"Theemperor"saidAttila"haslongpromisedhimarichwife:
Constantiusmustnotbedisappointed;norshouldaRomanemperordeservethenameofliar。"Onthethirdday,theambassadorsweredismissed;thefreedomofseveralcaptiveswasgranted,foramoderateransom,totheirpressingentreaties;and,besidestheroyalpresents,theywerepermittedtoacceptfromeachoftheScythiannoblesthehonorableandusefulgiftofahorse。
Maximinreturned,bythesameroad,toConstantinople;andthoughhewasinvolvedinanaccidentaldisputewithBeric,thenewambassadorofAttila,heflatteredhimselfthathehadcontributed,bythelaboriousjourney,toconfirmthepeaceandallianceofthetwonations。^47
[Footnote*:Wasthishisowndaughter,orthedaughterofapersonnamedEscam?GibbonhaswrittenincorrectlyEslam,anunknownname。TheofficerofAttila,calledEslas。Ineithercasetheconstructionisimperfect:agoodGreekwriterwouldhaveintroducedanarticletodeterminethesense。Norisitquiteclear,whetherScythianusageisadducedtoexcusethepolygamy,oramarriage,whichwouldbeconsideredincestuousinothercountries。TheLatinversionhascarefullypreservedtheambiguity,filiamEscamuxorem。Iamnotinclinedtoconstrueit'hisowndaughter'thoughIhavetoolittleconfidenceintheuniformityofthegrammaticalidiomsoftheByzantinesthoughPriscusisoneofthebesttoexpressmyselfwithouthesitation。
—M。]
[Footnote*:ThispassageisremarkablefromtheconnectionofthenameofAttilawiththatextraordinarycycleofpoetry,whichisfoundindifferentformsinalmostalltheTeutoniclanguages。
ALatinpoem,deprimaexpeditioneAttilae,RegisHunnorum,inGallias,waspublishedintheyear1780,byFischeratLeipsic。
Itcontains,withthecontinuation,1452lines。Itaboundsinmetricalfaults,butisoccasionallynotwithoutsomerudespiritandsomecopiousnessoffancyinthevariationofthecircumstancesinthedifferentcombatsoftheheroWalther,princeofAquitania。Itcontainslittlewhichcanbesupposedhistorical,andstilllesswhichischaracteristicconcerningAttila。ItrelatestoafirstexpeditionofAttilaintoEuropewhichcannotbetracedinhistory,duringwhichthekingsoftheFranks,oftheBurgundians,andofAquitaine,submitthemselves,andgivehostagestoAttila:thekingoftheFranks,apersonagewhoseemsthesamewiththeHagenofTeutonicromance;thekingofBurgundy,hisdaughterHeldgund;thekingofAquitaine,hissonWalther。ThemainsubjectofthepoemistheescapeofWaltherandHeldgundfromthecampofAttila,andthecombatbetweenWaltherandGunthar,kingoftheFranks。withhistwelvepeers,amongwhomisHagen。WaltherhadbeenbetrayedwhilehepassedthroughWorms,thecityoftheFrankishking。bypayingforhisferryovertheRhinewithsomestrangefish,whichhehadcaughtduringhisflight,andwhichwereunknowninthewatersoftheRhine。Guntharwasdesirousofplunderinghimofthetreasure,whichWaltherhadcarriedofffromthecampofAttila。
Theauthorofthispoemisunknown,norcanI,onthevagueandratherdoubtfulallusiontoThule,asIceland,venturetoassignitsdate。Itwas,evidently,recitedinamonastery,asappearsbythefirstline;andnodoubtcomposedthere。Thefaultsofmetrewouldpointoutalatedate;anditmayhavebeenformeduponsomelocaltradition,asWalther,thehero,seemstohaveturnedmonk。
Thispoem,however,initscharacteranditsincidents,bearsnorelationtotheTeutoniccycle,ofwhichtheNibelungenLiedisthemostcompleteform。Inthis,intheHeldenbuch,insomeoftheDanishSagas。incountesslaysandballadsinallthedialectsofScandinavia,appearsKingEtzelAttilainstrifewiththeBurgundiansandtheFranks。Withtheseappears,byapoeticanachronism,DietrichofBerne。TheodoricofVerona,
thecelebratedOstrogothicking;andmanyotherverysingularcoincidencesofhistoricnames,whichappearinthepoems。SeeLachmanKritikderSageinhisvolumeofvariousreadingstotheNibelungen;Berlin,1836,p。336。
ChapterXXXIV:Attila。
