FromMilantoRome，theAemilianandFlaminianhighwaysofferedaneasymarchofaboutfourhundredmiles；butthoughConstantinewasimpatienttoencounterthetyrant，heprudentlydirectedhisoperationsagainstanotherarmyofItalians，who，bytheirstrengthandposition，mighteitheropposehisprogress，or，incaseofamisfortune，mightintercepthisretreat。
RuriciusPompeianus，ageneraldistinguishedbyhisvalorandability，hadunderhiscommandthecityofVerona，andallthetroopsthatwerestationedintheprovinceofVenetia。AssoonashewasinformedthatConstantinewasadvancingtowardshim，hedetachedalargebodyofcavalrywhichwasdefeatedinanengagementnearBrescia，andpursuedbytheGalliclegionsasfarasthegatesofVerona。Thenecessity，theimportance，andthedifficultiesofthesiegeofVerona，immediatelypresentedthemselvestothesagaciousmindofConstantine。^57Thecitywasaccessibleonlybyanarrowpeninsulatowardsthewest，astheotherthreesidesweresurroundedbytheAdige，arapidriver，whichcoveredtheprovinceofVenetia，fromwhencethebesiegedderivedaninexhaustiblesupplyofmenandprovisions。Itwasnotwithoutgreatdifficulty，andafterseveralfruitlessattempts，thatConstantinefoundmeanstopasstheriveratsomedistanceabovethecity，andinaplacewherethetorrentwaslessviolent。HethenencompassedVeronawithstronglines，pushedhisattackswithprudentvigor，andrepelledadesperatesallyofPompeianus。Thatintrepidgeneral，whenhehadusedeverymeansofdefencethatthestrengthoftheplaceorthatofthegarrisoncouldafford，secretlyescapedfromVerona，anxiousnotforhisown，butforthepublicsafety。WithindefatigablediligencehesooncollectedanarmysufficienteithertomeetConstantineinthefield，ortoattackhimifheobstinatelyremainedwithinhislines。Theemperor，attentivetothemotions，andinformedoftheapproachofsoformidableanenemy，leftapartofhislegionstocontinuetheoperationsofthesiege，whilst，attheheadofthosetroopsonwhosevalorandfidelityhemoreparticularlydepended，headvancedinpersontoengagethegeneralofMaxentius。ThearmyofGaulwasdrawnupintwolines，accordingtotheusualpracticeofwar；buttheirexperiencedleader，perceivingthatthenumbersoftheItaliansfarexceededhisown，suddenlychangedhisdisposition，and，reducingthesecond，extendedthefrontofhisfirstlinetoajustproportionwiththatoftheenemy。Suchevolutions，whichonlyveterantroopscanexecutewithoutconfusioninamomentofdanger，commonlyprovedecisive；butasthisengagementbegantowardsthecloseoftheday，andwascontestedwithgreatobstinacyduringthewholenight，therewaslessroomfortheconductofthegeneralsthanforthecourageofthesoldiers。
ThereturnoflightdisplayedthevictoryofConstantine，andafieldofcarnagecoveredwithmanythousandsofthevanquishedItalians。Theirgeneral，Pompeianus，wasfoundamongtheslain；
Veronaimmediatelysurrenderedatdiscretion，andthegarrisonwasmadeprisonersofwar。^58Whentheofficersofthevictoriousarmycongratulatedtheirmasteronthisimportantsuccess，theyventuredtoaddsomerespectfulcomplaints，ofsuchanature，however，asthemostjealousmonarchswilllistentowithoutdispleasure。TheyrepresentedtoConstantine，that，notcontentedwithallthedutiesofacommander，hehadexposedhisownpersonwithanexcessofvalorwhichalmostdegeneratedintorashness；andtheyconjuredhimforthefuturetopaymoreregardtothepreservationofalifeinwhichthesafetyofRomeandoftheempirewasinvolved。^59
[Footnote57:TheMarquisMaffeihasexaminedthesiegeandbattleofVeronawiththatdegreeofattentionandaccuracywhichwasduetoamemorableactionthathappenedinhisnativecountry。Thefortificationsofthatcity，constructedbyGallienus，werelessextensivethanthemodernwalls，andtheamphitheatrewasnotincludedwithintheircircumference。SeeVeronaIllustrata，parti。p。142150。]