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ON the expulsion of Athanasius, which took place about this period,
George persecuted all those throughout Egypt who refused to conform to
his sentiments. The emperor marched into Illyria, and entered
Sirmium, whither Vetranio had repaired by appointment. The soldiers
who had proclaimed him emperor suddenly changed their mind, and saluted
Constantius as sole sovereign, and as Augustus, for both the emperor
and his supporters, strove for this very action. Vetranio perceived
that he was betrayed, and threw himself as a suppliant at the feet of
Constantius. Constantius pitied him indeed, but stripped him of the
imperial ornaments and purple, obliged him to return to private life,
liberally provided for his wants out of the public treasury, and told
him that it was more seemly to an old man to abstain from the cares of
empire and to live in quietude. After terminating these arrangements
in favor of Vetranio, Constantius sent a large army into Italy
against Magnentius. He then conferred the title of Caesar on his
cousin Gallus, and sent him into Syria to defend the provinces of the
East.
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