No More Learning

The council of Ephesus having thus only widened Dioscorus, the successor of Cyril in the see of
the breach, it remained for the feeble emperor, Alexandria, pursued his predecessor's line of conduct,
Theodosius II. , to decide which party he would with even greater bitterness, and Theodoret soon
support. At first he warmly espoused the cause I found himself forced into a more prominent and


## p. 1040 (#1056) ##########################################

1010
THEODORETUS.
THEODORETUS.
disastrous position in the controversy, through | vised whether he should submit to his deposition.
the necessity of resisting the renewed diffusion of Leo, who had alrcady pronounced against the Eu-
the opinions of Cyril by the efforts of a party of tycbians, accepted Theodoret's confession of faith as
Syrian monks, and still more by those of the cele satisfactory, and declared him absolved from all eccle-
brated Eutyches of Constantinople, with whosesiastical censure : but the proposal for an oecumeni-
name the Cyrillian doctrine became identified. cal council in Italy was negatived by the emperor.
(Eutyches. ) Dioscorus supported the party of At this precise juncture, however, the whole
Eutyches with all his might ; and, besides this state of affairs was suddenly changed by the death
ground of opposition, he had a personal motive of of Theodosius II. , A. D. 450, and the accession of
dislike to Theodoret, because the latter had signed Pulcheria and Marcianus, who were unfavourable
a synodical epistle of Proclus, the bishop of Con- to the Eutychians. Theodoret and the other deposed
stantinople, implying thereby, as Dioscorus main- bishops were recalled from retirement, on the con-
tained, the superiority of that patriarch to thuse of dition that they should be reinstated in their secs
Alexandria and Antioch. In fact, the conduct of by the decision of an oecumenical council ; and
Dioscorus throughout the whole Eutychian con- Theodoret himself joined in the demand for such a
troversy betrays at least as much care for the council, as necessary to restore peace to the Church,
aggrandizement of his own see as for the cause of It assembled, first at Nicaea, and afterwards at
truth. Through the influence of this prelate at the Chalcedon, in A. D. 451. At its eighth session
imperial court, Theodosius, who made no secret of the petition of Theodoret for restoration to his
the dislike he bore to Theodoret for his opposition bishopric was discussed, and he himself appeared
to Cyril, was induced to issue a command to the to plead his cause. He was most enthusiastically
bishop of Cyrus to confine himself within the limits received by his friends, but the party of his ene-
of his own diocese, A. D. 448. At the same time mies was still powerful, at least in clamour. When
that he obeyed the mandate, Theodoret addressed he attempted to give an account of his opinions, he
letters to some of the principal men of the empire, was interrupted by the cry,“ Curse Nestorius, his
in vindication of his conduct ; and in these letters doctrines, and his adherents ! " In vain did he
we find some of the most interesting particulars of represent that he cared far less for restoration to
his previous life (Epist. 79—82). He had already his see than for permission to clear himself from
done his best to appease the enmity of Dioscorus the misrepresentations to which he had been sub-
by a letter, explaining his opinions, and adducing, jected : the generous answer to his appeal was the
as a proof of his orthodoxy, his acceptance of the renewed cry, “ He is a heretic himself: he is a
statement of doctrine agreed upon by John and Nestorian: thrust out the heretic! ” Yielding at
Cyril. Dioscorus, however, replied in the most last to the clamour, he exclaimed, “ Anathema on
violent language, plainly calling Theodoret a Nes Nestorius, and on every one who denies that Mary
torian. As a last attempt to pacify the proud is the mother of God, and who divides the Only-
patriarch, Theodoret went so far, in a second letter, begotten into two Sons. I have subscribed the
as to declare those accursed who said that the confession of faith, and the letter of the bishop
Virgin was not the mother of God, or that Christ Leo ; and this is my faith. - Farewell. ” This de-
was a mere man, or who would represent the Only. claration was received with the applause of the
begotten as if in his person there were two Sons of whole assembly, and their unanimous vote restored
God ; Dioscorus cut short the correspondence, by Theodoret to his bishopric. (Harduin. Concil. vol.
