[Footnote151:ThepraiseswhichSozomenhasbestowedonthisactofdespair，appearstrangeandscandalousinthemouthofanecclesiasticalhistorian。Heobservesp。379thatthewifeofGerontiuswasaChristian；andthatherdeathwasworthyofherreligion，andofimmortalfame。]
Thegeneral，Constantiuswashisname，whoraisedbyhisapproachthesiegeofArles，anddissipatedthetroopsofGerontius，wasbornaRoman；andthisremarkabledistinctionisstronglyexpressiveofthedecayofmilitaryspiritamongthesubjectsoftheempire。Thestrengthandmajestywhichwereconspicuousinthepersonofthatgeneral，^152markedhim，inthepopularopinion，asacandidateworthyofthethrone，whichheafterwardsascended。Inthefamiliarintercourseofprivatelife，hismannerswerecheerfulandengaging；norwouldhesometimesdisdain，inthelicenseofconvivialmirth，toviewiththepantomimesthemselves，intheexercisesoftheirridiculousprofession。Butwhenthetrumpetsummonedhimtoarms；whenhemountedhishorse，and，bendingdownforsuchwashissingularpracticealmostupontheneck，fiercelyrolledhislargeanimatedeyesroundthefield，Constantiusthenstruckterrorintohisfoes，andinspiredhissoldierswiththeassuranceofvictory。HehadreceivedfromthecourtofRavennatheimportantcommissionofextirpatingrebellionintheprovincesoftheWest；
andthepretendedemperorConstantine，afterenjoyingashortandanxiousrespite，wasagainbesiegedinhiscapitalbythearmsofamoreformidableenemy。YetthisintervalallowedtimeforasuccessfulnegotiationwiththeFranksandAlemanniandhisambassador，Edobic，soonreturnedattheheadofanarmy，todisturbtheoperationsofthesiegeofArles。TheRomangeneral，insteadofexpectingtheattackinhislines，boldlyandperhapswisely，resolvedtopasstheRhone，andtomeettheBarbarians。
Hismeasureswereconductedwithsomuchskillandsecrecy，that，whiletheyengagedtheinfantryofConstantiusinthefront，theyweresuddenlyattacked，surrounded，anddestroyed，bythecavalryofhislieutenantUlphilas，whohadsilentlygainedanadvantageouspostintheirrear。TheremainsofthearmyofEdobicwerepreservedbyflightorsubmission，andtheirleaderescapedfromthefieldofbattletothehouseofafaithlessfriend；whotooclearlyunderstood，thattheheadofhisobnoxiousguestwouldbeanacceptableandlucrativepresentfortheImperialgeneral。Onthisoccasion，ConstantiusbehavedwiththemagnanimityofagenuineRoman。Subduing，orsuppressing，everysentimentofjealousy，hepubliclyacknowledgedthemeritandservicesofUlphilas；butheturnedwithhorrorfromtheassassinofEdobic；andsternlyintimatedhiscommands，thatthecampshouldnolongerbepollutedbythepresenceofanungratefulwretch，whohadviolatedthelawsoffriendshipandhospitality。Theusurper，whobeheld，fromthewallsofArles，theruinofhislasthopes，wastemptedtoplacesomeconfidenceinsogenerousaconqueror。Herequiredasolemnpromiseforhissecurity；andafterreceiving，bytheimpositionofhands，thesacredcharacterofaChristianPresbyter，heventuredtoopenthegatesofthecity。Buthesoonexperiencedthattheprinciplesofhonorandintegrity，whichmightregulatetheordinaryconductofConstantius，weresupersededbytheloosedoctrinesofpoliticalmorality。TheRomangeneral，indeed，refusedtosullyhislaurelswiththebloodofConstantine；buttheabdicatedemperor，andhissonJulian，weresentunderastrongguardintoItaly；andbeforetheyreachedthepalaceofRavenna，theymettheministersofdeath。
[Footnote152:ItistheexpressionofOlympiodorus，whichheseemstohaveborrowedfromAeolus，atragedyofEuripides，ofwhichsomefragmentsonlyarenowextant，Euripid。Barnes，tom。