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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 10, 3. How the Army of King Childebert Marched to Italy

When Grippo had made his report to Childebert, the king ordered that an army should be levied to march straightway into Italy; it was commanded by twenty dukes, and was to make war on the Lombards: the dukes’ names I have not thought it necessary to recount in their order. Duke Audovald, acting with Wintrio,¹ raised his force in Champagne, and reaching Metz, which lay upon his route, committed so many violent and murderous acts that he might have been thought to lead a hostile army against his own country. The other dukes did likewise with their troops, first ravaging their own land and despoiling the inhabitants who were remaining behind, before doing aught for victory over the enemy.

When they drew nigh to the territory of Italy, Audovald with six dukes marched to the right and came to Milan, where the army encamped in the open country some way from the city. Duke Olo,² rashly coming close to Bellinzona, a strong place belonging to this city, situated in the lowlands called Canini, was wounded by a javelin under the breast, and fell dead. His men, raiding for supplies, were everywhere cut down in numbers by attacking Lombards. In the territory of the city of Milan there was a lake called Ceresium³ from which issued a narrow but deep stream, and intelligence was brought that the Lombards were posted on the shore of this water. When the Franks had approached, but before they had crossed this stream, a Lombard stood forth on the farther bank, armed in helmet and mail coat, and carrying a spear in his hand. This man cried aloud to the Frankish army, saying: ‘To-day shall it be shown to which side the Lord will grant the victory.’ It is to be supposed that this was a signal upon which the Lombards had agreed. Thereupon a few of the Franks got across, and engaging in combat with this Lombard, laid him low; and behold! all the Lombard army took to flight and marched away. When the Frankish army passed the river they found no living soul, only the traces of the camp, where the fires had been lit and the tents pitched. Thus without making a single capture, they returned to their own camp, whither there came also envoys from the emperor with the news that an army was at hand for their support. ‘In three days’, they said, ‘we will return with the troops, and this shall be a signal for you. When ye see the houses of that village on the hill set in flames, and the smoke of the fire rising to the heavens, ye shall know that we are coming up with the army which we have promised.’ The Franks waited in accordance with this agreement for six whole days, but never saw a single man appear.

Cedinus with thirteen dukes had turned to the left on entering Italy. They took five strong places, and exacted an oath of allegiance. The army suffered grievously from dysentery, because the climate was new to the men and unsuited to their habit; whereof many perished. But the wind rising, bringing rain and somewhat cooling the air, health relieved their sickness. There is little more to narrate. They traversed Italy for some three months, but accomplished nothing, and had no satisfaction of the enemy, because he had fortified himself in places of exceeding strength. They failed also to take the king captive and avenge themselves upon him, because he was safe within the walls of Pavia. Wherefore the army, reduced, as I have related, by the unhealthy air and by want of food, prepared to return home, after exacting oaths of allegiance to King Childebert from those places which his father had possessed before him,⁴ and bringing away with them prisoners and other booty. Upon the road they were so hard pressed by starvation that they had to sell their arms and raiment to buy food before they reached their native land.

But Aptachar,⁵ king of the Lombards, sent an embassy to King Guntram with the following message: ‘We desire, most pious king, to be true and obedient to thyself and to thy line as we were to thy forefathers; nor have we departed from the oath which our own forefathers swore to thine. Now therefore cease to persecute us, and let there be peace and concord between us. So shall we bring thee our aid against the enemy in the hour of need, and assure the safety of thy people and our own, while the adversaries who rage round our borders have cause rather to fear, seeing us at peace, than to rejoice together at our discord.’ Guntram received their message graciously, and sent them to his nephew Childebert. But while, after delivering their message, they were still at King Childebert’s court, there came fresh envoys announcing the death of Aptachar⁶ and the succession of Paul, but repeating the aforesaid offer of peace. King Childebert dismissed them, promising to give them audience and declare the policy which he should adopt.

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