罗马帝国消亡史经典英文版 (147).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

PartIII.

Ishallnot,Itrust,beaccusedofsuperstition;butImustremarkthat,eveninthisworld,thenaturalorderofeventswillsometimesaffordthestrongappearancesofmoralretribution.ThefirstPalaeologushadsavedhisempirebyinvolvingthekingdomsoftheWestinrebellionandblood;andfromthesescenesofdiscorduproseagenerationofironmen,whoassaultedandendangeredtheempireofhisson.Inmoderntimesourdebtsandtaxesarethesecretpoisonwhichstillcorrodesthebosomofpeace:butintheweakanddisorderlygovernmentofthemiddleages,itwasagitatedbythepresentevilofthedisbandedarmies.Tooidletowork,tooproudtobeg,themercenarieswereaccustomedtoalifeofrapine:theycouldrobwithmoredignityandeffectunderabannerandachief;andthesovereign,towhomtheirservicewasuseless,andtheirpresenceimportunate,endeavoredtodischargethetorrentonsomeneighboringcountries.AfterthepeaceofSicily,manythousandsofGenoese,Catalans,^47c.,whohadfought,byseaandland,underthestandardofAnjouorArragon,wereblendedintoonenationbytheresemblanceoftheirmannersandinterest.TheyheardthattheGreekprovincesofAsiawereinvadedbytheTurks:theyresolvedtosharetheharvestofpayandplunder:andFrederickingofSicilymostliberallycontributedthemeansoftheirdeparture.Inawarfareoftwentyyears,aship,oracamp,wasbecometheircountry;armsweretheirsoleprofessionandproperty;valorwastheonlyvirtuewhichtheyknew;theirwomenhadimbibedthefearlesstemperoftheirloversandhusbands:itwasreported,that,withastrokeoftheirbroadsword,theCatalanscouldcleaveahorsemanandahorse;andthereportitselfwasapowerfulweapon.RogerdeFlor^*wasthemostpopularoftheirchiefs;andhispersonalmeritovershadowedthedignityofhisprouderrivalsofArragon.TheoffspringofamarriagebetweenaG