Private life, Education, Personal qualities, Philosophy, Religion, Travel, Role model, his Legend lives on...

This compendium or 'Curriculum Vitae' of Apollonius will be added to over time as references from various authors, commentators and translators are sourced.  Please refer to this article from time to time to see updates. Thank you.

Roman Empire provinces of the eastern Mediterranean - 1st century CE

Source

APOLLONIUS 

Private life

Apollonius was born at Tyana, a city in the south of Cappadocia, somewhere in the early years of the Christian era. His parents were of ancient family and considerable fortune. (1.4)  Mead

At the age of twenty his father died (his mother having died some years before) leaving a considerable fortune, which Apollonius was to share with his elder brother, a wild and dissolute youth of twenty-three. Being still a minor, Apollonius continued to reside at Ægae [a town on the sea coast east of Tarsus where he attended 'philosophy school' - BL].  Mead

[At age 21 after the death of both his parents]:  He seems to have devoted his time to setting in order the affairs of the family, for he distributed the rest of his patrimony among certain of his relatives, [he had already given his brother half of his share - BL] and kept for himself but a bare pittance.  Mead

After the five years of silence [around age 28], we find Apollonius at Antioch.  Mead  [which is on the border of Syria and Turkey - BL]

"Philostratus said Apollonius spent some time among the "Arabians" [after he had finished at 'philosophy school' in Ægae - BL] and had been instructed by them (1.20, 4.38). And by Arabia we are to understand the country south of Palestine, which was at this period a regular hot-bed of mystic communities. The spots he visited were in out-of-the-way places, where the spirit of holiness lingered, and not the crowded and disturbed cities, for the subject of his conversation, he said, required “men and not people.” [??] He spent his time in travelling from one to another of these temples, shrines, and communities; from which we may conclude that there was some kind of common freemasonry [like the German Journeyman of today] as it were, among them, of the nature of initiation, which opened the door of hospitality to him."  Mead

“After these things,” says Philostratus [possibly referring to his time spent in 'Arabia' (Palestine-Judea) - BL], Apollonius determined to visit the Brachmanes and Sarmanes. [That is the Brâhmans and Buddhists].  Mead

What induced our philosopher to make so long and dangerous a journey [to India] nowhere appears from Philostratus, who simply says that Apollonius thought it a good thing for a young man to travel. It is abundantly evident, however, that Apollonius never traveled merely for the sake of travelling. What he does he does with a distinct purpose. And his guides on this occasion (as he assures his disciples who tried to dissuade him from his endeavour and refused to accompany him), were wisdom and his inner monitor (dæmon). [sic]  Mead

“Since ye are faint-hearted,” says the solitary pilgrim, “I bid you farewell. As for myself I must go whithersoever wisdom and my inner self may lead me. The Gods are my advisers and I can rely on their counsels.” (1.18)

Personal qualities

At an early age he gave signs of a very powerful memory and studious disposition, and was remarkable for his beauty.  Mead

[From the age of 14 it was noted]:  His extraordinary “memory,” which infused life into the dull utterances of his tutor [Euxenus], urged him on...  Nevertheless he retained his affection for the man who had told him of the way, and rewarded him handsomely (1.7). Mead

[At age 21 after the division of his familial inheritance]:  He required but little, he said, and should never marry (1.13). Mead

Education

At the age of fourteen he was sent to Tarsus, a famous centre of learning of the time, to complete his studies. But mere rhetoric and style and the life of the “schools” were little suited to his serious disposition, and he speedily left for Ægæ, a town on the sea coast east of Tarsus. Here he found surroundings more suitable to his needs, and plunged with ardor into the study of philosophy.  Mead

When [his primary studies had been completed] Euxenus asked him how he would begin his new mode of life. He replied: “As doctors purge their patients.”  [A reference to a vegetarian diet - BL].  Mead

Philosophy

[From the age of 14] Apollonius enjoyed the society and instruction of pupils and teachers of the Platonic, Stoic, Peripatetic, and Epicurean schools of philosophy; but though he studied all these systems of thought with attention, it was the lessons of the Pythagorean school upon which he seized with an extraordinary depth of comprehension, [??] and that, too, although his teacher, Euxenus, was but a parrot of the doctrines and not a practiser of the discipline. But such parroting was not enough for the eager spirit of Apollonius.  Mead

At the age of sixteen “he soared into the Pythagorean life, winged by some greater one.” [Sci., than his tutor; namely, the “memory” within him, or his “dæmon.”] [sic. BL] Mead

