[Footnote64:SeeM。deGuignes,Hist。desHuns,tom。i。p。179—
189,tomiip。295,334—338。]
Thechainofeventsisinterrupted,orratherisconcealed,asitpassesfromtheVolgatotheVistula,throughthedarkintervalwhichseparatestheextremelimitsoftheChinese,andoftheRoman,geography。YetthetemperoftheBarbarians,andtheexperienceofsuccessiveemigrations,sufficientlydeclare,thattheHuns,whowereoppressedbythearmsoftheGeougen,soonwithdrewfromthepresenceofaninsultingvictor。ThecountriestowardstheEuxinewerealreadyoccupiedbytheirkindredtribes;andtheirhastyflight,whichtheysoonconvertedintoaboldattack,wouldmorenaturallybedirectedtowardstherichandlevelplains,throughwhichtheVistulagentlyflowsintotheBalticSea。TheNorthmustagainhavebeenalarmed,andagitated,bytheinvasionoftheHuns;andthenationswhoretreatedbeforethemmusthavepressedwithincumbentweightontheconfinesofGermany。^65Theinhabitantsofthoseregions,whichtheancientshaveassignedtotheSuevi,theVandals,andtheBurgundians,mightembracetheresolutionofabandoningtothefugitivesofSarmatiatheirwoodsandmorasses;oratleastofdischargingtheirsuperfluousnumbersontheprovincesoftheRomanempire。^66AboutfouryearsafterthevictoriousToulunhadassumedthetitleofKhanoftheGeougen,anotherBarbarian,thehaughtyRhodogast,orRadagaisus,^67marchedfromthenorthernextremitiesofGermanyalmosttothegatesofRome,andlefttheremainsofhisarmytoachievethedestructionoftheWest。TheVandals,theSuevi,andtheBurgundians,formedthestrengthofthismightyhost;buttheAlani,whohadfoundahospitablereceptionintheirnewseats,addedtheiractivecavalrytotheheavyinfantryoftheGermans;andtheGothicadventurerscrowdedsoeagerlytothestandardofRadagaisus,thatbysomehistorians,hehasbeenstyledtheKingoftheGoths。Twelvethousandwarriors,distinguishedabovethevulgarbytheirnoblebirth,ortheirvaliantdeeds,glitteredinthevan;^68andthewholemultitude,whichwasnotlessthantwohundredthousandfightingmen,mightbeincreased,bytheaccessionofwomen,ofchildren,andofslaves,totheamountoffourhundredthousandpersons。ThisformidableemigrationissuedfromthesamecoastoftheBaltic,whichhadpouredforththemyriadsoftheCimbriandTeutones,toassaultRomeandItalyinthevigoroftherepublic。AfterthedepartureofthoseBarbarians,theirnativecountry,whichwasmarkedbythevestigesoftheirgreatness,longramparts,andgiganticmoles,^69remained,duringsomeages,avastanddrearysolitude;tillthehumanspecieswasrenewedbythepowersofgeneration,andthevacancywasfilledbytheinfluxofnewinhabitants。Thenationswhonowusurpanextentoflandwhichtheyareunabletocultivate,wouldsoonbeassistedbytheindustriouspovertyoftheirneighbors,ifthegovernmentofEuropedidnotprotecttheclaimsofdominionandproperty。
[Footnote*:ThereisnoauthoritywhichconnectsthisinroadoftheTeutonictribeswiththemovementsoftheHuns。TheHunscanhardlyhavereachedtheshoresoftheBaltic,andprobablythegreaterpartoftheforcesofRadagaisus,particularlytheVandals,hadlongoccupiedamoresouthernposition。—M。]
[Footnote65:ProcopiusdeBell。Vandal。l。i。c。iii。p。182
hasobservedanemigrationfromthePalusMaeotistothenorthofGermany,whichheascribestofamine。Buthisviewsofancienthistoryarestrangelydarkenedbyignoranceanderror。]
[Footnote66:Zosimusl。v。p。331usesthegeneraldescriptionofthenationsbeyondtheDanubeandtheRhine。Theirsituation,andconsequentlytheirnames,aremanifestlyshown,eveninthevariousepithetswhicheachancientwritermayhavecasuallyadded。]
