Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

THE GOSPEL OF PHILOSOPHIC HEATHENISM2 1 9tongue, and giving him forthwith an instance of hisknowledge by stating that the letter of recommendationwhich Apollonius had not yet shown was deficientin a delta. While Apollonius is in amazement atthis knowledge, larchas asks him, " What is youropinion of us ?" " That," he replies, " is plain from mycoming to see you, which no one of my countrymenhitherto has done. I esteem your knowledge greaterand more divine than my own, and if I should learnnothing from you, I should have the satisfaction ofknowing that you have nothing to teach me." Uponthis larchas in clear distinct order gives him thehistory of his family, of his past life, and his journeythither. And when Apollonius, in spite of his knowledgeof men's thoughts, is astonished at this, larchassays, " You too are a sharer of this wisdom, butnot yet in its completeness." " Teach me then," hereplies, " all wisdom." " That I will," replies larchas," without stint, for it is wiser to communicate thaninvidiously to conceal what ought to be known.In further conversation larchas says, " Propose whaquestion you please, for you are come to men who knowall things." " What, asks Apollonius, " is your opinionof the soul ?"" The same," replied larchas, " whichPythagoras delivered to you, and we to the Egyptians."And he proceeds to enforce and illustrate by his ownpre-existence in the King Ganges, the doctrine of theransmigration of souls. Thus it is plain that Philstratus represents his hero in the character of a Pythgorean as recurring to the Brah mans of India becauhe esteems them the fountain-head of that wisdcwhich Pythagoras received immediately indeed fromEgypt, but ultimately from them through an Ethiopiancolony. And the purpose of his visit is to compare