Injurieswereaggravatedbyinsults；thesenseofactualsufferingswasimbitteredbythefearofmoredreadfulevils；andasnewlandswereallottedtothenewswarmsofBarbarians，eachsenatorwasapprehensivelestthearbitrarysurveyorsshouldapproachhisfavoritevilla，orhismostprofitablefarm。Theleastunfortunatewerethosewhosubmittedwithoutamurmurtothepowerwhichitwasimpossibletoresist。Sincetheydesiredtolive，theyowedsomegratitudetothetyrantwhohadsparedtheirlives；andsincehewastheabsolutemasteroftheirfortunes，theportionwhichheleftmustbeacceptedashispureandvoluntarygift。^143ThedistressofItaly^!wasmitigatedbytheprudenceandhumanityofOdoacer，whohadboundhimself，asthepriceofhiselevation，tosatisfythedemandsofalicentiousandturbulentmultitude。ThekingsoftheBarbarianswerefrequentlyresisted，deposed，ormurdered，bytheirnativesubjects，andthevariousbandsofItalianmercenaries，whoassociatedunderthestandardofanelectivegeneral，claimedalargerprivilegeoffreedomandrapine。Amonarchydestituteofnationalunion，andhereditaryright，hastenedtoitsdissolution。Afterareignoffourteenyears，OdoacerwasoppressedbythesuperiorgeniusofTheodoric，kingoftheOstrogoths；aheroalikeexcellentintheartsofwarandofgovernment，whorestoredanageofpeaceandprosperity，andwhosenamestillexcitesanddeservestheattentionofmankind。
[Footnote138:Tacit。Annal。iii。53。TheRecherchessurl\'AdministrationdesTerreschezlesRomainsp。351—361
clearlystatetheprogressofinternaldecay。]
[Footnote139:Afamine，whichafflictedItalyatthetimeoftheirruptionofOdoacer，kingoftheHeruli，iseloquentlydescribed，inproseandverse，byaFrenchpoet，LesMois，tom。
ii。p。174，205，edit。in12mo。Iamignorantfromwhencehederiveshisinformation；butIamwellassuredthatherelatessomefactsincompatiblewiththetruthofhistory]
[Footnote140:SeethexxxixthepistleofSt。Ambrose，asitisquotedbyMuratori，sopraleAntichitaItaliane，tom。i。Dissert。
xxi。p。354。]
[Footnote141:Aemilia，Tuscia，ceteraequeprovinciaeinquibushominumpropenullusexsistit。Gelasius，Epist。adAndromachum，ap。Baronium，Annal。Eccles。A。D。496，No。36。]
[Footnote*:DeninasupposesthattheBarbarianswerecompelledbynecessitytoturntheirattentiontoagriculture。Italy，eitherimperfectlycultivated，ornotatall，bytheindolentorruinedproprietors，notonlycouldnotfurnishtheimposts，onwhichthepayofthesoldierydepended，butnotevenacertainsupplyofthenecessariesoflife。Theneighboringcountrieswerenowoccupiedbywarlikenations；thesuppliesofcornfromAfricawerecutoff；foreigncommercenearlydestroyed；theycouldnotlookforsuppliesbeyondthelimitsofItaly，throughoutwhichtheagriculturehadbeenlonginastateofprogressivebutrapiddepression。Denina，Rev。d\'Italiat。v。
c。i。—M。]
[Footnote142:Verumqueconfitentibus，latifundiaperdidereItaliam。Plin。Hist。Natur。xviii。7。]
[Footnote143:Sucharethetopicsofconsolation，orratherofpatience，whichCiceroadFamiliares，lib。ix。Epist。17
suggeststohisfriendPapiriusPaetus，underthemilitarydespotismofCaesar。Theargument，however，of\"viverepulcherrimumduxi，\"ismoreforciblyaddressedtoaRomanphilosopher，whopossessedthefreealternativeoflifeordeath]
[Footnote!:Compare，onthedesolationandchangeofpropertyinItaly，MannodesOst—GothischenReiches，Partii。p。73，etseq。
—M。]
ChapterXXXVII:ConversionOfTheBarbariansToChristianity。
PartI。
OriginProgress，AndEffectsOfTheMonasticLife。—
ConversionOfTheBarbariansToChristianityAndArianism。—
