with ropes tied to their legs
through the street; the one because he had overthrown the altar lately
set up in the mint, of which he was governor; the other because while
superintending the building of a church, he insolently cut off the curls
of the boys, thinking thus to affect the worship of the gods.

10. But the savage populace were not content with this; but having
mutilated their bodies, put them on camels and conveyed them to the
shore, where they burnt them and threw the ashes into the sea; fearing,
as they exclaimed, lest their remains should be collected and a temple
raised over them, as the relics of men who, being urged to forsake their
religion, had preferred to endure torturing punishments even to a
glorious death, and so, by keeping their faith inviolate, earning the
appellation of martyrs. In truth the wretched men who underwent such
cruel punishment might have been protected by the aid of the Christians,
if both parties had not been equally exasperated by hatred of George.

11. When this event reached the emperor's ears, he roused himself to
avenge the impious deed; but when about to inflict the extremity of
punishment on the guilty, he was appeased by the intercession of those
about him, and contented himself with issuing an edict in which he
condemned the crime which had been committed in stern language, and
threatening all with the severest vengeance if anything should be
attempted for the future contrary to the principles of justice and law.

XII.

Sec. 1. In the mean time, while preparing the expedition against the
Persians, which he had long been meditating with all the vigour of his
mind, he resolved firmly to avenge their past victories; hearing from
others, and knowing by his own experience, that for nearly sixty years
that most ferocious people had stamped upon the East bloody records of
massacre and ravage, many of our armies having often been entirely
destroyed by them.

2. And he was inflamed with a desire for the war on two grounds: first,
because he was weary of peace, and dreaming always of trumpets and
battles; and secondly, because, having been in his youth exposed to the
attacks of savage nations, the wishes of whose kings and princes were
already turning against us, and whom, as was believed, it would be
easier to conquer than to reduce to the condition of suppliants, he was
eager to add to his other glories the surname of Parthieus.

3. But when his inactive and malicious d