The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.

CHAP. VIII. An embassage of Iulianus sent unto the Senat of Rome, with an invective against Constantius; two of whose legions under the conduct of Nigrinus having taken in Aquileia, drive Iulianus into new thoughts and counsels.

THese things thus set in order, as in such & so urgent a businesse might be, this * 1.1 Soveraigne commaunder, leaving the Generall of the horsemen there, returneth to Naessum, a wealthy towne, to the end that he might from thence dispose readily and with speed of all particulars that shold

make for his commoditie and profit: Where he commanded Victor the Hystorio∣grapher, whom he saw at Sirmium, to come from thence unto him, ordained him Lord Deputie to governe Pannonia secunda, honoured him with a brasen statue, a man for his sober carryage right commendable, and long after made him Pręfect of [Rome]-citie. And now by this time, bearing himselfe more aloft, and thin∣king verily that Constantius could never possibly be wrought unto an agreement, he sent unto the Senat a sharp and invective oration laying open certaine reproch∣full villanies and vices against him: Which when they were read in the Senat house by Tertullius, who as yet governed the citie of Rome as Praefect, right nota∣ble was the curtesie and thankfull goodnesse of the nobilitie unto him, joyned with an honourable testimonie of their affiance in him: for with one accord of sentence and judgement, they cryed out all alowd, Autorituo reverentiam rogamus, i. We wish and award reverence and honour to thy Author. Then also it was, that he harrowed the memoriall of * 1.2 Constantine, as one that had beene a deviser of innovation and trou∣blous confusion in the auntientlawes and customes received of old: laying open∣ly to his charge, That he was the first of all others who advanced Barbarians unto the honour and dignitie of Consuls, unsavorly I assure you, and with small discre∣tion: who when he ought to avoid that which he right bitterly blamed in another, shortly after preferred to a Consulship Mamertinus, a man neither for honest life, for brave part, for sightly presence, nor glorious reputation in the world, comparable to any of these, upon whom Constantine had conferred that most honorable magistra∣cie; but contrariwise, one full of imperfections, rude, and uncivile withal, and (that which was intollerable) in high place of authoritie cruell. As he was thinking of these and such like matters, and carefull about most weightie and serious businesses, fearefull and unexpected newes were brought unto him, shewing the wicked at∣tempts of some, like to hinder the forward courses of his designes, unlesse with watchfull providence hee repressed them also, before they grew farther. The two legions ⁱ Constantiacae with the additiō of one cohort of archers, which he found at Sirmium, he sent (as whose allegiance he yet distrusted) into Gaule, under a colour of some urgent and necessarie occasions. These making but slow hast forward, and fearing as well the long and tedious journey, as the Germans, cruell and continuall enemics, plotted to make some rebellion, through the counsell and inciting of Ni∣grinus, borne in Mesopotamia, and * 1.3 Tribune of a troupe of horse-men. Having contrived this matter by secret conferences, and strengthened it the more by deeper silence, when they were come into Aquileia, a towne strongly seated, and compas∣sed about with mightie munitions, bulwarkes, and walls, in hostile manner all on a sudden they tooke it in; and the naturall inborne townesmen and common people, who favoured and friended still the name of Constantius, put to their helping hands to set forward this horrible and fearefull tumult. And having shut up all wayes of entrance, and manned the towers and bulwarks thereof with armed souldiers, they made preparation against the time to come for fight, living in the meane time at ease and libertie: and by this so audacious an act, they stirred up the Italian inhabi∣tants, to side with Constantius, as if he had beene yet living. When Iulian was ad∣vertised hereof, abiding then at Naessum without feare of any troubles behind his backe, and knew besides by reading and heresay, That this citie, how ever it had bin divers times besieged, yet never was either rased or rendered up; the more earnest he was, and made hast to gaine it to his owne side, what by cunning practises, and what with sundrie sorts of flatteries, before some greater mischiefe might arise.

And therefore he commanded Iovinus, a captaine of the horsemen, who comming by the Alpes was entred into * 1.4 Noricum, to returne with speed for the quenching of that fire one way or other, which was now on a flame. And that nothing might be wanting, he gave commaundement, All souldiers who followed either * 1.5 court or captaine, to be staid as they passed by the same towne, for to bee readie to their power to give aid.

Notes

• * 1.1

  or Emperour Iolianus.
• * 1.2

  the Great.
• * 1.3

  Captaine.
• * 1.4

  Beyern, or Ba∣varia.
• * 1.5

  Comitatum aut Signa.