PartI。
ResidenceOfJulianAtAntioch。—HisSuccessfulExpeditionAgainstThePersians。—PassageOfTheTigris—TheRetreatAndDeathOfJulian。—ElectionOfJovian。—HeSavesTheRomanArmyByADisgracefulTreaty。
ThephilosophicalfablewhichJuliancomposedunderthenameoftheCaesars,^1isoneofthemostagreeableandinstructiveproductionsofancientwit。^2DuringthefreedomandequalityofthedaysoftheSaturnalia,RomuluspreparedafeastforthedeitiesofOlympus,whohadadoptedhimasaworthyassociate,andfortheRomanprinces,whohadreignedoverhismartialpeople,andthevanquishednationsoftheearth。Theimmortalswereplacedinjustorderontheirthronesofstate,andthetableoftheCaesarswasspreadbelowtheMoonintheupperregionoftheair。Thetyrants,whowouldhavedisgracedthesocietyofgodsandmen,werethrownheadlong,bytheinexorableNemesis,intotheTartareanabyss。TherestoftheCaesarssuccessivelyadvancedtotheirseats;andastheypassed,thevices,thedefects,theblemishesoftheirrespectivecharacters,weremaliciouslynoticedbyoldSilenus,alaughingmoralist,whodisguisedthewisdomofaphilosopherunderthemaskofaBacchanal。^3Assoonasthefeastwasended,thevoiceofMercuryproclaimedthewillofJupiter,thatacelestialcrownshouldbetherewardofsuperiormerit。JuliusCaesar,Augustus,Trajan,andMarcusAntoninus,wereselectedasthemostillustriouscandidates;theeffeminateConstantine^4wasnotexcludedfromthishonorablecompetition,andthegreatAlexanderwasinvitedtodisputetheprizeofglorywiththeRomanheroes。
Eachofthecandidateswasallowedtodisplaythemeritofhisownexploits;but,inthejudgmentofthegods,themodestsilenceofMarcuspleadedmorepowerfullythantheelaborateorationsofhishaughtyrivals。Whenthejudgesofthisawfulcontestproceededtoexaminetheheart,andtoscrutinizethespringsofaction,thesuperiorityoftheImperialStoicappearedstillmoredecisiveandconspicuous。^5AlexanderandCaesar,Augustus,Trajan,andConstantine,acknowledged,withablush,thatfame,orpower,orpleasurehadbeentheimportantobjectoftheirlabors:butthegodsthemselvesbeheld,withreverenceandlove,avirtuousmortal,whohadpractisedonthethronethelessonsofphilosophy;andwho,inastateofhumanimperfection,hadaspiredtoimitatethemoralattributesoftheDeity。ThevalueofthisagreeablecompositiontheCaesarsofJulianisenhancedbytherankoftheauthor。Aprince,whodelineates,withfreedom,thevicesandvirtuesofhispredecessors,subscribes,ineveryline,thecensureorapprobationofhisownconduct。
[Footnote1:Seethisfableorsatire,p。306—336oftheLeipsigeditionofJulian'sworks。TheFrenchversionofthelearnedEzekielSpanheimParis,1683iscoarse,languid,andcorrect;
andhisnotes,proofs,illustrations,&c。,arepiledoneachothertilltheyformamassof557close—printedquartopages。
TheAbbe'delaBleterieViedeJovien,tom。i。p。241—393hasmorehappilyexpressedthespirit,aswellasthesense,oftheoriginal,whichheillustrateswithsomeconciseandcuriousnotes。]
[Footnote2:Spanheiminhisprefacehasmostlearnedlydiscussedtheetymology,origin,resemblance,anddisagreementoftheGreeksatyrs,adramaticpiece,whichwasactedafterthetragedy;andtheLatinsatires,fromSatura,amiscellaneouscomposition,eitherinproseorverse。ButtheCaesarsofJulianareofsuchanoriginalcast,thatthecriticisperplexedtowhichclassheshouldascribethem。
