^4whichyieldedonlytotheroyaldignityoftheAmali:hehadsolicitedthecommandoftheRomanarmies;andtheImperialcourtprovokedhimtodemonstratethefollyoftheirrefusal,andtheimportanceoftheirloss。WhateverhopesmightbeentertainedoftheconquestofConstantinople,thejudiciousgeneralsoonabandonedanimpracticableenterprise。Inthemidstofadividedcourtandadiscontentedpeople,theemperorArcadiuswasterrifiedbytheaspectoftheGothicarms;butthewantofwisdomandvalorwassuppliedbythestrengthofthecity;andthefortifications,bothoftheseaandland,mightsecurelybravetheimpotentandrandomdartsoftheBarbarians。AlaricdisdainedtotrampleanylongerontheprostrateandruinedcountriesofThraceandDacia,andheresolvedtoseekaplentifulharvestoffameandrichesinaprovincewhichhadhithertoescapedtheravagesofwar。^5
[Footnote1:TherevoltoftheGoths,andtheblockadeofConstantinople,aredistinctlymentionedbyClaudian,inRufin。
l。ii。7—100,Zosimus,l。v。292,andJornandes,deRebusGeticis,c。29。]
[Footnote2:—AliipertogaferocisDanubiisolidataruunt;expertaqueremisFranguntstagnarotis。
ClaudianandOvidoftenamusetheirfancybyinterchangingthemetaphorsandpropertiesofliquidwater,andsolidice。Muchfalsewithasbeenexpendedinthiseasyexercise。]
[Footnote3:Jerom,tom。i。p。26。HeendeavorstocomforthisfriendHeliodorus,bishopofAltinum,forthelossofhisnephew,Nepotian,byacuriousrecapitulationofallthepublicandprivatemisfortunesofthetimes。SeeTillemont,Mem。Eccles。
tom。xii。p。200,&c。]
[Footnote4:Balthaorbold:origomirifica,saysJornandes,c。
29。ThisillustriousracelongcontinuedtoflourishinFrance,intheGothicprovinceofSeptimania,orLanguedoc;underthecorruptedappellationofBoax;andabranchofthatfamilyafterwardssettledinthekingdomofNaplesGrotiusinProlegom。
adHist。Gothic。p。53。ThelordsofBaux,nearArles,andofseventy—ninesubordinateplaces,wereindependentofthecountsofProvence,Longuerue,DescriptiondelaFrance,tom。i。p。
357。]
[Footnote5:Zosimusl。v。p。293—295isourbestguidefortheconquestofGreece:butthehintsandallusionofClaudianaresomanyraysofhistoriclight。]
Thecharacterofthecivilandmilitaryofficers,onwhomRufinushaddevolvedthegovernmentofGreece,confirmedthepublicsuspicion,thathehadbetrayedtheancientseatoffreedomandlearningtotheGothicinvader。TheproconsulAntiochuswastheunworthysonofarespectablefather;andGerontius,whocommandedtheprovincialtroops,wasmuchbetterqualifiedtoexecutetheoppressiveordersofatyrant,thantodefend,withcourageandability,acountrymostremarkablyfortifiedbythehandofnature。Alarichadtraversed,withoutresistance,theplainsofMacedoniaandThessaly,asfarasthefootofMountOeta,asteepandwoodyrangeofhills,almostimpervioustohiscavalry。Theystretchedfromeasttowest,totheedgeofthesea—shore;andleft,betweentheprecipiceandtheMalianGulf,anintervalofthreehundredfeet,which,insomeplaces,wascontractedtoaroadcapableofadmittingonlyasinglecarriage。^6InthisnarrowpassofThermopylae,whereLeonidasandthethreehundredSpartanshadgloriouslydevotedtheirlives,theGothsmighthavebeenstopped,ordestroyed,byaskilfulgeneral;andperhapstheviewofthatsacredspotmighthavekindledsomesparksofmilitaryardorinthebreastsofthedegenerateGreeks。ThetroopswhichhadbeenpostedtodefendtheStraitsofThermopylae,retired,astheyweredirected,withoutattemptingtodisturbthesecureandrapidpassageofAlaric;^7andthefertilefieldsofPhocisandBoeotiawereinstantlycoveredbyadelugeofBarbarianswhomassacredthemalesofanagetobeararms,anddroveawaythebeautifulfemales,withthespoilandcattleoftheflamingvillages。Thetravellers,whovisitedGreeceseveralyearsafterwards,couldeasilydiscoverthedeepandbloodytracesofthemarchoftheGoths;andThebeswaslessindebtedforherpreservationtothestrengthofhersevengates,thantotheeagerhasteofAlaric,whoadvancedtooccupythecityofAthens,andtheimportantharborofthePiraeus。Thesameimpatienceurgedhimtopreventthedelayanddangerofasiege,bytheofferofacapitulation;
