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Valentiniano, scholae secundae scutariorum tribunus, communi magistratuum civilium et militarium consensu, Nicaeae absenti defertur imperium; et de ratione bissexti.

[1] Dictis impensiore cura rerum ordinibus ad usque memoriae confinia propioris, convenerat iam referre a notioribus pedem, ut et pericula declinentur veritati¹ saepe contigua, et examinatores contexendi operis deinde non perferamus intempestivos, strepentes ut laesos, si praeteritum sit, quod locutus est imperator in cena, vel omissum quam ob causam gregarii milites coerciti sunt apud signa, et quod non decuerat in descriptione multiplici regionum super exiguis silere castellis, quodque cunctorum nomina, qui ad urbani praetoris officium convenere, non sunt expressa, et similia plurima, praeceptis historiae dissonantia, discurrere per negotiorum celsitudines assuetae, non humilium minutias indagare causarum, quas si scitari² voluerit quispiam, individua illa corpuscula volitantia per inane, ἀτόμους,³ ut nos appellamus, numerari posse sperabit.

[2] Haec quidam veterum formidantes, cognitiones actuum variorum, stilis stills uberibus explicatas, non edidere superstites, ut in quadam ad Cornelium Nepotem epistula Tullius quoque testis reverendus affirmat. Proinde inscitia vulgari contempta ad residua narranda pergamus.

[3] Hac volubilium casuum diritate, exitu luctuoso finita, obituque intervallato trium⁴ brevi tempore principum, corpore curato defuncti, missoque Constantinopolim, ut inter Augustorum reliquias conderetur, progresso Nicaeam versus exercitu, quae in Bithynia mater est urbium, potestatum civilium, militiaeque rectores, magnitudine⁵ curarum adstricti communium, interque eos quidam spe vana sufflati, moderatorem quaeritabant diu exploratum et gravem.

[4] Et rumore tenus obscuris paucorum susurris, nomen praestringebatur Aequitii, scholae primae Scutariorum, etiam tum tribuni, qui cum potiorum auctoritate displicuisset ut asper et subagrestis, translata est suffragatio levis in Ianuarium Ioviani adfinem curantem summitatem necessitatum castrensium per Illyricum.

[5] Quo itidem spreto, quia procul agebat,⁶ ut aptus ad id quod quaerebatur atque conveniens, Valentinianus, nulla discordante sententia, numinis adspiratione caelestis electus est, agens scholam Scutariorum secundam, relictusque apud Ancyram, postea secuturus, ut ordinatum est. Et quia nullo renitente hoc e re publica videbatur, missi sunt⁷ qui eum venire ocius admonerent, diebusque⁸ decem nullus imperii tenuit gubernacula, quod tunc evenisse, extis Romae inspectis, haruspex edixerat Marcus.

[6] Inter haec tamen, nequid novaretur contrarium placitis, neve armatorum mobilitas, saepe versabilis, ad praesentium quendam inclinaret arbitrium, attente providebat Aequitius, et cum eo Leo, adhuc sub Dagalaifo magistro equitum rationes numerorum militarium tractans, exitialis postea magister officiorum, exercitus universi iudicium, quantum facere nitique poterant, ut Pannonii fautoresque principis designate firmantes.

[7] Qui cum venisset accitus, implendique negotii praescius⁹ praesagiis, ut opinari dabatur, vel somniorum assiduitate, nec videri die secundo nec prodire in medium voluit, bissextum vitans Februarii mensis, tunc tune illucescens, quod aliquotiens rei Romanae fuisse norat¹⁰ infaustum. Cuius notitiam certam designabo.

[8] Spatium anni vertentis id esse,¹¹ periti mundani motus et siderum definiunt veteres, inter quos Meton¹² et Euctemon et Hipparchus et Archimedes excellunt, cum sol perenni rerum sublimium lege, polo percurso signifero, quem ζῳδιακόν¹³ sermo Graecus appellat, trecentis et sexaginta quinque diebus emensis et noctibus, ad eundem redierit cardinem, ut (verbo tenus) si a secunda particula elatus Arietis, ad eam dimensione redierit terminata.

[9] Sed anni intervallum verissimum, memoratis diebus et horis sex usque ad meridiem concluditur plenam, annique sequentis erit post horam sextam initium, porrectum ad vesperam. Tertius a prima vigilia sumens exordium, ad horam noctis extenditur sextam. Quartus a medio noctis ad usque claram trahitur lucem.

