OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

109

fidious followers, who assiduously studied to chap.

inflame, and who were perhaps instructed to be-___

tray, the unguarded w armth of his resentment.

An edict of Constantine , published about this a. d. 325.time, manifestly indicates his real or affected ct ° erl *suspicions, that a secret conspiracy had beenformed against his person and government. Byall the allurements of honours and rewards, heinvites informers of every degree to accuse, with-out exception, his magistrates or ministers, hisfriends, or his most intimate favourites, protest-ing, with a solemn asseveration, that he himselfwill listen to the charge, that he himself willrevenge his injuries; and concluding with aprayer, which discovers some apprehension ofdanger, that the providence of the SupremeBeing may still continue to protect the safetyof the emperor and of the empire . 0

The informers, who complied with so liberal Disgrace

. . . „ . , i • an '* death

an invitation, were sufficiently versed in the arts of crispus.of courts to select the friends and adherents of j|,iy. 326 'Crispus as the guilty persons ; nor is there anyreason to distrust the veracity of the emperor,who had promised an ample measure of revengeand punishment. The policy of Constantine maintained, how r ever, the same appearances ofregard and confidence towards a son, whom hebegan to consider as his most irreconcilable ene-my. Medals were struck with the customaryvows for the long and auspicious reign of theyoung Caesar ; p and as the people, who were not

0 Cod. Theod. 1. ix, tit. iv. Godefroy suspected the secret motive*of this law. Comment, tom. iii, p. 9.

p Ducange Fam. Byzant. p. 28 Tilkmont, tom. iv, p. 610.