He is one of the six historians, whose works are extant and printed, under the title of Historiæ Augustæ Scriptores; but he excels the rest in elegance.

VULCATIUS, a senator in the reign of Dioclesian, who attempted to write an history of all such as had reigned at Rome, either as lawful sovereigns or by usurpation. Of his works, nothing is extant but an account of Avidius Cassius, who revolted in the east during the reign of M. Aurelius, which some ascribe to Spartianus.

POLLIO TREBELLIUS, a Latin historian, who flourished about A. D. 305. He wrote the lives of the Roman emperors. The beginning of this work is lost; but part of the life of Valerian, the reigns of the two Gallieni, and the reigns of the thirty tyrants, are extant.

JULIUS CAPITOLINUS, a Latin historian, who wrote the lives of the emperors Antoninus Pius, Verus, Albinus, Macrinus, the two Maximins, and the three Gordians. These are come down to us, but some others which he composed are lost. He is neither a pure, nor an exact writer, and his matter is chiefly copied from Herodian.

ELIUS LAMPRIDIUS, a Latin historian, who lived under Dioclesian and Constantine the Great. His lives of four emperors, Antoninus, Commodus, Diadurmenus, and Heliogabalus, are extant. Some attribute the life of Alexander Severus to him, but the M.S. in the Palatine library ascribes it to Spartian.

ONESIMUS, a Macedonian nobleman and historian, who flourished at Rome, and was patronized by the reigning emperors. He wrote the lives of the emperors Probus and Carus with great elegance and accuracy.

FLAVIUS EUTROPIUS, a Latin author, who was secretary to Constantine the Great, and afterwards bore arms with the emperor Julian, whom he followed in his expeditionagainst the Persians. He made an abridgment of the Roman history, from the foundation of Rome to the reign of Valens, to whom it is dedicated. There is an edition of this work by Miss Le Ferre, afterwards Madame Dacier, published at Paris for the use of the Dauphin in 4to, in 1683, but the best edition is that of Leyden, 1762, 8vo.

CAS-CHIRI, or CAS-CHERI, is the surname of Imam Abul Hassan, who wrote the lives of the Mussulman saints. Yafei makes mention of this book in the work he composed on the same subject: he is likewise author of the book entitled "Lathaif," which is highly esteemed for its ingenious fictions, and its spiritual allegories. This Imam is in universal esteem as one of the greatest divines of Mohammedanism; it is he who explains the right way who never stops till he is arrived at the end of his journey, which is the union with God. He

likewise makes this reflection on the chapter in the same book, entitled Anaam, where it is said that we must avoid both inward and outward sins;-the reason, he says, is presently subjoined in these words; "God has loaded you with benefits both within and without; therefore, adds he, these benefits ought to be not only the motive to the keeping of the commandments and the avoiding of sin, but they should teach us also that the best means of obtaining the pardon of our transgressions is to be continually thanking God for his favours." This Imam has made an abridgment of the book of Jakieddin, entitled "Sahih,"

MUSIC.

ST. CECILIA, the patroness of music has been honoured as a martyr ever since the 5th century. Her story, as delivered by the notaries of the Roman church, is, that she was a Roman lady, born of noble parents about A.D. 235. That her parents married her to a young pagan nobleman, named Valerianus; who going to bed on his wedding night, was told by his spouse, that she was nightly visited by an angel, and that he must forbear to approach her, otherwise the angel would destroy him. Valerianus desired that he might see his rival the angel; but his spouse told him that was impossible, unless he would consent to become a Christian. This he consented to, and was baptized by pope Urban I.; after which returning to his wife, he found her in her closet at prayer, and by her side, the angel in the shape of a beautiful young man, clothed with brightness. After some conversation with the angel, Valerianus told him, that he had a brother named Tiburtius, whom he wished to partake of the grace which he himself had received. The angel told him, that his desire was granted, and that they should both be crowned with martyrdom in a short time. Upon this the angel vanished, and his prophecy was soon fulfilled. Tiburtius was converted, and he and his brother were beheaded. Cecilia was offered her life if she would sacrifice to the Roman idols, but she refused; upon which she was thrown into a caldron of boiling water: others say that she was stifled in a dry bath, an inclosure, from whence the air was excluded, having a slow fire beneath. There is a tradition of St. Cecilia, that she excelled in music; and that the angel was drawn from the celestial regions by the charms of her melody. This has been deemed authority sufficient for making her the patroness of music. The above legend has given occasion to painters and sculptors to exercise their genius in representations of her playing on the organ or harp. The poets have not neglected this lady. Mr. Pope's ode is well known.

PERIOD XIX.

FROM CONSTANTINE II. TO THEODOSIUS II.

A.D.

[CENT. IV.]

REMARKABLE FACTS, EVENTS, AND DISCOVERIES.

303 The tenth persecution under Dioclesian.

305 The two emperors resign and the two Cæsars succeed them.

311 Constantius dies in Britain, and Constantine the Great begins to reign. 313 The tenth persecution ends by an edict of Constantine, who professes and establishes the Christian religion. In his reign cardinals begin.

314 Three bishops sent from Britain to the council of Arles.

323 The first general council at Nice wherein 318 fathers attended against Arius, and composed the famous Nicene Creed,

328 Constantine removes the seat of empire to Constantinople.

330 A dreadful persecution of the Christians in Persia, which lasts 40 years. 331 Constantine orders all the heathen temples to be destroyed.

334 300,000 Samaritans revolted from their masters.

