a pledge of the state
for his own safety, through the intervention of Masilla, he placed the
body of the dead man on a camel, and when he arrived at the camp of the
Roman army, which was pitched near the fortress of Subicarense, he
transferred it to a pack-horse, and offered it to Theodosius, who
received it with exultation.

56. And Theodosius having assembled a crowd of soldiers and citizens,
and having asked them whether they recognized the face of the corpse,
learnt by their answers that there was no question at all that it was
the man; after this he stayed there a short time, and then returned to
Sitifis in great triumph, where he was received with joyful acclamations
of the people of every age and rank.

VI.

Sec. 1. While Theodosius was thus exerting himself, and toiling in
Mauritania and Africa, the nation of the Quadi was roused to make a
sudden movement. It was a nation now not very formidable, but one which
had formerly enjoyed vast renown for its warlike genius and power, as
its achievements prove, some of which were distinguished for the
rapidity, as well as for the greatness, of their success; instances
are:--Aquileia, which was besieged by them and the Marcomanni;
Opitergium, which was destroyed by them, and many other bloody successes
which were gained in that rapid campaign when the Julian Alps were
passed, and that illustrious emperor Marcus, of whom we have already
spoken, was hardly able to offer them any resistance. And indeed they
had, for barbarians, just ground of complaint.

2. For Valentinian, who from the beginning of his reign had been full of
a resolution to fortify his frontier, which was a glorious decision, but
one carried too far in this case, ordered a fortress capable of
containing a strong garrison to be constructed on the south side of the
river Danube, in the very territories of the Quadi, as if they were
subject to the Roman authority. The natives, being very indignant at
this, and anxious for their own rights and safety, at first contented
themselves with trying to avert the evil by an embassy and
expostulations.

3. But Maximin, always eager for any wickedness, and unable to bridle
his natural arrogance, which was now increased by the pride which he
felt in his rank as prefect, reproached Equitius, who at that time was
the commander of the forces in Illyricum, as careless and inactive,
because the work, which it was ordered should be carried on with all
speed, was not y