagan subjects the alternative of baptism o • Libanhs conclude, biB apology, (p.12), by declaring to the e~ perllr, that nDless be expl"elsly warrants the destrDctilln of the templea. 'wB, ..,,' .."" 1I)'f"'t ~.,ft'I'~, all' ........'c. all, .." "1£'1' S...s.t.......c. the prlll,1ietora will defend theDlselves aDd tbe laws. D, Palllinll., in Vito Ambrol. c. 26. AupatiD de Civitat. Dei, I. v... IlL. l'heodoret, I. y~ e. 24, Digitized by Google ot TH2 ROMAN OPII1'£. 12t or of death; and the eloquent Libanius has CHAP. . d t he IDO d eratlOn . o·f a prmce, . XXVIlL praise vi I10 never ",,,,,'## enacted, by any positive Jaw, that all his subjects should immediately emhrace and practise the religion oftheir sovereign.p The profession of Christianity was not made an essential qualification for the enjoyment of the civil rights of society, nor were any peculiar hardships imp~ sed on the sectaries, who credulously received the fables of Ovid, and obstina.tely rejected the miracles of the gospel. The palace, the schools,. the army, and the senate,· were filled with declared and devout pagans; they obtained, without distinction, the civil and military honours of the empire. Theodosius distinguished his liberal regard for virtue and genius, by the con-·· sular dignity which he bestowed on Symmachus;q and by the personal friendship which he expressed to Libaniu8.;r and the two eloquent apologists of paganism were nf"ver required either to change, or to dissemble, their religious opinions. The pagans were indulged in the most licentious freedom of speech· and writing; • • LibaDlnl suggests the form of a penecntiDg edict, which Theo.o- . ,illl might enact, (pro Templia, p. 12)1: • ruh joke, and a dugerou experiment. Some princes would have taken hil advice. . .• Deniqne pro meritia terreltribua eqne repE'ndeua ~unera, sacricolil .DlDJDOI impertit houorea. . .'. . . . . . .. ."~ Ipse magiatratmn tibi conaulia, ipse tribnnal Contlllit. J Prudent. in Symmach. i, 617, ""c. r Libaains (pro Templis, p. 12) ia prond that Theodol~u. should th •• diltinguish a man, who even in his p r t _ would Iwear by Jllpiter. Yet this preae.nce seems to be DO more thm a ficurt: of rketorie. Digitized by Google 122' THE DEcLINE AND PALL CHAP. the historical and philosophical remains olEu • z' ....XXVlIT __......: naplUs, OSInlUS: an dh~ t e lanati'c teachers 0 r the school of Plato, betray the most furious animosity, and contain the sharpest invectives, against the sentiments and conduct of their victprious adverSaries. U these audacious libels were publicly known, we must applaud the good sense of the Christian princes, who view. ed, with a smile of contempt, the last struggles of superstition and despair.' But the imperial laws, which prohibited the sacrifice's and ~ere monies of paganism, were rigidly executed; and every hour contributed to d~stroy the infiuence of a religion, which was silpported by custom, rather than by argulDent., The devo. tion of the poet, or the philosopher, may be secretly nourished by prayer,meditation, and study; but the exercise of public worship appears to be the only sol~d foum~tion of the religioulJ sentiments of the people, which derive their force from imitation and habit. The intelTuption of that public exercise may consummate, in the period of a few years, the important work of a national revolution. The memory of theological opinions cannot long be preserved, without the artificial helps of priest~! of 4 • Zosimus, who styles bimself C9unt and El[·advocate of tile Treasury, reviles, with partial and iRd~ceni bigotry, the Cbristiaa princes, and nen tbe father of hi' sovereign. His work must have been prj· yately circulated, since it cseaved the invectives of the et'clesiasticai IIlstoriaos prior to Engriu., (I. iii, c. 40.42). who Jived' towards the end of the sixth century. t Yet the pagani of Africa complaiaed, that the time. would .... allow them to answer'with f'reedQIIl the citJ of God: Dor does St. A.. Butin (Y. lie) deny the_eba",e. Digitized by Google 123 OF THE·maN BllRID.. temples, and uf.books..• The igMlrant.vmgar, CHAP.. whose minds are still agitatedt bytlie blind hopes ~~: and' terrors' of Superstitiob~. will- be· SQon persuaded' by their sUperioBa. to· direcb their vows to the reigning deities of fAe age; and will insensibly imbibe arr ard~. zeal for the support and propagation of the new,doctrine, which spi ritual hunger at first compelled them to accept. The generation that aTose in' tlie world after the promulgation of the imperial laws, was attracted within the pale of the catholic church: ...and so rapid, yet so gentle, was tile fall af paganism, that only twenty-eightyears, after the death ofTheodosius, the faint and minute 'Yestiges were no longer visible to the eye of the Iegitdator! . The ruin.ofthe pagan religion is described by The "'ortlle sophists, as a dreadful and amazing prodigy Ihi~"fll•• . , dlrllUan which covered the earth with darkness, and re- warty.'•• stored the ancient 6aminion of chaos and of night. They relate, in solemn and pathetic strains, that the temples were converted into sepulchres; and that the holy places, which had been adorned by the statues of the gods, were basely polluted by the relics of Christian maytyrs. "The monks" (a race of filthy animaJs,. to whom Eunapius is tempted to refuse • Tile Moors of SpaiD, who secretly prese"ed the MahometaD rrli-glob, aboY' a reDfury, 1I.ltl!r tbe tyraWlY of the InquieitiOll. ponelled the Koraa, with the pecDliar uae oftbe Arabic toDgue. See the euriOUI aDd hODest story or their expulaioD in Geddes, (MiscellaDies, yol. i, p.1-198). S PapDOI qui .IUptOUD!, quaDqDam jam DIIIIOI tue credamuI, .tc. Cod. Theodol. I. XYi, tit. x, leg. 12, £. D. 428. The YOUDler Tlleo. doaiua was afterwards aatia6ed, that hisjudcmeot had been lomewhat prematlM'e: Digitized by Google ] 24 TID DECLINZ AND PALL CHAP. the name 01 men) " are the authors of the new XXVIII, " wors h'IP, wh'IC h , In . the pace I .,.._.... 0 f th ose. d el't'les, " who are conceived by the understanding~ has " substituted the meanest and most contemp" tible slaves. The heads. salted a"nd pickled, " of those infamous malefactors, who, for the " inultitude of tbeir crimes, have suffered a just "and ignominious death; their bodies, still " marked by the impression of the lash, and " the scars of those· tortures which were inflict" ed by the sentence of the magistrate; such" (continues Eunapius) "are the gods which the " earth produces in our days; such are the "martyrs, the supreme arbitrators of our pray" ers and petitions to the Deity, whose tombs " are now consecrated as the objects of the ve" neratioll of the people,""' Without approving the malice, it is natural enough to share the sur- prise, of the sophist, the spectator of a revolution, which raised those obscure victims of the laws of Rome, to the rank of celestial and invi, sible protectors of the Roman empire. The grateful respect of the Christians for the martyrs of the faith, was exalted, by time and victory, into religious adoration; and the most illustrious of the saints and prophets, were deservedly associated'to the honours of the martyrs. One hundred and fifty years after the _~orious deaths of St. Peter and St. Paul, the Vatican and the Ostian road were distinguished by the tombs, or rath~r by the trophies, of those r See Eun.pius,_ in bis life of tbe sophist lEcIesiu8; iu that of Ea.ta· thins be foretell tlie ruill of papniam, ....., ",ue..aa" "" .Id" ..unc .'""""'1'11 .,& .'r! ,.~, aaAAIf&, Digitized by Google 'lib 0., THE ROHAN DlPIRL .pirittlal heroes.- In the age which followed the CHAP.' conversion ofConstantine, the emperors, the con- ~~!!!: suls, and the generals of armies, devoutly visited the sepulchres of a tent-maker and a fisherman;· and their venerable bones were deposited under the altars of Christ, on which the bishops of the royal city continuallyofTered theunbloody sacrifice.' The new capital of the eastern world, unable to produce any ancient and domestic trophies, was enriched by the spoils of dependant provinces. The bodies of St. Andrew, St. Luke, and St. Timothy, had reposed, near three hundred years, in the obscure graves, from whence they were transported, in solemn pomp, to tht:. church of the apostles, which the magnificence of Constantine had founded on the banks of the Thracian Bosphorus.e About fifty years afterwards, the same banks were honoured by, the presence, of Samuel, the judge and prophet of • Calus, (apud EuJeb. Hist. Keela. l~ ii, e. 16), a Roman pre.byter, who lived iu the time of Zpphyriuus, (4. D. 202.219), il an early witDesi of thii superstitious practlce. • CbrYIO.tom. QnodChriatua sit Deus. ,Tom. I, noy. edit. No.9. I am indebted for thia quotation to Benedict the XIVth'a pasl;/lral letter on the jnbilee of the year 1150. See tbe curious and entertaining let. tersG'M. Chais, ·tom. iii. It Male facit ergo Romanul episcopus? qui, a.per mortuorom Ilomi110m, '})ctJ'j and Pauli, aecundum nos, ossa Yeneranda • • • • • • • oft"ert Domino sacrificia, et tumulos porum, Chri.ti arbitratur altaria• .1erom. tom. ii, adver•• Vigilant. p. lIlS. C Jer!)1il (tom. ii, p. 122) bears witness to these translation" which are neglected by the eccle.iasticaJ historians. The p..sion ot St. Andrew at Patne, i. de,lCribed In an epistle from the clergy of Achaia, wbich Baronius (Annal. Eccles. 4. D. 00, No. 34) wishes to' helien, and TiIlcmont is forced to J·eject. St. Andrew was adopted as the .piritual founder of ConstanLinople, (Mem. Eccl"•• tom. i,p. SI7. '\2S,688-691). Digitized by Google I l J 6 ' D I B DECIDE AND MUCHA·P. the people ofrlsrael. His ashe8t depositad.in. XXVIII. . .__ .......... golden vase, and covered'th ·Wl a 81'lken: vel'I',IW~" delivere~lby. the bishops .iato. each 'other's; ~ 1'he .reW!s· of Samuel were receiv,ed by. the people, .with the same joy an4 reverence whteh· they.wopld have shewn. to the living prophet; the 'higJtways, from Palestine· to .the gates of GmlstaDtin9}Jle, were fined with an uninterrupted procesSion; and the ,mperor Arcadius: Jiim.. &elf,. at the head of the ~ostillustrious members qf~the clergy and.senate, advanced to .meetr Dis mtraoroiuary gqest, 'Who had .always deserved and claimed the. ~age. of kings.d , The example of Rome,aad ConstantiDop~e con6.nned,the faith, and discipline of;th~catho~c ,world. The bonours of the saints and IIiIaltyrs, aftet: a feeble and .inelfee~ murmur. or-pl!ofari~ leasOD:; were nnivt;!rsally establisi'aed; .and. in the age of Ambl'Ose ~Dd IJ.eoom" ;8GqlethiIlg. ,was still deemed wanting to the sanctity of a Christian church, till, it had ;beeB consecrated by some portion .f holy relics, which fixed and inflamed the devo'~ tion of the ,faithful. ~ General' In the long period of twelve hundred years, rellections which elapsed between the reign of Constantine and the reformation of Luther, the worship of. d Jerom. (tom. ii, p. 122) pompoully describes the translation ofliamllel, which is noticed iu all tbe chronicles of the times. . • The presbyter Vigilantios, the protl'staDt of his age, firmly, thOllP Inefl'ecllJally witb.tood the superstition of mODks, relics, saintl, fum, &c. for whirh Jerom compares him to tbe Hydra, Cerberol, the Centanrl, .!Itc. and cODliders him only as the organ of the dellloD, (tom. ii, p.12O-126). Whoever will peruse tbe controversy of St. Jerom UId Vicilantiul, and st. Augustiu's account of the miracles of St., Slephe.. m.,speedilv pin some idea of the IIpirit_ofthc fatkeno Digitized by Google J27 08F TIlE 'R~M&N RMPJRE. saint8 and relics corrul'ted-thepureanci perfeot CH&'P. simplitity -of the ',Christian mudel; and Home .,.,.,..",. XXVDI• 1!Iymptoms! ()f degeneracy ma..y be oblerved, even in the first generations w.bich,a.d.opted~aIid cherished this pemiciG1l8. inn~atiol1. I. The sati8{act~'experience; that 1li8'1'elics I. Pall.. of ;saittts iW.ere, roore valllable~than g.old: or p~ ~:::: eiolls stones,r:stimulated the:elergylu, multiply relia. ~he 'treasures, of the QhuJch. ,Without .much regard' ~ror 'truth -or .probability,,· tJ:tey invented Ilames fOl'skeletons,- and actions for nameS. The fame' of the~apo8tle~ and of. tke:hOlY'menwho had ;imitated their virtaes,:w&8' darbned by: re.Ifgious,lotion. :To -the :in:viDeihle .band of; gar nui~.DdpriDritiftmartyl!s,.theyadded myriads {)f ~ :beroes, who ,4ad neVH eXlia", except ..iIvUie c {IJDey .of crafty ;or :ered.uleusJe. gendariol; aRidi1here.is reason to sUllped, iha-$ Tours :=might:;not: be the pnly diocese in~which tbe;bAes o'a;'JJ}al~factor were ,adored, mstead of 'thoseofaSaint.1 A superstitious practice, which'itended to· increase the temptations of &and,: andcl'edulity, insensibly extinguished the ]ight of hiAo'ry, and of reason, in the Chris tian. world. . II.' Buttheprogrel8 ofSliperstition would have II. Mirabeen much less rapid and victorious, if the faith cia• < . , M. de Beauobre (Hilt-du Manicbeiame. tom. ii, p. 6(8) had a,. plied a worldly HRle to the piool observation of tbe clergy of 8my,.., who caretillly preeerYed the relia of St. PolYj:llrp tbe martyr. - C Martin of Tonn (see hiB Life c. 8, by Snlpicinl &eYernl) extorted this confe81ion from tbe month of tbe dead man. The error il allOwed to be natural; the discovery isauPPoBed to be miraeuloua. Which" tile two .... likely to happen mOlt fretjnendy ? Digitized by Google 128 THR DJtCLIMR .AND I'ALIr: 'CHAP. of the people had not been assisted by the sea:~~~~~~sonable aid of visions and miracles, to ascertain the authenticity and virtue of the most susj>ici,:", ous relics. In the reign of the younger Theo-:dosius, Lucian," a presbyter of Jerusalem"an~ the ecclesiastical minister of the village of Caphargamala, ,about twenty miles &om the city. related a very singular dream, which, 'to remove his doubts, had beenrepeated'on three succe~ sive Saturdays. A venerable figure stood before him, in the silence olthe night,with a long beard, a white robe, and a gold rO,d; annom1.. ced himself-by the name of Gamaliel, and J"eIvealed to the astonished presbyter, that his own corps~, with the bodies of his son 'Abibas, his friend Nicodemus, and the i1Iustri~us Stephen, the first martyr of :the Chri~tian faith, were SCA. cretly buried in the adjacent field_ He'added, with some impatience, that it was time to release himself, and his companions, from their obscure prison; that their' appearance would be salutary to a distressed world; and that they had made choice of Lucian to inform the bishop ofJerusalem of their situationt and their wishes. The doubts and difficulties which still retarded this important discovery, were successively re• Lnl'ian cllmp08ed in Greek hi. original narrali'fe, whicll Ilu been traDllated by Avital, aad published by Baroninl, (ADDal. ~c1C6. A.' •• G5, No. '1-16). The Benedictine editors of St. Augustin have given <at the foDd of the work de Civitate Dei) two several COpiel, with JDIUIy l'arioul reading.. It i5 the character of falsehood to btdooae and iDcODaiatcnt. The mllst iucl'"dihle part. of the legeDd are Imooth~ and ..~ened by TilIelDont (l\I"m. Ecclea. tom. ii, p. 9. .s.c.) , Digitized tlYGoogle moved by new visions: and the ~~ouad ·was eR?)p opem::d by In preseii?)e of alii XXil:&::#(? numerable multitude. The coffins of Gamaliel, of his son, -and of his friend? were found in ragulee orde:&"" but the fG1[]lrth contained the remains of Stephen~ was shown to the light, the e~lfth trembled? and an odour, such as of4,eas whieh cured the vario~s diseases seventy-three of ~he assiite.nts. The cOJppanions of S.tephen· W'ee~ leftiil their . .paplmr-' gamala.; but the relics oft4e first rnartyr were transpo~ed, in ~91emn proce$sion;, tp a church cOile)nicte4,l·theie lion9ilr €'iR M€Hmt . anP the minute particles of tI,lose relics,:a.drop: of blood,I or the scrapings of -a. bone, w.ere a~ k04:mrledged, in. prOems4,6 of . Roman world, to possess a divine'and miraculous virtue.> The grave an~ 1~~rnedAuguAtin'''J whil35eu,I¥Im35t@diild scaril35lh'i }~ CU35e ef credw.s:iity, has attested t~e innumera.ble, prodigies whicb were mf9~~~~·in Mri~'1>Y' thil 35dif!s Stephen; thi35. milf,velleil35, . nar!Gtivp. t h e , r s ) r k of City of God, which tl;Ie bis,~op ~f .Hip.po desig'n~. ed solid im:&~¥.brtal>dm.Buf fIi '~"'dc%/!'1!/!!!!U!F ."",,. i A phial of St. Stephen" blood W1I'S antll1ally liquifi"._lhplel, tiJ"1!e 'W.& nptfteded by 1It.,JaDlUlri"'(~.~Jiist. Pe7acut. Van· ,. d.l. 'boob Chltatf ia t"if' space of ±¥sE~~eea yearl.~. D. ±¥iG426. (Ti~emont, 35i[em. Eccles, tom. 'xiv; p. 608, Me.) . His leDt'niJig I. too often borro.wed,:aitd his argllmellts are two oRea bls own; but tbe wbole work elaio tbea magif'ins'if't desl35", if'igoroutRn, if'€7d Dot €7if'GTlfully, merEt C!utif'n. VOL.V. J\JU" ( 'l'Iie DEeLtNB AwD PALL 130 Cbiistiilnity~ A'uguStin solemnly declares, that !~~~~.he had' selected those miracles only which were pliblicly certifted by the persons who were eitber ·the objects,'or the spectators, of the power of tile martyr. '. Many prodigies ·were· omitted, or forgotten; and Hippo' had been less CaVOlll"ably treated than the other cities of the. province~ And yet the bishop enumerates aboye sev~nty miracle&, of which three were-resurrectioDs from the d~, in th~ space of two yeara.. and within the limits of his oWn dioceae! . If we enJarge out view'to all the dioceses, and all tbe: saintS, of the Christian world; it ·will not be easy to calculate the fables, and the ~erro..., which':iss'ited from' this inexhausUble source. But we may surely be allowed 10 :obserYe, that a miracle, in that·· age of superStition and·c~& duijty,' idilt its name and it. :merit,since· 'it could: '. a~arcely' ·be considered .as a' deviation frOm the ordiuary, and established, laws of na.. t Ju:te~ .:.!:. !: ID.ReYi-' (ilf.i~~·~1im~ble miracla, of which· the nI ,,~po- fd~fflr '()~'iJ.laTt~ttwere the perpetual theatre, ·ltheJIID. 'rev~iil~~lfto'~~piotNbelieVerthe actual state and cdn~titutio.; dfth8'i~Visible world; andms.reJigiou8 ~peculations .appeared to be founded on the fir.Plllasis of fact. aJ).d experience. Whatever might ;~..' the eondition· of "u·lgar souls, in ·the IODg, .terval betw.~n tb,e. dissolution and the CHAP; ,! ',. &1 • ••• J. J 'I • I see A1II01tiD. de Cliyltat. Del, I. ~J[ii, eo . . ad the Appeadix. ...1eIa eOD..... two books of St. StepbeD'. miraclea b, Eyocliaa, biahop .',VAIia. Frecalphllil (apad Buup, Bilt. des hip, tom. 'fiii, FIC') hu prele"ed a Gallic or Spuilh. proYerb, " W1aoenr ........ .. haye read aU the mirade. of It. Stephea, he Ii.... Digitized by Google 131 e)l Tim KOMAN EMPJ... I'eSurrection of their bodies, it was evident the CRAP. superior spirits of the saints and martyrs did ~~~: not: consume that portion of their exi9tenc~.:in .ilent and' inglorious sleep.- It waS evident. (witltont ,presuming to determiue: tim: pbK:e ,Q{ their hditstion, or the.niltlue ol~ ftilimt;), tIlat ,tbey enjoyed the livelyanmactive ..eonscit ouaneS8 of their happiReu~ their yiiiue, .and tMr powers;, aad that, tlley had .ameady;' • cuRd the posses8io•.. O"~ etelba!: ~ The enl.-rgement of thei)," iutellect_.fiicu.l~~ surpassed the measUre of the bUlB" imagin.., ti()n; since it was' pro,.ed by uperilJ&ee~ that they were capable of heariag and, uriders~nd,.. iog the various petitions of th~ir numerons. votaries; who, in thelaBle inoment of time, hat.in the most distant pam -of' the, w~Jld, lin~ed tbe name and assistanCe' of 8&phen or of Mar~ tin.· The confidence of their petitWDei's was founded on the persuuiolll that the saints, who. reigned with Christ, cast an eye Of pity upon earth; that they were warmly i.aterested in the prosperity of the catholic church; and that the .. Bornet (de Statil Mortoorum. p. Gil-a.) collecta the OplDio" 01 .... Fatben, as far as they "'ert tile .Ieep, or I'I!pCIIf, of human lO1III, till the day of judgment. He aftenrardIespoHI (p. 91, &c.) the ~ con,eniencies which mnst arile, if they poueaaed a more active anel, lftI.ible,esistence • .. Vigilantiu. placed the loula of tlae prop1teta and aut, ... either in tbe bosom of A brabam (ill loco refrigerii), 01' elle under the altar of Od'd. N ec posse soil tumulil et ubi voluentat adene ·preseDtel'. Bat ,Jerom (tom. ii, p. 122) sternly refutea thII 6,.".".,. Tu Deo leeel ponea ? . Tu apoltolia ..iucola injicirs, ut .Iqoe ad diem judicii tfteantar eostodi', .cc aiut cum Domibo .no; de qulboa scriptum eat, Seqmmtur Agoom quocnnqoe vadito St. AlUm ...iqae-, ergo, et'hiqul eum Agoo sunt, IIbiqlle ('sse credendi aunt. ~t com diaboloa et d..... Del toto neentul' in orbe, &c. K2 Digitized by Google 132 THE DECLINe AND PALL (!HAP, individuals, who imitated the example of their xxvnT. faith and piety, were the peculiar and.favourite· ...."-",, objects of their most tender regard. Sometimes, indeed, their 6iendship might be influenced by. 'considerations of a less exalted kind: they viewed, 'with partial affection, the places which had been consecrated by.their,birth, their relidence, their .death, their burial, or the po.setsion of their relics. The meaner passi~>ns :of 'pride, avarice, and revenge,:may·be·deemed Uliwortby of a celestial breast; yet'the saints themselves' condescended to testify their: grateful approbation ot the liberality of their votaties; and: the sharpelt bolts of punishnient were hurled a~ gainst those impious wretches, ,wlio violated· their magnificent shrines,· or disbelieYed their supernatural power.o, Atrocious, indeed, must have been the guilt, and strange' would bave been the scepticism~ of those men, if they had obstinately resisted: the proofs of a divine agen~ cy,.which the elements, the whole range of th~ animal creation, and even tbe subtle and invisible operations of the human mind, were compelled to obey.p The immediate, and almosi instantaneous, effects, thai were supposed to(ollow the prayer, or the offence, satisfied the Christians, of the ample measure of favour and authority, which the saints enjoyed in the pr~ sence of th,e Supreme God; and it seemed alFleury, Discour. Rllr l'Hilt. Eccleaiaatique, iii, p. 80. At lfiuorca, tbe relics of ~t. Stephen converted, in eight day., 640 Jewa; witb t)le belp, iudeed, of lOme wholelome severities, luch aa lturniDg the synagogue, dl"iving the obstinate iudell to starve amonl the rock., .!rc. See the orijinal lettcr of Severus bilbop of Minore.. <ad calcem St. Augu.tin. de Civ. Dei), aDd tbe judicious remark .t BUBale, (tom. viii, p. W·251J. . D P Digitized by Google 0. THE ROII~N BMPID. 1'33 mos~ superBuou~,to inquire, whether they' were i:':iIi. continually oblIged to rntercede before the'_-.. .._ •• throne of grace; or whether they might,:not be permitted. ,to exercise, according tG the dictates of their benevolence and justice, the delegated powers ofthei,r subordinate ministry. The ima.;. gination, 'which had been raised by a painful aWort to: the contemplation and worship of the Universal Cause, eagerly embraced such inferior objects of adoration. as were more proportioned to its gross conceptions and imperfect faculties. The sublime and simple theology of the, primitive Christians was. gradually corrupt-. ed;, and the MON~RCHY of heaven, already clou~ed by metaphysical subtleties, was degraded by the. introduction of a popnlar mythology, which tended to restore the rejgn o£polytheism. q .' IV. As the objects of religion were gradually IV. ~ntro' . . I ductlonof red uced to'the stand ard 0 fth e,lmagmatIon, tie pagan,ceriteaandceremonies Were introduced that seem- remonaea. cd mo~t powerfqlly.to affect the senses of'the' 'Vulgar. If, in the beginning of the fifth century .. T~rtu1lian, or Lactantius," had been suddenly raised from the dead, to assist at the festival of .. Mr. Hume (Eoay., yol. ii, p. (34) observes, like a philosopher, the Datura! flux and reflux or polytheism and theism. ' r D·A .. bign~ (see his own Mrmoirel, p.I66-16O) franklyoft"ered, with the consent of the Huguenot ministers, to allow the fint 400 years aa the rule of faith. The Cardinal du Pc.'rron haggled for forty yean more, which were indiscreetly given. Yet ncithel' party would kne found their account in this foolish bargain. • The worship practised and inculcated by Tertullian, I.actanti .." Arnobiu8, .c. D.,IO ulremely pure and spiritual, that their declamatiolll qainat the paean, lometimea- glance agaiust the Jewish, eeremonia" .... Digitized by Google ; 13,(, c~t· some popular saint, or .&IItyr;' dtey w.uW ~~_?:have gazed with astonishment, &.rid i~tI Oil' the profane'8p~ctaele;' wlrieh Bad. ilueceetled t() the pure 18.Dd- ,spintoal wer8ltip era Ohristian dongrega.tiOll'. A-iJ soob as the deers :Of the church 'Were tll·rown open. 'thtljriDust baye been offended by .the' slBOke of incense, the' perof flowers, and the g'lare of lamps· and ta, ~rs, which diffu*d, at noon-day, aga.wdy, n .. perliu'ons, and in their opinion, a sae·rilegious light. If they approacbed the balustrade of the altar, they made their'way through the prostrate crowd, consisting, for the'mast part of strangers and pilgrims~' w'ho 'resorted to the city on the vi-. gil of 1he feast; and who ·alrea.dy felt the strong' intoxication offanaticism~and, perhaps,ofwine.' Their devout ki$ses were itnprinted on the walls and pavement of the sacred edifice; and their fervent prayers were directed, whatever might be the language eftheir church, to the bones, the blood,or the ashes ~of tbe saint, which were usually concealed, by a' linen or silken veil,. from the eyes of the vulgar. The Christians frequented the tombs of the martyrs, in the hope of obtaining, from their powerful intercession, every sort of spiritual, but more especially of ternporal, blessings. They implored the preservation of their health; or the cure of their infirmities ; mme • Faa,tal tbe MaoicbaeaD accu.a tbe catbolic. of idolatry. Vcrtitil idola iD martyrel • • • • quOi "otis limilibua colitis. M. de Beauaobre, (Hi.t. Criti41ue do MaoicheillDc, tom. ii, p. 629.100). a proteltanf. but a philOIOpber, It.. represcDted, with caodour aatI iearuiDc, tbe iDtroducUoD of Cilrilria i40lcrIrp iD the fourth aDd Ifill ccotllrie.. ' Digitized by Google OF '1'11& mIlO ........ .. thelruitmlneti'oftheir barre.n wiy~, or the 88feo CHAP. t,. Bud happiness· of their chUdl'ell•. :. W\lepeyer ~..~.!: they. undertook .an, distant. &1': daopr9~·jou~. ney, .they -requested, that, the holy ~rtyrs "ould ·he. their guides aad pro~tQrs.o~~: road; aud if they returned, without ha~g ~ perienced any misfortune, they again hastened to the tombs of the martyrs, to celebrate, with grateful thanksgivings, their obligations to the memory and relics of those heaTenly patl'ou. The walls were hung round with symbols of the . favours which they had received; eyes, and hands, and feet, of gold and silver; and edify.' ing pictures, which could not long escape the abuse of indiscreet or idolatrous devotion, ra- ~ presented. the image, the attributes, and the JUiracles of the tutelar saint. The same uui-. . form original spirit of superstition might suggest, in the most distant ages and countries, the same methods of deceiving the credulity, &ad of a1fecting the senses, of mankind:u but it must ingenuously be confessed, that the ministers of the catholic church imitated the profane model, . which they were impatient to destroy. The most respectable bishops had persuaded theoa- ~ • selves, that the ignorant rustics would more. cheerfully renounce the superstitions of paga-' nism, if they found some resemblance, some • The relltlllblaDce of IDpentitiOD, whieb eould Dot be ..1I.tNt aU,ht Ite traced from Japaa to Mexico. WarINrtou hu leiled thiI idea, whieb he dittorta, by ......rlDI it too aacl ahlohate (Dim.. Lepti........ w, po lit, • .) , .-raJ Digitized by Google I 138 THE DttlBE AND "PALL~ CHAP. compensation iJl the bosom XXVIIT'Th e re1·' . IglOD 0 f Constantme '#A""'" of Christianity. ac h'leve d , 'In 1eSI than a century, the final conquest of the Roman empire: but the victors themselves were insensibly subdued by the arts of their vanquished ri vals. E x The imitation or paganism is tbe subject of Dr. Middleton's agrt:to able letter from Rome. Warburton's animadversions obliged him to counect (vol. iii, p. 120.132) tile history of the two religions; IUId til wove the antiquity of the CbristiAD copy. DigItized by Goog Ie J 01" 137 THE ROMAN EMPIRE. CHAP: 'XXIX. of tke Rdman empire belweetl. tile of Tneodosius-Re;gn of Areadius and Honorius-AdministratiOfl of Rtijinus and Stilicko-Revolt and defeat of GildoinAfrica.' Pinal division . Ions THE genius' of Rome expired with Theodo- CHAP. . XXIX. IIIUS; the last of the successors of A ugustus _,**"" .. and Constantine, who appeared in the field at Divi.io8 the head of their armies, and whose authority :rr~bb:."" was universally acknowledged tbroughout the ca tWde~n Ar• la• • hole extent of 'tbe empIre. The memory of Uld Robis virtues ltill continued, however, to protect :~~... the feeble and inexperienced youth of bis two JUl. 11. Ions. After the death of their father, Arcadiu8 and Honorius were saluted" by the unanimous cOlJsent of mankind, as tbe lawful emperors of tbe East, and' of the West; and the oath of fidelity was eagerly taken by every order of tbe state; the senates of old and new Rome, tbe clergy, the magistrate.!., the soldiers, and-the people. Arcadius, who waif tben about eighteen years' or' age, was' born in Spain, 'iIi the humble habitation of a pri't'ate family. Butbe receive~ a princely education in tbe palace of Constantinople; and his inglorious life was spent in that peaceful and splendid seat of royalty, from whence he appeared to reign over tbe provinces of Thrace, Asia Minor~ Syria, and EgYJlt, from the Lower Danube to the ~onfines of Persia and Ethiopia. -His younger brother, Digitized by Google lS8 CHAP. Honorius, assumed, in the eleventh year of m. the nominal government of Italy, Africa, Gaul, Spain, and Britain; ud the troops, which guarded the frontiers of his kingdom, where opposed, on one side, to the Caledonians, and on the other to the Moors. The great and m~r tial prefecture of Illyricllm was divided between the two princes; the defence and possession of the provinces of N oricum, Pannonia, and Dal. matia, still belonged to the western empirc; but the two large dioceses of Da.eiaand Ma.cedollia,_ which Gratian had intrus.ted to the valour o( Theodosiu8, were for ev~r united to the empire of the East. Tbe ·boundar.y.in Europe was not . v.ery. different !from .the ~ 'wlUck now sepa.-. rates the G.ermans and ~e Turks; ..and the respective·ad.nt-ages ,~f.·~ritory, riche$, populoU8Dei8, an4 ,militJlry 8tr~th, where fairly balanced and compefis~ted, in this final and pezmanent division of the Roman -empil·e. The hereditary sceptre of the sons of Theodosius appeared. to· be ·the gift of nature, and of their. filther; the .gelletalt and ministers .ha.d been accustomed to adore the m.,jesty of the royal, iBfants; and the 81IJlJ aud· people "ere not ad_Dished of their JrigWs, and of ·their power, by . the dangerous~. .le of 8.:r~nt electioD. The puua) disaover,~of.the we..kn.ess of Arcadius and Honorius,.a.bd·:the- repea~ .calamities· of tbeirreign, were DOt $R4icient to obliterate-the deep aad·eany impressieos.ofloyalty. The subjeets ofUome, who still reverenced the persons. or rather the names, of their sovereigns, beheld, . ~~!~. age, Digitized by Google or THB ROMAN EMPIRE. 139 wifh equal :abhorrence, the rebels wbo opposed,' CHAP. arid the ministers who abused, the authority of _~!:_ the throne.' , Theodos-ius bad tarnished the glory of his Character reign by the elevation of Rufinua; an odious aDd ad.miL! • h' . f ·'1 d re1"19IGliS Dlatr.1I0D Ja VOUl,te, W 0, In an 'age 0 CIVl an of RDfifaction, has deserved, from every party, the im;' ~~. 188putation of every clime. The strong impulse ••. of ambition and avarice· had urged Rufinus to. abandon his native country, an obscure comer "f Gau);· to advance his fortune in the capital of the East: the talent of bold and ready elocution- 'quaiified him to succeed in the lucrative profession of the Jaw; and his success in that profession was a regular step to'the' most honourable and important employments of the state•." He ·was raised, by just degrees, to the station of master of the offices.' In the exercise of his various 'functions, so ,essentially con)):ecteel with the' whoie system of civil government, he acquired the confidence of a monarch, who soon discovered his diligence and capacity in business, and who' long remained ignorant of the pride, the malice" and the covetousness, of his disposition. These vices were concealed beneath the mask of-profound'dissimulationf • Aledo, eDvious or the public felicity, convene. an IDfernal .ynoc1. Mapera recommend. her pupil Rufinus, ad ucim him to deed. of milcbie6; &c.. .nt th.... il U1IIQeh dil'ereace between Clandlan'I,fu l'1 ~d that of Virgil, I' betweeD tbe chancten of TUrDna and RUftDU. , b It i. evideDt, (TIllemoDt, Hlat. del Emp. tom. v, p. 'l10), thou'" de Marea II asbamed of hit eountrymen, that RnSDus was born at Elusa, the melropolla of NoyempopulaDia, now a lIIIaU ,mage of Gu. eODY, (d'ADYiIle, Notice de l'ADcienne Ganle, p. 289). c Philostorgilll, 1. xi, c. 3, with Godefroy'. Diuert. p. «0. 4 A passage of Suidas ia expreui,e of hit profouDd diuimulati_; ",Dc-''' &&1 .....,., ""IfYHI,..'" Digitized by Google 140 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP. his passions'weresubservient only to the palXXIX.. .0(h·IS master; yet,.10 the h om·d· massacre _".".810118 ofThessalonica, the cruel Rufinus inflamed the fury, without imitating the repentance, ofTheodosius.The minister, who viewed with proud indifference the rest of mankind, never forgave the appearance of an injury; and his personal enemies had forfeited, in his opinion, the merit of all public Hervic~. Promotu8, the mastergeneral of the infantry, had saved the empire from the invasion of the Ostrogoths; but he indignantly supported the pre-eminence of a rival, whose character and profession he despised; and, in the. Illidst of a public council, the impatient soldier was. prov:o~ed to chastise. with a blow the indecent pride of the favourite. This act of violence was represented to, th~ emperor as an insult, which it was incumbent on Ais dignity to' resent. The disgrace and exile of Promotuswere signified by a peremptory order, to repair, without delay, to a military station on the banks of the Danube; and the death of, that general (though he was slain in. a skirmish with the barbarians) was imputed to the perfidious arts of.Rufinus: The sacrifice of an hero gratified his revenge; the honours ofthe ~onsulship elated his vanity; but his power was still imperfect and precarious, as. long as the important posts of prefect of the East, and of prefect of Constantinople, were filled by Tatian,' • Zoaimn., 1. iv, p 272, 273. f ZOliml18, who delcribea the fall of Tatian and bis 10D, (I. iY, p. '74), asaerta their iDnoceDce: and eYeD m. testimoD7 may ontweiP die ebarcea of their CJlemie., (Cod. Theodo.. tom. iy, p. (89), whe acC!IR If., Digitized by Google 1.41 0' THt ltOHAN IMPl1t£. and 'his son Proculus; whose united authority C'lAP. J:. • h b'ltIOIl . b 'aIanced', Jor some tIme, team and J:.la-' _XXIX. .•• " •.• vour olthe master of the offices. The two prefeCts were accused of rapine and corruption in the administration of the laws' and finances. For the'trial of these illustrious offenders, the -emperor,constituted a special commission'; several judges' were' named to share the guilt and reproach of injustice; hut th~ ~ight of pronoun~ing sentence wasreserv~d to the presidenta.; lone, ,alldthat president was -Rufinus himsel,~ The father" strippe4 of, the prefecture of the East~ was thrown int~ ~ d~ngeon; but the son; conscious tliat few ministers can be found innocent, where an enemy is their judge, had Se-' cretly escaped; and Rufinus must have beeri satisfied with the least ob~oxious victim~ if despotism had not condescem:l,ed to employ the basest and most un'geneJ;'ousartifice.' The pro&ecution was conduc~ed with an app~arance of equity and moderation, which flattered Tatian' with the hope of a favourab~e' event; his confidence was fortified by the solemn assurances, and perfidious oaths, of the president, who presumed to interpose the sacred name ofTheodosius himself; and the unhappy father, was at ,last persuaded to recaJ, by a priv.l~ter, the fugitive Proenlus. He was instantly seized, examined, condemned, and beheaded, in one of the suburbs of Constantinople, with a precipiaccue them of oppreaaing the Curl.. The connection of Tatian witla . the Arianl, while he was prefect of Egypt, (A. D. 361), Inclines !fiu.. mont to belien that he was guilty of eYery crime, (Hitt. del Emp• ..... Y, p. 160. Hem. Ecclel. tom vi, p. 1589). I ' , Digitized by Google THE DECUNE AND FALL tation whi~h disappointed tbe cl~mency of :th. '..~~~~.eD1peror. Without re~~ting,the,mi8fort\Ulel ofacoD~mlarsepatQr, tbe crlleljudges ofTatian compelled hiJQ W b~old _the eXe£.1,Ition of his son: ,tl\e fat"l p~d wa~,~.~ round his own neck; :'but,.in .the _m~me..t wben he expected, and per,h,.ps·. desi~~cJ,. the reHef of Q. speedy death, he was ;p~~itt~d to :consume. tile miser· able remn~t of his _~ age in poverty and exile.' . T~e .punis~.m~t of the tWf;) prefects might,. perhaps, be ~xcused by the exceptionable parts. of their ow.n ~~uct; the· t:;:qIBity 01 Rutinus might be pam8:~ by the je~o.us. and unsoci;,t.ble nature of ambition. But he indulg. ed a spirit of rel'enge, equally repup.fLn~ to prudence and to justice, .when. he degr~ed. their native country of Lycia, from the rank of Roman provinces; stigmatized a guiltless p~o pIe with a mark of ignominy; and declar;ed that the countrymen:of; Tatian and Proculus should ever remain incapable o~ holding any employment of honQur or a4v,antage, under the imperial government.· The. new prefect of the East CHAP. • ---JiI'fenDBl 1'0rantia colla seem. Ante patrum IrwtUI ItriCtl ceciden Ibat grande9nl nato morieate Iupenta POI. trabeal elt,llli. lit Rda. I, 148. The 'aell or Zoaimul explain the flllIIdou of ClaudiaD; bat hil clauie interpreters were ignoraDt of the fourth ceatury. The ltd", wrd, I fouud, with tbe help of TilIemoDt, in a lel'llloD of 8t. Alteriaa of Aauaaea. It This odioul law II recited, aDd repealed, h, Arcadiu, (A. D. lIN!), in the Theodolian Code, I. ix, tit. SU91ii, leg. t. The lease, u it II explained by ClandiaD, (iD RufiD. i, lIN), aad Godefioo" (tom. iiI" 179), i, perfectly clear. - -Ex~indere eiges I'DcIila,; et BODIeD gentia de)ere laborat. Digitized by Google 143 (fiu! 'BulBUs .illstaAtly iuooeeded to the vt.ca~t. CRAP~ hOIl01ir& ef ms· adversary) was not diverted, :.!~~ however, by. the ~st criminal pursuits, from the peri'ormarroe of· tbe religious. duties, which in that 11gB-were considered M the· lnost essential·to··sah·ation.· In tile suburb of .chalcedoDt 81ti'iiatOed- the Otilt, he'had built a,. ·1P..g.ificent wlla ~ te· which he devoutly added a stately C111ireh, ' eonsecratc;d te the apostles St. Peter lind· St. Paul, and eon1inually. sanctified by the prayers, ·and·peff*1lee, of a regular society of lBonks.·· . A .numerous, ·and almost 'general, syned of.· the bishops. of the eastemempire waS summoned t6 celebrate, 'at the same time, the' dediCation- ot the church, and the baptism of he ;fuunder. This double ceremony was per."cmil~ with, Mtr80rdinary pomp·;, and wheti RUieuS)w.a8·purified,'in the holy foot, from the. gins that he had hitherto committed, a ven&-' rable·hermit of Egypt rashly proposed himself as :the sponsor of a proud and ambitious states.OF' THB ·ROIIA)l'· UP1RRf an mm!· . - , .The character of Theodosiu8 imposed on his He op. . minister the task of hypocrisy, which disguised, f:e~~. andsoIDetim~s re~trained, the abuse of power; .&••• SN, and Rufinus was apprehensive of disturbing the indolent slumber of' a prince. still capable of exerting the abilities, and the virtue, which had The .cruples of Pap and Tillemont can arise only from their.leal rer the glory of Theodosial. . I Alllmoniu. • • • • R~finnm propriis manibnl IUlcepit ..cro (onte . muudatum. See Rosweyde', Vitae PatrDIII, p. 947. Sozomen, 1. yiit. c. 1'7) mentionl the church and monutery; and TlUemont (Mem. EocleI. tom. ill, p. Itl) recorda thi. ',DOd, in wbich St. Gre&ol1 of Ny_ performed • cODspicliOUl part. Digitized by Google 144 THE DECLINE AND PALL CHAP. raised him to the throne. t But the absence, and, XXIX. _~_" .. soonafterwards, the death, of the emperor, con- firmed the absolute authority of Rufinus o,v~r_ the p~rson and dominions of Arcadius; a feebk youth, whom the imperious prefect confJi4ered; as his pupil, 'r ather than his sov~reign. ,Regard;. less of.the public opinion, he indulged his palJ-: sions without re~orse, and wit40ut, resi~tallce;: and his maligllant.and rapacious spirit.rejected, every passion that might have contributed to ; his own glory, or the bappines of the people. His avarice/ whic~ .seems to havepr~vajled ill his corrupt mind, over every other sentiment,. attracted , the wealth ,of the East, by the v~· rious arts of partial, and general, extortion; oppressive taxes, scandalous bribery, immoderate fines, unjust confiscations, forced 01' fictitious testaments, by whi~h the tyrant despoiled o( their lawful inheritance the children of strangers~ , or enemies; and .the public sal,e ofjuB- , tice, as well as of fav,Qur, which he in~tituted in , the palace of Constantinople. The ambitious , k Montesqlliell (E~prit dl's Loix, I. xii, c. 11) prai.e. olle of the la •• ofTheodosius addressed to the prefectRalipus,(I. is, tit. iv,le,.lInic.) to discourage the prosecution of trealonable, or .acrilegious, word •. A tyrannical statue alway& proves tbe existence of tyranny; but. laud· ' able edict may only contain the .peciou. profeuious, or iDea-eetall wishes, of the prince, or his minuten. This, I am afraid, u ajUlt, though mortifying, canon of criticism. ' --fluctibus auri Expleri ille calor nequit - -· • • • • • • • CongE-ltz cumulantor OpE'S; orbi''l0e rapiD" Acdpit lIua domul.-This character (Claudiau, in Rufin. I, 1s.-220) is confirmed by Jerom, a disinterested witne.., (dedecus inlatiabilia lYaritie, tom. i, ad Hoeliodor. p. 21i). by ZOlimos, (I. v, p. 286), and by Suida" who I:opied th.. .lIi.tory of Eunapius. Digitized by G oog Ie J 14~ 01' THE ROMAN EMPIRE. candidate eagerly solicited, at the expence of CHAp. the fairest part of his patrimony,. the honours ~=~~: and emoluments of some provincial government; the lives and fortunes of the unhappy people were abandoned to th~ most liberal purchaser; and the public discontent was sometimes appeased by the sacrifice of an unpopular criminal,' whose punishment was profitable only' to the prefect of the East, his accomplice and his judge. If avarice were. not the blindest of the h1.unan passions, the JIlotives of Rufinus might excite our curiosity; and we might be tempted to' inquire, with what view he violated every principle of humanity and justice, to accumulate those immense treasures; which he could n..>t spend without folly, nor possess without danger. Perhaps he vainly imagined, that he l~boured for the interest of an only daughter, on whom he intended to bestow his royal pupil, and the august rank of empress of the East. .Perhaps he deceived himself by the opinion, that his avarice was the in~trument of his ambition. He aspired' to pla~e his fortune on a secure and independent bdsis, which shoul4 nC) longer depend on the caprice of the young emperor; yet he neglected to conciliate the hearts .of the soldiers and people, by the "etal' distribution of those richt!s,' which he -had acquired with so much toil, a~d with s. much guilt. The.extreme parsimony of Rufinus left . him only the reproach,and envy, .of ill-gotten wealth; his dependants served him without attachment; the universal hatred of mankind wal .. VOL. V L Digitized by Google 146 THE DI~CLINZ AND FALL repressed only by the influence of servile fear. _~~:'.. The fate of Lucian proclaimed to the East, that the prefect, whose industry was mqch abated in the despatch of ordinary business, was active and indefatigable in the pursuit of revenge. Lucian, the 'son of the p1'efect Florentins, the oppressor of Gaul, and the enemy of Julian, had. employed a considerable part of his iltheriM tance, the fruit of rapine and corruption, topurM chase the friendship of Rufinll8, and the higla office of count of the East.' But the new magistrate imprudently departed from the -maxims of the court, and of the times; disgrae~d his benefactor, by the contrast of a virtuous &ad temperate administration; and presumed tere. fuse an act of injustice, which might have tended to the profit of the emperor's uncle. Arcadius was easily persuaded to resent, the supposed insult; and the prefect of the East ~ solved to execute in persOll the cruel vengeanoe which he meditated against this ungrate€u.l ~ legate of his power. He performed with incessant speed 'the journey of seven or eight hundred miles, from Constantinuple to Antioch, elltered the capital of Syria at the dead of nigbt, and sprea:d universal consternation among a ·peopllJlborant of. his design, but·DOt ignorant of his ch8facter. The COURt ,of the fifteen provinces 'of the East was 'flragged, like the :vilest malefactor, before the arbitltary tribullal ofRufinus. Notwithst3nding the clearest evidence of his integrity,· which was not impeached even by the voice of 3n accuser, Lucian was cog. demnea. almost without a trial, to suffer a cruel CHAP. Digitized by Google , 147 QlI THE ROHAN EMPIltE. and ignominious punishment. The mi~illtet:' ~1P. of the tyrant, by tI;le order, .and in tJ;te ,preseU,ce, ,,,;.-, .~:. 91 t,hep- master, peat him "C),I;l the ,Jjle~.Jt w,ith ~e!l-' t~r th.Q~gs, ru:r;ned:at theextre.t;n.ities wit~ Jead.; .-wI .~ hel~ted 1,Ulder .the ~j~eQ.~e 9f~9.~ PC'io, 'Ae""~~1~lHove~ in aclQse lit~er,to C911CE!~ ;hi,,-9yipg· Jt.g~Wi~ .:fr,om :~.e e,es. of the inq;gn,mt.,c",y. .No SQoner ..h~d R'din,~s perpetr,*d ~lS'i~p'u~~ll~<1t" the l$oJe.. o.~~t pl his ~~l$ipn,,~Q~'lle ~t\lr~ed, am,~dst ~¥ deep, ~~~. ~~~~t, :~~rses of :~.treP.l:Wi.ng p(lople, from ~nt,iQ~ ,to Con~tan~\nq.ple; apd hjs diligence M/;~ ,~c(tler~~;d, ~y ,the .bQpe. of.~comp1ishiDg. ~J;h1Wt..delay, ,the pup~\a,lsQf,hi~ daughter with '~6 ~~rQr of ;t~.E~~t.m ,1lutAtHtiJ).~ "9tll1,~~p~J:lep,c~d, thata prudent He is di.P.Jinis~r ,~hQu\d cW,lst~ntly SeCure his.royal cap- ~~~tcd ~ve by t4e.~trQQ.g,tboughin~isible, chain olha- ~;t= ,lP.~; ,~~ tbat tp,e :merit,.auci ,much more easily dio-, the favour, 0.£ ~he ."bsent, ,are ,obliterated in a ~;:lll:: short time from tbe mind of a weak and capric;i.Qu15 sovereign. While tbe prefect satiated his .rev~nge at Antioch, a secret conspiracy of the favourite. eunuchs, directed by the great chamlwrlain Eutropius, undermined his power in the ' .palace of CQnstantinople. They discovered that Arca~ius was not inclined to love the :~a'!lghter of Rufinus, who ~~d been chosen, without his consent, for his bride; and they contrived to substitute in her place the fair Eudoxia, .. -Cetera segnis; Ad facinus velos: pt:Ditns regiooe remota. l~piger ire vias. This allusioD of Clandian (in Rnfin. i, 241) is again explained by t1w circum.tulia' narrativ" of ZOBimos, (I. v, r. 288,280). Digitized by Google 148 ,THE DECLINE AND FALL the daughter ofBauto: a genetaJ. of the Franks in the service of Rome; and who was educated, -,-,,- since the death of her father, in the family of . the sons of Promotus. The young emperor, whose chastity had been strictly' guarded by t~e pious care of his tutor Arsenius,o eagerly listened to the artful and flattering descriptions of the charms of Eudoxia: he gazed with impatient ardour on her picture, and he understood the necessity -of concealing his amorous designs from the knowledge of a minister,' who was so deeply interested to oppose the consummation of his happiness. Soon after the return of Rufinus, the approaching ceremony of the royal nuptials was. announced to the people' of . Constantinople, who prepared to celebrate, with false and hollow acclamations, the fortune of his daughter. A splendid train of eunuchs and officers issued, in hymeneal pomp,' from the gates of the palace; .bearing aloft the diadem, the robes, and the inestimable ornamellts; o{ the ,future empress. The solemn procession passed through the streets of the city, which were adorned with garlands, and filled with spectators; but, when it reached the house of the sons of Promotus, the principal eunuch respectfully entered the mansion, invested the fair Eudoxia with the imperial'robes, 'and conducted her ia CHAP •. XXIX. a Zosimlll (I. iY, p. 2(3) praises the valour, prudence, and infelP'ii, .., Bauto the Frank. See Tillemont. Hilt. des Emperenrl, tom. Y, p. : 7'11. o Araenitls escaped from the palace of Constantiuople, and pused fifty.ftve yean in rigid penance in the monasteries of Egypt. See TIllemont', Mem. Eccles. tom. xiv, p. 676-721; and Fleury, Hiat. Eccles. . ton. v, p. I, &c. butthe lattu, for the want of anthentic materials hal linn too much credit to the leaend of l\oJetaplarastel..· ' -' Digitized by Google 149 01' THE ROMAN BHPIRL triumph to the palace and bed of ArcadiuslcHAV. . h h'IC.h th'IS .COB-......... XXIX. Th e secrecy, an d success, WltW ..,..,.• spil'acy against Rufinu8 had been· conducted, imprinted a mark of indelible ridIcule on the character of a minister, who had 8uffered himself to be deceived; in a post where the arts of deceit and dissimulation constitute the most distinguished merit. He considered, with a mixture of indignation and fuIlr, the victory· of a~ aspiring.eunuch, .who had secretly captivated the.favour of his sovereign; and the disgrace of his daughter, whuse interest was ins.eparably ·connected with hi.s own, wounded the tenderness, or, at least, the pride, of Rufinus. .At the moment when he flattered himself that·he should beco~e the father of a line of kings, a foreign maid, who had been educated in the house of his implacable enemies, was introduced into the imperial bed; and Eudoxia soon displayed a superiority ot sense and spirit, to improve the ascendant which her beauty must acquire over the mind of a fond and youthful husband. The emperor would 800n be instructed to hate, to fear,and to destroy, the powerful subject, whom he bad injured; and the consciousness of guilt deprived Rufinus of every ~ope, either of s~fety . or comfort, in the retirement of a private life. But he stil) possessed the most effectual means of defending his dignity, and perhaps of op. pressing his enemies. The prefect still exerP This ItOry (Zolimua, I. v, p. tOO) proul that tbe bymeneal ritea of antiqnity were Itill practiaed, withont idolatry, by the Chri.tianl of the East; and the bride was forribly conducted from the houle of her parents to that of ber husband. Oar form of marriage retlu,irel, witlilaa ielico\c¥ ~ the expreu and pablic COllient of a vir,ia. , Digitized by Google 160 TWE D'ttLINE AND FAtt. CHAP. cised an uncontrouled authority over the cint _~~~:.. and military gover~ment of the East: and his treasures, if he' eould reSolve to use them,. might be employed to procure proper instruments, for the exectltidii df the blackest designs, that pride, ambition, and revenge, could suggest to a, desperate statesman. The character ofRufi. nus seemed to justify the accusations, that he conspired against the person of his sovereign. to seat himself on the ...acant throne; and that he had secretly invited the Huns, arid the Goths~ to invade the provinces of the empire, and to increase the public confusion. The suhtle preteet, whose life had been spent it1 the intrigues of the palace, opposed, witli equal arins, tbe artful measures of the eu.nuch Eutropius; but the timid soul of Rti6Iius wlis astonished by the hostile approach of a thOle formidable rival, of the great Stilicho, the general, or rather the master, of the empire of the West.q Character The celestial gift which Achilles obtained, of Still. ' d Al exan d er' envle . d , 0 f a poet worth y to ceIeo cho, the an :::di~~c:;. brate the actions of beroes, has been enjoyed raJ, of the by Stilicho, in a much higher degree than migbt weltei'll b . state 0 f empire. ave been expected from t he dec I·mmg genius, and of art. The inuse of Claudian,' devoted to his service, was always prepared to stigmatize his adVersaries, Rufln~8, or Eutropius, with eternal infamy; tlr to paibt; in the I , ZOBimns, (I. v, p. 29&); Ol'o&inl, (I. vii, c. 87), alld tile Chronicle of Marcellinu•• Claudian (in Rnfin. ii, 7.100) painta, in Iinl, coloan, the distress and gUilt oftbe prefect. r Stilielto, directl)O or Indirrctly, is the perpetnal theme of Claudio '!'he youth, and private liie, of the "pro, are vaguel, expreued in poem on biB 6nt eonau"bi~. 1/;·1.£0. t. Digitized by Google Bloltsplendid co~urs, the victories and virtues, CHAP.. of a powerful b~ne(~tor. In the review of a XXIX•. . ..........,.... penod Indi1ferently supplied with authentic rna- " .. terials, we cannot refuse to illustrate the annals of Honol'iu, from th~ invectives, or the panegyrics, of a contempoJVy writer: but as Claudian appears to have indulged the most ample privilege of a poet and a courtier, some critioiRll will be requisite to tr~slate the language of fiction, or exaggeration, into the truth and simplicity of historic prose. His silence concerning the family of Stilicho maJ be admitted as a proof, that his patron was neither able, nor desirous, to boast of a long series of illustrious progenitors; and the slight mention of his father, an officer of balbarian cavalry, ill the service of Valens, seems to countenance the assertion, that the general, who so long com·· manded the. armies of Rome, was descended fFom the savage and perfidious race of the Vandals! If Stilicho had not possessed the external advantages of strength and stature, the m.QSt :flattering bard, in the presence of 80 many' thousand spectators, would have hesitated to. a1firm, that he surpassed the measure of the. demi-gods of antiquity; and, that whenever h~ mOTed, with lofty steps, through the streets of the capital, the astonished crowd IYad~ room for the stranger, who displayed, in a private condition, the awful majesty of a hero. From his earliest youth be. embraced the profession of . . ' r .' VlDdaJorum, imbellis; avane, perfiC:e, d dolose, gentlll, g('nue ettibu. OrOliua, I. vii, e. as. Jerom tom. i,_ and Gerontiain, p. 99> caJIt Itim a semi·barbuiu. Digitized by Google mE DECLIHE AND ~ALl. CHAP. arms; his prudeiice: arid valour'were soon diitin..~~:",guished in the ft~ld:; tlie horsemen and archem. of the East admired his superior dexterity; and in each degree bis military promotions, the. public judgment a~ways prevented and approved. the choice of the sovereign. He was named by Theodoiius, to ratify a solemn treaty with the monarch of Persia ~ he supported, during. thatimportant embassy, the dignity of the Roman name; andafte... his return to Constantinople, his merit was rewarded by an intimate and honoul'able alliance with the imperial family. Theodosius had been prompted, by a pious motive of fraternal aifectipn, to adopt, for his own, the. daughter of his brother Honorius; the beauty .and accomplishments of Seren at were universally admired by the obsequious court; and Stilicho Qbtained the preference over a crowd of rivals, who ambitiously disputed the hand of the princess, and the favour of her adoptive father.Theassurance that the husband of Serena would be faithful to the throne, which he was permitted to approach, engaged the emperor to exalt the fortunes, and to employ the abilities, of the sagacious and intrepid Stilicho. He rose through the succes'sive steps of master of the horse, and Hia mili- count of the domestics, to thOe supreme rank of :2:0.... master-general of all the cavalry and infantry of ° 0' ° ° ClaadilUl, ID lUI imperfect poem, haa drawn a fair, perhaps a Satt•• That favourite niece of Tlteodoailll wu bora, aa well u lier abttr Thermantia, ia Spaia; (rom whence, in tbeir ear. lien youth, they were hODourably conducted to the p_lace of CODstaa· tinople. . U lome donbt may be entertaiDl'd, wbether this adoption was il'gal or oDly metapborical, (see DucBDge, Fam. Byzanto p. 15). AD old ia ,aerilltioD gina Stirieho the aingular t;tle of Pro Diri TIMtHIOIIi. • t ing, portrait of Serena. ° ,,/1,.. Digitized by Google '153 Olt THE lWHAN EMPIRE. the Roman, or at least of the western, empire;· CH"P. and his enemies confessed, that he invariably dis- ,,~~~~,~ dained to barter for gold the rewards of merit, J.. D. ass. or to defraud the soldiers ofthe pay and gratifi.- 488. cations, which they deserved, or claimed, from the liberality of the state,1 . The valour and conduct which he afterwards displayed, in the defence of Italy, against the arms of Alaric and Radagaisus, may justify the fame of hig early achieven;s.ents; and in an age less attentive to the Jaws of honour, or of pride, the Roman general. might yield the pre-eminence of rank, to the ascendant of superior genius.· He lamented,. aDd reTenged, the murder of Promotus, his rival and his friend; and the massacre of many thousands of the flying Bastarnre is represented by the poet, as a bloody sacrific~, which the Roman Achilles offered to the manes of another Patroclus. 'rhe virtue~ and victories of Stilicho deserved the hatred of Rufinus: and the arts of " Clandiau (Laus SereDa, 198, 19S). express" in poetic langnegt'; the II dilectul eqnomm," aDd the " grmiDo mox idem ('ulmili" dUlLit II agmina." The inscription adds... count of tbe domestic.... 811 im. portant command, wbirh Stilicho. in the beight ofbis grandeur. might prudeDtly retain. . 7 The hea utilullinel ot'Cllludian (in i Coni. StiJicb. ii. 113) display .'leni1l5:. bnt tbe integrity of Stilicbo (in the military admini.tration) ia macb more firmly established by the unwilling evidence of ZosimuI, (I. Y. po Soli), . • -81 bellica moles . Ingrueret, quamvia annis et jure mlnori, Cedere graudEVOIi equitum peditumque magilltrOi Adsplceres.Claudiau, Laua Sereu. p. 100, Ce. A modem geDerai would deem their.lubmiaaioD, either heroic patriedam, or abject ""i1ity. Digitized by Google 164 THE DECLINE AIID JPAq" CHAP. calumny might have been successful, if the tea:.~~~.. der and vigilant Serena had not protected her husband against his domestic foes, whilst he vanquished in the field the enemies of the empire. • Theodosius continued to support an unworthy minister, to whose diligence he delegated the government of the palace, and of the . East; but when he marched against the tyrant Bugenius, he associated his faithful general to the labours and glories of the civil war; and, in the last D10ments of his life, the dying monarch recommended to Stilicho the care of ·his 80ns, and of the republic.' The ambition and tbe abilities of Stilicho were not unequal to the important trust; an~ he claimed the guardiansbip of the two empires, during the minority of A rcadillS and Honoriu~. C The first measure of bis administration, or rather of his reign, displayed to the nations the vigour and activity of a spirit worthy to command. He passed the Alp. in~the depth of winter; descended the stream of • Comp.re thf' poem on the fint conln1abip, (I, 96 115), with the lAu &rI6", (221.2$1, where it unfortunately break. ot'). We m.y perceive the deep inveterate malice of Rnfinnl. b --Qoemfratri6u ipse Discedenl, clypeomqoe defeDloremque dedlati. Yet the nomin.tion (iv Coni. Hon. 482) w.s prly.te, fili CoOl. HOD. 142) cundol dilcedere ~ •• jobet; and m.y, therefore, be IU'peeled. Zosimua, and Suid.., .pply to Stilicbo, .od RufinuI, the lame equal title of E••..,...". guardians, or procurators. C The Roman I.w distlngultbes two .ortl of .m-v" which expired .t the age of fonrteen and of twenty.five. The one w.. lubject to the ""..., or guardi.n, of the penOB; the other to the ..,...,., or trostee, 0 f tile eat.te, (Heineccinl, Antiqultat. Rom. ad Jorilpnadeut, pertinent.l. I, tit. xxii, Bill, p. 218-232). Bot these legal ideu were De!Fer ace. r.tely_t......ferred iDto the eoaatitutioD ofan elective monarclty. Digitized by Google 1M 6P TH~ ROMAN JtIlJtlllEo the Rhine, (rom the fortress of Basil to the' CHAP. marches of Batatia; reviewed the state uf the ,~~~~ ... garrisons; repressed the enterprises cif the Ger· mans; and, after establishing along the banks a firm and honourable peace, returned with incredible speed to the palace of Milab.· The person and court of Honorius were subject to the master-generai of the West; and the armies and provinces of Europe obeyed, without hesitation, a regular authority, which was exercised in the name oftheir young l!Iovereign. Two rivals only remainl:ld to dispute the claims, and to provoke the vengeance, of Stilicho. Within the limits of Africa, Gildo~ the Moor, maintained a proud and dangerous independence; and the minillter oC Constantinople al!lsertedhis equal reign oyer the emperor, and the empire, of ths East. TheimpartialitywhichStilicho affect.ed, asthe Th' Ii II common guardian of the royal brothers, engaged ancf d!lIlb him to regltlate the equal division of the arms f :~~(Jfi. the jewels, and the magnificent wardrobe and ~o~: :~. furniture of the deceased empel'ot.· But the' most important object of the inhf:lritance consisted of the numerous 'legiolis, cohorts, and squadrons o(Romans~ ot· barbarians, whom the event of the civil war had united 'under the standard of Thebdosiull. The various multi~ See ClaadiaD (i Cons. Stilich. i, 188.~2); but he mUlt allow more tban fifteen days for the journey aDd return between Milan an' Leyden. • I Cons. Stilich. ii, 88·94. Not oDly tile robes aad diadem, of . . deceased emperor, bnt eveD the helmell, sword.hilta, belu, cuitulet, .c. were enriched with pearls, emeralds, and wIIDoad.. Digitized by Google 100 CH.AP. XXIX. 'THE DECLINE AND FALL tudes of Europe and Asia, exasperated by fer • •• cent .ammosIties, were overaw~db y t he auth0rity of a single man; and the rigid discipline of Stilicho protected the lands of the citizen from the rapIne of the licentious soldier.' Anxious, however, and impatient, to relieve Italy from the presence of this formidable host, which could be useful only on the frontiers of the empire, he listened to the just requisition of the minister of Arcadius, declared his intention of r&conducting in person the troops of the East; and dexterously employed the rum our of a Gothic tumult, to conce.at his private designs of ambition and revellge.1 The guilty soul ofRunnus was alarmed by the approach of a warrior and a rival, ~hose enmity he deserved; he computed, with incre~sing terror, the narrow spac~ of his life and greatness; and, as the last hope of safety, he interposed the authority of the emperor Arcadius. Stilicho, who appears to have directed his march along the sea-coast of the Hadriatic,' was not far distant from the city of Thessalonica, when he received a peremptory message, to recal the troops of the East, and to declare, that his nearer approach would be con- _ _ _,m -Tantoqne remoto Principe, motatal orbit non .elllit habenu. • Thit high commendation (i CODI. Stil. i, 140) may be jn.tified by the lean of the dyiog emperor, (de BeU. Gildon. 1n-30l); and the peace aod good order which were enjoyed after bit death, (i CoDl. Stil. i, U6-168). I Stilicbo'l marcb, ,lind the death of RufioDl, are delcribed by CJaa. "iao, (io Rolio; 1. ii, 101·463; Zo.imnl, (I. v, p. 296, 2111); So.umm, (I. viii, c. In Socratt'l, (I. vi, c. I); Pbilostorgiul, (I. xi, c. 3, willa Godt'Croy. p. 441), aod tbe Chronicle of Marcellioo•• Digitized by Google 101 OF THE. ROMAN EMPiltF.. Bidered, by 'the Byzantine court, as' an act of CHAP. hostility. The prompt and unexpected obedi- ~~ ence of the general of the West, convinced the vulgar of his loyalty and moderation; and, a~ he had already engaged the affection of the eas~ 'ern troops, he recommended to their zeal the 'execution of his bloody design, which niight be accomplished in his absence, with less danger perhaps, and with less reproach. Stilicho left the command of the troops of the East to Gainas, the Goth, on whose fidelity he firmly relied; with an assurance, at least, that the hardy barbarian would never be diverted from his purpose by any consideration of fear or remorse. The soldiers were easily pers~aded to punish the enemy of Stilicho, .and of ij,ome; and such 'was the general bat~d which Rufinus had excited, that the fatal secret, communicated. to ·thousands, was faithfully preserved during the long march from Thessalonica to the gates of Constantinople. A. 800n as they had resolved his death, they condescended to flatter his pride; the ambitious prefect was seduced to believe, that those powerful auxiliaries might be tempted to place 'the diadem on his head; and the treasures which he distributed, with a tardy and reluctant hand, were a~ce~ted by the indignant ~ultitude, as an insult, rather than as ,a gift. At the distance of a mile from the capital, in the field' of Mars, before the palace of Hebdomon, the troops halted: and the emperor, as well as his minister, advanced, according to ancient custom, respectfully to salute the power which supported their throne. As Rufinu. Digitized by Google l1i8 THE DECLINE .ND PAL., passed along tb~ ranks, and disgui8e~, w.i.tb. studied courtesy, his inllat~ h~ughtine8S, the --*"-,.,, wings ·insensibly wheeled from the J'\ght and Jeft., and :i~el~sed the elevoted viGti.Qlwlthin tl~e -cirde ~f.th.·...rms. ~efo.re .he could re~ect on -the :u8.llger:<i h\s ~tUf'twp" .(ia.inas gave the sig~al of ~ath,; ~ ,daring ~~cl forward ·soldie,r -plunged his &w.i)r~ iQ,t9tbe hr~t of .t,ile ,guilty psefect, RMfl UuiiQ,\ls .fell, groflD~, ~nd expu:~4# .a.t:a.e ~ ..of rl\le .~righted emperor. ~f ,the .ag()~ J)f~ motP!''lut could e~pia,te the crimes ·~f-a·~hole.life,orir~e:outrages inflicted.on. a .brea~s€pJ:psecol1ld be ,the ol>.ject of f)ity, .Gur ~umanity ·JDight fperhaps be9$ected by the oorrid circu..l)lstances .which accompanied the JaUrder ·of R~fiD1,ls. ais mangled ,body was ..oondoned to :the brutal fUfY- of .the populace f4 either ~~l':1 ·who bastened -in crow., ·from !iW.ery quarter .of tbe ,city, to trample on the re'Dains i}f~tbelha~gbt, minister, .t whose fro~D IherOd :4.0 lately treJPbI.e~. His J:ight hand r"w.as£.ut ()tf, ,~nd Qwned through the :streets uf tCoDstalttinopl.e, in cruel .Qlockery, to .extort ~floDttibution8,f(>.r ·th,e .av,aricious tyrant, whose .Mad WAS publidy .e.Jiposed, borne aloft on the point of a long :lance~1l According to the sa-. -ltlgelmaJl(ims of ·th~ Gr.~ek republics, his inno..::entrfamily would ·ha.ve shared the punishment .o~;lris crimes. The wife. and daughter of Ru'mus were :indebted for their' safety to the .inBu~Dce of.religion. Her sanctuary protected CHU .. XXIX. • 7he dUlllctiOll of Rufinus, whit-h Claudian performs with the _ nge coolnell of an anatomist, (in Rufin. ii. 405-416). i,likewise aped-Ciecl b1 Zoai~111 aud Jerom, (tom. i, p. 26). Digitized by Google IIi' 01' THE ROMAN EMPIRP.. them from the r.aging madness of the people; CRAP. and they were permitted to.spend the remaiJlder .p~~~~ of their lives in the exercises of Christian devotion, in the peaceful retirement of Jerusalem.· The servile poet of Stilicho' applauds, with Discord ~ . . th'IS h om'd de ed ,Wh'lCh,lOt . he empire., of the two l~rOCIOUS JOY, execution, perhaps, of justice, violated every ~c~· auo. law of nature and society, profaned the lllajesty ofthepl'ince, and renewed the dangerous examples ofimilitary licence. The contemplation of tbe uniVersal order' and .harmony had satisfied Claudian of the existence of the Deity; but. the prosperous impunity of vice appeared to .contradict iilis moral attributes; and the ~e tl Rufinus was the only event which could diltpEd the religious doubts of the poet." SIj~h an act might vindicate the hOJiour·of :PI!ovidenoe.; b.t it did not much cQntribute to the happineslt of the people. 'In less ·than three months they were infotmed of the maxims of the new adnli: nistration, by a singular~edict, which established the exclusive right of the treasury over the ~poils of Rufinus; and .silenced, under heavy penalties, the presumptuous claims of the sub. jects of the eastern.empire; who had been InI The pagaa Zoaimua meation. their sanctnary and pilgrimage. The lister of Rufina., S,IYaai!a, wllo. palsed h.r life at Jeruaale.., it 1am0UI in monaltic hiatory. I: Tl)e .tudious vil'gin bad diligeatly, and enD rrpE'atedly, perused the commentatora on the bibl(', Origen, Gregory, Buil, &c: to tlae amount of five millions of linea. 2. At the ace of thrusl'Ort', ahe could boalt, that ahe had never washed b.er handa, face, or any part of her whole body,exeeptthe tips of her fingt'rI, to receiYe the commnnion. See the Vitll! Patrum, p. 110, 977. It See the beautiful exordium of his invective against Rufinas, wlUck i. curiou,ly disculled by the sceptic BaylE', DictiollDllire c;riti,. . R ....x. Not. E. Digitized by Google ]00 THE. DECJ.lNE AND FALL jured by his rapacious tyranny! Even StiJicho ..