Note:SeealsoCasaubondeSatira,withRambach'sobservations。—M。]
[Footnote3:ThismixedcharacterofSilenusisfinelypaintedinthesixtheclogueofVirgil。]
[Footnote4:EveryimpartialreadermustperceiveandcondemnthepartialityofJulianagainsthisuncleConstantine,andtheChristianreligion。Onthisoccasion,theinterpretersarecompelled,byamostsacredinterest,torenouncetheirallegiance,andtodesertthecauseoftheirauthor。]
[Footnote5:JulianwassecretlyinclinedtopreferaGreektoaRoman。Butwhenheseriouslycomparedaherowithaphilosopher,hewassensiblethatmankindhadmuchgreaterobligationstoSocratesthantoAlexander,Orat。adThemistium,p。264。]
Inthecoolmomentsofreflection,JulianpreferredtheusefulandbenevolentvirtuesofAntoninus;buthisambitiousspiritwasinflamedbythegloryofAlexander;andhesolicited,withequalardor,theesteemofthewise,andtheapplauseofthemultitude。Intheseasonoflifewhenthepowersofthemindandbodyenjoythemostactivevigor,theemperorwhowasinstructedbytheexperience,andanimatedbythesuccess,oftheGermanwar,resolvedtosignalizehisreignbysomemoresplendidandmemorableachievement。TheambassadorsoftheEast,fromthecontinentofIndia,andtheIsleofCeylon,^6hadrespectfullysalutedtheRomanpurple。^7ThenationsoftheWestesteemedanddreadedthepersonalvirtuesofJulian,bothinpeaceandwar。
HedespisedthetrophiesofaGothicvictory,andwassatisfiedthattherapaciousBarbariansoftheDanubewouldberestrainedfromanyfutureviolationofthefaithoftreatiesbytheterrorofhisname,andtheadditionalfortificationswithwhichhestrengthenedtheThracianandIllyrianfrontiers。ThesuccessorofCyrusandArtaxerxeswastheonlyrivalwhomhedeemedworthyofhisarms;andheresolved,bythefinalconquestofPersia,tochastisethenaughtynationwhichhadsolongresistedandinsultedthemajestyofRome。^9AssoonasthePersianmonarchwasinformedthatthethroneofConstantiuswasfiledbyaprinceofaverydifferentcharacter,hecondescendedtomakesomeartful,orperhapssincere,overturestowardsanegotiationofpeace。ButtheprideofSaporwasastonishedbythefirmnessofJulian;whosternlydeclared,thathewouldneverconsenttoholdapeacefulconferenceamongtheflamesandruinsofthecitiesofMesopotamia;andwhoadded,withasmileofcontempt,thatitwasneedlesstotreatbyambassadors,ashehimselfhaddeterminedtovisitspeedilythecourtofPersia。Theimpatienceoftheemperorurgedthediligenceofthemilitarypreparations。Thegeneralswerenamed;andJulian,marchingfromConstantinoplethroughtheprovincesofAsiaMinor,arrivedatAntiochabouteightmonthsafterthedeathofhispredecessor。HisardentdesiretomarchintotheheartofPersia,wascheckedbytheindispensabledutyofregulatingthestateoftheempire;byhiszealtorevivetheworshipofthegods;andbytheadviceofhiswisestfriends;whorepresentedthenecessityofallowingthesalutaryintervalofwinterquarters,torestoretheexhaustedstrengthofthelegionsofGaul,andthedisciplineandspiritoftheEasterntroops。Julianwaspersuadedtofix,tilltheensuingspring,hisresidenceatAntioch,amongapeoplemaliciouslydisposedtoderidethehaste,andtocensurethedelays,oftheirsovereign。^10
[Footnote6:IndenationibusIndiciscertatimcumaonisoptimatesmittentibus……abusqueDivisetSerendivis。Ammian。xx。7。
