Orationes 27

Translated by Thothica

31 min

In the summer season my stomach was in a bad way, and there was thirst night and day, and unspeakable sweating, and a dissolution of the body, and two or three men could scarcely raise me when I needed to get up from the couch. And the god signifies a journey, while I was in Smyrna at this time, and I had to set out at once. And I was going out on the road toward Pergamum; but while carriages were being procured, noon came on and a bright heat arose. So it seemed best to us, after spending the very height of the day in the suburb, thus to make our way. The aim was as if for Myrina, and the baggage-train went ahead with this in view. But, the heat being stifling, and at the same time owing to the pleasantness of the place, and moreover certain occupations, we let a good deal of the time slip, so that we came to the inn before the Hermus about sunset itself. And I was at a loss what to do. But since I could not bear, on entering, the unpleasantness of the rooms, and no remedy was at hand because I had sent it on ahead, it seemed best to push forward; and when I had crossed the river, the night was already clear, and a certain light and cool breeze struck me, and the body somehow recovered, and a kind of vigour with good cheer entered my mind, so that I both communed with the air at leisure and at the same time, judging the present against the past day, saw how great a change there had been. And already, in deep evening, I came to Larissa, and to my joy it happened that the carriages had not been taken and that the lodging was no better than the former ones, but it was necessary to keep to the road and to hold out. And it was now midnight or even further on, and we come to Cyme, and everything was shut up,
and very gladly so for me. And calling upon those who followed, who were escorting me from the place, to bear with the toil for the rest as well, since I would not give it to them — at all events it was little, and it seemed to me to bring not a little, to miss my purpose — I went forth outside the gates, and the cold was already more damp, so that I even needed warmth. And about cockcrow, having pretty well finished, I came to Myrina, and I see my people before one of the inns, packed up as they were, because they too, as they said, had found nothing open. And there was a certain cot in the porch of the inn; carrying this up and down, we passed the time. For wherever it was set, it was everywhere troublesome. And knocking at a door, whether of strangers or of anyone whatever, availed nothing; for no one answered. But late at last we found means to enter the house of one of my friends, and through the ill luck of the doorkeepers the fire had gone out, and there was nothing else, neither small nor great. And we went in under darkness and with a guide leading by the hand, neither seeing nor seen. And while fire was being procured, and, when procured, I was about to anoint myself and to drink, the morning-star rose above and daylight began to show, and it seemed best not to be soft, nor to sleep while it was day, but to join work to work and to walk to the temple of Apollo, to Gryneium, where it was my custom both going and returning to sacrifice to the god.

And being in Gryneium, having sacrificed to Apollo and spent the customary time, I went to Elaea and rested. And when I came to Pergamum on the next day, I, for my part, was, as was likely, so disposed as to intend to stay; but a dream came, whether straightway in the evening, or one day later, or even a second, and bade me hasten and do not otherwise; "for these men," it said, "are even now in pursuit." And along with this, when a gust of wind fell upon them, the windows flew open, well and finely fastened within and without — a thing that had never happened before —

