Αpοllοnius the }Jazarene Ρage 1 οf 1

Apοllonius the Νazarene ffi@

ΑpοΙtοnius the Νazarene
Αn Αstοunding Revelation Saved Frοm the Flames that
burni the Αlexandι'ian Library, which the Rοrnan
Churchmen razed to the ground to destroy all records of
the Μystery Man οf Christianity, ΑPOLLοΝiUS οF
Τ't'ΑΝΑ, the hιsiοrical Christ and World Teacher οf the
First Century, Νow Revealed to the \frlοrld fοr the First
Τime.

Proving that ΑPσLLoE\ilUS oF Tt/ΑΝΑ was the ΤRUE

FoUΝDER οf early Christianity and that the "Jesus
Christ" of the Νeιv Τestarnent had no existence except
in the imaginatien of the Pagan Roman priests at Νicea,
subsequently called the "Church Fathers," who invented
him as a substitute fοr ΑPoLLoΝlUs' TΗΕ ΤRUE
e ΗRlST.

by

Dr. R. lllf. Bernard, 8"4., M.4., ph.D"

1954

FlELDCRΕST PUBLiSΗlΝG eσ., iλlC.

21ο Fifth Α'Jenue, NewYork 10, Ν.Y.

Νote: Αuthοr is now deceased and publishing cοmpany defunct. Rights are not
reserved.

. Fοrewοrd
. Part 1: Τhe ΗistοricalΑpοllonius Versus the Mγthical Jesus
. Part 2: Simiiarities Betιveen Αpollοnius and Jesus
. Part 3: Τhe Cοπiι'οversv Betνlreen Αdherents οf Apοllοnius and Jesus
. Pεrt 4: Birth and Yοuth of ΑpoΙlοnius
. Paιt 5: Αpοllοnius'Visit tο ihe Brahman Sages οf the Ηimalauas
. Part6: Αpollonius Leaves larch
- Paιt 7: Labοrs οf ΑpoΙlοnius in Greece
. Ρart 8: Visit tο the GγrnnοSο
. Part 9: Τhe Τrials of Αpollonius bγ Νero and Dοmitan

WιηΛJψ design and text editing Copyrighted Θ 1996-1997 by Jeroen Wierda

Picarci UFo Research lnternatiοnal
Αpοllοlrius the Νazarene Ρaπ 1: Fοreιvοrd Ρage 1 οf3

Αpoiionius the Νazarene ffi@

Apollοnius the NazareRe
Fοreword
Βy: Dr. R. W. Βernαrcl, Β.Α., }'{.Α., Ph.D.

For οver si>ιteen centuries, the Christian Church has been preaching its religiοn to the
worid. Υet when we consider the hοrrible evenis that have occurred arnong
professedly Christian peοples during the recent ιrvorld holocaust, resulting in the death
of a signifieant portiοn οf the ιρgorld's pοpulatiοn, νve must ccneiude that there is
sοmething radically WΓοng with a religiοn, v,rhiοh, after having been preached and
practiced fοr so inany centuries, has led iis folΙοιηrers tο such a terribie state οf affairs,
invoiving the conversion of this planet into one vast slaughter-hοuse, drenched in
human blood, resυltiπg frοm the mass murder οf Christians of one natiοn by
feiioιv-Christians οf another, each beiπg urged on and blessed by their οwn priests.

Απd such a cοnditiοn has ρrevailed in Christiandοm eveΓ since the Christian religion
was firsi created, organized anci estabiished in ihe year 325 Α.D. by pagan Rοrnan
οhurchmen convening at the Council of Νicea. Τhis councilιvas presided οver by the
arch-n'lurderer Cοnstantine, Emρeror of Rοme, ιvho had assassinated, in cοΙd biοοd, a
dοzen of his near relatives, inclιlding his oιvn ιvife.

Αnd the histοry of Christianity has been nο mοΓe honοrable than its οrigin; for ever
sinοe Constantine fiι'st established it as the state religion οf Rοme, it has been
responsibie for ihe death οf οver fifty million innoceπt peoοle, under the charge that
ihey were "heretics,'' because they refused to accept the unreasonabΙe dogmas οf the
church _including about three million women whο ιvere burnt alive as ''witches" in
comparatively reeent times, by men ιnrho οaiied themseΙves priests οf tne Christian
religiοn'

Chrisiianiiy, the gentie Νazarene ancj Prince of Peace,

\fr/hai v,rouicj the founder of
think οf the crirnes that have been perpetrated dοιιrn throιlgh the centuries, in his
name, by a church ιυhieh prοfesses to be his earthly representaiive -- the Οhurch
Militant! What would he think of the rοtting corpses οf οver fift-y million of his dearly
iοved brοthers and sisters, whο \Μere put tο death by this Same church because they
refused to accept its falsehoods and instead preferred to fοllow Τruth, of ιrvhich he was
the great expοnent?

Αnd cοuld a church whose inguisition has left sι:ch a bΙack record behind it be
expected tο οffer us a ιvrltten document (The Νeιv Τestament) that cοu}d be accepted
on faοe value as the auihentic wοrds of a man who taught peaοe, fbrgiveness and
kindness, rather than bloody murder? Αnd might it nοt be possible that not only the
teachings but aisο the Ιife histοry, and EVEΝ ΤΗE NΑME, οf the Νazarene, cοuld,
during the eοurse οf centuries, have been altered by the eecΙesiastical scribes οf the
Church of Rοme in the interests of its dοgmas aπd ambitiοπs for tempοral power?
Αlsο might not the οriginal Nazarene, the peaceful Essene, whοSe gοοdness and
pacifism extended ποt οnly to humanity but tο the animai wοrld as iarelΙ, have been
transformed, by Constantine's henchmen, the pagan-Rοman priests who became the
Αp*liοnius the Νazarefte Ρart }: Fοreτγ*r,j Ρage 2οf3
Νicean ehurch Fathers, iniο another man -- cal}ed "Jesljs Christ'' -_ moΓe acceptabie
tο their emperοr? ΤΗAτ TΗlS WΑS TΗE cΑSE is the object οf the follοwing pages,
devοted tο the life and teachings οf this unkποwn man, tσ prοve.

Tvro thοusand years ago a great teacher of humanity appeaι'ed in the wοrΙd. Ηe was a
philosοpher, a sοc1al leader, a moral teachel', a religiοus refornner anc a healer. Frοm
οne end of the Roman empire to ihe οther, ιvherever he vrent, cjivine honors νveΓe
bestοwed οn him -- by al!, from slave tο emperοr. Ηe ιvas undaubtedly the greatest
man of his age; and his date of biΓth (4 B.C.) and periοd οf activity cοincidecj exacily
vrith thοse οf the Christian messiah, exceBt that ΑPOLLοΝ|US'S life οf incessant labor
in behalf of hυmanity extended for over a century, duririg which time he preserved his
health of body and brilliance οf mind unimpaired by the passage of time. Ηe ιιras a
SupΓemθ exemplar οf hυman perfectiοn -- physicaiiy, πenta}ly and spirituaΙly. oven
seγenteen temples vdere erected in hοnοr of him in variοus parts of the Rοman
Emρire. Ηis name.μras ΑPOLLοΝ|US οF ΤYΑNΑ'

Nο more courageοus hunnanitarian and social revolutiοnist has ever come to this world
tο heip the human race and redeem it frοrn suffering' Αlone and singΙe-handed, he
defied the bloοdiest iyrants whο ever sat οn the Roman thrοne -- Γrlerο and his mοΓe
terrible SuccessoΓ, Dοmitian. Αpοllοnius fearlessly traveled frοm one end of the Roman
Εmpire tο the οther, inciting revοΙutions against the despοts, and establishing
eοmmunistic eommunities amCIng his follοιrιrers, whο bore the name of Εssenes, early
Christians. Αnd not cοntent with such activities in the Rοman pro'linces, he bi^avely
entered Rοme itself, after all philosophers had been expelled frοm the city under
penalty οf death by the cruel Dοmitian; there he οpen|y denοunced the tyrant, fοr
νvhich he ιnras arresied and thrown iniο a cΙungeon, awaiting certain cieaih ιvhich
hο\Μe'JeΓ, due to his brilliant speech in self-defense and his extraοrdinary powers of
mind, he averted, securing his liberty.

Tιvο centuries after Domitian, the arch-murderer and degenerate Constantine sat on
the thrοne οf Rome. While former Rοman emperοΓS hated Αpοllοnius because of his
revο[utionary and ''eonnmunistic'' activities, Cοnstantine especiaΙΙy hated hΙs
Pythagoι'ean teachings _ his strict advocacy οf vegetarianism, abstinence from
alcohοl anci contineΠce. Constantine enjoyed the red meats, the flοwing ιruines and ihe
beautifulu/omen οf his midnight revels tοo much tο be wiΙling tο accept the religiοn of
which Αpoiiοnius was the recognizecΙ heaci -- a religion which he iπ:pοrted fron'l lnciia,
based οn the dοctrines οf Chrishna and Buddha and bearing the name οf Essenian
Christosism. lt was for this Γeason thai Cοnstantine directed his armies tο exterminaie
the deseendants οf ΑpοΙlοnius's Fssenian fοlΙοιvers, whο \Mere knοιvn as
ΙVlaπichaeans.

Finding that the religiοn of Rοme νvas in a state οf advanced decay and was daily
Ιosiπg ho}d on thc masses, while the οult οf Αpollonius aπd the οοmmunistie
coι'nmunities οf his Manichaean follo\λ/ers. in spite of the severest persecution. kept
sοreading, threatening the vested interests οf Rome, Constantine's henchmen - the
pagan priests οf the Roman religiοn - decided to hοld a οonventiοn at Νicea in the
year 325 Α.D , fοr the purpose οf establishing a new religiοn. Τhey decided tο take
over the pοpuΙarity enjοyed by the follονvers of Αpοilοnius, apprοpriate its esseniiai
dοcirines (altering them sο that they might be acceptable tο Consiantinei, and tο
replace the philοsοpher Αpοllοnius, ιvhοse abstemiοus Pythagoreanism ιηras tοο well
knοιrvn and too much hated by their emperoΓ, by a super_naturaΙ messiah νγhose
teachings wοuld be less radical and more aοceptable tο hirετ.

Sο in place of Αpottοnius οf Τyana, they put their newly created Savior, whοm they
Αpοllοnius the Nazarene Part 1: Fοreιvοrd Ρage 3 οf3

named ''JeSUs Christ," who, ΤΗEΙ{ ΑΝD ΤΗERE, was first conce}ved aπd created iπ
the minds of Roman priests who were later known as the Nicean Church Fathers.

Αs soon as Jesus was put in the pΙaοe οf Αpοilοnius, the task οf the Roman
churchmen \Ιfas Τo DESτRοY ΑLL RECΟRDS concerning Apolionius and his
Essenian Ξarly Christian fο}loμyers during the first three centuries, sο that the worΙd
might forever be kept in darkness GoΠeeΓRing this CοLLοSΑL DEcΕPτloΝ, and be
made to believe that Jesus and the ChΓistian religion, whieh they originated at the
BEGlΝΝlΝG oF τΗΕ FοURτΗ CEΝTURΥ A.D., antedateci iheir creatiοn by three
c"enturies. lt vEas fοr this reasοn that the Αlexandrian and other ancient librarles were
burnt, so that aΙl books written during and pertaining to the FiRST ΤΗRΕΞ
CEΝΤUR|ES oF οUR ERΑ M|GΗT BE DESΤROΥED.
And sο well did the churchmen Succeed in obliierating such i'ecords. that, fοr nearly
two thousand years, the worΙd has been kept in darkness concerning the fact that
Αpοllοnius of Τyana ιvas the recοgnized γvοrld teacher of the first century' and that
during the first three οenturies, before he was οreateιj at the eouncil of Νicea, aS an
alternative messiah to ΑpolΙοnius, no suοh man as Jesυs Christ ι,vas knοwn to οr
mentioned by ΑΝYoΝE.

Νo greater cultural loss ever occurred than happened when the Christian mob set fire
io ihe bοοks and manuscripis οf ihe Αlexandrian Library, in order to destroy aii records
of Αpollonius of Τyana, sο that the wοrld might fοrever be ignorant of his existence
aπd οf his replacement by the previously non-existent and unknown Jesυs, ιvhich
occurred at the Council οf Νicea, in the year 325 Α.D. But fortunateΙy, a certain bοοk
survived _ the FORBIDDE}"Ι BοοΚ _ of all bοοks in thai great library - that was rnost
feared' lt ψras ''ΤΗE L|FE oF APοLLor\ΙlUs oF TΥANA'', by his biographer,
Philostratus. The boοk ιvas secretly cai'ried tο the Νear East fοr safety and fοr over a
thousand yeaΓS it was preserved among the Αrabians, in spite of aΙl efforts of the
crusaders -- in the interest οf the Papacy - tο destrοy it.

Someιμhat over fοur centuries agο, this fοrbidden bοok was first brοught into Europe
from the East; and it was not until 180'! that the firsi complete Engtish translation, from
the Latin, vras made, in spiie οf the οppositiοn οf the clergy, νtrho, when nο lοnger able
to suppress its publication, succeeded in rendering it oblivious and in maintaining the
Same pοpular ignοrance of Αpollonius and his hΙstοriοal significanοe as existed during
the Dark Αges. So well did they succeed, that, thοugh ιnyhite after the appearance οf
Blount's first Εnglish translatiοn οf Phi}ostratus's biοgraphy οf Αpollοnius at the
commeRcement οf the nineieenth century, his name νvas oR every cultured
Englishman's tοngue; today, οveΓ a century later, he ls almοst complete}y unknονvn,
even in academic circΙes, mentΙοn of him having been οmittecJ frοm historicalιlrorks
and from the educational curricula -- so that, paradoxicalthουgh it may Sθern, the
greatest man οf the western world during the past turο thοusand years has been
cοmpletely remοved from the pages of history.

lt is the purpose οf this book to present the Ιife and teachings οf this man.
g&s&s&&

WWW design and text editing Copyrighted o 1996-1997 by Jerοen Wierda

Picard UFO Research lnternational
Apοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart 1: The Ηistοrica... Ρage 1 οf9

Apollonius the Νazarene Φ@

Apollonius the Νazarene
Part {:
The Historical Apollonius Versus the Mythical Jesus
Βyz Dr. R. yτ/" Βernαrd' Β"Α., h{.Α.' Pi'ι.D'

ln the year 325 Α.D. was perpetrated one οf the most collosal frauds and deceptions
in the annals of history' This ιvas the date οf the Cοuncil of Νieea, whose task it was
to create a ne\Μ religion that wοuΙd be acceptabΙe iο Emperor Cοnstaniine, \Μhο, at the
time, was engaged in the bloody persecutiοn οf thοse οοmmunists and pacifists of
ancient times who were known as early Christians. What made Cοnstantine, in the
midst of his inhuman massaοΓe οf these defenseless and despised peopΙe, suddenly
take οver their religion and becοme its staunchesi prοtagοnist, is one οf the enigmas
of history which has never before been elucidated. Οn ihis point, Revil]e, a Catholic
apclοgist; ιγrites:
"Τhe acknowledged triumph of Christianity during the relgn of eonstantine
has aΙways been considered οne οf the unaccοuntabΙe revo]utions and
οne οf those historical surprises which, unconnected as they seem to be
with any phenomena of the past might almοst Seem miraculοus. one lοngs
tο find out by what process the human mind passes Sο rapidΙy frοm a
οontemptuous and utter denial οf the teachings of Christianity tο an
interest and avowed sympathy foι_ the dοctriπes οf the new creed...it was
in the fourth century, immediately after the most violent ρersecutions, that
Christianity, thοugh embraced and prοfessed by a nninority οnly,
succeeded in attaining to a οommanding pοsition in matters both social
and pοlitical.''

Αware that the οΙd religion οf Rοme was in a state οf advanced decay and was daily
!οsing its hold on the peοple, νγhile the persecuted cult of the Essenes, or early
Christians, in spite οf alt the efforts to suppress it thrοugh the mοst bΙoοdy and
inhuman means, continued to thrive and νvin the increasing respect of the masses, the
Church Fathers, themselves previousΙy pagans ιvhose hands \ΛfeΓe stained with the
blood of thοse from whom they stoie their reΙigion, sa\Μ that by adopting Christianity (in
a revised fοrm) they cοuld take advantage of the popular prestige created by the
rnartyrdom of the early Christian saints, and at the same tirne win the support of
Cοnstantinθ, \Μho, in being cοnverted to the Christian faith, cοuld cover up his οwn
past crimes, gain increased pubiic favor and extend and cοnsol1daie his empire'

ln order tο make the previοusiy despised cult of the Essenes, οr early Christians,
acceptabie to Constantine, emperoΓ of Rοme - the Church Fathers had to Γemove
frοm its teachings certain dοctrines which they knew \J/ere objectiοnabte to him. Chief
among these was the prοhibitiοn against the use οf meats and wines, which was a
cardinal doctrine of earΙy Essene Christianity. lt was fοr this Γeason that the
churchmen at Νicea fοund it necessary to remove from the Gospe|s these
objectiοnabΙe dοctrines, for they knew that Constantine lοved the red meats and
flowing wines of his midnight revels too mueh tο be willing to accept a religlon which
required from its acjherents complete abstinence from these induΙgences, as eariy
Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart 1: The Ηistοriοa... Page 2 οf9
Essene Christianity did. Τo aοcοmplish this, certain ''cοrrectoΓs'' were appointed,
ν,rhοse task it ιruas to rewrite the Gospels, οmitiing att that pertalned to vegetarianism
aι'ld abstinence frοm alcοhοl' Τhe Church Fathers had an additiona] reason to dο this _

for they themselves had no desire tο make such a radicaΙ change in their own Ιiving
habits.

Τhat the original Gospeis \Λ/ere rewritten and altered at the eouncil of Nicea is
indicated by the fοllowing staiement by Αrchdeacon Wilberforce, who writes:

"Some are not awaΓe that, after ihe Council ot Νicea, Α.D. 325, the
manuscripts of the Νew Τestarnent were cοnsiderably tampered with' Prof.
Νestle, in his 'lntroduction tο the ΤextuaΙ Criticism οf the Greek
Τestament,' tells us that certain schοlars, ealled'correctοres,' WeΓe
appointed by the ecclesiastical authorities, and actually commissioned tο
correct the text of the Scrlpture in ihe interest of ιμhat was considered
οrthodοxy."

Cοmrnenting on this statement, Rev. G. J. ouseley, in his "Gospe| οf the Holy

T$,elve," writes:

"What these 'correctores' did νγas to cut οut of the Gospels ιrvith minute
care, ceιtain teachings οf οur Lοrd ιryhich they did nοt propose te fοlΙοw --
namely, those against the eating of flesh and taking of sirong drink -- and
everything which might serve aS an argunτent against Flesh eating, such
as iire accοunts of our Lοrd's interference on SeveraΙ occasions, tο Same
animals from ill{reatment."

Τhere is evidence tο indieate that nοt οniy WeΓe the οrigina} dοctrines οf earΙy Εssene
Christianity radically changed at the CounciΙ of Nicea and repΙaced by οthers entirely
different, but that the MΑΝ ιvhose life was an embodiment οf the originai dοetrines
was likeιμise replaced by another man who exemplified the neιγ doctrines" The name
οf ihe secοnd man, who was nοt a vegetarian and whο did not prοhibit the killing of
animals, was Jesus Christ, ι,rrho was pι"lt in ihe place of Αpοilonius of Τyana, the
histο;'ical ιvorld teacher of the first οentury.

Τhe firsi act of the ehurch Fathers, after they created their new religion and its
messiah, neither οf which existed previοusly, \,vas tο burn all bοοks they cοuld }ay their
hands οn, especialiy thοse written during the first few οenturies, vrhich made no
mention of Jesus and which referred to ΑBolΙοnius as the spiritual leader of the first
century, realizing as they did that such bοoks, if theiε were not destroyed, constituted a
dangerous menace to the survival of their deceptiοn. lt was fοr this reasοn that the
ehurchmen tοοk such great pains tο burn the ancient libranies, incΙuding the farnous
ΑΙexandrian Library ιlrith its 4οο,οοο volumes, which vras burnt to the ground by edict
of Theοdosius, when a Christian mοb destroyed the Serapeum ιivhere the scrol1s and
manuscripts were kept.

Ηcννever, the churchmen failed to their puΓpοse, for priοr tο iis burning whlch they
foresaw, the iibrarians of ihe ΑΙexandrian Library had secretly remοved from it some of
the most Breciοus vοlumes, whieh they carried eastιvard for safety.

Αmοng the wοrks which \ffeΓe thus saved frοm the flames οf the Αlexandrian Library,
the one which has created the rnost widespread and lοng-continued diseussion was
the "Life οf Apollonius of Τyana," written by Flavius PhiΙostratus at the beginning of
the thit"d οentury Α'D' Αs if by irony fate, this boοk - ιvhΙch of all bοοks burnt in the
Αpοilοnius the Νazarenθ Ρart 1: The Ηistοriοa... Ρage 3 οf9
Αlexandrian tibrary, ιvas one οf the mοst dangerοUs - \,vas preserved down through
the centuries, resisting alΙ attempts tο destroy it. The reason why this bοok was so
much dreaded by the churchmen was because, μrhiΙe it made nο mentiοn ι,γhatsoever
of the existence of Jesus or οf Christianity' it presented ΑpοΙΙonius of Τyana as the
universally aeelaimed .μrοrld teacher οf the first οentιlry, ΓeveΓenced from one end οf
the Roman Empire tο the cther, by everyone, from the lοwesi siave io the Εmperor
himself.

Νο bοok ever ιgrriiten has arοused by heated argument over a iοnger period of time
than this biography by Philοstratus. From the earΙy centυries of οur era, when
Ηercules arld Ξι:sebius first started it, urrtilthe days of Blount, Vοltaire and the Deists,
the cοntroversy raged unabated. For PhiΙοstratus, in his bοok described a οharacter,
born in the very year οf the bii"th οf Christ, who, in every respect, ιaras the equal, if nοt
the superior, οf the Christian messiah.

W. B. Wa}lace, writΙng οn "The Apοllοnius of Philοstratus," calΙs Philοstratιls's

biography a ''pagan counterblast to the gospel οf GaΙilee, representing a Greek
saviour a9 an alternative to the Semitic o,''ιe.'' {Westminster Revieιv, July-Dec' 19ο2).
Furthermοre, the main events of the Ιives οf boih men νveΓe so closely parallel thai ihe
reader cannοt help but conclude that it Jesus is nοt a fictiiious imltatiοn of Αpol!οnius,
ihen Αpollonius musi be an imitatiοn οf him, since it vrοuld be highly improbabie fοr
twο such similar men tο have been born t_he Same year and to have such simi|ar
biοgraphies'

F. Α. CampbelΙ, in his 'Apοllοnius of Τyana,'writes:

''The b,irth οf Αpollonius is assigned tο the year 4 B.C. But as everybody

knοvrs, the current computatiοn of the beginning οf the Christian era is
incοrrect, and the first year οf our Lord ought to be dated fοur οr five years
earlier. lf the Apollonian and Christian nativities both belοng to the Same
year, the οοincidence is entitled the moΓe attention than it has reοeived.''

''Τhankfui Τyana, like ungrateful Νazareth, haci nursed a prophet of

blameless life, of miraculous pο\λ,er, of super-abundant loving-kindness,
and of heroic viriue. Bοth ΑpoΙlonius of Τyana and Jesus of Nazareth ιvere
born in the same lustrum, if not the Same year. Bοth Τyana's babe and
Bethlehem'S νv'ere said to have sprung from a divine Father and a hυman
mother, and both οf these hοly ones dreιv their first breath amid gracious
pοrtents and supernatural singings. Νor were these the οnly parallels in
the memoirs οf the Τyanean and the Νazarene.
"orthodοx Chrjstians had beeη accustοmed tο affirm boldiy the finality οf
Mary's son, but, like a bοlt from the blue, here ιvas Philostratus οppοsing
himself tο Mattheιv, MaΓk, Luke and John and οffering an alternative
Messiah."

Αlso it is strange that, though they ιΛJeΓe bοth supposed to be the greatest men of their
age, they did nοt knοιv οf each other's existence. Αnd since there is absοiuteiy
authentic histοrical evidence of the existence of ΑpoΙlοnius, but not a shred of genuine
prοof of the existence of Jesus, we must conclude that if one of these figures is
fictitious and an imitatiοn of the other, it is Jesυs whο is the fiction and ApοΙlοnius the
histοricai peΓSοnage. Concerning the existence, οi'rather, the nοn-exlsteitοe, οf Jesυs,
Tschendorf writes:
 D^^o l \JE
α6ν -t
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1

"Αυthor after aυthοΓ, voiume after vοlume, of the life of Chr'ist may appear
until the aΓchives of the universe are fiιled, and yet all we have of the life of
Jesus is tο be fοund in Mattheιv's gospei. l'Jοt a single persοn specially
assοciated with Jesus impinges history.''

ln Τayiοr's "Diegesis," ['t829, oaknam, Εngland]we read:

''!ξle have investigated the claims of every dοcument possessing a

plaυsible claim to be investigated which histοry has preserved οf the
transactions οf the First century and not so much aS a Single passage,
purporting to have been written at any time within the first hundred years,
can be produced tο shοιv the exisience οf Such a rnan aS Jesus Christ or
of such a set οf men as couΙd be accοuntοd tο be his disclples."

