other subjects of anxiety, the first and most
important thing of all which was agitated, was to seize alive, either by
force or by trickery, as Julian had formerly taken Vadomarius,
Macrianus, the king, who, through all the changes which had taken place,
had obtained a considerable increase of power, and was rising up against
our people with full-grown strength: and after all the measures had been
taken which seemed required by the affair itself and the time, and when
it had been learnt by information collected from deserters when the
aforesaid monarch could be seized before he expected anything of the
kind, the emperor threw a bridge of boats across the Rhine with as much
secrecy as was possible, lest any one should interpose any obstacle to
such a work.

3. Severus, who was the commander of the infantry, led the van of the
army towards Wiesbaden; and then, reflecting on his scanty numbers,
halted in consternation; being afraid lest, as he should be quite
unequal to resist them, he should be overwhelmed by the mass of the
hostile army if it attacked him.

4. And because he suspected that the dealers who brought slaves for
sale, whom he found at that place by chance, would be likely to repair
with speed to the king to tell him what they had seen, he stripped them
of all their merchandise, and then put them all to death.

5. Our generals were now encouraged by the arrival of more troops; and
speedily contrived a temporary camp, because none of the baggage-beasts
had arrived, nor had any one a proper tent, except the emperor, for whom
one was constructed of carpets and tapestry. Then waiting a short time
on account of the darkness of the night, at daybreak the army quitted
the camp and proceeded onwards; being led by guides well acquainted with
the country. The cavalry, under Theodosius, its captain, was appointed
to lead the way ... was inconvenienced by the great noise made by his
men; whom his repeated commands could not restrain from rapine and
incendiarism. For the guards of the enemy being roused by the crackling
of the flames, and suspecting what had happened, put the king on a light
carriage and carrying him off with great speed, hid him among the
defiles of the neighbouring mountains.

6. Valentinian being defrauded of the glory of taking him, and that
neither through any fault of his own or of his generals, but through the
insubordination of his soldiers, which was often the cause of great
misfortunes to th