Is there any point in praying? In one of his philosophical lectures, Maximus of Tyre turns to the subjects of prayer and the conception of the divine that underlies its representations. Can God be influenced? And if so, would human beings have any notion what it makes sense to pray for? Starting with a set of examples from mythology, the philosopher discusses the philosophical implications of petitionary prayer and argues for a better understanding of prayer as an ongoing conversation with the divine. Along with the text of the lecture and an annotated translation, this volume provides an extensive introduction to the author and his work, and contributions from the fields of philosophy, classical archaeology, New Testament studies and early Church history, which locate the oration in the context of contemporary religio-philosophical debates about prayer and its social historical aspects.