They are so called, because in the
city and around it dwell the wise men who formerly lived in Greece, as
Pythagoras, Socrates, Aristippus, Xenophon, with their disciples and
scholars." On my asking him concerning Plato and Aristotle, he said,
"They and their followers dwell in another region, because they taught
principles of rationality which relate to the understanding; whereas the
former taught morality which relates to the life." He further informed
me, that it was customary at times to depute from the city of Athens
some of the students to learn from the literati of the Christians, what
sentiments they entertain at this day respecting God, the creation of
the universe, the immortality of the soul, the relative state of men and
beasts, and other subjects of interior wisdom: and he added, that a
herald had that day announced an assembly, which was a token that the
emissaries had met with some strangers newly arrived from the earth, who
had communicated some curious information. We then saw several persons
going from the city and its suburbs, some having their heads decked with
wreaths of laurel, some holding palms in their hands, some with books
under their arms, and some with pens under the hair of the left temple.
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