Lives of the sophists

 to follow, having scattered it like some mist. At once, therefore, the divine Plutarch records his own life, scattered throughout his books, and that

 not one man has written a biography, at least so far as we know but for one collecting from the signs given during the reading, such were the things

 And after these things he deals with many other matters, how one must take care of them. And he says that he also pursued and cast out a certain demon

 ungrudging. Therefore, he did few things by himself, apart from his companions and pupils, revering the divine but for the most part he was with his

 Golden locks gleamed about his back and his breast, and he seemed altogether as one bathing and having been bathed. And when his companions were aston

 of beauty. Thus that man also, choosing to praise him for the sake of the truth, on the one hand reveals the magnitude of the punishments and misfortu

 they neglected the plot. Therefore, just as in the time of the old and great Socrates, no one of all the Athenians (even though they were a democracy)

 But she happened to be skilled also in delivering women in their confinement. <and> as she was setting a cup before the Egyptian and pouring the spice

 his own hand and the things written, he found the oracle written on his hand. 6.4.4 And it is this: Threads are set on the threads of two Fates for yo

 with easy proofs, he orders him to come out, and he came out, having overthrown a tyrant with his speech and he immediately invited him to his table

 is your life as well, a gift as high as heaven and reaching the stars, leave this Sosipatra with us, her truer nurses and fathers, and for five years

 is it, child? And she, pausing for a little, said, But now I understand what was said. For as they, weeping, handed these things to me, they said, '

 he was doing, and revealed the signs that appeared. And as he fell gaping to the ground, and confessed that Sosipatra was openly a goddess, Rise up,

 I have no need to write their names for the account hastens on not to the base but to the good. Except for what one of her children (Antoninus was hi

 human. For collecting the bones and heads of those convicted of many crimes, whom the civil court had punished, they both declared them gods, and they

 he had arrived, and his body was weary and foremost among his school, and holding first place, were Maximus, on whose behalf this is being written, a

 the torches will light up, which the goddess carries in her hands and the light, flaring up on the torches, anticipated the words. We then, for the

 sent him gifts <and> an escort for the care of the temples of Hellas, he immediately summoned 7.3.10 Maximus and Chrysanthius. And the summons was one

 nevertheless unmoved, not lifted up by the imperial power, but bringing down the imperial power and leveling it to a more philosophical state. 7.4.8 B

 he contributed great good will to affairs, exposing his body to the foremost dangers, and being openly at odds with the praetorian prefect, so that no

 for immediately those who had conspired and been numbered and with everyone everywhere being seized and slaughtered, like hens at a festival and symp

 Pergamon, and the more honored of the companions were present 8.1.6 but the teacher, implanting a certain harmony and care for what is human in his s

 in imitation of the public theaters 9.1.6, but smaller and as is fitting for a house. For so great was the strife in Athens of the men and youths of t

 (And Tusciunus, who was present at the trial, and within the group of the accused, related these things to the author) Prohaeresius came forward into

 the sun makes the night longer by becoming more southerly (for it had entered Libra and the nights were about to lengthen) and the ship-captain, bein

 he was handsome, and one marveled at the power of his beauty, that for so great a body 10.3.2 it sufficed throughout for the most excellent form and

 for the sake of wealth, but for Prohaeresius argument alone was enough, just as the Homeric Hermes escorting Priam to the tent of Achilles10.3.17 even

 no one knew the future but when he said I will ask for another, more difficult thing, then, having been ordered 10.5.2 to speak, he says, let not

 being of a most distinguished rank, to grasp, and to draw into sight the phantom conceived from ancient images, 10.6.4 he hurried to Greece. And havin

 transferring their astonishment to his appearance and what they saw, they were amazed at both the beauty and height of his body, as if looking up with

 very quickly leaped into political life. 10.8.1 But when Julian was emperor, being excluded <ἐν> from his position of teaching (for he was thought to

 they say. HIMERIUS: Bithynia bore this man, but the one writing these things did not know him and yet he was living in those times. But having crosse

 to Libanius 16.1.10 and of those thought worthy of his company he departed unstung but his character was immediately recognized for what it was, and

