Somewerebathingtheirhugelimbsintheriver；otherswerecombingtheirlongandflaxenhair；othersagainwereswallowinglargedraughtsofrichanddeliciouswine。OnasuddentheyheardthesoundoftheRomantrumpet；theysawtheenemyintheircamp。Astonishmentproduceddisorder；disorderwasfollowedbyflightanddismay；andtheconfusedmultitudeofthebravestwarriorswaspiercedbytheswordsandjavelinsofthelegionariesandauxiliaries。Thefugitivesescapedtothethird，andmostconsiderable，camp，intheCatalonianplains，nearChalonsinChampagne:thestragglingdetachmentswerehastilyrecalledtotheirstandard；andtheBarbarianchiefs，alarmedandadmonishedbythefateoftheircompanions，preparedtoencounter，inadecisivebattle，thevictoriousforcesofthelieutenantofValentinian。Thebloodyandobstinateconflictlastedawholesummer\'sday，withequalvalor，andwithalternatesuccess。TheRomansatlengthprevailed，withthelossofabouttwelvehundredmen。SixthousandoftheAlemanniwereslain，fourthousandwerewounded；andthebraveJovinus，afterchasingtheflyingremnantoftheirhostasfarasthebanksoftheRhine，returnedtoParis，toreceivetheapplauseofhissovereign，andtheensignsoftheconsulshipfortheensuingyear。^91ThetriumphoftheRomanswasindeedsulliedbytheirtreatmentofthecaptiveking，whomtheyhungonagibbet，withouttheknowledgeoftheirindignantgeneral。Thisdisgracefulactofcruelty，whichmightbeimputedtothefuryofthetroops，wasfollowedbythedeliberatemurderofWithicab，thesonofVadomair；aGermanprince，ofaweakandsicklyconstitution，butofadaringandformidablespirit。ThedomesticassassinwasinstigatedandprotectedbytheRomans；^92
andtheviolationofthelawsofhumanityandjusticebetrayedtheirsecretapprehensionoftheweaknessofthedecliningempire。Theuseofthedaggerisseldomadoptedinpubliccouncils，aslongastheyretainanyconfidenceinthepowerofthesword。
[Footnote88:Ammian，xxvi。5。Valesiusaddsalongandgoodnoteonthemasteroftheoffices。]
[Footnote89:Ammian。xxvii。1。Zosimus，l。iv。p。208。ThedisgraceoftheBataviansissuppressedbythecontemporarysoldier，fromaregardformilitaryhonor，whichcouldnotaffectaGreekrhetoricianofthesucceedingage。]
[Footnote90:SeeD\'Anville，Noticedel\'AncienneGaule，p。587。
ThenameoftheMoselle，whichisnotspecifiedbyAmmianus，isclearlyunderstoodbyMascou，Hist。oftheAncientGermans，vii。
2]
[Footnote*:CharpeigneontheMoselle。Mannert—M。]
[Footnote91:ThebattlesaredescribedbyAmmianus，xxvii。2，
andbyZosimus，l。iv。p。209，whosupposesValentiniantohavebeenpresent。]
[Footnote92:Studiosolicitantenostrorum，occubuit。Ammianxxvii。10。]
WhiletheAlemanniappearedtobehumbledbytheirrecentcalamities，theprideofValentinianwasmortifiedbytheunexpectedsurprisalofMoguntiacum，orMentz，theprincipalcityoftheUpperGermany。IntheunsuspiciousmomentofaChristianfestival，Rando，aboldandartfulchieftain，whohadlongmeditatedhisattempt，suddenlypassedtheRhine；enteredthedefencelesstown，andretiredwithamultitudeofcaptivesofeithersex。Valentinianresolvedtoexecuteseverevengeanceonthewholebodyofthenation。CountSebastian，withthebandsofItalyandIllyricum，wasorderedtoinvadetheircountry，mostprobablyonthesideofRhaetia。Theemperorinperson，accompaniedbyhissonGratian，passedtheRhineattheheadofaformidablearmy，whichwassupportedonbothflanksbyJovinusandSeverus，thetwomasters—generalofthecavalryandinfantryoftheWest。