BeforetheageofJustinian，orperhapsofDiocletian，thedecuriesofRomanjudgeshadsunktoanemptytitle:thehumbleadviceoftheassessorsmightbeacceptedordespised；andineachtribunalthecivilandcriminaljurisdictionwasadministeredbyasinglemagistrate，whowasraisedanddisgracedbythewilloftheemperor。
[Footnote201:TheimportantsubjectofthepublicquestionsandjudgmentsatRome，isexplainedwithmuchlearning，andinaclassicstyle，byCharlesSigonius，l。iii。deJudiciis，inOpp。
tom。iii。p。679—864；andagoodabridgmentmaybefoundintheRepubliqueRomaineofBeaufort，tom。ii。l。v。p。1—121。
ThosewhowishformoreabstruselawmaystudyNoodt，deJurisdictioneetImperioLibriduo，tom。i。p。93—134，
Heineccius，adPandect。l。i。etii。adInstitut。l。iv。tit。
xviiElement。adAntiquitat。andGravinaOpp。230—251。]
[Footnote202:Theoffice，bothatRomeandinEngland，mustbeconsideredasanoccasionalduty，andnotamagistracy，orprofession。Buttheobligationofaunanimousverdictispeculiartoourlaws，whichcondemnthejurymentoundergothetorturefromwhencetheyhaveexemptedthecriminal。]
[Footnote203:WeareindebtedforthisinterestingfacttoafragmentofAsconiusPedianus，whoflourishedunderthereignofTiberius。ThelossofhisCommentariesontheOrationsofCicerohasdeprivedusofavaluablefundofhistoricalandlegalknowledge。]
ARomanaccusedofanycapitalcrimemightpreventthesentenceofthelawbyvoluntaryexile，ordeath。Tillhisguilthadbeenlegallyproved，hisinnocencewaspresumed，andhispersonwasfree:tillthevotesofthelastcenturyhadbeencountedanddeclared，hemightpeaceablysecedetoanyofthealliedcitiesofItaly，orGreece，orAsia。^204Hisfameandfortuneswerepreserved，atleasttohischildren，bythiscivildeath；andhemightstillbehappyineveryrationalandsensualenjoyment，ifamindaccustomedtotheambitioustumultofRomecouldsupporttheuniformityandsilenceofRhodesorAthens。A
boldereffortwasrequiredtoescapefromthetyrannyoftheCaesars；butthiseffortwasrenderedfamiliarbythemaximsofthestoics，theexampleofthebravestRomans，andthelegalencouragementsofsuicide。Thebodiesofcondemnedcriminalswereexposedtopublicignominy，andtheirchildren，amoreseriousevil，werereducedtopovertybytheconfiscationoftheirfortunes。But，ifthevictimsofTiberiusandNeroanticipatedthedecreeoftheprinceorsenate，theircourageanddespatchwererecompensedbytheapplauseofthepublic，thedecenthonorsofburial，andthevalidityoftheirtestaments。^205TheexquisiteavariceandcrueltyofDomitianappeartohavedeprivedtheunfortunateofthislastconsolation，anditwasstilldeniedevenbytheclemencyoftheAntonines。Avoluntarydeath，which，inthecaseofacapitaloffence，intervenedbetweentheaccusationandthesentence，wasadmittedasaconfessionofguilt，andthespoilsofthedeceasedwereseizedbytheinhumanclaimsofthetreasury。^206Yetthecivilianshavealwaysrespectedthenaturalrightofacitizentodisposeofhislife；
andtheposthumousdisgraceinventedbyTarquin，^207tocheckthedespairofhissubjects，wasneverrevivedorimitatedbysucceedingtyrants。Thepowersofthisworldhaveindeedlosttheirdominionoverhimwhoisresolvedondeath；andhisarmcanonlyberestrainedbythereligiousapprehensionofafuturestate。SuicidesareenumeratedbyVirgilamongtheunfortunate，ratherthantheguilty；^208andthepoeticalfablesoftheinfernalshadescouldnotseriouslyinfluencethefaithorpracticeofmankind。Butthepreceptsofthegospel，orthechurch，haveatlengthimposedapiousservitudeonthemindsofChristians，andcondemnthemtoexpect，withoutamurmur，thelaststrokeofdiseaseortheexecutioner。
