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. When he 293
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. But he 294
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. Theodoric first granted it and afterwards deprived 295
him of his life.

[Sidenote: THEODORIC FOUNDS THE OSTROGOTHIC KINGDOM IN ITALY 493]

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.

[Sidenote: OF THE INCREASE OF HIS POWER]

[Sidenote: Amalaric 507-531]

LVIII Now before he had a child from Audefleda, 297
Theodoric had children of a concubine, daughters begotten
in Moesia, one named Thiudigoto and another Ostrogotho.
Soon after he came to Italy, he gave them in marriage
to neighboring kings, one to Alaric, king