Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2008, Page 20
support, however, the possibility always exists that Lucian spins some of his information
through his favorite literary motifs (see Anderson 1976, 16–19 Jones 1986, 146).
In any case, Alexander is born sometime ―between about 105 and 115 in Abonuteichos, a
small port-city on the coast of the Black Sea…‖ (Jones 1986, 134). In his prime, this cult
leader:
...was tall and good-looking, really god-like, with a fair complexion, a beard
which was not very thick, hair partly natural and partly false, but so well
matched that most people couldn‘t tell the difference. His eyes flashed like
one possessed, while his voice was very clear and pleasant.... [I]n
intelligence, sagacity, and shrewdness he was far ahead of everyone and as
for an enquiring mind, a readiness to learn, memory, and a natural capacity
for knowledge—every single one of these qualities he had in excess for every
occasion. But he used them for the worst purposes, and, equipped with noble
instruments, he lost no time in becoming the most accomplished of those who
have been notorious for wickedness. (Alex., 3–4)
His immodesty is sufficiently great that he ―claimed to resemble Pythagoras‖ (Alex., 4)—a
comparison that Lucian scorns.5
While not considering Alexander to be anywhere near the man that Pythagoras was, Lucian
nevertheless realizes that Alexander has skills—all of which he uses for evil purposes:
I ask you to imagine and carefully picture the most complex psychological
temperament, consisting of lying, perjury, and malice, a temperament which
is unscrupulous, daring, reckless, energetic in forwarding its own schemes,
persuasive, plausible, making a pretense of virtue, and with an appearance
totally opposite to its real purpose. Indeed, no one who met him for the first
time failed to go away with the impression that he was the worthiest and
most honest of men, and the most artless and unaffected as well. In addition
to all this he had the character of a high achiever and of one who designed
nothing petty, but always had his mind set on the highest things. (Alex., 4)
As we shall see, all of the ―highest things‖ onto which he fixes his mind actually are (as
Lucian portrays them) very evil, exploitative, and self-serving.
In his youth, Alexander is (according to Lucian) a male prostitute, who ―sold his favors
freely and went with anyone who would pay for his company‖ (Alex., 5).6 Among his lovers,
Alexander has a man whom Lucian described as:
...a quack, the type who offer magic spells and marvellous incantations,
charms for love affairs, afflictions for your enemies, discoveries of buried
treasure, and inheritances to estates. This man saw that he was a talented
lad and very well suited to assist him in his dealings, and was just as
enamoured of his own villainy as he himself was of the boy‘s beauty. So he
trained him well, and made continual use of him as his assistant, servant, and
attendant. (Alex., 5)
After his teacher dies, Alexander joins forces with ―a much more disgusting character‖ than
even his mentor had been (Alex., 6). Working with this accomplice, the two ―travelled
around, practising witchcraft and quakery, and fleecing the thick-headed, as charlatans
usually refer to the public‖ (Alex., 6). As Lucian observes:
...they easily perceived that human life is at the mercy of the two great
tyrannies of hope and fear, and that anyone who could exploit both of them
would very quickly get rich. For they saw that both he who fears and he who
support, however, the possibility always exists that Lucian spins some of his information
through his favorite literary motifs (see Anderson 1976, 16–19 Jones 1986, 146).
In any case, Alexander is born sometime ―between about 105 and 115 in Abonuteichos, a
small port-city on the coast of the Black Sea…‖ (Jones 1986, 134). In his prime, this cult
leader:
...was tall and good-looking, really god-like, with a fair complexion, a beard
which was not very thick, hair partly natural and partly false, but so well
matched that most people couldn‘t tell the difference. His eyes flashed like
one possessed, while his voice was very clear and pleasant.... [I]n
intelligence, sagacity, and shrewdness he was far ahead of everyone and as
for an enquiring mind, a readiness to learn, memory, and a natural capacity
for knowledge—every single one of these qualities he had in excess for every
occasion. But he used them for the worst purposes, and, equipped with noble
instruments, he lost no time in becoming the most accomplished of those who
have been notorious for wickedness. (Alex., 3–4)
His immodesty is sufficiently great that he ―claimed to resemble Pythagoras‖ (Alex., 4)—a
comparison that Lucian scorns.5
While not considering Alexander to be anywhere near the man that Pythagoras was, Lucian
nevertheless realizes that Alexander has skills—all of which he uses for evil purposes:
I ask you to imagine and carefully picture the most complex psychological
temperament, consisting of lying, perjury, and malice, a temperament which
is unscrupulous, daring, reckless, energetic in forwarding its own schemes,
persuasive, plausible, making a pretense of virtue, and with an appearance
totally opposite to its real purpose. Indeed, no one who met him for the first
time failed to go away with the impression that he was the worthiest and
most honest of men, and the most artless and unaffected as well. In addition
to all this he had the character of a high achiever and of one who designed
nothing petty, but always had his mind set on the highest things. (Alex., 4)
As we shall see, all of the ―highest things‖ onto which he fixes his mind actually are (as
Lucian portrays them) very evil, exploitative, and self-serving.
In his youth, Alexander is (according to Lucian) a male prostitute, who ―sold his favors
freely and went with anyone who would pay for his company‖ (Alex., 5).6 Among his lovers,
Alexander has a man whom Lucian described as:
...a quack, the type who offer magic spells and marvellous incantations,
charms for love affairs, afflictions for your enemies, discoveries of buried
treasure, and inheritances to estates. This man saw that he was a talented
lad and very well suited to assist him in his dealings, and was just as
enamoured of his own villainy as he himself was of the boy‘s beauty. So he
trained him well, and made continual use of him as his assistant, servant, and
attendant. (Alex., 5)
After his teacher dies, Alexander joins forces with ―a much more disgusting character‖ than
even his mentor had been (Alex., 6). Working with this accomplice, the two ―travelled
around, practising witchcraft and quakery, and fleecing the thick-headed, as charlatans
usually refer to the public‖ (Alex., 6). As Lucian observes:
...they easily perceived that human life is at the mercy of the two great
tyrannies of hope and fear, and that anyone who could exploit both of them
would very quickly get rich. For they saw that both he who fears and he who
