roubles had been anticipated, and were laying
waste the borders of the Tyrol, pouring their predatory hands over the
whole frontier, and leaving nothing unravaged.

2. He feared that if this were passed over it might rekindle the flames
of war; and so at once sent a count named Libino, with the Celtic and
Petulantes legions, who were in winter quarters with him, to put a
decided and immediate end to this affair.

3. Libino marched with speed, and arrived at Seckingen; but was seen
while at a distance by the barbarians, who had already hidden themselves
in the valleys with the intention of giving him battle. His soldiers
were inferior in number, but very eager for battle; and he, after
haranguing them, rashly attacked the Germans, and at the very beginning
of the fight was slain among the first. At his death the confidence of
the barbarians increased, while the Romans were excited to avenge their
general; and so the conflict proceeded with great obstinacy, but our men
were overpowered by numbers, though their loss in killed and wounded was
but small.

4. Constantius, as has been related, had made peace with this
Vadomarius, and his brother Gundomadus, who was also a king. And when
afterwards Gundomadus died, thinking that Vadomarius would be faithful
to him, and a silent and vigorous executor of his secret orders (if one
may believe what is only report), he gave him directions by letter to
harass the countries on his borders, as if he had broken off the treaty
of peace, in order to keep Julian, through his fears of him, from ever
abandoning the protection of Gaul.

5. In obedience to these directions, it is fair to believe that
Vadomarius committed this and other similar actions; being a man from
his earliest youth marvellously skilled in artifice and deceit, as he
afterwards showed when he enjoyed the dukedom of Phoenice.[115]

6. But now, being discovered, he desisted from his hostilities. For one
of his secretaries, whom he had sent to Constantius, was taken prisoner
by Julian's outposts, and when he was searched to see if he was the
bearer of anything, a letter was found on him, which contained these
words among others, "Your Caesar is not submissive." But when he wrote to
Julian he always addressed him as lord, and emperor, and god.

IV.

Sec. 1. These affairs were full of danger and doubt; and Julian considering
them likely to lead to absolute destruction, bent all his mind to the
one object of seizing Va