[Footnote67:ThenameofRhadagastwasthatofalocaldeityoftheObotrites,inMecklenburg。Aheromightnaturallyassumetheappellationofhistutelargod;butitisnotprobablethattheBarbariansshouldworshipanunsuccessfulhero。SeeMascou,Hist。oftheGermans,viii。14。
Note:ThegodofwarandofhospitalitywiththeVendsandalltheSclavonianracesofGermanyborethenameofRadegast,apparentlythesamewithRhadagaisus。HisprincipaltemplewasatRhetrainMecklenburg。Itwasadornedwithgreatmagnificence。
Thestatueofthegoldwasofgold。St。Martin,v。255。A
statueofRadegast,ofmuchcoarsermaterials,andoftherudestworkmanship,wasdiscoveredbetween1760and1770,withthoseofotherWendishdeities,onthesupposedsiteofRhetra。ThenamesofthegodswerecutupontheminRuniccharacters。Seetheverycuriousvolumeontheseantiquities—DieGottesdienstlicheAlterthumerderObotriter—MaschandWogen。Berlin,1771。—M。]
[Footnote68:OlympiodorusapudPhotium,p。180,usestheGreekwordwhichdoesnotconveyanypreciseidea。Isuspectthattheyweretheprincesandnobleswiththeirfaithfulcompanions;theknightswiththeirsquires,astheywouldhavebeenstyledsomecenturiesafterwards。]
[Footnote69:Tacit。deMoribusGermanorum,c。37。]
ChapterXXX:RevoltOfTheGoths。
PartIV。
Thecorrespondenceofnationswas,inthatage,soimperfectandprecarious,thattherevolutionsoftheNorthmightescapetheknowledgeofthecourtofRavenna;tillthedarkcloud,whichwascollectedalongthecoastoftheBaltic,burstinthunderuponthebanksoftheUpperDanube。TheemperoroftheWest,ifhisministersdisturbedhisamusementsbythenewsoftheimpendingdanger,wassatisfiedwithbeingtheoccasion,andthespectator,ofthewar。^70ThesafetyofRomewasintrustedtothecounsels,andthesword,ofStilicho;butsuchwasthefeebleandexhaustedstateoftheempire,thatitwasimpossibletorestorethefortificationsoftheDanube,ortoprevent,byavigorouseffort,theinvasionoftheGermans。^71ThehopesofthevigilantministerofHonoriuswereconfinedtothedefenceofItaly。Heoncemoreabandonedtheprovinces,recalledthetroops,pressedthenewlevies,whichwererigorouslyexacted,andpusillanimouslyeluded;employedthemostefficaciousmeanstoarrest,orallure,thedeserters;andofferedthegiftoffreedom,andoftwopiecesofgold,toalltheslaveswhowouldenlist。^72Bytheseeffortshepainfullycollected,fromthesubjectsofagreatempire,anarmyofthirtyorfortythousandmen,which,inthedaysofScipioorCamillus,wouldhavebeeninstantlyfurnishedbythefreecitizensoftheterritoryofRome。^73ThethirtylegionsofStilichowerereenforcedbyalargebodyofBarbarianauxiliaries;thefaithfulAlaniwerepersonallyattachedtohisservice;andthetroopsofHunsandofGoths,whomarchedunderthebannersoftheirnativeprinces,HuldinandSarus,wereanimatedbyinterestandresentmenttoopposetheambitionofRadagaisus。ThekingoftheconfederateGermanspassed,withoutresistance,theAlps,thePo,andtheApennine;leavingononehandtheinaccessiblepalaceofHonorius,securelyburiedamongthemarshesofRavenna;and,ontheother,thecampofStilicho,whohadfixedhishead—quartersatTicinum,orPavia,butwhoseemstohaveavoidedadecisivebattle,tillhehadassembledhisdistantforces。ManycitiesofItalywerepillaged,ordestroyed;andthesiegeofFlorence,^74
byRadagaisus,isoneoftheearliesteventsinthehistoryofthatcelebratedrepublic;whosefirmnesscheckedanddelayedtheunskillfulfuryoftheBarbarians。ThesenateandpeopletrembledattheirapproachedwithinahundredandeightymilesofRome;andanxiouslycomparedthedangerwhichtheyhadescaped,withthenewperilstowhichtheywereexposed。AlaricwasaChristianandasoldier,theleaderofadisciplinedarmy;whounderstoodthelawsofwar,whorespectedthesanctityoftreaties,andwhohadfamiliarlyconversedwiththesubjectsoftheempireinthesamecamps,andthesamechurches。ThesavageRadagaisuswasastrangertothemanners,thereligion,andeventhelanguage,ofthecivilizednationsoftheSouth。Thefiercenessofhistemperwasexasperatedbycruelsuperstition;
