tune in Italia ad
ex ercitum singularem.]

[Footnote 28: Parcens innocentiae Aviti, is the compassionate, but
contemptuous, language of Victor Tunnunensis, (in Chron. apud Scaliger
Euseb.) In another place, he calls him, vir totius simplicitatis. This
commendation is more humble, but it is more solid and sincere, than the
praises of Sidonius]

[Footnote 29: He suffered, as it is supposed, in the persecution of
Diocletian, (Tillemont, Mem. Eccles. tom. v. p. 279, 696.) Gregory of
Tours, his peculiar votary, has dedicated to the glory of Julian the
Martyr an entire book, (de Gloria Martyrum, l. ii. in Max. Bibliot.
Patrum, tom. xi. p. 861-871,) in which he relates about fifty foolish
miracles performed by his relics.]

[Footnote 30: Gregory of Tours (l. ii. c. xi. p. 168) is concise, but
correct, in the reign of his countryman. The words of Idatius, "cadet
imperio, caret et vita," seem to imply, that the death of Avitus was
violent; but it must have been secret, since Evagrius (l. ii. c. 7)
could suppose, that he died of the plaque.]

[Footnote 31: After a modest appeal to the examples of his brethren,
Virgil and Horace, Sidonius honestly confesses the debt, and promises
payment.

Sic mihi diverso nuper sub Marte cadenti
Jussisti placido Victor ut essem animo.
Serviat ergo tibi servati lingua poetae,
Atque meae vitae laus tua sit pretium.
--Sidon. Apoll. Carm. iv. p. 308

See Dubos, Hist. Critique, tom. i. p. 448, &c.]

The successor of Avitus presents the welcome discovery of a great and
heroic character, such as sometimes arise, in a degenerate age, to
vindicate the honor of the human species. The emperor Majorian has
deserved the praises of his contemporaries, and of posterity; and
these praises may be strongly expressed in the words of a judicious and
disinterested historian: "That he was gentle to his subjects; that he
was terrible to his enemies; and that he excelled, in every virtue, all
his predecessors who had reigned over the Romans." [32] Such a testimony
may justify at least the panegyric of S donius; and we may acquiesce
in the assurance, that, although the obsequious orator would have
flattered, with equal zeal, the most worthless of princes, the
extraordinary merit of his object confined him, on this occasion, within
the bounds of truth. [33] Majorian derived his name from his maternal
grandfather, who, in the reign of the great Theodosius, had commanded
the troops of the