[Footnote*:ThetroopsofRogerdeFlor,accordingtohiscompanionsRamondeMontaner,were1500menatarms,4000
Almogavares,and1040otherfoot,besidesthesailorsandmariners,vol。ii。p。137。—M。]
[Footnote!:RamondeMontanersuppressesthecrueltiesandoppressionsoftheCatalans,inwhich,perhaps,heshared。—M]
[Footnote48:Someideamaybeformedofthepopulationofthesecities,fromthe36,000inhabitantsofTralles,which,intheprecedingreign,wasrebuiltbytheemperor,andruinedbytheTurks。Pachymer,l。vi。c。20,21。]
[Footnote49:IhavecollectedthesepecuniarycircumstancesfromPachymer,l。xi。c。21,l。xii。c。4,5,8,14,19,whodescribestheprogressivedegradationofthegoldcoin。EvenintheprosperoustimesofJohnDucasVataces,thebyzantswerecomposedinequalproportionsofthepureandthebasermetal。
ThepovertyofMichaelPalaeologuscompelledhimtostrikeanewcoin,withnineparts,orcarats,ofgold,andfifteenofcopperalloy。Afterhisdeath,thestandardrosetotencarats,tillinthepublicdistressitwasreducedtothemoiety。Theprincewasrelievedforamoment,whilecreditandcommercewereforeverblasted。InFrance,thegoldcoinisoftwenty—twocarats,onetwelfthalloy,andthestandardofEnglandandHollandisstillhigher。]
[Footnote*:RogerdeFlor,accordingtoRamondeMontaner,wasrecalledfromNatolia,onaccountofthewarwhichhadarisenonthedeathofAsan,kingofBulgaria。Andronicusclaimedthekingdomforhisnephew,thesonsofAsanbyhissister。RogerdeFlorturnedthetideofsuccessinfavoroftheemperorofConstantinopleandmadepeace。—M。]
[Footnote*:AndronicuspaidtheCatalansinthedebasedmoney,muchtotheirindignation。—M。]
[Footnote!!:AccordingtoRamondeMontaner,hewasmurderedbyorderofKyrMichael,sonoftheemperor。p。170。—M。]
[Footnote!!!:RamondeMontanerdescribeshissojournatGallipoli:Nousetionssiriches,quenousnesemions,ninelabourions,ninefaisionsenverdesvinsninecultivionslesvignes:etcependanttouslesansnousrecucillionstourcequ'ilnousfallait,envin,fromentetavoine。p。193。Thislastedforfivemerryyears。RamondeMontanerishighauthority,forhewas"chancelieretmaitrerationaldel'armee,"commissaryofrations。Hewasleftgovernor;allthescribesofthearmyremainedwithhim,andwiththeiraidhekeptthebooksinwhichwereregisteredthenumberofhorseandfootemployedoneachexpedition。Accordingtothisbooktheplunderwasshared,ofwhichhehadafifthforhistrouble。p。197。—M。]
[Footnote50:TheCatalanwarismostcopiouslyrelatedbyPachymer,inthexith,xiith,andxiiithbooks,tillhebreaksoffintheyear1308。NicephorusGregorasl。vii。3—6ismoreconciseandcomplete。Ducange,whoadoptstheseadventurersasFrench,hashuntedtheirfootstepswithhisusualdiligence,Hist。deC。P。l。vi。c。22—46。HequotesanArragonesehistory,whichIhavereadwithpleasure,andwhichtheSpaniardsextolasamodelofstyleandcomposition,ExpediciondelosCatalanesyArragonesescontraTurcosyGriegos:Barcelona,1623
inquarto:Madrid,1777,inoctavo。DonFranciscodeMoncadaCondedeOssona,mayimitateCaesarorSallust;hemaytranscribetheGreekorItaliancontemporaries:butheneverquoteshisauthorities,andIcannotdiscernanynationalrecordsoftheexploitsofhiscountrymen。
Note:RamondeMontaner,oneoftheCatalans,whoaccompaniedRogerdeFlor,andwhowasgovernorofGallipoli,haswritten,inSpanish,thehistoryofthisbandofadventurers,towhichhebelonged,andfromwhichheseparatedwhenitlefttheThracianChersonesetopenetrateintoMacedoniaandGreece。—G。
TheautobiographyofRamondeMontanerhasbeenpublishedinFrenchbyM。Buchon,inthegreatcollectionofMemoiresrelatifsal'HistoiredeFrance。Iquotethisedition。—M。]
