The Works of the Emperor Julian, Vol. 1 (Loeb)

INTRODUCTION

Meanwhile, as he informs Maximus in Letter 8, he and his soldiers openly sacrificed to the gods. He now regarded himself as conducting a war in the name of Hellenism. Sometime in 361, he wrote the Kronia (Saturnalia), and in Oration 4. 157 c, he mentions that he sent it to his friend Sallust. Suidas has preserved a few lines of this work (frag. 4).Suidas, s.v. Empedotimus.

Meanwhile, Constantius—who had achieved nothing conclusive against the Persians—had married his third wife, Faustina, in Antioch. Their only child, a daughter, was later married to the Emperor Gratian but died young. Constantius had no choice but to lead his army to defend Constantinople against Julian. However, at Tarsus, he fell ill, and on November 3, 361, he died of a fever at Mopsucrene in Cilicia. When Julian heard the news, he wrote Letters 8 and 13, in which he thanked the gods for his escape from civil war. He entered Constantinople in triumph as Emperor on December 11, 361.

The greater number of the letters in this volume that can be dated were written after Julian's accession, in 362, from Constantinople and Antioch. He lost no time in inviting his friends to his court: Maximus from Ephesus (Letter 8), Chrysanthius from Sardis,See Eunapius, Lives, p. 441, Wright. Eutherius the eunuch (his trusted court chamberlain, Letter 10), Eustathius (Letter 43), Priscus,Ibid., p. 445. and Basil (Letter 26). Chrysanthius and Basil did not accept this invitation; when Julian failed to persuade Chrysanthius to follow the example of Maximus and disregard the omens that were unfavorable to their journey, he appointed him high priest of Lydia.