Cοmmenting on ihis siatement by Τaylor, J. M. Roberts, in his ''Antiquity Unveiled,"

[1892; Oriental Publishing Co., Philadelphia] writes:
"On ihe οther hand we have abunciani proof that Jesus Christ is foundecj
on the k-noιιln life οf ApoΙlonius οf Τyana. the earthly existence οf νvhom
has never been questiοned, to v*hich is added passages from the iives of
various personage, and teachings concerning the mythical gods of οther
lands. Τhe Prometheus οf the Greeks ιvas the character which suggested
the crucifixiοn (aΙsο the crucifixiοn οf ehrishna in Christοsite traditions.)
Τhe Ξleusinian mysteries suggested the "Last Supper-'and these tοgether
with doctrines οf ancient sun wοrship were gathered and ι'epresented to
be a history οf the events οοnnected ιlvith the life οf the Christian Jesus.
iPrometheus on the crag, suffering fοr the good οf mankind, suggests
Jesus on the cΓoss, changing Prοmetheus for Jesus and the Sythian cΓag
fοr ihe ci'οss.}

''ln the first chapter of Mattheιrv the geneology of Jesus is given as the
twenty-eighth generatiοn frorn David down thrοugh Jοseph tο Christ. ln the
third ehapter οf Luke the Same geneoΙogy is given as being the fortythird
generation from Christ through Jοseph to David. This is a very remarkable
oversight on the part of the transΙators, for if there was anyihing they could
agΓee on, it is in regard to the descent of Christ'

"AlΙthe Christians that ever livecj or ever w1il live wili find their ideal jesus
but a phantom -- a myth. Τhey can chase it as a child would a butterfly
through a meadow on a Summer's afternοοn, and it will eΙude their grasp.
Τhe ChristΙan Jesus is nοthing mοΓe than the Chrishna οf the Ηindus."

Νo contempoΓary writers who lived at the time vrhen jesus is supposed to have lived
make mention οf him; thοugh fοrged allusiοns to Jesus oοcur in the boοks of Livy and
Jοsephus. ln his ''Ηistory οf the JeΥvs,'' written in the First century' at a time when
Jesus wouΙd have enjoyed his greatest poputarity among the Jews if he had existed,
though pagθS and pages are devoted to persons οf no importance whatever and ιvho
ιψοuΙd have been forgotten forever had not Jοsephus mentioned them, there is not a
singie mention of Jesus in the οriginal editiοn. on this point, Dr. Edmond B' Szekely,
jn his "origΙn οf Christianity, writes:

''Τhere is nοt a word, οr better, there is no longer a word in the works of

Flavius jοsephus about the Messiah, the Christ crucified by Pontius Piiate,
except fοr a crude interpοΙatiοn, quite obvious|y faΙse...Τhe silenοe of
Αpοllοnius the Nazarene Part 1: The Ηistοrica... Ρage 5 οf9

Jοsephus is nοt due tο disdain οr stυdied neutrality.''

ln an eighth century Slavοnic editiοn of Jοsephus'S bοok, suοh an interpolation oecurs,

referring to a certain Jεsus, son οf Joseph, and whiοh cCIvers οnly a passing
paragraph, the brevity of whΙch cΙearly reveaΙs its frauduΙent origin, for, if Jesus vrere
rnentiοned at aΙΙ, much rnοΓe space would have been devoted tο him. Αnd coincident
with such interpolations of eariy authοrs, occul'red the censorship of alΙ books making
reference tο Apollοnius, whοse namo μcas οmitted or abbre.yiated. (Τhus, in the
οriginal PauΙine Εpistles, which, vre have reasοn to beiieve, originaΙly had Apοllοnius
as their central figure and were written by him, his name is abbreviated to "ΑpoΙlοS''
and ''Ροi'' iPaul.}

That ΑpoΙtos (cοnceded by no Ιess an authοrity than the EncycΙοpedia Britannica to be

an abbreviation of Αpollοnius) was the reaΙ authοr οf the Εpistle tο the Ηebreι,vs,
fatsely attributed to Paul, was the opiniοn οf Martin Luther and other eminent schοΙars.

Απd Apollοnlus ιηlrote some of the sο-caΙled Pauline EpistΙes, there is a pοssibility
if
that he may have written οthers, ΑΝD' lN FΑCΤ' ΑLL).

Plutarch, the eminent biοgrapher, who l1ved betνrreen 46 and 12a Α. D. νγοuld certainly
have made mentiοn of Jesus if he had existed, since he wrote vrhen Jesus's fame
woυld have been at its height. Υet in the vοluminοus ψ,/οrks of P}utarch, not a single
reference to any such man as Jesus can be founcj' Αlihοugh P]utarch's misceΙΙaneous
writings make mention of or allude ιυith unerring certainty tο nearly every religious and
ethical opinion of his time, he is absolutely siΙent on the subject οf Christianity and
cοncerning the existence of Jesus' Τhοugh he knew the utmοst detail οf the lives οf
great men whο lived centuries agο, we couid hardly believe that Plutarch could have
been entirely unaware of the existenοe of such a great man aS Jesus whο lived onΙy a
few years previously. Τhis is all the more surprising because the prοvinces of Bithynia
ancj Pontus, where ΡΙutarch Ιived, \ΜeΓe only a few day's journey from Boetia, where, if
\,ve mey beΙieve Christian writers, the proselytes οf Christianity Were swarming at the
time.

But νvhile Plutarch belonged tο a different race and was born after his alteged
crucifixion' Phiio, a Jew, who iived at exactΙy the same time in the first part of the first
century, and whο visited the Essenes and wrote about them, should, and abοve all
οthers, have made mention οf Jesus, who, if he had lived, would undoubied}y have
been the Ιeader οf this sect. Yet not one vιrord is found in Philo's writings concerning
the existence οf Jesus, any rnοΓe than is there οne word ln the original edition of the
"Ηistοry of the JeWS" of Josephus. Νor did any οther writer in the first century mention
Jesus. Τhey did nοt beοause he dic nοt yet exist. Ηe was first bοι'n three centuries
later, created by the churchmen at Νicea, in their effort to find an alternative messiah,
mοΓe pΙeasing tο Constantine and the Romans, tο be put in the place of Αpοllonius.

Τhat the early Christians themseΙves, and nοt οniy the Pagans, \ΜeΓe ignorant οf the
existence οf any such man as Jesus, has been clearly prοven by the catacοmb
researches οf Eisler, a student of early Christian arοhaeοlogy. ln his ιvοrk, ''orpheus
the Fisher," Eisler shοιvs that nο representatiοns can be found among the catacomb
inscriptiοns that depict .,iesus, the crοss or the crucifixioπ" lnstead, a Greek f,gure is
represented as the leader of the seοt, a vegetarian and friend of animals, depicted
either under the fig - of orpheus playing his lyre and surrcunded by frieπdly animals,
oΓ aS the Good Shepherd (Ηermes} carrying a iamb around his neck" Τhese
representatiοns οbviously refer to ApοlΙοnius ιvhose cardina! teachings eοnsisted οf
vegetarianism and the aboΙition οf animal sacrifices. Eisler's findings Were further
Apοllοnius the Nazarene Ρart 1: The FΙistοrica... Ρage 5 οf 9

verified by Lυndy, ιvho, in his ''ftrΙοπumenta} Christiaπity," a \Μοrk οn early Christian

arehaeοlogy, likewise reports the entire absence of any referenοe in the catacοmb
inscriptiοns to Jesus or a crucified saviour, in whοse place is found the familiar Greek
figures of Οrpheus and the Goοd Shepherd, whο are represented as friends of
animals.

The clοsest original that can be found οf the Jesus of the New Testament is a rabbi
named Jehοshua Ben Pandira, who lived abοut a century B' C. ln his ''Life οf
Jehοshua," Dr. Franz Ηartman states that this illegitinnate οhiΙd of a Jeμrish maiden,
Stada, and a Rοman soldier, Pandira, γvho is mentiοned in the Τalmud, ιlras the
originaΙ Jesus. Ηe rβ/as referred tο as a rabbi of not very great importance, urhο studied
the mysteries in Εgypt, and whο was put tο death by stoning after an attempted
crucifixion.

Seeking a substitute for Αpοllοnius, the Church fathers seized upon jehoshua, and
chaπging his name to that of the Druid sun gοd, ΗΕSUS, and shifting the date οf his
birth forward a century, he was transformed into Jesus. on this subject, Manly ΗaΙl
ιvrites: "lt is very possible that the early Church Fathei's, seeking desperately fοr a
concrete hυman being on which tο hang the fabric ef their faith, picked Jehoshua Beπ
Ρandira as the nearest paralleltο be found among the .Ιe.*vish rabbins. Αrmed with this
small fragment οf history, they proceecjed tο corι'elate the twο; building in a iittle here;
and removing same cοntradictοry fragment there, untiΙ, lo, and behold, the'Κing of
Kings' is a Νazarene, in spite of the Bοpular οpiniοn that nοthing gοod can come out of
Νazareth.

"This Further explains why Ηelena, the mοther of Constantine, vrithin three
hundred years after the death of Jesus, was unable tο find in all οf Jewry
any man whο had even heard οf him. According tο the stοry, she finally
came upon one aged man whο cΙaimed to have heard that Jesus had
lived. Ηe tοok her tο an old Rοman executiοn fleld ιrhere the excavation
reveaied a number οf crοsses. When the whοle matter had been settΙed to
every one's satisfaction, Cοnstantine, to show his extreme veneration, had
one οf the passion naiΙs pοunded intο a bit for his horse'

"Τhe mοst perplexing and comparatively unsolved mystery with νγhich the
Christian theologian is faced is the almost complete lack of historical
evidence concerning the life of Christ. lf νve accept a few palpable
fοrgeries, οιlr knovrΙedge οf the life οf Christ is based principalΙy upon the
aceοιlnts given in the GospeΙs... Τhe gravest doubts exist as to the
authοrship οf the gοspels οf the New Τestament' The Encyclοpedia
Brittannica acknowledges not οnly these cjοubts, bui admits that there is
nο prοοf of any kind that the Gospels ιvere written by the men ιμhose
names have been affixed tο them in more recent time.''

ln 1894, there appeared a remarkabte book written by J. M. Rοberts entitled'Αntiquity

Unveiled," in which evidence was presented to pΓove that no such man as ..|esus οf
Νazareth ever Ιived, but the name was adopted by the framers οf Christianity to cover
thο identity οf Αpοllonius of Τyana vrhοse teachings and mοde of life they puι"lοined
and made use of as a modeΙ upon which to cοnstruct their system'" Ηe adds: "Τhe
ιaροι"ld has the uncontrovertible testimony that Οhristianity is οf spurious origin and the
mοst cοnsummate piece of piagiarism in human histοry.''

ln sharp cοntrast with the scarcity, οr rather the absence οf informatiοn regarding
Jesus, is the abundance of reliabΙe hisiorical data available cοncerning ΑpoΙΙonius of
Αpοllοnius the Nazarene Part 1: The Ηistοrica... Page 'l οf 9

Τyaπa, ιvho, duriπg the first ceπiury, enjοyed uπiversal fame frοrπ οπe end of the
Roman empire tο the other, being honored by all. Mοre than seventeen temples \rvere
dedicated tο him in various parts of thο empire. Νearly a dozen Rοman Ξmperors held
him in avre and ΓeveΓence' {Τhe Rοman emperοΓS; Vespasian, Τitus and Νerva, weΓe
all, prior tο their etrevation tο the throne, friends and admirers οf Αpollonius, μghile Nerο
and Domitlan regarded the phiiosopher with dismay.) The Emperοr Septimus Severus
(Α.'D' 193-211 οrected a statue to him in his gallery of deities in the Pantheοn, ι:vhile
}-ris sοR, Emperοi'CaraeeΙΙa, hοnοred his memory with a ehapel οr monument.

Lampridus, νvho lived in the third century, further infοrms us that the Emperor
Αlexander Severus {Α D 222-235} plaοed a statue οf Αpol}οnius in his }abariunτ side
by side νlyith one οf orpheus.

lt ιvas the wife of Septimus Severus, the empress Ju}ia Dοmna ιvho commissioned the
phitοsopher, Philostratus, a member of a circle of writers who colΙected around her, to
ιγrite the life of Αpοllοnius of Τyana, based on manuscripts in her pοssession, chiefly
the memoirs οf Αpoilonius's disciple anci traveΙing οοmpanion, Damis, in addition to
recοrds preserved in different cities where Αpollοnius ιlvas held in esteem -- frοm
temples'whοse lοng-disused rite he restored, frοm traditiοns, from epistles of
Apοl[οnius addressed to kings and sοphists and from his Ιetters _ of which the
Ξmperor Ηadrian had made a cοllectiοn whieh he depοsited in his paΙace at Αntium.
(Julia Domna, known as the philοsοpher-empress because she γιlas surrounded by
men of letter^s and philοsοphers and dispensed enlightened patrοnage tο thοught and
learning, ψgas the daughter of Bassiamus, priest of the sun at Emesa in Syria.
Ρhilοstratus \ΜaS a member of a groυp οf famous νvriters and thinkers who gathered
arοuπd her. She \MaS a νγoman of high intelligence anci remarkable purity οf character,
living in seclusion and devoting her time to literature and philosophy in her extensive
library. Αs in the case of Sapphο, a v/omaR οf egually exempiary morality, she ιrvas
faΙsely defamed by the scribes οf the Same churchmen lvho γvere later responsible for
the brutal murder of Ηypatia. These three greatest \Μomen οf antiquity, together ιvith
Jοan οf Αrc, the greatest woman of modern times, \Μere aΙl victims of a criminaΙly
jealous male clerical fraternrty.

Αnοther biography of ΑpοΙΙonius was ιarritten by Soterichur of oasis during the reign of
DlοcΙetian, but is nοn-existent, having been destrοyed by the Christians together with
other ancient writings referring to him. Still anοther biography was writien by
Mοeragenes, ιrvhich was likewise lοst.

Τhough wriiten in the early part of the third century Α.D., PhiΙostratus's biοgraphy οf
Αpollοnius οf Τyana was not permitted tο be pubtish.ed in Europe untiΙ the year 1501,
ιvhen Αldus printed the first Latin edition to appear in Εurope. Τhis υras followed by an
ltaΙian and French translatiοn, but it was not until 168ο that the first Engtish translation
vras made by Blount, an Ξnglish Deist'

Blount's notes on the book raised such an outcry that, in 1693, the book was
cοndernned by the church and lts further publiοatiοn fοrbidden. {Conοerning the
effects οf BΙount's translatiοn; Campbe]], in his'ΑpοΙlonius οf Τyana," νvrites: "Fierce
passiοns \λ/eΓe }et }οοse. Sermons, pamphlets and vοlumes descended upοn the
presumptiουs Blount like fireballs and hailstones and his adversaries did not rest uniil
the authοrities had forbidden him tο print the remaining six bοοks of his translatiοn.")

ln his notes, Blount pοinted out that, ''v/e must either admit ihe truth of the miracΙes of
Αpοllοnius as ιvell as thοse οf Jesus, οr, if the former Were untrue, there vιlοuld be nο
better grοund tο believe in the latter''' Α century later tslount's notes wers-translated
Αpοllοnius the Nazarθne Ρart tr. T}τe Ηistοrica... Ρage 8 οf 9

iπtο French by the Εncyciopedists. Ηοwever, a century befοre Blount - Voltaire, Le

Grand d'Αussy, Castillon and οther French Deists ιvrοte tο the Same effect,
cοnsidering ΑpolloniυS aS a far mοre authentic historical figure than Jesus, and fuΙly
his equal in every respect and as wοrthy of performing miracies if such weΓe possible.
(Francis Bacon a}sο spοke of Αpolloniυs in the highest terrns. ln Burtοn's "Anatomy of
Melancholy" - which some have attributed to Bacon's authorship - appeared a
quοtatiοn frοm Philostratus's biοgraphy of ΑpoiΙοnius tο νιrhich Κeats later referred in a
fοοtnοte in his ''Lamia.'')

Blοunt, hewever, had translated only the first two bοoks οf Philostratus's work (there
were eight in alΙ, the remaining six remaining unpubiished); and it was nοt untii 18Ο9
that the first compΙete English version was made by Edιvard Ηerwick. {ln his preface
οf his work entitΙed ''Τhe First Τvro Books οf Ρhilostratus Concerning the l-ife of
Αpοllonius to νvhich Τyaneus, written originally in Greek, and now pubΙished in
Εng|ish," Blοι.lnt, in self-protection, aπd obvioι;sly expressing οplniοns the oppοsite οf
what he realΙy believed, humbΙy described his book aS "Rο moΓe than a bare narrative
of the life of a philοsοpher, not οf a nev,l Messiah, οr any \fi/ays in οpposition tο the οld;
no, Phiiοsiratus does nοt anywhere sο much as mentiοn the name οf Christ. And if
one Ηeathen Writer (Ηeirocles} did make an ill sue οf this history, by cοmparing
Αpoilοnius ιvith Christ, νγhat is that to Philοstratus, νγhο Revcr meant nor designed it
So, aS l can anywhere find? Ηoιvever Eusebius hath already cοnfuted Ηierοcles, which
confutaiiοn i had intended to have anncxed to Philοstratus as an antidote."

''Τhe whole translation l have aΙready finished, and had proceeded thus far
aS you see in my illustratiorι, '*rhen Ι found the alarm was given in alΙ paι-ts
what a Dangerοus Ηοok υ;as coming οut; such a book as would υnmask
all practical atheists, which (they being the greater number οf men, might
iherefore prove of pernicious consequeΠCe iο the public. Αbove all, the
Popish Clergy thought themselves chiefly cοncerned herein, who are sο
zealous|y revengeful and maliciοus' that l feared it is mlght fare urith me as
it did vυith pοor Esop, (who nοtιvithstanding he had broken jests upon
severa} great kings and pοtentates υρithout being punished fοr ihe Same,
yet οnly speaking against the priests of Delphos cost him his iife.)

''Wherefοre, if the CΙergy vroιlΙd have ApoΙlonius esteemed a Rogue and a

Juggler' ihai being risen from the dead, he is οne οf the principaΙ
fonnenters οf this Popish Plot; or that there never \λras any such man as
ΑpoΙlonius, with all rny heart, whai they please. For l had much rather
have him decried in his reputation than that Some gΓave Cardinal, with his
lοng beard, and his eΧcοmmunicative'Ηa', Should have me burnt for a
heret1c.")

Ηerι:rick's vοlume became So raΓe ihat in 19ο7, two Lοndon book dealers of
ψrοrld_wide reputation searched and even advertised in vain fοr a eopy. Τhis indicates
hοιnr welΙ the ecclesiastiοaΙ suppression of this dreaded bοοk had succeeded Αnd
while tοday scarcely a person can be found, even amοng the most eduοated. who
even heard the name of ΑpoΙlonius of Τyana, much less knew anything about him,
according to CarnpbelΙ, "Τhere v/as a day when the name of PhiΙostratus and
Apollonius οf Tyana \r/as on every educated Εnglishman's tοngue,'' even thοugh
sectarian prejudice against Αpollοnius characterizes every vrι'iter priοr io ihe
nineteenth century. The pοpularity οf Apollοnius in ancient times stands in sharp
cοntrast to his aΙmost complete ob}ivion tοday.

Τhat Αpο}lοnius, a mere man, should rival Jesus, a gοd, in so many impοrtant
Αpοllοnius the Νazarenο Ρart l: Τhe Ηistοrica... Page 9 οf9

respects, in the eyes of the churchrnen constituied an 1mpοrtant reason io suppress

Phiiοstratus'S book, since it tended to belittte the dignity of their savior. That
PhilοstratυS composed his ''Life οf Αpο}lonius οf Τyana'' aS a pagan counterblast to the
Christian gοspeis Ιs an opinion which has been held by reputable scholars both before
and after Blount's day. (Τhis οpiniοn, ιrvhich has been widely hetd by Christian ιvriters,
is evidently faise, since Chrisiianity aS we knοw it cjid not exist at the time when
Philοstratus wrote, for he makes no mentiοn of Jesus or οf Christianity. ln spite of this
fact, the bοοk has aΙways been held with the greatest suspicion; and, even after the
Renaissance, when it ιruas intrοduced intο Europe, Αldus hesitated fοr a time befοre he
gave the right tο publish it, at last resolving to dο sο, but adding tο the text a reply by
Eιlsebius to Ηierocles' criticism of Christianity, in which he opposed the Αpollonian to
the Christian miracles, thereby, as he expressed it, giving "the antidote with the
pοison''')

Τhus, the Bishοp of Avranοhes, writing in the seventeenth οentury, expΓessed this
vievr as follοws: "Philοstraius Seems tο have made it his chief aim iο deprecate bοih
the Christian faith and Christian doctrine, bοth of which \Λ/eΓe progressing wonderfully
at that time, by the exhibitiοn οn the oppοsite side οf that shalloιμ representation οf a
miraculοus Science, hοliness and virtue. Ηe invented a οharacter in imitatiοn of Christ,
and intrοduced almost all the incidents in the Ιife of Jesus Christ into the history of
ΑpοlΙοniυs, in order that the pagans might have nο cause to envy the Christians by
doing which he inadvertently enhanced the glory οf Christ, for by falsely attributing tο
anοther the real character οf tne Saνior, he gave tο the latter the praise which is His
1ust due, and indirectly held Ηim up as the admiration and
praise οf others.''

ΤreεiwelΙ, in his "Sketch of the Life οf ApolΙonius of Τyana," v/rites:

''From the time that disputes began cοncernlng the Christian religlon,
Christians have charged Philostratus ιlrith having appropriated the events
and miracles contalned in Mattheιg's gospel to adorn his life οf Αpollonius
οf Tyana, and the pagans have made couniercharges of piagiarism
against the writer of this gοspel. Upοn the earller accounts of Apollοnius
these charges have been hetd to be οf sufficient importance to meet ιvith
efforts οf refutation frοm eminent Christians, even as Ιate aS our day, Rev.
Αtbert Reviile did not think it beneath his dignity nοr his great learning, to
-this
attempt in 186δ a refutation of great and monstrous infidei slander.'
'Αpοllοnius the
Ηe attempted to sho\,Ψ in a iittle bοοk bearing the title of
Ρagan Christ οf ihe Τhird Century' (meaning the first century) that
Philostratus had borroιved leading facts from the Gospel of Mattheιv.
Μiraeulοus phenomena \.vere related almοst idcnticaΙwith that reeord by
Mattheιv in his gospel of Jesus Christ' Αnd whiΙe Jesus is said tο have
been casting out devils in Gali}ee, Apοllonius νvas, according to a traditiοn
quite as trustworthy, rendering mankind a simiiar service in Greece. Such
was the οpinion of Οatholic writers on the subject; and, accοrding to Daniel
=eveΓ
Ηuet, this statement by the Bishop of Αvranches since that time has
had great weight with atl thoughtful minds."'
J.L JJ &$ &

WWW design and text editing Copyr"ighted Θ 1996-1997 by Jeroen Wierda

Picard UFo Research lnternatiοnal
ΑpοlΙοnius the Νaz&rene Part2: Similarities ... Ρage Ι οf13

Αpοllοnius the Nazarene ffi@

ApolΙonius the hlazarene
Part2:
Similarities Betιιleen ApοlΙon ius and Jesus
By: Dr" R. W. Βeyηαrd, Β.Α., M.Α', Ρh"D.

Let us now consicjer some of ihe essential points of similarity between the biographies
of Αpοllοnius and Jesus. Before his birth, the οoming οf Αpοllοnius ιvas preeeded by
an Αnnunciatiοn, his coming being annοunced tο his mother by an Αrchangel. Ηe was
born in the same mysterious manneΓ in the Same year when Jesus is supposed tο
have been born (the year 4 B.C.) Like the latter, in his childhood he displayed
wοnderful precοοlty in religiοus matters; then he went thrοugh a periοd οf preparatiοn;
then came a periοd οf pub,tic and pοsitive activity; ihen a passiοn; then a kind οf
resιlrrection; and finaΙΙy an ascension.

Τhe messengeΓs of Apοllο sang at his birth as the angels did at that οf Jesus. Ηe alsο
vfas exposed to the attacks of enemies, thοugh always engaged in doing good. Ηe
similarly ιvent from place tο plaοe carrying out the work of refοrm' being accompanied
by his favοrite disciples, amοngst urhοm disaffection, ciiscοuragement and even
treachery rnade their appearance. Αnd when the hοur of danger ιaras at hand, in spite
οf the prudent advice of friends, and the abandοnment οf his disciples, he went
straiEht tο Rome, where Dοmitian, the erueΙ empeΓοΓ, was seeking to kill him, just as
Jesus went up tο Jerusalern and tο certain death' Αnd before ihis eveπt, he had been
a victirn of Domitian'S no less crueΙ predecessor' Nero. as Jesus had been exposed to
the machinatiοns οf Ηerοd Αntipus. Like Jesus, he is acοused of ιvοrking mirac}es οf
mercy by the aid of rnagic and unlawluΙ arts, whereas he on1y sucοeeded in working
thern because he \ΜaS a friend οf the gods and worthy to be esteemed as such. Like
Jesus on ihe roaci to Daπascus, he fills an avowed enemy with vroncjering dismay by
an apparitiοn severaΙ years after his resurrection and ascension'

Αnother remarkable resemblance between ΑpoΙlonius and Jesus was the great
number of cases οf eviΙ spirits that ιnrere driven out at his bidding. Ηe speaks to them,
as ii was said οf Jesus, with authοrity' Τhe yοung man οf Αthens, who rrras
possessed, through ιrvhom the deviΙ uttered cries οf fear and rage, and who could nοt
face the }οοk οf Αpοllοnius, reminds us οf the Gοspel narrative of the demοniac of
Gadera. Νeither ιvas eured until some outιruard visibΙe circumstance had taken pΙace
that gave the people reason tο beΙieve that the devil had really gone out. ln the one
case a herd of swine rushed dοιαn into the Ιake, and in the οther a statue falls,
οverthrοι,vn by the vioΙence of the eviΙ spirit as it rushes οut of the yοung man.

