andwhosubmitted,withoutreluctancetothesupremecommandwhichJulian,bytheinrerestofhispatronessEusebia,atlengthobtainedoverthearmiesofGaul。^72Averyjudiciousplanofoperationswasadoptedfortheapproachingcampaign。Julianhimself,attheheadoftheremainsoftheveteranbands,andofsomenewlevieswhichhehadbeenpermittedtoform,boldlypenetratedintothecentreoftheGermancantonments,andcarefullyreestablishedthefortificationsofSaverne,inanadvantageouspost,whichwouldeitherchecktheincursions,orintercepttheretreat,oftheenemy。Atthesametime,Barbatio,generaloftheinfantry,advancedfromMilanwithanarmyofthirtythousandmen,andpassingthemountains,preparedtothrowabridgeovertheRhine,intheneighborhoodofBasil。ItwasreasonabletoexpectthattheAlemanni,pressedoneithersidebytheRomanarms,wouldsoonbeforcedtoevacuatetheprovincesofGaul,andtohastentothedefenceoftheirnativecountry。Butthehopesofthecampaignweredefeatedbytheincapacity,ortheenvy,orthesecretinstructions,ofBarbatio;whoactedasifhehadbeentheenemyoftheCaesar,andthesecretallyoftheBarbarians。Thenegligencewithwhichhepermittedatroopofpillagersfreelytopass,andtoreturnalmostbeforethegatesofhiscamp,maybeimputedtohiswantofabilities;butthetreasonableactofburninganumberofboats,andasuperfluousstockofprovisions,whichwouldhavebeenofthemostessentialservicetothearmyofGaul,wasanevidenceofhishostileandcriminalintentions。TheGermansdespisedanenemywhoappeareddestituteeitherofpowerorofinclinationtooffendthem;andtheignominiousretreatofBarbatiodeprivedJulianoftheexpectedsupport;andlefthimtoextricatehimselffromahazardoussituation,wherehecouldneitherremainwithsafety,norretirewithhonor。^73
[Footnote71:Ammian。xvi。7。LibaniusspeaksrathermoreadvantageouslyofthemilitarytalentsofMarcellus,Orat。x。p。
272。AndJulianinsinuates,thathewouldnothavebeensoeasilyrecalled,unlesshehadgivenotherreasonsofoffencetothecourt,p。278。]
[Footnote72:Severus,nondiscors,nonarrogans,sedlongamilitiaefrugalitatecompertus;eteumrectapraeeuntemsecuturus,utduetoremmorigeranmiles。Ammianxvi。11。
Zosimus,l。iii。p。140。]
[Footnote73:OnthedesignandfailureofthecooperationbetweenJulianandBarbatio,seeAmmianusxvi。11andLibanius,Orat。x。p。273。
Note:Barbatioseemstohaveallowedhimselftobesurprisedanddefeated—M。]
Assoonastheyweredeliveredfromthefearsofinvasion,theAlemannipreparedtochastisetheRomanyouth,whopresumedtodisputethepossessionofthatcountry,whichtheyclaimedastheirownbytherightofconquestandoftreaties。Theyemployedthreedays,andasmanynights,intransportingovertheRhinetheirmilitarypowers。ThefierceChnodomar,shakingtheponderousjavelinwhichhehadvictoriouslywieldedagainstthebrotherofMagnentius,ledthevanoftheBarbarians,andmoderatedbyhisexperiencethemartialardorwhichhisexampleinspired。^74Hewasfollowedbysixotherkings,bytenprincesofregalextraction,byalongtrainofhigh—spiritednobles,andbythirty—fivethousandofthebravestwarriorsofthetribesofGermany。Theconfidencederivedfromtheviewoftheirownstrength,wasincreasedbytheintelligencewhichtheyreceivedfromadeserter,thattheCaesar,withafeeblearmyofthirteenthousandmen,occupiedapostaboutone—and—twentymilesfromtheircampofStrasburgh。Withthisinadequateforce,JulianresolvedtoseekandtoencountertheBarbarianhost;andthechanceofageneralactionwaspreferredtothetediousanduncertainoperationofseparatelyengagingthedispersedpartiesoftheAlemanni。