A Struggle for Rome, v. 2

by Felix Dahn

  CHAPTER XIV.

  For the quick trampling of approaching horses and the jingling ofarmour was heard in the wood, and soon a little group of horsemenappeared issuing from under the trees, and far in front galloped a manon a coal-black charger, which sped on as if rivalling the rushing ofthe wind.

  The long black locks of the rider waved in the air, as well as thethick black mane which formed the crest of his helmet. Bendingforwards, he urged his foaming horse to greater speed, and as hereached the southern entrance to the Ting, sprang from his saddle witha clash.

  All gave way as they met the furious glance of his eye. His handsomeface was ghastly pale.

  He rushed up the incline, sprang upon a stone near Witichis, held onhigh a roll of parchment, cried with a last effort, "Treachery!treachery!" and fell prone, as if struck by lightning.

  Witichis and Hildebad ran to him; they had barely recognised theirfriend.

  "Teja! Teja!" they cried, "what has happened? Speak!"

  "Speak," repeated Witichis once more, "it concerns the kingdom!"

  At this word the steel-clad man raised himself with a superhumaneffort, looked about him for a moment, and then said in a hollow voice:

  "We are betrayed, Goths! betrayed by our King! Six days ago I receivedorders to go to Istria, not to Neapolis, as I had begged. I feltsuspicious, but I obeyed, and embarked with my thousands. A violentstorm drove numerous small vessels towards us from the west. Amongstthem was the _Mercurius_, the swift-sailing post-boat of Theodahad. Iknew the vessel well; she once belonged to my father. As soon as shecaught sight of our ships, she tried to evade us. I, mistrustful,chased her and overtook her. Her captain carried a letter to Byzantium,in the handwriting of the King. 'You will be content with me, greatgeneral,' it said, 'all the Gothic forces are at this moment on thenorth-east of Rome; you can land without danger. I have destroyed fourletters from the Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, and thrown hismessengers into a dungeon. In requital, I expect that you willpunctually fulfil our contract, and shortly pay me the price fixed.'"

  Teja let the letter fall; his voice died away.

  The people uttered deep groans of rage.

  "I at once turned and landed, and have galloped here for three days andnights without pause. I can no more."

  And, staggering, he sank into the arms of Witichis.

  Then old Hildebrand sprang upon the highest stone of his seat, so thathe towered above the crowd. He tore a lance, which bore a small marblebust of the King upon its cross-stick, out of the hands of the bearer,and held it aloft in his left hand. In his right he raised hisstone-axe.

  "Sold!" he cried. "He has sold his people for yellow gold! Down withhim! Down, down!"

  And with a stroke of his axe he shattered the bust.

  This action was the first thunder-clap that unchained the broodingtempest. Only to be compared to the strife of the elements was the wildstorm which now arose amongst the multitude.

  "Down with him! down with Theodahad!" was repeated a thousand times,accompanied by the deafening clash of arms.

  Amidst this tumult the old master-at-arms again lifted up his metallicvoice, silence once more ensued, and he said solemnly:

  "Hear it, God in heaven, and men on earth: all-seeing sun and blowingwind, hear it! Whereas King Theodahad, the son of Theodis, has betrayedpeople and kingdom to the enemy; the nation of the Goths, free and fullof ancient fame and born to bear arms, depose him from the throne. Wedeprive thee, Theodahad, of the golden crown and of the kingdom; ofGothic right and of life. And we do this not wrongly, but rightly. Forunder all our kings we have been ever free, and we would rather wantkings than want freedom. No king stands so high, that he may not bejudged by his people for murder, treachery, and perjury. So I deprivethee of crown, kingdom, right, and life. Outlawed shalt thou be,contemned, dishonoured. As far as Christians pray in their churches,and heathens sacrifice on their altars; as far as fire burns and earthgrows green; as far as the falcon can fly a whole day when the windsupports his wings; as far as ships sail and shields shine; as far asheaven spreads its vault and the world extends; house and hall, and thecompanionship of good people, and all dwelling shall be denied thee,except hell alone. Thy inheritance I divide amongst the Gothic people.Thy flesh and blood I give to the ravens of the air. And whoeverfindeth thee, in hall or court, in a house or on the high-road, shallslay thee unpunished, and shall be thanked for his deed by the goodGoths, and blessed by God. I ask you, men of justice, shall it bethus?"

  "It shall be thus!" answered the crowd, and struck their swords upontheir shields.

  Hildebrand had scarcely descended from the stone, when old Haduswinthtook his place, threw back his shaggy bear-skin, and spoke:

  "We are rid of the perjured king! He will meet with an avenger. Butnow, true men, we must choose another king. For we have never beenwithout one. As far back as legend and story reach, our forefathershave lifted a king upon the shield, the living symbol of the power,glory, and fortune of the good Goths. So long as Goths exist, they willhave kings; and as long as a king can be found, the nation will endure.And now it is more than ever necessary that we should have a head, aleader. The race of the Amelungs rose like the sun in glory--Theodoric,its brightest star, shone for a long time; but this sun has beenshamefully extinguished in Theodahad. Up! people of the Goths, ye arefree! Freely choose a rightful king, who will lead you to victory andglory! The throne is vacant. Goths, I call upon you to choose a king!"