Τhere is alsο mentioned in ihe biography of Αpollonius anotheΓ οase of possession

singularly tike the one of the epiΙeptic child in the three first gοspels. Ιn Rome,
ΑpolΙonius resiοred a young girl to life under circumstances which immediately remind
us οf the retυrn to Ιife of the daughter οf Jairus. lt may be further remarked that both
stοries are sο recοrded that a careful critic might ask himself with respect to each
whether the young girΙ who was brοught to life again had reaiΙy been dead after all. Τhe
lame, the blind and the halt came in erowds to be healed by the laying on of hands by
larchus, the chief of ihe Brahman Sages of the Ηimalayan heights whom ΑpoΙΙonius
Αp+ll+xlius the ΝazareΙie Pa*2: Simi}arities ... Ρagο 2 οf 13

visited and under whοrπ he stυdied and derived his kποwiedge and power.

His miraculous appearance tο his friends - Damis and Demetrius - who thοught at first
that he was a spirit' remind us at οnce, in the way this was reΙated, of the resurrectiοπ
of Jesus after his death.

The fοllοwing inspiring descriptiοn οf the Christ-like figure of Apοllοniι:s is given by

CampbelΙ in his bοοk, ''Αpοllonius of Τyana:'' ''Α Strange distinctive figure, clad in white
linen and not in garments wroυght of skins; νl,lith teet unsandled and vrith locks
υπshorn; ausiere, reseryed, and of rneagΓe mien; wiih-eyes cast υpon the ground as
ψras his rnanRer, ΑpοlΙοnius οf Τyana drew to him ιιlith something of a saint's attraction
aΙl simple foΙk, and yet won as intirnates the Εmperοrs οf Rome.

"Τhrοugh his love fοr all life and swift appreciatiοn of the beauty οf the
human form' he drew high to the sufferings of the bodγ and became
aοquainted ιvith the sufferings of the sοuΙ. Ηe sοught to heal, οr at least tο
sοοthe, Some of the distresses, physical and splrituaΙ, of pοor humanity;
and tο such a singular degree of skiΙlfuiness did he attain in the heating
arts οf his day, that even the sacred οracles οf Αgaea and of DeΙphi
pΓοΠοunοed him more than mοιtal, referred the distennpered body and the
snnitten sou] tο him, for relief, knowing that frοm his very pΓesence
prοceecjed a peculiar virtue, a benign influence an almοst theurigic pο\Mer.

"By years οf silence and cοntemplation, by extensive travel and by a

continuous spirituaΙ and urorldly experience, he deepened tο no minute
measuΓe, an οriginally, powerful. and intense personality, and sο it ιvas
ihat at length he became the admiration not οniy οf alΙ cοuntries thι'οugh
vrhich he passed, but of the whole Rοman and ΗelΙenic world. Cities sent
envοys and embassies to him decreeing him public favors, ιτonarchs
bestoιved special dignities upon him, counting him worthy to be their
counsel!οr; inοense ιvas burnt before his altars; and after his deaih divine
hοnours v/ere paid to his images, which had been erected, with great
enthusiasm, in alΙ the temples of the gοds. Nor did his fame evanesce. Αll
down the ages his name has earι"ied in it something of a hurricane; for
speculative critics of both early and iater days have thought to find in the
life οf this exceptiοnal character a parailel tο the life οf Christ, and to
ground an aΓgument thereοn' against the supernal claims οf the Sοn οf
Μan. Ηence fοr οenturies even the name οf Αpollonius wag οdious tο
Christians; fοr it seemed the very GospeΙ οf the Son οf Man was at stake,
and Christian apolοgists, on their part, in self-defense, νveΓe nοt iacking to
attaek fiercely their adversaries' champiοn, and to denounee him as little
better than an impοster, a soreerer and a magician; on this aecount they
have generally failed to understand the man' Τhey have Ιacked, at least in
their cοmbative approach to him, that sweet aftectiοn for signai worth, that
graciοus patienee fοr nobleness, which is absolutely essential to
comprehenci a ncυr οr startling character οr mode οf Ιife."

Αnother writeι" gives the fo}lowing descrlption of Αpοllonius:

''Ηe had a Zeus-Ιike head, long beard and hair deseending to his
shοulders, bοund ιryith a deep fillet' Damis deseribes Αpοllonius aS ever
mild, gentΙe and mοdest, and in this manneΓ, mοre like an lndian than a
Greek, thοugh, νlrhen witnessing some special enormity, he ιvould burst
οut indignantΙy against it. Ηis mοod was οften pensive, and when not
Λ *^lt^*:'.- +1-Δ λΤazarene
1Ι ιrc ιl.rν 1\
l1l_rιrl ιι-rΙ ( Pafi2: Similarities ... D^oo2,-Sl?
r αlυ -t ι-r_ι lJ

SpeakiΓ.g he wοuld rΘmain fοr lοng with eyes cast dο\trn, piυnged in deep
thοught. Τhough aΙways SteΓn with himself, he readily made eXcuSeS fοr
others. As an instance οf this, the following may be cited: During l'Jerο's
reign, vrhen, on his way to Rοrπe, Αpοllοnius vras \trarned that he and his
fοllοwers vgοιlld be in danger, of thlrty-four eampaniοns vgho set οut with
him, onΙy eight remaineci Staunch enough tο brave the threateneci periΙ;
ψrhile praising the cοurage of thοse few νγhο remained with him, he refused
to blame as cowards the many wΙto had f|ed"''

From Phliοstratus's biοgraphy, we gather the fοllονγing facts abοut the life and
character of Αpo}lοnius of Tyana. He ιvas born in the year 4 B.c. Αt the age of tυrelve
he was Sent to Τarsus in CiΙcia, the alΙeged birthplace and home of "St. Paul.'' Τhere
he studied every system of philοsophy, aπd perfected himseΙf in rhetοric and genera!
literature. Ηe took up residence in the temple of Αescalupius, famed fοr its marvelous
cures, and ιvas initiated by its prlests intο their mysterles, after which he perfοrmed
cUΓeS that astοnished nοt oniy ihe peοpie but thοse masters of the art οf heaΙing. Ηe
then finally decided to adοpt the philosοphy οf Pythagοras, and rigοrously observed
the trying discipline instituted by the Samian Sage. Ηe abstaineci from animal food,
wine and vlomen _- and lived upοn fruits and herbs, dressed οnΙy in white linen
garments οf the plainest construction, went barefοοted and with uncovered head' and
vrοre his hair and beard uncut. Ηe was especialΙy distinguished for his beauty, his
genia} bearing, his unifοrm love and kindness, and his imperturbable equanimity of
temper.

ln these respects he ιγas the persοnal embodirnent of the iι'naginary traits of the
Christian Jesus, and was no doubt the originaΙ of the pictures of ihe so-calΙed
Νazarene, now So venerated by the uninformed prοfessors of the Christian religion.
(Αlmost every picture that in modern times is recοgnized as a likeness of Jesus reaΙly
have their origins in a portrait of Αpollοnius of Τyana painted in the reign οf
Vespasian.)

Determined to devote himself to the pursuit of knοwledge and the teaching of

philοsophy, he gave avγay his large patrimοny tο his pοor relatives and went tο
Αntiοch, then a center of learning but little less noted than Αthens or Αiexandria' Τhere
he began his great rnissiοn by teaοhing philosophy to a number of disciples and to the
people. Ηe then entered the temple of Αpoliο Daphne at Αntiοch and learned the
mysteries of its priests. Later he traveled tο lndia in search οf wisdom and visited the
Gymnosophist phiiosophers οf Egypt. Ηe then returned tο Greece iο restore the
Mysteries and tο ieach the doctrines of Chrishna and Buddha, which he learned at the
feet οf his Himalayan teacher, ]archus. (These Τeachings, embοdying the Buddhist
gospels that Αpollonius carried ιvestward, became the origin of the Christian retigion).

Αs a a social and pοΙitiοaΙ refοrmer, he traveled from oπe end of the Roman Empire tο
the οther, Ιnciting revoΙt against the cι'ueΙ tyrants - Νerο and Dοmitian. for which he
vιlas arΓested by both and thrοιa,ln intο jail. After his arrest by Dοmitian he ιvas
acquitted and "disappeared." After having completed his labors for humanity which
lasted a century, it is belie.yed he ιvent to ]ndia tο rejoin his teachers in the Ηimalayas.
When and ιnrhere he dieci is unknown.

Ells gives the fοllοιιling accοunt of the life οf Αpοllοnius:

''Ηe vlas bοrn in Tyana, Α Greek City of Asia ftllinor, three years befοre the
birth οf Christ, and he lived abοut a hundred years, until the reign of
Νenra' Αs with Μοses, no man knoweth his grave untο this day' Devοted
 Ρage 4 οf13

tο p}τilοsοphy from his boyhood, he stud}ed it after the uneqυal}ed methοd

οf thοse days, by listening to lectures and to disputatiοns of rival thinkers
in every market-place and frοm the steps οf every temple^ Ηe chοse as his
οwn the philosophy of Ρythagoras, and enthusiasticaΙly practised its
austeι'ities, maintaining absolute silence fοr flve years as a mental
discipΙine, avoiding aiΙ relations with Women, giving away his patrimοny,
and ιuearing only linen [cottοn] garments.

"ln the phraseοlοgy οf iοday he νlras a vegeiarian and a tοtal abstainer. Ηe

claimed that by this mode of life his senses γvere made abnοι"maΙΙy acute,
so that he had a premonition of future events and became awaΓe of the
minds οf men and of distant happenings; and he surcessfully set up that
defense when he was trled for "sorcery'befοre the emperοr' Ηe prayed to
the Sun three times a day, οffering incense but never sacrificing victims'
Ηe believed in the immortality οf the sοιll, in metempsyοhosis
[reincarnatiοn], and in a supreme diety - the Creatοr οf the Universe.
lndeed it may be argued that in the deities vrhom he vrοrshipped he saw
merely phases and agencies of this Supreme Deity, fοr in referring to the
gοds co}lectively he is frequently quοted by Phitostratus as using
tgοd,'and
indiscriminately the words'gods'or the lndian sage larchus,
with his evident approvaΙ, Ιikens the Univeι^se to a shlp of which the
Creator is the Master and the subordinate'gods'are petty officers [cf. the
Christian idea οf orders of 'angels'νιrho assist in the smooth running of
-gods'
creation, and the Η1ndu idea οf a trinity οf - Brahma, Vishnu and
Shiva - Γepresent1ng the creative, preserving and destructive energies that
are οperating continuaΙly within the creation, each having their cοrrelative
fυnctions or energy centers (chakras) ιnrithin the human body - which in
itseΙf is but a microcοsm or ref]ection οf the macrocosmic universe.]

''Αll his life long his advice and help were cοnstantly sοught by cities,
temples and rulers everywhere, and v/ere freely given vrithout reward. Ηe
journeyed over the knoνvn world from the ΑtΙantic οcean to the Ganges
river, and south tο the οataracts of the Νile, acquiring and imparting
ιμisdom. Ιn middle age, when his travels weΓe not half cοmpleted, he iold
his disεipies that he had already Seen more of the earth's surface than any
other man had ever done. During his long and Ιaborious Ιife he wrought
many wοnders, and many men regarded him as an inearnate divinity. Τhe
kings of Persia and of lndia vied with each οther to do him honor. Αfter his
death the Ernpeι"οq'Ηadrian built a tempte and endοwed a pι'iesthοοd for
his ιlrοrship of Τyana. The emperor ΑureΙian vowed to do the Ιike, caΙling
hirn the mοst gοdlike, hοly and venerable of rnankiπd, endowed with mοre
than mοrtaΙ powers, and decΙaring: ''Ιf ] live, l wiΙl publish at least a
summary of his wonderful deeds, not because they need anything my
woi'ds οan give, but tο make them familiar tο ail lips, as they are
marvelοus.''

''Αnother emperor, Αlexander Severus, with questiοnabΙe taste, set the

image οf Apοllonius in his private chapel or solarium, among his tuteiary
deities, in cοmpany with orpheuε, Αbraham and Christ (Τhough this
reference has been qιloted by many writers' ii appears very improbabΙe
that early Rοman emρerοΓS, pl-ior to Constantine, who was the first tο
accept Christianiiy, had siatues οf Abraham or Christ in their chapeis. Τhis
siatement is obviοusly a Christian interpοlation. [forgery} Τhe statue of
 Ρage 5 οf 13

Οrpheus is the οnly one v/e can believe to have existed side by side with
that οf Apοllonius' Αs Eisler has shown, even in the Catacοmbs οf the
early Christians there WaS nο representation of Jesus, while orpheus is
represented as the οentral οbject of Worship. lt is probable that orpheus
was considered as the fοunder οf the religiοn οf which Αpollonius νvas the
apοstle.}

Τhis very history We o\rve tο the Γeverence paid tο his memory by the empress Julia
Dοmna, the wife οf Sepiimius Severus, urho cοmmissioned Ρhilostratus tο write it and
supplied him with most of the materials. Fοr tιvο hundred years after his death,
Αpollοnius \Μas generally acοlaimed as moΓe divine than human, until in the reign of
Diοctetian a Roman pro-consul Ηierοcles attempted to sweep baοk the rising tide of
Christianity by publishing his ''Candid llllords to ChristiaΙ1s,'n in vεhich he drew
unfavοrable comparison of Christ with Αpollonius. Τhe nascent church easily confuted
his attack, but οould nοt fοrget nοr forgive it; and nοt content ιμith its victοry oιler its
assailant, it stigmatized the Ιong-ciead philοsοpheΓ aS a charlatan inspired and aided
hιr
v, tha
ι, lν λaιril
vν v ll.

Τhe chorυs of ciesiruction has been very persistent. AS late as ihe time of Charles il,
vrhen one Charles Blount tried to publish in Εngland a translatiοn of Philostratus'
biοgraphy, he complains in his preface that the clergy wοuid οniy let him print the first
two of its eight books, and that the Cathοlic priesthood ιruas especially active in its
οppositiοn' (EelΙs, C.P., ''Life and Τimes of ApollonΙus of Tyana.'')

Sinee ancient times, the contrοversy raged between the followers of Αpοllonius and
thοse οf Jesus as tο who νvas the mοre highly rnοral type. Τhe partisaπs of Αpollοnius
argued that he, being a man, offered humanity a more usefuΙ moral example than
Jesus, a god, ιvho could οnly be wοrshipped, but not imitated, and in comparisοn ιvith
v,rhοm ΑpoΙΙοnius vfas aS virtuοus in every respect, and in Sοme vι/ays moΓe so. Τhey
pοinted οιlt in particular, that a man whο, frοm his sixteenth yeaΓ, Γesolved tο live οnly
on fruits and herbs and tο remain fοrever chaste - which resοΙution he strictly followed
throughοut his long life of over a century -- \ffas certainly a higher and mοre moral type
than οne ιvho sat and ate amοng publicans the viands οffered him and who drank
ιryine at wedding feasts.

Αlready at the beginning of the fourth century A.D., Hierocles wrote a treatise in which
he maintained that Apοllonius vlas a much higher type than the Jesυs of the Gospels'
Ηοt οοntrοversies ensued on the subject; and the Cathοlic οpponents οf Αpolloι'tiυs
invented the most ridiculous lies tο belittΙe his character. Τhus Αrnοbius and the
fathers οf the church, just after its fοrmatiοn at the beginning οf the fourth οentury,
maliciοusΙy attributed the reputed miracles of Apollοnius to magic, while putting up a
fictitiοus imitation οf hiιτ in the fοrm of the messiah of their new religion. Even as late
as the fifteenth century, ιve find Ρico della Mirandοla, and as late as the sixteenth
century, Jean Bοdin and Baronius, still denοuncing Apollonius aS an evil magician ιlrhο
had a pact with Satan.

Ηowever, even the enemies of ΑpοΙΙonius had to admit that his life ιras exemplary, for
here ιvas a maR whο, frοm a tender age, rθsοlved tο abstain frοm meat, frοm wine and
frοm association with women, whο let his hair grow Ιong and did nοt permit a blade tο
touch his chin, and who alsο as a Pythagorean naturist, ιvent around bare fοoted οr
ιvοre sandaΙs made frοm bark, nοt from leather, dressing only in white linen robe and
cοnsidering it an impurity tο wear ctοthing made from the wοol of sheep.

Spending his time in a temple, his silence vfas extraοrdinary, yet his knowledge of
 Ρage 6 οf 13

langιlages was universal. Frοm one end of the Roman Ξmpire to the other he traveled
as a teacher and healer, to whοm the sick flocked wherever he went. Ηe was alsο a
sοcial reformer and revοlutlonist, who fearΙessly oppοsed tyrants, inciting uprisings
against them, and οrganizing his follοwers into communistic communities.

]tthus appears that Αpollonius was a much higher moral, as ιvell as intellectual type
than the humbΙe carpenter οf Galilee. Such cοnsiderations have led RevilΙe, a Catholic
writeι-, in his book οn Αpοllonius οf Τyana, tο admit, "JeSL,S was οnly the offering of an
οbscure peοple; his dοctrine ψfas bui ihe refinement οf a paltry lοcal tradition; his life,
οf which Ιittle is knονγn the great majority οf his cοntemporaries, was extremety short.
Ηe soοn fell viοtim to the attacks of tιvo or three priests, a petty king, and a
prοsecutοr, and a few remarkable progidies aΙone distinguished him from a croγγd of
οther existences which had nοthing whatever tο dο with the destinies οf hυmanity.

"Αpollonius, οn the contrary, a Greek by birth, had stored his vast intellect
with the religiοus dοctrines οf the ιvhοle vrοrΙd, frοm lndia to Spain; his life
extendeej. oveΓ a century. tike a luminοus meteor he traversed the
universe, in constant intercourse νvith kings and the powerful οnes of the
earth, whο venerate and fear him, and if he ever meets with oppositiοn, he
triurnphs over it majesticaΙly, always stronger than his tyrants, nevθr
subject tο humiliatiοn, never brought intο contact with public executioners.

ΤredιroeΙl, in his "Sketch of the Life of ΑpolΙonius of Τyana,'' wΓites as follows:

''That Αpollοnius \ffas a great and gοod man Can hardly be questiοned; the
tribute paid him by Τitus, Vespasian and ΑureΙius is a guarantee. Even
amοng those of the present day most willing to detract from his charaοter
many are forced to admit that a ceΓtain puΓe and true mοrality pervades
the urhοle οf his system of teaching. Τhere is a weΙl- established theory in
it, that virtue and true piety is the only foundation of happiness.

"ApοΙlonius WaS chaste and temperate; he was actuated by a noble desire

to know and the stilΙ nobler desire tο communicate his knowledge to
mankinc. Ηe was ingenious, learned and original in his language. Νo man
ever lived whο utterly rejecteci ail vulgar artifice fοr producing effect upon
men; no majestical pomp of ιvords characterised his teachings. Αnd he
was ready at all times and in aΙl places to impart goοd instruction; and frοm
all testimony of him no man \,vas more emphaticalΙy an apostle of peaοe. lt
is difficult, indeed, to οvercοme the οοrnmon_sense cοnclusiοn that
Apollοnius, u/hom Phi]ostratus has placed before ι.ls, iS a real man, a
corporeity, and nοt a spirit; he walks the earth, eats, drinks and sleeps like
οther men, iοves and hates as experience teaches US is naturaΙ for man.
Ηe is an οbserver of natural phenomena, compares and speculates,
adοres nature, birds, animals, trees, flowers and is nοt desiitute of humor,
aΙthοugh οf great gravity and dignity. Everywhere in nature and art, with
the Βrahmans of lndia, he fοund something to admire.''

Τοιrvards the end οf the third century, just preιriοus to the formatiοn of the church, the
struggle between the PythaEοΓean suppοrters of Αpοllοnius and hls οppοneRts, who
Ιater οrganized the Roman CatholΙc Church at Νicea, reached its last and bitter stages
. Αt this time there νvere temples and shrines a[l over Αsia Μinοr dedicated tο
Αpοllοnius and his νvoi"k, but there weΓe none to Jesus, fοr he was unknοwn sinοe he
did nοt exist.
 Ρage 7 οf|3

ln the piaee οf the aυgυst Αpο}lonius, whοse fame νlras worΙd wide during ihe first
three centuries, and who was Γevered in all centers οf Ιearning as the wisest of men,
his οppοnents endeavored tο set up an uneducated yοuth οf onΙy local significance,
νlrho ιvas knovrn οnly to a fevg iiliterate fishermen in his vicinity, and whose short period
οf acti.lity (3 years} and his short tife {33 years) precluded his achieving what
Apollonius with his century of incessani activity hacj accοmpΙished. Whiie jesus spent
his life in Galilee among the common people, Αpollonius traveled from one end of the
world tο the other, studying the wisdom οf the greatest minds that coulej be fοund _
the Brahmans οf the ΗΙmalayas, the Gymnοsοphist phiΙοsοphers οf Εgypt' and Druids
οf Gaυl, etc.

Αccοrding to Τredνvell, Αpοllonius traveΙled mοre extensiιyely than any man of his age.
''Τhat he was a maΠ οf no Ιτiean accουΠt,'' Tredνγell adds, "iS evident from his Ιetters
addressed tο kings, rulers, philosophers sοcieties and the first men οf his time, still
extant, reserved in the wοrks οf Philοstratιls and Cu.!aεiυs' Ηe traveled amοng the
Magi and \ΜaS every\,\fhere the moΓe hοnοred οn accοunt of h1s mοdesty and virtues;
giving always ιμise and prudent counsel, and rarely disputing with anyone. Τhe pΓayeΓ
which hc was accustomed to offer up to the gods is admirab\e. ''o, ye immortαl gοds,
grαnt us ιηl!ιαteνer you shαlΙ 1udge i[fit αrcd prοper tο bestοw, αrιd οf which ινe
mαy nοt be undeselνirιg'''

For many centuries after his passing, a haΙο οf sanctity ιaras thrοwn around his head,
and he was worshipped as a god in many parts οf the wοrld' Τhe Τyanaeans elevated
him to the positiοn of a ciemigοd, and the Roman emperοrs apprοved his apοtheοsis.
But in the course of time, the deification οf Αpοllonius shoιμed the same fate as that
decreed the Roman emperors; and his chapel became as deseded at that ιarhich the
Αthenians erected in honor tο Socrates.

ltwas claimed for Αpollonius by his fοΙlowers that he was the sοn of a god (Proteusi, a
cΙaim n'hich he repudiated. Νevertheless it was believed by peopte that Αpollοnius l,vas
of divine parentage and that messengers οf ApoΙlo Sang at his birth. Arnrnοnianus
Marceiiinus rankeciΑpoiionius among the most eminent men, and cΙairned thai he
prophesied by supernatural aid οf a genius, as did Socrates and Νuma.

The miracles said to have been performed in lndia by the Ηindu Savior, ehrishna,
during his missiοn being almοst identical υ{ith thοse attributed to Αpollonius, ιμere all
vrell knοwn anci cjisοussed in Aiexandria at this iime; and although Αpollοnius never
encouraged the propagation of his divine naturΘ, yet he never emphatically repudiated
it, knowing that but little respect attaehed to the person or teaehings οf any philosophy
vrith the vulgar multitudes un|ess founded on eιlidence οf dΙvlne inspiratiοn, the
demοnstratiοns οf ιvhich weΓe iπ the form οf ''miΓacΙes," and he appears to have
allοwed the vuΙgar populace to believe this. Thus arose the beΙief that he ιγas the son
of Gοd, and νγas a seεond Chrishna, or a Christ.

Οut of Γespect to ΑpoΙΙonius, his native birthpΙace οf Τyana was regarded as a sacred
city and yJaS exempted frοm the jurisdiοtion οf governors sent frοm Rοme. Gibbοn, in
his histοry οf Rome, states that a supersiitiοUs reveΓence of the countrymen of
Α.pοlloniua caused the emperor CΙaudius Α.urelian (A. D. 273) ta treat ιvith lenity the
conqυered οity οf Τyana.* (-Τhat in spite οf his eminence as a historian of Rome,
Gibbοn was ignοrant of the true significanοe οf ΑpοlΙοnius, is indicated by the following
statement of his' ''f,le are at a lοss tο discοvei'whether ΑpoΙΙonius was a sage, an
irnpostοr or a fanatic." ln view of such ignorance by an outstanding authority on
Rοman history, we can well imagine hol,v the general public \jvere uninformed οn the
 Ρage8οf13

subject at the time that Gibbοn wrote, as it still is.)

Vοpiscus writes that as the forces οf Αurelian were marching against Τyana, the
citizens having shut the gates against him. incensed the emperor so that he decΙared
that he ιvοuld not Ιeave a dοg aΙive in the city; but the sρirit of ApoΙΙonius appeared to
him in his tent, threatened him into a better mlnd, and for Αpollonius'S Sake, he spared
the inhabitants. Later he dedicated a temple in his honor, as the empeΓσr Marcus
Aurelius also did. Τhe emperοr Ηadrian, with reverent pomp, deposited Αpolloniυs's
writings in his splendid palace at Αntium, whither pilgrims flocked daily in crourds tο
see them.

Apοllonius's reputation aS a saint vras sο well established during the early centuries
that even after the advent οf Christianity, many Christian ιvriters, including
Cassiοdorus, spοke highly in his praise. Lactantius says that a statue οf ΑpoΙlonius
was erected at Ephesus. Statues \rfeΓe erected tο him in the temples and divine
hοnoi's \ffere paid him by the Emperοrs Caracella, Alexander Severus and Αurelain,
ιvhile magical virtues ν\,ere attributed to his name. Νeυrman claims that ApoΙlοnius was
everywhere hailed as a god, and when he entered a city made converts as soon as
Seen. Τhis was the case in oΙympia, where the croιιvds paid more attention to him than
to the games, almost worshipping him.

Αi Εphesus, he was worshipped under the Ηercules, the warder- off of evil.
titΙe of
Reville says that ''after his death, the city of Tyana paid him divine hοnοurs; and the
universal respect in νvhich he was held by the whοle of the Pagan world testified to the
deep impression which the life of this supernatural being had let indelibly fixed in their
minds, an impressiοn ιvhich caυsed one of his contemporaries to exclaim, "\Μe had a
gοd living among uS."*

(*Νewman, a Cathοlic apologist, first seeking to discredit Αpollonius and

then admitting his greatness, ιμrites: "Apollonius is represented as making
converts aS Sοοn aS Seen. !t was noi then his display of marvels, but his
Pythagorean dress and mysteriοus depοrtment, rrvhich arrested attention,
and made him thοught superior to other men, because he νvas different
from them. Like Lucian's Αlexander, he was skilled in medicine, professed
to be favored by Αesculapius, pretended to foreknowledge; was in
col|usion with the heathen priests, and ιuas suppοrted by the Οracles; and
being mοΓe strict in cοnduct than Paphlagonian, he established a more
lasting οelebrity.")

