Paolo Diacono – Paulus Diaconus - History Of The Lombards

18.

Dead LamissionE who had been the second King of the Lombards, ascended the throne Lethu. He reigned for about forty years, and left the throne to Hildehoc who was the fourth king and upon his death, the fifth was Godehoc.

19.

In those times, between Odoacre, who had reigned in Italy for some years, and Feleteo, called Feba, King of the Rugi, a great enmity originated. At the time Feleteo inhabited the lands beyond the Danube, those which the Danube itself divides from Norico. Also in that area there was the monastery of Blessed Severinus, who lived there in holy abstinence and, at the time, was already worthy of great esteem for his many virtues. And although he had lived in those places until his death, now it is Naples that preserves its miserable little remains. Blessed Severinus had often admonished Feleteo and his wife Gisa to refrain from iniquity, but these, despising his words, did not listen to him, so the blessed foretold them those misfortunes which then struck them. Odoacre therefore, gathered the peoples under his command, Turcilingi, Eruli, part of the Rugi already submitted by him, and also others from Illyria, entered Rugiland, defeated the Rugi, made an almost total massacre and also killed the King Feleteo. Returning to Italy after having devastated the whole region, he brought with him many prisoners leaving those lands almost uninhabited. Then the Lombards, taking advantage of the moment, left their region to occupy Rugiland. In Latin Rugiland means "the ancestral land of the Rugi", this was a very fertile land and here the Lombards lived for several years.

20.

During these events Godehoc died and was succeeded by his son Claffone. Dead also Claffone, who was the seventh, his son Tatone ascended the throne. Also abandoned Rugiland, the Lombards lived in open fields, in the barbarian language called "feld". For three years the Lombards lived in these lands when the war broke out between Tatone and Rodulfo, King of the Eruli. The two sovereigns tried to make a pact of friendship between Eruli and Longobardi but the discord between them ignited. The cause was this, a brother of King Rodulfo had come to offer peace to Tatone, ended the mission, while returning home he happened to pass in front of his daughter's house of the King, Rumetruda, this, intrigued by the large following that preceded him, asked who that man was surrounded by such a noble court, they replied that it was the brother of Rodulfo King of the Eruli, who after having made the embassy to Tatone, he was returning home. Rumetruda sent a messenger to invite him to her, offering him a cup of wine. The latter, with a straight heart as he was, accepted. The girl, seeing that he was of small stature, with the haughtiness born of pride, he humiliated him with mocking words, the nobleman, blazing with shame and at the same time with indignation, replied with words that in the girl caused an even greater disturbance. Rumetruda, lit with feminine fury, unable to hold back the pain in her soul, hastened to perform the misdeed that her irresponsible mind had conceived. She simulated not being offended, with a smiling face and sweet words she coaxed her host, made him sit in a place with a window behind her that she had covered with a precious fabric, as if to honour her guest, in reality she didn't want to suspect him. In the meantime, the ferocious beast had given orders to her servants to take a position behind the window and to the agreed signal, that is when she, addressing the cupbearer, had ordered "petty" to stab him with the spears. And so it happened. As soon as that cruel woman gave the signal, the wicked orders were executed. Rodulfo's brother, pierced by spears, fell to the ground and died.

When Rodulfo was told about the cru of the fate of his brother, he suffered greatly and the desire for revenge ignited in him. Then he broke the bargain pact with Tatone and declared war. What to add to this? The clash took place in the open field. Rodulfo, after deploying his troops for the battle (about 512), certain of the victory, retired to his camp where he played at the board. In those times, the Eruli were trained in war and known to have massacred many peoples. The Eruli fought naked, both for being more agile and for not giving importance to the wounds inflicted by the enemies; so they fought with covered only what needs for modesty. Rodulfo, while playing quietly at the board, ordered a servant to climb a nearby tree to communicate the progress of the victory. Having absolute faith in his, he threatened the servant to have his head cut off if he dared to tell him that the Eruli were running away. The servant, although he soon saw that his King's army was falling back, said nothing, indeed, questioned more and more often by the King, he replied that they fought magnificently. He dared not say anything even when he saw the last ranks of the Eruli turn his back on the enemy, then, even if late, he burst into complaints. "Woe to you miserable Erolia," he said, "that you are struck by the wrath of heaven." At these words the king, troubled, asked: "Could it be that my Eruli are fleeing?" And the servant: "Not me, but you yourself, sir, have said it." Thus, as often happens in these cases, uncertain as to what to do, taken by surprise by the arrival of the Lombards, they were massacred. Even the King, while performing vain acts of heroism, was killed. Meanwhile, the army of the Eruli fled scattered here and there and the anger of the sky struck them, they, seeing the green expanse of the flax plants in the plain, believed them waters that could be crossed by swimming, so they tried to cross them and, while they stretched their arms in vain, they were cruelly struck by the Lombard swords. These, completed the victory, divided the huge loot found in the field of the Eruli. Tatone took the banner of Rodulfo, which they called "ban", and also the helmet that he used to use in war. From that moment, the Etruscans lost importance among the peoples, to the point that they no longer had a King. The Lombards instead, having become richer and greatly increased the army with the submissive peoples, began to seek other wars without being provoked and greatly increased their fame and valour in battle everywhere.

21.

But Tatone could not rejoice much of this triumph, shortly after he was confronted and killed by Wacone son of his brother Zuchilone, therefore Wacone had to face Ildichi, son of Tatone. Wacone also defeated Ildichi who was forced into exile and took refuge with the Gepids where he lived until his death. For this reason a long enmity was born between Gepidi and Longobardi. Also in these times Wacone attacked the Swabians and subdued them. If anyone doubts this, reread Rotari's edict on Lombard laws and in almost all the codes he will find what we have said in this little story.

Wacone had three wives: the first, Ranecunda, was the daughter of the King of the Thuringes, then married Astrigosa, daughter of the King of the Gepids, and from this he had two daughters, Wisigarda, who went to the wife of Teodeberto King of the Franks, Salderada, the another daughter married Cusupaldo, another King of the Franks, but he took her in hatred and married her to a man, such a Gariboldo. Wacone then had a third wife, Salinga, daughter of the King of Eruli, this gave Wacone a son whom he called Waltari. Upon Wacone's death, Waltari became the eighth Lombard king. All these kings were Lithingi, a noble Lombard lineage.

22.

Waltari held the kingdom for seven years before he died, after him the ninth king to conquer the kingdom was Audoino who shortly afterwards brought the Lombard people to Pannonia.

23.

The hostility between Gepidi and Longobardi finally came to the point and the war was being prepared on both sides. Then came the day of battle, the sides faced each other fiercely and neither of them could prevail over the other. It happened that, in the middle of the fray, Alboino son of Audoino and Turismondo son of King Gepido Turisindo met, Alboino, hitting him with the sword, made him fall from the horse and killed him, the Gepids, seeing the son of their dead King, they lost heart. Moreover, Turismondo sustained most of the fatigue in battle, so in short, the Gepids fled. The Lombards pursued them fiercely, routing them and killing as many as they could, then went back to take the spoils from the dead. After taking full advantage of the victory, the Lombards returned to their headquarters and suggested to King Audoino to invite Alboino, who with his valor had obtained the victory, just as he had been his father's companion in danger, as he was in banquet. Audoino replied that he could not do it so as not to break the tradition of his people: "You know," he said, "that among us it is not allowed for a son to sit in conviviality with his father if he has not first received weapons as gifts from a Foreign King ».