28 THE DECLINE AND FALL [Chap, xxxvi oppose, or to attack, the Vandals ; but his Barbarian mercen- aries, after the emperor's death, were tempted to revolt by the artful liberality of Bicimer. At the head of a band of faith- ful followers, the intrepid Marcellinus occupied the province of Dalmatia, assumed the title of Patrician of the West, secured the love of his subjects by a mild and equitable reign, built a fleet which claimed the dominion of the Hadriatic, and alter- nately alarmed the coasts of Italy and of Africa. 08 iEgidius, the master-general of Gaul, who equalled, or at least who imitated, and of the heroes of ancient Borne, 69 proclaimed his immortal resent- Gaui ment against the assassins of his beloved master. A brave and numerous army was attached to his standard; and, though he was prevented by the arts of Bicimer, and the arms of the Visigoths, from marching to the gates of Borne, he maintained his independent sovereignty beyond the Alps, and rendered the name of iEgidius respectable both in peace and war. The Franks, who had punished with exile the youthful follies of Childeric, elected the Boman general for their king ; his vanity, rather than his ambition, was gratified by that singular honour ; and, when the nation, at the end of four years, repented of the injury which they had offered to the Mero- vingian family, he patiently acquiesced in the restoration of [a.d. 464-5] the lawful prince. The authority of iEgidius ended only with his life ; and the suspicions of poison and secret violence, which derived some countenance from the character of Bicimer, were eagerly entertained by the passionate credulity of the Gauls. 70 The kingdom of Italy, a name to which the Western empire 68 Procopius de Bell. Vandal. 1. i. o. 6, p. 191. In various circumstances of the life of Marcellinus, it is not easy to reconcile the Greek historian with the Latin Chronicles of the times. 69 1 must apply to iEgidius the praises which Sidonius (Panegyr. Majorian. 553) bestows on a nameless master-general, who commanded the rear guard of Majorian. Idatius, from public report, commends his Christian piety ; and Priscus mentions (p. 42 [fr. 30]) hi6 military virtues. 70 Greg. Turon. 1. ii. c. 12 in torn. ii. p. 168. The Pere Daniel, whose ideas were superficial and modern, has started some objections against the story of Childeric (Hist, de France, torn. i. Preface Historique, p. lxxviii. &c.) ; but they have been fairly satisfied by Dubos (Hist. Critique, torn. i. p. 460-510) and by two authors who disputed the prize of the Academy of Soissons (p. 131-177, 310-339). With regard to the term of Childeric's exile, it is necessary either to prolong the life of jEgidius beyond the date assigned by the Chronicle of Idatius, or to correct the text of Gregory, by reading quarto anno, instead of octavo. [The second alternative is undoubtedly right.]
