run its due course, we must return to the stock of Vandalarius,
which put forth three branches. This Vandalarius,
the son of a brother of Hermanaric and cousin of the
aforesaid Thorismud, vaunted himself among the race of
the Amali because he had begotten three sons, Valamir,
Thiudimer and Vidimer. Of these Valamir ascended the
throne after his parents, though the Huns as yet held the
power over the Goths in general as among other nations.
It was pleasant to behold the concord of these three brothers; 253
for the admirable Thiudimer served as a soldier for
the empire of his brother Valamir, and Valamir bade
honors be given him, while Vidimer was eager to serve
them both. Thus regarding one another with common
affection, not one was wholly deprived of the kingdom
which two of them held in mutual peace. Yet, as has
often been said, they ruled in such a way that they respected
the dominion of Attila, king of the Huns. Indeed
they could not have refused to fight against their kinsmen
the Visigoths, and they must even have committed parricide
at their lord's command. There was no way whereby
any Scythian tribe could have been wrested from the
power of the Huns, save by the death of Attila,--an
event the Romans and all other nations desired. Now his
death was as base as his life was marvellous.

[Sidenote: DEATH OF ATTILA 453]

XLIX Shortly before he died, as the historian Priscus 254
relates, he took in marriage a very beautiful girl named
Ildico, after countless other wives, as was the custom of