Res Gestae

Finally, when king Gabinius mildly asked that no new step should be taken, he pretended that he would assent, and with feigned kindness invited[*](For corrogavit cf. xviii. 2, 13.) the king with others to a banquet. But as Gabinius was departing after the feast and suspected no treachery, Marcellianus, with abominable violation of the sacred duties of hospitality, had him murdered.

The report of so atrocious a deed at once spread abroad on all sides and roused the Quadi and the tribes round about them to madness. Weeping for the death of the king, they mustered and sent out devastating bands, which crossed the Danube while no hostility was anticipated, and fell upon the country people, who were busy with their harvest; most of them they killed, the survivors they led home as prisoners, along with a quantity of all kinds of domestic animals.

Surely at that time an irreparable crime would have been committed, to be numbered among the shameful disasters of Roman history; for the daughter of Constantius, when being conducted to marry Gratianus, was very nearly captured while she was taking food in a public villa called Pristensis, but (by the favour of the propitious godhead) Messalla, the governor of the province, was at hand and placed her in a state-carriage[*](A vehicle at the disposal of the officials of the province, the city prefect, and other high dignitaries (iudices).) and took her in all haste back to Sirmium, twenty-six miles away.

After the princess was saved by this fortunate chance from the danger of wretched slavery, which, if it had been impossible to ransom the captive, would have branded the state with the greatest disaster, the Quadi, in company with the Sarmatians, ranged more widely; and being peoples most skilled in rapine and brigandage, they drove off as booty human beings of both sexes[*](For secus cf. xvi. 11, 9.) as well as cattle, exulting in the ashes of burned farmhouses and the sufferings of the slain inhabitants, whom they took by surprise and destroyed without any mercy.

So, when the dread of similar evils spread over the whole . neighbouring country, Probus, the praetorian prefect,[*](In Illyricum.) then at Sirmium, being accustomed to no horrors of war[*](These prefects were civil officials.) and so overcome by the sorrowful and unusual sights that he barely raised his eyes, hesitated for a long time in doubt what action to take. And after he had equipped swift horses and determined on flight the next night, he thought of a safer plan and remained where he was.

For he had learnt that all those who were shut up within the walls would at once follow him, in order to take refuge in convenient hiding-places; and that if this should happen, the city, being without defenders, would fall into the hands of the enemy.

Therefore, soon calming his fear, he roused himself with vigorous effort to meet the urgent situation. He cleared out[*](For retersit of. detersit, Suet., Aug. 18, 2.) the moats, which were choked with rubbish, and being naturally inclined to building, since the walls through long-continued peace had in great part been neglected and had fallen, he raised them

By these stumbling-blocks (so to speak)[*](Ammianus uses obex without apology, e.g. xvi. 12, 36; xxi. 12, 13; xxiv. 5, 2; xxxi. 4, 9; as here xxvii. 10, 8.) the barbarians were turned from attacking the city, having little skill in such refinements of warfare as well as being impeded by their packs of booty, and turned to the pursuit of Aequitins. And when they learned from the information of prisoners that he had gone to the remote spaces of Valeria, they quickly made their way thither, grinding their teeth and bent upon cutting his throat for this reason—that they believed that it was he who had brought their guiltless king to destruction.

When this became known, at headlong speed two legions were sent to meet them in battle, the Pannonica and the Moesiaca, a strong combination for fighting, which, if they had acted in harmony, would undoubtedly have come off victorious. But while they were hastening to attack the bands of plunderers separately, they were made ineffective by quarrels that broke out between them, and contended for honour and prestige.

When the Sarmatians, who were very keen-witted, learned of this, without waiting for the usual signal for battle, they attacked the Moesiaca first; and while the soldiers were somewhat slow in getting their arms ready because of the confusion, they killed a great number of them, and

At the time of these losses due to a harsher fortune, Theodosius the younger, general in Moesia, a young man whose beard was then only just beginning to appear, afterwards a most glorious emperor,[*](379—395.) wore out by frequent engagements, drove back and defeated the Free Sarmatians (so called to distinguish them from their rebellious slaves[*](The Limigantes; cf. xvii. 13, 1; xix. 11, 1.) ) who were invading our territories from the other side, crushing them in densely packed conflicts; and so thoroughly did he overwhelm the hordes which converged in floods and resisted most bravely, that he sated the birds and beasts of prey with a veritable feast of many slain.[*](For sagina, cf. xxii. 12, 6. On this victory see also Zos. iv. 16.)

