[Footnote48:Aristot。ap。Julian。p。261。TheMS。ofVossius,unsatisfiedwiththesinglebeast,affordsthestrongerreadingofwhichtheexperienceofdespotismmaywarrant。]
[Footnote49:LibaniusOrat。Parentalis,c。lxxxiv。lxxxv。p。
310,311,312hasgiventhisinterestingdetailoftheprivatelifeofJulian。HehimselfinMisopogon,p。350mentionshisvegetablediet,andupbraidsthegrossandsensualappetiteofthepeopleofAntioch。]
[Footnote50:Lectulus……Vestaliumtorispurior,isthepraisewhichMamertinusPanegyr。Vet。xi。13addressestoJulianhimself。Libaniusaffirms,insoberperemptorylanguage,thatJulianneverknewawomanbeforehismarriage,orafterthedeathofhiswife,Orat。Parent。c。lxxxviii。p。313。ThechastityofJulianisconfirmedbytheimpartialtestimonyofAmmianus,xxv。4,andthepartialsilenceoftheChristians。
YetJulianironicallyurgesthereproachofthepeopleofAntioch,thathealmostalwaysinMisopogon,p。345layalone。
ThissuspiciousexpressionisexplainedbytheAbbedelaBleterieHist。deJovien,tom。ii。p。103—109withcandorandingenuity。]
[Footnote51:SeeSalmasiusadSuetoninClaud。c。xxi。A
twenty—fifthrace,ormissus,wasadded,tocompletethenumberofonehundredchariots,fourofwhich,thefourcolors,startedeachheat。
Centumquadrijugosagitaboadfluminacurrus。
Itappears,thattheyranfiveorseventimesroundtheMotaSuetoninDomitian。c。4;andfromthemeasureoftheCircusMaximusatRome,theHippodromeatConstantinople,&c。itmightbeaboutafourmilecourse。]
[Footnote52:Julian。inMisopogon,p。340。JuliusCaesarhadoffendedtheRomanpeoplebyreadinghisdespatchesduringtheactualrace。Augustusindulgedtheirtaste,orhisown,byhisconstantattentiontotheimportantbusinessoftheCircus,forwhichheprofessedthewarmestinclination。Sueton。inAugust。c。
xlv。]
ThereformationoftheImperialcourtwasoneofthefirstandmostnecessaryactsofthegovernmentofJulian。^53SoonafterhisentranceintothepalaceofConstantinople,hehadoccasionfortheserviceofabarber。Anofficer,magnificentlydressed,immediatelypresentedhimself。"Itisabarber,"
exclaimedtheprince,withaffectedsurprise,"thatIwant,andnotareceiver—generalofthefinances。"^54Hequestionedthemanconcerningtheprofitsofhisemploymentandwasinformed,thatbesidesalargesalary,andsomevaluableperquisites,heenjoyedadailyallowancefortwentyservants,andasmanyhorses。Athousandbarbers,athousandcup—bearers,athousandcooks,weredistributedintheseveralofficesofluxury;andthenumberofeunuchscouldbecomparedonlywiththeinsectsofasummer'sday。Themonarchwhoresignedtohissubjectsthesuperiorityofmeritandvirtue,wasdistinguishedbytheoppressivemagnificenceofhisdress,histable,hisbuildings,andhistrain。ThestatelypalaceserectedbyConstantineandhissons,weredecoratedwithmanycoloredmarbles,andornamentsofmassygold。Themostexquisitedaintieswereprocured,togratifytheirpride,ratherthantheirtaste;birdsofthemostdistantclimates,fishfromthemostremoteseas,fruitsoutoftheirnaturalseason,winterroses,andsummersnows。^56Thedomesticcrowdofthepalacesurpassedtheexpenseofthelegions;yetthesmallestpartofthiscostlymultitudewassubservienttotheuse,oreventothesplendor,ofthethrone。
