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

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 he perceived the tendencies of his soul towards both the worse and the better, and he was so great at molding himself and assimilating to each, that the πολύπους was a trifle to him, and each of his companions supposed he was seeing another version of himself. Indeed, those who had experience of him used to say that he was a sort of tablet and mold 16.1.11 of all kinds of various characters; nor would he ever be caught, when many and various people had gathered, in showing what pleased him more, but for opposite qualities he was praised by those who pursued an opposite life, and everyone thought he admired their own qualities; so 16.1.12 multiform and fickle a creature he was. And he too neglected marriage, except that a certain woman lived with him, not of equal rank. 16.2.1 His style, in his practice speeches, was utterly weak and dead and breathless, and it is quite apparent that he had had no teacher; for he was ignorant of most of the 16.2.2 common things known even to a child concerning practice speeches; but in his letters and other compositions, he sufficiently revives and is roused to the ancient model, and his writings are filled with grace and comic buffoonery, and elegance runs everywhere, serving his words, and that which all Syrophoenicians have in common conversation that is pleasant and charming, this one can receive from him with 16.2.3 culture; the Attics, then, call it wit and urbanity; but he cultivated this as if it were the height of culture, being wholly drawn from the Old Comedy into his style of delivery, and becoming one of those who delight and bewitch 16.2.4 the ear at the door. An excess of culture and reading can be found in his speeches, by one who encounters his recondite diction. For instance, he would not have passed over the trees of Eupolis, Laespodias and Damasias, if he had known the names of the trees, 16.2.5 by which men now call them. Thus, finding some extraordinary word that was obscure from its antiquity, as if cleaning some ancient votive offering, he would bring it into the open and after purifying it would embellish it, molding for it a whole theme and accompanying thoughts, like certain maids and servants 16.2.6 for a newly rich mistress who has polished away her old age. The most divine Julian, then, admired him for these things, and as much as is humanly possible, he admired the grace in his speeches. And very many of his books are in circulation, and he who has sense will know each of them as he reads them. 16.2.7 He was also able to engage in political affairs, and besides his speeches to dare 16.2.8 and to contrive certain other things for a more theatrical pleasure. And when the emperors after these added the greatest of dignities to him (for they ordered that he should have the title of praetorian prefect), he did not accept it, saying that the sophist 16.2.9 was greater. And this is no small praise, that a man inferior in reputation was overcome only by that which concerned his speeches, and considered the 16.2.10 other kind vulgar and base. But he too died, having reached a very great old age, and leaving no small wonder to all. [But the one writing these things did not associate with him, because various impediments occurred at different times by the spite of fortune.] ACACIUS. Caesarea of Palestine produced Acacius, and he was a contemporary of Libanius in the same times; full of sophistic vigor and spirit, if anyone ever was, and his style turned back to the ancient manner with applause; and being a contemporary of Libanius, he shook his 17.1.2 primacy, and was strongly superior. At any rate, a small book has been written by Libanius on natural talent, all of it directed against Acacius, in which it is clear that he is being defeated

