[Footnote4:SeeGrotiusdeJureBellietPacis,l。ii。c。7。Hehaslaboriouslyoutvainly,attemptedtoformareasonablesystemofjurisprudencefromthevariousanddiscordantmodesofroyalsuccession,whichhavebeenintroducedbyfraudorforce,bytimeoraccident。]
  [Footnote5:TheoriginalwritersarenotagreedseeMuratori,Annalid'Italiatom。iv。p。139whetherValentinianreceivedtheImperialdiadematRomeorRavenna。Inthisuncertainty,Iamwillingtobelieve,thatsomerespectwasshowntothesenate。]
  [Footnote6:ThecountdeBuatHist。desPeupesdel'Europe,tom。vii。p。292—300hasestablishedthereality,explainedthemotives,andtracedtheconsequences,ofthisremarkablecession。]
  [Footnote7:SeethefirstNovelofTheodosius,bywhichheratifiesandcommunicatesA。D。438theTheodosianCode。Aboutfortyyearsbeforethattime,theunityoflegislationhadbeenprovedbyanexception。TheJews,whowerenumerousinthecitiesofApuliaandCalabria,producedalawoftheEasttojustifytheirexemptionfrommunicipaloffices,Cod。Theod。l。
  xvi。tit。viii。leg。13;andtheWesternemperorwasobligedtoinvalidate,byaspecialedict,thelaw,quamconstatmeispartibusessedamnosam。Cod。Theod。l。xi。tit。i。leg。158。]
  Valentinian,whenhereceivedthetitleofAugustus,wasnomorethansixyearsofage;andhislongminoritywasintrustedtotheguardiancareofamother,whomightassertafemaleclaimtothesuccessionoftheWesternempire。Placidiaenvied,butshecouldnotequal,thereputationandvirtuesofthewifeandsisterofTheodosius,theelegantgeniusofEudocia,thewiseandsuccessfulpolicyofPulcheria。ThemotherofValentinianwasjealousofthepowerwhichshewasincapableofexercising;^8
  shereignedtwenty—fiveyears,inthenameofherson;andthecharacterofthatunworthyemperorgraduallycountenancedthesuspicionthatPlacidiahadenervatedhisyouthbyadissoluteeducation,andstudiouslydivertedhisattentionfromeverymanlyandhonorablepursuit。Amidstthedecayofmilitaryspirit,herarmieswerecommandedbytwogenerals,Aetius^9andBoniface,^10whomaybedeservedlynamedasthelastoftheRomans。Theirunionmighthavesupportedasinkingempire;theirdiscordwasthefatalandimmediatecauseofthelossofAfrica。TheinvasionanddefeatofAttilahaveimmortalizedthefameofAetius;andthoughtimehasthrownashadeovertheexploitsofhisrival,thedefenceofMarseilles,andthedeliveranceofAfrica,attestthemilitarytalentsofCountBoniface。Inthefieldofbattle,inpartialencounters,insinglecombats,hewasstilltheterroroftheBarbarians:theclergy,andparticularlyhisfriendAugustin,wereedifiedbytheChristianpietywhichhadoncetemptedhimtoretirefromtheworld;thepeopleapplaudedhisspotlessintegrity;thearmydreadedhisequalandinexorablejustice,whichmaybedisplayedinaverysingularexample。A
  peasant,whocomplainedofthecriminalintimacybetweenhiswifeandaGothicsoldier,wasdirectedtoattendhistribunalthefollowingday:intheeveningthecount,whohaddiligentlyinformedhimselfofthetimeandplaceoftheassignation,mountedhishorse,rodetenmilesintothecountry,surprisedtheguiltycouple,punishedthesoldierwithinstantdeath,andsilencedthecomplaintsofthehusbandbypresentinghim,thenextmorning,withtheheadoftheadulterer。TheabilitiesofAetiusandBonifacemighthavebeenusefullyemployedagainstthepublicenemies,inseparateandimportantcommands;buttheexperienceoftheirpastconductshouldhavedecidedtherealfavorandconfidenceoftheempressPlacidia。Inthemelancholyseasonofherexileanddistress,Bonifacealonehadmaintainedhercausewithunshakenfidelity:andthetroopsandtreasuresofAfricahadessentiallycontributedtoextinguishtherebellion。