[Footnote204:Polyb。l。vi。p。643。TheextensionoftheempireandcityofRomeobligedtheexiletoseekamoredistantplaceofretirement。]
[Footnote205:Quidesestatuebant，humabantacorpora，manebanttestamenta；pretiumfestinandi。Tacit。Annal。vi。25，withtheNotesofLipsius。]
[Footnote206:JuliusPaulus，Sentent。Recept。l。v。tit。xii。
p。476，thePandects，xlviii。tit。xxi。，theCode，l。ix。
tit。l。，Bynkershoek，tom。i。p。59，Observat。J。C。R。iv。4，
andMontesquieu，EspritdesLoix，l。xxix。c。ix。，definethecivillimitationsofthelibertyandprivilegesofsuicide。Thecriminalpenaltiesaretheproductionofalateranddarkerage。]
[Footnote207:Plin。Hist。Natur。xxxvi。24。WhenhefatiguedhissubjectsinbuildingtheCapitol，manyofthelaborerswereprovokedtodespatchthemselves:henailedtheirdeadbodiestocrosses。]
[Footnote208:ThesoleresemblanceofaviolentandprematuredeathhasengagedVirgilAeneid，vi。434—439toconfoundsuicideswithinfants，lovers，andpersonsunjustlycondemned。
Heyne，thebestofhiseditors，isatalosstodeducetheidea，orascertainthejurisprudence，oftheRomanpoet。]
Thepenalstatutesformaverysmallproportionofthesixty—twobooksoftheCodeandPandects；andinalljudicialproceedings，thelifeordeathofacitizenisdeterminedwithlesscautionordelaythanthemostordinaryquestionofcovenantorinheritance。Thissingulardistinction，thoughsomethingmaybeallowedfortheurgentnecessityofdefendingthepeaceofsociety，isderivedfromthenatureofcriminalandciviljurisprudence。Ourdutiestothestatearesimpleanduniform:
thelawbywhichheiscondemnedisinscribednotonlyonbrassormarble，butontheconscienceoftheoffender，andhisguiltiscommonlyprovedbythetestimonyofasinglefact。Butourrelationstoeachotherarevariousandinfinite；ourobligationsarecreated，annulled，andmodified，byinjuries，benefits，andpromises；andtheinterpretationofvoluntarycontractsandtestaments，whichareoftendictatedbyfraudorignorance，affordsalongandlaboriousexercisetothesagacityofthejudge。Thebusinessoflifeismultipliedbytheextentofcommerceanddominion，andtheresidenceofthepartiesinthedistantprovincesofanempireisproductiveofdoubt，delay，andinevitableappealsfromthelocaltothesuprememagistrate。
Justinian，theGreekemperorofConstantinopleandtheEast，wasthelegalsuccessoroftheLatinshepherdwhohadplantedacolonyonthebanksoftheTyber。Inaperiodofthirteenhundredyears，thelawshadreluctantlyfollowedthechangesofgovernmentandmanners；andthelaudabledesireofconciliatingancientnameswithrecentinstitutionsdestroyedtheharmony，andswelledthemagnitude，oftheobscureandirregularsystem。Thelawswhichexcuse，onanyoccasions，theignoranceoftheirsubjects，confesstheirownimperfections:theciviljurisprudence，asitwasabridgedbyJustinian，stillcontinuedamysteriousscience，andaprofitabletrade，andtheinnateperplexityofthestudywasinvolvedintenfolddarknessbytheprivateindustryofthepractitioners。Theexpenseofthepursuitsometimesexceededthevalueoftheprize，andthefairestrightswereabandonedbythepovertyorprudenceoftheclaimants。