aesares, p. 333.) The Stoics and Platonists
hesitated between the analogy of bodies and the purity of spirits; yet
the gravest philosophers inclined to the whimsical fancy of Aristophanes
and Lucian, that an unbelieving age might starve the immortal gods. See
Observations de Spanheim, p. 284, 444, &c.]

[Footnote 21: Julian. Epist. li. In another place, (apud Cyril. l. ii.
p. 69,) he calls the Sun God, and the throne of God. Julian believed
the Platonician Trinity; and only blames the Christians for preferring a
mortal to an immortal Logos.]

In every age, the absence of genuine inspiration is supplied by the
strong illusions of enthusiasm, and the mimic arts of imposture. If,
in the time of Julian, these arts had been practised only by the pagan
priests, for the support of an expiring cause, some indulgence might
perhaps be allowed to the interest and habits of the sacerdotal
character. But it may appear a subject of surprise and scandal, that
the philosophers themselves should have contributed to abuse the
superstitious credulity of mankind, [22] and that the Grecian mysteries
should have been supported by the magic or theurgy of the modern
Platonists. They arrogantly pretended to control the order of nature, to
explore the secrets of futurity, to command the service of the inferior
daemons, to enjoy the view and conversation of the superior gods, and by
disengaging the soul from her material bands, to reunite that immortal
particle with the Infinite and Divine Spirit.

[Footnote 22: The sophists of Eunapias perform as many miracles as the
saints of the desert; and the only circumstance in their favor is, that
they are of a less gloomy complexion. Instead of devils with horns and
tails, Iamblichus evoked the genii of love, Eros and Anteros, from two
adjacent fountains. Two beautiful boys issued from the water, fondly
embraced him as their father, and retired at his command, p. 26, 27.]

The devout and fearless curiosity of Julian tempted the philosophers
with the hopes of an easy conquest; which, from the situation of their
young proselyte, might be productive of the most important consequences.
[23] Julian imbibed the first rudiments of the Platonic doctrines from
the mouth of Aedesius, who had fixed at Pergamus his wandering and
persecuted school. But as the declining strength of that venerable sage
was unequal to the ardor, the diligence, the rapid conception of his
pupil, two of his most learned disciples, Chry