XXIX. CHAP. for the conqueror, the vain profeffions of his allegiance. Such profeffions would not have fatiffied the mafter of the Roman world: but the death of Theodofius, and the weakness and difcord of his fons, confirmed the power of the Moor; who condefcended, as a proof of his moderation, to abstain from the use of the diadem, and to fupply Rome with the cuftomary tribute, or rather fubfidy, of corn. In every divifion of the empire, the five provinces of Africa were invariably affigned to the Weft; and Gildo had. confented to govern that extensive country in the name of Honorius; but his knowledge of the character and defigns of Stilicho, foon engaged him to addrefs his homage to a more diftant and feeble fovereign. The minifters of Arcadius embraced the cause of a perfidious rebel; and the delufive hope of adding the numerous cities of Africa to the empire of the Eaft, tempted them to affert a claim, which they were incapable of fupporting, either by reason, or by arms 3. He is con demned by fenate, A.D. 397. When Stilicho had given a firm and decifive the Roman answer to the pretenfions of the Byzantine court, he folemnly accused the tyrant of Africa before the tribunal, which had formerly judged the kings and nations of the earth; and the image of the republic was revived, after a long interval, under the reign of Honorius. The emperor tranfmitted an accurate and ample detail of the complaints of 39 Inque tuam fortem numerofas tranftulit urbes. Claudian (de Bell. Gildonico, 230—324.) has touched, with political delicacy, the intrigues of the Byzantine court, which are like. wife mentioned by Zolimus (1. v. p. 302.). the 40 XXIX. the provincials, and the crimes of Gildo, to the CHAP. Roman fenate; and the members of that venerable affembly were required to pronounce the condemnation of the rebel. Their unanimous fuffrage declared him the enemy of the republic; and the decree of the fenate added a facred and legitimate fanction, to the Roman arms *°. A people, who still remembered, that their ancestors had been the mafters of the world, would have applauded, with confcious pride, the representation of ancient freedom; if they had not long fince been accustomed to prefer the folid affurance of bread, to the unsubstantial visions of liberty and greatness. The fubfiftence of Rome depended on the harvests of Africa; and it was evident, that a declaration of war would be the fignal of famine. The præfect Symmachus, who prefided in the deliberations of the fenate, admonished the minifter of his juft apprehenfion, that as foon as the revengeful Moor fhould prohibit the exportation of corn, the tranquillity, and perhaps the fafety, of the capital, would be threatened by the hungry rage of a turbulent multitude". The prudence of Stilicho conceived, and executed, without delay, the most effectual measure for the relief of the Roman people. A large and seasonable supply of corn, collected in the inland provinces of Gaul, was embarked on the rapid ftream 40 Symmachus (1. iv. epift. 4.) expreffes the judicial forms of the fenate; and Claudian (i Conf. Stilich. I. i. 325, &c.) feems to feel the fpirit of a Roman. 41 Claudian finely difplays thefe complaints of Symmachus, in a fpeech of the goddess of Rome, before the throne of Jupiter (de Bell. Gildon. 28-128.). XXIX. CHAP of the Rhone, and transported, by an easy navigation, from the Rhone to the Tyber. During the whole term of the African war, the granaries of Rome were continually filled, her dignity was vindicated from the humiliating dependence, and the minds of an immenfe people were quieted by the calm confidence of peace and plenty 4. The African war, A.D. 398. The cause of Rome, and the conduct of the African war, were entrusted by Stilicho, to a general, active and ardent to avenge his private injuries on the head of the tyrant. The spirit of difcord, which prevailed in the house of Nabal, had excited a deadly quarrel between two of his fons, Gildo and Mascezel 43. The ufurper purfued, with implacable rage, the life of his younger brother, whofe courage and abilities he feared; and Mascezel, oppreffed by fuperior power, took refuge in the court of Milan: where he foon received the cruel intelligence, that his two innocent and helpless children had been murdered by their inhuman uncle. The affliction of the father was fufpended only by the defire of revenge. The vigilant Stilicho already prepared to collect the naval and military forces of the Western empire ; and he had refolved, if the tyrant fhould be able to wage an equal and doubtful war, to march against him in perfon. But as Italy required his 42 See Claudian (in Eutrop. 