[Footnote36:IammoredeeplyscandalizedatthesingleexecutionofServetus，thanatthehecatombswhichhaveblazedintheAutodeFesofSpainandPortugal。1。ThezealofCalvinseemstohavebeenenvenomedbypersonalmalice，andperhapsenvy。Heaccusedhisadversarybeforetheircommonenemies，thejudgesofVienna，andbetrayed，forhisdestruction，thesacredtrustofaprivatecorrespondence。2。Thedeedofcrueltywasnotvarnishedbythepretenceofdangertothechurchorstate。
InhispassagethroughGeneva，Servetuswasaharmlessstranger，whoneitherpreached，norprinted，normadeproselytes。3。A
Catholicinquisitionyieldsthesameobediencewhichherequires，butCalvinviolatedthegoldenruleofdoingashewouldbedoneby；arulewhichIreadinamoraltreatiseofIsocratesinNicocle，tom。i。p。93，edit。BattiefourhundredyearsbeforethepublicationoftheGospel。
Note:Gibbonhasnotaccuratelyrenderedthesenseofthispassage，whichdoesnotcontainthemaximofcharityDountoothersasyouwouldtheyshoulddountoyou，butsimplythemaximofjustice，Donottoothersthewhichwouldoffendyouiftheyshoulddoittoyou。—G。]
[Footnote37:SeeBurnet，vol。ii。p。84—86。Thesenseandhumanityoftheyoungkingwereoppressedbytheauthorityoftheprimate。]
[Footnote38:Erasmusmaybeconsideredasthefatherofrationaltheology。Afteraslumberofahundredyears，itwasrevivedbytheArminiansofHolland，Grotius，Limborch，andLeClerc；inEnglandbyChillingworth，thelatitudinariansofCambridge，Burnet，Hist。ofOwnTimes，vol。i。p。261—268，octavoedition。Tillotson，Clarke，Hoadley，&c。]
[Footnote39:Iamsorrytoobserve，thatthethreewritersofthelastage，bywhomtherightsoftolerationhavebeensonoblydefended，Bayle，Leibnitz，andLocke，arealllaymenandphilosophers。]
[Footnote40:SeetheexcellentchapterofSirWilliamTempleontheReligionoftheUnitedProvinces。IamnotsatisfiedwithGrotius，deRebusBelgicis，Annal。l。i。p。13，14，edit。in12mo。，whoapprovestheImperiallawsofpersecution，andonlycondemnsthebloodytribunaloftheinquisition。]
[Footnote41:SirWilliamBlackstoneCommentaries，vol。iv。p。
53，54explainsthelawofEnglandasitwasfixedattheRevolution。TheexceptionsofPapists，andofthosewhodenytheTrinity，wouldstillhaveatolerablescopeforpersecutionifthenationalspiritwerenotmoreeffectualthanahundredstatutes。]
[Footnote42:IshallrecommendtopublicanimadversiontwopassagesinDr。Priestley，whichbetraytheultimatetendencyofhisopinions。AtthefirstoftheseHist。oftheCorruptionsofChristianity，vol。i。p。275，276thepriest，atthesecondvol。ii。p。484themagistrate，maytremble!]