PersecutionOfTheVandalsInAfrica。—ExtinctionOfArianismAmongTheBarbarians。
Theindissolubleconnectionofcivilandecclesiasticalaffairshascompelled，andencouraged，metorelatetheprogress，thepersecutions，theestablishment，thedivisions，thefinaltriumph，andthegradualcorruption，ofChristianity。Ihavepurposelydelayedtheconsiderationoftworeligiousevents，interestinginthestudyofhumannature，andimportantinthedeclineandfalloftheRomanempire。I。Theinstitutionofthemonasticlife；^1and，II。TheconversionofthenorthernBarbarians。
[Footnote1:TheoriginofthemonasticinstitutionhasbeenlaboriouslydiscussedbyThomassinDisciplinedel\'Eglise，tom。
i。p。1119—1426andHelyot，Hist。desOrdresMonastiques，tom。i。p。1—66。Theseauthorsareverylearned，andtolerablyhonest，andtheirdifferenceofopinionshowsthesubjectinitsfullextent。YetthecautiousProtestant，whodistrustsanypopishguides，mayconsulttheseventhbookofBingham\'sChristianAntiquities。]
I。ProsperityandpeaceintroducedthedistinctionofthevulgarandtheAsceticChristians。^2Thelooseandimperfectpracticeofreligionsatisfiedtheconscienceofthemultitude。
Theprinceormagistrate，thesoldierormerchant，reconciledtheirferventzeal，andimplicitfaith，withtheexerciseoftheirprofession，thepursuitoftheirinterest，andtheindulgenceoftheirpassions:buttheAscetics，whoobeyedandabusedtherigidpreceptsofthegospel，wereinspiredbythesavageenthusiasmwhichrepresentsmanasacriminal，andGodasatyrant。Theyseriouslyrenouncedthebusiness，andthepleasures，oftheage；abjuredtheuseofwine，offlesh，andofmarriage；chastisedtheirbody，mortifiedtheiraffections，andembracedalifeofmisery，asthepriceofeternalhappiness。InthereignofConstantine，theAsceticsfledfromaprofaneanddegenerateworld，toperpetualsolitude，orreligioussociety。
LikethefirstChristiansofJerusalem，^3theyresignedtheuse，orthepropertyoftheirtemporalpossessions；establishedregularcommunitiesofthesamesex，andasimilardisposition；
andassumedthenamesofHermits，Monks，andAnachorets，expressiveoftheirlonelyretreatinanaturalorartificialdesert。Theysoonacquiredtherespectoftheworld，whichtheydespised；andtheloudestapplausewasbestowedonthisDivinePhilosophy，^4whichsurpassed，withouttheaidofscienceorreason，thelaboriousvirtuesoftheGrecianschools。ThemonksmightindeedcontendwiththeStoics，inthecontemptoffortune，ofpain，andofdeath:thePythagoreansilenceandsubmissionwererevivedintheirservilediscipline；andtheydisdained，asfirmlyastheCynicsthemselves，alltheformsanddecenciesofcivilsociety。ButthevotariesofthisDivinePhilosophyaspiredtoimitateapurerandmoreperfectmodel。Theytrodinthefootstepsoftheprophets，whohadretiredtothedesert；^5
andtheyrestoredthedevoutandcontemplativelife，whichhadbeeninstitutedbytheEssenians，inPalestineandEgypt。ThephilosophiceyeofPlinyhadsurveyedwithastonishmentasolitarypeople，whodweltamongthepalm—treesneartheDeadSea；whosubsistedwithoutmoney，whowerepropagatedwithoutwomen；andwhoderivedfromthedisgustandrepentanceofmankindaperpetualsupplyofvoluntaryassociates。^6
[Footnote2:SeeEuseb。Demonstrat。Evangel。，l。i。p。20，21，edit。Graec。Rob。Stephani，Paris，1545。InhisEcclesiasticalHistory，publishedtwelveyearsaftertheDemonstration，Eusebiusl。ii。c。17assertstheChristianityoftheTherapeutae；butheappearsignorantthatasimilarinstitutionwasactuallyrevivedinEgypt。]
