Theirson,whowasenrolledalmostinhisinfancyintheguards,wasgivenasahostage,firsttoAlaric,andafterwardstotheHuns;^!andhesuccessivelyobtainedthecivilandmilitaryhonorsofthepalace,forwhichhewasequallyqualifiedbysuperiormerit。ThegracefulfigureofAetiuswasnotabovethemiddlestature;buthismanlylimbswereadmirablyformedforstrength,beauty,andagility;andheexcelledinthemartialexercisesofmanagingahorse,drawingthebow,anddartingthejavelin。Hecouldpatientlyendurethewantoffood,orofsleep;andhismindandbodywerealikecapableofthemostlaboriousefforts。Hepossessedthegenuinecouragethatcandespisenotonlydangers,butinjuries:anditwasimpossibleeithertocorrupt,ordeceive,orintimidatethefirmintegrityofhissoul。"^6TheBarbarians,whohadseatedthemselvesintheWesternprovinces,wereinsensiblytaughttorespectthefaithandvalorofthepatricianAetius。Hesoothedtheirpassions,consultedtheirprejudices,balancedtheirinterests,andcheckedtheirambition。Aseasonabletreaty,whichheconcludedwithGenseric,protectedItalyfromthedepredationsoftheVandals;
theindependentBritonsimploredandacknowledgedhissalutaryaid;theImperialauthoritywasrestoredandmaintainedinGaulandSpain;andhecompelledtheFranksandtheSuevi,whomhehadvanquishedinthefield,tobecometheusefulconfederatesoftherepublic。
[Footnote4:VictorVitensisdePersecut。Vandal。l。i。6,p。8,edit。Ruinartcallshim,acerconsilioetstrenuusinbello:buthiscourage,whenhebecameunfortunate,wascensuredasdesperaterashness;andSebastiandeserved,orobtained,theepithetofproeceps,Sidon。ApollinarCarmenix。181。HisadventuresinConstantinople,inSicily,Gaul,Spain,andAfrica,arefaintlymarkedintheChroniclesofMarcellinusandIdatius。
Inhisdistresshewasalwaysfollowedbyanumeroustrain;sincehecouldravagetheHellespontandPropontis,andseizethecityofBarcelona。]
[Footnote5:ReipublicaeRomanaesingulariternatus,quisuperbiamSuevorum,FrancorumquebarbariemimmensiscaedibusservireImperioRomanocoegisset。JornandesdeRebusGeticis,c。
34,p。660。]
[Footnote*:SomevaluablefragmentsofapoeticalpanegyriconAetiusbyMerobaudes,aSpaniard,havebeenrecoveredfromapalimpsestMS。bythesagacityandindustryofNiebuhr。TheyhavebeenreprintedintheneweditionoftheByzantineHistorians。ThepoetspeaksinglowingtermsofthelongannosapeaceenjoyedundertheadministrationofAetius。Theversesareveryspirited。ThepoetwasrewardedbyastatuepubliclydedicatedtohishonorinRome。
Danuviicumpaceredit,TanaimquefuroreExuit,etnigrocandentesaethereterrasMartesuocaruissejubet。DeditotiaferroCaucasus,etsaevicondemnantpraeliareges。
AddidithibernifamulantiafoederaRhenusOrbis……
LustratAremoricosjammitiorincolasaltus;
Perdiditetmorestellus,adsuetaquesaevoCriminequaesitassilviscelarerapinas,DiscitinexpertisCereremcommitterecampis;
CaesareoquediumanusobluctatalaboriSustinetacceptasnostrosubconsuleleges;
EtquamvisGeticissulcumconfundataratris,Barbaravicinaerefugitconsortiagentis。
Merobaudes,p。1]
[Footnote!:—cumScythicissuccumberetensibusorbis,TelaqueTarpeiaspremerentArctoasecures,Hostilemfregitrabiem,pignusquesuperbiFoederisetmundipretiumfuit。HincmodovotiRatafides,validisquodduxprematimpigerarmisEdomuitquospacepuer;bellumquerepressitIgnarusquidbellaforent。StupuereferocesIntenerojammembraGetae。Rexipse,verendumMiratuspueridecusetprodentiafatumLumina,primaevasdederatgestarefaretras,LaudabatquemanuslibrantemettelagerentemOblitusquodnostereratPronesciaregisCorda,ferisquantopopulisdiscrimineconstetQuodLatiumdocetarmaducem。