PartIII。
Imustacknowledgemyselfunabletoformanysatisfactorytheoryastotheconnectionofthesepoemswiththehistoryofthetime,ortheperiod,fromwhichtheymaydatetheirorigin;
notwithstandingthelaboriousinvestigationsandcriticalsagacityoftheSchlegels,theGrimms,ofP。E。MullerandLachman,andawholehostofGermancriticsandantiquaries;nottoomitourowncountryman,Mr。Herbert,whosetheoryconcerningAttilaiscertainlyneitherdeficientinboldnessnororiginality。IconceivetheonlywaytoobtainanythinglikeaclearconceptiononthispointwouldbewhatLachmanhasbegun,seeabove,patientlytocollectandcomparethevariousformswhichthetraditionshaveassumed,withoutanypreconceived,eithermythicalorpoetical,theory,and,ifpossible,todiscovertheoriginalbasisofthewholerichandfantasticlegend。Onepoint,whichtomeisstronglyinfavoroftheantiquityofthispoeticcycle,is,thatthemannersaresoclearlyanteriortochivalry,andtotheinfluenceexercisedonthepoeticliteratureofEuropebythechivalrouspoemsandromances。IthinkIfindsometracesofthatinfluenceintheLatinpoem,thoughstrainedthroughtheimaginationofamonk。
TheEnglishreaderwillfindanamusingaccountoftheGermanNibelungenandHeldenbuch,andofsomeoftheScandinavianSagas,inthevolumeofNorthernAntiquitiespublishedbyWeber,thefriendofSirWalterScott。Scotthimselfcontributedaconsiderable,nodoubtfarthemostvaluable,parttothework。
SeealsothevariousGermaneditionsoftheNibelungen,towhichLachman,withtrueGermanperseverance,hascompiledathickvolumeofvariousreadings;theHeldenbuch,theoldDanishpoemsbyGrimm,theEddas,&c。Herbert'sAttila,p。510,etseq。—M。]
[Footnote46:IfwemaybelievePlutarch,inDemetrio,tom。v。
p。24,itwasthecustomoftheScythians,whentheyindulgedinthepleasuresofthetable,toawakentheirlanguidcouragebythemartialharmonyoftwangingtheirbow—strings。]
[Footnote*:TheScythianwasanidiotorlunatic;theMooraregularbuffcon—M。]
[Footnote47:Thecuriousnarrativeofthisembassy,whichrequiredfewobservations,andwasnotsusceptibleofanycollateralevidence,maybefoundinPriscus,p。49—70。ButI
havenotconfinedmyselftothesameorder;andIhadpreviouslyextractedthehistoricalcircumstances,whichwerelessintimatelyconnectedwiththejourney,andbusiness,oftheRomanambassadors。]
ButtheRomanambassadorwasignorantofthetreacherousdesign,whichhadbeenconcealedunderthemaskofthepublicfaith。ThesurpriseandsatisfactionofEdecon,whenhecontemplatedthesplendorofConstantinople,hadencouragedtheinterpreterVigiliustoprocureforhimasecretinterviewwiththeeunuchChrysaphius,^48whogovernedtheemperorandtheempire。Aftersomepreviousconversation,andamutualoathofsecrecy,theeunuch,whohadnot,fromhisownfeelingsorexperience,imbibedanyexaltednotionsofministerialvirtue,venturedtoproposethedeathofAttila,asanimportantservice,bywhichEdeconmightdeservealiberalshareofthewealthandluxurywhichheadmired。TheambassadoroftheHunslistenedtothetemptingoffer;andprofessed,withapparentzeal,hisability,aswellasreadiness,toexecutethebloodydeed;thedesignwascommunicatedtothemasteroftheoffices,andthedevoutTheodosiusconsentedtotheassassinationofhisinvincibleenemy。Butthisperfidiousconspiracywasdefeatedbythedissimulation,ortherepentance,ofEdecon;andthoughhemightexaggeratehisinwardabhorrenceforthetreason,whichheseemedtoapprove,hedexterouslyassumedthemeritofanearlyandvoluntaryconfession。IfwenowreviewtheembassyofMaximin,andthebehaviorofAttila,wemustapplaudtheBarbarian,whorespectedthelawsofhospitality,andgenerouslyentertainedanddismissedtheministerofaprincewhohadconspiredagainsthislife。