valour of the Goths is made the cause of the defeat of Attila in the
Catalaunian plains (451); the name of Gothic Eutharic is put before
that of Byzantine Justin in the consular list; and so forth. Upon the
whole, as has been already said, the work cannot be considered as
adding to the reputation of its author; nor can it be defended from
the terrible attack which has been made upon it by that scholar of our
own day whose opinion upon such a subject stands the highest, Theodor
Mommsen[37]. Only, when he makes this unfortunate Chronicle reflect
suspicion on the other works of Cassiodorus, and especially on the
Gothic History[38], the German scholar seems to me to chastise the
busy Minister more harshly than he deserves.

[Footnote 36: Clinton's date for this battle, 403, differs from that
assigned by Cassiodorus, and is, in my judgment, erroneous.]

[Footnote 37: Abhandlungen der philologisch-historischen Klasse der
Königlich Sächsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften, iii. 547-696.]

[Footnote 38: 'Dass die ganze Procedur von der übelsten Art ist und
den viel gefeierten gothischen Historiker in jeder weise
compromittirt, bedarf keiner Ausaneindersetzung' (l.c. 564).]

[Sidenote: The Gothic History.]

I have just alluded to the Gothic History of Cassiodorus. It was
apparently shortly after the composition of his Chronicle[39] that
this, in some respects his most important work, was compiled and
arranged according to his accustomed habit in twelve books. His own
estimate--and it is not a low one--of the value of this performance is
expressed in a letter which he makes his young Sovereign Athalaric