XXXVI Now when Gaiseric, king of the Vandals, 184
whom we mentioned shortly before, learned that his mind
was bent on the devastation of the world, he incited
Attila by many gifts to make war on the Visigoths, for
he was afraid that Theodorid, king of the Visigoths,
would avenge the injury done to his daughter. She had
been joined in wedlock with Huneric, the son of Gaiseric,
and at first was happy in this union. But afterwards he
was cruel even to his own children, and because of the
mere suspicion that she was attempting to poison him, he
cut off her nose and mutilated her ears. He sent her
back to her father in Gaul thus despoiled of her natural
charms. So the wretched girl presented a pitiable aspect
ever after, and the cruelty which would stir even strangers
still more surely incited her father to vengeance.
Attila, therefore, in his efforts to bring about the wars 185
long ago instigated by the bribe of Gaiseric, sent ambassadors
into Italy to the Emperor Valentinian to sow
strife between the Goths and the Romans, thinking to
shatter by civil discord those whom he could not crush
in battle. He declared that he was in no way violating
his friendly relations with the Empire, but that he had a
quarrel with Theodorid, king of the Visigoths. As he
wished to be kindly received, he had filled the rest of the
letter with the visual flattering salutations, striving to win
credence for his falsehood. In like manner he despatched 186
a message to Theodorid, king of the Visigoths, urging
him to break his alliance with the Romans and reminding
him of the battles to which they had recently provoked
him. Beneath his great ferocity he was a subtle man,