ButtherashnessofVigiliuswillappearstillmoreextraordinary,sincehereturned,consciousofhisguiltanddanger,totheroyalcamp,accompaniedbyhisson,andcarryingwithhimaweightypurseofgold,whichthefavoriteeunuchhadfurnished,tosatisfythedemandsofEdecon,andtocorruptthefidelityoftheguards。Theinterpreterwasinstantlyseized,anddraggedbeforethetribunalofAttila,whereheassertedhisinnocencewithspeciousfirmness,tillthethreatofinflictinginstantdeathonhissonextortedfromhimasincerediscoveryofthecriminaltransaction。Underthenameofransom,orconfiscation,therapaciouskingoftheHunsacceptedtwohundredpoundsofgoldforthelifeofatraitor,whomhedisdainedtopunish。Hepointedhisjustindignationagainstanoblerobject。Hisambassadors,EslawandOrestes,wereimmediatelydespatchedtoConstantinople,withaperemptoryinstruction,whichitwasmuchsaferforthemtoexecutethantodisobey。TheyboldlyenteredtheImperialpresence,withthefatalpursehangingdownfromtheneckofOrestes;whointerrogatedtheeunuchChrysaphius,ashestoodbesidethethrone,whetherherecognizedtheevidenceofhisguilt。ButtheofficeofreproofwasreservedforthesuperiordignityofhiscolleagueEslaw,whogravelyaddressedtheemperoroftheEastinthefollowingwords:"Theodosiusisthesonofanillustriousandrespectableparent:Attilalikewiseisdescendedfromanoblerace;andhehassupported,byhisactions,thedignitywhichheinheritedfromhisfatherMundzuk。ButTheodosiushasforfeitedhispaternalhonors,and,byconsentingtopaytributehasdegradedhimselftotheconditionofaslave。Itisthereforejust,thatheshouldreverencethemanwhomfortuneandmerithaveplacedabovehim;insteadofattempting,likeawickedslave,clandestinelytoconspireagainsthismaster。"ThesonofArcadius,whowasaccustomedonlytothevoiceofflattery,heardwithastonishmenttheseverelanguageoftruth:heblushedandtrembled;nordidhepresumedirectlytorefusetheheadofChrysaphius,whichEslawandOresteswereinstructedtodemand。
Asolemnembassy,armedwithfullpowersandmagnificentgifts,washastilysenttodeprecatethewrathofAttila;andhispridewasgratifiedbythechoiceofNomiusandAnatolius,twoministersofconsularorpatricianrank,ofwhomtheonewasgreattreasurer,andtheotherwasmaster—generalofthearmiesoftheEast。HecondescendedtomeettheseambassadorsonthebanksoftheRiverDrenco;andthoughheatfirstaffectedasternandhaughtydemeanor,hisangerwasinsensiblymollifiedbytheireloquenceandliberality。Hecondescendedtopardontheemperor,theeunuch,andtheinterpreter;boundhimselfbyanoathtoobservetheconditionsofpeace;releasedagreatnumberofcaptives;abandonedthefugitivesanddeserterstotheirfate;
andresignedalargeterritory,tothesouthoftheDanube,whichhehadalreadyexhaustedofitswealthandinhabitants。Butthistreatywaspurchasedatanexpensewhichmighthavesupportedavigorousandsuccessfulwar;andthesubjectsofTheodosiuswerecompelledtoredeemthesafetyofaworthlessfavoritebyoppressivetaxes,whichtheywouldmorecheerfullyhavepaidforhisdestruction。^49
[Footnote48:M。deTillemonthasveryproperlygiventhesuccessionofchamberlains,whoreignedinthenameofTheodosius。Chrysaphiuswasthelast,and,accordingtotheunanimousevidenceofhistory,theworstofthesefavorites,seeHist。desEmpereurs,tom。vi。p。117—119。Mem。Eccles。tom。xv。
p。438。HispartialityforhisgodfathertheheresiarchEutyches,engagedhimtopersecutetheorthodoxparty]
[Footnote49:Thissecretconspiracyanditsimportantconsequences,maybetracedinthefragmentsofPriscus,p。37,38,39,54,70,71,72。Thechronologyofthathistorianisnotfixedbyanyprecisedate;buttheseriesofnegotiationsbetweenAttilaandtheEasternempiremustbeincludedwithinthethreeorfouryearswhichareterminated,A。D。450。bythedeathofTheodosius。]
