介绍:
The History of the Decline and fall of the Roman Empire
Edward Gibbon
CHAPTER 1
The Extent of the Empire in the Age of the Antonines
Part I
In the second century of the Christian Aera, the empire of Rome comprehended
the fairest part of the earth, and powerful influence of laws and manners had
gradually cemented the union of the provinces. Their peaceful inhabitants enjoyed
and abused the advantages of wealth and luxury. The image of a free constitution
was preserved with decent reverence: the Roman senate appeared to possess the
sovereign authority, and devolved on the emperors all the executive powers of
government. During a happy period of more than fourscore years, the public
administration was conducted by the virtue and abilities of Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and the two Antonines. It is the design of this, and of the two succeeding chapters, to describe the prosperous condition of their empire; and after wards, from the
death of Marcus Antoninus, to deduce the most important circumstances of its
decline and fall; a revolution which will ever be remembered, and is still felt by the
nations of the earth.
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