1. i. 401, &c. i Conf. Stil. l. i. 306, &c. ii Conf. Stilich. 91, &c.). 43 He was of a mature age; fince he had formerly (A. D. 373) ferved against his brother Firmus (Ammian. xxix. 5.). Claudian, who understood the court of Milan, dwells on the injuries, rather than the merits, of Mafcezel (de Bell. Gild. 389–414.). Moorish war was not worthy of Honorius, or Stilicho, &c. The prefence, XXIX. prefence, and as it might be dangerous to weaken CHAP. the defence of the frontier, he judged it more advifeable, that Mafcezel fhould attempt this arduous adventure, at the head of a chofen body of Gallic veterans, who had lately ferved under the ftandard of Eugenius. These troops, who were exhorted to convince the world, that they could fubvert, as well as defend, the throne of an ufurper, confifted of the Jovian, the Herculian, and the Auguftan, legions; of the Nervian auxiliaries; of the foldiers, who difplayed in their banners the fymbol of a lion, and of the troops which were diftinguifhed by the aufpicious names of Fortunate, and Invincible. Yet fuch was the fmallness of their establishments, or the difficulty of recruiting, that thefe feven bands **, of high dignity and reputation in the service of Rome, amounted to no more than five thousand effective men 45. The fleet of gallies and tranfports failed in tempeftuous weather from the port of Pisa, in Tuscany, and fteered their courfe to the little inland of Capraria; which had borrowed that name from the wild goats, its original inhabitants, whofe place was now occupied by a new colony of a strange and savage appearance. "The whole 44 Claudian, Bell. Gild. 415-423- The change of difcipline allowed him to use indifferently the names of Legio, Cobors, Manipulus. See the Notitia Imperii, S. 38.40. 45 Orofius (1. vii. c. 36. p. 565.) qualifies this account with an expreffion of doubt (ut aiunt); and it scarcely coincides with the duraμes adpas of Zofimus (1. v. p. 303.). Yet Claudian, after some declamation about Cadmus's foldiers, frankly owns, that Stilicho fent a small army; left the rebel should fly, ne timeare times (i Conf. Sti lich, l. i. 314, &c.). CHAP. «inland (fays an ingenious traveller of those XXIX. "times) is filled, or rather defiled, by men, "who fly from the light. They call them"felves Monks, or folitaries, because they chuse "to live alone, without any witneffes of their "actions. They fear the gifts of fortune, from "the apprehenfion of lofing them; and, left "they fhould be miferable, they embrace a life "of voluntary wretchedness. How abfurd is "their choice! how perverfe their understand"ing! to dread the evils, without being able to fupport the bleffings, of the human condition. "Either this melancholy madnefs is the effect of "disease, or else the consciousness of guilt urges "these unhappy men, to exercife on their own "bodies the tortures which are inflicted on fugi 46 1 tive flaves by the hand of justice Such was the contempt of a profane magiftrate for the monks of Capraria, who were revered, by the pious Mafcezel, as the chofen fervants of God 47. Some of them were perfuaded, by his intreaties, to embark on board the fleet; and it is obferved, to the praise of the Roman general, that his days and nights were employed in prayer, fafting, and the occupation of finging pfalms. The devout leader, 46 Claud. Rutil. Numatian. Itinerar. i. 439-448. He afterwards (515-526.) mentions a religious madman on the ifle of Gorgona. For fuch profane remarks, Rutilius, and his accomplices, are ftyled, by his commentator, Barthius, rabiosi canes diaboli. Tillemont (Mem. Ecclef. tom. xii. p. 471.) more calmly obferves, that the un-. believing poet praifes where he means to cenfure. 47 Orofius, 1. vii. c. 36. p. 564. Auguftin commends two of thefe favage faints of the ifle of Goats (epift. lxxxi. apud Tillemont, Mem. Ecclef. tom. xiii. p. 317. and Baronius, Annal. Ecclef. A. D. 398. N° 51.). who, |