caesar, who professed, in the warmest language of
friendship, his desire and his inability to reward, according to their
deserts, the brave companions of his victories. They retired from the
feast, full of grief and perplexity, and lamented the hardship of their
fate, which tore them from their beloved general and their native
country. The only expedient which could prevent their separation was
boldly agitated and approved; the popular resentment was insensibly
moulded into a regular conspiracy; their just reasons of complaint were
heightened by passion, and their passions were inflamed by wine, as, on
the eve of their departure, the troops were indulged in licentious
festivity. At the hour of midnight, the impetuous multitude, with swords
and bows and torches in their hands, rushed into the suburbs,
encompassed the palace, and, careless of future dangers, pronounced the
fatal and irrevocable words "JULIAN AUGUSTUS!"

The prince, whose anxious suspense was interrupted by their disorderly
acclamations, secured the doors against their intrusion, and, as long as
it was in his power, secluded his person and dignity from the accidents
of a nocturnal tumult. At the dawn of day the soldiers, whose zeal was
irritated by opposition, forcibly entered the palace, seized, with
respectful violence, the object of their choice, guarded Julian with
drawn swords through the streets of Paris, placed him on the tribunal,
and with repeated shouts saluted him as their emperor. Prudence, as well
as loyalty, inculcated the propriety of resisting their treasonable
designs, and of preparing, for his oppressed virtue, the excuse of
violence. Addressing himself by turns to the multitude and to
individuals, he sometimes implored their mercy, and sometimes expressed
his indignation; conjured them not to sully the fame of their immortal
victories; and ventured to promise, that if they would immediately
return to their allegiance, he would undertake to obtain from the
Emperor not only a free and gracious pardon, but even the revocation of
the orders which had excited their resentment.

But the soldiers, who were conscious of their guilt, chose rather to
depend on the gratitude of Julian than on the clemency of the Emperor.
Their zeal was insensibly turned into impatience, and their impatience
into rage. The inflexible caesar sustained, till the third hour of the
day, their prayers, their reproaches, and their menaces; nor did he
yield till he had be