A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

3. Q.AureliusSymmachus, who flourished towards the close of the fourth century, and stood foremost among his contemporaries as a scholar, a statesman, and an orator. Educated in Gaul (Symmach. Ep. 9.83), apparently at Bourdeaux or Toulouse, in that age the most renowned seminaries in the world, in early life he became devoted to the liberal arts. By his example and authority he, at a subsequent period, inspired for a time new life and vigour into the literature of his country, which had long been wasting by gradual decay, and seemed now to be fast approaching the hour of dissolution. Having discharged the functions of quaestor and praetor, he was afterwards appointed (A. D. 365, Cod. Theod. 8. tit. 5. s. 25) Corrector of Lucania and the Bruttii; in A. D. 373 (Cod. Theod. 12. tit. 1. s. 73; comp. Symmach. Ep. 8.10, 10.3) he was proconsul of Africa, and became, probably about the same time, a member of the pontifical college. His zeal for the ancient faith of Rome, which exercised throughout life a marked influence on his character, checked for a while the prosperous current of his fortunes, and involved him in danger and disgrace. For having been chosen by the senate on account of his surpassing eloquence to remonstrate with Gratian on the removal of the altar of victory (A. D. 382) from their council hall, and on the curtailment of the sums annually allowed for the maintenance of the Vestal Virgins, and for the public celebration of sacred rites, he was ordered by the indignant emperor to quit the presence, and to withdraw himself to a distance of one hundred miles from Rome. Nothing daunted by this repulse, when appointed praefect of the city (A. D. 384) after the death of his persecutor, he addressed an elaborate epistle to Valentinianus again urging the restoration of the pagan deities to their former honours. The application was again unsuccessful, but did not upon this occasion prove personally injurious to the promoter, who was, however, soon exposed to a hazard still more perilous than any which he had previously encountered. In consequence of the hostile feelings which he naturally cherished against Gratian, he had always sympathised with Maximus, by whom that prince had been conquered and slain. When the pretender was threatening (A. D. 387) to invade Italy his cause was openly advocated by Symmachus, who upon the arrival of Theodosius was impeached of treason, and forced to take refuge in a sanctuary. Having been speedily pardoned through the intercession of numerous and powerful friends he expressed his contrition and gratitude in an apologetic address to the conqueror, by whom he was not only freely forgiven, but was received into favour and elevated to the consulship in A. D. 391, and during the remainder of his life he appears to have taken an active part in public affairs. The date of his death is unknown, but one of his letters (7.50) was written as late as A. D. 402, and he was certainly alive when the poem of Prudentius, usually assigned to A. D. 404, was published. His personal character seems to have been unimpeachable, as he performed the duties of the high offices which he filled in succession with a degree of mildness, firmness, and integrity, seldom found among statesmen in that corrupt age. The

charge vaguely preferred, and unsupported by any distinct evidence, that he abused his power when chief magistrate of Rome, in order to oppress the Christians, seems totally destitute of foundation. That his leisure hours were devoted exclusively to literary pursuits, seems evident from the numerous allusions in his epistles to the studies in which he was engaged, and his friendship with Ausonius and other distinguished authors of that epoch proves that he delighted in associating and corresponding with the learned. His wealth must have been prodigious, for in addition to his town mansion on the Caelian Hill (Ep. 3.12, 88, 7.18), and several houses in the city which he lent to his friends, he possessed upwards of a dozen villas in the most delightful parts of Italy, many detached farms. together with estates in Sicily and Mauritania. The following inscription contains a list of his honours and titles as recorded by his son : --

Q. AUR. SYMMACHO. V. C. QUAEST. PRAET. PONTIFICI. MAIORI. CORRECTORI. LUCANIAE. ET. BRITTIORUM. COMITI. ORDINIS. TERTII. PKOCONS. AFRICAE. PRAEF. URB. COS. ORDINARIO. ORATORI. DISSERTISSIMO. Q. FAB. MEM. SYMMACHUS. V. C. PATRI. OPTIMO.