!

sha GamIaih

D!V!N! MANTK!: TH! IUS!ON OI !AM!L!CHUS K!L!G!OUS
SCHEMA W!TH C!C!KOS EXEMPLA *
T
he expIiciiIy, reIigious dimension in Ciceros phiIosophicaI inier-
preiaiion ol perpeiuaI gIory, concepiuaIized as asiraI immoriaIiiy
is loundameniaI lor ihe diaIogue beiween !Ider Alricanus and IubIius Cor-
neIius Scipio in The Dream of Scipio.
1
WhiIe lunciioning as invaIuabIe iesiimony
lor ihe expIoraiion ol iwo lorms ol divinaiion, dreams and asiroIogy, ihe worl
incorporaies ihe percepiion ihai ihey lunciion as sources ol iruih providing
lnowIedge ol ihe siruciure ol ihe cosmos and cosmic operaiions discernabIe
lrom ihe movemeni and characier ol ceIesiiaI ob|ecis which are ideniied as ihe
divine. The earIy siages ol ihe conversaiion beiween ling Messinissa and IubIius
CorneIius Scipio are cruciaI in preparing ihe discourse lor iis descripiion ol ihe
dream ol ihe Iaiier. Wiihin ihe shori space ol 10.9 and 10.10 relerence is made
io dreams and asiroIogy esiabIishing iheir coniribuiion io ihe loregoing discus-
sion on asiraI immoriaIiiy.
1. The worship ol heavenIy ob|ecis in ihe Koman easi in Iaie aniiquiiy, espe-
ciaIIy ihe sun, oui ol which originaied ihe concepi ol asiraI immoriaIiiy.
2. IubIius CorneIius Scipios own reeciions, ihai ihe iopic ol ihe conversaiion
prior io laIIing asIeep, !Ider Alricanus, is probabIy ihe reason lor his dream.
3. The excepiionaI vaIour and viriue ol !Ider Alricanus, ihe adopied grand-
laiher ol Scipio and conqueror ol HannibaI who seis ihe exemplum ol one who
had acquired asiraI immoriaIiiy.
Composed in ihe Iaie 3rd ceniury A.D. as an expIicii response io ihe queries
ol divinaiion in Iorphyrys Letter to Anebo, !ambIichus exposiiion, On the Mysteries
wriiien under ihe pseudonym ol ihe !gypiian priesi Abammon is a delense ol
poIyiheisiic lorms ol worship incIuding divinaiion and iheurgy.
2
!i conceniraies
393
* My graiiiude goes io Dr. !eri SeIier (Gheni, !eIgium) lor iniroducing me io ihe wonderluI worId
ol asiraI immoriaIiiy, io Irol. Vaios VaoipouIos (Corlu, Greece) lor encouraging me io compIeie ihis
paper, and io }org Hardy (!erIin), Dr. L. CasiIe (Hawaii) lor iheir consiruciive remarls.
1. Cicero, Dream of Scipio in On the Good life, ir. !.V. Kieu, Ienguin, UK, 1972.
2. !ambIichus, On the Mysteries, ir. !.C. CIarle, }.M. DiIIon, }.I. HershbeII (eds.) (2003). AII
quoiaiions and iransIaiions are lrom ihis ediiion unIess oiherwise siaied.
mosi emphaiicaIIy on whai causes mantike or prophecy, iis characier and principIes
and exisis io daie an invaIuabIe source ol Iaie aniique magic and iheurgy. Despiie
ihe chronoIogicaI Iapse beiween ihe composiiion ol Ciceros Dream of Scipio and
!ambIichus On the Mysteries ihere survives an ideniiabIe iexiuaI consonance bei-
ween ihe iwo worls which can be caiegoricaIIy cIassied as siruciuraI, concepiuaI
and phenomenaI. The locus ol ihe preseni invesiigaiion is !ambIichus descripiion
ol ihe roIe ol divine mantike wiihin his reIigious schema which appareniIy nds a
siriling exemplum in Ciceros Dream of Scipio.
Structural
The siruciuraI aniiy ol !ambIichus On the Mysteries and Ciceros Dream of
Scipio is obvious. !oih worls are primariIy diaIogic conversaiions. As a vehicIe em-
pIoyed io deieci ihe mosi probabIe soIuiion lor issues ihai demand serious ai-
ieniion io ihe Iiierary genre, diaIogue, has aIready received Ciceros aiieniion in ihe
pasi (Tusculan Discussions, 5.11). The diaIogic conversaiion wiihin On the Mysteries
luIIIs ihe lunciion ol reducing ihe IameniabIe gap beiween coniciing opinions
ol Iorphyry and !ambIichus as weII as ihai ol Scipio and !Ider Alricanus in
Dream of Scipio. The expIicii diaIogue beiween Iorphyrys Letter to Anebo and !am-
bIichus On the Mysteries is on ihe phiIosophicaI basis ol pagan lorms ol worship
ol which ihe greaier pari consisis ol divinaiion. On the Mysteries is an expIicii
response io Iorphyrys Letter to Anebo. The Letter to Anebo comprises ol Iorphyrys
scepiicaI and dubious commenis on iheurgy and divinaiion and ii has a re-
puiaiion ol an episiIe which Iaunched a vicious aiiacl on iheurgy, more ihan
IileIy aimed specicaIIy ai !ambIichus and his beIiels.
3
The worl reecis ihe
cusiomary IIaionic and NeopIaionic iradiiion ol diaIogic discourse as weII as
ihe NeopIaionisi genre ol IrobIems and SoIuiions, a meihod ol phiIosophicaI
exegesis common in Iaier IIaionic wriiings.