Αfter Αpoiionius's passing, for centuries he received frοm emperors honors equal to
thοse which they claimed fοr themselves, and he ιvas universally deified and
worshipped as a demi-god. Ρhilostratus writes that "the country peopΙe say he \MaS a
sοn of Ζeus, but he claims tο be the son of Αpollo, as his name indicates. Apollonius
has been called the "true friend οf the gods." Ρierre Bayle, in ''Dictiοnaire Historique et
Critique'' (1696}, remarks that Αpollonius ιvas worshipped in the beginning of the
fοι:rth century under the name οf ΗercuΙes, and refer"s for his authοrity tο Vοpiscus,
Eusebius and ΜarceΙΙinus' Albert Reville says. ''Τhe universal respect in whiοh he was
held by the who}e pagan world testified tο the deep impression which the life οf this
supernatural being had indelibly fixed in their minds."

Philostratus speaks οf a temple in Τyana dedicated tο his memοry and fοunded at the
imperial expense, ''for the emperoΓS had judged him not unworthy of like honors with
themselves.'' lt was frοm the priests of this temple, who had gathered aS much
infοrmatiοn as they couΙd abοut Αpollοnius, that Philostratus got much οf the material
 Ρage 9 οf 13

for his biοgraphy.

Cοncerning ΑpolΙonius's universal renοιvn during the first century, W.B. Watlace
writes: "Ηis noble οountenance, his winning pΓesence, his pure doctι'ine, his unsullied
fife, his aι'dent advocacy of the immortality of the sοuΙ, as weΙΙ as his miracles - Ιed
men tο believe, ιvherever he went, that he lvas more than mortal. Ηe consοrted and
coΓΓesponded with the mighty οnes οf the earth. {J.Α. Froude writes: Αccording to
Philostratus he was a heathen savicur, who claimed a commissiοn frοm heaven to
teach a pure and reformed reΙigion, and in attestatiοn οf his authοriiy went about
healing the sick, curing the blind, raising the dead men to life, casting οut demons,
stilling tempests, and prophesying future events - which came afteιvrards to pass.

''Ηe \λlas born four$ears before the Christian era in Τyana, a city of
Cappadοcia. Ηis pbrents sent him tο be educated at Τarsus, in Ciiicia, a
place οf considerabΙe wealth and repute, and he must have been about
the beginning οf his studies when St. Pau] as a little boy was first running
about the streets. on the death οf his father, he divided his property
among the poor, anci after five years retirement he iraveied as far as lnCia
in search of knovrrledge. Ηere he discοursed with the Ιearned Brahmans,
and came hοme with enΙightened ideas. Ηe began his career as a teaοher
in the Roman Εmpire. Ηe preached his new religion and perfοrmed
miracles to induce peopte to believe in him' Ηe was spiritual advisor of
Vespasian. By Dοmitian he was charged with having pretended being a
god himself. Ηe was arraigned, convicted and was about to suffer, vrhen
he vanished οut οf the hands οf the Rornan police and reappeared at
Εphesus..' ΑpοΙlοnius of Tyana, among many others, was looked upon as
an emanation of the divine nature. *(J. Α. Frοude, in "Nineteenth
Century," Sept. 1879.)

Τigellinius, the brutal favοrite οf Νerο, cοwered before him, Vespasian was
ef]cοuraged by him tο aim at the lmperiaΙ diadοm. Ηis discipΙes were numerous." ("on
this point, Μead, in his ''Αpollonius of Tyana," lvrites: ''Ηe attracted to himself many
followers and disciples. lt would have been interesting if Philοstratus had told us more
about these 'Αpollonians,' aS they were called, and ιarhether they cοnstltuted a distinct
schοοl' or whether they ii/ere grοuped iοgether in communities on ihe PythagoΓean
mοdel, oι'vrhether they Were simply independent students attracted to the most
commanding personality of the times in the dοmain οf philοsοphy.")

indieating the high ΓeveΓeneθ in ιvhich Αpollonius was held in his day, Justin Martyr, in
his .crοΓk written in the seeοnd quarter οf the first century, made the fοllowing
statement:

''Question 24.lf God is the maker and master οf creation, how dο the
cοnseοrated objects of Αpolionius have po\Μer in the (variοus) orders οf
cE'eatiοn? Fοr, as \,ve See, they check the fury οf the waves and the pοWer
of the ιηrinds and the inrοads of vermin and attacks of wild beasts.''

Τhe fοllοurers of Αpollonius, vrho ιvere called Αpollonians, continued to wοrship him
until the fourth eentury. Μany of them wοre the same dress as himself and adοpted his
Pythagοrean vegetarian mode οf living.* ("Ηοwever, Αpollonius never impοsed his
mοde οf life οn οthers, even on his personal discipΙes, whοm he gave utmost freedorn.
Τhι:s, he telts Darnis that he has no wish tο prohibit him from eating fΙesh and drinking
v.line, thοugh he demands the right to refrain himse}f and of defending his conduct if
called tο do so. Τhis is an indication that Damis, vrhο was the source οf Philοstraius's
 (Ιξ.υ Ι\-,
ΙLraftΔ llt Α+
ιr1 ΙJ
l l

infοrmaiioπ eCIncerniι'rg the life and teachings οf ApolΙonius, was nοt a membeι' of the
inner circle of discipline, and therefοre \ΜaS nοt in a positiοn tο οοmmunicate as mυch
abοut his master as he othοrνγise wοuld have been able tο dο.

ln the PauΙine EpisiΙes, ιvhich, in their originaΙ form. \rvere undoubtedly wnitten by
Apοllonius, Damis is referred tο as "DθmaS,"*" a cοnnpaniοn οf the apostΙe (Paul, οr
Pοi, representing Αpοlloniυs, who aΙso apρears in the episties as "Αpollos," who iS
said to have preaοhed a similar doctrine and in a similar manner as Paul'***i

[**Colossians Chapter 4: Verse 14;2nd Τirnothy, Chapter 4: Verse 10;

Phrlemon: Verse 24.1

[*** l Corinthians, Chapter 3: Verses 4 - 6; aΙsο'Verse 22; l Corinthians,

ChaBter 4. 'r/erse 6; Τitus, Chapter 3: Verse 13.]

Αdmitting ihat he was nοt permitied tο enter the inner circΙe of his teacher and master,
Damis refers to his manuscript on the ''Life, Journeyings and sayings οf ApοlΙonius of
Tyana," which later came into the possession οf Julia Domna, who οbtained it from a
relative of Damis, and which constituted the basis οf Philostratus'S biography, as "the
crumbs οf the feast οf the gοds''' Repeated rnentiοn is made οf their accoιτpanying
Αpoiionius on his travels, sοmetimes aS many a9 tθn οf them at the Same time, but
nοne οf them WeΓe allowed tο address each οther until they had fι.llfilled the vοw οf
silence. Τhe most distinguished of his fοΙlοweΓS weΓe Ιιllusonius, who was considered
the greatest phiΙosοpher οf the time after ΑpοΙlοnius, and whο ιυas the special victirn οf
Νero's eruelty, and Demetrius, 'who lοved Αpollonius'as his master.

Τhese names are ιμeΙl knοwn to history; of names otherwise unknoιιrn are the
Egyptian Diοscοrides, vtrho was left behind ow1ng to weak heaΙth οn the long journey tο
Ethiopia; Menippus, whom he had freed from an obsession; Ρhaedimus and Νilus,
whο jοined him frοm the Gymnοsοphists; and of οοurse Damis, whο wouΙd have us
think that he was always νvith hirn frοrn the time of their first meeting at Ninus.

There is reason to think that the foliοwers of ΑpοlΙonius were Εssenes οr Τherapeuts,
of ιvhich sects he vras undoubtedly the Ιeader. Αccording to ReviΙle, "Αpollonius and
his fοllowers, like Pythagοras and his disciples, cοnstituted a regular οrder οf Pagan
monks."

Leeky, in his ιvell knοιvn book, ''Ηistοry οf European λjlorals,'' States that ΑpoΙlonius
''obtained a measure οf success second οnly to that of Christ.* {*Renan called
Apollοnius "a SoΓt οf Christ of paganism.'' Reville calls him a Greek or Pagan Christ, "a
urliversal priest, a philosopher who is sο holy as entitled to divine honοrs,'' and "a god
in human fοrm". "Ηe advocated a morality and virtue far in advanοe of the religious
sentirnents οf his age.'' Again he rεrites: 'ΑpoΙlonius of Τyana, at the close of the
Flavian period, endeavοred, with noble puΓpοSe, to unite mοraΙ training with religious
practice; thο οracles, wΓtich had lοng ceased, were partia}ly ΓestoΓed.''"

(*Αcοording tο PhiΙlimore, Αpollonius founcjed a church and a cοmmunity,

composed of his disciples - who wθΓe undoubtedly the branch οf Εssenes
known as Νazarenes οΓ Τherapeuts. Phii}imoΓe SayS, "ΑpoΙlonius may be
said tο have founded a 'church;' but there was nothing cοmmeΓciaΙ in the
institution; he was nοt saΙaried by his admiring disοiples.''

lt appears that ΑpolΙοnius was himseΙf an οbject οf worship -- Φcause οf his sanctity,
vrisdom, beauty, etc. - ιarherever he ιnrent. "Ηis magiφpov/ers, vxhich seem tο have
been cοnsiderable, procured for iοcal piety his recE*:tifion aS ap object of cultus in his
 Ρage 11 οf 13

Cappadοciaπ birth-placeo'' writes Phillimοre. Τhere is evidence that ApoΙlοnius's

''church," whοse adherents v/ere knοιrgn as ''Αpolloniei" survived for Some centuries
after his death, and constitυted the οrigin of what, after the Council of Nicea, was iater
transfοrmed into he Christian Church.)

G.R'S. Mead, a student of early Christian and Gnοstic mοvements, writes along
sinnilar lines as foΙloννs: "ΑBoilonius of Tyana vras the mοst famous philοsopher of the
Graecο-Roman world of the first century, and devoted the major part of his lοng life to
the purificatiοn of ihe many cults οf ihe Εmpire and tο the instruciiοn οf the ministers
and priests of its religiοns. With the exception οf Christ no more interesting peΓSοnage
appears upon the stage οf western history in these early years."

Αppuleis classes Αpοllοnius with Moses and Zorοaster, and other famous prophets
aπd magi of antiquity. Αrnobius, ihe teacher οf Lactantius, at the end οf the third
century, also classes him among the great prophets, side by side vrith Zoroaster. But
vrhile the prevlοus universal high opinion οf ApοlΙοnius was lost after the fοrmatiοn of
the Churεh, the Churοh fathers were nοt alΙ οf the same mind conοerning him, fοr οn
the one hand we find John Chrysostοm bitterly denοuncing Αpοllοnius as a deceiver
and evil-doer, Jerome asserts that the philosοpher found everywhere something to
learn and sοmething whereby he cοuld becοme a better man. Also in the next century,
St. Αugustine, while ridiculing the attempts that νvere made at comparisοn ιvith Jesus,
admits that the character of ΑpoIΙonius was exemplary in virtue'

Vopiscus, a ιvriter νlrho lived at the end of the third century, is very eπthusiastic aboυt
Αpollonius, whom he called "a sage of the most widespread Γenov/n and authority, an
aπclent philοsopher and a true friend οf the gods, indeed, a manifestatiοn οf Deity."
Vοpiscus resοIved to write a Ιife of Αpollonius Ιn Latin, so that, he says, ''his deecis and
wοrds may be on the tοngues οf all, fοr as yet the οnly accοunts are in Greek. Fοr whο
afnοng men," he adds, "v/as more hοiy, more worthy of reverence, moΓe venerable
and more gοd-like than he?" Ηe it was whο gave life tο the dead. Ηe it ιgas whο did
and said sο many things beyond the pοwer of men'

Vοpiscus did not futfill his intention, but Soterichus, an Egyptian epic poet οf the last
decade οf the third century, Νichοmachus, and Τascius Victοrianus all wrote lives of
Apollonius, which νveΓe Ιost after the formation of the Church, having been destrοyed
by the Christians.

During the fifth century, we find Volυsian' a pro-cοnsul of Αfrica, descended frοm an
old Roman family, still wοrshipping Αpοllonius οf Tyana as a Supernatural being.
Laetantius refers to a statue erected to him at Ephesus. Sidonius ApoΙinaris, who
wrοte his biography in the last half οf the fifth century, speaks of him as the favorite οf
mοnarchs and the admiratiοn of the cοuntries he traversed. Τhis Same writer sent a
copy of Philostratus's "Life of ApοΙlonius of Τyana'' tο his friend, Leo, the chanceΙΙor οf
a Frankish king at TοuΙoυse, with this message:

"Thrοιν aside your endless labοrs and steal a respite from the burdens and bustle of
the Cοurt, so that yοU may really study this long-expected volume as it deserves.
When οnce absorbed in it, you ιrvill wander with οur Τyanean over Caucasus and
lndus, tο Brahmans of lndia and the naked philοsοphοrs οf Νubia. lt describes the llfe
of very mueh such a man as you are, with due respect to your eatholic faith. Courted
by sοvereigns, but nevθΓ cοurting them; eager Fοr knοιvledge; aloof frοm
money-getting; fasting at feasts; linen-clad among ιJveaΓeΓs of purple; rebuking }uxury;
self-contained; plain-spoken; shοck-headed in the midst of perfumed kings, whο
themselves ulere reeking with myrrh anej maΙo-bathrum and polished with
Apοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart2: Similarities ..' Ρage 12οf13

pumice-stone; taking from the flοcks nοthiπg tο eat οr tο ιvear; and notwithstanding al}
these peculiarities not distrusted but hοnored ιrvherever he νrrent throughout the worΙd,
and althοugh royal treasures νvere pΙaced at his disposal, accepted from them merely
thοse gifts to his friends which it suitecl him better to bestοw than to receive. ln short, if
vre measure and weigh realities, no phiiosοpher's biography equal tο this has ever
appeared in the times of our ancestors; so far as l knοw, and l am ceriain that in my
t1mes it finds a wοrthy reader in yοu.''

Other references tο Αpollonius were derived from a certain Μachus, the unusual cοlor
of ιvhοse robes ιrvon him the name of Porphyry, νVhο ιvrote a celebrated treatise
against Christianity which v.ras destroyed by the Emρerοr, but his life of Pythagoras
and his sοhοol, written in the last years of the third century and the first yeaΓS οf the
fοurth, is stiΙ| in existence' aS iS alsο a similar wοrk by lamblichus written at the Same
time; and bοth refer to Apollοnius's biοgraphy οf Pythagoras, the first thirty sectiοns οf
ιαhich οonstituted the eοurse of their infοrmation'

Tredwell says that there \ΜaS a vast amοunt οf literature produced during the
Αpollonian period, ''more probable than was ever produced during a like period by the
like number οf persons. ΑlΙ we knοw abοut it is, that it once existed and was destrοyed
during the subsequent ages. lt was obviοusly burnt by the Christians.''

ApolΙonius was a man of extensive learning and the authοr of many bοοks, aΙl οf which
have been destroyed by the Christians'* (*Apollοnius was the authοr οf the following
books:

(1) ''Τhe Mystic Rites or Cοncerning Sacrifices.'' Τhis treatise aS

rnentioned by Philostratus, who te]ls us that it sets dοwn the proper
method of sacrifice to every gοd, the propeΓ hours of prayer and offering. lt
was in wide circulation, and Philostratus had come aοΓoSS cοpies of it in
the libraries and cities, and in the Ιibraries of phiΙosophers. Several
fragments have been preserved and have been found in the writings of
Εusebius. Νoack tells us that scholarship is convinced of the genuineness
of this book, which was widely circulated and held in the highest respect. lt
is said that its rules vrere engraved on brazen pillars atByzantium, ιμhich
were melted down by the Christians.

(2) Four books entitΙed "Τhe oracΙes or Concerning Divination.'' Αccording

to Philostratus, the Full titte was "Divination of the Stars," and he says that
it ιruas based on what Αpol}onius }earned in lndia; but the kind of divinatiοn
Apοllonius wrote about was not the ordinary astrolοgy, but something
which Philostratus considers superior to ordinary human art in such
matters. Ηe had, however, never heard of anyone possessing a copy of
this rare book.

(3} "Τhe Life of Ρyihagoras." Porphyry refers io ihis bοok, and lambΙicus
quotes a lοng passage from it.

{4}"Τhe Will οf Αpοllonius." Τhis was written in the lοnic diaΙect, and
cοntained a summary of his doοtrines.

(5} "Α Ηymn tο Memοry.'' (Eudocia speaks of many οther vrorks, atl of
which, inοluding the ones abοve described, \Λ/ere destroyed by the
churchmen.i Ηe ιvas familiar with Platο, Pythagοras, Livy and Horace, as
indicated by his frequent quotations from them; but his favorite author was
Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Partl: Simi}arities .'. Ρage 13 οf 13

Ηomer, and his philosophy was ihe dialectic stoicism of Zeno. Ηe ιιras the
authοr of four bοoks on Judicial Αstrοlogy and a treatise on Sacriflce,
referred to by Εusebiυs and Suidas.

Τhe Emperor Ηadrian had a book he had written which he kept with his letters in his
paΙace at Αntium. Accοrding tο Τredιvell, it seems prοbabiy that Αpollonius was the
authοr of a voiuminous literature, much οf νvhich Philostratus must have had before
him in a diary οf Damis Μarοus Αureliυε {A.D 13Ο) learned stoic philosophy from
ΑpoΙlonius's wriiings. ''FΓοm Αpοilonius," saiciΑurelius, "l have learned freedοm οf will
and understanding, steadiness of purpose, and to lοοk to nothing else, not even for a
mornent' exοept to ι"easoΠ.''
** ** **:ι

WWW Cesign and text editing Copyrighted @ 1996-1997 by Jeroen Wierda

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Apοliοnius the Νazafene Part 3. Τhe CοntrΦver... Pagο 1 οf1Ο

Αpοllonius the l*lazarene @@

Apοllοnius the Νazarene
Part 3:
The Controversy Between Αdherents of Αpollonius and

By: Dr. R. W. ,::::'r.Α", M.Α., Ph.D.

Let ι:s briefty review the history of the οontroversy between ihe adherents οf
Αpollonius and thοse of Jesus, each οf whοm cΙaimed that the miracles of their
messiah v/ere greater than thοse οf the other."

{-on this subject, Mead writes: ''Τhe development ot the

Jesus-ΑpoΙlonius-miracΙe coniroversy into ihe Jesus-against-Αpollonius
and even Christ-against- Anti-Christ battΙe, fοught out with relays of lusty
champions on the one side against a feeble protest at besi on the other, is
a painful spectacle tο contemplate' Ηοw sadly must Jesus and ApoΙlonius
have lοοked upοn, and still lοοk upοn, this bitter and useless strife οvei-
their saintly persons? Why should posterity set their memories one against
the οther? Did they oppose οne anοther in life? Did even their biοgraphers
do so after their deaths? Why then cοuld not the controversy have ceased
ιγith Εusebius? Τhe answer tο these questions is clear to the reader of this
book"")

ttstarted in the early part of the fourth century ιvith the publicatiοn of Ηierocles' ''Lοver
of Truth,'' ιrvhich was refuied by Eusebius in a wοrk entitled, "Τhe Τreaiise of
Εusebius, the Sοn οf Pamphilis, Αgainst the Life of Αpollonius of Tyana'' Written by
Philostratus, occasioned by the ParalleΙ Draιvn by Ηierocles betιveen him and Christ."
Ηierocles' boοk ιvas an attack on Christianity' charging the Christians of CREAT|ΝG
Jesus as a plagiarΙsm οf Αpοllonius, a charge that SΤiLL ΗOLDS GoοD, since it has
ΝEVER BEEΝ REFUτED. on this subject, Roberts writes:
'Α1l thrοugh the third century there is repeated mention of this (Αpοllonius's
teachings). But it was nοt until Ηierocles in the beginning of the fourth
century boldly charged upon the Christian priesthood their plagiarlsm of
the teachings and works οf Αpoilonius, that the iatter fοund it necessary to
set every means at wοrk that couΙd in any way help tο cοnceal the great
truth that Ηierοcles proclaimed with such pοrtentious force. lt was true that
nο one knoιvs exactly what it was that Ηierocles wrote, for Eusebius, who
toοk upon himself the task οf destroying the testirnοny οf Ηierοοles, tοοk
precious goοd care to destroy the work of his formidable opponent, and
give his oWΝ vERSloΝ of the matter instead. The reply οf Eusebius tο
Ηieroοles has corne down tο us. Why has not ΗierocΙes'arraignments of
the Christian priesthood alsο come dοwn to us? Let that priesthoοd
answer."* (* J' M. Roberts -'Αntiquity Unveiied.''}

ln refutation of Ηierocles' claims, Eusebius tried tο show that ΑpolΙonius νιlas a poor
imitation οf the Christian messiah. on the other hand, Ηierοcles, insofar as this can be
gathered from Eusebius's refutatiοn _ made the foΙlοιrving statements:
Αpοllοnius the Νazarcne Ρart 3: The CοntrΟver... Ρage 2 οf 1Ο

"Yοu prοclaim Jesus a gοd on account of a few prοgidies recοrded by their

evangefists, yet ιve have writers of more education than yοurs and ιμith
mοΓe care fοr truth, ιιrhο relate soΙid judgement, dο not make him a gοd οn
accοuni οf them, οnly regard him as a man fοund ρleasing tο the gods."

This is practically all that Euseblus te}]s us abοut the cοntents of the work of Ηierocles
under the title of "Ρhilalethes." Everything eΙse, in the book, he asserts, has been
urged by others and has been already replied to. The parallel between Αpollonius and
Christ is aii that is ηew. Ξusebius examines each οf Phiiosiratus'eight books in
successΙon, pοinting οut the incοnsistenοies and incredibilities of the narrative. "l have
no οbjeοtiοn," he gays, "to placing Αpοllοnius as high as any one likes among
philοsophers. But when, under the οover of Pythagoreanism, Philοstratus makes him
gο beyοnd the bοunds οf philοsophy and makes him a saint, he is really rnade tο be
an aSS in lion skin, a juggling qι.lack instead of a philοsopher. Τhere are limits set tο
hurnan powers which no man, like ΑpolΙonius, can transgress, but a higher being
(Jesus) can eondescend to the cοnditions οf human ι'}atuΓe.''

ln shοrt, Eusebius moεks Αpollonius's miracles as untrue and impοssible and tries to
point out the inconsistencies of the biography, concluding that if the miracles οf
Αpollonius really toοk place they were perfοrmed by the aid of a demon.
"Lastly,'' says Εusebius; arriving at ihe cuiminaiion οf his argument, "Philοsiratus,
having thrown dοubt on the pΙace and manner of his departure frοm Ιife, will have it
that Αpollonius went to heaven bodily, accοmpanied by an expected song of maiden
vοices.''

Εusebius ends by saying that if any shοuid think fit to place ΑpoΙlonius amοng
philosophers, he does not object; if only they wilΙ cΙear him οf the faΙse ornaments
affixed tο him by the writing under examinatiοn; the real effect of such additions being
to culminate the man himself under the guise of raising him to divinity. ln conclusion let
us hear Eusebius's οιvn wοrds:

''l need not say with νγhat adrniring approval he [Ηierοοles] attributes his
βpοllonius] theumaturgic feats not to the tricks of wizardry, but tο a divine
and mysteriοus vrisdοm; and he believes they νvθre truly what he
SuppοSeS them tο have been, thοugh he advances no proοf of his
contentiοn. Listen then tο his very words. 'lπ their anxiety to exalt Jesus,
they run up and doιvn printing of how he made the btind to see and
vrοrked certain οther miracles οf the kind.' Then after an interval he adds
as follows: "Let us note hovr much better and mοre sensibΙe is the view
which νrre take οf sueh matters, and explain the cοnceptiοn νγhieh ιρve
ente*ain of men gifted with remarkabΙe pοwers.'Αnd tBut
ihereupon after
passing headlessly by Αristeas, continues thus: in the time of our own
ancestors, during the reign οf Νerο, there flourished ΑpοlΙonius of Tyana
vrhο from mere bοyhοod when he became the priest οf Aegae οf CiciΙia, οf
Αscalepius, the lover οf mankind, worked any number of miracles, of
which lwilΙ oι'nit the greater nurnber and only rnention a few.'

"Τhen he begins at the beginning and enumerates the ιnronders worked by

Αpollοnius, after νvhich he cοntinues in the fοllowing vrοrds: 'What then is
my reason for mentiοning these facts? lt is in οrder that yοu may be ab}e
to οοntrast our οwn aeοUΓate and weΙi-establ1shed judgment on each pοint
ιvith the easy credulity οf the Christians. For ιrvhereas υre reckοn him ννho
Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Part 3: The Cοntrοver... Ρage 3 οf 1Ο

wrοught such feats nοt a gοd, bυt only a man p}easing to the gods, they on
the strength of a few miracles prοοlaim their Jesus a god.'
''Τo this he adds after a little mοre the following remark: 'Αnd this point is
aΙsο νvorth nοticing, that whereas the taΙes of Jesus have been vamped up
by Peter and Paul and a feιg-g others οf the kind * men who vcere liars and
devoid οf education and νvlzards _ the history of Αpollonius was wriiten by
Maximus οf Αegae, and by Damis the philosopher, ιlvho lived constantly
'lvith him, and by Phiiosiratus of Athens, men of the highest educaiiοn, who
out of respect fοr the truth and their love of mankind, determined to give
the publicity they deserved to the actions of a man at οnce noble and a
friend of the gοds."

