Theodoric，kingoftheOstrogoths，whoreignedinItaly，hadlaboredtomaintainthetranquillityofGaul；andheassumed，oraffected，forthatpurpose，theimpartialcharacterofamediator。ButthesagaciousmonarchdreadedtherisingempireofClovis，andhewasfirmlyengagedtosupportthenationalandreligiouscauseoftheGoths。
[Footnote46:GregoryofToursl。ii。c。37，intom。ii。p。181
insertstheshortbutpersuasivespeechofClovis。Valdemolestefero，quodhiArianipartemteneantGalliarum，theauthoroftheGestaFrancorum，intom。ii。p。553，addsthepreciousepithetofoptimam，camuscumDeiadjutorio，et，superatiseis，redigamusterraminditionemnostram。]
[Footnote47:TuncrexprojecitaseindirectumBipennemsuamquodestFrancisca，&c。GestaFranc。intom。ii。p。554。TheformanduseofthisweaponareclearlydescribedbyProcopius，intom。ii。p。37。ExamplesofitsnationalappellationinLatinandFrenchmaybefoundintheGlossaryofDucange，andthelargeDictionnairedeTrevoux。]
[Footnote48:ItissingularenoughthatsomeimportantandauthenticfactsshouldbefoundinaLifeofQuintianus，composedinrhymeintheoldPatoisofRouergue，Dubos，Hist。Critique，&c。，tom。ii。p。179。]
[Footnote49:Quamvisfortitudinivestraeconfidentiamtribuatparentumvestroruminnumerabilismultitudo；quamvisAttilampotentemreminiscaminiVisigotharumviribusinclinatum；tamenquiapopulorumferociacordalongapacemollescunt，cavetesubitoinaleanaleammittere，quosconstattantistemporibusexercitianonhabere。Suchwasthesalutary，butfruitless，adviceofpeaceofreason，andofTheodoric，Cassiodor。l。iii。ep。2。]
[Footnote50:MontesquieuEspritdesLoix，l。xv。c。14
mentionsandapprovesthelawoftheVisigoths，l。ix。tit。2，intom。iv。p。425，whichobligedallmasterstoarm，andsend，orlead，intothefieldatenthoftheirslaves。]
Theaccidental，orartificial，prodigieswhichadornedtheexpeditionofClovis，wereacceptedbyasuperstitiousage，asthemanifestdeclarationofthedivinefavor。HemarchedfromParis；andasheproceededwithdecentreverencethroughtheholydioceseofTours，hisanxietytemptedhimtoconsulttheshrineofSt。Martin，thesanctuaryandtheoracleofGaul。HismessengerswereinstructedtoremarkthewordsofthePsalmwhichshouldhappentobechantedattheprecisemomentwhentheyenteredthechurch。ThosewordsmostfortunatelyexpressedthevalorandvictoryofthechampionsofHeaven，andtheapplicationwaseasilytransferredtothenewJoshua，thenewGideon，whowentforthtobattleagainsttheenemiesoftheLord。^51OrleanssecuredtotheFranksabridgeontheLoire；but，atthedistanceoffortymilesfromPoitiers，theirprogresswasinterceptedbyanextraordinaryswelloftheRiverVigennaorVienne；andtheoppositebankswerecoveredbytheencampmentoftheVisigoths。
DelaymustbealwaysdangeroustoBarbarians，whoconsumethecountrythroughwhichtheymarch；andhadClovispossessedleisureandmaterials，itmighthavebeenimpracticabletoconstructabridge，ortoforceapassage，inthefaceofasuperiorenemy。Buttheaffectionatepeasantswhowereimpatienttowelcometheirdeliverer，couldeasilybetraysomeunknownorunguardedford:themeritofthediscoverywasenhancedbytheusefulinterpositionoffraudorfiction；andawhitehart，ofsingularsizeandbeauty，appearedtoguideandanimatethemarchoftheCatholicarmy。ThecounselsoftheVisigothswereirresoluteanddistracted。Acrowdofimpatientwarriors，presumptuousintheirstrength，anddisdainingtoflybeforetherobbersofGermany，excitedAlarictoassertinarmsthenameandbloodoftheconquerorsofRome。TheadviceofthegraverchieftainspressedhimtoeludethefirstardoroftheFranks；
