 Section 33 of the Great Events by Famous Historians Volume 3 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in a public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Mike Botez The Great Events by Famous Historians Volume 3 Edited by Charles F. Horn, Roseter Johnson and John Rudd Foundation of Constantinople A.D. 330 By Edward Gibbon On the eastern part of the site of Constantinople stood the ancient Greek city of Byzantium said to have been founded in the 7th century BC From its situation on the Bosphorus it enjoyed great advantages as a trading center and was especially noted for its control of the corn supply There were also fisheries from which vast wealth was derived After the Battle of Plateia, BC 479 which put an end to the Persian invasion of Greece Byzantium was recolonized In the later Grecian Wars it was many times taken being besieged in the year BC 339 by Philip of Macedon and relieved by Fockeon Soon after this it formed an alliance with Alexander the Great But the city was then's fourth continually harassed by enemies and never regained its former prosperity About the year BC 277 it was menaced by the Gauls to whom the Byzantines were forced to pay tribute When those invaders had been driven back by the Thracian tribes these in turn exacted from Byzantium-like payments and to increase its revenues the city taxed all vessels entering the Eucsene This led BC 220 to war with Rhodes instigated by aggrieved merchants in different parts of the world the result of which was that the Byzantines levied no more tribute on ships By treaty BC 148 Byzantium entered into relations with Rome then engaged in Eastern Wars and from that time the Byzantines sought Roman favor and long maintained an alliance with the Empire After this little is told of Byzantium until the War of the Emperor Septimius Severus with his great rival Niger, Governor of Syria Byzantium adhered to the cause of Niger Confident in their future if he should be victorious the Byzantines indulged dreams of becoming the head of an Eastern Empire their city was strongly fortified they had a powerful fleet and for three years they held out against the Roman besiegers then after untold sufferings and slaughter yielded under the distress of famine at last they were reduced to chewing leather hides soaked in water and finally to the horrible extremity in which the weak become literally the prey of the strong the Romans destroyed the magnificent city walls and deprived Byzantium of municipal and political liberties the fall of Byzantium was accomplished in AD 194 to 196 and when next its side became the scene of historical events a holy new order of things had been inaugurated in the world after his successful war with his colleague Lysinius sole ruler of the East Constantine had put him to death in AD 325 Constantine then became sole Augustus and in 330 he transferred the capital of the Empire from Rome to Byzantium which was henceforth called Constantinople the unfortunately Lysinius was the last rival who opposed the greatness and the last captive who adorned the triumph of Constantine after a tranquil and prosperous reign the conqueror bequeathed to his family the inheritance of the Roman Empire a new capital a new policy and a new religion and the innovations which he established have been embraced and consecrated by succeeding generations after the defeat and abdication of Lysinius his victorious rival proceeded to lay the foundation of a city destined to reign in future times the mistress of the East and to survive the Empire and religion of Constantine the motives whether of pride or of policy which first induced Diocletian to withdraw himself from the ancient seat of government had acquired additional weight by the example of his successors in the habits of 40 years Rome was insensibly confounded with the dependent kingdoms which had once acknowledged her supremacy and the country of the Caesars was viewed with cold indifference by a martial prince born in the neighborhood of the Danube educated in the courts and armies of Asia and invested to the purple by the legions of Britain the Italians who had received Constantine as their deliverer submissively obeyed the edicts which he sometimes condescended to address to the senate and the people of Rome but they were seldom honored with the presence of their new sovereign during the vigor of his age, Constantine according to the various exigencies of peace and war moved with slow dignity or with active diligence along the frontiers of his extensive dominions and was always prepared to take the field either against a foreign or a domestic enemy but as he gradually reached the summit of prosperity and the decline of life he began to meditate the design of fixing in a more permanent station the strength as well as majesty of the throne in the choice of an advantageous situation he preferred the confines of Europe and Asia to curb with a powerful arm the barbarians who dwelt between the Danube and the Taneis to watch with an eye of jealousy the conduct of the Persian monarch who indignantly supported the yoke of an ignominious treaty with these views, Diocletian had selected and embellished the residence of Nicomedia but the memory of Diocletian was justly abhorred by the protector of the church and Constantine was not insensible to the ambition of founding a city which might perpetuate the glory of his own name during the late operations of the war against Lysinius he had sufficient opportunity to contemplate both as a soldier and as a statesman the incomparable position of Byzantium and to observe how strongly it was guarded by nature against the hostile attack while it was accessible on every side to the benefits of commercial intercourse many ages before Constantine one of the most judicious historians of antiquity had described the advantages of a situation from whence a feeble colony of Greeks derived the command of the sea and the honors of a flourishing and independent republic the harbor of Constantinople which may be considered as an arm of the Bosphorus obtained in a very remote period the denomination of the golden horn the curve which it describes might be compared to the horn of a stag or as it should seen with more propriety to that of a nox the epithet of golden was expressive of the riches which every wind wafted from the most distant countries into the secure and capacious port of Constantinople the river Lycus formed by the conflicts of too little streams pours into the harbor a perpetual supply of fresh water which serves to cleanse the bottom and to invite the periodical shoals of fish to seek their retreat in that convenient recess as the vicissitudes of tides are scarcely felt in those seas the constant depth of the harbor allows goods to be landed on the keys without the assistance of boats and it has been observed that in many places the largest vessels may rest their prowess against the houses while their sterns are floating in the water from the mouth of the Lycus to that of the harbor this arm of the Bosphorus is more than 7 miles in length the entrance is about 500 yards broad and a strong chain could be occasionally thrown across it to guard the port and the city from the attack of hostile navy the geographers who with the most skillful accuracy have surveyed the form and extent of the helispond assign about 60 miles for the winding course and about 3 miles for the ordinary breath of those celebrated straits but the narrowest part of the channel is found to the northward of the old Turkish castles between the cities of Sestus and Abidus it was here that the adventurous Leander braved the passage of the flood for the possession of his mistress it is here likewise in a place where the distance between the opposite banks cannot exceed 500 paces that Xerxes imposed a stupendous bridge of boats for the purpose of transporting into Europe 170 myriads of barbarians a sea contracted with such narrow limits may seem but ill to deserve the singular epithet of broad which Homer as well as Orpheus has frequently bestowed on the helispond but our ideas of greatness are of a relative nature the traveler and especially the poet who sailed along the helispond who pursued the windings of the stream and contemplated the rural scenery which appeared on every side to terminate the prospect insensibly lost the remembrance of the sea and his fancy painted those celebrated straits with all the attributes of a mighty river flowing with a swift current in the midst of a woody and inland country and at length through a wide mouth discharging itself into the Aegean or archipelago ancient Troy, seated on an eminence at the foot of Mount Aida overlooked the mouth of the helispond which scarcely received an accession of waters from the tribute of those immortal rivulets the Seamoys and Scamander the Grecian camp had stretched 12 miles along the shore from the CJN to the Retean Promontory and the