446
THE DECLINE AND FALL
chap- preme power, without any reference to the abuse
__of it. Several of the pretenders, who raised the
standard of rebellion against the emperor Gal-lienus, were shining models of virtue, and al-most all possessed a considerable share of vi-gour and ability. Their merit had recommend-ed them to the favour of Valerian, and graduallypromoted them to themost important commandsof the empire. The generals, who assumed thetitle of Augustus , were either respected by theirtroops for their able conduct and severe disci-pline, or admired for valour and success in war,or beloved for frankness and generosity. Thefield of victory was often the scene of their elec-tion ; and even the armourer Marius, the mostcontemptible of all the candidates for the pur-ple, was distinguished however by intrepidcourage, matchless strength, and blunt hones-ty . 31 His mean and recent trade cast indeed an
Their ob- a ir of ridicule on his elevation; but his birth
•cure birth , ,
could not be more obscure than was that of thegreater part of his rivals, who were born of pea-sants, and inlisted in the army as private sol-diers. In times of confusion, every active ge-nius finds the place assigned him by nature: ina general state of war, military merit is theroad to glory and to greatness. Of the nine-teen tyrants, Tetricus only was a senator ; Pisoalone was a noble. The blood of Numa, throughtwenty-eight successive generations, ran in the