[Footnote43:Orosiusl。vii。c。37isshockedattheimpietyoftheRomans，whoattacked，onEasterSunday，suchpiousChristians。Yet，atthesametime，publicprayerswereofferedattheshrineofSt。ThomasofEdessa，forthedestructionoftheArianrobber。SeeTillemontHistdesEmp。tom。v。p。529whoquotesahomily，whichhasbeenerroneouslyascribedtoSt。
Chrysostom。]
[Footnote44:ThevestigesofPollentiaaretwenty—fivemilestothesouth—eastofTurin。Urbs，inthesameneighborhood，wasaroyalchaseofthekingsofLombardy，andasmallriver，whichexcusedtheprediction，"penetrabisadurbem，"Cluver。Ital。
Antiqtom。i。p。83—85。]
[Footnote45:Orosiuswishes，indoubtfulwords，toinsinuatethedefeatoftheRomans。"Pugnantesvicimus，victoresvictisumus。"
ProsperinChron。makesitanequalandbloodybattle，buttheGothicwritersCassiodorusinChron。andJornandesdeReb。
Get。c。29claimadecisivevictory。]
[Footnote46:DemensAusonidumgemmatamoniliamatrum，Romanasquealtafamulascervicepetebat。
DeBell。Get。627。]
[Footnote47:ClaudiandeBell。Get。580—647andPrudentiusinSymmach。n。694—719celebrate，withoutambiguity，theRomanvictoryofPollentia。Theyarepoeticalandpartywriters；
yetsomecreditisduetothemostsuspiciouswitnesses，whoarecheckedbytherecentnotorietyoffacts。]
[Footnote48:Claudian'sperorationisstrongandelegant；buttheidentityoftheCimbricandGothicfieldsmustbeunderstoodlikeVirgil'sPhilippi，Georgici。490accordingtotheloosegeographyofapoet。VerselleandPollentiaaresixtymilesfromeachother；andthelatitudeisstillgreater，iftheCimbriweredefeatedinthewideandbarrenplainofVerona，Maffei，VeronaIllustrata，P。i。p。54—62。]
TheeloquenceofClaudian^49hascelebrated，withlavishapplause，thevictoryofPollentia，oneofthemostgloriousdaysinthelifeofhispatron；buthisreluctantandpartialmusebestowsmoregenuinepraiseonthecharacteroftheGothicking。
Hisnameis，indeed，brandedwiththereproachfulepithetsofpirateandrobber，towhichtheconquerorsofeveryagearesojustlyentitled；butthepoetofStilichoiscompelledtoacknowledgethatAlaricpossessedtheinvincibletemperofmind，whichrisessuperiortoeverymisfortune，andderivesnewresourcesfromadversity。Afterthetotaldefeatofhisinfantry，heescaped，orratherwithdrew，fromthefieldofbattle，withthegreatestpartofhiscavalryentireandunbroken。Withoutwastingamomenttolamenttheirreparablelossofsomanybravecompanions，helefthisvictoriousenemytobindinchainsthecaptiveimagesofaGothicking；^50andboldlyresolvedtobreakthroughtheunguardedpassesoftheApennine，tospreaddesolationoverthefruitfulfaceofTuscany，andtoconquerordiebeforethegatesofRome。ThecapitalwassavedbytheactiveandincessantdiligenceofStilicho；butherespectedthedespairofhisenemy；and，insteadofcommittingthefateoftherepublictothechanceofanotherbattle，heproposedtopurchasetheabsenceoftheBarbarians。ThespiritofAlaricwouldhaverejectedsuchterms，thepermissionofaretreat，andtheofferofapension，withcontemptandindignation；butheexercisedalimitedandprecariousauthorityovertheindependentchieftainswhohadraisedhim，fortheirservice，abovetherankofhisequals；theywerestilllessdisposedtofollowanunsuccessfulgeneral，andmanyofthemweretemptedtoconsulttheirinterestbyaprivatenegotiationwiththeministerofHonorius。Thekingsubmittedtothevoiceofhispeople，ratifiedthetreatywiththeempireoftheWest，andrepassedthePowiththeremainsoftheflourishingarmywhichhehadledintoItaly。AconsiderablepartoftheRomanforcesstillcontinuedtoattendhismotions；andStilicho，whomaintainedasecretcorrespondencewithsomeoftheBarbarianchiefs，waspunctuallyapprisedofthedesignsthatwereformedinthecampandcouncilofAlaric。