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But it is impossible to hold with such tranquillity states

constituted like that of France. Hence arose those frequent

rebellions against the Romans in Spain, France, and Greece, owing

to the many principalities there were in these states, of which,

as long as the memory of them endured, the Romans always held an

insecure possession; but with the power and long continuance of

the empire the memory of them passed away, and the Romans then

became secure possessors. And when fighting afterwards amongst

themselves, each one was able to attach to himself his own parts

of the country, according to the authority he had assumed there;

and the family of the former lord being exterminated, none other

than the Romans were acknowledged.