首页 >出版文学> History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empir>第114章
  andrequiredthem,inthenameoftheirsovereign,todefendthepersonanddignityofhisrepresentatives。Bythisrashdeclarationofwar,theimpatienttemperofGalluswasprovokedtoembracethemostdesperatecounsels。Heorderedhisguardstostandtotheirarms,assembledthepopulaceofAntioch,andrecommendedtotheirzealthecareofhissafetyandrevenge。
  Hiscommandsweretoofatallyobeyed。Theyrudelyseizedthepraefectandthequaestor,andtyingtheirlegstogetherwithropes,theydraggedthemthroughthestreetsofthecity,inflictedathousandinsultsandathousandwoundsontheseunhappyvictims,andatlastprecipitatedtheirmangledandlifelessbodiesintothestreamoftheOrontes。^21
  [Footnote19:Zonaras,l。xiii。tom。ii。p。17,18。Theassassinshadseducedagreatnumberoflegionaries;buttheirdesignswerediscoveredandrevealedbyanoldwomaninwhosecottagetheylodged。]
  [Footnote*:ThecommissionseemstohavebeengrantedtoDomitianalone。Montiusinterferedtosupporthisauthority。
  Amm。Marc。loc。cit。—M]
  [Footnote20:InthepresenttextofAmmianus,wereadAsper,quidem,sedadlenitatempropensior;whichformsasentenceofcontradictorynonsense。Withtheaidofanoldmanuscript,Valesiushasrectifiedthefirstofthesecorruptions,andweperceivearayoflightinthesubstitutionofthewordvafer。
  Ifweventuretochangelenitatemintolexitatem,thisalterationofasingleletterwillrenderthewholepassageclearandconsistent。]
  [Footnote21:Insteadofbeingobligedtocollectscatteredandimperfecthintsfromvarioussources,wenowenterintothefullstreamofthehistoryofAmmianus,andneedonlyrefertotheseventhandninthchaptersofhisfourteenthbook。
  Philostorgius,however,l。iii。c。28thoughpartialtoGallus,shouldnotbeentirelyoverlooked。]
  Aftersuchadeed,whatevermighthavebeenthedesignsofGallus,itwasonlyinafieldofbattlethathecouldasserthisinnocencewithanyhopeofsuccess。Butthemindofthatprincewasformedofanequalmixtureofviolenceandweakness。InsteadofassumingthetitleofAugustus,insteadofemployinginhisdefencethetroopsandtreasuresoftheEast,hesufferedhimselftobedeceivedbytheaffectedtranquillityofConstantius,who,leavinghimthevainpageantryofacourt,imperceptiblyrecalledtheveteranlegionsfromtheprovincesofAsia。ButasitstillappeareddangeroustoarrestGallusinhiscapital,theslowandsaferartsofdissimulationwerepractisedwithsuccess。ThefrequentandpressingepistlesofConstantiuswerefilledwithprofessionsofconfidenceandfriendship;exhortingtheCaesartodischargethedutiesofhishighstation,torelievehiscolleaguefromapartofthepubliccares,andtoassisttheWestbyhispresence,hiscounsels,andhisarms。Aftersomanyreciprocalinjuries,Gallushadreasontofearandtodistrust。
  Buthehadneglectedtheopportunitiesofflightandofresistance;hewasseducedbytheflatteringassurancesofthetribuneScudilo,who,underthesemblanceofaroughsoldier,disguisedthemostartfulinsinuation;andhedependedonthecreditofhiswifeConstantina,tilltheunseasonabledeathofthatprincesscompletedtheruininwhichhehadbeeninvolvedbyherimpetuouspassions。^22
  [Footnote22:Shehadprecededherhusband,butdiedofafeverontheroadatalittleplaceinBithynia,calledCoenumGallicanum。]
  ChapterXIX:ConstantiusSoleEmperor。
  PartII。
