CAP. XV.* 1.1
Howe the Emperoure takinge his voyage to warre with the Persians came to Antioch where the common people derided him, vnto whome after his departure he wrote an oration intitled Misopogon.
THe Emperoure when he had exacted of the christians and heaped together a great summe of money proceedinge on his voyage against the Persians came to Antioch in Syria, Being there and desirous to shewe vnto the people of Antioch a tast of his honors title the which he sette much by, sette the market lowe, made all things very cheape, had no consideration of the time: he pondered not with him selfe howe that an hoast or armie wheresoeuer it commeth, brin∣geth greate domage vnto the prouincialls and turneth plenty of necessaries to scarsitie of foode. Wherefore tauerners and vittayling houses which prouided necessaries for wayfaringe men, not able to beare the losse of so weyghty a burthen, whereunto they were inioyned by the Emperours edict, gaue ouer their trade, so that the citie was brought to greate distresse, because they wanted necessary prouision. The Antiochians an impatiente kinde of people, soone prouoked to anger and reuengemente coulde not away with this plague (which they tooke for no other) without a∣ny more adoe they goe to meete the Emperoure, they crie out agaynst him, they inueye at his* 1.2 doinges, and playe with his bearde (it was a longe thrumme bearde) they bidde him goe shaue his bearde and make halters thereof: they bringe him in remembrance of his coyne, wherein there was a bull conqueringe the worlde with his hornes. For the Emperoure beinge whol∣ly geuen to superstition, sacrificed bulls vpon the Idols altare, and therefore gaue charge that bothe the Alter and the bull shoulde be ingrauen in his coyne. The Emperoure beinge incensed with these skommes, threatned he woulde plague the people of Antioch. He remoued thence into Tarsus in Cilicia, as soone as he had prouided there suche necessaries as he stoode in neede of, he* 1.3 went on his iorney. Whereupon Libanius the Sophist tooke occasion to wryte the oration intit∣led of his embassie, where he entreated the Emperoure for the Antiochians, and also the oration vnto the people of Antioch where he layde before them the displeasure which the Emperoure had conceaued agaynst them. The reporte goeth that the Sophist wrote the sayde Orations and yet* 1.4 they neuer were seene abroade: and that the Emperoure was appeased not by reuenginge him of such as had flouted his beard, but requitinge them with like cōtumelious skommes. For he defa∣med the citie of Antioch for euer in the oration which he entitled Antiochian or Misopogon di∣rected against the deriders of his bearde. So farre of these things.