第46章
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  Butthehopesofplunderhadbanishedeveryideaofdanger,andanaturalfearlessnessoftempersuppliedintheirmindsthemorerationalconfidence,whichisthejustresultofknowledgeandexperience。Warriorsofsuchadaringspiritmusthaveoftenmurmuredagainstthecowardiceoftheirguides,whorequiredthestrongestassurancesofasettledcalmbeforetheywouldventuretoembark;andwouldscarcelyeverbetemptedtolosesightoftheland。Such,atleast,isthepracticeofthemodernTurks;

  ^104andtheyareprobablynotinferior,intheartofnavigation,totheancientinhabitantsofBosphorus。

  [Footnote95:Itisabouthalfaleagueinbreadth。GenealogicalHistoryoftheTartars,p598。]

  [Footnote96:M。dePeyssonel,whohadbeenFrenchConsulatCaffa,inhisObservationssurlesPeuplesBarbares,queonthabitelesbordsduDanube]

  [Footnote97:EeripidesinIphigeniainTaurid。]

  [Footnote98:Strabo,l。vii。p。309。ThefirstkingsofBosphoruswerethealliesofAthens。]

  [Footnote99:AppianinMithridat。]

  [Footnote100:ItwasreducedbythearmsofAgrippa。Orosius,vi。21。Eutropius,vii。9。TheRomansonceadvancedwithinthreedays\'marchoftheTanais。Tacit。Annal。xii。17。]

  [Footnote101:SeetheToxarisofLucian,ifwecreditthesincerityandthevirtuesoftheScythian,whorelatesagreatwarofhisnationagainstthekingsofBosphorus。]

  [Footnote102:Zosimus,l。i。p。28。]

  [Footnote103:Strabo,l。xi。Tacit。Hist。iii。47。TheywerecalledCamaroe。]

  [Footnote104:SeeaverynaturalpictureoftheEuxinenavigation,inthexvithletterofTournefort。]

  ThefleetoftheGoths,leavingthecoastofCircassiaonthelefthand,firstappearedbeforePityus,^105theutmostlimitsoftheRomanprovinces;acityprovidedwithaconvenientport,andfortifiedwithastrongwall。Heretheymetwitharesistancemoreobstinatethantheyhadreasontoexpectfromthefeeblegarrisonofadistantfortress。Theywererepulsed;andtheirdisappointmentseemedtodiminishtheterroroftheGothicname。AslongasSuccessianus,anofficerofsuperiorrankandmerit,defendedthatfrontier,alltheireffortswereineffectual;butassoonashewasremovedbyValeriantoamorehonorablebutlessimportantstation,theyresumedtheattackofPityus;andbythedestructionofthatcity,obliteratedthememoryoftheirformerdisgrace。^106

  [Footnote105:ArrianplacesthefrontiergarrisonatDioscurias,orSebastopolis,forty—fourmilestotheeastofPityus。ThegarrisonofPhasisconsistedinhistimeofonlyfourhundredfoot。SeethePeriplusoftheEuxine。

  Note:PityusisPitchinda,accordingtoD\'Anville,ii。115。

  —G。RatherBoukoun。—M。DioscuriasisIskuriah。—G。]

  [Footnote106:Zosimus,l。i。p。30。]

  CirclingroundtheeasternextremityoftheEuxineSea,thenavigationfromPityustoTrebizondisaboutthreehundredmiles。

