GOTHS. 
ftiidied the language of diflimulatlon, they betrayed 
their wifli, their delire, perhaps their intention, to emu¬ 
late the great example of their fathers. Tl>e danger of 
the times feemed to juftify the jealous fufpicions of the 
provincials ; and thefc fufpicions were admitted as un- 
quellionable evidence, that ilieGothsof Alia had formed 
a lecret and dangerous confpiracy againlt the public 
fafety. The death of Valens had left the ealf without 
a foveieign ; and Julius, who filled the important Na¬ 
tion of malter-genei al of the troops, with a high repu¬ 
tation of diligence and ability, thought it his duty to 
confult the lenate of Conftantinople ; which he confi- 
dered, during the vacancy of tiie throne, as the repre- 
fentative council of the nation. As foon as he had ob¬ 
tained the difcretionary power of adting as he fliould 
judge ii ofl: expedient for the good of the republic, he 
alfembled the principal officers ; and privately concerted 
meafures for the execution of his bloody delign. An 
order was promulgated, that, on a Hated day, the Go- 
tliic you'h Ihould alfemble in the capital cities of their 
refpedftive provinces; and as a report was induftrioiilly 
circulated, that they were fummoned to receive a libe¬ 
ral gift of lands and money, the pleafing hope allayed 
the fury of their refentment, and perhaps fufpended the 
motions of the confpiracy. On the appointed clay, the 
unarmed crowd of the’Gothic youth was carefully col- 
lefted in the fcjuare, or forum: tlte fireets and avenues 
were occupied by the Rom.an troops ; and tlie roofs of 
the hotifes were covered with archers and llingers. At 
the fame hour, in all the cities of the ealt, tiie fignal 
was given of indiferintinate flaughter; and tlie pro¬ 
vinces of Alia were delivered, by the cruel prudence 
of Julius, I’rom a domeltic enemy, who, in a few months, 
might have carried tire and fword from the Hellefpont 
to the Euphrates. Tlie urgent confideration of the 
public fafety may undoubtedly aiuhorife the violation 
of every politive law. How far that, or any other con- 
■fideration, may operate, to dilTolve the natural obliga¬ 
tions of humanity and juftice, is a dodlrine of W'hich 
every good man will defire to remain ignorant. 
The glory of delivering the Roman provinces from 
thefe defperate marauders, was referved to dignify the 
military fame of 'I heodolius. The prudence of that 
dillinguiffied emperor was leconded by fortune; and he 
never failed to I'eize, and to improve, every favotirable 
circuinliance of advantage. As long a's' the luperior 
genius of Fritigern preferved the union and directed 
the motions of the barbarians, their power was not to 
be ealily broken or overcome. But the death of that 
hero, the prcdecelfor of the renowned Alaric, relieved 
the unwieldy multitude from the yoke of difeipline and 
prudence. The barbarians, who had been reftrained 
by his authorit}', now abandoned theinfelves to the tit- 
moH liceiitioul'iiers. Their ii.ilchi.vous difpofition was 
fhevvn in the delrruftion of every object, which they 
wanted Itrength to remove, or ralte to enjoy ; and they 
often conUiiued, with improvident rage, the liarvelts, 
or the granaries, wliich foon afterwards became necef- 
fary for their own lublifience. A I’pirit of dilcord arofe 
among the difterent tribes and nations, which had been 
united only by the bands of an accidental alliance. 
