Valens Marches Against the Goths and Pays for His Impiety

Valens, however, scorned these excellent counselors. He sent his troops out to join battle, while he himself sat waiting for the victory in a village. His troops could not stand against the barbarians’ charge. They turned and ran, and were cut down one after another as they fled, the Romans fleeing at full speed and the barbarians chasing them with all their might. When Valens heard of the defeat, he tried to hide in the village where he was staying. But when the barbarians came up, they set the place on fire, and burned the enemy of godliness along with it. So in this present life Valens paid the penalty for his errors. [a]