andassoonastheAtheniansheardthevoiceoftheGothicherald,theywereeasilypersuadedtodeliverthegreatestpartoftheirwealth,astheransomofthecityofMinervaanditsinhabitants。Thetreatywasratifiedbysolemnoaths,andobservedwithmutualfidelity。TheGothicprince,withasmallandselecttrain,wasadmittedwithinthewalls;heindulgedhimselfintherefreshmentofthebath,acceptedasplendidbanquet,whichwasprovidedbythemagistrate,andaffectedtoshowthathewasnotignorantofthemannersofcivilizednations。^8ButthewholeterritoryofAttica,fromthepromontoryofSuniumtothetownofMegara,wasblastedbyhisbalefulpresence;and,ifwemayusethecomparisonofacontemporaryphilosopher,Athensitselfresembledthebleedingandemptyskinofaslaughteredvictim。ThedistancebetweenMegaraandCorinthcouldnotmuchexceedthirtymiles;butthebadroad,anexpressivename,whichitstillbearsamongtheGreeks,was,ormighteasilyhavebeenmade,impassableforthemarchofanenemy。ThethickandgloomywoodsofMountCithaeroncoveredtheinlandcountry;theScironianrocksapproachedthewater\'sedge,andhungoverthenarrowandwindingpath,whichwasconfinedabovesixmilesalongthesea—shore。^9Thepassageofthoserocks,soinfamousineveryage,wasterminatedbytheIsthmusofCorinth;andasmallabodyoffirmandintrepidsoldiersmighthavesuccessfullydefendedatemporaryintrenchmentoffiveorsixmilesfromtheIoniantotheAegeanSea。TheconfidenceofthecitiesofPeloponnesusintheirnaturalrampart,hadtemptedthemtoneglectthecareoftheirantiquewalls;andtheavariceoftheRomangovernorshadexhaustedandbetrayedtheunhappyprovince。^10Corinth,Argos,Sparta,yieldedwithoutresistancetothearmsoftheGoths;andthemostfortunateoftheinhabitantsweresaved,bydeath,frombeholdingtheslaveryoftheirfamiliesandtheconflagrationoftheircities。^11ThevasesandstatuesweredistributedamongtheBarbarians,withmoreregardtothevalueofthematerials,thantotheeleganceoftheworkmanship;thefemalecaptivessubmittedtothelawsofwar;theenjoymentofbeautywastherewardofvalor;andtheGreekscouldnotreasonablycomplainofanabusewhichwasjustifiedbytheexampleoftheheroictimes。
^12Thedescendantsofthatextraordinarypeople,whohadconsideredvaloranddisciplineasthewallsofSparta,nolongerrememberedthegenerousreplyoftheirancestorstoaninvadermoreformidablethanAlaric。\"Ifthouartagod,thouwiltnothurtthosewhohaveneverinjuredthee;ifthouartaman,advance:—andthouwiltfindmenequaltothyself。\"^13FromThermopylaetoSparta,theleaderoftheGothspursuedhisvictoriousmarchwithoutencounteringanymortalantagonists:butoneoftheadvocatesofexpiringPaganismhasconfidentlyasserted,thatthewallsofAthenswereguardedbythegoddessMinerva,withherformidableAegis,andbytheangryphantomofAchilles;^14andthattheconquerorwasdismayedbythepresenceofthehostiledeitiesofGreece。Inanageofmiracles,itwouldperhapsbeunjusttodisputetheclaimofthehistorianZosimustothecommonbenefit:yetitcannotbedissembled,thatthemindofAlaricwasillpreparedtoreceive,eitherinsleepingorwakingvisions,theimpressionsofGreeksuperstition。ThesongsofHomer,andthefameofAchilles,hadprobablyneverreachedtheearoftheilliterateBarbarian;andtheChristianfaith,whichhehaddevoutlyembraced,taughthimtodespisetheimaginarydeitiesofRomeandAthens。TheinvasionoftheGoths,insteadofvindicatingthehonor,contributed,atleastaccidentally,toextirpatethelastremainsofPaganism:andthemysteriesofCeres,whichhadsubsistedeighteenhundredyears,didnotsurvivethedestructionofEleusis,andthecalamitiesofGreece。^15
