Edward Gibbon, an English historian, published The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire in six volumes between 1776 and 1788. This is Chapter 31 of that work. He follows Rome from the prosperous age of Trajan and the Antonines, around the year 100, through the fall of the West and on to the Ottoman capture of Constantinople in 1453.

Chapter 31 takes up invasion of Italy by Alaric—Manners of the Roman Senate and people—Rome is thrice besieged and at length pillaged by the Goths—Death of Alaric—The Goths Evacuate Italy—Fall of Constantine—Gaul and Spain are occupied by the Barbarians—Independence of Britain. The footnotes are not in this reading; what you have is the narrative.