Avitusleftonlyonedaughter,thewifeofSidoniusApollinaris,whoinheritedthepatrimonyofhisfather—in—law;lamenting,atthesametime,thedisappointmentofhispublicandprivateexpectations。Hisresentmentpromptedhimtojoin,oratleasttocountenance,themeasuresofarebelliousfactioninGaul;andthepoethadcontractedsomeguilt,whichitwasincumbentonhimtoexpiate,byanewtributeofflatterytothesucceedingemperor。^31
[Footnote24:InoneoftheporticosorgalleriesbelongingtoTrajan'slibrary,amongthestatuesoffamouswritersandorators。Sidon。Apoll。l。ix。epist,16,p。284。Carm。viii。p。
350。]
[Footnote25:Luxurioseagerevolensasenatoribusprojectusest,istheconciseexpressionofGregoryofTours,l。ii。c。xi。intom。ii。p。168。AnoldChronicleintom。ii。p。649mentionsanindecentjestofAvitus,whichseemsmoreapplicabletoRomethantoTreves。]
[Footnote26:SidoniusPanegyr。Anthem。302,&c。praisestheroyalbirthofRicimer,thelawfulheir,ashechoosestoinsinuate,bothoftheGothicandSuevickingdoms。]
[Footnote27:SeetheChronicleofIdatius。Jornandesc。xliv。
p。676styleshim,withsometruth,virumegregium,etpenetuneinItaliaadexercitumsingularem。]
[Footnote28:ParcensinnocentiaeAviti,isthecompassionate,butcontemptuous,languageofVictorTunnunensis,inChron。apudScaligerEuseb。Inanotherplace,hecallshim,virtotiussimplicitatis。Thiscommendationismorehumble,butitismoresolidandsincere,thanthepraisesofSidonius]
[Footnote29:Hesuffered,asitissupposed,inthepersecutionofDiocletian,Tillemont,Mem。Eccles。tom。v。p。279,696。
GregoryofTours,hispeculiarvotary,hasdedicatedtothegloryofJuliantheMartyranentirebook,deGloriaMartyrum,l。ii。
inMax。Bibliot。Patrum,tom。xi。p。861—871,inwhichherelatesaboutfiftyfoolishmiraclesperformedbyhisrelics。]
[Footnote30:GregoryofToursl。ii。c。xi。p。168isconcise,butcorrect,inthereignofhiscountryman。ThewordsofIdatius,"cadetimperio,caretetvita,"seemtoimply,thatthedeathofAvituswasviolent;butitmusthavebeensecret,sinceEvagriusl。ii。c。7couldsuppose,thathediedoftheplaque。]
[Footnote31:Afteramodestappealtotheexamplesofhisbrethren,VirgilandHorace,Sidoniushonestlyconfessesthedebt,andpromisespayment。SicmihidiversonupersubMartecadentiJussistiplacidoVictorutessemanimo。
Serviatergotibiservatilinguapoetae,Atquemeaevitaelaustuasitpretium。
Sidon。Apoll。Carm。iv。p。308
SeeDubos,Hist。Critique,tom。i。p。448,&c。]
ThesuccessorofAvituspresentsthewelcomediscoveryofagreatandheroiccharacter,suchassometimesarise,inadegenerateage,tovindicatethehonorofthehumanspecies。TheemperorMajorianhasdeservedthepraisesofhiscontemporaries,andofposterity;andthesepraisesmaybestronglyexpressedinthewordsofajudiciousanddisinterestedhistorian:"Thathewasgentletohissubjects;thathewasterribletohisenemies;
andthatheexcelled,ineveryvirtue,allhispredecessorswhohadreignedovertheRomans。"^32SuchatestimonymayjustifyatleastthepanegyricofSdonius;andwemayacquiesceintheassurance,that,althoughtheobsequiousoratorwouldhaveflattered,withequalzeal,themostworthlessofprinces,theextraordinarymeritofhisobjectconfinedhim,onthisoccasion,withintheboundsoftruth。^33Majorianderivedhisnamefromhismaternalgrandfather,who,inthereignofthegreatTheodosius,hadcommandedthetroopsoftheIllyrianfrontier。HegavehisdaughterinmarriagetothefatherofMajorian,arespectableofficer,whoadministeredtherevenuesofGaulwithskillandintegrity;andgenerouslypreferredthefriendshipofAetiustothetemptingofferofaninsidiouscourt。