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

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 having sent ahead a certain problem to the sophists (for Greece was amazed at him, hearing of both his spirit and his learning, and that he was unwavering and incorruptible), he commanded all to practice the same 10.6.5 problem. But they, making this their business and plotting against one another every day, nevertheless (for necessity commanded) they were judged together, and having debated many arguments among themselves concerning the so-called "stasis" of the problem (the author has known nothing more ridiculous than this matter), each was separated from the others, each through ambition praising his own opinion and being ambitious before the 10.6.6 youths. And as Anatolius, descending upon Greece, was more formidable than that Persian and much-sung army, and the danger was at their feet not for the Greeks but for the sophists, then all the others (for a certain sophist Himerius from Bithynia had also joined them; the author did not know this man, except through his writings), were nevertheless all in distress, and were strained with much toil, each practicing the 10.6.7 "stasis" that he approved of. Then Prohaeresius, confident in his nature, was grave, being neither ambitious nor revealing the 10.6.8 secret. But Anatolius was near, and he arrived in Athens. And having sacrificed boldly and gone around all the temples, as sacred custom commanded, he summoned the sophists to the contest. And each of those present hastened to be first in the exhibition; 10.6.9 so self-loving a thing is man. But Anatolius laughed at those applauding, the youths, and pitied the fathers for the education of their children, by whom they were being educated. And he called 10.6.10 Prohaeresius; for he alone was left. But he, having attended to one of his household who knew everything, learned the "stasis" which he praised (for the author said this was ridiculous in the words above), and yet it was worthy of no account, nor ought Anatolius to have prevailed in these things, nevertheless he answered the call at once, and having arranged the contest according to that "stasis," he achieved such beauty of speech, that Anatolius leapt up, and the theater erupted with shouts, 10.6.11 and there was no one who did not suppose him a god. Therefore he appears to have honored him exceptionally, although he barely deemed the others worthy 10.6.12 of his own table. (But Anatolius was a sophist in matters of feasting and for a symposium; nor was the symposium without reason and uncultured. But these things happened many years ago, and thus the author verified the 10.6.13 account. And Anatolius greatly admired Milesius, who was from Ionian Smyrna, and having been endowed with the best nature, had thrown himself into a certain unambitious and scholarly life; he was concerned with sacred things and neglected marriage, and practiced all poetry and song, and of poetry as much as the Graces praise. Thus, at any rate, he captured Anatolius, so that he even called the man 10.6.14 a Muse. But the inquiries of Epiphanius the sophist he called "divisions," ridiculing the teacher for his hair-splitting 10.6.15 and excessive precision). But concerning their disagreement about the "stasis," mocking them all, he said, "If the sophists happened to be more than †the thirteen†, they would perhaps have invented other 'staseis' besides, so that they might practice one problem in different ways." But Prohaeresius alone he admired for 10.7.1 all things. And it happened that Prohaeresius not long before had been summoned by the emperor Constans to Gaul, and he won over the emperor to such an extent, that he was his table-companion along with the most honored men, and inasmuch as the men there at that time were unable to review his speeches and admire the secrets of his soul, towards the

