Ingenious men may point out a variety of internal as well as external circumstances, which had their operation in producing the decline, and at length the ruin of this immense fabric ; but they may be all reduced to one single head. The fall of the Roman empire was the inevitable effect of its overgrown extension. The commonwealth subsisted by the virtuous and patriotic ardor of the citizens; but the passion for conquest, which at first found sufficient scope in the domestic wars among the Italian states, was, after their reduction, necessarily extended to a distance. Remote dominion relaxed the patriotic affection, which of necessity grew the weaker, the more extensive were its objects. The vices of the conquered nations infected the victorious legions, and foreign luxuries corrupted their commanders. Selfish interest took the place of public virtue; the people were enslaved by despots, who, regarding as the first object the security of their own power, found it often their wisest policy to abase that martial spirit which was no less formidable to the master of the state than to its foreign enemies. Thus the military character of the Romans went gradually to decay, because it was purposely depressed by the emperors; and thus their extensive dominions, wanting their necessary support of brave, of virtuous, and of disciplined troops, fell an easy prey to that torrent of barbarians which overwhelmed them. Historians universally agree that the Romans gained by their change of masters. Odoacer retained the imperial laws, the officers, and the form of government; and he diminished the taxes. He, with an affected show of moderation, sent to Zeno the imperial ornaments, and requested for himself only the dignity of patrician, which Zeno had the prudence not to refuse. This spiritless emperor was now embroiled with the Ostrogoths, who were settled in Pannonia and Thrace, and were governed by two kings of the name of Theodoric; the younger had been educated At the at Constantinople, and loaded with honors by Zeno. request of Theodoric, Zeno granted him permission to attempt the conquest of Italy, transferring it to him as a kingdom in case he should succeed in wresting it from Odoacer. Zeno died soon style of poetic description, the irruption of the barbarous nations into Italy: Oft o'er the trembling nations, from afar, Has Scythia breathed the living cloud of war; Their arms, their kings, their gods were rolled away. As oft have issued, host impelling host, The blue-eyed myriads of the Baltic coast;~~ Mason's Life of Gray, p 196. after. Theodoric, followed by the whole nation of the Ostrogoths, broke into Italy with impetuous fury. Odoacer met him between Aquileia and the Julian Alps, but was defeated. A second engagement ensued at Verona, and a third on the banks of the river Addua, in all of which Theodoric was successful. Odoacer was forced to shut himself up in Ravenna, where for two years and a half he sustained an obstinate siege. At length, compelled by famine, he was driven to a negotiation, by which he surrendered all Italy to Theodoric, reserving to himself the titles of royalty. What the motive was is now uncertain, but Theodoric, a few days after, put him to death with his own hand-a deed which, considering the excellent and generous character of that prince, there is every reason to presume had a just cause. Italy had begun to taste of happiness under Odoacer; it was still increased by the new monarch. Theodoric showed what profound political talents are capable of effecting even in the most unpromising situation, and how much public happiness is dependent on the virtues and talents of the sovereign. I shall afterwards have occasion pretty fully to describe the administration, and illustrate the character, of this excellent prince. Without drawing a sword after the death of Odoacer, he enjoyed the kingdom of Italy as if it had been his natural inheritance. He allied himself with the barbarous nations around him. He married the daughter of Clovis, king of the Franks, who, in the year 486, had annihilated the Roman power in Gaul; he gave one of his daughters to Alaric, king of the Visigoths; another to Gondebald, king of the Burgundians; and his sister to Thrasamond, king of the Vandals; thus establishing a bond of union and harmony among the neighboring princes, but where it was not observed, enforcing it by his arms. In the latter part of his life, having his temper imbittered by suspicions of treasonable conspiracies, he became for a while severe, and even cruel, in his administration. The learned Boetius, who had formerly been high in his favor, falling under these suspicions, was put to death. During the confinement preceding his death, he composed that excellent treatise "De Consolatione Philosophiæ." The