The auncient ecclesiasticall histories of the first six hundred yeares after Christ, wrytten in the Greeke tongue by three learned historiographers, Eusebius, Socrates, and Euagrius. Eusebius Pamphilus Bishop of Cæsarea in Palæstina vvrote 10 bookes. Socrates Scholasticus of Constantinople vvrote 7 bookes. Euagrius Scholasticus of Antioch vvrote 6 bookes. VVhereunto is annexed Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus, of the liues of the prophetes, apostles and 70 disciples. All which authors are faithfully translated out of the Greeke tongue by Meredith Hanmer, Maister of Arte and student in diuinitie. Last of all herein is contayned a profitable chronographie collected by the sayd translator, the title whereof is to be seene in the ende of this volume, with a copious index of the principall matters throughout all the histories

CAP. XIX.

Iouianus is created Emperoure. A notable confutation of Libanius the Heathen Rhetorician.

THe souldiers beinge doubtefull, knowinge not what was best to be done, the nexte day af∣ter the death of Iulian, without any further deliberation, they proclaime Iouianus a man* 1.1 of valiante and noble courage theyr Emperoure. This man beinge a tribune, when Iu∣lian by proclamatiō gaue the souldiers in choice eyther to doe sacrifice or to leaue warefare: chose rather to throwe awaye his swordegirdle then to satisfie the wicked and detestable edicte of the Emperoure. For all that, Iulian, when the necessitie of the warres then in hande constrayned him, retayned him in the number of his Captaines. But Iouianus beinge nominated Empe∣roure refuseth the crowne and beinge compelled thereunto agaynste his will by the souldieres breaketh out into lowde speache, sayinge: In that he was a Christian he woulde not be Em∣perour where Ethnickes shoulde become his subiectes: yet when all with one voice confessed themselues to be Christians, he yelded and was crowned Emperour. Beinge in Persia and so∣dainely put to his shiftes, his souldiers also being almost famished to death: vpon certaine condi∣tions he ioyned in league with the kinge of Persia and so ended the warres. The couenantes as the Romaynes thoughte were vnlaweful, yet consideringe the case of that presente time they were not to be misliked. For he was contente to loose the dominion of Syria and to deliuer the Per∣sians Nisibis a citie in Mesopotamia. When these tidinges were blased abroade the Christi∣ans conceaued no small ioye at the departure of Iulian: the whole armie also misliked very muche with his vndiscreete and headye rashenesse and laye to his charge that the boundes of the Em∣pire were cutte shorte. For be beinge deceaued by a Persian that was a fugitiue, sette afire cer∣taine vessells vpon the seaes whiche broughte them corne, and thereof it rose that the famine grieued them sore. At that time Libanius the Sophist made a funerall oration where he be way∣led the death of Iulian and entitled it Iuliana or the Epitaph of Iulian. In the whiche he payn∣ted forthe his life with loftye stile in prayse of his person and to his further commendation repor∣teth of the bookes he had wrytten agaynste the Christians, and howe that in them he had pro∣ued theyr doctrine for triflinge and ridiculous stuffe. If this Rhetorician had extolled the Em∣peroure onely for his other Acts, I would haue proceeded with silence to discourse of that which remayneth of the historie: but in so muche he hath mentioned the bookes of Iulian, and like a graue and wise orator inueyed bitterly againste Christian religion, therefore I haue thoughte good to saye somewhat thereof, and firste I will laye downe his owne wordes * 1.2 In the vvinter season (sayth he) vvhen the nights are somevvhat longe, the Emperoure perusing those bookes vvhiche affirme that the man vvhose originall vvas in Palaestina is bothe God and the sonne of God, confuted them vvith manye reasons and stronge argumentes and condemned them for ridiculous doctrine: affirmed moreouer that the glorious religion, highly esteemed of them was full of toyes and trifles, vvhere he proued himselfe to be farre vviser then the olde grayberde of Tyrus. VVherefore let the olde man of Tyrus (he meaneth Porphyrius) conceaue no displea∣sure at all but patientely vveye vvherein his childe doth preiudice his creditte. These are the wordes of Libanius the Sophiste. Truely I will saye no lesse, but that he was a notable Rhetori∣cian and I am verelye perswaded that if he had not consented vnto the Emperours religion, he woulde haue had no other speache in his mouthe then the Christians haue at this day, and that by all likelyhoode, beinge an excellent Rhetorician, he woulde haue extolled Christian religion vnto the skies. For he wrote in the prayse of Constantius while he liued, after his desease he wrote to his disprayse and made inuectiues agaynste him. Wherefore if Porphyrius had bene Emperoure, he woulde haue preferred his workes before the wrytinges of Iulian: againe if