 blaming the greatness of that man's nature, but himself testifying to his own 17.1.3 hyperattention and precision regarding petty words as if unaware

 he was a distinguished child, having partaken of all education which both contributes to and perfects virtue. 21.1.2 And advancing in age, he became a

 precision, and to confess openly that when they met with Ionicus, they learned in practice the things said by the ancients, and brought them out for u

 having something contentious and stubborn in his nature, resisting the signs that had appeared from the gods, he would ask for and demand 23.2.2 other

 of those present, a stir arose, and it seemed good to him to contribute something to what was being said, everything was full of silence, as if no peo

 All were present, and he who is writing these things was present but Justus, standing over it, and fixing the gaze of his eyes (for the victim lay in

 shook souls into fear, he alone remained unshaken, so that 23.6.2 one might have conjectured * that the man was not even on earth. At those times inde

he contributed great good will to affairs, exposing his body to the foremost dangers, and being openly at odds with the praetorian prefect, so that not even the emperor was ignorant of their disagreement. And yet the prefect was Salutius, a man who had also adorned his own fortune during the reign of Julian, but nevertheless he exposed his sluggishness due to old age and called him Nicias; 7.5.4 for it was his concern at that time to cultivate and strengthen his soul by both reading and historical experience. 7.5.5 And when matters turned out well, Valens was exceedingly pleased with Clearchus, and he did not release him from his office, but transferred him to a lesser one, appointing him proconsul 7.5.6 of what is now specifically called Asia. This, stretching along the coast from Pergamus towards the continent above, is cut off as far as Caria, and Mount Tmolus defines its border with Lydia. It is a most glorious office, and not subordinate to the praetorian prefect, except insofar as all things have now again been confounded and thrown into confusion 7.5.7 in this more recent disturbance. At that time Clearchus, having received a sound Asia, found Maximus there stretched out by tortures 7.5.8 and barely holding on. What happened after this is indeed a divine deed to tell, for one could not justly attribute such an unexpected event to any other than a god; for he compelled all the soldiers, who were unceasingly presiding over these punishments, to flee with greater force, and released Maximus from his bonds, and took care of his body, and made him his dinner companion, and used such great freedom of speech towards the emperor, that the emperor now even relented, and 7.5.9 conceded everything that Clearchus persuaded him. At any rate, having removed Salutius from his office, he conceived of appointing Auxonius to the affairs of the court. And Clearchus, those torturing soldiers, and as many as had stolen something or committed outrages during that unfortunate time, some he punished, 7.5.10 from others he exacted restitution; and everyone had this on their lips, 7.6.1 that he was a second Julian to Maximus. There Maximus also made some public displays, but (for he was not naturally suited for the stage) he brought his reputation to its lowest point, as he restored himself by discoursing again. At any rate he recovered many of his possessions, and of those that had been stolen in other ways, and he was very quickly prosperous, as if just now entering into 7.6.2 the reign of Julian. And being famous he also visited Constantinople, and everyone feared him, seeing his fortune rising again; and he had experience of the skill of theurgy, but he esteemed that which related to discourse more highly. Here again, on account of 7.6.3 his great fame, a misfortune grew for him more quickly. For those around the palace, having formed a certain plot against the emperors and having set up a private oracle (it is not for everyone to understand what I say), when a rather obscure oracle came forth, they referred the oracle to Maximus, not admitting the deed itself, but as if wanting to learn something more clearly, as though he himself had consulted the oracle and interpreted it; for at that time it had been shown that Maximus alone of all men knew the affairs of the gods, even if they are brought forth veiled 7.6.4 to others. But he, applying his mind and examining what was said, saw sharply what was hidden in the words, but was true, and brought forth a truer oracle than oracles, that they destroyed the one who read it (meaning himself), and all (he added not only those who knew of the conspiracy, but also revealed that more would be unjustly punished), and to crown it all he added that, "after the common and manifold destruction of all, in which we committed the murder, the emperor will be destroyed in a strange manner, deemed worthy neither of burial 7.6.5 nor of a glorious tomb." And these things happened so, and have been written more accurately in the detailed accounts. They had been caught indeed