Aftersomeagesofoblivion,GreecewasawakenedtonewmisfortunesbythearmsoftheLatins。InthetwohundredandfiftyyearsbetweenthefirstandthelastconquestofConstantinople,thatvenerablelandwasdisputedbyamultitudeofpettytyrants;withoutthecomfortsoffreedomandgenius,herancientcitieswereagainplungedinforeignandintestinewar;
and,ifservitudebepreferabletoanarchy,theymightreposewithjoyundertheTurkishyoke。Ishallnotpursuetheobscureandvariousdynasties,thatroseandfellonthecontinentorintheisles;butoursilenceonthefateofAthens^51wouldargueastrangeingratitudetothefirstandpurestschoolofliberalscienceandamusement。Inthepartitionoftheempire,theprincipalityofAthensandThebeswasassignedtoOthodelaRoche,anoblewarriorofBurgundy,^52withthetitleofgreatduke,^53whichtheLatinsunderstoodintheirownsense,andtheGreeksmorefoolishlyderivedfromtheageofConstantine。^54
OthofollowedthestandardofthemarquisofMontferrat:theamplestatewhichheacquiredbyamiracleofconductorfortune,^55waspeaceablyinheritedbyhissonandtwograndsons,tillthefamily,thoughnotthenation,waschanged,bythemarriageofanheiressintotheelderbranchofthehouseofBrienne。Thesonofthatmarriage,WalterdeBrienne,succeededtotheduchyofAthens;and,withtheaidofsomeCatalanmercenaries,whomheinvestedwithfiefs,reducedabovethirtycastlesofthevassalorneighboringlords。Butwhenhewasinformedoftheapproachandambitionofthegreatcompany,hecollectedaforceofsevenhundredknights,sixthousandfourhundredhorse,andeightthousandfoot,andboldlymetthemonthebanksoftheRiverCephisusinBoeotia。TheCatalansamountedtonomorethanthreethousandfivehundredhorse,andfourthousandfoot;butthedeficiencyofnumberswascompensatedbystratagemandorder。
Theyformedroundtheircampanartificialinundation;thedukeandhisknightsadvancedwithoutfearorprecautionontheverdantmeadow;theirhorsesplungedintothebog;andhewascutinpieces,withthegreatestpartoftheFrenchcavalry。Hisfamilyandnationwereexpelled;andhissonWalterdeBrienne,thetitulardukeofAthens,thetyrantofFlorence,andtheconstableofFrance,losthislifeinthefieldofPoitiersAtticaandBoeotiaweretherewardsofthevictoriousCatalans;
theymarriedthewidowsanddaughtersoftheslain;andduringfourteenyears,thegreatcompanywastheterroroftheGrecianstates。TheirfactionsdrovethemtoacknowledgethesovereigntyofthehouseofArragon;andduringtheremainderofthefourteenthcentury,Athens,asagovernmentoranappanage,wassuccessivelybestowedbythekingsofSicily。AftertheFrenchandCatalans,thethirddynastywasthatoftheAccaioli,afamily,plebeianatFlorence,potentatNaples,andsovereigninGreece。Athens,whichtheyembellishedwithnewbuildings,becamethecapitalofastate,thatextendedoverThebes,Argos,Corinth,Delphi,andapartofThessaly;andtheirreignwasfinallydeterminedbyMahomettheSecond,whostrangledthelastduke,andeducatedhissonsinthedisciplineandreligionoftheseraglio。
[Footnote51:SeethelaborioushistoryofDucange,whoseaccuratetableoftheFrenchdynastiesrecapitulatesthethirty—fivepassages,inwhichhementionsthedukesofAthens。]
[Footnote52:HeistwicementionedbyVillehardouinwithhonor,No。151,235;andunderthefirstpassage,Ducangeobservesallthatcanbeknownofhispersonandfamily。]
[Footnote53:FromtheseLatinprincesofthexivthcentury,Boccace,Chaucer。andShakspeare,haveborrowedtheirTheseusdukeofAthens。Anignorantagetransfersitsownlanguageandmannerstothemostdistanttimes。]
[Footnote54:ThesameConstantinegavetoSicilyaking,toRussiathemagnusdapiferoftheempire,toThebestheprimicerius;andtheseabsurdfablesareproperlylashedbyDucange,adNicephor。Greg。l。vii。c。5。BytheLatins,thelordofThebeswasstyled,bycorruption,theMegasKurios,orGrandSire!]
