c

•

THE

H I S T O R Y

OF THE

DECLINE and FALL

OF THE

ROMAN EMPIRE.

VOLUME THE THIRD.

THE

HISTORY

OF THE

DECLINE AND FALL

OF THE

ROMAN EMPIRE.

By EDWARD GIBBON, Efq; VOLUME THE THIRD.

LONDON:

PRINTED -FOR W. STRAHAN ; AND T. CADELL, IN THE STRAND*

MDCCLXXXI.

TABLE of CONTENTS

OF THE

THIRD VOLUME.

A.D. > Page

CHAP. XXVII. 380— 394. Edicts of Theodofius againft the

Heretics - 24

Death of Gratian.— Ruin of Arianifm.— ^ Execution of Prifcillian and his Affoci-

St. Ambrofe. — Firjl civil War againft ates - - 26

Maximus Characler, Adminiftration, 375-397- Ambrofe, Archbifhop of Milan 29

1 -n c , r — . j7 r 28c His fuccefsful Oppofition to the Emprefs

and Pennance of Theodofius. — Death of 9 3 T -_. rr 1

J J J Juftina 30

Valentinian \\.— Second, civil War , againft ^7 Maximus invades Italy - 36

Eugenius. — Death of Theodofius. Flight of Valentinian - - 38

Theodofius takes Arms in the Caufe of

A.D. Page Valentinian - - ib.

379— 383- pHARACTER and Con- 388 Defeat and Death of Maximus 40

duel of the Emperor Gratian 1 Virtues of Theodofius - - 42

His Defects - - 2 Faults of Theodofius - - 44

383 Difcontent of the Roman Troops 4 387 The Sedition of Antioch - 45

Revolt of Maximus in Britain - 5 Clemency of Theodofius - 48

383 Flight and Death of Gratian - 7 390 Sedition and Mafiacre of Thefialonica 49

3S3 — 387- Treaty of Peace between Maximus 388 Influence and Conduct of Ambrofe 51

and Theodofius 8 390 Pennance of Theodofius - '53

380 Baptifm and orthodox Edicts of Theodo- 388—391. Generofity of Theodofius 55

fius - - 10 391 Character of Valentinian - 56

340 — 380. Arianifm of Conflantinople 13 392 His Death - - 5S

378 Gregory Nazianzen accepts the million of 392 — 394. Ufurpation of Eugenius 59

Conflantinople - 16 Theodofius prepares for War - 60

380 Ruin of Arianifm at Conflantinople 17 394 His Victory over Eugenius - 61

^81 In the Eaft 19 395 Death of Theodofius - - 6>

The Council of Conflantinople 20 Corruption of the Times - 66

Retreat of Gregory Nazianzen - 22 The Infantry lay afide their Armour 67

Yoi.. HL * a C H A P.

C O N T

CHAP. XXVIII.

Final DeftruElion of Paganifm. — Introduc- tion of the Worfhip of Saints, and Relics,

among the Chrijlians.

A. D. Page

578—395. The Deftruftion of the Pagan Re- ligion - - 69 State of Paganifm at Rome - 70 384 Petition of the Senate for the Altar of

Victory - - 73

388 Converfion of Rome - 75 381 Destruction of the Temples in the Pro- vinces - "77

The Temple of Serapis at Alexandria 82

389 Its final Deftru&ion - - 83 393 The Pagan Religion is prohibited 87

Oppreffed - - 89

390 — 420. Finally extinguifhed - 91 The Worfhip of the Chriftian Martyrs 93 General Reflections - - 96

I. Fabulous Martyrs and Relics ib.

II. Miracles - - 97

III. Revival of Polytheifm - 99

IV. Introduction of Pagan Ceremonies ioi

CHAP. XXIX.

Final Divifion of the Roman Empire between the Sons of Theodofius. — Reign of Arcadius and Honorius. — Adminiftration of Rufi- nus and Stilichc. — Revolt and Defeat of Gildo in Africa.

A. D. Page

395 Divifion of the Empire between Arcadius

and Honorius - - 104

386 — 395. Character and Adminiftration of

Rufinus - - ioc

395 He oppreffes the Eaft - - 109

He is difappointed, by the Marriage of

Arcadius - - 112

Character of Stilicho, the Minifter, and

General of the Weftern Empire 114 385—408. His MiUcary Command 1x6

E N T S.

A. D. Page

395 The Fall and Death of Rufinus 118

396 Difcord of the two Empires - 120 386 — 398. Revolt of Gildo in Africa 123

397 He is condemned by the Roman Senate 125

398 The African War - - 126 398 Defeat and Death of Gildo - 128 398 Marriage, and Character of Honorius 131

CHAP. XXX.

Revolt of the Goths. — They plunder Greece. Two great Invafions of Italy by Alaric and Radagaifus. — They are repulfed by Stilicho. — The Germans over-run Gaul. — Ufurpation of Conflanline in the Weft.

— Difgrace and Death of Stilicho.

A . D. Page

395 Revolt of the Goths - - 134

396 Alaric marches into Greece - 136

397 He is attacked by Stilicho - 140 Efcapes to Epirus - - 141

398 Alaric is declared Matter-general of the

eaftern Illyricum - - 142

Is proclaimed King of the Vifigoths 144

400-— 4-03'. lie Invader Iialy - ib.

403 Honorius flies from Milan 147

He is purfued and befieged by the Goths 148

403 Battle of PolJentia - - i^o Boldnefs and Retreat of Alaric 152

404 The Triumph of Honorius at Rome 155 The Gladiators abolifhed - Honorius fixes his Refidence at Ravenna 157

400 The Revolutions of Scythia - 160

405 Emigration of the northern Germans 161 4:6 Radagaifus invades Italy - 163

Befieges Florence - 164

Threatens Rome - 165

406 Defeat and Deftrudtion of his Army by

Stilicho - - ib. The Remainder of the Germans invade

Gaul - - 168

407 Defolation of Gaul - - 170 Revolt of the Britifh Army - 173 Conftantine is acknowledged in Britain

and Gaul - - 174

408 He

G O N T

E N T S.

A.D. Page 408 He reduces Spain - - 175

404—408. Negotiation of Alaric and Stilicho 177 408 Debates of the Roman Senate - 179 Intrigues of the Palace - 181

408 Difgrace and Death of Stilicho 182 His Memory perfecuted - 184

The Poet Claudian among the Train of Stilicho's Dependents - 1S6

CHAP. XXXI.

Iwvafion of Italy by Alaric. — Manners of the Roman Senate and People. — Rome is thrice befieged^ and at length pillaged by the Goths. — Death of Alaric. — The Goths evacuate Italy. — Fall of Confiantine. — Gaul and Spain are occupied by the Bar- barians.— Independence of Britain.

A. D.

408 Weaknefs of the Court of Ravenna Aiaric marches to Rome Hannibal at the Gates of Rome Genealogy of the Senators The Anician Family Wealth of the Roman Nobles Their Manners

Character of the Roman Nobles, by Ara-

mianus Marcellinus State and Character of the People of

Rome

Public Diftribution of Bread, Bacon, Oil,

Wine, &c. Ufe of the public Baths Games and Spectacles Populoufnefs of Pome

408 Firft Siege of Rome by the Goths Famine

Plague Superftition

409 Alaric accepts a Ranfom, and raifes the

Siege - Fruitlefs Negociations for Peace

Page 190 192 194

»95 197 199 201

202

211

212

214 215 217 219 220 221 ib.

222 225

A.D. Pag. Change and Succeflion of Minifters 226

409 Second Siege of Rome by the Goths 229 Attalus is created Emperor by the Goths

and Romans - - 231

410 He is degraded by Alaric - 233 Third Siege and Sack of Rome by the

Goths - - 235

Refpecl of the Goths for the Chriftian

Religion - - 236

Pillage and Fire of Rome - 238

Captives and Fugitives - 241

Sack of Rome by the Troops of Charles V. 244 410 Alaric evacuates Rome and ravages

Italy - - 246

408 — 412. PolTeffion of Italy by the Goths 248

410 Death of Alaric - - 249

412 Adolphus, King of the Goths, concludes

a Peace with the Empire, and marches into Gaul - - 250

414 His Marriage with Placidia - 251 The Gothic Treafures - 254

410— 417. Laws for the Relief of Italy and

Rome - - 255

413 Revolt and Defeat of Heraclian, Count

of Africa - - 256

409 — 413 Revolutions of Gaul and Spain 258 Character and Victories of the General

Conftantius - - 260

411 Death of the Ufurper Conftantine 262

411 — 416. Fall of the Ufurpers, Jovinus, Se-

baftian, and Attalus - ib.

409 Invafion of Spain by the Suevi, Vandals,

Alani, &c. - - 264

414 Adolphus, King of Goths, marches into

Spain - - 267

415 His De^th - - ib.

415 — 4 8 The Goths conquer «nd reftore

Spain - - 268

419 Their Eftabliihment in Acjuitain 270 The Burgundians - - 271

420, &a> State of the Barbarians in Gaul 272 409 Revolt of Britain and Armonca 409 - 449. State of Britain 418 Aflembly of the Seven Provinces of Gaul :;S

273 275

a 2

C H .1 P.

CO N T

E N T S.

CHAP. XXXII.

Arcadius Empercr cf the Eaft. — Adminiftra- tion and Difgrace of Eutropius. — Revolt ofGainas. — V erf edition of St. John Chry- foftom. — Thecdofius II. Emperor of the Eaft.— His Sifter Pulcheria.—His Wife Eudocia. — The Perfian Wary and Di'

vifton of Armenia.

A.D. Page

395 — 1453. The Empire of the Eaft: - 281

395 — 408. Reign of Arcadius - ib.

595 — 399. Adminiftration and Character of

Eutropius - - 283

His Venality and Injuftice - 286

Ruin of Abundantius - 2S8

Deftruction of Timafius - ib.

397 A cruel and unjuft Law of Treafon 290

399 Rebellion of Tribigild - 292 Fall of Eutropius - - 295

400 Confpiracy and Fall of Gainas 297

398 Election and Merit of St. John Chryfoftom 301 -398 — 403. His Adminiftration and Defects 303

403 Chryfoftom is perfecuted by the Emprefs

Eudocia - - 305

Popular Tumults at Conftantinople 306

404 Exile of Chryfoftom - - 308

407 His Death - - - 309 438 His Relics tranfported to Conftantinople 310

408 Death of Arcadius - - ib. His fuppofed Teftament - 311

408 — 415. Adminiftration of Anthemius 312 — 4-3. Character and Adminiftration of

Pulcheria - - 314

Education and Character of Theodofius

the Younger - - 316"

421 — 460. Character and Adventures of the

Emprefs Eudocia - - 318

422 The Perfian War - - 321

431 — 440. Armenia divided between the Per-

fians and the Romans - * 323

CHAP. XXXIII.

Death of Hcnorius. — Vakntinian III. Em- percr of the Eaft. — Adminiftration of his

4

Mother Placidia. — Mtius and Boniface.

— Conqueji of Africa by the Vandals.

A.D. Page

23 Laft Years and Death of Honorius 327 423 — 425. Elevation and Fall of the Ufurper

John - - 329 425 — 455. Valentinian III. Emperor of the

Weft - - - 330 425 — 450. Adminiftration of his Mother

Placidia - - 332 Hsr two Generals, JEtius and Boni- face - - - ib-

427 Error and Revolt of Boniface in Africa 334

428 He invites the Vandals - ib. Genferic king of the Vandals - 335

429 He lands in Africa - - 336 Reviews his Army - - ib. The Moors - - - 357 The Donatifts - - 33 S

430 Tardy Repentance of Boniface 340 Defolation of Africa - - 341

430 Siege of Hippo - - 342.

430 Death of St. Auguftin — - ib.

431 Defeat and Retreat of Boniface 344

432 His Death - - - 345 431 — 439. Progrefs of the Vandals in Africa ib. 439 They furprife Carthage - 347

African Exiles and Captives - 34.8

Fable of the Seven Sleepers - 350

C PI A P. XXXIV.

The Characler, Conquefts, and Court of At- tila, King of the Huns. — Death of Theo- dofiu.s the Younger. — Elevation of Mar. dan to the Empire of the Eaft.

A. D. ' Page 376-433. The Huns - - 354

Their Eftabliihment in modern Flun-

g-T " " 355 433—453- Reign of" AtciIa - 356 His Figure and Character - 357 He difcovers the Sword of Mars 359 Acquires the Empire of Scythia and Ger- many - - 360 430—440. The

C O N T

E N T S

AtV; P^pe

430—440. The Huns invade Perfia 362

441, &c. They attack the Eartern Empire 363

Ravage Europe, as far as Conftantinople 365

The Scythian, or Tartar Wars 366

State of the Captives - 369

446 Treaty of Peace between Attila, and the

Eaftern Empire - - 372

Spirit of the Azimuntines - 374

Embaifies from Attila to Conftantinople 375

448 The Embafly of Maximin to Attila 377

The royal Village and Palace - 381 The Behaviour of Attila to the Roman

Amba/T.idors - - 383

The royal Fea/ls - - - 384

Confpiracy of the Romans againft the

Life of Attila - - 387 He reprimands, and forgives the Em- peror - - 388 450 Thecdofius the Younger dies 389 Is fucceeded by Marcian - - 390

CHAP, XXXV.

bivafion of Gaul by Attila. — He is repulfed by Aitius and the Vifigoths. — Attila in- vades and evacuates Italy. — The Deaths of Attila, AZtiuSy ana Valentinian the Third.

A.D.

450 Attila threatens both Empires, and pre-

pares to invade Gaul 433 — 454. Character and Adminiftration of iEtius

His Connexion with the Huns and Alani

419 — 451. The Vifigoths in Gaul under the

Reign of Theodoric 435 — 439. The Goths befiege Narbonne, &c. 420—451. The Franks in Gaul under the

Merovingian Kings The Adventures of the Princefs Honoria

451 Attila invades Gaul and befieges Or-

leans v

592 393

395

397 ib.

400 4°3

40 z

A, D. P/ge Alliance of the Romans and Vifigoths 408 Attila retires to the Plains of Cham- pagne - - - 410 Battle of Chalons - .-413 Retreat of Attila - - 415-

452 Invafion of Italy by Attila - 417 Foundation of the Republic of Venice 420 Attila gives Peace to the Romans 423

453 The Death of Attila - - 425 DeftroAion of his Empire -. 427

454 Valentinian murders the Patrician iEtius 429 . ■ ravifiies the Wife of Maxi-

mus - - 431

455 Death of Valentinian - - 432 Symptoms of the Decay and Ruin of the

Roman Government - - ib.

CHAP. XXXVI.

Sack of Rome by Genferic, King of the Van- dals.— His naval Depredations. — Succef- fion of the laft Emperors of the V/efl, Maxi- mus, Avitus, Majorian, Severus, Anthe- mius, Olybrius, Glycerins, Nepos, Au- gujlulus. — Total Extinction of the IVefiern Empire. — Reign ofOdoacer, the firfl Bar- barian King of Italy.

A. IX Page 439— -445 . Naval Power of the Vandals 435 455. The Character and Reign of the Em- peror Maximus - - 436 455 His Death - - - 43S

455 Sack of Rome by the Vandals 440 Th? Emperor Avitus - - 443

453— 466. Character of Theodoric, King of

the Vifigoths - - 4+5

456 His Expedition into Spain - 44S

456 Avitus is depofed -• - 450

457 Character and Elevation of Majorian 452 457—461. His Salutary Laws - 455

The Edifices of Rome - - 457

457 Mnjorian prepares to invade Africa 459

The Lofs of his Fleet- - - 46*

461 His Death - 4f,+

461 — 467. RkNner

C O N T

E N T S.

A.D. Page

461 — 467. Ricimer reigns under the Name of

Severus - - 464

Revolt of Marcellinus in Dalmatia 465 of JSgidius, in Gaul - . 466

361 — 467. Naval War of the Vandals ib. 4.62, &c. Negociations with the Eaftern Empire 468 457 — 474. Leo, Emperor of the Eaft 469 467 — 472. Anthemius, Emperor of the Weft 471 The Feftival of the Lupercalia 473 468 Preparations againft the Vandals of

Africa - - - 476

Failure of the Expedition - 478

462— 472. Conquefts of the Vifigoths in

Spain and Gaul 468 Trial of Arvandus

471 Difcord cf Anthemius and Ricimer

472 Olybrius, Emperor of the Weft 472 Sack of Rome, and Death of Anthemius

Death of Ricimer

of Olybrius

472 — 475. Julius Nepos and Glycerius, Em- perors of the Weft

475 The Patrician Oreftes

476 His Son Auguftulus, the laft Emperor of

the Weft - - 493

476 — 490. Odoacer, King of Italy 494 476 or 479 Extinction of the Weftern Em- pire - - Auguftulus is baniflied to the Lucullan Villa

Decay of the Roman Spirit 476 -490. Character anJ Reign of Odoacer Miferahle State of Italy

480 482 485 488 489 490 ib.

ib.

492

496

49^ 500 ib.

502

CHAP. XXXVII.

Origin, Progrefs, and EffeEls of the mo- nafic Life. — Converfion of the Barbarians to Chrijlianity and Arianifm. — Perfecution of the Vandals in Africa. — Extinction of Arianifm among the Barbarians.

A. D. Page . I. Institution of the Monastic

Life ... 505

Origin of the Monks - - ib.

A. D. Pige

305 Antony, and the Monks of Egypt 507

341 Propagation of the monaftic Life at Rome 509

328 Hilarion in Paleftine - - 510

360 Balil in Pontus - - ib.

370 Martin in Gaul - - ib. Caufes of the rapid Progrefs of the mo- naftic Life - - 511 Obedience of the Monks - 514 Their Drefs and Habitations - 516 Their Diet - - 517 Their manual Labour - 518 Their Riches - - 520 Their Solitude - - 521 Their Devotion and Vifions - 522 The Ccenobites and Anachorets 523

395 — 451. Simeon Stylites - 525

Miracles and Worfhip of the Monks 526

Superftition of the Age - - 527

II. Conversion of the Barbarians ib.

360, &c. Ulphilas, Apoftle of the Goths 528

400, &c. The Goths, Vandals, Burgundians,

&c. embrace Chriftianity - 529 Motives of their Faith - "53°

Effects of their Converfion - 532

They are involved in the Arian Herefy 534

General Toleration - - 535

Arian Perfecution of the Vandals 536

429 — 477. Genferic - - ib.

477 Hunneric - - ib.

484 Gundamund • - - 537

496 Thorifmund - - ib.

523 Hilderic - - ib.

530 Gelimer - - ib. A general View of the Perfecution in

Africa - - 538

Catholic Frauds - " 543

Miracles - 545

500—700. The Ruin of Arianifm among the

Barbarians - - 547

577—584. Revolt and Martyrdom of Herme-

negild in Spain - - ib.

586 589. Converfion of Recared and the

Vifigoths of Spain - 549

600, &c. Converfion of the Lombards of Italy 551

612 — 712. Perfecution of the Jews in Spain 552

Conclufion - - - 554

7 CHAP.

C O N T

E N T S.

A.D. Pag-

C H A P XXXVIir Laws of the Barbarians - - 583

Pecuniary Fines for Homicide - 586

Reign and Converfion of Clovis. — His Vic- Judgments of God - 588

tones over the Alemanni, Burgundians, Judicrial Cf°™ba" . v"" " 589

0 Divifion of Land by the Barbarians 591

and Vifigoths. —Eftablifhment of the French Domain and Benefices of the Merovin.

Monarchy in Gaul. — Laws of the Barba- gians - - 592

rians.— State of the Romans.— -The Vifi- Private Ufurpations - - 594

r o r> />/•«•■ 7 Perfonal Servitude - - 595

goths of Spam.-Conqueft of Britain by £xample of Auyergne _ .

the Saxons. Story of Attalus - - 600

Privileges of the Romans of Gaul 602

A' D* PaSe Anarchy of the Franks - 605

The Revolution of Gaul - 556 The Vifigoths of Spain -•- 606

476—485. Euric, King of the Vifigoths 558 Legiflative Afiemblies of Spain 607

481 — 511. Clovis, King of the Franks 559 Code of the Vifigoths - 609

486 His Victory over Syagrius - 561 Revolution of Britain - 610

496 Defeat and Submiflion of the Alemanni 563 449 Defceit of the Saxons - 61 1

496 Converfion of Clovis - 564 455 -582. Eftablilhment of the Saxon Hep-

497, &c. Submiflion of the Armoricans and. tarchy - - - 612

the Roman Troops - 568 State of the Britons - 614.

499 The Burgundian War - 569 Their R.efiftance - - 615

500 Victory of Clovis - - 571 Their Flight - - 616 532 Final Conqueft of Burgundy by the The Fame of Arthur - - 618

Franks - - 572 Defolation of Britain - - 620

507 The Gothic War - - 574. Servitude of the Britons - 621 Victory of Clovis - - 576 Manners of the Britons - 623

508 Conqueft of Aquitain by the Franks 578 Obfcure or fabulous State of Britain 625 510 Confullhip of Clovis - 579 Fall of the Roman Empire in the Weft 627 536 Final Eftablifhment of the French Monar- chy in Gaul - _ 58o General Obfervations on the Fall of the Ro-

Political Controversy - 5s2 man Empire in the Weft - - 629

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THE

HISTORY

OF THE

DECLINE and FALL

OF THE

ROMAN EMPIRE.

CHAP. XXVII.

Death of Gratian. — Ruin of Arianifm* — St. Ambrofe. — Firft civil War^ againfl Maximus. — Character^ Admi- nifl ration^ and Pennance, of 'Theodofius. — Death of Va- lentinian II. — Second civil War^ againfl Eugenius. — Death of Theodofus.

T

H E fame of Gratian, before he had accomplished the CHAP.

XXVII

twentieth year of his age, was equal to that of the moft <

celebrated princes. His gentle and amiable dilbofition en- ^dconduft deared him to his private friends, the graceful affability of his man- of r^e e™Pc~

* 7 ° J ror Gratian.

rters engaged the affection of the people : the men of letters, who A D ,_9__ ■enjoyed the liberality, acknowledged the tafte and eloquence, of their ^s3- Vol. Ill, B fovercign •

2

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP, fovereign ; his valour and dexterity in arms were equally applauded

v — ~* by the foldiers ; and the clergy confidered the humble piety of Gra- tian as the firft and moft ufeful of his virtues. The victory of Colmar had delivered the W eft from a formidable invafion ; and the grateful provinces of the Eaft afcribed the merits of Theodofius, to the author of his greatnefs, and of the public fafety. Gratian fur- vived thofe memorable events only four or five years ; but he furvived his reputation ; and, before he fell a victim to rebellion, he had loft, in a great meafure, the refpect and confidence of the Roman world. His defefts. The remarkable alteration of his character or conduct, may not be imputed to the arts of flattery, which had befieged the fon of Va— lentinian from his infancy ; nor to the headftrong paftions which that gentle youth appears to have efcaped* A more attentive view of the life of Gratian, may perhaps fuggeft the true caufe of the difappointment of the public hopes. His apparent virtues, inftead of being the hardy productions of experience and adverfity, were the premature and artificial fruits of a royal education. The anxious tendernefs of his father was continually employed to beftow on him thofe advantages, which he might perhaps efteem the more highly, as he himfelf had been deprived of them ; and the moft fkilful mafters of every fcience, and of every art, had laboured to form the mind and body of the young prince The knowledge which they painfully communicated was difplayed with orientation, and celebrated with lavifh praife. His foft and tradable difpofition received the fair impreffion of their judicious precepts, and the ab- fence of paffion might eafily be miftaken for the ftrength of reafon. His preceptors gradually rofe to the rank and confequence of mini-

' Valentinian was lefs attentive to the reli- gan (Mem. de 1'Academie des Infcriptions, gionofhis fon ; fince he entrufted the educa- torn. xv. p. 125 — 138.). The poetical fame tion of Gratian to Aufonius, a profefled Pa- of Aufonius condemns the tafte of his age.

