the emperor
Justin the rapid and irretrievable loss of his provinces and cities.
[19] One city, which had been diligently fortified by the Goths,
resisted the arms of a new invader; and while Italy was subdued by the
flying detachments of the Lombards, the royal camp was fixed above three
years before the western gate of Ticinum, or Pavia. The same courage
which obtains the esteem of a civilized enemy provokes the fury of a
savage, and the impatient besieger had bound himself by a tremendous
oath, that age, and sex, and dignity, should be confounded in a general
massacre. The aid of famine at length enabled him to execute his bloody
vow; but, as Alboin entered the gate, his horse stumbled, fell, and
could not be raised from the ground. One of his attendants was prompted
by compassion, or piety, to interpret this miraculous sign of the wrath
of Heaven: the conqueror paused and relented; he sheathed his sword, and
peacefully reposing himself in the palace of Theodoric, proclaimed to
the trembling multitude that they should live and obey. Delighted
with the situation of a city which was endeared to his pride by the
difficulty of the purchase, the prince of the Lombards disdained the
ancient glories of Milan; and Pavia, during some ages, was respected as
the capital of the kingdom of Italy. [20]

[Footnote 18: Which from this translation was called New Aquileia,
(Chron. Venet. p. 3.) The patriarch of Grado soon became the first
citizen of the republic, (p. 9, &c.,) but his seat was not removed to
Venice till the year 1450. He is now decorated with titles and honors;
but the genius of the church has bowed to that of the state, and the
government of a Catholic city is strictly Presbyterian. Thomassin,
Discipline de l'Eglise, tom. i. p. 156, 157, 161--165. Amelot de la
Houssaye, Gouvernement de Venise, tom. i. p. 256--261.]

[Footnote 19: Paul has given a description of Italy, as it was then
divided into eighteen regions, (l. ii. c. 14--24.) The Dissertatio
Chorographica de Italia Medii Aevi, by Father Beretti, a Benedictine
monk, and regius professor at Pavia, has been usefully consulted.]

[Footnote 20: For the conquest of Italy, see the original materials
of Paul, (l. p. 7--10, 12, 14, 25, 26, 27,) the eloquent narrative of
Sigonius, (tom. il. de Regno Italiae, l. i. p. 13--19,) and the
correct and critical review el Muratori, (Annali d' Italia, tom. v. p.
164--180.)]

The reign of the founder was splendid and transien