Pinnock's improved edition of Dr. Goldsmith's History of Rome

195

Car'thage, the celebrated capital of Africa Pro'pria, was built by the Tyr'ians, under Dido. This city, the mistress of Spain, Si'cily, and Sardin'ia, was long the rival of Rome, till it was totally destroyed by Scip'io the Second, surnamed Africa'nus, B.C. 147. In its height of prosperity, it contained upwards of 700,000 inhabitants.

196

This must be distinguished from Adrian'ople, the second city of European Turkey, which was founded about A.M. 2782, and repaired by the emperor Adrian, A.D. 122. Hence, its name.

197

The poet here alludes to Titus, whom he has before been commending; his actions are described in Chap. XXII. Sect X.

198

These stanzas are —

Animula, vagula, blandula,Hospes, comesque corporisQuæ nonc abibis in loca,Pallidula, rigida, nudula?Nec, ut soles, dabis jocos.

Thus imitated by Prior:

Poor little pretty fluttering thing,Must we no longer live together?And dost thou prune thy trembling wingTo take thy flight thou know'st not whither?Thy hum'rous vein, thy pleasing folly,Lie all neglected, all forgot;And pensive, wav'ring, melancholy,Thou dread'st and hop'st thou know'st not what

199

Antoni'nus being made a model of wisdom and virtue, he was as much respected by foreigners as by his own people?

200

This emperor was remarkably favourable to the Christians, and wrote thus to his governors in Asia: – "If any one shall, for the future, molest the Christians, and accuse them merely on account of their religion, let the person who is arraigned be discharged, though he is found to be a Christian, and the accuser be punished according to the rigour of the law."

201

Legion, a body of soldiers in the Roman army, consisting of 300 horse and 4000 foot. Figuratively, an army, a military force, or a great number.

202

Com'modus was the first emperor that was born in his father's reign, and the second that succeeded his father in the empire.

203

Being offended by the Alexan'drians, he commanded them to be put to the sword without distinction of sex, age, or condition; every house was filled with carcases, and the streets were obstructed with dead bodies; this was merely in revenge for some lampoons they had published against him.

204

A city of Bithyn'ia, in Asia Minor, opposite to Constantinople.

205

A Term generally applied to the children of brothers or sisters.

206

Now called Venice.

207

A'per signifies a boar.

Dr. Goldsmith having concluded his History too abruptly, it has been thought advisable to cancel his last Chapter, and substitute the following brief notice of the events which occurred from the death of Constantine to the final extinction of the Empire of the West.

208

From this powerful tribe Germany is still called, by the French, Allemagne.

209

See Chapter xv. Sect. ii.

210

The ferocious character of the barbarians was displayed in the funeral of their chief. The unhappy captives were compelled to divert the stream of the river Busenti'nus, which washed the walls of Consen'tia, (now Cosenza, in farther Cala'bria, Italy,) in the bed of which the royal sepulchre was formed: with the body were deposited much of the wealth, and many of the trophies obtained at Rome. The river was then permitted to return to its accustomed channel, and the prisoners employed in the work were inhumanly massacred, to conceal the spot in which the deceased hero was entombed. A beautiful poem on this subject, entitled, The Dirge of Alaric the Visigoth, has appeared, which is attributed to the honourable Edward Everett.

211

See Chapter i.

212

See Chapter xxvii.

213

See Taylor's History of France.

214

Here also the heroic Black Prince took John, king of France, prisoner. See Taylor's France.