Therefore, the remainder, their arrogance now cooling down, feared lest the same leader, a man of ready valour (as was evident), on his first entrance into their territories should lay low or put to flight the invading hordes, or should lay ambuscades for them in the dark woods; so, after making many vain attempts from time to time to break through, they lost their confidence for battle and begged for indulgence and pardon for the past. And after being thus conquered for the time, they did nothing in violation of the conditions of the peace that was granted them, being especially struck with fear because a strong force of Gallic troops had been added to the defence of Illyricum.[*](374 ff. A.D.)

At the time when these storms, so many and so terrible, were causing constant disturbances, while Claudius was governing the Eternal City,[*](As prefect of the city, in 374.) the

While all the remaining quarters of the city, which extend down to a gentler level,[*](Cf. xvi. 10, 14; intra septem montium culmina. . . posita urbis membra. ) were under water, the mountains alone, and such buildings[*](I.e., blocks of houses.) as were especially high, were protected from present danger. And since the height of the waters prevented movement anywhere on foot, a supply of food was furnished in abundance by boats and skiffs, for fear that many people might starve to death. But, in fact, when the stormy weather moderated, and the river, which had broken its bonds,[*](Cf. xxiv. 1, 11; Livy, xxvii, 28, 10 (Wagner).) returned to its usual course, all fear was dispelled and no further trouble was looked for.

This prefect himself[*](Claudius; see § 17, above.) passed his term of office in complete quiet, allowing no public discord over and above reasonable remonstrance[*](That is, which the prefect could not quiet in that way. Querella is ambiguous; and the meaning may be: except that caused by just complaints. ) ; and he restored many old buildings. Among others he built a huge colonnade near the Baths of Agrippa and called it the Portico of Good Outcome, because there is a temple[*](See Varro, R.R. i. 1, 6; cf. Cato, Agr. 141, 3 (of Mars), utique tu fruges . . . grandire beneque evenire siris; Pliny, N.H. xxxiv. 77, says that she was represented in Rome with a patera in her right hand and an ear of wheat and poppies in her left. Her temple at Rome was in the Ninth Region.) to that deity to be seen near by.

Amid these troublesome disturbances, which the treachery of a general brought about by the atrocious murder of the king of the Quadi, a terrible crime was committed in the Orient, where Papa,[*](Son of Arsaces; cf. xxvii. 12, 9.) king of the Armenians, was killed by secret plots. Of this matter, which was conceived by a nefarious plan, the following (as we have learned) was the original[*](Cf. labes primordialis, xxiii. 6, 24.) cause.

Some crafty men, who had often fattened themselves through losses sustained by the public, brought before Valens and maliciously exaggerated a patchwork of charges against this king, even then only just come to manhood. Among these was the general Terentius,[*](General in Armenia.) a man who walked humbly and always wore a somewhat sad expression, but so long as he lived was a zealous abettor of dissensions.

He formed a cabal with a few of the gentiles[*](See xiv. 7, 9.) who were in fear and suspense because of their misdeeds, and writing constantly to the court harped on the death of Cylaces and Arrabanes,[*](Cf. xxvii. 12, 14.) adding that this same young king was aroused to acts of arrogance and was excessively cruel to his subjects.

Accordingly, under pretence that he was to take part in a consultation to

The king, thinking over the matter, foresaw that he was threatened by a sad end. And being now aware of the plot, and seeing no other way to save himself except by a swift departure, at the advice of trusted friends he got together three hundred companions who had followed him from his native country; and when the greater part of the day had passed they mounted swift horses and set out with more boldness than discretion, as is usual under pressing and doubtful alarms, and fearlessly hastened away in close order.