pronouncing a public anathema upon Theodoret in ii. pp. 496, foll. )
the church of Alexandria ; and soon aſterwards, Whatever weakness Theodoret displayed on this
in A. D. 449, he assembled under his own pre occasion consisted, not in the sacrifice of any reli-
sidency the second Council of Ephesus, justly called gious conviction, but in suffering himself to be
the robber-synod, which pronounced the deposition deprived of the opportunity of explaining his real
both of Theodoret, and of Flavian, patriarch of opinions. He was no Nestorian ; and, though his
Constantinople, Domnus, patriarch of Antioch, and whole character forbids us to suppose that he was
the other bishops who had condemned Eutyches at a believer in anathemas, yet he had the misfortune
the synod of Constantinople in the preceding year, to live in an age when the anathema was esteemed
Theodoret had been excluded from the synod | the natural and proper form for a declaration of
which deposed him by the express wish of the religious belief, and when no man was deemed
emperor, who now commanded him to retire to a sincere in the faith which he professed, until he
monastery at Apamea ; his enemies even threatened was also prepared to declare the doctrines from
him with banishment. He bore his fall with dig- which he differed accursed. Theodoret himself, as
nity and cheerfulness, and preferred rather to suffer we have seen, had already condemned the tenets
want than to accept the presents which were of Nestorius in nearly the very words which he
offered to him on every hand. Still neither he nor uttered at the council ; and if he hesitated to repeat
Flavian felt themselves bound to leave their enemies them then, it was only as a protest against the
to enjoy their triumph and to domineer over the spirit in which the declaration was sought to be
Church, They turned to the only remaining extorted from him ; a protest which, we think, is
quarter in which there was any power to help implied in the “ farewell,” by which he appears to
them, the Roman bishop, Leo the Great, to whom utter his resolution never more to mix in such
Theodoret wrote a letter (Epist. 113), celebrating scenes of strife. That resolution he kept. After
the renown of the apostolic see, praising the virtues sharing in the subsequent proceedings of the coun-
and religious zeal of Leo, defending his own ortho-cil, which compensated to some degree for its
doxy by quotations from his writings, and request conduct towards him by pronouncing the condem-
ing permission to come to Rome, provided that the nation of Eutyches, Theodoret returned to his
emperor should give his consent, to submit the home at Cyrus, where he devoted the rest of his
whole case to the judgment of Leo and the Western life to literary labours, committing the charge of
bishops ; at the same time he requested to be ad- I his diocese to Hypatius. He appears to have died


## p. 1041 (#1057) ##########################################

THEODORETUS. "
1041
THEODORETUS.
;
in A. D. 457 or 458. (Gennad. de Vir. Illustr. 89. ) | between the creature and the Creator ; and in so
His remains were deposited in the same urn with doing, instead of passing by the general subject of
those of his stedfast supporter, the monk Jacobus theology, he has laid the foundation on which it
Thaumaturgus, who died shortly after him. all rests, in the doctrine of the independent and
Since his death his memory has met with the eternal existence of the one true God. The se-
same varied fortune that he himself suffered during cond question is, “Why does he not mention tho
life. The emperor Justin honoured his statuc with creation of angels ? " The third, “Did angels exist
a solemn installation in his episcopal throne ; but before the heaven and the earth, or were they
the various Monophysite sects continued their op- created at the same time with them ? " In this
position to his writings, and twice procured the and many other questions he grapples with some
condemnation of them by ecclesiastical synods of the most difficult points of controversy which
during the reign of Anastasius, in A. D. 499, and had occupied the Church from the apostolic age to
512. Marius Mercator, the bitter opponent of his own time, especially with the various forms of
everything connected with Nestorianism, represents Gnosticism and Manichaeism. His other com-
Theodoret as one of the worst of heretics ; and he mentaries are upon the Psalms ('Epunveia eis tous
is followed by Garnier, the completer of Sirmond's ékatdv TerThrovta yalpoús), the Canticles ('Epun.
edition of Theodoret, the value of whose very vela eis ad qoua Twv Qouátwr), Isaiah (Eis adv
learned and elaborate treatise on the life of Theo- 'Hoatay Apophtny dpunveia kati inaugnv), Jere-
doret is seriously diminished by the recklessness miah, with Baruch and the Lamentations ('Epun.
