The history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire Volume т. 3-4

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1840 Excerpt: ...society, profaned the majesty of the prince and renewed the dangerous examples of military licence. The contemplation of the universal order and harmony had satisfied Claudian of the existence of the Deity; but the prosperous impunity of vice appeared to contradict his moral attributes; and the fate of Rufinus was the only event which could dispel the religious doubts of the poet (33) . Such an act might vindicate the hononr of Providence; but it did not much contribute to the happiness of the people. In less than three months they were informed of the (31) The dissection of RuBous, which Claudian performs with the savage coolness of an anatomist in RuGn. ii. 405--415.) , is likewise specified by Zosimus and Jerom (torn. i. p. 26.) . (32) The Pagan Zosimus mentions their sanctuary and pilgrimage. The sister of RuGnus, Sylvania, who passed her.life at Jerusalem, is famous in monastic history. 1. The studious virgin bad diligently, and even repeatedly, perused the commentators on the Bible, Origen, Gregory, Basil, &c, to the amount of Gve millions of lines. 2. At the age of threescore, she could boast, that she had never washed her hands, face, or any part of her whole body, except the tips of her fingers, to receive the cohiinnnion. See the Vital Patrum, p. 779, 977. (33) See the beautiful exordium of his invective against Rufinus, which is curiously discussed by the sceptic Bayle, Dictionnaire Critique, HoriN. Not. £. maxims of the new administration, by a singular edict, which established the exclusive right of the treasury over the spoils of Rufinus; and silenced, under heavy penalties, the presumptuous claims of the subjects of the Eastern empire, who had been injured by his rapacious tyranny (34) . Even Stilicho did not derive from the murder of hi...