The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Volume 6) - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1806. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Chap-After the success of the Gothic war, Clovis ac Vlll, i-yO cepted the honours of the Roman consulship. o0ciovi1P ne emPercr Anastasius ambitiously bestowed on A. D.510. the most powerful rival of Theodoric, the title and ensigns of that eminent dignity; yet, from some unknown cause, the name of Clovis has not been inscribed in the Fasti either of the East or West On the solemn day, the monarch of Gaul, placing a diadem on his head, was invested in the church of St Martin, with a purple tunic and mantle. From thence he proceeded on horseback to the cathedral of Tours; and, as he passed through the streets, profusely scattered, with his own hand, a donative of gold and silver to the joyful multitude, who incessantly repeated their acclamations of Consul and Augustus. The actual, or legal, authority of Clovis, could not receive any new accessions from the consular dignity. It was a name, a shadow, an empty pageant; and if the conqueror had been instructed to 1. i. c. 12. in tom. ii. p. 32, 33.) Gregory of Tours (1. ii. c. 35, 36, 37. in tom. ii. p. 181--183.) Jornandes (de Reb. ' Geticis, c. 58. in tom. ii. p. 28.) Fortunatus (in Vit. St Hilarii, in tom. iii. p. 380.) Isidore (in Chron. Goth, in tom, ii. p. 702.) the Epitome of Gregory of Tours (in tom. ii. p. 401.) the author of the Gesta Ftancorum (in tom. ii. p. 553--555.) the Fragments,of Fredegarius (in tom. ii. p. 463.) Aimoin (1. i. c. 20. in tom., iii. p. 41, 42.) and Rorico (1. iv. in tom. iii. p. 14--19.) The Fasti of Italy would naturally reject a consul, the enemy of their sovereign; but any ingenious hypothesis that might explain the silence of Constantinople and Egypt (the Chronicle of Marcellinus, and the Paschal,) is overturned by the similar silence of Marius bishop of Avenche, who composed h...