^4whichyieldedonlytotheroyaldignityoftheAmali:hehadsolicitedthecommandoftheRomanarmies；andtheImperialcourtprovokedhimtodemonstratethefollyoftheirrefusal，andtheimportanceoftheirloss。WhateverhopesmightbeentertainedoftheconquestofConstantinople，thejudiciousgeneralsoonabandonedanimpracticableenterprise。Inthemidstofadividedcourtandadiscontentedpeople，theemperorArcadiuswasterrifiedbytheaspectoftheGothicarms；butthewantofwisdomandvalorwassuppliedbythestrengthofthecity；andthefortifications，bothoftheseaandland，mightsecurelybravetheimpotentandrandomdartsoftheBarbarians。AlaricdisdainedtotrampleanylongerontheprostrateandruinedcountriesofThraceandDacia，andheresolvedtoseekaplentifulharvestoffameandrichesinaprovincewhichhadhithertoescapedtheravagesofwar。^5
[Footnote1:TherevoltoftheGoths，andtheblockadeofConstantinople，aredistinctlymentionedbyClaudian，inRufin。
l。ii。7—100，Zosimus，l。v。292，andJornandes，deRebusGeticis，c。29。]
[Footnote2:—AliipertogaferocisDanubiisolidataruunt；expertaqueremisFranguntstagnarotis。
ClaudianandOvidoftenamusetheirfancybyinterchangingthemetaphorsandpropertiesofliquidwater，andsolidice。Muchfalsewithasbeenexpendedinthiseasyexercise。]