The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.

CHAP. X. Iulian wintereth in Antioch, and there giveth good proofes of patience, lenitie, and equitie: but as bitter and professed enemie of true religion debarreth from the schooles the Christian Grammarians and Rhetoricians.

BVt after this, hastening to see Antioch, the head citie and beautie of the East parts, by making ordinarie journeyes, thither he came. Now, as he drew neere unto the citie, entertained he was with vowes, as if hee had beene some God: and hee admired the publique voyces of that mightie multitude, crying out with one accord, That a starre of salvation and health was now risen, and shone upon the East parts. Now, it happened at the very same time, that when the revolution of the yeare was finished, the solemnities called γ A∣donia, after the ancient rites and ceremonies were celebrated, in honour of Adonis, the darling of Venus; who, as Poets faine, was in his very flower unhappily killed with the tuske of a wild bore; which is a signe of corne cut in their full growth. And this seemed an ominous and unluckie praesage, that at the first entrance now of the Emperour into this goodly citie, the seat of Princes and Emperours, there were heard on every side yelling lamentations and dolefull plaints. And here there shewed it selfe a proofe or testimonie of his patience and mildnesse, small though it were, yet admirable. He had hated one Thalassius, sometime a * 1.1 principall clerke in the office of Requests, a secret enemie to his brother Gallus, and who laid wait for his life: who being forbidden to adore the Emperour, and to be present with other honourable personages to doe his dutie, his adversaries with whom he had suit in the judiciall court, the morrow after, when a superfluous multitude were assem∣bled together, stepped unto the Emperor, cried out with open mouth: Thalassius an enemie to your Grace, hath violently taken our goods from us. Then hee, guessing that by such an occasion as this the man might be undone and murthered, answe∣red them thus: I acknowledge (quoth he) that the partie whom yee name, hath iustly offended me; but meet it is, that you in the meane time forbeare and hold your peace, un∣till he give me satisfastion, being his enemie too, and a greater man. So he gave com∣mandement unto the Pręfect, sitting by him, That their matter should not be heard before himselfe were reconciled to Thalassius. Whiles hee there wintered to his hearts desi••e and contentment, he enjoyed during that time no allurements of plea∣sures, wherein all Syria throughout doth abound: but under a shew of solace and reposing himselfe, employing his mind in the deciding of judiciall causes, which were of no lesse importance than martiall affaires, distracted he was with manifold and sundry cares; peizing with precise and exquisite docilitie, by what meanes hee might give every man his owne, and that by just and righteous sentences both the wicked might be chastised with moderat punishments, and the innocent defended, with the safetie of their goods. And albeit in time of pleading and arguing a case, he was otherwhiles out of the way, and spake beside the purpose, namely whiles he would be asking unseasonably every one of those that were at debate, What religi∣on they were of? and what God they worshipped? yet there is not a definitive sen∣tence of his touching any controversie knowne, squaring from the truth: neyther could he ever be charged either in regard of religion, or any other by-matter, to have swerved from the straight line and rule of equitie: For that is a desirable and righte∣ous

judgement indeed, where by sundry examinations of matter, this is found just, and that unjust: from which, that he might not exorbitate and goe aside, he was as warie, as if he avoided dangerous rockes. And this was he able to attaine unto, be∣cause acknowledging the levitie of his owne nature, given to be very hastie, he gave the Pręfects and those that were next about him, leave boldly by convenient admo∣nition to curbe and reine his passions, tending (otherwise than became) unto that which was decent and comely: and he shewed otherwhiles, that he grieved at de∣linquencies, and joied in reformation. And when advocats and defenders of causes with exceeding great applause highly commended him, as a prince that had the true knowledge of perfite reason, being mooved hereat, he spake thus by report: I would take ioy, and were a prowd man, in case I might be praised of them who I knew were able also to dispraise me if I did or said otherwise than well. Now, it shal suffice in lieu of many mild examples of clemencie, which he shewed in the hearing of mens causes, to put downe this one, neither unpertinent to our present purpose, nor any way ab∣surd. A certain woman judicially convented and brought into the court, seeing her adversary one of the Protectores, otherwise than she looked for, * 1.2 in his armor light∣ly appointed, found her selfe much grieved, and stormed at this so strange a fashion: Whereupon the Emperour, Follow thy plea, good woman (quoth he) if thou thinke thy selfe any way wronged; for, this man here is so well appointed, that he may with lesse cum∣brance goe through the myre: little harme can he do to thy cause. And by these and such like examples, as himself used cōmonly to say, thought it might have bin, That the same ancient lady Iustice, whom because she was displeased with mens vices, Aratus exalteth up to heaven, in the time of his raign returned to the earth: but that he did some things not according to the discretion of the lawes, but after his owne will, and divers times with his errours and delinquencies in that behalfe, eclipsed and darkened his courses so glorious in many respects otherwise. For, after many other good acts, some of the lawes also he reformed for the better, which by cutting off their doubtfull constructions, and long circumstances, shewed plainely what they bad, and what they forbad to be done. But this one inhumane and unmercifull deed of his, would be buried in perpetuall silence, That hee debarred the professors of δ Rhetoricke and of Grammer, to teach those of the Christian religion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. Some ••ead Proxim••. ••. an under clerke.
• * 1.2

  C••••ctum, out of his gowne, and in manner armed.