Biography he is best known through the medium of the writer philostratus, in whose unreliable biography some have seen an attempt to construct a rival to jesus christ. Apollonius of tyana is the author of letters of apollonius of tyana 3. Complete edition this is the lively account of the m. Apollonius of tyana fear man know who in my travels, which have been wider than ever man yet accomplished, i have seen many, many wild beasts of arabia and india. Phillimore philostratus in honor of apollonius of tyana 1912 apollonius was the founder of. The actual life of apollonius of tyana is really wonderful. With an engaging style, philostratus portrays a charismatic teacher and religious reformer from tyana in cappadocia modern central turkey who travels across the known world, from the atlantic to the ganges. The life of apollonius of tyana, produs din gama carti in limba engleza other.
The life of apollonius of tyana by flavius philostratus. His teachings and legend influenced both scientific thought and occultism for centuries after his death. But a black dog appeared which apollonius pronounced was the caused of the plague. Apollonius was a vegetarian, and a disciple of pythagoras.
The story of the life of apollonius as narrated by philostratus is briefly as follows. The life of apollonius of tyana philostratus 220 ad. Complete edition this is the lively account of the many miracles wrought by apollonius as well as his journeys to egypt and india and finally his. Apollonius was a great man in deeds as well as faith, never breaking his own rules and rationally contemplating larger philosophical issues from a young age. The life of apollonius of tyana, by flavius philostratus. Apollonius of tyana subject of the life of apollonius of. A neopythagorean philosopher of greece who had a great reputation for magical powers. In fine, to speak plainly, perchance no historian will find in ancient times a philosopher whose life is equal to that of apollonius.
Apolloniuss life is related in so fabulous a manner by his disciple that we are at a loss to discover whether he was a sage, an impostor, or a fanatic. In a new twovolume loeb classical library edition of philostratuss thirdcentury work, christopher jones provides a freshly edited greek text and a stylish translation with full explanatory notes. Apollonius of tyana, volume i philostratus, christopher. Events in the life of apollonius of tyana the trials of apollonius by nero and domitian, as recorded in the life of apollonius of tyana by his biographer, philostratus by dr.
Apollonius of tyana is one of the most extraordinary exemplars in human history. Lets examine this supposed parallel in detail today. Jones in his introduction asks how far it is history and how far. Both lived in the same era, and both performed works and miracles.
After the first three introductory chapters of book 1, chapters 417 deal with the birth of apollonius and the miraculous portents that accompanied it, his education and embracing of pythagoreanism, his five years spent in silence in pamphylia and. History and legend are blended so beautifully that it is sometimes hard to tell which is which. Consequently, the parallel between the life of apollonius of tyana and the life of jesus christ cannot be mistaken. It was the life of apollonius of tyana by his biographer, philostratus.
Over the centuries, not a few people have noticed a resemblance between the lives of the ancient sage apollonius of tyana and the christian savior jesus christ, a comparison most notably brought to light by the very important roman official sossianus hierocles in. Born at tyana in asia minor, apollonius was educated at tarsus and at the temple of aesculapius at aegae, where at 16 he. Apollonius of tyana philostratus the athenian, flavios. Byzantine writers of apollonius, notably by john tzetzes, derive from moeragenes. Apollonius of tyana, about the middle of the 1st century ce, a distinct neopythagorean trend appeared. This biography of a firstcentury ce holy man has become one of the most widely discussed literary works of later antiquity. In his life of apollonius, philostratus second to third century ce portrays a firstcentury ce teacher, religious reformer, and perceived rival to jesus. The contention in favor for apollonius as divine could use this as showing how this narrative parallels with other stories of divine beings. He hailed from the town of tyana in the roman province of cappadocia in asia minor. Section 7 early life apollonius was born legends of the wonderful happenings at his birth were in circulation, and are of the same nature as all such birthlegends of great people. I bought the book because i had heard that the jesus story of the gospels was actually based on stories of apollonius. The life of apollonius of tyana jesus and the gospels.
