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THE emperor being highly indignant at the assassination of George,
wrote to the citizens of Alexandria, rebuking their violence in the
strongest terms. A report was circulated that those who detested him
because of Athanasius, perpetrated this outrage upon George: but as
for me I think it is undoubtedly true that such as cherish hostile
feelings against particular individuals are often found identified with
popular commotions; yet the emperor's letter evidently attaches the
blame to the populace, rather than to any among the Christians.
George, however, was at that time, and had for some time previously
been, exceedingly obnoxious to all classes, which is sufficient to
account for the burning indignation of the multitude against him. That
the emperor charges the people with the crime may be seen from his
letter which was expressed in the following terms. EmperorCaesar
Julian Maximus Augustus to the Citizens of Alexandria.
Even if you have neither respect for Alexander the founder of your
city, nor, what is more, for that great and most holy god Serapis;
yet how is it you have made no account not only of the universal claims
of humanity and social order, but also of what is due to us, to whom
all the gods, and especially the mighty Serapis, have assigned the
empire of the world, for whose cognizance therefore it became you to
reserve all matters of public wrong? But perhaps the impulse of rage
and indignation, which taking possession of the mind, too often
stimulate it to the most atrocious acts, has led you astray. It
seems, however, that when your fury had in some degree moderated, you
aggravated your culpability by adding a most heinous offense to that
which had been committed under the excitement of the moment: nor were
you, although but the common people, ashamed to perpetrate those very
acts on account of which you justly detested them. By Serapis I
conjure you tell me, for what unjust deed were ye so indignant at
George? You will perhaps answer, it was because he exasperated
Constantius of blessed memory against you: because he introduced an
army into the sacred city: because in consequence the governor of
Egypt despoiled the god's most holy temple of its images, votive
offerings, and such other consecrated apparatus as it contained; who,
when ye could not endure the sight of such a foul desecration, but
attempted to defend the god from sacrilegious hands, or rather to
hinder the pillage of what had been consecrated to his service, in
contravention of all justice, law, and piety, dared to send armed
bands against you. This he probably did from his dreading George more
than Constantius: but he would have consulted better for his own
safety had he not been guilty of this tyrannical conduct, but
persevered in his former moderation toward you. Being on all these
accounts enraged against George as the adversary of the gods, you have
again polluted your sacred city; whereas you ought to have impeached
him before the judges. For had you thus acted, neither murder, nor
any other unlawful deed would have been committed; but justice being
equitably dispensed, would have preserved you innocent of these
disgraceful excesses, while it brought on him the punishment due to his
impious crimes. Thus too, in short, the insolence of those would
have been curbed who contemn the gods, and respect neither cities of
such magnitude, nor so flourishing a population; but make the
barbarities they practice against them the prelude, as it were, of
their exercise of power. Compare therefore this my present letter,
with that which I wrote you some time since. With what high
commendation did I then greet you! But now, by the immortal gods,
with an equal disposition to praise you I am unable to do so on account
of your heinous misdoings. The people have had the audacity to tear a
man in pieces, like dogs; nor have they been subsequently ashamed of
this inhuman procedure, nor desirous of purifying their hands from such
pollution, that they may stretch them forth in the presence of the gods
undefiled by blood. You will no doubt be ready to say that George
justly merited this chastisement; and we might be disposed perhaps to
admit that he deserved still more acute tortures. Should you farther
affirm that on your account he was worthy of these sufferings, even
this might also be granted. But should you add that it became you to
inflict the vengeance due to his offenses, that I could by no means
acquiesce in; for you have laws to which it is the duty of every one of
you to be subject, and to evince your respect for both publicly, as
well as in private. If any individual should transgress those wise and
salutary regulations which were originally constituted for the
well-being of the community, does that absolve the rest from obedience
to them? It is fortunate for you, ye Alexandrians, that such an
atrocity has been perpetrated in our reign, who, by reason of our
reverence for the gods, and on account of our grandfather and uncle
whose name we bear, and who governed Egypt and your city, still
retain a fraternal affection for you. Assuredly that power which will
not suffer itself to be disrespected, and such a government as is
possessed of a vigorous and healthy constitution, could not connive at
such unbridled licentiousness in its subjects, without unsparingly
purging out the dangerous distemper by the application of remedies
sufficiently potent. We shall however in your case, for the reasons
already assigned, restrict ourselves to the more mild and gentle
medicine of remonstrance and exhortation; to the which mode of
treatment we are persuaded ye will the more readily submit, inasmuch as
we understand ye are Greeks by original descent, and also still
preserve in your memory and character the traces of the glory of your
ancestors. Let this be published to our citizens of Alexandria.
Such was the emperor's letter.
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