As he
entered it, he saw the statue of Mars, modelled after a good Greek
one of Ares, standing in the apse, but the nose was broken off, the
fingers were lacking, and the whole statue was streaked with dirt.
"This is the work of the Galilaeans," said Julian, "but they shall
pay for it."
"They have already paid with their lives," answered Maximus.
"Dionysius [Footnote: St. Denis] was beheaded on the hill, and his
chapel stands there on the slope."
"Are you also a Galilaean?"
"No; but I love justice."
"Justice and its guardian-goddess Astrasa left the earth when the
Iron Age began; now she is a star in heaven."
"In the Zodiac," interrupted Priscus; "I believe also, we all live
in Zodiacs, and there justice has no place."
A sudden murmur of voices was heard from the camp. Julian mounted
a heap of stones to see what was the matter. The whole of the
north-east side of Mars' Hill was covered with soldiers, and below
in the valley were to be seen tents and camp-fires. These thousands
belonged to all the nations of the world. They comprised Romans,
Greeks, Egyptians, Negroes, Hebrews, Persians, Afghans, Scythians,
Germans, Britons, and Gauls. But now they were in movement
and swarming, as gnats do when they dance.
"What is the excitement about?" asked Julian.
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