. The historians' history of the world; a comprehensive narrative of the rise and development of nations as recorded by over two thousand of the great writers of all ages:. was confounded by theunsuccessful event of a divination, which seemed to presage the downfall of hisempire. The most abject slaves have arraigned the guilt, or weakness, of anunfortunate master. The character of Theodatus was rigorously scrutinisedby a free and idle camp of barbarians, conscious of their privilege and power:he was declared unworthy of his race, his nation, and his throne ; and theirgeneral Witiges, whose va
. The historians' history of the world; a comprehensive narrative of the rise and development of nations as recorded by over two thousand of the great writers of all ages:. was confounded by theunsuccessful event of a divination, which seemed to presage the downfall of hisempire. The most abject slaves have arraigned the guilt, or weakness, of anunfortunate master. The character of Theodatus was rigorously scrutinisedby a free and idle camp of barbarians, conscious of their privilege and power:he was declared unworthy of his race, his nation, and his throne ; and theirgeneral Witiges, whose valour had been signalised in the Illyrian War, wasraised, with unanimous applause, on the bucklers of his companions. Onthe first rumour, the abdicated monarch fled from the justice of his country;but he was pursued by private revenge.^ A Goth, whom he had injured inhis love, overtook Theodatus on the Flaminian way, and, regardless of hisunmanly cries, slaughtered him, as he lay prostrate on the ground (536). [1 Bury 6 says, Witiges put Theodatus to death, Hodg:kinc says that he sent Optaris, fromwhom Theodatus had taken his bride, to assassinate the fallen monarch.]. A Goth, Peasant Costumb ODOACER TO THE TRIUMPH OF NARSES 399 [536-537 ] WITIGES KING OF THE GOTHS The choice of the people is the best and purest title to reign over them :yet such is the prejudice of every age, that Witiges impatiently wished toreturn to Ravenna, where he might seize, with the reluctant hand of thedaughter of Amalasuntha, some faint shadow of hereditary right. A nationalcouncil was immediately Iield, and the new monarch reconciled the impa-tient spirit of the barbarians to a measure of disgrace, which the mis-conduct of his predecessor rendered wise and indispensable. The Gothsconsented to retreat in the presence of a victorious enemy : to delay till thenext spring the operations of offensive war ; to summon their scatteredforces ; to relinquish their distant possessions, and to trust even Rom
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