[Footnote56:IhavetransferredthereproachofavaricefromValenstohisservant。Avaricemoreproperlybelongstoministersthantokings；inwhomthatpassioniscommonlyextinguishedbyabsolutepossession。]
[Footnote57:Hesometimesexpressedasentenceofdeathwithatoneofpleasantry:\"Abi，Comes，etmutaeicaput，quisibimutariprovinciamcupit。\"Aboy，whohadslippedtoohastilyaSpartanbound；anarmorer，whohadmadeapolishedcuirassthatwantedsomegrainsofthelegitimateweight，&c。，werethevictimsofhisfury。]
[Footnote58:TheinnocentsofMilanwereanagentandthreeapparitors，whomValentiniancondemnedforsignifyingalegalsummons。Ammianusxxvii。7strangelysupposes，thatallwhohadbeenunjustlyexecutedwereworshippedasmartyrsbytheChristians。Hisimpartialsilencedoesnotallowustobelieve，thatthegreatchamberlainRhodanuswasburntaliveforanactofoppression，Chron。Paschal。p。392。
Note:Ammianusdoesnotsaythattheywereworshippedasmartyrs。OnorummemoriamapudMediolanumcolentesnuncusqueChristianiloculosubisepultisunt，adinnocentesappellant。
Wagner\'snoteinloco。Yetifthenextparagraphreferstothattransaction，whichisnotquiteclear。Gibbonisright。—M。]
[Footnote59:UtbenemeritaminsylvasjussitabireInnoxiam。
Ammian。xxix。andValesiusadlocum。]
ChapterXXV:ReignsOfJovianAndValentinian，DivisionOfTheEmpire。
PartIII。
Butinthecalmermomentsofreflection，whenthemindofValenswasnotagitatedbyfear，orthatofValentinianbyrage，thetyrantresumedthesentiments，oratleasttheconduct，ofthefatherofhiscountry。ThedispassionatejudgmentoftheWesternemperorcouldclearlyperceive，andaccuratelypursue，hisownandthepublicinterest；andthesovereignoftheEast，whoimitatedwithequaldocilitythevariousexampleswhichhereceivedfromhiselderbrother，wassometimesguidedbythewisdomandvirtueofthepraefectSallust。Bothprincesinvariablyretained，inthepurple，thechasteandtemperatesimplicitywhichhadadornedtheirprivatelife；and，undertheirreign，thepleasuresofthecourtnevercostthepeopleablushorasigh。TheygraduallyreformedmanyoftheabusesofthetimesofConstantius；judiciouslyadoptedandimprovedthedesignsofJulianandhissuccessor；anddisplayedastyleandspiritoflegislationwhichmightinspireposteritywiththemostfavorableopinionoftheircharacterandgovernment。ItisnotfromthemasterofInnocence，thatweshouldexpectthetenderregardforthewelfareofhissubjects，whichpromptedValentiniantocondemntheexpositionofnew—borninfants；^60
andtoestablishfourteenskilfulphysicians，withstipendsandprivileges，inthefourteenquartersofRome。Thegoodsenseofanilliteratesoldierfoundedausefulandliberalinstitutionfortheeducationofyouth，andthesupportofdecliningscience。
^61Itwashisintention，thattheartsofrhetoricandgrammarshouldbetaughtintheGreekandLatinlanguages，inthemetropolisofeveryprovince；andasthesizeanddignityoftheschoolwasusuallyproportionedtotheimportanceofthecity，theacademiesofRomeandConstantinopleclaimedajustandsingularpreeminence。ThefragmentsoftheliteraryedictsofValentinianimperfectlyrepresenttheschoolofConstantinople，whichwasgraduallyimprovedbysubsequentregulations。Thatschoolconsistedofthirty—oneprofessorsindifferentbranchesoflearning。