Gundioc considered carefully as a literate slave read through the long Roman document for him.

Just refer to me as Chief of Suebi and associated tribes – to list all tribes would take too much parchment! No need to list all sub-chiefs – I will nominate those worthy to receive reward.

For us all such commitments must be made before Wotan, divine guardian of oaths and treaties.

As to the men we can supply, a possible 8,000 in one year is too much, more so as you might ask for another 8,000 the next year. Better say 3,000 plus no more than 2,000 reinforcements to be provided by us at any one time as of right. It may be that more young men would be willing to be recruited as mercenaries, but that should be dealt with as the need arises.

Similarly no need to list provincials to be rewarded. Just say “such citizens as Chief Gundioc decides” – they must get used to looking to me for advancement, yes?

Apart from that, we agree!

Now as to the rituals, whoever is authorised to swear on behalf of Rome will enter a pit with me. There we will each sacrifice one sheep to the Gods. The pit will then be covered with branches from a Sacred tree and we will stay there for the space of one day and one night. When we emerge from the depths of the earth, our oaths will have sunk into the ground and the Underworld itself will avenge any breach of the treaty.