to the city of Ariminum, which is two hundred and ten stadia distant from Ravenna. He encamped beyond the walls of the city, and Jovius, the prætorian prefect of Italy, held a conference with him and conveyed his demands to the emperor, one of which was, that he might be appointed to the generalship of the cavalry and infantry. The emperor gave full power to Jovius to grant Alaric as much money and corn as he might desire, but firmly refused to confer the military dignity to which he aspired. Jovius waited in the camp of Alaric the return of the messenger who had been despatched to the emperor, and had the imprudence to cause the imperial reply to be read aloud in the presence of all the barbarians. On finding that the appointment he had demanded was denied him, Alaric ordered the trumpets to be sounded, and marched towards Rome. Jovius, apprehensive of being suspected of siding with Alaric, committed a still greater act of imprudence by taken an oath on the safety of the emperor, and compelling the principal officers to swear that they would never consent to any terms of peace with Alaric. The barbarian chief, however, soon after changed his mind, and sent word he did not desire any post of rank or dignity, but was willing to act as an ally of the Romans, provided that they would grant him a certain quantity of corn, and some territory of secondary importance to them, in which he might establish himself. CHAP. VIII.-REBELLION OF ATTALUS; AND HOW HE EVENTUALLY CRAVES FORGIVENESS AT THE FEET OF HONORIUS. AFTER having sent some bishops as ambassadors on two different occasions to treat on this subject, but without effect, Alaric returned to Rome, raised the siege, took possession of the port, and compelled the inhabitants of Rome to recognise Attalus, then prefect of the city, as their sovereign. The other officers of rank were then distributed; Alaric was appointed general of the cavalry and infantry, and Ataulphus, his brother-in-law, was raised to the command of the force called the domestic cavalry. Attalus assembled the senators, and addressed them in a long and elaborate discourse, in which he promised to restore the ancient honours of the senate, and Compare Socrates, Eccl. Hist. vii. 10. A. D. 409.] USURPATION OF ATTALUS. 415 also to bring Egypt and the other Eastern provinces under the sway of Italy. Such was the vanity of a man who was not destined to bear the name of sovereign during the space of a single year. He was deceived by the representations of some diviners, who assured him that he would be able to conquer Africa without striking a single blow: under the influence of this false impression, he neglected the advice of Alaric, who urged him to send a moderate supply of troops to Carthage to slay the officers of Honorius, in case of their attempting any resistance. He also refused to follow the counsels of John, whom he had raised to military command, and who advised him to intrust Constans, on his proposed departure for Africa, with an edict1 drawn up in the name of Honorius, by which Heraclean might be dispossessed of the command of the troops in Africa. Had this artifice been adopted, it would probably have proved successful; for the designs of Attalus were unknown in Africa. But as soon as Constans had set sail for Carthage, Attalus, who laboured under the delusive idea that Africa would, according to the assurances of the diviners, soon acknowledge his authority, marched at the head of his army towards Ravenna. When it was announced that Attalus had reached Ariminum with an army, composed partly of Roman and partly of barbarian troops, Honorius wrote to him to acknowledge him as emperor, and deputed the highest officers of his court to wait upon him, and offer him a share in the government. Attalus, however, refused to share the imperial power with another, and sent word that Honorius might choose an island or spot of ground in any region for his residence, and that he might retain in this retirement the outward honours of sovereignty. The affairs of Honorius were reduced to so critical a condition, that ships were kept in readiness to convey him to the Eastern court that he might implore aid of his nephew, when an army of four thousand men arrived unexpectedly during the night at Ravenna from the East. Honorius caused the walls of the city to be guarded by this reinforcement, for he distrusted the troops of Italy, and believed them to be inclined to treachery. In the mean time, Heraclean had put Constans to death, and had ranged troops along the shores and ports of Africa to put a stop to all traffic with Rome. The Romans were in conse1 ypáμμa. Valesius would render it by "preceptum." quence exposed to the horrors of famine, and in this extremity they sent to request assistance of Attalus. Being at a loss what measures to adopt, he returned to Rome to consult the senate. The famine was so grievous that chesnuts were used to supply the place of corn, and many persons were suspected of having partaken of human flesh. Alaric advised that five hundred barbarians should be sent into Africa against Heraclean; but the senators and Attalus objected to intrust an expedition of this nature to them. It then became evident to Alaric that God disapproved of Attalus; and finding that it would be futile to make any further attempts to maintain his power, he entered into negotiations with Honorius to deprive him of his sovereignty. All the parties concerned assembled together without the walls of the city, and Attalus threw aside the symbols of imperial power. His officers stripped themselves of their girdles, and they all joined together in imploring forgiveness of Honorius for the past. He granted them permission to retain their rank and honours. Attalus retired with his son to Alaric, for he thought his life would not be in safety if he continued to dwell among the Romans. CHAP. IX.