CHAP. have been fuccefsful, if the tender and vigilant XXIX. Serena had not protected her husband against his

domeftic foes, whilft he vanquifhed in the field the enemies of the empire. Theodofius continued to fupport an unworthy minifter, to whofe diligence he delegated the government of the palace, and of the Eaft; but when he marched against the tyrant Eugenius, he affociated his faithful general to the labours and glories of the civil war; and, in the laft moments of his life, the dying monarch recommended to Stilicho, the care of his fons, and of the republic". The ambition and the abilities of Stilicho were not unequal to the important truft; and he claimed the guardianship of the two empires, during the minority of Arcadius and Honorius 26. The firft measure of his adminiftration, or rather of his reign, displayed to the nations the vigour and activity of a fpirit worthy to command. He paffed the Alps in the depth of winter; defcended the stream of

24 Compare the poem on the first confulship (i. 95-115.) with the Laus Serena (227-237, where it unfortunately breaks off ). We may perceive the deep inveterate malice of Rufinus.

Difcedens, clypeumque defenforemque dedifti.

Yet the nomination (iv Conf. Hon. 432.) was private (iii Conf. Hon. 142.) cunctos difcedere ... jubet; and may therefore be fufpected. Zofimus, and Suidas, apply to Stilicho, and Rufinus, the fame equal title of Expo, guardians, or procurators.

26 The Roman law distinguishes two forts of minority, which expired at the age of fourteen, and of twenty-five. The one was fubject to the tutor, or guardian, of the perfon; the other to the curator, or trustee, of the estate (Heineccius, Antiquitat. Rom. ad Jurifprudent. pertinent. 1. i. tit. xxii, xxiii. p. 218-232.). But thefe legal ideas were never accurately transferred into the conftitution of an elective monarchy.

the

27

XXIX.

the Rhine, from the fortrefs of Bafil, to the CHAP.
marches of Batavia; reviewed the ftate of the
garrifons; repreffed the enterprises of the Ger-
mans; and, after eftablishing along the banks a
firm and honourable peace, returned with incre-
dible speed to the palace of Milan ". The per-
fon and court of Honorius were fubject to the
mafler-general of the Weft; and the armies and
provinces of Europe obeyed, without hesitation,
a regular authority, which was exercifed in the
name of their young fovereign. Two rivals only.
remained to dispute the claims, and to provoke
the vengeance, of Stilicho. Within the limits of
Africa, Gildo, the Moor, maintained a proud and
dangerous independence; and the minifter of
Conftantinople afferted his equal reign over the
emperor, and the empire, of the Eaft.

28

The impartiality which Stilicho affected, as the common guardian of the royal brothers, engaged him to regulate the equal divifion of the arms, the jewels, and the magnificent wardrobe and furniture of the deceased emperor 23. But the most important object of the inheritance confifted of the numerous legions, cohorts, and squadrons of Romans, or Barbarians, whom the event of the civil war had united under the ftandard of Theodofius. The various multitudes of Europe and

27 See Claudian (i Conf. Stilich. i. 188—242.) ; but he must allow more than fifteen days for the journey and return, between Milan and Leyden.

28 I Conf. Stilich. ii. 88-94. Not only the robes and diadems of the deceased emperor, but even the helmets, fword-hilts, belts, cuiraffes, &c. were enriched with pearls, emeralds, and diamonds.

The fall

and death

of Rufinus,

Nov. 27the

A.D. 395

XXIX.

CHAP. Afia, exafperated by recent animofities, were over-awed by the authority of a single man; and the rigid difcipline of Stilicho protected the lands of the citizen from the rapine of the licentious foldier. Anxious however, and impatient, to relieve Italy from the prefence of this formidable hoft, which could be useful only on the frontiers of the empire, he liftened to the just requifition of the minifter of Arcadius, declared his intention of reconducting in perfon the troops of the East; and dexterously employed the rumour of a Gothic tumult, to conceal his private defigns of ambition and revenge 39. The guilty foul of Rufinus was alarmed by the approach of a warrior and a rival, whofe enmity he deferved; he computed, with increafing terror, the narrow space of his life and greatnefs; and, as the laft hope of fafety, he interpofed the authority of the emperor Arcadius. Stilicho, who appears to have directed his march along the fea coaft of the Hadriatic, was not far diftant from the city of Theffalonica, when he received a peremptory meffage, to recal the troops of the Eaft, and to declare, that his nearer ap. proach would be confidered, by the Byzantine

Principe, mutatas orbis non fenfit habenas.

