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Περίληψη : the Neoplatonist Philosopher Aedesius Was Born in Cappadocia

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Περίληψη : the Neoplatonist Philosopher Aedesius Was Born in Cappadocia IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ Συγγραφή : Καμάρα Αφροδίτη Μετάφραση : Βελέντζας Γεώργιος Για παραπομπή : Καμάρα Αφροδίτη , "Aedesius of Cappadocia", Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Κωνσταντινούπολη URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=11704> Περίληψη : The Neoplatonist philosopher Aedesius was born in Cappadocia. Early on he showed a tendency for philosophy and, contrary to his family’s wishes, studied by the Syrian Neoplatonist philosopher Iamblichus, whom he succeeded in the leadership of his school. He later founded his own school in Pergamon and died in 353 or 355, without leaving any written works behind and after he had designated his beloved student Chrysanthios as his successor. Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης Late 3rd c.- early 4th c. AD – Cappadocia Τόπος και Χρόνος Θανάτου 353 or 355 AD – Cappadocia Κύρια Ιδιότητα Philosopher 1. Biography Aedesius of Cappadocia was the first successor of Iamblichus in the Neoplatonist school based in Apamea of Syria. The only ancient writer citing biographical details of Aedesius, Eunapius, says little and is often one-sided. More information is provided by the orator Libanios of Antioch and the 6th century philosopher Simplikios. Aedesius was born in Cappadocia between the late 3rd and the early 4th century. He came from an aristocratic family, which had lost its fortune. That is why his father tried to turn him to economic studies and sent him to Greece. But Aedesius had already showed a tendency for philosophy and started to be concerned with it while he was in Greece. Finally, after demonstrating an impeccable character, he managed to convince his father and go to Syria in order to study at the philosophical school of Iamblichus in Apamea. 2. Studying and Exercising Philosophy Iamblichus at the time was founding one of the two1 important branches of the Neoplatonist philosophy. His main differentiation from the rest of Neoplatonist philosophers was that he had introduced and taught theurgy, a mixture of philosophy and religion based on the attempt to control matter through spirit up to the point of performing miracles.2 Iamblichus died in 330 and designated his beloved student Sopatros as his successor. However, Sopatros was already a counsellor in the court of Constantine the Great (314-337). That is why the students selected Aedesius as the next successor, who must have undertaken the leadership of the school between 330 and 337. His philosophical teaching maintained the basic principles of Iamblichus, without dealing with theurgy, though. The most ‘rational’ approach of Aedesius towards the philosophy of Iamblichus, however, may have resulted from the fact that he was afraid that the alleged miracles could cause the rage of the emperor, who had already adopted a pro-Christian line. Aedesius, however, introduced something new in the philosophical thought and practice of his era. Eunapius says Aedesius had a dream and decided circa 337 or 338 to live isolated, according to the ascetic standards. The sources are vague about whether he was the head of the school of Apamea at the time or he had already returned to Asia Minor, to Pergamon. He spent his isolation, which lasted shortly, in the hostile and wild nature of his birthplace, Cappadocia. When he decided to return to secular life, he settled in Pergamon and founded a philosophical school there, which soon became famous. In 351, the subsequent Emperor Julian attended some of his classes. Aedesius died some years later, probably in 353 or 355, without leaving any written works behind. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 2/10/2021 Σελίδα 1/3 IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ Συγγραφή : Καμάρα Αφροδίτη Μετάφραση : Βελέντζας Γεώργιος Για παραπομπή : Καμάρα Αφροδίτη , "Aedesius of Cappadocia", Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Κωνσταντινούπολη URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=11704> 3. Students Among his eminent students were Maximos, Chrysanthios, Priskos and Eusebios of Myndus. Eunapius provides information about the first three of them and particularly about Chrysanthios, who was his teacher and is given an honorary part in Eunapius’ Lives‘ of the Philosophers and Sophists’, right before the colophon. Chrysanthios taught in Sardis and remained faithful to the philosophical principles of Aedesius. Maximos, who was at the head of a school in Ephesus, remained attached to the principles of Iamblichus and theurgy. On the other hand, Eusebios followed a more rational line and even mocked the miraculous attempts of Maximos. Finally, Priskos taught in Athens and may have been an innovative teacher.3 These diverse tendencies