[Footnote55:Quodammiraculo,saysAlberic。HewasprobablyreceivedbyMichaelChoniates,thearchbishopwhohaddefendedAthensagainstthetyrantLeoSgurus,Nicetasurbscapta,p。
805,ed。Bek。MichaelwasthebrotherofthehistorianNicetas;
andhisencomiumofAthensisstillextantinMs。intheBodleianlibrary,Fabric。Bibliot。Graectom。vi。p。405。
Note:NicetassaysexpresslythatMichaelsurrenderedtheAcropolistothemarquis。—M。]
Athens,^56thoughnomorethantheshadowofherformerself,stillcontainsabouteightortenthousandinhabitants;ofthese,threefourthsareGreeksinreligionandlanguage;andtheTurks,whocomposetheremainder,haverelaxed,intheirintercoursewiththecitizens,somewhatoftheprideandgravityoftheirnationalcharacter。Theolive—tree,thegiftofMinerva,flourishesinAttica;norhasthehoneyofMountHymettuslostanypartofitsexquisiteflavor:^57butthelanguidtradeismonopolizedbystrangers,andtheagricultureofabarrenlandisabandonedtothevagrantWalachians。TheAtheniansarestilldistinguishedbythesubtletyandacutenessoftheirunderstandings;butthesequalities,unlessennobledbyfreedom,andenlightenedbystudy,willdegenerateintoalowandselfishcunning:anditisaproverbialsayingofthecountry,"FromtheJewsofThessalonica,theTurksofNegropont,andtheGreeksofAthens,goodLorddeliverus!"ThisartfulpeoplehaseludedthetyrannyoftheTurkishbashaws,byanexpedientwhichalleviatestheirservitudeandaggravatestheirshame。Aboutthemiddleofthelastcentury,theAthenianschosefortheirprotectortheKislarAga,orchiefblackeunuchoftheseraglio。
ThisAethiopianslave,whopossessesthesultan'sear,condescendstoacceptthetributeofthirtythousandcrowns:hislieutenant,theWaywode,whomheannuallyconfirms,mayreserveforhisownaboutfiveorsixthousandmore;andsuchisthepolicyofthecitizens,thattheyseldomfailtoremoveandpunishanoppressivegovernor。Theirprivatedifferencesaredecidedbythearchbishop,oneoftherichestprelatesoftheGreekchurch,sincehepossessesarevenueofonethousandpoundssterling;andbyatribunaloftheeightgerontiorelders,chosenintheeightquartersofthecity:thenoblefamiliescannottracetheirpedigreeabovethreehundredyears;buttheirprincipalmembersaredistinguishedbyagravedemeanor,afurcap,andtheloftyappellationofarchon。Bysome,whodelightinthecontrast,themodernlanguageofAthensisrepresentedasthemostcorruptandbarbarousoftheseventydialectsofthevulgarGreek:^58thispictureistoodarklycolored:butitwouldnotbeeasy,inthecountryofPlatoandDemosthenes,tofindareaderoracopyoftheirworks。TheAthenianswalkwithsupineindifferenceamongthegloriousruinsofantiquity;andsuchisthedebasementoftheircharacter,thattheyareincapableofadmiringthegeniusoftheirpredecessors。^59
[Footnote56:ThemodernaccountofAthens,andtheAthenians,isextractedfromSpon,VoyageenGrece,tom。ii。p。79—199,andWheeler,TravelsintoGreece,p。337—414,Stuart,AntiquitiesofAthens,passim,andChandler,TravelsintoGreece,p。23—172。ThefirstofthesetravellersvisitedGreeceintheyear1676;thelast,1765;andninetyyearshadnotproducedmuchdifferenceinthetranquilscene。]
[Footnote57:Theancients,oratleasttheAthenians,believedthatallthebeesintheworldhadbeenpropagatedfromMountHymettus。Theytaught,thathealthmightbepreserved,andlifeprolonged,bytheexternaluseofoil,andtheinternaluseofhoney,Geoponica,l。xv。c7,p。1089—1094,edit。Niclas。]
