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gence fhould excite the lefs admiration, fince CHA P. many of the buildings were finished in fo hafty XVII. and imperfect a manner, that, under the fucceeding reign, they were preferved with difficulty from impending ruin 65. But while they difplayed the vigour and freshness of youth, the founder prepared to celebrate the dedication of his city“. The games and largeffes which crowned the pomp. of this memorable festival may easily be supposed: but there is one circumftance of a more fingular and permanent nature, which ought not entirely to be overlooked. As often as the birth-day of the city returned, the ftatue of Conftantine, framed by his order, of gilt wood, and bearing in his right-hand a small image of the genius of the place, was erected on a triumphal car. The guards, carrying white tapers, and clothed in their richest apparel, accompanied the folemn proceffion as it moved through the Hippodrome.

of May 5838 (A. D. 330.). He connects thefe dates with several characteristic epochs, but they contradict each other; the authority of Codinus is of little weight, and the space which he affigns mult appear infufficient. The term of ten years is given us by Julian (Orat. i. p. 8.), and Spanheim labours to establish the truth of it (p. 69-75.); by the help of two paffages from Themiftius Orat. iv. p. 58.) and of Philoftorgius (l. ii. c. 9.), which form a period from the year 324 to the year 334. Modern crtics are divided concerning this point of chronology, and their different fentiments are very accurately difcuffed by Tillemont, Hift. des Empereurs, tom. iv. p. 619-625,

65 Themiftius, Orat. iii. p. 47. Zofim. I. ii. p. 108. Conftantine himself, in one of his laws (Cod. Theod. 1. xv. tit. i.). betrays his impatience,

66 Cedrenus and Zonaras, faithful to the mode of fuperftition which prevailed in their own times, affure us that Conftantinople was confecrated to the virgin Mother of God.

CHAP. When it was oppofite to the throne of the reign. XVII. ing emperor, he rofe from his feat, and with grateful reverence adored the memory of his predeceffor "7.

Form of

government,

At the festival of the dedication,

an edict, engraved on a column of marble, beftowed the title of SECOND or NEW ROME on the city of Conftantine 68. But the name of Conftantinople has prevailed over that honourable epithet; and after the revolution of fourteen centuries, still perpetuates the fame of its author 70.

69

The foundation of a new capital is naturally connected with the establishment of a new form of civil and military administration. The diftin&t view of the complicated fyftem of policy, introduced by Diocletian, improved by Constantine,

67 The earliest and most complete account of this extraordinary ceremony may be found in the Alexandrian Chronicle, p. 285. Til lemont, and the other friends of Constantine, who are offended with the air of Paganifm which feems unworthy of a Chriftian prince, had a right to confider it as doubtful, but they were not authorised to omit the mention of it.

68 Sozomen, 1. ii. c. 2. Ducange C, P. l. i. c. 6. Velut ipfius Romæ filiam, is the expreffion of Augustin. de Civitat. Dei, l. v. c. 25.

69 Eutropius, 1. x. c. 8. Julian. Orat. i, p. 8. Ducange C. P. 1. i. c. 5. The name of Conftantinople is extant on the medals of Conftantine.

70 The lively Fontenelle (Dialogues des Morts, xii.) affects to deride the vanity of human ambition, and seems to triumph in the difappointment of Conftantine, whofe immortal name is now loft in the vulgar appellation of Iltambol, a Turkish corruption of us TMI wo. Yet the original name is ftill preferved, 1. By the nations of Europe. 2. By the modern Greeks. 3. By the Arabs, whose writings are diffused over the wide extent of their conquests in Afia and Africa. See d'Herbelot Bibliotheque Orientale, p. 275. 4. By the more learned Turks, and by the emperor himself in his public mandates. Cantemir's Hiftory of the Othman Empire,

P. 51.

and

and completed by his immediate fucceffors, may CHA P. not only amuse the fancy by the fingular picture XVII. of a great empire, but will tend to illuftrate the secret and internal causes of its rapid decay. In the pursuit of any remarkable inftitution, we may be frequently led into the more early or the more recent times of the Roman hiftory; but the proper limits of this enquiry will be included within a period of about one hundred and thirty years, from the acceffion of Conftantine to the publication of the Theodofian code "; from which, as well as from the Notitia of the eaft and weft 72 we derive the most copious and authentic information of the state of the empire. This variety of objects will fufpend, for fome time, the courfe of the narrative; but the interruption will be cenfured only by thofe readers who are infenfible to the importance of laws and manners, while they peruse, with eager curiofity, the tranfient intrigues of a court, or the accidental event of a battle.

