Surviving Works

AMMIANUS MARCELLINUS XIV, 1.

she was a mortal woman, a constant inflamer of his cruelty, and no less greedy for human blood than her husband. As they became more practiced in the art of doing harm over time, they would add false rumors—which they had learned to invent to suit their own ends—to the slight grains of truth they gleaned through clandestine and cunning informers. By doing so, they pinned charges of intended rebellion or forbidden arts upon the innocent. 3. Among these base matters, the sudden and abominable death of a certain nobleman from Alexandria named Clematius stood out, having far exceeded the bounds of minor offenses. His mother-in-law, burning with love for him, could not prevail upon him to sleep with her, as was reported. Having been introduced through a secret back door of the palace and offering a precious necklace to the queen, she obtained this: that a lethal order was sent to Honoratus, then Count of the East, and Clematius—a man untouched by any crime—was killed, not even being permitted to gasp or speak.

4. After this impious act was perpetrated—which was already feared in other cases as well, as if license had been granted to cruelty—certain men deemed guilty through the mists of suspicion were condemned. Part of them were killed, others were punished by the confiscation of their property, and others were driven as exiles from their homes, leaving them nothing but complaints and tears, forcing them to live on charity. As the civil and just government was turned toward bloodthirsty will, grand and famous houses were closed. 5. No voice of an accuser was sought in these heaps of evils, even a planted one, so that the crimes might be committed at least under the appearance of legal statutes, as cruel princes have sometimes done. Instead, whatever had settled into the implacability of the Caesar was instantly rushed to be fulfilled, as if it were ordained law and right. 6. Beyond this, it was devised that certain unknown men—hardly to be guarded against due to their very insignificance—should be assigned throughout the corners of Antioch to collect rumors and report what they heard. These men, wandering about and pretending to be other than they were, would stand in the circles of the honorable and infiltrate the houses of the wealthy in the guise of beggars. They were then secretly introduced through the back doors of the palace to report whatever they could learn or hear. They conspired with a common purpose: to invent certain things, to twist known facts for the worse, and to suppress any praise of the Caesar that the fear of impending evils compelled many to utter against their will.