Julian entertained some
hopes that the Germans, whom he had so often vanquished, might, in his
absence, be restrained by the terror of his name. Vadomair [19] was the
only prince of the Alemanni whom he esteemed or feared and while the
subtle Barbarian affected to observe the faith of treaties, the progress
of his arms threatened the state with an unseasonable and dangerous war.
The policy of Julian condescended to surprise the prince of the Alemanni
by his own arts: and Vadomair, who, in the character of a friend, had
incautiously accepted an invitation from the Roman governors, was seized
in the midst of the entertainment, and sent away prisoner into the heart
of Spain. Before the Barbarians were recovered from their amazement,
the emperor appeared in arms on the banks of the Rhine, and, once more
crossing the river, renewed the deep impressions of terror and respect
which had been already made by four preceding expeditions. [20]

[Footnote 17: Liban. Orat. Parent. c. 50, p. 275, 276. A strange
disorder, since it continued above seven years. In the factions of the
Greek republics, the exiles amounted to 20,000 persons; and Isocrates
assures Philip, that it would be easier to raise an army from the
vagabonds than from the cities. See Hume's Essays, tom. i. p. 426, 427.]

[Footnote 18: Julian (Epist. xxxviii. p. 414) gives a short description
of Vesontio, or Besancon; a rocky peninsula almost encircled by the
River Doux; once a magnificent city, filled with temples, &c., now
reduced to a small town, emerging, however, from its ruins.]

[Footnote 19: Vadomair entered into the Roman service, and was promoted
from a barbarian kingdom to the military rank of duke of Phoenicia. He
still retained the same artful character, (Ammian. xxi. 4;) but under
the reign of Valens, he signalized his valor in the Armenian war, (xxix.
1.)]

[Footnote 20: Ammian. xx. 10, xxi. 3, 4. Zosimus, l. iii. p. 155.]

Chapter XXII: Julian Declared Emperor.--Part II.

The ambassadors of Julian had been instructed to execute, with the
utmost diligence, their important commission. But, in their passage
through Italy and Illyricum, they were detained by the tedious and
affected delays of the provincial governors; they were conducted by
slow journeys from Constantinople to Caesarea in Cappadocia; and when
at length they were admitted to the presence of Constantius, they found
that he had already conceived, from the despatches of his own office