of Apollonius, which he had evoked, I referred to the book, and
found that he also saw him with a smooth-shaven face, but wearing
a shroud (linceul). (Ed.)





XVII. The Three Kings




The time was drawing towards dawn in a wild and desolate region.
And I stood with my genius at the foot of a mountain the summit
of which was hidden in mist. At a few paces from me stood three
persons, clad in splendid robes and wearing crowns on their heads.
Each personage carried a casket and a key: the three caskets
differed from one another, but the keys were all alike. And my
genius said to me, "These are the three kings of the East, and
they journey hither over the river that is dried up, to go up into
the mountain of Sion and rebuild the Temple of the Lord God."
Then I looked more closely at the three royalties, and I saw that
the one who stood nearest to me on the left hand was a man, and
the color of his skin was dark like that of an Indian. And the
second was in form like a woman, and her complexion was fair: and
the third had the wings of an Angel, and carried a staff of gold.
And I heard them say one to another, "Brother, what hast thou in
thy casket?" And the first answered, " I am the Stonelayer, and I
carry the implements of my craft; also a bundle of myrrh for thee