That Alexander was appointed to the government at first, I confess, gave me some concern, as the principal persons among us were dissatisfied. I thought it dishonourable, injurious, and unbecoming a prince; and that repeated fines would rather weaken than improve the city. But now the good effects of this severity are so manifest that I recant. For they who formerly bathed and slept at noon now, imitating the manners of the Lacedaemonians, labour indefatigably not only in the day-time but no small part of the night, nailed, as it were, to the gate of Alexander. And when he clamours from within, everything is instantly in motion. Thus the sword will never be wanted since his threats alone are sufficient to render the impudent modest and the slothful industrious. Calliope is also honoured, agreeable to your wishes, not only by horse-races but theatrical exhibitions; and sacrifices are offered to the gods in the theatre without our making the least alteration. Loud applause is given and amidst this applause the gods are invoked. With this applause the governor seems do delighted that he urges many more to add to it. Of such importance, O prince, to mankind is divination as it teaches everyone the best manner of governing a family, a city, a nation and a kingdom.
That Alexander was appointed to the government at first, I confess, gave me some concern, as the principal persons among us were dissatisfied. I thought it dishonourable, injurious, and unbecoming a prince; and that repeated fines would rather weaken than improve the city. But now the good effects of this severity are so manifest that I recant. For they who formerly bathed and slept at noon now, imitating the manners of the Lacedaemonians, labour indefatigably not only in the day-time but no small part of the night, nailed, as it were, to the gate of Alexander. And when he clamours from within, everything is instantly in motion. Thus the sword will never be wanted since his threats alone are sufficient to render the impudent modest and the slothful industrious. Calliope is also honoured, agreeable to your wishes, not only by horse-races but theatrical exhibitions; and sacrifices are offered to the gods in the theatre without our making the least alteration. Loud applause is given and amidst this applause the gods are invoked. With this applause the governor seems do delighted that he urges many more to add to it. Of such importance, O prince, to mankind is divination as it teaches everyone the best manner of governing a family, a city, a nation and a kingdom. This is the Alexander of whom Ammianus says (23.2), "When Julian was going to leave Antioch, he made one Alexander of Heliopolis, governor of Syria, a turbulent and severe man, saying that 'undeserving as he was, such a ruler suited the avaricious and contumellious Antiochians'." As the letter makes clear, Julian handed the city over to be looted by a man he himself regarded as unworthy, and the Christian inhabitants, who had dared to oppose his attempt to restore paganism, to be forced to attend and applaud pagan ceremonies at sword-point; and be 'urged' to cheer more loudly. The proverb is taken from a transaction of Stesichorus, the lyric poet, mentioned by Plato in his Phaedrus. Libanius here flatters Julian, as if he had learned by divination that Alexander was such a one as ought to govern Syria and the Antiochenes. WOLFIUS.
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That Alexander was appointed to the government at first, I confess, gave me some concern, as the principal persons among us were dissatisfied. I thought it dishonourable, injurious, and unbecoming a prince; and that repeated fines would rather weaken than improve the city. But now the good effects of this severity are so manifest that I recant. For they who formerly bathed and slept at noon now, imitating the manners of the Lacedaemonians, labour indefatigably not only in the day-time but no small part of the night, nailed, as it were, to the gate of Alexander. And when he clamours from within, everything is instantly in motion. Thus the sword will never be wanted since his threats alone are sufficient to render the impudent modest and the slothful industrious. Calliope is also honoured, agreeable to your wishes, not only by horse-races but theatrical exhibitions; and sacrifices are offered to the gods in the theatre without our making the least alteration. Loud applause is given and amidst this applause the gods are invoked. With this applause the governor seems do delighted that he urges many more to add to it. Of such importance, O prince, to mankind is divination as it teaches everyone the best manner of governing a family, a city, a nation and a kingdom.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.