the "funeral oration upon the emperor julian" by libanius elaborates on the subject of julian's chastity:"this was the pleasure our emperor reaped from the length of the nights, whilst others were following the business of venus. but he was so far from inquiring where there was a fair daughter, or wife, that had he not once been tied by juno with the bond of marriage, he would have ended his days knowing nothing of sexual intercourse but by name. but as it was he regretted his wife, yet did not touch another woman, either before or after her; being by his constitution enabled to be continent, and his constant occupation in the art of soothsaying concurring to require this restraint. ... being exhorted by his relations to marry, that he might get children for heirs to his power, "it was out of fear of this very thing," replied he, "that i have neglected to do so, lest they, succeeding by hereditary right, should turn out bad and ruin the state, experiencing the same fate with phaethon." thus did he regard his own want of children as a lighter calamity than the chance of mischief to the provinces."