sixteenthousandofthosebarbariansremainedonthefieldofbattle,andthenumberofcaptivesamountedtotwentythousand。
Theoldemperor,animatedwiththefameandprospectofvictory,pursuedhismarch,inthemidstofwinter,throughthecountriesofThraceandAsiaMinor,andatlength,withhisyoungerson,Numerian,arrivedontheconfinesofthePersianmonarchy。
There,encampingonthesummitofaloftymountain,hepointedouttohistroopstheopulenceandluxuryoftheenemywhomtheywereabouttoinvade。
[Footnote71:Hist。August。p。353。Eutropius,ix。18。Pagi。
Annal。]
ThesuccessorofArtaxerxes,Varanes,orBahram,thoughhehadsubduedtheSegestans,oneofthemostwarlikenationsofUpperAsia,^72wasalarmedattheapproachoftheRomans,andendeavoredtoretardtheirprogressbyanegotiationofpeace。^!
Hisambassadorsenteredthecampaboutsunset,atthetimewhenthetroopsweresatisfyingtheirhungerwithafrugalrepast。ThePersiansexpressedtheirdesireofbeingintroducedtothepresenceoftheRomanemperor。Theywereatlengthconductedtoasoldier,whowasseatedonthegrass。Apieceofstalebaconandafewhardpeascomposedhissupper。Acoarsewoollengarmentofpurplewastheonlycircumstancethatannouncedhisdignity。Theconferencewasconductedwiththesamedisregardofcourtlyelegance。Carus,takingoffacapwhichheworetoconcealhisbaldness,assuredtheambassadors,that,unlesstheirmasteracknowledgedthesuperiorityofRome,hewouldspeedilyrenderPersiaasnakedoftreesashisownheadwasdestituteofhair。^73Notwithstandingsometracesofartandpreparation,wemaydiscoverinthisscenethemannersofCarus,andtheseveresimplicitywhichthemartialprinces,whosucceededGallienus,hadalreadyrestoredintheRomancamps。TheministersoftheGreatKingtrembledandretired。
[Footnote*:Threemonarchshadintervened,Sapor,Shahpour,
Hormisdas,Hormooz,Varanes;BaharamtheFirst。—M。]
[Footnote72:Agathias,l。iv。p。135。WefindoneofhissayingsintheBibliothequeOrientaleofM。d'Herbelot。"Thedefinitionofhumanityincludesallothervirtues。"]
[Footnote!:ThemannerinwhichhislifewassavedbytheChiefPontifffromaconspiracyofhisnobles,isasremarkableashissaying。"BytheadviceofthePontiffallthenoblesabsentedthemselvesfromcourt。Thekingwanderedthroughhispalacealone。Hesawnoone;allwassilencearound。Hebecamealarmedanddistressed。AtlasttheChiefPontiffappeared,andbowedhisheadinapparentmisery,butspokenotaword。Thekingentreatedhimtodeclarewhathadhappened。Thevirtuousmanboldlyrelatedallthathadpassed,andconjuredBahram,inthenameofhisgloriousancestors,tochangehisconductandsavehimselffromdestruction。Thekingwasmuchmoved,professedhimselfmostpenitent,andsaidhewasresolvedhisfuturelifeshouldprovehissincerity。TheoverjoyedHighPriest,delightedatthissuccess,madeasignal,atwhichallthenoblesandattendantswereinaninstant,asifbymagic,intheirusualplaces。Themonarchnowperceivedthatonlyoneopinionprevailedonhispastconduct。HerepeatedthereforetohisnoblesallhehadsaidtotheChiefPontiff,andhisfuturereignwasunstainedbycrueltyoroppression。"Malcolm'sPersia,—M。]
[Footnote73:SynesiustellsthisstoryofCarinus;anditismuchmorenaturaltounderstanditofCarus,thanasPetaviusandTillemontchoosetodoofProbus。]
ThethreatsofCaruswerenotwithouteffect。HeravagedMesopotamia,cutinpieceswhateveropposedhispassage,madehimselfmasterofthegreatcitiesofSeleuciaandCtesiphon,whichseemedtohavesurrenderedwithoutresistance,andcarriedhisvictoriousarmsbeyondtheTigris。^74Hehadseizedthefavorablemomentforaninvasion。ThePersiancouncilsweredistractedbydomesticfactions,andthegreaterpartoftheirforcesweredetainedonthefrontiersofIndia。RomeandtheEastreceivedwithtransportsthenewsofsuchimportantadvantages。Flatteryandhopepainted,inthemostlivelycolors,thefallofPersia,theconquestofArabia,thesubmissionofEgypt,andalastingdeliverancefromtheinroadsoftheScythiannations。^75ButthereignofCaruswasdestinedtoexposethevanityofpredictions。Theywerescarcelyutteredbeforetheywerecontradictedbyhisdeath;aneventattendedwithsuchambiguouscircumstances,thatitmayberelatedinaletterfromhisownsecretarytothepraefectofthecity。
