Conformably, also, to this doctrine of Plato concerning the sun, the
emperor Julian sublimely theologizes about this divinity in his very
elegant oration to him, from which the following is an extract. The
apparent and splendid orbicular sun is the cause of well-being to
sensible natures. And whatever we have asserted as flowing from the
mighty intellectual sun among the intellectual Gods,[108] the same
perfections the apparent sun communicates to apparent forms; the
truth of which will be clearly evinced by contemplating invisible
natures from the objects of sensible inspection. And in the first
place, is not light the incorporeal and divine form of that which
is diaphanous in energy? But whatever that which is diaphanous may
be, which is subjected to all the elements, and is their proximate
form, it is certain that it is neither corporeal nor mixed, nor does
it display any of the peculiar qualities of body. Hence, you cannot
affirm that heat is one of its properties, nor its contrary cold;
you can neither ascribe to it hardness nor softness, nor any other
tangible difference; nor attribute taste or smell as peculiarities of
its essence. For a nature of this kind, which is called forth into
energy by the interposition of light, is alone subject to the power of
sight. But light is the form of a diaphanous essence which resembles
that common matter the subject of bodies, through which it is every
where diffused; and rays are the summit, and as it were flower of
light, which is an incorporeal nature. According to the opinion of the
Phœnicians, however, who are skilled in divine science and wisdom, the
universally-diffused splendour of light is the unmingled energy of an
intellect perfectly pure. And this doctrine will be found agreeable to
reason, when we consider that since light is incorporeal, its fountain
cannot be body, but the pure energy of intellect, illuminating in its
proper habitation the middle region of the heavens: and from this
exalted situation scattering its light, it fills all the celestial orbs
with powerful vigour, and illuminates the universe with divine and
incorruptible light.
Whatever, likewise, we first perceive by the sight, is nothing but
a mere name of honourable labour, unless it receives the ruling
assistance of light. For how can any thing be visible, unless,
like matter, it is moved to the artificer that it may receive the
supervening investments of form? Just as gold in a state of simple
fusion is indeed gold, but is not a statue or an image till the
artificer invests it with form. In a similar manner all naturally
visible objects cease to be apparent, unless light is present with
the perceiver. Hence, since it confers vision on the perceiver, and
visibility on the objects of perception, it perfects two natures in
energy, sight and that which is visible. Perfections, however, are form
and essence; though perhaps an assertion of this kind is more subtle
than is suited to our present purpose.
Of this, however, all men are persuaded, both the scientific and the
illiterate, philosophers and the learned, that day and night are
fabricated by the power of this rising and setting divinity; and that
he manifestly changes and convolves the world. But to which of the
other stars does a province of this kind belong? Do we not, therefore,
derive conviction from hence, that the unapparent and divine race of
intellectual Gods,[109] above the heavens, are replenished from the sun
with boniform powers; to whose authority the whole choir of the stars
submits; and whose nod generation, which he governs by his providence,
attentively obeys? For the planets, indeed, dancing round him as their
king, harmoniously revolve in a circle, with definite intervals, about
his orb; producing certain stable energies, and advancing backwards and
forwards; terms by which the skilful in the spheric theory signify such
like phænomena of the stars. To which we may add, as manifest to every
one, that the light of the moon is augmented or diminished according to
her distance from the sun.
Is it not then highly probable that the orderly disposition of the
intellectual Gods, which is more ancient than that of bodies, is
analogous to the mundane arrangement? Hence we infer his _perfective_
power from the whole phænomena, because he gives vision to visive
natures; for he perfects these by his light. But we collect his
_demiurgic_ and _prolific_ power from the mutation of the universe;
and his _capacity of collecting all things into one_, from the
properties of motion conspiring into union and consent; and _middle
position_, from his own central situation. Lastly, we infer his _royal
establishment among the intellectual Gods_, from his middle order
between the planets. For if we perceived these, or as many other
properties, belonging to any other of the apparent Gods, we should not
ascribe the principality among them to the sun.
