History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 4Gibbon, Edward
History
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 4
Gibbon, Edward
Byzantine Empire -- History -- To 527; Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D.
55 (return) [ See the Book of Genesis (xii. 10) and the
administration of Joseph. The annals of the Greeks and Hebrews
agree in the early arts and plenty of Egypt: but this antiquity
supposes a long series of improvement; and Warburton, who is
almost stifled by the Hebrew calls aloud for the Samaritan,
Chronology, (Divine Legation, vol. iii. p. 29, &c.) * Note: The
recent extraordinary discoveries in Egyptian antiquities strongly
confirm the high notion of the early Egyptian civilization, and
imperatively demand a longer period for their development. As to
the common Hebrew chronology, as far as such a subject is capable
of demonstration, it appears to me to have been framed, with a
particular view, by the Jews of Tiberias. It was not the
chronology of the Samaritans, not that of the LXX., not that of
Josephus, not that of St. Paul.—M.]
56 (return) [ Eight millions of Roman modii, besides a
contribution of 80,000 aurei for the expenses of water-carriage,
from which the subject was graciously excused. See the 13th Edict
of Justinian: the numbers are checked and verified by the
agreement of the Greek and Latin texts.]
57 (return) [ Homer’s Iliad, vi. 289. These veils, were the work
of the Sidonian women. But this passage is more honorable to the
manufactures than to the navigation of Phoenicia, from whence
they had been imported to Troy in Phrygian bottoms.]
58 (return) [ See in Ovid (de Arte Amandi, iii. 269, &c.) a
poetical list of twelve colors borrowed from flowers, the
elements, &c. But it is almost impossible to discriminate by
words all the nice and various shades both of art and nature.]
59 (return) [ By the discovery of cochineal, &c., we far surpass
the colors of antiquity. Their royal purple had a strong smell,
and a dark cast as deep as bull’s blood—obscuritas rubens, (says
Cassiodorus, Var. 1, 2,) nigredo saguinea. The president Goguet
(Origine des Loix et des Arts, part ii. l. ii. c. 2, p. 184—215)
will amuse and satisfy the reader. I doubt whether his book,
especially in England, is as well known as it deserves to be.]
60 (return) [ Historical proofs of this jealousy have been
occasionally introduced, and many more might have been added; but
the arbitrary acts of despotism were justified by the sober and
general declarations of law, (Codex Theodosian. l. x. tit. 21,
leg. 3. Codex Justinian. l. xi. tit. 8, leg. 5.) An inglorious
permission, and necessary restriction, was applied to the mince,
the female dancers, (Cod. Theodos. l. xv. tit. 7, leg. 11.)]
Chapter XL: Reign Of Justinian.—Part III.
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