whom he despised. At last, indeed, he received from the conspirators the bloody purple of Gallienus: but he had been absent from their camp and counsels; and however he might applaud the deed, we may candidly presume that he was innocent of the knowledge of it[1]. When Claudius ascended the throne, he was about fifty-four years of age.
Death of Aureolus The siege of Milan was still continued, and Aureolus soon discovered, that the success of his artifices had only raised up a more determined adversary. He at- tempted to negociate with Claudius a treaty of alliance and partition. " Tell him," replied the intrepid em- peror, " that such proposals should have been made to Gallienus; he, perhaps, might have listened to them with patience, and accepted a colleague as despicable as himself[2]." This stern refusal, and a last unsuccessful effort, obliged Aureolus to yield the city and himself to the discretion of the conqueror. The judgement of the army pronounced him worthy of death; and Claudius, after a feeble resistance, consented to the execution of the sentence. Nor was the zeal of the senate less ardent in the cause of their new sovereign. They ratified, perhaps with a sincere transport of zeal, the election of Claudius; and as his predecessor had shown himself the personal enemy of their order, they exercised under the name of justice a severe revenge against his friends and family. The senate was permitted to discharge the ungrateful office of punishment; and the emperor reserved for himself the pleasure and merit of obtaining by his intercession a general act of indemnity[3].
Clemency and justice of Claudius Such ostentatious clemency discovers less of the real character of Claudius, than a trifling circumstance in of
- ↑ Julian (Orat. i. p. 6.) affirms that Claudius acquired the empire in a just and even holy manner. But we may distrust the partiality of a kinsman.
- ↑ Hist. August, p. 203. There are some trifling differences concerning the circumstances of the last defeat and death of Aureolus.
- ↑ Aurelius Victor in Gallien. The people loudly prayed for the damnation of Gallienus. The senate decreed that his relations and servants should be thrown down headlong from the Gemonian stairs. An obnoxious officer of the revenue had his eyes torn out whilst under examination.