flanks of the army were guarded by the bravest chiefs who fought under the banners of Agamemnon the first of those promontories occupied by Achilles with his invincible merimidons and the Dauntless Ajax pitched his tents on the other after Ajax had fallen a sacrifice to his disappointed pride and to the ingratitude of the Greeks his sepulcher was erected on the ground where he had defended the navy against the rage of Jove and of Hector and the citizens of the rising town of Reteum celebrated his memory with divine honors before Constantine gave a just preference to the situation of Byzantium he had conceived the design of erecting the seat of empire on this celebrated spot from Wednesday Romans derived their fabulous origin the extensive plain which lies below ancient Troy toward the Retean Promontory and the tomb of Ajax was first chosen for his new capital and though the undertaking was soon relinquished the stately remains of unfinished walls and towers attracted the notice of all who sailed through the Straits of the Hellespont we are at present qualified to view the advantageous position of Constantinople which appears to have been formed by nature for the center and capital of a great monarchy situated in the 41st degree of latitude the imperial city commanded from her seven hills the opposite shores of Europe and Asia the climate was healthy and temperate the soil fertile the harbor secure and capacious and the approach on the side of the continent was of small extent and easy defense the Bosphorus and the Hellespont may be considered as the two gates of Constantinople and the prince who possessed these important passages could always shut them against a naval enemy and open them to the fleets of commerce the preservation of the eastern provinces may in some degree ascribe to the policy of Constantin as the barbarians of the Yuk Sin who in the preceding age had put their armaments into the heart of the Mediterranean soon desisted from the exercise of piracy and despaired of forcing this insurmountable barrier when the gates of the Hellespont and Bosphorus were shut the capitals still enjoyed within their spacious enclosure every production which could supply the once or gratified the luxury of its numerous inhabitants the sea coasts of Thrace and Bithynia which languish under the weight of Turkish oppression still exhibit a rich prospect of vineyards of gardens and of plentiful harvests and the propontis has ever been renowned for an inexhaustible store of the most exquisite fish that are taken in their stated seasons without skill and almost without labor but when the passages of the Straits were thrown open for trade they alternately admitted the natural and artificial riches of the north and south of the Yuk Sin and of the Mediterranean whatever rude commodities were collected in the forests of Germany and Scythia as far as the sources of the Taneis and the Boris Taneis whatever was manufactured by the skill of Europe or Asia the corn of Egypt and the gems and spices of the farthest India were brought by the varying winds into the port of Constantinople which for many ages attracted the commerce of the ancient world the prospect of beauty, of safety and of wealth united in a single spot was sufficient to justify the choice of Constantin but a some decent mixture of prodigy and fable has in every age been supposed to reflect a becoming majesty on the origin of great cities the emperor was desirous of ascribing his resolution not so much to the uncertain counsel of human policy as to the infallible and eternal decrease of divine wisdom in one of his laws he has been careful to instruct posterity that in obedience to the commands of God he laid the everlasting foundations of Constantinople and though he has not condescended to relate in what manner the celestial inspiration was communicated to his mind the defect of his modest silence has been liberally supplied by the ingenuity of succeeding writers who describe the nocturnal vision which appeared to the fancy of Constantin as he slept within the walls of Byzantium the tutelor genius of the city a venerable matron sinking under the weight of years and infirmities was suddenly transformed into a blooming maid whom his own hands adorned with all the symbols of imperial greatness the monarch awoke interpreted the auspicious omen and obeyed without hesitation the will of heaven the day which gave birth to a city or colony was celebrated by the Romans with such ceremonies as had been ordained by a generous superstition and though Constantin might omit some rites which savored too strongly of their pagan origin yet he was anxious to leave a deep impression of hope and respect on the minds of the spectators on foot with a lance in his hand the emperor himself led the solemn procession and directed the line which was traced as the boundary of the destined capital till the growing circumference was observed with astonishment by the assistants who at length ventured to observe that he had already exceeded the most ample measure of a great city I shall still advance replied Constantin till he, the invisible guide who marches before me thinks proper to stop without presuming to investigate the nature or motives of this extraordinary conductor we shall content ourselves with a more humble task of describing the extent and limits of Constantinople in the actual state of the city the palace and gardens of the Seraglio occupy the eastern promontory the first of the seven hills and cover about 150 acres of our own measure the seat of a Turkish jealousy and despotism is erected on the foundations of the Grecian Republic but it may be supposed that the Byzantines were tempted by the convenience of the harbor to extend their habitations on that side beyond the modern limits of the Seraglio the new walls of Constantin stretched from the port to the propontis across the enlarged breadth of the triangle at a distance of 15 stadia from the ancient fortification and with the city of Byzantium the enclosed five of the seven hills which to the eyes of those who approach Constantinople appear to rise above each other in beautiful order about a century after the death of the founder the new buildings extending on one side up the harbor and on the other along the propontis already covered the narrow ridge of the sixth and the broad summit of the seventh hill the necessity of protecting those suburbs from the incessant inroads of the barbarians engage the younger Theodosius to surround his capital with an adequate and permanent enclosure of walls from the eastern promontory to the Golden Gate the extreme length of Constantinople was about three Roman miles the circumference measured between 10 and 11 and the surface might be computed as equal to about 2000 acres it is impossible to justify the vain and credulous exaggerations of modern travelers who have sometimes stretched the limits of Constantinople over the adjacent villages of the European and even of the Asiatic coast but the suburbs of Perra and Galata though situated beyond the harbor may deserve to be considered as a part of the city and this addition may perhaps authorize the measure of a Byzantine historian who assigns 16 Greek about 14 Roman miles for the circumference of his native city such an extent may seem not unworthy of an imperial residence yet Constantinople must yield to Babylon and Thebes to ancient Rome to London and even to Paris the master of the Roman world who aspired to erect an eternal monument of the glories of his reign could employ in the prosecution of that great work the wealth, the labor and all that yet remained of the genius of obedient millions some estimate may be formed of the expense bestowed with imperial liberality on the foundation of Constantinople by the allowance of about 2,500,000 pounds for the construction of the walls, the porticoes and the aqueducts the forests that overshadowed the shores of the yoke scene and the celebrated quarries of white marble in the little island of Proconisus supplied an inexhaustible stock of materials ready to be conveyed by the convenience of a short water carriage to the harbor of Byzantium a multitude of laborers and artificers urged the conclusion of the work with incessant toil but the impatience of Constantin soon discovered that in the decline of the arts the skill as well as numbers of his architects bore a very unequal proportion to the greatness of his designs the magistrates of the most distant provinces were therefore directed to institute schools to appoint professors and by the hopes of rewards and privileges to engage in the study and practice of architecture a sufficient number of ingenious youths who had received a liberal education the buildings of the new city were executed by such artificers as the reign of Constantin could afford but they were decorated by the hands of the most celebrated masters of the age of Pericles and Alexander to revive the