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Emperor of [the] Romans.[1] This man, through his mother Justina, turned aside from the right faith and was expelled from his imperial rule.[2] And going to Theodosius[3] he was educated in the right faith [sc. by him]: for Theodosius used to tell him that the imperial order is established not through arms, but as the result of good motives. Also "I know", he said, "Valentinian, from the most pious Emperors that [even] when the army is calm, the victory is accomplished successfully, and the enemy, subordinated, becomes tributary [although?] danger has preceded. So it was with Constantine the Great:[4] when he was restored, he destroyed in a shipwreck the tyrant Licinius; and so too your father Valentinian brought the Empire to a more fortunate and harm-free goal from its enemies, with God vindicating him, and he exhibited countless battles and victories beyond belief, destroying many barbarians in various ways. But your uncle Valens, the unhallowed, rending God in pieces, stained the Church through the butchery of the saints and the exile of the priests.[5] [It was he] who, by the will of God, was besieged by the Goths and burned. The one who unjustly cast you out [sc. nevertheless] worships Christ rightly. Your faithlessness made Maximus indifferent [to evil]. If we harm Christ, to whom will we appeal in our fight?" Theodosius, having given these and more pieces of advice to Valentinian, changed his course into the right faith.

*ou)alentiniano/s, basileu\s *(rwmai/wn. ou(=tos dia\ th=s mhtro\s *)iousti/nhs paretra/ph th=s o)rqh=s pi/stews kai\ e)ceblh/qh th=s basilei/as. kai\ e)lqw\n pro\s *qeodo/sion e)paideu/qh th\n o)rqh\n pi/stin: e)/lege ga\r au)tw=| o( *qeodo/sios th\n basilikh\n para/tacin e(sta/nai ou) di' o(/plwn, a)ll' e)c a)gaqw=n profa/sewn. kai/, oi)=da, fhsi/n, *ou)alentiniane/, para\ tw=n eu)sebesta/twn basile/wn, h(suxa/zontos tou= stratope/dou, th\n ni/khn katorqwqei=san kai\ tou\s polemi/ous u(potage/ntas u(potelei=s gegenh=sqai tou= prolabo/ntos kindu/nou. ou(/tw kai\ o( *kwnstanti=nos o( me/gas a)norqwqei\s *liki/nnion to\n tu/rannon e)n nauagi/w| die/fqeiren, ou(/tw kai\ *ou)alentiniano\s o( so\s path\r eu)tuxe/steron th\n basilei/an kai\ a)blabh= para\ tw=n polemi/wn i)qu/nwn e)te/lese, tou= qeou= e)kdikou=ntos au)to/n, kai\ ma/xas a)nariqmh/tous kai\ ni/kas a)pi/stous e)de/cato, pollou\s barba/rous diafo/rws a)nelw/n. *ou)a/lhs de\ o( qei=os o( so\s to\n qeo\n diaspara/ttwn e)mi/ane th\n e)kklhsi/an o( be/bhlos dia\ th=s sfagh=s tw=n a(gi/wn kai\ e)cori/as tw=n i(ere/wn. o(\s th=| tou= qeou= boulh/sei u(po\ tw=n *go/tqwn poliorkhqei\s e)kau/qh. o)rqw=s to\n *xristo\n se/bei o( a)di/kws se e)kbalw/n. h( sh\ a)pisti/a *maci/mw| eu)xe/reian sunh/negken. ei) to\n *xristo\n bla/ptomen, ti/na parakale/somen maxo/menoi; tau=ta kai\ plei/w tou/twn nouqeth/sas *qeodo/sios *ou)alentiniano\n ei)s th\n o)rqh\n pi/stin meth/gagen.

[1] Valentinan II, who succeeded his father and namesake Valentinian I (omicron 762) in 375 and reigned until his murder in 392. The present entry's material comes from George the Monk, Chronicon 565.6-566.15. See De imperatoribus Romanis entry at web address 1 (Walter E. Roberts).
[2] Valentinian was expelled by Maximus (mentioned below), who in 387 invaded Italy. Valentinian and his mother asked for help at the court of Theodosius, Emperor of the East; cf. next note.
[3] Flavius Theodosius, known as Theodosius the Great; see theta 144.
[4] Flavius Valerius Constantinus (kappa 2285); he was considered the most important emperor of Late Antiquity. Constantine’s "legalization and support of Christianity and his foundation of a ‘New Rome’ at Byzantium rank among the most momentous decisions ever made by a European ruler" (Hans A. Pohlsander at web address 2 below).
[5] Flavius Valens, brother of Valentinian I, became Emperor due to Valentinian I's favour. Valens' barbarous cruelty was proverbial as well as his warlike abilities. On Valens see omicron 764.

David Whitehead (modifications to tr; augmented notes and keywords; tweaks and cosmetics) on 17 July 2009@06:03:23.
David Whitehead (cosmetics; raised status) on 30 July 2013@09:01:21.
Catharine Roth (coding) on 10 August 2013@00:12:40.
Catharine Roth (added a link) on 17 February 2021@23:04:52.
Catharine Roth (tweaked translation) on 18 February 2021@14:12:05.

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