and the doors made a noise. And when I awoke, I no longer delayed, but, telling the servants to follow after, I got up upon the carriage and drove as I could. And the north wind lay upon me, stirring everything. And at this time the matter about my throat was troublesome, oppressed by a continual blister and ever chafed by everything whatever that met it. But then, as much sand was being carried along with the wind upon my face, and the dust came pouring in from every side, it occurred to me not so much to be anxious as to take courage — partly as with a kind of desperation and battle-array, for there was no escape, and partly because I was holding out beyond all likelihood. But the physicians, before this, used to bid me gargle, and recommended the most careful covering and such things. And on the second or third day, passing by the ancestral house, I came to the temple of Olympian Zeus; and I sacrifice before I broke off the journey, just as had been told me from the very beginning at Smyrna, to drive straight to the precinct of Zeus. And after this the matters of my regimen were manifestly easier. And as the year came round, and the month chiefly, the Cyzicenes were keeping the sacred festival at the temple rather sooner than usual; but for me sleep was troublesome and digestion came hardly, in some considerable portion of the following day, while I rested, but did not sleep. Then, at all events, when the dream came, it had been day for a long time, and I obtained about as much sleep as to dream what I dreamed. And these were the things. Porphyrion the physician seemed to me, going about among the Cyzicenes, to be saying things similar to what Athena said to the Phaeacians — leading me as a great man, and bespeaking for me gatherings about speeches. And they were persuaded, and at the same time there was a theatre, and I myself was in the theatre, and there were certain other things tending to this. I get up, and telling the servants to pack, as we were to set out at once, I drove out, not much before noon. But as I was waiting for the servants, I went forward rather slowly, and in this some of the time was spent. And I come, about late afternoon, to the hot waters, and everything was full of tumult and a multitude
of men, so that it was not possible to find a roof, but I had to drive past, and few now followed. And going forward forty stades to a certain village, since none of those there received me, I resolved to make use of the night. For my own part, I had resolved to drive to Cyzicus itself, but the attendants had given out, being scarcely two, the survivors; so that I was forced to halt by the lake, a hundred and twenty stades from the city, having accomplished three hundred and twenty. And going into a little room and finding a cot and a clean coverlet — and very gladly, for I had nothing at all — as I was, thirsty and full of dust, in the clothing in which I had been sitting on the carriage, I passed the night sitting, for the most part, on the cot. And as the stars moved toward day, I rose and accomplished my journey, having waited for no one. And the consolation of the journey was attending to the speech which I had to deliver to the Cyzicenes, according to the report of the dream; so that it was even composed thus along the road, as I continually took up what was found. Now the eagerness that occurred about the speech — not only when it was delivered in the council-house, but also later at the festival — those who were present, and those who heard them, would know; but for me it was not most pleasant to dwell among such things. But since he bade me turn back, having praised the water in Laneium, almost as if rendering a second antistrophe, we returned, in the hour of departure pretty much the same — because then too I went out on the same day at his command — and indeed in the continuity of the journey; for nowhere resting, I came without food, a little before midnight, to a certain farmstead of my own, four hundred stades in all, and on the next day from there to Laneium.

And the matters of the earlier journey to Cyzicus and the stay there were thus. And when winter came on, he again led me on the road toward Smyrna, and the first of the days proves very mild. And when I came down into the plain on the next night, other dreams came that held me back, and indeed I seemed to be handling the Clouds of Aristophanes;

and at dawn there were clouds, and rain not long after. So that some rejoiced that I had not gone forth before, and others marvelled at the exactness of the prediction. And while I stayed there some days, it is announced that the nurse's daughter was ill and in a dangerous state. And to her I sent a physician, but I myself, as soon as it was possible, kept to the road. And as I went forward, the air was already stirring, as toward rain and storm. And there was fear lest we should be caught, especially as the ways were hard to traverse. Yet it held out so far that we were only two stades short of the temple of Apollo. At that point a deep mist came down and a drizzle ran along; and when we had gone inside, the rain was already there in full force, so that we kept it as a festival. And as dreams held me there too, I remained. And besides those that held me, this also had happened. I seemed, having sacrificed some victim, to be inspecting the god — called, I think, the Releaser — and, when one of the seers came up, to inquire what the Releaser wished: whether he was releasing something once for all, or making it smaller instead of greater, and was a sign of postponement. And he seemed not to incline very strongly toward the "once for all," but blamed both airs and stars and such things. And in this it was announced about the girl that she was dead. So straightway it seemed to those who heard that it was a divine thing that I did not chance to be present at the calamity, but had gone forth before; and still more clearly it became, from the later oracles, that all this came about not without some divine agency. For when I came down from the mountain on the second night after — these things appeared, and I stayed even more days, the god detaining me. Telesphorus was a mule-driver; he seemed to me, setting out from there, to walk back, signifying the oracles concerning Philumene — for this was the name of the girl — and that these had been given to Alcimus, the girl's father, and indeed that he had a writing, whether sealed or not; which Alcimus, having heard from her by night, had remembered and written down, wonderful in number and power, bringing it to me, so that
I marvelled how he even remembered it. And the substance was that in the very body of Philumene and in her inner parts, as in the entrails of victims, the whole matter concerning her was inscribed. And there seemed to be several common writings as well, and at the same time I somehow saw them: the upper ones healthy and in good condition, but in the last was the affection. And they were shown by the one in charge, whoever he was. For I asked him: "Whence, then, the reluctances and the difficulty of working?" And he pointed out that place. The oracles, then, were of some such kind. My name was inscribed thus, "Aelius Aristides"; and at intervals, almost, were other and other distinctive marks of the name. And there was added "Sosimenes" and other such things promising salvation, and that Philumene had given soul in exchange for soul and body in exchange for body, her own for mine. And the rest tending to the same was there, all inscribed in certain books, which all, when Alcimus had written them, Telesphorus seemed to carry off home. And there were also exhortations of Porphyrion the physician, as to her mother, that she should, if possible, both bathe, but if not, at least be nourished. Of this girl, that Hermeias was a brother, who, in the great sickness, when the goddess too appeared to me, died, himself almost, so to speak, in my stead. For on the same day, as I learned afterward, he died and I was rid of the fever, even after it had lasted very long. And both were children of my foster-sister Callityche.

