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CHAP. X. The Trauels of MVSaeVS, THEBaeVS and others mentioned by Saint AMBROSE * 1.1; of others also mentioned in the Ecclesiasticall Hi∣stories of EVSEBIVS, RVF••INVS, SO∣CRATES and SOZOMEN.
MVsaeus Bishop of the Dolens related to the Authour of the Tractate De Moribus [ 10] Brachmanorum (supposed to be Saint Ambroses) that hee intending to goe into India to see the Brachmans, had trauelled thorow almost all the Region Serica, in which hee said there were Trees (which brought fourth not only leaues, but very fine wooll also, of which they make Garments called Serica; and that there was a memorable Pillar of stone thus inscribed; I Alexander came hitherto; and that hauing passed thorow many Countreyes, he came at last to Ariana neere the Riuer Indus, and by the intolerable heat was inforced to returne into Europe, not hauing seene the Brachmans. He reported that he had heard of Thebaeus a certaine Scholer which went into India to see and conferre with Indian Philosophers called Brachmans and Gymnosophists: but hee was there capti∣ued. For shipping himselfe with certaine Merchants in the Red Sea, he first came to the Towne [ 20] of the Adulites, or the Bay Adulicus, after that to the Promontory Aromata, and a Mart of the Troglodytes, and hence to places of the Assumites, and many dayes after to Muziris the Mart of all India on this side Ganges, and hauing stayed a while there, he passed ouer to the Ile Taprobane. This is gouerned by foure Princes, one of which is the chiefe, whom the others obey, and to him are subiect a thousand Ilands, as he reported, of the Arabian and Persian Seas, and those which they call Mammolas a 1.2. The Iland hath fiue Riuers very great, the temperature such that at the same time the same Trees produced blossomes and fruits some greene, some ripe. The men liue on Fruits, Rice and Milke, and the chiefe men eate Mutton and Goats flesh on solemne dayes. He was taken as a Spie and kept sixe yeeres in Prison, but the Gouernour which had so vsed a Roman Citizen, was by the Emperors command flayed. He reporteth true and false things blen∣ded, [ 30] and amongst others of the Brachmans thus.* 1.3 They liue naked in the Regions adioyning to the Riuer Ganges; they haue no beasts, tillage, vse of Iron, nor any kinde of Instrument to doe any worke: they haue an excellent Aire and temperate Climate. They alway worship God, of whom they professe a distinct knowledge, both of his Prouidence and Diuinity. They alwayes pray, but in their Prayer looke not to the East, but directly to Heauen. They eate (as the beasts) what they find on the ground, leaues, and herbes; they haue the herbe Inula and the Tree Acan∣thus. The men liue on the further side of Ganges, on the Ocean Coasts, the women on this side, to whom their Husbands vse to haue recourse in Iuly and August. For those moneths b 1.4 seeme colder there, because the Sunne then comes neerer to vs, and when they haue continued fortie dayes with their wiues, they returne home. When a woman hath had a child or two, her Hus∣band [ 40] forbeareth her altogether. And if in fiue yeeres a woman hath no child, shee is diuorced. And thus their number is but small. The Riuer is passed ouer with great difficultie by reason of the tyrannie of Ondonitus, which infesteth those places, and of a certaine beast so great that hee deuoureth a whole Elephant. This beast is not seene when the Brachmans time of passage is. There are Dragons also reported to be seuentie Cubits long, I saw one whose skin was two and fortie foot: Ants as great as a mans span, Scorpions a Cubit long, &c. If this Scholler Thebaeus be worthy credit. There are in the same Tractate added out of the Writers of Alexanders life many speeches and discourses of the Brachmans, which I forbeare here to insert. They indeed are in many points admirable, if some Greekes haue not rather made experiment of their wits and facultie in Philo∣sophicall discourses, then deliuered a true Historie; at least mixed truth and seeming together, as wee see here in this Bishop and his Thebaeus. Those Gymnosophists (as Megasthenes also related) condemned [ 50] Calanus, which followed Alexander, whose Epistle is extant in a worke of Saint Ambrose lesse suspected, which I haue here also inserted, out of Saint Ambrose his seuenth Epistle.
Calanus to Alexander. Thy friends perswade thee to lay hands and violence on an Indian Philosopher; not so much as dreaming of our workes. For thou maist remooue our bodies from place to place, but thou shalt not compell our minds to doe that which they are not willing, any more then thou canst make Stones or Trees to speake. A great fire causeth burning smart to liuing bodies, and worketh corruption: but we are aboue this, for we are burned aliue. No King or Prince can extort from vs to doe what we haue not determined: Nor are wee like the Philoso∣phers of Greece, which haue studied words insteed of deeds, to get themselues a name and repu∣tation. [ 60] With vs things are companions to words, and words to the things, our deeds quicke and speeches short, we haue a blessed libertie in vertue.
Eusebius c 1.5 in the Life of Constantine mentioneth an Indian Embassie sent to him with rich Presents of almost all kind of Gemmes, and beasts differing from our••, with Pictures and Statues, whereby the Indians acknowledged him Emperour, and King of all vnto the remotest Coast of