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IT happened about the same time that the Huns, who were encamped in
Thrace, retreated disgracefully and cast off many of their number
although they had neither been attacked nor pursued. Uldis, the
leader of the barbarous tribes who dwell near the Ister, crossed that
river at the head of a large army, and encamped on the frontiers of
Thrace. He took possession by treachery of a city of Moesia, called
Castra Martis, and thence made incursions into the rest of Thrace,
and insolently refused to enter into terms of alliance with the
Romans. The prefect of the Thracian soldiers made propositions of
peace to him, but he replied by pointing to the sun, and declaring
that it would be easy to him, if he desired to do so, to subjugate
every region of the earth that is enlightened by that luminary. But
while Uldis was uttering menaces of this description, and was ordering
as large a tribute as he pleased, and that on this condition peace
could be established with the Romans or the war would continue, when
affairs were so helpless, God gave manifest proofs of special favor
towards the present reign; for, shortly afterwards, the immediate
attendants and the leaders of the tribes of Uldis were discussing the
Roman form of government the philanthropy of the emperor, and his
promptitude and liberality in rewarding the best and good men. It was
not without God that they turned to the love of the points so discussed
and seceded to the Romans, to whose camp they joined themselves,
together with the troops ranged under themselves. Finding himself thus
abandoned, Uldis escaped with difficulty to the opposite bank of the
river. Many of his troops were slain; and among others the whole of
the barbarous tribe called the Sciri. This tribe had been very strong
in point of numbers before falling into this misfortune. Some of them
were killed; and others were taken prisoners, and conveyed in chains
to Constantinople. The governors were of opinion that, if allowed to
remain together, they would probably make a revolution. Some of them
were, therefore, sold at a low price; while others were given away as
slaves for presents, upon condition that they should never be permitted
to return to Constantinople, or to Europe, but be separated by the
sea from the places familiar to them. Of these, a number was left
unsold; and they were ordered to settle in different places. I have
seen many in Bithynia, near Mount Olympus, living apart from one
another, and cultivating the hills and valleys of that region.
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