~~~~~'- did not derive from the murder of his r~val, the fruit which he had proposed; and though he gratified his .revenge, his ambition was disap-pointed. Under the name of a. favourite, the weakness of Ai-cadiue required a ~~ster; but he naturally preferred the obsequious 'arts of the eunuch Eutropius, who had obtained his domestic confidence; and the emperor contemplated, with terror and aversion, the stern genius of a foreign wanior. Ti1l they were divided by the jealousy of power, the sword of Gainas, and the charms of Eudoxia, supported the favour 'of the great chamberlain .of the palace: the perfidious Goth, who was appointed master-general of the East, betrayed, without scruple, the interest of his benefactor; and the same troops, who·had so lately massacred the enemy of Stilicbo, ~wete engaged to support, against him, theindependence of the· throne of Constantinople. The favourites of Arcadius fomented a secret and irreeoncileable war against a formidable hero, who aspired to govern, and to defend, the two empires of Rome, and the two sons of Theadosius. They incessantly laboured, by dark and treacherous machinations, to deprive him of the esteem of the prince, the respect of the people, and the friendship of the barbarians. The life of Stilicho was repearedly attempted by the dagger of hired assassins; and a decree was obtained, from the Renate of ConCHAP. . I See tlae Thl'odo~iaD Code, I. ix, tit. xlii, Ifg. 14, 15 The Df\" mi.lsura attempted, "itt. i1,"(In~i'!fllt 3\,ftlil'f"T \0 sdllc the sl'oiJ'I)f tbeir predecessor, !llld to provide for their o"n future ,{colity. Digitized by Google .161 0.1' THE Ro.MAN.EMPIRE. . stantiuo.pJe, to. declare him' aD enemy.o.f the 1'&.0 CHAP. ' and to. co.nfi scate h"IS ampIe po.ssesslOns, . ,XXIX· pu bI Ie, .... uu_ in th~ pro.vinces o.f the East. At a time when the o.nly ho.pe o.fdelaying theroin ofthe,Ro.man name; depended o.n the firm unio.n, and recipro- . cal aid; o.f all the natio.ns to. wham it .had been gradually co.mmunicated, the sUl;»jects o.f Arca;. dius and Ho.norius were instrl'lctelf, by their.r&spective masters, to. view each:o.ther in a fo.reign; and even ho.stile, light; to. 'rejo.ice in. their,mutual calamities, and to. embrace, as their faithful allies, the barbarians, who.m they excitedto.invade the territo.ries .o.f, their countrymen.- The nati.ves of Italy affected. to. despise the servile and effeminate Greeks of Byzantium, ,who. presumed to. imitate the dress, and to.usurp the'dignity, o.f Roman senato.rs;a and the Greeks had Do.t yet fo.rgot the sentiments of hatred and co.ntempt, which their po.lished ancestors had so. Io.ng eIltertaiDed fo.r the rude inhabitants o.f the West. The distinction of two. go.vernments, which soo.n producedthe separatio.n o.ftwo natio.ns, will justify my' design of suspending the series of the Byzantine histo.ry, to. pro.secute, witho.ut interruptio.u, • See Clandtan, (i Coal. Stllicb. I. i, 115, 292, 296 j ,I. ii, ~), ,Ulli Zoaimal, I. v, p. 302). • Clandlaa tarnl the eoalnlahlp of tbe eunuch Eutropiaa iato a natioDlll reSectioa, (I. ii, 134). ' , --Plandeatem cer:De seaatam Et ByzantinOl procerea, GraioIfu Quiritel I 0. patribul plebes, 0. digai eoasale patre.. ' It II curionl to observe the fint symptoms of jealoalY and schis m .... twer.a old aad Dew Rome, between the Greeka and Latini. Vo.L. V. M Digitized by Google • 1M THE DECLINE AND PALL CHAP. the disO'l'SU'eful, XXIX. , e-- . ,,# __,_ nOrIOUs. but memorable, reign· of Ho• R~YOI~ of Gildo 10 Africa, :u:. The prudent Stilicho, instead of persisting to ' I"mations 0 fa' pnnce, " force t he IDC and peopIe, I8G- who rejected his government, wisely abandoned Arcadius to his unworthy favourites; and his reluctance to involve the two empires in a civil , war, displayed the moderation of a minister, :who had so often signalized his military spirit and abilities. But if Stilicho bad any longer endured the revolt of .Africa, he would have betrayed the security of the capital, and the majesty of the western emperor, to the capricious insolence of a Moorish rebel. GildO;0 the brother ofthe tyrant Firmus, had' preserved, and obtained, as the reward of his apparent fidelity, the immense patrimony which was forfeited by treason; long and meritorious service, in the .armies of Rome, raised him to the dignity of a military count; the narrow policy of the court « Theodosiu8 had adopted the mischievous expedient of supporti~g a legal government by .the interest of a powerful family; and the bro,ther of Firmus was invested with the command oFtAfrica. His ambition soon 'usurped the administration of1ustice, and of the finances, with· out account, and without controul; and he maintained, during a reign of twelve years, the possession of an office from which it was impossj. ble to remove him, without the danger of a civil • Claucfiaa may have· exaggerated the vice. of Gildo; but his Moorish elrtractioD, hia Dotorioul actio• ., aDd the comp1aiDu of Be. AaguatiD, may jaatify the poeu'. iDYectives. BaroDiaa (~al, EccJet. A, D. 1118, No. 11.16) hu treated die MricaD rebellioa with akillaM , 1wnIi.... Digitized by Google Qr ~HE ROMAN qPI".. t6~ war-•. D.o.ring those·twelv~·y'~, .~...~ pro~inc~ cU1i' of Afri~a groa.n~ V».4~r th~,qomi~i.on 9f ~. ty.. ,::... ,~.. :rAnt, 'Who seemed ~o ~nj~ th~ uW-.g. t~mp~r: ()( ~ str~ger, witb ~~PMtial t'~~~tm.~p,~8I:o£ «;\0~~c fac~on. The (O,J;lU'i of ·11J.~' ~re often ~1Jperse~~. by tb.e ulte: o~ poi~on;,~p,d: ii,- th~ trelDb\ing ~ests, 'rho W"e in.vi.~d to;th~, ~lf.ble of Gildo, presu...ed to ,e~pre~: tben· f.#ars, the ins'olen,t ~U,8p~<rlQl1 ~"~-,-cm\y: to e~c~ h.i~ fury; and he 19»4\1. %1JIJ»II,9AAt;l.1b.~~i.rMtf~li~( <Je~h. Gildo alternately influ).pd. ~.e_ p~S§~o~s; of avarice and lust;p a~~ ifh:\it :days wet;e ~~rrilile to ~~ rich, hi~ 'I!.f.g~, weI:~ DO~ l~ff~ c\r~dful tQ "u.bandsand pa~en~. The fa~re~~ of tlwirwi,ves ~d daughters wer~p~o~tihlt:ed, to ~he ~braces ()E th~ tyrant'; a~d a;f~~:w"r.c;J.IjI: a~3rD,doned to a ~o~~o~s troop of b,ar~~'ian~ and a.ssa~sjns,. the bl~{!~,or sW;8.ft~y ~tive~ ~ft.he dese~t;, who~ ~i:ldo cO~$idered • ~e OJ1\y·g..u~rd~~ns of hi~ In the civil, w.~, b~~w~ Theodosius and Eugenius, the count, or r.ather the sovereign, of .t\frica, maintained a hau.ghty at\~ suspici.ous n,~~trality; refused to assi~t either 0.£ the con~~ing parties with troop,s or ve.ss~ls, expected 1h~ d-e~laration of for~une, and reserved for 1he t}lro~e. • Ins tat terribili. yiyil, morieotibos hare. Virsinlbus raptor. tbalamis obac.uos adulter~ Nulla qnies: oritur p~41 cellaote, libido, DiYitibusque dies, et noxmetuenda lJ1lU'itil. --Mauris clariaa.ima qureque . Faatidita datur.-Barooiul coodelllDJ, _till more severely, tbe'lieeutiou8oell of Gildo; 1M .... wife, biB clall,hter. aOll bis aister, were examples of perfect cbll~•. Tl!e adulteries oCtbe Afrioao soldie... are cbeckedby one of Ill. iJDperiallaw•• 1.1.12 Digitized by Google i64 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP. conqueror, the vain professions of his allegiance• .. ~~~~.. Such professions woulc:I not have satisfied the master of the Roman world; but the death of Theodosius, and the weakness and discord of his sons, confirmed the power of the Moor; who condescended. as a proof of his moderation,. to abstain from the use of the diadem, and to supply R~me with the customary tribute, or ratbe~ subsidy,of corn. In every division of the empire; the five provinces of Africa were invariably assigned to the West; 'and <;Jildo had consented to govern ~at extensive country in the name of Honorius; but his knowledge of the characte-a: and designs of Stilicho, soon engaged him to address his homage to a more distant and feeble sovereign. The ministers of Arcadius embraced "the cause of a perfidious rebel; and the deiusive hope of adding the numerous cities of Africa to the empire of the East, tempted them to assert a claim, which they were incapable of supporting, either by reason, or by arms. q When Stilicho had" given a firm and decisive . H e IS eon. demoed answer to the pretensions ofthe Byzantine court, ~~b . MlIlI Ie. he solemnly accused the tyrant of AfrIca before ~~t!: 397'. thetribunal, which had formerly judged the kings and nations of the earth; and the image of the republic was revived, after a long interval,under the reign of Honorius. The emperor transmitted an accurate and ample detail of the complaints q Inqoe taam 80rtem nnmerosllI tranltolit urMI• . Claudiao"(de Bell. Gtldonico, 230.•. 224) has toncMd, 'With political delicacy, the intrigol's of thl' Byzantine Gourt, which are Iikewise~' tioned by ZOlimuI, (I. v, p. 302). Digitized by Google 168 OF THE ROllAN EMPIRL ottheproviilciaIs, and the c"rimes of Gildo, to the CHAP. Roinan senate; and the members of that vene-: .,.XXIX ...._".• rable assembly were required to pronounce the condemnation of the rebel. Their unanimous suffrage declared him the enemy of the republic; and the decree of the senate added a sacred ana legitimate sanction to the Roman arms: A people, who still remembered, that their ancestors" had been the masters of the world, would have applauded, with conscious pride, the representation of ancient freedom; if they had not long since been accustomed to prefer the solid assurance of bread, to °the unsubstantial visionla ofJiberty and greatness. The subsistence of Rome depended on the harvests of Africa; and jt was evident, that °adeclaration of war would be the signal of famine. The prefect Sy.mmaclms, who" presided in the deliberations of the senate, admonished fhe minister of his just apprehension~ that as soon as the revengeful Moor should prohibit the exportation °of com, the tranquillity, and perhaps the safety, olthe capi-" tal, "wouid be threatened by the hungry rage of a turbulent °multitude.' The prudence of Stilic"ho conceived, and executed, without delay, the Dlosi effectual measure" for the relief of the Roman people. A large and seasonable supply of corD, collected" in the inland provinces of, I o .e- Symmachns (I. iv, epllt. 4) "exprelsel the judicial forml of the nate; and ClaudiaD (i COD•• 8tilich. I. i, 12/), &lc.) leems to fed. the .pirit a Roman. I ClaudiaD finely doplay. these complaintl of Symmachnl, in a 5peeeb of tbe godden of Rome, before the throne of Jupiter, (de BeD. Gildon. 28,.128). • of Digitized by Google J66 XHE-DECLlNE AND FALL CHAP Gaul, was 'embarked on tlie ~pid stream ofttle .. ~~~~:, Rhone, and transported, by an easy navigation, frblll the Rhone to 'the Tiber. During the whole turm of the Afti'can :war, the 'granaries of Rome, were continually filled, 'her dignity was vindicated fromthe,buwiliatirlg'dependence, and the minds of an immense people were quieted by the calm confidence of peace and . plenty.t The Alii-The cause of Rome, and the condnct dfthe ~~~;;8, African war, were intrusted by Stilicho, -to a gt'neral, active and ardent to 'revenge his ,private ibjuries on the head' of the tyrant. The ,pirit of discord, which prevailed in 'the house of Nahal, had excited adeadly qu.arrel between two ofhis son8, Gildo'abd Mascezel.u The usurper pursued, withimplacable.rage, the life of l1is younger brother, whose courage ,and abilities he feared; and Mascezel, oppressed by superior power, tookrefuge in the court of Milan ; where he soon received the cruel intelligence, that'his two innuceilt and helpless children had been murdered by their inhuman uncle. Th~ 'affliction of the futher was suspended only by the desire of revenge. The vigilant Stilicho alTeady prepared to collect the naval and military forces of the western empire; and he had resolved, if the tyr.ant should be able to wage 8.Jl equal ana doUbtful'war, to march against him ,il!-per60D. But • See ClaudiaD, in (Eutro.,. L i, 401, Ire; i CoOl. Stil. J. i, 106, Ire. ii Coni. Stilieh. 91, &c.) -n He was of a matnre age; ,inee he had formerly (A. D. an) lened !!Jainst Iii, brother Finnul, (Ammian. xxix, 5). Claodian, who ODderItood the eo .. rt of Milan, dwells on the i,njoriel, rather thAD the meria. of l'tIaaeezel, (de Bell. Gild. 389-414). 'The 'Nooriah war WU Dot wor thy of Honoriu., or Stilieho, &e. Digitized by Google J67 a.ltaly required his presence, and as it might CHAP. XXIX. ~ dangerous to weaken the defence ofthe fron- •__,..". tier, he judged it more advisable, that Mascezel should attempt this arduous adventure, at the head of a ch,osen body of Gallic veterans, who had lately served under the standard of Eugeoms. These troops, who were exhorted to convince t~e world,that they could subvert, as well as defend, the throne of an usurper, consisted of the Jovian, the Hercv,lian, and the .A.vgwlan, legions; of tile Nervian auxiliaries; of the 801mers, who displayed in their banners the symbol of a liO'll, and of the troops which were distinguished by the auspicious names of Forl'U'll.a~e, and Invincible. Yet such was the smallness of their establishments, or the difficulty of recruiting, that these seve. bands,s of ~igh dignity a;nd reputation in the service of Rome, amQunted to no mor.e than five thousand effective men.' The fleet of galleys and transports sailed in tempestuous w.eather from the port of Pisa, in' Tuscawy, aDd steered their course to the little islap.d of Capraria; which had borrowed that name {rom the wild goats, its original inhabitants, whose pla.ce was now occupied by anew colony of a strange aDd sal'age appearance. "The "" CI••dian, Bell. Gild. 41MD. The change of dilcipliDe allowed him to use inclliFereudy the nam. of Lcio, c.ur., MIIIIipIIlu. See the Jiolitia Imperii, S. 38, 40. ",7 Oroaiiu, (I. YD, c. 16, p. /165) qualifies this accouot with lID npresalon of doubt, (ut aiuot); and it Icarcely coincidel with tile, '_,"I~..a, ~ of Zoaimnl, (I. Y, p.308). Yet C1andian, after lOme d.. ' clamation abont CadmuI', IOldien, frankly owns, that Stilicho RUt • amaU army; leat the rebel Ihould fiy, De timeare times, (i CoBl. Stili. L i, 114, ""c. . Digitized by Google 168 ~£ DECI.DE~'\5D 'PAU.' CHAP. " 'whole island (says'an ingenious tra'Veller- of, ....~~:. . " those times) is filled,. or rather defiled, by U men, who fly from the light. They call them'" selves Monb, or solitaries, 'because they " choose to live alone, without any 'witness of " their actions. They fear the gifts of fortune,' ".'from the apprehension oflosing them; and,. " lest they sliould be miserable, they' embrace " a life of voluntary wretchedness. How ab" surd is their choice I how perverse' their un,,' derstanding I~to dread the evils, without being " able to support the blessings, of the' human "condition. Either this melancholy madness " is the effect of disease, or else' the conscious'. ness of guilt urges these unhappy men to ex" ercise on their own bodies the tortures which c, are inflicted on fugitive slaves by the hand -of "justice."· Such was the contempt of a profane' magistrate for the monks of Capraria, who were revered, by the pious Mascezel, as the chosen servants of God. • Some of them were persuaded, by his entreaties, to embark ~n board the fleet; and it is observed, to the praise of the Roman general, that his days and nights were employed in prayer, fasting, and 'the occupation of singing psalms. The devout leader, ' , • Claud. Ruti!. Numatian. Itiaerar. i,419-448. He afterwarda CIlI626) mentionl a religion. madman on the isle of Gorgona. For luch profaue remarlia, Rntilius, and his accomplice., are Ityled, by hi' com. melltator,. Barthiul, rabioli CH" diaboJi. Tillemont, (Mem. Eccles. tom. ,xii, p. 411) more calmly obsenes, that the unbelievin, poet prailes where he meHS to een.ore. • : a OrosiuI,I. vii, c. 80, P. 1S64. Augustin commend. two of these .avace saints of the isle of Goats, epist. lxxxi, apod Tillemont, Mem. Eccles. tom. xiii, p. 317. and Baroniu•• Annal, Eccles. A.. D. 8~. No. 11). . " ',' Digitized by Google ·ho, with $tictl a'reinforcement, appeared con- CHAP. fident of victory, avoided the dangerous· rocks ,~~~~:... of Corsica; coasted along ihe eastern side of Sar-. dinia, and secured his ships against the violence of the south wind, by casting anchor in the safe and capacions harbour of Cagliari, at the distanceof one hundred and forty miles from the African sho.res.1t Gildo was prepared to resist the invasion with Dereat all the forces of Africa. By the liherality of his :~~~:~ gifts and promises, he endeavoured to secure the A.8.I98, doubtful allegiance ofthe Roman soldiers, whilst' he attracted to his standard the distant tribes of Gretulia and lEthiopia.• Heproudly reviewed ail army of seventy thousand men, and boasted, with' the rash presumption which is the forerunner of disgrace, that his numerous cavalry would trample uuder their horses feet the troop~ of Malc&zel, and involve, in a cloud of burning sand, the natives of the cold regions -of Gaul and Germany.c But the Moor, who commanded the legions of Honorius, was too well acquainted with the manners of his countrymen, to entertain any serious apprehension' of a naked and disorder1y host of barb'arians; whose left arm, . instead of a shield, was protected only by a mantle; who were totally disarmed as soon as they had darted their javelin from their right hand; and whose horses had never been taught b Here the first book of tbe Gildonic war i. terminated, Tbe relt of Claudiali's 'poem hal bten.lost; and we are ignorant 1aotD, or ~t tht army made gOlld tbeir landing in Afriea. , • OroBius must be responsible for the account. 'l'he oresumption 01 Gildo, and his various lI'ain of bal'balian., is celebrated by Claudiu, (i CODl~ Stil. 1:1, 345.356). Digitized by Google 170 CHAP. THE DULlJfB AND FALL to bear the controul, or to obey the guidance, _~~~of the bridle. He fixed his camp of fiTe tho"sand veterans in the (ace of a. superior· enemy, and, after the delay of three days, gave the signal of a general engagement! As Mascezel advanced before the front with fair offers of peace and pardon, he encountered one of t~e foremoit standard-bearers of the Africans, and, on his refusal to yield, struck him on the ann with his sword. The al'Jll, and the .standard, sunk under the weight of the blow; and the iJDaginary act ofsubmissi'OJl was hastily repeated by all the staadards of the line. At this signal, the di~ cohorts proclaimed the Dame of their laWN) sovereign ;tlle barbarian8,astonislaedb~ ~lte eefectioB of their ROmaR allies, mspened, e.ccOl'ding to their C1Jstom, in tumnltuary Sight; aad Mascezel ebtained ihe honours 'Of 8Ileasy, and almost bloodless victory.· The tyrant escaped from the field of baWe to the sea-shore; and threw himself intn a small vessel, with the hope of reaching in safety. some friendly port of the empire of the East; but the obstinacy of the wind drove him back into the harbour of Tabraca' which had acknowledged, with the rest • St. Ambrose, who bad been dtad about a year, revealed, iD a viaiou. the time and placf. of the victory. Maseesel afterwarD related bis dream to Paulioul, the original biograpber of the wut, from wb_ it might ea.i1y pus to Oroains. e ZOlimUI, (I. v, p. 101) Iuppolea an obstinate combat; bnt the IlIJ'rative of Orosins appean to collceal a real fact, under the diaguiaa of a miracle. r Tabraca lay ·between the two Hipp", (CeUariuI, tom. ii, p, ii, po 112; d'AII9il1e, tom. iii, p. 84). Oroain,ba,distiDctly namedthefie14 of battle, but our ignorance cannot_define the precise aituation.! Digitized by Google 171 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. of 'the province, the dominion of Honorius, and CHAP. the au'thority of his lieutenant. The inhabitants, ~~~.~~~..... as a proof of their repentance and loyalty, seized , and confined the person of Gildo in a dungeon; and his own «:J,espair saved him from the int01erable torture of supporting thE: presence of an injured, and victorious, brother.' The captives, and the spoils, of Africa, were laid at the feet of the emperor; but Stilicho, whose moderation appeared more conspicuous, and mOre sincere, in the midst of prosperity, still affected to consult the laws of the republic, and referred to the senate 'and people of Rome the judgment of the most illustrious criminals.1I Their trial wa, pub. lic and solemn; but the judges, in the exercise ofthis obsolete and precarious jurisdiction, were impatient to punish the African magistrates, who had intercepted the subsistence of the Roman people. The 'l'ich and guilty province was oppressed by the imperial ministers, who had a. visible interest 'to mu1tiply the 'nUlnber of the accomplices 'of Gildo; and if an edict of Honorius seems to check the malicious ,industry of informers, a subsequent edict, at the distance of • The lltatb of Gildo ia exprea.ed by Claudio,' (i Com. Stil, I. 351), and hi. beat intnpreten, Zoaimus aud OroaiUl. " Claudi~ (ii Colli. Stilich. 19-119) describes their trial, (tremuit quos Africa nuper, cernuut roatra reol), and applauds tbe re.toratioD of tbe aucient constitution. it il here that he introduces lb. fAmou. lentence, 10 familiar to the friendl of despotllm.--Nunquam libertu gratior eutat , Quam lub rege p i o . But the freedom, which depeuda OD royal piet, .scarcely deurftl lllat appeUation. . Digitized by Google 172 'rilE DECLINJ!; AND }'ALL' ten vears, continues' and renews the prosecu. XXIX. tion ·of the offences. which had been committed - ~...,.•• ,... in the time of the general rebellion.' The adherents of the tyrant, who escaped the first fury of the soldiers, and the judges, might ~erive some consolation from the tragic fate of his brother, who could never obtain his pardon for the extraordinaryserviccs which he had performed. After he had finished an important war in the space of a single winter, Mascezel was received at the court of Milan with loud applause, affected gratitude, and secret jealousy;k and his death, which, perhaps, was the effect of acci· dent, has 'been considered as tbe crime of Stilicho. In the passage of a bridge, the Moorish prince, who accompallied the master-general of the West, was suddenly throwll fr,om his horse into the river; the officious haste of the attendants was restrained by a cruel and perfidious smile, which they observed on the countenance of Stilicho; and while they delayed the necessary assistance, the unfortunate Mascezel was. irrecoverably drowned.1 The joy of the African triumph was happily M • amage, 'hh '1 sot fh e emperor H 0and cba- connected Wit t e nuplIa raeter of nonus, • . M arIa, . t h~ d augh ter 0 ( HODorins, an d 0 f h'IS COUSIn • I A. D. 808. Stilicho: and this equal and honourable alliance CHAP. See the Theo~o.iaD Code, 1. ix, tit. xxxix, Ipg. 3; tit. xl. lee. 19. Stilicbo, wbo claimrd 81;1 equal abarr. iD all the vietories of TbeodOo shlJ aDd hi~ 10D, particularly alserta tbat Africa was recovered by the wisdom of lab counaels, (see aD inscription produced by Baroni...). I 1 have softened tbe narrative of Z.,simlls, wbich. iu ita urude iii.plicity, is almost iDcrrdible, (1; v, p. 30S). Oroaills daDIDI the delon0111 Icneral (p. 538) for violating the rigbt of sanctuary. I k Digitized by Google 113 Oll' THE ROMAN EHPJRF.. I 8eemed to invest the powerful mlIlister: with the CHAP., ' 0 f a parent over. h'IS sub" "I . _ XXIX, authorlty mIssIve pUpl _' The muse of Claudian was not silent on this, propitious day:m he sung, in various and lively, strains, the h~ppiness of the royal pair; and, the glory of the hero, who confirmed their union, and supported their throne. The ancient fables, of Greece, which had almost ceased to be the object of religious faith~ were saved from oblia:, lion by the genius of poetry. The picture of tlie Cyprian grove, the seat of harmony and love; the triumphant progress of Venus over her Dative seas, and t\le, mild influence which her. presence diffused in ~h~ palace, of Milan, ex-· press to every,age the naturalsentiments of the; heart, in the just 'a~d pleasing language of al-, legorical fiction. But the amorous impatjence,~ which' CI~'\idian attributes to the young prince: must excite the smiles of the court; and nis. beauteous spouse (i.f she deserved the praise o{beauty) had not much to fear. or to hope. • from the passions of her lover. Honorius ,,!,as -. Claudian, as the poet laareat, composed a serioUi and elab~ra~ epithalamium of 340 linea; besides some gay Felceaninea,.wblcb W~le laog. in a more liceotio)ll tone. 00 tbe weddiog night, • --Calet obYiul ire JIlin priocep" tardumque cupit di&eedere solem. Nobilia haud aliter lOIIipe' (de Nuptiia'Hooor. et Matilll!.287),aodmorefreelyill'tbell'elcello. . .· . (112-126). Dices, 0 quotie., hoc mifii dulcilll QaaJD ftaYOI cleciu "incere Sarmatas .. .- . . . . .... . , Tam yictor madillo proailias toro Jrioctami referenl valnera prulii• , ... -.. Digitized by Google 174 THB DECLINE AND FiALL only in the fourteentll yea" oS his age ~ Serenaw, ~~.. the mother of-his br.ide, deferred; by art or per~. suasion, the cODSulBlDation of, 'the royal nuptials; Maria died-a. 'vIrgin, after she had bfrea: tea years' a 'Tife t' and the: cha:sti~y; of; t4e 'e,m. peror was secured ~th6U)ld~es~ ar~ per~. ihe debilit'y;, of his' constitutiOn:o His spJljects, . who attentively; studied the chara&ter. of their> yoring, sovereign; disoo~eJ:ed that:Honorius \'!(*, without, 'Wlssions" awtcQUs'equently witlwut:ta~· lents; and that his feeble aJ,ld la~g.uid ~i~posir tioD was alike incapable qf-dis~gin~&e'o.. ties of his rank, or of enjoying th~, pJeaaUra of hIS age. In his early. youth he, made BOUlt; progress in thes:ercises of riding and· dGl.~ the bow: but he soon relinquishe~ these: f~tip: iog occupations, and the amusement of feedi~g poultry became the serious and daily care' oS the monarch of the W.esi,P who resigned the reigns of empire to the firm and sk~ful hand of hi" guardian StiJicho. '_The experieu.ce of history will countenance the suspicion, that a prince who was born in the purple, received a worse education than the meanest peasant of his dominions; and that the ambitious minister suffered him to attaiq th~ age 9fmanhood, without attempting to excite his courage, or to enl,igh~n ~is understanding. q The predecessors CHAP. 1 • See Zoaimlll, I. 'I, P. III. ~. P Proeopinl de Bell. Gotbico, I. i, c. I. I have borrowed the gene. ral practice of Honorilll, without adoptbig the .ingular. and, indeed, improbable tale, which iI rdated by the Greek hi.torian. 'I The lelSOn. of Theodoliu8, or rather Claudian (i'f Coni. HODer. 114-418), miCht eompole a fine in.titntion fOF the fnture prince 01 a and free Dation. It was far above Honorilll, and Ilia decenerate Hbjecta. creat Digitized by Google OF THE .OMAN EMPI:RL of Honorius were accustom~d to animate, by CHAP, th;ir example, or at least by their presence, the #~~~=~ valour of the legions; and -the dates of their laws attest the perpetual activity of their motions through the provinces of the Roman world. But the son of Theodosius passed the slu,mber .of his life~ a captive in his palace, a stranger'in his country, and the patient, almost the indifferent, spectator of the ruin of the western empire, which was repeatedly attacked; and final.y subverted, by the armi of the b~rbari,alls. In the eventful history of. a reilW o,f tw~tyeight years, it will seldom be necessary to mention the naII.le of the emperor 1I0nQriu8, o Digitized by Google THE.DECLlNB ,AND.PALL' ., t ,. CHAP. XXX. Revolt of 11ae Gotlas-They plunder Greece- T~ . great invalions of Italy by Alaric and RatU!.. 'gaistu-Tkey aloe 'repulsed' by Stilicho-~lte .. Gemaau overrun Gaul--Usurpation cif Oon,tanline in ,the· Wesl-D~sgrace and def!-lk qf Stilicho.· of IF the subjects of Rome could be ignorant xxx. their obligations'to'the great Theodosius, they , ;;;;;;;.. were too soon con~inced, how painfully the spithe Gotha, rit and abilities of their deceased emperor had ... ».196. supported the frail and mouldering edifice of the republic. He died in the month of January ~ and before the end of the winter of the same year, the Gothic nation was in arms.- The barbarian auxiliaries erected their independent standard; and boldly avowed the hostile designs which they had long cherished in their ferocious minds. Their countrymen, who had been condemned, by the conditions of the last treaty, to a life of tranquillity and labour, deserted their farms at the first sound of the trumpet i and eagerly resumed the weapons whlch they had reluctantly laid down. The barriers o~ the Danube were thrown open; the savage warriors of Scythia issued from their forests; and the uncommon severity of the winter )lllowed the poet to remark, "that they rolled CHAP. • The rnolt of the Gothit, and the block~de of Constantinopl~, an distinctly mentioned by Claudian. (in Rnfin. I. ii, 7-100); ZOlimu., (I. v,.•p. ,292), and JOluandes, (de Rebus Gt'ticis, c. 29). Digitized by Google 177 OP TBE ROMAN EMPIRE. their ponder.ous waggons .over the br.oad and CH" P. icy back .of the indignant river."· The un.bappy natives .of the pr.ovinces t.o the s.outh .of the Danube, submitted t.o the calamities, which, in the c.ourse oftwenty years, were almost grown .familiar t.o their imagination; and the various tro.ops .of barbarians, wh.ogl.oried intbe G.othic name, were irregularly spread fr.om. the w.o.ody shores' .of Dalmatia, to the walls .of C.onstantin.ople.. The interruption, .or at least-the dilnunitlOn, .of the snbsidy, which the G.oths had received fr.om the prudent liberality ofThe.odosius, was the specious pretence of their rev.olt: .the afti'ont was embittered by their, contempt· f.or the .unwarlike s.ons .of Theod.osius; and their resentment was infiamed by the weakness, .or , treachery, of the minister .of 'Arcad ius. The frequent visits .of Rufinus 't.o the camp of tbe barbarians, wh.ose arms and apparel he affected t.o imitate, were c.onsidered as a sufficient evidence .of his guilty c.orrespondence: and the public enemy, fr.om a m.otive either .of gratitude or .of p.olicy, was attentive, amidst the general .devastati.on, t.o spare the private .estates .of the unpopular prefect. The G.oths, instead .of be. .•c _:x;::;_ co I -Alii pt'r ter.. ferocit Danubii lOlidata ruant; upt'rtaque reml Franl1lnt .tagoa rolia. Claudian and .ovid often amuae tbeir fancy by iDterebanclnll: the metapbon and properties of . i d water, and .lid ice. Mucb fal.e wit bu been expended in tbia euy exereiH. . . C Jerom, tom. i, p. 26. Be endeuoun to cOlllfort bl. friend Heliodoml, bi.hop of Altinum, for the 101. of hi. nepbew Nel'otian, by a enrion. ree.pitulalion of all the J.uhlic and private misfortune. of tbe time.. See Tillemont, Mem. Eccles. tom. xii, p.2oo, .te. It VOL. Y. N Digitized by Google 178 THE DECLINE AND FAI f. ing impelled by the blind and ·beadstt-ong pas_~~;" sions of their chiefs, were now directed by the bold and artful genius of Alaric. That renpwned leader was descended from the ~oble race of the Balti ;. which yielded only to the,royal-dignity of the Amali: he had solicited the command of the Roman armies; ,and .the imperial court provoked him tp demonstrate the folly of their refusal, and the iruporiance of their loss. Whatever' hopes might be entertained of the conquest of Constantinople,' the judicious generalsoon abandoned an impracti~able enterprise. In the midst of a divided cOl1rt, and a discontented people, the elllperor Arcadiu8 was terri· fied by the aspect of the Gothic arms: but the want of wisdom and valour was supplied by the strength of the city; and the fortifications, both of the sea and land, might securely brave the impotent and random darts of- the barbarians. Alaric disdained to trample any longer on the prostrate and ruined countries of Thrace and Dacia, and he resolved to seek a plentiful haI:vest of fame and riches in a province which had hitherto esc~ped the, ravages of war.· CHAP. II BeUla, or hid: orlgo mirlfica, 'IY' JOrDlDdes, (c. III). 'nil iIlutrioo race long c8ntiuned to Oourlab in Frauee, in tbe Gothic pro· ,iDee of Septimania, of Languedoc I under tbe corrupted appellation of Bcu: and a brancb of that, family aRerwarda lettled ill the kingdom of Naplea, (Grotio ill Prolegom. ad Hlat. Gothic. p.IIS). The lor. of BanlE, Dear Aries, aDd of Ievcnty-uiDe labordiDate places, were iJI. 'drpendent of the conrts of Proftllu, (Longnerae, -Deeeriptlell. de Ia I'rlDee, tom. i, p. 167). • C ZoIimu. (L y. p. 1113-1115) i. our be.t guide for the conqn"t .f Greerc: but tbe hints and alla.•ion of ClaodilD are .. lllaDy ray• • biltoric Ugbt. Digitized by Google 179 OP THB ROMAN EHPIBE. Thecha~ter of.th~ Ql~il &ftd.. ~ili.rl" .~rs, c:~~. ontwhom .:Q.ufin'ult h~ d~voJy.qjl~h~g~y.~r~nt"".,,,:,, 0( Greece, cODfir~d th,~,p~bl:~~ ,,~sRi~~9.I\,. t~~~ A~arie ~ had. be.tray¢.d. the. anClellt s~~tor.f~~dQll~ a.n~ i:t:mea learning to the ~thic in.ve.d~~. :r4Apro~<'>Dsu\ ~ntiochus \Vas. the un.w~r,thf son of a resp.~ct ablefathef; .~nd G~~onpus, 'who'CQ~anded tll~ provincial. tl'QOPS, w~ ,IUl1Ch be~wr, quallfied to 8:aecute. the.oppressive~rders, ~ a ~y'ran~ th';iU to.defend, witb:cQllrage and abi,lity, a country 1B0JSt,remarkably fortjfi~d by t4~ h;in.d o(naturi, A18.£ic...had traverse{:{, without resistance,' the l1lain8 of Macedonia. and Thes8~ly, ~s f~r tb~ foot. of ~o.unt Oe~, a steep, and woody range of Inlls, almost. impervious to 'hi~ ca~alry. They stretched from east to wes,~ to th,a edge. of the sea-shore·; ~d left between the P.f.eci,P-ice and tlie Malian gulf, an in~{"val pf th.ree ,hundred feet, which, in some places, ,,!as COntr3:Cted' t~ a road capable of admit~ing ~)Dly a 8i~gl~ car; riage.' In this narI:OW p~s of 1'h~rmopy'I~, Where Leonides and t4e three JlU.ndred Spartans had gloriously devQted.' th~¥, lives, the Goths might' have. been, stoPP~4f, 9r dept~oy~d, by. a skilful general; .andperl:1ap~ the. vie~. of that sa~red spot~jght havekin41ed spme sparks of military ardour in the breasts 9f the degen~ rate Greeks. The tro,C>ps, wh~h lJa~. bee~ ppsted to defend the str~jghts of Thermopylre, retired: they were directe~, without attempting !r:c:.c. as as . , r Compare Herochtua, (1. vii, c. 116). aDd Livy, (sx:ni, 16). The aanow mtnnce of Greece wu probably elllarged by' each ancceuiyc nVllher. Digitized by Google ~ , roo THE DECUNE AND ,FALL CHAP. to disturb the secure and rapid passage of AI.. ..~~~~~ ric;1 and the fertile fields of Phocis, and Bmotia, were instantly covered by a deluge of barbarians; vr ho massacred the males of an age to bear armB, and drove .away the beautiful females, with the spoil, and cattle, of the flaming villages. The travellers, who visited Greece several years afterwards, could easily'discover the deep and bloody traces of the march of the Goths; and Thebes was less indebted for her preservation to the strength of her seven gates, than to the eager haste of Alaric, who advanced to occupy the city of Athens, and the important harbour of the Pir~us. Th~ same impatience urged him to prevent the delay and danger of a siege, by the offer of a capitulation; and as soon as the Athenians heard the voice of the Gothic herald, they were easi1y persuaded to deliver the greatest part of their wealth, as the ransom of the city of Minerva, and its inhabitants. The treaty was ratified by solemn oaths, and observed with mutual fidelity. The Gothic prince, with a small and select train, was admitted within the walls: he indulged himself in the refreshment of the bath, accepted a splendid banquet wh~ch was provided by the magistrate, and affected to shew that he was Dot ignorant 'of the manners of civilized nations.1l But the eo.. • He palled, say. EUDapiuI, <iD Vito P1IilolOpb. p~ 93, edit. melin. 16911). througb the 8tr~illbta. ,,. .,,,, ...."", (of Thenuopyle) ."'~~'" - p ... ".dill• ..., lin'..,.........,.. .,CIX"': ' Ii In obedience to Jerom, and Claudian, (ia Rulin. I. ii, 191), I baYe mixl'd lome darker coloun in tbe mild represeutation of Zoaimaa, .... willled to loften the calamities of A tbenl. Digitized by Google 181 OI'}l'BE ROMAH BIIPIU. whole -territory of Attica, from the promontory CHAP•. of Sunium to the town of Megan, was blasted,,~~.~:... by his'baleful preseIice; and, if we may use the comparison of a contemp()rary philosopher, Athens itself resembled the bleeding and empty skin of a slaughtered victim. The distance 1ietween Megara and Corinth could not much exceed thirty miles; but the bad road, an. expressive name, which -it still bears among the Greeks, was, or might easily have been made, iinpassible for' the march of an enemy. The thick 'and gloomy woods of-Mount Cithreron covered the inland country; the Scironian rocks approached the water's edge, and hung over the biUToW and winding path, -which was confined above six' miles along the sea-shore! The passage of those rocks, so infamous in every age, ' was terminated by the isthmus of Corinth; and a small body offirm and intrepid soldiers might have successfully defended a temporary intrenchment of five or six miles from the Ionian to the lEgean sea. The confidence of the cities of. Peloponnesus in their natural rampart, had Nec fera Cecropia. truiuent .mcola matres. 8111mo. (Eplst. cl.i; p. ITI, edit. Peta••) oble"", that Athens, whose IId1"eriq. he impote. to the procoDlul's avarice, wu at that lime lea ' ...OUl for her Ichools of philosophy than for htr trade of honey. I -Vallata mari Sclronia rapt's, • Et doo continuo connecten. llequora mnro , Iathmol-Claodian de Bell. Getico, 188. The 8c1rooian rocks are described by Pan.oiu, (I. i, c. 44, p. 191, edit. Kabn). and onr modem travellen, Wheeler (p. 436).and Cbandler, (p. 2:18). Hadrian made the road pau.ble for two carriaCft. Digitized by Google 182 THE DECLINE A'ND FALt I ~~. t?mpted them' to Iie~lect ~he care of th~ir ~n.' ••,;,.,:" tlque walls; and the avance of the Roman g6vernors had exhausted and betrayed 'the rlnnal'"' py province.1t Corinth, Argos, Sparta, yielded withou~ re8ist~nce' to the arms of the GothS; and the most fortunate of the inhabitants were saved~' b~ death, from beholding the slavery of their families, and' lhe' ~oirllagration 'of' their cities! The vases and statues' were distrib'uted among the barbarians, with more rega'fd to the value of the materials; 'than to' the eleganee of the wor'kmarisb!p ;'~the 'female 'captives submit. ted to'the laws of wat f the enjoyment of beauty was the' reward ":Of l'alou"r;,,' and 'tLe Gree~s could not reas6:iiably' ~omplaih 6' 1m abuse~ which'was justified'by the example' of the he: roic times.1n TJie descendants of that extraordinary people, who' had considered v2t.lour and discipline as'the walls of Sparta, no longer'remembered the generous reply ol'tlieir ancestors to an invader more formidable than Alaric. "If " thou art' a god, thou wilt not burt thQse whO " have never injured thee; if thou art a maD, " Claudian (iA Rulin. L ii, 186, ud" BeUo Geticq, 61~ .&c) "peIy, thollgb forcibly, delineates the ll'eQe IIf ~plne,1JI4 d~tfnc\iIlD., . 1 Ti" ","X"CEr 6.",... 1&<1, 'riTe".", &e. Theae generoM lines of Holllfl' (Odyss, I. Y, 306) were transcribed, by one of tbe caplin yontlll o( Corintb: and the tears of }llImmiuI may prove tbat tbe nlde conqueror, thongb be wal i8OO1.n,t o( the value of an original pictnre, pon_ Ied tbe p"rest source of good taste, a benevolent beart, (Plutart"11, 'ymposiae. I. Ix, tom. ii, p. 7~7, edit. Weehel). ID Homer perpetually describes tbe exemplary patience of tboee femall eapth'e5, woo gave their charms, alld even their hearts, to the mnrder· .ra of their fatbers, brotbers, okc. Such a pauion (of Eriphile fw Al"hiUes) i, touched with admirable delicacy b,. Racinl. Digitized by Google 01" THE ROMAN 1~3 DlPIRlI!. "advance,-and thou wilt find men eqqal to cRA ... •, thyself."" From Thcrmopylae to Sparta, the ....~~... leader of the Goths pursued his victorious march without encountering any mortal antagonists: but one of the advocates of expiring pagani~m has confidently asserted, that the~alls ofAthens were guarded by the goddess Mine"a, with her formidable lEgis, and by the angry phantom of Acbilles;o andthat the cOBquerorwas dismayed by the presence of the hostile deities of Greece. In an age of miracles, it would perhaps be UDjust to dispute the claim 'of the historian Zosi.. mus to the common benefit; yet it cannot be dissembled, that the mind of Alaric was ill'prepared to receive, either in sleeping or waking visions, the impressions of Greek superstition. The songs of Homer, and the (ame of Achilles, had probably never reached, the ear of the illiterate barbarian; and the Claristian faith, which he had devoutly embraced, taught him to despise the imaginary deities of Rome and Athens. The invasion of the Goths, instead of vindicating the honoUl', contributed, at least accidentally, to extirpate the last remains of paganisM ; and the mysteries of Ceres, which had subsis$• Plutarch (in Pyrrho, tom. ii, p. 471, edit. Briaa) pya tile paulDe aDiwer in the Laconia dialect. P,yrrhul attacked Sparta wi.. 11,000 fOot, 11,000 hone, aDd 24 elephaDtI: aud the deCeDce of that open towa ia • fiDe COlllllleDt 00 the I••• of Lycurp., eyeu iD the ilia ltage of decay. .... o Sucb, perbaps, •• Homer (Iliad D, 164) h. . .0 Dobly paiD"" . Digitized by Google THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP. ed eighteen hundred years, did not survive the _~~~:•• destroction of Eleusis, and the calamities of Greece.p He il at.. The lasthope ola people who could no longer tacbd-bJ d apen . d b . soveStilicbo, OQ t " en: arms, t h' elr god s, or t helf A. D. atr· reign, was placed in the powerful assistance of the general' 01 the West; and Stilicho, who had • Dot been permitted, to repulse, advanced to cbafJtise, the invaders of Greece.q A numerous Beet was 'equipped -in: the ports of Italy; and the troops~ after, a short and 'prosperous, navigation ovel'~the Ionian sea,· were 'safely disembarked on!t~e isthmus, near the ruins of Corinth. The woody' and- mountainous country 01, Arcadia, the' fabulous residence' of Pan aud the Dryads, became the scene of ,a long and doubtful CODflict between two generals not unworthy of each other. The skill and perseverance of the Roman at 'length prevailed; and the Goths, after sustaining a considerable loss from disease and desertion, gradually retreated to the lofty mountain ofPholoe, near the saurces' ofthe.Peneus, and: on the frontiers of Elis; a sacred country, which had formerly been exempted from the calamities ofwar.r The camp oftbe barbarians P Ennapial (in Vito Philosopb. p. 90.93) iDti.Jatea, that a troop of _kl betrayed Greece, aDO foUowed the Gotbic camp. • For SI~licho·. Greek war, compare the hoaelt narratin of ZOIimu, (I. Y, p. 296, 296), witb the carioas circomltantial flattery of Clandian. (l ConI. Stilicb. I. 112-186; iv CoOl. HOD. 469-481). AI the eYeDt w. Ilot glorious, it is artflllly thrown iDto the 8bade. . r Tbe troops who marched through Elis deHnred op their arml. Thi.secority enriched the Elealls, who were loven ofa raralllfe. Riebe. Mlat pride; they disdained their priYilege, and tbey lofFered. PoIyblll8 advilel tbem to retire ooce more within their mapc circle. See a leanaN Digitized by Google or THE ROHAN DIPIRE. ' 185 was immediately ~esieged: the' ,waters 'of tbe CHAP. river· were diverted into another channel; and ....:~..~~... while they laboured uuder the intolerable pressure of thirst and hunger, a strong line of circumvallation was formed t~ prevent their escape. After these precautions, Stilicho. too confident of victory, retired to enjoy his triumph, in the theatrical games, and .lascIvIous dances, of the Greeks; his soldiers, deserting thetr standards, spread themselves over the country of their allies, .which they stripped of all that had· been saved from the rapacious hands of the enemy. :Alaric appears to have' seized the favourable inoment to execute one of , those hardy enterprises, in which the'abilities of a general are displayed with more' genuine lustre, than in the tumult of a: day of battle. To extricate hil~self from the 'prison ofPelOponnesus, it was necessary that he should pierce the intrenchments which surrounded bis camp; that he should perform a difficult and danger-, ous marc}1 of thirty miles, as far as the gulf of Coriuth ; and that he should tralisport his troops, his captives, and his spoil, over an arm of the sea, which, in the narrow interval" between Rhium and the opposite shore, is at least ha1C a leal'lled and jadicioUl diacoar.e 00 the Olympic camet, which Mr. Weat hu prefi:r;ed to hiVnmalatioD of Pin.ar. • Claadian (in iv CODl, HOD. 480) allade. to the fact, without 01111.1 ' iDe the river: perh.p. the Alpheat, (i CoDl. Stil. L i, 185). - - E t Alpben. Geticit augastus acervil Tardior ad Siculo. etiamaam pergit amorel. Yet I Ihoald prefer the Peneul, a ,hallow .trellm in a wide aDd deflp bed, wbich rnnl tbronch Elil, and falla into the aea below Cyleooe. It, had bt'rn joined with the Alpbea., to cleanse the Aaeean atable, (Cei. luiul, tom. i, p. '160. Chandler'. Truell, p.III6). Digitized by Google 186 THB DECLIHB AND PALL mile in breadth.t The 'operationfllof Alaric must .,~~~~"have been secret, prudent, and rapid; since the Eaeapel Roman general was confounded by the intellito Epiru. gence, that the Goths, who had eluded his efforts, were in full possession of the important province of Epirus. This unfortunate delay allowed Alaric suiJicient time to' conclude the treaty, which he secretly negotiated, with the ministers of Constantinople. The apprehension of a civil war compelled Stilicho to' retire, at the haughty mandate of his rivals, from the domi'nioDs of Arcadius; and he respected, in the enemy of Rome,' the honourable character of the ally and servant of the emperor of the East. Alaric it A Grecian philosopher,a who visited Constandeclared tinople soon after the death of Theodosius, pub. :e':!:!i of lished his liberal opinions concerning the duties tbeelltera d testa h' t e 0 f t he Ro lDan repu bl'IC• lUyricum, 0 fk'mgs, 'an •• 0.898. Synesius ol)serves, and deplores, the fatal abuse, which the imprudent bounty of the late emperor had introduced into the military' service. The citizens, and subjects, had purchased an exemp- . tion from the indispensable duty of defending their country; which was supported by the arms .,fbarbarian mercenariea. The fugitives ofScy'CHAP. I " , t Strabo, I, yiii, p. 617'. Plln. Hilt. Natur. jy, S. Wheeler, p. . . . Cbandler, p, 27'$. They meuured, from tierent poinll, the diIIaac:e bell'een tbe two landl. ' a Synellaa p~dthreeyeUi (A. D.I97'-400) at CoDltaDtlnople, u deputy from eyrene to the emperor Arcadiul. He preaented Jaim witll .. crown of ,old, and pronounced before bim tbe iDitructiYe oration d. Regno, (p. 1.82, edit. Pelayo Paris, 1&12)' Tbe pbUoaopher wu made bitbo, of Ptolemail, A. D. 410, and died about 430, See TwelllODt, • lIem. Ecclea. tolll. xii, p. 4119, 664, 68S·68$. ' Digitized by Google 187' C1F Tal itOMAN uP!R£. fbia: were permitted to disgrace" the illustrious CHAP. dignities of the empire'; thei~ ferocious youtli, .....~~ .... who disdained' the salutary restraint of laws, were more anxious to acquire the riche8~ than to imitate the 'arts; of a people, the objett of their contempt and' hatred; and the power: of the Goths was the sto~e 01 Tantalus, perpetiI'ally suspended oyer tbe peace and safety of the devoted state. Th'e'measures, which Synesius recommends,' are 'the "dictates of a bold and ge-" nerous patriot~ He exhoftllthe emperor 'to revive the cC?urage of his' subjects, by the example ofmanlyvirtlle; io'banish luxury from the court, and fMm the camp; to substifute in the place of the barbarian mercenaries, an army of men, interested in the defence of their laws and of their, property; to force, in such a moment of public danger~ the mechanic from his shop, and the phlIosopher from his school; to rouse the indolent citizen from his dream of pleasure, aud to ~ arm, 'for the protection of agriculture, the llands' of'lhe laborious husbandman. At the hea'if 6f'suCli' troops; who might deserve the name, and would display the spirit, of Romans, he animates the son ofTheodosius to : en~oun~ ter a. race of"barbarians, who were destitute of any real courage; and, never to lay down his arms, till he had chased them far away into the solitUdes of Scythia; or had reduced them to the state of ignominious servitude, which the Lacedremonians formerly imposed on the captive Helots." The court of Areadius indulged "• SYDtliul de RE'po, p. 21-26. • Digitized by Google 188 . THEDECLINI AND FAU '. the zeal, appla.uded the eloquence, and neglect••~~~ •• ~d the advice, of Synesius. Perhap~ the philosopher, :who addresses the emperor of the .East, in the language of' reason and virtue, which he might have used to a Spartan king, had .not condescended to form a practicable scheme, consistent with the temper~ and circumstances, of a degenerate age. Perhaps the pride of the ministers, whose business w.as seldom interrupted by reflection, might reject, as wild an~ visionary, every proposal, wJlich exceeded the measure oftheir captivity, and deviated from the forms and precedents of office. While the orati-on of Synesius, and the downfal of the bal'.barian·s, were the topics of popular conversation, an edict was published at Constantinople, which .declared the promotion of Alaric to the rank of master-general of the eastern Illyricu-m. The Roman provincials,' and the allies, who had respected the faith of treaties, were justly indignant, that the ruin of Greece and Epirus should be so liberally rewarded. The Gothic conqueror was received as a lawful magistrate, in the cities which he had so lately besieged. The fathers, whose sons he had massacred, the husbands, whose wives he had violated, were subject to his authority: and: the success of his rebellion encouraged the ambition .of every leader of the foreign mercenaries. The use to which Alaric applied his new command, distinguishes the firm and judicious character of hiB poli'cy. He issued his orders to the four magazines and manufacturers of offensive and defensive arms, CHAP. Digitized by Google 189 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRL Margus, Ratiaria, Naissus, and 'fhessalonica, CHAP. . h an extraord'mary sup- _,xxx. to proVl'd e h'IS troops Wit __",* ply of shields, helmets, swords, and spears: the unhappy provincials were compelled to forge the instruments of their own destruction; and· the barbarians reinoved the only defect which had sometimes disappointed the efforts of their courage". The birth of Alaric, the glory of his past exploits, and the confidence ' in his future designs, insensibly united the body of the 'nation under his victorious standard; and with the unanimous consent of the barbal'ian chieft3.ins, t.he master-general of Illyricum was. elevated. according to ancient ,custom, on a; shield, and solemnly proclaimed king of the Visigoths! Armed with this .double power_ aDd kin, seated on the verge of the two empjres, he al- ~':h.\'j ternately sold his deceitful promises to the g , courts of Arcadius, and Honorius;a till he declared, and executed, his resolution ofin~adiDg the dominions of the West. 'The provinces of :r --qui (tiedera rumpit Ditatur: qni Ienat, eret: nlfator Achi. . GenU., et Epirum nuper popuiatul inuUam Praelidet IIIyrico: jam, quos obaedlt, amkOl I!Jgreditur muros; ilIiI reaponaa datums Quorum conjllgibul potitllr, aatoaqne peremit. Claadian in Entrop. I. ii, 212. Alaric applauds his own policy, (de .BelL Getic. na."Z), in the UIe wlaieb he had made of thit Illyri.. jurisdiction. ' s Jornan~I, Co 29, p. 661. The Gothic historian adds, with tmlllIl" .pirit, Cum suis deliberana .uult IUO Iabore flu_ere reena, ••_ aH.iii, per otium lubjacere. , . -DiACon odiilqae aneeps c:iyihul Orbil • :Non Iua .11 tufafa diu, dum ftiedera (allall Ludit, et altern. perjaria venditat aala. Clandlan de BeD. Get; .... i Digitized by Google IDO THB DECLINB AND FALL CHAP Europe which belol)ged ,to. the eastem emperor, ~#~::..# were already exhau~ted; those .of Asia w.~r~ inaccessible; and the, stFe.ngt~ of CQnstaqtinople h~ resist~ bis at~c~. ~u.t be, w.~' tempted by the fame, the be~uty, th~ ,wealth of Italy, which he had t~ic" visi~d; lJ,nd'lw ge., cretly aspired to p'l~nt ,the G.othic standard on the walls of Rome, and.to eDlic~ his ~my ~ith the accumulated spo~I8 of three h~ndfed ,triumphs.' . He illI. The scarcity of facts/ and the uncertainty of vades • Italy. dates· oppose our .attempts tQ d~sc.r~l;»e· the cir':0:..400- cumstances of the first j~~a!ii9ll. of Italy by the arms of Alario. ,His mar~h"perhaps from-Thessalonica, tbrough the .,,~rlik~ ~~c;l hostile ~oun try of Pannonia, as fal' *\8 the {Qot of the Julian Alps; )lis passage of those IQQuntainl!!1 which, were strongly gl!ardedhy troop~ and i~tren~h ments ; 'the ~iege of Aquileia, ~nd the conquest ~fthe p1'ovince~ of Istria I;l~d Vepetia, appear to hav.e employed' a. considerable tjme. Unle.ss his operations were extremely cautious and' slow, II . Alpibul Italie ruptis p4!lletrabis ad UrIHnJa. This authentic prediction was annonnced by Alaric, or at leut by Clandian, (de Bell. Gltico, 6'7), seven yean before tbe event. Bnt as it was not accomplished withiD the term which baa,b,en aaabl,.Jixecl, the interpreten escaped through an ambil1loUi meanin,. e Our beat materials are 970 "erae. of Clandian. in the poem on the Getio war, and tile belinDiIIc of tIIat wbich celebrates the lixtla connllbip of Honorin.. Zo.imu. is totally .i14!11t; and we are,reduce4. Ie IUcb· .craps, or rather crumbl, _ we CaD pick from OrOliUl and the CbroDiclep. ;' • !, .. : • Notwithstanding tile ,roil erron of Joruandes, who coDf~Ddl the Italian wan of Alaric, (c. 29), his date of the cODsul5hip of Sti. licho and Aurelian (A. D. 400) is finn aDd rrapl!c~ble.: It is certain (rom Claudian, (TUlemODt, Hiat., dell. tOln,.V, P. 804), that tbe Httle of PoIJentia wu fought A. D. 403; but we cannot easily fill tbe iDterval. Em.,. Digitized by Google 191 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. the length of the inter,yal would, ,suggest a pro. CHAP. bable -suspicion, that the Gothi~ king retreated _~~•• towards the banks o.fthe Danube; and ~infQre.. '. , eel his. army with fresh &\VI;U'IDB 0(" bar~~ri."'»', before he again attempted to .PE1Iletrak J,.,to .tlJ.. heart of Italy. Si~ce the public BDd'impQrtaut events escape' the diligence, oUhe. hi6Jtpria.~, h~ . may am~Jle <himself with contemplatiD~~. fora moment, the i~~uence .of the arme (If A.ari~ o~ tile fOrtunes of two obscure individuals, Q..pr~ hyter of i\.quileia, and an hu.ban~bnan .9f Varona. The learned Rufinus, wh9 .w.... .ummoned by ·hi~ enemies ~ appear befor~. a' Jl9-man' synod,· wisely preferred th.e dangers of.!' besieged city; and the J>arbarian.s, who Jq.ri911sIy shook the walls of AqulIeia, might 8."e· hjm from ~he cruel seDtenc~ of another heretic, ~Ilo; at the request of the ,same bishops~ was sever6A. Iy wliipp~d, pond ~ondemDed to perpetuel ~)J:jffl a desert island.', The Qldma.n.' wb,o ,hJlfJ passed; hisslmple and inn~cent lif~ ip. ·t'l4~ nejgh~urhood.ofVerona, was aJitranger to ~, on . ~ -.... .. ~ . .... • T"'_ Remaue urbis judicium (ogil, at map obsidioaem bar.baricam, quam ' - " . urbia judicium velis lustinere. JerolD. tom. li, p ••t'. . Itahas undentood hll .ow... c1aager; tlle~. city ... i . ftamed by the beldam Marcella, and the reat of Jerom's faction. , Sovinlan, the enemy of fasts and of celibacy, who was persecu~ed and intalted by the furiona Jerom, (Jortia's Remarks, "01. iv, p. 104. "eo) See tile original edict of baui.hmeDt iD the Theodo.ian Code, 1. avi, dt. ", It-,. 41. I Thi. epigram (de Sene Veroneasi qui lubarbiam lIusquam egre_s eat) II ODe of tile earlielt aDd most pl~lng compositioDs of Claudian. Cowley" imitatioD (Hard', edition, vol. ii, p. 2fl) has lomr Datural aDd "pry .troke.; bat it il mucb inferior to tile original portrait, wha II nideut1y drawn froDa tile life. Digitized by Google 192 THE DECLINE AND PALL quarrels both of kings and of bishops; A;8 plea. xxx. sures, his desires, his knowledge, were confined ••••_,.- within the little circle of his. paternal {arm; anda staffsupported his aged steps,on thesamegrotlJid where he had sported in his infancy. Yet even this humble and rustic felicity, (which Qlaudian describes with so much truth and feeling), was still exposed to the undistinguifJhingrage of war. His trees, his old contemporary trees, ~ must blaze in the conflagration of the whOle country; a detachment of Gothic cavalry might sweep away his cottage and his family; and the power of Alaric could destroy this happine~s~ which he was not able' either to taste, or to bestow. cc Fame," says the poet, "encircling with terce ror or gloomy wings~ proclaimed the march " of the barbarian army, and filled Italy with cc consternation:" the apprehensions of each indivIdual were increased in just proportion to the measure of his fortune; and the most timid, who had already embarked their valuable effects, meditated their escape to.\ the island of Sicily, or the African coast. The public distress was aggravated by' the fears and reproaches of superstition! Every hour produced CHAP. Inlntem meminit pano qui germine quercnm f "£qlllllvumque videt conlenuilte nemus. 1 A neighbouring wood bol'll with himself he ReB And lovel his old contemporary tree•• In this p8118ge, Cowley i. perhaps .nperior to his origiDa.; 88d tile Encliah poet, wbo was a good botanist, hal concealed the . . . undft a more general expreuioD. I Claudian de Bell. Get: 192·266. - He may seem prolix; bnt f_ and lupuatition occupied as large a .pace in the mincia of ... Italians. II Digitized by Google '193 OF THE ROMAN DlPIM. lome horrid tale of strange and po'rtentous acci- ,CR AP. " " xxx dentS': the pagans deplored the neglect of omens, 'and the: interruption or sacrifice.: 'but. the Christians 'Still derived some comfort from the pow~rful intercession of the saints and martyrs. k : The emperor: Honorius was distinguished, ~onorinl • ' • ' . , ' 61("1 (rom 'above hIS subJects~ by the pre-cmIDence offeat, Milan, ,as weII' as 0 f ran.. k Th e prI'dean dl uxurym ". w'h''leI I .... ».40S. hewas educated, had notallowed him io suspect, that there existed on the earth any power 'pre, sumptuous enough to invade the repose of the successor of Augustus. The arts offiattery concealed the impending dan'ger, till Alaric, approached the palac~ of Milan. : But when the sound of war had awakened'the YOling emperor, instead of fiying to arms with the spirit, or even the'ras'bness, of 'his age, he eagerly listened those timid couns~l1ors, who proposed to convf!y his sacred 'person, and his faithful attendants, io some secure and distant station in the-provinces of Gaul. Stilicho alone 1 had courage and' authority to resist this disgraceful measure, which 'Would have abandoned Rome and Italy to the barbarians; but as the troops of the palace had been 'lately de~ached to the Rhmtian frontier, and as the resource of new levies was slow and Om . . , . , . ,to " , From the pa••cea of Panlino., which Baroninl h.1 prodoct"d, (Annal. Ecclee. A. D. 403, No. /H), it is manift"lt, tbat tbe ceneral a'ann laad pUYaded all italy, al far as Nola in Campania, wbere tbatfunou pt"nitt"nt bad fizt"d his abode. Solol erat Stilicho, oIItc. is the nclDlive commendation wbtch ~"Ii. dian be.tow., (de B'("l1. Get. 267), witbo!ltcond("lcending to excel)t the flDpnor. How inaignificant muat Honorins ban app("al'ed in his own eoort I . It VOL. Y '0 Digitized by Google 194 CHAP. 'mE _C~NE .WD. FALl. precarioUJ, the general of the West could 6011 _~,:!,,, promise, that, if the court of Milan would maint$in their ground during his, absence, he would sooo retllrn with aD ar1ny equal to the encounter of tbe Gothic king. Without losing a moment, (while each moment was $.0 iwportant to public 8af~ty}. Stilicho hastily embarke4 Q!l the Larian lake, asc.ended the mouutai~8 of ice and snow, amidf!tt tbe severity of an Alpine whiter, and "uddenly repressed, by his unexpected presence, the enemy, who had disturbed the tranquillity of Rhlet.a." The barbarians, perhaps liome tribes of the Alemanni, respected the fir.Qlness of a chief, who still assumed the l~.i~e of command; and the choice which he coq~~ ,ceoded w make {)f a select nUDlber of t~if bravest youth, w,as cODf~iqered as a m~rk of his ~teem 8JlcJ tavQ~. 'rhe cQPort~, who w~re delivered fro.l,I1 the Ilftigbbpua;ing f~, diligently repair~d to ~e ir»perial ~~ndard; and Stilicho iss~ed hi~ 9rd~rs·tQ. the mqst ·l'emote troops of the Wes*, to ~ vance, .by rapid marches, to the . ddeqce 0,( a~Qr~ a~4 Qf Italy. . The foJ'tres$.es· o{ tb.e ~bi.lle w~re abandoned; and the Ii~fety 9f GalAl wa~. wot~ct~4 oQly by the fai~ of the Germans, a,nd t~e al}Ciel)t terror of the Roman name. Even the legion, which had been stationed to guard the wall of Britain against the Caledonians of the N ortb, waabastily the , • The face of the country, and the lIardinw .f St.ilicho, ue (de Bell. Get. 140.161) ,. tln.cri~, Digitized by Google fiDeI, J9t) 01' TH2 ROMAH DlPl:a& recalled;a and a numerOdS body of the' aav.alfJ CHA P . of tJ.ie Alani was persuaded to engage in the #.:~.~.# service of the emperor, who anxi9usly eq»eeted the return of his general. The prudence and vIgour of Stilicho were CODSpjc:UQ11,S on this occasion, which revealed, at the lame tillle, tbe weakness of the falling empire. The legions of R<lmE., which had long since languished in the gradual decay of discipline and courage, were exterminated by the Gothic and civii wars; and it was found impossible, without exhausting and exposing the provinces, to assemble an army for the defence of Italy. When Stilicho seemed to abandon his sove- H . reign in the unguarded'palace of Milan, he had IU:;= pruba.bly calculated the term of his absence, the :;-:~~ distamce of the enemy, and' the obstacles that Gotb.. might retard their march. He principally depended on the rivers of Italy, the Adige, the Mincills, the Oglio; and the Addua; which, in the winter or spring, by the faU of rains, 01' by the melting of the snows, are commonly f.!welled into J:>road and impetuous torrents.· . But the pne~ta Brituml,a Scoto dat frena traci. ., , De Ben. Get. 411. Yet the mllit rapid march ,"om Edinburp, or Newcutle, to Mo.., I!IDlt laave rClquired a louger Ipace of ·time thaD ClaudiaD leems willin, to all" for the daration of tbe Gothic war. • Every traveller mUlt recollect tbe face of Lombardy; (lee Fon__ Ue, lOme 'f, p. 218), whic:ll it oftrn tonnented by die capriciona lad irreplar abuud~ce of waten. Tbe Auatriaua, befol'ft Genoa, were eac:amped iu the dry bed of. the Polcevera. .. Ne. larrebbe <II&~ "1I1a.aori) .. m~ pusato per meute a qu~ bnoni Alemanoi, cbe qnt"l " ~~Io tl!rrrole PC1teue, per cosi dire ill uu iOltanle c:anr:iani ill _ " terribil c\pllte." (Annal. d'ltalia, tom. xvi, p. 443; rtlilaD, 1767. edit,. Venit et extremille,io QIIIIl "'0. Digitized by Google .96 THE DECLINE AND FALL season happened to be remarkably d.ry;-and the xxx.. Goths could traverse, without impediment, the _ ...."...- wide and stony beds, whase centre was faintly marked by the course of a shallow streal~. .T,he bridge andpa8sage of the Addua were secured by a. strong detachment of the Gothicar~y; and as Alaric approached the walls, ·or rather the suburb!!, of Milan, h~ enjoyed the proud satisfactivn of seeing the emperor of the Romans fly before him. Honorius, accompanied bya feeble train of statesmen and eunuchs, hastily retreated towards the Alps, with a design of securing his person in the city of Aries, which had often been the royal residence of his predecessors. Dut Honorius P had scarcely passed the Po, before he 'was overtaken by the speed of the Gothic cavalry; q since the urgency of the dangel" compelled him to seek a temporary: shelter within the fortific'ation of Asta, a tow~ of Liguria or Piemont, situate .on the banks of the Tanarus;,(he siege of an obscure place, which contained so rich a prize, and seemed incapable ofa l(mg ~sistance, was instantly formed, and indefatigably pressed, by the king of the Goths; and the .. bold declaration, which the elIlperor CHAP. .. .. . Claud ian does net clearly answer our qneation. Where wu HonoriUl himaelfi Yet the flight is marked by the'punuit: and my idd of the Gothic war is jllstified by the Italian critics, SigoDiuI, (tom. I, P. ii, p. 369, de Imp. Occidellt. I. x), IIIId Muratori, (Annali d'italia, tom. iv, p. 46). . , q One of the roads may be traced in the Itineraries, (p. 98, 1M. 194, with Wesseling~1 Note.}. As~" lay IOlDe miles on the rilllt hand • • Asta, or Aati, a RomaD colollY, i. DOW the capital of a. pleuaJlt eoODt)', which, in the .ixteenth ceDtDry, devolved to the Data of Savoy, (Leandro Alberti Deleriz.ione d'ltalla, p. 882). . P Digitized by Google 197. OF THE ROMAN EMPIU. might afterwards . make, that his breast had CHAP. ~ever been susceptible of fear, did not proba- ,,~~~~ bly ol>tain much credit, even in his own court." In the last, and almost hopeless extremity, after the barbarians had already proposed the indig-. nity of a capitulation, the imperial captive was. suddenly relieved by.the fame, the .approach, and at length the presence of the he.ro, whom. he had so. long expected. At the .head. of a chosen and intrepid vanguard, Stilicho swam. the stream of the Add ua, to gain the time which ]l~ must have lost in the attack of the bridge; the passage ofthe Po was an enterprise. of much less hazard and difficulty; aDd the' successful action, in which he cut his way through the· Gothic camp under the walls of Asta, r~vived the hopes, and vindicated the honour, of Rome•. Instead of grasping the. fruit of·his victory, the barbatjan was gradualJy invested, on every side, hy the troops of the ,West, who successively i~sued through" al1 the passes of the Alps; his quarters were straitened;, his convoys ~ere in-. tercepted; and the vigilance of the Romans prepared to form a chain of fortifications, and to besiege the lines of the besiegers. A military council was assembled of the long-haired chiefs of the Gothic nation; of aged warriors, whose b.odies were wrapped in furs, and whose stern countenances were marked with honourable wounds. They weighed the glory of persisting • N ec me timor impulit ullul. He might hold thi. proud )'alllua. the Dext year at Rome. fin hundred milt:1 from the Ictne of danger, (wi Cons. lfoo.4.(9). Digitized by Google 198 TJR 'mCLIJlI! AND 'FAU in .tJieir attempt agaiiist the adv;lntdge tiC skut~ they reCbmmended the prudent measute of a seasonable retreat. In this imptirtant debate, ,Alaric displayed the spirit ortbe conqueror of Rothe; and after he had remiried his countrymen of their achieveinenb:l a.ad of their designs, he conCluded h~1il animatiug spe~ch, by the solemn and positive assu'rance, that he was resoh'ed to find in Italy, either a kingdom, or a grave.t Battle of The loose discipline.oftbe barbarians always Pollentia . d th'em" t 0 th'e danger 0 f a surprise; " b ut, A. D.40S:1 expose March 29. instead of cboosing the dissolute hour8 of riot ahd intemperance, Stilicho resolved to attack the Christian Gaths, whilst they were'devoutly employed in celebrating the festival of Easter.The execution of the stratagem, or, as it was teriiled by the clergy, of the sacrilege, was intrusted to Saul, a barbarian and a pagan, who had.served, however, with distinguished reputation among the veteran generals ot TheQdosius. The camp of the Gotbs, which Alariehadpitched CHAP. _~~:.... ing their.plunder, and tHane elO nl wietor regao, yet morte teaebo Vietal, hamum-TIie Ipeeehel (de BI!II. Get. «111-549) of the Gothic NeItor, aad AtliillPR, arc attong, characteriatic, adapted to the circumstances; and , p...ibl, Dot I... ;eIlUWII lb... thOI/! of Li.,. •• Orolius, (I. Yii, e. 37) ia .~i:kecl at the impiety 01 tbtl Romana, who attacked, oa ~alter Sunday, IOcb pioua ChriatiaDs. Yet, at the lame lime, public praye~ were off:ered at,tne ahrine of St. Thom•• of Ede.I., for abe deltructioa .f tbe Atla.. robber. see "'memO»t, (Bilt. drs Emp. ,tom. w, p. 5i9), who quotes an homily, which hu beea er,.. lIeonaly aaeribed to St. Chry.oltom. . Digitized by Google t99 01' THB'RO.AN DlPIU. in the neighbourhood of Pollentia,· was tbrown, CHAP. mto confusion by the sudden and impetuous H~~:. charge of tbe imperial cavalry; but, in a few moments, the undaunted genius of their leader, " gave them an order, and a fteld, of battle; and as 1I0on as they had recovered from their astonishment, the pious confidence, that the God of the Christians would assert their cause, added new strength to their native valollr, In thts el'lgagement, which was long main~ined with equal courage and success. the chief oftheAlani, whose d;minutive and savage form concealed' a magnanimous soul, approved his suspected -loyalty, by the zeal with which he fought, and fell, in the service of the republic; and the fame of this gaHant barbarian has been imperfectly preserved in the verses of Claudian, since the poet, who celebrates his virtue, has omitted the mention of his name. His death was followed by the Bight and dismay of the squadrons which ~e commanded; apd the defeat 'of the wing of cavalry might have decided the victory of Alaric, if Stilicho had not immediately led the Roman and barbarian infantry to the attack. The skill of the general, and the bravery of the soldiers, surmounted every obstacle. In the evening of the bloody day, the Goths retreated from the ,field of battle; the intrenchments of their camp were forced, and the scene of rapine and Thc 't'estign 01 PoRcutia are twenty.lye mi1eI to the .oa~' UrN, iD the lame aeipbourllood, • • a ahIH ., tht kiDp ofJ.ombarclr. and allllall ri't'er, which qcued tile preclietlOD, "pcuetrabll ad arbem."" i(C1a"ft'.' ItaI: A.ati....... I, po & or TuriD. 