genius of Phidias and Lysipus surpassed indeed the power of a Roman emperor but the immortal productions which they had bequeathed to posterity were exposed without defense to the rapacious vanity of a despot by his commands the cities of Greece and Asia were despoiled of their most valuable ornaments the trophies of memorable wars the objects of religious veneration the most finished statues of the gods and heroes of the sages and poets of ancient times contributed to the splendid triumph of Constantinople and gave occasion to the remark of the historian Cedurnus who observes with some enthusiasm that nothing seemed wanting except the souls of the illustrious men whom those admirable monuments were intended to represent but it is not in the city of Constantin nor in the declining period of an empire when the human mind was depressed by civil and religious slavery that we should seek for the souls of Homer and of Demosthenes during the siege of Byzantium the conqueror had pitched his tent on the commanding eminence of the second hill to perpetuate the memory of his success he chose the same advantageous position for the principal forum which appears to have been of a circular or rather elliptical form the two opposite entrances formed triumphal arches the porticoes which enclosed it on every side were filled with statues and the center of the forum was occupied by a lofty column of which a mutilated fragment is now degraded by the appellation of the burnt pillar the column was erected on a pedestal of white marble 20 feet high and was composed of 10 pieces of porphyry each of which measured about 10 feet in height and about 33 in circumference on the summit of the pillar above 120 feet from the ground stood the colossal statue of Apollo it was of bronze had been transported either from Athens or from a town in Phrygia and was supposed to be the work of Phidias the artist had represented the god of day or as it was afterward interpreted the emperor Constantine himself with a scepter in his right hand the globe of the world in his left and a crown of rays glittering on his head the circus or hippodrome was a stately building about 400 paces in length and 100 in breadth the space between the two metae or golds was filled with statues and obelisks and we may still remark a very singular fragment of antiquity the bodies of three serpents twisted into one pillar of brass their triple heads had once supported the golden tripod which after the defeat of Xerxes was consecrated in the temple of Delphi by the victorious Greeks the beauty of the hippodrome has been long since defaced by the rude hands of the Turkish conquerors but under the similar appellation of Atmeydan it still serves as a place of exercise for their horses from the throne once the emperor viewed the Circassian games a winding staircase descended to the palace a magnificent edifice which scarcely yielded to the residence of Rome itself and which together with the dependent courts gardens and porticoes covered a considerable extent of ground upon the banks of the propontes between the hippodrome and the church of Saint Sophia we might likewise celebrate the baths which still retained the name of Xuxipus after they had been enriched by the munificence of Constantin with lofty columns various marbles and above three score statues of bronze but we should deviate from the design of this history if we attempted minutely to describe the different buildings or quarters of the city it may be sufficient to observe that whatever could adorn the dignity of a great capital or contribute to the benefit or pleasure of its numerous inhabitants was contained within the walls of Constantinople a particular description composed about a century after its foundation enumerates a capital or school of learning a circus two theatres eight public and 153 private baths 52 porticoes five granaries eight aqueducts or reservoirs of water four spacious halls for the meetings of the senate or courts of justice 14 churches 14 palaces and 4388 houses which for their size or beauty deserved to be distinguished from the multitude of plebeian habitations the populousness of his favored city was the next and most serious object of the attention of its founder in the Dark Ages which succeeded the translation of the empire the remote and the immediate consequences of that memorable event were strangely confounded by the vanity of the Greeks and the credulity of the latins it was asserted and believed that all the noble families of Rome the senate and the equestrian order with their innumerable attendants had followed their emperor to the banks of the propontis that a spurious race of strangers and plebeians was left to possess the solitude of the ancient capital in that the lands of Italy long since converted into gardens were at once deprived of cultivation and inhabitants since the growth of Constantinople cannot be ascribed to the general increase of mankind and of industry it must be admitted that this artificial colony was raised at the expense of the ancient cities of the empire many opulent senators of Rome and of the eastern provinces were probably invited by Constantin to adopt for their country the fortunate spot which he had chosen for his own residence the invitations of a master are scarcely to be distinguished from commands and the liberality of the emperor obtained a ready and cheerful obedience he bestowed on his favorites the palaces which he had built in the several quarters of the city assigned them lands and pensions for the support of their dignity and alienated the demestness of Pontus and Asia to grant hereditary estates by the easy tenure of maintaining a house in the capital but these encouragements and obligations soon became superfluous and were gradually abolished wherever the seat of government is fixed a considerable part of the public revenue will be expanded by the prince himself by his ministers by the officers of justice and by the domestics of the palace the most wealthy of the provincials will be attracted by the powerful motives of interest and duty of amusement and curiosity a third and more numerous class of inhabitants will insensibly be formed of servants, of artificers and of merchants who derive their substance from their own labor and from the once or luxury of the superior ranks in less than a century Constantinople disputed with Rome itself the preeminence of riches and numbers new piles of buildings crowded together with too little regard to health or convenience scarcely allowed the intervals of narrow streets for the perpetual throng of men of horses and of carriages the allotted space of ground was insufficient to contain the increasing people and the additional foundations which on either side were advanced into the sea might alone have composed a very considerable city the frequent and regular distributions of wine and oil of corn or bread of money or provisions had almost exempted the poor citizens of Rome from the necessity of labor the magnificence of the first caesars was in some measure imitated by the founder of Constantinople but his liberality however it might excite the applause of the people has incurred the censure of posterity a nation of legislators and conquerors might assert their claim to the harvests of Africa which had been purchased with their blood and it was artfully contrived by Augustus that in the enjoyment of plenty the Romans should lose the memory of freedom but the prodigality of Constantin could not be excused by any consideration either of public or private interest and the annual tribute of corn imposed upon Egypt for the benefit of his new capital was applied to feed a lazy and insolent populace at the expense of the husband man of an industrious province some other regulations of this emperor are less liable to blame but they are less deserving of notice he divided Constantinople into 14 regions or quarters dignified the public council with the appellation of senate communicated to the citizens the privileges of Italy and bestowed on the rising city the title of colony the first and most favored daughter of ancient Rome the venerable parent still maintained the legal and acknowledged supremacy which was due to her age to her dignity and to the remembrance of her former greatness as Constantin urged the progress of the work with the impatience of a lover the walls, the porticoes and the principal edifices were completed in a few years or according to another account in a few months but this extraordinary diligence should excite the less admiration since many of the buildings were finished in so hasty and imperfect a manner that under the succeeding reign they were preserved with difficulty from impeding ruin but while they displayed the vigor and freshness of youth the founder prepared to celebrate the dedication of his city the games and largesies which crowned the pomp of this memorable festival may easily be supposed