THE DECLINE AND FALL

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chap, retired to their former habitations beyond theRhine ; but the Salians were permitted to pos-sess their new establishment of Toxandria, asthe subjects and auxiliaries of the Roman em-pire . 1 The treaty was ratified by solemn oaths;and perpetual inspectors were appointed to re-side among the Franks, with the authority ofenforcing the strict observance of the conditions.An incident is related, interesting enough in it-self, and by no means repugnant to the charac-ter of Julian, who ingeniously contrived boththe plot and the catastrophe of the tragedy.When the Chamavians sued for peace, he re-quired the son of their king, as the only hostagein whom he could rely. A mournful silence,interrupted by tears and groans, declared thesad perplexity of the barbarians ; and theiraged chief lamented, in pathetic language, thathis private loss was now embittered by a senseof the public calamity. While the Chamavianslay prostrate at the foot of his throne, the royal2 captive, whom they believed to have been slain,unexpectedly appeared before their eyes ; andas soon as the tumult of joy was hushed intoattention, the Caesar addressed the assemblyin the following terms: “ Behold the son, the“ prince, whom you wept. You had lost him“ by your fault. God and the Romans have“ restored him to you. I shall still preserve

1 Ammian. xvii, 8. Zosimus , l iii, p. 146-150, (his narrative is dark,ened by a mixture of fable); and Julian, ad s. p. Q. Athen. p. 280.His expression, ftsy f^oi^ay ts 2etXiatv XafxaZus in epvXava.

This difference of treatment confirms the opinion, that the Salian Frankswere permitted to retain the settlements in Toxandria.