rations of three years were deftroyed in a fingle day (53). CHA P. After this event, the behaviour of the two antagonists fhewed XXXVI. them fuperior to their fortune. The Vandal, instead of being elated by this accidental victory, immediately renewed his folicitations for peace. The emperor of the Weft, who was capable of forming great designs, and of supporting heavy disappointments, confented to a treaty, or rather to a fufpenfion of arms; in the full affurance that, before he could restore his navy, he should be fupplied with provocations to justify a fecond war. Majorian returned to Italy, to profecute his labours for the public happiness; and, as he was confcious of his own integrity, he might long remain ignorant of the dark confpiracy which threatened his throne and his life. The recent misfortune of Carthagena fullied the glory, which had dazzled the eyes of the multitude : almoft every description of civil and military officers were exafperated against the Reformer, fince they all derived fome advantage from the abuses which he endeavoured to fupprefs; and the patrician Ricimer impelled the inconftant paffions of the Barbarians against a prince whom he esteemed and hated. The virtues of Majorian could not protect him from the impetuous efdition, which broke out in the camp near Tortona, at the foot of the Alps. He was compelled to abdicate the Impe- His death, perial purple: five days after his abdication, it was reported A. D. 461. that he died of a dyfentery (54); and the humble tomb, August 7. which covered his remains, was confecrated by the respect and gratitude of fucceeding generations (55). The private character of Majorian inspired love and refpect. Malicious calumny and fatire excited his indignation, or, if he himself were the object, his contempt: but he protected the freedom of wit, and in the hours which the emperor gave to the familiar (53) Idatius, who was fafe in Gallicia from the power of Ricimer, boldly and honeftly declares, Vandali per proditores admoniti, &c. he dissembles, however, the name of the traitor. (54) Procop. de Bell. Vandal. 1. i. c. 8. p. 194. The testimony of Idatius is fair and impartial; Majorianum de Galliis Romam redeuntem, et Romano imperio vel nomini res neceffarias ordinantem; Richimer livore per"citus, et invidorum confilio fultus, fraude interficit circumventum." Some read Suevorum, and I am unwilling to efface either of the words, as they exprefs the different accomplices who united in the confpiracy against Majurian. (55) See the Epigrams of Ennodius, N° cxxxv. inter Sirmond Opera, tom. i. p. 1903. It is flat and obfcure; but Enmodius was made bishop of Pavia fifty years after the death of Majorian, and his praise deserves credit and regard. CHA P. miliar fociety of his friends, he could indulge his tafte for pleafantry, without degrading the majesty of his rank (65). XXXVI. Ricimer der the name of Severus, A. D. 461 -467. It was not perhaps without fome regret, that Ricimer fareigns un- crificed his friend to the intereft of his ambition; but he refolved, in a fecond choice, to avoid the imprudent preference of fuperior virtue and merit. At his command, the obfequious fenate of Rome beftowed the Imperial title on Libius Severus, who afcended the throne of the Weft without emerging from the obfcurity of a private condition. Hiftory has fcarcely deigned to notice his birth, his elevation, his character, or his death. Severus expired, as foon as his life became inconvenient to his patron (57); and it would be afelefs to dif criminate his nominal reign in the vacant interval of fix years, between the death of Majorian, and the elevation of Anthemius. During that period the government was in the hands of Ricimer alone; and although the modest Barbarian disclaimed the name of king, he accumulated treasures, formed a separate army, negociated private alliances, and ruled Italy with the fame independent and defpotic authority, which was afterwards exercised by Odoacer and Theodoric, But his dominions were bounded by the Alps; and two Roman generals, Marcellinus and Ægidius, maintained their allegiance to the republic, by rejecting, with difdain, the phantom which he ftyled an emperor. Marcellinus ftill adhered to the old religion; and the devout Pagans, who fecretly difobeyed the laws of the church and state, applauded his profound fkill in the fcience of divination. But he poffeffed the more valuable qualifications of learning, virtue, and courage (58); the study of the Latin literature had improved Revolt of Marcellinus in Dalma tia, (56) Sidonius gives a tedious account (1. i. epift. xi, p. 25-31.) of a fupper at Arles, to which he was invited by Majorian, a fhort time before his death. He had no intention of praifing a deceafed emperor : but a cafual difinterested remark, "Subrifit Auguftus; ut erat, auctoritate fer"vatâ, cum fe communioni dediffet, joci plenus," outweighs the six hun dred lines of his venal panegyric. (57) Sidonius (Panegyr. Anthem. 