1'01" 1t-86). Digitized by Google ~oo .. . l'HE DECLINE AND FALL ,~ , ,~ slaughter made some atonement for the calaiDl ~~= ties which they had inflicted on the subjects of the ehl,pire.' The magnificent spoils of Corinth and Argos ~nriched the veterans of the West; the captive wife of Alaric, who had impatiently. claimed his promise of Roman' jewels and patrician handmaids: was reduc~d to implore the mercy of the insulting foe; and man) thousand prisoners, released from the Gothic chains, dispersed through the 'provinces ofltaly the praises of their heroic deliverer. The triumph of Stilicho· was compared by the poet, and perhaps by tIle public, 10 that of, Marius; who, in the ~ame part of Italy, had encountered, and destroyed, another army of northern barbarians. The huge bones, and the empty helmets, of the Cimhri and of the Gotbs, would, easily be CODfounded by succeeding generations; and posterity might erect a common trophy to the memory of the two most ilIusirious gener,als, who bad vanquished, on the same memorable ground, the two most formidable enemies of R9me." CHAP. 7 Oroliul, wishes, ill, doubtful wordl, to iDlinnatethe defeat' 'of the KomaDl. "PuguaDtes vieimuB, .,idor" .,Ieli lumus." Prosper (m ChroD.) makes it aD equal aD d bloody battle; but the Gothic writen, Cuaiodoriul (iD ChroD.) aDd JoruaDdes, Cde Reb. Get. c. 29), claim • decisive victory. ' • DemeDI Ausonidum gemmata mouilia matram, Romaouque alta famulu cenice petebat. De BeD. Get. m. ',. ClaudiaD, (de Bell. Get. 580-641), aDd PrudentiuI, (iD Symmacli. I. ii, 694-119), celebrate, without, ambiguity, thc RomaD 'lictory 01 PolleDtia. They are poetical aDd p~rty writen; ~et some credit it dae to the moat IUlpidoUI wilDen••, who are checked by the rec:eut ' Dotoriety of facta. • Clandia.', peroratioD If Itrong aDd eiqant ; but tbe identity oh... Cimbric and Gothic fieldB, must be understood (like Virgil', Philippi, Georcic i. Di9ltlze~ by Google 20 i d:r TIm BOMAN DlPI1lL The eloqnencc of Clalidian c has celebrated, CHAP. with lavish applause, the victory of Pollentia, ....~~~... one of the most glorious days in the life. of his Boldneq patron; but his reluctant and partial muse be- ::e~:~ stows more genuine praise on the character of Alaric. the Gothic kind. His name is indeed branded ·with the reproachful epithets of pirate and robber, to' which the conquerors of every age are so'justly:entitled; but the poet of Stilicho is compelled to acknowledge, that Alaric possessed the invinoible temper of mind, which rises superior to every misfortune, and deri~es new resources from adversity. After the total defeat of his infantry, he escaped, or rather withdrew, from the field of battle, with the greatest part of his cavalry entire and unbroken. 'Vithout wasting a moment to lament the irreparable loss of so· many brave companions, he left his victorious enemy to bind in chains the captive images of a Gothic king;" and boldly resolved to break through the unguarded passes of the Appenine, to 'spread desolation over the fruitful face ofTuscany, and to ~onquer or die before tbe gates of Rome. The capital was saved by the Georlie i,490) according to the loose !eography of' a poet. Vereelle aDd Polleatia are sixty miles from each otber i aDd tbe latitude il 'till sreater, if:the ('"mbri were defeated ia the wide aud barreD plaID or Veroaa, (Maffei, Verona Iliuatrat.. P. i, p. 64-62). C Claudian and Prudeutiu. mOlt be Itrietly examined, to reduce the filarel, and extort the blstorie aense, of'tbole poetl.• d Et gravant en airain iel fi.lel avautagee ... De mea etatl eoaquia encbainer les images. The ,raeuee of exposing in triumpb tbe images of kiuge aDd proYiaca . . . familiar to the Romani, 1'be buat of Mithridatee bimlelf'.aa II feet hish, of mill, ,0111, (FrelD.hem. Supplemeat Liyian. eili. 4'1). Digitized by Google . 202 TIlE DeCLINE AND FALL. CHAP~ activettnd i\\ce9sant diligence of Stilicbo: but be ~~~':~~rrspecte0:1 tire ene!J[fY; and" ittnead of committing the fate of the republic to the chance of another battle" he proposed to pur"thase of darbae!J[fE!I!I. SpIrit of Alaric would have rejected such terms, the perIi1ission of a retreat, anU the offer of a pen23ion, COB:Et~S:23Efpt indiyeE:!tion; hE:! exercised a limited and precarious authonty over the independent -chieftains, who had raised [nm, t1teir r23rvice5 nbol'e of hir equals: they were still less disposed to follow an unsuccessful general, and many of them were intee!'~t by privaty to negotiation with the minister of blonorins. .The king submitted to the voice of his people, ratithY rillpire the 'W anb bed the t~eaty with tde remains of 60urepassed the rishing army which he had led into Italy. A 23!onsibr23E:!ble of ROlmnn still continueb to attend. his motion23; and btilich.., wbo maintained a secret correspondence with r0:?me the eYiefs, 23ras p23illdually appriseb of the brsignr W0::m: formrd tn thr camp and council of Alaric. The king of the P;oths, 23fmbitin235£r to retreE:!t be fifylDe fiplrndhb B:Erhiev0::ment, res0:?lted tn occupy the important city of Verona, the passB:Ebr of ban Ald~; ami, his 5i"l~!rch the territories of those German tribes, whose B:EBian0::0:: "leould m::etore exhrufited fii?rngtb~ invB:Ehe, on ~ide;he the 1i~ealthd w ",; oP mE ROHA.N DPIU.' 103 and unsuspecting provirices orGan). IgrIorant CHAP. the treaso,ri, which had already betrayed his _~~# bold, and judicious eniel1jrise, he advant:cd lo. wards the passtt~ of the mouhtairtJ, "Iready pos;. sessed by the imperial troops; where he 1t~ e~'posea, abnosi ~t the 8a~e instattt, itt a ~eneraJ attac,k in the front, on his Baftk~, «tid in the rear. ,ln this bloody acti'otl, at a stdatJ dlsttdltlt from the of V~roila, the loss the Goth~ Was Itot tess heavy than that which they, hali sustained iii the defeat or PollEmtia; aIm their l'aliant king, who escaped by the. 8wiftrless of his horse, must either have been slain or made prisoner, if the hasty rashness of the Alani had )Jot disappointed the measures of the Roman gellera). Alaric secured the remains of his army on the adjacent rocks; and prepared himself, with undaunted resolution, to maintain a siege against the superior numbers of the enemy, who invested him OIi all sides. liut he could not oppose the destructive ptogress ot hunger ana, disease; nbr Was it possilJle for him to check the continual desertion ot his impatient a~d capr~ciOlis harbarians. In this . extremity, he stilllound resources in his own courage, or in t~e modera~ion of his ac1versary; and the retreat of the Gothic king was considered as the deliverance of Italy.c Yet the people, and even the clergy, incapable of forming any rational judgment of the business of peace and war, presumed to arraign the policy of Stilicho, who 80 often vanquished, so often surrounded, or .. walls • The Getie war aud tbe lil'tb CODID1,bip of CODocct the ncDtl of Alaric'. retrelt aud 1000es. of HODOriUI obacurell Digitized by Google 204 THE DECLINE AND FAU., 'a.nd SO often' dismissed the implacable enemy ot ~~:~;_ the republic. The first moment of the public lafety is devoted to gratitude and joy; but the aecond is diligently occupied by envy and ca-, lumny.' The tn.. , The citizens of Rome had been astonished by Hr:~:ri~, the app~oach of Alaric; and the diligence with : !~::i which they laboured to restore the walls of, the capital, confessed. their own fears, and the declint\ of the empire. After the retreat of the barbarians, Honorius was directed to accept the dutiful invitation of the senate, and to celebrate, in the imperial 'city" the auspi,ciori.s era of the Gothic victory, and of his. sixth consulship.' The suburbs and the str~~sf from tbeMilvian bridge to the PaIQ.tine mo'unt, ~ere fined by the Roman people,who, in ,the Spflce of an hundred years, had only thrice been honoured wiih the presence of their sovereigns. While their eyes were fixed on the chariot were Stilicho was deservedly seated by the side ofbis royal pupil; they applauded the pompofa triumph, w~i~h was not stained, like that of Constantine, or of Theodosius, with civil blood. The procession passed under a lofty' arch, which had been purposely erected: but in less than seven years, the Gothic ~c.mquerors of Rome might read, if they were able to read, the superb inscription of that monument, which attested the total defeat and CHAP. , Taeeo de Alarico • • • ,repe vieto, IlI!pe concluso, semperqae dimilao. Oroaius,l. vii, c. 17, p. 667. Claudiaa (vi Cona HoD. no), drop' the cllrtaia with a fine image. a The f,-maind"r of Clandian'. porm on tbe lixth conlulali; of Roa.. riua. describes the journey, the triumph, aad the games, (SIOo66O). Digitized by Google I 20.', O'F THlr ROHAN EMPIRE. ' destructibn of their nation.· ,The emperor .re- CHAP. sided several months in the capital, and. every xxx. part of his beha,riour was regulated with care, to -;._•.,.. conciliate the affection of the clergy, the senate, , and the people of Rome. The clergy. was,edi. fied by his frequent visits, and liberal gifts, to the shrines of the apostles. The, senate, who, in the triumphal proceseion, had been exc.ulted from the humiliating ceremony of precedjng OD, . foot the' Imperial chariot, was treated with the ' decentreyerence whi~h Stilicho always aff«:cted , for that assembly. Tl;ae p-oople was repel;ltedly . gratified by the aUention and courtesy ofHo-, DOriUS in the public games, which were celebrat- ; ed on that occasi~n with a magnificence not , unworthy of the spectator.. As soon as the appointed number of chariot-races was conclucled" : the, decQ~tion of, the circus _was. suddenly, changed; t~e hunting of wild beasts affor~e~ a, various and splendid entertainment; and the_ chace was succeeded by a military dance, which seems, in, the lively, description of Claudian, to present tbe image of a modem tournament. In, these games of Honorius, the inhuman Tbecladlcombats of gladiators l polluted, for the last ~tora abo. time, the amphitheatre of Rome. The first lilhed. - Christian emperor may' claim the bonour of the first edict, which condemned the art and amuseI • See the iJPeription·ia Mucon Irlltory of the Ancient GenII..., . yiii, It. The words ate ,OIitiYe and iudlacreel, GetaruDlllatioaem in OIDDe .YlIm domitam, Ire. I On the corioDl, thooch horrid~ labject of the Iladiatora, con.alt the two bookl of the Saturnalia of Lipaiaa, wbo, .. an 1IIIfit......, ia mclaaed to UCDIe the prac&lce of aIipU" (tom.-ii, p••8IoMIi\ Digitized by Google !OO TIlE DBCUNE AMD FALL CRAP. ment of shedding human blood;t but *his bene_~~:" volent law expressed the wishes of the prince, . without reforming au inveterate abuse, which degraded a civilized natioo below the condition o( savage ca.nnibals. S~al h\lndr~d, perhaps several thousand, victims were' aqnuaUy' slaughtered in the'great citie5 ottb;e:empire r aod the month or Dece~, mOr.e' pe~~liarly., oeV()te.t tG the combatS. of gladiators, still exhibiied& to. the eyes of the Roman people, ~ gratefulspeetacle of blood and cruelty. Amidst the general joy, of the victory of PoUentia, a Christian poet exhorted the emperor to extirpate, by bis authority, the horrid custom which had so long resisted the voice of humanity and religion:l The pathetic representatio~s ofPrudentius w~re Jess effectual than the generous boldness of. Telemachus, an Asiatic monk, whose death was more useful to mankind than his life.- The ROqlans were provoked by the interruption of their pleasures; and the rash monk, who had . descended' into the arena, to separate the gladiators, was overwhelmed under a shower of stones. But the madness of the people soon eubsided; they respected the memory of Teler .. Cod. ~~0!10,. L x~, ~t. ~~i, '!J' ••, The ColDIDeutary of Godefroy afForda large materiala (tom • ." p. 896) for the biatory of gladi. ato~ , I See the peroration of Prndentius, (in Symmach. L ii, 1121-1111). wllci llad dOllbtle.' read 'the eloqueDt hrYectlve of Lactanti_, (Di.in. Inlltitnt. i . .,1; c; 20). Tbe CbriliiaD apoloplil lave IIOt spared theIe bloody lamel, which were introduced in the reRgioul feati.... of paga"ilm. • Theodoret, I • ." c. 26. I w.h to believe tlle uory of St. Telem.. chul. Yt'tno chlU'eh·lJas been .eclicated, no allar haa Iwen ereete., to the onl1 monk ~ho ctied " martyr in the cauae of humanity. Digitized by Google 201- 01' THE 1t01l.N UlPIItL machus, who had dese"oo the'honours of mat- CltAt>. tyrdom; and they submitt.ecl. withoutamurmur, _~~~ to the laws of HODOnu, which abeliahed forever the human sacrifices of the amphitlieatre. The citizens, who adhered to the lll8.Il~r8 of, their ancestors, might perhaps insinuate, tbat the last remains of a martial spirit were preserved in thi, school of for.tituele, whif!h accutomed· the Romans to the sight of blood, and to the contempt of death: a vain and cruel prejudice, so nobly confuted -by the valour of ancient Greece, and of modern Europe.· The recent d.nger, to which the person of the ::!~:' emper,or had been exposed in the clefencelen pa- residence lace of Milan, urged him to seek a retreat in some !!!:: inaccessible fortress of Italy, where he might- ,A. D. (ot. securely remain, while tbe open country was' cOTered by a deluge ofbarbarian.. On ~ cout' of~· Badr~c, about ten 01' twelve mile.. fro", the most Iiouthem of. the SEWeD mOllths of tIIe,Po,. tlaeTbessalians, had founded the ancK.t colQD1l at· :Q,AY.ENNA, 0 wllicb they afterwards reaigned. to- -the nap.yes of l.11Qbria. Augustus, who had: • ~dele ,~t'tq~ ~p,...c!"m ~, itII!""""'" ~l~ ',idnL IOlet, et lalUi tcio nita sit, III nUDe fit. Cicero Tusculan. ii, l1.He faiptl, CCDIm. the ahIe,' aDd warinly defeDda tbe _, of Ihe'1l: 'PO!ts ; ocw papa "~~ ~_ ~ctlor ~.tn 41~ ct IDII)'tcm di4cip1iDa.., Seneca (epjst. vii) Ihews the feeliu4' of a man. • This account of RaveDDa i~ draWD from Strabo, (I, v, p. 121) ; Rilll, (iii, 20); Stephen of Byzulium, (Iub v oce paS..... , p. 1151, edit. Ber~"'); CIBPCtiaJl; (i!J'v,i eo.... IJpDqll: 494, 4rc.);. Sidonhaa; Apo1UD . . . ., (I. i, epilt. 6, 8); JOl'llaDdl'8, (de Reb. Get. c. 29); ProC9piu., (de BeU. Gothic. I. i, c. 1, p. 309, edit Louvre), an4 CIIIYCriua, (Ita!. hdq.lc!m. i, p••~n.I01). Yet I .• till want. lo!* aGtiqauilll, ucI • pod tcipo~rapbic.1 map. ' Digitized by~oogle 108. . THE l>ECLlNB AND FA1.L observed the opportunity oftbe place, preparetJ,· _~~:_at the distance of three miles from tbeold towQ, a. capacious harbour, for the receptIon of two hundred and 6rty.ships of war. This naval es-' tablishment,which included the arsenals and magazines, the barracks of the troops, and the. houses of tlJe ariificers, derived its origin and name from.the permanent station of the Roman. a.eet; .the inte),mediate space was soon filled. with buildings and inhabitants, and the three. extensive.and populous quarters of Ravenna. gradually contributed to form one of ilie most· important cities of Italy. , The principal canal of Augustus poured. a copious stream of ~e. :waters of the .Po through the midst of the city, to the entrance of the harbour; the saine waters were introduced into. the profo~d ditch,es that: encompassed the Walls; they were distributed, by a thousand subordinate car,als,' intO.every part of.the.city, which. iliey divided into a va.. riety ,of slDall islands; the communication was· maintained only by th~ uire of boats .and bridges; and, theh~use8:~f Ravenna, whose appearance may be compared to that of Venice, were raised on the foundation of wl..)den piles.' The adjacent country, to the distance of many miles, was 8: deep and impassable morass; and the artificial causeway, which connected Ravenna with the continent, might be easily guarded, or destroyed, on the approach. or an hostile army. These morasses were interspersed, however, with vineyards; ..and though the soil was exhausted by four or fivecrop~,tbetowll enjoyed CHAP • Digitized by Google 209- OF THE ROMAN EMPDlE. a Blore plentiful supply of wine thp.n ()l fresh CHAP. . .IDstead " . kly, _.. xxx. water.p - -Th e air 0 r receIvmg t he SIC _~,,# and almost pestilential, exhalations of low and marshy grounds, was distinguished, like the neighbourhood of Alexandria, as uncommonly pure and salubrious; and this singular advantage was ascribed to the regular' tides of the Hadriatic, which swept the canals, interrupted the unwholesome stagnation of· the waters, andfloated, every day,. 'the vessels' of the adjacent country into the' heart of Ravenna. The gradual retreat of the sea has left the modem city at the distance of .four miles from the Hadriatic; and as early as the fifth or' sixth· century of th. Christian era, the port of Augustus was converted into -ple~sant orchards; and· a lonely grove of pines covered the ground where the Roman :fieet ance rode at anchor.'1 Even this alteratioll contributed to IDcrease the natural strength 'of the place; and the shallowness of the water was a sufficient -barrier against the large ships of the enemy. This advantageous situation was fortified by art and labour; and in the twentieth year oEbis age, the emperor of the • Martial' 'epigram iii, 66, 67) playa OD the trick of' the bin, who had.old him wine instead of water; but be seriollsly declares, tbat I eiltem It Ravenna is more nluable than a ,inryard. Sidonlo. com· platas that the town is destitute of fooominl Ind aqlledocta; and ranb the want of fresb water among the local evils, luch as the croaking of frogs, the atin&i ng 4f-pats, "c. • The, fable of'Tbeodore ad Honoria, wblcb Dryden baa 10 admirably trauaplanted from Boeaceio, (Giomata, iii, novell. viii) was acted In tbe wood of C1&i.. m, a corrupt word from C1UlBi6, tbe naval Mtation, wbieb, with the intermediate road or suburb, tbe Pia c..arU, con.1italed the Iriplt city of Ravenna. VOL V.... P Digitized by Google ~ ~10 1118 DBCLDI'B AND PALL West, anxious only for his personal safety, retir~ ..,~~.~_ ed to the perpetual confinement of the walls and morasses of Ravenna. The example of HonGrius was imitated by ~is feeble successors, the Gothic kings, &lid afterwards the exarchs, who occupied the throne and palace of the emperors; and, till the middle ·of the eighth century, Ravenna was'Considered as the seat of government, and the capital of Italy.r Tbe rev.. The fears of Honorius were not without founlotioo. of d . . h'IS precautions .. _a'. leytbia, ation, nor were WItbout cuect. A. D. 400. While Italy rejoiced in her deliverance from the Goths, a furious tempest was excited among the .ations of Germany, who yielded to the irresistible impulse, that appears to han been gradual~ ly communicated from the eastern extremity of the continent of Asia. The Chinese annals, as they have heen interpreted by the learned in.d ustry of the present age, m~y be usefully applied to reveal the secret and remote causes af the fall of the Roman empire. The extensive territory to the north of the great wall, was possessed, after the Bight of the Huns, by the victorious Sienpi; who were sometimes broken into independent tribes, and sometimes reunited under a supreme chief; till at length· styling themselves Topa, or masters of the earth, they acquired a more solid consistence, and a more formidable power. The Topa soon compelled the pastoral nations of the eastern desert to acknowledge the superiority of their arms; they CHAP. , From the year 404, the dates of tbe Tbeodoliau Code become ae dentary at Constantinople and RayenDa. See Godefro,'1 CIuoaoIoD of the Laws, tom. i, p. 1'8. ekc. r Digitized by Google 21 t OJ' THa IlOIIAH _PUlL invaded China in a period. of weakness and CRAP. intestine discord; and these fortunate Tar-..#~~ tars, adopting the laws and manners 'of the vanq uished people, founded an imperial dy. nasty, which reigned near one hundred. altd sixty years over the liorthem provinces of the monarchy. Some generations before they ascended the throne of China, one of the Topa princes had inlisted in his cavalry a -slave of the name of Moko, renowned for his valour; hut who w~ tempted, by the fear of punishment, to desert hissta.ndard, and to range the desert at the head ofan hundred followers. This gang of robbers and outlaws swelled into a camp, a tribe, a . numerous people,' distinguished ,by the appellation of Geoug_; and tlieir hereditary chieftains, , the posterity of Moko the, slave, assumed their rank among the Scythian monarchs. The youth ofTouluD, the greatest of'his descendants, was exercised by those misfortunes which are the school of heroes. He bravely 8truggled with adversity, broke the imperious yoke of the Topa, and became the legislator of his nation, and the conqueror of Tartary. His troops were distributed into regular bands of an hundred and of a thousand men; cowSU'ds were stoned to death; the most splendid honours were proposed as ' the reward of valour'; and Toulun, who had knowledge enough to despise the learning of China, adopted only such arts and institutions as were favourable to the military spirit of his goverument. His tents, which he removed in the winter season to a more southern latitude, were pitched, during the summer, on the fruit- Digitized by Google lIt .eIIAP. THR DECUNK AND I'ALL . lui banks of the Selinga.. His conquests stretch- .,,~":_ ed from Corea far beyond the r~ver Irtish. He .vanquished, in the country to the north of the Caspian sea, the nation of the Huns; and the new title of KliaR,or eagaR, expressed. the fame and power which he derived &o~ this memorable victory.' EmlgraThe chain af events is interrupted, or rather tionofthe IS ' conceaIed ,as 1't pasles firom the V0 Iga to th e lIorthern ~~:~~. Vistula, through the dark interval which separates the extreme limits of the Chinese, and of the Roman geography. Yet the temper of the barbarians, and the experience of successive . emigrations, sufficiently declare, that the HUns, who were oppressed by the arms of the Geou. , gen, soon withdrew from the presence of an in· suIting victor. The countries towards the EuxiDe were already occupied by their kindred tribes; and their hasty flight, which they soon. converted into a bold attack, would more natn- : rally be directed towards the rich and le!el plains; tbrough which the Vistula gently flows into the Baltic sea. The north must again have been alarmed, and agitated, by the invasion of the Huns; and the nations who retreated before them, must have pressed with incumbent weight on the confines of Germany.t The inhabitants of those regions, which the ancients have assigned to the, Suevi, the Vandals, and • See M. de Guigne., But. des BunA, tom. i, p. 179-189; tom. ii, p• • ,134·338. . Procopiu. (de Bell. Vandal. L i, c. iii. p. 182) bu OblefYed . . emiaration from the Palm Meotia to the north of Germany. which lie ucribea to flunine. Bnt hia vicws of ancient hiltory al.. darkened b~ iporUlce and error. t atraD..., Digitized by Google !13 OP THI!! ROMAN EMPIRE. the Burgmidians, might embrace the resolution" CHAP. of abandoning to the fugitives of Sarmatia their ....~:_ woods and morasses; or at least of discharging their superfluous numbers on the pronnces of the Roman empire.- About four years after the victorious Toulun had assumed the title ofK.han of the Geougen, another barbarian, the haughty Rhodogast, or Radagaisus," marched from the northern extremities of Germany almost to the gates of Rome, and left the remains of his army to achieve the destruction of the West.. ~ Vandals, the Suevi, and the Burgundians, formed the strength of this mighty host; but the Alani, who had found an hospitable reception in their new seats, added their active cavalry to the .hea vy infantry of the Germans; and the Gothic adventurers crowded so eagerly to the , standard 'of Radagaisus, that, by some historians, he has been styled the king of the Goths. Twelve thousand 'warriors, distinguished above the vulgar by their noble birth, or their valiant' deeds, glittered in the van;' and the whole multitude, which was not less than two hun, dred thousand fighting men, might be increased The • Zoaimnl, (I. Y, p. all) Ulel the gflleral de.cription of tile uatioDl btoyond the Danube and the Rhint'. Theiraitaation,and colllt!queutJy their namel, are manifa!ly shewn, ut'n in the varioUl epithets whicla each ancient writer may Iaan casnaUy added. Z The name of Rhadagast was that of a local deity of the Obotrite., (in Mecklenburgh). A hero might naturally_ume the appellation "f hi. tutelar god; but it is not probable Ihat the barbariUl should wor. Ihip an unsucc('ssful hero. See Malcon, Hist. of the Germani, yiii, lC. y Olympiodoru. (apad Photillm, p. ISO) Ulel the Greek word which dot'S not conny any precise idea. I IUIVect that they were the princes and nobles, wilh their faithful ('ompanion.; the high'" with tbeir .quires, as they would have been .tyled lOme c:e.. tariea Iflerwarda. 0....,........ ; Digitized by Google !14 THE DECLINB AND PALL CHAP. by the accession of women, of children, and of _~!: slaves, to the amount of four hundred thousand persons. This formidable emigration issued from the same coast of the Baltic, which had poured forth the myriads of the Cimbri and Teutones, to assault Rome and I taly in the vigour of the republic. After the departUre of those barbarians, their native country, which was marked by the vestiges of their greatness, . long ramparts, and gigantic moles,· -remained, during some ages, a vast and dreary solitude; till the human species was renewed by the powers of generation, and the vacancy was filled by the influx of new inhabitants. The nations who now usurp an extent of land, which they are unable to cultivate, would soon be assisted by the industrious poverty of their neighbours, if the government of Europe did not protect the claims of dominion and property. R,~".ia.: The correl!1pondence of nations was, in that i:~;:adea age, so imperfect and precarious, that the revoAo D. 406. lutions of the nOi"th might escape the knowledge of the court of Ravenna; till the dark cloud, which was collected along the coastofthe Baltic, burst in thunder upon the hanks of the Upper Danube. The emperor of the West, if his miuisters disturbed his amusements by the news of the impending danger, was satisfied with being the occasion, and the spectator of the war.' The .. • Tacit. de Moribna Germauorum, c. S7. • -Cujul .geDdi Spectator yet cansa {ai. Clandi,n, yj COOl. HOD. 01 Ie tbr modut language of Honorina, in ~pl'aking of tbe Gotbic war, wbicb be had ael'D lomewhat nearer. Digitized by Google 216 OF THE ROMAR EMPIBE. saCetyofRomewasintrusted t~ thecounsels,and CHAP. the sword, of Stilicho; but sllch was the feeble ....~~.~... and exhausted filtate of the empire, that it was impossible to restore the fortifications of the Danube, or to prevent, by a vigorous t.1fort, the invasion of the "Germans. b The hopes of . the vigilant ministers of Honorius were confined to' the defence of Italy. He once more a'bandoned the provinces, recalled the troops, pressed the, new levies, which were rigorously ex~. acted, and pusillanimously eluded; employed the most efficacious means to arrest, or allure, the deserters; and offered the gift of freedom, and of two pieces of gold, to all the slaves who would inlist.c By these efforts, he painfully collected, from the sul?jeets of a great empire, an army of thirty or forty thousand men, which, in the days of Scipio or Camillus, would have been instantly furnished by the free citizens of the territory of Rome.· The thirty legions of SHlicho were reinforced by a large body of barbarian auxiliaries; the faithful Alani b ZOlimU'. (I. v, p. 1111) .tl'8Jllport. the war, ud the victory, of Stilicho, beyond the Dlftlube. A _trauge error, which is awkwardly RDd imperfectly cured, by readillg AC'" for 1(',.., (TiIlemoDt, Biat. del Emp. tom. v, p. 807). In good policy, we muat use the .ervice of ZOlimua, withoat e_teeming or troltin, him. C Codex Theodol. I. vii, tit. xiii, leg. 16. The date of this law ( .... D. (06, May IS) latistie. me, as it had done Godefroy, (tom. ii, p. 187), of the tme year of the iIIvamon 01 Radagailul. Tillemont, Pall, IlDd Muratori, prefer the precedin, year; but they are bouod by certain obligation. of civility and reapect, to St. Panlina. of Nola. d Soon after Rome had been taken by the Gaols, the aenate, on a audden emergeucy, armed ten legiona, 11,000 hOrle, and 42,000 foot; a force whicb the city could Dot have sent forth under Augustus, (Li,y, vii. U). This declaratioD _y pllll1c all antiquary, but iI is uearl7 explained byl!oDteI,uiea. . . Digitized by Google 2 Hi THR DECLINE AND FALL were perRonally attached to his service; and , CH,\". x~x. ,-,.-", the troops of Huns and of qoths who marched under the banners of their native princes, Hul• . did and Sarus, were animated by interest and ,resentment to oppose the ambition of Radagai,sus. The ldng of the confederate Germans passed, without resistance, the Alps, the Po, and the Appenine; leaving on one band the inac:(;essible palace of Honorius, securely buried. among the marshes 'of Ravenna; and, on the ~other, the camp of Stilicho, whtl had fixed his head quarters at Ticinum, or Pavia, but who 'seems to have avoid~d a decisive battle, till he had assembled h~s distant forces. Many cities of Italy were pillaged, or destrGyed ; and the BHiegea siege of Florence," by Radagaisl)s, is one of the PlereDce. earliest events \n the hi$tory of that celebrated republic; whose firmness checked and delayed the unskilful fury, of the oarbarians. Tbe senate and people trembJed at their approach within an hundred arid eightr miles of Rome; and anxiously compared the dang,er which they had escaped, with the new perils to which they were exposed. Alaric was a Christian and It soldier, the leader of a disciplined army; who understood the laws of war, who respected the sanctity of treaties, and who had familiarly con• MaehiaYeI hu explaiDed. at leut u a philOlOpher, the on,i. of FloreDce, which lueDsibly dHceDded, for the beuefit of trade, from the rock of Faanhe to the baDks of the Arno, (Iltona F1oreD.iD. tOlD. i,-I. ii, p. 16, Londra, 11(7). The TriulDvirs leDt a colony to FloreDce, whicb, UDder Tiberios, (Tacit. ADDa). i, 79), desernd tbe ~ep..., .ation aDd DalDe of a jlouri8Aill({ citYt See Cluver. Ital. A.ii,. to... 1" p. 1107, eke. Digitized by Google OF THE ~OMAN BllPIR!. 117 yersed with the subjects of the empire in the CHAP• • arne camps, and the same churches. The sa- _~~::. vage Radagaisus was a stranger to the manners, the religion, and even the language, of the civilized nations of the South. The fierceness of his temper was exasperated by cruel superstition; and it was universalJy i!elieved, that he had bound himself, by a solemn vow, to reduce :ad :the city into a heap of stones and ashes, and to - 0"fJacrifice the most illustrious of the Roman senators, on the altars of those gods, who were _ppeased by human blood. The public danger, which should have reconciled all domestic -.nimosities, displayed the incurable madness of religious .taction. The oppressed votaries of Jupiter and Mercury respected, in the implacable enemy of Rome, the character of a devout pagan; loudly declared, that they were more apprehensive .of the sacrifices, than of the arws, of Radagaisus; and secretly rejoiced in the calamities of their country, which condemned the faith of their Christian adversaries.' Florence was reduced to the last extremity; Dt("at and the fainting courage of the citizens was supaDd d!• . Itructlon ported only by the authorlty.of St. Ambrose; ofbil~r.m,. who had communicated, in a dream, the promise ~'o~tlll. of a speedy deliverance.' On a sudden, they A. D. 400. f Yet the Jopitt'J: of Radagailul, wbo worsbipped Tbor and Woden, wu very differeDt from tbe Olympic or Capitoline Jove. Tbe accomaodating temper of polytheilm migbt uDite thoRe urioul and remote deitiel; bot tbe genuiDe RomaDI abhorred the human sacrificel of Gaul and GermaDY. I PauliDus (in Vito AmbrOl. C. 50) relatel this stoFf, whicb be reo .,ed from the mouth of Pansophia her,elf, a religion' matron 01 Flo- reuce. Digitized by Google 2J8 THE BiEcLlKE AND FALL CHAP. b~held, from their walls, the banners of Stili.:~;,.. cho, who advanced, with his' united force, to the relief of the faithful city; and who SOOI1 marked that fatal spot for the grave of. the barbarian host. The apparent contradictions of those writers who variously relate the defeat of Radagaisus, may be reconciled, without offering much violence to their respective testimonies. Orosius and Augustin, who were intimately connected by friendship and religion~ ascribe this miraculous victory to the providence of God, rather than to the valour of man.· They strictly exclude every idea of chance, or even of bloodshed; and positively affirm, that the Romans, whose camp ",as the scene of plenty and idleness, enjoyed the distress. of the barbarians, slowly expiring on the sharp and barren ridge of the hills of Fresulre, which rise above the city of Florence. Their extravagant assertion, that not a single soldier of the Christian army was killed, or even wounded, may be dismissed with silent contempt; but the rest of the narrative of Augustin and Orosius is consistent with the state of the war, and the character ofStilicho. Conscious that he commanded the last army of tb~ republic, his prudence would not expose it, in the open field, . to the rence. Yet the arehbilhop loon ceased to take an aetlve part in the bDlinell of the world, and never became a popular lahlt. II Augustin de Civitat. Dei, v.28. Orosi III, I. vii, c. 87, p. 567In. The two friendl wrote in A.frica, ten or twelve years after the victory; and their authority is implicitly fullowed by Ilidore of Seville, Cin Cbron. p. na,'edit. Grot). How many intereatin, facl. might OrOliDl bave welled in the vacant apace which ia devoted to piou .oueuel . Digitized by Google t19 01' THE ROMAN DlPJRL headstrong fury of the Germans. The method CHAP. of surrounding the enemy with strong lines of ,,'!:.,~_ circumvatIation, which he had twice employed against the Gothic king, was repeated on a larger scale, and with more considerable effect. The examples of Cresar must have been familiar to the most illiterate of the Roman warriors; and the fortifications of Dyrrachium, which eonnected twenty-four castles, by a perpetual ditch and rampart of fifteen miles, afforded the model of an intrenchment which might confine, and starve, the most numerous host of barbarians! The Roman. troops had leis degen&o rated from the industry, than from the valour, of their ancestors; and if the servile and lalJo.. rious work offended the pride of the soldiers, Tuscany could sup'plymany thousand peasants, who would labour, though, perhaps, they would not fight, for the salvation of their native country. The imprisoned multitude of horses and menlc was gradually 'destroyed by famine, rather than by the sword; but the Romans were exposed, during the progress of such an extensive work, to the frequent attacks of an impatient enemy. The despair'ofthe hungry barbariaus Fnnguntur montes, planumqlle per ardua Ca!sar Ducit opos: pandit fOI,al, turritaque 'IImmia Di'ponit casteUajllgis, maguoque recellt! Amplexux fille.; saltul nemorolaque tesqua Et Iilns, vastlque feras indagine claodit. Yet the limplicity of truth (Clesar, de Bell. Civ. iii, (4) 1. far areater lball the amplificationl of Lucan, (Pharsal. I. vi, 29·63). It The rhetorical expre.lionl of OroaiuI, "In .rido et aspero monti. " jugo;" "'in unum ac parvDm verticem;" are not 'refy luitable te the erampment ofa great army. But F ••ulle, only three miles from Florence, might aft'ord Ipace for the head'qllartera of Radagailul, allli would be comprehended withiu the circuit of the Roman liue•• I Digitized by Google • '20 THE DECLINE AJlD FAL!. CHAP. wouta precipitate them against the forlificatfons .~~~....'of Stilicho; the genera~ might sometimes )Qdulge the ardour of his brave auxiliaries, who eagerly pressed to assanlt the camp of the Germans; and these various jn~dents might produce the sharp and bloody conflicts which dignify the narrative of Zosimus, and the Chroni.;. cIes of Prosper and Marcellinus.1 A 'Seasonable supply of men and provisions had been illtroduced into the waUs of Florence; and the famished host of Radagaisus was iil its turn besieged. The proud monarch of so many warlike nations, after the loss of his bravest warriors, was reduced to confide either in the faith of a capitu lation; or iri the clemency of Stilicho.m But the death of the royal captive, who was ignominiously beheaded; disgraced the triumph of Rome and of Christianity; and the short delay of his execution was sufficient to brand the conqueror with the guilt of cool and deliberate crUelty.a The famished Germans; who escaped the fury Of the auxiliaries, were sold as slaves, at the contemptible price of as many single pieces of gold: but the difference of food and climate swept away great numbers of those unhappy strangers; and it was observI See ZOlimUI, I. Y, p. 881, aud the ChroDiclea of Prosper and )farceUiuul. III Olymplodoms (apud Photium, p. 180) uses an expreaalou, (1I'e ...''''../f.......o), which would deuote a .trict aDd frieudly aUiance, aDd. render Stilicho still more crimiDal. The paulisper detentua, dt:inde interfeetns, of Oroains, is sufficiently odious. . • Orosins, pionsly inbnman, sacrifices the king and people, Ag.. and the Amalekitt'8, without a symptom of compassioD. The bloody actor is It:,, de teat able thaD the cool Bnf('eling historian Digitized by Google ttt drTH"£ ROMAN DlPIRE. ed that the inhuman purchasers, instead of reap- CRA P ing the fruits of their labour, were soon obliged#!:!,# to prOVide the expence of their interment. Sti· licho informed the emperor and the senate of his success; and dese"ed, a second time, the gl()oo rious title of Deliverer of Italy.The fame of the "jctory, and more especially The reof the miracle, has encouraged a vain persuasion, ~a::der that the whole army, or rather nation, of Ger- ~e":aaa mans, who migrated from the shores of the Baltic, miserably perished under the walls of Flo- ~::~ rence. Such indeed was the fate of Radagaisus himself, of his brav,e and faithful companions, and of more than one-third of the various mul-. ntude of Sueves and Vandals, of Alani and Burgllndians, who adhered to the standard of their. general.P The ~nion of such an army might excite our surprise, but the causes of separation are .obvious and forcible; the pride of birth, the insolence of valour, the jealousy of command, the impa.tien~e of subordination, and the obsti·. nate conBict of opinions, of interests, and of passions, among so many kings and warriors, who were untaught to yield, or to obey. After the defeat of Radagaisus, two parts of the German host, which must have exceeded the number of one hundred thousand men, still remained in o::t • And Claadiao', . mUle, wu ahe ulet'p i had ahe heeD ill paid f Methiak. the aeveath eODlulship of HODoria. (A. D. 401) would have filmi.bed the labjeet of a Doble poem. Before it was di.cowered that tbe atate could 00 loager be lI"ed, Stilieho (after Kamal." CamiUu., aDd Marial).mighl have beea worthily laraamed the fourth fouader of Rome. p A lamiaioul passage of Prosper'l Chroaicle, "1. Ira pari,., , . ~ ,riui",.. ~ ea:mMtu," redac. the miracle of FloreD~, aad CODDecti the biatory of Ital, Gaal. aad Germul' _ Digitized by Google 122 THE DEn.tNB AND PALL CHAP. anna, between the Apennine and the Alps, or, .,~~:_between the Alps and the Danube. It is un· certain whether they Q.ttempted to revenge the deat.h of their general; but their irregular fury was soon diverted by the prudence and firmness of Stilicho, who QPpo$ed their march, and facilitated their retreat; who con.sidered the safety of Rome and Italy as the great object of his care; and who sacrificed, with too much indifference, the wealth and tranquillity of the distant pl'ovinces.Q The barbarians acquired, from the junction of some Pannonian deserters, the knowledge of the country, and of the roads; and the invasion of Gaul, which Alaric had designed, was executed by the remains of the great army of Radagaisus.r Yet if they expected to derive any assistance from the tribes of Germany, who inhabited the banks of the Rhine, their hopes were disappointed. The Alemanni preseneda state of inactive neutrality; and the Franks distinguished their zeal and courage in the defence of the em'pire. In the rapid progress down the Rhine, which was the first act of the administration of Stilicho, he had applied himself, with peculiar " Oroaiu8 and Jrrom positivrly charge him with instigating the in-o ftlion. "Excitatlll a SUlichone gentrl," Ikc. They ..nst meau __ _ Ig. Be laved Italy at the "pence of Gaul. r The count de Bnat II aatisfied, that the Germ.... who iavaded Ganl were the ftDo.IlrirU that yet remaiDed of the .rmy of Raclagaima. See the Blltoire Ancienne del Peuples de l'Europe, tom. Yil, p. 87iiI; Paril, 1'7'12; an elaborate work, whicb I had Dot tbe advaDtage of peruling till the year 1717. A. early .. 1771, I find the lame idea exprened in a rongh dnngbt of the preseut Biltory. T hue ,inee observed a aimiliar intimation in Mucou, (viii, 11). Bach BIIeemrnt, without mutual comulllnicatIOD,' may add IOBle weight to oar com_a teatilllellt. Digitized by Google Si3 OJ' THE,ROMAN DlPIRR. attention, to secure the allia.Jlce of the warlike CRAP. Franks, and to remove the irreconcilable ene- .~~~_ mies of peace and of thtl republic. Marcomir, Olle of their kings, was publicly convicted, befOre the trihunal of the Roman magistrate, of ,"iolatiug the faith of treaties. He was sentenced to a mild, but distant, exile, in the province of Tuscany; and this degradation of the regal dignity was so far from exciting the resentment of his subjects, that they punished with death the turbulent Sunno, who attempted to revenge his brother; ,and maintained' a dutiful allegiance to the princes, who were established on the throne by the choice of Stilicho.' When the limits of Gaul and Germany were shaken by the northern emigration, the Franks bravely encountered the single force of the Vandals; who, .regardless of the lessons of adversity, had again separated their troops from the standard of their barbarian allies. They paid the penalty of their ruhness; and twenty thousand Vandals, with their king Godigisclus, were slain in the field of battle. The whole people must have been extirpated, if the squadrons of the Alani, advancing to their relief had not trampled down the infantry of the Franks; who, after an honourable resistance, were compelled to relinquish the unequal con• --ProYiDcia mllaoa Espellet citia. fucCI, quam FraDcia rep Qao. dederia. CIao""" (i CoOl. Stil. I. i, ISS, Irc.) is clear aDd latiaf'actol'J. Tbeae kiD,. of Fraace are unkaowD te Gl't'col'J of Toan; but the aathor of the Geata Frallcorom meatioDI both SaDao aDd Marcomir, aad _ _ the latter u the father ofI'haremoDd, (iD tom. ii, p. 543). He..,... .. write from pod materiala, which lae did Dot aadentlUld. Digitized by Google • H4: THE'DULIO AND FALIi CHAP. test: The victorious confederates pursued their ,,~~~;,.. march, and, 011 the last day ofthe year, in a seaIlon when the. waters of the Rhine ~ere most probably frozen, they entered, without opPQ~i tion~ the defenceless provinces of Gaul. 'niis memorable passage of the Snevi, the Vandals, the AJani, and the Burgupdians, woo never afterwards retreated, may be considered as the' fall of the Roman empire ill the countries beyond the Alps; and the baniers which had so' long separated the savage and' the civi1i~ed nations ofthe'earth, were from that fatal moment. levelled with the ground.t DelolatioD While the peace of Germany was secured by of Gil II' . t'h A. ,,-AuT; e attacIlment 0 f' the F rallk s,an d the neutral't IY ,"" of the Alemanni, the subjects of Rome, ~.ncon-l scious of their approaching calamities, enjoyed. the state of quiet 'and prosperity, which had seldomblessed the frontiers of Gaul. Their Bocks and herds were permitted to graze in the pastures of the barbarians; theIr huDtsmen penetrated, without fear or' danger, into the darkest recesses of the Hercynian wood. The banks of the Rhine were crowned, like those of the ... U . , • See ZOlimuI, O. yi, p. 373) ; Oroliul, (I. "ii, c. 40, p. 678), and the Chroniclel. Gregorv of Tourl (1. ii, e. D, p. 165, ia 'the lecoad "olume of the Hi,toriaal of France) lIaa prelerved a ·valuable fragment or Re-. nalua Profntnrui FrigeriduI, whOle three namel denote a Christiln, a Roman Iubject, and a ,emi·barbarian. • Claud ian (i Cons. Stil. 1. i, 221, &t.. j I. ii, 186, delcribea the peace and prolperity of tbe Gallic froatierl. The Abbe Duboi, (Hilt. Critique, .scc. tom. i, p. 174) would read -iu.., (a nameleu riyulet of the ArdenneN), instead of A Ibis ; and expatiates on the danger of the Gallic cattle graaing beyond the Etbe. Foolisb enoogh! In poetical ,('ography, the Ellie', and the Hercynian, lignifv any river, or 101 wood ill Gerlllany. Claudian is not prepared tllr tbe I'riet examin.. tion of our antiquaries. Digitized by Google I 22li OF 'l'RE ROllAN EMPIRP.. Tiber, with elegant houses, and well cultivated CHAP. farms; and if a poet descended the river, he 'I~::I. ~ight ~xpress his doubt, on which side was si· tuated the territory of the Rom8.}ls." This scene of peace and plenty was suddenly chang. ed into a desert; andthe prospect of the smoking ruins could alone distinguish the ~olitude of nature ffom the desolation of man. ~Tbe flourishing city of Mentz was surprised and destroyed;· and many thousand Christians were church. Worllls inhumanly massacred ,in perished after a long and obstinate siege; Strasburgh, Spires, Rheims, Tournay, Arras, Amiens, experienced the cruel oppression of the German yoke; and the consuming flames of war spread from the banks of the Rhine over the greatest part of· the seventeen provinces of Gaul. That rich and extensive country, as far as the ocean, the Alps, and the Pyrenees, was delivered to the barbarians, who drove before them, .in a promiscuous crowd, the bishop, .the senator, and the ,irgin, laden with the spoils of their houses and altars.'" The ecclesiastics, to whom we are in~ debted for this vague description of the public calamities, embraced the opportunfty of exhorting the Christians to repent ofthe siD:s which had provoked the Divine Justice, and' to renounce the perishable goods of a wretched and deceitful the --Geminasqlle viator Com 1'ideat ripas, qme sit Romana requirat. J Jerom. tom. i, p. 93. See in the 1st vol. of the Historian. of France, p. 111,782, the proper extracts from the Carmen de Pravi. tlent.ia Divinl, and Salvian. The anonymous poet was himself a· captive, with his bi~hop and fellow-citizens. VOL V Q Digitized by Google t THE DECLINE AND FALl CHAP. world. But as the Pelagian controversy: which ....~~; .... att~mpts to sound the abyss of grace and predestination, soon became the serious employment of the Latin clergy; the Providence w~i~h had decreed, or foreseen, or permitted, such a train of moral and natural evils, wa,s rashly weigh~d in the imperfect and fallacious balance of reason. The crimes, and the misfortune~, of the su1fering people, were presumptuously compared,with those of their ancestors; and they arraigned the Divine Justice, which did not exempt from the common destruction the feeble, the g!liltless, the infant portion of the human species. These idle disputants overlooked the invariable laws OfDature, which have connected peace with innocence, plenty with industry, and safety with valour. The timid and selfish policy of the court of Ravenna might recal the Palatine legions for tbe protection of Italy; the remains of the lta- ; tionary troops might be unequal to the arduous . task; and the barbarian auxiliaries might prefer the unbounded licence of spoil, to the benefits of a modera~e and regular stipend. But the provinces of Gaul were filled with a numerous race of hardy and robust youth, who, in the defence of their houses, their families, and their altars, if they had dared to die, would have deserved .to vanquish. The knowledge of their native couDtrf would have enabled them to op- • The Pela,iaD doctrine, which wu first agitated A. D. 405, wu u.demned, iD the space of teo yean, at Rome aDd Carthage. It. AupltID fou,ht and couquered: but the Greek church wu fayollr&ble .. hi. adYenariea; and (wbat is aincular eDongh) the people dill ........ any part in a diapute which tlley could Dot uDden". Digitized by Google 227 ·0. TIlE ROMAN EMPIRP.. po* continual and insuperable obstacles ~o the CHAp. progress f)f an invader; and the deficiency oC ~ ..~~~':... the barbarians, in arms as well as' in discipline, removed the only pretence which' excuses the submission, of a populous country to. the infe.:. rior numbei-s Of a veteran' abny When France was invaded by Charles V, be i~qriired of a prisoner, Bow mal1y days ParIs might ,bl' dis. taht from' the frontiei'? "p,erhaps' t,J;etlfe;' bti~ cc' they ~ill'be d:ays 6t,battle."· Such"was the gallant' answer which chec,ked'the arf()gailce of that ambitious prince. The suhjects'of Honorius, and those of Francis 1,' were'a1iim~ted by a very different' spirit; ahd ifi:'less' tiian ~wo years, the d'ivided' troops of the ,savages of the Baltic, whose numbers, were they' fairly 'stated, would appear coritemptible; advariced, without a eombat, to the foot of the Pyrenrean moun';' tains. In the early part of the reign oC Honorius, the vigilance ofStilicho ha~ successfully guard-~~YB~t~1a ed'the remote island of Britain from her inces- ~r:n:.'(07. sant enemies of" the ocean, the mountains, and the lrisb coast.1I But those restless batbarians • lite the Memoirel de Guillaome do Bellay, I. vi. In French; the origiDal reproof is lell obyioos, aud more poimed, t'rom the dooble sense of tbe word jOIlI7lU, wbich 'alike ligumes, a day'. tranl, or a batde. ' ~ ,c,taodi.au '(i CoDI. Stll. L iit. 250). It ii, sn,posed, that the. Scoll of Ireland mvaded, by sea, the whole westero coast of BritaiD: aod lotlle sllgbt c,edit may be ginn enD to NenniDl and the .,ish traditious, (Carte'. Hilt. ot' EDglaDd, yolo i, p. 169. Whitaker's Genuiue ~tory'of the Brit~D', p. 199). The aizlJ·aiz IInl of Sf. Patrick, which wlL!te extaot in the ninth ceDtory,mnst han coutamed, U maoy thousand lies; yet we may bellen, that iD one of tht'R .Irilh inroalia, the future apoltle wu lei! away captin, (Usher. AntiqDit. Ecclea. Bri. , tau8 Digitized by Google • ~!8 THE DECLINE AND FALL, could not neglect the fair opportunity 'Of the ~,~;,.. Gothic war, when the walls and stations of the province were stripped of the Roman troops. If any of the legionaries were permitted to return from the Italian expedition, their faithful report of the .court and character of Honorius mUit have tehded to dissolve the bonds of allegiance, and to exasperate the l3editious temper' of the British army.' The spirit of revolt, which had formerly disturbed the age of Gallienus, was, revived by the capricious violence of the soldiers; and the unfortunate, perhaps the ambitious, candidates, who were the objects.of their choice, were the instruments, and at length the victims, of their passion. Marcus was the first whom they placed on the throne, as the lawful' emperor of Britain, and of the West. They violated, by the hasty murder of Marcus, the oath' of fidelity which they had imposed on themselves; and tkeir disapprobation of his manners, may seem to,inscribe an· hono~rable epitaph on his tomb. Gratian ,was the next· wh~m they adorned with the diadem and the purple;. and, at the end of four m!>nths, Gratian experienced the fate of his predecessor. The memory of the great Constantine, whom the British legions had given to the church and to the empire, suggested the singular motive of their third choice. They discovered in the CHAP. C taun, p. 01, ud TiUemont, Hem. Ecelea. tom. xvi, p. ~8, .,... .e). C The British Ulurptn are taken from Zoaimal, (I. yi, p ••,1-175); Oroaius, (L yii, •• 40, p. 676,1111) j Ol,mpiodorus, (apud Phod..... po lBO, 181), the eceleaiudcal hiI&oriua, aucl tile. CIIroJaicla. ,.... !AtiBl are iporut.otMucus.-' ' . Digitized by . Google 229 OF.THE ROMAN'EMPIRE. ranks a private soldier of the name of Con stan· CliAP. . '1eVlty ' h adaIrea d 'y",.n xxx. · t me, and th' elr Impetuous .. .,., seated him on the throne, before they perceived ~onl.tan" mcapaci'ty to sustam . the welg . ht 0 f tag h t )0- flne II ac. h IS knowledr. e~ inand Bri. ,rious ap' pellation .•, Yet the authority of Con. tain stantine was less precarious, and his governGaul, A. D. 407. . ment was more successful, than t he tran,slent reigns of Marcus an4 of Gratian. The danger of leaving his inactive troops in 'those camps, which had been twice polluted with blood and sedition, urged him to attempt the reduction of the western provinces. He landed at Boulogne with an inconsiderable f6rce; and after he had reposed himself some days, he summoned the cities of Gaul, which had escaped the yoke of the barbarians, to acknowledge their lawful so• vereign. They obeyed the, summons without reluctance. , The neglect of the court of Ravenna had absolved a deserted people from the duty of allegiance; their actual distress encouraged them t~ accept any circumstances of change, without apprehension, and, perhaps, with some degree of hope; and they might flatter themselves, that the troops, the authority, and even· the name of a Roman emperor, who fixed his residence in Gaul, would protect the unhappy country from the rage of the barbarians. Thefirst successes of Constantine against the detached parties of the Gennans, were magnified by the voice of adulati,?n into' splendid • Cum in Constantino illcDtutaaliatR • •• -. execrarentnr, (Sidoniul ApOllinaria,l. Y, ,epilt. 9, p. 139, edit. secnnd. Sirmond). Y~t 8idoni· \\I might be tempted, by 10 (air a pDD, to stigmati&e a prince _h. had dispaced_hia grandfather. Digitized by Google 230 'iiAf' and d~i~,v€ vjc~ories; ,whicll tl)e reuni.on and _u....,..:. . . insolence uf tbeeJlemy soon reduced to their just yalue. His negotiations procured a short and precarious tr1Jce; ,and if some trjbes of the barbarians were 'engaged, by th~ liberl;l.lity of his gifts and promises, t,o undertl;l.ke the defence of the ~hine, ,these expensiv;e and J.lncertain treaties,instead of restoring the pristinevigour of the Gallic frontier, served only to 'di,sgrace' the majesty of the prince,apd 'to' exhal,lst whl;l.t yet rema~ned of tpe tre~sures pC th,e repubHc. ~late.~ however with this imaginary triumph, the v&iu deliverer of Gaul a4vanced jnto the pfPvinces of the South, to encounter a 'more Ilressing and pers~Qal d~p.ger. Sarus the Goth w.~s ordered ~~ l~y ~~~ hea4 of the rebel at tne {eet of t»e ~lQperor ijonor~~s; a~d the Cor~es of Jlritau,. ~n~ I~ly ~~re un'Yqrt~ily cOnsPPled ~~ tbis aomf!~p.p gtJil-rreJ. 4f~er ~~~ lO~!!I of ~fs ~wo bray~~~ ge~~.al~,.J~sp~i~ 1ffi4 ':Neri~~stell~ ~4e forDl~r qf ~ho~ ~~s sl~lQ i~ ~h~ ~ela of p~~tl~, *be I~H~r ~n a B~aceful ~~t tn~acher,Qus jptel'yiew, Con~t~~t~~~ f~r~ifie~ ~tms~lf wflhin tq~ walls 0fylenH~~ 1'p~ pla~~ 'Y~~ Ip~.~e~~~~HY attacke4 ~ey~p. ~~y~; !tud ~~~ imD~fia.l 8:flllY ~uppo~t e~, i~ , p.'feF~p.~tate ~~~ef+~ t~e ignoJiliny of .pU~Ch~SlP~ , sefllre p'~s~~~e (p>m the ff~eboo ters an4 outlaws of the Alps.- Those mount8.in~' ~o~ s~parated th~ dominions ~f tw() rival mona~c\ls ~ an4 the fort~ficatl~ns of i¥e double _ • Bqaad. is the Dame which ZoailDlU I!pp~ea t~ th~; pem_l" they 4eserved _ Ie•• odioni charact~r; Csee'1?n1Jois, Hiat. ~ritiq~o!. tom. ~, ~,·203. and this Hiatory yol; ~i, p.~ 12,>. W~ i\l~~ be~ them a,aln. ' or Digitized by Goog Ie 231 OP THE BOMAN EMPIRE. frontier were guarded by the trooJls of tile em- CHAP. pire, whose arms would have been more usefu(ly _~~,~~,.. employed to maintain the Roman limits against the barbarians of Germany and Scytllia. On the side of tile. Pyrenees, the ambition of He rcd.. Constantine might be justified by the proximity ~~ of danger; but his throne was soon established by the conquest, or rather submission, 9f Spai~; which yielded to the influence .of regular and habitual subordination, and received the laws and magistrates of the Gallic prefec~ure. The only opposition which was made to the authority of Constantine, proceeded not 80 much from the pOW~1"8 of government, or tile spirit of the peo.., pIe, as from the private zeal, and interest of th~ family of Theodosius. Four brothers' had obtained by the faTour, of their kinsman, the deceased emperor, an honourable rank, and ample possessions, in their native country: and the grateful youths .resolved to risk those advantages in the sen ice of his son. After an unsuc· cessful effort to maintain their ground at the head of the stationary troops of Lusitania, they retired to their estates; where they armed and levied, attheir own expeDce, a considerable body of slaves and dependants, and boldly marched. , to occupy the strong posts of the Pyrenman mountains. This domestic insurrection alarmed and perplexed the sovereign of Gaul and Britain; and he was compelled to negotiate with Bome troops of barbarian auxiliaries, for the ser- :p:.::: , Verinianal, Didymol, TheodOliul, aad Lagodiul, who, in modena e:ool1l, would be: Ityled princel of the blood, were not distinguilhed by any rank or privilcici above the relt of their fellow aubjecta. Digitized by Google 132 THE DECLINE' AND FALL vice of the Spanish war .. Theyweremstingnished ~~~;.... by the title of Honoria!,· a name which might have reminded them of their fidelity to their .lawful sovereign; and if it should candidly be allowed that the Scoll were influenced by any partial affection for a British prince, the Moor! .. and the Marcomarmi could be tempted only by the profu~e liberality of the usurper, who distributed among the barbarians the military, and even the civil, ·honours of Spain. The nine bands of Honorians, which may be easily traced , on the establishment i)f the western empire, could not exceed the number of five thousand men; yet this inconsiderable force was sufficient to terminate·a war, which 'had threatene~ the power and safety of Constantine. The rustic army of the Theodosian family was. surr~unded . e.nd destroyed in the Pyrenees; two of the bro.. , thers had the good fortune to eS.cape by sea to , Italy, or the East.; the. other two, after an interval of suspense, were executed at ArIes;. and ifHonorius could remain insensible of the public disgrace, he might perhaps be affected by the personal misfortunes of hia generous kinsl)leq. &uc~ were the feeble arms which decided th~ possessiQn of the western provinces of Europe, from tlle walls of Antoninus to the 'columns of Hercules. The ~vents of peace and been diminished by the war hav~ undoubt~dly ,. CHAP. I These HOIIOrilllli, or IfOllOri4ci, consisted of two band. of Scob, or AUacotti, two of Moors, two of Marcomanni, the Victor••, tbe Aacarii, and tbe Gallicaai, (Nolitia Imperii, sect. xxxviii, edit. Lab). They were part of tbe sixty·fi "c AIIZili4 PalaIiaa, aud are properly Ilfled. n ... I\IIA. "'.(11(, by ZOlimUI, (I. vi, p. 874). . Digitized by Google or THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 233 narrow and imperfect "iew of the historIans of CHAP. the times,. who were equally ignorant of the _~~,:., causes, and of the effects, of the Jnost important revolutions. But the total decay of the national strength had annihilated even the last resource of a despotic g~vernment; and the revenue of exhausted provinces could no longer purchase the military service of a discontented. and pusillanimous peopl~. . . The poet, whose flattery hal ascribed to the ~egotfia. ' p . V tlOno . . R oman eagIe t he vIctorIes of ollentla and e- Alaricand . fi rona, pursues t he h a8ty retreat 0 f Al arlC, rom Slilicbo A. D. 40tthe confines of Italy, with a horrid train ofima- 408. ginary spectres, such as might hover over an , .army of barbarians, which was almost exterminated by war, famine, and disease}' In the course of this ~nfortunate expedi~on, the king of the Goths must indeed have sustained a conaiderableloss ; and his harassed forces required an interval of repose to recruit their numbers, and revive their confidence. Adversity had exerciRed, and displayed, the genius of Alaric; and the fame of his valour invited to the Gothic standard the bra vest of the barbarian warriors; who, from the Euxine to the Rhine, were agitate~ by the desire ofrapine and conquest.. He had deserved the esteem, and he soon accepted the friendship,· of Stilicho himself. Renoun.. dng the service of. the emperor of the East. • --Comilatur euntem Pallor, et atra faml's; et laueia lividul ora "'UctUI; et inferni slridentci agnrine morbi ClaudiaD is vi COOl. Hoa. 121, .e. Digitized by Google t:U CHAP. THE DECLINE AND FALL . Alaric concluded, with the court of Ravenna, a ~_ treaty of peace and alliance, by which he was declared master-general of the Roman armies throughout the prefecture of Illyricum; as it was claimed, according to the true and ancient limits, by the minister of Honorius! The execution ofthe ambitious design, which was either stipulated, or implied, in the articles of. the treaty, appears to have been suspended by the formidable irruption of Radagaisus; and the neutrality of the Gothic king may perhaps be compared to the indifference of Cresar, who, in the conspiracy of Cataline, reCused either to assist, or to oppose, the enemy of the republic. After the defeat of the Vandals, Stilicbo resumed bis pretensions to the provinces of the East, appointed civil magistrates for the administra. tion of justice, and of the finances; and declared his impatience to lead to the gates of CODstan tinople, the united armies of the Romans and of the Goths. The prudence, however, of Sti Jicho, his aversion to civil war, and his perfect knowledge of the weakness of. the state, may countenance the suspicion, that domestic peace, rather than foreign conquest, was the object of his policy; and that his principal care was to employ the (orces of Alaric at a distance (rolD Italy. This design could not long escape the penetration of the Gothic king, who continued to hold a doubtful, and perhaps a treacherous, correspondence with the rival courts; who proI Tbrle dark'tran8actions are inYeatil{ated by the CORnt de anat, (Hi.t. del Penplea de l'Europe, tom. yii, c. iii·yiii, p. 611-200), whOM labodous aceural'Y ma, lometiwfI fatiGue a superficial rradcr'J Digitized by Google ~p THE ROMAN EMPIRE. j81 tracted,like a dissatisftedmercenary, his languid CHAP. opel'ations in Thcssaly and Epirus, and who ..~~:,. soon returned to claim the extravagant rewal'd ... of his ineffectual services. From his camp near ~mona, It OIJ the confines of Italy, he transmitted, to the emperor of the West, a long account of prOInises, of expences, and of demands; caUed J~ i~lJlediate satisfaction, and clearly intjmated the conlJequeJlces of a refusal. Y~t if hj~ cond';lct wall 4Q~tj)e, his language w~ d,ecept a~cJ d~tjful. . JIe humbly profesaed hiw.s.etf the friel).d .of StiJ~cho, ~d the soldier pi IJQn,Qri1J~ ; offerE¥J his per~on an4 his troops to JI)arch, ,witho~t 4.elay, against the usurper qf GaJlI; Jl-pd ~oJi~i~d, ~s .. pe~ent rep-eat for the GotJ)jc n~ti~n, tJle posses.ion qf smne vacant p,oJin~~ Qf the ",e'~rn empire. The ppJiticd and. s,.,r.r~t trq.niflctions of two Debat. state~lJl~p, who lahQJJr~4 tp decfilve 8acl~ ptbe~ i[O::D ~nd tb~ wQr1«J" IIJU$t r,.r ~v~r have been (lonc~al. ~~n:~e_ e4 in the i~pen~trq.ble "arJtn~8s of the cabjn~t if th~ fleh~te~ Af a popnlar ~S8ePlpJy had not thmwfJ S9m~ rlJ.Yf flf ligtM PQ *pe ~OrfeSPQndence of ~l~r.ip ~pit StiJipho. Th~ necessity pf fin.iing SPPle. arlifi~i~l E!upport for a government, whi~h, fro~ q. principle~ not of moderation, but of weakness, W~$ J,"ed~ced to negotiate with its Qwn subjects, bad in$en~ibJy r~vived the alIthority of the Roman senate; and the minister of A See Zo.imDI, 1. v, p. 114, ISS. lie interrllpt. his Icanty narr~ti,e. to relate the fabl~ of "moDa, and of the ship Argo; whick Will' drawD o,er Iud Irom that place to the Hadriatic. Sozomen, (I. viii, c.25; I. iz, e. 4), and Socrates, (1. vii, c. 10), cast a pale and doubtful light i aad.OroBiUl (I. vii, c. 18, p. 571) is abominably partial Digitized by Google t36 THE DECLINE .AND FALL Honorius-respectfully consulted the legislative _~::"" council of the republic. Stilicho assembled the senate in the palace of the Cresars; represented, in a studied oration, the actual state of affairs; proposed the demands of the Gothic king, and submitt~d to their consideration the choice of peace or war. The senators, as if th~y had been suddenly awakened from a dream of four hundred years, appeared on this important 0ccasion to be inspired by the courage, rather than by the wisdom, of their predecessors. They loudly declared, in regular speeches, or in tumultuary acclamations, that it was unworthy of the majesty of Rome, to purchase a precari. ous and disgraceful truce from a barbarian king; and that, in the judgment of a magnanimous people, the chance of ruin was always preferable to the certainty of dishonour. The minister, whose pacific intentions were seconded only by the voices of a few servile and venal followers, attempted to allay the general ferment, by an apology for his own conduct, and even for the demands of the Gothic prince. " The payment of a subsidy, which had excited "the indignation of the Romans, ought not " (such was the language of Stilicho) to be con" sidered· in the odious light, either of a tribute, &, or of a ransom, extorted by the menaces of a .' barbarian enemy. Alaric had faithfully as" serted the just pretensions of the republic to " the provinces which were usurped by the. " Greeks of Constantinople: he modestly ra" «Juired the fair and stipulated recompence of .. his services; and if he had desisted from the CRAP. Digitized by Google 237. OP THE ROMAN .EMPIltE. . cc prosecution of his enterprise, he had obeyed, CHAP. in his retreat, the peremptory, though private, ..~:... •, letters of the emperor himself. These contra- . "dictory or~ers (he would not dissemble the cc errors of his own family) had been procured "by the intercession of Serena. The tender cc piety ofhis wife had been too deeply affected U by the discord of the royal brothers, the sons " of her adopted father; and the sentiments of " nature had too easily prevailed over the stern " dictates of the public welfare." These ostensible reasons, which faintly disguise the obscure . intrigues of the' palace of Ravenna, were supported by the authority of Stilicho; and obtained, after a wann debate, the relu,ctant approbation of the senate. . The tumult of virtue and freedom subsided; and the sum of· four thousand pounds. of gold was .granted, under the name of a 8~bsidy~ to ~ecure the peace of Italy. and to conciliate the (riendship of the king of the.Goths. Lampadius alone, one of the. most illustrious members of the assembly, still persisted in his dissent; exclaimed with a loud voice,-" This is not a treaty .of peace, but of "servitude"l and escaped the danger of such bold opposition by immediately r~tiriDg to the sanctuary of a Christian church. But the reign of Stilicho drew toward its end; I~~~gu.. and the proud niinistermight percei~e tbe symp- fare,e patoms of his approaching disgrace. The generous M.~: ~ boldness of Lampadius had been applauded; II I ZOlimus, I. v, p. SS8, SS9. He repeats the word. of Lampadius, .. tlley were .poke in Latin,-" Non est ista pax, led pactio senitutia .. ud then translates them into Greek. for the benefit of hia readen. Digitized by Google THE DECLINR NNJj' FALl; and the senate, so patieWffibIy'resigned to ~ I()wg' xxx. WffiWffifvitud~A, reiected with disdain' the offur of ir.J Hud who still assumed the name and: prerogatives of RWffiiAilian "eH~; exaWffiberafWffid by ~he' partial 'affection of StHieh6 for the barbarians: thWffi itiJb~&ted: the iA~ischi~:HouH dOliey of the minister, tlie public' misfortunes, fiAhich HiAere niAbzr'aI &:cmsequem::iA of thWffitl" own degenenH:y. Yet continued to brave the clamours of the people, eVHn of solhiWffirs, he c+:ccdd IiliAmtained his dominion' over tlie feeble mindofhis' quqiL Hut recquctf¥!r 5:!ttauqment (bf Huno~itis was converted into fear, sl1spicion~ and haq:':rufty m ::uho srunce;bud his vicelll under the mask or Christian piWffity, had, secretlh undermined the benefactor, by whose (WffiWffiuur war the bonocznublWffi ut. fi~es' of the imperial palace. Olympius revealto unrnrpectiHg whu had uttained the twenty-fifth year of his age, that he ''''''I'ghlf hl'S .