anditwasuniversallybelieved,thathehadboundhimself,byasolemnvow,toreducethecityintoaheapofstonesandashes,andtosacrificethemostillustriousoftheRomansenatorsonthealtarsofthosegodswhowereappeasedbyhumanblood。Thepublicdanger,whichshouldhavereconciledalldomesticanimosities,displayedtheincurablemadnessofreligiousfaction。TheoppressedvotariesofJupiterandMercuryrespected,intheimplacableenemyofRome,thecharacterofadevoutPagan;loudlydeclared,thattheyweremoreapprehensiveofthesacrifices,thanofthearms,ofRadagaisus;andsecretlyrejoicedinthecalamitiesoftheircountry,whichcondemnedthefaithoftheirChristianadversaries。^75
[Footnote70:—CujusagendiSpectatorvelcausafui,Claudian,vi。Cons。Hon。439,
isthemodestlanguageofHonorius,inspeakingoftheGothicwar,whichhehadseensomewhatnearer。]
[Footnote71:Zosimusl。v。p。331transportsthewar,andthevictoryofStilisho,beyondtheDanube。Astrangeerror,whichisawkwardlyandimperfectlycuredTillemont,Hist。desEmp。
tom。v。p。807。Ingoodpolicy,wemustusetheserviceofZosimus,withoutesteemingortrustinghim。]
[Footnote72:CodexTheodos。l。vii。tit。xiii。leg。16。ThedateofthislawA。D。406。May18satisfies—me,asithaddoneGodefroy,tom。ii。p。387,ofthetrueyearoftheinvasionofRadagaisus。Tillemont,Pagi,andMuratori,prefertheprecedingyear;buttheyarebound,bycertainobligationsofcivilityandrespect,toSt。PaulinusofNola。]
[Footnote73:SoonafterRomehadbeentakenbytheGauls,thesenate,onasuddenemergency,armedtenlegions,3000horse,and42,000foot;aforcewhichthecitycouldnothavesentforthunderAugustus,Livy,xi。25。Thisdeclarationmaypuzzleanantiquary,butitisclearlyexplainedbyMontesquieu。]
[Footnote74:Machiavelhasexplained,atleastasaphilosopher,theoriginofFlorence,whichinsensiblydescended,forthebenefitoftrade,fromtherockofFaesulaetothebanksoftheArno,IstoriaFiorentina,tom。i。p。36。Londra,1747。ThetriumvirssentacolonytoFlorence,which,underTiberius,Tacit。Annal。i。79,deservedthereputationandnameofaflourishingcity。SeeCluver。Ital。Antiq。tom。i。p。507,&c。]
[Footnote75:YettheJupiterofRadagaisus,whoworshippedThorandWoden,wasverydifferentfromtheOlympicorCapitolineJove。TheaccommodatingtemperofPolytheismmightunitethosevariousandremotedeities;butthegenuineRomansahhorredthehumansacrificesofGaulandGermany。]
[Footnote*:GibbonhasrathersoftenedthelanguageofAugustineastothisthreatenedinsurrectionofthePagans,inordertorestoretheprohibitedritesandceremoniesofPaganism;andtheirtreasonablehopesthatthesuccessofRadagaisuswouldbethetriumphofidolatry。Compareii。25—M。]
Florencewasreducedtothelastextremity;andthefaintingcourageofthecitizenswassupportedonlybytheauthorityofSt。Ambrose;whohadcommunicated,inadream,thepromiseofaspeedydeliverance。^76Onasudden,theybeheld,fromtheirwalls,thebannersofStilicho,whoadvanced,withhisunitedforce,tothereliefofthefaithfulcity;andwhosoonmarkedthatfatalspotforthegraveoftheBarbarianhost。TheapparentcontradictionsofthosewriterswhovariouslyrelatethedefeatofRadagaisus,maybereconciledwithoutofferingmuchviolencetotheirrespectivetestimonies。OrosiusandAugustin,whowereintimatelyconnectedbyfriendshipandreligion,ascribedthismiraculousvictorytotheprovidenceofGod,ratherthantothevalorofman。