gross, and stupid superstition. To them it would have been a mere
question whether Woden, the All-father, was superior to one of his
sons, the Asas: and the Catholic faith probably seemed to them an
impious assumption of equality, on the part of one of those Asas,
with Woden himself.

Of the battle between Arianism and Orthodoxy I have said enough to
shew you that I think it an internecine battle between truth and
falsehood. But it has been long ago judged by wager of battle: by
the success of that duel of time, of which we must believe (as our
forefathers believed of all fair duels) that God defends the right.

So the Goths were to come over the Danube stream: but they must give
up their arms, and deliver their children (those of rank, one
supposes), as hostages, to be educated by the Romans, as Romans.

They crossed the fatal river; they were whole days in crossing; those
set to count them gave it up in despair; Ammianus says: 'He who
wishes to know their number,'


'Libyci velit aequoris idem
Discere quam multae Zephyro volvuntur arenae.'


And when they were across, they gave up the children. They had not
the heart to give up the beloved weapons. The Roman commissioners
let them keep the arms, at the price of many a Gothic woman's honour.
Ugly and foul things happened, of which we have only hints. Then
they had to be fed for the time being, till they could cultivate