9-12. An Imperial Hero Betrayed by His Emperor

News of this horrible mutiny reached Stilicho at Bologna. He at once summoned all the generals of Teutonic race in whose loyalty alone he could still trust. It was decided to attack the Roman army, should the Emperor himself have been killed. When, however, Stilicho learned that the mutiny had not been directed against Honorius, he resolved to abstain from punishing the culprits, for his enemies were numerous and he was no longer sure of the Emperor's support. But to this the Teuton generals would not agree, and Sarus even went so far as to have Stilicho's Hunnic bodyguard killed during the night. Stilicho now betook himself to Ravenna, and to this town Olympius despatched a letter from the Emperor, addressed to the army, with the order to arrest Stilicho and keep him in honourable custody.

During the night Stilicho took refuge in a church to secure the right of sanctuary; but in the morning the soldiers fetched him away, solemnly assuring him that his life was safe. Then a second letter from the Emperor was read, which condemned Stilicho to death for high treason.

The fallen man might still have saved his life by appealing to the Teuton soldiers, who were devoted to him, and would readily have fought for him. But he made no attempt to do so, probably to preserve the Empire from a civil war, which would have been fatal at this time. Without resistance he offered his neck to the sword In him the Roman Empire (23 August 408) lost one of its most prominent statesmen, and at the same time one of its ablest generals, one who had been in command of the army for twenty-three years.

Without doubt we should consider the fall of Stilicho as a manifestation of a national Roman reaction against the ever-increasing Teutonic influence within the Empire, a reaction proceeding from the political party which saw in the removal of the barbarians the salvation of Rome. Whether this party was right or not, they certainly had acted most unwisely, for Olympius, the successor to Stilicho's position, turned his power to very foolish account. Even the severest tortures could not wring from Stilicho's friends and followers the confession desired by Olympius, that the executed minister had aspired to the imperial throne. And still more injudicious was the edict by which all those who had attained high office under Stilicho's administration forfeited their property to the State. But most incomprehensible of all was the fact that the Roman soldiers were allowed to wander about murdering and robbing the families of the Teuton troops in Italy. The consequence was that thousands of these soldiers deserted, and went over to Alaric.

Thermantia was sent back to her mother Serena by Honorius, who also sentenced Eucherius to death. But as the latter had escaped to Rome and taken refuge in a church, he was left unmolested for a time. Shortly afterwards, however, he was murdered by two eunuchs who were rewarded by high offices in the State.

Alarie's opportunity had arrived, now that the Empire had of its own free will lost the services of its great leader.

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