Thisisland,towhichthenamesofTaprobana,Serendib,andCeylon,havebeensuccessivelyapplied,manifestshowimperfectlytheseasandlandstotheeastofCapeComorinwereknowntotheRomans。1。UnderthereignofClaudius,afreedman,whofarmedthecustomsoftheRedSea,wasaccidentallydrivenbythewindsuponthisstrangeandundiscoveredcoast:heconversedsixmonthswiththenatives;andthekingofCeylon,whoheard,forthefirsttime,ofthepowerandjusticeofRome,waspersuadedtosendanembassytotheemperor。Plin。Hist。Nat。vi。24。2。
ThegeographersandevenPtolemyhavemagnified,abovefifteentimes,therealsizeofthisnewworld,whichtheyextendedasfarastheequator,andtheneighborhoodofChina。
Note:ThenameofDivagensorDivorumregio,accordingtotheprobableconjectureofM。Letronne,TroisMem。Acad。p。
127,wasappliedbytheancientstothewholeeasterncoastoftheIndianPeninsula,fromCeylontotheCanges。ThenamemaybetracedinDevipatnam,Devidan,Devicotta,Divinelly,thepointofDivy。
M。Letronne,p。121,considersthefreedmanwithhisembassyfromCeylontohavebeenanimpostor。—M。]
[Footnote7:TheseembassieshadbeensenttoConstantius。
Ammianus,whounwarilydeviatesintogrossflattery,musthaveforgottenthelengthoftheway,andtheshortdurationofthereignofJulian。]
[Footnote8:Gothossaepefallacesetperfidos;hostesquaereresemelioresaiebat:illisenimsufficeremercatorsGalatasperquosubiquesineconditionisdiscriminevenumdantur。Ammian。
xxii。7。Withinlessthanfifteenyears,theseGothicslavesthreatenedandsubduedtheirmasters。]
[Footnote9:AlexanderremindshisrivalCaesar,whodepreciatedthefameandmeritofanAsiaticvictory,thatCrassusandAntonyhadfeltthePersianarrows;andthattheRomans,inawarofthreehundredyears,hadnotyetsubduedthesingleprovinceofMesopotamiaorAssyria,Caesares,p。324。]
[Footnote10:ThedesignofthePersianwarisdeclaredbyAmmianus,xxii。7,12,Libanius,Orat。Parent。c。79,80,p。
305,306,Zosimus,l。iii。p。158,andSocrates,l。iii。c。
19。]
IfJulianhadflatteredhimself,thathispersonalconnectionwiththecapitaloftheEastwouldbeproductiveofmutualsatisfactiontotheprinceandpeople,hemadeaveryfalseestimateofhisowncharacter,andofthemannersofAntioch。^11Thewarmthoftheclimatedisposedthenativestothemostintemperateenjoymentoftranquillityandopulence;andthelivelylicentiousnessoftheGreekswasblendedwiththehereditarysoftnessoftheSyrians。Fashionwastheonlylaw,pleasuretheonlypursuit,andthesplendorofdressandfurniturewastheonlydistinctionofthecitizensofAntioch。
Theartsofluxurywerehonored;theseriousandmanlyvirtueswerethesubjectofridicule;andthecontemptforfemalemodestyandreverentageannouncedtheuniversalcorruptionofthecapitaloftheEast。Theloveofspectacleswasthetaste,orratherpassion,oftheSyrians;themostskilfulartistswereprocuredfromtheadjacentcities;^12aconsiderableshareoftherevenuewasdevotedtothepublicamusements;andthemagnificenceofthegamesofthetheatreandcircuswasconsideredasthehappinessandasthegloryofAntioch。Therusticmannersofaprincewhodisdainedsuchglory,andwasinsensibleofsuchhappiness,soondisgustedthedelicacyofhissubjects;andtheeffeminateOrientalscouldneitherimitate,noradmire,theseveresimplicitywhichJulianalwaysmaintained,andsometimesaffected。