History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empir

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第164章

History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empir John H。 Langbein, Renee Lettow

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History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empir
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  cannotagreetothenewversion,which,inmyopinion,isdirectlycontrarybothtothemeaningofthewords,andthegeneralsenseofthepassage。ButIwouldsuggest,didJerom,asaboy,accompanythesesavagesinanyoftheirhuntingexpeditions?Ifhedidnot,howcouldhebeaneye—witnessofthispractice?TheAttacottiinGaulmusthavebeenintheserviceofRome。Weretheypermittedtoindulgethesecannibalpropensitiesattheexpense,notoftheflocks,butoftheshepherdsoftheprovinces?Thesesanguinarytrophiesofplunderwouldscarce\'yhavebeenpubliclyexhibitedinaRomancityoraRomancamp。ImustleavethehereditaryprideofournorthernneighborsatissuewiththeveracityofSt。Jerom。]

  EverymessengerwhoescapedacrosstheBritishChannel,conveyedthemostmelancholyandalarmingtidingstotheearsofValentinian;andtheemperorwassooninformedthatthetwomilitarycommandersoftheprovincehadbeensurprisedandcutoffbytheBarbarians。Severus,countofthedomestics,washastilydespatched,andassuddenlyrecalled,bythecourtofTreves。TherepresentationsofJovinusservedonlytoindicatethegreatnessoftheevil;and,afteralongandseriousconsultation,thedefence,orrathertherecovery,ofBritainwasintrustedtotheabilitiesofthebraveTheodosius。Theexploitsofthatgeneral,thefatherofalineofemperors,havebeencelebrated,withpeculiarcomplacency,bythewritersoftheage:

  buthisrealmeritdeservedtheirapplause;andhisnominationwasreceived,bythearmyandprovince,asasurepresageofapproachingvictory。Heseizedthefavorablemomentofnavigation,andsecurelylandedthenumerousandveteranbandsoftheHeruliandBatavians,theJoviansandtheVictors。InhismarchfromSandwichtoLondon,TheodosiusdefeatedseveralpartiesoftheBarbarians,releasedamultitudeofcaptives,and,afterdistributingtohissoldiersasmallportionofthespoil,establishedthefameofdisinterestedjustice,bytherestitutionoftheremaindertotherightfulproprietors。ThecitizensofLondon,whohadalmostdespairedoftheirsafety,threwopentheirgates;andassoonasTheodosiushadobtainedfromthecourtofTrevestheimportantaidofamilitarylieutenant,andacivilgovernor,heexecuted,withwisdomandvigor,thelaborioustaskofthedeliveranceofBritain。Thevagrantsoldierswererecalledtotheirstandard;anedictofamnestydispelledthepublicapprehensions;andhischeerfulexamplealleviatedtherigorofmartialdiscipline。ThescatteredanddesultorywarfareoftheBarbarians,whoinfestedthelandandsea,deprivedhimofthegloryofasignalvictory;buttheprudentspirit,andconsummateart,oftheRomangeneral,weredisplayedintheoperationsoftwocampaigns,whichsuccessivelyrescuedeverypartoftheprovincefromthehandsofacruelandrapaciousenemy。Thesplendorofthecities,andthesecurityofthefortifications,werediligentlyrestored,bythepaternalcareofTheodosius;whowithastronghandconfinedthetremblingCaledonianstothenorthernangleoftheisland;andperpetuated,bythenameandsettlementofthenewprovinceofValentia,thegloriesofthereignofValentinian。^118Thevoiceofpoetryandpanegyricmayadd,perhapswithsomedegreeoftruth,thattheunknownregionsofThulewerestainedwiththebloodofthePicts;thattheoarsofTheodosiusdashedthewavesoftheHyperboreanocean;andthatthedistantOrkneyswerethesceneofhisnavalvictoryovertheSaxonpirates。^119Helefttheprovincewithafair,aswellassplendid,reputation;andwasimmediatelypromotedtotherankofmaster—generalofthecavalry,byaprincewhocouldapplaud,withoutenvy,themeritofhisservants。IntheimportantstationoftheUpperDanube,theconquerorofBritaincheckedanddefeatedthearmiesoftheAlemanni,beforehewaschosentosuppresstherevoltofAfrica。

  [Footnote118:Ammianushasconciselyrepresentedxx。l。xxvi。

  4,xxvii。8xxviii。3thewholeseriesoftheBritishwar。]

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