Iulianus A. cultum deorum, antea dissimulatum, palam et libere profitetur, et Christianorum episcopos inter se committit.

[1] Et quamquam a rudimentis pueritiae primis, inclinatior erat erga numinum cultum, paulatimque adulescens, desiderio rei flagrabat, multa metuens tamen agitabat quaedam ad id pertinentia, quantum fieri poterat, occultissime.

[2] Ubi vero abolitis quae verebatur, adesse sibi liberum tempus faciendi quae vellet advertit, pectoris patefecit arcana, et planis absolutisque decretis, aperire¹ templa arisque hostias admovere, et restituere² deorum statuit cultum.

[3] Utque dispositorum roboraret effectum, dissidentes Christianorum antistites cum plebe discissa in palatium intromissos, monebat civilius, ut discordiis consopitis, quisque nullo vetante, religioni suae serviret intrepidus.

[4] Quod agebat ideo obstinate, ut dissensiones augente licentia, non timeret unanimantem postea plebem, nullas infestas hominibus bestias, ut sunt sibi ferales plerique³ Christianorum expertus. Saepeque dictitabat: Audite me quem Alamanni audierunt et Franci, imitari putans Marci principis veteris dictum. Sed parum advertit, hoc ab eo nimium discrepare.

[5] Ille enim cum Palaestinam transiret, Aegyptum petens, Iudaeorum faetentium et tumultuantium saepe taedio percitus, dolenter dicitur exclamasse: O Marcomanni, o Quadi, o Sarmatae, tandem alios vobis inquietiores inveni.

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

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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).) — 22.5 focus

[1] Although Julian from the earliest days of his childhood had been more inclined towards the worship of the pagan gods, and as he gradually grew up burned with longing to practise it, yet because of his many reasons for anxiety he observed certain of its rites with the greatest possible secrecy.

[2] But when his fears were ended, and he saw that the time had come when he could do as he wished, he revealed the secrets of his heart and by plain and formal decrees ordered the temples to be opened, victims brought to the altars, and the worship of the gods restored.

[3] And in order to add to the effectiveness of these ordinances, he summoned to the palace the bishops of the Christians, who were of conflicting opinions, and the people, who were also at variance, and politely advised them to lay aside their differences, and each fearlessly and without opposition to observe his own beliefs.

[4] On this he took a firm stand, to the end that, as this freedom increased their dissension, he might afterwards have no fear of a united populace, knowing as he did from experience that no wild beasts are such enemies to mankind as are most of the Christians in their deadly hatred of one another. And he often used to say: Hear me, to whom the Alamanni and the Franks have given ear, thinking that in this he was imitating a saying of the earlier emperor Marcus. But he did not observe that the two cases were very different.

[5] For Marcus, as he was passing through Palestine on his way to Egypt, being often disgusted with the malodorous and rebellious Jews, is reported to have cried: O Marcomanni, O Quadi, O Sarmatians, at last I have found a people more unruly than you.

Notes on the current edition

Res Gestae

1. aperire, Clark; aperiri, V.

2. et restituere, add. Her.; admovere deorum, V.

3. bestias ut sibi feralibus plerisque, Momm.; bestias sunt sibi feralibus plerique, V ( ut sunt, G; ferales, W 2HTN 2, Lind.).

Ammianus Marcellinus Res Gestae 22.5

John C. Rolfe (Translator)

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Iulianus A. cultum deorum, antea dissimulatum, palam et libere profitetur, et Christianorum episcopos inter se committit.

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