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 prose work is a detailed autobiographical account by the second-century orator Aelius Aristides, chronicling the divine oracles and dreams he received from the healing god Asklepios, and the miraculous recoveries that followed his obedience. The author confesses his severe gastrointestinal ailments and various physical sufferings, meticulously documenting his faithful adherence to the god's demanding medical instructions, which included fasting, bloodletting, and long periods of refraining from bathing. Set in various sacred sites such as Pergamon, the divine will revealed in his dreams extends beyond physical healing to encompass his social and literary endeavors, including audience with the Roman emperors and his oratorical practices. In the latter part, Aristides recounts the miraculous healing of a massive tumor on his thigh contrary to medical advice, as well as the fates of his close companions. The narrative culminates in his profound realization that his very life and rhetorical calling are sustained by continuous divine grace, presenting a vivid record of a man navigating illness through unyielding faith and devotion to learning.