4
Such perspeciives permii Iorphyry
a greaier degree ol scope and grounds io caII inio quesiion his own doubis aboui
a so caIIed sacred iradiiion ol ihoughi, ihe !gypiian, which !ambIichus had so ener-
geiicaIIy absorbed inio his phiIosophicaI concepiions. (On the Mysteries, 277.9-
394
isn\ u\vi\1n
3. !.C. CIarle (2003), !niroduciion, in !.C. CIarle, }.M. DiIIon and }.I. HersbeII (eds) (2003),
!ambIichus, On the Mysteries, p. xxii. See aIso !.K. Dodds (1951), Greeks and the Irrational,
!erleIey, New Yorl, p. 287.
4. This Iiierary genre was lairIy common in NeopIaionism. Iorphyry himseIl had wriiien Questions
on Homer and A collection of Questions on Rhetoric and Miscellaneous Questions, Damascius, ihe
Iasi head ol ihe Academy, composed a worl, Problems and Solution on First Principles, cl. !.C.
CIarle (2003), !niroduciion in !.C. CIarle, }.M. DiIIon and }.I.HersbeII (eds), !ambIichus, On
the Mysteries.
278.8). The meihodoIogy reecied wiihin ihe diaIogic conversaiion moves !am-
bIichus io respond io Iorphyrys criiique in ierms ol his own assessmeni ol ihe
Greel inieIIeciuaIs who ignore ihe sacred characier ol divinaiion:
Ai ihe preseni iime ! ihinl ihe reason everyihing has laIIen inio a
siaie ol decay boih in our words and prayers is because ihey are
coniinuaIIy being changed by ihe endIess innovaiions and IawIessness
ol ihe Greels. Ior ihe Greels by naiure are loIIowers ol ihe Iaiesi
irends and are eager io be carried o in any direciion possessing no
siabiIiiy in ihemseIves
5
(259.5-14).
Wiih such an assessmeni !ambIichus pIunges inio his delense ol divine man-
tike raising severaI ceniraI quesiions: whai exaciIy was ihe roIe ol divinaiion in
iheurgic riiuaI (100.8-9 and 100.13 101.3), couId ii be |usiied phiIosophicaIIy
(7.11 8.5), whai causes divine inspiraiion io occur (179.4-8) and can ii be cIassied?
(3.3-13). The delense proves io be mosi convincing on ihe grounds ihai ii is pui
across ihrough ihe medium ol quesiion and answer. !y means ol a IiveIy diaIogue
Cicero seels io mainiain ihe vaIue ol ihe Graeco-Koman asiraI iradiiion in ierms
ol poIiiicaI viriue (14, 14 16, 16). The subsiance ol his poIiiicaI docirines are re-
ecied ihrough his viriuaI represeniaiion ol such repuied Komans Iile !Ider
Alricanus and IubIius CorneIius Scipio whose achievemenis can noi onIy be
crysiaIIized in ihe hisiory ol Koman hisiory bui aIso be appIied lor ihe accom-
pIishmeni ol Ciceros main ob|eciive. !i is ihrough ihe medium ol diaIogue ihai
Cicero presupposes his reeciion on a number ol ceniraI issues Iile ihe above.
The dexieriiy, depih and simpIiciiy ol iheir ione reeci iheir reIaiion io ihe iheme
ol ihe embodied discussion, asiraI immoriaIiiy. They can convenieniIy be appIied
lor Ciceros exemplum which appears obvious when a brisl repIy is provided lor
a simpIe quesiion. On one occasion Scipio asls: Whai is ihis sound, so sirong
and so sweei which IIs my ears? To which !Ider Alricanus repIies: Thai is
ihe music ol ihe spheres. (Dream of Scipio, 18, 18).
The ecacy ol a shori response io an equaIIy shori quesiion is more prolound-
Iy leIi ihan a descripiive response. !i does noi simpIy iniensily ihe meaning ol
5. See aIso Damascius, Commentaries on Platos Phaedo, 11.1.172, ed. and ir. Wesierinl (1977): To
some phiIosophy is primary as io Iorphyry and IIoiinus and a greai many oiher phiIosophers,
io oihers hieraiic praciice as io !ambIichus, Syrianus IrocIus and ihe hieraiic schooI generaIIy.
See aIso Cicero, Republic, 1.2, ir. C.K. Keyes (1928), Harvard Universiiy Iress, IauI IreidIander
(1958), Plato: An Introduction, London, Kegan IauI, pp. 155-170).
395
iivixi v\x1xi
ihe Iines bui aIso provides scope lor more serious reeciion which eveniuaIIy
Ieads Scipio io become conscious ol his corporeaI vaniiy and noihingness (14,14,
18,19).
!Ider Alricanus iasl ol enIighiening Scipio, ol whai was hiiherio unlnown,
is rendered in simpIe ierms ihrough ihe meihodoIogicaI device posiuIaied wiih-
in ihe quesiion and answer lorm. His demonsiraiion iurns oui io be more el-
leciive when he proceeds io oer a Iengihy descripiion ol ihe high and Iow noies
ol ihe heavenIy sphere and iheir harmonious reeciion depending on iheir sound
and speed. (18,18 18,19). Such descripiion does in no way conne ihe discussion io
a Iimiied area bui moves ii aIong inieresiing Iines in such a manner as io en-
hance ihe appareni vaIue ol diaIogic discourse.
!ased on ihis predominani meihodoIogy quesiion and answer lorm or an
expIicii response io an inquiry inheriied lrom ihe inieIIeciuaI ArisioieIian cuIiure
!ambIichus discussion ol divinaiion draws aiieniion io ihe ArisioieIian iheories
ol causaiion.
