第150章
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  Fromthisfact,andfromsomecollateralexamples,Iconclude,thatunderthesuccessorsofConstantine,themoderatepriceofwheatwasaboutthirty—twoshillingstheEnglishquarter,whichisequaltotheaveragepriceofthesixty—fourfirstyearsofthepresentcentury。SeeArbuthnot\'sTablesofCoins,Weights,andMeasures,p。88,89。Plin。Hist。Natur。xviii。12。Mem。del\'AcademiedesInscriptions,tom。xxviii。p。718—721。Smith\'sInquiryintotheNatureandCausesoftheWealthofNations,vol。

  i。p246。ThislastIamproudtoquoteastheworkofasageandafriend。]

  [Footnote16:Nunquamapropositodeclinabat,Gallisimilisfratris,licetincruentus。Ammian。xxii。14。Theignoranceofthemostenlightenedprincesmayclaimsomeexcuse;butwecannotbesatisfiedwithJulian\'sowndefence,inMisopogon,p。363,369,ortheelaborateapologyofLibanius,Orat。Parentalc。

  xcvii。p。321。]

  [Footnote17:TheirshortandeasyconfinementisgentlytouchedbyLibanius,Orat。Parental。c。xcviii。p。322,323。]

  [Footnote18:Libanius,adAntiochenosdeImperatorisira,c。

  17,18,19,inFabricius,Bibliot。Graec。tom。vii。p。221—223,

  likeaskilfuladvocate,severelycensuresthefollyofthepeople,whosufferedforthecrimeofafewobscureanddrunkenwretches。]

  [Footnote19:LibaniusadAntiochen。c。vii。p。213remindsAntiochoftherecentchastisementofCaesarea;andevenJulianinMisopogon,p。355insinuateshowseverelyTarentumhadexpiatedtheinsulttotheRomanambassadors。]

  [Footnote20:OnthesubjectoftheMisopogon,seeAmmianus,xxii。14,Libanius,Orat。Parentalis,c。xcix。p。323,

  GregoryNazianzen,Orat。iv。p。133andtheChronicleofAntioch,byJohnMalala,tom。ii。p。15,16。IhaveessentialobligationstothetranslationandnotesoftheAbbedelaBleterie,ViedeJovien,tom。ii。p。1—138。]

  [Footnote21:Ammianusveryjustlyremarks,Coactusdissimulareprotemporeirasufflabaturinterna。TheelaborateironyofJulianatlengthburstsforthintoseriousanddirectinvective。]

  [Footnote22:IpseautemAntiochiamegressurus,HeliopolitenquendamAlexandrumSyriacaejurisdictionipraefecit,turbulentumetsaevum;dicebatquenonillummeruisse,sedAntiochensibusavarisetcontumeliosishujusmodijudicemconvenire。Ammian。

  xxiii。2。Libanius,Epist。722,p。346,347,whoconfessestoJulianhimself,thathehadsharedthegeneraldiscontent,pretendsthatAlexanderwasauseful,thoughharsh,reformerofthemannersandreligionofAntioch。]

  [Footnote23:Julian,inMisopogon,p。364。Ammian。xxiii。2,andValesius,adloc。Libanius,inaprofessedoration,inviteshimtoreturntohisloyalandpenitentcityofAntioch。]