Τhese are the very wοrds used by Ηierοcles in his treatise againsi us which he has
entitled "Lover of Truth.""

(-Ηierocles νγas inspired to write his book by Pοrphyry, who had written
fifteen books against Christianity as weΙΙ aS many works in defense of
ApοlΙοnius'S neο- Pythagorean philοsοphy, including fοur bοoks in defense
of vegeiarianism entitled "FouΓ Bοοks on Αbstinence from Αnimal Fοod."
Hierocles work was ιvritten in 3Ο3 Α-D., a yeaΓ before Porphyry died.)

Ηierocles iaras further ansu/ered by Lactantius; and it sοοn became necessary fοr
every Cathοlic saint οr dοctοr οf the fοurth and fifth centuries to have an οpiniοn abοut
Αpollοnius of Τyana. Eusebius admitted, hοwever, that Apolionius νιras a great
philosopher; and tactantius and Αrnobius, γvhiΙe not denying his miracles, attribute
them tο ''magic.'' St. Jerοme alsο regarded him as a maglcian. ln a work written after
the death of PhiΙostratus by an unknoιlgn writer, rarhich wag formerly attributed to Justin
Martyr, the miracles of ApoΙlonius were further ascribed to magic.

St. Αugustine, in arguing with the heathen, paid Αpollonius a rather mild compliment
by allowing that he was "purer than Jove." The learned Bishop Sidonius Apollonaris
praised the Greek phiΙosopher and transΙated his Ιife into LatΙn. Οn the other hand, St.
John Chrysostom branded the wοrk of Philostratus as false and Αpοllonlus as a
"deοeiver;'' and his vieγ,l gradually became the general one of Christian νγriters. Τhe
ehurch Father, lsidorus οf Pelusium, who died in 45Ο A'D' bluntly denied that there
\,lfas any truth in the assertion that Αpollοnius ''consecrated many spοts in the wοrld for
the safety οf the inhabitants.''

Αmong the ancient writeι's who make mention οf ApοlΙonius is origen, whο refers tο
the ιπernoirs οf Maeι"agenes; who speaks of hiι'n as a philοsopher and magician. Later,
Αmmianus MarceΙlinus, the last subject of Rοme whο cοmρosed a profane history in
the Latin language, and the frienci οf Julian the PhiΙosopher, Eιτperor, refers to
Αpollonius as ''that most renoιvned philοsοpher.'' and thought that, ''like Pythagoras
and Soοraies, he was a privileged mοrtaΙ whο lived assisted by a familiar genius." Α
few years later, Eunapius, the pupil οf Chrysanius, οne οf the teachers οf Ju]ian,
writing in the Ιast years of the fourth century says that, ''ApoΙlonius \Λ/as more than a
philosopher; he was a middle term, as it υrere, between gοds and men.''

Eunapius states furthermore that Αpollοnius was nοt οnly aπ adherent οf the
Pythagorean philosophy, but "he fully exemplified the more divine and practical side of
it." Ηe believes that Philostratus shouΙd have called his biοgraphy "Τhe Sοjourning of a
Gοd Αmοng Men."
 D^^o I ι-r'ι ΙlJ.}
-ι <ιΞ.υ .t ^f
Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart 3: The Cοntrοvef... v

Εven in the sixth century, after the dοwnfall of phiiοsophy with the rise of the Church,
νlre find Cassiodorus, who spent the last years of his Ιife in a monastery, Speaking of
Αpollonius as the ''renowned philosοpher.'' ln the eighth century, amοng the Byzantine
writers, ιve find the monk, George Syncellus, referring to him aS "the mοst remarkable
οf all the illustriοus peοple whο appeared under the Rοman Empire.'' Αt abοut the
Same time, TzetzοS, a οritic and grammarian, called ΑpοΙΙonius ''aΙl-wise and
fore-knοwer of all things."

Τowai"ds the end οf the middle ages, the cult οf Αpοllοnius stiIl surviveci in the east,
thοugh fοrgοtten in the west, as indicated by the Statement of Nicetus concerning the
melting-dοwrr of certain brοnze dοοrs at Byzantium, which νvere said to have been
inscribed vrith the "Book of RitθS," οne οf the lost ιvοrks of ApolΙοnius. This \rι/as dοne
iο put an end to non-christian be|iefs and usages ιvhich had gathered around them'
in the eleventh century, opiniοn [regarding Apollonius of Tyana] was divided; and
w,hile on the other hand, ιve find the mοnk Χiphillinus, in a nοte tο his abridgement of
the history of Diοn Cassius, calΙs Αpοiiοnius "a ciever juggter and magician,'' Cidrenus
in the same century bestοιllls on Αpo}lonius the not uncomplimentary iitle of ''an adept
wlth efficacy of his pοwer over the elements" in Byzaniium.

Even as late as 1832, Bauer attempted to show that not οnly ιιlere there resernblances
between ihe "Life of ApoΙΙοnius of Τyana" and the Gοspels, but that Philosiratus
deliberately modeted his hero on the type set fοrth by the Evangelists. Ηe ιlιlas
folΙοιved in this view by Ζe|'ter, the ceΙebrated Greek historian.

Typicat οf latteι'nineteenth century vieνvs on the subject is that of Cardinal Newman, a

Cathοlic apoiοgist. φgho, admitting the identity of Αpοilοπius and the Gospel messiah,
considers the fonmer an imitatΙon of the iatter, in spite of the fact that he preceded him
by three centuries {Γor the Jesus οf the Gospels vras evidently bοrn in the year 325
Α.D., at the CounciΙ of Νicea, rather than when the star appeared over Bethlehem).

Tο sιlpport his view, Νewman rnentions certain typlcal examples, such as Αpollonius's
bringing to life a dead girl in Rοme, ιvhich he cοnsideΓS aS ''aΠ attempt, and an
elaborate, pretentlous attempt, to outdo certain narratives in the Gospels (Mark ν' 29,
Luke vii. John xi: 41-43, Αcts iii: 4-6). This incident, is described by Philostratus.

Presenting further evidence that Philostratus's biography οf Αpοllonius is in many

\Mays a replica οf the life οf Jesus, Cardinal Νewman ιvrites: Τhe favour in which
Αpοllοnius frοm a οhiΙd ιvas held by gods and men; his conversations when a yοuth in
the Τemple οf Αesculapius; his determinatiοn, in spite of danger tο go up to Rome; the
coιrvardice of his discipΙes in deserting him; the charge brought against him of
disaffectiοn tο Caesar; the Μinister's acknowledging, on his private examination, that
he ιvas more than man; the ignοminious treatment of him by Domitian on his secοnd
appearance at Rome; his imprisοnment with criminals; his vanishing from Court and
sudden reappearance tο his mοurning discipΙes at PuteoΙi-these, ιl,rith οther pariiculars
of a similar cast, evidence a history modelled after the narrative of the Εvangelists.
Ξxpressiοns, moreοver, and descriptions occur, clearly imitated ''from the sacred
volume."

ReviΙle, another Catholic apοΙogist, thinks as does Νewman that "the biography οf
ΑpοΙlonius is in great measure an imitation of the GospeΙ narrative.'* (*Reville bases
his argument on the similarity of the characters of Αpollonius and Pythagoras {which is
natυral in vieιrv of Αpοllonius fοllovring Pythagoras aS his exampΙe}; and he seeks to
pΓοve that Αpοllοnius, rather than Jesus, is a fictitious creatiοn, rather than an
Αpοilοnius the Νazarene Ρart 3: The Cοntrοver.'. Page 5 οf 1Ο

historical character. Reville writes: ''1t is hard to say whether the Pythagoras οf the
Αlexandrians is nοt an ΑpοΙlonius οf an earlier date by Sοme centuries, or whether the
.Apοllοniι.ls of Julia Dοmna, besides his resembΙance to Christ, is nοt a Pythagoras
endowed with a second youth. Τhe real truth of the matter wili probably be found to Ιie
between the twο suggestiοns."

Gοdfrey Ηiggins considers Christ aS an imitatiοn of Pythagοras, whο iikewise started

life immaculately and was killed by his enemies while seeking te serve mankind. The
truth is that bοth Pythagοras and Αpοtlοnius \Μere histοricai whiie Jesus is mythical.)
Τhis wοuld imply that Philostratus's "Αpοllonius'' had no real existence and ιrvas
modeled οn the life of Jesus.

ln refutation οf that claim, that Αpοttοnius had no historical existence and is an

imitatiοn of Jesus, is the existence οf a ''Lease frοm the Εstate οf Αpollοnius," ιrvhich is
among the Zenon papyri acquired by Cοlumbia University in 1926. lt is a Greek
manuscript written on parchment ι,lrhich refers tο a gift οf cultivated land bestοwed by
King PtοΙemy' Son of Ptolemy Sοter' tο Αpollonius οf Τyana; whiοh was signed by
Damis. The land produced barley and wheat, which yielded its owners a regular
income.

The lease \ΜaS a legal dοcument which stipulated the Γevenue that Αpollοnius was to
receive from the cΓops which the land produced, and tο it the names οf a number of
witness ιruere affixed. ln view of such clear evidence of the historicaΙ existence of
ApοlΙonius, in sharp contract with the lack of such evidence concerning the Christian
Son οf God, the question as to ιvhether Αpollοnius οr Jesus - in the historical origlnal
of which the οther is an imitatiοn - finds the ready sοlutiοn in the mind of every
unbiased peΓSon.

Αpοllοnius spoke in parables just as Jesus did. Cοncerning this point, Roberts, in his
''Αntiqυity Unveiled,'' writes: "lf the identity of styΙe and sentiment is pοssible then the
learned Αpollonius was the originaΙ author of the teachings attributed to Jesus Christ;
an identity that all the aitering, eliminating and inteι'poiating by the Christian hierarchy
have not been able to destroy oΓ even imperfectly conceal.''

Τhis simiiarity in the expressions of the twο men made Cudwοrth, a Christian
apοlogist, in his ''lntellectual System," Write: ''lt is highly improbable, if nοt
υnquestiοnable, that Αpollonius of Tyana shortly after the publication of the gospel to
the world, was a person made chοice of by the poΙicy and assisted by the powers of
the kingdοm οf darkness, for doing sοmething extraοrdinary, merely out οf design to
derogate from the miracΙes of our Saviοur Jesus ehrist, and to enable paganism the
better to bear up against the attacks of ehristianity."

Ηuet another apologist, says tυriher on the Same subject, ''Ηe {Philostratus) aimed
and thinks it to have been his principal design to obstruct the prοgress of the Christian
reΙigiοn by drawing ihe character οf a man οf great knοwiedge, sanciiiy and
miraculous po\Μer' Τherefore he fοrced Αpollonius after the example of Christ and
accοmmodated many things in the history of our Lord to Αpollonius.
Τhus the Ιearned and piοus Christian, Ηuet' was fοrced tο admit the cοmmοn identity
of ΑpοlΙonius and Jesus -- the first described by Philostratus acοοrding to the memοirs
οf Damis, ιvritten in the first century, and the other described by no one knows ψrhοm
οr ιvhen, but certainly not unti} several centuries later.*

("Comrnenting on the opiniοn of Ηuet, and cοnfirming his identification of

Αpοllοrrius the Νazarοne Ρart 3: The Cαntrοver... Ρagο 6 οf 1Ο

Αpollonius and Jesus, Parker, Archdeacοn οf Canterbury, in 1681,

remarked: ''l knοvf that Ηuet is of the opiniοn, that all the substantial
miracles {οf Αpollonius) are stolen out of the Acts οf the Apοstles, and for
the most part, in the wοrds and phrases οf St. Luke. Αnd this he had
endeavorοd tο make gοοd by a great variety of parallel instanees and
thinks it a manifest discovery bοth of the vanity οf PhiΙostratus and the
imposture οf Αpοllonius, ιvhere he is only adοrned ιγith borroιved feathers
but a great accession to thο credit of our Saviοur that when his enemies
would fοrm the idea of a divine man, they νveΓe forced to steal his best
feathers from his picture. So that, he says, it ιnras nο ιnrοnder that ΗierocΙes
should so confidentiy compare the miracles of ΑpοlΙonius tο those οf Jesus
when those of Jesus were ιvith sο little disguise clapped upon
ΑpoΙlοniυs.''}

As Christian ιvriters have been forced to admit the identity οf the respective narratives,
concerning ΑpoΙΙοnius and Jesus, the οnly questiοn tο be settΙed ls, who vras the
original author οf the so-called Christian teachings? Τhere is sufficient evidenοe
available tο prοve that Αpollonius of Τyana was that authοr, and ΝoT Jesus of
Νazareth nor Paul of Τarsus, as is wrοngly claimed by Christian writers.

Νοw, there ιvas another impοrtant reason fοr the suppression of Philοstratus's bοοk,
besides the fact that it presented a dangerous rival to the Christian messiah' Τhis vras
the fact that, though based οn the nοtes οf a cοnternρorary οf Jesus, and describing
his traveΙs from οne end of the then knογvn woι'Ιd tο the other, throughout the work
there is not a single mention of the existenοe of Jesι;s cr Christianity, indicating that
neither Damis, who wrote the originaΙ notes in the early part of the first century, or
Philοstratus, who compiled the notes two centuries later, γvere awaΓe that either
exisied. Philostratus's biography was vrritten about a ceniury prior iο the formatiοn of
the Church at the beginning of the fourth century, prior to the formation of the church
(325 Α.D.) and Catholics have taken special pains tο destroy alΙ books written at this
time, lest the fact become known that none of them make mention of Jesus or οf
Christianity.

lt ιγas to destroy such books that the AΙexandrian and other ancient libraries \J/ere
burnt following the formation of the Church at the beginning of the fourth century prior
to ιυhich Christianity (aS we knoιrv and understand it) did nοt exist and Jesus was
unknovrn.

Τhe argument ihat there is almost compiete silence in ΡhiΙostratus's biography

concerning the existence of Jesus and his disciples has been the one most frequently
advanced by Catholics to each other, in order that there be maintained great vigilance
in the suppressiοn οf this book' ln such discussions, ihis was what ιuas said: "Τhere is
mοst complete siΙenοe as regards to Jesus and his disοipΙes. Τhey are never
mentioned; the existence of the ChrΙstian Church is ignored; and yet the book contains
attacks οn all kinds of religious and mora} erroΓs; hence, it is argued, any similarity
which rnay exist between the life of Christ and that οf the pagan reformer is either
aοeidental, or formed.'' on this subject, Τredιvell remarks that Christian wriiers
''declare that Philοstratus wrote up a character in imitation οf Christ, and in οppositiοn
tο the Christian religion, when the best evidence in the νvorld exists (his entire silence)
that he ne\ler heard of Christ or Christians. Ηowever, if Philοstratus did create a
character in imitation of Christ, hovg much mοre wοrthy of οur imitatiοn in practice and
precept is the cουnterfeitl''

Ηad there been such peΓsons Ιiving as Jesus Christ, his apostles and their Christian
ΑpοΙlοrrius the Νaearene Ρart 3: The CοntrοVer... Ρage 7 οf 1Ο

fοllowers during the time that Αpollοπius lived and }abored thrοughout the then civi}ized
vrorld, Damis, who accompanied him during much of that time, and who recοrded every
thing worthy οf special nοte, wοuld have rnade sοme mentiοn οf εuch people, either
favorably οn unfavorably. Τhat he did not eiο so is, of itself, sυfficient proof that neither
Jesus Christ, his apοstles noΓ the Christian religion had any existence either befοre οr
during that perioci, ιrvhich was the οnly time in which they could have lived, if they really
did.

Dr. Lardner, in his "credibility of the Gοspel Story,'' therefοre writes: ''lt is manifest,
therefore, that Philostratus cornpared Αpοllonius and Pythagoras; but Ι do nοt see that
he endeavored to make him a rival οf Jesus Christ" PhiΙostratus had never once
mentioned our Saviοur, or the Christians, his follοιvers; neither in this long work, nor in
tlτe 'Lives οf the Sophists;' if this be his aS some learned men οf the best judgment
Suppose, is there any hint that ΑpolΙonius anywhere in his wide travels, met with any
fοllο'wers of Jesυs? There is not sο much as an obscure οr general descriptiοn οf any
men met with by hirn, whοm any can susρect to be Christians οf any denomination,
either Catholics or heretics- Whereas l think if Philostratus had written νvith a mind
adverse tο Jesus, he ιvouid have iaid hold οf Sοme οccasion tο describe and
disparage his fοΙlονvers, aS enemies of the gods, and condemners of the mysteries
and different from all οther men."

Νevertheless it was this very absence of mention οf Jesus and the Christians in
Philostratus's book ιvhich was considered by the Catholic Church as sufficient reasοn
to prohibit its publication for oveΓ a thousand yeaΓS, Ιest it be suspected that no
Christians existed at the time when the bοok was ιnrι'itten and that Jesus neveΓ li'yed.

Dr. Lardner observes that just as there v/as no mention of Jesus or Christianity by
Philοstratus, So \Λle find a similar silence about Aροllοnius in the works of early
Christian writers, thοugh they mention phiΙοsophers of much Ιess renown, as Justin,
Tatian, Clement of Αlexandria, Τertullian , etc. of all these we have Some remains;
they Ιived in the first two centuries and the beginning of the third. Τhis siience on the
part of these authors regarding Αpοllonius can be accοunted for on the basis οf only
one theory - that it ιnras necessary to utterly ignore Αpollonius and his phiΙosοphical
and religious teachings in order that the Christian religiοn might gain a foοthold and
usυrp the fieΙd he had grandly occupied'

Besides, the fragmentary remalns of the works of the first three centuries that have
reached us, have had tο pass through the hands οf Eusebius, Pope Sylvester l, and
their coadjutors and successοrs, γlrhο, from the beginning of the fourth century
dομ;nward tο the time ιvhen the art of printing ended it, were so assiduously engaged
in interpolating, muiilating and destrοying every trace of evidence within their reach
that showed the reaΙ origin and nature οf the Christian religion and its true founder. lt
shοuΙd have struck the attention οf Dr. Lardner, with vastly greater force, that just as in
Philostratus's lengthy biοgraphy οf ΑpoΙlonius there is nο mention of Jesus, so in the
entire Νeνv Τestament there ls nοt a sΙngle mention οf Αpollοnius, if we except in a few
veΓsΘS οf Ιst Corinthians, where it says, "for vrhile οne saith, l am of ApoΙlοs, are ye not
carnal? Whο, then, is Paul, and who Αpo}los, but ministers by whom ye believed, even
as the Lοrd gave to every man? l have planted, ΑpοΙΙοs watered; but Gοd gave the
increase." [First Corinthians, Chapter 3, Verses 3-6; King James Version].

ln a very ancient manuscript οf this EpistΙe, fοund in a monastery in France by a

Ηuοgenot sοldier, called the CODEX ΒEZΑE, the name is speΙled not ΑpoΙlos but
APοLLοΝΙUS' Αs has already been indicated, the EπcycΙopedia BritannΙοa admits
that the name, ΑpoΙlos, as it appears in the Pauline Eρistles, iS an abbreviation of
ΑpοlΙοniιls the Nazarene Ρart 3: The CοntrΟver'.. Ρage 8 οf 1Ο

ApοlΙοnius.*"
**But
even this positive clue to the identity οf Αpollοnius νvith the St. Paul
of the Christians was attempted to be obliterated by substituting ''ApοlΙοs''
for Αpollonius, as it originalΙy stood' Τhis studied avoidance οf alΙ mention
of Αpollonius in the Christian Scriptures is positive proof that his
recοgnition, in any way, by thc authors of Christianity, υrould be fatal tο
their scheme of deception and fraud. We Wοnder they had not the
cunning tο obΙiterate that one reference to the preaching and teaching of
ΑpοlΙοnius, and the admissiοn that his teaching was in perfect accord ιvith
the teachings attributed to St. Paui.

lt is an old saying that liars should have good memοries' Τhis V(aS never more
apparent than in the oversight of not eliminating that telΙtate cοnfession frοm the lst
EpistΙe to the Corinthians. [King James VersionJ. There Ιt stands and there it ιlαill
stand, thanks to the art οf printing to cοnfound those Christian enemies of truth and
make clear the fraud they are upholding.

Reversing the true state of affairs, involving as it did the replacement οf Αpollonius by
Jesus in the beginning οf the fourth century A.D.' Dr. Johannese ΗempeΙ writes: "ln
the fourth century we observe the replacement by the heathens of Jesus by a man who
was put in his plaοe. First Celsus and Porphyry, and ]ater Hierocles put ΑpoΙΙonius in
place οf Christ and opposed the new religion.

Reversing the true state of affairs, involving as it did the replacement of Αpollonius by
Jesus in the beginning of the fοurth century A.D., Dr. Jοhannese Ηempel writes: "ln
the fourth century we observe the replacement by the heathens of Jesus by a man who
was put in his piace. First Celsus and Porphyry, and Ιater Ηierocles put ApoΙΙonius in
place of Christ and opposed the ΝEW i"eligion."

{**ln the ΞΙeventh Εdition of the EncycΙopedia Britannica under the

heading οf Αpollos, we read: APOLLOS (contracted from Apollοnius) - an
Αlexandrian Jew whο after PauΙ's visit to Corinth worked there in a similar
way {ltalics οurs}' Ηe r,vas with Paul at a later date in Ephesus. ln Cοr. 1.
1a-12 we read οf fοur parties in the Corlnthian church, of vrhich tιnro
attached themseΙves to Ρaul and Αpollos respectively, using their names,
thοugh the'division'cοuld hardly be due to confΙicting doctrines. From Acts
xνiil 24-288 we learn that he spoke and taught with po\Mer and success.,
He may have captivated his hearers by teaching ''wisdοm" as P.W'
Schrπiedel suggests, in the allegοrical style of Ρhilo, and he was evidently
a man οf unusual magnetic fοrce'..Since Αpollos WaS a Christian and
'taught exactly' he could hardly have been acquainted οnΙy with John's
baptism or have required tο be taught christianity mοre thοrοughly by
Αquila and Priscilla" Martin Luther regarded ΑpoΙlos [=Αpo]lοnius] as the
author of the Epistle tο the Ηebreιvs and many schoΙars since have shared
his view.")

Concerning the identity of Αpoilonius and Paul [''Pol", an abbreviation of ΑpolΙonius),

nοt οnΙy \Mere they both in Tarsus at the Same time as bοys, but, as Νewman pοints
out, ApοlΙonius was at Ephesus and Rome at D(ΑCΤLY the Same time that Paul was
{yet, strangely, Apοllοnius's biographer makes nο mention of him, though Pau]'s
biοgrapher speaks of ''ΑpoΙlos" having been at Ephesus vrith him). ΑΙso it is significant
that ''Paul'' is a fictitiοus name. Τhere is more Γeason tο identifu the character of
Αpollonius ιvith Paul than ''SauΙ," vlhο led a dissipated life, while Αpollonius - even in
Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Part 3: The CοntrΟver... Page 9 οf 1Ο

youth, lived chasteΙy.

Cοnοerning the identity οf ΑpoΙlonius, υrith Pau[, Reviile writes: "Αpollonius is not onΙy
like Jesus Christ, but he combines in his oιΜn peΓsοn many οf the characteristics of the
Αpostles. Like Paul he traveΙs up and down the worΙd from east tο west, and Ιike him,
too, he is the victim of Νero's jealοusy. Like John, acοοrding tο a traditiοn which
prevailed even in his time, he is pe;'seοuted by DomitiaΠ." Αnd there is reason to
believe that he was also thο author of the Αpocalypse (St. John the Revelator).

Τhe replacement of the vegetarian and pacifistic dοοtrine ot Αpollonius, νvhο taught
harmlessness to ait living beings, animal as ιlgeil as human (as was Breviousiy taught
by gotama Buddha), by the non-vegetarian and non-pacifistic religion of Jesus and his
bride, the Church Militant, has plunged the ιvorld into centuries οf unceasing wars and
bΙoodshed, which have continued tο increase with the growth οf Οhristianity. on this
point, ΤredweΙΙ writes; ''Think nοt thαt Ι cοme tο send peαCe orι edεtrth,'' said Jesus. ''1
Come nοt tο send ρeαce but α swοrd....

Νever did a man utter νvords so brimfuΙ of truth -- melancholy as it is' Νever \Mas a
predictiοn whose disastrοus fulfillment has unfortunately Ιasted withοut intermission
from time time οf its prοmulgatiοn tο the present. Frοm the very establishment οf the
retigion οf Jesυs, the swοrd has remained unsheathed in its service, and more victims
have been sacrificed tο its manes than to all otheΓ causes combined. Lest he should
be misunuderstood concerning his mission Jesus reiierates ihai he came to send fire
on earth, and strife tο make divided households, fathers against sons, mοthers against
daughters, and that under the neι,lv regime, "a man'S foes shall be those of his own
household! Bοlingbroke says, ''The scene of Christianity has always been a scene of
dissension, οf hatred, of persecutiοn and of blood.'' Erasmus said the church was born
in blοod; gΓe\ff in bΙood; succeeded in blood, and wilΙ end in bΙοod."

