n became tired of having the Ostrogoth king at
his court, and to get rid of him he agreed that Theodoric should
go with his army to Italy, and take that country from O-do-a'-cer.
Theodoric was delighted at the proposal and began at once to make
his preparations.

Odoacer was at that time king of Italy. Before he became king he
had been a general in the army of Romulus Augustulus, the Western
Roman Emperor. The soldiers of the army were not satisfied with
their pay, and when they asked for more they did not get it. Then
they drove Romulus Augustulus from the throne, and chose Odoacer
to succeed him. But Odoacer would not take the name of emperor.
He was called the "patrician" of Italy, and he ruled the country
well.

Theodoric started for Italy, not only with a great army, but with
all the people of his country. He meant to take Italy and be its
king and settle in it with all his Ostrogoths. When he set out he
had with him two hundred and fifty thousand persons--men, women,
and children--with a great number of horses and wagons to carry
them and their things. He had also an army of sixty thousand brave
soldiers.

It was a long and weary journey from the shores of the Black Sea
overland to the foot of the Alps Mountains and across the Alps
into Italy. Here and there on the way they met savage tribes that
tried to stop them, but Theodoric defeated the savages and took
a great many of them prisoners. He made these prisoners, women
as well as men, help carry the baggage and do other work.

[Illustration: INVASION OF BARBARIANS]

The journey took months, but at last the Ostrogoths reached the
top of the Alps. Then they could see, stretched out before them,
the beautiful land of Italy. They were all delighted. They shouted
and danced with joy, and Theodoric cried out:

"There is the country which shall be our home. Let us march on.
It certainly shall be ours."

Then they passed quickly down, and soon they were in Italy. Odoacer
had heard of their coming and he got ready an army to drive them
away. Theodoric also got his fighting men ready. The two armies
met, and there was a great battle near the town of Aquileia. Odoacer
was defeated. Then he tried to get Theodoric to leave Italy by
offering him a large sum of money.

"I will give you," said he, "thousands of pounds of gold and silver
if you agree to go back to your own country."

But Theodoric would not go. He said he had as good a right to be
king of Italy as