upon the text of Mommsen, as found in the
Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Auctores
Antiquissimi 5 (Berlin 1882). I have
adhered closely to his spelling of proper names, especially
the Gothic names, except in the case of a very few words
which are in common use in another form (such as
Gaiseric and Belisarius).

I wish to express my sincere thanks to Dean Andrew F.
West of the Princeton Graduate School for his unfailing
interest in my work. It was in one of his graduate
courses that the translation was begun, three years ago,
and at his suggestion that I undertook the composition
of the thesis in its present form. He has read the entire
treatise in the manuscript, and has been my constant
adviser and critic. Thanks are also due to Dr. Charles
G. Osgood of the English Department of Princeton
University for reading the translation.

CHARLES C. MIEROW.

Classical Seminary,
Princeton University,
July 1908.

THE ORIGIN AND DEEDS OF THE GOTHS

(Preface)

Though it had been my wish to glide in my little boat 1
by the shore of a peaceful coast and, as a certain writer
says, to gather little fishes from the pools of the ancients,
you, brother Castalius, bid me set my sails toward the
deep. You urge me to leave the little work I have in
hand, that is, the abbreviation of the Chronicles, and to
condense in my own style in this small book the twelve
volumes of the Senator on the origin and deeds of the
Getae from olden time to the present day, descending
through the generations of the kings. Truly a hard command, 2
and imposed by one who seems unwilling to realize
the burden of the task. Nor do you note this, that my
utterance is too slight to fill so magnificent a trumpet of
speech as his. But above every burden is the fact that
I have no access to his books that I may follow his
thought. Still--and let me lie not--I have in times past
read the books a second time by his steward's loan for a
three days' reading. The words I recall not, but the
sense and the deeds related I think I retain entire. To 3
this I have added fitting matters from some Greek and
Latin histories. I have also put in an introduction and
a conclusion, and have inserted many things of my own
authorship. Wherefore reproach me not, but receive and
read with gladness what you have asked me to write. If
aught be insufficiently spoken and you remember it, do
you as a neighbor to our race add to it, pray