6
SyIIogisiic reasoning ol ihe causaI phenomena accordingIy, depends
on lour ArisioieIian causes ihe maieriaI or whai a ihing is made ol, ihe lormaI
or whai lind ol ihing ii is, ecieni or whai made ii and naI or iis purpose or
goaI. Wiih ihe goaI ol naiuraI phiIosophy being io recognize ihe ley principIes
and characier ol naiuraI subsiances and luriher io undersiand iheir causes !am-
bIichus appIies ihis phiIosophicaI iradiiion ol ihoughi inio his reIigious schema,
a schema ihai invoIves an age oId iradiiion siemming lrom such near easiern
cuIiures as ihe !gypiian and ihe !abyIonian which coniains ihe poieniiaI io
revive ihe souIs divine origin (277.9 278.8). The appIicaiion ol ihe docirines
ol ihis iradiiion inio his reIigious schema ihrough ihe means ol quesiion and
answer lorm provides him ampIe scope io examine iis degrees ol appIicabiIiiy
so ihai he couId move Iorphyry lrom his impoverished concepis io ihose ihai
are more convincing. The process can be viewed as an adveni io ihe expIoraiion
ol ihe iypoIogy ol divinaiion ihrough ihe medium ol ArisioieIian iheories ol
causaiion (100.6-7, 135.1-2). !i Iegiiimizes ihai onIy divine mantike, as uiiIized
wiihin iheurgy and noihing eIse, can lree human Iile lrom ihe bonds ol laie and
desiiny (289.3-5). !nspired divinaiion is ihe IeveI ol vision and insighi ideaIIy
aiiained or reaIized by ihe iheurgisi when perlorming iheurgic riiuaI:
Ior in such a lashion arises ai ihe same iime, boih inlaIIibIe iruih in
oracIes and perleci viriue in souIs. Wiih boih ol ihese asceni io ihe
inieIIigibIe re is granied io ihe iheurgisis a process which indeed
396
isn\ u\vi\1n
6. See Sara Kappe (2000), Reading Neoplatonism, Cambridge Universiiy Iress, pp. 174-176.
musi be proposed as ihe goaI ol aII lorelnowIedge and every iheurgic
operaiion.
7
(179.4-8)
This IeveI ol inspired divinaiion aIIows ihe iheurgisi io con|oin himseIl io ihe
ceIesiiaI reaIm and io see aII ihings wiihin ihe cosmos lrom a divine perspeciive
by pariicipaiing in ihe inieIIeciions ol ihe gods (289.3-5). This perspeciive is
superior in comparison wiih divinaiion which uses human sliII io inierprei divine
prophecy, which appareniIy connes ihe operani io be seriousIy eniangIed in a
web ol deceii, passion, and insinceriiy, since ii is noi uniied lrom ihe ouisei wiih
iis own cause. !nspired divinaiion provides scope lor an iniimaie union beiween
ihe human souI and ihe higher causaI order, and eIiminaies ihe ob|eci-sub|eci re-
Iaiionship inhereni in human lnowIedge (1.9.7).
8
The diaIogic conversaiion beiween Scipio and !Ider Alricanus eveniuaIIy
eIiminaies ihis sub|eci-ob|eci reIaiion and provides scope lor ihe viriuous souIs
lusion wiih ihe siarry eniiiies (25,27). The eIiminaiion is done ihrough ihe
medium ol ihe dream ol Scipio. The dream is iniroduced by Cicero, ihough as
a laniasy and io some exieni a iechnicaI devise, lormuIaiing an imaginary con-
iexiuaI lrameworl lor ihe Dream of Scipio. Dream divinaiion is perlecied, in reIaiion
io ihe !ambIichaean schema since ii graduaIIy approaches a cIimax, wiihin which
ihe lusion ol ihe sub|eci and ihe ob|eci is possibIe.
9
As Iong as ihe souI is in a
lragmenied siaie ii does noi have access io iis own origin (14,14). Cicero pIaces
Scipio in an ideaI siaie ol consciousness and ihai is in an iniermediary siaie
beiween sIeeping and waling. This is a siaie ol consciousness devoid ol any cor-
poreaI bondage, laie, and iime. !n ihis pure siaie Scipio receives mantike in iis mosi
perleci lorm ihrough ihe daemon-Iile gure ol !Ider Alricanus who derives divine
wisdom lrom an originaI source concepiuaIized as ihe supreme God (12,12).
The siruciuraI aniiy beiween Dream of Scipio and On the Mysteries appears
mosi predominani when !ambIichus assumes ihe guise ol a coordinaior de-
lending poIyiheism whiIe ai ihe same iime insiruciing Iorphyry. !n ihis guise
397
iivixi v\x1xi
7. Cl. Grey Shaw (1995), Theurgy and the Soul: the Neoplatomism of Iamblichus, IennsyIvania, pp.
231-32, 236.
8. See aIso how !ambIichus observes ihai men have an innaie cogniiion and ihai ihe human
souI musi con|oin iiseIl io ihe gods on ihe same ierms noi empIoying con|eciure or any lorm ol
syIIogisiic reasoning.
9. Ior ihe signicance ol dreams as a lorm ol divinaiion see I. Aihanassiadi (1993), Dreams,
Theurgy and IreeIance Divinaiion: The Tesiimony ol !ambIichus, JRS 83, pp. 115-130, and
(1992), IhiIosophers and oracIes: Shilis ol auihoriiy in Iaie Iaganism, Byzantium 62, pp. 45-
62, T. !arion (1994), Ancient Astrology, London and New Yorl, KouiIedge, pp. 40-50.
he resembIes !Ider Alricanus. !ambIichus luses iwo iradiiions ol ihoughi ihe
Greel and ihe !gypiian. Cicero is no Iess sympaiheiic wiih easiern sources de-
lending asiraI immoriaIiiy. He noi onIy revives ihese iradiiions in his diaIogic
conversaiion bui aIso appIies ihe exisieniiaI reIigious lnowIedge in ihe Koman
easi lor his purpose ol insiruciing Scipio.
