Ab eâdem provinciâ, fortasse ab eâdem urbe, unde jam orti erant duo principes, Trajanus Hadrianusque,—alter virtutibus ingenio alter insignis,-alia quoque Hispanorum domus originem repetebat: qui ætatem infeliciorem aliquanto nacti, Romanâ re jam labante, per octoginta annos principatum obtinebant; municipalibus honoribus. primùm *extracti impigro Theodosii majoris animo, is qui in Britanniâ et Africâ bene gestis rebus Valentiani regnum ut qui maximè illustraverat. Illius ducis filium (cui et ipsi Theodosio nomen erat) liberalioribus artibus, quibus solent pueri, ab optimis magistris institutum, ad rem militarem summâ diligentiâ et severitate instruxerat pater. Hoc duce adolescens gloriam sibi et scientiam longinquis bellis quæsivit; cœli se tempestatumque varietatibus adsuevit terrâ marique insignem se virtute præstitit; inter Scotos et Saxones et Maurusios varias bellandi rationes cognovit, Itaque mox per sua merita, commendante etiam Africa victore, ad imperium ipse provectus est: præfectusque Mosiæ, fuso Sarmaticorum exercitu, militum favorem conciliavit, aulicorum invidiam subiit. In incremento deinde rerum, alteram fortunam ignominiâ patris et supplicio expertus, impetravit ut in Hispaniâ, ubi natus erat, a republicâ facesseret. Versatili ingenio ad mutatas res accommodatus, constantiæ et modestiæ documentum dedit. Tantum fere tempus ruri quantum in urbe fuit; et qualem se olim in republicâ, talem in privatis officiis assiduè et diligenter exsequendis præstitit; industriamque militarem, neque id quidem sine fructu, ad paternos agros

Cf. Livy v. 12.

:

which lay between Valladolid and Segovia, in the midst of a fruitful district, still famous for a most exquisite breed of sheep. From the innocent but humble labours of his farm, Theodosius was transported, in less than four months, to the throne of the eastern empire: and the whole period of the history of the world will not perhaps afford a similar example of an elevation, at the same time so pure and so honourable. The princes who peaceably inherit the sceptre of their fathers, claim and enjoy a legal right, the more secure, as it is absolutely distinct from the merits of their personal characters. The subjects, who in a monarchy or a popular state, acquire the possession of supreme power, may have raised themselves, by the superiority either of genius or virtue, above the heads of their equals but their virtue is seldom exempt from ambition, and the cause of the successful candidate is frequently stained by the guilt of conspiracy or civil war. Even in those governments which allow the reigning monarch to declare a colleague or a successor, his partial choice, which may be influenced by the blindest passions, is often directed to an unworthy object. But the most suspicious malignity cannot ascribe to Theodosius, in his obscure solitude of Caucha, the arts, the desires, or even the hopes of an ambitious statesman; and the name of the exile would long since have been forgotten, if his distinguished virtues had not left a deep impression in the imperial court. During in the season of prosperity he had been neglected; but, in the public distress, his superior merit was universally felt and acknowledged. What confidence must have been reposed in his integrity, since Gratian could trust that a pious son would forgive, for the sake of the republic, the murder of his father! What expectations must have been formed of his abilites, to encourage the hope, that a single man could save and

(inter Pintiam autem et Segoviam feracissimâ regione positi sunt, atque hodie eximio ovium genere notà) augendos excolendosque contulit. Ab innoxiâ atque ignobili rusticarum rerum curâ, intra quatuor menses ad imperium capessendum Theodosius avocatur. Neque alium forsitan, si temporum memoriam replicaveris, ullum inveneris qui tam incorruptè atque integrè ad tantum honorem provectus sit. Qui paterno imperio sine æmulis principes succedunt, jus et vindicant sibi et habent, et id quidem eò firmius quod ne minimâ quidem ex parte suis ipsorum meritis nituntur. Jam verò cives haud raro inveneris, qui sub unius imperio aut apud populum re sitâ, ipsos sese sive virtute præstante sive ingenio ad summam locum produxerint; virtutem tamen ambitio plerumque corrumpit, victorique ad summum fastigium evecto aut conjuratio aliqua aut civile bellum sæpissimè officit. Denique in eis quoque civitatibus, in quibus regis ipsius est destinare qui secum quive post regnet, sæpenumero accidit ut studio quodam et cæcitate animi indignus homo deligatur. Nemo quamvis omnia in deterius interpretetur, Theodosio Caucho in obscuritate latitanti nec consilia nec vota nec spem quidem potestatem affectantis assignaverit; ipsumque exsulis nomen jampridem memoriâ exciderat, nisi clara illa et incorrupta virtus penitus in principis sensu insedisset. In secundis rebus neglectus, in adversis nemo non agnovit quam ceteris antecelleret. Oh, spectatam viri integritatem, ut pro certo Gratianus habuerit, pium filium interfecti patris memoriam condonaturum reipublicæ ! Oh, eximiam ingenii opinionem ut spes fuerit unum virum labantem rem in

restore the empire of the east! Theodosius was invested with the purple in the thirty-third year of his age. The vulgar gazed with admiration on the manly beauty of his face, and the graceful majesty of his person, which they were pleased to compare with the pictures and medals of the emperor Trajan; whilst intelligent observers discovered, in the qualities of his heart and understanding, a more important resemblance to the best and greatest of the Roman princes.

integrum restituere posse! Itaque annos jam tres et triginta natus, auctus est imperio Theodosius. Sicut vulgus vigorem* vultus, pulchraque oris lineamenta, venustatem corporis dignitatemque admirantes, divi Trajani imaginibus comparabant, ita prudentissimus firmè quisque animum ingeniumque prosecuti, in majoribus quoque rebus optimum summumque principum Romanorum referre contenderunt.

* Cf. Livy xxi. 4.