NON- FICTION UNABRIDGED Edward Gibbon THE Decline and Fall ––––––––––––– of the ––––––––––––– Roman Empire Read by David Timson Volum e I I 1 Chapter 16 10:13 2 Since the Jews, who rejected with abhorrence... 8:47 3 The personal guilt which every Christian had contracted... 11:21 4 I: By the wise dispensation of Providence... 11:24 5 But it would be improper to dismiss this account... 8:11 6 It is somewhat remarkable that the flames of war... 7:13 7 II: About ten years afterwards, under the reign of Trajan... 8:36 8 III: Punishment was not the inevitable consequence... 5:52 9 Whenever they were invested with a discretionary power... 7:23 10 The propriety of reserving himself for the future... 11:29 11 The sober discretion of the present age... 9:02 12 IV: Notwithstanding the general rules established... 12:12 13 Notwithstanding the cruel disposition of Maximin... 8:03 14 Notwithstanding these scandalous vices... 10:50 15 Although the policy of Diocletian... 9:54 16 This edict was scarcely exhibited to the public view... 9:38 17 Some slight disturbances... 6:35 18 The revolt of Maxentius immediately restore peace... 9:33 19 But this treacherous calm was of short duration... 8:22 20 The vague descriptions of exile and imprisonment... 7:09 2 21 Chapter 17 10:34 22 The harbour of Constantinople, which may be considered... 9:49 23 The prospect of beauty, of safety, and of wealth... 9:24 24 During the seige of Byzantium... 10:56 25 The frequent and regular distributions of wine and oil... 6:02 26 The foundation of a new capital is naturally connected... 6:52 27 I: As long as the Roman consuls were the first magistrates... 9:49 28 II: The fortunes of the Praetorian praefects... 12:02 29 As the spirit of jealousy and ostentation prevailed... 10:21 30 III: In the system of policy introduced by Augustus... 8:25 31 The same timid policy, of dividing whatever is united... 10:37 32 IV: Besides the magistrates and generals... 8:59 33 4. The extraordinary title of count of the sacred largesses... 8:11 34 The deceitful and dangerous experiment... 10:44 35 The agriculture of the Roman provinces... 8:03 36 But this tax or capitation on the proprietors of land... 7:14 37 Chapter 18 9:16 38 The same fortune which so invariably followed the standard... 10:42 39 The innocence of Crispus was so universally acknowledged... 11:28 40 Among the different branches of the human race... 8:20 3 41 He contributed at least to improve this advantage... 8:38 42 But this reign could subsist only in empty pageantry... 7:31 43 While the martial nations of Europe... 7:35 44 During the long period of the reign of Constantius... 9:52 45 After the partition of the empire... 9:23 46 The intelligence of these important events... 7:58 47 The behaviour of Constantius on this memorable occasion... 9:01 48 The approach of winter supplied the indolence of Constantius... 8:19 49 Chapter 19 8:20 50 The writers the most indulgent to the memory of Gallus... 7:48 51 After such a deed... 8:52 52 By the intercession of his patroness... 8:43 53 The two princes returned to the palace in the same chariot... 8:13 54 The satisfaction which Constantius had received... 10:53 55 While the Roman emperor and the Persian monarch... 9:19 56 The ancient city of Amid or Amida... 8:19 57 The defence of the East against the arms of Sapor... 11:03 58 Immediately after Julian had received the purple... 11:56 59 After Julian had repulsed the Alemanni from the provinces... 11:43 60 A tender regard for the peace and happiness... 7:54 4 61 Chapter 20 8:35 62 As long as Constantine exercised a limited sovereignty... 10:53 63 In the general order of Providence, princes and tyrants... 8:02 64 I: An instrument of the tortures which were inflicted... 5:24 65 II: In all occasions of danger or distress... 5:31 66 III: The philosopher, who with calm suspicion... 11:19 67 The awful mysteries of the Christian faith and worship... 8:34 68 The gratitude of the church has exalted the virtues... 8:34 69 But the distinction of the spiritual and temporal powers... 7:02 70 I: The freedom of elections subsisted long after... 4:51 71 II: The bishops alone possessed the faculty... 5:24 72 III: The edict of Milan secured the revenue as well as... 7:03 73 IV: The Latin clergy, who erected their tribunal... 9:59 74 VI: Every popular government has experienced the effects... 8:08 75 Chapter 21 9:06 76 But this incident, so inconsiderable... 10:36 77 The eloquence of Plato, the name of Solomon... 7:56 78 I: A chosen society of philosophers... 11:02 79 When the mysteries of the Christian faith... 10:02 80 This pure and distinct equality was tempered... 11:18 5 81 The provinces of Egypt and Asia, which cultivated... 9:51 82 But, as if the conduct of the emperor had been guided... 8:34 83 Our more intimate knowledge of the ecclesiastical... 