unworthy of the command, there are now among you, (I speak it with pride
and pleasure,) there are many chiefs whose merit and experience are
equal to the conduct of the most important war. Such has been the
temper of my reign, that I can retire, without regret, and without
apprehension, to the obscurity of a private station" [63] The modest
resolution of Julian was answered by the unanimous applause and cheerful
obedience of the Romans, who declared their confidence of victory, while
they fought under the banners of their heroic prince. Their courage was
kindled by his frequent and familiar asseverations, (for such wishes
were the oaths of Julian,) "So may I reduce the Persians under the
yoke!" "Thus may I restore the strength and splendor of the republic!"
The love of fame was the ardent passion of his soul: but it was not
before he trampled on the ruins of Maogamalcha, that he allowed
himself to say, "We have now provided some materials for the sophist of
Antioch." [64]

[Footnote 58: Libanius de ulciscenda Juliani nece, c. 13, p. 162.]

[Footnote 59: The famous examples of Cyrus, Alexander, and Scipio, were
acts of justice. Julian's chastity was voluntary, and, in his opinion,
meritorious.]

[Footnote 60: Sallust (ap. Vet. Scholiast. Juvenal. Satir. i. 104)
observes, that nihil corruptius moribus. The matrons and virgins of
Babylon freely mingled with the men in licentious banquets; and as
they felt the intoxication of wine and love, they gradually, and
almost completely, threw aside the encumbrance of dress; ad ultimum ima
corporum velamenta projiciunt. Q. Curtius, v. 1.]

[Footnote 61: Ex virginibus autem quae speciosae sunt captae, et in
Perside, ubi faeminarum pulchritudo excellit, nec contrectare aliquam
votuit nec videre. Ammian. xxiv. 4. The native race of Persians is
small and ugly; but it has been improved by the perpetual mixture of
Circassian blood, (Herodot. l. iii. c. 97. Buffon, Hist. Naturelle, tom.
iii. p. 420.)]

[Footnote 62: Obsidionalibus coronis donati. Ammian. xxiv. 4. Either
Julian or his historian were unskillful antiquaries. He should have
given mural crowns. The obsidional were the reward of a general who had
delivered a besieged city, (Aulus Gellius, Noct. Attic. v. 6.)]

[Footnote 63: I give this speech as original and genuine. Ammianus might
hear, could transcribe, and was incapable of inventing, it. I have used
some slight freedoms, and conclude with the most forcibic sentence.]