-.rA Wl·s+.r;ut 'A' '-' .,,_'_, or __ " n government; and artfully alarmed his timid and iudWffilentdisp,rrition by livelq 'of the dJ:Hillgns Stilicho, who meditWffiied death of his sovereign, ~ith the ambitious hope CHAP. ----- - He came from the cout of the Euxine, alld exerciaed a splendid office, 'Atl.fA-'fI'ttl., l•. ~p• ......., ., "'0'' S"'" ...." tl.f"'fA-I!~' Hi. actions justify hiA "haraCh·.-. which ¥!.,imu, v. p. exps.o:" with 'i.ible ~.;ill'a"tim,. A;;&;"stio r,,;;;;red tE;;; ggiety f?lymrk"r, wh,~o: he ItrEo: a true 800 of the cborcb, CBaronius, Annal. Eccles. A.. D. 4OS, No.19,&:c. 1i,~:~n t:~~.;:;il;-,,:::::;~'1iE£h~~s:::::, ~~~i wCkf tbe E,:1",,;o from igoorancl', as from adlilatioD. - ,~ 01' TIm ROMAN DIPIlU. of placing the diadem on the head of bis son :CRAP• .Eucbarius. The emperor was instigated,. by his -!~~ new favourite, to assume the tone of independent dignity; and· the minister was astonished to find, that seeret resolutions were fonned in the court and council, which were repugnant to his interest, or to his intentions: Instead of residing in the palace of Rome, Honoliu! declared, that it was his pleasure to return to the secure fortress of-Ravenna. On the first intelligence of the death of his br.other Arcadius, he prepared to visit Constantinople, and to regulate, with the authority of a guardian, the provinces of the infant Theodosius.- The representation of the difficulty and expence of such a distant expedition, checked this strange and sudden sally of active diligence; but the dangerous project of shewing the emperor to the camp of PatTia, which was composed: of the ROInan troops, the enemies of Stilicho, and his barbarian auxilia~ ries,. remained: fixed· and unalterable. The mi. nister was pressed, by the advice of hi. confident J IlStinian, a Roman advocate, of a lively and penetrating genius, to oppose a journey so prejudicial to .his reputation and safety. His strenuous, but ineifectual, efforts confirmed the triumph of Olympius; and the prudent lawyer withdrew himself from the impending ruin of his patron. . In the passage of the emperor through Bo• ZOlimul, I. Y, p. 338, 339. Sozomen, I. ix, c. 4. Stilicho ol"ered to undertake the journe)' to CODstantinople, that he miCht diYert HoDOriUI from the nln attempt. The eutcm empire would Dot hay. obc1ed. and could not have been con'luered. t Digitized by • Google t4&: THE DECLINE AND FALL logna, a mutiny .of the guards was excited and *:~~. appeased by t~e secret policy of Stilicho; who Disgrace announced his 'instructions to decimate the and death· 1 . . In . tercesslon . the ofStili. gUl ty, an d ascrl·bed' to h·IS own ~~o~. 408 merit of their. pardon. After this tumult, HoA.g. 21.' norius.embraced, for the last time, the minister whom he now considered as a tyrant, and proceeded on his way to the camp of Pavia; where he was received by th-e loyal acclamations of the' troops who were assembled for the service of the Gallic war. On the morning of the fourth day, he pronounced, as he had been taught, a military oration in the presence of the soldiers, whom the charitable visits, and artful discourses,ofOlympius had prepared to execute a dark and bloody conspiracy. At the first signal, they m~sacred the friends of Stilicho, the most illustrious officers of the. empire; tw-o pretorian prefects, of Gaul, and, of Italy; two masters-general, of the cavalry, and infantry; the master of the offices; the questor, the treasurer, and· the count of, the domestics. Many lives were lost; many houses were plundered; the' furious sedition continued to rage till the close of the evening; and the trembling emperor, who was seen in the streets of Pavia, without his robes or diadem, yielded to the persuasions of his favourite; condemned the memory of the slain; and solemnly approved the, innocence and fidelity of their assassins. ,The inteIJigehce 'of the massacre of Pavia filled the mmd of Stilicho with just and gloomy apprehensions; and he instantly summoned, in the camp -of Bologna, a council of the confede· . CHAP. Digitized by Google O~ THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 241 fate leaders, who ",ere attached to his service, CHAP. . Th' · Ived'm h'IS rum. an d wou Id b e IDVO e Impetu- .• xxx. .,,,~ .. , ousvoi~e of the assembly called aloud for arms, ~nd for revenge; to march, without a moment's delay) under the banners of a hero, whom they had. so often followed to victory; to surprise, to oppress, tQ extirpate the guilty Olympius, and his degenerate Romans; and perhaps to fix the diadem on the head of their injured general. . Instead of executing a resolution~, which might have been ju~tified by success, Stilicho hesitat,. ed till he was irrecoverably lost., He was still ign~rant of the fate of the emperor; he distrusted the fidelity of his own party; and be viewed with horr~r the fatal consequences ofarming a crowd of licentious barbarians, against the sol. diers a~d people of Italy. The confederates, impatient of'his timorou,s and doubtful delay, hastily retired, with fear and indignation. At the hour of midnight, Sarus; a Gothi~ warrior, renowned among the barbarians themselves for his strength and valour, suddenly invaded the camp of his benefactor, pl\lnder~d the baggage, cut 'in pieces the faithful Huns, who g~arded his person, and penetrated to the tent, where the minister, pensive and sleepless, meditated on the dangers of his situation., Stilicho escaped with difficulty from the sword of the Goths ,; and, after issuing a last and generous admonition to the cities, of Italy, to shut ·their gates' against the barbarians, his coufideIice, or his despair, urged him to throw himself into Ra,enna, which was already in the absolute posVOL. V. R Digitized by Google fr':3?7LL CHAP. sessIOn of his 'enemies. Olympius, who had ~xx. 3?7ssU±H3?7d donBhEion Honoriufr':, was ~~~-~ dily informed, that his rival had embraced, as sUnB:2liantF t.he nltar the ChristiHn ch'%.5'%.ch.= The b~se an'h cruet dispositim'E of hypf2erite 2'2aS incapable of pity or remorse; but he piouS' to th~ affi:ded privilege of the sanctuary. Count Heraclian, H2ith troop of oppeH'%.ed, the E)HWD of day, before the gates of the church of Raeenne. sati'2Ped, a s'%.2h:mn oath, that the imperial mandate only directed them seOHfe the per'%.m'%. of Stilicho : . butB as eoon '%.&s unffE:itunoto miHKstee bad been tempted beyond the holy threshold, he producWaefB'2llt his oxeEB&.RtionF Stiod licho supported with calm resignation, the inturioH'2 nam.EBS of end hHrriciEle; reliressed the unseasonable zeal of his followers, who H2ere eeadh to en i~offectfr':HI rEBeE'ue; and, with a firmness not unworthy of the la'2t of the Roman henerals, submitted his neck to the of Hia me-The servile crowd of the palace, who had so long the 0.Df 8tilicho, atrectmll to insult his fall; and the most distant connection '2fr':ith D'%.f the had so lately been a title to wealth and honour~ mas ehidim£fly dtilied B fUld riilor05E'%.ly p0..Rili'%.~ THE ~fr':CLl3?73?7 AND 0 FF • ~oaimu. (J·FY! p. SS6!4~'> baa c~plou~y •. tbougbDot.clearl)' rei.... ".e d,I'2DDD. .e aB'2 '2. . . th of'2E'2.cbo. u.ympl.D . . . . BUI, (aN..... '2 Pboe e.1'l7n ill'OliuD. (ill. Yii, p. 672); D...zom....... ix, aile ~tau... torciUI, (I. xi, c. S; 1. xiii, c. 2), aWord IlIpplemeDtal hiD.. ,. t4a 01' THE HOIUK EHPlltL ed. His family, united by a triple allianc.e CHAP with the family of Theodosius, might envy the ....~:=~ condition of the meanest peasant. The lligbt of his son Eucherius was intercepted; al)d tbe death of that innocent youth soon follo,we4 the divorce of Thermantia, who filled the place of her sister Maria; and who, like Maria, had revirgin in the imperial bed! The mained friends of Stilicho, who had escaped the 1Iia1llsacre of Pavia, were persecuted by the ~mp]acable revenge of Olympius: and ~e most exquisite ~ruelty was employed to extort the con·· lession of a treasonable and sacrilegious CODspirac.:y. They died in silence: their firmness justified the choice,· and perhaps absolved the innocence of their patron; and the despotic power, which could take his life·withouta trial, and stigmatize his memory without a proof, has no jurisdiction over the impartial su1frage of po~terity.r The senices of Stilicho are great and manifest; his crimes, as they are vaguely state<l in the language of flattery ana' hatred, are obscure, at least, and imp.robable. 'About lour months· after his death, an edict was publisbed . a • Zosimua, I. v, p. saS. The marriace of a ChrIatiaa with tw.o IIIUn, aCBDdalizl." Tillemont, (Hlst. des Empereun, tom. v, p. 11117); wbG expects, lu vain, Ihllt Pope Innocent 1. should bave done IOmething ia the way, either of censure, or of dispensation. q Two of bi.friendaare honourably meationed, (ZOIimas, I. v, p. 146) :' Peter, cbief of the scbool of notaries, and the peat cbarabt!r. lain Deoteriul. Stilicbo bad aecured the bed.cbambv; and it Is .orprislng, that, under a feeble prince, the bed-cbamlter was not able t. lecure him. • Or05inl (I. vii, e. 18, p. 1171, 572) seems to eopy the false and fiIrionl manifestoes, wbieh were diapeRed tbrough tbe proyillCe. "1 ... new administratioa. Digitized by Google ~; " 't44 CHAP. THE DECLINE AND FALL in the name of Honorius, to restore the free xxx; .... commUDlca . t'Ion 0 f t he two empIres, .. which had v-...... been 80 long interrupted by the public enemy: The minister, whose fame and fortune depended on the prosperity of the state, was acculed of betraying Italy to the barbarians; whom he . repeatedly vanquished at PoHenti,a,.at Verona, and before the walls of Florence. His preteo.ded design of placing the diadem on the head of bis son Eucherius, could not ltave been conducted without preparations or accomplices; and the ambitious father would not surely bav~ left the future emperor, till the twentie~ year of his age, in tile humble station of tribune of the notaries. Even the religion of Stilicho was arraigned by. the malice of.his nval. The seasonable, and almost' miraculous, deliverance was devoutly celebrated by the applause of the clergy; who asserted, th~t the restoration of idols, and the persecution of the church, would have been the first measure of .the reign of Eucheri us. The son of Stilicho, howeyer, was educated in the bosom of Chri~tianity, whicb bis father had uniformly professed, and zealously supported.t Serena had borrowed her magnificent necklacetrom the statue of Vesta," and the pagans execrates! the memory of the sacri• See tlie TheodoaiaD Code, I. vii. tit. xvi, leg. 1; I. ix, tit. xlii, ler. •• lti1icho ia bnmded with the name of ",.no publica, who employed hia wealth, a4 _ clitIIIIdcua. ilIqtIieItuulazpe 6ar6c1rie1n. AlIlUtiD himaelf ia ..tufied with the eft'ectuallawl, which Stilie" had eoacted against heretics and idolater.; and wkich are ltill estaDt fa the' COde. Be ouly applies to Olympius for their confirmation, (Ba. roDiuJ,. Aooal. £Ccle•• ~. D. 418, No. 19). • Zoalmu., I..., p. Ilil. We may observe the bad taste of the . , fa 4ruaiD, their .tatae. with loch awkward finery. Digitized by Google ., :24Ji OP THE ROMAN DlPlRE. legious minister, by whose order the Sybilhne. CHAP. books, the oracles of Rome, had been commit- ~xx. ·ted to the llames.x ,The pride and. power o{,u""" Stilicho constituted his real guilt. An honour able reluctance to shed the blood of his co'untrymen, appears to have contributed to the suc·cess .of his unworthy rival; and it is the· last humiliation of the character of Honorius, that posterity, has not condescended to reproach him with his J>ase ingratitude to the guardian .of his youth, and the suppo~t of his empire. AmoQg the train of dependan~s, whose wealth r..~~oet and. dig~ity attracted the notice uf .th~ir own ... times, 0112" curiosity is excited by th~ celebrated name of the .'poet Claudian, who enjoyed the favour .of StiJicho, and was .overwhelmed in the ruin of h~s ,patron. The titular o.Bices of tl'ibune and .notary fixed his rank in the imperial court: he was indebted to the powerful intercessionof Serena for· his marriage w'ith 'a very rich heiress of th~ province of Africa; Y and t~e statue of CJaudian, erected in the forum of TraJan~ was a :monument of the taste, and .Iibera.. lity of the Roman s~mate.· .After thepraise.s See. Rotilio&. Nomatianos, (Itinerar: l. ii, 41-60), to whom religi enthusiasm has dictated Bome elt'g8.nt and forcible lines. Stiiicho Ilk 'ewise stripped the gold plates from the doors of the capitol~ and read a prophetic sentence, which was ~ngraveD undel' them, (ZoBimus, J. ", p. 352). Tbese are foolish stories; yet the charge of impiety .dds weight and credit to the praise whieh ZOlimua reluctantly beBtow8~ of bis virtoes. 7 At tbe uuptials of Orpheos, (a modest comparison !), all the parla of auimated natllre contributed their various gifts; aud the gods them. lelves enriched their favourite. Claud ian had neither flocks, nor herda, D~r Yines, or olives. His wl'a1tby bride was heirels to tbem all.' But he carried to Africa, a recommendatory letter from Serena, his Juno, and was made happy, (Epist. ii, ad Serellam). . ,. Claudiau feels tbe bonour like a mao who deserved it, (io prefat. Bell. Get) l'~e original iuscrlption, on mal'ble, was found at ltD... I • 0111 Digitized by Google t&6 1'HE DltCUME AND FALL CHAP. Or Stilkho becatbe offensive and criminal, Clau.,~~x. '.dian was exposed to: the enmity of a powerful and unforgiving cobrtier, whom he bad provoked hy the il1solehce of wit. He had compared, in a lively epigram, the opposite characters of two pretorian prefects of Italy; he contrasts the inhoe-ent repose of a philosopher, whe sometimes resigned the hours of business to slumber, perhaps to study; with the interested diligence of a rapacious minister, indefatigable in the pursuit of unjust, or sacrilegious gaiD. "How happy," continues Claudian, "how " happy might it be for the pe6ple of Italy, if "Mallius could be constantly awake, and if " Hadrian would always sleep !". The repose of Mallius was not disturbed by this friendly ·and gentle admonition; but the cruel vigilance of Hadrian watched the opportunity of revenge, and easily obtained, from the enemies of Stilicho, the trifting sacrific-e of an obnoxious poet. The poet concealed himself, however, during the tumult of the revolution; and, consulting the dictates of prudence rather than of honour, he addressed, iB the furm &f an epistle, a supin the fifteenth century, in tbe houle of .Pompo.iaa !Aetna. The Itatue of a poet far luperior to Claudian, should have been erected, d.... in, his lifetime, by the men of letters, his l'OUDtrymen, aDd eODtem,.. nriea. It was a noble deaign ! • See Epigram xu. . l\lalliul indulget aomno nOl'tl"sq ue dieaquea' IDlODlaia Plwilll sacta, pryfana, rapit. Omnibua, hoc, Ital. gentes, exposcite VOtil Mallinl ut vigilet, domliat ut Pbariul. ~adrian was a Pharian (of Alexandria). See his public life in 0 - . froy, Cod. Tbeodos. to~ vi, p. 364. Mallius did notalwaYllleep. He eoaposed some elegant dialognes on tbe Greek system. of Datural pJDo .plly, (Claud. ~D MalL Tbeodor. COUl, 11011:1). Digitized by Google 247 pliant and humble r~cantatioD to the offended CHAP. prefect. He deplores, ,in mournful strains, the •• ~~~,.. fatal indiscretion into which he had been hurJ'ied by passion and folly; submits to the imiation of his adversary, the generous examples of the clemency of gods, of heroes, and c;,f liOllS; and expresses his hope, that the magnanimity of Hadrian will not trample on a defenceless and .- contemptible foe, already humbled by disgrace and poverty; and deeply wounded by the exile, Gte tortures, and the death of hi~ dearest friends.· Whatever might be. the succes. of Ilia prayer, or the accidents of his future life, the period of a few years levelled in the gl"a¥e' the tninister and the poet: but the ,nam." of Ha.drian is almost sunk in"oblivion, while Claudian is read with pleasure ·in every country which has retained, or acq aired, the knowledge of the -Latin language. Ifwe fairly balance his merits and his defects, we shall acknowledge, that Claudian does not either satisfy, or silence, our reaSOD. It would not be easy to produce a pusage that deserves the epithet of sllblime or pathetic; to select a verse, that melts the heart, or 'enlarges the imagination. ~ We should vainly seek, ,in the poems of Claudian, the happy invention, an~ jU'tificial conduct, Qf an interesting fable; or the just and lively representation of .the characters and situations of real life. For the service of his patron, he published occasional panegyrics aud invectives: and the design of these slavish compositions encouraged his -,propensity to exceed the limits of truth and na• See Claadiea" fint Epistle. Yet, iQ lome placa, .. air .f iroD7 ud i.di,DetioD betray. hi. secret relactaDce. Digitized by Google THE D1~CLINE AWD FALL ture. These imperfectiolls, however, are com. ....~~~.... pensated . in some degree b~ the poetic~l vir'tues of Claudian. He 'Was endowed with the rare and precious talent of raising:the meariest, of adorning the most barren, and' of diversifying the most similar, topics: his colouring, more especially in descriptive poetry, is soft and splendid; and he seldom fails to display,' and even to abuse, the advantages of a cultivated understanding, a copious fancy, an easy, and sometimes forcible, expression; and a perpetual Bow of harmonious versification. To'theSe 'commendations, independent of any accidents of time and place, we must add the peculiar merit 'which Claudian derived from the unfavourable .circumstances of his birth: -In thedecline of arts, and of empire, a native' Egypt, who had ~ j. ceived the education of.a Greek, assumed, in a mature age, the fa~iliar use; and absolute command, ofthe Latin language;· soared above the heads of his feeble' contemporaries; and placed himself, after an interval' of three hundred years, among the poets of ancient Rome.. CHAP. or C • Natioual yaoity hu made him a FloreDtioe, or a Spuiarcl. BIlt the fint epi.Ue of Claudiao provel him a native of Al~aDdrla, (Fabriciu., Bibllot. Latin. tom. iii, p; 191-102, edit. Eraeat). d Hla Rnt J..tio Yenel were coDipoaed duriD. the cODlulallip 01 . Probinlll, A. D. 895. Romanos bibimul primu!!!z te cOllsule, footea. , , , Et Latie cellit Graia '.a-nalia top!. Betide. slime Greek epigrams, which are .t11l extaot, the Latin poet had composed, in Greek, the Antiquities of Tanas, An...rbu., Be'1taa, lilee, .tc. It is more euy to lOp ply thc lOll of gOlld pOI!l'1 than 01 authentic history. , • Strada (Prolllsion Y, vi) allowallim til contend with the five heroic poets, Lneretins, Virgil, Ovid, Lucan, and Statiu.. Ria patron illbe aceumplisbed ('ourlin DaUbazar Castiglioue, His admirers are numer;lU8 alld pIl8.ionale. Yet the l'igid critics reproach the exotic weed., or fioweu, wbich sprilll 100 luurillnti¥ in his Latiao .oil. .~ Digitized by Google 149 OP 'THE ROMA!II EMPIRE.' CHAP. XXXI. l.vasion of Italy by Alaric-Manners of tlte Roman SelUlte and people-Rome is tlu'ice besieged, and at lengln pillaged hy the Golhs-Deal" of Alaric-The (J:ol~ evaCltate Italy-FaU of Constantine-Gaul cind Spain are occupied hy the harbarians-Independence 01 Britain. THE incapacity of a weak and distracted CHAI' government may often assume ~he appearance, xxxi. and produce the effects, of a treasonable cor-;:~~:: respondence with the public enemy. If Alaricoftbe himself had been introduced into the council ofR:.~n':!.. Ravenna, he would probably have advised the':;;: 40~. same measures which were actually pursued by the ministers of Honorius.· The king of tll€~ Goths would have conspired, perhaps with some reluctance, to destro!, the formidable adversary, by whose arms, in Italy as well as, in Greece, he had been twice overthrown. Tltei, active and interested hatred laboriously accomplished the disgrace and ruin of the great Stilicho. The valour of Sarus, his fame in arms, and his persona), or'hereditary, influence over the confede:rate barbarians, could recommend him only to the friends of their country, who despised, or detested, the worthless characters of Turp~lio, Varanes, and Vigilantius. By the pressing a The 1I,('rirs of ('vents, from the death of Stilicho, to' tile arrival lIf "larie before Rome, C'III only he {/HInd in Zosimns, I. 'v, p. 34"·3.l0•• Digitized by Google 160 TII& DECLINE AND FALL CHAP. instances of the new favourites, these general_, _~~~!:. unworthy as they had shewn themselves of the name of soldiers, It were promoted to the command of the cavalry, of the infantry, and of the domestic troops. The Gothic prince would have subscribed with pleasure the edict which the fanaticism of Olympius dictated to the simple aud devout emperor. Honorius excluded all persons, who were /ldverse t~ the catholic church, from holding any office in the state; .;bstinately rejected the service oCall thole who dissented from hIS religion; and rashly disqualified many oC his bravest and most skilful offi. cers, who adhered to the pagan worship, or who had imbibed the opinions of Arianism. C These measures, so advantageous to an enemy, Alaric would have approved, and might perhaps have suggested; but it may seem doubtful whether the barbarian would have promoted his interest at the expence of the inhuman and absurd cruelty, which was perpetrated by the . direction, or at least with the connivance, of the imperial ministers. The foreign auxiliari~, who had been attached to the person of Stilicho, lamented his death; but the desire of revenge was checked by a natural apprehension. for the saCety of their wives and children; who were detained as hostages in the strong cities of Italy• • The expression of Zosimu il IUong and linIy, .........,...,...,' ...._ "P"-/lf, lufticieat to excite the coatempt of the enemy. C Eos qui catbolicae .ectae aont inimici, iotra palatium militare p'" .hibemus. NuUus nobi. sit aliIJa' ratione conjonctus, qui a Dobi. fide et religione discordat. Cod. Theodos.l. xvi, tit ....,Ieg. 42, imd Godelioy" Commentary, tom. vi, p.1M. This law was applied in the atm.t lao 'IItade. aad ri,oroOlly e~eeuted. Zoumal, I...., p. 164. 'I'IIC "w,.".,t Digitized by Google ~t 0'1 'tim ROMA.N llMPIRI:. wbere'they had Iikewiie deposited'their most CHAP valuable effects. At the same bour"and as 'if by ~!~ a. coinmonsi§nal, the cities of Italy were polluted by ·the same horrid seenee of univenal Inassacre and pilItge, which involved, in' prOmIscuous destruction, the families and fortunes of th« barbarians. Exasperated by luch. an injury, which might have awakened the tamest and most senile:spiri4 they cast a look of ill" dignation and hope towards the camp of Alaric,. and unanimously swore to pursue, with just and implacable war, the perfidious nation, that had sO basely violated the laws of hospitality. :By the .imprudent conduct of the ministers of Honorius, the republic lost the assistance, and deServed the enmity, of thirty thousand of her bravest soldiers; and the weight of that formidable army, which alone might have determined the event of the war, was transferred from the scale of the Romans into that of the Goths. In the arts of negotiation, as well as in those A.arie ° ° d h"IS supenor ° marcbtl o f war, t he G oth lC kOlDg mamtaine to RQle. ascendant over an enemy, whose seeming changes t;c~·:: proceeded from the total want of counsel and design. From his camp, on the confines ofItaly, Alaricattentivelyobsened the revolutions of the palace, watched the progress of faction and discontent, disguised the hostile aspect of a barbarian invader, and assumed the more popular appearance of the friend and ally of the great Sti1icho; to whose virtues, when they were nO lonformidable, he could pay a just tribute of ... o cer Digitized by Google 1 23 TIlE DECLINE AND PAU CHAP. sincere·praise and regret~ The pressing invita- ~.:... tion of the malcontents, who urged the king of the Goths to invade Italy, was enforced by a lively sense of his personal injuries; and he might speciously complain, that the imperial ministers still delayed and eluded the payment of the four, thousand pounds of gold; which had been granted by the Roman senate, either to reward his services, or to appease his lOry. His decent firmness was ~upported by an artful moderation, which contributed to the success of'his designs. He required a fair and reasonable satisfaction; but he gave the strongest assurances, that as soon as he had obtained it, he would immediately retire. He refused to trust the faith of the Romans, unless lEtius and Jason, the sons of two great officers of state, were selit as hostages' to his camp: but he offered to deliver, in exchange, several of thenoblest youths of the Gothic nation. The modesty of Alaric was interpreted, by the minis-' . ters of Ravenna, as a sure eTidence of his weakness and fear.' They disdained either to negotiate a treaty, or to aSl!lemble an army; and, with a rash confidence, deriTed only from their ignorance of the extreme danger, irretrievably wasted the decisive'moments of peace and war. While they expected, in sullen silence, that the , barbarians should evacuate the CGilfines of Italy, Alaric, with bold and rapid marches, 'passed the Alps and the Po; bastily pillaged the cities of Aquileia, Altinum, Concordia, and ere- ' mona, which yielde~ to his arms; increased his .. Digitized by Google lAS ·01' TOltOMAN EMPDtE. lorces by the accession ofthirty thousand auxi· CHAP. 1" d' h .. I .' XXXI. l.iU1eS; an , WIt out meetmg a SIDg e t:neruy III '_m .... the field, advanced as far as the edge of the morass which protected the impregnable residence of the emperor of the West. Instead ot atteinpting the hopeless siege of Ravenn~, tlie prudent leader f)f the Goths 'proceeded to Rimini, stretched his ravages along the s~~coast {)f the Hadriatic, and meditated the conquest of the ancient mistress of the worl~. An Italian hermit, whose zeal and sanctity were re!Jpected by the barbarians themselves, en~oulltered the Tictorious monarch, and boldly denounced the. indignation of heaven against the oppressors of the earth: but the saint hi~self was confounded by the solemn asseveration of Alaric, tbat he felt a secret and preternatural impulse, which directed, and' eveIi compelled, his march to the gates of Rome. He felt, that his genius and his fortune 'Were equal to the most arduous enter.prises; and the enthusiasm which he com., municated to the Goths, insensibly rem6ved the popular, and almost superstitious, reverence of the nations for the majesty of the Roman name. His troops, animated by the hopes of spoil, followed the course of the Flaminian way,. occupied the unguarded passes of the Apennine,' descended into the rich plains of Umbria; and; as they lay encamped on the banks of the eli• Addiaon (see hia Works, vol. ii, p.14, edit. Baakenrillt) haa giYen • 'fe1'1 pictaresque descrIption of the road throngh the ApCDaine. The Goth. were not at leiaure to observe the beautlea of the prospect; bat they were plcascd to fiDd that the Saxa Interciaa, a narrow pusap ..hicla Vespaaiall had cut through the rllck, (Clayer. Italia J.Dt". taaa. i, p. GIS), lIItaU, Delleeted. w. Digitized by Google l ~ DBCLJIIB. AND .ALL t64 CHAP. tumnuI, mi~t wantonly slaughter and devour _~~~:. the milk-white oxen, which had been 110 long reserved for the use of Roman triumphs! A lofty situation, and a seasonable tempest of thunder and lightning, preserved the little city of N arni; but the king of the Goths, despising the ignoble prey, still advanced with unabated vigour; and after he had passed through the stately arches, adorned with the spoils of barbaric victories, he pitched his camp under the walls of Rome.' During a period of eix hundred and nineteen BaaDiltal at the years, the seat of empire had never been violated C f by the presence ofa foreign enemy. The unsuccessful expedition of Hannibal,.' served only to display the character of the senate and people, of a seDate degraded, rather than ennobled, by the comparison of an assembly of kings; andof a people, to whom the ambassador of Pyrrhus ascribed the inexhaustible resources of the Hydra •• Each of the senators, in the time of the . Punic war, had accomplished his term,ofmiJi• BiDC a1bi ClitDmai ,re,es, e" maxima Turu Victima; _pe tDO permi "lImiDe ACro RoaiaaOlad templa Deum dusere-TriampbCllo , Besldrs Virgil, mOlt of the Latin poetl, Propertiu, Lacaa, SIIi., InlicuI, OIaodiaa, &c. wbose panage. may be fouad iD C1DYeriua u' AddiJoD. bave celebrated the triumpbal vicU- of the CIitDIDDliI. f Some ide.. -of the march of AJaric are borrowed ftom the jODraey of HODoriO' oYer the lame grOllDd, (see C1aadiu ill Yi CoDl. Hoa. 4N. lB.) Tbe lIlCUured distaDce betwee,D .aavelllll ..d- Rome WII 1M Romaa. wilel•. lteDerar. Weaaeliag. p. 1111. • The mareb aad retreat of HaDDihal are _cribed b;, LiYy, I. Dft, c. f, 8, 1,10,11; aad the rrader is made a.,ectatoroftheiDteratiIw lCene • .. Tbese comp.rilOn. were Died by Cynea8, the cODnlellor of P,.... rbu, af'ler biB rellln! from biB embaslY, in which he bad diliceudr It.dled tlae discipline ud muaen of lee P-..cJa iD P1~ .... ii••. 4". "me. Digitized by Google 01' THE ROMAN EItfPIRE., tary senice, either in a subordinate or a supe- CHAP. rior 'station; and the decree, which invested,,~.. with temporary command all those who had beett consuls, or censors, or dictators, 'gave the repuhlic the immediate assistance of many brave and experienced generals. In the beginning of the war, the, Roman people consisted of two. hundred and fifty thousand citizens of an age,. to bear arms.· Fifty thousand had already died i~ the defence of their country; and the twentythree legions which were employed in the dif- , ferent camps of Italy, Greece, Sardinia, Sicily, and Spain, required about one hundred thousand men. But there still remained an equal number in Rome, and the adjacent territory, who were animated by the same intrepid courage; and every citizen was trained, from his earliest youth, in the discipline and exercises of.a soldier. Hannibal was astonished by the constancy of the senate, who, without raising the siege of Capua, or recalling their scattered, forces, expected ,his, approach. He encamped OD the banka of the Anio, at the distance of I in the three CftIIII which were made of the Roman people, about the time 'of theeeCoDd PuDic war, the Damben ItaQd .. folloWI, (ace Liyy.Epitom. L u; Hist. L UYii, S8; :axis, 17). 2'70,211, 137,108, 114,000. fte taU of the aceoDd, aDd the riac of the third, appears 10 ••ormo,.. that acyeral critia, DotwitbataudiDg the ananimity of.tbe .... 1Ia.. aulpeCled lome cOrruptioD of the text of LiYy. (Bee Draken. boreb ad uvii, 16, aDd Beaufort. Republique Romaine, tom. i, 1" 05). TIley did DOt couider that the accoad CCIUU wu takea oalyat Rome aud that the aumben were dimiDiabed, DOt oaly by tbe death, but Iikewile by the ~. of maay .oldien. In the third mutI8, Lit'y expreuly .arms, that the legioDa were mutered by tile eare of partieular co_ milaanea. From the Dumben OD thfO list, we mUlt alway. drduc:t one. See Pop.. twelfth above three.c.re, and iIleapable of bfOar lati_ de Ia ..ranee, p. 71. - ill,.,... Digitized by Google 'tHE nJ'tn:UIf't ,,,,ND F!iJ£' three miles from the cIty : and he was'soott in· that the,", Juund whkh hu had . J!t0'''''!!/!,_-''~',//; 0 ed hjs tent, was sold for an ahequah'l.pAcJ: Fta aucti'tD; and that a body of troops was hismi",Hc:dbu un o'tuosit't to the legiollJ of Spain... ·' ~He led his Africans to the hnz,t,es Rume, am1ces in order ofbattIe, prepared to receive him; but d",u""ded tbe e'tunt comb ai, which he could not hope to escape, unless he destruFd thu la",t of his enemies· and his 1peedy coc.wu~z,g& of the Romans. tE,'lealocy FremE the time the ofibe.~ • oaton. rupted succeSSIOn of senators had preserved the E3~Hme of rehubli" anb the Derate subjects of Honorius amhitiously derived . hFmes e'nho h'td repFbed natmns The temporal honours, which the dc:vout inheeited 't'td,duHpiseh, are uueefully recapitulated by Jerom, the guide of her s::«:mscieHce; histu1'ian her The genealogy of her father, Rogatus, which aaeendeb es h:ibh as gams::mnoH, semKffi to betray a Grecian origin; but her mother, CH.\P. XXXI. Livt "m,side" ,hese tF'l, E,cide,t, tbe e'tects 0,,31 ',f chapm ,od ,m;;rage. SIISp,·,t that wer, 4mth m:""led be tee ad,",l,,"ble policy of tbe lenate. I See 1en,m. tom. p.16,:Z, ItO, ad e,,,tochh,,,,; be b"t,w. 011 Pula splemll.l title" Grae"e"nlm ,tE,ps, 1""'.'4"1 8"'3"'5011111 5 unli haeres, " ..jus vocabulum trahit, Martiae Papyri. Matria Africaoi nra ",t .germana propago. This Jlarticular d~8rription supposes a more solid nne tba" lum,,,",e, of Jnlm5, wh,,:, '5 exot,::: ""ared "",,,h a tE"",.,,",,od ',roilie. of thc westelo province.. tbe IDees of TaciTUS, (::ru· te.... Inscriptions, Cc. 257 O}' THE ROMAN EMPIRE. silla; numbered the Scipios, lEmilius Paulus, CH<\I". and the Gracchi, .in the list of her ancestors ; #~:~~', and Toxotius, the husband of Paula, deduced his royal lineage "frool .lEneas, the Cather of the Julian line. 'fhevanity of the rich, who desired to be noble, was gratified by these lofty preteu~ sions. Encouraged by the applause of their parasites, they easily imposed on the credulity of the vulgar; and were countenanced, in some measure, by the custom of adopting the name of their patron, which had always prevailed among the freedmen and clients of illustrious families. Most of those families, however, at.J tacked by so many causes of external violence or internal decay, were gradually extirpated: and it would be more reasonable to seek for a lineal descent of twenty generations, among the mountains of the Alps, 01" in .the peaceful soli· tude of Apulia, than on the theatre of Rome, the seat of fortune, of danger, and of perpetual revolutions. Under each successive reign, and front every province of the empire, a crowd of hardy adventurers, rising to eminence by .their talents or their vices, usurped the wealth" the honours, and the palaces of Rome; and .oppre~ sed, or protected, the poor and humhle remains of consuJar families; who were ignorant, pel'· haps, of the glory of t~eir ancestors.'n .In the time of Jel'om and Claudian, the sena-The Ani. tors ulrlanimously yielded the pl!e-eminence to::~~!a. .. Tacitus (Annal. iii, 55) affirms, that between the bailie or Actinm of Vespa.ian, the senate was gradually filli'd wiih "til familiol from the l\Iunicivia and colonies of Italy. UI!1 the reign VOL. V. S Digitized by Google . ~8 CHAP. THE DECLINE AND FALl;, I the Anician line; and a slight view of tMir I... ::~~#, tory' will serve to appretiate the rank and antl.- , quity of the noble faI.Jlilies, which contended only for the second place.· During the five first ages of the city, the name, of the Anicians. was unknown; they appear to have <ierived their origin from Prameste; and the ambition of those new citizens was long satisfied with the plebeian honours of tribunes of the people.One hundred and sixty-eight years before the Christian era, the family ~as ennobled by the pretorsbip of Anicins, who gloriously terminated the Illyrian war by the conquest of the nation, and the captivity of their ~ing.p From the triumph of that general~ three consulships, In distant periods, mark the succession of the Anician llame.q From the reign of Diocletiall Nee qullquam Procemm tentet (lied II!re vetusto Floreat, et claro cingatm.' Roma lenatil) Se jactare parem; led p,riml .ede relictA .Alld,eniia, de jure lied certare lecilDdo. 'Claud. In Prob. et Olytmi ColI. 18. Such a compliment paid to tbe bbscure name of the Aucheuii hal amazed the critics; bllt they all agree, that whatever may be the true reading, the sense of Clandian be :applied only to the AIIi_ family, ' • The earliest d~te in the anuals of Pighius, i, ,that of M. Aniciu Gallus. Trib. PI. A. U. C. 606. 'Another' tribute, Q. Anlciua, A. U. C. 608, is distinruiahed by the epithet of Prll!BestinUi. Livy (xi"41) places the Anicll below the great familiel of Rome. P Liv" xliv, 30, 31; xlv, 3, 26, 43. He fairly appretiatea tile merit of AniciUl, and jUidy oblenel,' that his fame wu clouded by the luperior. lUitre of th~, Macedonian, which preceded tile 1U,yrlu, triumph. 4 'lbe dates of the three consulahips are, A. U. C. 593,818,061: the two last under the reigns of Nt'fo and Caracalla. The second of diele cOUiuls distioguished bimself ooly by his iofamoul flattery, (Tacit. ADDai. ](.Y, '14): but eyeD the eyideoee of crimes, if they bear the .tamp of greatnell and aotiquity, is admitted without reloctuce. to ,rove_the ,eDealogy of a noble houae•. 'can Digitized by Google 2.59 ·OF THE ROHANDIPIRR. to the final extinction of the western empire, c." Al' that name shone with a lustre which was not ....~.~~~:. tlclipsed in the public estimation, by the majesty ()fthe.impepal purple.r . The saveral branches, to w.hom it was communicated, united, by 'niar~ nage or inheritance, the wealth and ,titles of the Annian, the Petronian,and theOlybrianbouses; andm each generation the nrimberof consulsbips was multiplied by an bereditary claim.- The Anician family excelled. ~Il faith and in ricbes : they were the first .of the Roman senate who embraced Christianity; and it is probable that Anicius Julian, who was afterwards consul and prefect of the city, atoned for'bis attacbment to the party of Maxentius, by the readiness with wbich he accepted the religion of Constantine.' Tbeir ample patrimony was increased by the industry of Probus, the chief of the AniCian .family, who shared with Oratian the bonours of the consulsbip, and 'exercised, four times, the high office of pretorian prefect.u • His immense • In the lixth centnry, the nobility ofthe Auiciau name i. mentioned, (Cauiodor. Variar. L lI:, Ep. 10,12), withaliJlgularrelpect, by the miaiaten ofa Gothic kinr ofllaly. • _Filma in omaea Copatol proceclit honol; lJnencomlJoe requiru Hlc de ltirpe yirum, certum eat de CoDlwe num. Per f.lcel numerantur A"i, aemperlJue renal! Nobilltate virent, et prolem fata aelfuuntur. ' ~ Cla.diau ill Prob. et Olyb. Conaulat. 12, eke). The Annii, wlloae Dame aeema to han merged in the Anician, mark the Futi with man,. counlahipl, from the time ofVeapuiau to the (Chlrth century. : t The title of fint Christian lenator may be jUltifted by the .uthority of Prndentiu, (in Symmach. i, 1153), aDd the dislike of the ,...... to the ADiciaD f.mily. See Tillemont, Hi,t. del Empereun, tom. iv, p. 183; '" p. 44. Baron. An_I!~' &. D. 112, No. 18; A. D. IU. No. 2. ~ Probul • • • • c:lariludiDe ,eDeria et polentil et optun ~agnitll. dille Digitized by Google i60 THE DECLINE AND PALL CHAP. estates were scattered over the wide extent of the ..~~:.. Roman world; and though the public might suspect, or disapprove, the methods, by which they had been acquired;, the, generosity and magnificence of that fortunate statesman deserved he gratitude of his clients, and the admiration of strangers.'" Such was the respect entertained for his memory, that the two sons of Probus, in their earliest youth; and at the' request of the senate, were associated in the consula~ dignity: a memorable distinction, without example in the annals of Rome.' . . Wealth of "The marbles of the Anician palace," were the aoman no- used as a proverbial expression of opulence and ble.. splendour;' but the nobles and senators of Rome aspired, in due gradation, to imitate that illustrious family. The accurate description of the city, which was composed in 'the Theodosian age, enumerates one thousand seven hundred and eighty "owes, the residence of wealthy and honourable citizens.- Many of these stately mansions might almost excuse the exaggeration dine, eognitoa Orbi Romano, per quem universllm pGlue patrimo~ Bparsa pOISed it, juste an lecus Doh judieioli est nOltri. Ammian. lfareellin. xxvii, 11. His children and widow erected for him a mlf' nifieent tomb in the Vatican, which wu demolished in the time of Pope Nichola. V, to make room (or the new church of St. Peter. Baroni..., who lamenta the ruia of thi. Cbristian monument, hu diligeutly p_ , Nrved the inscriptionl and bUlo-reUnol. See Anual. Eeele...... D. 195, No. 5-17. . • E Two Per.ian latrap' travelled to Milan and Rome, to hear St. Ambrose, and to see Probus. (Paulin. in Vito AmbrOl). Claudio fm Cons. Probin. et Olybr, aO-60) leems at a 1011 how to expreu tile Clory of Probus. Y lee the poem whi$:h Claudian addressed to the two noble YGutha. • Secundinns, the Manich~an, ap. Baron. Annal. Eeele...... D.IIII, Mo. 14 • . • See NardiDi, Rom.. Antiea, p. 89,498,500. Digitized by Google or THE ROMAN EMPIR~ 261 of the poet; that Rome contained a multitude of CHA '-•. palaces; and that each palace was equal to' a ,~~~~'.; city:' since it included within its own precincts; every thing which could be subservient either to lIse 'or luxury; markets, hippodromes, temples, fountains, baths, p'brticos, shady groves, and artificial aviaries." The historian Olympiodorus~ who represents the state of Rome when it was besieged by the Goths, continues to observe, that several of the richest senators received from their estates an annual income of four thousand pounds of gold, above one hundred and sixty thousand pounds sterling; without computing the stated provision of corn and wine, which,' had they been sold, might· have equalled in value one third of the money. Compared to this immoderate wealth, an ordinary revenue of a thousand or ·fifteen hundred pounds of gold. might be considered as no more than adequate to the dignity of the senatorial rank, which re..' quired manyexpences of a public and ostentatious kind. Several examples are recorded in' the age of Honorius, of vain and popular nobles, who celebrated the year of their pretol'ship by a festival, which lasted seven days,. and cost above one hundred thousand pounds sterling.· C • ;, Quid loqaar inclu8as inter l.Iquearia .yIvas,") ,' Vernala que vario carmine ludit a v i l . ' Claud. Rutil. Numalian Itinerar. ver. ltl. 'l'be poet lind at the time of the Gothic invasion. A moderate palace' would have covered Cincinuatus's farm of foar acres, (Val. Max. iv, 4). In laxitatem ruria excurMlnt, says Seneca, Episl. 114. See a j~r,diciou Dote of Mr. Hume, Ealays, vol. i, p. 662, last 8vo. edition. • This curious account of Rom ..., in the reign of Honorius, is found iD a,fragment of the historian OIympiodorns, ap Photium, p. 197• • ' The lOllS of Alypiua, ofSymmacbus.l and.ofMaximu8, spent, ~.,. Digitized by Google 261 THE DECLINE AND 'ALL CHAP The estates of the Roman senators, which itO :'~~~:.far exceeded the proportion of modem wealth, were not confined to the limits of Italy. Their possessions "extended fin beyond the IODian and .lEgean seas, to the most distan~ provinces; the city of Nicopolis, which Augustus had founded as an eternal monument of the Actian victory, was the property of the devout Paula;e and iti! observ~d by Seneca, that the rivers which had divided hostile nations, now flowed through the lands of pri~ate citizeIis.f According to their temlJer and circumstances, the estates of the Romans were either cultivated by the labour of their slaves, or granted, for a certain and stipulated reni, to the industrious farmer. " The lng their respective pretonhips, twelve, or twenty, or forty, cBllttllllria, (or hundred weight of gold). See Olympiodor. ap. Photo p. lW. Thil popolar eltimation allows Borne latitude j bot it is di1licolt to explaio a law iu the Theodosian Code, (I. vi, leg. 6), which 6xa the N:pence of the fint pretor at 26,000, of the secood at 20,0011, aad .f the third" at 15,OOOjoUu. The name ofjollil (aee Hem. de l'Academie des InscriptioDs, tom. xxviii, p. '12'1) was equally applied to a po.... of 125 pieces of ailver, and to a small copper cain of the q)ue of rIn part of that pllrse. Iu the former sense, tile 26,000 folIa would De equal to lIS,OOOI. in the latter to 6ye or aix pounda sterliug. The oae appears extravagant, the othel,' is ridiculous. There mUlt have nistN lome third, and middle faloe, which is here ulldentood; but ambig1iiIJ is an inexcnsable faalt in the language oflaw•. • e Nlcopolie • • • • in Actiaeo littore aita poues.iouia Yelt... au. pan vel maxima £It." Jei'om. in p...efat. Comment; ad Epiatol. .. Titum, tom. ix. p. 243. M. de Tillemont supposa, Itrangeiy enonp. that it w.. part of Agamemnon', inheritance. Mem. Eccles. tom. lIii, p.86. .' Seneca, ~piat. ls.uix. His language ia of the deelamatory kiDd. but declamation could Icu~ly exaggerate the avarice and luxury of the Romani. The philolopber himaelf delerved lOme .bare of the _ proach j if it be true tbat hi. rigorous exaction of QIIadriII,.,.,iet. abo" three hundred thoDsand pounds, wbich be had lent at hi,h interest proyoked a rebellion in Britain. Dion. Casaiu., I. Ixii,p. 1003). At:-" cording to the conjecture of Gale, (Antoninus'. Itinerary in Britain". ttl), the same Fau8tinull,osaeaaN an fltate near Bar)" in SoB'olk.... anotll(!r in the kin.dom of Naplel. Digitized by Google '63 0'" TID ROMAN DlPJU. ·economical writers of antiquity strenuously re- CHAP. ~ . maY.""m",," XXXI. commend t he Jormer meth0 d, wherever It be practicable; but if the object should be removed by its distance or magnitude, from the immediate eye of the master, they prefer the active care of an old hereditary tenant, attached to the soil, and -interested in the produce, to the mercenary admi;nistration of a negligent; perhaps an unfaithful, steward.' The opulent nobles of an immense ~apital, Tbtir h W 8 were never exci'tedby th epursUl't 0 f ml'1'Itary manoerl. glory, and seldom engaged in, the occupations of civil governmen1,naturally resigned theirlei.sure to the business and amusements of private life. At Rome, commerce was always· held in contempt: but the senators, from the first age. of -tbe republic, increased their patrimony, and multiplied their clients, by the lucrative practice of usury; and the obsolete laws were elud.. ed, or violated, by the mutual inclinations and Interest of both parties.· A considerable mass of treasure must' always have existed at Rome, either in the current coin of the empire, or in the form of~'gold and silver plate; and there were many sideboards in the time of Pliny, which contained more solid silver, than h~d l • VolUliol, a wealthy lenator, (Tacit. ADnal. ill, 10), alway. prefer. red tenanta born OD the atate. Columella, who received thiJ maxim from him, arllles 'lery judiciously 00 the .ubject. De Re Ra,tiel, L' i, c. 7, p. 4.08, edit. Gelner, Leip.ig; 1715. • Valeaia. (ad Ammian. xiv, 6) llaa proved, from Chrysoltom, and AUla.tin, that tbe lenator. were not allowed to lend money at DlUry. Yet it appear. from the Theodosian Code, (lee Godefroy ad I. ii, tit. lIUill, tom. i, p. 210-289), that they were permitted to. take lix per cent. or one-balf of tbe legal interat j aod, what is more .inlular, dIiI "ermis.ioa was granted to the ffllllll'lInatora. Digitized by Google 1 HE DIiJCLlNE AlfD FALL . CHAP. been transport~d by Scipio from vanquisbea .~~~~. Carthage.· The greater part of the nobles, who dissipated their Cortunes in profuse luxury, found themselves poor in the midst of wealth; and idle in a constan.t round of dissipation. Their desires were continually gratified by the labour of a thousand hands; of the .numer.()nl train of their domestic slaves, who were actuated by the fear of punishment; and of the va. rious professions of artificers and merchants, who were more powerfully impelled by the hopes of gain. The ancients were destitute of many of the conveniences of life, which have been invented or improved by the progress of industry; and the plenty of glass and linen has diffused more real comforts among the modern nations of Europe, than the senators of Rome could derive from all the refinementsofpompoull or sensual luxury .k Their Iuxury, and their manners, have been the subject of minute and ·laborious disquisition: but as such inquiries would, divert me too long from the design of the pre-. sent work, I shaH produce an authentic state of. Rome aDd its inhabitants, which is more peculiarly applicable to the period of the Gothic invasion. Ammianus Marcellinus, who prudentI PliD. Hilt. Natar. Dxiii, so.. He .tates the silver at oaly 4S8O poanda, which b increased by Lil'y (xxx, (5) to 100,021: the former' seems .too little for an opulent city, the latter two mach for aay pritate· sideboard. It The learned Arbathnot (Table. of Aacient Coina, &e. p. In) obltorvrd, with humonr, and I beline with troth, that Aupttu, had neither ,I... to hi. windowl, Bor a Ihirt to his back. Uader tile lower empire, the nle of lineo and 11... became IOmewhat ..... common. .u Digitized by Google 266 OP THE ROMAN' DlPIR1!:. I, chose the capital of the empire, as the resi- CH~P, dence the best adapted to the historian of his ..:~~:# own times, has .mixed with the narrative o( publie events, a lively representation of the scenes with which he was familiarly conversant. The judicious reader will not always approve the asperity of censure, the choice of circumstances~ or the style of expression: he will perhaps detect the latent prejudices, and ,personal resentments, which soured the temper of Ammianus himself; but he will surely observe, with philosophic curiosity, the interesting and original picture of the manners of Rome! . " The greatness of Rome (such is the lan- Cbaracter ' ) was loun I." ded on t he man of thenoKo- : «, guage 0 f t he h'lstonan " rare, and almost incredible, alliance of virtue !:~i~~o. " and of fortune. The long period of her in- Marcl'lIi"fancy was employed, in a laborious struggle nDi. U against the tribes of Italy, the neighbours and U enemies of the rising city . In the strength and " ardour of youth, she sustained the storms of "war; carried her victorious arms beyond the, ·u seas aud the mountains; and brought home " triumphant laurels from every country of the ." globe. At 1ength, verging towards old age, " and sometime~ conquering by the terror only I It is incnmbent on me to f!xplain the liberties which I have taken with tile text of Ammianu8. 1. I have melted down into one piece the aixlb chapter of the fonrteenth, and the fourth of the twenty·eight" book. 2. I' have given order and connection to the eonf.,aed mas.. of materials. 3, I have softened ,ume ,extravagant hyperboles, and paml a\\,.y bome superfl uities of the original. 4. I have dl'veloped loae obsf'rvations which were insinuated, rather than t'Xl'ressed. With these allowances, my version will be fOUlld, not literal indeed, bot faithful and exact. Dig,',zed by Google '266 CHAP. THE DECLINE AND PALL "of her name, she sought the blessings. of eaae The VENERABLE CITY, " wbich had trampled on the necks ofthe fiercest " nations; and establ~shed a system oflaws. the " perpetual guardians of justice and freedom; " was content, like a wise and wealthy parent, ,I' to devolve on the Cresars, her favourite sons, " the care of governing her ample patrimony," A secure and profOlmd peace, such as had " been ORce enjoyed in the reign of N uma, sue" ceeded to the tumults of a republic; while " Home was still adored as the queen of the " earth; and the subject nations still reveren" ced the name of the people, and the majesty " of the senate. But this native splendour (con.. tinues Aoimianus) is degraded, and sullied, " by the conduct of some nobles; who, unmind" ful of their own dignity, and of that of their " country, assume an unbounded licence of " vice and folly, They contend with each " other in the ell!pty vanity of titles aud sur" names; and curiously select, or invent, the ." mos~ lofty and sonorous appellations, Rebur"rus, or Fahunius, Pagonius, or Tarrasius: _XXXI. ..._.m" an d tranqUl'II'lty. • Clalldian, wbo seems to bne read the hiltOf)' of AIIIIIIiamu, Ipeak. of tbis great reyolution in a much leu courtly Ityle.Postqllam jura ferox in Ie commnoia Casar Trao.tolit; et lapli mores; deauetaqne prisci. ArtibuI, in ,remiom pacis ICni\e recelli. De Bell. Gildonico, po e. • The'minute diligence of antiquarianl.al not been able to ~erifJ thae extraordinary names. I am .f opinion that they were inYentH by tbe bistorian himself, who ",as afraid of any personal .atire or application. It it certain, bowner, tlaat ,the .imple denominatioDl .f the Ilomans were gradually lengthened to the number of (our, fin, or eYlIII lenD, pompOD lurnames; as for inltanct, MartDl Meclu MlIIlmmiDl Faria Digitized by Google 01' THE HOMAN EMPIR~ 167 " 'which may impress the ears ofthe vulgar with ~~~. " astonishment and respect. From a vain am-.......... .:. "bition of perpetuating their memory, they " affect to multiply their likeness, in statues of "bronze and marble; nor are they satisfied, " unless those statues are covered with plates of " gold;, an honourable distinction, firHt g~anted " toAciIius the consul, after he had subdued, by " his arms and counsels, the power of king " Antiochus. The ostentation of displaying, of ,~ magnifying, perhaps, the rent-roll of the estates " which they possess in all the provinces, from " the rising to the setting sun, provokes the just " resentment of fJrery man, who recollects, that "their poor and invincible ancestors' were not " distinguished from the'meanest of the soldiers, " by the delicacy of their tood, or the splendour '" of their apparel. But the inodern nobles mea" sure their rank aoo consequence according to " the loftiness oftheirctiatiots,O and theweigbty " magnificence of their dress. Their long robes " of: silk and purple 1I0at in the wind; and as " they are agitated, by art or acddent, they - Furiol Balbllriol Calciliauus Placidoa. See Norris Cenotaph. Piaau. Dililert. i." p. 438. G 'the CdTI'KCIlr, or roaches of'the Romani, were orten ofsolid silwer, curiously carved a.'ld engraved; aud th!! trappings of the mllles, or hones, 'Were t'mboseed with gold. 'this magnificence continoed frOID tile reign of'Nero to that of Honorlu.; and tile Appian way wu covered with the splendid equipage. of the nobles, who came oot to lDeel St. Melania, when she retllrned to Rome, six yean before the Gothic nege, (Seneea, epist. lxxxvii; PIiD. Hi... Natur. xxxiii, 4.9;, Pauliu. Nolan. apud Baron. Annal. Eccles..... D. 397, No.5). Yet pomp i. well exchanged for convenience; and a pr!lin modem coach that is hon, .pon .prings, is much preferable to the .Uver or gold ccrlI of antiquity, wlrich rolled on the axle.tree, and were exposed, for tile moat part, .. the inclemency of the weather. Digitized by Google 168 THE DECLINE AND PALL CHAP... occasionally discover the under garments, the _~~~~_ " rich tunics, embroidered with the figures of ., various animals.p Followed by a train of " fifty servants, and tearing up the pavement, " they move along· the streets with the same "impetuous speed as if they travelled with " post-horses; and the example of the senators " is boldly imitated by the matrons and ladies; " whose covered carriages are continually dri" ving round the immense space of the city and " suburbs. Whenever these persons of high "distinction condescend to visit the public "baths, they assume, on their entrance, a tone " of loud and insolent command, and appro" priate to their own use the conreniences which " were designed for the Roman people. If, in " these places of mixed and general resort, they " meet any of the infamous ministers of their "pleasures, they express their affection by a " tender embrace; while. they proudly decline " the salutations of their fellow-citizens, who " are not permitted to aspire above the honour " of kissing their hand s, or their knees., As " soon as they have indulged themsehes in the "refreshment of the bath, they resume their "rings, and the other ensigns of their dignity; "select from their private wardrobe of the " finest linen, such as might suffice for a dozen "persons, the garments the most agreeable "to their fancy, and maintain till their de• In a homily of Asteriua, biahop of Amaaia, M. de Valois haa dileovered, <ad Ammi.u. xiv, 6), that this was a new faahioD; that bean, wolves. lio..., aud ti,t'rs, woods, hunting matches, .!Ie. were repraeaCoed in embroid~ry; and tbat the more pious coxcomb" aabatitahd ... 611:urc or h~,end of some favollrite saUlt•. ' Digitized by Google 269 OP THE ROMAN EMPIRE. .. parture the same haughty demeanour; whicb CHAP. "perhaps might have been excused in the:,~~~' "great Marcellus, after the conquest of Sy" racuse. Sometimes, indeed, these heroes " undertake more arduous, achievements; they '.' "jsit their estates in Italy, and procure "themselves, by the toil of servile hands, "the amusements of the chase.II If at any "time, but more especially on a hot day, they " have courage to sail, in their painted galleys, " from the Lucrine lake,' to their eltlgant villas " on the sea-coa!.!!.t of Puteoli and Cayeta,' .they " compare their own expeditious to the marches " of Cresar and Alexander. Yet should a fly " pre8u~e to settle.on the silken folds of their "gilded umbreJIas; should a sun-beam pen~ "trate through some unguarded and imper.. " ceptible chink, they deplore their intolerable '~hardships, and lament, in affected language~' " that· they were not born in the land of the' , qSee Pliny'IEpiatlel, i, 6. Three large wild boall wfre allured, and taken in the toil3, without interrupting tbe atuwel of the philoaopbic aportimllD. . . r The change from the inanspicious word ,.4"erII1II, wbich Itads in~the text, is immaterial. The two lakes, Avernue and LucrinUl, eommnnicated with each olbtr, and were faR~ioned by the atupendou. molel of Agrippa into tbe Julian port, which opened, throngb a narrow entrance,- into the gulf of PuteoIi. Virgil, who rtaided on the IPOt, hu described (Georgic ii, 161) this work at the tuoment ofitl execution; and hil commentators, especially Catrou,' havc derived mucla light from Slrabo, Snetonins, and Dion. Earthquakes and 1'01canOl have changed the face of tbe country, and turned the Lucrine lake, lince the year 1538, jnto the Monte NIIOYo. See Camillo Pellegrillo Dilcorai della Campania Felice, p. 239, 2«, &c. Antonli Saa. felicil Campania, p.lS, 88. • The regna Cumana et Poteolana; loca cateroqui nlde expetenda, interl'ellantium autcm multituwne pame fllgienda. Cicero ad Attie. xvi,17. Digitized by Google 170 TIlE DECLlNE.AIfn PALL Cimmerians,t the regions of eternal darkness• .. ~:~~.•4''' III these journeys into the country,U the wbole u body .of the household marches with th~ir "master. In thesame manner as the cav.alry.aad " infantJ:y, the heavy and the light armed troops, U the advanced guard and the rear, are mar" shalled by the skill of thei.r military leaders; " 10 the domestic officers, who bear a rod, as.an " ensign of. authority, distribute and arrange tile " .numerous train of slaves and attendants. .The " baggage and.wardrobe move. in the front; and " are immediate1y followed by a multitude or " cooks, and inferior ministers,. employed in the co service of the kitchens, .and .oftbe table. The "main body is composed of a promiscuous ." crowd of slaves, increased. by the accidental "concourse of idle or dependant plebeians. "The·rear is closed by the favourite band ,,{ c, eunuchs, distributed from age to youth, ac" coming to the order of seniority. Tbeirnum"bers, and their deformity, excite the horror cc. of ~e iI;ldignant spectators~ who are ready to CHAP. " TIle proYerbial espreuion of Cimmericna _ _.. wu origiaalJy from the description of Homer, (in the elenDth book of !he Odyuey), which lie appliel to a remote, aDd fabulous couatry oa the Ihore. of the ocean. See Eruml Adqia, in his works, tom. i, p. 591, tile Leydea editioa. • We may learn from Seaeca, epiat. csxiii, three euriODl circumataDeea relatiye to the jOlUlleya of the RollWll. 1. They were preceded by a troop of N omidian Iipt hone, who anaouaced b, a cloud of dut, the approaeh of a great maa. 2. Their bagpee-mulel traulported Dot oal, the p~ioUl _ , but enD the fragile yeale" of chry..... and -tm'II, which Jut u almOit prond, by the learned Freacll trau1&tor of Seaeca. (tom. m, p. (02-422), to mean the poroelain of ('.bina aud JapaD. s. Tile beaatiful facea of the YOUJIIllanl were conred with a lIledicated cruat, or oiatmeat, which aecured them ...iut die dfeGII of the IUD aad fro.t. I ~wed Digitized by Google 271 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. .. execrate the memory of Semiramis, ·for the CHAP• •• cruel art which she invented, offrustrating the .:~~:. U purposes pfnature, and of blasting in the hud fI the hopes of future generations. In the exerfI cise of domestic jurisdiction, the nobles of' " Rome express an exquisite sensibility for any "personal injury, and a contemptuous in" dift'erence for the rest of the human species. " "When they have called for warm water, if a " slave has been tardy in his obedience, he is " instantly chastised with three hundred lashes: " but· should the same slave commit a wilful " murder, the master will mildly observe, that ., he is a worthless fellow; but that, .if he re" peats the offence, he shall Dot escape punish"ment. Hospitality was formerly the virtue of· " the Romans; and every stranger, who could "plead either merit or misfortune, was relieved " or rewarded, by their generosity. At present, U if a: foreigner, perhaps of no contemptible U rank, is introduced to one of the proud and " wealthy senators, be is welcomed indeed in the " first audience, with such warm professions, and " such kind inquiries~ that 'he retires, enchanted " with the affability of his illustrious friend, and " full of regret that he had so long delayed his " journey to Rome, the native seat of manners, ' " as well as of empire. Secure of a favourable " reception, he repeats his visit the ensuing day, " and is mortified by the discovery, that his " person, hisname, and his country, are already fI forgotten. If he still has resolution to perse.~ vere, he is gradually numbered in the train of. Digitized by Google t72 THE DECLINE AND FALL dependants, and obtains the permls8io~' to pay _~~~~:... " his assiduous and unprofitable courtto a haugh" ty patron, incapable of gratitude or friendship; " who· sCal'cely deigns to remark his presence, "his departure, or his return. Whenever the' U rich prepare a solemn and popular entertain" ment;"' whenever. theycele~rate, with profuse " and pernicious luxury, their private banquets; " the choice of the guests is the subject of anxi• " ous deliberation. The modest, the sober, and " the .learned, are seldom .preferred; and the· " nomenclators, who are commonly swayed by " interested motives, have the address to insert, " in the list of invitations, the obscure names of " the most worthless of mankind. But the fre" quent and familiar companions of the great, " are those parasites, who practise the most use" ful of all arts, the art of flattery; who eagerly " applaud each word, and every action, of their "immortal patron; gaze with rapture on his ", marble columns, and variegated pavements; " and strenuously praise the pomp,andelegance, " which he is taught to consider as a parfofhis " personal merit. At the Roman tables, the ,CHAP, " x Dillriblllio lolemninm sporlularum, The ".male, or .,.,wile, were amall baskets, supposed to coutain a quantit,. of hot provui_. of the value of 100 quadrantea, or twelvepence halfp~nn,.. which were ranged in order in the hall, and ostentatiousl,. distributed to the haugry or servile crowd, who waited at the door. This indelicate cDltom is very frequently mentioned in the epigrams of Martial, ad the satirH of Juvenal. See likewise Snetomns, in Cland. c. 21; in Neron. c.1S; in Domitian, c. 4,7. These baskets of provisions were afterwards con· \'erted into lal',e pieces of gold and Iilver coin, or plate, which were Inlltnally given and accepted even by the penonl of the 'hitbest raak, (lee Symmacb. epist iv, 55, ix, 124; and ~Ii,cell. p. 2,56), on sok_ ecCuiOUI, of consubbips marriages, &c. . 273 birds, the squirrels,' or the -fish, which appc::ar ~HA P. U of an uncommon size, are contemplated with XXXL " 'curious attention; a pair of scales is accurate.. ~"~~: .. ~ " Jyapplied, to ascertain their real weight; and, " while the inore rational guests are disgusted U by the'vain and tedious repetition, notaries ~re c. summoned to attest, by an authentic' record, U the truth of such a marvellous event. ' A~(). " ther method of introduction into the houses " and society of the great, is derived from the " profession of gaming, or, as it is more politely. " styled, of play. The confederates are united " bya strictand indissoluble bond offriendship,. " or rather of conspiracy: a superior degree 'of U skill in the Tesse,·arian. art, (which may bein" terpreted the game' of dice and tables)~· is a ,OP THE ROMAN E}IPIRE. II • , The want of an Engliah name obliges me to refer to the commen puna of aquirrels, the Latia Klil, the French loir; a. little animal, who inhabita the wood.. and relllllins torpid in cold weather, (lee 'Plio. Bbt. Nator. vii,82. ButrOD, Hilt. Naturelle, tom. viii, p. 158. Peuaant'. Sjnopsis of Quadrnpeda, p. 289). The art of rearing and tiottenning creat numb"r. of gli,'" WII practised in Roman "illal, II a profitable article ofrural economy, (Varro de Re Rusticl, iii, 15). The' ezceuiye demand of them for luxurious tablea, wu increued by the (oo\.lah prQhibitionl of the CenlOn, IUId it is reported, that they are atill esteemed in modern Rome, and are freqllently lent .. prelenta by the Collonoa princes, (see Brotier, the last !!ditor of Pliny, tom, ii, po' "s, apad Barbou, 1 1 1 9 ) . ' , • This glUllt', which might bel tranllated by the mQre. familiar. namea of 'ricirac, or bdckgamlllOll, wu a, favourite amusement of the; rrayelt Romina; and old Mucins SClleyola, the lawyer, had the repl'., tltion of. a yery skUful player. It wu caUed ludu, liliolieri""criptOJ'lqlt; from the twelve mipta, .or lines, which equally divided the a~lIeo,I"'1 . or table. OD theae, the two armies, the ",bite and.the black, each conI.istin&, of fifteen men, or ,caTctlli, were regularly placed, and alternately moved, according to the lawl of the game.; and the chancel of .the or dice. Dr. Hyde, who dilllently traces the history 'and y,a-' rietie. of the ncrdiludi.m (a name ofPenic etymology) f ..om Irt'land. . '_a, tea VOL. V T Digitized by Google t74: 'T!IK DECLINE AND PALL A master supper or " assembly,"is placed'below-a magistrate, distc plays in his countenance the surprise and -in" dignation, whichCato might be supposed to Ie feel, when he was refused the pretorship, by " the votes of a capriciolls people. The acqui" sition' of knowledge seldom engages the curiee osity of the, nobles, who abhor the fatigue, " and disdain the advantages, of s~dy; and " the only books which they peruse are the sa" tires of Juvenal, and the verbose and fabulous ' f ·histories of Marius Maximus.The libraries "\;:hich tbey: .have inherited from their 'fathers, "'are s,echid~<1~' like dreary sepulehres,'frotn'the " light- of dlly'.~· But the costly instruments of ., the. theatre,,; Biltes, and enol'~us lyres, and a!. hydraullb 1)rkans, 'are constructed· for their "·use; -aDd. the harm@y of vocal and instril" meB.tal 'mt1sic' ,is, incessantly .repeated iR the " palaces ofR9me.. .In· those places~ sound is ''''preferred' to sense, ,and the ca.re of the body " to: tha(.of. the mind',' It is allowed as a salu'.4; t8ry maiXim" that the light and frivolous sus- CRAP. " sure road to wealth and reputation. . _ XXXI. ••_ . "0f that subl'lme SCience, Wh 0, 'In a to jap~, poun forth, on the tii1llu, 'ulij~et, a 'copioDl torrellt of clauie and oriental learnidg. See S,Dtagma Diliertat. tom. H, p 111·405. " • Marilla Maximol, homo omDium verbosil.lmol, qoi, et mithia.... rleil 10 volomlDibol Impli~avit~ VOpilCUI, iD Hilt. Aogu.t. p. MI. Jle wrote the lives of the empero...; froiuTraja. to AlennderSey_. See Gerard, Vonios de 'Historiei. La~. 1. ii, e. I, iD hil works, veL iv, p.li7. to Thil latire i. probably" cxai!jferateil ... The Satornalia of'Ha_ biOI, and the epuUel of Jerom, afford satisfactory proof., that ~ theolo,y, and clulic literatore, were Itudiously eoltinted by IeftIIII IlOmaDI, of both _lexes, aDd of the higheet rank•. Digitized by Google 271) . 01' THE 1l0HAN EMPIRL .. picion of a contagious malady, is of sufficient CHAP. . ht to' ' . 0 f ; t he most . mtI. . .••XXXI • •' WeJg· excuse t h e. vlslts ,. ••". "mate fr~ends; and even the servants, wJlo are ,. ".aespatcbed i& make.tJie aeaent inquiries, are f'i~Ml!'ltb nturnbhbme, tiH,.,tb.e,~:ha'V'e ~'! uD.d4Jl'ganertl*"£8remoD),! rOila {lrevioQIt ablu .. If>ti8U.l~hYut'1;hDi seIiim: aDd '1lilmaDly delicacy f~'Uf!ewtiGl1aU r ,&lds dO ,tb :mOTe i 'imperious 't)~strioIi'~a~.bl The.prospectof~in Woill ''',utge a. ridl~aAdgbuty8eBatora8*r!asSp()leto; ~(every sfmtiritenfl'ofllrrogaooe land ... dignity is ''l-atlbd'Ued 'by the lmpes of' an', ioheritance,,,or '4rwven·of -a 'lffgacy; and '3.·wealthY'.,.