Τredwell pointed οut that Christianity forced its way forward by mass execυtiοns and
at the point of the sword. lt vι,as in this way that the "Church MiΙitant" νvas born and
vras enabled tο develop as a world poνveΓ. Born in blοodshed (the brutal murder of
Ηypatia by Christian "monks*' soon after the Council of Νicea, by order of Cyrii, Bishοp
οf ΑΙexandria, ιvho was subsequently "sainted,'' and the ensuing massacres of the
Manicheans), it grew by bloodshed ithe deaths of tens of milΙions of true followers of
Christ, who refused to accept the false hypocriticaΙ teachings οf the church, over three
milΙion v/οmeΠ having been put tο death in Εurοpe οnΙy a feιv centυries ago as
witches), it shatl die in bloodshed (the aftermath οf the recent world caΓnage which is
fruit of sixteen οenturies of false Christian teachings of peace, οarried on with an οlive
branch in οne hand and a svfοrd in the other)'

AiΙ this resulted frοm the fraudulent replacement οf the οriglnal religion of Αpollonius
by the "ne\Μ" religiοn οf the Church οf Rome which tοok piace at the Council οf Νicea
in the year 325 B.C.*

(*Τhe woΓd "new'' here is significant. Ιt clearly indicates that at the

beginning of the fourth century, Christianity, aS created by the Cοuncil of
Nicea, was indeed a neι,rr religiοn, and was preceded by the religion
established by Apοllonius three centuries previously, which may be more
prοperly calΙed Εssenism, a fοrm οf Νeo-Pythagοreanism in character, the
new doctrines which ApοΙlοnius brought from Endia and introdυced among
the Essenes, which gave rise tο the neι,γ sect knοwn as the ΝA7AREΝES
or ΤΗERΑPEUΤS, whose doctrines Were essentialΙy Buddhist in nature'}
Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Ρa.rt 3: The Cοntrover... Ρage 1Ο οf iΟ

Since this date humanity has been led astray' lt is the purpose οf this book to cοrrect
this historic error and to bring humanΙty back to the truth, so that, purged by the recent
suffering, mankind once mοΓe will return to the true scientific path οf natural, healthful
and humane Ιiving taught by the great Pythagorean philοsopher, ΑpoΙΙonius of Τyana,
nearly tιro thοusand years ago.

*r€*r€?θ*?ι

W\ΛlW design and text editing Copyrighted Θ 1996-1997 by Jeroen Wierda

Picard UFo Research Internatiοnal
Apοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart 4: Eirth and Υοu.'. Ρage 1 οf4

ΑpolΙonius the Νazarene @@

Apοllοnius the Nazarene
Part 4;
Events in the life of ΑpoΙlonius of Τyana
Βirth and Youth of Αpollonius
as recorded in ''The l-ife of Αpollοnius οf Tyana" by his blοgrapher, Philostratus

ΙtVhen the three magi of Chatdea \r\,erθ approaching Bethtehem, acοoΓding to tegend
on the night when the famοus star lvas Suppοsed to have appeared οπ the eastern
hοrizon, a ehiΙd was born in the little tοwn οf Tyana, in CaBpadocia, ιalhο ψras destined
tο aΙter the cοurse οf human history fοr two thousand years -_ even thοugh, as the
Delphic oracle preeiicted, after his passing, his name ιlras calumniated, and a fict1tiοus
substitute put in his place.

The country peopie said that he νγas the sοn of Ζeus; others called him a son of
ΑpolΙο; while stiΙl οthers considered hlm aS an incarnation of Proteus, the God of
Wisdom, whο, prior tο his birth, appeared tο his mοther and told her that she would
bear a οhild who would be an incarnation of himself.

Αpol}οniιls ιvas born iπ the γear 4 B.C., the acknοwledged year of the birth of Christ.
His birth, like his cοnception, \ΜaS miraculous. Just before his nativity, his mοther was
walking in a meadow, whθre she lay dοwn on the grass and went to sleep. Some wiΙd
S\ryans, at the end οf a long fΙight approached her and by their cries and the beating of
their wings, awakened her sο suddenly that her chi}d was born before its time. Τhe
Swans, apparentΙy, had foreseen and marked by iheir presence the fact that on that
day was to be born a being whose soul r:vould be as white as their own plumage and
who, like them, wouΙd be a glorious wanderer.

Αpollonius ιvas born with three gifts, the gift of intelligence, the gift of beauty and the
gift οf wealth. Ηis father vlas one of the richest men of the province, So that his
childhοod was spent in luxury. The renoιvn of his inteiiigence and beauty gre\,v So
great that the phrase, "Whither gοest thοu? Τo see the strlpling?'' became proverblal
in Cappadocia.

When he ννas fοurteen years οf age, his father sent him tο Tarsus tο complete his
education, ιrvhiεh was previousΙy cοnducted at home by private tutors. Tarsus \η/aS a
tοwn of pleasure as vreΙl as study and life there ιμas soft and luxurious for a rich young
man. on the banks of the Cydnus, along avenues bοrdered by orange trees, students
οf phiΙοsophy gathered to discuss the theories of Ρythagoras and PΙato with yοung
lrfοmen 1n colored tunics slashed to the hip, wearing Egyptlan high tnangular combs in
their hair. Τhe οlimate ιvas hot, mοrals free and lοve easy, but the youthfulApolΙonius
was nοt carried away, manifesting at this yοUng age the same inviolate chastity which
he cοntinued to pΓeseΓve throughoι.lt his long life of oveΓ a century, in spite of the faοt
that he \ξ,as one of the handsomest men οf his age.

Αs early as his fοurteenth year, Αpollonius recognized the existenοe οf two divergent
paths, οne leading to a life of pleasure and love, and the other tο philosophy and
Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart 4: Birth and Υοu... Page 2 οf 4

ιvisdοm; and he chose the latter.*

(-Shirtey says that Αpοllonius ''cho$e the path of sanctity at a time of life
when oihers chose the primrose path of daΙliance..'The worΙd holds nο
record of a [ong iife tived more nobiy, of a more undaunted courage in
cοnfronting the tyrant, οf a mοre unflinching tenacity of purpοse, of a mοre
single-minded devotion to a high ideal." While himself living an ascetic life,
Αpolloniυs sοught to make Venus ihe goddess of pure lοve, free frcm
carnal iust, rather ihan iο destroy her statue altogether, as ihe later
Christians did.)
Ηe then deeided tο lead ihe PythagοΓean iife. When his teacher οf PythagoΓeaR
phiΙosοphy, Euxenes, asked him hovr he ιvould begin his nevr mode of life, he replied,
"As dοctors purge their patients.'' "Ηence,'' says Mead, in his biοgraphy, ''he refι,ΙSed tο
touch anything that had animaΙ life in it, on the ground that it densified the mind and
rendered it impure. Ηe considered that the οnly pure form οf fοοd was what the earth
produced -- fruits and vegetables.* Ηe alsο abstained frοm ιvine, for though it was
made from fruit, it renCered turbid the ether in the soul, and destroyed the composure
of the mind."

(*Cοncernlng Apollonius as a vegetarian, Phillinnorθ, in his ''ln Ηonor of

Apoilonius of Tyana,'' wriies: ''A man calΙed Αpollonius ιrvas bοrn at Τyana
at some date knοwn, p,robably in the reign of Tiberius. The persecutions
which made it dangerous for Seneca at Rome to continue his experiment
in vegetarianism did not extend tο CiΙicia, and Apollοnius addicted himseΙf
tο !''leο-Pythagoreanism (vegetarianism. ) Frοrn the οrdinary humanistic
training of a sophist, he Seems to have passed into the ascetic discipΙine
οf a sect υrhich, οriginally orienta], and aftenryards reachlng its highest
SUcceSS among ihe decadent cοlοnial aristocracies οf South ltaiy, was
now again coming intο vοgue as the Rοman empire began to orientalize.
lndian theosοphy, a natural seience chiefly drawn frοm Stoic authorities,
antiquarian ritualism in certain Greek cults, a great copiοusness οf moral
sentiment, the asceticism which usυally appear at the times νγhen the
ιvhite cοrpuscles predominate in the body politic of any civi]ization -
vegetarianism, teetotalism, etc., -_ such appear tο have been the main
ingredients in Αpollonius's reΙigion''')

Finding the morals of Τarsus distasteful, Apollonius resolved to take up qυarters at

Αegae, which possessed a tempΙe οf Αesculapius, the priests οf which \ffere
philosοphers of the Pythagorean school. So famous \MeΓe they for their power as
healers that people came to their temple from all over Greece, from Syria and even
frοm Αlexandria to consult them. Τhe priests οf this healing temple of Aegae cured
disease by vegetarian diet, hydrotherapy, fasting and magnetic hea}ing (''Ιaying on of
hands," which art, Apollonius acquired from themi. They v/ere heirs of an ancient oral
therapeutic tradition ιvhlch came from the orphic mysteries, the secret οf which ιvas
jeaΙousiy guarded by the discipΙe who received it. By these priests, ΑpolΙonius was
initiated; and it was nοt long before he excelled his masters.

Cοncerning ΑpoΙΙonius's life in the tempΙe οf Αegae, Stobari writes: "MarveΙous cures
are attE'ibuted tο Αpοllοnius, fοr Eike his great master, Pythagοras, he cοnsidered
heaΙing the most impοrtant of the divine arts; and, in addition, under his guidance, the
temple became alsο a centre for philosophy and for the science of religion. Ηis aim
ιvas to purify the tempie worship and tο reform the ancient Greek reΙigion frοm within,
by revising, along Pythagorean Ιines, the understanding of the spiritual truths ιυhich
Αpοllοnius the }Jazarene Ρart 4: Birth and Yοu... Ρage 3 οf4
νvere at the base of the esοteric rπysteries.''"

(*Τhe schοoΙ οf Ρythagοras formed at that time a secret order whieh had
sever_al stages οf initiation, the members οf which recοgnized eaοh other
by certain signs and symboΙs, in order that the doctrine remain
unintelligible to the profane. Music. geοmetry and astrοnomy were studied,
but not as they are now but rather as discipline to prepare the mind for the
awakening of sυper-sensory spiritual faοilities of perception- Τhe aim of
the Ρythagorean teaching was physicaΙ, menial and spiritual regeneratiοn,
ι,vhich Pythagοras founded on a vegetarian diet and cοntinence. Τhe
members οf the Pythagorean order sο carefuΙly guarded their secret
dοctrines that the Pythagοrean Τimycha cut out her tοngue rather than
reveal to Dionysus the Εlder the reasοn fοr the prοhibitiοn οf beans in the
rιlles οf the cοmmunity.)

Αpoliοnius tοok up his residence in the temple of Αesculapius at Αegae in the

δompany of the priests, manifesting an amazing eagerness to acquire their seeret
knοwledge, and had an astonishing gift for healing and clairvoyance. Αnd, following
Ρythagorean custom, he iet his hair grο\,v Ιοng, abstainecj frοm the flesh of animals and
from wine; walked barefoοted or with bark sandals, and οlad only in ινhite linen
garments, giving up all that was made from Ιeather, ιvool or any other- animaΙ material.

Αi this time being then sixteen years of age, he resolved to fοrever abstain frοm
marriage and sexua} relations, ι,vhich resolution he kept unbrοken during his long
lifetime of οver a century, thus surpassing Pythagοras, Socrates, Buddha and
Cοnfuciυs, fοr vrhile they married, .Apo}lοnius preserved a degree of virginity knοwn
onΙy to vestaΙ virgins and Pythian priestesses. Τhis immaculate chastity ΑpoΙionius
attribυted tο his very careful Pythagorean low-protein vegetarian diet and his
avοicjance οf alcοhοi and other exοitants, accοrding to the ieaching of Pythagoras,
who prohibited even vegetable prοteins such as beans, fοr this Γeason.

Cοncerning ihe iife of Αpοiiοnius ai this age, W. B. Wailace vrrites.

"Ηence fοrth Αpollonius adjured atl the pleasures of sense. Α vegetarian
and a tοta} abstainer in the modern meaning of the iatter ierm, ihe devοted
monk of philosophy adοpted and practiced moΓe rigidΙy than any hermit of
the Τhebaid, the tripΙe rule of poverty, chastity and οbedience."* Τhis
native of a ιrvarm and luxuriant clime, whose people v/eΓe wholly given to
indοlent gοssip and sybaritic enjοyments οf all kinds, ιμas clad in a simple
robe of white byssus, after the fashion of Empedocies, whom he so much
resembled in many \Mays, slept upon the ground, went bare-footed like
Sοcrates, and -- hardest irial οf all to a talkative Αsiatic Greek -- observed
the PythagοΓean silence for five years.''

(*Concerning the yοung Apollonius's resoiutiοn tο lead a

Pythagorean life, his biographer, Philostratus, writes: ''Νaught
νγοuld he wear that came frοm a dead beasi, nοr touch a
morsel of a thing that once had Ιife, nor offer it in sacrifice; nor
fοr him to stain ιarith blood the altars; but hοney-cakes and
incense, and the service οf his song went upward from the
man unto the Gοds [higher-dimensional spiritual intelligences]
for well he knew that they would take such gifts far rather than
the οxen in their hundreds υrith the knife. Fοr, he in sooth, held
eCInverse with ihe Gοds and learned from them hοw they \ΜΘΓe
Αpοliοπius the Νazarene Ρart 4: Birth and Υοu... Τ)^^o
l ζιδυ
Λ n$ Λ
'τ ιJl 'f

p}eased vrith men and hoιηr displeased, and thence aS we}l he

drew his natuΓe-ιore. As for the rest, he said, they guessed at
the divine, and held cpiniοπs οπ the Gods which proved each
other false; bιli unio him Apoiio's self did eome, eonfessed
withοut disguise, and there did cοme aS well, though
uncοnfessed, Αthena and the Μuses, and other Gods [spiritual
ruiers ο]"Lords of inner spiritual planes, viz. astral, mental, and
causal planes]whose fοrms and names manklnd did not yet
know."

"Τhus passed the "lehr-jare'of Αpollonius, arld thιls in the very heydey of
his youth νtras the flesh subdued tο the spirit. lt is certain that nοne but a
lοfty sοul, favοured with a visiοπ οf the Supreme rarely vοuchsafed tο
man, eoιlld haγe vοluntarily embraeed a Ιife of hardness such as this. Αnd
yet the Γnan never allowed asοeticisrn tο degenerate intο rnisanthrοpy' Α
perenniaΙ fοuni of joy seemed tο bubbΙe within his sοuΙ. Ηe had a smiiing
countenance and a sparkling eye; in mien and aspect he vras striking,
dignified, godiike; his nature was kindΙy and sympathetie; he liked the
soeiety of his fellows and the encounter οf mind and mind, he ιvas a past
master in the ar1af ι-epartee and a cunπing fabricator οf 'bon-mots', οf
υrhich Philostratus has preserved SeveΓal examples."

Αt Αegae, Αpοllοnius tοοk up the study οf Pythagοrean phiΙοsophy, which was the
systern that appeaΙed to him most, under a teacher named Εuxenes; who, however,
proved disappointing, since he repeated parrot_like, the doctrines οf Pythagoras
withoυt putting ihem into practice in his own life, for he \Mas a materialist at heart. So
Αpollonius, in disillusionment, left him; hοwever rewarding his teacher by buying for
him a vil|a surrοunded by a garden οutside Αegae, and giving him the money required
fοι'his servants, his suppers and his pοor friends.
Αpollonius then imposed on himsetf a five years' silence, whieh was considered
necessary in order to achieve finaΙ Pβhagοrean initiation. By that time he had becοme
famοus, making many prophecies that came true; and while he was in ihe midst οf this
period of silence' he queΙΙed a rebeΙΙion by his presence alone' without speaking a
νlrοrd. Τhis tumult was caused by a farnine at Aspendus in Pamphylia, ιvhere the
peοple \fvere going to burn the prefect, though he had taken refuge by a statue ot the
Εmperοr. (Αnd at that time, which was the reign of Τiberius, the Εmperοr's statues
were mοre terrible and more inviolabΙe than those οf ihe oiympian Zeus.) The prefect,
on being questioned by signs' protested his innocence, and accused certain pοwerful
citizens, who were refusing tο seii cοrn aπd keeρing it back to export at a profit. Τo
them Αpοllonius addressed a note threatening "explusion from Earth, who is the
mοther of all, for she is just, but whom they, being unjust, have made the mother of
thernselves alone.'' ln fear οf this threat they yielded and filled the market-pΙace with
coΓn.
&& ss&&*

WWW design and text editing Copyl'ighted Θ 1996-'|997 by Jeroen Wierda

Ρiοard UFO Research internatiοnai
Αpοllοlrius the Nazarene Ρart 5: Αpollοnius'v... Ρage 1 οf7

Αpollonius the Νazarene Φ@

Apοllοnius the Νazarene
Part 5:
Events in the life of Αpo|lοπius οf Τyana
Αpollonius' Visit to the Brahman Sages of the Ηimalauas
as recorded in "Τhe Life of Αpollonius of Τyana" by his biographer, Philοstratι.ls

By: Οr. R. {Ιr/. Βerηαrd, Β.Α., }ν{.Α., Ph.D'

Aροllοnius's attention was then draιvn to lndia, the fountain_head of WΙsdom. Five
centuries previously, Pγthagοras had brοught Some of the Ηlmalayan wisdοm to
Greece. But its memory had almοst vanished' The wοrld was in need οf a nevf
emissary οf the eastern masters. Apοllοnius believed that he was calΙed to perfοrm
such a mission; and so he set out, accompanied οnΙy by his friend and discipΙe,
Damis, on the long and peri}ous trip to the Ηima]ayas, fοllοwing the Same route
formeriy traversed by Pythagoras when he traveled to lndia on a similar missiοn five
hundred years befοre.

Τhis was revealed to Αpollonius at a half-abandοned temple of Daphnaean Apollo

Sοme distanee from Αntioeh, where a peasant-priest brought him the temple treasure,
which had been preseπ"ed by tradition, handed down frοm father tο sοn. Τhis
consisted of some sheets of οopper οn νvhich vreΓe figures and diagrams. Τhe priest
had zea!οusly preserved them till that mοment; awaiting the arrival οf the man vυοrthy
to receive this gift.

While engaged in his eariy mοrning devotions in the light οf the rising sun, the priest
gave Apοllonius the copper sheets, which, as a Ρythagοrean, he was able tο decipher
as a record of his Μaster's journey to lndia, including the deserts and high mountains
to be crossed before he reached the river in which elephants disport themselves. Ηe
alsο saιυ befοre him a description of the exact spοt whiοh he had tο reach (in
trans-Ηimalayan Τibet), and οf the mοnastery among the thοusands of monasteries in
the Far East where, five centuries previοusly, Pythagoras had studied at ihe feet of
the same λΙasters whο were sοon tο becοme his teachers.

Fοr ΑpoΙΙοnius ψεas to become their new western emissary, as Pythagοras had been
five centuries previοι.lsiy" *

(*ΑpotΙonius WaS tο be the last ι,γestern emissary of the Μasters of the Far
East fοr many centurles' Αfter him the door was shut. Τhe
Νeο-Pythagorean, Ρlotinus, two centuries later, tried in vain to fοΙlow in his
steps and reach lndia together with the armies of the Emperοr Gordianus,
but was compelled to turn back. it ιαas not until a few eenturies ago that
the Masters fοund their next great emissary in Conte St. Germain (Francis
Bacοn}, whο, like Αpollonius, retired to the ΗimaΙayas after his passing
frοm the eyes of the world.}

Reaching the little tοwn of Μespila, which had once been Ninevah, Apollonius met his
future traveling companion and discipΙe, Damis, who immediately was attached to him
and remained ιvith him as his fοilorver tbrοughout his life. Αpollοnius accepted him as
Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart 5: Αpοiiοnius'Y... Ρage 2 οf 7

his guide to take him to Babylon, since Damis said he knew the way there perfectly,
and boasted, too, of knowing the languages spoken in the countries through which
they wοuΙd have tο pass; Το this ΑpolΙonius smiled and replied that he himself kneνv aΙl
languages spoken by men and understood their siΙence as well.

{Damis'was |ater tο realize that he a}so pοssessed knοwledge of the

language οf birds, and could read the great charaοters, against the bΙue of
the sky, formed by the trEectοry οf their flight. lt is claimed that ii was frοm
the Αrabian philosophers that ΑpοΙiοnius learned tο understand the speech
οf animals.)

Αpoilonius's chief pubiic urοrk was thai οf reΙigious refοrm, involving the abolitiοn οf
animal sacrifices, which he replaced by bΙοodless offerings that involved the death οf
no living being. The fοilowing incident is cited concerning his teachings of kindness tο
anima}s, which cοnstituted the basis of his οpposition to animal sacrifices and his
advοcacy οf vegetarianism,

Wheπ he reached Babylon, after refusing to do obeisance to the golden image of the
king' the latter, whο knew hirn already by repute, called hirn and, about tο sacrifice a
ιlrhite horse tο the sun, he asked Αpοllοnius tο accοmpany him. Αpolionius refused,
replying, ''YoU, o Κing, sacrifice in yοur ο\,vn manner, and gi.le me leave tο sacrifice in
rnine." Τhen, having thrown frankincense on the flame, and uttered a prayer iο ihe
gοd, he departed, So as to have ηo share in an offering of blood. When the king
iπviied him tο join hirn in huntlng the animals of his park, he expressed disapprοval οf
the pleasure taken in hunting and kilΙing of wild animaΙs kept for sport.

Αfter they had spent sοme time with the magi of BabyΙon and coπversed with them,
the twο travelers, ΑpolΙonius and Damis, climbed mountains whose sumι'nits \ffere
veiled in the cΙouds. Unaffected by the gradual unfοlding of their snowγ immensities,
ΑpoΙlonius said ''When the soul is withοut bΙemish it can rise far above the highest
mοuntains.'' (intc the higher spiritual pianes}. They erossed the lndus and οame
acrοSs kings clοthed in ι,vhite whο despised οstentatiοn. one evening, on a loneiy river
bank, they came on a brass stele inscribed with the νvοrds; "Ηere Α.lexander halted.''

Coming into the land of elephants, {lndia), nomads offered Αpοiiοnius date ιnrine,
which he refused, though he did not fοrbid Damis to take it, just as he did nοt refuse
him to eat flesh, not vrrishing tο impose his νvilΙ οn his discipte; however, he himself
abstained from both.

Cοming to the eοurt of Phroates, Κing οf Τaxila, Apoilοnius was hospitably received by
this vegetarian emperor who led a Pythagorean life except for his mild use of vrine.
When he tried tο argue with Apοllοnius cοncerning the beneflts οf the moderate use οf
γyine, saying that it promotes restful sΙeep, Αpοllonius, defended his water-drinking,
saying it preserves the soul untroubled and makes true divinatiοn (clairvoyance)
through dreams possibie, with which wine interferes.

Fοllowing the course οf the Ganges, they climbed moΓe hills and mountains (the
Ηimala1ras), and when they were eighteen days' march from the Ganges, they saw in
the middle of a plateau (Τibet) high in the mοuntains, the home of the ιμise men, which
had the Same eΙevation as the Αcrοpolls at Αthens. Α strange fog hοvered over the
pΙaοe' and οn the rocks surrounding it were the imprints of men whο appeared to have
fallen in an attempt tο scale the heights, for an almost perpendicular ascent was
rlecessary at this pοint.
Αpοliοnius the Nazarene Ρart 5: Αpοllοnius'V... Page 3 οf7

Τhen a yοuΠg lndian approached the travelers, and coming οver tο Apollonius,
speaking in perfect Greek, he totd him to halt and foΙlour him upwards, saying the
Masters \Mere expecting their arrival and had cοmmanded him to go tο i"eceive the
visitors. Apοllonius and Damis weΓe then Eed by their guide towards the community οf
Brahman Sages dwelling οn the Ηimalayan heights, whose chief was ]ΑRCΗUS, a
great Buddhist religious refοrmer. Philostratus cjescribeci these Sages as "Βrahmans
νvhο dιlrell on the earth, and yet are not on the earth; in places fortified, and yet ι,l*ithout
walls; and who pοssess nothing and yet all things.*

("Frοm de Beauvoir Ρreiaulaux, in his ''The lndian Τravels of Αpollonius

of Τyana," we gather the foΙlowing facts abοut these Brahmans , whοm he
describes aS a Γaοe superior to the ι'est of mankind. Ηe ι,vrites: ''Τhe
Brahrnan's education began eιren in his mother's ιηromb. During the period
of gestatiοn she was sοοthed by song and chants in praise of continence,
which in proportion as they won her pleased attentiοn, beneficiaΙly
influenced her future offspring. Αfter the child's birth, and as ii grew in
yeaΓs, it ιvas passed frοm one preceptοr tο another, until it ι,vas οld enough
tο becοme an auditor of the philosοphers. Τhese Ιived frugaΙΙy, abstained
frοm animal food and ννomen, and in a grοve οutside the city spent their
days in earnest diseοurse, communiοating iheir knοwledge to allwho
ehose to listen. But in their presence, the nοviee was not permitted to
speak, οr spit, undeι'the penaΙty of one day's banishment from their
society. Αt the age of thiriy-seven, hls student life ceased.

''Τhe mουntain Brahmans subsist on fruit and cοvε'S curd with herbs. Τhe
others live on the fruit trees which are found in plenty near the river and
ιvhich afford an almost constant succession of fresh fruits, and, should
these fai[, on the self-sown ιviΙd rice that gro\ffS there. Τo eat any other
food, or even touch animal food, they held to be the height of impiety and
uncleanliness. Εach man has his own cabin, and lives as much as he can
by himself, and spends the day and the greater part of the night in hymns
and prayers tο the gods....'')

(Αccοrding to Damis' the Brahmans used the earth as a

cοuch, but first strewed it with choice g!'asses. Τhey walked,
too, in the air; Darnis saw them. Ηe saw too, the fire which
they drew frοrn the SUn'S rays, whlle they worshipped the soΙar
orb. Αmong iheir other miraculοus po\,vers \r/ere ihe capaciiy tο
cover thernselves with clouds at will, and tο get what they
vranted at a mοment's nοtice [yοgic practices which yieΙd
'siddhis'or supernatural powers utilizing undiscovered laws
-
of nature]. Damis describes these marvelοus meΠ as being
strict vegetarians, vrho lived excluslvely on fruits and
vegetables.

Τhey \rleΓe attired in a sleeveless οne-piece linen dress;

wearing no material of animal οrigin. Τhey \Λ/οre their hair long,
which custοm they expΙained on the basis of the physiological
and psyοhoiogical benefits which ihey cοnsidered the hair to
impart tο the brain- .iust as the skin absοrbs and transmits
solar energy to the bοdy as a ιvhοΙe, so they believed that the
hair performs a similar function in re}ation tο the brain, for
vghich reasοn they expοsed their long hair tο the sun as often
Apοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart 5: Αpοllοnius'V... Ρage 4 οf}
as pοssible, hοping thus to absorb as mueh as possible οf the
ultraviolet solar rays Sο pοwerfuΙ at the high aΙtitude where
they dwelt.)