but there is one circumstance of a more singular and permanent nature which ought not entirely to be overlooked as often as the birthday of the city returned the statue of Constantin framed by his order of gilt wood and bearing in its right hand a small image of the genius of the place was erected on a triumphal car the guards carrying white tapers and clothed in their richest apparel accompanied the solemn procession as it moved through the hippodrome when it was opposite to the throne of the reigning emperor he rose from his seat and with grateful reverence adored the memory of his predecessor at the festival of the dedication an edict engraved on a colon of marble bestowed the title of Second or New Rome on the city of Constantin but the name of Constantinople has prevailed over that honorable epithet and after the revolution of 14 centuries still perpetuates the fame of its author End of section 33 LibriVox recording while LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Great Events by Famous Historians Volume 3 Edited by Charles F. Horn Roseter Johnson and John Rudd Julian the Postate becomes Emperor of Rome AD 360 by Edward Gimman Part 1 The great reign of Constantin was ended the new capital Constantinople which after 15 centuries still perpetuates the name of its imperial founder had outrivaled Rome the heirs of Constantin the sons of Fausta had all been called Caesar and were appointed to succeed to imperial power Constantin, Constantius and Constance they were named they held court in different parts of the realm during their father's life although he reserved for himself the title of Augustus the last heirs of his reign of 30 years had been peaceful disturbed only by the insurrection in Cyprus and the wars of the Goths and Sarmatians and so he died and the purple and diadem were but empty symbols and he lay in state upon his golden bed the great emperor was no sooner dead than the sons made haste to rid themselves of all possible rivals and a family that seemed too numerous for peace two uncles and seven cousins were quickly put out of the way under one pretense and another the provinces were divided between the three brothers and they reigned peacefully for three years until Constantine demanded the surrender to him of a part of the dominions of Constance in the war which ensued Constantine was killed and Constance took possession of his brothers' provinces refusing any share of them to Constantius he reigned ten years longer when he was destroyed AD 350 by a conspiracy in Gaul headed by one Magnentius this soldier of barbarian extraction was soon defeated by Constantius who now became sole emperor he soon found his burden of power too great and decided to share it with the two young nephews who had been permitted to live when the massacre of the house of Constantine occurred to Gallus the elder he gave the title of Caesar and invested him with the government of the east Gallus conducted himself like a Nero and was disgraced and executed about three years later the younger nephew Julian had been brought up in the Christian faith and received an excellent education which was finished in the philosophical schools of Athens he was created Caesar by Constantius whose sister Helena he married and was invested with the government of Gaul Spain and Britain Julian's wise civil administration was very acceptable to the people and his brilliant military exploits established his fame throughout the empire and won the affection of his soldiers he repulsed the Alamons and the Franks sending captives to the court of Constantius his expeditions beyond the Rhine were crowned with success he restored the cities of Gaul and stemmed the tide of barbarian invasion all these triumphs had awakened the jealousy of the emperor Constantius who was practically ruled by the eunuchs and bishops at his court the rising fortunes of Julian had caused envy among many who set about to poison the mind of Constantius with innuendos and false suggestions they resolved to disarm Julian and to separate him from his army the emperor ordered Julian to send his best troops to the war in Persia but they forgot that the troops adored Julian they overlooked the fact that the soldiers would see through such a scheme to humiliate their commander the Gauls also feared the departure of Julian's men for they dreaded the attacks of the Germans this then was the situation Julian attempted to follow the orders of the emperor but fate ordained otherwise the army proclaimed him emperor he refused the honor at first but was forced to assume the dangerous title the war which immediately followed was cut short by the sudden death of Constantius Julian became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire he renounced Christianity and is known in history as Julian the Apostate while the Romans languished under the agnominious tyranny of eunuchs and bishops the praises of Julian were repeated with transport in every part of the empire except in the palace of Constantius the barbarians of Germany had felt and still dreaded the arms of the young Caesar his soldiers were the companions of his victory the grateful provincials enjoyed the blessings of his reign but the favorites who had opposed his elevation were offended by his virtues and they justly considered the friend of the people as the enemy of the court as long as the fame of Julian was doubtful the buffoons in the palace who were skilled in the language of satire tried the efficacy of those arts which they had so often practiced with success they easily discovered that his simplicity was not exempt from affectation the ridiculous epithets of a hairy savage of an ape invested with the purple were applied to the dress and person of the philosophic warrior and his modest dispatches were stigmatized as the vain and elaborate fictions of a loquacious Greek a speculative soldier who had studied the art of war amid the groves of the academy the voice of malicious folly was at length silenced by the shouts of victory the conqueror of the Franks and Elimani could no longer be painted as an object of contempt and the monarch himself was meanly ambitious of stealing from his lieutenant the honorable reward of his labors in the letters crowned with laurel which according to ancient custom were addressed to the provinces the name of Julian was omitted Constantius had made his dispositions in person he had signalized his valor in the foremost ranks his military conduct had secured the victory and the captive king of the barbarians was presented to him on the field of battle from which he was at that time distant about 40 days journey so extravagant of fable was incapable however of deceiving the public cudulity or even of satisfying the pride of the emperor himself secretly conscious that the applause and favor of the Romans accompanied the rising fortunes of Julian his discontented mind was prepared to receive the subtle poisons of those artful sycophants who colored their mischievous designs with the fairest appearances of truth and candor instead of depreciating the merits of Julian they acknowledged and even exaggerated his popular fame superior talents and important services but they darkly insinuated that the virtues of the Caesar might instantly be converted into the most dangerous crimes if the inconstant multitude should prefer their inclinations to their duty or if the general of the victorious army should be tempted from his allegiance by the hopes of revenge and independent greatness the personal fears of Constantius were interpreted by his council as a laudable anxiety for the public safety while in private and perhaps in his own breast he disguised under the less odious appellation of fear the sentiments of hatred and envy which he had secretly conceived for the inimitable virtues of Julian the apparent tranquility of Gaul and the imminent danger of the eastern provinces offered a specious pretense for the design which was artfully concerted by the imperial ministers they resolved to disarm the Caesar to recall all those faithful troops who guarded his person and dignity and to employ in a distant war against the Persian monarch the hardy veterans who had vanquished on the banks of the Rhine the fiercest nations of Germany while Julian used the laborious hours of his winter quarters of Paris in the administration of power which in his hands was the exercise of virtue he was surprised by the hasty arrival of a tribune and a notary with positive orders from the emperor which they were directed to execute and he was commanded not to oppose Constantius signified his pleasure that four entire legions the Celtie, the Petulence, the Heruli and the Batavians should be separated from the standard of Julian under which they had acquired their fame and discipline that in each of the remaining bands 300 of the bravest youths should be selected and that this numerous detachment the strength of the Gallic army