and，whilsthewascarriedinalitterinthefrontofbattle，heinspiredterrortotheenemy，andajustconfidencetothetroops，who，underhisbanners，werealwayssuccessful。Afterhisdeath，thecommanddevolvedtoNacoragan，aproudsatrap，who，inaconferencewiththeImperialchiefs，hadpresumedtodeclarethathedisposedofvictoryasabsolutelyasoftheringonhisfinger。Suchpresumptionwasthenaturalcauseandforerunnerofashamefuldefeat。TheRomanshadbeengraduallyrepulsedtotheedgeofthesea—shore；andtheirlastcamp，ontheruinsoftheGreciancolonyofPhasis，wasdefendedonallsidesbystrongintrenchments，theriver，theEuxine，andafleetofgalleys。
Despairunitedtheircounselsandinvigoratedtheirarms:theywithstoodtheassaultofthePersiansandtheflightofNacoraganprecededorfollowedtheslaughteroftenthousandofhisbravestsoldiers。HeescapedfromtheRomanstofallintothehandsofanunforgivingmasterwhoseverelychastisedtheerrorofhisownchoice:theunfortunategeneralwasflayedalive，andhisskin，stuffedintothehumanform，wasexposedonamountain；adreadfulwarningtothosewhomighthereafterbeintrustedwiththefameandfortuneofPersia。^86YettheprudenceofChosroesinsensiblyrelinquishedtheprosecutionoftheColchianwar，inthejustpersuasion，thatitisimpossibletoreduce，or，atleast，toholdadistantcountryagainstthewishesandeffortsofitsinhabitants。ThefidelityofGubazessustainedthemostrigoroustrials。Hepatientlyenduredthehardshipsofasavagelife，andrejectedwithdisdain，thespecioustemptationsofthePersiancourt。ThekingoftheLazihadbeeneducatedintheChristianreligion；hismotherwasthedaughterofasenator；
duringhisyouthhehadservedtenyearsasilentiaryoftheByzantinepalace，^87andthearrearsofanunpaidsalarywereamotiveofattachmentaswellasofcomplaint。Butthelongcontinuanceofhissufferingsextortedfromhimanakedrepresentationofthetruth；andtruthwasanunpardonablelibelonthelieutenantsofJustinian，who，amidstthedelaysofaruinouswar，hadsparedhisenemiesandtrampledonhisallies。
Theirmaliciousinformationpersuadedtheemperorthathisfaithlessvassalalreadymeditatedaseconddefection:anorderwassurprisedtosendhimprisonertoConstantinople；atreacherousclausewasinserted，thathemightbelawfullykilledincaseofresistance；andGubazes，withoutarms，orsuspicionofdanger，wasstabbedinthesecurityofafriendlyinterview。Inthefirstmomentsofrageanddespair，theColchianswouldhavesacrificedtheircountryandreligiontothegratificationofrevenge。Buttheauthorityandeloquenceofthewiserfewobtainedasalutarypause:thevictoryofthePhasisrestoredtheterroroftheRomanarms，andtheemperorwassolicitoustoabsolvehisownnamefromtheimputationofsofoulamurder。A
judgeofsenatorialrankwascommissionedtoinquireintotheconductanddeathofthekingoftheLazi。Heascendedastatelytribunal，encompassedbytheministersofjusticeandpunishment:
inthepresenceofbothnations，thisextraordinarycausewaspleaded，accordingtotheformsofciviljurisprudence，andsomesatisfactionwasgrantedtoaninjuredpeople，bythesentenceandexecutionofthemeanercriminals。^88
[Footnote86:ThepunishmentofflayingalivecouldnotbeintroducedintoPersiabySapor，Brisson，deRegn。Pers。l。ii。
p。578，norcoulditbecopiedfromthefoolishtaleofMarsyas，thePhrygianpiper，mostfoolishlyquotedasaprecedentbyAgathias，l。iv。p。132，133。]
[Footnote*:AccordingtoAgathias，thedeathofGubazosprecededthedefeatofNacoragan。Thetrialtookplaceafterthebattle。
