[Footnote52:TheKhan—Moutom。iii。p。447ascribestotheirconquestsaspaceof14，000lis。Accordingtothepresentstandard，200lisormoreaccurately193areequaltoonedegreeoflatitude；andoneEnglishmileconsequentlyexceedsthreemilesofChina。Buttherearestrongreasonstobelievethattheancientliscarcelyequalledonehalfofthemodern。
SeetheelaborateresearchesofM。D\'Anville，ageographerwhoisnotastrangerinanyageorclimateoftheglobe。Memoiresdel\'Acad。tom。ii。p。125—502。Itineraires，p。154—167。]
[Footnote53:SeeHistoiredesHuns，tom。ii。p。125—144。Thesubsequenthistoryp。145—277ofthreeorfourHunnicdynastiesevidentlyprovesthattheirmartialspiritwasnotimpairedbyalongresidenceinChina。]
[Footnote*:CompareM。Klaproth\'scuriousspeculationsontheAlani。Hesupposesthemtohavebeenthepeople，knownbytheChinese，atthetimeoftheirfirstexpeditionstotheWest，underthenameofYath—saiorA—lanna，theAlananofPersiantradition，aspreservedinFerdusi；thesame，accordingtoAmmianus，withtheMassagetae，andwiththeAlbani。TheremainsofthenationstillexistintheOssetaeofMountCaucasus。
Klaproth，TableauxHistoriquesdel\'Asie，p。174。—M。CompareShafarikSlawischealterthumer，i。p。350。—M。1845。]
[Footnote54:Utquehominibusquietisetplacidisotiumestvoluptabile，itaillospericulajuventetbella。Judicaturibibeatusquiinproelioprofuderitanimam:senescentesetiametfortuitismortibusmundodigressos，utdegeneresetignavos，conviciisatrocibusinsectantur。[Ammian。xxxi。11。]Wemustthinkhighlyoftheconquerorsofsuchmen。]
[Footnote55:OnthesubjectoftheAlani，seeAmmianus，xxxi。
2，Jornandes，deRebusGeticis，c。24，M。deGuignes，Hist。
desHuns，tom。ii。p。279，andtheGenealogicalHistoryoftheTartars，tom。ii。p。617。]
ThegreatHermanric，whosedominionsextendedfromtheBaltictotheEuxine，enjoyed，inthefullmaturityofageandreputation，thefruitofhisvictories，whenhewasalarmedbytheformidableapproachofahostofunknownenemies，^56onwhomhisbarbaroussubjectsmight，withoutinjustice，bestowtheepithetofBarbarians。Thenumbers，thestrength，therapidmotions，andtheimplacablecrueltyoftheHuns，werefelt，anddreaded，andmagnified，bytheastonishedGoths；whobeheldtheirfieldsandvillagesconsumedwithflames，anddelugedwithindiscriminateslaughter。Totheserealterrorstheyaddedthesurpriseandabhorrencewhichwereexcitedbytheshrillvoice，theuncouthgestures，andthestrangedeformityoftheHuns。
ThesesavagesofScythiawerecomparedandthepicturehadsomeresemblancetotheanimalswhowalkveryawkwardlyontwolegsandtothemisshapenfigures，theTermini，whichwereoftenplacedonthebridgesofantiquity。Theyweredistinguishedfromtherestofthehumanspeciesbytheirbroadshoulders，flatnoses，andsmallblackeyes，deeplyburiedinthehead；andastheywerealmostdestituteofbeards，theyneverenjoyedeitherthemanlygraceofyouth，orthevenerableaspectofage。^57A
fabulousoriginwasassigned，worthyoftheirformandmanners；
thatthewitchesofScythia，who，fortheirfoulanddeadlypractices，hadbeendrivenfromsociety，hadcopulatedinthedesertwithinfernalspirits；andthattheHunsweretheoffspringofthisexecrableconjunction。^58Thetale，sofullofhorrorandabsurdity，wasgreedilyembracedbythecreduloushatredoftheGoths；but，whileitgratifiedtheirhatred，itincreasedtheirfear，sincetheposterityofdaemonsandwitchesmightbesupposedtoinheritsomeshareofthepraeternaturalpowers，aswellasofthemalignanttemper，oftheirparents。