Themonarchwasdisgraced,andthepeoplewasinjured,bythecreationandsaleofaninfinitenumberofobscure,andeventitularemployments;andthemostworthlessofmankindmightpurchasetheprivilegeofbeingmaintained,withoutthenecessityoflabor,fromthepublicrevenue。Thewasteofanenormoushousehold,theincreaseoffeesandperquisites,whichweresoonclaimedasalawfuldebt,andthebribeswhichtheyextortedfromthosewhofearedtheirenmity,orsolicitedtheirfavor,suddenlyenrichedthesehaughtymenials。Theyabusedtheirfortune,withoutconsideringtheirpast,ortheirfuture,condition;andtheirrapineandvenalitycouldbeequalledonlybytheextravaganceoftheirdissipations。Theirsilkenrobeswereembroideredwithgold,theirtableswereservedwithdelicacyandprofusion;thehouseswhichtheybuiltfortheirownuse,wouldhavecoveredthefarmofanancientconsul;andthemosthonorablecitizenswereobligedtodismountfromtheirhorses,andrespectfullytosaluteaeunuchwhomtheymetonthepublichighway。TheluxuryofthepalaceexcitedthecontemptandindignationofJulian,whousuallysleptontheground,whoyieldedwithreluctancetotheindispensablecallsofnature;andwhoplacedhisvanity,notinemulating,butindespising,thepompofroyalty。
[Footnote53:ThereformationofthepalaceisdescribedbyAmmianus,xxii。4,Libanius,Orat。Parent。c。lxii。p。288,&c。,Mamertinus,inPanegyr。Vet。xi。11,Socrates,l。iii。c。
l。,andZonaras,tom。ii。l。xiii。p。24。]
[Footnote54:Egononrationalemjussisedtonsoremacciri。
Zonarasusesthelessnaturalimageofasenator。Yetanofficerofthefinances,whowassatisfiedwithwealth,mightdesireandobtainthehonorsofthesenate。]
[Footnote56:TheexpressionsofMamertinusarelivelyandforcible。QuisetiamprandiorumetcaenarumlaboratasmagnitudinesRomanuspopulussensit;cumquaesitissimaedapesnongustuseddifficultatibusaestimarentur;miraculaavium,longinquimarispisces,ahenitemporispoma,aestivaenives,hybernaerosae]
Bythetotalextirpationofamischiefwhichwasmagnifiedevenbeyonditsrealextent,hewasimpatienttorelievethedistress,andtoappeasethemurmursofthepeople;whosupportwithlessuneasinesstheweightoftaxes,iftheyareconvincedthatthefruitsoftheirindustryareappropriatedtotheserviceofthestate。Butintheexecutionofthissalutarywork,Julianisaccusedofproceedingwithtoomuchhasteandinconsiderateseverity。Byasingleedict,hereducedthepalaceofConstantinopletoanimmensedesert,anddismissedwithignominythewholetrainofslavesanddependants,^57withoutprovidinganyjust,oratleastbenevolent,exceptions,fortheage,theservices,orthepoverty,ofthefaithfuldomesticsoftheImperialfamily。SuchindeedwasthetemperofJulian,whoseldomrecollectedthefundamentalmaximofAristotle,thattruevirtueisplacedatanequaldistancebetweentheoppositevices。
ThesplendidandeffeminatedressoftheAsiatics,thecurlsandpaint,thecollarsandbracelets,whichhadappearedsoridiculousinthepersonofConstantine,wereconsistentlyrejectedbyhisphilosophicsuccessor。Butwiththefopperies,Julianaffectedtorenouncethedecenciesofdress;andseemedtovaluehimselfforhisneglectofthelawsofcleanliness。Inasatiricalperformance,whichwasdesignedforthepubliceye,theemperordescantswithpleasure,andevenwithpride,onthelengthofhisnails,andtheinkyblacknessofhishands;
protests,thatalthoughthegreatestpartofhisbodywascoveredwithhair,theuseoftherazorwasconfinedtohisheadalone;
andcelebrates,withvisiblecomplacency,theshaggyandpopulous^58beard,whichhefondlycherished,aftertheexampleofthephilosophersofGreece。HadJulianconsultedthesimpledictatesofreason,thefirstmagistrateoftheRomanswouldhavescornedtheaffectationofDiogenes,aswellasthatofDarius。
[Footnote57:YetJulianhimselfwasaccusedofbestowingwholetownsontheeunuchs,Orat。vii。againstPolyclet。p。117—127。