ἀριπρεποῦς ἀξιώματος φερόμενος, συλλαβεῖν, καὶ τὸ νοούμενον ἐκ τῶν ἀρχαίων ἰνδαλμάτων φάντασμα ἐπὶ τὴν ὄψιν σπάσαι, 10.6.4 πρὸς τὴν Ἑλλάδα ἔσπευσε. καὶ πρόβλημά γέ τι τοῖς σοφισταῖς προπέμψας (ἐτεθήπεσαν δὲ αὐτὸν ἡ Ἑλλάς, τό τε φρόνημα ἀκούοντες καὶ τὴν παιδείαν, καὶ ὅτι ἀκλινὴς ἦν καὶ ἀδωροδόκητος), ἐκέλευεν ἅπαντας τὸ αὐτὸ μελετᾶν 10.6.5 πρόβλημα. οἱ δὲ τοῦτο αὐτὸ ἐπιτηδεύοντες καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἀλλήλοις ἐπιβουλεύοντες, ὅμως (ἀνάγκη γὰρ ἐκέλευεν) συνεκρίθησαν, καὶ περὶ τῆς καλουμένης στάσεως τοῦ προβλήματος πολλοὺς ἐν ἀλλήλοις λόγους ἀντεπιχειρήσαντες (οὐκ ἔγνω τούτου τοῦ πράγματος γελοιότερον ὁ συγγραφεύς), διεκρίθησαν ἀπ' ἀλλήλων ἕκαστος, διὰ φιλοτιμίαν ἕκαστος ἐπαινῶν τὴν ἰδίαν δόξαν καὶ πρὸς τὰ 10.6.6 μειράκια φιλοτιμούμενος. ὡς δὲ βαρύτερος ἦν τῆς Περσικῆς ἐκείνης καὶ πολυυμνήτου στρατιᾶς ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα κατιὼν ὁ Ἀνατόλιος, καὶ ὁ κίνδυνος ἦν παρὰ πόδας οὐ τοῖς Ἕλλησιν ἀλλὰ τοῖς σοφιστεύουσιν, ἐνταῦθα οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι πάντες (προσεγεγένητο γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ Ἱμέριός τις σοφιστὴς ἐκ Βιθυνίας· οὐκ ἔγνω τοῦτον ὁ συγγραφεύς, πλὴν ὅσα γε διὰ συγγραμμάτων), ἐταλαιπωροῦντο δὲ ὅμως ἅπαντες, καὶ πολλῷ καμάτῳ παρετείνοντο, τὴν δόξασαν ἕκαστος 10.6.7 μελετῶντες στάσιν. ἐνταῦθα ὁ Προαιρέσιος θαρσῶν τῇ φύσει, βαρὺς ἦν οὔτε φιλοτιμούμενος οὔτε ἐκφέρων τὸ ἀπόρ10.6.8 ρητον. ὁ δὲ Ἀνατόλιος ἐγγύθεν, καὶ εἰσεδήμησεν Ἀθήναζε. θύσας δὲ θαρσαλέως καὶ περιελθὼν τὰ ἱερὰ πάντα, ᾗ θεσμὸς ἱερὸς ἐκέλευεν, ἐξεκάλει τοὺς σοφιστὰς ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα. καὶ οἱ παρόντες ἕκαστος πρῶτος ἐς τὴν ἐπίδειξιν ἠπείγετο· 10.6.9 οὕτω φίλαυτόν τι χρῆμα ἄνθρωπος· ὁ δὲ Ἀνατόλιος καὶ τοὺς κροτοῦντας, τὰ μειράκια, ἐγέλα, καὶ τοὺς πατέρας ἠλέει τῆς τῶν παίδων παιδείας ὑπὸ τίσιν παιδεύονται. ἐκάλει 10.6.10 δὲ τὸν Προαιρέσιον· μόνος γὰρ ἀπολέλειπτο· ὁ δὲ θεραπεύσας τινὰ τῶν οἰκείων αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντα ἐξειδότων, μαθὼν τὴν στάσιν ἣν ἐπαινεῖ (τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ συγγραφεὺς ἔφη γελοῖον ἐν τοῖς ἄνω λόγοις), καί τοί γε οὐδενὸς ἦν ἄξιον λόγου, οὐδὲ Ἀνατόλιον ἔδει ταῦτα νικᾶν, ὅμως πρός τε τὴν κλῆσιν ὑπήκουσεν ἀθρόως, καὶ πρὸς ἐκείνην τὴν στάσιν διαθέμενος τὸν ἀγῶνα, ἐς τοσόνδε ἤρκεσε πρὸς τὸ κάλλος τοῦ λόγου, ὥστε ἐπήδα τε ὁ Ἀνατόλιος, καὶ τὸ θέατρον βοῶν τε ἐρρή10.6.11 γνυτο, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἦν ὃς οὐχὶ θεὸν ὑπελάμβανε. τιμήσας οὖν ἐκεῖνον διαφερόντως φαίνεται, καί τοί γε τοὺς ἄλλους μόλις 10.6.12 ἀξιώσας τῆς ἑαυτοῦ τραπέζης. (ὁ δὲ Ἀνατόλιος σοφιστὴς ἦν ἐν τοῖς κατ' εὐωχίαν καὶ πρὸς συμπόσιον· οὐδὲ τὸ συμπόσιον ἦν ἄλογον καὶ ἀπαίδευτον. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ἐγένετο πρὸ πολλῶν χρόνων, καὶ οὕτως ἐξηκρίβου τὴν 10.6.13 ἀκοὴν ὁ συγγραφεύς. ὁ δὲ Ἀνατόλιος καὶ τὸν Μιλήσιον ὑπερεθαύμαζεν, ὃς ἦν μὲν ἐκ Σμύρνης τῆς Ἰωνικῆς, φύσεως δὲ ἀρίστης τυχών, ἐς ἀφιλότιμόν τινα καὶ σχολαστὴν ἑαυτὸν ἐμβαλὼν βίον, πρός τε ἱεροῖς ἦν καὶ γάμων ἠμέλησε, ποίησίν τε ἅπασαν καὶ μέλος ἐξήσκησε, καὶ ποιήσεως ὅσον ἐπαινοῦσι Χάριτες. οὕτω γοῦν εἷλε τὸν Ἀνατόλιον, ὥστε καὶ 10.6.14 Μοῦσαν ἐκάλει τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Ἐπιφανίου δὲ τοῦ σοφιστεύοντος τὰ ζητήματα διαιρέσεις ἔφασκεν, εἰς μικρολογίαν 10.6.15 καὶ περιττὴν ἀκρίβειαν κωμῳδῶν τὸν παιδεύοντα). περὶ δὲ τῆς διαφωνίας αὐτῶν τῆς κατὰ τὴν στάσιν, διασιλλαίνων ἅπαντας, "εἰ πλείους" ἔφη "†τῶν δεκατριῶν† ἐτύγχανον οἱ σοφιστεύοντες, τάχ' ἂν ἑτέρας προσεξεῦρον στάσεις, ἵνα διαφόρως ἓν πρόβλημα μελετήσωσιν." Προαιρέσιον δὲ πάν10.7.1 των ἕνεκε μόνον ὑπερεθαύμαζεν. ἐτύγχανε δὲ ὁ Προαιρέσιος οὐ πρὸ πολλοῦ χρόνου μετάπεμπτος ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλεύοντος γεγονὼς Κώνσταντος ἐς τὰς Γαλλίας, καὶ κρατήσας τοῦ βασιλεύοντος ἐς τοσοῦτον, ὥστε ὁμοτράπεζος ἅμα τοῖς τιμιωτάτοις ἦν αὐτῷ, καὶ ὅσον γε τῶν ἐκείνῃ τότε ἀνθρώπων οὐκ ἐξικνοῦντο τούς τε λόγους ἀναθεωρεῖν καὶ τὰ ἀπόρρητα τῆς ψυχῆς θαυμάζειν, πρὸς τὴν