  "Let us choose a king!" was the answer, in a solemn and mighty chorus.

  Then Witichis mounted the Ting-seat, took off his helmet, and raisedhis right hand.

  "Thou, God, who rulest the stars, knowest that we are not moved byunwise delight in disobedience, or by wantonness. We use the sacredright of necessity. We honour the right of royalty, the glory whichbeams from the crown; but this glory is dimmed. And in the great needof the nation, we exercise a people's highest right. Heralds shall goforth to all the peoples of the earth, and announce that, not becausewe despise, but because we honour, the crown, have we acted thus. But,for God's sake, no disputes, no quarrels now; now, when the enemy is inthe land! Therefore let us first solemnly swear, that he who hasthe majority, were it only of _one_ voice, we will all honour as ourking--him and no other. I swear it--swear with me."

  "We swear!" cried the Goths,

  But young Arahad did not join in the oath. Ambition and love flamed inhis heart. He remembered that after the fall of the Balthes and theAmelungs, his house was the oldest in the nation. He hoped to winMataswintha's hand, if he could offer her a crown; and scarcely had thevoices of the people died away, than he advanced and cried:

  "Whom shall we choose, Goths? Reflect well! Above all, it is clear, weneed a man with a young and powerful arm to lead us against the enemy.But that alone is not sufficient. Why did our ancestors elevate theAmelungs? Because they were the noblest and most ancient race,descended from the gods. The first star is extinguished; remember thesecond, remember the Balthes!"

  "Now there lived only one male descendant of that family, a not yetadult grandchild of Duke Pitza--for Alaric, the brother of the DukesThulun and Ibba, had not been heard of for years. Arahad was confidentthat this boy would not be chosen, and that then the people would thinkof the third star of nobility. But he erred. Old Haduswinth cameforward angrily and exclaimed:

  "Nobility and race! Are we serfs or freemen? By the Thunderer! shall wecount ancestors when Belidarius is in the land? I will tell thee, boy,what a king needs. A brave arm, it is true, but not that alone. TheKing shall be a rock of justice, a bulwark of peace, not only a leaderin the battle. The King shall have an ever-quiet and ever-clear mind,as clear as the blue sky; and, like stars, just thoughts shall rise andset therein. The King shall have an ever-equal power, but still more anever-equal measure; he shall never lose and forget himself in love orhate, as we may, who stand below in the crowd. He shall not only bemild to friends, but just to enemies. He, in whose heart serenity ispaired
with bold courage, and true moderation with true strength--thatman, Arahad, is kingly, even though the humblest peasant had begottenhim."

  Loud applause followed the words of the old man, and Arahad fell backabashed. But Haduswinth continued:

  "Good Goths, I think we have such a man! I will not name him: you shallname him to me. I came here from the distant Alps of our boundary,towards the Karathans, where the wild Turbidus rushes foaming down therocks. There I have lived for more than the usual days of man, free,proud and lonely. I heard little of the acts of men, even of the greatdeeds of my own nation, unless a pack-horse laden with salt happened tostray my way. And yet the warlike frame of _one_ of our heroespenetrated even to that desolate height. One who never drew his swordin an unjust cause, and who never sheathed it without victory. His nameI heard again and again when I asked: Who will protect our kingdom whenTheodoric dies? His name I heard in every victory that we gained, andin every work of peace that was accomplished. I had never seen him. Ilonged to see him. To-day I have both seen and heard him. I have lookedinto his eyes, that are clear and mild as the sun. I have heard hiswords. I heard how he pleaded for right and justice, even for a hatedenemy. I heard how he alone, when blind passion carried us away,remained serene and quiet and just. Then I thought in my heart: thatman is kingly; strong in war and just in peace; true as steel and pureas gold. Goths! that man shall be our king. Name the man!"

  "Earl Witichis! yes, Witichis! Hail, King Witichis!"

  As the unanimous acclamation rang across the plain, a sudden fear fellupon the modest man, who had eagerly listened to the speech of the oldorator, and only towards the close suspected that he himself was theman so praised.

  And as he heard his name ring in this thousand-voiced shout, his onlyfeeling was: "No! this cannot, must not be!"

  He tore himself away from Teja and Hildebad, who were joyfully pressinghis hands, and sprang forward, shaking his head, and, as if to protecthimself, stretching forth his arm.

  "No!" he cried; "no, friends! not that to me! I am a simple soldier, noking. I am perhaps a good tool, but no master! Choose another, aworthier!"

  And, as if beseeching them, he held out both hands to the people. Butthe thundering cry, "Hail, King Witichis!" was the only answer hereceived.

  And now old Hildebrand advanced, seized his hand, and said in a loudvoice:

  "Cease to resist, Witichis! Who was it who first swore to acknowledge,without hesitation, the man who gained a majority even of one voice?See, thou hast all voices; and wilt thou refuse!"

  But Witichis shook his head.

