ord of Herodotus, though Pindar and he
refused credence to what the Christians taught of the miracles wrought
by Jesus Christ, related in the Gospel and sealed with the blood of
martyrs. Origen adds, What could Providence have designed in
performing for this Proconnesian the miracles we have just mentioned?
What benefit could mankind derive from them? Whereas, what the
Christians relate of Jesus Christ serves to confirm a doctrine which
is beneficial to the human race. We must, then, either reject this
story of Aristeus as fabulous, or ascribe all that is told of it as
the work of the evil spirit.

Footnotes:

[453] Matt. ix. 34.

[454] Matt. xxvii. 53.

[455] Macc. xiv. 14, 15.

[456] Origen. contra Celsum, lib. i. pp. 123, 124.

[457] Herodot. lib. iv.

CHAPTER V.

REVIVAL OR APPARITION OF A GIRL WHO HAD BEEN DEAD SOME MONTHS.

Phlegonus, freed-man of the Emperor Adrian,[458] in the fragment of
the book which he wrote on wonderful things, says that at Tralla, in
Asia, a certain man named Machates, an innkeeper, was connected with a
girl named Philinium, the daughter of Demostrates and Chariton. This
girl being dead, and placed in her grave, continued to come every
night for six months to see her gallant, to drink, eat, and sleep with
him. One day this girl was recognized by her nurse, when she was
sitting by Machates. The nurse ran to give notice of this to Chariton,
the girl's mother, who, after making many difficulties, came at last
to the inn; but as it was very late, and everybody gone to bed, she
could not satisfy her curiosity. However, she recognized her
daughter's clothes, and thought she recognized the girl herself in bed
with Machates. She returned the next morning, but having missed her
way, she no longer found her daughter, who had already withdrawn.
Machates related everything to her; how, since a certain time, she had
come to him every night; and in proof of what he said, he opened his
casket and showed her the gold ring which Philinium had given him, and
the band with which she covered her bosom, and which she had left with
him the preceding night.

Chariton, who could no longer doubt the truth of the circumstance, now
gave way to cries and tears; but as they promised to inform her the
following night, when Philinium should return, she went away home. In
the evening the girl came back as usual, and Machates sent directly to
let her father and mother know, for he began to fear tha