Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

236 THE FORMATION OF CHRISTENDOMthat he only requires sleep, and after a prayer to Apolloand the sun, casts himself on a couch, and addressingsleep in the words of Homer, rests without anxiety.The next day he determines to sail to Greece, accompaniedby Damis, and the remainder of the biographycontains what we may call his triumphant life, afterhe has defied the utmost power and malice of Domi-tian, and escaped by a sort of resurrection.In Greece he appears at Olympia, where he takesup his abode in the temple of Jupiter. Rumour hadgone abroad that he had been burnt, or hung uponhooks, or cast into a pit, but when it was ascertainedthat he was there alive, all Greece flocked to see himwith more eagerness than it had ever gone to theOlympian games. They almost worshipped him whenthey heard with what modesty he described so wonderfulan escape. His life at this period may be thussummed up. He conversed on matters of great importancefor forty days at Olympia. Then he said:" I will for the time to come converse with you, 0Greeks, from city to city in your public meetings,your processions, your mysteries, your sacrifices, yourlibations :1 but now I go to see Trophonius." In thecave of Trophonius he remains seven days, putting tohim the question, "Which is the most perfect andthe purest philosophy ?" and he issues forth in a strangemanner bearing a book which contains as an answerto his question the precepts of Pythagoras. And nowwe are told all his followers, " whom Hellas calls theApollonians," come forth to meet him, forming anadmirable company from their numbers and their zeal.People went in crowds to hear his philosophy, and asthe ancient kings, Gyges and Croesus, opened the doors1 Book viii. 19.