HumanitiesWeb.org - Roman History Roman History - Book XXI. (IV. Julian having intercepted letters of Vadomarius to the Emperor Constantius, contrives to have him seized at a banquet; and having slain some of the Allemanni, and compelled others to surrender, grants the rest peace at their entreaty.) by Ammianus Marcellinus
Roman History Roman History - Book XXI. IV. Julian having intercepted letters of Vadomarius to the Emperor Constantius, contrives to have him seized at a banquet; and having slain some of the Allemanni, and compelled others to surrender, grants the rest peace at their entreaty.
by Ammianus Marcellinus
These affairs were full of danger and doubt; and Julian
considering them likely to lead to absolute destruction, bent all his
mind to the one object of seizing Vadomarius unawares, through the
rapidity of his movements, in order to secure his own safety and that
of the provinces. And the plan which he decided on was this.
He sent to those districts Philagrius, one of his
secretaries, afterwards count of the East, in whose proved prudence and
fidelity he could thoroughly rely; and besides a general authority to
act as he could upon emergencies, he gave him also a paper signed by
himself, which he bade him not to open nor read unless Vadomarius
appeared on the western side of the Rhine.
Philagrius went as he was ordered, and while he was in that
district busying himself with various arrangements, Vadomarius crossed
the river, as if he had nothing to fear, in a time of profound peace,
and pretending to know of nothing having been done contrary to treaty,
when he saw the commander of the troops who were stationed there, made
him a short customary speech, and to remove all suspicion, of his
own accord promised to come to a banquet to which Philagrius also had
been invited.
As soon as Philagrius arrived, when he saw the king, he
recollected Julian's words, and pretending some serious and urgent
business, returned to his lodging, where having read the paper
intrusted to him, and learnt what he was to do, he immediately returned
and took his seat among the rest.
But when the banquet was over he boldly arrested
Vadomarius, and gave him to the commander of the forces, to be kept in
strict custody in the camp, reading to him the commands he had
received; but as nothing was mentioned about Vadomarius's retinue, he
ordered them to return to their own country.
But the king was afterwards conducted to Julian's camp, and
despaired of pardon when he heard that his secretary had been taken,
and the letters which he had written to Constantius read; he was
however not even reproached by Julian, but merely sent off to Spain, as
it was an object of great importance that, while Julian was absent from
Gaul, this ferocious man should not be able to throw into confusion the
provinces which had been tranquillized with such great difficulty.
Julian, being much elated at this occurrence, since the
king, whom he feared to leave behind him while at a distance, had been
caught more quickly than he expected, without delay prepared to attack
the barbarians who, as we have just related, had slain Count Libino and
some of
his soldiers in battle.
And to prevent any rumour of his approach giving them
warning to retire to remoter districts, he passed the Rhine by night
with great silence, with some of the most rapid of his auxiliary bands;
and so came upon them while fearing nothing of the sort. And he at once
attacked them the moment they were first roused by the sound of
enemies, and while still examining their swords and javelins; some he
slew, some he took prisoners, who sued for mercy and offered to
surrender their booty; to the rest who remained and implored peace, and
promised to be quiet for the future, he granted peace.
