Using Sappho's Words to Express His Love...for Books, Julian, Ep. 23

Name:  Julian Date:     331 – 363 CE Region: Constantinople [modern Istanbul, Turkey] Citation:  Letter 23.1

The Roman Emperor Julian quoted Sappho frequently in his works. In this letter, he uses the same priamel construction that Sappho used in Fragment 16 to showcase his love of books.

To Ecdicius, Prefect of Egypt, From Julian:

Some people love horses;

Others love birds;

Still others love animals.

But, from the time I was a child,

I have always burned for books.

 

ἄλλοι μὲν ἵππων, ἄλλοι δὲ ὀρνέων, ἄλλοι  θηρίων ἐρῶσιν, ἐμοὶ δὲ βιβλίων κλήσεως ἐκ παιδεαίς δεινὸς ἐντέτηκε πόθος.

Ecdicio Praefecto Aegypti Quidam equis, alii avibus, nonnulli feris delectantur: ego vero inde usque a pueritia librorum cupiditate arsi. Translated into Latin by Petrus Martinius

Julian [Flavius Claudius Julianus; 331 – 363 CE; modern Turkey]. Also known as “Julian the Apostate,” Emperor Julian ruled the Roman empire from 361 to 363 CE. During that time, he advocated for the return of Rome’s polytheistic state religion. Numerous works of his are extant, including letters, speeches, and satires. These provide unique insight into the perspectives of Roman nobility during that time period.