repliedtheinflexibleAudoin,"ofthewisecustomsofourancestors。Whatevermaybehismerit,aprinceisincapableofsittingattablewithhisfathertillhehasreceivedhisarmsfromaforeignandroyalhand。"Alboinbowedwithreverencetotheinstitutionsofhiscountry,selectedfortycompanions,andboldlyvisitedthecourtofTurisund,kingoftheGepidae,whoembracedandentertained,accordingtothelawsofhospitality,themurdererofhisson。Atthebanquet,whilstAlboinoccupiedtheseatoftheyouthwhomhehadslain,atenderremembrancearoseinthemindofTurisund。"Howdearisthatplace!howhatefulisthatperson!"werethewordsthatescaped,withasigh,fromtheindignantfather。HisgriefexasperatedthenationalresentmentoftheGepidae;andCunimund,hissurvivingson,wasprovokedbywine,orfraternalaffection,tothedesireofvengeance。"TheLombards,"saidtherudeBarbarian,"resemble,infigureandinsmell,themaresofourSarmatianplains。"Andthisinsultwasacoarseallusiontothewhitebandswhichenvelopedtheirlegs。"Addanotherresemblance,"repliedanaudaciousLombard;"youhavefelthowstronglytheykick。
VisittheplainofAsfield,andseekforthebonesofthybrother:theyaremingledwiththoseofthevilestanimals。"TheGepidae,anationofwarriors,startedfromtheirseats,andthefearlessAlboin,withhisfortycompanions,laidtheirhandsontheirswords。ThetumultwasappeasedbythevenerableinterpositionofTurisund。Hesavedhisownhonor,andthelifeofhisguest;and,afterthesolemnritesofinvestiture,dismissedthestrangerinthebloodyarmsofhisson;thegiftofaweepingparent。Alboinreturnedintriumph;andtheLombards,whocelebratedhismatchlessintrepidity,werecompelledtopraisethevirtuesofanenemy。^8InthisextraordinaryvisithehadprobablyseenthedaughterofCunimund,whosoonafterascendedthethroneoftheGepidae。HernamewasRosamond,anappellationexpressiveoffemalebeauty,andwhichourownhistoryorromancehasconsecratedtoamoroustales。ThekingoftheLombardsthefatherofAlboinnolongerlivedwascontractedtothegranddaughterofClovis;buttherestraintsoffaithandpolicysoonyieldedtothehopeofpossessingthefairRosamond,andofinsultingherfamilyandnation。Theartsofpersuasionweretriedwithoutsuccess;andtheimpatientlover,byforceandstratagem,obtainedtheobjectofhisdesires。Warwastheconsequencewhichheforesawandsolicited;buttheLombardscouldnotlongwithstandthefuriousassaultoftheGepidae,whoweresustainedbyaRomanarmy。And,astheofferofmarriagewasrejectedwithcontempt,Alboinwascompelledtorelinquishhisprey,andtopartakeofthedisgracewhichhehadinflictedonthehouseofCunimund。^9
[Footnote8:PaulWarnefrid,thedeaconofFriuli,deGest。
Langobard。l。i。c。23,24。Hispicturesofnationalmanners,thoughrudelysketchedaremorelivelyandfaithfulthanthoseofBede,orGregoryofTours]
[Footnote9:Thestoryistoldbyanimpostor,Theophylact。
Simocat。l。vi。c。10;buthehadartenoughtobuildhisfictionsonpublicandnotoriousfacts。]
