Anyone who starts reading Julian's Misopogon will surely find many passages to underline with a pencil. Some will make them laugh, at times they will be tempted to make sorrowful comparisons with today's politicians and intellectuals, while others will illuminate the poems of Kavafis that so often mention Julian - and perhaps many will fall in love with History, just as the Alexandrian poet did.

One thing is certain: never before in world history has such a revealing and sincere speech from a state leader to citizens been rewritten. Never has a lesson in ethics been taught with such frankness, humor, and self-deprecation. The "Misopogon," besides its great value as a historical document, is a written monument of Greek virtue.

(From the presentation on the back cover of the book)

“Julian's work 'Misopogon' is so wonderful and witty that it is hard to attribute it to an emperor” (Will Durant, The Story of Civilization, Vol. IV)

“...choose some of your children and have them educated only with the Scriptures. And if, when they become men, they show that they can do greater things than the slaves, then believe that I am talking nonsense and that I am suffering from melancholy” (Julian, Against Christians 23Oa)