Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 3 (1897).djvu/132

 112 THE DECLINE AND FALL the splendid ensiorns of his dignity, had proceeded some way in the space between the two armies when he was suddenly re- called by the alarm of battle. The hasty and imprudent attack was made by Bacurius the Iberian, who commanded a body of archers and targetteers ; and, as they advanced with rashness, they retreated with loss and disgrace. In the same moment, the flying squadrons of Alatheus and Saphrax, whose return was anxiously expected by the general of the Goths, descended like a whirlwind from the hills, swept across the plain, and added new terrors to the tumultuous, but irresistible, charge of the Barbarian host. The event of the battle of Hadrianople, The defeat of so fatal to Valens and to the empire, may be described in a few Avords : the Roman cavalry fled ; the infantry was aban- doned, surrounded, and cut in pieces. The most skilful evolu- tions, the firmest courage, are scarcely sufficient to extricate a body of foot, encompassed, on an open plain, by superior numbers of horse ; but the troops of Valens, oppressed by the weight of the enemy and their own fears, were crowded into a narrow space, where it was impossible for them to extend their ranks, or even to use, with effect, their swords and javelins. In the midst of tumult, of slaughter, and of dismay, the emperor, deserted by his guards and wounded, as it was supposed, with an arrow, sought protection among the Lancearii [Palatine and the Mattiarii, who still maintained their ground with some troops] appearance of order and firmness. His faithful generals, Trajan and Victor, who perceived his danger, loudly exclaimed that all was lost unless the person of the emperor could be saved. Some troops, animated by their exhortation, advanced to his relief : they found only a bloody spot, covered with a heap of broken arms and mangled bodies, without being able to dis- cover their unfortunate prince, either among the living or the dead. Their search could not indeed be successful, if there is any truth in the circumstances with which some historians have Death of the related the death of the emperor. By the care of his attend- v^e^^ ants, Valens was removed from the field of battle to a neighbour- ing cottage, where they attempted to dress his wound and to provide for his future safety. But this humble retreat was instantly surrounded by the enemy ; they tried to force the door ; they were provoked by a discharge ot" aiTows from the roof, till at length, impatient of delay, they set fire to a pile of dry faggots, and consumed the cottage with the Roman emperor and his train, ^^alens perished in the flames ; ^^ and a s-*" [See Claudian, B. G., 6i, absumplique igne Valentis.]