317.) difmiffes him to heaven, Auxerat Auguftus naturæ lege Severus And an old lift of the emperors, compofed about the time of Juftinian, praises (58) Tillemont, who is always fcandalized by the virtues of Infidels, attributes this advantageous portrait of Marcellinus (which Suidas has preferved), to the partial zeal of fome Pagan historian (Hift. des Empereurs, tom. vi. p. 330. improved his taste; and his military talents had recommend-C H A P. ed him to the esteem and confidence of the great tius, in XXXVI whose ruin he was involved. By a timely flight, Marcellinus efcaped the rage of Valentinian, and boldly afferted his liberty amidst the convulfions of the Western empire. His voluntary, or reluctant, fubmiffion, to the authority of Majorian, was rewarded by the government of Sicily, and the command of an army, ftationed in that island to oppose, or to attack, the Vandals; but his Barbarian mercenaries, after the emperor's death, were tempted to revolt by the artful liberality of Ricimer. At the head of a band of faithful followers, the intrepid Marcellinus occupied the province of Dalmatia, affumed the title of patrician of the West, secured the love of his fubjects by a mild and equitable reign, built a fleet, which claimed the dominion of the Hadriatic, and alternately alarmed the coafts of Italy and of Africa (59). Ægidius, the master-general of Gaul, who and of Ægiequalled, or at least who imitated, the heroes of ancient dius in Rome (60), proclaimed his immortal resentment against the Gaul. affaffins of his beloved master. A brave and numerous army was attached to his ftandard; and, though he was prevented. by the arts of Ricimer, and the arms of the Vifigoths, from marching to the gates of Rome, he maintained his independent fovereignty beyond the Alps, and rendered the name of Ægidius refpectable both in peace and war. The Franks, who had punished with exile the youthful follies of Childeric, elected the Roman general for their king; his vanity, rather than his ambition, was gratified by that fingular honour; and when the nation, at the end of four years, repented of the injury which they had offered to the Merovingian family, he patiently acquiefced in the restoration of the lawful prince. The authority of Ægidius ended only with his life; and the fufpicions of poifon and fecret violence, which derived fome countenance from the character of Ricimer, were eagerly entertained by the paffionate credulity of the Gauls (61). The (59) Procopius de Bell. Vandal. 1. i. c. 6. p. 191. In various circumftances of the life of Marcellinus, it is not easy to reconcile the Greek historian with the Latin Chronicles of the times. (60) I must apply to Ægidius, the praises which Sidonius (Panegyr. Majorian. 553.) beftows on a nameless mafter-general, who commanded the rear-guard of Majorian. Idatius, from public report, commends his Christian piety; and Prifcus mentions (p. 42.) his military virtues. (61) Greg. Turon. 1. ii, c. 12. in tom. ii, p. 168. The Père Daniel, whofe СНАР. Naval war dals, The kingdom of Italy, a name to which the Western emXXXVI. pire was gradually reduced, was afflicted, under the reign of Ricimer, by the inceffant depredations of the Vandal piof the Van- rates (62). In the fpring of each year, they equipped a formidable navy in the port of Carthage; and Genferic himA. D. 461 felf, though in a very advanced age, ftill commanded in per-467. fon the most important expeditions. His defigns were concealed with impenetrable fecrecy, till the moment that he hoifted fail. When he was afked by his pilot, what course he should steer; "Leave the determination to the "winds (replied the Barbarian, with pious arrogance); they "will transport us to the guilty coaft, whofe inhabitants "have provoked the divine juftice :" but if Genferic himfelf deigned to iffue more precife orders, he judged the most wealthy to be the most criminal. The Vandals repeatedly vifited the coafts of