OntheirapproachthekingoftheHunsimmediatelyraisedthesiege，andsoundedaretreattorecalltheforemostofhistroopsfromthepillageofacitywhichtheyhadalreadyentered。
^39ThevalorofAttilawasalwaysguidedbyhisprudence；andasheforesawthefatalconsequencesofadefeatintheheartofGaul，herepassedtheSeine，andexpectedtheenemyintheplainsofChalons，whosesmoothandlevelsurfacewasadaptedtotheoperationsofhisScythiancavalry。Butinthistumultuaryretreat，thevanguardoftheRomansandtheiralliescontinuallypressed，andsometimesengaged，thetroopswhomAttilahadpostedintherear；thehostilecolumns，inthedarknessofthenightandtheperplexityoftheroads，mightencountereachotherwithoutdesign；andthebloodyconflictoftheFranksandGepidae，inwhichfifteenthousand^40Barbarianswereslain，wasapreludetoamoregeneralanddecisiveaction。TheCatalaunianfields^41spreadthemselvesroundChalons，andextend，accordingtothevaguemeasurementofJornandes，tothelengthofonehundredandfifty，andthebreadthofonehundredmiles，overthewholeprovince，whichisentitledtotheappellationofachampaigncountry。^42Thisspaciousplainwasdistinguished，however，bysomeinequalitiesofground；andtheimportanceofaheight，whichcommandedthecampofAttila，wasunderstoodanddisputedbythetwogenerals。TheyoungandvaliantTorismondfirstoccupiedthesummit；theGothsrushedwithirresistibleweightontheHuns，wholaboredtoascendfromtheoppositeside:
andthepossessionofthisadvantageouspostinspiredboththetroopsandtheirleaderswithafairassuranceofvictory。TheanxietyofAttilapromptedhimtoconsulthispriestsandharuspices。Itwasreported，that，afterscrutinizingtheentrailsofvictims，andscrapingtheirbones，theyrevealed，inmysteriouslanguage，hisowndefeat，withthedeathofhisprincipaladversary；andthattheBarbarians，byacceptingtheequivalent，expressedhisinvoluntaryesteemforthesuperiormeritofAetius。Buttheunusualdespondency，whichseemedtoprevailamongtheHuns，engagedAttilatousetheexpedient，sofamiliartothegeneralsofantiquity，ofanimatinghistroopsbyamilitaryoration；andhislanguagewasthatofaking，whohadoftenfoughtandconqueredattheirhead。^43Hepressedthemtoconsidertheirpastglory，theiractualdanger，andtheirfuturehopes。Thesamefortune，whichopenedthedesertsandmorassesofScythiatotheirunarmedvalor，whichhadlaidsomanywarlikenationsprostrateattheirfeet，hadreservedthejoysofthismemorablefieldfortheconsummationoftheirvictories。Thecautiousstepsoftheirenemies，theirstrictalliance，andtheiradvantageousposts，heartfullyrepresentedastheeffects，notofprudence，butoffear。TheVisigothsalonewerethestrengthandnervesoftheoppositearmy；andtheHunsmightsecurelytrampleonthedegenerateRomans，whosecloseandcompactorderbetrayedtheirapprehensions，andwhowereequallyincapableofsupportingthedangersorthefatiguesofadayofbattle。Thedoctrineofpredestination，sofavorabletomartiavirtue，wascarefullyinculcatedbythekingoftheHuns；whoassuredhissubjects，thatthewarriors，protectedbyHeaven，weresafeandinvulnerableamidstthedartsoftheenemy；butthattheunerringFateswouldstriketheirvictimsinthebosomofingloriouspeace。\"Imyself，\"continuedAttila，\"willthrowthefirstjavelin，andthewretchwhorefusestoimitatetheexampleofhissovereign，isdevotedtoinevitabledeath。\"ThespiritoftheBarbarianswasrekindledbythepresence，thevoice，andtheexampleoftheirintrepidleader；andAttila，yieldingtotheirimpatience，immediatelyformedhisorderofbattle。AttheheadofhisbraveandfaithfulHuns，heoccupiedinpersonthecentreoftheline。Thenationssubjecttohisempire，theRugians，theHeruli，theThuringians，theFranks，theBurgundians，wereextendedoneitherhand，overtheamplespaceoftheCatalaunianfields；therightwingwascommandedbyArdaric，kingoftheGepidae；andthethreevaliantbrothers，whoreignedovertheOstrogoths，werepostedonthelefttoopposethekindredtribesoftheVisigoths。Thedispositionoftheallieswasregulatedbyadifferentprinciple。Sangiban，thefaithlesskingoftheAlani，wasplacedinthecentre，wherehismotionsmightbestrictlywatched，andthatthetreacherymightbeinstantlypunished。Aetiusassumedthecommandoftheleft，andTheodoricoftherightwing；whileTorismondstillcontinuedtooccupytheheightswhichappeartohavestretchedontheflank，andperhapstherear，oftheScythianarmy。ThenationsfromtheVolgatotheAtlanticwereassembledontheplainofChalons；butmanyofthesenationshadbeendividedbyfaction，orconquest，oremigration；andtheappearanceofsimilararmsandensigns，whichthreatenedeachother，presentedtheimageofacivilwar。
[Footnote39:Aurelianensisurbisobsidio，oppugnatio，irruptio，necdireptio，l。v。Sidon。Apollin。l。viii。Epist。15，p。246。
ThepreservationofOrleansmighteasilybeturnedintoamiracle，obtainedandforetoldbytheholybishop。]