(Vit. Soph. vol. i. p. 73, ed. Boissonade), illustrates both the poverty and
the zeal of these youths. They had between them but one change of raiment (ibid. p. 71,&c.). On
the death of Julian (according to Clinton, Fast. Rom. p. 401, in ibid. p. 69), it was determined no longer to confine the chair of rhetoric to one, but
to extend this honour to many. (Eunap. ibid. p. 79.) Epiphanius,
Diophantus, Sopolis, Parnasius, and Hephaestion were chosen from among a crowd of competitors;
but Hephaestion left Athens, dreading competition with Proaeresius. The students, generally,
betook themselves to their professors, according to their nations; and there attached
themselves to Proaeresius the students coming from the district south from Pontus inclusive,
as far as Egypt and Lybia. His great success excited the jealousy of the others, who combined
against him. Through the intervention of a corrupt proconsul, he was driven from Athens. A new
proconsul not only restored him, but, after a public trial, bestowed on him public marks of
approbation, and placed him at once at the head of all the teachers of rhetoric in Athens. The
fresh attempts of his enemies to supplant him by splendid entertainments, at which they
endeavoured to win over men of power, were rendered nugatory by the arrival in Athens of
Anatolius, the praefect of Illyrium. It is probable that the favour with which that
accomplished man regarded Proaeresius, attracted to the latter the attention of the emperor
Constans, who sent for him to Gaul, about A. D. 342. Constans detained him for more than one
year (if we may found upon the expression ibid. p. 89), and then sent him to Rome. Here he was highly
esteemed, and having written or delivered a eulogy on the city, was honoured in return with a
life-size statue of bronze, bearing this inscription, "The Queen of Cities to
the Prince of Eloquence." On his departure from Rome, he obtained for Athens a tributary
supply of provisions from several islands -- a grant which was confirmed by the eparch of
Athens at the solicitation of Anatolius--and he himself was honoured with the title of
in Chronic.. An. 2378), that
Proaeresius was expressly exempted from its operation, but that he refused any immunity not
enjoyed by his brethren. To this partial suspension of his rhetorical functions, Eunapius also
alludes, but, distracted by his love of the man, and his hatred of his religion, says
doubtingly, "he seemed to be a Christian" (ibid. p. 92). Eunapius says
that it was about this very time he himself arrived at Athens, and found in Proaeresius all
the kindness of a father. It is probable, then, that this was in the year 363, when Julian was
in the East, and we may suppose the edict less rigidly enforced. Proaeresius was then in his
87th year. Eunapius remained at Athens for five years, and states that his friend and teacher
died not many days after his departure. Proaeresius had married Amphicleia of Tralles, and by
her he had several daughters, all of whom died in the bloom of youth, and on whom Milesius
wrote him consolatory verses. His rival Diophantus pronounced his funeral oration (Eunap. ibid. p. 94), and his epitaph, written by his pupil Gregory Nazianzen, is
given by Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. vol. vi. p. 137).
From the account given of him by Eunapius, who had the best means of information, we learn
that he was of gigantic stature (Casaubon and Wyttenbach, ad Eunap. vol.
ii. p. 285, conjecture that he was nine feet high !), and of stately bearing, so vigorous in
his old age, that it was impossible to suppose him other than in the prime of life. His
constitution was of iron strength (H. E. 6.17), fully bear out his high reputation as a teacher of rhetoric.
(Compare Suidas, s.v. Clinton, Fast. Rom. pp. 401, 405, 449, 469;
Westermann, Geschichte der Griech. Beredt. p. 237.)