Quod cum acri metu territi duces, concordi precatu fieri prohibere temptarent, neque destinationem flecterent principis, sublato vexillo, ut iussum est, evolant e conspectu quinque subito naves, et cum ripas iam adventarent, facibus et omni materia, qua alitur ignis, petitae assiduis iactibus, cum militibus iam conflagrassent, ni veloci vigore pectoris excitus imperator, signum sibi datum nostros quod margines iam tenerent (ut mandatum est), erexisse proclamans, classem omnem properare citis remigiis adegisset.
His generals in great alarm with unanimous entreaties tried to prevent him from taking this step, but could not shake the emperors determination. The flag was raised according to his orders, and five ships immediately vanished from sight. But no sooner had they reached the opposite bank than they were assailed so persistently with firebrands and every kind of inflammable material, that ships and soldiers would have been consumed, had not the emperor, carried away by the keen vigour of his spirit, cried out that our soldiers had, as directed, raised the signal that they were already in possession of the shore, and ordered the entire fleet to hasten to the spot with all the speed of their oars.
final_alignments\Ammianus_Marcellinus_Book24.json