Conceptual
The iniegraiion ol dream divinaiion and asiroIogy, a concepiuaI aniiy beiween
The Dream of Scipio and On the Mysteries ihrows subsianiiaI Iighi on ihe concepi
ol asiraI immoriaIiiy. The dream ol Scipio as a loundaiionaI techne is designed
io advocaie asiraI lnowIedge. !i is meiaphoricaIIy a prophecy dispensed lrom an
eIevaied souI residing in iis righiluI abode, ihe siarry reaIm. !Ievaied on accouni
ol excepiionaI viriue poIiiicaI viriue, a viriue mosi appIicabIe lor ouisianding
mos maiores Iile IauIinus and !Ider Alricanus. Ciceros sympaihy wiih ihe iype
ol siaiesmen who is ideaI lor ihe governance ol ihe commonweaIih reIaies io his
resioraiion ol a KepubIican consiiiuiion (Republic, 1.8, 1.28, 1.39, 3.4-6). As ihe
locus ol invesiigaiion connes io ihe viriue embodied in pairioiism Cicero shilis
io emphasize ihe roIe ol mos maiores in ierms ol prophecy. Discussion wiih and
associaiion ol such mos maiores is denied io ihose Iiving on earih eniombed in cor-
poreaIiiy, excepi ol course in a reveIaiion or a visionary dream. As such Scipios
dream is an embodimeni ol iwo cruciaI concepiions concepiion ol ihe daimon
and asiraI immoriaIiiy which assumes ihe appearance ol a lascinaiing exemplum
reeciing ihe paraIIeI descripiion in On the Mysteries. !i is inieresiing io noie how
Cicero reconciIes ihe iwo concepiions in ierms ol ihe advise ol !Ider Alricanus
which range as loIIows: insignicance ol Scipios domain (10.10, 18,19, 20,21,
22,24), Scipios luiure (10,10, 11.11), ihe Iyihagorean and Orphic concepiion ol
human disorieniaiion (12,12-14, 24,26), ihe characier ol heavenIy Iile (12,12,
16,16), ihe geographicaI dimension ol ihe heavenIy circuii (16.16, 17,17, 18,19),
ihe gIory ol a brave exisience (18,19, 20,21, 22, 24).
The ley imporiance ol ihe dream ol Scipio is ihai ii is being reveaIed by an
ancesior. Ancesiors and iheir heriiage were ceniraI in Koman cuIiure and socieiy.
The common praciice io reler io hisioricaI exempla ol ones lorbearers pIays an
imporiani roIe in Ciceros endeavor io iransmii ihe dream ihrough an ancesior
ol Scipio. The coIossaI gure ol !Ider Alricanus assumes severaI guises: eIevaied
souI, deied eniiiy, guide io Scipio, a daimon inspired by ihe supreme Gods de-
miurgic characier and essence io convey a lraciion ol His wisdom ihus a bridging
ihe iwo wideIy apari reaIms human and divine or mariiaI and immaieriaI. !n
ihis guise he has a prediciion lor Scipio ol his career, luiure ol Kome ihai be-
398
isn\ u\vi\1n
neis lrom ii and lorelnowIedge ol his uniimeIy deaih. (10,10 11,11) This pre-
diciion laIIs inio ihe caiegory ol inspired divinaiion corresponding io Ciceros
cIassicaiion ol divinaiion in De Divinatione: There are iwo linds ol divinaiion:
The rsi depends on ari ihe oiher on naiure.
10
(11 xi. 27, LV!!!)
The cIassicaiion accords wiih !ambIichus disiinciion ol divinaiion human and
inspired.
11
!nspired divinaiion iranscends ihe human inierpreiaiion ol divine symboIs
and signs. Dreams ihai laII under ihe caiegory ol inspired divinaiion coniain divine
mantike. These dreams occur simuIianeousIy during iransiiionaI siaies ol sIeeping and
waling and vice versa when a voice is heard oering guidance and prediciion. An
inieIIigibIe or incorporeaI spirii encircIes ihe sIeeper and ihis spirii is noi percepiibIe
io ihe naled eye bui io a unique lind ol consciousness and awareness (103.7, 104.1-
2). This is ihe ideaI siaie ol consciousness io receive divine prophecy and ihe daimon
is an ideaI medium ihrough which divine prophecy couId be reveaIed.

Deiached lrom
ihe cIaims ol generaiion ihe souI is lree io coniempIaie ihe divine, ihe iruih, ihe uIii-
maie essence ol ihe cosmos. !ambIichus noies ihai ai ihis |unciure ihe inieIIeci
produces an even more perleci divinaiion when ii uniies wiih iis apporiioned Ioi ol
Iile and inieIIeciuaI aciiviiy io ihe universaIs:
!l however ii reler accounis ol ihings happening io iheir causes, ihai
is io ihe gods ii receives lrom ihem a power and lnowIedge embracing
ihings ihai were and wiII be and iales a view ol aII iime and surveys
evenis happening in iime and ii pariicipaies in iheir order care and
appropriaie movemeni. (107.11 108.3)
!ambIichus descripiion is ihai ol ones personaI daimon whose guidance ol
ihe souI is mosi emphaiic in his reIigious schema (273,2-9). !i nds a siriling
paraIIeI in Ciceros exampla ol !Ider Alricanus who dispenses mantike lrom ihe
highesi reaIm ol ihe cosmos. (16.16)
Ciceros exemplum ol poIiiicaI viriue as predominani lor asiraI immoriaIiiy is
a concepiuaI aniiy in leeping wiih !ambIichus reIigious schema wiihin which
is an iIIusiraiion ol asiraI lnowIedge lor ihe souIs subsequeni union wiih divine
sources ol wisdom. WhiIe !ambIichus iraces ihe inueniiaI characier ol theourgia
(2.6 3.3) Cicero mainiains ihai }usiice and devoiion is whai Ieads io heaven
and io ihe company ol ihose who have compIeied iheir Iives in ihe worId
10. De divinatione, 11 xi. 27, ir. W. S. IaIconer (1923), Loeb ed.
11. See aIso IIaio, Phaedrus, 224 D 2-6, ir. H.N. IowIer (1982), Loeb ed., G. Lucl (1985), Arcana
Mundi: Magic and the Occult in Greek and Roman Worlds, !aIiimore, London and MA, pp. 231, 271.
