This news, received from Thrace with great sorrow, distracted the emperor Valens with manifold cares. He quickly sent Victor, commander of the cavalry, to Persia, that he might, in view of great impending dangers, arrange about the status of ArmeniaI.e., to have an understanding with the King, before withdrawing troops from Armenia. ; he himself, planning to leave Antioch at once and go to Constantinople in the meantime, sent on in advance Profuturus and Trajanus, both generals who had high aspirations, but were unfit for war.

When these men had come to places where it was more fitting in small divisions to diminish the enemy’s numbers by stealthy and guerilla warfare, they turned to the ruinous and untimely plan of opposing to the barbarians, who were still breathing out madness, the legions brought from Armenia; these had indeed often given a good account of themselves in warfare, but were no match for the countless horde that had taken possession of the mountain heights as well as the plains.

These troops, who had not yet learned the power of unbridled madness combined with desperation, drove the enemy beyond the precipitous crags of Mount Haemus and forced them into the steep defiles, in order that shut up in deserted and solitary places, and finding nowhere an outlet, they might be worn out by long continued hunger; they themselves in the meantime would await the coming of the general Frigeridus, who was on his way with the Pannonian and the transalpine auxiliaries, since Gratian, at Valens’ request, had directed him to take the field and bear aid to those who were harassed to the point of utter destruction.

After him Richomeres,He was later magister militum under Gratian, then magister utriusque militiae under Theodosius, who made him consul in 384. On the military titles, see Introd., Vol. I, p. xxxv then commander of the household troops, who had been moved from Gaul, also at the order of Gratian, hastened to Thrace at the head of some so-called cohorts,That is, they did not have the full number of men, as is explained by what follows. of which the greater part had deserted,With deseruerat sc. militiam. induced (as some maintained) by Merobaudes, who feared that if Gaul should be deprived of its defences, it would be laid waste at will by raids from across the Rhine.

But since Frigeridus was disabled by an attack of gout, or at any rate, as his envious detractors alleged, feigned illness in order to avoid taking part in the hot contests, Richomeres by common consent took command of the whole force, and was joined by Profuturus and Trajanus, who were encamped near the town of Salices.A city of the Scythians called Ad Salices, By the Willows, placed in the Antonine Itinerary between Tomi and Salmuris. Not far from there a countless mass of the barbarians had arranged their numerous wagons in the form of a circle, and as if enclosed in a space between city-walls, were enjoying their rich booty at their ease.

The Roman leaders, therefore, led by hopes for a more favourable turn of affairs, and intending to dare some glorious deed when chance brought the opportunity, were keenly watching for any movement that the Goths might attempt; making ready of course for this, that in case the enemy moved their camp to any other place, as they very frequently did, they might attack the hindermost in the rear, kill many of them with their pikes, and appropriate a great part of their spoils.

When the Goths perceived this, or were informed by the reports of deserters, through whom everything was made known to them, they remained for a long time in the same position. But overwhelmed with fear of the opposing army, and of the additional soldiers that they now expected to flock to it, by means of the message used by their raceCf. 5, 8, above; vexillis de more sublatis, auditisque triste sonantibus classicis . . . concursabant. they summoned the predatory bands scattered over various places near by; these at once, in obedience to the orders of their chiefs, like fire-darts,See xxiii. 4, 14; xxi. 9, 6. returned with winged speed to their wagon city (as they themselves call it)In Greek, καραγός; for a description see Claudian, In ii. 127 ff.; Vegetius, iii. 10. and gave their countrymen an incentive to greater deeds of daring.

After this there was no rest for either side except for a short armistice. For upon the return of those whom necessity had called forth, the whole multitude, even then crowded within the ring of their defences, with frightful outcries and roused by their furious mood were all in haste with headlong eagerness to try the extremest dangers; and the chiefs of the nation who were present were in accord with them. But since these things took place when it was nearly sundown, and the coming of night kept them quiet against their wills and in sorrow, they took food at leisure, but remained sleepless.