ThevictoriesofthegreatHermanric，^140kingoftheOstrogoths，andthemostnobleoftheraceoftheAmali，havebeencompared，bytheenthusiasmofhiscountrymen，totheexploitsofAlexander；withthissingular，andalmostincredible，difference，thatthemartialspiritoftheGothichero，insteadofbeingsupportedbythevigorofyouth，wasdisplayedwithgloryandsuccessintheextremeperiodofhumanlife，betweentheageoffourscoreandonehundredandtenyears。Theindependenttribeswerepersuaded，orcompelled，toacknowledgethekingoftheOstrogothsasthesovereignoftheGothicnation:
thechiefsoftheVisigoths，orThervingi，renouncedtheroyaltitle，andassumedthemorehumbleappellationofJudges；and，amongthosejudges，Athanaric，Fritigern，andAlavivus，werethemostillustrious，bytheirpersonalmerit，aswellasbytheirvicinitytotheRomanprovinces。Thesedomesticconquests，whichincreasedthemilitarypowerofHermanric，enlargedhisambitiousdesigns。HeinvadedtheadjacentcountriesoftheNorth；andtwelveconsiderablenations，whosenamesandlimitscannotbeaccuratelydefined，successivelyyieldedtothesuperiorityoftheGothicarms^141TheHeruli，whoinhabitedthemarshylandsnearthelakeMaeotis，wererenownedfortheirstrengthandagility；andtheassistanceoftheirlightinfantrywaseagerlysolicited，andhighlyesteemed，inallthewarsoftheBarbarians。ButtheactivespiritoftheHeruliwassubduedbytheslowandsteadyperseveranceoftheGoths；and，afterabloodyaction，inwhichthekingwasslain，theremainsofthatwarliketribebecameausefulaccessiontothecampofHermanric。
HethenmarchedagainsttheVenedi；unskilledintheuseofarms，andformidableonlybytheirnumbers，whichfilledthewideextentoftheplainsofmodernPoland。ThevictoriousGoths，whowerenotinferiorinnumbers，prevailedinthecontest，bythedecisiveadvantagesofexerciseanddiscipline。AfterthesubmissionoftheVenedi，theconqueroradvanced，withoutresistance，asfarastheconfinesoftheAestii；^142anancientpeople，whosenameisstillpreservedintheprovinceofEsthonia。ThosedistantinhabitantsoftheBalticcoastweresupportedbythelaborsofagriculture，enrichedbythetradeofamber，andconsecratedbythepeculiarworshipoftheMotheroftheGods。ButthescarcityofironobligedtheAestianwarriorstocontentthemselveswithwoodenclubs；andthereductionofthatwealthycountryisascribedtotheprudence，ratherthantothearms，ofHermanric。Hisdominions，whichextendedfromtheDanubetotheBaltic，includedthenativeseats，andtherecentacquisitions，oftheGoths；andhereignedoverthegreatestpartofGermanyandScythiawiththeauthorityofaconqueror，andsometimeswiththecrueltyofatyrant。Buthereignedoverapartoftheglobeincapableofperpetuatingandadorningthegloryofitsheroes。ThenameofHermanricisalmostburiedinoblivion；hisexploitsareimperfectlyknown；andtheRomansthemselvesappearedunconsciousoftheprogressofanaspiringpowerwhichthreatenedthelibertyoftheNorth，andthepeaceoftheempire。^143
[Footnote140:TheconciseaccountofthereignandconquestsofHermanricseemstobeoneofthevaluablefragmentswhichJornandesc28borrowedfromtheGothichistoriesofAblavius，orCassiodorus。]
[Footnote141:M。d。Buat。Hist。desPeuplesdel\'Europe，tom。
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