tom.
iv. p. 249) doubts the reality of this invitation, and observes, with
great truth, "Non si puo dir quanto sia facile il popolo a sognare e
spacciar voci false." But his argument, from the interval of time and
place, is extremely feeble. The figs which grew near Carthage were
produced to the senate of Rome on the third day.]

[Footnote 5:

Infidoque tibi Burgundio ductu
Extorquet trepidas mactandi principis iras.
---Sidon. in Panegyr. Avit. 442.

A remarkable line, which insinuates that Rome and Maximus were betrayed
by their Burgundian mercenaries.]

On the third day after the tumult, Genseric boldly advanced from the
port of Ostia to the gates of the defenceless city. Instead of a sally
of the Roman youth, there issued from the gates an unarmed and venerable
procession of the bishop at the head of his clergy. [6] The fearless
spirit of Leo, his authority and eloquence, again mitigated the
fierceness of a Barbarian conqueror; the king of the Vandals promised to
spare the unresisting multitude, to protect the buildings from fire,
and to exempt the captives from torture; and although such orders were
neither seriously given, nor strictly obeyed, the mediation of Leo was
glorious to himself, and in some degree beneficial to his country. But
Rome and its inhabitants were delivered to the licentiousness of
the Vandals and Moors, whose blind passions revenged the injuries of
Carthage. The pillage lasted fourteen days and nights; and all that yet
remained of public or private wealth, of sacred or profane treasure, was
diligently transported to the vessels of Genseric. Among the spoils, the
splendid relics of two temples, or rather of two religions, exhibited a
memorable example of the vicissitudes of human and divine things.

Since the abolition of Paganism, the Capitol had been violated and
abandoned; yet the statues of the gods and heroes were still respected,
and the curious roof of gilt bronze was reserved for the rapacious hands
of Genseric. [7] The holy instruments of the Jewish worship, [8] the
gold table, and the gold candlestick with seven branches, originally
framed according to the particular instructions of God himself,
and which were placed in the sanctuary of his temple, had been
ostentatiously displayed to the Roman people in the triumph of Titus.
They were afterwards deposited in the temple of Peace; and at the end of
four hundred years, the spoils of Jerusalem were transferred from Ro