Scene I: The death of Constantine
Scene II: His Father’s Death
Scene III: In Exile
Act Two: Caesar
Scene I: Joining the army
Scene II: Gaul
Scene III: The March
Act Three: Augustus
Scene I: Antioch
Scene II: Into Persian lands
Act One
Scene I:
[Spot on JULIAN in front of the curtains Stage R; Julian should be short, slightly bulky, and
should have unkempt hair and a rather long beardi]
JULIAN:
Now come one,
Come all,
To this tragic affair,
Wipe off that make up,
What's in is despair,
So throw on the black dress,
Mix in with the lot,
You might wake up and notice you’re someone you're not,
If you look in the mirror and don’t like what you see,
You can find out firsthand what it’s like to be me,
So gather 'round piggies and kiss this goodbye,
I'd encourage your smiles,
I'll expect you won't cryii.
[Blackout, Curtains open to a dark stage. Stage L dim spot light appears on empty throne;
Stage R dim spot light on a man being blessed by a priest. The man’s face turns away
from the priest, he is deadiii]
Scene II:
[Lights up, Stage Left we see Constantius on the throne with some men from his army
Dim lights stage right, on a yard in front of a house, we see a two men talking
about something the audience can not hear. Two young boys are playing around,
chasing each other (IMPROV), there may also be other family members in this scene. ]
CONSTANTIUS: I should have been there when my father died. He would have given me the
title of Augustus. Don’t you think?
[SOLDIERS nod their heads and a slight mumbling of yes’s and um’s can be heard]
CONSTANTIUS (agitated and shouting): Don’t you think?!?
SOLDIERS (surprised): Yes sir!
CONSTANTIUS: Then do what you can to solve this problem I have.
[Some SOLDIERS exit stage left and others stay to converse with CONSTANTIUS. ]
JULIAN (the narrator): Burning on just like a match you strike to incinerate.
The lives of everyone you knowiv.
[The SOLDIERS who left enter the yard and begin to butcher the entire family]
JULIAN (the narrator): And what's the worst you take;
From every heart you breakv.
[The SOLDIERS continue to kill people; it should be very bloody. ]
JULIAN (the narrator): And like the blade you stain.
Well I've been holding on tonightvi.
[The Narrator leaves stage right before the SOLDIERS find young Julian and his brother very
bloody but unharmed and leave with them stage right; blackout stage right. Stage left
CONSTANTIUS is still talking to his SOLDIERS; one of bloody SOLDIERS enters stage
left; ]
CONSTANTIUS: I see the deed has been done.
BLOODY SOLDIER 1: Yes, sir it has.
CONSTANTIUS: And…
[BLOODY SOLDIER 2 enters stage right with the two children]
BLOODY SOLDIER 2: And we found them sirvii.
CONTANTIUS: Good, now take them away.
[Black out]
Scene III:
[Spot on Narrator Julian, who should pace the stage as he speaks. The rest of the stage is
dimly lit as the scene the narrator describes happens around him; he should be in the
courtyard of a great estateviii.]
JULIAN (the narrator, pacing): I was only six years old when my father’s family was
massacred. After deciding not to murder us, my gracious cousin Constantius sent my
brother Gallus and me to live in exileix. I was cared for by servants, my brother and I were
not allowed the company of others our own agex.
[There is a very unhappy six year old crying in the middle of the courtyard that JULIAN is in;
a SERVANT runs in and picks up him up]
SERVANT (rocking him): Oh, little one, will you never stop crying.
[Little Julian keeps crying until he is taken away, stage right. ]
JULIAN (the narrator): I escaped into my books with the help of a great tutor. Mardonius, he
had taught my mother when she was youngxi.
[In the background we see a teenage Julian, walking through reading a book with
MARDONIUS beside him. They should sit on a bench stage right; there should also be a
few guards stationed around the stage keeping an eye on YOUNG JULIAN. ]
MARDONIUS: There are many things you can learn about life by reading the writings of Homer.
YOUNG JULIAN: Yes, sir.
MARDONIUS (standing up): Your grammar is getting better by the way.
YOUNG JULIAN: Thank you, sir.
MARDONIUS: You need to work on your Latin.
YOUNG JULIAN: I don’t like Latin sir, I prefer Greekxii.
MARDONIUS (a bit annoyed): Now Julian, you know all great men must be able to read, write,
and speak in both Greek and Latin.
YOUNG JULIAN: Yes, sir.
[MARDONIUS smiles and ruffles YOUNG JULIAN’S hair, he leaves stage right and YOUNG
JULIAN goes back to his book]
JULIAN (the narrator): And this is how we lived for six whole years of our lives, surrounded by
the spies of our glorious cousin. My brother however endured a harsher fate than I.
[A boy in his early twenties should come running into the scene as if being chased]
JULIAN (the narrator): He was trained to join the courts and serve our wonderful cousin.
