Emperor:– Let him come in. I am tired of waiting for him. See, Vasiliy, the king of Goths has come Konstantinopol willingly.

The head of watchmen goes out

Cardinal:-Your Excellency! If you allow me I wouldn’t take part in this important talk.

Emperor:-What do you say, Vasiliy? Without fail, your participation is very necessary. Because in future the information given by Atanarkh will play special role in guarding the north borders of the empire.

Cardinal:-How you advise, Your Majesty!

Emperor :( smilingly) -I advise you to take part, Vasiliy! I wonder what information Atanarkh is going to tell us about this unknown tribes. It is very interesting for me, Vasiliy! Can you imagine, the king of Goths, who didn’t want to come to Byzantine is in Konstantinopol now.

Behind the curtain the voice of the head of watchmen is heard:– Excellency Atanarkh, the king of Goths!

Atanarkh, the king of Goths, dressed in barbarian form, crown on his head comes in the stage. Emperor Valent stands up, and goes forward his “old friend”. When the emperor stands up cardinal Vasiliy also stands up.

Emperor:( with forced smile on his face) – Hi, my old friend, it is very fine for me to see you in Konstantinopol. Now it is very happy moment for me. We had to meet here some years ago. It is pity it was impossible to carry out this.

Emperor takes some steps and comes nearer to him, gives Atanarkh a chance to embrace him. While embracing the emperor puts his hands on Atanarkh’s shoulder, says ironically: – The king of Goths, I am glad to see you in Konstantinopol.

Atanarkh:-Thank you, emperor! I am grateful to you for such a reception in Konstantinopol. (Pleasure is expressed on the face of Valent. It is felt that Atanarkh’s addressing him as

“emperor” is on his heart’s content.) But the situation changed and we had to meet in such a situation.

Emperor wants him to demonstrate that he is ruler and in order to sit he shows him a place on his right side. He sits down too.

Emperor:-I know, Atanarkh, I know. In the north part of the empire the situation becomes worse day after day. Those unknown tribes have oppressed you too much.

Atanarkh:-Yes, they not only oppressed us, they also obliged our tribes to become disgraceful. Our people can’t take except one bundle. All our animals, cattle, cornfields remained to them.

Even they don’t give a quarter to us to open our eyes. As if they are lightning, lit in a moment, burnt everything, then they disappear.

Emperor:-What does it mean that they disappeared in a moment?

Atanarkh:-It means that they are like a wind. They want to blow when they want, and they can stop blowing at any moment they want.

Emperor:-I think, these unknown tribes have frighten you too much. Is it right, Atanarkh?

Atanarkh:-Why do you say that they are unknown? If your people also would be suffered from their oppression they also would be in much worse situation than the Goths.

Emperor stands up. At this moment Atanarkh and Vasiliy also want to stand up. Emperor Valent hints them with his hand “to sit down”.

Emperor Valent:-What did you say? Why do I call them “unknown”?

Atanarkh:-It is right, Excellency Valent!

Vasiliy:-What do you want to say? You want to say that they aren’t “unknown” tribes? Do you know much about them? (Cardinal Valent and emperor Valent exchange glances.)

Atanarkh:-Of course, they aren’t unknown.

Vasiliy:-But who are they?

Atanarkh:-Twenty years ago they lived in the east of the peninsula of Kerch, but we lived in the west of the peninsula. Even we can be called kinsfolk too.

Vasiliy:-But I know that Iskits have been living there up present time.

Atanarkh:-They consider Iskits to be their forefathers and they speak in their language.

Emperor:-Do you want to say that they are Iskits?

Atanarkh:-No, my ruler! They don’t consider themselves to be Iskits. They consider themselves the followers of them and live with the rules of Iskits.

Vasiliy:-What does it mean?

Atanarkh:-For example, they build bath-houses for themselves. Their homes consist of the tents made of animal skin. I haven’t seen, but they say that within an hour they can pull down their homes and can build the homes in the distance of hundred kilometers.

Emperor:-But what about the bath-house you said before? Do they carry the bath-houses together with them too?

Atanarkh:-Yes, not depending on where they are going they build the bath-houses in that place.

Cardinal:– I wonder, is the bath-house important for them?

Atanarkh:-I don’t know, but my people say what they saw with their own eyes.

Emperor:-It appears that the Iskits want to oppress you and to drive you out of the territory of the empire.

Atanarkh:-I don’t think as you, ruler! According to the information I go they will come to your territory too.

Emperor:-I don’t understand anything. Why do they come to our territory?

Atanarkh:( behaves as if he is worried) -There is gossiping that they want to return to their forefathers’ lands.

Cardinal Vasiliy:( stands up) -Do you want to say that Konstantinopol is their Historical lands and they want to return to their historical lands?

Atanarkh:-According the information I got, they pretend to do thus. I got such information.

Cardinal:-But from where did they come?

Atanarkh:-They say that they came from the shores of the Caspian Sea and want to return to their lands.

Cardinal:-Aren’t the shores of the Caspian Sea their own motherland?

Atanarkh:-Like us they also consider the shores of the Caspian Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea to be their historical lands.

Emperor:( stands up again nervously) -They… They… They… Who are they? What is the name ofthese unknown tribes? Why are you afraid of them in this way?

