Oribasius

“ For the work of Oribasius, comprehending seventy books, contains indeed an exposition of the whole art, but it is not easily to be procured by people at large on account of its bulk, whilst the epitome of it, inscribed to his son Eustathius, is deficient in some diseases altogether, and gives but an imperfect description of others, sometimes the causes and diagnosis being omitted, and sometimes the proper plan of treatment being forgotten, as well as other things which have occurred to my recollection. ”

“ He wrote also for his friend and biographer Eunapius two books on diseases and their treatment, and treatises on anatomy and on the works of Galen. He earned for himself the title of the Ape of Galen. In the "Life of Oribasius," by Eunapius, we find that Julian created Oribasius Quæstor of Constantinople, but after the death of Julian, Oribasius was exiled, and practised among the "barbarians," attaining great fame. ”

“ Oribasius was a pagan, but his son Eustathius, to whom he bequeathed his medical writings, was a Christian and a friend and correspondent of St. Basil. Eunapius relates that after Julian's death Oribasius was exiled "among the most savage barbarians" by the Christian Emperors. At the courts of "the barbarians" he rose to great renown and was worshipped like a god because of his wonderful cures. He was therefore permitted to return, and recovered his fortune and position. Suidas says that he was born at Sardis, but probably Eunapius, who gives his birthplace as Pergamon, was better informed. ”

“ For it is better to do one's duty for a brief time honestly than for a long time dishonestly. The Peripatetic teachings are not, as some say, less noble than the Stoic. In my judgement, there is only this difference between them; the former are always more sanguine and not so much the result of deliberate thought, while the latter have a greater claim to practical wisdom, and are more rigidly consistent with the rules of conduct that they have laid down. [9]
Footnotes
↑ Oribasius was the physician, friend, and perhaps accomplice of Julian in his ambitions: cf. Letter to the Athenians Vol. ”

“ It also cites Galen six times, Dioscorides four, and as late an author as Oribasius twice. [2502] But Oribasius is not the latest author cited since Walafrid Strabo is also used. [2503] Strabo was born about 806, became abbot of Reichenau in 842, and died in 849. In his Hortulus, a poem dedicated to Grimoald, the abbot of St. Gall, he described twenty-three herbs in 444 hexameters. [2504] Indeed Stadler holds that the Pseudo-Macer uses the De gradibus of Constantinus Africanus who did not die until 1087. ”

“ Oribasius, Introduction to his ἰατρικαὶ συναγωγαὶ 1. παρὰ τῆς σῆς θειότητος, αὐτόκρατορ Ἰουλιανὲ = "by your god-like self," literally "your Divinity"; see Letter 2↑ Of Cilicia. He was an old friend of the Emperor's and accompanied him on the Persian campaign. ”

“ He spent the winter of 358-359 at Paris, whence he wrote to his friend the physician Oribasius, at Vienne, Letter 4, of which the first part, with its dream, [9] is highly sophistic but expresses vague fears that he and Constantius may be involved in ruin together; the second part describes his opposition to the pretorian prefect Florentius, his persistent enemy, whom he forbade to recommend to Constantius increased taxes on the Gallic provincials. ”

“ Trallianus describes the collyrium Phos, etc., p. 174. Aetius gives, p. 352, a formula for the collyrium Uranium. See also Oribasius, p. 50. Perhaps I ought to have stated earlier, that in quoting the works of Oribasius, Aetius, Myrepsus, Trallianus, Scribonius Largus, and Marcellus, I always refer, except when it is otherwise specified, to the writings of these authors as contained in Stephen’s collated edition of the “Medicæ Artis Principes post Hippocratem et Galenum” (Paris, 1567) .
503 De Simplic. Medicam. Kühn’s Edit. vol. xii. p. 152. ”

“ Hellas is the divine beauty of man upon earth. She but slumbers, and when she shall awake, woe to the crows of Galilee!"
"Julian," murmured Oribazius, "I fear for you.... You wish to accomplish the impossible.... Crows do not feed on the living, and the dead do not rise again.... Ah, Cæsar! what if the miracle does not succeed?"
"I have no fear. My defeat shall be my victory!" exclaimed the Emperor, with so radiant a happiness on his young face that Oribazius was thrilled, as if the miracle was now to be achieved. "Glory to the rejected! Glory to the conquered! ”