  Afteralongdelay,thereluctantCaesarsetforwardsonhisjourneytotheImperialcourt。FromAntiochtoHadrianople,hetraversedthewideextentofhisdominionswithanumerousandstatelytrain;andashelaboredtoconcealhisapprehensionsfromtheworld,andperhapsfromhimself,heentertainedthepeopleofConstantinoplewithanexhibitionofthegamesofthecircus。Theprogressofthejourneymight,however,havewarnedhimoftheimpendingdanger。Inalltheprincipalcitieshewasmetbyministersofconfidence,commissionedtoseizetheofficesofgovernment,toobservehismotions,andtopreventthehastysalliesofhisdespair。Thepersonsdespatchedtosecuretheprovinceswhichheleftbehind,passedhimwithcoldsalutations,oraffecteddisdain;andthetroops,whosestationlayalongthepublicroad,werestudiouslyremovedonhisapproach,lesttheymightbetemptedtooffertheirswordsfortheserviceofacivilwar。^23AfterGallushadbeenpermittedtoreposehimselfafewdaysatHadrianople,hereceivedamandate,expressedinthemosthaughtyandabsolutestyle,thathissplendidretinueshouldhaltinthatcity,whiletheCaesarhimself,withonlytenpost—carriages,shouldhastentotheImperialresidenceatMilan。
  Inthisrapidjourney,theprofoundrespectwhichwasduetothebrotherandcolleagueofConstantius,wasinsensiblychangedintorudefamiliarity;andGallus,whodiscoveredinthecountenancesoftheattendantsthattheyalreadyconsideredthemselvesashisguards,andmightsoonbeemployedashisexecutioners,begantoaccusehisfatalrashness,andtorecollect,withterrorandremorse,theconductbywhichhehadprovokedhisfate。Thedissimulationwhichhadhithertobeenpreserved,waslaidasideatPetovio,inPannonia。Hewasconductedtoapalaceinthesuburbs,wherethegeneralBarbatio,withaselectbandofsoldiers,whocouldneitherbemovedbypity,norcorruptedbyrewards,expectedthearrivalofhisillustriousvictim。Inthecloseoftheeveninghewasarrested,ignominiouslystrippedoftheensignsofCaesar,andhurriedawaytoPola,^!inIstria,asequesteredprison,whichhadbeensorecentlypollutedwithroyalblood。ThehorrorwhichhefeltwassoonincreasedbytheappearanceofhisimplacableenemytheeunuchEusebius,who,withtheassistanceofanotaryandatribune,proceededtointerrogatehimconcerningtheadministrationoftheEast。TheCaesarsankundertheweightofshameandguilt,confessedallthecriminalactionsandallthetreasonabledesignswithwhichhewascharged;andbyimputingthemtotheadviceofhiswife,exasperatedtheindignationofConstantius,whoreviewedwithpartialprejudicetheminutesoftheexamination。Theemperorwaseasilyconvinced,thathisownsafetywasincompatiblewiththelifeofhiscousin:thesentenceofdeathwassigned,despatched,andexecuted;andthenephewofConstantine,withhishandstiedbehindhisback,wasbeheadedinprisonlikethevilestmalefactor。^24ThosewhoareinclinedtopalliatethecrueltiesofConstantius,assertthathesoonrelented,andendeavoredtorecallthebloodymandate;butthatthesecondmessenger,intrustedwiththereprieve,wasdetainedbytheeunuchs,whodreadedtheunforgivingtemperofGallus,andweredesirousofreunitingtotheirempirethewealthyprovincesoftheEast。^25
  [Footnote23:TheThebaeanlegions,whichwerethenquarteredatHadrianople,sentadeputationtoGallus,withatenderoftheirservices。Ammian。l。xiv。c。11。TheNotitias。6,20,38,edit。Labb。mentionsthreeseverallegionswhichborethenameofThebaean。ThezealofM。deVoltairetodestroyadespicablethoughcelebratedlegion,hastemptedhimontheslightestgroundstodenytheexistenceofaThenaeanlegionintheRomanarmies。SeeOeuvresdeVoltaire,tom。xv。p。414,quartoedition。]
