Page:Apollonius of Tyana - the pagan Christ of the third century.pdf/44

Rh held by the whole of the Pagan world testified to the deep impression which the life of this supernatural being had left indelibly fixed in their minds, an impression which caused one of his contemporaries to exclaim, "We have a god living amongst us."

Such is a summary of the chief events in the life of Apollonius, as we find them recorded in his biography written by Philostratus. We shall now be in a position to make a few remarks on his miracles, his teaching, and his character generally.

Several of his miracles have been mentioned; many more might have been added. It is perfectly clear that the biographer of Apollonius relied on the unlimited credulity of his readers; but there is one feature which deserves our attention more than the strange stories recorded by Philostratus, and that is the extreme anxiety he manifests to exculpate Apollonius from the slightest suspicion of having anything to do with sorcery. The magicians of that day were a numerous body of impostors, deservedly held in contempt by all sensible people, and yet dreaded and