^77Theystrictlyexcludeeveryideaofchance,orevenofbloodshed;andpositivelyaffirm,thattheRomans,whosecampwasthesceneofplentyandidleness,enjoyedthedistressoftheBarbarians,slowlyexpiringonthesharpandbarrenridgeofthehillsofFaesulae,whichriseabovethecityofFlorence。TheirextravagantassertionthatnotasinglesoldieroftheChristianarmywaskilled,orevenwounded,maybedismissedwithsilentcontempt;buttherestofthenarrativeofAugustinandOrosiusisconsistentwiththestateofthewar,andthecharacterofStilicho。Consciousthathecommandedthelastarmyoftherepublic,hisprudencewouldnotexposeit,intheopenfield,totheheadstrongfuryoftheGermans。Themethodofsurroundingtheenemywithstronglinesofcircumvallation,whichhehadtwiceemployedagainsttheGothicking,wasrepeatedonalargerscale,andwithmoreconsiderableeffect。TheexamplesofCaesarmusthavebeenfamiliartothemostilliterateoftheRomanwarriors;andthefortificationsofDyrrachium,whichconnectedtwenty—fourcastles,byaperpetualditchandrampartoffifteenmiles,affordedthemodelofanintrenchmentwhichmightconfine,andstarve,themostnumeroushostofBarbarians。
^78TheRomantroopshadlessdegeneratedfromtheindustry,thanfromthevalor,oftheirancestors;andiftheirservileandlaboriousworkoffendedtheprideofthesoldiers,Tuscanycouldsupplymanythousandpeasants,whowouldlabor,though,perhaps,theywouldnotfight,forthesalvationoftheirnativecountry。
Theimprisonedmultitudeofhorsesandmen^79wasgraduallydestroyed,byfamineratherthanbythesword;buttheRomanswereexposed,duringtheprogressofsuchanextensivework,tothefrequentattacksofanimpatientenemy。ThedespairofthehungryBarbarianswouldprecipitatethemagainstthefortificationsofStilicho;thegeneralmightsometimesindulgetheardorofhisbraveauxiliaries,whoeagerlypressedtoassaultthecampoftheGermans;andthesevariousincidentsmightproducethesharpandbloodyconflictswhichdignifythenarrativeofZosimus,andtheChroniclesofProsperandMarcellinus。^80AseasonablesupplyofmenandprovisionshadbeenintroducedintothewallsofFlorence,andthefamishedhostofRadagaisuswasinitsturnbesieged。Theproudmonarchofsomanywarlikenations,afterthelossofhisbravestwarriors,wasreducedtoconfideeitherinthefaithofacapitulation,orintheclemencyofStilicho。^81Butthedeathoftheroyalcaptive,whowasignominiouslybeheaded,disgracedthetriumphofRomeandofChristianity;andtheshortdelayofhisexecutionwassufficienttobrandtheconquerorwiththeguiltofcoolanddeliberatecruelty。^82ThefamishedGermans,whoescapedthefuryoftheauxiliaries,weresoldasslaves,atthecontemptiblepriceofasmanysinglepiecesofgold;butthedifferenceoffoodandclimatesweptawaygreatnumbersofthoseunhappystrangers;anditwasobserved,thattheinhumanpurchasers,insteadofreapingthefruitsoftheirlaborweresoonobligedtoprovidetheexpenseoftheirintermentStilichoinformedtheemperorandthesenateofhissuccess;anddeserved,asecondtime,theglorioustitleofDelivererofItaly。^83
[Footnote76:PaulinusinVit。Ambrosc。50relatesthisstory,whichhereceivedfromthemouthofPansophiaherself,areligiousmatronofFlorence。Yetthearchbishopsoonceasedtotakeanactivepartinthebusinessoftheworld,andneverbecameapopularsaint。]
[Footnote77:AugustindeCivitat。Dei,v。23。Orosius,l。vii。
c。37,p。567—571。ThetwofriendswroteinAfrica,tenortwelveyearsafterthevictory;andtheirauthorityisimplicitlyfollowedbyIsidoreofSeville,inChron。p。713,edit。Grot。
HowmanyinterestingfactsmightOrosiushaveinsertedinthevacantspacewhichisdevotedtopiousnonsense!]