  ThesamerebellionhadbeensupportedbythezealandactivityofAetius,whobroughtanarmyofsixtythousandHunsfromtheDanubetotheconfinesofItaly,fortheserviceoftheusurper。
  TheuntimelydeathofJohncompelledhimtoacceptanadvantageoustreaty;buthestillcontinued,thesubjectandthesoldierofValentinian,toentertainasecret,perhapsatreasonable,correspondencewithhisBarbarianallies,whoseretreathadbeenpurchasedbyliberalgifts,andmoreliberalpromises。ButAetiuspossessedanadvantageofsingularmomentinafemalereign;hewaspresent:hebesieged,withartfulandassiduousflattery,thepalaceofRavenna;disguisedhisdarkdesignswith8:452018/8/31themaskofloyaltyandfriendship;andatlengthdeceivedbothhismistressandhisabsentrival,byasubtleconspiracy,whichaweakwomanandabravemancouldnoteasilysuspect。Hehadsecretlypersuaded^11PlacidiatorecallBonifacefromthegovernmentofAfrica;hesecretlyadvisedBonifacetodisobeytheImperialsummons:totheone,herepresentedtheorderasasentenceofdeath;totheother,hestatedtherefusalasasignalofrevolt;andwhenthecredulousandunsuspectfulcounthadarmedtheprovinceinhisdefence,Aetiusapplaudedhissagacityinforeseeingtherebellion,whichhisownperfidyhadexcited。AtemperateinquiryintotherealmotivesofBonifacewouldhaverestoredafaithfulservanttohisdutyandtotherepublic;buttheartsofAetiusstillcontinuedtobetrayandtoinflame,andthecountwasurged,bypersecution,toembracethemostdesperatecounsels。Thesuccesswithwhichheeludedorrepelledthefirstattacks,couldnotinspireavainconfidence,thatattheheadofsomeloose,disorderlyAfricans,heshouldbeabletowithstandtheregularforcesoftheWest,commandedbyarival,whosemilitarycharacteritwasimpossibleforhimtodespise。Aftersomehesitation,thelaststrugglesofprudenceandloyalty,Bonifacedespatchedatrustyfriendtothecourt,orrathertothecamp,ofGonderic,kingoftheVandals,withtheproposalofastrictalliance,andtheofferofanadvantageousandperpetualsettlement。
  [Footnote8:CassiodorusVariar。l。xi。Epist。i。p。238hascomparedtheregenciesofPlacidiaandAmalasuntha。HearraignstheweaknessofthemotherofValentinian,andpraisesthevirtuesofhisroyalmistress。Onthisoccasion,flatteryseemstohavespokenthelanguageoftruth。]
  [Footnote9:Philostorgius,l。xii。c。12,andGodefroy'sDissertat。p。493,&c。;andRenatusFrigeridus,apudGregor。
  Turon。l。ii。c。8,intom。ii。p。163。ThefatherofAetiuswasGaudentius,anillustriouscitizenoftheprovinceofScythia,andmaster—generalofthecavalry;hismotherwasarichandnobleItalian。Fromhisearliestyouth,Aetius,asasoldierandahostage,hadconversedwiththeBarbarians。]
  [Footnote10:ForthecharacterofBoniface,seeOlympiodorus,apudPhot。p。196;andSt。AugustinapudTillemont,MemoiresEccles。tom。xiii。p。712—715,886。ThebishopofHippoatlengthdeploredthefallofhisfriend,who,afterasolemnvowofchastity,hadmarriedasecondwifeoftheAriansect,andwhowassuspectedofkeepingseveralconcubinesinhishouse。]