Hisson,thefutureemperor,whowaseducatedintheprofessionofarms,displayed,fromhisearlyyouth,intrepidcourage,prematurewisdom,andunboundedliberalityinascantyfortune。HefollowedthestandardofAetius,contributedtohissuccess,shared,andsometimeseclipsed,hisglory,andatlastexcitedthejealousyofthepatrician,orratherofhiswife,whoforcedhimtoretirefromtheservice。^34Majorian,afterthedeathofAetius,wasrecalledandpromoted;andhisintimateconnectionwithCountRicimerwastheimmediatestepbywhichheascendedthethroneoftheWesternempire。DuringthevacancythatsucceededtheabdicationofAvitus,theambitiousBarbarian,whosebirthexcludedhimfromtheImperialdignity,governedItalywiththetitleofPatrician;resignedtohisfriendtheconspicuousstationofmaster—generalofthecavalryandinfantry;and,afteranintervalofsomemonths,consentedtotheunanimouswishoftheRomans,whosefavorMajorianhadsolicitedbyarecentvictoryovertheAlemanni。^35HewasinvestedwiththepurpleatRavenna:andtheepistlewhichheaddressedtothesenate,willbestdescribehissituationandhissentiments。
"Yourelection,ConscriptFathers!andtheordinanceofthemostvaliantarmy,havemademeyouremperor。^36MaythepropitiousDeitydirectandprosperthecounselsandeventsofmyadministration,toyouradvantageandtothepublicwelfare!Formyownpart,Ididnotaspire,Ihavesubmittedtoreign;norshouldIhavedischargedtheobligationsofacitizenifIhadrefused,withbaseandselfishingratitude,tosupporttheweightofthoselabors,whichwereimposedbytherepublic。Assist,therefore,theprincewhomyouhavemade;partakethedutieswhichyouhaveenjoined;andmayourcommonendeavorspromotethehappinessofanempire,whichIhaveacceptedfromyourhands。
Beassured,that,inourtimes,justiceshallresumeherancientvigor,andthatvirtueshallbecome,notonlyinnocent,butmeritorious。Letnone,excepttheauthorsthemselves,beapprehensiveofdelations,^37which,asasubject,Ihavealwayscondemned,and,asaprince,willseverelypunish。Ourownvigilance,andthatofourfather,thepatricianRicimer,shallregulateallmilitaryaffairs,andprovideforthesafetyoftheRomanworld,whichwehavesavedfromforeignanddomesticenemies。^38Younowunderstandthemaximsofmygovernment;youmayconfideinthefaithfulloveandsincereassurancesofaprincewhohasformerlybeenthecompanionofyourlifeanddangers;whostillgloriesinthenameofsenator,andwhoisanxiousthatyoushouldneverrepentthejudgmentwhichyouhavepronouncedinhisfavor。"Theemperor,who,amidsttheruinsoftheRomanworld,revivedtheancientlanguageoflawandliberty,whichTrajanwouldnothavedisclaimed,musthavederivedthosegeneroussentimentsfromhisownheart;sincetheywerenotsuggestedtohisimitationbythecustomsofhisage,ortheexampleofhispredecessors。^39
[Footnote32:ThewordsofProcopiusdeservetobetranscribeddeBell。Vandal。l。i。c。7,p。194;aconcisebutcomprehensivedefinitionofroyalvirtue。]
[Footnote33:ThePanegyricwaspronouncedatLyonsbeforetheendoftheyear458,whiletheemperorwasstillconsul。Ithasmoreartthangenius,andmorelaborthanart。Theornamentsarefalseandtrivial;theexpressionisfeebleandprolix;andSidoniuswantstheskilltoexhibittheprincipalfigureinastronganddistinctlight。TheprivatelifeofMajorianoccupiesabouttwohundredlines,107—305。]
[Footnote34:Shepressedhisimmediatedeath,andwasscarcelysatisfiedwithhisdisgrace。ItshouldseemthatAetius,likeBelisariusandMarlborough,wasgovernedbyhiswife;whoseferventpiety,thoughitmightworkmiracles,Gregor。Turon。l。
ii。c。7,p。162,wasnotincompatiblewithbaseandsanguinarycounsels。]
