\ § 4. JIJLIAK THE APOSTATE. 41 Notwithstanding this great conversion of the goverament and of public sentiment, the pagan religion still had many ad- herents, and retained an important influence through habit and superstition over the rude peasantry, and through liter- ature and learned schools of philosophy and rhetoric at Alex- andria, Athens, &c., over the educated classes. And now, under the lead of one of the most talented, energetic, and notable Roman emperors, it once more made a systematic and vigorous effort to recover its ascenden(;y in the Roman empire. Beit in the entire failure of this effort heathenism itself gave the strongest proof that it had outlived itself forever. It now became evident during the brief, but interesting and in- structive episode of Julian's reign, that the policy of Con- stantino was entirely judicious and consistent with the course of history itself, and tJiat Christianity really carried all the moral vigor of the present and all the hopes of the future. At the same time this temporary persecution was a just punishment and wholesome discipline for a secularized church and clergy.' Julian, surnamed the Apostate (Apostata), a nephew of Constantino the Great and cousin of Constantius, was born in the year 331, and was therefore only six years old when his uncle died. The general slaughter of his kindred, not except- ing his father, at the change of the throne, could beget neither love for Constantius nor respect for his court Christianity. He afterwards ascribed his escape to the special favor of the old gods. He was systematically sj)oiled by false education and made the enemy of that very religion which pedantic teachers attempted to force upon his free and independent mind, and which they so poorly recommended by their lives. We have a striking parallel in more recent history in the case of Frederick the Great of Prussia. Julian was jealously watched by the emperor, and kept in rural retirement almost like a prisoner. "With his step-brother Gallus, he received a ' So Gregory of Naz. regarded it, and Tillemont justly remarks, Mem. vii. 322 : " Le grand nombre de pechez dont beaucoup de Chretiens estoient coupables, fut cause que Dieu donna a ce prince la puissance imperiale pour les punir ; et sa malice fut comme une verge entre les. mains de Dieu pour les corriger." 42 THIED PERIOD. A.D. 311-590. nominally Christian training under tlie direction of tlie Arian bishop Eusebius of Nicomedia and several eunuchs ; he was baptized ; even educated for the clerical order, and ordained a lector.' He prayed, fasted, celebrated the memory of the martyrs, paid the usual reverence to the bishops, besought the blessing of hermits, and read the Scriptures in the church of Nicomedia. Even his plays must wear the hue of devotion. Bat this despotic and mechanical force-work of a repulsively austere and fiercely polemic type of Christianity roused the intelligent, wakeful, and vigorous spirit of Julian to rebellion, and drove him over towards the