Whenapublicquarrelisenvenomedbyprivateinjuries,ablowthatisnotmortalordecisivecanbeproductiveonlyofashorttruce,whichallowstheunsuccessfulcombatanttosharpenhisarmsforanewencounter。ThestrengthofAlboinhadbeenfoundunequaltothegratificationofhislove,ambition,andrevenge:hecondescendedtoimploretheformidableaidofthechagan;andtheargumentsthatheemployedareexpressiveoftheartandpolicyoftheBarbarians。IntheattackoftheGepidae,hehadbeenpromptedbythejustdesireofextirpatingapeoplewhomtheiralliancewiththeRomanempirehadrenderedthecommonenemiesofthenations,andthepersonaladversariesofthechagan。IftheforcesoftheAvarsandtheLombardsshoulduniteinthisgloriousquarrel,thevictorywassecure,andtherewardinestimable:theDanube,theHebrus,Italy,andConstantinople,wouldbeexposed,withoutabarrier,totheirinvinciblearms。
But,iftheyhesitatedordelayedtopreventthemaliceoftheRomans,thesamespiritwhichhadinsultedwouldpursuetheAvarstotheextremityoftheearth。Thesespeciousreasonswereheardbythechaganwithcoldnessanddisdain:hedetainedtheLombardambassadorsinhiscamp,protractedthenegotiation,andbyturnsallegedhiswantofinclination,orhiswantofability,toundertakethisimportantenterprise。Atlengthhesignifiedtheultimatepriceofhisalliance,thattheLombardsshouldimmediatelypresenthimwithatitheoftheircattle;thatthespoilsandcaptivesshouldbeequallydivided;butthatthelandsoftheGepidaeshouldbecomethesolepatrimonyoftheAvars。
SuchhardconditionswereeagerlyacceptedbythepassionsofAlboin;and,astheRomansweredissatisfiedwiththeingratitudeandperfidyoftheGepidae,Justinabandonedthatincorrigiblepeopletotheirfate,andremainedthetranquilspectatorofthisunequalconflict。ThedespairofCunimundwasactiveanddangerous。HewasinformedthattheAvarshadenteredhisconfines;but,onthestrongassurancethat,afterthedefeatoftheLombards,theseforeigninvaderswouldeasilyberepelled,herushedforwardstoencountertheimplacableenemyofhisnameandfamily。ButthecourageoftheGepidaecouldsecurethemnomorethananhonorabledeath。Thebravestofthenationfellinthefieldofbattle;thekingoftheLombardscontemplatedwithdelighttheheadofCunimund;andhisskullwasfashionedintoacuptosatiatethehatredoftheconqueror,or,perhaps,tocomplywiththesavagecustomofhiscountry。^10Afterthisvictory,nofurtherobstaclecouldimpedetheprogressoftheconfederates,andtheyfaithfullyexecutedthetermsoftheiragreement。^11ThefaircountriesofWalachia,Moldavia,Transylvania,andtheotherpartsofHungarybeyondtheDanube,wereoccupied,withoutresistance,byanewcolonyofScythians;
andtheDacianempireofthechaganssubsistedwithsplendorabovetwohundredandthirtyyears。ThenationoftheGepidaewasdissolved;but,inthedistributionofthecaptives,theslavesoftheAvarswerelessfortunatethanthecompanionsoftheLombards,whosegenerosityadoptedavaliantfoe,andwhosefreedomwasincompatiblewithcoolanddeliberatetyranny。OnemoietyofthespoilintroducedintothecampofAlboinmorewealththanaBarbariancouldreadilycompute。ThefairRosamondwaspersuaded,orcompelled,toacknowledgetherightsofhervictoriouslover;andthedaughterofCunimundappearedtoforgivethosecrimeswhichmightbeimputedtoherownirresistiblecharms。
[Footnote10:ItappearsfromStrabo,Pliny,andAmmianusMarcellinus,thatthesamepracticewascommonamongtheScythiantribes,Muratori,ScriptoresRer。Italic。tom。i。p。424。ThescalpsofNorthAmericaarelikewisetrophiesofvalor。TheskullofCunimundwaspreservedabovetwohundredyearsamongtheLombards;andPaulhimselfwasoneofthegueststowhomDukeRatchisexhibitedthiscuponahighfestival,l。ii。c。28。]
[Footnote11:Paul,l。i。c。27。Menander,inExcerptLegat。p。
110,111。]
