emained. And when they had united them to themselves, with
increased boldness they made a sudden incursion into the extensive and
fertile districts of Ermenrichus, a very warlike prince, and one whom
his numerous gallant actions of every kind had rendered formidable to
all the neighbouring nations.

2. He was astonished at the violence of this sudden tempest, and
although, like a prince whose power was well established he long
attempted to hold his ground, he was at last overpowered by a dread of
the evils impending over his country, which were exaggerated by common
report, till he terminated his fear of great danger by a voluntary
death.

3. After his death Vithimiris was made king. He for some time maintained
a resistance to the Alani, relying on the aid of other tribes of the
Huns, whom by large promises of pay he had won over to his party; but,
after having suffered many losses, he was defeated by superior numbers
and slain in battle. He left an infant son named Viderichus, of whom
Alatheus and Saphrax undertook the guardianship, both generals of great
experience and proved courage. And when they, yielding to the
difficulties of the crisis, had given up all hope of being able to make
an effectual resistance, they retired with caution till they came to the
river Dniester, which lies between the Danube and the Dnieper, and flows
through a vast extent of country.

4. When Athanaric, the chief magistrate of the Thuringians (against
whom, as I have already mentioned, Valens had begun to wage war, to
punish him for having sent assistance to Procopius), had become informed
of these unexpected occurrences, he prepared to maintain his ground,
with a resolution to rise up in strength should he be assailed as the
others had been.

5. At last he pitched his camp at a distance in a very favourable spot
near the banks of the Dniester and the valleys of the Gruthungi, and
sent Muderic, who afterwards became Duke of the Arabian frontier, with
Lagarimanus and others of the nobles, with orders to advance for twenty
miles, to reconnoitre the approach of the enemy while in the mean time
he himself, without delay, marshalled his troops in line of battle.

6. However, things turned out in a manner very contrary to his
expectations. For the Huns (being very sagacious in conjectures)
suspecting that there must be a considerable multitude further off,
contrived to pass beyond those they had seen, and arranged themselves to
take their