with which he not only adopts the calumnies ofνεία της προφητείας του θείου Ιερεμίου), Ezekiel
Mercator, but even falsifies facts in order to support (Ερμηνεία της προφητείας του θείου Ιεζεκιήλ),
them. Cave has been to some degree misled by Daniel (úm burnua els càs Spáreis Toll #poortov
these writers ; but yet he gives us so warm and just Savina), and the Twelve Minor Prophets (úróurnua
a eulogy of the character of Theodoret as to make eis tous Súdeka spoontas). With respect to the
one smile at the words with which he introduces New Testament, we have commentaries by Theo-
it : “ Meliori quidem fato, et molliori censura doret on the fourteen epistles of Paul ('Epunvela
dignus erat Theodoritus. " Tillemont has re- των ιδ' επιστολών του αγίου αποστόλου Παύλου).
futed many of Garnier's misrepresentations ; but II. Theodoret has also left two works of an his-
he sometimes defends the orthodoxy of Theodoret torical character, but of very different value. (1)
by arguments which the bishop of Cyrus himself His Ecclesiastical History, in five books ('EXKAN-
would scarcely have adopted. For the complete praotikîs lotoplas Aóyoi héVTE), is a very valuable
vindication of Theodoret's character we are in work, on account of its learning and general im-
debted to the German church historians, Schröckh partiality, though it is occasionally one-sided, and
and Neander.
often runs into a theological treatise. It was in.
A strong encomium upon his learning and his tended, as he himself tells us in the preface, as a
style will be found in Photius (Bibl. Cod. 46), continuation of the History of Eusebius. It begins
who describes his language as pure and well with the history of Arianism, under Constantine
chosen, and his composition as clear, rhythmical, the Great, and ends with the death of Theodore
and altogether pleasing. In other passages Pho- of Mopsuestia in A. D. 429, although it contains
tius notices several of the works of Theodoret an allusion to an isolated fact which occurred as
(Cod. 31, 56, 203—205, 273); and an incomplete late as A. D. 444. (2) The work entitled puddeos
list of them is given by Nicephorus Callistus 'lotopia, or Religiosa Historia, contains the lives
(H. E. xiv. 54). Many of them are mentioned of thirty celebrated hermits, and displays that
by Theodoret himself, in his letters (Epist. 82, weak side of the character of Theodoret, which
113, 116, 145). The fullest account of them is has already been mentioned as the necessary result
contained in Garnier's second Dissertation, de Li- of the earliest impressions he received. It is
bris Theodoreti.
rather the work of a credulous ascetic than of a
I. The most important of Theodoret's works are learned theologian.
those of an exegetical character, in several of which III. Of his works against Cyril, the Eutychians,
he adopts the method, not of a continuous com- and the heretics in general, the chief are, (1) His
mentary, but of proposing and solving those diffi- censure (åvatporn) of the twelve heads of anathe-
culties which he thinks likely to occur to a matization (avaleuatio uol) of Cyril : (2) The great
thoughtful reader ; 80 that these works are essen- work against the Eutychians, in A. D. 447, the
tially apologetic as well as exegetical. This me- year before the condemnation of Eutyches at Con-
thod is pursued, especially in the first of his com- stantinople, entitled 'Epaviotas ÁToi Monúuoppos
mentaries, which is upon the first eight books of (the Mendicant or Many-shaped), which, as he
the Old Testament, that is, the five books of explains in the preface, was intended to imply that
Moses, Joshua, Judges, and Ruth, and is entitled the Eutychians endeavoured to pass off their doc-
εις τα άπορα της θείας γραφής κατ' εκλογήν, Or, I trines, like beggars with their tales of imposture,
Quaestiones in Octateuchum; and also in the second under many guises, derived from many previous
of them, upon the books of Kings (i. e. Samuel heresies. The work is in the form of a discussion
and Kings) and Chronicles, entitled Eis Tà 67Tou- between the Mendicant and the Orthodox ('Epa.
μενα των βασιλειών και των παραλειπομένων. Ας νίστης and 'Ορθόδοξος), and it is divided into
a specimen of his method, we give two or three of three dialogues ; the first
, entitled "ATPertos, to
the first questions which he proposes on the book prove that the Son of God is unchangeable ; the
of Genesis. First, “ Why did not the writer pre- second, "ATVYXUtos, that his divine nature 's in-
face his account of the creation with the doctrine capable of being mixt or confounded with the
of God" (Seodorla); to which he replies, that nature of man; the third, 'Anaðńs, that the divine
Moses was sent to a people infected with Egyptian nature is insusceptible of suffering ; and to these
pantheism, and that therefore the very first thing dialogues are appended syllogistic demonstrations
inat he had to teach them was the distinction I (anodeišeis dià oudoyouwv) of the three propos
VOL. II.
