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chap, xxxviii] OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 111 empire he might reign with the title, or at least with the autho- rity, of king of the Komans. 16 As a Eoman, he had been educated in the liberal studies of rhetoric and jurisprudence; but he was engaged by accident and policy in the familiar use of the Germanic idiom. The independent Barbarians resorted to the tribunal of a stranger, who possessed the singular talent of explaining, in their native tongue, the dictates of reason and equity. The diligence and affability of their judge rendered him popular, the impartial wisdom of his decrees obtained their voluntary obedience, and the reign of Syagrius over the Franks and Burgundians seemed to revive the original institution of civil society. 17 In the midst of these peaceful occupations, Syagrius received, and boldly accepted, the hostile defiance of Clovis ; who challenged his rival in the spirit, and almost in the language, of chivalry, to appoint the day and the field 1S of battle. In the time of Caesar, Soissons would have poured forth a body of fifty thousand horse ; and such an army might have been plentifully supplied with shields, cuirasses, and military engines, from the three arsenals, or manufactures of the city. 19 But the courage and numbers of the Gallic youth were long since exhausted ; and the loose bands of volunteers, or mercenaries, who marched under the standard of Syagrius, were incapable of contending with the national valour of the Franks. It would be ungenerous, without some more accurate knowledge of his strength and resources, to condemn the rapid flight of Syagrius, who escaped, after the loss of a battle, to the distant court of Toulouse. The feeble minority of Alaric could not assist or 16 I may observe that Fredegarius, in his Epitome of Gregory of Tours (torn, ii. p. 398 [c. 15]), has prudently [but on what authority ?] substituted the name of Patricius [Romanorum patricius] for the incredible title of Rex Romanorum. [This description given by Gregory (ii. 27) expresses very well the actual position of Sya- grius in northern Gaul. Syagrius had not, so far as we know, any official title in the Empire (like his father's post of magister militum).] 17 Sidonius (1. v. epist. 5, in torn. i. p. 794), who styles him the Solon, the Amphion of the Barbarians, addresses this imaginary king in the tone of friendship and equality. From such offices of arbitration, the crafty Dejoces had raised him- self to the throne of the Medes (Herodot. 1. i. c. 96-100). 18 Campnm sibi prseparari jussit. M. Biet (p. 226-251) has diligently ascertained this field of battle, at Nogent, a Benedictine abbey, about ten miles to the north of Soissons. The ground was marked by a circle of Pagan sepulchres ; and Clovis bestowed the adjacent lands of Leuilly and Coucy on the church of Rheims. 19 See Caesar, Comment, de Bell. Gallic, ii. 4, in torn. i. p. 220, and the Notitise, torn. i. p. 126. The three Fabricae of Soissons were, Scutaria, Balistaria, and Clibanaria. The last supplied the complete armour of the heavy cuirassiers.