~chil.dies8 "'tltizen is the nio&t powerful~orthe Romans; ''''I'he art of ohtai"iiing the signatu.l-e.o£a f~TOIll"; "'uble testament; and ·soinetimes'.'of hastening ""the moment ·of its' execution;' is;per£ectly ;un" derstood; and it h~8happened~ ,that, in the '4 same house, though; in dlWerent apartments, " a husband and a wife, with:the ,laudable:de"'~jgn of over-reat!hing: each other, 'hBVe sum'f~'Iiioned their'respectiTe'law,-ers, to dedare, at '" the' sa:tne time; their 'mutUal," but cOidradiccc:tory intentions. ·The distrels whidl; follows "·and'· chastises 'extrantgant"}uxury, often re"'dtte~s·tlt~ great'to the uBe;of:th-e most, humi'4<'liatmcg' e~pedient8. .When ·they: desire to •• 'bbrrb"Wt:th~1 eUtploy tbe;base:andsnpplicatfJ'kIg ~tt}&:Of th~~'stavt! in tbe,comedy·; but "'When~tlley'a.re 'catled 'upoIl' to pay,' they asf'4's'Dhle th'e ·royal and tt'a.g~ ·deelamatiolT. of the "grandsons of Hercules. If the d.ymand is " repeated, they ~adily procure some trusty c Dig,j<zed by Google 278 THE DECLINE AND PALL CHAP. "sycophant, instructed to maintain' a charge of _~~~;, "poison, or magic, against the insolent credi" tor; who is seldom released from prison, till . U he has signed a discharge of the whole debt. ee These ,vices, which degrade the moral charac" ter of the Romans, are mixed with a puerile " IJuperstitioo, that disgraces their under.stand"ing. . They listen .with confidence to the pre" dictj,ons of haruspices,who pretend to read, " in the entrails of victims, the signs of future " greatness and proRperity ; and there are many " who do oot presume either to bathe, or to dine, " or to appear in public, till they have diligent" Iy cOllsulted, according to the r1;lle8 of astro" logy, the situation of Mercury, and the as' " pect of the moon. It is singular enough; " that this vain credulity may often be disco" vered among the profane sceptics, who im~' piously doubt, or deny, the existence of a " celestial power." State and In populous cities, which are the seat of comcharacler oflhepeo- merce and manufactures, the mIddle ranks of' ~:~!. inhabitants, who derive their subsistence from the dexterity, or labour, of .their hands, are commonly the most proli.fic, the most· useful; and, in that sense, the most respectable, , part of the community. .But the plebeians of Rome, who disdained such sedentary and servile arts, had been oppressed, from the earliest· times, by the weight of debt and usnry 0; and the husbandman, during the term C ° . ' o. c Mac ..oblll~, the friend of these Roman DObIes, considered lbe atan .. II.e callSP, or at leut Ibe ii,m, of future eyentl, (de SoIDIl.·lcip~. I i. c 19, fl. 611). . Digitized by Google 271 , OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. .or his military service, was obliged to 'aban- ~~~;:. cultivation of his farin! The land:s of_........,. .Italy, which had been originally cfivided among ,tile families of free and indigent. proprietors, .were insensibly purchased, or usurped, by the avarice of the nobles;· and in the age which 'preceded the fall of the republic,it was com·puted, that· only two thousand citizens were .possessed of any independerit subsistence.· .Yet as long 'as the people bestowed, by their .8uft'rages, the honours of the 'state, the com,mand of the legions, and the administration of ·wealthy provinces, their conscious pride alleviated, in some measure, the hardships of poverty; a.nd their wants were seasonably supplied by the ambitious liberality of the candidates, who -aspired to secure a venal majority in the thirty.five tribes, or the hundred and ninety-three .centuries, of Rome. But when the prodigal commons had imprudently alienated not only -the ust, but the inheritance, of power, they sunk, ·under the reign of the Cresars, into a vile and -wretched populace, which must, in a few generations, -have been totally extinguished, if it had not been continually recruited by the ma~don·the • The hiatoriel of Livy (lee particularly yi, 36) ar!! full of the extortionl of the rich, aDd the suft"eriDga of the poor debton. The melancholy ItOry of a bran old soldier, (Diony•• Hal. I. "fi, c. 26, p. 847, edit. HudlOn, and Liyy, ii, 23), mUit have been frequently r~peated in those primitive timea, which have been 10 undeaerve~ly prused. . i Non ease in eivitate duo millia hominum qui rem haber,nt. Ci.cero. oBic. ii, ~l, and Comment. PauL Manut. in edit. OI'lllY. Thil "Yague computation wu made-A. U. C. 649, in a Ipeeeh of th ... tribune PhillippUl; aDd it wu hi, object, u well u that of the Oracehi, (_ Plutarcb), to deplore, and perhapi to exaggerate, tbe miaer, of tn common people. Digitized by Google 278 .nIE .DECLINE AND FALL numissioll of-slaves, andthe;infl~x.et strange... eHA P. ...~~!:~ As early· as the. time e.f Hadrian, it was t6e .juSt complaint. ofl.the:ingeilu.ous.nati"e~~th4rt t~e da- pita.. had',aUracted' the:.vieeS Of tae,.uuiver&e, allc}~JD¥1nners\DfitH.most op.pOsite: tnatrona. ~he intemperance of the Gauls, thojCuomDg ancl Je~it~~the.Greek&,l1;he sa-.ge ohstinacy f)f.th~ Egrptiw;andJ,Je.ws,:the servile tetapef'o£~ t_ tm- Asiaties, 'and the,dissoJule; effeinintte;:pl'8~ tu-1Wnbflthe ,Syriaai,:lWere.ri:iingJe.d in ous maJ.titUde;.; '.wbich. under the proud and false'idenoliliaation !Oi.RomaIi~; :presllmed~io 'despise. 'their fellaw.,subjects* i an~ qVf,lnllbeir ,sovereigns,; wl1Q·dweU.b~~Qnd,the preom~s.of thefIETER.N,&L OiTY.'.,,· " ,> ,.. ,. til, P"blle ; .: Yet the nUla. Qf that cit}t w.aa stillpmnouneed diatribu• li ,~t,an.d ,capnCIOUS.,IAol.. 4-•• liun of 'Wlt respect: .t he·u-~;u.eD breado!llbacon, • wine. &c. malts of its iBhabitants weN indulged, with_ punity; and the suceQllsorS of .~onstantine, .• stead of crusbieg the last. remaiinsof the de~ crap'y_ by the,$~r9Q.g a.rm oi.military p.ower, embraced the mild policy of Augustus, and studied t() 'teli~v~' t,he poverty,' an'd ~o . amuse the ~dleness; ofall; iQ.A~nwable people.~ I. For the r t - ~ • .'.; J . . . . , .",... ~.. " ." 'f:S... ·d!e:Jhird Satire (60-1.)of'Juyenal. who indignantly com- plaina, ~.'. . -Quamvls quota portio ;'cl~ Ach.i! • ", Jamprldem Sy~. in'f.iber~ d~nxit Otonte.; '. t··· . !' , >Etliupam·,etmore. Ikc,' ,'" "!'~' _. • , . . . l '&neaai "'belie proposiii'\o ~olnt'ort b,.rm~tI;i'ct:'(C~n'JJai. ~4 ~~f,. e• ...) by the'ie8~on. tHllt.t 6tat part'tdt mllbkltiit -iere 'iii 'a~iat.~ or exile, remind. her how few of the inhabitanta of Romtl were hilA ia .i6ecity.· , ",' , , . '. ' 1 · . " AlmOlt all that is iaid die bread, bacBn, ~il, wine, acc. may be found in the fourteenth book of the Tbeodosia.' Code; whichupl'Clll, 'treata of the peliu of tbe grt'at citin. See particularly tbe titles iii, i•• • '. xvi, xvii, xxi.. Tbe collateral teltiowDiel aft' produced in Gode• fro,.. of Digitized by Google eo~venience of the lazy plebeians, the mQpt~\y CHAP. distributions ofcorn were conver~d into: a daily ,,~~!:.; allowau,ce of bread; a great number of OtV~DS ., was ,constructed and maintained at t~e p~~Jitc e~pence; and at the appointed hoW, ~ch c~9.zen, who was furnished with a tick.et, ascended ~he flight of steps, "fhic}l had been,~sigood his peculiar quarter or division,: ~n,d. :r~iteivecJ, either as a gift, or at avery low.priG~f a loaf Qf bread, of the w~ghtof thr,ee pounds, fo~ ·t~~ use olhis family.· , II.! The!fores.ts of Luc~ilt, whQse, acorns, fattened cWge drove".· of, ;Wi:\~ 'hogs," afforded, as ~ speciEllS Qf\ tril»:tte~ ;a: ~~ tiful supply of,cheap .and ,,'whol~~~e~elJt. During five months· of the .yea:r~,;a.re3111aral.. lowanc.e of bacon was distributed to! the PQoret' citizens; and .the annual ,coWJumptioDI"of the capital, ; at a time whe.-.it was· much deoliDed from its: former lustre,; was. aScertained,. by an edict of Valentinian ·nI, at .threes millions six hundred and twenty-eight. thousand pounds! UI., .In the manners of alitiquity~ the use of oil was indispensible for. the lamp;" as' well as for tP froy'l Commentary, and it il needleis to transcribe- them. Aeeordint to alaw ofTheodOlinl, "hieb appretiatel in mone, the military allowance, a piece of gold (elenn ahillin!:,) was equivalenfto eigbty pound. ef baeou, or to eighty ponnda of oil, or to twehe modii (or peek.) of ...t. (Cod. Theod. t. viii, tit. 'i"t 1~1t. 11)•. This equation. codtpare'. with another of leventy pounds of baeou for an -"...., (Cod. Theod. 1. xiv, tit. iv, leg.4), fixes tbe price of wiDe at about .ixteen pence the gallon. "The anDonymoul author of the Description of the World, (p.14. in tom. iii, Geograph. 1\1inor, HudlOn), obae"ei of Lueania, iu hil tiarbarous Latin, Regio oblima, et ipsa omnibua habundana, et lardwn multllm fOraJI emittit. Propter quod elt in montibna. eujna ale... ..nimalillm variam, &Ce. I See Novell. ad ealeem Cod. Theod. D. Valet. I. i, tit. Thia' law was published at Rome, JUDe 29, .&. D. 41i2., . '1:". Digitized by Google !80 i~g. t~e.batn; .. .'THE DECLINE AND ., FALL . and.the annual tax, which was impo.,,,;.._'- sed on Africa for the benefit of Rome, amount, ed, to the weight of three millions of pounds, to . the measure, perhaps, of three hundred thousand English gallons. IV. The anxiety of ;Augus~us to'provide the metropolis with 8ufi;cient plenty" of corn, was not extended beyond that necessary articie of human subsistence; "and 'when' the popular clamour accused the 'dearness and scarcity 'oT wine, a proclamation lYas issued, by the grave reformer, to remind 'his 'subjects, that no man could reasonably cQmplain of thirst, since the aqueducts of Agrippa had introduced into the city so many copious streams of pure and salubrious water.1t 'This rigid sobriety was insensibly relaxed; and, although the generous design of A urelian 1 does not appear to have been executed in its full ex~' tent, the use of wine was allowed on very easy and' liberal terms. The administration of tbe public cellars walil:delegat~q to a inagistrate of honourable rank; and a 'considerable part of.tbe vintage 'of Camp.ania was reserved for the fortunate inhabitants of Rome. US!! of the The stupendous aqueducts, so justly ceie t::i!!~ ~rated by the praises of A ugustus himself, re plenished the Tltermm, or baths, which had been constructed in every part of the. city, with , II: Sueton. in Angust. e. 42. The utmost debauch of tbe emperor himl!!lf, iu his favonrite wille of Rlllietia, never exceeded a erturiu, (an English pint). Id. c. 11. Torrentius ad Loc. and Arbnthnot'l Tablel, p. 86 • . , His design was to plant vineyaJ;ds along the seaoeoast of Hetmria, ('IOpisCUI, in Hbt. Angust. p. 22S); tbe dreary uuwLolelomt', uncullio ",ted of moderu TuscBII3. . M.,._ Digitized by Google '~1 ()P THII ROMAN EMPIRE. Imperial magnificence~ The baths of Antoni- CHAP•. nus Caracalla, which were open, at stated ....:~~: .. hours, for the indiscriminate service of the senators and the people, contained above sixteen hundred seats of marble; and more than three thousand were reckoned in the baths of Dioc1etian.- The walls of the. lofty apartme~ts were covered with curious mosaics, that imitated the art of the pencil in the elegance of design, and the variety of colours. The Egyptian granite was beautifully incrusted with the precious green marble of Numidia; the perpetual stream of hot water was poured 'into the capa·cious basons, through so many wide mouths of bright and massy silver; and the meanest Roman could purchase, with a small copper coin, the daily enjoyment ofa scene of pomp and luxury, which might excite the envy of the kings of .Asia.· From these stately palaces issued a ·swarm of dirty and ragged plebeians, without shoes, and without a mantle; who loitered away whole days in the street or Forum, to hear news, ·and to hold disputes; who dissipated, ill extravagant gaming, the miserable pittance of their wives and children; and spent the hours of the night in obscure tavemtl, and brothels, .. Olympiodor. apad Photo p. 191. • Seueca (epiatol, Ixxxvi) compare. the bath. of Se1pio AfriCilDal, at his villa of Literanm, with the magnificence (which was continually iucreasing) of the pllblic bath. of Rome, long before the .tately Tberma of Antonill1l8 and Dioe1etiaD were erected. The q1UIdnnu paid for aolmil8iOD was the qnllrtl'r of . . III, about one-eightb of all EDIIiIII . ~nD1' Digitized by Google in the' indulgence of· gross and vulgar sens1l&o lit --- y ;' . Gamet But the most lively ,and' splendid ~mtlsement ::c~~~- of the idle mliititude, depended 90" Hie frequent exh.bitions of}>uhli(: gamesimd'speCtacles." The piety of Christi~n princes h'~a s~ppressed ihe inhuman combats of gtaarators; l)uUhe'Roman people still considered'tbe'Circul as their home, their te~ple, and the seafoC'thEi republi~. The impatient crowd' rushed at the 'dawu of day to secure their places, and there' were many who passed a sleepless and anxious night in the adja:cEmt porticos. ' From'the morning to the evenipg, careless of the sun, 'or 9fthe rain, the spectators, who sqmetimes' amounted to the number of four hundred thous'and, remained" in eager attention; their 'eyes fixed on th~e horses -and charioteers; their minds agitated;with hope and fear, for the success' of the 'colours which they 'espoused': and the happiness of Rome appeared to hang on the event o( a race.p The same jmmode'rate ardour inspired their clamours, and their applause, as often as they were entertained with the hunting of wild beasts, and the varjou8 'modes of theatrical representation. These represenu..tions, in modern capitals may deserve . CHAP. XXXI. .0 ' . . .'" , • ' . • Ammianos, (I. xiv, c. 6, and 1. xXYiii, c. '), after dl!8cribiDg the .Iuury and pride of the nobles ~f '~JDe, exposes, "ith equal indipatiou, the vice. and (ollie. of the common people. P Ju.veaal. Satir, xi, 191. Ikc. The expreuionl of the historian A...ianDi are not less strong and animated tban thOle of the ,atirist; and both the one and t~ other painted from the life. The numben "hidl abe great Circus Wal cap~ble of receiving, are taken from tbe oriri-' NotU", of the city. The differences between tlll'm prove that theydi. Dot transcribe each other; but tbe Inm may appear iDcredibl~ tho• • the country on these occasions flocked to the city. Digitized by Google OOP oiHi'KOMAlf EMPB to be~ co~~idered as a pure' an'd elegant ~chool CHAP. ~f·ta~t~,::and',~erha~ of virtue. But the Thi- .~~~~:.. gic' and Comic Muse of the RQmans, who selthe imitation of Atticgeniu8,Q had been almost totally silent since tlie fall of 'the. republic;r' and their place unworthily occupied' by: licentious faree,' effemi-= nate music, splendid'pageantry•. The pan..: tomimes, I, who maintaineil' their reputation frolll the age of Augustus to·the siKth century, pressed,. ~ithO\it ,the '1iS~ 61 words, the various &hles 'uf the gods MId heroefJ. of antiquity; and the 'perfection', bf :their, art, :which sometimes diSa,med: the'gravity ,of the phIlosopher, al ways e1tc:ited tlie appla.u~e and .WQnder of .the people The. vast land m8!gnificent theatr~s o(Romewere filled by three thousand female dancers, and by three thousand singers, with the masters of the respective~chorulSses. 'Such was the popular favour which they ~joyed, that. in a time of dom aspired beyond' was 'and ex- "v ... , " : '. . . , • Sometimea iDdeed they composed origiaal pieCH. . , - - '-Veatigia Gnera . ,'. , A1IJ1 dfltrere lit ,eII!lellare domeltica facta. Borat. EpistoL ,ad Pi.ones, 286, a~a the leal'Ded. thongh perplexl"d, nJigl\eha~e 'allo.Jea-th~ Baine of tragedies to the note 'ot Dacier; ~ and the 'D,n" of Pallbinll, Dr to'tlle CatD' of Matel'DlIl. The OcIniG, ascribed to one of the SeDecal, .till remaina a very uDfavoura~Ie speeUbeD of Rdmltll tragedy, . ,r ID the time oNluintilian and Pliny, a tragie poet was redtteed 10 the ilDperfeet, method of'hiriDI a grelft room, and reading his play to ... £OmpMI1, whom he iuviteil for thatp~r"ose, (see Dialog. de Oratorib.., c,9, 11, aDd Pliu. EpiltoL, "ii,U')." " ' , • Sfe the OialoJIMI of Lucian. eDtitlell, de 'SaltatioDc, tom. ii, p. HIanoHit. Reitz. The paDtomimel obtained the hODonrable Dame of ~; aDd it wal required, that they "uld be COD versant with al....t enry art aDd aeleDce. Barette (in tke Memoirea de I'Aeademle des Inscriptiou., tom. i, p. 117, &c.) lIu c\veD a ahort history .f tile . . of pautomime.. who Digitized by Google 284 ~HE DECLlNE lNn PALL sca!'city, when all strangers were banished from _~!:'~~:. the city, the merit of contributing to the publi,c pleasures, exempted tAem from a law, which was strictly executed against the professors of the liberal arts.t It is said, that the foolish curiosity of Elagabalus attempted to discover, from thequantity~f spiders webs, the number of the inhabitants of Rome. A more rational method of inquiry might not have been undeserving of the. attention of the wisest princes, .wlio could easily have ·resolved a question 80 important for tl1~ Roman governmentl and so .interesting to· succeeding ages. The births and deaths. of the citizens were duly registered; and if any writer 'of antiquity ,had conde.scended to .mention tbe annual amount, or the cpinlllon. average, we might now produce some satisfactory cal· culation, which would destroy the extravagant assertions of ~ritics, and perhaps confirm the modest and probable coDjectnres of philoso-' phers. u The most diligent r.esearches have colected only the following circumstances; which t slight and imperfect as they are, may tend, in some degree, to illustrate the question of CJlAP. t Ammianlls, I. xiv, c. 6. He complainl, with decent illdignatioa, that tbe streets of Rome were filled witll crowds of females, who micbt have given cbildren to tbe atate, bnt whole only occupation wu to enrl and drels tbeir hair, and jactari volubilibus gyris, dum exprimDDt iunumera simulacra, qUE finxere fabulE theatrales • • M Liplius, (tom, iii, p.421, de Magnitud. RomanA, I. iii, c. I), and line VOlSius, (Observat. Var. p. 26.34), have indulged atrange drelllli of fOllr, or eigbt, or fourteen millionl in Rome. Mr. Home, (Ella,., VOl. i, p. 450.461), with admirable good lenle and .eeptici.m, bet~y. some secret dilpo.itioD to extennate the popalOUlIICII of ancia' • ~~, ' . Digitized by Google 2~ OF THE RO)IAN EMPIRE. the populousness of ancient Rome. I. When ~~~~. , the capital of the empire was besieged by the,!',... ".:;· Goths, the circuit of the walls was accurately measured, by Ammonius~ the mathematician,_ who found it equal to twenty-One 'miles." It,. should not be forgotten, that the 'form of the. city was almost that of a circle; . the geometricalfigUi"e which is known to contain the largest space' within any given circumference. II. The. architectVitruvius, who flourished in the Augustan age, and whose evidence, on this occa-, sion, has peculiar weight and authority, -00.., serves, that the innumerable habitations of the, Roman people would have spread themselves. far ·beyond the 'narroW limits of the city; aDd that the want of ground, which was ·probably. contracted on every side by gardens arid villas, suggested the common, though .inconvenient, practice of raising the houses to a considerable: height in the air." But' the loftiness of these . . - buildings, which often consisted of hasty work; and insufficient materials, was the cause of frequent and fatal accidents; and it was repeatedly enacted by Augustus, as well as 1?y Nero;' that the height of private edifices, within' the walls of Rome, should not exceed the measure " Olympiodor. ap. Phot. p. 191. See Fabrichu, Bibl. Gnec. to. . ~~~ . , III eA antem majeltate nrbia, e.t civiom infinitA f'reqoentiA inun_abilet habitationel opos foit explicare. Ergo com reciper. non POllet area plana tantam mo I tltodinem in nrbe, ad anxilinm altitndiui. IIIdifi-. ciorum rea ipsa coligit devenlre. Vitrnv. ii, 8. Thi. pas.age, whick I OWl: to VOllius, is clear, .trong, and colLpreheusive. Digitized by Google 188 THE DECLINE AND PALL ofseventy feet from the ground.s III. Juvenal· _~~~;, laments, as it should seem from his own experience, the hudships of the PQo.rer citizens, to whom he addresses the salutary advice of emigrating, Without ~elay., from the smoke ofBo.Dle, since they might purchase, in the,littl~ to~,of . Italy, a cheerful 'commodious dweUb:lg,;a,t *"e &'ame price which theY·'8DDually paid for. J.l d)i,.k and miserahle lodging. . Hou.,e-rent WIt, theref6reimmoderately dear: the ~ch acquired,:a~ aD eDormous ',ex pence, , the .ground; .'Which th~y cOvered with palaces arid:gardens; but the body of the Roman peoplewas crowded intO a narrow spaCe; and' tile different 1Ioors, and apartm~nts, dfthe:s(Wle Ihou'ie, were divided,as it is still the ctistoin of Paris~ and other cities, among se~ r~lraml1ies,of plebeiahs•. IV. The total nombtiq)€oJmuses in'the-fburteenregions oCthe city, is 'aCcuhitely stated in the description: of Rome, cmnpo§ed, under the teign of Theodhsius, 'and ~1IID.ount·to Corty-eight thousand three' h~D· CHAP. .. ' ,."., , '. ' • • r ··:The lucceslin testimouies of Pliny, Aristidea, Claudlar, Rutiliui, Wtprove'tll'e iD.ufficlenc1of~eae reitricli~ edicta; __ .See Li"''''' de,,*.ftud. itomao6, I. iii, c. 4. ' ' . '-.-,..-Tablliata tibijam tertia fomant I, • i' " .. 'It. lIelc;,; lIam.i gradiboa trepidatur ab boil ,- ; -;~ltimus.at~""._qllelD tB'~ lola tuttu,r' .' •• Apla.i.; , " , . . Jannal. Sadr. iii, 199. • .«:ad. U1ew~le. thirchatire, but P!lrticularly 166, 223, &c. 'TIle deaeription of a crowded i_la, or lodging-house, in Petronioa,(c. 96, 97'), l!e!f.r,clly..t!m~' wit:h the complainta of Juven"; and we leam from legal authority, that in the tinieof AUgUstu8,(HeinDecciuI, Hilt. Jaris. Roman. e. 'iv, p. 181), the ordinary rent of the several cellfll:lll«, or apar\l!!eq~ of I!D ~,~nDnaIl1PTod~c,~~ forty •.th~.~san~ '(lte~ces, betwef'u'three and foar hundred pOllUd.sterling. ' (Paudeci~.]. xix; tit. i!, No. I~; a SIIRI which proveS at once the laree extent, uid bl,b 0llie, of thOle common buildings. ' Digitized by Google or THE'ROHAN EMPIRE. 28'7 dred and e~hty.hvo." , The two classes of CHAP. "mus and ofinsu/m, 'into. which they are divi- #,~~: ded, include~;an tile· :habitations of the capital; of every rank and condition, from the mar· hIe palace of .the Anicii, with a numerous establishment of freedmen, and slaves, to the lofty and narrow lodging-house, where the poet Codrus, and bis- wife; were permitted to hite' a wretched garret immediately under the':tiles. If we adopt the same aVet"age,' which,' utider similar circumstances, has been :found appli.:. cQ.ble to Paris,c and indifferently allowahout twenty.five persons, for each house, of every degree, we may fairly estimate the inhabitants of R6me at twelve hundred thousand: a number. which cannot be thought excessIve for the copital of a mighty empire, though it' exceeds the populousness of the greatest citiesoC mo· clem, Europe.' .. Such,was ,the state of Rome under the reign Fintliep of·Honorius; at the time when the Gothic ariny b~ ~:e {erm~, the-siege, or rather the blockade, of the ~ot~.(OI. ci~..·1 By.aailCul disposition of his numerous . D . . .' hla .:am·tdtal i' composed of 1180 domu, or creat housea, of 46,602 -..z., or .op!ebeiaD·1Jabitationa, (.see Nardini, Roma Antica. I. iii, p. 81); aIId the~~, DBlBbe~ are "certained by tbe agreement of tbe texts o(the different Noti'ie. Nardini, I. ~iii, p. 498, 600. C See that accurate writer M. de Mesaauce, Rechercbes lur la Popuia~" p. 116-181. From probahle, or certoin grounds, be aSlip to Parit 21,665 houles. 11,11.4 familiel, aud 616,630 inhahitants. II Thil comilRlatlon 'is not'\'ery different (rom tbt which 1\01. Brotier, the last editor of Tacitul (tom. ii, p. 380). has Bllomed frllm limilar principlel; thouCh he leeDII to aim at a degree of precisiou, which it it .either possible nor importint itei obtain. ' . • Fllr tbe eYents of the fint siege of Rome, which are often confoan.ed with thle Df the lecoad and third, Ife Zosimlll, I. ", p. 350. -16•• Digitized by Google 188 THE DRq.llifE AND PALL forces, who 'impatiently watched the momentCJ£ ~~~~.. an assault, Alaric eucompassed the walls, ·com-.. manded the twelye principal. gates, intercepted all communication with.the adjacent country, and vigilantly guarded the navigation of ·the: Tiber, from which the Romans derived the surest· and n'lostplentiful supply of provisions. The· first emotio~s of the nobles, and of the people" were those of surprise and indignation, that a' vile barbarian should dare to .insult the capital of the world: but their .arrogance was soon· ,humbled by misfortune; and· their unmanly, rage, instead of, being directed against an ene- " my in arms, was meanly exercised on·a de-, fenceless and innocent yictim.Perhaps in the 'person of .Serena, the RO,mans might have respected the niece of '.fheodosius, the aunt, nay even. the adopted mother, of the reigning em-' peror: but they abhorred the widow of .Stilicho; and they listened with credulous .passion to the tale of calumny, which accused her of, maintaining a secret and criminal correspon-' dence with the Gothic invader. ,·Act~ated, or' overawed, by the same popular frenzy, the senate, without requiring any evide!lce, of her guilt", pronounced the sentence of her death. Serena was ignominiously strangled; and the infa- ' tuated mbltitude were asymished to find, that this cruel act of injustice did not immediately produce the retreat ,of the barbarians, and,the deliverance of the city. That unfortunate city CHAP. I IU. Sozomeo, I. ix, e. 6. Olympiodorns, ap. Photo p. 180. Phil. . · lorlins, I. xii, e. 3; and Gooldroy.Dilsertat, p. 467.41/i. Digitized by Google 289 01' THE ROMAN DlPmE. pdually experienced the distress of scarcity, CH"~P. and at length the horrid' calamities of famine .•~~~~.. The daily allowance of three pounds of bread was. reduced to one-half, to one-third, to nothing; and the price of corn sill continued to rise in a rapid and extravagant proportion. The poorer citizens, who were unable to purchase the necessaries of life, solicited the precarious charity of the rich; and for a while the public misery was alleviated by the humanity of Lmta, the widow of the emperor Gratian, who had fixed her residence at Rome, and consecrated to the use of the indigent, the princely revenue, which she annually received from the grateful successors of her husband! But these privateand temporary donatives .were. insufficient to appease the hunger ofa n·umerous people; and th"e progress of famine invaded the marble palaces of the senators themselves. The persons of both sexes, who had been educated in the enjoyment of ease and luxury, discovered how little is .requisite to supply the demands of nature; and lavished their unavaUing· treasures of gold and silver, to obtain the coarse and scanty sustenance which they would formerly have rejected with disdain. The f~od the most repugnant to sense or imagination, the aliments the most unwholesome and pernicious to the .. constitution, were eager]y devoured, and fierce)y disputed, by the rage of hunger. A dark suspicion was entertained, that some desperate ~ The mother of Lalla was named Pi.lumena. Her father, family, ~ . VOL. v. t1 and country, are Rnknown. Ducangt', Fam. Byzaotin. p. 59. Digitized by Google THE DECLINE AND PALL CHAP. wretches fed on the bodies of their fell ow-a. . ....~~~;.. tures, whom they had secretly murdered; and even mothers, ("uch was the horrid conB.ict of the two most powerful instincts implanted by nature in the human breast), even mothers are laid to have tasted the B.esh of their slaughtered infants f' Many thousands of the inhabitants of Rome expired in their houses, or in the streets, for want of sustenance; and as the public sepulchres without the walls were in the power of the enemy, the stench, which arose from 80 many putrid and ,unburied carcasses, ipfected the air; and the miseries of famine were suePlame• ceeded and aggravated by the contagion of 9 pestilential disease. The assurances of speedy and effectual relief, which were repeatedly transmitted from the court of Ravenna, SlJp" ported, for some time, the fainting resolution 01 the Romans, till at length the despair of any human aid tempted them to accept the offers ::~~nci. of a preternatural deliverance. Pompeianus, prefect of the city, had been persuaded, by the art or fanaticism of some Tuscan diviners, that, by the mysterious force of spells and sacrifices, they could extract the lightning from the clouds, and point those celestial fires against the camp of the barbarians. h. The important secret was I Ad nefudol eibol erupit elurientiom rabiel, et lua inyicem membra laniarant, dum mater DOD parcit lacteali imaatia; et ret"ipit utt'ro, paultc\ aote eWuderat. Jerom ad Prillcipiam, tom. i. p. 121. The lame horrid circumstance illikewise told of the lieges of Jerulalt'Di and Paria. For the latter, compare the tenth book of the Benmelt', and the Jourual de. Henry IV, tom. i, p, 47.83; and oblerve that • plain narratiTe of facts il much more patbetic, than the mOlt labon'" deaeription. of epic poetry. a Zelimul (I. v, p. 365, 31iG) lpeaks of thele ceremeDiea, like a .oem Dig,j<zed by Google 291 Of THE ItOMAN EMPllut Ow,;:nnmunicated to Innocent, tIle bishop of Rome ; CHAP, and the successor of St. Peter is accused, XXXI, perhaps without foundation, of preferring the ''''~'''S6futy of tcfJe repu hHe to the rigid s.e"etity of the Clari;tian YVGNRip. But when the q~tion was qitated in the senate; wh~n it was pmpo~ed, as an essentNiI c()UditioB, that those sa.crifices should be Foe~)f'3.nod iu the Capitol, by the au~ tbority, and in the presence, of the magistrates;, the majority of that l'ei':ipectahle assembly, apprehensive either of the divine, or of the imperial, displeasure, ;,:efused to join in an ~lct, whjch appeared almost equivalent to the public restoration of paganism. i Tbe last resonrce of the Romans was hi the cent' AI,,;, ,c. a 'clemen.cy, or at least III the moderation, of the ,a~8,'~, ' f t,'h e c. th Th 1 ' , and i!"a1,CI k 109 0 ,~O, S. £ C senate, wuo in tlns tbe si!',!', emergency assumed the supreme powers of go- A. D. 4DU. ~erDment, appointed two ambassadors to llegoG,e,k lln,cqllllioted with tbe nationai superstition of Rome ,lnd TnllCl,ny. I 'Il'p,ct, that they consisted of two parfo, the secl'et, ,nd tIle aid spell" p"b£lC, tile fo.mer Wffl! flrobabir an imitatioll ofth, by \,bi,h Numa had drawn down Jupiter and his thllnrle" ,0 M"u,t Avelltine. -{laili agant laqueb, quilt CI!!"I!lina d;Cl,ot Qllaque trabant .np4!ri. sedibui ute J,',3I1 Scire neras homiuL Tne allCilill, or shields oQ( M!U'I!, tbe jrif;"llO%'lJ whi>JI li'f,e ,a,'ri,d in .olemn procfSsion qD t.be cal',p..is ,( Mrt;rih, ~'!i, ,Ol i/iin from this mysteriODs event, (O,id, Fal,!. iii, 259,3!lZl), It was probably delli!!:lled te !'eviv; tlii, ancient f,'sti\',1, ;!bich b,d b"n snpp1tsaed b,. ThcodosillS, In th,t ,US', '%V, r,C(;,e, olll'onologicllll <iaic, (l't'Iarc1t i, ,&, n. "09), which hs n,t bithe,zo be"D "b,er,ed. i lTio,ome;; (i; ii, 6) ;n,iQ;lau~., that the experiment was actoally. th~h ls,lIIliliilic;;,uftHy, mad, , but ile dots not mention Ibe name of In:D",c,ui: llII.l Tiliemont (Mer... Ecclt:s. tom. 1<, p. 645) is determined ad W ilelie;;e, tQat a pope could be guilty of such impious conduceDIiou. r. • . ..J .! - '\1 " I. t92 . THE nscqNE AND FALL CHAP. tiate with the enemy. This important trust _~~~~:.. was delegated to Basi1ius, a senator, of Spanish extraction, ;uld already conspicuous in the administration of provinees; and.to John, the first tribune. of the notaries, who was peculiarly qualified, by 'his dexterity in business, as well as by his former intimacy with the Gothic princ.e. When they were introduced' into his presence, -they declared, perhaps in a more lofty style than became their abject condition, that the Romans were resolved to maintain their dignity, either in peace or war; and that, if Alaric refused them, a fair and honourable capitulation, he might sound bis trumpets, and prepare to give battle to an innumerable people. exercised in arms, and animated by despair. "The thicker the hay, the easier it is mowed," was the concise reply of the barbarian; and this rustic metaphor was accompanied by a l.oud and insulting laugh, expressive of his contempt for the menaces of an unwarlike populace, enervated by luxury before they were emaciated by famine. He then condescended to fix the ransom, which h~ would accept as the price of his retreat from the walls of Rome: aU the gold and silver in the city, whe,ther it wel·e the prope'rtyof the state, or of in4ividuals ; all the rich and precious moveables; and all the slaves who could prove their title-to the name of barbarians. The ministers of the senate sumed to ask, in a modest and suppliant tone," If sllch, 0 King! are your demands, what do " you intend to leave us?" "YouR LIVES;" replied the hau~htv conq ueror. _Thev trembled. pre- Digitized by Google . 293 'OPTHE ROMAN EIJPIltE. · and retired. Y etbefore. they retired, a short CRAP. . f . XXXI, · suspensIon 0 arms was granted, whIch allow-~~~... .,_ ed some time for a more temperate uegotiation. · The stern features of Alaric were insensibly relaxed; he abated much of the rigour of his terms; and at· length consented to raise the .. siege, on the immediate payulent of five thousand pounds of gold, ofthirty thousand pounds ·of silver, offourthousand robes of silk, of three tbousand pieces 'of fine scarlet, doth, and of three thousand pounds weight of pepper.1t But the pubJic treasury was exhausted; the annual rents of the great estates in Italy and the provinces, were intercepted by the calamities of war; the gold' and gems· had been excballged: during the· famine, for the vilest sustenance; the hoards of secret wealth were still conceal-. cd by the obstinacy of avarice; and some remains of consecrated spoils afforded the only resource that could avert the impending ruin of the city. As soon as the Romans had satisfied: the rapacious demands of Alaric, they were restored, in some measure, to the enjoymen.t of peace and plenty, Several of the 'gates were,' cautiously opened; tbe importation of provisions frpm the river, and the. adjacent country, was no longer obstructed by the Goths;. the citizens resorted in crowd. to the free market. I: Pepper " ... (avourite ingredient. of the mOlt expensive Romaa e-ookery. aDd the beat lort eo_onlJ lold (or fifteen denarii, or tea· IhilliDp, the pound. See PlinJ, Hiat. Natur. xii, 14. It wu bronpt from India; and tile lame country, the cout o(Malabar, 'till a«orda the greateafplenty: but the improvement of trade and navigation bu mnltiplied the quantitJ, and reduced the price. See Hiiitoire Politiqa. et PhilOiOphilJae, ""c. tom. i, p. 447. Digitized by Google "" .,-..cuailCDF.uL which wu h~ld durior thJiee days in tbe -1"_~~:. llrb$; aqtj while the IIlerebants who undertook .*bis gaiaful trade, made a considerable profit, the fut1ilore subsistebee of the city was secured by the ample magazines whieh were deposited in the public' and private granaries. A more .egular discipline, than could bave been expected, was maintained in the camp of Alarie; anfl. tbe wise barbarian justified bis regard for the faith of treaties, by the j,Dst severity wi~b which he chastised a party of tieentions Goths, wlw bad insulted lome ROl1laDt citizens OD. the: roafl to Ostia. His army, enrichett by the contributions: of the capital, slo.w~y advauced into tire 6ir aM fruitful province of Tuscany, where he proposed to establish his, wintel'-qu8I'ter$; aDd tbe Gothie: standard became the r.efuge of forty thousand barbarian slav.es, woo had brole their chains, and aspired, _der the command of their great deliverel', to reyeoge the injuries, and the disgrace, of their cruel 8e1'Vitade. A bout the same time, he received a mere hOll6ural.Je reinforcement of Getbs, aM HUM; whom AOOIph.S,l the brother of hilt wife, .had conducted, at his pressing invitatiOD, from t~ };tanks 01 the be to those of the Tiber, a.d who had. cut !Mir way, with some dillculty and 10SSi, tbrough tbe superior numbers. of the imperial troops. A victorious leader, who united the daring spi· rit of a barllarian with tlie. art ....d discipi_ CHAP. naa.. I.Tbi. Gothic ebieftai~ is eall~d by ,foJ:Dalldel uul laidq~.. .«.... , . , . by Z08imul alld Oroliua, Jftfllllpllc.;: aDd by Olymlliodoru• ....ulplau. I haYe uaed the celebrated name of AOOlphu. w.hielu~~ to Joe authorized bl' the practice of t4e Swede., the .0113 01" brut.\ler.oI tIM IlIIcieDt Goth.. . Digitized by Google . 295 OF THE .OIlAN EMPIRE. . of a Roman general, ~a8 at the head of an ~~~~: ·hundred thousand fightmg men; and Italypro-..,........ _ Bonnced, with terror and respect, the formidable name of Alaric." At the distance of fourteen centuries, we may Frui~_ be satisfied with relating the military exploits :~:~:; of the conquerors of Rome, without presuming ~~~_ to investigate the motives of their political conduct. In the midst of his apparent prosperity, Alaric. was cOllscious, perhaps, of. some secret weakness, some internal defect; or perhaps the moderation which he displayed, was intended ttnly to deceive and disarm the easy credulity of the ministers of Honorius. The king of the Goths repeatedly declared, that it was his desire to be considered as the friend of peace, and of the Romans. Three senators, at his earnest request, were sent ambassadors to the court of Ravenna, to solicit the exchange of hostages, and the couclusion of the treaty; and the proposa]s, which he more clearly expressed during the course of the negotiations, could only inspire a doubt of his sinceriiy, as they might seem inadequate to the state of his fortune. The barbarian still aspired to the rank of master-general of the armies of the West; he stimulated an annual subsidy of corn and money; and he chose the provinces of Dalmatia, N oricum, and Venetia, for the seat of his new kingdom, which would have comman4ed the important communication between Italy and the .. The treat,. brtween .lJarie aud tbe RomaOl, ""c. it taken m. Zoaimu, I. v. p. 864.365, 358, 1(;0, SCI, 268. The additioual circu. . • tauec. are two few aud triftiug to require au,. other qootatioa. Digitized by Google 196 THE DECLINE AND F-'U Danube. If these modest terms should be re..~~~~:~jected, Alaric shewed a disposition to relinquish his pecuniary demands, and even to content himself with the possession of N orJcum; an exhausted and impoverished couutry, perpetually exposed to the inroads of the barbarians of Germauy.- But the bopes of peace were disappointed by the weak obstinacy, or interested views, of the minister Olympius. Witho~t listening to the salutary remonstrances of the sa. nate, he dismissed their several ambassadorN under the conduct of a military escort, too numerous for a retinue of honour, and too feeble for an army of defence. ~ Six thousand Dalmatians, the Bower of the imperial legions, were or . dered to march from Ravenna to Rome, through an open country, which was occupied by the formidable myriads of the barbarians. These brave legionaries, encompassed and betrayed, fell a sacrifice to ministerial folly; their general, Valens, with anh!!ndred soldiers, escaped from the field of battle ; and one of theambas'Iadors, who could no longer claim the protection of the law of nations, was obliged to purchase his fteedom with a ransom of thirty thousand pieces of gold. Yet Alaric, instead of resenting this act of impotent hostility, immediately renewed his proposals of peace; and the. second embassy of the Roman senate, which derived weight and dignity from the presence of Innocent, bishop of the city, was guarded from CHAP. • ZoaimuI, I. v. p. 367, 366,.•• Digitized by Google ~ OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. the dangers of the road by a detachment of CHAt'. Gothic soldiers. XXXL P Olympius might have continued to insult Chao,,, the just resentment of a people, who loudly ::!i:~c~, accused.him as the author of the public calami- miniaten, ties; but his power was undermined by the'secret intrigues of the palace. The favourite ,.. eunuchs transferred the government of Honorius, and the empire, to Jovius, the pretorian prefect; an unworthy servant, who did not atone, by the merit of personal attachment, for the error~ and misfortunes of his administration. The exile, or escape, of the guilty Olympius, reserved him for more vicissitudes of fortune: he experienced the adventures of an ot>. ,~ scure and wandering life; he again rose. to 't' power; he fell a second time into disgrace; his ears were cut off; he expired under the lash; and his ignominious death afforded a grateful spectacle to the friends of Stilicho. After the removal of Olympius, whose character was deeply tainted with religious fanaticism, the pagans and heretics were delivered from the impolitic proscription, which excluded them from the dignities of the state. The brave Gennerid,q a soldier of barbarian origin, who still 0 • • • #' • • " • • , . .0 ZOIimas, I. Y, p. 360, 361, 81l2. The bishop, by remaining at Ra- venDa, eat'aprd the impending calamities of the city. ·Oroaiu., I. vii, c. 39, p. 673. I . P For the adventures of Olympinl, and hi. saccellors in tlae mini.. tl'J, lee ZOlimU', 1. Y, p. 868,366, 3M, and OJympiodor. ap. Photo p. 180,181 • •. q ZOlimna (1. Y, p. 3M) relatea this circamstanc;e with "i.ible comp1act'DCY, and celebrates the character of Gennerid as the laat.glory of expirin, Digitized by Google · _ T I l E DECLIlfZ Am FALL CHAP. adhered to the worship of his ancestorl, had _~~~',. been obliged to lay aside the military belt: and though he was repeatedly assured by the emperor himself, that laws were not made for pfttsons of'his rank or merit, he refused to accept any partial dispensation, and persevered in honourable disgrace, till he had extorted a (feneral act of justice from the distress of the Roman government. The· conduct of GeDDerid, in the important station, to which he was promoted or restored, of master-general of Dalmatia, Pannonia, N oricnm, and Rhmtia, seemed to revive the discipline and spirit of the republic: From a life of idleness and want, his troops were soon habituated to severe exercise, and plentiful subsistence; and his private generosity often supplied the rewards, which were denied by the avarice, or poverty, of the court of<' Ravenna. The valour of Gennerid, formidable to the a~jacent barbarians, was the firmest bulwark of the lllyrian frontier; and his vigilant care assisted the empire with a reinforcement of ten thousand Huns, who arrived on the confines of Italy, attended by such a convoy of provisions, and such a numerous train of sheep and oxen, as might haTe been sufficient, not only for the march of an army, but for the settlement of a colony. But the court and councils of Honoriu8 still remained a scene of weakness and distraction, of corruption and anarchy.; "pirinl paganism. Very different were the sentiments of the eoueil .f Carthage, who depnted fonr bishop. to the conrt of RayeD.... _ complain of the law, which had been just enacted, that all conyenio.. to Christianity shollld be fr('e and Yo\untary. See BaroDin., AaaaL Eccles. A. D. 400, No. 12; A. D. 410, No. 47 48 Digitized by Google :290 01' TID ROMAN EMPIltB. Instigated by the prelect Janus, the guards rose CHAP. in furidus mutiny, and demanded the heads of ....~~~ two generals, and of the two principal eunuchs .. The generals, under a perfidious promise of_ safety, were sent on ship-board, and privately executed; while thE! favour of the eunuchs procured them a mild and secure exile at Milan and Constantinople. Eusebius the eun.llcb, and the barbarian Allobich, succeeded to the CODlmand of the bed-chamber and of the guards; and the mutualjealotisy of these subordinate ministers was the cause oftbeir mutnal destruction. By the insolent order of the· count of the dome!$tics,. the great chamberla:in was shamefully beaten to death with sticks, before the . eyes of the astonished emperor; and the subsequent assassination of Allobich, in the midst of a public procession, is the only circumstance of his life, in which Honorius discovered the faintest symptom of courage or resentment. -Yet before they fell, Eusebius and Allobich had contributed their part to the ruin of the empire, by opposing the conclusion of a treaty which JOVillS, from a selfish, and perhaps a criminal, motive, had negotiated with Alaric, in a personal interview under the walls of Ri" mini. During the absence of Jovius, the eIn- . peror was persuaded to assume a lofty tone of inflexible dignity, such as neither his situation, Bor his eharader, could enable him to support: and a letter, signed with the name of Honorius, was immediately despatched to the pretorian prefect, granting him a free permissioll t(l dis- .. Digitized by Google 300 THt DXCLINE AND CHAP. . ~ALL poseofthe public money, but stemly J,'efusingto _~~!: prostitute the military honours of Rome to the proud demands of a barbarian. This letter was . imprudently communicated to Alaric himself; and the Goth, who in the whole transaction bad behaved witb temper and decency, expressed, in the most outrageous language, his lively sense of the insult so wantonly offered' to his person, and to his nation. The conference of Riminiwas hastily interrupted; and the prefect Jovius, on his return to Ravenna, was compelled to adopt, and- even to encourage, the fashionable opinions of t~e court. By his advic~ and example, the principal officers of the state and army were obliged to swear, that, without listening, in aay circumstances, to any conditions of peace, they would still persevere in perpetual and implacable war against the enemy ofthe republic. This rash engagement opposed an insuperable bar to all future negotiation. The ministers of Hono. rius were heard to declare, that, iCthey had only invoked the name of the Deity, they would consult the public safety, and trust their souls to the mercy of Heaven: but they had sworn by the sacred head of the emperor himself; they had touched, in solemn ceremony; that august seat of majesty and wisdom; and the violation. of their oath would expose them to the temporal penalties of sacrilege and rebellion.' , , Zoaimlll, I. Y, p. 867, 811S, 169. Thil clIItom of aweariD, by the' bead, or life, or .afety, or geniua, of tbe lovereigo, of tbe bigbest antiquity, both in Egypt (Genesis, zlii, 16) and Scythia. It 100II t''8nlfernd, by ftattt:ry, to the C..arli and TertoUiaa comp\aiua, tllar it w.. the ooly oath which the Romani of hi. time al"ected to J'CWI'o 19'' Digitized by 19'' Google .... 301 OF THE ,ROMAN EMPJRL While tile e~peror and his court enjoyed, ~~~. with sullen pride, the security of the marshes ,;....~:.~ and fortifications• of Ravenna, they abandoned S.eeondf ' Ilegc 0 Rome, almost wIthout defence, to the resent- Rome by ' Y et suc h was t he mod eraiIon . the Goths men,t 0fAI arlc. A.. D.409: which he still preserved, or affected, that, as he moved with his army a10ng the' Flaminian way, be successively despatched the bishops of the towns of Italy to r~iterate his offers, of peace, and to conjure the emperor, that he would save the city and its inhabitants from hostile fire, ' and the sw ord of the barbarians.' These impending calamities were however averted, not indeed by the wisdom of Honorius, but by the prudence or humanity of the Gothic king; who employed a mi1der, though not less effectual, method of conq uest. Instead of assaulting the capital, he successive1y directed his efforts against the Port of Ostia, one of the boldest and most stupendous works of Roman magnificenc~.· The accidents to which the precarious subsistence of the city was continually exposed in a winter navigation, and an open road, ~nce. See an elegant Di8&ertation of the Abb~ M~ssieu on tbe Oatba of the Ancienu, in the Mem de I'Academie del Inscriptions, tom. i, p. 108,209. • Zoaimns, I. Y, p. 368, 869. I baye softened the expressions of Al&rlc, who expatiates, in too 80rid a manner, on tbe history of Rome. See Sueton. in Claud. e. 20; Dion. Casliua, I. lx, p. 949, edit. Keirnar, and the lively de.cription of Juyenal, Satir. xii, 'I'1i, &c. I. tile lixtrenth century, when the rrmaina of this Augultan port were atill visible, the antiquariaus sketcbed the plan, (aee d'Auville, Menl. de l'Academie des Inacriptions, tom. xxx, p. 198), and declared, witb enthusiasm, tbat all the monarchs of Europe would be uuable to exe-· cute .0 great a work, (Bergier, Hilt. del grands Chemin. de Rom.... tom. ii, p. 366)., -, - Digitized by Google THE DECUllB AND PALL CHAP. had luggeeted to the genius of the -first ClBlar .. W h'IC h was executed' under usetiuI d eSIgIl, the reign of Claudius. The artificial moles, which formed the narrow entrance, advanced far into the sea, and firmly repelled the fury of the waves, while the largest vessels securely rode at anchor within three deep and capacious basons, which received the northern branch of the Tiber, about two miles from the ancient colony of Ostia.u The Roman Port insensibly swelled to the size of an episcopal city," where the corn of Africa was deposited in spacious granaries for the use of the capital. As soon as Alaric was in possession of that im- _,XXXI. __... t he • The 0.,.. Tybfritaa, CRe Clnver. ltalia Antiq. I. iii, p. 870-819). In the plural number, tbe two moutbs of the Tiber, were leplU'llted by the Holy Ialand, an equilateral triangle, whose sides were each of them computed at about two mile.. The colony ofOltia wal founded immediately It~yond the left, or loutbern, aBd the Port immediately beyond the right, or northern, branch of the river; aDd· the dutance between tbeir remains measures something more than two miles on Cinplani's map. In tbe time of Strabo, tbe laud aDd mud clepoo .lted by the Tibel', had choaked the barbour of Ostia; the prorrea of,lhe same canse had added mueb to the size of the Holy Island, alld ,radnally left _both Ostia and the Port at a co.aiderable diltaace from the .hore. Tbe dry channell, (fiumi morti), and the lulrC! eatu· aliel, (stagno di Ponentt', de Levante), mark the cbanges of the river, and tbe eft"orta of the sea. Conlult, for tbe present .tate of thj. dreary and delolate tract, tbe excellent map of the ecelellastical .tate by the mathematicians of Benedict XIV; an actual survey of the .AtKI in six sbeet., by Cingolani, whicb cODtain. 113,819 rdbia, (about 570,000 acres); and the large topolrapbical map of Ametl, iB eight sheet•• " AI early al tbe third, (Lardner's Credibility of tbe Go.pel, part lI, 1'01. iii, p. 8g·92), or at least the fonrtb, century, (Carol. a Sancto Panlo, Notit. Eccles. p. 41). the port otRome was an epi.copal city, wbich wal demolished, as it should seem, io the -nfuth century, by pope Gre· gory IV, dnring the incursions of tbe Arabs. It i. DOW rednced to an ion, a churcb, and the bouse, or palace, of the biBbop j who raDks as one of six cardinal bi.hop. of tbe ROmlD clnircb. See Eac:biDard, Descriaione di Roma et dell' Argo Romano. p. US. Ro_, Dig,j"ed by Google 01' 'IRE ROHAN DIPIRIIo .,. portant place; be summoned the eity to 8m'- CHAP. render at discretion; and his demands were .~~:.. enforced by tbe positive declaration, that a. raCusa1, or even a delay, should be instantly followed by the destruction of the magazines. on which the life of the Roman people depended. The clamours of that people, and the terror of famine, subdued the pride of the senate; they listened, without reluctance, to thepropoBal of placing a new emperor on the throne of the unworthy Honorius; and the suffrage of tile Gothic conqueror bestowed the purple Oli A~ talus, prefect of the city. The grateful mo. narch immediately acknowledged his protector as master-general of the armies of the West; Adolphus, with the rank of count of the d~ westics, obtained the custody of the person of Attalus; and the two hostile nations seemed to be united ill the closest bands of friendship and alliance.J The gates of the city were thrown open, and create Attaludl. the new emperor of the Romans, encompassed ftIIperor on every side by the Gothic arms, was conduct- ~o:::ac ed, ill tumultuous procession, to the palace of RomaDI. Augustus and Trajan. After be had distri.. buted the civil ,and military dignities among his favourites and followers, Attalus convened an assembly of the senate; before whom, in a formal and florid speech, he asserted his reso. Jution of restoring the majesty of the republic, and of uniting to the empire the provinces of 'I For the elnatioD of Attalu~, CODlult ZOllmu., I. 9i, p. 811.8SO; lo.omeD, I. ix, c. 8, 9; Olympiodor. ap. Phot. p. ISO, 181; Phil..torl • .. xii, c. a, aDd Godefroy, Dissertat. p. 470. Digitized by Google THE DECLINE AND J'ALL CHAP. Egypt and the East, which had once acknow..:::~~:.)edged ~he sovereignty of Rome. Such extravagant promises inspired every reasonable citi· zen with a just contempt for the character of an unwarlike usurper whose elevation was the deepest and most ignominious wound which the republic had yet sustained from the insolence of the barbarians. But the populace with their 'nsual levity, applauded the ch~nge of masters. The public discontent was favourable to the rival of Honorius; and the sectaries, oppressed by his persecuting edicts, expected some degree of countenance, or at least of toleration, from a prince, who, in his native country of Ionia, had been educated in the pagan. superstition, and who had since received the sacrament of baptism from the hands of an Arian bishop.· The first days of the reign of Attalus were fair and prosperous. An officer of confidence was sent with an inconsiderable body of troops to secure the obedience of Africa; the greatest part of Italy submitt~d to the terror of the Gothic powers; and though the city' of Bologna made a vigorous and effectual resistance, the .people of Milan, dissatisfied perhaps with'the absence of Honorius, accepted, with loud acclamations, the choice of the Roman senate. At the head of a formidable army, Alaric conducted his royal captive almost to the gates of Ravenna; • We may admit the evidence of Sozomen for fhf' Arian bapti8lll, and tbat of Phil08toFgina for the pagan education, of AttallJl. 'lbe visible joy of ZosimuI, aud the diieonteut whieh he imputes to tJae . Anician family, are very uufavourable to the Christianity or tIMo . _ ..mperor. Digitized by Google 30.5 OF THE ROMAN EMPlRE. and a solemn embassy of the principal ministers CHAP. of Joyins, the pretorian prefect, of Valens, mas- #~~~~: ter of the cavalry, and infantry, of thequestor Potamius, and of Julian, the first of the notaries, was introduced, with martial pomp, into the Gothic camp. In the name of their sovereign, they consented to ac::knowledge the lawful election of bis competitor, and to divide the pro.,.inces of Italy and the West between the two emperors. Their proposals were rejected with disdain; and the refusal was aggravated by the insulting clemency of Attalus, who condescended to promise, that, if Honorius would instantly' resign the purple, he should be permitted to pass the remainder of his life in the peaceful exile of some remote island.- So desperate, indeed, did t.he situation of the son of Theodosius appear, to those who were the. best acquainted with his strength and resources, that Jovins and Valens, his minister and his general, betrayed their trust, infamously deserted the ili.nking cause of their benefactor, and devoted their treacherous allegiance to the service' of his more fortunate rival. Astonished by such examples of domestic treason, Honorius trembled at the approach of every servant, at the arrival of every messenger,' He dreaded the secret enemies, who might 11;uk in his capital, his palace, his bed-chamber; and some ships • He ('arried his iDsoleDce 10 far, al to declare that be sbould JDlltilate Honoriu8 before he sent him into exile. But this assertion of ZOIimUS Is destroyed by the more impartial testimony of Olympiodorua, who attributes the uDgeDeroul proposal (which was absolutely rejected . , Attalus) to the ba,eDes5, clDd perhapl the trearhery, of Jovilil. VOL V X Digitized by Google . 306· THE DECLJ~E AND FALL CHAP. lay rea.cly in the harbour of Ravenna, to transh 1 d'lcated . monarch to the d omlmons .. •.,XXXI. •.,•.,. port tea) of his infant nephew, the emperor of the East. H':;Jb- But there is a providence (such at least was ilaric, Y t:he opinion of the historian Procopiu8 ") that A. D. 410. ~ II y; an d t Lue prewatc. h es over'moocence and ,0 tensions of Hononus to its peculiar care cannot reasonably be disputed, At the moment when his despair, incapable of any .wise or manly, resolution, meditated a shameful flight, a sea-. sonable reinforcement of four thousand veterans . unexpectedly landed in the port of Ravenna. To these valiant strangers, whose fidelity had. not been corrupted by the factions of the court, he committed the walls and· gates of th.e city; an~ the slumbers of th~ emperor were no longer disturbed by the apprehension of imminent and internal danger. The favourable intelligencewhich was received from Africa, suddenly changed the opinions of men, and the state of public affairs. The troops and officers, whom Attains had sent into that province, were defeated and slain; and the active zeal of Heracliau maintained his own allegiance, and that of his people. T.he faithful count of Africa transmitted. a large sum of money, which fixed the attachment of the imperial guards;. and his vigilance, in preventing the exportation of corn and oil, introduced fainine, tumult, and discontent, i~to the walls of Rome. The failure of the African expedition, was the source of mutual complaint and recrimination in the party of At- • Procop. de Bell Vandal. I. ~,c: 1,. Digitized by Google 307 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRe. talus; ao.lthemind of his 'proteetor 'was insen- CHAP. sibly alienated frO'm the interest O'Ca: prince,.w~O' ••~~~~,.. wanted spirit to' command, O'r docility to' O'bey. 'Fhe most'imf)rooent me&S'Ul'es weIie adollted, wltiIO'lit the'km)wledge,- or against thetadvice,of Alaric;A and' the O'bstinatlu'efusalofthe seiiate~ to' aH~., ,in the. emhal'kation~. ftre :in~ure even of.ft.Ye bu.w.ed!Gotha, betrayed a~ I!iUspiciOliit and distmstful tempel', whiebJ;;i~1!beir sii~tibn,wa8 neither ~iJero\1S prudent., Th~ rt!sentmenf O't'the GO'thic king w~~eHsperatediby tliemalio-' ciouiral1s O'f JO'vius, w.hO' had1been raiiittm to tlie'" rank of patriCian, and whO' aftetwaM8 exeusecf his,dO'ubleperfidy,bY'dedaring,without It' blU8b~' that he had' only ,MIItHl to' ab~n&m tlte service of'HGnoriuB, mGre eftectoolly to' .mitt' the cimre of the usurper:. In a' large~plllitilieati 'Bimini;: and ill the presence oraD ilit1UiDerablenililtitude: ofRom aDS -and barbal'iata',the w~tbbed AtlaluSi waIP publicly de&poiled O'tttbe diudem ;Iud-purL pIe ;: .and those ensigns of royalty were serit'1)Y' Alari~, as' the: pledge of peace alid ftiendship;' to' the BOD O'f 'Dheodosiu8.c · The offieers whO' retumed.to theif' duty, were reinstated in their eBiplO'yment8,. and even the merit of a tardy repentance was graciously allO'wed: but the degmded f;mpetW of,the Romans, ,desirous of Hfe, and insensible of disgrace, implored the per- nor C See the canle aud circumstancea of the fall or Attallli in Zosimus, 1••i, p. 180-881. Sozomeu, L ix, c. 8. Philostorg. I. xii, c. S. The two acta or indemnity in the Theodosian Code; I. ix, tit. IIXKvili, leg. 11, n, which wore publiaked the 12th of ~'ebruary, and the i!rh of .lIgUI'•• 8; 610. nidwDtly r~late to tm usurper. Digitized by Google 308 . ~HE DECLINE AND FALL mission of following the Gothic camp, in the =~~;.. train of a haughty and capricious barbarian!-' Third' The degradation of Attalus removed the only real obstacle to the conclusion of the peace; and Rome by Alaric advanced within three miles of Ravenna, the Gotha, h' 1" f h' . I .. A. D. 410, to press t e Irreso ubon 0 t e Impena mIDIS-. Au,. sa. ters, whose insolen~e soon returned with the" return offortune. His indignation was kindled by the report, that a rival chieftain, that Sarus~. the personal ene~y of Adolphus, and the hereditary foe of the bouse of Balti, had bet:n receiyed ~nto the palace. At, the head of three hundred followers, that fearless barbarian immediately sallied fl'om the gates of Ravenna; surprised, and cut in pieces, a considerable body of Goths; re-entered the city.in triumph;. and was permitted" to .insult his adversary, by the voice ofa herald, :who publicly declared: that the guilt of Alaric bad for ever excluded· him from the friendship and alliance ofthe emperor.· The crime and folly of the court of Ravenna was expiated, a thir,d time, by the calamities of Rome. The king of the Goths, who no longer dissembled his appetite for plunder and revenge, appeared in at:ms under the walls of the capital; and the trembling senate, without any hopes of relief, prepared, by a desCHAP :e::;d d 10 hoc, Alaricos, imperatore, facto, iofecto, rcfecto,. ac defecto. • • • Mimum risit, et lodom lpectavit imperii. Oroaiaa, I. yii, c.4t, p.582. e Zosimo8, I. vi, p. 384. Sozomeo, I, ix, c. 9. PhilOitorciul, I. so. c.,. In tbis place the text of ZOlimO. il motilated, aud we han loIt the remainder of hil".ixth aod lut book, which ended with tJle Dck of Rome. CredololU .and partial as he is. we mUlt take oar lean of IlIat historian with some feInt. Digitized by Google 309 OP THB ItOMAN EMPlltE. perate resistance, to delay the ruin'oftheir coun- CHAP. try. But they were unable to guard againlt the ••~~~~'.. secret conspiracy of their slaves and domestics; who, either from birth or interest, were attached to the cause of the enemy. At the hour of midnight, the Salarian gate was silently opened, and the inhabitants were awakened by the tremendous sound of the Gothic trumpet. Eleven hundred and sixty-three years after the foundation of Rome, the Imperial city, which had subdued and civilized so considerable a part of mankind, was delivered to the licentious fury of the tribes of Germany and Scythia.' , The proclamation of Alaric, when he forced R..~ctOf his entrance into a vanquished city, discovered, :: th: tbl however, some regard for the laws of humanity re Chl~i~ti.. • • . • 'Blon. and rehglOn. He encouraged hIs troops boldly . to seize the rewards of valour, and to enrich themselves with the spoils of a wealthy and effeminate people: but he exhorted them, at the' same time, to spare the lives of the unresisting citizens, and to respect the churches of the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, as holy and inviolable sanctuaries. Amidst the horrors of a nocturnal tumult, several of the Christian Goths displayed the fervour of a recent conversion; and some instances of their uncommon piety f Adelt Alarieu, trepidam Romam obllidet, tarba, irramplt; Oroainl, I. vii, c.ID, p. 1173. He despatches this great event in leVen wordJ ; but be employs whole palel in celebrating the devOtioD of the Gotha. I have extracted from au improbable ItOry of Procoplu, the circomataoees wbich had an air of probabilit,. Procop. de BeU. Vandal. I. i, c. 2. He 10ppOlel, that the cit, was lorpriaed while the lenaton alept in tbe afternooo; bot Jerom, with more authorit, and more ..... lon, aftirlDl, that it was iu tbe night, Docte Moab carta eat; DUCtAl cecio 4Iit murua ejua, tom. i, p. 121, ad PriDcipWn. Digitized by Google 310 'FJJ£ R~~NE ~J) ;FAU. . CHAP. and mod~ ..lt.tion are related, aQd perhaps adOl'll~ _~~~~~. ed, by the ~eal of ecclesiastical writers.' Wh~le the barbarians roamed through the city inquest of prey, tbe bumble dwelling Of an aged virgiu, wbo bad devoted her life to tbe service of tke altar, was forced open by one of the ·powerful Goths. He immediately demanded, though in civil language, all tbe gold and silver in. berpossession; and was astonished at ,the readineh ·with which .she, condlJcted him to a splendid hoard of massy p1ate. of the richest mateFial~ and the most curious ,w.orkmanship. . The barbarian viewed with woqder and delight this n,.. luable acquisition, till he 'Was interruphed by ~ serious a~onit.ion, addressed to him.in the following wordB.-'~These," liIaid sbe, '! are the " consecratedyessell belonging to St. Peter; if " you presume to touch them, the sacri1egious "deed will remain on your conscience. For " my part, I dare not keep what I ~m unable to "defend." The Gothic captain. struck with reverential awe, despatohed a messenger to inform tile king of the treasure which he had discovered; and r.eceived. a peremptory order from Alaric,. tbat all the.consecrated plate and orB8Illents should ,be tl'Iausported; without damage Of,de!ay"to the church of the apostle.. .. From ~ Oroliaa (I. vii, c. S9, p.nS;676) appl~ad. the piety oJ the Christia~ Goths, ·.itho~t se~mti,lg to perc~i.e that the krea:telt p'a.rt of them were Arian here~ic.. J:o~andel, (c. 30, p. 663), aad I~idore of Sevine. (Cliron. p. 7iot, edit. Gro';) who 1I!'ere both'attaclled to the Gothic callie, hn~ repea~rd· aad ell\beUiahed tb~.e edifying tal eA. Acc\lrding to Iiidore, Alaric hh,D8r.lf was'hea,rd"o lay; that be ·waged war with the Romans, and Dot with the apostles. 8\1ch Willi the style o'f"t1ie aeventh crntnry; two hundred yean before, tbe faDle aad me~t h.d brea .,. erilJed, not to the apo.lles, but to Christ. ' Digitized by Google 311 0.' THE 'ROMAN EMPIRE. the extremity, perhaps, of the Quirinal hill, to ~H~r the distant quarter of the Vatican, a numerous u~~ detachment of Goths, marching in order of battle through the principal streets. protected, 'With glittering arms, the long train of their de'fout companions, who bore aloft, Oil their heads, the sacred vessels of gold and silver; and the ~nartial shouts of the barbarians were mingled ",ith the sound of religious psalmody. From aU the adjacent houses, a crowd of Christians hastened to join this edifying procession; and a multitude of fugitives,' without distinction or age, or rank, or eyen of seCt, had the good fortUDe to escape to the sec~re and hospitablesanctuary of the Vatican.', The learned work, concerning the City qf God, was professedly composed by St. Augustin, to justify thewaysof,Providence in the destruction of the Roman greatness. He celebrates, with peculiar satisfac'" tion, this memorable triumph of Christ '; and insults his adversaries, by challenging them to prod uee 80me similar example, of a town taken by storm, in which the fabulous gods of antiquity bad been able to protect either themselves, or their deluded votaries.· In the sack of Rome, some rare and extraor· Pill~e dinary examples of barbarian virtue had been :;~o:e., deservedly applauded. But the holy precincts of the Vatican,and the apostolic churches, could receive a very small proportion of the Roman people: many thousand warriors, more especially of the Huns, who served under the stand. .: • See Augustin, de Ci..itat. Dei,l. i, c. 1..6. Heparticularlyappeu &0 the examples of Troy, Syracule, IUId 'rarentlllll. Digitized by Google .. 312 THE DECLINE AND PALL ard of Alaric, were strangers to the name, or at .~~~~:Jeast to the faith, of Christ; and we may suspect, without any breach of charity or can dour, that, in the hour of savage license, when every 'passion was inflamed, and evel'Y restraint was. remov~d, the precepts of the gospel seldom influenced the behaviour of the Gothic Christians. The writers, the best disposed to exaggerate their cl~mency, had freely confessed, that a cruel slaughter was made of the Romans;' and that the streets of the city were filled with dead bodies, which remaine,d without burial during the general consternation. The despair of the citizens was sometimes converted into fury; and whenever the barbarians were provoked by opposition, they extended the promiscuous massacre to the feeble, the innocent, and the helpless. The private revenge of forty thousand slaves was exercised without pity or remorse; and the ignominious lashes, which they had formerly received, were washed away in the blood of the guilty, or obnoxious, families. The matrons and virgins of Rome were exposed to injuries more dreadful in the apprehension of chastity, than death itself; and the ecclesiast!cal historian bas selected an example of feCHAP. I Jerom (tom. i, p. 121, ad Priocipiam) hu applied to the lack of aome all the .trong expreuiona of Virgil.Quia c1adem ilJiuI nDctia, quia funera fando, Explicet, &c. Procopiul (I. i, c. i) positively affirma that great numbers were slain by tile Gotba. Augustin (de Civ. Dei, I. i, c.li, IS) offen Christian comfort for tbe deatb of thOle, wbORe bodies (muutitm'JI6f'G) bad remainl:d (ill tam4lfrage) nnburied. Baronju8"from the diiferent writings of the Fllthers, has tbrowu .ome light 00 the sai:k of Itoole. Aoual Keele•• A. J) '10, No. 16-44•. Digitized by Google 313 OF THE RO)f,\N EHPlltE.· male nrtue~ for the admiration of future ages." .CRA P • .A Roman lady, of. singular beauty and ortho-..