should instantly begin their march and exert their utmost diligence to arrive before the opening of the campaign on the frontiers of Persia Caesar foresaw and lamented the consequences of this fatal mandate most of the auxiliaries who engaged their voluntary service had stipulated that they should never oblige to pass the Alps the public faith of Rome and the personal honor of Julian had been pledged for the observance of this condition such an act of treachery and oppression would destroy the confidence and excite the resentment of the independent warriors of Germany who considered truth as the noblest of their virtues and freedom as the most valuable of their possessions the legionnaires who enjoyed the title and privileges of Romans were enlisted for the general defense of the Republic but those mercenary troops heard with cold indifference the antiquated names of the Republic end of Rome attached either from birth or long habit to the climate and manners of Gaul they loved and admired Julian they despised and perhaps hated the Emperor they dreaded the laborious march the Persian arrows and the burning deserts of Asia they claimed as their own the country which they had saved and excused their want of spirit by pleading the sacred and more immediate duty of protecting their families and friends the apprehensions of the Gauls were derived from the knowledge of the impending and inevitable danger as soon as the provinces were exhausted of their military strength the Germans would violate a treaty which had been imposed on their fears and notwithstanding the abilities and valor of Julian the general of a nominal army to whom the public calamities would be imputed must find himself after a vain resistance either a prisoner in the camp of the barbarians or a criminal in the palace of Constantius if Julian complied with the orders which he had received he subscribed his own destruction that of a people who deserved his affection but a positive refusal was an act of rebellion and a declaration of war the inexorable jealousy of the Emperor the preemptory and perhaps insidious nature of his commands left not any room for a fair apology or candid interpretation and the dependent station of the Caesar scarcely allowed him to pause or to deliberate Solitude increased the perplexity of Julian he could no longer reply to the faithful councils of solace who had been removed from his office by the judicious malice of the eunuchs he could not even enforce his representations by the concurrence of the ministers who would have been afraid or ashamed to approve the ruin of Gaul the moment had been chosen when Lupicinus the general of the cavalry was dispatched into Britain to repulse the inroads of the Scots and Picts and Florentius who occupied at Vienna by the assessment of the tribute the latter a crafty and corrupt statesman declining to assume a responsible part on this dangerous occasion eluded the pressing and repeated invitations of Julian who represented to him that in every important measure the presence of the prefect was indispensable in the Council of the Prince in the meanwhile the Caesar was oppressed by the rude and important solicitations of the imperial messengers who presumed to suggest that if he expected the return of his ministers he would charge himself with the guilt of the delay and reserve for them the merit of the execution unable to resist unwilling to comply Julian expressed in the most serious terms his wish and even his intention of resigning the purple which he could not preserve with honour but which he could not abdicate with safety after a painful conflict Julian was compelled to acknowledge that obedience was the virtue of the most eminent subject and that the sovereign alone was entitled to judge to the public welfare he issued the necessary orders for carrying into execution the commands of Constantius a part of the troops began their march for the Alps and the detachments from the several garrisons moved toward their respective places of assembly they advanced with difficulty through the trembling and affrighted crowds of provincials who attempted to excite their pity by silent despair or loud lamentations while the wives of the soldiers holding their infants in their arms accused the desertion of their husbands in the mixed language of grief of tenderness and of indignation this scene of general distress afflicted the humanity of the Caesar he granted a sufficient number of post wagons to transport the wives and families of the soldiers endeavored to alleviate the hardships which he was constrained to inflict and increased by the most laudable arts his own popularity and the discontent of the exiled troops the grief of an armed multitude is soon converted into rage their licentious murmurs which every hour were communicated from tent to tent with more boldness and effect prepared their minds for the most daring acts of sedition and by the connivance of their tribunes a seasonable libel was secretly dispersed which painted in lively colors the disgrace of the Caesar the oppression of the Gallic army and the feeble vices of the tyrant of Asia the servants of Constantius were astonished and alarmed by the progress of this dangerous spirit they pressed the Caesar to hasten the departure of the troops but they imprudently rejected the honest and judicious advice of Julian who proposed that they should not march through Paris and suggested the danger and temptation of a last interview as soon as the approach of the troops was announced the Caesar went out to meet them and descended his tribunal which had been erected in a plane before the gates of the city after distinguishing the officers and soldiers who by their rank or merit deserved a peculiar attention Julian addressed himself in a studied oration to the surrounding multitude he celebrated their exploits with grateful applause encouraged them to accept with alacrity the honor of serving under the eyes of a powerful and liberal monarch and admonished them that the commands of Augustus required an instant and cheerful obedience the soldiers who were apprehensive of offending their general by an indecent clamor or of belying their sentiments by false and venal acclamations maintained in obstinate silence and after a short pause were dismissed to their quarters the principal officers were entertained by the Caesar who professed in the warmest language of friendship his desire and his inability to reward according to their desserts the brave companions of his victories they retired from the feast full of grief and perplexity and lamented the hardship of their fate which tore them from their beloved general and their native country the only expedient which could prevent their separation was boldly agitated and approved the popular resentment was insensibly molded into a regular conspiracy their just reasons of complaint were heightened by passion and their passion was inflamed by wine at the eve of their departure the troops were indulged in licentious festivity at the hour of midnight the impetuous multitude with swords and bows and torches in their hands rushed into the suburbs encompassed the palace and careless of future dangers pronounced the fatal and irrevocable words Julian Augustus the prince whose anxious suspense was interrupted by their disorderly acclamations secured the doors against their intrusion and as long as it was in his power secluded his person in dignity from the accidents of a nocturnal tumult at the dawn of the day the soldiers whose zeal was irritated by opposition forcibly entered the palace seized with respectful violence the object of their choice guarded Julian with drawn swords through the streets of Paris placed him on the tribunal and with repeated shouts saluted him as their emperor prudence as well as loyalty inculcated the propriety of resisting their treasonable designs and of preparing for his oppressed virtue the excuse of violence addressing himself by turns to the multitude and to individuals he sometimes implored their mercy and sometimes expressed his indignation and conjured them not to sully the fame of their immortal victories and ventured to promise that if they would immediately return to their allegiance he would undertake to obtain from the emperor not only a free and gracious pardon but even the revocation of the orders which had excited their resentment but the soldiers who were conscious of their guilt chose rather to depend on the gratitude of Julian than on the clemency of the emperor their guilt was insensibly turned into impatience and their impatience into rage the inflexible Caesar sustained till the third hour of the day their prayers, their reproaches and their menaces nor did he yield till he had been repeatedly assured that if he wished to live he must consent to reign he was exalted on a shield in the presence and amid the unanimous acclamations of the troops a rich military collar which was