  YetAntiochpossessedonecitizen,whosegeniusandvirtuesmightatone,intheopinionofJulian,fortheviceandfollyofhiscountry。ThesophistLibaniuswasborninthecapitaloftheEast;hepubliclyprofessedtheartsofrhetoricanddeclamationatNice,Nicomedia,Constantinople,Athens,and,duringtheremainderofhislife,atAntioch。HisschoolwasassiduouslyfrequentedbytheGrecianyouth;hisdisciples,whosometimesexceededthenumberofeighty,celebratedtheirincomparablemaster;andthejealousyofhisrivals,whopersecutedhimfromonecitytoanother,confirmedthefavorableopinionwhichLibaniusostentatiouslydisplayedofhissuperiormerit。ThepreceptorsofJulianhadextortedarashbutsolemnassurance,thathewouldneverattendthelecturesoftheiradversary:thecuriosityoftheroyalyouthwascheckedandinflamed:hesecretlyprocuredthewritingsofthisdangeroussophist,andgraduallysurpassed,intheperfectimitationofhisstyle,themostlaboriousofhisdomesticpupils。^24WhenJulianascendedthethrone,hedeclaredhisimpatiencetoembraceandrewardtheSyriansophist,whohadpreserved,inadegenerateage,theGrecianpurityoftaste,ofmanners,andofreligion。Theemperor\'sprepossessionwasincreasedandjustifiedbythediscreetprideofhisfavorite。Insteadofpressing,withtheforemostofthecrowd,intothepalaceofConstantinople,LibaniuscalmlyexpectedhisarrivalatAntioch;withdrewfromcourtonthefirstsymptomsofcoldnessandindifference;

  requiredaformalinvitationforeachvisit;andtaughthissovereignanimportantlesson,thathemightcommandtheobedienceofasubject,butthathemustdeservetheattachmentofafriend。Thesophistsofeveryage,despising,oraffectingtodespise,theaccidentaldistinctionsofbirthandfortune,^25

  reservetheiresteemforthesuperiorqualitiesofthemind,withwhichtheythemselvesaresoplentifullyendowed。Julianmightdisdaintheacclamationsofavenalcourt,whoadoredtheImperialpurple;buthewasdeeplyflatteredbythepraise,theadmonition,thefreedom,andtheenvyofanindependentphilosopher,whorefusedhisfavors,lovedhisperson,celebratedhisfame,andprotectedhismemory。ThevoluminouswritingsofLibaniusstillexist;forthemostpart,theyarethevainandidlecompositionsofanorator,whocultivatedthescienceofwords;theproductionsofareclusestudent,whosemind,regardlessofhiscontemporaries,wasincessantlyfixedontheTrojanwarandtheAtheniancommonwealth。YetthesophistofAntiochsometimesdescendedfromthisimaginaryelevation;heentertainedavariousandelaboratecorrespondence;^26hepraisedthevirtuesofhisowntimes;heboldlyarraignedtheabuseofpublicandprivatelife;andheeloquentlypleadedthecauseofAntiochagainstthejustresentmentofJulianandTheodosius。Itisthecommoncalamityofoldage,^27tolosewhatevermighthaverendereditdesirable;butLibaniusexperiencedthepeculiarmisfortuneofsurvivingthereligionandthesciences,towhichhehadconsecratedhisgenius。ThefriendofJulianwasanindignantspectatorofthetriumphofChristianity;andhisbigotry,whichdarkenedtheprospectofthevisibleworld,didnotinspireLibaniuswithanylivelyhopesofcelestialgloryandhappiness。^28

  [Footnote24:Libanius,Orat。Parent。c。vii。p。230,231。]

  [Footnote25:Eunapiusreports,thatLibaniusrefusedthehonoraryrankofPraetorianpraefect,aslessillustriousthanthetitleofSophist,inVit。Sophist。p。135。Thecriticshaveobservedasimilarsentimentinoneoftheepistlesxviii。edit。

  WolfofLibaniushimself。]

  [Footnote26:Neartwothousandofhisletters—amodeofcompositioninwhichLibaniuswasthoughttoexcel—arestillextant,andalreadypublished。Thecriticsmaypraisetheirsubtleandelegantbrevity;yetDr。BentleyDissertationuponPhalaris,p。48mightjustly,thoughquaintlyobserve,that\"youfeel,bytheemptinessanddeadnessofthem,thatyouconversewithsomedreamingpedant,withhiselbowonhisdesk。\"]

  [Footnote27:Hisbirthisassignedtotheyear314。Hementionstheseventy—sixthyearofhisage,A。D。390,andseemstoalludetosomeeventsofastilllaterdate。]

  [Footnote28:Libaniushascomposedthevain,prolix,butcuriousnarrativeofhisownlife,tom。ii。p。1—84,edit。Morell,ofwhichEunapiusp。130—135hasleftaconciseandunfavorableaccount。Amongthemoderns,Tillemont,Hist。desEmpereurs,tom。iv。p。571—576,Fabricius,Bibliot。Graec。tom。vii。p。

