§ 4. JULIAN THE APOSTATE. 49
At tlie same time, however, Julian sought to renovate and transform heathenism by incorporating with it the morals of Christianity; vainly thinking thus to bring it back to its original purity. In this he himself unwittingly and unwillingly bore witness to the poverty of the heathen religion, and paid the highest tribute to the Christian ; and the Chris* tians for this reason not inaptly called him an "ape of ChriS' tianity."
In the first place, he proposed to improve the irreclaimable priesthood after the model of the Christian clergy. The priests, as true mediators between the gods and men, should be constantly in the temples, should occupy themselves with holy things, should study no immoral or skeptical books of tho school of Epicurus and Pyrrho, but the works of Homer Pythagoras, Plato, Chrysippus, and Zeno ; they should visit dc taverns nor theatres, should pursue no dishonorable trade, should give alms, practise hospitality, live in strict chastity and temperance, wear simple clothing, but in their official functions always appear in the costliest garments and most imposing dignity. He borrowed almost every feature of the then prevalent idea of the Christian priesthood, and applied it to the polytheistic religion.' Then, he borrowed from the con stitution and worship of the church a hierarchical system oi orders, and a sort of penitential discipline, with excommunica tion, absolution, and restoration, besides a fixed ritual em bracing didactic and musical elements. Mitred priests in purple were to edify the people regularly with sermons ; that is, with allegorical expositions and practical applications of
innerer Haltung in seinem Benehmen gegen Heiden und Christen, die state UnruJ.e und schwarmerische Aufregung, in welcher er sich befand, wenn er von Tempel zu Tempel eilte, auf alien Altiiren opferte und nichts unversucht liess, um den heidnischen Cultus, dessen hochstes Vorbild er selbst als Pontifex maximus sein wollte, in seinem voUen Glanz und Geprange, mit alien seinen Ceremonien und Mysterien wieder herzustellen, macht einen Eindruck, der es kaum verkennen lasst, wie weuig er sich selbst das UnnatUrliche und Erfolglose eines solchen Strebens verbergen konnte."
' Julian's views on the heathen priests are laid down especially in his 49th Epistle to Ursacius, the highpriest of Gaul, p. 429, and in the fragment of an oration, p. 300 sqq., ed. Spanh. Ullmann, in his work on Gregory of Nazianzen, p. 527 sqq., drawf an interesting parallel between Gregory's and Julian's ideal of a priest.
50 TmRD PEKIOD. A.I). 311-590.
tasteless and immoral mythological stones ! Every tem])le vcat to have a well arranged choir, and the congregation its responses. And finally, Julian established in different provinces monasteries, nimneries, and hospitals for the sick, for orphans, and for foreigners M'ithont distinction of religion, appropriated to them considerable sums from the pul)lic treasury, and at the same time, though fruitlessly, invited voluntary contributions. He made the noteworthy concession, that the heathens did not help even their own brethren in faith ; while the Jews never begged, and " the godless Galileans," as he malignantly styled the Christians, supplied not only their own, but even the heathen poor, and thus aided the worst of causes by a good practice.
But of course all these attempts to regenerate heathenism by foreign elements were utterly futile. Tliey were like galvanizing a decaying corpse, or grafting fresh scions on a dead trunk, sowing good seed on a rock, or pouring new wine into old bottles, bursting the bottles and wasting the wine.
II. The negative side of Julian's plan was the suppression and final extinction of Christianity.
In this he proceeded with extraordinary sagacity. He abstained from bloody persecution, because he would not forego the credit of philosopical toleration, nor give the church the glory of a new martyrdom. A history of three centuries also had proved that violent measures were fruitless. According to Libanius it was a principle with him, that fire and sword cannot change a man's faith, and that persecution only begets hypocrites and martyrs. Finally, he doubtless perceived that the Christians were too numerous to be assailed by a general persecution without danger of a bloody civil war. Hence ho oppressed the church " gently," ' under show of equity and U-iiversal toleration. He persecuted not so much the (/hristians as Christianity, by endeavoring to draw off its confessors. He thought to gain the result of persecution without incurring the personal reproach and the public danger of persecutiou
' 'Z-nteiKuii (Pid((To, as Gregory Nczianzcn, Orat. iv., expresses it.