sixteenthousandofthosebarbariansremainedonthefieldofbattle，andthenumberofcaptivesamountedtotwentythousand。
Theoldemperor，animatedwiththefameandprospectofvictory，pursuedhismarch，inthemidstofwinter，throughthecountriesofThraceandAsiaMinor，andatlength，withhisyoungerson，Numerian，arrivedontheconfinesofthePersianmonarchy。
There，encampingonthesummitofaloftymountain，hepointedouttohistroopstheopulenceandluxuryoftheenemywhomtheywereabouttoinvade。
[Footnote71:Hist。August。p。353。Eutropius，ix。18。Pagi。
Annal。]
ThesuccessorofArtaxerxes，Varanes，orBahram，thoughhehadsubduedtheSegestans，oneofthemostwarlikenationsofUpperAsia，^72wasalarmedattheapproachoftheRomans，andendeavoredtoretardtheirprogressbyanegotiationofpeace。^!
Hisambassadorsenteredthecampaboutsunset，atthetimewhenthetroopsweresatisfyingtheirhungerwithafrugalrepast。ThePersiansexpressedtheirdesireofbeingintroducedtothepresenceoftheRomanemperor。Theywereatlengthconductedtoasoldier，whowasseatedonthegrass。Apieceofstalebaconandafewhardpeascomposedhissupper。Acoarsewoollengarmentofpurplewastheonlycircumstancethatannouncedhisdignity。Theconferencewasconductedwiththesamedisregardofcourtlyelegance。Carus，takingoffacapwhichheworetoconcealhisbaldness，assuredtheambassadors，that，unlesstheirmasteracknowledgedthesuperiorityofRome，hewouldspeedilyrenderPersiaasnakedoftreesashisownheadwasdestituteofhair。^73Notwithstandingsometracesofartandpreparation，wemaydiscoverinthisscenethemannersofCarus，andtheseveresimplicitywhichthemartialprinces，whosucceededGallienus，hadalreadyrestoredintheRomancamps。TheministersoftheGreatKingtrembledandretired。
[Footnote*:Threemonarchshadintervened，Sapor，Shahpour，
Hormisdas，Hormooz，Varanes；BaharamtheFirst。—M。]
[Footnote72:Agathias，l。iv。p。135。WefindoneofhissayingsintheBibliothequeOrientaleofM。d\'Herbelot。\"Thedefinitionofhumanityincludesallothervirtues。\"]
[Footnote!:ThemannerinwhichhislifewassavedbytheChiefPontifffromaconspiracyofhisnobles，isasremarkableashissaying。\"BytheadviceofthePontiffallthenoblesabsentedthemselvesfromcourt。Thekingwanderedthroughhispalacealone。Hesawnoone；allwassilencearound。Hebecamealarmedanddistressed。AtlasttheChiefPontiffappeared，andbowedhisheadinapparentmisery，butspokenotaword。Thekingentreatedhimtodeclarewhathadhappened。Thevirtuousmanboldlyrelatedallthathadpassed，andconjuredBahram，inthenameofhisgloriousancestors，tochangehisconductandsavehimselffromdestruction。Thekingwasmuchmoved，professedhimselfmostpenitent，andsaidhewasresolvedhisfuturelifeshouldprovehissincerity。TheoverjoyedHighPriest，delightedatthissuccess，madeasignal，atwhichallthenoblesandattendantswereinaninstant，asifbymagic，intheirusualplaces。Themonarchnowperceivedthatonlyoneopinionprevailedonhispastconduct。HerepeatedthereforetohisnoblesallhehadsaidtotheChiefPontiff，andhisfuturereignwasunstainedbycrueltyoroppression。\"Malcolm\'sPersia，—M。]
[Footnote73:SynesiustellsthisstoryofCarinus；anditismuchmorenaturaltounderstanditofCarus，thanasPetaviusandTillemontchoosetodoofProbus。]
ThethreatsofCaruswerenotwithouteffect。HeravagedMesopotamia，cutinpieceswhateveropposedhispassage，madehimselfmasterofthegreatcitiesofSeleuciaandCtesiphon，whichseemedtohavesurrenderedwithoutresistance，andcarriedhisvictoriousarmsbeyondtheTigris。^74Hehadseizedthefavorablemomentforaninvasion。ThePersiancouncilsweredistractedbydomesticfactions，andthegreaterpartoftheirforcesweredetainedonthefrontiersofIndia。RomeandtheEastreceivedwithtransportsthenewsofsuchimportantadvantages。Flatteryandhopepainted，inthemostlivelycolors，thefallofPersia，theconquestofArabia，thesubmissionofEgypt，andalastingdeliverancefromtheinroadsoftheScythiannations。^75ButthereignofCaruswasdestinedtoexposethevanityofpredictions。Theywerescarcelyutteredbeforetheywerecontradictedbyhisdeath；aneventattendedwithsuchambiguouscircumstances，thatitmayberelatedinaletterfromhisownsecretarytothepraefectofthecity。
