lled the fears of his Illyrian
general; and during the remainder of that reign, the formidable sword of
Claudius was always drawn in the cause of a master whom he despised.
At last, indeed, he received from the conspirators the bloody purple
of Gallienus: but he had been absent from their camp and counsels; and
however he might applaud the deed, we may candidly presume that he was
innocent of the knowledge of it. [6] When Claudius ascended the throne,
he was about fifty-four years of age.

[Footnote 3: Some supposed him, oddly enough, to be a bastard of the
younger Gordian. Others took advantage of the province of Dardania, to
deduce his origin from Dardanus, and the ancient kings of Troy.]

[Footnote 4: Notoria, a periodical and official despatch which the
emperor received from the frumentarii, or agents dispersed through the
provinces. Of these we may speak hereafter.]

[Footnote 5: Hist. August. p. 208. Gallienus describes the plate,
vestments, etc., like a man who loved and understood those splendid
trifles.]

[Footnote 6: Julian (Orat. i. p. 6) affirms that Claudius acquired the
empire in a just and even holy manner. But we may distrust the
partiality of a kinsman.]

The siege of Milan was still continued, and Aureolus soon discovered
that the success of his artifices had only raised up a more determined
adversary. He attempted to negotiate with Claudius a treaty of alliance
and partition. "Tell him," replied the intrepid emperor, "that such
proposals should have been made to Gallienus; he, perhaps, might have
listened to them with patience, and accepted a colleague as despicable
as himself." [7] This stern refusal, and a last unsuccessful effort,
obliged Aureolus to yield the city and himself to the discretion of the
conqueror. The judgment of the army pronounced him worthy of death; and
Claudius, after a feeble resistance, consented to the execution of the
sentence. Nor was the zeal of the senate less ardent in the cause of
their new sovereign. They ratified, perhaps with a sincere transport
of zeal, the election of Claudius; and, as his predecessor had shown
himself the personal enemy of their order, they exercised, under the
name of justice, a severe revenge against his friends and family. The
senate was permitted to discharge the ungrateful office of punishment,
and the emperor reserved for himself the pleasure and merit of obtaining
by his intercession a general act of indemnity. [8]

[Footnote 7: Hist