on and ruin, Heliodorus, that hellish
colleague of Palladius in bringing about these miseries (being what the
common people call a mathematician), having been admitted into the
secret conferences of the imperial palace, and been tempted by every
kind of caress and cajolery to relate all he knew or could invent, was
putting forth his fatal stings.

7. For he was carefully feasted on the most delicate food, and furnished
with large sums of money to give to his concubines; and he strutted
about in every direction with a pompous, haughty countenance, and was
universally dreaded. Being the more confident and arrogant, because as
he was high chamberlain, he could go constantly and openly to the
brothels, in which, as he desired, he was freely entertained, while
revealing the edicts of the "parental guardian of the state," which were
destined to be disastrous to many.

8. And through his means, as an advocate at the bar, Valens was
instructed beforehand in what would most contribute to success--what to
place in the first part of his speech, and with what figures, and what
inventions to work up splendid passages.

9. And as it would take a long time to enumerate all the devices of that
villain, I will mention this one only, which, in its rash boldness,
assailed the very pillars of the patrician dignity. As I have said
before, he was raised to exceeding arrogance by being admitted to the
secret conferences of the princes; and being, from the lowness of his
birth, a man ready for any wickedness, he laid an information against
that illustrious pair of consuls, the brothers Eusebius and Hypatius,
relations of the former emperor Constantius, as having conceived desires
of a higher fortune, and formed projects and entered into enterprises
for the attainment of supreme power. Adding, in order to procure
additional credit for this falsehood, that Eusebius had had a set of
imperial robes prepared for him.

10. And when the story had been swallowed willingly, Valens raging and
threatening, a prince who never ought to have had any power at all,
because he thought that everything, even injustice, was in his power,
was incessantly active in causing the production, even from the most
distant countries, of all those whom the lawless accuser in profound
security had insisted ought to be produced; and further commanded a
prosecution to be instituted on the criminal charge.

11. And when equity had long been tossed to and fro by knotty
dif