Onephilosopher，andtwolawyers；fivesophists，andtengrammariansfortheGreek，andthreeorators，andtengrammariansfortheLatintongue；besidessevenscribes，or，astheywerethenstyled，antiquarians，whoselaboriouspenssuppliedthepubliclibrarywithfairandcorrectcopiesoftheclassicwriters。Theruleofconduct，whichwasprescribedtothestudents，isthemorecurious，asitaffordsthefirstoutlinesoftheformanddisciplineofamodernuniversity。Itwasrequired，thattheyshouldbringpropercertificatesfromthemagistratesoftheirnativeprovince。Theirnames，professions，andplacesofabode，wereregularlyenteredinapublicregister。
Thestudiousyouthwereseverelyprohibitedfromwastingtheirtimeinfeasts，orinthetheatre；andthetermoftheireducationwaslimitedtotheageoftwenty。Thepraefectofthecitywasempoweredtochastisetheidleandrefractorybystripesorexpulsion；andhewasdirectedtomakeanannualreporttothemasteroftheoffices，thattheknowledgeandabilitiesofthescholarsmightbeusefullyappliedtothepublicservice。TheinstitutionsofValentiniancontributedtosecurethebenefitsofpeaceandplenty；andthecitieswereguardedbytheestablishmentoftheDefensors；^62freelyelectedasthetribunesandadvocatesofthepeople，tosupporttheirrights，andtoexposetheirgrievances，beforethetribunalsofthecivilmagistrates，orevenatthefootoftheImperialthrone。Thefinanceswerediligentlyadministeredbytwoprinces，whohadbeensolongaccustomedtotherigideconomyofaprivatefortune；butinthereceiptandapplicationoftherevenue，adiscerningeyemightobservesomedifferencebetweenthegovernmentoftheEastandoftheWest。Valenswaspersuaded，thatroyalliberalitycanbesuppliedonlybypublicoppression，andhisambitionneveraspiredtosecure，bytheiractualdistress，thefuturestrengthandprosperityofhispeople。
Insteadofincreasingtheweightoftaxes，which，inthespaceoffortyyears，hadbeengraduallydoubled，hereduced，inthefirstyearsofhisreign，onefourthofthetributeoftheEast。^63
Valentinianappearstohavebeenlessattentiveandlessanxioustorelievetheburdensofhispeople。Hemightreformtheabusesofthefiscaladministration；butheexacted，withoutscruple，averylargeshareoftheprivateproperty；ashewasconvinced，thattherevenues，whichsupportedtheluxuryofindividuals，wouldbemuchmoreadvantageouslyemployedforthedefenceandimprovementofthestate。ThesubjectsoftheEast，whoenjoyedthepresentbenefit，applaudedtheindulgenceoftheirprince。
Thesolidbutlesssplendid，meritofValentinianwasfeltandacknowledgedbythesubsequentgeneration。^64
[Footnote60:SeetheCodeofJustinian，l。viii。tit。lii。leg。
2。Unusquisquesabolemsuamnutriat。Quodsiexponendamputaveritanimadversioniquaeconstitutaestsubjacebit。ForthepresentIshallnotinterfereinthedisputebetweenNoodtandBinkershoek；howfar，orhowlongthisunnaturalpracticehadbeencondemnedorabolishedbylawphilosophy，andthemorecivilizedstateofsociety。]
[Footnote61:ThesesalutaryinstitutionsareexplainedintheTheodosianCode，l。xiii。tit。iii。DeProfessoribusetMedicis，andl。xiv。tit。ix。DeStudiisliberalibusUrbisRomoe。Besidesourusualguide，Godefroy，wemayconsultGiannone，IstoriadiNapoli，tom。i。p。105—111，whohastreatedtheinterestingsubjectwiththezealandcuriosityofamanoflatterswhostudieshisdomestichistory。]
[Footnote62:Cod。Theodos。l。i。tit。xi。withGodefroy\'sParatitlon，whichdiligentlygleansfromtherestofthecode。]