  376—414,andLardner,HeathenTestimonies,tom。iv。p。

  127—163,haveillustratedthecharacterandwritingsofthisfamoussophist。]

  ChapterXXIV:TheRetreatAndDeathOfJulian。

  PartII。

  ThemartialimpatienceofJulianurgedhimtotakethefieldinthebeginningofthespring;andhedismissed,withcontemptandreproach,thesenateofAntioch,whoaccompaniedtheemperorbeyondthelimitsoftheirownterritory,towhichhewasresolvednevertoreturn。Afteralaboriousmarchoftwodays,^29hehaltedonthethirdatBeraea,orAleppo,wherehehadthemortificationoffindingasenatealmostentirelyChristian;whoreceivedwithcoldandformaldemonstrationsofrespecttheeloquentsermonoftheapostleofpaganism。ThesonofoneofthemostillustriouscitizensofBeraea,whohadembraced,eitherfrominterestorconscience,thereligionoftheemperor,wasdisinheritedbyhisangryparent。ThefatherandthesonwereinvitedtotheImperialtable。Julian,placinghimselfbetweenthem,attempted,withoutsuccess,toinculcatethelessonandexampleoftoleration;supported,withaffectedcalmness,theindiscreetzealoftheagedChristian,whoseemedtoforgetthesentimentsofnature,andthedutyofasubject;andatlength,turningtowardstheafflictedyouth,\"Sinceyouhavelostafather,\"saidhe,\"formysake,itisincumbentonmetosupplyhisplace。\"^30TheemperorwasreceivedinamannermuchmoreagreeabletohiswishesatBatnae,asmalltownpleasantlyseatedinagroveofcypresses,abouttwentymilesfromthecityofHierapolis。ThesolemnritesofsacrificeweredecentlypreparedbytheinhabitantsofBatnae,whoseemedattachedtotheworshipoftheirtutelardeities,ApolloandJupiter;buttheseriouspietyofJulianwasoffendedbythetumultoftheirapplause;andhetooclearlydiscerned,thatthesmokewhicharosefromtheiraltarswastheincenseofflattery,ratherthanofdevotion。Theancientandmagnificenttemplewhichhadsanctified,forsomanyages,thecityofHierapolis,^31nolongersubsisted;andtheconsecratedwealth,whichaffordedaliberalmaintenancetomorethanthreehundredpriests,mighthastenitsdownfall。YetJulianenjoyedthesatisfactionofembracingaphilosopherandafriend,whosereligiousfirmnesshadwithstoodthepressingandrepeatedsolicitationsofConstantiusandGallus,asoftenasthoseprinceslodgedathishouse,intheirpassagethroughHierapolis。Inthehurryofmilitarypreparation,andthecarelessconfidenceofafamiliarcorrespondence,thezealofJulianappearstohavebeenlivelyanduniform。Hehadnowundertakenanimportantanddifficultwar;andtheanxietyoftheeventrenderedhimstillmoreattentivetoobserveandregisterthemosttriflingpresages,fromwhich,accordingtotherulesofdivination,anyknowledgeoffuturitycouldbederived。^32HeinformedLibaniusofhisprogressasfarasHierapolis,byanelegantepistle,^33whichdisplaysthefacilityofhisgenius,andhistenderfriendshipforthesophistofAntioch。

  [Footnote29:FromAntiochtoLitarbe,ontheterritoryofChalcis,theroad,overhillsandthroughmorasses,wasextremelybad;andtheloosestoneswerecementedonlywithsand,Julian。

  epist。xxvii。ItissingularenoughthattheRomansshouldhaveneglectedthegreatcommunicationbetweenAntiochandtheEuphrates。SeeWesselingItinerar。p。190Bergier,HistdesGrandsChemins,tom。ii。p。100]