andtoexpect，inthesouthernprovincesofGaul，theveteranandvictoriousOstrogoths，whomthekingofItalyhadalreadysenttohisassistance。ThedecisivemomentswerewastedinidledeliberationtheGothstoohastilyabandoned，perhaps，anadvantageouspost；andtheopportunityofasecureretreatwaslostbytheirslowanddisorderlymotions。AfterClovishadpassedtheford，asitisstillnamed，oftheHart，headvancedwithboldandhastystepstopreventtheescapeoftheenemy。
Hisnocturnalmarchwasdirectedbyaflamingmeteor，suspendedintheairabovethecathedralofPoitiers；andthissignal，whichmightbepreviouslyconcertedwiththeorthodoxsuccessorofSt。Hilary，wascomparedtothecolumnoffirethatguidedtheIsraelitesinthedesert。Atthethirdhouroftheday，abouttenmilesbeyondPoitiers，Clovisovertook，andinstantlyattacked，theGothicarmy；whosedefeatwasalreadypreparedbyterrorandconfusion。Yettheyralliedintheirextremedistress，andthemartialyouths，whohadclamorouslydemandedthebattle，refusedtosurvivetheignominyofflight。Thetwokingsencounteredeachotherinsinglecombat。Alaricfellbythehandofhisrival；andthevictoriousFrankwassavedbythegoodnessofhiscuirass，andthevigorofhishorse，fromthespearsoftwodesperateGoths，whofuriouslyrodeagainsthimtorevengethedeathoftheirsovereign。Thevagueexpressionofamountainoftheslain，servestoindicateacruelthoughindefiniteslaughter；butGregoryhascarefullyobserved，thathisvaliantcountrymanApollinaris，thesonofSidonius，losthislifeattheheadofthenoblesofAuvergne。PerhapsthesesuspectedCatholicshadbeenmaliciouslyexposedtotheblindassaultoftheenemy；andperhapstheinfluenceofreligionwassupersededbypersonalattachmentormilitaryhonor。^52
[Footnote51:Thismodeofdivination，byacceptingasanomenthefirstsacredwords，whichinparticularcircumstancesshouldbepresentedtotheeyeorear，wasderivedfromthePagans；andthePsalter，orBible，wassubstitutedtothepoemsofHomerandVirgil。Fromthefourthtothefourteenthcentury，thesesortessanctorum，astheyarestyled，wererepeatedlycondemnedbythedecreesofcouncils，andrepeatedlypractisedbykings，bishops，andsaints。SeeacuriousdissertationoftheAbbeduResnel，intheMemoiresdel\'Academie，tom。xix。p。287—310]
[Footnote52:Aftercorrectingthetext，orexcusingthemistake，ofProcopius，whoplacesthedefeatofAlaricnearCarcassone，wemayconclude，fromtheevidenceofGregory，Fortunatus，andtheauthoroftheGestaFrancorum，thatthebattlewasfoughtincampoVocladensi，onthebanksoftheClain，abouttenmilestothesouthofPoitiers。ClovisovertookandattackedtheVisigothsnearVivonne，andthevictorywasdecidednearavillagestillnamedChampagneSt。Hilaire。SeetheDissertationsoftheAbbeleBoeuf，tom。i。p。304—331。]
SuchistheempireofFortune，ifwemaystilldisguiseourignoranceunderthatpopularname，thatitisalmostequallydifficulttoforeseetheeventsofwar，ortoexplaintheirvariousconsequences。Abloodyandcompletevictoryhassometimesyieldednomorethanthepossessionofthefieldandthelossoftenthousandmenhassometimesbeensufficienttodestroy，inasingleday，theworkofages。ThedecisivebattleofPoitierswasfollowedbytheconquestofAquitain。Alarichadleftbehindhimaninfantson，abastardcompetitor，factiousnobles，andadisloyalpeople；andtheremainingforcesoftheGothswereoppressedbythegeneralconsternation，oropposedtoeachotherincivildiscord。ThevictoriouskingoftheFranksproceededwithoutdelaytothesiegeofAngouleme。AtthesoundofhistrumpetsthewallsofthecityimitatedtheexampleofJericho，andinstantlyfelltotheground；asplendidmiracle，whichmaybereducedtothesupposition，thatsomeclericalengineershadsecretlyunderminedthefoundationsoftherampart。
