dread their fugitives and exiles? [5] The bounty of our uncle
was granted to your misery, to your humble prayers. From us you shall
receive a more important obligation, the knowledge of your own weakness.
Retire from our presence; the lives of ambassadors are safe; and, if
you return to implore our pardon, perhaps you will taste of our
benevolence." [6] On the report of his ambassadors, the chagan was
awed by the apparent firmness of a Roman emperor of whose character and
resources he was ignorant. Instead of executing his threats against
the Eastern empire, he marched into the poor and savage countries of
Germany, which were subject to the dominion of the Franks. After two
doubtful battles, he consented to retire, and the Austrasian king
relieve the distress of his camp with an immediate supply of corn and
cattle. [7] Such repeated disappointments had chilled the spirit of
the Avars, and their power would have dissolved away in the Sarmatian
desert, if the alliance of Alboin, king of the Lombards, had not given
a new object to their arms, and a lasting settlement to their wearied
fortunes.

[Footnote 5: Corippus, l. iii. 390. The unquestionable sense relates
to the Turks, the conquerors of the Avars; but the word scultor has no
apparent meaning, and the sole Ms. of Corippus, from whence the first
edition (1581, apud Plantin) was printed, is no longer visible. The
last editor, Foggini of Rome, has inserted the conjectural emendation
of soldan: but the proofs of Ducange, (Joinville, Dissert. xvi. p.
238--240,) for the early use of this title among the Turks and
Persians, are weak or ambiguous. And I must incline to the authority of
D'Herbelot, (Bibliotheque Orient. p. 825,) who ascribes the word to the
Arabic and Chaldaean tongues, and the date to the beginning of the xith
century, when it was bestowed by the khalif of Bagdad on Mahmud, prince
of Gazna, and conqueror of India.]

[Footnote 6: For these characteristic speeches, compare the verse
of Corippus (l. iii. 251--401) with the prose of Menander, (Excerpt.
Legation. p 102, 103.) Their diversity proves that they did not copy
each other their resemblance, that they drew from a common original.]

[Footnote 7: For the Austrasian war, see Menander (Excerpt. Legat. p.
110,) Gregory of Tours, (Hist. Franc. l. iv. c 29,) and Paul the deacon,
(de Gest. Langobard. l. ii. c. 10.)]

While Alboin served under his father's standard, he encountered in
battle, and transpierced