TheAlemanni，unabletopreventthedevastationoftheirvillages，fixedtheircamponalofty，andalmostinaccessible，mountain，inthemodernduchyofWirtemberg，andresolutelyexpectedtheapproachoftheRomans。ThelifeofValentinianwasexposedtoimminentdangerbytheintrepidcuriositywithwhichhepersistedtoexploresomesecretandunguardedpath。AtroopofBarbarianssuddenlyrosefromtheirambuscade:andtheemperor，whovigorouslyspurredhishorsedownasteepandslipperydescent，wasobligedtoleavebehindhimhisarmor—bearer，andhishelmet，magnificentlyenrichedwithgoldandpreciousstones。Atthesignalofthegeneralassault，theRomantroopsencompassedandascendedthemountainofSoliciniumonthreedifferentsides。^!Everystepwhichtheygained，increasedtheirardor，andabatedtheresistanceoftheenemy:
andaftertheirunitedforceshadoccupiedthesummitofthehill，theyimpetuouslyurgedtheBarbariansdownthenortherndescent，whereCountSebastianwaspostedtointercepttheirretreat。Afterthissignalvictory，ValentinianreturnedtohiswinterquartersatTreves；whereheindulgedthepublicjoybytheexhibitionofsplendidandtriumphalgames。^93Butthewisemonarch，insteadofaspiringtotheconquestofGermany，confinedhisattentiontotheimportantandlaboriousdefenceoftheGallicfrontier，againstanenemywhosestrengthwasrenewedbyastreamofdaringvolunteers，whichincessantlyflowedfromthemostdistanttribesoftheNorth。^94ThebanksoftheRhine^!!
fromitssourcetothestraitsoftheocean，werecloselyplantedwithstrongcastlesandconvenienttowers；newworks，andnewarms，wereinventedbytheingenuityofaprincewhowasskilledinthemechanicalarts；andhisnumerousleviesofRomanandBarbarianyouthwereseverelytrainedinalltheexercisesofwar。Theprogressofthework，whichwassometimesopposedbymodestrepresentations，andsometimesbyhostileattempts，securedthetranquillityofGaulduringtheninesubsequentyearsoftheadministrationofValentinian。^95
[Footnote*:ProbablyEaster。Wagner。—M。]
[Footnote!:MannertisunabletofixthepositionofSolicinium。
HaefelininCommAcadElect。Palat。v。14conjecturesSchwetzingen，nearHeidelberg。SeeWagner\'snote。St。Martin，SultzinWirtemberg，nearthesourcesoftheNeckarSt。Martin，iii。339。—M。]
[Footnote93:TheexpeditionofValentinianisrelatedbyAmmianus，xxvii。10；andcelebratedbyAusonius，Mosell。421，&c。，whofoolishlysupposes，thattheRomanswereignorantofthesourcesoftheDanube。]
[Footnote94:Immanisenimnatio，jamindeabincunabulisprimisvarietatecasuumimminuta；itasaepiusadolescit，utfuisselongissaeculisaestimeturintacta。Ammianus，xxviii。5。TheCountdeBuatHist。desPeuplesdel\'Europe，tom。vi。p。370
ascribesthefecundityoftheAlemannitotheireasyadoptionofstrangers。
Note:\"Thisexplanation，\"saysMr。Malthus，\"onlyremovesthedifficultyalittlefartheroff。Itmakestheearthrestuponthetortoise，butdoesnottellusonwhatthetortoiserests。Wemaystillaskwhatnorthernreservoirsuppliedthisincessantstreamofdaringadventurers。Montesquieu\'ssolutionoftheproblemwill，Ithink，hardlybeadmitted，GrandeuretDecadencedesRomains，c。16，p。187。***Thewholedifficulty，however，isatonceremoved，ifweapplytotheGermannations，atthattime，afactwhichissogenerallyknowntohaveoccurredinAmerica，andsupposethat，whennotcheckedbywarsandfamine，theyincreasedataratethatwoulddoubletheirnumbersintwenty—fiveorthirtyyears。