428 APPEXDIX, No II. 
system of rapine, which had esca))ed all the former de- 
spoilers of the Imperial City ; for they opened and plundered 
all the TOMBS of the Emperors, in the Heroum^ at the 
great Church of the Apostles. They sacrilegiously laid their 
hands upon every golden ornament, and every chalice which 
had heen studded with pearls and precious stones. They 
gazed with admiration at the body of Justinian^, which 
after so many centuries exhibited no mark of decay ; but 
they refrained not from appropriating to themselves the 
sepulchral ornaments. These western barbarians spared 
neither the living nor the dead; but beginning with God 
and his servants, they shewed shemselves, upon all occa- 
sions, indiscriminately impious. Shortly afterwards, they 
tore down the veil of the sa?ictuary in the great cathedral 
[Sancia Sophia], which in itself was highly valuable; but 
its golden border was the object of their cupidity. Their 
wants, however, were not yet supplied ; for these barba- 
rians are insatiable. They cast their eyes on the brazen 
statues, and consigned them to the flames. The colossal 
image of Juno, which stood on the Forum of Constantine, 
was melted into stalcrs. Four oxen could scarcely draw 
the head of this statue to the Imperial Palace. The 
Shepherd of Ida was next dislodged from his base, 
where he was standing with Venus, in the act of presenting 
to her the golden apple of discord. But what shall I say 
(1) The sepulchre of Juslintan was of pure gold, as we learn from 
some wretched verses of Con'pjius .■ 
" Doiiec Apostolici subeuntes atria templi 
Inclyta sacrato posuissent membra sepulchre, 
Quod priiisipse sibi puro construserat auro." 
