gled together, and shone forth in a single flame, assuming the shape of a double-edged sword, huge and terrible. But that one star which first appeared seemed like the hilt of the sword above mentioned, or rather like a root shooting up the large body of light, from what appeared to be a star, surmounted with flowers darting up like the flame from a lamp. Such was the novel and wondrous sight exhibited by the star which then appeared. Its course, moreover, was very different from that of the rest of the stars; for from the time of its first appearing in the place where we have said, and moving on from thence, it began to rise and set together with the morning star. Afterwards, however, receding by little and little, it went up towards the north, advancing slowly and gradually, and following its own course with a slight deflection towards the left of those who beheld it, but in reality it pursued in the same course as the other stars, with which it came into contact from time to time. At length, having completed its course in the space of forty days, it suddenly passed on into the sign of the Great Bear, and was last seen in the very centre of it, where, soon afterwards, it was extinguished. In addition to these particulars, Philostorgius gives us many other wonderful details concerning this star in the shape of a sword.

CHAP. 10.-Philostorgius says that he himself wrote against Porphyry on behalf of the Christians.

CHAP. 11.-At the very time of the appearance of this star in the shape of a sword, there were seen also two human bodies; one in Syria, far surpassing in height the usual stature of man, the other in Egypt, of incredible smallness. The Syrian was five cubits and a palm in height; though his feet were by no means in proportion to the rest of the body, but were turned inwards and crooked. His name was Anthony. The Egyptian, however, was so extremely short, that he gracefully imitated partridges shut up in cages, and that the latter played and strove with him in jest. And what is more wonderful still, he had a stock of practical wisdom by no means commensurate with his bodily stature. His voice was far from unmusical, and his conversation evinced clearly the excellence of his intellectual powers. Both of these lived in the time of Philostorgius, and neither of them was short-lived;1 the tall one dying after reaching five and twenty years of age, and the 1 That is, considering the fact that they were monstrous.

c. 12.]

VALENTINIAN THE YOUNGER.

505

diminutive one nearly attaining the same number. In this place Philostorgius makes mention of many other prodigies which had happened either at the same time with, or just before, those above-mentioned.

CHAP. 12.-Philostorgius says, that the fast of the fourth and sixth days of the week does not consist in mere abstinence from flesh meat, but that it is laid down by the canons, that no kind of food whatever is to be taken till evening. For concerning Eudoxius,' a follower of his own peculiar heresy, who was of the degree of presbyter, though he had lost his genitals, he thus writes, "He was so zealous in keeping the fast, that throughout his life he observed not only those days which the Christians keep, according to the precept of the church, in memory of the Passion of our Lord."

(Here four pages are wanting, and the 10th book is imperfect.)

EPITOME OF BOOK XI.

(The beginning of this book is wanting.)

CHAP. 1.-[VALENTINIAN2 the Younger] used to hunt bears and lions; but while he was only in his twentieth year, he was deprived of his life, his imperial purple, and his field

1 See Socrates, Eccl. Hist. p. 295, note b.

2 See Fleury's Eccl. Hist. b. xvii. ch. 23. He published an edict in favour of the Arians in the following terms: "We give leave to all those to assemble whose opinions are conformable to the exposition of faith which was subscribed to under Constantius in the council of Rimini by the bishops of the whole Roman empire assembled, even by those who are now against it, and which was confirmed at Constantinople. Those, likewise, shall be at liberty to assemble to whom we have given leave, that is to say, the Catholics: but let them know that if they cause any disturbance in opposition to our statute, they shall be punished with death as authors of sedition, disturbers of the peace of the church, and as guilty of high treason. Those, likewise, shall be subject to the same punishment, who attempt openly or in private to make any resistance against this present decree." Fleury, Eccl. Hist. b. xviii. ch. 43. It would seem that the young emperor was deservedly popular: he is said to have been beloved by all men, and to have profited much by the instruction and example of Theodosius. He had a complete mastery over his passions and appetites, young as he was; and no one, during his reign, was in fear of false accusation or unjust trials. He died beloved by the Romans and respected by the barbarians.

sports. He was also uncontrollable in his rage, and this was the chief cause of his death. For on one occasion, when he was conversing in the palace with Arbogastes, and was roused to anger by something that he said, he attempted to draw a sword against his Master of the Horse. He was checked, however; for the attendant whose sword he endeavoured to draw, held him back, and endeavoured by his words to remove all suspicion from Arbogastes. At the same time he found out from the words of the emperor himself what were his designs, and brought them into light. For on asking what was the motive of so violent an outburst, the emperor answered that he was about to lay violent hands on himself, because, although he was emperor, he was not allowed to do everything that he pleased. Arbogastes at the time made no very curious inquiry. But afterwards, when he had dined one day at Vienne in Gaul, and when he had seen him with some low buffoons, lying down and dipping his lips into the river, he sent some of his attendants to attack him. These laid violent hands upon him and savagely strangled him, while not one of the emperor's servants were at hand, for at that moment they had gone to take their dinner. But that none might straightway make search after the authors of his death, they tied his handkerchief like a noose around his neck, and hung him with it up to a tree, so that it might seem that he had hung himself of his own accord.

