p. 195-197.)]

[Footnote 38: Carsamatium. Graeci vocant, amputatis virilibus et virga,
puerum eunuchum quos Verdunenses mercatores obinmensum lucrum facere
solent et in Hispaniam ducere, (Liutprand, l. vi. c. 3, p. 470.)--The
last abomination of the abominable slave-trade! Yet I am surprised
to find, in the xth century, such active speculations of commerce in
Lorraine.]

In an absolute government, which levels the distinctions of noble and
plebeian birth, the sovereign is the sole fountain of honor; and the
rank, both in the palace and the empire, depends on the titles and
offices which are bestowed and resumed by his arbitrary will. Above a
thousand years, from Vespasian to Alexius Comnenus, [39] the Caesar
was the second person, or at least the second degree, after the supreme
title of Augustus was more freely communicated to the sons and brothers
of the reigning monarch. To elude without violating his promise to
a powerful associate, the husband of his sister, and, without giving
himself an equal, to reward the piety of his brother Isaac, the crafty
Alexius interposed a new and supereminent dignity. The happy flexibility
of the Greek tongue allowed him to compound the names of Augustus and
Emperor (Sebastos and Autocrator,) and the union produces the sonorous
title of Sebastocrator. He was exalted above the Caesar on the first
step of the throne: the public acclamations repeated his name; and he
was only distinguished from the sovereign by some peculiar ornaments
of the head and feet. The emperor alone could assume the purple or red
buskins, and the close diadem or tiara, which imitated the fashion of
the Persian kings. [40] It was a high pyramidal cap of cloth or silk,
almost concealed by a profusion of pearls and jewels: the crown was
formed by a horizontal circle and two arches of gold: at the summit,
the point of their intersection, was placed a globe or cross, and two
strings or lappets of pearl depended on either cheek. Instead of red,
the buskins of the Sebastocrator and Caesar were green; and on
their open coronets or crowns, the precious gems were more sparingly
distributed. Beside and below the Caesar the fancy of Alexius
created the Panhypersebastos and the Protosebastos, whose sound and
signification will satisfy a Grecian ear. They imply a superiority and
a priority above the simple name of Augustus; and this sacred and
primitive title of the Roman prince was degraded to the kinsmen and
servants of th