Res Gestae 25
Res Gestae: Ammianus Marcellinus (Book 25)
Web Publication by Mountain Man Graphics, Australia

Res Gestae: Ammianus Marcellinus (Book 25)

NOTE: This page is under construction.
In this earlier phase, only Ammianus' 
obituary to Julian is published,
commencing 25:4



4. Julian's merits and defects, his bodily form and stature.


1.  He was a man truly to be numbered with the
heroic spirits, distinguished for his illustrious deeds
and his inborn majesty. For since there are, in the
opinion of the philosophers, four principal virtues [1],
moderation, wisdom, justice, and courage and
corresponding to these also some external characteristics,
such as knowledge of the art of war, authority,
good fortune, and liberality, these as a whole and
separately Julian cultivated with constant zeal.

2. In the first place, he was so conspicuous for
his inviolate chastity that after the loss of his wife [2] it
is well known that he never gave a thought to
love; bearing in mind that we read in Plato [3], that
Sophocles, the tragic poet, when he was asked, at a
great age, whether he still had congress with women,
said no, adding that he was glad that he had escaped
from this passion as from some mad and cruel master.

3. Also, to give greater strength to this
principle, Julian often repeated the saying of the 
lyric poet Bacchylides, whom he delighted to read,
who declares that as a skilful painter gives a face
beauty, just so chastity gives charm to a life of
high aims. This blemish in the mature strength of
manhood he avoided with such care, that even his
most confidential attendants never (as often happens)
accused him even of a suspicion of any lustfulness.

4. Moreover, this kind of self-restraint was made
still greater through his moderation in eating and
sleeping, which he strictly observed at home and
abroad. For in time of peace the frugality of his
living and his table excited the wonder of those who
could judge aright, as if he intended soon to resume
the philosopher's cloak. And on his various 
campaigns, he was often seen partaking of common and
scanty food, sometimes standing up like a common soldier.

5. As soon as he had refreshed his body,
which was inured to toil, by a brief rest in sleep, he
awoke, and in person attending the changing of the
guards and pickets, and after these serious duties
took refuge in the pursuit of learning.

6. And if
the nightly lamps amid which he worked could have
given oral testimony, they would certainly have
borne witness that there was a great difference
between him and some other princes, since they
knew that he did not indulge in pleasure, even to the
extent which nature demanded.

7. Then there were very many proofs of his
wisdom, of which it will suffice to mention a few.
He was thoroughly skilled at the arts of war and
peace, greatly inclined to courtesy, and claiming for
himself only so much deference as he thought
preserved him from contempt and insolence. He was
older in virtue than in years. He gave great attentions
to the administration of justice, and was sometimes
an unbending judge; also a very strict censor
in regulating conduct,with a calm contempt for
riches, scorning everything mortal; in short, he
often used to declare that it was shameful for a wise
man, since he possessed a soul, to seek honour from
bodily gifts.

8. By what high qualities he was distinguished
in his administration of justice is clear from many
indications: first, because taking into account circumstances 
and persons, he was awe-inspiring but free
from cruelty. Secondly, because he checked vice by
making examples of a few, and also because he more
frequently threatened men with the sword than
actually used it.

9. Finally, to be brief, it is well
known that he was so merciful towards some open
enemies who plotted against him, that he corrected
the severity of their punishment by his inborn mildness.

10. His fortitude is shown by the great number of
his battles and by his conduct of wars, as well as by
his endurance and excessive cold and heat. And
although bodily duty is demanded from a soldier,
but mental duty from a general, yet he once
boldly met a savage enemy in battle and struck
him down [4], and when our men gave ground, he
several times alone checked their flight [6] by opposing
his breast to them. When destroying the kingdoms
of the raging Germans and on the burning
sands of Persia he added to the confidence of his
soldiers by fighting among the foremost.

11. There are many notable evidences of his knowledge of
military affairs; the sieges of cities and fortresses,
undertaken admi the extremest dangers, the varied
forms in which he arranged his lines of battle, the
choice of safe and healthy places for camps, the
wisely planned posting of frontier guards and field pickets.

12. His authority was so well established
that, being feared as well as deeply loved as one who
shared in the dangers and hardships of his men, he
both in the heat of fierce battles condemned cowards
to punishment, and, while he was still only a Caesar [6],
he controlled his men even without pay, when they
were fighting with savage tribes, as I have long ago
said. And when they were armed and mutinous, he
did not fear to address them and threaten to return to
private life, if they continued to be insubordinate.

13. Finally, one thing it will be enough to know in
token of many, namely, that merely by a speech he
induced his Gallic troops, accustomed to snow and
to the Rhines, to traverse long stretches of country
and follow him through torrid Assyria to the very
frontier of the Medes.

14. His success was so conspicuous that for a long
time he seemed to ride on the shoulders of Fortune
herself, his faithful guide as he in victorious career
surmounted enormous difficulties. And after he left
the western region, so long as he was on earth all
nations preserved perfect quiet, as if a kind of
earthly wand of Mercury were pacifying them.

15. There were many undoubted tokens of his
generosity. Among these are his very light imposition
of tribute, his remission of the crown-money [7],
the cancellation of many debts made great by long 
standing [8], the impartial treatment of disputes
between the private purse private persons, the
restoration of revenues from taxes to various states
along with their lands, except such as previous high
officials [9] had alienated by a kind of legal sale;
furthermore, that he was never eager to increase his wealth,
which he thought was better secured in the hands of
its possessors; and he often remarked that Alexander
the Great, when asked where his treasures were,
gave the kindly answer, "in the hands of my friends" [10].

