their Infancy nourished with savage Roots and raw Flesh always encamped and avoiding Houses as if they had been Tombs wandering all day and sleeping at night on Horseback being accustomed to fall out with one another and to be Friends again immediately without any other Reason than that of their natural Inconstancy Claudian in Ruff. in l. 1. Jornand c. 24. Their innumerable Horse and prodigious number of Chariots which followed them loaded with their Wives and Children their manner of fighting in round Bodies and of rallying again a moment after their defeat the very figure of these Men in stature small but strong and well compact their Faces rugged their Eyes but small and Heads of an unsuitable bigness all this cast a terror in the minds of People who were not so barbarous as they XLIX They attacked the Alains presently who were constrained to seek their Friendship They pushed on their Conquests as far as this side the Boristhenes driving or massacring all that made resistance and extended themselves towards Datia At the noise of this formidable march all the Goths run to their Arms. Athanaric who was the most exposed collected all his Troops and advanced himself towards the Banks of the River Danast in order to dispute the Enemies passage Ammian ibid. He sent in the mean time several Parties above twenty Leagues beyond to observe them and to bring him the News But notwithstanding all his Precautions the Huns prevented these Parties and passed the River by favor of the night partly by fording and partly by swimming Altho' Athanaric had hardly leisure to put his Army in order yet he sustained their first Attack with abundance of vigor but as he saw himself overwhelmed by number he retired with as much of his Army as he could save and gained the mountains where he retrenched himself whilst the Enemies amused themselves by laying waste the Platcountrey L. In the mean time the affrighted Goths advanced all towards the Banks of the Danube Videric King of the Grotungues a Youth under age came to join them under the conduct of Alathee and Saphrax two excellent Captains They were too great a number to subsist in so small a space and too few to oppose such powerful Enemies In this Extremity they sent an Embassy to the Emperor Valens humbly to request of him some Lands in Thrace where they might live in peace under his protection promising to serve him in his Wars and to preserve themselves the Frontiers of the Empire The Affair was debated in Council They that consulted the Publick Good were of opinion to reject the Proposition and remonstrated to the Emperor that it was necessary â—o mistrust a People who had often broke their Faith with him and would become insolent as soon as they should cease to be miserable Others to accommodate themselves to the humor of the Prince represented to him that it was for his glory to give Retreat to the unfortunate that he might encrease his Armies with a great number of these strangers and that discharging the Provinces from the Recruits they were obliged to furnish he might draw from them every year considerable Sums as a compensation These Reasons affected the Emperor He granted the Goths their demands and sent Orders to Lupicin Governor of Thrace to furnish them with Necessaries and to receive them into his Province upon condition still that they should enter therein without Arms that they should not exceed the limits which should be set out to them and that they should send their Male Children into the East to be Zoz l. 4. brought up there in the exercise of Roman Discipline LI. Lupicin went as far as the Banks of the Danube accompanied with Maximus Commander of the Foot They saw King Fritigern arrive with his Subjects and distributed Provisions to them and some Lands to cultivate The River at that time had overflowed so that this multitude of Barbarians were many days and nights in passing over Valens as if he had secured the Empire Socrat. l. 4. c. 34. Sozom. l. 6. c. 38. thought he had no further need of the old Troops levied no more new ones and neglected the Recruits which he ordered to be paid him in money to the value of fourscore Crowns in gold for every Soldier In a little time the Armies grew weak and the Officers were discontented The Goths on their side began to want Provisions and found themselves reduced by the avarice of the Governor to give their Goods and sell their very Children for bread They endured these Extremities till such time as Despair made them begin to murmur Lupicin mistrusting a Revolt being resolved at the same time not to relax kept himself upon his guard and got the Thracian Army together on this side Alathée and Safrax to whom Valens had refused to give Retreat coasted the Danube at that time and finding some places but ill guarded made shift to get some Boats and made their Horse pass over in disorder As for Athanaric he durst not ask any favor of the Emperor who had hated him of a long time and threw himself upon a quarter of the Sarmats where he established himself by force of Arms. In the mean time King Fritigern retained the Fury of the Goths and dexterously managed the humor of the Romans till he could discover his resentment with more security Having information by Spies that Alathée and Safrax had passed the River and foreseeing that he should have occasion for Horse he marched towards them by small Journies and By ways to give no suspition of intelligence At last he encamped near Martâ—anopolâ— where Lupicin received him into his house and entertained him magnificently Whilst they were at Table some Goths coming to the gates of the City to make their Provisions the Soldiers