Res Gestae

Zeno accordingly rewarded Theodoric for his support, made him a patrician[*](See § 36, note 3.) and a consul, gave him a great sum of money, and sent him to Italy. Theodoric stipulated with him, that if Odoacar should be vanquished, in return for his own labours in Odoacar’s place he should rule in his stead only until the arrival of Zeno. Therefore, when the patrician Theodoric came from the city of Nova with the Gothic people, he was sent by the emperor Zeno from the regions of the Orient, in order to defend Italy for him.

As Theodoric was on his way, Odoacar met him at the river Sontius,[*](The modern Isonzo.) engaged in battle with him

Theodoric the patrician went on to Mediolanum, and the most of Odoacar’s army surrendered to him, including Tufa, his general-in-chief, whom Odoacar had appointed, along with his other high officials, on the 1st of April. In that same year Tufa, the commanding general, was sent by Theodoric to Ravenna against Odoacar.

Tufa came to Faventia,[*](A town of Gallia Cispadana on the via Aenmilia, modern Faenza.) and with the army with which he had been sent besieged Odoacar. The latter left Ravenna and came to Faventia, where Tufa handed over to him the high officers of the patrician Theodoric, who were put in irons and taken to Ravenna.

The consulship of Faustus and Longinus.[*](490.) When these were consuls, King Odoacar marched out from Cremona and went to Mediolanum. Then the Visigoths came to the help of Theodoric, and a battle was fought on the 11th of August on the bank of the river Addua,[*](A large river of Gallia Transpadana, flowing through Lake Larius (Como) into the Po, modern Adda.) where many fell on both sides; Pierius, commander of the household troops, was slain, and Odoacar fled to Ravenna. The patrician Theodoric soon followed him, came to the Pine Grove,[*](See § 37, note 3.) and made a camp there; then he kept Odoacar in a state of siege for three

The consulship[*](491.) of Olybrius, vir clarissimus. In his consulship King Odoacar sallied forth from Ravenna by night, entered into the Pine Grove with the Heruli, and attacked the fortified camp of the patrician Theodoric. The losses were great on both sides, and Levila, Odoacar’s commander-in-chief, fled and lost his life in the river Bedens[*](Also called Bidens, the modern Bedese, or Ronco.) ; Odoacar was defeated and fled to Ravenna on the 15th of July. Then Odoacar was forced to give his son Thelanes to Theodoric as a hostage, first receiving a pledge that his blood would be spared.[*](See § 43, note 6. Here neither spirit nor letter was kept.)

So Theodoric entered Ravenna, and after several days Odoacar laid a snare for him: but Theodoric discovered him in the palace and forestalled him, then caught him off his guard and with his own hand slew him with a sword as he was coming into the Laurel Grove.[*](Apparently in, or near, Ravenna; cf. Pinetam, and see § 57, below, which implies that Theodoric killed Odoacar in Ravenna. According to A. Sleumer, Kirchenlatein. Wörterbuch (1926), s.v., Lauretum was a city near Ancona, but he does not cite this passage.)

On the same day, all of Odoacar’s army who could be found anywhere were killed by order of Theodoric, as well as all of his family. This same year the emperor Zeno died at Constantinople, and Anastasius was made emperor.