En 1956 était publié, à l'Institut d'Archéologie orientale du Caire, un ouvrage important de Hans Lewy sur les Oracles chaldaïques, "Chaldaean oracles and theurgy". Cette étude, vite épuisée, fut l'objet, en 1978, d'une nouvelle édition dans la Collection des Études augustiniennes, due à Michel Tardieu, qui accompagnait le texte de H. Lewy d'une série de douze compléments, parmi lesquels une contribution de E. R. Dodds, et une autre de P. Hadot. Cet ouvrage, qui reste fondamental pour la connaissance des Oracles chaldaïques et de toute la philosophie ancienne, était épuisé depuis longtemps, et Michel Tardieu en propose aujourd∎hui une troisième édition: à côté de menues corrections, cette nouvelle édition comporte un treizième complément, "Les Oracles chaldaïques 1891-2011", qui offre une synthèse de 120 ans de recherches, depuis les travaux de Jahn, en 1891, jusqu'à nos jours, et une bibliographie répartie en cinq sections, qui dépouille l'ensemble de la production sur le sujet.

Preliminary material /RUTH MAJERCIK -- INTRODUCTION /RUTH MAJERCIK -- FRAGMENTS /RUTH MAJERCIK -- VARIOUS CHALDEAN EXPRESSIONS /RUTH MAJERCIK -- DOUBTFUL FRAGMENTS /RUTH MAJERCIK -- COMMENTARY /RUTH MAJERCIK -- BIBLIOGRAPHY /RUTH MAJERCIK -- INDEX /RUTH MAJERCIK.

This volume examines the discussion of the Chaldean Oracles in the work of Proclus, as well as offering a translation and commentary of Proclus’ Treatise On Chaldean Philosophy. Spanu assesses whether Proclus’ exegesis of the Chaldean Oracles can be used by modern research to better clarify the content of Chaldean doctrine or must instead be abandoned because it represents a substantial misinterpretation of originary Chaldean teachings. The volume is augmented by Proclus’ Greek text, with English translation and commentary. Proclus and the Chaldean Oracles will be of interest to researchers working on Neoplatonism, Proclus and theurgy in the ancient world.

The Chaldean Oracles are a set of spiritual and philosophical texts widely used by Neoplatonist philosophers from the 3rd to the 6th century C.E. While the original texts have been lost, they have survived in the form of fragments consisting mainly of quotes and commentary by Neoplatonist writers.

Iamblichus was once considered one of the great philosophers. The Emperor Julian followed Iamblichus's teachings to guide the restoration of traditional pagan cults in his campaign against Christianity. Although Julian was unsuccessful, Iamblichus's ideas persisted well into the Middle Ages and beyond. His vision of a hierarchical cosmos united by divine ritual became the dominant worldview for the entire medieval world. Even Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that he expected a reading of Iamblichus to cause a "revival in the churches." But modern scholars have dismissed him, seeing theurgy as ritual magic or "manipulation of the gods." Shaw, however, shows that theurgy was a subtle and intellectually sophisticated attempt to apply Platonic and Pythagorean teachings to the full expression of human existence in the material world.