The Preface.
them Ιελία τῆ Βασιλίδι, to Julia the Queen. And here Philoſtratus tells me, that this Queen commanded him to tranſcribe theſe Commentaries. It ſeems then they were originally written in the Greek, and Philoſtratus is a meer Tranſcribler, and no Author. This I cannot believe, for Damis was an Aſſyrian, and, as he himſelf confeſſeth, a very ignorant perſon, and altogether illiterate: but meeting with Apollonius, Ελλησί τε ὀπιμιξφν Ελλτω ᾧ’ ἀυτ≡ γγυομμ θ, and converſing with the Greeks, he alſo was almoſt made a Grecian, but not altogether, not ſo learned a Grecian as to write Hiſtories, and in a ſtile like that of Philoſtratus. But this is not all: Our Author tells us of one Mæragenis, who had formerly written the Life of Apollonius in four Books: but this fellow (ſaith he) was ignorant of the Performances or Miracles of Tyaneus. And what follows this Ignorance? ἐ γας Μοιραγγύφ τὲ προσεκτέον. We muſt not therefore believe Mæragenis. And why not I beſeech you? Becauſe forſooth he lived near, if not in the days of Apollonius, but never heard of thoſe monſtrous fables which Philoſtratus afterwards invented. We muſt
then
