entinian was seldom injured, and never
insulted, with impunity: if his prudence was arraigned, his spirit was
applauded; and the proudest and most powerful generals were apprehensive
of provoking the resentment of a fearless soldier. After he became
master of the world, he unfortunately forgot, that where no resistance
can be made, no courage can be exerted; and instead of consulting the
dictates of reason and magnanimity, he indulged the furious emotions of
his temper, at a time when they were disgraceful to himself, and fatal
to the defenceless objects of his displeasure. In the government of
his household, or of his empire, slight, or even imaginary, offences--a
hasty word, a casual omission, an involuntary delay--were chastised by
a sentence of immediate death. The expressions which issued the most
readily from the mouth of the emperor of the West were, "Strike off his
head;" "Burn him alive;" "Let him be beaten with clubs till he expires;"
[57] and his most favored ministers soon understood, that, by a
rash attempt to dispute, or suspend, the execution of his sanguinary
commands, they might involve themselves in the guilt and punishment of
disobedience. The repeated gratification of this savage justice hardened
the mind of Valentinian against pity and remorse; and the sallies of
passion were confirmed by the habits of cruelty. [58] He could behold
with calm satisfaction the convulsive agonies of torture and death; he
reserved his friendship for those faithful servants whose temper was the
most congenial to his own. The merit of Maximin, who had slaughtered the
noblest families of Rome, was rewarded with the royal approbation, and
the praefecture of Gaul.

Two fierce and enormous bears, distinguished by the appellations of
Innocence, and Mica Aurea, could alone deserve to share the favor of
Maximin. The cages of those trusty guards were always placed near the
bed-chamber of Valentinian, who frequently amused his eyes with the
grateful spectacle of seeing them tear and devour the bleeding limbs
of the malefactors who were abandoned to their rage. Their diet and
exercises were carefully inspected by the Roman emperor; and when
Innocence had earned her discharge, by a long course of meritorious
service, the faithful animal was again restored to the freedom of her
native woods. [59]

[Footnote 53: Consult the six last books of Ammianus, and more
particularly the portraits of the two royal brothers, (xxx. 8, 9, xxxi.
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