heart of Theodoric awaking afterwards to that humanity of disposition which was natural to him, he sunk into deep remorse and melancholy, and died at the age of seventyfour. He was succeeded by his grandson Athalaric; during whose infancy his mother Amalasonta held the reins of government with such admirable political wisdom and moderation, that the people were not sensible of the loss of her father. While such was the state of Italy under its Gothic sovereigns, the empire of the East was under the government of Justinian. This prince began his reign with no favorable dispositions towards him on the part of his subjects, as it was known that he ha countenanced the commission of great enormities, and been con cerned in several assassinations of those whom he either feared or hated. The truth is, that if the Roman name seems to rise from its abasement for a while during the reign of this prince, it was less from the virtues, talents, or abilities of the emperor, than from the uncommon merit of his generals; yet to these generals he behaved with the most shameful ingratitude. He was in his own character a weak, vain, and despotic man; but he was fond of study; and if he had any talent, it was in jurisprudence. He was a rancorous enemy to the ancient Greek philosophy, and he abolished by an edict the schools of Athens, which had produced a constant succession of teachers from the days of Socrates, during a period of nine centuries.* Justinian wished to bring about a league of amity with the Persians, who were dangerous enemies to the empire; but Cabades, their sovereign, treating his embassy with contempt, Justinian sent against them his general Belisarius, who had already signalized himself by his services. He defeated them at Dara; they revenged their disgrace, however, in the following year, by gaining a victory over Belisarius at Callinicum, who was prompted to engage at a disadvantage, from the intemperate ardor of his troops. This want of success Justinian thought proper to punish by recalling Belisarius, who was doomed to be often the sport of fortune, and the victim of weakness, caprice, and ingratitude. Cabades the Persian dying at this time, was succeeded by Chosroes, an able prince, to whom Justinian meanly a second time proffered terms of accommodation. Chosroes granted him a peace, but upon the most humiliating conditions. He received 11,000 pounds' weight of gold, and several important fortresses. The city of Constantinople had been harassed, during the two last reigns, with violent popular factions, which had arisen from the intemperate fondness of the people for the diversions of the circus-a striking indication of the most irretrievable degeneracy of national character. The factions took the names of the green, the blue, and the red, from the dresses worn by the charioteers of the different parties. Justinian espoused with zeal the faction of the blue, while his queen Theodora, with equal intemperance, took part with the green. Her party proceeded so far as publicly to insult the emperor; and, upon the punishment of some of their ringleaders, took up arms to avenge their cause, and proclaimed Hypatius, a man allied to the blood-royal, for their monarch. Justinian appeared and offered indemnity, on condition of their returning to their duty but they compelled him to retreat for safety to his palace. The injured Belisarius, who had not forgot his allegiance or his affection for his country, shocked at these proceedings, speedily assembled the troops, and attacking the rebels with a dreadful slaughter, at length brought all into submis *See Gibbon, vol. iv. p. 112, et seq. sion. Justinian meanly proclaimed this deplorable victory over the whole empire. Belisarius was now again to be employed in more glorious services. Gelimer, king of the Vandals in Africa, having mounted the throne by deposing Hilderic the lawful monarch, Justinian sent a remonstrance in favor of Hilderic, which Gelimer treated with contempt. He resolved to carry war into Africa, and the conduct of it was committed to Belisarius, who in a few months routed Gelimer, abolished entirely the monarchy of the Vandals, and completed the conquest of Africa. Ungenerous suspicions again influenced the weak Justinian against this man, who was the support and honor of his empire; and Belisarius was obliged to return to Constantinople, to vindicate his injured reputation., He came off with glory, and a triumph was decreed him, which was adorned by the captive Gelimer. It is not a little surprising to see enterprises of the highest importance begun and carried through by a weak and imprudent monarch; but Justinian was fortunate in his generals, though never prince was less worthy of being so. Athalaric, the Goth, a weak and debauched prince, had died in