Suchcostlyjusticemighttendtoabatethespiritoflitigation，buttheunequalpressureservesonlytoincreasetheinfluenceoftherich，andtoaggravatethemiseryofthepoor。Bythesedilatoryandexpensiveproceedings，thewealthypleaderobtainsamorecertainadvantagethanhecouldhopefromtheaccidentalcorruptionofhisjudge。Theexperienceofanabuse，fromwhichourownageandcountryarenotperfectlyexempt，maysometimesprovokeagenerousindignation，andextortthehastywishofexchangingourelaboratejurisprudenceforthesimpleandsummarydecreesofaTurkishcadhi。Ourcalmerreflectionwillsuggest，thatsuchformsanddelaysarenecessarytoguardthepersonandpropertyofthecitizen；thatthediscretionofthejudgeisthefirstengineoftyranny；andthatthelawsofafreepeopleshouldforeseeanddetermineeveryquestionthatmayprobablyariseintheexerciseofpowerandthetransactionsofindustry。
ButthegovernmentofJustinianunitedtheevilsoflibertyandservitude；andtheRomanswereoppressedatthesametimebythemultiplicityoftheirlawsandthearbitrarywilloftheirmaster。
ChapterXLV:StateOfItalyUnderTheLombards。
PartI。
ReignOfTheYoungerJustin。—EmbassyOfTheAvars。—TheirSettlementOnTheDanube。—ConquestOfItalyByTheLombards。—
AdoptionAndReignOfTiberius。—OfMaurice。—StateOfItalyUnderTheLombardsAndTheExarchs。—OfRavenna。—DistressOfRome。—CharacterAndPontificateOfGregoryTheFirst。
DuringthelastyearsofJustinian，hisinfirmmindwasdevotedtoheavenlycontemplation，andheneglectedthebusinessofthelowerworld。Hissubjectswereimpatientofthelongcontinuanceofhislifeandreign:yetallwhowerecapableofreflectionapprehendedthemomentofhisdeath，whichmightinvolvethecapitalintumult，andtheempireincivilwar。Sevennephews^1ofthechildlessmonarch，thesonsorgrandsonsofhisbrotherandsister，hadbeeneducatedinthesplendorofaprincelyfortune；theyhadbeenshowninhighcommandstotheprovincesandarmies；theircharacterswereknown，theirfollowerswerezealous，and，asthejealousyofagepostponedthedeclarationofasuccessor，theymightexpectwithequalhopestheinheritanceoftheiruncle。Heexpiredinhispalace，afterareignofthirty—eightyears；andthedecisiveopportunitywasembracedbythefriendsofJustin，thesonofVigilantia。^2Atthehourofmidnight，hisdomesticswereawakenedbyanimportunatecrowd，whothunderedathisdoor，andobtainedadmittancebyrevealingthemselvestobetheprincipalmembersofthesenate。Thesewelcomedeputiesannouncedtherecentandmomentoussecretoftheemperor\'sdecease；reported，orperhapsinvented，hisdyingchoiceofthebestbelovedandmostdeservingofhisnephews，andconjuredJustintopreventthedisordersofthemultitude，iftheyshouldperceive，withthereturnoflight，thattheywereleftwithoutamaster。Aftercomposinghiscountenancetosurprise，sorrow，anddecentmodesty，Justin，bytheadviceofhiswifeSophia，submittedtotheauthorityofthesenate。Hewasconductedwithspeedandsilencetothepalace；
theguardssalutedtheirnewsovereign；andthemartialandreligiousritesofhiscoronationwerediligentlyaccomplished。
BythehandsoftheproperofficershewasinvestedwiththeImperialgarments，theredbuskins，whitetunic，andpurplerobe。
