[Footnote46:QuintusCurtiusl。x。c。9，paysanelegantcomplimenttotheemperoroftheday，forhaving，byhishappyaccession，extinguishedsomanyfirebrands，sheathedsomanyswords，andputanendtotheevilsofadividedgovernment。
Afterweighingwithattentioneverywordofthepassage，Iamofopinion，thatitsuitsbetterwiththeelevationofGordian，thanwithanyotherperiodoftheRomanhistory。Inthatcase，itmayservetodecidetheageofQuintusCurtius。ThosewhoplacehimunderthefirstCaesars，arguefromthepurityofhisstylebutareembarrassedbythesilenceofQuintilian，inhisaccuratelistofRomanhistorians。
Note:ThisconjectureofGibboniswithoutfoundation。ManypassagesintheworkofQuintusCurtiusclearlyplacehimatanearlierperiod。Thus，inspeakingoftheParthians，hesays，HincinParthicumperventumest，tuncignobilemgentem:nunccaputomniumquipostEuphratemetTigrimamnessitiRubromariterminantur。TheParthianempirehadthisextentonlyinthefirstageofthevulgaraera:tothatage，therefore，mustbeassignedthedateofQuintusCurtius。AlthoughthecriticssaysM。deSainteCroixhavemultipliedconjecturesonthissubject，mostofthemhaveendedbyadoptingtheopinionwhichplacesQuintusCurtiusunderthereignofClaudius。SeeJust。Lips。adAnn。Tac。ii。20。MichelleTellierPraef。inCurt。TillemontHist。desEmp。i。p。251。DuBosReflectionssurlaPoesie，2dPartie。TiraboschiStoriadella，Lett。Ital。ii。149。Examen。
crit。desHistoriensd\'Alexandre，2ded。p。104，849，850。—G。
Thisinterminablequestionseemsasmuchperplexedasever。