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 OF THE EOMAN EMPIEE 255 heroic deliverer. The triumph of StiHcho ^'' was compared by the poet, and perhaps by the pubHc, to that of Marius ; who, in the same part of Italy, had encountered and destroyed another army of northern Barbarians. The huge bones, and the empty helmets, of the Cimbri and of the Goths would easily be confounded by succeeding generations ; and posterity might erect a common trophy to the memory of the two most illustri- ous generals who had vanquished, on the same memorable ground, the two most formidable enemies of Rome.^^ The eloquence of Claudian ^^ has celebrated with lavish Boidnesa applause the victory of Pollentia, one of the most glorious daysof Auric*^ in the life of his patron ; but his reluctant and partial muse bestows more genuine praise on the character of the Gothic king. His name is indeed branded with the reproachful epithets of pirate and robber, to which the conquerors of every age are so justly entitled; but the poet of Stilicho is compelled to acknow- ledge that Alaric possessed the invincible temper of mind which rises superior to every misfortune and derives new resources from adversity. After the total defeat of his infantry he escaped, or rather withdrew, from the field of battle, with the greatest part of his cavalry entire and unbroken. Without wasting a moment to lament the irreparable loss of so many brave companions, he left his victorious enemy to bind in chains the captive images of a Gothic king ; ^'^ and boldly resolved to break through the unguarded passes of the Apennine, to spread desolation over the fruitful face of Tuscany, and to conquer or die before the gates of Rome.^^ The capital was saved by the active and in- '^" Claudian (de Bell. Get. 580-647) and Prudentius (in Symmach. 1. ii. 694- 719) celebrate, without ambiguity, the Roman victory of Pollentia. They are poetical and party writers ; ' °'' come credit is due to the most suspicious witnesses, who are checked by the recent notoriety of facts. ■*8 Claudian's peroration is strong and elegant ; but the identity of the Cimbric and Gothic fields must be understood (like Virgil's Philippi, Georgic i. 490) ac- cording to the loose geography of a poet. Vercellas and Pollentia are sixty miles from each other ; and the latitude is still greater, if the Cimbri were defeated in the wide and barren plain of Verona (Maffei, Verona Illustrata, P. i. p. 54-62). •19 Claudian and Prudentius must be strictly examined, to reduce the figures, and extort the historic sense of those poets. ^^ Et gravant en airain ses freles avantages. De mes 6tats conquis enchainer les images. The practice of exposing in triumph the images of kings and provinces was familiar to the Romans. The bust of Mithridates himself was twelve feet high, of massy gold (Freinshem. Supplement. Livian. ciii. 47). 51 [Alaric was retreating and had no idea of advancing on Rome. He was obliged to retreat towards the Apennines (Claud, de vi. Cons. Hon. 183). Stilicho let him go once more (as before in the Peloponnesus). Cp. von Wietersheim, op. cit. 2, 230.]