The Empire. R 0 
acknowledge Vetranio as his partner in the empire; but re¬ 
jected all idea of treating with Magnentius, the murderer 
of his brother, and whose death he was determined to 
revenge. 
Vetranio accordingly having withdrawn from his recent 
alliance with Magnentius, advanced to Sardica with a very 
numerous army, in order to have an interview with Constant*- 
us, and to regulate their joint operations against the usurper. 
The two armies having assembled in a large plain, near 
the last-mentioned city, - Consfantius and Vetranio, their 
commanders, were called upon to explain the situation of 
public affairs. 
The precedency of rank and speech was allowed to Con- 
stantius, who acquitted himself with so much ability, that 
the officers on both sides saluted him as their lawful sovereign; 
•while the troops caught the enthusiasm of loyalty, and the 
plains of Sardica resounded with, “ Long live the son of 
Constantine!” Vetranio, astonished and confounded at the 
tergiversation of his troops, prostrated himself at the feet of the 
emperor, whom he had met as an equal; and being raised 
from the ground by Constantins, and assured of favour and 
protection, quietly retired to the enjoyment of ease and 
affluence in a private station. 
The contest with Magnentius had a more formidable aspect, 
and presented all the horrors of civil war; to prevent which, 
Constantius offered to cede all the provinces beyond the Alps. 
This tender was insultingly rejected; and Magnentius 
deigned only to promise the emperor pardon, on condition 
that he instantly abdicated the throne. 
It was evident now that force of arms must decide the 
important contest. Magnentius was besieging Mursa, when 
the approach of Constantius warned him to prepare for battle.. 
The son of Constantine having animated his soldiers with an 
harangue, retired to a neighbouring church, and committed 
to his generals and to God the conduct of this decisive day. 
With various turns of fortune, the engagement was maintain¬ 
ed till night, and ended with the defeat of the usurper, who, 
after performing prodigies of valour, was obliged to seek 
safety by flight. 
The approach of winter prevented any further operations 
of consequence; but scarcely had Magnentius fixed his 
residence at Aquileia, before Rome and Italy, owning their 
lawful sovereign, obliged him to retire with the remains of his 
army into the province of Gaul. 
It was now the turn of Magnentius to sue in vain; for 
Constantius was inexorable to all his entreaties. Finding, 
therefore, his situation desperate, he fell upon his own sword 
to escape being delivered up to the emperor. His brother 
Decentius followed the same example; and the public tran¬ 
quillity was confirmed by executing the most guilty of the 
partisans of Magnentius. 
The whole Roman empire was once more united under 
the sway of Constantius; but the triumphs of his arms seemed 
only to establish the influence of the eunuchs, who alter¬ 
nately governed the emperor by his fears, his indolence, and 
his vanity. Of these slaves, the most distinguished was the 
chamberlain Eusebius, who ruled the monarch and the palace 
•with absolute sway, and by his suggestions persuaded his 
master to execute Gallus, his only surviving cousin, except 
Julian. 
Gallus had been invested with the purple in the twenty- 
fifth year of his age, and afterwards married to the princess 
Constantina. He then fixed his residence at Antioch, and 
from thence administered the five great dioceses of the eastern 
prsefecture. But though he behaved with fraternal affection 
to Julian, his general conduct was tyrannical and disgusting; 
and having at last insulted Constantius in the persons of two 
of his ministers, whom he put to death with savage cruelty, 
he was ordered to appear before the emperor. While he 
reluctantly complied, he was arrested ; and being stripped of 
the ensigns of his dignity, was killed in prison at Pola in 
Istria. 
His brother Julian, who now, exclusive of the emperor, 
alone survived of the numerous posterity of Constantius 
Chlorus, was involved in the disgrace of Gallus; but after 
You XXII. No. 1502. 
M E. The Empire. 297 
some months’ confinement, in the court of Milan, his life 
was preserved by the generous interference of the empress 
Eusebia, and Athens assigned as the place of his honourable 
exile. This city was highly agreeable to a prince of Julian’s 
taste. From his early youth he had evinced a propensity to 
the learning, manners, and religion of the Greeks; and in the 
schools of Athens he established that prepossession in favour 
of his talents, which was soon diffused over the Roman 
world. 
Constantius finding himself unequal to the sole government 
of such a mighty empire, surrounded by barbarous nations, 
adopting the advice of Eusebia, in opposition to that of the 
eunuchs, soon recalled Julian, whom he married to his sister 
Helena, and appointed him as Caesar, to reign over the 
countries beyond the Alps. 
Though the ministers of Constantius had not been able to 
ward off this blow against their influence, and retain Julian 
in a state of inactivity, they determined, by the most insidious 
manoeuvres, to render his political existence disagreeable to 
him. They removed from about his person all his confiden¬ 
tial friends; and, under pretence of shewing him respect, 
placed guards over him, rather to observe his motions than 
to defend him from danger. His letters were opened in their 
presence; and so vigilant was their jealousy, that he found it 
necessary to forbid his friends corresponding with him or 
visiting him, lest they should incur suspicion, or himself be 
exposed to risk. 
On his quitting the court of Milan for Gaul, where the 
empire was menaced by the barbarians, he was surrounded 
with observers, spies, and opponents, whose Study it was to 
control his actions, and curb his power. Yet amidst these 
obstacles and intrigues, his first campaign was fortunate, and 
his success determined the emperor to increase his authority ; 
but in order to lessen the merit of this favour, an officer who 
had been accessary to the destruction of his brother Gallus, 
was placed over Julian. 
Had not Julian possessed a great share of prudence and 
address, as well as the sincere affection of his troops, it would 
have been impossible for him at once to contend with so 
many secret machinations of pretended friends, and the con¬ 
tinual irruption of open enemies, who sometimes attacked 
him on all sides. Whilst the Caesar scarcely passed a day 
without a conflict, Constantius led a life of indolence at 
Milan, during many months. Having, however, resolved to 
return into the east, he indulged his pride and curiosity by 
paying a visit to the ancient capital, before he set out from 
Italy. Accordingly, he entered Rome at the head of a 
triumphal procession ; was lodged in the palace of Augustus, 
presided in the senate, and harangued the people. On seeing 
the temple of Jupiter, the public baths, the amphitheatre, the 
tomb of Adrian, the theatre of Pompey, the forum of Trajan, 
and other splendid edifices, he. exclaimed, “ Fame, which 
exaggerates all other things, falls short of the truth in her 
account of Rome.” He would not enter the senate-house, 
however, till the altar of victory and other remains of pagan 
superstition were removed ; and by several sanguinary edicts, 
he endeavoured to root out idolatry and divination. 
After spending thirty days in Rome, his departure was 
hastened by the intelligence of the distress and danger of the 
Illyrian provinces; but, to perpetuate the memory of this' 
visit, he ordered the largest of the Egyptian obelisks which 
Constantine had designed to decorate his new city, to be 
transported from the banks of the Nile, and erected in the 
great circus of the old metropolis. 
Julian continued to reap fresh laurels, all of which he 
referred to the emperor, who on his part accepted, with¬ 
out scruple, the appropriation. In fact, he carried this so 
far, that in the account he published of the important victory 
gained by his cousin at Strasburg, he attributed the whole 
honour to himself, without even naming the conqueror. 
Yet it must not be denied, that Constantius had some title 
to military reputation of his own: for he had personally 
fought the Quadi and Sarmatians, both warlike nations, and 
had obliged them to sue for peace. But though brave when 
engaged in war, he loved peace, and did every thing in his 
4 G power 
