JORDANE'S
THE ORIGIN AND DEEDS OF THE GOTHS
LVI
(283) Then as the spoil taken from
one and another of the neighboring tribes diminished, the Goths began
to lack food and clothing, and peace became distasteful to men for whom
war had long furnished the necessaries of life. So all the Goths approached
their king Thiudimer and, with great outcry, begged him to lead forth
his army in whatsoever direction he might wish. He summoned his brother
and, after casting lots, bade him go into the country of Italy, where
at this time Glycerius ruled as emperor, saying that he himself as the
mightier would go to the east against a mightier empire. And so it happened.
(284) Thereupon Vidimer entered the land of Italy, but soon paid the last
debt of fate and departed from earthly affairs, leaving his son and namesake
Vidimer to succeed him. The Emperor Glycerius bestowed gifts upon Vidimer
and persuaded him to go from Italy to Gaul, which was then harassed on
all sides by various races, saying that their own kinsmen, the Visigoths,
there ruled a neighboring kingdom. And what more? Vidimer accepted the
gifts and, obeying the command of the Emperor Glycerius, pressed on to
Gaul. Joining with his kinsmen the Visigoths, they again formed one body,
as they had been long ago. Thus they held Gaul and Spain by their own
right and so defended them that no other race won the mastery there.
(285) But Thiudimer, the elder brother,
crossed the river Savus with his men, threatening the Sarmatians and their
soldiers with war if any should resist him. From fear of this they kept
quiet; moreover they were powerless in the face of so great a host. Thiudimer,
seeing prosperity everywhere awaiting him, invaded Naissus, the first
city of Illyricum. He was joined by his son Theodoric and the Counts Astat
and Invilia, and sent them to Ulpiana by way of Castrum Herculis. (286)
Upon their arrival the town surrendered, as did Stobi later; and several
places of Illyricum, inaccessible to them at first, were thus made easy
of approach. For they first plundered and then ruled by right of war Heraclea
and Larissa, cities of Thessaly. But Thiudimer the king, perceiving his
own good fortune and that of his son, was not content with this alone,
but set forth from the city of Naissus, leaving only a few men behind
as a guard. He himself advanced to Thessalonica, where Hilarianus the
Patrician, appointed by the Emperor, was stationed with his army. (287)
When Hilarianus beheld Thessalonica surrounded by an entrenchment and
saw that he could not resist attack, he sent an embassy to Thiudimer the
king and by the offer of gifts turned him aside from destroying the city.
Then the Roman general entered upon a truce with the Goths and of his
own accord handed over to them those places they inhabited, namely Cyrrhus,
Pella, Europus, Methone, Pydna, Beroea, and another which is called Dium.
(288) So the Goths and their king laid aside their arms, consented to
peace and became quiet. Soon after these events, King Thiudimer was seized
with a mortal illness in the city of Cyrrhus. He called the Goths to himself,
appointed Theodoric his son as heir of his kingdom and presently departed
this life.
LVII
(289) When the Emperor Zeno heard
that Theodoric had been appointed king over his own people, he received
the news with pleasure and invited him to come and visit him in the city,
appointing an escort of honor. Receiving Theodoric with all due respect,
he placed him among the princes of his palace. After some time Zeno increased
his dignity by adopting him as his son-at-arms and gave him a triumph
in the city at his expense. Theodoric was made Consul Ordinary also, which
is well known to be the supreme good and highest honor in the world. Nor
was this all, for Zeno set up before the royal palace an equestrian statue
to the glory of this great man.
(290) Now while Theodoric was in alliance
by treaty with the Empire of Zeno and was himself enjoying every comfort
in the city, he heard that his tribe, dwelling as we have said in Illyricum,
was not altogether satisfied or content. So he chose rather to seek a
living by his own exertions, after the manner customary to his race, rather
than to enjoy the advantages of the Roman Empire in luxurious ease while
his tribe lived in want. After pondering these matters, he said to the
Emperor: "Though I lack nothing in serving your Empire, yet if Your Piety
deem it worthy, be pleased to hear the desire of my heart." (291) And
when as usual he had been granted permission to speak freely, he said:
"The western country, long ago governed by the rule of your ancestors
and predecessors, and that city which was the head and mistress of the
world,--wherefore is it now shaken by the tyranny of the Torcilingi and
the Rugi? Send me there with my race. Thus if you but say the word, you
may be freed from the burden of expense here, and, if by the Lord's help
I shall conquer, the fame of Your Piety shall be glorious there. For it
is better that I, your servant and your son, should rule that kingdom,
receiving it as a gift from you if I conquer, than that one whom you do
not recognize should oppress your Senate with his tyrannical yoke and
a part of the republic with slavery. For if I prevail, I shall retain
it as your grant and gift; if I am conquered, Your Piety will lose nothing--nay,
as I have said, it will save the expense I now entail." (292) Although
the Emperor was grieved that he should go, yet when he heard this he granted
what Theodoric asked, for he was unwilling to cause him sorrow. He sent
him forth enriched by great gifts and commended to his charge the Senate
and the Roman People.
Therefore Theodoric departed from
the royal city and returned to his own people. In company with the whole
tribe of the Goths, who gave him their unanimous consent, he set out for
Hesperia. He went in straight march through Sirmium to the places bordering
on Pannonia and, advancing into the territory of Venetia as far as the
bridge of the Sontius, encamped there. (293) When he had halted there
for some time to rest the bodies of his men and pack-animals, Odoacer
sent an armed force against him, which he met on the plains of Verona
and destroyed with great slaughter. Then he broke camp and advanced through
Italy with greater boldness. Crossing the river Po, he pitched camp near
the royal city of Ravenna, about the third milestone from the city in
the place called Pineta. When Odoacer saw this, he fortified himself within
the city. He frequently harassed the army of the Goths at night, sallying
forth stealthily with his men, and this not once or twice, but often;
and thus he struggled for almost three whole years. (294) But he labored
in vain, for all Italy at last called Theodoric its lord and the Empire
obeyed his nod. But Odoacer, with his few adherents and the Romans who
were present, suffered daily from war and famine in Ravenna. Since he
accomplished nothing, he sent an embassy and begged for mercy. (295) Theodoric
first granted it and afterwards deprived him of his life.
It
was in the third year after his entrance into Italy, as we have said,
that Theodoric, by advice of the Emperor Zeno, laid aside the garb of
a private citizen and the dress of his race and assumed a costume with
a royal mantle, as he had now become the ruler over both Goths and Romans.
He sent an embassy to Lodoin, king of the Franks, and asked for his daughter
Audefleda in marriage. (296) Lodoin freely and gladly gave her, and also
his sons Celdebert and Heldebert and Thiudebert, believing that by this
alliance a league would be formed and that they would be associated with
the race of the Goths. But that union was of no avail for peace and harmony,
for they fought fiercely with each other again and again for the lands
of the Goths; but never did the Goths yield to the Franks while Theodoric
lived.