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The Western Empire. R O 
to fly for his life to the court of Milan, and whose innocent 
children had been murdered by their inhuman uncle, eagerly 
accepted the commission that was given him, in order to 
have an opportunity of revenging private as well as public 
wrongs, and landing in Africa with a body of veteran troops, 
obtained almost a bloodless victory. Geldo, deserted by his 
troops, attempted to escape into the east; but being seized 
and confined, avoided, by a voluntary death, the tortures 
which he had reason to expect from his incensed and victo¬ 
rious brother. Mascezel, however, did not long survive his 
victory: the court of Milan had received him at his return 
with affected applause but secret jealousy ; and soon after, 
in passing through a river, he was forcibly dismounted from 
his horse, and drowned. 
The joy at Milan for the recovery of Africa, was succeeded 
by the marriage of Maria, the daughter of Stilicho, to her 
cousin Honorius, who was then only fourteen years of age. 
The consummation of the royal nuptials were, however, 
delayed by the frigidity or impotence of the emperor; and 
Maria died a virgin alter being ten years a wife. It was soon 
discovered that Honorius was without talents and without 
passions. Amused with feeding poultry and similar avoca¬ 
tions, he was content to slumber through life; and, during 
an eventful reign of twenty-eight years, it is scarcely neces¬ 
sary to mention his name. But the valour and abilities of 
the master-general, for a long time compensated for the 
incapacity and indolence of the monarch, and repelled the 
invasion of the barbarians who now multiplied their attacks 
in all quarters. 
The Goths, probably invited by the treachery of Rufinus, 
under the conduct of the renowned Alaric, had spread their 
devastations to the very walls of Constantinople. That cele¬ 
brated leader had solicited the command of the Roman 
armies ■ but being rejected, he traversed the plains of Thes¬ 
saly and Macedonia, deluged the fields of Phocis and Bceotia 
with his myriads of barbarians, and all Greece successively 
felt the terror of his arms. 
The last hope of the people was now placed on Stilicho, 
who advanced to chastise the invaders of Greece. The 
mountainous country of Arcadia, was long the theatre of a 
doubtful contest between the two generals ; but the skill of 
the Romans prevailed; and the Goths were at last surrounded 
by a strong line of circumvallation. Stilicho, confident of 
victory, had retired from the scene of action, to enjoy the 
theatrical games of the Greeks, when he received the morti¬ 
fying intelligence, that Alaric, by equal resolution and 
address, had escaped with his forces into the dominions of the 
emperor of the East, and concluded a treaty with his ministers, 
by which he was recognised master-general of Illyricum. 
Reinforcing his army with fresh hordes of barbarians, 
Alaric penetrated into Italy, and approached the palace of 
Milan before the emperor was sensible of his danger. Sti¬ 
licho endeavoured to animate the resolution of Honorius to 
hold out; and ascending the Alps in the midst of winter, 
summoned to the defence of Italy the most remote troops of 
the West—even the legion which had been placed to guard 
the wall of Britain, was hastily recalled. 
During the absence of Stilicho, the Goths advanced with 
such impetuosity, that Honorius was obliged to fly, and at 
last took shelter within the fortification of Asta, a town of 
Liguria. Alaric instantly formed the siege of that place; 
and it is probable would have soon forced the emperor of 
the West to the disgrace of a capitulation, had not the return 
of his master-general, with numerous forces, saved him. 
Stilicho cut his way through the Gothic camp under the walls 
of Aria; in consequence of which, the chiefs of the Gothic 
nation were inclined to retreat; but the intrepid Alaric 
declared, he was resolved to find in Italy, either a kingdom 
or a grave. 
The Goths afterwards pitching their camp in the vicinity 
of Pollentia, were surprised hy the vigilance of Stilicho, 
while they were celebrating the festival of Easter. Several 
thousands were slain, and among the captives was the wife 
pf Alaric, who was compelled to implore the clemency of 
the victor. 
M E. The Western Empire. 
