nations of Scythia and Germany by his own prowess
alone.

[Sidenote: ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE HUNS]

XXIV But after a short space of time, as Orosius 121
relates, the race of the Huns, fiercer than ferocity itself,
flamed forth against the Goths. We learn from old traditions
that their origin was as follows: Filimer, king of
the Goths, son of Gadaric the Great, who was the fifth in
succession to hold the rule of the Getae after their departure
from the island of Scandza,--and who, as we have
said, entered the land of Scythia with his tribe,--found
among his people certain witches, whom he called in his
native tongue Haliurunnae. Suspecting these women, he
expelled them from the midst of his race and compelled
them to wander in solitary exile afar from his army.
There the unclean spirits, who beheld them as they wandered 122
through the wilderness, bestowed their embraces
upon them and begat this savage race, which dwelt at
first in the swamps,--a stunted, foul and puny tribe,
scarcely human, and having no language save one which
bore slight resemblance to human speech. Such was
the descent of the Huns who came to the country of the
Goths.

This cruel tribe, as Priscus the historian relates, settled 123
on the farther bank of the Maeotic swamp. They
were fond of hunting and had no skill in any other
art. After they had grown to a nation, they disturbed