erful career of about twelve years ended suddenly, like a meteor
falling into a river.

But the effects of this invasion were farreaching. Rome in her declining
strength, being unable to cope with these immense hordes of barbarians,
was forced to call to her assistance the half-civilized tribes of Gothic
barbarians against a more dreaded foe. The success that attended these
conflicts of the combined forces were the means of giving greater
political importance to these Gothic tribes and securing their
independence. But while they rose, Rome fell. By the very act of
employing such weapons in defense, Rome robbed herself of the little
political strength remaining, and she was obliged to accept the bitter
consequences.

Under each of these first three trumpets the extent of destruction is
indicated by the expression "the third part." Since the successive steps
in the downfall of the empire is the subject under consideration, this
expression as here applied doubtless has particular reference to the
loss of political power and life, rather than referring directly to the
loss of human life sustained. With this thought in view, it is evident
that the political importance of the empire was entirely destroyed by
these desolating incursions. Of the truth of this fact all historians
agree. Nothing of Rome remained, except the semblance of a government,
when the time arrived for the sounding of the next trumpet.

12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun
was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part
of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the
day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

The symbol of this trumpet is that of an eclipse of sun, moon, and
stars, so that they shone not for a third part of the day and night.
Under the sixth seal we showed that these luminaries of heaven are taken
as symbols of rulers and princes; for the latter bear an analagous
relation to the empire that the former do to the earth. In the
darkening, then, of the sun, moon, and stars, we are to look for some
disastrous change or overthrow in the imperial government. Such an event
occurred only a few years after the events described under the preceding
trumpets. With her political strength and resources exhausted, Rome
could no longer maintain a separate existence, and Odoacer, king of the
Heruli, overthrew Momyllus Augustulus, the last of the Roman line of