^53AtBordeaux，whichhadsubmittedwithoutresistance，Clovisestablishedhiswinterquarters；andhisprudenteconomytransportedfromThoulousetheroyaltreasures，whichweredepositedinthecapitalofthemonarchy。TheconquerorpenetratedasfarastheconfinesofSpain；^54restoredthehonorsoftheCatholicchurch；fixedinAquitainacolonyofFranks；^55anddelegatedtohislieutenantstheeasytaskofsubduing，orextirpating，thenationoftheVisigoths。ButtheVisigothswereprotectedbythewiseandpowerfulmonarchofItaly。Whilethebalancewasstillequal，TheodorichadperhapsdelayedthemarchoftheOstrogoths；buttheirstrenuouseffortssuccessfullyresistedtheambitionofClovis；andthearmyoftheFranks，andtheirBurgundianallies，wascompelledtoraisethesiegeofArles，withtheloss，asitissaid，ofthirtythousandmen。ThesevicissitudesinclinedthefiercespiritofClovistoacquiesceinanadvantageoustreatyofpeace。TheVisigothsweresufferedtoretainthepossessionofSeptimania，anarrowtractofsea—coast，fromtheRhonetothePyrenees；buttheampleprovinceofAquitain，fromthosemountainstotheLoire，wasindissolublyunitedtothekingdomofFrance。^56
[Footnote53:AngoulemeisintheroadfromPoitierstoBordeaux；
andalthoughGregorydelaysthesiege，Icanmorereadilybelievethatheconfoundedtheorderofhistory，thanthatClovisneglectedtherulesofwar。]
[Footnote54:PyrenaeosmontesusquePerpinianumsubjecit，istheexpressionofRorico，whichbetrayshisrecentdate；sincePerpignandidnotexistbeforethetenthcentury，MarcaHispanica，p。458。ThisfloridandfabulouswriterperhapsamonkofAmiens—seetheAbbeleBoeuf，Mem。del\'Academie，tom。
xvii。p。228—245relates，intheallegoricalcharacterofashepherd，thegeneralhistoryofhiscountrymentheFranks；buthisnarrativeendswiththedeathofClovis。]
[Footnote55:TheauthoroftheGestaFrancorumpositivelyaffirms，thatClovisfixedabodyofFranksintheSaintongeandBourdelois:andheisnotinjudiciouslyfollowedbyRorico，electosmilites，atquefortissimos，cumparvulis，atquemulieribus。YetitshouldseemthattheysoonmingledwiththeRomansofAquitain，tillCharlemagneintroducedamorenumerousandpowerfulcolony，Dubos，Hist。Critique，tom。ii。p。215。]
[Footnote56:InthecompositionoftheGothicwar，Ihaveusedthefollowingmaterials，withdueregardtotheirunequalvalue。
FourepistlesfromTheodoric，kingofItaly，Cassiodorl。iii。
epist。1—4。intom。ivp。3—5；Procopius，deBell。Goth。l。
i。c12，intom。ii。p。32，33；GregoryofTours，l。ii。c。35，36，37，intom。ii。p。181—183；Jornandes，deReb。Geticis，c。58，intom。ii。p。28；Fortunatas，inVit。St。Hilarii，intom。iii。p。380；Isidore，inChron。Goth。intom。ii。p。702；
theEpitomeofGregoryofTours，intom。ii。p。401；theauthoroftheGestaFrancorum，intom。ii。p。553—555；theFragmentsofFredegarius，intom。ii。p。463；Aimoin，l。i。c。20，intom。iii。p。41，42，andRorico，l。iv。intom。iii。p。14—
19。]