6 fters

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 3

fters of ftate 1 ; and, as they wifely diffembled their fecret authority, Cx^^jP' he feemed to act with tirmnefs, with propriety, and with judg- <— nr ment, on the moft important occafions of his life and reign. But the influence of this elaborate inftruction did not penetrate beyond the furface ; and the fkilful preceptors, who fo accu- rately guided the fteps of their royal pupil, could not infufe into his feeble and indolent character, the vigorous and independent principle of action, which renders the laborious purfait of glory eflbntially neceflary to the happinefs, and almoft to the exiftence, of the hero. As foon as time and accident had removed thofe faithful counfellors from the throne, the emperor of the Weft infenfibly defcended to the level of his natural genius ; abandoned the reins of government to the ambitious hands which were ftretched forwards to grafp them ; and amufed his leifure with the moft fri- volous gratifications. A public fale of favour and injuftice was in- ftituted, both in the court, and in the provinces, by the worthlefs delegates of his power, whofe merit, it was made facrilege to queftion \ The confcience of the credulous prince was directed by faints and bifhops 4 ; who procured an Imperial edict to punifh, as a capital offence, the violation, the neglect, or even the ignorance, of the divine law s. Among the various arts which had exercifed the youth

* Aufonius was fucceflively promoted to the ed, after the death of Gratian, by the feeble

pranorian pra:fe£hire of Italy (A. D. 377.), court of Milan.

and of Gaul (A.D.378.); and was at length 4 Ambrofe compofed, for his inftruflion,

inverted with the confulftiip (A.D. 379.). a theological treatife on the faith of the Tri-

He exprefled his gratitude in a fervile and in- nity : and Tiilemont (Hift. des Empereurs,

fipid piece of flattery (Attio Gratiarum, p. torn. v. p. 158. 169.) afcribes to the arch-

699 — 736. ), which has furvived more wor- biihop the merit of Gratian's intolerant laws, thy productions. 5 Qui divinae legis fandtitatem, nefciendo

3 Difputare de principali judicio non omittunt, aut negligendo violant, et offen-

oportet. Sacrilegii enim inftar eft dubitare, dunt, facrilegium committunt. Codex Jufti-

an is dignus fit, quern elegerit imperator. nian. 1. ix. tit. xxix. leg. 1. Theodofius in-

Codex Juftinian. I. ix. tit. xxix. leg. 3. This deed may c aim his lhare, in the merit of this

convenient law was revived and promulgat- comprehenfive law.

B 2 of

4

THE DECLINE AND FALL

c ¥ of Gratian, he had applied himfelf, with fingular inclination and XXVII. rr

* — -v — •> fuccefs, to manage the horfe, to draw the bow, and to dart the javelin ; and thefe qualifications, which might be ufeful to a foldier, were proftituted to the viler purpofes of hunting. Large parks were inclofed for the Imperial pleafures, and plentifully flocked with every fpecies of wild beafts ; and Gratian neglected the duties, and even the dignity, of his rank, to confume whole days in the vain difplay of his dexterity and boldnefs in the chace. The pride and wilh of the Roman emperor to excel in an art, in which he might be furpaffed by the meaneft of his flaves, reminded the numerous fpec- tators of the examples of Nero and Commodus : but the chafte and temperate Gratian was a ftranger to their monftrous vices ; and his hands were ftained only with the blood of animals 6. DIfcontent of The behaviour of Gratian, which degraded his character in the troops, eyes of mankind, could not have dilturbed the fecurity of his reign, A' "D" if the army had not been provoked to refent their peculiar injuries.

As long as the young emperor was guided by the inftrudtions of his matters, he profefled himfelf the friend and pupil of the foldiers ; many of his hours were fpent in the familiar converfation of the camp ; and the health, the comforts, the rewards, the honours, of his faithful troops, appeared to be the objed of his attentive concern. But, after Gratian more freely indulged his prevailing tafte for hunt- ing and mooting, he naturally connected himfelf with the moft dex- terous minifters of his favourite amufement. A body of the Alani was received into the military and domeftic fervice of the palace; and the admirable fkill, which they were accuftomed to difplay in the unbounded plains of Scythia,was exercifed, on a more narrow theatre, in the parks and inclofures of Gaul. Gratian admired the talents

' Ammianus (xxxi. 10.) and the younger is faved by " licet incruentus ;" and perhaps-

Viftor acknowledge the virtues of Gratian ; Philoftorgius (1. x. c. 10. and Godefroy, p.

and accufe, or rather lament, his degene- 412.) had guarded, with fome fimilar refenea

rate tafte. The odious parallel of Commodos the comparifon of Nero.

1 and

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE,

S

and cuftoms of thefe favourite guards, to whom alone he entruft- CHAP.

& ' . XXVII.

ed the defence of his perfon : and, as if he meant to infult the v. — ^— — /

public opinion, he frequently fhewed himfelf to the foldiers and people, with the drefs and arms, the long bow, the founding quiver, and the fur garments, of a Scythian warrior. The unworthy fpec- tacle of a Roman prince, who had renounced the drefs and manners of his country, filled the minds of the legions with grief and in- dignation 7. Even the Germans, fo ftrong and formidable in the armies of the empire, affected to difdain the ftrange and horrid ap- pearance of the favages of the North, who, in the fpace of a few years, had wandered from the banks of the Volga to thofe of the Seine. A loud and licentious murmur was echoed through the camps and garrifons of the Weft ; and as- the mild indolence of Gratian ne- glected to extinguifh the firft fymptoms of difcontent, the want of love and refpect was not fupplied by the influence of fear. But the fubvertfon of an eftablifhed government is always a work of fome real, and of much apparent, difficulty ; and the throne of Gratian was protected by the fanttions of cuftom, law, religion, and the nice balance of the civil and military powers, which had been efta- blifhed by the policy of Conftantine. It is not very important to inquire from wrhat caufes the revolt of Britain was produced. Acci- dent is commonly the parent of diforder ; the feeds of rebellion happened to fall on a foil which was fuppofed to be more fruitful than any other in tyrants and ufurpers 8 ; the legions of that fequeftered Revolt of ifland had been long famous for a fpirit of prefumption and arro- Britain.

7 Zofimus (1. iv. p. 247.) and the younger is a memorable expreflion, ufed by Jeromin

Vittor afcribe the revolution to the favour of the Pelagian controverfy, and varioufly tor-

the Alani, and the difcontent of the Roman tured in the difputes of our national antiqua-

troops. Dum exercitum negligeret, etpaucos ries. The revolutions of the lall age appear-

ex Alanis, quos ingenti auro ad ie tranftule- ed to juftify the image of the fublimc Bofluet,

rat, anteferret veteri ac Romano militi. cette ifle, plus orageufe^quc. -1« -mers qui

* Britannia fertilis provincia tyrannorum, 41 I'environnent."

gance |

6

THE DECLINE AND FALL

gance 9 ; and the name of Maximus was proclaimed, by the tu- multuary, but unanimous voice, both of the foldiers and of the pro- vincials. The emperor, or the rebel, for his title was not yet afcer- tained by fortune, was a native of Spain, the countryman, the fellow-foldier, and the rival of Theodofius, whofe elevation he had not feen without fome emotions of envy and refentment : the events of his life had long fmce fixed him in Britain ; and I mould not be unwilling to find fome evidence for the marriage, which he is faid to have contracted with the daughter of a wealthy lord of Caernar- vonfhire ,0. But this provincial rank might juftly be confidered as a ftate of exile and obfcurity ; and if Maximus had obtained any civil or military office, he was not inverted with the authority either of governor or general His abilities, and even his in- tegrity, are acknowledged by the partial writers of the age ; and the merit muft indeed have been confpicuous, that could extort fuch a confeffion in favour of the vanquifhed enemy of Theodofius. The difcontent of Maximus might incline him to cenfure the con- duct of his fovereign, and to encourage, perhaps without any views •of ambition, the murmurs of the troops. But in the midft of the tumult, he artfully^or modeftly, refufed to afcend the throne; and feme credit appears to have been given to his own pofitive de- claration, that he was compelled to accept the dangerous prefent of the Imperial purple ,2.

But

9 Zofimus fays of the Britifli foldiers, rav

a^Xav ocnavrxv 7rAso» ctvQztSinx. zcti Ov/azi nXBburavf.

10 Helena the daughter of Eudda. Her chapel may ftill be feen at Caer-fegont, now Caer-narvon (Carte's Hill, of England, vol. i. p. i63. from Rowland's Mona Anti- qua.). The prudent reader may not per- haps be fatisfied with fuch Welch evidence.

" .Cambden (vol. i. introducl. p. ci.) ap- points him governor of Britain ; and the fa-

ther of our antiquities is followed, as ufual, by his blind progeny. Pacatus and Zofimu? -had taken fome pains to prevent this error, or fable ; and I fhall protect myfelf by their decifive teftimonies. Regali habitu exulem fuum, illi exules orbis induerunt (in Panegyr. Vet. xii. 23.), and the Greek hiftorian, ftili lefs equivocally, »vro( (Maximus) & eh £l? acxri" evTipoy tTVXv %£OcX(luii (1. iv. p. 248.).

** Sulpicius Severus, Dialog, ii. 7. Oro-

fius,

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

7

But there was danger likewife in refufing the empire ; and from Cx^^jP*

the moment that Maximus had violated his allegiance to his lawful < „ j

fovereign, he could not hope to reign, or even to live, if he con- de!uhtofnd fined his moderate ambition within the narrow limits of Britain. Grauaa« He boldly and wifely refolved to prevent the defigns of Gratian ; the youth of the ifland crowded to his ftandard, and he invaded Gaul with a fleet and army, which were long afterwards remember- ed, as the emigration of a confiderable part of the Britifh na tion I3. The emperor, in his peaceful refidence of Paris, was alarmed by their hoftile approach ; and the darts which he idly wafted on lions and bears, might have been employed more honourably againft . the rebels. But his feeble efforts announced his degenerate fpirit and defperate fituation ; and deprived him of the refources, which he flill might have found, in the fupport of his fubjeds and allies. The armies of Gaul, inftead of oppofmg the march of Maximus, received him with joyful and loyal acclamations ; and the lhame of the defertion was transferred from the people to the prince. The troops, whofe ftation more immediately attached them to the fervice of the palace, abandoned the ftandard of Gratian the ftrft time that it was difplayed in the neighbourhood of Paris. The emperor of the Weft fled towards Lyons, with a train of only. three hundred horfe ; and, in the cities along the road, where he hoped to find a refuge, or at leaft a paffage, he was taught, by cruel ex- perience, that every gate is fhut againft the unfortunate. Yet he might ftill have reached, in fafety, the dominions of his

fius, 1. vii. c. 34. p. 556. They both ac- foldiers, and 100,000 plebeians, who fettled knowledge (Sulpicius had been his fubjeft) in Bretagne. Their deilined brides, St. Ur- his innocence and merit. Itis lingular enough, fula with 1 1 ,000 noble, and 60,000 plebeian, that Maximus Ihould be lefs favourably virgins, millcok their way ; landed at Co- treated by Zofimus, the partial adverfary of log'ie, and were all moll cruelly murdered his rival. by the Huns'. But the plebeian fillers have 13 Archbilhop Ulher (Antiquitat. Britan. been defrauded of their equal honours ; and, Ecclef. p. 107, ic8.) has diligently collected what is Hill harder, John Trithemius pre- the legends of the ifland, and the continent, fumes to mention the children of thefe Bri- The whole emigration confined of 30,000 tiih virgins.

brother ;

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP. XXVII.

» , '

A.D. 3S3, Auguft 25.

Treaty of -peace be- tween Maxi- mus and TheodoHus, A. D. 383 — 3*7.

brother ; and foon have returned with the forces of Italy and the Eaft ; if he had not fuffered himfelf to be fatally deceived by the perfidious governor of the Lyonnefe province. Gratian was amufed by proteftations of doubtful fidelity, and the hopes of a fupport, which could not be effectual ; till the arrival of Andragathius, the general of the cavalry of Maximus, put an end to his fufpenfe. That refolute officer executed, without remorfe, the orders, or the inten- tions, of the ufurper. Gratian, as he rofe from fupper, was delivered into the hands of the afTaflin ; and his body was denied to the pious and preffing intreaties of his brother Valentinian '*. The death of the emperor was followed by that of his powerful general Mello- baudes, the king of the Franks ; who maintained, to the laft moment of his life, the ambiguous reputation, which is the juft recompence of obfcure and fubtle policy ,5. Thefe executions might be neceffary to the public fafety : but the fuccefsful ufurper, whofe power was acknowledged by all the provinces of the Weft, had the merit, and the fatisfaction, of boafling, that, except thofe who had perifhed by the chance of war, his triumph was not ftained by the blood of the Romans ,6.

The events of this revolution had pafTed in fuch rapid fucceflion, that it would have been impoffible for Theodofius to march to the relief of his benefactor, before he received the intelligence of his defeat and death. During the feafon of fincere grief, or oftentatious

** Zofimus (!. iv. p. 248, 249.) has trans- ported the death of Gratian from Lugdunum in 'Gaul (Lyons) to Singidunum in Moefia. Some hints may be extracted from the Chro- nicles; fome lies may be detected in Sozo- men (1. vii. c. 1 ; .) and Socrates (1. v. c. 1 1 .). Ambrofe is our molt authentic evidence (torn, i. Enarrat. in Pfalm Ixi. p 961. torn. ii. cpift. xxiv. p. 888, Sec. and de Obitu Va- ientinian. Confolat. N° 28. p. 1182.).

15 Pacatus (xii. 28.) celebrates his fidelity; while his treachery is marked in Profpers

Chronicle, as the caufe of the ruin of Gra- tian. Ambrofe, who has occafion to excul- pate himfelf, only condemns the death of Vallio, a faithful fervant of Gratian (torn. ii. epift. xxiv. p. 8cji. edit. Benedict.).

16 He protefted, nullum ex adverfariis nifi in acie occubuilTe. Sulp. Severus in Vit. B. Martin, c. 23. The orator of Theodofius bellows reluctant, and therefore weighty, praife on his clemency. Si cui ille, pro ce- teris fceleribus fisis, minus crudelis fuifTe vide- tur (Panegyr. Vet. xii. 2S.).

mourning,

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

5

mourning, the Eaftern emperor was interrupted by the arrival of the c ^Tp* principal chamberlain of Maximus : and the choice of a venerable old man, for an office which was ufually exercifed by eunuchs, an- nounced to the court of Constantinople the gravity and temperance of the Britim ufurper. The ambaflador condefcended to juftify, or excufe, the conduct of his matter ; and to proteft, in fpecious lan- guage, that the murder of Gratian had been perpetrated, without his knowledge or confent, by the precipitate zeal of the foldiers. But he .proceeded, in a firm and equal tone, to offer Theodofius the alterna- tive of peace, or war. The fpeech of the ambaiTador concluded with a fpirited declaration, that although Maximus, as a Roman, and as the father of his people, would chufe rather to employ his forces in the common defence of the republic, he was armed and prepared, if his friendship fhbuld be rejected, to difpute in a field of battle the empire of the world. An immediate and peremptory anfwer was required ; but it was extremely difficult for Theo- dofius to fatisfy, on this important occafion, either the feelings of his own mind, or the expectations of the public. The impe- rious voice of honour and gratitude called aloud for revenge. From the liberality of Gratian, he had received the Imperial diadem : his patience would encourage the odious fufpicion, that he was more deeply fenfible of former injuries, than of recent ob- ligations ; and if he accepted the friendship, he muft feem to Share the guilt, of the aflaffin. Even the principles of juftice, and the intereft of fociety, would receive a fatal blow from the impunity of Maximus : and the example of fuccefsful ufurpation would tend to diffolve the artificial fabric of government, and once more to repiunge the^ empire in the crimes and calamities of the preceding age. But, as the fentiments of gratitude and honour mould invariably regulate the conduct of an individual, "they may be overbalanced in the mind of a fovereign, by the fenfe of fuperior duties ; and the maxims, Vol. III. C both

30

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CXXvnP' koth °f juftice an(i humanity, muft permit the efcape of an atrocious

— v ' criminal, if an innocent people would be involved in the confequences

of his punifhment. The aflaflin of Gratian had ufurped, but he actually polleffed, the moft warlike provinces of the empire : the Eaft was exhaufted by the misfortunes, and even by the fuccefs, of the Gothic war ; and it was ferioufly to be apprehended, that,, after the vital ftrength of the republic had been wafted in a doubt- ful and deftructive conteft, the feeble conqueror would remain an eafy prey to the Barbarians of the North. Thefe weighty con— fiderations engaged Theodofius to diflemble his refentment, and to accept the alliance of the tyrant. But he ftipulated, that Max— imus mould content himfelf with the poffeflion of the countries beyond the Alps. The brother of Gratian was confirmed and fecured in the fovereignty of Italy, Africa, and the Weftern Illy- ricum ; and fome honourable conditions were inferted in the treaty, to protect the memoiy, and the laws, of the deceafed emperor *\ According to the cuftom of the age, the images of the three Impei iai colleagues were exhibited to the veneration of the people : nor mould it be lightly fuppofed, that, in the moment of a folemn re- conciliation, Theodofius fecretly cherifhed the intention of perfidy and revenge 18.

Baptifm and <jfaQ contempt of Gratian for the Roman foldiers, had expofed

orthodox A r

«didsofThe* him to the fatal effects of their refentment. His profound venera-

odofius

A. D. 380, tion for the Chriftian clergy was rewarded by the applaufe and gra- S ebruary 28. titucje Qf a powerful order, which has claimed, in every age, the

privilege of difpenfing honours, both on earth and in heaven ,9.

The orthodox bifhops bewailed his death, and their own irreparable

17 Ambrofe mentions the laws of Gratian, of Theodofius have abfolutely forgotten, or quas non abrogavit hoftis (torn. ii. epift. xvii. flightly mentioned.

p. 827.). 19 Their oracle, the archbifhop of Milan,

18 Zofimus, 1. iv. p. 251, 252. We may afligns to his pupil Gratian an high and re- difclaim his odious fufpicions ; but we cannot fpeftable place in heaven (torn. ii. de Obit, xejett the treaty of peace, which the friends Val. Confol. p. 1193O'

lofs;

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

lofs : but they were foon comforted by the difcovery, that Gratlan CHAP.

. J J ;' XXVJf.

had committed the fceptre of the Eaft to the hands of a prince, -.-

whofe humble faith, and fervent zeal, were fupported by the fpirit and abilities of a more vigorous character. Among the benefactors of the church, the fame of Conftantine has been rivalled by the glory of Theodofius. If Conftantine had the advantage of erect- ing the ftandard of the crofs, the emulation of his fucceffor af- fumed the merit of fubduing the Arian herefy, and of abolishing the worfhip of idols in the Roman world Theodofius was the firft of the emperors baptifed in the true faith of the Trinity. Although he was born of a Chriftian family, the maxims, or at leaft the practice, of the age, encouraged him to delay the ceremony of his initiation ; till he was admonifhed of the danger of delay, by the ferious illnefs which threatened his life, towards the end of the firft year of his reign. Before he again took the field againft the Goths, he recei < ed the facrament of baptifm zo from Acholius, the orthodox bifhop of Theflalonica 21 : and, as the emperor afcended from the holy font, ftill glowing with the warm feelings of regeneration, he dictated a folemn edict, which proclaimed his own faith, and pre- ferred the religion of his fubjects. " It is our pleafure (fuch is the " Imperial ftyle), that all the nations, which are governed by our " clemency and moderation, fhould ftedfaftly adhere to the religion " which was taught by St. Peter to the Romans ; which faithful *' tradition has preferved ; and which is now profefled by the pontiff u Damafus, and by Peter, bifhop of Alexandria, a man of apoftolic " holinefs. According to the difcipline of the apoftles, and the doc-

10 For the baptifm of Theodofius, fee So- brofe ; who ftyles him, murus fidei atque

YOmen (1. vii. c. 4-)> Socrates (1. v. c. 6.)> fanftitatis (torn. ii. epift. xv. p. 820.) ; and

and Tillemont (Hift. des Empereurs, torn, afterwards celebrates his fpeed and diligence

v. p. 728.)' *n running to Conftantinople, Italy, Sft

" Afcolius, or Acholius, was honoured (epift. xvi. p. 822.) a virtue which does noE

by the friendfhip, and the praifes, of Am- appertain either to a ival/, or a bijbop.

C 2 " trine

12

THE DECLINE AND FALL

chap. « trine of the gofpel, let us believe the fole deity of the Father, the

XXVII.

t. „ — <l Son, and the Holy Ghoft ; under an equal majefty, and a pious

" Trinity. We authorife the followers of this doctrine to affume the " title of Catholic Chriftians ; and as we judge, that all others are " extravagant madmen, we brand them with the infamous name of " Heretics ; and declare, that their conventicles fhall no longer ufurp " the refpectable appellation of churches. Befides the condemnation M of Divine juftice, they muft expect to fuffer the fevere penalties, u which our authority, guided by heavenly wifdom, fhall think. u proper to inflict upon them **." The faith of a foldier is commonly the fruit of inftruction, rather than of inquiry ; but as the emperor always fixed his eyes on the vifible land-marks of orthodoxy, which he had fo prudently conftituted, his religious opinions were never affected by the fpecious texts, the fubtle arguments, and the ambi- guous creeds of the Arian doctors. Once indeed he expreffed a faint inclination to converfe with the eloquent and learned Eunomius, who lived in retirement at a fmall diftance from Constantinople. But the dangerous interview was prevented by the prayers of the Emprefs Flaccilla, who trembled for the falvation of her hufband ; and the mind of Theodofms was confirmed by a theological argument, adapted to the rudeft capacity. He had lately beftowed, on his cldeft fon Arcadius, the name and honours of Auguftus ; and the two princes were feated on a ftately throne to receive the homage of their fubjects. A bifhop, Amphilochius of Iconium, approached the throne, and after faluting, with due reverence, the perfon of his fovereign, he accofted the royal youth with the fame familiar ten- dernefs, which he might have ufed towards a plebeian child. Pro- voked by this infolent behaviour, the monarch gave orders, that the

11 Codex Theodof. 1. xvi. tit. i. leg. 2. with Baronius, auream fan&ionem, edi&um piunv Godefroy's Commentary, torn. vi. p. 5—9. et falutare.— Sic itur ad alba. Such an edift deferved the warm eft praifes of

5 ruftic

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

ruftic prieft fhould be inftantly driven from his prefence. But while Cx^v^r P' the guards were forcing him to the door, the dexterous polemic had i — -v — - -» time to execute his defign, by exclaiming, with a loud voice, " Such " is the treatment, O Emperor ! which the King of heaven has pre- " pared for thofe impious men, who affect to worfhip the Father, but u refufe to acknowledge the equal majefty of his divine Son." Theo- dofius immediately embraced the bifliop of Iconium; and never forgot the important leifon, which he had received from this dramatic pa- rable 13.

ConftantinoDle was the principal feat and fortrefs of Arianifm : Ariar.ifm of

. . . Conftanti-

and, in a long interval of forty years 2+, the faith of the princes and nople,

A. D. 340—

prelates, wrho reigned in the capital of the Eaft, was rejected in the 380. purer fchools of Rome and Alexandria. The archiepifcopal throne of Macedonius, which had been polluted with fo much Chriftian blood, was fucceiTively filled by Eudoxus and Damophilus. Their diocefe enjoyed a free importation of vice and error from every pro- vince of the empire ; the eager purfuit of religious controverfy af- forded a new occupation to the bufy idlenefs of the metropolis ; and we may credit the affertion of an intelligent obferver, who defcribes, with fome pleafantry, the effects of their loquacious zeal. " This " city, fays he, is full of mechanics and flaves, who are all of them M profound theologians ; and preach in the jfhops, and in the ftreets. u If you defire a man to change a piece of filver, he informs you,. " wherein the Son differs from the Father : if you afk the price of " a loaf, you are told, by way of reply, that the Son is inferior to " the Father ; and if you enquire, whether the bath is ready, the

13 Sozomen, 1. vii. c. 6. Theodoret, 1. v. 24 Sozomen, 1. vii. c. 5. Socrates, 1. v.

c. 16. Tillemont is difpleafed (Mem. Ecclef. c. 7. Marcellin. in Chron. The account of

torn. vi. p. 627, 628.) with the terms of forty years muft be dated from the election or

** ruftic bilhop," " obfeure city." Yet I intrufion of Eufebius ; who wifely exchanged

muft take leave to think, that both Amphi- the biftiopric of Nicomedia for the throne of

lochius and Iconium were objefts of incon- Conftantinople.

fiderable magnitude in the Roman empire.

w anjwer

*4

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP. XXVII.

u anftver is, that the Son was made out of nothing is." The he- Tetics, of various denominations, fubfifted in peace under the protection of the Arians of Conftantinople ; who endeavoured to fecure the at- tachment of thofe obfcure fectaries ; while they abufed, with unre- lenting feverity, the victory which they had obtained over the fol- lowers of the council of Nice. During the partial reigns of Con- ftantius and Valens, the feeble remnant of the Homooufians was -deprived of the public and private exercife of their religion ; and it has been obferved, in pathetic language, that the fcattered flock was left without a mepherd to wander on the mountains, or to be devoured by rapacious wolves *6. But, as their zeal, inftead of being fubdued, deriyed ftrength and vigour from oppreffion, they feized the firfl: moments of imperfect: freedom, which they acquired by the death of Valens, to form themfelves into a regular congregation, Gregory Na- under the conduct of an epifcopal paftor. Two natives of Cappa- docia, Balil, and Gregory Nazianzen i7, were diftinguimed above all their contemporaries18, by the rare union of profane eloquence and of orthodox piety. Thefe orators, who might fometimes be compared, by themfelves, and by the public, to the moft celebrated of the ancient Greeks, were united by the ties of the ftricteft friendfhip. They had cultivated, with equal ardour, the fame liberal ftudies in

tianzen

15 See Jortin's Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiilory, vol. Ly. p. 71. The thirty-third Oration of Gregory Nazianzen affords in- deed fome f.milar idea:, even feme (till more ridiculous, but Ihave not yet found the iuo+$s of this remarkable paffage ; which I allege on the faith of a correct and liberal fcholar.

