[Footnote94:Justinian，saysthehistorianAgathias，l。v。p。
157，。YetthespecifictitleofEmperoroftheRomanswasnotusedatConstantinople，tillithadbeenclaimedbytheFrenchandGermanemperorsofoldRome。]
[Footnote95:ConstantineManassesreprobatesthisdesigninhisbarbarousverse，anditisconfirmedbyTheophanes，Zonaras，Cedrenus，andtheHistoriaMiscella:voluitinurbemRomamImperiumtransferre，l。xix。p。157intom。i。parsi。oftheScriptoresRer。Ital。ofMuratori。]
[Footnote96:Paul。Diacon。l。v。c。11，p。480。AnastasiusinVitisPontificum，inMuratori'sCollection，tom。iii。parsi。p。
141。]
[Footnote97:ConsulttheprefaceofDucange，adGloss，Graec。
MediiAeviandtheNovelsofJustinian，vii。lxvi。]
[Footnote98:Matth。Blastares，Hist。Juris，apudFabric。
Bibliot。Graec。tom。xii。p。369。TheCodeandPandectsthelatterbyThalelaeusweretranslatedinthetimeofJustinian，p。358，366。Theophilusoneoftheoriginaltriumvirs，hasleftanelegant，thoughdiffuse，paraphraseoftheInstitutes。Ontheotherhand，Julian，antecessorofConstantinople，A。D。570，
cxx。NovellasGraecaselegantiLatinitatedonavitHeineccius，Hist。J。R。p。396fortheuseofItalyandAfrica。]
[Footnote99:AbulpharagiusassignstheviithDynastytotheFranksorRomans，theviiithtotheGreeks，theixthtotheArabs。AtemporeAugustiCaesarisdonecimperaretTiberiusCaesarspatiocirciterannorum600fueruntImperatoresC。P。
Patricii，etpraecipuaparsexercitusRomani:extraquod，conciliarii，scribaeetpopulus，omnesGraecifuerunt:deinderegnumetiamGraecanicumfactumest，p。96，vers。Pocock。TheChristianandecclesiasticalstudiesofAbulpharagiusgavehimsomeadvantageoverthemoreignorantMoslems。]
[Footnote100:PrimusexGraecorumgenereinImperioconfirmatusest；oraccordingtoanotherMs。ofPaulusDiaconus，l。iii。c。
15，p。443，inOrasorumImperio。]
[Footnote101:Quialinguam，mores，vestesquemutastis，putavitSanctissimusPapa。anaudaciousirony，itavosvobis
displicereRomanorumnomen。Hisnuncios，rogabantNicephorumImperatoremGraecorum，utcumOthoneImperatoreRomanorumamicitiamfaceret，LiutprandinLegatione，p。486。
Note:Sicutetvestem。ThesewordsfollowinthetextofLiutprand，apudMurat。Script。Ital。tom。ii。p。486，towhichGibbonrefers。Butwithsomeinaccuracyorconfusion，whichrarelyoccursinGibbon'sreferences，therestofthequotation，whichasitstandsisunintelligible，doesnotappear—M。]
[Footnote102:ByLaonicusChalcocondyles，whosurvivedthelastsiegeofConstantinople，theaccountisthusstated，l。i。p。
3。ConstantinetransplantedhisLatinsofItalytoaGreekcityofThrace:theyadoptedthelanguageandmannersofthenatives，whowereconfoundedwiththemunderthenameofRomans。ThekingsofConstantinople，saysthehistorian。]
WhilethegovernmentoftheEastwastransactedinLatin，theGreekwasthelanguageofliteratureandphilosophy；norcouldthemastersofthisrichandperfectidiombetemptedtoenvytheborrowedlearningandimitativetasteoftheirRomandisciples。AfterthefallofPaganism，thelossofSyriaandEgypt，andtheextinctionoftheschoolsofAlexandriaandAthens，thestudiesoftheGreeksinsensiblyretiredtosomeregularmonasteries，andaboveall，totheroyalcollegeofConstantinople，whichwasburntinthereignofLeotheIsaurian。
