http://www.juliansociety.org/
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->"For zeal to do all that is in one's power is, in truth, a proof of piety." - Julian<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->"The first thing we ought to preach is reverence toward the gods. For it is fitting that we should perform our service to the gods as though they were themselves present with us and beheld us, and though not seen by us could direct their gaze, which is more powerful than any light, even as far as our hidden thoughts."
~Julian<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://www.maat.it/livello2-i/giuliano-1-i.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Antiochean philosopher <b>Libanius</b> (?-393) author of discourses and letters that constitute the greater source of information on the oriental part of the Roman empire in the IV century. He was <b>friend of Julian</b>.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Assuming it's the same Libanius here:
(And is he the same as the Libanius who wrote Pro Templis? - Timeframe matches, profession of speaker matches too...)
http://www.juliansociety.org/JuliansLegacy.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->As the Greek rhetorician <b>Libanius described Julian's conversion</b>,
"He met with people who were steeped with the learning of Plato, and he learned of gods and spirits and the real creators and saviors of the whole universe; he gained knowledge of the nature of the soul, its origin and destination, the causes of its glory and elevation, and of its ruin and debasement: he discovered its bondage and its freedom, and the means to avoid the one and attain the other, and he washed a sour story clean with sweet discourse, casting out all that earlier nonsense and in in it's place introducing into his soul the beauty of truth."
This vision of a restored Hellenism and a true love of the gods guided Julian through numerous dangers and challenges. When he became Emperor of Rome he immediately sought to bring to life this vision of spiritual renewal, a restoration of the balance between Hellenism and Romanitas that would bring peace and prosperity both to the state and to it's Citizens. As Plymnia Athanassiadi expressed it in her book, "Julian an Intellectual Biography",
"For him <b>true paideia (learning) means an understanding of the Graeco-Roman cultural tradition</b> in all its aspects and implications; only through this knowledge can man hope to begin to know himself, and thus ultimately be led to union with the divine. <b>Like all truly great human achievements, Graeco-Roman culture is for Julian the product of divine revelation...Thanks to the revelation of Apollo-Helios the Greeks developed an admirable religious, philosophical and artistic tradition which their kinsmen, the Romans, were to perfect by enriching it with the best political constitution the world had known... For Julian, the sanctity of Greek culture was ensured by the fact that Apollo-Helios</b>, the patron of culture and the god of truth, acted as the teacher of humanity and, in special cases, could also bestow his divine grace through instant illumination."
Julian himself had experienced this illumination. He discovered not only that the Classical tradition was a continuous and living spiritual force, but that the gods *are* eternal and even if forgotten by a confused and disgraced populace, are still present and willing to share their blessings with those who recognize and honor them. Julian's vision was one of renewal - he worked to train priests, to rebuild temples, to reinstitute ancient rites. He did not shy away from debate, discussion and teaching, and his two most spiritually profound works, "Hymn to Helios" and "Hymn to the Mother of the Gods" are still unsurpassed as theurgic expositions reflecting the highest spirit of devitional Neoplatonism. In Libanius words,
"He divided his life into care for the state and devotion to the altars, associating with the gods in countless initiations, mourning for our desecrated temples, when mourning was all that he could do, but then, when the opportunity came, taking up arms for them. He restored the ruined temples to their places, and he restored their ritual back to them and all others: he brought back, as it were from exile, sacrifice and libation, and renewed the festivals that had fallen into abeyance. He did away with the danger that was attached to the worship of higher powers, never allowed his intellect to be diverted from his consideration of the gods, dispersed the mist that enveloped so many, and would have done the same for us all, had he not been untimely taken from us."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Now where's history's Rewind button that his murder and all the subsequent/consequent horrors may have been prevented.
Somewhere above:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Pagan Romans listed above were philosophers and/or natural traditionalists and at least some of them like Julian and possibly Aurelius had wives<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Aurelius was married to one Faustina. Resort to google to find the source of the following quoteblock - I don't have it here in my text file. It may be christianism.com
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Many coins issued in the name of Annia Galeria Faustina the wife of Antoninus Pius, and by Marcus Aurelius (A.C. 161â180), and in the name of his wife Annia Faustina<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
EDITED: Added bold emphasis to Plymnia Athanassiadi's statements on Julian and on the obvious Source of Greco-Roman Culture.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->"For zeal to do all that is in one's power is, in truth, a proof of piety." - Julian<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->"The first thing we ought to preach is reverence toward the gods. For it is fitting that we should perform our service to the gods as though they were themselves present with us and beheld us, and though not seen by us could direct their gaze, which is more powerful than any light, even as far as our hidden thoughts."
