THE

HISTORY

OF THE

DECLINE AND FALL

OF THE

ROMAN EMPIRE.

CHAP. XXII.

Julian is declared Emperor by the Legions of Gaul.His March and Succefs.-The Death of Conftantius.-Civil Administration of Julian.

W

XXII.

The jealoufy of tusagainft

Conftan

Julian.

HILE the Romans languifhed under CHA P. the ignominious tyranny of eunuchs and bishops, the praises of Julian were repeated with transport in every part of the empire, except in the palace of Conftantius. The Barbarians of Germany had felt, and ftill dreaded, the arms of the young Cæfar; his foldiers were the companions of his victory; the grateful provincials enjoyed the bleflings of his reign; but the favourites, who had oppofed his elevation, were offended by his virtues; and they justly confidered the friend of the people as the enemy of the court. As long as the fame VOL. IV.

B

of

XXII.

CHAP. of Julian was doubtful, the buffoons of the palace, who were fkilled in the language of fatire, tried the efficacy of those arts which they had fo often practifed with fuccefs. They easily. difcovered, that his fimplicity was not exempt from affectation: the ridiculous epithets of an hairy favage, of an ape invested with the purple, were applied to the dress and person of the philofophic warrior; and his modeft dispatches were ftigmatized as the vain and elaborate fictions of a loquacious Greek, a fpeculative foldier, who had studied the art of war amidst the groves of the academy'. The voice of malicious folly was at length filenced by the fhouts of victory; the conqueror of the Franks and Alemanni could no longer be painted as an object of contempt; and the monarch himself was meanly ambitious of ftealing from his lieutenant the honourable reward of his labours. In the letters crowned with laurel, which, according to ancient custom, were addreffed to the provinces, the name of Julian was omitted. "Conftantius had made "his difpofitions in perfon; he had fignalized "his valour in the foremost ranks; his military

1 Omnes qui plus poterant in palatio, adulandi profeffores jam docti, recte confulta, profpereque completa vertebant in deridiculum talia fine modo ftrepentes infulfe; in odium venit c'm victoriis fuis; capella, non homo; ut hirfutum Julianum carpentes, appellantefque loquacem talpam, et purpuratam fimiam, et litterio-. nem Græcum: et his congruentia plurima atque vernacula principi refonantes, audire hæc taliaque geftienti, virtutes ejus obruere verbis impudentibus conabantur, ut fegnem inceffentes et timidum et umbratilem, geftaque fecus verbis comptioribus exornantem. Ammianus, xvii, II.

* conduct

XXII.

conduct had fecured the victory; and the CHAP. "captive king of the Barbarians was prefented

86

to him on the field of battle," from which he was at that time diftant above forty days journey? So extravagant a fable was incapable, however, of deceiving the public credulity, or even of fatisfying the pride of the emperor himfelf. Secretly confcious that the applaufe and favour of the Romans accompanied the rifing fortunes of Julian, his discontented mind was prepared to receive the fubtle poifon of those artful fycophants, who coloured their mifchievous designs with the fairest appearances of truth and candour. Inftead of depreciating the merits of Julian, they acknowledged, and even exaggerated, his popular fame, fuperior talents, and important services. But they darkly infinuated, that the virtues of the Cæfar might inftantly be converted into the most dangerous crimes; if the inconftant multitude fhould prefer their inclinations to their duty; or if the general of a victorious army fhould be tempted

2 Ammian. xvi. 12. The orator Themiftius (iv. p. 56, 57.) believed whatever was contained in the Imperial letters,which were addressed to the fenate of Constantinople. Aurelius Victor, who published his Abridgment in the last year of Conftantius, afcribes the German victories to the wisdom of the emperor, and the fortune of the Cæfar. Yet the hiftorian, foon afterwards, was indebted to the favour or esteem of Julian for the honour of a brass statue; and the important offices of confular of the second Pannonia, and præfect of the city. Ammian. xxi. 10.

3 Callido nocendi artificio, accufatoriam diritatem laudum titulis peragebant... Hæ voces fuerunt ad inflammanda odia probris omnibus potentiores. See Mamertin. in Actione Gratiarum in Vet. Panegyr. xi. 5, 6.

XXII.

CHAP. from his allegiance by the hopes of revenge, and independent greatness. The perfonal fears of Fears and Conftantius were interpreted by his council as

envy of Conftan

tius.

a laudable anxiety for the public fafety; whilst in private, and perhaps in his own breaft, he disguised, under the lefs odious appellation of fear, the fentiments of hatred and envy, which he had fecretly conceived for the inimitable virtues of Julian.

The apparent tranquillity of Gaul, and the imminent danger of the eastern provinces, offered a fpecious pretence for the defign which was artfully concerted by the Imperial ministers. They refolved to difarm the Cæfar; to recall thofe faithful troops who guarded his perfon and dignity; and to employ in a diftant war against the Perfian monarch, the hardy veterans who had vanquished, on the banks of the Rhine, the fierceft nations of Germany. While Julian ufed the laborious hours of his winter-quarters at Paris in the administration of power, which, in his hands, was the exercife of virtue, he was furprised by the hafty arrival of a tribune and a notary; with positive orders from the emperor, which they were directed to commanded not to oppofe. his pleasure, that four entire and Petulants, the Heruli, fhould be separated from the standard of Julian, under which they had acquired their fame and difcipline; that in each of the remaining bands, three hundred of the braveft youths fhould be

execute, and he was Conftantius fignified legions, the Celtæ, and the Batavians,

felected;

XXII.

felected; and that this numerous detachment, CHAP. the ftrength of the Gallic army, should instantly begin their march, and exert their utmoft diligence to arrive, before the opening of the campaign, on the frontiers of Perfia *. The Cæfar forefaw, and lamented, the confequences of this fatal mandate. Most of the auxiliaries, who engaged their voluntary fervice, had ftipulated, that they should never be obliged to pafs the Alps. The public faith of Rome, and the perfonal honour of Julian, had been pledged for the obfervance of this condition. Such an act of treachery and oppreffion would destroy the confidence, and excite the refentment, of the independent warriors of Germany, who confidered truth as the nobleft of their virtues, and freedom as the most valuable of their poffeffions. The legionaries, who enjoyed the title and pri vileges of Romans, were enlifted for the general defence of the republic; but those mercenary troops heard with cold indifference the antiquated names of the republic and of Rome. Attached, either from birth or long habit, to the climate and manners of Gaul, they loved and admired Julian; they defpifed, and perhaps hated, the emperor; they dreaded the laborious march, the Perfian arrows, and the burning de

4 The minute interval, which may be interpofed, between the hyeme adulâ and the primo vere of Ammianus (xx. 1. 4), instead of allowing a fufficient space for a march of three thousand miles, would render the orders of Conftantius as extravagant as they were unjuft. The troops of Gaul could not have reached Syria till the end of autumn. The memory of Ammianus must have been inaccurate, and his language incorrect.