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stock; these cheats having declared no sacrifices could beoffered till the money was lodged in the hands of theirbankers. Apollonius resolving not to neglect the interestof the Hellespontines, went through their towns, anddrove* out of them those wandering impostors, who weremaking gain of their misfortunes. Then inquiring into thecause of the anger of Tellus and Neptune, he offered theproper expiatory sacrifices to each, and by this meansaverted the danger which hung over them at a small ex-pense, aud the earth got some rest.
CHAP. XLII.
ABOUT tins time the Emperor Domitian issued a decree,forbidding the further making of eunuchs,and plantingvines,£ with a clause added to the latter prohibition, whichcommanded such as were planted to be cut down. Apol-lonius happening to come into Ionia, said, these orders ofthe Emperor do not affect me, for of all men living, Istand least in need of wine and the organs of generation:but our most admirable' Domitian does not perceive, thatthough he spares men, he nevertheless castrates the earth.By what Apollonius said, the Ionians assumed couragesufficient to send ambassadors to the Emperor , with ordersto do all they could to prevent the execution of a lawtending to the great injury of the earth, by commandingthem not to plant it with vines.