| As little as 300 years ago I would have been burned | | | | may indeed be based upon Apollonius, which sheds |
| at the stake or tortured to death by some bigoted | | | | an entirely new light on the matter. By accepted |
| inquisition for asking such a question - is Jesus Christ | | | | tradition, Apollonius was born in the reign of |
| an impostor? Today in the 21st century I could still | | | | Augustus, the great literary age of the nation of |
| be victimised and abused and in some fundamentalist | | | | which he was a subject and the same age as the |
| States be ostracised. But the stark truth remains that | | | | literary Jesus. In the Augustan age historians |
| we have very little evidence for the man that millions | | | | flourished; poets, orators, critics and travellers |
| of Christian's around the globe worship. Surely, if, like | | | | abounded. Yet not one of them mentions the name |
| Robin Hood and King Arthur, the character of Jesus | | | | of Jesus Christ, much less any incident of his life. The |
| was built upon that of a real man, then we would be | | | | Emperor Marcus Aurelius admitted that it was to |
| able to find him in history? Well, we may very well | | | | Apollonius that he owed his own philosophy, and |
| have had him before our eyes the whole | | | | erected Temples and statues in his honour. No |
| time!Apollonius of Tyana was born in the 3rd or 4th | | | | statues or Temples were erected to Jesus.Faust |
| Year BC in Tyana in Cappadocia, at 16 became a | | | | said, "Everyone knows that the Evangeliums were |
| disciple of Pythagoras, renouncing flesh, wine and | | | | written neither by Jesus nor by his apostle, but long |
| women. He wore no shoes and let his hair and beard | | | | after their time by some unknown persons, who, |
| grow long.He soon became a reformer and stayed in | | | | judging well that they would hardly be believed when |
| the Temple of Aesculapius. As we were to discover | | | | telling of things they had not seen themselves, |
| in The Serpent Grail, this great Greek deity of healing | | | | headed their narratives with the names of the |
| was himself closely linked to what we would come to | | | | apostles or disciples contemporaneous with the |
| know as the serpent cult.Apollonius was thought to | | | | latter."On the other hand, the written record of the |
| have been one of the wisest of all men. This in itself | | | | life of Apollonius is very sound and Philostratos who |
| gave us a clue, for Sophia or wisdom derived from | | | | wrote the Life of Apollonius was the close friend of |
| the root Ophia or serpent and S'Ophia meant simply, | | | | Damus who had related the whole thing in |
| shining serpent. You see, we discovered that | | | | person.Philostratos said, "Some consider him as one |
| Apollonius in all likelihood gained his immense wisdom | | | | of the Magi, because he conversed with the Magi of |
| whilst at the feet of the wise serpentine Naga sages | | | | Babylon and the Brahmans of India and the |
| of the Indian sub-continent.We can see evidence of | | | | Gymnosophists of Egypt. But even his wisdom is |
| this from Philostratos [1], the biographer of Apollonius, | | | | reviled, as being acquired by the magic art, so |
| who tells us of the journey to Kashmir to meet the | | | | erroneous are the opinions formed of him. Whereas |
| Naga sage Larchus and of the "emerald valley set in | | | | Empedocles and Pythagoras and Democritus, though |
| a rim of pearls" and of the tales that Apollonius told | | | | they conversed with the same Magi, and advanced |
| his travelling companion, Damus, of dragons which | | | | many paradoxical sentiments, have not fallen under |
| lived in the hills. Both emerald and pearls have | | | | the like imputation. Even Plato, who travelled in Egypt, |
| symbolic resonance with wisdom and knowledge and | | | | and blended with his doctrines many opinions |
| the dragons, which lived in the hills, were nothing | | | | collected there from the priests and prophets, |
| more than the Naga, or serpent followers of the | | | | incurred not such a suspicion, though above all men |
| region.Let's just take the time to look a little deeper | | | | on account of his superior wisdom."The very fact |
| into these Naga or Naaga:-Naga is a Sanskrit term | | | | that Apollonius was in danger of usurping the "idea" |
