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Under the consulate of Gratian and Dagalaifus in the following year,
the war was begun. For as soon as the usurper Procopius, leaving
Constantinople, began his march at the head of his army toward the
emperor, Valens hastened from Antioch, and came to an engagement
with him near a city of Phrygia, called Nacolia. In the first
encounter he was defeated; but soon after he took Procopius alive,
through the treachery of Agilo and Gomarius, two of his generals,
whom he subjected to the most extraordinary punishments. The traitors
he caused to be executed by being sawn asunder, disregarding the oaths
he had sworn to them. Two trees standing near each other being
forcibly bowed down, one of the usurper's legs was fastened to each of
them, after which the trees being suddenly permitted to recover their
erect position, by their rise rent the tyrant into two parts; and thus
torn apart the usurper perished.
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