Merobaudes,Panegyr。p。15。—M。]
[Footnote6:ThisportraitisdrawnbyRenetusProfuturusFrigeridus,acontemporaryhistorian,knownonlybysomeextracts,whicharepreservedbyGregoryofTours,l。ii。c。8,intom。ii。p。163。Itwasprobablytheduty,oratleasttheinterest,ofRenatus,tomagnifythevirtuesofAetius;buthewouldhaveshownmoredexterityifhehadnotinsistedonhispatient,forgivingdisposition。]
[Footnote*:InsessorLibyes,quamvis,fatalibusarmisAususElisaeisoliumrescindereregni,MilibusArctoisTyriascompleveratarces,NunchostemexutuspactisproprioribusarsitRomanamvincirefidem,LatiosqueparentesAdnumeraresib,sociamqueintexereprolem。
Merobaudes,p。12。—M。]
Fromaprincipleofinterest,aswellasgratitude,AetiusassiduouslycultivatedtheallianceoftheHuns。Whileheresidedintheirtentsasahostage,oranexile,hehadfamiliarlyconversedwithAttilahimself,thenephewofhisbenefactor;andthetwofamousantagonistsappearedtohavebeenconnectedbyapersonalandmilitaryfriendship,whichtheyafterwardsconfirmedbymutualgifts,frequentembassies,andtheeducationofCarpilio,thesonofAetius,inthecampofAttila。
Bythespeciousprofessionsofgratitudeandvoluntaryattachment,thepatricianmightdisguisehisapprehensionsoftheScythianconqueror,whopressedthetwoempireswithhisinnumerablearmies。Hisdemandswereobeyedoreluded。Whenheclaimedthespoilsofavanquishedcity,somevasesofgold,whichhadbeenfraudulentlyembezzled,thecivilandmilitarygovernorsofNoricumwereimmediatelydespatchedtosatisfyhiscomplaints:^7anditisevident,fromtheirconversationwithMaximinandPriscus,intheroyalvillage,thatthevalorandprudenceofAetiushadnotsavedtheWesternRomansfromthecommonignominyoftribute。Yethisdexterouspolicyprolongedtheadvantagesofasalutarypeace;andanumerousarmyofHunsandAlani,whomhehadattachedtohisperson,wasemployedinthedefenceofGaul。TwocoloniesoftheseBarbarianswerejudiciouslyfixedintheterritoriesofValensandOrleans;^8
andtheiractivecavalrysecuredtheimportantpassagesoftheRhoneandoftheLoire。ThesesavageallieswerenotindeedlessformidabletothesubjectsthantotheenemiesofRome。Theiroriginalsettlementwasenforcedwiththelicentiousviolenceofconquest;andtheprovincethroughwhichtheymarchedwasexposedtoallthecalamitiesofahostileinvasion。^9Strangerstotheemperorortherepublic,theAlaniofGaulwasdevotedtotheambitionofAetius,andthoughhemightsuspect,that,inacontestwithAttilahimself,theywouldrevolttothestandardoftheirnationalking,thepatricianlaboredtorestrain,ratherthantoexcite,theirzealandresentmentagainsttheGoths,theBurgundians,andtheFranks。
[Footnote7:TheembassyconsistedofCountRomulus;ofPromotus,presidentofNoricum;andofRomanus,themilitaryduke。TheywereaccompaniedbyTatullus,anillustriouscitizenofPetovio,inthesameprovince,andfatherofOrestes,whohadmarriedthedaughterofCountRomulus。SeePriscus,p。57,65。CassiodorusVariar。i。4mentionsanotherembassy,whichwasexecutedbyhisfatherandCarpilio,thesonofAetius;and,asAttilawasnomore,hecouldsafelyboastoftheirmanly,intrepidbehaviorinhispresence。]
[Footnote8:DesertaValentinaeurbisruraAlanispartiendatraduntur。Prosper。TyronisChron。inHistoriensdeFrance,tom。