Libaniuscontentshimselfwithacoldbutpositivedenialofthefact,whichseemsindeedtobelongmoreproperlytoConstantius。
Thischarge,however,mayalludetosomeunknowncircumstance。]
[Footnote58:IntheMisopogonp。338,339hedrawsaverysingularpictureofhimself,andthefollowingwordsarestrangelycharacteristic。ThefriendsoftheAbbedelaBleterieadjuredhim,inthenameoftheFrenchnation,nottotranslatethispassage,sooffensivetotheirdelicacy,Hist。deJovien,tom。ii。p。94。Likehim,Ihavecontentedmyselfwithatransientallusion;butthelittleanimalwhichJuliannames,isabeastfamiliartoman,andsignifieslove。]
Buttheworkofpublicreformationwouldhaveremainedimperfect,ifJulianhadonlycorrectedtheabuses,withoutpunishingthecrimes,ofhispredecessor'sreign。"Wearenowdelivered,"sayshe,inafamiliarlettertooneofhisintimatefriends,"wearenowsurprisinglydeliveredfromthevoraciousjawsoftheHydra。^59IdonotmeantoapplytheepithettomybrotherConstantius。Heisnomore;maytheearthlielightonhishead!Buthisartfulandcruelfavoritesstudiedtodeceiveandexasperateaprince,whosenaturalmildnesscannotbepraisedwithoutsomeeffortsofadulation。Itisnot,however,myintention,thateventhosemenshouldbeoppressed:theyareaccused,andtheyshallenjoythebenefitofafairandimpartialtrial。"Toconductthisinquiry,Juliannamedsixjudgesofthehighestrankinthestateandarmy;andashewishedtoescapethereproachofcondemninghispersonalenemies,hefixedthisextraordinarytribunalatChalcedon,ontheAsiaticsideoftheBosphorus;andtransferredtothecommissionersanabsolutepowertopronounceandexecutetheirfinalsentence,withoutdelay,andwithoutappeal。TheofficeofpresidentwasexercisedbythevenerablepraefectoftheEast,asecondSallust,^60whosevirtuesconciliatedtheesteemofGreeksophists,andofChristianbishops。HewasassistedbytheeloquentMamertinus,^61oneoftheconsulselect,whosemeritisloudlycelebratedbythedoubtfulevidenceofhisownapplause。Butthecivilwisdomoftwomagistrateswasoverbalancedbytheferociousviolenceoffourgenerals,Nevitta,Agilo,Jovinus,andArbetio。Arbetio,whomthepublicwouldhaveseenwithlesssurpriseatthebarthanonthebench,wassupposedtopossessthesecretofthecommission;thearmedandangryleadersoftheJovianandHerculianbandsencompassedthetribunal;andthejudgeswerealternatelyswayedbythelawsofjustice,andbytheclamorsoffaction。^62
[Footnote59:Julian,epist。xxiii。p。389。HeusesthewordsinwritingtohisfriendHermogenes,who,likehimself,wasconversantwiththeGreekpoets。]
[Footnote60:ThetwoSallusts,thepraefectofGaul,andthepraefectoftheEast,mustbecarefullydistinguished,Hist。desEmpereurs,tom。iv。p。696。IhaveusedthesurnameofSecundus,asaconvenientepithet。ThesecondSallustextortedtheesteemoftheChristiansthemselves;andGregoryNazianzen,whocondemnedhisreligion,hascelebratedhisvirtues,Orat。iii。
p。90。SeeacuriousnoteoftheAbbedelaBleterie,ViedeJulien,p。363。
Note:Gibbonussecundumhabetpronumero,quodtamenestviriagnomenWagner,notainloc。Amm。Itisnotamistake;itisratheranerrorintaste。WagnerinclinestotransferthechiefguilttoArbetio。—M。]
[Footnote61:Mamertinuspraisestheemperorxi。l。forbestowingtheofficesofTreasurerandPraefectonamanofwisdom,firmness,integrity,&c。,likehimself。YetAmmianusrankshimxxi。l。amongtheministersofJulian,quorummeritanoratetfidem。]
[Footnote62:TheproceedingsofthischamberofjusticearerelatedbyAmmianus,xxii。3,andpraisedbyLibanius,Orat。
Parent。c。74,p。299,300。]
