Page:History of the Franks.djvu/79

THE SECOND BOOK 47 to help him the son of Sigibert the lame, named Chloderic. This Sigibert was lame from a wound in the leg, received in a battle with the Alemanni near the town of Ziilpich J Now when the king , had put the Goths to flight and slain king Alaric, two of the enemy suddenly appeared and struck at him with their lances, one on each side. But he was saved from death by the help of his coat of mail, as well as by his fast horse. (At that time there perished a very great number of the people of Auvergne, who had come with ApolKnaris and the leading senators.) From this battle Amalaric, son of Alaric, fled to Spain and wisely seized his father's kingdom. Clovis sent his son Theodoric to Clermont by way of Albi and Rodez. He went, and brought under his father's domin- ion the cities from the boundaries of the Goths to the limit of the Burgundians. Alaric reigned twenty-two years. (When Clovis had spent the winter in Bordeaux and taken all the treasures of Alaric at Toulouse, he went to Angouleme. And the Lord gave him such grace that the walls fell down of their own accord when he gazed at them. Then he drove the Goths out and brought the city under his own dominion. Thereupon after completing his victory he returned to Tours, bringing many gifts to the holy church of the blessed Martin. 38. Clovis received an appointment to the consulship from the emperor Anastasius, and in the church of the blessed Martin he clad himself in the purple tunic and chlamys, and placed a diadem on his head. Then he mounted his horse, and in the most gener- ous manner he gave gold and silver as he passed along the way which is between the gate of the entrance [of the church of St. Martin] and the church of the city, scattering it among the people who were there with his own hand, and from that day he was called consul or Augustus. Leaving Tours he went to Paris and there he established the seat of his kingdom. There also Theodoric came to him. [39. Licinius was bishop of Tours at the time of Clovis' visit. His travels.] -7 40. When King Clovis v/as dwelhng at Paris he sent secretly to the son of Sigibert saying : Behold your father has become an old man and limps in his weak foot. If he should die," said he, "of due right his kingdom would be yours together with our friend-