[Footnote63:ThreelinesofAmmianusxxxi。14countenanceawholeorationofThemistius，viii。p。101—120，fullofadulation，pedantry，andcommon—placemorality。TheeloquentM。
Thomastom。i。p。366—396hasamusedhimselfwithcelebratingthevirtuesandgeniusofThemistius，whowasnotunworthyoftheageinwhichhelived。]
[Footnote64:Zosimus，l。iv。p。202。Ammian。xxx。9。Hisreformationofcostlyabusesmightentitlehimtothepraiseof，inprovincialesadmodumparcus，tributorumubiquemollienssarcinas。Bysomehisfrugalitywasstyledavarice，Jerom。
Chron。p。186]
ButthemosthonorablecircumstanceofthecharacterofValentinian，isthefirmandtemperateimpartialitywhichheuniformlypreservedinanageofreligiouscontention。Hisstrongsense，unenlightened，butuncorrupted，bystudy，declined，withrespectfulindifference，thesubtlequestionsoftheologicaldebate。ThegovernmentoftheEarthclaimedhisvigilance，andsatisfiedhisambition；andwhileherememberedthathewasthediscipleofthechurch，heneverforgotthathewasthesovereignoftheclergy。Underthereignofanapostate，hehadsignalizedhiszealforthehonorofChristianity:heallowedtohissubjectstheprivilegewhichhehadassumedforhimself；andtheymightaccept，withgratitudeandconfidence，thegeneraltolerationwhichwasgrantedbyaprinceaddictedtopassion，butincapableoffearorofdisguise。^65ThePagans，theJews，andallthevarioussectswhichacknowledgedthedivineauthorityofChrist，wereprotectedbythelawsfromarbitrarypowerorpopularinsult；norwasanymodeofworshipprohibitedbyValentinian，exceptthosesecretandcriminalpractices，whichabusedthenameofreligionforthedarkpurposesofviceanddisorder。Theartofmagic，asitwasmorecruellypunished，wasmorestrictlyproscribed:buttheemperoradmittedaformaldistinctiontoprotecttheancientmethodsofdivination，whichwereapprovedbythesenate，andexercisedbytheTuscanharuspices。Hehadcondemned，withtheconsentofthemostrationalPagans，thelicenseofnocturnalsacrifices；butheimmediatelyadmittedthepetitionofPraetextatus，proconsulofAchaia，whorepresented，thatthelifeoftheGreekswouldbecomedrearyandcomfortless，iftheyweredeprivedoftheinvaluableblessingoftheEleusinianmysteries。Philosophyalonecanboast，andperhapsitisnomorethantheboastofphilosophy，
thathergentlehandisabletoeradicatefromthehumanmindthelatentanddeadlyprincipleoffanaticism。Butthistruceoftwelveyears，whichwasenforcedbythewiseandvigorousgovernmentofValentinian，bysuspendingtherepetitionofmutualinjuries，contributedtosoftenthemanners，andabatetheprejudices，ofthereligiousfactions。
[Footnote65:TestessuntlegesameinexordioImperiimeidatae；quibusunicuiquequodanimoimbibissetcolendiliberafacultastributaest。Cod。Theodos。l。ix。tit。xvi。leg。9。TothisdeclarationofValentinian，wemayaddthevarioustestimoniesofAmmianus，xxx。9，Zosimus，l。iv。p。204，andSozomen，l。vi。c。7，21。Baroniuswouldnaturallyblamesuchrationaltoleration，Annal。EcclesA。D。370，No。129—132，A。D。
376，No。3，4。]
[Footnote*:Commeils\'etaitprescritpourregledenepointsemelerdedisputesdereligion，sonhistoireestpresqueentierementdegageedesaffairesecclesiastiques。LeBeau。iii。
214。—M。]
