[Footnote67:ThismeasurewastakenbyRogerl。，aftertheconquestofNaples，A。D。1139，whichhemadethecapitalofhisnewkingdom，Giannone，IstoriaCivile，tom。ii。p。169。Thatcity，thethirdinChristianEurope，isnowatleasttwelvemilesincircumference，Jul。Caesar。CapacciiHist。Neapol。l。i。p。
47，andcontainsmoreinhabitants350，000inagivenspace，thananyotherspotintheknownworld。]
[Footnote68:Notgeometrical，butcommon，pacesorsteps，of22
Frenchinches，D\'Anville，MesuresItineraires，p。7，8。The2363donottakeanEnglishmile。]
[Footnote69:BelisariuswasreprovedbyPopeSilveriusforthemassacre。HerepeopledNaples，andimportedcoloniesofAfricancaptivesintoSicily，Calabria，andApulia，Hist。Miscell。l。
xvi。inMuratori，tom。i。p。106，107。]
[Footnote70:BeneventumwasbuiltbyDiomede，thenephewofMeleagerCluver。tom。ii。p。1195，1196。TheCalydonianhuntisapictureofsavagelife，Ovid，Metamorph。l。viii。Thirtyorfortyheroeswereleaguedagainstahog:thebrutesnotthehog
quarrelledwithladyforthehead。]
ThefaithfulsoldiersandcitizensofNapleshadexpectedtheirdeliverancefromaprince，whoremainedtheinactiveandalmostindifferentspectatoroftheirruin。TheodatussecuredhispersonwithinthewallsofRome，whilsthiscavalryadvancedfortymilesontheAppianway，andencampedinthePomptinemarshes；which，byacanalofnineteenmilesinlength，hadbeenrecentlydrainedandconvertedintoexcellentpastures。^71ButtheprincipalforcesoftheGothsweredispersedinDalmatia，Venetia，andGaul；andthefeeblemindoftheirkingwasconfoundedbytheunsuccessfuleventofadivination，whichseemedtopresagethedownfallofhisempire。^72Themostabjectslaveshavearraignedtheguiltorweaknessofanunfortunatemaster。ThecharacterofTheodatuswasrigorouslyscrutinizedbyafreeandidlecampofBarbarians，consciousoftheirprivilegeandpower:hewasdeclaredunworthyofhisrace，hisnation，andhisthrone；andtheirgeneralVitiges，whosevalorhadbeensignalizedintheIllyrianwar，wasraisedwithunanimousapplauseonthebucklersofhiscompanions。Onthefirstrumor，theabdicatedmonarchfledfromthejusticeofhiscountry；buthewaspursuedbyprivaterevenge。AGoth，whomhehadinjuredinhislove，overtookTheodatusontheFlaminianway，and，regardlessofhisunmanlycries，slaughteredhim，ashelay，prostrateontheground，likeavictimsaysthehistorianatthefootofthealtar。Thechoiceofthepeopleisthebestandpuresttitletoreignoverthem；yetsuchistheprejudiceofeveryage，thatVitigesimpatientlywishedtoreturntoRavenna，wherehemightseize，withthereluctanthandofthedaughterofAmalasontha，somefaintshadowofhereditaryright。Anationalcouncilwasimmediatelyheld，andthenewmonarchreconciledtheimpatientspiritoftheBarbarianstoameasureofdisgrace，whichthemisconductofhispredecessorrenderedwiseandindispensable。TheGothsconsentedtoretreatinthepresenceofavictoriousenemy；todelaytillthenextspringtheoperationsofoffensivewar；tosummontheirscatteredforces；torelinquishtheirdistantpossessions，andtotrustevenRomeitselftothefaithofitsinhabitants。Leuderis，anancientwarrior，wasleftinthecapitalwithfourthousandsoldiers；afeeblegarrison，whichmighthavesecondedthezeal，thoughitwasincapableofopposingthewishes，oftheRomans。Butamomentaryenthusiasmofreligionandpatriotismwaskindledintheirminds。Theyfuriouslyexclaimed，thattheapostolicthroneshouldnolongerbeprofanedbythetriumphortolerationofArianism；thatthetombsoftheCaesarsshouldnolongerbetrampledbythesavagesoftheNorth；and，withoutreflecting，thatItalymustsinkintoaprovinceofConstantinople，theyfondlyhailedtherestorationofaRomanemperorasanewaeraoffreedomandprosperity。Thedeputiesofthepopeandclergy，ofthesenateandpeople，invitedthelieutenantofJustiniantoaccepttheirvoluntaryallegiance，andtoenterthecity，whosegateswouldbethrownopenforhisreception。AssoonasBelisariushadfortifiedhisnewconquests，NaplesandCumae，headvancedabouttwentymilestothebanksoftheVulturnus，contemplatedthedecayedgrandeurofCapua，andhaltedattheseparationoftheLatinandAppianways。Theworkofthecensor，aftertheincessantuseofninecenturies，stillpreserveditsprimaevalbeauty，andnotaflawcouldbediscoveredinthelargepolishedstones，ofwhichthatsolid，thoughnarrowroad，wassofirmlycompacted。^73
