tent disqualifications for
kingship. Clovis accordingly sent messengers to Cloderic, the son of
Sigebert, saying: "Behold thy father has grown old and is lame on his
feet. If he were to die, his kingdom should be thine and we would be thy
friends". Cloderic yielded to the temptation, and when his father went
forth from Koln on a hunting expedition in the beech-forests of Hesse,
assassins employed by Cloderic stole upon him in his tent, as he was
taking his noon-tide slumber, and slew him. The deed being done,
Cloderic sent messengers to Clovis saying: "My father is dead and his
treasures are mine. Send me thy messengers to whom I may confide such
portion of the treasure as thou mayest desire". "Thanks", said Clovis,
"I will send my messengers, and do thou show them all that thou hast,
yet thou thyself shalt still possess all". When the messengers of
Clovis arrived at the palace of the Ripuanan, Cloderic showed them all
the royal hoard. "And here", said he, pointing to a chest, "my father
used to keep his gold coins of the Empire". (In hanc arcellolam solitus
erat pater meus numismata auri congerere.) "Plunge thy hand in", said
the messenger, "and search them down to the very bottom". The King
stooped low to plunge his hand into the coins, and while he stooped the
messenger lifted high his battle-axe and clove his skull. "Thus", says
the pious Gregory, who tells the story, "did the unworthy son fall into
the pit which he had digged for his own father".

When Clovis heard that both father and son were slain, he came to the
same place (probably Colonia) where all these things had come to pass
and called together a great assembly of the Ripuarian people. "Hear", he
said, "what hath happened. While I was quietly sailing down the Scheldt,
Cloderic, my cousin's son, practised against his father's life, giving
forth that I wished him slain, and when he was fleeing through the
beech-forests he sent robbers against him, by whom he was murdered. Then
Cloderic himself, when he was displaying his treasures, was slain by
some one, I know not whom. But in all these things I am free from blame.
For I cannot shed the blood of my relations: that were an unholy thing
to do. But since these events have so happened, I offer you my advice if
it seem good to you to accept it. Turn you to me that you may be under
my defence". Then they, when they heard these things, shouted approval
and clashed their spears upon their shields in sign of assent,