" See the thirty-fecond Oration of Gregory Nazianzen, and the account of his own life, which he has compofed in i8co iambics. Yet every phyfician is prone to exaggerate the inveterate nature of the difeafe which he Jbas cured.

M I confefs myfelf deeply indebted to the

two lives of Gregory Nazianzen, compofed, with very different views, by Tillemont(Mem. Ecclef. torn. ix. p. 305 — 560, 692—731.), andLe Clerc (BibliothequeUniverfelle,tom. xviii. p. 1 — 128.).

. 18 Unlefs Gregory Nazianzen miftook thirty years in his own age ; he was born, as well as his friend Bafil, about the year 329. The pre- posterous chronology of Suidas has been gra- cicufly received ; becaufe it removes the fcan- dal of Gregory's father, a faint likev.ife, be- getting children, after he became a bifhop (Tillemont, Mem. Ecclef. torn. ix. p. 693 — 697.).

the

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

the fchools of Athens : they had retired, with equal devotion, to the CHAP.

' 7 1 ' XXVII,

fame folitude in the deferts of Pontus ; and every fpark of emulation,

or envy, appeared to be totally extinguifhed in the holy and inge- nuous breafts of Gregory and Balil. But the exaltation of Bafil, from a private life to the archiepifcopal throne of Caefarea, difcovered to the world, and perhaps to himfelf, the pride of his character -r and the firft favour which he condefcended to beftow on his friend was received, and perhaps was intended, as a cruel infult 29. Inftead ■ of employing the fuperior talents of Gregory in fome ufeful and confpicuous ftation, the haughty prelate felecled, among the fifty bifhoprics of his extenfive province, the wretched village of Safima30, without water, without verdure, without fociety, fituate at the junc- tion of three highways, and frequented only by the inceffant pafTage of rude and clamorous waggoners. Gregory iubmitted with reluc- tance to this humiliating exile : he was ordained bilhop of Safima ; but he folemnly protefts, that he never confummated his fpirituah marriage with this difguiting bride. He afterwards confented to undertake the government of his native church of Nazianzus 31, of which his father had been bilhop above five-and-forty years. But as

language of nature, is the lame in Cappado- cia and in Britain.

30 This unfavourable portrait of Safima is drawn by Gregory Nazianzen (torn. ii. de Vita fua, p. 7,8.). Its precife fituation, forty-nine miles from Archelais, and thirty- two from Tyana, is fixed in the Itinerary of Antoninus (p. 144. edit, Welfeling.).

31 The name of Nazianzus has been im- mortalifed by Gregory ; but his native town, under the Greek orRoman title of Diocxfarea. (Tillemont, Mem. Ecclef. torn. ix.p. 692.), is mentioned by Pliny (vi. 3.), Ptolemy, and Hierocles (Itinerar. Welfeling, p. 709.). Ic appears to have been fituate on the edge of Ifauria.

he

09 'Gregory's Poem on his own Life con- tains fome beautiful lines (torn. ii. p. 8.) which burft from the heart, and fpeak the pangs of injured and loft friendfhip : ......... Trove* Komoi hoyu; s

Vnc he tir a-fiUpotv .......

Atzc-xiSarcu Trtn-rx, effmTo.i yuy.a\y

Af£2i (p ipnai T'i$ TraXaia; c\7ri$a.<;. Jn the Midfummer Night's Dream, Helenia addrelfes the lame pathetic complaint to her friend Hermia :

Is all the counfel that we two have lhared,

The filter's vows, &c. Shakefptare had never read the poems of Gregorv Nazianzen : he was ignorant of the Greek language ; but his mother-tongue, the

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP, he was ftill confcious. that he deferved another audience, and another

YXVIl.

*J — , ' theatre, he accepted, with no unworthy ambition^ the honourable

nriffion of invitation, wrhicli was addreffed to him from the orthodox party of aopn;? U1" Coriftantinople. On his arrival in the capital, Gregory wras enter- a. d. 37S, ta]ned in the houfe of a pious and charitable kinfman : the moft fpa-

November. 1 . A

cious room was confecrated to the ufes of religious worfhip ; and the name of Anaftafia wTas chofen, to exprefs the refurrection of the Nicene faith. This private conventicle was afterwards converted into a magnificent church ; and the credulity of the fucceeding age was prepared to believe the miracles and vifions, wrhich attefted the prefence, or at leaft the protection, of the Mother of God 3\ The pulpit of the Anaftafia wras the fcene of the labours and triumphs of Gregory Nazianzen ; and, in the fpace of two years, he expe- rienced all the fpiritual adventures which conftitute the profperous or adverle fortunes of a miflionary ". The Arians, who were pro- voked by the boldnefs of his enterprife, reprefented his doctrine, as if he had preached three diftinct and equal Deities ; and the devout populace was excited to fupprefs, by violence and tumult, the irre- gular alTemblies of the Athanafian heretics. From the cathedral of St. Sophia, there iffued a motley crowd " of common beggars, who ** had forfeited their claim to pity ; of monks, who had the appear- ance of goats or fatyrs ; and of w omen, more terrible than fo many Jezabels." The doors of the Anaftafia were broke open ; much mifchief was perpetrated, or attempted, with fticks, ftones, and firebrands ; and as a man loft his life in the affray, Gregory, w^ho was fummoned the next morning before the magiftrate, had the fatisfaction of fuppofmg, that he publicly conferTed the name of Chrift. After he was delivered from the fear and danger of a foreign enemy,

31 See Ducange, Conftant. Chriftiana, 33 Tillemont (Mem. Ecclef. torn. ix. p.

l. iv. p. 141, 142. The 9sia lv.x(M% of Sozo- 432, &c.j diligently collects, enlarges, and

men (I. vii. c. 5.) is interpreted to mean the explains, the oratorical and poetical hints of

Virgin Mary. Gregory himfelf.

'« his

it

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

*7

"his infant church was difgraced and diflracted by interline faction. °^yU?' A ftranger, who afTumed the name of Maximus 3+, and the cloak of <— «- * a Cynic philofopher, infinuated himfelf into the confidence of Gre- gory ; deceived and abufed his favourable opinion ; and forming a fccret connection with fome bifhops of Egypt, attempted, by a clan- destine ordination, to fupplant his patron in the epifcopal feat of Con- ftantinople. Thefe mortifications might fomctimes tempt the Cappa- docian miflionary to regret his obfcure folitude. But his fatigues were rewarded by the daily increafe of his fame and his congregation ; and he enjoyed the pleafure of obferving, that the greater part of his numerous audience retired from his fermons, fatisfied with the elo- quence of the preacher 35, or diffatisfied with the manifold imper- fections of their faith and practice 3S.

The Catholics of Conftantinople were animated with joyful confi- Ruinof Arl-

/ anifmatCon-

dence by the baptifm and edict of Theodofms ; and they impatiently liantinople, waited the effects of his gracious promife. Their hopes were fpee- Novemba 26. dily accomplifhed ; and the emperor, as foon as he had finifhed the operations of the campaign, made his public entry into the capital at the head of a victorious army. The next day after his arrival, he fummoned Damophilus to his prefence; and offered that Arian prelate the hard alternative of fubfcribing the Nicene creed, or of inftantly refigning, to the orthodox believers, the ufe and pofTeffion of the epifcopal palace, the cathedral of St. Sophia, and all the churches of Conftantinople. The zeal of Damophilus, which in a Catholic faint would have been juftly applauded, embraced, without

3* He pronounced an oration (torn. i. Crat. fcribes his own fuccefs with fome human

xxiii. p. 409.) in his praife ; but after their complacency. Yet it Ihould feem, from his

quarrel, the name of Maximus was changed familiar converfation with his auditor St. Je-

into that of Heron (fee Jerom, torn. i. in rom (torn. i. Epift. ad Nepotian. p. 14.),

Catalog. Script. Ecclef. p. 301.). I touch that the preacher underftood the true value of

llightly on thefe obfcure and perfonal fquab- popular applaufe.

bles. 3r' Lachryma? auditorum laudes tuae fint,

35 Under the modeft emblem of a dream, is the lively and judicious advice of St. Je-

Gregory (torn. ii. carmen ix. p. 78.) de- rom.

Vol. IIL D hefitation,

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP, hefitation, a life of poverty and exile 37 ; and his removal was

XXVII

*i -.- * immediately followed by the purification of the Imperial City.

The Arians might complain, with fome appearance of juftice, that an inconfiderable congregation of fectaries mould ufurp the hundred churches, which they were infufficient to fill : whilft the far greater part of the people was cruelly excluded from every place of religious worfhip. Theodofius was flill inexorable : but as the angels who protected the Catholic caufe, were only vifible to the eyes of faith, he prudently reinforced thofe heavenly legions, with the more effectual aid of temporal and carnal weapons : and the church of St, Sophia was occupied by a large body of the Imperial guards. If the mind of Gregory was fufceptible of pride, he muft have felt a very lively fatisfaction, when the emperor conducted him through the flreets in folemn triumph ; and, with his own hand, refpect fully placed him on the archiepifcopal throne of Conftantinople. But the faint (who had not fubdued the imperfections of human virtue) was deeply affected by the mortifying confideration, that his entrance into the fold was that of a wolf, rather than of a fhepherd : that the glittering arms, which furrounded his perfon, were necefTary for his fafety; and that he alone was the object of the imprecations of a great party, whom, as men and citizens, it was impoffible for him to defpife. He beheld the innumerable multitude of either fex, and of every age, who crowded the fireets, the windows, and the roofs of the houfes ; he heard the tumultuous voice of rage, grief, aftonifh- ment, and defpair ; and Gregory fairly confeffes, that on the me- morable day of his inftallation, the capital of the Eaft wore the appearance of a city taken by ftorm, and in the hands of a Barba-

37 Socrates (1. v. c. 7.) and Sozomen that it is difficult to refiji the powerful : but (1. vii. c. 5.) relate the evangelical words it was eafy, and would have been profitable, and actions of Damophilus without a word of to fubmit, approbation. He confidered, fays Socrates,

rian

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE,

*9

rian conqueror 3\ About fix weeks afterwards, Theodofi us declared cxx^jP*

his refolution of expelling from all the churches of his dominions* ' j *

the bifhops and their clergy, who mould obftinately refufe to believe, or at leaft to profefs, the doctrine of the council of Nice. His lieu- In the Eart. tenant Sapor was armed with the ample powers of a general law, a January 10'. fpecial commimon, and a military force 39 ; and this ecclefiaftical revo- lution was conducted with fo much difcretion and vigour, that the religion of the emperor was eftablifhed, without tumult, or blood- fhed, in all the provinces of the Eaft. The writings of the Arians, if they had been permitted to exift40, would perhaps contain the lamentable ftory of the perfecution, which afflicted the church under the reign of the impious Theodofms ; and the fufferings of their holy confelTors, might claim the pity of the difinterefted reader. Yet there is reafon to imagine that the violence of zeal and revenge was, in fome meafure, eluded by the want of refiftance; and that, in their adverfity, the Arians difplayed much lefs firmnefs, than had been exerted by the orthodox party under the reigns of Conftantius and Valens. The moral character and conduct of the hoftile fects ap- pear to have been governed by the fame common principles of na- ture and religion : but a very material circumftance may be difcovered, which tended to diftinguifh the degrees of their theological faith. Both parties, in the fchools, as well as in the temples, acknowledged and worfhipped the divine majefty of Chrift ; and, as we are always prone to impute our own fentiments and paffions to the Deity, it

38 See Gregory Nazianzen, tom. ii. de ed this important commiflion of Sapor, which Vita fua, p. 21, 22. For the fake of pof- Tillemont (Hilt, des' Empereurs, tom. v. terity, the bifhop of Conltantinople records p. 728.) judicicufly removes, from the reigu a ftupendous prodigy. In the month of No- of Gratian, to that of Theodofius. vember, it was a cloudy morning ; but the 40 I do not reckon Philoitorgius, though fun broke forth, when the proceffion entered he mentions (I. ix. c. ig.) the expulficn cf the church. Damophilus. The Eunomian hittorian has

39 Of the three ecclefiaftical hiftorians, been carefully ftrained through an orthodox Theodoret alone (1. v. c. 2.) has mention- fieve.

D 2 would

20

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHU would be deemed more prudent and refpectful to exaggerate, than ten u— .-v— circumfcribe, the adorable perfections of the Son of God. The difciple of Athanafius exulted in the proud confidence, that he had entitled himfelf to the divine favour : while the follower of Anus- muft have been tormented, by the fecret apprehenfion, that he was guilty, perhaps, of an unpardonable offence, by the fcanty praife, and parfimonious honours, which he beftowed on the Judge of the World. The opinions of Arianifm might fatisfy a cold and fpecula- tive mind : but the doctrine of the Nicene Creed, moft powerfully- recommended by the merits of faith and devotion, was much better adapted to become popular and fuccefsful in a believing age. The council The hope, that truth and wifdom would be found in the affembliea

q[ Conilanti-

nopie, of the orthodox clergv, induced the emperor to convene, at Con-

A. D. 381,

May. ' ftantinople, a fynod of one hundred and fifty bifhops,. who proceeded, without much difficulty or delay, to complete the theological fyftem which had been eftablifhed in the council of Nice. The vehement difputes of the fourth century, had been chiefly employed on the nature of the Son of God : and the various opinion?., which were embraced concerning the Second, were extended and transferred, by a natural analogy, to the Third, perfon of the Trinity 4'. Yet it was found, or it was thought,, neceffary,. by the victorious adverfaries of Arianifm, to explain the ambiguous language of fome refpectable doctors.; to confirm the faith of. the Catholics; and to condemn an unpopular and inconfiftent feci: of Macedonians ; who freely admitted that the Son was confubftantial to the Father, while they were fearful of fecming to acknowledge the exiflence of Three Gods,. A final and

41 Le Clerc has given a curious extract who deified the Father and the Son, without

(Bibiiotheque Univerfelle, torn, xviij. p. the Poly Ghoft, that they might as well be

91—105,) of the theological fermons which (ti\e& Tritbeifts, as Ditheijfs.. Gregory him-

Gregory Nazianzen pronounced at Conftan- felf was almoft a TritheiH ; and his monarchy

tinople again ft the Arians, Eunomians, Ma- of heaven refembles a well-regulated ariito-

■cedonians, &c. He tells the Macedonians, cracy.

unanimous.

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

21-

unanimous fentence was pronounced to ratify the equal Deity of the C^xvii?'

Holy Ghoft ; the myfterious doctrine has been received by all the 1 * *

nations, and all the churches of the Christian world ; and their grateful reverence has a/signed to the bifliops of Theodofius, the fecond rank among the general councils *> Their knowledge of reli- gious truth may have been preferved by tradition, or it may have been communicated by infpiration ; but the fober evidence of hiftory will not allow much weight to the perfonal authority of the fathers of Constantinople. In an age, when the ecclesiastics had fcanda- loufly degenerated, from the model of apoftolical purity, the mod. worthlefs and corrupt were always the mod eager to frequent, and difturb, the epifcopal aiTemblies. The conflict and fermentation of fo many oppofite interests and tempers inflamed the pafTions of the bilhops : and their ruling paflions were, the love of gold, and the love of diipute. Many of the, fame prelates who now applauded the or- thodox piety of Theodofius, had repeatedly changed, with prudent flexibility, their creeds and opinions ; and in the various revolutions, of the church and ftate, the religion of their fovereign was the ruler of their obfequious faith. When the emperor fufpended his prevail- ing influence, the turbulent fynod was blindly impelled, by the abfurd or felflm motives of pride, hatred, and refentment. The death of Meletius, which happened at the council of Constantinople, pre- fented the moft favourable opportunity of terminating the fchifm of Antioch, by fuffering his aged rival, Paulinus, peaceably to end his days in the epifcopal chair. The faith and virtues of Paulinus were unblemiflied. But his caufe was supported by the Western churches: and the bifhops of the fynod refolved to perpetuate the mifchiefs of

A1 The firft general council of Comtanti- perplexes, and almoft Staggers, the humble nople now triumphs in the Vatican : but the Tillemont (Mem. Ecclef. torn. ix. p. 499, pcpeshad long hefitated, and their heiitation 50c).

difcord,

22

THE DECLINE AND FALL

Retreat of Gregory Nazianzen, A. D. 381.

CXXVIIP difcord, by the hafty ordination of a perjured candidate **, rather v., .* than to betray the imagined dignity of the Eaft, which had been illuftrated by the birth and death of the Son of God. Such unjuft and diforderly proceedings forced the graveft members of the alTem- bly to diflent and to fecede; and the clamorous majority, which remained matters of the field of battle, could be compared only to wafps or magpies, to a flight of cranes, or to a flock of geefe

A fufpicion may pombly arife, that fo unfavourable a picture of ecclefiaftical fynods has been drawn by the partial hand of fome obftinate heretic, or fome malicious infidel. But the name of the fincere hiftorian who has conveyed this inftructive leflbn to the know- ledge of pofterity, muft filence the impotent murmurs of fuperftition and bigotry. He was one of the moft pious and eloquent bifhops of the age ; a faint and a doctor of the church ; the fcourge of Arian- ifm, and the pillar of the orthodox faith ; a diftinguifhed member of the council of Conftantinople, in which, after the death of Mele- tius, he exercifed the functions of prefident : in a word — Gregory Nazianzen himfelf. The harfh and ungenerous treatment which he experienced *5, inftead of derogating from the truth of his evidence, affords an additional proof of the fpirit which actuated the delibera-

43 Before the death of Meletius, fix or eight of his moft popular ecclefiaftics, among whom was Flavian, had abjured, for the fake of peace, the bifhopric of Antioch (Sozomen, I. vii. c. 3. 11. Socrates, I. v. c. 5.). Tillemont thinks it his duty to dif- believe the ftory ; but he owns that there are many circumftances in the life of Flavian,, which feem inconfiftent with the praifes of Chryfoftom, and the character of a faint (Mem. Ecclef. torn. x. p. 541 .).

44 Confult Gregory Nazianzen, de Vita fua, torn. ii. p. 25 — 28. His general and particular opinion of the clergy and their af-

femblies, may be feen in verfe and profe (torn. i. orat. i. p. 33. epift. Iv. p. 814. torn. ii. carmen x. p. 81.). Such pafiages are faintly marked by Tillemont, and fairly produced by Le Clerc.

45 See Gregory, torn. ii. de Vita fua, p. 28 — 31. The fourteenth, twenty-feventh, and thirty-fecond orations were pronounced in the feveral ftages of this bufinefs. The peroration of the laft (torn. i. p. 528.), in which he takes a folemn leave of men and angels, the city and the emperor, the Er.fr and the Weft, &c. is pathetic, and almoft fublime.

•tions

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

23

tions of the fynod. Their unanimous iuffrage had confirmed the CHAP.

. . . . XXVII. pretenfions which the bifhop of Conftantinople derived from the 1 '

choice of the people, and the approbation of the emperor. But Gregory foon became the victim of malice and envy. The bifhops of the Eaft, his ftrenuous adherents, provoked by his moderation in the affairs of Antioch, abandoned him, without fupport, to the ad- verfe faction of the Egyptians ; who difputed the validity of his election, and rigoroufly averted the obfolete canon, that prohibited the licentious practice of epifcopal tranflations. The pride, or the humility, of Gregory prompted him to decline a conteft which might have been imputed to ambition and avarice ; and he publicly offered, not without fome mixture of indignation, to renounce the government of a church, which had been reftored, and almoft cre- ated, by his labours. His refignation was accepted by the fynod, and by the emperor, with more readinefs than he feems to have expected. At the time when he might have hoped to enjoy the fruits of his victory, his epifcopal throne was filled by the fenator Nectarius ; and the new archbifhop, accidentally recommended by his eafy temper and venerable afpect, was obliged to delay the ceremony of his confecration, till he had previoufly difpatched the rites of his baptifm 4\ After this remarkable experience of the ingratitude of princes and prelates, Gregory retired once more to his obfeure folitude of Cappadocia ; where he employed the remainder of his life, about eight years, in the exercifes of poetry and devo- tion. The title of Saint has been added to his name ; but the ten- dernefs of his heart 4?, and the elegance of his genius, reflect a more pleafing luftre on the memory of Gregory Nazianzen.

It

46 The whimfical ordination of Neftarius is furtout pour Theodofe, qu'il vaut mieux attefted by Sozomen (I. vii. c. 8.) : but Til- travailler a le detruire, qu'a le foutenir; an lemont obferves (Mem. Ecclef. torn. ix. p. admirable canon of criticifm ! 719.), Apres tout, ce narre de Sozomene eft *7 I can only be underftood to mean, that ii honteux pour tous ceux qu'il y mele, et fuch was his natural temper ; when it was

not

^ THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP. It was not enough that Theodofius had fuppreffed the infoletft

XXVII.

v__^— reign of Arianifm, or that he had ahundantl}' revenged the injuries TheodoLs which the Catholics fuftained from the zeal of Conftantius and Va- htreticsthe ^ens* ^e orthodox emperor confidered every heretic as a rebel A.D. 380— againft the fupreme powers of heaven, and of earth; and each of thofe powers might cxercife their peculiar jurifdi&ion over the foul and body of the guilty. The decrees of the council of Conftantinoplc had afcertained the true ftandard of the faith ; and the ecclefiaftics, who governed the confcience of Theodofius, fuggefted the molt ef- fectual methods of perfecution. In the fpace of fifteen years, he -promulgated at leaft fifteen fevere edicts againft the heretics 4' ; more •efpecially againft thofe who rejected the doctrine of the Trinity; and, to deprive them of every hope of efcape, he fternly enacted, that if any laws, or refcripts, ihould be alleged in their favour, the judges fhould confider them as the illegal productions either of fraud, or forgery. The penal ftatutes were directed againft the mi- nifters, the affemblies, and the perfons, of the heretics ; and the paflions of the legiflator were exprefled in the language of declama- tion and invective. I. The heretical teachers, who ufurped the facred titles of Bifhops, or Prefbyters, were not only excluded from the privileges and emoluments fo liberally granted to the orthodox clergv, but they were expofed to the heavy penalties of exile and confifca- •tion, if they prefumed to preach the doctrine, or to practife the rites, of their otcurfod fects. A fine of ten pounds of gold (above four hundred pounds Sterling) was impofed on every perfon who ihould dare to confer, or receive, or promote, an heretical ordina- tion : and it was reafonably expected, that if the race of paftors could :be extinguifhed, their helplefs flocks would be compelled, by igno-

/iot hardened, or inflamed, by religious zeal. 48 See the Theodofian Code, 1. xvi. tit. v. From his retirement, he exhorts Neclarius IeS' 6~23-» wIth Godefroy's commentary

r .> 1 • r r> n. i on e2Ch law, and his general fummary, or

-iO profecute the heretics of Conftantinople. n . , ■

Faratitlon? torn. vi. p. 104 — 110.

