All Hail the Emperor Julian of Rome - Democratic Underground

saltpoint

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Sun Mar-27-05 05:47 AM
Original message

All Hail the Emperor Julian of Rome

Julian was an amazing man -- easily one of the most distinctive minds in history. He heard the call of the old gods and goddesses -- the ones who predate Christianity.

A further word on him is here:

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7094/julian.html

--if anybody is interested.

Gore Vidal, as liberal an author as can be found, has a wonderful novel on the life of Julian called simply JULIAN.

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Publius_Syrus

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Tue Apr-05-05 09:14 PM
Response to Original message

1. Interesting Emperor Indeed!

I have read a few books about him and find him quite an interesting character in the great drama called history, an anachronism for his time. He was better suited to rule however 2 centuries before, as a successor to Marcus Aurelius.

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saltpoint

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Sat Apr-09-05 12:21 AM
Response to Reply #1

3. Hello, Publius_Syrus.

I am dreadfully late in responding, but the post went unnoticed for so long I thought people were upset with it.

My apologies to you & thanks for the response.

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aneerkoinos

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Wed Apr-06-05 10:33 AM
Response to Original message

2. Iamblichus

Yep, Julian had real honest interest in religion and philosophy, unlike Constantine, who saw religion (Christianity) only as a political tool to keep the crumbling empire together.

The religious and philosophical wisdom of Julian's time and in many ways the whole of the antiquity culminates in the work of Iamblichus, one of the greatest if not the greatest Neo-Platonics:
http://www.goddess-athena.org/Encyclopedia/Friends/Iamblichus/

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saltpoint

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Sat Apr-09-05 12:23 AM
Response to Reply #2

4. Aneerkoinos, please accept my apology for this --

-- tardy response to your post. No one responded at first and I thought the thread would die an anonymous death.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. Much appreciated.

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Publius_Syrus

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Sat Apr-09-05 10:47 PM
Response to Reply #4

5. Julian

Christians are like a council of frogs in a marsh or a synod of worms on a dung-hill croaking and squeaking "for our sakes was the world created."
--Julian the Apostate

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saltpoint

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Sat Apr-09-05 11:38 PM
Response to Reply #5

6. Yes. A sentiment that would not buy him much welcome --

-- in the current U.S. political climate, I'm afraid.

(But a sentiment that I share, at least when the subject is the more virulent batch of Christians -- the Falwells, the Dobsons, and so on.)

I still feel badly about the tardy response to your posting on this thread, and I thank you for your patience and graciousness.

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Disturbed

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Sun Apr-10-05 03:19 AM
Response to Reply #6

7. Vidal is a

Libertarian.

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saltpoint

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Sun Apr-10-05 11:20 AM
Response to Reply #7

8. It's ok with me if he is. What I find appealing about him --

-- is his wide-ranging experience in world history. And good lord do I love those novels.

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Publius_Syrus

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Sun Apr-10-05 10:03 PM
Response to Reply #8

9. Novels

Any goods books or novels about Julian that anyone would recommend?

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saltpoint

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Mon Apr-11-05 01:36 PM
Response to Reply #9

10. Hi. Please try out Gore Vidal's JULIAN.

It's available from Alibris.com and several other on-line book services.

It's wonderful. Unless you are a Jerry Falwell fan; in that case it's unspeakable abomination of the worse kind.

___
I tried to PM you but the system says you aren't able to receive PMs yet or something like that.

I look forward to your posts on DU & offer good wishes.

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Publius_Syrus

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Mon Apr-11-05 10:38 PM
Response to Reply #10

11. Thanks

I will look into it. Question:Is the book still in print or is it only available online?

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saltpoint

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Mon Apr-11-05 11:04 PM
Response to Reply #11

12. Most bookshops will not stock it but there are all kinds --

Edited on Mon Apr-11-05 11:04 PM by Old Crusoe

-- of copies available on-line.

The price range for the (used copy) paperback is around $3.50 on Alibris.com and then it goes up from there, depending on the condition of the book, the publication date (there were at least two major runs), and whether or not you want a hardcover edition.

I can help you get the mailing address of some of the on-line book dealers if you don't want to use an on-line credit card order.

Let me know (PM me or post here... I'll keep an eye out.)

Nice to talk with you on DU, Publius_Syrus.

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