第189章
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  ^85

  [Footnote81:BurnetdeStatuMortuorum,p。56—84collectstheopinionsoftheFathers,asfarastheyassertthesleep,orrepose,ofhumansoulstillthedayofjudgment。Heafterwardsexposesp。91,&c。theinconvenienceswhichmustarise,iftheypossessedamoreactiveandsensibleexistence。]

  [Footnote82:Vigilantiusplacedthesoulsoftheprophetsandmartyrs,eitherinthebosomofAbraham,inlocorefrigerii,orelseunderthealtarofGod。Necpossesuistumulisetubivolueruntadessepraesentes。ButJeromtom。ii。p。122sternlyrefutesthisblasphemy。TuDeolegespones?Tuapostolisvinculainjicies,utusqueaddiemjudiciiteneanturcustodia,necsintcumDominosuo;dequibusscriptumest,SequunturAgnumquocunquevadit。SiAgnusubique,ergo,ethi,quicumAgnosunt,ubiqueessecredendisunt。Etcumdiabolusetdaemonestotevagenturinorbe,&c。]

  [Footnote83:FleuryDiscourssurl\'Hist。Ecclesiastique,iiip。

  80。]

  [Footnote84:AtMinorca,therelicsofSt。Stephenconverted,ineightdays,540Jews;withthehelp,indeed,ofsomewholesomeseverities,suchasburningthesynagogue,drivingtheobstinateinfidelstostarveamongtherocks,&c。SeetheoriginalletterofSeverus,bishopofMinorcaadcalcemSt。Augustin。deCiv。

  Dei,andthejudiciousremarksofBasnage,tom。viii。p。245—

  251。]

  [Footnote85:Mr。HumeEssays,vol。ii。p。434observes,likeaphilosopher,thenaturalfluxandrefluxofpolytheismandtheism。]

  IV。Astheobjectsofreligionweregraduallyreducedtothestandardoftheimagination,theritesandceremonieswereintroducedthatseemedmostpowerfullytoaffectthesensesofthevulgar。If,inthebeginningofthefifthcentury,^86

  Tertullian,orLactantius,^87hadbeensuddenlyraisedfromthedead,toassistatthefestivalofsomepopularsaint,ormartyr,^88theywouldhavegazedwithastonishment,andindignation,ontheprofanespectacle,whichhadsucceededtothepureandspiritualworshipofaChristiancongregation。Assoonasthedoorsofthechurchwerethrownopen,theymusthavebeenoffendedbythesmokeofincense,theperfumeofflowers,andtheglareoflampsandtapers,whichdiffused,atnoonday,agaudy,superfluous,and,intheiropinion,asacrilegiouslight。Iftheyapproachedthebalustradeofthealtar,theymadetheirwaythroughtheprostratecrowd,consisting,forthemostpart,ofstrangersandpilgrims,whoresortedtothecityonthevigilofthefeast;andwhoalreadyfeltthestrongintoxicationoffanaticism,and,perhaps,ofwine。Theirdevoutkisseswereimprintedonthewallsandpavementofthesacrededifice;andtheirferventprayersweredirected,whatevermightbethelanguageoftheirchurch,tothebones,theblood,ortheashesofthesaint,whichwereusuallyconcealed,byalinenorsilkenveil,fromtheeyesofthevulgar。TheChristiansfrequentedthetombsofthemartyrs,inthehopeofobtaining,fromtheirpowerfulintercession,everysortofspiritual,butmoreespeciallyoftemporal,blessings。Theyimploredthepreservationoftheirhealth,orthecureoftheirinfirmities;

  thefruitfulnessoftheirbarrenwives,orthesafetyandhappinessoftheirchildren。Whenevertheyundertookanydistantordangerousjourney,theyrequested,thattheholymartyrswouldbetheirguidesandprotectorsontheroad;andiftheyreturnedwithouthavingexperiencedanymisfortune,theyagainhastenedtothetombsofthemartyrs,tocelebrate,withgratefulthanksgivings,theirobligationstothememoryandrelicsofthoseheavenlypatrons。Thewallswerehungroundwithsymbolsofthefavorswhichtheyhadreceived;eyes,andhands,andfeet,ofgoldandsilver:andedifyingpictures,whichcouldnotlongescapetheabuseofindiscreetoridolatrousdevotion,representedtheimage,theattributes,andthemiraclesofthetutelarsaint。Thesameuniformoriginalspiritofsuperstitionmightsuggest,inthemostdistantagesandcountries,thesamemethodsofdeceivingthecredulity,andofaffectingthesensesofmankind:^89butitmustingenuouslybeconfessed,thattheministersoftheCatholicchurchimitatedtheprofanemodel,whichtheywereimpatienttodestroy。ThemostrespectablebishopshadpersuadedthemselvesthattheignorantrusticswouldmorecheerfullyrenouncethesuperstitionsofPaganism,iftheyfoundsomeresemblance,somecompensation,inthebosomofChristianity。ThereligionofConstantineachieved,inlessthanacentury,thefinalconquestoftheRomanempire:butthevictorsthemselveswereinsensiblysubduedbytheartsoftheirvanquishedrivals。^90

