Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

254 THE FORMATION OF CHRISTENDOMcounterparts of these, intended to be more brilliantand more triumphant. But the circumstances of pain,which belong to the real events, are carefully detachedrom their imitation. There is nothing in the birthupon the flowery meadow, heralded by the song ofswans, and foretold by the god Proteus, to correspondto the Cave of Bethlehem and the Flight into Egypt.There is similarity in the disappearance from a templeamid the songs of virgins calling upon Apollonius tomount to heaven, and the Ascent from the Mount ofOlives, but there is no Gethsemane and no Golgothapreceding it in the heathen life, for there was nothingin the heathen mind to call for these. There is, however,the recognition that real greatness is not accomplishedwithout suffering. Philostratus strives tomake his hero confront the loss of goods, torment,imprisonment, and death. But it is only seeming.The reality of suffering is away. Thus Apollonius onhis way to Rome says to his friends : " Neither firenor sword would terrify a wise man : none of thesethings prevail on him to make him flinch or utterfalsehood." But he adds: "I know more than allmen, since I know all things : that I am not comehere on a fool's errand you may see by this. I runno risk as to my own body, nor can I meet with mydeath from the tyrant's power even if I would."lSo a little later he dismisses Damis, being perfectlysure as to his own escape. And all through the trialhe is in no disquietude, knowing well that at thecritical moment he will vanish from the tribunal andelude Domitian's grasp. Thus, in the heathen's copyof Christ, while the ideal of suffering is admitted thereality is expunged. The glory of endurance is ad-1 Book vii. 14.