"Carus,"sayshe,"ourdearestemperor,wasconfinedbysicknesstohisbed,whenafurioustempestaroseinthecamp。Thedarknesswhichoverspreadtheskywassothick,thatwecouldnolongerdistinguisheachother;andtheincessantflashesoflightningtookfromustheknowledgeofallthatpassedinthegeneralconfusion。Immediatelyafterthemostviolentclapofthunder,weheardasuddencrythattheemperorwasdead;anditsoonappeared,thathischamberlains,inarageofgrief,hadsetfiretotheroyalpavilion;acircumstancewhichgaverisetothereportthatCaruswaskilledbylightning。But,asfaraswehavebeenabletoinvestigatethetruth,hisdeathwasthenaturaleffectofhisdisorder。"^76
[Footnote74:VopiscusinHist。August。p。250。Eutropius,ix。
18。ThetwoVictors。]
[Footnote75:TothePersianvictoryofCarusIreferthedialogueofthePhilopatris,whichhassolongbeenanobjectofdisputeamongthelearned。Buttoexplainandjustifymyopinion,wouldrequireadissertation。^
Note:Niebuhr,intheneweditionoftheByzantineHistorians,vol。x。hasboldlyassignedthePhilopatristothetenthcentury,andtothereignofNicephorusPhocas。AnopinionsodecisivelypronouncedbyNiebuhrandfavorablyreceivedbyHase,thelearnededitorofLeoDiaconus,commandsrespectfulconsideration。Butthewholetoneoftheworkappearstomealtogetherinconsistentwithanyperiodinwhichphilosophydidnotstand,asitwere,onsomegroundofequalitywithChristianity。ThedoctrineoftheTrinityissarcasticallyintroducedratherasthestrangedoctrineofanewreligion,thantheestablishedtenetofafaithuniversallyprevalent。Theargument,adoptedfromSolanus,concerningtheformulaoftheprocessionoftheHolyGhost,isutterlyworthless,asitisamerequotationinthewordsoftheGospelofSt。John,xv。26。
Theonlyargumentofanyvalueisthehistoricone,fromtheallusiontotherecentviolationofmanyvirginsintheIslandofCrete。ButneitheristhelanguageofNiebuhrquiteaccurate,norhisreferencetotheAcroasesofTheodosiussatisfactory。
When,then,couldthisoccurrencetakeplace?WhynotinthedevastationoftheislandbytheGothicpirates,duringthereignofClaudius。Hist。Aug。inClaud。p。814。edit。Var。Lugd。Bat1661。—M。]
[Footnote76:Hist。August。p。250。YetEutropius,Festus,Rufus,thetwoVictors,Jerome,SidoniusApollinaris,Syncellus,andZonaras,allascribethedeathofCarustolightning。]
ChapterXII:ReignsOfTacitus,Probus,CarusAndHisSons。
PartIII。
Thevacancyofthethronewasnotproductiveofanydisturbance。Theambitionoftheaspiringgeneralswascheckedbytheirnaturalfears,andyoungNumerian,withhisabsentbrotherCarinus,wereunanimouslyacknowledgedasRomanemperors。
ThepublicexpectedthatthesuccessorofCaruswouldpursuehisfather'sfootsteps,and,withoutallowingthePersianstorecoverfromtheirconsternation,wouldadvanceswordinhandtothepalacesofSusaandEcbatana。^77Butthelegions,howeverstronginnumbersanddiscipline,weredismayedbythemostabjectsuperstition。Notwithstandingalltheartsthatwerepractisedtodisguisethemannerofthelateemperor'sdeath,itwasfoundimpossibletoremovetheopinionofthemultitude,andthepowerofopinionisirresistible。Placesorpersonsstruckwithlightningwereconsideredbytheancientswithpioushorror,assingularlydevotedtothewrathofHeaven。^78Anoraclewasremembered,whichmarkedtheRiverTigrisasthefatalboundaryoftheRomanarms。Thetroops,terrifiedwiththefateofCarusandwiththeirowndanger,calledaloudonyoungNumeriantoobeythewillofthegods,andtoleadthemawayfromthisinauspicioussceneofwar。Thefeebleemperorwasunabletosubduetheirobstinateprejudice,andthePersianswonderedattheunexpectedretreatofavictoriousenemy。^79
[Footnote77:SeeNemesian。Cynegeticon,v。71,&c。]
[Footnote78:SeeFestusandhiscommentatorsonthewordScribonianum。Placesstruckbylightningweresurroundedwithawall;thingswereburiedwithmysteriousceremony。]
[Footnote79:VopiscusinHist。August。p。250。AureliusVictorseemstobelievetheprediction,andtoapprovetheretreat。]