Thedaysoffestivity,consecrated,byancientcustom,tothehonorofthegods,weretheonlyoccasionsinwhichJulianrelaxedhisphilosophicseverity;andthosefestivalsweretheonlydaysinwhichtheSyriansofAntiochcouldrejecttheallurementsofpleasure。ThemajorityofthepeoplesupportedthegloryoftheChristianname,whichhadbeenfirstinventedbytheirancestors:^13theycontendedthemselveswithdisobeyingthemoralprecepts,buttheywerescrupulouslyattachedtothespeculativedoctrinesoftheirreligion。ThechurchofAntiochwasdistractedbyheresyandschism;buttheAriansandtheAthanasians,thefollowersofMeletiusandthoseofPaulinus,^14wereactuatedbythesamepioushatredoftheircommonadversary。
[Footnote11:TheSatireofJulian,andtheHomiliesofSt。
Chrysostom,exhibitthesamepictureofAntioch。TheminiaturewhichtheAbbedelaBleteriehascopiedfromthence,ViedeJulian,p。332,iselegantandcorrect。]
[Footnote12:Laodiceafurnishedcharioteers;TyreandBerytus,comedians;Caesarea,pantomimes;Heliopolis,singers;Gaza,gladiators,Ascalon,wrestlers;andCastabala,rope—dancers。SeetheExpositiototiusMundi,p。6,inthethirdtomeofHudson'sMinorGeographers。]
[Footnote13:ThepeopleofAntiochingenuouslyprofessedtheirattachmenttotheChi,Christ,andtheKappa,Constantius。
JulianinMisopogon,p。357。]
[Footnote14:TheschismofAntioch,whichlastedeighty—fiveyears,A。D。330—415,wasinflamed,whileJulianresidedinthatcity,bytheindiscreetordinationofPaulinus。SeeTillemont,Mem。Eccles。tom。iii。p。803ofthequartoedition,Paris,1701,&c,whichhenceforwardIshallquote。]
Thestrongestprejudicewasentertainedagainstthecharacterofanapostate,theenemyandsuccessorofaprincewhohadengagedtheaffectionsofaverynumeroussect;andtheremovalofSt。BabylasexcitedanimplacableoppositiontothepersonofJulian。Hissubjectscomplained,withsuperstitiousindignation,thatfaminehadpursuedtheemperor'sstepsfromConstantinopletoAntioch;andthediscontentofahungrypeoplewasexasperatedbytheinjudiciousattempttorelievetheirdistress。TheinclemencyoftheseasonhadaffectedtheharvestsofSyria;andthepriceofbread,^15inthemarketsofAntioch,hadnaturallyriseninproportiontothescarcityofcorn。Butthefairandreasonableproportionwassoonviolatedbytherapaciousartsofmonopoly。Inthisunequalcontest,inwhichtheproduceofthelandisclaimedbyonepartyashisexclusiveproperty,isusedbyanotherasalucrativeobjectoftrade,andisrequiredbyathirdforthedailyandnecessarysupportoflife,alltheprofitsoftheintermediateagentsareaccumulatedontheheadofthedefencelesscustomers。Thehardshipsoftheirsituationwereexaggeratedandincreasedbytheirownimpatienceandanxiety;andtheapprehensionofascarcitygraduallyproducedtheappearancesofafamine。WhentheluxuriouscitizensofAntiochcomplainedofthehighpriceofpoultryandfish,Julianpubliclydeclared,thatafrugalcityoughttobesatisfiedwitharegularsupplyofwine,oil,andbread;butheacknowledged,thatitwasthedutyofasovereigntoprovideforthesubsistenceofhispeople。Withthissalutaryview,theemperorventuredonaverydangerousanddoubtfulstep,offixing,bylegalauthority,thevalueofcorn。Heenacted,that,inatimeofscarcity,itshouldbesoldatapricewhichhadseldombeenknowninthemostplentifulyears;andthathisownexamplemightstrengthenhislaws,hesentintothemarketfourhundredandtwenty—twothousandmodii,ormeasures,whichweredrawnbyhisorderfromthegranariesofHierapolis,ofChalcis,andevenofEgypt。