The Epigrams are two brief Greek poems attributed to Proclus, the influential fifth-century Neoplatonist philosopher who led the Academy in Athens. These are not a formal literary collection but personal, philosophical verses preserved within the biographical work Life of Proclus, written by his successor Marinus. They survive solely through this later quotation, with no independent manuscript tradition. The poems express profound piety and devotion to the traditional Greek gods. One notable example is an inscription composed for his house doorway, depicting the god Dionysus and invoking divine favour. These epigrams are historical artifacts, offering a rare glimpse into the personal religious identity of a leading pagan intellectual during the Christianization of the Roman Empire and illustrating his public affirmation of Hellenic faith.
Πρόκλος ἐγὼ γενόμην Λύκιος γένος, ὃν Συριανὸς
ἐνθάδʼ ἀμοιβὸν ἑῆς θρέψε διδασκαλίης.
ξυνὸς δʼ ἀμφοτέρων ὅδε σώματα δέξατο τύμβος·
αἴθε δὲ καὶ ψυχὰς χῶρος ἕεις λελάχοι.
Ῥηγίνου μελάθροισι τὸν εὐαστὴν Διόνυσον
δέρκεο, δεξιτερῇ χειρὶ κυπελλοφόρον,
ξανθὴν μὲν σφίγγοντα καρήατος αἴθοπι κισσῷ
χαίτην καὶ λαιῇ θυρσοφόρον παλάμῃ,
βαπτὰ δὲ πέπλα φέροντα κατὰ χροὸς αἵματι κόχλου
καὶ στικτὴν νεβρίδων ἀμφικρεμῆ χλαμύδα.
αὐτὸν Βάκχον ἄνακτα δόμων ἔντοσθε δέδορκας
εὐξείνων, εὐχαῖς ἵλαον ἑσταότα.
