Thefertilityofthesoil，ratherthanthelaborofthenatives，suppliedtherusticplentyoftheSclavonians。Theirsheepandhornedcattlewerelargeandnumerous，andthefieldswhichtheysowedwithmilletorpanic^14afforded，inplaceofbread，acoarseandlessnutritivefood。Theincessantrapineoftheirneighborscompelledthemtoburythistreasureintheearth；butontheappearanceofastranger，itwasfreelyimpartedbyapeople，whoseunfavorablecharacterisqualifiedbytheepithetsofchaste，patient，andhospitable。Astheirsupremegod，theyadoredaninvisiblemasterofthethunder。Theriversandthenymphsobtainedtheirsubordinatehonors，andthepopularworshipwasexpressedinvowsandsacrifice。TheSclavoniansdisdainedtoobeyadespot，aprince，orevenamagistrate；buttheirexperiencewastoonarrow，theirpassionstooheadstrong，tocomposeasystemofequallaworgeneraldefence。Somevoluntaryrespectwasyieldedtoageandvalor；buteachtribeorvillageexistedasaseparaterepublic，andallmustbepersuadedwherenonecouldbecompelled。Theyfoughtonfoot，almostnaked，andexceptanunwieldyshield，withoutanydefensivearmor；theirweaponsofoffencewereabow，aquiverofsmallpoisonedarrows，andalongrope，whichtheydexterouslythrewfromadistance，andentangledtheirenemyinarunningnoose。Inthefield，theSclavonianinfantrywasdangerousbytheirspeed，agility，andhardiness:theyswam，theydived，theyremainedunderwater，drawingtheirbreaththroughahollowcane；andariverorlakewasoftenthesceneoftheirunsuspectedambuscade。Buttheseweretheachievementsofspiesorstragglers；themilitaryartwasunknowntotheSclavonians；theirnamewasobscure，andtheirconquestswereinglorious。^15
[Footnote11:IadopttheappellationofBulgariansfromEnnodius，inPanegyr。Theodorici，Opp。Sirmond，tom。i。p。
1598，1599，Jornandes，deRebusGeticis，c。5，p。194，etdeRegn。Successione，p。242，Theophanes，p。185，andtheChroniclesofCassiodorusandMarcellinus。ThenameofHunsistoovague；thetribesoftheCutturguriansandUtturguriansaretoominuteandtooharsh。
Note:TheBulgariansarefirstmentionedamongthewritersoftheWestinthePanegyriconTheodoricbyEnnodius，BishopofPavia。ThoughtheyperhapstookpartintheconquestsoftheHuns，theydidnotadvancetotheDanubetillafterthedismembermentofthatmonarchyonthedeathofAttila。ButtheBulgariansarementionedmuchearlierbytheArmenianwriters。
Above600yearsbeforeChrist，atribeofBulgarians，drivenfromtheirnativepossessionsbeyondtheCaspian，occupiedapartofArmenia，northoftheAraxes。TheywereoftheFinnishrace；