  ^107ThecourseoftheGothscarriedtheminsightofthecountryofColchis,sofamousbytheexpeditionoftheArgonauts;andtheyevenattempted,thoughwithoutsuccess,topillagearichtempleatthemouthoftheRiverPhasis。Trebizond,celebratedintheretreatofthetenthousandasanancientcolonyofGreeks,^108deriveditswealthandsplendorfromthemagnificenceoftheemperorHadrian,whohadconstructedanartificialportonacoastleftdestitutebynatureofsecureharbors。^109Thecitywaslargeandpopulous;adoubleenclosureofwallsseemedtodefythefuryoftheGoths,andtheusualgarrisonhadbeenstrengthenedbyareenforcementoftenthousandmen。Buttherearenotanyadvantagescapableofsupplyingtheabsenceofdisciplineandvigilance。ThenumerousgarrisonofTrebizond,dissolvedinriotandluxury,disdainedtoguardtheirimpregnablefortifications。TheGothssoondiscoveredthesupinenegligenceofthebesieged,erectedaloftypileoffascines,ascendedthewallsinthesilenceofthenight,andenteredthedefencelesscityswordinhand。Ageneralmassacreofthepeopleensued,whilsttheaffrightedsoldiersescapedthroughtheoppositegatesofthetown。Themostholytemples,andthemostsplendidedifices,wereinvolvedinacommondestruction。ThebootythatfellintothehandsoftheGothswasimmense:thewealthoftheadjacentcountrieshadbeendepositedinTrebizond,asinasecureplaceofrefuge。Thenumberofcaptiveswasincredible,asthevictoriousbarbariansrangedwithoutoppositionthroughtheextensiveprovinceofPontus。^110TherichspoilsofTrebizondfilledagreatfleetofshipsthathadbeenfoundintheport。Therobustyouthofthesea—coastwerechainedtotheoar;andtheGoths,satisfiedwiththesuccessoftheirfirstnavalexpedition,returnedintriumphtotheirnewestablishmentinthekingdomofBosphorus。^111

  [Footnote107:ArrianinPeriploMarisEuxine,p。130callsthedistance2610stadia。]

  [Footnote108:Xenophon,Anabasis,l。iv。p。348,edit。

  Hutchinson。

  Note:FallmerayerGeschichtedesKaiserthumsvonTrapezunt,p。6,&cassignsaveryancientdatetothefirstPelasgic

  foundationofTrapezunTrebizond—M。]

  [Footnote109:Arrian,p。129。ThegeneralobservationisTournefort\'s。]

  [Footnote110:SeeanepistleofGregoryThaumaturgus,bishopofNeo—Caeoarea,quotedbyMascou,v。37。]

  [Footnote111:Zosimus,l。i。p。32,33。]

  ThesecondexpeditionoftheGothswasundertakenwithgreaterpowersofmenandships;buttheysteeredadifferentcourse,and,disdainingtheexhaustedprovincesofPontus,followedthewesterncoastoftheEuxine,passedbeforethewidemouthsoftheBorysthenes,theNiester,andtheDanube,andincreasingtheirfleetbythecaptureofagreatnumberoffishingbarks,theyapproachedthenarrowoutletthroughwhichtheEuxineSeapoursitswatersintotheMediterranean,anddividesthecontinentsofEuropeandAsia。ThegarrisonofChalcedonwasencampednearthetempleofJupiterUrius,onapromontorythatcommandedtheentranceoftheStrait;andsoinconsiderablewerethedreadedinvasionsofthebarbariansthatthisbodyoftroopssurpassedinnumbertheGothicarmy。Butitwasinnumbersalonethattheysurpassedit。Theydesertedwithprecipitationtheiradvantageouspost,andabandonedthetownofChalcedon,mostplentifullystoredwitharmsandmoney,tothediscretionoftheconquerors。WhilsttheyhesitatedwhethertheyshouldprefertheseaorlandEuropeorAsia,forthesceneoftheirhostilities,aperfidiousfugitivepointedoutNicomedia,oncethecapitalofthekingsofBithynia,asarichandeasyconquest。HeguidedthemarchwhichwasonlysixtymilesfromthecampofChalcedon,^112directedtheresistlessattack,andpartookofthebooty;fortheGothshadlearnedsufficientpolicytorewardthetraitorwhomtheydetested。Nice,Prusa,Apamaea,Cius,^!citiesthathadsometimesrivalled,orimitated,thesplendorofNicomedia,wereinvolvedinthesamecalamity,which,inafewweeks,ragedwithoutcontrolthroughthewholeprovinceofBithynia。Threehundredyearsofpeace,enjoyedbythesoftinhabitantsofAsia,hadabolishedtheexerciseofarms,andremovedtheapprehensionofdanger。Theancientwallsweresufferedtomoulderaway,andalltherevenueofthemostopulentcitieswasreservedfortheconstructionofbaths,temples,andtheatres。^113

