e provinces exhausted by
former disasters, Caesar, who was wintering at Paris, having his mind
divided by various cares, feared to go to the aid of his subjects across
the channel (as we have related Constans to have done), lest he should
leave the Gauls without a governor, while the Allemanni were still full
of fierce and warlike inclinations.

2. Therefore, to tranquillize these districts by reason or by force, it
was decided to send Lupicinus, who was at that time commander of the
forces; a man of talent in war, and especially skilful in all that
related to camps, but very haughty, and smelling, as one may say, of the
tragic buskin, while parts of his conduct made it a question which
predominated--his avarice or his cruelty.

3. Accordingly, an auxiliary force of light-armed troops, Heruli and
Batavi, with two legions from Moesia, were in the very depth of winter
put under the command of this general, with which he marched to
Boulogne, and having procured some vessels and embarked his soldiers on
them, he sailed with a fair wind, and reached Richborough on the
opposite coast, from which place he proceeded to London, that he might
there deliberate on the aspect of affairs, and take immediate measures
for his campaign.

II.

Sec. 1. In the mean time, after the fall of Amida, and after Ursicinus had
returned as commander of the infantry to the emperor's camp (for we have
already mentioned that he had been appointed to succeed Barbatio), he
was at once attacked by slanderers, who at first tried to whisper his
character away, but presently openly brought forward false charges
against him.

2. And the emperor, listening to them, since he commonly formed his
opinions on vain conjecture, and was always ready to yield his judgment
to crafty persons, appointed Arbetio and Florentius, the chief steward,
as judges to inquire how it was that the town was destroyed. They
rejected the plain and easily proved causes of the disaster, fearing
that Eusebius, at that time high chamberlain, would be offended if they
admitted proofs which showed undeniably that what had happened was owing
to the obstinate inactivity of Sabinianus; and so distorting the truth,
they examined only some points of no consequence, and having no bearing
on the transaction.

3. Ursicinus felt the iniquity of this proceeding; and said, "Although
the emperor despises me, still the importance of this affair is such
that it cannot be judged of and punished