he prudence of Augustus
was adopted by Julian from choice and inclination. On the calends of
January, at break of day, the new consuls, Mamertinus and Nevitta,
hastened to the palace to salute the emperor. As soon as he was informed
of their approach, he leaped from his throne, eagerly advanced to
meet them, and compelled the blushing magistrates to receive the
demonstrations of his affected humility. From the palace they proceeded
to the senate. The emperor, on foot, marched before their litters; and
the gazing multitude admired the image of ancient times, or secretly
blamed a conduct, which, in their eyes, degraded the majesty of the
purple. [74] But the behavior of Julian was uniformly supported. During
the games of the Circus, he had, imprudently or designedly, performed
the manumission of a slave in the presence of the consul. The moment
he was reminded that he had trespassed on the jurisdiction of another
magistrate, he condemned himself to pay a fine of ten pounds of gold;
and embraced this public occasion of declaring to the world, that he
was subject, like the rest of his fellow-citizens, to the laws, [75] and
even to the forms, of the republic. The spirit of his administration,
and his regard for the place of his nativity, induced Julian to confer
on the senate of Constantinople the same honors, privileges, and
authority, which were still enjoyed by the senate of ancient Rome. [76]
A legal fiction was introduced, and gradually established, that one half
of the national council had migrated into the East; and the despotic
successors of Julian, accepting the title of Senators, acknowledged
themselves the members of a respectable body, which was permitted
to represent the majesty of the Roman name. From Constantinople, the
attention of the monarch was extended to the municipal senates of the
provinces. He abolished, by repeated edicts, the unjust and pernicious
exemptions which had withdrawn so many idle citizens from the services
of their country; and by imposing an equal distribution of public
duties, he restored the strength, the splendor, or, according to the
glowing expression of Libanius, [77] the soul of the expiring cities
of his empire. The venerable age of Greece excited the most tender
compassion in the mind of Julian, which kindled into rapture when he
recollected the gods, the heroes, and the men superior to heroes and to
gods, who have bequeathed to the latest posterity the monuments of their
genius,