he Romans"; the other, a
Salian-Frankish chieftain, just as Clovis was, and related to him,
Ragnacaire, who was settled at Cambrai. Clovis induced Ragnacaire to
join him in a campaign against Syagrius. They fought, and Syagrius was
driven to take refuge in Southern Gaul, with Alaric, king of the
Visigoths.

Clovis, not content with taking possession of Soissons, and anxious to
prevent any troublesome return, demanded of Alaric to send Syagrius back
to him, threatening war if the request were refused. The Goth, less
bellicose than the Frank, delivered up Syagrius to the envoys of Clovis,
who immediately had him secretly put to death, settled himself at
Soissons, and from thence set on foot, in the country between the Aisne
and the Loire, plundering and subjugating expeditions which speedily
increased his domains and his wealth, and extended far and wide his fame
as well as his ambition. The Franks who accompanied him were not long
before they also felt the growth of his power; like him they were
pagans, and the treasures of the Christian churches counted for a great
deal in the booty they had to divide. On one of their expeditions they
had taken in the church of Rheims, among other things, a vase "of
marvellous size and beauty."

The bishop of Rheims, St. Remi, was not quite a stranger to Clovis. Some
years before, when he had heard that the son of Childeric had become
king of the Franks of Tournai, he had written to congratulate him. "We
are informed," said he, "that thou hast undertaken the conduct of
affairs; it is no marvel that thou beginnest to be what thy fathers ever
were;" and, while taking care to put himself on good terms with the
young pagan chieftain, the bishop added to his felicitations some pious
Christian counsel, without letting any attempt at conversion be mixed up
with his moral exhortations. The bishop, informed of the removal of the
vase, sent to Clovis a messenger begging the return, if not of all his
church's ornaments, at any rate of that. "Follow us as far as Soissons,"
said Clovis to the messenger; "it is there the partition is to take
place of what we have captured; when the lots shall have given me the
vase, I will do what the bishop demands."

When Soissons was reached, and all the booty had been placed in the
midst of the host, the king said: "Valiant warriors, I pray you not to
refuse me, over and above my share, this vase here." At these words of
the king, those who were of sound mind