3 x
!


## p. 1042 (#1058) ##########################################

1042
THEODORETUS.
THEODORICUS.
.
>
:
were
sitions maintained in them, namely, first, that God | mentioned by Fabricius. · (Bill. Graec. vol. viii.
the Word is unchangeable (oti &TPETTOS & Beds), pp. 307, 308. )
(P. S. ]
secondly, that his union with the human nature is THEODORICUS or THEODERICUS I. ,
without confusion (07. douxxutos ý čvwois), king of the Visigoths from A. D. 418* to 45), was
and, thirdly, that the divine nature of the Saviour the successor of Wallia, but appears to have been
is incapable of suffering (87ı anadhis Ý TOû Ewth- the son of the great Alaric. (Gibbon, Dccline and
pos Seótms). The work displays great learning Fall, c. xxxv. note 10. ) Not content with the
and power, with a moderation which made it as limits of bis dominions, Theodoric broke the peace
displeasing to the Nestorians as it was to the Eu- which existed between the Visigoths and the
tychians : (3) A work against heresies in general, Romang, took several places in Gaul, and laid siege
entitled Αιρετικής κακομυθίας επιτομή, or, Hae- to Arles in A. D. 425. He was, however, obliged
reticarum Fabularum Epitome, in five books, ad- to retire on the approach of Aëtius, with whom he
dressed to Sporacius. In this work, which seems concluded a peace ; and he then turned his arms
to have been written after the end of the Nesto- against the Vandals in Spain, upon receiving a
rian and Eutychian disputes, he not only uses, with sufficient subsidy from the Roman general. Theo
regard to other heretics, the intolerant language doric however was only waiting for a favourable
which was common in that age, but he speaks of opportunity to attack the Romans again ; and ac-
Nestorius in terms of bitterness which cannot be cordingly, while the Burgundians invaded the
defended, and which occur again in a special work Belgic provinces, Theodoric laid siege to Narbonne
against Nestorius, addressed to the same Spo- in A. D. 436. Aëtius displayed his usual activity;
racius. The warmest admirers of Theodoret must he defeated the Burgundians in battle, and sent
lament that, after the contest was over, he took such Litorius to oppose Theodoric. The inhabitants of
means to set himself right with his former oppo- Narbonne had resisted many months all the efforts
nents : (4) Twenty-seven books against various of Theodoric to take the town ; but the
propositions of the Eutychians (óyou kapos reduced to the last extremities of famine, when
diapópous dégels), an abstract of which is supplied Litorius, in the following year (A. D. 437) cut his
by Photius. (Bill. Cod. 46. )
way through the entrenchments of the besiegers.
IV. The chief of his remaining works are: (1) The siege was immediately raised ; and Aëtius,
An apologetic treatise, intended to exhibit the con- who arrived shortly afterwards, defeated Theodoric
firmations of the truth of Christianity contained in with great slaughter, and obliged him to retire into
the Gentile philosophy, under the title of 'Emnu his own dominions. The Gothic king was now
κών θεραπευτική παθημάτων και ευαγγελικής αλη- | obliged to act on the defensive; and A&tius, on his
θείας εξ Ελληνικής φιλοσοφίας επίγνωσις, Graeca- return to Italy, left Litorius at the head of an
rum Affectionum Curatio ; seu, Evangelicae Veritatis army, chiefly consisting of Huns, to prosecute the
ex Gentilium Philosophia Cognitio: (2) Ten Orations Unable to resist the Romans in the field,
on Providence (Tepl Apovolas nóyou déka): (3) Va- Theodoric retired to Toulouse, where he was be
rious Orations, Homilies, and minor treatises : (4) sieged by Litorius in A. D. 439. Despairing of
One hundred and eighty-one letters, which are of success, Theodoric now endeavoured to obtain a
the greatest importance for the history of Theo- peace by the mediation of his Christian bishops ;
doret and his times.
but Litorius, confident of success, and relying upon
There are only two complete editions of the the predictions of the pagan augurs, that he should
works of Theodoret, both of very great excellence ; enter the Gothic capital in triumph, refused all
but the later having the advantage of containing the proposals which were repeatedly made him.
