290

THE DECLINE AND FALL

C ^ P barians, attacked a faithful, but unwarlike pro-

.. vince. The younger Gordian sallied out to meet

the enemy at the head of a few guards, and anumerous undisciplined multitude, educated inthe peaceful luxury of Carthage. His uselessvalour served only to procure him an honourabledeath in the field of battle. His aged father,whose reign had not exceeded thirty-six days,put an end to his life on the first news of the de-feat. Carthage, destitute of defence, openedher gates to the conqueror, and Africa was ex-posed to the rapacious cruelty of a slave, obli-ged to satisfy his unrelenting master with alarge account of blood and treasure.'

Election of The fate of the Gordiansfilled Rome with justand X Ba"bi- but unexpected terror. The senate convoked insenate thc the temple of Concord; affected to transact the9th July, common business of the day; and seemed to de-cline, with trembling anxiety, the considerationof their own, and the public danger. A silentconsternation prevailed in the assembly, till asenator, of the name and family of Trajan , awak-ened his brethren from their fatal lethargy. Herepresented to them, that the choice of cautiousdilatory measures had been long sinceoutof theirpower; that Maximin, implacable by nature,

c Herodian, 1. vii, p. 254. Hist. August, p. 150 160. We may ob-serve, that one month and six days, for the reign of Gordian, is a justcorrection of Casaubon and Panvinius, instead of the absurd readingof one year and six months. See Commentar. p. 193. Zosimus relates,1. i, p 17, that the two Gordians perished by a tempest in the midst oftheir navigation; a strange ignorance of history, or a strange abuse ofmetaphors!