This man was very influential with Zeno. In origin he was a Theban, one of those from Egypt. Taking advantage of a nature apt for everything, he went to Athens, and having been chosen as a grammar-teacher by the city, he taught for many years and was taught at the same time, in more philosophical topics, by the great Proclus.[1] When a scandal arose for him against a certain Theagenes among those who were there, insulted by him and tested by him with more knavery than a teacher should be, he went to Byzantium. In other respects he appeared a good and worthy man, but as in a city holding all Christians the pagan [element] of religion did not have an answer, but was informed against openly with free speech, which led to suspicion of knowing also other aspects of the secret wisdom. Illous the magister [officiorum][2] accepted him willingly as an associate, and honored him for brilliantly reading a certain poem in public, and gave him a subsidy both himself personally and also from the public funds as a teacher.[3] And when he went away to Isauria, those who envied him concocted an accusation both from his religion and that he used magic and gave prophecies to Illous against the emperor. They persuaded Zeno[4] and Verina[5] who had then the greatest influence to expel [him] from the city. And he went to Pergamum in Mysia; but Illous learning that they had exiled the man according to his pretext, sent and brought him back to Isauria and made him an adviser and a member of his household, and (for he was full of political sagacity) both entrusted to him to handle the official business for which he did not have time and when he went to Byzantium took him along. And when the conspiracy of Marcian occurred,[6] he himself encouraged Illous when he was at a loss, and saying something such as the matters of foresight are arranged with us, he provided suspicion to those who were in earshot that he prophesied these things by some secret foreknowledge. And when the end happened, as indeed it happened, comparing his word with the chance, they took him alone as responsible for everything (as the crowd is accustomed to do) for what seemed to them to have turned out unexpectedly. Thus the prudent people speculated about him. If there was anything else, I am not able to confute it with certainty or to believe it; nevertheless great matter and least matter was shared with him first. And then taking him to Nicaea he arrived to spend the winter, either avoiding the ill-will of the people or wishing to escape for a little while the divinity then holding the city at the sacrifices.[7]
[Note] that Illous, being a lover of literature, wanted to hear a detailed speech about the soul in the presence of literary men. When many happened by at his request and philosophized in various manners, since the discourse appeared to lack cohesion because of the discord [among the speakers], Marius said that Pamprepius could resolve the problem faultlessly. This man was dark-skinned, unpleasant in appearance, a grammarian by profession, originating from Pan[opolis] in Egypt, having spent a long time in Greece because of intermarriage. So having been brought by Marsus[8] to Illous and going through a speech on the soul cleverly thought out some time before, since he who does not know is more convincing than he who knows to those who do not know, as Plato said,[9] Illous being tricked by his highly-wrought wordiness, judged him more eloquent than all those educated at Constantinople. For this reason he gave him much comfort from the public funds, and bade him to teach as he chose those who came to the schools. So his good fortune making such a start became the cause of many misfortunes for the community.[10]
Pamprepius was an Egyptian.[11] Being poetically inclined and suited by nature for poetry, he arrived also at Athens, obtaining the necessities of life by his practice of poetry. The Athenians made him a grammarian and appointed him a teacher for the youth. But he, being ambitious and wanting to appear second to none, was contentious with all except only Proclus and the other philosophers. But he was not capable even of touching wisdom. So concerning other preparatory studies Pamprepius worked so hard and practiced so much that in a short time he seemed to be the most eloquent and learned of those involved with education in that place, of Plutarch the son of Hierios, an Athenian man, and of Hermeias the rhetor of Alexandria,[12] whose reputation for learning he had striven to surpass. So he was so far honored by the Athenians, as a not unworthy teacher; but after this came a beginning for him of other matters very great and very bad, so that we may learn that the changes of fortune test the various choices of souls at all times and not less than one sympotic inebriation.[13]