all that is good, and correcting much that is faulty, The presumption of Litorius appears to have made
in its prodecessor. The first is that edited by the him careless. The Goths availed themselves of a
Jesuits Jac. Sirmond and Jo. Garnier, in five vo- | favourable opportunity, sallied out of their city,
lumes folio, Paris, 1642–1684: the first four and, after a long and obstinate battle, defeated the
volumes, by Sirmond, contain the bulk of the Roman army, made their general prisoner, and
works of Theodoret in Greek and Latin ; and the conducted him in triumph through the streets of
fifth, some minor works and fragments omitted by Toulouse. This victory turned the fortune of the
Sirmond, together with Garnier's five dissertations war ; and the whole of the country as far as the
on (1) the History, (2) the Books, (3) the Faith Rhone lay exposed to the ravages of the barbarians.
of Theodoret, (4) on the fifth General Council, Avitus, who was then praefectus praetorio in Gaul,
(5) on the Cause of Theodoret and the Orientals. had no army to resist the Visigoths, and accordingly
The faults of these valuable treatises have been entered into negotiations with Theodoric, which
already mentioned. The other edition, founded ended in a peace, the terms of which are not related,
on the former, is that of Lud. Schulze and J. A. but which must have been in favour of the bar-
Noesselt, Halae Sax. 1769–1774, 5 vols. in 10 barians. This last peace between Theodoric and
parts 8vo. For an account of the editions of se- the Romans does not appear to have been inter-
parate works, see Hoffmann, Lexicon Bibliogr. rupted. Theodoric had sought to strengthen his
Scriptorum Graecorum.
power by giving one of his daughters in marriage
(Garnier, Dissertationes, in vol. 5 of Schulze's to the eldest son of Genseric, king of the Vandals
edition ; Tillemont, Mém. vol. xiv. ; Cave, Hist. in Africa ; but Genseric, who suspected that his
Litt. s. a. 423, pp. 405, foll. , ed. Basil. ; Fabric: son's wife had conspired to poison him, igno-
Bibl. Graec. vol. vii. pp. 429, foll. , vol. viii. pp. 277, | miniously deprived her of her nose and ears, and
foll.
; Schulze, De Vita et Scriptis B. Theodoreti sent her back in this mutilated condition to her
Dissertatio, prefixed to vol i. of his edition ; father at Toulouse. To revenge this unpardonable
Neander, Geschichte der Christl. Relig. 2. Kirche,
vol. ii. passim ; Schröckh, Christliche Kirchenges- • His accession was not in A. D. 419, as is stated
chichte, vol. xviii. pp. 353, foll. )
by Gibbon and most writers. See Clinton, Fasti
A few insignificant ecclesiastics of the name are Rom. ad ann. 418.
war.


## p. 1043 (#1059) ##########################################

THEODORICUS.
1043
THEODORICUS.
outrage, Theodoric made formidable preparations | Lusitania, and took Merida the capital of the
for an invasion of Africa ; and the Romans, who country. But early in the following year (457),
always encouraged the discords of the barbarians, before he had time to provide for the security of
readily offered to supply him with men and arms. bis conquests, he was obliged to return in haste to
But Genseric averted the threatening danger by his own dominions, probably fearing evil conse-
persuading Attila to attack both the Romans and quences from the fall of Avitus. [Avitus. ] Al-
the Goths. With an enormous army composed of though Theodoric had professed to invade Spain as
various nations, Attila crossed the Rhine at Stras- the servant of Avitus, he had made a secret stipu.