\"Carus，\"sayshe，\"ourdearestemperor，wasconfinedbysicknesstohisbed，whenafurioustempestaroseinthecamp。Thedarknesswhichoverspreadtheskywassothick，thatwecouldnolongerdistinguisheachother；andtheincessantflashesoflightningtookfromustheknowledgeofallthatpassedinthegeneralconfusion。Immediatelyafterthemostviolentclapofthunder，weheardasuddencrythattheemperorwasdead；anditsoonappeared，thathischamberlains，inarageofgrief，hadsetfiretotheroyalpavilion；acircumstancewhichgaverisetothereportthatCaruswaskilledbylightning。But，asfaraswehavebeenabletoinvestigatethetruth，hisdeathwasthenaturaleffectofhisdisorder。\"^76
[Footnote74:VopiscusinHist。August。p。250。Eutropius，ix。
18。ThetwoVictors。]
[Footnote75:TothePersianvictoryofCarusIreferthedialogueofthePhilopatris，whichhassolongbeenanobjectofdisputeamongthelearned。Buttoexplainandjustifymyopinion，wouldrequireadissertation。^
Note:Niebuhr，intheneweditionoftheByzantineHistorians，vol。x。hasboldlyassignedthePhilopatristothetenthcentury，andtothereignofNicephorusPhocas。AnopinionsodecisivelypronouncedbyNiebuhrandfavorablyreceivedbyHase，thelearnededitorofLeoDiaconus，commandsrespectfulconsideration。Butthewholetoneoftheworkappearstomealtogetherinconsistentwithanyperiodinwhichphilosophydidnotstand，asitwere，onsomegroundofequalitywithChristianity。ThedoctrineoftheTrinityissarcasticallyintroducedratherasthestrangedoctrineofanewreligion，thantheestablishedtenetofafaithuniversallyprevalent。Theargument，adoptedfromSolanus，concerningtheformulaoftheprocessionoftheHolyGhost，isutterlyworthless，asitisamerequotationinthewordsoftheGospelofSt。John，xv。26。
Theonlyargumentofanyvalueisthehistoricone，fromtheallusiontotherecentviolationofmanyvirginsintheIslandofCrete。ButneitheristhelanguageofNiebuhrquiteaccurate，norhisreferencetotheAcroasesofTheodosiussatisfactory。
When，then，couldthisoccurrencetakeplace?WhynotinthedevastationoftheislandbytheGothicpirates，duringthereignofClaudius。Hist。Aug。inClaud。p。814。edit。Var。Lugd。Bat1661。—M。]
[Footnote76:Hist。August。p。250。YetEutropius，Festus，Rufus，thetwoVictors，Jerome，SidoniusApollinaris，Syncellus，andZonaras，allascribethedeathofCarustolightning。]
ChapterXII:ReignsOfTacitus，Probus，CarusAndHisSons。
PartIII。
Thevacancyofthethronewasnotproductiveofanydisturbance。Theambitionoftheaspiringgeneralswascheckedbytheirnaturalfears，andyoungNumerian，withhisabsentbrotherCarinus，wereunanimouslyacknowledgedasRomanemperors。
ThepublicexpectedthatthesuccessorofCaruswouldpursuehisfather\'sfootsteps，and，withoutallowingthePersianstorecoverfromtheirconsternation，wouldadvanceswordinhandtothepalacesofSusaandEcbatana。^77Butthelegions，howeverstronginnumbersanddiscipline，weredismayedbythemostabjectsuperstition。Notwithstandingalltheartsthatwerepractisedtodisguisethemannerofthelateemperor\'sdeath，itwasfoundimpossibletoremovetheopinionofthemultitude，andthepowerofopinionisirresistible。Placesorpersonsstruckwithlightningwereconsideredbytheancientswithpioushorror，assingularlydevotedtothewrathofHeaven。^78Anoraclewasremembered，whichmarkedtheRiverTigrisasthefatalboundaryoftheRomanarms。Thetroops，terrifiedwiththefateofCarusandwiththeirowndanger，calledaloudonyoungNumeriantoobeythewillofthegods，andtoleadthemawayfromthisinauspicioussceneofwar。Thefeebleemperorwasunabletosubduetheirobstinateprejudice，andthePersianswonderedattheunexpectedretreatofavictoriousenemy。^79
[Footnote77:SeeNemesian。Cynegeticon，v。71，&c。]
[Footnote78:SeeFestusandhiscommentatorsonthewordScribonianum。Placesstruckbylightningweresurroundedwithawall；thingswereburiedwithmysteriousceremony。]
[Footnote79:VopiscusinHist。August。p。250。AureliusVictorseemstobelievetheprediction，andtoapprovetheretreat。]
