The artful pontiff might flatter the
vanity of Guiscard with the hope of a Roman or Imperial crown; but this
dangerous measure, which would have inflamed the ambition of the Norman,
must forever have alienated the most faithful princes of Germany.

[Footnote 81: The epistle itself (Alexias, l. iii. p. 93, 94, 95) well
deserves to be read. There is one expression which Ducange does not
understand. I have endeavored to grope out a tolerable meaning: The
first word is a golden crown; the second is explained by Simon Portius,
(in Lexico Graeco-Barbar.,) by a flash of lightning.]

[Footnote 82: For these general events I must refer to the general
historians Sigonius, Baronius, Muratori, Mosheim, St. Marc, &c.]

[Footnote 83: The lives of Gregory VII. are either legends or
invectives, (St. Marc, Abrege, tom. iii. p. 235, &c.;) and his
miraculous or magical performances are alike incredible to a modern
reader. He will, as usual, find some instruction in Le Clerc, (Vie
de Hildebrand, Bibliot, ancienne et moderne, tom. viii.,) and much
amusement in Bayle, (Dictionnaire Critique, Gregoire VII.) That pope was
undoubtedly a great man, a second Athanasius, in a more fortunate age of
the church. May I presume to add, that the portrait of Athanasius is one
of the passages of my history (vol. ii. p. 332, &c.) with which I am
the least dissatisfied? * Note: There is a fair life of Gregory VII.
by Voigt, (Weimar. 1815,) which has been translated into French. M.
Villemain, it is understood, has devoted much time to the study of this
remarkable character, to whom his eloquence may do justice. There
is much valuable information on the subject in the accurate work of
Stenzel, Geschichte Deutschlands unter den Frankischen Kaisern--the
History of Germany under the Emperors of the Franconian Race.--M.]

[Footnote 84: Anna, with the rancor of a Greek schismatic, calls him (l.
i. p. 32,) a pope, or priest, worthy to be spit upon and accuses him of
scourging, shaving, and perhaps of castrating the ambassadors of Henry,
(p. 31, 33.) But this outrage is improbable and doubtful, (see the
sensible preface of Cousin.)]

[Footnote 85:

Sic uno tempore victi

Sunt terrae Domini duo: rex Alemannicus iste,

Imperii rector Romani maximus ille.

Alter ad arma ruens armis superatur; et alter

Nominis auditi sola formidine cessit.

It is singular enough, that the Apulian, a Latin, should distinguish the
Greek as t