of the Garison repulsed them they grew hot on both sides came to handy Blows all the Burgesses took Arms and the whole Camp of the Goths mutined The Governor being advertised of this disorder was not much disturbed at it and as he was half drunk he gave Orders softly to murder those Ammian l. 31. of the King's Retinue who attended him in the next Hall This Order could not be executed so secretly but Fritigern mistrusted it and even heard the Cryes of those whose Throats were cut He arose from the Table of a sudden without giving the Governor time to take any Resolution and went out of the City under a pretence of shewing himself and to chastise the mutinous As soon as he was in safety he took Horse and run every where to encourage his People to revenge In a little time the whole Nation rose up and Valens had for Enemies those whom he lookt upon as his Hosts and Allies LII They presently fell a ravaging the Country and put several Villages to Fire and Sword Fritigern let them satiate their first anger after which he put them in what order he could and made them march under their
them but for what related to the Church in general XXXII Altho' he had hindred the search after An. 381 the Authors and Accomplices of this Conspiracy against him Theodosius knowing the malice of these Hereticks resolved to curb them with new Ordinances He made an Edict which forbid all his Subjects to give any Retreat to the Hereticks in order to the celebration of their Mysteries nor to suffer them to hold their Assemblies in publick Leg. 6. de hâ—ret Cod. Theod. lest their permission to exercise their false Religion should cause them to persist obstinately therein He annulled all Edicts of a contrary nature which might have been obtained by surprize He ordained that thro' his whole Empire according to the Faith of the holy Council of Nice there should be acknowledged one indivisible substance in the Trinity that they should abhor the Photinians Arrians Eunomians and such like Monsters whose Names ought not even to be known that they should abandon all the Churches and put them immediately into the hands of the Catholick Bishops and that if they made the least difficulty of obeying they should be expelled the Cities and treated as Rebels This Edict was published at Constantinople upon the 10th day of January and Theodor. l. l. 5. c. 22 Sapor had Orders to go and see it performed in the Provinces XXXIII Theodosius laboured thus to tame the Pride of the Enemies of Religion when by an unlookt for Revolution he saw at his Feet one of the most formidable Enemies of the Empire Athanaric King of the Ostrogoths sent to obtain his protection and a retreat into his Dominions He was a Prince of a fierce temper brought up in Arms from his Infancy who had been often chafed out of his Territories and had immediately subdued others He had joined himself with Procopius in order to devest Valens of his Crown He sustained against him a terrible War for three years and obliged him to purchase a Peace When they came to conclude and sign the Treaty he refused to pass the Danube saying That he had made an Oath never to set foot upon the Roman Ground till Ammian l. 27. he had conquered it Notwithstanding all that was represented to him concerning the Grandeur and Majesty of the Empire he would have no interview unlefs the Emperor treated him as an Equal and came as far as he upon a Bridge of Boats which was to be made upon the River for that purpose Valens whom other pressing Affairs called another way underwent this hard condition but he lost no occasion after that to be revenged upon Athanaric assisting those who were at War with him and refusing him all manner of Relief The inundation of the Huns being come this King who was one of the first oppressed yet would not have recourse to the Emperor in this extremity with the rest whether he persisted in his design to have no Correspondence with the Emperor or that he assured himself of being refused He betook himself to the quarters of the Sarmats and Taifals where he fixed himself with a Party of his Subjects by force of Arms. He remained there peaceably without being willing to enter into the Wars of his Nation because he was not as yet well setled in the Countrey and could not agree with King Fritigern who commanded the Visigoths and the confederate Barbarians XXXIV He had learnt with joy the death of Valens and the Reputation of Theodosius had begun to render him less incensed against the Romans when of a sudden he fell into a misfortune which he could not recover After the defeat of Valens the Barbarians who were no longer to be retained under any fear lived without order and without discipline As it was a difficult matter to rule under the same Laws this heap of so many different People Fritigern on one side assembled a part of his Goths Alatheus and Safrax on the other rallied their Grotungues and uniting their Affections and Interests after having made a prodigious Booty they detached themselves from the multitude and marched towards the West Vitalian who had been sent to command in Illyrium had not the courage to fight them They posted themselves between the Rhine and the Danube and after having forced all that opposed their passage they advanced towards the Rhine and made Incursions as far as Gaul Zoz ibid. Gratian was disturbed at it and to remove from him such dangerous Enemies he offered to them some Lands in Pannonia and the Vpper Mysia if they would retire there They took it some time into consideration and judging that from thence they might make a greater Progress upon one or t other Empire they accepted the Condition They passed the