The Works of the Emperor Julian, Vol. 2Julian, Emperor of Rome
Philosophy
The Works of the Emperor Julian, Vol. 2
Julian, Emperor of Rome
Speeches, addresses, etc., Greek -- Translations into English
(.... Only(494) that they chastise, then and there, any whom they see
rebelling against their king. And the tribe of evil demons is appointed to
punish those who do not worship the gods, and stung to madness by them
many atheists are induced to court death in the belief that they will fly
up to heaven when they have brought their lives to a violent end. Some men
there are also who, though man is naturally a social and civilised being,
seek out desert places instead of cities, since they have been given over
to evil demons and are led by them into this hatred of their kind. And
many of them have even devised fetters and stocks to wear; to such a
degree does the evil demon to whom they have of their own accord given
themselves abet them in all ways, after they have rebelled against the
everlasting and saving gods. But on this subject what I have said is
enough, and I will go back to the point at which I digressed.)
Δικαιοπραγίας οὖν τῆς μὲν κατὰ τοὺς πολιτικοὺς νόμους εὔδηλον ὅτι μελήσει
τοῖς ἐπιτρόποις τῶν πόλεων, πρέποι δ᾽ ἂν καὶ ὑμῖν εἰς παραίνεσιν τὸ μὴ
παραβαίνειν ἱεροὺς ὄντας τῶν θεῶν τοὺς νόμους. [289] ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸν ἱερατικὸν
βίον εἶναι χρὴ τοῦ πολιτικοῦ σεμνότερον, ἀκτέον ἐπὶ τοῦτον καὶ διδακτέον·
ἕψονται δέ, ὡς εἰκός, οἱ βελτίους· ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ εὔχομαι καὶ πάντας, ἐλπίζω
δὲ τοὺς ἐπιεικεῖς φύσει καὶ σπουδαίους· ἐπιγνώσονται γὰρ οἰκείους ὄντας
ἑαυτοῖς τοὺς λόγους.
(Though just conduct in accordance with the laws of the state will
evidently be the concern of the governors of cities, you in your turn will
properly take care to exhort men not to transgress the laws of the gods,
since those are sacred. Moreover, inasmuch as the life of a priest ought
to be more holy than the political life, you must guide and instruct men
to adopt it. And the better sort will naturally follow your guidance. Nay
I pray that all men may, but at any rate I hope that those who are
naturally good and upright will do so; for they will recognise that your
teachings are peculiarly adapted to them.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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