Thepropriety，andeventhenecessity，ofapplyingthisrateofincreasetotheinhabitantsofancientGermany，willstrikinglyappearfromthatmostvaluablepictureoftheirmannerswhichhasbeenleftusbyTacitus，Tac。deMor。Germ。16to20。***Withthesemanners，andahabitofenterpriseandemigration，whichwouldnaturallyremoveallfearsaboutprovidingforafamily，itisdifficulttoconceiveasocietywithastrongerprincipleofincreaseinit，andweseeatoncethatprolificsourceofarmiesandcoloniesagainstwhichtheforceoftheRomanempiresolongstruggledwithdifficulty，andunderwhichitultimatelysunk。Itisnotprobablethat，fortwoperiodstogether，orevenforone，thepopulationwithintheconfinesofGermanyeverdoubleditselfintwenty—fiveyears。Theirperpetualwars，therudestateofagriculture，andparticularlytheverystrangecustomadoptedbymostofthetribesofmarkingtheirbarriersbyextensivedeserts，wouldpreventanyverygreatactualincreaseofnumbers。
Atnooneperiodcouldthecountrybecalledwellpeopled，thoughitwasoftenredundantinpopulation。***Insteadofclearingtheirforests，drainingtheirswamps，andrenderingtheirsoilfittosupportanextendedpopulation，theyfounditmorecongenialtotheirmartialhabitsandimpatientdispositionstogoinquestoffood，ofplunder，orofglory，intoothercountries。\"MalthusonPopulation，i。p。128。—G。]
[Footnote!!!:ThecourseoftheNeckarwaslikewisestronglyguarded。ThehyperbolicaleulogyofSymmachusassertsthattheNeckarfirstbecameknowntotheRomansbytheconquestsandfortificationsofValentinian。Nuncprimumvictoriistuisexternusfluviuspublicatur。Gaudeatservitute，captivusinnotuit。Symm。Orat。p。22。—M。]
[Footnote95:Ammian。xxviii。2。Zosimus，l。iv。p。214。TheyoungerVictormentionsthemechanicalgeniusofValentinian，novaarmameditarifingereterraseulimosimulacra。]
Thatprudentemperor，whodiligentlypractisedthewisemaximsofDiocletian，wasstudioustofomentandexcitetheintestinedivisionsofthetribesofGermany。Aboutthemiddleofthefourthcentury，thecountries，perhapsofLusaceandThuringia，oneithersideoftheElbe，wereoccupiedbythevaguedominionoftheBurgundians；awarlikeandnumerouspeople，oftheVandalrace，^96whoseobscurenameinsensiblyswelledintoapowerfulkingdom，andhasfinallysettledonaflourishingprovince。ThemostremarkablecircumstanceintheancientmannersoftheBurgundiansappearstohavebeenthedifferenceoftheircivilandecclesiasticalconstitution。TheappellationofHendinoswasgiventothekingorgeneral，andthetitleofSinistustothehighpriest，ofthenation。Thepersonofthepriestwassacred，andhisdignityperpetual；butthetemporalgovernmentwasheldbyaveryprecarioustenure。Iftheeventsofwaraccusesthecourageorconductoftheking，hewasimmediatelydeposed；andtheinjusticeofhissubjectsmadehimresponsibleforthefertilityoftheearth，andtheregularityoftheseasons，whichseemedtofallmoreproperlywithinthesacerdotaldepartment。^97Thedisputedpossessionofsomesalt—pits^98engagedtheAlemanniandtheBurgundiansinfrequentcontests:thelatterwereeasilytempted，bythesecretsolicitationsandliberaloffersoftheemperor；andtheirfabulousdescentfromtheRomansoldiers，whohadformerlybeenlefttogarrisonthefortressesofDrusus，wasadmittedwithmutualcredulity，asitwasconducivetomutualinterest。