And these things to this extent. And having stayed five days under the mountain and lived as he prescribed, on the sixth, at his prompting, I set out toward Pergamum; and it was the day after the festival which the Romans keep as the first of the year. And there was a storm so violent that it was not easy to bear even staying at home. And this happened, the most divine thing of the journey; for the word of Homer was clear, that some one of the gods was leading, and indeed which god: for behind, a blast of the north wind lay upon me, as cold as could be, driving black and thick clouds, and on the right everything was being snowed under, and it rained on the left, and

these things were so throughout the whole day and the journey. And one band, as it were, throughout all the air led toward the temple, stretched along the very road, having at once shelter and light. And drawing far ahead of the rest, I led on toward the temple, with one attendant, having run through not less than three hundred stades. And it was the hour after the sacred lamps; and while I waited for those left behind and lodging was being procured, I passed the time both going round the temples as I was, straight from the road, and walking up and down about the temple. And already, in deep evening, having a supply of attendants, having bathed there by lamplight, I rested after a very little food. And indeed everything else came about clearly, with God's help and the eagerness of men, both gatherings about speeches and fear lest I should be removed too soon. These same things happened later too, when we were in Smyrna. Rather, even before I entered the city there were those who met me according to my fame, and the most distinguished of the young men gave themselves up to me, and a certain settled type of school-life was already established, and the summons was carried out in every detail. And when a certain little Egyptian man at this time burst revelling into the city, and corrupted some of the councillors, and impressed upon some of the many and the private men the opinion that he would both take part in politics and display wonderful ambitions out of his money, leaping into the theatre however he could, and such disgrace held the city — I knew nothing whatever of these things, but heard of them only late, inasmuch as I made my gatherings at home with my friends. And just as he was about to come forward into the Odeum near the harbour, and was establishing a school-session there, whether by decree or — I do not know how — a dream comes to me. I seemed, on the one hand, to see the sun rising out of the marketplace, and, on the other, to have on my lips, "Aristides will declaim today in the council-house at the fourth hour." Uttering these things and hearing them, I awoke, so that I considered whether it were a dream or
a waking vision. And calling the opportune ones of my friends, I tell them the command. And then a notice was put out, for the hour from the dream was approaching, and we were present at it straightway. Yet, although the appearance was thus on short notice, and the many were unaware of it, the council-house becomes so full that there was nothing but to see the heads of men, and you could not have thrust your hand through the middle anywhere. And indeed the matter of the tumult and the goodwill — or rather, if the truth must be told, the inspiration — was so great on the part of all that no one was seen sitting, neither at the preliminary contest nor when I rose and contended, but from the first word they stood, were in travail, exulted, were astonished, nodded along with what was said, sent forth cries such as had never before been, every man making it his own gain if he might assign me some of the greatest things. And when we had departed from the council-house and were about the bath, then someone announces to me that so-and-so, having advertised three days before for this very day in the Odeum, had gathered seventeen all told. And indeed that day was the beginning of moderation for him — the rest I do not speak of; nor would I have mentioned these things, had I not wished to show both how vividly the dream came out, and that the god cared even for these things, and at the same time it agreed with the original speeches, that he himself both raised me up and established me at Smyrna. And not long after he conveys me to Ephesus, having foretold garlands as to a competitor, and having so arranged it that I awoke crying out, "Ephesus!"