399
iivixi v\x1xi
(14,14 16,16). ObviousIy Cicero provides an exemplum ihai is lar above ihe Ii-
miiaiions ol human imaginaiion. The assumpiion ihai human Iile is vain and
empiy (14,14, 18,19) and ihai human gIory is shori Iived (18,19, 20,21, 22,24)
ihrows Iighi on ihai conviciion ihai aII ihai is reIaied io corporeaIiiy is insignicani
and aII ihai is reIaied io ihe earih and human Iile is ol no vaIue and bears
absoIuieIy no reIaiion io eierniiy (18,19). !ui Cicero draws on ihe Iyihagorean
and Orphic concepiion ol ihe eierniiy and diviniiy ol ihe souI (24,26, 25,27).
AccordingIy, ihe heaven as ihe ideaI abode ol ihe eIevaied souI deserves ihe
aiieniion ol such eIevaied souIs Iile eIder Alricanus (21,23, 22,24, 25,27).
!n poIiiicaI viriue aIone ihere survives access io ihe souIs asceni io
siarry heighis. !n an aiiempi io convince Scipio ii is !Ider Alricans
who address as loIIows: !nsiead Iei Viriue herseIl by her own unaided
aIIuremenis summon you io gIory ihai is genuine and reaI. (22,24)
Ciceros iniiiaI iasl is io resiore ihe supremacy ol poIiiicaI viriue. The personi-
caiion ol viriue enIivens Ciceros delense ol poIiiicaI viriue and iranscends ihe
Iimiiaiions ol viriue as a concepi enshrining ihe possibiIiiy ol asiraI immoriaIiiy.
IerpeiuaI gIory surpasses ihe iype ol gIory io which Scipio is sub|eci io ai preseni.
This is expIained in ierms ol ihe exieni ol ihe earih which is comparaiiveIy
smaIIer ihan ihe domain ol ihe ceIesiiaI region (16,16, 19,19, 20,21 21,23).
!n spiie ol being grounded in such a smaII domain Scipio is assured ihai,
viriues Iile pairioiic Iove and vaIor coniain a Iasiing promise lar superior io
whai he had lnown hiiherio:
!very man who has preserved or heIped his couniry or has made iis
greainess even greaier is reserved a speciaI pIace in heaven where he may
en|oy an eiernaI Iile ol happiness lor aII ihings ihai are done on earih
noihing is more accepiabIe io ihe supreme God who ruIes ihe whoIe
universe ihan ihose gaiherings and assembIages ol men who are bound
iogeiher by Iow, ihe communicaiions which are lnown as Siaies. (12,12)
The KepubIican viriues on which Cicero seems io be engrossed wiih in ihe
Dream of Scipio reecis his assumpiion ihai no lorm ol consiiiuiion Iasis ioo Iong.
His iheoIogicaI views are concepiuaIIy on par wiih !ambIichus reIigious schema.
12
400
isn\ u\vi\1n
12. See }. IoweII and }. Iaiierson (2004), Cicero the Advocate, Oxlord Universiiy Iress, pp. 200-
400. See aIso how Cicero noies ihe decIine ol any lorm ol human consiiiuiion: Republic, 1.68.
A second concepiuaI aniiy beiween !ambIichus and Cicero is lound in iheir
agreemeni on ihe Orphic and Iyihagorean docirine ol ihe souIs diviniiy.
13
!Ider
Alricanus iries io convince Scipio aboui his divine origin on severaI ocassions:
Undersiand you are god and You have a gods capaciiy (24.26).
AsiraI immoriaIiiy is engendered by ihe souIs eveniuaI asceni, noi on accouni
ol riiuaIisiic phenomena, so obvious in ihe reIigious schema ol !ambIichus, bui
on pairioiic exceIIence. Cicero commiis himseIl io cIarily: a souI devoied io
such pursuiis wiII nd ii easiesi ol aII io soar upwards io ihis pIace which is iis
proper habiiaiion and home. (25.27)
According io !ambIichus iheurgic riiuaI creaies a IeveI ol recepiiviiy appro-
priaie io coniempIaie mantike in iis puresi lorm more lundameniaIIy lor ihe
iheurgisi ihan lor ihe common charIaian (On the Mysteries 41.1-9). Divinaiion
encompass ihe eniire circuii ol ihe divine reaIm which reecis ihe divine pro-
cession ihrough which human beings iraveIed wiih ihe gods belore descending
io ihe worId ol generaiion.
14
!i is theourgia and noihing eIse ihai reduces ihe
appareni guIl beiween ihe generaied worId and ihe worId ol ihe inieIIigibIes
(op.cit. 253.2-6, 51.9-10, 51.13-52.3). Keceni schoIarship aiiesis ihe purpose ol
ihe symboIic ari ol asiroIogy in ierms ol !ambIichus NeopIaionic Iegacy io con-
cepiuaIize ihe souIs eveniuaI asceni io ihe siarry reaIm by direciing ihe souI
iowards deicaiion and io male ii luIIy conscious ol iis own souI in ihe cosmos.
15

An|eIa Voss addresses ihe ceniraI issue ol asiroIogy by mainiaining ihai ihrough
using his lree wiII ihe man who observes ihe heavens and eIecis ihe appropriaie
iime io aci is aIready ruIing ihe siars.