[A guard runs in and tackles the boy. Another should out purple robes on him and together
they drag him off stage kicking. ]
JULIAN (the narrator): When Constantius raised my brother to the rank of Caesar, he dragged
me around as wellxiii.
[The remaining guards pick up the bench the YOUNG JULIAN is sitting on and carry him off
stage. ]
JULIAN (the narrator): He had no idea what to do with me. He eventually murdered my brother
as well because he could not control his jealous temper. And then I was alonexiv.
[Blackout]
Act 2
Scene I:
JULIAN (the narrator): My cousin ripped me away from my studies and forced me into the
royal purple to become another pawn in his armyxv.
[We see JULIAN being pulled away from a writing desk and thrown harshly to another part
of the stage]
JULIAN (the narrator): They took my clothes, fitted me in the army regalia and shortened my
beardxvi.
[The men should strip JULIAN and dress him in a uniform; they should also cut his beard;
then they should push him to make him walk to the other side of the stage]
JULIAN (the narrator): They laughed at the way I walked, with my head down, paying no mind
to what was around me. I did not walk like them with their too proud heads held high and
their chests out like pompous jack-asses. They strutted like peacocks, men on display,
such a disgracexvii.
[The men should laugh as JULIAN walks off stage as quickly as possible; then they should
follow behind him strutting with heads held high. Blackout]
Scene II:
[The stage is set for a battle; JULIAN’S forces should run out from stage right and the
barbarians should run out from stage left; a massive battle should ensue; JULAIN should
end up down centerxviii.]
JULIAN (near the end of the battle, his sword should clash with another’s after every line is
spoken): No man could understand.
My power is in my own hand.
I'm a man that will go far.
Fly the moon and reach for the stars.
With my sword and head held high.
Got to pass the test first time,
I know that people talk about me I hear it every day.
But I can prove you wrong ‘cause I'm right first timexix. (He should fatally wound
someone after this line)
[The scene ends with JULIAN killing a barbarian. The rest of which should run off stage
right; JULIAN’S forces rejoice; They should carry him off stage left; Black out]
Scene IIIxx:
[Dim spot on JULIAN the Narrator stage left; JULIAN and the army should walk out stage right
and should act out the scene as the narrator describes it. ]
JULIAN (the narrator): The men were my men now and they celebrated me. I had been more
victorious than my oh so courageous cousin.
[A messenger should hurry in and hand a letter to JULIAN and than hurry back out again]
SOLDIER 1: What is it sir?
JULIAN: My cousin needs more men. I guess I will not be in need of all of you thenxxi.
SOLDIER 2: No sir. We shall not go without you.
SOLDIER 3: Surely not sir. You are braver than that coward.
[There is some whispering]
ALL: Julian for emperorxxii!
JULIAN: What? Have you all lost your heads?
[No one pays attention to JULIAN and they raise him in the air and carry him off stage right]
JULIAN (the narrator): I did not want to go along with my men. I never dreamed of being
emperor. I was a philosopher not a ruler, but they convinced me and I wrote letters
announcing that I accepted the title. Then we marchedxxiii;
[JULIAN’S forces march out from stage right with JULIAN in the lead]
JULIAN: I am not afraid to keep on living.
I am not afraid to walk this world alone.
Honey, if you stay I'll be forgiving.
Nothing you can say could stop me going homexxiv.
[They should be about halfway across the stage when A MESSENGER runs out from stage
left carrying a message]
MESSENGER (excitedly): Sir, Constantius is dead, he has sent his dying word that you be
named his successor.
[An audible gasp from the men is heard, JULIAN looks to be in shock. Blackout]
Act 3
Scene I:
[Dim spot on JULIAN the narrator Center Stage. ]
JULIAN (the narrator): And So I became Augustus and set about many tasks that I thought an
emperor should do. I tried in many ways to restore my own love, the ancient pagan
religion that had been cast aside for the misguided beliefs of the Galilaeans. And once I
was mostly satisfied with what I had done I sent out to finish my cousin’s campaign
against the Persians. But first I wish to prepare in the grand city of Antioch. I was sorely
mistaken in what I thoughtxxv.
[On the stage behind JULIAN there are many people about in a market place setting. The
men are all clean shaven and boyish looking, the women are scantily clad, and their
peploi only cover enough to entice the imagination; JULIAN should join the scene being
flanked by a soldier and a sophist. The people snicker as he walks by them. Some should
point at his beard. The scene changes from people milling about to them stopping and
starring at and whispering around JULIAN. They should look taken a back as he speaks,
but still mock him. ]
JULIAN: Oh go ahead and laugh if you must. I know what I must look to you. I am disheveled,
my hair is unkempt and I have a long beard. While all of your men are clean shaven and
look more like effeminate boys than men. Their entire bodies are smooth, well, I tell you,
mines is not. My breast is shaggy like that of a lion who above all creatures is a monarch
like myself. Your city has a grand history of being a pagan center and now you mock it
and ruin what is left of the great temples. You ignore the laws that your government has
given you, yet you act as if you respect it by clapping at ceremonies. You revel in races,
baths, and others beds. What a foul people you are, but then it is my own fault; for I have
turned your graciousness into ungraciousness and only my visage and demeanor can be to
blame for thisxxvi.