| meaning literally Serpent (especially cobra), but | | | | of Christ with his own "factual" life caused much |
| interestingly it also holds the meanings - a tree; a | | | | consternation amongst the early Christians. Justin |
| mountain; the sun; the number seven; wisdom and | | | | Martyr, one of the Church Fathers of the 2nd |
| initiate - all symbols and emblems we became familiar | | | | century said, "How is it that the talismans by |
| with in our search for those who worshipped of the | | | | Apollonius have power over certain members of |
| serpent. The Naga were and indeed are said to | | | | creation, for they prevent, as we have seen, the |
| reside in Patala, an underwater kingdom much like | | | | fury of the waves, the violence of the winds, and |
| Atlantis, however this has a meaning similar to | | | | the attacks of wild beasts. And whilst Our Lord's |
| antipodes, the same name given by the ancients to | | | | miracles are preserved by tradition alone, those of |
| the America's.Naga is a similar term to the Mexican | | | | Apollonius are most numerous, and actually |
| Nagals, the medicine (healers) and sorcerers who | | | | manifested in present facts, so as to lead astray all |
| always kept a god in the shape of a serpent. In | | | | beholders?"The book by Philostratos was therefore, |
| Burma they are Nats or serpent gods. Esoterically | | | | and not surprisingly, kept back from translation and |
| Naga is a term for wise men. There is a folk tradition | | | | distribution. In fact, the books of the New |
| that Nagas washed Gautama (Buddha) at his birth - | | | | Testament did not appear until at least one hundred |
| the wise men visiting the deity on Earth. They are | | | | years after the Life of Apollonius.Even the birth of |
| also said to have guarded him and the relics of his | | | | Apollonius bears some remarkable similarities to the |
| body after his death.According to H. P. Blavatsky in | | | | fictional life of Christ. Whilst his mother was pregnant |
| Theosophical Glossary, the Naga were descended | | | | with Apollonius, Proteus, the Egyptian God, appeared |
| from Rishi Kasyapa who had twelve wives (therefore | | | | to her and said, "Thou shalt bring forth me!" The |
| he is the sun), by whom he had numerous Nagas | | | | mother of Apollonius was to bring forth |
| (serpents) and was the father of all animals. Rishi | | | | God.Incidentally, Proteus was known to take the |
| Kasyapa can therefore be none other than a | | | | form of a snake.According to Phillimore, Apollonius |
| progenitor of the Green Man, and this partly explains | | | | actually founded a church and a community, made up |
| the reasons for the appearance of the snake in | | | | of his disciples. It is highly likely that these were |
| images of the Green Man and Horned God, such as | | | | connected to a branch of the Essene, known as the |
| upon the Gundestrup Cauldron.The Naga of Kashmir | | | | Therapeuts and Nazarenes and who we also know |
| instructed Apollonius of Tyana. This is the same | | | | were closely linked to the Indian Brahmins and the |
| Kashmir where the serpent tribes became famous | | | | Nagas.Indeed there was a group known as the |
| for their healing skills. There is a theory that the | | | | Apolloniei - the adherents of Apollonius - who actually |
| Nagas descended from the Scythic race (who | | | | survived some centuries after his death. These |
| brought many of the Arthurian legends to the British | | | | constituted what became the Christian Church, after |
| Isles) and when the Brahmins invaded India they | | | | the Council of Nicaea - so Apollonius did indeed begin |
| found a race of wise men, half gods, half demons | | | | Christianity, based upon serpentine myths and |
| (snakes). These men were said to be teachers of | | | | traditions of the oldest order.In fact Eunapius stated |
| other nations and themselves instructed the Hindu's | | | | that Philostratos should have called his book "The |
| and Brahmans - no wonder that Apollonius visited | | | | Sojourning of a God Among Men." However once the |
| them.'Then come the Naaga, the Siren serpents, | | | | decision had been made to plump for the newly |
| whose worship has been so important a factor in the | | | | created Christ, cobbled together from various deities, |