i。p。639。Afewlinesafterwards,Prosperobserves,thatlandsintheulteriorGaulwereassignedtotheAlani。WithoutadmittingthecorrectionofDubos,tom。i。p。300,thereasonablesuppositionoftwocoloniesorgarrisonsofAlaniwillconfirmhisarguments,andremovehisobjections。]
[Footnote9:SeeProsper。Tyro,p。639。SidoniusPanegyr。Avit。
246complains,inthenameofAuvergne,hisnativecountry,—
LitoriusScythicosequitestuncfortesubactoCelsusAremorico,GeticumrapiebatinagmenPerterras,Averne,tuas,quiproximaquaedueDiscursu,flammis,ferro,feritate,rapinis,Delebant;pacisfallentesnomeninane。
anotherpoet,PaulinusofPerigord,confirmsthecomplaint:—
Namsociumvixferrequeas,quiduriorhoste。
SeeDubos,tom。i。p。330。]
ThekingdomestablishedbytheVisigothsinthesouthernprovincesofGaul,hadgraduallyacquiredstrengthandmaturity;
andtheconductofthoseambitiousBarbarians,eitherinpeaceorwar,engagedtheperpetualvigilanceofAetius。AfterthedeathofWallia,theGothicsceptredevolvedtoTheodoric,thesonofthegreatAlaric;^10andhisprosperousreignofmorethanthirtyyears,overaturbulentpeople,maybeallowedtoprove,thathisprudencewassupportedbyuncommonvigor,bothofmindandbody。Impatientofhisnarrowlimits,TheodoricaspiredtothepossessionofArles,thewealthyseatofgovernmentandcommerce;butthecitywassavedbythetimelyapproachofAetius;andtheGothicking,whohadraisedthesiegewithsomelossanddisgrace,waspersuaded,foranadequatesubsidy,todivertthemartialvalorofhissubjectsinaSpanishwar。YetTheodoricstillwatched,andeagerlyseized,thefavorablemomentofrenewinghishostileattempts。TheGothsbesiegedNarbonne,whiletheBelgicprovinceswereinvadedbytheBurgundians;andthepublicsafetywasthreatenedoneverysidebytheapparentunionoftheenemiesofRome。Oneveryside,theactivityofAetius,andhisScythiancavalry,opposedafirmandsuccessfulresistance。TwentythousandBurgundianswereslaininbattle;
andtheremainsofthenationhumblyacceptedadependentseatinthemountainsofSavoy。^11ThewallsofNarbonnehadbeenshakenbythebatteringengines,andtheinhabitantshadenduredthelastextremitiesoffamine,whenCountLitorius,approachinginsilence,anddirectingeachhorsemantocarrybehindhimtwosacksofflour,cuthiswaythroughtheintrenchmentsofthebesiegers。Thesiegewasimmediatelyraised;andthemoredecisivevictory,whichisascribedtothepersonalconductofAetiushimself,wasmarkedwiththebloodofeightthousandGoths。Butintheabsenceofthepatrician,whowashastilysummonedtoItalybysomepublicorprivateinterest,CountLitoriussucceededtothecommand;andhispresumptionsoondiscoveredthatfardifferenttalentsarerequiredtoleadawingofcavalry,ortodirecttheoperationsofanimportantwar。AttheheadofanarmyofHuns,herashlyadvancedtothegatesofThoulouse,fullofcarelesscontemptforanenemywhomhismisfortuneshadrenderedprudent,andhissituationmadedesperate。ThepredictionsoftheaugurshadinspiredLitoriuswiththeprofaneconfidencethatheshouldentertheGothiccapitalintriumph;andthetrustwhichhereposedinhisPaganallies,encouragedhimtorejectthefairconditionsofpeace,whichwererepeatedlyproposedbythebishopsinthenameofTheodoric。ThekingoftheGothsexhibitedinhisdistresstheedifyingcontrastofChristianpietyandmoderation;nordidhelayasidehissackclothandashestillhewaspreparedtoarmforthecombat。Hissoldiers,animatedwithmartialandreligiousenthusiasm,assaultedthecampofLitorius。