Thefriendoftolerationwasunfortunatelyplacedatadistancefromthesceneofthefiercestcontroversies。AssoonastheChristiansoftheWesthadextricatedthemselvesfromthesnaresofthecreedofRimini，theyhappilyrelapsedintotheslumberoforthodoxy；andthesmallremainsoftheArianparty，thatstillsubsistedatSirmiumorMilan，mightbeconsideredratherasobjectsofcontemptthanofresentment。ButintheprovincesoftheEast，fromtheEuxinetotheextremityofThebais，thestrengthandnumbersofthehostilefactionsweremoreequallybalanced；andthisequality，insteadofrecommendingthecounselsofpeace，servedonlytoperpetuatethehorrorsofreligiouswar。Themonksandbishopssupportedtheirargumentsbyinvectives；andtheirinvectivesweresometimesfollowedbyblows。AthanasiusstillreignedatAlexandria；thethronesofConstantinopleandAntiochwereoccupiedbyArianprelates，andeveryepiscopalvacancywastheoccasionofapopulartumult。
TheHomoousianswerefortifiedbythereconciliationoffifty—nineMacelonian，orSemi—Arian，bishops；buttheirsecretreluctancetoembracethedivinityoftheHolyGhost，cloudedthesplendorofthetriumph；andthedeclarationofValens，who，inthefirstyearsofhisreign，hadimitatedtheimpartialconductofhisbrother，wasanimportantvictoryonthesideofArianism。
Thetwobrothershadpassedtheirprivatelifeintheconditionofcatechumens；butthepietyofValenspromptedhimtosolicitthesacramentofbaptism，beforeheexposedhispersontothedangersofaGothicwar。HenaturallyaddressedhimselftoEudoxus，^66bishopoftheImperialcity；andiftheignorantmonarchwasinstructedbythatArianpastorintheprinciplesofheterodoxtheology，hismisfortune，ratherthanhisguilt，wastheinevitableconsequenceofhiserroneouschoice。Whateverhadbeenthedeterminationoftheemperor，hemusthaveoffendedanumerouspartyofhisChristiansubjects；astheleadersbothoftheHomoousiansandoftheAriansbelieved，that，iftheywerenotsufferedtoreign，theyweremostcruellyinjuredandoppressed。Afterhehadtakenthisdecisivestep，itwasextremelydifficultforhimtopreserveeitherthevirtue，orthereputationofimpartiality。Heneveraspired，likeConstantius，tothefameofaprofoundtheologian；butashehadreceivedwithsimplicityandrespectthetenetsofEuxodus，Valensresignedhisconsciencetothedirectionofhisecclesiasticalguides，andpromoted，bytheinfluenceofhisauthority，thereunionoftheAthanasianhereticstothebodyoftheCatholicchurch。Atfirst，hepitiedtheirblindness；bydegreeshewasprovokedattheirobstinacy；andheinsensiblyhatedthosesectariestowhomhewasanobjectofhatred。^67ThefeeblemindofValenswasalwaysswayedbythepersonswithwhomhefamiliarlyconversed；
andtheexileorimprisonmentofaprivatecitizenarethefavorsthemostreadilygrantedinadespoticcourt。SuchpunishmentswerefrequentlyinflictedontheleadersoftheHomoousianparty；
andthemisfortuneoffourscoreecclesiasticsofConstantinople，who，perhapsaccidentally，wereburnedonshipboard，wasimputedtothecruelandpremeditatedmaliceoftheemperor，andhisArianministers。Ineverycontest，theCatholicsifwemayanticipatethatnamewereobligedtopaythepenaltyoftheirownfaults，andofthoseoftheiradversaries。Ineveryelection，theclaimsoftheAriancandidateobtainedthepreference；andiftheywereopposedbythemajorityofthepeople，hewasusuallysupportedbytheauthorityofthecivilmagistrate，orevenbytheterrorsofamilitaryforce。TheenemiesofAthanasiusattemptedtodisturbthelastyearsofhisvenerableage；andhistemporaryretreattohisfather\'ssepulchrehasbeencelebratedasafifthexile。Butthezealofagreatpeople，whoinstantlyflewtoarms，intimidatedthepraefect:andthearchbishopwaspermittedtoendhislifeinpeaceandinglory，afterareignofforty—sevenyears。ThedeathofAthanasiuswasthesignalofthepersecutionofEgypt；