~~~~: .. :dox faith, had excited the impatient desires of a young Goth, who, according to the sagacioual remark of Sozomen. was attached to the Arian heresy. Exasperated by her obstinate resistance, he drew his sword, and, with the anger . of a lover, slightly wounded her ueck. The bleeding heroine still continued to brave his . resentment, and to repel his love, till the ravisher desisted from his unavailing efforts, . respectfully conducted her to the sanctuary of the Vatican, and gave six pieces of gold to the ·guards of the church, on condition that they :should restore her inviolate to the arms of her husband. Such instances of courage and generosity were not extremely common. The brutal soldiers satisfied their sensual appetites, without consulting either the inclination, or the duties, of their female captives: and a nice question of casuistry was seriously agitated, Whether those tender victims, who had inflexibly refused their consent to the violation which they sustained, had lost, by their misfortune, .the glorious crown of virginity?' There were .. Sozomea, I. Is, c. 10. Anp_tiD (de Civitat. Dei, I. i, c.lf) inti. mllta, that lome virginl or matrons .ctnally killed themRh'e& to escape violation; and thongb he admires their spirit, be is obliged, by hi. theology, to condemn their rash presumption. Perhaps tbe good bilbop uf Hippo, was too easy in tbe belief, as well as too rigid in tbe cenanre, &f tbis act of female beroism, The twenty maiden_, (iftbey ner existed), wllo threw themselves into the Elbe, whrn Magdebnrgb wal takeD by Itorm, llavl! been multiplied to the number of twelve hundred. See Harte's History of Gllstavns Adolphns, vol. i, p. 1108. , Sec Auguftu. dl: Chitat. ))"i, I. i, c. lO,18. He trtatl lhe IlIbje.:t , .i~ Digitized by Google SJ4 ~E DECIJNE AND PALL other losses indeed ot a more substantial kind, _~~~:.. and more general'concern. It cannot be presumed, that all the barbarians were at'all times .capable of perpetrating. such amorous outrages; and the want of youth, or beauty, or chastity, protected th~ greatest part of the Roman womeh. hom the danger of a rape. But avarice is an insatiate and universal passion; since the enjoyment of almost every object 'that can affortl pleasure to the different tastes and tempers of mankind, may be procured by the possession of wealth. In the pillage of ROdle, a just preference was gi yen to gold and jeweli; which contain the greatest value in the smallest compass and weight: but, after these portable riches had been removed by the more diligent robbers, the palaces of Rome were rudely stripped of their splendid and costly furniture. The sideboards of massy plate, and the variegated wardrobes of silk and purple, were irregularly piled in the waggons, that always followed the march of a Gothic artIly. The Iildst exquisite 'Works of art were roughly handled, or wantonly destroyed; many a statue was melted for the sake of the precious materials; and many a vase, in the division of the spoil, was shivered into fragments by the stroke of a battle-axe. The aeCHAP. with remarkable accuracy; aDd aftl'r admittiDg that there caDDOt he aD, crime, where there ia 1l0CODIeDt, he add.. Sed quia DOD IOIDlD quod ad dolorem, nrum etiam quod ad libidiDem, perliDet, m corpore alino perpetrari potut; quicquid tak (actum (uerit, etsi reteDtam cooataatiasimo aDimo pudicitiam DOD eJ:cutit, pudorem tamen mcutit, De eredatur factum cum mentis E'liam voluDtate, qnodfieri (ortUle aiae canail aliqul voluptate non potuit. ID c. 18, he makel lome curioul diatillctionl between moral alld physical vir&iDity. Digitized by Google ~ Ui Of' THE ROMA); EIIPIRE. quisition of riches Iet'veci only to stimulate tke CHAP. avarice of the rapaciolts barbarians,. who, pro- ,..~~:.. ceeded, by threats, by blows, and by tortures, to force from their prisoners the confession of hidden treasnre." Visible splendour and expence were alleged as the proof Of a plentiful fortune: the appearance of poverty was irn. puted to a parsimonious disposition; and the obstinacy of some misers, who endured the most cruel torments before they would discover the secret object of their affection, was fatal to many unhappy wretches, who expired under the lash, fuJI ref\lsitlg tG reveal their'imaginary tt~asures. The edifices of Rome, though the damage has been Bluch exaggerated, received some injury from the violence of the Goths. ~t their entrance through the Salarian gate, they fired the adjacent houses tu guide their march, and t'o distract the attention of the citizens: 1he flames which encountered no obstacle in the disorder of the night, consumed many private and public buildings; and the ruins of the palace of Sallust- remained, in the age of Justinian, a stately monument of the Gothic ... Marcella, a Roman lady, equally respectable for ber rank, ber .,e, and her piety, I'll thrown OD the ground, and cruelly beaten and whipped, clIBaam fll.tibn. ftqelliaque, .!cc. Jerom. tom. i, p. 121, ad PriDcipiam. See Allgustin, de Ci,. Dei, I. i, c. 10. Tbe modern "cco di Roma, p. 208, ei'eI au idea of the VariOUI metbQcb of torturill, priloners for cold • • The laiatorian Salimi, wbo DlDany practilt!d the vicrl which be 1.... 10 rloquentJ,. cl'nsQred, employed the plnnder of Numidia to adora Ilia palacc and gardena on the Quirinal bill. 'I'he .pot wbere the honllo atood, ia now ma"'ted by tbe churcb of St. SnYllna, Heparated oDly by a atrel't from the batha of Diocietian, ud Dot far diatant from tbe &alariau pte. See Nardini, ROllla Antlca, p.IO, 191, and lbe 'r.... PIa .r l\lodern Rome, b,. Nolli. Digitized by Google :JUS THE DECLINE AND FALL conBagration.- Yet a contemporary historian . lloP#has observed, that fire could scarcely consume the enormous beams of solid brass, and tba~ the strength of man was insufficient to subvert the foundations of ancient structures. Some trutb way possibly be concealed in his devout assertion, that the wrath of Heaven supplied the imperfections of hostile rage; and that the proud Forum of Rome, decorated with the statues of so many gods and heroes, was levelled in the dust by the stroke of lightning.' CllpttYel Whatever might be the numbers of equestrian, alld fnp. or plebeian rank, who perished in the massacre tive•• of Rome, it is confidently affirmed, that on]y one senator lost his ]ife by the sword of the enemy.'! But it was not easy to compute the CHAP. XXXI. _1..... e The expressiona of ProcopinI are distinct and moderate, (de BeD. Vandal. I. i, c. 2). The Chronicle of Marcellin1ll ap"ak8 too stroDg, part~m Ilrbis RomlB cremavit; and the words of Philostorgiul, (u . •p......~ 3. I. xii, c. 3), convey a false and exaggerated idea. BarglBDI hal composed a particular dilllertation, (lee tom. iv, Anliqllit. Rom. Gl1llv.) to prove thllt the edifices of Rome were not .ubverted by the Gotba and Vandal •• p Or08i1l8, I. ii, e. 19, p.14I. He apr-akl u if he dilapproved allatatuesl vel Deum vel hominem meutiuntur. They consisted oftbe kinp of Alba and Rome from .!!:neas, the Romllus, iIIustrions either in arma or arts, aud ihe deified ClBlan. The expression which he ules of FortIm i8 lome"hat ambiKuou8, since then: exibted fir:e principal F_; bllt al they were all contiguous and adjacellt, iu rhe plain w bieh is lorronnded by the Capitoline, the Qnirinal, the Esquiline, and the Palatine hilla, they might fairly be eonaidered as //lie. See the Roma Antiqna of DODatns, p. 162.201, aDd the Roma Antica of Nardini, p. 212273. The former il more uleful for the ancient deacriptioD., the latter (or the actnal topography. q Orosiu. (I. ii, c. 19, p. 142) comparrs the cruelty of the Ganls and the clemeDcy of the Goth.. Ibi vix quemqnam iDventnm .enatorem, qui nl abaenl.evaserit; hie vix quem'tnam requiri, qui forte ullateal perierit. But there ia lin air of rhetoric, and perhaps of falsehood, in tbis Ilntilbesia; lind Socrales (I. vii, c. 10) affirm., perhaps by aD oppo,eDatora were put to death with vui".. ailc "xag~eration, tbat and exquisite tortures. TIl, ..."..., ""f'''.', IIUIII, Digitized by Google 311 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRP. multitudes, who, from an honourable station,. CHAP. and a prosperous fortune, were suddenly reduc- :.~~:... ed to the miserable condition of captives 'and exiles. As the barbarians had more occasion for money than for slaves, they fixed, at a mo"derate price, the redemption of. their indignant prisoners; and the ransom was often paid by the benevolence of their friends, or the charity of strangers: The captives who were regularly' sold, either in open market, or by private contract, would have legally regained their native freedom, which it was impossible for a citizen to lose, or to alienate.' But as it was soon dis- . covered, that the vindication of their liberty would endanger their lives; and that the Goths, unless they were tempted to sell, might be provoked murder, their useless prisoners; the civil jurisprudence had been already quaUfied by a wise regulation, that they ShOllld be obliged to serve the moderate term of five years, till they had discharged by their labour the price of their redemption.t The nations who invaded the Roman empire, had driv~n before them, into Italy, whole troops of hungry and affrighted provincials, less apprehensive of servitude than offamine. The calamities of Rome and Italy dispersed the inhabitants to the most lonely, the most secure, the most distant places to • Multi • • • Christiaui in captivitatem dllcti Inut. Angustin. de Civ. Dei, I. i, c. 14; and the Christians experienced no peculiar hanl. ahipl. • Set: Heineccins, Autiquitat. JuriaRolDlln. to~. i, p. 96. • Appendix Cod. Theodos. xvi, in Sirmond. Opera, tom. i, p.116. Thil edict was published the 11th of December, .A. D. 408, and is more RUGnable _than properly beloDled to the ministers of HonorlUl. Digitized by Google :U 8 TRR DECLDrE .!fD PAIL . CHAP. of refuge. While the Gothic C8'Yairy spread _~~~:. terror and desolation alGng the. seo.'-Coast of Campania and Tuscany, the little island of 19ilium, separated by a narrow channel from thft Argentarian promontory, repulsed, or eluded,. their hostile attempts; and at 118 small a di~ tance from Rome, great Dumbers of citizens! were securely concealed in the thick woods of. that sequestered spot.· The ample patrimo-. Dies, which many senatorian families possessed in Africa, invited them, if they had time, and pndence, to escape from the ruin of their coun., try;. and to embrace the shelter of that hospitable province. The most illustrioulil of these fugitives was the noble and pious Proba," the widow of the prefect Petronius. After the Eminu. Igllli Iylvola elleumina miroi'; Qllemfrauda.-c ne"" laud" bODore ... H~ ptoprioa noper totata elt insula n1tu j Sive loci ingenio, seo Dom~ni genio. Gariite enm mudico ,iatritiltoS OII*tltit a.... Tanquam longioquo diuociata lIIari. Hec multos laeerllnlcepit ab·urbe fugatos, . Hie fellia poaito terta timore·lal... Plurima terrnlo populaverat l114uora bello', Cootra oatoram dUll' tlmendul eque. Uoom, mira fidH, vario diserimioC' portpm ! Tam prope Romanis, tam procul eue Getil. Rutilio., in Itinerar. L I, UI. The island II now called Giglio. Selt C1uver. Ital.. ADtiq. I. Ii, II . ~IM. • As the adventnres of Prob. aod her family are connected with tbe life of St. Angullin, they are diliJently iDutrated by 'T\UtDiont, .M... EcclH. tom. xiii, p. 620·635. Sometime after their anini ia Afiica, Demetriu took the veil, aod made a vow of vlrpaity; an eveot whicia wal conaldered al of tbe highHt importallce to Rome anet to the world. All the &mit, wrote coo,ratulatory letters to her; that of Jerom il still elltant, (tom. i, p. 62.'1'3, and Demetriad. de .t'r"an~ Vir,ioilat.) and cootalD. a mixture of ablurd reaaoniag,'plrited decJa.. matioD, aud CUriOUI fact .. lOme ofwhieh relate to the liege and lick of Rome. Digitized by Google 319 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. «leath of her husband, the most powerful sub- CHAP. j~ct Rome, she had remained at the ·head of':~~:.. t~e Anici3lJ. family, and successively supplied, ffOlll her private fortune, the expence of the . cDBsulships of her three sons. When the city was besieged· and taken by the Goths, Proba 3upported, with Christian resignation, the loss of immense riches; embarked in a small vessel, from whence she beheld, at sea, the Barnes of' her burning palace, and fled with her daughter Lmta, and her grand-daughter, the celebrated virgin, Demetrias, to the coast of Africa. The benevolent profusion with which the matron distributed the fruits, or the price, of her estates, contributed to alleviate the misfortunes of exile and captivity. But even the family of Proba herself was not exempt from the rapacious oppression of Count Heraclian, who basely sold, in matrimonial prostitution, the noblest maidens of Rome, to the lust or avarice of the Syrian merchants. The Italian fugitives were dispersed.through the provinces, along the coast of Egypt and Asia, as far as Constantinople and Jerusalem; and the village of Bethlem, the solitary residence of St. Jerom arid his female converts, was crowded with illustrious beggars of either sex, and every age, who excited the public compassion by the remembrance of their past fortune. J This awful catastrophe of Rome filled the astonished empire with grief and tertor. So interesting a contrast of greatness and ruin, disposed to the fond credulity of the people of r Ie!! tl)e pathetic cllmplaiDt of Jerom, (tom. y. p. (00). in hi. preface to the second book of hia Commentaries on the prophct EzekieL Digitized by Google 320 THE DECUN& AND PALL CHAP. to deplore, and even to exaggerate, the aftlic... ~~~:. tions of the queen of cities. The clergy, who applied to recent events the lofty metaphors or oriental prophecy, were sometimes tempted to confound the destruction of the capital, and the dissolution of the globe. . Slick o( There exists in human nature a strong pro~~~!~s pensity to depreciate the advantages, and to orCnrle. magnify the evils, of the present times. Yet, v. when the first emotions had subsided, and a fair estimate was made of the real damage, the more learned and judicious contemporaries were forced to confess, that infant Rome had formerly received more essential injury from the Gauls, than she had now sustained from the Goths in her dec1ining age: The experience of eleven centuries has enabled posterity to produce a much more singular parallel; and to affirm with confidence, that the ravages 9f the barba, rians, whom Alaric had led from the banks of the Danube, were less destructive,· than the hostilities exercised by the troops of'Charles V, a catholic prince, who styled hims.elf emperor of the Romans: The Goths evacuated the • OrOAill', thOllgh with lome theological partiality, ,tates this co.... pari.on, I. ii, c. 19, p. 142; I. vii, c. 39, p. 070. But, in the history 01 tbe taking of Rome by the Gaul, every thing is un·certain, aud peril.,. lab 111011.. St'e Beanfort sur l'Incertitude; &c. de I'Histoire RomaiAe, p. 806; and Melot, in tbe Mem. de l'Academie desluscript. tom. xv, p. 1-21. • Tbe readrr who wislles to inform himst'lf of' the circumstanrel of this famolls nen!, may pt'fuse an ~dmirable uarrath'e iu Dr. Robertson's History of Charles V, vol. ii, p. 283; or consnlt tbe Aunali d'Ita· lia of the learued Muratori, tom. xiv, p. 230.244, octavo edition. If be b desirous of examining the origiuals, he may have resou·rce to the I!ighteeath book of the great, but unfinished, history of Guicciardiai. Bat Digitized by Google 321 OF 'TIftt ROMAH BMPIRE.· , " eity:at the Emd 'of six days, hutRoine remained. above CHAP. nine months ,rn the possession of the im- #~~!:. per~alis.ts; and every hour was stained by some atrocious act of Cfllelty, lust, and rapine. : The: authority of Alaric preserved'. some order' and: moderation among the ferocious multitude, . which acknowledged him for their leader and, king: but the constable of Bourbon had glon...: ously faUen in th~ attack of the walls; and the. death of the generaJ removed every restraint of, disCipline, from an. army which .. consisted of three independent natjons, the Italians, the Spa-: niards, .and the Germans. In the beginning of the sixteenth century, the ,manners of Italy exhibited a remarkabl~ scene. of the depravity • of mankind .. They ,uolted.the sanguinary crimesl tbat prevail in an unSetded·;state ofSociety, with; the polished.vices that spring from the abuse: of art and luxury; :and' the. loose: adventurers~ who had violated e:v.eliY 'prejudice ofpatriotislD and superstition to assault the palace of the. Roman pontiff, must·.deserve to be considered. as the most pro,fliga,te of the Italiatu. At the same era, the Spaniat.ds were. the terror: bo.th of; the Old and New Wodd:: .but t.hei\' high-spirited valour was disgraced by gloomy pride, rapacious avarice, and 'unrelenting cruelty. Indefatigable in the, pursuit of fame and riches, they had improved~ by repeated pl'actice, the But tbe account wbicb most truly dt'St"rvE'1 tbe name of alltill'ntic and original, i. a little book; entitled, 11 Sa~C6 di Romll, eompo,('d, withiu Ie.. than 0& montb after tile assallit of the diy, by the brother of Ih(' historian Gnicciardilli, wilo appears to hav(' b.... n an ablem3gishate, and • diapassionate write.". VOL. V. y Digitized by Google nt THIt DECLlNB AND PALL CHAP. most exquisite and effectual methods of tortu.... ' XXXI.. . ,.,.,.,.,.,.,._lDg t h' elr prIsoners; many 0 fthe Cuti'11'lans, W h0 pillaged Rome, were familiars of the holy inquisition; and some volunteers, perhaps, were lately returned from the conquest of Mexico. The Get'fI&II.RI were less corrupt than the Ita· lians, less cruel than the Spaniards; and the rustic, or even savage, aspect of thosc TrGtfIM&. tane warriors, 'often disguised a simple and merCiful disposition. But they had imbibed, in the first fervour of the reformation, the spirit, as well as the prinCiples, of Luther. It was their favourite amusement to insult, or destroy, the consecrated objects of catholic superstition; they indulged, without pity or remOlfle, a devout hatred against the clergy of every denomination and degree, who form so considerable a part of the inhabitants of modem Rome; and their fanatic zeal might aspire to subvert the tbrone of Antichrist, to purify, with blood and fire, the abominations of the spiritual Babylon.' Alaric ...The retreat of the victorious Goths, who eva· :::audcuated Rome on the sixth day: lDight be the i::lagc1 result of prudence; but it was not surely the y, ' ~. D. 410.. effect 01 fear.· At the head of an army, encum,.og.2II. : • The fiJriOUl Ipirit of Lather, the el'ect of temper aDd ~nlboai-. haa been'forcibly attacked, (Bounet, Hilt. dea Variationa d~ Egli.H Proteltantel, livre i, p. 10-16), IUId feebly defellded, (Seekeudon, Comment. de l-ntheraniamo, eapecially 1. i, No. 7'8, p. 110, and L iii, No. 122. p. 616). ,c Marcellinu, in Chrou. Oroaiua, (I. vii, c. 19, p. Si6), a..erta, tbat he left Rome on the lAird day ; but thia dil'~retlcc ia eaail1 recoociktl by the locce.ain motionl of great bodiea of troop.. • Socratea (I. vii, c. 10) pretends, without any eolonr of trotll, or r . IOU, tbat Alaric fled on tbe "port, that the armiea of the eute,. .pin .ue in fun march to attack him. ' Digitized by Google oP THE M3 ROMAN RMPIRIL ~red'witb rich and weigbty.~iIs;.their!in~, ~~~~. pltl leader advanced along the Apptan: 'w8!J0ID...... to' the southern provinces of Italy; destroying' Wftatever dared to oppose bis pessage, and eon.. , tenting bimself witb, the pl1.lllldet' of. the uore-· siStmg country~ The fate of'CapuaJ the:pooad· and·luJfurioos mebopolis .0£: Campania, and! which was,respected; even.in its decal,., as the· t!ighth citY'oftheempil'e: is buriedia.obliviOD:;· Wliilst'.he·ad,;a.eent·town of: N.ola' heS' beeD il-. lustmted, OR this occasion, by the sanctitY. of Paulinus,' who was successiveI" a: consul,: ai monk, and a· bishop. At the age of fortY7 be renounced the enjoyment ofwealth·and honour~ of society and literature, to embrace a life·ofl solitude and penance; and the loud. appl..-e, ofithe clergy encouraged him. ~ despise tae' reproaches 'of his worldly friends, w:ho ascribed' this desperate act to some disorder of the. mind. orb0dy." An earlyaftd'passienateattachment determined him to fix his humble dwelliag in. # . . ,. . . . . • AUlonius de Claria UrbibuI, p. 23S, edit; Toll; The luxury of c:.pua· had formerl" larpuled that of Srbaria .~"f. See. AtIIt__·; Delpnolophilt. I. xii, p. 6118, edit. Cuallbon. t Forty-eight yean before the fonndation of Rome, (aboua 800 lIefore the Christian era), the Tnecan. built Capna and Nola, at the. dl.....ee of twe.nty-thrt!e miles ftom each other; but th\! latter of the two citie. neYer emerged from a ltatl: of mediocrity. . I Tlllemont (Melll>Eccle•• tom. xiy, p.,1-14CJ)hucompiled,witbhia. 1IIuai diligence, all that relatea to the life and ~ri"lIp' of Paulinlll,. who.e retreat i. celebrated by hi. own pen. and by the praisel of St. Ambrose, St. JerOlD, St. Au&nltin, Slllpleiul 8eYente,&c.bieCbrildaa friends alld contenaporariea. • See tbe aft'ectionate letten of Auenin. (epiat, xix-xlIi"_ p. 850698, edit. Toll.) to hia colleague, hi' friend, and his dileiple, I'uIinnl. The rclicion of ADloniu. is still a problem, (He MCIIII. de I"Academie del Inlcription" tOlD. n. p. 1~-lB8). I believe tba., it. 'Wa. lucb in his own time, and consl:quently, tbat in m. heart,he a ,.,an. w. Digitized by Google ::24 THE DECI4NE AND .FALL, one of the suburbs of Nola, near the mi....· xxxr. culous tomb of St. ,Helix, which t4e public -".~,.~~ devotion had already surrounded 'with five large and popul~us churches. The, remains, of his fortune; and, of his understanding, we1'&. dedicated, 'to the service of th~ glorious mar-, tyr; whose praise, on the day of his festival, Paulinus never failed to celebrate by a solemn hymn; and in whose name he erected a, sixth church, of superior elegance and beauty, which was decorated with many curious pictures, from the Histo~y of the old and New Testament. Such assiduous zeal secured the favour of the saint: or at least· of the people; and, after, fifteen years retirement, the ROlll11n consul was, compelled to accept the bishopric of Nola, a, few months ,before, the city was. invested by the. Goths~' .During the.siege, some religious persons were satisfied that they had seen, either in dreams or visions; the divine form of their tute-, lar patron; yeLit soon appeared by the event, that Helix wanted power, or inclination, to pr~ serve the :Rock, of which he had formerly beeD the shepherd. Nola was not saved from the general devastation;k and the captive bishop was protected only by the general opinion of his innocence and poverty., About four years elapsed from the successful invasion of Italy by the arms of Alatic, to the voluntrary ~etreat of CHAP. I The humble P~nliaus Dace prtlnmed to say, that he belined Sf. Felix did love hini; at leut, u a malter lovel his little dOC. I< See JorDandes, de Reb. Gtt. c. 30, p. 653. Philo.torgin., I. siit e.I., AUlustiD, de Civ. Dei, I. I, c. 10. BaroDins, ADDai. Eecl. . A. D. ,i&l0. No. 41i. 48... Digitized by Google 324 01' THE ROMAN EMPIRE. the Goths under the conduct of his successor CHAP. Adolphus; and, during the whole time, they ....~~~~~. reigned without controu.. over a country, which, Poul'ni. in the opinion of the ancients, had united all the b;~~~taIY various excellencies of nature and art. The pros- Goth., perity, indeed, which Italy had attained in the :u~· ~ auspicious age of the Antonines, had gradually declined with the decline of the empire. ,The fruits of a long peace perished under the rude grasp of the barbarians; and they themselves , were incapable of tasting the more elegant refinement of luxury, ~hich had been prepared fur the use of the soft and polished Italians. Each soldier, however, claimed an ample portion of the substantial plenty, ~he corn and cattle, oil and wine, that was daily collected, and consumed, in the Gothic camp; and the principal warriors insulted the villas, and gardens, once inhabited by Lucullus and Cicero, along the beauteous coast of Campania. Their trembling captives, the sons and daughters of Ro. man senators, presented, in goblets of gold and gems, large draughts of Falernian wine, to the haughty victors; who stretched their huge limbs under the shade of plane-trees/ artificially disposed to exclude the scorching rays, and to admit th'e genial warmth, of the sun. There I The plat_, or pl8.lle-tree, was a fa'fourite of the 8.IICient1i by Whom it was propagated, for the lake of shade, from the East to Gaul. Pliny, Hilt. Natur. xii, 3, 4, 6. He mentions several of an euormoUl Iize; one in the imperial 'filla at Velitne, which Caligula Clalled his nelt, as the bnmches were capable of boldin, a farge table, the proper attendantl, and the emperor hilU8rlr, wbom Pliny qllaintly atyles ptIf" Ii• • ; an exprenion which migbt, with equal reason, be applied tu ~laric. Digitized by Google 326 THE DECLINE AND FALL delights were enhanced by the memory of past 'f ' native , SOh, .• t he comparIson 0 t helr . . the bleak and barren hills of Scythia, and the frozen banks of the.Elbe, and Danube, adGed new charms to the felicity of the Italian. cli~ mate. Dnth of W;hether fame, or conquest, or riches, were !~~:t'410. the 6hj~ct ofAlaric,be.pnrs~d flhat obj~t.with an indefatigable ardour, which could neither' be queUed by adversity, nor satiated by 811CCCSS.. N.o sooner had he reached the extreme land of Italy, than he ·was attracted by the neighbouring prospect· of a fertile and pea.ceful island. Yet even the possession of Sicily be considered only as an intermediate step to the importa~t expedition, which he already meditated apinst the continent of Africa. The straits of Rhe-. gium and Messina- are twelve miles in length, and, in the narrowest passage, about one mile and a half broad; and ·the fabulous monsten of the deep, the rocks of Scylla, and the whirlpool of Charybdis, could terrify none but the Blost timid and unskilful mariners. Yet as CHAP, h' ••XXXI, or..,.., hardSIpS; M .. TIle pr..trate South Ie the Ilestroyer Jielu Her bQuted titlea, and her ICllcien tielda : With grim delight the brood of winter yiew a\ IwIc.ter day, and Ria of uure hue; .8cent ~ new fragl'Ulce of the opeDillg rote, And qullft'the pendant vintage u it grOWl. lee Gray'. Poems, pnblished by Mr. Muon, p. 191. Inltrad of cClJll" pHinr tables of chronology and natnral hiltory, why did Dot Ifr. Gny apply the powe" of bi, genins to finilh the philolophic poem, of whid• • e hal left Inch an exqui.ite lpecimen ? • For the perfect de'cription of the Straitl of Me"ina, Se,lla, Charybdis, &c. lee ClunriuI, Clt~l. Antiq. I. h·, p. I19S), and licilia Antiq. I. i, p. 60-16), who had diligently studied the ant'it'nts, .... ..rl'eled with. cnrion. eye the actnal race oftbe country. Digitized by Google 3t7 OJ' TIlE ROMAN DIPDlP.. 1I00n as die first division of the Goths had eoi- CHAP. barked, a sudden tempest arose, which sunk, _~. or scattered, many of the transports; their courage was daunted by the terrors of a new element; and the whole design was defeated by the premature death oC Alaric, which fixed, after a' short illness, the fatal term. of his conquests. The ferocious character of the barbarians was displayed, in the funeral of a hero,· :who.e valour, and fortune, they celebrated with mournful applause. By the labour of a captive multitude, they forcibly diverted the course of the Btisentinus, a small river that washes the walle of Consentia. The I'oyal sepulchre,' adorned with the splendid spoils, and trophies, of Rome, was constructed in the vacant bed; the waters were then restored· to their natural channel; and the secret spot, where the remains of Alaric had been deposited, was for ever concealed by the inhuman massacre of the prisoners, who had been employed to execute· the work.- . The personal animosities, and hereditary feuds' Adolpha of the barbarians, were suspended by the strong ~~fJ:~,. necessity of their affairs; and the brave Adol- :o:~:~ea _phus, the brother-in-law of the deceased mowith the empift,' . narch, was unanimously elected to succeed to and mar: . Gaul, cheainto ' th rone. The ch aracter and poI"IDcaI system hIS of the new king of the Goths, may be best un- A. D. 411. derstood from his own conversation with an illustrious citizen of Narbonne; who afterwards, in a pilgrimage to the Holy Laud, related it to ,•./ornandes, de Reb. Get. c. 10, p. 654. Digitized by Google 3i8·. THE DECLINE AND PALL St. Jeroin, :in the presence of the historian Oro "In. th~ full confidence of valour and "--"'." victory, I once aspired (said Adolphus) to c~ change the face of the universe.; to obliterate ce the name of Rome; to erect on its ruins the U dominion of the Goths; and to acquire, like ,~ Augustus, the immortal fame of the founder '! oCa new, ~mpire. By repeated experiments, ce.J was; gfadually. convim;:ed, that laws are ce. essentially necessary to maintain and rega'~late a well-constituted state; and. that the ce fierce untractable humour of the Goths was "incapable of bearing the .salutary yoke of '~laws, and. civil government. FrOID that mo'~ ment I proposed to ~yself a different object ce of glory. and ambition; and it is now my sin ,~ cere wish, that the gratitude of future ages ce should acknowledge the merit of a stranger, " who employed the sword of the Goths, not to " subvert, but to restore and maintain, the pros" perity. of the Roman empire."p .With these pacific views, the successor of Alaric suspended ... theoperatiQns-ofwar.; and,setioll)3ly negotiated with·the imperial' court-a:treaty of friendship 8lld alliance. . It was the' interest of the ministel'liI.of. H0110riu8,wb() were now released from tbe ~bligation: of their·extravagant. oath, to deliv.er .Italy: .from the· intolerable. weigbt .of tbe Gothic powers.; and they readily accepted their service. against the tyrants and barbarians who CHAP. . XXXI. sillS. p Orosiu, I. yii, e. 43, p. ost, lill5. H. wu l..at by St. AupatiD, ia . the ypar 415, from Afriea to Palestinf', to vi.it St. Jerom, and to coulult with him on :the IlIbject of tbe Pel.cian cODtronr.y. Digitized by Google 319 OP ~THE RO)fAN EMPIRE. iBletr.ted the provinces beyond the Alps.' Adol- ~~~~= phtlS, a'ssummg the character of a Roman gene- ........_ r~l, directed his march from the extremity of Campania to the southern provinces of Gaul. Hill troops, either by force or agreement, immediately occupied the cities of Narbonne, Thou)ouse, ~nd Bourdeaux; and though they were repulsed by Count Boniface from the walls of MarseilleEl, they soon extended their quarters from the Mediterranean to the Ocean. The oppressed provincials might. exclaim, that the miserable remnant, which the enemy had spared, was cruelly ravished by their pretended allies; y~t some specious colours were not wanting to palliate, or justify, the violence of the . Goths. The cities of Gaul, which·they attacked, might perhaps be considered as in a state of . rebeJlion ag~inst the government of Honorius; . the articles of the trea,ty, or the secret instructjons of the court, ,might sometim~s be alleged in favour of the seeming usurpat~ons of Adolphus';, aild the guilt of any irregular, unsuccessful, act of hostility, might always be imputed, with an appearance of truth, to the ungo~ernable spirit of a barbarian host, impatient of peace or discipline. The luxury of Italy had been less effectual to soften the temper, than to relax the courage, of the Goths; and q JorDloodel Inpposu, witboot ~ocb probability, tbat Adolpbol vilited and plundered Rome a lecond time, (more cocaltarom eruit). Yet be agrees witb Orolios in lupPpoling, tbat a treaty of peace: was con eluded between.. tbe Gothi~ prince and Honorio.. See OI'9A. I. vii, c. ft, p.581.1i85. Jornaadel, de Reb. Getici., 1.'.. 31, p;664,65$: Digitized by Google 380 Til'! DECLINB AND PALL CHAP.. th~y had imbibed the vices, without imitatinr "t ' . '1'lzed SOCle . t y.~ .,XXXI. •.-,,,,.. t he arts an d mstI utIons, 0 f CIVl ~. marThe professions of Adolphus were probably i!:::idi~~ sincere, and his attachment to the cause of the A. D. 414. republic was secured by the ascendant which a Roman princess had acquired over the heart and understanding of the barbarian king. Placidia: the daughter of the great Theodosius, and of· Gana, his second wife, had received a royal education in the palace of Constantinople; but the eventful story of her life is connected with the revolutions which agitated the western empire under the reign of her brother Honorius. When· Rome was first invested by the arms of Alaric, Placidia, who was then about twenty years of age, resided in the city; and her ready consent to the death of her cousin Serena has a cruel and ungrateful appearance, which, according to the circumstances of the action, may be aggravated, or excused, by. the consideration of her tender age.' The victorious barbarian. detained, either as . a hostage or a captive: the sister of Honorius; but, while she was dispos-· ed to the disgrace of following round Italy the motions of a Gothic camp, she experienced, r The retreat of tbe Gotba from Italy, aDd their fir.t tMn.actiODa ia Oaul, are dark and doubtful. r have derived mnch aaaiataoce fro.. M..eoo, (BiaL oftbe aacieDt Gumau, Lviii, c. 29, 16, 16, ST), who h.. iIIultnded, and c:oDDected, the brokeD c:hroDicles aDd fragments 01 the time.. • ·See aD aCCouDt of Placidia iD Daeaa,e, Fam. Byzaat. p. n j aDd TiUemoDt, Hilt. de. Emperean, tom. v, p. 2&0, S86, .trc. tom. vi, p.MO. • ZOlim. I. v, p. 160. U ZOlim. I.•i, p. SIS. OrOliaa (1. vii, c. 40, p. 676), and the ehr...&. cle. of Marcellinn. and Idatiua, seem to IIlPpoae, that the Golba IIW .., carry away Placidia till after the la.t sie,e of Rome. Digitized by Google 331 . . TIm DRAW EMPIft.· howe-rer, :a . deeeBtand I"espectful treatment. CHAP. The autltority .Or Jornandes, who praises the ....~~!:. beauty of·Placidia, may perhaps be counterbalanced by ·the 'silence, the expressive silence, of her fiatterers; yet the splendo.urof her birth, the bloom of youth, the elegance of ' manners, and the dexterous iosinuation which she condescen~ ·to employ,;macie a deep impr.ession on the ·mind of Adolphus; and the Gothic king aspired tocalJ himselfthe brother of the emperor. The ministers of Honorius rejected with disdain the proposal of an alliance, so injurious to every sentiment of Roman .pride; and repeatedly ur~ the restitution of Placidia, as an indispensable condition of the. treaty of peace. But the daughter of Theodosias 8.ubD)iUed, without reluctance, to the desires·of the CODqueror, a young and valiant prince, who yielded to Alaric in loftiness of stature, but who-excelled in the more attractive qualities Gf grace and beauty. The marriage of Adolphus and Pla.cidia'" was consummated before the Goths retired floom Italy; and the sO,leDin, perhaps the anniversary, day of their nupti.ls was after. wuds celebrated in the house of Ingenuus, one of. the most illustrious citizens of Narbonne in Gaul. The bride, attired and adorned like a " See the pictarea of Adolpbal ud Placidia,aad tbe accoo~t of their marriage ill Jomaade.. de Reb. GeticiJ. c' II, p. 654, 656. With reprd to the place where the Duptiala were ltipolated. or COD.ommated, or celebrated. the illS. of JomaDdel nry betweea two aeighbourln, cities,Forti and Imola. (Foram Lh'ii and Forom Cornelii). It i. fair and easy to recoDcile the Gothic hiltoru with Olympiodorol. (lee Ma.coo,l ...iii, Co 46): bot TiUemoat growl peeYish, aDd swean, t..t it ia DOt worth while to try to conciliate Jornandel witb U1· .... aulllora. Digitized by Google 332 TID DECLIXB Aim PALL • Roman empress, was placed on a throne o( .~~~~'... state; and the king of the Goths, who assumed, on this occasion, the ROlDan habit, contented himself ",ith a less honourable seat by her side. The nuptial gift, which, according to the custom of his nation, '1 was offered to Placidia, consisted of the rare and magnificent spoils of her country. Fifty beautiful youths, in silken robes, carried a basin in each hand; and one of these basins was filled with pieces of gold, the other with precious stones of an inestimable value. Attalus, so long the sport of fortune, and of the Goths, was appointed to lead the chorus of the Hymeneal song; and th~egraded emperor might aspire to the praise of a skilful musIcIan. The barbarians enjoyed the insolence of their triumph; and. the provincials rejoiced in this> alliance, which tempered, by the mild influence of love and reason, the fierce spirit of their Gothic lord.-· . The GoThe hundred basins of gold· and gt:ms, prethie t.... sen ted to Placidia at her .nllptial :feast" formed an inconsidera~le por~i~n of tl{e Gothic treaCHAP. .- 7 The Visigotha (the .ubjeeti of Adolphus) reltr.uned, by sobseq1\ent law.,. the prodigality of conjoplloYe. -It wa. illegal-for a b.. band to make auy gift or lettlement for tbe benmt of bit wif" duriDg tbe fint year of tbeir marriage; and bis liberality· could not at time exceed the tenth part ofbil pro pert, • Tbe LombardI were .ome"bat more indulgent: tbey allowed tbe I'IWf'gingecp immediately a~r the wedding nigbt; and tbis famolll gift, tbe reward of virgiuity, mi,ht eqaal the foarth part of tht. bnsband'. labstance. Some cautions maio . denl, indeed, were wile enoagb to Itipulate beforehaud a prescnt, "bicb tbey "ere too lure of uot dCI"ning. See l\Ionteaqllieo, Espiait del I.oix, I. xhi:, e. 25. Muratori, delle AntichitA ltaliane. tom. i; Disaertaioa J:J:, p. 248. • • We o"e tbe coriooi detail of thil aoptial feut to the hiaton.. Olympiodoral~ ap. Photium, p. 186·188. aD, Digitized by Google 333 . 01' TID. ROMAN. IEMPJRL .. &ures; of which some 'extraordinary 'specimen,s CHA P. , 'may be selected from the history of the succes- ~~~~:.. sors of Adolphus. Many curious. and costly. ornaments of pure gold, en.riched with jewels,. were found in their palace of Narbonne, when. it was pillaged, in the sixth century,' by the Franks : sixty cups, or chalices; fifteen patens, . or pla~s, for the use of the communion; twen-· ty boxes~ or cases, to hold the boo~s of the gospels: this consecrated wealth· was distri-huted by :the son of Qlovis among the churches' of his .dominions, and his pious liberality seems, to upbraid some former sacrilege of the Goths. . They posses$ed, with more security of conscience, the famous milSori'Um, or great dish for the. serNice of the' table, of massy gold, of the. weight of fiv~ hundred. pounds, and of far BU-. perior value, from the precious stones, the ex-, quisite workmanship, and the tradition that it had been presented. by lEtius the patrician, to Torismond king of the Goths. One of the successors of Torismond purchased the aid of the French munarch by the promise of~his magnifi-. . cent gift. When he was seated on the. throne of Spain, he delivered it with reluctance to the -ambassadors of Dagobert; despoiled them on· the road; stipulated, after a long negotiation, the inadequate ransom of two hundred thousand pieces of gold; and preserved the mis$~' • See in the great collection of the historian. of France by Dolllo Bouqllet, tom. ii, Greg. 1'uronenB, I. iii, t'. 10, p. 191. Geata Re.... Francorum, c. 23, p. 551. The anonymuus writer, with an ignorance worthy of hia time., sapposes th..t theae instrumeno of Chri.tian wo.... Ihip had belonged to the temple of Solomon. If he haa any meaniD" it mut H, that they were (oand in the aack of Rome. . Digitized by Google 884 THR D2CLIW& AND PALL CRAP. rilUll, as the pride of the Gothic tieaaures. _~~~~:.. When that treasury, after the conquest of Spain. was plundered by the Arabs, they admired., aQd they have celehrated, another obj~ct stiR more remarkable; a table of considerable size, of one single piece of solid emerald: encircled with three rows of fine pearls, supported by three hundred and sixty-five feet of gems and Dl888Yl gold, and estimated at the price Qf fiye hundred thousand pieces of gold.· Some portion of the Gothic treasures might be the gift offriendship; or the tribute of obedience: but the far greater part had been the fruits of war and rapine, the spoils of the empire, and· perhapa of RolDe. !t!-:e~~( After the deliverance ofItaly from the oppres:!l~ e sion of the Goths, some secret counsellor was· ~ .•. 41n:,: permitted, amidst the factions· of the palace, to 411. heal the wounds of that afllicted country.. By a. ~ Conlnll the following original te.timonie. in the Hiltorian. of France, tom. ii. FredfOJarii Schola.tici ebron. c. 'IS, p. 441. Fredepr. Frapent. iii, p. 4&3. Geata.IWgia Da.bert c.1P, p. 5.87. Tile acceuion of 5i.euand, to the throne of Spain, happened 4. D.631. The 100,000 piere. of gold were appropriated by Dagoh£rt to the foondation oftbe churcboflt. DenYI. e The pre.iclent Gognet (Origine del Loix, &c. tom. Ii, p. 239) ia of opinion, that lbe atuJlendonR piece. 'of emerald, the Itatne., and co. lumuI, which antiqnity hu placed in Egypt, at Gadel, at Con.tantiaOo plr, were in reality artificial compolition. of coloured glau. Tbe f.moul emerald dbb, which il.hewn at Genoe, i••npposed. to conntenance the .n.picion. • Elmacin. Hisl. SaraceDica, I. i, p. 85. Roderic. Tolet. Hist. Arab. c. 9. Cardonne, Hi,t. de l'Afrique et de l'Espagne lonlle. Arabea, tom. I, p. 8S. It wu ealled the table of Solomon, according to the cnlto.. of tbe orientals, who IIcribe to that prince eyery ancient work of kno.. ledge and magnifieeuee. • His tbree laws are inserted in the Theodosian Code, I. Jli, tit. u;"iii, 1; 1. xiii, tit. xi, leg. 12; I. xv, tit. Jli", leg. 14. The expfI!lSiu III of the lut are very rfmarkable; .ince they cODtain not only a pard.., but an apolou. la,. Digitized by Google or THR ROMAN EMPIlUt. . 336 wtseand humane regulation, tile eight provinces CHAP. which had been the most deeply injured, Cam- ..~~.... pania, Tuscany, Picenum, Samnium, Apulia, Calabria, Bruttium, and Lucania, obtained an indulgence of five years : the OI'dinary tribute was reduced to one-fifth, and even that fifth was destined to restore, and support, the useful institution of the public posts. By another law, the lands, which had been left without inhabitants or cultivation, were granted, with some diminution of taxes, to the neighbours who should occupy, or the strangers wlio should solicit them: and the new possessors were secured against the future claims of the fugitive proprietors. About the same time a general a.mnesty was published in the name of Honorius, to abolish the guilt and memory of all the involuntary ofFences, which had been committed by his un": happy subjects, during the term of this public disorder and calamity. A decent and respectful attention was paid to the restoration of the capital; the citizens were encouraged to rebuild the edifices which had been destroyed 'or damaged by hostile fire; and extraordinary supplies of corn were imported from the coast of Africa. The crowds that so lately fled before the sword of the barbarians, were soon recalled by the hopes of plenty and pleasure; and AIbinus, prefect of Rome, informed the court, with some anxiety and surprise, that, in a single day, he had taken an account of the arrival of fourteen thousand strangers.' In less than r Ol,.piodonu, .p. Pbot. p. 188. Pbilc.tor,iu. (\. xii, c. Ii) ob• • rYe-. Digitized by Google ,... 336 DEAAn:fiEE ANfiE AALL- ~H"!' leven. years, the vestiges'of the Gothic Inv8sioCt .~~~~~:~ werA S:lmost ; and city "" ...~al to resume its former splt:naour. anY tra~qujl lity. The venerabl6 matron replaced h~r ~rown of had by sto.rmll of war: . and. W8lI amused, in th~: ment of her decay, with the prop4ecies of revendA, nf a.nY domiAhm.' Rnolt This appar1E:K.&t tra'Dq&,:illity nllnS histud3c ~~~u~iie_ed by the approach of an hostile.armament from the nA&mtry dai1h :iuhsillt~ Arri"", enc~= the Ibman .p:iople. bO~l1cho'lf, count .\. o. 413. of Africa, who, under the most difficult and dist:i:i:i:iful tillnfiEms:t;8:Af;t;S, had mmppo:itnd, actinn lzzyalth, ca¥.&d~: ofHm,fiE:#ius, temdt~ ed, in the year of his consulship, to assume the chat:Stntnr of :i:ih~. th~ title. ot The :or Afric;t t:ie,re filld with the 1)J\vjJJ,{ol'ces; at the head of ''!fhich he prepnll4:'d to . :. and lUS wh:i¥lf it callE }lnchn:i Tibnl indeecl surpassed the fleeb of Xerxes and Alexander, if all .inAnding roynl galler, and boat, did ad¥¥ally £HEJOunt ""1'8, that when Honorin. made biB trinmpbal ... ntry, he e,"('onr"ged thl! Rom"", with hi, he,d and (,,"e' l"OITT~), ",hnild th,£" ~itYj amI ChrOliid" Prosp,', commend, lX",aclian, Roma"" .rbi. reparotionem atrennum .,xhihuerat miuist('riom. : • The datil of the yo'yage of Clandius Rlltilius NllmatiaDDs. i. clogged with 80mI' difficuJiies'; hut Scaliger hu deduced f."om astronomical d",racter,. he Id'2 R{ume th., }llth of S.'ph'mbtor, a"P f'mbarlil"h lit Por!" !lth of lX"iober, 416. Ti\l~mo"i, Hist. des Ernpprellr., tOIn. Y, p. 820. In this poetical Itinerar!, Rutilius (I. i, 115, «e.) addr".ses Rome in a high strain of ('ongratu%8tion... rin,,'" ,allros, "'''''''''qllt' Verticis in Yil'idcs Rtuna rer.in:ge coma!,:«e. 337 OF THl: ROMAN E!llPlRE. . the incredible number of three thousand two hundred.t\ Yet with such an armament, which mighf have subverted, or restored, the greatest empire of the earth, the African usurper wade a very faint and feeble impression on the provinces of his ri val. As he marched from the port, along the road which leads to· the gates 0(- Rome, he was encountered, terrified, and routed, by one of the imperial captains; a~d the lo'rd of this mighty host, des~rting his fortune and his friends, ignominiously Bed with a singleship.1 When Heraclian landed in the harbour, of Carthage, he found that the whole province, disdaining such an unworthy ruler, had returned to their allegiance. The rebel was beheaded in the ancient temple of Memory; his consulship was abolished;1t. and the remains of his private fortune, not exceeding the moderate sum of four thousand pounds of gold, were gr,anted to the brave Constantius, who had already defended the throne, which he afterwards shared with his feebJe sovereign. Honorius viewed, with supine indifference, the,calamities . CHAP. XXXI. ~"."",. , .• Oro.ius compo.ed bia biatory in Africa, only two years after tbe enata; yet bit antbority seem. to be overbalanced by tbe improbabi. lit, of the fact. The Cbronicle of MarceUinus gi\"e. Heraclian 700 .hip. and 1000 men; tire laUer of tbrae numbera il ridiculou.ly corrupt; but the former would please me very much. I The Cbronlcle of Idatiu, liftirm., witbout the leut appearance ot troth, thllt be adYanced .. far a. Otriculnlll, in Umbria, wbere be waa overthrown in a great battle, witb the: lOll of fifty thoulDnd _D. J< See Cod. TbHd" I. n, tit. xiY, Ie," 13 Tbe It'Cai act. performed ID his name, even tbelll:l.numillion of .Iaves, were declared iR\".. lid, till tbe,. bad been forma1l,. repealed. VOL. V. Digitized by Google 338 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP. of Rome and Italy;' but the rebellious attempt. _~~~:. of Attalufl and HeracIian, against his personal safety, awakened, for a moment, the torpid in· stinet of his nature. He was probably igno. rant of the causes and events which preserved him from these impending dangers; and as Italy was no longer invaded by any foreign or domestic enemies, he peaceably existed in the palace of Ravenna, while the tyrants beyond the Alps were repeatedly. vanquished in the nama, and by the lieutenants, of the son of Theodosius.m In the course of a b.usy and interesting narrative, I might possibly forget to mention tbe death of such a prince: and I shall therefore take the precaution of observing, in' this place, that he snrvived the last siege of Revolu· Rome about thirteen years. tioulof The. usurpatIon . 0 fC onstantme, . wh 0 recelV . ed Gaul and !~~~409. the purple from tbe legions of Britain, had been 413. successful; and seemed to be secure. His title was acknowledged, from the wall of Antoninus to the columns of Hercules; and, in the midst of the public disorder, he shared the dominioB, and the plunder, of Gaul and Spain, with the I I,have diadained to mention a very foolish. ""d probably a Calle. report, (Procop. de Bell. Vandal. I. i, c.~, that Honoriaa wu aIa~ ed by the los. of Rome,till he understood tllat it waa not a favourite chicken of that name, but .only the capital of the world, Which had been lo.t. Yet even this ItOry is lome evidence or the public opiaiOD. m The materials for the lives of aU these tyrants are lakeD rna six contemporary historians, two Latins, and four Greeb: Oroaia, J. vii, c. 42, p. 581. 582, 583; Renatul Profoturaa Frigerid"I, apull Gregor. Turon. I. ii, c. 9, in·the historians of Franee, tom. ii. p. lU, 166; Zosimus, I. vi, p. 370, a71; Olympiodorul, apod PhoL po 1 " 181, 184, 185 ; Sozomen, 1. ix, c. 12, IS, 14, 15; and PhilOitorcia, L si, c. 5, 6, witla Godefroy's Diasertations, p. 447-481; beai.des tile fOur Chronicles of Prosper Tyro, Prosper of AquitainJ Idatia., ... Marcellinu •• Digitized by Google 339 OF THE ROHAN EMPIRE. tribes of barbarians, whose destructive progress CHA.'P. XX XL was no longer checked by the Rhine or Pyrenees. .•..,J",•• Stained with the blood of the kinsmen of HOllO rilii, be extorted, from the court of Ravenna, with 'wmeh be secretly corresponded, the ratificatiOD of hisri!bellious C'laim.-. Constantine engaged 'hiinsel( by a solemn' promise, to deliver Italy' frollt the Goths; advanced as far as the banks of the Po; and after alarming, mther than aslisting, his'pnsillanimousally, hastily return·· eel to,the palace' of ArIes, to celebrate, with in,;, temperate luxury, his vain and ostentatious tri~ umph. But this transient prosperity was SiOori interrupted and destroyed by the revolt ofCount Gerontius, the bravest of his' generals; who, during the absence of his son Constaos, a prlnc'e already invested with the imperial purple, had been left to command in the provinces of Spain. For some reason, of which we are ignorailt, Ge: rontius, instead of assuming the diadem, placed it on the head of his friend Maximu!, who fixed his residence at Tarragona, while the ac'ti'~ count pressed forwards, through the Pyrenees; to surprise the two emperors, Constantine and Constans, before they could prepare for their defence The son was tnade prisoner at Vienna, and immediately put to death; and the unfortunate youth had scarcely leisure to deplore the elevation of his family; which had, tempted, or compelled, him sacrilegiously to desert the peaceful obscurity of the monastic life. The father maintained a siege Within the' walls of ArIes; but those walls must have yielded to Digitized by Google :340 THE miCLlNE AND FALL CHAP. the assailants, had not the city been unexpect...~~~~: .. edly relieved by the approach of an Italian army. The name of Honorius, the proclamation of a lawful emperor, astonished the contending parties of the r~bels. '. Gerontius, abandoned by his own troops, escaped to the confines of Spain; and rescued his name from oblivion, by the Roman courage which appeared to animate the last moments' of his life. In the uiiddle oC the night, a great body of his perfidious soldiers surrounded, and attacked, his house, which he had strongly barncaded. His wife, a valiant friend or the nation of the Alani, and some faithful slaves, were still attached to his person; and he used, with so much skill and resolution, a large magazine of darts and arrows, that above three hundred of the assailants lost their lives in the attempt. His slaveR, when al1 the missile weapons were spent, fled at the dawn of day; and Gerontius, if he had not been restrained by conjugal·tenderne$s, might have imitated their example; till the soldiers provoked by such obstinate resjstance, applied fire on all ,sides to: the house. ' In this fatal extremity, he complied with the request of hi, barbarian friend, and cut off his head. The wife of Gerontius, who conjured him not to abandon her to a life of misery and disgrace, eagerly presented her neck to his sword; ,and the tragic scene was terminated by the death of the count himself, who, after three ineffectual strokes, drew a short dagger, and sheathed it in his heart. The un-' D • The praial:' whie" Sozomeu baa beltowed 011 this act of dapair. appear Digitized by Google 3·U OF THE IlOMAN EM}"lR&' protected Maximus, 'whom he had invested CHAP. with the purple, was indebted for his life to ..=~~:.. the contempt that was entertained of his power and 'abilities. The caprice of the barbarians, who ravaged Spain, once more seated, this imperial phantom on the throne: butthey soon resigned him to the justice of Honorius; and the tyrant Maximus, after he had been shewn to the people of Ravenna and Rome, was publicly executed. The general, Constantins was his name, who Character raised by his approach the siege of ArIes, and a!ld yiclo·· d t he troops 0 f G ' ru~lof!he . dIsslpate erontlUs, was b oro fenerAl a Roman: and this remarkahle distinction is :f':'l taa stronglyexpres~ive of the decay of military spirit among the subjects of the empire. The strength and majesty which were conspicuous in the per. son of that general,o marked him, in the popu-. lar opinion, as a candidate worthy of the throne, which he afterwards ascended. In the familiar intercourse of private life, his manners were cheerful and engaging: nor would he sometimes disdain, in the license of conl'ivial mirth, to vie with the pantomimes themsel ves"in the exercises of their ridiculous profession. But when the trumpet summoned him to arms; when' he mounted his horse, and, bending down (for suell .ppear ItraDle and acandaJoul in the mouth of an eccleaiutical hi.. torian. He obae"el, (p. 819), that the lJife of GeroBtilll va .. Cllriltia; and that her death 1JU lJortby of her reliliOD and of im. . mortal fame. . . • allte -fl" .,.".",10(, il the exprel.ion of Olympiodorua, whicll' he aeeml to hue borrolJed from ..Eel.., a traledy of Eurlpide" of wbidil lome fragments only are nuw extant, (Euripid. Bam"l, 10m. ii, p. 4-&1, 'Ver. 38). Thi. allusion may pron, tilat tbe tincitnl tragic poell were .liB familiar to'the Gn:eka of tht' IIlth century. Digitized by Google 3d TII& DECLINE AND PALL was his singular practice) almost UpOll the neck, _':,~..~~.. fiercely rolled his large animated eyes round the field, Constantius then struck terror into his foes, and inspired his soldiers with the a!lsurance of victory. He had received from the court of Ravenna the importantcommiSlion ofextirpating rebellion in the provinces of the West; and the pl'etended emperor, Constantine, after enjoyinga short and anxious respite, Wa!I again besieged in his capital by the arms of a more formidable enemy. Yet this interval allowed time for a successful negotiation with the Franks and Alemanni; and his ambassador, Edobic, soon re. tumed,at the head of an army, to disturb the operations of the siege of ArIes. The Roman general, instead of expecting the attack in his lines, boldly, and perhaps wisely, resolved to . pass the Rhone, and to meet the barbarians. His measures were conducted with so much skill arid secrecy, that, while they engaged the infantry of Constantius in the (ront, they were suddenly attacked, sl1rrollnded, and destroyed by the cavalry of hi. lieutenant Ulphilas, who had silently gained an advantageoUs post in their rear. The remains of the army of Edobic were preserved· by Bight or submission, and their leader elcQ.ped from the field of battle to. the house of a faithless friend; who too clearly understood, that ·the head of his obnoxious .gnest would be an acceptable and lucratiye p~ sent to the imperial general. On this occaaioo, Constantius behaved with the magnanimity of 'a genuine Roman. Subduing, or suppressing, CHAP ~. Digitized by Google 343 OF THE ltOMAN EMPIRE. -every sentiment of jealousy, he publicly ac- ~~~I;: knowledged the merit and services ofUlphilas: u ,. . . . .u but he turned with horror from the assassin of Edobic; and sternly intimated his commands, that, the camp should no longer be polluted by 'the presence of an ungrateful wretch, who had violated the laws of friendship and hospitality. The usurper, who beheld, from the walls Arles~ the ruin of his last hopes, was tempted to place some confidence in so generous a 'conqueror. He required a solemn promise for his security; and after receiving, by the imposition of hands, the sacred character of a Christian presbyter, he ventured to open thfl gates of the city. But he soon experienced, that the principles of ho.' Dour and integrity, which might regulate the Death of . alur" ordmary cond uct 0 f ConstantlUs, were ,super- the per Canseded by the loose doctrines of political mora- ~~~~i~~'I, lity. The Roman general, indeed, refused to Nay, 28, 8U1ly his laurels with the blood of Constantine; but the abdicated emperor, and his son Julian, were sent under a strong guard into Italy; and before they reached the palace of Ravenna, they met the ministers of death. At a time when it was universally confessed, Falloflhe that almost every man in the empire was supe- ~~~~~:~ rior, in personal merit to the princes whom the !:~t:::, accIdent of their birth had seated on the throne, Ius, ' d succeSSJon . 0 f usurpers, regaTdl ess 0 fth e 4110 A. D 411a -rapl fate of their predecessors, still continued to arise. This mischief was peculiarly felt in the provinces of Spain and Gaul, where the principles of order and obedience had been extin- Digitized by Google 844 THE D2CLlNE AND FALL guished by war and rebellion. Before eo.... and in the fourth month of the siege of ArIes, intelligence was received in the imperial camp, that JoviilUs had assumed the diadem at Mentz, in the Upper Germany, at the instigation. of Goar" king of the Alani, and. of Guntiarius, king of the Bur· gundians; and that the candidate, on whom they had bestowed the empire, advanced with a formidable. host of barbarians, from the banks of the Rhine to those of the Rhone. Every circumstance is dark and extraordinary in the . short history of· the reign of Jovinus. It was natural to expect, that a brave and skilful gen~ ., ral, at the head ofa victorius army, would have asserted, in a field of battle, the justice of the cause of Honorius. The hasty retreat of Con· stantius might be justified by weighty reasons; but he resigned, without a struggle, the pos~e8 sion of Gaul: and Dardanus, the pretorian prefect, is recorded as the only magistrate wbo. refused to yield obedience to the usurper.p When the Goths, two years after the siege of Rome, established their quarters in Gaul, it was. natural to suppose that their inclination could be divided only between. the emperor Honorius, with whom they had' formed a recent alliance, CHAP. ..::!~;, stantine resigned the purple, • Sidoniu. Apollindri8 (I. v, epi8t. v, p.139, and Not. 8Irruond,p. 58), after stigmatizing .the iIIcon.ftmcy of Constantine, the /acililr of JOYu-, the p4ljidit, of Gerontiul, cOlltinnel to observe, that all the vice of thae tyrant. were nnited in the person of Dardanul. Yet the prefect lapporled a relpedable character in the world, and ,enn in the chul't'h; held a devollt cOrJ'espondence with St. Augu.tin lind St Jerom; and complimented by the IlIttf'r (tom. iii, p. 66) with the epilh~ta ., <::bristianorum Nobiliaalme, and Nllbilium Chriatiaub.iwe. .a. 34-' OP THE. ROMAN· EMI'ID. . and the degraded Attains, whom they reserved CRAP• . ·h· ti h . al purpose 01"~ ac t- ........... XXXL 10 t elr camp or t e occasIon ,.. ing the part of a musician or a monarch. ' Yet in a moment of disgust, (for which it is not easy to assign a cause, or a date), Adolphus connected himself with the usurper of Gaul;· and imposed on Attalus th~ ignominious task of nego tiating the treaty, which ratified his own disgrace. . We are again surprised to read, that, instead of considering the Gothic alliance as the firmest support of his throne, Jovinus upbraided, in dark and amhiguous language, the officious importunity of Attalus; that, scorning the advice of his great al1y, he invested with the purple his brother Sebastian; and that he most imprudently accellted the service ofSarus, when that gallant chief, the soldier of Honorius, was provoked to des.ert the CQurt of a prince,. who knew not how to reward, or punish. Adolphus, educated among.a race of warriors, who ." esteemed the duty of revenge as the most precious and sacred portion of their inheritance, advanced with a body of .ten thousand Goths to encounter the hereditary enemy of the house of Haiti. He attacked Sarus at an unguarded moment, w!ten he was accompanied only by eighteen or twenty of his valian.t followers. United by friendship, animated by despair, but at length oppressed by multitudes; this band of heroes deserved the esteem, without exciting the compassion, oftheir'enemies; and the lion was no sooner taken in' the toils,II than he was • The esprellioD may be andentood almo,t literally; Olympioderul lay', Digitized by Google M6 TIlE DECr.nmAND PALL ne CHAP. ill.tantly despatched. death of Sarus di... _~~~~:.. solved the loose alliance which Adolphus stiU maintained with the usurpers of Gaul. He again listened to the dictates of love and prudence; and 800n satisfied the brother of PIacidia, by the assurance that he would iinm&diately transmit, to the palace of Ravenna, the heads of the two tyrants, Jovinus and Sebastian. The king of the Goths executed his promise without difficulty or delay: the helpless brothers, unsupported by any personal merit, were abandoned by their barharian auxiliaries; and the short opposition of Valentia was expiaucl by the ruin of one of the noblest cities of Gaul. The emperor, chosen by the Roman senate, who had been promoted, degraded, insulted, restored, again degraded, and again insulted, was finally abandoned to his fate: but when the Gothic king withdrew his protection, he was restrained, by pity or contempt, from offering any violence to the person of Attalus. The llnfortunateAttalus, who was left without subjects or allies, embark. ed in one of the ports of Spain, in search of some secure and solitary retreat; hut be was intercepted at sea, conducted to the presence of Honorius, led in triumph through the streets of Rome or Ravenna, and publicly e~posed to the gazing multitude, on the second step of the throne of his invincible conqueror. The same ae.",.....'. :z....., .ay., ~ r&UOlC (or rlllllr) _y lipir, a ack, or • loole garment; and tliil method or ntanlling and catching aD eDem1, laeiniis CODtortis, was much practiaed by the HODl, (AmlDiaa. Dlli,1). II rot pri. vir nec des fileta, is the trabalatioll of TiIlelDoDt, RiIIt . . Elllpernrs, tom. v,p. H I . ' . Digitized by Google 341 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. measure ot punishment, with which, in the days ~~~. of his prosperity, he was accused of menacing ____ ••:.. . his rival, .was inflicted on AttaIns himself: he was condemned, after the amputation ot two fingers, to a perpetual exile in the isle of Lipari, where he was supp~ied with the decent necessaries of life. The remainder of the reign of Honorius was undisturbed by rebellion; and it may be observed, that, in the space of five years, seven usurpers had yielded to the for. tune of a pI'ince, who was himself incapable either of couRsel or of action. . The· situation of Spain, separated, on al1 InvalioD Bides, from the enemies of Rome,. by the sea, b' SeaiD by the mountain., and by intennediate pro- S~e~i~ . . ha d secured t he I ong tranqUl'11'tty 0 f Valldals vmces, Alani,&~. that remote and sequestered country; and we OC~'l~~' may observe, as a sure .ymptom of domestic happiness, that in a period of four hundred years, Spain mmished very few materials to the history of the Roman empire. The foot- ' steps of the barbarians, who, in the reign of Gallienus, had penetrated beyond the Pyrenees, were soon obliterated by the return of peace; and in the fourth century of the Christian era, the cities of Emerita, or Merida, of Cordub a, Seville, Bracara, and Tarragona, were numbered with the most illustrious of the Roman world. . The various plenty of the animal, the vegetable and the mineral kingdoms, was improved and manufactured by the skill or an ind ustrious people; and the peculiar advantages of navalstores contributed to support an extensive Digitized by Google 348 'tHE DECLINE AND FALL and profitable trade. The arts and sciences ..~~~~.... Bourished under the protection of the empe-. rors; and if the character of the Spaniards was enfeebled bypeace and servitude, the hostile approach of the Germans, who had spread terror. and desolation from the Rhine to the Pyrenees, seemed to rekindle some sparks of military ardour. As long as the defence oCthe mountains was in. rusted to the hardy and faithful militia of the country, they successfully repelled the frequent attempts of the barbarians. But no sooner had the national troops been compelled to resign their post to the Honorian bands, in the service of Constantine, than the gates .of. Spain were treacherously betrayed to. the p~lic enemy, about ten· months before the sack of Rome by the Goths.' The cons.ciousness of guilt, and the thirst of rapine, prompted the mercenaryguards of the Pyrenees to desert their station; to invite the arms of the Suevi, the Vandals, and the Alani;· and to swell the torrent which was poured with irresistible violimc~ uom the frontiers of Gaul to the sea of Africa. The misfortunes of Spain may be described .il} the language of its most eloquent-historian, who. CHAP. W r Without recurring to the more ancient writen, I .ball quot~ three relpectable testimonies wbicb belon, to the fourth and ......nth ceotorie.; the Expolitio totiul Mundi, (p. 16, in the third nlume of Had.on'. Minor Geolrapben); .taloniu., (de Claril Urbiba.. p. 242, edit. TolI.) and Isidore of Suille, (P...fat. ad Cbron ••p Grotium, Hiat. Goth. p. 707) Many particulan relatire to tbe lertillty.and trade oC Spain, may be fOllnd in N onniu., Hi.pania IIID1trata, and in Huet. Hilt. do Commerce de. Ancienl, c. '0, p. J28.IB4. , • The datI' il accnrately fixed in the Fa.ti,·and the CbroDicleofId.. tiu.. Orosi ..1 (i. vii, c. ~O, p. 678) inlputel th.loll of Spain to the trra('bery of tbe Honorian.· While Sozomen (L ix, Co 12) aeeUK. only their .egliltnct'. I Digitized by Google or THE ROMAN DlPIRP.' , 349 "as- so concisely expressed the passionate, aud CRAP. perhaps exaggerated, declamations of contem- ~~~~~:" porary writers.' The irruption of these nations " was followed by the most dreadful calamities: " as the barbarians exercised their indjscrimi~ " nate cruelty on the fortunes of th~ Romans"and the Spaniards; and ravaged with equal " fury the cities and the open country. The ae progress of famine reduced the miserable in" habitants to feed on the 1Iesh of their fellow-' " creatures; and even the wild beasts, ~ who "multiplied, without contlOul, -in the desert,' " were exasperated, by-the taste of blood, and' "the impatience of hunger, boldly to attack' cc and devour their human prey. Pestilence " soon' appeared, the inseparable companion of " famine; a large proportion of the people was " swept away; and the groans of the dying-ex-" cited only the envy oftheir surviving friends. " At length the barbarians, satiated with carcc nage and rapine, and afflicted by the contagi" ous evils which they themselves had introat duced, fixed their permanent seats in the' " depopulated country. The ancient Gallicia, " whose limits included the kingdom of Old " Castille; was divided between the Suevi andu the Vandals; the Alani were scattered over the cc provinces of Carthagena and Lusitania, from cc the Mediterranean to the Atlantic ocean;- and, " the fruitful territory of Bmtico was allotted to " the SiJiDgi~ another branch of the VandalicCo • Idatla wilhH to apply the propbeeie. of DaDicl to th_ aatiHII calami tis; and ii, therefore, obliged to aeeommoda.e the, circ:1IIIlIt-. , ee. of the lYeat to the tel'llll of the predictioa. Digitized by Google 310. THE DECLINE AND FALL nation. After regulating this partitioD, the d Wit . h thelr . new SUuL ,#u#u"," conquerors contracte . " jects some reciprocal engagements of protec" tion and obedience: the lands were again cuI" tivated; and the towns. and villages were "agaiD occupied by a captive people. The " greatest part of the Spaniards .was even dis" posed to prefer this new conclition of poverty " and barbarism, to the severe opprelsions of" the Roman government; yet there were many' " who still asserted their native freedom;· and c~ who refused, more especially in the moun.. u taina of.Gallieia,. to submit to the barbarian' " yoke."" Adolpbul The important present of the heads of Jonnus ~:f&~:th. aDdSeballltian, had approved the friendship of. :::~~~ia, Adolphus, and restored Gaul to the obedienee of A. D. 414 hilt brother Honarius. Peace was incempatible with the situation and temper of the king of tile Goths. He readily accepted the proposal of tumioghis victorious arms :against the barbarians of Spain: the troops. of Constantius intercepted his communication with, the sea-ports of Gaul, and gently pressed his march towards the Pyrenees:" he passed the mountains, and surprised, in the name of the emperor, the city of Barcelona. The fondness of Adolphus for CHAP. .. XXXI. • • Mariana de Rebus Hispanicil, I. Y, C. 1, tom. i, p. 148. Hag, Comit.l1l1. He had read iD Oroliul (I. vii, c. 41, p.619), that tile barbarianl bad tnrDed tbeir .words into ploochlbar~l; aDd that many of tb~ provincials preferred iDtcr barbaro. patlpnr.m libertatem fJUIID iDter ROIIIlIIlOl tribularialll ••licitudiD~m ....tiaere. . lr Tbis mtxtnre of force and penaa,ioD may be (airly inferred from cO"pariD! Oro,ina and Jomande•• the Komia and tbtl Gothic ~ torlla. . Digitized by Google 86l OF THE ltOHA.N £'IPIRP.. his Roman bride, was not abated by time or eRA P. possession; and the birth of a son, surnamed, _~:~:. from his illustrious grandsire, Th.eodosius, appeared to fix him for ever in tbe interest of the .republic. The loss of that infant, whose remains were depoaited in a silver coffin in one of the churches near Barcelona, afflicted his parents; hut the grief of the Gothic king was suspended by the labours of the field; and the course of his victories was soon interrupted by domestic treason. He had imprudently received into his service one of the followers of Sarus; a barbarian of a daring spirit, but of a diminutive stature; whose secret desire of revenging the death of his beloved patron, was continually , irritated by the sarcasms of his insolent master. Adolphus was assassinated in the palace of HiJdeetb Barcelona; the laws of the• succession were vio- Aupal.