Λιβανίῳ 16.1.10 καὶ συνουσίας ἀξιωθέντων ἀπῆλθεν ἄδηκτος· ἀλλὰ τό τε ἦθος εὐθὺς οἷός τις ἦν ἔγνωστο, καὶ συνεῖδεν αὐτοῦ τά τε τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπί τε τὸ χεῖρον καὶ τὸ κρεῖττον ῥέποντα, καὶ τοσοῦτος ἦν ἐς τὴν πλάσιν καὶ τὴν εἰς ἑκάτερον ἐξομοίωσιν, ὥστε ὁ μὲν <πολύπους> λῆρος ἦν αὐτῷ, τῶν δὲ συνόντων ἕκαστος ἄλλον ὁρᾶν ἑαυτὸν ὑπελάμβανεν. ἔφασκον γοῦν αὐτὸν οἱ πεπειραμένοι, πίνακά τινα καὶ ἐκμαγεῖον εἶναι 16.1.11 παντοδαπῶν ἠθῶν καὶ ποικίλων· οὐδ' ἂν ἥλω ποτὲ πολλῶν καὶ διαφόρων συνεληλυθότων ᾧ μᾶλλον τέρπεται, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐπῃνεῖτο παρὰ τῶν τὸν ἐναντίον ἐλαυνόντων βίον, καὶ πᾶς τις αὐτὸν τὰ σφέτερα θαυμάζειν ᾤετο· οὕτω 16.1.12 πολύμορφόν τι χρῆμα καὶ ἀλλοπρόσαλλον ἦν. γάμου δὲ καὶ οὗτος ἠμέλησεν, πλὴν ὅσα γε αὐτῷ γυνή τις ξυνῆν, οὐκ ἀπὸ ὁμοίας τῆς ἀξιώσεως. 16.2.1 Ὁ δὲ λόγος αὐτῷ, περὶ μὲν τὰς μελέτας, παντελῶς ἀσθενὴς καὶ τεθνηκὼς καὶ ἄπνους, καὶ διαφαίνεταί γε οὗτος μὴ τετυχηκέναι διδασκάλου· καὶ γὰρ τὰ πλεῖστα τῶν 16.2.2 κοινῶν καὶ παιδὶ γνωρίμων περὶ τὰς μελέτας ἠγνόει· περὶ δὲ ἐπιστολὰς καὶ συνουσίας ἑτέρας, ἱκανῶς ἐπὶ τὸν ἀρχαῖον ἀναφέρει καὶ διεγείρεται τύπον, καὶ χάριτός γε αὐτῷ καὶ κωμικῆς βωμολοχίας καταπέπλησται τὰ συγγράμματα, καὶ ἡ κομψότης περιτρέχει πανταχοῦ διακονουμένη τοῖς λόγοις, καὶ ὃ πάντες οἱ Συροφοίνικες ἔχουσιν κατὰ τὴν κοινὴν ἔν τευξιν ἡδὺ καὶ κεχαρισμένον, τοῦτο παρ' ἐκείνου λαβεῖν μετὰ 16.2.3 παιδείας ἔξεστιν· οἱ μὲν οὖν Ἀττικοὶ μυκτῆρα καὶ ἀστεϊσμὸν αὐτὸ καλοῦσιν· ὁ δὲ ὥσπερ κορυφὴν παιδείας τοῦτο ἐπετήδευσεν, ἐκ τῆς ἀρχαίας κωμῳδίας ὅλος εἰς τὸ ἀπαγγέλλειν εἱλκυσμένος, καὶ τοῦ κατὰ θύραν τερπνοῦ καὶ γοητεύοντος 16.2.4 τὴν ἀκοὴν γινόμενος. παιδείας δὲ ὑπερβολὴν καὶ ἀναγνώσεώς ἐστιν εὑρεῖν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις, λέξεσι κατεγλωττισμέναις ἐντυγχάνοντα. τὰ γοῦν Εὐπόλιδος δένδρα Λαισποδίαν καὶ ∆αμασίαν οὐκ ἂν παρῆκεν, εἰ τὰ ὀνόματα ἔγνω τῶν δένδρων, 16.2.5 οἷς νῦν αὐτὰ καλοῦσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι. οὕτω λέξιν εὑρών τινα περιττὴν καὶ ὑπ' ἀρχαιότητος διαλανθάνουσαν, ὡς ἀνάθημά τι παλαιὸν καθαιρῶν, εἰς μέσον τε ἦγεν καὶ διακαθήρας ἐκαλλώπιζεν, ὑπόθεσίν τε αὐτῇ περιπλάττων ὅλην καὶ διανοίας ἀκολουθούσας, ὥσπερ ἅβρας τινὰς καὶ θεραπαίνας 16.2.6 δεσποίνῃ νεοπλούτῳ καὶ τὸ γῆρας ἀπεξεσμένῃ. ἐθαύμασε μὲν οὖν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τούτοις καὶ ὁ θειότατος Ἰουλιανός, ἐθαύμασε δὲ καὶ ὅσον ἀνθρώπινον τὴν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις χάριν. καὶ πλεῖστά γε αὐτοῦ περιφέρουσι βιβλία, καὶ ὁ νοῦν ἔχων ἀνα16.2.7 λεγόμενος ἕκαστον αὐτῶν εἴσεται. ἱκανὸς δὲ ἦν καὶ πολιτικοῖς ὁμιλῆσαι πράγμασι, καὶ παρὰ τοὺς λόγους ἕτερά τινα συντολ16.2.8 μῆσαι καὶ ῥᾳδιουργῆσαι πρὸς τέρψιν θεατρικωτέραν. τῶν δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα βασιλέων καὶ τῶν ἀξιωμάτων τὸ μέγιστον αὐτῷ προσθέντων (τὸν γὰρ τῆς αὐλῆς ἔπαρχον μέχρι προσηγορίας ἔχειν ἐκέλευον), οὐκ ἐδέξατο φήσας τὸν σοφιστὴν 16.2.9 εἶναι μείζονα. καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν οὐκ ὀλίγος ἔπαινος, ὅτι δόξης ἐλάττων ἀνήρ, μόνης ἥττητο τῆς περὶ τοὺς λόγους, τὴν δὲ 16.2.10 ἄλλην δημώδη καὶ βάναυσον ὑπελάμβανεν. ἀλλ' ἐτελεύτησε καὶ οὗτος εἰς γῆρας ἀφικόμενος μακρότατος, καὶ θαῦμα οὐκ ὀλίγον ἀπολιπὼν ἅπασιν. [τούτῳ δὲ ὁ ταῦτα γράφων οὐ συνεγένετο, ἄλλοτε ἄλλων ἐμποδισμάτων ἐπηρείᾳ τύχης συμβάντων.] ἈΚΑΚΙΟΣ. Παλαιστίνης Καισάρεια τὸν Ἀκάκιον ἤνεγκεν, καὶ ἦν συνανασχὼν τῷ Λιβανίῳ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους· τόνου δὲ σοφιστικοῦ καὶ πνεύματος, εἴπερ τις ἄλλος, γέμων, καὶ ἡ λέξις μετὰ κρότου πρὸς τὸν ἀρχαῖον ἐπέστρεφε τρόπον· συνανασχὼν δὲ Λιβανίῳ, κατέσεισε τὰ 17.1.2 πρῶτα, καὶ περιῆν ἰσχυρῶς. βιβλίδιον γοῦν τῷ Λιβανίῳ περὶ εὐφυΐας τι γέγραπται, πρὸς τὸν Ἀκάκιον ἅπαν ἐκτεθειμένον, ἐν ᾧ δῆλός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῷ κρατεῖσθαι