ams flow into the Danube, pouring in with a
great rushing sound. Into a place thus fortified King
Thiudimer led his army in the winter-time and conquered,
plundered and almost subdued the race of the Suavi as
well as the Alamanni, who were mutually banded together.
Thence he returned as victor to his own home in
Pannonia and joyfully received his son Theodoric, once
given as hostage to Constantinople and now sent back by
the Emperor Leo with great gifts. Now Theodoric had 282
reached man's estate, for he was eighteen years of age
and his boyhood was ended. So he summoned certain of
his father's adherents and took to himself from the people
his friends and retainers,--almost six thousand men.
With these he crossed the Danube, without his father's
knowledge, and marched against Babai, king of the Sarmatians,
who had just won a victory over Camundus, a
general of the Romans, and was ruling with insolent
pride. Theodoric came upon him and slew him, and
taking as booty his slaves and treasure, returned victorious
to his father. Next he invaded the city of Singidunum,
which the Sarmatians themselves had seized, and
did not return it to the Romans, but reduced it to his own
sway.

[Sidenote: VIDIMER THE YOUNGER GOES TO GAUL 473]

LVI Then as the spoil taken from one and another 283
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. Thereupon Vidimer entered the 284
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