  Then the old man went up to him and whispered:

  "What? Must I urge thee more strongly? Must I remind thee of thatmidnight oath and bond; to sacrifice all for the well-being of thypeople? I know--I see through thy transparent soul--that the crown ismore a burthen to thee than an honour. I suspect that this crown willbring thee great and bitter pain, perhaps more pain than joy; andtherefore I ask of thee, that thou accept it."

  Witichis was still silent and pressed both hands over his eyes.

  This by-play had lasted far too long for the enthusiasm of the people.They already prepared the broad shield on which to lift him; theyalready pressed up the eminence; and, almost impatiently, the crysounded anew, "Hail, King Witichis!"

  "Think of thy oath! wilt thou keep it or break it!" whisperedHildebrand.

  "Keep it!" said Witichis, and resolutely looked up. He now, withoutfalse shame or vanity, came forward a step and said: "You have chosenme, O Goths! well, then take me; I will be your king."

  At this each man's sword flashed in the light, and a louder cry arose:"All hail, King Witichis!"

  Old Hildebrand now descended from his place and said:

  "I leave this high seat, for the place now belongs to our king. Onlyonce again let me perform the office of the Ting-Earl. If I cannot hangthe purple on thy shoulders, O King, which the Amelungs have worn; norreach to thee their golden sceptre--take, at least, my judge's mantleand the staff of justice for a sceptre; as a sign that thou wert chosenfor thy justice' sake. I cannot press Theodoric's golden circlet, theold Gothic crown, upon thy brow, then take the first leaves of the oakwhich thou resemblest in trustiness and strength."

  With these words he broke a tender shoot of the oak and bound it roundWitichis' brow.

  "Up, Gothic warriors! fulfil your office with the shield!"

  Haduswinth, Teja, and Hildebad took the ancient Ting-shield, lifted theKing, who was now crowned with wreath, staff, and mantle, and raisedhim on their shoulders in sight of all the people.

  "Behold, O Goths, your King, whom you yourselves have chosen, and swearallegiance to him!"

  And they swore--standing upright, not kneeling=-to true to him tilldeath.

  Witichis sprang from the shield, ascended the Ting-seat and cried:

  "As you swear fidelity to me, so do I to you. I will be a mild and justking; I will do right and prevent wrong. I will remember that you arefree, like me, and not my slaves. And I dedicate my life, my happiness,all that is mine, to you, to the people of the good Goths! I swear itby the God of Heaven, and by my throne."

  And taking the Ting-shield from the tree, he cried:

  "The Ting is over. I dissolve the Assembly."

  The sajones at once knocked down the hazel staffs with the cords, andin disorderly confusion the masses mingled over the wide plain.

  The Romans, who, curiously but shyly, had observed from a distance thiscustom of a free people, such as Italy had not witnessed for more thanfive hundred years, now also mixed freely with the Gothic soldiers, towhom they sold wine and meat.

  Witichis prepared to go with his friends and the leaders of the army toone of the tents which were erected on the bank of the river.

  There a man in Roman costume--as it seemed, a well-to-docitizen--pressed among his followers, and asked eagerly for Earl Teja,the son of Tagila.

  "I am he. What would you, Roman?" asked Teja, turning.

  "Nought, sir, except to deliver this vase to you. See, the seal, thescorpion, is intact."

  "What shall I do with the vase? I buy no such things."

  "The vase is yours, sir. It is full of documents and rolls which belongto you. My guest desired me to give it to you. I beg you, take it."

  And he pressed the vase into Teja's hand, and disappeared amid thecrowd.

  Teja broke the seal indifferently, and took the documents out.Indifferently he looked at them.

  But suddenly a vivid flush overspread his pale cheeks, his eyesflashed, and he convulsively bit his lip. The vase fell to the groundas he rushed up to Witichis, and said, in an almost toneless voice:

  "My King! King Witichis, a favour!"

  "What is it, Teja? For God's sake, what wilt thou?"

  "Leave of absence! for six--three days! I must go!"

  "Go? Where?"

  "To revenge myself! Read--the devil who accused my parents, who drovethem to desperation, madness, and death--it is he--whom I long sincesuspected. Here is his accusation, addressed to the Bishop ofFlorentia, in his own handwriting--it is Theodahad!"

  "It is, it is Theodahad," said Witichis, looking up from the letter."Go, then! But, doubt it not, thou wilt not find him in Rome. He hascertainly fled long since. He has had a great start. Thou canst notovertake him!"

  "I will overtake him, even if he rides on the wings of thestorm-eagle!"

  "Thou wilt not find him!"

  "I will find him, if I must pluck him from hell's deepest abyss, orfrom out of the midst of the angels!"

  "He will have fled with a strong escort," warned Witichis.

  "I will reach him in the midst of a thousand demons! Hildebad, thyhorse! Farewell, King of the Goths. I go to fulfil the ban!"

  BOOK IV.

  WITICHIS.

  "And the Goths chose Witichis for their King, a man of humble origin,but a famous warrior."--_Procopius: Wars of the Goths_, i. 11.

 
PART I.