in the circle of the students attending Aedesius’school show that the philosopher originally managed to create a deeply democratic atmosphere, where numerous and different opinions could exist simultaneously.4 He even encouraged virtues such as humility and conciliation and despised arrogance and bigotry.5 Eunapius describes him as an ‘ordinary’and ‘folk’person who befriended even simple people. It seems, however, that this attitude of Aedesius did not impress his student, Julian, since the subsequent emperor does not make any mention of his teacher in his writings. Probably this was due to the fact that Julian was a crabbed character and did not manage to be among his beloved students. But when Julian became an emperor, Priskos and Maximos became loyal supporters of his religious reforms and stopped following their teacher’s principles and practising apathy and detachment from secular things, which Neoplatonism required, since they took the side of Julian and tried passionately to restore the old religions. Priskos, who had despised Aedesius while his teacher was still alive, later settled in Julian’s court, where he demonstrated a proverbially arrogant and authoritative character that ruined him after Julian died and the Christian government was restored. 4. Attitude to Life and Evaluation of his Work Aedesius became famous due to the period he lived in and the activity of his students rather than his own work. During the reign of Constantine the Great (314-337), and mainly the years of his son, Konstantios (337-360), a firm policy of prohibitions against the old religions of the empire was implemented so that Christianity could be supported. At first, these prohibitions concerned only public events and sacrifices, but gradually things became worse. The pagan philosophers, particularly the Neoplatonists, felt they had a stranglehold around them, although they were still respectable and acceptable thanks to their knowledge and moderate attitude. Aedesius must have been among the philosophers who did not react to this pressure in order to continue their work, which was not directly hampered by the imperial orders. He was later accused of fear and compromise. It seems that Aedesius must have been closer to the spiritual rather than the political developments of his era. During his short period of ‘isolation’, he put into practice what hundreds of spiritual people on the ‘opposite bank’did, when they founded Christian monasticism and asceticism, which was going to sweep the empire in the following century. At the same time, the absence of written works must have been due to his conviction that it is better to implement rather than teach one’s principles and not due to his constrained character. 1. Eunapius, Lives of Soph., 6.1-4; Liban., Autob. 210; Simp., in Cat. 10. 2. Iamblichus was the only Neoplatonist who, according to testimonies, performed miracles, particularly disappearances and reappearances. He would rather teach while travelling or wandering along with his students. The latter spread the rumour that he did not die but ascended to heaven. 3. The relevant citation of Eunapius is vague. The innovations may have been made by Priskos, perhaps by his students. As for the two views, see respectively Fowden, G., ‘The pagan holy man in late antique society’, JHS 102 (1982), p. 44, and Penella, R.J., Greek philosophers and sophists in the fourth century A.D. (Leeds 1990), pp. 66-67. 4. About the circle of Aedesius’ students as well as the relationship of the philosopher with Julian, see Fowden, G., Pagan philosophers in Δημιουργήθηκε στις 2/10/2021 Σελίδα 2/3 IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ Συγγραφή : Καμάρα Αφροδίτη Μετάφραση : Βελέντζας Γεώργιος Για παραπομπή : Καμάρα Αφροδίτη , "Aedesius of Cappadocia", Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Κωνσταντινούπολη URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=11704> Late Antique Society: with special reference to Iamblichus and his followers (Diss. University of Oxford 1979), pp. 199-201. 5. Eunapius, Lives of Soph., 6. 1.5-7. Βιβλιογραφία : Fowden G., Pagan philosophers in Late Antique Society: with special reference to Iamblichus and his followers, Diss. University of Oxford 1979 Fowden G., "The Platonist Philosopher and his Circle in Late Antiquity", Φιλοσοφία, 7, 1977, 359-383 Penella R.J., Greek Philosophers and Sophists in the Fourth Century A.D. Studies in Eunapius of Sardis, Leeds 1990 Ευνάπιος, Βίοι Φιλοσόφων και Σοφιστών, Wright, W. (ed.), Eunapius’Lives of the Philosophers and Sophists, Loeb, London 1922 Δικτυογραφία : Neoplatonism http://www.iep.utm.edu/n/neoplato.htm Γλωσσάριo : colophon The concluding part of a manuscript, where the date, the place of writing and the writer’s name appeared. The part before the colophon was honorary, thus great emphasis was given on the text appearing there. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 2/10/2021 Σελίδα 3/3.
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