  [Footnote30:Julianalludestothisincident,epist。xxvii。,

  whichismoredistinctlyrelatedbyTheodoret,l。iii。c。22。

  TheintolerantspiritofthefatherisapplaudedbyTillemont,Hist。desEmpereurs,tom。iv。p。534。andevenbyLaBleterie,ViedeJulien,p。413。]

  [Footnote*:Thisname,ofSyriacorigin,isfoundintheArabic,andmeansaplaceinavalleywherewatersmeet。Juliansays,thenameofthecityisBarbaric,thesituationGreek。ThegeographerAbulfedatab。Syriac。p。129,edit。KoehlerspeaksofitinamannertojustifythepraisesofJulian。—St。Martin。

  NotestoLeBeau,iii。56。—M。]

  [Footnote31:SeethecurioustreatisedeDeaSyria,insertedamongtheworksofLucian,tom。iii。p。451—490,edit。Reitz。

  ThesingularappellationofNinusvetusAmmian。xiv。8mightinduceasuspicion,thatHeirapolishadbeentheroyalseatoftheAssyrians。]

  [Footnote32:Julianepist。xxviii。keptaregularaccountofallthefortunateomens;buthesuppressestheinauspicioussigns,whichAmmianusxxiii。2hascarefullyrecorded。]

  [Footnote33:Julian。epist。xxvii。p。399—402。]

  Hierapolis,situatealmostonthebanksoftheEuphrates,^34hadbeenappointedforthegeneralrendezvousoftheRomantroops,whoimmediatelypassedthegreatriveronabridgeofboats,whichwaspreviouslyconstructed。^35IftheinclinationsofJulianhadbeensimilartothoseofhispredecessor,hemighthavewastedtheactiveandimportantseasonoftheyearinthecircusofSamosataorinthechurchesofEdessa。Butasthewarlikeemperor,insteadofConstantius,hadchosenAlexanderforhismodel,headvancedwithoutdelaytoCarrhae,^36averyancientcityofMesopotamia,atthedistanceoffourscoremilesfromHierapolis。ThetempleoftheMoonattractedthedevotionofJulian;butthehaltofafewdayswasprincipallyemployedincompletingtheimmensepreparationsofthePersianwar。Thesecretoftheexpeditionhadhithertoremainedinhisownbreast;

  butasCarrhaeisthepointofseparationofthetwogreatroads,hecouldnolongerconcealwhetheritwashisdesigntoattackthedominionsofSaporonthesideoftheTigris,oronthatoftheEuphrates。Theemperordetachedanarmyofthirtythousandmen,underthecommandofhiskinsmanProcopius,andofSebastian,whohadbeendukeofEgypt。TheywereorderedtodirecttheirmarchtowardsNisibis,andtosecurethefrontierfromthedesultoryincursionsoftheenemy,beforetheyattemptedthepassageoftheTigris。Theirsubsequentoperationswerelefttothediscretionofthegenerals;butJulianexpected,thatafterwastingwithfireandswordthefertiledistrictsofMediaandAdiabene,theymightarriveunderthewallsofCtesiphonatthesametimethathehimself,advancingwithequalstepsalongthebanksoftheEuphrates,shouldbesiegethecapitalofthePersianmonarchy。Thesuccessofthiswell—concertedplandepended,inagreatmeasure,onthepowerfulandreadyassistanceofthekingofArmenia,who,withoutexposingthesafetyofhisowndominions,mightdetachanarmyoffourthousandhorse,andtwentythousandfoot,totheassistanceoftheRomans。^37ButthefeebleArsacesTiranus,^38kingofArmenia,haddegeneratedstillmoreshamefullythanhisfatherChosroes,fromthemanlyvirtuesofthegreatTiridates;andasthepusillanimousmonarchwasaversetoanyenterpriseofdangerandglory,hecoulddisguisehistimidindolencebythemoredecentexcusesofreligionandgratitude。HeexpressedapiousattachmenttothememoryofConstantius,fromwhosehandshehadreceivedinmarriageOlympias,thedaughterofthepraefectAblavius;andtheallianceofafemale,whohadbeeneducatedasthedestinedwifeoftheemperorConstans,exaltedthedignityofaBarbarianking。^39TiranusprofessedtheChristianreligion;