341 The Gospel propagated in Ethiopia by Frumentius.

360 The first monastery founded near Poictiers in France, by Martin. 373 The Bible translated into the Gothic language.

376 The Goths settled in Thrace.

379 The cycle of Theophilus commenced.

DURING this period the Roman empire was divided into the eastern and western; each under the government of different emperors. This division began under Valens and Valentinian, and was finally settled under the two sons of Theodosius, Arcadius, and Honorius, of whom the former reigned in the east, and the latter in the west.

We see that mighty empire, which once occupied nearly the whole world, now weakened by division, and surrounded by enemies. On the east, the Persians; on the north, the Scythians, Sarmatians, Goths, and a multitude of other barbarous nations, watched all occasions to break into it; and miscarried in their attempts, rather through their own barbarity, than the strength of their enemies.

GOVERNMENT.

ROME.

CONSTANTINE II., surnamed the Young, the eldest of the three surviving sons of Constantine the Great, was born in VOL. II.

R

316, and at an early age was created Cæsar, and sent to hold his court in Gaul. At his father's death, in 337, he succeeded to his allotted portion of the empire, Gaul, Spain, and Britain, and also obtained possession of Constantinople, with a certain superiority of rank above the rest. During a reign of three years nothing is heard of him, except that he favoured Athanasius, who had been banished into his dominions, and sent him back to his church. At length, dissatisfied with his proportion of the spoils of his massacred kinsmen, he urged his brother Constans to yield him the provinces of Africa; and finding himself amused by a fruitless negociation, he was led by his impatience to make an irruption into the dominions of Constans, by way of the Julian Alps. He laid waste the country about Aquileia; but being decoyed into an ambuscade with a few attendants, was surrounded and slain, A.D. 340. His body was thrown into the river Ausa; but being afterwards discovered, was sent to Constantinople, and interred there near the tomb of his father. Constantine II. is said to have been a prince of great accomplishments, and he had gained glory during his father's life by his victories over the Goths and Sarmatians; but his aggression of his brother is not to be vindicated, and his fate seems to have been unpitied.

FLAVIUS JULIUS CONSTANTIUS II., second son of the emperor Constantine, by Fausta; was born at Sirmium in 317. He was declared Cæsar in 323, and elected emperor in 337. The soldiers, to secure the throne to the three sons of Constantine, massacred the uncles and cousins of those princes, with the exception of Julian, and his brother Gallus. Asia, Syria, Egypt, and Thrace, were allotted to Constantius as his portion of the empire. Constantius was soon involved in a war with Sapor, king of Persia, who made an incursion into Mesopotamia, and laid siege to Nisibis. Constantius marched to its relief, and in a long war which ensued, many bloody battles were fought, generally to the disadvantage of the Romans. Yet Nisibis defended itself in three different sieges: and at the battle of Singara, in 348, the Romans gained possession of Sapor's camp, but from want of discipline were driven out with great loss. Whilst Constantius was engaged in the Persian war, a civil war broke out between his two brothers; in which Constantine II. lost his life; and ten years afterwards, the survivor, Constans, was put to death in the revolt of Magnentius.

Magnentius enjoyed the fruits of his usurpation in the west. Nepotian, a nephew of Constantine, who had escaped the massacre of his family, attempting to seize upon the city of Rome, had perished together with his mother and his principal partizans. Vetranio, an old experienced general, so illiterate that he could not even read, had been proclaimed Augustus in Pannonia, but wanted the qualifications necessary for maintaining

his high fortune. Constantius at last marched from Asia, at the head of all his forces, in order to deprive Magnentius of his dominions.

General Vetranio had already entered into a league with Magnentius, and marched against the emperor; but instead of coming to an engagement, he entered into a treaty into which he was duped by Constantius, who corrupted his troops, and forced him to abdicate his authority. It is said that he consoled him with an extraordinary piece of morality, conceived in these terms: "You lose only an insignificant name, which has nothing real than the mortifications it brings with it; and you are going to enjoy solid happiness, without a mixture of uneasiness." It is added, that the good old man, charmed with his retirement, sent him a letter, containing the following words: "You are wrong in not taking a share in that felicity which you have the art of procuring for others." Such men had a claim to the title of philosophers. They either affected that character, or the historians have spoken for them. While the unwarlike Constantius was amusing himself with holding a council at Sirmium, Magnentius approached at the head of his army. When ready to pass the Save, he was met by an envoy from the emperor, with proposals of peace, which he rejected, and advanced to Mursa on the Drave, the destined scene of a celebrated action, decisive of the fate of the empire. The battle was fought with great fury; more than fifty thousand of the best troops were cut to pieces; Magnentius's Gauls performed wonders, and were slain almost to a man; but at last the usurper turned his back, after having lost Marcellinus, to whom he was indebted for his promotion.

Constantius did not appear in the field, but with trembling expectation waited the event of the engagement in a neighbouring church, where he was attended by the Arian bishop of Mursa. That crafty impostor had taken precautions to be informed of the success, and all at once proclaimed the victory, pretending that the news had been brought to him by an angel. The emperor giving entire credit to the miracle, honoured him as a saint, and attributed to him all the success of his arms. It is easy to judge what gross errors in conduct must spring from such low superstition; we shall see Constantius striking upon all the shoals of credulity and weakness.

The year following, Magnentius, who for his cruel tyranny was an object of universal detestation at Rome, took refuge in Gaul, was defeated in Dauphine by the emperor's generals, and perceiving that his soldiers were resolved to deliver him up, in a transport of despair murdered his cousins, his friends, and even his mother, after which he stabbed himself with his own sword. His brother Decentius, who had been created Cæsar, soon after strangled himself; and thus Constantius, in 353,