ed him by Stil'icho, proved, that in the opinion of that general,
the Gothic king, though defeated, was unconquered.

15. The late invasion so alarmed the timid Hono'rius, that he resolved
to fix his residence in some remote and strong fortress; and for this
purpose he selected Raven'na, an ancient city, but which had not
previously obtained notoriety. 16. Before Italy had recovered from the
terrors of the Gothic invasion, a new host of barbarians rushed from
the shores of the Baltic, bore down before them all opposition in
Germany and Gaul; and had passed the Alps, the Po, and the Apennines,
ere an army could be assembled to resist them. 17. Radagai'sus, the
leader of these hordes, was a more formidable enemy even than Alaric;
the Goths had embraced Christianity, and their fierce passions were in
some degree moderated by the mild precepts of the gospel; but
Radagai'sus was a stranger to any religion but the cruel creed of his
fathers, which taught that the favour of the gods could only be
propitiated by human sacrifices. 18. The wealthy city of Florence was
besieged by the barbarians, but its bishop, St. Ambrose, by his
zealous exhortations, and by holding out the hope of divine
assistance, prevented the garrison from yielding to despair. Stil'icho
a second time earned the title of the deliverer of Italy; Radagai'sus
was defeated and slain; but the remains of his forces escaped into
Gaul, and spread desolation over that entire province, from which the
garrisons had been withdrawn for the defence of Italy. 19. An usurper,
named Constantine, about this time appeared in Britain, and soon
established his minority both in Gaul and Spain, which had been
virtually deserted by the emperor. Al'aric offered his services to
repress the rebellion, and to purchase either his assistance or his
forbearance, a large subsidy was voted to him by the senate, through
the influence of Stil'icho. 20. But the reign of this great man was
drawing fast to a close; Olym'pius, a miserable favourite, who owed
his first elevation to Stil'icho, filled the emperor's mind with
suspicion, and a secret resolution to destroy the minister was
adopted. 21. By exciting the jealousy of the legions against the
auxiliary forces that Stil'icho employed, Olym'pius was enabled to
gain the army to his side, and the last great supporter of the Roman
name fell by the swords of those soldiers whom he had so often led to
victory. His friends, including the best and br