| folklore, superstition, and poetry of India from the | | | | Apollonius was repressed. It is basically because of |
| earliest times down to-day. Cobras in their ordinary | | | | books like the one of Philostratos that the ancient |
| shape, they lived, like mermen and mermaids, more | | | | libraries at places such as Alexandria were torched. |
| beneath the water, in a great luxury and wealth, | | | | Destroy the evidence of the opposition and there |
| more especially of germ, and sometimes, as we shall | | | | appears to be no opposition. But they missed one |
| see, the name is used of the Dryads, the tree-spirits, | | | | vital piece of evidence in their own book.In 1st |
| equally wealthy and powerful. They could at will and | | | | Corinthians 3:3-6 it says, "for while one saith, I am of |
| often did, adopt the human form and though terrible | | | | Apollos, are ye not carnal? Who, then, is Paul, and |
| if angered, were kindly and mild by nature. Not | | | | whom Apollos, but ministers, by whom ye believed, |
| mentioned either in the Veda or in the pre-Buddhist | | | | even as the Lord gave to every man? I have |
| Upanishads, the myth seems to be a strange jumble | | | | planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the |
| of beliefs, not altogether pleasant, about a strangely | | | | increase."I could so easily have overlooked this had it |
| gifted race of actual men; combined with notions | | | | not been for a chance discovery of an ancient |
| derived from previously existing theories of tree | | | | version of 1st Corinthians found in a French |
| worship, and serpent worship, and river worship. But | | | | monastery by a Huguenot soldier entitled the Codex |
| the history of the idea has still to be written. The | | | | Bezae. The name Apollos is spelt Apollonius! In fact in |
| Naagas are represented on the ancient bas-reliefs as | | | | the Encyclopaedia Britannica the name Apollo in this |
| men or women either with cobra's hoods rising behind | | | | context can also mean Apollonius. Indeed this Apollos |
| their heads or with serpentine forms from their waist | | | | was said to have even visited Paul (the apostle who |
| downwards.' Rhys Davies, Buddhist India, p.223.These | | | | did not suffer from snakebites) and he was called an |
| tree deities were Nagas anyway as Rhys Davies | | | | Alexandrian Jew. It is possible that Apollonius brought |
| continues on page 223 'The tree-deities were called | | | | back a new gospel of Chrishna from the Kashmir |
| Naagas, and were able at will, like the Naagas, to | | | | interlude with the serpent sages and it was this, |
| assume the human form and in one story the spirit | | | | which gave birth to the Christ that was in reality |
| of a Nunyan tree who reduced the merchants to | | | | based upon serpent worship. Now we know why |
| ashes is called a Naaga-raja, the tree itself is a | | | | Christ sloughed off his shroud in the tomb, just as |
| dwelling place of Naaga. It seems that they also left | | | | the snake sloughs its skin and is resurrected. Now we |
| behind myths of healing as a story in the Journal of | | | | know why the early Christians were known as |
| the Bombay Branch of the Asiatic Society | | | | Ophites, it simply means serpent worshippers. Now |
| demonstrates. When there was an epidemic among | | | | we know that the African practice of sacrificing |
| the children, it seems the only answer was to bring | | | | snakes upon trees |
| them to a snake skin which was hung on a pole and | | | | eventually found its coils embroiled in one of the |
| allow them to touch it - reminding us of the idea of | | | | largest religions to ever appear in the world and gave |
| the Brazen Serpent of Moses, which was upon a pole | | | | us the image of the son of God. Now we know why |
| and for the healing of the "children" of Israel. This | | | | Vatican not only means hill, it means hill of |
| may explain why it is that the tree-gods are not | | | | snakes.Notes1 In De Vita Apollonii (The Life of |
| specially and separately mentioned in the Maha | | | | Apollonius) Philostratos tells us of the superstitious |
| Samaya list of deities who are there said by the poet | | | | practices carried out by those of Arabia and India |