Againsttheseenemies，HermanricpreparedtoexerttheunitedforcesoftheGothicstate；buthesoondiscoveredthathisvassaltribes，provokedbyoppression，weremuchmoreinclinedtosecond，thantorepel，theinvasionoftheHuns。OneofthechiefsoftheRoxolani^59hadformerlydesertedthestandardofHermanric，andthecrueltyranthadcondemnedtheinnocentwifeofthetraitortobetornasunderbywildhorses。Thebrothersofthatunfortunatewomanseizedthefavorablemomentofrevenge。
TheagedkingoftheGothslanguishedsometimeafterthedangerouswoundwhichhereceivedfromtheirdaggers；buttheconductofthewarwasretardedbyhisinfirmities；andthepubliccouncilsofthenationweredistractedbyaspiritofjealousyanddiscord。Hisdeath，whichhasbeenimputedtohisowndespair，leftthereinsofgovernmentinthehandsofWithimer，who，withthedoubtfulaidofsomeScythianmercenaries，maintainedtheunequalcontestagainstthearmsoftheHunsandtheAlani，tillhewasdefeatedandslaininadecisivebattle。TheOstrogothssubmittedtotheirfate；andtheroyalraceoftheAmaliwillhereafterbefoundamongthesubjectsofthehaughtyAttila。ButthepersonofWitheric，theinfantking，wassavedbythediligenceofAlatheusandSaphrax；
twowarriorsofapprovedvalorandfiedlity，who，bycautiousmarches，conductedtheindependentremainsofthenationoftheOstrogothstowardstheDanastus，orNiester；aconsiderableriver，whichnowseparatestheTurkishdominionsfromtheempireofRussia。OnthebanksoftheNiester，theprudentAthanaric，moreattentivetohisownthantothegeneralsafety，hadfixedthecampoftheVisigoths；withthefirmresolutionofopposingthevictoriousBarbarians，whomhethoughtitlessadvisabletoprovoke。TheordinaryspeedoftheHunswascheckedbytheweightofbaggage，andtheencumbranceofcaptives；buttheirmilitaryskilldeceived，andalmostdestroyed，thearmyofAthanaric。WhiletheJudgeoftheVisigothsdefendedthebanksoftheNiester，hewasencompassedandattackedbyanumerousdetachmentofcavalry，who，bythelightofthemoon，hadpassedtheriverinafordableplace；anditwasnotwithouttheutmosteffortsofcourageandconduct，thathewasabletoeffecthisretreattowardsthehillycountry。Theundauntedgeneralhadalreadyformedanewandjudiciousplanofdefensivewar；andthestronglines，whichhewaspreparingtoconstructbetweenthemountains，thePruth，andtheDanube，wouldhavesecuredtheextensiveandfertileterritorythatbearsthemodernnameofWalachia，fromthedestructiveinroadsoftheHuns。^60ButthehopesandmeasuresoftheJudgeoftheVisigothswassoondisappointed，bythetremblingimpatienceofhisdismayedcountrymen；whowerepersuadedbytheirfears，thattheinterpositionoftheDanubewastheonlybarrierthatcouldsavethemfromtherapidpursuit，andinvinciblevalor，oftheBarbariansofScythia。UnderthecommandofFritigernandAlavivus，^61thebodyofthenationhastilyadvancedtothebanksofthegreatriver，andimploredtheprotectionoftheRomanemperoroftheEast。Athanarichimself，stillanxioustoavoidtheguiltofperjury，retired，withabandoffaithfulfollowers，intothemountainouscountryofCaucaland；whichappearstohavebeenguarded，andalmostconcealed，bytheimpenetrableforestsofTransylvania。^62
[Footnote56:AswearepossessedoftheauthentichistoryoftheHuns，itwouldbeimpertinenttorepeat，ortorefute，thefableswhichmisrepresenttheiroriginandprogress，theirpassageofthemudorwateroftheMaeotis，inpursuitofanoxorstag，lesIndesqu\'ilsavoientdecouvertes，&c。，Zosimus，l。iv。p。224。
Sozomen，l。vi。c。37。Procopius，Hist。Miscell。c。5。
Jornandes，c。24。GrandeuretDecadence，&c。，desRomains，c。
17。]
[Footnote*:Artaddedtotheirnativeugliness；infact，itisdifficulttoascribethepropershareinthefeaturesofthishideouspicturetonature，tothebarbarousskillwithwhichtheywereself—disfigured，ortotheterrorandhatredoftheRomans。