[Footnote6:CompareHerodotusl。vii。c。176andLivy,xxxvi。
15。ThenarrowentranceofGreecewasprobablyenlargedbyeachsuccessiveravisher。]
[Footnote7:Hepassed,saysEunapius,inVit。Philosoph。p。93,edit。Commelin,1596,throughthestraits,ofThermopylae。]
[Footnote8:InobediencetoJeromandClaudian,inRufin。l。
ii。191,IhavemixedsomedarkercolorsinthemildrepresentationofZosimus,whowishedtosoftenthecalamitiesofAthens。
NecferaCecropiastraxissentvinculamatres。
SynesiusEpist。clvi。p。272,edit。Petav。observes,thatAthens,whosesufferingsheimputestotheproconsul\'savarice,wasatthattimelessfamousforherschoolsofphilosophythanforhertradeofhoney。]
[Footnote9:—VallatamariScironiarupes,EtduocontinuoconnectensaequoramuroIsthmos。
ClaudiandeBel。Getico,188。
TheScironianrocksaredescribedbyPausanias,l。i。c。
44,p。107,edit。Kuhn,andourmoderntravellers,Wheelerp。
436andChandler,p。298。Hadrianmadetheroadpassablefortwocarriages。]
[Footnote10:ClaudianinRufin。l。ii。186,anddeBelloGetico,611,&c。vaguely,thoughforcibly,delineatesthesceneofrapineanddestruction。]
[Footnote11:ThesegenerouslinesofHomerOdyss。l。v。306
weretranscribedbyoneofthecaptiveyouthsofCorinth:andthetearsofMummiusmayprovethattherudeconqueror,thoughhewasignorantofthevalueofanoriginalpicture,possessedthepurestsourceofgoodtaste,abenevolentheart,Plutarch,Symposiac。l。ix。tom。ii。p。737,edit。Wechel。]
[Footnote12:Homerperpetuallydescribestheexemplarypatienceofthosefemalecaptives,whogavetheircharms,andeventheirhearts,tothemurderersoftheirfathers,brothers,&c。SuchapassionofEriphileforAchillesistouchedwithadmirabledelicacybyRacine。]
[Footnote13:PlutarchinPyrrho,tom。ii。p。474,edit。Brian
givesthegenuineanswerintheLaconicdialect。PyrrhusattackedSpartawith25,000foot,2000horse,and24elephants,andthedefenceofthatopentownisafinecommentonthelawsofLycurgus,eveninthelaststageofdecay。]
[Footnote14:Such,perhaps,asHomerIliad,xx。164hadsonoblypaintedhim。]
[Footnote15:EunapiusinVit。Philosoph。p。90—93intimatesthatatroopofmonksbetrayedGreece,andfollowedtheGothiccamp。
Note:Theexpressioniscurious:Vit。Max。t。i。p。53,edit。Boissonade。—M。]
Thelasthopeofapeoplewhocouldnolongerdependontheirarms,theirgods,ortheirsovereign,wasplacedinthepowerfulassistanceofthegeneraloftheWest;andStilicho,whohadnotbeenpermittedtorepulse,advancedtochastise,theinvadersofGreece。^16AnumerousfleetwasequippedintheportsofItaly;andthetroops,afterashortandprosperousnavigationovertheIonianSea,weresafelydisembarkedontheisthmus,neartheruinsofCorinth。ThewoodyandmountainouscountryofArcadia,thefabulousresidenceofPanandtheDryads,becamethesceneofalonganddoubtfulconflictbetweenthetwogeneralsnotunworthyofeachother。TheskillandperseveranceoftheRomanatlengthprevailed;andtheGoths,aftersustainingaconsiderablelossfromdiseaseanddesertion,graduallyretreatedtotheloftymountainofPholoe,nearthesourcesofthePeneus,andonthefrontiersofElis;asacredcountry,whichhadformerlybeenexemptedfromthecalamitiesofwar。