“ The philosophers slink away; the others also disperse, whispering anxiously. Only Oribases and Eutherius remain behind with the Emperor. Anatolus, the officer of the guard, still stands with his soldiers outside the tent.
Julian. How strange! Is it not inconceivable, unfathomable? Oribases,—can you rede me this riddle?
Oribases. What riddle do you mean, my Emperor?
Julian. With twelve poor ignorant fishermen, he founded all this.
Oribases. Oh sire, these thoughts exhaust you.
Julian. And who has held it together until this day? Women and ignorant people, for the most part——
Oribases. ”

“ Oribases. His voice will soon fail him.
Julian. As to the choice of my successor, I presume not to give any advice.—You, Eutherius, will divide my possessions among those who have stood nearest to me. I do not leave much; for I have always held that a true philosopher——
What is this? Is the sun already setting?
Oribases. Not so, my Emperor; ’tis still broad day.
Julian. Strange! It seemed to me to turn quite dark——
Ah, wisdom—wisdom. Hold fast to wisdom, good Priscus! But be always armed against an unfathomable something without us, which——
Is Maximus gone? ”

“ Eutherius and Oribases enter hastily from the right, looking anxiously about.
Eutherius. Do you not see him?
Oribases. No.—Ah, soldiers!—Tell me, good friends, has any one passed by here?
The first Soldier. Yes, a detachment of spearmen.
452Oribases. Good, good! But nobody else? No great person? None of the generals?
The Soldiers. No, none.
Oribases. Not here then! Oh, Eutherius, how could you——?
Eutherius. Could I help——? Could I help it——? I have not closed my old eyes for three nights——
Oribases. ”

“ Oribazius, like the devoted physician that he was, took Julian's hand and began to persuade him soothingly.
"Well-beloved Augustus, you must take rest. There are dangerous fevers in this country. Come into the tent. The sun is hurtful.... Your illness may get worse!"
The Emperor looked at him with a pre-occupied air.
"Stay, Oribazius, I have forgotten something.... Ah, yes, yes!... It is the chiefest thing of all! Listen. Say not, 'The gods are no more,' but rather 'The gods as yet are not.' They are not, but they shall exist; not in fables, but on earth. We shall all be gods, all ”

“ Shouts and cries are heard far away.
Maximus. War-cries! The Persians are upon us——
Eutherius. There is already fierce fighting at the outposts.
Oribases. The enemy is in the camp! Ah, sire, you are unarmed——!
Julian. I will sacrifice to the gods.
Maximus. To what gods, oh fool? Where are they—and what are they?
Julian. I will sacrifice to this god and to that. I will sacrifice to many. One or another must surely hear me. I must call upon something without me and above me——
Oribases. ”

“ Though the Oribatidae are all eyeless, they are distinctly sensitive to light, not wandering aimlessly till they reach a shadow, but apparently making straight for a dark spot when subjected to strong illumination. Some species have a curious habit of collecting dirt and débris on their backs, so as entirely to obscure the often very remarkable disposition of the spines and processes with which they are furnished. ”

“ Oriax, or Orias.—The Fifty-ninth Spirit is Oriax, or Orias. He is a Great Marquis, and appeareth in the Form of a Lion, [28] riding upon a Horse Mighty and Strong, with a Serpent’s Tail; [29] and he holdeth in his Right Hand two Great Serpents hissing. His Office is to teach the Virtues of the Stars, and to know the Mansions of the Planets, and how to understand their Virtues. He also transformeth Men, and he giveth Dignities, Prelacies, and Confirmation thereof; also Favour with Friends and with Foes. He doth govern 30 Legions of Spirits; and his Seal is this, etc. ”

“ Moreover, the sanctuary of Amphiaraus, which belonged to Oropus, stands in hilly ground to the east of the plain. The whole of this district, lying between the Euripus and the northern declivities of Mount Parnes, is of great natural beauty. It is an undulating and richly wooded country, where the road runs between soft green hills and knolls, with charming and varied prospects across the winding waters of the Euripus to the blue mountains of Euboea, among which the lofty Delph may be seen glistering white with snow even in the hot days of summer. ”