SOLDIER: Sir, we should go now. This place is not for us.
JULIAN: Yes, we must prepare for the campaign.
[JULIAN and the SOLDIER exit stage left. The sophist stays behind and to talk to the people.
Fade to black]
Scene II:
[Battle scene; JULIAN and his army run out from stage right and the Persians should meet
them from stage right. JULIAN should end up fighting down center]
JULIAN: Have you heard the news that you're dead?
No one ever had much nice to say
I think they never liked you anyway.
[Battle rages on around him and his men]
JULIAN: Wouldn't it be grand?
It ain't exactly what you planned
And wouldn't it be great if
We were dead?
[JULIAN’s forces start to lose numbers at this point and there should be more Persians on
stage; Most of JULIAN’S men should be laying on the stage; dead; ]
JULIAN: If life ain’t just a joke
Then why are we laughing
If life ain’t just a joke
Then why am I dead? xxvii
[JULIAN should finally perish himself after being impaled by a lance through his sidexxviii;
Blackout]
i This is what he says he looks like. See: W.C. Wright. Julian. Vol. II, “Misopogon,” The Loeb Classical Library.
Harvard University Press. 1959. pg 425-6.
ii Lyrics from My Chemical Romance’s “The End”; I believe this song is a good introduction for Julian’s life
because it foreshadows his tragedies while also capturing his well known sarcasm.
iii No research was done for this scene; it is almost entirely fictional, though Constantine was baptized on his
death bed;
iv Lyrics from My Chemical Romance’s “Helena”; Constantius basically has his relatives murdered, he
‘incinerates’ their lives.
v Ibid. Julian’s mother died in child birth and now Constantius has made him an orphan, it’s the ‘worse’ thing he
could do.
vi Ibid. Julian survives.
vii W.C. Wright. Julian. Vol. II, “Letter to the Athenians,” The Loeb Classical Library. Harvard University Press.
1959. pg 249.
viii W.C. Wright. Julian. Vol. II, “Letter to the Athenians,” The Loeb Classical Library. Harvard University Press.
1959. pg 251.
ix Ibid. pg 249.
x W.C. Wright. Julian. Vol. II, “Misopogon,” The Loeb Classical Library. Harvard University Press. 1959. pg 461.
xi Ibid.
xii W.C. Wright. Julian. Vol. III. The Loeb Classical Library. Harvard University Press. 1959. pg viii. Wright
suggests that Julian’s knowledge of Latin was probably slight, but he cites Ammianus Marcellenus as
saying Julian’s Latin was sufficient.
xiii W.C. Wright. Julian. Vol. II, “Letter to the Athenians,” The Loeb Classical Library. Harvard University Press.
1959. pg 255.
xiv Ibid. pg 254-5.
xv Ibid. pg 265.
xvi Ibid. pg 259.
xvii Ibid.
xviii Ibid. pg 271-3.
xix Lyrics from Queen’s “Princes of the Universe”; I think this shows Julian as a soldier, these lyric represent
a change that he has gone through during his four years in Gaul.
xx This scene is some what fictitious, not all of these events happened as they do in this scene. For the real
account see notes 21-23.
xxi W.C. Wright. Julian. Vol. II, “Letter to the Athenians,” The Loeb Classical Library. Harvard University Press.
1959. pg 279.
xxii Ibid. pg 283-4.
xxiii Ibid.
xxiv Lyrics from My Chemical Romance’s “Famous Last Words”; Julian is no longer afraid of his cousin and he
finally has the courage to march against him; He is alone because Constantius is his last living relative; He
is going home to Constantinople;
xxv W.C. Wright. Julian. Vol. II, “Misopogon,” The Loeb Classical Library. Harvard University Press. 1959.
pg 418-9. This is Wright’s introduction to Julian’s satire. It gives a brief explanation of why Julian was in
Antioch.
xxvi W.C. Wright. Julian. Vol. II, “Misopogon,” The Loeb Classical Library. Harvard University Press. 1959; This
monologue is my own summary of Julian’s satire
xxvii Lyrics from My Chemical Romance’s “Dead”
xxviii G.W. Bowerstock. Julian The Apostate. Harvard University Press. 1978. pg 116-8; Bowerstock gives an
excellent explanation of how Julian was wounded in battle with the Persians and who may have done it. For
the purposes of this play, it should be one of the enemy.