his life by flight, but
was overtaken by the emissaries of the usurper, near Lyons, and
assassinated. 24. Theodo'sius was induced to make peace with Max'imus,
on condition that the latter should content himself with the
prefecture of Gaul, and should not invade the territories of the
younger Valentin'ian. 25. Ambition hurried the faithless usurper to
his ruin; having by perfidy obtained possession of the passes of the
Alps, he led an overwhelming army into Italy, and Valenti'nian, with
his mother Justi'na, were scarcely able, by a hasty flight, to escape
to the friendly court of Theodo'sius.

26. The emperor of the East readily embraced the cause of the
fugitives; the numerous troops of barbarian cavalry which he had taken
into pay, enabled him to proceed with a celerity which baffled all
calculation. 27. Before Maximus could make any preparations for his
reception, Theodosius had completely routed his army, and was already
at the gates of Aquilei'a, where the usurper had taken refuge. The
garrison, secretly disinclined to the cause of Maximus, made but a
faint resistance, the town was taken, and the unfortunate ruler led as
a captive into the presence of his conqueror, by whom he was delivered
to the executioner.

Theodo'sius, having re-established the authority of the youthful
Valentin'ian, returned home. But the emperor of the West did not long
enjoy his restored throne; he was murdered by Arbogas'tes, his prime
minister, who dreaded that the abilities displayed by the young prince
would enable him, when arrived to maturity, to shake off the authority
of an unprincipled servant. 28. The assassin was afraid himself to
assume the purple, but he procured the election of Euge'nius, a man
not wholly unworthy of empire. Theodo'sius was called by these events
a second time to Italy; he passed the Alps, but found his further
progress impeded by the judicious disposition which Arbogas'tes had
made of his forces. Defeated in his first attack, Theodo'sius renewed
the engagement on the following day, and being aided by the seasonable
revolt of some Italian legions, obtained a complete victory.
Euge'nius was taken prisoner, and put to death by the soldiers.
Arbogas'tes, after wandering some time in the mountains, lost all hope
of escape, and terminated his life by suicide.

29. The empire was thus once more reunited under the government of a
single sovereign; but he was already stricken by the hand of death.
The fatigues of t