TheprivatelifeofthesenatorPetroniusMaximus^1wasoftenallegedasarareexampleofhumanfelicity。Hisbirthwasnobleandillustrious，sincehedescendedfromtheAnicianfamily；hisdignitywassupportedbyanadequatepatrimonyinlandandmoney；andtheseadvantagesoffortunewereaccompaniedwithliberalartsanddecentmanners，whichadornorimitatetheinestimablegiftsofgeniusandvirtue。Theluxuryofhispalaceandtablewashospitableandelegant。WheneverMaximusappearedinpublic，hewassurroundedbyatrainofgratefulandobsequiousclients；^2anditispossiblethatamongtheseclients，hemightdeserveandpossesssomerealfriends。Hismeritwasrewardedbythefavoroftheprinceandsenate:hethriceexercisedtheofficeofPraetorianpraefectofItaly；hewastwiceinvestedwiththeconsulship，andheobtainedtherankofpatrician。Thesecivilhonorswerenotincompatiblewiththeenjoymentofleisureandtranquillity；hishours，accordingtothedemandsofpleasureorreason，wereaccuratelydistributedbyawater—clock；andthisavariceoftimemaybeallowedtoprovethesensewhichMaximusentertainedofhisownhappiness。TheinjurywhichhereceivedfromtheemperorValentinianappearstoexcusethemostbloodyrevenge。Yetaphilosophermighthavereflected，that，iftheresistanceofhiswifehadbeensincere，herchastitywasstillinviolate，andthatitcouldneverberestoredifshehadconsentedtothewilloftheadulterer。A
patriotwouldhavehesitatedbeforeheplungedhimselfandhiscountryintothoseinevitablecalamitieswhichmustfollowtheextinctionoftheroyalhouseofTheodosius。TheimprudentMaximusdisregardedthesesalutaryconsiderations；hegratifiedhisresentmentandambition；hesawthebleedingcorpseofValentinianathisfeet；andheheardhimselfsalutedEmperorbytheunanimousvoiceofthesenateandpeople。Butthedayofhisinaugurationwasthelastdayofhishappiness。HewasimprisonedsuchisthelivelyexpressionofSidoniusinthepalace；andafterpassingasleeplessnight，hesighedthathehadattainedthesummitofhiswishes，andaspiredonlytodescendfromthedangerouselevation。Oppressedbytheweightofthediadem，hecommunicatedhisanxiousthoughtstohisfriendandquaestorFulgentius；andwhenhelookedbackwithunavailingregretonthesecurepleasuresofhisformerlife，theemperorexclaimed，\"OfortunateDamocles，^3thyreignbeganandendedwiththesamedinner；\"awell—knownallusion，whichFulgentiusafterwardsrepeatedasaninstructivelessonforprincesandsubjects。
[Footnote1:SidoniusApollinariscomposedthethirteenthepistleofthesecondbook，torefutetheparadoxofhisfriendSerranus，whoentertainedasingular，thoughgenerous，enthusiasmforthedeceasedemperor。Thisepistle，withsomeindulgence，mayclaimthepraiseofanelegantcomposition；anditthrowsmuchlightonthecharacterofMaximus。]
[Footnote2:Clientum，praevia，pedisequa，circumfusa，populositas，isthetrainwhichSidoniushimselfl。i。epist。9
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