[Footnote*:Thereissomethingludicrous，ifitwerenotoffensive，inGibbonholdingupto"publicanimadversion"theopinionsofanybelieverinChristianity，howeverimperfecthiscreed。Theobservationswhichthewholeofthispassageontheeffectsofthereformation，inwhichmuchtruthandjusticeismingledwithmuchprejudice，wouldsuggest，couldnotpossiblybecompressedintoanote；andwouldindeedembracethewholereligiousandirreligioushistoryofthetimewhichhaselapsedsinceGibbonwrote。—M。]
ChapterLV:TheBulgarians，TheHungariansAndTheRussians。
PartI。
TheBulgarians。—Origin，Migrations，AndSettlementOfTheHungarians。—TheirInroadsInTheEastAndWest。—TheMonarchyOfRussia。—GeographyAndTrade。—WarsOfTheRussiansAgainstTheGreekEmpire。—ConversionOfTheBarbarians。
UnderthereignofConstantinethegrandsonofHeraclius，theancientbarrieroftheDanube，sooftenviolatedandsooftenrestored，wasirretrievablysweptawaybyanewdelugeofBarbarians。Theirprogresswasfavoredbythecaliphs，theirunknownandaccidentalauxiliaries:theRomanlegionswereoccupiedinAsia；andafterthelossofSyria，Egypt，andAfrica，theCaesarsweretwicereducedtothedangeranddisgraceofdefendingtheircapitalagainsttheSaracens。If，intheaccountofthisinterestingpeople，Ihavedeviatedfromthestrictandoriginallineofmyundertaking，themeritofthesubjectwillhidemytransgression，orsolicitmyexcuse。IntheEast，intheWest，inwar，inreligion，inscience，intheirprosperity，andintheirdecay，theArabianspressthemselvesonourcuriosity:
thefirstoverthrowofthechurchandempireoftheGreeksmaybeimputedtotheirarms；andthedisciplesofMahometstillholdthecivilandreligioussceptreoftheOrientalworld。Butthesamelaborwouldbeunworthilybestowedontheswarmsofsavages，who，betweentheseventhandthetwelfthcentury，descendedfromtheplainsofScythia，intransientinroadorperpetualemigration。^1Theirnamesareuncouth，theiroriginsdoubtful，theiractionsobscure，theirsuperstitionwasblind，theirvalorbrutal，andtheuniformityoftheirpublicandprivateliveswasneithersoftenedbyinnocencenorrefinedbypolicy。ThemajestyoftheByzantinethronerepelledandsurvivedtheirdisorderlyattacks；thegreaterpartoftheseBarbarianshasdisappearedwithoutleavinganymemorialoftheirexistence，andthedespicableremnantcontinues，andmaylongcontinue，togroanunderthedominionofaforeigntyrant。Fromtheantiquitiesof，I。Bulgarians，II。Hungarians，and，III。Russians，Ishallcontentmyselfwithselectingsuchfactsasyetdeservetoberemembered。Theconquestsofthe，IV。Normans，andthemonarchyofthe，V。Turks，willnaturallyterminateinthememorableCrusadestotheHolyLand，andthedoublefallofthecityandempireofConstantine。
[Footnote1:AllthepassagesoftheByzantinehistorywhichrelatetotheBarbariansarecompiled，methodized，andtranscribed，inaLatinversion，bythelaboriousJohnGotthelfStritter，inhis"MemoriaePopulorum，adDanubium，PontumEuxinum，PaludemMaeotidem，Caucasum，MareCaspium，etindeMagisadSeptemtrionesincolentium。"Petropoli，1771—1779；infourtomes，orsixvolumes，in4to。Butthefashionhasnotenhancedthepriceoftheserawmaterials。]
I。InhismarchtoItaly，Theodoric^2theOstrogothhadtrampledonthearmsoftheBulgarians。Afterthisdefeat，thenameandthenationarelostduringacenturyandahalf；anditmaybesuspectedthatthesameorasimilarappellationwasrevivedbystrangecoloniesfromtheBorysthenes，theTanais，ortheVolga。AkingoftheancientBulgaria，bequeathedtohisfivesonsalastlessonofmoderationandconcord。Itwasreceivedasyouthhaseverreceivedthecounselsofageandexperience:thefiveprincesburiedtheirfather；dividedhissubjectsandcattle；forgothisadvice；separatedfromeachother；andwanderedinquestoffortunetillwefindthemostadventurousintheheartofItaly，undertheprotectionoftheexarchofRavenna。^4Butthestreamofemigrationwasdirectedorimpelledtowardsthecapital。ThemodernBulgaria，alongthesouthernbanksoftheDanube，wasstampedwiththenameandimagewhichithasretainedtothepresenthour:thenewconquerorssuccessivelyacquired，bywarortreaty，theRomanprovincesofDardania，Thessaly，andthetwoEpirus；^5theecclesiasticalsupremacywastranslatedfromthenativecityofJustinian；and，intheirprosperousage，theobscuretownofLychnidus，orAchrida，washonoredwiththethroneofakingandapatriarch。
