Eslas
Eslas (
Overview
Eslas was one of the most experienced Hunnish ambassadors.[1] Fifteen years before he was sent to Constantinople by Attila, he had negotiated with Theodosius on account of Hun king Rugila.[1]
He became a minder of Vigilas, with whom he was sent to Constantinople by Attila, where Vigilas was to ask for the handing over of any remaining refugees.[1][2]
The delegation with which historian
Further, Attila decided to punish the emperor by sending Eslas and Orestes to his court to publicly humiliate him. As Priscus recounts:
"[Attila] instructed Orestes to go to the Emperor wearing around his neck the purse in which Bigilas placed the gold that was to be given to Edeco. He was to display it to the Emperor and the eunuch [Chrysaphius] and to ask if they recognized it."[1]
Attila also instructed Eslas to tell the emperor that he had degraded his line. Once they reached Constantinople, Eslas told the emperor a parable, probably composed by Attila himself:[3]
"Theodosius is the son of a well-born father. Attila too from his father Mundzuk has inherited the condition of noble birth, which he has preserved. Not so Theodosius, who fell from the estate of an ingenuus and became Attila's slave, when he submitted to pay him tribute. He has now conspired against the life of a better man than himself, and one whom Fortune has made his master. This is a foul deed, worthy only of a caitiff slave, and his only way of clearing himself from the guilt which he has thus contracted is to surrender the Eunuch to punishment."[3]
The meaning of this statement is that both men were born noble, but Theodosius had fallen from his dignified station by submitting to pay tribute to Attila, becoming his "slave"; and that therefore he acted ill by devising secret snares against his master like a wicked domestic against his superior, whom fortune had given him for his master.[4]
References
- ^ ISBN 9781446419328. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ISBN 9781409045366. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ^ a b Hodgkin, Thomas (1892). Italy and Her Invaders Volume 2. Clarendon Press. p. 94.
- ^ Herbert, William (1838). Attila King of the Huns. H.G. Bohn. p. 415. Retrieved 26 October 2022.