Italy, of which the government was still in the hands of his mother, Amalasonta. After the death of her son, she had raised to the throne her cousin Theodatus, who infamously repaid that service by putting her to death. Justinian, who considered himself as the protector of the Gothic monarchy, in order to avenge this atrocious deed, sent Belisarius into Italy with an army. He marched to the gates of Rome, which surrendered without an attack; he possessed himself of the city, and with 5000 men undertook to defend it against 100,000 of the rebel Ostrogoths, who sat down to besiege him. The particulars of this war it is not to our purpose minutely to trace. It is sufficient to say, that after various successes, the Goths themselves, filled with admiration at the character of Belisarius, requested him to accept of the crown of Italy; but that generous and heroic man refused the offer of a kingdom, incapable of betraying the interests of his sovereign, although he had repeatedly experienced his ingratitude. He declared that he had sufficient glory in reducing the capital of the Western empire to submission to its ancient masters. Italy again attempted to withdraw herself from the newly imposed yoke of the empire. Totila, the present viceroy, inherited the courage and the virtues of Theodoric; he raised a considerable army, and defeating the Romans, made himself master of Lucania, Apulia, Calabria, and Naples. Belisarius was sent a second time into Italy, but with so inconsiderable a body of troops. that he was obliged to shut himself up in Ravenna. Rome, holding out for the emperor, was in the meantime besieged and taken by Totila, who generously spared the inhabitants; and, convoking the senate drew a striking picture of the difference between the op gentle government of Theodoric and Amalasonta, and their late pressions; and concluded with a severe reproach for their treachery to a nation to whom they were so highly indebted. Totila had resolved to destroy Rome; but the city was saved by a remonstrance from Belisarius, who convinced the Goth, that to save that capital, the glory of the world, would contribute more to his honor than to destroy it. Totila contented himself with dispersing its inhabitants; but in this he acted imprudently, for Belisarius immediately took possession, and defended it with vigor and success. At length, the weakness of his army, and the increasing strength of the Goths, obliged that able general entirely to evacuate Italy, and to return to Constantinople, where the wealth, which he had accumulated, threw an unfavorable stain upon his character, which it is not easy to remove. Totila retook Rome, which he rebuilt and new peopled; afterwards, however, the imperial arms meeting with some success in Italy, he became desirous of coming to an accommodation with Justinian. The Goth offered large concessions and an annual tribute, and obliged himself to serve the emperor in all his wars. These terms, however, were obstinately and haughtily refused. Such is the character of a little mind, mean, servile, and submissive under the pressure of adversity; imperious, domineering, and inflexible upon the smallest glimpse of prosperous fortune. Contemning the offers of allegiance from Totila, he sent a more powerful army against him than he had ever sent into Italy. Narses, an eunuch, but an able general, commanded; and in a decisive engagement in the duchy of Urbino, the Goths were defeated, and the gallant Totila slain in battle. In a second engagement his successor, Theia, met with a similar fate; all Italy, in fine, was reconquered; and the Gothic monarchy, founded by Theodoric, was now extinguished. Theodoric and Totila may be compared with the greatest men of antiquity; and the Gothic nation, and particularly the Ostrogoths, who settled in Italy, instead of that contempt, with which they have been treated by Procopius and some other writers, deserve, in many respects, the greatest regard and veneration. Narses, who had destroyed the Gothic monarchy, and com pleted the conquest of Italy, governed that kingdom with great ability for thirteen years, when he was recalled, and ignominiously treated by Justin, successor to Justinian, a weak, imprudent, and voluptuous prince. It is said, that in revenge he invited the Lombards into Italy; a fact, which is not at all improbable. These were one of the many nations from Scandinavia, but whose distinct origin is very uncertain; they overrun, and made themselves masters of the greatest part of the country in the year 568. The final and irretrievable loss of Italy was not the only misfortune with which Justin had to struggle. Chosroes, that scourge of the empire, broke the fifty years' truce which he had concluded with Justinian; and the Romans were now again involved in |