ThechamberlainEusebius,whohadsolongabusedthefavorofConstantius,expiated,byanignominiousdeath,theinsolence,thecorruption,andcrueltyofhisservilereign。TheexecutionsofPaulandApodemiustheformerofwhomwasburntalivewereacceptedasaninadequateatonementbythewidowsandorphansofsomanyhundredRomans,whomthoselegaltyrantshadbetrayedandmurdered。ButjusticeherselfifwemayusethepatheticexpressionofAmmianus^63appearedtoweepoverthefateofUrsulus,thetreasureroftheempire;andhisbloodaccusedtheingratitudeofJulian,whosedistresshadbeenseasonablyrelievedbytheintrepidliberalityofthathonestminister。Therageofthesoldiers,whomhehadprovokedbyhisindiscretion,wasthecauseandtheexcuseofhisdeath;andtheemperor,deeplywoundedbyhisownreproachesandthoseofthepublic,offeredsomeconsolationtothefamilyofUrsulus,bytherestitutionofhisconfiscatedfortunes。Beforetheendoftheyearinwhichtheyhadbeenadornedwiththeensignsoftheprefectureandconsulship,^64TaurusandFlorentiuswerereducedtoimploretheclemencyoftheinexorabletribunalofChalcedon。
TheformerwasbanishedtoVercellaeinItaly,andasentenceofdeathwaspronouncedagainstthelatter。AwiseprinceshouldhaverewardedthecrimeofTaurus:thefaithfulminister,whenhewasnolongerabletoopposetheprogressofarebel,hadtakenrefugeinthecourtofhisbenefactorandhislawfulsovereign。
ButtheguiltofFlorentiusjustifiedtheseverityofthejudges;
andhisescapeservedtodisplaythemagnanimityofJulian,whonoblycheckedtheinteresteddiligenceofaninformer,andrefusedtolearnwhatplaceconcealedthewretchedfugitivefromhisjustresentment。^65SomemonthsafterthetribunalofChalcedonhadbeendissolved,thepraetorianvicegerentofAfrica,thenotaryGaudentius,andArtemius^66dukeofEgypt,wereexecutedatAntioch。Artemiushadreignedthecruelandcorrupttyrantofagreatprovince;Gaudentiushadlongpractisedtheartsofcalumnyagainsttheinnocent,thevirtuous,andeventhepersonofJulianhimself。Yetthecircumstancesoftheirtrialandcondemnationweresounskillfullymanaged,thatthesewickedmenobtained,inthepublicopinion,thegloryofsufferingfortheobstinateloyaltywithwhichtheyhadsupportedthecauseofConstantius。Therestofhisservantswereprotectedbyageneralactofoblivion;andtheywerelefttoenjoywithimpunitythebribeswhichtheyhadaccepted,eithertodefendtheoppressed,ortooppressthefriendless。Thismeasure,which,onthesoundestprinciplesofpolicy,maydeserveourapprobation,wasexecutedinamannerwhichseemedtodegradethemajestyofthethrone。Julianwastormentedbytheimportunitiesofamultitude,particularlyofEgyptians,wholoudlyredemandedthegiftswhichtheyhadimprudentlyorillegallybestowed;heforesawtheendlessprosecutionofvexatioussuits;andheengagedapromise,whichoughtalwaystohavebeensacred,thatiftheywouldrepairtoChalcedon,hewouldmeettheminperson,tohearanddeterminetheircomplaints。Butassoonastheywerelanded,heissuedanabsoluteorder,whichprohibitedthewatermenfromtransportinganyEgyptiantoConstantinople;andthusdetainedhisdisappointedclientsontheAsiaticshoretill,theirpatienceandmoneybeingutterlyexhausted,theywereobligedtoreturnwithindignantmurmurstotheirnativecountry。^67
[Footnote63:Ursuliveronecemipsamihivideturflessejustitia。Libanius,whoimputeshisdeathtothesoldiers,attemptstocriminatethecourtofthelargesses。]