~. D. 415; lated by a tumultuous factIon;7 and a Itrang~r to the royal race, Singeric, the brother of Sarus himself, was seated on the Gothic throlle. The first act of his reign was the inhuman murder of the six children of Adolphus, the issue of a former marriage, whom he tore, without pity, from the feeble arms Qf a venerable bishop.. The unfortunate. Placidia, inltead of the respectful compassion, which she might have excited in the most savage breasts, was treatetl with cruel and wanton insult. The daughter . , AeeonliD, to the Iy.tem of JomaDelee (e. aa, p. 850), the true hereditary ri,ht to the Gothic leeptre Wli' _ted in the ..ffllllli; but th_ ,rillee., who were the n ..al. of tbe Runa, eo.lllaDded the triba of dIa O.trocothl ill lOme diatant pana of Gel'llWl1 or Scythia. • The murder i. related b1 Olympiodorul; but the nolllber of tbe chUdrlll it taken (rom au epitaph o( luspected aothorit1. . Digitized by Google 3.S2 - THE DECLINE AND PALL CHAP. of the emperor Theodosius,confounded aUIong ..~~~~:... a crowd of vulgar ~aptives, was compelled to march on foot above twelve miles, before the horse of a barbarian, the assassin of an husband whom Placidia loved and lamented.' The GOtD But Placidia 'soon obtained the pleasure or cODqaf'r d h' fh . . 4"aad relton revenge; an t e -vIew 0 ar 'IgnomJDlOUS sUller· !~~~'41"" ings might rouse an indignant people against the 418. tyra,nt, who was assassinated on the seventh day of his usurpation. After the death of Singeric,' the free choice of the nation bestowed the Gothic' sceptre on Wallia; whose warlike and ambitious' temper appeared, in the beginning of his reign, extremely hostile to the republic.' He marched in arms, from Barcelonia to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, which the ancients revered and dreaded as the boundary of the world. But when he reached the southern promontory of Spain," and, from the rock now covered by the fortress of Gibraltar, contemplated the neighbouring and fertile coast of Africa, Wa1lia ~ sumed the designs of conquest, which had been interrupted by the death of Alaric. The winds and waves again disappointed the enterprise of' the Goths; and the minds of Rauperstitious people were deeply affected by the repeated • The death of Adolpha. wu celebrated at CODitutiDople with iII.- . miDatioDi aDd Circenliaa ,ame.. (See Chron. Ale~drin). It may teem doabtful, whether the Greeb were actuated,OD this OCCUioD, b, abeir batred of the Barbariaal, or of the Latio.. • Qac\d TCII'taaiceia avu. hujn. Vallia Iem, Vaodalica. tUI1JIII" etjoDcti Harti. AluOi Stra,it, et occidoam tex're cad..era CIIlpft. SideD, ApolliDar. io Plloeeyr. Aothea. HJ. p. 100, edit. 'irmood Digitized by Google 363 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. disasters of storms and shipwrecks. In this ek.4.p. disposition, the successor of Adolphus no lon- ..,~:~~:~ ger refused to listen to a Roman ambassador, whose proposals were enforced by the real, or ~upposed, aPeroach of a numerous arlDY, under the conduct of the brave Constantius. A solemn treaty·was stipulated and observed: Placidia was honourably restored to 'her brother; . six hundred thousand measures of wheat were delivered to the hungry Goths;C and Wallia en. gaged to draw his sword in the service of the empire.. A bloody war was instantly excited among the barbarians of Spain; and the contending princes are said to have addressed their letters, their ambassadors, and their hostages, to the ~hrone of the western emperor, exhorting him to remain a tranquil spectator of their contest; the events of which must be favourable to the Romans, by the mutual slaughter of their common enemies! The Spanish war was obstinately supported, during three campaigns, with desperate valour, and various success; and the martial achievements of Wallia diffused through the empire the superior renown of the Gothic hero. He exterminated theSilingi, who • Tbia lopp1y WII yery acceptable; the Gotha wtre iuaulted by the "rmdal. Qf SpaiD with the epitbet of 7n&li, because, iD tbeir amme diatrel', they had riveD a piece 9f gold for a or aboot balf a pODnd, of Aoor. Olympiod. apod Pbot. p. 189• .. Oroeina inllerb a copy of theae pretended lettrn. To ('urn OM Diba. pacem babe, OJDniumqoe o~de. aeeipe; nOI nobi. confliglmnl, lIobi. perimus, tibi vlnelmus; immortali. vero qUEltus erat Reillllblice tlllll, Ii utrique pereamu.. The idea is juat; but I cannot perluade myself thllt it WII entertained, or expreIJed, by the ba,.. bariIlD'. . '"'la, VOL. V. IL a Digitized by Google 364 THE DECLINE AND PALL had irretrievably ruined the elegant plenty of ••':~~~;.. the province of Bretica. He slew, in battle, the king of the Alani; and the remains of those Scythian wanderers, who escaped from the field, instead of choosing a new leader, humbly sought a refuge under the standard of the Vandals, with whom they were ever afterwards confounded. The Vandals themselves, and the Suevi, yielded to the efforts of the invincibie Goths. The promiscuous multitude of barbarians, whose retreat had been intercepted, were driven into the mountains of Gallicia; where they still continued, in a narrow compass, and on a barren soil, to exercise ,their domestic and implacable hostilities. In the pride of Victory, Wallia was faithful to his engagements: he restored his Spanish conquests to the obedience of Honorius; and the tyranny of the imperial officers soon reduced an oppressed people to regret the time of their barbarian servitude. While the event of the war was still doubtful, the first advantages obtained by the arms of Wallia, had encouraged the court of Ravenna to decree the honours of a triumph to their feeble sovereign. He entered Rome ·like the ancient conquerors of nations; and if the I';DOnuments of servile corruption had not long since met with the fate which they deserved. we should probably find that a crowd of poets, and orators, of magistrates, and bishops, applauded the fortune, the wisdom, and the invincible coura~e, of the emperor Honorius.CHAP. • Ilomam triumphanl iocreditur, is the formal espreuioa ot'~ Chroaick. Digitized by Google OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. Such a triumph might ~ave b~enjustly claim- .i'i~: ed by the ally of Rome, IfWalha, before he re- ,.~,., passed the Pyrenees, had extirpated the seeds Their el.... Spams . h war.' H .. G othS, ment tabUsl... of tfle IS O vIctorIOUS in forty-three years after they had passed the Da- !~:~t:;':; nube,were ~stablished, according to the faith of treaties, in the possession" of the second Aquitain ; a maritime province' between the Galonne and the Loire, under the civU ~nd ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Bourdeaux. That metropolis, advantageously situated for the trade of the ocean, was built in a regular and elegant form; and its numerous inhabitants were distinguished among the Gauls by their wealth, their learning, and the politeness of their manners.. The adjacent province, which has been fondly compared to the garden of Eden, is blessed with 3. fruitful soil, and a temperate climate: the face of the country displayed the arts and the rewards of industry; and the Goths, aftertheir martial toils, luxuriously exhausted the rich vineyards of' Aquitain.' Th.e Gothic limits were enlarged by the. additional gift of some neighbouring dioceses; and the successors or Alaric fixed their royal residence at Thoulo1,lse, which included five populous quarters, or cities, within the spacious circuit of its walls. _A bout . the same time, in the last years of the reign of o .. QlrOJlicle. .The facti which relate to the death of Adolphaa, aDd the upwitl ofWa1lia, are related from Ol,mpiodol'1ll(apud Phot.p.183), Orolio. (I. vii, c. 43, p. 684-487). Jornande. (de Reb... Gelida, c.ll, 32), and the Chronicles of Idatiua and Iai<lore. f Ausoniu. (de Claril UrbibuR, p. 257-26:&). celebratea ·Beal'deaa with the partial affeotion of a natin. See in Salyian (de Guber•• Dei, p. 22e". Paris, 1608), a ftorid deaeriptioD of the provincea of Aquitaia anei NovempopulaDia. Digitized ~yGoogle ~I!AP Honorius, the GOTHS, the BURGUNDIANS, and _:::.~~:~ the obt~hEed . seat ~md dominion in the provinces of Gaul. The libe.. ral gr~mt ur%£rper to BHrhundian allies, was confirmeyJ by lawful em per~r; the lands of the First, or Upper; Germany, rrere ~~ded formihabl&:s harbSErKanr ~nd they gradually occupied, ei~h~r ~y con~uest.or the tAro prur~ncer rrhlC~ rtdl r~talDJ mBth the title.s of Ducky and of County. the national ~ppendio:££ f:pf Bn,JgunUh.' The the -valiant and faithful allies of the Roman republic, £r~re s~~n temuted to imitate the invaders, then bad br~~ely Treves, the capital of Gaul, was pillaged by their law- TIle:.:: :essh~i£ds whichth~nso long maintained in the district of Toxandria, in multiplieh SElonn the of the Meuse and ScheId, till their independent TJ,n..~nJJ filled the rehole ~ntent thr SecondJ or GenERany. Th~re m~ef be r~fficiently justified by historic evidence; but the founhntion thr mo:£inrchh mond, the conquests, the laws, and even the nxist~nce, nhthat be~n arreigned by the impartial severity of modelll criti~. {[:ISlD. " • Oroaioa (I. vii, c. 12, p. 660), commenda the mildneas and modtit)' of theae BurcundiuI, who treated thcir aubjects of Gaul u ~eir. Cb~ Bilian hriliiliBRiliHD. risscou iRluat'iliili!!:! the iliili"r'U of kmgzrnE IB the fonr 6nt anuotatiooa at the end of hia gakilioliul :W:"liasili liry Auclent Germau, \'01. ii, p. 666-672, of the English tlualation. EE~ I~:: ::~:o~~EEili"iliili:~~iec. n:::pssJ (i~t:::~ inp~ :::;: :c SiliiliSkilii: Pharamond is never mentioned before the anenth cl'ntury. The . . d • til« 367 01' THE ROMAN EMPIRE. The ruin of the opulent provinces of Gaul CHAP. may be dated from the establishment of these .,~~~'., barbarians, whose alliance was dangerous and State of oppressive, and" who were capriciously impel- ~':i~"" led, by interest or passion, to violate the public Gaul, 'l ransom was 1m. A.D.~, peace. Aheavy and partla &c. posed on the surviving provincials, who had escaped the calamities of war; the fairest and most fertile lands were assigned to the rapacious strangers, for the use of their families, their slaves, and their cattle; and the trembling natives relinquished with a sigh the inheritance of their fathers. Yet these domestic misfortunes, which are seldom the lot of a vanquished people, had been felt and infticted by the Romans themselves, not only in the insolence of foreign conquest, but in the madl).ess of civil discord. The Triumvirs proscribed eighteen of the most ftourishing colonies of Italy; and· distributed their lands and houses to the veterans who revenged the death of Cresar, and oppressed the liberty of their country. Two poets of unequal fame, have depl()red, in similar circumstances, the loss of their patrimony; but the legionaries of Augustus appear to have surpassed, in violence and injustice, the barbarians, who invaded Gaul, under the reign of Honorius. It was not without the utmost difficulty that Virgil escaped from the sword of the centurion, who had usurped his farm in the neighbourhood of Manthor of the Gata h c . , . . (tD tom. ii, p. 141) 'uneall, probaWl eDOaeh, that the claoice of PhanmoDd, or at least of • kiD' ... recommeDded to the Prub by hie father Marcomir. who wa. aJI caM ill TlIICuy. Digitized by Google 368 CRAP. ,TBB DIlCLINB AND PALL tua; but PauJinus of Bourdeaux received a _~~:.. Bum of money from his GOthic purchaser, whiQ he accepted with pleasure and Stlrprise; and, though it was mach inferior to the real value (if his estate, this act of rapine was disguised by some colours of moderation and equity.k The odious Dame of conquerors, was IlOfte~d into the mild a.nd friendly appellation of the guau of the Romans; and tQe barbarians of Gaul, more especiaUy the Goths, repeatedly, declared t that they were bound to the.people by the ties of hospitality, aDd to the emperor by tbe duty of allegiance and military service. The title of Honoriu$ and his successors, their la.ws, and their citil magistrates, were .taI resp~cted in the provinces. of Gaul, of ~hich the,· had resigned the possession to .the barbarian allies; and the kings, who exercised a supreme and independent authority over their nativ.e' subjects, ambitiously solicited the more honourable rank of Illaster-general of the imperial armies! Sucl1 was the involuntary reverence 0 LyeicJa, 'YiYi perven'lmu: alIYlDa aodri (QIlIMlIlDqUalll ftriti .....) Dieeret: Bile-mea .uat; vetera mipate ooloai. Nune vieti triltel, &e. Ife the of the Odt elllotae, wida·abe *'-l eu.18eDta11 of Servilli. Fittes mn.. 01 tile Manta.. territory were _p.dte the ..... rani; with a ftHnatioD, in ravour of tM'inbabitallt., of three mil.. roaad tile eity. ~\tt" ib thla la.our tbey were t!bewte4l hy A1Ma_ Varlll, a ~ Ia~er, ..n.d ODe ofdaec~o'" w,Jao .....re4q1it_ dred paces of water and 1D0l'Ul• .. S~ tb I"ffllarbble Pili. Of tI1e'EIil!llar4adetJb 'of Pc'8Uu, 171, Ipnd Miscon, I. viii, e. U. . I Thla lmportaDt truth ilatablWbe4 leC!llrae, af 11IJft1011t (Bist. des tom. y, p. MI), aDd by the iDlt!Dllity of the AbW DB. boa (Hlat. de l·Eta~li..eme:nt de la Mo.arcbie Fran~olae daUlla Gao", tom. i, p. 269). I at.pGIIe_'" ""Ie Em,. .,tIle Digitized by Google 369 OF THE KOMAN DlPIBE. which the Rom~n ~am.e still u..pressed on the ~~~& _Dds of those warriors, who had borne away •••.,.,... mtriumph the spoils of the capitol. . Whilst •Italy was ravaged by the Goths, and KBe.yo~t.f ntlllD ... successIon of feeble tyru.nts oppressed the '3'd Anaoprovinces beyond the Alps, the British island ~~~. 4Ot. ~parated itself ftom the body of the Roman empire.. The . reg~lar forces, which guarded ~a.t remote. province, had been gradually withdrawn; and Brita.in was abandoned, witho~t defence, to the Saxon pirates, and the ~avageJ of Ireland and Caledonia. The Britons, reduced to this extremity, no longer relied on the tardy and doubtful aid of a declining monarclily. .Theyassembled in arms, repelled the invaders, and rejoicf!d in the important discovery of their own strength.... AHlicted by similar calamities, and actuated by the same spirit, the Armorican provinces (a name which compreheuded the maritime countries of Gaul between the Seine and the Loire. resolved to imitate the eil[ample of the neighbouring.island. They exp.elled the Roman magistrates, who acted under the authority of the usurper Constan. tine; and a free government was established among a people who had. s~ long been 8\lbjec* to,the arbitrdry 'will of "a'master. The bide. . . . '," . . . III,Zo.imn. (J.,Yi, p. 87'6, lSI),' ielatei ia a few wordl there.ortor D) ~. , ~ : \ , '; . Britaia an. Armorica. Our antiq~ariau., ena the ,..eat Cambclea ~iDllel', haye beeD betra,ed into lUauy cr~ erron, 1if tlim imperfe~t knowledge of the history of the continent. . • The limit. of Anaorica are defined by two aational' Ceocrapken, MCllielln de Valoil and d'Aa.,ille, ia their Nolititu of Ancient Gaul. The word had be(:D Qed in • more extullin. aud WII af'terwardl c_ tractecl to • much aarrower, aipificatiOD. Digitized by Google TIm DECLlNE~AND FALL 380 .CHAP. pendence of Britain and Armorica was SOOB _~.. confirmed by Honorius himself,' the lawful ~ peror of the West; and the letters, by which he committed to the new states the care of their own safety, might be interpreted as an absolute and perpetual abdication of the exercise and rights·ofsovereignty. This interpretation wasr in some measure, justified by the event.· After the usurpers of Gaul had successively faHen, the maritime provinces were restored' to' the empire. Yet their obedience was imperfect and precarious: . the vain, inconstant, rebellious disposition of the people, .was incompatible either with freedom or servitude;o and Armorica, though it could not long maintain the form of a republic,' was agitated by frequent and destructive revolts. Britain was irrecoverably lost.· But as the emperors wisely acquiesced o GeD. iDter ,.,miDoa Dotia.ima clauditnr amD~', Armoricaua priua vetcri copomiDe dicta Torn, (erox. veDtosa. prot ax, incaata, rebelIi. ; Iuconatans, diaparque .ibi DO'l'itati8 amore; Prodiga ....rborum••ed DOD et prodip facti. . Erricaa, MODaell. iD Vito St. Grrmaoi,l. v, apad Valea. Notit. Gallia· rum. p. 48. Valcaiui allege•• rnral t..timoDie. to CODfil1ll this character, Ie which I shan add the e'l'icieDce of dJepreabJler ConstlUltine, (A. D' HB), who, in the life oUt. GermaiD, allI the AnooricaD rebel. mobi· !em et iudilcipliDatum Populum. . See the Historiu. of FrUce, __ t, p. Ga. :: . ! I ibAght it Dec_.,. to eDtcr my prof:Ht· ...~ this ,art 01 ..... lJ.tem of the AbW Dabua, which l!rlODteaqaitb bu so Yipnualy ... See Etprit des Lois, I.•D. c. K. " • BpM""'''''' on, .." ....._ ......... are the worda rA Proeopiae, (de BeU. VaDdal. I. i, c. I, p. 181, Lollne edition), ill • nI'J importaDt pallage, which bu beeD too mDelI De,lected. EnD.tde (Bist. Gent. Anglican. I. i. c. 12, p. 60, edit. Smith) acitnowled'"that the Romu. fiDally It'ft Britain iu tbe reign of Honoria.. Yer oar_ 'dem lliatoriana and aDtiquaril'1 rxtrtld tbt' tl'rm o( tb ..ir domillion i .DeI there are sOlne "ho allow only tht' intr",al' or a ft'11' Dlolllha belw" tbeir departure ud tbe uri,aJ of" tbe SaxoD•• ,.n. _w, IX", Digitized by Google OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 361 in" tlie independence 'of a. remote province, the CHAP. separation was 'not embittered by the..reproach _;:~:~~_ of tyranny or rebellion; and the'claims 01 ailegiance and protection were succeeded by the mutual and .voluntary offices 'of natioq.al. friendship.r This revolution dissolved the artificial fabric State of "1 an·d ml'1'ItarygoverilIl1ent, . an d the 10 . d e- A. Britain, of CIVI D.4OGpendent country; during a period of forty years, 449•. till the descent of the Saxons, was ruled by the authority of the clergy, the nobles, and the municipal towns.- I. ~osimus, who alone has preserved the memory of this singular transadion, vpry accurately observes, that the letters of Honorius were addressed to the cities of Britain.' Under the protection (jf the Romans~ ninety-two considerable towns had ·arisen in the several parts of that great province; and, among these, thirty-three cities were distinguished above the rest, by their superior privileges and importance.a Each of these cities, as in all the other provinces of the empire, formed a legal corpo:• Bede hu aot forgot the oeeuioDal aid of the leiions apinst the Scota and Plctt; and more authentic proof will hereafter be produced, tIIat the iudepeadeDt Britainl nbed 12,000 mell for the lenice of the emperor Authemiul,iD Gaul. • lowe to mJlelf, and to historic truth, to declare that lomt' «r~ ...." ia thiI paracnph are foUDdtd only. OD coqjectun and analogy_ TJae It1IbbomDCII of our Iaupap hu IOmetima forctd m. to dniate from the COJUIitiotr4I iDto the Uulit:rllift mood. e lIfor.-ac" JIcI'M"'I' ~. Zo.im~. I. rio p. ISS. -Two. citiel of Britai. were 1IItIIIieipia, aiDe ,."., tea LaliijaN - " . , twelve ~ of ..miDeDt Dote. Thb detail iI takeD r..... Richard of CireDcClter, de lit6 BritaaDi.,·p.l6; and thou,h it . ., 1II0t leem probable, that lie wrote from the .... of a Roman ,eu.raJ, he abewl a ,enuiue kuowled,e of antittuity, very e:a:tnordiuary foram_ 0' .... fourteeatheeuturY. Digitized by Google 389 'l'ID DBCLDIJI: AJID PALlo CHAP. ration, for the purpoae of regulating their d• ..~~:.. mestic ppliey; and the powers of DlUnicipalgovemment were distributed among annual magistrates, a select senate, and the a8sembly of the people, according to tbe original ~el of the Roman constitution." The management of I, common revenue, the exercise. of civil and criminal jurisdiction, and the habits of publj§ counsel and com1ll4Dd, were inherent to the-.t petty republics; and when they asserted their independence, the youth of the city, and of tbet adjacent districts, would naturally range themselves under the standard of the Qla&istrate. But the delire of obtaining the advantages, ,BAd of escaping the hurthens, of a political society. is a perpetual and in~haustible liIour<:~ of dis, cord; nor can it reasonably be presu~d, that the restoration of British freedom w.,a exempt from tumult and faction. The pre-eminence of birth and fortune must have been frequently , violated by bold and popula.r citizens; an,d the 'haugbty nobles, who complained that tbey were - become the subjects of their owu servants,' would sometimes regret the reign of an arbitrary monarch. II. The jurisdiction of each city over the adjacent country, was supported by the patrimonial influence of the principal senators; and the smaller towns, the villages, and the proprietors of land, consulted then- own safety by adherin~ to the shelter of these rilin, • See Maffei "nOaa m..trata, part 1,1••, p. 8J.JfIJ. , IAre' reatitllit, libertatemqae redaeil, Bt .enOi fUnaJillIO. fiIIit erR nil, , Itlaerar. Bati!. L i, .... Digitized by Google o~ THE ROMA.N E-MPlttL· sea repttbliC8i The sphere of their attraction was CHAP. proportioned to the respective degrees of their ~~ wealth and populousness; but the hereditary lords of ample possessiofts, Who were not opptes~ed by the neighbourhood of any powerful city, aspired to the rank of independent princes, and boldly exercised the rights of peace and war. The gardens and yillas, which exhibited sOlD:e faint imitation of Italian elegance, would soon be converted into strong castles, the re-' luge, in time of danger, of the adjacent country:8 the pred~e of the land was applied to purchase arms and horses; to maintain a mili· tary force of slaves, of peasants, alJd of licentious followers; and the chieftain might assume, within his own domain, the powers of a civil magistrate. Several of these British chiefs might be the genuine posterity of ancient kings; and. many more would be tempted to adopt this honourable genealogy, and to vindicate their hereditary claims, which had been suspended by the usurpation ofthe Cresar... Their situation, and their hopes, would dispose them toaffect the dress, the language, and the cUstom.· of their ancestors. If the prir&ces: of Britain relapsed into barbarism, while the citiu studi• An inacription <apud Sirmond, Not. ad S1cIoa. ApoDiaar. p. 19), delcribet a casale, C1IID maria et portia, tnitloni OIIIIIiom, erected -II, Dardanu. oa his oWneltate, near Silter... in the aecORd Nubollll", and named by llim Theapoll•• • The estabUthment of their power would have been eur iDdeed, If we coulll adopt ·the impractica'le Icheme of a lively and learned ant!qnarian; who .uppose., thllt the Britiah monarch, of the several tribea continued to reip, though with .ubordiuate jurisdiction, from tilt tiJM 01 Cladiul to that of HouorilII. Sce Whitaker'. History of )I.ueh_ ler, vol. i, p 247.257 ... TIlE DECLlNB AND PALL" CRAP. otisly preserved the'laws and manners otRome, _'::~:~.. the whole island must have been gradually divided by the distinction of two national parties; again broken into a thousand subdivisions of war and faction, by the v:arious provocations of interest and resentment. The pubJic strength,. inst~ad of being united against a foreign eoemy, was consumed in obscureand intestine quarrels; and the personal merit which had placed a successful leader at the head of his equal~, might enable him to subdue the freedom of some neighbouring cities; and to claim a rank among the tgrants,1o who inCested Britain after the dissolution 'of the Roman government. 111. The British church might be composed of thirty or forty bishops,· with an adequate proportion of the inferior clergy; and the want of riches (Cor they seem to have been poor') would compel them to deserve the public esteem, by adeceot and exemplary behaviour. The interest, as well as the temper, of the clergy, was favourable to the peace and union Qf their distracted country; those salutary lessons might be frequently inculcated in their popular discourses; and the episcopal synods were the only councils that could pretend to the weight and authority of a na~ _. AU'.,... ..... 'I'IIf'I"Rf .". &II'1'II .,...,.. Procopi"'; de BelL Vandal. L i, c. '2, p. 181. BritaDDia femlil proviJacia. tyrannorum, wu lbe eltprd. n of Je..om, in the year 416, (tom. ii, p. 256, ad Ctelipbont). By tile pilcrim., who reaorted enry year to the Holy Land, the monk of B1Ithe/em recpived the earliest and mOlt accnrate intelligence. C See Bin,hlllll'l Eccle•• Antiqoitiel, vol. i.l. ix, c. 6, p. IN. ~ It ia reported of twe British bishops 1\'ho auilted at the conncilel Jtimilli, .... D. 369, tam pauperes loiase ut nihil habennt. SoIpi_ lenrnl, Hiat. Sacra, I. ii, p. 420. Some of their brethren, how"•• . wen in better circam.taneel Digitized by Google 0 .. THE ROHAN EMPIRI. 3fM tiona1 assembly. In such councils, where the CHAP. . ' . I" XXXL pnnces an d magIstrates sat promIscuous y wIth .•••••• ". the bishops, the important atl'airs of the state, . as well as of the church, migh~ be freely debated; ditl'erences reconcIled, alliances formed, contributions imposed, wise resolutions often concerted, and sometimes executed; and there is reason to believe, that, in moments of extreme danger, a Pendragon, or Dictator, was elected by the general consent of the Britons.' These pastoral cares, 80 worthy of the episcopal character, were interrupted, however, by zeal anel superstition; and t~e British clergy incessantly laboured to eradicate the Pelagian heresy, which they abhorred, as the peculiar disgrace of their native country.. . It is somewhat remarkable, or ratller it is ex~ A b tremely natural, that the revolt of Britain and o''::! Armorica should have introduced an appear- ~e:c:'":'; .anc£ of liberty into the ohedient provinces ~f ~a:~,41~ Gaul. .In a sOlemn edict,' filled with the strongest assurances of that paternal atl'ection which princes so often express, and so seldom fecI, the emp~ror Honorius promulgated his inten~. tion of convening an annual assembly of the ,even province.: a name peculiarly appropriatt:d to Aquitain, and .the ancient Narbonnese, which had long since exchanged their Celtic. rudeness for the useful and elegant arts of • Conlult Usher, de Alltiq. Eccles. Britanllicar. c. 8-11. , Sole tbe correct text of this edict, as published by Sirmond, Not. ad SidoD. Apolliu. p. 147). Hincmar, of Rheiml, who usigul a place to the bWlop., had probably leen (ill tbe ninth ceotury)a more perfect cOl'y. Dahol, Hist. Critique de Ia Monarchic Frau90iae, tom. i, p. 141-155. 866 THE DECLIRE AND FALL' CHAP. Italy.' • Aries, the seat of guvernment and com~~~:.ll1erce, was appointed for the place of the. assembly; which regularly continued twentyeight days, from the fifteenth of August to the thirteenth of September, of every year. It consisted of the pretorian prefect of the .Gauls; of seven provincial governors, one consular and .ix presidents; of the magistrates, and perhaps the bishops, of about sixty cities; and of a competent, though indefinite, number of the most honourable and opulent poslesSO'1" of land, who might justly be considered as the representatives of their country. They were empowered to interpret and communicate the laws of their sovereign; to expose the grievances' and wishes 'oftheir constituents; to moderate the excessive or unequal weight of taxes; and to deliberate on every subject oflocalor national importance, that could tend to the r~storation of the peace and prosperity of the seven provinces. If snch an institution" which gave the people an interest in their own government, had been universally established by Trajan or the Antooines, the seeds of public wisdom and virtue might hue been cherished and propagated in the empire of Rome. The privileges of the 'Subject lVould have secured the throne of the, monarch; the abuses of an arbitraryadn;rlnistratioD might have been prevented, in some degree, or corrected, by the interposition of these representative as• It i. evidept from the NoIitia, tbat the .even provincea were the VienDenliJ, the maritime AI,., the first and second Narbonnese, No. nmpopplania, and the fint aDd lecond Aqultain. In thc room oftha fir.t Aqaitain, the Abbe Ullbol, on the authority of fIincmar. dt.il'8 Ie IDtroduce the fint LugdunenaU, or Lyonnese. Digitized by Google 367 01' TIlE ROMAN EMPIllE. aembliel!l; and the country would have been de- CHAP. f(:;nded against a foreign enemy by the arms of ..~~:. natives and freemen. Under the mild and generous in1luence of liberty, the Roman empire might have remained invincible and immortal; or ifiu excessive magnitude, and the instability of human affairs, had opposed such perpetual continuance, its vital and constituent members might have separately presened their vigour and independence. But in the decline of the e~pire, when every principle of health and life had been exhausted, the tardy application of this partial remedy was incapable of producing any important or salutary effects. The emperor Honorius expresses his surprise, that he must compel the reluctant provinces to accept a privilege which they should ardently have solicited. A fine of three, or even five, pounds of gold, was imposed on the absent representati ves; who seem to have declined this imagiBary gift of a free constitution, as the last and most cruel insult of their oppressors. Digitized by Google 168 TID DBCLDfE AND FAIL.' CHAP. XXXII. ,A"cadia emperor qf 'Ae East-AdministraliOJl and disgrace of Eut"opia-Revolt of GaiMl , -PerseculiOft of St. Jo". Okry'OIlom-TII8Ddona II. emperor of tAB East-His sisler Pul- , cllena-His wife Eudocia-Tile Pet·si_ war, and diviliOft of Armer&ia. THE division of the Roman world between the ::.':,'!;, Ions of Theodosius, marks the final establish~be, __ ment of the empire of the .East, which, from £:~fuae the reign of Arcadius to the taking of Con:"~: I " stantinople by the Turks, subsisted one thouReign. of sand and fifty-eight years, in a sta.te of premaAreadlu, Th . A, D. 1u6. ture and perpetual decay. e sovereIgn of 408. that empire assumed, and obstinately retained, the vain, and at length fictitious, title of Emperor of the ROMANS; and the hereditary appellations of CmsAR and AUUUSTUS continued to declare that he was the legitimate successor of the first of men, who had reigned over the first ef nations. The palace of Constantinople rivalled, and perhaps excelled, the magnificence of Persia; and the eloquent sermons of St. Chrysostom' celebrate, while they condemn, CRAP. • Father Hontfaacon, wbo, by tbe command of hiI Benedictiae ... perion, wu compelled (are Longoeraana, tom. i, p. 206) to eKeeote Ibe laborious edition of St. ChtylOltom, in thirteen yolames in folio, (Paria 1738), amBled himself with utracting from that iDunenae .colleetiOll of morall, lome curioal antiqvitie., which illustrate the mannen of the Tbeod~ian age, (He ChrYI~tom. Opera, tom. xiii, p.192-196),andlUl Frencb Diuertatiou, jD the Memoire. de l'A.tad. de. IDICriptioa.. t-. lIiii, P.:, 414-tlo. Digitized by Google 369 01' TIlE ItO.AN EHPIIl&" the pompous luxury of the reign of Arcadius~ i~~ri "The emperor," says he, "wears on his head ...••,..,., " either a diadem, or a crown of gold, decorat" ed with precious stones of inestimable value. c.' These ornaments, and his purple garments, ., are reserved for his sacred person ~lone; and " his robes of silk are embroidered with the " .figures of golden dragons. His" throne is of " massy gold. Whenever he appears in" pub"lie, he is surrounded by his courtiers, his ", guards, and his attendants. Their spears, " their shields, their cuirasses, the bridles and " trappings of their horses, have either the subec stance, or the appearance, of gold; and the "large splendid boss in the midst of their " shield, is encircled with smaller bosses, which CI represent !he shape of the human eye. The CI two mules that draw the chariot of the mo"narch, are perfectly white, and shining all " over with gold. .The chariot itself,· of pure· " and solid gold, attracts the admiration of the" e. loIpectators, who contemplate the purple cur" tains, the snowy carpet, the size of tbe pre"cious stones, and the resplendent plates of "gold, that glitter as they are agitated by the " motion of the carriage. The imperial pictures " are white, un a blue ground; the emperor " appears seated on his throne, with his arms, " his horses, and his guards beside hjm; and his "vanquished enemies in chains at his feet." The scccessors of Constantine establh,hed their perpetuall'esidence in the royal city, which he VOL. V. B b···· Digitized by Google 370 THE DECLINE AN)) FALL had" erected on the verge of Europe and Asia. Inaccessible to the menaces of their enemies, m"....., and perhaps to the complaint. of their people, they received, with each wind, the tributary productions of every climate; while the impregnable strength of their capital continued for ages to defy the hostile attempts of the barbarians. Their domiuions were bounded by the Hadriatic and the Tigris; and the whole inter· val of twenty-five days navigation, which sepa;. rated the extrem.e cold of Scythia from the torrid. zone of lEthiopia,' was comprehended within the limits of the empire of the· East The populous countries of that empire were the SEiat of. art and learning, of luxury and wealth; and tbe inbabita.nts, who had assumed t'helapguage and manners of Greeks, styled themselv~s, with some appearance of truth, the most enlightened and civilized portion of the human species. The form of government was a pure and simple monarchy; the name of the ROKAN REPUBLIC, whi<:h so long preserved a faint tradition of free4()Pl, was confined to the Latin provinces; and the princes of Constantinople measured their greatness by the servile obedience o(their people. They were ignorant how CRAP. XXXII. .- Accerding to the loole reckoning, that a Ihip could sail, wida a fUr wia\f. 1* .iadia. or 125 miles, in tbe rev.olation of a day aDd DiP' j Di8doros Sic~tlu8 1l8mplltel ten dlty. from tbe PalUI Mceotis to Rbodel; and four day. from Rhodel to Alexandria. The Daviption of the Nile. from Alexandria to Syrene, UDder the tropic of Cancer, reqaired, al it WIIS againlt the stream, ten days more. Diodor. ·Sic:vl. t _ i, I. iii. p. 200, edit. Welleliog. He might, without mucb impropri•.'ty, meuore tbe extreme beat from tbe verge of the torrid lODe; bat lie .pealta of the M.otis in the 47da decree of oorthem latitllde, as if it lay widaio the polar circle Digitized by Google '371 01' THE ROMAN EMPIRE. much this passive disposItion enervates and CHAP. degrades every faculty of the mind~ The sub- #~~: jects, who had resigned their will to the absolute commands of a master, were equally incapable of guarding their lives and fortunes a-: gainst toe assaults of tbe barbarians, or of defending their 'reason from the terrors of superstition. The first events of the reign of Arcadius and Admini.. Honoi-ius are so intimately connected, that the, !~Ji~ha rebellion of the Goths, and the faU of Rufinus, E-:t:' of have already claimed a place in the history of pius, the West. It has already been observed, that ~g:,' 31)5. Eutropius: one of the principal eunuchs of the palace of Constantinople, succeeded'the haugh.., ty minister whose ruin he had accomplished, and whose vices he soon imitated. E~eI'Y order of the state bowed to the new favourite; and their tame and' obsequious submission encouraged him to insult the laws! and, what is still more difficult and dangerous, the manners of his country. 'Under the weakest of the predecessors of Arcadius, the reign of the eunuchs had been secret and almost invisible. They insinuated themselves into the confidence of the prince; but'their ostensible fu.nctions were confined to the menial service of the wardrobe and imperial bed-chamber. They might direct, in a whisper, the public counsels, and blast, by . C Barthiu&, who adored his anthot with the blind 8opt'rslitioD of a commentator, gi ..ea the prtftfrnce to tile two book~ "'hich ClIllldian compolrd against Eutropills, above all his othu prodllclioDll, (Baillet, Jngemenl del SanDs, tom. iv, p. 221). They are ind"ed a very .. Iegant and .pirited satire; aDd would be more valuable in au historical licht, ilthe ill\'ective wc:n I.... valut', and more temperat•• I Digitized by Google S7i THE DECLINE AND FALL their malicibus suggestions, the fame' a~d for.~~~!:~ tunes of the most illustrious citizens; but they never presuined to stand forward in the front of empire,· 'or to prophane the public honours' of the state. Eutropius was th~ first of his artificial sex, who dared to assume the character of a Roman magistrate and general.- Some-times, in the presence of the blushing senate. b~ ascended the tribunal, to pro~ounce judgment, .or to repeat elaborate harangues; and sometimes appeared on horseback, at the head of his troops, in the dress and armour of a hero. The disregard of custom and decency always betrays a weak and ill-regulated mind; llor does Eutropius seem to have compensated for the folly of the design, by any superior merit or ability in the execution. His former habits of life had not introduced him to the study of. the laws, or the exercises of the field; his awkward and unsuccessful attempts provoked the CR4P. • After Iamentiag the progress of the eunuchs in.the Romaa paJa«, aod definiDg their proper functioal, ClaadiaD adds, - - A fioonte reccdaDt Imperii. lit In Entrop, i, 422. Yet it does,Dot appellr that tbe eunuch had assuml'd any of the efti. cient offices of the empire, and be is styled only Pl'lIlp06itua sacri Clio bicnll,., in the edict of his banishUient. See Cod. Tbeod. 1. is, tit. sI, Itg.17. . • Jamqne oblita ani, Dec sobria di.itiil meD. In miseras legl's bomiuumque uegolia luwt; Judicat eunnebus • • • • • 4rma etiam violare parat. • • Claudian (i, 229-210), with that mixture of indignation aod lI_r, wbich alwaYI pleuCI in a satiric port, describes the insolnt foil,. of .... . "nach, the disgrace of the empire aad tbe joy of the Gotlu. -Gaudet, cum vidprit hostil. Et sentit jam deeue "irol. Digitized by Google 373 01' THE ROMAN EMPIRL lecret contempt or the spectators; the Goths CHAP. · WIS . h, t h I .a 'generalImg ' ht, ._ XXXII. expressed t hell at &tiC" ••,.._ always command the armies of Rome; 'and the Dame of the minister was branded with ridicule, more pernicious perhaps than hatred, to a public character. The subjects of Arcadius were exasperated by the recollection, that this deformed and decrepid eunuch,' who so perversely mimicked the actions of a man, was born in the most abject condition of servitude; that, before he entered the'imperial palace, he had been successively sold, and purchased, .by an hundred masters, who had exhausted his youthful strength in every mean and infamous office, and at length dismissed him, in his old age, to freedom and poverty.' While these disgraceful stories were circulated, and perhaps exaggerated, in private conversations, the vanity of the favourite was Hattered with the most E:xtraordinary honours. In the senate, in the capital, in the provinces, the statues of Eutropiu8 'were erected, in brass, or marble, decorated , The pflet'.linly dtleription ofbU deformity, (i, Uo.IU), i. eon. firmed by the authentic ttltimony of Chry'OItom, (tom. iii, p. 884, edit. Montfaucon); who obaervtl, that when' the paint waa waahed away, the face of Eutropina app"red more agly and wrinkled than that of aD old wom~n. Clandian remarb, (it 469), and the relllark mUit have been foanded on experience, that there waa .careely any intenal betweea the youth and the decrepid ace of an eunuch. ' & Eutropiul appean to have been a natin of Armenia or A..yna. Hi. three len ice., which Claudiau more particularly describe., were thrae. I. He apent many yearl a. tbe catamite of Ptolemy, a Kroom or loldier of the imperial .tabltl. 2. Ptolemy gaye him, to the old reneral ArintheuI, for whom he very .kilfdlly exerciaed the pror... lion of a pimp. S. He waa given, oa her marriage, to til" daughter.of Arlntheos j and the future conslIl was employed to comb ht"r hair, to present the lilver ewer, to wasb .Ild to IDn hi. miltre.. ill hot weather. Jlee I. i.31·111. Digitized by Google 374 'I'D DECl..lXB ANDFAI.L CHAP. with the symbols of his ciril and -*tar, ... and inscribed with the title .the third fouDder ·of COIlsttntinOpae. He promoted to the nok of patricia., 'Wliida hepa to signify, in a popular, and eveD legal, aOe8p" tation, the father of the emperor; and. ·the last year of the fourth centUl'Y was pollRted fly 1:be cOfllV1skip of an eunucb, ad a slave. Tbi. strange aild iDexpiable prodig Ii awakened, bowever~ tbe prejudices of the RolBana. The effeminate consul was rejected b, tile 1Vest,a. an indelible st_ to the IllDala ()fthe republic; and, without invoking the shades of Brutus and Camillul, the colleague of Eutropiul, a IearneJI and respectablem.trate,· sufficiently represented tlle different maxims of the two admi- "::'!I.~, tues, poDIpOllB w" atstratiOItII. HI. Yenality and injaatice' The bold and. rigorous mind of Rufinus seems to have 1.. -t...4-,.d b ya more sangwnary . --.I m:t:Il ac UaI_ iWU , revengeful spirit.; but the :avarice of dIe eunuch was not wss jpsatja.te dian that of the pretect. II As long as he despoHed JiAe oppmeSIlOt"S, who had enriched themselves with tbe plunder of the h Claudian (I. i, ill Entrop. l-~) aAu enllmellltin, the varioaa pro.digil:1 of mon8trolJ• .birth.,ap_i~ aui.mala, ahowera of blood or ..CIIIa, doubl!! InDS, &c. addt, with .IODle l:xageration, Omnia eel.erUnt ennw:bo ·conlole mODitra. Tb fint book conclade. with Il nobJe .peech of tbe ,0dt;l~1S of Rome to b~r fuoarite Honorias, de,Precatin, ijJe . . JlDomiDY to wbicla silt was exposed. I Fl. Mallia. Tb/lodol'JlsJ who.. t:,i,ij h"noIJrl, and ,hilolophic:;al wor~ have been celebrated by C\;~lIdian in a ve.ry l'lepnt paul',yric k M18.- h .h '1"" tr)..,.,.", dzIWk with rieh~, ia the fomble e.xpreaaiOll or Zosimns (I. " p. 301); aDd the avari~e of Eatropiul i. eqllall, esrc:rated in tbe Lexicon of Suidas, aDd the Cbrollil'le of Marcellinlli. Cbry'ostom IUld oft('n admonisb(·d the favourite, of the vMit1 and daDlEU or immoderate wealtb, (tom. iii,p. 381. Digitized by Google 37:> , OF THE l;lOMAN EMPIRE. ~ople, Eutropius might gratify his co'Vetol.ls . CHAP disposition without much envy or injustice: :,~:,I,~~ but the progress of' his rapine soon invaded the w~alth which had been acquired by lawful inheritance, or laqdable industry. The usual methods of extortion were practised and improved; and Claudian has sketched a lively and original picture of thepuhlic auction of the state. "The impotence of the eunuch" (says that agreeable satirist) "has se"ed only to 'C atimulate his avarice:, the same hand which, " in his servile condition, was exercised in petty u theft~, to unlock the coffers of bis master" •• now grasps the riches of the world; and this " infamous broker of the empire appretiates amI "divides the Roman provinces, from m,ount " Hmmus to the Tigris. One man, at the ex" pence of his villa, is made proconsul of Asia; " a second purchases Syria with his wife's jew" els; and a third laments, that he has ex~ , " changed his paternal, estate for the govern:" ment of Bithynia. In the anti-chamber of " Eutropius, a large tablet is exposed to public U view, which marks the respective prices of " the provinces. The different value of Pon"tus, of Galatia, of Lydia, is accurately dis" tinguished.Lycia may be obtained for so IC many thousand pieces of gold; but the opuIC lence of Phrygia will require a more consider.. able sum. The eunuch wishes to obliterate, U by the general disgrace', his personal ignominy;. " and as he has been sold himself, he is desirous. If of sellin&, the rest of mankind. In the eager' Digitized by Google 376 THB DECLINE AND FALL .. " "contention, the balance, wbich contains the ~=. .fate and fortunes of the provinces, often trem" bles on the beam; and till one of the scales is " inclined, by a superior weight, the mind of the U impartial judge remains in anxious suspense! " Such" (continues the indignant poet) cc are the " fruits of Roman valour, of.the defeat of An"tiochus, and of the triumph of Pompey.to This venal proatitution of public honours secur~d the impunity of full,re crimes; but the riches, which Eutropius derived from confiscation, were a1read9 stained with injustice; 'since it was decent to accuse, and to condemn, the proprietors ofthe wealth which he was itDpatienl to confiscate. Some noble blood was shed by the hand 'of the' executioner; and the most inhospitable extremities of the empire were fil~:~~d!... led with innocent and illustrious exiles. Among tiUl; the generals and consuls of the East, Abundantius Dl had reason to dread the first effects of the resentm~nt of Eutropius. He had been guilty of the unpardonable crime of introducing that abject slave to the palace of Constantinople: and some degree of praise must be allowed,to a powerful and ungrateful CHAP. , . --certaDtam .pe duomm Dinnum luapendit onul: cum pondere jadex Vergit, l"t in gemiaaa nutat provincia lancel. Claudian (i, 192-209) 10 curiouily distinguiahea the circamatIDcea o(the we, that they all seem ro allude to particular lIIIecdotea. . • Claudian (i, 164-170) mentionl tbe pill aDd nile of Abuudanti_ Bor could be fail to quote the eumple of the artilt, wbo made tile fint trial of tbe brazen ball, which hI' presented to Phalaria. See ZoaimUI, I. v, p. 302. Jerom. tom. i, p. 26. The difference of place it easily reconciled; hot the decisive authority of Asterio~ ('t I\ma~ (Orat. iv, p. 16, apud TiUemout, Hist. des Emper.cun, tom. v, p. 436) IDUit tum tbe scale io fuour of PiI,)'UI • . Digitized by Google 377 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. (ayourite, who was satisfied with the disgrace f"!" A". of his benefactor. Abundantius was stripped '~~I~~~" of his ample fortunes by an imperial rescript, and banisbed to Pity us, on the Euxine, the last frontier of the Roman world; where he subsisted by the precarious mercy of the barbarians, ·till he could obtain, after the faU of Eutropius,. a milder exile at Sidon in Phamicia. The destruction of Timasius D required a more o~Th... serious and regular mode of attack. That great '1111. , officer, t~e master-general of the armies of Theadosius, had signalized his valour by a decisive victory, which he obtained over the Goths of Thessaly; but he was too prone, after the example of his sovereign, to enjoy the luxury of peace; and to abandon his confidence to wicked and designing lIatterers. Timasius had despised the public clamour, by promoting an infamous dependant to the command of a cohort; and he deserved to feel the ingratitude of Bargus, who was secretly instigated by the favourite to accuse his patron of a treasonable conspiracy. The ·general was arraigned before the tribunal of Arcadius himself; and the pl'incipal eunuch stood by the side of the throne to suggest the questions, and answers of his sovereign. But as this form of trial might be. deemed partial and D Solda. (molt probably from the history ofEunapius) ba. giveu a ftry unfavourable picture of Timaain8. Tbe account of his al'l'nser, the judges, trial, ate. is perfectly agreeable to the praetiee of ancient aad modrrD eourts. (See ZOlimuI, I. v, p. 298, 299, 300). I Baa almost tempted to quote the romance of a great master, (FieidinR" Wurk," vol. iv, p. 49, &c. 8vo. fdit.) wbicb Dlay be con_id~red as tbe IIi_tor)' of human nature. . .... Digitized byGoogle 378 ~H.~ DEC1L1T~~ AND CHAP: arbitralY, the further inquiry into the crimes of XX~EL Tim~£5n,s waL to S;LtLminu£5 Pf£5= copius; the former of consular rank, the latter still respected as the father-in-law of the emperOL Valen£5. The of legal proceeding were maintained' by blunt honesty of Procopius; and he yielded with reluct"n£5" to tl.&£5 "bsehlr®.ili4:&US d"ntnrity ins league, who pronounced a sentence of condem nation against the unfortunate Timasius. His were In of the emperor, andfo£5 the of ite; and he was doomed to perpetual exile at Oasi£5([ spot the of sanhh hum1TiI% deserts of Lihya.o S1K:duded fhom converse, the master-general of the 81'm1L£5 was for to circZEfRLtanc£5£5 his ID various and contradictory manner•• It is insinuat£5h s that dessntnhed privabs orde£5 his LL1K:ret eL(%LutioEL±s It WfF£5 repmtc ed, that, in attempting to escape from Oasis, he In deserts of anS bunge£5 his bodb Lfas on sanh£5 m'c",CC:: c £5rrat Ouis WU ODe of the spots in the saDds of Libya, wa· %pringss capablii £5roduchs£5 =feat, ha%Riilr iiOO trees, Las abOii% %1sc&.·e days jsm%siliey frmiliS %ili%ili%th to about • day io breadtb, aDd at the di,tance of about five days march to the we.t of Abydu., 00 tbe Nile. See d' Aoville, Descriptioo de l'Egy", p. 186 188. £5arreo wbicb FiiemnpaaS%i% B:#mis, (Zen: ..ns, I. 1100), hili li% %i£5gesteilki idea of iliiiliiiliiliilifarativiliili fiiFtility, even tbe epithet of the happy Ulallll, (Herodot. III, 26). • Tbe line of Claudian, in Eutrop. I. it 180, Milimnaricu8 c\aris violatur cOildibul Hammon, e"lden%Rf Llude. tF £5cnuu£lflf tbe dFFZL FfTimiliilis%Em • The tered 0 0 379 f»' TH,E ltOlfA-'W 1WP11tB.:- of Libya." Itilafl bOOl\ asserted, with more con· CH)\ .... fidence, that his son Syagritts, after .su~ess- ~~~~~~ ndly elu4ing the {mrsnit bCthe ag.eBts and' emissaries of tbe -court, coUeered'll. band CDf Am-can robbers; that be r~ued 'fime.siu8 from the place of his exile; and that 00th the father and son disappeared· from the knowledge of man· kind." But the \lngTateful Hargus, instead of being suffered to possess the Ile-ward of guilt, was soon afterwards circumvented and destroyed, by the more powerful viUany of the minister himself; who retained seIll!!e a.nd spjrit ~nough to abhor the instrument of his own crimes.· , The public hatred, and the despair of indi- A cruel viduals ooDtinually threatened or seemed to aud unjult . ' 'Iawof threaten, the personal safety of Eutropiu8; as treason, well as of the numerous adherents, who were :;p~ ~~7, attached to his fortune, and had been promoted by his venal Cavour. For their mutual defence, , he contrived the safeguard of a law, which violated eyery principle of humanity and justice.' I. It is enacted, in the name and by the authority, of Arcadius, that all those who shall conspire, either with subjects, or with strangers, against the lives of any of the persons whom the • Sozomo"l,. .,iii, c. 7. He .peaks from report, lOr .,.me .l1'li.....,. r Zo.imua, I. y, p. sou. Yet he seema to luspect that this rnmour vas .preall bJ the fri~ad. of E,tropiua. • See the Tlu:odosiau Code, I. ix, tit. 14, ad legem Corneliam de Sicarii., leg. " and the Code of JlIStiDian~ I. ix, tit. viii, ad legem .T IlliaDl de H.jj!llatr, leg. 6. The ,Iteration of tbe title, from murdef to treason, wal an improvement or tbe subtle TriboDian. GodefrQY, in a (ormal dis'ertation, which be haa inaerted iu bis Commentary, iUa.tratea thm law of Arcadia., aDd explaillJ all the di1lic:ult plyage. which had been penerted by the jurilCODIUlb oftbc darhragc5. See . ..... iii, p. 1&-111. Digitized by Google \ 380 THE DECLINE AND FALL ,"<:!!A~. emperor considers. as the members of his own ..:~:~.. bx}dy, be pueished with eon~ fhxeaticnF,l. This species of fictitious and metaphorical treason is extended to protect not only the illw'Ftriti'llS of t,he and anny, are admitted into the sacred consistory, but likewise the principal domestics of the palace, the seeal4:lls Ccmstenthwplc::, commanders, and the civil magistrates of the provinces; a vague and indefinite list, which, un¥.ler ltiCeeSSe l s h n c l e h e d an obscure and numerous train of subordinate ministers. II. This extreme severity might perhaps be juntified, it been dinected to secure the representatives of the sovereign from any actrial, violen~e ill the e~e~c,:utiq:?~ Eef oflke. Bet the wTnle of Bmperlal de}?eudants claimed a privilege, or rather impunity. wPich screened th?§ft:q:B, the lCB:hOments of fmm the pei'heps jR2Stifiable, resentment of their fellow-citIzens': and, by stsange pesversioe of the laws, the seme depree C:nfgeilt hunirhm¥:lltrsas :::~pplied a private quarrel, and to a deliberate couspiracy agfc:inst emperOi' and the empire, The ehict of mert and mf0st ebs:::,rdly declares, that in such cases of treason, tlwKcghtr OUf:ht he pueishf:d ffitb eqrrl seeerity; that the kno'FEJledpe rfa i%Kischie~ TOUS intention, unless it be instantly revealed, criminal thcz int.ention itsdf;t ~md that there raah rnen y WhC:i shHIl pret B .. rtolus understands a simple and naked consciousnessy 1I'itheat an, .sst OF THE ROMAN DlPIRR. snme to solicit the pardon or traitors, shall CHAP. themselves be branded with· public and perpe. .~~~,l,~. tual infamy. III." With regard to the sons of " the traitors," (continues the emperor), "al. ,~ though they· ought to share the punishment, " since they·wiIJ probably imitate the guilt, of " their parents; yet, by the special effect of our · " imperial lenity, we grant them their lives; but, " at the same time, we declare them incapable " of inheriting, either on the father's or on the " mother's side, or of receiving any gift or leu gacy, from the testament either of kinsmen or " of strangers.' Stigmatized with hereditary " infamy, excluded from the hopes of honours .' or fortune, let them endurE:: the pangs of po" verty and contempt, till they shaH consider · " life as a calamity, and death as a comfort and "relief." In such words, so weJl adapted to insult the feelings of mankind, did the emperor, or rather his favourite eunuch, applaud the moderation of a law, which transferred the same unjust and inhuman penalties to the children of all those who had seconded, or who had not disclosed, these fictitious conspiracies. Some of the noblest regulations of Roman jurisprudence have been suffered to expire; but this edict, a convenient and forcible engine of ministerial tyranny, was carefully inserted in the .DIU,.. of approbation or eoncarrC!Dce. For this opinion, say. Baldu., he I, DOW routiDI in hell. For my own part, continues the discreet HeiDllcciul, (Elt'meat. Jur. Civil. I. iv, p. 411), I must appro ..e the tbeory of Bartolaa; but iD practice I should incline to tbe sentiment ot Baldu.. Yet Bartolus was graYely qlloted by the lawyen of Cardinal · lUchelieu; and £utropiu. Will indirectly gllilty of the murder of the virtuous de Thou. Digitized by Google 381 'I'R:&E: ::&E:ECl&:&E:E A:&E::&E: PAL:&E: CHAP. codes olTheodosios and Justinian ~ and thesaHR4: ma:&E:i~s be:&E::&E: reviH:&E:d in. ][Hodem age::? ~-~~~~ to protect the electors of German.y, and u.e cardinals 4bf the ?::hur?::h of RORle~" d SaHK1lbina::K laWH, spr:&E::&E:d ter~ Reb.m&Fr of Tribi- ror among a disarmed and dispirited people, ri1d, &F.D. we:::&E: of wel"iK a t:&E:ldure rest:::&E:in tLH bold enterprise of Tribigild x the Ostragoth. The col£:gy oL H£::&E:rlik:&E: Whi:&E:h beeHR planted by Theodosius in one of the most fertil:&E: distridH of PhrYKi:&E:/ i~h:&E:tientld compareh th:&E: :dow n:turri:: of hu::handi'Y the successful rapine and liberal rewards of Ahrjc ; th4:H~ as tlierS4:&E: nal affront, his own ungracious reception in the pahH~:e sod ;md g:&E:althy province, in the heart of the empire, was astonish:&E:d b~t the Hmmd w:;~r the vaHHrl, had heen disregarded o,r oppressed, was again respected, as soou as, he res timed the hortile of btU"b;bbrian. vin1l~~ yards and fruitful fields, between the, rapid XXXII. • b~,1l,TIefroy, i"m. iii, p. 89. is, however, suspected, that this I.", repugnant to the maxims of Germanic freedom, has beeD sDrrepti. tiClu¥Xr &Fdde&F the S&FIr¥n buRL " 4~opion &Fnd Ciili!:gmstaDii¥I DarrgX,¥g (whi!:H be miHht hgssi reaened for more important events) is bestowed by Zosinms (I. Y, p. ,104-812) on the revolt of Tribigild ggd Ggiiliiliiliili¥. SiS? Rike";'i SOCe&Iiliiliili, I. 6, SOZOmi&F, I. vIii, '. 4. nhe seciliilinTI book ClaDdhm apinst Eutropilll, is a fine, thongh imperfect, piece of hiatory. Y CEindian EutrnF!, ii, n5t&F.h50) accUili'nii,Ey obiii,e!, the i&FiEent nimn aDd of tii Chrygi,¥ss, extemTIeh vrry far on eVerJ lide, till their limits were contracted by the colonies of the Bithynianl of Th'Size, of GreiRili¥, and ISist of GassE" His £:¥ilit'ript¥mili ii, ii{?5t~212) xfe feitiIixy of Phlgia, of thi rivni ;bat pnheed ,old, is just and picturesqu('. lei r 0. o '383 THE ROMAN EMPl1tI'.. Marsyas and the winding Mmander/ were con- i HAP• • umed with fire; the decayed walls of the city .••~:. crumbled into dust, at the first stroke of an enemy; the trembling inhabitants escaped from a bloody massacre to the shores of the Hellespont; and a considerable part of Asia Minor was desolated by the rebellion of Tribigild. Hi. rapid progreSs was checked by the resistance of the peasants of Pamphylia; and the, .Ostrogoths, attacked in a narrow pass, between the city of Selgre: a deep. morass, and the craggy cliffs of Mount Tarus, were defeated with the loss of their bravest troops. But the spirit, of their chief was not daunted by misfortune; and his army was continually recruited by swarms of barbarians and outlaws, who were desirous of exercising the profession of robbery, under the more honourable names of war and conquest. The rumours of the success of Tribigild might for some time be suppressed by fear, or disguised by flattery; yet they gradually alarmed both the court and the capital. Every misfortune was exaggerated in dark and doubtful hints; and the future designs of the rebels became the subject of anxious conjecture. Whenever Tribigild advanced into the inland country, the Romans were inclined to • XenophoD. Anabasi., L i, p. 11, 12, edit. Hutchinson. Strabo, I. Q. Curt. I. iii, c. 1. Claud ian compares the JDllc:tion of the Manyu and MlUllder to that of the Saone and the Rh6ne; with this difl"erence, however, that the Imaller of the Phrygian rinn i. Dot aC,celerated, but retarded, by the larger. • Selpe a colony of the LacedlBmoniana, had formerly numbert'd twenty thousand citizen.; but in the age of ZOIimus it waa reduced a .,.".~. or Imall toWD. Sec Cellarins, Geograph.Antiq. tom. ii. Po 117'. .n, p. 866, edit. Amatel. '0 Digitized by Google · S8& 11Il bB(!LfNI AND FALL' 8uppose tbat he meditated the passage of Moml! .~~~~~~. Tauru's, and the invasion of Syria. If he de· scended towards the sea, they imputed, and perhaps suggested, to the Gothic chief, the more dangerolls, project of arming a fleet in the har.· bours ofIonia, and of extending hisdepradations along the maritime coast, from the mouth of the Nile to the port of Constantinople. The ap. proach of danger, and the ,obstinacy of Tribi. gild, who refused all terms of accommodation, compeUed Eutropius to summon a council of war.' After claiming for himself the privilege of a veteran soldier, the eunuch intrusted the guard of Thrace and the Hellespont to Gainas the Goth; and the command of the Asiatic army to his favourite Leo; two generals, who differ· ently, but effectua)]y, promoted the cause of the. rebels. Leo, who, from the bulk of his body, and the dulness of his mind, was surnamed the Ajax of the East, had deserted his original trade, of a woo]comber, to exercise, with much less skill and success, the military pl'ofessioD; and his uncertain operations were capriciously framed and executed, with an ignorance of real difficu1ties, and a timorous neglect of every favourable opportunity. The rashness of the CHAP. C • The cODncil of Entropios, ID Claadian, may be compared to fIIat or DomitiaD in fbe fonrth aatire of JUYenai. 'J'be principal memben of tbe former were, jUyenel protefYi Jalciriqae leDes; one of them hall breD a cook, a accond a woolcomher. The JaDluale of their orisi..l profeliioD ('liposes tbeir aSlumed dimity; and their triSiDI eODYenation abollt traltl'diel, dancer., &c. ia made Itill more ridicaJoUi bJ die importance of the debate. e Claudiaa (I. ii, 876.(61) haa branded him with iDfamJ; aD. zglimuI, in more temperate lanillale, CODtrma Iiu reproaches, (I. Y. p. loa). Digitized by Google OF 386 THE ROMAN E)lPIRF.." Ostrogoths had drawn tliem into a disadvanta- CHAP. geoul position between the rivers Me]as al1d#~:.~!~:.. Eurymedon, where they were almost besieged by the peasants of Pamphylia;' but the arrival of an imperial arm'y, instead of completing their destruction, afforded the' means' of safeiy and victory. Tribigild surprised the unguarded camp of the Romans, in the darkness of the night; seduced the faith of the greater part of the barbarian auxiliaries, and dissipated, with- ' out mu(.h effort, the troops, which had been corrupted by the relaxation of discipline, and the luxury of the capital. The discontent of . Gainas, who had so boldly' contrived and executed the death of Rufinus, was irritated by the fortune of his unworthy successor; he accused his own dishonourable patience under the servile reign 'of ail eunuch; and the ambitious Goth was convicted; at least in the public opinion, of secretly fomenting the'revolt of Tribigild,.· with whom he was connected by a domestic, as well as by a national, alliance.· When Gainas passed the Hellespont, to unite under his standard the remains of the Asiatic troops, he skilfully adapted' his motions to the wishes of the Ostrogoths; abandoning, by his retreat, the country which they desired to invade; or facilitating, by his approach, the desertion of the barbarian auxiliaries. To ·the imperial • The COIIIpinrcp of Gai~u aDd Tribiaild, which i. attested by tbe Greek hiatoriaD, had Dotrellched the ('an of Clalldian, who atlribllt... the revoit of the O.troJOthI to hia own -'iallpirit, and the ad"ic:e,of Ilia wife. VOL. V. C C Digitized by Google 386 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP•. court he repeatedly magnified the valour, the ~.I..~.. genius, the inexhaustible resoUl'cesof Tribi~ gild ; confessed his own inability to prosecute the war; and extorted the permis.sion of negotiating with his invincible adversary. The conditions or peace were dictated by the haughty rebel; and the per~mptory de~and of the bead of Eutropius, revealed the author and the design of this hostile conspiracy. JI'aIJ~f£I6.. The bold satirist, who has indulged his dis~r.a:w. content by the partial (lndpa~sionate censure of the Christian em'perors, violates the dignity, rather than tbe truth, of history, by comp~ring the son of Theodosius to one of thQse harmless and simple anillUlls, who s~arcely feel tb~t they are tbe property of t.heir shepherd. Two pas. sions, however, fear and conjuga) a~e~tion, awakened the languid soul of Arcadius; he was terrified by the threats of a victQrious barbarian; and he yielded to the tender eloquence of his wife Eudoxia, whQ, with a 1l00.d of artiicial tears, presenting he.r inial)t children to their father, implored his justiee for some real or imaginary insult: which $he imputed to the audacious eunuch. The emperor's hand was directed to sign the condemnation of Eutrapius; the magic speU, which during four years had bound the prince and the people, was instantly dissolved; and the acclamations, that so lately bailed the merit and fortune of the favourite, were converted into the clamours Qf • Thla anecdote, wbich Pbiloatorcina alone hal preHrftd. (I. zit e. I, aDd Gothof'red. Dillrrtat. p. 451-436), ia carioul and impOrtaDt. IiDce it cODDecti the revolt of' the Goths with the aeoret batripa ., ... paI_. Digitized by Google j 381' OP THE ROHAN EMPlU. the soldiers and people, who reproat:h~ his ~~~i crimes, and pl'essed his immediate execution. ~"".,,;.. In this hour of distxess a~d despair, his only refuge was in the sanctuary of the chu.rch, whose priv.ileges he had wisely, or profanely,.attempted to ~ircumscribe ;' anei the mQste1cJq;oeat of the saints, JohD,Clu-ysostom,eJJjo~ed·the tr.iumph of pr.otecting a prostr~e minister, whose choice 11&4 raised. him to ~e .ecclesiastica,l throne, of Constantinople. 'The B!chl)ishop, ascending dIe pulpit of the cathedral, that he might be distinctly seen and heard by an innumerable crowd of eitber sex and of ev.e~ age, pronounced a seasonable and patheti£ discourse on the forgiveness of i~juri!3S, and the instability of human greatness. Th~agODies of the pale and' alfrighted wretchw~o lay grovelling under the table of the altar, exhibited a solemn and instructive spectiLcle; and the orator, who was after.wards accused of insulting the misfortunes of Eutropius, laboured to excite the contempt, that he might assuage the fury, of the people/ The powers of humanity, of superstition, and of eloquence, prevailed. The eropress Eudoxia was restrained, by her own prejudices, or by those of her.subjects, from violating the sanctu-, ary of t~e church; and Eutropius was tempted See the Homily of ChrysostolU, tom. iii, p. 381.38G, of which the exordiulD is particularly beautiful. Socrates, I. vi, c. Ii; Sozomen, I. "iii, c. 7. Montfaucon (in bislife. O(Chrys08tom, tom. xiii, p.13Ii) tqo h~tily supposes that Tribi"ild was tlt:lxallll in Constantinople; and that he commanded th.e soldiers wbo were ordered to siue Elltropius. EnD Clalldiau, a pagan Pllet, (Pnefat. ad 1. ii, in Eutrop. 21), IUli lDention,d the fligbt of tbe eunuch to the .anctuary. Suppliciterque pias hllmiJia prostratua ad aras lIIitigat iRltas voce tremlnte numa. Digitized by Google 388 THE .DECLINE AND FALL to capitulate, by the milder arts of persnasion~ ~~~!;.and by an oath, that his life should be spared.Careless of the dignity of their sovereign, the new ministers of the palace immediately published an edict, to declare, that his late favour ite had disgraced the' names of consul and patrician, to abolish his statues, to confiscate his wealth, and to .inflict a perpetual exile in the island of Cyprus.' A despicable and decrepid eunuch could no longer alarm .the fears of his enemies; nor was he capable of enjoying what yet remained, the comforts of peace, of solitude, and ora happy climate. But their implacable reveJlge still envied him the last moments of a miserable life, -and Eutropius had no sooner touched the shores of Cyprus, than he was hastily reealled. The vain hope of ,eluding, by a change of place, the obligation of- ali oath, engaged the empress to transfer the scene of his trial and execution, from Constantinople to the adjacent su.burb of Chalcedon. The consul Aurelianpronounced the sentence; . anj the motives of that 'sentence expose the jurisprudence of a despotic government. The crimes CHAP. • Cbrysoltom, in another homily, (tom. iii, p .. 386), afl'ects to declare, tbat Eutropiu. woold not have. been taken, had he Dot deserted the church. ZOlimus, (I. v, p. 313), on the contrary. pretenell, that IIis enemiel forced him (&£.."............c II"...") from the lauctuary. Yet the promise is all evidence of some treaty; aud the Itrong UlUraDce of Claudian, (PJ'll!fat. ad I. ii, 46), . Sed tamen exemplo non fcriere tno, may he considered as an evidence of lome promise. It Cod. Tbeod. I. ix, tit. xi,leg••4. The date of tilat law (Jan. 11, A. D. 399) i. erroneous and corrnpt; .ince the faU of Entropiul conY Dot happen till the autllmn of the same ,ear. See Tillemont. Biit. des Bmperenn, tom. Y. Po 7'80. ' . Digitized by Google 380 01' THE ROMAN EMPIRL' which Eutropius had committed against the .CHAP. people, might have just~fied his death ; hut be ..~~.~!~~ was found guilty of harnessing to his' chariot the,acred, animals, who, from their breed, or .colour, were ,reserved for the use of the emperor alone! While this domestic revolution was transact- Conlpiraed , , Gainask openly revolted from his aUeo-i cJan~faU ,,-.. of GalDal, ance; unite_l his forces, at .l'hyatira in Lydia, .... D. 4W. with those of Tnbigild; and still maintained his superior ascendant over the rebellious leader of the Ostrogoths. The' confederate armies advanced, withou~ resistance, to the ~traits of the Hellespont, and the Bosphorus; and Arca~ dius was instructed to prevent the loss of his Asiatic dominions, by resigning his authority and his per~on to the faith of the barbarians. The church of the holy martyr Eup1;temia, situ~' ate on a lofty eminence near Chalcedon,l was chosen for the place of the interView. Gainas bowed, with reverence, at the feet of the e~ peror, whilst he required the sacrifice of Aurelian and Satuminus, two ministers of consular rank; and their naked necks were exposed, by the haughty r~bel, to the edge of the sword, . ZOIimnl, I. v, p. 3n. PhiloltorciBl, I. xi, c. I. • Zoaimus, (I; v, p. SIS-SIIS); Socratel, (I. YI, c. 4); Sozoinen, (I. viii. c. 4), and Theodoret, (I. v, c. SII, II), repreaeDt, though with, lome ...riOIlI circumltancel, the coDlpirac:1, defeat, ad death of I GUDBI. I J ' \ 0,,,,, I .....