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WHEN Valens was on the point of departing from Constantinople,
Isaac, a monk of great virtue, who feared no danger in the cause of
God, presented himself before him, and addressed him in the following
words: "Give back, O emperor, to the orthodox, and to those who
maintain the Nicene doctrines, the churches of which you have deprived
them, and the victory will be yours." The emperor was offended at
this act of boldness, and commanded that Isaac should be arrested and
kept in chains until his return, when he meant to bring him to justice
for his temerity. Isaac, however, replied, "You will not return
unless you restore the churches." And so in fact it came to pass.
For when Valens marched out with his army, the Goths retreated while
pursued. In his advances he passed by Thrace, and came to
Adrianople. When at not great distance from the barbarians, he found
them encamped in a secure position; and yet he had the rashness to
attack them before he had arranged his own legions in proper order.
His cavalry was dispersed, his infantry compelled to retreat; and,
pursued by the enemy, he dismounted from his horse, and with a few
attendants entered into a small house or tower, where he secreted
himself. The barbarians were in full pursuit, and went beyond the
tower, not suspecting that he had selected it for his place of
concealment. As the last detachment of the barbarians was passing by
the tower, the attendants of the emperor let fly a volley of arrows
from their covert, which immediately led to the exclamation that
Valens was concealed within the building. Those who were a little in
advance heard this exclamation, and made known the news with a shout to
those companions who were in advance of them; and thus the news was
conveyed till it reached the detachments which were foremost in the
pursuit. They returned, and encompassed the tower. They collected
vast quantities of wood from the country around, which they piled up
against the tower, and finally set fire to the mass. A wind which had
happened to arise favored the progress of the conflagration; and in a
short period the tower, with all that it contained, including the
emperor and his attendants, was utterly destroyed. Valens was fifty
years of age. He had reigned thirteen years conjointly with his
brother, and three by himself.
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