uthority
which he was driven to be solicitous for by the squabbles of his troops
of clients, whose boundless cupidity prevented their ever being
innocent, and who thrust their patron forward into affairs of state in
order to be able to perpetrate all sorts of crimes with impunity.

4. For it must be confessed that though he was a man of such magnanimity
that he never desired any dependent or servant of his to do an unlawful
thing, yet if he found that any one of them had committed a crime, he
laid aside all consideration of justice, would not allow the case to be
inquired into, but defended the man without the slightest regard for
right or wrong. Now this is a fault expressly condemned by Cicero, who
thus speaks: "For what difference is there between one who has advised
an action, and one who approves of it after it is performed? or what
difference does it make whether I wished it be done, or am glad that it
is done?"

5. He was a man of a suspicious temper, self-relying, often wearing a
bitter smile, and sometimes caressing a man the more effectually to
injure him.

6. This vice is a very conspicuous one in dispositions of that kind, and
mostly so when it is thought possible to conceal it. He was also so
implacable and obstinate in his enmities, that if he ever resolved to
injure any one he would never be diverted from his purpose by any
entreaties, nor be led to pardon any faults, so that his ears seemed to
be stopped not with wax but with lead.

7. Even when at the very summit of wealth and dignity he was always
anxious and watchful, and therefore he was continually subject to
trifling illnesses.

8. Such was the course of events which took place in the western
provinces of the empire.

XII.

Sec. 1. The King of Persia, the aged Sapor, who from the very commencement
of his reign had been addicted to the love of plunder, after the death
of the Emperor Julian, and the disgraceful treaty of peace subsequently
made, for a short time seemed with his people to be friendly to us; but
presently he trampled under foot the agreement which he had made with
Jovian, and poured a body of troops into Armenia to annex that country
to his own dominions, as if the whole of the former arrangements had
been abolished.

2. At first he contented himself with various tricks, intrigues, and
deceits, inflicting some trifling injuries on the nation which
unanimously resisted him, tampering with some of the nobles and satraps,
an