[Footnote3:CassianCollat。xviii。5。claimsthisoriginfortheinstitutionoftheCoenobites，whichgraduallydecayedtillitwasrestoredbyAntonyandhisdisciples。]
[Footnote*:IthasbeforebeenshownthatthefirstChristiancommunitywasnotstrictlycoenobitic。Seevol。ii。—M。]
[Footnote4:ThesearetheexpressivewordsofSozomen，whocopiouslyandagreeablydescribesl。i。c。12，13，14theoriginandprogressofthismonkishphilosophy，seeSuicer。
Thesau，Eccles。，tom。ii。p。1441。Somemodernwriters，Lipsiustom。iv。p。448。Manuduct。adPhilosoph。Stoic。iii。13andLaMotheleVayer，tom。ix。delaVertudesPayens，p。228—262，
havecomparedtheCarmelitestothePythagoreans，andtheCynicstotheCapucins。]
[Footnote5:TheCarmelitesderivetheirpedigree，inregularsuccession，fromtheprophetElijah，seetheThesesofBeziers，A。D。1682，inBayle\'sNouvellesdelaRepubliquedesLettres，Oeuvres，tom。i。p。82，&c。，andtheprolixironyoftheOrdresMonastiques，ananonymouswork，tom。i。p。1—433，Berlin，1751。Rome，andtheinquisitionofSpain，silencedtheprofanecriticismoftheJesuitsofFlanders，Helyot，Hist。desOrdresMonastiques，tom。i。p。282—300，andthestatueofElijah，theCarmelite，hasbeenerectedinthechurchofSt。Peter，VoyagesduP。Labattom。iii。p。87。]
[Footnote6:Plin。Hist。Natur。v。15。Genssola，etintotoorbepraeterceterasmira，sineullafemina，omnivenereabdicata，sinepecunia，sociapalmarum。Itaperseculorummilliaincredibiledictugensaeternaestinquanemonascitur。Tamfoecundaillisaliorumvitaepoenitentiaest。Heplacesthemjustbeyondthenoxiousinfluenceofthelake，andnamesEngaddiandMassadaasthenearesttowns。TheLaura，andmonasteryofSt。Sabas，couldnotbefardistantfromthisplace。SeeReland。
Palestin。，tom。i。p。295；tom。ii。p。763，874，880，890。]
Egypt，thefruitfulparentofsuperstition，affordedthefirstexampleofthemonasticlife。Antony，^7anilliterate^8
youthofthelowerpartsofThebais，distributedhispatrimony，^9desertedhisfamilyandnativehome，andexecutedhismonasticpenancewithoriginalandintrepidfanaticism。Afteralongandpainfulnovitiate，amongthetombs，andinaruinedtower，heboldlyadvancedintothedesertthreedays\'journeytotheeastwardoftheNile；discoveredalonelyspot，whichpossessedtheadvantagesofshadeandwater，andfixedhislastresidenceonMountColzim，neartheRedSea；whereanancientmonasterystillpreservesthenameandmemoryofthesaint。^10ThecuriousdevotionoftheChristianspursuedhimtothedesert；andwhenhewasobligedtoappearatAlexandria，inthefaceofmankind，hesupportedhisfamewithdiscretionanddignity。HeenjoyedthefriendshipofAthanasius，whosedoctrineheapproved；andtheEgyptianpeasantrespectfullydeclinedarespectfulinvitationfromtheemperorConstantine。ThevenerablepatriarchforAntonyattainedtheageofonehundredandfiveyearsbeheldthenumerousprogenywhichhadbeenformedbyhisexampleandhislessons。TheprolificcoloniesofmonksmultipliedwithrapidincreaseonthesandsofLibya，upontherocksofThebais，andinthecitiesoftheNile。TothesouthofAlexandria，themountain，andadjacentdesert，ofNitria，werepeopledbyfivethousandanachorets；andthetravellermaystillinvestigatetheruinsoffiftymonasteries，whichwereplantedinthatbarrensoilbythedisciplesofAntony。^11IntheUpperThebais，thevacantislandofTabenne，^12wasoccupiedbyPachomiusandfourteenhundredofhisbrethren。Thatholyabbotsuccessivelyfoundedninemonasteriesofmen，andoneofwomen；andthefestivalofEastersometimescollectedfiftythousandreligiouspersons，whofollowedhisangelicruleofdiscipline。