^103Inthepompousstyleoftheage，thepresidentofthatfoundationwasnamedtheSunofScience:histwelveassociates，theprofessorsinthedifferentartsandfaculties，werethetwelvesignsofthezodiac；alibraryofthirty—sixthousandfivehundredvolumeswasopentotheirinquiries；andtheycouldshowanancientmanuscriptofHomer，onarollofparchmentonehundredandtwentyfeetinlength，theintestines，asitwasfabled，ofaprodigiousserpent。^104Buttheseventhandeightcenturieswereaperiodofdiscordanddarkness:thelibrarywasburnt，thecollegewasabolished，theIconoclastsarerepresentedasthefoesofantiquity；andasavageignoranceandcontemptoflettershasdisgracedtheprincesoftheHeracleanandIsauriandynasties。^105
[Footnote103:SeeDucange，C。P。Christiana，l。ii。p。150，151，whocollectsthetestimonies，notofTheophanes，butatleastofZonaras，tom。ii。l。xv。p。104，Cedrenus，p。454，
MichaelGlycas，p。281，ConstantineManasses，p。87。Afterrefutingtheabsurdchargeagainsttheemperor，Spanheim，Hist。
Imaginum，p。99—111，likeatrueadvocate，proceedstodoubtordenytherealityofthefire，andalmostofthelibrary。]
[Footnote104:AccordingtoMalchus，apudZonar。l。xiv。p。53，
thisHomerwasburntinthetimeofBasiliscus。TheMs。mightberenewed—Butonaserpent'sskin?Moststrangeandincredible!]
[Footnote105:ThewordsofZonaras，andofCedrenus，arestrongwords，perhapsnotillsuitedtothosereigns。]
Intheninthcenturywetracethefirstdawningsoftherestorationofscience。^106AfterthefanaticismoftheArabshadsubsided，thecaliphsaspiredtoconquerthearts，ratherthantheprovinces，oftheempire:theirliberalcuriosityrekindledtheemulationoftheGreeks，brushedawaythedustfromtheirancientlibraries，andtaughtthemtoknowandrewardthephilosophers，whoselaborshadbeenhithertorepaidbythepleasureofstudyandthepursuitoftruth。TheCaesarBardas，theuncleofMichaeltheThird，wasthegenerousprotectorofletters，atitlewhichalonehaspreservedhismemoryandexcusedhisambition。Aparticleofthetreasuresofhisnephewwassometimesdivertedfromtheindulgenceofviceandfolly；aschoolwasopenedinthepalaceofMagnaura；andthepresenceofBardasexcitedtheemulationofthemastersandstudents。AttheirheadwasthephilosopherLeo，archbishopofThessalonica:
hisprofoundskillinastronomyandthemathematicswasadmiredbythestrangersoftheEast；andthisoccultsciencewasmagnifiedbyvulgarcredulity，whichmodestlysupposesthatallknowledgesuperiortoitsownmustbetheeffectofinspirationormagic。AtthepressingentreatyoftheCaesar，hisfriend，thecelebratedPhotius，^107renouncedthefreedomofasecularandstudiouslife，ascendedthepatriarchalthrone，andwasalternatelyexcommunicatedandabsolvedbythesynodsoftheEastandWest。Bytheconfessionevenofpriestlyhatred，noartorscience，exceptpoetry，wasforeigntothisuniversalscholar，whowasdeepinthought，indefatigableinreading，andeloquentindiction。Whilstheexercisedtheofficeofprotospathaireorcaptainoftheguards，PhotiuswassentambassadortothecaliphofBagdad。^108Thetedioushoursofexile，perhapsofconfinement，werebeguiledbythehastycompositionofhisLibrary，alivingmonumentoferuditionandcriticism。