  [Footnote11:ProcopiusdeBell。Vandal。l。i。c。3,4,p。182—
  186relatesthefraudofAetius,therevoltofBoniface,andthelossofAfrica。Thisanecdote,whichissupportedbysomecollateraltestimony,seeRuinart,Hist。Persecut。Vandal。p。
  420,421,seemsagreeabletothepracticeofancientandmoderncourts,andwouldbenaturallyrevealedbytherepentanceofBoniface。]
  AftertheretreatoftheGoths,theauthorityofHonoriushadobtainedaprecariousestablishmentinSpain;exceptonlyintheprovinceofGallicia,wheretheSueviandtheVandalshadfortifiedtheircamps,inmutualdiscordandhostileindependence。TheVandalsprevailed;andtheiradversarieswerebesiegedintheNervasianhills,betweenLeonandOviedo,tilltheapproachofCountAsteriuscompelled,orratherprovoked,thevictoriousBarbarianstoremovethesceneofthewartotheplainsofBoetica。TherapidprogressoftheVandalssoonacquiredamoreeffectualopposition;andthemaster—generalCastinusmarchedagainstthemwithanumerousarmyofRomansandGoths。Vanquishedinbattlebyaninferiorarmy,CastinusfledwithdishonortoTarragona;andthismemorabledefeat,whichhasbeenrepresentedasthepunishment,wasmostprobablytheeffect,ofhisrashpresumption。^12SevilleandCarthagenabecamethereward,orrathertheprey,oftheferociousconquerors;andthevesselswhichtheyfoundintheharborofCarthagenamighteasilytransportthemtotheIslesofMajorcaandMinorca,wheretheSpanishfugitives,asinasecurerecess,hadvainlyconcealedtheirfamiliesandtheirfortunes。Theexperienceofnavigation,andperhapstheprospectofAfrica,encouragedtheVandalstoaccepttheinvitationwhichtheyreceivedfromCountBoniface;
  andthedeathofGondericservedonlytoforwardandanimatetheboldenterprise。Intheroomofaprincenotconspicuousforanysuperiorpowersofthemindorbody,theyacquiredhisbastardbrother,theterribleGenseric;^13aname,which,inthedestructionoftheRomanempire,hasdeservedanequalrankwiththenamesofAlaricandAttila。ThekingoftheVandalsisdescribedtohavebeenofamiddlestature,withalamenessinoneleg,whichhehadcontractedbyanaccidentalfallfromhishorse。Hisslowandcautiousspeechseldomdeclaredthedeeppurposesofhissoul;hedisdainedtoimitatetheluxuryofthevanquished;butheindulgedthesternerpassionsofangerandrevenge。TheambitionofGensericwaswithoutboundsandwithoutscruples;andthewarriorcoulddexterouslyemploythedarkenginesofpolicytosolicittheallieswhomightbeusefultohissuccess,ortoscatteramonghisenemiestheseedsofhatredandcontention。AlmostinthemomentofhisdeparturehewasinformedthatHermanric,kingoftheSuevi,hadpresumedtoravagetheSpanishterritories,whichhewasresolvedtoabandon。
  Impatientoftheinsult,GensericpursuedthehastyretreatoftheSueviasfarasMerida;precipitatedthekingandhisarmyintotheRiverAnas,andcalmlyreturnedtothesea—shoretoembarkhisvictorioustroops。ThevesselswhichtransportedtheVandalsoverthemodernStraitsofGibraltar,achannelonlytwelvemilesinbreadth,werefurnishedbytheSpaniards,whoanxiouslywishedtheirdeparture;andbytheAfricangeneral,whohadimploredtheirformidableassistance。^14
  [Footnote12:SeetheChroniclesofProsperandIdatius。SalviandeGubernat。Dei,l。vii。p。246,Paris,1608ascribesthevictoryoftheVandalstotheirsuperiorpiety。Theyfasted,theyprayed,theycarriedaBibleinthefrontoftheHost,withthedesign,perhaps,ofreproachingtheperfidyandsacrilegeoftheirenemies。]
