THEMISTIUS. - Orator and philosopher of the 4th century AD (c. 320–390). Son of pagan parents, probably born in Constantinople, renowned for his eloquence and teaching, he enjoyed the favor of emperors and held important offices. He supported Julian’s attempted restoration of paganism; however, he maintained a certain moderation toward Christianity, which earned him esteem even among distinguished Christians, such as Gregory Nazianzen, who calls him βασιλεὺς τῶν λόγων (Ep., 139 ff.).
Thirty-three of his discourses survive (one of the 34 attributed to him is spurious), in which he treats themes of popular philosophy, as well as Paraphrases of various works by Aristotle (Posterior Analytics, Physics, On the Soul, On the Heavens, Metaphysics). Lost are his commentaries on the Prior Analytics, the Topics, and the Categories.
T. was not an original thinker but rather an exegete. He was predominantly Aristotelian (of Aristotle he affirms δυνάστιες δυνάμων βίου τε καί τῆς σοφίας), though with Platonic, Pythagorean, and Stoic influences. For T., as for the Platonists of the imperial age in general, philosophy has an essentially ethical-religious end. He holds that the idea of Divinity is innate, while the nature of God cannot be known, making inevitable the diversity of religions, cults, and philosophical schools. T. thus sought to adopt an “ironic” stance toward the great conflict of his age between Christianity and the old religion nearing dissolution.