16. Having set down his good qualities, so many
as I could know, let me now come to an account of
his faults, although they can be summed up briefly.
In disposition he was somewhat inconsistent, but he
controlled this by the excellent habit of submitting
when he was wrong, to correction.

17. He was somewhat talkative, and very seldom silent; also
too much given to the consideration of omens and
portents, so that in this respect he seemed to equal 
the emperor Hadrian. Superstitious rather than 
truly religious, he sacrificed innumerable victims
without regard to cost, so that one might believe
that if he had returned from the Parthians, there
would soon have been a scarcity of cattle; like the
Caesar Marcus [10], of whom (as we learn) the following
Greek distich was written:

    "We the white steers do Marcus greet,
     Win once again, and death we all must meet."


18. He delighted in the applause of the mob, and
desired beyond measure praise for the slightest
matters, and the desire for popularity often led him
to converse with unworthy men.

19. And yet, in spite of this, his own saying might
be regarded as sound, namely, that the ancient
goddess of Justice, whom Aratus [11] raised to heaven
because of her impatience with men's sins, returned
to earth again during his rule, were it not that sometimes
he acted arbitrarily, and now and then seemed unlike himself.

20. FOr the laws which he enacted
were not oppressive, but stated exactly what was to
be done or left undone, with few exceptions. For 
example, it was a harsh law that forbade Christian [12]
rhetoricians and grammarians to teach, unless they
consented to worship the pagan deities.

21. And also it was almost unbearable that in the municipal
towns he unjustly allowed persons to be made
members of the councils, who, either as foreigners, or
because of personal privileges or birth, were wholly
exempt from such assemblies.

22. The figure and proportion of his body were as
follows. He was of medium stature. His hair lay
smooth as if it had been combed, his beard was
shaggy and trimmed so as to end in a point, his eyes
were fine and full of fire, an indication of the acuteness
of his mind. His eyebrows were handsome, his nose
very straight, his mouth somewhat large with a
pendulous lower lip. His neck was thick and somewhat
bent, his shoulders large and broad. Moreover,
right from top to toe he was a man of straight
well-proportioned bodily frame and as a result was
strong and a good runner.

23. And since his detractors alleged that he had
stirred up the storms of war anew, to the ruin of
his country, they should know clearly through the
teachings of truth, that it was not Julian, but
Constantine, who kindled the Parthain fires, when he
confided too greedily in the lies of Metrodorus [13],as
I explained fully some time ago. [14]

24. This it was
that caused the annihilation of our armies, the
capture so often of whole companies of soldiers, the
destruction of cities, the seizure or overthrow of
fortresses, the exhaustion of our provinces by heavy
expenses, and the threats of the Persians which were 
soon brought into effect, as they claimed everything
as far as Bithynia and the shores of the Propontis.

25. But in Gaul, where barbarian arrogance grew 
apace, as the Germans swarmed through our territories,
and the Alps were on the point of being forced
with the resulting devastation of Italy, after the 
inhabitants had suffered many unspeakable woes,
nothing was left save tears and fears, since the recollection 
of the past was bitter and the anticipation of
what threatened was sadder still; all this that young
man,sent to the western region, a Caesar in name
only [15], wholly corrected with almost incredible speed,
driving kings before him as common slaves.

26. And in order to restore the Orient with similar
energy, he attacked the Persians, and he would have
won from them a triumph and a surname, if the
decrees of heaven had been in accord with his plans
and his splendid deeds.

27. And although we know
that some men thoughtlessly laugh at experience
to such an extent that they sometimes renew wars
when defeated, and go to sea again after shipwreck [16],
and return to meet difficulties to which they have
often yielded, there are some who blame a prince
who had been everywhere victorious for trying to
equal his past exploits.





[1]  Cicero, De Off, 1.5.15

[2]  Cf. 21.1.5

[3]  Rep, 1.329.B-C; cf. Cic, De Senec, 14.47

[4]  Cf. 24.4.4

[5]  Cf. Suet, Jul. 62

[6]  Under the authority of Constantius; see Introd.

[7]  The coronarium was the money presented to the emperor
     personally by the provinces on his ascension to the throne,
     which was often a great amount. Avaricious rulers claimed
     it on other occassions, such as victories over the barbarians,
     and the like. Augustus, Hadrian, Antonius Pius and Alexander
     Severus had not extracted it.

[8]  On taxes, cf. 16.5.14

[9]  The praetorian prefects, etc. Also Constantine, Constantius,
     and valentinian sold or gave away lands belonging to the temples.

[10] Marcus Aurelius

[11] Cf. 22.10.6

[12] Cf. 22.10.7

[13] Metrodorus, a philosopher, in the time of Constantine the Great,
     is said to have made his way into farthest India with the intention
     of going around the world. Winning the favour of the Brachmanae
     and being admitted to their shrines, he stole many pearls and other
     gems. The king of the Indi also gave him many jewels of great price,
     which he was to offer to Constantine in the name of the king. When
     Metrodorus returned to Byzantium, he presented these to Constantine
     as his own gift, and said that he had sent many more to him by the
     land route, but that they had all been seized by the Persians.
     When Constantine demanded their return from Sapor, he received no
     reply, and thus the peace between the Romans and the Persians was
     broken. This story is told by Georgius Cedrenus in his Chron,
     anno xxi Constantini (p. 295A f.), but is regarded as apocryphal.

[14] In a lost book. (ED: Books 1-13, 91-351CE, are presumed lost.)

[15] ie. although he had the title, he was subject to surveillance,
     was kept short of funds, and was hampered in many ways.

[16] Cf. Sen, De Benef 1.1.10; adeoque adversus experimenta
     pertinacres sumus, ut bella victi et naufragi maria repetamus.

 

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