Theloadedwagons,whichhadfollowedtheirmarch,affordedarichbooty;andthevirgin—bride,withherfemaleattendants,submittedtothenewlovers,whowereimposedonthembythechanceofwar。Thisadvance,whichhadbeenobtainedbytheskillandactivityofAetius,mightreflectsomedisgraceonthemilitaryprudenceofClodion;butthekingoftheFrankssoonregainedhisstrengthandreputation,andstillmaintainedthepossessionofhisGallickingdomfromtheRhinetotheSomme。^24
  Underhisreign,andmostprobablyfromthetheeenterprisingspiritofhissubjects,histhreecapitals,Mentz,Treves,andCologne,experiencedtheeffectsofhostilecrueltyandavarice。
  ThedistressofColognewasprolongedbytheperpetualdominionofthesameBarbarians,whoevacuatedtheruinsofTreves;andTreves,whichinthespaceoffortyyearshadbeenfourtimesbesiegedandpillaged,wasdisposedtolosethememoryofherafflictionsinthevainamusementsoftheCircus。^25ThedeathofClodion,afterareignoftwentyyears,exposedhiskingdomtothediscordandambitionofhistwosons。Meroveus,theyounger,^26waspersuadedtoimploretheprotectionofRome;hewasreceivedattheImperialcourt,astheallyofValentinian,andtheadoptedsonofthepatricianAetius;anddismissedtohisnativecountry,withsplendidgifts,andthestrongestassurancesoffriendshipandsupport。Duringhisabsence,hiselderbrotherhadsolicited,withequalardor,theformidableaidofAttila;
  andthekingoftheHunsembracedanalliance,whichfacilitatedthepassageoftheRhine,andjustified,byaspeciousandhonorablepretence,theinvasionofGaul。^27
  [Footnote16:RegesCrinitossecreavissedeprima,etutitadicamnobiliorisuorumfamilia,Greg。Turon。l。ii。c。9,p。
  166,ofthesecondvolumeoftheHistoriansofFrance。GregoryhimselfdoesnotmentiontheMerovingianname,whichmaybetraced,however,tothebeginningoftheseventhcentury,asthedistinctiveappellationoftheroyalfamily,andevenoftheFrenchmonarchy。AningeniouscritichasdeducedtheMerovingiansfromthegreatMaroboduus;andhehasclearlyproved,thattheprince,whogavehisnametothefirstrace,wasmoreancientthanthefatherofChilderic。SeeMemoiresdel'AcademiedesInscriptions,tom。xx。p。52—90,tom。xxx。p。557—587。]
  [Footnote17:ThisGermancustom,whichmaybetracedfromTacitustoGregoryofTours,wasatlengthadoptedbytheemperorsofConstantinople。FromaMS。ofthetenthcentury,Montfauconhasdelineatedtherepresentationofasimilarceremony,whichtheignoranceoftheagehadappliedtoKingDavid。SeeMonumensdelaMonarchieFrancoise,tom。i。DiscoursPreliminaire。]
  [Footnote18:Caesariesprolixa……criniumflagellispertergadimissis,&c。SeethePrefacetothethirdvolumeoftheHistoriansofFrance,andtheAbbeLeBoeuf,Dissertat。tom。
  iii。p。47—79。ThispeculiarfashionoftheMerovingianshasbeenremarkedbynativesandstrangers;byPriscus,tom。i。p。
  608,byAgathias,tom。ii。p。49,andbyGregoryofTours,l。
  viii。18,vi。24,viii。10,tom。ii。p。196,278,316。]
  [Footnote19:Seeanoriginalpictureofthefigure,dress,arms,andtemperoftheancientFranks,inSidoniusApollinaris,Panegyr。Majorian。238—254;andsuchpictures,thoughcoarselydrawn,havearealandintrinsicvalue。FatherDanielHistorydelaMiliceFrancoise,tom。i。p。2—7hasillustratedthedescription。]
  [Footnote20:Dubos,Hist。Critique,&c。,tom。i。p。271,272。
