罗马帝国消亡史经典英文版 (154).docxVIP

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经典英文巨著、宝贵学习参考资料

经典英文巨著、宝贵学习参考资料

Butassoonasfestivityandformhadgivenplacetoamoreserioustreaty,theGreeksweredissatisfiedwiththeirjourney,withthemselves,andwiththepope.Theartfulpencilofhisemissarieshadpaintedhiminaprosperousstate;attheheadoftheprincesandprelatesofEurope,obedientathisvoice,tobelieveandtoarm.ThethinappearanceoftheuniversalsynodofFerrarabetrayedhisweakness:andtheLatinsopenedthefirstsessionwithonlyfivearchbishops,eighteenbishops,andtenabbots,thegreatestpartofwhomwerethesubjectsorcountrymenoftheItalianpontiff.ExceptthedukeofBurgundy,noneofthepotentatesoftheWestcondescendedtoappearinperson,orbytheirambassadors;norwasitpossibletosuppressthejudicialactsofBasilagainstthedignityandpersonofEugenius,whichwerefinallyconcludedbyanewelection.Underthesecircumstances,atruceordelaywasaskedandgranted,tillPalaeologuscouldexpectfromtheconsentoftheLatinssometemporalrewardforanunpopularunion;andafterthefirstsession,thepublicproceedingswereadjournedabovesixmonths.Theemperor,withachosenbandofhisfavoritesandJanizaries,fixedhissummerresidenceatapleasant,spaciousmonastery,sixmilesfromFerrara;forgot,inthepleasuresofthechase,thedistressofthechurchandstate;andpersistedindestroyingthegame,withoutlisteningtothejustcomplaintsofthemarquisorthehusbandman.^58Inthemeanwhile,hisunfortunateGreekswereexposedtoallthemiseriesofexileandpoverty;forthesupportofeachstranger,amonthlyallowancewasassignedofthreeorfourgoldflorins;andalthoughtheentiresumdidnotamounttosevenhundredflorins,alongarrearwasrepeatedlyincurredbytheindigenceorpolicyoftheRomancourt.^59Theysighedforaspeedydeliverance,buttheirescapewaspreventedbyatriplechain:apassportfromtheirsuperiorswasrequiredat