16 THE DECLINE AND FALL [Chap, xxxvi cutioner, arrested him on the road ; yet his remains were decently transported to Brivas, or Brioude, in his native pro- vince, and he reposed at the feet of his holy patron. 37 Avitus [Papian- left only 38 one daughter, the wife of Sidonius Apollinaris, who inherited the patrimony of his father-in-law ; lamenting, at the same time, the disappointment of his public and private expec- tations. His resentment prompted him to join, or at least to countenance, the measures of a rebellious faction in Gaul ; and the poet had contracted some guilt, which it was incumbent on him to expiate by a new tribute of flattery to the succeeding emperor. 39 character The successor of Avitus presents the welcome discovery of a and eleva- , -, ■, • ■, •■ , • , tion of great and heroic character, such as sometimes arise m a de- A.D. 457 n ' generate age, to vindicate the honour of the human species. Valerius The emperor Majorian has deserved the praises of his contem- anuef 1 poraries, and of posterity ; and these praises may be strongly expressed in the words of a judicious and disinterested historian : " That he was gentle to his subjects ; that he was terrible to his enemies ; and that he excelled in every virtue all his pre- decessors who had reigned over the Eomans ". 4U Such a testi- mony may justify at least the panegyric of Sidonius ; and we may acquiesce in the assurance that, although the obsequious orator would have flattered, with equal zeal, the most worthless of princes, the extraordinary merit of his object confined him, dedicated to the glory of Julian the Martyr an entire book (de Gloria Martyrum, 1. ii. in Max. Bibliot. Patrum, torn. xi. p. 861-871), in which he relates about fifty foolish miracles performed by his relics. 37 Gregory of Tours (1. ii. c. xi. p. 168) is concise, but correct, in the reign of his countryman. The words of Idatius, " caret imperio, caret et vita," seem to imply that the death of Avitus was violent ; but it must have been secret, since Evagrius (1. ii. c. 7) could suppose that he died of the plague. 38 [He had also a son Ecdicius, who subsequently distinguished himself in the defence of Auvergne in a.d. 474.] 39 After a modest appeal to the examples of his brethren, Virgil and Horace, Sidonius honestly confesses the debt, and promises payment. Sic mihi diverso nuper sub Marte cadenti Jussi6ti placido [Leo reads erecto] victor ut essem animo. Serviat ergo tibi servati lingua poetro, Atque me© vitas laus tua sit pretium. Sidon. Apoll. carm. iv. p. 308. See Dubos, Hist. Critique, torn. i. p. 448, &c. 4U The words of'Procopius deserve to be transcribed; ovtos yap 6 MatopTvos ^vfXTravras robs Trwrrore 'Pwjxaiayv £e/3a<nAeuK^Tar virepalpwv apery Trdcrr] ; and afterwards, av)]p to ixtv els robs vit7)k6ovs fierpios yeyovws, (pofiepbs Se to is robs TroAe/xlovs (de Bell. Vandal. 1. i. c. 7, p. 194) : a concise but comprehensive definition of royal virtue.