TheintelligenceofthemysteriousfateofthelateemperorwassooncarriedfromthefrontiersofPersiatoRome；andthesenate，aswellastheprovinces，congratulatedtheaccessionofthesonsofCarus。Thesefortunateyouthswerestrangers，however，tothatconscioussuperiority，eitherofbirthorofmerit，whichcanalonerenderthepossessionofathroneeasy，andasitwerenatural。Bornandeducatedinaprivatestation，theelectionoftheirfatherraisedthematoncetotherankofprinces；andhisdeath，whichhappenedaboutsixteenmonthsafterwards，leftthemtheunexpectedlegacyofavastempire。Tosustainwithtemperthisrapidelevation，anuncommonshareofvirtueandprudencewasrequisite；andCarinus，theelderofthebrothers，wasmorethancommonlydeficientinthosequalities。
IntheGallicwarhediscoveredsomedegreeofpersonalcourage；
^80butfromthemomentofhisarrivalatRome，heabandonedhimselftotheluxuryofthecapital，andtotheabuseofhisfortune。Hewassoft，yetcruel；devotedtopleasure，butdestituteoftaste；andthoughexquisitelysusceptibleofvanity，indifferenttothepublicesteem。Inthecourseofafewmonths，hesuccessivelymarriedanddivorcedninewives，mostofwhomheleftpregnant；andnotwithstandingthislegalinconstancy，foundtimetoindulgesuchavarietyofirregularappetites，asbroughtdishonoronhimselfandonthenoblesthousesofRome。Hebeheldwithinveteratehatredallthosewhomightrememberhisformerobscurity，orcensurehispresentconduct。Hebanished，orputtodeath，thefriendsandcounsellorswhomhisfatherhadplacedabouthim，toguidehisinexperiencedyouth；andhepersecutedwiththemeanestrevengehisschool—fellowsandcompanionswhohadnotsufficientlyrespectedthelatentmajestyoftheemperor。
Withthesenators，Carinusaffectedaloftyandregaldemeanor，frequentlydeclaring，thathedesignedtodistributetheirestatesamongthepopulaceofRome。Fromthedregsofthatpopulaceheselectedhisfavorites，andevenhisministers。Thepalace，andeventheImperialtable，werefilledwithsingers，dancers，prostitutes，andallthevariousretinueofviceandfolly。Oneofhisdoorkeepers^81heintrustedwiththegovernmentofthecity。IntheroomofthePraetorianpraefect，whomheputtodeath，Carinussubstitutedoneoftheministersofhislooserpleasures。Another，whopossessedthesame，orevenamoreinfamous，titletofavor，wasinvestedwiththeconsulship。
Aconfidentialsecretary，whohadacquireduncommonskillintheartofforgery，deliveredtheindolentemperor，withhisownconsentfromtheirksomedutyofsigninghisname。
[Footnote80:Nemesian。Cynegeticon，v69。Hewasacontemporary，butapoet。]
[Footnote81:Cancellarius。Thisword，sohumbleinitsorigin，has，byasingularfortune，risenintothetitleofthefirstgreatofficeofstateinthemonarchiesofEurope。SeeCasaubonandSalmasius，adHist。August，p。253。]
WhentheemperorCarusundertookthePersianwar，hewasinduced，bymotivesofaffectionaswellaspolicy，tosecurethefortunesofhisfamily，byleavinginthehandsofhiseldestsonthearmiesandprovincesoftheWest。TheintelligencewhichhesoonreceivedoftheconductofCarinusfilledhimwithshameandregret；norhadheconcealedhisresolutionofsatisfyingtherepublicbyasevereactofjustice，andofadopting，intheplaceofanunworthyson，thebraveandvirtuousConstantius，whoatthattimewasgovernorofDalmatia。ButtheelevationofConstantiuswasforawhiledeferred；andassoonasthefather\'sdeathhadreleasedCarinusfromthecontroloffearordecency，hedisplayedtotheRomanstheextravaganciesofElagabalus，aggravatedbythecrueltyofDomitian。^82
[Footnote82:VopiscusinHist。August。p。253，254。Eutropius，x。19。VictoJunior。ThereignofDiocletianindeedwassolongandprosperous，thatitmusthavebeenveryunfavorabletothereputationofCarinus。]