ThekingoftheGoths，ambitioustosignalizehisretreatbysomesplendidachievement，hadresolvedtooccupytheimportantcityofVerona，whichcommandstheprincipalpassageoftheRhaetianAlps；and，directinghismarchthroughtheterritoriesofthoseGermantribes，whosealliancewouldrestorehisexhaustedstrength，toinvade，onthesideoftheRhine，thewealthyandunsuspectingprovincesofGaul。Ignorantofthetreasonwhichhadalreadybetrayedhisboldandjudiciousenterprise，headvancedtowardsthepassesofthemountains，alreadypossessedbytheImperialtroops；wherehewasexposed，almostatthesameinstant，toageneralattackinthefront，onhisflanks，andintherear。Inthisbloodyaction，atasmalldistancefromthewallsofVerona，thelossoftheGothswasnotlessheavythanthatwhichtheyhadsustainedinthedefeatofPollentia；andtheirvaliantking，whoescapedbytheswiftnessofhishorse，musteitherhavebeenslainormadeprisoner，ifthehastyrashnessoftheAlanihadnotdisappointedthemeasuresoftheRomangeneral。Alaricsecuredtheremainsofhisarmyontheadjacentrocks；andpreparedhimself，withundauntedresolution，tomaintainasiegeagainstthesuperiornumbersoftheenemy，whoinvestedhimonallsides。Buthecouldnotopposethedestructiveprogressofhungeranddisease；norwasitpossibleforhimtocheckthecontinualdesertionofhisimpatientandcapriciousBarbarians。
Inthisextremityhestillfoundresourcesinhisowncourage，orinthemoderationofhisadversary；andtheretreatoftheGothickingwasconsideredasthedeliveranceofItaly。^51Yetthepeople，andeventheclergy，incapableofforminganyrationaljudgmentofthebusinessofpeaceandwar，presumedtoarraignthepolicyofStilicho，whosooftenvanquished，sooftensurrounded，andsooftendismissedtheimplacableenemyoftherepublic。Thefirstmomenofthepublicsafetyisdevotedtogratitudeandjoy；butthesecondisdiligentlyoccupiedbyenvyandcalumny。^52
[Footnote49:ClaudianandPrudentiusmustbestrictlyexamined，toreducethefigures，andextortthehistoricsense，ofthosepoets。]
[Footnote50:EtgravantenairainsesfrelesavantagesDemesetatsconquisenchainerlesimages。
ThepracticeofexposingintriumphtheimagesofkingsandprovinceswasfamiliartotheRomans。ThebustofMithridateshimselfwastwelvefeethigh，ofmassygold，Freinshem。
Supplement。Livian。ciii。47。]
[Footnote51:TheGeticwar，andthesixthconsulshipofHonorius，obscurelyconnecttheeventsofAlaric'sretreatandlosses。]
[Footnote52:TaceodeAlarico……saepevisto，saepeconcluso，semperquedimisso。Orosius，l。vii。c。37，p。567。Claudianvi。Cons。Hon。320dropsthecurtainwithafineimage。]
ThecitizensofRomehadbeenastonishedbytheapproachofAlaric；andthediligencewithwhichtheylaboredtorestorethewallsofthecapital，confessedtheirownfears，andthedeclineoftheempire。AftertheretreatoftheBarbarians，Honoriuswasdirectedtoacceptthedutifulinvitationofthesenate，andtocelebrate，intheImperialcity，theauspiciousaeraoftheGothicvictory，andofhissixthconsulship。^53Thesuburbsandthestreets，fromtheMilvianbridgetothePalatinemount，werefilledbytheRomanpeople，who，inthespaceofahundredyears，hadonlythricebeenhonoredwiththepresenceoftheirsovereigns。WhiletheireyeswerefixedonthechariotwhereStilichowasdeservedlyseatedbythesideofhisroyalpupil，theyapplaudedthepompofatriumph，whichwasnotstained，likethatofConstantine，orofTheodosius，withcivilblood。Theprocessionpassedunderaloftyarch，whichhadbeenpurposelyerected:butinlessthansevenyears，theGothicconquerorsofRomemightread，iftheywereabletoread，thesuperbinscriptionofthatmonument，whichattestedthetotaldefeatanddestructionoftheirnation。^54Theemperorresidedseveralmonthsinthecapital，andeverypartofhisbehaviorwasregulatedwithcaretoconciliatetheaffectionoftheclergy，thesenate，andthepeopleofRome。Theclergywasedifiedbyhisfrequentvisitsandliberalgiftstotheshrinesoftheapostles。