  SomegeographershaveplacedDispargumontheGermansideoftheRhine。SeeanoteoftheBenedictineEditors,totheHistoriansofFrance,tom。iip。166。]
  [Footnote21:TheCarbonarianwoodwasthatpartofthegreatforestoftheArdenneswhichlaybetweentheEscaut,orScheldt,andtheMeuse。Vales。Notit。Gall。p。126。]
  [Footnote22:Gregor。Turon。l。ii。c。9,intom。ii。p。166,167。Fredegar。Epitom。c。9,p。395。GestaReg。Francor。c。5,intom。ii。p。544。VitSt。Remig。abHincmar,intom。iii。p。
  373。]
  [Footnote23:—FrancusquaCloiopatentesAtrebatumterraspervaserat。
  Panegyr。Majorian213
  Theprecisespotwasatownorvillage,calledVicusHelena;andboththenameandplacearediscoveredbymoderngeographersatLensSeeVales。Notit。Gall。p。246。Longuerue,DescriptiondelaFrancetom。ii。p。88。]
  [Footnote24:SeeavagueaccountoftheactioninSidonius。
  Panegyr。Majorian212—230。TheFrenchcritics,impatienttoestablishtheirmonarchyinGaul,havedrawnastrongargumentfromthesilenceofSidonius,whodaresnotinsinuate,thatthevanquishedFrankswerecompelledtorepasstheRhine。Dubos,tom。
  i。p。322。]
  [Footnote25:SalviandeGubernat。Dei,l。vi。hasexpressed,invagueanddeclamatorylanguage,themisfortunesofthesethreecities,whicharedistinctlyascertainedbythelearnedMascou,Hist。oftheAncientGermans,ix。21。]
  [Footnote26:Priscus,inrelatingthecontest,doesnotnamethetwobrothers;thesecondofwhomhehadseenatRome,abeardlessyouth,withlong,flowinghair,HistoriansofFrance,tom。i。p。
  607,608。TheBenedictineEditorsareinclinedtobelieve,thattheywerethesonsofsomeunknownkingoftheFranks,whoreignedonthebanksoftheNeckar;buttheargumentsofM。deFoncemagneMem。del'Academie,tom。viii。p。464seemtoprovethatthesuccessionofClodionwasdisputedbyhistwosons,andthattheyoungerwasMeroveus,thefatherofChilderic。
  Note:TherelationshipofMeroveustoClodionisextremelydoubtful。—Bysomeheiscalledanillegitimateson;byothersmerelyofhisrace。Turii。c。9,inSismondi,Hist。desFrancais,i。177。SeeMezeray。]
  [Footnote27:UndertheMerovingianrace,thethronewashereditary;butallthesonsofthedeceasedmonarchwereequallyentitledtotheirshareofhistreasuresandterritories。SeetheDissertationsofM。deFoncemagne,inthesixthandeighthvolumesoftheMemoiresdel'Academie。]
  ChapterXXXV:InvasionByAttila。
  PartII。
  WhenAttiladeclaredhisresolutionofsupportingthecauseofhisallies,theVandalsandtheFranks,atthesametime,andalmostinthespiritofromanticchivalry,thesavagemonarchprofessedhimselftheloverandthechampionoftheprincessHonoria。ThesisterofValentinianwaseducatedinthepalaceofRavenna;andashermarriagemightbeproductiveofsomedangertothestate,shewasraised,bythetitleofAugusta,^28abovethehopesofthemostpresumptuoussubject。ButthefairHonoriahadnosoonerattainedthesixteenthyearofherage,thanshedetestedtheimportunategreatnesswhichmustforeverexcludeherfromthecomfortsofhonorablelove;inthemidstofvainandunsatisfactorypomp,Honoriasighed,yieldedtotheimpulseofnature,andthrewherselfintothearmsofherchamberlainEugenius。Herguiltandshamesuchistheabsurdlanguageofimperiousmanweresoonbetrayedbytheappearancesofpregnancy;butthedisgraceoftheroyalfamilywaspublishedtotheworldbytheimprudenceoftheempressPlacidiawhodismissedherdaughter,afterastrictandshamefulconfinement,toaremoteexileatConstantinople。