| to have come to pay reverence to the Buddha.'The | | | | with some remarkable tales about "eating the heart |
| history of the Nagas that we do have, textually | | | | and liver of serpents, for the purpose of acquiring |
| beginning around the 7th century BC is an amazing | | | | knowledge of the thoughts and languages of animals." |
| history of ups and downs. It parallels the rise and fall | | | | Philostratos wrote extensively on Apollonius of |
| of the serpent worshipped by the Semites, with the | | | | Tyana, the great sage who is seen by many as being |
| Brazen Serpent being raised in the wilderness and | | | | the true Christ.2 Taxila was the capital of ancient |
| then broken up in the temple.The hill where these | | | | Punjab (Hindus). In the Sanskrit language it was |
| wise men lived [2] was defended on all sides by | | | | Takshacila or simply "Prince of the serpent tribe." |
| immense piles of rocks. As soon as the travellers had | | | | Taxila was a famous place, having been mentioned in |
| dismounted a messenger from one of the Masters | | | | several languages and connected with the infamous |
| appeared, wearing of all things, a serpent Caduceus | | | | Silk Road between the Far West (Babylonia) and the |
| on his brow - an obvious allusion to the enlightenment | | | | Far East (China). Here lies the oldest known Hindu |
| process via the Indian Kundalini, or coiled | | | | shrine in the Pillared Hall, on the site of the western |
| serpent.Platitudes were given and when in | | | | end, said to have had a ceremonial function. The king |
| conversation Apollonius learned from one called | | | | of Taxila was called Taxiles and in 329 BC he invited |
| Larchus, that these Nagas had delivered their wisdom | | | | Alexander the Great to support him against |
| to the Egyptians and even Ethiopia, which as Hivviah | | | | aggressors. In 184 BC the Greeks invaded and placed |
| or Cush, named after the worship of serpents. In | | | | Demetrius on the throne. The town was rebuilt and |
| truth it seems that the wisdom of the serpent | | | | strangely it was called Sirkap (severed head). It was |
| brothers spread far and wide.Eventually Apollonius | | | | a multi-ethnic area now with Greeks, Bactrians, |
| became a wise sage himself and his own notoriety | | | | western Iranians and Hindus all living together. There |
| grew. Aurelian vowed to erect Temples and statues | | | | was a great mix of Hinduism, serpent worship, |
| to his honour "for was there ever any thing among | | | | Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Greek religious beliefs all |
| men more holy, venerable, noble, and divine than | | | | mixing together-a place very much like |
| Apollonius? He restored life to the dead; he did and | | | | Alexandria.Apollonius of Tyana went to Taxila as we |
| spoke many things beyond human reach." (Vopiscus | | | | find in the Life of Apollonius of Tyana by Philostratos. |
| in Aurelian, cap. 24)Truly, Temples and statues were | | | | "I have already described the way in which the city is |
| erected to Apollonius in many places, including his | | | | walled, but they say that it was divided up into |
| own town of Tyana. Unlike Jesus, there is evidence | | | | narrow streets in the same irregular manner as in |
| to prove that Apollonius actually existed. As Moncure | | | | Athens, and that the houses were built in such a way |
| D. Conway said in his book Modern Thought:"The | | | | that if you look at them from outside they had only |
| world has been for a long time engaged in writing | | | | one storey, while if you went unto one of them, you |
| lives of Jesus."The library of such writing has grown | | | | at once found subterranean chambers extending as |
| since then. But when we come to examine them, | | | | far below the level of the earth as did the chambers |
| one startling fact confronts us: all these books relate | | | | above." (Section 2.2). It was the King of Taxila |
| to a personage concerning whom there does not | | | | (Phroates) who wrote a letter of recommendation |
| exist a single scrap of contemporary information - | | | | for Apollonius to Iarchus in-order to have him learn |
| not one! Nobody can say with any conviction that | | | | the wisdom of the Nagas of Kashmir. |
| Jesus was a real person.On the other hand Jesus | | | | |