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THE emperor meanwhile invaded the country of the Persians a little
before spring, having learnt that the races of Persia were greatly
enfeebled and totally spiritless in winter. For from their inability
to endure cold, they abstain from military service at that season, and
it has become a proverb that 'a Mede will not then draw his hand from
underneath his cloak.' And well knowing that the Romans were inured
to brave all the rigors of the atmosphere he let them loose on the
country. After devastating a considerable tract of country, including
numerous villages and fortresses, they next assailed the cities; and
having invested the great city Ctesiphon, he reduced the king of the
Persians to such straits that the latter sent repeated embassies to the
emperor, offering to surrender a portion of his dominions, on
condition of his quitting the country, and putting an end to the war.
But Julian was unaffected by these submissions, and showed no
compassion to a suppliant foe: nor did he think of the adage, 'To
conquer is honorable, but to be more than conqueror gives occasion for
envy.' Giving credit to the divinations of the philosopher Maximus,
with whom he was in continual intercourse, he was deluded into the
belief that his exploits would not only equal, but exceed those of
Alexander of Macedon; so that he spurned with contempt the entreaties
of the Persian monarch. He even supposed in accordance with the
teachings of Pythagoras and Plato on 'the transmigration of souls,'
that he was possessed of Alexander's soul, or rather that he himself
was Alexander in another body. This ridiculous fancy deluded and
caused him to reject the negotiations for peace proposed by the king of
the Persians. Wherefore the latter convinced of the uselessness of
them was constrained to prepare for conflict, and therefore on the next
day after the rejection of his embassy, he drew out in order of battle
all the forces he had. The Romans indeed censured their prince, for
not avoiding an engagement when he might have done so with advantage:
nevertheless they attacked those who opposed them, and again put the
enemy to flight. The emperor was present on horseback, and encouraged
his soldiers in battle; but confiding simply in his hope of success,
he wore no armor. In this defenceless state, a dart cast by some one
unknown, pierced through his arm and entered his side, making a
wound. In consequence of this wound he died. Some say that a certain
Persian hurled the javelin, and then fled; others assert that one of
his own men was the author of the deed, which indeed is the best
corroborated and most current report. But Callistus, one of his
body-guards, who celebrated this emperor's deeds in heroic verse,
says in narrating the particulars of this war, that the wound of which
he died was inflicted by a demon. This is possibly a mere poetical
fiction, or perhaps it was really the fact; for vengeful furies have
undoubtedly destroyed many persons. Be the case however as it may,
this is certain, that the ardor of his natural temperament rendered him
incautious, his learning made him vain, and his affectation of
clemency exposed him to contempt. Thus Julian ended his life in
Persia, as we have said, in his fourth consulate, which he bore with
Sallust his colleague. This event occurred on the 26th of June,
in the third year of his reign, and the seventh from his having been
created Caesar by Constantius, he being at that time in the
thirty-first year of his age.
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