TheunhappyprincesspassedtwelveorfourteenyearsintheirksomesocietyofthesistersofTheodosius,andtheirchosenvirgins;towhosecrownHonoriacouldnolongeraspire,andwhosemonasticassiduityofprayer,fasting,andvigils,shereluctantlyimitated。Herimpatienceoflongandhopelesscelibacyurgedhertoembraceastrangeanddesperateresolution。ThenameofAttilawasfamiliarandformidableatConstantinople;andhisfrequentembassiesentertainedaperpetualintercoursebetweenhiscampandtheImperialpalace。Inthepursuitoflove,orratherofrevenge,thedaughterofPlacidiasacrificedeverydutyandeveryprejudice;andofferedtodeliverherpersonintothearmsofaBarbarian,ofwhoselanguageshewasignorant,whosefigurewasscarcelyhuman,andwhosereligionandmannerssheabhorred。Bytheministryofafaithfuleunuch,shetransmittedtoAttilaaring,thepledgeofheraffection;andearnestlyconjuredhimtoclaimherasalawfulspouse,towhomhehadbeensecretlybetrothed。Theseindecentadvanceswerereceived,however,withcoldnessanddisdain;andthekingoftheHunscontinuedtomultiplythenumberofhiswives,tillhislovewasawakenedbythemoreforciblepassionsofambitionandavarice。TheinvasionofGaulwaspreceded,andjustified,byaformaldemandoftheprincessHonoria,withajustandequalshareoftheImperialpatrimony。Hispredecessors,theancientTanjous,hadoftenaddressed,inthesamehostileandperemptorymanner,thedaughtersofChina;andthepretensionsofAttilawerenotlessoffensivetothemajestyofRome。Afirm,buttemperate,refusalwascommunicatedtohisambassadors。Therightoffemalesuccession,thoughitmightderiveaspeciousargumentfromtherecentexamplesofPlacidiaandPulcheria,wasstrenuouslydenied;andtheindissolubleengagementsofHonoriawereopposedtotheclaimsofherScythianlover。^29OnthediscoveryofherconnectionwiththekingoftheHuns,theguiltyprincesshadbeensentaway,asanobjectofhorror,fromConstantinopletoItaly:herlifewasspared;buttheceremonyofhermarriagewasperformedwithsomeobscureandnominalhusband,beforeshewasimmuredinaperpetualprison,tobewailthosecrimesandmisfortunes,whichHonoriamighthaveescaped,hadshenotbeenbornthedaughterofanemperor。^30
  [Footnote28:Amedalisstillextant,whichexhibitsthepleasingcountenanceofHonoria,withthetitleofAugusta;andonthereverse,theimproperlegendofSalusReipublicoeroundthemonogramofChrist。SeeDucange,Famil。Byzantin。p。67,73。]
  [Footnote29:SeePriscus,p,39,40。Itmightbefairlyalleged,thatiffemalescouldsucceedtothethrone,Valentinianhimself,whohadmarriedthedaughterandheiressoftheyoungerTheodosius,wouldhaveassertedherrighttotheEasternempire。]
  [Footnote30:TheadventuresofHonoriaareimperfectlyrelatedbyJornandes,deSuccessioneRegn。c。97,anddeReb。Get。c。42,p。674;andintheChroniclesofProsperandMarcellinus;buttheycannotbemadeconsistent,orprobable,unlessweseparate,byanintervaloftimeandplace,herintriguewithEugenius,andherinvitationofAttila。]