—M。]
[Footnote87:InthepalaceofConstantinopletherewerethirtysilentiaries，whowerestyledhastati，anteforescubiculi，anhonorabletitlewhichconferredtherank，withoutimposingtheduties，ofasenator，Cod。Theodos。l。vi。tit。23。Gothofred。
Comment。tom。ii。p。129。]
[Footnote88:Onthesejudicialorations，Agathiasl。iii。p。81
—89，l。iv。p。108—119lavisheseighteenortwentypagesoffalseandfloridrhetoric。HisignoranceorcarelessnessoverlooksthestrongestargumentagainstthekingofLazica—hisformerrevolt。
Note:TheOrationsinthethirdbookofAgathiasarenotjudicial，nordeliveredbeforetheRomantribunal:itisadeliberativedebateamongtheColchiansontheexpediencyofadheringtotheRoman，orembracingthePersianalliance。—M。]]
Inpeace，thekingofPersiacontinuallysoughtthepretencesofarupture:butnosoonerhadhetakenuparms，thanheexpressedhisdesireofasafeandhonorabletreaty。Duringthefiercesthostilities，thetwomonarchsentertainedadeceitfulnegotiation；andsuchwasthesuperiorityofChosroes，thatwhilsthetreatedtheRomanministerswithinsolenceandcontempt，heobtainedthemostunprecedentedhonorsforhisownambassadorsattheImperialcourt。ThesuccessorofCyrusassumedthemajestyoftheEasternsun，andgraciouslypermittedhisyoungerbrotherJustiniantoreignovertheWest，withthepaleandreflectedsplendorofthemoon。ThisgiganticstylewassupportedbythepompandeloquenceofIsdigune，oneoftheroyalchamberlains。Hiswifeanddaughters，withatrainofeunuchsandcamels，attendedthemarchoftheambassador:twosatrapswithgoldendiademswerenumberedamonghisfollowers:hewasguardedbyfivehundredhorse，themostvaliantofthePersians；
andtheRomangovernorofDarawiselyrefusedtoadmitmorethantwentyofthismartialandhostilecaravan。WhenIsdigunehadsalutedtheemperor，anddeliveredhispresents，hepassedtenmonthsatConstantinoplewithoutdiscussinganyseriousaffairs。
Insteadofbeingconfinedtohispalace，andreceivingfoodandwaterfromthehandsofhiskeepers，thePersianambassador，withoutspiesorguards，wasallowedtovisitthecapital；andthefreedomofconversationandtradeenjoyedbyhisdomestics，offendedtheprejudicesofanagewhichrigorouslypractisedthelawofnations，withoutconfidenceorcourtesy。^89Byanunexampledindulgence，hisinterpreter，aservantbelowthenoticeofaRomanmagistrate，wasseated，atthetableofJustinian，bythesideofhismaster:andonethousandpoundsofgoldmightbeassignedfortheexpenseofhisjourneyandentertainment。YettherepeatedlaborsofIsdigunecouldprocureonlyapartialandimperfecttruce，whichwasalwayspurchasedwiththetreasures，andrenewedatthesolicitation，oftheByzantinecourtManyyearsoffruitlessdesolationelapsedbeforeJustinianandChosroeswerecompelled，bymutuallassitude，toconsultthereposeoftheirdecliningage。Ataconferenceheldonthefrontier，eachparty，withoutexpectingtogaincredit，displayedthepower，thejustice，andthepacificintentions，oftheirrespectivesovereigns；butnecessityandinterestdictatedthetreatyofpeace，whichwasconcludedforatermoffiftyyears，diligentlycomposedintheGreekandPersianlanguages，andattestedbythesealsoftwelveinterpreters。Thelibertyofcommerceandreligionwasfixedanddefined；thealliesoftheemperorandthegreatkingwereincludedinthesamebenefitsandobligations；andthemostscrupulousprecautionswereprovidedtopreventordeterminetheaccidentaldisputesthatmightariseontheconfinesoftwohostilenations。