Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 3 (1897).djvu/305

 OF THE EOMAN EMPIRE 285 CHAPTEE XXXI Invasion of Ilaly by Alaric-^Manners of the Roman Senate and People — Rome is thrice besieged and at length pillaged by the Gotlis— Death of Alaric — 2'he Goths evacuate Italy — Fall of Constantine — Gaul and Spain are occupied by the Barbarians — Independence of Britain The incapacity of a weak and distracted government may weakaesg of often assume the appearance, and produce the effects, of a Ravenna* **' treasonable correspondence with the pubHc enemy. If Alaric sept:**** himself had been introduced into the council of Ravenna, he would probably have advised the same measures which were actually pursued by the ministers of Honorius.^ The king of the Goths would have conspired, perhaps with some reluctance, to destroy the formidable adversary by whose arms, in Italy as well as in Greece, he had been twice overthrown. Their active and interested hatred laboriously accomplished the disgrace and ruin of the great Stilicho. The valour of Sarus, his fame in arms, and his personal, or hereditary, influence over the confederate Barbarians could recommend him only to the friends of their country, who despised, or detested, the worth- less characters of Turpilio, Varanes, and Vigilantius. By the pressing instances of the new favourites, these generals, un- worthy as they had shewn themselves of the name of soldiers, - were promoted to the command of the cavalry, of the infantiy, and of the domestic troops. The Gothic prince would have subscribed with pleasure the edict which the fanaticism of Olympius dictated to the simple and devout emperor. Honorius excluded all persons who were adverse to the catholic church from holding any office in the state ; obstinately re- jected the service of all those who dissented from his religion ; and rashly disqualified many of his bravest and most skilful 1 The series of events from the death of Stilicho to the arrival of Alaric before Rome can only be found in Zosimus, 1. v. p. 347-350 [c. 35-37]. 2 The expression of Zosimus is strong and lively: KaTa4,p6vi}<Tt.v enn-oi^o-ai ror? n-oAffiiois apKovi/Tas, sufficient to excite the contempt of the enemy.