Apollonius of Tyana

Western Philosophy Ancient philosophy
Name: Appollonius of Tyana
Birth: ca. 1, Tyana, Cappadocia
Death: ca. 97, Ephesus, Anatolia
School/tradition: Hellenistic philosophy, sophism
Main interests
Pythagoreanism, aestheticism
Notable ideas
Influences	Influenced
Pythagoras	Philostratus, Damis

Apollonius of Tyana (Greek: Ἀπολλώνιος ὁ Τυανεύς; ca. 1—97 C.E.) was a Greek Neo-Pythagorean philosopher, teacher, and wonderworker. His teaching and legend influenced both scientific thought and occultism for centuries after his death.

Born at Tyana in Asia Minor, Apollonious was educated at Tarsus and at the Temple of Aesculapius at Aegae, where at 16 he devoted himself to the teachings of Pythagoras, whose teachings he followed all his life. In his quest for knowledge, he traveled to Eastern countries and according to legend, Apollonius performed miracles where ever he went.

Apollonius appears to have been a wandering ascetic of a type common to the eastern part of the early Roman Empire. He is known mainly through the account of Philostratus, whose biography of him is built upon a series of instructive dialogues and the sage's responses to places and events. A number of letter by Apollonius are now thought to be forgeries, but play an important role how he was perceived in the Middle Ages.

A vegetarian and mystic who acquired a reputation for his magical powers, Apollonius was a contemporary of Christ, and the miracles attributed to him were often compared to those of the preacher from Nazareth. The eighteenth century English occult writer Francis Barrett claimed him "one of the most extraordinary persons that ever appeared in the world."

Biography

Apollonius was born in the city of Tyana, in the Roman province of Cappadocia in Asia Minor. He was educated in the nearby city of Tarsus, where he devoted himself to the doctrines of Pythagoras and adopted the ascetic habit of life in its fullest sense. He first became a religious teacher while still young in the temple of Asclepius at Aegae (in Cilicia. He then traveled in the neighboring province of Pamphylia.

Having reportedly kept a vow of silence for five years, Apollonius decided to travel to India to learn the wisdom of the Persian magi and the Indian Brahmins. He also went to Egypt to study the ways of the Gymnoi ("Naked Ones") there. On his way through Asia and before reaching the Euphrates, he visited a sacred Syrian city of Hierapolis, where he attracted a disciple, Damis, who kept a diary of Apollonius's deeds and sayings. These notes reportedly described a number of incidents and adventures, including events relating to Roman emperors from Nero (54-68 C.E.) to Nerva (96-98). Eventually Damis's notes are said to have come into the possession of the Empress Julia Domna, wife of the emperor Septimius Severus (194-211), who commissioned Philostratus of Athens to use them to assemble a biography of the sage.

The narrative of Apollonius's travels, as reported by Philostratus, are replete with miracles and legends. In the words of historian Edward Gibbon, "we are at a loss to discover whether he was a sage, an imposter, or a fanatic." Apollonius reportedly continued to travel widely after his return from Europe, going far up the river Nile as far as Ethiopia, and in Spain as far as Gades (modern Cádiz). Though he had many followers and admirers, although Philostratus admits that he also made many enemies, notably the Stoic philosopher Euphrates of Tyre.

Both Apollonius's friendships and his quarrels are also reflected in his supposed extant letters. In these he claimed only the power of foreseeing the future. Philostratus, on the other hand, relates a number of miracles performed by Apollonius. For example, he either raised from death or revived from a death-like state the daughter of a Roman senator and miraculously escaped death himself after being accused of treason both by Nero and by Domitian.

After further travels in Greece Apollonius finally settled in Ephesus. Philostratus keeps up the mystery of his hero's life by saying, "Concerning the manner of his death, if he did die, the accounts are various." Philostratus seems to prefer a version in which Apollonius disappears mysteriously in the temple of the goddess Dictynna in Crete.

Teachings

Philostratus' Life of Apollonius explains that the sage of Tyana was a teacher of asceticism whose personal knowledge featured not only an understanding of mathematics and philosophy but also direct revelations from the gods. Philostratus himself was and Athenian sophist and professional orator.

While emphasizing that Apollonius was indeed a working of wonders, Philostratus refutes the notion that sage of Tyana was a magician. The miracles that Apollonius performed were thus the result of his superior knowledge, not of wizardry or the ability to perform magic tricks.

Apollonius was believed to have taught a belief in God ans the supreme being, whom he conceived of as being fundamental apart from the Universe, and is completely perfect, needing nothing from human beings in terms of sacrifices or offerings. In terms of the human relationship, prayers are unnecessary, but contemplation, both mystical and rational is encouraged.

In Apollonius' supposed writing, On Scacrifices, we gain insight into his teaching on the divine:

In no other manner, I believe, can one exhibit a fitting respect for the Divine being... than by refusing to offer to God—whom we termed First, who is One and separate from all, as subordinate to Whom we must recognize all the rest—any victim at all. To Him we must not kindle fire or make promise unto Him of any sensible object whatsoever. For He needs nothing, even from beings higher than ourselves... We should make use in relation to Him solely the higher speech, I mean that which issues not by the lips; and from the noblest faculty we possess, and that faculty is intelligence, which needs no organ. On these principles then, we ought not on any account to sacrifice to the mighty and supreme God.

