The Achilles of the Vandals: Gibbon, Decline and Fall Chp. XLI, footnote 3

On one of the Vandal king Hilderic’s generals being styled the “Achilles of the Vandals,” Gibbon includes this critical footnote:

“3 For what quality of the mind or body? For speed, or beauty, or valor? – In what language did the Vandals read Homer? – Did he speak German? – The Latins had four versions, (Fabric. tom. i. l. ii. c. 8, p. 297:) yet, in spite of the praises of Seneca, (Consol. c. 26,) they appear to have been more successful in imitating than in translating the Greek poets. But the name of Achilles might be famous and popular even among the illiterate Barbarians.”