r, passed on from city to city with incredible
rapidity.

12. But his eager desire to return was cooled by the advice of those
about him, who counselled and implored him not to expose Gaul to the
barbarians, who were threatening it; nor to abandon on such a pretence
provinces which were in need of great support. And then prayers were
seconded by embassies from several important cities which entreated him
not in a doubtful and disastrous crisis to leave them wholly undefended,
when by his presence he might at once deliver them from the greatest
dangers, by the mere terror which his mighty name would strike into the
Germans.

13. At last, having given much deliberation to what might be most
advisable, he adopted the opinion of the majority, and replied that
Procopius was the foe only of himself and his brother, but the Allemanni
were the enemies of the whole Roman world; and so he determined in the
mean time not to move beyond the frontier of Gaul.

14. And advancing to Rheims, being also anxious that Africa should not
be suddenly invaded, he appointed Neotherius, who at that time was only
a secretary, but who afterwards became a consul, to go to the protection
of that country; and with him Masaucio, an officer of the domestic
guard, being induced to add him by the consideration that he was well
acquainted with the disturbed parts, since he had been brought up there
under his father Cretion, who was formerly Count of Africa; he added
further, Gaudentius, a commander of the Scutarii, a man whom he had long
known, and on whose fidelity he placed entire confidence.

15. Because therefore these sad disturbances arose on both sides at one
and the same time, we will here arrange our account of each separately
in suitable order; relating first what took place in the East, and
afterwards the war with the barbarians; since the chief events both in
the West and the East occurred in the same months; lest, by any other
plan, if we skipped over in haste from place to place, we should present
only a confused account of everything, and so involve our whole
narrative in perplexity and disorder.

VI.

Sec. 1. Procopius was born and bred in Cilicia, of a noble family, and
occupied an advantageous position from his youth, as being a relation of
Julian who afterwards became emperor. He was very strict in his way of
life and morals, reserved and silent; but both as secretary, and
afterwards as tribune distinguishing himself by his se