PETRONIUS Maximus, was born in the year 395, of an illustrious family, being at first a senator and consul of Rome. He put on the imperial purple in 455, after having effected the assassination of Valentinian III. In order to establish himself upon the throne, he married Eudoxia the widow of that unfortunate prince; and as she was ignorant of his villany, he confessed to her, in a transport of love, that the strong desire he had of being her husband, had made him commit this atrocious crime. Whereupon Eudoxia privately applied to Genserice, king of the Vandals, who coming into Italy with a very powerful army, entered Rome, where the usurper then was. The unhappy wretch endeavoured to make his escape; but the soldiers and people, enraged at his cowardice, fell upon him, and overwhelmed him with a shower of stones. His body was dragged through the streets of the city for three days; and, after treating it with every mark of disgrace, they threw it into the Tiber the 12th of June the same year, 455. He reigned only 77 days. He had some good qualities. He loved and cultivated the sciences. He was prudent in his councils, circumspect in his actions, equitable in his judgments; a facetious companion, and steady friend. He had the good fortune to win the affections of every body, while he remained a private character; but as a prince, he was so much the more detestable, in that, after he had obtained the throne by villany, he kept possession of it only by violence. The crown was scarcely on his head before it appeared to him an insupportable burden. "Happy Democles (exclaimed he in his despair), thou wert a king during a single entertainment."