Two Orations of the Emperor Julian

What It's About

Written during his brief reign (361–363), these two orations are the Roman emperor Julian's philosophical defence of the old gods. The first is a hymn to King Helios, the Sun, whom Julian presents as the visible image of a hidden divine order and the link between the intelligible and material worlds. The second honours the Mother of the Gods, Cybele, as the source of the intellectual gods, and reads the myth of Attis as a philosophical allegory. The edition also contains a long introduction and extensive notes that place both works within the tradition of Platonic theology.

Key Concepts

Julian's theology draws on Neoplatonism, especially the later school of Iamblichus. He describes the Sun in three aspects: an intelligible Sun beyond sight, an intermediate intellectual Sun, and the Sun we see. Myths such as the story of Attis and Cybele are read as allegories of the soul's descent into matter and its return. The commentary treats ancient polytheism as a coherent philosophy rather than superstition, a position that was unusual in its day. Readers should know that the notes read Julian through the later Platonists, which tells us as much about the commentator's own convictions as about the emperor's.

About the Author

Thomas Taylor (1758–1835) was a London-born, largely self-taught scholar who devoted his life to reviving Neoplatonic philosophy in English. He made his living in clerical posts and with the help of patrons. His work was often mocked by contemporaries, but it was read by the Romantic poets and left a lasting mark on English literary culture.

About This Edition

This is a 1793 translation by Thomas Taylor.