Aneventsomewhatsimilar，butmuchlessauthentic，issupposedtohavehappenedafterthedeathofRomulus，who，inhislifeandcharacter，boresomeaffinitywithAurelian。Thethronewasvacantduringtwelvemonths，tilltheelectionofaSabinephilosopher，andthepublicpeacewasguardedinthesamemanner，bytheunionoftheseveralordersofthestate。But，inthetimeofNumaandRomulus，thearmsofthepeoplewerecontrolledbytheauthorityofthePatricians；andthebalanceoffreedomwaseasilypreservedinasmallandvirtuouscommunity。^3ThedeclineoftheRomanstate，fardifferentfromitsinfancy，wasattendedwitheverycircumstancethatcouldbanishfromaninterregnumtheprospectofobedienceandharmony:animmenseandtumultuouscapital，awideextentofempire，theservileequalityofdespotism，anarmyoffourhundredthousandmercenaries，andtheexperienceoffrequentrevolutions。Yet，notwithstandingallthesetemptations，thedisciplineandmemoryofAurelianstillrestrainedtheseditioustemperofthetroops，aswellasthefatalambitionoftheirleaders。TheflowerofthelegionsmaintainedtheirstationsonthebanksoftheBosphorus，andtheImperialstandardawedthelesspowerfulcampsofRomeandoftheprovinces。Agenerousthoughtransiententhusiasmseemedtoanimatethemilitaryorder；andwemayhopethatafewrealpatriotscultivatedthereturningfriendshipofthearmyandthesenate，astheonlyexpedientcapableofrestoringtherepublictoitsancientbeautyandvigor。
[Footnote3:Liv。i。17Dionys。Halicarn。l。ii。p。115。
PlutarchinNuma，p。60。Thefirstofthesewritersrelatesthestorylikeanorator，thesecondlikealawyer，andthethirdlikeamoralist，andnoneofthemprobablywithoutsomeintermixtureoffable。]
Onthetwenty—fifthofSeptember，neareightmonthsafterthemurderofAurelian，theconsulconvokedanassemblyofthesenate，andreportedthedoubtfulanddangeroussituationoftheempire。Heslightlyinsinuated，thattheprecariousloyaltyofthesoldiersdependedonthechanceofeveryhour，andofeveryaccident；butherepresented，withthemostconvincingeloquence，thevariousdangersthatmightattendanyfurtherdelayinthechoiceofanemperor。Intelligence，hesaid，wasalreadyreceived，thattheGermanshadpassedtheRhine，andoccupiedsomeofthestrongestandmostopulentcitiesofGaul。TheambitionofthePersiankingkepttheEastinperpetualalarms；
Egypt，Africa，andIllyricum，wereexposedtoforeignanddomesticarms，andthelevityofSyriawouldpreferevenafemalesceptretothesanctityoftheRomanlaws。Theconsul，thenaddressinghimselftoTacitus，thefirstofthesenators，^4