Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/362

 344 THE DECLINE AND FALL C II A P. vigilance of the garrison extinguished the flames ; the the operations of the siege ; and the emperor soon re- moved the only obstacle that could embarrass his mo- tions, by forcing a body of troops which had taken post in an adjoining amphitheatre. The field of battle round Mursa was a naked and level plain : on this ground the army of Constantius formed, with the Drave on their right ; while their left, either from the nature of their disposition, or from the superiority of their cavalry, extended far beyond the right flank of Mag- nentius°. The troops on both sides remained under arms in anxious expectation during the greatest part of the morning ; and the son of Constantine, after ani- mating his soldiers by an eloquent speech, retired into a church at some distance from the field of battle, and committed to his generals the conduct of this decisive day P. They deserved his confidence by the valour and military skill which they exerted. They wisely began the action upon the left ; and advancing their whole wing of cavalry in an oblique line, they suddenly wheeled it on the right flank of the enemy, which was unprepared to resist the impetuosity of their charge. But the Romans of the west soon rallied, by the habits of discipline ; and the barbarians of Germany sup- ported the renown of their national bravery. The en- gagement soon became general ; was maintained with various and singular turns of fortune ; and scarcely ended with the darkness of the night. The signal victory which Constantius obtained is attributed to the arms of his cavalry. His cuirassiers are described as so many massy statues of steel, glittering with their scaly armour, and breaking with their ponderous lances " This position, and llie subsequent evolutions, are clearly though con- cisely described by Julian, Orat. i. p. 36. •' Sulpicius Severus, 1. ii. p. 405. The emperor passed the day in prayer vi;h Valens, the Arian bishop of Mursa, who gained his confidence by an- nouncing the success of the battle. M. deTillemont (Hist, des J^rapereurs, torn. iv. p. 1110.) very properly remarks the silence of Julian with regard to the personal prowess of Constantius in the battle of Mursa. The silence of flattery is sometimes equal to the most positive and authentic evidence.
 * '__ approach of Constantius left him no time to continue