PartIV。

　　WhenJustinianascendedthethrone，thereformationoftheRomanjurisprudencewasanarduousbutindispensabletask。Inthespaceoftencenturies，theinfinitevarietyoflawsandlegalopinionshadfilledmanythousandvolumes，whichnofortunecouldpurchaseandnocapacitycoulddigest。Bookscouldnoteasilybefound；andthejudges，poorinthemidstofriches，werereducedtotheexerciseoftheirilliteratediscretion。ThesubjectsoftheGreekprovinceswereignorantofthelanguagethatdisposedoftheirlivesandproperties；andthebarbarousdialectoftheLatinswasimperfectlystudiedintheacademiesofBerytusandConstantinople。AsanIllyriansoldier，thatidiomwasfamiliartotheinfancyofJustinian；hisyouthhadbeeninstructedbythelessonsofjurisprudence，andhisImperialchoiceselectedthemostlearnedciviliansoftheEast，tolaborwiththeirsovereignintheworkofreformation。^71Thetheoryofprofessorswasassistedbythepracticeofadvocates，andtheexperienceofmagistrates；andthewholeundertakingwasanimatedbythespiritofTribonian。^72Thisextraordinaryman，theobjectofsomuchpraiseandcensure，wasanativeofSideinPamphylia；andhisgenius，likethatofBacon，embraced，ashisown，allthebusinessandknowledgeoftheage。Triboniancomposed，bothinproseandverse，onastrangediversityofcuriousandabstrusesubjects:^73adoublepanegyricofJustinianandthelifeofthephilosopherTheodotus；thenatureofhappinessandthedutiesofgovernment；Homer\'scatalogueandthefour—and—twentysortsofmetre；theastronomicalcanonofPtolemy；thechangesofthemonths；thehousesoftheplanets；

　　andtheharmonicsystemoftheworld。TotheliteratureofGreeceheaddedtheuseoftheLatintonque；theRomanciviliansweredepositedinhislibraryandinhismind；andhemostassiduouslycultivatedthoseartswhichopenedtheroadofwealthandpreferment。FromthebarofthePraetorianpraefects，heraisedhimselftothehonorsofquaestor，ofconsul，andofmasteroftheoffices:thecouncilofJustinianlistenedtohiseloquenceandwisdom；andenvywasmitigatedbythegentlenessandaffabilityofhismanners。ThereproachesofimpietyandavaricehavestainedthevirtueorthereputationofTribonian。

　　Inabigotedandpersecutingcourt，theprincipalministerwasaccusedofasecretaversiontotheChristianfaith，andwassupposedtoentertainthesentimentsofanAtheistandaPagan，whichhavebeenimputed，inconsistentlyenough，tothelastphilosophersofGreece。Hisavaricewasmoreclearlyprovedandmoresensiblyfelt。Ifhewereswayedbygiftsintheadministrationofjustice，theexampleofBaconwillagainoccur；

　　norcanthemeritofTribonianatoneforhisbaseness，ifhedegradedthesanctityofhisprofession；andiflawswereeverydayenacted，modified，orrepealed，forthebaseconsiderationofhisprivateemolument。IntheseditionofConstantinople，hisremovalwasgrantedtotheclamors，perhapstothejustindignation，ofthepeople:butthequaestorwasspeedilyrestored，and，tillthehourofhisdeath，hepossessed，abovetwentyyears，thefavorandconfidenceoftheemperor。HispassiveanddutifulsubmissionhadbeenhonoredwiththepraiseofJustinianhimself，whosevanitywasincapableofdiscerninghowoftenthatsubmissiondegeneratedintothegrossestadulation。Tribonianadoredthevirtuesofhisgraciousofhisgraciousmaster；theearthwasunworthyofsuchaprince；andheaffectedapiousfear，thatJustinian，likeElijahorRomulus，wouldbesnatchedintotheair，andtranslatedalivetothemansionsofcelestialglory。^74

......

购买会员看全站小说，或者下载APP免费观看所有作品 点击立即下载，搜索"History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empir",免费读到尾