  [Footnote13:Gizericushisnameisvariouslyexpressedstaturamediocrisetequicasuclaudicans,animoprofundus,sermonerarus,luxuriaecontemptor,iraturbidus,habendicupidus,adsolicitandasgentesprovidentissimus,seminacontentionumjacere,odiamiscereparatus。Jornandes,deRebusGeticis,c。33,p。657。
  Thisportrait,whichisdrawnwithsomeskill,andastronglikeness,musthavebeencopiedfromtheGothichistoryofCassiodorus。]
  [Footnote14:SeetheChronicleofIdatius。Thatbishop,aSpaniardandacontemporary,placesthepassageoftheVandalsinthemonthofMay,oftheyearofAbraham,whichcommencesinOctober,2444。Thisdate,whichcoincideswithA。D。429,isconfirmedbyIsidore,anotherSpanishbishop,andisjustlypreferredtotheopinionofthosewriterswhohavemarkedforthateventoneofthetwoprecedingyears。SeePagiCritica,tom。ii。p。205,&c。]
  Ourfancy,solongaccustomedtoexaggerateandmultiplythemartialswarmsofBarbariansthatseemedtoissuefromtheNorth,willperhapsbesurprisedbytheaccountofthearmywhichGensericmusteredonthecoastofMauritania。TheVandals,whointwentyyearshadpenetratedfromtheElbetoMountAtlas,wereunitedunderthecommandoftheirwarlikeking;andhereignedwithequalauthorityovertheAlani,whohadpassed,withinthetermofhumanlife,fromthecoldofScythiatotheexcessiveheatofanAfricanclimate。ThehopesoftheboldenterprisehadexcitedmanybraveadventurersoftheGothicnation;andmanydesperateprovincialsweretemptedtorepairtheirfortunesbythesamemeanswhichhadoccasionedtheirruin。Yetthisvariousmultitudeamountedonlytofiftythousandeffectivemen;andthoughGensericartfullymagnifiedhisapparentstrength,byappointingeightychinarchs,orcommandersofthousands,thefallaciousincreaseofoldmen,ofchildren,andofslaves,wouldscarcelyhaveswelledhisarmytothenumberoffour—scorethousandpersons。^15Buthisowndexterity,andthediscontentsofAfrica,soonfortifiedtheVandalpowers,bytheaccessionofnumerousandactiveallies。ThepartsofMauritaniawhichborderontheGreatDesertandtheAtlanticOcean,werefilledwithafierceanduntractableraceofmen,whosesavagetemperhadbeenexasperated,ratherthanreclaimed,bytheirdreadoftheRomanarms。ThewanderingMoors,^16astheygraduallyventuredtoapproachtheseashore,andthecampoftheVandals,musthaveviewedwithterrorandastonishmentthedress,thearmor,themartialprideanddisciplineoftheunknownstrangerswhohadlandedontheircoast;andthefaircomplexionsoftheblue—eyedwarriorsofGermanyformedaverysingularcontrastwiththeswarthyorolivehuewhichisderivedfromtheneighborhoodofthetorridzone。Afterthefirstdifficultieshadinsomemeasurebeenremoved,whicharosefromthemutualignoranceoftheirrespectivelanguage,theMoors,regardlessofanyfutureconsequence,embracedtheallianceoftheenemiesofRome;andacrowdofnakedsavagesrushedfromthewoodsandvalleysofMountAtlas,tosatiatetheirrevengeonthepolishedtyrants,whohadinjuriouslyexpelledthemfromthenativesovereigntyoftheland。
  [Footnote15:CompareProcopiusdeBell。Vandal。l。i。c。5,p。
  190andVictorVitensis,dePersecutioneVandal。l。i。c。1,p。
