rself a
great man, worthy to command brave men. We ourselves will stand by you
in the energetic constancy of affection, or will join you in the
labours of war, so that we may govern together the whole world in peace,
if only God will grant us, as we pray he may, to govern with equal
moderation and piety. You will everywhere represent me, and I also will
never desert you in whatever task you may be engaged. To sum up: Go
forth; go forth supported by the friendly prayers of men of all ranks,
to defend with watchful care the station assigned to you, it may be
said, by the republic itself."

15. After the emperor had thus ended his speech, no one held his peace,
but all the soldiers, with a tremendous crash, rattled their shields
against their knees (which is an abundant indication of applause; while
on the other hand to strike the shield with the spear is a testimony of
anger and indignation), and it was marvellous with what excessive joy
they all, except a very few, showed their approbation of the judgment of
Augustus: and they received the Caesar with well-deserved admiration,
brilliant as he was with the splendour of the imperial purple.

16. And while they gazed earnestly on his eyes, terrible in their
beauty, and his countenance more attractive than ever by reason of his
present excitement, they augured from his looks what kind of ruler he
was likely to prove, as if they had been searching into those ancient
volumes which teach how to judge of a man's moral disposition by the
external signs on his person. And that he might be regarded with the
greater reverence, they neither praised him above measure, nor yet below
his desert. And so the voices raised in his favour were looked upon as
the judgment of censors, not of soldiers.

17. After the ceremony was over, Julian was taken up into the imperial
chariot and received into the palace, and was heard to whisper to
himself this verse of Homer--

"Now purple death hath seized on me,
And powerful strength of destiny."

These transactions took place on the sixth of November, in the year of
the consulship of Arbetio and Lollianus.

18. A few days afterwards, Helen, the maiden sister of Constantius, was
also given in marriage to the Caesar. And everything being got ready
which the journey required, he started on the first of December with a
small retinue, and having been escorted on his way by Augustus himself
as far as the spot, marked by two pillars, which lies be