Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

230 THE FORMATION OF CHRISTENDOMsacred things. Here he fell in with Vespasian, andbeing consulted by him, strongly advised him toassume the empire. Vespasian accepted his advice,treated him with great reverence, and wished to beaccompanied by him ; but he excused himself ashaving a great desire to compare the Egyptian wisdomwith the Indian, and for this purpose to visit theGymnosophists, and to drink of the source of the Nile.Leaving then twenty of his disciples at Alexandria,he took the other ten, after warning them that life isa contest for victory, as is shown in the Olympic,Delphic, and Corinthian games, and ascended the riverwith them. No city, or temple, or sacred spot inEgypt was passed by unobserved, but in continual conversationson sacred subjects an interchange of knowledgetook place, and the boat in which Apolloniussailed resembled a sacred galley carrying pilgrims toa shrine.The interview of Apollonius with the EthiopianGymnosophists is described at great length. Theylived on a small rising ground not far from the banks|_ the Nile, but were further surpassed in wisdomby the Indians than they themselves surpassed theEgyptians. And the assurance of this, obtained byactual intercourse, seems to be the fruit which we areintended to suppose that Apollonius sought after inhis long journey to them. Thus their chief, Thes-pesion, in a lengthy discourse recommended to himthe independence and freedom from care which theirphilosophy secured, and tried thereby to incline himto their simplicity and rude mode of life. Apolloniusin reply told them that being older than them all,except Thespesion, he had not come thither to takethem as counsellors of his life, having already chosen