Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/163

 A L A R I C. which he accordingly did, exposing i ;. 'm, to his promiie, w uld endeavour ricum K. the weiicrn empire. Jlur fiudin j t!i.:t Stilicho ; :. his promiie, he K.iThdto I'aniu. < : Stilicho atRavenni, demanding ni. i rhetin.r h I. : 'oit in Epirus, and threatening to ;.. .. :,;;i if he I .<>: fatisfied. Stilicho left the ! -:U immediately to Rome, to lomult what wa-. pr.'pur i In: di n. The fenate being aflembled, ilv.- m.tjority were of <-pmi."i not to comply with Alaric's dec.. ..,.(!, l-ui u.,i j .;n,|[ him. Stilicho and his dependants were of ad ; uion,7. ; nr, which prevailed ; and accoidir...:lv ;: was ;c!.>!vcd tu ; . p- thoufai.d pounds, and conclude a peace. St: ; i li > >*' *" killed foonaft.tr, the Roman Iblu'k-rs mu:J>r:vl ;-.ll t::c w.vcs and children of the Goths they could fin<!. ' he Cji> t !'s, upon this, went to Alaric, anl prefled him to make wara^.iinlt the Romans; but hein.^ diftrous to maintiin . he lent am- hailadors to the crr.pcror Honorius, ilcn.,,11 iin : fomc nior.-y and homages, promifing that he would al:b fend k;:. le- men as hoiiaj;cs to tiie tmpi-ri i, upon which < would preferve the peace, and reiuin with his army to Pan- nonia. The emperor refuting, heprcp.ir<d to invade Italy again, and fent to Ataulphus, his wiie's brother, who was in Upper Pannonia, to advance with all the HDIIS and Goths un- der his command. However, without ftaying for him, he marched with his own army as far as the Po r without meeting any obftruclion ; and after pa.Tnig that river, he went direct, v towards Rome, taking ail the forts and towns in th. u^,. He befieged Rome very clofely ; and after having nude him- feif matter of the Tihcr, prevented any provifions from being carried to the city. The inhabitants, though in want of the neceflaries of life, refolved to fiand out the liege, r-.einj; in hopes that the emperor, who was then at Ravenn, would come to their relief; but finding that he negleoled tiv.-m, and being reduced to the 'aft extremity, th<-y Ici.t amhall'i i-ir- to the enemy. The amballadors told Al^ric, that the R ;;i.ins were ready to fubmir, provided they could t brain tolerable terms ; but that if once they took up arms, notning coulii ter them from fighting. /laric anfwered to thefe laft words, that " the clofer hay was prefled, theeaner it would lv tut," intimating thereby, that when the Romans-joined .ill in a body, they would fall an ealier prey to him : am! ne treat, ambafiadors in an infulting manner. He laid, he would not raife the liege, urilefs the Romans delivered to him all th. gold and filver, the houftiold-goods, wearing apparel, anJ aii the