A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

358 A Source Book for Ancient Church History[327]one was named Dalmatius, the other Constantius. Dalmatiushad a son of the same name as his own; Constantius had twosons, Gallus and Julian. Now, as on the death of Constantine,the founder of Constantinople, the soldiery had put the youngerbrother Constantius to death, the lives of his two orphanedchildren were also endangered; but a disease, apparently fatal,preserved Gallus from the violence of his father's murderers;and as to Julian, his age—for he was only eight years old atthe time—protected him. The Emperor's jealousy toward themhaving been subdued, Gallus attended schools at Ephesus inIonia, in which country considerable possessions had been leftthem by their parents. Julian, however, when he was grown uppursued his studies at Constantinople, going constantly to thepalace, where the schools then were, in simple attire and underthe care of the eunuch Mardonius. In grammar, Nicocles, theLacedæmonian, was his instructor; and Ecbolius, the sophist,who was at that time a Christian, taught him rhetoric; for theEmperor Constantius had made provision that he should have nopagan masters, lest he should be seduced to pagan superstitions;for Julian was a Christian at the beginning. Since he made greatprogress in literature, the report began to spread that he wascapable of ruling the Roman Empire; and this popular rumor becominggenerally spread abroad, greatly disquieted the Emperor.Therefore he removed him from the great city to Nicomedia, forbiddinghim at the same time to frequent the school of Libaniusthe Syrian sophist. For Libanius, having been driven away by theteachers of Constantinople, had opened a school at Nicomedia.Here he gave vent to his indignation against the teachers in histreatise composed against them. Julian, however, was interdictedfrom being his auditor, because Libanius was a pagan in religion;nevertheless because he admired his orations, he procured themand read them secretly and diligently. As he was becoming veryexpert in the rhetorical art, Maximus the philosopher arrived inNicomedia, not the Byzantine, Euclid's father, but the Ephesian