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Attalus 146 THE DECLINE AND FALL [Chap, xxxviii ment penetrated as far as Brivas, or Brioude, where the inhabi- tants, with their valuable effects, had taken refuge in the sanctuary of St. Julian. The doors of the church resisted the assault ; but a daring soldier entered through a window of the choir and opened a passage to his companions. The clergy and people, the sacred and the profane spoils, were rudely torn from the altar; and the sacrilegious division was made at a small distance from the town of Brioude. But this act of impiety was severely chastised by the devout son of Clovis. He punished with death the most atrocious offenders ; left their secret accomplices to the vengeance of St. Julian ; released the captives ; restored the plunder ; and extended the rights of sanctuary five miles round the sepulchre of the holy martyr. 112 story of Before the Austrasian army retreated from Auvergne, Theo- doric exacted some pledges of the future loyalty of a people whose just hatred could be restrained only by their fear. A select band of noble youths, the sons of the principal senators, was delivered to the conqueror, as the hostages of the faith of Childebert and of their countrymen. On the first rumour of war, or conspiracy, those guiltless youths were reduced to a state of servitude ; and one of them, Attalus, 113 whose adven- tures are more particularly related, kept his master's horses in the diocese of Treves. After a painful search, he was discovered, in this unworthy occupation, by the emissaries of his grand- father, Gregory bishop of Langres ; but his offers of ransom were sternly rejected by the avarice of the Barbarian, who re- quired an exorbitant sum of ten pounds of gold for the freedom of his noble captive. His deliverance was effected by the hardy stratagem of Leo, a slave belonging to the kitchens of the bishop of Langres. 114 An unknown agent easily introduced him 112 See these revolutions and wars of Auvergne in Gregory of Tours (1. ii. c. 37, in torn. ii. p. 183, and 1. iii. c. 9, 12, 13, p. 191, 192, de Miraculis St. Julian, c. 13, in torn. ii. p. 466). He frequently betrays his extraordinary attention to his native country. 113 The story of Attalus is related by Gregory of Tours (1. iii. c. 16 [leg. 15], in torn. ii. p. 193-195). His editor, the P. Kuinart, confounds this Attalus, who was a youth (puer) in the year 532, with a friend of Sidonius of the same name, who was count of Autun, fifty or sixty years before. Such an error, which cannot be imputed to ignorance, is excused, in some degree, by its own magnitude. 114 This Gregory, the great-grandfather of Gregory of Tours (in torn. ii. p. 197, 490), lived ninety-two years ; of which he passed forty as count of Autun, and