Aftertwentyyearsofdestructivethoughfeeblewar，thelimitsstillremainedwithoutalteration；andChosroeswaspersuadedtorenouncehisdangerousclaimtothepossessionorsovereigntyofColchosanditsdependentstates。RichintheaccumulatedtreasuresoftheEast，heextortedfromtheRomansanannualpaymentofthirtythousandpiecesofgold；andthesmallnessofthesumrevealedthedisgraceofatributeinitsnakeddeformity。Inapreviousdebate，thechariotofSesostris，andthewheeloffortune，wereappliedbyoneoftheministersofJustinian，whoobservedthatthereductionofAntioch，andsomeSyriancities，hadelevatedbeyondmeasurethevainandambitiousspiritoftheBarbarian。
"Youaremistaken，"repliedthemodestPersian:"thekingofkings，thelordofmankind，looksdownwithcontemptonsuchpettyacquisitions；andofthetennations，vanquishedbyhisinvinciblearms，heesteemstheRomansastheleastformidable。"
^90AccordingtotheOrientals，theempireofNushirvanextendedfromFerganah，inTransoxiana，toYemenorArabiaFaelix。HesubduedtherebelsofHyrcania，reducedtheprovincesofCabulandZablestanonthebanksoftheIndus，brokethepoweroftheEuthalites，terminatedbyanhonorabletreatytheTurkishwar，andadmittedthedaughterofthegreatkhanintothenumberofhislawfulwives。VictoriousandrespectedamongtheprincesofAsia，hegaveaudience，inhispalaceofMadain，orCtesiphon，totheambassadorsoftheworld。Theirgiftsortributes，arms，richgarments，gems，slavesoraromatics，werehumblypresentedatthefootofhisthrone；andhecondescendedtoacceptfromthekingofIndiatenquintalsofthewoodofaloes，amaidsevencubitsinheight，andacarpetsofterthansilk，theskin，asitwasreported，ofanextraordinaryserpent。^91
[Footnote89:ProcopiusrepresentsthepracticeoftheGothiccourtofRavennaGoth。l。i。c。7；andforeignambassadorshavebeentreatedwiththesamejealousyandrigorinTurkey，Busbequius，epist。iii。p。149，242，&c。，Russia，VoyageD'Olearius，andChina，NarrativeofA。deLange，inBell'sTravels，vol。ii。p。189—311。]
[Footnote90:ThenegotiationsandtreatiesbetweenJustinianandChosroesarecopiouslyexplainedbyProcopius，Persie，l。ii。c。
10，13，26，27，28。Gothic。l。ii。c。11，15，Agathias，l。iv。
p。141，142，andMenander，inExcerpt。Legat。p。132—147。
ConsultBarbeyrac，Hist。desAnciensTraites，tom。ii。p。154，181—184，193—200。]
[Footnote91:D'Herbelot，Bibliot。Orient。p。680，681，294，295。]
JustinianhadbeenreproachedforhisalliancewiththeAethiopians，asifheattemptedtointroduceapeopleofsavagenegroesintothesystemofcivilizedsociety。ButthefriendsoftheRomanempire，theAxumites，orAbyssinians，maybealwaysdistinguishedfromtheoriginalnativesofAfrica。^92Thehandofnaturehasflattenedthenosesofthenegroes，coveredtheirheadswithshaggywool，andtingedtheirskinwithinherentandindelibleblackness。ButtheolivecomplexionoftheAbyssinians，theirhair，shape，andfeatures，distinctlymarkthemasacolonyofArabs；andthisdescentisconfirmedbytheresemblanceoflanguageandmannersthereportofanancientemigration，andthenarrowintervalbetweentheshoresoftheRedSea。ChristianityhadraisedthatnationabovethelevelofAfricanbarbarism:^93theirintercoursewithEgypt，andthesuccessorsofConstantine，^94hadcommunicatedtherudimentsoftheartsandsciences；theirvesselstradedtotheIsleofCeylon，^95andsevenkingdomsobeyedtheNegusorsupremeprinceofAbyssinia。