burg, and marched into Gaul Aëtius collected a lation that all the conquests he effected should
powerful force to oppose him, and Theodoric, at the belong to himself. He was therefore unwilling to
head of his Visigoths, and accompanied by his two relinquish the advantages he had already gained in
sons Thorismond and Theodoric, joined the Roman that country; and accordingly we find that he sent
general. On the approach of Aëtius, Attila, who an army into Spain in 458, under the command of
had laid siege to Orleans, retreated to the plains of Cyrila, and again in the following year (459) fresh
Champagne. Aëtius followed close upon his rear. troops under Suniericus. In the course of the
The hostile armies at length met in the neighbour- latter year he had a more formidable enemy to cope
hood of Châlons on the Marne, and in a short but with; for the emperor Majorian marched into Gaul,
most bloody engagement, Attila was defeated with defeated Theodoric in battle, and concluded a
great loss. The victory was mainly owing to the peace with him. The death of Majorian in 461,
courage of the Visigoths and of the youthful and the conquests of the Vandals in Italy released
Thorismond; but their king Theodoric fell at the Theodoric from all fear ; he violated his recent
commencement of the engagement, as he was riding treaty with the Romans, and appears to have
along the ranks to animate his troops (A. D. 451). designed to make himself master of the whole of
He was succeeded by his son Thorismond. Theo the Roman dominions in Gaul. He succeeded in
doric was a wise and prudent monarch ; and by his uniting the territory of Narbonne to his own ; but
courage in war, and his just administration at home, his victorious career was checked by the defeat and
he earned the love of his subjects and the respect death of his brother Frederic, who was slain in
of his enemies. He introduced among his subjects battle near Orleans by Aegidius, the Roman com-
a love of Latin literature, and his sons were care- mander in Gaul. A great part of Spain apparently
fully trained in the study of the writers and the owned the authority of Theodoric; but the Chro-
jurisprudence of Rome. (Jornandes, de Reb. Get. nicles merely tell us of embassies that constantly
34, 36–41; Sidon. Apoll. Panegyricus Avito; the passed between the king of the Visigoths and the king
Chronicles of Idatius and the two Prospers; Gibbon, of the Suevi, and give us little or no information of
Decline and Fall, c. xxxv. ; Tillemont, Histoire des the relative power of the two parties. Theodoric
Empereurs, vol. vi. )
lost his crown by the same crime by which he had
THEODORICUS or THEODERICUS II. , gained it. He was assassinated in 466 by his
king of the Visigoths A. D. 452–466, was the brother Euric, who succeeded him on the throne.
second son of Theodoric I. He was present with Theodoric II. was, like his father, a patron of letters
his father at the battle of Châlons in 45l, and and learned men; and the poet Sidonius Apollinaris,
succeeded to the throne by the murder of his who resided for some time at his court, has given,
brother Thorismond at the close of the following us an interesting account, in a letter to a friend
year (452). (THORISMOND. ) In A. D. 455 Avitus, (Ep. i. 2), of the personal appearance, manners
who had been well acquainted with the elder and habits, of the king of the Visigoths. (Jornandes,
Theodoric, was sent as ambassador to the court of de Reb. Get. 43, 44; Sidon. Apoll. Panegyr. Arito;
Toulouse, to renew the alliance between the the Chronicles of Idatius, Marius, and Victor ;
Visigoths and the Romans. While staying with Greg. Tur. ii. 11; Tillemont, Histoire des Empereurs,
Theodoric, he received intelligence of the death of vol. vi. )
Maximus, and of the sack of Rome by the Vandals. THÉODORICUS or THEODERICUS (Oeu-
His royal' host pressed him to mount the vacant dépixos), surnamed the GREAT, king of the
throne, and promised him his powerful assistance. Ostrogoths, was the son of Theodemir by his fa-
Avitus could not resist the temptation, and the vourite concubine Eralieva. He was born in the
senate was obliged to receive a master from the neighbourhood of Vienna in A. D. 455, two years
king of the Visigoths. Theodoric soon showed after the death of Attila. His father, and his fa-
that he was an able and willing ally of the emperor ther's brothers, Walamir and Widimir, had secured
whom he had placed upon the throne. The Suevi, the independence of the Ostrogoths by the defeat
who had settled in Gallicia in Spain, threatened to of the Huns, and ruled their people as the acknow-
extinguish the last remains of Roman independence ledged descendants of the royal race of the Amali.
in that country. The inhabitants of Carthagena In the eighth year of his age Theodoric was sent
and Tarragona implored the assistance of Avitus ; as a hostage to the emperor Leo, who had pur-
and when Rechiarius, the king of the Suevi, refused chased the assistance of the Ostrogoths by an an-
to listen to the proposals of peace and alliance nual subsidy. Theodoric received his education
which were made by the emperor, Theodoric, at the at Constantinople, and was restored to his father
head of a formidable army, crossed the Pyrenees. in 473, when he had reached the age of eighteen,
This expedition was followed with the most com- as the emperor hoped to gain the favour of the Os-
plete success. The Suevi were defeated with great | trogoths by this mark of confidence. During his
slaughter about twelve miles from Astorga, their absence Theodemir had become sole ruler of the
capital Braga fell into the hands of Theodoric, and nation, since Walamir had fallen in battle, and
their unfortunate monarch, who had attempted to Widimir, the younger of the brothers, had marched
escape, was taken prisoner and put to death. | into Italy and Gaul at the head of an army of
These events happened towards the close of 456. barbarians. Theodoric had been carefully trained
Theodoric now carried his victorious arms into at Constantinople in all martial exercises, and had
3 x 2


## p. 1044 (#1060) ##########################################

1044
TIIEODORICUS.
