m that city he sent Severus to succeed Marcellus, a man of
great experience and ripe skill in war, and summoned Ursicinus to
himself. He, having gladly received the letter of summons, came to
Sirmium, with a large retinue, and after a long deliberation on the
peace which Musonianus had reported as possible to be made with the
Persians, he was sent back to the East with the authority of
commander-in-chief, and the older officers of our company having been
promoted to commands over the soldiers, we younger men were ordered to
follow him to perform whatever he commanded us for the service of the
republic.

XI.

A.D. 357.

Sec. 1. But Julian, having passed his winter at Sens, amid continual
disturbance, in the ninth consulship of the emperor, and his own second,
while the threats of the Germans were raging on all sides, being roused
by favourable omens, marched with speed to Rheims, with the greater
alacrity and joy because Severus was in command of the army there; a man
inclined to agree with him, void of arrogance, but of proved propriety
of conduct and experience in war, and likely to follow his lawful
authority, obeying his general like a well-disciplined soldier.

2. In another quarter, Barbatio, who after the death of Silvanus had
been promoted to the command of the infantry, came from Italy by the
emperor's orders, to Augst, with 25,000 heavy-armed soldiers.

3. For the plan proposed and very anxiously prepared was, that the
Allemanni, who were in a state of greater rage than ever, and were
extending their incursions more widely, should be caught between our two
armies, as if between the arms of a pair of pincers, and so driven into
a corner and destroyed.

4. But while these well-devised plans were being pressed forward, the
barbarians, in joy at some success which they had obtained, and skilful
in seizing every opportunity for plunder, passed secretly between the
camps of the armies, and attacked Lyons unexpectedly. And having
plundered the district around, they would have stormed and burnt the
city itself, if they had not found the gates so strongly defended that
they were repulsed; so that they only destroyed all they could find
outside the city.

5. When this disaster was known, Caesar, with great alacrity, despatched
three squadrons of light cavalry, of approved valour, to watch three
lines of road, knowing that beyond all question the invaders must quit
the district by one of them.

6. Nor was he