Theirnoseswereflattenedbytheirnurses，theircheeksweregashedbyanironinstrument，thatthescarsmightlookmorefearful，andpreventthegrowthofthebeard。JornandesandSidoniusApollinaris:—
Obtundittenerascircumdatafascianares，Utgaleiscedant。
Yetheaddsthattheirformswererobustandmanly，theirheightofamiddlesize，but，fromthehabitofriding，disproportioned。
Stantpectoravasta，Insigneshumer，succinctasubilibusalvus。
Formaquidempeditimediaest，procerasedextatSicernasequites，siclongisaepeputanturSisedeant。]
[Footnote57:Prodigiosaeformae，etpandi；utbipedesexistimesbestias；velqualesincommarginandispontibus，effigiatistipitesdolanturincompte。Ammian。xxxi。i。Jornandesc。24
drawsastrongcaricatureofaCalmuckface。Speciespavendanigredine……quaedamdeformisoffa，nonfecies；habensquemagispunctaquamlumina。SeeBuffon。Hist。Naturelle，tom。iii。380。]
[Footnote58:Thisexecrableorigin，whichJornandesc。24
describeswiththerancorofaGoth，mightbeoriginallyderivedfromamorepleasingfableoftheGreeks。Herodot。l。iv。c。9，&c。]
[Footnote59:TheRoxolanimaybethefathersofthetheRussians，D\'Anville，EmpiredeRussie，p。1—10，whoseresidenceA。D。862aboutNovogrodVelikicannotbeveryremotefromthatwhichtheGeographerofRavennai。12，iv。4，46，v。
28，30assignstotheRoxolani，A。D。886。
Note:See，ontheoriginoftheRuss，Schlozer，NordischeGeschichte，p。78—M。]
[Footnote60:ThetextofAmmianusseemstobeimperfectorcorrupt；butthenatureofthegroundexplains，andalmostdefines，theGothicrampart。Memoiresdel\'Academie，&c。，tom。
xxviii。p。444—462。]
[Footnote61:M。deBuatHist。desPeuplesdel\'Europe，tom。vi。
p。407hasconceivedastrangeidea，thatAlavivuswasthesamepersonasUlphilas，theGothicbishop；andthatUlphilas，thegrandsonofaCappadociancaptive，becameatemporalprinceoftheGoths。]
[Footnote62:Ammianusxxxi。3andJornandesdeRebusGeticis，c。24describethesubversionoftheGothicempirebytheHuns。]
[Footnote*:ThemostprobableopinionastothepositionofthislandisthatofM。Malte—Brun。HethinksthatCaucalandistheterritoryoftheCacoenses，placedbyPtolemyl。iii。c。8
towardstheCarpathianMountains，onthesideofthepresentTransylvania，andthereforethecantonofCacava，tothesouthofHermanstadt，thecapitaloftheprincipality。Caucalanditisevident，istheGothicformofthesedifferentnames。St。
Martin，iv103。—M。]
ChapterXXVI:ProgressofTheHuns。
PartIII。
AfterValenshadterminatedtheGothicwarwithsomeappearanceofgloryandsuccess，hemadeaprogressthroughhisdominionsofAsia，andatlengthfixedhisresidenceinthecapitalofSyria。Thefiveyears^63whichhespentatAntiochwasemployedtowatch，fromasecuredistance，thehostiledesignsofthePersianmonarch；tocheckthedepredationsoftheSaracensandIsaurians；^64toenforce，byargumentsmoreprevalentthanthoseofreasonandeloquence，thebeliefoftheAriantheology；andtosatisfyhisanxioussuspicionsbythepromiscuousexecutionoftheinnocentandtheguilty。Buttheattentionoftheemperorwasmostseriouslyengaged，bytheimportantintelligencewhichhereceivedfromthecivilandmilitaryofficerswhowereintrustedwiththedefenceoftheDanube。Hewasinformed，thattheNorthwasagitatedbyafurioustempest；thattheirruptionoftheHuns，anunknownandmonstrousraceofsavages，hadsubvertedthepoweroftheGoths；
andthatthesuppliantmultitudesofthatwarlikenation，whosepridewasnowhumbledinthedust，coveredaspaceofmanymilesalongthebanksoftheriver。Withoutstretchedarms，andpatheticlamentations，theyloudlydeploredtheirpastmisfortunesandtheirpresentdanger；acknowledgedthattheironlyhopeofsafetywasintheclemencyoftheRomangovernment；
