102

THE DECLINE AND FALL

chap, rior, to whose auspicious influence the merit ot

_J_their actions was legally attributed . 11 They

were the representatives of the emperor. Theemperor alone was the general of the republic,and his jurisdiction, civil as well as military,extended over all the conquests of Rome. Itwas some satisfaction, however, to the senate,that he always delegated his power to the mem-bers of their body. The imperial lieutenantswere of consular or praetorian dignity; the le-gions were commanded by senators; and theprefecture of Egypt was the only importanttrust committed to a Roman knight.

^f'thc ° ro ^ithin six days after Augustus h ad been com-

Hnces be- pelled to accept so very liberal a grant, he re-emperor solved to gratify the pride of the senate by anand the eaS y sacrifice. He represented to them, thatthey had enlarged his powers, even beyond thatdegree which might be required by the melan-choly condition of the times. They had notpermitted him to refuse the laborious commandof the armies and the frontiers; but he must in-sist on being allowed to restore the more peace-ful and secure provinces to the mild administra-tion of the civil magistrate. In the division ofthe provinces, Augustus provided for his own

senate.

k Under the common wealth, a triumph could only be claimed bythe general, who was authorized to take the auspices in the name of thepeople. By an exact consequence, drawn from this principle of policyand religion, the triumph was reserved to the emperor; and hismost successful lieutenants were satisfied with some marks of distinc-tion, which, under the name of triumphal honours, were inveuted intheir favour.