Book 31
6.1
When this series of events was noised abroad by one message coming after another, Sueridus and Colias, Gothic chieftains, who had long since been received with their peoples and assigned to keep winter quartersCf. hiberna curantem, xix. 11, 1. at Hadrianopolis, considering their own welfare the most important thing of all, looked with indifference on all that took place.
6.2
But when on a sudden a letter came from the emperor, in which they were ordered to cross to Hellespontus,The province; see Index to this volume. I.e., the duumvir. without any arrogance they asked for money for the journey, food, and a postponement of two days. At this the chief magistrate of the cityThere was a large munitions factory in Hadrianopolis. was vexed—for he was incensed at them besides, because of the pillaging of his own property in his suburban villa; so he brought out and armed for their destruction all the lowest of the populace, along with the Armourers, of whom there is a large force there,There was a large munitions factory in Hadrianopolis. and ordering the horns to sound the alarm, threatened them all with the utmost punishment, if they did not leave at once, as had been ordered.