  [Footnote*:Ithaspreserveditsname,joinedtotheprepositionofplaceinthatofNikmid。D\'Anv。Geog。Anc。ii。28。—G。]

  [Footnote112:Itiner。Hierosolym。p。572。Wesseling。]

  [Footnote!:NowIsnik,Bursa,MondaniaGhioorKemlikD\'Anv。ii。

  23。—G。]

  [Footnote113:Zosimus,l……p。32,33。]

  WhenthecityofCyzicuswithstoodtheutmosteffortofMithridates,^114itwasdistinguishedbywiselaws,anavapoweroftwohundredgalleys,andthreearsenals,ofarms,ofmilitaryengines,andofcorn。^115Itwasstilltheseatofwealthandluxury;butofitsancientstrength,nothingremainedexceptthesituation,inalittleislandofthePropontis,connectedwiththecontinentofAsiaonlybytwobridges。FromtherecentsackofPrusa,theGothsadvancedwithineighteenmiles。^116ofthecity,whichtheyhaddevotedtodestruction;buttheruinofCyzicuswasdelayedbyafortunateaccident。Theseasonwasrainy,andtheLakeApolloniates,thereservoirofallthespringsofMountOlympus,rosetoanuncommonheight。ThelittleriverofRhyndacus,whichissuesfromthelake,swelledintoabroadandrapidstream,andstoppedtheprogressoftheGoths。

  TheirretreattothemaritimecityofHeraclea,wherethefleethadprobablybeenstationed,wasattendedbyalongtrainofwagons,ladenwiththespoilsofBithynia,andwasmarkedbytheflamesofNicoandNicomedia,whichtheywantonlyburnt。^117

  Someobscurehintsarementionedofadoubtfulcombatthatsecuredtheirretreat。^118Butevenacompletevictorywouldhavebeenoflittlemoment,astheapproachoftheautumnalequinoxsummonedthemtohastentheirreturn。TonavigatetheEuxinebeforethemonthofMay,orafterthatofSeptember,isesteemedbythemodernTurksthemostunquestionableinstanceofrashnessandfolly。^119

  [Footnote114:Hebesiegedtheplacewith400galleys,150,000

  foot,andanumerouscavalry。SeePlutarchinLucul。AppianinMithridatCiceroproLegeManilia,c。8。]

  [Footnote115:Strabo,l。xii。p。573。]

  [Footnote116:Pocock\'sDescriptionoftheEast,l。ii。c。23,24。]

  [Footnote117:Zosimus,l。i。p。33。]

  [Footnote118:SyncellustellsanunintelligiblestoryofPrinceOdenathus,whodefeatedtheGoths,andwhowaskilledbyPrinceOdenathus。]

  [Footnote119:VoyagesdeChardin,tom。i。p。45。HesailedwiththeTurksfromConstantinopletoCaffa。]

  Whenweareinformedthatthethirdfleet,equippedbytheGothsintheportsofBosphorus,consistedoffivehundredsailsofships,^120ourreadyimaginationinstantlycomputesandmultipliestheformidablearmament;but,asweareassuredbythejudiciousStrabo,^121thatthepiraticalvesselsusedbythebarbariansofPontusandtheLesserScythia,werenotcapableofcontainingmorethantwenty—fiveorthirtymenwemaysafelyaffirm,thatfifteenthousandwarriors,atthemost,embarkedinthisgreatexpedition。ImpatientofthelimitsoftheEuxine,theysteeredtheirdestructivecoursefromtheCimmeriantotheThracianBosphorus。WhentheyhadalmostgainedthemiddleoftheStraits,theyweresuddenlydrivenbacktotheentranceofthem;tillafavorablewind,springingupthenextday,carriedtheminafewhoursintotheplacidsea,orratherlake,ofthePropontis。TheirlandingonthelittleislandofCyzicuswasattendedwiththeruinofthatancientandnoblecity。FromthenceissuingagainthroughthenarrowpassageoftheHellespont,theypursuedtheirwindingnavigationamidstthenumerousislandsscatteredovertheArchipelago,ortheAegeanSea。Theassistanceofcaptivesanddesertersmusthavebeenverynecessarytopilottheirvessels,andtodirecttheirvariousincursions,aswellonthecoastofGreeceasonthatofAsia。AtlengththeGothicfleetanchoredintheportofPiraeus,fivemilesdistantfromAthens,^122whichhadattemptedtomakesomepreparationsforavigorousdefence。Cleodamus,oneoftheengineersemployedbytheemperor\'sorderstofortifythemaritimecitiesagainsttheGoths,hadalreadybeguntorepairtheancientwalls,fallentodecaysincethetimeofScylla。Theeffortsofhisskillwereineffectual,andthebarbariansbecamemastersofthenativeseatofthemusesandthearts。Butwhiletheconquerorsabandonedthemselvestothelicenseofplunderandintemperance,theirfleet,thatlaywithaslenderguardintheharborofPiraeus,wasunexpectedlyattackedbythebraveDexippus,who,flyingwiththeengineerCleodamusfromthesackofAthens,collectedahastybandofvolunteers,peasantsaswellassoldiers,andinsomemeasureavengedthecalamitiesofhiscountry。^123