Twohundredandfourscorewriters，historians，orators，philosophers，theologians，arereviewedwithoutanyregularmethod:heabridgestheirnarrativeordoctrine，appreciatestheirstyleandcharacter，andjudgeseventhefathersofthechurchwithadiscreetfreedom，whichoftenbreaksthroughthesuperstitionofthetimes。TheemperorBasil，wholamentedthedefectsofhisowneducation，intrustedtothecareofPhotiushissonandsuccessor，Leothephilosopher；andthereignofthatprinceandofhissonConstantinePorphyrogenitusformsoneofthemostprosperousaerasoftheByzantineliterature。BytheirmunificencethetreasuresofantiquityweredepositedintheImperiallibrary；bytheirpens，orthoseoftheirassociates，theywereimpartedinsuchextractsandabridgmentsasmightamusethecuriosity，withoutoppressingtheindolence，ofthepublic。BesidestheBasilics，orcodeoflaws，theartsofhusbandryandwar，offeedingordestroyingthehumanspecies，werepropagatedwithequaldiligence；andthehistoryofGreeceandRomewasdigestedintofifty—threeheadsortitles，ofwhichtwoonlyofembassies，andofvirtuesandviceshaveescapedtheinjuriesoftime。Ineverystation，thereadermightcontemplatetheimageofthepastworld，applythelessonorwarningofeachpage，andlearntoadmire，perhapstoimitate，theexamplesofabrighterperiod。IshallnotexpatiateontheworksoftheByzantineGreeks，who，bytheassiduousstudyoftheancients，havedeserved，insomemeasure，theremembranceandgratitudeofthemoderns。ThescholarsofthepresentagemaystillenjoythebenefitofthephilosophicalcommonplacebookofStobaeus，thegrammaticalandhistoricallexiconofSuidas，theChiliadsofTzetzes，whichcomprisesixhundrednarrativesintwelvethousandverses，andthecommentariesonHomerofEustathius，archbishopofThessalonica，who，fromhishornofplenty，haspouredthenamesandauthoritiesoffourhundredwriters。Fromtheseoriginals，andfromthenumeroustribeofscholiastsandcritics，^109someestimatemaybeformedoftheliterarywealthofthetwelfthcentury:ConstantinoplewasenlightenedbythegeniusofHomerandDemosthenes，ofAristotleandPlato:andintheenjoymentorneglectofourpresentriches，wemustenvythegenerationthatcouldstillperusethehistoryofTheopompus，theorationsofHyperides，thecomediesofMenander，^110andtheodesofAlcaeusandSappho。Thefrequentlaborofillustrationattestsnotonlytheexistence，butthepopularity，oftheGrecianclassics:thegeneralknowledgeoftheagemaybededucedfromtheexampleoftwolearnedfemales，theempressEudocia，andtheprincessAnnaComnena，whocultivated，inthepurple，theartsofrhetoricandphilosophy。^111Thevulgardialectofthecitywasgrossandbarbarous:amorecorrectandelaboratestyledistinguishedthediscourse，oratleastthecompositions，ofthechurchandpalace，whichsometimesaffectedtocopythepurityoftheAtticmodels。
[Footnote106:SeeZonarasl。xvi。p。160，161andCedrenus，p。549，550。LikeFriarBacon，thephilosopherLeohasbeentransformedbyignoranceintoaconjurer；yetnotsoundeservedly，ifhebetheauthoroftheoraclesmorecommonlyascribedtotheemperorofthesamename。ThephysicsofLeoinMs。areinthelibraryofVienna，Fabricius，Bibliot。Graec。
tom。vi。p366，tom。xii。p。781。Quiserant!]