  AnativeofGaul,andacontemporary,thelearnedandeloquentSidonius,whowasafterwardsbishopofClermont,hadmadeapromisetooneofhisfriends,thathewouldcomposearegularhistoryofthewarofAttila。IfthemodestyofSidoniushadnotdiscouragedhimfromtheprosecutionofthisinterestingwork,^31thehistorianwouldhaverelated,withthesimplicityoftruth,thosememorableevents,towhichthepoet,invagueanddoubtfulmetaphors,hasconciselyalluded。^32ThekingsandnationsofGermanyandScythia,fromtheVolgaperhapstotheDanube,obeyedthewarlikesummonsofAttila。Fromtheroyalvillage,intheplainsofHungaryhisstandardmovedtowardstheWest;andafteramarchofsevenoreighthundredmiles,hereachedtheconfluxoftheRhineandtheNeckar,wherehewasjoinedbytheFranks,whoadheredtohisally,theelderofthesonsofClodion。AtroopoflightBarbarians,whoroamedinquestofplunder,mightchoosethewinterfortheconvenienceofpassingtheriverontheice;buttheinnumerablecavalryoftheHunsrequiredsuchplentyofforageandprovisions,ascouldbeprocuredonlyinamilderseason;theHercynianforestsuppliedmaterialsforabridgeofboats;andthehostilemyriadswerepoured,withresistlessviolence,intotheBelgicprovinces。^33
  TheconsternationofGaulwasuniversal;andthevariousfortunesofitscitieshavebeenadornedbytraditionwithmartyrdomsandmiracles。^34TroyeswassavedbythemeritsofSt。Lupus;St。
  Servatiuswasremovedfromtheworld,thathemightnotbeholdtheruinofTongres;andtheprayersofSt。GenevievedivertedthemarchofAttilafromtheneighborhoodofParis。ButasthegreatestpartoftheGalliccitieswerealikedestituteofsaintsandsoldiers,theywerebesiegedandstormedbytheHuns;whopractised,intheexampleofMetz,^35theircustomarymaximsofwar。Theyinvolved,inapromiscuousmassacre,thepriestswhoservedatthealtar,andtheinfants,who,inthehourofdanger,hadbeenprovidentlybaptizedbythebishop;theflourishingcitywasdeliveredtotheflames,andasolitarychapelofSt。Stephenmarkedtheplacewhereitformerlystood。FromtheRhineandtheMoselle,AttilaadvancedintotheheartofGaul;crossedtheSeineatAuxerre;and,afteralongandlaboriousmarch,fixedhiscampunderthewallsofOrleans。Hewasdesirousofsecuringhisconquestsbythepossessionofanadvantageouspost,whichcommandedthepassageoftheLoire;andhedependedonthesecretinvitationofSangiban,kingoftheAlani,whohadpromisedtobetraythecity,andtorevoltfromtheserviceoftheempire。
  Butthistreacherousconspiracywasdetectedanddisappointed:
  Orleanshadbeenstrengthenedwithrecentfortifications;andtheassaultsoftheHunswerevigorouslyrepelledbythefaithfulvalorofthesoldiers,orcitizens,whodefendedtheplace。ThepastoraldiligenceofAnianus,abishopofprimitivesanctityandconsummateprudence,exhaustedeveryartofreligiouspolicytosupporttheircourage,tillthearrivaloftheexpectedsuccors。
  Afteranobstinatesiege,thewallswereshakenbythebatteringrams;theHunshadalreadyoccupiedthesuburbs;andthepeople,whowereincapableofbearingarms,layprostrateinprayer。
  Anianus,whoanxiouslycountedthedaysandhours,despatchedatrustymessengertoobserve,fromtherampari,thefaceofthedistantcountry。Hereturnedtwice,withoutanyintelligencethatcouldinspirehopeorcomfort;but,inhisthirdreport,hementionedasmallcloud,whichhehadfaintlydescriedattheextremityofthehorizon。"ItistheaidofGod!"exclaimedthebishop,inatoneofpiousconfidence;andthewholemultituderepeatedafterhim,"ItistheaidofGod。"Theremoteobject,onwhicheveryeyewasfixed,becameeachmomentlarger,andmoredistinct;theRomanandGothicbannersweregraduallyperceived;
  andafavorablewindblowingasidethedust,discovered,indeeparray,theimpatientsquadronsofAetiusandTheodoric,whopressedforwardstothereliefofOrleans。