offered by chance supplied the want of a diadem the ceremony was concluded by the promise of a moderate donative and the new emperor, overwhelmed with real or affected grief retired into the most secret recesses of his apartment the grief of Julian could proceed only from his innocence but his innocence must appear extremely doubtful in the eyes of those who have learned to suspect the motives and the professions of princes his lively and active mind was susceptible of the various impressions of hope and fear of gratitude and revenge of duty and of ambition of love, of fame and of the fear of reproach but it is impossible for us to calculate the respective weight and operation of these sentiments or to ascertain the principles of action which might escape the observation while they, guided or rather impelled the steps of Julian himself the discontent of the troops was produced by the malice of his enemies their tumult was the natural effect of interest and of passion and if Julian had tried to conceal a deep design under the appearances of chance he must have employed the most consummate artifice without necessity and probably without success he solemnly declares in the presence of Jupiter, of the sun, of Mars, of Minerva and of all the other deities that till the close of the evening which preceded his elevation he was utterly ignorant of the designs of the soldiers and it may seem ungenerous to distrust the honor of a hero and the truth of a philosopher yet the superstitious confidence that Constantius was the enemy and that he himself was the favorite of the gods might prompt him to desire, to solicit and even to hasten the auspicious moment of his reign which was predestined to restore the ancient religion of mankind when Julian had received the intelligence of the conspiracy he resigned himself to a short slumber and afterward related to his friends that he had seen the genius of the empire waiting with some impatience at his door pressing for admittance and reproaching his want of spirit and ambition astonished and perplexed he addressed his prayers to the great Jupiter who immediately, signified by a clear and manifest omen that he should submit to the will of heaven and of the army the conduct which disclaims the ordinary maxims of reason excites our suspicion and eludes our inquiry whenever the spirit of fanaticism at once so credulous and so crafty has insinuated itself into a noble mind it insensibly corrodes the vital principles of virtue and veracity to moderate the zeal of his party to protect the persons of his enemies to defeat and to despise the secret enterprises which were formed against his life and dignity were the cares which employed the first days of his reign of the new emperor although he was firmly resolved to maintain the station which he had assumed he was still desirous of saving his country from the calamities of civil war of declining a contest with the superior forces of Constantius and of preserving his own character from the reproach of profidity and ingratitude adorned with the ensigns of military and imperial pomp Julian showed himself in the field of Mars to the soldiers who glowed with ardent enthusiasm in the cause of their pupil their leader and their friend he recapitulated their victories lamented their sufferings applauded their resolution animated their hopes and checked their impetuosity nor did he dismiss the assembly till he had obtained a solemn promise from the troops that if the emperor of the east would subscribe an equitable treaty they would renounce any views of conquest and satisfy themselves with the tranquil possession of the Gallic provinces on this foundation he composed in his own name and in that of the army a specious and moderate epistle which was delivered to Pendatius his master of the offices and to his Chamberlain Eutherius two ambassadors whom he appointed to receive the answer and observe the disposition of Constantius the epistle is inscribed with a modest appellation of Caesar but Julian solicits in a peremptory though respectful manner the confirmation of the title of Augustus he acknowledges the irregularity of his own election while he justifies in some measure the resentment and violence of the troops which had extorted his reluctant consent he allows the supremacy of his brother Constantius and engages to send him an annual present of Spanish horses to recruit his army with a select number of barbarian youths and to accept from his choice a praetorium prefect of approved discretion and fidelity but he reserves for himself the nomination of his other civil and military officers with the troops, the revenue, and the sovereignty of the provinces beyond the Alps he admonishes the emperor to consult the dictates of justice to distrust the arts of those vanal flatterers who subsist only by the discord of princes and to embrace the offer of a fair and honorable treaty equally advantageous to the Republic and the House of Constantine in this negotiation Julian claimed no more than he already possessed the delegated authority which he had long exercised over the provinces of Gaul, Spain, and Britain was still obeyed under a name more independent in August the soldiers and the people rejoiced in a revolution which was not stained even by the blood of the guilty Florentius was a fugitive Upesanus a prisoner the persons who were disaffected to the new government were disarmed and secured and the vacant offices were distributed according to the recommendation of merit by a prince who despised the intrigues of the palace and the clamours of the soldiers the negotiations of peace were accompanied and supported by the most vigorous preparations for war the army which Julian held in readiness for immediate action was recruited and augmented by the disorders of the times the cruel persecution of the faction of Magnentius had filled Gaul with numerous bands of outlaws and robbers they cheerfully accepted the offer of a general pardon from a prince whom they could trust admitted to the restraints of military discipline and retained only their implacable hatred to the person and government of Constantius End of Section 34 Section 35 of the Great Events of Famous Historians Volume 3 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Great Events by Famous Historians Volume 3 Edited by Charles F. Horne, Rosetor Johnson, and John Rudd Julian the Apostate becomes Emperor of Rome AD 360 by Edward Gibbon Part 2 As soon as the season of the year permitted Julian to take the field he appeared at the head of his legions threw a bridge over the Rhine in the neighborhood of Cleves and prepared to chastise the profidity of the Atari a tribe of Franks who presumed that they might ravage with impunity the frontiers of a divided empire the difficulty as well as glory of this enterprise consisted in a laborious march and Julian had conquered as soon as he could penetrate into a country which former princes had considered as inaccessible After he had given peace to the barbarians the Emperor carefully visited the fortifications along the Rhine from Cleves to Basel surveyed with particular attention the territories which he had recovered from the hands of the Alemani passed through Bessonchon which had severely suffered from their fury and fixed his headquarters at Vienna for the ensuing winter the barrier of Gaul was improved and strengthened with additional fortifications and Julian entertained some hopes that the Germans whom he had so often vanquished might in his absence be restrained by the terror of his name Vadomir was the only prince of the Alemani whom he esteemed or feared and while the subtle barbarian effected to observe the faith of treaties the progress of his arms threatened the state with an unseasonable and dangerous war the policy of Julian condescended to surprise the prince of the Alemani by his own arts and Vadomir who in the character of a friend had incautiously accepted an invitation from the Roman governors was seized in the midst of the entertainment and sent away prisoner into the heart of Spain before the barbarians were recovered from their amazement the Emperor appeared in arms on the banks of the Rhine and once more crossing the river renewed the deep impression of terror and respect which had been already made by four preceding expeditions the ambassadors of Julian had been instructed to execute with the utmost diligence their important commission but in their passage through Italy and the Lyricum they were detained by the tedious and affected delays of the provincial governors they were conducted by slow journeys from Constantinople to Caesera in Cappadocia and when at length they were admitted to the presence of Constantius they found that he had already conceived from the dispatches of his own officers the most unfavorable opinion of the conduct of Julian and of the Gallic army the letters were heard with impatience the trembling messages were