  3,edit。Ruinart。WeareassuredbyIdatius,thatGensericevacuatedSpain,cumVandalisomnibuseorumquefamiliis;andPossidiusinVit。Augustin。c。28,apudRuinart,p。427
  describeshisarmyasmanusingensimmaniumgentiumVandalorumetAlanorum,commixtamsecumbabensGothorumgentem,aliarumquediversarumpersonas。]
  [Footnote16:ForthemannersoftheMoors,seeProcopius,deBell。Vandal。l。ii。c。6,p。249;fortheirfigureandcomplexion,M。deBuffon,HistoireNaturelle,tom。iii。p。430。
  Procopiussaysingeneral,thattheMoorshadjoinedtheVandalsbeforethedeathofValentinian,deBell。Vandal。l。i。c。5,p。
  190;anditisprobablethattheindependenttribesdidnotembraceanyuniformsystemofpolicy。]
  ThepersecutionoftheDonatists^17wasaneventnotlessfavorabletothedesignsofGenseric。SeventeenyearsbeforehelandedinAfrica,apublicconferencewasheldatCarthage,bytheorderofthemagistrate。TheCatholicsweresatisfied,that,aftertheinvinciblereasonswhichtheyhadalleged,theobstinacyoftheschismaticsmustbeinexcusableandvoluntary;
  andtheemperorHonoriuswaspersuadedtoinflictthemostrigorouspenaltiesonafactionwhichhadsolongabusedhispatienceandclemency。Threehundredbishops,^18withmanythousandsoftheinferiorclergy,weretornfromtheirchurches,strippedoftheirecclesiasticalpossessions,banishedtotheislands,andproscribedbythelaws,iftheypresumedtoconcealthemselvesintheprovincesofAfrica。Theirnumerouscongregations,bothincitiesandinthecountry,weredeprivedoftherightsofcitizens,andoftheexerciseofreligiousworship。Aregularscaleoffines,fromtentotwohundredpoundsofsilver,wascuriouslyascertained,accordingtothedistinctionofrankandfortune,topunishthecrimeofassistingataschismaticconventicle;andifthefinehadbeenleviedfivetimes,withoutsubduingtheobstinacyoftheoffender,hisfuturepunishmentwasreferredtothediscretionoftheImperialcourt。
  ^19Bytheseseverities,whichobtainedthewarmestapprobationofSt。Augustin,^20greatnumbersofDonatistswerereconciledtotheCatholicChurch;butthefanatics,whostillperseveredintheiropposition,wereprovokedtomadnessanddespair;thedistractedcountrywasfilledwithtumultandbloodshed;thearmedtroopsofCircumcellionsalternatelypointedtheirrageagainstthemselves,oragainsttheiradversaries;andthecalendarofmartyrsreceivedonbothsidesaconsiderableaugmentation。^21Underthesecircumstances,Genseric,aChristian,butanenemyoftheorthodoxcommunion,showedhimselftotheDonatistsasapowerfuldeliverer,fromwhomtheymightreasonablyexpecttherepealoftheodiousandoppressiveedictsoftheRomanemperors。^22TheconquestofAfricawasfacilitatedbytheactivezeal,orthesecretfavor,ofadomesticfaction;
  thewantonoutragesagainstthechurchesandtheclergyofwhichtheVandalsareaccused,maybefairlyimputedtothefanaticismoftheirallies;andtheintolerantspiritwhichdisgracedthetriumphofChristianity,contributedtothelossofthemostimportantprovinceoftheWest。^23
  [Footnote17:SeeTillemont,MemoiresEccles。tom。xiii。p。516—
  558;andthewholeseriesofthepersecution,intheoriginalmonuments,publishedbyDupinattheendofOptatus,p。323—
  515。]
  [Footnote18:TheDonatistBishops,attheconferenceofCarthage,amountedto279;andtheyassertedthattheirwholenumberwasnotlessthan400。TheCatholicshad286present,120
  absent,besidessixtyfourvacantbishoprics。]