[Footnote78:Frangunturmontes,planumqueperarduaCaesarDucitopus:panditfossas,turritaquesummisDisponitcastellajugis,magnoquenecessuAmplexusfines,saltus,memorosaquetesquaEtsilvas,vastaqueferasindagineclaudit。!YetthesimplicityoftruthCaesar,deBell。Civ。iii。44isfargreaterthantheamplificationsofLucan,Pharsal。l。vi。29—
63。]
[Footnote79:TherhetoricalexpressionsofOrosius,\"inaridoetasperomontisjugo;\"\"inunumacparvumverticem,\"arenotverysuitabletotheencampmentofagreatarmy。ButFaesulae,onlythreemilesfromFlorence,mightaffordspaceforthehead—quartersofRadagaisus,andwouldbecomprehendedwithinthecircuitoftheRomanlines。]
[Footnote80:SeeZosimus,l。v。p。331,andtheChroniclesofProsperandMarcellinus。]
[Footnote81:OlympiodorusapudPhotium,p。180usesanexpressionwhichwoulddenoteastrictandfriendlyalliance,andrenderStilichostillmorecriminal。Thepaulisperdetentus,deindeinterfectus,ofOrosius,issufficientlyodious。
Note:Gibbon,bytranslatingthispassageofOlympiodorus,asifithadbeengoodGreek,hasprobablyfallenintoanerror。
ThenaturalorderofthewordsisasGibbontranslatesit;butitisalmostclear,referstotheGothicchiefs,\"whomStilicho,afterhehaddefeatedRadagaisus,attachedtohisarmy。\"SointheversioncorrectedbyClassenforNiebuhr\'seditionoftheByzantines,p。450。—M。]
[Footnote82:Orosius,piouslyinhuman,sacrificesthekingandpeople,AgagandtheAmalekites,withoutasymptomofcompassion。
Thebloodyactorislessdetestablethanthecool,unfeelinghistorian。
Note:Consideringthevow,whichhewasuniversallybelievedtohavemade,todestroyRome,andtosacrificethesenatorsonthealtars,andthatheissaidtohaveimmolatedhisprisonerstohisgods,theexecutionofRadagaisus,if,asitappears,hewastakeninarms,cannotdeserveGibbon\'sseverecondemnation。
Mr。HerbertnotestohispoemofAttila,p。317justlyobserves,that\"Stilichohadprobablyauthorityforhanginghimonthefirsttree。\"Marcellinus,addsMr。Herbert,attributestheexecutiontotheGothicchiefsSarus。—M。]
[Footnote83:AndClaudian\'smuse,wassheasleep?hadshebeenillpaid!MethinkstheseventhconsulshipofHonoriusA。D。407
wouldhavefurnishedthesubjectofanoblepoem。Beforeitwasdiscoveredthatthestatecouldnolongerbesaved,StilichoafterRomulus,CamillusandMariusmighthavebeenworthilysurnamedthefourthfounderofRome。]
Thefameofthevictory,andmoreespeciallyofthemiracle,hasencouragedavainpersuasion,thatthewholearmy,orrathernation,ofGermans,whomigratedfromtheshoresoftheBaltic,miserablyperishedunderthewallsofFlorence。SuchindeedwasthefateofRadagaisushimself,ofhisbraveandfaithfulcompanions,andofmorethanonethirdofthevariousmultitudeofSuevesandVandals,ofAlaniandBurgundians,whoadheredtothestandardoftheirgeneral。^84Theunionofsuchanarmymightexciteoursurprise,butthecausesofseparationareobviousandforcible;theprideofbirth,theinsolenceofvalor,thejealousyofcommand,theimpatienceofsubordination,andtheobstinateconflictofopinions,ofinterests,andofpassions,amongsomanykingsandwarriors,whowereuntaughttoyield,ortoobey。AfterthedefeatofRadagaisus,twopartsoftheGermanhost,whichmusthaveexceededthenumberofonehundredthousandmen,stillremainedinarms,betweentheApennineandtheAlps,orbetweentheAlpsandtheDanube。Itisuncertainwhethertheyattemptedtorevengethedeathoftheirgeneral;buttheirirregularfurywassoondivertedbytheprudenceandfirmnessofStilicho,whoopposedtheirmarch,andfacilitatedtheirretreat;
whoconsideredthesafetyofRomeandItalyasthegreatobjectofhiscare,andwhosacrificed,withtoomuchindifference,thewealthandtranquillityofthedistantprovinces。^85TheBarbariansacquired,fromthejunctionofsomePannoniandeserters,theknowledgeofthecountry,andoftheroads;andtheinvasionofGaul,whichAlarichaddesigned,wasexecutedbytheremainsofthegreatarmyofRadagaisus。^86
[Footnote84:AluminouspassageofProsper\'sChronicle,\"Intrespartes,pesdiversosprincipes,diversusexercitus,\"reducesthemiracleofFlorenceandconnectsthehistoryofItaly,Gaul,andGermany。]
[Footnote85:OrosiusandJerompositivelychargehimwithinstigatingtheinvasion。\"ExcitataeaStilichonegentes,\"&c。
Theymustmeanadirectly。HesavedItalyattheexpenseofGaul]
[Footnote86:TheCountdeBuatissatisfied,thattheGermanswhoinvadedGaulwerethetwothirdsthatyetremainedofthearmyofRadagaisus。SeetheHistoireAnciennedesPeuplesdel\'Europe,tom。vii。p。87,121。Paris,1772;anelaboratework,whichIhadnottheadvantageofperusingtilltheyear1777。Asearlyas1771,IfindthesameideaexpressedinaroughdraughtofthepresentHistory。IhavesinceobservedasimilarintimationinMascou,viii。15。Suchagreement,withoutmutualcommunication,mayaddsomeweighttoourcommonsentiment。]