Again, that we may consider this affair in a different mode, since
there is one demiurgus of the universe, but many demiurgic Gods, who
revolve round the heavens, it is proper to place in the midst of these
the mundane administration of the sun. Besides, the fertile power of
life is copious and redundant in intelligibles, and the world is full
of the same prolific life. Hence it is evident that the fertile life of
the sovereign sun is a medium between the two, as the mundane phænomena
perpetually evince. For with respect to forms, some he perfects, and
others he fabricates; some he adorns, and others he excites; nor is
any thing capable of advancing into light and generation without
the demiurgic power of the sun. Add too, that if we attend to the
unmingled, pure and immaterial essence of intelligibles, to which
nothing extrinsical flows, and nothing foreign adheres, but which is
full of its own appropriate simplicity, and afterwards consider the
defecated nature of that pure and divine body which is conversant
with mundane bodies revolving in an orb, and which is free from all
elementary mixture, we shall find that the splendid and incorruptible
essence of the royal sun, is a medium between the immaterial purity of
intelligibles and that which in sensibles is unmingled and remote from
generation and corruption.
The greatest argument, however, for the truth of this is derived from
hence, that the light which flows from the sun upon the earth will not
suffer itself to be mingled with any thing; nor is it polluted by any
sordid nature, or by any contagion; but it abides every where pure,
undefiled, and impassive. Again, if we consider not only immaterial and
intelligible forms, but such as are sensible, subsisting in matter,
the middle intellectual situation of forms about the mighty sun will
be no less certain and clear. For these afford continual assistance to
forms merged in matter: so that they could neither exist, nor preserve
themselves in existence, unless this beneficent deity co-operated with
their essence. In short, is he not the cause of the separation of forms
and the concretion of matter? From whom we not only possess the power
of understanding his nature, but from whom our eyes are endued with the
faculty of sight? For the distribution of rays throughout the world,
and union of light, exhibit the demiurgic separation of the artificer.
Again, the solar orb is moved in the starless, which is far higher than
the inerratic sphere. Hence, he is not the middle of the planets, but
of the three worlds, according to the mystic hypotheses;[110] if it
be proper to call them hypotheses, and not rather dogmas; confining
the appellation of hypotheses to the doctrine of the sphere. For the
truth of the former is testified by men who audibly received this
information from Gods, or mighty dæmons; but the latter is founded
on the probability arising from the agreement of the phænomena. But
besides those which I have mentioned, there is an innumerable multitude
of celestial Gods, perceived by such as do not contemplate the heavens
indolently and after the manner of brutes. As the sun quadruply divides
these three worlds, on account of the communion of the zodiac with
each, so he again divides the zodiac into twelve powers of Gods, and
each of these into three others, so that thirty-six are produced in
the whole. Hence, as it appears to me, a triple benefit of the Graces
proceeds to us from the heavens, I mean from those circles which the
God quadruply dividing produces in consequence of this, a quadripartite
beauty and elegance of seasons and times. But the Graces also imitate
a circle in their resemblances on the earth. Add too, that Bacchus
is the source of joy, who is said to obtain a common kingdom with
the sun. But why should I here mention the epithet Horus, or other
names of the Gods, all of which correspond with the divinity of the
sun? Mankind, indeed, may conceive the excellence of the God from his
operations; since he perfects the heavens with intellectual goods, and
renders them partakers of intelligible beauty. For as he originates
from this beauty, he applies himself both wholly and by parts, to the
distribution of good.
In the last place, as the sun is the source of our existence, so
likewise of the aliment by which that existence is supported. And,
indeed, he confers on us more divine advantages peculiar to souls; for
he loosens these from the bands of a corporeal nature, reduces them
to the kindred essence of divinity, and assigns them the subtile and
firm texture of divine splendor, as a vehicle in which they may safely
descend to the realms of generation. And these benefits of the God have
been celebrated by others according to their desert, and require the
assistance of faith more than the evidence of demonstration.