TheemperorTheodosiusdidnotlongsurvivethemosthumiliatingcircumstanceofaningloriouslife。Ashewasriding,orhunting,intheneighborhoodofConstantinople,hewasthrownfromhishorseintotheRiverLycus:thespineofthebackwasinjuredbythefall;andheexpiredsomedaysafterwards,inthefiftiethyearofhisage,andtheforty—thirdofhisreign。
^50HissisterPulcheria,whoseauthorityhadbeencontrolledbothincivilandecclesiasticalaffairsbytheperniciousinfluenceoftheeunuchs,wasunanimouslyproclaimedEmpressoftheEast;andtheRomans,forthefirsttime,submittedtoafemalereign。NosoonerhadPulcheriaascendedthethrone,thansheindulgedherownandthepublicresentment,byanactofpopularjustice。Withoutanylegaltrial,theeunuchChrysaphiuswasexecutedbeforethegatesofthecity;andtheimmensericheswhichhadbeenaccumulatedbytherapaciousfavorite,servedonlytohastenandtojustifyhispunishment。^51Amidstthegeneralacclamationsoftheclergyandpeople,theempressdidnotforgettheprejudiceanddisadvantagetowhichhersexwasexposed;andshewiselyresolvedtopreventtheirmurmursbythechoiceofacolleague,whowouldalwaysrespectthesuperiorrankandvirginchastityofhiswife。ShegaveherhandtoMarcian,asenator,aboutsixtyyearsofage;andthenominalhusbandofPulcheriawassolemnlyinvestedwiththeImperialpurple。Thezealwhichhedisplayedfortheorthodoxcreed,asitwasestablishedbythecouncilofChalcedon,wouldalonehaveinspiredthegratefuleloquenceoftheCatholics。ButthebehaviorofMarcianinaprivatelife,andafterwardsonthethrone,maysupportamorerationalbelief,thathewasqualifiedtorestoreandinvigorateanempire,whichhadbeenalmostdissolvedbythesuccessiveweaknessoftwohereditarymonarchs。HewasborninThrace,andeducatedtotheprofessionofarms;butMarcian'syouthhadbeenseverelyexercisedbypovertyandmisfortune,sincehisonlyresource,whenhefirstarrivedatConstantinople,consistedintwohundredpiecesofgold,whichhehadborrowedofafriend。
HepassednineteenyearsinthedomesticandmilitaryserviceofAspar,andhissonArdaburius;followedthosepowerfulgeneralstothePersianandAfricanwars;andobtained,bytheirinfluence,thehonorablerankoftribuneandsenator。Hismilddisposition,andusefultalents,withoutalarmingthejealousy,recommendedMarciantotheesteemandfavorofhispatrons;hehadseen,perhapshehadfelt,theabusesofavenalandoppressiveadministration;andhisownexamplegaveweightandenergytothelaws,whichhepromulgatedforthereformationofmanners。^52
[Footnote50:TheodorustheReader,seeVales。Hist。Eccles。
tom。iii。p。563,andthePaschalChronicle,mentionthefall,withoutspecifyingtheinjury:buttheconsequencewassolikelytohappen,andsounlikelytobeinvented,thatwemaysafelygivecredittoNicephorusCallistus,aGreekofthefourteenthcentury。]
[Footnote51:PulcheriaenutusaysCountMarcellinussuacumavaritiainteremptusest。Sheabandonedtheeunuchtothepiousrevengeofason,whosefatherhadsufferedathisinstigation。
Note:MightnottheexecutionofChrysaphiushavebeenasacrificetoaverttheangerofAttila,whoseassassinationtheeunuchhadattemptedtocontrive?—M。]
[Footnote52:deBell。Vandal。l。i。c。4。Evagrius,l。ii。c。
1。Theophanes,p。90,91。Novell。adCalcem。Cod。Theod。tom。vi。
p。30。ThepraiseswhichSt。LeoandtheCatholicshavebestowedonMarcian,arediligentlytranscribedbyBaronius,asanencouragementforfutureprinces。]
ChapterXXXV:InvasionByAttila。
PartI。
InvasionOfGaulByAttila。—HeIsRepulsedByAetiusAndTheVisigoths。—AttilaInvadesAndEvacuatesItaly。—TheDeathsOfAttila,Aetius,AndValentinianTheThird。
