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. VII. At length, when all the forces were from all parts sent for and assembled together, Amida by the power thereof is woon. Some of the garrison souldiors escape: and among them Ammianus Marcellinus, who by swift flight save themselves. Sapor after he had crucified Aelianus, a lieutenant, and certaine Romane Tribunes, sought carefully for all the Transtigritores, and put them to the sword.

BY reason therefore that the king commaunded all the brigands and rob∣bers to be sent for, and naked swords were bent against one anothers breast, when by occasion of infinite slaughter there was nothing but bloudshed on both sides, the ditches were filled up with bodies, and thereby a broader way layed open: and the citie thus pestered with concourse of forces still sharpe set and hote upon execution, when all hope was cut off eyther of longer defence or escape by flight, hewen in pieces they were pell-mell one with another, armed souldiors and unarmed weaklings, and no regard of sex was made. Wherefore, when it began to be darke in the evening, and as yet a number of our men (though adverse fortune stood and strived against them) by joyning in fight were held occupied, and had their hands full, I (with two others) lying hidden through the benefit of the darke night, in a certaine secret place of the towne, got forth at a posterne gate, where there was no watch kept: and having some helpe by the skill I had of desart places and the swift speed that my companions made, came at length as farre as to a station or baiting place at ten myles end: wherein after we had beene moderately refreshed, and were about to goe forward still on ourway, and my selfe was now over-come with too much travaile, as a gentleman not used to such toyle, I found a terrible object to see to, but yet that which to me (so weari∣ed and tyred out as I was) yeelded passing great comfort. One of these campe∣lacqueyes or souldiors pages riding upon a swift horse without saddle and bitt or bridle, to the end that he might not drop off his backe, tied very streight and short unto his left hand the halter or cord, wherewith, as the manner is, he was used to be led and guided: and within a while after chauncing to bee cast, and not able to breake in sunder the knot of the bond that held him fast, had all his lims piteously rent and mangled, as he was dragged through desart wilds and forrests, and so with the weight of his carkasse restrained backe the beast, which by this time also was spent and tyred out with running. The service of which jade thus caught, I ma∣king use of for the time, came with much adoe together with the said companions of mine, to certaine fountaines of waters naturally hote, standing upon a veine of brimstone. And for that by reason of the hote weather we being over-taken with drought and thirst, went softly seeking a great while for water, and so spied at length a verie deepe pit, not able either to go downe into it for the depth it carried, nor having any cords or ropes about us, wee being taught by extreame necessitie what to doe in this case, did cut the linnen shirts that we were lapped in, into small pieces: whereof having drawne out a rope of a mightie length, we tooke a quilt which one of our companie wore under his morrion, and put the same to the ne∣ther end of it: which being by the said rope let downe into the pit, and drinking in water like a spunge or dishclout, quickly quenched the thirst wherewith wee were in manner consumed. From thence we went apace unto the river Euphrates,

minding to crosse the water unto the further banke, by a vessell which a long time was wont to give attendance therein that tract, for to ferrie over both horse and man. But behold, wee might discover a farre off a regiment of Romanes, with their horsemens guidons disranked and broken, which a multitude of Persians pursued; and we wist not whence it was, that in so suddaine violence they charged thus the backes of the other, marching on their way. By which example, thus pre∣sented to our eyes, we beleeve verily, That those earth-begotten gyants arose not out of the bowels and bosomes of the earth, but were borne indeed so exceeding swift: whom, for that they were seene suddainly in divers places (Sparti common∣ly they tearmed them) men supposed to have started out of the ground, so fabu∣lously doth antiquitie extoll this thing, as above all others beside. This unhappie occurrent made us bestirre our stumpes, and for that all the helpe wee had to save our selves, lay in swift footmanship, wee made speed through greves and groves toward the high mountaines, and so from thence wee came to Melitina, a towne in the lesse Armenia: and there having met with our captaine, wee accompanied him, now readie to take his journey, and visited Antiochia againe. Meane while, Sapor and the Persians, because they might not now march into the inland parts of the countrey, considering it grew toward the end of Autumne, and the starre named the Kids, were risen, driving their captives and other booties before them, intended to returne home into their owne countrey. Among these executions neverthelesse and riflings of the citie thus rased, when Aelianus the * 1.1 lieutenant, and those Tribunes (through whose valiant service the walls stood so long defended, and so many Persians slaine) were villanously hanged upon gibbets, Iacobus and Cesius, the * 1.2 Registers or Notaries belonging to the office of the Generall of the Horsemen and other of the Protectores were led away prisoners, with their hands pinnioned behind their backes. But the inhabitants beyond Tigris, streightly layed for, were all massacred every mothers child, without respect of degree, from the highest to the lowest.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Comes.
• * 1.2

  Numerataij.