Atanarkh:-Now they are called like the Huns, Your Excellency! Now they call themselves like the Huns.

Emperor:-How do they call themselves?

Atanarkh:-The Huns, Your Majesty! The Huns.

Emperor:( sits on the throne) -What kind of the name is it? Who are they? Who is their leader?

Atanarkh:-They called their first leader as Balamir. At present their leader is Oktar, Your Majesty! According to their words they consider themselves the leader of the lands among the three seas. And they think that to return to their historical land is their right.

Emperor:-The king of Goths! I pay you too much money for to guard my north borders. But you remembered your kinsfolk, you want to relate your tribe with the Iskits and the Huns.

Atanarkh:-Your Majesty! I serve to you. I have been guarding the north borders of the empire of Byzantine for seven years honestly. But now the situation has been changed too much. Once I

could enter the territories of Byzantine with the army. As a result of the understanding between us my army never entered the territory of Byzantine. The people who didn’t enter your territory with the army, now are obliged to enter your

territory like the refugees.

Emperor:( as if relented) -Well, well, Atanarkh! I know that you served the empire of Byzantine honestly. I consider that we can solve with you the problem of the refugees. Well, Vasiliy, what do you think?

Cardinal:-How you advise!

Emperor:-You see, even Vasiliy, is in your side. (he turns and winks at Vasiliy) I have a question to the king of Goths.

Atanarkh:-Please, ruler!

Emperor:-You, Goths, really consider yourselves from the blood of Iskits and the Huns?

Atanarkh:-Your Majesty! According to the legends, we are kinsfolk people. Since the old times we have been together, we lived together. I don’t know, from the reason of which problem our forefathers didn’t continue to live together, and afterwards our forefathers moved from the shores of the Caspian Sea to the West. See, now

we are situated in the north part of your realm.

Emperor Valent :( ironically) -Well, well, if your blood relatives oppress you a bit you are going to be situated not in the north of our realm but inside of our realm. Atanarkh, tell me the truth, really these tribesspread all over the world from the shores of the three seas?

Atanarkh:-My ruler, from hearsay, we were created from the wolves. See, both in us, in Iskits and the Huns the legend of the wolf is the same.

Emperor Valent: (shows himself as if he is nervous) -Well, now it isn’t time to remember your blood relatives. Tell me, what can we do for your people?

Atanarkh:-I have come here for to discuss this problem. Your Majesty, if you allowed me, I would share my opinions with you.

Emperor:-Please, I listen to you.

Atanarkh:-I think that it would be better if you allowed my people enter your territory. You mustn’t agree for the Huns kill us.

Vasiliy:( turns towards emperor) -Your Majesty, if you give me permission, I want to ask aquestion from the king of Goths.

Emperor:-Please, Vasiliy!

Cardinal:-How much is the number of the refugees?

Atanarkh:-200 thousand together with women and children.

Vasiliy:-But what about the number of the fighting men?

Atanarkh:-Our fighting power is about 50 thousand.

Emperor:-50 thousand fighters aren’t few power. Isn’t is, Atanarkh? But why don’t you fight against the Huns?

Atanarkh:-They are more than us. And also their fighting tactics are different from ours.

Emperor:-Yes, yes, I have heard about this. (he stands up. Vasiliy and Atanarkh also stand up) Well, but who will guarantee me if I let your people enter my territory?

Atanarkh:-I don’t understand you, Your Majesty!

Emperor:-You have power of 50 thousand fighters. Who guarantees that if your fighters enter our territory they won’t attack our people, they won’t plunder our villages and cities?

Atanarkh:-I guarantee you, Your Majesty!

Emperor:-How?

Atanarkh: – I shall leave my child near you. I think, it is the trusted

guarantee.

Emperor:-How is the warlord of the Huns?

Atanarkh:-Well, my ruler, as I said before the chief of the Huns is called Oktar. And they say that he is too cruel man.

Emperor:( walks thoughtfully to and fro in the palace, then he stands at Atanarkh:) -Well, I agree with you. I let your people enter our territory. But on two conditions.

Atanarkh:-Please, Your Majesty!

Emperor:-First, on the condition of your leaving your son near me I allow your people enter our territory. But they mustn’t go far from the distance of 150 kilometers. My second condition is that while passing our territory your fighters must surrender their guns to my soldiers. Do you agree with me?

Atanarkh:( gives a puzzled look) -Your Majesty, we earn our living with the help of the guns.

Emperor:-Atanarkh, if you think about the security of your people I think about the security of my empire. My two conditions are too important and it must be fulfilled without fail. What do you say?

Atanarkh:( thinks a little) -Let it be how you want, Your Majesty!

Emperor:( looks at Vasiliy) -If it is thus, go and prepare. (Vasiliy and Atanarkh go out. Emperor remains all by himself) I think, in guarding of our borders the Huns will replace the Goths.

The curtain falls. Behind the curtain the voice of Prisk, who wrote the greatest work about the Huns, is heard. “So, starting from IV century the Huns began to be seen on the scene of the history. With the coming of them the historical map of Europe began to change. All the rulers of Europe wanted to be friends with them and paid them taxes. Just after they weakened Byzantine, the Goths entered Konstantinopol in 410 and with the help of the Huns they plundered the city.”