Theconsequencesmighthavebeenforeseen,andweresoonfelt。TheImperialwheatwaspurchasedbytherichmerchants;theproprietorsofland,orofcorn,withheldfromthecitytheaccustomedsupply;andthesmallquantitiesthatappearedinthemarketweresecretlysoldatanadvancedandillegalprice。Julianstillcontinuedtoapplaudhisownpolicy,treatedthecomplaintsofthepeopleasavainandungratefulmurmur,andconvincedAntiochthathehadinheritedtheobstinacy,thoughnotthecruelty,ofhisbrotherGallus。^16Theremonstrancesofthemunicipalsenateservedonlytoexasperatehisinflexiblemind。Hewaspersuaded,perhapswithtruth,thatthesenatorsofAntiochwhopossessedlands,orwereconcernedintrade,hadthemselvescontributedtothecalamitiesoftheircountry;andheimputedthedisrespectfulboldnesswhichtheyassumed,tothesense,notofpublicduty,butofprivateinterest。Thewholebody,consistingoftwohundredofthemostnobleandwealthycitizens,weresent,underaguard,fromthepalacetotheprison;andthoughtheywerepermitted,beforethecloseofevening,toreturntotheirrespectivehouses,^17theemperorhimselfcouldnotobtaintheforgivenesswhichhehadsoeasilygranted。Thesamegrievanceswerestillthesubjectofthesamecomplaints,whichwereindustriouslycirculatedbythewitandlevityoftheSyrianGreeks。DuringthelicentiousdaysoftheSaturnalia,thestreetsofthecityresoundedwithinsolentsongs,whichderidedthelaws,thereligion,thepersonalconduct,andeventhebeard,oftheemperor;thespiritofAntiochwasmanifestedbytheconnivanceofthemagistrates,andtheapplauseofthemultitude。^18ThediscipleofSocrateswastoodeeplyaffectedbythesepopularinsults;butthemonarch,endowedwithaquicksensibility,andpossessedofabsolutepower,refusedhispassionsthegratificationofrevenge。Atyrantmighthaveproscribed,withoutdistinction,thelivesandfortunesofthecitizensofAntioch;andtheunwarlikeSyriansmusthavepatientlysubmittedtothelust,therapaciousnessandthecruelty,ofthefaithfullegionsofGaul。
AmildersentencemighthavedeprivedthecapitaloftheEastofitshonorsandprivileges;andthecourtiers,perhapsthesubjects,ofJulian,wouldhaveapplaudedanactofjustice,whichassertedthedignityofthesuprememagistrateoftherepublic。^19Butinsteadofabusing,orexerting,theauthorityofthestate,torevengehispersonalinjuries,Juliancontentedhimselfwithaninoffensivemodeofretaliation,whichitwouldbeinthepoweroffewprincestoemploy。Hehadbeeninsultedbysatiresandlibels;inhisturn,hecomposed,underthetitleoftheEnemyoftheBeard,anironicalconfessionofhisownfaults,andaseveresatireonthelicentiousandeffeminatemannersofAntioch。ThisImperialreplywaspubliclyexposedbeforethegatesofthepalace;andtheMisopogon^20stillremainsasingularmonumentoftheresentment,thewit,thehumanity,andtheindiscretionofJulian。Thoughheaffectedtolaugh,hecouldnotforgive。^21Hiscontemptwasexpressed,andhisrevengemightbegratified,bythenominationofagovernor^22worthyonlyofsuchsubjects;andtheemperor,foreverrenouncingtheungratefulcity,proclaimedhisresolutiontopasstheensuingwinteratTarsusinCilicia。^23
[Footnote15:Julianstatesthreedifferentproportions,offive,ten,orfifteenmediiofwheatforonepieceofgold,accordingtothedegreesofplentyandscarcity,inMisopogon,p。369。