1

CHAP. 2.-After the murder of Valentinian, Arbogastes found himself excluded from the imperial purple by reason of his birth; so he proclaimed as emperor a certain man named Eugenius, who in rank was a magister, but in religion was a heathen. Having discovered this, Theodosius placed the imperial crown on the head of Honorius, one of his two sons, and spent the entire winter in making the necessary preparations for war. But as soon as the spring approached, he commenced his expedition against the usurper: on arriving at the Alps, he seized upon them by a stratagem, and having met the usurper near the river called Frigidus, and having fought with him a severe conflict, in which very many were killed on both sides, at length victory turned aside from the usurper, and placed the crown on the head of the legitimate

1 Compare Socrates, Eccl. Hist. b. v. ch. 25; and Sozomen, Eccl. Hist. b. vii. ch. 22.

c. 3.]

HONORIUS.

RUFINUS AND STILICHO.

507

emperor. On this the usurper was captured and beheaded. Arbogastes cast aside all hope of escape, so he fell upon his own sword, and so terminated his life. After this the emperor made his entry into Milan; when he sent for his son Honorius, and gave up into his hands the command of the entire West. After gaining this victory over the usurper, Theodosius died of a dropsical disease after a reign of sixteen years; during which time,1 as emperor, he had arrived at the highest pinnacle of human felicity. For, having gained fame by his victories, and having obained the crown of the entire Roman empire, and having seen his two sons raised to the imperial dignity, which he left to them firmly secured and free from conspiracy, he died upon his own bed the happiest of deaths, obtaining, as it seems to me, this reward of the burning zeal which he cherished against the worship of images. When the impious Philostorgius speaks thus concerning Theodosius, he is not ashamed to traduce him at the same time as given to intemperate living and immoderate pleasures, saying that it was by this means that he contracted his fatal dropsy.

CHAP. 3.-In the Eastern parts Rufinus held the highest post of esteem with Arcadius, whilst in the West Stilicho held the same position with respect to Honorius. Both of these generals readily allowed the name and title of emperor to remain in the hands of the two sons of Theodosius, while they retained in their own hands the actual authority of empire, each of them ruling his own emperor, the one under the title of Master of the Cavalry, the other under that of Prefect. Neither of them, moreover, was content with the place which he held under his emperor. For Rufinus, indeed, spared no artifice to invest himself with the title of emperor, while Stilicho used his efforts to secure the purple for his son Eucherius. But the soldiers who had gone forth to war against the usurper under Theodosius, on their return from Rome, slew3 with their swords Rufinus in the place which is called the Tribunal, at the very feet of the emperor; and this

1 The Greek text is hopelessly corrupt here. We have followed the judgment of Valesius in our rendering.

2

Héve. This is the reading suggested by Valesius for the commonly received text νέμειν.

3 Compare Socrates, Eccl. Hist. b. vi. ch. 1, and Sozomen, Eccl. Hist. b. viii. ch. 1.

they did partly in compliance with the instructions of Stilicho, and partly because they found themselves scornfully treated by Rufinus. And further, it is to be observed that he was put to death on that very day on which the astrologers1 had all but invested him by anticipation with the purple. Moreover, Rufinus was tall in person and of a manly disposition, according to Philostorgius. The quick glance of his eye and the eloquence of his tongue showed him to be a person of skill and ability. On the other hand, Arcadius was short of stature, and weak in bodily frame; his personal strength was slight, and his complexion dark. The sloth of his natural disposition showed itself in his speech, and in the blinking of his eyes, which remained closed like those of persons asleep, and were kept open with an effort. These points caused Rufinus to miscalculate his chance, for he thought that at the very first sight the army would gladly choose him as emperor, and depose Arcadius. Moreover, the soldiers having cut off Rufinus' head, inserted a stone into its mouth, and carrying it about upon a pole they marched forth in every direction. They cut off his right hand too, and carried it about through all the workshops of the city, adding these words, "Give something to the insatiate one.' In this way they collected together a large amount of gold, for they who saw the head, gladly gave their gold on account of the pleasure they derived from the spectacle. The ambition and thirst after power which marked Rufinus met with this end. Stilicho2 also, according to Philostorgius, was put to death with his fellowconspirators by the army, upon a given signal, on account of the plots which he had laid against Honorius.

CHAP. 4.-After the murder of Rufinus, a eunuch named Eutropius, of servile descent, having gained entrance to the court, and having been promoted to the dignity of a Præpositus, still was far from being contented with his present condition. For, since the loss of his genitals deprived him of all hopes of the empire, he persuaded the emperor to appoint him to patrician and consular rank; and thus a eunuch, who

ȧorpóλoyou. We have readily adopted this emendation from Valesius in the place of the received reading, orparóλoyo; as to the office of whom there is considerable doubt, if indeed the title or term was known at this period.

2 Compare Sozomen, Eccl. Hist. b. ix. c. 4.