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Caedis Valentis A. et cladis a Gothis inferendae prodigia.

Inter haec 1 Fortunae volucris rota, adversa prosperis 2 semper alternans, Bellonam furiis in societatem adscitis, armabat, maestosque transtulit ad Orientem eventus, quos adventare praesagiorum fides clara monebat, et portentorum. [2] Post multa enim quae vates auguresque praedixere veridice, resultabant canes ululantibus lupis, et querulum [p. 378] quoddam nocturnae volucres tinniebant et flebile, et squalidi solis exortus hebetabant matutinos diei candores, et Antiochiae per rixas tumultusque vulgares id in consuetudinem venerat, ut quisquis 3 vim se pati existimaret, ‘Vivus ardeat Valens’ licentius clamitaret, vocesque praeconum audiebantur, assidue mandantium congeri ligna ad Valentini lavacri succensionem, studio ipsius principis conditi. [3] Quae hunc illi impendere exitum vitae modo non aperte loquendo monstrabant. Super his larvale simulacrum Armeniae regis, et miserabiles umbrae paulo ante in negotio Theodori caesorum, per quietem stridendo carmina quaedam neniarum 4 horrenda, multos diris terroribus agitabant. [4] Vaccula 5 gurgulione consecto, exanimis visa est iacens, cuius mors publicorum funerum aerumnas indicabat amplas et pervulgatas. Denique cum Chalcedonos subverterentur veteres muri, ut apud Constantinopolim aedificaretur lavacrum, ordine resoluto saxorum, in quadrato lapide qui structura latebat in media, hi Graeci versus incisi reperti sunt, futura plene pandentes:

[p. 380] [5]

ἀλλα᾽ ὁπόταν νύμφαι δροσεραὶ κατὰ ἄστυ χορείῃ
τερπόμεναι στρωφῶνται 6 ἐυστεφέας κατ᾽ ἀγυιάς,
καὶ τεῖχος λουτροῖο πολύστονον ἔσσεται ἄλκαρ,
δὴ τότε μυρία φῦλα πολυσπερέων ἀνθρώπων
῎ιστρον καλλιρόοιο πόρον περάοντα σὺν αἰχμῇ,
καὶ σκυθικὴν ὀλέσει χώρην καὶ μυσίδα γαῖαν,
παιονίης δ᾽ ἐπιβάντα σὺν ἐλπίσι μαινομένῃσιν
αὐτοῦ καὶ βιότοιο τέλος καὶ δῆρις 7 ἐφέξει.

1 Inter haec, Her.; interea et, A; int (lac. 7 letters) (interea, V3) et, V.

2 aduersa prosperis, V3W2A; diuersa pros, V.

3 quisquis, C2, Bent., C. F. W. M.; quisque, V.

4 neniarum, Gronov, pater; nimium, E: nimirum, A; nimiarum, V (a deleted by V3).

5 uaccula, Bent., Haupt (uacula, E); uagula, V, G, Pighius; aquila, Val.; gracula, Novák.

6 στρωφῶνται, Bent.; στροφόωνται, Eyssen.; στροφοωντε, V.

7 δῆρις, Val.; δῆριν, Pet.; δηρειν, V.

Ammianus Marcellinus. With An English Translation. John C. Rolfe, Ph.D., Litt.D. Cambridge. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1935-1940.

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  • Cross-references to this page (2):
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CHALCE´DON
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), HUNNI
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