  [Footnote86:D\'AubigneseehisownMemoires,p。156—160

  franklyoffered,withtheconsentoftheHuguenotministers,toallowthefirst400yearsastheruleoffaith。TheCardinalduPerronhaggledforfortyyearsmore,whichwereindiscreetlygiven。Yetneitherpartywouldhavefoundtheiraccountinthisfoolishbargain。]

  [Footnote87:TheworshippractisedandinculcatedbyTertullian,LactantiusArnobius,&c。,issoextremelypureandspiritual,thattheirdeclamationsagainstthePagansometimesglanceagainsttheJewish,ceremonies。]

  [Footnote88:FaustustheManichaeanaccusestheCatholicsofidolatry。Vertitisidolainmartyres……quosvotissimilibuscolitis。M。deBeausobre,Hist。CritiqueduManicheisme,tom。

  ii。p。629—700,aProtestant,butaphilosopher,hasrepresented,withcandorandlearning,theintroductionofChristianidolatryinthefourthandfifthcenturies。]

  [Footnote89:Theresemblanceofsuperstition,whichcouldnotbeimitated,mightbetracedfromJapantoMexico。Warburtonhasseizedthisidea,whichhedistorts,byrenderingittoogeneralandabsolute,DivineLegation,vol。iv。p。126,&c。]

  [Footnote90:TheimitationofPaganismisthesubjectofDr。

  Middleton\'sagreeableletterfromRome。Warburton\'sanimadversionsobligedhimtoconnectvol。iii。p。120—132,

  thehistoryofthetworeligions,andtoprovetheantiquityoftheChristiancopy。]

  [Footnote*:ButtherewasalwaysthisimportantdifferencebetweenChristianandheathenPolytheism。InPaganismthiswasthewholereligion;inthedarkestagesofChristianity,some,howeverobscureandvague,Christiannotionsoffutureretribution,ofthelifeafterdeath,lurkedatthebottom,andoperated,toacertainextent,onthethoughtsandfeelings,sometimesontheactions。—M。]

  ChapterXXIX:DivisionOfRomanEmpireBetweenSonsOfTheodosius。

  PartI。

  FinalDivisionOfTheRomanEmpireBetweenTheSonsOfTheodosius。—ReignOfArcadiusAndHonorius—AdministrationOfRufinusAndStilicho。—RevoltAndDefeatOfGildoInAfrica。

  ThegeniusofRomeexpiredwithTheodosius;thelastofthesuccessorsofAugustusandConstantine,whoappearedinthefieldattheheadoftheirarmies,andwhoseauthoritywasuniversallyacknowledgedthroughoutthewholeextentoftheempire。Thememoryofhisvirtuesstillcontinued,however,toprotectthefeebleandinexperiencedyouthofhistwosons。Afterthedeathoftheirfather,ArcadiusandHonoriusweresaluted,bytheunanimousconsentofmankind,asthelawfulemperorsoftheEast,andoftheWest;andtheoathoffidelitywaseagerlytakenbyeveryorderofthestate;thesenatesofoldandnewRome,theclergy,themagistrates,thesoldiers,andthepeople。Arcadius,whowasthenabouteighteenyearsofage,wasborninSpain,inthehumblehabitationofaprivatefamily。ButhereceivedaprincelyeducationinthepalaceofConstantinople;andhisingloriouslifewasspentinthatpeacefulandsplendidseatofroyalty,fromwhenceheappearedtoreignovertheprovincesofThrace,AsiaMinor,Syria,andEgypt,fromtheLowerDanubetotheconfinesofPersiaandAethiopia。HisyoungerbrotherHonorius,assumed,intheeleventhyearofhisage,thenominalgovernmentofItaly,Africa,Gaul,Spain,andBritain;andthetroops,whichguardedthefrontiersofhiskingdom,wereopposed,ononeside,totheCaledonians,andontheother,totheMoors。

