ORIGINAL PREFACE.
The history of the Wisi-Goths for some years before their overthrow is very imperfectly known. It is, however, apparent, that the enmity between the royal families of Chindasuintho and Wamba was one main cause of the destruction of the kingdom, the latter party having assisted in betraying their country to the Moors for the gratification of their own revenge. Theodofred and Favila were younger sons of King Chindasuintho; King Witiza, who was of Wamba’s family, put out the eyes of Theodofred, and murdered Favila, at the instigation of that Chieftain’s wife, with whom he lived in adultery. Pelayo, the son of Favila, and afterwards the founder of the Spanish monarchy, was driven into exile. Roderick, the son of Theodofred, recovered the throne, and put out Witiza’s eyes in vengeance for his father; but he spared Orpas, the brother of the tyrant, as being a Priest, and Ebba and Sisibert, the two sons of Witiza, by Pelayo’s mother. It may be convenient thus briefly to premise these circumstances of an obscure portion of history, with which few readers can be supposed to be familiar; and a list of the principal persons who are introduced, or spoken of, may as properly be prefixed to a Poem as to a Play.
Witiza,
King of the Wisi-Goths; dethroned and blinded by Roderick.
Theodofred,
son of King Chindasuintho, blinded by King Witiza.
Favila,
his brother; put to death by Witiza.
The Wife of Favila, Witiza’s adulterous mistress.
(These four persons are dead before the action of the poem commences.)
Roderick,
the last King of the Wisi-Goths: son of Theodofred.
Pelayo,
the founder of the Spanish Monarchy: son of Favila.
Gaudiosa,
his wife.
Guisla,
his sister.
Favila,
his son.
Hermesind,
his daughter.
Rusilla,
widow of Theodofred, and mother of Roderick.
Count Pedro,
}
powerful Lords of Cantabria.
Count Eudon,
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Alphonso,
Count Pedro’s son, afterwards King.
Urban,
Archbishop of Toledo.
Romano,
a Monk of the Caulian Schools, near Merida.
Abdalaziz,
the Moorish Governor of Spain.
Egilona,
formerly the wife of Roderick, now of Abdalaziz.
Abulcacem,
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Moorish Chiefs.
Alcahman,
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Ayub,
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Ibrahim,
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Magued,
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Orpas,
brother to Witiza, and formerly Archbishop of Seville, now a renegade.
Sisibert,
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sons of Witiza and of Pelayo’s mother.
Ebba,
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Numacian,
a renegade, governor of Gegio.
Count Julian,
a powerful Lord among the Wisi-Goths, now a renegade.
Florinda,
his daughter, violated by King Roderick.
Adosinda,
daughter of the Governor of Auria.
Odoar,
Abbot of St. Felix.
Siverian,
Roderick’s foster-father.
Favinia,
Count Pedro’s wife.
The four latter persons are imaginary. All the others are mentioned in history. I ought, however, to observe, that Romano is a creature of monkish legends; that the name of Pelayo’s sister has not been preserved; and that that of Roderick’s mother, Ruscilo, has been altered to Rusilla, for the sake of euphony.
RODERICK,
THE LAST OF THE GOTHS.
