When Constantius was hastening to lend aid to the Orient, which was likely soon to be disturbed by the inroads of the Persians, as deserters reported in agreement with our scouts, he was tormentedCf. Hor., ii. 1, 13, urit enim fulgore suo qui praegravat artes infra se positas. by the valorous deeds of Julian, which increasingly frequent report was spreading abroad through the mouths of divers nations, carrying the great gloryAdorea originally meant grain distributed to the soldiers as a reward for a victory; then victory, glory; cf. Hor., , iv. 4, 41, dies . . .qui primus alma risit adorea. of his mighty toils and achievements after the overthrow of several kingdoms of the Alamanni, and the recovery of the Gallic towns, which before had been destroyed and plundered by the savages whom he himself had made tributaries and subjects.

Excited by these and similar exploits, and fearing that their fame would grow greater, urged on besides, as was reported, by the prefect Florentius,Praetorian prefect in Gaul; cf. xvi. 12, 14; xvii. 3, 2, etc.; not the same as the Florentius of xx. 2, 2. he sent Decentius, the tribune and secretary, at once to take from Julian his auxiliaries, namely, the Aeruli and BataviSee i. 3, note 2. and the Celts with the Petulantes,Mentioned together also in xx. 5, 9; the latter probably got their name from some act of lawlessness, as per contra legions were called Pia, Fidelis, etc. as well as three hundred picked men from each of the other divisionsOn numeris see Index of Officials, vol. i. of the army; and he ordered him to hasten their march under the pretext that they might be able to be on hand for an attack on the Parthians early in the spring.This would hardly have been possible; of. adulta hieme, in 1, 3.

for speeding the departure of the auxiliaries and the divisions of three hundred Lupicinus alone was called upon (for that he had crossed over to Britain was not yet known at court); but the order to select the most active of the targeteers and the gentilesSee xiv. 7, 9, note 3. and personally lead them to the emperor was given to Sintula, then Julian’s chief stable-master.

Julian kept silence and submitted to this, leaving everything to the will of his more powerful associate. One thing, however, he could neither overlook nor pass over in silence, namely, that those men should suffer no inconvenience who had left their abodes beyond the Rhine and come to him under promise that they should never be led to regions beyond the Alps; for he declared that it was to be feared that the barbarian volunteer soldiers, who were often accustomed to come over to our side under conditions of that kind, might on having knowledge of this thereafter be kept from so doing. But his words were to no purpose.

For the tribune, considering Caesar’s remonstrances of little moment, carried out the orders of Augustus, chose the strongest and most active of the light-armed troops, and made off with them, while they were filled with hope of better fortunes.I.e. of opportunities for promotion and other rewards for active service; cf. § 12, below.

And because Julian was anxious as to what ought to be done about the remaining troops which he had been ordered to send, and turned over many plans in his mind, he decided that the business ought to be managed with circumspection, pressed as he was on one side by savage barbarians and on the other by the authority of the emperor’s orders; and since the absence of his commander of the cavalryLupicinus. in particular increased his uncertainty, he urged the prefectFlorentius. to return to him; the latter had gone some time before to Vienne, ostensibly to get supplies, but actually to escape troubles in the camp.

For he bore in mind that it was in accordance with his own report, which he was thought to have sent some time before, that warlike troops, already formidable to the barbarians, were to be withdrawn from the defence of Gaul.

So when he received Julian’s letter, urging and begging him to hasten to come and aid his country by his counsels, he most emphatically refused; for his mind was disturbed with fear for the reason that Julian’s letter plainly indicated that the prefectCf. praefectus praetorio praesens, xiv. 1, 10, and Index of Officials, vol. i. ought never to be separated from his commander in the stress of dangerous times. And Julian added that if Florentius hesitated to do his duty, he would himself of his own accord lay down the emblems of princely power, thinking it more glorious to meet death by order, than that the ruin of the provinces should be attributed to him. But the obstinate resolution of the prefect prevailed, and with the greatest emphasis he refused to obey these reasonable demands.

However, amid this delay of the absent Lupicinus and of the prefect, who feared mutinies of the soldiers, Julian, deprived of the aid of counsellors and wavering in anxious hesitation, thought the following plan the best: he called out all the soldiers in the usual manner from the posts in which they were passing the winter, and arranged to hasten them on their way.