Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 3 (1897).djvu/30

 10 THE DECLINE AND FALL and asso- ciates bis brother Valens. AD. 364, March 28 The final division of the eastern and western empires. A.D. 364, June [July] displeasure, M'ithout altering his intention, slowly proceeded from Nice to Nicomedia and Constantinople. In one of the suburbs of that capital,-* thirty days after his own elevation, he bestowed the title of Augustus on his brother 'aleiis; and, as the boldest patriots were convinced that their opposition, Avithout being serviceable to their country, would be fatal to themselves, the declaration of his absolute will was received with silent submission, Valens was now in the thirty-sixth year of his age ; but his abilities had never been exercised in any employment, military or civil ; and his character had not inspired the world with any sanguine expectations. He possessed, however, one quality, Avhich recommended him to Valentinian, and preserved the domestic peace of the empire : a devout and grateful attachment to his benefactor, whose superiority of genius, as well as of authority, Valens humbly and cheerfully acknowledged in every action of his life.-^ Before Valentinian divided the provinces, he reformed the administration of the empire. All ranks of subjects, Avho had been injured or oppressed under the reign of Julian, were invited to support their public accusations. The silence of mankind attested the spotless integrity of the praefect Sallust ; ^" and his own pressing solicitations that he might be permitted to retire from the business of the state were rejected by Valentinian with tlie most honoui-able expressions of friendship and esteem. But among the favourites of the late emperor there were many who had abused his credulity or supei-stition, and who could no longer hope to be protected either by favour or justice.^i The greater part of the ministers of the palace and the governors of the provinces were removed from their respective stations ; yet the eminent merit of some officers was distinguished from the obnoxious crowd ; and, notwith- standing the opposite clamours of zeal and resentment, the 28 In suburbano, Ammianus, xxvi. 4. The famous Hcbdomon, or field of Mars, was distant from Constantinople either seven stadia or seven miles. See Valesius and his brother, ad Inc., and Ducange, Const. 1. ii. p. 140, 141, 172, 173. [On the Propontis, not at Blachernae, where Ducange put it. See above, vol ii. Appendix 9. P- 546. J 29Participcmquidemlegitimum potestatis; sed in modum appantoris morigerum, ut progrediens aperiet textus. Ammian. x.wi. 4. [Formally Valens was fully co- ordinate, cp. Synimachus, Oral, i, 11, Augustum pari iure confirmans.l so Notwithstanding the evidence of Zonaras, Suidas, and the Paschal Chronicle, M. de Tillemont (Hist, des Empcreurs, torn. v. p. 671) itlsh^s to disbelieve these stories, si avantafjeuses b. un payen. •■'1 Eunapius celebrates and exaggerates the sufferings of Maximus (p. 82, 83 [Commelin's ed. 1616 ; p. 102, ed. 1596]) ; yet be allows that this sophist or magi- cian, the guilty favourite of Julian and the personal enemy of Valentinian, was dismissed on the payment of a small fine.