A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

362 A Source Book for Ancient Church Historyphilosophy; in consequence of which an abundance of pretendersto learning of this sort resorted to the palace from all quarters,men who wore their palliums and were more conspicuous fortheir costume than for their erudition. These impostors, whoinvariably adopted the religious sentiments of their prince, wereinimical to the welfare of the Christians; but since Julian himselfwas overcome by excessive vanity he derided all his predecessorsin a book which he wrote, entitled “The Cæsars.” Led bythe same haughty disposition, he composed treatises against theChristians as well.(b) Sozomenus, Hist. Ec., V, 3. (MSG, 67:1217.)Julian's restoration of heathenism.[331]When Julian was placed in sole possession of the Empire hecommanded all the temples throughout the East to be reopened;and he also commanded that those which had been neglected tobe repaired, those which had fallen into ruins to be rebuilt, andthe altars to be restored. He assigned considerable money for thispurpose. He restored the customs of antiquity and the ancestralceremonies in the cities and the sacrifices. He himself offeredlibations openly and sacrificed publicly; and held in honor thosewho were zealous in these things. He restored to their ancientprivileges the initiators and the priests, the hierophants and theservants of the temples, and confirmed the legislation of formeremperors in their favor. He granted them exemption from dutiesand other burdens as they had previously had had such exemption.He restored to the temple guardians the provisions whichhad been abolished. He commanded them to be pure from meats,and to abstain from whatever, according to pagan opinion, wasnot befitting him who had announced his purpose of leading apure life.