Modern Europe
AVERIL CAMERON. Agathias. New York: Oxford MODERN EUROPE University Press. 1970. Pp. ix, 168. $5.50. GERHARD MULLER. Die romische Kurie und die Agathias, a poet, anthologist, and practicing Reformation I523-I534: Kirche und Politik lawyer, wrote a continuation of Procopius, wiihrend des Pontifikates Clemens' VII. (Quel len und Forschungen zur Reformationsge relating the wars of Justinian from 552 to schichte, Number 38.) [Gutersloh:] Gutersloher 559. He is one of the few secular historians Verlagshaus Gerd Mohn. 1969. Pp. 307. DM 45. of the early Byzantine period whose work survives in full; and although we might well In attempting to comprehend the actions of prefer the accidents of preservation to have Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ahr/article/76/3/767/94214 by guest on 30 September 2021 Pope Clement VII, even Charles v's memoirs spared Eunapius, Priscus, or Menander in express the exasperation: "God knows why stead, Agathias is of uncontestable value not the Pope acted thus." Divine understanding only as a source of data but also as a repre aside, Gerhard Muller's historical under sentative of the literary tradition in which he standing of Clement's politics does omit very wrote. revealing evidence as to the pope's rationale. It is particularly from the latter standpoint Contarini, "the Venetian More," put an ar that Mrs. Cameron has studied him, for, as gument before Clement as regards the latter's she insists, Agathias prized the literary qual choice of seeking the particular good of the ity of his work at least as highly as its veracity. Papal State instead of the common good of He steeped himself in the historical classics, the Christian community. Clement's non preferring this to research into his actual answer to the question is suggestive. He told subject matter; his vocabulary is studded Contarini that "the craftiest man is held to with borrowings from Herodotus and Thu be the most capable and wins the most ap cydides; for the sake of a suitably solemn and plause, while if one acts otherwise one is sim antique tone contemporary peoples and in ply considered a good-natured but imprac stitutions are rarely called by their proper ticable fellow." Clement's response affirmed names; and, most oddly of all for the sixth Machiavelli's arte dello Stato, though he century A.D., Christianity is treated as though himself negated the necessary resoluteness it were a rare and exotic cult. These are con of his office. ventions of the genre, and much of the inter The merit of Muller's work, however, is est of Mrs. Cameron's study is that she that he neither hangs upon Clement's dila analyzes them in detail. The Agathias who tory nature and strategy alone nor laments emerges after the literary conventions are the lack of a kenotic spirit rightfully expected peeled away turns out to differ very little from this "feeder of sheep." The author's from contemporary ecclesiastical historians perspective disavows the polarization of pa in his concepts of historical process: disasters pal efforts into right and wrong simplifications are the punishment for sin in a world gov and asserts history as complexification. erned by an unmistakably Christian God. By Within the framework of curial machi disclosing this tension between literary form nations and venality, all the subtle nuances and inner belief, Mrs. Cameron has made a of circumstance unfold. Oscillations to and valuable contribution to our understanding from Rome reflect the conflicting reports of of the Byzantine mentality in the sixth cen legates, the slowness of communication, and tury. the self-interest of the secular princes. One thing to regret in a book as brief as Throughout this well-documented work this one is that it does not contain Mrs. Cam the papacy's lack of a decisive and compre eron's major studies of Agathias' excursuses hensive program is in continuous evidence. on Persian and Frankish affairs-the most in Amid political one-upmanship and family teresting portions of the History. These sep interest, two failures stand out: Clement's sup arately published articles should definitely port of France against the Habsburgs, when have been reprinted here. France, with or without papal support, could WALTER GOFFART not arrest the Habsburg hegemony; and Clem University of Toronto ent's reluctance to call a General Council.