Beacon Lights of History, Volume 04 eBook

John Lord
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 293 pages of information about Beacon Lights of History, Volume 04.

Beacon Lights of History, Volume 04 eBook

John Lord
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 293 pages of information about Beacon Lights of History, Volume 04.
the brother of the murdered Gratian, who was however a mere boy, and was ruled by his mother Justina, an Arian,—­that celebrated woman who quarrelled with Ambrose, archbishop of Milan.  Valentinian was even more feeble than Gratian, and Maximus, not contented with the sovereignty of the three most important provinces of the Empire, resolved to reign over the entire West.  Theodosius, who had dissembled his anger and waited for opportunity, now advanced to the relief of Valentinian, who had been obliged to fly from Milan,—­the seat of his power.  But in two months Theodosius subdued his rival, who fled to Italy, only, however, to be dragged from the throne and executed.

Having terminated the civil war, and after a short residence in Milan, Theodosius made his triumphal entry into the ancient capital of the world.  He was now the absolute and undisputed master of the East and the West, as Constantine had been, whom he resembled in his military genius and executive ability; but he gave to Valentinian (a youth of twenty, murdered a few months after) the provinces of Italy and Illyria, and intrusted Gaul to the care of Arbogastes,—­a gallant soldier among the Franks, who, like Maximus, aspired to reign.  But power was dearer to the valiant Frank than a name; and he made his creature, the rhetorician Eugenius, the nominal emperor of the West.  Hence another civil war; but this more serious than the last, and for which Theodosius was obliged to make two years’ preparation.  The contest was desperate.  Victory at one time seemed even to be on the side of Arbogastes:  Theodosius was obliged to retire to the hills on the confines of Italy, apparently subdued, when, in the utmost extremity of danger, a desertion of troops from the army of the triumphant barbarian again gave him the advantage, and the bloody and desperate battle on the banks of the Frigidus re-established Theodosius as the supreme ruler of the world.  Both Arbogastes and Eugenius were slain, and the East and West were once more and for the last time united.  The division of the Empire under Diocletian had not proved a wise policy, but was perhaps necessary; since only a Hercules could have borne the burdens of undivided sovereignty in an age of turbulence, treason, revolts, and anarchies.  It was probably much easier for Tiberius or Trajan to rule the whole world than for one of the later emperors to rule a province.  Alfred had a harder task than Charlemagne, and Queen Elizabeth than Queen Victoria.

I have dwelt very briefly on those contests in which the great Theodosius was obliged to fight for his crown and for the Empire.  For a time he had delivered the citizens from the fear of the Goths, and had re-established the imperial sovereignty over the various provinces.  But only for a time.  The external dangers reappeared at his death.  He only averted impending ruin; he only propped up a crumbling Empire.  No human genius could have long prevented the fall.  Hence his struggles with barbarians and with rebels have no deep interest to us.  We associate with his reign something more important than these outward conflicts.  Civilization at large owes him a great debt for labors in another field, for which he is most truly immortal,—­for which his name is treasured by the Church,—­for which he was one of the great benefactors.

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Beacon Lights of History, Volume 04 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.