Res Gestae

Ammianus Marcellinus

Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).

Shortly after this Salutius Secundus was raised to the rank of praetorian prefect,[*](Of the Orient.) and given, as a trustworthy official, the chief oversight of the inquisitions that were to be set on foot; and with him were associated Mamertinus,[*](xxi. 10, 8.) Arbitio,[*](xvi. 6, 1; xx. 2, 2.) Agilo,[*](xx. 2, 5.) and Nevitta,[*](xxi. 10, 8.) and also Jovinus,[*](xxi. 8, 3; 12, 2.) lately advanced to be commander of the cavalry in Illyricum.

These

v2.p.193

crossed all to Chalcedon, and in the presence of the generals and tribunes of the Joviani and the Herculiani[*](See Index II., vol. i.) examined the cases with more passion than was just and right,[*](Julian excuses himself in a Letter to Hermogenes, p. 390, vol. iii., p. 33, L.C.L., τούτους δὲ ἀδίκως τι παθεῖν οὐκ ἂν ἐθέλοιμι ἴστω ζευς. ἐπειδὰν δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐπανίστανται πολλοὶ κατήγοροι, δικαστήριον ἀποκεκλήρωται: nor would I wish, Zeus be my witness, that these others should be punished unjustly; but since many accusers are rising up against them, I have appointed a court to judge them. ) with the exception of a few, in which the evidence showed that the accused were most guilty.

At first they banished to Britain Palladius, formerly chief marshal of the court, who was brought before them merely on the suspicion of having made certain charges to Constantius against Gallus, when he held the same office under the said Gallus, who was at the time Caesar.

Then Taurus,[*](xxi. 6, 5.) who had been praetorian prefect, was exiled to Vercellum,[*](Perhaps for Vercellae.) although before judges who could distinguish justice from injustice his action might have appeared deserving of pardon. For what sin did he commit, if in fear of a storm that had arisen he fled to the protection of his emperor? And the decisions that were passed upon him were read not without great horror in the public protocol, which contained this beginning: In the consulate of Taurus and Florentius, when Taurus was summoned to court by the criers.

Pentadius also was threatened with the same fate, against whom the charge was made, that, being sent by Constantius he took down in shorthand the answers that Gallus had made to the many questions put to him when his ruin was approaching. But since he justified himself, he finally got off unpunished.