TheRomansmarchedincloseorder,andintwocolumns;thecavalryontheright,theinfantryontheleft;andthedaywassofarspentwhentheyappearedinsightoftheenemy,thatJulianwasdesirousofdeferringthebattletillthenextmorning,andofallowinghistroopstorecruittheirexhaustedstrengthbythenecessaryrefreshmentsofsleepandfood。Yielding,however,withsomereluctance,totheclamorsofthesoldiers,andeventotheopinionofhiscouncil,heexhortedthemtojustifybytheirvalortheeagerimpatience,which,incaseofadefeat,wouldbeuniversallybrandedwiththeepithetsofrashnessandpresumption。Thetrumpetssounded,themilitaryshoutwasheardthroughthefield,andthetwoarmiesrushedwithequalfurytothecharge。TheCaesar,whoconductedinpersonhisrightwing,dependedonthedexterityofhisarchers,andtheweightofhiscuirassiers。Buthisrankswereinstantlybrokenbyanirregularmixtureoflighthorseandoflightinfantry,andhehadthemortificationofbeholdingtheflightofsixhundredofhismostrenownedcuirassiers。^75ThefugitiveswerestoppedandralliedbythepresenceandauthorityofJulian,who,carelessofhisownsafety,threwhimselfbeforethem,andurgingeverymotiveofshameandhonor,ledthembackagainstthevictoriousenemy。Theconflictbetweenthetwolinesofinfantrywasobstinateandbloody。TheGermanspossessedthesuperiorityofstrengthandstature,theRomansthatofdisciplineandtemper;andastheBarbarians,whoservedunderthestandardoftheempire,unitedtherespectiveadvantagesofbothparties,theirstrenuousefforts,guidedbyaskilfulleader,atlengthdeterminedtheeventoftheday。TheRomanslostfourtribunes,andtwohundredandforty—threesoldiers,inthismemorablebattleofStrasburgh,soglorioustotheCaesar,^76andsosalutarytotheafflictedprovincesofGaul。SixthousandoftheAlemanniwereslaininthefield,withoutincludingthosewhoweredrownedintheRhine,ortransfixedwithdartswhiletheyattemptedtoswimacrosstheriver。^77Chnodomarhimselfwassurroundedandtakenprisoner,withthreeofhisbravecompanions,whohaddevotedthemselvestofollowinlifeordeaththefateoftheirchieftain。Julianreceivedhimwithmilitarypompinthecouncilofhisofficers;andexpressingagenerouspityforthefallenstate,dissembledhisinwardcontemptfortheabjecthumiliation,ofhiscaptive。InsteadofexhibitingthevanquishedkingoftheAlemanni,asagratefulspectacletothecitiesofGaul,herespectfullylaidatthefeetoftheemperorthissplendidtrophyofhisvictory。Chnodomarexperiencedanhonorabletreatment:buttheimpatientBarbariancouldnotlongsurvivehisdefeat,hisconfinement,andhisexile。^78
[Footnote74:Ammianusxvi。12describeswithhisinflatedeloquencethefigureandcharacterofChnodomar。Audaxetfidensingentiroborelacertorum,ubiardorproeliisperabaturimmanis,equospumantesublimior,erectusinjaculumformidandaevastitatis,armorumquenitoreconspicuus:anteastrenuusetmiles,etutilispraetercaeterosductor……DecentiumCaesaremsuperavitaequomartecongressus。]
[Footnote75:Afterthebattle,Julianventuredtorevivetherigorofancientdiscipline,byexposingthesefugitivesinfemaleappareltothederisionofthewholecamp。Inthenextcampaign,thesetroopsnoblyretrievedtheirhonor。Zosimus,l。
iii。p。142。]
[Footnote76:JulianhimselfadS。P。Q。Athen。p。279speaksofthebattleofStrasburghwiththemodestyofconsciousmerit;。