THEODORICUS.
not lost, amidst the effeminacy of the Greek court, of Verona, and offered battle a second time to
any of the ferocious valour of his people. Soon Theodoric (27th of September, 489). This second
after his return he gathered around him a body of battle was still more disastrous than the former
volunteers, and, without the knowledge of his fa- one, and Odoacer was compelled to relinquish the
ther, descended the Danube, and conquered and open country to the invaders, and to shut himself
slew in battle a Sarmatian king. Theodoric after- up within the strong fortifications of Ravenna. In
wards accompanied his father and the Ostrogoths, the following year (490) he sallied out of the
when they quitted their settlements in order to town, and at first gained some advantages over the
obtain a more fertile territory at the expense of troops of Theodoric in the neighbourhood of Pavia;
the Byzantine empire. This was in the last year but the Gothic king soon rallied his forces, and
of the reign of the emperor Leo; and Zeno the defeated Odoncer in a third and decisive victory
Isaurian, who succeeded him in 474, hastened on the banks of the Adda (August, 490). Odoacer
to make peace with the Ostrogoths, ceded to them again took refuge in Ravenna, where he sustained
the southern part of Pannonia and Dacia, and en- a siege of three years, while the generals of Theo-
trusted them with the defence of the lower Da- doric gradually subdued the whole of Italy. At
nube. They had scarcely tinie to take possession length, in 493, Odoacer agreed to admit the Os.
of their new territory, when the death of Theo- trogoths into Ravenna, on condition that he and
demir, in 475, placed Theodoric ou the throne of Theodoric should rule jointly over Italy. The
the Ostrogoths.
treaty was confirmed by an oath, but after a few
Theodoric was for some time a faithful ally of days Odoacer, in the midst of a banquet, was
Zeno. He was of great assistance to the emperor stabbed by the hands or command of his more for-
in restoring him to the throne, when he was ex- tunate rival (5th of March, 493).
pelled in 476 [ZENO); and he carried on war, Theodoric was now the undisturbed master of
on behalf of Zeno, with another Gothic prince, Italy, which he ruled for thirty-three years, till his
Theodoric, the son of Triarius ; but the treachery death in 526. The history of his long and pros-
of Zeno, who neglected to supply him with the perous reign does not fall within the plan of the
provisions and the reinforcements of troops he had present work. A few particulars . only can be
promised, led the son of Theodemir to conclude a mentioned, and the reader must refer for further
peace with the son of Triarius. To punish the information to the glowing description of Gibbon.
emperor, and, still more, to satisfy the appetite of As soon as Theodoric was firmly seated on the
his subjects for plunder, Theodoric, the son of throne, he turned his attention to the improvement
Theodemir, now ravaged the Byzantine dominions, of the country, which had sunk into the most mi-
and laid waste the whole of Macedonia and Thes- serable condition from the long and devastating
saly. At length, in 483, Zeno appeased his resent- wars it had gone through. The third part of the
ment by conferring upon him the titles of Patrician lands, which had been previously seized by Odoa-
and Praefectus militiae, by liberal donatives, by cer, were assigned to his Gothic warriors, who
adopting him as his son, by erecting his statue in were thus scattered over the whole country, and
front of the imperial palace, and, finally, by raising formed the standing army of his kingdom. The
him to the consulship in the following year, 484. Italians were secured in the possession of the re-
But these honours did not long retain Theodoric maining two thirds of the lands; they were de-
in his allegiance; the restless spirit of his country- barred from the use of arms, but they retained all
men would not allow him to remain quiet if he the other rights and privileges which they had
had desired it; and accordingly he again took up previously enjoyed. Theodoric also gradually in-
arms in 487, and marched upon Constantinople. troduced among his rude warriors a strict disci-
To save himself and his capital, Zeno gave Theo-pline, and taught them to respect the lives and
doric permission to invade Italy, and expel the property of their Italian neighbours. Although
usurper Odoacer from the country. The proposal an Arian himself, the most complete toleration
was gladly accepted by the king of the Ostrogoths; was given to the Catholic religion, and Theo-
but the terms on which the conquered country was doric rather discouraged than promoted conver-
to be held seem to have been purposely left in sion to the Arian faith among his Italian sub-
ambiguity. The Greeks afterwards asserted that jects. Under his mild and beneficent rule agri-
Theodoric had promised to conquer the country culture and commerce flourished, and Italy again
for the emperor ; while the Ostrogoths, on the other became one of the most prosperous countries in the
hand, alleged that Zeno had expressly ceded Italy world. Theodoric's relations with foreign nations
to their king.