Thesenate，who，inthetriumphalprocession，hadbeenexcusedfromthehumiliatingceremonyofprecedingonfoottheImperialchariot，wastreatedwiththedecentreverencewhichStilichoalwaysaffectedforthatassembly。ThepeoplewasrepeatedlygratifiedbytheattentionandcourtesyofHonoriusinthepublicgames，whichwerecelebratedonthatoccasionwithamagnificencenotunworthyofthespectator。Assoonastheappointednumberofchariot—raceswasconcluded，thedecorationoftheCircuswassuddenlychanged；thehuntingofwildbeastsaffordedavariousandsplendidentertainment；andthechasewassucceededbyamilitarydance，whichseems，inthelivelydescriptionofClaudian，topresenttheimageofamoderntournament。
[Footnote53:TheremainderofClaudian'spoemonthesixthconsulshipofHonorius，describesthejourney，thetriumph，andthegames，330—660。]
[Footnote54:SeetheinscriptioninMascou'sHistoryoftheAncientGermans，viii。12。Thewordsarepositiveandindiscreet:Getarumnationeminomneaevumdomitam，&c。]
InthesegamesofHonorius，theinhumancombatsofgladiators^55polluted，forthelasttime，theamphitheaterofRome。ThefirstChristianemperormayclaimthehonorofthefirstedictwhichcondemnedtheartandamusementofsheddinghumanblood；^56butthisbenevolentlawexpressedthewishesoftheprince，withoutreforminganinveterateabuse，whichdegradedacivilizednationbelowtheconditionofsavagecannibals。
Severalhundred，perhapsseveralthousand，victimswereannuallyslaughteredinthegreatcitiesoftheempire；andthemonthofDecember，morepeculiarlydevotedtothecombatsofgladiators，stillexhibitedtotheeyesoftheRomanpeopleagratefulspectacleofbloodandcruelty。AmidstthegeneraljoyofthevictoryofPollentia，aChristianpoetexhortedtheemperortoextirpate，byhisauthority，thehorridcustomwhichhadsolongresistedthevoiceofhumanityandreligion。^57ThepatheticrepresentationsofPrudentiuswerelesseffectualthanthegenerousboldnessofTelemachus，andAsiaticmonk，whosedeathwasmoreusefultomankindthanhislife。^58TheRomanswereprovokedbytheinterruptionoftheirpleasures；andtherashmonk，whohaddescendedintothearenatoseparatethegladiators，wasoverwhelmedunderashowerofstones。Butthemadnessofthepeoplesoonsubsided；theyrespectedthememoryofTelemachus，whohaddeservedthehonorsofmartyrdom；andtheysubmitted，withoutamurmur，tothelawsofHonorius，whichabolishedforeverthehumansacrificesoftheamphitheater。
Thecitizens，whoadheredtothemannersoftheirancestors，mightperhapsinsinuatethatthelastremainsofamartialspiritwerepreservedinthisschooloffortitude，whichaccustomedtheRomanstothesightofblood，andtothecontemptofdeath；avainandcruelprejudice，sonoblyconfutedbythevalorofancientGreece，andofmodernEurope!^59
[Footnote55:Onthecurious，thoughhorrid，subjectofthegladiators，consultthetwobooksoftheSaturnaliaofLipsius，who，asanantiquarian，isinclinedtoexcusethepracticeofantiquity，tom。iii。p。483—545。]
[Footnote56:Cod。Theodos。l。xv。tit。xii。leg。i。TheCommentaryofGodefroyaffordslargematerialstom。v。p。396
forthehistoryofgladiators。]
[Footnote57:SeetheperorationofPrudentiusinSymmach。l。
ii。1121—1131whohaddoubtlessreadtheeloquentinvectiveofLactantius，Divin。Institut。l。vi。c。20。TheChristianapologistshavenotsparedthesebloodygames，whichwereintroducedinthereligiousfestivalsofPaganism。]
[Footnote58:Theodoret，l。v。c。26。IwishtobelievethestoryofSt。Telemachus。Yetnochurchhasbeendedicated，noaltarhasbeenerected，totheonlymonkwhodiedamartyrinthecauseofhumanity。]
[Footnote*:Muller，inhisvaluableTreatise，deGenio，moribusetluxuaeviTheodosiani，isdisposedtoquestiontheeffectproducedbytheheroic，orrathersaintly，deathofTelemachus。
