Thehonorofanambassadorshouldbeexemptfromsuspicion；andEdeconhadlistenedtoaconspiracyagainstthelifeofhissovereign。Butthisapparentguiltwasexpiatedbyhismeritorrepentance；hisrankwaseminentandconspicuous；heenjoyedthefavorofAttila；andthetroopsunderhiscommand，whoguarded，intheirturn，theroyalvillage，consistedofatribeofScyrri，hisimmediateandhereditarysubjects。Intherevoltofthenations，theystilladheredtotheHuns；andmorethantwelveyearsafterwards，thenameofEdeconishonorablymentioned，intheirunequalcontestswiththeOstrogoths；whichwasterminated，aftertwobloodybattles，bythedefeatanddispersionoftheScyrri。^120Theirgallantleader，whodidnotsurvivethisnationalcalamity，lefttwosons，OnulfandOdoacer，tostrugglewithadversity，andtomaintainastheymight，byrapineorservice，thefaithfulfollowersoftheirexile。OnulfdirectedhisstepstowardsConstantinople，wherehesullied，bytheassassinationofagenerousbenefactor，thefamewhichhehadacquiredinarms。HisbrotherOdoacerledawanderinglifeamongtheBarbariansofNoricum，withamindandafortunesuitedtothemostdesperateadventures；andwhenhehadfixedhischoice，hepiouslyvisitedthecellofSeverinus，thepopularsaintofthecountry，tosolicithisapprobationandblessing。ThelownessofthedoorwouldnotadmittheloftystatureofOdoacer:
hewasobligedtostoop；butinthathumbleattitudethesaintcoulddiscernthesymptomsofhisfuturegreatness；andaddressinghiminaprophetictone，\"Pursue\"saidhe\"yourdesign；proceedtoItaly；youwillsooncastawaythiscoarsegarmentofskins；andyourwealthwillbeadequatetotheliberalityofyourmind。\"^121TheBarbarian，whosedaringspiritacceptedandratifiedtheprediction，wasadmittedintotheserviceoftheWesternempire，andsoonobtainedanhonorablerankintheguards。Hismannersweregraduallypolished，hismilitaryskillwasimproved，andtheconfederatesofItalywouldnothaveelectedhimfortheirgeneral，unlesstheexploitsofOdoacerhadestablishedahighopinionofhiscourageandcapacity。^122Theirmilitaryacclamationssalutedhimwiththetitleofking；butheabstained，duringhiswholereign，fromtheuseofthepurpleanddiadem，^123lestheshouldoffendthoseprinces，whosesubjects，bytheiraccidentalmixture，hadformedthevictoriousarmy，whichtimeandpolicymightinsensiblyuniteintoagreatnation。
[Footnote*:MansoobservesthattheevidencewhichidentifiesEdecon，thefatherofOdoacer，withthecolleagueofOrestes，isnotconclusive。GeschichtedesOst—GothischenReiches，p。32。
ButSt。MartininclinestoagreewithGibbon，note，vi。75。—M。]
[Footnote120:Jornandes，c。53，54，p。692—695。M。deBuatHist。desPeuplesdel\'Europe，tom。viii。p。221—228hasclearlyexplainedtheoriginandadventuresofOdoacer。IamalmostinclinedtobelievethathewasthesamewhopillagedAngers，andcommandedafleetofSaxonpiratesontheocean。