CHAPTER X

EVENTS RELATING TO THE DAPHNEAN APOLLO, AND TO ST. BABYLAS

JULIAN, being desirous of declaring war against the Persians, sent his most faithful friends to consult all the principal oracles of the Roman empire. He went himself to the Pythian Apollo of Daphne, beseeching him to reveal to him the future. The soothsayer replied, that it would be required first to remove the dead bodies which were lying in the neighbourhood to some other region, for that they obstructed the deliverance of the oracles; and that, upon their removal, the future would be disclosed. The remains of the triumphant martyr, Babylas, and of the young men who were slain with him, were at this period lying in the neighbourhood. It was evident that the delivery of the deceitful oracles was prevented by the presence of those holy corpses. This was clearly perceived by Julian, who, from the religion in which he had been formerly instructed, had learnt the power of the martyrs. On this account he would not remove any of the corpses himself, but commanded the followers of Christ to carry away the remains of these triumphant martyrs. The whole body of Christians accordingly repaired with great exultation to the sacred grove, placed these remains in a car drawn by two horses, and thus conveyed them to the city. All the Christians followed, singing the psalms of David, and at every interval repeating these words, “Let all those who adore graven images be confounded.” The Christians regarded this removal of the martyrs as a triumph gained over the demons.