Res Gestae

Doryphorianus, as had been ordered, hastened to Rome by long days’ journeys, and at the beginning of his administration[*](As vicarius. ) cast about with great energy, to see by what act of violence he could without anyone’s help destroy a senator of conspicuous lineage. And on learning that Aginatius had long since been found, and was under guard in his own villa, he arranged personally to examine him, and Anepsia as well, as the chief of the guilty persons, in the midst of the horrors of night, when men’s minds are commonly dulled in the bonds of terrors: as among countless other instances is shown by Homer’s Ajax,[*](Iliad, xvii. 645 ff.) who wished rather to die by daylight than endure the additional suffering of dread by night.

And since the judge, nay, rather the godless brigand, intent only on keeping his promise, carried everything to excess, having ordered Aginatius to be put to the question, he caused

Finally, when tortures already almost mortal had extorted from a maid-servant a few ambiguous words, without fully examining the trustworthiness of the testimony, he ordered Aginatius to be led off to execution, hastily and without a hearing, although with loud cries he called upon the emperors’ names. Accordingly he was hoisted up[*](Cf. xv. 3, 9.) and put to death; and Anepsia was executed on a like sentence. While Maximinus was thus busied in person when he was in Rome and through his emissaries when he acted from a distance, the Eternal City wept bitterly for its dead.

But the final curses of his victims did not sleep. For, under Gratian, as shall be told later at the proper time,[*](Ammianus does not say more about him, except for a casual reference in xxix. 3, 1. His death was in 376.) not only did this same Maximinus, because of his intolerable arrogance, fall victim to the executioner’s sword, but Simplicius also was beheaded in Illyricum. Doryphorianus, too, was charged with a capital crime and thrown into the prison called Tullianum,[*](The dungeon at Rome; cf. Sail., Cat. 55, 3 ff.) but Gratian, at the suggestion of his mother, had him taken from there, and on his return home put him to death with tremendous tortures. But let us return to the point from which we made this digression. This, if I may say so, was the state of affairs in Rome.[*](Cf. Florus, ii. 6, 8 (i. 22, 8, L.C.L.).)

But Valentinian, meditating important and[*](369 A.D.) useful plans, fortified the entire Rhine from the beginnings of Raetia as far as the strait of the Ocean[*](The Belgic Channel, a part of the North Sea at the mouth of the Rhine.) with great earthworks, erecting lofty fortresses and castles, and towers at frequent intervals, in suitable and convenient places as far as the whole length of Gaul extends; in some places also works were constructed even on the farther bank of the river,[*](The Rhine.) which flows by the lands of the savages.

Finally, when he considered that a lofty and secure fortification (which he himself had built from its very foundations) since a river called the Nicer[*](The Neckar.) flowed at its foot could gradually be undermined by the immense force of the waters, he even thought of turning the course of the stream in a different direction; and after he had hunted up men skilled in hydraulic work, the difficult task was begun with a great force of soldiers.

For during many days beams of oak were bound together[*](In the form of a chest or coffer-dam.) and placed in the bed of the river; but although they were fastened again and again by great piles driven close to them on both sides, they were forced from their place by the rising waters, and finally were swept away by the force of the current and lost.

Yet finally the day was won by the efficient superviion of the emperor

Being joyful and exultant because of these and similar successes, the emperor then, considering the time of year and the state of the season, as became a dutiful prince devoted himself to those matters which would be helpful to the commonwealth. And thinking it most suitable for accomplishing what he had in mind, he planned hastily to build a fortification on the farther side of the Rhine on Mount Pirus,[*](Cf. xxvii. 10, 9, note.) which is in the country of the savages. And in order that speed might make the accomplishment of the work secure, through Syagrius, at that time a secretary, afterwards prefect and consul,[*](In 381.) he ordered the general Arator to try to speed that work, while deep quiet reigned everywhere.