Danube with a design to establish themselves in Pannonia then to enter into Epirus and to make themselves Masters of Greece In this thought they collected vast Provisions and to leave behind them no Prince that might afford them any suspition they fell upon Athanaric because he refused to join them and caused a jealousy upon the account of their ancient enmities They won part of his Subjects terrified the rest and chased the King himself out of his Dominions XXXV This Prince reduced to this extremity had recourse to Theodosius whose generosity was not unknown to him He sent to him immediately one of his Captains to desire his Protection and to tell him That altho' he had not deserved this Favor he had been informed that to be unhappy sufficed to obtain a favourable reception from him that it would not be less honourable for him to have assisted the Goths upon occasion than to have conquered them that it concerned those who were Masters of the World not to suffer the Prerogatives of Royalty to be infringed that those who had chased him from his Dominions had other designs than that of oppressing such a King as he that he had rejected the counsels of those stirring spirits to whom he was become odious by this only consideration that he might be an Obstacle to their Pretensions and so he was become unfortunate because time had made him wise that indeed thro' Pride or Prevention he had been formerly averse to the Empire but that he could not be so when he saw it governed by an Emperâ—r as just as he is powerful that he had entertained the boldness of pretending to be equal to others but would think it glorious to live as his Subject in any corner of his Territories if he would be pleased to receive him XXXVI Theodosius favourably received the Request of Athanaric and as well to satisfy himself as to attract other Princes by the good entertainment he should make to this he sent him word That he sympathized with his Misfortune that he accounted as a great happiness the opportunity he had to protect him that the Empire as long as he was Master of it should be always open to such Kings as he who desired to live in his friendship that whilst he
satisfaction of Gratian who already interessed himself much in the fortune of Theodosius The Emperor Valentinian who loved glory and was always meditating upon some great design that might tend to his Honor and the Advantage of the Public attempted to make a Causey be continued from the Springs of the Rhine to its very mouth in the Sea He made himself a draught of the Forts he would have erected on both sides of the River according to the disposition of the places and having perceived that the Waters insensibly ruined a Fortress which he had built upon the Neckar he turned the Course of the River by a Channel which he caused to be made by force of Labour and Silver He had a mind to fortify the Banks of the Danube like those of the Rhine to serve as two Barriers to oppose the barbarous Nations and to render the Empire inaccessible to them He sent Orders to Equitius who commanded in Illyrium to pass into the Country of the Quades and there to erect a Cittadel where he might hold a considerable Garrison XXIV The Quades lived peaceably then under their King in Moravia and as they had no design to usurp the Lands of their Neighbors they thought themselves under no necessity to mind their own It was formerly a puissant and warlike People but they had degenerated from their ancient Valor and languished for some time in a Laziness which rendred them almost despicable Equitius preparing himself to execute the Orders of the Emperor the Quades remonstrated to him softly the injury that was done to them and sent Deputies to Court for to complain Equitius during the time an answer was expected gave Orders for the works to cease for fear of exciting Disturbances but Maximin a man cruel and active accused him of Negligence and Cowardise and charged himself with the Commission He went upon the place and ordered the continuance of the Forts which were begun without asking the consent of the Barbarians which they would undoubtedly have granted rather than have brought a war upon themselves Gabinius their King went to find him and represented to him modestly that it was an insult committed upon them without reason that it was but just to let a peaceable Nation live in Peace that disturbed not that of others that they had no longer the Ambition of Conquest but that still there remained with them that of being Masters in their own Country that they left the Grandeur and Glory of subduing the World to those who were spurred on thereto that as for them they esteemed themselves happy enough in their freedom In a word that they asked no Favor but begg'd that they might have no Injustice done them Maximin made an appearance of being affected with the reasons of this Prince and for a testimony of his Friendship invited him with some of his Retinue to a great Feast where he caused him to be inhumanly murdered The People after having lamented for some time the death of their King took up Arms to revenge it Despair was to them in the place of Courage and the Sarmats being joyned to them they passed the Danube together and dispersed themselves in the Country burning the Villages and destroying all they met in their way The Princess Constantia Daughter of the Emperor Constantius who had been betrothed to Gratian was coming then from the Eastern Court to that of the West and was taking some refreshment at a Country House Her Train was pillaged some of her Servants taken and she herself had fallen into the hands of these Barbarians if Messala who had