expectedly saved them. The Quadi had
surrounded them at an opportune spot and the Romans were fighting
valiantly with their shields locked together: and the barbarians ceased
fighting, expecting to capture their enemies easily by heat and thirst. So
they posted guards all about and hemmed them in to prevent their getting
water anywhere, for the barbarians were far superior in numbers. The
Romans fell into dire distress from their fatigue and wounds and the sun's
heat and their thirst, and for these reasons could neither fight nor march
in any direction but were standing and being scorched in line of battle
and at their several posts, when suddenly numbers of clouds rushed
together and a great rain, certainly of divine origin, came pouring down.
Indeed, there is a story that Arnouphis, an Egyptian wizard, who was a
companion of Marcus, invoked by means of enchantments various deities and
in particular Mercury, god of the air, and by this means attracted the
rain.

[Sidenote:--9--] This is what Dio says about it, but he seems to be
telling an untruth, whether voluntarily or involuntarily; I am more
inclined to think it is voluntarily. It surely must be so, for he was not
ignorant of the fact that one company of the soldiers had the special name
of "The Thunderbolt" (he mentions it in the list along with the rest),
[Footnote: The reference is evidently to Book Fifty-five, chapter 23, but
it should be observed that the names, though very possibly having the same
sense, are not identical. The legion is here called [Greek: keraunobolos]
(=Fulminatrix or Fulminata) but in 55, 23 [Greek: keraunophoros] (=
Fulminifera).] and this was due to no other cause (nor is any other
reported) save that event which gave rise to the title in this very
war,--an event which enabled the Romans to survive on this occasion and
brought destruction upon the barbarians. It was not Arnouphis, the wizard,
for Marcus is not accounted to have taken pleasure in the company of
wizards and charms. But what I have reference to is as follows: Marcus had
a company (and the Roman name for company is "legion") of soldiers from
Melitene. They were all worshipers of Christ. Now it is stated that in
that battle, when Marcus was in a quandary over having been surrounded and
feared the loss of his whole army, the prefect approached him and said
that those called Christians can accomplish anything whatever by their
prayers, and that among them there chanced to be a w