Αnd so saying he toΙd Apolionius who his father was, hΙs mother. ail that happened to
him at Aegae, and hοlv Darnis joined him, and what they had said and done on the
journey; and he reΙated this sο distinctly and fluently, ihat he might have been a
companiοn οf their route. Αpollοnius, greatly astenished, asked him hoνv he knew all
this.

"ln this knowledge,'' he aΠSνvered, ''Yοu are not whοlly wanting, and νγhere
yοu are deficient, ule will instruοt yοu, fοr methink it nοt wellto keep secret
what is worthy of being knoιvn especially from yοu, Αpollonius -- a man of
most excellent memοry. Αnd memory, you must know, is of the gods the
one \Me most honor.

''But how do you know my nature?'' asked Αpollonius.

"Mle," he ansιυered, "See into the very soul, tracing out its qυalities by a
thοusand signs. But as midday is at hand, Ιet us tο οur devοtiοns in which
yοu also may, if you wi|Ι take Bart.""

[-Τhe lndian yogic science is nοt based on outer ''Sun"

worship. The yogi meditates on the inner "sut't" or inner
spiritual light which can be seen by the "third eye" between
and behinci ihe two eyebrοws, which reveais itself when the
attentiοn is heΙd steadily fixed at this inner centre (ajna chakra)
vrithin the astral body. Τhe οuter sun, symbοlie οf the inner
spiritual splendour ιvithin, is onΙy an outer symboΙ οf devotiοn
tο the inner spirituai light (Νaad, Wοrd οr Lοgοs}].

ΑpοΙlonius then asked larchus what opinion the Brahmans held of themseΙves, and
was tοld that they held themselves to be "gods" [advanced spiritual beings] because
they were good men, ιvho knew aΙl things because they first knew themseΙves."
|archus then tοld Apοllοnius hΙs former iives, stating that in his [former] inearnation he
\Ι/aS ai-'t Εgyptian saiiοr"

Τhe Brahmans then undressed and toοk a bath, after vrhich they put garlands on their
heads around iheir long hair, and prοceedeci to the temple, intent on their hymns.
Τhere (quoting Damis's acοοunt), standing round in a circle, with larchus as their
leader, they beat the grοund ιlrith their staves, tiil bellying like a \Λ/ave, it sent them up
into the air about tιυo cubits; and ihey then sang a hymn, very like the paeon of
Sοphοcles sung at Athens to Αesculapius. Τhey then descended tο eaΓth.''*
("Αccοrding to Philοstratus, the Brahmans levitate at will in the air "nοt fοr the sake of
vain gΙοry, but to be nearer their Sιln God," to whom they pray')

When ΑpoΙlonius asked the Brahmans ιγhether, siRce they knew everything, urhether
ihey knew themselves, ihey replied in Socratic fashiοn, We know everything just
because we begin by knowing οurselves, fοr no οne οf us ψrould be acjmitted tο this
philosοphy unless he first kneιv himseΙf.'' When Αpollonius inquired οf larchus whether
the cosmos \ffas eomposed of Four elements, the latter replied that it was made not of
four bui of five, the fifth being the ether. Τhere is, said the ]ndian Sage, "the ether,
which ure must regard as the stuft of which gοds are made, for just as mοrtal creatures
inhale the air' sο do immortaΙ and divine natures inhale the ether.''
Αpοllοnius the ΝazaΙene Ρart 5: Αpollοnius'V..' Ρage 5 οf }

on an occasiοn νrrhen he was praising Αpοllonius fοr his devοtiοn to mystΙc lore,
larchus said, ''My great friend Αpollοnius, thοse γvhο take pleasure in divinatiοn
[clairvoyance--a byproduct οf the awakening οf dοrmant latent spiritual pοv/ers in the
a.'/erage man] are rendered divine thereby and contribute to the saΙvation of mankind'"

Τhe ιilοrd ''salvation'' embraced fοr larchus both spiritual and physical health, fοr he
decΙared that arnong the many blessings which the art of divination conferred upon
mankind, the gift οf healing ιvas the mοst imporiant, and tο this art οf divinatiοn he
emphatically attributeci "the credit οf discοvering simples which healed the bites οf
venomous creatures, and in particular οf υsing the virus itself as a cuΓe for many
dlseases. For i do not think'' he added, ''that men urithout the fοrecasts οf a prophetic
vrisdοm, would ever have ventured to mingle with medicines that Save ιife, those
deadly of poisοns."

Thus \r/e See larchus instructing his student, Αpollonlus of Tyana, in the science of
medicine, as he instructed him 1n astrοlοgy and other sciences. Reville, in his
"ApoΙlonius of Tyana, the Pagan Christ of the Τhird Century," writes as follows
concerning the Brahmans: "They worshipped fire, which they boasted had been
brοught doιvn directly frοm the.sun...With his own eyes, Damis saw these sages rise
up into the air to the height of two cubits, without any extraneous support and without
any trickery whatsoever. The urise men do not live in hοuses, and vrhen it rains they
summon a cloud and sheΙter under it' Τhey \.vear their hair long, have νvhite mitres on
their heads, and are clοthed in linen garments, v/οven from a peculiar kind οf flax
vrhich is only lavιrful for themselves to gather. Τheir prodigious wisdom overwhelmed
even Αpollonius, whο ψras nοt frequently astonished' They are in possessiοn of
absolute science; they know at once the past history οf every one they see; they οan
-god''
answer all questiοns. When asked, ''Who are you?'' they answer, We are Why?
Because ιγe are virtuous.'' [See ''Τhe Life and Teachings of the Masters of the Far
East'' by Baird T. Spalding, in 5 vοlumes, for a detailed account of the advanced
spiritual sciences practised by the Ηimalayan yogic adepts of Indla and Τibet].

Τhe Brahmans \Μere furnished with everything they needed aS a spontaneous gift of
the earth, partaking οf fresh vegetabΙes and fruits in season which γ'vere brought to
them by their cοuntrymen dweΙΙing below them. During his repast with the Brahman
Sages and their klng, Apollonius and Damis v/ere amazed to obseΓve that the food
was bι'oυght to their tables by self-moving tripods, whiΙe automata served as
cup-bearers; these mechanical robot waiters making the use of hurnan servants
unnecessary."

[*Αtlantean technοlοgy is known to be secretly stοred in undergrοund

caveΓns beneath the Pοtala at Lhasa, and in the many other caves that
netι,lrork underneath the sedimentary struοtures of the Ηimalayan
mountains' Ηere ure a have a demonstration of some of the lost
technology being displayed, tιryο thοusand years before our Supposedly
advanced technological agel.

Αpollonius οbserved his teacher, larchus, perΓοrm miracies identicalwith those

puι'pοrted to have been performed by the Νew Testament messiah, such as, driving
evil spirits οut of a \Μoman ιrvho ιivas pοssessed, cιlrlng a cripple, restoring sight to a
blind rnan and restοring a man with paralyzed hands to health. Ηe had a high degree
of clairvoyance, could see at any distance, beheld both past and future, and cοuld tell
the past Ιives of those he met'

Reville notes that Apotlonius studied astroiogy and the science of divination under
Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart 5: Αpοllοnius'V... Ρage 6οf7
larchus, fοr these sessiοns weΓe secret and tο them Damis was not admitted, nor
vrοuld Αpollοnius reveal tο him the esοteric knowΙedge then imparted to him by his
Himalayan teacher' [Advanced astrolοgy can revθal the dates and times of previous
incarnations of an individuaΙ; it is an exact scienee when properly understood and
applied' The pοpular verslon eommonΙy available today is but an enfeebied versiοn οf
the true astrοlogy, which reveals the inner outwοrkings of the karmic wheeΙ, which
balances all causes with corresponding effects.l
During his stay among the Brahman Sages, ΑpοiΙοnius was instructed by his Master in
the basic doctrines of reformed Buddhism, of ιvhich mοvement larchus was the
recοgnized leader, who had fΙed tο his far-off Ηimalayan retreat tο escape persecutiοn
by the established Brahman priesthοοd of tndia. Αpollοnius carried westward the
Buddhist teachings which he received frοm larchus in the form of certain Buddhist
gοspels, οtheΓ\idise known as the DiΕGESiS οr the oRlGlΝAL GοSPΕL, which he
translated and rewrote, adapting lt to the language and psychοlοgy of his native land'

Αmοng the ESSEΝES he found the first converis iο this neνv doctrine, the gospeΙ of
Chrishna; and those ιvho fοΙlοwed these teachings (the Essenian Therapeuts, who
νlrere οtherνγise known as NΑΖΑRΕΝΕS} subsequently became knoνlrn as the first
Christians. on his departure larchus gave ΑpoΙlοnius Seven rings named after the
Seven planets, οne of which was to be wοrn οn οne day οf the week; these seven
rings would, he said, impart heaith and long life. Before parting, iarchus prophesied
that Αpοllonius would, even during his life, attain the hοnοrs οf a divinity.

Τhus for severaΙ mοnths Αpollοnius Ιived among men whο were 'gods' in human form,
arιd from them he learned spiritυal wisdοm which he ιvas destined to later bring back
tο the west as the basis οf a nevr reΙigion (Οhristianity) οf which he was to be the
fοunder. lt ιvas from larchus that he received the mission that was tο send him
wandering aΙl his life among the iemples οf the Mediterranean cοuniries, fοr the
purpose οf restoring the ancient mysteries to their former purity.

When he ieft his Brahman master, Αpοilonius hacj certain assurance that he wοuΙd
thereafter be in constant telepathic communication ιvith him and receive his guidance
and instruction wherever he may be--which later actually was the case.*

i*on this subject, Magre, speaking of the lnner Voice on whiοh Αpollonius
always relied for guidance, writes: "We shaΙl never know tο γιlhat order the
spirit-guide οf Apοllοnius belonged; whether the being who advised him
toοk οn a fοrm as chaste as himself and as beautiful as the statue οf the
gods which he liked to cοntemplate, or whether the voiοe came from a
distant Master ιιlho wished to see his pupil caΓry out the missiοn with
which he entrusted him.

''l shall continue to speak to you as though yοu weΓe present,'' Αpollοnius
had said as he Ιeft his lndian fulasters.

"!ΛJaS it their words that he heard at a distance? Did he by divine

inspiration receive the influx of their wise thoughts? Τhe man tο ιvhοm he
gave the name of larchus must have brought the consοlatiοn οf distant
supρort to the untiring traveler. the ιvandering mystic'")
&& && &sΦ

WWιη, design and text editing Cοpyrighted Θ 1996-1997 by Jerοen Wierda

Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Part 6: Αpοilοnius Le... Ρage 1 οf2

Apollonius the Νazarene @@

Apοlioniυs the Nazarene
Part 6:
Events in the lΙfe of ΑpοlΙonius of Τyana
Apollonius Leaves larchus and Returns to Greece
as reοorded in ''Τhe Life οf ApoΙlonlus οf Τyana'' by his biographer, Philostratus

Βy: Dr. R. W. Βeyιιαrd, Β.Α., h{.Α., Ph"D.

Thus ΑpoΙΙonius departed from his master and teacher. Αnd is it not pοssibΙe that just
as the name οf Αpοllonius, in the Νe*- Τestament, was changed to that of ..lesus, so
larchus became his "Father,'' γrhile the Brahmans dweΙ|ing οn the heights of the
Himalayas became "angels in heaven"? Αs a fareνvell gift, the Brahman sages' οn the
threshold οf their valley of mediatiοn, gave ΑpοΙtonius and Damis camels on vrhich iο
crοSS lndia westιρard tο the Red Sea, ιvhere they continued their journey by water.

Αpoilonius returned tο Greece frοm lndia iο accοmpiish the Same mission that
Pythagoras had done before him, namely, tο carry westward the Wisdom of the East,
fοr which his predecessor won οnly persecution, ending in the burning οf the
Pythagοrean meeting-house in which Pythagοras and his disciples Were assembled'*
(*lndicating that on his departure from the Brahmans, Apolionius
considered himself as their emissary tο accompΙish in Greece what their
last student, Pythagοras, had dοne five centυries previously, Mrs. St. Clair
Stoddard writes, "Τhus he conceived it to be his mission to restore to the
Greeks something οf the ancient wisdοm οf Pythagοras" And at the
concΙusiοn οf these travels he was indeed abundantiy endowed with occuii
{spiritual) νrrisdom which powerfully enforced his own SupeΓnormal gifts
and on returning to Greeee he was regareleei as a divine persοn."

Τhat Apollonius considered himself as cοntinuing the ιvοrk that Pythagoras

had initiated five centuries previously is indicated by his statement to the
spirit of ΑchilΙes, in which he referred to PythagoΓas aS "my spiritual
ancestοi'.")

on his way home, ΑpolΙonius sent the following Ιetter to larchus:

''larchus and the οther Sages, from Αpollonius' greetings: l came tο yοu by
Ιand; with yοur aid l return by sea' and might have ι'eturned even by air --
such is the wisdοm yοu have irnparted to me.''*

{* de Beauvoir Ρriaulaux, in his "Τhe ]ndian Τravels of

ΑpοΙlοnius οf Tyana," written in 1873, οomments as folΙοws οn
this statement: ''Εasy and pΙeasant as this mοde of travel [airj
is thought to be, Αpollonius had reοourse to it but once _ on
that memorable οccasiοn when about midday he disappeared
befοre the tribuna] of Dοmitian, and the same evening met
Damis at Ciachaerchia.")
''E\ren among the Greeks l shaΙl nοt forget these things, and shall stiΙt hοld
 Page 2 οf 2
Part 6: Αpοilοniυs Le"'
Αpοilοnius the Νazarene

commeΓcewithyοu..o,ιhaνeiπdeedvainlydrunkofthecupofΤantalus.
Farewell, y" o"'t philosοphers'"

Αοcordingtoanοthertranslation,Αpollοnius,sletterreadasfοllows:
gea' rather' by sharing
you by tand and ye-have given me the heaven'
"l came to po\Μer tο travel thrοugh
vrith me yrri *ijαom, ye hrY:;j;;'";; Greeks' and t will hold
These things *ιiι ι nrι*-g
back tJι;:';;j;ιhe δΞ tn't l have not drunk
cοnverse with yοu as thoιlgh r:*:;;;x;;i;
ιi] vaιΠ'
of the cup of Tantalιis
rnaster, Apοllonius received the ''cup of
(*Frοm larεhιls, his
Τantalus,,,symbolizing'λ;*ιδJoλwhichitwashismissionto
done before him'
bring back to Greece.'''Ξy''"nδP' Ψ'9 from the
is fabted to r,rr* ,tοlJn the cuη 9f nectar
Tantalus
gods;thiswastn*,,amτι"tΞ,;tΤiJ.o"",nofimmortalityand
wιsdom οf the Hindus'1 "lt
foltowing οοmment on-this quotation:
οf Τyana,, makes the
ΙVΙead in his,,Αpollοnius ;=*r'.Jnα tn" 'cup οf Tantalus' are
οryptiο sen'"r"Ξrjι.riΙι'," -- a.wisdοm which he
is evident trοm tιleie
iwκαo*,γ,thicn,naiΤ*. i*p"*e1tΞ λpolionius
identicatψrith the
more to tιrΞH*"ui; ;ith"G-;;; i" inuu clearly states that
it' for
vras tο bring nr"κ-on"u ,iirΞ.i^ ,"αwιtλ tιle means to.accοmplish
with a αιstι,ici ir'l"urnt the Brahma Vidya*
he returneα tro*lnαla i, tnrt'λ"
not only had he drunk
of the o..rn-J*"ιJδ* ttlough his body be in
has also.ler,ni nu* to convers"'i,t'ιΤin"m οr Gοd'
from their ιιps, nΙιiλΞ v'αyu' tn""'κnn*i*Jg" of Brahman
lndia'"'#il;λ; the
Greeοe anα meiilοαιes
in
Conscioυ=r:;"'ilδ ;;;;";''t'ιn' aid p"'m"ates
the universal spiriiual
entire cosmosl'
*******

bY Jeroen Wierda
and text editing Copyrighted Θ 1996-1997
\Λl\Λrw design
;;; υ rdκ"'"arοh lnternational
Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart 7: l,abοrs οf Αpο... Page 1 οf4

Αpollonius the Nazarene @@

Αpoilοnius the Νazarene
PartT:
Events in the Ιife of Αpollοnius of Τyana
Labοrs of Αpοllοnius in Greece
as recοrded in "The Life of Apollonius οf Τyana" by his biοgrapher, Philοstratus

on returning to Greece, Apollonius traveΙed around from city to city, visiting the
tennples, vεhere he restοred the ancient mysteries by reeducating the priests.
Αecοrding to Mead, Apοlionius'S "οne idea seems tο have been to spread abroad
amοng the religious brοtherhοοds and institutiοns οf the Empire SCIme pοrtiοn οf the
Wisdοm υrhich he brοughi back from lndia.''

Ηis wοrk vras to unify diverse creeds by revealing thelr commοn origin and nature, and
thus tο promote the Brotherhοod οf Mankind. Ηis first work was to aboΙish the
barbarοus custom of animal sacrifices and tο replace this by offerings of frankincense
and flowers. Ηis object was to turn the minds of priests and iaymen from the
ΕXΤERΝΑL FORMS οf religion, fΓom rituals and saerifices, to the |NΝER MEΑΝIΝG,
and tο repΙace idοlatry by MYSΤΙC cΟMMUΝlοN [mediiation] with the Gοd ιvhο
dweΙls WlΤΗ|Ν.

Fοr this purpose he νγent tο all the hοΙy places, in Syria, Egypt, Greece and Spain; he
eveΠ reached the rock of Gades, which Ιater was to become Cadiz, [near southern tip
οf Spain, near Gibraltar] which \ffas, accοrding tο Ρliny, the last part of the οοntinent
that escaped the catastrοphe of ΑΤLAΝτIS. Ηis travels also brought him as far as
Gaul. Ηowever his chief work of religiοus refοrm ιvas in Greece.

When ΑpolΙonius came to Ephesus, the citizens left their vrοrk and fοliowed him,
paying homage and applause. Τhe first discourse of Αpollonius given at Ephesus \ΜaS
from the porch of the temple of Diana, after the manner οf the Stoics, exhorting them
tο spend their time in study and phiΙosophy (spirituality) and to abandon their
dissipatlons and crueΙ sports. Ηe aΙso preached on "Cοmmιιnity of Goοds''
('cοmmunism') illustrating his discουrse with the parable οf the sparrοws.*
*While discoursing οne day in one
of the covered ιvalks οf Ephesus, οn
-communism,'
mutual aid and the advantages of it chanced that a number
of sparrows were sitting on a tree nearby in perfect silence. Suddenly
another Sparro\Jv f}ew up and began chirping, as though it ιιlanted to teΙΙ the
others somethΙng. Whereupon the little feΙloιvs all set tο chirping also, and
flew away from the ne\λ/οomer. ΑpolΙonius's supeΓstitiοus audience νvere
greatly struck by this οonduct of the SparroννS, and thought it was an
augury of some important matter. But the philοsοpher cοntinued his
SeΓmon, pointing out that the sparrow had invited it's friends to a banquet'
Thereupon a bοy slipped dοwn a lane nearby and spilt Some cοrn he was
carrying in a bowl; then he picked up most of it and went away. The little
SpaΓΓο\Ιl, chancing on the scattered grains, immediately fΙew οff to invite
his friends tο the feast. Mοst of the crowd then weni οff at a run to see if it
 Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Part} ' Labοrs οf Αpο... Ρage 2 af 4

were true; and when they came back shouting and all excited with
uronderment, Αpollοnius spoke as follοιars:

''Ye See ι,vhat care the sparrows take οf one another, and hοw
happy they are to share with all their goods. Αnd yet we men
dο nοt apprοve; nay, if \,ve see a man sharing his goοds with
οther men, vfe call it wastefulness, extravagance and such
names, and dub the men to γvhom he gives a Share, fawners
and parasites. What then is left tο us except tο shut us up at
home like fattening birds, and gorge out beΙlies in the dark until
we burst ι,trith fat?"

WhiΙe delivering another lecture in Ephesus, Αpollonius displayed his unusual

clairvοyant power by observing an event occurring far away. ln the midst οf his
discourse he beheΙd the murder οf Domitian in Rome; and suddenly stopping his
discourse, he cried out, "Keep up yοuΓ spirits, Ο Εphesians, fοr this day the tyrant is
kilΙed. Τhen he told the astonished people νvhat he had SeeΠ, namely that Domitian
-l' had been attacked by Stephanus and ι,vounded; afterιvards, as Philostratus telis us,
"hΙs bοdyguards, hearing the noise, and concluding that aΙΙ is not well, rushed iniο the
clοset and finding the tyrant fainting, put an end to his Ιife.''

Philοstraius describes this incident as foIΙows:

''Αt first he sank his voice as though in some apprehensiοn; he hοwever,
cοntinued his exposltion but haltingly, and ιμith far less force than usual,
aS a man who had Sοme other subject in his mind than that on which he is
speaking; finally he ceased sρeaking altogether as though he cοuld not
find his words. Then staring fixedΙy on the ground, he started forward three
or four paces, crying out: 'Strike the tyrant, strikel'And this, not like a man
ιηrho sees an image in a mirror, but as one with an actual Scene before his
eyes, as though he were himself taking part in it."*

[*ltmust be understood that Domitian, a degenerate tyrant,

vlas respοnsible for the mοst terrible atrocities committed
against spiritual/phllosophiοal personages, and γvas
determined to stamp out by persecution all of the higher
spiritual knοwΙedge, which Αpollonius wished to spread. lt is in
this context of the greater spiritual good of the whole human
race that ΑpοlΙonius was relieved at the news of the tyrant's
death. On an individual level he wouid undoubtedly have the
Same cοmpassion for him as a Soul, as to any other man.]

Turning to his astοnished audience, he told them what he had seen. But though they
hoped it νvere true, they refused to believe it, and thought that Αpollonius had taken
Ιeave οn his Senses. But the philosopher gently answered;

"You, on your part, are right tο suspend your re1oicings till the news is
brοught you in the usual fashiοn; as fοr me, l gο tο return thanks tο the
Gοds fοr what l have myseΙf Seen.''
While at Εphesus, Αpοllonius predicted that the city would be affΙicted with a plague;
and iater, when visiting Smyrna, emissaries came to him from Εphesus, begging him
to rescue the peopΙe frοm this terrible Scourge. "When he heard this," vrrites
Philostraius, he said, 'l think the journey is not to be delayed; and no Sοoner had he
Αpοliοnius the Nazarene Part7 Labοrs οf Αpο... Ρage 3 οf4

uttered the words, than he was at Ephesus."

lt ιvas to this occuΓΓence that Αeiian referred aS amοng the charges on which
Αpοllonius was to be arraigned at h1s trial befοre Domitian in Rome, fοr wheπ he
appeared among the unhappy pΙague-stricken Ephesians, he reassured them,
prοmising that he would put a stop to the plague, which promise he fulfilled. lt is said
that Αpollonius stayed the plague in Ephesus by destroying a 'demon' in the guise οf
an old beggar-man.

Αs the resuΙt of his pΓesence and Ιabor in behalf οf the people, the city of Ephesus,
which was So nοtoriοus for its frivolity, was brought back by the teaching of Αpollοnius
to the cultivation οf philοsophy and the practice of virtue. on this subject, Lecky, in his
"Ηistοry οf European Mοrals," writes:

"Αpollonius vι/as admired at Ephesus; the'devils' themselves contributed

to his popularity by their oracles, ιryhich they gave out in hΙs favοr. lt is
claimed that he reclaimed the clty frοm idleness, from a love οf dancing,
and fι-om other foοΙeries to which it was addicted and that he endeavored
tο bring the inhabitants tο be friendly tο οne another. Ηe labοred, in like
rnanneΓ in the other cities οf lοnia to reform the manners οf the peοple,
and to establish unity amongst them."

ln visitiπg the temptes, advising wΙth the priests and lecturing to the peοpΙe, ApoΙlonius
spent his time in Εphesus. He also traveled tο other cities of lonia, adjacent to
Εphesus, where he addressed the people. Ξverywhere he was received with
dcmonstratiοns of joy and Γeverence. Τhe peopΙe flocked tο hear him, and many \rvere
benefited by his preaching and healing' Τhe priests and oracles of Colphon and
Didymus had already deοΙared in his favor, and all persοns ιrvho stοοd in need of
assistance \,γere cοmrnanded by the oracle to repair to Αpollonius, such being the will
of Αpol1o and the Fates. Εmbassies νvere sent frοm all the principal cities of lonia
offering him rights οf hospitality. Smyrma sent ambassadors, \Μho, when qυestiοned
for a reasοn οf the inviiation, replied, ''] will Gοme; our curiosity is mutual."

Αrriι,ing in Smyrna, the lonians who v/eΓe engaged in theiι'Panon festival came out tο
meet him. Ηe found the people glven up tο idte disputings, and much divided in their
opinions upon all subjects which tended for the public welfare and the good
government of the city. He exhorted them in their disputes to rather vie with each
other in giving the best advice or in discharging most faithfuΙly the duties of citizens, in
beautifying their city with wοrks οf art and graceful buildings.

Αpοllonius deΙivered many discοurses at Smyrna, aΙways confining himself to such

topics as \rvere mοst usefu} to his hearers. Ηe was the guest of Τherοn the elder, a
stοic and an astrοnomer.

Εntering Αthens, Αpollοnius was recognized and acknoνγledged by the people as he

apprοached and passed thrοugh the crοwd, amid greetings and accΙamations οf joy,
regardΙess οf the sacredness οf the occasiοn. When he entered the temple and
applied for initiation into the mysteries, Apollonius was refused by the hierοphant on
the ground that he \λ/aS an 'enchanter.' ln reply Αpollonius named the successor tο the
office of the hierophant who, he fοresaw, wouΙd initiate him at Sσme future date, which
prediction was subsequently futfilΙed.