  [Footnote*:PettauinStyria。—M]
  [Footnote*:RathertoFlanonia。nowFianone,nearPola。St。
  Martin。—M。]
  [Footnote24:SeethecompletenarrativeofthejourneyanddeathofGallusinAmmianus,l。xiv。c。11。Juliancomplainsthathisbrotherwasputtodeathwithoutatrial;attemptstojustify,oratleasttoexcuse,thecruelrevengewhichhehadinflictedonhisenemies;butseemsatlasttoacknowledgethathemightjustlyhavebeendeprivedofthepurple。]
  [Footnote25:Philostorgius,l。iv。c。1。Zonaras,l。xiii。tom。
  ii。p。19。ButtheformerwaspartialtowardsanArianmonarch,andthelattertranscribed,withoutchoiceorcriticism,whateverhefoundinthewritingsoftheancients。]
  Besidesthereigningemperor,Julianalonesurvived,ofallthenumerousposterityofConstantiusChlorus。ThemisfortuneofhisroyalbirthinvolvedhiminthedisgraceofGallus。FromhisretirementinthehappycountryofIonia,hewasconveyedunderastrongguardtothecourtofMilan;wherehelanguishedabovesevenmonths,inthecontinualapprehensionofsufferingthesameignominiousdeath,whichwasdailyinflictedalmostbeforehiseyes,onthefriendsandadherentsofhispersecutedfamily。Hislooks,hisgestures,hissilence,werescrutinizedwithmalignantcuriosity,andhewasperpetuallyassaultedbyenemieswhomhehadneveroffended,andbyartstowhichhewasastranger。^26
  Butintheschoolofadversity,Julianinsensiblyacquiredthevirtuesoffirmnessanddiscretion。Hedefendedhishonor,aswellashislife,againsttheinsnaringsubtletiesoftheeunuchs,whoendeavoredtoextortsomedeclarationofhissentiments;andwhilsthecautiouslysuppressedhisgriefandresentment,henoblydisdainedtoflatterthetyrant,byanyseemingapprobationofhisbrother'smurder。Julianmostdevoutlyascribeshismiraculousdeliverancetotheprotectionofthegods,whohadexemptedhisinnocencefromthesentenceofdestructionpronouncedbytheirjusticeagainsttheimpioushouseofConstantine。^27Asthemosteffectualinstrumentoftheirprovidence,hegratefullyacknowledgesthesteadyandgenerousfriendshipoftheempressEusebia,^28awomanofbeautyandmerit,who,bytheascendantwhichshehadgainedoverthemindofherhusband,counterbalanced,insomemeasure,thepowerfulconspiracyoftheeunuchs。Bytheintercessionofhispatroness,JulianwasadmittedintotheImperialpresence:hepleadedhiscausewithadecentfreedom,hewasheardwithfavor;and,notwithstandingtheeffortsofhisenemies,whourgedthedangerofsparinganavengerofthebloodofGallus,themildersentimentofEusebiaprevailedinthecouncil。Buttheeffectsofasecondinterviewweredreadedbytheeunuchs;andJulianwasadvisedtowithdrawforawhileintotheneighborhoodofMilan,tilltheemperorthoughtpropertoassignthecityofAthensfortheplaceofhishonorableexile。Ashehaddiscovered,fromhisearliestyouth,apropensity,orratherpassion,forthelanguage,themanners,thelearning,andthereligionoftheGreeks,heobeyedwithpleasureanordersoagreeabletohiswishes。Farfromthetumultofarms,andthetreacheryofcourts,hespentsixmonthsunderthegrovesoftheacademy,inafreeintercoursewiththephilosophersoftheage,whostudiedtocultivatethegenius,toencouragethevanity,andtoinflamethedevotionoftheirroyalpupil。Theirlaborswerenotunsuccessful;andJulianinviolablypreservedforAthensthattenderregardwhichseldomfailstoariseinaliberalmind,fromtherecollectionoftheplacewhereithasdiscoveredandexerciseditsgrowingpowers。Thegentlenessandaffabilityofmanners,whichhistempersuggestedandhissituationimposed,insensiblyengagedtheaffectionsofthestrangers,aswellascitizens,withwhomheconversed。Someofhisfellow—studentsmightperhapsexaminehisbehaviorwithaneyeofprejudiceandaversion;butJulianestablished,intheschoolsofAthens,ageneralprepossessioninfavorofhisvirtuesandtalents,whichwassoondiffusedovertheRomanworld。^29
