The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 3G. Cowie, 1825 - Byzantine Empire |
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Alemanni Alexandria Ambrose Ammianus ancient Antioch archbishop Arian arms army arts Athanasius barbarians bishops Bleterie Cæsar camp Catholic celebrated character Christian church civil clergy conduct Constan Constantinople Constantius council danger Danube death declared desert divine Donatists east Eccles ecclesiastical edict Egypt eloquence emperor empire enemy epist Eunapius Eusebius exile faith father favour Fritigern Gaul glory gods Gothic Goths Gratian Gregory Nazianzen guilt Hist honourable hundred Huns imperial Jerome Jovian Julian king labour laws Libanius Maximus merit Milan military mind ministers Misopogon monarch nation Orat Orosius orthodox Pagans palace passions peace perhaps persecution Persian philosopher Philostorgius pious prefect prince Procopius provinces reign religion religious Roman Rome saints Sapor Scythia secret Socrates soldiers soon sovereign Sozomen spirit subjects success synod temple Theodoret Theodos Theodosius thousand Thrace throne Tigris Tillemont tion tribes troops tyrant Valens Valentinian valour victory virtues zeal Zosimus
Popular passages
Page 220 - I have learned from religion, that an early death has often been the reward of piety ; and I accept, as a favour of the gods, the mortal stroke that secures me from the danger of disgracing a character, which has hitherto been supported by virtue and fortitude. I die without remorse, as I have lived without guilt.
Page 495 - If, in the beginning" of the fifth^ century, Tertullian, or Lactantius, had been suddenly raised from the dead, to assist at the festival of some popular saint, or martyr, they would have gazed with astonishment and indignation, on the profane spectacle, which had eucceeded to the pure and spiritual worship of a Christian congregation.
Page 346 - The numbers, the strength, the rapid motions, and the implacable cruelty of the Huns, were felt, and dreaded, and magnified, by the astonished Goths; who beheld their fields and villages consumed with flames, and deluged with indiscriminate slaughter. To these real terrors they added, the surprise and abhorrence which were excited by the shrill voice, the uncouth gestures, and the strange deformity, of the Huns.
Page 217 - While Julian struggled with the almost insuperable difficulties of his situation, the silent hours of the night were still devoted to study and contemplation. Whenever he closed his eyes in short and interrupted slumbers, his mind was agitated with painful anxiety...
Page 290 - If, in the neighbourhood of the commercial and literary town of Glasgow, a race of cannibals has really existed, we may contemplate, in the period of the Scottish history, the opposite extremes of savage and civilized life.
Page 120 - When we inspect with minute, or perhaps malevolent, attention the portrait of Julian, something seems wanting to the grace and perfection of the whole figure. His genius was less powerful and sublime than that of Caesar, nor did he possess the consummate prudence of Augustus. The virtues of Trajan appear more steady and natural, and the philosophy of Marcus is more simple and consistent. Yet Julian sustained adversity with firmness, and prosperity with moderation. After an interval of one hundred...
Page 346 - A fabulous origin was assigned worthy of their form and manners; that the witches of Scythia, who for their foul and deadly practices had been driven from society, had copulated in the desert with infernal spirits; and that the Huns were the offspring of this execrable conjunction.™...
Page 104 - ... and the cities of Thrace. When he reached Heraclea, at the distance of sixty miles, all Constantinople was poured forth to receive him, and he made his triumphal entry amidst the dutiful acclamations of the soldiers, the people, and the senate. An...
Page 324 - But the flocks and herds which accompany the march of the Tartars, afford a sure and increasing supply of flesh and milk ; in the far greater part of the uncultivated waste, the vegetation of the grass is quick and luxuriant ; and there are few places so extremely barren, that the hardy cattle of the north cannot find some tolerable pasture. The supply is multiplied and prolonged by the undistinguishing appetite, and patient abstinence of the Tartars. They indifferently feed on the flesh of those...
Page 132 - In the caverns of Ephesus and Eleusis the mind of Julian was penetrated with sincere, deep, and unalterable enthusiasm ; though he might sometimes exhibit the vicissitudes of pious fraud and hypocrisy which may be observed — or, at least, suspected — in the characters of the most conscientious fanatics.