3 ranee

*

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 25

ranee and hunger, to return within the pale of the Catholic Church. GJyimjP' II. The rigorous prohibition of conventicles was carefully extended to every poflible circumftan.ee, in which the heretics could aflcmble with the intention of worfhipping God and Chrift according to the dictates of their confeience. Their religious meetings, whether pub- lic or fecret, by day or by night, in cities or in the country, were equally profcribed by the edicts of Theodofms ; and the building, or ground, which had been ufed for that illegal purpofe, was forfeited to the Imperial domain. III. It was fuppofed, that the error of the heretics could proceed only from the obftinate temper of their minds ; and that fuch a temper was a fit object of cenfure and pu- nifhment. The anathemas of the church were fortified by a fort of civil excommunication ; which feparated them from their fellow- citizens, by a peculiar brand of infamy ; and this declaration of the fupreme magiftrate tended to juftify, or at leaft to excufe, the infults of a fanatic populace. The fectaries were gradually difqualified for the pofTeffion of honourable, or lucrative, employments ; and Theo- dofms was fatisfied with his own juftice, when he decreed, that, as the Eunomians dittinguifned the nature of the Son from that of the Father, they fhould be incapable of making their wills, or of receiv- ing any advantage from teftamentary donations. The guilt of the Manichscan herefy was efteemed of fuch magnitude, that it could be expiated only by the death of the offender ; and the fame capital punifhment was inflicted on the Audians, or Quartodccimam 49, who Ihould dare to perpetrate the atrocious crime, of celebrating, on an improper day, the feftival of EaRer. FLvery Roman might exercile the right of public accufation ; but the office of hiquifitors of the Faith, a name fo defervedly abhorred, was firft inftituted under the

49 They always kept their Eafter, like the ar.d Nicer.c fyr.cd, which had f.xed Eafter to

Jewi(h Paflbver, on the fourteenth day of the a Sunday. Bingham's Antiquities, 1. XX.

firft moon after the vernal equinox ; and thus c. 5. vol. ii. p. 300. (61, edit, pertinacioufly oppofed the Roman church

Vol. III. E reign

26

THE DECLINE AND FALL

VII reign of Theodofius. Yet we are allured, that the execution of v — — ' his penal edicts was feldom enforced ; and that the pious emperor appeared lefs defirous to punifh, than to reclaim, or terrify, his refractory fubjects 5°. |J£c.,!fion of The theory of perfecution was eftablifhed by Theodofius, whofe

Prilcillian

and huaflb- jufticc and piety have been applauded by the faints; but the practice

ciates, 4

A. D. 585. of it, in the fulleft extent, was referved for his rival and colleague Maximus, the nrft, among the Chriftian princes, who fhed the blood of his Chriftian fubje&s, on account of their religious opinions. The caufc of the Prifeillianifts SI, a recent feet of heretics, who difturbed the provinces of Spain, was transferred, by appeal, from the fynod of Bourdeaux to the Imperial confiftory of Treves ; and by the fen- tence of the Praetorian prrcfect, feven perfons were tortured, con- demned, and executed. The nrft of thefe was Prifcillian 51 himfelf, bifhop of Avila in Spain ; who adorned the advantages of birth and fortune, by the accomplifhments of eloquence and learning- Two prefbyters, and two deacons, accompanied their beloved mafter in his death, which they efteemed as a glorious martyrdom ; and the number of religious victims was completed by the execution of La- tronian, a poet, who rivalled the fame of the ancients ; and of Eu- chrocia, a noble matron of Bourdeaux, the widow of the orator Dclphidius * Two bifliops, who had embraced the fentiments of

Prifcillian,

s° Sozomen, 1. vK. c. 12. fi non pravo ftudio corrumpi/Tet optimum

51 Sec the facred hiftory of Sulpicius Seve- internum : prorfus multa in eo animi et cor- rus (1. ii- p- -437 — 45 2. edit. Lugd. Bat. poris bona ccrnercs (Hilt. Sacra, 1. ii. p. 1647.), a con-eft and original writer. Dr. 439.)- Even Jero;n (torn. i. in Script. Ec- Lardner (Credibility, &c. part ii. vol. ix. p'. clef. p. 302.) fpeaks with temper of Prifcil- 2-6 — 550 ) has laboured this article, with lian and Latroiiian.

pure learning, good fenfe, and mouera- 53 The biftiopric (in Old Caftile) is now tion. Tillemont (Mem. Ecclef. torn. viii. worth 20,000 ducats a year (Bufching's Geo- p. 491 — 527.) has raked together all the dirt graphy, vol. ii. p. 308.), and is therefore of the fathers : an ufeful fcavenger ! much lefs likely to produce the author of a

51 Severus Sulpicius mentions the arch- new herefy. heretic with efteem and pity. Fxlix profe&o, 54 Exprobabatur mulieri vidux nimia re-

lig«>>

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. Prifcillian, were condemned to a diftant and dreary exile 55 ; and C H A P.

r • XXVII.

fome indulgence was fhewn to the meaner criminals, who affumed i /

the merit of an early repentance. If any credit could be allowed to confeffions extorted by fear or pain, and to vague reports, the offspring of malice and credulity, the herefy of the Prifcillianifts would be found to include the various abominations of magic, of impiety, and of lewdnefs s6. Prifcillian, who wandered about the world in the company of his fpiritual filters, was accufed of praying ftark-naked in the midft of the congregation; and it was confidently aflerted, that the effects of his criminal intercourfe with the daughter of Eu- chrocia, had been fuppreffed, by means il. ill more odious and criminal. But an accurate, or rather a candid, enquiry, will dis- cover, that if the Prifcillianifts violated the laws of nature, it was not by the licentioufnefs, but by the aufterity, of their lives. They abfolutely condemned the ufe of the marriage-bed ; and the peace of families was often difturbed by indifcreet feparations. They enjoined, or recommended, a total abftinence from all animal food ; and their continual prayers, fafts, and vigils, inculcated a rule of ftricr. and perfect devotion. The fpeculative tenets of the fed:, concerning the perfon of Chrift, and the nature of the human foul, were derived from the Gnoftic and Manichaean fyftem ; and this vain philofophy, which had been tranfported from Egypt to Spain, was ill adapted to the groffer fpirits of the Weft. The obfcure difciples of Prifcillian fuffered, languifhed, and gradually difappeared : his tenets were re- jected by the clergy and people, but his death was the fubject of a long and vehement controverfy ; while fome arraigned, and others

ligio, et diligentius culta divinitas (Pacat. in of Sally (Cambden's Britannia; vol. ii. p.

Panegyr. Vet. xii. 29.). Such was the idea iSI9-) ■

of a humane, though ignorant, polytheift. 56 The fcandalous calumnies of Auguftin,

{< _ c , r . _ ... . Pope Leo, &c. which Tillemont fwallows

55 One or them was lent in Sylhnam in- r, , •, , , r , ,. ...

' like a child, and Lardner refutes like a man,

fulam qu£ ultra Britanniam eft. What muft may fuggeft fome camlid fu/picioils in favour

have been the ancient condition of the rocks of theoldcr GnolHcs.

E 2 applauded,

28

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CJvvV' applauded, the juftice of his fentence. It is with pleafure that we

/VA VII*

' ■ ' can obferve, the humane inconfifhency of the raoft illuftrious faints

and bifliops, Ambrofe of Milan and Martin of Tours 53 j who, on this occafion, afferted the caufe of toleration. They pitied the un- happy men, who had been executed at Treves ; they refufed to hold communion with their epifcopal murderers ; and if Martin deviated from that generous refolution, his motives were laudable, and his repentance was exemplary. The bifhops of Tours and Milan pro- nounced, without hefitation, the eternal damnation of heretics j but they were furprifed, and fhocked, by the bloody image of their tem- poral death, and the honeft feelings of nature refifted the artificial prejudices of theology. The humanity of Ambrofe and Martin was confirmed by the fcandalous irregularity of the proceedings againft Prifcillian, and his adherents. The civil and ecclefiaftical minifters had tranfgrefted the limits of their refpective provinces. The fecular judge had prefumed to receive an appeal, and to pronounce a defini- tive fentence, in a matter of faith, and epifcopal jurifdiction. The biihops had difgraced themfelves, by exercifing the functions of ac- cufers in a criminal profecution. The cruelty of Ithacius who beheld the tortures, and folicited the death, of the heretics, provoked the juft indignation of mankind ; and the vices of that profligate bi- fhop were admitted as a proof, that his zeal was mitigated by the fordid motives of intereft. Since the death of Prifcillian, the rude attempts of perfecution have been refined and methodifed in the holy office, which afligns their diftinct parts to the ecclefiaftical and fecular powers. The devoted victim is regularly delivered by

57 Ambrof. torn. ii. epift. xxiv. p. 891. angel ; nor could he afterwards perform mi- 53 In the Sacred Hiftory, and the Life of St. racles with fo much eafe. Martin, Sulpicius Severus ufesfome caution ; .S.9 The Catholic preibyter (Sulp. Sever.

• l i 1 us rir r 1 1. ii. p. 448.), and the pagan Orator (Pacat.

but he declares himielr mere freely 111 the . r ^ *? .. t 0 v

, .... \ »/r . a in P-mcgyr. Vet. xn. 29.), reprobate, with

Dialoeues (in. IC.). Martin was reproved, , . . . T n • 7 ^

s v 5 ; f , e1ual indignation, the character and conduct

however, by his own confcience, and by an ef it]iaciU5<

the

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

29

the prieft to the magiftrate, and by the magiftrate to the executioner ; CJ£v]jP'

and the inexorable fentence of the church, which declares the fpiri— 1 „ '

tual guilt of the offender, is expreffed in the mild language of pity and interceffion.

Among the ecclefiaftics, who illuflrated the reign of Theodofius, Ambrofe,

. , archjifhopof

Gregory Nazianzen was diftmguifhed by the talents of an eloquent Milan, preacher; the reputation of miraculous gifts, added weight and , ' ' 3/+~~ dignity to the monaflic virtues of Martin of Tours60 ; but the palm of epifcopal vigour and ability was juftly claimed by the intrepid Ambrofe 61. He was defcended from a noble family of Romans ; his father had exercifed the important office of Praetorian prefect of Gaul j and the fon, after paffing through the ftudies of a liberal edu- cation, attained, in the regular gradation of civil honours, the Ration of confular of Liguria, a province which included the Imperial re- fidence of Milan. At the age of thirty-four, and before he had re- ceived the facrament of baptifm, Ambrofe, to his own furprife, and to that of the world, was fuddenly transformed from a governor to an archbifhop. Without the leafh mixture, as it is faid, of art or intrigue, the whole body of the people unanimouily faluted him with the epifcopal title ; the concord and perfeverance of their acclama- tions were afcribed to a preternatural impulfe ; and the reluctant ma- giftrate was compelled to undertake a fpiritual office, for which he. was not prepared by the habits and occupations of his former life. But the active force of his genius foon qualified him to exercife, with zeal and prudence, the duties of his ecclefiaftical jurifdiction ; and, while he cheerfully renounced the vain and fplendid trapping* of

60 The life of St. Martin, and the Dia- 61 The fhort and fuperficial life of St.

logues concerning his miracles, contain facts Ambrofe, by his deacon Paulinus (Appendiv

adapted to the groffeft barbarifm, in a ftyle ad edit. Benedict, p. i — xv.), has the merit

not unworthy of the Auguftan age. So natu- of original evidence. Tillemont (Mem.

ral is the alliance between good tafte and Ecclef. torn. x. p. 78 — 306.), and the Bene-

good fenfe, that I am always aftonuhed by dicline editors (p. xxxi— lxiii.), have laboured,

ihis contraft. with their ufual diligence.

temporal

3o THE DECLINE AND FALL

^xxvn?' temPora^ greatnefs, he condefcended, for the good of the church, to

\ v ; direct the confcience of the emperors, and to controul the admini-

ftration of the empire. Gratian loved and revered him as a father ; and the elaborate treatife on the faith of the Trinity, was defigned for the inftruction of the young prince. After his tragic death, at a time when the emprefs Juftina trembled for her own fafety, and for that of her fon Valentinian, the archbifhop of Milan was dif- patched, on two different embaflies, to the court of Treves. He exer- cifed, with equal firmnefs and dexterity, the powers of his fpiritua} and political characters; and perhaps contributed, by his authority and eloquence, to check the ambition of Maximus, and to protect the peace of Italy61. < Ambrofe had devoted his life, and his abilities, to the fervice of the church. Wealth was the object of his con- tempt ; he had renounced his private patrimony ; and he fold, with- out hefitation, the confecrated plate for the redemption of captives. The clergy and people of Milan were attached to their archbifhop ; and he deferved the efteem, without foliciting the favour, or appre- hending the difpleafure, of his feeble fovereigns. His fuccefs- The government of Italy, and of the young emperor, naturally

fid opposition m i

to the em- devolved to his mother Juftina, a woman of beauty and fpirit, but aTd. : 3S5T' wh°> m tne rciidft of an orthodox people, had the misfortune of April ioT profeffing the Arian herefy, which fhe endeavoured to inftil into the mind of her fon. Juftina was perfuaded, that a Roman emperor might claim, in his own dominions, the public exercife of his reli- gion ; and fhe propofed to the archbifhop, as a moderate and rea- fonable conceffion, that he mould refign the ufe of a fingle church, either in the city or fuburbs of Milan. But the conduct of Ambrofe was governed by very different principles63. The palaces of the

earth

" . 61 Ambrofe himfelf (torn. ii. epift. xxiv. *3 His own reprefentation of his principles

p. 888 — 891.) gives the emperor a very fpi- and conduct (torn. ii. epift. xx. xxi. xxii. p. rited account of his own embafly. 852—880.) is one of the curious monuments

of

* 2

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

earth might indeed belong to Ccefar ; but the churches were the houfes of God ; and, within the limits of his diocefe, he himfelf, as the lawful fucceflbr of the apoftles, was the only minifter of God. The privileges of Chriftianity, temporal as well as fpi ritual, were confined to the true believers ; and the mind of Ambrofe was fatis- fied, that his own theological opinions were the ftandard of truth and orthodoxy. The archbifhop, who refufed to hold any conference, or negociation, with the inftruments of Satan, declared, with modeft firmnefs, his refolution to die a martyr, rather than to yield to the impious facrilege ; and Juftina, who refented the rcfufal as an acl: of infolence and rebellion, haftily determined to exert the Imperial pre- rogative of her fon. As Ihe defired to perform her public devotions on the approaching feftival of Eafter, Ambrofe was ordered to appear before the council. He obeyed the fummons with the refpect of a faithful fubje£t, but he was followed, without his confent, by an innumerable people : they preffed, with impetuous zeal, againft the gates of the palace ; and the affrighted minifters of Valentinian, inftead of pronouncing a fentence of exile on the archbifhop of Milan, humbly requefted that he would interpofe his authority, to protect the perfon of the emperor, and to reftore the tranquillity of the ca- pital. But the promifes which Ambrofe received and communicated, were foon violated by a perfidious court ; and, during fix of the moft folemn days, which Chriftian piety has fet apart for the exer- cife of religion, the city was agitated by the irregular convuliions of tumult and fanaticifm. The officers of the houfehold were directed to prepare, firft, the Portian, and afterwards, the new, Bafdica, for the immediate reception of the emperor, and his mother. The fplendid canopy and hangings of the royal feat were arranged in the cuftomary manner ; but it was found neceffary to defend them, bv a ftrong

of ecclefiaftical antiquity. It ccntains two tion to Valentinian, and the fermon de Baji- letters to his fnler Marcellina, with a peti- Hits non tradendis.

guard,

THE DECLINE AND FALL

guard, from the infults of the populace. The Arian ecclefiaftics, who ventured to fhew themfelves in the ftreets, were expofed to the mod imminent clanger of their lives : and Ambrofe enjoyed the merit and reputation of refcuing his perfonal enemies from the hands of the enraged multitude.

But while he laboured to reftrain the effects of their zeal, the pathetic vehemence of his fermons continually inflamed the angry and feditious temper of the people of Milan. The characters of Eve, of the wife of Job, of Jezabel, of Herodias, were indecently applied to the mother of the emperor ; and her defire to obtain a church for the Arians, was compared to the raoft cruel perfecutions which Chriftianity had endured under the reign of Paganifm. The meafures of the court ferved only to expofe the magnitude of the evil. A fine of two hundred pounds of gold was impofed on the corporate body of merchants and manufacturers: an order was lig- nified, in the name of the emperor, to all the officers, and inferior fervants, of the courts of juftice, that, during the continuance of the public diibrders, they mould ftrictly confine themfelves to their houles : and the minifters of Valentinian imprudently confeiTed, that the raoft refpectable part of the citizens of Milan was attached to the caufe of their archbifhop. He was again folicited to reftore peace to his country, by a timely compliance with the will of his fovereign. The reply of Ambrofe was couched in the raoft humble and refpectful terms, which might, however, be interpreted as a ferious declaration of civil war. " His life and fortune were in the " hands of the emperor ; but he would never betray the church of " Ghrift, or degrade the dignity of the epifcopal character. In " iuch a caufe, he was prepared to fuffer whatever the malice of the " daemon could inf.ici ; and he only wifhed to die in the prefence *' of his faithful flock, and at the foot of the altar ; he had not " contributed to excite, but it was in the power of God alone to

1 " appeafe,

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

33

appeafe, the rage of the people : he deprecated the fcenes of blood cJvt£TP*

XXVII.

" and confufion, which were likely to enfue ; and it was his fervent v— — v — — ' u prayer, that he might not furvive to behold the ruin of a flourifh- " ing city, and perhaps the defolation of all Italy64." The obfti- nate bigotry of Juftina would have endangered the empire of her fon, if, in this conteft with the church and people of Milan, flic could have depended on the active obedience of the troops of the palace. A large body of Goths had marched to occupy the Bafilica* which was the object of the difpute: and it might be expected from the Arian principles, and barbarous manners, of thefe foreign mer- cenaries, that they would not entertain any fcruples in the execution of the ffloft fanguinary orders. They were encountered, on the facred threfhold,by the archbimop,who, thundering againft them a fentence of excommunication, afked them, in the tone of a father and a mafter, Whether it was to invade the houfe of God, that they had implored the hofpitable protection of the republic ? The fufpenfe of the Barba- rians allowed fome hours for a more effectual negociation ; and the emprefs was perfuaded, by the advice of her wifeft counfellors, to leave the Catholics in pofTeffion of all the churches of Milan ; and to dilTemble, till a more convenient feafon, her intentions of -revenge. The mother of Valentinian could never forgive the triumph of Ambrofe ; and the royal youth uttered a paffionate exclamation, that his own fervants were ready to betray him into the hands of an infolent prieit.

The laws of the empire, fome of which were inferibed with the A. D. 386, name of Valentinian, ftill condemned the Arian herefy, and feemed

64 Retz had a fimilar mefiage from the de regret, et de foumiflion, &c. (Memoires, queen, to requeft that he would appeafe the torn. i. p. 140.) Certainly I do not compare tumult of Paris. It was no longer in his either the caufes, or the men ; yet the co- power, &c. A quoi j'ajoutai tout ce que vous adjutor himfelf had fome idea (p. 84.) of pouvez vous imaginer de refpeft, de douleur, imitating St. Ambrofe.

Vol. III. F to

34

THE DECLINE AND FALL

cJl£f* to excuse the refiftance of the Catholics. By the influence of Tuftiha*

A. A. V XI* *^

k an edict of toleration was promulgated in all the provinces whicfii were fiibject to the court of Milan ; the free exercife of their reli- gion was granted to thofe who profeffed the faith of Rimini ; and' the emperor declared, that all perfons who mould infringe this facred and falutary conftitution, fhould be capitally punilhed, as the enemies of the public peace 6s~ The character and language of the archbifhop. of Milan may juftify the fufpicion, that his conduct foon afforded a reafonable ground, or at leaft a fpecious pretence, to the Arian mi- - nifters; who watched the opportunity of furprifing him in fome act of dilbbedience to a law, which he ftrangely reprefents as a law of blood and tyranny. A fentence of eafy and honourable banifhment was pronounced, which enjoined Ambrofe to depart from Milan without delay ; whilft it permitted him to chufe the place of his exile, and the number of his companions. But the authority of the- faints, who have preached and practifed the maxims of paflive loyalty, appeared to Ambrofe of lefs moment than the extreme and preffing danger of the church. He boldly refufed to obey ; and his refufal was fupported by the unanimous confent of his faithful peo- ple es. They guarded by turns the perfon of their arcLbifhop ; the gates of the cathedral and the epifccpal palace were itrongly fecured ; and the Imperial troops, who had formed the blockade, were unwilling to rifk the attack, of that impregnable fortrefs. The numerous poor, who had been relieved by the liberality of Ambrofe, embraced the fair occafion of (ignalifing their zeal and- gratitude \ and as the patience of the multitude might have been ex- haufted by the length and uniformity of nocturnal vigils, he pru- dently introduced into the church of Milan the ufeful inftitution of a

65 Sozomen alone (1. vii. c. 13.) throws parata cum epifcopo fuo . . . Nos adhuc fri- this luminous faftinto a dark and perplexed gidi excitabamur tamen civitate attonita narrative. atque turbata. Auguftin. Confeffion. 1. ix»

66 Excubabat pia. piebs in ecclefia mori c. 7.

loud

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

loud and regular pfalmody. While he maintained this arduous con- teft, he was inftructed, by a dream, to open the earth in a place where the remains of two martyrs, Gcrvafius and Protafius 67, had been depofited above three hundred years. Immediately under the pavement of the church two perfect fkeletons were found c\ with the heads feparated from their bodies, and a plentiful effufion of blood. The holy relics were prefented, in folemn pomp, to the veneration of the people ; and every circumftance of this fortunate difcovery was admirably adapted to promote the defigns of Ambrofe. The bones of the martyrs, their blood, their garments, were fuppofed to contain a healing power; and the preternatural influence was com- municated to the moft diftant objects, without lofing any part of its original virtue. The extraordinary cure of a blind man 69, and the reluctant confeffions of feveral dasmoniacs, appeared to juftify the faith and fanctity of Ambrofe ; and the truth of thofe miracles is attefted by Ambrofe himfelf, by his fecretary Paulinus, and by his profelyte, the celebrated Auguftin, who, at that time, profefied the art of rhetoric in Milan. The reafon of the prefent age may pofTibly approve the incredulity of Juftina and her Arian court ; who de- rided the theatrical reprefentations, which were exhibited by the contrivance, and at the expence, of the archbilhop 7°. Their effect, however, on the minds of the people, was rapid and irrefiftible ; and

67 Tillemont, Mem. Ecclef. torn. ii. p. 78. 498. Many churches in Italy, Gaul, &c. were dedicated to thefe unknown martyrs, of whom St. Gervafe feems to have been more fortunate than his companion.

68 Invenimus mirae magnitudinis viros du- os, ut prifca aetas ferebat. Tom. ii. epiit. xxii. p. 875. The fize of thefe fkeletons was for- tunately, or fitilfully, fuited to the popular prejudice of the gradual decreafe of the hu- man Mature ; which has prevailed in every age fince the time of Homer.

Grandiaqueeftoflis mirabitur oflh fepulchris.

*9 Ambrof. torn. ii. epift. xxii. p. 875. Auguftin. Confef. 1. ix. c. 7. de Civitat. Dei, 1. xxii. c. 8. Paulin. in Vita. St. Ambrof. c. 14. in Append. Benedict., p. 4. The blind man's name was Severus ; he touched the holy garment, recovered his fight, and de- voted the reft of his life (at leaft twenty-five years) to the fervice of the church. I ihould recommend this miracle to cur divines, if it did not prove the worlhip of relics, as well as the Nicene creed.

70 Paulin. in Vit. St. Ambrof. c, 5. in Append. Benedict, p. 5.

F 2 the

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP. XXVII.