^17ThecampoftheBarbarianswasimmediatelybesieged;thewatersoftheriver^18weredivertedintoanotherchannel;andwhiletheylaboredundertheintolerablepressureofthirstandhunger,astronglineofcircumvallationwasformedtopreventtheirescape。Aftertheseprecautions,Stilicho,tooconfidentofvictory,retiredtoenjoyhistriumph,inthetheatricalgames,andlasciviousdances,oftheGreeks;hissoldiers,desertingtheirstandards,spreadthemselvesoverthecountryoftheirallies,whichtheystrippedofallthathadbeensavedfromtherapacioushandsoftheenemy。Alaricappearstohaveseizedthefavorablemomenttoexecuteoneofthosehardyenterprises,inwhichtheabilitiesofageneralaredisplayedwithmoregenuinelustre,thaninthetumultofadayofbattle。ToextricatehimselffromtheprisonofPeloponnesus,itwasnecessarythatheshouldpiercetheintrenchmentswhichsurroundedhiscamp;thatheshouldperformadifficultanddangerousmarchofthirtymiles,asfarastheGulfofCorinth;andthatheshouldtransporthistroops,hiscaptives,andhisspoil,overanarmofthesea,which,inthenarrowintervalbetweenRhiumandtheoppositeshore,isatleasthalfamileinbreadth。^19TheoperationsofAlaricmusthavebeensecret,prudent,andrapid;
sincetheRomangeneralwasconfoundedbytheintelligence,thattheGoths,whohadeludedhisefforts,wereinfullpossessionoftheimportantprovinceofEpirus。ThisunfortunatedelayallowedAlaricsufficienttimetoconcludethetreaty,whichhesecretlynegotiated,withtheministersofConstantinople。TheapprehensionofacivilwarcompelledStilichotoretire,atthehaughtymandateofhisrivals,fromthedominionsofArcadius;
andherespected,intheenemyofRome,thehonorablecharacteroftheallyandservantoftheemperoroftheEast。
[Footnote16:ForStilicho\'sGreekwar,comparethehonestnarrativeofZosimusl。v。p。295,296withthecuriouscircumstantialflatteryofClaudian,i。Cons。Stilich。l。i。172
—186,iv。Cons。Hon。459—487。Astheeventwasnotglorious,itisartfullythrownintotheshade。]
[Footnote17:ThetroopswhomarchedthroughElisdelivereduptheirarms。ThissecurityenrichedtheEleans,whowereloversofarurallife。Richesbegatpride:theydisdainedtheirprivilege,andtheysuffered。Polybiusadvisesthemtoretireoncemorewithintheirmagiccircle。SeealearnedandjudiciousdiscourseontheOlympicgames,whichMr。WesthasprefixedtohistranslationofPindar。]
[Footnote18:Claudianiniv。Cons。Hon。480alludestothefactwithoutnamingtheriver;perhapstheAlpheus,i。Cons。
Stil。l。i。185。
—EtAlpheusGeticisangustusacervisTardioradSiculosetiamnumpergitamores。
YetIshouldpreferthePeneus,ashallowstreaminawideanddeepbed,whichrunsthroughElis,andfallsintotheseabelowCyllene。IthadbeenjoinedwiththeAlpheustocleansetheAugeanstable。Cellarius,tom。i。p。760。Chandler\'sTravels,p。286。]
[Footnote19:Strabo,l。viii。p。517。Plin。Hist。Natur。iv。3。
Wheeler,p。308。Chandler,p。275。Theymeasuredfromdifferentpointsthedistancebetweenthetwolands。]