[Footnote107:TheecclesiasticalandliterarycharacterofPhotiusiscopiouslydiscussedbyHanckiusdeScriptoribusByzant。p。269，396andFabricius。]
[Footnote108:ItcanonlymeanBagdad，theseatofthecaliphsandtherelationofhisembassymighthavebeencuriousandinstructive。Buthowdidheprocurehisbooks?AlibrarysonumerouscouldneitherbefoundatBagdad，nortransportedwithhisbaggage，norpreservedinhismemory。Yetthelast，howeverincredible，seemstobeaffirmedbyPhotiushimself。CamusatHist。CritiquedesJournaux，p。87—94givesagoodaccountoftheMyriobiblon。]
[Footnote109:OfthesemodernGreeks，seetherespectivearticlesintheBibliothecaGraecaofFabricius—alaboriouswork，yetsusceptibleofabettermethodandmanyimprovements；
ofEustathius，tom。i。p。289—292，306—329，ofthePselli，adiatribeofLeoAllatius，adcalcemtom。v。，ofConstantinePorphyrogenitus，tom。vi。p。486—509ofJohnStobaeus，tom。
viii。，665—728，ofSuidas，tom。ix。p。620—827，JohnTzetzes，tom。xii。p。245—273。Mr。Harris，inhisPhilologicalArrangements，opussenile，hasgivenasketchofthisByzantinelearning，p。287—300。]
[Footnote110:Fromtheobscureandhearsayevidence，GerardVossiusdePoetisGraecis，c。6andLeClercBibliothequeChoisie，tom。xix。p。285mentionacommentaryofMichaelPsellusontwenty—fourplaysofMenander，stillextantinMs。atConstantinople。Yetsuchclassicstudiesseemincompatiblewiththegravityordulnessofaschoolman，whoporedoverthecategories，dePsellis，p。42；andMichaelhasprobablybeenconfoundedwithHomerusSellius，whowroteargumentstothecomediesofMenander。Inthexthcentury，Suidasquotesfiftyplays，butheoftentranscribestheoldscholiastofAristophanes。]
[Footnote111:AnnaComnenamayboastofherGreekstyle，andZonarashercontemporary，butnotherflatterer，mayaddwithtruth。TheprincesswasconversantwiththeartfuldialoguesofPlato；andhadstudiedquadriviumofastrology，geometry，arithmetic，andmusic，seeheprefacetotheAlexiad，withDucange'snotes]
Inourmoderneducation，thepainfulthoughnecessaryattainmentoftwolanguages，whicharenolongerliving，mayconsumethetimeanddamptheardoroftheyouthfulstudent。ThepoetsandoratorswerelongimprisonedinthebarbarousdialectsofourWesternancestors，devoidofharmonyorgrace；andtheirgenius，withoutpreceptorexample，wasabandonedtotheruleandnativepowersoftheirjudgmentandfancy。ButtheGreeksofConstantinople，afterpurgingawaytheimpuritiesoftheirvulgarspeech，acquiredthefreeuseoftheirancientlanguage，themosthappycompositionofhumanart，andafamiliarknowledgeofthesublimemasterswhohadpleasedorinstructedthefirstofnations。Buttheseadvantagesonlytendtoaggravatethereproachandshameofadegeneratepeople。Theyheldintheirlifelesshandstherichesoftheirfathers，withoutinheritingthespiritwhichhadcreatedandimprovedthatsacredpatrimony:
theyread，theypraised，theycompiled，buttheirlanguidsoulsseemedalikeincapableofthoughtandaction。Intherevolutionoftencenturies，notasinglediscoverywasmadetoexaltthedignityorpromotethehappinessofmankind。Notasingleideahasbeenaddedtothespeculativesystemsofantiquity，andasuccessionofpatientdisciplesbecameintheirturnthedogmaticteachersofthenextservilegeneration。Notasinglecompositionofhistory，philosophy，orliterature，hasbeensavedfromoblivionbytheintrinsicbeautiesofstyleorsentiment，oforiginalfancy，orevenofsuccessfulimitation。