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
Ἆρ᾽ οὖν ὑμῖν ἱκανῶς δοκοῦμεν ἐκτετελεκέναι τὸν ἀληθινὸν ἔπαινον; ἢ ποθεῖτε
ἀκούειν ὑμεῖς καὶ τὴν καρτερίαν καὶ τὴν σεμνότητα, καὶ ὡς οὐ μόνον ἐστὶ
τῶν πολεμίων ἀήττητος, [C] ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε αἰσχρᾶς ἐπιθυμίας ἑάλω πώποτε, οὔτε
οἰκίας καλῆς οὔτ᾽ ἐπαύλεως πολυτελοῦς οὔτε ὅρμων σμαραγδίνων ἐπιθυμήσας
ἀφείλετο βίᾳ ἢ καὶ πειθοῖ τοὺς κεκτημένους, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ γυναικὸς ἐλευθέρας
οὐδὲ θεραπαίνης, οὐδὲ ὅλως τὴν ἄδικον ἀφροδίτην ἠγάπησε, καὶ ὡς οὐδὲ ὧν
ὧραι φύουσιν ἀγαθῶν τὴν ἄμετρον ἀπαιτεῖ πλησμονήν, οὐδὲ αὐτῷ θέρους ὥρᾳ
τοῦ κρυστάλλου μέλει, [D] οὐδὲ μεταβάλλει πρὸς τὰς ὥρας τὴν οἴκησιν, τοῖς
πονουμένοις δὲ ἀεὶ πάρεστι τῆς ἀρχῆς μέρεσιν ἀντέχων καὶ πρὸς τὸ κρύος καὶ
πρὸς τὰ θάλπη τὰ γενναῖα; τούτων δὲ εἴ με κελεύοιτε φέρειν ὑμῖν ἐμφανῆ τὰ
τεκμήρια, γνώριμα μὲν ἐρῶ καὶ οὐκ ἀπορήσω, μακρὸς δὲ ὁ λόγος καὶ
διωλύγιος, ἐμοί τε οὐ σχολὴ τὰς μούσας ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον θεραπεύειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὥρα
λοιπὸν πρὸς ἔργον τρέπεσθαι.
(Now do you think I have made my sincere panegyric sufficiently thorough
and complete? Or are you anxious to hear also about the Emperor’s powers
of endurance and his august bearing, and that not only is he unconquerable
by the enemy, but has never yet succumbed to any disgraceful appetite, and
never coveted a fine house or a costly palace or a necklace of emeralds,
and then robbed their owners of them either by violence or persuasion; and
that he has never coveted any free‐born woman or handmaid or pursued any
dishonourable passion; and that he does not even desire an immoderate
surfeit of the good things that the seasons produce, or care for ice in
summer, or change his residence with the time of year; but is ever at hand
to aid those portions of the empire that are in trouble, enduring both
frost and extreme heat? But if you should bid me bring before you plain
proofs of this, I shall merely say what is familiar to all, and I shall
not lack evidence, but the account would be long, a monstrous speech, nor
indeed have I leisure to cultivate the Muses to such an extent, for it is
now time for me to turn to my work.(484))
ORATION III
Introduction To Oration III
The Third Oration is an expression of gratitude (χαριστήριος λόγος)(485)
to the Empress Eusebia, the first wife of Constantius. After Julian’s
intractable step‐brother Gallus Caesar had been murdered by the Emperor,
he was summoned to the court at Milan, and there, awkward and ill at ease,
cut off from his favourite studies and from the society of philosophers,
surrounded by intriguing and unfriendly courtiers, and regarded with
suspicion by the Emperor, Julian was protected, encouraged and advised by
Eusebia. His praise and gratitude are, for once, sincere. The oration must
have been composed either in Gaul or shortly before Julian set out thither
after the dangerous dignity of the Caesarship had been thrust upon him.
His sincerity has affected his style, which is simpler and more direct
than that of the other two Panegyrics.
ΙΟΥΛΙΑΝΟΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ ΕΥΣΕΒΙΑΣ
(Julian, Caesar)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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