g
that if any of us heard the hissing we should by no means
stir. We therefore all remained in bed, and made no noise. As
for myself, I could not sleep, on account of the odor of a
basin of savory porridge which an old woman had at the side of
her bed, and which I longed for amazingly. Being, therefore,
anxious to creep near it, I raised my head and saw the
sacristan take the cakes and dried figs from the sacred table,
and going the round of the altars, put all that he could find
into a bag. It occurred to me that it would be meritorious in
me to follow his example, so I arose to secure the basin of
porridge, fearing only that the priest might get at it before
me, with his garlands on. . . . The old woman, on hearing me,
stretched forth her hand. But I hissed, and seized her fingers
with my teeth, as if I were an Esculapian snake; then, drawing
back her hand again, she lay down and wrapped herself up
quickly, while I swallowed the porridge, and, when full,
retired to rest.

The surprising cures frequently effected were inexplicable, even to the
scientific minds of antiquity.

Victor Duruy, in his "History of Rome,"[103:1] relates the following
instance, on the authority of the Greek writer AElian. A man named
Euphronios, who had been an ardent follower of Epicurus, suffered from
some obstinate affection which his physicians failed to cure. His
relatives therefore carried him into a neighboring Esculapian temple,
where in the night, during sleep, he heard the voice of an oracle,
saying, "In the case of this man, there is only one means of
restoration, namely, to burn the hooks of Epicurus, to knead these
sacrilegious ashes with wax, and to cover the stomach and chest with the
compound." These directions were carried out, and Euphronios was
promptly cured and converted.

FOOTNOTES:

[97:1] J. B. Thiers, _Traite des Superstitions_, p. 385.

[98:1] _Archives generales de Medecine_, November, 1891, pp. 582 _et
seq._

[98:2] Frank Granger, _The Worship of the Romans_, p. 158.

[99:1] Daniel Le Clerc, _The History of Physic_, p. 84.

[99:2] Le Clerc, p. 109.

[100:1] _Encyclopaedia Britannica_, art. "Medicine."

[100:2] _History of Medicine._

[101:1] Mary Hamilton, _Incubation in Pagan Temples_.

[101:2] Dr. Carl du Prel, _Die Mystik der alten Griechen_; Leipzig,
1888.

[103:1] Vol. vi, p. 399.

CHAPTER IX

STYP