Theconflictwasobstinate;theslaughterwasmutual。TheRomangeneral,afteratotaldefeat,whichcouldbeimputedonlytohisunskilfulrashness,wasactuallyledthroughthestreetsofThoulouse,notinhisown,butinahostiletriumph;andthemiserywhichheexperienced,inalongandignominiouscaptivity,excitedthecompassionoftheBarbariansthemselves。^12Suchaloss,inacountrywhosespiritandfinanceswerelongsinceexhausted,couldnoteasilyberepaired;andtheGoths,assuming,intheirturn,thesentimentsofambitionandrevenge,wouldhaveplantedtheirvictoriousstandardsonthebanksoftheRhone,ifthepresenceofAetiushadnotrestoredstrengthanddisciplinetotheRomans。^13Thetwoarmiesexpectedthesignalofadecisiveaction;butthegenerals,whowereconsciousofeachother'sforce,anddoubtfuloftheirownsuperiority,prudentlysheathedtheirswordsinthefieldofbattle;andtheirreconciliationwaspermanentandsincere。Theodoric,kingoftheVisigoths,appearstohavedeservedtheloveofhissubjects,theconfidenceofhisallies,andtheesteemofmankind。Histhronewassurroundedbysixvaliantsons,whowereeducatedwithequalcareintheexercisesoftheBarbariancamp,andinthoseoftheGallicschools:fromthestudyoftheRomanjurisprudence,theyacquiredthetheory,atleast,oflawandjustice;andtheharmonioussenseofVirgilcontributedtosoftentheasperityoftheirnativemanners。^14ThetwodaughtersoftheGothickingweregiveninmarriagetotheeldestsonsofthekingsoftheSueviandoftheVandals,whoreignedinSpainandAfrica:buttheseillustriousallianceswerepregnantwithguiltanddiscord。ThequeenoftheSuevibewailedthedeathofahusbandinhumanlymassacredbyherbrother。TheprincessoftheVandalswasthevictimofajealoustyrant,whomshecalledherfather。ThecruelGensericsuspectedthathisson'swifehadconspiredtopoisonhim;thesupposedcrimewaspunishedbytheamputationofhernoseandears;andtheunhappydaughterofTheodoricwasignominiouslyreturnedtothecourtofThoulouseinthatdeformedandmutilatedcondition。Thishorridact,whichmustseemincredibletoacivilizedagedrewtearsfromeveryspectator;
butTheodoricwasurged,bythefeelingsofaparentandaking,torevengesuchirreparableinjuries。TheImperialministers,whoalwayscherishedthediscordoftheBarbarians,wouldhavesuppliedtheGothswitharms,andships,andtreasures,fortheAfricanwar;andthecrueltyofGensericmighthavebeenfataltohimself,iftheartfulVandalhadnotarmed,inhiscause,theformidablepoweroftheHuns。HisrichgiftsandpressingsolicitationsinflamedtheambitionofAttila;andthedesignsofAetiusandTheodoricwerepreventedbytheinvasionofGaul。^15
[Footnote10:TheodoricII。,thesonofTheodoricI。,declarestoAvitushisresolutionofrepairing,orexpiating,thefaultswhichhisgrandfatherhadcommitted,—
Quaenosterpeccavitavus,quemfuscatidunum,Quodte,Roma,capit。
Sidon。Panegyric。Avit。505。
Thischaracter,applicableonlytothegreatAlaric,establishesthegenealogyoftheGothickings,whichhashithertobeenunnoticed。]
[Footnote11:ThenameofSapaudia,theoriginofSavoy,isfirstmentionedbyAmmianusMarcellinus;andtwomilitarypostsareascertainedbytheNotitia,withinthelimitsofthatprovince;acohortwasstationedatGrenobleinDauphine;andEbredunum,orIverdun,shelteredafleetofsmallvessels,whichcommandedtheLakeofNeufchatel。SeeValesius,Notit。Galliarum,p。503。
D'Anville,Noticedel'AncienneGaule,p。284,579。]