dismissed with indignation and contempt and the looks, the gestures, the furious language of the monarch expressed the disorder of his soul the domestic connection which might have reconciled the brother and the husband of Helena was recently dissolved by the death of that princess whose pregnancy had been several times fruitless and was at last fatal to herself the Empress Eusebia had preserved to the last moment of her life the warm and even jealous affection which she had conceived for Julian and her mild influence might have moderated the resentment of her prince who since her death was abandoned to his own passions to the arts of his eunuchs but the terror of a foreign invasion obliged him to suspend the punishment of a private enemy he continued his march toward the confines of Persia and thought it sufficient to signify the conditions which might entitle Julian and his guilty followers to the clemency of their offended sovereign he required that the presumptuous Caesar should expressly renounce the appellation and rank of Augustus which he had accepted from the rebels that he should descend to his former station of a limited and dependent minister that he should vest the powers of the state and army in the hands of those officers who were appointed by the imperial court and that he should trust his safety to the assurances of pardon which were announced by Epictetus a Golic Bishop and one of the Aryan favourites of Constantius several months were ineffectually consumed in a treaty which was negotiated at the distance of 3,000 miles between Paris and Antioch and as soon as Julian perceived that his modest and respectful behaviour served only to irritate the pride of an implacable adversary he boldly resolved to commit his life and fortune to the chance of a civil war he gave a public and military audience to the Quester Leonis the hordely epistle of Constantius was read to the attentive multitude and Julian protested with the most flattering deference that he was ready to resign the title of Augustus if he could obtain the consent of those whom he acknowledged as the authors of his Elevation the faint proposal was impetuously silenced and the acclamations of Julian Augustus continued to reign by the authority of the army of the people of the republic which you have saved thundered at once from every part of the field and terrified the pale ambassador of Constantius a part of the letter was afterward read in which the emperor arraigned the ingratitude of Julian whom he had invested with the honours of the purple whom he had educated with so much care and tenderness whom he had preserved in his infancy when he was left a helpless orphan an orphan interrupted Julian who justified his cause by indulging his passions does the assassin of my family reproach me that I was left an orphan he urges me to revenge those injuries which I have long studied to forget the assembly was dismissed and Leonis who with some difficulty had been protected from the popular fairy was sent back to his master with an epistle in which Julian expressed in his strain of the most vehement eloquence the sentiments of contempt of hatred and of resentment which had been suppressed and embittered by the dissimulation of twenty years after this message which might be considered as a signal of irreconcilable war Julian who some weeks before had celebrated the Christian festival of the epiphany made a public declaration that he committed the care of his safety to the immortal gods and thus publicly renounced the religion as well as the friendship of Constantius the situation of Julian required a vigorous and immediate resolution he had discovered from intercepted letters that his adversary sacrificing the interest of the state to that of the monarch had again excited the barbarians to invade the provinces of the west the position of two magazines one of them collected on the banks of the lake of Constance the other formed at the foot of the Caution Alps seemed to indicate the march of two armies and the size of those magazines each of which consisted of six hundred thousand quarters of wheat or rather flour was a threatening evidence of the strengthened numbers of the enemy who prepared to surround him but the imperial legions were still in their distant quarters of Asia the damn youp was feebly guarded and if Julian could occupy by a sudden incursion of the important provinces of Illyricum he might expect that a people of soldiers would resort to his standard and that the rich minds of gold and silver would contribute to the expenses of the civil war he proposed this bold enterprise to the assembly of the soldiers inspired them with a just confidence in their general and in themselves and exhorted them to maintain their reputation of being terrible to the enemy moderate to their fellow citizens and obedient to their officers his spirited discourse was received with the loudest acclimations and the same troops which had taken up arms against Constantius when he summoned them to leave Gaul now declared with alacrity that they would follow Julian to the farthest extremes of Europe or Asia the oath of fidelity was administered and the soldiers clashing their shields and pointing their drawn swords to their throats devoted themselves with horrid implications to the service of a leader whom they celebrated as the deliverer of Gaul and the conqueror of the Germans this solemn engagement which seemed to be dictated by affection rather than by duty was singly opposed by Nibridius who had been admitted to the office of Praetorian Prefect that faithful minister alone and unassisted asserted the rights of Constantius in the midst of an armed and angry multitude to whose fury he had almost fallen in honorable but most useless sacrifice after losing one of his hands by the stroke of a sword he embraced the knees of the prince whom he had offended Julian covered the Prefect with his imperial mantle and protecting him from the zeal of his followers dismissed him to his own house with less respect than was perhaps due to the virtue of an enemy the high office of Nibridius was bestowed on salutes and the provinces of Gaul which were now delivered from the intolerable oppression of taxes enjoyed the mild and equitable administration of the friend of Julian who was permitted to practice those virtues which he had instilled into the mind of his pupil the hopes of Julian depended much less on the number of his troops than on the celerity of his motions in the execution of a daring enterprise he availed himself of every precaution as far as prudence could suggest and where prudence could no longer accompany his steps he trusted the event to valor and to fortune in the neighborhood of Basel he assembled and divided his army one body which consisted of ten thousand men was directed under the command of Navita, general of the cavalry to advance through the midland parts of Reicia and Noricum a similar division of troops under the orders of Jovius and Jovinus prepared to follow the oblique course of the highways through the Alps and the northern confines of Italy the instructions to the generals were conceived with energy and precision to hasten their march in close and compact columns which according to the disposition of the ground might readily be changed into any order of battle to secure themselves against the surprises of the night by strong posts and vigilant guards to prevent resistance by their unexpected arrival to elude examination by their sudden departure to spread the opinion of their strength and the terror of his name and to join their sovereign under the walls of Sermium for himself, Julian had reserved a more difficult and extraordinary part he selected three thousand brave and active volunteers resolved, like their leader, to cast behind them every hope of a retreat at the head of this faithful band he fearlessly plunged into the recesses of the Marcian or Black Forest which conceals the sources of the Danube and for many days the fate of Julian was unknown to the world the secrecy of his march, his diligence and vigor surmounted every obstacle he forced his way over mountains and morasses occupied the bridges or swam the rivers pursued his direct course without reflecting whether he traversed the territory of the Romans or of the barbarians and at length emerged between Rattuspawn and Vienna at the place where he designed to embark his troops on the Danube by a well-conserted stratagem he seized the fleet of light-brigantines as it lay at anchor secured a supply of coarse provisions sufficient to satisfy the indelicate but voracious appetite of a Gallic army and boldly committed himself to the stream of the Danube the labours of his mariners who ply their ores with incessant diligence and the steady continuance of a favourable wind carried his fleet above 700 miles in 11 days and he had already disembarked his troops at Benonia only 19 miles from Sermium before