been invited already collected in the King's
chamber. The Queen alone was still absent. When she at last entered,
Athalaric, who wore a long and wide purple robe, with the crown of
Theodoric shining upon his brow, and his sword at his side, rose from
his throne (behind which was a niche covered by a curtain), advanced to
the Queen and led her to a second and higher throne, which, however,
was placed on the left. So soon as she was seated he began:

"My royal mother, brave Goths, noble Romans! We have assembled you here
to make known to you our will. Dangers threatened this kingdom which
only we, its King, could avert."

Such a speech had never yet been heard from his lips. All were silent
and confounded; Cethegus from prudence; he waited for the proper
moment. At last Cassiodorus began:

"Your wise mother and your faithful servant Cassiodorus----"

"My faithful servant Cassiodorus will be silent until his lord and King
asks his advice. We are discontented, highly discontented, with that
which the advisers of our mother have, until now, done and left undone.
It is high time that we ourselves should look to the right. Until now
we were too young and too ailing. We feel so no more. We announce to
you that we accordingly annul the regency, and take the reins of
government into our own hands."

He ceased. Every one remained silent. None wished, like Cassiodorus, to
speak and be rebuked.

At length Amalaswintha, who was quite stunned by the sudden energy
displayed by her son, again found her tongue:

"My son, the age of minority is, according to the laws of the
Emperor----"

"The Romans, mother, may abide by the Emperor's laws. We are Goths and
live under Gothic law. German youths are of age when the assembled army
has declared them capable of bearing arms. We have therefore determined
to invite all the generals, counts, and freemen of our realm, as many
as will obey our call, from all the provinces of the kingdom, to a
review of the army at Ravenna. They will arrive at the next solstitial
feast."

All were mute with surprise.

"That will be in fourteen days," said Cassiodorus at last. "Will it be
possible to issue summonses in so short a time?"

"They are issued. Hildebrand, my old master-at-arms, and Earl Witichis
have thought of everything."

"Who has signed the summonses!" asked Amalaswintha, taking courage.

"I alone, dear mother. It was necessary to show those invited that I
was old enough to act alone