Theresolutionsofthemultitudegenerallydependonamoment；andthecapriceofpassionmightequallydeterminetheseditiouslegiontolaydowntheirarmsattheemperor\'sfeet，ortoplungethemintohisbreast。Perhaps，ifthissingulartransactionhadbeeninvestigatedbythepenetrationofaphilosopher，weshoulddiscoverthesecretcauseswhichonthatoccasionauthorizedtheboldnessoftheprince，andcommandedtheobedienceofthetroops；andperhaps，ifithadbeenrelatedbyajudicioushistorian，weshouldfindthisaction，worthyofCaesarhimself，reducednearertothelevelofprobabilityandthecommonstandardofthecharacterofAlexanderSeverus。Theabilitiesofthatamiableprinceseemtohavebeeninadequatetothedifficultiesofhissituation，thefirmnessofhisconductinferiortothepurityofhisintentions。Hisvirtues，aswellasthevicesofElagabalus，contractedatinctureofweaknessandeffeminacyfromthesoftclimateofSyria，ofwhichhewasanative；thoughheblushedathisforeignorigin，andlistenedwithavaincomplacencytotheflatteringgenealogists，whoderivedhisracefromtheancientstockofRomannobility。^79

　　Theprideandavariceofhismothercastashadeonthegloriesofhisreign；anbyexactingfromhisriperyearsthesamedutifulobediencewhichshehadjustlyclaimedfromhisunexperiencedyouth，Mamaeaexposedtopublicridiculebothherson\'scharacterandherown。^80ThefatiguesofthePersianwarirritatedthemilitarydiscontent；theunsuccessfulevent

　　degradedthereputationoftheemperorasageneral，andevenasasoldier。Everycauseprepared，andeverycircumstancehastened，arevolution，whichdistractedtheRomanempirewithalongseriesofintestinecalamities。

　　[Footnote79:FromtheMetelli。Hist。August。p。119。Thechoicewasjudicious。Inoneshortperiodoftwelveyears，theMetellicouldreckonsevenconsulshipsandfivetriumphs。SeeVelleiusPaterculus，ii。11，andtheFasti。]

　　[Footnote80:ThelifeofAlexander，intheAugustanHistory，isthemereideaofaperfectprince，anawkwardimitationoftheCyropaedia。Theaccountofhisreign，asgivenbyHerodian，isrationalandmoderate，consistentwiththegeneralhistoryoftheage；and，insomeofthemostinvidiousparticulars，confirmedbythedecisivefragmentsofDion。Yetfromaverypaltryprejudice，thegreaternumberofourmodernwritersabuseHerodian，andcopytheAugustanHistory。SeeMessdeTillemontandWotton。Fromtheoppositeprejudice，theemperorJulianinCaesarib。p。315dwellswithavisiblesatisfactionontheeffeminateweaknessoftheSyrian，andtheridiculousavariceofhismother。]

......

购买会员看全站小说，或者下载APP免费观看所有作品 点击立即下载，搜索"History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empir",免费读到尾