History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 3

Name: History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 3
Author: Gibbon, Edward

Gibbon, Edward

Byzantine Empire -- History -- To 527; Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D.

care of the monarch of the West, 61 who resigned the reins of
      empire to the firm and skilful hand of his guardian Stilicho. The
      experience of history will countenance the suspicion that a
      prince who was born in the purple, received a worse education
      than the meanest peasant of his dominions; and that the ambitious
      minister suffered him to attain the age of manhood, without
      attempting to excite his courage, or to enlighten his
      understanding. 62 The predecessors of Honorius were accustomed to
      animate by their example, or at least by their presence, the
      valor of the legions; and the dates of their laws attest the
      perpetual activity of their motions through the provinces of the
      Roman world. But the son of Theodosius passed the slumber of his
      life, a captive in his palace, a stranger in his country, and the
      patient, almost the indifferent, spectator of the ruin of the
      Western empire, which was repeatedly attacked, and finally
      subverted, by the arms of the Barbarians. In the eventful history
      of a reign of twenty-eight years, it will seldom be necessary to
      mention the name of the emperor Honorius.

      58 (return) [ Claudian,as the poet laureate, composed a serious
      and elaborate epithalamium of 340 lines; besides some gay
      Fescennines, which were sung, in a more licentious tone, on the
      wedding night.]

      59 (return) [

     Calet obvius ire Jam princeps, tardumque cupit discedere solem.
     Nobilis haud aliter sonipes.

      (De Nuptiis Honor. et Mariae, and more freely in the Fescennines
      112-116)

     Dices, O quoties,hoc mihi dulcius Quam flavos decics vincere
     Sarmatas. .... Tum victor madido prosilias toro, Nocturni referens
     vulnera proelii.]

      60 (return) [ See Zosimus, l. v. p. 333.]

      61 (return) [ Procopius de Bell. Gothico, l. i. c. 2. I have
      borrowed the general practice of Honorius, without adopting the
      singular, and indeed improbable tale, which is related by the
      Greek historian.]

      62 (return) [ The lessons of Theodosius, or rather Claudian, (iv.
      Cons. Honor 214-418,) might compose a fine institution for the
      future prince of a great and free nation. It was far above
      Honorius, and his degenerate subjects.]




      Chapter XXX: Revolt Of The Goths.—Part I.

     Revolt Of The Goths.—They Plunder Greece.—Two Great Invasions Of
     Italy By Alaric And Radagaisus.—They Are Repulsed By Stilicho.—The
     Germans Overrun Gaul.—Usurpation Of Constantine In The
     West.—Disgrace And Death Of Stilicho.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 3Gibbon, Edward

History

History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 3

Gibbon, Edward

Byzantine Empire -- History -- To 527; Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D.

care of the monarch of the West, 61 who resigned the reins of
      empire to the firm and skilful hand of his guardian Stilicho. The
      experience of history will countenance the suspicion that a
      prince who was born in the purple, received a worse education
      than the meanest peasant of his dominions; and that the ambitious
      minister suffered him to attain the age of manhood, without
      attempting to excite his courage, or to enlighten his
      understanding. 62 The predecessors of Honorius were accustomed to
      animate by their example, or at least by their presence, the
      valor of the legions; and the dates of their laws attest the
      perpetual activity of their motions through the provinces of the
      Roman world. But the son of Theodosius passed the slumber of his
      life, a captive in his palace, a stranger in his country, and the
      patient, almost the indifferent, spectator of the ruin of the
      Western empire, which was repeatedly attacked, and finally
      subverted, by the arms of the Barbarians. In the eventful history
      of a reign of twenty-eight years, it will seldom be necessary to
      mention the name of the emperor Honorius.

      58 (return) [ Claudian,as the poet laureate, composed a serious
      and elaborate epithalamium of 340 lines; besides some gay
      Fescennines, which were sung, in a more licentious tone, on the
      wedding night.]

      59 (return) [

     Calet obvius ire Jam princeps, tardumque cupit discedere solem.
     Nobilis haud aliter sonipes.

      (De Nuptiis Honor. et Mariae, and more freely in the Fescennines
      112-116)

     Dices, O quoties,hoc mihi dulcius Quam flavos decics vincere
     Sarmatas. .... Tum victor madido prosilias toro, Nocturni referens
     vulnera proelii.]

      60 (return) [ See Zosimus, l. v. p. 333.]

      61 (return) [ Procopius de Bell. Gothico, l. i. c. 2. I have
      borrowed the general practice of Honorius, without adopting the
      singular, and indeed improbable tale, which is related by the
      Greek historian.]

      62 (return) [ The lessons of Theodosius, or rather Claudian, (iv.
      Cons. Honor 214-418,) might compose a fine institution for the
      future prince of a great and free nation. It was far above
      Honorius, and his degenerate subjects.]




      Chapter XXX: Revolt Of The Goths.—Part I.

     Revolt Of The Goths.—They Plunder Greece.—Two Great Invasions Of
     Italy By Alaric And Radagaisus.—They Are Repulsed By Stilicho.—The
     Germans Overrun Gaul.—Usurpation Of Constantine In The
     West.—Disgrace And Death Of Stilicho.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 3

History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 3

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