Eunuchos omnes, et tonsores ac coquos palatio expellit Iulianus Aug. Et de palatinorum spadorum vitiis et de corrupta disciplina militum.

[1] Conversus post haec princeps ad palatinos, omnes omnino qui sunt quique esse possunt removit¹ non ut philosophus veritatis indagandae professor.

[2] Laudari enim poterat, si saltem moderatos moderates quosdam licet paucos retinuisset, morumque probitate compertos. Namque fatendum est, pleramque eorum partem vitiorum omnium seminarium effusius aluisse, ita ut rem publicam infecerint cupiditatibus pravis, plusque exemplis, quam peccandi licentia, laederent multos.

[3] Pasti enim ex his quidam templorum spoliis et lucra ex omni odorantes occasione, ab egestate infima ad saltum² sublati divitiarum ingentium nec largiendi nec rapiendi nec absumendi tenuere aliquem modum, aliena invadere semper assuefacti.

[4] Unde fluxioris vitae initia pullularunt, et periuria, et nullus existimationis respectus, demensque superbia fidem suam probrosis quaestibus polluebat.

[5] Inter quae ingluvies³ et gurgites crevere praerupti conviviorum, et pro victorialibus epulares triumphi, ususque abundantes⁴ serici et textiles auctae sunt artes, et culinarum sollicitior cura, et ambitiosa ornatarum domorum exquisita sunt spatia, quorum mensuram si in agris consul Quinctius possedisset, amiserat etiam post dictaturam gloriam paupertatis.

[6] Quibus tam maculosis accessere flagitia disciplinae castrensis, cum miles cantilenas meditaretur, pro iubilo molliores: et non saxa (ut erant⁵ antehac) armato cubile, sed pluma et flexiles lectuli, et graviora gladiis pocula (testa enim bibere iam pudebat), quaerebantur et⁶ aedes marmoreae, cum scriptum sit antiquitatibus, Spartanum militem coercitum acriter, quod procinctus tempore ausus sit videri sub tecto.

[7] Adeo autem ferox erat in suos illis temporibus miles et rapax, ignavus vero in hostes et fractus, ut per ambitiones otiumque opibus partis, auri et lapillorum varietates discerneret scientissime, contra quam recens memoria tradidit.

[8] Notum est enim sub Maximiano Caesare vallo regis Persarum direpto, gregarium quendam post⁷ sacculum Parthicum (in quo erant margaritae) repertum, proiectis imperitia gemmis, abisse, pellis nitore solo contentum.

[9] Evenerat eisdem diebus, ut ad demendum imperatoris capillum, tonsor venire praeceptus, introiret quidam ambitiose vestitus. Quo viso Iulianus obstipuit, et⁸ Ego inquit non rationalem iussi, sed tonsorem acciri. Interrogatus tamen ille quid haberet ex arte compendii, vicenas diurnas respondit annonas, totidemque pabula iumentorum, quae vulgo dictitant capita, et annuum stipendium grave, absque fructuosis petitionibus multis.

[10] Unde motus omnes huius modi, cum cocis similibusque allis, eadem paene accipere consuetos (ut parum sibi necessarios) data quo velint eundi potestate, proiecit.

Res Gestae. Ammianus Marcellinus. John C. Rolfe (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1935-1940.

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Current edition Perseus

Res Gestae (Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., editor. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).)

Translations (1)

History Perseus (Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).) — 22.4 focus

[1] After this the emperor turned his attention to the palace attendants, and dismissed all who belonged to that class or could be included in it, but not like a philosopher claiming to research into truth.

[2] For he might have been commended if he had at least retained some, few though they were, who were of modest behaviour or known to be of virtuous character. But it must be admitted that the major part of those creatures maintained a vast nursery of all the vices, to such a degree that they infected the state with evil passions, and rather by their example than by their license in wrong-doing injured many.

[3] For some of them, fattened on the robbery of temples and scenting out gain from every source, on being raised from abject poverty at one bound to enormous wealth, knew no limit to bribery, robbery, and extravagance, always accustomed as they were to seize the property of others.

[4] Hence sprang the seeds of a dissolute life, perjury, and disregard for good name, and their mad pride stained their honour by shameful gains.

[5] Meanwhile, gluttony and deep abysses of banquets¹ grew apace, and the place of triumphs won in battle was taken by those gained at the table. The lavish use of silk and of the textile arts increased, and more anxious attention to the kitchen. Showy sites for richly adorned houses were eagerly sought, of such dimensions that if the consul Quinctius² had owned as much in farmland, he would have lost the glory of his poverty even after his dictatorship.

[6] To these conditions, shameful as they were, were added serious defects in military discipline. In place of the war-song the soldiers practised effeminate ditties; the warriors’ bed was not a stone (as in days of yore), but feathers and folding couches; their cups were now heavier than their swords (for they were ashamed to drink from earthenware); they even procured houses of marble, although it is written in the records of old that a Spartan soldier was severely punished because during a campaign he dared to be seen under a roof.

[7] Moreover, the soldiers of those times were so insolent and rapacious towards their countrymen, and so cowardly and weak in the presence of the enemy, that having acquired riches by patronage and idleness, they were adepts in distinguishing the varieties of gold and gems, contrary to the usage even of recent times.

[8] For it is well known that under Caesar Maximianus,³ when a fortified camp of the Persian king was pillaged, a common soldier after finding a Parthian jewel-box containing pearls, threw away the gems in ignorance of their value, and went his way, quite satisfied with the beauty of the leather alone.

[9] It happened at that same time that a barber, who had been summoned to trim the emperor’s hair, appeared in splendid attire. On seeing him, Julian was amazed, and said: I sent for a barber, not a fiscal agent. However, he asked the man what his trade brought him in; to which the barber replied twenty daily allowances⁴ of bread, and the same amount of fodder for pack-animals (these they commonly call capita), as well as a heavy annual salary, not to mention many rich perquisites.

[10] Incensed by this, Julian discharged all attendants of that kind (as being not at all necessary to him), as well as cooks and other similar servants, who were in the habit of receiving almost the same amount, giving them permission to go wherever they wished.

Notes on the current edition

Res Gestae

1. removit, added by Pithoeus.

2. culmen altum, suggested by Her.; altum, Haupt; fastum, Corn.

3. ingluvies, E, Lind.; glubies, V (corr. by V 3).

4. abundantes, Lind.; abundantis, V.

5. saxa ( ut erant antehac), Pighius; saxa merant uthac, V (c add. V 2, ut hac, del. V 3).

6. quaerebantur et, tr. by Gardt.

7. post, added in G; scuto Parthico reperto, Val., Bent.; saccutum (sacculum, V 3) repertum, V.

8. obstupuit et, Her.; V omits et; obstupuit, WBG.

Ammianus Marcellinus Res Gestae 22.4

John C. Rolfe (Translator)

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Eunuchos omnes, et tonsores ac coquos palatio expellit Iulianus Aug. Et de palatinorum spadorum vitiis et de corrupta disciplina militum.

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