TheintelligenceofthemysteriousfateofthelateemperorwassooncarriedfromthefrontiersofPersiatoRome;andthesenate,aswellastheprovinces,congratulatedtheaccessionofthesonsofCarus。Thesefortunateyouthswerestrangers,however,tothatconscioussuperiority,eitherofbirthorofmerit,whichcanalonerenderthepossessionofathroneeasy,andasitwerenatural。Bornandeducatedinaprivatestation,theelectionoftheirfatherraisedthematoncetotherankofprinces;andhisdeath,whichhappenedaboutsixteenmonthsafterwards,leftthemtheunexpectedlegacyofavastempire。Tosustainwithtemperthisrapidelevation,anuncommonshareofvirtueandprudencewasrequisite;andCarinus,theelderofthebrothers,wasmorethancommonlydeficientinthosequalities。
IntheGallicwarhediscoveredsomedegreeofpersonalcourage;
^80butfromthemomentofhisarrivalatRome,heabandonedhimselftotheluxuryofthecapital,andtotheabuseofhisfortune。Hewassoft,yetcruel;devotedtopleasure,butdestituteoftaste;andthoughexquisitelysusceptibleofvanity,indifferenttothepublicesteem。Inthecourseofafewmonths,hesuccessivelymarriedanddivorcedninewives,mostofwhomheleftpregnant;andnotwithstandingthislegalinconstancy,foundtimetoindulgesuchavarietyofirregularappetites,asbroughtdishonoronhimselfandonthenoblesthousesofRome。Hebeheldwithinveteratehatredallthosewhomightrememberhisformerobscurity,orcensurehispresentconduct。Hebanished,orputtodeath,thefriendsandcounsellorswhomhisfatherhadplacedabouthim,toguidehisinexperiencedyouth;andhepersecutedwiththemeanestrevengehisschool—fellowsandcompanionswhohadnotsufficientlyrespectedthelatentmajestyoftheemperor。
Withthesenators,Carinusaffectedaloftyandregaldemeanor,frequentlydeclaring,thathedesignedtodistributetheirestatesamongthepopulaceofRome。Fromthedregsofthatpopulaceheselectedhisfavorites,andevenhisministers。Thepalace,andeventheImperialtable,werefilledwithsingers,dancers,prostitutes,andallthevariousretinueofviceandfolly。Oneofhisdoorkeepers^81heintrustedwiththegovernmentofthecity。IntheroomofthePraetorianpraefect,whomheputtodeath,Carinussubstitutedoneoftheministersofhislooserpleasures。Another,whopossessedthesame,orevenamoreinfamous,titletofavor,wasinvestedwiththeconsulship。
Aconfidentialsecretary,whohadacquireduncommonskillintheartofforgery,deliveredtheindolentemperor,withhisownconsentfromtheirksomedutyofsigninghisname。
[Footnote80:Nemesian。Cynegeticon,v69。Hewasacontemporary,butapoet。]
[Footnote81:Cancellarius。Thisword,sohumbleinitsorigin,has,byasingularfortune,risenintothetitleofthefirstgreatofficeofstateinthemonarchiesofEurope。SeeCasaubonandSalmasius,adHist。August,p。253。]
WhentheemperorCarusundertookthePersianwar,hewasinduced,bymotivesofaffectionaswellaspolicy,tosecurethefortunesofhisfamily,byleavinginthehandsofhiseldestsonthearmiesandprovincesoftheWest。TheintelligencewhichhesoonreceivedoftheconductofCarinusfilledhimwithshameandregret;norhadheconcealedhisresolutionofsatisfyingtherepublicbyasevereactofjustice,andofadopting,intheplaceofanunworthyson,thebraveandvirtuousConstantius,whoatthattimewasgovernorofDalmatia。ButtheelevationofConstantiuswasforawhiledeferred;andassoonasthefather'sdeathhadreleasedCarinusfromthecontroloffearordecency,hedisplayedtotheRomanstheextravaganciesofElagabalus,aggravatedbythecrueltyofDomitian。^82
[Footnote82:VopiscusinHist。August。p。253,254。Eutropius,x。19。VictoJunior。ThereignofDiocletianindeedwassolongandprosperous,thatitmusthavebeenveryunfavorabletothereputationofCarinus。]