16
Quoiing MarsiIio Iicino she siaies ihai
wiih ceIesiiaI viriue (man) ascends ihe heavens and measures ihem wiih super
ceIesiiaI inieIIigence he iranscends ihe heavens.
17
Such reeciions Iegiiimize
!ambIichus iheoIogicaI reguIaiion ol ihe laci ihai man couId eveniuaIIy aIIign
himseIl wiih ihe noeiic eniiiies occupying ihe ceIesiiaI domain provided ihai he
cuIiivaies ihe lind ol viriue and sense ihai surpass ihe maieriaI (On the Mysteries
107.11 198.3). !i iranscends ihe accepied norms ol viriue wiihin human Iimiiaiions.
The consensus beiween !ambIichus and Cicero are ihus cruciaI because boih men,
13. On Cireros civic ideaIs and ihe overaII poIiiicaI environmeni ol ihe iime in which he wroie
see !. Ianiham (2004), The Roman World of Ciceros De Oratione, Oxlord Universiiy Iress. See
Georey CorneIius (2004), Moment of Astrology, !ournemouih, ! ihanl Dr. Garry IhiIIipson
(Keni, UK) lor iniroducing ihis worl io me and enIighiening me in ihis area.
14. This idea is emphaiic in Laws, 1.30.
15. A. Voss (2003), Father, Time and Orpheus, Oxlord, Abzu press, p. 152.
16. op. cii. p. 152.
17. op. cii. p. 142.
401
iivixi v\x1xi
in so lar as ihe iwo worls in quesiion are concerned, inierprei ihe gradaiion ol ce-
IesiiaI presence encompassed wiihin ihe pIaneiary lrameworl as varied manilesia-
iions ol ihe divine. KnowIedge ol asiraI bodies or ihe ari ol asiroIogy is a medium
ihrough which ihe operani couId obiain access io divine wisdom. Voss relers io ihe
Iicinian noiion ol ihe signicance ol Saiurn in reIaiion io ihis endeavor: !n ihe in-
mosi recesses ol ihe IIaionic Academy he wriies phiIosophers wiII come io lnow
iheir Saiurn, coniempIaiing ihe secreis ol ihe heavens.
18

Whai Iicino iries io convince Giovanni CavaIacenii, a lriend io whom he wriies,
is ihai despiie ihe odd and serious characier ol Saiurn ihere remains a hidden
gili, pregnani wiih spiriiuaIiiy, inieIIeciuaI creaiiviiy ol negaiion.
19
!Ider Alricanus
mereIy meniions Saiurn bui siiII his persuasive ione is obviousIy designed io con-
vince Scipio ol ihe superioriiy ol ihe asiraI bodies which coniain ihe promise ol
asiraI immoriaIiiy: !ui can you noi undersiand ihai ihe earih is ioiaIIy insigni-
cani? ConiempIaie ihese heavenIy, regions insiead! Scorn whai is moriaI. (Dream
of Scipio 18,19).
The Iines echo Circes sympaihy lor perpeiuaI gIory which siems lrom noihing
eIse bui pairioiic vaIor. !y discarding moriaI disposiiions Scipio is persuaded io
coniempIaie ihe cosmic order ihe zodiac, ihe consieIIaiions and ihe eniire siarry
circuii ihrough divine mantike dispensed io him in iis puresi lorm.
20
Phenomenal
!n cIose reIaiion io ihe iexiuaI aniiies beiween ihe Dream of Scipio and On the
Mysteries is ihe phenomenon ol music and Iighi. Ciceros iheoIogicaI specuIaiions
in ierms ol pIaneiary movemenis is mosi obvious in his descripiion ol ihe pheno-
mena ol music:
The iniervaIs beiween ihem aIihough diering in Iengih are aII reas-
sured according io a xed scheme ol proporiions and ihis arrangemeni
produces a meIodious bIend emerges a varied harmony. Ior ii cannoi
be ihai ihese vasi movemenis shouId iale pIace in siIence and naiure
402
isn\ u\vi\1n
18. On ihe creaiive power ol Saiurn see A. Voss (2007), Melancholy Humour, Cambridge SchoIars
Iress, pp. 151-165.
19. !n Sri Lanla Saiurn is usuaIIy maIeceni in ierms ol iis desiruciive naiure, !uddhisi riiuaIs
are perlormed io minimize iis eviI inuence.
20. !ambIichus, On the Pythagorean Life, ir. G. CIarl (1989), voI. 8, 15.65.3. See Chaldaean Oracles,
lr. 37, 146, ir. Kuih Ma|ercil (1989), The Chaldaean Oracles: Text, Translation and Commentary,
Leiden, !riII. See aIso S.!. }ohnsion (1990), Hekate Sotera: A Study of Hecates Roles in the Chal-
daean Oracles and Related Literature, pp. 101, 108.
has ordained ihai ihe spheres uiier music ihose ai ihe summii giving
lorih high sounds, where as ihe sounds ol ihose beneaih are Iow and
deep. (Dream of Scipio 18,18)
!ach pIanei has a music proper io ii. KnowIedge ol iheir rhyihm, iune and
conieni is a medium ihrough which !Ider Alricanus dispenses mantike. !n ierms
ol ihe iexiuaI aniiies beiween Dream of Scipio and On the Mysteries ihe pheno-
menon ol music is a predominani lacior coniribuiing io ihe poIyiheisiic concepi-
uaIizaiion ol ihe cosmos. The sound ol music is caused by pIaneiary revoIuiions
(On the Mysteries 118.13 119.3). !ambIichus draws on ihe Iyihagorean and
ChaIdaean descripiion ol music or harmony ol ihe spheres as connecied wiih
ihe creaiion and lunciion ol ihe cosmic souI ideniied wiih Hecaie in ihe Chaldean
Oracles.

