Julianwasnotinsensibleoftheadvantagesoffreedom。^70
Fromhisstudieshehadimbibedthespiritofancientsagesandheroes；hislifeandfortuneshaddependedonthecapriceofatyrant；andwhenheascendedthethrone，hispridewassometimesmortifiedbythereflection，thattheslaveswhowouldnotdaretocensurehisdefectswerenotworthytoapplaudhisvirtues。
^71HesincerelyabhorredthesystemofOrientaldespotism，whichDiocletian，Constantine，andthepatienthabitsoffourscoreyears，hadestablishedintheempire。Amotiveofsuperstitionpreventedtheexecutionofthedesign，whichJulianhadfrequentlymeditated，ofrelievinghisheadfromtheweightofacostlydiadem；^72butheabsolutelyrefusedthetitleofDominus，orLord，^73awordwhichwasgrownsofamiliartotheearsoftheRomans，thattheynolongerremembereditsservileandhumiliatingorigin。Theoffice，orratherthename，ofconsul，wascherishedbyaprincewhocontemplatedwithreverencetheruinsoftherepublic；andthesamebehaviorwhichhadbeenassumedbytheprudenceofAugustuswasadoptedbyJulianfromchoiceandinclination。OnthecalendsofJanuary，atbreakofday，thenewconsuls，MamertinusandNevitta，hastenedtothepalacetosalutetheemperor。Assoonashewasinformedoftheirapproach，heleapedfromhisthrone，eagerlyadvancedtomeetthem，andcompelledtheblushingmagistratestoreceivethedemonstrationsofhisaffectedhumility。Fromthepalacetheyproceededtothesenate。Theemperor，onfoot，marchedbeforetheirlitters；andthegazingmultitudeadmiredtheimageofancienttimes，orsecretlyblamedaconduct，which，intheireyes，degradedthemajestyofthepurple。^74ButthebehaviorofJulianwasuniformlysupported。DuringthegamesoftheCircus，hehad，imprudentlyordesignedly，performedthemanumissionofaslaveinthepresenceoftheconsul。Themomenthewasremindedthathehadtrespassedonthejurisdictionofanothermagistrate，hecondemnedhimselftopayafineoftenpoundsofgold；andembracedthispublicoccasionofdeclaringtotheworld，thathewassubject，liketherestofhisfellow—citizens，tothelaws，^75andeventotheforms，oftherepublic。Thespiritofhisadministration，andhisregardfortheplaceofhisnativity，inducedJuliantoconferonthesenateofConstantinoplethesamehonors，privileges，andauthority，whichwerestillenjoyedbythesenateofancientRome。^76Alegalfictionwasintroduced，andgraduallyestablished，thatonehalfofthenationalcouncilhadmigratedintotheEast；andthedespoticsuccessorsofJulian，acceptingthetitleofSenators，acknowledgedthemselvesthemembersofarespectablebody，whichwaspermittedtorepresentthemajestyoftheRomanname。FromConstantinople，theattentionofthemonarchwasextendedtothemunicipalsenatesoftheprovinces。Heabolished，byrepeatededicts，theunjustandperniciousexemptionswhichhadwithdrawnsomanyidlecitizensfromtheservicesoftheircountry；andbyimposinganequaldistributionofpublicduties，herestoredthestrength，thesplendor，or，accordingtotheglowingexpressionofLibanius，^77thesouloftheexpiringcitiesofhisempire。ThevenerableageofGreeceexcitedthemosttendercompassioninthemindofJulian，whichkindledintorapturewhenherecollectedthegods，theheroes，andthemensuperiortoheroesandtogods，whohavebequeathedtothelatestposteritythemonumentsoftheirgenius，ortheexampleoftheirvirtues。Herelievedthedistress，andrestoredthebeauty，ofthecitiesofEpirusandPeloponnesus。^78Athensacknowledgedhimforherbenefactor；
Argos，forherdeliverer。TheprideofCorinth，againrisingfromherruinswiththehonorsofaRomancolony，exactedatributefromtheadjacentrepublics，forthepurposeofdefrayingthegamesoftheIsthmus，whichwerecelebratedintheamphitheatrewiththehuntingofbearsandpanthers。FromthistributethecitiesofElis，ofDelphi，andofArgos，whichhadinheritedfromtheirremoteancestorsthesacredofficeofperpetuatingtheOlympic，thePythian，andtheNemeangames，claimedajustexemption。TheimmunityofElisandDelphiwasrespectedbytheCorinthians；butthepovertyofArgostemptedtheinsolenceofoppression；andthefeeblecomplaintsofitsdeputiesweresilencedbythedecreeofaprovincialmagistrate，whoseemstohaveconsultedonlytheinterestofthecapitalinwhichheresided。Sevenyearsafterthissentence，Julian^79
allowedthecausetobereferredtoasuperiortribunal；andhiseloquencewasinterposed，mostprobablywithsuccess，inthedefenceofacity，whichhadbeentheroyalseatofAgamemnon，^80andhadgiventoMacedoniaaraceofkingsandconquerors。