As at that time magic was severely forbidden by the emperor and the council (senatus-consultus) as dishonourable, Apollonius endeavoured to uphold magic in all its dignity. He, however, made a proper distinction between magic and sorcery, and admited, as a true Pythagorean, that he held the doctrines and laws of Pythagoras, and also his ability to perform the wonders of Pythagoras, though not by sorcery, as was supposed, but by the aid and assistance of science and nature. Under magic Apollonius understood that power which acts through sacrifice, sacred ceremonies, and words, and in this sense may be called magic. But Apollonius does not speak of demons and spirits and their varieties as the New-Platonists are accustomed to do. "A sorcerer," says he," am I not; but a better man, sustained by God in all my actions. Sacrifices have I no need of; for God is always present to me and fulfils my wishes, so that I leave all those cheats and evil-doers far behind me (circulatores istos atque nebulones longo post me intervallo relinquo). This art is not possessed by those who only exercise the powers of the body, and strive madly after the victory. On this account the acts of these sorcerers are in the houses of traders; we see their gains attributed to the sorcerer,—their losses to their parsimony. On this account sorcery has attracted and inflamed many admirers, so that in sickness they even rely upon it, and counsel with old women, who offer them Indian spices or stones from the bowels of the earth or fallen from the moon or the stars. Even persons who laughed at these things have endeavoured to prove how they may be performed. I, however, believe, from firm conviction, that young people should not even speak with such persons, that they may not accustom themselves to such arts, in joke or amusement" (Philostrat. i.) By this severe distinction true magic was elevated from dishonour to the highest esteem.

Every art," says he in his defence, "beyond true philosophy, is directed to the collecting of riches. There is therefore a species of false sages, whom thou must not confound with those who truthfully prophesy. The prediction, if it be true, is of the highest value; but whether to call this an art or not, I cannot tell. I call sorcerers false sages,

for these only are attracted by riches, which I have always despised, so that I cannot be reproached with them. I did not invent my wisdom, but received it as a species of heirloom from Pythagoras, whose commands and regulations I follow (Philostrat. viii. c. 3, 4.) I wear a robe of linen, which, as well as being conducive to cleanliness, also produces more truthful dreams. Between God and men exists a bond of relationship; and by this is man in some measure a participator in the divine nature. All are convinced that the powers of the mind and the soul are derived from God, and that those are nearest to God who are most richly endowed with them. The Indian wisdom, to which the Egyptian is related, says, that God created all, and the cause of creation was the goodness of God. If God is therefore good, we may consider a good man as participating in the spirit of God. To what this leads he shall know who is acquainted with the philosophy of the Eclectics" (c. 7.)

The philosophy of Apollonius is purely Platonic and Pythagorean. All comes from God; our soul is a portion of God's being, and is only deformed and separated from God by matter, but may again approach God and the divine powers; and may regain the divine power of performing wonders, as soon as it is purified from the dross of matter, and become again filled with the original inborn radiance. His own words upon this subject are remarkable—“ My mode of life is very different from that of other people; I take very little food, and this, like a secret remedy, maintains my senses fresh and unimpaired, as it keeps everything that is dark from them, so that I can see the present and future as it were in a clear mirror. The sage need not wait for the vapours of the earth, and corruption of the air, to foresee plague diseases; he must know them later than God, but before the people. The gods see the future, men the present, sages that which is coming. This mode of life produces such an acuteness of the senses, or some other powers, that the greatest and most remarkable things may be performed (c. vii. 2, 9.) I am, therefore, perfectly convinced that God reveals his intentions to holy and wise men."

Acute and far-seeing investigators of antiquity recognise the conditions of the magical state as natural appearances,

so that they regarded the prediction of future events, and the influence at a distance, as rare developments of the inward ability of the human soul, but at the same time as a natural phenomenon of the same. In the treatises upon the decline of the oracles, upon the inscription E in the temple at Delphi; upon the Pythia no longer delivered her sentences in verse-and upon Isis and Osiris, Plutarch brings forward in the form of dialogues the various causes in a very instructive manner. I shall make a somewhat long extract from Plutarch's moral writings, translated by Kaltwasser, to show in what manner these somnambulic conditions were recognised, and how even then the most varied and opposite ones were sustained with philosophical reason.

