all their might to
recover it.

17. Then, being full of exultation, and cherishing greater hopes than
ever of gaining whatever he desired, after taking a few forts of small
importance, he prepared to attack Victa, a very ancient fortress,
believed to have been founded by Alexander, the Macedonian, situated on
the most distant border of Mesopotamia, and surrounded with winding
walls full of projecting angles, and so well furnished at all points as
to be almost unassailable.

18. And when he had tried every expedient against it, at one time trying
to bribe the garrison with promises, at another to terrify them with
threats of torture, and employing all kinds of engines such as are used
in sieges, after sustaining more injury than he inflicted, he at last
retired from his unsuccessful enterprise.

VIII.

Sec. 1. These were the events of this year between the Tigris and the
Euphrates. And when frequent intelligence of them had reached
Constantius, who was in continual dread of Parthian expeditions, and was
passing the winter at Constantinople, he devoted greater care than ever
to strengthening his frontiers with every kind of warlike equipment. He
collected veterans, and enlisted recruits, and increased the legions
with reinforcements of vigorous youths, who had already repeatedly
signalized their valour in the battles of the eastern campaigns: and
beside these he collected auxiliary forces from among the Scythians by
urgent requests and promises of pay, in order to set out from Thrace in
the spring, and at once march to the disturbed provinces.

2. During the same time Julian, who was wintering at Paris, alarmed at
the prospect of the ultimate issue of the events in that district,
became full of anxiety, feeling sure, after deep consideration, that
Constantius would never give his consent to what had been done in his
case, since he had always disdained him as a person of no importance.

3. Therefore, after much reflection on the somewhat disturbed beginning
which the present novel state of affairs showed, he determined to send
envoys to him to relate all that had taken place; and he gave them
letters setting forth fully what had been done, and what ought to be
done next, supporting his recommendations by proofs.

4. Although in reality he believed that the emperor was already informed
of all, from the report of Decentius, who had returned to him some time
before; and of the chamberlains who had recently gone bac