and honor be in the streets for such a one as you only to stoop for--why,
I say, you should waste precious time on that poring fellow from the
Museum, I can not understand."

A superior smile parted the Magian's lips; he stepped back into the room,
followed by Annianus, and replied:

"You know how many who call themselves Magians will crowd round Caesar,
and the fame of Sosibius, Hananja, and Kaimis, is not much behind mine.
Each plies his art by his own formulas, though he may call himself a
Pythagorean or what not. None dare claim to belong to any recognized
school, since the philosophers of the guild pride themselves on
condemning the miracle-mongers. Now, in his youth, Caracalla went
through his courses of philosophy. He detests Aristotle, and has always
attached himself to Plato and the Pythagoreans. You yourself told me
that by his desire Philostratus is writing a life of Apollonius of Tyana;
and, though he may turn up his nose at the hair-splitting and frittering
of the sages of the Museum, it is in his blood to look for marvels from
those privileged philosophers. His mother has made courtiers of them
again; and he, who looks for everything from the magic arts, has never
yet met a Magian who could have been one of them."

At this the Syrian clapped his hands, exclaiming: "And you propose to use
Philip as your signbearer to talk to the emperor of a thaumaturgist who
is hand in hand with all the learning of the Museum? A cursed good idea!
But the gem-cutter's son does not look like a simpleton; and he is a
skeptic into the bargain, and believes in nothing. If you catch him,
I shall really and truly believe in your miraculous powers."

"There are harder things than catching him," said the Magian.