The iniangibIe spirii, noi visuaIIy percepiibIe, bui whose presence is leIi
during iransiiionaI siages io sIeep and waling and vice versa males a whooshing
sound when eniering ihe souI ol ihe operani (104.1-2). This sound resembIes
ihe descripiion ol !deas rushing lorih lrom ihe IaiernaI inieIIeci in io ihe comb
ol Hecaie (Chaldaean Oracles, lr. 37). !n his discussion ol ihe operaiion ol musicaI
riiuaIs ol CybeIe and Sabazios !ambIichus asseris ihai sounds and iunes are
consecraied io each pIaneiary god and ihai linship is properIy assigned io ihem
in accordance wiih iheir proper orders, powers and moiion ol ihe universe.
(118.13 119.3).
According io Cicero, being aIeri io ihe pIaneiary sounds, is viiaI lor ihe
pairioiic souIs search lor iis Iosi divine ideniiiy. He resoris io ihe laci ihai,
CIever men, by imiiaiing ihese musicaI eecis wiih iheir siringed in-
sirumenis and voice have given ihemseIves ihe possibiIiiy ol eveniuaIIy
reiurning io ihis pIace who during iheir earihIy Iives have devoied
iheir ouisianding iaIenis io heavenIy aciiviiies. (18,18)
The ma|or reason why humanlind cannoi hear ihe sounds ol ihe pIaneis is
ihe loIIowing: ihe ears ol manlind are IIed wiih ihis music aII ihe iime. !ui
ihey have become compIeieIy deal io iis meIody. (18,18) Cicero expIains ihis
more luIIy in ierms ol an anaIogy. The sound ol ihe NiIe is so Ioud and ihe Iighi
ol ihe sun is so brighi io ihe human eye. This is why ihe mighiy music ol ihe
spheres creaied by ihe immeasurabIy lasi roiaiions ol ihe whoIe universe cannoi
be apprehended by ihe human ears nay more ihan you can Iool ai ihe Iighi ol
ihe sun which is so iniense ii bIois oui your power ol vision aIiogeiher. (18,19)
IIaneiary sounds are inaudibIe io ihe human ear. They can onIy be apprehend-
403
iivixi v\x1xi
ed ihrough proIonged and serious, modes ol coniempIaiion ol divine mantike.
Mantike is boih ihe schema ol !ambIichus and Cicero gures as a medium ihrough
which human disorieniaiion can be reduced. KnowIedge ol cosmic music and
iis varied rhyihms is invaIuabIe lor ihis reduciion (18,18). The exemplum provided
by Cicero io ihe !ambIichean descripiion is aII ihe more cruciaI lor iis aclnow-
Iedgemeni.
Wiih Ciceros locus on ihe absiraci concepiion ol ihe possibiIiiy ol anaIyzing
ihe souI and iis siaies ol coniempIaiion ol ihe divine in ierms ol musicaI or
maihemaiicaI siruciures in 18, 18 his debi io ihe Sioics who derive much ol iheir
musico - maihemaiicaI lnowIedge lrom IIaio is noiiceabIe. His descripiion ol
ihe vaIue ol siudying heavenIy bodies wiih eyes perceiving ihe cosmic order
and becoming an aciive pari ol ii cIoseIy resembIes Timaeus 44 d 45 a, 47 d-e
even ihrough Ciceros accouni in Dream of Scipio does noi give an exiensive
accouni ol ihe roIe ol hearing and music lor ihe eIevaied souI.

This couId mosi
probabIy reIaie io his hasiy wriiings beiween ihe period ol 45 and 44 !.C. !i is
aIso probabIe ihai Cicero did reler io Diogenes ol !abyIon whose depariure
lrom Sioic orihodoxy in his views ol music has a cIaim ihai music can pIay an
eihicaI roIe.

The sirong and sweei sound ol ihe pIaneis resuIiing lrom moiion in 17,17
18,18 ihen, loIIowing ihe Iine ol IIaio and ihe Sioics, are inexiricabIy Iinled wiih
ihe loIIowing assumpiion ol Cicero: pIaneiary paiierns and order disiiII a music
proper. This absiraci concepiion can be apprehended in physicaI ierms caIm,
soIid, soli, reIaxed. They demonsiraie degrees ol iension. KnowIedge ol each de-
gree ol iension reecis siages ol ihe souIs asceni io ihe siarry reaIm.
!ambIichus examines ihe iheurgic vaIue ol ihe souIs inborn desire lor ihis
asceni in ierms ol iis iniiiaI relerence in Phaedrus, 250-252, Symposium, 210-211
and ihe Chaldaen Oracles, lr. 43. His examinaiion is coniexiuaIized wiihin ihe lrame-
worl ol his reIigious schema wiihin which is ideniied ihe power ol ihe music ol
ihe spheres. This ideniicaiion iniensies ihe souIs desire io become lamiIiar-
ized and apprehend ihe specic sound ol each pIanei and naIIy io be parii-
cipaiing in ihe demiurgy ol ihe cosmos. (On the Mysteries 42.4-6). !ambIichus
expIanaiion ol lorms ol mantike, dreams and asiroIogy is reecied in Ciceros
exemplum ol ihe dream ol Scipio.
Lighi is a phenomena reIaied io ihe psychoIogicaI consciousness ol divine
presence ascribed io dreams by boih !ambIichus and Cicero. Cicero relers severaI
iimes io ihe brighi iIIuminaiion ol ihe siarry reaIm in 10,10, 16,16, 17,17.
