Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 1.djvu/252

228 We cannot forbear transcribing the ingenious, though somewhat fanciful description, which a celebrated writer of our own times has traced of the military government of the Roman empire. "What in that age was called the Roman empire, was only an irregular republic, not unlike the aristocracy of Algiers, where the militia, possessed of the sovereignty, creates and deposes a magistrate, who is styled a dey. Perhaps, indeed, it may be laid down as a general rule, that a military government is, in some respects, more republican than monarchical. Nor can it be said that the soldiers only partook of the government by their disobedience and rebellions. The speeches made to them by the emperors, were they not at length of the same nature as those formerly pronounced to the people by the consuls and the tribunes ? And although the armies had no regular place or forms of assembly ; though their debates were short, their action sudden, and their resolves seldom the result of cool reflection ; did they not dispose, with absolute sway, of the public fortune? What was the emperor, except the minister of a violent government, elected for the private benefit of the soldiers ?

"When the army had elected Philip, who was pretorian prefect to the third Gordian, the latter demanded that he might remain sole emperor; he was unable to obtain it. He requested that the power might be equally divided between them ; the army would not listen to his speech. He consented to be degraded to the rank of Caesar; the favour was refused him. He desired, at least, he might be appointed pretorian prefect ; his prayer was rejected. Finally, he pleaded for his life. The army, in these several judgements, exercised the supreme magistracy." According to the historian whose doubtful narrative