any one
mistakes them he errs, not because of the nature of the gods, but
because of the conjectures of men." But lest this discussion, running on
this point beyond the goal, as the proverb is, should disgust the
reader, we will now return to relate what follows.

II.

Sec. 1. While Julian, still with the rank of Caesar only, was at Paris one
day, exercising himself in the camp-field, and moving his shield in
various directions, the joints by which it was fastened gave way, and
the handle alone remained in his hand, which he still held firmly, and
when those present were alarmed, thinking it a bad omen, he said, "Let
no one be alarmed, I still hold firmly what I had before."

2. And again, when one day after a slight dinner, he was sleeping at
Vienne, in the middle of the darkness of the night a figure of unusual
splendour appeared to him, and when he was all but awake, repeated to
him the following heroic verses, reciting them over and over again;
which he believed, so that he felt sure that no ill fortune remained for
him:--

"When Jove has passed the water-carrier's sign,
And Saturn's light, for five-and-twenty days
Has lightened up the maid; the king divine
Of Asia's land shall enter on the ways
That painful lead to death and Styx's gloomy maze."

3. Therefore in the mean time he made no change in the existing
condition of affairs, but arranged everything that occurred with a quiet
and easy mind, gradually strengthening himself, in order to make the
increase of his power correspond with the increase of his dignity.

4. And in order, without any hindrance, to conciliate the good-will of
all men, he pretended to adhere to the Christian religion, which in fact
he had long since secretly abandoned, though very few were aware of his
private opinions, giving up his whole attention to soothsaying and
divination, and the other arts which have always been practised by the
worshippers of the gods.

5. But to conceal this for a while, on the day of the festival at the
beginning of January, which the Christians call Epiphany, he went into
their church, and offered solemn public prayer to their God.

III.

Sec. 1. While these events were proceeding, and spring was coming on,
Julian was suddenly smitten with grief and sorrow by unexpected
intelligence. For he learnt that the Allemanni had poured forth from
the district of Vadomarius, in which quarter, after the treaty which had
been made with him, no t