The Usurper Eugenius and the Victory Theodosius Won by Faith

In this way the most religious emperor secured the peace of the churches. Before that peace was made, he had heard of the death of Valentinian and the usurpation of Eugenius, and had marched for Europe. [a] At this time there lived in Egypt a man named John, who had taken up the ascetic life. Being full of spiritual grace, he foretold many future events to people who came to consult him from time to time. The Christ-loving emperor sent to him, anxious to know whether he ought to make war on the usurpers. For the earlier war, John had foretold a bloodless victory. For the second, he predicted that the emperor would win only after great slaughter. With this expectation the emperor set out. While drawing up his forces he shot down many of his opponents, but he lost many of his barbarian allies. [b]

His generals pointed out that the forces on their side were few. They advised him to allow a pause in the campaign, so that he could gather an army at the beginning of spring and outnumber the enemy. Theodosius refused to listen to their advice. “It is wrong,” he said, “to charge the Cross of Salvation with such weakness, for it is the cross that leads our troops, and to credit such power to the image of Hercules that goes at the head of our enemy’s forces.” So he spoke in true faith, though the men left to him were few and very discouraged. Then he found a little house of prayer on the top of the hill where his camp was pitched, and he spent the whole night there praying to the God of all. About cockcrow sleep overcame him. As he lay on the ground, he thought he saw two men dressed in white, riding on white horses. They told him to take heart and drive away his fear, and at dawn to arm his men and draw them up for battle. “For we have been sent to fight for you,” they said. One said, “I am John the evangelist,” and the other, “I am Philip the apostle.”

After he had seen this vision, the emperor did not stop his prayers but kept them up with still greater eagerness. The vision was also seen by a soldier in the ranks, who reported it to his centurion. The centurion brought him to the tribune, and the tribune to the general. The general thought he was telling something new, and he reported the story to the emperor. Then Theodosius said: “This man has not seen this vision for my sake, for I have already put my trust in those who promised me the victory. But so that no one could suppose I had invented this vision because I was eager for battle, the protector of my empire has given the news to this man too. He is to bear witness to the truth of what I say when I tell you that our Lord granted this vision to me first. “So let us throw off our fear. Let us follow those who fight in our front rank and our generals. Let no one weigh the chance of victory by the number of men engaged; let each one keep in mind the power of our leaders.” He spoke to his men in the same way, and after filling his whole army with high hope, he led them down from the crest of the hill. The usurper saw the army coming to attack him from a distance, and then he armed his forces and drew them up for battle. He himself stayed on some high ground. He said that the emperor wanted to die, and was coming into battle because he wished to be released from this present life; so he ordered his generals to bring him in alive and in chains. When the armies were drawn up in battle order, the enemy’s forces looked far more numerous, and the emperor’s troops could easily be counted. But when both sides had begun to let fly their weapons, those who fought in the front rank proved their promises true. A violent wind blew straight into the faces of the enemy and turned aside their arrows and javelins and spears, so that none of their missiles was of any use to them. Not a horseman, archer or spearman could do any harm to the emperor’s army. Huge clouds of dust too were driven into their faces, forcing them to shut their eyes and protect them from the attack. The emperor’s forces, on the other hand, did not suffer the slightest harm from the storm, and they attacked vigorously and cut down the enemy. Then the defeated recognized the divine help given to their conquerors. They threw away their arms and begged the emperor to spare them. Theodosius gave in to their pleading, had compassion on them, and ordered them to bring the usurper before him at once. Eugenius did not know how the day had gone. When he saw his men running up the little hill where he sat, all out of breath and showing their eagerness by their panting, he took them for messengers of victory. He asked whether they had brought Theodosius in chains, as he had ordered. “No,” they said. “We are not bringing him to you. We have come to carry you off to him, for so the great Ruler has decreed.” Even as they spoke, they lifted him from his chariot, put chains on him, and carried him off in fetters. So they led away as a prisoner of war the man who had been an empty boaster only a short hour before.

The emperor reminded him of the wrongs he had done to Valentinian, of the authority he had seized, and of the wars he had waged against the rightful emperor. He also mocked the figure of Hercules and the foolish confidence it had given him. At last he passed the sentence of just and lawful punishment. Such was Theodosius in peace and in war: always asking for the help of God, and never refused it. [d]