of the

The manly pride of the Romans, content with Hierarchy substantial power, had left to the vanity of the ftate. east the forms and ceremonies of oftentatious

71 The Theodofian code was promulgated A. D. 438. See the Prolegomena of Godefroy, c. i. p. 185.

7a Pancirolus, in his elaborate Commentary, affigns to the Notitia a date almost similar to that of the Theodofian code; but his proofs, or rather conjectures, are extremely feeble. I should be rather inclined to place this useful work between the final divifion of the empire (A.D. 395.), and the successful invasion of Gaul by the Barbarians (A.D. 407). See Hiftoire des anciens Peuples de PEurope, tom. vii. p. 40.

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XVII.

CHAP. greatnefs 73. But when they loft even the fémblance of thofe virtues which were derived from their ancient freedom, the fimplicity of Roman manners was infenfibly corrupted by the stately affectation of the courts of Afia. The diftinctions of perfonal merit and influence, fo confpicuous in a republic, so feeble and obfcure under a monarchy, were abolished by the defpotifm of the emperors; who fubftituted in their room a fevere fubordination of rank and office, from the titled flaves who were feated on the steps of the throne, to the meanest inftruments of arbitrary power. This multitude of abject dependents was interefted in the support of the actual government, from the dread of a revolution, which might at once confound their hopes, and intercept the reward of their fervices. In this divine hierarchy (for fuch it is frequently ftyled), every rank was marked with the most scrupulous exactnefs, and its dignity was displayed in a variety of trifling and folemn ceremonies, which it was a study to learn, and a facrilege to neglect 74. The purity of the Latin language was debafed, by adopting, in the intercourse of pride and flattery, a profufion

73 Scilicet externæ fuperbiæ fueto, non inerat notitia nostri (perhaps noftra); apud quos vis Imperii valet, inania transmittuntur, Tacit Annal. xv. 31. The gradation from the ftyle of freedom and fimplicity, to that of form and fervitude, may be traced in the Epistles of Cicero, of Pliny, and of Symmachus.

74 The emperor Gratian, after confirming a law of precedency published by Valentinian, the father of his Divinity, thus continues: Siquis igitur indebitum fibi locum ufurpaverit, nulla fe ignoratione defendat; fitque plane facrilegii reus, qui divina præcepta neglexerit. Cod. Theod, 1. vi, tit. v. leg. 2.

of

XVII.

of epithets, which Tully would fcarcely have un- c H A P. derstood, and which Auguftus would have rejected with indignation. The principal officers of the empire were faluted, even by the fovereign himself, with the deceitful titles of your Sincerity, your Gravity, your Excellency, your Eminency, your fublime and wonderful Magnitude, your illuftrious and magnificent Highnefs". The codicils or patents of their office were curiously emblazoned with fuch emblems as were beft adapted to explain its nature and high dignity; the image or portrait of the reigning emperors; a triumphal car; the book of mandates placed on a table, covered with a rich carpet, and illuminated by four tapers; the allegorical figures of the provinces which they governed; or the appellations and standards of the troops whom they commanded. Some of these official enfigns were really exhibited in their hall of audience; others preceded their pompous march whenever they appeared in public; and every circumstance of their demeanour, their drefs, their ornaments, and their train, was calculated to infpire a deep reverence for the representatives of fupreme majefty. By a philofophic obferver, the fyftem of the Roman government might have been mistaken for a splendid theatre, filled with players of every character and degree, who repeated the language, and imitated the pasfions, of their original model ".

75 Confult the Notitia Dignitatum, at the end of the Theodofian. Code, tom. vi. p. 316.

76 Pancirolus ad Notitiam utriufque Imperii, p. 39. But his explanations are obfcure, and he does not fufficiently diftinguifh the painted emblems from the effective enfigus of ofice.

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