Vespasian
thus came to conceive a deeper desire to visit the sanctuary of Serapis,
that he might consult the God about the interests of his throne. He gave
orders that all persons should be excluded from the temple. He had entered,
and was absorbed in worship, when he saw behind him one of the chief men of
Egypt, named Basilides, whom he knew at the time to
be detained by sickness at a consid-
erable distance, as much as
several days' journey, from
Alexandria. He enquired
of the priests, whether Basilides had on this day entered the temple. He
enquired of others whom he met, whether he had been seen in the city. At
length, sending some horsemen, he ascertained that at that very instant the
man had been eighty miles distant. He then concluded that it was a divine
apparition, and discovered an oracular force in the name of
Basilides.