NoprohibitorylawofHonoriusistobefoundintheTheodosianCode，onlytheoldandimperfectedictofConstantine。ButMullerhasproducednoevidenceorallusiontogladiatorialshowsafterthisperiod。ThecombatswithwildbeastscertainlylastedtillthefalloftheWesternempire；butthegladiatorialcombatsceasedeitherbycommonconsent，orbyImperialedict。—M。]
[Footnote59:Crudelegladiatorumspectaculumetinhumanumnonnullisviderisolet，ethaudscioanitasit，utnuncfit。
CiceroTusculan。ii。17。Hefaintlycensurestheabuse，andwarmlydefendstheuse，ofthesesports；oculisnullapoteratessefortiorcontradoloremetmortemdisciplina。Senecaepist。
vii。showsthefeelingsofaman。]
Therecentdanger，towhichthepersonoftheemperorhadbeenexposedinthedefencelesspalaceofMilan，urgedhimtoseekaretreatinsomeinaccessiblefortressofItaly，wherehemightsecurelyremain，whiletheopencountrywascoveredbyadelugeofBarbarians。OnthecoastoftheAdriatic，abouttenortwelvemilesfromthemostsouthernofthesevenmouthsofthePo，theThessalianshadfoundedtheancientcolonyofRavenna，^60whichtheyafterwardsresignedtothenativesofUmbria。
Augustus，whohadobservedtheopportunityoftheplace，prepared，atthedistanceofthreemilesfromtheoldtown，acapaciousharbor，forthereceptionoftwohundredandfiftyshipsofwar。Thisnavalestablishment，whichincludedthearsenalsandmagazines，thebarracksofthetroops，andthehousesoftheartificers，deriveditsoriginandnamefromthepermanentstationoftheRomanfleet；theintermediatespacewassoonfilledwithbuildingsandinhabitants，andthethreeextensiveandpopulousquartersofRavennagraduallycontributedtoformoneofthemostimportantcitiesofItaly。TheprincipalcanalofAugustuspouredacopiousstreamofthewatersofthePothroughthemidstofthecity，totheentranceoftheharbor；thesamewaterswereintroducedintotheprofoundditchesthatencompassedthewalls；theyweredistributedbyathousandsubordinatecanals，intoeverypartofthecity，whichtheydividedintoavarietyofsmallislands；thecommunicationwasmaintainedonlybytheuseofboatsandbridges；andthehousesofRavenna，whoseappearancemaybecomparedtothatofVenice，wereraisedonthefoundationofwoodenpiles。Theadjacentcountry，tothedistanceofmanymiles，wasadeepandimpassablemorass；andtheartificialcauseway，whichconnectedRavennawiththecontinent，mightbeeasilyguardedordestroyed，ontheapproachofahostilearmyThesemorasseswereinterspersed，however，withvineyards:andthoughthesoilwasexhaustedbyfourorfivecrops，thetownenjoyedamoreplentifulsupplyofwinethanoffreshwater。^61Theair，insteadofreceivingthesickly，andalmostpestilential，exhalationsoflowandmarshygrounds，wasdistinguished，liketheneighborhoodofAlexandria，asuncommonlypureandsalubrious；andthissingularadvantagewasascribedtotheregulartidesoftheAdriatic，whichsweptthecanals，interruptedtheunwholesomestagnationofthewaters，andfloated，everyday，thevesselsoftheadjacentcountryintotheheartofRavenna。ThegradualretreatoftheseahasleftthemoderncityatthedistanceoffourmilesfromtheAdriatic；
andasearlyasthefifthorsixthcenturyoftheChristianaera，theportofAugustuswasconvertedintopleasantorchards；andalonelygroveofpinescoveredthegroundwheretheRomanfleetoncerodeatanchor。^62Eventhisalterationcontributedtoincreasethenaturalstrengthoftheplace，andtheshallownessofthewaterwasasufficientbarrieragainstthelargeshipsoftheenemy。Thisadvantageoussituationwasfortifiedbyartandlabor；andinthetwentiethyearofhisage，theemperoroftheWest，anxiousonlyforhispersonalsafety，retiredtotheperpetualconfinementofthewallsandmorassesofRavenna。TheexampleofHonoriuswasimitatedbyhisfeeblesuccessors，theGothickings，andafterwardstheExarchs，whooccupiedthethroneandpalaceoftheemperors；andtillthemiddleoftheeightcentury，Ravennawasconsideredastheseatofgovernment，andthecapitalofItaly。^63