πολλὴν εἰς τὰ πράγματα συνέφερεν εὔνοιαν, τῷ τε σώματι παραβαλλόμενος ἐς τοὺς πρώτους κινδύνους, καὶ πρὸς τὸν τῆς αὐλῆς ἔπαρχον ἄντικρυς διαφερόμενος, ὥστε οὐδὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν διαφορὰν ἠγνόει. καί τοί γε ἦν ἔπαρχος Σαλούτιος, ἀνὴρ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Ἰουλιανοῦ βασιλείας κοσμήσας τὴν ἑαυτοῦ τύχην, ἀλλ' ὅμως τήν τε βλακείαν αὐτοῦ διὰ τὸ γῆρας ἀπήλεγχεν καὶ Νικίαν 7.5.4 ἀπεκάλει· καὶ γὰρ ἔμελεν αὐτῷ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον μοσχεύειν καὶ ῥωννύναι τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπ' ἀναγνώσεώς τε καὶ τῆς ἱστορικῆς ἐμπειρίας. 7.5.5 Χωρησάντων δὲ καλῶς τῶν πραγμάτων, ὁ Βάλης ὑπερηγάσθη τὸν Κλέαρχον, καὶ οὐκ ἀπέλυσε τῆς ἀρχῆς, ἀλλ' εἰς ἀρχὴν μετέστησε χείρονα, ἀνθύπατον αὐτὸν ἐπιστή7.5.6 σας τῆς νῦν ἰδίως Ἀσίας καλουμένης. αὕτη δὲ ἀπὸ Περγάμου τὸ ἁλιτενὲς ἐπέχουσα πρὸς τὴν ὑπερκειμένην ἤπειρον ἄχρι Καρίας ἀποτέμνεται, καὶ ὁ Τμῶλος αὐτῆς περιγράφει τὸ πρὸς Λυδίαν. ἔστι δὲ ἀρχῶν ἐνδοξοτάτη, καὶ οὐ κατήκοος τοῦ τῆς αὐλῆς ἐπάρχου, πλὴν ὅσα γε νῦν πάλιν ἐς τὸν νεώτερον τουτονὶ θόρυβον ἅπαντα συμπεφύραται καὶ ἀνα7.5.7 τετάρακται. τότε δὲ τὴν ὑγιαίνουσαν Ἀσίαν ἀπολαβὼν ὁ Κλέαρχος, εὗρεν ἐκεῖ τὸν Μάξιμον κατατεινόμενον ταῖς βασά7.5.8 νοις, καὶ μόλις ἀνέχοντα. θεῖον δὴ τὸ μετὰ ταῦτά ἐστιν εἰπεῖν ἔργον, οὐ γὰρ ἄν τις οὕτως τὸ παράλογον ἐς ἄλλον τινὰ ἀναφέροι δικαίως ἢ θεόν· τούς τε γὰρ στρατιώτας ἅπαντας, οἳ ταύταις ἐφεστήκεσαν ἀλήκτως ταῖς κολάσεσιν, μείζονι βίᾳ φυγεῖν ἀπηνάγκασεν, καὶ τὸν Μάξιμον ἀνῆκε τῶν δεσμῶν, ἐπιμέλειάν τε ἐποιήσατο τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ὁμοτράπεζον ἔθετο, καὶ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα τοσαύτῃ κατεχρήσατο παρρησίᾳ, ὡς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἤδη καὶ μεθῆκε τὴν ψυχήν, καὶ 7.5.9 πάντα γε συνεχώρησεν ὅσα Κλέαρχος ἔπειθεν. τῷ γοῦν Σαλουτίῳ τὴν ἀρχὴν παραλύσας, Αὐξόνιον ἐπενόησε τοῖς τῆς αὐλῆς ἔργοις <ἐπιστῆσαι>. ὁ δὲ Κλέαρχος τούς τε κολαστῆρας ἐκείνους στρατιώτας, καὶ ὅσον κατὰ τὸν ἀτυχῆ χρόνον ἐκεῖνον ἦσαν ὑφελόμενοί τι καὶ ὑβρίσαντες, τοὺς μὲν ἠμύνετο, 7.5.10 τοὺς δὲ εἰσεπράττετο· καὶ πάντες τοῦτο διὰ στόματος εἶχον 7.6.1 ὡς εἴη δεύτερος Ἰουλιανὸς τῷ Μαξίμῳ. ἐνταῦθα δὴ καὶ δημοσίας τινὰς ἐπιδείξεις ὁ Μάξιμος ἐποιήσατο, ἀλλ' (οὐ γὰρ ἐπεφύκει πρὸς θέατρον) τὴν δόξαν εἰς ἐλάχιστον ἤνεγκεν, ὡς ἀνέφερεν ἑαυτόν, διαλεγόμενος πάλιν. πολλὰ γοῦν τῶν τε κτημάτων ἀνεκομίζετο, καὶ τῶν ἑτέρως πως διακεκλεμμένων, καὶ ἦν ταχὺ μάλα ὄλβιος, καὶ ὥσπερ ἄρτι παριὼν εἰς 7.6.2 τὴν Ἰουλιανοῦ βασιλείαν. ὁ δὲ καὶ εἰς τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν περιφανὴς ὢν ἐπεδήμησε, καὶ πάντες αὐτὸν ἐδεδοίκεσαν, τήν τε τύχην ἀνισταμένην ὁρῶντες· καὶ τῆς δεινότητος τῆς περὶ θεουργίας ἐστὶ μὲν πεπειραμένος, τὴν δὲ ἐς τὸν λόγον ἐπὶ πλέον ἐδόξαζεν. ἐνταῦθα δὲ αὐτῷ πάλιν διὰ 7.6.3 τὸ πολὺ κλέος ταχύτερον ἀνέφυ πάθος. οἱ γὰρ περὶ τὰ βασίλεια τοῖς βασι<λεῦσι ἐπιβουλὴν> τινὰ συστησάμενοι καὶ προστησάμενοι μαντεῖον ἰδιωτικὸν (οὐ παντός ἐστι καταμαθεῖν ὃ λέγω), χρησμοῦ τινὸς ἐκπεσόντος ἀσαφεστέρου, τὸν χρησμὸν ἐπὶ τὸν Μάξιμον ἀνήνεγκαν, τὸ μὲν πρᾶγμα οὐχ ὁμολογήσαντες, ὡς δ' ἂν αὐτοῦ χρήσαντος καὶ ἀνελόντος τὶ σαφέστερον βουλόμενοι μαθεῖν· δέδεικτο γὰρ τότε τὰ τῶν θεῶν Μάξιμον μόνον πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἰδέναι, κἂν ἐπικε7.6.4 καλυμμένα πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους φέρηται. ὁ δὲ τὸν νοῦν ἐπιστήσας καὶ διαθρῶν τὰ λεγόμενα, τὸ κεκρυμμένον μὲν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις, ὂν δὲ ἀληθῶς, εἶδεν ὀξέως, καὶ μαντείων ἀληθέστερον ἐξήνεγκεν, ὡς τόν τε ἀναγνόντα (λέγων ἑαυτόν) ἀπώλεσαν, καὶ πάντας (οὐ τοὺς εἰδότας τὴν <παρά>ταξιν μόνον προσέ θηκεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ κολασθησόμενον ἀδίκως πλέον ἀπεφήνατο), ἀνύτων δὲ ἐπέθηκεν ὅτι "μετὰ τὴν ἁπάντων κοινὴν καὶ πολύτροπον φθοράν, ἐν ᾗ τὸν φόνον εἰργασάμεθα, ὁ βασιλεὺς ξένον τινὰ ἀναφθαρήσεται τρόπον, οὐδὲ ταφῆς ἀξιω7.6.5 θείς, οὐδὲ ἐνδόξου τάφου." καὶ ταῦτα ἔσχεν οὕτως, καὶ ἐν τοῖς διεξοδικοῖς ἀκριβέστερον γέγραπται. ἑαλώκεσαν μὲν