"The admonition," says Demetrius, in the first treatise, "which Lampries has given us, is well founded; for, as Euripides says, the gods deceive us by many shapes, not of fallacies, but of things themselves, if we consider ourselves wise enough to decide upon subjects of such importance. It has already been said that the oracles, when they are deserted by the dæmons, lie like unused musical instruments, inactive and voiceless. This leads us to a much more important question regarding the causes and power by means of which the dæmons render prophets capable of receiving enthusiasm and communicate to them representations of future things."

"Do you imagine," replied Ammonius, "that the dæmons are anything else than souls, which, as Hesiod says, wander through the atmosphere? I always believe that a soul which is united with a body suitable to this world, is only to be distinguished, as one man from another man, playing comic or tragic parts. It is, therefore, neither unreasonable nor strange that souls should come to souls, and impart to them conceptions of future things, occasionally by letters, or by a mere touch, or by a glance, reveal to them past events or announce future ones." Upon the prayer of Ammonius and others that he would give his opinion unreservedly, Lamprias continued thus:

:

"If the unembodied souls are, according to Hesiod's opinion, dæmons, holy inhabitants of the earth and guardians of mortal men, why should we seek to deprive these souls which are still in the body of that power, by which the

former know future events, and are able to announce them? It is not probable that the soul gains a new power of prophesy after separation from the body, and which it before did not possess. We may rather conclude that it possessed all its powers during its union with the body, although in a lesser perfection. Some of these are imperceptible and hidden, or dull and weak; others again are as if seen in vapour or moving in water, indolent and without activity, and require a careful tending and restoration of their proper state, as well as a thorough clearing and purification of all that which obstructs their exercise. For as the sun does not shine only when it passes from among the clouds, but has always been radiant and has only appeared dim and obscured by vapours, the soul does not only receive the power of looking into futurity when it passes from the body as from a cloud, but has possessed it always, though dimmed by connection with the earthly."

"This will not be found to be strange and incredible, if we pay sufficient attention to the only power which is directly opposed to soothsaying-namely, the memory, which does great service, as it guards the past, or rather makes it present. For that which has been seen no longer exists or has being. All things in the world, actions, words, and properties, arise and pass away, as time like a stream carries everything with it. But this power of the soul seizes, I do not know how, upon all this, and gives to it, although it is no longer present, the semblance and appearance of being. It is therefore not surprising that the soul, which has no power over that which no longer exists, should also embrace many things which have not yet happened. The latter is, moreover, far more adapted to it, and agrees more with its inclination, for all strivings and all efforts of the soul are alone for the future, while with the past and the performed it has no longer anything to do, but to treasure them in memory."

"Weak, dull, or imperceptible, as these powers implanted in the soul may be, yet it sometimes happens, that one or another, as it were, buds forth and is exercised in dreams and in the mysteries, either because the body is then purified and obtains the necessary disposition, or because it pos

sesses the power of reflection, and can occupy itself with futurity, depending upon the imagination and not upon reason, now that it is free from and unfettered by the present. Euripides certainly says: he who can make a good guess is the best soothsayer; but he errs, for he only is a shrewd man who follows the guidance of his reason and the rules of probability. The power of prediction, on the contrary, is in itself, like an uninscribed tablet, without reasoning or destination, but yet capable of certain imagination and presentiment, and reaches futurity without the conclusions of reason; but especially when the soul is entirely separated from the present. This proceeds from a certain constitution and disposition of the body, and hence arises that state which we call enthusiasm. Such dispositions are often called forth by the body itself; yet the earth also opens sources of varied influence to man, of which some cause madness, sickness, and death, while others are very admirable, pleasant, and healthful, as all who experience it are aware. But not one is so divine and sacred as the inspiring vapour and emanation; it may come upon man from the air or through a fountain; but as soon as it has entered the body it produces a singular and unusual condition of the soul, whose peculiarities it is difficult to describe, but upon which reason speculate."

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Ammonius then remarks that Lamprias wishes to explain the power of the seer by material causes:-" At first," says he, we let ourselves be led away in our conversation and deny that the prophetic power comes from the God, and— I cannot tell how-attribute it to the dæmons; but now, as it appears to me, we wish again to remove it from the oracle and tripod; for we ascribe the origin of prediction, or, even its very power and substance, to the winds, vapours, and exhalations."

Lamprias replies that this was not his intention. "I will justify myself, and Plato shall at the same time be my witness and advocate. He blames Anaxagoras for making too much use of physical causes, and for having entirely passed over the noble principles and causes, the why and wherefore, in his continual searching and investigation of that