Sidebilder
PDF
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]

for his department in the empire. But the performance of the promised favour was either. attended with so much delay, or accompanied with so many unequal conditions, that the fidelity of Baffianus was alienatedrather than secured by the honourable distinction which he had obtained. His nomination had bcen ratified by the consent of Licinius, and that artful prince, by the means of his emissaries, soon contrived to enter into a secret and dangerous correspondence with the new Casar, to irritate his discontents, and to urge him to the rash enterprise of extorting by violence what he might in vain solicit from the justice of Constantine. But the vigilant emperor discovered the conspiracy before it was ripe for execution; and, after solemnly renouncing the alliance of Basslanus, despoiled him of the purz ple, and inflicted the deserved punishment on his treason and ingratitude. The haughty refusal of Licinius, when he was required to deliver up the criminals, who had taken refuge in his dominions, confirmed the suspicions already entertained of his perfidy; and the indignities offered atlemona, on the frontiers of Italy, to the statues of Constantine, became the fignal of discord between the two princes ". ,

. The first battle was sought near Cibalis, a city of Pannonia, situated on the river Save, about

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

- them.

[ocr errors][subsumed]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

crecy and diligenceat the head of the greatest
part of 'his cavalry, and was soon removed be-
yond the danger of a pursuit. His diligence'
preserved his wife, his sn, and his treasures,
which he had deposited at Sirniium.
passed through that city, and breaking down the
bridge on the Save, hastened to collect a new
army in Dacia and Thrace. In his flight he be-
stowed the precario-us title =of Caesar on Valens,
his general of the Illyrian frontier 39.

The plain of Mardia in Thrace was the theatre
of a second battle no less obstinate and bloody
than the former. The troops on both sides dis-
played the same valour and discipline; and the
victory was once more decided by the superior
abilities of Constantine, who directed a body of
five thousand men to gain an advantageous height,
, from whence, during the heat of the action, they
attacked the rear of the enemy, and made a very
considerable slaughter. The troops os Licinius,
however, presenting a double front, still main-
tained their ground, til-1 the approach of night
put an end to the combat, and secured their re-

[ocr errors][merged small]

Licinius'

[ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

90 Zofimus, I. ii. p. 92, 93. Anonym.Valefian, p. 713. The Epitomes furnish somesi'circumstances; but they frequently confound the twowars between Licinius and Constantine.

91 Petrus Patricius in Excerpt. Legat. p. 27. If it should be

. thought that rupflgo; signifies more properly a son-in-law, we might. cenjecture, that Constantine, assuming the name as well as the duties of a father, had adopted his younger brothers and sisters, the children os Theodora. But in the best authors yew-OF" sometime' signifies a husband, sometimes a father-in-law, and sometimes a kinsman in general. See Spanheim Obscrvat. ad Julian. Orat.i.

p. 72.

[graphic]
« ForrigeFortsett »