AGrecianphilosopher,^20whovisitedConstantinoplesoonafterthedeathofTheodosius,publishedhisliberalopinionsconcerningthedutiesofkings,andthestateoftheRomanrepublic。Synesiusobserves,anddeplores,thefatalabuse,whichtheimprudentbountyofthelateemperorhadintroducedintothemilitaryservice。Thecitizensandsubjectshadpurchasedanexemptionfromtheindispensabledutyofdefendingtheircountry;whichwassupportedbythearmsofBarbarianmercenaries。ThefugitivesofScythiawerepermittedtodisgracetheillustriousdignitiesoftheempire;theirferociousyouth,whodisdainedthesalutaryrestraintoflaws,weremoreanxioustoacquiretheriches,thantoimitatethearts,ofapeople,theobjectoftheircontemptandhatred;andthepoweroftheGothswasthestoneofTantalus,perpetuallysuspendedoverthepeaceandsafetyofthedevotedstate。ThemeasureswhichSynesiusrecommends,arethedictatesofaboldandgenerouspatriot。Heexhortstheemperortorevivethecourageofhissubjects,bytheexampleofmanlyvirtue;tobanishluxuryfromthecourtandfromthecamp;tosubstitute,intheplaceoftheBarbarianmercenaries,anarmyofmen,interestedinthedefenceoftheirlawsandoftheirproperty;toforce,insuchamomentofpublicdanger,themechanicfromhisshop,andthephilosopherfromhisschool;torousetheindolentcitizenfromhisdreamofpleasure,andtoarm,fortheprotectionofagriculture,thehandsofthelaborioushusbandman。Attheheadofsuchtroops,whomightdeservethename,andwoulddisplaythespirit,ofRomans,heanimatesthesonofTheodosiustoencounteraraceofBarbarians,whoweredestituteofanyrealcourage;andnevertolaydownhisarms,tillhehadchasedthemfarawayintothesolitudesofScythia;orhadreducedthemtothestateofignominiousservitude,whichtheLacedaemoniansformerlyimposedonthecaptiveHelots。^21ThecourtofArcadiusindulgedthezeal,applaudedtheeloquence,andneglectedtheadvice,ofSynesius。
PerhapsthephilosopherwhoaddressestheemperoroftheEastinthelanguageofreasonandvirtue,whichhemighthaveusedtoaSpartanking,hadnotcondescendedtoformapracticablescheme,consistentwiththetemper,andcircumstances,ofadegenerateage。Perhapstheprideoftheministers,whosebusinesswasseldominterruptedbyreflection,mightreject,aswildandvisionary,everyproposal,whichexceededthemeasureoftheircapacity,anddeviatedfromtheformsandprecedentsofoffice。
WhiletheorationofSynesius,andthedownfalloftheBarbarians,werethetopicsofpopularconversation,anedictwaspublishedatConstantinople,whichdeclaredthepromotionofAlarictotherankofmaster—generaloftheEasternIllyricum。
TheRomanprovincials,andtheallies,whohadrespectedthefaithoftreaties,werejustlyindignant,thattheruinofGreeceandEpirusshouldbesoliberallyrewarded。TheGothicconquerorwasreceivedasalawfulmagistrate,inthecitieswhichhehadsolatelybesieged。Thefathers,whosesonshehadmassacred,thehusbands,whosewiveshehadviolated,weresubjecttohisauthority;andthesuccessofhisrebellionencouragedtheambitionofeveryleaderoftheforeignmercenaries。TheusetowhichAlaricappliedhisnewcommand,distinguishesthefirmandjudiciouscharacterofhispolicy。Heissuedhisorderstothefourmagazinesandmanufacturesofoffensiveanddefensivearms,Margus,Ratiaria,Naissus,andThessalonica,toprovidehistroopswithanextraordinarysupplyofshields,helmets,swords,andspears;theunhappyprovincialswerecompelledtoforgetheinstrumentsoftheirowndestruction;andtheBarbariansremovedtheonlydefectwhichhadsometimesdisappointedtheeffortsoftheircourage。^22ThebirthofAlaric,thegloryofhispastexploits,andtheconfidenceinhisfuturedesigns,insensiblyunitedthebodyofthenationunderhisvictoriousstandard;and,withtheunanimousconsentoftheBarbarianchieftains,themaster—generalofIllyricumwaselevated,accordingtoancientcustom,onashield,andsolemnlyproclaimedkingoftheVisigoths。^23Armedwiththisdoublepower,seatedonthevergeofthetwoempires,healternatelysoldhisdeceitfulpromisestothecourtsofArcadiusandHonorius;^24tillhedeclaredandexecutedhisresolutionofinvadingthedominionsoftheWest。