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Home , Apollonius of Tyana

Apollonius of and Cosmopolitan Kinship Roshan Abraham, University of Pennsylvania, [email protected]

Apollonius: Head to Head Comparing ’ Life of Apollonius of Tyana (VA) with the independently transmitted Epistles of Apollonius reveals conflicting views regarding cosmopolitanism. The “Epistolary Apollonius” rejects notions of cosmopolitan kinship and emphasizes local allegiances. Philostratus’ Apollonius embraces cosmopolitanism and encourages others to take a more communal world-view. These two depictions ultimately distinguish

“Apollonius of Tyana in black agate,” Apollonius as either or holy man. Bust of Apollonius of Tyana (?), Museo Giovann i B atti sta GGlalestruzz i, 1657. Nazionale, Naples.

Epistolary Apollonius Philostratus’ Apollonius

When Apollonius travels, what community does he represent?

In the Epistles, Apollonius travels on behalf of Tyana. Tyyana? or Greece? Philostratus’ Apollonius acts as a representative of all of EiEpist le 47: Greece. In Paraca, the land of the Brahmans, Apollonius “To the assembly and people of Tyana: knows that the king is “at odds with all things Greek” During all the time I traveled, I have traveled to win you (διαβεβλῆσθαι πρὸς τὰ Ἑλλήνων, VA 3.31). After a discussion fame and glory – though it may be in bad taste to say this – with Apollonius, the king is reconciled with , to win you the goodwill and friendship of outstanding recognizes them as “honor loving and true” (φιλότιμοί τε καὶ cities and men.” χρηστοί, VA 3.32), and promises to praise and pray for them.

See also Epistle 53, in which a local magistrate sends his goodwill to the senate of Tyana on account of Apollonius’ recent visit to Greece.

What community does Apollonius value?

In the Epistles, Apollonius rejects cosmopolitan notions of kinship and Polis? or Cosmos? Philostratus’ Apollonius states that “the earth is the mother of emphasizes local allegiances. us all” (ἡ γῆ πάντων μήτηρ, VA 1.15). As he approaches Babylon, the Epistle 44.2 “King’s Eye” asks him where he is from and who sends him. “And yet it is not unknown to you that it is good to consider all the Theory of Earth as mother Apollonius responds “the whole earth has produced me” (“ἐμὴ,” ἔφη, earth as one’s fatherland (πᾶσάν τε γῆν πατρίδα νομίζειν) and all people as cosmopolitanism “πᾶσα ἡ γῆ καὶ ἀνεῖταί,” VA 1.21). Philostratus removes Tyana from the brothers and dear ones (ἀδελφοὺς καὶ φίλους), since we are all the offspring picture almost completely for a larger, cosmopolitan world-view. of , of a single nature, and being of the same community of emotions, regardless of wherever or however one happens to be born, barbarian or Apollonius chastises his disciple Damis, saying “you do not reflect Greek, that is, a human being. on the fact that to the sage everywhere is Greece, and he, living under Cosmopolitan the eyes of virtue, neither supposes nor thinks any place a desert or HOWEVER, blood ties cannot be arggyued away, and all of one’s barbarous land” (οὐκ ἐνθυμῇ ὅτι σοφῷ ἀνδρὶ Ἑλλὰς πάντα καὶ οὐδὲν ἔρημον ἢ world-view relations ought to be remembered (τὸ συγγενὲς ἀκατασόφιστον καὶ πᾶν Which he rejects βάρβαρον χωρίον οὔτε ἡγήσεται ὁ σοφὸς οὔτε νομιεῖ ζῶν γε ὑπὸ τοῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀνακλητικὸν αὑτοῦ τὸ οἰκεῖον). Thus Homer’s Odysseus, as they say, did not ὀφθαλμοῖς, VA 1.34). value the immortality given to him by a goddess more than Ithaca. . . . EVEN IF the whole earth provided everything else, it cannot show Apollonius later “discourses on communalism, teaching that we him his forefathers’ graves (κἂν πάντα τὰ λοιπὰ γῆ πᾶσα παρέχῃ, μνήματα οὐκ ought to support and be supported by each other” (διαλεγομένου δέ ποτε ἔχει δεῖξαι τὰ πατέρων).” Endorsing περὶ κοινωνίας καὶ διδάσκοντος, ὅτι χρὴ τρέφειν τε ἀλλήλους καὶ ὑπ’ ἀλλήλων τρέφεσθαι, VA 4.3). In favor of communalism See also Epistle 48, where Apollonius presents himself as a benefactor to Tyaneans in general. localism

Local Sophist or Cosmopolitan Holy Man?

The two depictions of Apollonius reveal a tension between the local and the universal. We find a similar tension throughout the and in a variety of contexts, such as travel narratives, in discourses surrounding relics, and in encyclopedic texts. The Epistolary Apollonius allies himself with the local, namely Tyana, thereby fitting our understanding of under the . Philostratus expands Apollonius’ allegiance to encompass all of Greece, if not the whole world. Philostratus uses cosmopolitanism as one mechanism to transform Apollonius from a local sophist to a holy man . A broader question worth pursuing is, if local allegiances give way to a global (i.e. cosmopolitan or universal) allegiance, then does the advent of the holy man “flatten” the world?

Augustine, Letter 138.18: “Who , Contra Hieroclem 36: “Still, the story Synesius, On His Baldness 6: “Do not let Apollonius upset however would not think it even of Apollonius does not require much serious the argument, or anyone else who was a sorcerer and ridiculous that they try to compare or actually to prefer Detractors study, since he is not remembered by certain skilled in supernatural matters: even if such people had , Alexander 5, , 77.18.4: of our contemporaries even as a , Divine Institutes 5.3.8: “Why not been long-hairs, they might still have hypnotized the Apollonius, , and others reference to Apollonius’ Apollonius “was a sorcerer and philosopher, let alone as a holy, miraculous, then, you raving wretch, does no one masses, and perhaps the sorcerer’s craft is not wisdom, but very skilled in the magical art to “pretentiousness” true magician.” and remarkable man." worship Apollonius as a god?” conjuring, not knowledge, but power. Christ?

100 CE 200 CE Philostratus, Lives of the , , 300 CE Libanius, Oration 4.4: “Or will you dare to 400 CE Sophists 1.21: “Apollonius frag. 4: “Well, the Magi in Egypt say that babbled, Isocrates babbled, of Tyana, who in wisdom worked miracles against Moses Sophocles babbled, had no self- Supporters surpassed human nature.” too, so did Apollonius, so did control, and that famous man from Apuleius, and they worked Tyana did not ‘know himself ’?” innumerable ones.