ended by saying: "You cannot kill me, because I am not mortal;" and as
soon as he had said these words, _he vanished from the tribunal_.[263:3]
Damus (the disciple who had visited him in prison) had previously been
sent away from Rome, with the promise of his master that he would soon
rejoin him. Apollonius vanished from the presence of the emperor (at
Rome) at noon. _On the evening of the same day, he suddenly appeared
before Damus and some other friends who were at Puteoli, more than a
hundred miles from Rome._ They started, being doubtful whether or not it
was his spirit, but he stretched out his hand, saying: "Take it, and if
I escape from you regard me as an apparition."[263:4]

When Apollonius had told his disciples that he had made his defense in
Rome, only a few hours before, they marveled how he could have performed
the journey so rapidly. He, in reply, said that they must ascribe it to
a god.[264:1]

The Empress Julia, wife of Alexander Severus, was so much interested in
the history of Apollonius, that she requested Flavius Philostratus, an
Athenian author of reputation, to write an account of him. The early
Christian Fathers, alluding to this life of Apollonius, do not deny the
miracles it recounts, but attribute to them the aid of evil
spirits.[264:2]

Justin Martyr was one of the believers in the miracles performed by
Apollonius, and by others through him, for he says:

"How is it that the talismans of Apollonius have power in
certain members of creation? for they prevent, _as we see_,
the fury of the waves, and the violence of the winds, and the
attacks of wild beasts, and whilst _our_ Lord's miracles _are
preserved by tradition alone, those of Apollonius are most
numerous, and actually manifested in present facts, so as to
lead astray all beholders_."[264:3]

So much for Apollonius. We will now speak of another miracle performer,
_Simon Magus_.

Simon the Samaritan, generally called Simon _Magus_, produced marked
effects on the times succeeding him; being the progenitor of a large
class of sects, which long troubled the Christian churches.

In the time of Jesus and Simon Magus it was almost universally believed
that men could foretell events, cure diseases, and obtain control over
the forces of nature, by the aid of spirits, if they knew how to invoke
them. It was Simon's proficiency in this occult science which gained him
the surname of _Magus_, or _Magician_.