Inprose，theleastoffensiveoftheByzantinewritersareabsolvedfromcensurebytheirnakedandunpresumingsimplicity:buttheorators，mosteloquent^112intheirownconceit，arethefarthestremovedfromthemodelswhomtheyaffecttoemulate。Ineverypageourtasteandreasonarewoundedbythechoiceofgiganticandobsoletewords，astiffandintricatephraseology，thediscordofimages，thechildishplayoffalseorunseasonableornament，andthepainfulattempttoelevatethemselves，toastonishthereader，andtoinvolveatrivialmeaninginthesmokeofobscurityandexaggeration。Theirproseissoaringtotheviciousaffectationofpoetry:theirpoetryissinkingbelowtheflatnessandinsipidityofprose。Thetragic，epic，andlyricmuses，weresilentandinglorious:thebardsofConstantinopleseldomroseaboveariddleorepigram，apanegyricortale；theyforgoteventherulesofprosody；andwiththemelodyofHomeryetsoundingintheirears，theyconfoundallmeasureoffeetandsyllablesintheimpotentstrainswhichhavereceivedthenameofpoliticalorcityverses。^113ThemindsoftheGreekwereboundinthefettersofabaseandimperioussuperstitionwhichextendsherdominionroundthecircleofprofanescience。Theirunderstandingswerebewilderedinmetaphysicalcontroversy:inthebeliefofvisionsandmiracles，theyhadlostallprinciplesofmoralevidence，andtheirtastewasvitiatesbythehomiliesofthemonks，anabsurdmedleyofdeclamationandScripture。
Eventhesecontemptiblestudieswerenolongerdignifiedbytheabuseofsuperiortalents:theleadersoftheGreekchurchwerehumblycontenttoadmireandcopytheoraclesofantiquity，nordidtheschoolsofpulpitproduceanyrivalsofthefameofAthanasiusandChrysostom。^114
[Footnote112:TocensuretheByzantinetaste。DucangePraefat。
Gloss。Graec。p。17stringstheauthoritiesofAulusGellius，Jerom，PetroniusGeorgeHamartolus，Longinus；whogiveatoncethepreceptandtheexample。]
[Footnote113:Theversuspolitici，thosecommonprostitutes，as，fromtheireasiness，theyarestyledbyLeoAllatius，usuallyconsistoffifteensyllables。TheyareusedbyConstantineManasses，JohnTzetzes，&c。Ducange，Gloss。Latin。tom。iii。p。
i。p。345，346，edit。Basil，1762。]
[Footnote114:AsSt。BernardoftheLatin，soSt。JohnDamascenusintheviiithcenturyisreveredasthelastfatheroftheGreek，church。]
Inallthepursuitsofactiveandspeculativelife，theemulationofstatesandindividualsisthemostpowerfulspringoftheeffortsandimprovementsofmankind。ThecitiesofancientGreecewerecastinthehappymixtureofunionandindependence，whichisrepeatedonalargerscale，butinalooserform，bythenationsofmodernEurope；theunionoflanguage，religion，andmanners，whichrendersthemthespectatorsandjudgesofeachother'smerit；^115theindependenceofgovernmentandinterest，whichassertstheirseparatefreedom，andexcitesthemtostriveforpreeminenceinthecareerofglory。ThesituationoftheRomanswaslessfavorable；yetintheearlyagesoftherepublic，whichfixedthenationalcharacter，asimilaremulationwaskindledamongthestatesofLatiumandItaly；andintheartsandsciences，theyaspiredtoequalorsurpasstheirGrecianmasters。TheempireoftheCaesarsundoubtedlycheckedtheactivityandprogressofthehumanmind；itsmagnitudemightindeedallowsomescopefordomesticcompetition；butwhenitwasgraduallyreduced，atfirsttotheEastandatlasttoGreeceandConstantinople，theByzantinesubjectsweredegradedtoanabjectandlanguidtemper，thenaturaleffectoftheirsolitaryandinsulatedstate。FromtheNorththeywereoppressedbynamelesstribesofBarbarians，towhomtheyscarcelyimpartedtheappellationofmen。ThelanguageandreligionofthemorepolishedArabswereaninsurmountablebartoallsocialintercourse。TheconquerorsofEuropeweretheirbrethrenintheChristianfaith；butthespeechoftheFranksorLatinswasunknown，theirmannerswererude，andtheywererarelyconnected，inpeaceorwar，withthesuccessorsofHeraclius。Aloneintheuniverse，theself—satisfiedprideoftheGreekswasnotdisturbedbythecomparisonofforeignmerit；