[Footnote58:Ducange,Glossar。Graec。Praefat。p。8,whoquotesforhisauthorTheodosiusZygomalas,amoderngrammarian。YetSpontom。ii。p。194andWheeler,p。355,noincompetentjudges,entertainamorefavorableopinionoftheAtticdialect。]
[Footnote59:YetwemustnotaccusethemofcorruptingthenameofAthens,whichtheystillcallAthini。WehaveformedourownbarbarismofSetines。
Note:GibbondidnotforeseeaBavarianprinceonthethroneofGreece,withAthensashiscapital。—M。]
ChapterLXIII:CivilWarsAndTheRuinOfTheGreekEmpire。
PartI。
CivilWars,AndRuinOfTheGreekEmpire。—ReignsOfAndronicus,TheElderAndYounger,AndJohnPalaeologus。—
Regency,Revolt,Reign,AndAbdicationOfJohnCantacuzene。—
EstablishmentOfAGenoeseColonyAtPeraOrGalata。—TheirWarsWithTheEmpireAndCityOfConstantinople。
ThelongreignofAndronicus^1theelderischieflymemorablebythedisputesoftheGreekchurch,theinvasionoftheCatalans,andtheriseoftheOttomanpower。Heiscelebratedasthemostlearnedandvirtuousprinceoftheage;
butsuchvirtue,andsuchlearning,contributedneithertotheperfectionoftheindividual,nortothehappinessofsocietyA
slaveofthemostabjectsuperstition,hewassurroundedonallsidesbyvisibleandinvisibleenemies;norweretheflamesofhelllessdreadfultohisfancy,thanthoseofaCatalanorTurkishwar。UnderthereignofthePalaeologi,thechoiceofthepatriarchwasthemostimportantbusinessofthestate;theheadsoftheGreekchurchwereambitiousandfanaticmonks;andtheirvicesorvirtues,theirlearningorignorance,wereequallymischievousorcontemptible。Byhisintemperatediscipline,thepatriarchAthanasius^2excitedthehatredoftheclergyandpeople:hewasheardtodeclare,thatthesinnershouldswallowthelastdregsofthecupofpenance;andthefoolishtalewaspropagatedofhispunishingasacrilegiousassthathadtastedthelettuceofaconventgarden。Drivenfromthethronebytheuniversalclamor,Athanasiuscomposedbeforehisretreattwopapersofaveryoppositecast。Hispublictestamentwasinthetoneofcharityandresignation;theprivatecodicilbreathedthedirestanathemasagainsttheauthorsofhisdisgrace,whomheexcludedforeverfromthecommunionoftheholytrinity,theangels,andthesaints。Thislastpaperheenclosedinanearthenpot,whichwasplaced,byhisorder,onthetopofoneofthepillars,inthedomeofSt。Sophia,inthedistanthopeofdiscoveryandrevenge。Attheendoffouryears,someyouths,climbingbyaladderinsearchofpigeons'nests,detectedthefatalsecret;and,asAndronicusfelthimselftouchedandboundbytheexcommunication,hetrembledonthebrinkoftheabysswhichhadbeensotreacherouslydugunderhisfeet。Asynodofbishopswasinstantlyconvenedtodebatethisimportantquestion:
therashnessoftheseclandestineanathemaswasgenerallycondemned;butastheknotcouldbeuntiedonlybythesamehand,asthathandwasnowdeprivedofthecrosier,itappearedthatthisposthumousdecreewasirrevocablebyanyearthlypower。
Somefainttestimoniesofrepentanceandpardonwereextortedfromtheauthorofthemischief;buttheconscienceoftheemperorwasstillwounded,andhedesired,withnolessardorthanAthanasiushimself,therestorationofapatriarch,bywhomalonehecouldbehealed。Atthedeadofnight,amonkrudelyknockedatthedooroftheroyalbed—chamber,announcingarevelationofplagueandfamine,ofinundationsandearthquakes。
