Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 5).djvu/124

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The enemy of all wisdom.

Who, who, I ask?

Do you really not know? Have you not heard the news about Maximus?

Maximus? Oh, pray tell me

Who could fail to see whither that restless visionary was tending,—step by step towards madness?

In other words, towards the highest wisdom.

Ah, that is a figure of speech. But now is the time to act, to seize the opportunity. You, our dearly-prized Julian, you are the man. You are the Emperor's near kinsman. The hopes of all true friends of wisdom are fixed upon you, both here and in Nikomedia

Listen, oh excellent Libanius,—seeing I am not omniscient

Know, then, that Maximus has lately made open avowal of what lies at the bottom of his teaching.