TheindependenceoftheHomerites，^!whoreignedintherichandhappyArabia，wasfirstviolatedbyanAethiopianconqueror:hedrewhishereditaryclaimfromthequeenofSheba，^96andhisambitionwassanctifiedbyreligiouszeal。TheJews，powerfulandactiveinexile，hadseducedthemindofDunaan，princeoftheHomerites。TheyurgedhimtoretaliatethepersecutioninflictedbytheImperiallawsontheirunfortunatebrethren:someRomanmerchantswereinjuriouslytreated；andseveralChristiansofNegra^97werehonoredwiththecrownofmartyrdom。^98ThechurchesofArabiaimploredtheprotectionoftheAbyssinianmonarch。TheNeguspassedtheRedSeawithafleetandarmy，deprivedtheJewishproselyteofhiskingdomandlife，andextinguishedaraceofprinces，whohadruledabovetwothousandyearsthesequesteredregionofmyrrhandfrankincense。
Theconquerorimmediatelyannouncedthevictoryofthegospel，requestedanorthodoxpatriarch，andsowarmlyprofessedhisfriendshiptotheRomanempire，thatJustinianwasflatteredbythehopeofdivertingthesilktradethroughthechannelofAbyssinia，andofexcitingtheforcesofArabiaagainstthePersianking。Nonnosus，descendedfromafamilyofambassadors，wasnamedbytheemperortoexecutethisimportantcommission。
Hewiselydeclinedtheshorter，butmoredangerous，road，throughthesandydesertsofNubia；ascendedtheNile，embarkedontheRedSea，andsafelylandedattheAfricanportofAdulis。FromAdulistotheroyalcityofAxumeisnomorethanfiftyleagues，inadirectline；butthewindingpassesofthemountainsdetainedtheambassadorfifteendays；andashetraversedtheforests，hesaw，andvaguelycomputed，aboutfivethousandwildelephants。Thecapital，accordingtohisreport，waslargeandpopulous；andthevillageofAxumeisstillconspicuousbytheregalcoronations，bytheruinsofaChristiantemple，andbysixteenorseventeenobelisksinscribedwithGreciancharacters。
^99ButtheNegus^!!gaveaudienceintheopenfield，seatedonaloftychariot，whichwasdrawnbyfourelephants，superblycaparisoned，andsurroundedbyhisnoblesandmusicians。Hewascladinalinengarmentandcap，holdinginhishandtwojavelinsandalightshield；and，althoughhisnakednesswasimperfectlycovered，hedisplayedtheBarbaricpompofgoldchains，collars，andbracelets，richlyadornedwithpearlsandpreciousstones。
TheambassadorofJustinianknelt；theNegusraisedhimfromtheground，embracedNonnosus，kissedtheseal，perusedtheletter，acceptedtheRomanalliance，and，brandishinghisweapons，denouncedimplacablewaragainsttheworshipersoffire。Buttheproposalofthesilktradewaseluded；andnotwithstandingtheassurances，andperhapsthewishes，oftheAbyssinians，thesehostilemenacesevaporatedwithouteffect。TheHomeriteswereunwillingtoabandontheiraromaticgroves，toexploreasandydesert，andtoencounter，afteralltheirfatigues，aformidablenationfromwhomtheyhadneverreceivedanypersonalinjuries。
Insteadofenlarginghisconquests，thekingofAethiopiawasincapableofdefendinghispossessions。Abrahah，^!!!theslaveofaRomanmerchantofAdulis，assumedthesceptreoftheHomerites，；thetroopsofAfricawereseducedbytheluxuryoftheclimate；andJustiniansolicitedthefriendshipoftheusurper，whohonoredwithaslighttributethesupremacyofhisprince。Afteralongseriesofprosperity，thepowerofAbrahahwasoverthrownbeforethegatesofMecca；andhischildrenweredespoiledbythePersianconqueror；andtheAethiopianswerefinallyexpelledfromthecontinentofAsia。ThisnarrativeofobscureandremoteeventsisnotforeigntothedeclineandfalloftheRomanempire。IfaChristianpowerhadbeenmaintainedinArabia，Mahometmusthavebeencrushedinhiscradle，andAbyssiniawouldhavepreventedarevolutionwhichhaschangedthecivilandreligiousstateoftheworld。^100