  [Footnote26:SeeAmmianusMarcellin。l。xv。c。1,3,8。JulianhimselfinhisepistletotheAthenians,drawsaverylivelyandjustpictureofhisowndanger,andofhissentiments。Heshows,however,atendencytoexaggeratehissufferings,byinsinuating,thoughinobscureterms,thattheylastedaboveayear;aperiodwhichcannotbereconciledwiththetruthofchronology。]
  [Footnote27:JulianhasworkedthecrimesandmisfortunesofthefamilyofConstantineintoanallegoricalfable,whichishappilyconceivedandagreeablyrelated。ItformstheconclusionoftheseventhOration,fromwhenceithasbeendetachedandtranslatedbytheAbbedelaBleterie,ViedeJovien,tom。ii。p。385—408。]
  [Footnote28:ShewasanativeofThessalonica,inMacedonia,ofanoblefamily,andthedaughter,aswellassister,ofconsuls。
  Hermarriagewiththeemperormaybeplacedintheyear352。Inadividedage,thehistoriansofallpartiesagreeinherpraises。SeetheirtestimoniescollectedbyTillemont,Hist。desEmpereurs,tom。iv。p。750—754。]
  [Footnote29:LibaniusandGregoryNazianzenhaveexhaustedtheartsaswellasthepowersoftheireloquence,torepresentJulianasthefirstofheroes,ortheworstoftyrants。Gregorywashisfellow—studentatAthens;andthesymptomswhichhesotragicallydescribes,ofthefuturewickednessoftheapostate,amountonlytosomebodilyimperfections,andtosomepeculiaritiesinhisspeechandmanner。Heprotests,however,thathethenforesawandforetoldthecalamitiesofthechurchandstate。Greg。Nazianzen,Orat。iv。p。121,122。]
  Whilsthishourswerepassedinstudiousretirement,theempress,resolutetoachievethegenerousdesignwhichshehadundertaken,wasnotunmindfulofthecareofhisfortune。ThedeathofthelateCaesarhadleftConstantiusinvestedwiththesolecommand,andoppressedbytheaccumulatedweight,ofamightyempire。Beforethewoundsofcivildiscordcouldbehealed,theprovincesofGaulwereoverwhelmedbyadelugeofBarbarians。TheSarmatiansnolongerrespectedthebarrieroftheDanube。TheimpunityofrapinehadincreasedtheboldnessandnumbersofthewildIsaurians:thoserobbersdescendedfromtheircraggymountainstoravagetheadjacentcountry,andhadevenpresumed,thoughwithoutsuccess,tobesiegetheimportantcityofSeleucia,whichwasdefendedbyagarrisonofthreeRomanlegions。Aboveall,thePersianmonarch,elatedbyvictory,againthreatenedthepeaceofAsia,andthepresenceoftheemperorwasindispensablyrequired,bothintheWestandintheEast。Forthefirsttime,Constantiussincerelyacknowledged,thathissinglestrengthwasunequaltosuchanextentofcareandofdominion。^30Insensibletothevoiceofflattery,whichassuredhimthathisall—powerfulvirtue,andcelestialfortune,wouldstillcontinuetotriumphovereveryobstacle,helistenedwithcomplacencytotheadviceofEusebia,whichgratifiedhisindolence,withoutoffendinghissuspiciouspride。AssheperceivedthattheremembranceofGallusdweltontheemperor'smind,sheartfullyturnedhisattentiontotheoppositecharactersofthetwobrothers,whichfromtheirinfancyhadbeencomparedtothoseofDomitianandofTitus。