[10] Ne igitur haec computatio variantibus annorum principiis, ut¹⁴ quodam post horam sextam diei, alio post sextam excurse¹⁵ nocturnam, scientiam omnem squalida diversitate confundat, et autumnalis mensis inveniatur quandoque vernalis, placuit senas illas horas quae quadriennio viginti colliguntur atque quattuor, in unius diei noctisque adiectae transire mensuram.

[11] Hocque alte considerate, eruditis concinentibus multis, effectum est, ut¹⁶ ad unum distinctumque exitum, circumversio cursus annui revoluta, nec vaga sit nec incerta,¹⁷ nulloque errore deinceps obumbrata, ratio caelestis appareat et¹⁸ menses tempora retineant praestituta.

[12] Haec nondum extentis fusius regnis, diu ignoravere Romani, perque saecula multa, obscuris difficultatibus implicati, tunc magis errorum profunda caligine fluctuabant, cum in sacerdotes potestatem transtulissent interkalandi, qui licenter¹⁹ gratificantes publicanorum vel litigantium commodis, ad arbitrium suum subtrahebant tempora vel augebant.

[13] Hocque ex coepto²⁰ emerserunt alia plurima, quae fallebant, quorum meminisse nunc supervacuum puto. Quibus abolitis, Octavianus Augustus Graecos secutus, hanc inconstantiam correcta turbatione composuit, spatiis duodecim mensium et sex horarum magna deliberatione collectis, per quae²¹ duodecim siderum domicilia sol discurrens motibus sempiternis anni totius intervalla concludit.

[14] Quam rationem bissexti probatam, etiam victura cum saeculis Roma, adiumento numinis divini fundavit. Proinde pergamus ad reliqua.

Res Gestae. Ammianus Marcellinus. John C. Rolfe (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1935-1940.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Tufts University.

Current edition Perseus

Res Gestae (Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., editor. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).)

Translations (1)

History Perseus (Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).) — 26.1 focus

[1] Having narrated the course of events with the strictest care up to the bounds of the present epoch, I had already determined to withdraw my foot from the more familiar tracks, partly to avoid the dangers which are often connected with the truth, and partly to escape unreasonable critics of the work which I am composing, who cry out as if wronged, if one has failed to mention what an emperor said at table, or left out the reason why the common soldiers were led before the standards for punishment, or because in an ample account of regions he ought not to have been silent about some insignificant forts; also because the names of all who came together to pay their respects to the city-praetor¹ were not given, and many similar matters, which are not in accordance with the principles of history; for it is wont to detail the high lights of events, not to ferret out the trifling details of unimportant matters. For whoever wishes to know these may hope to be able to count the small indivisible bodies which fly through space, and to which we give the name of atoms.

[2] This is what some of the writers of old feared, who during their lifetime set down their knowledge of various historical events with eloquent pen, but did not publish them while they lived: as also Cicero, a witness worthy of respect, declares in a letter to Cornelius Nepos.² Accordingly, disregarding the ignorance of the vulgar, let us hasten to continue our narrative.

[3] So this ferocity of changeable circumstances came to a lamentable end after the death of three emperors³ at short intervals; and the body of the deceased prince was embalmed and sent to Constantinople, to be laid to rest among the remains of the Augusti. But the army marched on towards Nicaea, which is the metropolis of the Bithynian cities; and the principal civil and military leaders, busied with important cares for the general welfare, and some of them puffed up with vain hopes, were looking about for a ruler who had long been proved and possessed dignity.

[4] And rumour, in the obscure whispers of a few, touched on the name of Aequitius, who was at that time tribune of the first division of the targeteers, but he did not find favour in the judgement of the more important authorities, because he was rude and somewhat boorish. Then fickle favour was transferred to Januarius, a relative of Jovian, who had charge of the commissary department in Illyricum.

[5] He also was rejected because he was living far away, and under the inspiration of the powers of heaven Valentinian was chosen without a dissenting voice, as being fully up to the requirements and suitable; he was commander of the second division of the targeteers, and had been left behind at Ancyra, to follow later according to orders. And as it was agreed without contradiction that this was to the advantage of the state, envoys were sent to urge him to hasten his coming; but for ten days no one held the helm of the empire, which the soothsayer Marcus, on inspection of the entrails at Rome, had declared to have happened at that time.⁴

[6] Meanwhile, however, to prevent any interference with the decision that had been made, and to keep the fickle temper of the soldiers, who are always ready for a change, from turning towards someone who was on the spot, Aequitius made earnest efforts, and with him Leo; the latter was still holding the office of military paymaster under Dagalaifus, commander of the cavalry, and later played a deadly part as chief-marshal of the court. Both endeavoured, so far as their efforts could prevail, being Pannonians⁵ and adherents of the emperor elect, to maintain the decision which the whole army had made.

