Abaris the Hyperborean: The Legendary Ancient Healer Who Could Fly

Iamblichus explicitly states that Abaris was a clergyman of Apollo and had a adjacent narration with Pythagoras. Credit: flickr / Egisto Sani CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Abaris the Hyperborean was a legendary fig successful ancient Greek tradition, often depicted arsenic a clergyman of Apollo and a mystical healer from the distant onshore of Hyperborea. Ancient Greek mythology mentions him arsenic possessing bonzer wisdom, prophetic abilities, and adjacent supernatural powers, including the quality to question done the air.

The Hyperboreans successful Greek mythology

According to Greek mythology, the Hyperboreans lived astatine the borderline of the world. They were nether a entity that was perpetually agleam and cheerful. The past Greek writer Pindar described them to beryllium successful a portion wherever the northbound upwind did not blow. He besides mentions that from their island-country the satellite appeared precise adjacent to Earth.

The Hyperboreans were a just, hospitable and peaceful people. They lived successful forests, consuming the fruits of trees alternatively than meat. Mythology further states that this radical “knew neither illness nor aged age.” Nearby lived the chaotic and assertive Arimaspians and Issedones, who, contempt their nature, respected the Hyperboreans. This respect allowed the Hyperboreans to unrecorded acold from wars and conflicts.

A important mythological item is that nary mortal could easy find the mode to the onshore of the Hyperboreans. The large writer Pindar remarked:

“The wondrous way starring to the festivals of the Hyperboreans, neither connected ft nor by vessel shall you find.”

Only a fewer heroes were said to person reached this land, ever with divine assistance. Perseus, guided by Athena, passed done the Hyperborean onshore connected his mode to behead Medusa. Similarly, Heracles, with Artemis’ help, traveled determination portion pursuing the Ceryneian Hind.

During this journey, Heracles asked the Hyperboreans for support to instrumentality olive histrion saplings to Olympia to crown the victors of the games. Olives were past chartless to the Greeks.

Another intriguing story involves Oreithyia, whom Boreas abducted and hid “at the ends of the world . . . wherever the heavens unfastened into the plot of Phoebus (Apollo)” according to the Greek philosopher Plato successful his enactment ”Phaedrus.” This suggests that this was the onshore of the Hyperboreans.

Apollo’s narration with the Hyperboreans

There is simply a beardown transportation betwixt Phoebus Apollo and the Hyperboreans. According to legend, erstwhile Apollo was born, Zeus crowned him with a aureate set and sent him successful a chariot drawn by swans to present oracles astatine Delphi. However, Apollo archetypal commanded the swans to alert to the Hyperboreans. Only aft spending a twelvemonth with them did helium travel to Delphi, fulfilling his father’s will.

From that clip onward, whenever Apollo was distant from Delphi and Olympus, they knew that helium had returned to the onshore of the Hyperboreans—particularly during the 3 wintertime months.

It is besides said that Apollo sought refuge successful the onshore of the Hyperboreans to flight Zeus’s wrath aft sidesplitting the Cyclopes.

A Greek priestess, Boio, successful her hymn, testified that the Hyperboreans founded the Oracle of Delphi, with figures similar Pagasos, Agyieus and Olynthus (Apollo’s archetypal prophet) establishing it. This suggests a heavy connection—perhaps adjacent a shared origin—between the Greeks and the Hyperboreans.

A statue of Pythagoras Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

Abaris and his transportation with the Pythagorean tradition

Abaris (from a- meaning “without” and baros meaning “weight,” frankincense “weightless”) was a Hyperborean clergyman who reportedly visited Greece during Pythagoras’ time. The past Neoplatonist philosopher Iamblichus suggests that Abaris was Pythagoras’ teacher.

Iamblichus states:

“This content was not held lightly, for the archetypal who declared it was nary mean antheral but a god. One of the teachings asked: ‘Who are you, Pythagoras?’ They claimed helium was Apollo the Hyperborean incarnate. Proof of this laic successful an lawsuit astatine a contention wherever Pythagoras, rising, revealed his aureate thigh. He hosted Abaris the Hyperborean and received from him a spear (arrow) with which helium traveled done the ether.”

Continuing, Iamblichus adds:

“(Abaris) talented Pythagoras an arrow taken from the temple, which proved invaluable during his extended wanderings. Riding this arrow, helium could traverse impassable terrains.”

The epithet Aitherobates (“one who walks the ether”) was fixed to Abaris due to the fact that Apollo had talented him a spear (arrow). This enabled him to transverse immense distances by traveling done the air. This bonzer quality is reminiscent of myths inactive circulating today.

Abaris was a mystical healer and seer, having learned divination straight from Apollo. The oldest traditions picture him riding done the aerial connected a divine arrow bestowed by Apollo, according to the philologist Martin P. Nilsson. Herodotus notes that upon arriving successful Greece, Abaris renewed his relationship and kinship with the inhabitants of Delos—a important detail, fixed that Apollo was calved there.