An epidemic which the doctors call influenza hit Rome. It stirred up coughing fits and speakers' voices became bad. Now temples were full of people petitioning the gods because Nero had a sore throat and was suffering with a husky voice.

Apollonius let out (a comment) on the insanity of the crowd, but criticized no one. Rather he even calmed Menippus, who was irritated by such things, and cautioned him:

-- "Excuse the gods, if they are pleased to be mimicked by clowns."

When this saying was reported to Tigellinus [the chief of Nero's secret police], he sent agents to put (Apollonius) in prison, since he was charged with irreverence to Nero. A prosecutor who had already already done away with many and a veteran of such Olympiads was appointed for him. In his hands he had a certain writ on which the charge had been written. And he held it up to the man, like a sword, and said it was sharp enough to ruin him. But when Tigellinus unrolled the writ, he did not find a trace of writing on it. He was confronted by a blank book. So he thought he was dealing with a demon. It is said that later Domitian also felt this way about (Apollonius).

Then taking Apollonius, (Tigellinus) entered a secret court in which the officer in question passed judgment on major cases in private. When he had made everyone (else) leave, he interrogated (Apollonius), asking who he might be. Apollonius mentioned his father and his homeland, and explained why he preoccupied himself with wisdom. He said he practiced it to know the gods and to understand the (lot) of humans. For it is harder to know another than to know oneself.

(Tigellinus) said:

-- "How do you rebuff demons and the appearance of phantoms, Apollonius?"

(Apollonius) replied:

-- "Like murderers and irreverent humans."

He said this as an insult to Tigellinus, who was Nero's teacher in every cruelty and brutality...

(Tigellinus) said:

-- "Why aren't you afraid of Nero?"

(Apollonius) replied:

-- "Because the God who lets him seem frightening also made me to be unafraid."

(Tigellinus) said:

-- "What is your opinion of Nero?"

(Apollonius) replied:

-- "Higher than yours. For you hold him worthy to sing, but I (hold) him worthy of silence."

Shocked by this, Tigellinus said:

-- "You may go. But you must post a bond for your body."

Apollonius said:

--"And what will be the bond for a body which no one will bind?"

To Tigellinus, these things seemed to be demonic and beyond human (wit); and since he was too cautious to match wits with a god, he said:

-- "Go where you want. For you are too powerful to be ruled by me."