The Chaldean Oracles

he Chaldean Oracles. Still the standard collection of the fragments of the Chaldean Oracle, Ruth Majercik’s 1989 publication of her translation and notes.

Long: The Chaldean Oracles hold a unique place in the history of the Platonic tradition – framed in hexameter verses they were promulgated as inspired and theurgic revelations which blended orthodox Platonic philosophy and Greek theology with a distinctly Oriental influences. As such they have been viewed in very different ways by writers of the modern era: to some they are a major source of corruption to the “pure” rationalism of the Platonic inheritance of late Antiquity; but to others they are seen as a well-spring of profound wisdom which gave impetus to the final phase of Platonism in the ancient world (now commonly called neoplatonism). Ruth Majercik’s presentation of the fragmentary remains of the verses with parallel translations and an extensive commentary published in 1989 remains the authoritative study of this fascinating otherworld of theurgic philosophy. Our edition is a facsimile of the original 1989 publication.