ThedestructionofamightykingdomestablishedthefameofAlboin。InthedaysofCharlemagne,theBavarians,theSaxons,andtheothertribesoftheTeutoniclanguage,stillrepeatedthesongswhichdescribedtheheroicvirtues,thevalor,liberality,andfortuneofthekingoftheLombards。^12Buthisambitionwasyetunsatisfied;andtheconqueroroftheGepidaeturnedhiseyesfromtheDanubetothericherbanksofthePo,andtheTyber。
Fifteenyearshadnotelapsed,sincehissubjects,theconfederatesofNarses,hadvisitedthepleasantclimateofItaly:themountains,therivers,thehighways,werefamiliartotheirmemory:thereportoftheirsuccess,perhapstheviewoftheirspoils,hadkindledintherisinggenerationtheflameofemulationandenterprise。TheirhopeswereencouragedbythespiritandeloquenceofAlboin:anditisaffirmed,thathespoketotheirsenses,byproducingattheroyalfeast,thefairestandmostexquisitefruitsthatgrewspontaneouslyinthegardenoftheworld。Nosoonerhadheerectedhisstandard,thanthenativestrengthoftheLombardwasmultipliedbytheadventurousyouthofGermanyandScythia。TherobustpeasantryofNoricumandPannoniahadresumedthemannersofBarbarians;andthenamesoftheGepidae,Bulgarians,Sarmatians,andBavarians,maybedistinctlytracedintheprovincesofItaly。^13OftheSaxons,theoldalliesoftheLombards,twentythousandwarriors,withtheirwivesandchildren,acceptedtheinvitationofAlboin。
Theirbraverycontributedtohissuccess;buttheaccessionortheabsenceoftheirnumberswasnotsensiblyfeltinthemagnitudeofhishost。Everymodeofreligionwasfreelypractisedbyitsrespectivevotaries。ThekingoftheLombardshadbeeneducatedintheArianheresy;buttheCatholics,intheirpublicworship,wereallowedtoprayforhisconversion;
whilethemorestubbornBarbarianssacrificedashe—goat,orperhapsacaptive,tothegodsoftheirfathers。^14TheLombards,andtheirconfederates,wereunitedbytheircommonattachmenttoachief,whoexcelledinallthevirtuesandvicesofasavagehero;andthevigilanceofAlboinprovidedanamplemagazineofoffensiveanddefensivearmsfortheuseoftheexpedition。TheportablewealthoftheLombardsattendedthemarch:theirlandstheycheerfullyrelinquishedtotheAvars,onthesolemnpromise,whichwasmadeandacceptedwithoutasmile,thatiftheyfailedintheconquestofItaly,thesevoluntaryexilesshouldbereinstatedintheirformerpossessions。
[Footnote12:UthactenusetiamtamapudBajoariorumgentem,quametSaxmum,sedetaliosejusdemlinguaehomines……ineorumcarminibuscelebretur。Paul,l。i。c。27。HediedA。D。
799,Muratori,inPraefat。tom。i。p。397。TheseGermansongs,someofwhichmightbeasoldasTacitus,deMoribusGerm。c。
2,werecompiledandtranscribedbyCharlemagne。Barbaraetantiquissimacarmina,quibusveterumregumactusetbellacanebanturscripsitmemoriaequemandavit,Eginard,inVit。
Carol。Magn。c。29,p。130,131。Thepoems,whichGoldastcommends,Animadvers。adEginard。p。207,appeartoberecentandcontemptibleromances。]
[Footnote13:TheothernationsarerehearsedbyPaul,l。ii。c。
6,26,MuratoriAntichitaItaliane,tom。i。dissert。i。p。4
hasdiscoveredthevillageoftheBavarians,threemilesfromModena。]
[Footnote14:GregorytheRomanDialog。l。i。iii。c。27,28,apudBaron。AnnalEccles。A。D。579,No。10supposesthattheylikewiseadoredthisshe—goat。Iknowbutofonereligioninwhichthegodandthevictimarethesame。]