But, indeed, the things done there it is not more becoming for me to tell, and there are many who will recount them to those who wish to know. But so much of the speeches as comes to the god, I must try to declare and not omit, so far as is possible. For it would be absurd, if, when he gave some healing to the body and at home, one would recount this — both he himself and another — but those things which at once raised the body, strengthened the soul, increased the speeches with good repute, these one should pass over thus in silence. But that nothing whatever of human things ever made me vain, nor was I lifted up at having mastered either few or

many, nor do I think one ought to take pride in such things rather than be ashamed to take pride, of this I have well persuaded both myself and many. But, indeed, wonderful is the continuity of the god, as also that of the great display that took place later in Smyrna. For he bade me come forward into the council-house, and to come forward having eaten; and I did so. And there was a certain guardian of the council-house, a man wonderful as to his skin. He, when he saw my people approaching, asked that it be allowed him first to be with his pupils in the customary way, and he spent the time until very noon. So I went in at that hour, and entering I delivered the discourse against the sophists, having passed that day, the most pleasant of all, on speeches. For I myself, as though I had got a holiday, used it gladly, and the audience entered into a rivalry not to fall short of what was said. And whatever you should conceive or say will be less than what occurred at that time. And when I had finished, I, for my part, rose as to take my leave, thinking that these things too were beyond every contest; but they would not endure it, but as from one mouth all bade me remain and receive problems and contend a second time by all means. And I, for a while, put it off, especially because the hour was far advanced; but as the entreaty grew more forcible, I bethought me of the dream, and that this was just what the god had foretold, not to enter without food, that I might hold out. So I undertook the contest, and as it went on I could not contain myself, but acknowledged the god's prediction, and that I had come prepared; and they all marvelled. And having contended to the limit of my power throughout, I took my leave, with a little left to sunset. And on the next day I contended again in the same place, since the god so directed at those times.

Come, then, let me set forth also about the recent journey to Cyzicus, which took place in the fifth year, in the same month, as it came round, and on pretty much the same days, the Olympia coming on. And it was not far from the former.

For there was fasting on the first of the days and a badness of the water; and at the same time, owing to a multitude of gnats, it happened that it was clear I should have to lie awake. And on the next day I journeyed from deep dawn, having taken a little gruel. And as I was returning, I halted at the hot waters, having been rained upon — this too foretold — and I rendered the fast, which was enjoined for the next day, when I returned. And indeed the matters of the stay in the city proceeded almost just as had been foretold. For these were the things that appeared; and I myself even asked the god to signify, since there were lawsuits and my friends were asking me to come. I seemed to be watching for an opportunity of audience with the emperor, and to find him sacrificing, as I reclined. And when there came near my hands a cock fluttering, I both seized it and took the omen, and as I had it in my hands began the prediction. And all this had started for me from the Homeric passage, how Odysseus, having filled the cup, addresses Achilles and speaks; and the words went somewhat thus: "For the good of the emperor, and for the good of both the emperors, and so too for the good of us all." And he marvelled, and making trial of the speeches said that he valued them above all riches, and added to these words that, if there had been listeners present, even some fifty. And I, taking him up, said, "If you wish it, emperor, listeners too will be found; and, that you may marvel," I said, "these very things which you now say have been foretold to me by Asclepius." And I was ready to show them to him in writing. After this he turned, I know not whither, but I bethought me that this was that very opportunity of the display. Upon these things I seemed to walk toward Cyzicus. Such were the things that prompted me. So when I came to the city, there was much eagerness on the part of the governors, much on the part of the rest of men; yet I did not come forward into the public assembly, though they expected it daily and did wonderful things, but at home I was with the most reasonable, and the report of the dream was pretty well fulfilled, for the
gathering was up to the fifty. And as the stay was prolonged, and I rejoiced both in the place and in all who were present, other dreams come that rouse me, and it was expressly indicated that the region above the Hellespont was not suitable for a stay. So we returned; for indeed a public sacrifice of Olympian Zeus was approaching, and it was shown on every side that I must be present and sacrifice. It happened, then, that the matters of my body too were, at this time, in the easiest and most cheerful state since I first fell ill. For all the time we were in Cyzicus, and after that when we returned, for six months continuously in all I was most vigorously disposed, rising from dawn and walking long and often in the day, and coming as near as possible to my original nature. And indeed nothing of the customary exercise was omitted, so that all rejoiced together, both privately and publicly. And so far as in this period too it happened that I was ill for some days, wonderfully, and at the same time in his customary manner, the god healed me. For it was the autumnal north wind, and I was unable to move, so that I shrank even from getting up; but he commands. And it is perhaps better to recount the dream itself, for it is fresh and there is no need to omit it. Two physicians came and conversed in the porch, of other things, it seemed to me, and about a cold bath the one asked, and the other answered: "What does Hippocrates say?" he said. "What else than that, having run ten stades to the sea, one should thus throw oneself in?"

