the Athenian Philostratus

Apollonius of Tyana's life got me hooked at first only to drop drastically in quality towards the end of book. I found most of the philosophical conversations involving different characters deeply engaging, but the Neopythagorean's haughty nature constantly detracts from the enjoyment due to his tendency to being a total dick towards the people who do not adhere to his ascetic lifestyle. On several occasions Apollonius diminishes the epicurean philosophers and the poets, flaunts his self-imposed chastity (which was allegedly shocking in antiquity according to the footones), showing sensualists in a bad light and often missing the whole point of the philosophy he denigrates with his excessive pride, the most remarkable example being in his youth, when he gifts a luxurious house to his epicurean master at the academy. Apollonius is a man of the Gods, and in order to prove them his absolute loyalty and bolster his gigantic ego he puts himself through foolish penances, such as refusing to speak to anybody for 5 years straight and using a writing board as his sole means of communication. Throughout the book, Apollonius never really outgrows his arrogant attitude and we can regularly find him arguing in bad faith with the thinkers who engage in self-indulgence as opposed to torturing themselves for the sake of the Gods. What more can I say? Apollonius would probably have felt at home in the dark ages where people were guilt-tripped into believing in God and fun was strictly forbidden.… (mehr)

VIDA DE APOLONIO DE TIANA

INTRODUCCIÓN

1. El renacimiento literario griego en época imperial.

La Vida de Apolonio de Tiana es una de las obras más representativas, si no la más, de la literatura griega de un período poco conocido para el gran público -salvo quizá la figura de Luciano de Samósata y
con demasiada frecuencia menospreciado por la crítica: el renacimiento literario que, en las atinadas palabras de Reardon , «en formación ya a finales del siglo I, se precisa en época de Adriano, se anima bajo los Antoninos, se prolonga en la corte en la que Julia Domna tiene su salón... y se debilita cuando, a mediados del siglo III, de un lado, sucede a la paz continua del Imperio Romano medio siglo de luchas intestinas, y de otro, el Cristianismo comienza a imponerse sobre la cultura pagana».

Una época en la que la prosa y, dentro de ella, la retórica, predomina sobre cualquier otro género, protagonizada por el rétor no forense, el conferenciante, que en ciertos aspectos resucita el tipo del antiguo sofista. Son nombres como los de Aristides, Luciano, Alcifrón y Arriano, además del propio Filóstrato, los que encarnan estas nuevas actitudes en literatura...… (mehr)

Een prima vertaling, de eerste volledige Nederlandse, van een belangrijk boek. De Pythagoreeër Apollonius geldt als de heidense Jezus; hij reist, doet vooral in India wijsheid op, verricht wonderlijke genezingen en andere wonderen. Maar ik vind hem ook nogal een slijmbal, die voortdurend (quasi-)diepzinnige antwoorden geeft en pronkt met zijn ascetisme. Interessante visies van Philostratus, die zelf begin derde eeuw leefde, op Keizer Domitianus en het proces dat die tegen Apollonius, die 'bevriend' was met Vespasianus, voerde.… (mehr)