This has he from the gods, to whom he restored
their rites, and honours, and temples, and altars, and blood: from whom
having heard,« that he should humble the pride of Persia, and then die,'
he purchased the glory of his life, taking many cities, subduing a large
tract of land, teaching his pursuers to fly; and was about to receive,
as all know, an embassy which would have brought the submission of the
enemy.
their rites, and honours, and temples, and altars, and blood: from whom
having heard,« that he should humble the pride of Persia, and then die,'
he purchased the glory of his life, taking many cities, subduing a large
tract of land, teaching his pursuers to fly; and was about to receive,
as all know, an embassy which would have brought the submission of the
enemy.
Tacitus
' Whom I would
willingly ask this question: Whether, changing their mind, they will
dare to say, Let there be an end of these things done by [or for] the
Nile: let not the earth partake of his waters: let nothing be sown nor
reaped: let him afford no corn, nor any other product, nor let the mud
overflow the whole land, as at present. If they dare not own this, by
what they forbear to say they confute what they do say: for they who do
not affirm that the Nile ought to be deprived of his honours, confess
that the honours paid to the temples are useful.
"And since they mention him* who spoiled the temples [of their revenues
and gifts], we shall omit observing that he did not proceed to the
taking away the sacrifices. But who ever suffered a greater punishment
for taking away the sacred money [out of the temples], partly in what
he brought upon himself; partly in what he suffered after his death,
insomuch that his family destroyed one another, till there were none
left? And it had been much better for him that some of his posterity
should reign, than to enlarge with buildings a city of
* Constantine
{87}
his own name: for the sake of which city itself all men still curse his
memory, except those who live there in wicked luxury, because by their
poverty these have their abundance.
"And since next to him they mention his son *, and how he destroyed the
temples, when they who polled them down took no less pains in destroying
them, than the builders had done in raising them,---so laborious a work
was it to separate the stones cemented by the strongest bands;--since,
I say, they mention these things, I will mention somewhat yet more
considerable. That he indeed made presents of the temples to those who
were about him, just as he might give a horse, or a slave, or a dog, or
a golden cup; but they were unhappy presents to both the giver and the
receivers of them: for he spent all his life in fear of the Persians,
dreading all their motions as children do bugbears. Of whom, some were
childless, and died miserably intestate; and others had better never
have had children: with such infamy and mutual discord do they live
together who descend from them, whilst they dwell among sacred pillars
taken from the temples. To whom I think these things are owing, who
knowing how to enrich themselves, have taught
* Constantius.
{88}
their children this way to happiness! And at this time their distempers
carry some of them to Cilicia, needing the help of Æsculapius. But
instead of obtaining relief, they meet with affronts only for the injury
done to the place. How can such return without cursing the author of
these evils? But let the conduct of this Emperor be such as to deserve
praises living and dead; such as we know he* was who succeeded him; who
had overturned the Persian empire if treachery had not prevented it.
Nevertheless he was great in his death, for he was killed by treachery,
as Achilles also was; and is applauded for that, as well as for what
he did before his death.
This has he from the gods, to whom he restored
their rites, and honours, and temples, and altars, and blood: from whom
having heard,« that he should humble the pride of Persia, and then die,'
he purchased the glory of his life, taking many cities, subduing a large
tract of land, teaching his pursuers to fly; and was about to receive,
as all know, an embassy which would have brought the submission of the
enemy. Wherefore he was pleased with his wound, and looking upon it
rejoiced, and without any tears rebuked those who wept, for not thinking
that a wound was better to him than any old age. So that the embassies
sent after his death were all
* Julian.
{80}
his right. And the reason why the Achemenidæ* for the future made use
of entreaties instead of arms, was that the fear of him still possessed
their minds. Such an one was he who restored to us the temples of
the gods, who did things too good to be forgotten, himself above all
oblivion.
"But I thought that he** who reigned lately would pull down and burn
the temples of those who were of the opposite sentiment, as he knew how
to despise the gods. But he was better than expectation, sparing the
temples of the enemies, and not disdaining to run some hazards for
preserving those of his own dominions, which had long since been erected
with much labour and at vast expense. For if cities are to be preserved
every where, and some cities outshine others by means of their temples,
and these are their chief ornaments, next to the Emperor's palaces,--how
is it that no care must be taken of these, nor any endeavours used to
preserve them in the body of the cities?