[Footnote64:Suchrespectwasstillentertainedforthevenerablenamesofthecommonwealth,thatthepublicwassurprisedandscandalizedtohearTaurussummonedasacriminalundertheconsulshipofTaurus。ThesummonsofhiscolleagueFlorentiuswasprobablydelayedtillthecommencementoftheensuingyear。]
[Footnote65:Ammian。xx。7。]
[Footnote66:FortheguiltandpunishmentofArtemius,seeJulianEpist。x。p。379andAmmianus,xxii。6,andVales,adhoc。ThemeritofArtemius,whodemolishedtemples,andwasputtodeathbyanapostate,hastemptedtheGreekandLatinchurchestohonorhimasamartyr。Butasecclesiasticalhistoryatteststhathewasnotonlyatyrant,butanArian,itisnotaltogethereasytojustifythisindiscreetpromotion。Tillemont,Mem。
Eccles。tom。vii。p。1319。]
[Footnote67:SeeAmmian。xxii。6,andVales,adlocum;andtheCodexTheodosianus,l。ii。tit。xxxix。leg。i。;andGodefroy'sCommentary,tom。i。p。218,adlocum。]
ChapterXXII:JulianDeclaredEmperor。
PartIV。
Thenumerousarmyofspies,ofagents,andinformersenlistedbyConstantiustosecurethereposeofoneman,andtointerruptthatofmillions,wasimmediatelydisbandedbyhisgeneroussuccessor。Julianwasslowinhissuspicions,andgentleinhispunishments;andhiscontemptoftreasonwastheresultofjudgment,ofvanity,andofcourage。Consciousofsuperiormerit,hewaspersuadedthatfewamonghissubjectswoulddaretomeethiminthefield,toattempthislife,oreventoseatthemselvesonhisvacantthrone。Thephilosophercouldexcusethehastysalliesofdiscontent;andtheherocoulddespisetheambitiousprojectswhichsurpassedthefortuneortheabilitiesoftherashconspirators。AcitizenofAncyrahadpreparedforhisownuseapurplegarment;andthisindiscreetaction,which,underthereignofConstantius,wouldhavebeenconsideredasacapitaloffence,^68wasreportedtoJulianbytheofficiousimportunityofaprivateenemy。Themonarch,aftermakingsomeinquiryintotherankandcharacterofhisrival,despatchedtheinformerwithapresentofapairofpurpleslippers,tocompletethemagnificenceofhisImperialhabit。A
moredangerousconspiracywasformedbytenofthedomesticguards,whohadresolvedtoassassinateJulianinthefieldofexercisenearAntioch。Theirintemperancerevealedtheirguilt;
andtheywereconductedinchainstothepresenceoftheirinjuredsovereign,who,afteralivelyrepresentationofthewickednessandfollyoftheirenterprise,insteadofadeathoftorture,whichtheydeservedandexpected,pronouncedasentenceofexileagainstthetwoprincipaloffenders。TheonlyinstanceinwhichJulianseemedtodepartfromhisaccustomedclemency,wastheexecutionofarashyouth,who,withafeeblehand,hadaspiredtoseizethereinsofempire。ButthatyouthwasthesonofMarcellus,thegeneralofcavalry,who,inthefirstcampaignoftheGallicwar,haddesertedthestandardoftheCaesarandtherepublic。Withoutappearingtoindulgehispersonalresentment,Julianmighteasilyconfoundthecrimeofthesonandofthefather;buthewasreconciledbythedistressofMarcellus,andtheliberalityoftheemperorendeavoredtohealthewoundwhichhadbeeninflictedbythehandofjustice。^69
[Footnote68:ThepresidentMontesquieuConsiderationssurlaGrandeur,&c。,desRomains,c。xiv。inhisworks,tom。iii。p。
448,449,excusesthisminuteandabsurdtyranny,bysupposingthatactionsthemostindifferentinoureyesmightexcite,inaRomanmind,theideaofguiltanddanger。ThisstrangeapologyissupportedbyastrangemisapprehensionoftheEnglishlaws,"chezunenation……ouilestdefendudaboirealasanted'unecertainepersonne。"]
[Footnote69:TheclemencyofJulian,andtheconspiracywhichwasformedagainsthislifeatAntioch,aredescribedbyAmmianusxxii。9,10,andVales,adloc。andLibanius,Orat。Parent。c。
99,p。323。]