unguarded path. A troop of
Barbarians suddenly rose from their ambuscade: and the emperor, who
vigorously spurred his horse down a steep and slippery descent,
was obliged to leave behind him his armor-bearer, and his helmet,
magnificently enriched with gold and precious stones. At the signal
of the general assault, the Roman troops encompassed and ascended the
mountain of Solicinium on three different sides. [92b] Every step which
they gained, increased their ardor, and abated the resistance of the
enemy: and after their united forces had occupied the summit of the
hill, they impetuously urged the Barbarians down the northern descent,
where Count Sebastian was posted to intercept their retreat. After this
signal victory, Valentinian returned to his winter quarters at Treves;
where he indulged the public joy by the exhibition of splendid and
triumphal games. [93] But the wise monarch, instead of aspiring to
the conquest of Germany, confined his attention to the important
and laborious defence of the Gallic frontier, against an enemy whose
strength was renewed by a stream of daring volunteers, which incessantly
flowed from the most distant tribes of the North. [94] The banks of the
Rhine [94a] from its source to the straits of the ocean, were closely
planted with strong castles and convenient towers; new works, and new
arms, were invented by the ingenuity of a prince who was skilled in the
mechanical arts; and his numerous levies of Roman and Barbarian youth
were severely trained in all the exercises of war. The progress of
the work, which was sometimes opposed by modest representations, and
sometimes by hostile attempts, secured the tranquillity of Gaul during
the nine subsequent years of the administration of Valentinian. [95]

[Footnote 92a: Probably Easter. Wagner.--M.]

[Footnote 92b: Mannert is unable to fix the position of Solicinium.
Haefelin (in Comm Acad Elect. Palat. v. 14) conjectures Schwetzingen,
near Heidelberg. See Wagner's note. St. Martin, Sultz in Wirtemberg,
near the sources of the Neckar St. Martin, iii. 339.--M.]

[Footnote 93: The expedition of Valentinian is related by Ammianus,
(xxvii. 10;) and celebrated by Ausonius, (Mosell. 421, &c.,) who
foolishly supposes, that the Romans were ignorant of the sources of the
Danube.]

[Footnote 94: Immanis enim natio, jam inde ab incunabulis primis
varietate casuum imminuta; ita saepius adolescit, ut fuisse longis
saeculis aestimetur intacta. Ammianus, xxv