Theymighthavefailed,ifNarseshadbeentheantagonistoftheLombards;andtheveteranwarriors,theassociatesofhisGothicvictory,wouldhaveencounteredwithreluctanceanenemywhomtheydreadedandesteemed。ButtheweaknessoftheByzantinecourtwassubservienttotheBarbariancause;anditwasfortheruinofItaly,thattheemperoroncelistenedtothecomplaintsofhissubjects。ThevirtuesofNarseswerestainedwithavarice;and,inhisprovincialreignoffifteenyears,heaccumulatedatreasureofgoldandsilverwhichsurpassedthemodestyofaprivatefortune。Hisgovernmentwasoppressiveorunpopular,andthegeneraldiscontentwasexpressedwithfreedombythedeputiesofRome。BeforethethroneofJustiniantheyboldlydeclared,thattheirGothicservitudehadbeenmoretolerablethanthedespotismofaGreekeunuch;andthat,unlesstheirtyrantwereinstantlyremoved,theywouldconsulttheirownhappinessinthechoiceofamaster。Theapprehensionofarevoltwasurgedbythevoiceofenvyanddetraction,whichhadsorecentlytriumphedoverthemeritofBelisarius。Anewexarch,Longinus,wasappointedtosupersedetheconquerorofItaly,andthebasemotivesofhisrecallwererevealedintheinsultingmandateoftheempressSophia,"thatheshouldleavetomentheexerciseofarms,andreturntohisproperstationamongthemaidensofthepalace,whereadistaffshouldbeagainplacedinthehandoftheeunuch。""Iwillspinhersuchathreadassheshallnoteasilyunravel!"issaidtohavebeenthereplywhichindignationandconsciousvirtueextortedfromthehero。Insteadofattending,aslaveandavictim,atthegateoftheByzantinepalace,heretiredtoNaples,fromwhenceifanycreditisduetothebeliefofthetimesNarsesinvitedtheLombardstochastisetheingratitudeoftheprinceandpeople。^15Butthepassionsofthepeoplearefuriousandchangeable,andtheRomanssoonrecollectedthemerits,ordreadedtheresentment,oftheirvictoriousgeneral。Bythemediationofthepope,whoundertookaspecialpilgrimagetoNaples,theirrepentancewasaccepted;
andNarses,assumingamilderaspectandamoredutifullanguage,consentedtofixhisresidenceintheCapitol。Hisdeath,^16
thoughintheextremeperiodofoldage,wasunseasonableandpremature,sincehisgeniusalonecouldhaverepairedthelastandfatalerrorofhislife。Thereality,orthesuspicion,ofaconspiracydisarmedanddisunitedtheItalians。Thesoldiersresentedthedisgrace,andbewailedtheloss,oftheirgeneral。
Theywereignorantoftheirnewexarch;andLonginuswashimselfignorantofthestateofthearmyandtheprovince。IntheprecedingyearsItalyhadbeendesolatedbypestilenceandfamine,andadisaffectedpeopleascribedthecalamitiesofnaturetotheguiltorfollyoftheirrulers。^17
[Footnote15:ThechargeofthedeaconagainstNarsesl。ii。c。
5maybegroundless;buttheweakapologyoftheCardinalBaron。AnnalEccles。A。D。567,No。8—12isrejectedbythebestcritics—Pagitom。ii。p。639,640,Muratori,Annalid'
Italia,tom。v。p。160—163,andthelasteditors,HoratiusBlancus,Script。RerumItalic。tom。i。p。427,428,andPhilipArgelatus,Sigon。Opera,tom。ii。p。11,12。TheNarseswhoassistedatthecoronationofJustinCorippus,l。iii。221isclearlyunderstoodtobeadifferentperson。]
[Footnote16:ThedeathofNarsesismentionedbyPaul,l。ii。c。
11。Anastas。inVit。Johan。iii。p。43。Agnellus,LiberPontifical。Raven。inScript。Rer。Italicarum,tom。ii。parti。
p。114,124。YetIcannotbelievewithAgnellusthatNarseswasninety—fiveyearsofage。Isitprobablethatallhisexploitswereperformedatfourscore?]
