as a tool by a Frankish outlaw (Arbogast). Both dared monstrous guilt; both stained their hands with an innocent emperor’s[148] blood. Sudden elevation inspired Maximus with audacity, his failure taught his successor caution. Maximus was quick to arm rebellion, Eugenius careful to attempt only what was safe. The one o’erran the country, spreading his forces in all directions, the other kept his troops together and himself secure behind a rampart. Different were they, but in their deaths alike. To neither was it granted to escape an ignominious end and to fall in the thick of the fight. Gone was their glory, their weapons were reft from them and they reduced to their former state; their arms were bound behind their backs and they stretched forth their necks to the sword’s imminent stroke, begging for pardon and for life. What a fall did pride there suffer! They who but lately had moved such countless cohorts with but a nod, into whose palm a wavering world had hung ready to drop, fall not as warriors at a victor’s hand but as malefactors before a judge; he sentences with his voice as criminals those whom he assailed in war as tyrants. With both perished their lieutenants: Andragathius hurled himself from his ship into the waves, Arbogast took his life with his own sword; the Alps mark the tomb of the one, the sea of the other. This solace at least the avenger afforded to those murdered brothers that both the authors of their deaths themselves were slain; two victims went to appease those royal ghosts. Such was Theodosius’ oblation at their tomb and with the blood of the guilty he appeased the shades of the two young emperors.
Those triumphs stablished Justice on her throne
[148] Maximus was responsible for the murder of the Emperor Gratian, Eugenius for that of Valentinian II. See Introduction, p. viii.
praesentes docuere deos. hinc saecula discant indomitum nihil esse pio tutumve nocenti: 100 nuntius ipse sui longas incognitus egit praevento rumore vias, inopinus utrumque perculit et clausos montes, ut plana, reliquit. extruite inmanes scopulos, attollite turres, cingite vos fluviis, vastas opponite silvas, 105 Garganum Alpinis Appenninumque nivalem permixtis sociate iugis et rupibus Haemum addite Caucasiis, involvite Pelion Ossae: non dabitis murum sceleri. qui vindicet, ibit: omnia subsident meliori pervia causae. 110 Nec tamen oblitus civem cedentibus atrox partibus infremuit; non insultare iacenti malebat: mitis precibus, pietatis abundans, poenae parcus erat; paci non intulit iram; post acies odiis idem qui terminus armis. 115 profuit hoc vincente capi, multosque subactos prospera[149] laturae commendavere catenae. magnarum largitor opum, largitor honorum pronus et in melius gaudens convertere fata. hinc amor, hinc validum devoto milite robur. 120 hinc natis mansura fides. Hoc nobilis ortu nasceris aequaeva cum maiestate creatus nullaque privatae passus contagia sortis. omnibus acceptis ultro te regia solum protulit et patrio felix adolescis in ostro, 125