^6TheunquestionableevidenceoflanguageatteststhedescentoftheBulgariansfromtheoriginalstockoftheSclavonian，ormoreproperlySlavonian，race；^7andthekindredbandsofServians，Bosnians，Rascians，Croatians，Walachians，^8&c。，followedeitherthestandardortheexampleoftheleadingtribe。FromtheEuxinetotheAdriatic，inthestateofcaptives，orsubjects，orallies，orenemies，oftheGreekempire，theyoverspreadtheland；andthenationalappellationoftheslaves^9hasbeendegradedbychanceormalicefromthesignificationofglorytothatofservitude。^10Amongthesecolonies，theChrobatians，^11orCroats，whonowattendthemotionsofanAustrianarmy，arethedescendantsofamightypeople，theconquerorsandsovereignsofDalmatia。Themaritimecities，andofthesetheinfantrepublicofRagusa，imploredtheaidandinstructionsoftheByzantinecourt:theywereadvisedbythemagnanimousBasiltoreserveasmallacknowledgmentoftheirfidelitytotheRomanempire，andtoappease，byanannualtribute，thewrathoftheseirresistibleBarbarians。ThekingdomofCrotiawassharedbyelevenZoupans，orfeudatorylords；andtheirunitedforceswerenumberedatsixtythousandhorseandonehundredthousandfoot。Alongsea—coast，indentedwithcapaciousharbors，coveredwithastringofislands，andalmostinsightoftheItalianshores，disposedboththenativesandstrangerstothepracticeofnavigation。TheboatsorbrigantinesoftheCroatswereconstructedafterthefashionoftheoldLiburnians:
onehundredandeightyvesselsmayexcitetheideaofarespectablenavy；butourseamenwillsmileattheallowanceoften，ortwenty，orforty，menforeachoftheseshipsofwar。
Theyweregraduallyconvertedtothemorehonorableserviceofcommerce；yettheSclavonianpirateswerestillfrequentanddangerous；anditwasnotbeforethecloseofthetenthcenturythatthefreedomandsovereigntyoftheGulfwereeffectuallyvindicatedbytheVenetianrepublic。^12TheancestorsoftheseDalmatiankingswereequallyremovedfromtheuseandabuseofnavigation:theydweltintheWhiteCroatia，intheinlandregionsofSilesiaandLittlePoland，thirtydays'journey，accordingtotheGreekcomputation，fromtheseaofdarkness。
[Footnote2:Hist。vol。iv。p。11。]
[Footnote3:Theophanes，p。296—299。Anastasius，p。113。
Nicephorus，C。P。p。22，23。TheophanesplacestheoldBulgariaonthebanksoftheAtellorVolga；buthedepriveshimselfofallgeographicalcreditbydischargingthatriverintotheEuxineSea。]
[Footnote4:Paul。Diacon。deGestisLangobard。l。v。c。29，p。
881，882。TheapparentdifferencebetweentheLombardhistorianandtheabove—mentionedGreeks，iseasilyreconciledbyCamilloPellegrinodeDucatuBeneventano，dissert。vii。intheScriptoresRerumItal。tom。v。p。186，187andBeretti，Chorograph。ItaliaeMediiAevi，p。273，&c。ThisBulgariancolonywasplantedinavacantdistrictofSamnium，andlearnedtheLatin，withoutforgettingtheirnativelanguage。]
[Footnote5:TheseprovincesoftheGreekidiomandempireareassignedtotheBulgariankingdominthedisputeofecclesiasticaljurisdictionbetweenthepatriarchsofRomeandConstantinople，Baronius，Annal。Eccles。A。D。869，No。75。]
[Footnote6:ThesituationandroyaltyofLychnidus，orAchrida，areclearlyexpressedinCedrenus，p。713。TheremovalofanarchbishoporpatriarchfromJustinianeaprimatoLychnidus，andatlengthtoTernovo，hasproducedsomeperplexityintheideasorlanguageoftheGreeks，NicephorusGregoras，l。ii。c。2，p。
14，15。Thomassin，Disciplinedel'Eglise，tom。i。l。i。c。19，23；andaFrenchmanD'Anvilleismoreaccuratelyskilledinthegeographyoftheirowncountry，Hist。del'AcademiedesInscriptions，tom。xxxi。]
[Footnote7:Chalcocondyles，acompetentjudge，affirmstheidentityofthelanguageoftheDalmatians，Bosnians，Servians，Bulgarians，Poles，deRebusTurcicis，l。x。p。283，andelsewhereoftheBohemians，l。ii。p。38。ThesameauthorhasmarkedtheseparateidiomoftheHungarians。
Note:TheSlavonianlanguagesarenodoubtIndo—European，thoughanoriginalbranchofthatgreatfamily，comprehendingthevariousdialectsnamedbyGibbonandothers。Shafarik，t。33。—
M。1845。]
[Footnote8:SeetheworkofJohnChristopherdeJordan，deOriginibusSclavicis，Vindobonae，1745，infourparts，ortwovolumesinfolio。HiscollectionsandresearchesareusefultoelucidatetheantiquitiesofBohemiaandtheadjacentcountries；
buthisplanisnarrow，hisstylebarbarous，hiscriticismshallow，andtheAuliccounsellorisnotfreefromtheprejudicesofaBohemian。
