e of conduct (which, even if they
were to choose their own judges, must appear wholly unpardonable) must
be mentioned.

11. When the barbarians who had been conducted across the river were in
great distress from want of provisions, those detested generals
conceived the idea of a most disgraceful traffic: and having collected
hounds from all quarters with the most insatiable rapacity, they
exchanged them for an equal number of slaves, among whom were several
sons of men of noble birth.

12. About this time also, Vitheric, the king of the Gruthungi, with
Alatheus and Saphrax, by whose influence he was mainly guided, and also
with Farnobius, approached the bank of the Danube, and sent envoys to
the emperor to entreat that he also might be received with the same
kindness that Alavivus and Fritigern had experienced.

13. But when, as seemed best for the interests of the state, these
ambassadors had been rejected, and were in great anxiety as to what they
should do, Athanaric, fearing similar treatment, departed; recollecting
that long ago when he was discussing a treaty of alliance with Valens,
he had treated that emperor with contempt, in affirming that he was
bound by a religious obligation never to set his foot on the Roman
territory; and that by this excuse he had compelled the emperor to
conclude a peace in the middle of the war. And he, fearing that the
grudge which Valens bore him for this conduct was still lasting,
withdrew with all his forces to Caucalandes, a place which, from the
height of its mountains and the thickness of its woods, is completely
inaccessible; and from which he had lately driven out the Sarmatians.

V.

Sec. 1. But the Thuringians, though they had some time since received
permission to cross the river, were still wandering up and down the
banks, being hindered by a twofold obstacle; first, that in consequence
of the mischievous dissimulation of the said generals they were not
supplied with the necessary provisions; and also because they were
designedly detained that they might the more easily be plundered under
the wicked semblance of traffic.

2. And when they ascertained these facts, they began to grumble, and
proposed to resist the evils which they apprehended from the treachery
of these men by open force; and Lupicinus, who feared that they would
resist, brought up his troops close to them, in order to compel them to
be gone with all possible rapidity.

3. The Gruthungi seized thi