Belisarius，however，preferredtheLatinway，which，atadistancefromtheseaandthemarshes，skirtedinaspaceofonehundredandtwentymilesalongthefootofthemountains。Hisenemieshaddisappeared:whenhemadehisentrancethroughtheAsinariangate，thegarrisondepartedwithoutmolestationalongtheFlaminianway；andthecity，aftersixtyyears\'servitude，wasdeliveredfromtheyokeoftheBarbarians。Leuderisalone，fromamotiveofprideordiscontent，refusedtoaccompanythefugitives；andtheGothicchief，himselfatrophyofthevictory，wassentwiththekeysofRometothethroneoftheemperorJustinian。^74
[Footnote71:TheDecennoviumisstrangelyconfoundedbyCluveriustom。ii。p。1007withtheRiverUfens。Itwasintruthacanalofnineteenmiles，fromForumAppiitoTerracina，onwhichHoraceembarkedinthenight。TheDecennovium，whichismentionedbyLucan，DionCassius，andCassiodorus，hasbeensufficientlyruined，restored，andobliterated，D\'Anville，Anaysedel\'Italie，p。185，&c。]
[Footnote72:AJew，gratifiedhiscontemptandhatredforalltheChristians，byenclosingthreebands，eachoftenhogs，anddiscriminatedbythenamesofGoths，Greeks，andRomans。Ofthefirst，almostallwerefounddead；almostallthesecondwerealive:ofthethird，halfdied，andtherestlosttheirbristles。
Nounsuitableemblemoftheevent]
[Footnote73:BergierHist。desGrandsCheminsdesRomains，tom。
i。p。221—228，440—444examinesthestructureandmaterials，whileD\'AnvilleAnalysed\'Italie，p。200—123
definesthegeographicalline。]
[Footnote74:OfthefirstrecoveryofRome，theyear536iscertain，fromtheseriesofevents，ratherthanfromthecorrupt，orinterpolated，textofProcopius。ThemonthDecemberisascertainedbyEvagrius，l。iv。v。19；andthedaythetenth
maybeadmittedontheslightevidenceofNicephorusCallistus，l。xvii。c。13。Forthisaccuratechronology，weareindebtedtothediligenceandjudgmentofPagi，tom，ii。p。659，560。
Note:CompareMaltret\'snote，intheeditionofDindorftheninthistheday，accordingtohisreading，—M。]
Thefirstdays，whichcoincidedwiththeoldSaturnalia，weredevotedtomutualcongratulationandthepublicjoy；andtheCatholicspreparedtocelebrate，withoutarival，theapproachingfestivalofthenativityofChrist。Inthefamiliarconversationofahero，theRomansacquiredsomenotionofthevirtueswhichhistoryascribedtotheirancestors；theywereedifiedbytheapparentrespectofBelisariusforthesuccessorofSt。Peter，andhisrigiddisciplinesecuredinthemidstofwartheblessingsoftranquillityandjustice。Theyapplaudedtherapidsuccessofhisarms，whichoverrantheadjacentcountry，asfarasNarni，Perusia，andSpoleto；buttheytrembled，thesenate，theclergy，andtheunwarlikepeople，assoonastheyunderstoodthathehadresolved，andwouldspeedilybereduced，tosustainasiegeagainstthepowersoftheGothicmonarchy。ThedesignsofVitigeswereexecuted，duringthewinterseason，withdiligenceandeffect。Fromtheirrustichabitations，fromtheirdistantgarrisons，theGothsassembledatRavennaforthedefenceoftheircountry；andsuchweretheirnumbers，that，afteranarmyhadbeendetachedforthereliefofDalmatia，onehundredandfiftythousandfightingmenmarchedundertheroyalstandard。
