Amiable Weaknesses Of Human Nature.

Bizarreness Masqueraded As Creativity.

The Character Of The Tribunes Was, In Every Respect, Different From That Of The Consuls. The Appearance Of The Former Was Modest And Humble; But Their Persons Were Sacred And Inviolable. Their Force Was Suited Rather For Opposition Than For Action. They Were Instituted To Defend The Oppressed, To Pardon Offences, To Arraign The Enemies Of The People, And, When They Judged It Necessary, To Stop, By A Single Word, The Whole Machine Of Government.

The Fabric Of A Mighty State, Which Has Been Reared By The Labours Of Successive Ages, Could Not Be Overturned By The Misfortune Of A Single Day, If The Fatal Power Of The Imagination Did Not Exaggerate The Real Measure Of The Calamity.

The Spectator And Historian Of [belisarius's] Exploits Has Observed, That Amidst The Perils Of War, He Was Daring Without Rashness, Prudent Without Fear, Slow Or Rapid According To The Exigencies Of The Moment; That In The Deepest Distress He Was Animated By Real Or Apparent Hope, But That He Was Modest And Humble In The Most Prosperous Fortune.

That Country [carthage] Was Rapidly Sinking Into The State Of Barbarism From Whence It Had Been Raised By The Phoenician Colonies And Roman Laws; And Every Step Of Intestine Discord Was Marked By Some Deplorable Victory Of Savage Man Over Civilized Society.