Maximus in- vades Italy, A.D. 387, Auguft.

the feeble fovereign of Italy found himfelf unable to contend with the favourite of heaven. The powers likewife of the earth interpofed in the defence of Ambrofe : the difinterefted advice of Theodofius was the genuine refult of piety and friendlhip ; and the mafk of religious zeal concealed the hoftile and ambitious defigns of the tyrant of Gaul 7\

The reign of Maximus might have ended in peace and prorperity,, could he have contented himfelf with the poffemon of three ample countries, which now conftitute the three molt flouriming kingdoms of modern Europe. But the afpiring ufurper, whofe fordid ambition was not dignified by the love of glory and of arms, confidered his actual forces as the inftruments only of his future greatnefs, and his. fuccefs was the immediate caufe of his deftrudtion. The wealth which he extorted72, from the oppreffed provinces of Gaul, Spain, and Britain, was employed in levying and maintaining a formidable army of Barbarians, collected, for the moft part,, from the fiercer! nations of Germany. The conqueft of Italy was the object; of his hopes and preparations; and he fecretly meditated the ruin of an innocent youth, whofe government was abhorred and defpifed by his Catholic fubjects. But as Maximus wimed to occupy, without refiftance, the paffes of the Alps, he received, with perfidious fmile?> Domninus of Syria, the ambaffador of Valentinian, and preffed him to accept the aid of a considerable body of troops, for the fervice of a Pannonian war. The penetration of Ambrofe had difcovered the mares of an enemy under the profeffions of friendfhip 73 j but the

71 Tillemont, Mem. Ecclef. torn. x. p. than the feeble declamation of Pacatus (xii.

190. 750. He partially allows the media- 25, 26.)-

tion of Theodofius ; and capricioufly rejects 73 Eiio tutior adverfus hominem, pacis

that of Maximus, though it is attefted by involucro tegentem, was the wife caution of

Profper, Sozomen, and Theodoret. Ambrofe (torn. ii. p. 891.), after his return

71 The modeft cenfure of Sulpicius (Dia- from his fecond embaffy. log. iii. 15.) inflifts a much deeper wound

Syrian

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

37

Syrian Domninus was corrupted, or deceived, by the liberal favour ^yf^y{*' of the court of Treves ; and the council of Milan obftinately rejected c ~j the fufpicion 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 ambalTador ; and they were admitted, without diftruft, into the fortrefTes of the Alps. But the crafty tyrant fol- lowed, with hafty and filent footfteps, in the rear; and, as he dili- gently intercepted all intelligence of his motions, the gleam of ar- mour, and the duft excited by the troops of cavalry, firft announced the hoftile approach of a ftranger to the gates of Milan. In this extremity, Juftina and her fon might accufe their own imprudence, and the perfidious arts of Maximus ; but they wanted time, and force, and refolution, to ftand againft the Gauls and Germans, either in the field, or within the walls of a large and difaffected city. Flight was their only hope, Aquileia their only refuge ; and as Maximus now difplayed his genuine character, the brother of Gra- tian might expect the fame fate from the hands of the fame afTaflin. Maximus entered Milan in triumph; and if the wife archbifhop re- fufed a dangerous and criminal connection with the ufurper, he might indirectly contribute to the fuccefs of his arms, by inculcating, from the pulpit, the duty of reiignation, rather than that of reiiftance 7+. The unfortunate Juftina reached Aquileia in fafety ; but me diftrufted the ftrength of the fortifications ; me dreaded the event of a fiege ; and fhe refolved to implore the protection of the great Theodofius, whofe power and virtue were celebrated in all the countries of the Weft. A vefTel was fecretly provided to tranfport the Imperial fa- mily ; they embarked with precipitation in one of the obfeure har- bours of Venetia, or Iftria ; traverfed the whole extent of the Hadria- tic and Ionian feas ; turned the extreme promontory of Peloponne-

74 Baronius (A. D. 387. N°63.) applies to this feafon of public diftrefs fome of the penitential fermons of the archbifhop.

fusj

38 THE DECLINE AND FALL

C H A B. fug. and, after a long, but fuccefsful, navigation, repofed themfelves

XXVII. t

<- „ 1 in the port of Thefialonica. All the fubjeds of Valentinian deferted

Flight of the caufe of a prince, who, by his abdication, had abfolved them from Valentinian. ^e duty Gf allegiance ; and if the little city of JEmona, on the verge of Italy, had not prefumed to ftop the career of his inglorious victory, Maximus would have obtained, without a flruggle, the fole poffeffion of the weftern empire. Ses armsfin Inftead of inviting his royal guefts to the palace of Conftantino- the caufe of _je Theodofius had fome unknown reafons to fix their refidence at

Valentinian, r 7

A. D. 387. Theffalonica ; but thefe reafons did not proceed from contempt or indifference, as he fpeedily made a vifit to that city, accompanied by the greateft part of his court and fenate. After the firft tender ex- preflions of friendfhip and fympathy, the pious emperor of the Eaft gently admonifhed Juftina, that the guilt of herefy was fometimes punifhed in this world, as well as in the next ; and that the public profeffion of the Nicene faith, would be the moil efficacious ftep to promote the reftoration of her fon, by the fatisfaction which it muft occafion both on earth and in heaven. The momentous queftion of peace or war was referred, by Theodofius, to the deliberation of his council ; and the arguments which might be alleged on the fide of honour and juftice, had acquired, fince the death of Gratian, a confiderable degree of additional weight. The perfecution of the Imperial family, to which Theodofius himfelf had been indebted for his fortune, was now aggravated by recent and repeated injuries. Neither oaths nor treaties could reftrain the boundlefs ambition of Maximus ; and the delay of vigorous and decifive meafures, inftead g£ prolonging the bleffrngs of peace, would expofe the eaftern em- pire to the danger of an hoftile invafion. The Barbarians, who had palled the Danube, had lately affumed the character of foldiers and fubjects, but their native fiercenefs was yet untamed ; and the ope- rations of a war, which would exercife their valour, and diminifh

their

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

39

tlieir numbers, might tend to relieve the provinces from an intole- c f' f

A A V II.

rable oppreffion. Notwithstanding thefe fpecious and folid reafons, ' v— — '

which were approved by a majority of the council, Theodofius ftill hefitated whether he mould draw the fword in a conteft, which could no longer admit any terms of reconciliation ; and his mag- nanimous character was not difgraced by the apprehenfions wrhich he felt for the fafety of his infant fons, and the welfare of his ex- haufted people. In this moment of anxious doubt, while the fate of the Roman, world depended on the refolution of a fmgle man, the charms of the princefs Galla moft powerfully pleaded the caufe of her brother Valentinian 7S. The heart of Theodofius was foftened by the tears of beauty ; his affections were infennbly engaged by the graces of youth and innocence; the art of Juftina managed and di- rected the impulfe of paffion ; and the celebration of the royal nup- tials was the affurance and fignal of the civil war. The unfeeling critics, who confider every amorous weaknefs as an indelible ftain on the memory of a great and orthodox emperor, are inclined, on this occafion, to difpute the fufpicious evidence of the hiftorian Zo- fimus. For my own part, I mail frankly confefs, that I am willing to find, or even to feek, in the revolutions of the world, fome traces of the mild and tender fentiments of domeftic life ; and, amidft the crowd of fierce and ambitious conquerors, I can diftinguilh, with peculiar complacency, a gentle hero, who may be fuppofed to re- ceive his armour from the hands of love. The alliance of the Perfian king was fecured by the faith of treaties j the martial Barbarians were perfuaded to follow the ftandard, or to refpect the frontiers, of an active and liberal monarch ; and the dominions of Theodofius, from

75 The flight of Valentinian, and the love fius (Hilt, des Empereurs, torn. v. p. 740.), of Theodofius for his After, are related by and confequentV to refute ces contes de Zo- Zofimus (1. iv. p. 263, 264.). Tiiiemont fime, qui feroient trop contraires a ia piete produces fome weak and ambiguous evi- ince de Theodofe.. jo antedate the fecond marriage of Theodo-

the

4o

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP. XXVII.

defeat and death of Maxim us, A.D.388, June — Au- .guft.

the Euphrates to the Hadriatic, refounded with the preparations of war both by land and fea. The fkilful difpofition of the forces of the Eaft feemed to multiply their numbers, and diftracted the atten- tion of Maximus. He had reafon to fear, that a chofen body of troops, under the command of the intrepid Arbogaftes, would direct their march along the banks of the Danube, and boldly penetrate through the Rhaetian provinces into the centre of Gaul. A power- ful fleet was equipped in the harbours of Greece and Epirus, with an apparent defign, that as foon as the pafiage had been opened by a naval victory, Valentinian, and his mother, mould land in Italy, proceed, without delay, to Rome, and occupy the majeftic feat of religion and empire. In the mean while, Theodofius himfelf advanced at the head of a brave and difciplined army, to encounter his un- worthy rival, who, after the fiege of iEmona, had fixed his camp in the neighbourhood cf Sifcia, a city of Pannonia, ftrongly forti- fied by the broad and rapid ftream of the Save.

The veterans, who ftill remembered the long refiftance, and fuc- ceflive refources, of the tyrant Magnentius, might prepare themfelves for the labours of three bloody campaigns. But the conteft with his fucceffbr, who, like him, had ufurped the throne of the Weft, was eafily decided in the term of two months 7<s, and within the fpace of two hundred miles. The fuperior genius of the emperor of the Eaft might prevail over the feeble Maximus ; who, in this important crifis, fhewed himfelf deftitute of military (kill, or perfonal cou- rage ; but the abilities of Theodofius were feconded by the advantage which he poffefled of a numerous and active cavalry. The Huns, the Alani, and, after their example, the Goths themfelves, were formed into fquadrons of archers ; who fought on horfeback, and vconfounded the fteady valour of the Gauls and Germans, by the

75 .See Godefroy's Chronology of the Laws, Cod. Theodof. tcm, i. p. cxix.

.3 ■

rapid

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 41

rapid motions of a Tartar war. After the fatigue of a long march, cJZ£f

in the heat of fummer, they fpurred their foaming horfes into the v « '

waters of the Save, fwam the river in -the prefence of the enemy, and inftantly charged and routed the troops who guarded the high ground on the oppofite fide. Marcellinus, the tyrant's brother, advanced to fupport them with the felect cohorts, which were con- fidered as the hope and ftrength of the army. The action, which had been interrupted by the approach of night, was renewed in the morning ; and, after a (harp conflict, the furviving remnant of the braveft foldiers of Maximus threw down their arms at the feet of the conqueror. Without fufpending his march, to receive the loyal acclamations of the citizens of iEmona, Theodofms prefled forwards, to terminate the war by the death or captivity of his rival, who fled before him with the diligence of fear. From 'he fummit of the Julian Alps, he defcended with fuch incredible fpeed into the plain of Italy, that he reached Aquileia on the evening of the firft day ; and Maximus, who found himfelf encompaffed on all fides, had Scarcely time to {hut the gates of the city. But the gates could not long refill: the effort of a victorious enemy ; and the defpair, the difaffe&ion, the indifference of the foldiers and people, haftened the downfall of the wretched Maximus. He was dragged from his throne, rudely {tripped of the Imperial ornaments, the robe, the diadem, and the purple flippers ; and conducted, like a malefactor, to the camp and prefence of Theodofms, at a place about three miles from Aquileia. The behaviour of the emperor was not intended to infult, and he mewed fome difpofition to pity' and forgive, the tyrant of the Weft, who had never been his perfonal enemy, and was now become the object of his contempt. Our fympathy is the moft forcibly excited by the misfortunes to which we are expofed ; and the fpectacle of a proud competitor, now proftrate at his feet, could not fail of producing very ferious and folemn thoughts in the Vol. III. G mind

42

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP.

XXVII. < „ '

Virtues of Theodofius.

mind of the victorious emperor. But the feeble emotion of invo- luntary pity was checked by his regard for public juftice, and the memory of Gratian ; and he abandoned' the victim to the pious zeal of the foldiers, who drew him out of the Imperial prefence, and inftantly feparated his head from his body. The intelligence of his defeat and death was received with fmcere, or well-difTembled, joy i his fon Victor, on whom he had conferred the title of Auguftus, died by the order, perhaps by the hand, of the bold Arbogaftes; and all the military plans of Theodofius were fuccefsfully executed.. When he had thus terminated the civil war, with lefs difficulty and bloodfhed than he might naturally expect, he employed the winter months of his refidence at Milan, to reftore the ftate of the afflicted provinces ; and early in the fpring he made, after the example of Conftantine and Conftantius, his triumphal entry into the ancient capital of the Roman empire ".

The orator, who may be filent without danger, may praife with- out difficulty, and without reluctance 78 ; and pofterity will confefs, that the character of Theodofius 79 might furnifh the fubject of a fm- cere and ample panegyric. The wifdom of his laws, and the fuc- cefs of his arms, rendered his adminiftration refpectable in the eyes both of his fubjects, and of his enemies. He loved and practifed

" Befides the hints which may be gathered from chronicles and ecclefiaftical hiftory, Zo- fimus (l.iv. p. 259—267.), Orofius (1. vii. c. 35.), and Pacatus (in Panegyr. Vet. xii. 30

47.), fupply the loofe and fcanty materials

of this civil war. Ambrofe (torn. ii. epift. xl. p 952, 953.) darkly alludes to the well-' known events of a magazine furprifed, an aftion at Petovio, a Sicilian, perhaps a naval, viftory, &c. Aufonius (p. 256. edit. Toll.) applauds the peculiar merit, and good for- tune, of Aquileia.

78 Quam promptum laudare principem, tarn tutum filuifl'e de principe (Pacat. in Pa-

negyr. Vet. xii. 2.). Latinus Pacatus Dre- panius, a native of Gaul, pronounced this oration at Rome (A. D. 388.). He was af- terwards proconful of Africa ; and his friend Aufonius praifes him as a poet, fecond only to Virgil. See Tillemont, Hill, des Empe- reurs, torn. v. p. 303.

79 See the fair portrait of Theodofius, by the younger Victor ; the ftrokes are diftinft, and the colours are mixed. The praife of Pacatus is too vague ; and Claudian always feems afral'. of exalting the father above the fon.

the

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

43

the virtues of domeftic life, which feldom hold their refidence in the Cx?^If

palaces of kings. Theodofms was chafte and temperate : he enjoyed, \ , — -»

without excefs, the fenfual and focial pleafures of the table ; and the warmth of his amorous paffions was never diverted from their lawful objects. The proud titles of Imperial greatnefs were adorned by the tender names of a faithful hufband, an indulgent father; his uncle was raifed, by his affectionate efteem, to the rank of a fecond pa- rent : Theodofms embraced, as his own, the children of his brother and fifter ; and the expreffions of his regard were extended to the moft diftant and obfcure branches of his numerous kindred. His familiar friends were judicioufly felected from among thofe perfons, who, in the equal intercourfe of private life, had appeared before his eyes without a mafk: the confcioufnefs of perfonal and fuperior merit enabled him to defpife the accidental diftinction of the purple ; and he proved by his conduct, that he had forgotten all the inju- ries, while he moft gratefully remembered all the favours and fervices, which he had received before he afcended the throne of the Roman empire. The ferious, or lively, tone of his converfation, was adapted to the age, the rank, or the character, of his fubjects whom he admitted into his fociety; and the affability of his man- ners difplayed the image of his mind. Theodofms refpected the fimplicity of the good and virtuous ; every art, every talent, of an ufeful, or even of an innocent, nature, was rewarded by his judi- cious liberality ; and, except the heretics, whom he perfecuted with implacable hatred, the diffufive circle of his benevolence was cir- cumfcribed only by the limits of the human race. The government of a mighty empire may afluredly fuffice to occupy the time, and the abilities, of a mortal : yet the diligent prince, without afpiring to the unfuitable reputation of profound learning, always referved fome moments of his leifure for the inftructive amufement of read- ing. Hiftory, which enlarged his experience, was his favourite

G 2 ftud>\

44

THE DECLINE AND FALL

C H A P. ftudy. The annals of R.ome, in the long period of eleven hurt*

v. — „ r dred years, prefented him with a various and fplendid picture cf

human life ; and it has been particularly obferved, that whenever he perufed the cruel acts of Cinna, of Marius, or of Sylla, he warmly exprefled his generous deteftation of thofe enemies of humanity and freedom. His difinterefted opinion of part events was ufefully ap- plied as the rule of his own actions ; and Theodofius has deferved the fingular commendation, that his virtues always feemed to expand with his fortune : the feafon of his profperity was that of his mo- deration ; and his clemency appeared the raoft confpicuous after the danger and fuccefs of the civil war. The Moorifh guards of the tyrant had been mafTacred in the firft heat of the victory ; and a fmall number of the moft obnoxious criminals fuffered the punifh- ment of the law. But the emperor fhewed himfelf much more atr tentive to relieve the innocent, than to chaftife the guilty. The opprefTed fubjects of the Weft, who would have deemed themfelves happy in the reftoration of their lands, were aftcnifhed to receive a fum of money equivalent to their loffes ; and the liberality of the conqueror fupported the aged mother, and educated the orphan daughters, of Maximus 8°. A character thus accomplifhed, might almoft excufe the extravagant fuppofition of the orator Pacatus ; that, if the elder Brutus could be permitted to revifit the earth, the ftern republican would abjure, at the feet of Theodofius, his hatred of kings ; and ingenuoufly confefs, that fuch a monarch was the moft faithful guardian of the happinefs, and dignity, of the Roman peo-- ple 8I.

Faults of Yet the piercing eye of the founder of the republic muft have iJS' difcerned two effential imperfections, which might, perhaps, have abated his recent love of defpotifm. The virtuous mind of Theodo--

go Ambrof. torn. ii. epift. xl. p. 9^5. rage, omits this glorious circumftancc. ^ Pacatus, from the want of fkill, or of cou- 81 Pacat.- in- Panegyr. Vet. xii. 20.

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

45

fiiis. was often relaxed by indolence82', and it was fometimes inflamed cv** ^Tp*

by paflion 8\ In the purfuit of an important object, his active cou- \ „ ;

rage was capable of the moll vigorous exertions ; but, as foon as the defign was accomplifhed, or the danger was furmounted, the hero funk into inglorious repofe ; and, forgetful that the time of a prince is the property of his people, refigned himfelf to the enjoyment of the inno- cent, but trifling, pleafures of a luxurious court. The natural dif- pofition of Theodofius was hafty and choleric ; and, in a ftation where none could refift, and few would difluade, the fatal confe- quence of his refentment, the humane monarch was juftly alarmed by the confeioufnefs of his infirmity, and of his power. It was the conftant ftudy of his life to fupprefs, or regulate, the intemperate fallies of pafTion ; and the fuccefs of his efforts enhanced the merit of his clemency. But the painful virtue which claims the merit of victory, is expofed to the danger of defeat ; and the reign of a wife and merciful prince was polluted by an act of cruelty, which would ftain the annals of Nero or Domitian. Within the fpace of three years, the inconfiftent hiftorian of Theodofius muft relate the gene- rous pardon of the citizens of Antioch, and the inhuman maffacre of the people of ThefTalonica.

The lively impatience of the inhabitants of Antioch was never The Edition

J of Antioch,

fatisfied with their own fituation, or with the character, and con- A. D. 387, duct, of their fucceflive fovereigns. The Arian fubjects of Theodo- fius deplored the lofs of their churches; and, as three rival bifhops difputed the throne of Antioch, the fentence which decided their pretentions excited the murmurs of the two unfuccefsful congrega-

81 Zofimus, \iVf. p. 271, 272. His par- Ambrofe, in decent and manly language, to

tial evidence is marked by an air of candour his fovereign) naturre impetum, quern fi quis

and truth. He obferves thefe viciflitudes of lenire velit, cito vertes ad mifericordiam : fi

floth, and activity, not as a vice, but as a quis flimulet, in magis exfufcitas, ut eum

Angularity, in the character of Theodofius. revocare vix poffis (torn. ii. epilt. li. p. 998.).

83 This choleric temper is acknowledged, Theodofius (Claud, in iv Conf. Hon. 266,

and excufed, by Vi&or. Sed habes (fays Sec.) exhorts his fon to moderate his anger.

tions-

; THE DECLINE AND FALL

HAP.

xxvir. tions. The exigencies of the Gothic war, and the inevitable ex* pence that accompanied the conclufion of the peace, had conftrained the emperor to aggravate the weight of the public impositions ; and the provinces of Afia, as they had not been involved in the diflrefs, were the lefs inclined to contribute to the relief, of Europe. The aufpicious period now approached of the tenth year of his reign ; a feftival more grateful to the foldiers, who received a liberal donative, than to the Subjects, whofe voluntary offerings had been long fince converted into an extraordinary and oppreffive burthen. The edicts -of taxation interrupted the repofe, and pleafures, of Antioch ; and the tribunal of the magiftrate was befieged by a Suppliant crowd ; who, in pathetic, but, at firft, in reSpectful, language, folicited the redrefs of their grievances. They were gradually incenfed by the pride of their haughty rulers, who treated their complaints as a cri- minal refiftance ; their fatirical wit degenerated into Sharp and angry inveftives ; and, from the Subordinate powers of government, the invectives of the people infenfibly rofe to attack the facred character February 26. of the emperor himfelf. Their fury, provoked by a feeble oppo- fition, difcharged itfelf on the images of the Imperial family, which were erected, as objects of public veneration, in the moft conSpi- cuous places of the city. The Statues of Theodofius, of his father, of his wife Flaccilla, of his two fons, Arcadius and Honorius, were infolently thrown down from their pedeStals, broken in pieces, or dragged with contempt through the Streets : and the indignities which were offered to the representations of Imperial majefly, Sufficiently declared the impious and treasonable wifhes of the populace. The tumult was almoft immediately SuppreSTed by the arrival of a body of archers ; and Antioch had leifure to reflect on the nature and conSe- quences of her crime 84. According to the duty of his oSEce, the

governor

9A The Chriftians and Pagans agreed in excited by the daemons. A gigantic woman .believing, that the fedition of Antioch was fays Sozomen, 1. vii. c. 23.) paraded »he

ftreeta

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

47

governor of the province difpatched a faithful narrative of the whole CXxvnP'

tranfaction ; while the trembling citizens entrufted the confefiion of v. — '

their crime, and the afllirances of their repentance, to the zeal of Flavian their bifhop, and to the eloquence of the fenator Hilarius, the friend, and, moft probably, the difciple, of Libanius ; whofe genius, on this melancholy occafion, was not ufelefs to his country85. But the two capitals, Antioch and Conftantinople, were feparated by the diftance of eight hundred miles ; and, notwithstanding the diligence of the Imperial pofts, the guilty city was feverely punifhed by a long and dreadful interval of fufpence. Every rumour agitated the hopes and fears of the Antiochians ; and they heard with terror, that their fovereign, exafperated by the infult which had been offered to his own ftatues, and, more efpecially, to thofe of his beloved wife, had refolved to level with the ground the offending city ; and to maf- facre, without distinction of age or fex, the criminal inhabitants 86 -t many of whom were actually driven, by their apprehenfions, to feek a refuge in the mountains of Syria, and the adjacent defert. At length, twenty-four days after the fedition, the general Hellebicus, March 22. and Casfarius matter of the offices, declared the will of the emperor, and the fentence of Antioch. That proud capital was degraded from the rank of a city ; and the metropolis of the Eaft, ftripped of its lands, its privileges, and its revenues, was fubjecTied, under the hu- miliating denomination of a village, to the jurifdiction of Laodicea87.

ftreets with a fcourge in her hand. An old of a maflacre was groundlefs and abfurd,

man (fays Libanius, Orat. xii. p. 396.) efpecially in the emperor's abfence ; for his

transformed himfelf into a youth, then a prefence, according to the eloquent flave,

boy, &c. might have given a fanction to the moft

85 Zofimus, in his Ihort and difingenuous bloody acts.

account (1. iv. p. 258, 259. ), is certainly 87 Laodicea, on the fea-coaft, fixty-five

miftaken in fending Libanius himfelf to Con- miles from Antioch (fee Noris Epoch. Syro-

ftantinople. His own orations fix him at Maced. Differt. iii. p. 230.). The Anti-

Antioch. ochians were offended, that the dependent

86 Libanius (Orat. i. p. 6. edit. Venet.) city of Seleucia mould prefume to intercede declares, that, under fuch a reign, the fear for them.

i The

THE DECLINE AND FALL

c J? f The baths, the Circus, and the theatres, werefhut: and, that every

— w fource of plenty and pleafure might at the fame time be intercepted,

the diftribution of corn was abolh^td, by die fevere inftrudtions of Theodofms. His commimoner ■ then proceeded to inquire into the guilt of individuals ; of thofe who had perpetrated, and of thofe who had not prevented, the deftrudtion of the facred ftatues. The tri- bunal of Hellebicus and Csefarius, encompaffed with armed foldiers, was erected in the midft of the Forum. The nobleft, and moft wealthy, of the citizens of Antioch, appeared before them in chains ; the examination was affifted by the ufe of torture, and their fentence was pronounced or fufpended, according to the judgment of thefe ex- traordinary magiftrat.es. The houfes of the criminals were expofed to fale, their wives and children were fuddenly reduced, from affluence and luxury, to the moft abjecl: diftrefs ; and a bloody execution was ex- pected to conclude the horrors of a day S8, which the preacher of An- tioch, the eloquent Chryfoftom, has reprefented as a lively image of the laft and univerfal judgment of the world. But the minifters of Theodo- fms performed, with reluctance, the cruel talk which had been af- figned them : they dropped a gentle tear over the calamities of the people ; and they liftened with reverence to the preffing folicitations of the monks and hermits, who defcended in fwarms from the moun- tains \ Hellebicus and Csefarius were perfuaded to fufpend the execution of their fentence ; and it was agreed, that the former mould remain at Antioch, while the latter returned, with all poftible fpeed, to Conftantinople ; and prefumed once more to confult the •Clemency of will of his fovereign. The refentment of Theodofms had already Theodofius. j^fttlecl ; the deputies of the people, both the bifhop and the orator,

88 As the days of the tumult depend on 744.) and Montfaucon (Chryfoftom, torn.

the moveable feftival of Eafter, they can only xiii. p. 105—110.).

be determined by the previous determination 85 Chryfoftom oppofes their courage, which

of the year. The year 387 has been pre- was not attended with much rifle, to the

ferred, after a iaborious inquiry, by Tille- cowardly flight of the Cynics, jnont (Hift. des Emp. torn. v. p. 741 —

Tiad

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

49

had obtained a favourable audience ; and the reproaches of the em- CHAP.

XXVII.

peror were the complaints of injured friendship, rather than the ftern — -» menaces of pride and power. A free and general pardon was granted to the city and citizens of Antioch ; the prifon-doors were thrown open ; the fenators, who defpaired of their lives, recovered the pof- feffion of their houfes and eftates ; and the capital of the Eaft was reftored to the enjoyment of her ancient dignity and fplendour. Theodofius condefcended to praife the fenate of Conftantinople, who had generoufly interceded for their diftrefled brethren : he rewarded the eloquence of Hilarius with the government of Paleftine ; and difmifled the bifhop of Antioch with the warmer! expreflions of his refpecT: and gratitude. A thoufand new ftatues arofe to the clemency April 25. of Theodofius ; the applaufe of his fubjedts was ratified by the ap- probation of his own heart ; and the emperor confefled, that, if the exercife of juftice is the moft important duty, the indulgence of mercy is the moft exquifite pleafure, of a fovereign 9°.

The fedition of Theflalonica is afcribed to a more mameful caufe, Sedition and and was productive of much more dreadful confequences. That Theflaio-°f great city, the metropolis of all the Illyrian provinces, had been pro- q tected from the dangers of the Gothic war by ftrong fortifications, and a numerous garrifon. Botheric, the general of thofe troops, and, as it fhould feem from his name, a Barbarian, had among his flaves a beautiful boy, who excited the impure defires of one of the charioteers of the Circus. The infolent and brutal lover was thrown into prifon by the order of Botheric ; and he fternly rejected the importunate clamours of the multitude, who, on the day of the

90 The fedition of Antioch is reprefented (torn. ii. p. 1—225. edit. Montfaucon.j. I

in a lively, and almoft dramatic, manner, by do not pretend to much perfonal acquaint-

two orators, who had their refpective fliares ance with Chryfeftom ; but Tillcmont (Hift.

of intereft and merit. See Libanius (Orat. des Empereurs, torn. v. p. 263 — 283.) and

xiv, xv. p. 389 — 420. edit. Morel. Orat. i. Hermant (Vie de St. Chryfoftome, torn. i.

p. 1 — 14. Venet. 1754.), and the twenty p. 137— 224.) had read him with pious cu-

orations of St. John Chryfoftom, de Statuis riofity, and diligence.