Note:WehaveatlengthaprofoundandsatisfactoryworkontheSlavonianraces。Shafarik，SlawischeAlterthumer。B。2，Leipzig，1843。—M。1845。]
[Footnote9:Jordansubscribestothewell—knownandprobablederivationfromSlava，laus，gloria，awordoffamiliaruseinthedifferentdialectsandpartsofspeech，andwhichformstheterminationofthemostillustriousnames，deOriginibusSclavicis，pars。i。p。40，pars。iv。p。101，102]
[Footnote10:Thisconversionofanationalintoanappellativenameappearstohavearisenintheviiithcentury，intheOrientalFrance，wheretheprincesandbishopswererichinSclavoniancaptives，notoftheBohemian，exclaimsJordan，butofSorabianrace。Fromthencethewordwasextendedtothegeneraluse，tothemodernlanguages，andeventothestyleofthelastByzantines，seetheGreekandLatinGlossariesandDucange。TheconfusionoftheServianswiththeLatinServi，wasstillmorefortunateandfamiliar，Constant。Porphyr。deAdministrando，Imperio，c。32，p。99。]
[Footnote11:TheemperorConstantinePorphyrogenitus，mostaccurateforhisowntimes，mostfabulousforprecedingages，describestheSclavoniansofDalmatia，c。29—36。]
[Footnote12:SeetheanonymousChronicleofthexithcentury，ascribedtoJohnSagorninus，p。94—102，andthatcomposedinthexivthbytheDogeAndrewDandolo，Script。Rerum。Ital。tom。
xii。p。227—230，thetwooldestmonumentsofthehistoryofVenice。]
ThegloryoftheBulgarians^13wasconfinedtoanarrowscopebothoftimeandplace。Intheninthandtenthcenturies，theyreignedtothesouthoftheDanube；butthemorepowerfulnationsthathadfollowedtheiremigrationrepelledallreturntothenorthandallprogresstothewest。Yetintheobscurecatalogueoftheirexploits，theymightboastanhonorwhichhadhithertobeenappropriatedtotheGoths:thatofslayinginbattleoneofthesuccessorsofAugustusandConstantine。TheemperorNicephorushadlosthisfameintheArabian，helosthislifeintheSclavonian，war。InhisfirstoperationsheadvancedwithboldnessandsuccessintothecentreofBulgaria，andburnttheroyalcourt，whichwasprobablynomorethananedificeandvillageoftimber。Butwhilehesearchedthespoilandrefusedalloffersoftreaty，hisenemiescollectedtheirspiritsandtheirforces:thepassesofretreatwereinsuperablybarred；andthetremblingNicephoruswasheardtoexclaim，"Alas，alas!
unlesswecouldassumethewingsofbirds，wecannothopetoescape。"Twodayshewaitedhisfateintheinactivityofdespair；but，onthemorningofthethird，theBulgarianssurprisedthecamp，andtheRomanprince，withthegreatofficersoftheempire，wereslaughteredintheirtents。ThebodyofValenshadbeensavedfrominsult；buttheheadofNicephoruswasexposedonaspear，andhisskull，enchasedwithgold，wasoftenreplenishedinthefeastsofvictory。TheGreeksbewailedthedishonorofthethrone；buttheyacknowledgedthejustpunishmentofavariceandcruelty。ThissavagecupwasdeeplytincturedwiththemannersoftheScythianwilderness；buttheyweresoftenedbeforetheendofthesamecenturybyapeacefulintercoursewiththeGreeks，thepossessionofacultivatedregion，andtheintroductionoftheChristianworship。ThenoblesofBulgariawereeducatedintheschoolsandpalaceofConstantinople；andSimeon，^14ayouthoftheroyalline，wasinstructedintherhetoricofDemosthenesandthelogicofAristotle。Herelinquishedtheprofessionofamonkforthatofakingandwarrior；andinhisreignofmorethanfortyyears，Bulgariaassumedarankamongthecivilizedpowersoftheearth。
TheGreeks，whomherepeatedlyattacked，derivedafaintconsolationfromindulgingthemselvesinthereproachesofperfidyandsacrilege。TheypurchasedtheaidofthePaganTurks；butSimeon，inasecondbattle，redeemedthelossofthefirst，atatimewhenitwasesteemedavictorytoeludethearmsofthatformidablenation。TheServianswereoverthrown，madecaptiveanddispersed；andthosewhovisitedthecountrybeforetheirrestorationcoulddiscovernomorethanfiftyvagrants，withoutwomenorchildren，whoextortedaprecarioussubsistencefromthechase。Onclassicground，onthebanksofAchelous，thegreeksweredefeated；theirhornwasbrokenbythestrengthoftheBarbaricHercules。^15HeformedthesiegeofConstantinople；
and，inapersonalconferencewiththeemperor，Simeonimposedtheconditionsofpeace。Theymetwiththemostjealousprecautions:theroyalgallerywasdrawnclosetoanartificialandwell—fortifiedplatform；andthemajestyofthepurplewasemulatedbythepompoftheBulgarian。"AreyouaChristian?"