This high commendation (i Conf. Stil. i. 149.) may be justified by the fears of the dying emperor (de Bell. Gildon. 292–301.); and the peace and good order which were enjoyed after his death (i Conf. Stil. i. 150-168.).

30 Stilicho's march, and the death of Rufinus, are defcribed by Claudian (in Rufin. 1. ii. 101-453.), Zofimus (1. v. p. 296, 297.), Sozomen (1. viii. c. 1.), Socrates (1. vi. c. 1.), Philoftorgius (1. xi. c. 3. with Godefroy, p. 441.), and the Chronicle of Marcellinus.

court,

XXIX.

court, as an act of hoftility. The prompt and CHAP.
unexpected obedience of the general of the West,
convinced the vulgar of his loyalty and modera-
tion; and, as he had already engaged the affec-
tion of the Eastern troops, he recommended to
their zeal the execution of his bloody defign,
which might be accomplished in his abfence, with
lefs danger perhaps, and with lefs reproach. Sti-
licho left the command of the troops of the East to
Gainas, the Goth, on whofe fidelity he firmly re-
lied; with an affurance, at least, that the hardy
Barbarian would never be diverted from his pur-
pose by any confideration of fear or remorfe. The
foldiers were easily perfuaded to punish the ene-
my of Stilicho, and of Rome; and fuch was the
general hatred which Rufinus had excited, that
the fatal fecret, communicated to thoufands,
was faithfully preferved during the long march
from Theffalonica to the gates of Conftantinople.
As foon as they had resolved his death, they con-
defcended to flatter his pride; the ambitious præ-
fect was feduced to believe, that thofe powerful
auxiliaries might be tempted to place the diadem
on his head; and the treafures which he distribut-
ed, with a tardy and reluctant hand, were accepted
by the indignant multitude, as an infult, rather
than as a gift. At the diftance of a mile from
the capital, in the field of Mars, before the pa-
lace of Hebdomon, the troops halted: and the
emperor, as well as his minifter, advanced, ac-
cording to ancient cuftoin, respectfully to falute
the power which fupported their throne.
Rufinus paffed along the ranks, and difguifed,"

As

1

XXIX.

1

CHAP. with ftudied courtesy, his innate haughtiness, the wings infenfibly wheeled from the right and left, and inclosed the devoted victim within the circle of their arms. Before he could reflect on the danger of his fituation, Gainas gave the fignal of death; a daring and forward foldier plunged his fword into the breaft of the guilty præfect, and Rufinus fell, groaned, and expired, at the feet of the affrighted emperor. If the agonies of a moment could expiate the crimes of a whole life, or if the outrages inflicted on a breathless corpfe could be the object of pity, our humanity might perhaps be affected by the horrid circumstances which accompanied the murder of Rufinus. His mangled body was abandoned to the brutal fury of the populace of either fex, who haftened in crouds, from every quarter of the city, to trample on the remains of the haughty minister, at whose frown they had fo lately trembled. His right hand was cut off, and carried through the ftreets of Conftantinople, in cruel mockery, to extort contributions for the avaricious tyrant, whofe head was publicly expofed, borne aloft on the point of a long lance 3. According to the favage maxims of the Greek republics, his innocent family would have fhared the punishment of his crimes. The wife and daughter of Rufinus were indebted for their fafety to the influence of religion. Her fanctuary protected them from the raging madness of the people; and they were

31 The dissection of Rufinus, which Claudian performs with the Lavage coolness of an anatomist (in Rufin. ii. 405–415.), is likewife specified by Zofimus and Jerom (tom. i. p. 26.).

8

per