y, and situation
of the different divisions of the army, and the employment of them on
any expeditions; inquiring also with unwearied diligence into the extent
of the supplies of arms and provisions, and other things likely to be
needful in war.

2. And when he had made himself acquainted with all the internal
circumstances of the East, and had learnt that a great portion of the
troops and of the money for their pay was distributed in Illyricum,
where the emperor himself was detained by serious business; as the day
was now approaching which had been fixed for the payment of the money
for which he had been constrained by fear to give an acknowledgment of
his bond; and as he saw that he must be overwhelmed by disasters on all
sides, since the chief treasurer was devoted to the interests of his
adversary; he conceived the audacious design of crossing over to the
Persians with his wife and children, and his whole numerous family of
relations.

3. And to elude the observation of the soldiers at their different
stations, he bought for a small price a farm in Hiaspis, a district on
the banks of the Tigris. And, relying on this pretext, since no one
would venture to ask why a landed proprietor should go to the extreme
frontier of the Roman territory, as many others did the same, by the
agency of some trusty friends who were skilful swimmers, he carried on
frequent secret negotiations with Tamsapor, who was at that time
governing the country on the other side of the river with the rank of
duke, and with whom he was already acquainted. And at last, having
received from the Persian camp an escort of well-mounted men, he
embarked in some boats, and crossed over at night with all his family,
in the same manner as Zopyrus, the betrayer of Babylon, had formerly
done, only with an opposite object.

4. While affairs in Mesopotamia were in this state, the hangers-on of
the palace, always singing the same song for our destruction, at last
found a handle to injure the gallant Ursicinus; the gang of eunuchs
being still the contrivers and promoters of the plot; since they are
always sour tempered and savage, and having no relations, cling to
riches as their dearest kindred.

5. The design now adopted was to send Sabinianus, a withered old man of
great wealth, but infirm and timid, and from the lowness of his birth
far removed from any office of command, to govern the districts of the
East; while Ursicinus should be recalled to court, to