“ Oribases. [Coming forward.] Incredible, inexplicable,—and yet true; they touch the bier, the priests read and pray over them, and they are healed; from time to time a voice proclaims: “Holy, holy, is the pure woman!”
Julian. A voice proclaims——?
Oribases. The voice of one invisible, my Caesar; a voice high up under the vaultings of the church——; no man knows whence it comes.
Julian. [Stands a moment immovable, then turns suddenly to Maximus, and cries:] Life or the lie!
Maximus. Choose!
Oribases. Come, come, my lord; the awe-stricken soldiers threaten you——
Julian. ”

“ Of all these minstrels none was so famous as Orpheus who had gone with the Argonauts; none could tell truer things about the gods, for he himself was half divine.
But a great grief came to Orpheus, a grief that stopped his singing and his playing upon the lyre. His young wife Eurydice was taken from him. One day, walking in the garden, she was bitten on the heel by a serpent, and straightway she went down to the world of the dead.
Then everything in this world was dark and bitter for the minstrel Orpheus; sleep would not come to him, and for him food had no taste. ”

“ All assented to the King's words, and Euryalus went to Odysseus and said, 'Stranger, if I have spoken aught that offended thee, may the storm winds snatch it and bear it away. May the gods grant that thou shalt see thy wife and come to thine own country. Too long hast thou endured afflictions away from thy friends.'
So saying, Euryalus gave Odysseus a sword of bronze with a silver hilt and a sheath of ivory. Odysseus took it and said, 'And to you, my friend, may the gods grant all happiness, and mayst thou never miss the sword that thou hast given me. ”

“ Nothing is more uncertain than the history, or even the existence, of St. Orberosia. An ancient anonymous annalist, a monk of Dombes, relates that a woman called Orberosia was possessed by the devil in a cavern where, even down to his own days, the little boys and girls of the village used to play at a sort of game representing the devil and the fair Orberosia. He adds that this woman became the concubine of a horrible dragon, who ravaged the country. ”

“ Then Orpheus, terrible in his anguish, swore that death itself should not forever rob him of his love. His song, which could tame wild beasts and drag the ancient trees from their roots, should quell the powers of hell and snatch back Eurydice from their grasp.
Thus he swore, calling on the gods to help him; and taking his lyre in his hand he set forth on that fearful pilgrimage from which never man—unless, like Hercules, he was a hero, half man and half god—had returned alive. ”

“ Libanius never seriously desired that contest. He never desired any contest whatever; he cares only for his own interest. I tell you, Gregory—Libanius is not a great man.
Gregory. Yet all enlightened Greece proclaims him great.
Julian. A great man he is not, I tell you. Once only have I seen Libanius great: that night in Constantinople. Then he was great, because he had suffered a great wrong, and because he was filled with a noble wrath. But here! Oh, what have I not seen here? Libanius has great learning, but he is no great man. Libanius is greedy; he is vain; he is eaten up with envy. ”

“ So for generations did the sainted skull of Caius Anicius Magnus Furius Camillus Aemilianus Cornelius Valerius Pompeius Julius Ibidus, consul of Rome, favourite of emperors, and saint of the Romish church, lie hidden beneath the soil of a growing town. At first worshipped with dark rites by the prairie-dogs, who saw in it a deity sent from the upper world, it afterward fell into dire neglect as the race of simple, artless burrowers succumbed before the onslaught of the conquering Aryan. ”

“ Soon hands would be stretched out to them—the welcoming hands of the men and women of their own land.
So Orpheus sang, and his voice and the music of his lyre prevailed above the Sirens’ voices. Men dropped their oars, but other men remained at their benches, and pulled steadily, if wearily, on. Only one of the Argonauts, Butes, a youth of Iolcus, threw himself into the water and swam toward the rocks from which the Sirens sang. ”

“ The tears came [5] into his eyes; he descended the hill as fast as he could, and came after them into a great plain, and then cried, Arcalaus! traitor! it becomes not one like thee to carry away so excellent a Lady! Oriana knew the voice, and shook all over; but Arcalaus and the others ran at him. He took his aim at Arcalaus, and bore him right over the crupper; then turned his horse and smote at Grumen, so that the point and part of the stave of the spear came out at his back, and he fell down dead, and the spear broke in him. ”

“ The Oropus district on the Euripus, north of Parnes, belongs geographically to Bœotia. As one descends on the northern side of the mountain the view is more suggestive of Switzerland than of rugged Attica. The fertile plain of the Asopus is green and wooded; the Euripus winding between the hedgerows of mountains on either side seems, even from the lofty summit of Pentelicus, more like a series of inland lakes than a continuous arm of the sea ”