been sent to receive her had not clapt her into a Chariot they met by accident and brought her full speed to Sirmium Probus the Praefectus Pretorio a fearful man and little used to War was in the City and prepared his Horses to make his escape in the night They endeavoured to make him understand that the Danger was not so great as he imagined that his flight would discourage the Citizens and that he would answer for all the mischances that should happen to the Princess At last he recovered himself a little from his fright and gave orders to repair the Fortifications forthwith and to get dispatched from the Neighboring Garrisons some Companies of Archers to defend the place in case of a Siege The Enemies were contented to keep the Field There was sent against them two of the best Legions of the Empire who would undoubtedly have given them a defeat but they fell out about Pretensions and Disputes of Preference and the Sarmats having forced them separately into their quarters cut them in pieces one after another The young Theodosius was sent to stop the course of these disorders and that he might act with more Authority he was advanced to the Government of Moesia and the command of the Troops of that Province XXV He parted without delay and after having observed the posture of affairs he assembled a considerable body of an Army His first application was to establish an exact Discipline amongst his Troops and to chase out of the Country a remainder of rambling and disbanded Barbarians who pillaged it with Impunity He put some to death and contented himself with having expelled the rest out of the Limits of the Empire Aster which having information that the Sarmats appeared upon the Frontier and that their Army was enlarged by a multitude of People in League with them he resolved not only to oppose their Passage but likewise to draw them to a fight The Enemies who confided in their numbers divided themselves into several bodies to make irruptions through divers places But Theodosius beat them in every encounter and after having obliged them to re-unite themselves he went to attack them in â—â—eir very Camp Notwithstanding the oppoâ—â—tion they immediately made he forced them and made so great a slaughter that they entreated him for a Peace upon such conditions as he thought fit to imposâ— and durst not infringe it so long as he continued in this Province XXVI Whilst Thoodosius the Son served the Empire so successfully in Moesia the Father was employed in the Reduction of the revolted Moors in Africk He had already disingaged a great number from the Interests of Firmus some by Menaces and some by Promises and Rewards Firmus who perceived some alteration fearing on one side to be abandoned and on the other vexed to entertain so many Troops at his own expence went out of his Camp by night and saved himself in the Mountains As soon as Theodosius had advice that this Army without a Captain was divided and retreated in disorder he took the field defeated one part of them and obliged the rest to lay down their Arms. This multitude of enemies being thus dispersed he put in the Cities Governours of an assured fidelity and pursued Firmus to the Mountains XXVII Scarce was he entred therein but he was informed that the Captain of the Rebels was fled to the Isaflians and that he was
the Huns Syrians and Carpodacks mixed together had made an irruption on this side and had cast so great a terror in all the Neigbouring Provinces that all the People of the Country had abandoned their harvests and were retired in disorder to remote Cities The Emperor encouraged them by his presence and after having made a review of his Army marched directly to the Enemies and gave battle a few days after Historians report no other circumstances than that he gained a celebrated Victory and defeated this Army of Barbarians whereof the greatest part were killed and the rest obliged to retire into their own Country from whence they durst not appear any more After this defeat the Troops thought themselves invincible under Theodosius and the People being perswaded that they could not hereafter disturb them with security resumed the care and management Zoz ibid. of their Land Then the past losses were repaired and the Empire enjoyed the fruits of the just and glorious Government of Theodosius LXV It was about this time that the King of Persia resolved to send a solemn Embassy to him Oros Hist in order to desire his Friendship and to conclude a firm alliance with him These two Nations almost always armed one against the other either for the regulation of borders or upon ancient pretentions and unexpected differences which often arise between States that are equally powerful and Neighbouring and had for a long time entertained a War which was interrupted but by some intervals of Peace and but some truces of a few years Constantius had often attempted to pass the Tygris or Euphrates and to extend his Frontiers on that side but he had rarely succeeded and if he had carried from time to time some advantages by his Generals he was always beaten when personal there But the Ammian l. 25. misfortune fell only upon the Emperor and his Troops and whether it was that the Persians had a mind to defend their Cities alone or else knew not how to reap the advantage of their Victory they did not gain an inch of ground upon the Empire Julian continued the war but having been killed in battle and the Army which he had engaged in the Enemies Country sinding it self upon the point of being destroyed either by Arms or Famine the Officers assembled to elect a Captain that might be able to disengage them from the extremity