[From the age of around 22 years]:  He took the vow of silence for five years, for he was determined not to write on philosophy until he had passed through this wholesome discipline. These five years were passed mostly in Pamphylia and Cilicia, and though he spent much time in study, he did not immure himself in a community or monastery but kept moving about and travelling from city to city. The temptations to break his self-imposed vow were enormous. His strange appearance drew everyone's attention, the laughter-loving populace made the silent philosopher the butt of their unscrupulous wit, and all the protection he had against their scurrility and misconceptions was the dignity of his mien and the glance of eyes that now could see both past and future. Many a time he was on the verge of bursting out against some exceptional insult or lying gossip, but ever He restrained himself with the words: “Heart, patient be, and thou, my tongue, be still.” [In colloquial language: "Have patience and keep your mouth shut." - BL]  [Compare Odyssey, 10.18] (1.14)  Mead

Religious practices

[From the age of 14]:  Apollonius became intimate with the priests of the temple of Æsculapius, when cures were still wrought.  Mead

He refused to touch anything that had animal life in it, on the ground that it densified the mind and rendered it impure. He considered that the only pure form of food was what the earth produced, fruits and vegetables.  Mead

He also abstained from wine, for though it was made from fruit, “it rendered turbid the æther [This æther was presumably the mind-stuff.] in the soul” and “destroyed the composure of the mind.”  Mead

He went barefoot, let his hair grow long, and wore nothing but linen.  Mead

[From aound age 18]:  He lived in the temple, to the admiration of the priests and with the express approval of Æsculapius, [That is to say presumably he was encouraged in his efforts by those unseen helpers of the temple by whom the cures were wrought by means of dreams, and help was given psychically and mesmerically] and he rapidly became so famous for his asceticism and pious life, that a saying [“Where are you hurrying? Are you off to see the youth?”] of the Cilicians about him became a proverb (1.8). Mead

[From the age of 20]:  The temple of Æsculapius had now become a busy centre of study, and echoed from one end to the other with the sound of lofty philosophical discourses. Mead 

Wherever he went, he always held to a certain regular division of the day -

The morning was devoted by Apollonius to the divine science:

• At sun-rise he practised certain religious exercises alone, the nature of which he communicated only to those who had passed through the discipline of "four years" (five ?) silence. 
• He said, one should on day’s dawning enter the presence of the Gods, [That is to say, presumably, spend the time in silent meditation].  Mead

• He said: "Spend the time till midday in giving and receiving instruction in holy things."  Mead
• He then conversed with the temple priests or the heads of the community, [depending on whether] he was staying in a Greek or non-Greek temple with public rites, or in a community with a discipline peculiar to itself, apart from the public cult. [??]  Mead 

Blogger comment: "cult" likely meaning 'community culture' - being meetings, ceremonies, workshops, (kirtan, yoga), etc. as you might find in modern ashrams in India today. - BL

Apollonius said: "Not till after noon devote themselves to human affairs."  The afternoon was devoted to instruction in ethics and practical life.

• He [did not] neglect the people; it was his invariable custom to teach them, but always after midday; for those who lived the inner life.  Mead

Care for the body in the evening.

• After the day’s work he bathed in cold water, as did so many of the mystics of the time in those lands, notably the Essenes and Therapeuts. (1.16)  Mead

Plato and Aristotle by Raphael. 
Detail showing many pairs of bare feet.

Role model

On coming of age [at 21 ?] he returned to Tyana to endeavour to rescue his brother from his vicious life. His brother had apparently exhausted his legal share of the property, and Apollonius at once made over half of his own portion to him, and by his gentle admonitions restored him to manhood. Mead  [Both of their parents had died by then - BL].

The most important part of his work was with those who were following the inner life, and who already looked upon Apollonius as a teacher of the hidden way. To these his comrades (eta?????) and pupils (??), he devoted much attention, being ever ready to answer their questions and give advice and instruction. Not however that he neglected the people...  Mead  [who he taught after midday - BL].

Setting wrongs to right

[During his five year vow of silence ages c.23-28 years]: Yet even this stern repression of the common mode of speech did not prevent his good doing.  Even at this early age he had begun to correct abuses. With eyes and hands and motions of the head, he made his meaning understood, and on one occasion, at Aspendus in Pamphylia, prevented a serious corn riot by silencing the crowd with his commanding gestures and then writing what he had to say on his tablet (i 15).  Mead

He endeavoured to bring back the public cults [community culture] to the purity of their ancient traditions, and to suggest improvements in the practices of the private brotherhoods.  Mead

Legendary tales

Legends of the wonderful happenings at his birth were in circulation, and are of the same nature as all such birth-legends of great people. Mead

Source material:

Apollonius of Tyana -- by G.R.S. Mead. Section 7. Early life.