PD 3.30
History of the Langobards by Paul the Deacon
Translation and footnotes by William Foulke
[The following posts are abridged excerpts. RR]

Chapter XXX.
But after these events king Flavius Authari sent ambassadors to Bavaria to ask
for him in marriage the daughter of Garibald [1] their king.[2] The latter
received them kindly and promised that he would give his daughter Theudelinda[3]
to Authari. And when the ambassadors on their return announced these things to
Authari, he desired to see his betrothed for himself and bringing with him a few
but active men out of the Langobards, and also taking along with him, as their
chief,[4] one who was most faithful to him, he set forth without delay for
Bavaria. And when they had been introduced into the presence of king Garibald
according to the custom of ambassadors, and he who had come with Authari as
their chief had made the usual speech after salutation, Authari, since he was
known to none of that nation, came nearer to king Garibald and said: "My master,
king Authari has sent me especially on this account, that I should look upon
your daughter, his betrothed, who is to be our mistress, so that I may be able
to tell my lord more surely what is her appearance." And when the king, hearing
these things, had commanded his daughter to come, and Authari had gazed upon her
with silent approval, since she was of a very beautiful figure and pleased him
much in every way, he said to the king: "Since we see that the person of your
daughter is such that we may properly wish her to become our queen, we would
like if it please your mightiness, to take a cup of wine from her hand, as she
will offer it to us hereafter." And when the king had assented to this that it
should be done, she took the cup of wine and gave it first to him who appeared
to be the chief. Then when she offered it to Authari, whom she did not know was
her affianced bridegroom, he, after drinking and returning the cup, touched her
hand with his finger when no one noticed, and drew his right hand from his
forehead along his nose and face.[5] Covered with blushes, she told this to her
nurse, and her nurse said to her: "Unless this man were the king himself and thy
promised bridegroom, he would not dare by any means to touch thee. But
meanwhile, lest this become known to thy father, let us be silent, for in truth
the man is a worthy person who deserves to have a kingdom and be united with
thee in wedlock." For Authari indeed was then in the bloom of his youth, of
becoming stature, covered with yellow hair and very comely in appearance. Having
received an escort from the king, they presently took their way to return to
their own country, and they speedily departed from the territories of the
Noricans. The province of the Noricans indeed, which the Bavarian people
inhabits, has on the east Pannonia, on the west Suavia (Swabia), on the south
Italy and on the northern side the stream of the Danube. Then Authari, when he
had now come near the boundaries of Italy and had with him the Bavarians who up
to this time were conducting him, raised himself as much as he could upon the
horse he was managing, and with all his strength he drove into a tree that stood
near by, a hatchet which he carried in his hand and left it fixed there, adding
moreover these words: "Authari is wont to strike such a blow." And when he had
said these things, then the Bavarians who accompanied him understood that he was
himself king Authari.[6] Then after some time, when trouble had come to king
Garibald on account of an invasion by the Franks, Theudelinda his daughter with
her brother, Gundoald by name, fled to Italy and announced to Authari, her
promised bridegroom, that she was coming. And he straightway went forth to meet
her with a great train to celebrate the nuptials in the field of Sardis [7]
which is above Verona, and received her in marriage amid the rejoicing of all on
the ides (l5th) of May. Among other dukes of the Langobards, Agilulf, Duke of
the city of Taurini (Turin) was then present. A certain tree in this place which
was situated in the royal inclosures was hit during a violent gale by a stroke
of lightning with great crash of thunder, and Agilulf had then as a soothsayer a
certain servant of his who by diabolical art understood what future happenings
strokes of lightning portended. When Agilulf was sitting down to the
requirements of nature the man secretly said to him: "This woman who has just
been wedded to our king is to be your wife before very long."When he heard this
he threatened to cut off the man's head if he said anything further about the
matter, but the man answered him: "I may be killed, indeed, but assuredly that
woman has come into the country to this destiny, that she should be joined with
you in marriage." And it afterwards so happened. At this time, from what cause
is doubtful, Ansul, a blood kinsman of king Authari was killed at Verona.

[1] From this name comes Garibaldi.
[2] That is, king of the Bavarians. He was more probably duke as he owed some
sort of allegiance to Childepert, the Frankish king of Austrasia.
[3] Theudelinda had been betrothed to Childepert, and her sister was the wife of
the Langobard duke Euin of Trent.
[4] Senior
[5] Hodgkin translates more freely: "Secretly intertwined her fingers with his,
and bending low, guided them over the profile of his face from the forehead to
the chin." According to Abel's version he stroked her face.
[6] In spite of this romantic legend it is probable that political
considerations played no small part in the wooing of Authari. Theudelinda was,
on her mother's side, the granddaughter of the former Langobard king Waccho, of
the race of the Lethingi, with which Authari, who sprang from the later stock of
Beleos, desired an alliance to give an additional sanction of legitimacy to his
royal title. The relations of the Langobards to their northern neighbors the
Bavarians had long been friendly, and after Authari had been compelled to
renounce his intended alliance with the Franks by a marriage with Chlotsuinda,
the sister of Childepert, he may well have desired to retain the friendship of
the Bavarians, who although nominally subject to Childepert, had control of the
passes over the eastern Alps, and could offer no slight obstacle to an invasion
of Italy by the Franks. The powerful Uuke of Trent had married a sister of
Theudelinda, and his hearty support in resisting the Franks was also necessary
to the king.
[7] This name cannot be identified. The place must have been near Lago di Garda.