THE WRITINGS OF APOLLONIUS.
But besides these letters Apollonius also wrote a number of treatises,
of which, however, only one or two fragments have been preserved. These
treatises are as follows:
_a._ The Mystic Rites or Concerning Sacrifices.[128] This treatise is
mentioned by Philostratus (iii. 41; iv. 19), who tells us that it set
down the proper method of sacrifice to every God, the proper hours of
prayer and offering. It was in wide circulation, and Philostratus had
come across copies of it in many temples and cities, and in the
libraries of philosophers. Several fragments of it have been
preserved,[129] the most important of which is to be found in
Eusebius,[130] and is to this effect: "'Tis best to make no sacrifice to
God at all, no lighting of a fire, no calling Him by any name that men
employ for things of sense. For God is over all, the first; and only
after Him do come the other Gods. For He doth stand in need of naught
e'en from the Gods, much less from us small men--naught that the earth
brings forth, nor any life she nurseth, or even any thing the stainless
air contains. The only fitting sacrifice to God is man's best reason,
and not the word[131] that comes from out his mouth.
"We men should ask the best of beings through the best thing in us, for
what is good--I mean by means of mind, for mind needs no material things
to make its prayer. So then, to God, the mighty One, who's over all, no
sacrifice should ever be lit up."
Noack[132] tells us that scholarship is convinced of the genuineness of
this fragment. This book, as we have seen, was widely circulated and
held in the highest respect, and it said that its rules were engraved on
brazen pillars at Byzantium.[133]
_b._ The Oracles or Concerning Divination, 4 books. Philostratus (iii.
41) seems to think that the full title was Divination of the Stars, and
says that it was based on what Apollonius had learned in India; but the
_kind_ of divination Apollonius wrote about was not the ordinary
astrology, but something which Philostratus considers superior to
ordinary human art in such matters. He had, however, never heard of
anyone possessing a copy of this rare work.
_c._ The Life of Pythagoras. Porphyry refers to this work,[134] and
Iamblichus quotes a long passage from it.[135]
_d._ The Will of Apollonius, to which reference has already been made,
in treating of the sources of Philostratus (i. 3). This was written in
the Ionic dialect, and contained a summary of his doctrines.
A Hymn to Memory is also ascribed to him, and Eudocia speaks of many
other ([Greek: kai alla polla]) works.
We have now indicated for the reader all the information which exists
concerning our philosopher. Was Apollonius, then, a rogue, a trickster,
a charlatan, a fanatic, a misguided enthusiast, or a philosopher, a
reformer, a conscious worker, a true initiate, one of the earth's great
ones? This each must decide for himself, according to his knowledge or
his ignorance.
I for my part bless his memory, and would gladly learn from him, as now
he is.