[XI]. The philosophy of the dinner-bell and its implications, [191]—Subsequent influence of Scepticism on Greek thought, [192]—Unshaken confidence of the Neo-Platonists in the power of reason, [193]—Their philosophy a genuine return to the standpoint of Plato and Aristotle, [193].
THE RELIGIOUS REVIVALpages 195-265
[I]. New views respecting the civilisation of the Roman empire, [195]—Prejudices formerly entertained by its historians, [196]—The literary bias, [197]—Evidence of intellectual and moral progress supplied by the study of jurisprudence and epigraphy, [197]—The new school of historians, [198]—The vitality of polytheism much greater than was formerly supposed, [199]—notwithstanding the scepticism of the most distinguished Roman writers, [199]—opposed as they were by a large and increasing body of religious belief, [200].
[II]. Revival of religious authority under Augustus, [200]—Feeling of the provincials, 201—Isolated position of Horace, [201]—The spread of religious beliefs checked by the political organisation of the old city-state, [202]—and encouraged by the Roman conquest, [203]—Sceptical tendencies of the city-aristocracies, [204]—the higher classes more favourable than the people to free thought down to the time of the French Revolution, [205].
[III]. Dissociation of wealth from education under the empire, [206]—Stupidity and credulity of the centurions, [207]—Ever-increasing influence exercised by women, [208]—and indirectly by children, [210]—Slavery and religion, [211]—The social despotism of the empire destructive to intellectual independence, [211]—Causes which prevented the formation of a new aristocracy, [213].
[IV]. Nature-worship as a universal religion, [214]—Isis and Serapis, [215]—Mithras and the worship of the heavenly bodies, [215]—Spread of Judaism in Rome and elsewhere, [216]—The Holy Land and the Sabbath, [218]—Continued devotion paid to the Olympian deities, [219]—Elasticity of Graeco-Roman polytheism, 219—Development of indigenous superstition, [220].
[V]. Oracular character of the pagan religions, [221]—Effect produced by the intellectual movement in Greece, [221]—Popular belief remains stationary or becomes retrograde: Deisidaimonia, [222]—Faith in omens among the educated classes under Augustus, [223]—Conversion of an infidel by the oracle of Mopsus, 224—Alexander of Abonuteichus and his dupes, [224].
[VI]. Belief in prophetic dreams: the work of Artemidôrus, [227]—Conversion of an Epicurean, [229]—The fighting-cock of Tanagra, [229]—Piety displayed by animals, [230]—Increased reverence paid to Asclêpius and Heracles, [230]—Aristeides the rhetor, [231]—Deification of mortals, [232].
[VII]. The doctrine of immortality, [233]—Epicurean epitaphs, [233]—Attitude of the Stoics and Peripatetics, [234]—Opinions of literary and scientific men, [234]—Epitaphs testifying to the popular belief in a future life, [235]—Articles found in tombs, [236]—Evidence afforded by figured representations, [237]—Frequency of ghostly apparitions, [240].