Read the eight books of the _Life of Apollonius of Tyana_ by
Philostratus[130] of Tyre.[131] His style is clear, agreeable,
concise, and full of charm, due to his fondness both for archaisms
and for novel constructions.
He tells us that Apollonius visited the Indians, whom he calls
Brahmins, from whom he learnt much of their divine wisdom. He also
visited the wise men of Aethiopia, whom he calls _Gymni_,[132]
because they pass all their life naked and never wear clothes even
in the most trying weather. But he declares that the wise men of
India are far superior to those of Aethiopia, since they are older in
point of time and their intellect is purer and keener, owing to their
living nearer to the rays of the sun.
He does not, however, assert that Apollonius worked any wonders
such as legend ascribes to him; he merely extols him as leading a
philosophic and temperate life, in which he exhibits the teaching of
Pythagoras, both in manners and doctrine. Various accounts are given
of his death, the circumstances of which are obscure, as he himself
desired; for during his lifetime he was in the habit of saying that
the wise man should keep his life a secret from others, or, if he
could not, should at least keep his death a secret.[133] The place of
his burial is unknown.
Philostratus states that Apollonius had a great contempt for riches;
he gave up all he possessed to his brother and others, and could
never be persuaded to accept money from those in authority,[134]
although they pressed it upon him as deserving it. He asserts that
he long foresaw the famine at Ephesus and stopped it after it broke
out. He once saw a certain lion, which he declared to be the soul
of Amasis, king of the Egyptians,[135] which had entered the body
of the animal as a punishment for the crimes Amasis had committed
during his lifetime. He also exposed an Empusa,[136] which, under the
guise of a courtesan, pretended to be enamoured of Menippus.[137]
He recalled to life a Roman girl who had apparently just died,
and loosed his limbs from his fetters, while bound in prison.
Before Domitian he defended himself and extolled Nerva (Domitian’s
successor); after which he vanished from the court, and joined
Demetrius[138] and Damis[139] as had been arranged, not after a long
time, but in a few moments, though they were several days’ journey
apart. Such are the fictions of Philostratus concerning Apollonius.
He denies, however, that he was a wonder-worker, if he performed some
of the wonders that are commonly attributed to him, but asserts that
they were the result of his philosophy and the purity of his life.
On the contrary, he was the enemy of magicians and sorcerers and
certainly no devotee of magic.
All that he says about the Indians is a tissue of absurd and
incredible statements. He asserts that they have certain jars full of
rains and winds, with which in time of drought they are able to water
the country, and again to deprive it of moisture, after the rain has
fallen, since in these casks they have the means of controlling the
alternate supply of wind and rain. He tells similar stories, equally
foolish and preposterous, and these eight books are so much study and
labour lost.