The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-06-01
IDAHO WORLD.
ATTILLA, THE SCOURGE.
4 CHEERFUL CHARACTER OF oLDEN TIME

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! currRFuI CHARACTER OF oLDEN TIME.
After having trauersed Germany, leaving
hah;nd him ruin and des0atiOn, Attllla pene-
trated into Gaul in 451, followed by furious
mult;tnde. intoxicated by his success, which he
had led from the banks of the Danube. 1t was
the last but the most terrible influx OF barba-
rians who, during three centuries, overrun
Europe, destroying in their path cities and ma
lions. Until then the people, who from the
depths of Asia rushed towards the West, had
been, so to speak, satisfied with their trlumphs;
and, as they approached the civilized world,
their savage ardor diminished They had
ended by stopping astonished at the splendor
of the Roman Empire, and by trying to initiate
the manners and wonders of civilization.
But this time the conquerer was pitiless; ne
disdained the search of luxury; he preferred
the solitude of his village of wooden houses,
simply painted and carpeted, to the grandeur
of the Roman cities, their marble palaces and
magnificent monuments. Their kiOsks OF varied
cOlors, the vast stretch of the green pralrles
Of the Danube, suited his wild taste better than
the cities encompassed by girdle OF walls. In
his camp, where the riches which Rome humbly
sent him as a tribute were piled up, Attila,
leaving to his companions the vessels of gold
and silver, the stuffs of purple, and all the
brilliant trophiea of victory, received, seated
upon a stool, before Undiscovered with wood
en- plates aud coarse meats, the emissaries OF
the East and West. A stranger to all which
moves the heart of man, he liked the terror he
inspired, and gave himself the surname OF the
Scourge of God Nothing humane seemed TO
have penetrated his soul, animated only by the
necessity of destroying. which was extinglnshed
before Rome, after having accomplished on the
whole of Europe his work of determination.
Gaul, so many limos devastated by barbara
ans, saw this horrible exterminater approach
with CONSERVATION. He who said, "The grass
never grows where the hoof of Attllla's horse
passed ;" and who replied to the ambassadors
of Theodosius, "DO you think there exists a
fortress or a city which l could not bring to
the ground!" struck terror into the bOldest
hearts.
An accident, it is said, had led the Huns to-
ward the west, and dog had indicated to them
a route across the Palas Maotica An acct
dent, Also had armed Attllla: shepherd had
wounded his foot in pasture and there dis
covered sword under the grass and carried it
to the Tartar chief Attila seized it, and de-
cared he had a right to the dominion OF the
world "The stars fall" cried he, "the earth
trembles: am the scOurge of the universe :"
The presence of Attilla announced itself In
.Gaul, as usual. by pillage, massacre and fire
He led after him destructive horde, who only
awaited signal to plunge into the cities. Treves.
the capital of the North, Metz. and number
of cities, were ruined by this dreadful invasion;
and it was preceded by these fatal victories
that he presented himself under the walls of
Paris, or rather of Lutece. When this horde
of barbarians were seen to spread themselves
xlar %hn orf, tha har nf nv
dred thousand men, the Parisians looked with
terror upon them. Frightened at their ap-
proach, they did not even think of resisting
them. Flight seemed to them the only chance
of safety, and uniting all the barks they could,
they prepared to leave Paris to the Huns. In
this fear-stricken populace, one heart alone
preserves its confidence; one voice alone is
raised to engage the inhabitants to defend the
city; it is that of young girl of hardly nine
teen years-we mean Genevleve. Going To
the assembly of the citizens, the courageous
girl said to them. "Why do you fly? He who
said to the sea, BE dry and to the Jordan,
Go back TO thy SOURCE will not He raise de-
Tense between you and the enemy! Paris has
nothing to fear from this barbarian king, who
pretends to be the scOurge of mankind and of
God. Your city will be preserved, while that
to which you propose flying will be sacked and
pillaged." They listened to her advice, and
prepared to defend the city from the invasion
of the Huns. But they did not even have to
fight. For some unaccountable reason, Attilla
drew back and changed his route, for the first
time. During the night, Attia, the terrible
cOnqueror of nations, whom the masters of
Rome greeted with trembling, who dragged af-
ter him SO many subjected tributaries, had fall
tered before young girl, and moved off with
his barbarous host.