Miracles

As a prognosticator, Apollonius reportedly warned the citizens of Ephesus of a forthcoming plague, but they ignored his warning until the pestilence was upon them. Remembering his prophecy, they sought further counsel of the man they though to be a mighty magician, who told them that there was a wretched beggar among them who they should stone to death. After the deed was done, the people removed the mound of stone under which they thought the beggar laid, but found only a black dog appeared, which Apollonius explained was the true cause of the plague.

The incident in which Apollonius was said to have brought the daughter of a Roman consul back to life also won him considerable fame. However, Philostatus was not certain whether this girl just appeared to be dead or was actually dead.

Apollonius is also said to have prevented one of his former students, Menippus of Corinth, from marrying a vampire. The wedding festivities had proceeded up to the banquet when Apollonius appeared as a guest. He then made all the amenities of the banquet and even some of the guests disappear, proving them to have been an illusion created by the evil bride. He then forced the young woman to confess he true identity and thus saved Menippus from a terrible fate on his wedding night.

Another legend has it that an Indian magician made seven rings representing the seven planets and presented then to Apollonius, who wore a different one each day. It is said this enabled him to maintain his youthful vigor well into old age, reputedly reaching almost 100 years.

Finally the mystery of Apollonius' death should be mentioned. According to some he fell out of favor with Emperor Severus, who put him on trial and had his hair cut off to eliminate his magical powers. Apollonius simply disappeared from the courtroom never to be seen again. Although his followers admitted he died, they nonetheless said he was caught up and taken up into heaven. Philostratus relates several other versions of Apollonius' death, including that he disappeared mysteriously in the temple of the goddess Dictynna.

Legacy

Around 300, a certain Hierocles endeavored to prove that pagans were more reasonable in believing the sayings and doings of Apollonius than Christians were in believing the "ignorant" followers of Jesus. The Christian bishop, Eusebius of Caesarea wrote a Reply to Hierocles, in which he argued that Philostratus' account of Apollonius was much more incredible than anything that Christian sources said about Jesus, and if what Philostratus said was true, then Apollonius must have been in league with demons. This started a debate on the relative merits of Jesus and Apollonius that has gone on in different forms into modern times.

In Tyana, a temple was built and dedicated to him, while statues of him reside in other temples.

In Late Antiquity, Apollonius became a hero of pagan culture, though Christian writers were sometimes sympathetic towards him because of his lifelong chastity, avoidance of alcohol, and devotion to a religion that rejected sacrifices to the Roman gods. The late fourth-century Historia Augusta says that Apollonius appeared to the Emperor Aurelian when he was besieging Tyana, Apollonius' hometown. Aurelian supposedly claimed to have seen Apollonius speak to him, beseeching him to spare the city of his birth. "Aurelian, if you desire to rule, abstain from the blood of the innocent!" Apollonius declared. "If you will conquer, be merciful!" Aurelian, who admired Apollonius, therefore spared Tyana.

Apollonius continued to be influential in the Middle Ages. For example, the medieval Islamic alchemist Jabir ibn Hayyan's Book of Stones contains a lengthy analysis of alchemical works attributed to Apollonius. Voltaire and Charles Blount (1654-1693), the English freethinker, have adopted a similar standpoint.

In some of the teachings of Theosophy, Apollonius has been regarded as an Ascended Master and an embodiment of the Master Jesus. Helena Blavatsky wrote in 1877: "Apollonius, a contemporary of Jesus of Nazareth, was, like him, an enthusiastic founder of a new spiritual school. Perhaps less metaphysical and more practical than Jesus, less tender and perfect in his nature, he nevertheless inculcated the same quintessence of spirituality, and the same high moral truths."

The Tablet of Wisdom, from the Baha'i writings, names "Balinus" (apparently Apollonius) as a great philosopher, who "surpassed everyone else in the diffusion of arts and sciences and soared unto the loftiest heights of humility and supplication."

More recently Apollonius appeared as a fictional character in the 1935 novel The Circus of Dr. Lao, as well as the 1964 film adaptation 7 Faces of Dr. Lao.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Anderson, Graham. Philostratus: Biography and Belles Lettres in the Third Century C.E. Dover, N.H.: Croom Helm, 1986. ISBN 978-0709905752
• Francis, James A. Subversive Virtue: Asceticism and Authority in the Second-Century Pagan World. University Park, Pa.: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1995. ISBN 978-0271013046
• Panella, Robert J. (ed.) Apollonius' letters in The Letters of Apollonius of Tyana: A Critical Text. Leiden: Brill, 1979. ISBN 9004059725 ISBN 978-9004059726

External links

All links retrieved October 4, 2007.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Apollonius of Tyana

• Apollonius as Saint Paul - geocities.com
• Apollonius article by Jona Lendering, - Livius.org.
• Philostratus's Life of Apollonius of Tyana - Livius.org.
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• Apollonius of Tyana: ANCIENT HISTORICAL RESOURCES - His writings & letters, Adana Inscription, Maria Dzielska, GRS Mead, RW Bernard, Eusebius, Hermes Trismegistus, etc. - mountainman.com

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