The troops of tlie Huns and the Alaiii would upbraid 
the unnatural flight of the Goths' from tlpeir native 
country ; who in tlieo turn would not be difpofed to ufe 
with hioderation the iiiipi ovement of their fortune : the 
ancient jealouly of the OftrOgoths and the Vifigoths 
could not long belufpended; and the haugluy chiefs 
itill remembered the infults and injuries, which they 
had reciprocally offered, or fuffaioed, while the nation 
was leated in the countries beyond the Danube. The 
progrels of mutual recriminations foon abated tlieir ar¬ 
dour for war, and lowed among them the feeds of fatal 
dilfeiilion. 'J lie officers'of 'i heod'oliiis were iiiffruCJed 
to purdiafe with gilts and promifes, tlie retreat, or fer- 
vice, of the difaff'ett'ed p'arty'. The acquilLtion of Mo*» 
715 
dar, a prince of the royal blood of the Amali, gave a 
bold and faithful champion to the caufe of Rome, 
The illufirious deferter foon obtained an import.int 
command ; lurprifed an arpiy of his countrymen, who 
were immei fed in wine and fieep ; and after a cruel 
fiaughter of the aftonifhed Goths, returned w'ith an im- 
menfe fpoil, and lour thoufand waggons, to the impe¬ 
rial camp. In the hands of a Ikilful politician, the mofi: 
different means may be I'uccefsfiilly applied to the fame 
ends; and the peace of the empire, which had been 
forw.arded by tlie divifioiis, was now to be accompliffied 
by the re-union, of tiie Gothic nation. Athanaric, who 
had been a patient fpeefator of thefe extraordinary 
events, was at length driven, by the chance of arms, 
from the dark recelles of the woods of Caucaland. Fie 
no longer hefitated to pafs the Danube ; and a very 
coiifiderable part of the lubjecfs of Fritigern, who al¬ 
ready felt the iiiconveniencies of anarchy, were eafily 
perfuaded to acknowledge for their king a Gothic j udge, 
whofe birth they refpefted, and whofe abilities they 
Iiad frequently experienced. But age had chilled the 
daring Ipirit of Athai.aric ; and, iiiftead of leading liis 
people to tiie field of battle and victory, he wifely 
liffeiied to the propolals of an honourable and advan¬ 
tageous treaty. In January 381, Theodolius, who was 
acquainted with the merit and power of his new ally, 
ccndelcended to entertain liini in tlie imperial city of 
Conltaiitiiiople, with the confidence of a friend, and the 
magnificence of a monarch. The Gothic prince ob- 
ferved, with fingular attention, the variety of objects 
which attracted his notice, and at lalt broke out into a 
liiicere and pallionate exclamation of wonder: “ I now 
behold, (laid he,) what I never could believe, the glo¬ 
ries of this Itupendous capital 1 ” As he caff his eyes 
aiound, he viewed, and admired, the commanding litii. 
atioii of the city, the ffreiigth and beauty of the walls 
and public edifices, the capacious harbour crowded 
with iniiuinerable veifels, the perpetual concourfe of 
diffant nations, and the arms and difeipline of the 
troops. “Indeed, (continued Athanaric,) the emperor 
of the Romans is a god upon earth ; and the prefump- 
tuous man, who dares to lift his hand againli him, is 
guilty of his own blood.” The Gotliic king did not 
long enjoy this fpleiidid reception ; and as temperance 
was not the virtue of his nation, it may juffly be ihf- 
pieifted, that his mortal dileafe was contracted amidft 
the pleafures of the imperial banquets. But the policy 
of Theodolius derived more benefit from the death., 
than he could have expedted from the moll faithful I'er- 
vices, of his ally. The funeral of Athanaric was per¬ 
formed with folemn rites in the capita! of the eaft ; a 
ffately monument was eredted to his memory ; and his 
whole army, won by tlie liberal courtefy of Theodo- 
fins, enlifted under tlie ffandard of the Roman empire. 
The fubmiffioii of fo great a body of the Vifigoths was 
produdtive of the molt falutajcy cbnfcquences ; and the 
mixed influence of force, of realon, and of corruption, 
became every day more powerful, and more extenfive. 
Each independent chieftain iiaftened to obtain a fepa- 
rate treaty, from the apprehenlion that an obftinate de¬ 
lay might expofe him, alone and unprotected, to the re¬ 
venge, or jultice, of the conqueror. The general, or 
rather tiie final, capitulation of the Goths, may be 
dated four years, one month., and twenty-five days, after 
the defeat and death of the emperor Valens, 
Tlie provinces of the Danube had been already re¬ 
lieved from the oppreffive weight of the Offrogoths, by 
the voluntary retreat of Alatheusaiid Saphrax ; whole 
reftlefs I'pirit had prompted them to leek new Icenes of 
rapine and plunder in the welt. The Offrogoths were 
joinbd by feveral of the German tribes, and overran 
tlie provinces of Gaul ; they concluded, and loon vio¬ 
lated, a treaty with the emperor Gratiaii ; they ad¬ 
vanced into the unknown countries of the north ; and-, 
after an interval of more than four years, returned, 
■with 