Scipios dream is seen wiihin a ash ol respIendeni Iighi. Ciceros descripiion ol
ihe excepiionaI brighiness ol ihe siarry reaIm nds a siriling paraIIeI wiih On
404
isn\ u\vi\1n
the Mysteries when !ambIichus uiiIizes ihe ierminoIogy ol divine iIIuminaiion in
ihis discussion ol mantike, appIicabIe io divine dreams and oracIes. He describes
ol ihe Iyihia being iIIuminaied by ihe ray ol divine re |...| whenever she is
lound on ihe seai ol ihe god she is in harmony wiih ihe divine unwavering ora-
cuIar power (On the Mysteries 126.4 127.3). !niended io move Iorphyry lrom
his conlusion regarding ihe vaIue ol divinaiion !ambIichus coniinues io siress
in lavor ol ihe iIIuminaiion descended upon ihe corporeaI reaIm in ihe lorm ol
divine dreams.
|...| when a Iighi shines brighiIy and peaceluIIy noi onIy is ihe sighi
ol ihe eye possessed bui cIosed alier previousIy being quiie open. And
ihe oiher senses are awale and consciousIy aware ol how ihe gods
shine lorih in ihe Iighi and wiih a cIear undersianding ihey boih hear
whai ihey say and lnow whai ihey do. (104.4-10).
The prominence ol Iighi, in reIaiion io propheiic reveIaiion which boih
Cicero and !ambIichus observe has much in common wiih ihe chiel epiphanies
wiihin ihe Chaldaean Oracles who are eiernaIIy ery and briIIiani and whose ab-
sorpiion ol ceIesiiaI Iuminosiiy is predominaniIy in lavor ol ihe !ambIichaean
and Ciceronian percepiion ol eiernaI iIIuminaiion. !.K. Dodds, ihough suspicious
ol NeopIaionic iheurgy is ol ihe opinion ihai ihis briIIiance owes someihing io
ihe re cuIi in primiiive !gypiian Iore.
Direci inuence ol ihe ChaIdaean oracuIar iradiiion on !ambIichus is more
prolound ihan ii is on Cirero lor ihe Iaiier deIves inio a deeper siudy ol iheir
appareni signicance in delending his poIiiicaI purpose. !ambIichus proceeds io
discuss ihai ihe vision ol ihe personaI daimon is encapsuIaied in a briIIiani Iighi.
Drenched in ihis Iuminosiiy ihe personaI daimon chooses io address and insiruci
ihe operani ol his laie and ihe measures ihai mighi be ialen io eiiher minimize
eviI or maximize merii ai a iime when ihe inieIIeci is lree lrom earihIy disposiiion
and ihai is in a siaie ol viewing a dream (On the Mysteries 106.9 107.4).
!ambIichus opines ihai ihe human inieIIeci produces an even more perleci
mantike when ii uniies wiih iis apporiioned Ioi ol Iile (126.1-3). This cIaim de-
monsiraies guraiiveIy ihe concepiuaIizaiion ol anagogic union, which is ihe main
concern ol ihe mantis or iheurgisi. The divine gili ol prophecy emanaied in ihe
lorm ol a dream embodied in a ray ol Iighi reduces ihe appareni guIl beiween him-
seIl and ihe causaI pIane (106.9 107.4).
Kelerences io Iighi in ihe Dream of Scipio are numerous. Cicero noies ihe beauiy
ol ihe siarry region (10,10, 16,16). !ncideniaIIy ii is lrom here in heaven ihai
405
iivixi v\x1xi
ihe ruIers and preservers ol ihose siaies once came and ii is io here ihai ihey
eveniuaIIy reiurn (12,12). ConsiderabIe Iighi is ihrown on ihe Iuminosiiy ol ihe
siarry reaIm ihai ihe Iines are indicaiive ol Ciceros sympaihy wiih Orphic and
Iyihagorean docirines ol ihe asceni ol ihe souI io ihe aeihereaI reaIm. The siars
are Iighied lrom ihe rays ol ihe sun which is aIso ihe Iargesi siar and ihe
prince, Iord and ruIer ol aII ihe oiher worIds, ihe mind and guiding principIe ol
ihe eniire universe, so giganiic in size ihai everyihing, everywhere, is pervaded
and drenched by his Iighi (17,17). !ach pIanei is reIaied io ihe sun in ierms ol
iis superior Iighi. }usi belore his descripiion ol ihe bIazing Sun Cicero noies
ihe briIIiani Iighi ol }upiier and ihen ihe red-siar, Mars. He ihen proceeds
io meniion Venus and Mercury as aiiending ihe sun whiIe ihe Iowesi sphere ol
aII coniains ihe Moon which iales iis Iighi as ii revoIves lrom ihe rays ol ihe
sun (17,17). This descripiion is iesiimony ol ihe Ciceronian conviciion ol ihe
individuaI brighiness and Iuminosiiy ol pIaneis whiIe ai ihe same iime ii |usiies
ihe laci ihai ihe originaI source ol Iighi, ihe sun, siands above aII oiher noeiic
eniiiies or pIaneiary gods where briIIiance and radiance ol Iighi is concerned.
The eeci and quaIiiy ol ihe Iighi disiiIIed lrom ihe sun diers according io
ihe posiiion ol ihe pIaneis. AccordingIy Cicero examines ihai ihose pIaneis on
higher pIains are a speedier in moiion and give oui high iones ol music ihan
ihose in ihe Iower reaIms (18,18). The descripiion ol moiion and sound resembIes
ihai ol Iighi. Varied energies are iransmiiied in ihe lorm ol Iighi or reveIaiions
lrom ihe onioIogicaI reaIm. The asceni ol ihe puried human souI on accouni
ol iis pairioiism in Cicero and ol riiuaIs in !ambIichus depends on ihe IeveIs ol
ascendency ihrough conceniric spheres io ihe summii, ihe Supreme God.

This
ley iheoIogicaI docirine is shared by boih Cicero and !ambIichus on which
depends, io a Iarge exieni, iheir phenomenaI aniiy.
406
isn\ u\vi\1n