held, at sea, the flames of her burning palace, and
fled with her daughter, Laeta, and her grand-daughter, the celebrated
virgin, Demetrias, to the coast of Africa. The benevolent profusion with
which the matron distributed the fruits or the price of her estates
contributed to alleviate the misfortunes of exile and captivity. But the
family of Proba herself was not exempt from the rapacious oppression of
Count Heraclian, who basely sold, in matrimonial prostitution, the
noblest maidens of Rome to the lust or avarice of Syrian merchants."

Alaric died shortly after his conquest, and the sceptre of the Gothic
kingdom passed to the hand of Adolphus, his brother-in-law. The latter
was a brave and able general, and seems to have possessed a nature not
discreditable to the time in which he lived. He proposed--the proposal
had all the effect of a command--a treaty of alliance with Honorius. It
practically amounted to annexation; but the Roman emperor was not in a
position to refuse any proposition which the Goth might see fit to make.
Nor could the Romans prevent Adolphus from strengthening his own
interest, as well as consulting his passion, in taking to wife the
half-sister of Honorius, Placidia, the daughter of Theodosius and Galla.

Placidia was just ripening into womanhood when Alaric first appeared
before Rome. She was taken as a hostage by the Gothic conqueror, and,
though reduced to the indignity of being a prisoner in a barbarian camp,
was treated with great consideration. Her beauty and her mental gifts
won the regard of Adolphus: and no sooner had he succeeded to the
kingship, than he requested of Honorius her hand. Such an alliance was
repugnant to the Romans, but, as in other matters, the request was only
a polite form of command. Placidia herself does not appear to have been
unwilling to accept the situation, and her nuptials were celebrated in
splendid state. The exploits of his army in Italy had enabled Adolphus
to present his bride with a magnificent wedding gift. The historian
Olympiodorus recounts that fifty handsome boys were employed to carry
this present. They came before her, carrying a bowl in each hand. One
bowl was filled with pieces of gold, the other with precious gems.
Adolphus always manifested a strong and tender affection for his wife;
nor did he ever lose an opportunity to honor her birth, seating her
above himself on state occasions.

This union, however, was destined to be short-lived. Adolp