I remain puzzled by the lack of recognition in France to Lucien Jerphagnon. Is it because the historian of religions took the posthumous defense of the Emperor Julian the first wiping under the canonical pen Jacques de Voragine, author of the Golden Legend in the years 1250 to 1270, casts the triumphant Christianity ( otherwise with the nascent totalitarian Inquisition). In the Golden Legend, is very simple: Most of the martyrs were killed by the will either Domitian emperors Diocletian and Julian. And of course, by that time, it was also very simple: martyrdom was for Christians, not pagans. As for the Jews, it is sometimes reminded of the Book of Maccabees. But why Julien 1 has he been so many posthumous hatred? Apostasy course! For Julien is the first family of Constantine the Great (most Christian emperor you die), high milk in the Christian land Christianized AOC Lucien Jerphagnon offers better style and more knowledge than me in the biography of the emperor who wanted recover the philosophy of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras in the heart of the culture of the Roman Empire yet. He took the title of Pontifex Maximus, and served faithfully and diligently his priesthood. If he went to Christian churches all costs, it is because of their recent Christianity and rebuilt on to make to local deities (for 1 Julien was a tireless traveler emperor, sleeping little, writing his own letters and Decrees often, always on a war footing), for example in Macedonia and Anatolia. He took the gods of Rome to the Roman Empire, leaving the Christian bishops of some persuasion (and there were many) exercise freely as the Pax Romana was not broken. Among the Persians, that only the Byzantine emperor Heraclius overcomes the 7th century, the Barbarians and countless attempts to assassinate his uncle Constant 1 1 Julien lived without breathe easy and only worship, lived in Mystic, Athena and other gods, he rarely felt comfort, mainly in friendship. As emperor, he knew calming Gaul extinguish several fires, restore taxes to a sustainable level, ie decreasing, and by charging those who have long paid more, concerned about the physical and mental health its people (it was this, the Roman Empire, too, not just the Games and bread). Under the erudite pen, alert, full of empathy and convinced as well documented (M. Jerphagnon read the letters of Julien's hand first, and posthumous critical first hand, St. Gregory Nazianzen for example). Lucien Jerphagnon can be suspected of caring amateurism, since it has all the same (!!!) translated the works of St. Augustine in the Pléïade and belongs to the Academy of Athens. Hellenist and Latin scholar, Lucien Jerphagnon dares to defend the apostate emperor whose Christian successors hastened to remove the remains and any representation (this is called a memoricide). Death? How often died Julien first? As a child, he saw his parents murdered by his Christian uncles son of Constantine the Great; raised with his older brother in the Christian faith, guarded by eunuchs in the pay of dear uncle Christian Constant 1, knowing the moves, separated from his brother, he grew up seeing family practices to Christian sauce and slowly but irrevocably s' discards; it gives the change, made the devout Christian, to survive. To live, hold, endure, it apostasy, and console with Marcus Aurelius; life is a dream, you have to be altruistic, collect and outlaw excess. Power is not a toy, it must improve men, and the highest in power and dignity must set an example for each puff. His older brother is finally in turn murdered by his uncle. He married, had a child, he is happy; the child dies under very mysterious circumstances. Julien lost his wife. There will be no other, and takes refuge in friendship, his most sincere eyes and deep relationship. In the work, too. As co-emperor, it does not require much, if not the means to ensure the safety and merges into loyalty acts against this monstrous uncle. The military confrontation is inevitable with the guy; Fortunately, he died in his journey, of what is more disease. There are only Julien who has yet not too much blood for a man of his time at the head of an army. During his reign as emperor of law does not allow to judge on his insight. He died sword in hand having forgotten, for once, his breastplate, among his men, who hated needless bloodshed, and who was brave. Lucien Jerphagnon eternal gratitude for having done justice to a statesman who tried above all to be a man. The most difficult, in fact. Read and reread.
