THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 1 CHA P. XXVII. Death of Gratian.-Ruin of Arianism.-St. Ambrofe.-Firft civil War, against Maximus.-Charakter, Administration, and Penance, of TheodoJus.-Death of Valentinian II.-Second civil War, against Eugenius.-Death of Theodofius. T XXVII. Character and con duct of the emperor Gratian. HE fame of Gratian, before he had ac- CHAP. complished the twentieth year of his age, was equal to that of the moft celebrated princes. His gentle and amiable difpofition endeared him to his private friends, the graceful affability of his manners engaged the affection of the people: the men of letters, who enjoyed the liberality, acknowledged the tafte and eloquence, of their fovereign; his valour and dexterity in arms, were equally applauded by the VOL. V. foldiers; B A. D. 379-383. CHAP. foldiers; and the clergy confidered the hum ble XXVII. piety of Gratian as the first and most useful of his His de fects. virtues. The victory of Colmar had delivered the Weft from a formidable invafion; and the grateful provinces of the Eaft afcribed the merits of Theodofius to the author of his greatness, and of the public fafety. Gratian furvived those memorable events only four or five years; but he furvived his reputation; and, before he fell a victim to rebellion, he had loft, in a great meafure, the respect and confidence of the Roman world. The remarkable alteration of his character or conduct, may not be imputed to the arts of flattery, which had befieged the fon of Valentinian from his infancy; nor to the headftrong paffions which that gentle youth appears to have escaped. A more attentive view of the life of Gratian, may perhaps fuggeft the true cause of the disappointment of the public hopes. His apparent virtues, instead of being the hardy productions of • experience and adverfity, were the premature and artificial fruits of a royal education. The anxious tenderness of his father was continually employed to bestow on him those advantages, which he might perhaps efteem the more highly, as he himself had been deprived of them; and the most skilful masters of every science, and of every art, had laboured to form the mind and body of the young prince'. The knowledge which they painfully 1 Valentinian was lefs attentive to the religion of his fon; fince he entrusted the education of Gratian to Aufonius, a profeffed Pagan (Mem. XXVII. fully communicated was difplayed with oftenta- CHAP. tion, and celebrated with lavish praise. His foft and tractable difpofition received the fair impresfion of their judicious precepts, and the absence of paffion might easily be mistaken for the strength of reason. His preceptors gradually rofe to the rank and confequence of minifters of state*; and, as they wifely diffembled their fecret authority, he seemed to act with firmnefs, with propriety, and with judgment, on the most important occafions of his life and reign. But the influence of this elaborate inftruction did not penetrate beyond the furface; and the fkilful preceptors, who fo accurately guided the steps of their royal pupil, could not infufe into his feeble and indolent character, the vigorous and independent principle of action, which renders the laborious purfuit of glory effentially neceffary to the happiness, and almoft to the existence, of the hero. As foon as time and accident had removed those faithful counsellors from the throne, the emperor of the Weft infenfibly defcended to the level of his natural genius; abandoned the reins of government to the ambitious hands which were ftretched forwards to grafp them; and, amused his leisure with the most frivolous gratifications. A public fale of favour and injuftice was inftituted, both (Mem. de l'Academie des Infcriptions, tom. xv. p. 125–138.). The poetical fame of Aufonius condemns the taste of his age. 2 Aufonius was fucceffively promoted to the Prætorian præfecture of Italy (A. D. 377.), and of Gaul (A. D. 378.); and was at length invested with the confulfhip (A. D. 379.). He expressed his gratitude in a fervile and infipid piece of flattery (Actio Gratiarum, p. 699–736.), which has survived more worthy productions. B 2 in |