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 OF THE EOMAN EMPIRE 5 and the domestics of Eudoxia signalized their zeal in the service of their mistress." On the third day after the tumult^ Genseric boldly advanced sack of Rome from the port of Ostia to the gates of the defenceless city. In- dlis. a.d^455, stead of a sally of the Roman youth, there issued from the gates °°* an unarmed and venerable procession of the bishop at the head of his clergy.^ The fearless spirit of Leo, his authority and eloquence, again mitigated the fierceness of a Barbarian con- queror: the king of the Vandals promised to spare the unresisting multitude, to protect the buildings from fire, and to exempt the captives from torture ; and, although such orders were neither seriously given nor strictly obeyed, the mediation of Leo was glorious to himself and in some degree beneficial to his country. But Rome and its inhabitants were delivered to the licentiousness of the V^andals and Moors, Avhose blind passions revenged the injuries of Carthage. The pillage lasted fourteen days and nights ; •' and all that yet remained of public or private wealth, of sacred or profane treasure, was diligently transported to the vessels of Genseric. Among the spoils, the splendid relics of two temples, or rather of two religions, exhibited a memorable example of the vicissitude of human and divine things. Since the abolition of Paganism, the Capitol had been violated and abandoned ; yet the statues of the gods and heroes were still respected, and the curious roof of gilt bronze was reserved for the rapacious hands of Genseric.^" The holy instruments of the ">. . . Inficloi|ue tibi Burgundio ductu Extorquet trepidas mactandi principis iras. Sidon. in Panegyr. ,^vit. 442. A remarkable line, which insinuates that Rome and Maximus'were betrayed by their Burgundian mercenaries. [Binding, Gesch. des burgundisch-romanischen Konigr. p. 49, conjectures that there had been a recent Burgundian incursion into Italy.] s The apparent success of pope Leo may be justified by Prosper and the Hisforia Miscella; but the improbable notion of Baronius (A.D. 455, No. 13) that Genseric spared the three apostolical churches is not countenanced even by the doubtful testimony of the Liher Pontificalis. "^ [The phrase of Prosper is noteworthy : per xiv. dies secura et libera scrutatione omnibus opibus suis Roma vacuata est. There was not an indiscriminate pillage, but the treasures were ransacked in a methodical and leisurely way. There is no reason to assume that there was any wanton destruction.] 10 The profusion of Catulus, the first who gilt the roof of the Capitol, was not universally approved (Plin. Hist. Natur. xxxiii. 18) ; but it was far exceeded by the emperor's, and the external gilding of the temple cost Domitian 12,000 talents (2,400,0001.). The expressions of Claudian and Rutilius (/^tv /wt^/f?//;' (7<?/«i/ /a . . . Jiuiii^ia astris, and cotifunduntque vagos delubra micantia visits) manifestly prove that this splendid covering was not removed either by the Christians or the Goths (sec Donatus, Roma Antiqua, 1. ii. c. p. 125). It should seem that the roof of the Cajiitol was decorated with gilt btatucs andV-hariots drawn by four horses.