AfterthesuccessoftheGothicwar，ClovisacceptedthehonorsoftheRomanconsulship。TheemperorAnastasiusambitiouslybestowedonthemostpowerfulrivalofTheodoricthetitleandensignsofthateminentdignity；yet，fromsomeunknowncause，thenameofClovishasnotbeeninscribedintheFastieitheroftheEastorWest。^57Onthesolemnday，themonarchofGaul，placingadiademonhishead，wasinvested，inthechurchofSt。Martin，withapurpletunicandmantle。FromthenceheproceededonhorsebacktothecathedralofTours；and，ashepassedthroughthestreets，profuselyscattered，withhisownhand，adonativeofgoldandsilvertothejoyfulmultitude，whoincessantlyrepeatedtheiracclamationsofConsulandAugustus。
TheactualorlegalauthorityofCloviscouldnotreceiveanynewaccessionsfromtheconsulardignity。Itwasaname，ashadow，anemptypageant；andiftheconquerorhadbeeninstructedtoclaimtheancientprerogativesofthathighoffice，theymusthaveexpiredwiththeperiodofitsannualduration。ButtheRomansweredisposedtorevere，inthepersonoftheirmaster，thatantiquetitlewhichtheemperorscondescendedtoassume:theBarbarianhimselfseemedtocontractasacredobligationtorespectthemajestyoftherepublic；andthesuccessorsofTheodosius，bysolicitinghisfriendship，tacitlyforgave，andalmostratified，theusurpationofGaul。
[Footnote57:TheFastiofItalywouldnaturallyrejectaconsul，theenemyoftheirsovereign；butanyingenioushypothesisthatmightexplainthesilenceofConstantinopleandEgypt，theChronicleofMarcellinus，andthePaschal，isoverturnedbythesimilarsilenceofMarius，bishopofAvenche，whocomposedhisFastiinthekingdomofBurgundy。IftheevidenceofGregoryofTourswerelessweightyandpositive，l。ii。c。38，intom。ii。
p。183，IcouldbelievethatClovis，likeOdoacer，receivedthelastingtitleandhonorsofPatrician，PagiCritica，tom。ii。p。
474，492。]
Twenty—fiveyearsafterthedeathofClovisthisimportantconcessionwasmoreformallydeclared，inatreatybetweenhissonsandtheemperorJustinian。TheOstrogothsofItaly，unabletodefendtheirdistantacquisitions，hadresignedtotheFranksthecitiesofArlesandMarseilles；ofArles，stilladornedwiththeseatofaPraetorianpraefect，andofMarseilles，enrichedbytheadvantagesoftradeandnavigation。^58ThistransactionwasconfirmedbytheImperialauthority；andJustinian，generouslyyieldingtotheFranksthesovereigntyofthecountriesbeyondtheAlps，whichtheyalreadypossessed，absolvedtheprovincialsfromtheirallegiance；andestablishedonamorelawful，thoughnotmoresolid，foundation，thethroneoftheMerovingians。^59
FromthateratheyenjoyedtherightofcelebratingatArlesthegamesofthecircus；andbyasingularprivilege，whichwasdeniedeventothePersianmonarch，thegoldcoin，impressedwiththeirnameandimage，obtainedalegalcurrencyintheempire。
^60AGreekhistorianofthatagehaspraisedtheprivateandpublicvirtuesoftheFranks，withapartialenthusiasm，whichcannotbesufficientlyjustifiedbytheirdomesticannals。^61Hecelebratestheirpolitenessandurbanity，theirregulargovernment，andorthodoxreligion；andboldlyasserts，thattheseBarbarianscouldbedistinguishedonlybytheirdressandlanguagefromthesubjectsofRome。PerhapstheFranksalreadydisplayedthesocialdisposition，andlivelygraces，which，ineveryage，havedisguisedtheirvices，andsometimesconcealedtheirintrinsicmerit。PerhapsAgathias，andtheGreeks，weredazzledbytherapidprogressoftheirarms，andthesplendoroftheirempire。SincetheconquestofBurgundy，Gaul，excepttheGothicprovinceofSeptimania，wassubject，initswholeextent，tothesonsofClovis。TheyhadextinguishedtheGermankingdomofThuringia，andtheirvaguedominionpenetratedbeyondtheRhine，intotheheartoftheirnativeforests。