Vol. III. H public

je THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP, public games, lamented the abfence of their favourite : and con-

XXVII. o »

i_ . - ,' fidered the fkill of a charioteer as an object of more importance than

his virtue. The refentment of the people was embittered by fome previous difputes ; and, as the ftrength of the garrifon had been drawn away for the fervice of the Italian war, the feeble remnant, whofe numbers were reduced by defertion, could not fave the un- happy general from their licentious fury. Botheric, and feveral of his principal officers, were inhumanly murdered ; their mangled bodies were dragged about the ftreets ; and the emperor, who then refided at Milan, was furprifed by the intelligence of the audacious and wanton cruelty of the people of Theflalonica. The fentence of a difpaflionate judge would have inflicted a fevere punifliment on the authors of the crime ; and the merit of Botheric might contribute to exafperate the grief and indignation of his matter. The fiery and choleric temper of Theodofius was impatient of the dilatory forms of a judicial enquiry; and he haftily refolved, that the blood of his lieutenant mould be expiated by the blood of the guilty people. Yet his mind ftill fluctuated between the counfels of clemency and of revenge ; the zeal of the bifhops had almoft extorted from the re- luctant emperor the promife of a general pardon ; his paflion was again inflamed by the flattering fuggeftions of his minifter Rufinus ; and, after Theodofius had difpatched the meflengers of death, he attempted, when it was too late, to prevent the execution of his or- ders. The punifhment of a Roman city was blindly committed to the undiftingui fhing fword of the Barbarians -T and the hoflile pre- parations were concerted with the dark and perfidious artifice of an illegal confpiracy. The people of Theflalonica were treacheroufly invited, in the name of their fovereign, to the games of the Circus :. and fuch was their infatiate avidity for thofe amufements, that every confideration of fear, or fufpicion, was difregarded by the numerous fpectators. As foon as the aflfembly was complete, the foldiers, who

* had

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 51

had fecretly been polled round the Circus, received the fignal, not Cx^y^II>*

of the races, but of a general maflacre. The promifcuous carnage 1 »*-

continued three hours, without difcrimination of ftrangers or natives, of age or fex, of innocence or guilt ; the moft moderate accounts ftate the number of the flain at feven thoufand ; and it is affirmed by fome writers, that more than fifteen thoufand victims were facrificed to the manes of Botheric. A foreign merchant, who had probably no concern in his murder, offered his own life, and all his wealth, to fupply the place of one of his two fons ; but, while the father hefitated with equal tendernels, while he was doubtful to chufe, and unwilling to condemn, the foldiers determined his fufpenfe, by plunging their daggers at the fame moment into the breafts of the defencelefs youths. The apology of the aflallins, that they were obliged to produce the prefcribed number of heads, ferves only to increafe, by an appearance of order and defign, the horrors of the malfacre, which was executed by the commands of Theodofius. The guilt of the emperor is aggravated by his long and frequent re- fidence at Theflalonica. The fituation of the unfortunate city, the afpect of the ftreets and buildings, the drefs and faces of the inha- bitants, were familiar, and even prefent, to his imagination ; and Theodofius polTefTed a quick and lively fenfe of the exiftence of the people whom he deftroyed 9\

The refpedful attachment of the emperor for the orthodox clergy, InflueneeanA had difpofed him to love and admire the character of Ambrofe ; who Ambrofe°f united all the epifcopal virtues in the moft eminent degree. The A' D' 38g- friends and minifters of Theodofius imitated the example of their

91 The originaj evidence of Ambrofe Sozomen (1. vii. c. 25.), Theodoret (1. v.

(torn. ii. epift. li. p. 998.), Auguftin (de c. 17.), Theophanes (Chronograph. p..62.),

Civitat. Dei, v. 26.), and Paulinus (in Vit. Cedrenus (p. 317.), and Zonaras (torn. ii.

Ambrof. c. 24-), is delivered in vague ex- 1. xiii. p. 3.)..). Zofimus jilone, the partial

preflions of horror and pity. It is illuftrated enemy of Theodoliu5, moft unaccountably

by the fubfequent and unequal teftimonies of paJTes over in filence the worft of his actions.

H 2 fovcreign ;

-2 THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP, fovereien ; and he obferved, with more furprife than difpleafure, that ' all his fecret counfels were immediately communicated to the arch- bifhop ; who acted from the laudable perfuafion, that every meafure of civil government may have fome connection with the glory of God, and the intereft of the true religion. The monks and populace of Callinicum, an obfcure town on the frontier of Perfia, excited by their own fanaticifm, and by that of their bifhop, had tumultuoufly burnt a conventicle of the Valentinians, and a fynagogue of the Jews* The feditious prelate was condemned, by the magiftrate of the pro- vince, either to rebuild the fynagogue, or to repay the damage ; and this moderate fentence was confirmed by the emperor. Cut it was not confirmed by the archbifhop of Milan 9\ He dictated an epiftle of cenfure and reproach, more fuitable, perhaps, if the emperor had received the mark of circumcifion, and renounced the faith of his baptifm. Ambrofe confiders the toleration of the Jewifh, as the perfecution of the Chriftian, religion ; boldly declares, that he himfelf, and every true believer, would eagerly difpute with the bifhop of Callinicum the merit of the deed, and the crown of mar- tyrdom ; and laments, in the moft pathetic terms, that the execution of the fentence would be fatal to the fame and falvation of Theodo- fius. As this private admonition did not produce an immediate ef- fect, the archbiihop, from his pulpit 93, publicly addreffed the em- peror on his throne 9+ ; nor would he confent to offer the oblation of the altar, till he had obtained from Theodofius a folemn and pofitive declaration, which fecured the impunity of the bifhop and monks

91 See the whole tranfaftion in Ambrofe Chrift. Cut the peroration is direcl and

(torn. ii. epift. xli. p. 946 — 956.), and perfonal.

his topographer Paulinos (c. 23,). Bayle and 9+ Hodie, Epifcope, tie me propofuilti..

Barbeyrac (Morales des Peres, c. xvii. p. 325, Ambrofe modeftly confefled it : but he fternly

&c.) have juftly condemned the archbifhop. reprimanded Timefius, general of the horfe

93 His fermon is a ftrange allegory of Je- and foot, who had prefumed to fay, that

remiah's rod, of an almond- tree, of the the monks of Callinicum deferved punifh-

y/oman who warned and anointed the feet of menu

Of

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

S3

of Callinicum. The recantation of Theodofius was fmcere 9S : and, CJJ^P-

XXVII.

during the term of his refidence at Milan, his affection for Ambrofe v— — *

was continually increafed by the habits of pious and familiar con- verfation.

When Ambrofe was informed of the maffacre of Theffalonica, Pen nance of

. i . Theodofius,

his mind was filled with horror and anguifli. He retired into the a. D. 390. country to indulge his grief, and to avoid the prefence of Theodo- fius. But as the archbifhop was fatisfied that a timid filence would render him the accomplice of his guilt, he reprefented, in a private letter, the enormity of the crime ; which could only be effaced by the tears of penitence. The epifcopal vigour of Ambrofe was tem- pered by prudence ; and he contented himfelf with fignifying 9S an indirect: fort of excommunication, by the affurance, that he had been warned in a vifion, not to offer the oblation in the name, or in the prefence, of Theodofius ; and by the advice; that he would confine himfelf to the ufe of prayer, without prefuming to approach the altar of Chrift, or to receive the holy eucharift with thofe hands that were ftill polluted with the blood of an innocent people. The emperor was deeply affected by his own reproaches, and by thofe of his fpi- ritual father ; and, after he had bewailed the mifchievous and irre- parable confequences of his rafh fury, he proceeded, in the accuftomed manner, to perform his devotions in the great church of Milan. He was flopped in the porch by the archbifhop ; who, in the tone and language of an ambaffador of Heaven, declared to his fovereign, that private contrition was not fufficient to atone for a public fault, or to appeafe the juftice of the offended Deity. Theodofius humbly re-

95 Yet, five years afterwards, when Theo- tool His Epiftle is a mifcrable rhapfody dofius was abfent from his fpiritual guide, he on a noble fubjett. Ambrofe could ac~t bet- tolerated the Jews, and condemned the de- ter than he could write. His compofitions ftrudlion of their fynagcgues. Cod. Theodof. are deftitute of tafte, or genius ; without the I. xvi. tit. viii. leg. 9. with Godefroy's Com- fpirit of Tertullian, the copious elegance of mentary, torn. vi. p. 225. Laftantius, the lively wit of Jerom, or the

85 Ambrof. torn. ii. epifc. li. p. 997— grave energy of Auguftin.

prefented,

54 THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP, prefented, that if he had contracted the guilt of hcmicide, David, u ^ ' ■ the man after God's own heart, had been guilty, not only of mur- der, but of adultery. " You have imitated David in his crime, " imitate then his repentance," was the reply of the undaunted Am- brofe. The rigorous conditions of peace and pardon were accepted ; and the public pennance of the emperor Theodofius has been re- corded as one of the moft honourable events in the annals of the. church. According to the mildeft rules of ecclefiaftical difcipline, which were eftablifhed in the fourth century, the crime of homicide was expiated by the penitence of twenty years 97 : and as it was im- poflible, in the period of human life, to purge the accumulated guilt of the maffacre of ThefTalonica, the murderer mould have been ex- cluded from the holy communion till the hour of his death. But the archbifhop, confulting the maxims of religious policy, granted fome indulgence to the rank of his illuftrious penitent, who humbled in the duft the pride of the diadem ; and the public edification might be admitted as a weighty realbn to abridge the duration of his pu- nifhment. It was fumcient, that the emperor of the Romans, ftrip- ped of the enfigns of royalty, Ihould appear in a mournful and fup- pliant pofture ; and that, in the midft of the church of Milan, he mould humbly folicit, with fighs and tears, the pardon of his fins **. In this fpiritual cure, Ambrofe employed the various methods of mildnefs and feverity. After a delay of about eight months, Theo- dofius was reftored to the communion of the faithful ; and the edict, which interpofes a falutary interval of thirty days between the fen-

*7 According to the difcipline of St. Bafil 98 The pennance of Theodofius is authen-

(Canon lvi.), the voluntary homicide was ticated by Ambrofe (torn. vi. de Obit. Theo-

four years a mourner; five an hearer; /even • dof. c. 34. p. 1207.), Auguftin (de Civitat.

in a proftrate ftate ; and four in a {landing Dei, v. 26.), and Paulinus (in Vit. Ambrof.

pofture. I have the origin-1 (Beveridge, c. 24.). Socrates is ignorant ; Sozomen

Pandect, torn. ii. p. 47 -151.), and a (1. vii. c. 25.) concife ; and the copious nar-

tranflation (Chardon, Hill, des Sacremens, rative of Theodoret (1. v. c. 18.) muft be

torn. iv. p. 219 — 2-7.) of the Canonical ufed with precaution. Epifties of St. Baiil.

tence

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

55

tence and the execution, may be accepted as the worthy fruits of his CX"V^I1>"

repentance Pofterity has applauded the virtuous firmnefs of the ' , '

archbifhop : and the example of Theodofius may prove the bene- ficial influence of thofe principles, which could force a monarch, exalted above the apprehenfion of human punifhment, to refpect the laws, and minifters, of an invifible Judge. " The prince," fays Montefquieu, " who is actuated by the hopes and fears of religion, " may be compared to a lion, docile only to the voice, and tractable " to the hand, of his keeper 10°." The motions of the royal animal will therefore depend on the inclination, and intereft, of the man wrho has acquired fuch dangerous authority over him ; and the prieft, who holds in his hand the confcience of a king, may inflame, or moderate, his fanguinary paflions. The caufe of humanity, and that of perfecution, have been afferted, by the fame Ambrofe, with equal energy, and with equal fuccefs.

After the defeat and death of the tyrant of Gaul, the Roman Generofityof world was in the pofleffion of Theodofius. He derived from the a. D. 388— choice of Gratian his honourable title to the provinces of the 39 1' Eaft : he had acquired the Weft by the right of conqueft ; and the three years, which he fpent in Italy, were ufefully employed to re- ftore the authority of the laws ; and to correct the abufes, which had prevailed with impunity under the ufurpation of Maximus, and the minority of Valentinian. The name of Valentinian was regularly inferted in the public acts : but the tender age, and doubtful faith, . of the fon of Juftina, appeared to require the prudent care of an orthodox guardian ; and his fpecious ambition might have excluded the

99 Codex Theodof. 1. ix. tit. xl. leg. 13. 100 TJn prince qui aime la religion, et qui

The date and circumftances of this law are i_ „n „„ „„; ^ t„ •

la craint, eit un lion qui cede a le main qui

perplexed with difhculties ; but I feel myfelf

inclined to favour the honeft efforts of Tille- k flatte' ou a Ia voix <llu ^PP^- Efpric rnont (Hilt, des Emp. torn. v. p. 721.) and des Loix, 1. xxiv. c. 2. Pagi (Critica, torn. i. p. 578.).

unfortunate

56 THE DECLINE AND FALL

CxxvnP* unf°rtlinate youth, without a ftruggle, and ahnoft without a murmur, % 1 from the adminiftration, and even from the inheritance, of the em- pire. If Theodofiud had confulted the rigid maxims of intereft and policy, his conduct would have been juftilied by his friends ; but the generofity of his behaviour on this memorable occafion has extorted the applaufe of his raoft inveterate enemies. He feated Valentinian on the throne of Milan j and, without ftipulating any prefent or future advantages, reftored him to the abfolute dominion of all the provinces, from which he had been driven by the arms of Maximus. To the restitution of his ample patrimony, Theodofius added the free and generous gift of the countries beyond the Alps, which his fuccefsful valour had recovered from the alTaffin of Gratian ,0'. Satisfied with the glory which he had acquired, by revenging the death of his benefactor, and delivering the Well from the yoke of tyranny, the emperor returned from Milan to Conftantinople ; and, in the peaceful poflemon of the Eaft, infenfibly relapfed into his former habits of luxury and indolence. Theodofius difcharged his obligation to the brother, he indulged his conjugal tendernefs to the fifter, of Valentinian : and pofterity, which admires the pure and fingular glory of his elevation, muft applaud his unrivalled generofity in the ufe of victory. Chara&erof The emprefs Juftina did not long furvive her return to Italy ; and, though fhe beheld the triumph of Theodofius, Ihe was not allowed to influence the government of her fon ,0\ The pernicious attach- ment to the Arian feet, which Valentinian had imbibed from her example and inftructions, was foon erafed by the lefTons of a more orthodox education. His growing zeal for the faith of Nice, and his filial reverence for the character, and authority, of Ambrofe,

101 T,ro mm re; imp** wfiwoi **» *** haPPinefs of exFeffi°n>. Valentinianum ....

. . '. c r, r L. ,„ mifericordiifima veneratione reftituit.

is the niggard praiie ot Zoiimus lumlelt 10, a , .. TT. .

&i> r 0 Sozonen, 1. vn. c. 14. His chrono-

(1. iv. p. 267.). Auguftin fays, with fome logy is very irregular.

2 difpofed

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

57

•difpofed the Catholics to entertain the moft favourable opinion of CHAP.

the virtues of the young emperor of the Weft l0\ They applauded \ /

his chaftity and temperance, his contempt of pleafure, his applica- tion to bufinefs, and his tender affection for his two fifters ; which could not, however, feduce his impartial equity to pronounce an unjuft fentence againft the meaneft of his fubjecls. But this amiable youth, before he had accomplifhed the twentieth year of his age, was opprefTed by domeftic treafon ; and the empire was again in- volved in the horrors of a civil war. Arbogaftes ,c+, a gallant foldicr of the nation of the Franks, held the fecond rank in the fervice of Gratian. On the death of his mafter, he joined the ftandard of Theodofius ; contributed, by his valour and military conduct, to the deftruetion of the tyrant ; and was appointed, after the victory, mafter-general of the armies of Gaul. His real merit, and apparent, fidelity, had gained the confidence both of the prince and people ; his boundlefs liberality corrupted the allegiance of the troops ; and, whilft he was univerfally efteemed as the pillar of the ftate, the bold and crafty Barbarian was fecretly determined, either to rule, or to ruin, the empire of the Weft. The important commands of the army were diftributed among the Franks ; the creatures of Arbo- gaftes were promoted to all the honours and offices of the civil go- vernment ; the progrefs of the confpiracy removed every faithful fervant from the prefence of Valentinian ; and the emperor, without power, and without intelligence, infenfibly funk into the precarious and dependent condition of a captive ,os. The indignation which he

103 See Ambrofe (torn. ii. de Obir. Va- 104 Zofimus (1. iv. p. 275.) praifes the

fcntinian. c. 15, &c. p. 1178; c. 36, &c. enemy of Theodofius. But he is detefted by

p. 1 184.). When the young emperor gave Socrates (1. v. c. 25.) and Orofius (1. vii.

an entertainment, he failed himfelf : here- c. 35.).

fufed to fee an handfome adlrefs, &c. Since 105 Gregory of Tours (1. ii. c. 9. p. 165.

he ordered his wild beafts to be killed, it is in the fecond volume of the Hiltorians of

tmgenerous in Philoftorgius (1. xi. c. 1.) to France) has preserved a curious fragment of

reproach him with the love of that amufe- Sulpicius Alexander, an hiltorian far more

naent. valuable than himfelf.

Vol. III. I expreffed,

THE DECLINE AND FALL

exprefTed, though it might arife only from the rafli and impatient temper of youth, may be candidly afcribed to the generous fpirit of a prince, who felt that he was not unworthy to reign. He fecretly invited the archbifhop of Milan to undertake the office of a media- tor; as the pledge of his fmcerity, and the guardian of his fafety. He contrived to apprife the emperor of the Eaft of his helplefs fitu- ation ; and he declared, that, unlefs Theodofius could fpeedily march to his affiftance, he muft attempt to efcape from the palace, or rather prifon, of Vienna in Gaul, where he had imprudently fixed his re- fidence in the midft of the hoftile faction. *But the hopes of relief were diftant, and doubtful ; and, as every day furnifhed fome new provocation, the emperor, without ftrength or counfel, too haftily refolved to rifk an immediate conteft with his powerful generaL He received Arbogaftes on the throne ; and, as the count approached with fome appearance of refpect, delivered to him a paper, which difmifled him from all his employments. " My authority," replied Arbogaftes with infulting coolnefs, " does not depend on the fmile. " or the frown, of a monarch;" and he contemptuo.ufly threw the paper on the ground. The indignant monarch fnatched at the fword of one of the guards, which he ftruggled to draw from its fcabbard ; and it was not without fome degree of violence that he was pre- vented from ufing the deadly weapon againft his enemy, or againft himfelf.. A few clays after this extraordinary quarrel, in which he had expofed his refentment and his weaknefs, the unfortunate Va- lentinian was found ftrangled in his apartment ; and fome pains were employed to difguife the manifeft guilt of Arbogaftes, and to perfuade the world, that the death of the young emperor had been the voluntary effect of his own defpair ,06. His body was conducted

,c5 Godefroy (Diflertat. ad Philoftorg. The variations, and the ignorance, of con- p. 429— 434.) has diligently collected all the temporary writers, prove that it was fe- circumftances of the death of Valentinian II. cret.

with

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 59 -with decent pomp to the fepulchre of Milan; and the archbifhop Cx^VjjP'

pronounced a funeral oration to commemorate his virtue, and his v. misfortunes 101 . On this occafion, the humanity of Ambrofe tempted him to make a fmgular breach in his theological lyftem ; and to com- fort the weeping fifters of Valentinian, by the firm afllirance, that their pious brother, though he had not received the facrament of bap- tifm, was introduced, without difficulty, into the manfions of eternal blifs ,os.

The prudence of Arbogaftes had prepared the fuccefs of his ambi- Usurpation

* . ofEugenius,

tious defigns : and the provincials, in whofe breafts every fentiment A. D. 392— of patriotifm or loyalty was extinguished, expected, with tame re- 39^' fignation, the unknown mafter, whom the choice of a Frank might place on the Imperial throne. But fome remains of pride and pre- judice ftill oppofed the elevation of Arbogaftes himfelf ; and the ju- dicious Barbarian thought it more advifable to reign under the name of fome dependent Roman. He beftowed the purple on the rheto- rician Eugenius 109 ; whom he had already raifed from the place of his domeftic fecretary, to the rank of mafter of the offices. In the courfe both of his private and public fervice, the count had always approved the attachment and abilities of Eugenius ; his learning and eloquence, fupported by the gravity of his manners, recommended him to the elteem of the people ; and the reluctance, with which he feemed to afcend the throne, may infpire a favourable prejudice of

107 De Obitu Valentinian. torn. ii. p. 1 1,-3 109 Quem fibi Germanus famulum dele- — -1196. He is forced to fpeak a difcreet and' gerat exu),

obfcure language : yet he is much bolder is the contemptuous expreflion of Clau-

than any layman, or perhaps any other eccle- r> r tt . „

_ " dian (!V C-oni. Hon. 74.)- Eugernus pro- caine, would have d^red to be. , ni ... . , ,. • . -

"» See c. 51. p. 1188. c. 7;. p. 1193. feff°d Chtl*>a«*y! bl" h" fecret auach-

Dom. Chardon (Hilt, des Sacremens, torn. i. ment to P^ganifm (Socmen, f. vii. c. 22.

p. 86.), who owns that St. Ambrofe moft Philoltorg. 1. xi. c. 2.) p probable in a gram-

ftrenuoufly maintains the tndifpcifable necef- marian, and would fecure the friendlhip of

fity of baptifm, labours to reconcile the con- Zohmus (1. iv. p. 276, 277.). tradition,

I 2 his

\

6o

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP. XXVII.

Theodofius prepares for war.

his virtue and moderation. The ambafladors of the new emperor were immediately difpatched to the court of Theodofius, to commu- nicate, with affected grief, the unfortunate accident of the death of Valentinian ; and, without mentioning the name of Arbogaftes, to requeft, that the monarch of the Eaft would embrace, as his lawful colleague, the refpeclable citizen, who had obtained the unanimous fuffrage of the armies and provinces of the Weft "°. Theodofius was juftly provoked, that the perfidy of a Barbarian mould have deftroyed, in a moment, the labours, and the fruit, of his former victory ; and he was excited by the tears of his beloved wife '", to revenge the fate of her unhappy brother, and once more to afTert by arms the violated majefty of the throne. But as the fecond conqueft of the Weft was a tafk of difficulty and danger, he difmhTed, with fplendid prefents, and an ambiguous anfwer, the ambaffadors of Eugenius ; and almoft two years were confumed in the preparations of the civil war.. Before he formed any decifive refolution, the pious- emperor was anxious to difcover the will of heaven ; and as the progrefs of Chriftianity had filenced the oracles of Delphi and Do- dona, he confulted an Eyptian monk, who poffefTed, 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 Con- ftantinople, embarked for Alexandria, from whence he failed up the Nile as far as the city of Lycopolis, or of Wolves, in the remote province of Thebais In the neighbourhood of that city, and ort

1,0 Zofimus (1. iv. p. 278.) mentions this embafly ; but he is diverted by another ftory from relating the event.

111 Hv tTa^a^iv n tuts y«f*ET» Tcc7\}.ci Tat Bx<Ti' \iia Tov aJs?4>GS o?\o$v%o[il*r. Zofim. 1. iv. p.

277. He afterwards fays (p. 280.), that Galla died in childbed ; and intimates, 'that the affliction of her hufband was extreme, birt &ort.

111 Lycopolis is the modern Siur, or Ofiot, a town of Said, about the fize of St. Denys, which drives a profitable trade with the king- dom of Sennaar ; and has a very convenient fountain, " cujus potu figna virginitatis eri- «' piuntur." See d'Anville, Defcription de l'Egypte, p. 181. Abulfeda, Defcript. JE- gyp. p. 14;. and the curious Annotations,, p. 25. 92. of his editor Michaelis,

the

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. Ci

the fummit of a lofty mountain, the holy John 1,1 had confer u£led, cJ£JiS'

with his own hands, an humble cell, in which he had dwelt above v. 1, — ~j

fifty years, without opening his door, without feeing the face of a woman, and without tailing any food that had been prepared by fire, or any human art. Five days of the week he fpent in prayer and meditation ; but on Saturdays and Sundays he regularly opened a fmall window, and gave audience to the crowd of fuppliants, who fucceflively flowed from every part of the Chriftian world. The eunuch of Theodofius approached the window with refpectful fleps, propofedliis queftions concerning the event of the civil" war, and foon returned with a favourable oracle, which animated the courage of the emperor by the afiurance of a bloody, but infallible, victory "+. The accomplifhment of the predi&ion was forwarded" by all the means that human prudence could fupply. The induftry of the two mafter-generals, Stilicho and Timafius, was directed to recruit the numbers, and to revive the discipline, of the Roman legions. The formidable troops of Barbarians marched under the enfigns of their national chieftains. The Iberian, the Arab, and the Goth, who gazed on each other with mutual aftonifhment, were inlifted in the fervice of the fame prince ; and the renowned Alaric acquired, in the fchool of Theodofius, the knowledge of the art of war, which -he afterwards fo fatally exerted for the deftru&ion of Rome "s..