In this battle, Alaric lost the greatest part of his infantry, 
but he escaped with his cavalry entire and unbroken; and 
pressed towards the gates of Rome. The capital was saved 
by the diligence of Stilicho, who, respecting the despair of 
his enemy, purchased the retreat of the barbarians. Alaric, 
however, with a characteristic want of faith, attempting to 
occupy the city of Verona, found his intentions betrayed, 
and after suffering another signal defeat, escaped only by the 
fleetness of his horse. 
The provinces being now delivered from the invasion of 
Alaric, Honorius celebrated his victories in the imperial city ; 
and on this occasion, for the last time, the inhuman combats 
of gladiators polluted the amphitheatre of Rome. But 
amidst the acclamations of triumph, the emperor of the 
West was not insensible of future danger from the defenceless 
situation of his palace at Milan, and therefore, to provide 
against the worst, he fixed on the strong fortress of Ravenna 
for the imperial residence. His example was followed by 
his feeble successors ; and till the middle of the eighth cen¬ 
tury, this was considered as the capital of Italy. 
The retreat of Alaric did not long secure peace to the 
distracted empire. Radagaisus soon entered Italy with a 
formidable body of Huns, but was taken prisoner, and put 
to death by Stilicho. Isaurian robbers ravaged the East, and 
the Alans entered Gaul. Palestine was ravaged by clouds of 
locusts; Asia desolated by earthquakes; and Constantine, 
a common soldier, being raised by his comrades to the throne 
of Britain, extended his empire beyond the seas. 
These disasters were rendered irremediable by the fall of 
Stilicho. The general of the West had offended the legionary 
soldiers, by the partiality he shewed to barbarian recruits, 
and his enemies taking hold of this plea, endeavoured to per¬ 
suade the weak Honorius that his father-in-law held a corres¬ 
pondence with Alaric from interested or ambitious motives. 
Every engine was played off to render Stilicho an object of 
suspicion to the emperor, as he long had been an object of 
fear to the courtiers ; and, at last, an order was extorted from 
the ungrateful Honorius for his execution. The ministers of 
blood pursued the unfortunate general, who, after repressing 
the ineffectual zeal of his followers, submitted his neck to the 
sword with manly resignation. His friends and relations 
were involved in his fate: the flight of his son Eucherius 
was intercepted, and he was soon after slain ; and his daughter 
Thermantia, who had succeeded her sister Maria, as another 
virgin empress, was divorced. Among the adherents of 
Stilicho was Claudian, who has immortalised the martial 
deeds of his patron, and who, by suppliant condescension, 
escaped the danger that menaced him. 
Though the foreign auxiliaries, who had been attached to 
the person of Stilicho, lamented his fate, yet the desire of 
revenge for his death was checked by an apprehension for 
their wives and children, who were detained as hostages in the 
strong cities of Italy. The absurd and execrable cruelty of 
Olympius, who succeeded the martial Stilicho, involved in 
one promiscuous slaughter these pledges for the fidelity of the 
barbarians in the imperial pay; who now came to avenge, 
by implacable hostility, tin's base violation of the laws of 
honour and humanity. To Alaric they cast a look of hope, 
and, like a wise politician, he received their proffered services, 
and then submitted to Honorius the alternative of peace, or 
the payment of a stipulated sum. That he might hasten the 
deliberations to which this proposal gave rise, he laid siege to 
Rome, which he reduced to the most dreadful extremity. His 
request being acceded to, he retired. But some delay taking 
place in regard to the payment of four thousand pounds of 
gold, he returned. 
Rome was a third time besieged, and at last taken and 
plundered. Alaric, when upon the point of breaking into 
the city, addressing his soldiers, told them, that all the wealth 
in it was theirs, and therefore he gave them full liberty to seize 
it; but at the same time he strictly enjoined them to shed the 
blood of none but such as they should find in arms; and 
above all, to spare those who should take sanctuary in the 
holy places, especially in the churches of theapostles St. Peter 
and St. Paul; which he named, because they were most spa-- 
cious, 