they were in and cast their eyes upon Jovian whom they chose Emperor by the consent of the whole Army This Prince who found himself obliged to repair the fault which his Predecessors had committed sought all opportunities of fighting and even carried some advantages over the Enemies in some encounters But Sapâ—r King of Persia who knew that the Romans were reduced to eat their Horses did not care to come to handy blows with them but had a mind to let them be consumed by Famine Notwithstanding altho' he saw them in this necessity and might have suffered not one to escape he feared the dispair of so many brave men and considered that what he should acquire by treaty would be more permanent and secure than what he should obtain by force of Arms. He sent first then to make to them proposals of Peace as a kind of a favour This moderation which he shewed did not cease to be very severe for besides that he kept them four days negotiating at a time when they Ammian lib. 25. endured an extream hunger he imposed upon them ignominious conditions which the extremity they were in forced them to accept of The terms were these That the Emperor should yeild to the Persians five Provinces upon the Tygris with divers Castles That he should restore to them the Cities of Nisibis and Singara and particularly that he should engage himself to furnish Arsaces King of Armenia with no assistance against the Persians notwithstanding he was one of the most faithful Allies of the Empire Jovian was constrained to sign these Articles and altho' he was urged when out of danger to infringe this agreement which necessity alone had obliged him to make and that the inhabitants of Nisihis had offered him to defend themselves and to stop as they had done several times the whole power of the King of Persia he would not consent to any proposal of Rupture nor violate the Faith which the misfortune of the time had compelled him to give Hostages were sent on both sides and a Peace concluded between the two Crowns for Thirty years This Treaty was since a subject of division The Persians swelled with this happy success thought they might undertake all things and â—he Ammian l. 27. Romans sought but for an occasion to counter vail the losses they had undergone As Armenia lay between the two Empires it might afford a considerable balance to affairs So it was disputed on both sides who should become Master thereof Sapor after he had kept himself sometime in Peace resolved to possess himself of this Kingdom He solicited the Nobility to submit to him he forced the People by continual incursions into the Heart of their Country and having drawn by his Caresses and Testimonies of Friendship the King Arsaces to an interview he seized upon him and put him to death in the Citadel of Agaban Para Son of Arsaces fearing the same entertainment went to throw himself by the counsel of the Queen his Mother into the Arms of the Romans Valens the Successour of Jovian received him and sent him to Neocesarea where he had the usage and education of a King Sometime after he commanded Terentius one of his Lieutenants to carry this Prince back into Armenia and to put him in possession of his Dominions which required his presence Altho the Emperor had been very cautious and had commanded Terentius to lead no Troops and not to assist at the Coronation of the King Sapor notwithstanding complained that Armenia was relieved and that they were wanting in one of the chief Articles of the last Treaty He entred with an Army into this Kingdom and being unable to seize upon the Person of the King who had saved himself in the Mountains where he remained concealed for five months he ravaged the Country and after a very tedious Seige took the Fort of Artogerass where the Queen Mother was enclosed with the Treasures of the late King Valens who saw the inevitable loss of Armenia if a speedy remedy did not interfere sent orders to Count Arintheus to march towards that side with the Army which he commanded and to Ammian l 27. relieve the Armenians if they still persisted to attack them Sapor who knew how to be humble end haughty according to the time stopt as soon as he heard of the approach of the Imperial Army He applied himself to gain the mind of King Para by promising to him an inviolable Alliance and Protection and engaged him by the encouragement of some Courtiers whom he had won to rid himself of two Ministers who had
the East had been agitated with cruel Tempests and that after these Persecutions the Churches stood in need of the presence of their Pastors That besides they had not the consent of their Brothers but for the Council of Constantinople and that there was not sufficient time to consult them upon the subject of that of Rome They made the same Reply to those who had invited them to this Council They added a profession of Faith whereby they acknowledged the Trinity and the Incarnation and after having rendred them an account of the election of Nectarius and that of Flavian they desired them to approve thereof and to abandon their particular Affections for the common Interest of the Church They also deputed three Bishops of their Body to those of Italy to testify their desires to see them and to assure them of their inclinations for Union and their zeal for the Faith The Emperor observing under these demonstrations of Friendship and Religion abundance of coldness and indifference in their minds received their Excuses and thought it convenient to hinder an Assembly that would be composed of two Parties already formed and which in all appearance would produce nothing but disturbances like those he had seen at Constantinople