Andronicusstartedfromhisbed,andspentthenightinprayer,tillhefelt,orthoughtthathefelt,aslightmotionoftheearth。TheemperoronfootledthebishopsandmonkstothecellofAthanasius;and,afteraproperresistance,thesaint,fromwhomthismessagehadbeensent,consentedtoabsolvetheprince,andgovernthechurchofConstantinople。Untamedbydisgrace,andhardenedbysolitude,theshepherdwasagainodioustotheflock,andhisenemiescontrivedasingular,andasitproved,asuccessful,modeofrevenge。Inthenight,theystoleawaythefootstoolorfoot—clothofhisthrone,whichtheysecretlyreplacedwiththedecorationofasatiricalpicture。Theemperorwaspaintedwithabridleinhismouth,andAthanasiusleadingthetractablebeasttothefeetofChrist。Theauthorsofthelibelweredetectedandpunished;butastheirliveshadbeenspared,theChristianpriestinsullenindignationretiredtohiscell;andtheeyesofAndronicus,whichhadbeenopenedforamoment,wereagainclosedbyhissuccessor。
[Footnote1:Andronicushimselfwilljustifyourfreedomintheinvective,NicephorusGregoras,l。i。c。i。,whichhepronouncedagainsthistoricfalsehood。Itistrue,thathiscensureismorepointedlyurgedagainstcalumnythanagainstadulation。]
[Footnote2:Fortheanathemainthepigeon'snest,seePachymer,l。ix。c。24,whorelatesthegeneralhistoryofAthanasius,l。viii。c。13—16,20,24,l。x。c。27—29,31—36,l。xi。
c。1—3,5,6,l。xiii。c。8,10,23,35,andisfollowedbyNicephorusGregoras,l。vi。c。5,7,l。vii。c。1,9,whoincludesthesecondretreatofthissecondChrysostom。]
Ifthistransactionbeoneofthemostcuriousandimportantofareignoffiftyyears,Icannotatleastaccusethebrevityofmymaterials,sinceIreduceintosomefewpagestheenormousfoliosofPachymer,^3Cantacuzene,^4andNicephorusGregoras,^5whohavecomposedtheprolixandlanguidstoryofthetimes。
ThenameandsituationoftheemperorJohnCantacuzenemightinspirethemostlivelycuriosity。HismemorialsoffortyyearsextendfromtherevoltoftheyoungerAndronicustohisownabdicationoftheempire;anditisobserved,that,likeMosesandCaesar,hewastheprincipalactorinthesceneswhichhedescribes。Butinthiseloquentworkweshouldvainlyseekthesincerityofaheroorapenitent。Retiredinacloisterfromthevicesandpassionsoftheworld,hepresentsnotaconfession,butanapology,ofthelifeofanambitiousstatesman。Insteadofunfoldingthetruecounselsandcharactersofmen,hedisplaysthesmoothandspecioussurfaceofevents,highlyvarnishedwithhisownpraisesandthoseofhisfriends。
Theirmotivesarealwayspure;theirendsalwayslegitimate:theyconspireandrebelwithoutanyviewsofinterest;andtheviolencewhichtheyinflictorsufferiscelebratedasthespontaneouseffectofreasonandvirtue。
[Footnote3:Pachymer,insevenbooks,377foliopages,describesthefirsttwenty—sixyearsofAndronicustheElder;andmarksthedateofhiscompositionbythecurrentnewsorlieoftheday,A。D。1308。Eitherdeathordisgustpreventedhimfromresumingthepen。]
[Footnote4:Afteranintervaloftwelveyears,fromtheconclusionofPachymer,Cantacuzenustakesupthepen;andhisfirstbookc。1—59,p。9—150relatesthecivilwar,andtheeightlastyearsoftheelderAndronicus。TheingeniouscomparisonwithMosesandCaesarisfanciedbyhisFrenchtranslator,thepresidentCousin。]
[Footnote5:NicephorusGregorasmorebrieflyincludestheentirelifeandreignofAndronicustheelder,l。vi。c。1,p。96—
291。ThisisthepartofwhichCantacuzenecomplainsasafalseandmaliciousrepresentationofhisconduct。]
AftertheexampleofthefirstofthePalaeologi,theelderAndronicusassociatedhissonMichaeltothehonorsofthepurple;andfromtheageofeighteentohisprematuredeath,thatprincewasacknowledged,abovetwenty—fiveyears,asthesecondemperoroftheGreeks。^6Attheheadofanarmy,heexcitedneitherthefearsoftheenemy,northejealousyofthecourt;