~Julian<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://www.maat.it/livello2-i/giuliano-1-i.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Antiochean philosopher <b>Libanius</b> (?-393) author of discourses and letters that constitute the greater source of information on the oriental part of the Roman empire in the IV century. He was <b>friend of Julian</b>.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Assuming it's the same Libanius here:
(And is he the same as the Libanius who wrote Pro Templis? - Timeframe matches, profession of speaker matches too...)
http://www.juliansociety.org/JuliansLegacy.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->As the Greek rhetorician <b>Libanius described Julian's conversion</b>,
"He met with people who were steeped with the learning of Plato, and he learned of gods and spirits and the real creators and saviors of the whole universe; he gained knowledge of the nature of the soul, its origin and destination, the causes of its glory and elevation, and of its ruin and debasement: he discovered its bondage and its freedom, and the means to avoid the one and attain the other, and he washed a sour story clean with sweet discourse, casting out all that earlier nonsense and in in it's place introducing into his soul the beauty of truth."
This vision of a restored Hellenism and a true love of the gods guided Julian through numerous dangers and challenges. When he became Emperor of Rome he immediately sought to bring to life this vision of spiritual renewal, a restoration of the balance between Hellenism and Romanitas that would bring peace and prosperity both to the state and to it's Citizens. As Plymnia Athanassiadi expressed it in her book, "Julian an Intellectual Biography",
"For him <b>true paideia (learning) means an understanding of the Graeco-Roman cultural tradition</b> in all its aspects and implications; only through this knowledge can man hope to begin to know himself, and thus ultimately be led to union with the divine. <b>Like all truly great human achievements, Graeco-Roman culture is for Julian the product of divine revelation...Thanks to the revelation of Apollo-Helios the Greeks developed an admirable religious, philosophical and artistic tradition which their kinsmen, the Romans, were to perfect by enriching it with the best political constitution the world had known... For Julian, the sanctity of Greek culture was ensured by the fact that Apollo-Helios</b>, the patron of culture and the god of truth, acted as the teacher of humanity and, in special cases, could also bestow his divine grace through instant illumination."
Julian himself had experienced this illumination. He discovered not only that the Classical tradition was a continuous and living spiritual force, but that the gods *are* eternal and even if forgotten by a confused and disgraced populace, are still present and willing to share their blessings with those who recognize and honor them. Julian's vision was one of renewal - he worked to train priests, to rebuild temples, to reinstitute ancient rites. He did not shy away from debate, discussion and teaching, and his two most spiritually profound works, "Hymn to Helios" and "Hymn to the Mother of the Gods" are still unsurpassed as theurgic expositions reflecting the highest spirit of devitional Neoplatonism. In Libanius words,
"He divided his life into care for the state and devotion to the altars, associating with the gods in countless initiations, mourning for our desecrated temples, when mourning was all that he could do, but then, when the opportunity came, taking up arms for them. He restored the ruined temples to their places, and he restored their ritual back to them and all others: he brought back, as it were from exile, sacrifice and libation, and renewed the festivals that had fallen into abeyance. He did away with the danger that was attached to the worship of higher powers, never allowed his intellect to be diverted from his consideration of the gods, dispersed the mist that enveloped so many, and would have done the same for us all, had he not been untimely taken from us."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Now where's history's Rewind button that his murder and all the subsequent/consequent horrors may have been prevented.
Somewhere above:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Pagan Romans listed above were philosophers and/or natural traditionalists and at least some of them like Julian and possibly Aurelius had wives<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Aurelius was married to one Faustina. Resort to google to find the source of the following quoteblock - I don't have it here in my text file. It may be christianism.com
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Many coins issued in the name of Annia Galeria Faustina the wife of Antoninus Pius, and by Marcus Aurelius (A.C. 161â180), and in the name of his wife Annia Faustina<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
EDITED: Added bold emphasis to Plymnia Athanassiadi's statements on Julian and on the obvious Source of Greco-Roman Culture.