Letter 2: If you are planning to visit me, make your plans now — with the gods' help — and get moving.

To Priscus. If you are planning to visit me, make your plans now — with the gods' help — and get moving. A little later I may have no time to spare. Track down all the writings of Iamblichus [a major Neoplatonist philosopher, c. 245-325, whom Julian revered] addressed to his namesake. Only you can do this: your sister's son-in-law owns a thoroughly corrected copy. And unless I am mistaken, as I was writing that last sentence, a marvelous sign was given to me. I beg you: do not let Theodorus and his followers deafen you with their claims that Iamblichus — that truly godlike man, who ranks next to Pythagoras and Plato — was worldly and self-interested. I know it is rash to declare my own opinion to you, but you must excuse me as one excuses people carried away by divine ecstasy. You yourself are a passionate admirer of Iamblichus for his philosophy and of his namesake for his theosophy. And I agree with Apollodorus: the rest are not worth mentioning compared to those two. As for your collection of Aristotle's works — I will say this much: you have made me call myself your student, even though I have no right to the title. Maximus of Tyre needed six books to initiate me partially into Plato's logic. You, with a single book, have made me — perhaps I can even say — a complete initiate in Aristotle's philosophy, or at the very least a thyrsus-bearer [someone who carries the ritual staff of the Bacchic mysteries but has not yet achieved full initiation]. When you join me, I can prove it by the sheer number of works I wrote in my spare time last winter.

To the Same [358-359, From Gaul] As regards a visit to me from your good self,4 if you have it in mind, make your plans now, with the help of the gods, and exert yourself; for perhaps a little later I too shall have no time to spare. Hunt up for me all the writings of Iamblichus to his1 namesake. Only you can do this, for your sister's son-in-law owns a thoroughly revised version. And, if I am not mistaken, while I was writing this sentence, a marvellous sign 2 was vouchsafed me. I entreat you not to let Theodorus 3 and his followers deafen you too by their assertions that Iamblichus, that truly godlike man, who ranks next to Pythagoras and Plato, was worldly and self-seeking. But if it be rash to declare my own opinion to you, I may reasonably expect you to excuse me, as one excuses those who are carried away by a divine frenzy. You are yourself an ardent admirer of Iamblichus for his philosophy and of his namesake for his theosophy. And I too think, like Apollodorus, that the rest are not worth mentioning compared with those two. As for your collection of the works of Aristotle, so much I will say, you have made me style myself your pupil, though I have no right to the title. For while Maximus of Tyre in six books was able to initiate me to some little extent into Plato's logic, you, with one book, have made me, perhaps I may even say, a complete initiate in the philosophy of Aristotle, but at any rate a thyrsus-bearer.4 When you join me I can prove the truth of my words by the great number of works that I wrote in my spare time, during last winter. 4 Lit. "your goodness." For Julian's use of this and similar abstract words, see p. 109. 1 Bidez prefers "my namesake," and makes the writer refer to Julian the theurgist or Chaldean, whom we know from Suidas. More probably the younger Iamblichus is meant. 2 Cf. Vol. 2, 284c, for a similar sign of approval given to Julian by Zeus. 3 Theodorus of Asine was a disciple of the great Iamblichus; we know of no such polemics as are indicated here. 4 Plato, Phaedo 69c, says that "many carry the thyrsus of Dionysus, but few are really inspired."

[Πρός: Πρίσκῳ] Περὶ τοῦ τὴν σὴν ἀγαθότητα πρός με ἥκειν, εἴπερ διανοῇ, νῦν σὺν τοῖς θεοῖς βούλευσαι καὶ προθυμήθητι· τυχὸν γὰρ ὀλίγον ὕστερον οὐδὲ ἐγὼ σχολὴν ἄξω. τὰ Ἰαμβλίχου πάντα μοι τὰ εἰς τὸν ὁμώνυμον ζήτει· δύνασαι δὲ μόνος· ἔχει γὰρ ὁ τῆς σῆς ἀδελφῆς γαμβρὸς εὐδιόρθωτα. εἰ δὲ μὴ σφάλλομαι, καὶ σημεῖόν τί μοι, ἡνίκα τοῦτο τὸ μέρος ἔγραφον, ἐγένετο θαυμάσιον. ἱκετεύω σε, μὴ διαθρυλείτωσαν οἱ Θεοδώρειοι καὶ τὰς σὰς ἀκοάς, ὅτι ἄρα φιλότιμος ὁ θεῖος ἀληθῶς καὶ μετὰ Πυθαγόραν καὶ Πλάτωνα τρίτος Ἰάμβλιχος· εἰ δὲ τολμηρὸν πρὸς σὲ τὴν αὑτοῦ διάνοιαν φανερὰν ποιεῖν, ὡς ἕπεται τοῖς ἐνθουσιῶσιν, οὐ παράλογος ἡ συγγνώμη· καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ περὶ μὲν Ἰάμβλιχον ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ, περὶ δὲ τὸν ὁμώνυμον ἐν θεοσοφίᾳ μέμηνας. καὶ νομίζω τοὺς ἄλλους, κατὰ τὸν Ἀπολλόδωρον, μηθὲν εἶναι πρὸς τούτους. ὑπὲρ δὲ τῶν Ἀριστοτέλους συναγωγῶν ἃς ἐποιήσω, τοσοῦτόν σοι λέγω· πεποίηκάς με ψευδεπίγραφον εἶναί σου μαθητήν· ὁ μὲν γὰρ Τύριος Μάξιμος ἓξ βιβλίοις με τῆς Πλατωνικῆς λογικῆς ὀλίγα μυεῖν εἶχε, σὺ δέ με δι’ ἕνος βιβλίου τῆς Ἀριστοτελικῆς φιλοσοφίας ἐποίησας ἴσως δὴ καὶ βάκχον, ἀλλ’ οὖν γε ναρθηκοφόρον. εἰ δὲ ἀληθῆ λέγω, παραγενομένῳ σοι πολλὰ πάνυ τοῦ πέρυσιν χειμῶνος ἐξελέγξει πάρεργα.