Accordingtothedegreesofrankormerit，theGothickingdistributedarmsandhorses，richgifts，andliberalpromises；hemovedalongtheFlaminianway，declinedtheuselesssiegesofPerusiaandSpoleto，respectedheimpregnablerockofNarni，andarrivedwithintwomilesofRomeatthefootoftheMilvianbridge。Thenarrowpassagewasfortifiedwithatower，andBelisariushadcomputedthevalueofthetwentydayswhichmustbelostintheconstructionofanotherbridge。Buttheconsternationofthesoldiersofthetower，whoeitherfledordeserted，disappointedhishopes，andbetrayedhispersonintothemostimminentdanger。Attheheadofonethousandhorse，theRomangeneralsalliedfromtheFlaminiangatetomarkthegroundofanadvantageousposition，andtosurveythecampoftheBarbarians；butwhilehestillbelievedthemontheothersideoftheTyber，hewassuddenlyencompassedandassaultedbytheirnumeroussquadrons。ThefateofItalydependedonhislife；andthedeserterspointedtotheconspicuoushorseabay，^75withawhiteface，whichherodeonthatmemorableday。\"Aimatthebayhorse，\"wastheuniversalcry。Everybowwasbent，everyjavelinwasdirected，againstthatfatalobject，andthecommandwasrepeatedandobeyedbythousandswhowereignorantofitsrealmotive。ThebolderBarbariansadvancedtothemorehonorablecombatofswordsandspears；andthepraiseofanenemyhasgracedthefallofVisandus，thestandard—bearer，^76whomaintainedhisforemoststation，tillhewaspiercedwiththirteenwounds，perhapsbythehandofBelisariushimself。TheRomangeneralwasstrong，active，anddexterous；oneverysidehedischargedhisweightyandmortalstrokes:hisfaithfulguardsimitatedhisvalor，anddefendedhisperson；andtheGoths，afterthelossofathousandmen，fledbeforethearmsofahero。Theywererashlypursuedtotheircamp；andtheRomans，oppressedbymultitudes，madeagradual，andatlengthaprecipitateretreattothegatesofthecity:thegateswereshutagainstthefugitives；andthepublicterrorwasincreased，bythereportthatBelisariuswasslain。Hiscountenancewasindeeddisfiguredbysweat，dust，andblood；hisvoicewashoarse，hisstrengthwasalmostexhausted；buthisunconquerablespiritstillremained；heimpartedthatspirittohisdespondingcompanions；andtheirlastdesperatechargewasfeltbytheflyingBarbarians，asifanewarmy，vigorousandentire，hadbeenpouredfromthecity。TheFlaminiangatewasthrownopentoarealtriumph；butitwasnotbeforeBelisariushadvisitedeverypost，andprovidedforthepublicsafety，thathecouldbepersuaded，byhiswifeandfriends，totastetheneedfulrefreshmentsoffoodandsleep。Inthemoreimprovedstateoftheartofwar，ageneralisseldomrequired，orevenpermittedtodisplaythepersonalprowessofasoldier；andtheexampleofBelisariusmaybeaddedtotherareexamplesofHenryIV。，ofPyrrhus，andofAlexander。
[Footnote75:AhorseofabayorredcolorwasstyledbytheGreeks，balanbytheBarbarians，andspadixbytheRomans。
Honestispadices，saysVirgil，Georgic。l。iii。72，withtheObservationsofMartinandHeyne。Itsignifiesabranchofthepalm—tree，whosenameissynonymoustored，AulusGellius，ii。
26。]
[Footnote76:Iinterpretit，notasaproper，name，butanoffice，standard—bearer，frombandum，vexillum，aBarbaricwordadoptedbytheGreeksandRomans，PaulDiacon。l。i。c。20，p。
760。Grot。NominaHethica，p。575。Ducange，Gloss。Latin。tom。
i。p。539，540。]
Afterthisfirstandunsuccessfultrialoftheirenemies，thewholearmyoftheGothspassedtheTyber，andformedthesiegeofthecity，whichcontinuedaboveayear，tilltheirfinaldeparture。Whateverfancymayconceive，theseverecompassofthegeographerdefinesthecircumferenceofRomewithinalineoftwelvemilesandthreehundredandforty—fivepaces；andthatcircumference，exceptintheVatican，hasinvariablybeenthesamefromthetriumphofAureliantothepeacefulbutobscurereignofthemodernpopes。^77Butinthedayofhergreatness，thespacewithinherwallswascrowdedwithhabitationsandinhabitants；andthepopuloussuburbs，thatstretchedalongthepublicroads，weredartedlikesomanyraysfromonecommoncentre。Adversitysweptawaytheseextraneousornaments，andleftnakedanddesolateaconsiderablepartevenofthesevenhills。