[7] When the emperor arrived in answer to the summons, informed either by presentiments about the task he must fulfil (as was given to be understood) or by repeated dreams, he did not let himself be seen next day, nor would he appear in public, avoiding the bisextile⁶ day of the month of February, which dawned at that time and (as he had heard) had sometimes been unlucky for the Roman state. Of this day I will give a clear explanation.

[8] The extent of the revolving year is completed, according to the calculations of men of old who were versed in the movements of the universe and the stars, of whom the most eminent are Meton, Euctemon, Hipparchus, and Archimedes, when the sun, in accordance with the eternal law of the heavenly bodies, has traversed the signs of the heaven which in Greek are called ζωδιακός, the zodiac, and after the course of 365 days and nights returns to the same turning-point; that is (for instance) when it has started from the second degree of the Ram and after completing its course has returned to the same place.

[9] But the true length of a year ends, in the said 365 days and six hours besides, at high noon, and the first day of the next year will extend from the end of the sixth hour to evening. The third year begins with the first watch and ends with the sixth hour of the night. The fourth goes on from midnight until broad daylight.

[10] Therefore, in order that this computation because of the variations in the beginning of the year (since one year commences after the sixth hour of the day and another after the sixth hour of the night) may not confuse all science by a disorderly diversity, and an autumnal month may not sometimes be found to be in the spring,⁷ it was decided to combine those series of six hours, which in four years amounted to twenty-four, into one day and an added night.

[11] And after deep consideration, by the agreement of manylearned men it was arranged that the completion of the year’s course has a single definite end, and is neither changeable nor uncertain; so that the reckoning of the sun’s course no longer appears beclouded by any error, and the months retain their appointed seasons.

[12] The Romans were long ignorant of all this, since their realm was not yet widely extended, and for many centuries they were involved in obscure difficulties; and they wandered in still deeper darkness of error when they gave over the power of intercalation to the priests, who lawlessly served the advantage of tax-collectors or of parties in litigation by arbitrarily subtracting or adding days.

[13] From this beginning many other errors arose, which I think it superfluous to mention here. These were done away with by Octavianus Augustus⁸ who, following the Greeks, corrected the confusion and brought order into this inconsistency by adopting after great deliberation the arrangement of twelve months and six hours, during which the sun in its eternal course through the twelve signs completes a whole year.

[14] This reason for the bisextile year⁹ Rome, which will live even through the centuries, with the aid of the divine power approved and firmly established. Now let us go on to the rest of our narrative.

Notes on the current edition

Res Gestae

1. veritati, Lind.; veritatis, V.

2. si scitari, CAG; sciscitari, V.

3. ἀτόμους, Gardt.; atomos, V.

4. trium, added by Val.; V omits.

5. magnitudine, EG; magnitudine aeque, Pet.; magnitudineque, V.

6. agebat, Kellerbauer, C. F. W. M.; iacebat, V.

7. missi sunt, Günther, Pet.; missis, V.

8. diebusque, V, rest. by Pet.; diebus, NAG.

9. praescius, added by Pet.; no lac. in V.

10. dignorat, vulgo, Novák; pignorat, V.

11. id esse, G; ide, lac. of 2 letters, V.

12. Meton, Lind.; memon, V.

13. ζῳδιακόν, Gardt.; zodiacum, V.

14. ut, Pet.; et, V.

15. excurso, V; excursa, vulgo.

16. ut, added in G; V omits.

17. incerta, G; nec (lac. of 2 letters) in, V.

18. et, added by E 2; V omits.

19. licenter, Val.; libenter, G; ligentes, V.

20. coepto, Hadr. Val.; cepto merserunt, V.

21. quae, Lind.; que, V.

Ammianus Marcellinus Res Gestae 26.1

John C. Rolfe (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Valentiniano, scholae secundae scutariorum tribunus, communi magistratuum civilium et militarium consensu, Nicaeae absenti defertur imperium; et de ratione bissexti.

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