TheonlymeritoftheadministrationofCarinusthathistorycouldrecord，orpoetrycelebrate，wastheuncommonsplendorwithwhich，inhisownandhisbrother\'sname，heexhibitedtheRomangamesofthetheatre，thecircus，andtheamphitheatre。Morethantwentyyearsafterwards，whenthecourtiersofDiocletianrepresentedtotheirfrugalsovereignthefameandpopularityofhismunificentpredecessor，heacknowledgedthatthereignofCarinushadindeedbeenareignofpleasure。^83Butthisvainprodigality，whichtheprudenceofDiocletianmightjustlydespise，wasenjoyedwithsurpriseandtransportbytheRomanpeople。Theoldestofthecitizens，recollectingthespectaclesofformerdays，thetriumphalpompofProbusorAurelian，andtheseculargamesoftheemperorPhilip，acknowledgedthattheywereallsurpassedbythesuperiormagnificenceofCarinus。^84
[Footnote83:VopiscusinHist。August。p。254。HecallshimCarus，butthesenseissufficientlyobvious，andthewordswereoftenconfounded。]
[Footnote84:SeeCalphurnius，Eclog。vii。43。Wemayobserve，thatthespectaclesofProbuswerestillrecent，andthatthepoetissecondedbythehistorian。]
ThespectaclesofCarinusmaythereforebebestillustratedbytheobservationofsomeparticulars，whichhistoryhascondescendedtorelateconcerningthoseofhispredecessors。Ifweconfineourselvessolelytothehuntingofwildbeasts，howeverwemaycensurethevanityofthedesignorthecrueltyoftheexecution，weareobligedtoconfessthatneitherbeforenorsincethetimeoftheRomanssomuchartandexpensehaveeverbeenlavishedfortheamusementofthepeople。^85BytheorderofProbus，agreatquantityoflargetrees，tornupbytheroots，weretransplantedintothemidstofthecircus。Thespaciousandshadyforestwasimmediatelyfilledwithathousandostriches，athousandstags，athousandfallowdeer，andathousandwildboars；andallthisvarietyofgamewasabandonedtotheriotousimpetuosityofthemultitude。Thetragedyofthesucceedingdayconsistedinthemassacreofahundredlions，anequalnumberoflionesses，twohundredleopards，andthreehundredbears。^86ThecollectionpreparedbytheyoungerGordianforhistriumph，andwhichhissuccessorexhibitedintheseculargames，waslessremarkablebythenumberthanbythesingularityoftheanimals。
TwentyzebrasdisplayedtheirelegantformsandvariegatedbeautytotheeyesoftheRomanpeople。^87Tenelks，andasmanycamelopards，theloftiestandmostharmlesscreaturesthatwanderovertheplainsofSarmatiaandAethiopia，werecontrastedwiththirtyAfricanhyaenasandtenIndiantigers，themostimplacablesavagesofthetorridzone。TheunoffendingstrengthwithwhichNaturehasendowedthegreaterquadrupedswasadmiredintherhinoceros，thehippopotamusoftheNile，^88andamajestictroopofthirty—twoelephants。^89Whilethepopulacegazedwithstupidwonderonthesplendidshow，thenaturalistmightindeedobservethefigureandpropertiesofsomanydifferentspecies，transportedfromeverypartoftheancientworldintotheamphitheatreofRome。Butthisaccidentalbenefit，whichsciencemightderivefromfolly，issurelyinsufficienttojustifysuchawantonabuseofthepublicriches。Thereoccurs，however，asingleinstanceinthefirstPunicwar，inwhichthesenatewiselyconnectedthisamusementofthemultitudewiththeinterestofthestate。Aconsiderablenumberofelephants，takeninthedefeatoftheCarthaginianarmy，weredriventhroughthecircusbyafewslaves，armedonlywithbluntjavelins。^90TheusefulspectacleservedtoimpresstheRomansoldierwithajustcontemptforthoseunwieldyanimals；andhenolongerdreadedtoencounterthemintheranksofwar。
[Footnote85:ThephilosopherMontaigneEssais，l。iii。6givesaveryjustandlivelyviewofRomanmagnificenceinthesespectacles。]
[Footnote86:VopiscusinHist。August。p。240。]
[Footnote87:TheyarecalledOnagri；butthenumberistooinconsiderableformerewildasses。CuperdeElephantisExercitat。ii。7hasprovedfromOppian，Dion，andananonymousGreek，thatzebrashadbeenseenatRome。Theywerebroughtfromsomeislandoftheocean，perhapsMadagascar。]
[Footnote88:Carinusgaveahippopotamus，seeCalphurn。Eclog。
vi。66。Inthelatterspectacles，Idonotrecollectanycrocodiles，ofwhichAugustusonceexhibitedthirty—six。DionCassius，l。lv。p。781。]
[Footnote89:Capitolin。inHist。August。p。164，165。Wearenotacquaintedwiththeanimalswhichhecallsarcheleontes；somereadargoleontesothersagrioleontes:bothcorrectionsareverynugatory]
[Footnote90:Plin。Hist。Natur。viii。6，fromtheannalsofPiso。]