Page:History of the Franks.djvu/263

 THE TENTH BOOK 231 the news that an army was at hand to help them, and saying, you : when you see the houses of this village which is on the moun- tain burn with fire and the smoke rising up to heaven, be assured that we are close at hand with the army which we promised." However they waited according to agreement six days and saw none of them come. And Chedinus with thirteen dukes entered Italy on the left and took five strongholds and exacted oaths of fealty. But dysen- tery affected his army severely — because the air was new to his men and disagreed with them — and many died of it. But when the wind rose and it rained and the air began to freshen a little it brought health in place of sickness. Why more? For about three months they wandered through Italy without accomplishing anything or being able to take vengeance on their enemies, since they were shut up in strongholds, or to capture the king and take vengeance on him, since he was shut up within the walls of Pavia, and then the army sickened as we have said because of the un- healthfulness of the air and grew weak from hunger and prepared to return home after exacting oaths of fidelity and subjecting to the king's rule the people of the country which his father had held before and from which they took captives and other booty. And returning thus they were so starved that they sold their armor and clothing to buy food before they came to their native place. . . . 4. Maurice caused the Carthaginians who had killed king Childe- bert's legates the previous year, to be bound and loaded with chains and sent them to Childebert's presence, twelve in number, under these conditions, that if he wished to put them to death he should have permission : or if he would allow them to be ransomed he should receive three hundred gold pieces for each and be con- tent; and thus he was to choose whichever he wished, that the disagreement might be more readily forgotten and no further cause of enmity arise between them. But king Childebert refused to accept the bound men and said: ''It is uncertain in my mind whether these men you bring are the homicides or others, perhaps slaves of somebody or other, whereas our men who were killed in your country were free born." Grippo in particular, who had been legate at the time with the men who were killed, was present and
 * ' After three days we will come with it, and this shall be a sign for