Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 4 (1897).djvu/156

 136 THE DECLINE AND FALL extended the rights of sanctuary five miles round the sepulchre of the holy martyr. ^i- Before the Austrasian army retreated fi-om Auvergne, Theo- doric exacted some pledges of the future loyalty of a people whose just hatred could be restrained only by their fear. A select band of noble youths, the sons of the principal senators, was delivered to the conqueror, as the hostages of the faith of Childebert and of their countrymen. On the first rumour of war, or conspiracy, those guiltless youths were reduced to a state of servitude ; and one of them, Attalus,"^ whose adven- tures are more particularly related, kept his master's horses in the diocese of Treves. After a painful search, he was discovered, in this unworthy occupation, by the emissaries of his grand- father, Gregory bishop of Langres ; l)ut his offers of ransom were sternly rejected by the avarice of the Barbarian, who required an exorbitant sum of ten pounds of gold for the fi'eedom of his noble captive. His deliverance was effected by the hardy stratagem of Leo, a slave belonging to the kitchens of the bishop of Langres."^ An unknown agent easily introduced him into the same family. The Barbarian purchased Leo for the price of twelve pieces of gold ; and was pleased to learn that he was deeply skilled in the luxury of an episcopal table. " Next Sunda)'," said the Frank, " I shall invite my neighbours and kinsmen. Exert thy art, and force them to confess that they have never seen, or tasted, such an entertainment, even in the king's house." Leo assured liim that, if he would proide a sufficient quantity of poultry, his wishes should be satisfied. The master, who already aspired to the merit of elegant hospitality, assumed, as his own, the praise which the voracious 112 .See these revolutions and wars of Auvergne in Gregory of Tours (1. ii. c. 37, in torn. ii. p. 183, and 1. ill. c. 9, 12, 13, p. 191, 192, de Miraculis St. Julian, c. 13, in torn. ii. p. 466). He frequently betrays his extraordinary attention to his native country. 11'' The story of Attalus is related by Gregory of Tours (1. iii. c. 16 _leg. 15], in torn. ii. p. 193-195). His editor, the P. Ruinart, confounds this .'.ttalus, who was a youth {pi/e.r) in the year 532, with a friend of Sidonius of the same name, who was count of Autun, fifty or sixty years before. Such an error, which cannot be im- puted to ignorance, is excused, in some degree, by its own magnitude. 11-* This Gregory, the great-grandfather of Gregory of Tours (in torn. ii. p. 197, 490), lived ninety-two years ; of which he passed forty as count of Autun, and thirt3'-tvo as bishop of Langres. According to the poet Fortunatus, he displayed equal merit in these different stations. Nobilis antiqua decurrens prole parentum, Nobilior gestis, nunc super astra manet. Arbiter ante ferox, dein pius ipse sacerdos, Quos domuit judex, fovit amore patris.