Res Gestae

As soon as he gained the imperial ear, he brought it about that Orfitus, a former prefect of Rome, was freed from banishment,[*](Cf. 3, 2.) and, after restoration of his lost patrimony, was restored to his home.

Valentinian was known to be a cruel man, and although in the early part of his reign, in order to

Most conspicuous, however, at that time was the death (among the executions of other persons of low rank[*](Diocles was not a person of low rank; for this use of alius, which is fairly frequent in Ammianus, see xxiii. 3, 9, crit. note 5. The same is perhaps true of Diodorus.) ) of Diodes, former head of the state treasury in Illyricum, whom the emperor ordered to be burned to death because of some small offences; and also that of Diodorus, former state agent, and of three attendants of the deputy-governor of Italy; all these suffered cruel execution because the commanding general complained to the emperor that Diodorus had implored the aid of the law against him, as was his right,[*](I.e., as was the right of a citizen; cf. Apul., Metam. x. 6. civiliter, if it is the correct reading, gives the opinion of Ammianus, not of the accuser; see crit. note.) and that the officials,[*](The attendants of the deputy-governor.) by order of the judge, had ventured to summon him as he was going on a journey, to answer to the action according to law. The memory of these victims is still honoured by the Christians in Milan,[*](The seat of the deputy-governor of Italy.) who call the place where they are buried The Place of the Innocents.

Later, in the affair of a certain Maxentius of Pannonia, when the judge had rightly commanded a speedy execution, the emperor ordered the death of the decurions of three towns; but Eupraxius, who was then quaestor, intervened, saying: Act more mercifully, most dutiful emperor, for these men whom you order to be put to death as criminals the Christian religion will honour as martyrs (that is to say, as beloved of God).[*](An incorrect definition of martyres, which is correctly defined by Ammianus in xxii. 11, 10; id est . . . acceptos is probably a gloss, as Valesius and Wagner thought.)

Eupraxius’ helpful self-confidence was imitated by the prefect Florentius[*](Praetorian prefect in Gaul.) when he heard that, because of some pardonable offence, the emperor had flown into a passion and ordered the execution likewise of three decurions in each of a number of cities; for he said: What is to be done, then, if any town does not have so many decurions?[*](For the reluctance of citizens to serve as decurions see xxii. 9, 8, note 5.) To the rest this also should be added,[*](I.e., this provision should be added to the law; suspendi seems to mean posted (hung up), cf. legem figere. ) that they shall be killed, when the town has them.

To this ruthlessness was added another thing, dreadful to do or even to tell of, namely, that if anyone came before him to avoid being tried before some powerful enemy, and asked that another judge be assigned him, the request was denied and the man was sent back to the person whom he feared, however many just reasons for the change he might present. Still another horrible thing was talked about; for when he learned that any debtor[*](To the fiscus.) could pay nothing because of the pressure of want, the emperor ruled that he ought to be put to death.[*](This was in accordance with a law of the XII Tables, which was nominally rescinded by the Lex Poetelia of 326 B.C. or later.)

That some princes commit these and similar arbitrary acts with lofty arrogance is because they do not allow their friends the opportunity of dissuading them from unjust designs or deeds, and that because of their great power they make their enemies afraid to speak. No correction is possible of the perverse actions of those who believe that what they desire to do must be the highest virtue.[*](For other examples of Valentinian’s cruelty see xxix. 8, 2 ff.)

Having set out then from Amiens and hastening[*](367–8 A.D.) to Treves,[*](In order to make war on the Alamanni; cf. 10.) Valentinian was alarmed by serious news which showed that Britain was brought into a state of extreme need by a conspiracy of the savages, that Nectaridus, the commanding general of the seacoast region, had been killed, and that another general, Fullofaudes, had been ambushed by the enemy and taken prisoner.

This report aroused great horror, and the emperor sent Severus, who at that time was still commander of the household troops, to set right the disasters, if chance should offer the desired opportunity. But he was recalled a little later, and Jovinus . . . having set out for the same regions, allowed them to return at quick step, intending to seek the support of a strong army; for he declared that this was demanded by the pressing necessities of the situation.[*](Text and meaning are very uncertain; see crit. notes.)

Finally, because of the many

And, since in giving an account of the history of the emperor Constans I described the ebb and flow of the ocean[*](In a lost book; the same expressions are used by Gellius, xiv. 1, 3, but in the order usual in English, senescit adolescitque. ) and the situation of Britain, as well as my powers permitted, I have thought it superfluous to unfold again what has once been set forth, just as Homer’s Ulysses among the Phaeacians[*](Odyss. xii. 452 f.) shrinks from repeating the details of his adventures because of the excessive difficulty of the task.

It will, however, be in place to say, that at[*](368 A.D.) that time the Picts, divided into two tribes, called Dicalydones[*](Called Caledonians by Tacitus, Dio, and others.) and Verturiones, as well as the Attacotti, a warlike race of men, and the Scots, were ranging widely and causing great devastation; while the Gallic regions,[*](The coast of Gaul opposite Britain.) wherever anyone could break in by land or by sea, were harassed by the Franks and their neighbours, the Saxons, with cruel robbery, fire, and the murder of all who were taken prisoners.

In order to prevent these outrages, if favourable fortune gave an opportunity, that most energetic leader hastened to the world’s end, and reached the coast of Bononia,[*](Boulogne.) which from the spacious lands opposite is separated only by a narrow space of a sea wont in turn to swell with dreadful surges, and again, without any danger for sailors, to sink to the form of a level plain. From there he quietly crossed

When the Batavi, Heruli, Jovii, and Victores, who followed him, had arrived, troops confident in their strength, he began his march and came to the old town of Lundinium,[*](London.) which later times called Augusta.[*](Probably in honour of some emperor, but the date is uncertain.) There he divided his troops into many parts and attacked the predatory bands of the enemy, which were ranging about and were laden with heavy packs; quickly routing those who were driving along prisoners and cattle, he wrested from them the booty which the wretched tribute-paying people had lost.