YetiftheyexpectedtoderiveanyassistancefromthetribesofGermany，whoinhabitedthebanksoftheRhine，theirhopesweredisappointed。TheAlemannipreservedastateofinactiveneutrality；andtheFranksdistinguishedtheirzealandcourageinthedefenceoftheoftheempire。IntherapidprogressdowntheRhine，whichwasthefirstactoftheadministrationofStilicho，hehadappliedhimself，withpeculiarattention，tosecuretheallianceofthewarlikeFranks，andtoremovetheirreconcilableenemiesofpeaceandoftherepublic。
Marcomir，oneoftheirkings，waspubliclyconvicted，beforethetribunaloftheRomanmagistrate，ofviolatingthefaithoftreaties。Hewassentencedtoamild，butdistantexile，intheprovinceofTuscany；andthisdegradationoftheregaldignitywassofarfromexcitingtheresentmentofhissubjects，thattheypunishedwithdeaththeturbulentSunno，whoattemptedtorevengehisbrother；andmaintainedadutifulallegiancetotheprinces，whowereestablishedonthethronebythechoiceofStilicho。^87WhenthelimitsofGaulandGermanywereshakenbythenorthernemigration，theFranksbravelyencounteredthesingleforceoftheVandals；who，regardlessofthelessonsofadversity，hadagainseparatedtheirtroopsfromthestandardoftheirBarbarianallies。Theypaidthepenaltyoftheirrashness；
andtwentythousandVandals，withtheirkingGodigisclus，wereslaininthefieldofbattle。Thewholepeoplemusthavebeenextirpated，ifthesquadronsoftheAlani，advancingtotheirrelief，hadnottrampleddowntheinfantryoftheFranks；who，afteranhonorableresistance，werecompelledtorelinquishtheunequalcontest。Thevictoriousconfederatespursuedtheirmarch，andonthelastdayoftheyear，inaseasonwhenthewatersoftheRhineweremostprobablyfrozen，theyentered，withoutopposition，thedefencelessprovincesofGaul。ThismemorablepassageoftheSuevi，theVandals，theAlani，andtheBurgundians，whoneverafterwardsretreated，maybeconsideredasthefalloftheRomanempireinthecountriesbeyondtheAlps；
andthebarriers，whichhadsolongseparatedthesavageandthecivilizednationsoftheearth，werefromthatfatalmomentlevelledwiththeground。^88
[Footnote87:—ProvinciamissosExpelletcitiusfasces，quamFranciaregesQuosdederis。