perial purple. The zeal which he displayed
for the orthodox creed, as it was established by the council of
Chalcedon, would alone have inspired the grateful eloquence of the
Catholics. But the behavior of Marcian in a private life, and afterwards
on the throne, may support a more rational belief, that he was qualified
to restore and invigorate an empire, which had been almost dissolved
by the successive weakness of two hereditary monarchs. He was born in
Thrace, and educated to the profession of arms; but Marcian's youth
had been severely exercised by poverty and misfortune, since his only
resource, when he first arrived at Constantinople, consisted in two
hundred pieces of gold, which he had borrowed of a friend. He passed
nineteen years in the domestic and military service of Aspar, and his
son Ardaburius; followed those powerful generals to the Persian and
African wars; and obtained, by their influence, the honorable rank of
tribune and senator. His mild disposition, and useful talents, without
alarming the jealousy, recommended Marcian to the esteem and favor of
his patrons; he had seen, perhaps he had felt, the abuses of a venal and
oppressive administration; and his own example gave weight and energy to
the laws, which he promulgated for the reformation of manners. [52]

[Footnote 50: Theodorus the Reader, (see Vales. Hist. Eccles. tom. iii.
p. 563,) and the Paschal Chronicle, mention the fall, without specifying
the injury: but the consequence was so likely to happen, and so unlikely
to be invented, that we may safely give credit to Nicephorus Callistus,
a Greek of the fourteenth century.]

[Footnote 51: Pulcheriae nutu (says Count Marcellinus) sua cum avaritia
interemptus est. She abandoned the eunuch to the pious revenge of a
son, whose father had suffered at his instigation. Note: Might not the
execution of Chrysaphius have been a sacrifice to avert the anger of
Attila, whose assassination the eunuch had attempted to contrive?--M.]

[Footnote 52: de Bell. Vandal. l. i. c. 4. Evagrius, l. ii. c. 1.
Theophanes, p. 90, 91. Novell. ad Calcem. Cod. Theod. tom. vi. p. 30.
The praises which St. Leo and the Catholics have bestowed on Marcian,
are diligently transcribed by Baronius, as an encouragement for future
princes.]

Chapter XXXV: Invasion By Attila.--Part I.

Invasion Of Gaul By Attila.--He Is Repulsed By Aetius And
The Visigoths.--Attila Invades And Evacuates Italy.--The
Deaths Of Att