"

СНАР.

VII.

thage, our generous deliverers from an horrid ,, monster Why do you hear me thus coolly, thus timidly? Why do you caft those anxious looks on each other? why hefitate? Maximin ,, is a public enemy! may his enmity foon expire with him, and may we long enjoy the prudence and felicity of Gordian the father, the valour ,, and conftancy of Gordian the fon "!,, The noble ardour of the conful revived the languid. fpirit of the fenate. By an unanimous decree the and deelection of the Gordians was ratified, Maximin, his fon, and his adherents, were pronounced enemies of their country, and liberal rewards were enemy. offered to whofoever had the courage and good fortune to destroy them.

During the emperor's abfence, a detachment of the Prætorian guards remained at Rome, to protect, or rather to command the capital. The Præfect Vitalianus had fignalized his fidelity to Maximin, by the alacrity with which he had obeyed, and even prevented, the cruel mandates of the tyrant. His death alone could rescue the authority of the fenate and the lives of the fenators, from a state of danger and fufpence. Before their resolves had transpired, a quæftor and some tribunes were commiffioned to take his devoted life. They executed the order with equal boldness and success; and, with their bloody daggers in their hands, ran through the streets, proclaiming to the people and the foldiers, the news of the happy revolution. The enthusiasm of liberty was feconded by the promife of a large donative, in lards and money;

clares

Maximin

a public

Affumes

the com

mand of Rome and

Italy,

VII.

and pre

civil war.

24

the ftatues of Maximin were thrown down; the capital of the empire acknowledged, with transport, the authority of the two Gordians and the fenate **; and the example of Rome was followed by the reft of Italy.

A new fpirit had arifen in that affembly, whofe pares for a long patience had been infulted by wanton def potifm and military licence. The fenate affumed the reins of government, and, with a calm intrepidity, prepared to vindicate by arms the cause of freedom. Among the confular fenators recommended by their merit and fervices to the favour of the emperor Alexander, it was easy to select twenty, not unequal to the command of an army, and the conduct of a war. To thefe was the de fence of Italy intrusted. Each was appointed to act in his respective department, authorized to enrol and difcipline the Italian youth; and inftructed to fortify the ports and highways, against the impending invafion of Maximin. A number of deputies, chofen from the moft illuftrious of the fenatorian and equestrian orders, were dispatched at the fame time to the governors of the several provinces, earnestly conjuring them to fly to the affistance of their country, and to remind the nations of their ancient ties of friendship with the Roman fenate and people. The general respect with which thefe deputies were received, and the zeal of Italy and the provinces in favour of the fenate, fufficiently prove that the subjects of Maximin were reduced to that uncommon distress, in which the body of the people has more to fear

from oppreffion than from refiftance. The confcioufnefs of that melancholy truth, infpires a degree of perfevering fury, feldom to be found in those civil wars which are artificially fupported for the benefit of a few factious and defigning leaders ".

For while the caufe of the Gordians was embraced with fuch diffufive ardour, the Gordians themselves were no more. The feeble court of Carthage was alarmed with the rapid approach of Capelianus, governor of Mauritania, who, with a fmall band of veterans, and a fierce host of barbarians, attacked a faithful, but unwarlike province. The younger Gordian fallied out to meet the enemy at the head of a few guards, and a numerous undifciplined multitude, educated in the peaceful luxury of Carthage. His ufelefs valour ferved only to procure him an honourable death, in the field of battle. His aged father, whose reign had not exceeded thirty-fix days, put an end to his life on the firft news of the defeat. Carthage, deftitute of defence, opened her gates to the conqueror, and Africa was expofed to the rapacious cruelty of a slave, obliged to fatisfy his unrelenting mafter with a. large account of blood and treasure "".

The fate of the Gordians filled Rome with juft, but unexpected terror. The fenate convoked in the temple of Concord, affected to tranfact the common business of the day; and feemed to decline, with trembling anxiety, the confideration of their own, and the public danger. A filent

СНАР.

VII. ↳

Defeat and

death of

the two

Gordians. A. D. 237.

3d July.

Election of
Maximus

and Balbi

nus by the fenate.

9th July.

VII.

a

CHAP. confternation prevailed on the affembly, till à . fenator, of the name and family of Trajan, awa. kened his brethren from their fatal lethargy. He reprefented to them, that the choice of cautious dilatory measures had been long fince out of their power; that Maximin, implacable by nature, and exafperated by injuries, was advancing towards Italy, at the head of the military force of the empire; and that their only remaining alternative, was either to meet him bravely in the field, or tamely to expect the tortures and ignominious death referved for unfuccefsful rebellion. "We have loft," continued he, "two excellent

princes; but unless we defert ourselves, the hopes of the republic have not perished with the Gordians. Many are the fenators, whose virtues have deferved, and whofe abilities would fuftain, the Imperial dignity. Let us elect two » emperors, one of whom may conduct the war against the public enemy, whilst his colleague remains at Rome to direct the civil administration. I cheerfully expofe myself to the danger and envy of the nomination, and give my vote in favour of Maximus and Balbinus. Ratify my choice, confcript fathers, or appoint, in their » place, others more worthy of the empire." The general apprehenfion filenced the whispers of jealoufy; the merit of the candidates was univerfally acknowledged; and the houfe refounded with the fincere acclamations, of "long life and victory to the emperors Maximus and Balbinus. You are

happy

happy in the judgment of the fenate; may the CHAP » republic be happy under your administration"!"

VII.

Their cha

The virtues and the reputation of the new emperors juftified the most fanguine hopes of the racters.

28

Romans. The various nature of their talents
feemed to appropriate to each his peculiar de-
partment of peace and war, without leaving room
for jealous emulation. Balbinus was an admired
orator, a poet of diftinguished fame, and a wife
magiftrate, who had exercifed with innocence
and applause the civil jurifdiction in almost all the
interior provinces of the empire. His birth was
noble 2, his fortune affluent, his manners liberal
and affable. In him, the love of pleasure was
corrected by a sense of dignity, nor had the habits
of ease deprived him of a capacity for business.
The mind of Maximus was formed in a rougher
mould. By his valour and abilities he had raised
himself from the meaneft origin to the firft em-
ployments of the state and army. His victories.
over the Sarmatians and the Germans, the auf-
terity of his life, and the rigid impartiality of his
justice, whilst he was Præfect of the city, com-
manded the esteem of a people, whofe affections
were engaged in favour of the more amiable Bal-
binus. The two colleagues had both been confuls,
(Balbinus had twice enjoyed that honourable
office,) both had been named among the twenty
lieutenants of the fenate; and fince the one was
fixty and the other feventy-four years old ", they
had both attained the full maturity of age and
experience.

Vol. I.

Q

29