By these arguments and others of the same nature they
brought 66 matters to such a pass, that
even the generals and party leaders despaired of cooling
the army’s indignation. However, the Viennese
realized their danger. Arrayed in veils and fillets,[134]
they met the approaching column and, seizing their
hands and knees and the soles of their feet in supplication,
succeeded in appeasing the troops. Valens made
each of the soldiers a present of three hundred sesterces.[135]
They were thus persuaded to respect the antiquity and
high standing of the colony, and to listen with patience
to their general’s speech, in which he commended
to them the lives and property of the Viennese.
However, the town was disarmed, and private individuals
had to assist the army with various kinds of provisions.
There was, however, a persistent rumour that Valens
himself had been bought with a heavy bribe. He
had long been in mean circumstances and ill concealed
his sudden accession of wealth. Prolonged poverty
had whetted his inordinate desires, and the needy
youth grew into an extravagant old man.
He next led the army by slow stages through the country
of the Allobroges and Vocontii,[136] bribes to the
general determining the length of each day’s
march and the choice of a camp. For Valens struck
disgraceful bargains with the landowners and municipal
authorities, often applying violent threats, as, for
instance, at Lucus,[137] a township of the Vocontii,
which he threatened to burn, until he was appeased
with money. Where it was impossible to get money,
he was mollified by appeals to his lust. And
so it went on until the Alps were reached.
FOOTNOTES:
[124] Metz.
[125] They would wear veils
and fillets, as suppliants. Cp.
chap.
66 and iii. 31.
[126] Living round Toul between
the Marne and the Moselle.
[127] Chap. 59.
[128] Cp. chap. 51.
[129] Cp. chap. 59.
[130] This was probably one
of the cohortes civium
Romanorum,
volunteer corps raised in Italy on lighter terms
of
service than prevailed in the legions.
[131] With Vindex.
[132] The chief town of the
Allobroges, and the capital of
Narbonese
Gaul.
[133] So was Vienne; but the
status had been conferred on the
Gauls
of this town as lately as Caligula’s reign, whereas
Lugdunum
had been colonized in B.C. 43 by Roman citizens
expelled
from Vienne.
[134] Cf. iii. 31.
[135] Nearly fifty shillings.
[136] Part of Dauphine and
Provence, with a capital town at
Vaison.
[137] Luc-en-Diois.
THE MARCH OF CAECINA’S COLUMN
Copyrights
Tacitus: The Histories, Volumes I and II from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.
