Note 88 — Chapter I

Clodomir had left three sons, who were brought up by their grandmother, Clotilda. The two brothers having got possession of two of their nephews, calmly resolved to kill them. Clotaire sheathed his dagger in the breast of one of them, the other embraced the knees of his uncle Childebert, and besought him to spare his life. The tears of the innocent child moved even the harsh Childebert to pity; he entreated his brother to spare him; but that monster remained deaf to all prayers, and threatened even to make Childebert share the fate of the helpless boy, should he continue any longer to withhold him from his murderous hands: Childebert thereupon pushed back the poor innocent, and Clotaire’s dagger speedily sent him to rejoin his brother (532). The third of the children of Clodomir was, indeed, saved from his uncle’s clutches; but he deemed it necessary afterwards to embrace the ecclesiastical profession, in order to secure his safety.