were marked by principles of justice and integrity,
Theodoric commenced his march towards Italy and he showed no desire to extend his dominions
in 488. The reputation of the leader, and the at the expense of his neighbours. Unlike other
wealth and beauty of Italy, attracted to his standbarbarians, he had sufficient penetration to see that
ard a vast host of Goths. They were accompanied the extension of his dominions would not bring an
by their wives and children, and they carried with extension of power, and thus most of the wars in
them all their moveable property. It was, in fact, which he engaged were purely defensive. The
an emigration of the whole nation. After encoun- various Germanic nations looked up to him as their
tering numerous obstacles and dangers, and fight-chief, and he cemented his connection with them
ing his way through various tribes of Bulgarians, by intermarriages with most of their royal families.
Gepidae, and Sarmatians, Theodoric at length en- Thus he married his two daughters Theodichusa
tered Italy in the summer of 489. Odoacer had and Ostrogotha, the former to Alaric II. , king of
collected a powerful army to oppose him, and the the Visigoths, and the latter to Sigismund, the son
first battle was fought on the banks of the Sontius of Gundobald, king of the Burgundians; his sister
or Isontius, not far from Aquileia (28th of August, Amalfrida, the widow of a noble Goth, he gave in
489). Odoacer was defeated with great loss, but marriage to Thrasimund, king of the Vandals; and
be again collected his troops in the neighbourhood | his niece Amalaberga to Hermanfried, the last king


## p. 1045 (#1061) ##########################################

THEODORIDAS.
1045
THEODORUS.
of the Thuringians. So widely extended was Theo- | about B. c. 235; for, on the one hand, Euphorion
doric's name that the most distant nations courted is mentioned in one of the epigrams of Theo-
his alliance and his friendship, and embassies from doridas (Ep. ix. ), and, on the other hand, Clemens
the rude people on the shores of the Baltic came to Alexandrinus (Strom. v. p. 673) quotes a verse
Ravenna to present to him their gifts. He became of Euphorion év tais mpàs Oewpidav årtiypapais,
ruler of the Visigoths on the death of his son-in- where Schneider suggests the emendation codai
law Alaric II. The only legitimate son of Alaric pidav. He had a place in the Garland of Me-
was a child named Amalaric, whom he had by the leager. In addition to the eighteen epigrams
daughter of Theodoric; and to protect the rights ascribed to him in the Greek Anthology, about the
of his grandson against the Franks, he sent an genuineness of some of which there are doubts
army into Gaul, by which he established his power (Brunck, Anal. vol. ii. p. 41 ; Jacobs, Anth. Graec.
in that country.
vol. ii. p. 42, vol. xiii. p. 959), he wrote a lyric
Theodoric usually resided at Ravenna, but he re- pocm Eis "Epwta, upon which a commentary was
moved his court to Verona, whenever his kingdom written by Dionysius, surnamed 8 sentds (Ath.
was threatened by the neighbouring barbarians. xi. p. 475, f. ), a dithyramb entitled Kévtaupoi
On one occasion (a. D. 500), he visited Romc, (Ath. xv. p. 699 ; Eustath. ad Odyss. p. 1571,
where he convened the senate, and assured them 16), licentious verses of the kind called Pallares
of his intention to govern with justice. Although (Suid. s. v. Iwraons, as corrected by Meineke,
ignorant of literature himself, Theodoric encouraged Anal. Alex. p. 246), and some other poems, of
learned men ; and among bis ministers were Cas- which we have a few fragments, but not the titles.
2
siodorus and Boëthius, the two last writers who The name is more than once confounded with
can claim a place in the literature of ancient Rome. códwpos and @cosúpetos. (Fabric. Bibl. Graec.
Prosperous as bad been the reign of Theodoric, his vol. iv. p. 496; Bode, Gesch. d. Hollen. Dicht-
last days were darkened by disputes with the Ca- kunst, vol. ii. pt. 2, p.