[Footnote12:SalvianhasattemptedtoexplainthemoralgovernmentoftheDeity;ataskwhichmaybereadilyperformedbysupposingthatthecalamitiesofthewickedarejudgments,andthoseoftherighteous,trials。]
[Footnote13:—CaptoterrarumdamnapatebantLitorio,inRhodanumpropriosproducerefines,Thendoridaefixum;neceratpugnarenecesse,SedmigrareGetis;rabidamtruxasperatiramVictor;quodsensitScythicumsubmoenibushostemImputat,etnihilestgravius,siforsitanunquamVincerecontingat,trepido。Panegyr。Avit。300,&c。
Sitioniusthenproceeds,accordingtothedutyofapanegyrist,totransferthewholemeritfromAetiustohisministerAvitus。]
[Footnote14:TheodoricII。revered,inthepersonofAvitus,thecharacterofhispreceptor。
—MihiRomuladudumPertejuraplacent;parvumqueediscerejussitAdtuaverbapater,dociliquopriscaMaronisCarminemolliretScythicosmihipaginamores。
Sidon。Panegyr。Avit。495&c。]
[Footnote15:OurauthoritiesforthereignofTheodoricI。are,JornandesdeRebusGeticis,c。34,36,andtheChroniclesofIdatius,andthetwoProspers,insertedinthehistoriansofFrance,tom。i。p。612—640。TothesewemayaddSalviandeGubernationeDei,l。vii。p。243,244,245,andthepanegyricofAvitus,bySidonius。]
TheFranks,whosemonarchywasstillconfinedtotheneighborhoodoftheLowerRhine,hadwiselyestablishedtherightofhereditarysuccessioninthenoblefamilyoftheMerovingians。
^16Theseprinceswereelevatedonabuckler,thesymbolofmilitarycommand;^17andtheroyalfashionoflonghairwastheensignoftheirbirthanddignity。Theirflaxenlocks,whichtheycombedanddressedwithsingularcare,hungdowninflowingringletsontheirbackandshoulders;whiletherestofthenationwereobliged,eitherbylaworcustom,toshavethehinderpartoftheirhead,tocombtheirhairovertheforehead,andtocontentthemselveswiththeornamentoftwosmallwhiskers。^18
TheloftystatureoftheFranks,andtheirblueeyes,denotedaGermanicorigin;theircloseapparelaccuratelyexpressedthefigureoftheirlimbs;aweightyswordwassuspendedfromabroadbelt;theirbodieswereprotectedbyalargeshield;andthesewarlikeBarbariansweretrained,fromtheirearliestyouth,torun,toleap,toswim;todartthejavelin,orbattle—axe,withunerringaim;toadvance,withouthesitation,againstasuperiorenemy;andtomaintain,eitherinlifeordeath,theinvinciblereputationoftheirancestors。^19Clodion,thefirstoftheirlong—hairedkings,whosenameandactionsarementionedinauthentichistory,heldhisresidenceatDispargum,^20avillageorfortress,whoseplacemaybeassignedbetweenLouvainandBrussels。Fromthereportofhisspies,thekingoftheFrankswasinformed,thatthedefencelessstateofthesecondBelgicmustyield,ontheslightestattack,tothevalorofhissubjects。HeboldlypenetratedthroughthethicketsandmorassesoftheCarbonarianforest;^21occupiedTournayandCambray,theonlycitieswhichexistedinthefifthcentury,andextendedhisconquestsasfarastheRiverSomme,overadesolatecountry,whosecultivationandpopulousnessaretheeffectsofmorerecentindustry。^22WhileClodionlayencampedintheplainsofArtois,^23andcelebrated,withvainandostentatioussecurity,themarriage,perhaps,ofhisson,thenuptialfeastwasinterruptedbytheunexpectedandunwelcomepresenceofAetius,whohadpassedtheSommeattheheadofhislightcavalry。Thetables,whichhadbeenspreadundertheshelterofahill,alongthebanksofapleasantstream,wererudelyoverturned;theFrankswereoppressedbeforetheycouldrecovertheirarms,ortheirranks;andtheirunavailingvalorwasfatalonlytothemselves。