Iulian had bene a Sophist (as he wrote of Ecebolius in his funerall oration of Iulian) he would haue called him a ••au••••e Rhetorician. In as muche as then he beinge of the same religion with the Emperoure, beinge a Rhetorician, beinge also his friende wrote his pleasure of him: we also after our habilitie will fall to answere his sclaunderous workes. First he sayth that in the winter season the nights beinge somwhat longe he tooke great paines in perusing the christians bookes He signifieth by taking of paines in this place, that his trauell was greate in wrytinge of inuec∣tiues, as Rhetoricians doe vse, when they traine vp youth to the knoweledge of their art. A good while agoe he read those bookes in deede, tooke greate paynes, discoursed at large, not as Liba∣nius sayth with stronge argumentes, but with weake, in somuche they were contrarie to the trueth, and endeuored skoffinge wise to refell suche thinges as of themselues were of force i∣noughe. For whosoeuer disputeth with an other, laboureth to foile his aduersarie, sometime by corrupting and peruerting, some other time by concealinge of the trueth. Whosoeuer also he be that oweth spite and hatred vnto any man, he will endeuer like a deadly enemy not onely to doe, but also to speake the worste of him: he will also wreste all the mischiefe whiche the enemy deui∣seth agaynst him, vpon his aduersarie. Their owne bookes doe manifestly declare, that bothe Iulian and Porphyrius (whome he calleth the gray bearde of Tyrus) were raylers and skoffers. For Porphyrius in his booke intitled the liues of Philosophers, wrytinge of Socrates the chiefe of all the reste, inueyeth against him bitterly: and wryteth to his contumely raylinge speaches and farre more opprobrious languages, then Melitus or Anytus who of olde sclaundered him alike, euer durste to reuile Socrates with all. I meane that Socrates whome the Gentils haue in greate admiration for his temperance, iustice and others his vertues: whome Plato the de∣uine Philosopher, whome Xenophon with the whole Senate of Philosophers doe greately reue∣rence. But Iulian followinge his fathers steppes in all thinges, reuealed vnto the worlde that corrupte humor whiche troubled his heade (wherewich he reuiled all the Emperours and Cae∣sars that were before him) in so muche that he spared not, no not his deare friende the Philo∣sopher Marcus. Wherefore lette theyr wrytinges be iudge whether bothe Porphyrius and Iu∣lian were reuilers and sclaunderers or no. Neyther haue I neede of greate and weyghtie argu∣mentes to confirme this my assertion: but the opinions of diuerse sage personages grounded v∣pon good coniectures the whiche I minde to alleage shall stande for sufficiente proofe. What Gregorie Nazianzen hathe thoughe of Iulian, lette vs first of all see out of his owne wordes. For in his seconde Oration agaynst the Gentils he wryteth thus. Althoughe bothe his raygne and* 1.3 also experience hathe taughte other men that these thinges vvere moste true in him: yet percea∣ued I them longe a goe since the time I vvas aquaynted vvith him at Athens. For he came thi∣ther vvhen the Emperesse had procured licence of the Emperoure for his voyage, vvhen also his brother Gallus had conspired the deathe of Constantius the Emperoure. There vvere tvvo causes that moued him to repayre vnto Athens. The first tollerable, the seconde of smale honestie: the first to see Grece and the schooles that florished therein: the seconde (vvhiche vvas more secrete and knovven vnto fevve) for to consulte vvith southsayers and sacrificers a∣bout his affayres in time to come, because it vvas not then openly permitted for the authors of suche impiety to practise suche Deuelishe inuentions. And I my selfe in coniecturinge of him at that time (although I am not of the number of Propheciers) vvas not much deceaued: for his vvauering mind and frenticke disposition, made me a Prophet good inough. He vvich goeth nearest the marke by coniecture, is commonly called the beste Prophere. I savve not one signe* 1.4 in him that gaue me any hope of him that euer he woulde become an honeste man. He had a runninge heade: his shoulders did neuer lynne vvagginge, and lay slatte or stipe vvise: he had vvinkinge eyes that continevvally rolled in his heade: his countenance vvas staringe: he had a slidinge, slippery and limpinge pace: his visage vvas scornefull: he had a flyringe face of his ovvne, the which his immoderate laughter and continevvall skorninge did declare: his maner vvas without all good order to say and vnsay: his vvords came tumblinge out vvith vehemen∣cie and stoppes, the sentence broken in the middes: his questions and obiections were rashe and foolish, his ansvvers vvere litle better which oftentimes follovved one after the other, and as there vvas litle holde of them, so were they proposed vvithout order. But what neede I to runne ouer all particulers. I foresawe in him before he was created Emperour that which after∣vvardes proued to be moste true. If there were presentely in place any of my familiars vvhiche hearde me thus diuininge of him, I am sure they woulde testifie this to be no othervvise then

