Plutarch De E apud Delphos 21

[21] Those who hold that Apollo and the sun are the same, ¹ it is right and proper that Ave welcome and love for their goodness of heart in placing their concept of the god in that thing which they honour most of all the things that they know and yearn for. But, as though they were now having a sleepy vision of the god amid the loveliest of dreams, let us wake them and urge them to proceed to loftier heights and to contemplate the waking vision of him, and what he truly is, but to pay honour also to this imagery of him in the sun and to revere the creative power associated with it, in so far as it is possible by what is perceived through the senses to gain an image of what is conceived in the mind, and by that which is ever in motion an image of that which moves not, an image that in some way or other transmits some gleams reflecting and mirroring his kindliness and blessedness. And as for his vagaries and transformations when he sends forth fire that sweeps his own self along with it, as they say, ² and again when he forces it down here and directs it upon the earth and sea and winds and living creatures, and, besides, the terrible things done both to living creatures and to growing vegetation — to such tales it is irreverent even to listen; else will the god be more futile than the Poet’s fancied child ³ playing a game amid the sand that is heaped together and then scattered again by him, if the god indulges in this game with the universe constantly, fashioning the world that does not exist, and destroying it again when it has been created. For, on the contrary, so far as he is in some way present in the world, by this his presence does he bind together its substance and prevail over its corporeal weakness, which tends toward dissolution. And it seems to me right to address to the god the words Thou art, which are most opposed to this account, and testify against it, believing that never does any vagary or transformation take place near him, but that such acts and experiences are related to some other god, or rather to some demigod, whose office is concerned with Nature in dissolution and generation; and this is clear at once from the names which are, as it were, correspondingly antithetic. For the one is spoken of as Apollo ( not many), the other as Pluto ( abounding); the one Delian ( clear), the other Aïdoneus ( unseen); the one Phoebus ( bright), the other Scotios ( dark) ⁴ ; with the one are associated the Muses and Memory, with the other Oblivion and Silence; the one is Theorian ( observing) and Phanaean ( disclosing), and the other

Lord of the darkling Night and idling Sleep ⁵ ;

and he is also

Of all the gods most hateful to mortals. ⁶

Whereas concerning the other Pindar ⁷ has said not unpleasingly

And towards mortal men he hath been judged the most gentle.

It was fitting therefore for Euripides ⁸ to say,

Drink-offerings for the dead who are gone

And the strains that the god of the golden hair,

Apollo, will never accept as his own.

And even before him Stesichorus, ⁹

The harp and sport and song

Most doth Apollo love;

Sorrows and groans are Hades’ share.

And it is evident that Sophocles ¹⁰ assigns each of the instruments to each god in these words:

No harp, no lyre is welcome for laments.

As a matter of fact it was only after a long lapse of time and only recently that the flute ventured to utter a sound over things of delight, but during all the early time it used to be fetched in for times of mourning, and it had the task of rendering service on these occasions, not a very honourable or cheerful one. Later it carne to be generally associated with everything. Especially did those who confounded the attributes of the gods with the attributes of demigods get themselves into confusion.

But this much may be said: it appears that as a sort of antithesis to Thou art stands the admonition Know thyself, and then again it seems, in a manner, to be in accord therewith, for the one is an utterance addressed in awe and reverence to the god as existent through all eternity, the other is a reminder to mortal man of his own nature and the weaknesses that beset him.

[21] Now, as for those who think Apollo and the Sun to be the same, they are to be caressed and loved for their ingenuity, as placing the notion of God in that which they most reverence, of all things that they know and desire. And now, as if they were dreaming of God the most glorious dream, let us stir up and exhort them to ascend higher, and to contemplate his reality and his essence; but to honor also this his image (the Sun), and to venerate that generative faculty he has placed in it, since it exhibits in some sort by its brightness—as far as it is possible for a sensible thing to represent an intellectual, and a movable thing that which is permanent—certain manifestations and resemblances of his benignity and blessedness. But as for those his sallyings out and changes, when he casts forth fire, and when he again draws himself in, afterwards extending himself into the earth, sea, winds, animals, and strange accidents both of animals and plants, they cannot so much as be hearkened to without impiety; or else God will be worse than the child in the poet,—who made himself sport with a heap of sand, first raised and then again scattered abroad by himself,—if he shall do the same in respect of the universe, first framing the world when it was not, and then destroying it when made. On the contrary, whatsoever of him is in any sort infused into the world, that binds together its substance, and restrains the corporeal weakness which tends to corruption. And it seems to me that this word is chiefly opposed to that doctrine, and that Εἶ, Thou art, is spoken to this God, as testifying that there is never in him any going forth or change. But to do and suffer this agrees to one of the other Gods, or rather Daemons, ordained to take care about Nature in generation and corruption; as is immediately manifest from their names, being wholly contrary and of different significations. For the one is called Apollo (or not many), the other Pluto (or many); the one Delius (from clearness), the other Aidoneus (from obscurity); the one Phoebus (or shining), the other Scotius (or dark); with the one are the Muses and Mnemosyne (or song and memory) with the other Lethe and Siope (or forgetfulness and silence). The one is (from contemplating and showing) named Theorius and Phanaeus; the other is Of Apollo also Pindar not unpleasantly sung, that he And therefore Euripides rightly also said: And before him Stesichorus: Sophocles also evidently attributes to either of them his proper instruments, in these words: For it is but very lately, and in a manner of yesterday, that the pipe has dared to introduce itself into delightful matters; having in former times drawn men to mourning, and possessing about these things no very honorable or splendid employment. But afterwards all was brought into confusion, which was due especially to those who confounded the affairs of the Gods with those of the Genii.

But the sentence, Know thyself, seems in one respect to contradict this word EI, and in another to agree with it. For the one is pronounced with admiration and veneration to God, as being eternal; and the other is a remembrance to mortal men of their nature and infirmity.