andthePaganministerofValens，whoforciblyseatedtheworthlessLuciusonthearchiepiscopalthrone，purchasedthefavorofthereigningparty，bythebloodandsufferingsoftheirChristianbrethren。ThefreetolerationoftheheathenandJewishworshipwasbitterlylamented，asacircumstancewhichaggravatedthemiseryoftheCatholics，andtheguiltoftheimpioustyrantoftheEast。^68
[Footnote66:Eudoxuswasofamildandtimiddisposition。WhenhebaptizedValens，A。D。367，hemusthavebeenextremelyold；
sincehehadstudiedtheologyfifty—fiveyearsbefore，underLucian，alearnedandpiousmartyr。Philostorg。l。ii。c。14—16，l。iv。c。4，withGodefroy，p82，206，andTillemont，Mem。
Eccles。tom。v。p。471—480，&c。]
[Footnote*:Throughtheinfluenceofhiswifesaytheecclesiasticalwriters。—M。]
[Footnote67:GregoryNazianzenOrat。xxv。p。432insultsthepersecutingspiritoftheArians，asaninfalliblesymptomoferrorandheresy。]
[Footnote68:ThissketchoftheecclesiasticalgovernmentofValensisdrawnfromSocrates，l。iv。，Sozomen，l。vi。，
Theodoret，l。iv。，andtheimmensecompilationsofTillemont，particularlytom。vi。viii。andix。]
ThetriumphoftheorthodoxpartyhasleftadeepstainofpersecutiononthememoryofValens；andthecharacterofaprincewhoderivedhisvirtues，aswellashisvices，fromafeebleunderstandingandapusillanimoustemper，scarcelydeservesthelaborofanapology。YetcandormaydiscoversomereasonstosuspectthattheecclesiasticalministersofValensoftenexceededtheorders，oreventheintentions，oftheirmaster；andthattherealmeasureoffactshasbeenveryliberallymagnifiedbythevehementdeclamationandeasycredulityofhisantagonists。^691。ThesilenceofValentinianmaysuggestaprobableargumentthatthepartialseverities，whichwereexercisedinthenameandprovincesofhiscolleague，amountedonlytosomeobscureandinconsiderabledeviationsfromtheestablishedsystemofreligioustoleration:andthejudicioushistorian，whohaspraisedtheequaltemperoftheelderbrother，hasnotthoughthimselfobligedtocontrastthetranquillityoftheWestwiththecruelpersecutionoftheEast。^702。Whatevercreditmaybeallowedtovagueanddistantreports，thecharacter，oratleastthebehavior，ofValens，maybemostdistinctlyseeninhispersonaltransactionswiththeeloquentBasil，archbishopofCaesarea，whohadsucceededAthanasiusinthemanagementoftheTrinitariancause。^71ThecircumstantialnarrativehasbeencomposedbythefriendsandadmirersofBasil；
andassoonaswehavestrippedawayathickcoatofrhetoricandmiracle，weshallbeastonishedbytheunexpectedmildnessoftheAriantyrant，whoadmiredthefirmnessofhischaracter，orwasapprehensive，ifheemployedviolence，ofageneralrevoltintheprovinceofCappadocia。Thearchbishop，whoasserted，withinflexiblepride，^72thetruthofhisopinions，andthedignityofhisrank，wasleftinthefreepossessionofhisconscienceandhisthrone。Theemperordevoutlyassistedatthesolemnserviceofthecathedral；and，insteadofasentenceofbanishment，subscribedthedonationofavaluableestatefortheuseofahospital，whichBasilhadlatelyfoundedintheneighborhoodofCaesarea。^733。Iamnotabletodiscover，thatanylawsuchasTheodosiusafterwardsenactedagainsttheArianswaspublishedbyValensagainsttheAthanasiansectaries；