Theophanies of the Ancients

...shining like [the sun]? A passage from Iamblichus pertains to this: The gods beam forth such fineness of light that bodily eyes are unable to contain it. original: "Τὴν λεπτότητα τοῦ Φωτός οἱ μὲν θεοὶ τοσαύτην ἐπιλάμπουσιν, ὡς μὴ δύνασθαι χωρεῖν ἀυτὴν τοὺς σωματικοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς" That is: so great is the delicacy of the light which the appearing Gods pour out, that bodily eyes cannot endure it. (The same author, Section II, chapter 8; compare chapter 4).

Iamblichus, Section II, chapter 4.

They also appeared in a fiery form: The fire of the gods flashes forth indivisibly and unspeakably, and fills the whole depths of the world in a fiery way, but not in a worldly way. original: "τὸ μὲν τῶν θεῶν πῦρ ἄτομον, ἀφθεγκτον ἐκλάμπει, καὶ πληροῖ τὰ ὅλα βάθη τοῦ κόσμου πυρίως, ἀλλ' οὐ περικοσμίως" That is: The fire of the Gods flashes forth as something indivisible, ineffable, and it fills the entire depth of the universe in a fiery manner, yet not a mundane one, as Iamblichus says in Section II, chapter 4. The latter is also clear from Homer’s Iliad, Book 15, line 308:

Homer, Iliad, Book 15, line 308.

That is: Moreover, Hector went ahead, walking broadly; and before him went illustrious Apollo, having a cloud wrapped around his shoulders. Compare also the Iliad, Book 16, line 790 and Book 20, line 148. Furthermore, the Gods appeared sometimes to those who were awake—as is sufficiently clear from what has been said so far—and sometimes to those who were sleeping, as Minerva appeared to Telemachus in Homer's Odyssey, Book 1, near the beginning, and Mercury to Priam in the Iliad, Book 24, line 680. Sometimes they appeared in their own proper form, so that they could be easily recognized by those present; at other times, they appeared in a foreign and feigned form, as when Minerva took on the person of Mentor in the Odyssey, Book 2, line 267 and following; or as Iphthime at the end of Odyssey, Book 4; or as a certain Shepherd in Odyssey, Book 13, line 201 and following. Likewise, Apollo feigned the persona of Periphas in the Iliad, Book 17, line 328 and following; or of Phaenops in Book 17, line 583 and following; or of Lycaon in Book 20, line 79 and following, and so forth.

Homer: Odyssey Book 1; Odyssey Book 2, line 267; Odyssey Book 4; Odyssey Book 13, line 201; Iliad Book 17, line 328 and line 583; Iliad Book 20, line 79.

Thesis 15.

Finally (since it is not permitted to pursue more points), I will add these things at least as a sort of concluding flourish coronidis: A Greek term for a finishing stroke or conclusion to a work.: that a certain pagan mentioned in Arnobius Arnobius of Sicca (died c. 330 AD) was an Early Christian apologist who wrote Against the Heathen (Adversus Nationes) to defend Christianity by critiquing Roman religion. derived from this the [origin] of temples...