His manners were gradually polished, his military skill improved, and the confederates of Italy would not have elected him for their general unless the exploits of Odoacer had established a high opinion of his courage and capacity. The lowness of the door would not admit the lofty stature of Odoacer he was obliged to stoop: but in that humble attitude the saint could discern the symptoms of his future greatness and addressing him in a prophetic tone, 'Pursue,' said he, 'your design proceed to Italy you will cast away the coarse garment of skins and your wealth will be adequate to the liberality of your mind.' The barbarian, whose daring spirit accepted and ratified this prediction, was admitted into the service of the Western empire, and soon obtained an honourable rank in the guards. The former directed his steps to Constantinople Odoacer "led a wandering life among the barbarians of Noricum, with a mind and fortune suited to the most desperate adventures and when he had fixed his choice, he privily visited the cell of Severinus, the popular saint of the country, to solicit his approbation and blessing. The Eastern empire still lingered but calamity, like blotting out the sun, and moon, and stars, had come over that part of the world which for so many centuries had constituted the seat of power and dominion.-Odoacer was the son of Edecon, a barbarian, who was in the service of Attila, and who left two sons-Onulf and Odoacer. The Western empire terminated, according to Mr. These four great barbarian leaders succeed each other in order, and under the last, Odoacer, the barbarian dominion was established for it is here that the existence of the Roman power, as such, ended. Any one has only to open the "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" to see that this is the next event that should be symbolized if the design were to represent the downfall of the empire. If the previous symbols referred to Alaric, to Genseric, and to Attila, there can be no difficulty in applying this to Odoacer, and to his reign-a reign in which, in fact, the Roman dominion in the West came to an end, and passed into the hands of this barbarian. For a third part of the day, and a third part of the night, this darkness reigned: but does not this imply that there would be light again-that the obscurity would pass away, and that the sun, and moon, and stars would shine again? That is, is it not implied that there would still be prosperity ill some future period? Now, in regard to the application of this, if the explanation of the preceding symbols is correct, there can be little difficulty. The world was not to go into a state of total and permanent night. (5.) Perhaps it is also intended by the symbol, that there would be light again. It is not as if the sun, the moon, and the stars were entirely blotted out, for there was still some remaining light: that is, there was a continuance of the existing state of things-as if these heavenly bodies should still give an obscure and partial light. (3.) Like the preceding, it is to affect "one third part" of the world that is, it is to be a calamity as if a third part of the sun, the moon, and the stars were suddenly smitten and darkened. (2.) It would be separated in some important sense-of time, place, or degree-from those which were to follow, for there is a pause here, ( ) and the angel proclaims that more terrible woes are to succeed this series. (1.) It would follow in the series of calamities that were to occur. There are a few circumstances, however, in regard to this symbol, which may aid us in determining its application. What is the precise nature of the calamity is not indicated by the language, but anything that would diffuse gloom and disaster would accord with the fair meaning of the symbol. The meaning is, that calamity would come as if darkness should spread over the sun, the moon, and the stars, leaving the world in gloom. There is no certain evidence that this refers to rulers, as many have supposed, or to anything that would particularly affect the government as such. The darkening of the heavenly luminaries is every, where an emblem of any great calamity- as if the light of the sun, moon, and stars should be put out. And the third part of the sea was smitten.
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