  hereignedoveranationofChristians;andhewasrestrained,byeveryprincipleofconscienceandinterest,fromcontributingtothevictory,whichwouldconsummatetheruinofthechurch。ThealienatedmindofTiranuswasexasperatedbytheindiscretionofJulian,whotreatedthekingofArmeniaashisslave,andastheenemyofthegods。ThehaughtyandthreateningstyleoftheImperialmandates^40awakenedthesecretindignationofaprince,who,inthehumiliatingstateofdependence,wasstillconsciousofhisroyaldescentfromtheArsacides,thelordsoftheEast,andtherivalsoftheRomanpower。^!

  [Footnote*:OrBambyce,nowBambouch;ManbedjArab。,orMaboug,Syr。Itwastwenty—fourRomanmilesfromtheEuphrates。—M。]

  [Footnote34:ItaketheearliestopportunityofacknowledgingmyobligationstoM。d\'Anville,forhisrecentgeographyoftheEuphratesandTigris,Paris,1780,in4to。,whichparticularlyillustratestheexpeditionofJulian。]

  [Footnote35:Therearethreepassageswithinafewmilesofeachother;1。Zeugma,celebratedbytheancients;2。Bir,frequentedbythemoderns;and,3。ThebridgeofMenbigz,orHierapolis,atthedistanceoffourparasangsfromthecity。]

  [Footnote*:DjisrManbedjisthesamewiththeancientZeugma。

  St。Martin,iii。58—M。]

  [Footnote36:Haran,orCarrhae,wastheancientresidenceoftheSabaeans,andofAbraham。SeetheIndexGeographicusofSchultens,adcalcemVit。Saladin。,aworkfromwhichIhaveobtainedmuchOrientalknowledgeconcerningtheancientandmoderngeographyofSyriaandtheadjacentcountries。]

  [Footnote*:OnanineditedmedalinthecollectionofthelateM。Tochon。oftheAcademyofInscriptions,itisreadXappan。

  St。Martin。iii60—M。]

  [Footnote37:SeeXenophon。Cyropaed。l。iii。p。189,edit。

  Hutchinson。ArtavasdesmighthavesuppliedMarcAntonywith16,000horse,armedanddisciplinedaftertheParthianmanner,Plutarch,inM。Antonio。tom。v。p。117。]

  [Footnote38:MosesofChoreneHist。Armeniac。l。iii。c。11,p。

  242fixeshisaccessionA。D。354tothe17thyearofConstantius。]

  [Footnote*:ArsacesTiranus,orDiran,hadceasedtoreigntwenty—fiveyearsbefore,in337。TheintermediatechangesinArmenia,andthecharacterofthisArsaces,thesonofDiran,aretracedbyM。St。Martin,atconsiderablelength,inhissupplementtoLeBeau,ii。208—242。AslongashisGrecianqueenOlympiasmaintainedherinfluence,ArsaceswasfaithfultotheRomanandChristianalliance。OntheaccessionofJulian,thesameinfluencemadehisfidelitytowaver;butOlympiashavingbeenpoisonedinthesacramentalbreadbytheagencyofPharandcem,theformerwifeofArsaces,anotherchangetookplaceinArmenianpoliticsunfavorabletotheChristianinterest。ThepatriarchNarsesretiredfromtheimpiouscourttoasafeseclusion。YetPharandsemwasequallyhostiletothePersianinfluence,andArsacesbegantosupportwithvigorthecauseofJulian。HemadeaninroadintothePersiandominionswithabodyofRansandAlansasauxiliaries;wastedAderbidganandSapor,whohadbeendefeatednearTauriz,wasengagedinmakingheadagainsthistroopsinPersarmenia,atthetimeofthedeathofJulian。SuchisM。St。Martin\'sview,ii。276,etsqq。,whichrestsontheArmenianhistorians,FaustosofByzantium,andMezrobthebiographerofthePartriarchNarses。InthehistoryofArmeniabyFatherChamitch,andtranslatedbyAvdall,TiranisstillkingofArmenia,atthetimeofJulian\'sdeath。F。

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