  [Footnote120:Syncellusp。382speaksofthisexpedition,asundertakenbytheHeruli。]

  [Footnote121:Strabo,l。xi。p。495。]

  [Footnote122:Plin。Hist。Natur。iii。7。]

  [Footnote123:Hist。August。p。181。Victor,c。33。Orosius,vii。42。Zosimus,l。i。p。35。Zonaras,l。xii。635。Syncellus,p。382。Itisnotwithoutsomeattention,thatwecanexplainandconciliatetheirimperfecthints。WecanstilldiscoversometracesofthepartialityofDexippus,intherelationofhisownandhiscountrymen\'sexploits。

  Note:AccordingtoanewfragmentofDexippus,publishedbyMai,he2000men。Hetookupastrongpositioninamountainousandwoodsdistrict,andkeptupaharassingwarfare。HeexpressesahopeofbeingspeedilyjoinedbytheImperialfleet。

  Dexippusinrov。ByzantinorumCollectaNiebuhr,p。26,8—M。]

  Butthisexploit,whateverlustreitmightshedonthedecliningageofAthens,servedrathertoirritatethantosubduetheundauntedspiritofthenortherninvaders。AgeneralconflagrationblazedoutatthesametimeineverydistrictofGreece。ThebesandArgos,CorinthandSparta,whichhadformerlywagedsuchmemorablewarsagainsteachother,werenowunabletobringanarmyintothefield,oreventodefendtheirruinedfortifications。Therageofwar,bothbylandandbysea,spreadfromtheeasternpointofSuniumtothewesterncoastofEpirus。

  TheGothshadalreadyadvancedwithinsightofItaly,whentheapproachofsuchimminentdangerawakenedtheindolentGallienusfromhisdreamofpleasure。Theemperorappearedinarms;andhispresenceseemstohavecheckedtheardor,andtohavedividedthestrength,oftheenemy。Naulobatus,achiefoftheHeruli,acceptedanhonorablecapitulation,enteredwithalargebodyofhiscountrymenintotheserviceofRome,andwasinvestedwiththeornamentsoftheconsulardignity,whichhadneverbeforebeenprofanedbythehandsofabarbarian。^124GreatnumbersoftheGoths,disgustedwiththeperilsandhardshipsofatediousvoyage,brokeintoMaesia,withadesignofforcingtheirwayovertheDanubetotheirsettlementsintheUkraine。Thewildattemptwouldhaveprovedinevitabledestruction,ifthediscordoftheRomangeneralshadnotopenedtothebarbariansthemeansofanescape。^125Thesmallremainderofthisdestroyinghostreturnedonboardtheirvessels;andmeasuringbacktheirwaythroughtheHellespontandtheBosphorus,ravagedintheirpassagetheshoresofTroy,whosefame,immortalizedbyHomer,willprobablysurvivethememoryoftheGothicconquests。AssoonastheyfoundthemselvesinsafetywithinthebasinoftheEuxine,theylandedatAnchialusinThrace,nearthefootofMountHaemus;and,afteralltheirtoils,indulgedthemselvesintheuseofthosepleasantandsalutaryhotbaths。Whatremainedofthevoyagewasashortandeasynavigation。^126Suchwasthevariousfateofthisthirdandgreatestoftheirnavalenterprises。Itmayseemdifficulttoconceivehowtheoriginalbodyoffifteenthousandwarriorscouldsustainthelossesanddivisionsofsoboldanadventure。Butastheirnumbersweregraduallywastedbythesword,byshipwrecks,andbytheinfluenceofawarmclimate,theywereperpetuallyrenewedbytroopsofbandittianddeserters,whoflockedtothestandardofplunder,andbyacrowdoffugitiveslaves,oftenofGermanorSarmatianextraction,whoeagerlyseizedthegloriousopportunityoffreedomandrevenge。Intheseexpeditions,theGothicnationclaimedasuperiorshareofhonoranddanger;butthetribesthatfoughtundertheGothicbannersaresometimesdistinguishedandsometimesconfoundedintheimperfecthistoriesofthatage;andasthebarbarianfleetsseemedtoissuefromthemouthoftheTanais,thevaguebutfamiliarappellationofScythianswasfrequentlybestowedonthemixedmultitude。^127

