In the same heat of resentment Florentius and Barchalba, who had brought Procopius in, were at once put to death without consideration of reason. For if they had betrayed a legitimate prince, even Justice herself would declare that they were justly executed; but if he whom they betrayed was a rebel and a disturber of the public peace, as he was said to be, they ought to have been given great rewards for a noteworthy deed.

Procopius departed this life at the age of forty years and ten months. Personally he was a tall man and not bad looking; he was somewhat dark complexioned, and walked with his gaze always fixed on the ground. In his secretive and gloomy nature he was like that CrassusM. Licinius Crassus; cf. Lucil. 1299, 1300, Marx; ) III, p. 422; Cic., v. 30, 92. who, as Lucilius and Cicero declare, laughed only once in his life; but the surprising thing is, that throughout all his life he was not stained with bloodshed.

At about the same time Marcellus, an officer of the guard and a relative of Procopius, commanding the garrison at Nicaea and learning of the betrayal of the usurper by the soldiers and his consequent death, at the fearful hour of midnight unexpectedly attacked Serenianus, who was imprisoned within the palace,Cf. 8, 11. and killed him; and his death saved the lives of many.

For if this man of rude nature, burning with a cruel desire to hurt, had survived the victory, being dear to Valens because of their likeness of character and their common fatherland, and well aware of the secret wishes of a prince inclined to cruelty, he would have caused the death of many innocent people.

After killing Serenianus, Marcellus quickly got possession of Chalcedon, and, supported by the cheers of a few, whom their worthlessness and desperation drove to crime, seized the shadow of a fatal principate. He was deceived by two ideas, first because the kings of the Goths, who had now been conciliated, had sent three thousand menZosimus, iv. 7, says 10,000. to the aid of Procopius, led by his show of relationship to Constantius, and Marcellus thought that these men could for a small sum be brought over to his side; and secondly, because he had not yet learned what had happened in Illyricum.

In the midst of this great confusion Aequitius, who had learned from trustworthy sources that the whole burden of the war had been transferred to Asia, marched through the pass of Succi and with all his might tried to open Philippopolis, formerly Eumolpias,Cf. xxii. 2, 2. which had been closed by the enemy’s garrison; for that city was very favourably situated and, if left in his rear, could hinder his attempt, if he should be compelled to hasten to HaemimontusA place on Mt. Haemus. in order to bring reinforcements to Valens; for he had not yet learned what had happened at Nacolia.See xxvi. 9, 7, above.

But learning a little later of the vain presumption of Marcellus, he at once sent bold and active soldiers who seized him and imprisoned him as a guilty slave. A few days later the usurper was brought out, his body was soundly scourged, and after his accomplices had been similarly treated, he was put to death: a man who deserves credit only for making away with Serenianus, who was cruel as Phalaris, and loyal to Procopius because of the accursed science which for vain reasons he pretended to have.Ammianus apparently refers to magic and prophecy, to which Serenianus was given (cf. xiv. 7, 7, 8; 11, 23).

Through the death of the leaderMarcellus. the horrors of war were rooted out; but many were punished more severely than their errors or faults demanded, especially the defenders of Philippopolis, who surrendered the city and themselves most reluctantly, and only when they saw the head of Procopius, which was being taken to Gaul.

Some, however, through the influence of those who interceded for them, were treated more leniently, among them notably Araxius, who in the very heat of the conflagration had solicited and gained the prefecture;Cf. 7, 6, above. he, through the intercession of his son-in-law Agilo, was deported to an island, but soon afterwards made his escape.

Euphrasius, however, and also Phronimius were sent to the west and left to the decision of Valentinian.They were Gauls; cf. 7, 4, above. Euphrasius was pardoned, but Phronimius was banished to the Chersonesus,The Tauric Chersonesus. receiving a severer punishment for the same offence because he had been well regarded by the deified Julian, whose noteworthy merits both the imperial brothersValentinian and Valens. depreciated, without being his equal or anywhere near it.

To these events were added other more serious matters, far more to be feared than those of wartime. For executioner, instruments of torture, and bloody inquisitions raged without any distinction of age or of rank through all classes and orders, and under the mantle of peaceImplying that in time of war the laws were suspended. abominable robbery was carried on, while all cursed the ill-omened victory, which was worse than any war, however destructive.