et finished. And he added, as a man guided only by zeal
for the common good, that if the rank of Duke of Valeria were only
conferred on his own little son, Marcellianus, the fortification would
be soon completed without any more pretexts for delay. Both his wishes
were presently granted.

4. Marcellianus received the promotion thus suggested, and set out to
take possession of his government; and when he reached it, being full of
untimely arrogance, as might be expected from the son of such a father,
without attempting to conciliate those whom false dreams of gain had
caused to quit their native land, he applied himself to the work which
had been recently begun, and had only been suspended to afford an
opportunity for the inhabitants to present petitions against it.

5. Lastly, when their king Gabinius requested, in a most moderate tone,
that no innovations might be made, he as if intending to assent to his
petition, with feigned courtesy invited him and some other persons to a
banquet; and then as he was departing after the entertainment,
unsuspicious of treachery, he caused him, in infamous violation of the
sacred rights of hospitality, to be murdered.

6. The report of so atrocious an act was speedily spread abroad, and
roused the indignation of the Quadi and other surrounding tribes, who,
bewailing the death of the king, collected together and sent forth
predatory bands, which crossed the Danube; and when no hostilities were
looked for, attacked the people who were occupied in the fields about
the harvest; and having slain the greater portion of them, carried off
all the survivors to their own country with a great booty of different
kinds of cattle.

7. And at that time an inexpiable atrocity was very near being
committed, which would have been reckoned among the most disgraceful
disasters which ever happened to the Roman state, for the daughter of
Constantius had a narrow escape of being taken prisoner as she was at
dinner in a hotel called the Pistrensian, when on her way to be married
to Gratian: and she was only saved by the promptitude of Messala the
governor of the province, who, aided by the favour of the propitious
Deity, placed her in a carriage belonging to him as governor, and
conducted her back with all possible speed to Sirmium, a distance of
about twenty-six miles.

8. By this fortunate chance the royal virgin was delivered from the
peril of miserable slavery; and if she had been taken and her capt