XXXI. Alaric accepts a ranfom, and raises the fiege, A.D. 409. CHAP. The last resource of the Romans was in the clemency, or at leaft in the moderation, of the king of the Goths. The fenate, who in this emergency affumed the fupreme powers of government, appointed two ambaffadors to negociate with the enemy. This important truft was delegated to Bafilius, a fenator, of Spanish extraction, and already confpicuous in the administration of provinces; and to John, the firft tribune of the notaries, who was peculiarly qualified, by his dexterity in business, as well as by his former intimacy with the Gothic prince. When they were introduced into his prefence, they declared, perhaps in a more lofty ftyle than became their abject condition, that the Romans were refolved to maintain their dignity, either in peace or war; and that, if Alaric refufed them a fair and honourable capitulation, he might found his trumpets, and prepare to give battle to an innumerable people, exercised in arms, and animated by defpair." The thicker the hay, the easier "it is mowed," was the concise reply of the Barbarian; and this ruftic metaphor was accompanied by a loud and infulting laugh, expreffive of his contempt for the menaces of an unwarlike populace, enervated by luxury before they were emaciated by famine. He then condefcended to fix the ranfom, which he would accept as the price of his retreat from the walls of Rome: all the gold and filver in the city, whether it were the property of the ftate, or of individuals; all the rich and precious moveables; and all the navęs XXXI. flaves who could prove their title to the name of CHAP. Barbarians. The minifters of the fenate prefumed to ask, in a modeft and fuppliant tone, "If "fuch, O King, are your demands, what do <c you intend to leave us?" "YOUR LIVES;" replied the haughty conqueror: they trembled, and retired. Yet before they retired, a fhort füfpension of arms was granted, which allowed fome time for a more temperate negociation. The ftern features of Alaric were infenfibly relaxed; he abated much of the rigour of his terms; and at length confented to raise the fiege, on the immediate payment of five thousand pounds of gold,, of thirty thousand pounds of filver, of four thoufand robes of filk, of three thoufand pieces of fine fcarlet cloth, and of three thoufand pounds weight of pepper But the public treasury was exhaufted; the annual rents of the great eftates in Italy and the provinces, were intercepted by the calamities of war; the gold and gems had been exchanged, during the famine, for the vileft fuftenance; the hoards of fecret wealth were, ftill concealed by the obftinacy of avarice; and fome remains of confecrated spoils afforded the only refource that could avert the impending ruin of the city. As foon as the Romans had fatisfied the rapacious demands of Alaric, they were re 78 78 Pepper was a favourite ingredient of the most expensive Roman cookery, and the best fort commonly fold for fifteen denarii, or ten fhillings, the pound. See Pliny, Hift. Natur. xii. 14. It was brought from India; and the fame country, the coaft of Malabar, still affords the greatest plenty: but the improvement of trade and navi. gation has multiplied the quantity, and reduced the price. See Hif toire Politique et Philofophique, &c. tom. i. p. 457. XXXI. CHAP. ftored, in fome measure, to the enjoyment of peace and plenty. Several of the gates were cautiously opened; the importation of provifions from the river, and the adjacent country, was no longer obftructed by the Goths; the citizens reforted in crowds to the free market, which was held during three days in the fuburbs; and while the merchants who undertook this gainful trade, made a confiderable profit, the future fubfiftence of the city was fecured by the ample magazines which were depofited in the public and private granaries. A more regular difcipline, than could have been expected, was maintained in the camp of Alaric; and the wife Barbarian justified his regard for the faith of treaties, by the just severity with which he chastised a party of licentious Goths, who had infulted fome Roman citizens on the road to Oftia. His army, enriched by the contributions of the capital, flowly advanced into the fair and fruitful province of Tuscany, where he proposed to establish his winter-quarters; and the Gothic ftandard became the refuge of forty thousand Barbarian flaves, who had broke their chains, and afpired, under the command of their great deliverer, to revenge the injuries, and the difgrace, of their cruel fervitude. About the fame time, he received a more honourable reinforcement of Goths and Huns, whom Adolphus", the brother of his wife, 79 This Gothic chieftain is called by Jornandes and Ifidore, Atbaulpbus; by Zofimus and Orofius, Ataulphus; and by Olympiodo. rus, Adaoulpbus. I have used the celebrated name of Adolphus, which feems to be authorised by the practice of the Swedes, the fons or bro thers of the ancient Goths. had XXXI. had conducted, at his preffing invitation, from CHAP. the banks of the Danube to thofe of the Tyber; and who had cut their way, with fome difficulty and lofs, through the fuperior numbers of the Imperial troops. A victorious leader, who united the daring spirit of a Barbarian with the art and discipline of a Roman general, was at the head of an hundred thoufand fighting men; and Italy pronounced, with terror and respect, the formidable name of Alaric ". tions for peace, A.D. 409 At the distance of fourteen centuries, we may Fruitless be fatisfied with relating the military exploits of negocia the conquerors of Rome, without prefuming to investigate the motives of their political conduct. In the midst of his apparent profperity, Alaric was confcious, perhaps, of fome fecret weakness, fome internal defect; or perhaps the moderation which he displayed, was intended only to deceive and difarm the eafy credulity of the minifters of Honorius. The king of the Goths repeatedly declared, that it was his defire to be confidered as the friend of peace, and of the Romans. Three fenators, at his earnest request, were fent ambasfadors to the court of Ravenna, to folicit the exchange of hoftages, and the conclufion of the treaty; and the proposals, which he more clearly expreffed during the course of the negociations, could only infpire a doubt of his fincerity, as they might seem inadequate to the ftate of his fortune. The Barbarian ftill afpired to the rank 80 The treaty between Alaric and the Romans, &c. is taken from Zofimus, l. v. p. 354, 355. 358, 359. 362, 363. The additional circumstances are too few and trifling to require any other quotation. of 'XXXI. CHAP. of mafter-general of the armies of the Weft; he ftipulated an annual fubfidy of corn and money; and he chofe the provinces of Dalmatia, Noricum, and Venetia, for the feat of his new kingdom, which would have commanded the important communication between Italy and the Danube. If these modeft terms fhould be rejected, Alaric fhewed a difpofition to relinquish his pecuniary demands, and even to content himself with the poffeffion of Noricum; an exhausted and impoverished country, perpetually expofed to the inroads of the Barbarians of Germany ". But the hopes of peace were disappointed by the weak obftinacy, or interested views, of the minifter Olympius. Without liftening to the falutary remonftrances of the fenate, he difmiffed their ambaffadors under the conduct of a military ef cort, too numerous for a retinue of honour, and too feeble for an army of defence. Six thoufand Dalmatians, the flower of the Imperial legions, were ordered to march from Ravenna to Rome, through an open country, which was occupied by the formidable myriads of the Barbarians. Thefe brave legionaries, encompaffed and betrayed, fell a facrifice to minifterial folly; their general, Valens, with an hundred foldiers, escaped from the field of battle; and one of the ambasfadors, who could no longer claim the protection of the law of nations, was obliged to purchase his freedom with a ranfom of thirty thoufand pieces of gold. Yet Alaric, inftead of refenting this act of impotent hoftility, immediately renew |