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.

they were sometimes tempted by a sally of passion, or by the
      hopes of concealment, to indulge their favorite superstition,
      their humble repentance disarmed the severity of the Christian
      magistrate, and they seldom refused to atone for their rashness,
      by submitting, with some secret reluctance, to the yoke of the
      Gospel. The churches were filled with the increasing multitude of
      these unworthy proselytes, who had conformed, from temporal
      motives, to the reigning religion; and whilst they devoutly
      imitated the postures, and recited the prayers, of the faithful,
      they satisfied their conscience by the silent and sincere
      invocation of the gods of antiquity. 58 If the Pagans wanted
      patience to suffer they wanted spirit to resist; and the
      scattered myriads, who deplored the ruin of the temples, yielded,
      without a contest, to the fortune of their adversaries. The
      disorderly opposition 59 of the peasants of Syria, and the
      populace of Alexandria, to the rage of private fanaticism, was
      silenced by the name and authority of the emperor. The Pagans of
      the West, without contributing to the elevation of Eugenius,
      disgraced, by their partial attachment, the cause and character
      of the usurper. The clergy vehemently exclaimed, that he
      aggravated the crime of rebellion by the guilt of apostasy; that,
      by his permission, the altar of victory was again restored; and
      that the idolatrous symbols of Jupiter and Hercules were
      displayed in the field, against the invincible standard of the
      cross. But the vain hopes of the Pagans were soon annihilated by
      the defeat of Eugenius; and they were left exposed to the
      resentment of the conqueror, who labored to deserve the favor of
      Heaven by the extirpation of idolatry. 60

      57 (return) [ Orosius, l. vii. c. 28, p. 537. Augustin (Enarrat.
      in Psalm cxl apud Lardner, Heathen Testimonies, vol. iv. p. 458)
      insults their cowardice. “Quis eorum comprehensus est in
      sacrificio (cum his legibus sta prohiberentur) et non negavit?”]

      58 (return) [ Libanius (pro Templis, p. 17, 18) mentions, without
      censure the occasional conformity, and as it were theatrical
      play, of these hypocrites.]

      59 (return) [ Libanius concludes his apology (p. 32) by declaring
      to the emperor, that unless he expressly warrants the destruction
      of the temples, the proprietors will defend themselves and the
      laws.]

      60 (return) [ Paulinus, in Vit. Ambros. c. 26. Augustin de
      Civitat. Dei, l. v. c. 26. Theodoret, l. v. c. 24.]

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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.

they were sometimes tempted by a sally of passion, or by the
      hopes of concealment, to indulge their favorite superstition,
      their humble repentance disarmed the severity of the Christian
      magistrate, and they seldom refused to atone for their rashness,
      by submitting, with some secret reluctance, to the yoke of the
      Gospel. The churches were filled with the increasing multitude of
      these unworthy proselytes, who had conformed, from temporal
      motives, to the reigning religion; and whilst they devoutly
      imitated the postures, and recited the prayers, of the faithful,
      they satisfied their conscience by the silent and sincere
      invocation of the gods of antiquity. 58 If the Pagans wanted
      patience to suffer they wanted spirit to resist; and the
      scattered myriads, who deplored the ruin of the temples, yielded,
      without a contest, to the fortune of their adversaries. The
      disorderly opposition 59 of the peasants of Syria, and the
      populace of Alexandria, to the rage of private fanaticism, was
      silenced by the name and authority of the emperor. The Pagans of
      the West, without contributing to the elevation of Eugenius,
      disgraced, by their partial attachment, the cause and character
      of the usurper. The clergy vehemently exclaimed, that he
      aggravated the crime of rebellion by the guilt of apostasy; that,
      by his permission, the altar of victory was again restored; and
      that the idolatrous symbols of Jupiter and Hercules were
      displayed in the field, against the invincible standard of the
      cross. But the vain hopes of the Pagans were soon annihilated by
      the defeat of Eugenius; and they were left exposed to the
      resentment of the conqueror, who labored to deserve the favor of
      Heaven by the extirpation of idolatry. 60

      57 (return) [ Orosius, l. vii. c. 28, p. 537. Augustin (Enarrat.
      in Psalm cxl apud Lardner, Heathen Testimonies, vol. iv. p. 458)
      insults their cowardice. “Quis eorum comprehensus est in
      sacrificio (cum his legibus sta prohiberentur) et non negavit?”]

      58 (return) [ Libanius (pro Templis, p. 17, 18) mentions, without
      censure the occasional conformity, and as it were theatrical
      play, of these hypocrites.]

      59 (return) [ Libanius concludes his apology (p. 32) by declaring
      to the emperor, that unless he expressly warrants the destruction
      of the temples, the proprietors will defend themselves and the
      laws.]

      60 (return) [ Paulinus, in Vit. Ambros. c. 26. Augustin de
      Civitat. Dei, l. v. c. 26. Theodoret, l. v. c. 24.]

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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