Thaumast, an English pundit, who went to Paris, attracted by the rumor of the great wisdom of Pantag´ruel. He arranged a disputation with that prince, to be carried on solely by pantomime, without the utterance of a single word. Panurge undertook the disputation for the prince, and Pantagruel was appointed arbiter. Many a knotty point in magic, alchemy, the cabala, geomancy, astrology, and philosophy were argued out by signs alone, and the Englishman freely confessed himself fully satisfied, for “Panurge had told him even more than he had asked.”--Rabelais, Pantagruel, ii. 19, 20 (1533).
Thaumaturga. Filumēna is called La Thaumaturge du Dixneuvième Siecle. In 1802, a grave was discovered with this inscription: Lumena Paxte Cvmfi, which has no meaning, but being re-arranged makes Pax Te-cum, Fi-lumena. So Filumena was at once accepted as a proper name and canonized. And because as many miracles were performed at her tomb as at that of the famous Abbé de Paris, mentioned in Paley’s Evidences, she was called “The Nineteenth-Century Miracle-Worker.” But who Filumena was, or if indeed she ever existed, is one of those secrets which no one, perhaps, will ever know. (See St. Filomena.)
Thaumatur´gus. Gregory, bishop of Neo-Cæsarēa, in Cappadocia, was so called on account of his numerous miracles (212-270).
Alexander of Hohenlohe, was a worker of miracles.
Apollonius of Tya´na, “raised the dead, healed the sick, cast out devils, freed a young man from a lamia or vampire of which he was enamored, uttered prophecies, saw at Ephesus the assassination of Domitian at Rome, and filled the world with the fame of his sanctity” (A.D. 3-98).--Philostrătos, Life of Apollonius of Tyana, in eight books.
Francis d’Assisi (St.), founder of the Franciscan order (1182-1226).
J. J. Gassner, of Bratz, in the Tyrol, exorcised the sick and cured their diseases “miraculously” (1727-1779).
Isidore (St.) of Alexandria (370-440).--Damascius, Life of St. Isidore (sixth century).
Jamblichus, when he prayed, was raised ten cubits from the ground, and his body and dress assumed the appearance of gold. At Gadăra he drew from two fountains the guardian spirits, and showed them to his disciples.--Eunapius, Jamblichus (fourth century).
Mahomet, “the prophet.” (1) When he ascended to heaven on Al Borak, the stone on which he stepped to mount rose in the air as the prophet rose, but Mahomet forbade it to follow any further, and it remained suspended in mid-air. (2) He took a scroll of the Korân out of a bull’s horn. (3) He brought the moon from heaven, made it pass through one sleeve and out of the other, and then allowed it to return to its place in heaven.