10:36 84 In his youth, the primate of Egypt resisted... 11:15 85 During his second exile in the West... 9:12 86 The friends of Athanasius were not, however... 8:00 87 The disgrace and exile of the orthodox bishops of the West... 10:39 88 The retirement of Athanasius, which ended only... 9:10 89 I: The Roman pontiff, as long as he maintained... 8:59 90 The cruel and arbitrary disposition of Constantius... 9:02 91 Such disorders are the natural effects of religious tyranny... 8:28 92 The sons of Constantine trod in the footsteps... 8:53 93 Chapter 22 10:15 94 After a painful conflict, Julian was compelled... 10:57 95 To moderate the zeal of his party... 12:59 96 The situation of Julian required a vigorous... 9:58 97 The homage which Julian obtained from the fears... 10:47 98 A few days afterwards, when the remains... 8:48 99 The reformation of the Imperial court... 9:31 100 Before the end of the year in which... 9:57 6 101 From Constantinople, the attention of the monarch... 9:17 102 Chapter 23 9:00 103 As soon as Gallus was invested with the honours... 12:12 104 In every age the absence of genuine inspiration... 10:02 105 The dissimulation of Julian lasted about ten years... 7:45 106 As soon as he ascended the throne... 10:28 107 The enthusiasm of Julian prompted him to embrace... 10:44 108 In the midst of a rocky and barren country... 10:11 109 Yet on this occasion, the joint efforts of power... 10:54 110 It was undoubtedly the wish and design of Julian... 6:22 111 At the distance of five miles from Antioch... 11:42 112 George, from his parents or his education, surnamed... 9:07 113 After the tumult of Alexandria had subsided... 11:43 114 Chapter 24 9:32 115 If Julian had flattered himself... 8:45 116 Yet Antioch possessed one citizen, whose genius... 8:23 117 Hierapolis, situated almost on the banks of the Euphrates... 10:12 118 The country which they traversed from the Chaboras... 8:33 119 The fields of Assyria were devoted by Julian... 6:08 120 The fortifications were razed to the ground... 6:48 7 121 As it becomes an emperor who has filled the first rank... 10:51 122 On the second day after the battle the domestic guards... 8:27 123 The cumbersome train of artillery and wagons... 8:11 124 While Julian struggled with the almost insuperable... 10:17 125 The triumph of Christianity, and the calamities... 9:35 126 In this hopeless situation, the fainting spirits... 10:14 127 The friends of Julian had confidently announced... 7:57 128 After Jovian had performed those engagements... 6:38 129 Chapter 25 7:18 130 The consternation of the Pagan world was dispelled... 11:29 131 The invitation of the ministers and generals at Nice... 8:06 132 The tranquillity of the East was soon disturbed... 12:00 133 Such indeed are the common and natural fruits of despotism... 9:58 134 After he became master of the world... 9:56 135 The friend of toleration was unfortunately placed... 9:59 136 The strict regulations which have been framed... 10:14 137 I: The ambassadors of the Alemanni had been offended... 6:18 138 While the Alemanni appeared to be humbled... 10:22 139 The rumour of the successful armaments... 4:47 140 II: The fabulous colonies of Egyptians and Trojans... 8:52 8 141 Six years after the death of Constantine... 7:48 142 III: The prince who refuses to be the judge... 10:45 143 Africa had been lost by the vices of Romanus... 5:49 144 IV: The ignominious treaty which saved the army of Jovian... 11:58 145 V: During a peaceful interval of thirty years... 7:42 146 The splendour and magnitude of this Gothic war... 10:30 147 The mind of Valentinian, who then resided at Treves... 10:45 Total time: 22:32:20 9 Edward Gibbon the Decline and Fall ––––––––––––– of the ––––––––––––– Roman Empire Volum e I I SUMMARY OF THE CONTENTS the number of persecutions and the indulgence of the emperors • Growth in Chapter 16 a period of relative peace after Severus The conduct of the Roman government (222-235) • Growth of new persecution towards the Christians, from the reign in the reign of Diocletian (284-305) • The of Nero to that of Constantine • The cruelty and violence inflicted against the toleration of the Jewish nation • The Christians • The toleration of Constantius nontoleration of the Christian sect • Nero (305) in the West • Continued persecution (54-68) blames the Christians for the in the Eastern Empire under Galerius and burning of Rome and persecutes them • Maximin • Gibbon expresses doubt about Trajan (98-117) insists on conviction for the extent of the persecutions being Christian, but not persecution • Hadrian (117-138) and Antoninus (138- Chapter 17 161) follow suit • The tribulations of The Foundation of Constantinople by Bishop Cyprian of Africa in the reigns Constantine • Survey of Byzantium