[Footnote17:ThedesignsofNarsesandoftheLombardsfortheinvasionofItalyareexposedinthelastchapterofthefirstbook,andthesevenlastchaptersofthesecondbook,ofPaulthedeacon。]
Whatevermightbethegroundsofhissecurity,AlboinneitherexpectednorencounteredaRomanarmyinthefield。HeascendedtheJulianAlps,andlookeddownwithcontemptanddesireonthefruitfulplainstowhichhisvictorycommunicatedtheperpetualappellationofLombardy。Afaithfulchieftain,andaselectband,werestationedatForumJulii,themodernFriuli,toguardthepassesofthemountains。TheLombardsrespectedthestrengthofPavia,andlistenedtotheprayersoftheTrevisans:
theirslowandheavymultitudesproceededtooccupythepalaceandcityofVerona;andMilan,nowrisingfromherashes,wasinvestedbythepowersofAlboinfivemonthsafterhisdeparturefromPannonia。Terrorprecededhismarch:hefoundeverywhere,orheleft,adrearysolitude;andthepusillanimousItalianspresumed,withoutatrial,thatthestrangerwasinvincible。
Escapingtolakes,orrocks,ormorasses,theaffrightedcrowdsconcealedsomefragmentsoftheirwealth,anddelayedthemomentoftheirservitude。Paulinus,thepatriarchofAquileia,removedhistreasures,sacredandprofane,totheIsleofGrado,^18andhissuccessorswereadoptedbytheinfantrepublicofVenice,whichwascontinuallyenrichedbythepubliccalamities。
Honoratus,whofilledthechairofSt。Ambrose,hadcredulouslyacceptedthefaithlessoffersofacapitulation;andthearchbishop,withtheclergyandnoblesofMilan,weredrivenbytheperfidyofAlbointoseekarefugeinthelessaccessiblerampartsofGenoa。Alongthemaritimecoast,thecourageoftheinhabitantswassupportedbythefacilityofsupply,thehopesofrelief,andthepowerofescape;butfromtheTrentinehillstothegatesofRavennaandRometheinlandregionsofItalybecame,withoutabattleorasiege,thelastingpatrimonyoftheLombards。ThesubmissionofthepeopleinvitedtheBarbariantoassumethecharacterofalawfulsovereign,andthehelplessexarchwasconfinedtotheofficeofannouncingtotheemperorJustintherapidandirretrievablelossofhisprovincesandcities。^19Onecity,whichhadbeendiligentlyfortifiedbytheGoths,resistedthearmsofanewinvader;andwhileItalywassubduedbytheflyingdetachmentsoftheLombards,theroyalcampwasfixedabovethreeyearsbeforethewesterngateofTicinum,orPavia。Thesamecouragewhichobtainstheesteemofacivilizedenemyprovokesthefuryofasavage,andtheimpatientbesiegerhadboundhimselfbyatremendousoath,thatage,andsex,anddignity,shouldbeconfoundedinageneralmassacre。
Theaidoffamineatlengthenabledhimtoexecutehisbloodyvow;but,asAlboinenteredthegate,hishorsestumbled,fell,andcouldnotberaisedfromtheground。Oneofhisattendantswaspromptedbycompassion,orpiety,tointerpretthismiraculoussignofthewrathofHeaven:theconquerorpausedandrelented;hesheathedhissword,andpeacefullyreposinghimselfinthepalaceofTheodoric,proclaimedtothetremblingmultitudethattheyshouldliveandobey。Delightedwiththesituationofacitywhichwasendearedtohispridebythedifficultyofthepurchase,theprinceoftheLombardsdisdainedtheancientgloriesofMilan;andPavia,duringsomeages,wasrespectedasthecapitalofthekingdomofItaly。^20
[Footnote18:WhichfromthistranslationwascalledNewAquileia,Chron。Venet。p。3。ThepatriarchofGradosoonbecamethefirstcitizenoftherepublic,p。9,&c。,buthisseatwasnotremovedtoVenicetilltheyear1450。Heisnowdecoratedwithtitlesandhonors;butthegeniusofthechurchhasbowedtothatofthestate,andthegovernmentofaCatholiccityisstrictlyPresbyterian。Thomassin,Disciplinedel'Eglise,tom。i。p。156,157,161—165。AmelotdelaHoussaye,GouvernementdeVenise,tom。i。p。256—261。]
[Footnote19:PaulhasgivenadescriptionofItaly,asitwasthendividedintoeighteenregions,l。ii。c。14—24。TheDissertatioChorographicadeItaliaMediiAevi,byFatherBeretti,aBenedictinemonk,andregiusprofessoratPavia,hasbeenusefullyconsulted。]
[Footnote20:FortheconquestofItaly,seetheoriginalmaterialsofPaul,l。p。7—10,12,14,25,26,27,theeloquentnarrativeofSigonius,tom。il。deRegnoItaliae,l。i。
p。13—19,andthecorrectandcriticalreviewelMuratori,Annalid'Italia,tom。v。p。164—180。]
Thereignofthefounderwassplendidandtransient;and,beforehecouldregulatehisnewconquests,Alboinfellasacrificetodomestictreasonandfemalerevenge。InapalacenearVerona,whichhadnotbeenerectedfortheBarbarians,hefeastedthecompanionsofhisarms;intoxicationwastherewardofvalor,andthekinghimselfwastemptedbyappetite,orvanity,toexceedtheordinarymeasureofhisintemperance。