HumanitiesWeb.org - Roman History Roman History - Book XXI. (XIII. Sapor leads back his army home, because the auspices forbid war - Constantius, intending to march against Julian, harangues his soldiers.) by Ammianus Marcellinus
Roman History Roman History - Book XXI. XIII. Sapor leads back his army home, because the auspices forbid war - Constantius, intending to march against Julian, harangues his soldiers.
by Ammianus Marcellinus
While Julian was thus carrying out new projects, and
alternating between hope and fear, Constantius at Edessa, being made
anxious by the various accounts brought him by his spies, was full of
perplexity. At one time collecting his army for battle; at another,
wishing to lay siege to Bezabde on two sides, if he could find an
opportunity; taking at the
same time prudent precautions not to leave Mesopotamia unprotected,
while about to march into the districts of Armenia.
But while still undecided, he was detained by various
causes. Sapor also remained on the other side of the Tigris till the
sacrifices should become propitious to his moving. For if after
crossing the river he found no resistance, he might without difficulty
penetrate to the Euphrates. On the other hand, if he wished to keep his
soldiers for the civil war, he feared to expose them to the dangers of
a siege; having already experienced the strength of the walls and the
vigour of the garrison.
However, not to lose time, and to avoid inactivity, he sent
Arbetio and Agilo, the captains of his infantry and cavalry, with very
large forces, to march with all speed; not to provoke the Persians to
battle, but to establish forts on the nearest bank of the Tigris, which
might be able to reconnoitre, and see in what direction the furious
monarch broke forth; and with many counsels given both verbally and in
writing, he charged them to retreat with celerity the moment the
enemy's army began to cross the river.
While those generals were watching the frontier as
they were ordered, and spying out the secret designs of their most
crafty enemy, he himself, with the main body of his army, made head
against his most pressing foes, as if prepared for battle; and defended
the adjacent towns by rapid movements. Meantime spies and deserters
continually coming in, related to him opposite stories; being in fact
ignorant of what was intended, because among the Persians no one knows
what is decided on except a few taciturn and trusty nobles, by whom the
god Silence is worshipped.
But the emperor was continually sent for by the
generals whom I have mentioned, who implored him to send them aid. For
they protested that unless the whole strength of the army was collected
together, it would be impossible to withstand the onset of the furious
Sapor.
And while things in this quarter were thus full of anxiety,
other messengers arrived in numbers, by whose accurate statements he
learnt that Julian had traversed Italy and Illyricum with great
rapidity, had occupied the defiles of the Succi, and called in
auxiliaries from all quarters, and was now marching through Thrace with
a very large force.
Constantius, learning this, was overwhelmed with
grief, but supported by one comfort, that he had always triumphed over
internal commotions. Nevertheless, though the affair made it very
difficult for him to decide on a line of action, he chose the best; and
sent a body of troops on by public conveyances, in order as quickly as
possible to make head against the impending danger.
And as that plan was universally approved, the troops went
as they were commanded, in the lightest marching order. But the next
day, while he was finally arranging these matters, he received
intelligence that Sapor, with his whole army, had returned to his own
country, because the auspices were unfavourable. So, his fears being
removed, he called in all the troops except those who as usual were
assigned for the protection of Mesopotamia, and returned to Hierapolis.
And still doubting what would be the final result of
all his difficulties, when he had collected his army together he
convened all the centuries and companies and squadrons by sound of
trumpet; and the whole plain being filled with the host, he, standing
on a lofty tribune, in order to encourage them the more readily to
execute what he should direct, and being surrounded by a numerous
retinue, spoke thus with great appearance of calmness and a studied
look of confidence.
"Being always anxious never to do or say anything
inconsistent with incorruptible honour, like a cautious pilot, who
turns his helm this way or that way according to the movement of the
waves, I am now constrained, my most affectionate subjects, to confess
my errors to you, or rather, if I were to say the plain truth, my
humanity, which I did think
would be beneficial to our common interests. So now that you may the
better understand what is the object of convoking this assembly,
listen, I pray you, with impartiality and kindness.
"At the time when Magnentius, whom your bravery
overcome, was obstinately labouring to throw all things into confusion,
I sent Gallus my cousin, who had been lately raised to the rank of
Caesar, to guard the East. But he, having by many wicked and shameful
arts departed from justice, was punished by a legal sentence.
"Would that Envy had then been contented, that most bitter
exciter of troubles! And that we had nothing to grieve us but the
single recollection of past sorrows, unaccompanied by any idea of
present danger! But now a new circumstance, more grievous than any
former one I will venture to say, has taken place, which the gods who
aid us will put an end to by means of your innate valour.
"Julian, whom, while you were combating the nations which
threaten Illyricum on all sides, I appointed to protect Gaul, presuming
on the issue of some trifling battles which he has fought against the
half-armed Germans, and full of silly elation, has taken a few
auxiliary battalions into his noble alliance, men from their natural
ferocity and the desperateness of their situation ready for acts of the
most mischievous audacity, and has conspired against the public safety,
trampling down justice, the parent and nurse of the Roman world. That
power I believe, both because I myself have experienced it, and because
all antiquity assures me of its might, will, as an avenger of
wickedness, soon trample down their pride like so many ashes.
"What then remains, except to hasten to encounter
the whirlwind thus raised against us? so as by promptitude to crush the
fury of this rising war before it comes to maturity and strength? Nor
can it be questioned that, with the favour of the supreme deity, by
whose everlasting sentence ungrateful men are condemned, the sword
which they have wickedly drawn will be turned to their own destruction.
Since never having received any provocation, but rather after having
been loaded with benefits, they have risen up to threaten innocent men
with danger.
"For as my mind augurs, and as justice, which will aid upright
counsels, promises, I feel sure that when once we come to close
quarters, they will be so benumbed with fear as neither to be able to
stand the fire of your glancing eyes nor the sound of your battle cry."
This speech harmonized well with the feelings of the soldiers. In their
rage they brandished their shields, and after answering him in terms of
eager goodwill, demanded to be led at once against the rebels. Their
cordiality changed the emperor's fear into joy; and having dismissed
the assembly, as he knew by past experience that Arbetio was most
eminently successful in putting an end to intestine wars, he ordered
him to advance first by the road which he himself designed to take,
with the spearmen and the legion of Mattium, and several battalions of
light troops; he also ordered Gomoarius to take with him the Leti, to
check the enemy on their arrival among the defiles of the Succi; he was
selected for this service because he was unfriendly to Julian on
account of some slight he had received from him in Gaul.