Source edition
Aristides. Vol. 1. Dindorf, Wilhelm, editor. Leipzig: Reimer, 1829.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is an oration dedicated to offering deep gratitude and praise to Asclepius, the god of medicine. The author begins by discussing the importance of praising the deity through words (logos), highlighting the blessings of health and medicine that the god has bestowed upon both humanity as a whole and individuals. He then details his personal miraculous experiences of how the god saved his body and maintained his health. Furthermore, he recounts the unusual treatments prescribed by the god and the divine support he received for his rhetorical endeavors, expressing gratitude that his successful speeches before emperors were made possible by the god acting as his guide and companion. Ultimately, by intertwining physical healing with divine guidance in speech, the work presents a profound testament of faith and lifelong devotion to the god.