[Footnote35:TheAlemannihadpassedtheRhaetianAlps,andweredefeatedintheCampiCanini,orValleyofBellinzone,throughwhichtheTesinflows,initsdescentfromMountAdulatotheLagoMaggiore,CluverItaliaAntiq。tom。i。p。100,101。ThisboastedvictoryoverninehundredBarbariansPanegyr。Majorian。
373,&c。betraystheextremeweaknessofItaly。]
[Footnote36:Imperatoremmefactum,P。C。electionisvestraearbitrio,etfortissimiexercitusordinationeagnoscite,Novell。
Majorian。tit。iii。p。34,adCalcem。Cod。Theodos。Sidoniusproclaimstheunanimousvoiceoftheempire:—
—PostquamordinevobisOrdoomnisregnumdederat;plebs,curia,nules,Etcollegasimul。386。
Thislanguageisancientandconstitutional;andwemayobserve,thattheclergywerenotyetconsideredasadistinctorderofthestate。]
[Footnote37:Eitherdilationes,ordelationeswouldaffordatolerablereading,butthereismuchmoresenseandspiritinthelatter,towhichIhavethereforegiventhepreference。]
[Footnote38:Abexternohosteetadomesticacladeliberavimus:
bythelatter,MajorianmustunderstandthetyrannyofAvitus;
whosedeathheconsequentlyavowedasameritoriousact。Onthisoccasion,Sidoniusisfearfulandobscure;hedescribesthetwelveCaesars,thenationsofAfrica,&c。,thathemayescapethedangerousnameofAvitus805—369。]
[Footnote39:SeethewholeedictorepistleofMajoriantothesenate,Novell。tit。iv。p。34。Yettheexpression,regnumnostrum,bearssometaintoftheage,anddoesnotmixkindlywiththewordrespublica,whichhefrequentlyrepeats。]
TheprivateandpublicactionsofMajorianareveryimperfectlyknown:buthislaws,remarkableforanoriginalcastofthoughtandexpression,faithfullyrepresentthecharacterofasovereignwholovedhispeople,whosympathizedintheirdistress,whohadstudiedthecausesofthedeclineoftheempire,andwhowascapableofapplyingasfarassuchreformationwaspracticablejudiciousandeffectualremediestothepublicdisorders。^40Hisregulationsconcerningthefinancesmanifestlytendedtoremove,oratleasttomitigate,themostintolerablegrievances。I。Fromthefirsthourofhisreign,hewassolicitousItranslatehisownwordstorelievethewearyfortunesoftheprovincials,oppressedbytheaccumulatedweightofindictionsandsuperindictions。^41Withthisviewhegrantedauniversalamnesty,afinalandabsolutedischargeofallarrearsoftribute,ofalldebts,which,underanypretence,thefiscalofficersmightdemandfromthepeople。Thiswisederelictionofobsolete,vexatious,andunprofitableclaims,improvedandpurifiedthesourcesofthepublicrevenue;andthesubjectwhocouldnowlookbackwithoutdespair,mightlaborwithhopeandgratitudeforhimselfandforhiscountry。II。Intheassessmentandcollectionoftaxes,Majorianrestoredtheordinaryjurisdictionoftheprovincialmagistrates;andsuppressedtheextraordinarycommissionswhichhadbeenintroduced,inthenameoftheemperorhimself,orofthePraetorianpraefects。Thefavoriteservants,whoobtainedsuchirregularpowers,wereinsolentintheirbehavior,andarbitraryintheirdemands:theyaffectedtodespisethesubordinatetribunals,andtheywerediscontented,iftheirfeesandprofitsdidnottwiceexceedthesumwhichtheycondescendedtopayintothetreasury。Oneinstanceoftheirextortionwouldappearincredible,wereitnotauthenticatedbythelegislatorhimself。
Theyexactedthewholepaymentingold:buttheyrefusedthecurrentcoinoftheempire,andwouldacceptonlysuchancientpiecesaswerestampedwiththenamesofFaustinaortheAntonines。Thesubject,whowasunprovidedwiththesecuriousmedals,hadrecoursetotheexpedientofcompoundingwiththeirrapaciousdemands;orifhesucceededintheresearch,hisimpositionwasdoubled,accordingtotheweightandvalueofthemoneyofformertimes。^42III。"Themunicipalcorporations,saystheemperor,thelessersenates,soantiquityhasjustlystyledthem,deservetobeconsideredastheheartofthecities,andthesinewsoftherepublic。Andyetsolowaretheynowreduced,bytheinjusticeofmagistratesandthevenalityofcollectors,thatmanyoftheirmembers,renouncingtheirdignityandtheircountry,havetakenrefugeindistantandobscureexile。"Heurges,andevencompels,theirreturntotheirrespectivecities;butheremovesthegrievancewhichhadforcedthemtodeserttheexerciseoftheirmunicipalfunctions。Theyaredirected,undertheauthorityoftheprovincialmagistrates,toresumetheirofficeoflevyingthetribute;but,insteadofbeingmaderesponsibleforthewholesumassessedontheirdistrict,theyareonlyrequiredtoproducearegularaccountofthepaymentswhichtheyhaveactuallyreceived,andofthedefaulterswhoarestillindebtedtothepublic。IV。ButMajorianwasnotignorantthatthesecorporatebodiesweretoomuchinclinedtoretaliatetheinjusticeandoppressionwhichtheyhadsuffered;andhethereforerevivestheusefulofficeofthedefendersofcities。Heexhortsthepeopletoelect,inafullandfreeassembly,somemanofdiscretionandintegrity,whowoulddaretoasserttheirprivileges,torepresenttheirgrievances,toprotectthepoorfromthetyrannyoftherich,andtoinformtheemperoroftheabusesthatwerecommittedunderthesanctionofhisnameandauthority。
[Footnote40:SeethelawsofMajoriantheyareonlynineinnumber,butverylong,andvariousattheendoftheTheodosianCode,Novell。l。iv。p。32—37。Godefroyhasnotgivenanycommentaryontheseadditionalpieces。]
[Footnote41:Fessasprovincialiumvariaatquemultiplicitributorumexactionefortunas,etextraordinariisfiscaliumsolutionumoneribusattritas,&c。Novell。Majorian。tit。iv。p。
34。]
[Footnote42:ThelearnedGreavesvol。i。p。329,330,331hasfound,byadiligentinquiry,thataureioftheAntoninesweighedonehundredandeighteen,andthoseofthefifthcenturyonlysixty—eight,Englishgrains。Majoriangivescurrencytoallgoldcoin,exceptingonlytheGallicsolidus,fromitsdeficiency,notintheweight,butinthestandard。]
ThespectatorwhocastsamournfulviewovertheruinsofancientRome,istemptedtoaccusethememoryoftheGothsandVandals,forthemischiefwhichtheyhadneitherleisure,norpower,norperhapsinclination,toperpetrate。Thetempestofwarmightstrikesomeloftyturretstotheground;butthedestructionwhichunderminedthefoundationsofthosemassyfabricswasprosecuted,slowlyandsilently,duringaperiodoftencenturies;andthemotivesofinterest,thatafterwardsoperatedwithoutshameorcontrol,wereseverelycheckedbythetasteandspiritoftheemperorMajorian。Thedecayofthecityhadgraduallyimpairedthevalueofthepublicworks。Thecircusandtheatresmightstillexcite,buttheyseldomgratified,thedesiresofthepeople:thetemples,whichhadescapedthezealoftheChristians,werenolongerinhabited,eitherbygodsormen;
thediminishedcrowdsoftheRomanswerelostintheimmensespaceoftheirbathsandporticos;andthestatelylibrariesandhallsofjusticebecameuselesstoanindolentgeneration,whosereposewasseldomdisturbed,eitherbystudyorbusiness。Themonumentsofconsular,orImperial,greatnesswerenolongerrevered,astheimmortalgloryofthecapital:theywereonlyesteemedasaninexhaustiblemineofmaterials,cheaper,andmoreconvenientthanthedistantquarry。SpeciouspetitionswerecontinuallyaddressedtotheeasymagistratesofRome,whichstatedthewantofstonesorbricks,forsomenecessaryservice:
thefairestformsofarchitecturewererudelydefaced,forthesakeofsomepaltry,orpretended,repairs;andthedegenerateRomans,whoconvertedthespoiltotheirownemolument,demolished,withsacrilegioushands,thelaborsoftheirancestors。Majorian,whohadoftensighedoverthedesolationofthecity,appliedasevereremedytothegrowingevil。^43Hereservedtotheprinceandsenatethesolecognizanceoftheextremecaseswhichmightjustifythedestructionofanancientedifice;imposedafineoffiftypoundsofgoldtwothousandpoundssterlingoneverymagistratewhoshouldpresumetograntsuchillegalandscandalouslicense,andthreatenedtochastisethecriminalobedienceoftheirsubordinateofficers,byaseverewhipping,andtheamputationofboththeirhands。Inthelastinstance,thelegislatormightseemtoforgettheproportionofguiltandpunishment;buthiszealarosefromagenerousprinciple,andMajorianwasanxioustoprotectthemonumentsofthoseages,inwhichhewouldhavedesiredanddeservedtolive。
Theemperorconceived,thatitwashisinteresttoincreasethenumberofhissubjects;andthatitwashisdutytoguardthepurityofthemarriage—bed:butthemeanswhichheemployedtoaccomplishthesesalutarypurposesareofanambiguous,andperhapsexceptionable,kind。Thepiousmaids,whoconsecratedtheirvirginitytoChrist,wererestrainedfromtakingtheveiltilltheyhadreachedtheirfortiethyear。Widowsunderthatagewerecompelledtoformasecondalliancewithinthetermoffiveyears,bytheforfeitureofhalftheirwealthtotheirnearestrelations,ortothestate。Unequalmarriageswerecondemnedorannulled。Thepunishmentofconfiscationandexilewasdeemedsoinadequatetotheguiltofadultery,that,ifthecriminalreturnedtoItaly,hemight,bytheexpressdeclarationofMajorian,beslainwithimpunity。^44
[Footnote43:ThewholeedictNovell。Majorian。tit。vi。p。35
iscurious。"Antiquarumaediumdissipaturspeciosaconstructio;
etutaliquidreparetur,magnadiruuntur。Hincjamoccasionascitur,utetiamunusquisqueprivatumaedificiumconstruens,pergratiamjudicum……praesumeredepublicislocisnecessaria,ettransferrenondubitet"&c。Withequalzeal,butwithlesspower,Petrarch,inthefourteenthcentury,repeatedthesamecomplaints。ViedePetrarque,tom。i。p。326,327。IfIprosecutethishistory,IshallnotbeunmindfulofthedeclineandfallofthecityofRome;aninterestingobjecttowhichanyplanwasoriginallyconfined。]
[Footnote44:TheemperorchidesthelenityofRogatian,consularofTuscanyinastyleofacrimoniousreproof,whichsoundsalmostlikepersonalresentment,Novell。tit。ix。p。47。ThelawofMajorian,whichpunishedobstinatewidows,wassoonafterwardsrepealedbyhissuccessorSeverus,Novell。Sever。tit。i。p。
37。]
WhiletheemperorMajorianassiduouslylaboredtorestorethehappinessandvirtueoftheRomans,heencounteredthearmsofGenseric,fromhischaracterandsituationtheirmostformidableenemy。AfleetofVandalsandMoorslandedatthemouthoftheLiris,orGarigliano;buttheImperialtroopssurprisedandattackedthedisorderlyBarbarians,whowereencumberedwiththespoilsofCampania;theywerechasedwithslaughtertotheirships,andtheirleader,theking'sbrother—in—law,wasfoundinthenumberoftheslain。^45Suchvigilancemightannouncethecharacterofthenewreign;butthestrictestvigilance,andthemostnumerousforces,wereinsufficienttoprotectthelong—extendedcoastofItalyfromthedepredationsofanavalwar。ThepublicopinionhadimposedanoblerandmorearduoustaskonthegeniusofMajorian。RomeexpectedfromhimalonetherestitutionofAfrica;andthedesign,whichheformed,ofattackingtheVandalsintheirnewsettlements,wastheresultofboldandjudiciouspolicy。IftheintrepidemperorcouldhaveinfusedhisownspiritintotheyouthofItaly;ifhecouldhaverevivedinthefieldofMars,themanlyexercisesinwhichhehadalwayssurpassedhisequals;hemighthavemarchedagainstGensericattheheadofaRomanarmy。