338

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP.

LXX.

the objects of hope and fear; and prudence,which could not have erected, did not presumeto fortify his throne. In the blaze of prosperity,his virtues were insensibly tinctured with theadjacent vices; justice with cruelty, liberalitywith profusion, and the desire of fame with pue-rile and ostentatious vanity. He might havelearned, that the ancient tribunes, so strong andsacred in the public opinion, were not distin-guished in style, habit, or appearance, from anordinary plebeian; k and that as often as theyvisited the city on foot, a single viator, or beadle,attended the exercise of their office. The Grac-chi would have frowned or smiled, could theyhave read the sonorous titles and epithets oftheir successor, “ Nicholas, severe and merciful;“ deliverer of Rome; defender of Italy ;' friend“ of mankind, and of liberty, peace, and justice;“ tribune august:" his theatrical pageants hadprepared the revolution; but Rienzi abused, inluxury and pride, the political maxim of speak-ing to the eyes, as well as the understanding ofthe multitude. From nature he had received

k lu Ins Roman Questions, Plutarch (Opuscul. tom. i> p. 505, 506,edit Grsec. Hen. Steph ) states, on the most constitutional principles,the simple greatness of the tribunes, who were not properly magi*strates, but a check on magistracy. It was tbeir duty and interestoptMuo'Bai a^nfxetriy xai )t«iTnrotf tVtTvy^avtifft vm tro'Xtrwv .., xa-

T<xiraTi»{-0*i i&i (a saying of C. Curio) **t p* trifxtw eivat t? ity.a^ov o^et..... off-9) is /uaXXos> sxra’rsiyVT cu ruiT»fxa.n fxaWov ay^srat m

ivyafjLtiy &c. Rienzi, and Petrarch himself, were incapable perhapsof reading a Greek philosopher; but they might have imbibed thesame modest doctrines from their favourite Latins, Livy and ValeriusMaximus.

1 I could not express in English the forcible, though barbarous titleof ZtlatPT Italiae, which Rienzi assumed.