  ThegreatandmartialpraefectureofIllyricumwasdividedbetweenthetwoprinces:thedefenceandpossessionoftheprovincesofNoricum,Pannonia,andDalmatiastillbelongedtotheWesternempire;butthetwolargediocesesofDaciaandMacedonia,whichGratianhadintrustedtothevalorofTheodosius,wereforeverunitedtotheempireoftheEast。TheboundaryinEuropewasnotverydifferentfromthelinewhichnowseparatestheGermansandtheTurks;andtherespectiveadvantagesofterritory,riches,populousness,andmilitarystrength,werefairlybalancedandcompensated,inthisfinalandpermanentdivisionoftheRomanempire。ThehereditarysceptreofthesonsofTheodosiusappearedtobethegiftofnature,andoftheirfather;thegeneralsandministershadbeenaccustomedtoadorethemajestyoftheroyalinfants;andthearmyandpeoplewerenotadmonishedoftheirrights,andoftheirpower,bythedangerousexampleofarecentelection。ThegradualdiscoveryoftheweaknessofArcadiusandHonorius,andtherepeatedcalamitiesoftheirreign,werenotsufficienttoobliteratethedeepandearlyimpressionsofloyalty。ThesubjectsofRome,whostillreverencedthepersons,orratherthenames,oftheirsovereigns,beheld,withequalabhorrence,therebelswhoopposed,andtheministerswhoabused,theauthorityofthethrone。

  TheodosiushadtarnishedthegloryofhisreignbytheelevationofRufinus;anodiousfavorite,who,inanageofcivilandreligiousfaction,hasdeserved,fromeveryparty,theimputationofeverycrime。Thestrongimpulseofambitionandavarice^1hadurgedRufinustoabandonhisnativecountry,anobscurecornerofGaul,^2toadvancehisfortuneinthecapitaloftheEast:thetalentofboldandreadyelocution,^3qualifiedhimtosucceedinthelucrativeprofessionofthelaw;andhissuccessinthatprofessionwasaregularsteptothemosthonorableandimportantemploymentsofthestate。Hewasraised,byjustdegrees,tothestationofmasteroftheoffices。Intheexerciseofhisvariousfunctions,soessentiallyconnectedwiththewholesystemofcivilgovernment,heacquiredtheconfidenceofamonarch,whosoondiscoveredhisdiligenceandcapacityinbusiness,andwholongremainedignorantofthepride,themalice,andthecovetousnessofhisdisposition。Theseviceswereconcealedbeneaththemaskofprofounddissimulation;^4hispassionsweresubservientonlytothepassionsofhismaster;yetinthehorridmassacreofThessalonica,thecruelRufinusinflamedthefury,withoutimitatingtherepentance,ofTheodosius。Theminister,whoviewedwithproudindifferencetherestofmankind,neverforgavetheappearanceofaninjury;andhispersonalenemieshadforfeited,inhisopinion,themeritofallpublicservices。Promotus,themaster—generaloftheinfantry,hadsavedtheempirefromtheinvasionoftheOstrogoths;butheindignantlysupportedthepreeminenceofarival,whosecharacterandprofessionhedespised;andinthemidstofapubliccouncil,theimpatientsoldierwasprovokedtochastisewithablowtheindecentprideofthefavorite。Thisactofviolencewasrepresentedtotheemperorasaninsult,whichitwasincumbentonhisdignitytoresent。ThedisgraceandexileofPromotusweresignifiedbyaperemptoryorder,torepair,withoutdelay,toamilitarystationonthebanksoftheDanube;andthedeathofthatgeneralthoughhewasslaininaskirmishwiththeBarbarianswasimputedtotheperfidiousartsofRufinus。^5Thesacrificeofaherogratifiedhisrevenge;thehonorsoftheconsulshipelatedhisvanity;buthispowerwasstillimperfectandprecarious,aslongastheimportantpostsofpraefectoftheEast,andofpraefectofConstantinople,werefilledbyTatian,^6andhissonProculus;whoseunitedauthoritybalanced,forsometime,theambitionandfavorofthemasteroftheoffices。Thetwopraefectswereaccusedofrapineandcorruptionintheadministrationofthelawsandfinances。Forthetrialoftheseillustriousoffenders,theemperorconstitutedaspecialcommission:severaljudgeswerenamedtosharetheguiltandreproachofinjustice;buttherightofpronouncingsentencewasreservedtothepresidentalone,andthatpresidentwasRufinushimself。Thefather,strippedofthepraefectureoftheEast,wasthrownintoadungeon;buttheson,consciousthatfewministerscanbefoundinnocent,whereanenemyistheirjudge,hadsecretlyescaped;andRufinusmusthavebeensatisfiedwiththeleastobnoxiousvictim,ifdespotismhadnotcondescendedtoemploythebasestandmostungenerousartifice。

  Theprosecutionwasconductedwithanappearanceofequityandmoderation,whichflatteredTatianwiththehopeofafavorableevent:hisconfidencewasfortifiedbythesolemnassurances,andperfidiousoaths,ofthepresident,whopresumedtointerposethesacrednameofTheodosiushimself;andtheunhappyfatherwasatlastpersuadedtorecall,byaprivateletter,thefugitiveProculus。Hewasinstantlyseized,examined,condemned,andbeheaded,inoneofthesuburbsofConstantinople,withaprecipitationwhichdisappointedtheclemencyoftheemperor。

