“The subjects of Maximin were reduced to that uncommon distress, in which the body of people has more fear of oppression than that from of resistance”
“The generous enthusiasm of the Aquileians was exalted into confidence of success”
“They delight in sloth, they detest tranquility”
“The possession and enjoyment of property bind a civilized people to a country”
“Less favourable to the virtue of chasity, whose most dangerous enemy is the softness of the mind”
“Arise not so much fro the superiority of reason, but from the want of ingenuity”
“The Roman Empire was attached at the same time, on every side by the blind fury of foreign invaders and the wild ambitions of domestic usurpers”
“In every act he attempted his lively genius enabled him to succeed, and his genius was destitute of judgement, he attempted in every art except the important ones of war and government. He was a master of several curios but useless sciences, a ready orator, and excellent poet, a skillful gardener, an excellent cook and the most contemptible prince.“
“Respected by the troops for either able conduct or severe discipline”
“The field of victory was often the scene of their elections”
“In times of confusion, every active genius find himself in the place assigned to him by nature”
“If we examine the candour of the usurpers, they were often driven into rebellion by their fears rather than urged by ambition”
“Allured by presents and promise”
“Deliberated with caution, and acted with vigour”
“Caprice and flattery had tempted maxentius with the hopes of conquest, but these aspiring hopes gave way to habits of pleasure and conscious of inexperience”
“The alps were guarded by nature, fortified by art”
(Germans) “disdained the tedious forms of siege”
“The intrepid mind of Constantine has been trained by the earliest youth to war, to action, and to military command”
“Less room for the conduct of generals than the courage of soldiers”
“The excess of valour almost degenerated into rashness”
“Pleasure was the only business of Maxentius”
“Deferred the remedy without deferring the evil”
“Fear is commonly superstitious”