Book 22
14.4
Finally, on a previously appointed festal day, he ascended Mount Casius,In Seleucia, near Antioch. a wooded hill rising on high with a rounded contour, from which at the second cock-crowOne of the divisions of the night; the latter part of the fourth watch; cf. Pliny, N.H. v. 80; Mart. Cap. vi., p. 235. the sun is first seen to rise And as he was offering sacrifice to Jove, he suddenly caught sight of a man lying flat upon the ground, and in suppliant words begging for life and pardon. And when Julian asked who he was, the man answered that he was the ex-governor Theodotus of Hierapolis; that when in company with other dignitaries he was escorting Constantius as he set out from his city, he shamefully flattered him, in the belief that he would unquestionably be victorious, begging him with feigned tears and wailing to send them the head of Julian, that ungrateful rebel, just as he remembered that the head of Magnentius had been paraded about.
14.5
Upon hearing this, the emperor answered: I heard of this speech of yours long ago from the mouths of many; but go to your home carefree, relieved of all fear by the mercy of your prince, who (as the philosopherSocrates; perhaps referring to the saying quoted by Stobaeus, Sermones, πόσῳ μᾶλλον χαριέστερον ἐποίησας, εἰ καὶ τοὑτους (= ἐχθρούς) εἰς φιλίαν μετετρόπωσας. advised) of his own accord and willingly strives to diminish the number of his enemies and increase that of his friends.