These things, then, I seemed to have appeared as a dream. And after this the physicians themselves truly came, and I marvelled at the exactness of the dream and said to them, "Just now I seemed to see you, and just now you have come; and indeed which of you," I said, "was the one asking and which the one answering, I cannot say; but the answer was thus, that Hippocrates bids the man who is to bathe in cold water run ten stades." And at the same time I changed for myself the "to the sea," as indicating what was according to nature in the case of the river, and thus I said, "to run ten stades

running alongside the river." And I conceived this because of being inland; it seemed clear, and that one ought to do so. Then somehow from these things I seemed to recline as for breakfast, but remembering that one ought first to bathe in the cold water according to the prediction, both to rise myself and to bid the others. And when one of the physicians asked about the hour of the bath, I said that I ought to set out at the fifth, for it would come to the sixth; for, again, to bathe or to eat earlier than one ought is troublesome; for it does not even tend to that very thing which seems to be its use, the easier digesting, since sleeplessness arises from it. "Why, then," said the physician, "did you not declaim for us in the meantime?" "Because, by Zeus," said I, "it is more important for me to go over some of the things I have written; for I must converse with later men too." And at the same time I indicated that I was in haste, lest something should happen first. And he took the omen of many years for me. And I said, "I should wish to live many years too, if I am to be at my speeches." Such, then, was the dream. And the place where I was staying has a river flowing past it, and the descent to it is rather rough and more downhill, and at the same time within the ten stades. And further it was not possible to run alongside the river, but crosswise and toward the bank. Then, however, going on, the river flows past another place, having a most beautiful and very fair entry; here now I devised this. I bade them measure with a cord how far the place is distant from the place, and at each stade to leave a mark. And when they appeared to be sixteen all told, I reserved the last ten for the run, and the first I went forward upon the carriage. Then, getting down, I ran, drawing up my feet with difficulty, and at the same time the north wind, gusting, kept driving back what was behind, and produced a wonderful amount of sweat. So that, when it was endless, I gave it leave to chill as much as it would. And when I had reached the bank, gladly into the water
I threw myself, and when I came up and stood — for much of the sand too happened to be poured round me — again from the middle of the stream I bathe a second time. And to rub myself down and the rest was possible on the opposite bank, in a fine state both of the sun and of the wind. And going to the dwelling nearby and spending so much time as to look at some of the things that were being done, I returned before even drinking, enjoying a wonderful warmth and a constitution altogether different. And from this everything was easy, until midwinter. And the matters in the winter he healed by certain orders and patterns of regimen. And as I reckoned up how long a time I had been away from Smyrna, and that too with decrees having come, and that I was now in middle age, and besides these the multitude of the years above, in which it was possible, if one were vigorous, to visit the cities, and that there was fear lest something be taken away from my existing reputation through the much quiet — these things I reckoned, as is likely for a man, but I knew well that all is trifling compared with obeying the god. And further I was not without resource in being with myself, but rather made even this his gain.