The Emperor of the Weft, or, to fpeak more properly, his ge- His victor neral Arbogaftes, was inftructed by the mifconducl: and misfortune of niu?, USC"

A. D. 394,

"3 The life cf John of Lycopclis is de- the Egyptian dreams, and the oracles of the. September 6. fcribed by his two friends, Rufinus (1. ii. Nile.

c. i. p. 449.) and Palladium (Hift. Laufiac. 115 Zofimus, 1. iv. p. 280. Socrates, c. 43. p. 738.), in Rofweyde's great Collec- 1. vii. 10. Alaric himfelf (de Bell. Getico, tion of the Vita; Patrum. Tillemont (Mem. 524.) dwells with more complacency on his Ecclef. torn. x. p. 718. 720.) has fettled the early exploits againft the Romans, chronology. .... Tot Auguftus Hebro qui tefte fugavi.

1L* Sozomen, 1. vii. c. 22, Claudian (in Yet his vanity could fcarcely have proved, Eutrop. 1. i. 312.) mentions the eunuch's this plurality cf flying emperors, journey : but he moil contemptuoujly derides

Maxiinus,,.

$2 THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP. Maximus, how dangerous it might prove to extend the line of de- fence againft a fkilful antagonift, who was free to prefs, or to fufpend, to contract, or to multiply, his various methods of at- tack "6. Arbogaftes fixed his ftation on the confines of Italy : the troops of Theodofius were permitted to occupy, without re- fiftance, the provinces of Pannonia, as far as the foot of the Julian Alps ; and even the pafTes of the mountains were negligently, or perhaps artfully, abandoned, to the bold invader. He defcended from the hills, and beheld, with fome aftonifhment, 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 the Frigidus "7, or Cold River This narrow theatre of the war, circumfcribed by the Alps and the Hadriatic, did not allow much room for the operations of military ikill ; the fpirit of Arbo- gaftes would have difdained a pardon j his guilt extinguished the hope of a negotiation : and Theodofius was impatient to fatisfy his glory and revenge, by the chaftifement of the afTaffins of Valenti- nian. Without weighing the natural and artificial obftacles that op- pofed his efforts, the emperor of the Eaft immediately attacked the fortifications of his rivals, afligned the poft of honourable danger to the Goths, and cherifhed a fecret wifh, that the bloody conflict might diminifh the pride and numbers of the conquerors. Ten thoufand of thofe auxiliaries, and Bacurius, general of the Iberians, died bravely on the field -of battle. But the victory was not purchafed by their

1,6 Claudian (in iv Conf. Honor. 77, &c.) 117 TheFrigidus, a fmall, though memo-

contrails the military plans of the two ufurp- rable, ftream in the country of Goretz, now

ers. called the Vipao, falls into the Sontius, or

.... Novitas audere priorem Lifonzo, above Aquileia, fome miles from

Suadebat ; cautumque dabant exempla fe- ' the Hadriuic. See d'Anville's Ancient and

quentem. Modern Maps, and the Italia Antiqua of

Hie nova moliri praeceps : hie quaerere Cluverius (torn. i. p. 1 88.).

tutus ' 118 Claudian's wit is intolerable : the fnow

Providus. Hie fufis ; colleftis viribus ille. was dyed red ; the cold river fmoaked-j and

Hie vagus excurrens ; hie intra clauftra the channel muft have been choaked with

redu&us carcalTes, if the current had not been fwelled

X>iflixniles ; fed morte pares with blood.

blood ;

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

63

blood : the Gauls maintained their advantage ; and the approach C H A p-

to 11 XXVII. of night protected the diforderly flight, or retreat, of the troops \ w — ^

of Theodofius. The emperor retired to the adjacent hills ; where he pafTed a difconfolate night, without fleep, without provifions, and without hopes 1,9 ; except that Strong aSTurance, which, under the moft defperate circumflances, the independent mind may- derive from the contempt of fortune and of life. The triumph of Eugenius was celebrated by the infolent and diflblute joy of his camp ; * whilft the active and vigilant Arbogaftes fecretly de- tached a considerable body of troops to occupy the paffes of the mountains, and to encompafs the rear of the Eaftern army. The dawn of day difcovered to the eyes of Theodofius the extent and the extremity of his danger : tiut his apprehenfions were foon dif- pelled, by a friendly meffage from the leaders of thofe troops, who -expreSTed their inclination to defert the Standard of the tyrant. The honourable and lucrative rewards, which they Stipulated as the price of their perfidy, were granted without hesitation ; and as ink and paper could not eafily be procured, the emperor fubferibed, on his own tablets, the ratification of the treaty. The fpirit of his foldiers was revived by this feafonable reinforcement : and they again marched, with confidence, to furprife the camp of a tyrant, whofe principal officers appeared to diftrufl, either the juflice, or the fuccefsr of his arms. In the heat of the battle, a violent tempeft 110, fuch as is often felt among the Alps, fuddenly arofe from the Eaft. The

119 Theodoret affirms, that St. John, and iEolus armatas hyemes ; cui inilitat jEther,.

St. Philip, appeared to the waking, cr Et conjurati veniunt ad claffica venti.

fleeping, emperor, on horfeback, &c. This Thefe famous lines of Claudian (in iii Conf.

is the firft inftance of apoftolic chivalry, which Honor. 93, &c. A.D. 396.) are alleged by

afterwards became fc popular in Spain, and his contemporaries, Auguftin and Orof.us ;

in the Crufades. who fupprefs the Pagan deity of ..Eolus ; and

110 Te propter, gelidis Aquilo de monte add fome circumflances from the information

procellis of eye-witnefles. Within four months after

Obruit adverfas acies ; revolutaque tela the victory, it was compared by Ambrofe to

Vertitin au&ores, et turbine reppulit haftas. the miraculous victories of Mofes and Jofhua*

O nimium dilefte Deo, cui fundit ab antris

^ army

64 THE DECLINE AND FALL

c PI A P. army of Theodofius was flickered by their pofition from the impe- ^ '_. tuofity of the wind, which blew a cloud of duft in the faces of the enemy, difordered their ranks, wrefted their weapons from their hands, and diverted, or repelled, their ineffectual javelins. This accidental advantage was fkilfully improved ; the violence of the ftorm was magnified by the fuperflitious terrors of the Gauls ; and they yielded without fhame to the invifible powers of heaven, who feemed to militate on the fide of the pious emperor. • His victory was de- cifive ; and the deaths of his two rivals were difUnguifhed only by the difference of their characters. The rhetorician Eugenius, who had almoft acquired the dominion of the world, was reduced to implore the mercy of the conqueror ; and the unrelenting foldiers feparated his head from his body, as he lay proftrate at the feet of Theodofius. Arbogaftes, after the lofs of a battle, in which he had difcharged the duties of a foldier and a general, wandered feveral days among the mountains. But when he was convinced, that his caufe was defperate, and his efcape impracticable, the intrepid Bar- barian imitated the example of the ancient Romans, and turned his fword againft his own breaft. The fate of the empire was deter- mined in a narrow corner of Italy ; and the legitimate fucceffor of the houfe of Valentinian embraced the archbifhop of Milan, and gracioufly received the fubmiflion of the provinces of the Weft. Thofe provinces were involved in the guilt of rebellion ; while the inflexible courage of Ambrofe alone had refilled the claims of fuccefs- ful usurpation. With a manly freedom, which might have been fatal to any other fubject, the archbifhop rejected the gifts of Euge- nius, declined his correfpondence, and withdrew himfelf from Milan, to avoid the odious prefence of a tyrant ; whofe downfal he predicted in difcreet and ambiguous language. The merit of Ambrofe was applauded by the conqueror, who fecured the attachment of the people by-his alliance with the church: and the clemency of Theo-

I dofius

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

65

<lof:us is afcribed to the humane interceffion of the archbifhop of cJ^rp' Milan "\ < . 1

After the defeat of Eugenius, the merit, as well as the authority, Death 0/

0 ' I'heodofiu?,

•of Theodofius was cheerfully acknowledged by all the inhabitants of A. D. ?<^, ■the Roman world. The experience of his paft conduct encouraged ^anua > the moft pleafing expectations of his future reign ; and the age of the emperor, which did not exceed fifty years, feemed to extend the profpect of the public felicity. His death, only four months after his victory, was confidered by the people as an unforefeen and fatal event, wnich deftroyed, in a moment, the hopes of the rifing ge- neration. But the indulgence of eafe and luxury had fecretly nourifh- ed the principles of difeafe'". The ftrength of Theodofius was unable to fupport the hidden and violent tranlition from the palace to the camp ; and the increafmg fymptoms of a dropfy announced the ipeedy diffolution of the emperor. The opinion, and perhaps the intereft, of the public had confirmed the divifion of the Eaftern and Weftern empires ; and the two royal youths, Arcadius and Hono- rius, who had already obtained, from the tendernefs of their father, the title of Auguftus, were deftined to fill the thrones of Conftantinople and of Rome. Thofe princes were not permitted to fhare the danger and glory of the civil war1'3; but as foon as Theodofius had triumphed over his unworthy rivals, he called his younger fon, Honorius, to enjoy the fruits of the victory, and to receive the fceptre of the Weft

"* The events of this civil war are gather- by Philoftorgius (I xi. c. 2.) as the effect of

ed from .Ambrofe(tom.ii.epilt. !xii. p. 1022.), floth and intemperance: for which Photius

Paulinus (in Vit. Ambrof. c. 26- 34-)» Aa- calls him an impudent liar (Godefroy, Diflert.

guftin (de Civitat. Dei, v. 26.), Orofius (1. p. 438.).

vii. c. 35.). Sozomen (1. vii. c. 24.), Theo- 113 Zofimus fuppofe.s that the boy Hono-

doret (1. v. c. 24.), Zofimus (1. iv. p. 281, rius accompanied his father (J. iv p. 280.)-

282.). Claudian. (in iii Conf. Hon 63 -105. Yet the, quanto flagrabant pectora vote, is all

in iv Conf. Hon. 70 — 1 17-)* ar>d tne Chro- that flattery would allow to a a n.em^ ny

nicies publiflied by Scaligcr. pott ; who clearly dr-icriLc- the emperor's

111 This difeafe, afcribed by Socrates (1. v. refufal, and the journey o: *hr

•c. 26.) to the fatig ues ot war, is reprefented the victory (Claudian 10 iii

Vol. III. K

66 THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP, from the hands of his dying father. The arrival of Honorius at

XXVII. J ° . ...

\ . i Milan was welcomed by a fplendid exhibition of the games of the

Circus; and the emperor, though he was oppreffed by the weight of his diforder, contributed by his prefence to the public joy. But the remains of his ftrength wrere exhaufted by the painful effort, which he made, to aflift at the fpeclacles of the morning. Konorius fupplied, during the reft of the day, the place of his father ; and the great Theodofms expired in the enfuing night. Notwithftanding the recent animcfities of a civil war, his death was univerially lamented. The Barbarians, whom he had vanquifhed, and the churchmen, by whom he had been fubdued, celebrated, with loud and fincere applaufe, the qualities of the deceafed emperor, wrhich appeared the raoft va- luable in their eyes. The Romans were terrified by the impending dangers of a feeble and divided adminiftration ; and every difgrace- ful moment of the unfortunate reigns of Arcadius and Honorius re- vived the memory of their irreparable lofs. Corraption \n the faithful picture of the virtues of Theodofms, his imper-

of the times. *

fections have not been diuembled ; the act of cruelty, and the habits of indolence, which tarnifhed the glory of one of the greateft of the Roman princes. An hiftorian, perpetually adverfe to the fame of Theodofms, has exaggerated his vices, and their pernicious effects ; he boldly afferts, that every rank of fubjects imitated the effeminate manners of their fovereign ; that every fpecies of corruption pol- luted the courfe of public and private life ; and that the feeble reftraints of order and decency were infufficient to refift the progrefs of that degenerate fpirit, which facriflces, without a blufh, the confideration of duty and intereft to the bafe indulgence of floth and appetite ***. The complaints of contemporary writers, who deplore the increafe of luxury, and depravation of manners, are commonly expreflive of their peculiar temper and fituation. There are few obfervers, who.

M+ Zofimus, 1. iv. p. 244.

pofTels

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

C7

pofiefs a clear and comprehenfive view of the revolutions of fociety ; Cx^^jP'

and who are capable of difcovering the nice and fecrct fprings of * „— -J

action, which impel, in the fame uniform direction, the blind and capricious paffions of a multitude of individuals. If it can be affirm- ed, with any degree of truth, that the luxury of the Romans was more fhamelefs and dhTolute in the reign of Theodofius than in the age of Ccnftantine, perhaps, or of Auguftus, the alteration cannot be afcribed to any beneficial improvements, which had gradually increafed -the flock of national riches. A long period of calamity or decay muft have checked the induftry, and diminifhed the wealth, of the people ; and their profufe luxury muft have been the refult of that indolent defpair, which enjoys the prefent hour, and declines the thoughts of futurity. The uncertain condition of their property difcouraged the fubjects of Theodofius from engaging in thofe ufeful and laborious undertakings, which require an immediate expence, and promife a How and diftant advantage. The frequent examples of ruin and defoiation tempted them not to fpare the remains of a patrimony, which might, every hour, become the prey of the rapa- cious Goth. And the mad prodigality which prevails in the con- fufion of a fhipwreck, or a fiege, may ferve to explain the progrefs of luxury amidft the misfortunes and terrors of a finking nation.

The effeminate luxury, which infected the manners of courts and The infinity

l<iy nJicie their

cities, had inftilled a fecret and deftrudive poifon into the camps of ar'mcur. the legions : and their degeneracy has been marked by the pen of a military writer, who had accurately ftudied the genuine and ancient principles of Roman difcipline. It is the juft and important obfer- "vation of Vegetius, that the infantry was invariably covered with defenfive armour, from the foundation of the city, to the reign of the emperor Gratian. The relaxation of difcipline, and the difufe of exercife, rendered the foldiers lefs able, and lefs willing, to fupport the fatigues of the fervice ; they complained of the weight of the

K 2 armour,

68

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CXXVIIP' armoiir5 which they feldom wore ; and they fuccexTively obtained the — > — J permiffion of laying afide both their cuirafles and their helmets- The heavy weapons of their anceftors, the fhort fword, and the formidable pilum, which had fubdued the world, infenfibly dropped from their feeble hands. As the ufe of the fhield is incompatible with that of the bow, they reluctantly marched into the field; con- demned to mlTer, either the pain of wounds, or the ignominy of flight, and always difpofed to prefer the more fhameful alternative. The cavalry of the Goths, the Huns, and the Alani, had felt the benefits, and adopted the ufe, of defenfrve armour ; and, as they excelled in the management of mifTile weapons, they eafily over- whelmed the naked and trembling legions, whofe heads and breafta were expofed, without defence, to the arrows of the Barbarians. The lofs of armies, the deftru&ion of cities, and the difhcnoiir of the Roman name, ineffectually folicited the fuccefTors of Gratian to reftore the helmets and cuiralfes of the infantry. The enervated foldiers abandoned their own, and the-public, defence ; and their pu- fillanimous indolence may be confidered as the immediate caufe of the downfal of the empire ,2S.

115 Vegetius, de Re Militari, I. i. c. 10. he dedicates his book, is the Jaft andmoft in- The feries of calamities., which he marks, glorious of the Valentinians. compel us to believe, that the Hero, to whom

CHAP.

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE,

69

C H A l\ XXVHL

Final DeftruElion of Paganifm. — IntroduSlion of the T^or- fljip of Saints^ and Relics, arxong the Chriflians.

rpHE ruin of Paganifm, in the age of Theodofms, is perhaps CHAP,.

JL the only example of the total extirpation of any ancient and . X?jVjLI^j. popular fuperftition ; and may therefore deferve to be confidered, as ^"he ^^"c" a fingular event in the hiftory of the human mind. The Chriftians, Pagan reli- more efpecially the clergy, had impatiently fupported the prudent A. D. 378 — delays of Conftantine, and the equal toleration of the elder Valenti- 395' nian ; nor could they deem their conqueit perfect or fecure, as long as their adverfaries were permitted to exift. The influence, which Ambrofe and his brethren had acquired over the youth of Gratian, and the piety of Theodofms, was employed to infufe the maxims of perfecution into the breafts of their Imperial profelytes. Two fpecious principles of religious jurifprudence were eitablifhed,. from whence they deduced a direct and rigorous conclufion, againft the fubjects of the empire, who ftili adhered to the ceremonies of their anceftors : that, the magiftrate is, in fome meafure, guilty of the crimes which he neglects to prohibit, or to punim ; and, that the idolatrous worfhip of fabulous deities, and real daemons, is the mod abominable crime againft the fupreme majefty of the Creator.. The laws of Mofes, and the examples of Jewim hiftory ', were haftily,

perhaps

1 St. Ambrcfe (torn. ii. de Obit. Theodof. the zeal of Jofiah in the deftruclion of idola- p. 1208.) exprefsly pfaifcs and recommends try. The language of Julius Firmicus Ma- tern us

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CvwfTTP' Perhaps erroneoufly, applied, by the clergy, to the mild and uni-

AAV

-%— verfal reign of Chriftianity \ The zeal of the emperors was ex- cited to vindicate their own honour, and that of the Deity : and the temples of the Roman world were fubverted, about fixty years after the converfion of Conftantine. State of Pa- From the age of Numa, to the reign of Gratian, the Romans Rome? at preferved the regular fucceffion of the feveral colleges of the facer- dotal order3. Fifteen Pontiffs exercifed their fupreme jurifdiclion over all things, and perfons, that were confecrated to the fervice of the gods ; and the various queftions which perpetually arofe in a loofe and traditionary fyftem, were fubmitted to the judgment of their holy tribunal. Fifteen grave and learned Augurs obferved the face of the heavens, and prefcribed the actions of heroes, accord- ing to the flight of birds. Fifteen keepers of the Sybilline books (their name of Quindecemvirs was derived from their number) occa- fionally confulted the hiftory of future, and, as it mould feem, of contingent, events. Six Vestals devoted their virginity to the guard of the facred fire, and of the unknown pledges of the duration of Rome ; which no mortal had been fuffered to behold with im- punity \ Seven Epulos prepared the table of the gods, conducted the folemn proceffion, and regulated the ceremonies of the annual

ternus on the fame fubjeft (de Errore Profan. torn. i. p. 1 — 90.), and Movie (vol. i. p. 10 —

Relig. p. 467, edit. Gronov.) is pioufly in- 55.). The laft is the work of an Englifh

human. Nec filio jubet (the Mofaic Law) Whig, as well as of a Roman antiquary. '

parci, nec fratri, et per amatam conjugem. 4 Thefe myftic, and perhaps imaginary,

gladium vindicem ducit, &c. fymbols have given birth to various fables

* Bayle (torn. ii. p. 406, in his Commen- and conjeftures. It feems probable, that the

taire Philofophique) j uftifies, and limits, thefe Palladium was a fmall itatue ( three cubits and

intolerant laws by the temporal reign of Je- a half high) of Minerva, with a lance and

hovah over the Jews. The attempt is laud- diftaff ; that it was ufually inclofed in a feria,

able. or barrel ; and that a fimilar barrel was placed

3 See the outlines of the Roman hierarchy by its fide, to difconcert curiofity, or facri-

in Cicero (de Legibus, ii. 7, 8.), Livy (i. 20.), lege. See Mezeriac (Comment, fur les Epi-

Dionyfius HalicarnafFenfis (1. ii. p. 119— 129. tres d'Ovide, tern. i. p. 60— 1"6.), and Lip-

cdk.Hudfon),Beaufort(RepubliqueRomaine, fius (torn. iii. p. 61b. de Vella, &c. c. ic).

feftival.

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

feftival. The three Flamens of Jupiter, of Mars, and of Qui- rinus, were coniidered ar» the peculiar minifters of the three mod powerful deities, who watched over the fate of Rome and of the univerfe. The King of the Sacrifices reprefentcd the perfon of Numa, and of his fucceffors, in the religious functions, which could be performed only by royal hands. The confraternities of the Salians, the Lupercals, &c. practifed fuch rites, as might extort a fmile of contempt from every reafonable man, with a lively confidence of recommending themfelves to the favour of the immortal gods. The authority, which the Roman priefts had formerly ob- tained in the counfels of the republic, was gradually abolifhed by the eftablifhment of monarchy, and the removal of the feat of empire. But the dignity of their facred character was ftill protected by the laws and manners of their country ; and they ftill continued, more efpecially the college of pontiffs, to exercife in the capital, and fometimes in the provinces, the rights of their ecclefiaftical and civil jurifdiction. Their robes of purple, chariots of ftate, and fumptuous entertainments, attracted the admiration of the people ; and they re- ceived, from the confecrated lands, and the public revenue, an ample ftipend, which liberally fupported the fplendour of the priefthood, and all the expences of the religious worfhip of the ftate. As the fervice of the altar was not incompatible with the command of armies, the Romans, after their confulfhips and triumphs, afpired to the place of pontiff, or of augur ; the feats of Cicero 5 and Pompey were filled, in the fourth century, by the moft illuftrious members of the fenate ; and the dignity of their birth reflected additional fplendour on their facerdotal character. The fifteen priefts, who compofed the

5 Cicero, frankly (adAtticum, 1. ii. epift. in the footfteps of Cicero (1. iv. epift. 8.),

5.), orindire&ly (ad Familiar. 1. xv. epift. 4..), and the chain of tradition might be continued

confefies, that the Augurate is the fupreme from hiitory, and marbles, object of his wifhes. Pliny is proud to tread

I college

72

THE DECLINE AND FALL

H ^ Pf college of pontiffs, enjoyed a more diftinguifhed rank as the compa-

v -v ► nions of thjir foverelgn ; and the Chriftian emperors condefcended to

accept the robe and enligns, which were appropriated to the office of fupreme pontiff. But when Gratian afcended the throne, more fcru- pulous, or more enlightened, he fternly rejected thofe prophane fymbols 6 ; applied to the fervice of the ftate, or of the church, the revenues of the priefts and veftals ; abolifhed their honours and im- munities ; and diflblved the ancient fabric of Roman fuperftition, which was fupported by the opinions, and habits, of eleven hundred years. Paganifrn was flill the conftitutional religion of the fenate. The hall, or temple, in which they aflembled, was adorned by the flatue and altar of victory 7 ; a majeftic female (landing on a globe, with flowing garments, expanded wings, and a crown of laurel in her out-ftretched hand 8. The fenators were fworn on the altar of the goddefs, to obferve the laws of the emperor and of the empire ; and a folemn offering of wine and incenfe was the ordinary prelude of their public deliberations 9. The removal of this ancient monument was the only injury which Conftantius had offered to the fuperftition of the Romans. The altar of Victory was again reflored by Julian, tolerated by Valentinian, and once more banifhed from the fenate by the zeal of Gratian '°. But the emperor yet fpared the ftatues of the gods which were expofed to the public veneration : four hundred and twenty-four temples, or chapels, ftill remained to fatisfy the de- votion of the people ; and in every quarter of Rome, the delicacy

6 Zoiimils,'. iv. p. 249, 250. I have fup- very awkward portrait of Viclcry : but the prefied the fooliih pun about Pontifex and curious reader will obtain more fatisfaclion Maxima*. from llontfaucon's Antiquities (torn. i. p.

7 This ftatue was tranfpcrted from Taren- 341 .)..

turn to Rome, placed in the Curia Julia by 9 See Suetonius (in Auguft. c. 35. )> and.

Ojfar, and decorated by Auguftus with the the Exordium of Piiny's Panegyric,

fpcils of Egypt. 10 Thefe fafts arc mutually al:owed by thq

a Prudentius (1. ii. in initio) has drawn a two advocates, Symmachus and Ambrofe,

3 of

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

of the Chriftians was offended by the fumes of idolatrous facri- C H A P.

