tempting a regular siege, but he subjected the city to a
strict blockade. Famine, and its usual attendant, pestilence, soon
began to waste the miserable Romans; but even the extreme of misery
could not induce them to sally forth, and try their fortune in the
field. They purchased the retreat of Al'aric by the sacrifice of their
wealth; and the victorious Goth formed his winter quarters in Tuscany,
where his army was reinforced by more than forty thousand of his
countrymen who had been enslaved by the Romans.

4. The presence of a victorious leader, with one hundred thousand men,
in the very centre of Italy, ought to have taught the imperial court
at Raven'na prudence and moderation; but such was their incredible
folly that they not only violated their engagements with Al'aric, but
added personal insult to injury. Rome was once more besieged, and as
Al'aric had seized the provisions at Os'tia, on which the citizens
depended for subsistence, the Romans were forced to surrender at
discretion. 5. At the instigation of the Gothic king, At'talus, the
prefect of the city, was invested with the imperial purple, and
measures were taken to compel Hono'rius to resign in his favour. But
At'talus proved utterly unworthy of a throne, and after a brief reign
was publicly degraded; the rest of his life was passed in obscurity
under the protection of the Goths. 6. A favourable opportunity of
effecting a peace was now offered, but it was again insolently
rejected by the wretched Hono'rius, and a herald publicly proclaimed
that in consequence of the guilt of Al'aric, he was for ever excluded
from the friendship and alliance of the emperor.

7. For the third time Al'aric proceeded to revenge the insults of
the emperor on the unfortunate city of Rome. The trembling senate made
some preparations for defence but they were rendered ineffectual by
the treachery of a slave, who betrayed one of the gates to the Gothic
legions. That city which had been for ages the mistress of the world,
became the prey of ruthless barbarians, who spared, indeed, the
churches and sanctuaries, but placed no other bound to their savage
passions. For six successive days the Goths revelled in the sack of
the city; at the end of that period they followed Al'aric to new
conquests and new devastations. 8. The entire south of Italy rapidly
followed the fate of the capital, and Al'aric determined to add Sicily
to the list of his triumphs. Before, however, his army could p