rious entreaties, but were
slaughtered with repeated wounds. And when, after they were all
destroyed, the trumpets sounded a retreat, it was found that only a very
few of our men were killed, and these had either been trampled down at
first, or had perished from the insufficiency of their armour to resist
the violence of the enemy.

15. But the most glorious death was that of Cella, the tribune of the
Scutarii, who at the beginning of the uproar set the example of plunging
first into the middle of the Sarmatian host.

16. After these blood-stained transactions, Constantius took what
precautions prudence suggested for the security of his frontiers, and
then returned to Sirmium, having avenged himself on the perfidity of his
enemies. And having there settled everything which the occasion
required, he quitted Sirmium and went to Constantinople, that by being
nearer to the East, he might remedy the disasters which had been
sustained at Amida, and having reinforced his army with new levies, he
might check the attempts of the king of Persia with equal vigour; as it
was clear that Sapor, if Providence and some more pressing occupation
did not prevent him, would leave Mesopotamia and bring the war over the
plains on this side of that country.

XII.

Sec. 1. But amid these causes of anxiety, as if in accordance with
old-established custom, instead of the signal for civil war, the trumpet
sounded groundless charges of treason, and a secretary, whom we shall
often have to speak of, named Paulus, was sent to inquire into these
charges. He was a man skilful in all the contrivances of cruelty, making
gain and profit of tortures and executions, as a master of gladiators
does of his fatal games.

2. For as he was firm and resolute in his purpose of injuring people,
he did not abstain even from theft, and invented all kinds of causes for
the destruction of innocent men, while engaged in this miserable
campaign.

3. A slight and trivial circumstance afforded infinite material for
extending his investigations. There is a town called Abydum in the most
remote corner of the Egyptian Thebais, where an oracle of the god, known
in that region by the name of Besa, had formerly enjoyed some celebrity
for its prophecies, and had sacred rites performed at it with all the
ceremonies anciently in use in the neighbouring districts.

4. Some used to go themselves to consult this oracle, some to send by
others documents containing their wish