Afortunatesoldier，whomheinstantlypromotedtotherankoftribune，encircledhisneckwithamilitarycollar；fourrobustyouthsexaltedhimonashield；hestoodfirmanderecttoreceivetheadorationofhissubjects；andtheirchoicewassanctifiedbythebenedictionofthepatriarch，whoimposedthediademontheheadofanorthodoxprince。Thehippodromewasalreadyfilledwithinnumerablemultitudes；andnosoonerdidtheemperorappearonhisthrone，thanthevoicesoftheblueandthegreenfactionswereconfoundedinthesameloyalacclamations。
InthespeecheswhichJustinaddressedtothesenateandpeople，hepromisedtocorrecttheabuseswhichhaddisgracedtheageofhispredecessor，displayedthemaximsofajustandbeneficentgovernment，anddeclaredthat，ontheapproachingcalendsofJanuary，^3hewouldreviveinhisownpersonthenameandlibertyofaRomanconsul。Theimmediatedischargeofhisuncle\'sdebtsexhibitedasolidpledgeofhisfaithandgenerosity:atrainofporters，ladenwithbagsofgold，advancedintothemidstofthehippodrome，andthehopelesscreditorsofJustinianacceptedthisequitablepaymentasavoluntarygift。
Beforetheendofthreeyears，hisexamplewasimitatedandsurpassedbytheempressSophia，whodeliveredmanyindigentcitizensfromtheweightofdebtandusury:anactofbenevolencethebestentitledtogratitude，sinceitrelievesthemostintolerabledistress；butinwhichthebountyofaprinceisthemostliabletobeabusedbytheclaimsofprodigalityandfraud。
^4
[Footnote1:SeethefamilyofJustinandJustinianintheFamiliaeByzantineofDucange，p。89—101。Thedevoutcivilians，LudewiginVit。Justinian。p。131andHeinecciusHist。Juris。Roman。p。374havesinceillustratedthegenealogyoftheirfavoriteprince。]
[Footnote2:InthestoryofJustin\'selevationIhavetranslatedintosimpleandconciseprosetheeighthundredversesofthetwofirstbooksofCorippus，deLaudibusJustiniAppendixHist。
Byzant。p。401—416Rome1777。]
[Footnote3:ItissurprisinghowPagiCritica。inAnnal。Baron。
tom。ii。p639couldbetemptedbyanychroniclestocontradicttheplainanddecisivetextofCorippus，vicinadona，l。ii。
354，vicinadies，l。iv。1，andtopostpone，tillA。D。567，theconsulshipofJustin。]
[Footnote4:Theophan。Chronograph。p。205。WheneverCedrenusorZonarasaremeretranscribers，itissuperfluoustoallegetheirtestimony。]
Ontheseventhdayofhisreign，JustingaveaudiencetotheambassadorsoftheAvars，andthescenewasdecoratedtoimpresstheBarbarianswithastonishment，veneration，andterror。Fromthepalacegate，thespaciouscourtsandlongporticoswerelinedwiththeloftycrestsandgiltbucklersoftheguards，whopresentedtheirspearsandaxeswithmoreconfidencethantheywouldhaveshowninafieldofbattle。Theofficerswhoexercisedthepower，orattendedtheperson，oftheprince，wereattiredintheirrichesthabits，andarrangedaccordingtothemilitaryandcivilorderofthehierarchy。Whentheveilofthesanctuarywaswithdrawn，theambassadorsbeheldtheemperoroftheEastonhisthrone，beneathacanopy，ordome，whichwassupportedbyfourcolumns，andcrownedwithawingedfigureofVictory。Inthefirstemotionsofsurprise，theysubmittedtotheservileadorationoftheByzantinecourt；butassoonastheyrosefromtheground，Targetius，thechiefoftheembassy，expressedthefreedomandprideofaBarbarian。Heextolled，bythetongueofhisinterpreter，thegreatnessofthechagan，bywhoseclemencythekingdomsoftheSouthwerepermittedtoexist，whosevictorioussubjectshadtraversedthefrozenriversofScythia，andwhonowcoveredthebanksoftheDanubewithinnumerabletents。