Res Gestae

With like injustice Florentius (son of Nigrinianus), then chief marshal of the court, was imprisoned in[*](Lit. thrust off to. ) the

In like manner Euagrius, count of the privy purse, and Saturninus, former steward of the Household, and Cyrinus, a former secretary, were all exiled. But for the death of Ursulus, count of the sacred largesses, Justice herself seems to me to have wept, and to have accused the emperor of ingratitude. For when Julian was sent as Caesar to the western regions, to be treated with extreme niggardliness, being granted no power of making any donative to the soldiers to the end that he might be exposed to more serious mutinies of the army, this very Ursulus wrote to the man in charge of the Gallic treasury, ordering that whatever the Caesar asked for should be given him without hesitation.

After Ursulus’ death Julian found himself the object of the reproaches and curses of many men, and thinking that he could excuse himself for the unpardonable crime, he declared that the man had been put to death without his knowledge, alleging that his taking off was due to the anger of the soldiers, who remembered his words (which we have reported before[*](xx. 11, 6.) ) when he saw the ruins of Amida.

From this it was clear that Julian was timorous, or that he did not know what was fitting, when he put Arbitio, who was always untrustworthy and excessively haughty, in charge of these inquisitions, while the others, including the officers of the legions, were

But, although these acts which I have mentioned displeased even Julian’s supporters, yet those which follow were executed with proper vigour and severity.

For Apodemius, of the imperial secret service, who, as we have said,[*](Cf. xv. 5, 8; xiv. 11, 19.) showed unbridled eagerness for the death of Silvanus and Gallus, was burned alive, as well as Paulus the notary, surnamed Catena,[*](The Chain, or Fetter; cf. xiv. 5, 6.) a man to be mentioned by many with groans, who thus met the fate which was to have been hoped for.

Eusebius besides, who had been made Constantius’ grand chamberlain, a man full of pride and cruelty, was condemned to death by the judges. This man, who had been raised from the lowest station to a position which enabled him almost to give orders like those of the emperor himself,[*](See xviii. 4, 3, and Introd., p. xxxvi.) and in consequence had become intolerable, Adrastia, the judge of human acts,[*](Cf. xiv. 11, 25.) had plucked by the ear (as the saying is) and warned him to live with more restraint; and when he demurred, she threw him headlong, as if from a lofty cliff.

After this the emperor turned his attention to the palace attendants, and dismissed all who belonged to that class or could be included in it, but not

For he might have been commended if he had at least retained some, few though they were, who were of modest behaviour or known to be of virtuous character. But it must be admitted that the major part of those creatures maintained a vast nursery of all the vices, to such a degree that they infected the state with evil passions, and rather by their example than by their license in wrong-doing injured many.

For some of them, fattened on the robbery of temples and scenting out gain from every source, on being raised from abject poverty at one bound to enormous wealth, knew no limit to bribery, robbery, and extravagance, always accustomed as they were to seize the property of others.

Hence sprang the seeds of a dissolute life, perjury, and disregard for good name, and their mad pride stained their honour by shameful gains.