Spain, Liguria, Tufcany, Campania, Lucania, Bruttium, Apulia, Calabria, Venetia, Dalmatia, Epirus, Greece, and Sicily: they were tempted to fubdue the island of Sardinia, fo advantageously placed in the centre of the Mediterranean: and their arms fpread defolation, or terror, from the columns of Hercules to the mouth' of the Nile. As they were more ambitious of spoil than of glory, they feldom attacked any fortified cities, or engaged any regular troops in the open field. But the celerity of their motions enabled them, almost at the same time, to threaten and to attack the most distant objects, which attracted their defires; whofe ideas were fuperficial and modern, has started fome objections against the story of Childeric (Hift. de France, tom. i. Préface Hiftorique, p. lxxviii, &c.); but they have been fairly satisfied by Dubos (Hift. Critique, tom. i. p. 460-510.), and by two authors who difputed the prize of the Academy of Soiffons (p. 131-177. 310-339.). With regard to the term of Childeric's exile, it is neceffary either to prolong the life of Ægi. dius beyond the date affigned by the Chronicle of Idatius; or to correct the text of Gregory, by reading quarto anno, inítead of octavo. (62) The naval war of Genferic is defcribed by Prifcus (Excerpta Lega. tion, p. 42.), Procopius (de Bell. Vandal, 1, i. c. 5. p. 189, 190. and c. 22. p. 228.), Victor Vitenfis (de Perfecut, Vandal. 1. i. c. 17., and Ruinart, p. 467-481.), and in the three panegyrics of Sidonius, whose chronological order is abfurdly tranfpofed in the editions both of Savaron and Sirmond. (Avit. Carm. vii. 441-451. Majorian, Carm. v. 327-350. 389-440. Anthem. Carm. ii. 348-386.). In one paffage the poet feems inspired. by his fubject, and expreffes a strong idea, by a lively image: Hinc Vandalus hoftis Urget; et in noftrum numerofâ claffe quotannis Militat excidium; converfoque ordine Fati Torrida Caucafeos infert mihi Byrfa furores. 399 defires; and as they always embarked a fufficient number of c H A P. horses, they had no fooner landed, than they swept the dif- XXXVI. mayed country with a body of light cavalry. Yet, notwithstanding the example of their king, the native Vandals and Alani infenfibly declined this toilfome and perilous warfare; the hardy generation of the first conquerors was almoft extinguifhed, and their fons, who were born in Africa, enjoyed the delicious baths and gardens which had been acquired by the valour of their fathers. Their place was readily fupplied by a various multitude of Moors and Romans, of captives and outlaws; and those desperate wretches, who had already violated the laws of their country, were the most eager to promote the atrocious acts which difgrace the victories of Genferic. In the treatment of his unhappy prisoners, he sometimes confulted his avarice, and fometimes indulged his cruelty; and the maffacre of five hundred noble citizens of Zant or Zacynthus, whofe mangled bodies he caft into the Ionian fea, was imputed, by the public indignation, to his latest posterity. Such crimes could not be excufed by any provocations; Negociatibut the war, which the king of the Vandals profecuted ons with against the Roman empire, was juftified by a fpecious and the Eaftern reasonable motive. The widow of Valentinian, Eudoxia, A. D. 462, empire, whom he had led captive from Rome to Carthage, was the &c. fole heiress of the Theodofian house; her elder daughter, Eudocia, became the reluctant wife of Hunneric, his eldeft fon; and the ftern father, afferting a legal claim, which could not eafily be refuted or fatisfied, demanded a just proportion of the Imperial patrimony. An adequate, or at least a valuable, compenfation, was offered by the Eastern emperor, to purchase a neceffary peace. Eudoxia and heryounger daughter, Placidia, were honourably restored, and the fury of the Vandals was confined to the limits of the Western empire. The Italians, destitute of a naval force, which alone was capable of protecting their coafts, implored the aid of the more fortunate nations of the Eaft; who had formerly acknowledged, in peace and war, the fupremacy of Rome. But the perpetual divifion of the two empires had alienated their intereft and their inclinations; the faith of a recent treaty was alledged; and the Western Romans, instead of arms and ships, could only obtain the affistance of a cold and ineffectual mediation. The haughty Ricimer, who had long struggled with the difficulties of his fituation, was at length re duced |