XXVIII.

nee ". * j '

But the Chriftians formed the leaft numerous party in the fenate Petition of of Rome 11 j and it w,as only by their abfence, that they could exprefs fQer jhe^har their diffent from the legal, though profane, acts of a Pagan majo- ^ d^?-' rity. In that affembly, the dying embers of freedom were, for a moment, revived and inflamed by the breath of fanaticifm. Four refpectable deputations were fucceffively voted to the Imperial court 13 , to reprefent the grievances of the priefthood and the fenate ; and to folicit the reftoration of the altar of Victory. The conduct of this important bufinefs was entrufted to the eloquent Symmachus a wealthy and noble fenator, who united the facred characters of pon- tiff and augur, with the civil dignities of proconful of Africa, and pra?fec~t of the city. The breaft of Symmachus was animated by the warmeft zeal for the caufe of expiring Paganifm ; and his religious antagenifts lamented the abufe of his genius, and the inefEcacy of his moral virtues 15. The orator, whofe petition is extant to the emperor Valentinian, was confeious of the difficulty and danger of the office which he had affumed. He cautioufly avoids every topic which might appear to reflect on the religion of his fovercignj. hum-

11 The Neiitia Vrbis, more recent than fourth (A. D. 392.) to Valentinian. Lardr.er Conftantine, does not find one Chriftian (Heathen Tefiimonies, vol. iv. p. 372 — church worthy to be named among the edi- 399-) fairly reprefents the whole tranfac-. ficesofthecity. Ambrofe (torn. ii. epift. xvii. tion.

p. 825.) deplores the public fcandals of I+ Symmachus, who was inverted with all

Rome, which continually offended the eyes, the civil and facerdotal honours, reprefented

the ears, and the noftrils of the faithful. the emperor under the two characters of Pok-

12 Ambrofe repeatedly affirms, in contra- tifex Maximus, and Princeps Senatus. See di&ion to common fenfe (Moyle's Works, the proud infeription at the head of his vol. ii. p. 147.), that the Chriftians had a works.

majority in the fenate. 15 As if any one, fays Prudentius (in

13 The firji (A. D. 382.) to Gratian, Symmach. i. 659.), fhould dig in the mud who refufed them audience. The fecond (A. with an inftrument of gold and ivory. Even D. 384.) to Valentinian, when the field was faints, and polemic faints, treat this adver- difputed by Symmachus and Ambrofe. The fary with refpect and civility.

third (A. D. 388.) to Theodofius ; and the

Vol. III. L bly

THE DE'CLINE AND FALL

bly declares, that prayers and entreaties are his only arms ; and art- fully draws his arguments from the fchools of rhetoric, rather than from thofe of philofophy. Symmachus endeavours to feduce the imagination of a young prince, by difplaying the attributes of the goddefs of victory; he infinuates, that the confifcation of the reve- nues, which were confecrated to the fervice of the gods, was a mea- fure unworthy of his liberal and difmterefted chara<£ter ; and he maintains, that the Roman facriiices would be deprived of their force ; and energy, if they were no longer celebrated at the expence,. as well as in the name, of the republic. Even fcepticifm is made to fupply an apology for fuperftition. The great and incomprehenfible fecret of the univerfe eludes the enquiry of man. Where reafon cannot in-- ftruct, cuftom may be permitted to guide ; and every nation feems to eonfult the dictates of prudence, by a faithful attachment to thofe rites, and opinions, which have received the fanction of ages. If thofe ages have been crowned with glory and profperity, if the de-- vout people has frequently obtained the bleffings which they have folicited at the altars of the gods, it muft appear ftill more advifable to perfift in the fame falutary practice ; and not to rifk the unknown perils that may attend any rafh innovations. The teft of antiquity and fuccefs was applied with fmgular advantage to the religion of Numa; and Rome herfelf, the cacleftial genius that prefided . over the fates of the city, is introduced by the orator to plead her own caufe before the tribunal of the emperors, " Moft excel- " lent .princes,'* fays the venerable matron, " fathers of your coun-- " try ! pity and refpect my age, which has hitherto flowed in an " uninterrupted courfe of piety. Since I do not repent, permit me M to continue in the practice of my ancient rites. Since I am born '* fsee, allow me to enjoy my domeftic inftitutions* This religion " has reduced the world under my laws. Thefe rites have repelled *' Hannibal from the city, and the Gauls from the capitol. Were my gray hairs referved for fuch intolerable difgrace ? I am igno- ,3 " rant

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

75

<l rant of the new fyftem, that I am required to adopt; but I am CHAP.

A. A. V ILL*

" well affured, that the correction of old age is always an ungrateful < v /

" and ignominious office I6." The fears of the people fupplied what the difcretion of the orator had fuppreffed ; and the calamities, which afflicted, or threatened, the declining empire, were unanimoufly im- puted, by the Pagans, to the new religion of Chrift and of Con- ftantine.

But the hopes Gf Symmachus were repeatedly baffled by the firm Converfioa and dexterous oppofition of the archbifhop of Milan ; who fortified a D. 388, the emperors againft the fallacious eloquence of the advocate of &c* Rome. In this controverfy, Ambrofe condefcends to fpeak the lan- guage of a philofopher, and to aflc, with fome contempt, why it ihould be thought necefTary to introduce an imaginary and invifible power, as the caufe of thofe victories, which were fufficiently ex- plained by the valour and difcipline of the legions. He juftly de- rides the abfurd reverence for antiquity, which could only tend to ?difcourage the improvements of art, and to replunge the human race into their original barbarifm. From thence gradually rifing to a more lofty and theological tone, he pronounces, that Chrifiianity alone is the doctrine of truth and falvation; and that every mode of Polytheifm conducts its deluded votaries, through the paths of error, to the abyfs of eternal perdition 17. Arguments like thefe, when

16

See the fifty-fourth epiftle of the tenth is a fhort caution ; the latter is a formal reply- book of Symmachus. In the form and dif- to the petition or libel of Symmachus. The pofition of his ten books of epiftles, he imi- fame ideas are more copioully expreffed in tated the younger Pliny; whofe rich and the poetry, if it may deferve that name, of florid ftyle he was fuppofed, by his frienda, to Prudentius; who compofed his two books equal or excel (Macrob. Saturnal. 1. v. c. i.). againft Symmachus (A. D. 404.) while that But the luxuriancy of Symmachus confifts of fenator was ftill alive. It is whimfical barren leaves, without fruits, and even with- enough, that Montefquiau (Confiderations, out flowers. Few fadls, and few fentiments, &c. c. xix. torn. iii. p. 487.) mould over- <an be extracted from his verbofe correfpond- look the two profefled antagonilts of Sym- ence. machus ; and amufe himfelf with defcanting 17 See Ambrofe (torn. ii. epift. xvii, xviii. on the more remote and indirect confutations p. 825—833.). The former of thefe epiftles of Orofius, St. Auguftin, and Salvian.

L 2 they

76

THE DECLINE AND FALL^

c H .f,Tp# they were fuggefted by a favourite bifhop, had power to prevent the-

XXV 111*

v ' reftoration of the altar of Victory ; but the fame arguments fell, with1

much more energy and effect, from the mouth of a conqueror; and* tne gods of antiquity were dragged in triumph at the chariot- wheels of Theodofius 1!. - In a full meeting of the fenate, the emperor, propofed, according to the forms of the republic, the important queflion, Whether the wormip of Jupiter, or that of Chrift, mould be the religion of the Romans. The liberty of fuffrages, which he af- fected to allow, was deftroyed by the hopes and fears, that his pre- fence infpired ; a*:d the arbitrary exile of Symmachus was a recent admonition, that it might be dangerous to oppofe the wifhes of the monarch. On a regular divifion of the fenate, Jupiter was condemned and degraded by the fenfe of a very large majority ; and it is rather furprifing, that any members mould be found bold enough to declare, by their fpeeches and votes, that they were ftill attached to the in- tereft of an abdicated deity '*. The hafty converfion of the fenate muft be attributed either to fupernatural or to fordid motives ; and many of thefe reluctant profelytes betrayed, on every favourable occafion, their fecret difpofition to throw afide the mafk of odious diffimulation. But they were gradually fixed in the ■ new religion; as the caufe of the ancient became more hopelefs ; they yielded to the authority of the emperor, to the fafhion of the times, and to the'

13 See Prudentius (in Symmach. I. i. Adfpice quam pleno fubfellia noftra Senatu

545, &c.)- The ChrilUan agrees with the Decernant infame Jovis pulvinar, et omne •

Pagan Zofimus (1. iv. p. 283.), in placing Idolium longe purgata ab urbe fugandum.

this vifit of Theodofius after the fecond civil Qua vocat egregii fententia Principis, illuc-

war, gemini bis victor caede Tyranni (1. i. Libera, cum pedibus, turn corde, frequen- 410.). But the time and circumlrances are tia tranfit.

better fuited to his firft triumph. ^ r r , . . . ,

IO , . _ . r , . . . Zofimus afcnbes to the confcnpt fathers an

19 Prudentius, after provin? that the fenfe , , . , r r. ,

c , r -jijuIt •• heathenifh courage, which few of them are

of the lenate is declared by a legal majority, found w „^ 6

proceeds to fay (609, &c), t

entreaties

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

77'

Entreaties of their waves and children , who were indicated and c H A p- i , , , c x\ , XXVIJi.

governed by the clergy of Rome and the monks of the Eaft. The <- — .v~~->

edifying example of the Anician family wras foon imitated by the reft of the nobility: the Baffi, the Paullini, the Gracchi, embraced the Chriftian religion ; and " the luminaries of the wrorld, the venerable afTembly of Catos (fuch are the high-flown expreffions of Pru- dentius), .were impatient to ftrip themfelves of their pontifical gar- ment; to, caft the {kin of the old ferpent ; to aflume the fnowy robes of baptifmal innocence ; and to humble the pride of the con- ** fular fafces before the tombs of the martyrs "." The citizens, who fubfifted by their own induftry, and the populace, who were fup- ported by the public liberality, filled the churches of the Lateran, and Vatican, wTith an incefTant throng of devout profelytes. The decrees of the fenate, which profcribed the worfhip of idols, were ratified by the general confent of the Romans 22 ; the fplendour of the capitol was defaced, and the folitary temples were abandoned to ruin and contempt23. Rome fubmitted to the yoke of the Gofpel; and the vanquifhed provinces had not yet loft their reverence for the name and authority of Rome.

The filial piety of the emperors themfelves engaged them to pro- Deftruftion ceed, with fome caution and tendernefs, in the reformation of the pies in the

provinces, A. D. 381*.-

ia Jerem fpecifies the pontiff Albinus, The fancy of Prudentius is warmed and ele- &c. ■who was furrounded with fuch a believing fa- vated by vidtory.

mily of children, and grand-children, as " Prudentius, after he has defcribed the would have been fufficient to convert even C0nverfl0n of the fenate and , a&s . ppuer himfelf ; an extraordmary profelyte ! ^ fome ^ and confid (torn. l. ad Laetam, p. 54.) " Exfultare Patres videas, pulcherrima Et dubitamus adhucRomam, tibi,-Chrifte, . mundi dicatam Lumina ; conciliumque fenum geftire jn ieges transifle tuas ? Catonum

Candidiore toga niveum pietatis amic- * Jerom exults in the Eolation of the turn capitol, and the other temples of Rome

Sumere; et exuvias deponere pontifi- (torn, j. p. 54. torn. ii. p. 95.), cales.,

eternal I

THE DECLINE AND FALL

eternal city. Thofe abfolute monarchs acted with lefs regard to trie prejudices of the provincials. The pious labour which had been fufpended near twenty years fince the death of Conftantius was vigoroufly refumed, and finally accomplifhed, by the zeal of Theo- dofius. Whilft that warlike prince yet Struggled with the Goths, not for the glory, but for the fafety, of the republic ; he ventured - to offend a considerable party of his Subjects, by fome acts which might perhaps Secure the protection of Heaven, but which muft feem rafh and unfeafonable in the eye of human prudence. The fuccefs of his firft experiments againft the Pagans, encouraged the pious emperor to reiterate and enforce his edicts of proscription : the fame laws which had been originally published in the provinces of the Eaft, were applied, after the defeat of Maximus, to the whole extent of the Weftern empire; and every victory of the orthodox Theodo- fius contributed to the triumph of the Christian and Catholic faith 1S. He attacked SuperStition in her moft vital part, by prohibiting the uSe of facrifices, which he declared to be criminal, as well as infa- mous : and if the terms of his edicts more Strictly condemned the impious curiofity which examined the entrails of the victims as, every Subsequent explanation tended to involve, in the fame guilt, the general practice of immolation, which effentially con- stituted the religion of the Pagans. As the temples had been erected for the purpofe. of facrifice, it was the duty of a benevolent prince to remove from his Subjects the dangerous temptation, of

Libanius (Orat. pro Templis, p. 10. is See his laws in the Theodofian Code, Genev. 1634, publifhed by James Gode- 1. xvi. tit- x. leg. 7 — !i. froy, and now extremely fcarce) accufes 16 Homer's facrifices are not accompanied Valentinian and Valens of prohibiting facri- with any inquifition of entrails (fee Feithius, £ces. Some partial order may have been Antiquitat. Homer. 1. i. c. 10. 16. )• TheTuf- jii'uedby the Extern emperor : but the idea of cans, who produced the firft Haru/pices, Alb- any general law is contradicted by the filence dued both the Greeks and the Romans (Cl- ef the Code, and the evidence of ecclefiaflical cero de Divinatione, ii. 23.). hiflcry.

offending

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 79

©fFendias: againft the laws which he had enacted. A fpecial com- CHAP.

. . 1 XXVIIL-

miffion was granted to Cynegius, the Pratonan praefect or the Eaft, v— —

and afterwards to the counts Jovius and Gaudentius, two officers of diftinguifhed rank in the Weft ; by which they were directed to (hut the temples, to feize or deftroy the inftruments of idolatry, to abo- Iifh the privileges of the priefts, and to confifcate the confecrated property for the benefit of the emperor, of the church, or of the army *7. Here the defolation might have flopped : and the naked edifices, which were no longer employed in the fervice of idolatry, might have been,.protected from the deftructive rage of fanaticifm. Many of thofe temples were the moft fplendid and beautiful monu- ments of Grecian architecture : and the emperor himfelf was inte- rested not to deface the fplendour of his own cities, or to diminifh the value of his own pofTeffions. Thofe {lately edifices might be fuffered to remain, as fo many lafting trophies of the victory of Chrift. I11 the decline of the arts, they might be ufefully converted into maga- zines, manufactures, or places of public affembly : and perhaps, when the walls of the temple had been fufficiently purified by holy rites, the worfhip of the true Deity might be allowed to expiate the ancient guilt of idolatry. But as long as they fubfifted, the Pagans fondly cherifhed the fecret hope, that an aufpicious revolution, a fecond Julian, might again reftore the altars of the gods ; and the earneftnefs with which they addrefied their unavailing prayers to the throne "8, increafed the zeal of the Chriftian reformers to extirpate, without mercy, the root of fuperftition. The laws of the emperors

17 Zofimus, I. Iv. p. 245. 249. Theo- 2S Cod. Theodof. 1. xvi. tit. x. leg. 8. 18.

doret, I. v. c. 21. Idatius in Chron. Prof- There is room to believe, that this temple of

per. Aquitan. 1. iii. c. 38. apud Baronium,- Edefla, which Theodofius wifhed to fave for

Annal. Ecclef. A. D. 389. N° 52. Liba- civil ufes, was foon afterwards a heap of

nius (pro Templis, p. ic.) labours to prove, ruins (Libanius pro Templis, p. 26, 27. and

that the commands of Theodofius were not Godefroy's notes, p. 59.). diiedl and pofuive.

exhibit

THE DECLINE AND FALL

C *? ^ p- exhibit fome fymptoms of a milder clifpofition 19 : but their cold and i__ m - , _j languid efforts were infufficient to ftem the torrent of enthufiafm and rapine, which was conducted, or rather impelled, by the fpiritual rulers of the church. In Gaul, the holy Martin, bifhop of Tours 3°, marched at the head of his faithful monks to deftroy the idols, the temples, and the confecrated trees of his extenfive diocefe ; and, in the execution of this arduous tafk, the prudent reader will judge whether Martin was fupported by the aid of miraculous powers, or of carnal weapons. In Syria, the divine and excellent Marcellus 3I, as he is ftiled by Theodoret, a bifhop animated with apoftolic fer- vour, refolved to level with the ground the ftately temples within the diocefe of Apamea. His attack was refifted, by the {kill and foli- dity, with which the temple of Jupiter had been conftructed. The building was feated on an eminence: on each of the four fides, the lofty roof was fupported by fifteen mafTy columns, fixteen feet in circumference; and the large ftones of which they were compofed, were firmly cemented with lead and iron. The force of the ftrongeft and fharpeft tools had been tried without effecl:. It was found ne- cefTary to undermine the foundations of the columns, which fell down as foon as the temporary wooden props had been confumed with fire ; and the difficulties of the enterprife are defcribed under the allegory of a black daemon, who retarded, though he could not defeat, the operations of the Chriftian engineers. Elated with vic- tory, Marcellus took the field in perfon againft the powers of dark-

15 See this curious oration of Libanius (as Don Quixote might have done) an harm- pro Templis, pronounced, or rather compofed, lefs funeralfor an idolatrous proceffion, and about the year 390. I have confulted, with- imprudently committed a miracle, advantage, Dr. Lardner's verfion and remarks 31 Compare Sozcmen (1. vii. c. 15.) with (Heathen Tefcimonies, vol. iv. p. 135 — Theodoret (I. v. c. 21.). Between them, 163.). they relate the crufade and death of Mar-

30 See the life of Martin, by Sulpicius cellus. .Scverus, c. 9 — 14. The faint once miftook

1 nefsj

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

81

nefs : a numerous troop of foldiers and gladiators marched under the CHAP.

XXVIII.

epifcopal banner, and he fucceffively attacked the villages and coun- try temples of the diocefe of Apamea. Whenever any refiftance or danger was apprehended, the champion of the faith, whofe lamenefs v.rouid not allow him either to fight or fly, placed himfelf at a con- venient diftance, beyond the reach of darts. But this prudence was the occafion of his death : he was furprifed and flain by a body of exafperated nifties ; and the fynod of the province pronounced, without hefitation, that the holy Marcellus had facrinced his life in the caufe of God. In the fupport of this caufe, the monks, who rufhed, with tumultuous fury, from the defert, diftinguimed them- felves by their zeal and diligence. They deferved the enmity of the Pagans ; and fome of them might deferve the reproaches of avarice and intemperance ; of avarice, which they gratified with holy plun- der, and of intemperance, which they indulged at the expence of the people, who foolimly admired their tattered garments, loud pfalmody, .and artificial palenefs *\ A fmall number of temples was protected by the fears, the venality, the tafte, or the prudence, of the civil and ecclefiaftical governors. The temple of the celeftial Venus at Car- thage, whofe facred precincts formed a circumference of two miles, was judicioufly converted into a Chriftian church 33 ; and a fimilar •confecration has preferved inviolate the majeftic dome of the Pan- theon at Rome34. But in almoft every province of the Roman world, an army of fanatics, without authority, and without difci- pline, invaded the peaceful inhabitants ; and the ruin of the faireft

31 Libanius pro Templis, p. 10 — 13. He time, and the accefs to it was overgrown rails at thefe black-garbed men, the Chrif- with brambles.

tian Monks, who eat more than elephants. ^ Do^as> Roma Antiqua etNova, I. iv,

p . />io«v.o«»r 1 ,i -1 c- 4- P- 4^8. This confecration was per-

roor elephants ! they are temperate animals. r T _ .r *

,, D , . . , . , formed by pope Boniface IV. I am ignorant

Profper. Aquitan. 1. ui. c. 38. apud of the favourable circumftances which had

£aronium; Annal. Ecclef. A. D. 389. N° preferved the Pantheon above two hundred

58, Sec. The temple had been Ihut fome years after the reign of Theodofius.

Vol. IIL M ftruftures

82

THE DECLINE AND FALL

C^H^A P. ftructures of antiquity ftill difplays the ravages of thofe Barbarians, v— -v — mj who alone had time and inclination to execute fuch laborious deftruc- tion.

The temple In this wide and various profpecT: of devaftation, the fpectator Alexandria? may diftirguifh the ruins of the temple of Serapis, at Alexandria 3S.

Serapis does not appear to have been one of the native gods, or monfters, who fprung from the fruitful foil of fuperftitious Egypt 3\ The flrft of the Ptolemies had been commanded, by a dream, to im- port the ' myfterious ftranger from the coaft of Pontus, where he had been long adored by the inhabitants of Sinope ; but his attributes and his reign were fo imperfectly underftood, that it became a fubjec~t of difpute, whether he reprefented the bright orb of day, or the gloomy monarch of the fubterraneous regions 37. The Egyptians, who were obftinately devoted to the religion of their fathers, refufed to admit this foreign deity within the walls of their cities 3\ But the obie- quious priefts, who were feduced by the liberality of the Ptolemies, fubmitted, without refiftance, to the power of the god of Pontus : an honourable and domeftic genealogy was provided; and this for- tunate ufurper was introduced into the throne and bed of Ofiris I9, the hufband of Ifis, and the celeftial monarch of Egypt. Alexandria,

35 Sophronius compofed a recent and fe- travelled into Egypt, were alike ignorant of parate hiftory (Jerom, in Script. Ecclef. this new deity.

tern. i. p. 303.), which has fumiiTied mate- 33 Macrobius, Saturr.al. 1. 1. c. 7. Such>

rials to Socrates (I. v. c. 16.), Theodoret a living fact decifively proves his foreign ex-

(1. v. c. 22.), and Rufinus (!. ii. c, 22.). tra&ion.

Yet the lair, who had bee-n at Alexandria, 39 At Rome, Ifis and Serapis were united,

before, and after, the event, muy deferve in the fame temp'e. The precedency which •

the credit of an original vwitnefs. the queen aflamed, may feem to betray her

36 Gerard VblfiUs ^ Opera, tom. v. p. So. unequal alliance with the ftranger of Pontus. & da Idol ilatria, 1. i. c. 29.) ftrives to fup- But the fupcriority of the fema'c fex was elta- port the ftrange notion cf the Fathers ; that blilhed in Egypt -s a civil and religious infti— the patriarch Jofeph was adored in Egypt, tution (Diodor. Sicul. tom. i. 1. i. p. 31. as the bull Apib, and the god Serapis. edit. Wefleling), and the fame order is ob-

37 Origo dei nondnm nofti is ce'ebrata. ferved in Plutarch's Treatife of Ifis and O/f-. - ./BgyptaerilfiB antiftues Jic memorant, &c. ris; whom he identifies with Ssrapis.

Tacit. Hift. iv. 83. The Greeks, who had

which

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

which claimed his peculiar protection, gloried in the name of the city Cx^-^,/>'

of Serapis. His temple 40, which rivalled the pride and magnificence < * *

of the capitol, was erected on the . fpacious fummit of an artificial mount, railed one hundred fteps above the level of the adjacent parts of the city; and the interior cavity was ftrongly fupported by arches, and diflributed into vaults and fubterraneous apartments. The con- fecrated buildings were furrounded by a quadrangular portico; the ftately halls, and exquifite ftatues, difplayed the triumph of the arts; and, the treafures of ancient learning were preferred in the famous Alexandrian library, which had arifen with new fplendour from its allies 41. After the edicts of Theodofius had feverely pro- hibited the facrifices of the Pagans, they were null tolerated in the city and temple of Serapis ; and this fmgular indulgence was impru- dently afcribed to the fuperftitious terrors of the ChrifKans themfelves : as if they had feared to abolifh thofe ancient rites, which could alone fecure the inundations of the Nile, the harvefls of Egypt, and the fubfiftence of Conftantinople 4\

At that time 43 the archiepifcopal throne of Alexandria was filled its final de- by Theophilus 4+, the perpetual enemy of peace and virtue ; a bold, a^D.0^. bad man, whofe hands were alternately polluted with gold, and with blood. His pious indignation was excited by the honours

*° Ammknus (xxil. 16.). The Expofmo ««tly provokes his Chriftian mailers by this

totius Mundi (p. 8. in H«dfon's Geograph. infulting remark.

Minor, torn, iii.), and Rufinus (1. ii. c. 22.), ^ We m^ chu!e bet«een the date of

celebrate the Serafeum, as one of the won- Marcellinus (A. D. 389.) or that of Profper

ders of the world. (A- D- 391-)- Tillemont (Hill, des Emp.

See Memo-Ires de l'Acad. des Infcrip- tom- v' P- 7S60 Prefers the former,

tions, torn. ix. p. 397-416. The old li- and ?*§],the latter' „

brary of the Ptolemies was totally confumed Tillemont Mem Ecdef. torn. xi. p

• r- r > a 1 j • n/i a 441 — 500. The ambiguous fituation of

in Cajfar s Alexandrian war. Marc Antony 17 3 *» .

• , , 11 n- c r> Theophilus, a faint, as the friend of lerom ;

gave the whole collection of Pergamus r ' + ' J UUI '

(200,000 volumes) to Cleopatra, as the ^ ^W, as the enemy of Chryfoftom ; pro-

.foundation of the*™ library of Alexandria. du" a [ort°f "tipartiahty : yet, upon the

rr. . . 1 • /■ whole, the balance is jultly inclined ae-iinlt

41 Libanius (pro Temphs, .p. 21.) indif- ^ * 0

M 2 of

84 THE DECLINE AND FALL

c v ^rrP' of Serapis; and the infults which he offered to an ancient chapel of V-v-*^ Bacchus, convinced the Pagans that he meditated a more important