^13ThestatelyandpopulouscityofOxyrinchus，theseatofChristianorthodoxy，haddevotedthetemples，thepublicedifices，andeventheramparts，topiousandcharitableuses；andthebishop，whomightpreachintwelvechurches，computedtenthousandfemalesandtwentythousandmales，ofthemonasticprofession。^14TheEgyptians，whogloriedinthismarvellousrevolution，weredisposedtohope，andtobelieve，thatthenumberofthemonkswasequaltotheremainderofthepeople；^15andposteritymightrepeatthesaying，whichhadformerlybeenappliedtothesacredanimalsofthesamecountry，ThatinEgyptitwaslessdifficulttofindagodthanaman。
[Footnote7:SeeAthanas。Op。tom。ii。p。450—505，andtheVit。
Patrum，p。26—74，withRosweyde\'sAnnotations。TheformeristheGreekoriginalthelatter，averyancientLatinversionbyEvagrius，thefriendofSt。Jerom。]
[Footnote8:Athanas。tom。ii。inVit。St。Anton。p。452；andtheassertionofhistotalignorancehasbeenreceivedbymanyoftheancientsandmoderns。ButTillemontMem。Eccles。tom。vii。p。
666shows，bysomeprobablearguments，thatAntonycouldreadandwriteintheCoptic，hisnativetongue；andthathewasonlyastrangertotheGreekletters。ThephilosopherSynesiusp。
51acknowledgesthatthenaturalgeniusofAntonydidnotrequiretheaidoflearning。]
[Footnote9:Aruroeautemeranteitrecentaeuberes，etvaldeoptimae，Vit。Patr。l。v。p。36。IftheArurabeasquaremeasure，ofahundredEgyptiancubits，Rosweyde，OnomasticonadVit。Patrum，p。1014，1015，andtheEgyptiancubitofallagesbeequaltotwenty—twoEnglishinches，Greaves，vol。i。p。233，
thearurawillconsistofaboutthreequartersofanEnglishacre。]
[Footnote10:ThedescriptionofthemonasteryisgivenbyJeromtom。i。p。248，249，inVit。HilarionandtheP。Sicard，MissionsduLevanttom。v。p。122—200。Theiraccountscannotalwaysbereconciledthefatherpaintedfromhisfancy，andtheJesuitfromhisexperience。]
[Footnote11:Jerom，tom。i。p。146，adEustochium。Hist。
Lausiac。c。7，inVit。Patrum，p。712。TheP。SicardMissionsduLevant，tom。ii。p。29—79visitedandhasdescribedthisdesert，whichnowcontainsfourmonasteries，andtwentyorthirtymonks。SeeD\'Anville，Descriptiondel\'Egypte，p。74。]
[Footnote12:TabenneisasmallislandintheNile，inthedioceseofTentyraorDendera，betweenthemoderntownofGirgeandtheruinsofancientThebes，D\'Anville，p。194。M。deTillemontdoubtswhetheritwasanisle；butImayconclude，fromhisownfacts，thattheprimitivenamewasafterwardstransferredtothegreatmonasteryofBauorPabau，Mem。Eccles。tom。vii。
p。678，688。]
[Footnote13:SeeintheCodexRegularumpublishedbyLucasHolstenius，Rome，1661aprefaceofSt。JeromtohisLatinversionoftheRuleofPachomius，tom。i。p。61。]
[Footnote14:Rufin。c。5，inVit。Patrum，p。459。Hecallsitcivitasamplaraldeetpopulosa，andreckonstwelvechurches。
Strabol。xvii。p。1166andAmmianusxxii。16havemadehonorablementionofOxyrinchus，whoseinhabitantsadoredasmallfishinamagnificenttemple。]
[Footnote15:Quantipopulihabenturinurbibus，tantaepaenehabenturindesertismultitudinesmonachorum。Rufin。c。7，inVit。Patrum，p。461。Hecongratulatesthefortunatechange。]
