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).

At this sight the young king, who, as it happened, was leaning forward beyond his couch, drew his dagger and was rising to defend his life by every possible means, but fell disfigured, pierced through the breast like some victim at the altar, foully slain by repeated strokes.

By such treachery was credulity basely deceived, and at a banquet, which ought to be respected even on the Euxine Sea,[*](Cf. xxii. 8, 33 f.)

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before the eyes of the god of hospitality[*](Cf. Cic., Pro Deiot. 6, 18.) a stranger’s blood was shed, which bespattered the spendid linen cloths with foaming gore, was more than enough to sate the guests, who scattered in utmost horror. If the dead can feel grief,[*](Cf. Livy xxi. 53, 5.) the famous Fabricius Luscinus might groan at this arrogant act, when he recalled with what greatness of soul he rejected the promise of Demochares or (as some write)[*](Gell. iii. 8; Cic., Off. iii. 22, 86.) Nicias, the king’s attendant, made in a secret conference; for he said that he would kill king Pyrrhus, who at that time was reducing Italy to ashes[*](Cf. Sil. Ital. xv. 537 (of Italy to Hasdrubal), miseras quaerentem exurere belli reliquias. ) in cruel warfare, by mixing poison with his cups; but Fabricius warned the king in a letter to beware of his more intimate servants. Such a place of respect in those days of old-time justice was held by the conviviality even of an enemy’s table.

True, some sought to excuse this recent extraordinary and shameful deed by the example of the assassination of Sertorius,[*](Slain by his lieutenant-general Perperna at a banquet; Plut., Sert. 26; Flor. ii. 10, 9; Vell. ii. 30, 1.) but those flatterers perhaps did not know that no act which is proved to be contrary to law is justified because another crime was similar or went unpunished, as Demosthenes, eternal glory of Greece, declares.[*](In Androt. 7, quoted by Quint. v. 14, 4; cf. Gell. x. 19.)