progress of a rebel, had taken refuge in the court of his bene- factor and his lawful sovereign. But the guilt of Florentius justified the severity of the judges; and his escape served to display the magnanimity of Julian; who nobly checked the in- terested diligence of an informer, and refused to learn what place concealed the wretched fugitive from his just resent- ment.[1] Some months after the tribunal of Chalcedon had been dissolved, the pretorian vicegerent of Africa, the notary Gau- dentius, and Artemius,[2] duke of Egypt, were executed at Antioch, Artemius had reigned the cruel and corrupt tyrant of a great province; Gaudentius had long practised the arts of calumny against the innocent, the virtuous, and even the person of Julian himself. Yet the circumstances of their trial and condemnation were so unskilfully managed, that these wicked men obtained, in the public opinion, the glory of suffering for the obstinate loyalty with which they had supported the cause of Constantius. The rest of his servants were protected by a general act of oblivion; and they were left to enjoy with impunity the bribes which they had accepted either to defend the oppressed or to oppress the friendless. This measure, which, on the soundest principles of policy, may deserve our approbation, was executed in a manner which seemed to degrade the majesty of the throne. Julian was tormented by the importunities of a multitude, par- ticularly of Egyptians, who loudly demanded the gifts which they had imprudently or illegally bestowed; he foresaw the endless prosecution of vexatious suits; and he engaged a promise, which ought always to have been sacred, that, if they would repair to Chalcedon, he would meet them in person, to hear and determine their complaints. But, as soon as they were landed, he issued an absolute order, which prohibited the water- men from transporting any Egyptian to Constantinople ; and thus detained his disappointed clients on the Asiatic shore, till, their patience and money being utterly exhausted, they were obliged to return with indignant murmurs to their native country.[3]
67 Ammian. xx. 7.
68 For the guilt and punishment of Artemius, see Julian (Epist. x. p. 379), and Ammianus (xxii. 6, and Vales. ad loc.). The merit of Artemius, who demolished temples, and was put to death by an apostate, has tempted the Greek and Latin churches to honour him as a martyr. But, as ecclesiastical history attests that he was not only a tyrant, but an Arian, it is not altogether easy to justify this in- discreet promotion. Tillemont, Mém. Ecclés. tom. vii, p. 1319.
69 See Ammian, xxii. 6, and Vales, ad locum; and the Codex Theodosianus, 1, ii. tit. xxix. leg. 1; and Godefroy's Commentary, tom. i. p. 218, ad locum.