^31SheaccustomedherhusbandtoconsiderJulianasayouthofamild,unambitiousdisposition,whoseallegianceandgratitudemightbesecuredbythegiftofthepurple,andwhowasqualifiedtofillwithhonorasubordinatestation,withoutaspiringtodisputethecommands,ortoshadetheglories,ofhissovereignandbenefactor。Afteranobstinate,thoughsecretstruggle,theoppositionofthefavoriteeunuchssubmittedtotheascendencyoftheempress;anditwasresolvedthatJulian,aftercelebratinghisnuptialswithHelena,sisterofConstantius,shouldbeappointed,withthetitleofCaesar,toreignoverthecountriesbeyondtheAlps。^32
  [Footnote30:Succumberetotnecessitatibustamquecrebrisunumse,quodnunquamfecerat,apertedemonstrans。Ammian。l。xv。c。
  8。Hethenexpresses,intheirownwords,thefatteringassurancesofthecourtiers。]
  [Footnote31:TantumatemperatismoribusJulianidifferensfratrisquantuminterVespasianifiliosfuit,DomitianumetTitum。Ammian。l。xiv。c。11。Thecircumstancesandeducationofthetwobrothers,weresonearlythesame,astoaffordastrongexampleoftheinnatedifferenceofcharacters。]
  [Footnote32:Ammianus,l。xv。c。8。Zosimus,l。iii。p。137,138。]
  Althoughtheorderwhichrecalledhimtocourtwasprobablyaccompaniedbysomeintimationofhisapproachinggreatness,heappealstothepeopleofAthenstowitnesshistearsofundissembledsorrow,whenhewasreluctantlytornawayfromhisbelovedretirement。^33Hetrembledforhislife,forhisfame,andevenforhisvirtue;andhissoleconfidencewasderivedfromthepersuasion,thatMinervainspiredallhisactions,andthathewasprotectedbyaninvisibleguardofangels,whomforthatpurposeshehadborrowedfromtheSunandMoon。Heapproached,withhorror,thepalaceofMilan;norcouldtheingenuousyouthconcealhisindignation,whenhefoundhimselfaccostedwithfalseandservilerespectbytheassassinsofhisfamily。
  Eusebia,rejoicinginthesuccessofherbenevolentschemes,embracedhimwiththetendernessofasister;andendeavored,bythemostsoothingcaresses,todispelhisterrors,andreconcilehimtohisfortune。Buttheceremonyofshavinghisbeard,andhisawkwarddemeanor,whenhefirstexchangedthecloakofaGreekphilosopherforthemilitaryhabitofaRomanprince,amused,duringafewdays,thelevityoftheImperialcourt。^34
  [Footnote33:Julian。adS。P。Q。A。p。275,276。Libanius,Orat。x。p。268。Juliandidnotyieldtillthegodshadsignifiedtheirwillbyrepeatedvisionsandomens。Hispietythenforbadehimtoresist。]
  [Footnote34:Julianhimselfrelates,p。274withsomehumor,thecircumstancesofhisownmetamorphoses,hisdowncastlooks,andhisperplexityatbeingthussuddenlytransportedintoanewworld,whereeveryobjectappearedstrangeandhostile。]
  TheemperorsoftheageofConstantinenolongerdeignedtoconsultwiththesenateinthechoiceofacolleague;buttheywereanxiousthattheirnominationshouldberatifiedbytheconsentofthearmy。Onthissolemnoccasion,theguards,withtheothertroopswhosestationswereintheneighborhoodofMilan,appearedunderarms;andConstantiusascendedhisloftytribunal,holdingbythehandhiscousinJulian,whoenteredthesamedayintothetwenty—fifthyearofhisage。^35Inastudiedspeech,conceivedanddeliveredwithdignity,theemperorrepresentedthevariousdangerswhichthreatenedtheprosperityoftherepublic,thenecessityofnamingaCaesarfortheadministrationoftheWest,andhisownintention,ifitwasagreeabletotheirwishes,ofrewardingwiththehonorsofthepurplethepromisingvirtuesofthenephewofConstantine。Theapprobationofthesoldierswastestifiedbyarespectfulmurmur;