Ammianus Marcellinus (born in Antioch, c. 330 AD) was a soldier and historian. In 378 AD he went to Rome. He was a friend of Symmachus, the leading literary figure in the city. His History (Res Gestae) is a continuation of the Histories of Tacitus. Only the last eighteen books have survived, starting with the year 353.
| Dum haec per varies turbines in Orientis extimo festinantur, difficultatem adventantis inopiae frumentorum urbs verebatur aeterna, vique minacissimae plebis, famem ultimum malorum omnium exspectantis, subinde Tertullus vexabatur, ea tempestate praefectus, irrationabiliter plane; nec enim per eum steterat quo minus tempore congruo alimenta navibus veherentur, quas maris casus asperiores solitis ventorumque procellae reflantium, delatas in proximos sinus, introire portum Augusti discriminum magnitudine perterrebant. Quocirca idem saepe praefectus seditionibus agitatus, ac plebe iam saeviente immanius, quoniam verebatur impendens exitium, ab omni spe tuendae salutis exclusus, ut aestimabat, tumultuanti acriter populo, sed accidentia considerare sueto prudenter, obiecit parvulos filios, et lacrimans 'En' inquit 'cives vestri (procul omen dii caelestes avertant!) eadem perlaturi vobiscum, ni fortuna affulserit laetior. Si itaque his abolitis nil triste accidere posse existimatis, praesto in potestate sunt vestra.' Qua miseratione vulgus ad clementiam suapte natura proclive, lenitum conticuit, aequanimiter venturam operiens sortem. Moxque divini arbitrio numinis, quod auxit ab incunabulis Romam perpetuamque fore spopondit, dum Tertullus apud Ostia in aede sacrificat Castorum, tranquillitas mare mollivit, mutatoque in austrum placidum vento, velificatione plena portum naves ingressae frumentis horrea referserunt. | While these storms were swiftly passing one after the other in the extreme East, the eternal city was fearing the disaster of a coming shortage of grain, and from time to time Tertullus, who was prefect at the time, was assailed by the violent threats of the commons, as they anticipated famine, the worst of all ills; and this was utterly unreasonable, since it was no fault of his that food was not brought at the proper time in the ships, which unusually rough weather at sea and adverse gales of wind drove to the nearest harbours, and by the greatness of the danger kept them from entering the Port of Augustus. Therefore that same prefect, since he had often been disquieted by uprisings, and the common people, in fear of imminent destruction, were now raging still more cruelly, being shut off from all hope of saving his life, as he thought, held out his little sons to the wildly riotous populace, who had however been wont to take a sensible view of such accidents, and said with tears: "Behold your fellow citizens, who with you (but may the gods of heaven avert the omen!) will endure the same fate, unless a happier fortune shine upon us. If therefore you think that by the destruction of these no heavy calamity can befall you, here they are in your power." Through pity at this sight the mob, of their own nature inclined to mercy, was appeased and held its peace, awaiting with patience the fortune that should come. And presently by the will of the divine power that gave increase to Rome from its cradle and promised that it should last forever, while Tertullus was sacrificing in the temple of Castor and Pollux at Ostia, a calm smoothed the sea, the wind changed to a gentle southern breeze, and the ships entered the harbour under full sail and again crammed the storehouses with grain. Translation: J.C. Rolfe, Loeb. |