-PRESUMPTUOUS EXPECTATIONS ENTERTAINED BY THE PAGANS AND ARIANS CONCERNING ATTALUS. THE failure which had attended the designs of Attalus was a source of deep displeasure to the Pagans and the Christians of the Arian denomination. The Pagans had inferred from the known predilections and early education of Attalus, that he would openly maintain their superstitions, and restore their ancient temples, their festivals, and their altars. The Arians imagined that as soon as he found himself firmly established in the possession of power, Attalus would reinstate them in the supremacy over the churches which they had enjoyed during the reigns of Constantius and of Valens; for he had been baptized by Sigesarius, bishop of the Goths, to the great satisfaction of Alaric and the Arian party. 'He is mentioned by Olympiodorus as having endeavoured in vain to rescue the sons of the king of the Goths from death. A. D. 410.] VIRTUE OF A ROMAN LADY. 417 Soon after, Alaric stationed himself among the Alps,1 at a distance of about sixty stadia from Ravenna, and held a conference with the emperor concerning the conclusion of a peace. Saros, a barbarian by birth, imagining that any treaty formed. between the Romans and the Goths would militate against his own private interests, rushed upon Alaric with an army only three hundred strong, but composed of chosen and valiant men. Many of the Goths fell in this encounter, and, impelled by rage and terror, Alaric retraced his steps, and returned to Rome, and the city was betrayed into his hands. He permitted his followers to seize the wealth of the citizens, and to plunder the houses; but from respect towards the apostle Peter, he prohibited the desecration of the large and beautiful church erected around his tomb. This prohibition was the only cause which prevented the entire demolition of Rome; for many had taken refuge within the church, and being permitted to escape with their lives, they undertook to rebuild their city. CHAP. X.-VIRTUE OF A ROMAN LADY. It is obvious that the capture of so great a city as Rome must have been attended with many remarkable circumstances; I shall therefore now proceed to the narration of such events as seem worthy of a place in ecclesiastical history. I shall recount a pious action performed by a barbarian, and record the fortitude and chastity of a Roman lady. The barbarian and the lady were both Christians, but belonged to different sects, the former being an Arian, and the latter a zealous follower of the Nicene doctrines. The lady was very beautiful, and the barbarian above-mentioned, who was a young man and a soldier in the army of Alaric, was dazzled by her extreme loveliness, and attempted to offer her violence. As she, however, exerted all her strength, and resisted his designs, he drew his sword and threatened to slay her: but he was restrained by the passion which he entertained towards her, and merely inflicted a slight wound on her neck. The blood flowed in abundance, and the lady meekly waited to receive her deathblow, for she preferred death to the violation of her chastity 1 Another reading is "Classen," meaning the port of Ravenna, which was called Classis; but the distance does not agree. [SOZOMEN.] 2 E and duty towards her husband. The barbarian redoubled his efforts, but finding that they availed nothing, he was at length struck with wonder and admiration at her chastity; he conducted her to the church of Peter the Apostle, and gave six pieces of gold to the officers who were guarding the church, commanding them to take care of her, and to restore her in safety to her husband. CHAP. XI.-MANY INSTANCES OF REBELLION AND USURPATION OCCUR IN THE WEST. THE FAVOUR OF GOD MANIFESTED TOWARDS HONORIUS BY THE DEFEAT AND DEATH OF THE TYRANTS. 1 DURING this period, many persons rebelled against Honorius, and seized the imperial authority in the West; but some of these tyrants were permitted to destroy each other, while others most unexpectedly fell under the power of the Roman arms, and in every case it was evidenced that the Divine favour rested in an especial manner upon Honorius. The soldiers in Britain were the first to rise up in sedition, and they proclaimed Mark as tyrant; afterwards, however, they slew Mark, and proclaimed Gratian. Within four months subsequently they killed Gratian and elected Constantine in his place, imagining that, on account of his name, he would be able to reduce the empire under his authority; and for no other reason than this, several other persons of the same name were advanced to power. Constantine passed over from Britain to Boulogne,2 a maritime city of Gaul, and after inducing all the troops in Gaul and Aquitaine to espouse his cause, he reduced to obedience the inhabitants of the regions extending to the mountains which divide Italy from Gaul, and which the Romans have named the Cot He is con "In the year 1 Zosimus, b. vi. p. 824, relates the story in the same way. firmed by the Venerable Bede, Eccl. Hist. b. i., who says, of our Lord's Incarnation 407, Honorius, the younger son of Theodosius, and the 44th from Augustus, being emperor two years before the invasion of Rome by Alaric, king of the Goths, when the nations of the Alani, Suevi, Vandals, and many others with them, having defeated the Franks, and crossed the Rhine, ravaged all Gaul, Gratianus Municeps was set up as tyrant, and killed. In his place, Constantine, one of the meanest soldiers, only for his name's sake, and without any worth to recommend him, was chosen emperor. As soon as he had taken upon him the command, he passed over into France." 2 BovSovía, though others read Bovwvía, Bononia. |