[Footnote92:SeeBuffon，Hist。Naturelle，tom。iii。p。449。
ThisArabcastoffeaturesandcomplexion，whichhascontinued3400yearsLudolpb。Hist。etComment。Aethiopic。l。i。c。4inthecolonyofAbyssinia，willjustifythesuspicion，thatrace，aswellasclimate，musthavecontributedtoformthenegroesoftheadjacentandsimilarregions。
Note:Mr。SaltTravels，vol。ii。p。458considersthemtobedistinctfromtheArabs—"infeature，color，habit，andmanners。"—M。]
[Footnote93:ThePortuguesemissionaries，Alvarez，Ramusio，tom。i。fol。204，rect。274，vers。Bermudez，Purchas'sPilgrims，vol。ii。l。v。c。7，p。1149—1188，Lobo，Relation，&c。，parM。leGrand，withxv。Dissertations，Paris，1728，andTellezRelationsdeThevenot，partiv。couldonlyrelateofmodernAbyssiniawhattheyhadseenorinvented。TheeruditionofLudolphus，Hist。Aethiopica，Francofurt，1681。Commentarius，1691。Appendix，1694，intwenty—fivelanguages，couldaddlittleconcerningitsancienthistory。YetthefameofCaled，orEllisthaeus，theconquerorofYemen，iscelebratedinnationalsongsandlegends。]
[Footnote94:ThenegotiationsofJustinianwiththeAxumites，orAethiopians，arerecordedbyProcopiusPersic。l。i。c。19，20
andJohnMalala，tom。ii。p。163—165，193—196。ThehistorianofAntiochquotestheoriginalnarrativeoftheambassadorNonnosus，ofwhichPhotiusBibliot。Cod。iii。haspreservedacuriousextract。]
[Footnote95:ThetradeoftheAxumitestothecoastofIndiaandAfrica，andtheIsleofCeylon，iscuriouslyrepresentedbyCosmasIndicopleustes，Topograph。Christian。l。ii。p。132，138，139，140，l。xi。p。338，339。]
[Footnote!:ItappearsbytheimportantinscriptiondiscoveredbyMr。SaltatAxoum，andfromalawofConstantius，16thJan。
356，insertedintheTheodosianCode，l。12，c。12，thatinthemiddleofthefourthcenturyofoureratheprincesoftheAxumitesjoinedtotheirtitlesthatofkingoftheHomerites。
TheconquestswhichtheymadeovertheArabsinthesixthcenturywereonlyarestorationoftheancientorderofthings。St。
Martinvol。viii。p。46—M。]
[Footnote96:Ludolph。Hist。etComment。Aethiop。l。ii。c。3。]
[Footnote97:ThecityofNegra，orNag'ran，inYemen，issurroundedwithpalm—trees，andstandsinthehighroadbetweenSaana，thecapital，andMecca；fromtheformerten，fromthelattertwentydays'journeyofacaravanofcamels，Abulfeda，Descript。Arabiae，p。52。]
[Footnote98:ThemartyrdomofSt。Arethas，princeofNegra，andhisthreehundredandfortycompanions，isembellishedinthelegendsofMetaphrastesandNicephorusCallistus，copiedbyBaronius，A。D522，No。22—66，A。D。523，No。16—29，andrefutedwithobscurediligence，byBasnage，Hist。desJuifs，tom。viii。l。xii。c。ii。p。333—348，whoinvestigatesthestateoftheJewsinArabiaandAethiopia。
Note:AccordingtoJohannsen，Hist。Yemanae，Praef。p。89，
DunaanDsNowasmassacred20，000Christians，andthrewthemintoapit，wheretheywereburned。TheyarecalledintheKoranthecompanionsofthepitsociifoveae。—M。]
[Footnote99:AlvarezinRamusio，tom。i。fol。219，vers。221，vers。sawtheflourishingstateofAxumeintheyear1520—
luogomoltobuonoegrande。ItwasruinedinthesamecenturybytheTurkishinvasion。Nomorethan100housesremain；butthememoryofitspastgreatnessispreservedbytheregalcoronation，Ludolph。Hist。etComment。l。ii。c。11。
Note:LordValentia'sandMr。Salt'sTravelsgiveahighnotionoftheruinsofAxum。—M。]