ns within it),
the inaccessible beauties of the city, and the immensity of its
population; also the vicinity of the strait which divides the Black Sea
from the AEgean. Then after destroying the works which they had
constructed, having sustained greater losses than they had inflicted,
they raised the siege, and roamed at random over the northern provinces,
which they traversed without restraint as far as the Julian Alps, which
the ancients used to call the Venetian Alps.

8. At this time the energy and promptitude of Julius, the commander of
the forces on the other side of Mount Taurus, was particularly
distinguished; for when he learnt what had happened in Thrace, he sent
secret letters to all the governors of the different cities and forts,
who were all Romans (which at this time is not very common), requesting
them, on one and the same day, as at a concerted signal, to put to death
all the Goths who had previously been admitted into the places under
their charge; first luring them into the suburbs, in expectation of
receiving the pay which had been promised to them. This wise plan was
carried out without any disturbance or any delay; and thus the Eastern
provinces were delivered from great dangers.

9. Thus have I, a Greek by birth, and formerly a soldier, related all
the events from the accession of Nerva to the death of Valens, to the
best of my abilities; professing above all things to tell the truth,
which, as I believe, I have never knowingly perverted, either by silence
or by falsehood. Let better men in the flower of their age, and of
eminent accomplishments, relate the subsequent events. But if it should
please them to undertake the task, I warn them to sharpen their tongues
to a loftier style.

[189] The text is unusually mutilated here. It has been proposed to
insert: "A little goat with its throat cut was found dead in the
street."

[190] Virg. Georg., II. 106.

[191] Ammianus here alludes to the canal out through Mount Athos.

[192] See Gibbon, vol. ii., p. 215 (Bohn's edition).

[193] See Gibbon, vol. iii., p. 229 (Bohn).

[194] Barritus is the word used for the trumpeting of an elephant.

[195] See Gibbon, vol. iii., p. 181 (Bohn).

INDEX.

A.

Abanni, a people of Africa, 533

Abarne, a town in Mesopotamia, noted for its hot springs, 182

Abdera, the birthplace of Protagoras and Democritus, 286

Abdigidus, a tribune, 173

Abienus, a senator, 477, 478

Abii, a people of Pe