ItwastheopinionofMarcian,thatwarshouldbeavoided,aslongasitispossibletopreserveasecureandhonorablepeace;butitwaslikewisehisopinion,thatpeacecannotbehonorableorsecure,ifthesovereignbetraysapusillanimousaversiontowar。ThistemperatecouragedictatedhisreplytothedemandsofAttila,whoinsolentlypressedthepaymentoftheannualtribute。TheemperorsignifiedtotheBarbarians,thattheymustnolongerinsultthemajestyofRomebythementionofatribute;thathewasdisposedtoreward,withbecomingliberality,thefaithfulfriendshipofhisallies;butthat,iftheypresumedtoviolatethepublicpeace,theyshouldfeelthathepossessedtroops,andarms,andresolution,torepeltheirattacks。Thesamelanguage,eveninthecampoftheHuns,wasusedbyhisambassadorApollonius,whoseboldrefusaltodeliverthepresents,tillhehadbeenadmittedtoapersonalinterview,displayedasenseofdignity,andacontemptofdanger,whichAttilawasnotpreparedtoexpectfromthedegenerateRomans。^1
HethreatenedtochastisetherashsuccessorofTheodosius;buthehesitatedwhetherheshouldfirstdirecthisinvinciblearmsagainsttheEasternortheWesternempire。Whilemankindawaitedhisdecisionwithawfulsuspense,hesentanequaldefiancetothecourtsofRavennaandConstantinople;andhisministerssalutedthetwoemperorswiththesamehaughtydeclaration。
"Attila,mylord,andthylord,commandstheetoprovideapalaceforhisimmediatereception。"^2ButastheBarbariandespised,oraffectedtodespise,theRomansoftheEast,whomhehadsooftenvanquished,hesoondeclaredhisresolutionofsuspendingtheeasyconquest,tillhehadachievedamoregloriousandimportantenterprise。InthememorableinvasionsofGaulandItaly,theHunswerenaturallyattractedbythewealthandfertilityofthoseprovinces;buttheparticularmotivesandprovocationsofAttilacanonlybeexplainedbythestateoftheWesternempireunderthereignofValentinian,or,tospeakmorecorrectly,undertheadministrationofAetius。^3
[Footnote1:SeePriscus,p。39,72。]
[Footnote2:TheAlexandrianorPaschalChronicle,whichintroducesthishaughtymessage,duringthelifetimeofTheodosius,mayhaveanticipatedthedate;butthedullannalistwasincapableofinventingtheoriginalandgenuinestyleofAttila。]
[Footnote3:ThesecondbookoftheHistoireCritiquedel'EtablissementdelaMonarchieFrancoisetom。i。p。189—424,throwsgreatlightonthestateofGaul,whenitwasinvadedbyAttila;buttheingeniousauthor,theAbbeDubos,toooftenbewildershimselfinsystemandconjecture。]
AfterthedeathofhisrivalBoniface,AetiushadprudentlyretiredtothetentsoftheHuns;andhewasindebtedtotheirallianceforhissafetyandhisrestoration。Insteadofthesuppliantlanguageofaguiltyexile,hesolicitedhispardonattheheadofsixtythousandBarbarians;andtheempressPlacidiaconfessed,byafeebleresistance,thatthecondescension,whichmighthavebeenascribedtoclemency,wastheeffectofweaknessorfear。Shedeliveredherself,hersonValentinian,andtheWesternempire,intothehandsofaninsolentsubject;norcouldPlacidiaprotecttheson—in—lawofBoniface,thevirtuousandfaithfulSebastian,^4fromtheimplacablepersecutionwhichurgedhimfromonekingdomtoanother,tillhemiserablyperishedintheserviceoftheVandals。ThefortunateAetius,whowasimmediatelypromotedtotherankofpatrician,andthriceinvestedwiththehonorsoftheconsulship,assumed,withthetitleofmasterofthecavalryandinfantry,thewholemilitarypowerofthestate;andheissometimesstyled,bycontemporarywriters,theduke,orgeneral,oftheRomansoftheWest。Hisprudence,ratherthanhisvirtue,engagedhimtoleavethegrandsonofTheodosiusinthepossessionofthepurple;andValentinianwaspermittedtoenjoythepeaceandluxuryofItaly,whilethepatricianappearedinthegloriouslightofaheroandapatriot,whosupportedneartwentyyearstheruinsoftheWesternempire。TheGothichistorianingenuouslyconfesses,thatAetiuswasbornforthesalvationoftheRomanrepublic;^5andthefollowingportrait,thoughitisdrawninthefairestcolors,mustbeallowedtocontainamuchlargerproportionoftruththanofflattery。"HismotherwasawealthyandnobleItalian,andhisfatherGaudentius,whoheldadistinguishedrankintheprovinceofScythia,graduallyrosefromthestationofamilitarydomestic,tothedignityofmasterofthecavalry。