"But it is said: 'There will be other edifices, though there should be
no temples. ' But I think tribute to be of importance to the treasury.
Let
* Another name for the Persians.
** Valens.
{90}
these stand then, and be taxed. Do we think it a cruel thing to cut off
a man's hand, and a small matter to pluck out the eyes of cities? And
do we not lament the ruins made by earthquakes?
willingly ask this question: Whether, changing their mind, they will
dare to say, Let there be an end of these things done by [or for] the
Nile: let not the earth partake of his waters: let nothing be sown nor
reaped: let him afford no corn, nor any other product, nor let the mud
overflow the whole land, as at present. If they dare not own this, by
what they forbear to say they confute what they do say: for they who do
not affirm that the Nile ought to be deprived of his honours, confess
that the honours paid to the temples are useful.
"And since they mention him* who spoiled the temples [of their revenues
and gifts], we shall omit observing that he did not proceed to the
taking away the sacrifices. But who ever suffered a greater punishment
for taking away the sacred money [out of the temples], partly in what
he brought upon himself; partly in what he suffered after his death,
insomuch that his family destroyed one another, till there were none
left? And it had been much better for him that some of his posterity
should reign, than to enlarge with buildings a city of
* Constantine
{87}
his own name: for the sake of which city itself all men still curse his
memory, except those who live there in wicked luxury, because by their
poverty these have their abundance.
"And since next to him they mention his son *, and how he destroyed the
temples, when they who polled them down took no less pains in destroying
them, than the builders had done in raising them,---so laborious a work
was it to separate the stones cemented by the strongest bands;--since,
I say, they mention these things, I will mention somewhat yet more
considerable. That he indeed made presents of the temples to those who
were about him, just as he might give a horse, or a slave, or a dog, or
a golden cup; but they were unhappy presents to both the giver and the
receivers of them: for he spent all his life in fear of the Persians,
dreading all their motions as children do bugbears. Of whom, some were
childless, and died miserably intestate; and others had better never
have had children: with such infamy and mutual discord do they live
together who descend from them, whilst they dwell among sacred pillars
taken from the temples. To whom I think these things are owing, who
knowing how to enrich themselves, have taught
* Constantius.
{88}
their children this way to happiness! And at this time their distempers
carry some of them to Cilicia, needing the help of Æsculapius. But
instead of obtaining relief, they meet with affronts only for the injury
done to the place. How can such return without cursing the author of
these evils? But let the conduct of this Emperor be such as to deserve
praises living and dead; such as we know he* was who succeeded him; who
had overturned the Persian empire if treachery had not prevented it.
Nevertheless he was great in his death, for he was killed by treachery,
as Achilles also was; and is applauded for that, as well as for what
he did before his death.
This has he from the gods, to whom he restored
their rites, and honours, and temples, and altars, and blood: from whom
having heard,« that he should humble the pride of Persia, and then die,'
he purchased the glory of his life, taking many cities, subduing a large
tract of land, teaching his pursuers to fly; and was about to receive,
as all know, an embassy which would have brought the submission of the
enemy. Wherefore he was pleased with his wound, and looking upon it
rejoiced, and without any tears rebuked those who wept, for not thinking
that a wound was better to him than any old age. So that the embassies
sent after his death were all
* Julian.
{80}
his right. And the reason why the Achemenidæ* for the future made use
of entreaties instead of arms, was that the fear of him still possessed
their minds. Such an one was he who restored to us the temples of
the gods, who did things too good to be forgotten, himself above all
oblivion.
"But I thought that he** who reigned lately would pull down and burn
the temples of those who were of the opposite sentiment, as he knew how
to despise the gods. But he was better than expectation, sparing the
temples of the enemies, and not disdaining to run some hazards for
preserving those of his own dominions, which had long since been erected
with much labour and at vast expense. For if cities are to be preserved
every where, and some cities outshine others by means of their temples,
and these are their chief ornaments, next to the Emperor's palaces,--how
is it that no care must be taken of these, nor any endeavours used to
preserve them in the body of the cities?
"But it is said: 'There will be other edifices, though there should be
no temples. ' But I think tribute to be of importance to the treasury.
Let
* Another name for the Persians.
** Valens.
{90}
these stand then, and be taxed. Do we think it a cruel thing to cut off
a man's hand, and a small matter to pluck out the eyes of cities? And
do we not lament the ruins made by earthquakes?
