THE RELIGION OF PLUTARCH THE RELIGION OF PLUTARCH _A PAGAN CREED OF APOSTOLIC TIMES_ AN ESSAY BY JOHN OAKESMITH, D.LITT., M.A. Διὸ καὶ φιλόμυθος ὁ φιλόσοφός τώς ἐστιν. ARIST., _Meta._, i. 2. LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON NEW YORK AND BOMBAY 1902 _All rights reserved_ INTRODUCTORY NOTE The following pages are practically a reprint of a volume which was issued for private circulation some twelve months ago, under the title “The Religion of Plutarch as expounded in his ‘Ethics.’” The main difference between the present volume and its predecessor consists in the translation or removal of various quotations from Greek and Latin sources which were given in full in the first edition of the book. The references to these sources have, of course, been retained. Verbal corrections have been made here and there, and a few pages of new matter have been introduced into the “Preface.” In other respects the two impressions are substantially the same. I cannot allow this opportunity to pass without expressing my gratitude to J. E. Sandys, Esq., Litt.D., Public Orator in the University of Cambridge, and Examiner in Greek at the University of London, who kindly placed at my disposal his own copy of the original essay, in which he had made numerous suggestions on points of style, and on questions of scholarship in general. These suggestions have, for the most part, been adopted in the preparation of the present edition. My thanks are also owing to my colleagues in the Civil Service, especially to those in the General Post Office, London, to whose encouragement it is largely due that this essay, in its present form, is able to see the light. As the _Athenæum_, in reviewing the original edition (_Athenæum_, 2nd of August, 1902), suggested that “the present essay is probably the forerunner of a larger and more elaborate book,” it may be desirable to explain that the following pages do not constitute “the larger and more elaborate book” which the _Athenæum_ is right in forecasting. JOHN OAKESMITH. PREFACE