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nor_o aelianus_n if_o it_o be_v not_o that_o king_n sigismond_n unlucky_o appear_v there_o also_o among_o the_o rest_n for_o as_o these_o two_o concuring_a event_n very_o much_o favour_v the_o martyrdom_n of_o the_o thebean_a legion_n so_o what_o be_v there_o relate_v of_o st._n sigismond_n make_v it_o evident_a that_o st._n eucherius_n can_v not_o be_v the_o author_n of_o the_o act_n of_o that_o martyrdom_n since_o he_o die_v several_a year_n before_o this_o prince_n come_v into_o the_o world_n bollandus_n think_v he_o may_v save_v the_o credit_n of_o this_o piece_n prove_v it_o to_o be_v the_o work_n of_o this_o holy_a bishop_n of_o lion_n and_o remove_v the_o anachronism_n by_o say_v that_o there_o be_v former_o a_o monastery_n at_o agaunum_n and_o that_o king_n sigismond_n only_o repair_v and_o beautify_v it_o but_o because_o it_o be_v but_o a_o poor_a shift_n destroy_v both_o by_o the_o act_n of_o surius_n and_o the_o account_n which_o all_o the_o historjans_n give_v of_o that_o 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dodwel_n viz._n that_o the_o collector_n of_o the_o act_n of_o murtyr_n have_v frequent_o add_v too_o and_o lop_v off_o such_o thing_n as_o they_o do_v not_o like_a but_o let_v we_o come_v now_o to_o the_o matter_n itself_o and_o examine_v whether_o the_o martyrdom_n of_o the_o thebean_a legion_n can_v be_v make_v to_o fall_v in_o with_o maximian_n four_o expedition_n into_o gaul_n mention_v by_o eutropius_n and_o aurelius_n victor_n the_o emperor_n dioclesian_n fear_v lest_o the_o gallican_n revolt_n shall_v be_v of_o dangerour_n consequence_n assume_v he_o into_o the_o government_n to_o the_o end_n that_o by_o his_o assistance_n he_o may_v with_o more_o ease_n to_o himself_o undergo_v the_o weight_n of_o it_o he_o raise_v a_o army_n with_o all_o speed_n to_o suppress_v this_o threaten_a insurrection_n in_o its_o birth_n than_o it_o be_v suppose_v that_o he_o send_v for_o the_o thebean_a legion_n from_o the_o east_n to_o serve_v in_o the_o expedition_n and_o yet_o they_o needs_o will_v have_v it_o that_o have_v pass_v the_o mountain_n with_o they_o and_o in_o a_o manner_n face_v the_o enemy_n such_o a_o frenzy_n of_o superstition_n on_o a_o sudden_a seize_v he_o as_o make_v he_o weaken_v his_o army_n by_o the_o martyrdom_n of_o this_o whole_a legion_n we_o take_v notice_n before_o that_o the_o author_n of_o this_o romance_n be_v not_o very_o cautious_a in_o observe_v the_o rule_n of_o probability_n but_o because_o some_o thing_n may_v be_v true_a though_o they_o do_v not_o seem_v very_o probable_a we_o shall_v therefore_o add_v something_o of_o more_o weight_n than_o mere_a conjeure_n for_o the_o proof_n of_o our_o assertion_n first_o then_o let_v a_o man_n be_v never_o so_o little_o verse_v in_o roman_a history_n he_o will_v find_v no_o ground_n there_o to_o believe_v that_o maximian_n be_v but_o late_o admit_v to_o a_o share_n in_o the_o empire_n shall_v by_o his_o own_o single_a authority_n cut_v off_o a_o whole_a legion_n for_o though_o dioclesian_n have_v make_v he_o augustus_n determinaverant_a yet_o be_v they_o master_n in_o common_a and_o joint_a sharer_n of_o the_o province_n arm_n and_o legion_n of_o the_o empire_n galesius_n and_o constantius_n be_v the_o first_o that_o share_v the_o empire_n this_o the_o city_n of_o rome_n take_v very_o ill_a look_v upon_o it_o as_o a_o diminution_n of_o its_o power_n and_o glory_n but_o this_o share_n of_o the_o empire_n end_v in_o the_o victory_n which_o constantine_n get_v over_o all_o his_o competitor_n rome_n become_v again_o the_o mistress_n of_o the_o universe_n whereupon_o the_o poet_n porphyrius_n in_o a_o poem_n which_o he_o compose_v in_o the_o 15_o the_o year_n of_o this_o prince_n have_v these_o word_n lacera_fw-la cruentis_fw-la imperii_fw-la pars_fw-la fessa_fw-la poli_fw-fr diversa_fw-la gemehat_fw-la sâ—eptra_fw-la &_o ausoniae_fw-la moerebat_fw-la perdita_fw-la jura_fw-la during_o the_o division_n of_o the_o empire_n each_o emperor_n act_v as_o he_o please_v in_o his_o own_o 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as_o a_o trifle_a matter_n and_o of_o no_o consquence_n to_o the_o state_n there_o will_v have_v be_v no_o great_a need_n for_o maximian_n upon_o this_o occasion_n to_o have_v ask_v the_o advice_n of_o his_o colleague_n but_o i_o question_v much_o whether_o any_o consider_a person_n will_v think_v it_o so_o second_o let_v we_o reflect_v upon_o what_o the_o historian_n tell_v we_o of_o the_o reign_n of_o dioclesian_n and_o maximian_n till_o the_o time_n they_o begin_v to_o persecute_v the_o christian_n and_o we_o shall_v find_v that_o they_o represent_v those_o time_n to_o we_o as_o time_n of_o ease_n and_o plenty_n and_o they_o speak_v of_o their_o government_n as_o manage_v with_o clemency_n and_o moderation_n 13._o matermin_v tell_v maximian_n that_o no_o soon_o have_v the_o light_n of_o his_o government_n shine_v upon_o the_o empire_n but_o it_o overspread_v all_o place_n with_o peace_n and_o security_n eusebius_n in_o the_o 12_o the_o and_o 13_o the_o chapter_n of_o the_o 8_o the_o book_n of_o his_o church-history_n can_v forbear_v make_v frequent_a mention_n of_o the_o happiness_n which_o both_o the_o church_n and_o empire_n enjoy_v before_o dioclesian_n and_o maximian_n have_v resolve_v to_o exterminate_v the_o christian_n who_o can_v express_v say_v he_o the_o prosperity_n and_o plenty_n which_o the_o empire_n enjoy_v so_o long_o as_o those_o who_o govern_v be_v well_o and_o kind_o affect_v towards_o we_o he_o have_v say_v before_o we_o want_v word_n to_o express_v the_o great_a value_n and_o esteem_v which_o the_o doctrine_n of_o our_o bless_a saviour_n meet_v with_o among_o the_o greek_n and_o barbarian_n and_o the_o perfect_a liberty_n and_o tranquillity_n which_o the_o professor_n of_o it_o enjoy_v before_o the_o persecution_n which_o be_v raise_v against_o the_o church_n in_o our_o day_n the_o particular_a affection_n the_o emperor_n show_v towards_o those_o of_o our_o religion_n and_o the_o honour_n they_o do_v they_o in_o confer_v