  [Footnote19:ThefifthtitleofthesixteenthbookoftheTheodosianCodeexhibitsaseriesoftheImperiallawsagainsttheDonatists,fromtheyear400totheyear428。Ofthesethe54thlaw,promulgatedbyHonorius,A。D。414,isthemostsevereandeffectual。]
  [Footnote20:St。Augustinalteredhisopinionwithregardtosthepropertreatmentofheretics。HispatheticdeclarationofpityandindulgencefortheManichaeans,hasbeeninsertedbyMr。
  Lockevol。iii。p。469amongthechoicespecimensofhiscommon—placebook。Anotherphilosopher,thecelebratedBayle,tom。ii。p。445—496,hasrefuted,withsuperfluousdiligenceandingenuity,theargumentsbywhichthebishopofHippojustified,inhisoldage,thepersecutionoftheDonatists。]
  [Footnote21:SeeTillemont,Mem。Eccles。tom。xiii。p。586—
  592,806。TheDonatistsboastedofthousandsofthesevoluntarymartyrs。Augustinasserts,andprobablywithtruth,thatthesenumbersweremuchexaggerated;buthesternlymaintains,thatitwasbetterthatsomeshouldburnthemselvesinthisworld,thanthatallshouldburninhellflames。]
  [Footnote22:AccordingtoSt。AugustinandTheodoret,theDonatistswereinclinedtotheprinciples,oratleasttotheparty,oftheArians,whichGensericsupported。Tillemont,Mem。
  Eccles。tom。vi。p。68。]
  [Footnote23:SeeBaronius,Annal。Eccles。A。D。428,No。7,A。D。
  439,No。35。Thecardinal,thoughmoreinclinedtoseekthecauseofgreateventsinheaventhanontheearth,hasobservedtheapparentconnectionoftheVandalsandtheDonatists。UnderthereignoftheBarbarians,theschismaticsofAfricaenjoyedanobscurepeaceofonehundredyears;attheendofwhichwemayagaintracethembythefightoftheImperialpersecutions。SeeTillemont,Mem。Eccles。tom。vi。p。192。&c。]
  Thecourtandthepeoplewereastonishedbythestrangeintelligence,thatavirtuoushero,aftersomanyfavors,andsomanyservices,hadrenouncedhisallegiance,andinvitedtheBarbarianstodestroytheprovinceintrustedtohiscommand。ThefriendsofBoniface,whostillbelievedthathiscriminalbehaviormightbeexcusedbysomehonorablemotive,solicited,duringtheabsenceofAetius,afreeconferencewiththeCountofAfrica;andDarius,anofficerofhighdistinction,wasnamedfortheimportantembassy。^24IntheirfirstinterviewatCarthage,theimaginaryprovocationsweremutuallyexplained;theoppositelettersofAetiuswereproducedandcompared;andthefraudwaseasilydetected。PlacidiaandBonifacelamentedtheirfatalerror;andthecounthadsufficientmagnanimitytoconfideintheforgivenessofhissovereign,ortoexposehisheadtoherfutureresentment。Hisrepentancewasferventandsincere;buthesoondiscoveredthatitwasnolongerinhispowertorestoretheedificewhichhehadshakentoitsfoundations。CarthageandtheRomangarrisonsreturnedwiththeirgeneraltotheallegianceofValentinian;buttherestofAfricawasstilldistractedwithwarandfaction;andtheinexorablekingoftheVandals,disdainingalltermsofaccommodation,sternlyrefusedtorelinquishthepossessionofhisprey。ThebandofveteranswhomarchedunderthestandardofBoniface,andhishastyleviesofprovincialtroops,weredefeatedwithconsiderableloss;thevictoriousBarbariansinsultedtheopencountry;andCarthage,Cirta,andHippoRegius,weretheonlycitiesthatappearedtoriseabovethegeneralinundation。
  [Footnote24:InaconfidentiallettertoCountBoniface,St。