Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 6 (1897).djvu/227

 OF THE EOMAN EMPIRE 205 exhorted the Romans to persevere in their allegiance : and hastily- retreated three days before the entrance of the Normans. In less than three years^ the son of Tancred of Hauteville enjoyed the glory' of delivering the pope, and of compelling the two emperors of the East and West to fly before his victorious arms.^'*'^ But the triumph of Robert was clouded by the calamities of Rome. By the aid of the friends of Gregory, the walls had been perforated or scaled ; but the Imperial faction was still powerful and active; on the third day, the people rose in a furious tumult ; and an hasty word of the conqueror, in his defence or revenge, was the signal of fire and pillage. ^'^^ The Saracens of Sicily, the subjects of Roger, and auxiliaries of his brother, embraced this fair occasion of rifling and profaning the holy city of the Chris- tians : many thousands of the citizens, in the sight, and by the allies, of their spiritual father, were exposed to violation, cap- tivity, or death ; and a spacious quarter of the city, from the Lateral! to the Coliseum, was consumed by the flames and de- [ voted to perpetual solitude. ^'^ From a city, where he was now [hated and might be no longer feared, Gregory retired to end his [days in the palace of Salerno. The artful pontiff might flatter the vanity of Guiscard with the hope of a Roman or Imperial Icrown ; but this dangerous measure, which would have inflamed [the ambition of the Norman, must for ever have alienated the jmost faithful princes of Germany. The deliverer and scourge of Rome might have indulged second ex- iimseli m a season or repose; but, m the same year oi tlie Ro^'ertinto light of the German emperor, the indefatigable Robert resumed i084, October the design of his eastern conquests. The zeal or gratitude of [Gregory had promised to his valour the kingdoms of Greece 1"^ Sic uno tempore victi Sunt terrae Domini duo : rex Alemannicus iste, Imperii rector Romani maximiis ille. Alter ad arma ruens armis superatur ; et alter Nominis auditi sola formidine cessit. It is singular enough that the Apulian, a Latin, should distinguish the Greek as Ithe ruler of the Roman empire (1. iv. p. 274). i''^The narrative of Malaterra (1. iii. c. 37, p. 587, 588) is authentic, circumstan- Itial, and fair. Dux ignem exclamans urbe incensa, &c. The Apulian softens the 'mischief (inde quibusdatn asdibus exijstis), which is again exaggerated in some partial Chronicles (Muratori, Annali, torn. ix. p. 147). !•'•' After mentioning this devastation, the Jesuit Donatus Cde Roma veteri et nova, 1. iv. c. 8, p. 489) prettily adds, Duraret hodieque in Coelio monte interque ipsum et Capitolium miserabilis facies prostratje urbis, nisi in hortorum vineto- rumque amcenitatem Roma resurrexisset ut perpetua viriditate contegeret vulnera et ruinas suas.
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