YetRomeinitspresentstatecouldsendintothefieldaboutthirtythousandmalesofamilitaryage；^78and，notwithstandingthewantofdisciplineandexercise，thefargreaterpart，inuredtothehardshipsofpoverty，mightbecapableofbearingarmsforthedefenceoftheircountryandreligion。TheprudenceofBelisariusdidnotneglectthisimportantresource。Hissoldierswererelievedbythezealanddiligenceofthepeople，whowatchedwhiletheyslept，andlaboredwhiletheyreposed:heacceptedthevoluntaryserviceofthebravestandmostindigentoftheRomanyouth；andthecompaniesoftownsmensometimesrepresented，inavacantpost，thepresenceofthetroopswhichhadbeendrawnawaytomoreessentialduties。ButhisjustconfidencewasplacedintheveteranswhohadfoughtunderhisbannerinthePersianandAfricanwars；andalthoughthatgallantbandwasreducedtofivethousandmen，heundertook，withsuchcontemptiblenumbers，todefendacircleoftwelvemiles，againstanarmyofonehundredandfiftythousandBarbarians。InthewallsofRome，whichBelisariusconstructedorrestored，thematerialsofancientarchitecturemaybediscerned；^79andthewholefortificationwascompleted，exceptinachasmstillextantbetweenthePincianandFlaminiangates，whichtheprejudicesoftheGothsandRomansleftundertheeffectualguardofSt。Petertheapostle。^80
[Footnote77:M。D\'Anvillehasgiven，intheMemoirsoftheAcademyfortheyear1756，tom。xxx。p。198—236，aplanofRomeonasmallerscale，butfarmoreaccuratethanthatwhichhehaddelineatedin1738forRollin\'shistory。ExperiencehadimprovedhisknowledgeandinsteadofRossi\'stopography，heusedthenewandexcellentmapofNolli。Pliny\'soldmeasureofthirteenmustbereducedtoeightmiles。Itiseasiertoalteratext，thantoremovehillsorbuildings。
Note:CompareGibbon，ch。xi。note43，andxxxi。67，andch。
lxxi。\"Itisquiteclear，\"observesSirJ。Hobhouse，\"thatallthesemeasurementsdiffer，inthefirstandseconditis21，inthetext12and345paces，inthelast10，yetitisequallyclearthatthehistorianaversthattheyareallthesame。\"Thepresentextent，123/4nearlyagreeswiththesecondstatementofGibbon。Sir。J。HobhousealsoobservesthatthewallswereenlargedbyConstantine；buttherecanbenodoubtthatthecircuithasbeenmuchchanged。Illust。ofCh。Harold，p。180。—
M。]
[Footnote78:Intheyear1709，LabatVoyagesenItalie，tom。
iii。p。218reckoned138，568Christiansouls，besides8000or10，000Jews—withoutsouls?Intheyear1763，thenumbersexceeded160，000。]
[Footnote79:TheaccurateeyeofNardiniRomaAntica，l。i。c。
viii。p。31coulddistinguishthetumultuarieoperediBelisario。]
[Footnote80:Thefissureandleaningintheupperpartofthewall，whichProcopiusobserved，Goth。l。i。c。13，isvisibletothepresenthour，Douat。RomaVetus，l。i。c。17，p。53，54。]
Thebattlementsorbastionswereshapedinsharpanglesaditch，broadanddeep，protectedthefootoftherampart；andthearchersontherampartwereassistedbymilitaryengines；thebalistri，apowerfulcross—bow，whichdartedshortbutmassyarrows；theonagri，orwildasses，which，ontheprincipleofasling，threwstonesandbulletsofanenormoussize。^81AchainwasdrawnacrosstheTyber；thearchesoftheaqueductsweremadeimpervious，andthemoleorsepulchreofHadrian^82wasconverted，forthefirsttime，totheusesofacitadel。Thatvenerablestructure，whichcontainedtheashesoftheAntonines，wasacircularturretrisingfromaquadrangularbasis；itwascoveredwiththewhitemarbleofParos，anddecoratedbythestatuesofgodsandheroes；andtheloveroftheartsmustreadwithasigh，thattheworksofPraxitelesorLysippusweretornfromtheirloftypedestals，andhurledintotheditchontheheadsofthebesiegers。