  Withoutrespectingthemisfortunesofaconsularsenator,thecrueljudgesofTatiancompelledhimtobeholdtheexecutionofhisson:thefatalcordwasfastenedroundhisownneck;butinthemomentwhenheexpected。andperhapsdesired,thereliefofaspeedydeath,hewaspermittedtoconsumethemiserableremnantofhisoldageinpovertyandexile。^7Thepunishmentofthetwopraefectsmight,perhaps,beexcusedbytheexceptionablepartsoftheirownconduct;theenmityofRufinusmightbepalliatedbythejealousandunsociablenatureofambition。Butheindulgedaspiritofrevengeequallyrepugnanttoprudenceandtojustice,whenhedegradedtheirnativecountryofLyciafromtherankofRomanprovinces;stigmatizedaguiltlesspeoplewithamarkofignominy;anddeclared,thatthecountrymenofTatianandProculusshouldforeverremainincapableofholdinganyemploymentofhonororadvantageundertheImperialgovernment。

  ^8ThenewpraefectoftheEastforRufinusinstantlysucceededtothevacanthonorsofhisadversarywasnotdiverted,however,bythemostcriminalpursuits,fromtheperformanceofthereligiousduties,whichinthatagewereconsideredasthemostessentialtosalvation。InthesuburbofChalcedon,surnamedtheOak,hehadbuiltamagnificentvilla;towhichhedevoutlyaddedastatelychurch,consecratedtotheapostlesSt。PeterandSt。

  Paul,andcontinuallysanctifiedbytheprayersandpenanceofaregularsocietyofmonks。Anumerous,andalmostgeneral,synodofthebishopsoftheEasternempire,wassummonedtocelebrate,atthesametime,thededicationofthechurch,andthebaptismofthefounder。Thisdoubleceremonywasperformedwithextraordinarypomp;andwhenRufinuswaspurified,intheholyfont,fromallthesinsthathehadhithertocommitted,avenerablehermitofEgyptrashlyproposedhimselfasthesponsorofaproudandambitiousstatesman。^9

  [Footnote1:Alecto,enviousofthepublicfelicity,convenesaninfernalsynodMegaerarecommendsherpupilRufinus,andexciteshimtodeedsofmischief,&c。ButthereisasmuchdifferencebetweenClaudian\'sfuryandthatofVirgil,asbetweenthecharactersofTurnusandRufinus。]

  [Footnote2:Itisevident,Tillemont,Hist。desEmp。tom。v。p。

  770,thoughDeMarcaisashamedofhiscountryman,thatRufinuswasbornatElusa,themetropolisofNovempopulania,nowasmallvillageofGassony,D\'Anville,Noticedel\'AncienneGaule,p。

  289。]

  [Footnote3:Philostorgius,l。xic。3,withGodefroy\'sDissert。

  p。440。]

  [Footnote4:ApassageofSuidasisexpressiveofhisprofounddissimulation。]

  [Footnote5:Zosimus,l。iv。p。272,273。]

  [Footnote6:Zosimus,whodescribesthefallofTatianandhisson,l。iv。p。273,274,assertstheirinnocence;andevenhistestimonymayoutweighthechargesoftheirenemies,Cod。Theod。

  tom。iv。p。489,whoaccusethemofoppressingtheCuriae。TheconnectionofTatianwiththeArians,whilehewaspraefectofEgypt,A。D。373,inclinesTillemonttobelievethathewasguiltyofeverycrime,Hist。desEmp。tom。v。p。360。Mem。

  Eccles。tomvi。p。589。]

  [Footnote7:—JuvenumrorantiacollaAntepatrumvultusstrictacecideresecuri。

  IbatgrandaevusnatomorientesuperstesPosttrabeasexsul。

  InRufin。i。248。

  ThefactsofZosimusexplaintheallusionsofClaudian;buthisclassicinterpreterswereignorantofthefourthcentury。Thefatalcord,Ifound,withthehelpofTillemont,inasermonofSt。AsteriusofAmasea。]

  [Footnote8:ThisodiouslawisrecitedandrepealedbyArcadius,A。D。296,ontheTheodosianCode,l。ix。tit。xxxviii。leg。9。

  ThesenseasitisexplainedbyClaudian,inRufin。i。234,andGodefroy,tom。iii。p。279,isperfectlyclear。

  —ExscinderecivesFunditus;etnomengentisdelerelaborat。

  ThescruplesofPagiandTillemontcanariseonlyfromtheirzealforthegloryofTheodosius。]

  [Footnote9:Ammonius……Rufinumpropriismanibussuscepitsacrofontemundatum。SeeRosweyde\'sVitaePatrum,p。947。

  Sozomenl。viii。c。17mentionsthechurchandmonastery;andTillemontMem。Eccles。tom。ix。p。593recordsthissynod,inwhichSt。GregoryofNyssaperformedaconspicuouspart。]

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