andmostsolemnlyprotested，thatifthegraciousliberalityoftheemperorwouldpermitthemtocultivatethewastelandsofThrace，theyshouldeverholdthemselvesbound，bythestrongestobligationsofdutyandgratitude，toobeythelaws，andtoguardthelimits，oftherepublic。TheseassuranceswereconfirmedbytheambassadorsoftheGoths，whoimpatientlyexpectedfromthemouthofValensananswerthatmustfinallydeterminethefateoftheirunhappycountrymen。TheemperoroftheEastwasnolongerguidedbythewisdomandauthorityofhiselderbrother，whosedeathhappenedtowardstheendoftheprecedingyear；andasthedistressfulsituationoftheGothsrequiredaninstantandperemptorydecision，hewasdeprivedofthefavoriteresourcesoffeebleandtimidminds，whoconsidertheuseofdilatoryandambiguousmeasuresasthemostadmirableeffortsofconsummateprudence。Aslongasthesamepassionsandinterestssubsistamongmankind，thequestionsofwarandpeace，ofjusticeandpolicy，whichweredebatedinthecouncilsofantiquity，willfrequentlypresentthemselvesasthesubjectofmoderndeliberation。ButthemostexperiencedstatesmanofEuropehasneverbeensummonedtoconsiderthepropriety，orthedanger，ofadmitting，orrejecting，aninnumerablemultitudeofBarbarians，whoaredrivenbydespairandhungertosolicitasettlementontheterritoriesofacivilizednation。Whenthatimportantproposition，soessentiallyconnectedwiththepublicsafety，wasreferredtotheministersofValens，theywereperplexedanddivided；buttheysoonacquiescedintheflatteringsentimentwhichseemedthemostfavorabletothepride，theindolence，andtheavariceoftheirsovereign。Theslaves，whoweredecoratedwiththetitlesofpraefectsandgenerals，dissembledordisregardedtheterrorsofthisnationalemigration；soextremelydifferentfromthepartialandaccidentalcolonies，whichhadbeenreceivedontheextremelimitsoftheempire。Buttheyapplaudedtheliberalityoffortune，whichhadconducted，fromthemostdistantcountriesoftheglobe，anumerousandinvinciblearmyofstrangers，todefendthethroneofValens；whomightnowaddtotheroyaltreasurestheimmensesumsofgoldsuppliedbytheprovincialstocompensatetheirannualproportionofrecruits。TheprayersoftheGothsweregranted，andtheirservicewasacceptedbytheImperialcourt:andorderswereimmediatelydespatchedtothecivilandmilitarygovernorsoftheThraciandiocese，tomakethenecessarypreparationsforthepassageandsubsistenceofagreatpeople，tillaproperandsufficientterritorycouldbeallottedfortheirfutureresidence。Theliberalityoftheemperorwasaccompanied，however，withtwoharshandrigorousconditions，whichprudencemightjustifyonthesideoftheRomans；butwhichdistressalonecouldextortfromtheindignantGoths。BeforetheypassedtheDanube，theywererequiredtodelivertheirarms:anditwasinsisted，thattheirchildrenshouldbetakenfromthem，anddispersedthroughtheprovincesofAsia；wheretheymightbecivilizedbytheartsofeducation，andserveashostagestosecurethefidelityoftheirparents。
[Footnote63:TheChronologyofAmmianusisobscureandimperfect。TillemonthaslaboredtoclearandsettletheannalsofValens。]
[Footnote64:Zosimus，l。iv。p。223。Sozomen，l。vi。c。38。
TheIsaurians，eachwinter，infestedtheroadsofAsiaMinor，asfarastheneighborhoodofConstantinople。Basil，Epist。cel。
apudTillemont，Hist。desEmpereurs，tom。v。p。106。]
[Footnote*:SozomenandPhilostorgiussaythatthebishopUlphilaswasoneoftheseambassadors。—M。]
