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| Of the reign of Valentinianus, and how he associated Valens his brother with him.
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Chapter V.—Of the reign of Valentinianus, and how he associated
Valens his brother with him.
When the troops had become acquainted with the emperor’s sudden
death, they wept for the departed prince as for a father, and made
Valentinian emperor in his room. It was he who smote the officer of the
temple676
| 676 Vide page 101. “Valentinian belongs to the better class of
Emperors. He was a soldier like Jovian, and held the same rank at his
election. He was a decided Christian like Jovian, and, like him, free
from the stain of persecution. Jovian’s rough good humour was
replaced in Valentinian by a violent and sometimes cruel temper, but he
had a sense of duty, and was free from Jovian’s vices.”
Gwatkin, Arian Cont. 121. | and was sent to the castle. He was
distinguished not only for his courage, but also for prudence,
temperance, justice, and great stature. He was of so kingly and
magnanimous a character that, on an attempt being made by the army to
appoint a colleague to share his throne, he uttered the well-known
words which are universally repeated, “Before I was emperor,
soldiers, it was yours to give me the reins of empire: now that I have
taken them, it is mine, not yours, to take counsel for the
state.” The troops were struck with admiration at what he said,
and contentedly followed the guidance of his authority. Valentinian,
however, sent for his brother from Pannonia, and shared the empire with
him. Would that he had never done so! To Valens,677
| 677 “Valens was timid, suspicious, and slow, yet not ungentle in
private life. He was as uncultivated as his brother, but not inferior
to him in scrupulous care for his subjects. He preferred remitting
taxation to fighting at the head of the legions. In both wars he is
entitled to head the series of financial rather than unwarlike
sovereigns whose cautious policy brought the Eastern Empire safely
through the great barbarian invasions of the fifth century.”
Gwatkin, p. 121. | who had not yet accepted unsound
doctrines, was committed the charge of Asia and of Egypt, while
Valentinian allotted Europe to himself. He journeyed to the Western
provinces, and beginning with a proclamation of true religion,
instructed them in all righteousness. When the Arian Auxentius, bishop
of Milan, who was condemned in several councils, departed this life,678
| 678 Vide note on page 81. | the emperor summoned the bishops and
addressed them as follows: “Nurtured as you have been in holy
writ, you know full well what should be the character of one dignified
by the episcopate, and how he should rule his subjects aright, not only
with his lip, but with his life; exhibit himself as an example of every
kind of virtue, and make his conversation a witness of his teaching.
Seat now upon your archiepiscopal throne a man of such character that
we who rule the realm may honestly bow our heads before him and welcome
his reproofs,—for, in that we are men, it needs must be that we
sometimes stumble,—as a physician’s healing
treatment.”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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