TheAlemanni，andBavarians，whohadoccupiedtheRomanprovincesofRhaetiaandNoricum，tothesouthoftheDanube，confessedthemselvesthehumblevassalsoftheFranks；andthefeeblebarrieroftheAlpswasincapableofresistingtheirambition。WhenthelastsurvivorofthesonsofClovisunitedtheinheritanceandconquestsoftheMerovingians，hiskingdomextendedfarbeyondthelimitsofmodernFrance。YetmodernFrance，suchhasbeentheprogressofartsandpolicy，farsurpasses，inwealth，populousness，andpower，thespaciousbutsavagerealmsofClotaireorDagobert。^62
[Footnote58:UndertheMerovingiankings，MarseillesstillimportedfromtheEastpaper，wine，oil，linen，silk，preciousstones，spices，&c。TheGauls，orFranks，tradedtoSyria，andtheSyrianswereestablishedinGaul。SeeM。deGuignes，Mem。del\'Academie，tom。xxxvii。p。471—475。]
[Footnote59:ThisstrongdeclarationofProcopiusdeBell。
Gothic。l。iii。cap。33，intom。ii。p。41wouldalmostsufficetojustifytheAbbeDubos。]
[Footnote60:TheFranks，whoprobablyusedthemintsofTreves，Lyons，andArles，imitatedthecoinageoftheRomanemperorsofseventy—twosolidi，orpieces，tothepoundofgold。ButastheFranksestablishedonlyadecupleproportionofgoldandsilver，tenshillingswillbeasufficientvaluationoftheirsolidusofgold。ItwasthecommonstandardoftheBarbaricfines，andcontainedfortydenarii，orsilverthreepences。Twelveofthesedenariimadeasolidus，orshilling，thetwentiethpartoftheponderalandnumerallivre，orpoundofsilver，whichhasbeensostrangelyreducedinmodernFrance。SeeLaBlanc，TraiteHistoriquedesMonnoyesdeFrance，p。36—43，&c。]
[Footnote61:Agathias，intom。ii。p。47。GregoryofToursexhibitsaverydifferentpicture。Perhapsitwouldnotbeeasy，withinthesamehistoricalspace，tofindmoreviceandlessvirtue。Wearecontinuallyshockedbytheunionofsavageandcorruptmanners。]
[Footnote62:M。deFoncemagnehastraced，inacorrectandelegantdissertation，Mem。del\'Academie，tom。viii。p。
505—528，theextentandlimitsoftheFrenchmonarchy。]
TheFranks，orFrench，aretheonlypeopleofEuropewhocandeduceaperpetualsuccessionfromtheconquerorsoftheWesternempire。ButtheirconquestofGaulwasfollowedbytencenturiesofanarchyandignorance。Ontherevivaloflearning，thestudents，whohadbeenformedintheschoolsofAthensandRome，disdainedtheirBarbarianancestors；andalongperiodelapsedbeforepatientlaborcouldprovidetherequisitematerialstosatisfy，orrathertoexcite，thecuriosityofmoreenlightenedtimes。^63AtlengththeeyeofcriticismandphilosophywasdirectedtotheantiquitiesofFrance；butevenphilosophershavebeentaintedbythecontagionofprejudiceandpassion。Themostextremeandexclusivesystems，ofthepersonalservitudeoftheGauls，oroftheirvoluntaryandequalalliancewiththeFranks，havebeenrashlyconceived，andobstinatelydefended；andtheintemperatedisputantshaveaccusedeachotherofconspiringagainsttheprerogativeofthecrown，thedignityofthenobles，orthefreedomofthepeople。Yetthesharpconflicthasusefullyexercisedtheadversepowersoflearningandgenius；andeachantagonist，alternatelyvanquishedandvictorioushasextirpatedsomeancienterrors，andestablishedsomeinterestingtruths。Animpartialstranger，instructedbytheirdiscoveries，theirdisputes，andeventheirfaults，maydescribe，fromthesameoriginalmaterials，thestateoftheRomanprovincials，afterGaulhadsubmittedtothearmsandlawsoftheMerovingiankings。^64