And being thus disposed, a vision of dreams of this kind comes to me. I seemed to be at Athens, having just put in, and to dwell behind the acropolis in the house of Theodotus the physician, and that it was the first toward the rising sun; and that the rear chamber of the temple of Athena could be seen from it, and that the house was much lower than the acropolis. And it happened that there was a procession to Eros outside the gates, and Theodotus was occupied about these things, and certain others to whom it had been assigned, while I myself in the meantime spent the time within. And it happened that Lucius was present, of my companions, and others of those about speeches, and Lucius was urging me, as he is wont, both to keep up the school-sessions about speeches and to admit the young. And indeed a certain boy was saying to him about me other auspicious things, and disposing the praise somewhat thus: "This man," he said, "is Plato and Thucydides and Plato and So-and-so"; and he reckoned up many, thus ever yoking someone to Plato,

as though I had the powers of all these. And I, looking toward the boy, "In everything," I said, "I think it right that you trust Lucius, except in this." And Lucius seemed to me to praise the readiness of the reply, but not to bear the withdrawal pleasantly. And again, as the boy answered and spoke in a practised and dexterous way toward me, taking him up, and at the same time jesting, "But indeed," I said, "if you are thus able to speak, I should marvel if you needed me for a teacher." After this I seemed, going forth out of the house with a certain youth of my friends, both to recognize and to approve the thinness of the air, but, many changes occurring within a little while, and at the same time the south wind falling in, and now as of winter, now as of heat, I said, noting it, that this air here was thin, but the one at home more stable. After this we went where the Lyceum is, and a certain temple received us, very great and beautiful, no less than a hundred feet; and one had to go up certain steps toward the temple. And there stood, as it were, those who hold out the branches, on this side and on that, it seemed to me. So as I went up, a little boy held out to me three eggs; and I — for I passed by without taking them — bethought me that I ought, however, to take them, for the sake of the token. So turning round and taking them, I went up. And when I come to the temple, I give the eggs to one of those about the temple, standing by a certain column, and he was going to add one of his own. And I myself, coming into the fore-temple, see that the temple is of Plato the philosopher, and his statue standing, great and beautiful, and on its right stood I know not who. And there sat upon the threshold a very seemly woman, who was discoursing about both Plato and the statue. And certain others too took part in the discourse, and at the same time they discoursed of it as of something ancient. And I, "This," I said, "one cannot say, that it is also ancient; for the type of the workmanship convicts it of being later than Plato, and there was no great account of him in Plato's own time, but later," I said, "his reputation
advanced." And when someone said that there ought to be three temples, at least of Plato, "Why not also of Demosthenes," I said, going beyond, "eighty, and of Homer too, I think?" And still saying these things, "But perhaps," I said, "it is fitting to consecrate temples to the gods, but to honour men of repute by the dedication of their books; since of ourselves too," I said, "the most honourable things are what we utter, inasmuch as statues and likenesses are memorials of bodies, but books of speeches."

Saying and hearing such things, I went back. And catching sight of my foster-brother coming up, I renewed the reckoning of how long a time before we had been at Athens together. And as I turned, as toward the acropolis, that I might enter homeward, a flash darted from the right and struck so very near the very tips of my hair that I marvelled that they were not set alight. So we contended; and I took the sign as rather auspicious, for the youth who was with me said that it brought reputation, especially since it had come from the right. And it seemed to me that most of the buildings had certain added stairways, and that through these one had to go up and come down; so that I was somewhat displeased at this, yet nevertheless I somehow get inside. And in this those who sent the procession to Eros had returned, and the expounder, learning the sign, he too declared that it was auspicious, and that rightly, then, had the sacrifices turned out for me. And there seemed to have been added to me a dream, that I should perform rites to Zeus and Artemis and to whatever other of the gods. And upon all these I seemed to call Eudoxus to make a record, both because they were rather long and because I wished to preserve them with exactness. These things were shown to me, both about my later reputation and about my needing to remain in my place, among many others.