^99AnarmyoffourscorethousandBurgundianssoonappearedonthebanksoftheRhine；andimpatientlyrequiredthesupportandsubsidieswhichValentinianhadpromised:buttheywereamusedwithexcusesanddelays，tillatlength，afterafruitlessexpectation，theywerecompelledtoretire。ThearmsandfortificationsoftheGallicfrontiercheckedthefuryoftheirjustresentment；andtheirmassacreofthecaptivesservedtoimbitterthehereditaryfeudoftheBurgundiansandtheAlemanni。Theinconstancyofawiseprincemay，perhaps，beexplainedbysomealterationofcircumstances；andperhapsitwastheoriginaldesignofValentiniantointimidate，ratherthantodestroy；asthebalanceofpowerwouldhavebeenequallyoverturnedbytheextirpationofeitheroftheGermannations。AmongtheprincesoftheAlemanni，Macrianus，who，withaRomanname，hadassumedtheartsofasoldierandastatesman，deservedhishatredandesteem。Theemperorhimself，withalightandunencumberedband，condescendedtopasstheRhine，marchedfiftymilesintothecountry，andwouldinfalliblyhaveseizedtheobjectofhispursuit，ifhisjudiciousmeasureshadnotbeendefeatedbytheimpatienceofthetroops。Macrianuswasafterwardsadmittedtothehonorofapersonalconferencewiththeemperor；andthefavorswhichhereceived，fixedhim，tillthehourofhisdeath，asteadyandsincerefriendoftherepublic。^100
[Footnote*:Accordingtothegeneralopinion，theBurgundiansformedaGothicoVandalictribe，who，fromthebanksoftheLowerVistula，madeincursions，ononesidetowardsTransylvania，ontheothertowardsthecentreofGermany。AllthatremainsoftheBurgundianlanguageisGothic。***Nothingintheircustomsindicatesadifferentorigin。MalteBrun，Geog。tom。i。p。396。
edit。1831。—M。]
[Footnote96:Bellicososetpubisimmensaeviribusaffluentes；etideometuendosfinitimisuniversis。Ammian。xxviii。5。]
[Footnote97:Iamalwaysapttosuspecthistoriansandtravellersofimprovingextraordinaryfactsintogenerallaws。
AmmianusascribesasimilarcustomtoEgypt；andtheChinesehaveimputedittotheTa—tsin，orRomanempire，DeGuignes，Hist。
desHuns，tom。ii。part。79。]
[Footnote98:SalinarumfiniumquecausaAlemannissaepejurgabant。Ammianxxviii。5。PossiblytheydisputedthepossessionoftheSala，ariverwhichproducedsalt，andwhichhadbeentheobjectofancientcontention。Tacit。Annal。xiii。
57，andLipsiusadloc。]
[Footnote99:JamindetemporibuspriscissobolemseesseRomanamBurgundiisciunt:andthevaguetraditiongraduallyassumedamoreregularform，Oros。l。vii。c。32。ItisannihilatedbythedecisiveauthorityofPliny，whocomposedtheHistoryofDrusus，andservedinGermany，Plin。Secund。Epist。iii。5，
withinsixtyyearsafterthedeathofthathero。Germanorumgeneraquinque；Vindili，quorumparsBurgundiones，&c。，Hist。
Natur。iv。28。]
[Footnote100:ThewarsandnegotiationsrelativetotheBurgundiansandAlemanni，aredistinctlyrelatedbyAmmianusMarcellinus，xxviii。5，xxix4，xxx。3。Orosius，l。vii。c。
32，andtheChroniclesofJeromandCassiodorus，fixsomedates，andaddsomecircumstances。]
ThelandwascoveredbythefortificationsofValentinian；
butthesea—coastofGaulandBritainwasexposedtothedepredationsoftheSaxons。Thatcelebratedname，inwhichwehaveadearanddomesticinterest，escapedthenoticeofTacitus；