[Footnote60:ThisaccountofRavennaisdrawnfromStrabo，l。
v。p。327，Pliny，iii。20，StephenofByzantium，subvoce，p。
651，edit。Berkel，Claudian，invi。Cons。Honor。494，&c。，
SidoniusApollinaris，l。i。epist。5，8，Jornandes，deReb。
Get。c。29，ProcopiusdeBell，lothic，l。i。c。i。p。309，edit。Louvre，andCluverius，Ital。Antiqtomi。p。301—307。
YetIstillwantalocalantiquarianandagoodtopographicalmap。]
[Footnote61:MartialEpigramiii。56，57playsonthetrickoftheknave，whohadsoldhimwineinsteadofwater；butheseriouslydeclaresthatacisternatRavennaismorevaluablethanavineyard。Sidoniuscomplainsthatthetownisdestituteoffountainsandaqueducts；andranksthewantoffreshwateramongthelocalevils，suchasthecroakingoffrogs，thestingingofgnats，&c。]
[Footnote62:ThefableofTheodoreandHonoria，whichDrydenhassoadmirablytransplantedfromBoccaccio，Giornataiii。novell。
viii。，wasactedinthewoodofChiassi，acorruptwordfromClassis，thenavalstationwhich，withtheintermediateroad，orsuburbtheViaCaesaris，constitutedthetriplecityofRavenna。]
[Footnote63:Fromtheyear404，thedatesoftheTheodosianCodebecomesedentaryatConstantinopleandRavenna。SeeGodefroy'sChronologyoftheLaws，tom。i。p。cxlviii。，&c。]
ThefearsofHonoriuswerenotwithoutfoundation，norwerehisprecautionswithouteffect。WhileItalyrejoicedinherdeliverancefromtheGoths，afurioustempestwasexcitedamongthenationsofGermany，whoyieldedtotheirresistibleimpulsethatappearstohavebeengraduallycommunicatedfromtheeasternextremityofthecontinentofAsia。TheChineseannals，astheyhavebeeninterpretedbytheearnedindustryofthepresentage，maybeusefullyappliedtorevealthesecretandremotecausesofthefalloftheRomanempire。Theextensiveterritorytothenorthofthegreatwallwaspossessed，aftertheflightoftheHuns，bythevictoriousSienpi，whoweresometimesbrokenintoindependenttribes，andsometimesreunitedunderasupremechief；
tillatlength，stylingthemselvesTopa，ormastersoftheearth，theyacquiredamoresolidconsistence，andamoreformidablepower。TheTopasooncompelledthepastoralnationsoftheeasterndeserttoacknowledgethesuperiorityoftheirarms；theyinvadedChinainaperiodofweaknessandintestinediscord；andthesefortunateTartars，adoptingthelawsandmannersofthevanquishedpeople，foundedanImperialdynasty，whichreignednearonehundredandsixtyyearsoverthenorthernprovincesofthemonarchy。SomegenerationsbeforetheyascendedthethroneofChina，oneoftheTopaprinceshadenlistedinhiscavalryaslaveofthenameofMoko，renownedforhisvalor，butwhowastempted，bythefearofpunishment，todeserthisstandard，andtorangethedesertattheheadofahundredfollowers。Thisgangofrobbersandoutlawsswelledintoacamp，atribe，anumerouspeople，distinguishedbytheappellationofGeougen；andtheirhereditarychieftains，theposterityofMokotheslave，assumedtheirrankamongtheScythianmonarchs。TheyouthofToulun，thegreatestofhisdescendants，wasexercisedbythosemisfortuneswhicharetheschoolofheroes。Hebravelystruggledwithadversity，broketheimperiousyokeoftheTopa，andbecamethelegislatorofhisnation，andtheconquerorofTartary。Histroopsweredistributedintoregularbandsofahundredandofathousandmen；cowardswerestonedtodeath；themostsplendidhonorswereproposedastherewardofvalor；andToulun，whohadknowledgeenoughtodespisethelearningofChina，adoptedonlysuchartsandinstitutionsaswerefavorabletothemilitaryspiritofhisgovernment。Histents，whichheremovedinthewinterseasontoamoresouthernlatitude，werepitched，duringthesummer，onthefruitfulbanksoftheSelinga。HisconquestsstretchedfromCoreafarbeyondtheRiverIrtish。Hevanquished，inthecountrytothenorthoftheCaspianSea，thenationoftheHuns；andthenewtitleofKhan，orCagan，expressedthefameandpowerwhichhederivedfromthismemorablevictory。^64