m slings.

4. Then Fritigern, perceiving that his men, who were unaccustomed to
sieges, were struggling in vain, and sustaining heavy losses, advised
his army to leave a force sufficient to maintain the blockade, and to
depart with the rest, acknowledging their failure, and saying that "He
did not war with stone walls." Advising them also to lay waste all the
fertile regions around without any distinction, and to plunder those
places which were not defended by any garrisons.

5. His counsel was approved, as his troops knew that he was always a
very able commander in bringing their plans to success; and then they
dispersed over the whole district of Thrace, advancing cautiously; while
those who came of their own accord to surrender, or those whom they had
taken prisoners, pointed out to them the richest towns, and especially
those where it was said that supplies of provisions could be found. And
in addition to their natural confidence they were greatly encouraged by
this circumstance, that a multitude of that nation came in daily to join
them who had formerly been sold as slaves by the merchants, with many
others whom, when at their first passage of the river they were
suffering from severe want, they had bartered for a little bad wine or
morsels of bread.

6. To these were added no inconsiderable number of men skilled in
tracing out veins of gold, but who were unable to endure the heavy
burden of their taxes; and who, having been received with the cheerful
consent of all, they were of great use to them while traversing strange
districts--showing them the secret stores of grain, the retreats of men,
and other hiding-places of divers kinds.

7. Nor while these men led them on as their guides did anything remain
untouched by them, except what was inaccessible or wholly out of the
way; for without any distinction of age or sex they went forward
destroying everything in one vast slaughter and conflagration: tearing
infants even from their mother's breast and slaying them; ravishing
their mothers; slaughtering women's husbands before the eyes of those
whom they thus made widows; while boys of tender and of adult age were
dragged over the corpses of their parents.

8. Lastly, numbers of old men, crying out that they had lived long
enough, having lost all their wealth, together with beautiful women, had
their hands bound behind their back, and were driven into banishment,
bewailing the ashes of their native homes.

VII