Sec. 1. While matters were thus proceeding in the eastern regions and in
the Gauls, Constantius, as if the temple of Janus were now shut and
hostilities everywhere at an end, became desirous of visiting Rome, with
the intention of celebrating his triumph over Magnentius, to which he
could give no name, since the blood that he had spilt was that of Roman
foes.

2. For indeed, neither by his own exertions, nor by those of his
generals did he ever conquer any nation that made war upon him; nor did
he make any additions to the empire; nor at critical moments was he ever
seen to be the foremost or even among the foremost; but still he was
eager to exhibit to the people, now in the enjoyment of peace, a vast
procession, and standards heavy with gold, and a splendid train of
guards and followers, though the citizens themselves neither expected
nor desired any such spectacle.

3. He was ignorant, probably, that some of the ancient emperors were, in
time of peace, contented with their lictors, and that when the ardour of
war forbade all inactivity, one,[61] in a violent storm, had trusted
himself to a fisherman's boat; another,[62] following the example of the
Decii, had sacrificed his life for the safety of the republic;
another[63] had by himself, accompanied by only a few soldiers of the
lowest rank, gone as a spy into the camp of the enemy: in short, that
many of them had rendered themselves illustrious by splendid exploits,
in order to hand down to posterity a glorious memory of themselves,
earned by their achievements.

4. Accordingly, after long and sumptuous preparation, ... in the second
prefecture of Orfitus, Constantius, elated with his great honours, and
escorted by a formidable array of troops, marching in order of battle,
passed through Ocricoli, attracting towards himself the astonished gaze
of all the citizens.

5. And when he drew near to the city, contemplating the salutations
offered him by the senators, and the whole body of fathers venerable
from their likeness to their ancestors, he thought, not like Cineas, the
ambassador of Pyrrhus, that a multitude of kings was here assembled
together, but that the city was the asylum of the whole world.

6. And when from them he had turned his eyes upon the citizens, he
marvelled to think with what rapidity the whole race of mankind upon
earth had come from all quarters to Rome; and, as if he would have
terrified the Euphrates or the Rhine with a show of armed men,