TheonlymeritoftheadministrationofCarinusthathistorycouldrecord,orpoetrycelebrate,wastheuncommonsplendorwithwhich,inhisownandhisbrother'sname,heexhibitedtheRomangamesofthetheatre,thecircus,andtheamphitheatre。Morethantwentyyearsafterwards,whenthecourtiersofDiocletianrepresentedtotheirfrugalsovereignthefameandpopularityofhismunificentpredecessor,heacknowledgedthatthereignofCarinushadindeedbeenareignofpleasure。^83Butthisvainprodigality,whichtheprudenceofDiocletianmightjustlydespise,wasenjoyedwithsurpriseandtransportbytheRomanpeople。Theoldestofthecitizens,recollectingthespectaclesofformerdays,thetriumphalpompofProbusorAurelian,andtheseculargamesoftheemperorPhilip,acknowledgedthattheywereallsurpassedbythesuperiormagnificenceofCarinus。^84
[Footnote83:VopiscusinHist。August。p。254。HecallshimCarus,butthesenseissufficientlyobvious,andthewordswereoftenconfounded。]
[Footnote84:SeeCalphurnius,Eclog。vii。43。Wemayobserve,thatthespectaclesofProbuswerestillrecent,andthatthepoetissecondedbythehistorian。]
ThespectaclesofCarinusmaythereforebebestillustratedbytheobservationofsomeparticulars,whichhistoryhascondescendedtorelateconcerningthoseofhispredecessors。Ifweconfineourselvessolelytothehuntingofwildbeasts,howeverwemaycensurethevanityofthedesignorthecrueltyoftheexecution,weareobligedtoconfessthatneitherbeforenorsincethetimeoftheRomanssomuchartandexpensehaveeverbeenlavishedfortheamusementofthepeople。^85BytheorderofProbus,agreatquantityoflargetrees,tornupbytheroots,weretransplantedintothemidstofthecircus。Thespaciousandshadyforestwasimmediatelyfilledwithathousandostriches,athousandstags,athousandfallowdeer,andathousandwildboars;andallthisvarietyofgamewasabandonedtotheriotousimpetuosityofthemultitude。Thetragedyofthesucceedingdayconsistedinthemassacreofahundredlions,anequalnumberoflionesses,twohundredleopards,andthreehundredbears。^86ThecollectionpreparedbytheyoungerGordianforhistriumph,andwhichhissuccessorexhibitedintheseculargames,waslessremarkablebythenumberthanbythesingularityoftheanimals。
TwentyzebrasdisplayedtheirelegantformsandvariegatedbeautytotheeyesoftheRomanpeople。^87Tenelks,andasmanycamelopards,theloftiestandmostharmlesscreaturesthatwanderovertheplainsofSarmatiaandAethiopia,werecontrastedwiththirtyAfricanhyaenasandtenIndiantigers,themostimplacablesavagesofthetorridzone。TheunoffendingstrengthwithwhichNaturehasendowedthegreaterquadrupedswasadmiredintherhinoceros,thehippopotamusoftheNile,^88andamajestictroopofthirty—twoelephants。^89Whilethepopulacegazedwithstupidwonderonthesplendidshow,thenaturalistmightindeedobservethefigureandpropertiesofsomanydifferentspecies,transportedfromeverypartoftheancientworldintotheamphitheatreofRome。Butthisaccidentalbenefit,whichsciencemightderivefromfolly,issurelyinsufficienttojustifysuchawantonabuseofthepublicriches。Thereoccurs,however,asingleinstanceinthefirstPunicwar,inwhichthesenatewiselyconnectedthisamusementofthemultitudewiththeinterestofthestate。Aconsiderablenumberofelephants,takeninthedefeatoftheCarthaginianarmy,weredriventhroughthecircusbyafewslaves,armedonlywithbluntjavelins。^90TheusefulspectacleservedtoimpresstheRomansoldierwithajustcontemptforthoseunwieldyanimals;andhenolongerdreadedtoencounterthemintheranksofwar。
[Footnote85:ThephilosopherMontaigneEssais,l。iii。6givesaveryjustandlivelyviewofRomanmagnificenceinthesespectacles。]
[Footnote86:VopiscusinHist。August。p。240。]
[Footnote87:TheyarecalledOnagri;butthenumberistooinconsiderableformerewildasses。CuperdeElephantisExercitat。ii。7hasprovedfromOppian,Dion,andananonymousGreek,thatzebrashadbeenseenatRome。Theywerebroughtfromsomeislandoftheocean,perhapsMadagascar。]
[Footnote88:Carinusgaveahippopotamus,seeCalphurn。Eclog。
vi。66。Inthelatterspectacles,Idonotrecollectanycrocodiles,ofwhichAugustusonceexhibitedthirty—six。DionCassius,l。lv。p。781。]
[Footnote89:Capitolin。inHist。August。p。164,165。Wearenotacquaintedwiththeanimalswhichhecallsarcheleontes;somereadargoleontesothersagrioleontes:bothcorrectionsareverynugatory]
[Footnote90:Plin。Hist。Natur。viii。6,fromtheannalsofPiso。]