with so much displeasure Whereupon he sent word to the Emperor Gratian and to the Bishops of Italy That he had made serious reflections upon the demand which had been proposed for a general Council at Rome and that the Prelates of his Empire whom he had consulted thereupon had alledged to him the difficulty of the Journey in an advanced season and the small likelihood there was that they might be able to leave their Churches in order to be present at an Assembly which was not of that necessity after the Council of Constantinople That he could not resist these Allegations but he pray'd them to be persuaded that he would contribute towards Peace with the utmost of his power and would dispose all those thereto that were Dependants upon him LXXII In the mean time the Goths of Athanaric's Retinue were arrived in their â—own Country As they had not been chased away for any subject of particular hatred they were received without any difficulty The Fidelity which they had preserved to their Prince to the very last appeared commendable to the very Barbarians and Fritigern to whom it imported to esteem so good an example willingly retained them near his person and favoured them upon every occasion These did not cease to declare the mighty things they had seen at Constantinople and above all to praise the magnificence and courtesie of Theodosius They entertained the King and Peoplâ— with the Civilities and Endearments which he haâ— shewed Athanaric and the Honours he had reâ—dred to him after his death They exposed thâ— Presents he had made to them they repeated thâ— obliging words he had said to them and by veâ—tue of relating the great qualities of the Emperoâ— they reduced their whole Nation as much posseâ—sed against him as it was to fear him and esteeâ— him LXXIII Fritigern who saw himself advanceâ— in years who was afraid of Revolutions and besides knew how to prize and acknowledge vertuâ— resolved to seek the alliance and protection of â— Prince that was represented to him so puissaâ— and so generous He proposed his design to thâ— Army The Captains and Soldiers consenteâ— thereto the one being affected with the gooâ— entertainment of their Companions the otherâ— encouraged by the hopes of serving a liberal and gracious Emperor The King solicited the Grotungues who had been associated with him during several years to pursue the same intention buâ— they refused it whether it was that they werâ— urged to go and join the body of their Nationâ— from which they were divided or else that they were in hopes their Cavalry might still be able to make some irruptions upon the lands of the Empire and carry off some considerable booty Fritigern then made choice of the chief Capâ—ains of his Army and sent them to Theodosius in â—rder to desire his friendship and to entreat him â—o entertain for him and all his People the same â—oodness which he had discovered for Athanaric â—nd those of his Retinue He promised to be inâ—iolably fixed to the interests of the Empire and â—o do it as much service if it lay in his power as â—e had prejudice heretofore under an Emperor â—ss wise and generous than he Theodosius received this Deputation with all the â—onour and testimonies of friendship imaginable â—e promised to treat the Goths as his Allies and â—o love them as his Subjects Altho' they had proâ—osed to him no Condition he made them very â—dvantageous ones giving Orders for the proviâ—ing them with Necessaries in abundance and asâ—igning Zoz l. 4. Oros to them Lands in certain Provinces of the Empire The Goths from this time were always â—erviceable to the Emperor There was a matter â—f twenty thousand who served in divers places â—mongst his Troops the rest confined themselves â—o the banks of the Danube to obstruct the incurâ—ions of other Barbarians into the Countrey of the Romans LXXIV About this time the Bishops of Italy â—enewed their instances with Gratian upon the â—onvocation of a general Council which they preâ—ended to hold at Rome but this Prince referred â—hem to Theodosius to discharge himself of this â—are that he might not enter into the Disputes â—etween the Eastern and Western Bishops They wrote to Theodosius then upon this Subject They â—dded thereto Complaints against the Elections of Flavian and Nectarius They even disapproved of that of Gregory of Nazianzum and declared themselves in favor of Maximus desiring that his Cause might be decided at Rome as those of Athanasius Peter of Alexandria and many other Prelates of the East who had recourse to the judgment of the Roman Church The Emperor to put an end to this affair and to remove all subject of division wrote to them smartly That their Reasons were not sufficient to assemble an universal Council That the Elections of Nectarius and Flavian havinâ— been made in the East they ought not to be judged out of places where all the Parties were present That the Bishops of the East had some reason to be offended â— their unreasonable demands That as for Maximus â— admired that such enlightned Prelates had been so credulous in relation to a notorious Impostor whom he waâ— resolved to punish if he was impudent enough to come near Constantinople Thus Theodosius was careful of the affairs of the State together with those of the Church and deserved the favor of God in so many wonderful Successes which made his Reign worthy of admiration and praise The CONTENTS of the THIRD BOOK I. STate of the Eastern Empire II. State of the West III. Vertues and Defects of the Emperor Gratian. IV. Revolt of Maximus V. He draws in the Pagans VI. He intices the Troops over VII He passes the Sea and renders himself Master of Gaul VIII