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by them, at, that by oracles. This talent is obtained ac-cording to some, by their feeding on the heart, and accord-ing to others, on the liver of dragons.

CHAP. XXI.

AFTER passing beyond Ctesiphon, * * Apollonius enteredthe territories of Babylon, where he was met by the King’sguard, whose orders were to let none pass without exami-nation ; and having first answered the questions, “ whothey W'ere,” “ whence they came,” and “ the cause oftheir coming.” The officer , who commanded the guard,was by way of distinction called one of the king’s-eyes,ffor the Mede,J who had lately obtained the supremepower, was not as yet fully settled on his throne, and frombeing alarmed at every flying rumour, whether true orfalse, had fallen into a state of perpetual apprehension.In consequence of this vigilance, Apollonius and his com-

Could tell what subtlest parrots meanThat speak and think contrary clean:

What member ’tis of whom they talk,

When they cry rope, -And walk knave, walk. Hodibras.

Inveterata fuit gentilium opinio, inter se colloqui Bruta et corumsermones a multis intelligi: unde ars vel interpretandi voces anima-lium; in quk excelluisse dicuutur apud veteres, Melampus, Tiresias ,Thales Milesius, Apollonius Tyaneus.

* Ctesiphon, a city of Assyria , on the east side of the Tigris, oppositeto Seleucia.

t It appears from Apuleius , that the faithful friends of the Persiankings were called aures regia, and imperatoris oculi.

t The Mede—called Bardanes Arsucidu; it may be noticed herethat the names of Persian, Mede, and Parthian , are often confoundedin history. This Bardanes, or Vardanes, was the son of Arta-hanns, whose story is told by Tacitus , in the 6 th and 11th bookof his annals; he succeeded to the throne in consequence of themisfortunes which befel his two elder brothers, Arsaces andDarius.

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