Book 31
4.9
During this time, when the barriers of our 376 f. A.D. frontier were unlocked and the realm of savagery was spreading far and wide columns of armedAmmianus seems to forget that the Goths were required first to hand over their weapons; but this order was frequently evaded through the negligence of the imperial officials. men like glowing ashes from Aetna, when our difficulties and imminent dangers called for military reformers who were most distinguished for the fame of their exploits: then it was, as if at the choice of some adverse deity, that men were gathered together and given command of armies who bore stained reputations. At their head were two rivals in recklessness: one was Lupicinus, commanding general in Thrace, the other Maximus, a pernicious leader.
4.10
Their treacherous greed was the source of all our evils. I say nothing of other crimes which these two men, or at least others with their permission, with the worst of motives committed against the foreign new-comers, who were as yet blameless; but one melancholy and unheard-of act shall be mentioned, of which, even if they were their own judgesCic., Deiot. 2, 4, nemo enimfere est, qui sui periculi iudex, non sibi se aequiorem quam reo praebeat. of their own case, they could not be acquitted by any excuse.
