OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

hunger, and satisfied that the vigilance of theenemy in breaking the ice of the river left themno hopes of escape, the Franks consented, forthe first time, to dispense with the ancient law,which commanded them to conquer or to die.The Caesar immediately sent his captives to thecourt of Constantius , who, accepting them as avaluable present , 11 rejoiced in the opportunityof adding so many heroes to the choicest troopsof his domestic guards. The obstinate resist-ance of this handful of Franks apprised Julianof the difficulties of the expedition which hemeditated for the ensuing spring, against thewhole body of the nation. His rapid diligencesurprised and astonished the active barbarians.Ordering his soldiers to provide themselves withbiscuit for twenty days, he suddenly pitchedhis camp near Tongres , while the enemy stillsupposed him in his winter quarters of Paris,expecting the slow arrival of his convoys fromAquitain . Without allowing the Franks tounite or to deliberate, he skilfully spread hislegions from Cologne to the ocean ; and by theterror, as well as by the success, of his arms,soon reduced the suppliant tribes to implorethe clemency, and to obey the commands, oftheir conqueror. The Chamavians submissively

* Julian, ad s. p. q. Allien, p. 280. Libanius , Orat. x, p. 278. Ac-cording to the expression of Libanius , the emperor which

la Bleterie understands (Vie de Julien, p. 118) as an honest confession,and Valerius (ad Ammian . xvii, 2) as a mean evasion of the truth.Dom. Bouquet (Historiens de Fiance, tom. i, p. 733), by substitutinganother word, ivofxwe, would snppiess both the difficulty and the spiritof this passage

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