Duringthesuspenseofadoubtfulanddistantnegotiation，theimpatientGothsmadesomerashattemptstopasstheDanube，withoutthepermissionofthegovernment，whoseprotectiontheyhadimplored。Theirmotionswerestrictlyobservedbythevigilanceofthetroopswhichwerestationedalongtheriverandtheirforemostdetachmentsweredefeatedwithconsiderableslaughter；yetsuchwerethetimidcouncilsofthereignofValens，thatthebraveofficerswhohadservedtheircountryintheexecutionoftheirduty，werepunishedbythelossoftheiremployments，andnarrowlyescapedthelossoftheirheads。TheImperialmandatewasatlengthreceivedfortransportingovertheDanubethewholebodyoftheGothicnation；^65buttheexecutionofthisorderwasataskoflaboranddifficulty。ThestreamoftheDanube，whichinthosepartsisaboveamilebroad，^66hadbeenswelledbyincessantrains；andinthistumultuouspassage，manyweresweptaway，anddrowned，bytherapidviolenceofthecurrent。Alargefleetofvessels，ofboats，andofcanoes，wasprovided；manydaysandnightstheypassedandrepassedwithindefatigabletoil；andthemoststrenuousdiligencewasexertedbytheofficersofValens，thatnotasingleBarbarian，ofthosewhowerereservedtosubvertthefoundationsofRome，shouldbeleftontheoppositeshore。Itwasthoughtexpedientthatanaccurateaccountshouldbetakenoftheirnumbers；butthepersonswhowereemployedsoondesisted，withamazementanddismay，fromtheprosecutionoftheendlessandimpracticabletask:^67andtheprincipalhistorianoftheagemostseriouslyaffirms，thattheprodigiousarmiesofDariusandXerxes，whichhadsolongbeenconsideredasthefablesofvainandcredulousantiquity，werenowjustified，intheeyesofmankind，bytheevidenceoffactandexperience。AprobabletestimonyhasfixedthenumberoftheGothicwarriorsattwohundredthousandmen:
andifwecanventuretoaddthejustproportionofwomen，ofchildren，andofslaves，thewholemassofpeoplewhichcomposedthisformidableemigration，musthaveamountedtonearamillionofpersons，ofbothsexes，andofallages。ThechildrenoftheGoths，thoseatleastofadistinguishedrank，wereseparatedfromthemultitude。Theywereconducted，withoutdelay，tothedistantseatsassignedfortheirresidenceandeducation；andasthenumeroustrainofhostagesorcaptivespassedthroughthecities，theirgayandsplendidapparel，theirrobustandmartialfigure，excitedthesurpriseandenvyoftheProvincials。Butthestipulation，themostoffensivetotheGoths，andthemostimportanttotheRomans，wasshamefullyeluded。TheBarbarians，whoconsideredtheirarmsastheensignsofhonorandthepledgesofsafety，weredisposedtoofferaprice，whichthelustoravariceoftheImperialofficerswaseasilytemptedtoaccept。
Topreservetheirarms，thehaughtywarriorsconsented，withsomereluctance，toprostitutetheirwivesortheirdaughters；thecharmsofabeauteousmaid，oracomelyboy，securedtheconnivanceoftheinspectors；whosometimescastaneyeofcovetousnessonthefringedcarpetsandlinengarmentsoftheirnewallies，^68orwhosacrificedtheirdutytothemeanconsiderationoffillingtheirfarmswithcattle，andtheirhouseswithslaves。TheGoths，witharmsintheirhands，werepermittedtoentertheboats；andwhentheirstrengthwascollectedontheothersideoftheriver，theimmensecampwhichwasspreadovertheplainsandthehillsoftheLowerMaesia，assumedathreateningandevenhostileaspect。TheleadersoftheOstrogoths，AlatheusandSaphrax，theguardiansoftheirinfantking，appearedsoonafterwardsontheNorthernbanksoftheDanube；andimmediatelydespatchedtheirambassadorstothecourtofAntioch，tosolicit，withthesameprofessionsofallegianceandgratitude，thesamefavorwhichhadbeengrantedtothesuppliantVisigoths。TheabsoluterefusalofValenssuspendedtheirprogress，anddiscoveredtherepentance，thesuspicions，andthefears，oftheImperialcouncil。