t ally of the Roman conqueror." Such are
the pleasing fictions wherewith the rhetorician of Antioch, faithful to
the memory of his friend and master, consoled himself and his readers
after Julian's death. It is difficult to decide whether there underlies
them any substratum of truth. Neither Ammianus nor Zosimus makes the
slightest allusion to any negotiations at all at this period; and it is
thus open to doubt whether the entire story told by Libanius is not the
product of his imagination. But at any rate it is quite impossible that
the Persian king can have made any abject offers of submission, or
have been in a state of mind at all akin to despair. His great army,
collected from all quarters, was intact; he had not yet condescended
to take the field in person; he had lost no important town, and his
adversary had tacitly confessed his inability to form the siege of a
city which was far from being the greatest in the empire. If Sapor,
therefore, really made at this time overtures of peace, it must have
been either with the intention of amusing Julian, and increasing
his difficulties by delaying his retreat, or because he thought that
Julian's consciousness of his difficulties would induce him to offer
terms which he might accept.

The retreat commenced on June 16. Scarcely were the troops set in
motion, when an ominous cloud of dust appeared on the southern horizon,
which grew larger as the day advanced; and, though some suggested that
the appearance was produced by a herd of wild asses, and others ventured
the conjecture that it was caused by the approach of a body of
Julian's Saracenic allies, the emperor himself was not deceived, but,
understanding that the Persians had set out in pursuit, he called in
his stragglers, massed his troops, and pitched his camp in a strong
position. Day-dawn showed that he had judged aright, for the earliest
rays of the sun were reflected from the polished breastplates and
cuirasses of the Persians, who had drawn up at no great distance during
the night. A combat followed in which the Persian and Saracenic horse
attacked the Romans vigorously, and especially threatened the baggage,
but were repulsed by the firmness and valor of the Roman foot. Julian
was able to continue his retreat after a while, but found himself
surrounded by enemies, some of whom, keeping in advance of his troops,
or hanging upon his flanks, destroyed the corn and forage that his
men so much needed; while others, pr