saidthehumbleRomanus:"itisyourdutytoabstainfromthebloodofyourfellow—Christians。Hasthethirstofrichesseducedyoufromtheblessingsofpeace?Sheatheyoursword，openyourhand，andIwillsatiatetheutmostmeasureofyourdesires。"Thereconciliationwassealedbyadomesticalliance；
thefreedomoftradewasgrantedorrestored；thefirsthonorsofthecourtweresecuredtothefriendsofBulgaria，abovetheambassadorsofenemiesorstrangers；^16andherprincesweredignifiedwiththehighandinvidioustitleofBasileus，oremperor。Butthisfriendshipwassoondisturbed:afterthedeathofSimeon，thenationswereagaininarms；hisfeeblesuccessorsweredividedandextinguished；and，inthebeginningoftheeleventhcentury，thesecondBasil，whowasborninthepurple，deservedtheappellationofconqueroroftheBulgarians。Hisavaricewasinsomemeasuregratifiedbyatreasureoffourhundredthousandpoundssterling，tenthousandpounds'weightofgold，whichhefoundinthepalaceofLychnidus。Hiscrueltyinflictedacoolandexquisitevengeanceonfifteenthousandcaptiveswhohadbeenguiltyofthedefenceoftheircountry。
Theyweredeprivedofsight；buttooneofeachhundredasingleeyewasleft，thathemightconducthisblindcenturytothepresenceoftheirking。Theirkingissaidtohaveexpiredofgriefandhorror；thenationwasawedbythisterribleexample；
theBulgariansweresweptawayfromtheirsettlements，andcircumscribedwithinanarrowprovince；thesurvivingchiefsbequeathedtotheirchildrentheadviceofpatienceandthedutyofrevenge。
[Footnote13:ThefirstkingdomoftheBulgariansmaybefound，undertheproperdates，intheAnnalsofCedrenusandZonaras。
TheByzantinematerialsarecollectedbyStritter，MemoriaePopulorum，tom。ii。parsii。p。441—647；andtheseriesoftheirkingsisdisposedandsettledbyDucange，Fam。Byzant。p。
305—318。
[Footnote14:Simeonemsemi—Graecumesseaiebant，eoquodapueritiaByzantiiDemosthenisrhetoricametAristotelissyllogismosdidicerat，Liutprand，l。iii。c。8。Hesaysinanotherplace，Simeon，fortisbellator，Bulgariaepraeerat；
Christianus，sedvicinisGraecisvaldeinimicus，l。i。c。2。]
[Footnote15:—RigidumferadexteracornuDumtenet，infregit，truncaqueafronterevellit。
OvidMetamorph。ix。1—100hasboldlypaintedthecombatoftherivergodandthehero；thenativeandthestranger。]
[Footnote16:TheambassadorofOthowasprovokedbytheGreekexcuses，cumChristophorifiliamPetrusBulgarorumVasileusconjugemduceret，Symphona，idestconsonantiascriptojuramentofirmatasunt，utomniumgentiumApostolis，idestnunciis，penesnosBulgarorumApostolipraeponantur，honorentur，diligantur，LiutprandinLegatione，p。482。SeetheCeremonialeofConstantinePorphyrogenitus，tom。i。p。82，tom。ii。p。429，430，434，435，443，444，446，447，withtheannotationsofReiske。]