26. As Octavianus advanced to the banquet of the Caesars,
his colour changed like that of the Camelion; pale at first,
then red, afterwards black he at last assumed the mild
livery of Venus and the graces (Caesars, p. 309). This image
employed by Julian, in his ingenious fiction, is just and
elegant; but when he considers this change of character as
real, and ascribes it to the power of philosophy, he does
too much honour to philosophy, and to Octavianus.