anditisnowonderiftheyfaintedintherace，sincetheyhadneithercompetitorstourgetheirspeed，norjudgestocrowntheirvictory。ThenationsofEuropeandAsiaweremingledbytheexpeditionstotheHolyLand；anditisundertheComneniandynastythatafaintemulationofknowledgeandmilitaryvirtuewasrekindledintheByzantineempire。[Footnote115:Hume'sEssays，vol。i。p。125]
ChapterLIV:OriginAndDoctrineOfThePaulicians。
PartI。
OriginAndDoctrineOfThePaulicians。—TheirPersecutionByTheGreekEmperors。—RevoltInArmenia&c。—TransplantationIntoThrace。—PropagationInTheWest。—TheSeeds，Character，AndConsequencesOfTheReformation。
IntheprofessionofChristianity，thevarietyofnationalcharactersmaybeclearlydistinguished。ThenativesofSyriaandEgyptabandonedtheirlivestolazyandcontemplativedevotion:Romeagainaspiredtothedominionoftheworld；andthewitofthelivelyandloquaciousGreekswasconsumedinthedisputesofmetaphysicaltheology。TheincomprehensiblemysteriesoftheTrinityandIncarnation，insteadofcommandingtheirsilentsubmission，wereagitatedinvehementandsubtilecontroversies，whichenlargedtheirfaithattheexpense，perhaps，oftheircharityandreason。FromthecouncilofNicetotheendoftheseventhcentury，thepeaceandunityofthechurchwasinvadedbythesespiritualwars；andsodeeplydidtheyaffectthedeclineandfalloftheempire，thatthehistorianhastoooftenbeencompelledtoattendthesynods，toexplorethecreeds，andtoenumeratethesects，ofthisbusyperiodofecclesiasticalannals。FromthebeginningoftheeighthcenturytothelastagesoftheByzantineempire，thesoundofcontroversywasseldomheard:curiositywasexhausted，zealwasfatigued，and，inthedecreesofsixcouncils，thearticlesoftheCatholicfaithhadbeenirrevocablydefined。Thespiritofdispute，howevervainandpernicious，requiressomeenergyandexerciseofthementalfaculties；andtheprostrateGreekswerecontenttofast，topray，andtobelieveinblindobediencetothepatriarchandhisclergy。Duringalongdreamofsuperstition，theVirginandtheSaints，theirvisionsandmiracles，theirrelicsandimages，werepreachedbythemonks，andworshippedbythepeople；andtheappellationofpeoplemightbeextended，withoutinjustice，tothefirstranksofcivilsociety。Atanunseasonablemoment，theIsaurianemperorsattemptedsomewhatrudelytoawakentheirsubjects:undertheirinfluencereasonmightobtainsomeproselytes，afargreaternumberwasswayedbyinterestorfear；buttheEasternworldembracedordeploredtheirvisibledeities，andtherestorationofimageswascelebratedasthefeastoforthodoxy。Inthispassiveandunanimousstatetheecclesiasticalrulerswererelievedfromthetoil，ordeprivedofthepleasure，ofpersecution。ThePaganshaddisappeared；theJewsweresilentandobscure；thedisputeswiththeLatinswererareandremotehostilitiesagainstanationalenemy；andthesectsofEgyptandSyriaenjoyedafreetolerationundertheshadowoftheArabiancaliphs。Aboutthemiddleoftheseventhcentury，abranchofManichaeanswasselectedasthevictimsofspiritualtyranny；