Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 3 (1897).djvu/458

438 THE DECLINE AND FALL of the sovereign. The palace of Attila, which surpassed all other houses in his dominions, was built entirely of wood, and covered an ample space of ground. The outward enclosure was a lofty wall, or palisade of smooth square timber, intersected with high towers, but intended rather for ornament than defence. This wall, which seems to have encircled the declivity of a hill, comprehended a great variety of wooden edifices, adapted to the uses of royalty. A separate house was assigned to each of the numerous wives of Attila ; and, instead of the rigid and illiberal confinement imposed by Asiatic jealousy, they politely admitted the Roman ambassadors to their presence, their table, and even to the freedom of an innocent embrace. When Veg. creca] Maximin offered his presents to Cerca, the jirincipal qtieen, he admired the singular architecture of her mansion, the height of the round columns, the size and beauty of the wood, which was curiously shaped, or turned, or polished, or carved ; and his attentive eye was able to discover some taste in the ornaments, and some regularity in the proportions. After passing through the guards who watched before the gate, the ambassadors were introduced into the private apartment of Cerca. The wife of Attila received their visit sitting, or rather lying, on a soft couch ; the floor was covered with a carpet ; the domestics formed a circle round the queen ; and her damsels, seated on the ground, were employed in working the variegated embroidery which adorned the dress of the Barbaric warriors. The Huns were ambitious of displaying those riches Avhich were the fruit and evidence of their victories : the trappings of their horses, their swords, and even their shoes, were studded with gold and precious stones ; and their tables were profusely spread with plates, and goblets, and vases of gold and silver, which had been fashioned by the labour of Grecian artists. The monarch alone assumed the superior pride of still adhering to the sim- plicity of his Scythian ancestors.'**^ The dress of Attila, his arms, and the furniture of his horse were plain, without ornament, and of a single colour. 'I'he royal table Avas served in wooden cups and platters ; flesh was his only food ; and the conqueror of the North never tasted the luxury of bread. Thebehavi When Attila first ffave audience to the Roman ambassadors on our of Attila , , , n i tS i ■ i to the Roman the banks oi the Danube, his tent was encompassed with a ambassadors ' ' 46 When the Moguls displayed the spoils of Asia, in the diet of Toncat, the throne of Zingis was still covered with the original black felt carpet on which he had been seated when he was raised to the command of his warlike countrymen. See Vie de Gengiscan, 1. iv. c. 9.