Thelateemperorhadcultivated，withannualandcostlygifts，thefriendshipofagratefulmonarch，andtheenemiesofRomehadrespectedthealliesoftheAvars。ThesameprudencewouldinstructthenephewofJustiniantoimitatetheliberalityofhisuncle，andtopurchasetheblessingsofpeacefromaninvinciblepeople，whodelightedandexcelledintheexerciseofwar。Thereplyoftheemperorwasdeliveredinthesamestrainofhaughtydefiance，andhederivedhisconfidencefromtheGodoftheChristians，theancientgloryofRome，andtherecenttriumphsofJustinian。\"Theempire，\"saidhe，\"aboundswithmenandhorses，andarmssufficienttodefendourfrontiers，andtochastisetheBarbarians。Youofferaid，youthreatenhostilities:wedespiseyourenmityandyouraid。TheconquerorsoftheAvarssolicitouralliance；shallwedreadtheirfugitivesandexiles?^5Thebountyofourunclewasgrantedtoyourmisery，toyourhumbleprayers。Fromusyoushallreceiveamoreimportantobligation，theknowledgeofyourownweakness。Retirefromourpresence；thelivesofambassadorsaresafe；and，ifyoureturntoimploreourpardon，perhapsyouwilltasteofourbenevolence。\"^6Onthereportofhisambassadors，thechaganwasawedbytheapparentfirmnessofaRomanemperorofwhosecharacterandresourceshewasignorant。InsteadofexecutinghisthreatsagainsttheEasternempire，hemarchedintothepoorandsavagecountriesofGermany，whichweresubjecttothedominionoftheFranks。Aftertwodoubtfulbattles，heconsentedtoretire，andtheAustrasiankingrelievethedistressofhiscampwithanimmediatesupplyofcornandcattle。^7SuchrepeateddisappointmentshadchilledthespiritoftheAvars，andtheirpowerwouldhavedissolvedawayintheSarmatiandesert，iftheallianceofAlboin，kingoftheLombards，hadnotgivenanewobjecttotheirarms，andalastingsettlementtotheirweariedfortunes。
[Footnote5:Corippus，l。iii。390。TheunquestionablesenserelatestotheTurks，theconquerorsoftheAvars；butthewordscultorhasnoapparentmeaning，andthesoleMs。ofCorippus，fromwhencethefirstedition1581，apudPlantinwasprinted，isnolongervisible。Thelasteditor，FogginiofRome，hasinsertedtheconjecturalemendationofsoldan:buttheproofsofDucange，Joinville，Dissert。xvi。p。238—240，fortheearlyuseofthistitleamongtheTurksandPersians，areweakorambiguous。AndImustinclinetotheauthorityofD\'Herbelot，BibliothequeOrient。p。825，whoascribesthewordtotheArabicandChaldaeantongues，andthedatetothebeginningofthexithcentury，whenitwasbestowedbythekhalifofBagdadonMahmud，princeofGazna，andconquerorofIndia。]
[Footnote6:Forthesecharacteristicspeeches，comparetheverseofCorippusl。iii。251—401withtheproseofMenander，Excerpt。Legation。p102，103。Theirdiversityprovesthattheydidnotcopyeachothertheirresemblance，thattheydrewfromacommonoriginal。]
[Footnote7:FortheAustrasianwar，seeMenanderExcerpt。
Legat。p。110，GregoryofTours，Hist。Franc。l。iv。c29，andPaulthedeacon，deGest。Langobard。l。ii。c。10。]
WhileAlboinservedunderhisfather\'sstandard，heencounteredinbattle，andtranspiercedwithhislance，therivalprinceoftheGepidae。TheLombards，whoapplaudedsuchearlyprowess，requestedhisfather，withunanimousacclamations，thattheheroicyouth，whohadsharedthedangersofthefield，mightbeadmittedtothefeastofvictory。\"Youarenotunmindful，\"