Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2008, Page 21
hopes regard foreknowledge as extremely necessary as well as extremely
desirable…. (Alex., 8)
Applying this insight in their quest for wealth, one of their early victims is ―a rich
Macedonian woman.‖ As Lucian rather delicately puts it, she is ―past her prime but still
wanting to be attractive, and they furnished their needs at her expense…‖ (Alex., 6).
Alexander and his accomplice travel with her from Bithynia to Macedonia, where they
purchase a large but tame serpent that they will use in their subsequent frauds (Alex., 7).
With her money in hand and after some debate amongst themselves, the two plotters
initiate a scheme to establish themselves as oracles who can see the future and heal. First,
they secretly bury some tablets at Apollo‘s temple in Chalcedon, and then arrange for their
discovery (Alex., 10).7 On them are statements that the god of healing (Asclepius) and his
father Apollo (a Greek god of medicine, music, flocks, etc.) are about to move to the city of
Abonuteichos (where Alexander had been born). Immediately thereafter, and because of the
message on the tablets, citizens of that city begin building a temple for their soon-to-arrive
gods.
While his accomplice remains in Chalcedon until his death, composing oracles (presumably
about Asclepius and Apollo), Alexander heads to Abonuteichos. He enters the city, now
claiming to be a descendant of the Macedeon king, Perseus (r. 179–168 B.C.), revered for
his (unsuccessful) resistance to the Romans (Alex., 11 McDonald 1949).
Back amongst the public:
Alexander became the centre of attention and admiration, as he pretended to
have periodical fits of madness together with foaming of the mouth. He easily
contrived this by chewing the root of soapwort, the herb used by dyers but
the sight of the foam filled the people with superstitious awe. They had also
long before procured and fitted out a snake‘s head made of linen it had a
slightly human look to it, and was painted to look completely lifelike. Its
mouth opened and closed by means of horse hairs, and the tongue, black and
forked like a snake‘s, would shoot out, also controlled by hairs. (Alex., 12)
Remarkably, a statue depicting such a mask was found at a site on the Black Sea, which
apparently confirms Lucian‘s description (Jones 1986, 137).8
With the mask in readiness, Alexander initiates his grand plot. Going to the temple that is
under construction, he finds an area of standing water and puts in its mud a goose egg that
secretly he has emptied of fluid and replaced with a small reptile. The next day he appears
in the town as a mad visionary, speaking unintelligibly except for the names of Apollo and
Asclepius. After attracting considerable attention, he runs off to the temple and, with great
show ‗discovers‘ the egg that he has secretly buried. Claiming that he is holding Asclepius,
he breaks open the egg to reveal the small reptile. The astonished crowd ―immediately
shouted aloud, welcomed the god, congratulated their city, and proceeded each one to
indulge in a surfeit of prayers, begging him for treasures, wealth, health, and all the other
blessings‖ (Alex., 14).
Now Alexander returns to his home, waiting for the crowds of worshippers to come. ―[H]e
sat himself on a couch in a small chamber, dressed in truly godlike apparel…‖ (Alex., 15).
He also wraps around himself the harmless snake that he has purchased, but which he leads
people to believe is the god who has hatched from the egg. He keeps its head inside his
armpit, and holds the linen snake-head beside his own (giving the impression that it is the
head of the serpent/god that is wrapped around his neck). ―Paintings then followed, and
images and statues, some of bronze and some of silver, and of course a name was given to
the god‖—Glycon (Alex., 18).
hopes regard foreknowledge as extremely necessary as well as extremely
desirable…. (Alex., 8)
Applying this insight in their quest for wealth, one of their early victims is ―a rich
Macedonian woman.‖ As Lucian rather delicately puts it, she is ―past her prime but still
wanting to be attractive, and they furnished their needs at her expense…‖ (Alex., 6).
Alexander and his accomplice travel with her from Bithynia to Macedonia, where they
purchase a large but tame serpent that they will use in their subsequent frauds (Alex., 7).
With her money in hand and after some debate amongst themselves, the two plotters
initiate a scheme to establish themselves as oracles who can see the future and heal. First,
they secretly bury some tablets at Apollo‘s temple in Chalcedon, and then arrange for their
discovery (Alex., 10).7 On them are statements that the god of healing (Asclepius) and his
father Apollo (a Greek god of medicine, music, flocks, etc.) are about to move to the city of
Abonuteichos (where Alexander had been born). Immediately thereafter, and because of the
message on the tablets, citizens of that city begin building a temple for their soon-to-arrive
gods.
While his accomplice remains in Chalcedon until his death, composing oracles (presumably
about Asclepius and Apollo), Alexander heads to Abonuteichos. He enters the city, now
claiming to be a descendant of the Macedeon king, Perseus (r. 179–168 B.C.), revered for
his (unsuccessful) resistance to the Romans (Alex., 11 McDonald 1949).
Back amongst the public:
Alexander became the centre of attention and admiration, as he pretended to
have periodical fits of madness together with foaming of the mouth. He easily
contrived this by chewing the root of soapwort, the herb used by dyers but
the sight of the foam filled the people with superstitious awe. They had also
long before procured and fitted out a snake‘s head made of linen it had a
slightly human look to it, and was painted to look completely lifelike. Its
mouth opened and closed by means of horse hairs, and the tongue, black and
forked like a snake‘s, would shoot out, also controlled by hairs. (Alex., 12)
Remarkably, a statue depicting such a mask was found at a site on the Black Sea, which
apparently confirms Lucian‘s description (Jones 1986, 137).8
With the mask in readiness, Alexander initiates his grand plot. Going to the temple that is
under construction, he finds an area of standing water and puts in its mud a goose egg that
secretly he has emptied of fluid and replaced with a small reptile. The next day he appears
in the town as a mad visionary, speaking unintelligibly except for the names of Apollo and
Asclepius. After attracting considerable attention, he runs off to the temple and, with great
show ‗discovers‘ the egg that he has secretly buried. Claiming that he is holding Asclepius,
he breaks open the egg to reveal the small reptile. The astonished crowd ―immediately
shouted aloud, welcomed the god, congratulated their city, and proceeded each one to
indulge in a surfeit of prayers, begging him for treasures, wealth, health, and all the other
blessings‖ (Alex., 14).
Now Alexander returns to his home, waiting for the crowds of worshippers to come. ―[H]e
sat himself on a couch in a small chamber, dressed in truly godlike apparel…‖ (Alex., 15).
He also wraps around himself the harmless snake that he has purchased, but which he leads
people to believe is the god who has hatched from the egg. He keeps its head inside his
armpit, and holds the linen snake-head beside his own (giving the impression that it is the
head of the serpent/god that is wrapped around his neck). ―Paintings then followed, and
images and statues, some of bronze and some of silver, and of course a name was given to
the god‖—Glycon (Alex., 18).