While delivering a lectιlre in Αthens, ApoΙlοnius's discοurse was interrupted by a

yοιlth, whο gave way tο inane laιlghter, whom he fοund tο be under demoniacal
Αpοllοnius the Νazarθne Part7 ' Labοrs οf Αpο... Ρage 4 οf 4

pοssession. Αpolloπius stopped his talk and cοmmanded the demon [rebellious astral
spirit - usually earthbound] to go out οf the yοuth, and to give a sign of his departure.
Τhis sοon οccurred tο the astonishment οf the audience. The youth afterwards
foΙlowed a philosophical mοde of iife.

Ηearing οf the frivolities with which the Αthenians \Mere nο\λ, accustοmed to celebrate
the Dionysia, ΑpoΙΙonius rebuked them by reminding them of the exploits οf their
ancestors and of their legendary οοnnection with Boreas the most masculine of the
rrvinds. [appealing tο their higher spirituaΙ nature, in other wοrds]. Αnother abuse which
he drrested at Αthens \λ/aS the introduction οf the gladiatοriaΙ exhibitiοns.
,rf€fr*:ι*:',

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 Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Ρaπ 8: Yisit tο the ... Ρage 1 οf4

Αpotlonius the Νazarene @@

Apοllonius the Νazarene
Part 8:
Events in the lΙfe of ΑpοΙΙonius οf Τyana
Visit to the Gymnosophists
as recorded in ''Τhe Life of ΑpolΙonius of Τyana'' by his biographer, Philοstratus

Βy: Dr' R. W. Βernαrd, Β'Α-, M.Α., Ph.D.

We nοw come to Αpotlonius's visit to the ''Gymnosophists" of upper Egygt, whom

Damis calls the ''naked Egyptian phiΙοsophers,'' thoυgh according tο Mead,* the wοrd
"naked" probably meant "lightly clad.'' Τhat they might have been οriginalΙy Buddhist
--1' missiοnaries whο trave]ed westward is indicated by a statement by οne of the youngeΓ
members of the community whο left it tο fοΙlοw Αpοllonius. Ηe related that he came tο
join the community from the eπthusiastiο accοunt οf his father ιvhο tοld him that these
"Εthiopians'' \$eΓe from lndia; and sο he had jοined them instead of making the long
and periΙous trip to the lndus in search οf wisdοm. lf this is true, these Gymnosophists
must have originaΙly been Buddhist missiοnaries who traveled vrestward and settled in
Egypt, recruiting members from the Egyptians, Αrabs, and Εthiopians, and so in the
couΓSe of time forgοt their origin. Τhis explains the great similarity of Gymnosοphical,
Essenian and Τherapeut doctrines to Buddhist ones, aslde frοm the direct importation
of Buddhist teachings by PβhagoΓas and Αpollonius-*

(*According to Mead, the Gymnosοphists, \Ιvere really a sect of advanced

ΕSsenes, or Τherapeuts, as desοribed by Ρhilo in his ''on the
Contemplative Life," the description that Philo gives of the Therapeut
cοmmunity he visited on the shore οf Lake Mareoris near Alexandria
οorresponding almost exactly with Damis's descriptiοn of the
Gymnosophist community in Upper Egypt. Both shovr the following
unmistakable slgns οf Buddhist influence and origin.

(1) ln both cases the members gave a\Ιfay aΙl their worΙdly
possessions befοre jοining the cοrnmunity.

(2) There \λras a nοvitiate periοd and an initiation into the

οrder,

(3} Abstinence frοm meats and wines \JvaS compulsory,

(a) Bοth practiced the healing art,

(5) Both made cοmmunity of property the rule,

(6) Both tοοk οaths of chastity and poverty;

(7) Boih adopted and raised the chiΙdren of strangers and

orphans.

|ndeed, the Gymnosophical community that Apoltonius visited cοuId very

well have been οne οf the Therapeut cοmmunities desοribed by Philo and
 Page 2 of 4
Αpοllοnius the Νazarenθ Part 8. Visit tο the "'

which he visited at abοι.lt the same period." ["See the

bοoks by Αrthur Lillie
for details
(,'Buddhism ιn δnrιstianity" and ''tndia in Primitive Christianity''}
on the cοntributiοn of travelling Buddhist monks to
Ρalestine' Egypt' Syria
and Asia ιπinoi, to the formatiδn of the early Essene/ΤherapeuUNazarite
eοmmunities in'these aΓeas, whieh later became the
base upοn which
in the Library οf
Ghristianity was raised. Α Ιarge number of the volumes
Αlexandria \'veΓe likeurise of Buddhist origin'
of
Αccording tο Mead, ihis Gymnosophicalcom1nu1!!y νvas originaliy
mοnks' Τhe origin of
Buddhist origin, having beδn estanιι"r,eα by Buddhist
some o!tle
the Essen* ,nο TherJpeut dοctrines has been traced by
Buddhist missiδnaries sent out in the middle of the third οentury B'C' by
ΑSΗoKΑ, Buddhist Emperοr οf lndia, whο traveled to Syria, Egypt,
Macedonia ,nJ tho'" pλrts of Asia Minor vrhere the Essene communities
νveΓe later knorvn to eiist' While it is possible that
these οommunities may
Pythagorean origin'
have existeα prevιously and have been of orphic and
it is probabte Ιnat thesδ Buddhist rπissionaries fοund
in them a responsive
audience.

fi/Ιead γvrites, ''Just aS Some would ascribe the

constltution οf the Essene
and Τherapeυt cοmmunΙties tο Pythagorean influence,
so others wοuΙd
wouΙd they trace
asοribe their origin to Buddhist piοpaganda; and not only
even refer to
this influence tο the Essene tenets and praetices, but they
in a Jewish
the general teachings of the christ to a Buddhisi source
tιυo centuries
rnonotheistic settιnJ. Νot only sο but Some vgould have it that
brought about by
before the direct gjneraι contact οf Greece ιnrith lndia,
strοngly and
the cοnquests οf λlexander - lΝDιΑ, through Ρythagoras,
lastingly influenced all subsequent Greek thοught'"}
praised an Egyptian youth,
on the borderland between Egypt and Ethiopia, Αpollonius
than Ηippοlytis, because,
Τimasio, fοr his οontinence, re-garding him as of mοre merit
or think of the divinity of
vrhiΙe living cnasteΦ, he nevert-helesJdoes nοt speak
λp n ioa ite"ιreprod uitive energ ies] οthenαise than with
respect'
Apοllonius humbly
Asked by the Gymnosophiοat phiΙosophers to explain his Wisdom'
replied that Pythagorr='*r" trre lnventor of it, though he
derived it from the Brahmans'
yοuth, and had said:
This Vrfisdom, he ,dd"d, had spoken to him in his

"FoΓ Sense, yοung sir, l have nο charms; my cuρ is filled with

toils unto the
brim. Would'anyοlne embrace my \Μay of life, he must
resolve tο banish
memory οf wine' and
frοm his board all fοod that οnce borδ ιife, tο lose the
thus no mοre tο rαisdοm'S cup befoul - the cup that doth
consist of wine -
untainted souls. Nοr shall ιvool warm him, nor aught
that's made from an
beast" l give my servants shoes οf bast; and they sleep
as they can' And if
lfindthemoveΓοοmewithlove,sdelights,[lust]l,vereadytopitsdowninto
foοt doth drag and
γvhiοh that justice which doth fol}ow haι'd οn wisdom's
my way' that e'en
thrust them; indeed, so stern am l tο thοse ιlrho choose
upon their tοngues l bind a chain'
,,Αn
innate Sense a fitness and of right, and ne'eΓ to feel that
anyone's lot
a
is better than thine οwn; tyrants to strike with fear instead of being
greatly ble.ss their
fearsome slave to tyranny; to have the Gods more
lf thou are
scanty gifts than thδse whο pour before them blοοd οf bulls'
as weil, and fiΙt thy eyes
pure, i'lΙg1ve thee how to knoιv what things will be
Ap*llοnius the Nazarοne Ρart 8: Yisit tο tlre .'. Page -1 οf 4

so full οf Light, that thou may'st recognize the Gods the heroes know, and
pΓοVe and try the shadowy fοrms that feign the shapes of men.''

Ιn thus adcressing the Gymnοsophlsts, Αpοllonius spοke to philosoρhers ιrvho lived

just as he did, fοr these Egyptian sages ate no foοds of animal origin, and were strict
vegetarians aS \Μere the Brahman Sages of the Ηimalayas, the wise men of the east,
whom he had formerly visited.

Α very interesting Socratic dialogue took plaοe betιveen Τhespesiοn, the abbot of the
Gymnosophisi cοmmunity and Αpollonius οn the cοrnparative merits of the Greek ancj
Egyptian ι,l{ays οf representing the gods. lnquiring of Αpοlloniυs ιvhether Phidias and
PraxiteΙes went up to heaven and toοk impressiοn of ihe forms of the gοds and then
reproduced them in matter, Αpollοnius replied that imagination is the vision of higher
realities or divine archetypes οf things, and that each man has his higher Self - his
anget of god-like beauty, ιvhich, Ιike the gods, inhabits a heavenly worΙd"

Τhe Greek sculptοrs, he οοncluded, suceeeded in reprοducing these higher realities,

vrhich Pythagοras and Ptato cοnsidered to be the true beings of things. Said
Apοllοnius, "imagination is a workman ιviser far than imitatiοn; for imitatiοn only makes
υrhat it has seen, whereas innagination makes whai it has never seen, οοnceiving ii
with reference to the thing it really is. lmagination is one οf the rnost potent faculties,
for it enables us iο reach nearer tο realities.''

Τhereupοn, Thespοsiοn stated that the Εgyptians οn the other hand, dare not give any
precise form to the gοds; and so they represent them only in symbols to which an
occuΙt meaning is attaοhed. Τhus arose the representation of the gods by different
animal forms.

Τo this ΑpolΙonius replied that the danger is that the eommon peοple might worship
these symbοls and get unbeautiful ideas of the gods. The best thing wοuld be tο have
the wοrshipper cοnform and fashion for himseΙf an image of the object of his worship
WlΤΗoUΤ an external representatlon cr idol.*
"ΑpoΙlonius, a
{*Concerning this diaΙogue, Mead comments as folloιυs:
priest οf a universal religion, might have pοinted out the gοοd side and the
bad side οf both Greek and Egyptian reΙigious art, and certainly taught the
higher way of symbol-less wοrship, but he would not champion one
popular cult against another." (Mead: 'Αpollοnius of Tyana)

on his return frοm Εgypt, Apοllοnius signified his approval of the cοnduct of Τitus after
he had taken Jerusalem, in refusing to accept a crονvn from the neighboring nations.
Titus, whο was then associated with his father in the goveΓnment, invited Apollonius to
Argοs, and cοnsulted him as tο his future behaviοr as a i'uler. Αpollοniιls said that he
wοuιd send him to his companiοn, Demetrius the Cynic, aS a counsellor, ιμhich Titus,
thοugh the name, Cynic, was at first disagreeable tο him, assented to with gοοd grace.
Αt anοther time he cοnsuΙted with Αpοllonlus privateΙy οn his destiny.

Τhough they had the best intellect of the Rοman Εmpire frοm which to choose, the
Εmperοr Vespasian and his son Τitus preferred tο consult Αpοllοnius for advice
cοncerning the management of their empire. ln his last letter tο Τitus, Vespasian
confesses that they \Mere what they \ryeΓe solely owing to the gοod advice of
ΑpοlΙonius.*

(-Αpol}οnius \ffas w1ser than most men because he derived his wisdom
frοm a higher Source, from the gods; this was expressed in one word by
Αpοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart 8: \risit tο the ..' Ρage 4 οf 4

Αpollonius in his ans\ΜeΓ tο the Consul Τeiesinus, ιvhο asked him, ''Αnd
vahat is your wisdom?'' ''Αn inspiration,'' replied the sage.)

on one ocοasion, Vespasian traveled frοm Rome to Ξgypt to ask Αpοllonius's advice
on poΙitical matters. He found the sage seated in a temple. Αpproaching him, and
apologizing for his intrusion, the emperοr, an ardent admirer of the philosopher, said,
''You have the amplest insight intο the wiil of the gοds ancj Ι dο not vrish tο trouble the
gοds against their wil}.''

on this occasion, Αpollonius gave his august.risitor a fine example of his propheiic
and clairvoyant powers. Ηe Said, ''o Zeus, this man who stands before thee is
destined to raise afresh unio thee the tempie which the hands of malefactors have set
on fire.'' At that moment the temple in Rome γvas in flames, a fact ιvhich was verified
by Vespasian later.
-r- -L J- J- J- -l- J

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Apοllοnius the Νazarene Ρart 9: The Trials οf,... Page 1 οf4

Apotlonius the Nazarene

Apollonius the Νazarene

Part 9:
Events in the Iife of Αpollοnius of Tyana
The Trials of Αpollonius by Nero and Domitan
as recorded in ''The Life of Apolloniιis of Τyana'' by his biographer, PhiΙostratus

By: Οr. R. W. Βerrιαrd, Β'Α", λ4.Α., Ph'D.

During the reign of Νero, the phitοsophic cΙοak \ΜaS proceeded against in the
law-courts as the guise of diviners. Νοt to mentiοn other caSθS, Musonius, a man
second only to ApoΙlοnius, νγaS imprisoned on account of his philosοphy and came
near tο lοsing his life. Before Apοllonius and his company reached the gates of Rοme,
a certain Philοlaus οf Citium tried tο deter them frοm prοceeding. Το Αpοllοnius this
seemed a divinely ordained test tο separate the stronger disciples from the weaker
(whοm, however, he did not blame}; sο that, out of thirty-four, only eight remained with
him, the rest making various excuses for their fIight at once from Νero and from
philosophy.

Entering Rome, Αpollonius publicly denounοed the reigning tyranny, aS one So

grlevous that under it men \Mere nοt permitted tο be wise. Ηis discourses being alΙ
public, nCI accusations were made against him fοr a time. Ηe spοke to men of standing
in the Same manneΓ as to the common people. A publiο protest against luxυry,
deΙivered on a feast-day in a gymnasium which the Emperor v/as opening in person,
led tο his expulsiοn frοm Rοme by Νero's minister Τegellinus, who henceforth kept a
close watch on Αpollonius.

Ηis opportunity came at last ιιrhen there was an epidemiο of οοlds and the temples
ιarere fuΙl of people maklng supplicants for the Emperοr, because he had a Sore throat
and the ''divine vοice'' ιvas hoarse. Αpollοnius, bursting with indignation at the folty of
the muΙtitudes remained quiet, but trled to calm a disciple by telling him tο pardon the
gοds if they deiight in buffoons.''

Thls saying repοrted to Τigellinius, he had him arrested. Brlnging him tο trlal, hοwever,
he fοund himself baffled, and in fear of his superhuman pοWeΓs, let him go.
Philοstratus tells us that at his tΓial, "an infοrmer, well instructed, came forνvard, who
had been the ruin of many. Ηe held in his hand a scrοll ιvhereΙn was written the
accusation, which he flοurished about him like a sword before the eyes of Apollonius,
boasting that he had glven it a sharp edge, and that noιlr his hour had come. Upon thls
ΤegelΙinus enfοtded the sοrοΙl, ιγhen, 1ο, and behοld, neither letter nor character was to
be seen'..Αll these things appeared, in the eyes of ΤigeΙΙinus, divine, and above
human po\fver, and to show he did not vgish to contend with a gοd. he bid him go
vrhere he pleased as he ιvas too strοng tο be subject to authοrity.''

When Domitian ascended the thrοne and began tο shοw the same morbid vanity and
cruelty ιvhich had character'ized Νero, we find Αpollonius traveling up and down the
Empire, spreading seeds of discontent and rebelΙion against the crovrned monster. Tο
Dοmitian, he fearlessly said, ''l am ApolΙο's su$ect not thine.''*
Αpοllοnius the Naearene Part9: The Trials οf... Page 2 οf 4

(" Ηow much different from the more cοmprοmising Christiaπ messiah,
whο prοved much mοre acceptable to Constantine's and his οourt,
preaching as he did tο "render unto Caesar the things that are CaeSar'S,"
doctrine which was the opposite of that preached by the revolutionary
Apοllοnius, an enemy tο tyranny. Τhis makes it clear why the Romans
refused to accept Christianity sο long as Αpollonius was its head, and why
immediately after his replacement by Jesus (at the Council of Νicea in the
year 335 Α.D.), a previously persecuted 'eοmmunist' cult οf the poor and
οppressed was elevated tο become the imperiai reΙigion οf the Roman
emperors.)

Αpollonius did not try to start a revoluiion (against tyranny} οnly in one place, but
thrουghout the Εnτpire. Wherever he went, revοlutiοns aΓοse. Ηe νγent intο Gau!, and
there with Vindex, he raised the standard of revolt."

(*There can be no doubt that Αpollοnius was behind Vindex's revolt in

Gaul, in concert ιvith the governoΓ of Baetica. After hls expulsion frοm
Rcme, Αpollonius went to Spain tο aid in the forthcoming revolt against
Νerο. This is cοnjectured by Damis from ihe three days'secret interview
that Αpοllonius had with the Governor of the Prοvince οf Baetica, \Μho
came tο Οadiz especially tο see him, and whose last wοrds to ΑpolΙοnius
vrere, "Farewell, and remember Vindex.")

1π Chlos and Rhodes he succeeded in bringing about po}itical reforms. Later with
Domitian, a second Nero, no less cruel than his predecessor, and even exceeding
him, if that ιvere pοssible, ι,lre find the ever active and fearless ΑpolΙοnius going up and
down frοm one end of the Roman Εmpire tο the other, sοwing everywhere the seeds
of discοntent and rebelliοn against the tyrant of Rοme. Still later ι,lre find him fostering
a cοnspiracy against Domitian in favor of the virtuous Nerva.

Discovering the plοt against him, Domitian ordered Apollοnius to be arrested, but even
this did not deter him. When Vespasian v/as emperor, ΑpolΙonius supported and
counselled him sο lοng as he wοrthity tι'ied tο fοllονγ οut his instructions, but νγhen he
deprived th&i27 Greek cities of their privileges, he immediately rebuked the Εmperοr
to his face. "You have enslaved Greece," he vrrote him. "You have reduced a free
peοple tο s}avery.''

\Δdhen υnder Domitian, Apollonius became an object of suspiciοn to the Εmperor fοr
cι'iticizing his acts as he did the fοllies of Νero, instead of keeping away from Rοme,
he determined to brave the tyrant to his face. Crossing from Egypt to Greece and
taking ship at Cοrinth, he saiΙed by way οf SiciΙy to Ρuteoli and thence to the Τiber
mouth, and so to Rome where he was tried and acquitted.

Αpollonius always cοnsidered vrisdom his sovereign mistress and defended tiberty
even under Dοmitian. He entertained nο fears of his own life, for, aΙthough many
phiΙosophers \.vere going into involuntary exile during Dοmltian's reign, ApοlΙonius
determined to remain and take up arms for the good οf Rome against Domitian, as he
had done against Νero, atthough well knοwing that Domitian νvοuΙd condemn him to
destructiοn. Τo the pleading οf hid disciple, Demetrius, nοt to enter Rome at the risk οf
his life after Domitian threatened to imprison and put tο death any philosοpher that
remained in the city οr attempted tο enter it, Αpollonius replied:

"l have raised the stanciard of liberty, and at the moment she is on trial --
shall l αeε*β her? lf So, of what friendship am l ιrvοrthy after having thus
Αpοllοnius the Nazarene Ρart 9: Thc Trials οf... Ρage 3 οf4
betrayed my friends into the hands of the executioner?...Μy life is not
necessary; to go to Rome my conscience teΙls me is. l shall therefore be
ti'ue to myself and shall face the tyrant...l gο to Rοme! Fοr, as Phrasea
Ρaetus used to say, l had rather be kiΙled today than go into voluntary exile
tomοΓΓο}v."

Sοme of the sayings οf Αpollonius against Dοmitian, the successοr of Nero tο the
thrοne of Rome, whο surpassed even his predecessor in cruelty, having been
recοrded; we are told that he feli under suspicion through his cοrrespondence with
Νerva and his associates ofitus and Rufus. When proceedings against them νvere
begun, Αpollοnius addressed the following words to the statue of Domitian: ''Fooll Ηow
little you know of the Fates [Law οf Κarma] and Νecessity! He ιrvho is destined to reign
after you, shοuld yοu kill him, ιvill cοme to life again.''

Τhis vras brοught to Dοmitian's eaΓS by means of Εuphrates. Foreknowing that the
Εmperor had decided οn his arrest, Apοllοnius anticipated the summons by setting out
vyith Damis for ltaly. At Puteoli, he met Demetrius, whο told him that he has been
accusec of ''sacrificing a boy to get divinations for the cοnspirators;'' and that the
further charges against him were his strange dress and the worship that was said to
have been paid him by certain people. Demetrius tried to dissuade his master frοm
staying to brave the anger οf a tyrant unmoved by the mοst just defense, but
ΑpoΙlοniυs reptieα that he intended tο remain and ansιver the οharges against him, for
tο flee from a legal trial vrοuld, he believed, have the appearance οf
self-cοndemnatiοn. And ιvhither οould he flee? Ιt must be beyond the Ιimits of the
Rοrnan Empire. Should he then seek_ refuge with men ιvho knew him already, tο whοι'n
he would have to acknowledge ihat he has Ιeft his friends to be destroyed by an
accusation ιvhich he has not dared to face himself?

Before the tribunaΙ, Αelian, Domitian's prefect, accusecj ΑpοlΙonius of being

worshipped by men and thinking himself worthy οf equal honors with the gods.
ΑpοΙlonius ιvas thrοwn into prisοn, where he spent his time exhorting the prisoners to
cοuΓage and ι'aising their spirits. Brought before Domitian, he braveΙy defended Νerva,
Rufus and orfitus, ιvhom Dοmltian, had imprisoned as cοnspirators. Domitian insisted
that he shouΙd defend himself aΙone frοm the charges, and nοt the others who were
condemned" ΑpoΙlonius. rather than defend himself, declared them innocent and
prοtested against the injustice οf assuming their guilt befοre the trial.

Domitian replied, telling him that as regards his oιrvn defense, he cοuld take ιvhat
course he liked; and thereupοn he ordered his beard and hair cut, and put him intο
fetters such as aΓe ΓeseΓved for the worst criminals. (Α letter attributed to Αpollonius in
which he supplleatingly entreats the Εmperοr to release him frοm his bonds,
Philοstratus pronounοed as spuriοus.)

Being uneasy about his master's fate in Domitian's prison, Damis lvas reassured by
Αpοllonius whο said, "There is no one who rviΙΙ put us to death."
"But vrheπ' sir," asked Damis, "wilΙ you be set at liberty.''

"Τοri1οΓrο\λl,"answered he, "if it depended οn the judge, and this instant if

it depended οn myseΙf.''
Αnd ιrvithοut a ιvord mοre, he drew his teg out of the fetters, and said to Damis, ''Yοu
wilΙ see the libei-ty l enjoy, and therefοre l request yοu wiΙl keep up yοur spirlt." Ηe then
put his leg back into thg futters.
Αpοllοnius the }Jazafene Ρart 9: Τhe Τrials οf... Ρage 4 οf4
While in prison, Domitian sent a Saracusan, who ιvas his ''eye and tongue,'' to
Αpollonius, teΙΙing him that he could gain his release if he gave information about the
supposed eonspiracy against the Emperοr, but he had to leave ιιrithout result.
Αpollοnius then sent Damis to Puteoli, to expect with.Demetrius his appeaΓance there,
after he had made his defense.

Αmοng the eharges that Dοmitian made against ΑpoΙΙonius νvere the foΙlowing:

Charge lst: With wearing garments γvhich differ from thοse of othcr men,
thereby attracting crοιvds of boisterous people to the detriment of the goοd
order οf the city. of wearing the hair long and of Ιiving not in accord νvith
good society.

Gharge 2nd: With allowing and eneouraging men to eall him a god.
Brought befοre the tribunal, Αpollonius disregarded the monarch, and did nοt even
glance at him. Τhe accuser therefore cried οut to him to loοk towards the god of all
men," whereupοn Αpollonius raised his eyes tο the ceiΙing, thus indicating, accοrding
to Philostratus, that he was looking tο Zeus.

Αfter his iriumphant defense, which he made spontaneously, since he was nοt
permitted tο ι'ead the lοng defense he had previousΙy prepared, Domitian acquitted
him, asking him, hoιvever, to remain sο that he could converse with him in private.
ApοΙlοnius thanked him, but added the stern reproοf:

''Τhrough the νvretches whο surrouπd yoυ, cities and islands aΓe filled with
exiles, the cοntinent with groans, the armies υrith cowardice' and the
senate with suspiciοn.'' Τhen hc suddenly disappeared from among them;
and in ihe afternoοn of the same day, he appeared tο Damis and
Demetrius at Puteoli, as he had promised, at a time when they despaired
to ever see him again. [i'e., Ηe disappeared from in front of the Εmperor
Domitian at Rome, and rematerialized 150 mi]es aνγay in Puteoli.]

Αfter he had slept, tο rest from the recent strenuοus events in Rome, Apollonius told
his disciples that he ιvas Ιeaving for Greece. Demetriιls was afraid that he would nοt
be sufficientΙy hidden there, but Αpοllοnius replied that if all the earth belοnged tο the
tyrant, they that die in the open day had a better part than they that live in
cοncealment. Τo those in Greece who asked him hοw he escaped, he merely said that
his defense had been successfuΙ. Ηence, when many coming from ltaly reΙated what
had really happened, he ιryas almοst worshipped, being regarded as divine, especially
because he had in no way b,οasted of the marveious mode οf his escape.
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