Res Gestae

Ammianus Marcellinus

Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).

Constantianus, an

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officer of the stable,[*](A strator was appointed in the provinces to buy choice horses. Another class of stratores were grooms; see Index of Officials, Vol. I.) was sent to Sardinia to test horses to be used for military service, and because he had dared to exchange a few of them, he was stoned to death by the emperor’s order. Athanasius, a favourite charioteer of the day, so suspected by him for his general light-mindedness that he was ordered to be burned alive if he should try anything of the kind,[*](On elogium see also xiv. 5, 5, note.) not long afterward used magic arts and was charged therewith; and without indulgence being granted to a man who was an artist in entertainments, he was condemned to be burned to death.

Africanus, a busy pleader of cases at law in the city, after governing a province, aspired to the rule of another; but when Theodosius, general of the cavalry, supported him in his request, the kind emperor gave this somewhat boorish reply: Go, general, and change his head for him, since he wants a change in his province. And by this pronouncement[*](I.e., use magic arts.) an eloquent man lost his life merely for hastening, like many, for advancement.

Claudius and Sallustius, of the Jovian legion, who had advanced as far as the rank of tribune, were accused by a fellow whose low origin in itself made him an object of contempt, on the ground that when Procopius had aspired to the imperial power they had spoken some good words for him; but although constant inquisitions revealed nothing, the emperor ordered the generals of the cavalry, who were hearing the case, to drive Claudius into exile and condemn Sallustius to death, promising to pardon the latter on his way to execution. But when this had

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been done according to the directions, Sallustius’ life was not spared and Claudius was not freed from the sorrow of banishment until after the death of the aforesaid Valentinian[*](A lacuna follows, see crit. note 1.) . . . decidedly refused, although they were repeatedly tortured.

Accordingly, although inquisitions followed thick and fast, and some died in consequence of excessive torture, not even a trace of the alleged crimes was found. In this business even the bodyguards who had been sent to arrest persons . . .[*](Since de fustibus caesi seems to be an impossible construction, there was probably a lacuna between de and fustibus; see crit. note 2.) were beaten to death with cudgels, contrary to all precedent.