ZosimuscomparesitwiththevictoryofAlexanderoverDarius;
andyetweareatalosstodiscoveranyofthosestrokesofmilitarygeniuswhichfixtheattentionofagesontheconductandsuccessofasingleday。]
[Footnote77:Ammianus,xvi。12。Libaniusadds2000moretothenumberoftheslain,Orat。x。p。274。Butthesetriflingdifferencesdisappearbeforethe60,000Barbarians,whomZosimushassacrificedtothegloryofhishero,l。iii。p。141。Wemightattributethisextravagantnumbertothecarelessnessoftranscribers,ifthiscredulousorpartialhistorianhadnotswelledthearmyof35,000AlemannitoaninnumerablemultitudeofBarbarians,。Itisourownfaultifthisdetectiondoesnotinspireuswithproperdistrustonsimilaroccasions。]
[Footnote78:Ammian。xvi。12。Libanius,Orat。x。p。276。]
AfterJulianhadrepulsedtheAlemannifromtheprovincesoftheUpperRhine,heturnedhisarmsagainsttheFranks,whowereseatednearertotheocean,ontheconfinesofGaulandGermany;
andwho,fromtheirnumbers,andstillmorefromtheirintrepidvalor,hadeverbeenesteemedthemostformidableoftheBarbarians。^79Althoughtheywerestronglyactuatedbytheallurementsofrapine,theyprofessedadisinterestedloveofwar;whichtheyconsideredasthesupremehonorandfelicityofhumannature;andtheirmindsandbodiesweresocompletelyhardenedbyperpetualaction,that,accordingtothelivelyexpressionofanorator,thesnowsofwinterwereaspleasanttothemastheflowersofspring。InthemonthofDecember,whichfollowedthebattleofStrasburgh,JulianattackedabodyofsixhundredFranks,whohadthrownthemselvesintotwocastlesontheMeuse。^80Inthemidstofthatsevereseasontheysustained,withinflexibleconstancy,asiegeoffifty—fourdays;tillatlength,exhaustedbyhunger,andsatisfiedthatthevigilanceoftheenemy,inbreakingtheiceoftheriver,leftthemnohopesofescape,theFranksconsented,forthefirsttime,todispensewiththeancientlawwhichcommandedthemtoconquerortodie。
TheCaesarimmediatelysenthiscaptivestothecourtofConstantius,who,acceptingthemasavaluablepresent,^81
rejoicedintheopportunityofaddingsomanyheroestothechoicesttroopsofhisdomesticguards。TheobstinateresistanceofthishandfulofFranksapprisedJulianofthedifficultiesoftheexpeditionwhichhemeditatedfortheensuingspring,againstthewholebodyofthenation。HisrapiddiligencesurprisedandastonishedtheactiveBarbarians。Orderinghissoldierstoprovidethemselveswithbiscuitfortwentydays,hesuddenlypitchedhiscampnearTongres,whiletheenemystillsupposedhiminhiswinterquartersofParis,expectingtheslowarrivalofhisconvoysfromAquitain。WithoutallowingtheFrankstouniteordeliberate,heskilfullyspreadhislegionsfromColognetotheocean;andbytheterror,aswellasbythesuccess,ofhisarms,soonreducedthesupplianttribestoimploretheclemency,andtoobeythecommands,oftheirconqueror。TheChamavianssubmissivelyretiredtotheirformerhabitationsbeyondtheRhine;buttheSalianswerepermittedtopossesstheirnewestablishmentofToxandria,asthesubjectsandauxiliariesoftheRomanempire。^82Thetreatywasratifiedbysolemnoaths;
andperpetualinspectorswereappointedtoresideamongtheFranks,withtheauthorityofenforcingthestrictobservanceoftheconditions。Anincidentisrelated,interestingenoughinitself,andbynomeansrepugnanttothecharacterofJulian,whoingeniouslycontrivedboththeplotandthecatastropheofthetragedy。WhentheChamavianssuedforpeace,herequiredthesonoftheirking,astheonlyhostageonwhomhecouldrely。A