~"" 1"f"'Uf''', iI the expreuioD of ZoaimBl himaelf, (I. v, p. aI4), who iDadYerteDtl, Dlel the fashioDable Jugaap of the CbD tianl. Engriul delcribel (I. ii, c. S) the liluatioD, architecture, rena, ad m,iraclel of that celehrated cb.ucb., iD wldcb. the·paeraI OOIIIICiIfII' ClaucedoD was afterwarda held. ' Digitized by Google 390 'I'IU! DEcl.INE AND FALt till he condescended to grant them a preearious ~~!~; and disgraceful respite. The Goths, according to the terms of the agreement, were imm~dilitely transported trom Asia into Europe; and their victorious chief, 1Vho accepted the title Of toas.. ter-general of the Roman armies, soori fined Constantinople with his troops, and disminited among hili dependants, the honours an.d r'eward~ of the eoipire. In his early youth, Gaibas bail passed the Danube as a suppliant, and a fugi. tive: his el~yation had been tbe Work of Valour and fortune ; and his indiscreet, or perfidious, conduct;wa.s the cause of his rapid downthl. Not*ithstandtng the Vigorous ()ppositio~ of the archbi8ho~, htl importlillate1y claiiJied, .for hiS Ann sectaries, the possessioti (jf a peculiar ohurch; ahd the pride of tlie catholics waS oftijndea by tile public toleration of heresy.Every qdarter ofCon.tantmopl~ was lilled with tumult and disorder; aritl ike barbarfiUis gazed with sucb ardour ub tbe rich Ihops of the j~wel~ lers, and the: tables 01 the bankers, whibh :Were covered with gold and silt-et, th~t It was judged prudent to remote 1lioee dangerous temptations from their sight. They i'esebted the injurious precaution; and some alarming attempts were ma~e, during the night, to attack and destroy .with fire the imperial palace.· In this state of CRAP. . • The piolll remonatnncee 01 Chl'JlOItom, wbieh do Dot .ppear iD ~oWliwritiB~.it .&0IlgI10......11 bt Tti'todot~i; btit hli iiaaiDoatioa, tht ther were IUCIl...tdI~ It lIt~prdyed bt facti. TiUemoDt (But. dfll E • .,.~~ tolD. ¥r IU)II.· dlieo~ered, lh_t die ~p~tor, to tile rap.cio... dellWlClt III' ~ '4i.. clBlftecl tv "~t lb. 01 Ibe .areh olthe Apoatla. • The eectaiutieal hlatOI'iaDI, wlao lometimel ,Dide, and ."-11 .-t.li! _p, __ IoUow Digitized by Google 391 OF THE ROMAN KMPIlU'.. mutual and suspicious hostility, the guards, and ~~~ri. the people of Constantinople, shut the gates, ._" .....:.. and rose in arms to prevent, or to punish, the July 20. conspiracy ofthe Goths. During the absence of Gainas, his. troops were surprised and oppres. I Bed; seven thousand barbarians perished in this 'bloody massacre. In the fury of the pursuit, the catholics uncovered the roof, and continued to throw down flaming logs of ,wood, till they oyer-whelmed their adversaries, who had retreated to the church or conventicle of the Arians. Gainas was either innocent of the de.. sign, or too confident of his success: he was astonished by the intelligence, that the Hower of his army had been ingloriously destroye~; that he himself was declared a public enemy; and that his countryman, Fravitta, a brave and loyal confederate, had assumed the management of the war by sea and land. The enterprises of the rebel, against the cities of Thrace, were encountered by a firm and well-ordered defence: his hungry soldiers were soon reduced to the grass that grew on the margin of the fortifications; and Gainas, who vainly regretted the wealth and luxury of Asia, embraced a desperate resolution of, forcing the passage of thellellespont. He was destituteofvessels; but the woods of the Chersonesus afforded materials for rafts, and his intrepid barbarians did not refuse to trust themselves to the waves. But Dee. II. Fravitta attentively watched the progress of their undertaking. As soon as they had gained 1011o". the public opinion, mOit confidently assert that the palace 01 CflIutaatiDople wa. ,uuded by leponl of aucell. Digitized by Google 391 THE DECLINE AND FALL the middle of the stream, the ROlDan galleys: ::~~!;. impened by the full force, of oars, of the current, and ofa favourable wind, rush~d forward. in compact order,and .with irresistible weight; and the Hellespont was covered witp. the' frag. ments of the Gothic shipwreck. After the destruction of his hopes, and the loss of many thousands of his b.ravest soldiers, Gainas, who could no longer aspire, to gover~, or to subdue, the Romans, determined,.19 res~me ·the independence of a savage life. A l.ight .and active body of barbarian horse, disengaged from their infantry and baggage, might perform, in eight or ten days, a march of three hundred miles from the Hellespont to the Danube;P the garrisons, of that important frontier had been graduaHy annihilated; the river, in the month of December, .would b~ de~ply frozen; aud the unbounded prospect of Scythia was opened to the ambition' of Gainas. This design was secretly communicated, to . the nation~l tl'OOpS, who devoted themselves to the fortunes of their leader; and before the sigilal of departure was CHAP. • ZOIlmul (I. v, p. Bl9) mention. the.. ralley. by the Dame of LibuntillfU, and observe., that tbey were u .wift (wltbont expJaiuin, tbe difference between them) u tbe natel. with fifty oan; but that tbey were far inferior in .peed to tbe trir_, wbich bad been 10111 dilll.ed. Yet be reuonably concludu, from tbe talimony of ~oIJ biu., tbat galley • .lf a still largu aize had been conltructl'd in the Punlo-wan. Since the eltablishment of the Romlln l'mpire 09U tbe Mediterranean, the usel ..11 art of buildinllarge .hips of war bad p... babl, bl'en neglected, and at Il'ngtb forgotten. • Chishull (Travels, p. 61.63, 111 76) proceeded from Gallipoli, tbroq. Hadrianople, to the Danube, in about fiftrl'n day.. Ht' was in tbe tnoia of an English Imblsudor, "hose bllggagf' eon.i.ted of .",enty·one wagrona. That Il'arnt'd trnellrr bas tbe mrrit o( traeing I cUl'ioila and .nfft1l1entt'd ronte. I Digitized by Google 393 OF T.,E ROMAN EMPlllE. given, a great number of provincial auxiliaries, CHAP. whom he suspected of an attachment to their .~~.~!!:# native' country, were perfidiously massacred. The Goths advanced, by tapid marches, through the plains of Thrace; and they were soon delivered from the fear of a pursuit, by the vanity of Fravitta, who, instead of extinguishiog the war, .hastened to enjoy the popular applause, and to assume the peaceful honours of the consulship. But a formidable ally appeared in arms to vindicate the majesty of the empire, and to guard the pe~c.e and liberty of Scythia.q The superior forces of Uldin, king of the Huns, opposed the progress of. Gainas; an hostile and ruined country prohibited his retreat; he disdained to capitulate; and after repeatedly attenlpting to cut his way through the ranks of the enemy, he was slain, with his . desperate followers, in the field of battle. Eleven days after the naval victory of the Hel- A. D. 4111, lespont, the head of Gainas, the inestimable J.ouary 3 gift of the conqueror, was received at Constantinople, with the most liberal expressions of gratitude; and the public deliverance was celebrated by festivals .and illuminations. The triwnphs of Arcadius became the subject of • The narratiYe of ZOliml1s, who actually lead. Gaina. beyond tbe Danube, mUlt be corrt'eted by the teatimony of Socrates, aud SOlliomen, tbat he wal killed in ThrtUl/l; and by the preeiae alld authentic datu of the "Inandrian, or Puchal Chronicle, p. 307. The Daval Yi,:tury of the Hellespont i. fixed to the month Apellens, tbe tenth of the calends of January, (Decemb~r 23) ; the head of Gainu wu brought to Con.tantinople the third of tbe nones of January. (January 3), in the montlt Audynlleul. Digitized by Google 394 TID DELDlB AND P.\U. epic poems;r and the -monarch, no long~r op_~~.~~~ pressed by any hostile terroril, re~igned himself to the mild and absolute dominion of his wife, the fair and artful Eudoxia, who has sullied her Came by the persecution of St. John Chry.. sostom. Eleetl_ After the death of the indolent N ectarius, the :;~~~t successor of Gregory ~azianzen, the churc:~ or loatom. Constantinople wa.s dIstracted by the ambItion F~:::a~ of rival candidateB, who were not ashamed ~ solicit, with gold or Battery, the suffrage of the people, Or oC the fa.ourite. On this occasion, Eutropiul seem. to have deviated Crom his ordinary maxims; and his uncor· rupted judgment wu detenniDed only by the superior merit of II. stranger. In a late journey into the East, be had admired the sermons oC John, a native and presbyter of Antioch, whose name has been distinguished by the epithet oC Chrysostom, or the Golden Mouth.' CHAP. r EuaebiUl 8cholutlcu acquired much fame by hie poem on the Gothic war, in which he had IelTed. Near forty yean afmwards. Ammoniu recited auotler poem on tlte lame IIIbjeet, ia tbe preaeuce of the emperor Theodolinl. See Socrate., I. "i. c. 6. I The listh book of SOcrat... the eightb of SOJ:omeu, aud tbe tftb of Theodoret, dord curlou IIlId autheatic mlltenab for the lire of JGIul Cbr,.ottom. Beeidea thOle general hillori..., I have taken for . , pides the four principal biograpber. of the saint. 1. The anthor oh partial and pUlionate Viadieation of tbe Archbisbop of Constantinople, compOied in the form of a dialogue, and und..r the name of hie Ralonl partian, Paltadint, lHahop oi Helenopolia, (TiilemODt, Mea. Ecelee. tom. D, p. 1500·1131). It i. inserted amonr; the worlll of CbryIOItom, tolD. xlii, p. l.uo. edit. MontfllucOll. I. The moderate Eru_ , (tom. iii. epilt. MeL, p. If11l·IU" edit. La",. Bat). 11"11 Yifteit7 IUId pod lense were his own; hie erton, ia the llllcuitiftted ltate of eceleliaatical antiquity, were a!meat inentable. S. Tbe learned TiIIeo BlOnt, (Meaa. "Eccleaaaatiqael, tom. D, p. 1-406, 6"0616, &c.. &c.) wile the Ii"ee of the aaintl with iRcredibie patieaee, IUlCI reJici- _,ila 8Geuacy. Digitized by Google A private mrder was despatched to tbe gbvemol" cHAP. or Syria.; and as the peOple might be unwilling!!~ to resign their favourite preacher, he was transported with speed a.nd secrecy, in a post-chariot, from Antioch to Constantinople. The unanimous and unsolicited consent of the court, the Clergy, and the people, ratified the choice of the minister; and, both as a saint and as an oratot, the new archbishop surpassed tbe sanguine e~" pectations or the public. Born ot a noble alid opulent family, in the capital of Syria, Chrysostom had been educated, by the care of a tender mother, under the tuitiob of the most skilful masters. He studied the art of thetbric .in the school ofLibatiiu~: and that celebrated sophist. "ho soon discovered tlie talehts of hfs disciple, ingenuously confessed, that John wuttld have deserved to succe~d him~ had h~ tiot ~eI1 stolen away by the Christians. His piety soon disposed him to receive the sacrament of baptiHm; to renounce the lucrative and h01l0lirl1ble profession Of the law, and to bury himself' in the adjacent desert; where he subdued the lusts fJf the 1Iesh by an austere penance of six yeaM!. His iIifirmities compelled him to return to ihe society ot mankind; and the authority o/Meletius devoted his talents to the s~r'Vice of the church * but in the midst of his family, and afterwards on the archiepiscopal throne, Chrysostom still perseaccuracy. He has minutely learched the yolnmiDolll works of ChryIoatom bimself. .4. Fatber MontfaDCOD; who has perlllCd then worb with the curiOlll cUliaeDce of aD editOl', discovered aevera! Dew bOlDi1ieJ; ...11 .aca~ rey.,nrect aDd compoaed the life of ChrpoatOID, (Opera Cb.,.o 10110... tom. lilli, .. 91-17'1). Digitized by Google S96 THE DECLI~E AND PALL Tered in the practice of the monastic Tirtues. ~~~ The ample revenues, which his predecessors had.consumed,in pomp and luxury; he diligently applied to the, establishment of 'hospitals; and the ml1lti~des', who were supported by hischarity, preferred. the eloquent and edifying discourses of their archbishop, to the amusements of the Jheatre, or the circus.' The monuments of that eloquence, which was admired near twenty years at Antioch and Constantinople, h~ve, been care(uUy preserved; and the poss~ssion of near one.thousand sermons, or homilies, has authorized the critics t of succeeding ti.,nes to appretiate the genuine merit of Chrysostom. They unanimously attribute to the Christian orator, the free command of au elegant and copious language; the judgment to conceal the advantagei which he derived from the knowledge of rhetoric and philosophy; an inexhaustible fund of metaphors 'and similitudes, of ide",s and images, to vary and illu8~ate the most familiar topics-;' the happy ad of engaging the passions iIi the service· of virtue; and of exposing the folly, as well as the turpitude, of vice, almost with the truth and spirit of a dramatic representation. The pastoral labours of the archbishop of Constantinople provoked, and gradually united CHAP. Aa I am allllO&f a atranger to the l'oluminon. sermons of Chrysoso tom, I bue ginn my confidence to tbe two most judicioul and mod'" nte oftbe ecele.ia.tical critit'., Erasmus, (tom. iii, p. 1344) and Dupin, (Bibliotbeque Ecclesiastique, tom. iii, p. 88): yet tbe good tute of the former i5 lometimt:. vitiated by an txctlsive Ion of antiquity; and the good aen.e of tbe fl,tter il alway. re.traiued by prudential a. . aideratlolllo . .. t Digitized by Google . 3.sr7 . OF THE .ROMAN EMPIRE. against him, two sorts of enemies; the 'aspiring CHAP. clergy, who envied his success: and, the obsti- .~~~#~~# nate sinners, who were offended by his reproofs. ~il ad!D1o W hen ChrysostoQl' thundered, from the 'pu'1' pIt 0 f . nlatratloD and deSt. Sophia, against .the degeneracy of the Chris- ~~c:'a98tians,his shafts were spent among the crowd, 403.• without wounding, or even marking, the character of any individual. When he declaimed agains,t the peculiar vices of the ri,ch, poverty might obtain a transient consolation from his, invectives: but the guilty were still sheltered by th~ir numbers; and the reproach itself was dignified by some ideas of superiority, and en,. joyment. But as the pyramid rose towards. the summit, it insensibly diminisJIed to a point; and the magistrates, the ministers, the favourite eunuchs, the ladies of the ,court,U the '~mpress Eudoxia herself, had a much larger share of guilt, to divide among a smaller proportion of criminals. The personal applications of, the audience were anticipated, or confirmed, by the _ testimony of'their own conscience; and the in;' . trepid preacher assumed the dangerous right of exposing both the offence, and the offender, to the public abhorrence. The secret resent~nt of the court encouraged the discontent of the _ clergy and monks of Constantinople, who were• Th~ (~males of Conltantinople diatingnilhedtbemselvel by their enmity or their attachment to Chrysostom. Three .noble and opn. J~nt widowl, Mana, Caatricia, and Eugraphia, Were tbe leaden of tbe penecutiOD, (Pallad. Dialog. tom. xiii, p, 14). It was impossible that tbey sbould forgive a preacber, wbo reproacbed tbeir aft"ectation to eonceal, by tbe ornaments of dre.s, tbeir age !lnd ugliness, (Palla4. p. 27). Olympiu., by equal Ileal, displayed in a more pioul caule, .... obtaiDed the title of .aiDt. See TilIemoDt, Mem. -Eccles. tOIll. xi, 416440. Digitized by Google u. .. THE DacLIID AlfD ..... too hastily reformed by the ferv~u.t z.eal ()ftheir #~~I:~ archbishop. He had condemned, from tAle pulpit, the -domestic felJlQ.les of the clergy Qf Conltantjnople, who, under the naJJleS of lieJ;vants, or sisters. afforded a ~petuaJ occuiQ. either of sin, or of scandal. The sileat ancJ 80:litary ascetics, who had secluded thelIJlelreB.. from the world, were elltitled to th.e wannest approbation of' Chrysos~m;. but he des(lised and stigmatized, as the disgrace Df their holy profession, the crowd of d~Mrate 8lonb, who, fr.om some unworthy motives of pleasure or pi'ofit, so Cr.equently infested the streets of the capital. T.o the vDice of persllasion, the arch~ bjshop was obliged to a4d tbeterror~ of authority; and bis QZd01lr, in the exercise of e.cclesiastiqal j orisdjctioD, was Dot always ex.empt from pasMiMlj Dor was it alway;s guided by pr.tlcieDce. ChrYSDstom was' naturally of a choleric dispositi.Qp." AltRoog~ he struggled,.a.c. cor.cii{)g ~. the pr.e.cepts of the gospel, to lo.ve. his' private eI;lemies, he indulged himseU iD the pri~e of hating the enemies..of God, I¥Id 01 tlle church; and his sentiments w.ere 8O~etimes deliv.sed with too much energy of .cono.t.en8¥ce and,ex·pression. He still maintained, from some couideratioDB of health, or abstinence, bis former habits of taking his repasts alone; and this CHAP. " SOlomea, aud more e.peciaUy SOcrates, have d~fiDed the real c:h.Iracter of Chry,oltom with a temperate aDd impartial freedom, verr ofFeD.i.e to hit blind admiren. Thole hi.torian. liyed in the Dext generation, when party yiolence wu abatc:d, and had con\ ened l'(ith maD, perlolll intim,tel, u'InaiDted with the virtue. and imperfectioDa of the ..at. Digitized by Google .01' THE 399' RGMAN £lIIPlItB. inhGspitablecustGm,:t which hisenetnies imputed CHAP. - t n'bu ted, at I t ', to' . h the ",_ XXXII t .0, pJ."1'de,- CGn eas nGUrlS ........•, infirmity .of a mGrGse and unsocial humGur. S~ parated frGm that familiar intercGurse, which facilitates the k~.owledge and the deEtpatch .of business, he repQsed an umnu~pectjng cGnfidence in his deac.on SeJ'$pipD.; an~ aeldorn applied his speculative knowledge .of hQ.lDan nature to the particulu.r' clJ~racters. either of his dependants, .or .o(his equals. C.onsci.ous .of the purity .of his, intenti.ons, and perhaps .of th~ s~peri.ority .of his genius, the archbishop .of CGnstantinople ext~nded the jurisdIction .of the imp.erial city, that he might enlarge the sphere .of his past.oral lab.ours; and tJIe cGnduct which the pr.ofane i~puted t.o anambitiGus m.otive, appeared t.o Chrysost.om himself in the light .of a sacred' and indispensible duty. In his. visitati.on thrGugh. the Asiatic provinces, he d ep.osed thirteen hish.oPs .of Lydia and Phrygia; and indiscreetly d~clared, that a deep c.orruption .of simGpy and licentiousness had iofecttld the whole episcopal 'G.rder.- If those bishops were inn.ocen~ such a .l1lS-. 8AcJ unj~st condemnation must elCcite a well-gr.ounded disc.onteDt. If they were guilty, the numer.ous ass.ociates .of tbeir guilt w.ould r Palladia (tom. xiii, p. 40, &c.) very sel'ioosly defends the areh. Iriahop. 1. He never tuted wine. 2. Tbe weakness of bia stomacb re,dired a peculiar diet. 3. Business, or study, or devotion, often kept him rutin, till Iun-set. 4. He detested the noile and levity of great dinn.n. S. He land the expence for tbe as., of tbe poor. 6. He WII appreheasive, in a capital like Conltantinople, of tbe euvy and reproach of partial invitatioRs. a Cbry.o.tom declarl!l his free opinion, (tom. ix, bom. iii, in Act Apoltol. p. 29), that the number of bishops,. wbo migbt be IlIVed. bON • very .maD proportioa to those wbo would bt! damned. Digitized by Google 400 THE DECUNE AND FALL CHAP. soon discover, that their own safety ·depended . ~~~..~ on the ruin of the archbishop; whom they studied to represent as the tyrant of the eastern church. Cb~This ecclesiastical conspiracy was manaared t MClIteci b, by Theophilus: archbishop of Alexandria, an active and ambitious prelate, who displayed the :~~~. fruits of rapine in monuments of ostentation His national dislike to the rising greatness of a city, which degraded him from the second, to the third, rank, in the Christian world, was exasperated by some personal disputes with ChryBOStom himself.' By the private" invitation of the empress, Theophilus landed at Constantinople, with a stout body of Egyptian mariners, to encounter the populace; and a train of dependant bishops, to secure, by their voices, the majority of a synod. The synod was convened in the suburb of Chalcedon, surnamed the Oak, where Rufinus had erected a stately church and monastery; and their proceedings were continued during fourteen days, oro sessions. oA bishop and a deacon accused the archbishop of Constantinople; but the frivolous or improbable nature of the forty-seven articles ~U~~ =.a-E" 0 C • Sre Tillt'moDt, Mem. Ecclel. tom. xi, p. '410400. I have pnrpoaely omitted the CODtfOVeray which arote allloD, the monks of Egypt, couceminJ OrigeDiam aDd ADtropomorphilm. the diuimulatioD aDd violence of Theophillll; hia artfnl management .f the aimplicity oCEpiphanius; the peraecution aDd flight of the ,.",., or tall, brothrors; tbe ambiguous support which they received at CoDitaDtinOo pIt' from Chrysostom, &e. &cc. C Pholins (p. 53·60) baA preserved tbe original facta of the I)'aod of the Oak; wbicb deltroy the false a'lertioD, tbat Cbrysostom wu eo.. demned by no more thaD tlJirt),-aix biahop., of wbom tweaty.nine W"1e £r1Ptiaaa • Forty-five bi,bopa aublc:ribed hilaeate.ac.. Ie'TiIIemNt, Kem. Ecclel. tom. xl, p. 1911. to Digitized by Google . 401 01<' THE ROMAN EMPIRE. which they presented against him, may j1l:st1 y ~~m be considered as a fair and unexceptionable .._ ..... .;" panegyric. Four successive summons were signified to Chrysostom; but he still refused to trust either his person, or his reputation, in the hands of his implacable enemies, who, pru~ently declining the examination of any particular charges, condemned his contumacious disobe.:dience, and hastily prol\ounced a sentence of deposition. The synod of the .Oak immediate. ly addressed the emperor to ratify and execute their judgment, and charitably insinuated, that the penalties oftreason might be inflicted on the audacious preach~, who had reviled, under the name of Je~bel, the-empress Eudoxia herself.. The archbishop was'rud~ly arrested, and conducted through the city, by one of t,he imperial messengers,who landed him, after a short navigation, near the entrance of the Euxine; from wpence, before the expiration of two days, he was gloriously recalled. ., .The first astonishment of his faithful people Poplliar had been mute and passive: they suddenly ~:~~:~~~ rose with unanimous and irresistible fury. tinople. Theophilus escaped;. but t~e p,romiscuou8. crowd of monks and Egyptian mariners were slaughtered without pity in the streets of Con~tantinople" A seasonable earthquake justi.. Palladiu. OWDS, (p. SO), that if the people of Constantinople had found Tbeophilus, they would certainly have tbrown him ioto the sea •. Socrates mentions (1. vi, c. 17) a battle between the mob and the sailprs of Alexandria, ia wlaich lOany wouDd, weu pven. and sOlOe livel, were VOL. V. Dd Digitized by Google 401 THE DBCUllB AND "ALL CHAP. led the iDterpolitimlof heaveR; the torrent td ~~~: sedition polled forwards to the gates of the palace; and the empress, agitated by {ear or remorse, threw herself at the feet of Arcadius, and confessed., that the public safety could be purchased only by the restoration of Chryso8tom. The Bosphorus was covered with inDomerablevesselR; the shores of Europe and Asia were profusely illuminated; and the acclamations of a victorious people accompanied, from the port to the cathedral, the triu~ph of the archbishop; who, too easily, consented to r~ sume the exercise of his functions, before hi, sentence had been, legally reversed by the authority of an ecclesiastical synod. Ignorant, or careless, of the impeuding danger, Chrysostom indulged his zeal, or perhaps bis leseDt" ment; declaimed with peculiar asperity against • female vices; and condemned. t~e profane honouu which we:re addressed, almost in the precincts of St. Sophia, to.:tlle statue of the empress. His imprudenee tempted his .enemies to inflame the haughty spi.,it of Eudoxia, by reporting, or perhaps inftntiag, the famous ex. ordium of a sermon, U Herodias'is again furi" OUS; Herodias again daDCes: she OBce more I I requires the head of John;" an insolent anusion, which as a·WOUlan anda sovereign, it wu impossible for her to forgive: The short interwere .Iod. The mauaere of the monb It obaeryed ooly by the papa ZoaimuI, (I. y, p. 824), who acknowledge. that CbrYIOItom had a .... ,alar talE'ot to lead the Uliterate maltitude, '" 7"'C • -'c-ec .,..,.. WXa. JI"'~. ' • lee Socratea, I. vi; c. 18; SOIOIllftl I. YiiI, c. 20. Zo_o., (l. y... 1M, _,...,..,e., Digitized by Google ... T_ IlOIUJ( 403 EMPIRE. _I' Cjf a perfidious traee was employed to c(;n- ClH". and tUin o(the ar,chbishop. A numerous counof tile eastern prelates, who were guided from .. flistUilce by tile advice of Theopbilus;. con-· AHned the validity; witholitoxaminiilg the justi~, of the fbrmer sentence; and a detachment or ba.fba:ri1ul tr90ps was introduced into the tit)" to suPlJtefts the ·emotions of the people. On the vigil of Easter, the solemn administratiem of bsfrtism was rudely interrupted by the nldiers, who alarmed the modesty of tile naked eatecb1!tbeos, and violated, by their presence, ilJe sMa' mysteries' of the Christian worship, A-rsach'ls e.ccupied the church of St. Sophia; and the arcbiepisc0J.1al throne. . The catbdlies retreated to the baths 6f CtnrstanbMi andaf;. ferwards to -the fields: where tile}' were still pnrned and insulted by the guards, thebi~ shops, and the magistrates. The fatal flayoftke seeend and tinal e~1e tJt Cwrysoe1!om ws8niar. ed by tbe cOllfiag.ratioll of the cathedral, of the senate-house, aifd of the adjacent kiklings ~ and this calamity was i:IBputed,. Without proof, but not without probability, to the despair of a persecated faction.' Cicero might clailli some merit, if Iris veJuatary banishment· pt:eserved the peace of the re- . eert tngre effectual measures for the disgrace ,~~,~!~;. . ~n aM, 11'1) mmtioDS, in general terms, hi. invectinl a,ainlt EudolUL '!'be homil>i~ which begin. with thOle famoul words, i. rejected .a. 'pariou.. Moatfaacon, tom •. xiii, p. i5l. Tillemont, Mem. Ecclte. tom. zi, p. 601. " . ; We mi,ht naturally expect lueb a charge (rom Zosimu~, (I. Y, Pat;); but it i. remarkable enough, fhat it should be comirDle4- b) lie.~t~J I. yi, t. IS, aDd the· Pa.chal Cbronicle, p. 307. Digitized by Google 404 THE DECLINE AND FALL public;' but the submission of Chrysostom wu indispensable duty of a Christian and a Ellile of subject. Instead of listening to his humble prayer, that he might be permitted to reside at j~':' :004, Cyzicus, or Nicomedia, the inflexible empres~ . assigned for his exile the remote and desolate town of Cucusus, among the ridges of Mount Taurus, in the Lesser Armenia. A secret }:tope was entertained, that the archbishop might perish in a difficult and dangerous march of seventy day!ll, in the heat of summer, throug~ the provinces of Asia Minor, where he was continually thl'eatened by the hostile attacks oi the Isaurians, and the JDore implacable fury of the monks. Yet Chrysostom arrived in safety. at the place of his confinement; and the thre.., years, which he spent at Cucusus, and t~~ neighbouring town of Arabissus, were the last and most glorious of his life. His character was consecrated by absence and persecution;, the faults of his administration were not longremembered; but every tongue repeated. the, praises of his genius and virtue: and the reo; spectful attenti'on. of the Christian world was; fixed ~n ,a desert spot among the mountains of Taurus. From that solitude, the'"a.rchbishop, whose active mind was invigorated by misfor·tunes,maintained a strict and frequent corres-: pond~nceh . with the most distant provinces; CHAP. ..~~#~~;# the :0;-- • He display. those Ipfcionl motiYea (Post Reditnm, ~.ll. 14)' ia the ' , JuJUale of an orator lind a politician. 11 Two hUDdrfd and forty. two of the .pllnea of Chryloltom are ,tin' ntant, (Opera, t~m. iii, p. 528:786)., They are, addreued to a peat, , YUietJ Digitized by~oogle • '406 GP'THE ROHAN EMPIRE; exhorted the separate cong~egati~n of hi~ faith~ ~~~ri; luI adherents to persevere m theIr allegIance; ...~.,~,." urged the' destruction of'the temples of Ph amicia, and the extirpation of heresy in the isle of Cyprus; extended his pastoral' care to the missions of-Persia and Scythia; negotiated.; by his ambassadors, w~th the Roman pontiff; 'and the emperor Honorius; and boldly appealed, from a partial synod; to the' supreme tribunal of a free and general council. The mind of the il,Iustrious exile was still independent; but his captive body.was exposed to the revenge of the, oppressors; ',who continued to abuse'the name and' authority of Areadius.i An o,rder was despatched for the instant removal of Chrysostom to' the extreme desert of Pityu8: and his guards so faithfully obeyed their cruel instructions, that, before he reached the sea-coast of the Euxine, he expired at Com ami, In Pontns, Hi. dell~ in the sixtieth year of his age., The succeed- ~~;: ~~t ing generation acknowledged his innocence and merii. The archbishops of the' East, who might blush that their predecessors had be~n the ene-: mies of Chrysostom, were gradually disposeu, variety ofpenilns, and shew,a firmness of mind, much snperior to that of Cicero in hi. exile. The fonrteenth epi.tle contam. a CuriOUI narra. tive of the danger. of his journey. J After the exile of CbrYlostom, Tbeophilus published an eII/lnIIOIII and luwrible volume againat him, in which be perpetually repeatl tbe polite expressioDl of hOltem hum8l!itatis, sacrilegorum principem, immundum ' daemonem; he affirms, tbat John ChrY50stom bad delivered his loul to be adulterated by the devil i and wishes tbat,aome farther punisbment. adequate (if possible) to the magnitude of bia crimes, may be ,infticted on him. St. Jerom, at 'the request of hi. friend Theophilll8, translated thil edifying performance from Greek into Latin. See Facundus He.... ..ian. Defena. pro iii, Capitulo I. vi, c:6, pgblliihed b'y Sil'moud. Opera. tom. ii, p. 596. 6116, 6111. Digitized by Google • 406 T8B PBCLINE AND FA\.J" ~R~~. by tlae ArMna. ef the Roman pOftt~ to ",I~'" the hOQeuF8 of ti"iat fl!lQM-a},!e na~.~ At tb,. ..--,.-".. .c~ioi.tii$)8 tif t~ cle@lJY~.l pc.pl~ C1()@~~intiPtmw, thirty yec'lJ! .hwt HI, reliea death, "tVere tranaportf!d fl'QIlt theil" <WEtQU!'ft ~ !d~;bor:: plilchre to tile royal eil,. el1be etnP"'O' Tbeo.}§XyHi. ~~~1::. ~:;:: ti::~~:lftiti r;:;;~te' ~:~:' til Cb~~ plored, in the name of his gaiH, parenta. AJOa« diu. and Eudoxia, the forwivene$. 0{ tlte ~ §aint. 1II TIe d'ililtb Y tet rteasf&l¥IaYle douYt l%'~y 'be tetttttertaiMd" :f,,~ca- whether aDY staiil of b.eredit~tery pilt te6.Q.ld ii D. 408, derived from Arcaw118 ~ hilt S~o.eMQ', Eq· a1 1, dOtiia. tiiaS young aDQYealltifut wQman,. pstetew?:1&te, tend ~tetp~tted hul' band:· ComltJoh?:;n e?:ij~yted, ctlt~@lftp tQef¥4Ci~" confidence of the empffitS~ aad th~ pqWjc Q~ ~d him as the real li).th~, o.f The~", *Qt, pf " ~ Wd.f f!tK~li;epted, It HAl o,.TIF.e "'Fa ,;;eerte", b" bis ,"cc4',~or Attic" in 2he A2:9ptiCi of the chureb of Ccmataotiuople, .... D. 418. Ten af'4'f._ W4', re"""ed ". a ,aiTIFt. Cr'il.er~ \'EI)~ri~d ~. IIf,_l:f, t_o passions, of II!!! nncle, Tbeoy:.hilul, yielded ",itb §uch rel""tan"" "ee y:.~CU'SFy:.. Hf'rml,?&C. }. hSF, Co cL'iUeI&iiilf, "?:flR. Eccles. tGm. 277-283, I ",,'2ra,f", I. vii, c. 45. Theodoret, I. v, c. 86. This enot reeoneiled the J"an,,£tea, reho h"d hl,?erf" ref,,§,d aC?:SF,wlSFdge dil ceuon. :Wiuring his lifetime, the JoanDitea were respected by tIte cat.Oo tht tn,SF and orti.,.doSF eommnni,,, of zZonaZ,2DtiaSFpie, nd, liea, obsti~acy gr~t1ual1y drove thrm to ~e b~nk o~'atblam. " at "ceonung 8"sse 8",'OUSF,e, <er?&Coo,SF" _TIF,;oal, ~1"rr. 4, 4.H.. No.9, 10), the emperor was forced to aeDd a lettel' of iayitatioa ... "sCII''-. b,,?:rrre t:We b.-,±y ,,&, the e"re}§"oio". nh.t ce~d &,,,, mo"",d ",,"" Comaoa. • ~"8i§.-s, ". p,2H5, Td" cb2fdlr, "fo r1Dp_ fl.ouM ...t Impeached, without produciog a wi Delli bat it i, astOniabiDg, tltat" gg,fieer,toc2, .h2f"lid }§,'3te s§d III. ,fr "rifF,TIF, wd,.. ~ditim"e1 ,,""'!L "II, iii", Ii"" ... 4()1 0' 'l'IIB ItOIlAN EIIPI1t& Jaoweyer, by the pious husband, as an.event the ~~~ri mOlt fortunate and honourable to hImself, to ._,....#_ his family, and to tbeeastem world: and the royal infant, by an unprecedented favour, was Inyested with the titles ofCmsar and Augustus. In lea. than four years afterwards., Eudoxia, in the bloom of youth~ was destroyed by the consequences of a miscarriage; Bnd this untimely death confollDded the prophecyo:f a holy bishop: who, amrdst the universal joy, had ven. tured to foretel, that ue should behold the long and auspicious reign of her glorious son. The catholics applau.ded the justice of heaven. which avenged tbe persecution of St. Chrysostom; and perhaps the emperor was the only person who sincerely bewailed the loss of the haughty and rapacioU8 Eudoxia. Such a do. .mestic misfortune Il,ftlicted Ajm more deeply than the public calamities of the East ;'. the licentious excursions from PdntU8 to Palestine, ofthe !saurian robbers, whose impunity accused the weakness of the government; and the earthquakes, the conflagrations, the famine, and the flights of locusts,q which the popular discontent dared to attacl. We mUit suppose that hi' hiIItory wu a party libel, priyately read aud circulated by the papill. TillemoDt (Hilt. dea Emperean, tom. "', p. 182) is Dot anne to brand the reputatioD of Eudollia. . • Pwplayl'J of. Qua. . His zeal wu transported by thl! order whiela he had obtained for the deatrDetioD of eight pagan temples of that city. s.e the. carious detaill of his life, (BarouiUl, A. D. 401, No. 11-111), oficiaally writteu in Greek, or perhapi in Syriac, by a moitk. OD6 ~ his favourite deacons. • PhilOIterr. I. si, e. 8, and Godefroy, DiuertaL p. 461: • Jerom (tom. ...1, p. 11, 16) dClCribea, ID linly coloun, the rep. Ju aud destracti,e march of the IOCllltl, which .pread a dark cloud .I.e.. Digitized by Google :f08 THB DECLINE AND PALL <?HAP. was equally disposed to attribute to. the incapa;. .~~.~;.. city of the monarch. At length, in the thigyfirst year of his age, after a reign (if we may abuse that word) of thirteen years three months and fifteen days, Arcadills expired in the palace of Constantinople. It is impossible to delineate his character, since, in a period very copiously furnished with historical materials, it has not been possible to remark one action that properthe son of the great Theodosius. : ly belongs HillapThe historian Procopius r bas indeed ilIuminpOledte .. . d 0 f t he d' 'h a ray tamlat. ated" t he mm ymg emperor. WIt of human prudence~ or celestial wisdom. Arcadius considered, with anxious foresight, the helpless condition of his son Theodosius, who was no more than seven years of age, the .dangerous factions of a minority, and the aspiring spirit of Jezdegerd, the Persian monarch. Instead of tempting the allegiance of an ambitious subject, by the participation of supreme power, he boldly appealed to the niagnanimity of a king; 'and placed, by a solemn testament,.. the sceptre of the Ea~t in t~e hands of Jezdegerd himself. The royal guardian accepted and dis- . charged this honourable trust with unexampled fidelity; and .the infancy of Theodosius was protected by the arms and councils of Persia. Such is the singular narrative of Procopius; to between heaven and earth, over the land of Palestine. Spaaoaah1e "(lids scattered them, partly into the I>ead Sea, and partly into tile Mediterranean. , Proeopiul, de Bell. Persico i. I, c. 2, p. lI, edit. Louvre•. --- "09 Of'THE ROMAN EMPiRE. and hi! veracity is ~oi disputed by Agathias,'· CHAP. while he presumes to dil!!sent froID his judgment, ..~':~~!:.. and to arraign the wisdom of a Christian emperor, who so rashly, though so fortunately, committed his son and his dominions to the unknown faith of a stranger, a rival, and a heath~n.. At the distance of one hundred and fifty years, this political question might be debated in the court of Justinian; but a prudent historian will refu~e to examine the propriety, till he has ascertained' the trutlt, of the testament of Arcadius. As it stands without a parallel in the history of the world, we may justly require,. that it should be attested' by the positive and unanimous evidence of contemporaries. The stra~ge novelty of the event, which excites our distrust, must have attracted their notice; and their universal silence annihilates the vain tradition of the succeeding age. The maxims of Roman j.urisprudence, if they Admini•• could be fairly transferred from private property ~~!i~; o( to public dominion, would have adjudged to the ~i,:' 401:1emperor Honorius the guardianship of his n~ 416.' phew, till he had attained, at least, the fourteenth year of his age. But the weakness of Honorius, and the calamities of his reign, disqualified hini froID prosecuting this natural claim; and such was the absolute separation of . • Apthia., I. \". p. 1S6, 11'1. Although he confeuea the prevalence of the tradition, he _erta that Prllcopioa tvU the fint who had committtd it to writiug. Tillemoot, (Hiat. de. Emperean, tom. v, p. 691) .rguea very se.. :ibly on the merita o(this (able. Hiacriticism tvU not warped by any eccleaiutical authority.: both Procopio. aod Agathia. lie half paeaol. . Digitized by Google 410 TRB DECUNK AND FALL the two monarchies, both in interest and affee. _~.: tion, that Constantinople would have obeyed. with less reluctance, the orders of the Persian. than tl10se ofthe Italian, court. Under a prince" whose weakness is disguised by the external aigns of manhood and discretion, tlle most worthless fa'Yourites may secretly d~pute the empire of the palace; and dictate to submissive provinces the commands of a master, whom they di.red and despise. But the ministers. of a child, who is incapable of arming them with the sanction of the royal name, must acquire and exercise an independent authorill. The great officers of the state and army, whQ had been appointed before the .death of Arcadius. formed an a.ristocracy, which might have inspired them with the idea of a free republic; and the government of the eastern empire was fortunately ·assumed by the prefect Anthemius,t who obtained" by his superior abilities" a last. ing ascendant over the minds of his equals. The ~afety. of the young emper()f. proved the merit and integrity of Anthemius: and his prudent firmness sustained the force and repntation of an infant reign. Uldin, with a formidable host of barbarians, was encamped in the heart of Thrace: he proudly rejected all terms of accommodation; and pointing to the asing SUD. declared to the Roman ambassadors, that • Socratel, 1. .ii, c. I. Aotbemiaa _ the ",Woe of Pbilip, p. . CHAP. 01 the ministl'n.of C08ltaatial, aDd the graildfadter ·of the ....... .lotbelllias. After bis· retum from the Peniu rJJlbua),. b. _ .,. polDwd COUIUJ and prl'aoriao prc.HIlt. of the East, in tbe year '05 ..... heJd tbe pnfecture about tea yean. See hia hoooun. aDd praiMI .. Go.lefroy, Cod. Theod.· tODl yi, p. 3110. TiJJemoat, Hilt. do . . . IIODl. wi, p. 1, ~c. • Digitized by Google 41\ the ~ourse 01 that planet should alone tenni· CHAP. . XXXIL Date the conquests of the Huns. But the de- _,_,,_ sartion of his confederates, who were privately convinced of the justice and liberality of the i:nperial ministers, obliged Uldin to repass the Danube: the tribe' of the Scyrri, whieh composed his rear-guard,. was almolt extirpated ; and many thousand captives were dilpersed to cultivate, with servile labour, the fields 01 Asia.- In the midst of the public triumph Constantinople was protected by a strong inclosure of new and mwe extensive walls; the same vigilant care was applied to restore the fortifications of the IIlymn cities; and a pla:n was judiciously conceived, which, in the space of .even years, would bave secured the command of the Danube, by establicshing on that river a perp6tual iteet of two hundred and fifty armed Tessels.1I But tlle Romans lIad so long been accustom- Character 1..._ • Indadmie d tf) t he' autnonty 01 a monaFCh,that the first, ni.t~tioD even amoDgl the fetnaJes, or the imperial family, :t~:': whodilplayed anycoura.ge or capacity, was per- ~t mitted to ascend the vacant throae of Theodo- . 8i~s. His '8ist~r Pulcheria,'I who was only two years older than himself, received, at the age of sixteeD, the title of A.guM; and though her ,,'- II . .1IOIIl...... ill. o. If. B. laW 1081. Se,1')'I at 'Work ..... Moant (\I,.po,. ia Bilb)!Qia. . . clleriJbecl tlte Yaia IIope that ~ eaptivte ....,e the ... of tile ..d_ . z Cod. Th~od. I. vii. tit. lIYil; l. 1Iv. tit. i. e. , SQzolllee b.... filh'd thfte obaptcra. wil.h • mlcnifice.nt putl.,ric of Pnklvri.. (I. ~. c. I., ~. 8); aDd TiUemont (MCIIDOir•• Bee.... to.... "y. p. 111·18.&' baa dl:di('atcd a aeparate article to tbe bOUQur oUt....... cheriD) 'irein and clllprcu. Ie,. 412 THE DECLINE AND PALL CHAP. favoui-might be sometimes clouded by caprice or' . th e east ern ",XXXII... .." ........ mtrlgue, 8 he con t'mued . t 0 govern empire near f01'ty years; during the long minority °of her brother, and, after his death, in her own name, abd in the name of Marcian, her nominal husband. From a motive, either of prudence, or religion, she embraced a life of cele-o bacy; and notwithstanding some aspersions on° the chastity of Pulcheria: this resolution~ which she communicated to her sisters Arcadia and Marina, was celebrated by the t;hristian world,. ~ the sublime effort of heroic piety.. In the presence of the clergy and people, the three daugh-o ters of Arcadius· dedicated their virginity to God; and the obligation of their solemn vow was inscribed on a tablet of gold and gems; which they publicly offered in the great church of Constantinople. Their palacze was converted into a monastery; and all males, except the guides of their conscience; the saints who had ~ forgotten the distinction of sexes, were scrupulously excluded from the holy threshold. Pulcheria, her two sisters, and a chosen train of favourite damsels, formed a religious community: they renounced the vanity_ of dress,; interrupted, by frequent fasts, their simple and frugal diet.; allotted °a portion of their time to • Soidu (Ellocerpta, p. 68, in Script. Byant., pretenda ou the cffilit of the Neatorian., that Pulcheria wu esasperated against their foander, because he ceuIlIred her connectipn with the beaatiful Paalin.., and ber incest with her brother 'l'beodosial. • See Durange, Famil. Byaantin. p. 10. FlacciDa, the eJdt:.t daughter, either died before A.rcadiuI, or, if lAen,ed till tbe year 411, (Marcellin. Chroil.) lome defect of mind or body mult bave excloded Mr from the bonoor. of her rank. Digitized by Google 41;1... OP THE ROMAN EMPIU.. 'Works. of 'embroidery; and devoted -several. ~~rJ. hours of the day and night to the exercises of....,...,..;.. prayer and psalmody. The piety of a Christian virgin was adornecl by the zeal and libera-. lity of an empress.' Ecclesiastical history ,de-, scribes the splendid churches, which were built at the expence of'Pulcheria, in all the provinces of the East; her charitable foundations for the benefit of strangers and the poor; the ample. donations which sh~ assigned for the perpetual. maintenl:1nce of monastic.societies; .and the active severity with which she laboured to suppress the opposite heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches. Such virtues-'were supposed to de-. serve the peculiar favour of the Deity: and the. relics of martyr&, as well as the knowledge of. future events, were communicated in visions and revelations to the 'imperial saint.. Yet the devotion of Pulcheria never diverted her inde-· fatigable attention from temporal affairs; and. she alone, among all the' descendants of the. great Theodosius;appears to have inherited any sbare of his manly spirit and abilities. The ele-gant and familiar· use wtich she had acquired, . both of the Greek and Latin languages, was· readily appl.ied to the various occasions of speak-· b She was admoniahed, by repeated dreams, of the place where the . relics of the forty lIlartyn had been buried. The ground' had IlIe- . cellivHy belonged to the. Irouse and garden of a woman of Constanti- , Dople, to a monastery of Macedonian monks, and to a church of St. Thynus, ereetea by Cmsarins, who was c.onsul A. D. 397; and the memoty of the relies was almost obliterated. Notwithatandi~ the . charitable wishes of Dr· Jortin, (Remarks, tom. iv, p. 234). it i. Dot. e\lJIy to acquit Pulcberia of lome .hare in the pioua fraud; which must lIave been (l1Iusacteo! when abe was more tJian -five: lind thirty yean . • fal'. . Digitized by Google "., . , . DBCLIJI& UD .AUo CRAP. ing, Gr writmg, on public busineel-; her delilJe. _~:X:, ration. were maturely weighed; her act. . . were prompt aad decisive; -aad, while .sbe moved without noise or oBtentatioil the wheel of go.,ernment, she discr.eetly attrih1lted to the genius of tbe emperor, tile Ing traaquiUity of hi. reign. . In the last yean of lriltpeacefullife, Eur. waa iDcIeed aftlicted by the atm8 of AttHa; but the m&te -exte.five- proviDoea 6f Asia stUl conbDUed to enjoy a ptofOUDd and permanent -repese. 'I'huGo_s tee ~ was n"er reduCdl to t1le ..tisgr8lCtlul necessity rJf eacounuring .d pmKshing & rebellioUs subject: and since W6 C&lfDOt applaud the Yigour, some praise may be due- to tbe inihlnes8, and prosperity, of the- administration of Pulcheria. Edn"atioD The Roman world was deeply interested in udc-.hath . 0 f"Its master. A reguIar course rac~r of e ed ucatJOn ~.:.-::~ of study and exercise was judiciously institu,.oalller. ted;; of the military exercises of riding, and shooting with the bow; of the liberal -studies of gJ'amtnar, rhetoric, and philosophy: the most skilful masters of the East atnbitieusly solicited the attention of their royal pupil; and several .noble youths were introduced into the paJaee, to animate his diligence by the emul... t~oP: of friendship~ Pulcheria alone discharged the important task or instructing her brother in the arts of government; but het precepts may countenance some suspicion of the extent of her capacity, Or of the purity of ber intentions•. Sbe taught him to maintain a grave and majestic deportment; to walk, to hold bis robes, to seat himself on his throne, in a manner worthy 416 01' THE 1l0llttlf DIPIRR. of a great prince; to abstain from laugbter; to CHAP. . ble ••XXXII. · t en WI·th COil'd escens•.~ IJS ,.; to return sUlta ,..,...~ answers; to- assume, b.y turns, a serious or a placi(1 countenance; in a w()rd, to represent with grace and dignity .the extemal figure of a R.oman emperor. But Theodosinsc was never, excited to support the weight and glOl·y of all illustrious name; and instead of aspiring to imitate his ancestors, he degenerated (if we may presllme to measure tbe degrees of incapacity) below the weakness of bis father and his unde. Arcadius and HonOl·ius had been assisted by the guardian care of a parent, whose lessons were enforced by his authority, and example. But the uufortunate prince, who is born in the purple, must remain a stranger to the voice of truth; and the SOil of Arcadius was condemned to pass bis perpetual infancy, enc~mpassed only by a sel·vile train of women and eunuchs. Tbe ample leisure, whicb be acquired by neglecting tbe eslrentialdnties 'of his bigh office, was filled by idle amusemetrts,and unprofitable studies. Hunting was the only active pursuit that could tempt him beyond the limits of the palace; but he most assiduously laboured, sometimes by the light ot • There i•• remarkable dift'erence between the two ecclesiutical lalstoriana, who in leneral bear 10 dole. reaemblance. SoZODlell (I. i~ c. 1) ueriba to Pnleheria the pvernment of the empire, ad the ~dlleation of her brother; whom he acareely condescends to pralle. Socrates, tholllh he at'eetedly dilclaima all hopes of favour or compOiel a elaborate pUleuric oa the _peror, anel ea.tiouly 11Ippreues the lIIerita of his .ister, (I. vii, c. 22, -12). Phlloaturgin. (L Kii, Co 7) expretlea the inftuence of Pulcheria in I('DUe and cOllrtly I _ JUle,94IC S...1l1II4IC ....,.~ ........"""' ... -.fu..... Suld.. (EKcerpt. p. 51) ,inl • true character of TbeodoaiuI; Ind I han followed tbe ~lUUIIple of Tillemont (to... vi, p. ~) ia borrowin,lOme .troke. (roM dae mocIem. Greeks. f_. Digitized by Google · "16 THE DECLIlIE AND J'ALL a midnight lamp, in the mechanic occupationso( •• . . 'an d the e Iegance ' . h. pamtmg and .carvmg.; Wit which he transcribed religious books, entitled the Roman emperor to the singular epithet of Calligrapkes, or a fair writer; Separated from the world by an impenetrable veil, Theodosius trusted the persons whom he loved; he loved those who were accustomed to amuse and flatter his indolence; and as he never perused the pa:pers that were presented for the royal signature, the acts of injustice the most repugnant to his 'character, were frequently perpetrated in his name. The emperor himself was chaste, temperate, liberal, and merciful; but these qllalities, which can only deserve the name of virtues, when they a~e supported by courage, and regulated hy discretion, were seldom beneficial, and they 80metimes proved mischievous, to mankind. His mind, enervated 'by a royal education, was oppressed and degraded by abject superstition: he fasted, he sung psalms, he blindly accepted the miracles and doctrines, , with which his faith was continually nourished; Tlteodosius devoutly worshipped the dead and living saints of the c~tholic church; and he once 'refused to eat, till an insolent monk, who had cast an excommunication on his sovereign, condescended to heal the spiritual wound which he had inflicted." The story of a fair and virtuous maiden, exalted from a private condition to the imverial CHAP. XXXIL "~"~I~ ... ,. « Tlleodoret, I. v, c. ST. Tile bishop of Cyrrhus, ODe oftbe Ilrstml'll ef his ap for his learning aDd piety, applauds the obediellce of'fheodosiu. to the diviDe lawi. Digitized by Google 417 m' 'nit ROMAN EMl'14!. th~ne, might be deemed an incredible romance, CJlAtt. it such a romance had not been verified in the XXX1~ maniage of-Theodosius. The celebrated Athe. '~;~: nais· was educated by her father Leontius iIi the religion and sciences of the Greeks; and so 'ofthe;.m~dvantageous was the opinion which the Atlie.. ~::i:, u, nian philosopher entertained of his contempo- :OO~'. 421.' 'aries, that he divided his patrimony between Iris two sons, beq ueathing to his daughter a Birrell legacy of one hundred pieces of gold, in the: liveiy conti~nce that her beauty and merit "'Otild be a sufficient portion. The jealousy and avarice of hel" brothers Boon compelled Athena's 'to s'eek a refuge at Constantinople; and, with some hopes, either of justice' or lavour, to throw herself at feet of Pulcheria. That lagctcious princess listened to her eloquent comp)amt; and secretly desthied the daughter of the philosopher Leontius for the future wife of the emperor of the East, who had now attainoo the twentieth year of his age. She easily excited the curiosity of her brother, by an interestillg picture of the charms or,4thenais; large eyest a well-propo:rtioned nose, a fair complex. ::!t::;. the • Soeratea, (I. Yii, c. ~l) meDtioDi ber Dame, (AtheDais the daughter ., Leo.tiul, aD AtileD.... sophlat), her .pa.m, marriage, aud pOftical ,eWuI. ~e mut ancieat accotUlt of' her blatory i. in Jou ~alala, (part ii, p. 20, :tI, edit. Vmet. 1'1(1), aDd ill the Paachal CftrlMticle, (p. au, Ill). 'l1IOR a.tlaon IiatI prebally IMIl origiDal piclurea ,of tile empreli ElldOcia. The mo4era Greek., Zonaras, ~ drenu8. &c. han displayed, the love" rather than the talent, of fictieu. From NiC:l'pboml, indeed, I haVe veDtured to a88iJme her age. Th" writ!'r of' a i'omance would not han imo;wd.lhllt Athenaili WBI near twenty-eight yeara old when abe inflamed the heart of a youn, emperor. ' ' VOL~ v. E e Digitized by Google 'lrB& :'lr'lr'lrLlN'lr 'lrJAD 'lr,J%;LL ion, golden lock8, a slender person, a graceful .::,,=~# PiCme'lr:'lr,J%;ur, iCn impiCovep by 8tudy, and a virtue tried by distress. iC<J'lrceal%::d biChind curtain in the apart. his JllJter, llJaS to the Athenian virgin: the modest youth immediatedecIJJed hi%:: pUJJ and hono'lr%::abIJ IJve iCud the royal nuptials were celebrated amidst the iCJclamJtion%:: fpf ~apital amI thiC Athenai8, who was easily persuaded to renounce en4)fS ot pagaJifm, at baptism the Christian~name ofEuPocia; hut Pulcheria withheld the:title of Augusta, till the mife Th);'lrPoshif haP 'lrppJf:G'lred frPitfulness by the birth of a daughter, who espoused, th~; iCmpiCJ'lrr the West. The brothers of Eudocia obeyed, with %::'lrme heJ impJJial %::m:G:llmi~im; as she could easily forgive their fortunate unindidged the te'lrdern'lrJ%::, OJ perhaps vaHPY, sistiCiC, by proHll(Dting them to the rank of consuls and· prefects. In the hrrXUfh of paliCJiC, stiU iCulti'lriCted those ingenious arts,' which had contributed to hel: CCl.t.H%::RRtI; Wi%::2£;ly taleiitf to the honour of religion, and of her husband. . a ps:.¥JticaJ h%::raph%::ase the first eight books of the bild Testament, and of the Rff Daniel and Zachariah; a ;:~:nto JiCrSef RJf H'lr:G:ner, ffBplied to life . and miracles of Christ, the legend of St. CyIjf~ian, %::nd panehhric the Persis:.m vict.'lrriea of Theodosius: and her writings, which were CHAP. 419. OP TIm'ROIIAN"DIPIRL:' al'P)auded by a servile and superstitious age. ~~~~r.:, have 110t been disdained by the candour of·im- ;..n".... : .. partial criticislD.f . The fondness of the emperor· was not abated by time and possession; and. Eudocia, after the marriage of her daughter" 'Was permitted ·to discharge her grateful vows. by a solemn pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her os-· tentatious progress through the East may seem: inconsistent with the spillit of Christian humiJi-, ty: she pronounced, from a thron~ of gold and gems, an eloquent oration to the senate of Antioch, declared her royal intention of enlarging· the walls of the city, bestowed a donative of two' hundred 'pounds of gold to restore the. public. baths, and accepted the statues, which were decreed by the gratitude of Antioch. In the Holyr Land, her alms and pious foundations exceeded. the munificence of the great Helena; and though the public treasure might be impoverished by . this excessive liberality, she enjoyed the con-', scious satisfaction of returning to ConstantinopIe, with the chains of St. Peter, the rightarm of St. Stephen, and an undoubted picture of. the Virgin, painted by St. Luke.- But this pilgrimage was the fatal term of the glories of Eudocia. . Satiated witheoipty pomp, and un- . I 0 I , Soeratel. I. yii. e. 21. Photiu•• p. 413-420. The Homeric ceoto' II .tiIl utaDt, ad hu been repeatedly printed. but the claim of Eudocia to that iDlipid performaDce is disputed by. the critic•• See FabriciDi. 1_. a milcellaneouli dictionary' BibDoth. GlIl'lc. tom. i. p. 361. The of w.tory and (able. wu compiled by aoother emprea. of the Dame of Eudocia, who Dyed iD the elevenlh century j and the work I. atill ex....t in manuleript. o • Baroaiul (Annal. Ecelel. A. D. 438, 439) is copious a!ld florid; but lie is acc~ of plaCiD, thllivel of dif'ereDt a,eI on tbe _ e Ic:vel of . . tlaenticlty. Digitized by Google pethap" other obliptions.t~ Pulchoria, she ambitiously aspired to thQ government of the ea.sterll empire; the palace was dilJ~cttd . by female discOFd; but tbe victory W,"S at last decided, by the superior aaeendant Qf tbe sister of Theodolius. The execution of pa.ulinus•. master ef the offices, and tbe di."ce of Cyr~uJ, ·CRAP. . . . .dfal, .:r:. ~~ pretoria.n prefect of the East, conviaced the pN.lie that the fayour of Etldo~ ,ras insuBi~ ciMt to protect her mOBt f~itbpd friends; a~d the ullcommon benty of PauliPWl, ~mc~u r.d the secret rumour, th_* hi. ~i)t was that of a successful lover." As ~on 8S. thQ empress pereeived tIlat Ute aW~tion of Th~ doiiDS was irietrievalal, last, .he reqq~ted ~ perridslion of retiring to the _~t ·lfOlitude of Jerusalem. She obtained her "E!qu~t i but the jealousy of Theodosiu, or the viA"ictivft .pirit of Puleheria, parsued hQr in bQr last r~tr~ ~ and SatuminuI, count of the dOJMstic82 was directed to punish with death_," ~«:J~iastics, her most, favoured sefYallia. &doei.. i"'~tl, revenged them by tile BlsalsiaatiQu ofthttCQU1It; the furious palaidna, whicb she in~ul~~(1 on this suspicious oecasicD, leemed to justify. the severity ofTheodo,iul; and the emprefilili ipominiously stript of the honours ofherrank,t was II 10 this Ihort .iew of the cIiIgrace of Eudocia, I haft iIrlitaUcl die cantlon of Evagrilll, (I. i, c. 21), and count MareelUlIIIII, (ip eaar... A. a. 440 and 444). The two anthelltie datea Illlip.eI by the latter, ...... turn a great part of the Greek fictionl; 'aBd the celebrated ~ til tile epple, &c. is fit only for the Arabian Nichta, where IOme&bial DG& very unlike it may be foulld •• , Pri.cuI, (in Jb:cerpt. ugat. p. 69), a contemporary, alld a HlII'tier, dryly ml'ntioDs ber pagan anel Chri,tian li8liiii, wi~out title of honour or relpeet. 14-''', Digitized by Google "S'" OP'DI£ a61fAN.......,. . ' , diMiraced, perb.atts-UQjllstly~ 10 the 'eyes· of the ~~~rj world. The remeinder of the life of Eudocia, ",ron.':. aboftt sixteen years, was spent in exile and devotion; atld the approach of age, the death of Theodosius, the misfortunes of her only daughter, who was led a captive from Rome to Carthage, and the society of the hoI y monks of Paleatine, insensibly confirmed the religious tewper of bel' mind. M~ a. (ull experience of the vicissitudes of human life, the daughter of the pbilosopber Leontiua expired. at Jerusalem, in the sixty-aetenth year of ber age; protesting. with bu dyift§ breath, that she had Qever trans- . greased tke bound$ of iBoooence and. friendship}" The gentle-wind of Thctodoaius was never in- ~e Perftamed by the aotbitiQU of CQIlqueBt, or military ~~~~:L reDown; and the slight alarm af a Persian war searcelyinterrupted the tranquillityoftbeEae;t., The motiv.. of this war were just and honourable. In the laat year of the Feign of Jezdegerd, .be suppoaed guardian of 1'heodosius,a bieb$p, who aspi.-ed to the crown of martyr-' dOQ), destreyed ~ of th, fi.r&-tQU)ples of Susa.1 Ii Por the hH pUpilll8let of Radoela, ad her loDe 1'e41'" at ...'dnQtioJr, ....., Int. ieeS...... (L .0, Co '1), IWIE,. (l, i, c. JO. 11, lit). The Paac:hal CbroDicle ~a1 lometime. de·Ilene reprd; IDd, ID the domestic blatory of ADtloeIIi, Jolla Maida' 1IecQa. a writer of pOd authority. 'ft. AbW G~t ia allle8llli&' 011 tile fertility of PaiestiDe, of which I have only BeeD ID estraet, calculate. the aifta of Eudocia at 10,488 ponG of gold, abo.. 800,-' poaa• •terllar. I Theocloret, I. Y, e. '9. '1'iIICIIlODt, Hem. Eccles. tom. D, po S50-lM. AHeiDlDDi, Bibliot. Orieotal. tom. Iii, p. 198; tom. iy. p Gl. Thecaoret blames the raaluaenof AWa,.ut extotathe CGllltImq .f hi. martyrdom. Yet I do Dot clearly uudentaDd the caui.try .laieb prohibita our repalriDc the, d~ wbicb .ye ualawfully MlllllJit..... ~ pi., - , - .e Digitized by Google 4't THE D20LINE AJO)'I'ALL' , CHAP. His zeal and obstinacy were' reven~edon hie:; "'~~~!;.. brethren: the Magi excited a cruel persecu. tion; and the intolerant zeal of Jezdegerd was ' imitated by his son Vararanes, or Bahram, who 800n afterwards ascended the throne. Some Christian fugitives, who escaped to the Roman frontier, were sternly demanded, and generously refused; and the refusal, aggravated by CQm. t mercial disputes, soon kindled a war 'between the rival monarchies. The mountains of Armenia, and the plains of Mesopotamia,wl"re filled with hostile armies; but the operations of two successive campaigns not' productive of! any decisive or memorable events.· Some en- ' ' gagements were fought, some towns were ~ sieged, with various and doubtful success; and, if the Romans failed in their attempt to recover; the long-lost possession of· Nisibis, the Per-' sians were repulsed'from the walls of a Mesopotamian city, by the valour of a martial bishop, who pointed his thundering engine, in the name of St~ Thomas the apostle. Yet the.splendid victories, which the incredible speed of the' messenrer Palladius repeatedly announced to the palace of Constantinople, were celebrated, with festivals and panegyrics. From these panegyrics the historians· of the .age might borrow. their extraordinary, and, perhaps, fabu-' lous, tales; of the proud challenge of a Persian, hero, who was entangled by the net, and despatched by the sword, of Areobindus the Goth; were· • Socratel '(I. Yii t e. 18; 19, 20, 11) is the beat author (or the PaN_ war. We may likewile eODsult the th~ChrODiela, the PuoIW,thOle of MaroelliDu. aDd Halala. Digitized by Google or THE KOMAN DlPIIt& of the ten thousand Immortals, who were slain i~~ in the attack of the Roman camp; and of the •__,.~ hundred thousand Arabs, or Saracens, who were impelled by a panic terror to throw themselves headlong into the' Euphrates. Such .events may be disbelieved, or disrelarded; but the, charity of a bishop, Acacius of Amida, whose name might have dignified, the saintly calendar, shall not be lost in oblivion. Boldly declaring that vases of gold and silver are useless to a' god who neither eats nor drinks, the generous prelate sold the plate of the church of Amida; employed the price in the redemption of seven thousand Persian. captives; liIupplied their wants with affectionate liberality.;. and dismissed them to their native country, to infQrm the 'king of the true spirit of the religion which he persecuted. The practice of benevolence in the .midst of war must always tend to, assuage the animosity of contending nations; and I wish to persuade .myself, that Acacius _contributed to the'restoration of 'peace•. In the conference which was held on the limits of the two empires, the Roman ambassadors degraded the personal character of their sovereign, by a vain attempt to magnify the extent of his power; when they seriously advised the Persians to prevent, by a timely accommodation, the wrath of a monarch, who was yet ignorant of this distant war. A truce of one hundred years was solemnly ratified; and, although the revolutions of Armenia might threaten the public tranquillity, the essential conditions of this treaty were . Digitized by Google 4... TIIB 'nlCLlNK AND FALL respected near fourscore years by the SlIcces. iors of Constantine and Artaxerxes. ;::;.... Binee the Roman and Parthian standards first :~~::D encountered on the banks of the Euphrates, .the =::::cl kingdom ofAnnenia- was ctlternately oppressed the Ro. by its formidable protectors; . and, in the course ~.a:·4Jl. of·this History, several events, which inclined MO. the balance of peace and war, have been al... ready related. A disgraceful' treaty had resigned Armenia to the ambition of Sapor; and the ftCale of Persia appeared to preponderate. But the royal race of Ars8ces impatiently submitted to the bouse of SasaH; the turb1dent Bobles asserted, or betrayed, their hereditary iJuHpen. deBCe; and the nation was. still attached to the Clristi_ princes of· CoostsntiAOpier In the begiltlliog of the ,fifth centllry, Awmenia was iiiYided by the progress mway and..fadioa;" ._ the ·unnatural division precipitated t.lae downfal of that aBCient meDatChy. €bo.....;, the.Pe.. Man. vassal, ~ over ahe -s:tem and, IIIOIC eX-'8ive of tile. country; .trite the CRAP. ,XXXII, ·pom. • Thi. account of the roin and divilion of the kingdom.of Annel\ia it takes fnnD the tlrircl hook .f. die A_nlan idltory oflloaea,ef a... i'eIIe. J)e&ien& u he ia ia avery .qbalificWD of .. 100cl biatoriaa. laia local infol'llJation, his pauions, and bia prejlldicea, are strongly espresai.e of a native and eoatemporary. Procopia. (de Edi8eiM, 1. :aiti, c. i. _).Nla. the .lDle r.eU ia a MrI dit'er••t.lDlIIIlNlf; bot I haft 0- tracted the circ1llDltancea the most probable in theDRelvea, and the least incon.idem with Mosea'of OJoreae. . • Tba ".sb!m .Annean- DIed the Greek IaJ!cuaIe aa. daarac&en in their religion. offices; bot the nae of that hostile t(mpe was prohibited by the PersiaDs in the ea. tern provinces, which were obligt'd • ••e the SyriltC, till the m,enUon of the Aormeulan lette" Ity JI-Ites. ia tbe beginning of the fifth. century, and the su baeqllent nrsion of 11M . bible into the Armenian luguage; an enllt wlaleb reluecl the eaDeCtioD ~.the ClalllClL and aaticl.,witll Oelllta.lltillople. Digitized by Google OF T~ ROlrf~N.~:eJAlE. ,~~P _1f~ste~ proviDcea~kn~wl~~gecl thej,uril\<lic~9.p .~;~rj. of Arsaces., and tl;te s~v.r~,ma,~y, of th,e ~~pe!9,r u,...,.,.. Arcadiu~. 4(~er the. de.~th of l\.-saces, ,t.qe . ,Ro~an8 su.ppreE!sed tl;te, r~gal government, an~ impose,d 9n their aIJ~e~ t4~ con<lition of ~ubjec;:ts. ,The inilitary c~m~aDdw~s delegated to the count of tl;te .Armeni~n .' (r9n~ier; th~ City of .1'heodosiopolis P .w~s }l~~t and fortified in a .strong situation,. on a. (~riile and lof~y ground, near fi,le sour~es. of the Eup~r~tes, Urnd the/de. . ,pen4~n~ ~err~tOlies w'er~ rule4 by five satraps, .wl;tose ~ignitY'was marlt~d l?! a p~culiar habit .()f gold a~cl purple. . Th~ 'lesl\ gQft~~a~e no'~les, .who la~e~te<l the .Qs~: 9:{ ~p~i~ ~.ipg, Ur~4 e~yied ·th~ ,honQuJ,'& pf their eqq~!~, W~~~ P.TPf9.ked to .p~oti~te ~9~jr p~ac;:e :~Q4 p.~r.4pp ,\1t ~~e :rer~ ~i~ cQ\lJ:t; and ret~rnil.lg.:wij:hJ~~i~·foHowerl!!, to t.he .palar.e of A~tax3:ta, acIql~wl~g~q Chos.rq~s fQr'thElir JawfuJ sOY~I:~lgn. Jj\bo~t thir~y fears after~~l'ds, Ar~aliires, t~~'Dephew and •$~ccessor of Chosroes, fell under the displeasure .of the 4aughty and capricious nobles of Armenia; and ~ey un~njmpus'y de~4'ed a Persian goveI:nor in the rQom of aD unwortJty king. The answer of the archbishop Isaac, whose sanction they ear~estly soljcited, is expressive of' the character of a superstitious people. He deplored the manifejJt and inexcusable vices, of ArtalIiref!!; and declared, that he shotlld not hesitate • MOtel ChoreD. L iii, Co 69, p. BOO ud p. 368. Proeopiu, de Ed1ficii., I. iii, c. II. TheodOliopolia atucla, or rather atood, .....t thirty.fiye mUea to the eut of Arzeroum, the modena capital ef Turkish Armew.. See d'Auville, Geo....phie ADcieDUe, tom. ii, p. 00,100• . VOL. V. - Digitized by Google •• THB DRCLIlQ AKD PALL CIIAP. to accuse him before the tribunal of a Chri.. XXXII.. ' hWit ' hout de_. __ tian emperor, W h0 'Would PUntS stroying, the sinner. "Our king," 'continued Isaac, "is too much addicted to licentious "pleasures, but he has been purified in' the " holy waters of baptism. He is a 'lover' of : " women, but he does not adore the fire or the "elements. He may deserve the reproach of " lewdness, but he is an undoubted catholic; " and his faith is pure, though his manners are "ftagiti~us. I will never consent to abandon " my sheep to the rage of de~ouring~olves; and " you would soon repent your rash exchange of " the infirmities of a believer, for the specious " virtues of an heathen."q Exasperated by the firmness of Isaac, the factious nobles accused both the, king and the archbishop as th~ adherents oftheemperor: and absurdly rejoiced in the sentence of condemnation, which, aftera partial hearing, 'Was solemnly pronounced by Bahram himself. The descendants of Arsaces were degraded from the l'oyal dignity,r which they had possessed above five hundred and sixty years;' and the dominions of the unfortunate -secret • MOleS Choren. I. ill, c. 63, .p. a16. According to the iutitutiaa of St. Gregory the apOitie of Armenia, the archbishop ... 01 tbe royal family; a circamatance whicb, in aome degree. cerreeted tile inSuence of the aacerdotal cbaracter, and united tbe mitre witb tile crown. • A brancb of tbe royal bOllle of Anacea ,tiD lablistecl with tile nDk and po_iolll (ult aboald,'~m) of Armen~ aatrapa. See _ _ Cborea. I. iii, c. 66, p. 01• . • Valanacel wu appointed kiag of Armenia byhia brotherthel'lrthian moaarch, immediately after the defeat of Antioellu Sideia (K_ Choren. I~ ii, c. 2, p. 86), one hundred and thirty yean before QuilL Witbout depeDdinc on the ,.riou aDd contradictory periodl of ... aI_,. 'ftiP.' Digitized b~Google 417 01' TBa BOIWI DPIU. Artasires, under the·new and signiacant appel- CRAP. lation of Persarmenia, were reduced into the XXXII. form of a province. This usurpation excited the jealousy of the Roman government; but the rising disputes were soon terminated by an amicable, though unequal, partition of the ancient kirigdom of Armenia; and a territorial . acquisition, which Augustus might have despiled, reSected some lustre on the declining empire of the younger Theodosius. -,. reiJIII....of the Jut kia" we _y he . .aretl, that tile raiD of the Anaeaa,dom happeaed . r the aaacia 0( Chalcecloa, &. D. ai, O. iii, c. 61, p. II,; ad aader Venmaa, or Bahram, kia, of Pen1&, (L ~ c. CI4, po Ily), who reiped from A. D. GO to 440. See All....., •••bliot. OritD.... tom. W, po no. . DiaD &ND OF THE FIlTH VOLUIU:I Digitized by Google