udges, who are said to have decided
disputes even among the gods. They, when they had heard the case,
ordered the woman and her accuser to appear before them again in a
hundred years, to avoid either acquitting a poisoner, or punishing one
who had been the avenger of her kindred. So that is never to be thought
too slow which is the last of all things.

20. After all the acts of various iniquity already mentioned, and after
even the free persons who were allowed to survive had been thus
shamefully branded, the eye of Justice which never sleeps, that
unceasing witness and avenger of events, became more attentive and
vigilant. For the avenging Furies of those who had been put to death,
working on the everlasting deity with their just complaints, kindled the
torches of war, to confirm the truth of the oracle, which had given
warning that no crime can be perpetrated with impunity.

21. While the affairs thus narrated were taking place, Antioch was
exposed to great distress through domestic dissension, though not
molested by any attacks on the side of Parthia. But the horrid troop of
Furies, which after having caused all sorts of miseries there, had
quitted that city, now settled on the neck of the whole of Asia, as will
be seen in what follows.

22. A certain native of Trent, by name Festus, a man of the lowest
obscurity of birth, being a relation of Maximin, and one who had assumed
the manly robe at the same time with himself, was cherished by him as a
companion, and by the will of the Fates had now crossed over to the
east, and having there become governor of Syria, and master of the
records, he set a very good and respectable example of lenity. From this
he was promoted to govern Asia with the rank of proconsul, being thus,
as the saying is, borne on with a fair wind to glory.

23. And hearing that Maximin caused the destruction of every virtuous
man, he began from this time to denounce his actions as mischievous and
disgraceful. But when he saw that, in consequence of the removal of
those persons whom he had impiously put to death, that wicked man had
arrived at the dignity of prefect, he began to be excited to similar
conduct and similar hopes. And suddenly changing his character like an
actor, he applied himself to the study of doing injury, and went about
with fixed and severe eyes, trusting that he also should soon become a
prefect, if he only polluted himself with the blood of innocent men.

24. And although th