mournfulsilence,interruptedbytearsandgroans,declaredthesadperplexityoftheBarbarians;andtheiragedchieflamentedinpatheticlanguage,thathisprivatelosswasnowimbitteredbyasenseofpubliccalamity。WhiletheChamavianslayprostrateatthefootofhisthrone,theroyalcaptive,whomtheybelievedtohavebeenslain,unexpectedlyappearedbeforetheireyes;andassoonasthetumultofjoywashushedintoattention,theCaesaraddressedtheassemblyinthefollowingterms:"Beholdtheson,theprince,whomyouwept。Youhadlosthimbyyourfault。
GodandtheRomanshaverestoredhimtoyou。Ishallstillpreserveandeducatetheyouth,ratherasamonumentofmyownvirtue,thanasapledgeofyoursincerity。Shouldyoupresumetoviolatethefaithwhichyouhavesworn,thearmsoftherepublicwillavengetheperfidy,notontheinnocent,butontheguilty。"TheBarbarianswithdrewfromhispresence,impressedwiththewarmestsentimentsofgratitudeandadmiration。^83
[Footnote79:LibaniusOrat。iii。p。137drawsaverylivelypictureofthemannersoftheFranks。]
[Footnote80:Ammianus,xvii。2。Libanius,Orat。x。p。278。TheGreekorator,bymisapprehendingapassageofJulian,hasbeeninducedtorepresenttheFranksasconsistingofathousandmen;
andashisheadwasalwaysfullofthePeloponnesianwar,hecomparesthemtotheLacedaemonians,whowerebesiegedandtakenintheIslandofSphatoria。]
[Footnote81:Julian。adS。P。Q。Athen。p。280。Libanius,Orat。
x。p。278。AccordingtotheexpressionofLibanius,theemperor,whichLaBleterieunderstandsViedeJulien,p。118asanhonestconfession,andValesiusadAmmian。xvii。2asameanevasion,ofthetruth。DomBouquet,HistoriensdeFrance,tom。
i。p。733,bysubstitutinganotherword,wouldsuppressboththedifficultyandthespiritofthispassage。]
[Footnote82:Ammian。xvii。8。Zosimus,l。iii。p。146—150,hisnarrativeisdarkenedbyamixtureoffable,andJulian。adS。
P。Q。Athen。p。280。Hisexpression。ThisdifferenceoftreatmentconfirmstheopinionthattheSalianFrankswerepermittedtoretainthesettlementsinToxandria。
Note:AnewlydiscoveredfragmentofEunapius,whomZosimusprobablytranscribed,illustratesthistransaction。"JuliancommandedtheRomanstoabstainfromallhostilemeasuresagainsttheSalians,neithertowasteorravagetheirowncountry,forhecalledeverycountrytheirownwhichwassurrenderedwithoutresistanceortoilonthepartoftheconquerors。"Mai,Script。
VezNov。Collect。ii。256,andEunapiusinNiebuhr,Byzant。
Hist。]
[Footnote83:Thisinterestingstory,whichZosimushasabridged,isrelatedbyEunapius,inExcerpt。Legationum,p。15,16,17,
withalltheamplificationsofGrecianrhetoric:butthesilenceofLibanius,ofAmmianus,andofJulianhimself,rendersthetruthofitextremelysuspicious。]
ItwasnotenoughforJuliantohavedeliveredtheprovincesofGaulfromtheBarbariansofGermany。Heaspiredtoemulatethegloryofthefirstandmostillustriousoftheemperors;
afterwhoseexample,hecomposedhisowncommentariesoftheGallicwar。^84Caesarhasrelated,withconsciouspride,themannerinwhichhetwicepassedtheRhine。Juliancouldboast,thatbeforeheassumedthetitleofAugustus,hehadcarriedtheRomaneaglesbeyondthatgreatriverinthreesuccessfulexpeditions。^85TheconsternationoftheGermans,afterthebattleofStrasburgh,encouragedhimtothefirstattempt;andthereluctanceofthetroopssoonyieldedtothepersuasiveeloquenceofaleader,whosharedthefatiguesanddangerswhichheimposedonthemeanestofthesoldiers。