Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 6 (1897).djvu/158

 138 THE DECLINE AND FALL Greeks under the proper and peculiar name of Turks, as the descendants of that mighty people who had conquered and reigned from China to the Volga. The Pannonian colony pre- served a correspondence of trade and amity with the eastern Turks on the confines of Persia ; and^ after a separation of three hundred and fifty years, the missionaries of the king of Hungary discovered and visited their ancient couiitry near the banks of the ^^olga. They were hospitably entertained by a people of pagans and savages, who still bore the name of Hungarians ; conversed in their native tongue, recollected a ti'adition of their long-lost brethren, and listened with amazement to the marvel- lous tale of their new kingdom and religion. The zeal of con- version was animated by the interest of consanguinity ; and one of the greatest of their princes had formed the generous, though fruitless, design of replenishing the solitude of Pannonia by this domestic colony from the heart of Tartary.-^ From this primi- tive country they were driven to the West by the tide of war and emigration, by the weight of the more distant tribes, who at the same time were fugitives and conquerors. Reason or fortune directed their course towards the frontiers of the Roman empire ; they halted in the usual stations along the banks of the great rivers ; and in the territories of Moscow, Kiow, and Mol- davia some vestiges have been discovered of their temporary residence. In this long and various peregrination, they could not always escape the dominion of the stronger ; and the purity of their blood was improved or sullied by the mixture of a foreign race ; from a motive of compulsion or choice, several tribes of the Chazars were associated to the standard of their ancient vassals ; introduced the use of a second language ; ^^ and obtained by their superior renown the most honourable place in the front of battle. The military force of the Turks and their allies marched in seven equal and artificial divisions ; each division was formed of thirty thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven warriors, and the proportion of women, children, and servants supposes and requires at least a million of emigrants. Their public counsels were directed by seven vayvoda,'^^ or hereditaiy chiefs ; but the experience of discord and weakness recommended the more simple and vigorous administration of a 2^ Pray (Dissert, p. 37-39, &c.) produces and illustrates the original passages of the Hungarian missionaries, Bonfinius and ^neas Silvius. ^ [Vojyods. " war-leaders, " a Slavonic word. Cp. .•ppendix 13.]
 * • [Cp. Appendix 13.]