  [Footnote31:Exegerasmihi,utpromitteremtibi,Attilaebellumstylomeposterisintimaturum……coeperamscribere,sedoperisarreptifasceperspecto,taeduitinchoasse。Sidon。Apoll。l。
  viii。epist。15,p。235]
  [Footnote32:—SubitocumruptatumultuBarbariestotasintetransfuderatArctos,Gallia。PugnacemRugumcomitanteGelono,Gepidatruxsequitur;ScyrumBurgundiocogit:
  Chunus,Bellonotus,Neurus,Basterna,Toringus,Bructerus,ulvosavelquemNicerabluitundaProrumpitFrancus。CeciditcitosectabipenniHercyniainlintres,etRhenumtexuitalno。EtjamterrificisdiffuderatAttilaturmisIncamposse,Belga,tuos。
  Panegyr。Avit。]
  [Footnote33:ThemostauthenticandcircumstantialaccountofthiswariscontainedinJornandes,deReb。Geticis,c。36—41,p。662—672,whohassometimesabridged,andsometimestranscribed,thelargerhistoryofCassiodorus。Jornandes,aquotationwhichitwouldbesuperfluoustorepeat,maybecorrectedandillustratedbyGregoryofTours,l。ii。c。5,6,7,andtheChroniclesofIdatius,Isidore,andthetwoProspers。
  AlltheancienttestimoniesarecollectedandinsertedintheHistoriansofFrance;butthereadershouldbecautionedagainstasupposedextractfromtheChronicleofIdatius,amongthefragmentsofFredegarius,tom。ii。p。462,whichoftencontradictsthegenuinetextoftheGallicianbishop。]
  [Footnote34:Theancientlegendariesdeservesomeregard,astheyareobligedtoconnecttheirfableswiththerealhistoryoftheirowntimes。SeethelivesofSt。Lupus,St。Anianus,thebishopsofMetz,Ste。Genevieve,&c。,intheHistoriansofFrance,tom。i。p。644,645,649,tom。iii。p。369。]
  [Footnote35:ThescepticismofthecountdeBuatHist。desPeuples,tom。vii。p。539,540cannotbereconciledwithanyprinciplesofreasonorcriticism。IsnotGregoryofTourspreciseandpositiveinhisaccountofthedestructionofMetz?
  Atthedistanceofnomorethanahundredyears,couldhebeignorant,couldthepeoplebeignorantofthefateofacity,theactualresidenceofhissovereigns,thekingsofAustrasia?Thelearnedcount,whoseemstohaveundertakentheapologyofAttilaandtheBarbarians,appealstothefalseIdatius,parcensGermaniaeetGalliae,andforgetsthatthetrueIdatiushadexplicitlyaffirmed,plurimaecivitateseffractoe,amongwhichheenumeratesMetz。]
  ThefacilitywithwhichAttilahadpenetratedintotheheartofGaul,maybeascribedtohisinsidiouspolicy,aswellastotheterrorofhisarms。Hispublicdeclarationswereskilfullymitigatedbyhisprivateassurances;healternatelysoothedandthreatenedtheRomansandtheGoths;andthecourtsofRavennaandThoulouse,mutuallysuspiciousofeachother'sintentions,beheld,withsupineindifference,theapproachoftheircommonenemy。Aetiuswasthesoleguardianofthepublicsafety;buthiswisestmeasureswereembarrassedbyafaction,which,sincethedeathofPlacidia,infestedtheImperialpalace:theyouthofItalytrembledatthesoundofthetrumpet;andtheBarbarians,who,fromfearoraffection,wereinclinedtothecauseofAttila,awaitedwithdoubtfulandvenalfaith,theeventofthewar。ThepatricianpassedtheAlpsattheheadofsometroops,whosestrengthandnumbersscarcelydeservedthenameofanarmy。