andinthemapsofPtolemy，itfaintlymarksthenarrowneckoftheCimbricpeninsula，andthreesmallislandstowardsthemouthoftheElbe。^101Thiscontractedterritory，thepresentduchyofSleswig，orperhapsofHolstein，wasincapableofpouringforththeinexhaustibleswarmsofSaxonswhoreignedovertheocean，whofilledtheBritishislandwiththeirlanguage，theirlaws，andtheircolonies；andwhosolongdefendedthelibertyoftheNorthagainstthearmsofCharlemagne。^102Thesolutionofthisdifficultyiseasilyderivedfromthesimilarmanners，andlooseconstitution，ofthetribesofGermany；whichwereblendedwitheachotherbytheslightestaccidentsofwarorfriendship。ThesituationofthenativeSaxonsdisposedthemtoembracethehazardousprofessionsoffishermenandpirates；andthesuccessoftheirfirstadventureswouldnaturallyexcitetheemulationoftheirbravestcountrymen，whowereimpatientofthegloomysolitudeoftheirwoodsandmountains。EverytidemightfloatdowntheElbewholefleetsofcanoes，filledwithhardyandintrepidassociates，whoaspiredtobeholdtheunboundedprospectoftheocean，andtotastethewealthandluxuryofunknownworlds。Itshouldseemprobable，however，thatthemostnumerousauxiliariesoftheSaxonswerefurnishedbythenationswhodweltalongtheshoresoftheBaltic。Theypossessedarmsandships，theartofnavigation，andthehabitsofnavalwar；butthedifficultyofissuingthroughthenortherncolumnsofHercules^103which，duringseveralmonthsoftheyear，areobstructedwithiceconfinedtheirskillandcouragewithinthelimitsofaspaciouslake。TherumorofthesuccessfularmamentswhichsailedfromthemouthoftheElbe，wouldsoonprovokethemtocrossthenarrowisthmusofSleswig，andtolaunchtheirvesselsonthegreatsea。Thevarioustroopsofpiratesandadventurers，whofoughtunderthesamestandard，wereinsensiblyunitedinapermanentsociety，atfirstofrapine，andafterwardsofgovernment。Amilitaryconfederationwasgraduallymouldedintoanationalbody，bythegentleoperationofmarriageandconsanguinity；andtheadjacenttribes，whosolicitedthealliance，acceptedthenameandlaws，oftheSaxons。Ifthefactwerenotestablishedbythemostunquestionableevidence，weshouldappeartoabusethecredulityofourreaders，bythedescriptionofthevesselsinwhichtheSaxonpiratesventuredtosportinthewavesoftheGermanOcean，theBritishChannel，andtheBayofBiscay。Thekeeloftheirlargeflat—bottomedboatswereframedoflighttimber，butthesidesandupperworksconsistedonlyofwicker，withacoveringofstronghides。^104
Inthecourseoftheirslowanddistantnavigations，theymustalwayshavebeenexposedtothedanger，andveryfrequentlytothemisfortune，ofshipwreck；andthenavalannalsoftheSaxonswereundoubtedlyfilledwiththeaccountsofthelosseswhichtheysustainedonthecoastsofBritainandGaul。Butthedaringspiritofthepiratesbravedtheperilsbothoftheseaandoftheshore:theirskillwasconfirmedbythehabitsofenterprise；
themeanestoftheirmarinerswasalikecapableofhandlinganoar，ofrearingasail，orofconductingavessel，andtheSaxonsrejoicedintheappearanceofatempest，whichconcealedtheirdesign，anddispersedthefleetsoftheenemy。^105AftertheyhadacquiredanaccurateknowledgeofthemaritimeprovincesoftheWest，theyextendedthesceneoftheirdepredations，andthemostsequesteredplaceshadnoreasontopresumeontheirsecurity。TheSaxonboatsdrewsolittlewaterthattheycouldeasilyproceedfourscoreorahundredmilesupthegreatrivers；