  [Footnote124:Syncellus,p。382。ThisbodyofHeruliwasforalongtimefaithfulandfamous。]

  [Footnote125:Claudius,whocommandedontheDanube,thoughtwithproprietyandactedwithspirit。HiscolleaguewasjealousofhisfameHist。August。p。181。]

  [Footnote126:Jornandes,c。20。]

  [Footnote127:ZosimusandtheGreeksastheauthorofthePhilopatrisgivethenameofScythianstothosewhomJornandes,andtheLatinwriters,constantlyrepresentasGoths。]

  ChapterX:EmperorsDecius,Gallus,Aemilianus,ValerianAndGallienus。

  PartIV。

  Inthegeneralcalamitiesofmankind,thedeathofanindividual,howeverexalted,theruinofanedifice,howeverfamous,arepassedoverwithcarelessinattention。YetwecannotforgetthatthetempleofDianaatEphesus,afterhavingrisenwithincreasingsplendorfromsevenrepeatedmisfortunes,^128

  wasfinallyburntbytheGothsintheirthirdnavalinvasion。

  TheartsofGreece,andthewealthofAsia,hadconspiredtoerectthatsacredandmagnificentstructure。Itwassupportedbyahundredandtwenty—sevenmarblecolumnsoftheIonicorder。

  Theywerethegiftsofdevoutmonarchs,andeachwassixtyfeethigh。ThealtarwasadornedwiththemasterlysculpturesofPraxiteles,whohad,perhaps,selectedfromthefavoritelegendsoftheplacethebirthofthedivinechildrenofLatona,theconcealmentofApolloaftertheslaughteroftheCyclops,andtheclemencyofBacchustothevanquishedAmazons。^129YetthelengthofthetempleofEphesuswasonlyfourhundredandtwenty—fivefeet,abouttwothirdsofthemeasureofthechurchofSt。Peter\'satRome。^130Intheotherdimensions,itwasstillmoreinferiortothatsublimeproductionofmodernarchitecture。ThespreadingarmsofaChristiancrossrequireamuchgreaterbreadththantheoblongtemplesofthePagans;andtheboldestartistsofantiquitywouldhavebeenstartledattheproposalofraisingintheairadomeofthesizeandproportionsofthePantheon。ThetempleofDianawas,however,admiredasoneofthewondersoftheworld。Successiveempires,thePersian,theMacedonian,andtheRoman,hadrevereditssanctityandenricheditssplendor。^131ButtherudesavagesoftheBalticweredestituteofatastefortheelegantarts,andtheydespisedtheidealterrorsofaforeignsuperstition。^132

  [Footnote128:Hist。Aug。p。178。Jornandes,c。20。]

  [Footnote129:Strabo,l。xiv。p。640。Vitruvius,l。i。c。i。

  praefatlvii。TacitAnnal。iii。61。Plin。Hist。Nat。xxxvi。

  14。]

  [Footnote130:ThelengthofSt。Peter\'sis840Romanpalms;eachpalmisverylittleshortofnineEnglishinches。SeeGreaves\'sMiscellaniesvol。i。p。233;ontheRomanFoot。

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