his enemies could receive any certain intelligence that he had left the banks of the Rhine in the course of this long and rapid navigation the mind of Julian was fixed on the object of his enterprise and though he accepted the deputations of some cities which hastened to claim the merit of an early submission he passed before the hostile stations which were placed along the river without indulging the temptation of signalizing a useless and ill-timed valor the banks of the Danube were crowded on either side with spectators who gazed on the military pomp anticipated the importance of the event and diffused through the adjacent country the fame of a young hero who advanced with more than mortal speed at the head of the innumerable forces of the West Lucillian, who at the rank of general of the cavalry commanded the military powers of Illyricum was alarmed and perplexed by the doubtful reports which he could neither reject nor believe he had taken some slow and irresolute measures for the purpose of collecting his troops when he was surprised by the Goliathus an active officer whom Julian, as soon as he landed at Benonia had pushed forward with some light infantry the captive general, uncertain of his life or death was hastily thrown upon a horse and conducted to the presence of Julian who kindly raised him from the ground and dispelled the terror and amazement which seemed to stupefy his faculties but Lucillian, who had no sooner recovered his spirits then he betrayed his want of discretion by presuming to admonish his conqueror that he had rashly ventured with a handful of men to expose his person in the midst of his enemies reserve your master Constantius these timid remonstrances replied Julian with a smile of contempt when I give you my purple to kiss I received you not as a counselor but as a suppliant conscious that success alone could justify his attempt and that boldness only could command success he instantly advanced at the head of 3,000 soldiers to attack the strongest and most populous city of the Illyrian provinces as he entered the long suburb of Cermium he was received by the joyful acclamation of the army and people who crowned with flowers and holding lighted tapers in their hands conducted their acknowledged sovereign imperial residence two days were devoted to the public joy which was celebrated by the games of the circus but early on the morning of the third day Julian marched to occupy the narrow pass of Suci in the defiles of Mount Hamas which almost in the midway between Cermium and Constantinople separates the provinces of Thracendacia by an abrupt descent toward the former and a gentle declivity on the side of the latter the defense of this important post was entrusted to the brave Navita who as well as the generals of the Italian division successfully executed the plan of the march and junction which their master had so ably conceived the homage which Julian obtained from the fears or the inclination of the people extended far beyond the immediate effect of his arms the prefectures of Italy and Illyricum were administered by Taurus and Florentius who united that important office in vain honors of the consulship and as those magistrates had retired with precipitation to the court of Asia Julian who could not always restrain the levity of his temper stigmatized their fight by adding in all the acts of the year the epithet of fugitive to the names of the two consuls the provinces which have been deserted by their first magistrates acknowledged the authority of an emperor who conciliating the qualities of a soldier with those of a philosopher was equally admired in the camps of the Danube and in the cities of Greece from his palace or more properly from his headquarters of Sermium and Nacis he distributed to the principal cities of the empire a labored apology for his own conduct published the secret dispatches of Constantius and solicited the judgment of mankind of the two competitors the one of whom had expelled and the others had invited the barbarians Julian whose mind was deeply wounded by the reproach of ingratitude aspire to maintain by argument as well as by arms the superior merits of his cause and to excel not only in the arts of war but in those of composition his epistle to the senate and people of Athens have been dictated by an elegant enthusiasm which prompted him to submit his actions and his motives to the degenerate Athenians of his own times with the same humble deference as if he had been pleading in the days of Aristides before the tribunal of the Aeropagus his application to the senate of Rome which was still permitted to bestow the titles of imperial power was agreeable to the forms of the expiring republic an assembly was summoned by Tutulus prefect of the city the epistle of Julian was read and as he appeared to be master of Italy his claims were admitted without a dissenting voice his oblique censure of the innovations of Constantine and his passionate invective against the vices of Constantius were heard with less satisfaction and the senate as if Julian had been present unanimously exclaimed respect we beseech you the author of your own fortune an artful expression which according to the chance of war might be differently explained as a manly reproof to the ingratitude of the usurper or as a flattering confession that a single act of such benefit to the state ought to atone for all the failings of Constantius the intelligence of the march and rapid progress of Julian was speedily transmitted to his rival who by the retreat of support had obtained some respite from the Persian war disguising the anguish of his soul under the semblance of contempt Constantius professed his intention of returning into Europe and of giving chase to Julian for he never spoke of his military exposition in any other light than that of a hunting party in the camp of Hierapolis in Syria he communicated this design to his army slightly mentioned the guilt and rashness of the Caesar and ventured to assure them that if the mutineers of Gaul presumed to meet them in the field they would be unable to sustain the fire of their eyes and the irresistible weight of their shout of onset the speech of the emperor was received with military applause and Theodotus the president of the council of Hierapolis requested with tears of adulation that his city might be adorned with the head of the vanquished rebel a chosen detachment was dispatched away in post wagons to secure if it were yet possible the pass of Suci the recruits, the horses, the arms and the magazines which had been prepared against the sapper were appropriated to the service of the civil war and the domestic victories of Constantius inspired his partisans with the most sanguine assurances of success the notary, Godentius, had occupied in his name the provinces of Africa the subsistence of Rome was intercepted and the distress of Julian was increased by an unexpected event which might have been productive of fatal consequences Julian had received the submission of two legions and a cohort of archers who were stationed at Sermium but he suspected, with reason, the fidelity of those troops which had been distinguished by the emperor and it was thought expedient under the pretense of the exposed state of the Gallic frontier to dismiss them from the most important scene of action they advanced with reluctance as far as the confines of Italy but as they dreaded the length of the way and the savage fierceness of the Germans resolved by the instigation of one of their tribunes to halt at Aquile and to erect the banners of Constantius on the walls of that impregnable city the vigilance of Julian perceived at once the extent of the mischief and the necessity of applying an immediate remedy by his order, Jovenus led back a party of the army into Italy and the siege of Aquile was formed with diligence and prosecuted with vigor but the legionnaires who seemed to have rejected the yoke of discipline conducted the defense of the place with skill and perseverance invited the rest of Italy to imitate the example of their courage and loyalty and threaten the retreat of Julian if he should be forced to yield to the superior numbers of the armies of the east but the humanity of Julian was preserved from the cruel alternative that he pathetically laments of destroying or of being himself destroyed and the seasonable death of Constantius delivered the Roman Empire from the calamities of civil war the approach of winter could not detain the monarch at Antioch and his favorites, Durst not opposed his impatient desire of vengeance a slight fever which was perhaps occasioned by the agitation of his spirits was increased by the fatigues of the journey and Constantius was obliged to halt at the little town of Mopsaqueen 12 miles beyond Tarsus where he expired after a short illness in the 45th year of his age and the 24th of his reign Julian thus became master of the Roman world