I doe reporte it: in vvhose hearinge also at the foresight of these thinges I vttered these vvordes: O good God vvhat a monster the Empire of Rome doth nourishe. VVhen I had vttered these vvordes I desired of God that in this behalfe I might be founde a lyer. For that had bene farre better, then that the vvhole vvorlde shoulde haue bene visited vvith so many mischiefes, then that suche a monster shoulde euer haue beene seene amonge men, vvhen the like thereof had neuer bene remembred before: seing there happened many deluges and floodes ouerflowing the countreys, the vvhich both yong and olde at this houre doth remember: great losse by fire: terrible earthquakes and gapinge of the grounde, and men also of a straunge shape vvere seene borne into the vvorld, of mixte and compound natuers halfe man halfe beast. But he purchased vnto himselfe suche an ende as his frentike disposition by all right deserued. These thinges did Gregorie reporte of Iulian. Because that Porphyrius and Iulian bothe, in many their rashe allega∣tions to the sclaunder of Christian religion haue done greate iniurie to the trueth, partely by per∣uertinge certaine places of holy Scripture, partly also by reconcilinge of others after theyr owne foolishe iudgement, with applyinge of them to their owne purpose: many withstoode them, con∣futed and ouerthrewe their Sophisticall positions, yea aboue all the rest, Origen, who florished a long tyme before the raigne of Iulian, sifted out such places of holy Scripture as seemed to bring the readers into doubt, layd downe the obiections together with the answers, & satisfied the cap∣tious & vayne doubts of wicked persons. If Iulian and Porphyrius had diligently perused these his workes, they woulde (I am sure) not onely haue approued the same but also applyed all theyr giftes to other matters and neuer sette theyr mindes to wryte Sophisticall fallacies full of blas∣phemous impietie agaynst the maiestie of God. It is manifest hereby that the Emperoure vsed these cauillations amonge rude and vnlearned people, and not in the hearinge of such as had lear∣ned the manifest trueth out of holy Scripture. For when he had heaped together many wordes of holy Scripture whiche are necessaryly sette forthe after a common and vsuall kinde of frase to expresse the Oeconomie, the order in doinge or dispensation of God, in the ende he sayth thus: Verely these places euery one vnlesse the sentence hath some secret or hid mystery (the whiche* 1.5 I take to be most true) contayne as farre forthe as the vvordes geue vs to vnderstande manye blasphemies against God. This was one amonge other of his argumentes layde downe in his thirde booke against the Christians. In his booke intitled Cynisme while he endeuoreth to in∣structe vs howe farre forthe it may be lawefull for vs to proceede in framinge of holy fables or diuine comedies, his opinion is that in the handelinge of suche matters it behoued vs to conceale the trueth, his wordes are these: Nature had leuer be vnreuealed, the hidde also,* 1.6 and the intrecate essence of the Gods vvill not in any vvise suffer it selfe to be beaten vvith playne and manifeste vvordes, into the defiled eares of men. Wherefore the Emperoure as farre forthe as we can gather by his wordes, seemeth to be of that opinion toutchinge holy Scripture, because the wordes are mysticall and contayne secrecie: but it grieues him that all men be not of his minde and therefore he scorneth at such Christians as vnderstande the sayd my∣steries simplie. Yet he shoulde not haue so derided the simplicitie of the common people: ney∣ther therefore to haue inueyed against holy Scripture: neither to haue abhorred and detested the sense and notable sentences comprised in the same, because all men did not vnderstande them as he thoughte good. Nowe as it is very euidente the like happened vnto Porphyrius. This Por∣phyrius* 1.7 beinge rebuked of certaine Christians at Caesarea in Palaestina, beinge altogether im∣paciente throughe boylinge choler, and burninge heate of furious rage fell from the Christian faythe and rashely tooke penne in hande (because of the hatred he owed vnto them, whiche re∣prehended him) for to wryte bookes where he inueyed bitterly with contumelious stile againste all Christians: as I reede in the bookes of Eusebius Pamphilus whiche he wrote to the confuta∣tion of his workes. The Emperoure also settinge vp him selfe insolencely agaynst the Christi∣ans in the hearing of vnlearned persons, and being prouoked thereunto by the selfe same fren∣tike and raginge humor fell into the like Apostasie with Porphyrius. Wherefore bothe of them, fallinge of theyr owne accorde into extreme impietie, and priuye in conscience to theyre blas∣phemous practises receaued punishment due vnto theyr deseruinge. Furthermore when Liba∣nius the Sophiste skornefully derided the Christians, in these wordes: they take the man that was borne in Palaestina for God and the sonne of God: me thinkes he forgetteth himselfe when as* 1.8 in the ende of his Oration he numbred Iulian amonge the Gods, in this sorte: Firste of all (sayth he) they coulde not refrayne, for they stoned him almoste to deathe vvhiche broughte