^83ToeachofhislieutenantsBelisariusassignedthedefenceofagate，withthewiseandperemptoryinstruction，that，whatevermightbethealarm，theyshouldsteadilyadheretotheirrespectiveposts，andtrusttheirgeneralforthesafetyofRome。TheformidablehostoftheGothswasinsufficienttoembracetheamplemeasureofthecity，ofthefourteengates，sevenonlywereinvestedfromtheProenestinetotheFlaminianway；andVitigesdividedhistroopsintosixcamps，eachofwhichwasfortifiedwithaditchandrampart。OntheTuscansideoftheriver，aseventhencampmentwasformedinthefieldorcircusoftheVatican，fortheimportantpurposeofcommandingtheMilvianbridgeandthecourseoftheTyber；buttheyapproachedwithdevotiontheadjacentchurchofSt。Peter；
andthethresholdoftheholyapostleswasrespectedduringthesiegebyaChristianenemy。Intheagesofvictory，asoftenasthesenatedecreedsomedistantconquest，theconsuldenouncedhostilities，byunbarring，insolemnpomp，thegatesofthetempleofJanus。^84Domesticwarnowrenderedtheadmonitionsuperfluous，andtheceremonywassupersededbytheestablishmentofanewreligion。ButthebrazentempleofJanuswasleftstandingintheforum；ofasizesufficientonlytocontainthestatueofthegod，fivecubitsinheight，ofahumanform，butwithtwofacesdirectedtotheeastandwest。Thedoublegateswerelikewiseofbrass；andafruitlessefforttoturnthemontheirrustyhingesrevealedthescandaloussecretthatsomeRomanswerestillattachedtothesuperstitionoftheirancestors。
[Footnote81:LipsiusOpp。tom。iii。Poliorcet，l。iii。wasignorantofthisclearandconspicuouspassageofProcopius，Goth。l。i。c。21。Theenginewasnamedthewildass，acalcitrando，Hen。Steph。Thesaur。LinguaeGraec。tom。ii。p。
1340，1341，tom。iii。p。877。Ihaveseenaningeniousmodel，contrivedandexecutedbyGeneralMelville，whichimitatesorsurpassestheartofantiquity。]
[Footnote82:Thedescriptionofthismausoleum，ormole，inProcopius，l。i。c。25。isthefirstandbest。Theheightabovethewalls。OnNolli\'sgreatplan，thesidesmeasure260
Englishfeet。
Note:DonatusandNardinisupposethatHadrian\'stombwasfortifiedbyHonorius；itwasunitedtothewallbymenofold，Procopinloc。GibbonhasmistakenthebreadthfortheheightabovethewallsHobhouse，Illust。ofChildeHarold，p。302。—M。]
[Footnote83:PraxitelesexcelledinFauns，andthatofAthenswashisownmasterpiece。Romenowcontainsaboutthirtyofthesamecharacter。WhentheditchofSt。AngelowascleansedunderUrbanVIII。，theworkmenfoundthesleepingFaunoftheBarberinipalace；butaleg，athigh，andtherightarm，hadbeenbrokenfromthatbeautifulstatue，Winkelman，Hist。del\'Art，tom。ii。
p。52，53，tomiii。p。265。]
[Footnote84:ProcopiushasgiventhebestdescriptionofthetempleofJanusanationaldeityofLatium，Heyne，Excurs。v。adl。vii。Aeneid。ItwasonceagateintheprimitivecityofRomulusandNuma，Nardini，p。13，256，329。Virgilhasdescribedtheancientritelikeapoetandanantiquarian。]
Eighteendayswereemployedbythebesiegers，toprovidealltheinstrumentsofattackwhichantiquityhadinvented。Fascineswerepreparedtofilltheditches，scaling—ladderstoascendthewalls。Thelargesttreesoftheforestsuppliedthetimbersoffourbattering—rams:theirheadswerearmedwithiron；theyweresuspendedbyropes，andeachofthemwasworkedbythelaboroffiftymen。Theloftywoodenturretsmovedonwheelsorrollers，andformedaspaciousplatformoftheleveloftherampart。Onthemorningofthenineteenthday，ageneralattackwasmadefromthePraenestinegatetotheVatican:sevenGothiccolumns，withtheirmilitaryengines，advancedtotheassault；andtheRomans，wholinedtheramparts，listenedwithdoubtandanxietytothecheerfulassurancesoftheircommander。Assoonastheenemyapproachedtheditch，Belisariushimselfdrewthefirstarrow；