ThevillagesoneithersideoftheMeyn,whichwereplentifullystoredwithcornandcattle,felttheravagesofaninvadingarmy。Theprincipalhouses,constructedwithsomeimitationofRomanelegance,wereconsumedbytheflames;andtheCaesarboldlyadvancedabouttenmiles,tillhisprogresswasstoppedbyadarkandimpenetrableforest,underminedbysubterraneouspassages,whichthreatenedwithsecretsnaresandambusheverystepoftheassailants。Thegroundwasalreadycoveredwithsnow;andJulian,afterrepairinganancientcastlewhichhadbeenerectedbyTrajan,grantedatruceoftenmonthstothesubmissiveBarbarians。Attheexpirationofthetruce,JulianundertookasecondexpeditionbeyondtheRhine,tohumbletheprideofSurmarandHortaire,twoofthekingsoftheAlemanni,whohadbeenpresentatthebattleofStrasburgh。TheypromisedtorestorealltheRomancaptiveswhoyetremainedalive;andastheCaesarhadprocuredanexactaccountfromthecitiesandvillagesofGaul,oftheinhabitantswhomtheyhadlost,hedetectedeveryattempttodeceivehim,withadegreeofreadinessandaccuracy,whichalmostestablishedthebeliefofhissupernaturalknowledge。Histhirdexpeditionwasstillmoresplendidandimportantthanthetwoformer。TheGermanshadcollectedtheirmilitarypowers,andmovedalongtheoppositebanksoftheriver,withadesignofdestroyingthebridge,andofpreventingthepassageoftheRomans。Butthisjudiciousplanofdefencewasdisconcertedbyaskilfuldiversion。Threehundredlight—armedandactivesoldiersweredetachedinfortysmallboats,tofalldownthestreaminsilence,andtolandatsomedistancefromthepostsoftheenemy。Theyexecutedtheirorderswithsomuchboldnessandcelerity,thattheyhadalmostsurprisedtheBarbarianchiefs,whoreturnedinthefearlessconfidenceofintoxicationfromoneoftheirnocturnalfestivals。Withoutrepeatingtheuniformanddisgustingtaleofslaughteranddevastation,itissufficienttoobserve,thatJuliandictatedhisownconditionsofpeacetosixofthehaughtiestkingsoftheAlemanni,threeofwhomwerepermittedtoviewtheseveredisciplineandmartialpompofaRomancamp。Followedbytwentythousandcaptives,whomhehadrescuedfromthechainsoftheBarbarians,theCaesarrepassedtheRhine,afterterminatingawar,thesuccessofwhichhasbeencomparedtotheancientgloriesofthePunicandCimbricvictories。
[Footnote84:Libanius,thefriendofJulian,clearlyinsinuatesOrat。ix。p。178thathisherohadcomposedthehistoryofhisGalliccampaignsButZosimusl。iii。p,140seemstohavederivedhisinformationonlyfromtheOrationsandtheEpistlesofJulian。ThediscoursewhichisaddressedtotheAthenianscontainsanaccurate,thoughgeneral,accountofthewaragainsttheGermans。]
[Footnote85:SeeAmmian。xvii。1,10,xviii。2,andZosim。l。
iii。p。144。JulianadS。P。Q。Athen。p。280。]
AssoonasthevalorandconductofJulianhadsecuredanintervalofpeace,heappliedhimselftoaworkmorecongenialtohishumaneandphilosophictemper。ThecitiesofGaul,whichhadsufferedfromtheinroadsoftheBarbarians,hediligentlyrepaired;andsevenimportantposts,betweenMentzandthemouthoftheRhine,areparticularlymentioned,ashavingbeenrebuiltandfortifiedbytheorderofJulian。^86ThevanquishedGermanshadsubmittedtothejustbuthumiliatingconditionofpreparingandconveyingthenecessarymaterials。TheactivezealofJulianurgedtheprosecutionofthework;andsuchwasthespiritwhichhehaddiffusedamongthetroops,thattheauxiliariesthemselves,waivingtheirexemptionfromanydutiesoffatigue,contendedinthemostservilelaborswiththediligenceoftheRomansoldiers。