Little is known of his life but his works have had a very great influence on the development of mathematics, in particular his famous book conics introduced terms which are familiar to us today such as parabola, ellipse and hyperbola. What he shows us clearly is the living of the life, the lifelong practice of theosophical ethics it is said that at a very young age apollonius became set upon living what he referred to as the pythagorean life. The 3rd century emperor alexander severus revered apollonius of tyana, christ, abraham, orpheus, and alexander the great in his private shrine. The treatise of eusebius, the son of pamphilus, against the life of apollonius of tyana, written by philostratus, occasioned by the parallel drawn by hierocles between him and christ greek and english, vol. Apollonius of tyana the philosopher explorer and social. An exorcism hr philosopher in meditation rembrandt apollonius of tyana was an influential greek philosopher and teacher who influenced science and occultism well after his death. I just put the finishing touches on a new bibleworks userversion, which gives users access to both the greek version as well as an english translation of philostratus work the life of apollonius of tyana if you do much work in new testament, early church, or jesusstudies, you will no doubt come across references to this work. Historian edward gibbon we should deem it impertinent to direct argument against a mere romance and to subject a. Apollonius of tyana is by far the longest biography that survives from antiquity. Philostratuss colorful biography of apollonius of tyana, recounting the sayings and miracles of a pythagorean sage, incidentally provoked a longlasting debate between pagans and christians. This is over 100 years after apollonius lived twice as long as the time between the life of jesus and the latest proposed date for the first gospel writing 75 ad and four times longer than the earliest proposed time 50 ad. Life of apollonius of tyana by philostratus the lost. Librivox recording of the life of apollonius of tyana, by flavius philostratus.
Apollonius of perga was known as the great geometer. Apollonius of tyana is said to be a lot like jesus according to skeptics like bart ehrman, richard carrier, robert price and their many followers. Like jesus christ, the story of apollonius of tyanas life is in question. Others still say that apollonius of tyana was dropped in favor of jesus christ when the christians decided who to believe was the true son of god. The life of apollonius of tyana was written no earlier than ad 217. Apollonius was both an historical figure who is crossreferenced in contemporary documents, and a legendary pagan christ with all the trimmings.
Apolloniuss letters, ancient reports about him, and a letter by eusebius fourth century ce that is now central. Apollonius of tyanawas the awe and wonder of his time apollonius of tyana the true christ of the first century ad. The life of apollonius of tyana universal theosophy. In part, aurelian said that apollonius told him aurelian, if you desire to rule, abstain from the blood of the innocent.
It was the life of apollonius of tyana, by his biographer, philostratus. Like pythagoras, he urged listeners not to eat meat and not to commit violence so. New version philostratus life of apollonius of tyana. This included a high code of nonviolence and asceticism, such that he remained a vegetarian the. The voice which had one night cried to the ships captain, pan, great pan is dead. He was born towards the beginning of the christian era at tyana, in cappadocia, and his birth was attended according to popular tradition with miracles and portents. This volume, which completes the new loeb classical library edition of the life of apollonius of tyana, provides historical context for that much discussed thirdcentury portrayal of a charismatic. For those with a truly open mind, there is much to find enlightening in the parallel themes expressed in. It is an apologetic work, in which philostratus tries to show that apollonius was a man with divine powers, but not. Even apollonius biographer was not certain whether this girl just appeared to be dead or was actually dead. In the life of apollonius, the athenian author philostratus, a sophist who lived from c. When in rome it is said he brought the daughter of a consular back to life.
Philostratus wrote his biography of apollonius in approximately 220 ce. The book was secretly carried to the near east for safety and for over a thousand years it was preserved among the arabians, in spite of all efforts of the crusaders in the interest of the papacy to destroy it. The summaries of the eight books were with permission copied from j. Apolonius was born of wealthy parents in the greek town of tyana, greece, and his birth was miraculously announced to his mother by an archangel. Apollonius of perga should not be confused with other greek scholars called apollonius, for it was a. Others say he was the inspiration for the story of jesus christ. Apollonius lived in the second half of the first century. Apollonius seems to have been some combination of philosopher and magician, although philostratus shows distaste for the latter aspect of apollonius life. Apollonius of tyana taught the doctrine of reincarnation, that the soul is constantly being reborn and that how people lived in their past life determines how they are reborn. Apollonius was born into a respected and wealthy greek family.