the old man had it foretold to him in his sleep that the
highest office was destined for his name, his grandson Varronianus,
while still an infant, was made consul with his father Jovian, as we
have related above.

[151] Primicerius: he was the third officer of the guard; the first
being the lower; the second, the tribune--answering, as one might say,
to our major.

[152] The Zianni were an Armenian tribe. The legion belonged to the
Thracian establishment.

[153] Tarquitius was an ancient Etruscan soothsayer, who had written on
the subject of his art.

[154] That is Marcus Aurelius.

[155] It must be remembered that throughout Ammianus's history a count
is always spoken of as of higher rank than a duke.

[156] From +kome+, hair.

BOOK XXVI.

ARGUMENT.

I. Valentinian, the tribune of the second school of the Scutarii,
by the unanimous consent of both the civil and military officers,
is elected emperor at Nicaea, in his absence--A dissertation on
leap-year.--II. Valentinian, being summoned from Ancyra, comes with
speed to Nicaea, and is again unanimously elected emperor, and
having been clothed in the purple, and saluted as Augustus,
harangues the army.--III. Concerning the prefecture of Rome, as
administered by Apronianus.--IV. Valentinian at Nicomedia makes
Valens, his brother, who was master of the horse, his colleague in
the empire, and repeats his appointment at Constantinople, with the
consent of the army.--V. The two emperors divide the counts and the
army between them, and soon afterwards enter on their first
consulship, the one at Milan, the other at Constantinople--The
Allemanni lay waste Gaul--Procopius attempts a revolt in the
East.--VI. The country, family, habits, and rank of Procopius; his
obscurity in the time of Jovian, and how he came to be saluted
emperor at Constantinople.--VII. Procopius, without bloodshed,
reduces Thrace to acknowledge his authority; and by promises
prevails on the cavalry and infantry, who were marching through
that country, to take the oath of fidelity to him; he also by a
speech wins over the Jovian and Victorian legions, which were sent
against him by Valens.--VIII. Nicaea and Chalcedon being delivered
from their blockades, Bithynia acknowledges the sovereignty of
Procopius; as presently, after Cyzicus is stormed, the Hellespont
does li