AthanasiusintroducedintoRometheknowledgeandpracticeofthemonasticlife；andaschoolofthisnewphilosophywasopenedbythedisciplesofAntony，whoaccompaniedtheirprimatetotheholythresholdoftheVatican。ThestrangeandsavageappearanceoftheseEgyptiansexcited，atfirst，horrorandcontempt，and，atlength，applauseandzealousimitation。Thesenators，andmoreespeciallythematrons，transformedtheirpalacesandvillasintoreligioushouses；andthenarrowinstitutionofsixvestalswaseclipsedbythefrequentmonasteries，whichwereseatedontheruinsofancienttemples，andinthemidstoftheRomanforum。^16InflamedbytheexampleofAntony，aSyrianyouth，whosenamewasHilarion，^17fixedhisdrearyabodeonasandybeach，betweentheseaandamorass，aboutsevenmilesfromGaza。Theausterepenance，inwhichhepersistedforty—eightyears，diffusedasimilarenthusiasm；andtheholymanwasfollowedbyatrainoftwoorthreethousandanachorets，wheneverhevisitedtheinnumerablemonasteriesofPalestine。ThefameofBasil^18isimmortalinthemonastichistoryoftheEast。WithamindthathadtastedthelearningandeloquenceofAthens；withanambitionscarcelytobesatisfiedwiththearchbishopricofCaesarea，BasilretiredtoasavagesolitudeinPontus；anddeigned，forawhile，togivelawstothespiritualcolonieswhichheprofuselyscatteredalongthecoastoftheBlackSea。IntheWest，MartinofTours，^19asoldier，ahermit，abishop，andasaint，establishedthemonasteriesofGaul；twothousandofhisdisciplesfollowedhimtothegrave；andhiseloquenthistorianchallengesthedesertsofThebaistoproduce，inamorefavorableclimate，achampionofequalvirtue。Theprogressofthemonkswasnotlessrapid，oruniversal，thanthatofChristianityitself。Everyprovince，and，atlast，everycity，oftheempire，wasfilledwiththeirincreasingmultitudes；andthebleakandbarrenisles，fromLerinstoLipari，thataroseoutoftheTuscanSea，werechosenbytheanachoretsfortheplaceoftheirvoluntaryexile。AneasyandperpetualintercoursebyseaandlandconnectedtheprovincesoftheRomanworld；andthelifeofHilariondisplaysthefacilitywithwhichanindigenthermitofPalestinemighttraverseEgypt，embarkforSicily，escapetoEpirus，andfinallysettleintheIslandofCyprus。^20TheLatinChristiansembracedthereligiousinstitutionsofRome。Thepilgrims，whovisitedJerusalem，eagerlycopied，inthemostdistantclimatesoftheearth，thefaithfulmodelofthemonasticlife。ThedisciplesofAntonyspreadthemselvesbeyondthetropic，overtheChristianempireofAethiopia。^21ThemonasteryofBanchor，^22inFlintshire，whichcontainedabovetwothousandbrethren，dispersedanumerouscolonyamongtheBarbariansofIreland；^23
andIona，oneoftheHebrides，whichwasplantedbytheIrishmonks，diffusedoverthenorthernregionsadoubtfulrayofscienceandsuperstition。^24
[Footnote16:TheintroductionofthemonasticlifeintoRomeandItalyisoccasionallymentionedbyJerom，tom。i。p。119，120，199。]
[Footnote17:SeetheLifeofHilarion，bySt。Jerom，tom。i。p。
241，252。ThestoriesofPaul，Hilarion，andMalchus，bythesameauthor，areadmirablytold:andtheonlydefectofthesepleasingcompositionsisthewantoftruthandcommonsense。]
[Footnote18:HisoriginalretreatwasinasmallvillageonthebanksoftheIris，notfarfromNeo—Caesarea。Thetenortwelveyearsofhismonasticlifeweredisturbedbylongandfrequentavocations。SomecriticshavedisputedtheauthenticityofhisAsceticrules；buttheexternalevidenceisweighty，andtheycanonlyprovethatitistheworkofarealoraffectedenthusiast。
SeeTillemont，Mem。Ecclestom。ix。p。636—644。Helyot，Hist。
desOrdresMonastiquestom。i。p。175—181]
[Footnote19:SeehisLife，andthethreeDialoguesbySulpiciusSeverus，whoassertsDialog。i。16thatthebooksellersofRomeweredelightedwiththequickandreadysaleofhispopularwork。]
[Footnote20:WhenHilarionsailedfromParaetoniumtoCapePachynus，heofferedtopayhispassagewithabookoftheGospels。Posthumian，aGallicmonk，whohadvisitedEgypt，foundamerchantshipboundfromAlexandriatoMarseilles，andperformedthevoyageinthirtydays，Sulp。Sever。Dialog。i。1。