Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/20

 2 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAT, strove to increase their respective forces at the expense _L '___ of their subjects. Character As soun US Diocletiau and Maximian had resigned tion of Con- ^^^ purplc, their station, according to the rules of the stantius. new constitution, was filled by the two Caesars, Con- stantius and Galerius, who immediately assumed the title of Augustus ''. The honours of seniority and pre- cedence were allowed to the former of those princes ; and he continued, under a new appellation, to admi- nister his ancient department of Gaul, Spain, and Bri- tain. The government of those ample provinces was sufficient to exercise his talents, and to satisfy his am- bition. Clemency, temperance, and moderation, dis- tinguished the amiable character of Constantius ; and his fortunate subjects had frequently occasion to com- pare the virtues of their sovereign with the passions of Maximian, and even with the arts of Diocletian ''. Instead of imitating their eastern pride and magni- ficence, Constantius preserved the modesty of a Roman prince. He declared, with unaffected sincerity, that his most valued treasure was in the hearts of his peo- ple ; and that, whenever the dignity of the throne, or the danger of the state, required any extraordinary supply, he could depend with confidence on their gra- titude and liberality''. The provincials of Gaul, Spain, and Britain, sensible of his worth and of their own happiness, reflected with anxiety on the declining health of the emperor Constantius, and the tender age •' M. de IMontesquieu (Considerations sur la Grandeur et la Decadence des Remains, c. 17.) supposes, on the authority of Orosius and Eusebius, that, on this occasion, the empire, for the first time, was realty divided into two parts. It is difficult, however, to discover in what respect the plan of Galerius differed from that of Diocletian. ^ Hie non modo amabilis, sed etiam venerabilis Gallis fuit; prjecipue quod Diocletiani suspectam prudentiam, et JMaximiani sanguiuariam vio- lentiam imperio ejus evaserant. Eutrop. Breviar. x. i. •^ Divitiis provincialium (mel. proiiiiciarum) ac privatorum studens, fisci commoda non admodum afTectans ; ducensque melius publicas opes a pri- vatis haberi, quam intra unum claustrum reservari. Id. Ibid. He carried this maxim so far, that whenever he gave an entertainment, he was obliged to borrow a service of plate.