excellent
emperor, admonishing them at the same time that a miserable end awaited
the investigators of these omens.[176]

8. And while they were hesitating, unable to decide who at that moment
was superior to all other men in vigour of mind, Theodorus appeared to
excel all the rest, a man who had already arrived at the second class of
secretaries. And in truth he deserved the opinion which they entertained
of him; for he was descended from an ancient and illustrious family in
Gaul; he had been liberally educated from his earliest childhood; he was
eminent for modesty, prudence, humanity, courtesy, and literature. He
always appeared superior to the post or place which he was filling, and
was equally popular among high and low, and he was nearly the only man
whose tongue was never unbridled, but who always reflected on what he
was going to say, yet without ever being restrained by any fear of
danger.

9. Fidustius, who had been tortured so severely that he was at the point
of death, added further, that all that he had now stated he had
communicated to Theodorus by the intervention of Eucaerius, a man of
great literary accomplishments, and of very high reputation; indeed, he
had a little time before governed Asia with the title of proprefect.

10. Eucaerius was now thrown into prison; and when a report of all that
had taken place was, as usual, laid before the emperor, his amazing
ferocity burst out more unrestrainedly than ever, like a burning
firebrand, being fed by the base adulation of many persons, and
especially of Modestus, at that time prefect of the praetorium.

11. He, being every day alarmed at the prospect of a successor,
addressed himself to the task of conciliating Valens, who was of a
rustic and rather simple character, by tickling him with all kinds of
disguised flattery and caresses, calling his uncouth language and rude
expressions "flowers of Ciceronian eloquence." Indeed, to raise his
vanity higher, he would have promised to raise him up to the stars if he
had desired it.

12. So Theodorus also was ordered to be arrested with all speed at
Constantinople, to which city he had repaired on some private business,
and to be brought to the court. And while he was on his way back, in
consequence of various informations and trials which were carried on day
and night, numbers of people were dragged away from the most widely
separated countries--men eminent for their birth and high authority.

13. The pub