the firste tydinges of Iulians departure out of this lyfe, as if he had lyed agaynste God. Agayne a little after: O thou scholar (sayeth he) of the deuells: O thou disciple of the deuells: O thou assistent and associate of the deuells. Although he vnderstoode this otherwise, yet in so much he eschewed not the equiuocall worde which comprised also the Deuell, he seemed to vtter no lesse then the Christians accustomed to doe in reproche. Wherefore if he had determined with him selfe to extoll any man, he shoulde haue auoyded euery ambiguous worde in such sorte as he reiected an other phrase beynge reprehended for it, and blotted it out of his bookes. Howe that man in Christ is made God: howe that he is both man openly, and God in mysterie, howe that also both these thinges may be iustifyed, the holie bookes of the Christians doe declare. The Ethnickes before they beleeue, are not able to comprehende it. For the saying of the Prophete is true: If you beleeue not, ye shall not be able to vnderstand. Wherefore they are not ashamed to number many mortall men in the catalogue of the gods. I would to God they had offended herein onely in takinge them for godds who were vertuous lyuers, iuste men, and temperate persons: but they haue preferred such as were impure, vniust, and dronken sortes: I meane Herculeans, Bacchians, Aesculapians, whome Libanius doeth very* 1.9 oft call to wittnes in his writinges, whose amorous toyes and wanton behauiour both with male and female if I shoulde goe about to rehearse, woulde compell mee to vse a longe di∣gression. Such as are desirous to vnderstande farther hereof, lette them repayre vnto A∣ristotles Peplus, by interpretation the womans attyre: vnto Dionysius garlande, vnto Regi∣nus Polym••••emon, and to the whole rable of Poets, who writinge of these thinges doe sette wyde open vnto the worlde the vayne and ridiculous mysteries of the Ethnickes. but that it is a heathenishe custome to accompt of mortall men as of gods, lette vs consider thereof a lit∣tle better. The Rhodians beynge in greate distresse receaued answere of the Oracle, that they* 1.10 shoulde worship Attis the Phrygian, who was a priest, and dyed frentike. The Oracle was as followeth:

Set forth the greate God Attis name, sounde out his glorious prayse, VVhome vertue ioynd with Adon chast and Bacchus happie dayes.* 1.11

This Oracle maketh Attis, who dyed for loue, a god, together with Adonis & Bacchus. More∣ouer when Alexander king of Macedonia came to Asia, the people Amphictiones brought him presents, of whome the Oracle of Apollo in Delphos made this answere, and charged the peo∣ple as followeth:

Let altars burne and incense powre, please Ioue, Minerua eke: The potent prince though nature frayle, his fauour you must seeke. For Ioue from heauen to earth him sent, lo Alexander kinge, As God he comes the earth to rule, and iust lawes for to bringe.

These were the words which the deuell out of the breast of Pythia vttered of Alexander. The same Oracle to the ende he myght flatter greate personages and Princes of greate power, num∣bred them in the catalogue of the gods, and peraduenture this answere was no other but a flatte∣ringe of Alexander. To what ende shall I write of Cleomêdes the wrastler, of whome to the ende* 1.12 he myght be canonized a god, the Oracle spake in this sort:

Cleomede interred is, his fame lett florishe styll, Aduaunce with feasts and sacrifice his name, this is our will.

Diogenes Cynicus and Oinomaus the philosopher, condemned the Oracle of Apollo for this afore∣sayde follie. The people Cyciceni called Adrianus the thirtienth god: Adrianus him selfe coun∣ted Antinous his dearlinge in the catalogue of the gods. Yet Libanius woulde not once open his lyppes to the reprehension of these ridiculous toyes and meere follie. Neuerthelesse though he perused these Oracles, and read ouer the booke of Adrias, intituled The lyfe of Alexander, yet was not he ashamed to esteeme of Porphyrius as of a god. I am humblie (sayeth he) to craue pardon of the olde graybearde of Tyrus, in that I haue preferred the vvorkes of the Empe∣rour before his vvritinges. Thus haue we discoursed by waye of digression somewhat at large, to the ende we myght satisfie the despitefull reportes of the sclaunderous mouth of the Sophist: yet in so much they seeme to require a seuerall volume we will ende them heare and proceede on in our historie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iouianus was created Em∣perour Anno Dom. 367.
• * 1.2

  Cap. 23. in the Greeke. Libanius the Sophist in his funerall ora∣tion vpō the death of Iu∣lian the A∣postata.
• * 1.3

  Gregorius Nazianzen ora. 2. cont. Gentil.
• * 1.4

  The phisio∣gnomie of Iulian the Apostata.
• * 1.5

  Iulian lib. 3. contra Chri∣stian.
• * 1.6

  Iulian lib. Cynis.
• * 1.7

  Impatiencie brought Por¦phyrius into Apostasie.
• * 1.8

  Libanius in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 funerall ••f Iulian.
• * 1.9

  Hercules. Bacchus. Aesculapius.
• * 1.10

  Attis dyed for loue.
• * 1.11

  Adon was a beautifull boy slaine of a bore & be∣cause he was the dearlinge of Venus she turned him to a purple flowre, or as some say, vn∣to a Rose. Bacchus was a dronkē so••t
• * 1.12

  Cleomêdes was a wrast∣ler of excee∣ding strēgth & greatnesse of body, who beinge put beside the price at the game of O∣lympus, fell madde. Antinous was a yonge boy whome Adrianus the Emperour loued. Cap. 24. in the greeke.