the Huns, armed with heavy cuirasses of plaited horn, their horses
decked with human scalps; Geloni armed with a scythe, wrapt in a
cloak of human skin; Bulgars who impaled their prisoners--savages
innumerable as the locust swarms. Who could stand against them?

In the year 375, the West Goths came down to the Danube-bank and
entreated the Romans to let them cross. There was a Christian party
among them, persecuted by the heathens, and hoping for protection
from Rome. Athanaric had vowed never to set foot on Roman soil, and
after defending himself against the Huns, retired into the forests of
'Caucaland.' Good Bishop Ulfilas and his converts looked longingly
toward the Christian Empire. Surely the Christians would receive
them as brothers, welcome them, help them. The simple German fancied
a Roman even such a one as themselves.

Ulfilas went on embassy to Antioch, to Valens the Emperor. Valens,
low-born, cruel, and covetous, was an Arian, and could not lose the
opportunity of making converts. He sent theologians to meet Ulfilas,
and torment him into Arianism. When he arrived, Valens tormented him
himself. While the Goths starved he argued, apostasy was the
absolute condition of his help, till Ulfilas, in a weak moment, gave
his word that the Goths should become Arians, if Valens would give
them lands on the South bank of the Danube. Then they would be the
Emperor's men, and guard the marches against all foes. From that
time Arianism became the creed, not only of the Goths, but of the
Vandals, the Sueves, and almost all the Teutonic tribes.

It was (if the story be true) a sinful and foolish compact, forced
from a good man by the sight of his countrymen's extreme danger and
misery. It avenged itself, soon enough, upon both Goths and Romans.