The sun., 1895-05-05

Flnvius Claudius Julianus was born in or neal
Constantinoplc In 331 A. D., the year after that
city had been made the capital Of the East. His
full name. which Is rarely mentioned, is com.
bipation OF several family names. Tho Flavius
was a gentle name inherited from Constantius
Chorus: the Claudius was adopted by Constan.
tines family. to bring them into connection
with the rhracian emperor. Ciaudius Gothicus
aud the Julianus was bestowed upon the boy by
his maternal grandfather, who bore the same
nano himself. A genealogical table insert
oil in this book renders clear Julian's
relations TO the other members Of the
imperial family, which reigned during a
large pnrt of the fourth century. or his father.
Julius Constantius, son Of Constantius Chorus,
and Of Theodora, stepdaughter to tho Emperor
Maximian, u contemporary historian recounts
that. although. provided the empire had been
hereditary instead of elective, he would have
had better right to 1t than his brother. Constan-
tine, who actually obtained II, he yet remained
loyal to the latter, and lived on friendly terms
with him. Julius Constantius was twico married; ;
Basilna, the mother Of Julian. was OF the power
full and wealthy family of the Anicii, and her
father had been Pretorian Prefect The author
deems 1t probable that Julian owed moro to his
relations on the mothers side than to those on
tho fathers. 1t was his maternal grandfather
who provided for his early education. and he
refers moro than once in his letters to the in
heritance OF the property Of his grandmother,
and especially of a little estate in Bithynia,
where in his boyhood he passed many happy
days. The one kinsman to whom he writes. as
II expecting sympathy In his religious inten-
tions, is his maternal uncle. Beyond all this,
we have the fact that his mother was educated
in Greek literature, and. although she died soon
after his birth. her tutor. with whom she used
Ha nd q in.
structon OF her child.
10 enable us to understand the world in which
Julian was to play an important part. the author
depicts in preliminary chapter the effect pro-
duced upon the Roman empire during the early
years of the fourth century by tho frank and
official recognition Of three facts which, hith-
erto. had been more or less successfully hidden
under q mass Of legal fctions. The first of these
three facts that the government Of tho
Roman empire had ceased to be q republic Tho
second was that the city of Rome was no longer
the one centre of the whole political system. The
third was that the worship Of the ancient gods
OF Greece and Rome. neither In its earlier and
simpler forms, nor in its later combinations
with Oriental mythology and ritual, and with
the theosophic accrotions from the schools of
philosophy. could any longer be regarded as tho
religion Of the people and their rulers. 1t Ia
pointed out that tho recognition of all these mo-
mentous facts was not simultaneous nor mado
by one person. 1t should be regarded rather as
the outcome Of the chief lines of the policy fol-
lowed by the Emperors Diocletian and Con-
stantine. Yet Diocletan was 30 far from dis
cerning tho inevitable character of the religious
revolution going under his eyes, that
his reign marks the last effort to check
by stern persecution the rising tide Of
Christianity. On the other hand. In political
and military affairs, some of the changes made
by these Emperors had been anticipated by 9TH
ers of earlier date. Nevertheless, tho reforms
of the half century preceding tho birth Of
Julian were sufficiently homogeneous and
definite to enable us 10 draw there line sep
arating two historical epochs, which some Ger
man historians distinguish as that Of the prince
dom and that Of the absolute monarchy,
Julians career was greatly Influenced by tho
preceding recognition of tho three great
changes. 1t exhibits in q striking manner the
dominant tendencies of the age. although
against these, for the most part, he feltJ himself
b q I'd to maintain vigorous resistaace. Not
that he was unwilling 10 follow the policy Of
his predecessors In SO far as 1t was conducive to
the energetic defence and efficient administra-
tion of the empire. But, in his sympathy with
the aspirations Of past ages, and his devotion
TO ideas which had ceased to sway the
minds OF men. Julian felt himself out Of
harmony with the world In which he
lived. and thus came to throw all his power
and affection into the scale of reaction. Each.
indeed, of the three changes, or acknowledg-
ments of change. just mentioned. was abhorrent
10 his mind and character. Hating pomp and
show, impatient Of tho petty. hampering rules
Of court etiquette. and constantly dwelling in
thought on the ancient glories Of democratic
Athens and senatorial Rome, no could hardly
Wow the Orientalizing and inordinate eIalta-
tion Of the imperial dignity In tho light Of re-
FORM or the city of Rome itself. In spite Of
An antiquarian Difference. he was not as
jealous champion as he was of the
Greco-Roman culture, which seemed to be
bound up In its fortunes with those of
the great empire. threatened both were In his
day by adversaries on the borders. and by dis
contonted classes within. AS to the change In
spiritual conditions, this was to him not merely
an adverse element of tho environment In which
he had tn work; 1t threatened the destruction of
all that he held dear and believed to be most
necessary for the common good He felt him
self bound to prevent such a destruction at any
cost, or to perish in the attempt What he found
when he succeeded Constantius on the throne In
A. ID. 36l. was in the State, an absolute mon
Archy served b. = sordid bureaucracy; In society,
ranks and cliques, close corporations, and
. grinding, bsnumbinR system OF supervi-
sion and taxation; In art and letters, little
originality, a love of words, q paucity OF ideas:
In the Church. distraction and bitter division.
Yet below the surface. forces were at work
which bore in them the seed Of better days.
Those, too. who could not reach forward into the
future might escape from the ignoble present
TO rejoice in the greatness of the past, for they
had within their grasp all the treasures of
ancient civilization. tho literature, and the
monuments Of older and greater times. What
wonder. asks the author, II a sense Of tho worth
OF those treasures and OF the poverty OF con-
temporary life should force into the ranks of re-
action ono at least of the most eager and aspir-
Ing minds OF tho age.
Julian ruled as emperor only about two years,
and fell, as 1t is we'll known. in his campaign
against the Persians. How does 1t happen that
30 short a reign has filled large q place In
bistoryY 1t is certain that he was not u suo-
cessful initiator; rather was he ono who en-
deavored 10 hold back the chief movement of
his day and In nrsyanf he a disan nnoa NJ ~.