The Works of the Emperor Julian, Vol. 1Julian, Emperor of Rome
Religion
The Works of the Emperor Julian, Vol. 1
Julian, Emperor of Rome
Speeches, addresses, etc., Greek -- Translations into English
gold and silver treasure than other men, and palaces adorned with costly
furniture, but because he is able to do good to many, and to bestow on all
men whatever they may chance to lack. This is what he who is truly a king
claims for himself. And since he loves both the city and the
soldiers,(421) he cares for the citizens as a shepherd for his flock,
planning how their young may flourish and thrive, eating their full of
abundant and undisturbed pasture; and his soldiers he oversees and keeps
together, training them in courage, strength and mercy, like well‐bred
dogs, noble guardians of the flock,(422) regarding them both as the
partners of his exploits and the protectors of the masses, and not as
spoilers and pillagers of the flock, like wolves and mongrel dogs which,
forgetting their own nature and nurture, turn out to be marauders instead
of preservers and defenders. Yet on the other hand, he will not suffer
them to be sluggish, slothful and unwarlike, lest the guardians should
themselves need others to watch them, nor disobedient to their officers,
because he knows that obedience above all else, and sometimes alone, is
the saving discipline in war. And he will train them to be hardy and not
afraid of any labour, and never indolent, for he knows that there is not
much use in a guardian who shirks his task and cannot hold out or endure
fatigue. And not only by exhorting, or by his readiness to praise the
deserving or by rewarding and punishing severely and inexorably, does he
win them over to this and coerce them; but far rather does he show that he
is himself what he would have them be, since he refrains from all
pleasure, and as for money desires it not at all, much or little, nor robs
his subjects of it; and since he abhors indolence he allows little time
for sleep, For in truth no one who is asleep is good for anything,(423)
nor if, when awake he resembles those who are asleep. And he will, I
think, succeed in keeping them wonderfully obedient to himself and to
their officers, since he himself will be seen to obey the wisest laws and
to live in accordance with right precepts, and in short to be under the
guidance of that part of the soul which is naturally kingly and worthy to
take the lead, and not of the emotional or undisciplined part. For how
could one better persuade men to endure and undergo fatigue, not only in a
campaign and under arms, but also in all those exercises that have been
invented in times of peace to give men practice for conflicts abroad, than
by being clearly seen to be oneself strong as adamant? For in truth the
most agreeable sight for a soldier, when he is fighting hard, is a prudent
commander who takes an active part in the work in hand, himself zealous
while exhorting his men, who is cheerful and calm in what seems to be a
dangerous situation, but on occasion stern and severe whenever they are
over confident. For in the matter of caution or boldness the subordinate
naturally imitates his leader.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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