  ^36ButonhisarrivalatArles,orLyons,hewasconfoundedbytheintelligence,thattheVisigoths,refusingtoembracethedefenceofGaul,haddeterminedtoexpect,withintheirownterritories,theformidableinvader,whomtheyprofessedtodespise。ThesenatorAvitus,who,afterthehonorableexerciseofthePraetorianpraefecture,hadretiredtohisestateinAuvergne,waspersuadedtoaccepttheimportantembassy,whichheexecutedwithabilityandsuccess。HerepresentedtoTheodoric,thatanambitiousconqueror,whoaspiredtothedominionoftheearth,couldberesistedonlybythefirmandunanimousallianceofthepowerswhomhelaboredtooppress。ThelivelyeloquenceofAvitusinflamedtheGothicwarriors,bythedescriptionoftheinjurieswhichtheirancestorshadsufferedfromtheHuns;whoseimplacablefurystillpursuedthemfromtheDanubetothefootofthePyrenees。Hestrenuouslyurged,thatitwasthedutyofeveryChristiantosave,fromsacrilegiousviolation,thechurchesofGod,andtherelicsofthesaints:thatitwastheinterestofeveryBarbarian,whohadacquiredasettlementinGaul,todefendthefieldsandvineyards,whichwerecultivatedforhisuse,againstthedesolationoftheScythianshepherds。
  Theodoricyieldedtotheevidenceoftruth;adoptedthemeasureatoncethemostprudentandthemosthonorable;anddeclared,that,asthefaithfulallyofAetiusandtheRomans,hewasreadytoexposehislifeandkingdomforthecommonsafetyofGaul。^37
  TheVisigoths,who,atthattime,wereinthematurevigoroftheirfameandpower,obeyedwithalacritythesignalofwar;
  preparedtheirarmsandhorses,andassembledunderthestandardoftheiragedking,whowasresolved,withhistwoeldestsons,TorismondandTheodoric,tocommandinpersonhisnumerousandvaliantpeople。TheexampleoftheGothsdeterminedseveraltribesornations,thatseemedtofluctuatebetweentheHunsandtheRomans。TheindefatigablediligenceofthepatriciangraduallycollectedthetroopsofGaulandGermany,whohadformerlyacknowledgedthemselvesthesubjects,orsoldiers,oftherepublic,butwhonowclaimedtherewardsofvoluntaryservice,andtherankofindependentallies;theLaeti,theArmoricans,theBreonestheSaxons,theBurgundians,theSarmatians,orAlani,theRipuarians,andtheFrankswhofollowedMeroveusastheirlawfulprince。Suchwasthevariousarmy,which,undertheconductofAetiusandTheodoric,advanced,byrapidmarchestorelieveOrleans,andtogivebattletotheinnumerablehostofAttila。^38
  [Footnote36:—VixliqueratAlpesAetius,tenue,etrarumsinemiliteducensRobur,inauxiliisGeticummalecredulusagmenIncassumpropriispraesumensadforecastris。
  Panegyr。Avit。328,&c。]
  [Footnote37:ThepolicyofAttila,ofAetius,andoftheVisigoths,isimperfectlydescribedinthePanegyricofAvitus,andthethirty—sixthchapterofJornandes。Thepoetandthehistorianwerebothbiasedbypersonalornationalprejudices。
  TheformerexaltsthemeritandimportanceofAvitus;orbis,Avite,salus,&c。!ThelatterisanxioustoshowtheGothsinthemostfavorablelight。Yettheiragreementwhentheyarefairlyinterpreted,isaproofoftheirveracity。]
  [Footnote38:ThereviewofthearmyofAetiusismadebyJornandes,c。36,p。664,edit。Grot。tom。ii。p。23,oftheHistoriansofFrance,withthenotesoftheBenedictineeditor。
  TheLoetiwereapromiscuousraceofBarbarians,bornornaturalizedinGaul;andtheRiparii,orRipuarii,derivedtheirnamefromtheirpostonthethreerivers,theRhine,theMeuse,andtheMoselle;theArmoricanspossessedtheindependentcitiesbetweentheSeineandtheLoire。AcolonyofSaxonshadbeenplantedinthedioceseofBayeux;theBurgundiansweresettledinSavoy;andtheBreoneswereawarliketribeofRhaetians,totheeastoftheLakeofConstance。]