Elizabeth Finch by Julian Barnes

Author:Julian Barnes [Barnes, Julian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2022-08-16T00:00:00+00:00

After Julian crossed the Euphrates and marched into Assyria, halts for divination increased, and quarrels broke out between contenders for the emperor’s ear. For instance, there was a band of Etruscan soothsayers, who had brought with them special manuals for use in time of war: these announced a prohibition on entering someone else’s territory, even if the cause was rightful. This Etruscan warning was met with “contemptuous dismissal” by the group of philosophers, who were currently in the ascendant.

But what was a sign from the gods and what wasn’t? On the evening of 7 April 363, there was an approaching cloud, which turned into an enveloping whirl of dust, which gave way to a full-blown storm in the course of which a certain Jovian and the two horses he was leading back from watering were struck dead by a thunderbolt. Experts in climate divination concluded that this phenomenon fell into the wonderfully named category of “an advisory thunderbolt.” The campaign, by their interpretation, should not proceed. Once again, however, the philosophers rubbished this explanation, and declared that it was a perfectly normal weather event, and if it portended anything at all, it was just nature doing honour to the emperor. The campaign proceeded.

After a successful engagement outside Ctesiphon, in which 2,500 Persians were reportedly killed to seventy Romans, Julian sacrificed to Mars the Avenger to ensure continuing success. Ten fine bulls were ordered for this purpose,

but before they reached the altar nine of them sank to the ground by their own volition. The tenth, which broke its halter and escaped, was recovered with difficulty, and when it was slaughtered the omens it gave were unfavourable. At the sight of them Julian cried out in indignation.

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